Objective:To determine berberine and palmatine in Phellodendron chinense Schneid.and its granules.Methods: The reversed-phase ion pair high performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC) was used and the validation of the method was tested.The chromatography condition was with Lichrospher C18 column(4.6 mm?250 mm,5 ?m), mobile phase was ACN∶25 mmol/L NaH 2PO 4∶25 mmol/L SDS(2∶1∶1),flow speed was 1.0 ml/min,detection wavelength was 345 nm,and temperature of column was 25℃,Phellodendron chinense Schneid.and its granules were extracted with methanol solution of hydrochloric acid.Results: The theoretical plate number of berberine and palmatine were 14 906 and 14 847,the resolution were 2.33 and 2.86,the tailing factor were 1.09 and 1.06,respectively; all the parameters were suitable for determination.The calibration curves were linear in the range of 40-500 ng,Y=698 278X-3 846,r=1.000(berberine) and 20-250 ng, Y= 536 632X- 7 738, r=0.999 9,r=0.999 4(palmatine).The intra-day and inter-day precision(RSD) at low,middle and high injection amount was all less than 2.5%(berberine) and 1.5%(palmatine).The stability(RSD) was 0.66%(berberine) and 0.70% (palmatine) in 48 h.The recurrence(RSD,n=5) was 0.11%(berberine) and 0.12%(palmatine).The limits of detection was 2.0 ng(berberine) and 1.0 ng(palmatine).The recoveries were 100.4% (RSD=0.12%,n=3) for berberine and 99.80%(RSD=0.22%,n=3) for palmatine.The contents of berberine and palmatine in 3 batch of Phellodendron chinense Schneid.and 5 batch of its granules were determined.Conclusion: Our method can be used for determination of berberine and palmatine in Phellodendron chinense Schneid.and its granules, which is simple and reliable.

AIMTo isolate polyphenols from grape seeds and to evaluate their antioxidant effects.

METHODSPure compounds were isolated by using Diaion HP20, Toyopearl HW40 chromatography repeatedly, as well as semi-preparative RP-HPLC, from ethyl acetate extract of grape seeds. IR, MS, NMR, CD, X-Ray crystal diffraction spectral analysis were used to identify the structures. The antioxidant effects of different type of structures were screened by reducing power and DPPH (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging tests. Then, SCGE (single cell gel-electrophoresis) technique was used to investigate the effects of these potent antioxidant phytochemicals on cellular DNA oxidative damage with mice spleen cells, damage was induced by H2O2.

RESULTSEleven compounds were obtained including 3 novel structures, viniferones A, B and C. Proanthocyanidin B4, catecin, epicatechin and gallic acid showed strong antioxidant power, and at lower concentration (10 micromol x L(-1), 25 micromol x L(-1)), they can prevent cellular DNA damage, while 150 micromol x L(-1) catechin induced damage by itself.

CONCLUSIONViniferones A, B and C were reported for the first time. That polyphenols investigated were shown to be good cellular DNA oxidative damage-preventing phytochemicals at lower concentration, could be used to explain the nutrient effect of grape seed polyphenols at certain degree. At the same time, higher concentration of polyphenols can induce oxidative damage, suggesting that dose is one factor to determine the nutrient effects.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzopyrans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Separation ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gallic Acid ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Polyphenols ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Spleen ; cytology ; Vitis ; chemistry

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; methods ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinusitis ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo develop a method for determination of luteolin-7-O-glycoside in the roots, stems, leafs, flowers and aerial parts of Dracocephalum rupestra sampled in different seasons.

METHODThe samples were analyzed on an phenomenex C18 column, with mobile phase of methanol-acetonitrile-0.4% phosphoric acid (30:8:62) at flow rate 1.0 mL x min(-1) and detection at wavelength of 350 nm.

RESULTThe content of luteolin-7-O-glycoside in different parts of D. rupestra was different maximum in leaves, while minimum in stems. Luteolin-7-O-glycoside in D. rupestra sampled before blossoming was the highest.

CONCLUSIONThe method simple, accurate and suitable for the quality evaluation of this plant medicine.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Glycosides ; analysis ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Luteolin ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Seasons

Veregen™ and Fulyzaq are the first two botanical drug products that were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market in the US in recent years. Additional herbal medicines, including Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, Fuzheng Huayu Tablets, Xuezhikang Capsule, Guizhi Fuling Capsule, Kanglaite Capsule and Kanglaite Injection, have filed the investigational new drug (IND) application to the FDA and are in phase II or phase III clinical development. In order to gain better understanding of the process of botanical drug approval in the US, this article examines the aforementioned drugs by looking at their composition, indication, prior clinical experience and clinical development process, and summarizes key features that enabled IND filing and marketing approval by the FDA.
China ; Drug Approval ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs ; therapeutic use ; United States ; United States Food and Drug Administration

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preparation and characteristics of curcumin phospholipid complex, including the effects of reaction time, reaction solvent, reaction concentration and reaction temperature. Preparation technology resulted in that 0.5 g curcumin and 10 g soy phospholipid dissolved in 100 mL anhydrous alcohol, were stirred 1 h in 50 degrees C waterbath, then steamed alcohol in decompression, collected solid residue and vacuum dried for 12 h. The physicochemical properties for the new complex including IR spectrometer, mass spectrograph and HNMR equipment were detected. As a result, the formation of the complex is based on the reaction between phospholipid polar group rounding phosphorus atom and curcumin. This result gave the evidence for the formation mechanism of phospholipid complex.
Curcuma ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phospholipids ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo identify Tongren Dahuoluo pills and Tongren Niuhuangqingxin pills respectively by analysis of IR fingerprint.

METHODBoth drugs were extracted with hexane, ethylether and butanone respectively and then the obtained extracts were measured with the ET-IR spectrometer.

RESULTBy analyzing IR fingerprint of 25 batches of Tongren Dahuoluo pills and 27 batches of Tongren Niuhuangqingxin pills, we found that different batches of the same drug hadstabile and repeatable fingerprint.

CONCLUSIONBy using IR fingerprint, either Tongren Dahuoluo pills or Tongren Niuhuangqingxin pills can be exactly identified. It provides a rapid method for drug identification and quality control.

Drug Combinations ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared

BACKGROUNDSolamargine (SM), a steroidal glycoalkaloid isolated from the Chinese herb Solanum incanum, has been shown to inhibit the growth of some cancer cell lines and induce significant apoptosis. However, the effects of SM on multidrug-resistant (MDR) cells and the molecular mechanisms involved are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-MDR effects of SM and the associated mechanisms in MDR K562/A02 cells.

METHODSThe cytotoxicity of SM was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The 14',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) nuclear staining and flow cytometry were used to detect SM-induced apoptosis. The mRNA expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was investigated by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Western blotting was used to determine the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and actin. The changes in the morphology of actin were examined with immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTSMTT results showed that SM effectively killed the MDR sublines K562/A02, KB/VCR, and H460/paclitaxel (Taxol), and their parental cell lines K562, KB, and H460 to an equivalent or more sensitive degree. Based on the results by flow cytometry and immunostaining, the pro-apoptotic effects of SM were observed in MDR K562/A02 cells. Furthermore, the RT-PCR results showed that SM induced the downregulation of MDR1 mRNA. In addition, the expression of P-gp and actin was decreased in the SM-treated cells, as measured by western blotting and immunostaining.

CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrate that SM effectively triggers apoptosis in MDR tumor cells, which is associated with actin disruption and downregulation of MDR1 expression. This compound may merit further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent that bypasses the MDR mechanism for the treatment of MDR tumors.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; metabolism ; Actins ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Solanaceous Alkaloids ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the anatomical structures, and depth and direction of needling at Jingming (BL 1), so as to provide anatomical basis for its clinical application.

METHODSForty-eight adult orbital specimens were observed by dissection.

RESULTSWhen a needle was vertically inserted into Jingming (BL 1), the needle tip will past through the skin, subcutaneous tissue, medial palpebral ligament, medialis rectus and orbital adipose body. Above the body of the needle, there are ophthalmic artery, anterior ethmoidal artery and nasociliary nerve. The average distance between the skin at the punctured point and the anterior ethmoidal artery is (18.25 +/- 4.45) mm, with an angle of (12.5 +/- 5.5) degrees, and the average distance between the skin at the punctured point and the optic nerve tunnel frontal point is (43.37 +/- 7.84) mm.

CONCLUSIONTo avoid bleeding caused by injuring the anterior ethmoidal artery, acupuncture at Jingming (BL 1) should avoid deeply inserting needled back-upwards and upwards, and the needling depth should not exceed 30.36 mm to avoid injury of the optic nerve tunnel frontal point.

Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Orbit ; anatomy & histology

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this retrospective investigation was to explore the influence of femoral osteoporosis on short-term curative effects of cementless hip arthroplasty and to evaluate the femoral metaphyseal bone mineral density (BMD) for femoral osteoporosis in order to guide prosthesis choice and rehabilitation.

METHODSWe performed 127 total arthroplasty operations between June 1999 to February 2003 and investigated 49 cementless hip replacements with the Metalcancellous cementless Lubeck II system being used in all hips. There were twenty men and twenty-nine women whose mean age at the time of the operation was 60 years (range, 52~81 years). The patients were divided into osteoporosis or normal groups according to the femoral metaphyseal BMD measured preoperatively. The average duration of follow-up was 30 months (range, 8~52 months). We evaluated all of the patients from a clinical standpoint with use of a standard-terminology questionnaire with respect to the short-term curative effects and patients' satisfaction. Hip pain status and functional ability were important indicators of treatment efficacy.

RESULTSHarris hip score and patients' satisfaction in femoral osteoporosis patients who underwent noncemented hip arthroplasty were lower (P=0.004, P=0.03) while the incidence of thigh pain was higher (P=0.03) than the patients with non-osteoporosis.

CONCLUSIONThe higher incidence of pain, as well as the decrease in function experienced by the patients in osteoporosis group, supports the case that cementless arthroplasty is not a better choice for those patients and that we had better select prosthesis based on the femoral metaphyseal BMD.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; adverse effects ; methods ; Bone Cements ; Bone Density ; Female ; Femur ; metabolism ; surgery ; Femur Head Necrosis ; metabolism ; surgery ; Hip Fractures ; metabolism ; surgery ; Hip Prosthesis ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis ; metabolism ; surgery ; Osteoporosis ; metabolism ; surgery ; Pain ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies