Objectives: To investigate the anti-inflammatory components from the leaves of Liriodendron chinensis. Methods: The 95% alcohol extract from the leaves of L. chinensis was subjected to column chromatography, and the structures of purified compounds were determined by spectral methods. The bioassay was performed through the inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cells activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results: Nine compounds were isolated, including octacosanoic acid (1), stearic acid (2), (2 R)-2-hydroxy-N-[(2 S,3 S,4 R,8 E)-1,3,4-tri-hydroxyicos-8-en-2-yl]tetracosanamide (3), (2 R)-2-hydroxy-N-[(2 S,3 S,4 R,8 E)-1-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3,4-dihydroxyoctadec-8-en-2-yl]eicosanamide (4), (2 R)-2-hydroxy-N-[(2 S,3 S,4 R,8 E)-1-O-ß-Dglucopyranosyloxy-3,4-dihydroxyoctadec-8-en-2-yl]hexadecanamide (5), dicentrinone (6), liriodenine (7), daucosterol (8), and liriodendritol (9) and among which five compounds could significantly lower the content of nitric oxide (NO) from peritoneal macrophages of rats induced by LPS and reduce the splenic lymphocyte proliferation in mice. This is the first report on the occurrence of ceramides and dicentrinone in the plants of Liriodendron Linn. Conclusion: The five compounds are likely to be anti-inflammatory compounds concerning to their pronounced inhibitory action on the activated inflammatory cells. This assessment might provide a basis for searching the potent active compounds used for the treatment of inflammation.

AIMTo study the chemical constituents of Glechoma longituba (Nakai) Kupr.

METHODSManifold chromatography methods were used to separated the chemical constituents, and the chemical structures were determined by spectral analyses.

RESULTSNine compounds were isolated from Glechoma longituba and identified, as: glecholone (1), 6R,9R-3-oxo-alpha-ionol (2), S(+)-dehydrovomifoliol (3), vomifoliol (4), corosolic acid (5), quercetin (6), stigmastenol (7), myristic acid (8) and triacontanol (9).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2 - 9 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Cyclohexanones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cellular Senescence ; physiology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; Sphingolipids ; chemistry ; metabolism ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the anticancer activity of the extract from Citrus reticulata in vivo.

METHODAnticancer activities were tested with tumor model in vivo (Sarcoma-180 cells, Heps cells, EAC cells implanted in mice).

RESULTThe extract from Citrus reticulata showed marked anticancer activities on Sarcoma-180 cells and Heps cells implanted in mice, had no marked anticancer activities on EAC cells implanted in mice and induced apoptosis of Sarcoma-180 cell.

CONCLUSIONThe extract from Citrus reticulata will have promising prospects as an anticancer Chinese medicine, but further studies will be needed.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Citrus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Liusticum chuanxiong.

METHODThe chemical components were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Structures were elucidated on the basis of physico-chemical properities and spectral data.

RESULTEight chemical constituents were isolated, and identified as protocatechuic acid (1), caffeic acid (2), scopoletin (3), apigenin (4), quercetin (5), cosmosiin (6), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosid (7) and glucose (8).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-8 were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant for the first time, compounds 3-8 were obtained from the plant for the first time.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo promote its comprehensive utilization, the involatile constituents of Mentha haplocalyx were studied systematically.

METHODThe chemical components were isolated and purified by silca gel column chromatography and recrystallization. The chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of physico-chemical properties and spectral data.

RESULTEight compounds were isolated and identified as: acacetin (I), tilianine (II), linarin (III), n-butyl-beta-D-fructopyranoside (IV), ursolic acid (V), oleanolic acid (VI), beta-sitosterol (VII), daucosterol (VIII).

CONCLUSIONCompounds I approximately V were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Flavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Mentha ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVEStudy on the flavonoids from the air part of Eupatorium lindleyanum.

METHODAlcohol percolation, silica gel column chromatography and re-crystallization et al.

