AIM: To study the best harvest time of Isatis Indigotica Fort.. METHODS: The adenosine content was determined by HPLC, and at the same time, the dry substance accumulation, the alcohol extract of the herb were also compared at the different growth periods of Isatis indigotica Fort.. RESULTS:During its whole growth period, the contents of adenosine and alcohol extract increase and very fast before November. The dry substance accumulates highly in December. CONCLUSION: In consideration of the yield and the contents of adenosine and alcohol extrat, the best harvest time should be between November and December.

Objective: To study the changes of andrographolides in the drying process of the extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees. Methods: HPLC method was applied to analyze andrographolide and 14 deoxy 11, 12 didehydroandrographolide in the process. Results: The content of andrographolide descended rapidly in the whole drying process, while the content of 14 deoxy 11, 12 didehydroandrographolide ascended at first 12 hours, declined in content was slowly to follow. Conclusion: Baking temperature is not the only main factor to stimulate the transformation of andrographolide and 14 deoxy 11, 12 didehydroandrographolide.

AIM: To establish a fingerprint analytical method for ensuring the quality of Banlangen Granule (Isatis indigotica Fort). METHODS: According to pre column derivatization HPLC method, gradient elution with sodium acetate buffer (pH6.4) acetonitrile (95∶5) in a BDS C 18 column, was applied to detect amino acid at UV 360nm; and the coefficients of cosine of include angle and distance were employed to judge the quality similarity of the samples. RESULTS: The HPLC method is accurate and reproducible and makes almost all the peaks separated; and the two coefficients can show the similarity of each sample. CONCLUSION: The developed method is simple, accurate and operable and can efficiently control the quality of Banlangen Granule.

Objective To study the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, GL50-ICOS, in thyroid tissue of patients with Graves' disease (GD) and to explore their relationship with the immune pathogenesis of GD.Methods RT-PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry were applied to detect the expression of GL50-ICOS in thyroid of GD. Thyrocytes were cultured in the absence or presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The expression of GL50 on thyroid follicular cells (TFC) was further measured by flow cytometry. Results (1) In GD patients,the percentage of CD4+ CD28- T cells was significantly increased as compared with the control healthy individuals. The expression of co-stimulatory molecule ICOS was up-regulated. (2) The mRNA level of ICOS was significantly increased in GD patients than that in nontoxic goiter(NTG) patients(P＜0.01). (3)Compared with NTG control group, the GL50 protein expression was much higher in thyroid tissues of GD patients (P ＜0.01). (4)The results of immunohistochemistry showed that GL50 expression was observed in all GD thyroid tissues, while no expression of GL50 was detected in NTG thyroid tissues(P＜0. 01). (5) The expression of GL50on primary cultured thyroid follicular cells was significantly increased under the stimulatation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Conclusion GL50-ICOS is expressed abnormally in thyroid tissue of patients with GD.