Dioscin, a typical saponin, is widely present in the family of Dioscoreaceae, Liliaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Rosaceae, especially in Dioscoreaceae, including Discorea nipponica Makino, Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright and Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill. Traditional Chinese medicine reported that dioscin plays a role in expectorant, relaxing the muscles and stimulating the blood circulation, aiding digestion and diuresis. With the development of science and technology in recent years, some new extraction and separation techniques and methods have been applied to the study of dioscin, and more and more pharmacological effects were found. Modern pharmacology studies have confirmed that dioscin had some activities on desensitization, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, anti-tumor, hepatoprotection and anti-viral. After oral administration, dioscin is metabolized to diosgenin, which is the true active ingredient and is an important raw material to synthesize steroid hormone drugs. Therefore, the studies on dioscin are valueable and promising. In this review, we make a summary on the researches of dioscin including the extraction technology, separation and prepara- tion, chemical synthesis, drug metabolism, determination and pharmacological researches.
Animals ; Biological Products ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Diosgenin ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Aim To study the effects of Meloxicam gel(Mel G)on AA in rats,and the relationship between therapeutic effects and Mel G in tissue or serum. Methods The model of AA was induced by intradermal injection of Freunds complete adjuvant(FCA) in rats,the effects(hindpaw swelling volume)of Mel G on AA rats were observed following Mel G tc. A high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method with ultraviolet detection was set up to determine the concentration of Mel in serum and local tissue. Results Mel G significantly inhibited secondary inflammation of AA rats. The concentration of Mel G was lower in serum and higher in local tissue than that of Mel tablets. A significant linear correlation in a negative manner existed between local tissue concentration of Mel G and hindpaw swelling volume. Conclusion Therapeutic effects of Mel G on AA in rats were associated with higher tissue concentration of Mel G.

Objective To investigate the value of prostate-bladder angle (PBA) measured by MRI in the diagnosis of benign prostate obstruction (BPO). Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on 87 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients referred for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) between March 2009 and November 2009. PBA was measured by MRI and urodynamic parameter Qmax was measured as well. With the diagnostic criteria of BPO as Qmax＜10 ml/s, the patients were divided into two groups: obstruction group and non-obstruction group. PBA was compared between these two groups. The sensitivity and the specificity of PBA in diagnosing BPO were also analyzed. Results The age range of the patients was 57-90 years with a median age 73 years; Qmax was 2.325.4 ml/s with median Qmax 7.9 ml/s; PBA was 4°-52° with median PBA 27°. There were 25 patients in the non-obstruction group with PBA between 4°- 21°(13°); in the obstruction group,there were 62 patients with PBA between 15°- 52°(34°). PBA was found statistically different between the obstruction and non-obstruction group (P＜0.01). With the cutoff at PBA≥20°for the diagnosis of BPO, the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis were 90. 3 % (56/62)and 96.0% (24/25), respectively. Conclusion PBA measured by MRI is valuable and can be used as a new non-invasive parameter in the diagnosis of BPO.

This study established a finite element (FE) model of human body head (HBM-head) in accordance with human head anatomy.The anatomical structure of HBM-head was described in detail,primarily consisting of scalp,skull,dura mater,cerebrospinal fluid,pia mater,cerebrum,cerebellum,ventricle,brain stem,falx,and tentorium.The kinematic and kinetic responses,as well as the intracranial pressure distribution of the head model were compared with the data from the cadaveric impact tests to validate the head FE model.Experimental results confirmed that the head FE model had good biofidelity and could be used to study head-brain trauma in vehicle collisions and the underlying injury mechanisms.

AIM To establish the hyperlipidemia and hyperlipidemic fatty liver animal model.METHODS 30 SD rats were randomized into control group (n=10)and model group(n=20).The rats of model group were fed with a standard diet and fat emulsion( 10 ml?kg -1);while the rats of control group were only fed with a standard diet.The serum TG,TC,ALT,AST,MDA,SOD and hepatic TG,TC,MDA,SOD were detected dynamically and with histologically.RESULTS The model group developed hyperlipidemia which TG and TC were elevated significantly after 1 week. 10 rats which were selected randomly in the model group were killed and the serum and liver were obtained after 2 weeks. The serum TG,TC,ALT and hepatic MDA of the model group rats were higher than the control's,while the hepatic SOD were lower. At the same time,the light degree hepatic steatosis of 2 rats were induced.The third week,both control group and model rats(n=10) were killed and the serum and the liver were obtained. Compared with the control group, the serum TG,TC,ALT,AST,MDA?SOD and hepatic TG,MDA of the model group rats were markedly higher, while the serum SOD and the hepatic SOD were significantly lower.The histopathology research showed hepatocellular macrovesicular steatosis and hepatitis in the model group. CONCLUSINOS The experimental animal model of hyperlipidemia and hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats were successfully established for 1 week and 3 weeks fed with fat emulsion.

Reverse transcriptase-PCR experiments suggest that the two clusters of genes potentially involved in the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds are organized as operons in strain of the acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270, the two clusters of genes including such the ORF of putative sulfate-thiosulfate-molybdate binding proteins, the ORF of putative thiosulfate: quinone oxidoreductase and the ORF of the rhodanese-like protein (P21). Bioinformatic analyses have predicted the possible promoters sequences and the possible +1 start site of transcription for the doxDA operons.

Aim To study the effect of the total flavonoids of turpinia arguta seen (TFS) on immune function of rats with adjuvant arthritis. Methods Adjuvant arthritis (AA) was induced on d0 by intradermal injection of Complete Freund′s Adjuvant (FCA), containing 10 mg heat-inactive BCG in 1ml paraffin oil. On d 28 after immunization, AA rats were killed by cervical decollation. Immune cells (splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages) were obtained, then cultured in vitro with TFS. Some immune indexes were detected respectively such as the splenocytes proliferation and the productions of IL-1 and IL-2 were measured by the method of cell proliferation, the production of prostaglandin E2 was determined by radioimmunoassay. Results Compared with normal groups, the response of splenocytes to ConA and LPS was lowered, IL-2 syn-thesis was decreased, and IL-1 and PGE_2 released from PM? were elevated. TFS (10~ -8 ~10~ -4 mg?L~ -1 ) not only increased splenocytes proliferation, which induced by ConA and LPS, and IL-2 production of splenocytes, but also reduced the elevated productions of IL-1 and PGE_2 released from peritoned macrophate in AA rats in vitro. Conculsion TFS could adjust abnormal immune function in AA rats.

Objective:To study the bone-conductivity and absorbability of nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen(nHAC) composite implanted under the calvarial periosteum in rabbits.Methods:24 nHAC samples and 24 HA samples were prepaired in the shape of round disk with the diameter of 8 mm and thickness of 3 mm.nHAC samples were implanted under calvarial periosteum on the left side and HA samples on the right of 24 rabbits.The bone-conductivity and absorbability of the samples were examined by new bone height measuring and residual implant materia measuring 2,4,8 and 12 weeks after operation. Results:2,4,8 and 12 weeks after implantation new bone height(mm) in nHAC group was 0.54?0.09,0.72?0.12,1.83?0.14 and 2.63?0.07,that in HA group 0.13?0.11,0.31?0.12,1.23?0.05 and 1.75?0.14,respectively(P

Objective to investigate the feasibility and outcomes of different surgical treatments for adrenal metastasis after previous radical ne-phrectomy for patients with renal cell carcinoma. Methods A total of 18 adrenal solitary metastasis of renal cell carcinoma were identified from da-tabase of two institutions between 2003 and 2013. Clinical and pathologic data were collected and analyzed. Results Of 9 patients who had ipsilater-al metastasis of the renal tumor,the estimated blood loss were obviously fewer in the transperitoneal LA group. Of 9 cases who had contralateral me-tastasis of the renal tumor,the fasting time[(1.4±0.8)h vs(4.0±1.4)h,P = 0.036]and length of hospital stay[(4.5±1.2)d vs(7.0±4.5)d,P =0.041]were obviously fewer in the retroperitoneal LA group. the averages of the fasting time and length of hospital stay in the retroperitoneal LA group were obviously smaller than in the transperitoneal LA group. Conclusion LA for treatment of renal cell carcinoma metastasis is technically feasible in selected patients. transperitoneal and retroperitoneal LA can be respectively recommended as an appropriate approach for isolated adrenal metastases of ipsilateral and contralateral renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy.

Aim To evaluate the bioequivalence of two preparations of gliclazide in healthy volunteers.Methods The concentration of gliclazide was measured by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) after a single or multiple dosage of gliclazide sustained released tablet in healthy volunteers.The pharmacokinetic parameters of the two preparations were calculated by 3P97 program.LnAUC0~∞,lnAUC0~72 and lnAUC0~? were used to evaluate the bioequivalence of the two preparations with analysis of variance and two one-side t-test.Results Both the gliclazide extended action tablet were best fitted to one-compartment model.The main parameters of the tested and reference gliclazide after a single dose were as follows:Cmax(2.07?0.61) and(2.26?0.61)mg?L-1;Tmax(5.10?0.55)h and(5.05?0.51)h;T12Ka(1.50?0.26)h and(1.52?0.27)h;T12Ke(8.89?1.56)h and(8.68?1.72)h;MRT(22.63?1.01)h and(22.38?0.93)h;AUC0~72(39.19?8.03)mg?h-1?L-1 and(39.26?8.37)mg?h-1?L-1;AUC0~∞:(45.80?9.51)mg?h-1?L-1 and(45.57?9.76)mg?h-1?L-1;F0~72 and F0~∞(100.19?6.22)% and(100.85?5.88)%,respectively.The main parameters of the tested and reference gliclazide after multiple dose were as follows:Cmax(4.83?0.86)mg?L-1 and(4.69?0.64)mg?L-1;Cmin(0.68?0.14) mg?L-1 and(0.66?0.12)mg?L-1;Tmax:(4.10?0.45) h and(4.10?0.55)h;T12Ka:(2.03?0.53)h and(2.04?0.40)h;T12Ke:(7.24?0.87)h and(7.09?1.14)h;MRT(9.17?0.30)h and(9.19?0.37)h;AUCSS:(41.62?6.48) mg?h-1?L-1 and(42.18?6.03)mg?h-1?L-1;Cav:(1.73?0.27)mg?L-1 and(1.76?0.25)mg?L-1;DF(240.85%?34.07)and(230.23%?24.80%) respectively.The relative bioavailability was(98.60?4.60)%.The AUC0~T,AUC0~∞ or AUCSS,Cmax and Tmax were bioequivalent between the two preparations.Conclusion The tested and reference gliclazide sustained released tablet are bioequivalent.