OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents contained in Acorus calamus.

METHODThe chemical constituents were separated and purified by various chromatographic methods including silica gel, ODS, HPLC and Sephadex LH-20, and their structures were identified on the basis of analysis on spectroscopic data.

RESULTTen compounds were separated from A. calamus and identified as 1beta, 4beta, 7alpha-trihydroxyeudesmane (1), bullatantriol (2), teuclatriol (3), threo-1', 2'-dihydroxyasarone (4), erythro-1', 2'-dihydroxyasarone (5), (+)-de-4'-O-methyleudesmin (6), (+)-de-4'-0-methylmagnolin (7), (+)-eudesmin (8), (+)-magnolin (9) and beta-sitosterol (10), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-2,4-9 were separated from this plant for the first time. Specifically, compounds 1-2,6-9 were obtained from Acorus genus for the first time.

Acorus ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The aim of the study is to investigate rat intestinal absorption behavior of three main active components, schisandrol A, schisandrin A and schisandrin B in Schisandra chinensis Baill extracts in intestine of rats. With phenol red as the indicator, in situ single pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model was used and the concentrations of three main active components in perfusion solution of different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were determined by HPLC in combination with diode array detection. The results showed that the absorption rate constant (Ka) and effective permeability values (Peff) of three main active components in Schisandra chinensis Baill extracts had significant difference (P < 0.05) at different concentrations of perfusion solution, the Ka and Peff first increased and then decreased with the increase of drug concentration, the middle concentration was higher than those of the other two concentrations. The saturate absorption phenomena were observed, and it suggested that the transport mechanisms of three main active components in vivo were similar to active transport or facilitated diffusion. Three active components can be well absorbed in all of the intestinal segments, while duodenum is the best absorption region. The Ka and Peff of three active components in jejunum and ileum had no significant difference (P > 0.05). The absorption of the three active components displayed significant difference (P < 0.05) at different intestinal segments of rats. Schisandrin A had the best absorption in duodenum. The Ka and Peff among three active components were sequenced as follows: schisandrin A > schisandrin B > schisandrol A in other intestinal segments, and there is significant difference (P < 0.05) between them.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Colon ; metabolism ; Cyclooctanes ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Lignans ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Perfusion ; Permeability ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polycyclic Compounds ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schisandra ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of carboxymethyl chitosan calcium (CCC) on concentration of lead, calcium and zinc, and the liver antioxidative capacity in lead poisoned mice.

METHODSMice were randomly divided into 7 groups, including normal group, calcium carbonate group, lead-model group, and three experimental groups treated with CCC in three different doses, and the CaNa2EDTA positive control group. The lead poisoned mice model was established by giving water contained with lead acetate. CCC was administrated to mice i.g. once a day. Thirty days later, mice were killed and the concentrations of lead, calcium and zinc in blood, liver, brain and femur were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Maleic dialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in liver were measured by using assay kit.

RESULTSCCC significantly reduced the concentration of lead in blood, brain, liver and femur from about 1.56 microg/g, 13.38 microg/g, 16.15 microg/g, 1011.62 microg/g to about 0.50 microg/g, 5.57microg/g, 5.64 microg/g, 457.86 microg/g, and markedly increased the concentration of calcium in femur in lead poisoned mice. CCC had no significant side-effects on concentration of zinc in lead poisoned mice. The antioxidative profile was favorably changed as manifested by decreasing the level of MDA, increasing the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and T-AOC in livers of the in lead poisoned mice.

CONCLUSIONCCC might significantly advance the excretion of lead, increase the concentration of calcium in femur and the antioxidative capacity in lead-loaded mice.

Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Chitosan ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Female ; Femur ; chemistry ; Lead ; metabolism ; Lead Poisoning ; metabolism ; Liver ; chemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Zinc ; metabolism

Due to abstract and intricate theories of TCM theories, its essential characteristics are difficult to master, so the mechanism can be better explored through study on quantification of prescription properties. At present, quantification research by many scholars mainly adopts isolated research model limited to one or several kinds of TCM properties, which is difficult to reveal treatment mechanism of prescriptions. The development of big data and cloud computing technology provides a new way for the deep analysis of massive and complex TCM information. Based on syndrome differentiation, it is trending in prescription quantification to employ a comprehensive analysis by using "four properties - five flavors - channel tropism - ascending and descending, floating and sinking - toxicity -efficacy" overall on macroscopic level to analyze and quantify the characteristics of TCM prescriptions and their relationships among each other. This article reviewed recent research progress in the quantification of prescription properties and provided references for the modernization and specification of quantification of prescription properties.

BACKGROUNDThe epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) maybe changed by strict infection control measures, and the impact of empirical antibiotic therapy on the outcomes of MRSA infection was not clear. We aimed to investigate the present epidemiological status of MRSA infection and empirical antibiotic therapy for MRSA infection in university teaching hospitals in mainland China.

METHODSThe present study was a multicenter prospective observational study conducted in five university teaching hospitals. Patients who were consecutively admitted to the intensive care unit and signed a consent form from March 3, 2011 to May 31, 2011 were included. Patients with age <18 years or with a length of hospital stay <48 hours were excluded from this study. The following variables were collected or recorded: demographic data, general status, APACHE II score of the patient at the time of admission, infections, and the use of antibiotics during a stay. Primary outcomes and prognostic indicators included length of hospital stay and 28-day and 90-day mortality. The differences between the patients with appropriate empirical therapy and patients with inappropriate therapy were analyzed to detect the influences of antibiotic therapy on the prognosis of MRSA infection.

RESULTSA total of 682 cases were enrolled. Thirty (66.2%) of 88 MRSA cases were treated with effective antibiotics for MRSA infection; only 20% received appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment. The empirical therapy group compared with the target therapy group had a shorter length of stay, but there were no significant differences in mortality rates. There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay, length of stay, and 28-day and 90-day mortality between MRSA-infected patients who received or not received effective antibiotics. Two hundred and eighteen cases received sensitive antibiotics for MRSA.

CONCLUSIONSThe MRSA infection rates are at relatively low levels in university teaching hospitals in China. The empirical use of sensitive antibiotics for MRSA infection was at relatively high rate, and there is a tendency of overusing in patients without MRSA infection. On the other hand, the rate of appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy for patients with MRSA infection is relatively low.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Staphylococcal Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology

BACKGROUNDPDK1 is an essential protein kinase that plays a critical role in mammalian development. Mouse lacking PDK1 leads to multiple abnormalities and embryonic lethality at E9.5. To elucidate the role of PDK1 in the heart, we investigated the cardiac phenotype of mice that lack PDK1 in the heart in different growth periods and the alteration of PDK1 signaling in human failing heart.

METHODSWe employed Cre/loxP system to generate PDK1(flox/flox): α-MHC-Cre mice, which specifically deleted PDK1 in cardiac muscle at birth, and tamoxifen-inducible heart-specific PDK1 knockout mice (PDK1(flox/flox):MerCreMer mice), in which PDK1 was deleted in myocardium in response to the treatment with tamoxifen. Transmural myocardial tissues from human failing hearts and normal hearts were sampled from the left ventricular apex to analyze the activity of PDK1/Akt signaling pathways by Western blotting.

RESULTSPDK1(flox/flox): α-MHC-Cre mice died of heart failure at 5 and 10 weeks old. PDK1(flox/flox) -MerCreMer mice died of heart failure from 5 to 21 weeks after the initiation of tamoxifen treatment at 8 weeks old. We found that expression levels of PDK1 in human failing heart tissues were significantly decreased compared with control hearts.

