The teaching status of Molecular Pharmacognosy in 28 institutions in China was investigated by questionnaire and the survey data was analyzed by SPSS. Research contents included course beginning years, majors, class hours, characteristics of the course, teaching ways, the theory and practice contents, evaluation modes, selection of teaching material, teaching achievements, teachers and so on for undergraduates and graduates. Research results showed that with 20 years' development, Molecular Pharmacognosy had been offered for both undergraduate and graduate students in at least 20 colleges and universities and Molecular Pharmacognosy education in China showed good development momentum. At the same time, to promote the development of Molecular Pharmacognosy further, investment for it should be increased and practical teaching condition should be improved.
China ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; education ; manpower ; methods ; trends ; Pharmacognosy ; education ; manpower ; methods ; trends ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Teaching ; manpower ; methods ; trends

Objective To understand the changes of skin lesions in population exposed to arsenic through drinking-water in Inner Mongolia after changing water source for 12 years,and to evaluate the long-term harmful effects and the delayed injury to human body due to arsenic exposure and the effect of changing water.Methods The stratified random cluster sampling investigation objects (data derived from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Comprehensive Center for Disease Control and Prevention) of the arsenic exposure area before water reform (2004) as the foundation,in 2017,we selected three administrative villages (changed water in 2005) in Bayan Nur City of Inner Mongolia as survey sites.The objects of this study were residents who had been living in the survey site and were eligible for previous survey (n =80,35 males and 45 females).To compare the skin damage of the residents exposed to arsenic before and after the water changed,the water samples of the survey objects were measured arsenic content.According to the content of water arsenic,the respondents were divided into low,medium and high exposure groups (10-,150-,≥300 μg/L),to analyze clinical classification in skin damage before and after changing water.Results The water arsenic content after changing [1.42 (0.18-33.45) μg/L] was lower than those before the changes [238.20 (14.56-824.70) μg/L,Z =-8.34,P ＜ 0.05].A total of 63 persons with skin keratinization,7 persons with hyperpigmentation and 19 persons with depigmentation were identified after the changes of drinking water source,while 38,3 and 18 persons were respectively found before the changes.The detection rate of skin keratinization after water changes was significantly higher than that before water changes [78.8％ (63/80) vs 47.5％ (38/80),x2 =16.78,P ＜0.05].According to the clinical classification of skin damage,23 patients were normal,44 patients were suspicious,10 patients were mild,and 3 patients were moderate or severe after the water changes,compared with those before the water changes (38,18,6 and 18 persons were respectively found),the clinical fractional suspicious detection rate of skin damage in the arsenic exposed population increased,and the medium-severe detection rate decreased,and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =17.80,12.33,P ＜ 0.05).The detection rate of the clinical score of moderate-severe skin damage in men was significantly decreased,and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =7.65,P ＜ 0.05).The normal detection rate of female skin lesions was reduced,and the rate of suspected detection was increased (x2 =5.48,7.65,P ＜ 0.05).In the high-and medium-dose groups,41.9％ (13/31) and 42.9％(12/28) of the arsenic exposure population had a reduced clinical classification of skin damage.The ratios of clinical classification severity of skin damage in the high-,medium-and low-dose groups were 25.8％ (8/31),25.0％ (7/28),and 42.9％ (9/21).The differences were statistical significantly by linear trend chi-square test (x2 =12.96,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The skin lesions exposed to arsenic could be effectively improved after changing water.But the skin lesions still appear in some cases due to long-term chronic arsenic exposure.The long-term effects caused by arsenic should be explored persistently.

