Objective To observe the effect of sitagliptin combined with insulin aspart 30 in the treatment of secondary failure of sulphonylurea in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Fifty-six cases were divided into group A and group B in random block design, with 28 cases of each group. The patients in group A was treated with sitagliptin combined with insulin aspart 30, while the patients in group B was given subcutaneous injection of insulin aspart 30R. All patients were treated for 12 weeks. Fasting plasma glucose(FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose(2 hPG), glycosylated hemeglobin(HbA1c), insulin secretion index (HOMA-β), body mass index (BMI), and incidence of low blood glucose before and after treatment were compared. Results Compared with that in group B, FPG [(5.61 ± 1.14) mmol/L vs. (7.8 ± 1.22) mmol/L], 2 hPG [(7.62 ± 1.35) mmol/L vs(9.72 ± 1.41) mmol/L] and HbA1c [(7.11 ± 0.83)%vs.(8.32 ± 1.04)%] in group A had a significant decrease;HOMA-β[(50.31 ± 5.12) vs. (41.86 ± 4.53)] of group A was higher than that of group B (P

Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Adipose Tissue ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Metaplasia ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Parotid Gland ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Parotid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Yiqi Huayu Recipe on neurons in neuromuscular junction after L5 nerve root compression in rats. METHODS: By using immunohistochemistry, confocal laser scanning techniques and protein gene product 9.5 as a neuronal marker, the motor endplates were visualized with fluorescein-conjugated alpha-BTX. The effect of Yiqi Huayu Recipe on nerve terminals of neuromuscular junction at 10, 20, 30, 60 days after L5 nerve root compression was observed in rat soleus muscles during regeneration. The overlap areas of terminals and endplates were measured with NIH image technique. RESULTS: As for the aggregates, sprouts, extension of nerve terminal during regeneration, the connecting speed and range of nerve terminal with endplates, as well as the reformation of neuromuscular junctions during regeneration, Yiqi Huayu Recipe group was better than that of the control group. CONCLUSION: Yiqi Huayu Recipe can promote the hyperplasia of neurons and enhance the regeneration function. It also can accelerate the neuromuscular junction reformation and shorten the process of regeneration.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of sevoflurane combined with remifentanil on intraoperative related indica-tors and quality of postoperative recovery in patients with general anesthesia. METHODS:52 patients with elective abdominal sur-gery were randomly divided into observation group and control group. All patients were treated with etomidate 0.3 mg/kg+atracuri-um 0.5 mg/kg+remifentanil 1μg/kg for anesthesia induction;then observation group was received sevoflurane by inhalation and con-trol group was propofol by infusion. The SBP,DBP,HR and BIS in 2 groups were recorded before anesthesia induction(T0),after anesthesia induction(T1),time of intubation(T2),skin incision(T3),10 minutes after establishing pneumoperitoneum(T4),end of pneumoperitoneum(T5) and extubation(T6),respectively. Operation and anesthesia duration,recovery time and extubation time, MMSE score and incidence of adverse reactions were recorded. RESULTS:SBP and HR in T6 and DBP in T4-6 in 2 groups were sig-nificantly higher than T0 of same group,BIS in T1-5 was significantly lower than T0,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05),however,there was no significant difference between 2 groups (P>0.05). Recovery time and extubation time in observa-tion group were significantly lower than control group(P<0.05),there was no significant difference in the operation and anesthesia duration between 2 groups(P>0.05). MMSE scores in 2 groups were significantly lower than before after 0.5 h and 1 h of extuba-tion,and control group was lower than observation group(P<0.05 or P<0.01);MMSE scores in 2 groups were significantly high-er than 0.5 h and 1 h after extubation(P<0.05),however,there was no significant difference between 2 groups and before(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between 2 groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Sevoflurane combined with remifentanil has satisfactory anesthesia,sevoflurane has better controllability,with good safety.

To study the effect of sodium aescinate in inducing human breast cancer MCF-7 cells apoptosis and its possible mechanism. MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of sodium aescinate on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The morphological changes were observed under inverted microscope. DAPI nuclear staining was used to detect the changes in cell nucleus. Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry was adopted to test the apoptosis rate. Changes in apoptosis-related proteins (PARP, cleaved caspase-8 and pro-caspase-3), cell survival-associated signal molecules (AKT and ERK) and their common upstream kinase SRC was detected by Western blotting. The result showed that after different concentrations of sodium aescinate were used to treat breast cancer MCF-7 cells, they inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, induced cell apoptosis (typical morphological changes in nucleus, significant increase in cell apoptosis rate). The expressions of cleaved PARP and caspase-8 increased, while the expression of pro-caspase-3 decreased, which further verified sodium aescinate's effect in inducing cell apoptosis. Sodium aescinate significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of cell survival-related signal molecules (AKT, ERK) and down-regulate the activation of their common up-stream kinase SRC. The findings indicated that sodium aescinate can block signals transiting to downstream molecules AKT, ERK, inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cell MCF-7 cell apoptosis and induced cell apoptosis by suppressing the activation of SRC.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology ; src-Family Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a simple biological labora-tory animal, with similar biological structure and physiological functions to mammals. Almost transparent embryos, in vitro de-velopment of embryos and up to 87% of human genetic similari- ties enable a wide application of zebrafish in the field of pharma-ceutical research. In this paper, we have studied the application of zebrafish in drug metabolism, the research of Chinese medi-cine, the evaluation of drug toxicology and safety, the screening of drugs and the discovery of new drugs, the research of regener- ative drugs, so as to provide new ideas of zebrafish in the field of pharmacy.

