OBJECTIVETo investigate the constituents of fermented leaves of Agave americana, and discover new compounds.

METHODCompounds were purified with silica gel and C8 reverse--phase silica gel column chromatography. The structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic evidence.

RESULTThree steroidal compounds were obtained and their structures were identified as (25R)-5 alpha-spirostan-3 beta, 6 alpha, 23 alpha-triol 6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(1), (25R)-5 alpha-spirostan-3 beta, 6 alpha, 23 alpha-triol-3, 6-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (cantalasaponin-1) (2) and (25R)-5 alpha-spirostan-3 beta, 6 alpha, 23 alpha-triol(hongguanggenin) (3).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 is new compound, named agamenoside C.

Agave ; chemistry ; Fermentation ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the bladder function in primipara and bipara within 1 week after delivery using urodynamic study.Methods Investigations on urodynamic changes were performed in 36 primipara volunteers and 12 bipara volunteers according to the recommendations of the International Continence Society(ICS).Fourteen women with upper urinary tract diseases but having normal lower urinary tract function,who had not experienced parturation were included as controls.Results Functional bladder volume(FBV)of primipara and bipara after delivery and normal desire cytometric capacity (NDCC)were respectively lower than those of control group(437?193)ml and(338?120)ml,however FBV and NDCC between primipara and bipara(310?154),(215?90)ml vs(243?141),(225?115) ml were not significantly different.The static Pure.max and Pure.clos.max of primipara and bipara were respectively higher than those of control group(87?7)cm H_2O(1 cm H_2O=0.098 kPa)and(78?8) cm H_2O(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical methods for reducing bladder cancer recurrence after surgical treatment for renal pelvic carcinoma.

METHODSFrom October 1997 to December 2007, the data of 227 patients undergoing total nephroureterectomy for clinically localized transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis with follow-up results were analyzed retrospectively, including 126 cases of male and 101 cases of female, and the age was 34 to 78 years old. There were 2 kinds of technique used in the dissection of bladder wall circumferentially around the ureteral orifice. Technique A was dissection along the ipsilateral ureter to the bladder wall. Technique B was dissection along the vas deferens to the bladder wall circumferentially around the ipsilateral ureteral orifice and division of the lateral vesical ligament to reach the seminal vesicle. Prophylactic intravesical chemotherapy included 3 method. Method 1 was intraoperative intravesical chemotherapy and then administrated once a week, 10 times in total. Method 2 was intraoperative intravesical chemotherapy and then administrated once a week from the 4(th) week after operation, 10 times in total. Method 3 was intravesical chemotherapy was given once a week from the 4(th) week after operation, 10 times in total. The time of follow-up was 1 to 10 years with regular cystoscopy. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to analyzed the recurrence rate of bladder cancer.

RESULTSRecurrence rate of bladder cancer was 27.8% (63/227). The recurrence rates of bladder cancer in patients using technique A and B were 18.0% (7/39) and 12.5% (3/24), respectively (P < 0.05). The postoperative recurrence rates of bladder cancer in patients using 3 kinds of intravesical chemotherapy regimen were 17.9% (11/67), 20.8% (10/48) and 33.3% (17/51), respectively. There was significant difference between the recurrence rates of patients using method 1 and method 3 intravesical chemotherapy (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONComplete removal of the bladder mucosa circumferentially around the ureteral orifice, administration of the intraoperative intravesical chemotherapy instillation and instillation once a week may be a useful approach to reduce the recurrence of bladder cancer after operation for renal pelvic carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; surgery ; Kidney Pelvis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Postoperative Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; secondary

AIMTo study the chemical constituents of Dioscorea parviflora.

METHODSThe chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel and RP-18 column chromatography, and their chemical structures were elucidated by IR, NMR and MS.

RESULTSEleven steroides have been isolated from EtOH extract of Dioscorea parviflora and identified as isonarthogenin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (I), diosgenin-diglucoside (II), prosapogenin A of dioscin (III), dioscin (IV), deltonin (V), deltoside (VI), methyl deltoside (VII), diosgenin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (VIII), parvifloside (IX), methyl parvifloside (X), diosgenin (XI), and a mixture of beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol.

CONCLUSIONCompound X is a new compound. Compounds VII and X were methyl ethers of VI and IX, respectively, and may be produced during isolation. Compound I is isolated from Dioscorea L., and II, IV from Dioscorea parviflora for the first time.

Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

A new compound and twelve known compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Homonoia riparia Lour, which are used in folk medicine for treatment of hepatitis, bellyache and scald, by the method of silica gel column chromatography repeatedly with a gradient of PE-EtOAc, PE-Me2CO, CHCl3-Me2CO, CHCl3-MeOH. Their structures were identified as a new compound 1-oxo-aleuritolic acid (1), and twelve known compounds aleuritolic acid (2), 3-acetoxy-aleuritolic acid (3), taraxerone (4), taraxerol (5), methyl 3-acetoxy-12-oleanen-28-oate (6), 3-acetoxy-12-oleanen-28-ol (7), ursolic acid (8), lupenol (9), 3beta-acetoxy-lupenol (10), cleomiscosin A (11), chrysophanol (12), and gallic acid (13), which were obtained from this plant for the first time, by the spectroscopic techniques of NMR, HMBC, IR and MS, separately. Among the cytotoxicities evaluation of compounds 1 -3 towards AGZY 83-a (human lung cancer cells) and SMMC-7721 (human liver cancer cells) tumor cells was assayed by MTT methods with cis-dichlorodiamminoplatinum (DDP) used as positive control. Compound 2 exerted weak activity against AGZY 83-a with the IC50 value of 33.055 microg x mL(-1), while 1 and 3 showed no activity to these two cell lines.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Coumarins ; Dioxanes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Euphorbiaceae ; chemistry ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Palmitic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether intrapericardial urokinase irrigation along with pericardiocentesis could prevent pericardial constriction in patients with infectious exudative pericarditis.

METHODSA total of 94 patients diagnosed as infectious exudative pericarditis (34 patients with purulent pericarditis and 60 with tuberculous pericarditis, the disease courses of all patients were less than 1 month), 44 males and 50 females, aged from 9 to 66 years (mean 45.4 +/- 14.7 years), were consecutively recruited from 1993 to 2002. All individuals were randomly given either intrapericardial urokinase along with conventional treatment in study group, or conventional treatment alone (including pericardiocentesis and drainage) in control group. The dosage of urokinase ranged from 200000 to 600000 U (mean 320000 +/- 70000 U). The immediate effects were detected by pericardiography with sterilized air and diatrizoate meglumine as contrast media. The long-term investigation depended on the telephonic survey and echocardiographic examination. The duration of following-up ranged from 8 to 120 months (mean 56.8 +/- 29.0 months).

RESULTSPercutaneous intrapericardial urokinase irrigation promoted complete drainage of pericardial effusion, significantly reduced the thickness of pericardium (from 3.1 +/- 1.6 mm to 1.6 +/- 1.0 mm in study group, P < 0.001; from 3.4 +/- 1.6 mm to 3.2 +/- 1.8 mm in control group, P > 0.05, respectively), and alleviated the adhesion. Intrapericardial bleeding related to fibrinolysis was found in 6 of 47 patients with non-blood pericardial effusion and no systemic bleeding and severe puncture-related complication was observed. In follow-up, there was no cardiac death, and pericardial constriction events were observed in 9 (19.1%) of study group and 27 (57.4%) of control group. Cox analysis illustrated that urokinase could significantly reduce the occurrence of pericardial constriction (relative hazard coefficient = 0.185, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONThe early employment of intrapericardial fibrinolysis with urokinase and pericardiocentesis appears to be safe and effective in preventing the development of pericardial constriction in patients with infectious exudative pericarditis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pericardiocentesis ; Pericarditis ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Pericarditis, Constrictive ; prevention & control ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo screen and identify differential serum proteins which might be involved in dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene (DMLT).

METHODSThree groups of sera were collected from population exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) (group I), patients suffering from DMLT (group II), and the healed cases (group III). After removing albumin and IgG in the three pools of sera, a comparative proteomic analysis was carried out. The images were analyzed using ImageMaster Platinum 2D 5.0 to screen the differentially expressed proteins. The protein spots were then subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry sequencing of tryptic peptides for further identification.

RESULTSThe depletion of albumin and IgG greatly increased the number of protein spots to 300 ± 12.Five differential spots were identified, which were complement component C4b, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein C-III apolipoprotein C-II and transthyretin. Compared with group I, the expression levels of complement component C4b in group III and apolipoprotein C-II in group II were up-regulated (1.352 88-fold, 1.512 14-fold, respectively); compared with group I, the expression levels of apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein C-III and transthyretin in group II were down-regulated (1.601 17-fold, 1.034 49-fold, 1.313 35-fold, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe findings of this study show that most of the identified differential proteins are closely related to immunity and liver dysfunction, which provides some evidence on elucidating the mechanisms and screening of biomarkers of TCE intoxication.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Apolipoprotein A-I ; isolation & purification ; Apolipoprotein C-III ; isolation & purification ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; Blood Proteins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; blood ; Drug Eruptions ; blood ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Proteome ; analysis ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Trichloroethylene ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the effect of hypergravity on morphology and osteogenesis function of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 ceils.Methods The cultured MC3T3-E1 cells under hypergravity by different loading forces were divided into five groups,including control group,5 g group,10 g group,15 g group and 20 g group.The experimental groups were loaded for 30 min each time in 3 successive days,and the control group with no g-value was synchronously exposed to the same surrounding.The morphology of cytoskeletal protein was observed by phalIoidin staining,The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) content was examined by ALP activity assay kit,the gene expression of ALP,collagen Ⅰ (Col Ⅰ),osteocalcin (OC),runt-related transcription factors (Runx2) was measured by real-time quantitative PCR,and the protein expression of Col Ⅰ and OC was tested by Western blotting.Results Under the condition of hypergravity,cell body of osteoblast became thinner,but its surface area increased significantly;with the structure of skeletal arrangement becoming loose,actin microfilament structure reduced so that the orderly arrangement of actin-like dispersion lowered.The gene expressions of related indicators of osteogenic differentiation including ALP,Col][,OC,Runx2 were significantly up-regulated,which was the same as Col Ⅰ protein and OC protein after hypergravity loading.A very minute quantity of small red-orange nodules was found in the control group,while the cells in experimental groups after hypergravity loading obviously formed various sizes of red-orange nodules.Conclusions Under hypergravity,changes in osteoblast morphology can be triggered by rearrangements of skeletal structure.Furthermore,osteoblast maturation and differentiation can be stimulated effectively by up-regulating differentiation-related gene and protein expressions.

The present study optimized the extraction of flavonoids from Lonicera rupicola Hook. f. et Thoms(LRH) and explored its pharmacological effects, such as resisting inflammation, relieving pain, enhancing immunity, and inhibiting pyroptosis, aiming to provide data support and scientific basis for the development and utilization of LRH. Response surface methodology(RSM) was applied to optimize the extraction of flavonoids from LRH based on the results of single-factor experiments. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of LRH flavonoids were evaluated via inflammation and pain models in mice, such as xylene-induced ear swelling, carrageenan-induced footpad swelling, writhing caused by acetic acid, and paw licking. The effect of LRH flavonoids on the carbon clearance index of monocytes and serum immunoglobulin A(IgA) and IgM levels was analyzed on the immunosuppression model induced by cyclophosphamide in mice. The anti-oxidative effect in vivo of LRH flavonoids on liver superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), and malondialdehyde(MDA) levels was determined based on the chronic/subacute aging model in mice induced by D-galactose. The levels of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1(caspase-1), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and IL-18 in the supernatant of J774 A.1 mononuclear phagocytes were detected to evaluate the effect of LRH flavonoids on the pyroptosis of mononuclear phagocytes in mice induced by the combination of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and adenosine triphosphate(ATP). Meanwhile, the effect of LRH flavonoids on the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway was also explored. The optimum conditions for the extraction of LRH flavonoids are listed below: extraction temperature of 65 ℃, the ethanol concentration of 50%, extraction time of 60 min, a material-liquid ratio at 1∶25, and the yield of LRH flavonoids of 0.553%. RSM determined the multiple quadratic regression equation model of response value and variables as follows: the yield of LRH flavonoids=0.61-0.48A+0.1B+0.029C-0.014D+0.32AB+0.04AC-0.012AD-0.02BC+0.037BD-0.031CD-0.058A~2-0.068B~2-0.069C~2-0.057D~2. LRH flavonoids could effectively inhibit ear swelling and footpad swelling, reduced acetic acid-induced writhing, and delayed the paw licking response time in mice. Additionally, LRH flavonoids could improve the carbon clearance index in immunosuppressed mice, potentiate the activities of SOD and CAT and reduce MDA levels in the liver of aging mice induced by D-galactose, and effectively inhibit macrophage pyroptosis by decreasing the levels of caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. The results reveal that LRH flavonoids possess excellent pharmacological activities such as resisting inflammation and oxidation, relieving pain, and enhancing immunity. They can inhibit pyroptosis by enhancing the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. The results of this study can underpin the pharmacological research, development, and utilization of LRH.
Analgesics/therapeutic use* ; Animals ; Edema/drug therapy* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Lonicera ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pain/drug therapy* ; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use* ; Pyroptosis

OBJECTIVETo detect absorbed bioactive compounds of the water extract whose pharmacodynamic effect was craniocerebral protection for quality control assessment.

METHODSAnthraquinones in water extract of rhubarb (WER), in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and in ipsilateral cortex of TBI rats following oral WER were respectively explored by ultra performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (UPLC-PDA) method developed in the present study. The effects of anthraquinones absorbed into injured cortex on superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity in TBI rats were detected. The antioxidative anthraquinones absorbed into target organ were evaluated for quality control of WER.

RESULTSAnthraquinones in WER were aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion. Only the last anthraquinone was found in CSF and in ipsilateral cortex under this chromatographic condition. Physcion increased SOD activity in TBI rats significantly.

CONCLUSIONSPhyscion was the main active compound of rhubarb against craniocerebral injury via antioxidant pathway. According to our strategy, the exploration of physcion suggested the possibility of a novel quality control of WER in treating TBI injury.

Absorption ; drug effects ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; cerebrospinal fluid ; chemistry ; Biological Products ; analysis ; cerebrospinal fluid ; chemistry ; Brain Injuries ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Chromatography, Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Emodin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Linear Models ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reference Standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rheum ; chemistry ; Water ; chemistry