To study the chemical constituents of Abacopteris penangiana (Hook.) Ching, various chromatographic techniques were used to isolate and purify the constituents. The structures of the obtained compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic data and physical-chemical properties. Two compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH soluble fraction of an acetone-H2O (4:1) extract of A. penangiana and were identified as 4'-hydroxy pneumatopterin B (I) and 6"-O-acetyl triphyllin A (II). Compounds I and II are new compounds.
Ferns ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the liver-toxic fraction in Rhigoma of Dioscorea bulbifera.

METHODThe rats were randomized into four groups: control group (20% PVP-water), T001(10% total methanol extraction), F002(5% chloroform fraction) and F003(5% methanol fraction). Direct bilirubin (DBil) and Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were examined, and liver index was measured. The histological and morphological observations were performed with optical and electrical microscope.

RESULTT001 and F002 showed significant liver toxicity.

CONCLUSIONThe chloroform fraction was the liver-toxic fraction of D. bulbifera.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; etiology ; pathology ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Female ; Liver ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study chemical constituents of Arachniodes rhomboidea.

METHODSilica gel column chromatography and Sephadex LH -20 gel column chromatography were employed for the isolation and purification. The structures were identified on the basis of spectral data and chemical methods.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated and identified as follows: kaempferol (1), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (2), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (3), kaempferol-3, 7-O-alpha-L-dirhamnoside (4), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (5), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-rutinoside (6).

CONCLUSIONCompouds 1-6 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Chromatography, Gel ; Dryopteridaceae ; chemistry ; Flavonols ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

BACKGROUNDJaw osteonecrosis possibly associated with the administration of bisphosphonates is expected to be treated with a non-pharmacologic approach. This study aimed to determine whether noninvasive, mechanically mediated vibration would inhibit the decline in bone mineral density (BMD) that follows menopause, enhance the BMD of the lumbar and femoral neck, and reduce chronic back pain in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

METHODSA total of 116 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis participated in this study, and they were divided into groups A (66 patients) and B (50). Group A received vibration treatment (Subjects vertically stand on the vibration platform, with a vibration frequency of 30 Hz, amplitude of 5 mm; they received the treatment five times per week, ten minutes each time and totally for six months), whereas women of group B served as controls without any treatment. L2 - 4 BMD, bilateral femoral neck BMD, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded before the treatment or at the third and sixth months of the treatment respectively. After the ending of the treatment, the change of BMD in each group was compared and analyzed. Chronic back pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline and the third and sixth months of the treatment.

RESULTSOf the 116 women, 94 including 51 women from group A ((61.23 +/- 8.20) years) and 43 women from group B ((63.73 +/- 5.45) years), completed the study. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics including age, BMI, menopausal years, lumbar BMD, femoral neck BMD, and VAS between the two groups. The lumbar BMD of the 51 women in group A increased by 1.3% (P = 0.034) after vibration treatment for 3 months and by 4.3% at the sixth month (P = 0.000). The lumbar BMD in group B was decreased at the third month, but there was not statistical significance (P > 0.05). At the sixth month, it was decreased by 1.9% (P < 0.05). The femoral neck BMD of the 51 women in group A was slightly increased after vibration treatment for 3 months, but without statistical significance (P > 0.05). At the sixth month, the BMD was increased by 3.2% (P < 0.05). In group B, the BMD was not decreased significantly (P = 0.185) at the third month, but decreased significantly at the sixth month (1.7%) (P < 0.05) compared with the baseline. Chronic back pain (VAS) reduced more significantly in group A at the third and the sixth months (P < 0.05) after vibration therapy in comparison with the baseline. The BMI was not significantly changed in the two groups during the period of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSVibration therapy appears to be useful in reducing chronic back pain and increasing the femoral neck and lumbar BMD in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Aged ; Back Pain ; prevention & control ; Bone Density ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; therapy ; Vibration ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the leaf of Isatis indigotica.

METHODChromatography and spectral analysis were respectively used to isolate and identify the constituents.

RESULTThree compounds were isolated from the ethanol extracts of theleaf of I. indigotica, and identified as indirubin, tryptanthrin and L-pyroglutamic acid.

CONCLUSIONL-pyroglutamic acid was isolated from the genus for the first time, and tryptanthrin was isolated from the leaf of this plant for the first time.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Indoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Isatis ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Quinazolines ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

AIMTo study the metabolites of penehyclidine hydrochloride (PH) raceme, a new anticholinerigic drug invented by the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences.

METHODSThree healthy rat urine samples were collected within 24 h after a single i.m. dose of PH raceme and PH-d5 [(5 + 5) mg.kg-1] simultaneously. The eight metabolites of PH raceme were identified by the methods of LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, FAB-MS and the stable isotope ion cluster. Mass spectrometry was operated in the positive mode for the method of LC-MS/MS.

RESULTSM1 and M1* were identified as the oxygenated products of PH in the cyclopentyl group; M2 and M2* were as the hydroxylated products of PH in the cyclopentyl group; M3 and M3* were as the oxygented and hydroxylated products of PH at the meta-position of cyclopentyl group; M4 and M4* were identified as the dihydroxylated metabolites of PH, the hydroxylated position were at the cyclopentyl group and quiniuclidinol ring of PH. Among them, M1 and M1*, M2 and M2*, M3 and M3*, M4 and M4* were the isomers of each other.

CONCLUSIONThese characteristics can be used for future structure elucidation in studies of the metabolites of PH optical isomers. The structure data of PH metabolites provide important information for the clinical use and for developing better anticholinerigic drug.

Animals ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; chemistry ; metabolism ; urine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Male ; Molecular Structure ; Quinuclidines ; chemistry ; metabolism ; urine ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Stereoisomerism

OBJECTIVETo compare the positive rates and complications of ultrasound-guided transrectal and transperineal prostate biopsies.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 156 cases of ultrasound-guided transrectal (n = 97) and transperineal (n = 59) prostate biopsy, and compared the positive rate and post-biopsy complications between the two approaches.

RESULTSThe positive rates in the transrectal and transperineal groups were 48.4% and 44.1%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two approaches according to different PSA levels (P >0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the transrectal and transperineal groups in the post-biopsy incidence rates of such complications as hematuria (54.6% vs 42.4%, P >0.05), lower urinary tract symptoms (17.5% vs 22.0%, P >0.05), dysuria (9.3% vs 6.8%, P >0.05), and acute urinary retention (7.2% vs 6.8%, P >0.05). However, the incidence rates of post-biopsy infection and rectal bleeding were remarkably higher (15.5% vs 3.4%, P<0.05 and 50.5% vs 3.4%, P >0.01) while that of perineal swelling markedly lower in the former than in the latter (3.1% vs 13.6%, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONTransrectal and transperineal biopsies are both effective for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Since their complications vary, the choice between the two methods depends on the specific condition of the patient.

Biopsy, Needle ; adverse effects ; methods ; Hematuria ; etiology ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; etiology ; Male ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods ; Urination Disorders ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between three types of bcr/abl fusion transcripts and clinical manifestation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

METHODM-, m- and micro -bcr/abl fusion transcripts were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique in 537 fresh bone marrow samples of patients suspected CML clinically.

RESULTSOf 573 patients, 479 expressed M-bcr/abl transcripts, among whom 370 were in chronic phase (CP), and 109 in accelerated (AP)/blastic phase (BP). The percentages of patients with b2a2 transcripts in CP and AP/BP were 32.4% (120/370) and 36.7% (40/109) (P > 0.05). The b2a2 transcript patients in blastic crisis were 52.6% (10/19) for lymphoblastic and 33.3% (30/90) for myeloblastic (P > 0.05). The platelet count of untreated patients with b3a2 isoform [(485.9 +/- 333.8) x 10(9)/L, n = 125] was distinctly higher than those with b2a2 isoform [(380.5 +/- 321.9) x 10(9)/L, n = 62] (P < 0.05). 66.0% (31/47) and 64.4% (29/45) of the patients in CP and AP/BP respectively co-expressed M- and m-bcr/abl transcripts (P > 0.05). One patient expressed only m-bcr/abl transcript was of typical acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). Both two micro -bcr/abl(+) patients were of typical CML.

CONCLUSIONSAlmost all typical CML patients express M-bcr/abl transcripts, most of them coexpress M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl transcripts, a few possesses only micro -bcr/abl fusion gene. m-bcr/abl(+) are usually associated with AML or CML in myeloblastic crisis besides acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Patients with b3a2 isoform are prone to higher platelet count before treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the main angiogenic cytokines and plays an important role in the development of human solid tumors. However, it is not clarified whether VEGF governs the progress of the chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This study is to estimate VEGF expression in the bone marrow cells from normal and adult CML patients and various leukemic cell lines. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for detection of VEGF mRNA. VEGF concentrations in the cell cultural supernatant and the plasma from normal and CML patient bone marrows were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). VEGF mRNA was positive in 67 of 72 cases of bcr/abl(+) CML patient bone marrow cells (93.1%), in 5 of 10 CML patients post Allo-BMT bone marrow cells (50%), and in 6 of 10 normal bone marrow cells (60%), the expression rate of VEGF mRNA in CML patients bone marrow cells was higher than that in CML patients post Allo-BMT and normal bone marrow cells. VEGF mRNA also expressed in the HL-60, K562, CEM, KG1a, NB4, and Nalm6 cells, but not in the Jurkat cells. The mean VEGF concentration in the plasma (380.6 pg/ml) from 22 untreated CML patients was 9 folds higher than that from 9 CML patients post Allo-BMT (38.0 pg/ml). The mean VEGF concentration in the cultural supernatant (499.8 pg/ml) of 17 newly diagnosed CML bone marrows was 2.5-folds higher than that in 11 normal donors (141.3 pg/ml). The CML marrow cells secrete more VEGF than normal marrow cells do. Our results suggest that the abnormality of VEGF transcription and translation expression may play an important role in the development of CML.

In order to investigate the features of M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion transcripts in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion transcripts were sequentially detected by RT-PCR technique in 72 CML patients after SCT. The results showed that M-bcr/abl positive rate (79.2%, 42/53) within 6 months after SCT was remarkably higher than that in 6-12 months group (34.3%, 11/32) and >or= 12 months group (35.1%, 13/37) (P < 0.001), and the clinical relapse rates in corresponding periods were 1.9% (1/53), 0% (0/32) and 16.2% (6/37) respectively. M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion transcripts occurred in 5 of 6 clinically relapsed patients. In period of more than 6 months after transplantation, none of 17 M-bcr/abl(+) samples from 14 patients in cytogenetic remission appeared positive reaction of m-bcr/abl. It is concluded that M-bcr/abl(+) fusion transcript still existed in most patients after SCT, and usually disappeared within 6 months. Existence of M-bcr/abl is not a clinical relapse marker in CML patients. Simultaneous detection of M-bcr/abl and m-bcr/abl fusion transcripts can be helpful for monitoring residual disease.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; metabolism ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Recurrence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation, Homologous