OBJECTIVE To prepare Xiongzhi shigao decoction soluble microneedles， characterize it and investigate its transdermal properties in vitro. METHODS Two-step centrifugal method was used to prepare Xiongzhi shigao decoction soluble microneedles. The formability and mechanical property of the microneedles were evaluated from aspects of stroma fluidity， microneedle formability， needle hardness， etc. The appearance， mechanical strength， dissolution performance， skin barrier recovery performance and drug loading of the prepared microneedles were characterized by using active components of the soluble microneedle （chlorogenic acid， ferulic acid， notopterol， imperatorin， ligustilide， isoimperatorin） as indicators. The in vitro transdermal performance was investigated by Franz diffusion cell. RESULTS The soluble microneedle tips of Xiongzhi shigao decoction prepared in this study were conical， evenly distributed and of the same thickness， with good mechanical properties； the tip of the needle could be almost completely dissolved after being penetrated into the skin of rats for 2 hours， and the skin barrier recovery performance was good； the drug loading of chlorogenic acid， ferulic acid， notopterol， imperatorin， ligustilide and isoimperatorin were （87.04±1.12）， （67.69±1.23）， （20.65±0.17）， （35.00±0.11）， （153.83±0.21） and （23.52±0.50） μg per patch respectively. The results of in vitro transdermal study showed that cumulative release rates of 6 active components in this microneedle after 72 hours were 36.94%， 56.72%， 19.36%， 57.98%， 11.06% and 35.19%， respectively. CONCLUSIONS Xiongzhi shigao decoction soluble microneedles are prepared successfully in this study and have good formability， mechanical properties and pliable backing， which can significantly promote the transdermal drug delivery.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in the management of refractory hematuria of prostatic origin (RHPO). Methods This retrospective study from 6 hospitals in china consisted of 31 patients (mean age 75.0±7.5 years, range 58 to 84 years) who underent transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for RHPO between February 2011 and January 2017. Patients with RHPO who had complete imaging and clinical data were enrolled. Patients with incomplete clinical data, inability to assess hemostasis, and contraindications to TAE were excluded. The cause of RHPO was benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in nine patients, prostate cancer in twelve, transurethral resection of prostate in four, open prostatectomy in two and prostatic sarcoma in four. Superselective arterial embolization, non-superselective arterial embolization or intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy was performed according to the etiology and angiography. Angiographic findings, technical success rate, clinical success rate, complications were recorded. Results Of the 31 patients, 6 patients (19.4％) were with active bleeding, 4 (12.9％) with aneurysm and 27 (87.1％) with abnormal neovascularization on the angiogram. The 31 patients underwent a totle of 37 TAE, the technical success rate was 100.0％(37/37) and the recent hemostasis success rate was 90.3％(28/31). The incidence of mild complications was 38.7％(13/31), there was no serious complication associated with TAE. Conclusion TAE is a safe and effective method for the treatment of refractory hematuria of prostatic origin.

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.

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.

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 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

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 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

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