OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Jingui Shenqi pill (JGSQP) with various concentrations at different time points on pituitary adrencorticotropic hormone (ACTH) gene expression level in Shen-Yang deficiency rats.

METHODSThe Shen-Yang deficiency rats were randomly divided into the model control group and the high, medium and low dosage of JGSQP groups. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to observe the effect of JGSQP on the ACTH mRNA of pituitary tissue in rats treated at different time points (10 d, 20 d, 30 d).

RESULTSAs compared with that in the model group, the ACTH gene expression level was significantly higher in the high dose JGSQP group (P < 0.05), and the increment in the medium dosage group was significantly higher in comparing with that in the high and low dosage groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThrough up-regulation on ACTH gene expression is possibly one of the mechanisms of JGSQP in treating Shen-Yang deficiency.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Kidney Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pituitary Gland ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Yang Deficiency ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the antioxidant constituents from the root of Rubus crataegifolius.

METHODThe constituents isolation and purification from the root of R. crataegifolius was carried by reported column chromatography including silica gel, toyopearl, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral compounds. DPPH method was used to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of the isolated compounds.

RESULTNine compounds were isolated from the root of R. crataegifolius, and their structures were identified as follow: euscaphic acid (1), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (2), tormentic acid (3), 2alpha, 19alpha, 24-trihydroxyurs-12-ene-3-oxo-28-acid (4) , 2alpha-hydroxy-oleanolic acid (5), ursolic acid (6), daucosterol (7), beta-sitosterol (8) and polydatin (9). By experiment of antioxidant activity, the result showed compounds 2 and 9 revealed DPPH free radical scavenging rates were 95.60% and 75.23% at the concentration of 50 mg x L(-1).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-8 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 2 and 9 showed the significant antioxidant activity.

Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Rosaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigated the effect of 50-Hz 3.6-mT sinusoidal electromagnetic fields (SEMFs) on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in vitro.

METHODSThe newborn rat calvarial osteoblasts were isolated by enzyme digestion and randomly divided into 6 groups after one passage. The treatment groups under 50-Hz 3.6-mT SEMFs and controls without SEMFs treatment. The cells were exposed in the SEMFs for 0.5 h, 1.0 h, 1.5 h, 2.0 h, and 2.5 h. They were observed under the contrast phase microscope each day. The calcified nodules were stained by alizarin red. The SEMFs were arranged in spiral appearance after 3 to 5 days.

RESULTSThe SEMFs showed characteristic distribution 3 to 5 days after SEMFs treatment. On the 9(th) day after treatment, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) significantly increased in the 0.5-h group, whereas the ALP histochemical straining results and the area of calcified nodules were consistent with ALP activity. In the 48-h and 96-h groups, the genetic expression levels of osteoprotegerin and collagen-1 were significantly higher than that in the control group; particularly, the mRNA expression increased in the 0.5-h group.

CONCLUSIONThe SEMFs at 50-Hz 3.6-mT could suppress the proliferation of osteoblasts maturation but stimulate the differentiation and maturation of osteoblasts in vitro.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; radiation effects ; Cell Proliferation ; radiation effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Male ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; radiation effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo observe the antagonistic effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on the platelet activating factor (PAF).

METHODSWashed rabbit platelet (WRP) aggregation and rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) aggregation induced by PAF were observed by turbidimetric assay in vitro. The PAF receptor antagonistic effect of HSYA was investigated by radio ligand binding assay (RLBA).

RESULTSIn RLBA the specific binding inhibition effect of HSYA was found to be concentration-dependent in three different [3H]PAF concentrations. In the experiments, WRP aggregation and rabbit PMNs aggregation induced by PAF (9.55 x 10(-10), 9.55 x 10(-6) mol.L-1) were both inhibited by HSYA in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. The IC50 of HSYA to inhibit WRP and rabbit PMNs aggregation was 0.99 and 0.70 mmol.L-1, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe PAF receptor binding can be antagonized by HSYA.

Animals ; Carthamus ; chemistry ; Cell Aggregation ; drug effects ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Neutrophils ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Quinones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of capsaicin on nude mice xenografted with colorectal carcinoma cells, and to explore its mechanism of action.

METHODSA nude mouse model of colorectal cancer was established by subcutaneous inoculation of human colorectal carcinoma HT-29 cells. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nicked labeling assay (TUNEL) was undertaken to detect the cell proliferation and apoptosis in the xenograft tissue in nude mice. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of HSP27, Cyt-C and active caspase-3.

RESULTSThe tumor growth of the groups C10 and C20 was significantly slower than that of the group NS. The integrated optical density (IOD) of both the group C5 (2532.14 ± 578.11) and group C10 (6364.03 ± 1137.98) was significantly higher than that of the group NS (760.12 ± 238.05), (P < 0.05). The integrated optical density (IOD) of the group C20 was (15743.96 ± 1855.95), significantly higher than that of the groups C10, C5 and NS (all were P < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytoplasmic expression of HSP27 was strongly positive in the group NS, and significantly reduced with the increasing dose of capsaicin in the treated groups. The expression of active caspase-3 and Cyt-C in the group NS was weakly positive, and was significantly increased with the increasing dose of capsaicin in the groups C5 and C10 (P < 0.05), and the expression of active caspase-3 and Cyt-C of the group C20 was significantly higher than that of the groups C5, C10 and NS (P < 0.01). Western blot analysis showed that both the expressions of HSP27 of the group C5 (0.73 ± 0.05) and the group C10 (0.41 ± 0.03) were significantly lower than that of the group NS (P < 0.05). The expression of HSP27 of the group C20 (0.22 ± 0.06) was significantly lower than that of the groups C5, C10 and NS (P < 0.01). The expressions of active-caspase-3 and Cyt-C in the group C5 were (2.57 ± 0.34) and (2.03 ± 0.38), significantly higher than those of the group NS (P < 0.05). The expressions of active-caspase-3 and Cyt-C in the group C10 were (4.23 ± 0.45) and (3.13 ± 0.44), also significantly higher than those of the group NS (P < 0.05). The expressions of active-caspase-3 and Cyt-C in the group C20 were (5.78 ± 0.48) and (4.92 ± 0.52), significantly higher than those of the group C5, C10 and NS (P < 0.01). TUNEL analysis showed that there was a significant difference of cell apoptosis in comparison of each two groups. The higher dose of capsaicin was used, the more apoptosis was observed.

CONCLUSIONSCapsaicin can significantly inhibit the tumor growth and induce cell apoptosis in the colorectal carcinoma xenograft in nude mice. Its mechanism of action is possibly related with the down-regulation of HSP27 expression and up-regulation of expression of active caspase-3 and Cyt-C in the colorectal carcinoma xenograft in nude mice.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Capsaicin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytochrome c Group ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Random Allocation ; Tumor Burden ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Aim To observe the effect of epidurally application of osthole on the model of nucleus pulposusinduced inflammatory radicular pain and the expression of p38 MAPK signaling related pathway in the spinal dorsal horn of rats.Methods The model of radicular pain was generated by putting nucleus pulposus to the L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG).50％ MWT was measured using Von Frey filaments to calculate mechanical pain threshold before and after operation.50 μL of 20 g · L-1 osthole was administered epidurally in group Ost and 50 μL of 100 mL · L-1 DMSO in group DMSO at postoperative day (POD).The expression of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38),IL-18 and IL-18R in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn was detected by Western blot.IL-18 mRNA was assessed by real-time PCR.Results The mechanical pain threshold significantly decreased after operation (P ＜ 0.05),while the expression of protein p-p38 MAPK,IL-18,IL-18R and IL-18 mRNA was significantly different.Compared with DMSO group,50％ MWT was significantly increased and accompanied with the decrease of protein p-p38,IL-18,IL-lgR and IL-18 mRNA in Ost group after drug administration (P ＜ 0.05).The correlation analysis between protein concentration of p38 MAPK and IL-18 mRNA showed that the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.9 (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion p-p38 and IL-18 of spinal dorsal horn participate in the rat model with inflammatory radicular pain induced by nucleus pulposus,and IL-18R plays a role in maintenance of the pain.Osthole administered epidurally in the early stage of pain could alleviate the pain for a long time,which may be related with inhibiting p38 MAPK signaling related pathways.

In order to analyze the incidence and high-risk factors of invasive fungal infections among recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), 180 cases of allo-HSCT were enrolled in this study. The incidence and risk factors of IFI were analyzed by method of Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model. The results showed that an incidence of IFI in 35 cases (19.5%) were detected, with 1 case proven and 34 cases probably diagnosed, which was composed of 18 cases (51.4%) of aspergillosis and 17 cases (48.6%) of candidosis. There was significant difference in one-year overall survival rate between patients with (34.3%) or without (53.8%) IFI. In univariate analysis, risk factors of IFI included: pretransplant fungal infection or colonization, unrelated donor (peripheral blood or bone marrow stem cell) transplantation, acute GVHD, extensive chronic GVHD and the use of methylprednisolone. In multi-variate analysis, the following risk factors of IFI were found:unrelated donor for allogeneic peripheral blood or bone marrow stem cell transplantation, acute GVHD and pretransplant fungal infection or colonization acute GVHD (RR: 2.399, 1.589, and 0.836). It is concluded that IFI is a frequent complication and one of the leading causes of mortality among recipients of allo-HSCT. As for patients with higher risk of IFI, early interventions should be taken.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aspergillosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Candidiasis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; complications ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; therapy ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThis study was to establish a model that adenovirus type 3 (HAdV-3) infected on Hep-2 cell in order to explore anti-adenovirus3 (HAdV-3) effect of Chinese medicine realgar in vitro.

METHODUse high-energy ball milling with distilled water to prepare realgar nanoparticles. The concentration of nanometer realgar was tested by molybdenum blue staining method and realgar nanoparticles' particle size was tested on Nano Series. The technique of cell culture with ribavirin as positiv control was to observe anti-adenovirus effect through prevention, treatment and direct inactivation of three kinds of drug delivery.

RESULTThis drug was found to be a potential inhibitor of HAdV-3 in a concentration-dependent manner with the median toxic concentration (TC50) of 0.649 microg/ml in Hep-2 Cell culture. The median inhibition concentration (IC50) was 0.255 microg/ml when drug was added before infection. The IC50 was 0.142 microg/ml when drug was added after virus infection, and it was 0.117 microg/ml as the drug was added after it mixed with virus. The therapeutic index (TI) was 2.55, 4.57 and 5.55 respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe direct inactivation effect of realgar nanoparticles is the most evident in three drug deliveries manner with the same concentration in vitro.

Adenoviridae ; drug effects ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Nanoparticles ; Sulfides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the incidence, pathogenesis, risk factors, prophylaxis and treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) after myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSClinical data of 120 patients received myeloablative allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSSerum creatinine level in the patients showed significantly higher than baseline value at 28-60 days after transplantation (P<0.05). 73 patients (60.8%) developed AKI at a median of 33 days after allo-HSCT, including grade 2 in 32 patients (26.7%). Patients with grade 1 AKI showed significant higher serum cyclosporine A (CsA) levels (P<0.05). Hepatic veno-occlusive disease( HVOD), acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and total bilirubin > 40 micromol/L were high risk factors of occurring AKI (P<0.05). 19 patients died within 100 days after allo-HSCT, grade 2 AKI was a high risk factor of mortality (P< 0.05). 180-day survival rate was significantly lower in patients with grade 2 AKI after allo-HSCT (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAKI is one of the major complications after myeloablative allo-HSCT. Prophylaxis and treatment of AKI might reduce mortality in early stage of transplantation.

Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

This study was to establish a model to explore anti- RSV effect of different administration method of Chinese medicine realgar on respiratory syncytial virus type A (RSV-A) replication in Hep-2 cells. Using high-energy ball milling with distilled water to prepare realgar nanoparticles,the concentration of nanometer realgar was tested by molybdenum blue staining method and the size of realgar nanoparticles was tested on Nano Series. Cell culture with ribavirin as a positive control was applied to observe the effect of anti-respiratory syncytial virus type A replication through prevention, treatment or direct inactivation of three different drug administration methods. Realgar nano-particles was found to be a potential inhibitor of RSV-A in a concentration-dependent manner with the median toxic concentration(TC50) of 0.649 microg/mL in Hep-2 cell culture. The median inhibition concentration (IC50) was 0.20 microg/mL when drug was added before virus infection. The IC50 was 0.13 microg/mL when drug was added after virus infection,and it was 0.16 microg/mL when the drug was mixed with virus and added. The therapeutic index (TI) was 3.18, 4.99 and 4.11, respectively. The results showed realgar nanoparticles could inhibit the replication of the RSV and inactivate the RSV in vitro.
Arsenicals ; pharmacology ; Nanoparticles ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sulfides ; pharmacology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects