AIM: To study the chemical constituents of Illicium micranthum. METHODS: Various column chromatographic techniques were applied to isolation and purification and the structures were elucidated by NMR and MS. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated from the part of ethyl acetate and identified as Neomajucin(1),2-oxo-3,4-dehyhroxyneomajucin(2),Transcinnamic acid(3),3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavan(4),Shikimic acid(5),Kaempferol(6),Kaempferol-3-O-?-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-?-D-glucopyranoside(7). CONCLUSION: The above compounds are obtained from this plant for the first time.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of natural killer T cells (NKT) in the pathogenesis and staging of endometriosis (EMT).

METHODSSixty EMT cases of stages I to IV were enrolled as the observation group, and 20 healthy volunteers served as the control group. NKT percentages in the peripheral blood and peritoneal effusions were detected by flow cytometry, and the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were examined using ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, EMT group showed significantly lowered NKT percentages and IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in both the peripheral blood and peritoneal effusions (P<0.05). In EMT patients, NKT percentages, IFN-γ and IL-4 levels all increased significantly with the stage of EMT in the order of I>II>III>IV (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that NKT, IFN-γ and IL-4 were all inversely correlated with the stage of EMT (r>0.06, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs a protective factor against EMT, NKT, together with its cytokines IFN-γ and IL-4, play an important role in EMT and is closely correlated with EMT staging.

Case-Control Studies ; Endometriosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Natural Killer T-Cells ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the characteristics of ocular surface inflammation index after pterygium excision by using Oculus Keratograph(R) 5M and Visual analogue scale and evaluated the effectiveness of antiinflammatory treatment.Methods A prospective case control study was performed.Eighteen patients (6 males and 12 females) who suffered from primary pterygium were recruited in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from June to September 2016.All patients were treated with monocular pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation.Anti-inflammatory treatment was given after surgery,and the ocular inflammation index was evaluated at preoperative and 1st,3rd,7th,10th,30th and 60th day postoperative.The temporal conjunctival hyperemia index (TCHI) was assessed by Oculus Keratograph(R) 5M with a red eye index analysis software.Ocular symptom scores (OSS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to analyze the subjective symptoms of the patients.Fluorescein staining was used to detect the epithelization of corneal and scleral wound.The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),intraocular pressure and complications were evaluated in this study.This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University (2016KYPJ024).All patients signed informed consent for clinical research.Results No drug-related ocular and systemic adverse events were found during the follow-up.Corneal epithelial defect was recovered on 10th day,and conjunctival epithelization was observed in sclera exposed area on 30th day.The BCVA on the 60th day was 0.12±0.17,which was significantly lower than 0.34±0.36 preoperatively (t =3.401,P =0.003).Compared with those before surgery,OSS and VAS were significantly increased on 1 st day (OSS:Z =-4.255,P =0.000;VAS:Z =-5.256,P =0.000).The OSS on 7th day was not significantly different from that before surgery (Z=-0.958,P=0.372).VAS decreased to baseline on 30th day.The OSS on 60th day after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery (Z =-2.397,P =0.037).TCHI was higher than 1.2 preoperatively,and increased to the highest on 1 st day after surgery,with significant difference between them (t=-6.620,P=0.000).The TCHI decreased to baseline on 7th day,no significant difference were obtained when compared with preoperative TCHI (t =-1.050,P =0.310),and TCHI on 60th day after surgery was lower than that before surgery,with significant difference between them (t =2.758,P =0.020).Conclusions The subjective symptoms combined with conjunctival hyperemia can be more accurate assessment of ocular surface inflammation in the perioperative period of pterygium surgery,which can be used as an evaluation index to assess the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory treatment.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect and differences sex the influence of hormone levels of perimenopau-sal syndrome patients between manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA).

METHODSA total of 50 cases with perimenopausal syndrome were randomly assigned into an manual acupuncture group (27 cases) and an EA group (23 cases), and 1 case dropped in the EA group. The acupoints in the two groups were Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Tianshu (ST 25), and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Acupuncture with 3-time small and even manipulation of lifting, thrusting and twirling was used in the acupuncture group, once 10 min. EA with sparse-dense wave and 10 Hz/50 Hz was applied in the EA group for 30 min. The treatments in the two groups were for continuous 8 weeks (24 times in total), once the other day, 3 times a week. The scores of 24-hour hot flashes even, menopausal rating scale (MRS) and menopause-specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL) were recorded before treatment and after 4-week and 8-week treatment, as well as 12 and 24 weeks after treatment. Serum sex hormone levels were tested before and after 8-week treatment as well as 12 weeks after treatment, including serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estracliol (E).

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, the 24-hour hot flashes even score, MRS and MENQOL scores were significantly lower after 4-week and 8-week treatments, 12 and 24 weeks after treatment (all<0.05). All the above scores after 8-week treatment were lower than those after 4-week treatment (all<0.05); and the scores 12 and 24 weeks after treatment were lower than those after 4-week and 8-week treatments (all<0.05); all the scores after treatment were not significantly different at any time between the two groups (all>0.05). Compared with those before treatment, serum FSH and Eapparently improved in the two groups after 8-week treatment and 12 weeks after treatment (all<0.05). LH levels did not significantly change in the two groups (all>0.05). All the serum sex hormone levels showed no significant difference between the two groups (all>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth acupuncture and EA can improve perimenopausal symptoms and serum sex hormone. The effects are similar.