Objective To investigate the effect of MT-1 and MT-2 in liver damage in chronic inorganic arsenate exposure mice and to explore the mechanism of arsenic-induced liver damage. Methods The male Kunming mice were randomly divided into control and exposed groups. The control group was given ordinary feed and tap water. The exposed group was given ordinary feed and 300 mg/L of sodium arsenite solution by drinking water. After 10 months of treatment, the activity of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and globulin (Glb) content were determined. The total RNA was extracted by the TRIzol-phenol-chlorofor-method from the liver tissue. The quantity of the RNA was determined by spectrophotometry and its purity was judged at a ratio of A260/A280. Then real-time PCR(RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of MT-1 and MT-2. Results Compared with the control group, serum ALT, AST activity and Glb content were higher and the MT-1 and MT-2 mRNA content was lower in the exposed group (P

Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fatigue ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Medical Staff, Hospital ; statistics & numerical data ; Sampling Studies

Objective To study the relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as total antioxidant capacity ( TAC ) within follicle fluid and body mass index ( BMI ) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods All patients enrolled in this study were infertile women receiving in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment.55 PCOS patients were divided into over-weight group ( n =23 ) and non-over-weight group ( n =32 ).Another 55 age-matched non-PCOS women were also divided into control group ( n =30) and overweight group ( n =25 ).Plasma sex hormone,triglycerides,and total cholesterol were determined.On oocyte retrieval day after ovarian stimulation,ROS and TAC in follicular fluid were assayed.Results Subjects in over-weight and PCOS over-weight groups had higher triglycerides than those in control and PCOS non-over-weight groups [ ( 1.9 ±1.1,1.7 ± 0.9,1.0 ± 0.5,1.2 ± 0.7 ) mmol/L,respectively,all P＜0.05],so did total cholesterol [ ( 4.8 ± 1.2,5.2 ± 1.1,4.0 ± 0.6) mmol/L,respectively,all P＜0.05].In PCOS over-weight group,ROS and ROS/TAC within follicular fluid were ( 35.4 ± 6.7 ) RLU/S and 39.8 ± 22.0,both were higher than those in the other 3 groups ( all P＜0.05).TAC [ (0.8 ± 0.5 ) Mm] was lower in PCOS over-weight group than that among the other 3 groups( all P＜0.05 ).ROS/TAC was higher in PCOS non-over-weight group than that of control group ( 26.5 ± 14.5 vs 14.2 ± 12.5,P＜0.05 ).Univariate analysis showed that both ROS and ROS/TAC within follicular fluid in PCOS patients were positively correlated with BMI ( r =0.34 and r =0.32,both P＜0.05 ).Conclusion Abnormal oxidative stress exists in follicular fluid of PCOS patients,and the oxidative stress parameters show positive correlation with BMI.

OBJECTIVETo validate the irritation effects of calcium oxalate crystal in several herbal drugs which come from Araceae plants.

METHODCompared the irritation of pure calcium oxalate crystals isolated from the raw rhizome of Typhonium flagelliforme, T. giganteum and Arisaema erubescens and studied the quantity and irritating effect relationship of different concentration suspensions of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals by using the model of rabbits' eyes.

RESULTCalcium oxalate crystals isolated from above three rau rhizome typhonium rhizome showed strong irritation effects on rabbits' eyes. Under the condition of same content of calcium oxalate crystals, there were no difference in irritation effect between the suspensions of raw medicinal materials and pure calcium oxalate crystals. The degree of irritation on rabbits' eyes showed undoubted quantity and irritating effect relationship with the concentrations of Calcium oxalate crystel.

CONCLUSIONCalcium oxalate crystal is the irritant component in some herbal drugs which come from Araceae plants.

Animals ; Araceae ; chemistry ; Calcium Oxalate ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Eye ; drug effects ; Female ; Male ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

Evaluation of the permeability mainly focuses on intestinal absorption in biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS). It is more complicated that the absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment in biopharmaceutics classification system of Chinese materia medica (CMMBCS) compared with single component environment, which needs suitable mathematical models to be described. Therefore, with full consideration of existing single component mathematical algorithm combining with the characteristics of intestinal absorption and metabolism, we explored and designed a new mathematical algorithm of intestinal absorption and metabolism of multicomponent drug. Then we put forward a new coefficient, P (influence), the relative change rate of the single component's intestinal absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment compared with single component environment, which described the influences of intestinal absorption and metabolism of the component under multicomponent environment. Moreover, P (influence) highlights the distinctive characteristics of multicomponent drug's intestinal absorption and metabolism, and lays the foundation for the construction of CMMBCS.
Algorithms ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Models, Theoretical ; Solubility

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of the cardiovascular health (CVH) status in south Jiangsu adults. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, a total of 11 996 participants that took health examination in hospitals from March 2013 to August 2013 and live in south Jiangsu were selected. Results Totally 136 participants (1.1%) met all 7 ideal CVH metrics;while 27.6%participants met 5 to 7 ideal CVH metrics, women had higher proportion (47.2%) than men (16.9%). The percentage of participants who met 5 to 7 ideal CVH metrics, whether male or female, decreased with increasing age. Ideal total cholesterol (TC) was the most prevalent (72.0%), whereas ideal salt intake was the least (19.9%). The mean (± SD) number of ideal CVH metrics for urban participants was (3.61 ± 1.46), higher than the rural participants (3.45±1.49). Old age, male and residence in rural area were risk factors for ideal CVH metrics≥5. Conclusions The prevalence of ideal CVH was extremely low in South Jiangsu adults, and there were differences in the distribution of ideal CVH metrics across gender and age. To improve CVH, specific promotion and interventions at the population and individual levels should be developed and implemented actively.

Plants in Acaceae family are often considered as ornamental and medicines. However many of them have irritation properties. As medicinal plants some of them are recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia and they are figured as poisonous. Through investigating the domestic and overseas studied paper, the needle-like calcium oxalate crystal exits in the plants of Acaceae family could be thought as irritation components of them. This conclusion is same with the studied conclusion of our study group in the medicines plant of Pinellia ternate belonging to the Acaceae family and our studies showed that the needle-like calcium oxalate crystal was the main irritation component of raw P. ternate. The irritated mechanism of raphides is relevant to its special shape, the protein enzyme adhering to it and idioblasts in plants.
Araceae ; chemistry ; Calcium Oxalate ; analysis ; poisoning ; Conjunctival Diseases ; chemically induced ; Crystallization ; Dermatitis, Contact ; etiology ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; drug effects ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the integrative medicinal therapy for non-gonococcal cervicitis (NGC) in order to elevate the therapeutic effect for patients treated in vain after long-term application of antibiotics.

METHODSFifty patients with NGC were treated with Qingyuan decoction combined with antibiotics, and other 46 patients were treated with antibiotics alone for control.

RESULTSThe cure rate and significant effective rate was 90.0% (45/50) and 65.2% (30/46) in the treated group and the control group, it was significantly different between the two groups (chi2 = 9.58, P < 0.01). The disappearance rate of symptom was 88.1% and 41.4% in the two group after treated for two weeks respectively, and it was also significantly different (chi2 = 12.42, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe therapeutic effect of NGC treated by sensitive antibiotics combined with Qingyuan decoction is better than that treated with western medicine only.

Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Uterine Cervicitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology

Objective To explore the effects of exercise on the levels of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the skeletal muscles of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods The rats were divided into an 8-week exercise group (A), a 4-week exercise group (B), a diabetes control group (C), an exercise group (D) in which no dia-betes was induced, and a control group (E). The rat model of diabetes was induced in the rats of groups A, B and C by intra-abdominal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at 55 mg/kg. The exercising rats were forced to swim for 60 minutes once daily, 5 days a week. The levels of NT-3 in skeletal muscles were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cadual nerve conduction velocity (CNCV) in all of the rats was evaluated at the beginning, and after 4 and 8 weeks of swimming exercise. Results NT-3 levels in the skeletal muscles in group C were sig-nificantly lower than in groups A, D and E. There was no statistically significant difference in NT-3 levels between groups B and C. The NT-3 levels showed a significant positive correlation with CNCV at the 8th week. Conclu-sions The increase in NT-3 levels of skeletal muscles induced by exercise could contribute partially to the im-provement of diabetic neuropathy.

Adult ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Metapneumovirus ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Students