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 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

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 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

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 relationship between fasting serum levels of leptin, glucose, insulin resistance, lipids in simple obese children.

METHODSFasting serum levels of leptin and insulin (Fins) were measured by RIA in 42 obese and 42 normally-weighted children matched on age, sex and height, and their total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were analyzed with enzymatic methods. HOMA-IR and LDL-C were calculated.

RESULTSSerum level of leptin was (2.74 - 45.12) micro g/L and (0.53 - 10.18) micro g/L in obese and normally-weighted children, respectively, with an average level of leptin (log) significantly higher in obese group than that in control group (P < 0.001). Serum level of leptin was positively correlated with BMI, WHR and percentage of body fat. Of obese children, 83% were leptin resistant. Serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and insulin were significantly higher in obese leptin-resistant group than those in normally-weighted control group, but no significant difference in them between obese leptin-sensitive group and its normally-weighted control group was observed. Significantly higher serum levels of TG and lower HDL-C were observed in obese leptin-resistant group, as compared with those in obese leptin-sensitive group.

CONCLUSIONSA big difference in serum level of leptin between obese and normally-weighted children was found, suggesting most obese children were resistant to endogenous leptin. Leptin resistance correlated significantly with the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, indicating serum level of leptin could be used as an indicator in screening obese children at high risk.

Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Obesity ; blood ; Triglycerides ; blood