AIM: To establish a standard for quality control of Xinfang Biyan Capsule(Radix Saponikovae, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Radix Scutellariae, etc.). METHODS: TLC and HPLC were used. RESULTS: Flos Magnoliae, Radix Saponikovae, Flos Chrysanthemi, Radix Bupleuri in the capsule could be identified by TLC, and baicalin content in the capsule could be measured by RP-HPLC with a linear relatioship at a range of 0.243 ?g- 2.43 ?g(r= 0.999 8 ). The average recovery was 98.15% and RSD was 0.15% . CONCLUSION: The methods are accurate and can be used for the quality control of Xinfang Biyan Capsules.

Objective To observe the gastric changes in adult male Sprague-Dawly (SD) rats irradiated by the single large dose electron beam,providing animal experimental evidence for intraoperative radiotherapy for gastric cancer.Methods Thirty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into the control and experimental groups.The stomach of the rats in the experimental group were subject to single 6 MeV 20 Gy irridiation by using the patent technology of Accurate Irradiation Experiment Table for Small Animal Radiation.The general conditions,gastric injury and body weight change were observed at different days following irradiation.Results The most severe gastric damage of rats was observed on the 14th d after irradiation.The gastric injury was gradually repaired accompanied with glandular atrophy at 28 d postirradiation,and the gastric injury was manifested as cellulose fibrinous repair on the 56th d after irradiation.Within 1 week post-irradiation,weight loss was noted in the experimental group,which significantly differed from the rats in the control group (P＜0.05).During the 2nd week,the body weight was increased in the experimental group,significantly lower compared with the rats in the control group (P＜ 0.05).The body weight of rats did not significantly differ between two groups at 6 weeks after irradiation (P＞ 0.05).Conclusions The most severe gastric injury is observed at 2 weeks after the single-dose 6 MeV electron beam 20 Gy irradiation,whereas no gastric perforation occurs.The gastric injury can be restored to normal status within 8 weeks following irradiation.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of cognitive function in elderly acute stroke (AS) patients with CHF.Methods Two hundred and seventeen elderly AS patients with CHF were devided into HFrEF group (n=77),HFmrEF (n=46) and HFpEF group (n=94) according to their LVEF.Their clinical data (including baseline demographic data,history of disease,NIHSS score,MMSE score,MoCA score,responsible lesions) were recorded and analyzed.Results The SBP and total MoCA score were significantly lower while the incidence of persistant AF,DM and serum HbA1C level were significantly higher in HFrEF group than in HFmrEF group and HFpEF group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The incidence of left ventricular hypertrothy was higher in HFpEF group than in HFmrEF group and HFpEF group (P＜0.01).The total incidence of cognitive impairment was 54.8％ in 217 AS patients with CHF.Logistic regression analysis showed that persistant AF,SBP and DM were the risk factors for cognitive impairment (OR=2.757,P=0.017;OR=0.971,P=0.001;OR=2.293,P=0.031).Conclusion The incidence of cognitive impairment is rather high in elderly AS patients with CHF.Persistant AF,DM and SBP are the risk factors for cognitive impairment.Attention should thus be paid to the assessment of cognitive impairment in elderly AS patients with CHF.

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) or CDDP combined with simvastatin has been widely used to treat patients with myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases in China. However, the effect of CDDP on hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure is unknown. We constructed a new model of heart failure induced by hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LDL receptor (LDLR) dual deficient (ApoE^-/-LDLR^-/-) mice and investigated the effect of CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin on the heart failure. CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited heart injury by multiple actions including anti-myocardial dysfunction and anti-fibrosis. Mechanistically, both Wnt and lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) pathways were significantly activated in mice with heart injury. Conversely, CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited Wnt pathway by markedly up-regulating expression of Wnt inhibitors. While the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress by CDDP were achieved by inhibiting KDM4A expression and activity. In addition, CDDP attenuated simvastatin-induced myolysis in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our study suggests that CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin can be an effective therapy to reduce hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure.