Digestive System Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine

OBJECTIVETo observe protective effects of Schisandra extract (SE) on embryotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of early pregnant rats exposed to Benzo[a]pyrene (Bap).

METHODSPregnant rat model was prepared using periodic screening cage method. Totally 50 female pregnant SD rats were divided into five groups by randomized block design according to the weight, i.e., the BaP model group, the low dose SE group, the middle dose SE group, the high dose SE group, the normal control group, 10 rats in each group. Rats in the BaP model group were administered with BaP at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in low, middle, and high dose SE groups were administered by gastrogavage with BaP (at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg) plus SE at a daily dose of 40, 200, and 1 000 mg/kg, respectively. Equal volume of olive oil was administered to rats in the normal control group by gastrogavage. All medication was performed for 8 successive days. Changes of rat body weight in each period were observed. The uterus embryonic total quality and ovary quality were measured, and organ index calculated. The number of corpus luteum, the number of embryo implantation, and the number of absorbed embryo were statistically calculated respectively. The implantation rate and the absorbed embryos rate were calculated. Serum levels of human chorionic gonadotrophin β (β-HCG) and progesterone (PROG) were detected by ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the weight of 9-day pregnant rats, the number of embryo implantation, the uterus embryonic total index, ovary index, serum levels of β-HCG and PROG all decreased in the Bap model group with significant difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the Bap model group, body weight, the uterus embryonic total index, and the PROG level increased in 3 dose SE groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Ovary index and serum β-HCG increased in middle and high dose SE groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The number of implantation obviously increased in the high dose SE groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSE could reduce the embryotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of early pregnant rats exposed to Benzo[a]pyrene.

Animals ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Embryo Implantation ; drug effects ; Female ; Ovary ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone ; blood ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Uterus ; drug effects

Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Rectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Rhabdoid Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Sarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

AIM: To observe the effects of sapindoside on blood pressure,AngⅡ,Ald,ET in the blood plasma and NO in the serum in primary hypertension rat. METHODS: The primary hypertension rats were divided into 5 groups(high,middle and low sapindoside group,control group and captopril group,10 each) in a random fashion and drugs had been given by ig.for 32 days.The blood pressure was messured in the 1,3,7,32 day after administration.At the end of the 32 nd days,AngⅡ,Ald,ET in the blood plasma and NO in the serum were measured. RESULTS: Sapindoside could significantly lower the blood pressure,increase the levels of NO in serum,reduce the concentration of AngⅡ,Ald,ET in the blood plasma. CONCLUSION: Sapindoside plays an important role in decreasing the blood pressure of primary hypertension rat.

Objective To study the anatomical characteristics of the stellate ganglion (SG) for providing morphological data for SG block. Methods The shape, size, position, and relation of 30 cases of SG in 15 adult cadavers were observed and measured. Results Most of the SG was stellate-shaped. The average volume of the stellate ganglion was (0.86?0.07)cm3. The position of the SG could be localized according to the adjacent bone or muscle marks, and the shortest distance was between the SG and the transverse process of the 7th cervical vertebrae. There were many important structures around the SG, in which the vertebral artery was closely related to the SG. Conclusion During performance of the SG block, the surface projection, puncture point, and medication dosage could be judged on the basis of these quantitative anatomic data.

AIMTo investigate factors affecting the properties of antisense oligodeoxy nucleotides (ASON)-liposomes complex and their cellular uptake.

METHODSThree types of blank liposomes were prepared by reverse-phase evaporation vesicles, and the complex were obtained through physical absorption. The light microscope was used to observe morphology characteristics of the complex. Drug loading capacity was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The transfected cell percentage and means fluorescence intensity were determined by flow cytometric analysis using M3 myeloma cell as a model.

RESULTSThe neutral liposome showed no aggregation while the cationic liposomes appeared some different extent aggregation in different medium when associated antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. The drug loading capacity depended on the ratio of +/- and the cationic charge density on the lipid membrane. The two kinds of cationic liposomes appeared different principles of loading ASON. As far as cellular uptake, The neutral liposomes showed no improvement of cellular uptake of ASON. However, the cationic liposomes were shown to enhance the cellular uptake of ASON if the appropriate +/- charge ratio was used. The optimal cellular uptake was achieved when +/- charge ratio was at 0.5:1 and 1:1 for SA-I liposome and SA-II liposomes, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe cationic liposomes improved the loading capacity and cell uptake of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, which was determined by +/- charge ratio and charge density.

Amines ; metabolism ; Biological Transport ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Liposomes ; pharmacokinetics ; Multiple Myeloma ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Random Allocation ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo prepare the quercetin self-emulsified formulation and evaluate its quality.

METHODThe quercetin self-emulsified formulation was optimized based on the quercetin solubility in different oils, and the self-microemulsified efficiency of various combinations of emulsifier and co-emulsifier evaluated using the pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The microemulsion of morphology, size and zeta potential were examined. The quercetin of solubility in self-emulsified system was tested and the formulation stability was investigated by accelerated experiment.

