The pharmacological characteristics of recipes are multi-components, multi-ways, multi-links, and multi-targets, on which the efficacy substances in recipes are worth of studying. To explore the essential substances of Chinese herbs in recipe is one of the key points for modernization of Chinese materia medica. The pharmacological effects and bioactivities inside the target tissue of lesion body are still not clear, even though there are some progress in herb serum pharmacology, recipe pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. The main effective components of recipe to pancreas in acute pancreatitis models by ig or enema were investigated by HPLC-MS method so as to establish a new hypothesis (tissue pharmacology of recipe): i.e. guided hy fundamental theory of traditional Chinese medicine to study the effect and the mechanism of recipe's essential substances on target tissues with pharmacological methods; to establish the experimental method for searching the foundation, the principle, and the direct substances of recipes which act on target tissues; to form more effective formula if possible, and to explore in a new researching field for the recipes of Chinese materia medica.

Some traditional Chinese medicine technologies,with strong safety, quick and significant effect, standerdized manipulation, simple operation and good prospect for promotion and application are selected in the research project for application and demonstration of rural health appropriate technology. Through the application of the project, we have new experience in medical teaching.

Objective: To explore the effects of ranitidine on pharmacokinetics of rhein in rats after oral administration of Dachengqi Decoction (DCQD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Methods: Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into DCQD group and DCQD plus ranitidine group, and were orally administered with DCQD at a dose of 10 g/kg or DCQD (10 g/kg) combined with ranitidine (150 mg/kg), respectively. Blood samples were gathered after a series of time intervals. Metabolism of rhein was determined with a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with internal standard of 1, 8-dihydroxyanthraquinone and the data were analyzed with DAS 2.1 program. The pharmacokinetic parameters were compared between the two groups. Results: The pharmacokinetic parameters of rhein in the DCQD group, including peak concentration (C(max)), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), distribution phase half-life (t(1/2alpha)), elimination rate constant (K(10)) and central to peripheral transfer rate constant (K(12)), were significantly different to those in the DCQD plus ranitidine group (P<0.05, P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the other parameters between the two groups. Conclusion: Ranitidine can influence the pharmacokinetics of rhein in rats after oral administration of DCQD.

To simultaneously determine the contents and explore the pharmacokinetics of ferulic acid and paeoniflorin by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after oral administration of Modified Xiao-yao Decoction (MXYD), a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

Objective To investigate the expression of pancreatic thioredoxin-1 (TRX-1) in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) and the effect of pretreatment of melatonin on its expression. Methods Male Spraque-Dawley rats (n = 12) were randomly divided to ANP group, melatonin group, control group with 24 rats in each group. The rats in ANP group received three intraperitoneal injections of 25 ml/kg body weight 6% L-arginine at an interval of 1 h to induce ANP. The rats in melatonin group received intraperitoneal injections of 25 ml/kg body weight 6% melatonin 30 min before ANP induction; rats in ANP group and control group received intraperitoneal injections of same amount of saline. Rats were sacrificed at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after ANP induction. The serum level of amylase was measured and the pathological evaluation of pancreatic tissues was performed. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in pancreatic tissues were measured. The expressions of TRX-1 protein were detected by immunohistochemistry and the expressions of TRX-1 mRNA in pancreatic tissues were determined by RT-PCR.Results In ANP group, serum level of amylase, MDA, MPO, TRX-1 mRNA and TRX-1 protein in pancreatic tissues were (3 012 ±1 425) U/L, (4.13 ± 1. 85)nmol/mg prot,(7.45 ± 1.26)nmol/mg prot, 0.68 ±0. 18, 66.8 ±8. 1, while they were (1 835±499)U/L, (3.03 ±2.12) nmol/mg prot, (5. 32 ± 1.06) nmol/mg prot, 0.50±0.09, 80. 29 ±8. 14, respectively in melatonin group, the values in melatonin group were significantly lower thanthose in ANP group (P < 0.05). The peak value of TRX-1 mRNA and TRX-1 protwein expressions shifted from 12 h after ANP induction in ANP group to 6 h after ANP induction in melatonin group. Conclusions The expression of pancreatic TRX-1 protein and TRX-1 mRNA in rats with ANP was significantly increased. Melatonin pretreatment could promote pancreatic tissues to express TRX-1 protein and TRX-1 mRNA, and may be protective for pancreatic tissues damages.

To explore the effects of Dachengqi Decoction (DCQD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on pancreatic acinar cell apoptosis in a rat model of experimental acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immuno-modulatory effect of short course administration of somatostatin (stilamin) continuously at early stage in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with SAP (22 men, 17 women; the middle age was 49 years)were randomly allocated into control group (20 patients treated with non-surgical integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine) and treatment group (19 patients treated with somatostatin administered intravenously at a dosage of 250 mug/h for consecutive 72 hours as well as the treatment for the control group). Laboratory parameters, including the expressions of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) in lymphocytes (tested by flow cytometry) and C reactive protein (CRP), and indexes of therapeutic effect, including the occurrence of organic dysfunction, local complication and mortality between the two groups were compared. Another group of 30 healthy volunteers (19 men, 11 women; the middle age was 47 years) were recruited for testing the normal levels of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8). RESULTS: (1) The levels of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) in lymphocytes before treatment in both groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy subjects (P<0.05), but there were no statistical differences between the two groups. At the 4th day, CD(3), CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) increased significantly in the treatment group (P<0.05) while no changes in the control group; the levels of CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) in the treatment group were also higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). (2) The CRP levels of the 2 groups showed no statistical difference before and 4 days after the treatment, but the CRP level in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the 7th day (P<0.05). WBC count, serum levels of amylase, lipase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, as well as the score of APACHE II in the treatment group recovered more quickly than those in the control group (P<0.05). (3) The occurrences of organic dysfunctions, local complications and mortality in both groups were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: The short course administration of somatostatin continuously at early stage can reduce the inflammatory response, up-regulate the cell immune function and improve the conditions of the patients with SAP, but its effect on mortality and morbidity needs further study.

To investigate the nature of syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine by means of pharmacokinetic (PK) method.