RESULTJaceosidin, kaempferol, quceritin, astragalin, trifolin and hypersoide were isolated from E. lindleyanum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidence.

CONCLUSIONJaceosidin, kaempferol, quceritin, astragalin and trifolin were isolated from E. lindleyanum for the first time.

Eupatorium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

In the present study, the safety of Haemophilus influenza type b conjugate vaccines inoculated in the upper arm deltoid and vastus lateralis muscle was evaluated. 680 infants aged 2-5 months and 6-12 months were selected to be the research subjects in whom the Hib conjugate vaccines were inoculated by injection in the upper arm deltoid and vastus lateralis muscle, respectively. The safety analysis indicated that there were no statistic differences in the incidence rates of adverse reactions when the Hib conjugate vaccines were inoculated at different sites. So we concluded that the safety of inoculation injection of Hib conjugate vaccines in vastus lateralis muscle was the same as that inoculated in the upper arm deltoid.
Bacterial Capsules ; China ; Haemophilus Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant

OBJECTIVETo investigate the optimal method of screening for Down's syndrome (DS) with maternal serum mankers.

METHODSScreening by maternal serum markers for Down's syndrome was offered to all 2886 pregnant women in Peking Union Medical Hospital during 1996.11-2001.3. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (free beta-HCG) were used as markers during the first year of pregnancy. Alpha-fetoprotein, free human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) were used as mid pregnancy and first-trimester markers in next three years. Amniocentesis and (CVS) were done in those defined as risk cases.

RESULTSThe detection rate of Down's syndrome by maternal serum markers was 3.8% (11/2886). The proportion of false positive results in group of triple markers (alpha FP, free beta-HCG, PAPP-A) was 5%.

CONCLUSIONSThe PAPP-A was a good marker to detect Down's syndrome in early pregnancy and may be used to predict the outcome during mid trimester of pregnancy. The AFP and free beta-HCG can be useful markers to detect Down's syndrome and fetal abnormality. While prenatal diagnostics can be shifted to an early pregnant period.

Adult ; Amniocentesis ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; blood ; Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A ; analysis ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Bufei Yishen Granule BFYSG) combined with Shufei Tie acupoint sticking therapy on quality of life of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODSA multi-center, double-blinded, double-dummy and randomized controlled method was adopted in this trial. A total of 244 patients were randomly assigned to a trial group and a control group according to the random number, each with 122 patients; treatment allocation occurred when the participants met the inclusion criteria and signed the informed consent form. In the trial group, patients were treated with BFYSG combined with "Shufei Tie" acupoint sticking therapy and sustained-release theophylline dummy, and in the control group patients were treated with oral sustained-release theophylline and BFYSG dummy combined with "Shufei Tie" acupoint sticking therapy dummy. The therapeutic course for two groups was 4 months and the follow-up was 6 months. The frequency and duration of acute exacerbation calculated by adding up each frequency and duration of acute exacerbation in treatment and follow-up time respectively, the quality of life measured by the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF scale and adult COPD quality of life (COPD-QOL) scale were observed.

RESULTSAmong the 244 enrolled patients, 234 were screened for full analysis set (FAS); 221 were screened for per-protocol analysis set (PPS). After 4-month treatment and 6-month follow-up there were differences between the trial group and the control group in frequency of acute exacerbation (FAS: P=0.013; PPS: P=0.046); duration of acute exacerbation (FAS: P=0.005; PPS: P=0.006); scores of physiological, psychological and environment aspects of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (FAS: P=0.002, P=0.006, P=0.000; PPS: P=0.00, P=0.001, P=0.000); scores of daily living ability, social activity, depression symptoms aspects of the COPD-QOL questionnaire (FAS: P=0.000, P=0.000, P=0.006; PPS: P=0.002, P=0.001, P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONBFYSG combined with acupoint sticking therapy could improve the quality of life of patients with stable COPD.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Anxiety ; complications ; psychology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; complications ; psychology ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; complications ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome