AIM: To study the pharmacokinetics of ligustilide in the volatile oil from Angelica Sinensis(Oliv.) Diels in the rabbit. METHODS: HPLC method for ligustilide determination in the blood was developed.The HPLC system consisted of C_(18) column using MeOH-H_2O(65∶35,v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and UV detection at 236 nm. RESULTS: Linear calibration curves were obtained over the concentration range of 0.40 ?g?mL~(-1)～10.00 ?g?mL~(-1) for ligustilide.The minimum limit detection was 0.40 ?g?mL~(-1).The recovery of ligusitilide in blood was 90.90% with RSD 2.74%. CONCLUSION: After oral administration of volatile oil,intracorporal process of ligustilide in rabbit accords with 2-compartment model with 1 st order absorption,(2.6638) h and 108.88 h are obtained as t_(1/2?) and t_(1/2?) respectively.

BACKGROUND:Endothelial progenitor cels are widely used in the treatment of various vascular diseases, and early exercise training contributes to restore motor function after spinal cord injury. However, the therapeutic effects of endothelial progenitor cel transplantation or early exercise training alone are unfavorable. OBJECTIVE:To observe the influence of transplantation of endothelial progenitor cels combined with early exercise training on blood vessel regeneration and hind limb function in rats after spinal cord injury. METHODS:Eighty adult Sprague-Dawley rats were enroled to establish spinal cord injury models using the modified Alen’s method, and then randomly divided into four groups. Rats were respectively given culture mediumvia the tail vein, injection of endothelial progenitor cels (3×106)via the tail vein, roler and treadmil trainings for 2 weeks, or injection of endothelial progenitor celsvia the tail vein folowed by 2 weeks of roler and treadmil trainings in the model, cel transplantation, exercise and combined groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 2 weeks after transplantation, the hindlimb motor function of rats in the combined group was better than that in the cel transplantation group and exercise group, and moreover, the percentage of CM-Dil positive cels, the number of horseradish peroxidase-positive nerve fibers, capilary density and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were also significantly higher in the combined group than the cel transplantation group and exercise group. These findings indicate that early exercise training has a neuroprotective role in spinal cord injury; endothelial progenitor cel transplantation combined with early exercise training can promote regeneration of synapses and blood vessels and improve hindlimb motor function of rats, probably by increasing expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

Objective To evaluate the changes of platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) and vascular endo-thelial growth factor(VEGF) in infectious and autoimmunity diseaases. Methods The growth factors were measured by ELISA in 149 patients for seven times in different periods,and the levels and duration were compared. Results PDGF was (6.32±2.54) μg/ml and (2.57±1.65) μg/ml (P<0.05), and VEGF was (179.5±53.30) ng/ml and (221.4±70.04) ng/ml(P<0.05) in the two groups before treatment;There was statistical significance in dif-ferent time points between groups and within groups for PDGF(P<0.05) and significant difference for time chan-ging to the peak and changed duration between two groups for VEGF(P<0.05). For the two groups,the peak time of PDGF were (2.6±1.1) and (5.4±3.3) days;The peak time of VEGF were (2.4±0.7) and (7.2±3.3) days respectively(P<0.05 for each). However in the two groups, the change duration were (6.7±3.1) and (15.4±6.1) days for PDGF and (8.1±3.4) and (16.7±7.2) days for VEGF (P<0.05 for each). Conclu-sions There is significant difference for serum levels of PDGF and VEGF and the level change duration as well in the two groups, which maybe correlated with inflammatory nature and outcome.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological status of visceral leishmaniasis in Hamangou coal mine area of Korla City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.Methods Based on a hint of possible existence of patients, a retrospective survey was carried out house by house to find cases with suspected signs/symptoms of the disease.Meanwhile, a survey on current status was conducted, including physical examination(liver and spleen palpation) to those less than 15 years-old, leishmanin skin test and rk39 immunochromatographic strip test for part of the residents.Bone marrow smears were examined for the cases with clinical signs/symptoms and positive rk39 strip test.Sandflies were collected using routine methods in and around the area, identified, and dissected to find infection of promastigotes.Results Leishmanin skin test was performed in 185 people with a positive rate of 21.1%(39/185), 39 out of 140 local residents who have lived there for more than 6 years showed positive(27.9%) , while all residents who have lived less than 6 years and children under 5 years old were negative.Of the 81 children under 15 years old with a negative skin test, one showed positive for rk39 strip test, and leishmania body was found in the bone marrow smear of this case, so confirmed as visceral leishmaniasis.12 sandfies were identified as Phlebotomus alexandri, and natural infection with promastigotes was found in one sandly.Conclusion The investigation confirms that visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in the Hamangou coal mine area.

OBJECTIVETo prepare the submicron emulsion of fresh Zhongjiefeng volatile oil.

METHODThe Zhongjiefeng volatile oil submicron emulsion was obtained after passing the elementary emulsion through a high pressure homogenizer. The physical and chemical stability of the emulsion was evaluated with the stability parameter of centrifugation, appearance of emulsion and the pH. The formulation and processing factors were optimized by single factor reviewing and orthogonal experimental design.

RESULTBy controlling various processing factors and optimizing formulation, the stable submicron emulsion of Zhongjiefeng volatile oil was prepared. Its mean particle diameter was 164-169 nm with PDI 0.084-0.107 and Zeta electric potential was -40 mV.

CONCLUSIONThe formulation and preparation technique of the emulsion is reasonable.

Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE To establish the de tection method for the adulteration of Bupleurum marginatum in Ganmao qingre granules，and to determine the adulteration limit . METHODS HPLC-MS/MS method was used to detect the content of nepasaikosaponin K in commercial and self -made samples of Ganmao qingre granules ，using electrospray ionization ，and the analysis was carried out under multiple reaction monitoring model in negative mode with m/z 943.6→635.5 as the quantitative ion pair. The calculation method was established for the adulteration proportion of B. marginatum in Ganmao qingre granules . Taking nepasaikosaponin K as the index ，the adulteration limit was determined . RESULTS The linear range of nepasaikosaponin K were 0.051-20.200 μg/mL（r＝0.999 1）. RSDs of precision ，repeatability and stability （24 h）tests were all lower than 2.50%. The average recoveries were 97.58%（RSD＝2.09%，n＝9）. The limit of detection was 0.60 μg/g，the limit of quantitation was 1.80 μg/g. The adulteration ratio of B. marginatum in Ganmao qingre granules had a good linear relationship to the peak area of nepasaikosaponin K in the range of 5%-100%（r＝0.990 9）. The contents of nepasaikosaponin K in 15 batches of Ganmao qingre granules were 2.584-56.661 μg/g. One batch of samples exceeded the proposed adulteration limit （10%），and the unqualified rate was 6.67%. CONCLUSIONS The established analytical method can be used to detect the adulteration of B. marginatum in Ganmao qinggre granules ，the proposed adulteration limit is 10%.