OBJECTIVETo study the effect of aqueous extract of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (AETC) combined Erlotnib on the growth of A549 xenograft in nude mice and its mechanism.

METHODSThe xenograft model in nude mice was established by inoculating A549 cells subcutaneously. BALB/c nude mice bearing A549 xenograft were randomly divided into six groups, i.e., the low dose Erlotinib group (A) , the standard dose Erlotnib group (B) , the low dose Erlotinib combined AETC group (C), the standard dose Erlotnib combined AETC group (D), the AETC group (E), the control group (F), 12 in each group. Different medication was performed for 7 successive weeks after 24 h. One mL blood was withdrawn and tumor tissues taken. The tumor inhibition rate was calculated. The combined effect was analyzed by Jin's Formula [Q = Ea + b/(Ea + Eb-Ea x Eb) ]. mRNA and protein expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) in xenografts were detected using real-time RT-PCR and ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with Group F, the xenograft weight was obviously lowered in Group B-E (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The q value was 0.92 in Group C and 0.96 in Group D, which was obtained by simple adding of the two drugs. Compared with Group F, EG- FR mRNA expression in Group D and E, COX-2 mRNA expression in Group A-E; Bcl-2 mRNA expression in Group B-D; COX-2 protein expression in Group B-E; Bcl-2 protein expression in Group C and D were obviously lowered with statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAETC combined low dose and standard dose Erlotinib had synergistic effect on tumor inhibition. Its mechanism might be associated with down-regulating mRNA and protein expression levels of COX-2 and Bcl-2.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride ; pharmacology ; Heterografts ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Taxus ; Transplantation, Heterologous

Objective To study the chemical constituents from the bark of Juglans mandshurica. Methods The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography on silica gel,HPLC,and recrystallization.Their structures were elucidated by the physicochemical and spectroscopic evidences. Results Fifteen compounds were identified as:4,8-dihydroxynaphthalenyl-O-?D-(6′-acetoxyl)gluco- pyranoside(Ⅰ),dihydrokaempferol(Ⅱ),juglone(Ⅲ),daucosterol(Ⅳ),kaempferol(Ⅴ),4,8-dihy- droxynaphthalenyl-1-O-?-D-[6′-O-(3″,5″-dimethoxy-4″-hydroxybenzoyl)] glucopyranoside(Ⅵ), kaempferol-3-O-?-L-rhamnoside(Ⅶ),3,3′-dimethoxylellagic acid(Ⅷ),naringenin(Ⅸ),quercetin (Ⅹ),reginolone(Ⅺ),quercetin-3-O-?-L-rhamnoside(Ⅻ),naringenin-7-O-?-D-glucoside(ⅩⅢ),4,8- dihydroxynaphthalenyl-1-O-?-glucoside(ⅩⅣ),4,5,8-trihydroxy-?-tetralone-5-O-?-D-[6′-O-(4″-hy- droxy-3″,5″-dimethoxy-benzoyl)] glucoside(ⅩⅤ).Conclusion CompoundⅠ(juglamanol)is a new compound.CompoundsⅡ,Ⅶ—Ⅸ,Ⅻ,andⅩⅢare isolated from plants of Carya Nutt.for the first time.

Objective To evaluate the effects of reserved jejunal feeding tube during postoperative chemotherapy of gastric cancer. Methods Forty-two patients with gastric cancer underwent radical gastrectomy and going to adjuvant chemotherapy,conventional placed jejunal feeding tube. All of the patients weredivided into group A and group B randomly by pathological staging and tumor site, group A reserved jejunal feeding tube and received enteral nutrition through the tube during chemotherapy, and group B non-reservedjejunal feeding tube and been given daily diet,compared nutrition and immune indicators of two groups beforeand after chemotherapy ,compared the rate of vomiting,and observed complications long-term reserved jejunal feeding tube. Results In post-chemotherapy,nutrition and immune indicators of group A were betterthan those of group B, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05) ,the rate of vomiting in group Awas significantly lower than that of in group B (X2= 9.75, P＜0.01 ), no serious complieations occurred forlong-term reserved jejunal feeding tube. Conclusions Reserved jejunal feeding tube and received enteralnutrition through the tube during postoperative chemotherapy of gastric cancer can significantly improve the nutritional and immune status. It is safe and reliable, worth promoting.

Because of the rapidly rhythm of modern society, fast food and take-out become the main dining methods for most of young people,while the outside foods always have few types of foods and nutrition is not complete. Nutrient imbalances may cause many diseases such as gastrointestinal diseases,cardiovascular diseases,diabetes,obesity,and cancer.In this environment,health products have emerged.At present,there are a wide variety of health care products at home and abroad,which are broadly divided into three categories:traditional vitamins,emerging nutrient products,and extracts of natural plant active ingredients.In the early 1970s,the sales of health products in the United States had reached 170 million dollars.At present,it has nearly 100 billion dollars,which is almost 1/3 of the total food sales, people's demand for health products is increasing rapidly. In recent years, Chinese medicine health products become more popular in western,in fact, Chinese medicine health products have a long history of application in China and have a good reputation in the folk. Obviously, Chinese medicine health products have great potential for development.So this article mainly compared the de-velopment and state of health products between China and west countries.Based on the development of health products in western countries, this article analyzes the development trend and prospects for the development of Chinese medicine health products. It is roughly divided into three parts. The first part introduces the development reasons and history of western health products development.The sec-ond part introduces the history of Chinese health products and the current situation of Chinese medi-cine health products. The third part guesses the development trend of Chinese medicine health prod-ucts and provides some development ideas. The purpose of this airticle is to provide reference and ideas for the future research and development of traditional Chinese medicine health products.

The objects of research on the resources chemistry of Chinese medicinal materials (RCCMM) are promotion of efficient production, rational utilization and improving quality of CMM and natural products. The development of TCM cause depends on the efficient utilization and sustainable development of CMM, hinges on the technologies and methods for using and discovering medicinal biological resources, stand or fall on the extension of industy chains, detailed utilizaion of resource chemical components by multi-way, multi-level. All of these may help to the recycling utilization and sound development of RCMM. In this article, five respects were discussed to the RCCMM researches and resources recycling utilization ways and goals and tasks. First, based on the principle of resource scarcity, discovering or replacing CMM resources, protecting the rare or endangered species or resources. Second, based on the multifunctionality of CMM, realizing the value-added and value compensation, and promoting the utilization efficiency through systermatic and detailed exploitation and utilization. Third, based on the resource conservation and environment-friendly, reducing raw material consumption, lowering cost, promoting recycling utilization and elevating utilization efficiency. Fourth, based on the stratege of turning harm into good, using the invasive alien biological resources by multi-ways and enriching the medicial resources. Fifth, based on the method of structure modification of chemical components, exploring and enhancing the utility value of resouces chemical substances. These data should provide references and attention for improving the utilization efficiency, promoting the development of recycling economy, and changing the mode of economic growth of agriculture and industry of CMM fundamentally.
Agriculture ; economics ; trends ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; economics ; trends ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; economics ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; economics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; trends ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

The industrialization chains and their products, which were formed from the process of the production of medicinal materials-prepared drug in pieces and deep processed product of Chinese material medica (CMM) resources, have generated large benefits of social and economic. However, The large of herb-medicine castoff of "non-medicinal parts" and "rejected materials" produced inevitably during the process of Chinese medicinal resources produce and process, and the residues, waste water and waste gas were produced during the manufactured and deep processed product of CMM. These lead to the waste of resources and environmental pollution. Our previous researches had proposed the "three utilization strategies" and "three types of resources models" of herb-medicine castoff according to the different physicochemical property of resources constitutes, resources potential and utility value of herb-medicine castoff. This article focus on the conversion efficiency of resources model and analysis the ways, technologies, practices, and application in herb-medicine cast off of the conversion efficiency of resources model based on the recycling economy theory of resources and thoughts of resources chemistry of CMM. These data may be promote and resolve the key problems limited the industrialization of Chinese material medica for long time and promote the realization of herb-medicine castoff resources utilization.
Biotransformation ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; methods ; Drug Industry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Research Design

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between obesity at different ages and the risk of endometrial cancer in urban Shanghai, China.

METHODSIn a population-based case-control study conducted in urban Shanghai, in-person interviews and anthropometric measurements were completed for 497 women at age 30 to 69 and an equal number of controls frequency-matched to cases on age distribution. All cases were newly diagnosed with endometrial cancer from January 1, 1997 to June 30, 2000. Unconditional logistic regression model was employed to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the obesity at different ages.

RESULTSAfter adjustment for some potential confounding variables, neither adolescent height nor weight was significantly related to endometrial cancer. Obesity in adulthood, except around 20 years old, was associated with elevated risks, with odds ratios for the highest versus lowest quartile of body mass index (BMI) being 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0 - 2.1), 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2 - 2.4), 1.9 (95% CI: 1.3 - 2.8) and 1.7 (95% CI: 1.0 - 2.7) at ages 30, 40, 50 and 60, respectively. Weight gain of more than 7.5 kg at different 10-year intervals in adulthood were associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer, whereas only weight gain more than 15% of initial weight from 40 to 50 years old significantly related to the risk. Only weight loss from ages 20 to 30 was inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2 - 0.8). Current body weight, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were independent risk factors to endometrial cancer while standing height and sitting-to-standing height ratio were unrelated to the risk of endometrial cancer.

CONCLUSIONResults indicated that adolescent obesity was unrelated to endometrial cancer. General obesity in adulthood, as well as body fat distribution, were associated with the risk of endometrial cancer independently. Weight changes before and after age 30 had different effects on the risk of endometrial cancer.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; complications ; Risk Factors

Animals ; COS Cells ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Interleukin-12 ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Esophagitis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

BACKGROUNDSkeletal muscle has recently been recognized as an endocrine organ that can express, synthesize and secrete a variety of bioactive molecules which exert significant regulatory effects. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is endogenously produced in mammalian tissues and participates in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes. We aimed to verify whether H2S could be endogenously generated and released by rat skeletal muscle, and determine the biological effects of H2S in rat skeletal muscle.

METHODSThe study was divided into two parts: detection of endogenous H2S generation and release in rat skeletal muscle and determination of antioxidative activity of skeletal muscle-derived H2S. H2S content and production in tissues were detected by sensitive sulfur electrode method. The expressions of H2S producing enzymes cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase and mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase were detected by real-time PCR and western blotting and their tissue distributions were observed by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analysis. Rat skeletal muscular ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury model was created and evaluated by histological analysis under microscope. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, hydrogen peroxide levels, superoxide anion and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were detected using spectrophotometer.

RESULTSH2S could be endogenously generated and released by skeletal muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats (H2S content: (2.06 ± 0.43) nmol/mg; H2S production: (0.17 ± 0.06) nmol×min(-1)×mg(-1)). Gene and protein expressions of the three H2S producing enzymes were detected in skeletal muscle, as well as the liver and kidney. Endogenous H2S content and production were decreased in skeletal muscles of rats with I-R skeletal muscle injury (P < 0.05). Furthermore, H2S significantly protected rat skeletal muscle against I-R injury and resulted in decreased MDA content, reduced hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion levels, but increased SOD activity and protein expression in skeletal muscles (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONH2S generation pathway exists in rat skeletal muscle and it acts as an antioxidant in skeletal muscle.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Superoxides ; metabolism