OBJECTIVETo study the anti-immune inflammation efficacy and toxicity of Tripterygium wilfordii decoction, in order to provide experimental basis for studies on its "efficacy-toxicity" correlation.

METHODThe delayed hypersensitivity model was established by dinitrofluorobenzene in mice. Different doses of T. wilfordii decoction was administered for 5 consecutive days. The ear swelling inhibition ratio and the toxic action were observed. After the final administration, the biochemical indexes of PGE2, TNF-α, IL-2, ALT, AST, PA, TBA, TBIL in serum were detected, and the visceral indexes of heart, liver, spleen and kidney were measured.

RESULTThe DNFB-induced ear swelling could be notably inhibited by multiple oral administration of T. wilfordii decoction, with the ED50 and its 95% confidence limit of 0.34 (0.21-0.42) g x kg(-1). The contents of PGE2, TNF-α, IL-2 in serum decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The activities of serum AST, ALT, TBA, TBIL and the PA content reduced.

CONCLUSIONT. wilfordii decoction shows a significant anti-immune inflammation efficacy within the dosage range between 0.59 and 2.34 g x kg(-1) in a dose-dependent manner. With a certain hepatotoxicity, high dose (2.34-4.68 g x kg(-1)) of T. wilfordii decoction can cause substantial liver injury, with a dose dependence in liver function index. Therefore, the efficacy and toxicity of T. wilfordii is dose dependent, which provides reference for preventing adverse drug reactions in clinic and developing early-warning schemes and ensure the clinical medication safety of T. wilfordii.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Drug Dosage Calculations ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Edema ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides ( LPS) , major component of out wall in Gram-negative bacteria. Often they are considered as "prime criminals" of triggering systemic inflaming reaction such as sepsis, bacteremia and so on. It was found in recent years that bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein, a 55kDa member of lipid-related protein family, was a kind of natural molecule of anti-infection and it has special endotoxin-neutralising activity and antibacterial activity. Comprehensive phase II/III clinical trials demonstrated the feasibility and safety of recombinant BPI. So pharmaceutical corporations are attracted to try to apply it to therapy.

Animals ; Ascites ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase ; metabolism

Objective To explore the expression of HCK gene during the cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells and analyze the role of HCK gene in maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.Methods Mouse embryonic stem cells were cultured,then induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes.Total RNAs were isolated from mouse embryonic stem cells in the differentiation days:0 day(D0),the second day(D2),the fourth day(D4),the sixth day(D6),the eighth day(D8),respectively.The levels of HCK mRNAs were assessed by the method of semi-quantitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).In the meanwhile,Total proteins were also isolated from mouse embryonic stem cells in the differentiation D0,D2,D4,D6,D8,and the levels of HCK proteins were evaluated by Western-blot.Results HCK mRNAs could be detected in the mouse embryonic stem cells in D0 and D2,however,they were undetectable from D4 to D8.The expression of HCK mRNAs was rapidly down-regulated during cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.Expression of HCK proteins,which coincided with HCK mRNAs,down-regulated during differentiation and couldn't be detected in D4.Conclusions With the cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells,the expression of HCK in the levels of mRNA and proteins are sharply down-regulated;HCK may play an important role in maintaining the pluripotency of embryonic stem cell.

Objective To assess the clinical value of measuring the concentration of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) in detecting the bone metastases in patients with prostate cancer. Methods The concentration of serum OPG in 40 patients was determined by ELISA. The data of ECT bone scan and Gleason score was collected simultaneously. The correlations between serum OPG and bone metastases, Gleason score were tested. Results The concentration of serum OPG in patients with bone metastases by ECT scan was( 16 237. 19 ±5144. 26) ng/L,which was significantly higher than the concentration in patients without bone metastases , which was (12 123.32 ±4136. 50)ng/L. There was no significant correlation between serum OPG and Gleason score. Conclusions The serum OPG has an important clinical value in prediction of prostate cancer with bone metastases. There is no significant correlation between serum OPG and the Gleason score.

Objective To evaluate the using of either 225 or 150 microgrammes of mifepristone combined with misoprostol for termination of second-trimester gestation(16～24 weeks).Methods 180 women requesting voluntary induced abortion during gestation 16～24 weeks were randomised to three groups,group 1:oral mifepris- tone 225rag,group 2:oral mifepristone 150mg,and group 3:injected 100rag rivanot by amniocentestis.The total suc- cess rate,once success rate,the interval of having-medicine to uterine-constraction,the volume of bleeding within 2 hours after labour and cervical laceration rate were observed.Results The once success rate of induced labour in group 1 was higher than that in group 2 and group 3(P

Objective To study the damage to striatum in patients perorally addicted to compound codeine phosphate solution by using the brain dopamine transporter SPECT imaging. Methods Patients p erorally addicted to compound codeine phosphate solution ( n = 29 ) and addicted to heroin ( n = 27 ), as well as healthy volunteers (n = 31 ) were included in the study. Each of them underwent dopamine transporter (DAT) SPECT imaging with 99Tcm-2β-[N, N'-bis-( 2- mercaptoethyl ) ethylenediamino] methyl, 3β-(4-chlorophenyl)tropane (99Tcm-TRODAT-1). The striatum volume (V, cm3), mass (m, g) and radiactivity ratio (Ra) of striatum to whole brain were calculated using physio-mathematical modeling method.R esults Bilateral striatum of healthy volunteers showed typical "panda eyes" pattern and the distribution of DAT was uniform and symmetrical. Bilateral striatum of patients addicted to compound codeine phosphate showed impaired tracer uptake, similar to those addicted to heroin. The V, m and Ra of bilateral striatum of patients addicted to compound codeine phosphate were (23.68 ±4.94) cm3, (24.87 ±5.19) g and (5.01 ±0. 88 ) %, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of healthy controls: ( 35.39 ± 4.42 ) cm3,(37.16 ±4.64) g and (7.93 ±0.86)% (t = -9.69, -9.69, - 13.01, all P =0.000), but significantly higher than those addicted to heroin: ( 18.87 ± 4.66 ) cm3, ( 19.81 ± 4.90 ) g and (4.26 ± 1.02 ) % ( t =3.74, 3.74, 2.96, P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.005 ). Conclusion Long-term peroral intake of compound codeine phosphate solution may damage the function of cerebral striatum, which is someway similar to though less severe than, the impairment caused by heroin.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of paeoniflorin on antagonising the delayed neuronal death (DND) induced by cerebral ischemia,and the relation between DND, cerebral tissue energy metabolism, nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS).

METHODIncomplete cerebral ischemia induced was induced by ligating bilateral arteries carotis communis for 20 min followed by reperfusion 48 h in rats. The indexes including Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, lactic acid content, Ca(2+)-ATPase, Mg(2+)-ATPase activity, NO content and NOS activity were determined in fore brain cortex at 48 h after reperfusion.

RESULTNa(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase activity were lowered (P < 0.01), NO level was decreased (P < 0.01), NOS activity dropped (P < 0.01) in cerebral tissue at 48h after reperfusion, but lactic acid level had no change. Paeoniflorin could prevent reduction of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), increase NO level (P < 0.01), enhance NOS activity (P < 0.01) at 48h after reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONDND induced by ischemia may be concerned with energy metabolism disorder and decrease of NO formation. Paeoniflorin may play the role of antagonising cerebral ischemia by adjusting cerebral energy metabolism and nitric oxide formation.

Animals ; Benzoates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Brain ; metabolism ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ca(2+) Mg(2+)-ATPase ; metabolism ; Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Energy Metabolism ; Female ; Gerbillinae ; Glucosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Monoterpenes ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of Chinese and western integrative medicine (TCM-WM) in treating repeatedly recurrent chronic pyelonephritis (CPN) and its therapeutic mechanism. Methods: Ninety-one repeatedly recurrent CPN patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, the control group (45 cases) treated with sufficient amount of sensitive antibiotics and other WM, the treated group (46 cases) treated with above-mentioned WM complemented with TCM syndrome differentiation (SD). Results: In the treated group completely cured was 14 cases (30.4%), markedly effective 14 cases (30.4%), the total effective rate was 91.3%; while that of the control group was 4 (8.9%), 5 (11.1%), and 48.9% respectively, (P<0.05) and (P<0.01); the mean days of urinary bacteria and urinary routine negative conversion were in the treated group 19.6±12.6 days and 24.3±11.5 days, obviously shorter than those of the control group (35.6±14.6 days and 53.6±16.4 days), P<0.01; the various symptoms of the treated group improved or disappeared in a short time, while in the control group a few patients improved in a longer period (P<0.01); the various immune parameters improved in the treated group, while in the control group only IgA was elevated to some extent (P<0.05), in comparing these data, the difference was significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: The TCM-WM integrative treatment could obviously raise the clinical efficacy, accelerate the symptom improvement, and enhance the immune function.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between IL-3 gene polymorphism and the levels of serum IL-3 and eosinophil cation protein (ECP) for understanding the role of IL-3 gene polymorphism in the mechanism of childhood asthma.

METHODSThe method of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was adopted in detecting +1923 site polymorphism of IL-13 gene in intron 3 region, ELISA was employed in detecting the level of serum IL-13, and fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to detect the level of serum ECP.

RESULTSThe frequency distribution of TT, TC genotypes of IL-13 Intron 3+1923 site in asthmatic children was higher than that of CC genotype in normal control (P<0.05), and the levels of serum IL-13 and ECP of TT, TC genotypes were significantly higher than those of CC genotype respectively (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe close relationship of IL-3 gene polymorphism with the levels of serum IL-13 and ECP suggests that IL-3 gene polymorphism may play an important role in the mechanism of childhood asthma.

Asthma ; blood ; genetics ; Blood Proteins ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eosinophil Granule Proteins ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Ribonucleases ; blood