To investigate the gene expression changes in the degenerated cervical intervertebral discs of rats, and to study the function of Yiqi Huayu Bushen Recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and its discomposed formulas in regulating gene expressions in the degenerated cervical intervertebral discs.

OBJECTIVE: To make an animal model of cervical spondylosis (arthralgia syndrome type) with stimulation of wind, cold, and dampness. METHODS: Twenty-four 8 months old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly allocated into four groups: normal control group, light stimulation group, moderate stimulation group and severe stimulation group. The wind speed was 10.8-13.8 m/s, the temperature was (5+/-0.5)degrees centigrade, and the humidity was 100%. The rabbits of light, moderate, and severe stimulation groups were kept in the above-mentioned environments for 4 hours everyday, and for a total of 32, 64, and 128 hours, respectively. The intervertebral discs were stained with HE method, and observed with a light microscope. Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), 6-ketone-prostaglandin F1alpha (6-K-PGF(1alpha)) and thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) contents were measured by ELISA. Fas and Bcl-2 expressions were examined by immunohistochemical avidin-biotin peroxidose complex technique. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) mRNA expressions were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The nucleus pulposus of rabbits in the light and moderate stimulation groups shrunken, and in the severe stimulation group, the anulus fibrosus loosed or ruptured, and the cartilage end-plate became proliferated. Compared with rabbits in the normal control group, the PGE(2) content rose in the light stimulation group, the contents of PGE(2), 6-K-PGF(1alpha), and TXB(2) increased, the expressions of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNAs and Fas were up-regulated, and the expressions of TGF-beta mRNA and Bcl-2 were down-regulated in the moderate and severe stimulation groups. The expression of Fas was up-regulated mostly and Bcl-2 was down-regulated mostly in the severe group. CONCLUSION: Moderate and severe stimulations of wind, cold and dampness can lead to degeneration of cervical intervertebral discs of rabbits. The model corresponds to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine about arthralgia syndrome caused by wind, cold and dampness.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Yiqi Huayu Recipe and its decomposed formulas-medicated sera on expressions of bcl-2, Bax and caspase-8 of apoptotic anulus fibrosus cells in rats. METHODS: Immunohistochemical and integral optical density analytic methods were used to observe the effects of Yiqi Huayu Recipe-, Yiqi Recipe-, Huayu Recipe-medicated sera and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on the expressions of bcl-2, Bax and caspase-8 of apoptotic anulus fibrosus cells in rats induced by anti-Fas antibody. RESULTS: As compared with apoptosis group, bcl-2 expression was higher, Bax and caspase-8 expressions were lower in Yiqi Huayu-treated, Yiqi-treated, Huayu-treated and IGF-1 groups (P<0.01). As compared with Yiqi-treated group and Huayu-treated group, Bax expression was lower in Yiqi Huayu-treated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Yiqi Huayu Recipe and its decomposed formulas can delay degeneration of the cervical intervertebral disc, which may be due to its action in regulating the expressions of bcl-2, Bax and caspase-8.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Yiqi Huayu Recipe on the gene expression pattern in normal and apoptotic chondrocytes in the cervical intervertebral disc of rats. METHODS: The intervertebral disc endplates of rats were digested enzymatically. The apoptosis of the chondrocytes was induced by anti-Fas antibody. BiostarR-40s microarray chips were used to investigate the gene expression pattern in chondrocytes in the normal control, apoptosis and Yiqi Huayu Recipe groups. The results were scanned with Scan Array 4000 and analyzed with GenePix Pro 3.0, and then subjected to standardization and ratio analysis. RESULTS: In the apoptosis group, 30 kinds of genes expressed in cervical intervertebral disc chondrocytes were screened out, in which 10 were up-regulated (ratio>2) and 20 down-regulated (ratio<0.5) as compared with the normal control group. On the other hand, in the Yiqi Huayu Recipe group, 97 kinds of genes expressed in cervical intervertebral disc chondrocytes were screened out, in which 44 were up-regulated (ratio>2) and 53 down-regulated (ratio<0.5) as compared with the apoptosis group. CONCLUSION: There are some signal transduction pathways that control the apoptosis of the intervertebral disc chondrocytes. Yiqi Huayu Recipe regulates the gene express of the apoptotic chondrocytes in intervertebral disc. The study gives a further understanding to the mechanism of the cervical spondylosis and enriches the theories of qi and blood of traditional Chinese medicine.