Adult ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rodentia ; virology

The traditional Chinese medicine (Tripterygium wilfordiiHook.f.,TWH) has been clinically used to treat primary and secondary renal diseases and proteinuria for nearly 40 years.However,there is a rare literature about the effect of triptolide (the main active ingredient of TWH) on the expression of oxidative carbonyl protein (OCP) in diabetic nephropathy (DN).This study aimed to provide experimental evidence for triptolide treatment on DN through its effect on the expression of OCP,in order to investigate the effects of triptolide on the expression of OCP in rats with DN.Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups:control group,high-dose triptolide (Th) group,low-dose triptolide (T1) group,DN model group,and positive control (benazepril) group.The DN model was established using streptozotocin.Urinary protein excretion,fasting blood glucose (FBG),superoxide dismutase (SOD) in renal homogenate,malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal homogenate and renal nitrotyrosine by immunohistochemistry,and the expression of OCP by oxyblotimmune blotting were detected.In the DN model group,rat urinary protein excretion and renal MDA were significantly increased,while renal SOD significantly decreased and nitrotyrosine expression was obviously upregulated in the kidney.After triptolide treatment,24-h urinary protein excretion (61.96±19.00 vs.18.32±4.78 mg/day,P＜0.001),renal MDA (8.09±0.79 vs.5.45±0.68 nmol/L,P＜0.001),and nitrotyrosine expression were decreased.Furthermore,renal OCP significantly decreased,while renal SOD (82.50±19.10 vs.124.00±20.52 U/L,P＜0.001) was elevated.This study revealed that triptolide can down-regulate the expression of OCP in the renal cortex of DN rats.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; Melanosis ; complications ; congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; complications ; congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Skin ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Si' an Capsule combined Enalapril on hypertensive trough/peak ratio (T/P) and circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension (EH).

METHODSSixty patients with EH of stage II, III were randomly divided into two groups, the 30 patients in the treated group were treated with Si' an capsule combined Enalapril, and the 30 patients in the control group were treated with Enalapril alone. All patients were given 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring before and after 4 weeks treatment. T/P of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP & DBP) of each group were calculated. Circadian rhythm of blood pressure was observed at the same time.

RESULTST/P of SBP and DBP in the treated group was 62.4 +/- 7.0% and 66.3 +/- 8.1% respectively, which was obviously higher than that in the control group, 53.3 +/- 6.7% and 60.1 +/- 7.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). The blood pressure circadian rhythm recovering rate in the treated group was 73.3% and in the control group 50%, the difference was insignificant.

CONCLUSIONThe combination therapy of Si' an capsule and Enalapril could lower the blood pressure smoothly and restore the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in EH patients.

Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Capsules ; Circadian Rhythm ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Enalapril ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

To develop and validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI) in rat plasma, daunorubicin hydrochloride was used as internal standard. The plasma samples were deproteinated with methanol, and separation was performed on a reversed-phase CAPCELL PAK C18 column (3.0 mm x 50 mm, 3 microm). The mobile phase contained methanol-0.1% formic acid (80:20). Detection was carried out by multiple reaction monitoring on a HP1200-6410 QQQ LC/MS system. Different preparations of EPI solution, EPI-LIP (EPI-liposome) and EPI-LTSL (EPI-thermosensitive liposome) was administered in rats by i.v with the same dosage (12 mg kg(-1)). The pharmacokinetic model and parameters were fitted and calculated by the DAS ver2.0 software. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.01-50 microg mL(-1). The limit of quantification was 0.01 microg mL(-1). RSDs of intra- and interbatch precisions were all less than 11.9%. The average extract recovery was 89.3% and 92.1%, respectively. The pharmacokinetics of EPI in rats with all preparations were fitted to three compartments, which all fast distributed and slowly eliminated. The t1/2 alpha, t1/2 beta, t1/2 gamma, AUC(0-infinity), and MRT(0-infinity) of EPI-LTSL group were 7.5, 1.3, 12.6, 12.9, 3.7 times those of EPI solution group; and 1.6, 1.4, 12.3, 2.9, 2.6 times those of EPI-LIP group. Moreover, the CL of the latter two groups was about 13.4 times of the former EPI-LTSL group. EPI-LTSL can significantly improve AUC and prolong the circulation time of EPI in rat plasma.
Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Drug Carriers ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Liposomes ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Objective To study the effect of intensive trunk muscle training on balance and walking in pa- tients with hemiplegia caused by stroke.Methods A total of 90 stroke patients were recruited and randomly divid- ed into a treatment group(45 cases)and a control group(45 cases).All the patients were given conventional reha- bilitation training.Meanwhile,intensive trunk muscle training was also administered for those in the treatment group as well.The trunk control function,balance ability and walking ability were assessed by using the trunk control test, Berg Balance Scale and the balance subscale of the Fugl-Meyer physical performance test,and Holden's functional ambulation classification,respectively,before and after 6 weeks of training.Results It was found that all the pa- tients scored better with the trunk control test,Berg's balance scale,the balance subscale of the Fugl-Meyer physical performance test and Holden's ambulation classification after treatment,and there were significant differences between the two groups after treatment(P

AIM To establish the HPLC fingerprints of Qingfeiyucuo Pills (an agent for the management of acne,containing Scutellariae Radix,Eriobotryae Folium,Paeoniae Radix Rubra,etc.) and to determine the contents of four constituents.METHODS The analysis of methanol extract of Qingfeiyucuo Pills was carried out on a 35 ℃ thermostatic Agilent HC-C1s column (4.6 mm ×250 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.4％ phosphoric acid flowing at 0.8 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 230 nm.RESULTS Eleven common peaks with the similarities of more than 0.9 were observed in the HPLC fingerprints of ten batches of samples.Paeoniflorin,hesperidin,baicalin and salvianolic acid B showed good linear relationships within the ranges of 0.08-0.25 μg,0.07-0.22 μg,0.2-0.60 μg and 0.06-0.18 μg,whose average recoveries were 98.7％,96.9％,97.4％ and 98.2％ with the RSDs of 0.98％,1.09％,0.82％ and 1.66％,respectively.CONCLUSION This sensitive and specific method can be used for the quality control of Qingfeiyucuo Pills.

AIMTo investigate the role of MAPK in the migration of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells(HCASMC ) into three-dimensional fibrin gels.

METHODSHCASMC were primarily cultured. HCASMC migration was measured with a phase-contrast microscope in the presence or absence of PD98059, SB203580, and SP600125, the inhibitors of ERK, p38, and JNK, respectively. Phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and JNK were analyzed by Western blotting in the presence or absence of PD98059, SB203580 or SP600125.

RESULTSHCASMC that migrated into the three-dimensional fibrin gel exhibited a characteristic elongated spindle-shaped appearance and formed vessel-like structure. The number of migrated HCASMC increased with incubation time and concentration of fibrinogen in the range between 0.8 g/L and 6.4 g/L. Western blot showed that fibrin induced phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and JNK time dependently and PD98059, SB203580 and SP600125 could inhibit their activation, respectively. Migration of HCASMC into the fibrin gels was inhibited by SP600125 20 micromol/L and SB203580 10 micromol/L, respectively. Furthermore, inhibition of SP600125 20 micromol/L had a more profound effect. PD98059 50 ,mol/L, however, failed to influence migration of HCASMC. Hence, migration of HCASMC into the fibrin gels is JNK- and p38-dependent, but not ERK-dependent.

CONCLUSIONFibrin gel induces HCASMC migration into itself by activation of JNK and p38, but not ERK, which may play an important role in pathogenesis of atherothrombosis and restenosis.

Anthracenes ; pharmacology ; Cell Movement ; Cells, Cultured ; Coronary Vessels ; cytology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Fibrin ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; pharmacology ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Pyridines ; pharmacology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) on the expression and activity of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR-4) in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

METHODSMSCs were harvested from adult rats bone marrow cells by density gradient centrifugation and adhesive culture. The purity of MSC were identified with the cell morphology and osteogenic capacity. The phenotypes were assayed by flow cytometry. Cultured MSCs were treated by LPS with various concentration (1 microg/ml, 10 microg/ml or 100 microg/ml) for 24 hours. The relative expression levels of TLR-4 mRNA were detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86 and MHC-II) expressed on MSC were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of TNF-alpha in supernatants were determined by double-antibody sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSThe expression levels of CD80, CD86, MHC-II, TLR-4 mRNA and TNF-alpha in MSC were (9.56 +/- 0.69)%, (22.03 +/- 2.03)%, (2.51 +/- 0.97)%, relative magnitude (0.61 +/- 0.10), (4.97 +/- 2.98) pg/ml, respectively. After incubation with LPS, MSC expressed higher levels of TLR-4 mRNA and costimulatory molecules, and the levels of TNF-alpha were higher than that in untreated group. Among the various concentration of LPS, 10 microg/ml emerged as the most effective in increasing the levels of TLR-4 mRNA (relative magnitude 1.55 +/- 0.02), costimulatory molecules [CD80 (41.70 +/- 2.92)%, CD86 (59.72 +/- 2.00)%, MHC-II (24.56 +/- 2.19)%] and TNF-alpha [(213.12 +/- 69.08) pg/ml] (P < 0.01). The levels of TLR-4 mRNA, costimulatory molecules and TNF-alpha began to decrease when MSC exposed to 100 microg/ml LPS (P < 0.05). Except for the levels of TNF-alpha [(158.05 +/- 28. 05) pg/ml] and MHC-II [(5.62 +/- 2.31)%] (P > 0.05), the levels of CD80, CD86, MHC-II and TLR-4 mRNA were significantly lower than the 10 microg/ml treatment group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMSCs are able to express TLR-4 mRNA. LPS could activate the expression of TLR-4 in MSC obviously, but the activity is dependent on the specific concentration.

Animals ; B7-1 Antigen ; metabolism ; B7-2 Antigen ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of chimonin on pulmonary arterioles I and III type collagen metabolism in pulmonary hypertension rats induced by chronic hypoxic hypercapnia.

METHODSThirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group(A), hypoxic hypercapnic group(B), hypoxic hypercapnia + chimonin group(C). Collagen I, III and their mRNA, Blood CO concentration (COHb%), activity of HO-1 in blood serum and lung homogenate, content of hydroxyproline in lung homogenate, pulmonary arteriole micromorphometric index were observed.

RESULTSHypoxic hypercapnic rats's mPAP, Hyr of lung homogenate, content of I type collagen and I type collagen mRNA in pulmonary arterioles, were significantly higher than those in control group, pulmonary vessel remodeling of hypoxic hypercapnic rats was significant, those changes in hypercapnia + chimonin group were significantly lower than those in hypoxic hypercapnic group. Blood CO concentration, activity of HO-1 in blood serum and lung homogenate in rats of hypoxic hypercapnic rats were significantly higher than those of control group, and those of hypercapnia + chimonin group were even higher than hypoxic hypercapnic group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in mCAP, content of III type collagen and their mRNA in three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChimonin can reduce pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vessel remodeling induced by hypoxic hypercapnia through inhibiting proliferation of collagen I, the mechanism maybe is up regulating endogenous carbon monoxide system.

Animals ; Arterioles ; metabolism ; Carbon Monoxide ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hypercapnia ; complications ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; complications ; physiopathology ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley