Discogenic low back pain is the common type of chronic low back pain. However,its mechanism has not been completely clarified. Considerable evidence shows that neurotrophins play an important role in discogenic low back pain. The paper summarizes the mechanism of neurotrophins on discogenic low back pain according to the pain transfer pathway of neurotrophins in intervertebral disc, dorsal horn ganglia and spinal trigeminal nucleus. Changing the pain transmission by regulating neurotrophins and its receptor will provide a new way for the treatment of discogenic low back pain.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; Low Back Pain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Posterior Horn Cells ; pathology ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal ; pathology

Salvianolic acid A (Sal A) is one of the most effective compounds isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Up to now, several studies regarding the pharmacokinetic profiles of Sal A have been reported, however there is no such study reported in monkeys, the species which is more similar to human. The aim of this study is to develop a LC-MS method for the determination of Sal A in monkey plasma and apply it to the pharmacokinetic studies of monkeys. After single intravenous administration of Sal A, the plasma concentration-time curves were observed and the main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The plasma concentration at 2 min (C2 (min)) values were (28.343 ± 6.426), (45.679 ± 12.301) and (113.293 ± 24.360) mg x L(-1) for Rhesus monkeys treated with Sal A at 2.5, 5 and 10 mg x kg(-1). The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0-∞)) values were (3.316 ± 0.871), (5.754 ± 2.150) and (13.761 ± 2.825) μg x L(-1) x h, respectively. Furthermore, this method was improved and applied to the simultaneous determination of Sal A, Sal B and Sal C, which provided useful information for preclinical studies and clinical trials of Sal A, Sal B and Sal C.
Administration, Intravenous ; Animals ; Caffeic Acids ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; Lactates ; pharmacokinetics ; Macaca mulatta ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

To investigate the chemical compounds from the twigs of Euonymus alatus, nine compounds were isolated and identified as(+)-delta(2,11)-enaminousnic acid(1), 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid(2), acetyl 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid(3), camaldulenic acid(4), betulinic acid(5), 6beta-hydroxy-stigmast-4-en-3-one(6), 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone(7), ethyl 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoate(8), 4,4'-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl(9). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Among them, compound 1 was a new natural product. Compounds 2-4 and 7-9 were obtained from the Euonymus genus for the first time. In vitro study showed that compounds 2 and 3 showed significant anti-tumor activities to BEL-7402 and HCT-8 at the concentration of 10 mg x L(-1). The inhibition rate of compound 2 was 61.78% and 68.29%, whereas the inhibition rate of compound 3 had reached to 70.91% and 84.07%.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Euonymus ; chemistry ; Humans

To investigate the chemical compounds from aerial part of Rehmannia glutinosa, six compounds were isolated and deter- mined by extensive spectroscopic analysis as(+)-(7S, 8S, 8'S)-9-O-[β-D-glucopyranoyl] asarininone(1), 2α,3β,19α,23-tetrahydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid(2),7,3'-dihydroxyl-5'-methoxyisoflavone (3), aeginetic acid (4), corchorifattty acid B (5), pinellic acid (6). Among them, compound 1 was a new natural product. Compounds 2, 3 and 5 were obtained from the Rehmannia genus for the first time. In vitro study showed that none of the six compounds exhibited obvious activities to BEL-7402 and HCT-8 at the concentration of 10 mg x L(-1).
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology

A new benzaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-4-(4-(2-hydroxyethyl) phenoxy) henzaldehyde(1), together with six known compounds, including isovanillic acid(2), pyrocatechol(3), glutinosalactone A(4), chrysoeriol(5), apigenin(6) and luteolin(7) were isolated from aerial part of Rehmannia glutinosa. The compounds were isolated by macroporous resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and HPLC chromatographies. The chemical structures of 1-7 were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis (MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR).
Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The method of monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay has a great importance in the study of quality control of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and detection of trace components in vivo animals. Synthesis of small molecule artificial antigen is the prerequisite for the establishment of this method. In present study, catalpol-BSA was synthesized by sodium periodate oxidation method. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry ( MALDI-TOF-MS) and molecular exclusion chromatography showed that catalpol was successfully conjugated with BSA. The mice could specifically produce anti-catalpol antibodies with titer up to 1:8000. The artificial antigen of catalpol was successfully synthesized.
Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; Immunoassay ; Iridoid Glucosides ; chemistry ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Euphorbia sororia.

METHODIsolation and purification were carried out by silica gel and Sephadex LH -20 column chromatographies. Compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis.

RESULTTen compounds were isolated from the plant . Their structures were identified as kaempferol (1), scopoletin (2) , kaempferol 3-O-glucopyranoside (3) , quercetin (4) , vanillic acid (5) , E-p-hydroxycinnamic acid (6) , protocatechuic acid (7), 6, 7-dihydroxycoumarin (8), beta-sitosterol (9), and daucosterol (10) , respectively.

CONCLUSIONAll the above compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time.

Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Fourteen compounds were isolated from wholeplants of Carduus acanthoides by various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over HP-20 macroporous resin, MCI gel, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as salidroside (1), 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3,5-di-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), p-coumaric acid (4), 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) propan-1-one (5), 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl) propan-1-one (6), syringin (7), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (8), salicylic acid (9), tachioside (10), vanillic acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11), syringic aldehyde (12), 2,6-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenol-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (13), and 2, 6-dimethoxy-p-hydroquinone-4-0-P-D-glucopyranoside (14) on the basis of spectroscopic data analysiS. All compounds were isolated from the genus Carduus for the first time except for compounds 4 and 7.
Carduus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo review articles aiming to present an overview of the principles, progress, uses and limitations of laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) in posterior fundus circulation research.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review was obtained mainly from the studies reported in PubMed using the key terms "laser speckle", "ocular blood flowmetry" and "retinal imaging".

STUDY SELECTIONRelevant literatures on studies of LSFG were selected.

RESULTSLSFG is a unique, noninvasive imaging instrument to quantitatively visualize posterior fundus circulation in vivo. This review delineates the LSFG principles and development, demonstrates its extensive applicability for measurement of retina, choroid and optic nerve head circulation, compares it with other retinal imaging technologies and discusses unresolved issues.

CONCLUSIONSLSFG is a noninvasive, two-dimensional objective diagnostic technique that has become a powerful method for the clinical and scientific assessment of posterior fundus circulation. Further studies may help to develop a more comprehensive evidence-based measurement and facilitate the correlation with other methods for chorioretinal circulation assessment.

Eye ; blood supply ; Fundus Oculi ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; methods ; Optic Disk ; blood supply

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for the determination of theacrine in rat plasma after ig. administration of theacrine.

METHODBlood sample was taken timely from the eyes canthus of rats. Plasma was isolated and the protein was precipitated by ethyl acetate. Then the plasma concentration of theacrine was determined with RP-HPLC. Caffeine was used as the internal standard. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: Phenomenex Luna C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) at 25 degrees C, a mixture of methanol-water (25: 75) as the mobile phase, at the flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1) and the detection wavelength of 290 nm.

RESULTThe linear range of theacrine was 0.5-100 mg x L(-1) (R2 = 0.998 9). The lower limit of quantification was 0.5 mg x L(-1). The intra-day RSD was 1.49% 4.40% and inter-day RSD was 0.80% -10.27%. The average extraction recoveries of theacrine were 90.3% -95.8% at concentrations of 0.5, 5.0, 50 mg x L(-1). The main pharmacokinetic parameters after ig. administration of theacrine at concentration of 30 mg x kg(-1) were as follow: C(max) (35.45 +/- 30 2.68) mg x L(-1), t(max) (0.51 +/- 0.13) h, t1/2 (3.13 +/- 1.37) h, AUC(0-infinity) (2.65.39 +/- 94.71) mg x L(-1) x h.

CONCLUSIONThe method has been confirmed to be simple, stable, reproducible and with high specificity, and can be used for the pharmacokinetic study of theacrine in rats.

Animals ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; methods ; Calibration ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproducibility of Results ; Uric Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacokinetics