This study is to establish an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for simultaneous determination of 5 flavones and saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae including neo-mangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin B II, timosaponin B III and timosaponin A III. Samples were analyzed on a Merck Purospher STAR column(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile( A) and 0. 1% formic acid (B) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1). The column temperature was set at 40 °C. The DAD detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the nebulizing gas flow rate was 2.0 L · min(-1) and temperature of drift tube was 105 °C. The volume was 10 μL. The five compounds were well separated with good linear correlations. The mean recoveries were between 102.0%-104.0%. This method was quick and reliable which provides a foundation for quality control of R. Anemarrhenae.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

Objective To learn the quality of life (QOL) and mental health status of the physically disabled people in Zhejiang Province,in order to provide evidence for improving the quality of life and mental health of the physically disabled people.Methods Using questionnaires and interviews to make household surveys of 950 physically disabled people.The questionnaire included the brief quality of life scale (SF-36) and the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) in the anxiety and depression scale,physical and mental health status.The basic information and other living conditions of physically disabled people were collected through interviews.Results A total of 907 valid questionnaires were recovered,and the effective response rate was 95.47％.Scores of QOL of 907 physically disabled people was 60.89,and anxiety and depression scores were more than 4 points and there was a high score on anxious and depression.The scores of quality of life,anxiety and depression were not statistically significant between males and females(P ＞0.05).There were significant differences in all dimensions of SF-36 and anxiety and depression in different levels of physically disabled people(P ＜ 0.01).There was a significant negative correlation between the quality of life and anxiety and depression in physically disabled people(rs =-0.626、-0.639,P ＜ 0.01).The multiple linear regression showed that physiological function,role physical,physical pain and general health were the influencing factors of anxiety of the physically disabled people,and role physical,physical pain and general health were the influencing factors of depression of the physically disabled people.Condusion The quality of life of physically disabled people were comparably poor,and presented anxiety,depression and other psychological problems.Physical function status directly affects the quality of life and mental health status.

BACKGROUNDVaccinium uliginosum L. is a type of blueberry found in the Chinese Changbai Mountains. We extracted Vaccinium uliginosum Anthocyanins (A(V.uli)) to investigate its bioactivity on suppressing cancer cells.

METHODSA(V.uli) was extracted under different conditions of temperature (10°C - 35°C), pH 1.0 - 3.0, and diatomaceous earth (1.0 g - 3.0 g), followed by a HPLC analysis for the determination of the ingredients. Its anticancer bioactivities on human colon and colorectal cancer cells (DLD-1 and COLO205) were compared with those on Lonicera caerulea Anthocyanins (A(L.cae)) and Vaccinium myrtillus Anthocyanins (A(V.myr)), using cell viability assays, DNA electrophoresis and nuclear morphology assays.

RESULTSThe optimum process of A(V.uli) extraction involved conditions of temperature 20°C, pH 2.0, and diatomaceous earth 1.0 g/50 g of fruit weight. A(V.uli) contained 5 main components: delphinidin (40.70 ± 1.72)%, cyanidin (3.40 ± 0.68)%, petunidin (17.70 ± 0.54)%, peonidin (2.90 ± 0.63)% and malvidin (35.50 ± 1.11)%. The malvidin percentage was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than it in A(V.myr). A(V.uli) complied with a dose-dependent repression of cancer cell proliferation with an IC(50) (50% inhibitory concentration) value of 50 µg/ml, and showed greater anticancer efficiency than A(L.cae) and A(V.myr) under the same cell treatment conditions. These observations were further supported by the results of nuclear assays.

CONCLUSIONSThe extraction protocol and conditions we used were effective for anthocyanin extraction. A(V.uli) could be a feasible practical research tool and a promising therapeutic source to suppress human colon or colorectal cancers.

Anthocyanins ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blueberry Plants ; chemistry ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; DNA Fragmentation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of how iron-regulatory protein (hepcidin) affect iron overload in alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

METHODSThirty male wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Lieber-Decarli liquid without alcohol group (control group), Lieber-Decarli liquid with alcohol (alcohol group) and hepcidin intraperitoneally injected group (hepcidin group), each rat was fed for 6 weeks. The Serum concentration of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST), Iron, Total Iron Binding capacity (TIBC), Ferritin, Malonyl Dialdehyde (MDA) and Hepcidin were determined. Hepatic tissue was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, prussian blue iron staining and immunohistochemistry staining.

RESULTS(1) Serum concentration of ALT in control group, alcohol group and hepcidin group were (25.2 ± 4.6) U/L, (37.9 ± 14.3) U/L and (40.9 ± 14.1) U/L (F = 4.907, P < 0.05), respectively. Serum AST among three groups were (32.3 ± 13.4) U/L, (55.0 ± 18.6) U/L and (48.3 ± 26.0) U/L (F = 3.742, P < 0.05), respectively. The secretions of ferritin were (224.72 ± 85.49) ng/ml, (345.59 ± 124.75) ng/ml and (339.47 ± 138.47) ng/ml (F = 3.539, P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of TIBC were (147.30 ± 31.98) μmol/L, (148.04 ± 58.74) μmol/L and (143.28 ± 37.38) μmol/L (F = 1.209, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentrations of iron were (55.64 ± 13.32) μmol/L, (60.37 ± 25.89) μmol/L and (49.77 ± 17.64) μmol/L (F = 0.651, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentration of MDA were (5.84 ± 2.17) nmol/ml, (6.51 ± 2.23) nmol/ml and (4.27 ± 2.68) nmol/ml (F = 2.782, P > 0.05), respectively. The serum concentration of Hepcidin were (155.96 ± 44.91)ng/ml, (124.11 ± 31.98) ng/ml and (114.96 ± 25.81) ng/ml (F = 3.839, P < 0.05), respectively. (2) Significant fat change observed in the liver of alcohol group. The positive granulations of iron staining were (0.8 ± 1.0), (1.2 ± 1.6) and (1.1 ± 1.1) (F = 0.254, P > 0.05), respectively. No differences found of liver iron express among the three groups. Intraperitoneal injection of hepcidin increased hepcidin expression in liver which was inhibited by alcohol (F = 4.139, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSALD rats with lower hepcidin expression in liver can result in iron metabolism disorder. Ectogenic hepcidin can protect liver against alcohol damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; metabolism ; Hepcidins ; Iron-Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms for platelet-neutrophils cross talk mediated by platelet-activating factor (PAF) and to lay a foundation for clinical application, ginkgolides B (GB), a PAF receptor antagonist, was added in the whole blood to block the effects of PAF on activation of platelet-neutrophil; PAF and ADP were respectively added in the whole blood to monitor the expression of CD62P on platelet by flow cytometry; PAF and ADP were added in the whole blood to monitor the expression of CD11b on neutrophil by flow cytometry; PAF and ADP were added in the whole blood to monitor the platelet-leucocyte aggregates (PLA) which were PLA in the total leucocyte population (PLA/L) and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD42b. Outcomes were analyzed by t-test, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results showed that the expression of CD62P on platelats, the expression of CD11b on neutrophils and PLA formation were all increased by PAF and ADP; the PAF receptor antagonists (GB) could obviously inhibit the expression of CD62P, CD11b and PLA formation induced by PAF, but could not completely inhibit the activation of platelet and neutrophil, and the platelet-neutrophil cross talk; GB could inhibit the expression of CD62P and CD11b induced by ADP, but could not conpletely inhibit the activation of platelet and neutrophli; GB could not obviously inhibit the platelet-leucocyte aggregates mediated by ADP. It is concluded that the multiligand-receptor systems involved in PLA formation and platelet-netrophils cross talk seem to be regulated by complex mechanisms; the PAF receptor antagonists (GB) obviously inhibit the effect of PAF, and may be widely utilized in the therapy of thrombosis and inflammation.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Blood Platelets ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; CD11b Antigen ; blood ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; physiology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Ginkgolides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; P-Selectin ; blood ; Platelet Activating Factor ; pharmacology ; Platelet Activation ; drug effects ; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex ; analysis ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the expression level and significance of glucose transporter 1 (Glut-1) in normal breast tissue, adenosis, adenoma and breast carcinoma.

METHODSA total of 147 cases of female breast tissue samples, including 92 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, 26 cases of breast fibroadenoma, 24 cases of breast adenosis and 5 cases of normal breast tissues, were collected for quantitative detection of the expression of Glut-1 protein by immunohistochemistry (EnVision method) and Western blot, and its mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSIn normal breast tissue and benign lesions of the breast, Glut-1 was undetectable or only weakly detectable in cytoplasm of ductal and acinar epithelia. In contrast, the intensity of Glut-1 staining was significantly higher in invasive ductal carcinomas (P = 0.0002) with protein expression predominantly in cellular membrane and lesser in cytoplasm. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the expression of Glut-1 protein and mRNA were significantly increased in invasive ductal carcinoma than fibroadenoma (P =0.001 for protein; P <0.05 for mRNA) and adenosis (P =0.001 for protein; P < 0.05 for mRNA). There was a significant difference among groups (P = 0.0002 for protein; P = 0.0001 for mRNA).

CONCLUSIONSGlucose transport activity, as indicated by Glut-1 protein and its mRNA expression, significantly increases in breast carcinoma than non-cancerous lesions. The over-expression of Glut-1 in breast carcinoma is tightly coupled with tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, implying that Glut-1 may serve as a new marker in the early diagnosis and prognostication of breast malignancy as well as a new therapeutic target.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Glucose ; physiology ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo construct the body mass index (BMI) reference data and curves for Chinese children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age.

METHODSData from two national representative cross-sectional surveys which were The National Growth Survey of Children under 7 years in the Nine Cities of China in 2005 and The Physical Fitness and Health Surveillance of Chinese School Students in 2005. Height (length was measured for children under 3 years) and weight data of 93,702 urban healthy children from nine cities/provinces used to calculate the BMI. The LMS method was used to smooth the BMI, with estimates of L, M, and S parameters, values of percentile and Z-score curves which were required were calculated, and then standardized growth charts were generated. Adult cut-offs for overweight and obesity at 18 years was used to study the cut-offs for children 2 to 18 years of age.

RESULTSThe smoothed percentiles and Z-scores reference data and curves of BMI-for-age for boys and girls aged 0-18 years were made out respectively. BMI cut-off values for overweight and obesity for children from 2 to 18 years of age were also defined. At 18 years, the BMI values are equivalent to the overweight cut-off (> or =24 kg/m2) and obesity cut-off (> or =28 kg/m2) for Chinese adults. Comparison with the reference of the WHO and 2000 CDC for the United States, there were some difference among them, at the 97th percentile curve there was a big difference between Chinese and U. S. adolescents. On the whole, the China BMI curve for boys was higher than the new WHO curve and lower than 2000 CDC at 97 percentile curve, but the China BMI curve for girls was lowest among the three curves. There was also significant difference between China and Japan BMI values at 97 percentile curve.

CONCLUSIONBMI growth curves are very useful in child growth monitoring and nutritional surveillance, discovering overweight and obesity. The BMI growth charts are recommended for use in pediatric clinic and public health service.

Adolescent ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Body Weights and Measures ; standards ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo construct the height and weight growth charts for Chinese children and adolescents from birth to 18 years for both clinical and preventive health care uses.

METHODSData from two national representative cross-sectional surveys which were The National Growth Survey of Children under 7 years in the Nine Cities of China in 2005 and The Physical Fitness and Health Surveillance of Chinese School Students in 2005. The data from 94,302 urban healthy children were used to set up the database of length/height (length was measured for children under 3 years) and weight. The LMS method was used to smooth the growth curves, with estimates of L, M, and S parameters, values of percentile and Z-score curves which were required were calculated, and then generated standardized growth charts.

RESULTSThe 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 97th smoothed percentiles curves and -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3 Z-scores curves of weight-for-age, length/height-for-age for boys and girls aged 0-18 years were made out respectively. Comparison with the new WHO growth charts and 2000 CDC growth charts for the United States, the results showed that there was some big difference in weight and height among the three growth charts. For boys under 15 years of age and girls under 13 years of age, the China curves are slightly higher than WHO and CDC curves, but after those ages, the China curves fall behind and the difference became larger as age progresses. At the age of 18 years, the Chinese children are 3.5 cm shorter in boys and 2.5 cm shorter in girls as compared with the U. S. children. The difference in weights are very large for the school children, especially in girls. The weight of Chinese boys was 5.9 kg less than that of the U. S. boys at 18 years, and the difference was much bigger in girls, the weight of U.S. girls between 8 to 18 years was 4.1-20.5 kg more than that of Chinese girls at the same age range.

CONCLUSIONThe new growth charts of height and weight were based on national survey data and therefore are recommended as the China national growth standards for use in pediatric clinics and public health service. Application of the charts will promote child growth monitoring, discovering early growth disorder, and will be useful to diagnosis of diseases and assessment of therapeutic effects.

Adolescent ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Body Weights and Measures ; standards ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Reference Standards

A new aporphine alkaloid (1), together with five known analogues (2-6), has been isolated from the branch of Litsea greenmaniana by using various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis ( MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) as 2,9-dihydroxy-1,10-dimethoxy-4,5-dihydro-7-oxoaporphine (1), laurotetanine (2), N-methyllaurotetanine (3), isodomesticine (4), isocorydine (5), and norisocorydine (6). Compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2-6 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Aporphines ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Litsea ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of exocrine immune inflammatory injury of Sjögren's Syndrome and the intervention of Banxia Qinlian Decoction (BQD).

METHODSTotally 18 female NOD mice were randomly divided into the model group, the positive drug group, and the BQD group, 6 in each group. Six female BALB/c mice were recruited as a blank control group. Mice in the blank control group and the model group were gavaged with deionized water at the daily dose of 0.1 mL/10 g body weight. Tripterygium Tablet was administered by gastrogavage to mice in the positive group at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg. BQD was administered by gastrogavage to mice in the BQD group at the daily dose of 60 g crude drugs/kg. After 12 weeks of medication, mice were sacrificed. Their eyeballs were excised and blood collected. Tissues of bilateral parotids and submandibular glands were kept. mRNA transcriptional levels of IL-17, IL-6, type 3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M3R), aquaporin protein-5 (AQP5) were detected by RT-PCR. Expression levels of M3R and AQP5 protein were detected by Western blot. Protein expression levels of IL-17 and IL-6 were detected by ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, mRNA transcriptional levels and protein expression levels of IL-17, IL-6, M3R, and AQP5 were significantly up-regulated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, mRNA transcriptional levels and protein expression levels of IL-17, IL-6, M3R, and AQP5 were significantly down-regulated in the positive drug group and the BQD group with statistical difference (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the BQD group, mRNA-transcriptional levels of IL-17, IL-6, and M3R, as well as M3R and AQP5 protein expression levels were significantly down-regulated in the positive drug group (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe molecular mechanism of BQD in inhibiting SS exocrine neurotoxic injury might be possibly related to regulating Th17/IL-17 immune inflammatory way.

Animals ; Aquaporin 5 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Interleukin-17 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Submandibular Gland ; Th17 Cells ; Up-Regulation