OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of combined therapy with Xuezhikang Capsule (XZK) and Valsartan on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) in hypertensive patients.

METHODSNinety primary hypertensive patients with LVH were randomly assigned to three groups. Basic treatment, including aspirin, beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, etc. were administered to all patients. Additionally, Valsartan (VS, 80 mg once a day) was given to the 30 patients in the VS group. Valsartan (in the same dosage) and XZK (600 mg, twice a day) were given to the 32 patients in the Chinese medicine (CM) group, while none was given to the 28 patients in the control group. The therapeutic course lasted for 24 months. Changes in left ventricular mass index (LVMI) measured by cardiac ultrasonic indices, HRT parameters, including the original heart rate (TO) and slope coeffificient (TS), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), as well as blood cholesterol level (TC) were measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, TO and LVMI were lowered, while TS increased in both the VS group and the CM group (P<0.01), but changed insignificantly in the control group. Significant differences between the CM group and the control group were shown in terms of TO, LVMI, SBP, DBP and TS (P<0.01); and between the CM group and the VS group in terms of TO, LVMI and TS (P<0.01). Moreover, HRT parameters showed an evident correlation with LVMI (r=0.519-0.635, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCombined therapy with XZK and Valsartan can improve hypertensive LVH and HRT parameters, and lessen the damage on the autonomous nervous system.

Administration, Oral ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Capsules ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Female ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; drug therapy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Tetrazoles ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Valine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Valsartan

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the intestinal barrier dysfunction in rats after extensive abdominal radiation with X ray.

METHODSTwenty-four Spraque-Dawley male rats were divided into normal control group (n=8), radiation group (n=8), and radiation+NAC group (300 mg/kg) (n=8). Radiation injury was induced by X ray with a single dose of 10 Gy. NAC was administered from 4 days before irradiation to 3 days after radiation. Three days after radiation, all the rats were euthanized. The terminal ileum was collected for crypt survival assay and ileal villi count. The tissue samples from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), spleen, and liver were harvested under sterile conditions for microbiological analysis and ileum samples were harvested for biochemical analysis. The blood levels of D-lactate, endotoxin and diamine oxidase (DAO) and the ileum samples levels of nitric oxide(NO) were also measured.

RESULTSRats in radiation+NAC group had a higher survival rate of intestinal crypt [(76.84+/-4.82)% vs (49.64+/-5.48)%, P<0.01], higher intestinal villus count [(8.56+/-0.68)/mm vs (4.02+/-0.54)/mm, P<0.01], lower NO concentration [(0.48+/-0.12) mumol/g vs (0.88+/-0.16) mumol/g, P<0.01], lower levels of D-lactate, endotoxin and DAO (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and significantly decreased enteric bacteria cultured from mesenteric lymph nodes and other tissues as compared with the radiation group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONNAC protects the small intestine from radiation-induced injury maybe through the inhibition of NO in rats.

Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; Radiation Injuries ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; X-Rays ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate angiogenesis of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold, and to study survive of skin grafts on the scaffold after bilayer dermal equivalent (BDE) was transplanted on wounds with full thickness skin defects.

METHODSThe full thickness skin defects were made on 10 Bama miniature pigs and the BDE composed of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold and silicone membrane was transplanted on wound. Angiogenesis in dermal equivalent, wound healing, and healing and survive of skin grafts on dermal equivalent were observed in 1, 2, and 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation. At the same time, CD34 positive signals (neo-forming micro-vessels) were detected by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSInflammatory cells and fibroblasts infiltrated into dermal equivalent and a few new micro-vessels had been formed in 1 week after the BDE transplantation; neo-forming micro-vessels perpendicular to wound bed had increased significantly in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation; neo-forming micro-vessels could be observed in almost all dermal equivalents in 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation. CD34 positive signals (neo-forming micro-vessels) in 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation was much more than those in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation, and CD34 positive signals in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation was much more than those in 1 week after the BDE transplantation. Survival rate of intermediate split thickness skin graft were 10%, 70% and 100% respectively after the skin grafts had been grafted for 2 weeks on surface of the scaffold which had been transplanted for 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Epidermis which had been grafted on surface of the scaffold for 1 or 2 weeks could perfectly survive after BDE had been transplanted for 1 or 2 weeks.

CONCLUSIONSCollagen-chitosan porous scaffold plays a very important role in wound healing of full thickness skin defect and can induce fibroblast infiltration and new micro-vessel formation. Epidermis grafted on surface of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold can perfectly repair wounds, and it has brilliant applied prospects in repairing skin defect.

Animals ; Chitosan ; Collagen ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Graft Survival ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Silicones ; Skin ; injuries ; Skin Transplantation ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo investigate biosynthetic and apoptotic mechanisms in repair of full thickness skin defect with collagen-chitosan porous scaffold transplantation, and to determinate differences between wound repair with the scaffold transplantation and scar healing without the scaffold transplantation.

METHODSThe full thickness skin defects were made on 10 Bama miniature pigs and the bilayer dermal equivalent (BDE) composed of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold and silicone membrane was transplanted on wounds. Surfaces of wounds were observed at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation, and so were done the wound repairs after epidermis had been grafted for 2 weeks on surface of the scaffold which had been transplanted on skin defect wounds for 2 weeks. At the same time, TGF-beta1 expressions, apoptosis and self collagen replacement of scaffolds in wounds were detected in situ by immunohistochemical staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and picrosirius red polarized light. Wounds without scaffold transplantation were studied as control.

RESULTS1) Wounds with the scaffold transplantation were different from granulation tissue. 2) The peak of TGF-beta1 expression in the scaffold wounds was from 1 to 2 weeks after BDE transplantation, and TGF-beta1 expressions decreased continuously from 3 to 4 weeks. TGF-beta1 expressions increased continuously in the control wounds from 1 to 3 weeks and decreased on 4 weeks. TGF-beta1 expressions in the scaffold wounds on 1st and 2nd week were significantly higher than those in the corresponding control wounds, whereas, TGF-beta1 expressions in the scaffold wounds on 3rd and 4th week were significantly lower than those in the corresponding control wounds. 3) Apoptosis increased continuously in the scaffold wounds from 2 to 4 weeks after BDE transplantation, and so did in the control wounds from 3 to 4 weeks. However, apoptosis signals in the scaffold wounds on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week after BDE transplantation were significantly more than those in the corresponding control wounds, and there was no difference between apoptosis signals in the scaffold wounds on 1st week after BDE transplantation and those in the corresponding control wounds. 4) Observation by picrosirius red polarized light method: self collagen began to synthesize in the scaffold wounds on 1st week after BDE transplantation, and scaffolds had been replaced by self collagen from 2 to 3 weeks after BDE transplantation.

CONCLUSIONSCollagen-chitosan porous scaffold plays a very important role in wound healing of full thickness skin defect. The mechanisms of wound repair by dermal scaffold are different from those by granulation and scar healing. It has a good future in repairing skin defect.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Chitosan ; metabolism ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; metabolism ; Dermis ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Skin Irritancy Tests ; Skin, Artificial ; Stents ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Tissue Engineering ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Wound Healing