This paper reviewed the emergence process of the subject and methodology of Chinese Medicines' Authentication. Based on the research progress and major achievements acquired in research of each methodology including identification of origin, description, microscopic, physical, chemical and biological characteristics of Chinese medicines, it is expounded that the development process of each methodology combined modem digital technology, information science and its own characteristics. And the development direction is further described for methodology of Chinese Medicines' Authentication towards systematization and informationization.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; history ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; pharmacology ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Quality Control

This paper aims to develop a method for the determination of aloe-emodin, rhein, chrysophanol and physcion and study the pharmacokinetic properties of four anthraquinones in rat plasma after oral administration of gardenia and rhubarb decoction. The plasma concentrations at different time points of four anthraquinones were determined by HPLC-FLD method. Plasma samples were extracted with liquid-liquid extraction procedure. Plasma samples were separated on a C18 column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 μm), using 0.2% acetic acid and methanol as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1) with gradient elution. The excitation and emission wavelengths were set at 430, 525 nm, respectively. DAS 2.0 software was applied to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The results showed four anthraquinones can be absorbed. The main parameters of aloe-emodin, rhein, chrysophanol and physcion were as follows: C(max) for aloe-emodin was (0.085 ± 0.058), (3.772 ± 1.152), (0.464 ± 0.267), (0.028 ± 0.008) mg x L(-1) respectively; t(max) for rhein was (1.042 ± 0.510), (0.805 ± 0.307), (1.167 ± 0.283), (0.616 ± 0.162) h respectively; t½ for chrysophanol was (3.557 ± 1.250), (6.879 ± 1.126), (5.196 ± 2.032), (4.337 ± 1.816) h; AUC(0-t) for physcion was (0.504 ± 0.130), (9.558 ± 1.106), (2.545 ± 1.554), (0.052 ± 0.018) mg x h x L(-1). This paper developed a selective, accurate and sensitive HPLC-FLD method for the simultaneous determination of four anthraquiones in rat plasma.
Animals ; Anthraquinones ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To study the differences in clinical characteristics and etiology in bronchopneumonia and lobar pneumonia,and provide the basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods A retrospective study was performed on 100 children with lobar pneumonia and 200 children with bronchopneumonia from Dec.2005 to Dec.2007.Antibodies of mycoplasma(MP) and chlamydia(CP) were detected with quantitative enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of serum samples which were collected on addmission.On the second day morning,axenic sputum samples of laryngeapharyngis at pars were collected with onetime asepsis aspiration sputum tube by negative pressure for bacterial culture,and the common seven viruses were detected with direct immunofluorescence,and MP DNA,CP DNA were detected.The results and the clinical data and the characters of sternum were analyzed.Results Lobar pneumonia was more in the elder children,and the features were fever and cough in clinic,absence in physical sign of bellow,and inflammation of one pulmonary lobe in X-ray.Sixty-one percent of childhood lobar pneumonia had MP infection in laboratory examination.But bronchopneumonia was found more in infants and young children,whose features were cough,dyspnea and catarrhus in clinics,wheezy phlegm and stridor in physical sign of bellow,pulmonic shadow of spot and lamellar in X-ray.Bacteria were the most common pathogen in bronchopneumonia.Conclusions Lobar pneumonia was different from bronchopneumonia in age and clinic features and sternum characters of patients,and much more different in etiology.Bacterial infection was important in bronchopneumonia.But in lobar pneumonia,MP infection occupied 61.0%,which was different from traditionaletiology.Moreover,the MP infection rate in infant and young children tend to increase obviously.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Yishen Huoxue decoction (YHD) on chronic renal failure (CRF) rats induced by 5/6 nephrectomy.

METHODSThe glomerulosclerosis model was established by 5/6 nephrectomy in rats. Experimental animals were allocated into the normal group, the model group, the YHD group and the benazepril group. Urine protein of 24 h (UP) at the 6th and 12th weekend after operation, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (SCr), albumin (Alb) and haemoglobin (HB) at the 12th weekend were measured, renal pathology changes were examined with light microscope, the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and fibronectin (Fn) were examined by immunohistochemistry and mRNA expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) by RT-PCR at the 12th weekend.

RESULTSCompared with those in the normal group, the levels of UP, BUN and SCr, the area of glomerular mesangial matrix, the FN deposition, PCNA expression in glomeruli and tubular interstitium and mRNA expressions of CTGF and PAI-1 were all significantly higher in the model group (P < 0.05). All the above-mentioned indexes were lower in the YHD group than those in the model group (P < 0.05). PCNA positively expressed cells in glomeruli of the normal, model group, YHD group and benazepril group was 7.00 +/- 2.24,34.78 +/- 6.96,15.75 +/- 2.61 and 15.50 +/- 2.57 respectively, positively correlated to the expression of CTGF, PAI-1, FN and SCr level.

CONCLUSIONYHD could delay the progression of CRF in 5/6 nephrectomized rats, and the mechanisms were mainly related to the inhibition on renal cell proliferation and it induced over-expression of cytokines, and accumulation of extracellular matrix.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Fibronectins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Phytotherapy ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and relevant mechanism of shuxuening Injection (SI) in treating patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODSTotally 91 patients with active UC were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 44 in the control group and 47 in the treatment group. Patients in the control group received routine treatment, while patients in the treatment group additionally received intravenous injection of SI (15 mL), twice daily for 14 days in total. Colonoscopy was performed before and after treatment. The therapeutic effect was assessed by Mayo scoring system and the grading of activities evaluated by Baron endoscope. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. The activity of SOD was detected by xanthine oxidase method. The content of MDA was detected by thiobarbituricacid (TBA). Besides, 20 healthy subjects were recruited as the healthy control group.

