OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic mechanism of Tiaoxin Recipe (TXR) and Bushen Recipe (BSR) in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSSixty patients with AD were divided into 3 groups according to their MMSE and ADL scores before treatment, using randomized block design. They were treated separately with TXR, BSR and Donepezil (Dp) for 12 weeks. The changes of MMSE score, ADL score, neuro-psychology amount table score, including FOM, RVR, DS and BD, as well as the overall operational evaluation before and after treatment were analyzed.

RESULTSThe recognition and daily life capacity of patients in the 3 groups were improved after treatment. MMSE score in the TXR group increased from 16.10 +/- 1.94 scores before treatment to 17.90 +/- 2.59 scores after treatment, in the BSR group, from 16.15 +/- 2.16 to 17.50 +/- 2.59, and in the Dp group, from 17.35 +/- 1.90 to 19.60 +/- 3.39, all showed significant difference (all P < 0.01). Change of ADL score showed that in TXR from 43.10 +/- 3.86 to 41.50 +/- 4.40, in the BSR group from 43.30 +/- 4.53 to 41.60 +/- 4.12 and in the Dp group, from 42.95 +/- 3.58 to 40.60 +/- 5.23, which also showed significant difference (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, increase of FOM, RVR and DS score was shown in the TXR and the Dp group, and increase of RVR and BD score was shown in the BSR group with significant difference in comparison of corresponding score before and after treatment, inter-groups comparison showed significant difference of FOM score between the BSR and the Dp group (P < 0.01). Overall operational evaluation (total effective rate) in the TXR group was 70%, in the BSR group 65% and in Dp group 75%, with no significant difference among them.

CONCLUSIONTXR and BSR are effective TCM drugs in treating AD.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo research the mechanism of TX0201 abstracted from heart-regulating formula in the treatment of rat with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODThe rat models of AD were induced by A beta(1-40) injected into the bilateral amygdale. All rats were divided into five groups at random, namely control group, model group, heart-regulating formula group, TX0201 group and aricept group. The rats were intragastrically treated with different solution respectively for 20 days. The effect of TX0201 on spatial learning and memory ability of these rat models was investigated with the method of Morris water maze. By using the method of RT-PCR, the expression of apoptosis associated genes (such as Bcl-2 and Bax) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats were examined.

RESULTHeart-regulating formula, TX0201 and aricept could significantly improve the spatial learning and memory ability of rats. Heart-regulating formula could comprehensively redress the abnormal expression of Bax mRNA and Bcl-2 mRNA in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. TX0201 could rectify the abnormal expression of Bax mRNA in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Aricept could regulate the abnormal expression of Bax mRNA in cerebral cortex.

CONCLUSIONTX0201 could ameliorate the learning and memory ability of these model rats by alleviating neuron apoptosis by means of regulating the abnormal expression of Bax mRNA in brain.

Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of TX0201, an effective fraction extracted from Tiaoxin recipe in regulating apoptosis associated genes in brain tissue of rat analogue model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by beta-amyloid protein 25-35 (Abeta 25-35).

METHODSThe model of AD was induced by bilateral amygdala injection of Abeta 25-35 to study the spatial memory capacity using Morris water maze test, and by means of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assay, the expressions of beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP), apoptosis correlative genes (bcl-2, bax), and apoptosis signal transduction molecule (Caspase-3) in the brain, and the effect of TX0201 on expressions of these genes were examined.

RESULTSIn AD model group, the spatial capacity was damaged significantly. Caspase-3 and the expression of APP mRNA and bax/bcl-2 mRNA were increased in the cortex and hippocampus; TX0201 ameliorated all the pathologic changes mentioned above.

CONCLUSIONTX0201 could improve the oriented learning and memory capacity in AD rats by decreasing bax/bcl-2 and down-regulating Caspase-3 to reduce neurocyte apoptosis, suggesting that effective regulation of neuron apoptosis associated genes may be one of the mechanisms of TX0201.

Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Shenyin Oral Liquid (SOL) in relieving mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and decreasing the Alzheimer's disease (AD) transformation rate.

METHODSOne hundred and seventeen MCI patients were randomly assigned to the Chinese medicine group (42 cases), the vitamin E group (38 cases) and the placebo group (37 cases). The treatment course was 12 months and a 6-month follow-up was conducted after ending the treatment course.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the scores of clock drawing test (CDT), nonsensical figure recognition and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) raised significantly in the Chinese medicine group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the activity of acetylcholine esterase in erythrocytic membrane was lower in the Chinese medicine group than that in the placebo group and the Vitamin E group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Six months after the treatment, there were 2 and 5 cases in the placebo group and the vitamin E group which were diagnosed as AD, respectively, and none in the Chinese medicine group.

CONCLUSIONSOL has an effect similar to cholinesterase inhibitor, it could improve cognitive function in MCI patients and reduce the AD transformation rate in them.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; prevention & control ; Cognition Disorders ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mental Status Schedule ; Middle Aged ; Nootropic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of lidocaine against lung injury after hemorrhagic shock in rabbits.

METHODSEighteen healthy rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6), namely lidocaine group (group L), hemorrhagic shock group (group H) and control group (group C). Hemorrhagic shock model was established in rabbits in groups L and H, and the venous blood samples were collected for measurement of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxidedismutase (SOD) before phlebotomy (T0), 2 h after hemorrhagic shock (T1) and 2 h after resuscitation (T2). Blood samples were also taken for measurement of MDA and SOD at the same time points in group C. The wet to dry weight ratio of the lung (W/D) was measured at T2.

RESULTSMDA level was significantly lower while SOD level significantly higher in group L than in group H (P<0.05). The W/D ratio in group L was reduced significantly as compared with that in group H (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONLidocaine can remarkably alleviate lung injury after hemorrhagic shock by inhibiting MDA production and increasing SOD content.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lidocaine ; pharmacology ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lung Injury ; prevention & control ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Rabbits ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; drug therapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

Objective To explore the effect of enriched environmental stimulation on mouse brain cognitive reserve to enhance the sensitivity of brain age gap estimation (BrainAGE).Methods Twenty-one healthy adult C57BL / 6J male mice,15 months old,were divided into a group with a standard environment and two groups with enriched environments.All the groups underwent magnetic resonance microcopy.Scaled subprofile model was used to analyze the features reflecting the changes of brain cognitive reserve.Results There were significant differences between the mean BrainAGE of the two groups with enriched environments and that of the remained standard environment group,then it's proved that some assumption might be reasonable that brain cognitive reserve could be estimated based on BrainAGE.Optim ized BrainAGE model made explanations for 58.9％ differences during stimulus phase in enriched environment.Conclusion Improved BrainAGE model gains high sensitivity when used to measure the redundancy of brain cognitive reserve.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of sufentanil and fentanyl at equivalent dose for patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after thoracotomy.

METHODSSixty ASA I-II patients (20-60 years of age) undergoing radical operation for lung or esophageal cancer were randomly divided into sufentanil intravenous analgesia group (group S, with sufentanil 1 microg/ml) and fentanyl intravenous analgesia group (group F, fentanyl 10 microg/ml). PCIA was administered with background infusion of 2.5 ml/h, bolus injection of 2.5 ml and lockout time of 15 min. The pain intensity according to visual analogue scale (VAS), cumulative analgesic consumption (CAC), sedative scores and side effects at 24 and 48 h after administration were recorded. SpO(2), respiratory rate (RR), blood pressure (BP) and ECG were continuously monitored.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in CAC between the two groups, but he VAS was lower in group S than in group F (P<0.05) and the sedative efficacy was superior in group S (P<0.05). The incidence of nausea and vomiting in group S was lower than that in group F (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in SpO(2), RR, heart rate and mean arterial pressure between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONPCIA with sufentanil provides better efficacy of analgesia and sedation with lower incidence of nausea and vomiting than with fentanyl in postoperative patients with thoracotomy.

Adult ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Fentanyl ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lung Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Pain, Postoperative ; drug therapy ; Sufentanil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Thoracotomy ; Vomiting ; chemically induced

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of propofol at doses for different anesthesia depths on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in different cerebral regions at propofol uptake equilibrium in dogs.

METHODSTwelve 12-18-month-old healthy hybrid dogs weighing 10-12 kg were randomly divided into light anesthesia group (n=6) and deep anesthesia group (n=6) with a single bolus dose of propofol (5.5 and 7.0 mg/kg, respectively) completed in 15 s followed by intravenous propofol infusion at a constant rate (55 and 70 mg·kg(-1)·h(-1), respectively). Blood samples (2 ml) were taken from the internal carotid artery and jugular vein to measure plasma propofol concentrations 50 min after the start of the infusion. The dogs were then sacrificed and tissues were taken from different brain regions and the cervical cord to measure GABA concentrations using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

RESULTSThe plasma propofol concentrations in internal carotid artery and jugular vein were similar in both light anesthesia group (3.00 ± 0.31 and 3.10 ± 0.51 µg/ml, respectively, P>0.05) and deep anesthesia group (6.41 ± 0.05 and 6.40 ± 0.11 µg/ml, respectively, P>0.05). GABA concentrations in the brain regions were significantly higher in deep anesthesia group than in light anesthesia group (P<0.05). The dorsal thalamus and hypothalamus showed greater GABA variations [(83.83 ± 2.230%) and (85.83 ± 1.72)%] compared to other brain regions at different anesthesia depths (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIn both groups, plasma propofol concentrations in the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein reach equilibrium at 50 min of propofol infusion. The variation of GABA is associated with the anesthesia depth of propofol, and GABA variation in the dorsal thalamus and hypothalamus plays an important role in propofol anesthesia.

Anesthetics, Intravenous ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Dogs ; Female ; Male ; Propofol ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the prophylactic effect of acupuncture Neiguan (PC 6) on nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic operation.

METHODSOne hundred patients with laparoscopic gastrointestinal operation were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a control group, 50 patients in each group. The operation was carried out with the combined infusion and inhalation anesthesia. The patients in the acupuncture group were being punctured at bilateral Neiguan (PC 6) before anesthesia and during the operation. The needles were extracted after operation, and the acupoints were covered with opaque tape. In contrast, the patients in the control group only accepted tape covering without acupuncture. After operation, all patients were given the self-controlled intravenous analgesia, and followed up at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h for recording the incidence rate of the nausea, retching and vomiting, then scoring with VAS.

RESULTSAt 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h after operation, in the acupuncture group, the incidence rates of the nausea were 12.0%, 6.0%, 6.0% and 2.0%, and the incidence rates of the retching were 0, 0, 2.0% and 2.0%, respectively; in the control group, the incidence rates of the nausea were 28.0%, 20.0%, 12.0% and 2.0%, and the incidence rates of the retching were 2.0%, 6.0%, 2.0% and 0, respectively. At 6 h, 12 h after operation, the incidence rates of the nausea and retching in the acupuncture group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). The vomiting was not happened in both groups. There was no difference between the two groups according to the scoring with VAS.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncturing at Neiguan (PC 6) can reduce the incidence rates of the patients' nausea and retching after laparoscopic operation, especially in 24 h.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesics ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Vomiting ; prevention & control ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the regional distribution of propofol in canine spinal cord under noxious stimulation.

METHODSTwelve healthy hybrid dogs (12-18 months old, weighing 10-12 kg) were randomly divided into control group (n=6) and stimulation group (n=6). All the dogs were anesthetized with a single bolus dose of propofol (7 mg/kg) in 15 seconds followed by propofol infusion at a constant rate of 70 mg/kg/h via the great saphenous vein of the right posterior limb. In the stimulation group, the tails of the dogs were clamped for 5 min after 45 min of propofol infusion. Blood samples were taken from the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein at 50 min after propofol infusion to detect plasma propofol concentrations by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The dogs were then immediately sacrificed by decapitation and the frontal horn, posterior horn, intermediate zone, frontal funiculus, posterior funiculus and lateral funiculus of the spinal cord were dissected for determination of propol content by HPLC.

RESULTSThe plasma concentrations of propofol in the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein were 5.07-/+0.23 and 5.03-/+0.10 microg/ml in the stimulation group, respectively showing no significant differences from those in the control group (5.09-/+0.03 and 5.08-/+0.03 microg/ml, P>0.05). In the control group, the propofol concentration was 5.09-/+0.08 microg/g in the frontal horm, 5.10-/+0.08 microg/g in the posterior horn, 5.05-/+0.19 microg/g in the intermediate zone, 5.06-/+0.14 microg/g in the frontal funiculus, 5.06-/+0.15 microg/g in the posterior funiculus and 5.06-/+0.41 microg/g in the lateral funiculus, showing no significant differences (P>0.05). The propofol concentrations in the frontal horn (7.65-/+0.47 microg/g) and posterior funiculus (7.06-/+0.82 microg/g) in the stimulation group were significantly higher than those in the other spinal cord tissues (P<0.05) and those in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAt 50 min after intravenous injection of propofol at a constant rate of 70 mg/kg/h, plasma propofol concentrations in the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein reaches equilibrium with a balanced distribution in all the spinal cord regions. Propofol concentration can be higher in the frontal horn and posterior funiculus under noxious stimulation.

Animals ; Dogs ; Female ; Male ; Nociceptors ; drug effects ; physiology ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Physical Stimulation ; Propofol ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism