The medicinal herbs derived from genus Senecio have been commonly used in Chinese medicine and triggered attention in recent decades for that they contain the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Therefore the botanical pharmacognostic study to authenticate those herbs based on their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics is important for the assurance of safety when they are applied as raw material for extracts or for finished products. In this paper, 13 taxa (11 species and 2 varieties) of Senecio plants were collected and their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics were observed and described by digital microscopic illustration. The results showed that the distribution of collenchyma in the cortex, the level of development for pericycle, the location of the phloem, and the ratio of pith in transverse sections of the stems, and the morphology of the leaf epidermal cells, the stomatal types and the non-glandular hairs in leaf surface view were found to be the main microscopic characteristics for authentication of different Senecio species. The herbs derived from genus Senecio can be distinguished from each other on the basis of their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, and those observation can be used for the identification of commercial crude drugs from Senecio plants.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of probing of lacrimal passage combining injecting of US-produced TobraDex eye ointment for the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis.METHODS: For 127 cases (129 eyes) of chronic dacryocystitis, first the pyoid secretion gathered in the lacrimal sac was dashed out, and some TobraDex was injected in the middle of the lacrimal passage once per day, repeated for several times. The lacrimal passage was probed when the secretion of lacrimal sac disappeared essentially. The lacrimal passage and immit TobraDex eye ointment was used once every two days, repeated for 3-4 times.RESULTS: In 126 cases (128 eyes) the lacrimal passage was dredged. Only one case (1 eye) the youthful patient did not recover for the opening ectopia of lacrimonasal duct.During the 3mo-1a random visit the chronic dacryocystitis did not recrudesce in the cases of lacrimal passage dredging.CONCLUSION: It is simple and safe to use the probing of lacrimal passage combining injecting of US-produced TobraDex eye ointment to treat the chronic dacryocystitis. This method has good curative effects and can keep the normal physiological structure of lacrimal passage. It does not need any expensive medical equipment and cost less, therefore is advisable for patients.

Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

Objective To explore the advantages of Argus method by comparing the accuracy and timeliness of Argus and artificial methods for measuring femoral head necrosis area in MRI scanning.Methods Totally 17 patients (31 hips) were measured with Argus and artificial methods respectively for the necrosis area, and then the measuring results and time were compared, and the correlation was investigated between the results and the patients' pain degree, along with that between the results and the extent of femoral head collapse.Results The necrosis area ratios determined by Argus and artificial methods were (33.5±4.08)%and (34.6±4.06)%respectively, with no statistical difference between the ratios (P>0.05). The time consumed by artificial method was (21.3 ±3.62)min, significantly longer than (7.89 ±1.03)min by Argus method, with P<0.001. Regression analysis proved that the necrosis areas were positively correlated with the patients' pain degree, and the correlation coefficient by Argus method was 0.807 8, more than 0.740 9 by artificial method. The femoral heads of 11 cases(16 hips) collapsed in the follow-up period, the necrosis areas were positively correlated with the patients collapse level, but the correlation coefficient by Argus method was 0.783 8, more than 0.726 7 by artificial method.Conclusion Argus method gains high accuracy and timeliness when used in MRI scanning of femoral head necrosis area, and thus is worth popularizing clinically.

Background The excitotoxicity to retinal neurons caused by abnormal elevation of glutamate in retina is a common pathology concomitant with major blind-causing eye diseases.However,an effective approach to protect retinal neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is still lack.Intraperitoneal administration of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone(α-MSH)has been shown to protect hippocampal neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.Objective This study was to investigate the protective effect of α-MSH on glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in a chicken embryonic retinal explant culture system.Methods The retinas were isolated from chick embryos at embryonic day 9(E9) and cultured as explants.The explants at 3,5 and 7 days in vitro and the retinas at corresponding embryonic day 12,14 and 16(E12,E14,E16)were collected.The morphology of explant cultures was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining,and the expression of melanocortin receptors (MCRs)was analyzed by real-time PCR.In the experiment of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity,the retinal explants at 4 days in vitro were treated with glutamate for 48 hours,α-MSH was incubated with the explants 30 minutes before and during the glutamate treatment period.Then the apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL staining and quantified.The glutamate alone treated-explants and those treated with culture media were included as controls.The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) at 48 hours after treatment in all retinal explants was analyzed by real-time PCR.Results Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the retinal explants exhibited similar morphology to those observed in the retinas from chick embryos at the corresponding developmental stages.The real-time PCR analyses of chick retinas showed that MC1R mRNA level at E9,E12,E14 and E16 was significantly lower than that in post-hatch day 1 (all P=0.000) ;whereas the transcript level of MC5R was significantly increased from E9 to E12 and E14 (both P =0.000),and then gradually decreased from E14 to P1.The expression of these genes showed similar temporal patterns in the retinal explant cultures.TUNEL staining revealed that treatment of the retinal explant cultures with α-MSH substantially and significantly reduced number of apoptotic cells induced by glutamate (P =0.000),which was accompanied by significant suppression of glutamate-induced GFAP up-regulation (P =0.000).Conclusions Application of α-MSH dramatically ameliorated glutamate-induced cell death in retinal explant cultures.This protective effect may be due to α-MSH-mediated suppression of astrogliosis caused by abnormal elevation of glutamate.

The medicinal herbs derived from genus Senecio have been commonly used in Chinese medicine and triggered attention in recent decades for that they contain the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Therefore the botanical pharmacognostic study to authenticate those herbs based on their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics is important for the assurance of safety when they are applied as raw material for extracts or for finished products. In this paper, 13 taxa (11 species and 2 varieties) of Senecio plants were collected and their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics were observed and described by digital microscopic illustration. The results showed that the distribution of collenchyma in the cortex, the level of development for pericycle, the location of the phloem, and the ratio of pith in transverse sections of the stems, and the morphology of the leaf epidermal cells, the stomatal types and the non-glandular hairs in leaf surface view were found to be the main microscopic characteristics for authentication of different Senecio species. The herbs derived from genus Senecio can be distinguished from each other on the basis of their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, and those observation can be used for the identification of commercial crude drugs from Senecio plants.
Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Senecio ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of different concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) on glucose metabolism and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression in rat Sertoli cells in vitro and investigate the mechanisms of BPA inducing male infertility.

METHODSUsing two-step enzyme digestion, we isolated Sertoli cells from male Wistar rats and constructed a primary Sertoli cell system, followed by immunohistochemical FasL staining. We randomly divided the Sertoli cells into a control group to be cultured in the serum-free minimal essential medium (MEM) plus dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and three experimental groups to be treated with 100 nmol/L, 10 μmol/L, and 1 mmol/L BPA, respectively, in the MEM plus DMSO. After 48 hours of treatment, we measured the proliferation of the cells by CCK-8 assay, determined the concentrations of metabolites by NMR spectroscopy, and detected the expression of LDH in the Sertoli cells by RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSThe purity of the isolated Sertoli cells was (96.05 ± 1.28)% (n = 10). Compared with the control group, the 100 nmol/L, 10 μmol/L, and 1 mmol/L BPA groups showed no remarkable changes in the proliferation of Sertoli cells ([98 ± 8]%, [96 ± 3]%, and [95 ± 3]%, P >0.05), but the 10 μmol/L and 1 mmol/L of BPA groups exhibited significantly decreased concentrations of intracellular glucose ([3.89 ± 0.07] vs [3.36 ± 0.24] and [3.04 ± 0.21] pmol/cell, P <0.05) and lactate ([0.43 ± 0.06] vs [0.29 ± 0.05] and [0.20 ± 0.03] pmol/cell, P <0.05). The expression of LDH mRNA was decreased with the increased concentration of BPA, while that of LDH protein reduced only in the 1 mmol/L BPA group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONHigh-concentration BPA decreases the expression of LDH and alters glucose metabolism in Sertoli cells, and therefore may reduce the provision of lactate for germ cells and impair spermatogenesis.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Phenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