CONCLUSIONOur results suggest that PDK1 signaling network takes part in regulating cardiac viability and function in mice, and may be also involved in human heart failure disease.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases ; Adult ; Animals ; Female ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; physiology ; Heart ; physiology ; Heart Failure ; enzymology ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Middle Aged ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; physiology ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology

This paper reviewed the worldwide research progresses of the genus Laggera both on phytochemical and pharmacological work in the past few decades. The main secondary metabolites of this genus are proved to be sesquitepenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Phamacological investigations revealed that the certain extracts of some Laggera species possess significant bioactivities on anti-inflammation, anti-tumor and anti-viral infection. This review afforded the comprehensive description of the active components as to provide useful references to elucidate their historical clinical application on upper respiratory infection, influenza, parotitis, and recurrent herpes viral infection.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; drug therapy ; Molecular Structure ; Parotitis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Ranunculaceae ; chemistry ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use

Adipose Tissue ; Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Animals ; Iodine ; Norepinephrine ; Rats ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of self-prescribed Guchong Decoction combined with Ferroids for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA)patients with unconsolidation of thoroughfare and conception vessels. Methods A total of 70 IDA patients with unconsolidation of thoroughfare and conception vessels were randomized into treatment group and control group,35 cases in each group. The control group was given oral use of Ferroids, and the treatment group was treated with self-prescribed Guchong Decoction combined with Ferroids. One month constituted a treatment course,and both groups were treated for 2 courses. Before and after treatment,we compared the parameters of blood routine test for red blood cells(RBC),hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration (MCHC),white blood cells(WBC)and platelets,as well as reticulocytes(Ret)and iron metabolism indexes including serum iron(SI),serum ferritin(SF),and total iron-binding capacity(TIBC). The adverse reaction was monitored during the treatment. After treatment,both western medicine clinical efficacy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)syndrome clinical efficacy of the two groups were evaluated. A 3-month follow-up was carried out after treatment to evaluate the recurrence rate. Results(1)Drop-out occurred in one case from the treatment group and in 2 cases from the control group because of short-term medication suspension.(2)After treatment for 2 months, western medicine clinical cure rate of the treatment group was 82.4％ and that of the control group was 60.6％, and TCM syndrome clinical cure rate of the treatment group was 94.1％ and that of the control group was 51.5％,the difference being significant(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).(3)The levels of RBC,HGB,Ret, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and WBC of the two groups were obviously increased after treatment (P < 0.01), and PLT level was markedly decreased (P < 0.01)as compared with those before treatment,but the inter-group differences after treatment were insignificant (P > 0.05). (4)After treatment,iron metabolism indexes of SF and SI of the two groups were significantly increased (P < 0.01), and TIBC of the treatment group was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The treatment group had stronger effect on increasing SF and SI and on decreasing TIBC than the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (5)The incidence of adverse reaction and the recurrence rate in the treatment group were lower than those of the control group,the difference being significant (P< 0.01). Conclusion Guchong Decoction combined with Ferroids is effective for the treatment of IDA with unconsolidation of thoroughfare and conception vessels through relieving symptoms rapidly, reducing gastrointestinal adverse reaction,and decreasing recurrent rate.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of intracoronary diltiazem on no-reflow phenomenon of infarct-related artery (IRA) after emergent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or/and intracoronary stenting (PTCA/Stenting) in the patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: We studied 34 AMI patients with no-reflow phenomenon of IRA after emergent PTCA/Stenting between January 1999 and August 2005. Urokinase-treated group (n=16) was given intracoronary urokinase 30,0000 - 50,0000 units within 15 - 30 minutes between January 1999 and April 2002 while diltiazem-treated group (n=18) was given intracoronary diltiazem 0.5 - 2 mg within 10 - 30 minutes between May 2002 and August 2005. Fifteen minutes later, coronary arteriography (CAG) was performed and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade was measured. RESULTS: No apparent change of TIMI flow grade was found between pre-administration and post-administration of intracoronary urokinase, but TIMI flow grade was significantly improved after intracoronary diltiazem (P<0.01). TIMI flow grade of diltiazem-treated group was significantly higher than that of urokinase-treated group after the administration (P<0.05). The percentage of the patients who reached TIMI flow grade 3 after the intracoronary administration was higher in the diltiazem-treated group than that in the urokinase-treated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION The intracoronary administration of diltiazem 0.5~2mg can effectively improve the no-reflow phenomenon after emergent PTCA/Stenting in patients with AMI.
Adult ; Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Diltiazem ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy ; No-Reflow Phenomenon ; drug therapy ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome