Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Staff ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Phosgene ; poisoning ; Poisoning ; etiology ; Young Adult

This study is to investigate the effects of aqueous extract of Schisandra chinensis Baill (WWZ), kadsurin, schisandrin A, schisandrin B and schisandrol B on rat hepatic CYP3A. Rats received a daily gavage of aqueous extract of WWZ for different times. The livers were harvested after gavage and subjected to microsome preparation. Microsomal CYP3A activity was determined by measuring the amount of the metabolite of testosterone (6 beta-hydroxytestosterone) with HPLC. Aqueous extract of WWZ, kadsurin and schisandrin A were incubated with microsomes obtained from rat. Microsomal CYP3A activity was determined by HPLC. Primary hepatocytes were separated and extracted from rat, then were treated with aqueous extract of WWZ, schisandrin A, schisandrin B and schisandrol B. Then, the expression of CYP3A1 mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR. As for the in vivo assay, aqueous extract of WWZ significantly inhibited the enzyme activity of CYP3A after 12 h gavage. The inhibitory effect was converted to inductive effect after 3-day gavage. Aqueous extract of WWZ could induce the enzyme activity of CYP3A after 6-day gavage. Aqueous extract of WWZ and kadsurin showed a dose-dependent inhibition of CYP3A (IC50 of 487.8 microg mL(-1) and 6.2 micromol L(-1), separately). In rat primary hepatocytes, aqueous extract of WWZ (2.5 mg mL(-1)), schisandrin A (0.1 micromol L(-1)), schisandrin B (0.1 micromol L(-1)) and schisandrol B (10 micromol L(-1)) increased significantly the expression of CYP3A1 mRNA by 23%, 55%, 42% and 27%, respectively. Aqueous extract of WWZ could show dual effect on the enzyme activity of CYP3A in rat in vivo. Meanwhile, kadsurin showed a dose-dependent inhibition of the enzyme activity of hepatic CYP3A in vitro. And schisandrin A, schisandrin B and schisandrol B showed significant inductive effect on the expression of rat CYP3A1 mRNA.
Animals ; Cyclooctanes ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dioxoles ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Lignans ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Male ; Microsomes, Liver ; enzymology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polycyclic Compounds ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schisandra ; chemistry

To explore the mechanism of the absorption enhancement of borneol, the effect of borneol on the intestinal absorption and the pharmacokinetics of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate after oral administration were investigated. In situ intestinal recirculation was performed to study the effect of various concentrations of borneol on the absorption of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate at duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon. After oral administration of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate, the mixture of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate and borneol and the mixture of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate and verapamil in rats, the concentrations of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate in plasma were determined by RP-HPLC at predesigned time. The pharmacokinetic parameters were compared based on the results of the three animal experiments, and analyzed with software program 3p97. The result showed that tetramethylpyrazine phosphate could be absorbed at all of the four intestinal segments with increasing absorption amount per unit as follows: colon > duodenum > jejunum > ileum, but without saturation, which demonstrated that tetramethylpyrazine phosphate was absorbed via simple diffusion. Borneol could enhance the intestinal absorption of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate, however, not in proportion. There was no obvious difference between the test group and the control group when 10 microg x mL(-1) borneol was added (P > 0.05), while when the concentration comes to 25 microg x mL(-1) and 50 microg x mL(-1), significant differences were observed (P < 0.05). Borneol and verapamil did enhance the bioavailability of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate after oral administration in rats. The enhancing effect of borneol showed only when the concentration came to a certain level but with no specific sites existed in the intestine. One of the mechanisms of borneol on the enhancing effect on absorption of tetramethylpyrazine phosphate might be the inhibition of the metabolism of CYP 3A and exocytosis of P-gp.
Animals ; Biological Availability ; Bornanes ; pharmacokinetics ; Herb-Drug Interactions ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Male ; Pyrazines ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

This study is to prepare the W/O microemulsion containing NaCl and fluorouracil (5-Fu) as a model drug to investigate the transdermal characteristics and skin irritation of the microemulsion in vitro. Isopropylmyristate (IPM) acting as oil phase, Aerosol-OT (AOT) as surfactant, Tween 85 as cosurfactant, NaCl solution was added dropwise to the oil phase to prepare W/O microemulsion at room temperature using magnetic stirring, and then 5-Fu powder was added. According to the area of microemulsion based on the pseudo-tertiary phase diagrams, the optimum formulation was screened initially. And the permeation flux of fluorouracil across excised mice skin was determined in vitro using Franz diffusion cells to study the influence of the amount of water and the drug loading capacity and optimize the formulation further. Refer to 5-Fu cream, the irritation of microemulsion on the rat skin was studied. The optimum formulation was composed of 0.7% (w/v) 5-Fu, 50% NaCl solution (0.05 mol x L(-1)), 20% mix-surfactant (AOT/Tween 85, K(m) = 2) and 29.3% oil (IPM). The cumulative amount of fluorouracil permeated in 12 h was (2 013.4 +/- 41.6) microg x cm(-2), 20.23 folds and 10.38 folds more than 0.7% fluorouracil aqueous solution and 2.5% (w/w) fluorouracil cream, respectively. Microemulsion exhibited some irritation, but could be reversed after drug withdrawal. The addition of NaCl significantly increased the content of water and the drug loading in microemulsion systems. The NaCl/AOT-Tween 85/IPM microemulsion system promoted the permeation of fluorouracil greatly, which may be a promising vehicle for the transdermal delivery of fluorouracil and other hydrophilic drug.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Emulsions ; Exanthema ; chemically induced ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mice ; Myristates ; chemistry ; Oils ; chemistry ; Polysorbates ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin Absorption ; Sodium Chloride ; chemistry ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Water

This study is to prepare the microemulsion-based gel based on the W/O microemulsion and fluorouracil (5-Fu) as a model drug to study the transdermal characterization and observe its skin irritation of the microemulsion-based gel in vitro. IPM acted as oil phase, AOT as surfactant, Tween 85 as cosurfactant, water was added dropwise to the oil phase to prepare W/O microemulsion at room temperature using magnetic stirring, then 5-Fu powder was added. The gelatin was used as substrate to prepare 5-Fu microemulsion-based gel. The permeation flux of 5-Fu from 5-Fu microemulsion-based gel across excised mice skin was determined in vitro using Franz diffusion cell to study the influence of the amount of gelatin and the drug loading capacity. Refer to 5-Fu cream, the irritation of microemulsion and microemulsion-based gel on the rat skin was studied. Based on the water/AOT/Tween 85/IPM microemulsion, only the gelatin can form the microemulsion-based gel. At 25 degrees C, 32 degrees C and 40 degrees C, the amount of gelatin required for the formation of microemulsion-based gel were 7%, 14% and more than 17%, respectively. The 12 h transdermal cumulated permeation amount of 5-Fu from microemulsion-based gel containing 14% gelatin and 0.5% drug loading were (876.5 +/- 29.1) microg x cm(-2), 12.3 folds and 4.5 folds more than 0.5% 5-Fu aqueous solution and 2.5% (w/w) 5-Fu cream, respectively. Microemulsion-based gel exhibited some irritation, but could be subsided after drug withdrawal. Microemulsion-based gel may be a promising vehicle for transdermal delivery of 5-Fu and other hydrophilic drug.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Emulsions ; Exanthema ; chemically induced ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Gelatin ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Myristates ; chemistry ; Polysorbates ; chemistry ; Skin ; pathology ; Skin Absorption ; Succinates ; chemistry ; Surface-Active Agents ; Viscosity

AIMTo prepare silybin-phospholipid complex and study its physicochemical properties. To compare the pharmacokinetic characteristics and bioavailability after oral administration of silybinphospholipid complex and silybin material in rats.

METHODSUsing acetone as a reaction medium, silybin and phospholipid were resolved into the medium, when the organic solvent was clear, then removed under vacuum evaporation, silybin-phospholipid complex was obtained. The new complex' s physicochemical properties including DSC, UV, IR were determined. The concentrations of non-conjugated and total silybin after oral administration of silybin-phospholipid complex and silybin material at different time in rats were determined by RP-HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were computed by software program 3P97.

RESULTSExperiment results showed that silybin and phospholipid in the silybin-phospholipid complex were combined by non-covalent-bond, not forming a new compound and the solubility of silybin-phospholipid complex in water and n-octanol was effectively enhanced. It was found that mean plasma concentration-time curve of silybin after oral administration of silybin-phospholipid complex in rats was in accordance with one-compartment model with first-order absorption. Pharmacokinetic parameters of non-conjugated and total silybin in rats were respectively T(max) 10 min and 2 h; C(max) 0.11 and 1.08 microg x mL(-1); T1/2 2.18 and 3.84 h; AUC(0-infinity) 1.71 and 12.94 microg x mL(-1) x h. However, after oral administration of silybin material, plasma levels of both non-conjugated and total silybin were within the analytical detection limit.

