OBJECTIVETo investigate the Malytea Scurfpea fruit (MSF) on melanocyte adhesion and migration.

METHODHuman epidermal melanocytes were treated with MSF and Ginger respectively, then adhesion to bovine serum fibronectin-coated culture dishes was checked. Control and treated cells were also examined for migration into micropore filters coated with the same protein.

RESULTCompared with control, MSF treated melanocytes were obviously easier to adhere to the dishes and move into the filters in a dose-dependent manner. When the dose of MSF was 200 mg x L(-1), it could not reincrease melanocyte adhesion and migration. At 10 mg x L(-1), under every other concentrations of MSF, there was no marked difference among MSF-treated, Ginger-treated and untreated melanocytes (P < 0.05) when adhesion test were studied. But to migration, even at 10 mg x L(-1) MSF, there was obvious increased migration compared with MSF-untreated or Ginger-treated melanocytes (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMSF has effect on melanocyte adhesion and migration, which can explain, in part, the capacity of MSF to modulate melanocyte function in vitiligo lesions.

Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Psoralea ; chemistry

AIMTo evaluate the hemodynamic effects of aminophylline and nifedipine in patients with HAPE.

METHODS10 patients with HAPE undergone Swan-Ganz catheter. The parameters of hemodynamics and arterial blood gases in HAPE were measured before and after administration of nifedipine 20 mg sublingually and aminophylline 0.25 g intravenously respectively.

RESULTSAfter administering 0.25 g aminophylline the mPAP and PVR significantly decreased, the cardiac output and the level of PaO2, SaO2 increased obviously, the mSAP, HR did not change so much. After using 20 mg nifedipine, the mPAP, PVR and mSAP also decreased, while the cardiac output, HR and the level of PaO2, SaO2 did not show any changes.

CONCLUSIONBoth of aminophylline and nifedipine can attenuate pulmonary hypertension in patients with HAPE, but the effect of aminophylline was better than the effect of nifedipine.

Adult ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; drug therapy ; Aminophylline ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Male ; Nifedipine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome