Extracts from roots and leaves of Polyscias fruticosa Harms. (Araliaceae) and their combination have been studied on lipid peroxidation in mouse brain using an auto-oxidation and a free radical generating system: the Fenton’s reagent (ferrous iron + hydrogen peroxide). All the root, leaf and combined extracts have inhibitory action on peroxidation of lipids and trolox, a water-soluble analogue of vitamin E used as a reference antioxidant compound. The results also indicate that the leaf extract is the strongest of all.
Biochemistry ; Plants ; Plants, Medicinal ; Araliaceae

Experimentally, hepatoprotective effect of DinhLang was expressed in mice. The extract of Dinh Lang leaf suppressed the increase of MDA level in brain and in liver of mice suffered from CCl4- induced hepatitis with antioxydant activity stronger than that of mixed extract and extract prepared from the root. Dinh Lang had manifested liver protective effect in tetrachlorurcarbone –induced acute hepatitis. Antioxydant effect expressed in the inhibition against the processes of peroxydation of cell membrane can be one of the mechanism of liver protective effect of Dinh Lang
Antioxidants ; Araliaceae ; liver

Vietnamese ginseng leaves had the effect on the central nervous system, shortening pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in smaller doses and lengthening pentobarbital- induced sleeping time in larger doses. Vietnamese ginseng leaves extract (600, 1200mg/kg p.o) and its total saponin (200mg/kg p.o) significantly recovered the stress-induced decrease in pentobarbital sleep to the normal level. In the other hand, Vietnamese ginseng leaves extract and its total saponin have the invigoration and antioxidant effects
Plants, medicinal ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Panax

Both ethanol extracts of the bark and leaves of Schefflera elliptica (Blume) Harms (Araliaceae) showed antistress effect on mice at the oral doses of 158 and 167 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The bark proved to be more effective than the leaves, and their efficacity increased with the doses. Both extracts possessed in vitro antioxidant activity at the concentrations of 50-100 mcg/ml, the bark also being more effective than the leaves. The total saponin extract of the bark exhibited antioxidant effects at the levels of 5-25 mcg/ml. So, saponins might be the chemical constituents determining the antioxidant activity.
Plants ; Biochemistry ; Araliaceae ; Therapeutics

Background: Idiopathic or Immune Thrombocytopenic Pupura (ITP) is a common disease in Vietnamese children. This is a hemostatic disorder disease diagnosed by clinical symptoms combining with tests of platelet quantity in peripheral blood and other tests. Objectives: to study epidemiology, clinical, para-clinical characteristics and their relations in ITP disease. Subjects and methods: This was a prospective and retrospective study. The study included 579 pediatric patients from 3 months to 16 ages who were diagnosed and treated ITP disease in National Pediatric Hospital from 1/1/2003 to 12/31/2004. Results: Data were analyzed, including 191 infants from >3-<12 months (33.0%), 293 children from 1 - 10 ages (50.6%), 95 children >10-<16 ages (16.4%). The male/female ratio was highest in infants and decreased with age (P < 0.001). The disease occurred more in September, October and November with advantage factor being acute respiratory infection before 2 to 3 weeks. Subcutaneous hemorrhage ratio was highest with 557 cases (96.2%), intracranial hemorrhage happened in 7 cases (1.7%). There were differences among age groups about hemorrhage situation. Anemia level did not corresponding with the decrease of the platelet count. Conclusion: Characteristics of ITP depend on the number of platelet and age. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Purpura ; Thrombocytopenic ; Idiopathic/ epidemiology

Background: Rotavirus is the main cause of acute viral gastroenteritis in children under 5 years old. The virus leads to over 600000 children deaths a year in the world, 80% of which occur in the developing countries. In Viet Nam, 50%-70% the children\u2019s hospitalizations for acute diarrhea were resulted from rotavirus infection. Objective: To sequence nucleotides and amino acids of VP4, VP7, NSP1, and NSP4 genes of 5 passages of human rotavirus strain G1P8. Materials and method: A study was conducted in rotavirus sample of 5 passages of human rotavirus strain G1P8: B17A3; B17.3; B17.3 pp32vero15; B17.3 pp36TKP2; B17.3 pp43.7vero in Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United State. Methods: using NucliSen Kit for detection of ARN; RT-PCR; sequencing genes by ABI 3100 machine. Results and Conclusion: Sequencing nucleotides and amino acids of VP4, VP7, NSP1, and NSP4 genes of 5 passages of human rotavirus strain G1P8 showed that: the number of nucleotide mutations ofVP4, VP7, NSP4 genes occurring among the passages were 3 (at nucleotit 175, 419, 790), 1 (at nucleotit 644), 3 (at nucleotit 134, 254, 482), respectively. All these mutations resulted in changes in amino acid composition. No mutation was found in NSP1 gene.
Rotavirus ; Genes ; Nucleotides/ genetics ;

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause."Tu than hoan" is a traditional remedy applied for the treatment of syndromes of traditional medicine which have the similar characteristics to irritable bowel syndrome of diarrhea state of modern medicine. Objectives: The study had two purposes: (1)To evaluate the therapeutic effects of the remedy on the clinical symptoms of patients with irritable bowel syndrome of diarrhea state comparing with Duspatalin; (2)To evaluate the side effects of the remedy. Subjects and method:162 patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome of diarrhea state were treated at Bach Mai hospital from March to August 2005. They divided into 2 groups, the control group included 77 patients and the study group included 85 patients. : clinical test, comparing with controls. Results: 80% of patients recovered from diarrhea; 82.4% of patients with defecation returned to normal; 93.6% stopped mucous feces; 76.5% stopped bellyache. Good therapeutic effect was 61.2% (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Tu than hoan had good therapeutic effects in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome of diarrhea state. None of patients had to discontinue the medicine due to side effects. \r\n', u' \r\n', u'
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/ pathology ; therapy ; Medicine ; Traditional/ methods ; utilization

Background: Dihydroartemisinin 40mg and piperaquine phosphate 320mg (DHA-PQP) drug combination and piperaquin phosphate (PQP) material was first successfully produced in Vietnam \r\n', u'Objective: to study influences of the fixed combination antimalaria drug dihydroartemisinin plus piperaquine in reproductive progress of mice\r\n', u"Subjects and methods: This study was carried out at the Department of Malaria treatment and research, National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE), between September, 2006 and March, 2007. The influences of the fixed combination antimalarial drug 40 mg dihydroartemisinin (DHA) plus 320 mg piperaquine phosphate (PQP), with PQP produced firstly in Vietnam, in mice's reproductive progresses were investigated in three generations (including the parent and FI, F2 child generations). \r\n", u'Results: In all three generations, study indices among the treated and control groups were not significantly different (the values P > 0.05). These indices included the rate of fecundation, numbers of fetuses of each mother mouse, numbers of offspring of each mother mouse, mean body weights of offspring. Early lethal fetuses, lately lethal fetuses, monsters and innate abnormally offspring were not found in P, FI and F2 generations. The necessary feeding - day numbers that offspring of P and F 1 generations reached their body weights about 20g were different insignificantly (the values P> 0.05) among the treated and control groups. \r\n', u'Conclusion: The combination DHA-PQP was found to cause no genome mutations in mice at the oral dose of 120 mg per kg per day for 5 consecutive days. \r\n', u'
Dihydroartemisinin ; piperaquine ; fixed combination antimalarial drug ; rate of fecundation ; early lethal fetuses ; lately lethal fetuses ; monsters and innate abnormally offspring ; genome mutations ; fetuses

Background: Piperaquin (PQ) is an anti-malaria drug, which belong to bisquinoline class. Vietnam has successfully produced PQ (both base and phosphate) since 2004. Objective: To evaluate acute oral toxicities of Piperaquine phosphate and the fixed combination anti-malarial drug Dihydroartemisinin plus Piperaquine in mice. Subject and Method: This study was conducted at National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology between June and October, 2005. The acute oral toxicities of piperaquine phosphate (PQP) and the fixed combination anti-malaria drug (40 mg dihydroiutemisinin plus 320 mg piperaquine phosphate (DHA-PQP), with the materials produced by Institute of chemistry) in mice were investigated. Result: PQP had a medium toxicity. Inhibition of mice's central nervous systems was the main toxicity exhibition. At the high doses of PQP, mice's convulsion was observed before their deaths. The infralethal dose (LDo), absolute lethal dose (LD100) and mean lethal dose (LD50) of PQP were 900, 2300 and 1643.98 (1537.6 \u2013 1758.92) mg/kg, respectively. The fixed combination DHA-PQP had a less toxicity than PQP powder, with LDo, LD100 and LD50 were 1400, 2800 and 2050.06 (1943.63 \u2013 2157.14) mg per kg of body weight, respectively. Conclusion: At the high doses of DHA-PQP, this combination also inhibited mice's central nervous systems. Mice convulsed strongly before their deaths. All died mice were operated for observing visually their organs such as hearts, livers, kidneys, lungs, vesicles and intestines. No abnormal signals were found.
Piperaquine phosphate ; toxicity ; Dihydroartemisinin

Background: Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has been widely used for transfusion - transmitted infection screening at blood banks all over the world to reduce window period, yet the assay has not been implemented in Vietnam. Objective: Using and evaluating cost - effectiveness of NAT in screening HIV, HCV, HBV in blood \r\n', u'donors. Subjects and methods: The study was carried out on 9392 blood donors at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion from Jan to May 2007 who were HIV, HCV, HBV negative with ELISA. Plasma from donors was pooled (pool size of 8) and tested with UItrio Procleix HIV - 1, HCV, HBV (Chiton). Results: These 9392 plasma samples were pooled into 1174 pool samples to perform NAT. Among 1174 pooled samples, there was only 1 case with negative ELISA - Reactive NAT. The sample was determined as response with probe HCV. From there, one of eight pool samples was identified responding to probe HCV and it was more likely to have been missed in the window period when screened by ELISA.Conclusion: The sample should be further tested with HCV qualitative and quantitative testing to confirm the status of infection. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
HIV ; Hepatitis B virus/drug effects ; Hepacivirus ; Blood Donors