RESULTSTotally 82 patients completed the study (40 in the control group and 42 in the treatment group). There was no statistical difference in serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, SOD, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading between the two groups before treatment (P >0. 05). Compared with the healthy control group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA significantly increased (P <0.01), and the serum SOD level decreased (P < 0. 05) in the treatment grup and the control group before treatment. Compared with before treatment in the same group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased in the treatment group and the control group after treatment (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). Compared with the control group after treatment, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased (P <0.01, P <0.05), the serum SOD level increased (P <0.05) in the treatment group after treatment. The serum SOD level was obviously negative correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-a, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r = -0. 621, -0.638, -0. 509, -0.787, P <0.01). The serum MDA level was obviously positive correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r =0.711, 0. 882, 0. 525, 0. 639, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSI could improve inflammatory injury and clinical symptoms of patients with active UC, and its mechanism might be associated with antioxidant and scavenging oxygen free radicals.

Colitis, Ulcerative ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To investigate the effect of modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) with different anesthetics on efficacy of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Methods Ninety patients with TRD were enrolled in this study to receive a standard 8 times MECT. The HAMD-17 scale was evaluated before MECT and after the completion of the first, second, third, forth, sixth and eighth MECT session. The TESS scale was evaluated before MECT and after the completion of the last MECT session. Results Scores of HAMD-17 after the completion of the first, second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth MECT session were significantly reduced (P<0.05). There were significant differences of HAMD scales among the three groups since the first MECT session (P < 0.05). The remission rate of ketamine group, propofol group and mixed group was 96.7%, 43.3%, and 73.3% (P < 0.05). Conclusion MECT of ketamine anesthetic might contribute to the best effect of TRD.

Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor ; pathology ; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors ; pathology

Adult ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture therapy on neural stem cell (NCS) proliferation and differentiation in the hippocampus of the senescence-accelerated prone-8 (SAP8) mouse. Methods Twenty-four SAP8 mice were randomly and equally divided into a model group and an acupuncture group. Twelve senescence-accelerated resistant ( SAR1 ) mice served as the control group. Acupuncture was administered at the Baihui (DU20) point to mice in the acupuncture group once daily for 21 consecutive days. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was used to detect the proliferation and differentiation of NCSs in the hippocampus through double-labeled immunofluoresSAR1 group, the positive cells in the SAP8 group were significantly fewer Compared to the SAP8 group, positive cells markers of neuron or glia cell positive cells appeared. Compared to the SAR1 group, the expression of BrdU/GFAP increased in the SAP8 group, and decreased after acupuncture but not significantly. BrdU/S-100 β cells decreased significantly in the SAP8 group, and increased after acupuncture, but again not significantly. Compared to the SAR1 group BrdU/GalC positive cells increased significantly in the SAP8 group and decreased significantly after acupuncture.Conclusions After acupuncture treatment for 21 days, the differentiation of hippocampal NSCs into oligodendrocytes was inhibited, but there was little effect on their differentiating into neurons and immature astrocytes.

Objective To study the protective role of pre-resolving mediator lipoxin A4(LXA4) in the NA+ -K+-ATPase in alveolar type Ⅱ (AT Ⅱ ) epithelial cells of rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Method The AT Ⅱ cells were isolated and purified, and divided randomly into control group (PBS), vehiculum (alcohol 0.7 μL/mL) group, LPS (1 μg/mL) group, LXA4(1/10 mol/mL) group and LPS (1 μg/mL LPS) + LXA4(1/10 mol/mL) group. After exposure to LPS and/or LXA4 for4 hours, NA+-K+ -ATPase and β1-subunits mRNA in AT Ⅱ epithelial cells were detected by using RT-PCR, and ATP, ADP, AMP, total adenine nucleotides (TAN) and energy charge (EC) were measured by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and then the activities of Na+-K+-ATPase were calculated accordingly. Results The NA+-K+-ATPase α-subunit and β-subunit mRNA were significantly decreased in LPS group ( P ＜ 0.05 vs. control group). However, the expressions of NA+ -K+-ATPase mRNA were significantly enhanced by application of LXA4 to AT Ⅱ epithelial cells exposed to LPS (P ＜0.05 vs. LPS group). The activities of NA+ -K+ -ATPase were enhanced in LPS group (P ＜0.05 vs. control group). Compared with control group and LPS group, the activities of NA+-K+-ATpase in LPS + LXA4 group were significantly increased (P ＜0.01 vs. control group; P ＜0.05 vs. LPS group). The EC of AT Ⅱ epithelial cells were higher in LPS group ( P ＜ 0.01 vs. control group). There were no significant differences in EC between control group and LPS + LXA4group(P ＞0.05). Conclusions The pro-resolving mediator LXA4 can enhance the expressions of NA + -K + -ATPase α-subunit and β-subunit mRNA, and the activities of NA + -K + -ATPase in AT Ⅱ epithelial cells or rats exposed to LPS, and ca also balance the metabolism of AT Ⅱ epithelial cells. These findings suggest that LXA4 plays an important role in lung edema clearance in lung injury induced by endotoxin, and the role is likely associated with the enhancement of the expressions of Na+ -K+ -AT-Pase α-subunit and β-subunit, and the activities of Na+ -K* -ATPase, maintaining the balance of metabolism of AT Ⅱ epithelial cells.