Functional analysis concisely summarizes and concentrates on the therapeutic characteristics and features of Chinese herbal medicine. Standardization of the terms for Chinese herbal functions not only plays a key role in modern research and development of Chinese herbal medicine, but also has far-reaching clinical applications. In this paper, a new method for standardizing the terms for Chinese herbal function was proposed. Firstly, functional targets were collected. Secondly, the pathological conditions and the mode of action of every functional target were determined by analyzing the references. Thirdly, the relationships between the pathological condition and the mode of action were determined based on Chinese medicine theory and data. This three-step approach allows for standardization of the terms for Chinese herbal functions. Promoting the standardization of Chinese medicine terms will benefit the overall clinical application of Chinese herbal medicine.

Objective To investigate the role of p38MAPK in the differentiation of murine osteoblasts, and to observe the expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). Methods The calvarial osteoblasts of newborn BALB/c mice were cultured in MEM medium containing 10% NCS. Raloxifene (10~(-7) mol/L) and 17β-estradiol (10~(-8) mol/L) were added respectively when cells reached 70%-80% confluence combined with or without 5 μmol/L SB202190, an inhibitor of p38MAPK. The osteoblasts alkaline phosphatase activity assays were performed 72 hours later using PNPP method, and mRNA levels of alkaliphosphatase (ALP), OPG and RANKL were determined by RT-PCR. Results 17β-estradiol and raloxifene increased ALP activity and ALP mRNA level in osteoblasts in vitro which were blocked by p38MAPK inhibitor.The mRNA levels of RANKL and OPG were up-regulated by 17β-estradiol and raloxifene while the ratio of OPG/RANKL kept constant. SB202190 (5 μmol/L) inhibited the highly expressed RANKL and OPG in osteoblasts, and obviously decreased the ratio of OPG/RANKL. Conclusions p38MAPK inhibition blocked the differentiation of osteoblasts and decreased the up-regulated OPG and RANKL expressions in osteoblasts significantly (P<0.05).

"Prescription embodied in Preparation", Chinese medicine preparation, aims to study the specific form of Chinese medicine from raw materials to preparation for acting on patients directly. Its development has gone through three stages according to the characteristics of raw materials pretreatment, including "direct smash and initial extraction for Chinese materia medica", "Extensive extraction and preliminarily impurity for Chinese materia medica" and "Refining and purification for Chinese materia medica". With the development of new technologies and new theories, Chinese medicine preparation emerged in a new stage: structural components of Chinese medicine, with the characteristics of definited material basis, clear mechanisms, determined ADME/T properties, reasonable drug release system designs and scientific productions quality controls. This requires multidisciplinary to solve systemly the problems of Chinese medicine preparation. In this article, we reviewed the development of Chinese medicine preparation in different times, and analyzed the development and the characteristics of Chinese medicine preparation; and mainly focused on a fact that multidisciplinary promoted the study and development of Chinese medicine preparation, especially in structural components of Chinese medicine. It provides development direction and theoretical basis for Chinese medicine preparation.
Materia Medica ; isolation & purification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

As the preparation process from Salvia miltiorrhiz herbs to S. miltiorrhiz injection involves complicated technology and has relatively more factors impacting quality safety, the overall quality control is required for its effectiveness and safety. On the basis of the component structure theory, and according to the material basis of S. miltiorrhiz injection, we discussed the multi-dimensional structure and process dynamic quality control technology system of the preparation, in order to achieve the quality control over the material basis with safety and effectiveness of S. miltiorrhiz injection, and provide new ideas and methods for production quality standardization of S. miltiorrhis injection.
Drug Compounding ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; Injections ; Quality Control ; Safety ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Orally disintegrating tablets (ODT), a kind of new solid tablet that rapidly disintegrates to work in the mouth, has became the hot form of new drug research in recent years with many advantages, such as the convenient taking, a widely applicable people, fast acting, high bioavailability, good compliance, and so on. ODT has been widely used in chemical medicines, while the application of it in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is still in the stage of development The development of TCMs ODT provides a new direction for the research of Chinese medicine new dosage, accelerates the pace of connecting to the world and modernization of Chinese medicine. This dosage has a broad market prospect, and its quality control and assessment standards, taste, the disintegration time in vitro and evaluation method are the key factors that affect the industrialization, standardization of Chinese medicine ODT. Therefore, this paper reviewed the characteristics, preparation, taste masking technology and quality evaluation with new technology of ODT. Meantime, numerous application examples of ODT used in traditional Chinese medicine were described. We expect to provide the reference and utilization for the development of traditional Chinese medicine orally disinteeratine tablets.
Administration, Oral ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Solubility ; Tablets ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Taste

Chinese medicine prescriptions are the wisdom outcomes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical treatment determinations which based on differentiation of symptoms and signs. Chinese medicine prescriptions are also the basis of secondary exploitation of TCM. The study on prescription helps to understand the material basis of its efficacy, pharmacological mechanism, which is an important guarantee for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, there is not yet dissertation n the method and technology system of basic research on the prescription of Chinese medicine. This paper focuses on how to build an effective system of prescription research technology. Based on "component structure" theory, a technology system contained four-step method that "prescription analysis, the material basis screening, the material basis of analysis and optimization and verify" was proposed. The technology system analyzes the material basis of the three levels such as Chinese medicine pieces, constituents and the compounds which could respect the overall efficacy of Chinese medicine. Ideas of prescription optimization, remodeling are introduced into the system. The technology system is the combination of the existing research and associates with new techniques and methods, which used for explore the research thought suitable for material basis research and prescription remodeling. The system provides a reference for the secondary development of traditional Chinese medicine, and industrial upgrading.
Drug Prescriptions ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

BACKGROUND: Recently biodegradable hydrogel has been extensively used to delivery anticancer drug and bioactive macromolecule. However, to protect the activity of the bioactive macromolecule, we need to obtain series of hydrogel which have milder hydrogelation conditions and shorter hydroglation time.OBJECTIVE: To prepare enantiomeric poly(L-Lactic acid) (PLLA)-poly(ethylene glycol (PEG)-PLLA/ poly(D-Lactic acid) (PDLA)-PEG-PDLA stereocomplex hydrogel which has shorter hydroglation time, to physically encapsulate a model drug-lysozyme and sustained release it from the hydrogel. METHODS: Triblock copolymers of PLLA-PEG-PLLA and PDLA-PEG-PDLA were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of L(D)-lactide using PEG as the initiator and Sn(Oct)2 as the catalyst. The triblock copolymers were characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, FT-IR and X-Ray diffractometry. A hydrogel was prepared from an aqueous mixture of PLLA20-PEG227-PLLA20 and PDLA21-PEG227-PDLA21 (10 wt% concentration) at room temperature for 12 hours. X-Ray diffractometry test was used to research the gelation mechanism. The release profile of the lysozyme as a model drug from the hydrogel was tested. The morphology of the freeze-dried hydrogel was investigated by scanning electron microscope. The cytotoxicity of the hydrogel was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Triblock copolymers of PLLA-PEG-PLLA and PDLA-PEG-PDLA were obtained. Both the PEG and PLA blocks in the copolymers could crystallize, but the crystallization of the PEG block was predominant. The stereocomplex formation between the PLLA and PDLA blocks within the hydrogel was confirmed by the X-Ray diffractometry analysis. The release profile of the lysozyme from the hydrogel exhibited a sustained-release pattern with a duration period of 7 days. The hydrogel exhibited a 3D interconnected porous structure with 50-100 μm pore size after being freeze-dried. The mouse fibroblast cell viability percentage was 99.3% after the cells contacted with the 100% extracted liquid for 72 hours.

Objective To investigate changes in serum levels of antinuclear antibody(ANA), anti?double?stranded DNA(dsDNA)antibody and anti?extractable nuclear antigen(ENA)antibody before and after anti?tumor necrosis factor?α(TNF?α)therapy in psoriatic patients. Methods Clinical data obtained from 32 patients with psoriasis were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 32 patients, 13 received intravenous injection of 5 mg/Kg infliximab at week 0, 2, 6 for 3 sessions, then once every 8 weeks(infliximab group), while other 19 received subcutaneous injection of 25 mg etanercept twice every week(etanercept group). The treatments in the 2 groups both lasted more than 3 months. Serum levels of ANA, anti?dsDNA antibody and anti?ENA antibody and changes of clinical symptoms were detected and observed respectively before each treatment in the infliximab group, as well as every 3- 6 months in the etanercept group. The 75%reduction in psoriasis area and severity index(PASI75)and disease activity score of 28 joints(DAS28) were used to evaluate clinical efficacy. Serum levels of ANA, anti?dsDNA antibody and anti?ENA antibody were measured by indirect immunofluorescence(IIF)assay, Western blot analysis combined with enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results After 3?month treatment, the 32 patients achieved clinical remission to different extents. Of 32 patients receiving anti?TNF?αtherapy, 7(21.9%)developed new autoantibodies. Concretely speaking, 4 patients in the infliximab group developed autoantibodies in 8.3 ± 5.1 months, including 3 cases positive for ANA and 3 for anti?ENA antibody. Three patients in the etanercept group developed autoantibodies in 9.0 ± 3.0 months, including 3 cases positive for ANA and 1 for anti?ENA antibody. Conclusion Partial patients with psoriasis may develop autoantibodies after anti?TNF?αtherapy.

Objective To explore the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) on autotaxin (ATX) expression and its significance. Methods The recombinant eukaryotic expression vector of HBx ,pcD-NA3.1(+)-HBx,and the recombinant luciferase reporter gene vector of ATX promoter,pGL3-ATX,were con-structed and used to co-transfect HepG2 cells to examine the effect of HBx on the activity of ATX promoter. The sta-ble cell expressing HBx,HepG2.HBx,was constructed,and Western blot(WB)was used to detect the effect of HBx on ATX expression. Results The luciferase activity of pcDNA3.1(+)-HBx and pGL3-ATX group was 1.47 times as that of the empty vector cDNA3.1(+)and pGL3-ATX group(P<0.000). WB detection showed that the expression of ATX protein was increased in HepG2.HBx cells,and 1.75 times as that of HepG2 cells(P<0.05). Conclusion HBx can activate ATX promoter and up-regulate ATX expression ,thus suggests that HBV infection might enhance ATX/LPA signaling.

Objective To develop the measuring system used for the parameters of onboard oxygen supply equipment in the hypobaric chamber. Methods The programmable controller was applied to acquisition, processing and analysis of the data from the sensor. The host computer was used to accomplish control and information display. Results The system could display the parameters through digital, simulating meters, and recording curve. The numerical value in the recording curve was marked by the date and time. All data were saved in the computer for futural analysis and procession. Conclusion The measurement system of oxygen supply parameters can satisfy the desired requirements for the performance and precision.