OBJECTIVETo prove the effect of Kesuning Granule (KSNG) in treating chronic bronchitis in exacerbation (Phlegm-Heat syndrome) and objectively evaluate its safety.

METHODSThe double-blinded, double-dummy and randomized controlled method was adopted to observe 120 patients, who were divided into the treated group (n = 60, treated with KSNG 8 g, three times a day) and the control group (n = 60, treated with Jinbei Tankeqing Granule (JBTKQ) 7 g, three times a day). The therapeutic course for both groups was 6 days.

RESULTSIn the treated group, the markedly effective rate was 58.33% and effective rate was 93.33%, while in the control group, they were 51.67% and 91.67% respectively, no significant difference was found between the two groups. For therapeutic effects on TCM syndromes, the markedly effective rate and effective rate in the treated group was 68.33% and 93.33% respectively and in the control group, 66.67% and 90.00% respectively, also showed insignificant difference. The effect initiative time was earlier in the treated group than that in the control group significantly (P < 0.05). No adverse effect was found in the observation.

CONCLUSIONKSNG shows a definite clinical effect with no obvious toxic-adverse effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

The objectives of this study are to prepare resveratrol loaded mixed micelles composed of poloxamer 403 and poloxamer 407, and optimize the formulation in order to achieve higher drug solubility and sustained drug release. Firstly, a thin-film hydration method was utilized to prepare the micelles. By using drug-loading, encapsulation yield and particle size of the micelles as criteria, influence of three variables, namely poloxamer 407 mass fraction, amount of water and feeding of resveratrol, on the quality of the micelles was optimized with a central composite design method. Steady fluorescence measurement was carried out to evaluate the critical micelle concentration of the carriers. Micelle stability upon dilution with simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid was investigated. The in vitro release of resveratrol from the mixed micelles was monitored by dialysis method. It was observed that the particle size of the optimized micelle formulation was 24 nm, with drug-loading 11.78%, and encapsulation yield 82.51%. The mixed micelles increased the solubility of resveratrol for about 197 times. Moreover, the mixed micelles had a low critical micelle concentration of 0.05 mg · mL(-1) in water and no apparent changes in particle size and drug content were observed upon micelles dilution, indicating improved kinetic stability. Resveratrol was released from the micelles in a controlled manner for over 20 h, and the release process can be well described by Higuchi equation. Therefore, resveratrol-loaded poloxamer 403/407 mixed micelles could improve the solubility of resveratrol significantly and sustained drug release behavior can be achieved.
Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Fluorescence ; Kinetics ; Micelles ; Particle Size ; Poloxamer ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; Water

This study examined the protective effect of ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) and minocycline postconditioning (MT) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in atherosclerosis (AS) animals and the possible mechanism. Forty male healthy rabbits were injected with bovine serum albumin following feeding on a high fat diet for 6 weeks to establish AS model. AS rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) I/R group, the rabbits were subjected to myocardial ischemia for 35 min and then reperfusion for 12 h; (2) IPoC group, the myocardial ischemia lasted for 35 min, and then reperfusion for 20 s and ischemia for 20 s [a total of 3 cycles (R20s/I20s×3)], and then reperfusion was sustained for 12 h; (3) MT group, minocycline was intravenously injected 10 min before reperfusion. The blood lipids, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), soluble cell adhesion molecule (sICAM), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were biochemically determined. The myocardial infarction size (IS) and apoptosis index (AI) were measured by pathological examination. The expression of bcl-2 and caspase-3 was detected in the myocardial tissue by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the AS models were successfully established. The myocardial IS, the plasma levels of MDA, sICAM, MPO and cTnT, and the enzymatic activity of MPO were significantly decreased, and the plasma SOD activity was significantly increased in IPoC group and MT group as compared with I/R group (P<0.05 for all). The myocardial AI and the caspase-3 mRNA expression were lower and the bcl-2 mRNA expression was higher in IPoC and MT groups than those in I/R group (all P<0.05). It is concluded that the IPoC and MT can effectively reduce the I/R injury in the AS rabbits, and the mechanisms involved anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, up-regulation of bcl-2 expression and down-regulation of caspase-3 expression. Minocycline can be used as an effective pharmacologic postconditioning drug to protect myocardia from I/R injury.

Pericardial fluid is a kind of serous fluid in pericardial cavity. Because blood undergoes postmortem changes such as autolysis and putrefaction, vitreous humor is limited,cerebrospinal fluid is easily mixed with blood, pericardial fluid, on the other hand, exists in a closed cavity and can be hardly contaminated by postmortem changes, and also is easily obtained. Pericardial fluid not only plays an important role in clinic practice, but also is widely applicable in forensic practice. This paper briefly presented the properties of pericardial fluid and its clinical significance. It reviewed biochemical changes in decedents died of heart diseases, drowning and asphyxia, and explored the significance in medico-legal investigation. Moreover, application of pericardial fluid in forensic serology, forensic toxicological analysis and other fields were also discussed. Pericardial fluid analysis may provide important information for determination of the cause of death with further investigation concerning forensic applicability of pericardial fluid.
Asphyxia/pathology* ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor/metabolism* ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Drowning/pathology* ; Forensic Pathology ; Heart Diseases/pathology* ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/metabolism* ; Magnesium/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/metabolism* ; Pericardium/metabolism* ; Postmortem Changes ; Troponin I/metabolism*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of high glucose on mitochondrial respiratory chain function in INS-1 cells.

METHODSThe pancreatic beta cell line INS-1 was divided into the normal control (NC), high glucose (HG), and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment groups, which were cultured for 72 h in the presence of 5.5 mmol/L glucose, 16.7 mmol/L glucose, and 16.7 mmol/L glucose with 1.0 mmol/L NAC, respectively. The activities of the enzyme complexes I and III of the respiratory chain in the cells were assessed with spectrophotometry, the ATP levels were examined using a luciferinluciferase kit, and insulin levels detected by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSThe activities of the respiratory chain enzyme complexes I and III were 1.53-/+0.24 and 1.08-/+0.22 micromol.mg(-1).min(-1) in high glucose group, respectively, significantly lower than those in the normal control group (2.31-/+0.33 and 1.92-/+0.39 micromol.mg(-1).min(-1), P<0.01). ATP and insulin levels also decreased significantly in high glucose group as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.01). The addition of NAC partially inhibited high glucose-induced decreases in the enzyme complex activities, ATP levels and insulin secretion (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe respiratory chain function is positively correlated to insulin secretion in INS-1 cells, and exposure to high glucose causes impairment of the two enzyme complexes activities through oxidative stress, resulting in the mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction. High glucose-induced damages of the mitochondrial respiratory chain function can be partially inhibited by NAC.

Cell Respiration ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects

Sudden cardiac death(SCD) from early myocardial ischemia is often lack of typically morphological findings and clinical manifestation, thus cases of SCD may be suspected as criminal cases. It is necessary to clarify the cause of death, which is significance for medico-legal investigation. This article reviewed the latest advancement in the studies on the application of inorganic ions, CK-MB, cTn, ANP and BNP for certification of death from SCD in order to provide a practical way for diagnosis of SCD in forensic pathology.
Atrial Natriuretic Factor/metabolism* ; Autopsy ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Cause of Death ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form/metabolism* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/pathology* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/pathology* ; Myocardial Ischemia/pathology* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/metabolism* ; Troponin/metabolism*

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a major marker for evaluating cardiac function and has been widely used in clinical practice. Recent researches show that BNP is also useful for identification of sudden cardiac death in forensic pathology. This article reviews the molecular structure and biological characteristics of the BNP and its application as a functional indicate in forensic medicine. It shows that the expression of BNP in cardiac muscles, together with the expression of BNP in blood and pericardium liquid can be used to evaluate the pathological physiology changes and dysfunction degrees of the heart during the cardiac sudden death.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Autopsy ; Biomarkers ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Forensic Pathology ; Heart Diseases/physiopathology* ; Heart Failure/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/metabolism* ; Peptide Fragments/metabolism* ; Pericardium/metabolism* ; Postmortem Changes ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunohistochemical distributions and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the model of rat myocardial ischemia. METHODS: The model of myocardial ischemia was established by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery of rats. The changes of VEGF expression were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot at time points after myocardial ischemia. The electrocardiographic changes were evaluated uninterruptedly. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF was not be found in control group. Fifteen minutes after LAD ligation, weak positive expression of VEGF were found in the ischemic myocardium. The expression of VEGF reached the peak at 3 hours after ligation. The VEGF distribution was mainly localized in the ischemic and peri-ischemic regions. Six hours after LAD ligation, the expression of VEGF decreased comparing with 3 hours and showed a relatively higher level. Fatal arrhythmia was found in nine rats by the electrocardiograph. CONCLUSION The immunohistochemical staining of VEGF could be helpful for investigating the location and severity of acute myocardial ischemia. Fatal arrhythmia may be secondary to myocardial ischemia.
Acute Disease ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electrocardiography ; Forensic Pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia/pathology* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tachycardia, Ventricular/mortality* ; Time Factors ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), the expression in the early stage (within 6 h) of acute myocardial ischemia and to explore the potential forensic application. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into one control group, one sham operation group and five myocardial ischemia groups which received ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The five experiment groups divided into 15min, 30min, 1 h, 3 h and 6h after LAD ligation. The expression of HIF-1alpha was detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: Both the control group and sham operation group showed no expression of HIF-1alpha, whereas the expression of HIF-1alpha could be weakly detected beneath the endocardium at 15 min after LAD ligation. With the increase of myocardial ischemia process, the positive staining gradually extended from endocardium to epicardium, reached the peak at 3 h, and began to decrease gradually at 6h after LAD ligation but still maintained at a relatively high level. In addition, the expression of HIF-1alpha without a time-dependent way was also detected in full thickness of the right ventricle in occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia after LAD ligation. CONCLUSION HIF-1alpha may be regarded as a sensitive marker for sudden cardiac death induced by early acute myocardial ischemia, and may also be helpful for the diagnosis of fatal arrhythmia.
Animals ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Myocardial Ischemia/metabolism* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To learn the status and influencing factors of anxiety and depression among the people affected by leprosy.Methods A total of 60 leprosy patients was enrolled.An investigation including questionnaire and two mental scales namely Self -Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)and Self -Rating Depression Scale (SDS)were conducted.Results The rate of anxiety and depression was 41.67% (25 /60)and 21.67% (13 /60)respectively.There was no statistical difference on the rate of anxiety and depression between genders.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that treatment status (OR =23.78,95%CI =2.13 -265.26),disability (OR =7.68,95%CI =2.01 -29.40)and income (OR =4.54,95%CI =1.05 -19.68)were the risk factors of anxiety,and disability (OR =34.77,95%CI =2.84 -425.07) and treatment status (OR =19.28,95%CI =1.86 -199.62)were the risk factors of depression.Conclusion The people affected by leprosy has a high level of anxiety and depression.Disability and treatment status were the major risk factors of anxiety and depression among the people.