AIM:To observe the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) , vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) in cultured rat renal glomerular endothelial cells (rRGECs) exposed to glucose at different concentrations in vitro, and to verify the hypothesis that salidroside attenuates high glucose (HG) -induced injury of rRGECs by boosting HIF-1αlevel.METHODS:rRGECs were divided into 4group:normal glucose (NG) group, HG groups, hypertonic group and salidroside+HG group.The viability of rRGECs was measured by MTT assay.The mRNA expression of VEGFA, VE-cadherin and HIF-1αwas detected by RT-qPCR.The protein expression of HIF-1αwas determined by Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with NG group, the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1αwas increased when the rRGECs were treated with glucose at concentration of 20 mmol/L for 24h (P<0.01).Compared with NG group, the mRNA expression of HIF-1αwas decreased in HG groups for 120 h (P<0.05).Compared with NG group, the mRNA expression of VE-cadherin was significantly down-regulated in HG groups for24 h or 120 h (P<0.05).Compared with NG group, the mRNA expression of VEGFA was increased in HG groups at 24h (P<0.05) , while the mRNA expression of VEGFA was decreased at 120 h (P<0.05).Compared with NG group, no statistical difference in the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α, VE-cadherin and VEGFA in DM group was observed.Compared with HG group, salidroside promoted the viability of rRGECs (P<0.01) , and up-regulated the mRNA expression of HIF-1αand VE-cadherin, and the protein expression of HIF-1α (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:High glucose regulates HIF-1αexpression in rRGECs in connection with cell viability, the concentration of glucose, the culture time and HIF/VEGF signaling.Salidroside promotes rRGEC growth against high glucose-induced cell apoptosis via up-regulating the expression of HIF-1α.

OBJECTIVETo establish a mouse fibroblastic cell line stably transfected with PC-1 gene, and using such cell line to investigate tumor development and progression imposed by the ectopic expression of PC-1 gene.

METHODSEukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(-)/myc-his-pc-1 was transfected into mouse fibroblast cell line NIH3T3 by lipofectamine. Stable transfectants were selected by G418. The integration and expression of ectopic PC-1 gene were analyzed by PCR and RT-PCR. Cytomorphological analysis, MTT, soft agar colony formation and nude mice tumorigenesis assay were used to evaluate the effects of PC-1 gene expression on tumor development and progression.

RESULTSNIH 3T3 cell lines stably expressing PC-1 gene were successfully established and confirmed by PCR and RT-PCR analyses of the integration and expression of ectopic PC-1 gene. Comparing with the parental cell line and cells transfected with control vector, the PC-1 gene transfectants acquired several phenotypes of transformed cells: increasing growth rate, ability to grow and form cell colonies on soft agar, and becoming tumorigenic in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONEctopic expression of PC-1 gene in NIH3T3 cells can induce malignant transformation of mouse fibroblastic cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Animals ; Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Neoplasm ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Transfection

Objective To determine the prevalence rates and risk factors of hyperuricemia(HUA) and gout among residents aged over 20 years in Foshan areas. Methods A randomly stratified cluster sampling was conducted, and 7403 inhabitants were investigated on their prevalence rates of HUA and gout. Results (1) The prevalence of HUA was 15.09%, and the standardized rate was 15.27%, in which the prevalence in males was 19.90% and females was 10.54%. The prevalence of gout was 1.04% and the standardized rate was 1.08%,in which the prevalence in males was 1.73%and females was 0.39%. The prevalence of gout in patients with HUA was 6.89%. (2) Average serum uric acid was (336.4 ± 81.5) μmol/L, with (347.1 ± 88.6) μmol/L in males and (289.7±78.6) μmol/Lin females. The serum uric acid levels in male patients with HUA was higher than those in women.(3) Age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, serum uric acid, blood sugar, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol were significantly higher in patients with HUA and gout than in the normal group (P＜0.05-0.01). The incidence rates of patients with hyperuricemia and gout in the following indices as: overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P＜0.05). Patients having gout in the following indices as age, TG, serum uric acid levels were significantly higher than the HUA group (P＜0.05).(4) Data from non-conditional logistic regression analysis showed that age, overweight, hypertension,diabetes, hyperlipidemia, use of diuretics, family history, alcohol uptake, eating seafood and drinking meat broth, post-menopausal women, and other factors were similar to those factors as patients with hyperuicemia. Tea, fresh vegetables, fruits seemed to be the protective factors. Conclusion Both the prevalence rates of HUA and gout had significantly increased in Foshan areas in recent years.Restricting the intake of food with rich purine, alcohol intake as well as controlling obesity and blood pressure, improving the status of lipid metabolic disorder together with programs as hypertension control etc. were important measures in the strategies on prevention and treatment on hyperuricemia and gout.