CONCLUSIONIt was concluded that after oral administration of silybin-phospholipid complex in rats the bioavailability of silybin increased greatly. This was mainly due to an obvious improvement of the lipophilic property of silybin-phospholipid complex compared with silybin material and an increase in gastrointestinal absorption.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Availability ; Drug Compounding ; Male ; Phospholipids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silymarin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical significance and survival benefits of chest wall resection and reconstruction (CWRR) by multidisciplinary surgery for selected patients with locally advanced or recurrent breast cancer in order to address the importance of collaboration between ablative (breast surgery or/and thoracic surgery) and reconstructive teams during CWRR.

METHODSThe data of 44 patients who underwent multidisciplinary CWRR at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between March 2001 and June 2004 were retrospectively analyzed, which included the CWRR techniques used, patient characteristics and treatment outcomes. Survival of patients with primary, recurrent or metastatic disease, and that of those with curative or palliative resection were also compared.

RESULTSAll patients were female aged 34-83 years with primary (n=19), recurrent (n=15) or metastatic breast cancer (n=10). The surgery modes included curative resection(n=36) and palliative (n=8) with a mean defect size of skin: 218.4 cm2; of bony chest wall: 113.9 cm2 (n=15). Immediate reconstruction (n=43) with prosthesis (n=10) or without (n=34) for most of these patients. All of them required soft tissue coverage with pedicled flap (n=37) or free flap (n=13). The average hospital and ICU stay was 6.6 days and 3.4 days (n=8), respectively. The morbidity was acceptable and no 30-day mortality happened. Neither was there difference in median survival (44.7 m vs. 36.0 m, P = 0.752) nor in 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates between primary breast cancer (78.4%, 78.4%, 39.2%) and recurrent one (70.9%, 70.9%, 70.9%, P > 0.05). However, both median survival (16.0 m) and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates (30.0%, 15.0%, 0) in patients with metastasis were much poorer than that in those with primary breast cancer (P = 0.003) or recurrence(P =0. 018). The survival of patients underwent curative resection (36.0 m, 71.5%, 65.7%, 65.7%) were much longer than those with palliative resection (15.1 m, 35.1%, 23.4%, 7.8%, P = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONWith full control of systemic and local disease by up-front multidisciplinary strategy, chest wall resection and reconstruction could improve long-term survival if curative resection achieved or the quality of life if palliative resection done for breast cancer patients with tumor invading the chest wall or local recurrence. Ablative and reconstructive surgeons should be included in surgery team in order to guarantee the possibility of extensive resection and effective reconstruction in a single stage with high safety, good survival and minimal morbidity.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; Palliative Care ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Survival Analysis ; Thoracic Surgical Procedures ; Thoracic Wall ; pathology

AIMTo study the preparation of silymarin proliposomes. To study its physicochemic properties, its pharmacokinetical characteristics and bioavailability in rats after oral administration.

METHODSSilymarin proliposomes were prepared by film-deposition on carriers. When the proliposomes were contacted with water to form liposome suspensions, the tests of physicochemical properties including encapsulation efficiency, particle size and stability of the formed liposome suspensions were determined by HPLC, laser-particle-sizer and etc. The concentrations of non-conjugated and overall silymarin in plasma of rats and their pharmacokinetic behaviors after oral administration were studied by RP-HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were computed by software program 3P97.

RESULTSThe encapsulation efficiency of silymarin liposomes could be more than 90%, with an average particle size of about 238.8 nm and a very good stability. The high bioavailability of silymarin proliposomes could be gotten by oral administration.

CONCLUSIONCompared with silymarin, silymarin proliposome is a stable and easily industrialized preparation and did enchance the gastrointestinal absorption of silymarin.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Availability ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Stability ; Liposomes ; Male ; Milk Thistle ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silymarin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Hyperricum monogynum.

METHODCompounds were isolated by various column chromatography and identified by spectral analysis.

RESULTTen compounds were isolated and identified as quercetin, quercitrin, hyperoside, rutin, (-)-epicatechin, 3,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-xanthone, 3,4-O-isopropylidenyl shikimic acid, shikimic acid, daucosterol, and oleanoic acid.

CONCLUSIONAll compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Hypericum ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

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