AIM: To investigate the role of nitric oxide in neuronal damage induced by cerebral vasospasm (CVS) following subarachnoid he morrhage (SAH) in rats. METHODS: Noncraniotomy models of SAH by a endovascular puncture method in Wistar rats were used and animals were divided i nto sham-operated group, SAH group and SAH+L-arginine group. Dynamic changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) within 24 hours were monitored. Diameters of basilar artery (BA) were measured. Serum NO(NO - 2/NO - 3) and plasma endo thelin-1 content at different time points within 24 hours were also detected. RESULTS: Sham operation did not affect all of above parameters. In SAH group, rCBF reduced immediately after induction of SAH, reaching its lowe st at 1 h, persisting within 24 h. Diameter of BA significantly decreased after S AH. Serum NO - 2/NO - 3 decreased and plasma endothlin-1 increased statisti cally after SAH. In SAH+L-arginine group, decline of rCBF was not as rapid and s evere as that in SAH group. L-arginine also effectively antagonized vasospasm of BA and damage of hippocampal neurons. Decrease of serum NO - 2/NO - 3 and increase of plasma endothlin-1 were not so obvious in SAH+L-arginine group comp ared to SAH group. CONCLUSION: Decrease in NO is involved in the development of CVS- induced neuronal damage following SAH, and L-arginine partly increases serum NO and thus protectes ischemic brain neurons.

In order to provide scientific basics for exploitation and sufficient application of Dendrobium officinale leaves resources, the phenol-sulfuric acid method was applied to determine the polysaccharide content. The monosaccharides were derivated by PMP and the derivatives were identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n) and the contents of mannose and glucose were determined simultaneously. Similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine (2004A) was employed to generate the mean chromatogram and similarity analysis of the samples was carried out. The results demonstrated that polysaccharide content, monosaccharide compositions and composition ratio had an obvious difference between stems and leaves. The polysaccharide content of stems was higher than that of leaves. Monosaccharide composition in leaf was significantly different from that in stem. The polysaccharide from stems was composed of mannose and glucose, however the polysaccharide of leaves was acid heteropolysaccharide and was mainly composed of five monosaccharides, including mannose, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose. The similarity value of the 14 batches was above 0.9, indicating that similarity of fingerprints among different samples was high. The study can provide evidence for expanding the medicinal parts of D. officinale.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the role of heparanase in endotoxemia-induced destruction of vascular endothelial glycocalyx in rats.Methods Forty-eight pathogen-free male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=16 each) using a random number table: control group (group C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group (group L) and LPS+ heparin group (group LH).Endotoxemia was induced by intravenous LPS 15 mg/kg in L and LH groups, and heparin sodium 100 U · kg-1 · h-1 was infused simultaneously in group LH.At 3 and 6 h after LPS injection, blood samples were collected from the femoral vein for determination of the serum concentrations of serum heparin sulfate (HS), syndecan-1, E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) concentrations.The rats were then sacrificed, and lungs were removed for microscopic examination and for determination of wet/dry lung weight ratio (W/D ratio).Results Compared with group C, the serum HS, syndecan-1, E-selectin and ICAM-1 concentrations and W/D ratio were significantly increased in group L, and the serum HS and ICAM-1 concentrations were increased in group LH (P＜0.05).Compared with group L, the serum HS, syndecan-1, E-selectin and ICAM-1 concentrations and W/D ratio were significantly decreased in group LH (P＜0.05).The pathological changes of lungs were obvious in group L, and were significantly mitigated in group LH.Conclusion Heparanase is involved in endotoxemiainduced destruction of vascular endothelial glycocalyx in rats.

Objective To investigate the perioperative characteristics and changing trends of gastric electrical activity of thoracic (tube) stomach in patients with esophageal cancer.Methods The clinical data of 30 patients with esophageal cancer who were admitted to the Sichuan Cancer Hospital between March 2013 and November 2013 were prospectively analyzed.All the eligible patients underwent esophageal cancer resection by Ivor-Lewis according to the inclusion criteria.The electrogastrograms of patients were recorded at preoperative day 1 and at postoperative day 3,7, 11 and 30.The electrogastrograms of patients at preoperative day 1 were used as the control.The parameters of electrogastrogram were analyzed including main frequency, coefficient of dominant frequency instablility, main power, postprandial/preprandial power ratio, percentage of normal gastric slow wave,percentage of slow gastric slow wave and percentage of tachycardia gastric slow wave.Measurement data with normal distritution were presented as x ± s, and measurement data with skew distritution were presented as M (Qn).The postoperative time and pre-and post-prandial electrogastrograms were compared by the repeated measures two-way ANOVA.The comparison between groups were evaluated with the LSD test and analysis of variance.Results Thirty patients were screened for eligibility with a mean age of 62 years (range, 49-75 years), including 26 males and 4 females.The pre-and post-prandial main frequencies were changed from 2.83 ± 0.13 and 3.01 ± 0.17 before operation to 2.66 ± 0.10 and 2.82 ± 0.10 at postoperative day 30 with coherent changing trend.The main frequencies at postoperative each time points were significantly lower than those before operation while postprandial above indicators were higher than preprandial those, showing a significant increasing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =285.62, P ＜ 0.05).There was no interaction between the time and meal (F =0.22, P ＞ 0.05).The pre-and post-prandial coefficients of dominant frequency instablility were changed from 0.133 ±0.031 and 0.045 ±0.019 before operation to 0.150 ±0.043 and 0.115 ±0.010 at postoperative day 30 with coherent changing trend, and coefficients of dominant frequency instablility at postoperative each time points were significantly higher than those before operation while postprandial above indicators were lower than preprandial those, showing a significant reducing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =16.51, P ＜ 0.05).The pre-and post-prandial main powers were changed from (85 ± 15) μV and (149 ± 23) μV before operation to (74 ± 9) μμV and (98 ± 10) μV at postoperative day 30, and main powers at postoperative each time points were significantly lower than those before operation, showing a significant increasing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =48.45, P ＜ 0.05).There was interaction between the time and meal (F =7.39, P ＜ 0.05).The postprandial/preprandial power ratio was changed from 3.00 ± 0.35 before operation to 2.52 ± 0.25 at postoperative day 30, and postprandial/preprandial power ratios at postoperative each time points were significantly lower than those before operation, showing a significant increasing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =26.66, P ＜ 0.05).The pre-and post-prandial percentages of normal gastric slow wave were changed from 81％ ± 6％ and 94％ ± 5％ before operation to 57％ ± 5％ and 70％ ± 5％ at postoperative day 30 with coherent changing trend, and percentages of normal gastric slow wave at postoperative each time points were significantly lower than those before operation while postprandial above indicators was lower than preprandial those, showing a significant increasing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =49.36,P ＜0.05).There was no interaction between the time and meal (F =0.24, P ＞ 0.05).The pre-and postprandial percentages of slow gastric slow wave were changed from 17％ ± 7％ and 4％ ± 4％ before operation to 32％±4％ and 21％±4％ at postoperative day 30 with coherent changing trend, and percentages of slow gastric slow wave at postoperative each time points were significantly higher than those before operation while preprandial above indicators were higher than postprandial those, showing a significant reducing trend with the passage of postoperative time (F =46.54, P ＜ 0.05).There was interaction between the time and meal (F =18.12, P ＜ 0.05).The pre-and post-prandial tachycardia gastric slow wave percentages were changed from 1.55％ (1.04％,2.21％) and 1.95％ (1.74％, 4.22％) before operation to 8.97％ (5.76％, 12.02％) and 12.41％ (8.04％,16.85％) at postoperative day 30 without completely coherent changing trend, and percentages of tachycardia gastric slow wave at postoperative each time points were significantly higher than those before operation while postprandial above indicators were higher than preprandial those, showing a significant difference between before operation and postoperative day 3 (Z =11.47, 13.28, P ＜ 0.05) and no significant difference among the postoperative day 7, 11, 30 (Z =1.88, 0.31, 0.03, P ＞ 0.05).There was no interaction between the time and meal (F=0.85, P＜0.05).Conclusions After the esophagectomy, gastric electrical activity of thoracic (tube) stomach is also retained before and after the meal.There are significant differences among the main frequency, main power, coefficients of dominant frequency instablility, postprandial/preprandial power ratio,percentage of normal gastric slow wave, percentage of slow gastric slow wave, percentage of tachycardia gastric slow wave of thoracis (tube) stomach, they have changed dynamically in the perioperative period.

The expression of musclin gene in skeletal muscle of rats fed with high-fat diet and its correlation to insulin resistance.diabetes mellitus and GLUT4 were explored.The results showed that musclin expressin was up-regulated(1.39±0.36 vs 0.31±0.07,P<0.01)in skeletal muscle of rats fed with high-fat diet, suggesting that this finding may be related with insulin resistance and involvement of GLUT-4 expression(1.27 4± 0.32 vs 1.84±0.24.P<0.01).

Anemarrhena asphodeloides processed by salt and raw product was compared including both chemical composition and laxative function in order to find the possible active substance to cure constipation. Processed and raw Anemarrhenae laxative effect on experimental constipation models was observed as well as chemical composition using UPLC-MS technology and the total sugar content was determined by phenol sulfuric acid method. Processed Anemarrhenae water extract improved excrement more than raw which has significant difference compared with the blank group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the total ion flow spectrum showed no significant difference in most substance, but the total sugar content was significantly higher than raw product. Anemarrhenae ancient be recognized benefitting for draining body water in traditional Chinese medicine which has been lost in modern books because it is manifested as excellent laxative effect not diuretic effect. Saccharides carbohydrate may have closely relationship with this magically effect.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Defecation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Humans ; Laxatives ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Male ; Rats, Wistar ; Rhizome ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether Astragaloside IV(AST) protects H9c2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative injury partly through ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

METHODSH9c2 cells oxidative injury was induced by 200 tmol/L H2O2 for 6 hours to establish the H2O2-induced injury model of H9c2 cells. The viability of H9c2 cells was detected using MTf method. Activity of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and content of MDA (malondialdehyde) in the culture medium were detected using colorimetric method. Western blot was performed to exam expression of p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2 in H9c2 cells respectively.

RESULTSUnder 200 micromol/L H2O2 treatment for 6 hours, the vaibility of H9c2 cells was suitable for the following study. Compared with H2O2 group, the cell viability was increased significantly in AST10 + H2O2 and AST2O + H2O2 groups (P < 0.01). The activity of LDH in the culture medium was decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The activity of T-SOD and Mn-SOD was increased significantly (P < 0.01), the content of MDA was decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Treated with 10 mg/L or 20 mg/L of AST, expression of p-ERK1/2 in H9c2 cells injured from H2O2 was increased significantly (P < 0.01), when PD98059 (inhibitor of ERK1/2) was added, the effects of AST were cancelled.

CONCLUSIONAST protects H9c2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative injury partly through ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; toxicity ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Myoblasts, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

Adenosine Triphosphate ; Atropine ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography, Stress ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Myocardial Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the relation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism, angiotensin II type I receptor (ATIR) gene polymorphism and other factors on cerebral infarction.

METHODSOne thousand three hundred fifty-one subjects from Tangshan coalmine were enrolled with study method of cluster sampling. Face to face interviews were conducted to fill in questionnaires by trained interviewers. ACE gene, ATIR gene and inflammation factors including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fg), fibrin monome polymerized velocity (FMPV), absorbance maximum (A(max)), FMPV/A(max), were measured.

RESULTSNo different prevalence rates of ACE genotype were found on cerebral infarction. The distributions of AA genotype of ATIR gene in the cerebral infarction was higher than that of the controls. The prevalence of AA genotype was higher than other groups, but the prevalence of combined genotype did not show much difference. Under the existence of factors that related to cerebral infarction, AA genotype frequencies were higher than those of non-smoking and with hypertension. IL-6, ATIR gene polymorphism, sex, FMPV/A(max) were strongly related to cerebral infarction. The level of IL-6 was higher than the normal ones.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of cerebral infarction obviously increased in the hypertensive groups having AA genotype of ATIR gene. In the cerebral infarction groups, the level of IL-6 was higher than that in the normal population, indicating that these can be resulted from local inflammation and immunity reactivity. Environmental and genetic factors in the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction might have coordinating functions.

Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; genetics ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo establish the method of specific chromatogram analysis of ether extract of Dendrobium officinale for identification of D. officinale.

METHODChromatographic separation was carried out at 30 degrees C on an Ultimate C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with methanol and water containing 0.2% phosphoric acid in a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. The similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of NPC (National Pharmacopoeia Committee) was adopted to specific chromatogram construction.

RESULTThe HPLC specific chromatogram of D. officinale was constructed with 6 common specific chromatographic peaks including naringenin as a reference peak.

CONCLUSIONThe method shows good precision and repeatability of relative retention time. It can be used to identify D. officinale.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ethers ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results