Objective: To investigate the effect of warm acupuncture combined with Western medicine on cardiac function in patients with CHF. Methods: A total of 120 patients with CHF who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups, 60 in each group. The control group was treated with conventional medicine, and the Chinese and western medicine group was combined with warm acupuncture on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The 6 min walking distance were compared. The LVEF%, LVEDd, and LVESd were measured by color Doppler ultrasound. The Plasma NT-proBNP was detected by ELISA. Results: The total effective rate was 95.0% (57/60) in the Chinese and western medicine group and 90.0% (54/60) in the Western medicine group. The difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.218, P=0.027). After treatment, the LVEF% level of the Chinese and western medicine group (49.5% ± 4.7% vs. 47.0% ± 4.5 %, t=2.976), 6 min walking distance (348.9 ± 38.1 m vs. 319.7 ± 35.0 m, t= 5.107) were significantly higher than those of the Western medicine group (P<0.01); and the LVEDd (47.3 ± 4.0 mm vs. 50.0 ± 4.6 mm, t=-3.431), LVESd (38.5 ± 3.5 mm vs. 40.8 ± 3.9 mm, t=-3.400), NT-proBNP (750.2 ± 158.5 ng/L vs. 900.4 ± 183.7 ng/L, t=4.960) were significantly lower than those of the western medicine group (P<0.01). Conclusions Warm acupuncture combined with Western medicine can improve the heart function of CHF patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of the culture of Phellinus igniarius and their phamacological activities.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by using a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Structures of the isolates were identified by spectroscopic data analysis. Cytotoxic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-HIV activities were screened by using cell-based models.

RESULTTwenty-nine constituents were isolated. Their structures were identified as three sesquiterpenes: 3S,9R,10S-3-hydroxy-11, 12-O-isopropyldrimene(1), 3S, 9R, 10S-3, 11, 12-trihydroxydrimene (2), and 3S, 4S, 9R, 10S-11, 12, 14-trihydroxydrimene(3); three steriods: 24R-ergosta-4, 6, 8(14), 22-tetraen-3-one (4), stigmasta-7, 22-diene-3b, 5a, 6a-triol (5), and 5a, 8a-epi dioxyergosta-6, 22-diene-3b-ol (6); fourteen cyclo-dipeptide: cyclo (L-Pro-L-Val) (7), cycle (L-Leu-D-Pro) (8), cyclo (L-Leu-L-Pro) (9), cyclo (ILe-Pro) (10), cyclo (Gly-Leu) (11), cyclo (Phe-Ser) (12), cyclo (Ala-Pro) (13), cyclo (Ala-Phe) (14), cyclo (4-HyP-Phe) (15) , cyclo (L-Phe-D-Pro) (16), cyclo (D-Phe-D-Pro) (17), cyclo (6-HyP-Phe) (18), cycle (Gln-Pro) (19), and cycle (Asn-Leu) (20); and nine other compounds: N-acetyl-phenylalanine (21), adenosine (22), phenyldiethanol (23), o-hydroxy-phenylethanol (24), benzoic acid (25), p-methoxybenzoic acid (26), m-methoxybenzoic acid (27), hexadecanoic acid (28), and 3-pyridinecarboxylic acid (29). In the in vitro assays, at a concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 5 and 8 showed neuroprotective activity against MPP+ induced PC12-syn cell damage, with a relative cell proliferation rate of 90.3% and 87.5% (P < 0.05). At 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 12 and 18 showed hepatoprotective activities against DL-galactosamine-induced toxicity examined in WB-F344 cell, with cell survival rates of 25% and 24%, respectivily.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-29 were obtained from P. igniarius for the first time. Compounds 5 and 8 showed potent PC12-syn protective activities, while 12 and 18 showed hepato cytes (WB-F344 cells) protective activities.

Animals ; Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Culture Techniques ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; drug effects ; Rats