Chemical constituents of the essential oil in above-ground and root of Bupleurum malconense and root of B. chinense were investigated by GC-MS compiled with automated mass spectral deconvolution and identification system (AMDIS) and retention index. The results showd that the components of essential oil in B. malconense have some similarities with the one in B. chinense, and both of them have the higher content of caryophyllene oxide which is an active component of anti-inflammatory and analgesic. These results suggested that as a local substitute, B. malconense has a certain scientific basis of the treatment for cold fever.
Bupleurum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fever ; drug therapy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

Objective To study the relationship between balance function and attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD),and guide the clinical intervention and training of ADHD.Methods The Tetrax balance system and the CPT were conducted among 124 ADHD children (age 6.0-14 years) and the normal controls.Results (1) The balance function was different between ADHD and normal controls.In junior grade of elementary school,the Fourier score of ADHD children was significantly higher than that of the normal control group in F1,F2-F4 and F5-F6 (P＜0.05).In senior grade of elementary school,the Fourier score of ADHD children was significantly higher than normal controls in F2-F4 and F5-F6 (P＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference between ADHD and normal controls in junior high school.(2) There was correlation between balance function and attention in children with ADHD.In junior grade of elementary school,the full scale attention quotient was negatively correlated with F2-4,F5-6,F7-8 (P=0.018,0.009,0.010; rs =-0.146,-0.203,-0.189),and the visual attention quotient were negatively correlated with F1,F2-4,F7-8 (P =0.043,0.039,0.046 ; r s =-0.062,-0.071,-0.112).In senior grade of elementary school,the full scale attention quotient was negatively correlated with F5-6,F7-8 (P=0.015,0.033; rs =-0.217,-0.172),and the visual attention quotient were negatively correlated with F1,F7-8(P=0.037,0.045; rs =-0.051,-0.101).In junior high school,the negative correlation was existed between the visual attention quotient with F7-8 (P=0.038,r s =-0.114).Conclusion ADHD children have deficit balance.The balance function of ADHD children matures gradually.There is internal connection between balance and attention,especially for visual attention.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of sequoyitol (Sep) on high glucose-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury.

METHODSHUVECs were cultured with high glucose (30 mmol/L) in the presence or absence of sequoyitol (0.1, 1 and 10 micromol/L) for 24 h. Cell proliferation was measured by BrdU marking and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate was used to evaluate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The NO, malonydialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 levels were determined by colorimetric method according to the manufacturer's instructions. The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSIn the present study, we found that sequoyitol pretreatment for 1 h significantly decreased cell injury, promoted cell proliferation. Meanwhile sequoyitol significantly down-regulated NOX4 expression and decreased the level of ROS, MDA and H2O2 and obviously increased NO levels and up-regulated eNOS expression.

CONCLUSIONSequoyitol alleviates high glucose-induced cell injuries in HUVECs via inhibiting oxidative stress and up-regulating eNOS expression.

Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; toxicity ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Inositol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of sequoyitol (Seq) on expression of eNOS and NOX4 in aortas of type 2 diabetic rats. Type 2 diabetic rats induced by high fat and high sugar diet and low dose of streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg x kg(-1)) and were administered Seq (12.5, 25 and 50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 6 weeks. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) and body weight were tested. Acetylcholine (Ach) induced endothelium-dependent relaxation and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced endothelium-independent relaxation were measured in aortas for estimating endothelial function. Aortic morphological change was observed with HE staining. The level of serum insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay. The total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO levels in aortas were determined according to the manufacturer's instructions. In addition, the expressions of eNOS and NOX4 in aortas were measured by immunohistochemisty, real-time PCR or Western blotting. The results showed that Seq significantly decreased FBG and insulin resistance, and improved aortic endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation function. The expressions of NOX4 and MDA content were obviously decreased, while the expression of eNOS, the levels of NO and T-AOC increased significantly in aortas of diabetic rats with Seq treatment. In conclusion, Seq protects against aortic endothelial dysfunction of type 2 diabetic rats through down-regulating expression of NOX4 and up-regulating eNOS expression.
Animals ; Aorta ; metabolism ; pathology ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Inositol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

Septic shock is the most serious stage of sepsis and the main cause of the high mortality.So far,the scientists have paid more attentions on biomarkers for the early diagnosis and therapy monitoring of septic shock.As a kind of acute phase proteins, heparin-binding protein (HBP)has functions with increasing vascular permeability, sterilization, chemotaxis and regulating cell apoptosis.When the level of plasma HBP is high, it suggests that the patient has severe sepsis with edema and vascular collapse and can beapplied as a valuable biomarker for early diagnosis and therapy monitoring of septic shock.This review focuses on common inflammatory biomarkers for clinical application of sepsis, as well the structure and function of HBP and its clinical application of septic shock.

Absrtact: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a most common form of degenerative joint disease, primarily characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage, subchondral sclerosis and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a multipotent adult stem cell population, can be isolated from many connective tissue lineages, including those of the diarthrodial joint. Joint-resident MSCs or MSC-like progenitor cells contribute to the maintenance of healthy microenvironment or to the response to trauma. The onset of degenerative changes in the joint related to abnormal condition or depletion of these endogenous MSCs and native host hyaline cartilage cells, leading to limited self-repair potential of the joint and advance of the degradation. To date, no acknowledged medical treatment strategies, including non-operative and classical surgical techniques, are efficient in restoring normal anatomy and function of hyaline cartilage in OA. This highlights an urgent need for better celled-based therapeutic strategies that supplement these functional cells exogenously to recover the tissue homeostasis and repair in joint cavity via chondrogenic and anti- in fl ammatory functions. In this review we focus on the role of native MSCs in healthy or OA joint and recent progress in cell-based researches utilizing culture-expanded chondrocytes, pluripotent stem cells, or MSCs from different sources for treating OA.

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use

Objective To evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for preoperative detection of colorectal liver metastases.Methods 42 consecutive patients with colorectal liver metastases confirmed by histopathology after surgery were recruited in the study.They all had undergone preoperative CEUS examination with contrast agent SonoVue.The number,location and size of the hepatic lesions found by CEUS were correlated with postoperatively histopathologic results on a lesion-by-lesion basis.Results 96 liver metastases in 42 patients with colorectal cancer had been resected and confirmed by histophathology.The size of the metastatic lesions ranged from 0.3～8.5 cm [average (2.6 ± 1.8)cm].From one to eight metastatic lesions were detected in one patient.21 (21.9％) metastatic lesions were equal to or less than 1.0 cm.86 of 96 metastatic lesions were correctly depicted by CEUS,with a sensitivity of 89.6％.And the sensitivity for metastatic lesions equal to or less than 1.0 cm was 71.4％ (15 of 21 tumors) by CEUS.35 metastatic lesions were found between the portal venous phase and late phase by CEUS and 19 (54.3％) metastatic lesions among them could not be detected at conventional ultrasound.The curative resection was performed in 37 (88.1％) of 42 patients.With 3 - 39 months follow-up,the intrahepatic recurrence rate within two years was 32.4％ (12 of 37 patients) and the one-year survival rate was 90.0％.Conclusions CEUS is highly sensitive for detecting liver metastases resulted from colorectal cancer,especially for small metastatic lesions.CEUS is helpful to choose reasonable therapeutic strategies and can be regarded as one of the most importantly and noninvasively preoperative imaging modalities.

BACKGROUND: Observation and comparison about space-occupying lesions due to herniated nucleus pulposus, as well as nerve root compression in lumbosacral disc herniation and manipulative therapy are easily available; however, there is still lack of related quantitative research regarding the internal pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus.OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of the internal pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus on nerve root compression in patients with lumbosacral disc herniation.DESIGN: Case control study.SETTING: Bone Setting Therapeutic Center, the Air Force General Hospital of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 30 patients with lumbosacral disc herniation received operation in the Orthopedic Department of the Air Force General Hospital between October 2002 and December 2003; meanwhile, 15 patients with lumbosacral disc herniation received manipulative therapy in the Bone Setting Therapeutic Center of the same hospital.ing positive group and negative group according to the results of straight leg raising test. The pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus was detected during operation, and the straight leg raising height was also recorded beThe size of intervertebral disk herniated nucleus was presented by the maximum vertical distance from the intervertebral disk herniating apex to the posterior edge of vertebra on CT and/or MRI transverse section.raising height.RESULTS:Totally 30 patients received operative treatment whereas 15The pressure in lumbosacral disc herniated nucleus andthe size of herniated nucleus pulposus: as for patients who received operation, the pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus was obviously higher in positive group than in negative group [(2.119±0.753), (0.483±0.420) kPa, P ＜ 0.01]. However,the size of herniated nucleus pulposus was not significantly different between positive group and negative group [(4.688±1.991), (4.857±2.033) mm,nipulative therapy, their straight leg raising height was obviously increased compared to that before operation [(54.000±16.388)°, (72.668±15.338)°,P ＜ 0.01], but the size of herniated nucleus pulposus was proved not obviously changed by CT or MRI examination after manipulative therapy (P ＞ 0.05).cleus pulposus on nerve root is related to the iuternal pressure of herniated nucleus pulposus; higher internal pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus would limit straight leg raising height while lower internal pressure has less effect. However, the compression of herniated nucleus pulposus on nerve root has no obvious relationship with the size of herniated nucleus compression by reducing the internal pressure in herniated nucleus pulposus, which may not only depend on changing the space-occupying of herniated nucleus pulposus.

· AIM: To evaluate the combined effect of rapamycin ophthalmic solution and cyclosporin A ophthalmic solution on allogeneic transplantation in a rat model.rats were used as donors. The animals were randomly assigned to 4 groups. Group A: control (ophthalmic solution solvent 100μ L); group B: 2g/L rapamycin ophthalmic solution 100μ L; group C: 10g/L cyclosporin A ophthalmic solution 100μ L; group D: 2g/L rapamycin ophthalmic solution 50μ L and 10g/L cyclosporin A ophthalmic solution 50μ L, 4 times every day. The treatment was started on 2d after operation, and the animals were administered until rejection. The grafts were inspected by slit-lamp microscope and the corneal survival time was recorded. The pathologic changes were measured by light microscope.significantly prolonged compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.01). However, the combined therapy (group D) was significantly superior compared with group B and C (P＜0.05, P＜ 0.01). The histopathological findings showed that the inflammation cells, neovascularity in each treated group were significantly fewer than that in control group at 14d after operation.a double drug regimen with rapamycin ophthalmic solution and cyclosporin A ophthalmic solution for the control of acute corneal allograft rejection. It indicats that the combined therapy produced synergistic effect.