Senecio cannabifolius var integrilifolius (Compositae), locally known as "Fanhuncao" in China, is a folk herb used for the treatment of pneumonia, virus influenza and bronchitis. To investigate the chemical constituents of this herb, water extract of the aerial parts was subjected to various chromatography on normal/reversed phase silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column. Eleven compounds were obtained and identified on the basis of their physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis as senecine (1), p-hydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (2), protocatechuic acid (3), 2,5-dihydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (4), 3,4-dihydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (5), vanillic acid (6), caffic acid (7), succinic acid (8), 2-furoic acid (9), 1, 2, 4, 5-tetrahydro-jacaranone (10), and 4-(pyrrolidin-2-one)-phenylacetic acid (11). Compound 1 was structurally identified to be a new compound; the other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Aniline Compounds ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Senecio ; chemistry ; Vanillic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of combined treatment with sansanmycin and macrolides on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and formation of biofilm.

METHODSMicro-dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of sansanmycin, gentamycin, carbenicillin, polymyxin B, roxithromycin, piperacillin, and tazobactam. PA1 and PA27853 biofilms were observed under optical microscope after staining and under SEM after treatment with sansanmycin at different dosages and combined treatment with sansanmycin and roxithromycin. Viable bacteria in PA1 and PA27853 biofilms were counted after treatment with sansanmycin at different dosages or combined treatment with sansanmycin and roxithromycin.

RESULTSThe MIC of sansanmycin was lower than that of gentamycin and polymyxin B, but was higher than that of carbenicillin. Roxithromycin enhanced the penetration of sansanmycin to PA1 and PA27853 strains through biofilms. PA1 and PA27853 biofilms were gradually cleared with the increased dosages of sansanmycin or with the combined sansanmycin and roxithromycin.

CONCLUSIONSub-MIC levels of roxithromycin and sansanmycin substantially inhibit the generation of biofilms and proliferation of bacteria. Therefore, combined antibiotics can be used in treatment of intractable bacterial infection.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Adhesion ; drug effects ; Biofilms ; growth & development ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Macrolides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oligopeptides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Uridine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Vero Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the method and effect of axial pattern myocutaneous flap in reconstructing breast by using color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technique.

METHODSSuitable axial myocutaneous flaps were selected according to the character of the focus in 26 cases of breast cancer after operation and radiotherapy. All the axial pattern myocutaneous flaps were designed on the basis of traditional design method before operation; then, CDFI with high resolution was used to examine the starting spot, exterior diameter, trail and length of the myocutaneous flaps' major artery. The myocutaneous flaps were redesigned according to the results of CDFI and transferred to reconstruct the breasts. The results of operation and examination were investigated.

RESULTSAccording to the CDFI, only one thoracodorsal artery's blood current was slow, its wall was rough and presented with arteriosclerosis. The blood flow was fluent and the vessel wall was smooth with other supplying arteries in the flaps. And no embolism, sclerosis or absence of blood vessel was found. The starting spots, exterior diameters, trails and anatomic layers of the major supplying arteries of the flaps were displayed clearly with CDFI, in accordance with the results of operation. Twenty-one cases of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, 4 cases of the contralateral transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap and 1 cases of the bilateral transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap were used in this group. The flaps survived and healed well, the breasts were reconstructed well with perfect appearance, shape and sensation.

CONCLUSIONSCDFI is a simple, visualized and noninvasive method for designing the axial pattern myocutaneous flap in breast reconstruction, it can provide more scientific and accurate evidence for preoperative determination of myocutaneous flap transplantation.

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Mastectomy ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Ultrasonography, Mammary ; methods