AIMTo investigate the antitumor immunity by a dendritic cell (DC) vaccine encoding secondary lymphoid chemokine gene and tumor lysate on murine prostate cancer.

METHODSDC from bone marrow of C57BL/6 were transfected with a plasmid vector expressing secondary lymphoid chemokine (SLC) cDNA by Lipofectamine 2,000 liposome and tumor lysate. Total RNA extracted from SLC+lysate-DC was used to verify the expression of SLC by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The immunotherapeutic effect of DC vaccine on murine prostate cancer was assessed.

RESULTSWe found that in the prostate tumor model of C57BL/6 mice, the administration of SLC+lysate-DC inhibited tumor growth most significantly when compared with SLC-DC, lysate-DC, DC or phosphate buffer solution (PBS) counterparts (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical fluorescent staining analysis showed the infiltration of more CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell and CD11c(+) DC within established tumor treated by SLC+lysate-DC vaccine than other DC vaccines (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDC vaccine encoding secondary lymphoid chemokine and tumor lysate can elicit significant antitumor immunity by infiltration of CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell and DC, which might provide a potential immunotherapy method for prostate cancer.

Animals ; Antibodies, Neoplasm ; biosynthesis ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; CD11 Antigens ; immunology ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Cell Line ; Chemokines ; biosynthesis ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the association between melatonin (MLT) secretion and blood pressure changes during 24 hours in hypertensive patients (HPT) with (dipping) or without (non-dipping) night time blood pressure reduction.

METHODSThe 24-hour blood pressure and urine 6-SMT (6-sulfatoxymelatonin, metabolism product of MLT in urine) in the daytime and nighttime were measured in normal control subjects (n = 20), non-dipping HPT group (n = 32) and dipping HPT group (n = 36).

RESULTSAs expected, blood pressure reduction during the night was significantly lower in non-dipping HPT group compared to control and dipping HPT groups. Nighttime 6-SMT was significantly higher than daytime 6-SMT in all groups and nighttime urine 6-SMT levels and ratio of nighttime/daytime urine 6-SMT levels were significantly lower in non-dipping HPT group compared to control and dipping HPT groups (all P < 0.01). Moreover, ratio of nighttime/daytime urine 6-SMT levels are positively correlated blood pressure reduction during nighttime (P < 0.05) in all groups.

CONCLUSIONSCircadian rhythm of MLT secretion is maintained but nighttime MLT secretion was significantly reduced and related to disorders of circadian rhythm of blood pressure in non-dipping HPT group.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; urine ; Male ; Melatonin ; urine ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Chinese traditional medicine Yi Kang Ling (YKL) on immunity infertility caused by anti-sperm antibodies (AsAb).

METHODSWith the AsAb infertile rabbit as the experimental model, seventy-five pairs of New zealand rabbits were divided into three group including YKL treatment group (sub-divided into mini-, midi- and maxi-dosage groups), prednisone treatment group and non-treatment group. Rabbits of the YKL treatment sub-groups were further divided into M+F- (male positive, female negative), M-F+, (male negative, female positive) and M+F+ (male positive, female positive) pairs according to their initial AsAb detection results. The control group consisted of five pairs of normal rabbits. When the expected AsAb reversing ratio was achieved, the rabbits were matted and observed for the number of the pregnant and the weight of the newborn.

RESULTSStatistics showed that in M+F- pairs both the midi-dosage of YKL and prednisone treatment groups had fertility, in the mini- and maxi-dosage of YKL treatment groups, 20% of the female rabbits failed to be pregnant, while in the non-treatment group, 60% female rabbits remained sterile. The sterile ratios of the M-F+ pairs in the mini-, midi- and maxi-dosage of YKL and prednisone treatment groups were 0, 20%, 25% and 25%, respectively, while the sterile ratio in the non-treatment M-F+ group was 40%. In M+F+ groups, the sterile ratios of the three YKL sub-groups, prednisone treatment and non-treatment groups were 20%, 20% and 60% respectively. In the control group the sterile ratio was 20%. The weight of the newborn rabbits were around 50 grams with no visible malformation.

CONCLUSIONSYKL can effectively reverse the AsAb positive results, and restore the fertility of female rabbits. Mini-dosage of YKL for 45 days produced the best results and maxi-dosage of YKL had no negative effects on the weight of the newborn rabbit.

Animals ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Female ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; etiology ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Rabbits ; Spermatozoa ; immunology

Objective:To study the effect of total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae on learning and memory impairment mice induced by sodium nitrite. Methods:75 mice were divided into blank group, model group, Kangnaoshuai capsule group, Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group and Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids+inhibitor group according to the random number table method, with 15 mice in each group. The Kangnaoshui Capsule group was administered with Kangnaoshui Capsule 585 mg/kg, the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group was administered with the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids 97.5 mg/kg, the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group and the inhibitor group were administered with the Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids by intragastric administration 97.5 mg/kg, and intraperitoneal injection of 0.072 mg/kg ICI182780 for 21 days, once a day. The model was established on the 22nd day. Except for the blank group, the other mice were injected with sodium nitrite intraperitoneally to replicate the mice model with impaired learning and memory capability. The learning and memory capabilit of mice were detected with water maze method, and the estrogen receptor in hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry β (estrogen receptor β, ERβ). The expression of ERβ in hippocampus and the expression of phosphorylated P38 (P-P38) and the protein contents of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated death promoter (Bad) and Caspase-3 in the apoptotic system was detected by Western blot. The kit was used to detect MDA,SOD and NO protein content in hippocampus. Results:The latency of Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group was significantly shorter than the model group, the number of crossing platform and the residence time in the target quadrant were significantly increased ( P<0.01); The expression of ERβ Protein in mice hippocampus (0.371 ± 0.010 vs. 0.124 ± 0.009), Bcl-2 protein (1.146 ± 0.028 vs. 0.726 ± 0.016) and the contents of SOD [(153.657 ± 6.385) U/mg vs. (67.719±5.845) U/mg] increased significantly ( P<0.01); The expression of P-P38/P38 protein (0.412 ± 0.043 vs.0.806 ± 0.069), Bad protein (0.421 ± 0.010 vs.0.633 ± 0.010), Caspase-3 protein (0.923 ± 0.042 vs.1.437 ± 0.033), and the content of MDA [(8.669 ± 0.662) nmol/mg vs. (11.772 ± 1.054) nmol/mg] and NO [(4.259 ± 0.225) nmol/mg vs. (10.805 ± 0.415) nmol/mg] decreased significantly ( P<0.01). In addition, ER blocker can antagonize the above recovery and improvement effects of Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids group. Conclusion:Rhizoma Drynariae total flavonoids can regulate memory impairment, inhibit neuronal apoptosis and reduce oxidative stress in sodium nitrite model mice through ER-P38/MAPK signal pathway.

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of gallic acid,protocatechuic acid,morroniside,loganin,sweroside,paeoniflorin,hypericin,astragalin,salvianolic acid B,salvianolic acid A,epimedin C and icariin in Bushen Huoxue Sanjie Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 30℃thermostatic Agilent 5 TC-C18 column(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 240 nm.RESULTS Twelve constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r≥0.999 8),whose average recoveries were 97.11%-101.14%with the RSDs of 0.60%-2.65%.CONCLUSION This simple,accurate and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Bushen Huoxue Sanjie Capsules.