OBJECTIVETo investigate the change regularity of ephedrine and glyrihhzine acid in Ephedra sinila and Glycyrrhiza uralencis pair medicines and in Maxing Shigan decoction.

METHODThe contents of ephedrine and glycyrrhizic acid were determined by HPLC in samples of E. sinica extracts, G. uralencis extracts, pair medicines extracts of Maxing Shigao decoction sinica and G. uralencis, and extracts of E. sinica.

RESULTThere were no significant difference in ephedrine contents amoung different samples; the contents of glycyrrhizic acid were lower in decoctions of Maxing Shigan decoction than in G. uralencis decoction and pair medicines extracts.

CONCLUSIONMacromolecular complex was NOT formed by ephedrine and Glycyrrhizic acid in decoctions containing pair medicines of E. sinica and G. uralencis.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Ephedra sinica ; chemistry ; Ephedrine ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the expression of miR-424* in 2 and 4 Gy X-ray irradiated A549 cells in vitro and in vivo,as well as in clinical lung tissues and serum sample of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients,and to explore its potential role in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer.Methods A549 cells were irradiated with 2 and 4 Gy X-rays,and some of irradiated cells were injected into nude mice through tail vein.Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was employed to detect the expression of miR-424 * in 2 and 4 Gy X-ray irradiated A549 cells in vitro and in vivo,as well as in clinical lung tissues and serum sample of lung cancer patients.Results Compared with the control group,the expression of miR-424* was up-regulated significantly in X-ray irradiated A549 cells at 1,2,12,24 and 48 hpost irradiation,respectively (2 Gy:t =-45.886--6.709,P ＜0.05;4 Gy:t =-29.087--7.833,P ＜ 0.05).Furthermore,the expression of miR-424 * was up-regulated in the lung and serum of nude mice with injection of 0,2 and 4 Gy X-ray irradiated A549 cells,compared with control group (fold change was 9.72,8.58 and 4.7 with 2 Gy irradiation and 11.93,9.22 and 8.99 with 4 Gy irradiation,t=-13.243,-12.409,-9.833 in lung andt=-6.436,-3.052,-3.609 in serum,respectively,P ＜ 0.05).Out of 11 tissue samples of NSCLC patients,6 were detected with up-regulated miR-424* expression,and no significant discrepancy of miR-424* expression was detected in two type of NSCLC tissue samples.On the contrary,43 serum samples were detected with up-regulated miR-424* expression out of 84 serum samples (51.20％) of NSCLC patients (fold change range 1.97 to 17.71),and significant discrepancy of miR-424* expression was shown in two subtypes of NSCLC serum samples [adenocarcinoma:39.10％ (18/46) and squamous carcinoma:65.8％ (25/38)],as well as in serum samples of NSCLC patients with radiotherapy [41.5％ (22/53)] and without radiotherapy [67.7％ (21/31)] (t=5.919,5.387,P ＜0.05,respectively).Conclusions 2 and 4 Gy X-ray irradiation could up-regulate the expression of miR-424* in A549 cells,which might be correlated with the enhanced metastasis of A549 cells induced by X-ray in vivo and in vitro.Furthermore,the expression of miR-424* was up-regulated in over 50％ of the tissue and serum samples of NSCLC patients,which might be correlated with the diagnosis of NSCLC subtype and prognosis of radiotherapy.

Objective To study the effects of medicated serum with total saponins from Rhizoma Dioscreae Nipponicae (RDN) on VEGF mRNA expression and AP-1 activity in rat synovial cell strain RSC-364 induced by IL-17 and TNF-α. To investigate the mechanism about total saponin from RDN inhibition of angiogenesis. Methods Medicated serum of total saponins from RDN and tripterygium (positive control) were prepared. Rat synovial cells RSC-364 were divided into four groups: the blank control,IL-17+TNF-α model,tripterygium medicated serum,and total saponins medicated serum groups. After one hour of incubation,all groups except for the blank control were incubated with both IL-17(10 μg·L-1 ) and TNF-α(10 μg·L-1 ) for 24 hours. VEGF mRNA expression in RSC-364 was detected by PrimeScriptTM real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) detection kit,and the AP-1 DNA-binding activity was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results Compared with the control blank group,both of the VEGF mRNA expression and AP-1 activity in rat synovial cell strain RSC-364 induced by IL-17 and TNF-α increased remarkably (P<0. 05,P<0.01). The VEGF mRNA expression and AP-1 activity in tripterygium medicated serum group and total saponins medicated serum group were remarkably lower than those of the model control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two medicated serum groups. Conclusion Serum medicated with total saponins from RDN can remarkably decrease VEGF mRNA expression and AP-1 activity,indicating that the total saponins from RDN could influence VEGF secretion by inhibiting the AP-1 signal transduction pathway,VEGF is the key factor of angiogenesis,thereby to restrain angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVETo determine the change pattern of alkaline and acid components of Dahuang and Fuzi in different combinations.

METHODThe contents of anthraquinones and aconite alkaloids were determined by HPLC in samples of Dahuang extracts, Fuzi extracts, Dahuang and Fuzi pair medicines extracts, and extracts of whole recipe.

RESULTAs for Dahuang, the contents of anthraquinones were decreased with changes of combination: higher contents were in decoctions of Dahuang alone, lower contents were in decoctions of pair medicines, and the lowest contents were in decoctions of whole recipe. As for Fuzi, monoester aconite alkaloids could be detected in water extracts, and both biester and monoester aconite alkaloids could be detected in ethanol extracts. The contents of aconite alkaloids were decreased with changes of combinations: from Fuzi alone to pair medicines, and to whole recipe. The change pattern was more apparent when extracted in water decoction.

CONCLUSIONThe contents of alkaline and acid components are changed with different extract methods and different combinations.

Acids ; analysis ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; Alkalies ; analysis ; Alkaloids ; analysis ; Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Rheum ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the clinical value of chest CT in assessment and diagnosis of mass in breast area in children. Methods The chest CT data of 30 cases under 16 year-old with breast area mass confirmed by surgery and pathology were analyzed retrospectively.Of 30 patients,28 also underwent contrast enhanced CT scan,and 4 underwent both CT and MRI.Results CT detected all the 37 masses in the 30 cases with the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of 100% and 78.38%,respectively.The long diameter of masses were from 9 mm to 80 mm (average 34.5 mm).CT also detected accurately the intrathoracic invasion,rib and lung metastases, lymph nodes enlargement,patent ductus arteriosus and postoperative changes of lung congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. Conclusion Chest CT is useful in the assessment and diagnosis of mass in breast area in children.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical structures of macromolecular complexes formed by aconitine and glycyrrhizic acid, aconitine and rhein, berberine and rhein, ephedrine and glycyrrhizic acid in decoctions.

METHODThe binding energy of reactants and products was determined by X-ray spectrography, the ground level charge distribution of products was caculated by density function theory of quantum chemistry.

RESULTThe binding energy of aconitine and glycyrrhizic acid, aconitine and rhein, berberine and rhein were changed after reaction. The characteristic atoms in the molecular structures of acid components have higher positive electric charge, while the ones in alkaline components have higher negative charge.

CONCLUSIONAconitine and glycyrrhizic acid, aconitine and rhein, berberine and rhein can form macromolecular complexes, ephedrine and glycyrrhizic acid can not.

Acids ; chemistry ; Alkalies ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo determine the change pattern of alkaline and acid components of Dahuang and Huangbai amoung different combinations in Dahuang Xiaoshi decotion.

METHODThe contents of anthraquinones and berberine were determined by HPLC in samples of Dahuang extracts, Huangbai extracts, Dahuang and Huangbai pair medicine extracts, and extracts of whole recipe.

RESULTThe contents of anthraquinones and berberine were decreased with the changes of combinations: from component medicinal material alone to pair medicines, and to whole recipe. the change pattern was more apparent in water decoctions than in ethanol extracts.

CONCLUSIONThe contents of alkaline and acid components are changed with different extract methods and different combinations.

Acids ; analysis ; Alkalies ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phellodendron ; chemistry ; Rheum ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo determine the change pattern of alkaline and acid components of Fuzi and gancao amoung different combinations in Sini Decotion.

METHODThe contents of aconite alkaloids and glycyrrhizic acid were determined by HPLC in samples of Fuzi extracts, gancao extracts, Fuzi and gancao pair medicines extracts, and extracts of whole recipe.

RESULTAs for Fuzi, monoester aconite alkaloids could be detected in water extracts, and both biester and monoester aconite alkaloids could be detected in ethanol extracts. The contents of aconite alkaloids were decreased with changes of combinations: from Fuzi alone to pair medicines, and to whole recipe. The change pattern was more apparent when extracted in water decoction. As for Gancao, the glycyrrhizic acid was lowered from single medicine to pair medicines, and to whole recipe.

CONCLUSIONThe contents of alkaline and acid components were changed with different extract methods and different combinations of Fuzi and Gancao.

Acids ; analysis ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; Alkalies ; analysis ; Alkaloids ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; analysis

Objective To investigate the expressions of miR-21 in clinical lung tissues,serum of lung cancer patients and X-ray irradiated A549 cells in vitro and in vivo.Methods A549 cells were irradiated with 2 and 4 Gy X-rays,and pulmonary metastasis model of lung cancer in nude mice was established to detect the expression of miR-21 in vitro and in vivo,as well as in clinical lung tissues of different pathological types serum sample of lung cancer patients and NSCLC patients whether or not received radiotherapy.The survival rate was further analyzed in the above mention NSCLC patients.Results The miR-21 expressions was up-regulated in 60.0％ of tissue samples of NSCLC patients,and it was up-regulated in 50.5％ serum samples of lung cancer patients (52 out of 103).The miR-21 expressions in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma had significant difference (x2 =5.766,P ＜ 0.05).In the serum samples of 87 NSCLC patients,miR-21 was detected in 66.7％ samples from the patients of radiotherapy but only 39.6％ of patients without radiotherapy (x2 =6.321,P ＜ 0.05).Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the survival rate of patients with low miR-21 expression was higher than that with high miR-21 expression (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the miR-21 expression,regional lymph node metastasis and radiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for NSCLC patients.The expression of miR-21 was up-regulated significantly in X-ray irradiated A549 cells at different time-points after irradiation (t =-7.552--1.206,P ＜ 0.05).Furthermore,the expression of miR-21was up-regulated in the serum and lung of nude mice (t =-47.845--2.356,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The X-ray irradiation could up-regulate the expression of miR-21 in A549 cells in vitro and in vivo,which might be correlated with the enhanced metastasis of A549 cells.

Compatibility chemistry of acid-alkaline pair medicines in formulas of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important research field which should merit to pay attention. The ideas and methods in prescription compatibility research on formulas containing alkaline-acid pair medicines were summarized from the aspect of chemical groups of alkaline and acid ingredients; the research results were introduced and analyzed; the research meaning was elaborated; and the expectation of the field was viewed.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drug Incompatibility ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research