RESULTThe blank self-emulsified system was composed of ethyl oleate/Cremophor EUL/butanol with weight ratio of 10: 54: 36. After being dilutied with water, the morphology of microemulsion was homogeneous small spherical drops observed under the electro-microscopy. The particle size and the zeta potential were 16.3 +/- 4.6 nm and 2.1 +/- 0.8 mV, respectively. The solubility of quercetin in self-emulsifing system was (62.42 +/- 0.11) mg x mL(-1), increased 2 229 folds compared with that of in water. The quality of quercetin self-emulsified formulation was stable during the 3 months storage at 40 degrees C.

CONCLUSIONThe solubility of quercetin is significantly increased in self-emulsified system and the formulation is stable and easy to prepare.

Antioxidants ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Butanols ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Stability ; Emulsions ; Glycerol ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Oleic Acids ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Quercetin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Solvents ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective To quantify aqueous flare and cells in the eyes of healthy subjects and to evaluate the effect of age and sex on the blood aqueous barrier. Design Prospective case series. Participants Four hundred and forty-two eyes of 221 healthy sub- jects. Methods Aqueous flare and cells of 442 eyes were evaluated with FC-2000 laser flare cell meter (LFCM). Main Outcome Mea- sures Aqueous flare and cells. Results The mean flare values of all of eyes was 4.7?2.9 pc/ms, it was 3.1 pc/ms in the age group of less than 10 years, 3.8 pc/ms in the age group of 40-49 years and 11.0 pc/ms in the age group of 80 years or over. The mean flare val- ues in the age groups of 50 years or over were significantly higher than that in the age group of 40-49 years (P

This study was aimed to explore five Chinese medicine components or ingredients from Qu-Shi Hua-Y u Decoction (QSHYD) with uniform design method and screen ingredients assembling of Chinese medicine BZL pre-scription in order to verify its therapeutic effect on experimental fatty liver rats. High-fat diet was used in the estab-lishment of fatty liver rat models. Five effective ingredients (i.e., chlorogenic acid, geniposide, curcumin, polydatin and polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz) of QSHYD were used as study subjects. Uniform design was applied in the grouping design. The intragastric administration was given for four weeks. The screening index was the content of liver triglyceride (TG). The ingredients assembling of Chinese medicine BZL prescription was screened through uniform design and regression analysis. The same fatty liver animal model was used in the comparison be-tween QSHYD and rosiglitazone. The TG content in liver tissues of rats and serum ALT activity were detected. The pathological changes of liver tissues were observed (HE stain and oil red O stain) with Ridit analysis to verify its therapeutic effect. The results showed that through screening, the regression equation was Y = 15.083X1 + 5.321X2- 5.186X3 - 16.157X4 + 9.35X5 + 17.667X3X4 - 8.422X1X2 - 6.617X3X5 + 16.571 (X1: chlorogenic acid, X2:polydatin, X3: polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, X4: geniposide, X5: curcumin). According to this equation, the best TG reducing effect occurred when the chlorogenic acid (X1), polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (X3), and geniposide (X4) were the maximum dosage. It showed that the best combination in inhibiting TG content in liver tissues was X3, X4 and X1 (i.e. BLZ prescription). Among fatty liver rat mod-els induced with same high-fat diet, the screened Chinese medicine ingredient BZL prescription can obviously reduce its TG content in liver tissues and serum ALT activity ( P < 0 . 01 ) . It obviously improved the fatty degen-eration of rat's liver. It was concluded that ingredients assembling of Chinese medicine BZL prescription screened through uniform design can obviously prevent and treat fat deposition and injury of the liver among rat models induced by high-fat diet .

AIMTo investigate the possibility of polymethacrylate nanoparticles (NP) for antisense oligodeoxynucleotides delivery system.

METHODSThe nanoparticles were prepared by evaporating ethenol solution containing Eudragit RL100 or RS100, and then mixtured with oligonucleotides. The morphology and size were investigated by a transmission electron microscope and Mastersizer particle characterization systems, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated by Trypan Blue staining and hemolysis test. The flow cytometer was used to determine the uptake of fluorescence-labelled oligodeoxynucleotides.

RESULTSThe morphology of nanoparticles showed spherical and orderly, the average diameter was about 127 nm, and almost the antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) were loaded when NP: ODN was 6.6. The uptake of ODN was significantly increased when loaded by nanoparticles, which well depended on the nanoparticles concentration. Meanwhile, slightly cytotoxicity was observed when high dose of nanoparticles was used.

CONCLUSIONThe polymethacrylate nanoparticles appeared to be a promising vehicle for gene delivery.

Acrylic Resins ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Animals ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hemolysis ; drug effects ; Nanotechnology ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; administration & dosage ; Particle Size ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods