OBJECTIVETo study the therapeutic effects of saponins from Achyranthes bidentata (SAB) in stroke-prone sponyaneously hypertension rats (SHRsp).

METHODSixty SHRsp were randomly divided into five groups: SAB 0.10, 0.20, 0.40 g x kg(-1), Huatuo Zaizao pill group (positive control group) 2.5 g x kg(-1) and pathologic group (n=10). SAB and Huatuo Zaizao pill were used through filing stomach everyday for 20 days, pathologic group was given distilled water. The effects of SAB on blood pressure, changes of nerve state, death rate, brain index and the pathologic changes of hippocampal neuron of SHRsp were observed.

RESULTSAB could markedly decrease brain index, death rate of SHRsp after stroke. SAB could improve nerve state of SHRsp after stroke. Also SAB could prolong survival time and prevent pathologic change of hippocampal neuron of SHRsp after stroke.

CONCLUSIONSAB is advantageous of therapying the stroke in SHRsp.

Achyranthes ; chemistry ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Saponins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study water-soluble chemical constituents from the leaves of Elaeagnus pungens.

METHODChemical constituents of E. pungens leaves were separated by a combination of macroporous resin column chromatography, reverse phase silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties using the spectral method.

RESULTThe two compounds were separated from E. pungens leaves and identified as kaempferol 3-O-P-D-glucopyranosyl- (1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamn-opyranosyl-(1-->6) -/3-D-galactopyranoside (1), kaempferol 3-O-P-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2).

CONCLUSIONCompound 2 separated from E. pungens leaves was a new compound.

Elaeagnaceae ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Water ; chemistry

BACKGROUND: Despite the progress in perinatal-neonatal medicine, complications of extremely preterm infants continue to constitute the major adverse outcomes in neonatal intensive care unit. Human umbilical cord Wharton’s Jellyderived mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) may offer new hope for the treatment of intractable neonatal disorders. This study will explore the functional differences of HUMSCs between extremely preterm and term infants. METHODS: UMSCs from 5 extremely preterm infants(weeks of gestation: 22+5 w,24+4 w,25+3 w,26 w,28 w) and 2 term infants(39 w,39+2 w) were isolated, and mesenchymal markers, pluripotent genes, proliferation rate were analyzed.HUVECs were injured by treated with LPS and repaired by co-cultured with HUMSCs of different gestational ages. RESULTS: All HUMSCs showed fibroblast-like adherence to plastic and positively expressed surface marker of CD105,CD73 and CD90, but did not expressed CD45,CD34,CD14,CD79a and HLA-DR; HUMSCs in extremely preterm exhibited significant increase in proliferation as evidenced by CCK8, pluripotency markers OCT-4 tested by RT-PCR also showed increase. Above all, in LPS induced co-cultured inflame systerm, HUMSCs in extremely preterm were more capable to promote wound healing and tube formation in HUVEC cultures, they promoted TGFb1 expression and inhibited IL6 expression. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that HUMSCs from extremely preterm infants may be more suitable as candidates in cell therapy for the preterm infants.