OBJECTIVETo evaluate preliminarily the efficacy on functional constipation treated with electroacupuncture of different acupoint prescriptions.

METHODSOne hundred and four patients were randomized into a front-mu and back-shu points group (19 cases), a he-sea points group (34 cases), a he-sea, front-mu and back-shu points group (26 cases) and a western medication control group (25 cases). In the front-mu and back-shu points group, electroacupuncture was applied at bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) and Dachangshu (BL 25). In the he-sea points group, electroacupuncture was applied at bilateral Quchi (LI 11) and Shangjuxu (ST 37). In the he-sea, front-mu and back-shu points group, electroacupuncture was applied at unilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Dachangshu (BL 25), Quchi (LI 11) and Shangjuxu (ST 37). In the three groups above, the treatment was given 5 times a week in the first two weeks and 3 times a week in the next two weeks. In the western medication control group, mosapride citrate tablets were prescribed for oral administration, 1 table (5 mg) each time, 3 times a day, continuously for 4 weeks. The period of research was 9 weeks, including 1 week for baseline evaluation, 4 weeks for treatment and 4 weeks for follow-up. The weekly defecation frequency was taken as primary index, while the defecation difficulty and life quality score were taken as the secondary indices for the efficacy evaluation after treatment and in follow-up.

RESULTSAccording to the intention-to-treat (ITT) analytic principle, 104 cases were all enrolled in the final analysis. (1) After treatment, the weekly frequency of defecation was all increased significantly in the four groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The efficacy of the three electroacupuncture groups was similar to that of western medication control group (P > 0.05). In follow-up, the increasing effect on the weekly frequency of defecation was maintained in the he-sea points group (P < 0.01), superior to the front-mu and back-shu points group and the western medication control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the weekly frequency of defecation was not improved in the rest three groups (P > 0.05). (2) After treatment, defecation difficulty was relieved in the he-sea points group, the he-sea, front-mu and back-shu points group and the western medication control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In follow-up, the improvements were still significant in the he-sea points group and the he-sea, front-mu and back-shu points group (both P < 0.01). (3) After treatment, the life quality score was significantly improved in the patients of the he-sea points group (P < 0.05). The difference was not significant in the rest three groups as compared with that before treatment (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe weekly frequency of defecation is increased effectively after treatment in the three electroacupuncture groups and the efficacy is similar to mosapride citrate tablets. The bilateral Quchi (LI 11) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) in he-sea acupoints increase significantly the weekly frequency of defecation, relieve defecation difficulty and improve life quality. Acupuncture efficacy is sustained for 4 weeks. This acupoints prescription is the best in the treatment of functional constipation.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Constipation ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Defecation ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the distributive character of safflor yellow A in mice.

METHODSA RP-HPLC method for the determination of safflor yellow A in tissues was established and applied to determine safflor yellow A in biological samples.

RESULTSAfter iv injection of Safflor yellow A in mice, the AUC of safflor yellow A was hightest in plasma, followed by kidney, liver, lung, heart, spleen. But it was not found in the brain.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of safflor yellow A in the body is abroad and the speed of its process is swift.

Animals ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quinones ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Tissue Distribution

AIMTo establish the method of HPLC-fingerprint analysis for the quality control of Dalbergia odorifera and identify its main constituents by HPLC-MS.

METHODSThe 37 hatches of samples were analyzed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 column with a gradient of acetonitrile and 0.3% aqueous acetic acid at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1) and detected at 275 nm. Furthermore, the typical samples were detected by HPLC-DAD-MS under negative ion mode.

RESULTS37 batches of D. odorifera samples were classified into three types based on the results of similarity analysis. According to the comparison of the tR, MS data and UV maximum absorbance (gamma(max)) values with the standards, 10, 7 and 2 phenolic components were identified in three types of D. odorifera extracts, separately.

CONCLUSIONThe method is repeatable and reliable, and it is capable of effectively controlling the quality of D. odorifera.

Benzopyrans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; isolation & purification ; Isoflavones ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

A sensitive, rapid method for determining reduced tiopronin concentration in rat plasma has been developed by using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique in conjunction with the derivatizing agent N-(1-pyrenyl) maleimide (NPM). The analytes were separated on a Kromasil C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) using 0.2% glacial acetic acid aqueous solution including 0.015 mol x L(-1) KH2PO4 and acetonitrile (56:44) as a mobile phase at a flow-rate of 0.8 mL x min(-1), and fluorescence detection wavelength were set at lamda(e x) = 340 nm and lamda(e m) = 375 nm, the column temperature was 30 degrees C. The calibration curve was found to be linear over a range of 0.1 - 10.0 microg x mL(-1), the limit of quantitation was 0. 1 mg x L(-1). The coefficients of the variation for the within-run and between-run precisions ranged from 5.3% to 10.8% and 7.0% to 10.8%, respectively. The percentage of absolute recovery ranged from 73.7% to 79.7%. The method was used to determine the concentration of tiopronin in rat plasma after a single intragastric administration of 25 mg x kg(-1) tiopronin to 6 healthy male Wistar rats. The pharmacokinetic process was fitted to a two-compartment model. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of tiopronin in rat plasma.
Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fluorescent Dyes ; chemistry ; Male ; Maleimides ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tiopronin ; blood ; pharmacokinetics

AIMThe index F and relative index Fr of chromatographic fingerprints were firstly proposed to indicate how bountiful was the information in traditional Chinese medicines chromatographic fingerprints, how better was the separation effect, how high was the peak signal and how equal were the peak areas.

METHODSThe index F and relative index Fr of chromatographic fingerprints were firstly applied to evaluate the chromatographic fingerprints results of traditional Chinese medicines determined by the reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method and high performance capillary electrophoresis.

RESULTSThe Shegan Kangbingdu injection and all its traditional Chinese medicines ingredients had been evaluated by F and Fr, so did for the HPLC fingerprints of Radix salviae miltiorrhizae reported in literature. As the same time, the F and Fr of the capillary electrophoresis fingerprints of Folium isatidis, Rhizoma belamcandae and compound liquorice tablets were successfully determined. As far as F was concerned, there was no evident difference between HPLC and capillary electrophoresis (CE), but the Fr values came from CE was usually a thousand times more than that from HPLC.

CONCLUSIONThe F and Fr can be applied to evaluate objectively, simply and thoroughly the chromatographic fingerprints.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; methods ; Injections ; Iridaceae ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

OBJECTIVEThe influence of processing methods on chemical constituents in Radix Paeoniae Alba was observed.

METHODA HPLC method was used for analyzing the changes of eight major constituents, namely gallic acid, paeoniflorin sulfonate, catechin, paeoniflorin sulfonate, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, pentagalloylglucose and benzoylpaeoniflorin, with the three processing procedures of decorticating, boiling and fumigating by burning of sulphur. Analysis was performed using a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with the mixture of acetonitrile (A) and 0.015% phosphoric acid solution as mobile phase in gradient mode. The detection wavelength was set at 230 nm and the column temperature was at 30 degrees C.

RESULTExcept for gallic acid and pentagalloylglucose, the other constituents decreased during procedure of decorticating and boiling. Fumigating by burning of sulphur would produce a new compound, paeoniflorin sulfonate, which was a byproduct from the reaction of paeoniflorin with SO2.

CONCLUSIONThe significant changes were produced in chemical constituents of Radix Paeoniae Alba during three processing procedures. Therefore, the processing of Radix Paeoniae Alba should be strictly controlled and standardized.

Benzoates ; analysis ; chemistry ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; analysis ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Gallic Acid ; analysis ; Glucosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrolyzable Tannins ; analysis ; Molecular Structure ; Monoterpenes ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sulfur ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

UPLC-MS-MS system was used for the identification of arbidol metabolites in the rat feces, urine and plasma samples. The system was so powerful a way with high ability of separation and analysis, based on both chromatography and mass properties. The isotope of Br was also a good indicator for metabolites finding. There were altogether 9 metabolites detected and identified, including 2 phase I biotransformation products and 7 phase II ones. It is concluded that arbidol mainly undergo metabolic reactions such as N-demethylation, S-oxidation, glucuronidation and sulfation in rats.
Animals ; Biotransformation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Feces ; chemistry ; Female ; Indoles ; blood ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; urine ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

This paper is aimed to report the development of a method for the determination of the binding rate of plasma protein with salvianolic acid B. In vitro, equilibrium dialysis method was used to imitate the binding process between salvianolic acid B and plasma protein, in vivo, ultrafiltration method was used and the binding rate with HPLC was determined. Plasma samples were treated with methanol to precipitate the protein, and the buffer solution was directly determined after filtering. The calibration curve of the buffer solution was linear in the range of 0.5-20 microg mL(-1). The calibration curve of the plasma was linear in the range of 2-200 microg mL(-1). The extract recovery was 68.6%-81.9%. RSDs of intra- and inter-day precisions were all less than 8.5%. The binding rates of plasma protein with salvianolic acid B in vitro was 75.2% and in vivo was 92.1%. This paper shows the high binding power of salvianolic acid B to plasma protein with high sensitivity, good reproduction, simple management and fulfilling the requirement.
Animals ; Benzofurans ; blood ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Male ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproducibility of Results ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrafiltration ; methods

AIMTo study the effect of Angelica sinsensis polysaccharides on lymphocyte proliferation and induction of IFN-gamma.

METHODSAngelica sinensis polysaccharides(AP) were separated into AP-I, AP-II, AP-III and AP-IV by alcohol deposition with different concentration. The radioactivities of [3H]-TdR uptake by lymphocyte were used to determine the ability of lymphocyte. The bioactivity of IFN-gamma was measured by violet crystalline dying.

RESULTSAP-IV was found to be composed of Ara and Glu in the ratio of 0.99:6.47, the molecular weight was estimated to be 5,600. AP-I and AP-II 100 mg.kg-1 i.p. were found to significantly augment mice splenocyte proliferation, release IFN-gamma and increase IFN-gamma bioactivity. 50 micrograms.mL-1 AP-I, AP-II and AP-III were shown to enhance the proliferative response of the mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro.

CONCLUSIONAP-I and AP-II showed higher immunoactivity than AP-III, AP-IV had no effect.

Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Spleen ; cytology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To study the effect of mesenteric lymph duct ligation(MLDL)on sepsis-induced lung and intestinal injuries in rats.Methods Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)in male rats.The rats were randomly divided into sham control group in which rats received sham operation,sepsis group(CLP group)in which rats received saline after CLP operation,and CLP+MLDL group in which rats received mesenteric lymph duct ligation(MLDL)after CLP operation.The rats were sacrificed at 24 h after CLP modeling. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,arterial blood,and intestine and lung tissues were collected to determine organ injuries.Results The lung tissue histopathology and blood gas analysis revealed that MLDL markedly alleviated the lung injury(ALI score:6.14 ± 0.51 vs.8.12 ± 0.63,P=0.029 9),improved oxygen partial pressure[(78.67 ± 4.51)mmHg vs.(64.83 ± 2.90)mmHg,P=0.0273],decreased lung W/D ratio(6.12 ± 0.25 vs.7.63 ± 0.49,P=0.021 2),decreased BALF cytokines levels[TNF-α:(828.17 ± 81.89)pg/mL vs.(1 118.17 ± 79.22)pg/mL,P=0.029 1;IL-6:(39.33 ± 5.50)ng/mL vs.(68.67 ± 5.24)ng/mL,P=0.003 4],alveolar permeability[protein levels:2.117 ± 0.289 2 vs.3.033 ± 0.164 7,P=0.020 3,and cell levels:(30.00 ± 3.587)×106/L vs.(43.83 ± 2.358)×106/L,P=0.009 1].However,according to the results of HE and biochemical detection,MLDL had no protective effect on sepsis-induced intestinal injury.Moreover,MLDL could significantly reduce the bacterial loads of the blood and lung,but do not change the bacterial level in the intestines.Conclusion MLDL has a significant protective effect on sepsis-induced lung injury mainly by decreasing bacterial translocation,but had no effect on intestinal injury.This difference may be related to that MLDL inhibits the bacteria spreading from abdominal cavity to other organs in sepsis but it causes their accumulation in the intestines.