The feasibility of simultaneously loading both liposoluble and water-soluble components of Salvia miltiorrhiza in emulsion was discussed, in order to provide new ideas in comprehensive application of effective components in S. miltiorrhiza in terms of technology of pharmaceutics. With tanshinone II (A) and salvianolic acid B as raw materials, soybean phospholipid and poloxamer 188 as emulsifiers, and glycerin as isoosmotic regulator, the central composite design-response surface method was employed to optimize the prescription. The coarse emulsion was prepared with the high-speed shearing method and then homogenized in the high pressure homogenizer. The biphasic drug-loading intravenous emulsion was prepared to investigate its pharmaceutical properties and stability. The prepared emulsion is orange-yellow, with the average diameter of 241 nm and Zeta potential of -35.3 mV. Specifically, the drug loading capacity of tanshinone II (A) and salvianolic acid B were 0.5 g x L(-1) and 1 g x L(-1), respectively, with a good stability among long-term retention samples. According to the results, the prepared emulsion could load liposoluble tanshinone II (A) and water-soluble salvianolic acid B simultaneously, which lays a pharmaceutical foundation for giving full play to the efficacy of S. miltiorrhiza.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the central nervous system symptoms and alterations in the blood indicators in rats within a short term after benzene poisoning.

METHODTwenty-four female SD rats were randomized into 4 equal groups to receive intraperitoneal injection of low-, medium- or high-dose benzene (39.05, 78.11, and 234.33 mg/kg, respectively) or peanut oil. Blood samples were taken from the rats via the femoral artery 24 h after the injections for routine blood test and liver and kidney function test.

RESULTSIntraperitoneal injection of benzene at a high dose, but not at a low or medium dose, caused obvious symptoms in the central nervous system. Benzene either at a low or medium dose did not produce obvious changes in routine blood test or liver and kidney function test as compared with the control group, but a high dose resulted in significant changes in WBC, PLT, ALT and AST (P<0.05). Abnormalities in the renal function were found in none of the groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONExposure to high-dose benzene can result in abnormalities in the central nervous system, routine blood indicators and liver function, but does not obviously affect the kidney function in rats.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Benzene ; toxicity ; Blood Cell Count ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; chemically induced ; Female ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Carnitine, an important compound in the beta-oxidative process of mitochondrial fatty acid, plays a significant role in the cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive system. Recently, carnitine has been used as a therapeutic in the treatment of male infertility, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, etc. Accordingly, the objective of this review is to summarize the progress in researches on carnitine as a clinical therapy in andrology.
Carnitine ; therapeutic use ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; Male

Carnitines are important conditionally essential nutrients in the organism, with extensive physiological functions, and highly concentrated in the epididymis and sperm. Carnitines play an important role not only in initiating sperm motility, promoting sperm maturation and enhancing sperm fertilizing, but also in regulating Sertoli cell function, protecting sperm against oxidative damage, reducing apoptosis of spermatogenic cell and inhibiting sperm aggregation. Accordingly, the objective of this review is to summarize the multifunctional roles of carnitine in male reproduction.
Animals ; Carnitine ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testis ; physiology

In order to investigate an effects of the hot spring within a short period on immune system of human, the leukocyte, monocytes, lymphocyte and lymphocyte surface markers: CD2, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD57 were tested in the human peripheral blood of twenty-three healthy volunteers by hot spring bathing. The results were as follows: Total number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in the peripheral blood significantly increased in an older group after hot spring bathing (p<0.01). However, we obtained a clear decrease in the number of granulocyte after hot spring bathing in the younger group (p<0.01). In addition, we found greater increase of the CD16⁺ cell counts and a clear decrease of the CD19⁺ cell counts in older group. But in younger group, we also obtained an increase of CD8⁺, CD16⁺ cells after hot spring bathing. These results indicated that hot spring bathing can regulate the physical immune system.
According to the percentage of lymphocytes or granulocytes in the total leukocytes, volunteers were divided into two types, more than 70% of granulocyte were recognized as G type and more than 40% of lymphocyte were divided in the L type. We found an increase of lymphocyte and lymphocyte subsets as well as a decrease in granulocyte in G group by hot spring bathing. But in L group, especially, indicated a greater increase in granulocyte and a decrease in lymphocyte subsets. We suggest that hot sping bathing can regulate by an autonomic nerve system, making it suitable.

We have simultaneously proved that cell populations taking charge of immunity in human peripheral blood can be regulated quantitatively by hot spring bathing. Now, we investigated the effect of hot spring bathing qualitatively on cytokine production by lymphocyte cell in human peripheral blood estimating by cytokine containing cell by FACScan. We found a significant increase in IFN-γ containing cells after hot spring bathing and an increase in IL-4 with no statistical significance after hot spring bathing. In addition, we found significant negative relationship between the level of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-1β before hot spring bathing and the ratio of cytokine that increased in variation after hot spring bathing. Namely, after hot spring bathing, there was a decrease of cytokine producing cells in subjects who had higher level before hot spring bathing. But an increase in subjects who had lower level before hot spring bathing, the trend was concentrated toward average levels in the cytokine production by lymphocyte in peripheral blood. So we suggest that hot spring bathing can promote acquired immunity to make it possible more suitable as immune reaction.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of three categorized formulas for tonifying Shen yang, i.e. Shenqi Pill (SP), Yougui Pill (YP), and Yougui Drink (YD) based on rough set, thus exploring the law of compatibility between the core herbs and the edge herbs as well as the law of compatibility between the yang-tonifying herbs and the yin-tonifying herbs in the core herbs.

METHODSThe rats were divided into the normal group, the Shen-yang deficiency model group, and the original prescription group, the core herbs group, and the edge herbs group of this three categorized formulas for tonifying Shen yang, 11 groups altogether. Thyroxine (T4), cortisol (CORT), and testosterone (T) were detected respectively. The decision rules model based on rough set was set up, the interactions between various herbs were analyzed according to the decision rules.

RESULTSThere were synergies between yam and cinnamon, yam and aconite, as well as yam and wolfberry. Poria alisma, Cortex Moutan, and oriental waterplantain tuber had no effect themselves, but they had synergistic effects with the core herbs in SP. Angelica had a certain effect itself, but its functions were different to different core herbs in YP. Licorice had no effect itself, and it was antagonistic with the core herbs in YD.

CONCLUSIONSThe compatibility of core herbs of categorized formula for tonifying Shen yang should focus on benefiting both yin and yang, as well as mutual rooting of yin-yang. Appropriate edge herbs should be chosen for compatibility according to different core herbs. The decision rules model based on rough set has a good prospect in exploring the law of compatibility of the categorized formulas.

Animals ; Drug Incompatibility ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo analyze the outcome and prognosis of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) combined with high dose radiotherapy/chemotherapy in 22 patients with nasal NK/T cell lymphoma.

METHODSFrom July 1992 to December 2005, 22 patients with nasal NK/T cell lymphoma were diagnosed pathologically. Immunophenotyping was performed in 13 cases. The patients were classified by Ann Arbor staging system and international prognosis index (IPI). The patients received cycles of chemotherapy every other two weeks or combined with radiotherapy for remission induction, followed high dose radiotherapy/chemotherapy, combined with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT), or autologous bone-marrow transplantation (ABMT). Patients were given complementary radiotherapy after transplantation if they did not have it before. Twelve patients of IPI 3 -4 received consolidation chemotherapy, and one of them received the second transplantation.

RESULTSThe median follow-up duration was 64 (12 - 168) months. The 5 and 8-year overall survivals (OS) were 79.3% and 64.1%, and disease free survivals (DFS) were 36.4% and 27.3%, respectively. The 5-year OS were as follows: for stage I - II and III - IV disease were 90.0% and 70.0% (P = 0. 041); for patients without and with B symptom were 100.0% and 70.7% (P = 0.045); and for IPI 1 - 2 and 3 - 4 were 100.0% and 60.0% (P = 0.035), respectively. Multivariate analysis by COX regression revealed that disease stage, B symptom and IPI were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONAHSCT combined with high dose radiotherapy/chemotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with poor prognosis nasal NK/T cell lymphoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; diagnosis ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDThe role of epigenetics in gene expression regulation and development significantly enhances our understanding of carcinogenesis. All the tumor related genes may be the target of epigenetical or genetic regulation. We selected some epigenetically regulated genes for cDNA array analysis and observed variability in the expression of the DICER1 gene in distinct stages of gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the expression of DICER1, an epigenetically regulated gene, and gastric cancer.

METHODSTo detect the expression of 506 tumor-associated genes, including DICER1, in the matched cancerous mucosa, pre-malignant lesion (adjacent mucosa), non-cancerous gastric mucosa and distant lymphocyte metastatic lesion in 3 cases of gastric cancers using cDNA array. DICER1 mRNA expression and DICER1 protein expression were further analyzed by Real-time PCR and Western blot in 32 cases of progressive gastric cancer. DICER1 protein expression was also detected in 33 early and 30 progressive gastric cancers by the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method.

RESULTSIn 3 cases of gastric cancer cDNA array showed dramatically decreased expression of DICER1 in pre-malignant lesion, cancerous mucosa and distant lymphocyte metastatic lesions compared with matched noncancerous gastric mucosa, pre-malignant lesion and cancerous mucosa. Real-time PCR results showed that the expression level of DICER1 mRNA in gastric cancer was significantly down-regulated compared to normal gastric tissue (P < 0.05). The IHC assay also showed that the expression of DICER1 was significantly decreased in progressive gastric cancer. Among the 63 cases of gastric cancers, 13/33 early (39.4%) and 19/30 (63.3%) progressive cancers showed negative expression of DICER1 (50.8%). The difference in expression of DICER1 between early and progressive gastric cancers was significant (P < 0.01). The result of Western blotting showed that DICER1 protein was down-regulated significantly in advanced gastric cancer (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDICER1 expression is decreased during the progression of gastric cancer, especially in progressive gastric cancers, which indicating DICER1 may play an important role in the development of cancer and the epigenetical regulation involved.

Blotting, Western ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Endoribonucleases ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ribonuclease III ; Stomach Neoplasms ; chemistry ; etiology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological features and diagnostic criteria of Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (Ewing's sarcoma/PNET) in oral and maxillofacial region.

METHODSThere were 15 patients with Ewing's sarcoma/PNET in the last 35 years at our hospital, aged 1-49 years and mean 14.5 years. The most common manifestation was swelling of the affected region. The cases were analyzed and histological and immunohistochemical studies were also conducted to examine CD99 (12E7), Vimentin, NSE, S-100, Syn, CD45 (LCA), desmin.

RESULTS(1) The most common histological pattern of Ewing's sarcoma/PNET was a lobular arrangement of uniform, small, hyperchromatic cells in a fibrous background. Some of these tumors were rich in cytoplasmic glycogen. (2) Of the 7 cases, IHC was positive for CD99 (12E7) and Vimentin and negative for lymphoid (CD45), muscle (desmin) markers. S-100 was positive in 4 cases and NSE negative in 3, Syn positive in 1. NSE, S-100, Syn were all negative in 2 cases.

CONCLUSIONSEwing's sarcoma/PNET is more common in teenagers and young people. Immunohistochemistry is essential to distinguish Ewing's sarcoma/PNET from other small round cell tumors. Immunohistochemistry is useful in the diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Facial Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Jaw Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Young Adult