Steroidal saponins have a wide range of pharmacological effects and biological activities, such as anti-tumor, antifungal, hypoglycemic, immune regulation, insecticides, etc. In the last ten years, some new structures of steroidal saponins compounds were found from natural plants, they have some new and different activities. In order to accelerate the research on the drug innovation of steroidal saponins, we summarized the new progress of the research on such compounds.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Steroids ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the expression in the VEGF,TGF-?1 of cervical squamous car- cinoma infected by HPV16,18.Methods Cells exfoliated from cervix(collected by clinician)of 99 women with cervical cancer and 54 women as a control group were analyzed blindly by human papillomavirus type 16 and 18 Fluorescent Polymerase Reaction Diagnositic kit.The expression of VEGF,TGF-?1 of the positive HPV16,18 of 38 women with cervical squamous cancer were studied by immunohistochemical stain.Results The positive expression of HPV16,18 was observed in 53 in the case of cervical cancer with positive rates of 54 %,but the positive rates was 7 % in the control group(P

Animals ; Asia ; epidemiology ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H2N2 Subtype ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; history ; virology ; Mutation

AIMTo investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) on histology and behavioral tests during global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in gerbils.

METHODSGlobal cerebral ischemia was induced by occluding the bilateral common carotid arteries for 10 min in gerbils. Three doses of MT were administrated intraperitoneally 30 min prior to the onset of ischemia. Locomotor activity was measured by using the open field method 3 and 7 days after the ischemic episode. T maze test was carried out 4, 5 and 6 days after ischemia to assess the working memory of gerbils. Neuronal damage was assessed in CA1 pyramidal layer of gerbil hippocampus and evaluated 7 days after ischemia.

RESULTSMT significantly reversed the locomotor activity increases, ameliorated learning and working memory deficit, and reduced the extent of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells injury after transient global cerebral ischemia in the Mongolian gerbil.

CONCLUSIONMT provides significantly protective effect against both histological and behavioral consequences of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in gerbils.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Female ; Gerbillinae ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; pathology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Memory ; drug effects ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Neurons ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; physiopathology ; prevention & control

AIMTo study the biochemistry of lanthanides, the cooperative action of inorganic and organic anti-tumor drugs.

METHODSA series of rare earth complexes were synthesized with Ln(NO3) 6H2O, Phen and 5-Fu. Their anti-tumor activity was measured by the improved MTT, SRB methods.

RESULTSThe formula of complex Ln[(Phen)2(5-Fu)3(NO3)](NO3)2(Ln = Y, La, Ce, Sm, Gd, Dy, Er; Phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline; 5-Fu = fluorouracil) was characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductivity, IR, TGA, and 13C NMR spectra. The preliminary biological activity studies indicated that Lanthanide complex has strong anti-tumor activity in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThe complex might have anti-tumor cooperation action.

Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cerium ; chemistry ; Drug Synergism ; Dysprosium ; chemistry ; Erbium ; chemistry ; Fluorouracil ; chemistry ; Gadolinium ; chemistry ; Humans ; Lanthanoid Series Elements ; chemistry ; Lanthanum ; chemistry ; Phenanthrolines ; chemistry ; Samarium ; chemistry ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Yttrium ; chemistry

Animals ; History, 20th Century ; Hong Kong ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; history ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on the pathogenesis of human keloid.

METHODSCTGF antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) conjugated with isothiocyanate fluorescence was encapsulated by liposome, and then added into the human keloid fibroblast (HKF) culturing media. The intracellular distribution of CTGF ASODN was observed with fluorescence microscopy in the fixed HKF. The proliferation of HKF was measured by MIT test. The apoptosis of HKF was measured with a flow cytometer. The collagen synthesis of HKF was measured by using H3-proline incorporation method.

RESULTSThe CTGF ASODN inhibited the proliferation and collagen synthesis of the HKF, compared with the control, but it increased the apoptosis after the transfection (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCTGF ASODN may has anti-fibrotic effects on human keloid in vitro, and the CTGF may play an important role in promoting the fibrosis of human keloid.

Apoptosis ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; genetics ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; genetics ; Transfection

Objective To evaluate the value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of ventricular septal defect(VSD).Methods A total of 164 cases of VSD were recruited as candidates to receive transthoracic minimally invasive device closure between January 2007 and October 2010,including 138 perimembranous VSDs,3 muscular VSDs and 23 supracristal VSDs.Among these groups,85 male patients were included.Four-champer view,five-champer view,left ventricular long-axis view,short-axis view and right ventricular inflow view were detected to evaluate the availability of device closure.Results A total of 152 cases(92.7%)were successfully closed with a device.All the patients were followed up more than 3 months arranged with a standard protocol.No complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) or associated valvular complications were observed.Three of the five cases with traced residual shunt after device closure closed spontaneously.Conclusion TEE plays an important role in transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of ventricular septal defect,which has been proved by the good follow-up results without CAVB and associated valvular complications.

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using fetal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in maternal plasma as gender-independent fetal DNA marker. DNA from maternal plasma sample was extracted using QIAamp DNA Kit. AmpF1 STR profiler box was used to amplify 9 different polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) loci (D3S1358, VWA, FGA, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51), the multiplex fluorescent PCR was used to amplify the STR alleles of fetal DNA in 36 pregnant plasma samples of pregnant women at different pregnancy. Their husbands' DNA isolated from whole blood samples were amplified at the same time. The PCR products were electrophoresis by ABI Prism 377 sequencer, the results of electrophoresis were analysed by Genscan. The presence of fetal DNA in maternal plasma by Paternally inherited fetal alleles were detected. The results showed that paternally inherited fetal alleles were detected in 4 cases in early pregnancy (4/6), 19 cases in middle pregnancy (19/20) and 9 cases in late pregnancy (9/10) respectively, the paternally inherited fetal alleles in 4 of 36 cases could not be detected. It is concluded that fluorescent multiplex PCR can be used for amplification of male and female fetal STRs in maternal plasma to obtain genetic information, which may have implication for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of certain hereditary diseases independent of the fetal sex.
DNA ; analysis ; Female ; Fetus ; Genetic Markers ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Plasma ; chemistry ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Sex Characteristics

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of connective tissue growth factor on the pathogenesis of human hypertrophic scar.

METHODSNormal skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts were cultured in vitro. The collagen synthesis of fibroblasts were measured by H3-proline incorporation method. The expression of connective tissue growth factor protein and mRNA of fibroblasts were detected with immunocytochemistry staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods.

RESULTSCompared with normal skin fibroblast, the collagen synthesis and the expression of connective tissue growth factor protein and mRNA in the hypertrophic scar fibroblast was higher (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONConnective tissue growth factor may play an important role in promoting the fibrotic process of hypertrophic scar.

Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immediate-Early Proteins ; genetics ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction