Objective To study the influence of guiding herb of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae(RAB) on therapeutic effect of diclofenac sodium for rats with adjuvant arthritis(AA) and its possible mechansim,and to further explore the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic changes after using diclofenac sodium together with RAB.Methods Forty-five Wistar rats were equally divided into 5 groups:normal group,model group,RAB(RAB water extract 5.0 g?kg-1) group,diclofenac sodium(10 mg?kg-1) group,and the combination group.The rat model was induced by Freud's complete adjuvant.The foot edema was tested by volume method.HPLC was used to determine the diclofenac sodium concentration in foot tissue,and ELISA and radioimmunoassay method were used to determine PGE2 and IL-1?levels in vivo.Results In the combination group,the anti-inflammatory action was superior to that in diclofenac sodium group(P

Objective To establish a high-throughput evaluation model for anaphylactic reactions; To screen and identify potential anaphylactogens from TCM monomeric compounds.MethodsCell model of stably expressed MrgX2 was established. Recombinate plasmid pmCherry-C1-MrgX2 was transfected to HEK293 to establish cell line for screening model. MrgX2 agonist and antagonist were used to identify the validation and stability of the cell line. A small library consisting of 180 compounds was profiled by using a cell-based calcium mobilization assay to find novel compounds targeting the MrgX2 receptor. EC50 test, IC50 test, specificity validation and cytotoxicity evaluation were carried out to detect the function of the positive agonist.ResultsThe EC50 of C48/80 to MrgX2 model was 2.7 μg/mL and the IC50 of 2-APB (evoked by 10 μg/mL C48/80) was 46.29 μmol/L. The first generation cell model of MrgX2 was similar to the 20th generation, and the Z factor of MrgX2 cell model was 0.78. In the primary screening for agonist, isoliensinine was identified as a novel agonist targeting receptor MrgX2 with an EC50 of 4.5 μmol/L and IC50 of39.47 μmol/L. Moreover, isoliensinine was validated to activate MrgX2 receptor specifically without cytotoxicity. Conclusion A high-throughput evaluation method for anaphylactic reactions can be established in vitro through calcium mobilization assay. A potential anaphylactogen isoliensinine is identified and validated.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of fresh and preserved amniotic membrane on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) so as to understand the anti-inflammatory mechanism of amniotic membrane transplantation.

METHODSConditioned medium was collected 48 hours after fresh or preserved amnions were cultured in DMEM and 5% CO(2) at 37 degrees C. Then, polymorphonuclear cells were cultured in conditioned culture or DMEM. Fluorescent microscopy with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and cytometry were performed 6, 9, 12, and 15 hours later.

RESULTSApoptotic neutrophils were found in each group at different time points. The percentage of apoptotic cells at 6, 9, 12, and 15 hours after culture in the fresh and preserved amnion groups and the control group was 17.3%, 24.4%, 29.8%, 37.1%, and 16.2%, 20.1%, 23.7%, 27.7%, and 10.2%, 13.7%, 21.1%, 26.4%, respectively (t test, P(1) < 0.01, P(2) < 0.01 and P(3) < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAmniotic membrane can accelerate apoptosis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils, reduce inflammation, and prevent ocular surface collagen from resolution, indicating that fresh amnion might have a stronger effect than preserved amnion.

Amnion ; physiology ; Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; immunology

OBJECTIVESThe aim of this study was to compare attitudes toward medication and associated factors for patients with schizophrenia in Japan and China.

METHODSAge-group matched samples were drawn from outpatients in Tokyo (N = 76) and Beijing (N = 76) according to the same inclusion/exclusion criteria. Psychotropic prescription and attitudes toward medication were measured using Drug Attitude Inventory-30 (DAI-30) and an original questionnaire regarding beliefs about psychiatric medication. Stepwise regression analysis of the DAI-30 data was performed for each group.

RESULTSJapanese subjects were prescribed significantly larger amounts of antipsychotics. Polypharmacy of antipsychotics and concurrent use of anticholinergics, anxiolytics, or hypnotics were more frequently found among subjects in Tokyo than among those in Beijing. However, subjects in Tokyo and Beijing had similar subjective responses to medication, subjective evaluation of side-effects, and complaints about overuse of psychotropics. Subjects in Tokyo complained less about physician's over-reliance on medication and were less concerned about medication cost than those in Beijing. In Tokyo, longer duration of illness and lower subjective distress caused by side effects predicted a more positive subjective response, while female gender, younger age, and lower Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale score were independently correlated with a better subjective response in Beijing.

CONCLUSIONSSubjective acceptance of multiple medications is greater for patients in Japan than those in China. Determinants of subjective response to medication varied between Japan and China.