Objective To synthesize a new reagent, 1-(6-bromo-2-benzothiazolyl)-3-(5-bromo-8-quinolyl)-triazene (BBTBQT) and apply to the determination of cobalt. Methods The reagent had been synthesized by diazotization and coupling reaction. After purification and characterization, BBTBQT was tested for its color reaction conditions with cobalt in the presence of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB). Results In the presence of borax buffer solution at pH value of 9.0, the reagent reacted with cobalt to form a blue stable complex with a molar ratio of 2∶1; the complex had a maximum absorption at 640 nm. The apparent molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.55 ?105 L/(mol?cm). Beer’s law was obeyed in the range of 0-0.28 mg/L for cobalt. The method had been applied to determine cobalt in drainage sediment and vitamin B12 injection solution with a mean relative error of 1.9%-5.8% and a standard relative deviation of 1.7%-3.8%. Conclusion The present method is selective, sensitive, accurate, convenient and suitable for determination of trace cobalt in the samples.

ShenqiJiangtang Granule is composed of Panax ginseng, Astragali Radix and other valuable Chinese herbal medicines and extract, which has the effect of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, nourishing spleen and kidney, and it is also widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and complications. After more than 20 years of clinical application, abundant research data have been accumulated. In order to accurately locate the clinical position and promote the rational use of drugs, a project was established by the Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine and experts organized by the Diabetes Branch to compile this consensus. This consensus defines the application of ShenqiJiangtang Granule in the clinical treatment of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and its complications. It is suitable for clinicians at all levels of hospitals and grass-roots medical and health institutions across the country (traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine).

Ligularia duciformis is a plant of the Ligularia genus (Compositae) which has been reported to have therapeutic effects of treating diseases such as bronchitis and coughing. In order to find out the bioactive components, the 85% ethanol extract of the root and rhizome of L. duciformis was treated by solvents extraction and column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Six compounds were obtained from the ethyl acetate fraction and identified as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpropyl caffeate (I), 6beta, 8beta-dihydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8alpha-olide (II), 6beta, 8alpha-dihydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8beta-olide (III), 6beta-hydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8alpha-olide (IV), stigmasterol (V) and beta-daucosterol (VI) by analysis of their physic-chemical constants and spectral data. Compound I is a new compound and compounds II - V were isolated from L. duciformis for the first time. The antitussive effect of the compounds is under evaluation.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of post-treatment PSA kinetics on the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 114 cases of locally advanced PCa treated by maximal androgen blockade (MAB) combined with brachytherapy, and analyzed the association of the changes in PSA kinetics with the prognosis of the patients.

RESULTSThe median survival time of the patients was 81 (15 - 144) months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 91. 23%, 78.07% and 68.42% , respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the baseline PSA level, PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, PSA doubling time, and the extent of PSA declining were all predictive factors for the survival time of the PCa patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, and the extent of PSA declining were three independent prognostic factors, which prolonged the long-term survival of the patients by 1.7, 3.2 and 6.8 times, respectively.

CONCLUSIONFor locally advanced PCa treated by MAB combined with brachytherapy, PSA nadir <1 micro g/L, the time to nadir <3 months, and the extent of PSA declining >96% are independent prognostic factors.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Androgens ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Brachytherapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of Ping-tang Recipe (, PTR) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSForty male SD rats were included in the study. Ten rats were fed on normal diet as normal control, and thirty rats were fed on HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity, followed with low dose (0.42 g/kg) or high dose (0.84 g/kg) of PTR or vehicle for 8 weeks with 10 animals for each group. Glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity were evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test. Hepatic steatosis was measured by immunohistochemistry. Liver lipid metabolic genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, while AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression was examined by Western blot.

RESULTSRats fed on HFD developed abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and NAFLD. PTR treatment reduced visceral fat (peri-epididymal and peri-renal) accumulation, improved glucose metabolism, and attenuated hepatic steatosis. The expressions of the key lipolytic regulating genes, including peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PRAR-γ) and α (PRAR-α), were up-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the expressions of lipogenic genes such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) were down-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, PTR activated AMPK and promoted acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation in the liver.

CONCLUSIONSPTR improves insulin resistance and reverse hepatic steatosis in the rat model of HFD-induced obesity through promotion of lipolysis and reduction of lipogenesis, which involves the AMPK signaling pathway, thus representing a new therapeutic intervention for obesity related insulin resistance and NAFLD.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Diet, High-Fat ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; complications ; prevention & control ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Insulin Resistance ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lipogenesis ; drug effects ; Lipolysis ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Male ; Obesity ; blood ; complications ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the bark of Paeonia suffruticosa.

METHODThe 95% ethanol extract was re-extracted with EtOAc, and then separated and purified by column chromatography using silica gel, Sephadex LH -20 and RP-18 as packing materials. The structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis and physico-chemical characters.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated and identified as (+)-catechin (1), paeonidanin (2), paeoniflorigenone (3), 2, 5-dihydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone (4), paeonol (5), gallic acid (6).

CONCLUSIONThe compound 1 was isolsted from the genus Paeonia for the first time. The compounds 2, 3 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Catechin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Angelica polymorpha Maxim. is a plant of the Angelica genus (Umbelliferae). The root and stem of this plant is a folk medicine known to have the actions of relieving rheumatism and cold and subsiding swelling and pains. To investigate the chemical constituents in the root of A. polymorpha Maxim., seven compounds were isolated from an 80% ethanol extract by column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated according to the spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 is a new sesquiterpene, named as bisabolactone. Its absolute configuration was determined by 1D NOESY and CD analysis. The others were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (2), hycandinic acid ester 1 (3), ferulic acid (4), isooxypeucedanin (5), noreugenin (6) and cimifugin (7). Compound 2 and 3 were isolated from this genus for the first time and compound 4 was isolated from this plant for the first time.
Angelica ; chemistry ; Chromones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses were the dominant strains in Shanghai during 2018-2019 influenza surveillance year.This study is to provide a scientific reference for clinical drug use by investigating the susceptibility of A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors(NAIs). Methods Sixty strains of A/H1N1(pdm09) viruses were randomly selected for testing the susceptibility and drug resistance to Oseltamivir and Zanamivir by means of neutaminidase inhibition and neuraminidase (NA) gene sequencing. Results The 60 epidemic strains all proved to be susceptible to Oseltamivir and Zanamivir and the susceptibility was not observed to be decreased or remarkably decreased.In genetic sequencing, NA was not observed to present amino acid mutation at the key sites and auxiliary sites in catalytic activity, which confirmed the results of the phototypic detection of neuraminidase inhibition. Conclusion The subtype influenza viruses A/H1N1(pdm09) circulating in Shanghai during 2018-2019 surveillance year are still sensitive to NAIs, which provides a scientific reference for clinical use of drugs.However, we monitored only a number of strains and think that the work monitoring antiviral susceptibility should be continued with the wide use of the drugs.

Amniotic Fluid ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Embolism, Amniotic Fluid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Keratin-13 ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Aspiration ; metabolism ; pathology

BACKGROUNDXiaobuxin-Tang, a traditional Chinese herbal prescription recorded in a silk scroll unearthed from Mogao Caves of Dunhuang has been indicated that it can remit depressive disorder. The present study was designed to investigate its antidepressant effects in various animal depression models.

METHODSXiaobuxin-Tang was extracted by 70% alcohol, and then three behavioral despair models and 5-Hydroxytryptophan (HTP)-induced head twitch response model were adopted to assess the antidepressant effects of the ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang with the study on spontaneous motor activity. Groups of mice and rats received oral treatment with Xiaobuxin-Tang (150 - 1200 mg/kg) only once acutely in all tests. The duration of immobility was measured during the last 4 minutes of the 6-minutes test period in mice forced swimming test, rats forced swimming test and mice tail suspension test. In 5-HTP-induced head twitch response, the mice were intraperitoneally administered with 120 mg/kg of L-5-HTP, and then the cumulative number of head twitches was counted in 20 minutes. Spontaneous motor activities of mice were recorded automatically in 10 minutes by VIDEOMEX-V image analytic system.

RESULTSThe extract at doses of 300 mg/kg (p.o.) and 600 mg/kg (p.o.) significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in a dose dependent manner in mice forced swimming test; also, the extract at dose of 1200 mg/kg (p.o.) significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in rat forced swimming test. Furthermore, the extract at a dose of 600 mg/kg had the same effect in mice tail suspension test. Meanwhile, the extract at the effective doses for behavioral despair models, had no effect on spontaneous motor activity in mice. The extract (300 - 1200 mg/kg, p.o.) also increased the accumulative number of the 5-HTP-induced head twitch response in mice in 20 minutes.

CONCLUSIONOur results suggested that the ethanolic extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang exerts antidepressant-like effect.

Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Depression ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hindlimb Suspension ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Swimming