Objective: To investigate the nootropic components of Hovenia dulcis. Methods: Six saponins were isolated from Hovenia dulcis and Step-down test was used to examine the memory ability of mice. The escape latency and the times of wrong performance within 3 min were used to evaluate the memory ability of mice. To study the effects of saponins on learning and memory in mice, we divided the mice into 6 groups: youth group, aged group, aged plus piracetam(0.3 g/kg) group, aged plus saponins (0.6 g/kg) group, aged plus saponins (0.3 g/kg) group, and aged plus saponins(0.15 g/kg) group. To study the influence of saponins on impairment of memory acquirement, consolidation, and reoccurrence (induced by scopolamine, sodium nitrite and 40% ethanol, respectively), mice were also divided into the following 7 groups: control group, untreated group, Piracetam group (0.3 g/kg), compound 3 group(0.3 g/kg), compound 4 group(0.3 g/kg), compound 5 group(0.3 g/kg), and compound 6 group (0.3 g/kg). Results: The chemical structures of six saponins were elucidated as 3-O-stigmasterol-(6-O- palmitoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), β-daucosterin (2), hovenidulcioside A1 (3), hoduloside I (4), hoduloside IV (5), and saponins C2 (6). Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 5 and 6 had enhancing effect on the learning and memory ability of natural senile mice, and they could improve the impairment of memory acquirement, consolidation and recurrence in mice induced by scopolamine, sodium nitrite and 40% ethanol, respectively. Conclusion: The aglycone of jujubogenin might be the main saponins contributing to the nootropic effect of total saponins from Hovenia dulcis.

Objective To explore the mobile changes of nitric oxide(NO) and the relationship between nitric oxide and glomerular hyperfiltration in experimental diabetic rats.Methods Experimental diabetes mellitus(DM) was induced in rats with streptozotocin(STZ).The levels of NO and NOS in renal tissue homogenate were assayed after establishment of diabetesat the 4 th,8 th,12 th week.At the same time, renal morphology in diabetic rats was examined by light microscope and image of computer.Results The contents of NO and NOS in renal homegenates were evidently increased at 4 th week,and decreased gradually from 8 th week(P

Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Corpus Striatum ; physiology ; Estrogens ; metabolism ; Estrus ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; physiology ; Female ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Child ; Electroacupuncture ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; Electrolysis ; Equipment Failure ; Equipment and Supplies ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male

Adenoidectomy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; surgery

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of anesthesia with different doses of dexmedetomidine combined with propofol and remifentanil in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.Methods Ninety ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients of both sexes,aged 18-64 yr,weighing 45-80 kg,undergoing abdominal surgery,were randomly assigned into 3 groups ( n =30 each):control group (group C ),dexmedetomidine 0.25 μg· kg-1 · h-1 group ( group D1 ) and dexmedetomidine 0.50 μg· kg-1·h-1 group (group D2 ).Dexmedetomidine was infused at a rate of 0.25 μg·kg-1 ·h-1 and 0.50 μg·kg-1 ·h-1 in groups D1 and D2 respectively until extubation after a loading dose of 0.5 μg/kg over 15 min.In group C,normal saline was infused intravenously at a rate of 10 ml/h.Anesthesia was induced with TCI of propofol with the target plasma concentration (Cp) of 1.0 μg/ml,iv injection of cisatracurium 0.2 mg/kg and TCI of remifentanil with Cp of 3 ng/ml.The patients were tracheal intubated and mechanically ventilated.PETCO2 was maintained 35-40 mm Hg and SpO2 was maintained ≥95％.Anesthesia was maintained with TCI of remifentanil with the target Cp of 5 ng/ml,iv infusion of cisatracurium 0.1 mg· kg-1 · h-1 and TCI of propofol.The target Cp of propofol was increased to maintain Narcotrend index of 37-46.The amount of remifentanil,cisatracurium and propofol consumed,extubation time and eye-opening time,complications during operation and during recovery from anesthesia were recorded.Results There was no significant difference in the amount of remifentanil and cisatracurium consumed and extubation time among the three groups ( P ＞ 0.05).Compared with group C,the eye-opening time was significantly prolonged,the incidence of hypertension and tachycardia during operation,and restlessness,vomitting,hypertension,and tachycardia during recovery from anesthesia was significantly decreased in groups D1 and D2,and the amount of propofol consumed was significantly decreased in group D2 (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group D1,the eye-opening time was significantly prolonged,the incidence of hypertension during operation,and restlessness,hypertension,and tachycardia during recovery from anesthesia was significantly decreased in group D2 ( P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion When combined with propofol and remifentanil,dexmedetomidine infused at a rate of 0.50 μg·kg-1 · h-1 can provide satisfactory efficacy for abdominal surgery.

The continuous cultivation of Rehmannia glutinosa causes the accumulation of phenolic acids in soil. It is supposed to be the reason of the so called "continuously cropping obstacle". In this study, phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, eugenol, vanillin and ferulic acid) were degraded by the extracta of all the tested spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and the maximal degradation rate was 75.3%, contributed by extraction of SMS of Pleurotus eryngii. Pot experiment indicated that hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillin in soil were also degraded effectively by SMS of P. eryngii. The employment of SMS enhanced ecophysiology index to near the normal levels, such as crown width, leaves number, leaf length, leaf width and height. At the same time, the fresh and dry weight and total catalpol concentration of tuberous root weight of R. glutinosa was increased to 2.70, 3.66, 2.25 times by employment of SMS, respectively. The increase of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes numbers in rhizosphere soil were observed after the employment of SMS by microbial counts. The employment of SMS also enhanced the enzyme activity in soils, such as sucrase, cellulase, phosphalase, urease and catelase. These results indicated that the employment of SMS alleviated the continuously cropping obstacle of R. glutinosa in some extent.
Agaricales ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Agriculture ; methods ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Soil ; chemistry ; Soil Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of salidroside on salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC-2) cells in vitro.

METHODSTo detect the effect of salidroside on SACC-2 cells growth with CCK-8 kit, the growth curve of cells were drawn. To detect the expression of cysteine proteinase (Caspase 3 and Caspase 8) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in SACC-2 cells, immunohistochemistry staining was used.

RESULTSAccording the results of CCK-8 kit detected, salidroside could inhibit the proliferation of SACC-2 cells, IC50 value was (4.99+/-0.23) microg/mL. Growing curve showed that SACC-2 cells of salidroside groups decreased with extending cell culture time. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that Caspase 3 and Caspase 8 were both strong positive expression in SACC-2 cells of salidroside groups, and poor positive expression in SACC-2 cells of control group, the difference was significant (P<0.01). The expression of PCNA was reverse (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSalidroside could inhibit the proliferation of SACC-2 cells and induce SACC-2 cell apoptosis in vitro, which could be a kind of antitumor medicine in the future.

Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Glucosides ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Vitro Techniques ; Phenols ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms

In the previous study, a high-throughput screening method was established to find the antagonists of CD36. In the present study, a new compound named IMB-1680 was found using this method. The anti-atherosclerotic activities of IMB-1680 were then evaluated. Dose-dependent activities of IMB-1680 were detected by using Sf9 [hCD36] and CHO [hCD36] models. Fluorescence microscopic photography and flow cytometry were used to analyze uptake of mLDL. Foam cell test with RAW264.7 macrophages was used to examine lipid accumulation. The results showed that IMB-1680 inhibited CD36 activity with IC50 of 2.80 and 8.79 micromol x L(-1) in Sf9[hCD36] and CHO [hCD36] cells, respectively. Fluorescence microscopic photography and flow cytometry revealed that IMB-1680 could significantly reduce DiI-AcLDL uptake. Meanwhile, IMB-1680 also could reduce lipids accumulation in RAW264.7 macrophages. In all, the data indicated that IMB-1680 might be a potent effective anti-atherosclerotic leading compound.
Animals ; CD36 Antigens ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; CHO Cells ; Cells, Cultured ; Cricetulus ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Foam Cells ; cytology ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Plasmids ; Receptors, Scavenger ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Sf9 Cells ; Spodoptera ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of RNA interference (RNAi) in silencing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression in 293T and Mel cells.

METHODSNested-PCR was used to amplify H1 promoter from human 293T cells for driving RNAi synthesis. RNAi vectors (TR1) for silencing the eGFP expression was constructed. The eGFP vector and RNAi vector (TR1) were then co-transfected into the 293T and Mel cells, in which the silencing effect on eGFP expression was investigated by fluorescence microscopy, reverse transcription-PCR(RT-PCR), fluorescence-assited cell sorting(FACS) analysis and real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTSRNAi could effectively reduce more than 50 percent of eGFP expression in 293T cells as well as in Mel cells.

CONCLUSIONThe RNAi vector constructed in this way paper can effectively inhibit eGFP expression in cells.

Cell Line ; Flow Cytometry ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; RNA Interference ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction