To study the effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), the compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and its separated recipes on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA and serum TNF-alpha content in rats with alcoholic liver injury (ALI).

Objective To investigate the expression and correlation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1?(HIF-1?),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and sFlt-1 in the preeclampsia placenta,and discuss their significance in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.Methods Placentas were collected from 20 pregnant women with preeclampsia as study group and 15 normal pregnant women as control group.The expressions of HIF-1?,VEGF and sFlt-1 protein were semi-quantitatively analyzed with immunohistochemical assay and mRNA level was determined using reverse transcription polymerasc chain reaction(RT-PCR)technique. Results(1)the expression of HIF-1?and sFlt-1 protein in preeclampsia group obviously increased.Strong (+++)positive expression was observed in 9 and 11 cases respectively,significantly higher than in control group(2 and 3 cases)(P＜0.05),however,VEGF expression obviously reduced in preeclampsia group(P＜0.01).(2)the level of HIF-1?and sFlt-1 mRNA in preeclamptic placenta was 0.604?0.013, 0.898?0.041,significantly higher than 0.208?0.007 and 0.559?0.244 in normal placenta(P＜0.05). Although the level of VEGF mRNA increased in preeclampsia placenta,it was not significantly different from that in normal placenta(P＞0.05).The ratio of VEGF mRNA/sFlt-1 mRNA obviously reduced in preeclampsia group and was significantly lower than in control group(P＜0.05).(3)in preeclampsia group,HIF-1?mRNA expression was positively correlated with the expression of sFlt-1 mRNA(r=0.577, P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with the ratio of VEGF mRNA/sFlt-1 mRNA(r=-0.376,P＜0.05).Conclusion Abnormal high HIF-1?expression in preeclampsia placenta indicates that HIF-1?might play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia,possibly through affecting the cytotrophoblastic invasion and placental vascular reconstruction via the modulation of VEGF and sFlt-1 gene transcription.

To study the distribution pattern of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and its decomposed formulas Qinggan Recipe (QGR) and Huoxue Recipe (HXR) on expressions of CD14, Toll like receptor 4 (TLR(4)) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in Kupffer cells. METHODS: The isolated primary rat Kupffer cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for a certain period of time, a series of concentrations of drug-containing serums of QGHXR and its decomposed formulas were added, the expressions of NF-kappaB, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), CD14, and TLR(4) of the Kupffer cells were detected in different culture conditions by using Western blot, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and ELISA methods respectively. RESULTS: QGR could down-regulate the expression of membrane receptor CD14, but the expression of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha were not significantly decreased after QGR treatment. HXR could down-regulate the expression of membrane receptor TLR4 and inhibit the expressions of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha. QGHXR could down regulate the expressions of membrane receptors CD14 and TLR(4) and inhibit the expressions of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: QGHXR can protect liver cells by down regulating the expressions of CD14, TLR(4) and NF-kappaB and inhibiting TNF-alpha expression.

OBJECTIVETo study on the original meanings of "reinforcement can be achieved by slow-yet-rapid needling, and rapid-yet-slow needling weakens evil-qi", one of important bases of reinforcing-reducing in acupuncture.

METHODSUsing the principle of knowledge archaeology and through structure an d through structure analysis on the subjects described by "slow" and "rapid" and the papers appearing the words, the meanings of this sentence are re-discriminated.

CONCLUSION"Slow-rapid" prescribed in the reinforcing-reducing needling method in Huangdi's Internal Classic includes 3 subjects: pulse condition, needle-retained time, and velocity of withdrawing the needle. The "slow-rapid" in "reinforcement can be achieved by slow-yet-rapid needling, and rapid-yet-slow needling weakens evil-qi" should be pulse condition, but was not needling method, which means that the pulse changes from slow to rapid, marked by transformation of channels from deficiency to excess; the transform of the pulse from rapid to slow means that the channel transforms from excess to deficiency.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Ultrasonic microbubbles were used to open blood-brain barriers (BBB) with a reversed and limited behavior feature in the study, which could improve the brain-targeted delivery of anti-tumor drugs. The glioma rat model was prepared. Low-frequency ultrasound was combined with microbubbles to affect the permeability of BBB compared with the permeability of independently administered Evans blue (EB) crossing BBB. Time point and length of ultrasound were investigated whether they affect the permeability of BBB and the damage of brain tissue. The effect of the growth time of glioma on BBB permeability was explored. Only glioma had a very little impact on BBB permeability. However, ultrasonic microbubbles opened the BBB with the features of temporary, limited and reversed behavior and improved EB and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent penetrating BBB. A length of 30 s ultrasound is appropriate for opening BBB and no damage of brain tissue. Drugs should be injected before ultrasound so that they enter into brain as BBB opening. Ultrasonic microbubbles can open BBB effectively and safely, which improve drugs penetrating BBB under proper time point and length.
Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Contrast Media ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Glioma ; drug therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microbubbles ; Permeability ; Rats ; Ultrasonics

To study the effects of Jiangzhi Granule (JZG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in regulating liver X receptor α (LXRα) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) expressions in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Animals ; Genome, Viral ; Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Swine ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Viral Structural Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Virulence ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of detoxifying and blood circulation activating Chinese herb extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque integral and plaque stability related serum indexes of patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

METHODSixty and four cases of carotid artery atherosclerosis patients were assigned randomly to 2 groups: detoxifying and blood circulation activating treatment group (treatment group, 32 cases) and control group (32 cases). Patients in treatment group were treated with capsules of extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn, 1 pill po, bid (dosage of administration: polygonum cuspidatum extraction 5.33 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), hawthorn extraction 5.0 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)); patients in control group were treated with lovastatin 20 mg po, qd (dosage of administration: 0.33 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)). The course of treatment was six months. To observe changes of IMT, plaque integral, and detect the level of plaque stability related serum indexes such as Hs-CRP, MMP-1 and TIMP-1.

RESULTAfter 6 months of treatment, in control group one patient quit the clinical trial because of liver dysfunction and one patient was rejected because of having not followed the therapeutic regimen. 32 cases in treatment group and 30 cases in control group were analyzed. The results showed that IMT and plaque integral of treatment group decreased significantly after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference compared with control grope. Serum Hs-CRP, MMP-1 and MMP-1/TIMP-1 decreased after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the treatment group was superior to control group in decreasing serum Hs-CRP (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDetoxifying and blood circulation activating Chinese herb extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn has good effect of anti-atherosclerosis and promoting plaque stability. Its mechanism might be related with anti-inflammation and inhibiting degradation of extracellular matrix, and deserves further studies.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; blood ; drug therapy ; Crataegus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fallopia japonica ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Safety ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; blood

To study the mechanism of liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the therapeutic effects of the extract mixture of Dangyao (Swertia pseudochinensis Hara) and Shuifeiji (Silybum marianum Gaertn) on NAFLD rats with liver injury.