BACKGROUND :Traditional Chinese herbal medicines, according to their different pharmacological effects, may promote, inhibit or bi-directionally regulate gastrointestinal motility. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of Cudong Tongbian (CDTB) capsule,a traditional Chinese herbal preparation, on gastrointestinal motility and defecation in rats. DESIGN :Randomized controlled experimental with SD rats. SETTING :Department of Pharmacology of Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University. MATERIALS:This study was carried out at the Central Laboratory of Fenyang College,Shanxi Medical University between October, 2003 and January, 2004.Fifty SD rats of both gender (by half) with body mass of 200 to 250 g were randomizedinto 5 equal groups, namely normal saline group, high-and low-dose CDTB groups, Bianmitong (BMT) group and glycerol group.Altogether 150 Kunming rats with body mass of 20 to 25 g of both genders (by half) were divided into 3 groups (n=50) for gastric emptying experiment, intestinal movement experiment and defecation experiment, respectively. METHODS:①Gastric emptying experiment of CDTB capsule was performed with domperidoneas the standard control.Fifty SD rats were randomized into 5 groups to receive subcutaneous injection of normal saline (0.2 mL/20 g), solution of CDTB capsule (prepared from the Chinese herbs mainly of costus root, aurantii fructus immaturus, hawthorn fruit, and Rhizoma pinelliae) at high dose (10 g/kg) and low dose (5 g/kg), and domperidone at high dose (30 mg/kg) and low dose (15 mg/kg).Forty minutes later, gastric lavage with 1 g/L methyl orange was performed, 30 minutes after which the rats were killed to obtain gastric tissue rinsed thoroughly with 10 mL distilled water.The optical density of methyl orange in the gastric tissue was determined by colorimetric assay against the optical density of 0.2 mL methyl orange (1g/L) mixed with 0.2 mL 10 mL distilled water.The gastric residual rate =(gastric methyl orange optical density/basic methyl orange absorbence)×100％.②Intestinal movement experiment was carried out with BMT as the standard control.Fifty SD rats were randomized into five groups, namely normal saline group (0.2 mL/20 g), CDTB high dose (10 g/kg) and low dose (5 g/kg) groups, and BMT high-dose (10 g/kg) and low-dose (5 g/kg) groups.CDTB capsule and BMT were dissolved in normal saline for gastric lavage at 0.2 mL/20 g twice a day for 3 consecutive days.Thirty minutes after the last administration, 100 g/L active carbon was used for gastric larvae at the dose of 0.2 mL/20 g.Thirty minutes later, the rats were killed and the mesentery was isolated with the intestines between the pylorus and ileocecal junction taken for examination.The carbon powder movement rate= distance between the pylorus and the farthest carbon powder / total distance between the pylorus and ileocecal junction×100％.③ BMT was used as the standard control in defecation experiment.The grouping and drug administration were similar to those in intestinal moving experiment.The fecal amount within 7 days and the first fecal time after drug administration were recorded, and the fecal wet weight and dry weight(dried at 65 ℃ for 12 hours)were used to calculate fecal water content, and higher water content was thought to facilitate defecation.④ Intestinal water absorbent experiment was performed with BMTand glycerol as the standard controls.After a fast for 24 hours, the rats were anaesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane and the ileocecal junction was ligated, with the intestine above the ileocecal junction ligated into 5 segments where normal saline, glycerol in 0.2 mL normal saline,BMT (10 g/kg), and CDTB at high (10 g/kg) and low doses (5 g/kg) were injected respectively.The rats were killed 2 hours after closure of the incision and edema of each intestinal segment and the intestinal perimeter was observed or measured, with the wet weight and dry weight(dried for 12hours) of the bowel segments determined to calculate the water content. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURS: ① Gastric methyl-organ residual rate,carbon powder moving rate and fecal water content.②Intestinal water content. RESULTS:All 50 rats and 150 Kunming mice survived the experiments without losses.Gastric methyl orange residual rate was significantly lower in high-and low-dose CDTB groups than in the normal saline group [(21.8±6.5)％ and (23.8±7.0)％ vs(36.4±11.1)％, t=3.59, 3.04, P ＜ 0.05)], but similar to that of the high-and low-dose domperidone groups [(19.5 ±5.6)％ ,(22.1±5.6)％,respectively, P ＞ 0.05)].Carbon powder movement rate was significantly higher in high-and low-dose CDTB groups than in the normal saline group [(70.2±3.8)％ and (66.2±2.9)％ vs (52.0±4.1)％, t=10.03, 8.94, P ＜ 0.01)], but similar to high-and low-dose BMT groups [(73.3±3.5)％ and (63.2±2.4)％, respectively, P＞0.05)].Similarly, fecal water content was significantly higher in high- and low-dose CDTB groups than in normal saline group (t=9.51, 7.91, P ＜ 0.01),but similar to high-and low-dose BMT groups (P ＞ 0.05).The intestinal water content was also significantly higher in the two CDTB groups than in normal saline group (t=1 1.13, 6.92, P ＜ 0.05-0.01), but significantly lower than BMT and glycerol groups (t=21.95, 12.18, P ＜ 0.01). CONCLUSION: CDTB capsule, at both high and low doses (10 and 5 g/kg,respectively), can promote gastrointestinal motility and increase fecal and intestinal water content to facilitate gastric emptying and defecation, but higher doses may achieve better effect.Compared with the positive control drugs used in this study, CDTB capsule can increase intestinal water content to a preferable level and cause less side effects.

BACKGROUND: Analgesic applied at present induces harmful effects of different ways and degrees, which restricts the treatment of pain to a certain extend. Analgesia of Chinese drug with multi-target and multi-layer mechanism is advantageous to the treatment of pain.OBJECTIVE: To observe the analgesia of allied fuzi tang and shaoyao gancao tang (allied decoction) and its approach on painful animal model.DESIGN: Randomized controlled observation was designed.SETTING: Center Laboratory Room of Fenyang College of Shanxi University of Medical Science.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Center Laboratory Room of Fenyang College of Shanxi University of Medical Science from October to December 2004. Totally 50 SD rats and 60 Kunming mice were employed. By pre-screening of pain threshold, the animals with similar threshold were selected in the experiment.METHODS:① Preparation of allied decoction:fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata) was decocted firstly for 1 h, shaoyao (Paeonia Lactiflra Pall.), baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba.) (stirred-fried with wine) and gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) (prepared with honey) were extracted with 750 mL/L ethanol successively, 0.5 hour/time and the ethanol was recycled totally for 3 times. The extracts were collected together and concentrated as 4 g/mL of raw herbs.② Analgesia of allied decoction on painful rats induced by formaldehyde solution: 50 SD rats were divided into 5 groups, named model group, aspirin group and allied-decoction groups of 40 g/kg, 20 g/kg and 10 g/kg successively, 10 rats in each one. In model group and aspirin group, formaldehyde solution 25 mL/L and aspirin 0.2 g/kg were applied respectively. Gastric perfusion was applied for medication in each group.Before the medication, in every group, 25 mL/L formaldehyde solution 50 μL was injected subcutaneously on dorsum of left hindquarter of rat. Cumulative time of pain reaction in 1-5 minutes ( Ⅰ phase) and 15-40 minutes (Ⅱ phase) was recorded respectively after injection for evaluation.Painful integral= (time of raising the injected hindquarter ×1+ time of biting the trembled injected hindquarter ×2)/300. After bred for 1 week,the experimental animals were medicated by gastric perfusion continuously for 3 days. On the 3rd day, 1 hour after medication, 25 mL/L formaldehyde solution 50 mL was injected subcutaneously on dorsum of left hindquarter.Painful integral was calculated based on the above method. Analgesic score =integral after medication/integral before medication ×100％.③ Determination of nitrogen monoxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum and spinal cord in painful mice induced by glacial acetic acid: 60 kunming mice were divided into 6 groups, named blank control, model group, aspirin group and allied-decoction groups of 40 g/kg, 20 g/kg and 10 g/kg successively, 10 mice in each one. In blank control and model group, physiological saline 10 mL/kg and 6 g/L glacial acetic acid 10 mL/kg were injected abdominally respectively. In aspirin group and allied-decoction groups of 40 g/kg, 20 g/kg and 10 g/kg successively, 1 hour after medication on the 3rd day, 6 g/L glacial acetic acid 10 mL/kg was injected abdominally. Ten minutes after the injection, blood was collected from posterior ocular venous plexus. Serum was separated to determine NO concentration (catalytic spectrophotometry), PG content (UV spectrophotometry) and SOD activity.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:① Analgesic integralof rats in each group.② Determination of NO,PG contents and SOD activity in serumand spinal cord in serum and spinal cord in mice.RESULTS: Totally 50 SD rats and 60 kunming mice were all in result analysis,no dropped-out case.① Comparison of analgesic integrals ofrats in each group: Analgesic integral of Ⅰ phase in allied-decoction group of 40 g/kg was lower significantly than that in model group (82.1±9.8, 95.3±8.7, t=3.17, P ＜ 0.05). The integrals of allied-decoction groups of 40 g/kg and 20 g/kg at Ⅱ phase were lower significantly than those in model group (69.7±10.4, 73.2±7.5, 98.9±6.7, t=6.64, 6.08, P ＜ 0.01).② Comparison of NO,PG contents and SOD activity in serum and spinalcord in mice in each group: Compared with model group, NO and PG contents in aspirin group and allied groups of 40 g/kg, 20 g/kg and 10 g/kg were reduced significantly and SOD activity was increased significantly (t=3.21-19.30, P ＜ 0.05-0.01). Compared with aspirin group, NO and PG contents in allied decoction group of 40 g/kg and 20 g/kg were re duced significantly and SOD activity was increased significantly (t=2.82-7.43, P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Allied decoction inhibits pain at Ⅰ and Ⅱ phases induced by formaldehyde solution, significantly reduces NO and PG contents in serum and spinal cord of painful mice induced by glacial acetic acid and increases SOD activity. It is suggested that the alliance of two formulas provides analgesia of central nerve and peripheral nerve ending, which is probably associated with the alternations of NO, PG and SOD.

Objective:To study the effect of trigonelline on the change of indicators of serum transaminase, lipoprotein and liver lipid of model rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases and on the expression level of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.Methods:A total of 45 SD rats were randomly divided into Fthe control group, model group and trigonelline intervention group. Rats in the control group were fed with the common diet, while rats in the model group and intervention group were fed with the high fat diet. 8 weeks later, the intervention group received the intragastric administration of trigonellin e (with the dosage of 40 mg/kg/d) for 8 weeks; while control group and model group received the intragastric administration of saline with the equal dosage. Blood was taken from the abdominal aorta of rats 8 weeks later, detecting the level of a series of indicators of ALT, AST, TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C in the serum. After the rats were sacrificed, detect the indicators of TG, TC, SOD and MDA in the liver tissue of rats, as well as the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the liver tissue.Results: Results of histopathologic examination showed that the damage degree of liver for rats in the trigonellineintervention group was smaller than the one in the model group, with significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and the partially visible hepatic lobule. The levels of ALT, AST, TC and LDL-C in the serum of rats in the trigonelline group were significantly reduced, while the change in the levels of TG and HDL-C was not significantly different. The levels of TG, TC and MDA in the liver tissues were significantly decreased, while the level of SOD significantly increased; the expression of Bcl-2 protein in the liver tissues of rats in the trigonelline intervention group was significantly increased, while the expression of Bax protein significantly decreased.Conclusions: The trigonelline contributes to the therapeutic effect of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. It can also increase the expression of Bcl-2 protein and decrease the expression of Bax protein in the liver tissues, which can protect the liver.

Objective To study the effect of three fungi of Helminthosporium on the seven kinds of bioactive constituents in root of seedling Rumex gmelini. Methods Let the R. gmelini infect the fungi of Helminthosporium by dealing the leave surface of R. gmelini with fungal spore suspension. The content of seven kinds of bioactive constituents was determined by HPLC and the results were analyzed by variance analysis. Results During the treatment time, little effect of three fungi of Helminthosporium on content of polydatin, chrysophanol 1-glucoside, and physcion, but the obvious effect on resveratrol, musizin, emodin, and chrysophanol was found. Conclusion The effects of H. turcicum 001 on yield and content of resveratrol are significant in early-middle stage (0—40 d), but treatment time over 40 d is not suitable. The results of this study could provide the new idea and theoretical basis for the exploiting of natural medicines and the planting of Chinese herbal medicine.

0.05). Intrathecal administration of D-serine (0.025, 0.05, 0.1 ng), antagonized analgesia induced by isoflurane in tail-immersiontest and the early phase of formalin test (P0.05). Intrathecal administration of D-serine (0.05 ng) antagonized and the isoflurane′s suppression to the expression of Fos-protein in the spinal cord in mice(P

AIM: To establish a determination for ephedrine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride in Suxing Capsules(Herba Ephedrae, Semen Armeniacae Amarum, Fructus Perillal, etc.). METHODS:HPLC with Agilent ZORBAX Extend C_(18) (250 mm?4.6 mm, 5 ?m) column was used. Acetonitrile-0.2% H_3PO_4(5∶95) was used as a mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL?min~(-1). The detection wawelength was at 210 nm. RESULTS:The methodological evaluation showed that this method had a good repeatability and reproducibility; The average recovery of ephedrine hydrochloride was 99.65% and RSD was 1.6%. The average recovery of (pseudoephedr)ine hydrochloride was 98.90% and RSD was 2.3%. CONCLUSION: This method is simple, quick, accurate and with good reproducibility and can be used for the quality control of Suxing Capsules.

Objective To compare the HPLC fingerprint of Rumex gmelini from different habitats by RP-HPLC (DAD). Methods In this paper, 12 different samples were studied. Separation was performed on an Planetsil C_ 18 column, with mobile phase consisting of methanol and 0.1% phosphoric acid-water and with gradient elution at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The UV detection wavelength was 254 nm, column temperature was 35 ℃, and the analysis time was 50 min. Results The results showed that this method has a good repeatability and the ratio of common peaksarea of different samples had some difference. Conclusion This method can be used to establish the chromatographic fingerprint of R. gmelini with high specificity.

OBJECTIVE:To conduct pharmacognostical study of Caulopyhllum robustum Diels so as to offer evidences for exploiting and utilization of this herbal plant. METHODS:A pharmacognostical study of C.robustum was performed by carrying out identification of characteristics,microscopic identification and physicochemical identification. RESULTS:The pharmacognostical features of C.robustum have been established in our study. CONCLUSIONS:This study is suitable for the identification of the origin of C.robustum and it provides approach and evidence for the establishment of the quality standard and sustainable development of resources of C.robustum.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade extracellular matrix,participate in the atherosclerosis (As) formation and plaque rupture.They are associated with the stability of plaque.Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) is a specific natural MMP inhibitor.The disequilibrium between MMPs and TIMP is closely associated with the formation and development of AS.Therefore,it is a new approach for the prevention and treatment of cardiocerebrovascular diseases by regulating the equilibration between MMPs and TIMP, delaying the development of AS and preventing plaque rupture.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the development direction for hospital pharmacists in the medical reform and to promote rational use of drugs.METHODS: The status quo for the medical reform was analyzed based on the practicality of hospital and the author's perspectives on how to improve pharmaceutical care level was presented.RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Hospital pharmacists should change pharmaceutical care model to face up to the challenges in the medical reform by establishing clinical pharmacists' team and setting up pharmaceutical care center to improve pharmaceutical care level and adapt to the development of medical reform.