Coptidis Rhizoma-Euodiae Fructus has been widely used for the treatment of digestive diseases since Song Dynasty, and therapeutic efficacy is very obvious. Modern research found that alkaloids are the main bio-active constituents, and some of their contents have striking difference after compatibility of the two herbs. The Chinese medicine pair (CMP) has extensive biological activities, such as the effect of gastrointestinal effect, anti-tumor, lowering the blood pressure and blood fat and so on. And some action mechanism of CMP also got partial demonstration. This paper mainly summarized the bio-active constituents, compatibility effects, action mechanism and clinical applications of the CMP, which can provide a basis for further research and development of the CMP.
Animals ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Objective To investigate the efficacy and clinical effectiveness of the steroid therapy with the all body and local application on hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy.Methods A total of 57 patients (106 eyes)suffering from hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy who hospitalized in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from Mar 2008 to Oct 2011 were enrolled in the study.Of the 57 patients,there were 21 males and 36 females,aged 18 to 57(average 37.28 ± 11.63).The clinical course was from 1 month to 5 years(average 29.63 ± 15.36 months).Based on the patient's age,sex and condition,the 57 patients were randomly divided into steroid pulse therapy with all body group(group SPT,29 patients,54 eyes)and peribulbar injection of long-term steraid group(group PI,28 patients,52 eyes).The patients in group SPT were treated with 0.5-l.0 g methylprednisolone by intravenous infusion daily for 3 days,and then stopped for 7 days,the treatment was repeated once.But the total application dose of methylprednisolone was not overruned 5.0-20.0 g.After that,the patients were treated with oral prednisone 40 mg/d.The dose of prednisone was reduced gradually to 5 mg/d.The total course of group SPT was 3 months.The patients in the group PI were treated with triamcinolone acetonide in periorbital injection of 20 mg once every two weeks for 3 months.After one month treated,all patients were visited.The patients' body weights of two groups were measured before the treatment and after one month treated.The ocular signs of the patients including visual acuity,diplopia,intraocular pressure,exophthalmos and horizontal visual palpebral fissure width were observed before and after the treatment.Results In the group SPT,the average body weight [(62.83 ± 7.23)kg]after the treatment was higher than that before the treatment[(57.03 ±7.13)kg],and also higher than that of the group PI[(59.89 ± 10.67)kg,t =25.25,2.08,all P＜ 0.05]after the treatment.In the group SPT,the average intraocular pressures before and after the treatment were (13.46 ± 1.78)and (13.69 ± 1.41)mm Hg(1 nm Hg =0.133 kPa),respectively.In the group PI,the average intraocular pressures before and after the treatment were (13.52 ± 2.19) and (13.77 ± 2.03)mm Hg,respectively.There was no significant differences before and after the treatment in both gr0ups(P＞ 0.05).In the group SPT and PI,the average exophthalmos after the treatment[(18.63 ± 2.22) and (14.85 ± 2.61)mm]were lower than those before the treatment[(20.78 ± 2.24) and (20.60 ± 2.81)mm,t =9.97,29.68,all P＜ 0.05],respectively.After the treatment,the average exophthalmos in the group PI was significantly lower than that of the group SPT(t =7.79,P＜ 0.05).In the groups SPT and PI,the average averagepalpebral fissure width after the treatment[(15.00 ± 1.80) and (11.65 ± 2.45)mm]were lower than those before the treatment[(17.22 ± 1.89) and (17.44 ± 2.37)mm,t =22.74,91.24,all P ＜ 0.05].After treatment of the group PI,the average exophthalmos was significantly lower than that of the group SPT(t =8.01,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Compared with the steroid pulse therapy with all body,the peribullbar application of long-term hormone for hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy is more effective,with lcss side effects and worthy of promotion.

The thermostability of the inulinase was studied in this resea rc h. Some alcoholic materials and thickening agent could enhance the thermostabli lity of the inulinase. Using glycerol、xanthic pastern and though orthogonal ex periments of three elements and three levels, a satisfying protective agent, whi ch included glycerin(6%), xanthan gum(0.6%) and CaCl_2 (100mmol/mL) and ha d a significant effect on the enhancement of the inulinase thermostability, was acquired.

Animals ; Aorta ; pathology ; Apolipoproteins E ; deficiency ; Atherosclerosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonum ; chemistry ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the curative effect of brucellar spondylitis,so as to provide scientific proof for improving the curative level of the disease.Methods Epidemiological information was collected from 113 patients diagnosed as brucellar spondylitis,who were divided into 5 groups according to different drugs and drug combinations of doxycycline,gentamicin,sulfamethoxazole and rifampicin.Then the curative effect was investigated.Twenty-one patients who had greater paoas muscle abscess or Para vertebral abscess,intraspinal abscess of spinal canal,necrotic intervertebral disk and major osteolasia received the minimal invasive surgery and the focus removal surgery.Results The occurrence of the disease in female was much higher than that in male.Grazing and breeding beasts was the principal route of infection.Lumbars was mostly involved.they usually was infected in the adjacent 2 piece.L4 was the most common and seriuous one.The curative effect of doxycycline group was better than that without doxycycline(72.60% vs 35.00%,X2=15.14,P＜0.05).Doxycyeline+gentamicin+sulfamethoxazole was reeommended as the first choice.However,the curative effect did not increase despi~course of the treatment prolonged.The heMing rate and effective rate after 1 course was 52.21%(59/113)and 92.04%(104/113).that after 2 courses 58.41%(66/113)and 95.58%(108/113),that after 3 courses 59.29%(67/113)and 95.58%(108/113).The healing rate in different course did not present differences(P＞0.05).21 patients undergoing surgery were followed-up,12 patients were after 2 years and 9 patients were between 1-2 years.The healing rate was 95.24%(20/21),1 case was healed basically,the effective rate was 100%.None reoccurred.Conclusions There are characterized features in clinical epidemiology of the brucell spondylitis.Long term,adequate in dosage,combination and multi-approach use of antibiotics is the most reliable way to treat and prevent it from recurring.But fof the patients soitable for surgery.the minimal invasive surgery or the focus removal could shorten the course of therapy,decrease the complications and increase the cure rate.

Objective To discuss the risk factors attributing intracranial infection following brain injury operation. Methods Difference factors between intracranial infection group and non-infection group following brain injury operations were compared by retrospective analysis. Results Involved in the study were 770 cases in non-infective group and 142 cases (15.6%) in infective group, with the types of infection including nonbacterial meningitis, bacterial meningitis, cerebral ventriclitis and ventrical pus accumulation, cerebral abscess, subdural pus accumulation, subcutaneous or/and subskull flap pus accumulation or osteomyelitis, and incision infections. The rate of bacterial detection was 27.5%.Postoperative infections following brain injury surgery were related to hotter weather, advanced age of patients, severity of traumatic state, multiple operations in short time, successive or double-lateral craniotomies, long-time (＞5 h) operation, microsurgery, operation on skull base or postfossa, cerebral ventricle draining, subcutaneous or epidural hydrops, and emergency operation(P＜0.05). Conclusion It should be given more attention and prophylactic treatments for the brain injury with infective risk factors mentioned above.

Wuzhuyu Tang is a classical formula for treating migraine, but its' pharmacological ingredients is unclear yet. Present study employed the everted intestinal sac model to collect the absorption samples of 10 kinds of Wuzhuyu decoction, and then analyzed the contents of 9 ingredients in Wuzhuyu Tang and absorption samples quantitatively or semi-quantitatively by HPLC-DAD method. Reserpine was used to establish the mice model of migraine, and then the contents and activities of 5-hydroxytryptamine, noradrenaline, dopamine, nitric oxide and nitricoxide synthase in brain tissues and serums were determined respectively after oral administration of Wuzhuyu Tang. Using the partial least squares regression method to correlate the total absorption quantity of 9 ingredients and pharmacodynamics. The result shows that limocitrin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside, ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1, rutaevine, limonin, evodiamine and rutaecarpine are the main ingredients influenced the effects in absorption samples in everted intestinal sacs, especially ginsenoside Rg1, rutaevine, evodiamine and rutaecarpine among them have obvious improving effects to most pharmacodynamics index, might be the pharmacological ingredients influenced the therapeutical effects of Wuzhuyu Tang treating migraine.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Intestines ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Migraine Disorders ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions and action mechanisms of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors TrkA and p75NTR in the oncogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSUsing immunohistochemistry, we detected the expressions of TrkA and p75NTR in 62 PCa and 35 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) samples, and conducted statistical analysis on the basis of clinical data.

RESULTSIndependent-samples t-test showed that, along with poorer tissue differentiation or higher clinical stage of PCa, the expression of TrkA was significantly up-regulated, that of p75NTR remarkably down-regulated, and the expression ratio of TrkA to p75NTR markedly increased. The TrkA/p75NTR ratio was 0.32 in the BPH, 0.52 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score of 6, 1.65 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score of 7, 5.75 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score ≥ 8, 0.89 in the clinical stage of pT2, 1.5 in pT3 a, 3.75 in pT3b, and 7.00 in pTxN1.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormally increased expression ratio of TrkA to p75NTR might be one of the essential features of malignant transformation of prostate cells. A higher TrkA/p75NTR expression ratio may be associated with a lower tissue differentiation, a higher clinical stage or Gleason score, and therefore a poorer prognosis.

Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Receptor, trkA ; metabolism ; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of Xuebijing injection(XBJI, traditional Chinese medicine), in inhibiting TLR4--NF-kappaB--IL-1beta pathway of myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation in rats.

METHODSThirty six male SD rats (280 +/- 30) g were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6): normal group (N group), balanced perfusion group (BP group), model group (M group), low dose XBJI group (XBJI(L) group), middle dose XBJI group (XBJI(M) group), high dose XBJI group (XBJI(H) group). By Langendorff isolated heart perfusion device to establish the model of myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation in rats. ELISA was used to detect the concentration of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta); Western blot was used to detect the expression of nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-kappaB p65) protein and toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein; and RT-PCR to determine the expression of NF-kappaB p65 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA;To observe microstructure changes of hypoxia/reoxygenation myocardial by light microscopy.

RESULTSCompared with M group, the IL-1beta concentration, NF-kappaB p65 and TLR4 protein,NF-kappaB p65 and TLR4 mRNA of XBJIL group, XBJI(M) group, XBJI(H) group expression decreased in varying degrees,and decreased most obviously all in XBJI(M) group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); Myocardical structural damage was serious in M group, and improved after treatment XBJI, the most obvious was the XBJI(M).

CONCLUSIONDifferent dose of XBJI can inhibit TLR4--NF-kappaB--IL-1beta signal transduction pathway and reduce several inflammatory reaction after myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation injury, the 4 ml/100 ml of XBJI is the best.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heart ; drug effects ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with local advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed prognosis in 191 patients with advanced gastric cancer, of whom 71 were treated with NAC and 120 received surgery only between February 2007 and July 2013. Postoperative complication rate was recorded. Survival by clinicopathological features, pathological T and N stages, and histopathological tumor regression was retrospectively compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAccording to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, none of the 71 patients in the NAC followed by surgery group showed complete response, 36 showed partial response, 25 had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease. The chemotherapy response rate was 50.7%; the disease control rate was 85.9%. Grade 3/4 adverse events were seen in less than 20% patients, with acceptable toxicities. No difference was found in the overall postoperative complication rates between the two groups (7 versus 22 cases, P=0.18). Median survival time was significantly different, at 54 months in the NAC combined with surgery group and 25 months in the surgery-only group (P=0.025).

CONCLUSIONIn patients with operable gastric adenocarcinomas, NAC can significantly improve overall survival without increasing surgical complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology