AIM　To study the pharmacokinetics of 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3 (GRg3) in human. METHODS　High-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection method was used in this study. RESULTS　The pharmacokinetics of GRg3 in 14 healthy volunteers were investigated. After a single oral dose of 3.2 mg.kg-1 in 8 male volunteers, the plasma concentration-time course fitted well to a two-compartment open model, with the following pharmacokinetic parameters: Tmax (0.66±0.10) h, Cmax (16±6) ng.mL-1, T1/2α (0.46±0.12) h, T1/2β (4.9±1.1) h, T1/2(Ka) (0.28±0.04) h, AUC0-∞ (77±26) ng.mL-1.h. No kinetic analysis was made after an oral dose of 0.8 mg.kg-1 GRg3 in 6 other volunteers because of the low concentration, but a good correlation between Cmax and dosage of the two groups was found. CONCLUSION The absorption of GRg3 was rapid in man, and its elimination was rapid after oral administration of ginsenoside Rg3. The pharmacokinetic results shows that it exhibited first order kinetic characteristics.

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of ropivacaine and bupivacaine in combined spinal epidural anesthesia in abdominal operation. Methods:Totally 86 abdominal operation patients with combined spinal epidural anesthesia were randomly divid-ed into group A and group B with 43 ones in each. Group A was with ropivacaine anesthesia, while group B was with levobupivacaine anesthesia. The anesthesia effect, hemodynamic changes at different time points and adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups. Results:The duration of sensory block in the two groups was not statistically different (P>0. 05), while the patients in group A had shorter motor nerve recovery time than those in group B (P<0. 05), and Bromege score of group A was significantly lower than that of group B (P<0. 05). After the onset of anesthesia block, all hemodynamic parameters (SBP, DBP and HR) in the two groups were lower than those before the anesthesia (P<0. 05), while at the end of anesthesia, the parameters showed no statistically significant difference from those before the anesthesia (P>0. 05). During the operation, the parameters at different time points in group A had no significant difference from those in group B (P>0. 05). The incidence of adverse drug reaction was not statistically significant between the two groups as well (P>0. 05). Conclusion:Ropivacaine and levobupivacaine show similar blocking effect on the sensory nerve with the same effects on hemodynamics and adverse reactions, however, the blocking effect of ropivacaine on motor nerve is weaker, which is more beneficial to the early exercise of the patients after operation.

Aim To explore the effect of pharmacolog-ical activation of serotonin 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2C R) on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine-de-pendent mice. Method EthoVision Noldus video tracking system was used to record the effect of 5-HT2C R agonist WAY on locomotor activities and behavioral performances in mice.Results Selective 5-HT2C R ag-onist WAY (0.5,0.75 or 1 .0 mg·kg -1 ,i.p.)a-lone did not alter the locomotor activities as determined by distance traveled and velocity (all P values >0.05).Chronic morphine treatment induced depend-ence in mice as demonstrated by increases in distance traveled,velocity and jumping behavior.WAY (0.5, 0.75 or 1 .0 mg·kg -1 ,i.p.)and clonidine (0.2 mg ·kg -1 ,i.p.)significantly ameliorated naloxone-pre-cipitated withdrawal symptoms,including burrowing, jumping,body grooming,rearing,“wet dog”shakes, head shakes,face grooming,penile grooming,scratch (all P values <0.05).Conclusion Pharmacological activation of 5-HT2C R ameliorates naloxone-precipitated withdrawal symptoms in morphine-dependent mice.5-HT2C R may be a novel target to develop therapeutic ap-proach against morphine physical dependence,craving and relapsing.

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for quality evaluation of Ejiao. METHODS:The contents of 17 amino acids in 18 batches of Ejiao from 18 manufacturers were analyzed by automatic amino acid analyzer;the content data was processed by prin-cipal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA),in order to understand the relationship among these amino acids and categorize the Ejiao products. RESULTS:Except for a batch of Ejiao,the other 17 batches contained 17 various amino acids,including 7 necessary amino acids(Thr,Val,Met,Ile,Leu,Phe and Lys)for human being,especially the contents of Gly and Pro were higher. The total content of amino acids was arranged from 66.1% to 82.0%,showing great difference. Four main components were extracted by PCA,the cumulative contribution of which was 89.578%,and accordingly it may be consid-ered that Pro,Ala,Glu,Asp,Leu,Ile and Thr were characteristic amino acids of Ejiao products. In hierarchical clustering analy-sis,3 tree figures of commercial Ejiao product were achieved and Euclidean distance was varied among 0-25. CONCLUSIONS:There is great difference in total control of amino acid in commercial Ejiao product;Ejiao products from various manufacturers dif-fer in their amino acid contents. Ejiao is rich in collagen,and therefore,using amino acid determination would be helpful to moni-tor its quality.

Objective To discuss the safety and efficacy of using ExoSealTM vascular closure device to obtain rapid hemostasis of puncture site in interventional procedure via retrograde femoral artery access.Methods The clinical data of 124 patients,who were admitted to authors' hospital during the period from March 2016 to April 2016 to receive interventional procedure via retrograde femoral artery access,were retrospectively analyzed.During the performance of intervention,ExoSealTM vascular closure device (ExoSealTM group,n=52) or manual compression (MC group,n=72) was employed to make femoral artery puncture point hemostasis.The time spent for hemostasis,the manual compression time,the limb immobilization time,the amount of blood loss during compression process,and the procedure-related complications were recorded and the results were compared between the two groups.Results Technical success rate in ExoSealTM group was 98.1％(51/52).In ExoSealTM group and MC group,the time spent for hemostasis was (0.28±0.08) min and (5.83±1.46) min respectively,the manual compression time was (2.65 ±0.57) min and (7.70± 1.88) min respectively,the limb immobilization time was (2.72±0.43) h and (6.15±0.69) h respectively;all the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P＜0.01).In ExoSealTM group subcutaneous hemotoma occurred in one patient,while in MC group subcutaneous hemotoma occurred in 3 patients and pseudoaneurysm in one patient;the complication rates were 1.92％ (1/52) and 5.56％ (4/72) respectively,but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).In MC group the amount of blood loss during compression process was (1.11±0.86) ml,which was remarkably less than (7.83±2.08) ml in ExoSealTM group,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P＜0.01).Conclusion For hemostasis of puncture site in interventional management via retrograde femoral artery access,the use of ExoSealTM vascular closure device is safe and effective.

Objective To explore the alteration of brain pain functional areas in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) overlap by rectal balloon volume stimulation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the differences with IBS alone patients and healthy individuals were compared.Methods A total of 11 IBS alone patients,16 IBS overlapped with FD patients (IBS-FD) and 10 healthy controls were recruited.Sensory thresholds and visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded during the rectal balloon air injection process. The changes of brain activated areas were analyzed by functional MRI (fMRI) when the rectum was stimulated at the volume of 50,100 and 150 ml.The data were analyzed by least significant difference (LSD) test.Results Under rectal volumetric stimulation,the sensory thresholds of IBS-FD group and IBS alone group were (53.14 ± 16.05) ml and (59.20 ± 20.55) ml and the difference was not statistically significant (LSD test,P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in VAS score between IBS alone group and IBS-FD group (LSD test,P＞0.05).Rectal stimulated under different volume,the results of fMRI indicated the activation of anterior cingulated cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,postporietal cortex,thalamus and insular cortex in both IBS alone group and IBS-FD group.And there was no significant difference in activated areas and intensity between IBS alone group and IBS-FD group (LSD test,P＞0.05).Conclusions There was no significant difference in activations of brain areas between IBS alone and IBS-FD patients under rectal volumetric stimulation. Under rectal volumetric stimulation,although symptoms overlapped,there was no evidence of the overlap of braingut axis and visceral hypersensitivity between IBS alone and IBS-FD.

OBJECTIVETo study the levels and roles of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).

METHODSThe levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in BALF were measured using ELISA in children with MPP at acute stage (n=45) and at remission stage (n=30). Twenty children without lung lesions severed as the control group.

RESULTSThe TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 levels in BALF were higher in children with MPP at acute stage than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in BALF at remission stage were reduced to the levels similar to the control group and were significantly lower than those at the acute stage in children with MPP. However, the levels of IL-10 in BALF remained at higher levels at remission stage in children with MPP.

CONCLUSIONSThe levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in BALF increase in children with MPP at acute stage, suggesting that the cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of MPP.

Adolescent ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; analysis ; Interleukin-6 ; analysis ; Male ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; etiology ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

This study is to investigate the effect of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b against broad-spectrum respiratory viruses in vitro. At the cellular level, the effect of the recombinant human interferon alpha 2b on influenza A virus was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. The effects of the recombinant human interferon alpha 2b on influenza B virus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and coronavirus were detected using cytopathic effect (CPE) method. In this study, the therapeutic index of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b anti-HPIV was 1476.63, the therapeutic index of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b anti-RSV was 141.37, the therapeutic index of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b anti-coronavirus was more than 2820.76, and the antiviral effect of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b was better than ribavirin (RBV). Recombinant human interferon alpha 2b has a stronger inhibitory effect on different influenza A virus RNA than drug control. The therapeutic index of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b anti-influenza B virus was 2.74, with modest effect. Recombinant human interferon alpha 2b in vitro has broad spectrum antiviral activities, low toxicity and high therapeutic index. Recombinant human interferon alpha 2b is expected to become the efficient medicine in clinical against respiratory viruses, as well as provide better services for prevention and treatment of respiratory viruses' infections.
Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; drug effects ; Influenza B virus ; drug effects ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human ; drug effects ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Ribavirin

Objective: To observe the improving effect of muscle regions of meridians needling method on the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegic type. Methods: A total of 100 children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the visiting sequence, with 50 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment. The treatment group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus muscle regions of meridians needling method. The electromyography (EMG) signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres were detected before treatment, and 3 months and 6 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by Peabody developmental motor scale-fine motor (PDMS-FM) and fine motor function measure (FMFM). Results: Three and six months after treatment, the EMG signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres, grasping scores and visual-motor integrated scores of PDMS-FM and the FMFM scores in both groups increased to varying degrees compared with the same group before treatment, and the intra-group differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Six months after treatment, the results of the above three items in the treatment group were all better than those in the control group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Muscle regions of meridians needling method added on the basis of conventional rehabilitation can effectively reduce the muscle tone of upper limb and enhance the muscle strength, and improve the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type. The efficacy is superior to that of the conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of normal and castrated male rats.

METHODSShengli capsules were given by intragastric administration to 100 experimental male rats at different doses of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg. Data were collected and analyzed, including capture latency period, times of capture, sexual endurance and times of ejaculation, to assess the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of the rats. The Castrated Animal Impotence Model was employed to determine the erectile latency period and the function parameters of the preputial gland, seminal vesicle and prostate, so as to test the effects of Shengli on the development of the rats'sexual organs.

RESULTSShengli was proved to be effective in shortening copulation latency in the dose groups of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.01), increasing significantly the frequency of capture in the high- and low-dose groups of 0.35 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.05), reducing the latency period to erection in the low-dose group of 0.35 g / kg, and blocking the shrink of the seminal vesicle and prostate in the medium-dose group of 0.70 g / kg.

CONCLUSIONShengli is significantly effective in enhancing the sexual ability of male rats: it can boost libido, increase erection frequency and improve sexual performance. However, further studies have yet to be done on its action mechanisms.

Animals ; Capsules ; Copulation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects