OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of Xingnaojing Injection (XI) in treatment of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE).

METHODSTotally 65 SAE patients were retrospectively analyzed at EICU from September 2010 to September 2013. They were assigned to the control group (32 cases) and the treatment group (33 cases) according to whether they received XI. Patients in the control group received anti-infection and symptomatic support, while those in the treatment group were intravenously injected with XI at 20 mL per day for additional 7-10 days. The fever clearance time, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), C-reactive protein (CRP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and improvement of electroen-cephalogram (EEG) were observed in the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the fever clearance time was shortened, CRP levels decreased, GCS score and efficacy of EEG was alleviated in the treatment group after treatment with statistical difference (P < 0.05). No adverse reaction occurred during medication.

CONCLUSIONX1 was safe and effective in treatment of SAE.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Injections ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the influence of hepatectomy combined with splenectomy on curative effect of primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients associated with hypersplenism.Methods Twenty three cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hypersplenism were analyzed retrospectively and divided into hepatectomy combined with splenectomy group (n=10) and hepatectomy combined with ligation of splenic artery (n=13). Peripheral blood samples were collected 1 week before operation and 3 monthes after operation respectively. The levels of CD4, CD8, CD16, CD4/CD8, WBC and PLT in the blood were detected. Survival rate between the two groups was compared. Results There were not significant differences in the expressional levels of CD4, CD8, CD16, CD4/CD8,WBC and PLT before operation, bleeding quantity during the operation and rate of severe complications after operation in the two groups. The expressional levels of CD4, CD16, CD4/CD8, WBC and PLT of hepatectomy combined with splenectomy group were much higher in 3 months after operation than those in 1 week before operation and in hepatectomy combined with ligation of splenic artery group (P

Objective To explore the role of p16 gene methylation in fibroblasts in the occurrence and development of keloid.Methods Skin tissue specimens were resected from the lesions of patients with keloid and normal skin of healthy human controls.Fibroblasts were isolated from these tissue specimens and subjected a primary culture.An immunohistochemical analysis was performed to measure the expression of p16 protein in tissue specimens,real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR to determine the mRNA expression level (expressed as 2-△△Ct) of p 16 and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) in fibmblasts,and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) to estimate the methylation status of p16 gene in the tissue specimens and primary fibroblasts.Results The keloid fibroblasts (KFbs) showed significandy lower mRNA expression of p16 gene (0.64 ± 0.18 vs.1.92 ± 0.23,t =10.54,P＜ 0.05),but significantly higher mRNA expressions of 3 DNMTs (DNMT1:2.58 ± 0.23 vs.1.13 ± 0.21,t =11.22,P ＜ 0.05; DNMT3A:4.87 ± 0.46 vs.2.38 ± 0.32,t =10.81,P＜ 0.05; DNMT3B:1.57 ± 0.12 vs.0.57 ± 0.16,t =12.45,P＜ 0.05) compared with the normal fibmblasts (NFbs).The DNA methylation rate in the p16 gene promoter region was significantly increased in keloid tissue (1.81％ ± 0.46％) and KFbs (3.15％ ± 0.94％) compared with normal skin tissue (0.90％ ± 0.35％,F =14.23,P＜ 0.01) and NFbs (0.17％ ± 0.29％,F=37.62,P＜ 0.01).Conclusions The methylation and low expression of p16 gene in KFbs may be associated with the uncontrolled growth of keloid,and DNMTs may play a role in the pathogenesis of keloid.

Objective To investigate the effect of curcumin on apoptosis in hippocampal neurons and the expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in hippocampus during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats with spontaneous hypertension (SH) .Methods One hundred and thirty-five male rats (homologous with WKY) with SH and 90 male normotensive WKY rats, weighing 275-325 g,were used in this study. The WKY rats were randomized into 2 groups ( n = 45 each) : sham operation group (WS group) and cerebral I/R group (W-I/R group) . The rats with SH were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n = 45each) : sham operation group (S-S group), cerebral I/R group (S-I/R group) and curcumin group (S-C group) .Global cerebral ischemia was produced by 4 vessel-occlusion method. The bilateral common carotid arteries were only exposed but not ligated in W-S and S-S groups. Intraperitoneal corn oil 10 ml/kg was injected at 30 min of reperfusion in W-I/R and S-I/R groups. Intraperitoneal curcumin 100 mg/kg was injected at 30 min of reperfusion in S-C group. Three animals in each group were sacrificed at 2 h, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d and 7 d of reperfusion and their brains were harvested for determination of apoptosis in hippocampal neurons and the expression of JNK3 and PSD95in hippocampus. Results The number of apoptotic neurons was significantly increased in S-S group compared with W-S group ( P < 0.05) . The number of apoptotic neurons was significantly increased and the expression of JNK3was up-regulated in S-I/R group compared with S-S group ( P < 0.05) . The number of apoptotic neurons was significantly decreased and the expression of JNK3 was down-regulated in S-C group compared with S-I/R group (P <0.05) . There was no significant difference in the expression of PSD95 among all the groups ( P > 0.05) . Conclusion Curcumin can inhibit apoptosis in hippocampal neurons and the mechanism is related to down-regulation of the expression of JNK3 in hippocampus. The mechanism by which curcumin down-regulates the expression of JNK3in hippocampus may not be related to PSD95 pathway.

Objective:To test the expression of Minichromosome maintenance complex component 7(MCM7) protein in hepato-cellular carcinoma(HCC) of different species including human, rat and tree shrew (tupaia) by cross-species oncogenomics approach, and to investigate the relationship between the expression of MCM7 and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance. Methods:Western blot and Immunohistochemistry were applied to detect the expression levels of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues,corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues collected from different species including human, rat and tree shrew, respectively. The clinicopathologic factors were also analyzed with the results of Immunohistochemistry. Results:Western blot analysis showed that the expression of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of human and rat were higher than that in corresponding HCC-ad-jacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, respectively and significantly (P<0.05). However, the expression of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of tree shrew were also higher than that in corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, but no significant difference was found among three types of tissues (P>0.05).There was also no significant difference between HCC-adjacent liver tis-sues and normal liver tissues in three species (P>0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that MCM7 protein was mainly ex-pressed in nucleus of HCC cells, and the positive rate of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of human, rat and tree shrew were significantly higher than that in corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, respectively (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was found between HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues (P>0.05). Moreover, the protein level of MCM7 was intimately related to patient's HCC stage, extrahepatic metastases and postoperative recurrence (P<0.05). Conclusion:MCM7 protein might play a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, it was probably related to patient's HCC stage, extrahepatic metastases and postoperative recurrence. It seems very likely that MCM7 may be applied as a new molecular target in HCC prevention and treat-ment.

Chemical constituents of Swertia patens. The whole plant of air-dried Swertia patens was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H₂O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isola- ted and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C- NMR). Eighteen compounds were isolated and elucidated as 3, 4-dihydro-1H,6H,8H-naptho [1,2-c:4,5-c', d'dipyrano-1, 8-dione (1), angelone (2), gentiogenal (3), erythricin (4), erythrocentaurin (5), gentianine (6), swertiakoside B (7), swertiamarin (8), 2'-O-actylswertiamarin (9), amarogentin (10), 1, 3, 5-trihydroxyxanthone (11), 1, 3-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (12), 1-hydroxy- 2, 3, 5-trimethoxyxanthone (13), gentiocrucine (14), 3-hydroxyphenylketone (15), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamate (16), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-cis-cinnamate (17), and cholest-4-en-3-one (18). Compounds 1-7, 9-18 were obtained from S. patens for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Swertia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin on the injury in hippocampal neurons and the expression of regulated upon activation nonnal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in hippocamp during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats with spontaneous hypertension (SH).

METHODSMale Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR) were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): sham group (W-Sham and S-Sham group), ischemia/reperfusion group (W-/R and S/R group), curcumin group (S-Cur group) . Each group was splitted into 5 subgroups of 3 h,12 h, 1 d, 3 d and 7 d according to the time interval before reperfusion. Global brain ischemia/reperfusion model was established by 4-VO method. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining) was used to observe the vertebral cell morphology in hippocampal CA1 region. Nissl staining was applied to detect the average density of cone cells in hippocampal CA1 region. The expression of RANTES in hippocamp was determined by ELISA. The behavior of the rats was evaluated at 7 days after reperfusion. Results: Compared with the sham group rats, the ability of learning and memory was significantly decreased in ischemia/reperfusion group rats, the number of injured neurons were greatly elevated , the protein expression levels of RANTES was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with W-I/R group rats, the ability of learning and memory in S-I/R group rats was greatly reduced, the number of injured neurons increased extremely, the protein expression level of RANTES was significantly enhanced( P <0.05). The number of injured neurons declined significantly in S-Cur group rats, the ability to learn and remember of these rats was improved and the RANTES protein content decreased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHR are more susceptible to ischemia/reperfusion induced hippocampal neuronal injury which may be improved by curcu min. Its underlying mechanism is possibly associated with the inhibition of RANTES protein expression level.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Chemokine CCL5 ; metabolism ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism

This present work is to study the chemical constituents of Swertia angustifolia. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia angustifolia was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and nBuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Fourteen compounds were isolated and characterized as 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxyxanthone (1), 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 5, 7-trimethoxyxanthone (2), 7-hydroxy-3, 8-dimethoxyxanthone-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), 8-0-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-6) -β-D-glucopyranosyl] -1, 7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (4), (+) -syringaresinol (5), ferulic acid (6), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (7), sinapaldehyde (8), trans-coniferyl alcohol (9), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (10), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (11), isophthalic acid (12), 2-furoic acid (13), and 2-methyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone(14). Compounds 2-14 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Swertia ; chemistry

This study is to investigate the chemical constituents of Swertia kouitchensis. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia kouitchensis was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and their structures were identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Twenty-eight compounds were obtained, and characterized as erythrocentaurin (1), erythrocentaurin dimethylacetal (2), swertiamarin (3), vogeloside (4), 2'-O- actylswertiamarin (5), swertianoside D (6), gentiocrucines A-B (7-8), gentiocrucine (9), 1-hydroxy-3, 7, 8-trimethoxyxanthone (10), 1-hydroxy-3, 5, 6-trimethoxyxanthone (11), 3-epitaraxerol (12), erythrodiol 3-O-palmitate (13), (+) -syringaresinol (14), caffeic acid (15), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (16), trans-coniferyl alcohol (17), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (18), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (19), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic aldehyde (20), 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (21), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (22), 3-acetoxybenzoic acid (23), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (24), 3-hydroxybenzoic alcohol (25), nicotinic acid (26), 2-furoic acid (27), and uracil (28). Compounds 1-4, 6-28 were obtained from S. kouitchensis for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Swertia ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the effect of curcumin on diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) in rats. Methods Forty-eight male SD rats weighing 200-230 g were randomly divided into 6 groups ( n = 8 each) : group Ⅰ normal control (group C); group Ⅱ DNP (group D) ; group Ⅲ DNP+ DMSO (solvent of curcumin) (group DD) and group Ⅳ , Ⅴ , Ⅵ DNP + curcumin 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg ( group DC50, 100, 200 ). Diabetes was induced with intraperitoneal (IP) streptozocin 75 mg/kg in group Ⅱ -Ⅵ. Curcumin 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg were given IP once a day for 14 consecutive days starting from 14 d after streptozocin in group Ⅳ , Ⅴ and Ⅵ respectively. Venous blood samples were taken before and 72 h after IP streptosocin for determination of blood glucose level. Successful induction of diabetes was defined as blood glucose > 14.6 mmol/L. Mechanical paw withdrawal threshold to yon Frey stimuli (MWT) and paw withdrawal latency to thermal nociceptive stimulus (TWL) were measured 2 d before and 14 d after IP streptesocin and on the 1, 3, 7, 14 d of curcumin administration. Animals with pain threshold measured at 14 d after IP streptozocin decreasing by less than 15% of the baseline were excluded from the study. The animals were sacrificed after the last pain threshold measurement and the lumbar segment of the spinal cord and p65 was significantly higher in group D than in group C ( P < 0.05). Curcumin administration significantly reduced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia induced by diabetes and down-regulated the expression of p-JNK and horn and DRG.