Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Humans ; Malathion ; metabolism ; urine

This article mainly summarise the results of the chemical compositions and their pharmacological activities of Arnebiae Radix since 1966. The chemistry components isolated from Arnebiae Radix are mainly naphthoquinone, monoterpene phenol and quinone, phenolic acids and their salts, alkaloids, aliphatic and esters. Pharmacological results showed that the chemical compositions and the extracts of Arnebiae Radix have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, hepatoprotection, antioxidant, anti-tumor and immune function and other activities. This article hopefully to provide a reference for further research, development and utilization of Arnebiae Radix.
Animals ; Boraginaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clubfoot ; physiopathology ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Adolescent ; Anesthetics ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Polychondritis, Relapsing ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Zengjing Capsule No. 1 (ZJC1) on morphology and motility of sperm in patients with oligospermia (OSM).

METHODSSeventy-two OSM patients were assigned to 2 groups by a randomizing digital table, the treated group and the control group, they were treated respectively by ZJC1 and Wuzi Yanzong Pill (WYP). The changes of density, motility and morphology of sperm in patients before and after 3-month treatment were examined using computerized WLJY-9000 colour semen analysis system with refined Papanicolaou's stain.

RESULTSThe density, motility and morphology of sperm were improved and sperm deformity rate was significantly decreased after treatment in both groups (P < 0.01), but the effects in the treated group were better than those in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONZJC1 can enhance the density and motility of sperm and reduce the sperm deformity rate in patients with OSM.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Oligospermia ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Phytotherapy ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Young Adult

To set standards for histomorphological studies on Lysimachia fortunei, an efficacious and widely applied folk medicine in this study, in order to develop its resources. Its species were identified by observing plant morphology and herbs appearance characters, preparing slices with routine methods and defining structural characters. According to the results of morphologic observation, leaves, stamen and pistil of this plant were different from the descriptions in Flora of China. The whole herb can be used in medicines, mainly including rhizomes, stems and leaves. According to the findings in the first study on microscopic structures, its rhizomes, stems and leaves were characteristic and worth identifying. The transaction tissue structures of rhizomes and stems were under developed and contained endodermis, secretory structures; Stems had sclerenchymata of different shapes of sclereids; Leaves were bifacial and had vascular bundles under midribs, which were surrounded by parenchymal sheathes. On the surface of leaves, stomata, glandular hairs and keratin lines were morphologically different in upper and lower epidermis. The herbal power had glandular hairs, sclereids and vessels. In conclusion, herbs of L. fortunei can be identified by the above histomorphological characteristics, which lays a foundation for further development and application of L. fortunei.
Medicine, Traditional ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Primulaceae ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

Objective To investigate the efficacy and security of cypher stent(sirolimus-eluting stent)in the treatment of old patients with coronary heart disease(CHD).Methods From November 2002 to May 2005,328 elderly CHD cases(age:60-86 years)were treated with 415 Cypher stents.Among the 328 patients,66 had ST-segment elevation of myocardial infarction,21 had non ST-segment elevation of myocardial infarction,149 had unstable angina and 92 had stable angina.As for lesion characteristics,diffuse disease was found in 91 case(26.1%),bifurcation lesions in 68 cases(19.6%),chronic total occlusion lesions in 56 cases(16.0%),in-stent restenosis in 14 cases and ostial lesions in 15 case.The immediate angiographic outcome,major cardiac event(MACE) and angiographic follow-up at 6 months were assessed.Results Stent implantation was successfully achieved in 99% patients with CHD.Acute and sub-acute stent thrombosis occurred in 2 patients,late stent thrombosis with AMI occurred in 2 patients,1 died during the 6 months follow-up.The MACE rate during hospitalization was 0.6% and 3.6% during 6 months follow-up.Angiographic follow-up in 84 patients at 6 months showed that in-stent restenosis rate(ISR)was 8.3%(restenosis within the stents was 2.4%).The target vessel revascularization(TLR)rate was 5.9%.Conclusions Cypher stent implantation in CHD is safe and effective,the ISR rate and TLR rate are significantly lower than those of bare metal stents.

BACKGROUNDCell-based vascular therapies of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) mediated neovascularization is still a novel but promising approach for the treatment of ischemic disease. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic potentials of human umbilical cord blood-derived EPCs (hUCB-EPCs) in rat with acute myocardial infarction.

METHODSHuman umbilical cord blood (hUCB) mononuclear cells were isolated using density gradient centrifugation from the fresh human umbilical cord in healthy delivery woman, and cultured in M199 medium for 7 days. The EPCs were identified by double-positive staining with 1, 1'-dioctadecyl-3, 3, 3', 3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine percholorate-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Ulex europaeus lectin (FITC-UEA-l). The rat acute myocardial infarction model was established by the ligation of the left anterior descending artery. The hUCB-EPCs were intramyocardially injected into the peri-infarct area. Four weeks later, left ventricular function was assessed by a pressure-volume catheter. The average capillary density (CAD) was evaluated by anti-VIII immunohistochemistry staining to reflect the development of neovascularization at the peri-infarct area. The graft cells were identified by double immunofluorescence staining with human nuclear antigen (HNA) and CD31 antibody, representing human origin of EPCs and vascular endothelium, respectively. Expressions of cytokines, proliferating cell nuclear angigen (PCNA), platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected to investigate the underlying mechanisms of cell differentiation and revascularization.

RESULTSThe donor EPCs were detectable and integrated into the host myocardium as confirmed by double-positive immunofluorescence staining with HNA and CD31. And the anti-VIII staining demonstrated a higher degree of microvessel formation in EPCs transplanted rats, associated with a significant improvement of global heart function in terms of the increase of left ventricular end-systolic pressure (LVESP), +dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax as well as the decrease of LVEDP in rats with EPCs therapy comparing to the control rats (P < 0.05). Moreover, the expression of the rat PCNA mRNA and PECAM were both enhanced in the EPCs group compared with that of the control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe human umbilical cord blood-derived EPCs could incorporate into new-born capillaries in rat myocardium, induce revascularization and improve the proliferation activity in the peri-infarct area, resulting in the improvement of global heart function. This may indicate a promising stem cell resource in cell-based therapy for ischaemic diseases.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; therapy ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; physiology ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

AIMTo study the effects of 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) on cell cycle and expression of cyclin D1 and cdk4 in lung cancer cells.

METHODS9-cis-RA (1 x 10(-6) mol.L-1) was used to treat lung cancer cells for 24 h; Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the percent of G0/G1 phase and S phase cells of three groups including blank control, DMSO control and 9-cis-RA groups; RT-PCR was used to analyze the expression changes of cyclin D1 and cdk4 before and after treatment with 9-cis-RA in lung cancer cells.

RESULTSThe percent of G0/G1 phase cells of 9-cis-RA groups was significantly higher than that of the control groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and the percent of S phase cells of 9-cis-RA groups was lower than that of the control groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); the expression of cyclin D1 of PG, SPC-A1 and L78 cells was decreased (P < 0.01) and the expression of cdk4 of PG, A549 and L78 cells was also decreased (P < 0.01) after treatment with 9-cis-RA.

CONCLUSIONMost of the proliferation and the expression of cyclin D1 and cdk4 of PG, A549, SPC-A1 and L78 were inhibited by 9-cis-RA.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin D1 ; biosynthesis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; biosynthesis ; G1 Phase ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; S Phase ; drug effects ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEMeasures of ventilation-CO₂output relationship have been shown to be more prognostic than peak O₂uptake in assessing life expectancy in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Because both the ratios (VE/Vco₂) and slopes (VE-vs-Vco₂) of ventilation-co₂ output of differing durations can be used, we aim to ascertain which measurements best predicted CHF life expectancy.

METHODSTwo hundred and seventy-one CHF patients with NYHA class II-IV underwent incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and were followed-up for a median duration of 479 days. Four different linear regression VE-vs- Vco₂ slopes were calculated from warm-up exercise onset to: 180 s, anaerobic threshold (AT), ventilatory compensation point (VCP); and peak exercise. Five VE/Vco₂ ratios were calculated for the following durations: rest (120 s), warm-up (30 s), AT (60 s), lowest value (90 s), and peak exercise (30 s). Death or heart transplant were considered end-points. Multiple statistical analyses were performed.

RESULTSCHF patients had high lowest VE/Vco₂ (41.0 ± 9.2, 141 ± 30%pred), high VE/Vco₂ at AT (42.5 ± 10.4, 145 ± 35%pred), and high VE-vs-Vco₂ slope to VCP (37.6 ± 12.1, 126 ± 41%pred). The best predictor of death was a higher lowest VE/Vco₂ (≥ 42, ≥ 141%pred), whereas the VE-vs-Vco₂slope to VCP was less variable than other slopes. For death prognosis in 6 months, %pred values were superior: for longer times, absolute values were superior.

CONCLUSIONThe increased lowest VE/Vco₂ ratio easily identifiable and simply measured during exercise, is the best measurement to assess the ventilation-co₂output relationship in prognosticating death in CHF patients.

Carbon Dioxide ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Disease Progression ; Exercise Test ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; mortality ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Respiratory Function Tests