In the face of escalating problems with pathogen control, the development of proper formulations of existing antibiotics is as important as the development of novel antibiotics. Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Currently, only injectable solution of daptomycin has been approved for clinical use. In the present study, the formulation of PEGylated liposomal daptomycin (PLD) was prepared and optimized, and its efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA252) strains was investigated. The obtained PLD had a mean vesicle diameter of (111.5 +/- 15.4) nm and a mean percent drug loading of (5.81 +/- 0.19) % with high storage stability. Potent activity of PLD against MRSA was demonstrated in vitro with a more sustained effect than that of conventional liposomal daptomycin and daptomycin solution. In addition, intravenous administration of a single dose (equal to human use) of PLD significantly increased the survival of mice in a MRSA252 systemic infection model compared with other formulations. Drug distribution in the lung was significantly enhanced following administration of PLD, and no measurable tissue lesions or pathological changes were detected during PLD treatment. Taken together, PEGylated liposomes loaded with daptomycin may represent a promising approach to reduce MRSA252 infections, especially those involving bloodstream dissemination, such as hematogenous pulmonary infection.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Daptomycin ; pharmacology ; Liposomes ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; Mice ; Staphylococcal Infections ; drug therapy

In order to identify the chemical constituents of Yushu tablets comprehensively, we studied the chemical constituents of CHCl3 extract from Yushu tablets by the ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-ion trap-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-IT-TOF/MS). It showed that there were more than 100 compounds separated, and forty-nine peaks among these were identified on the basis of high resolution mass spectrometry data and literature data reported. Determination of twelve peaks was further confirmed by standard substances. These components assigned to the different plant sources mainly included phenylpropanoids, triterpenoids, quinones and m-trihydroxybenzene compounds. By analyzing the chemical components of CHCl3 extract from compound Chinese medicine Yushu tablets comprehensively, this study provided the foundation for studying chemical components, pharmacodynamic substance and quality control of Yushu tablets.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tablets ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of silica-coated ethosome as a novel oral delivery system for the poorly water-soluble curcumin (as a model drug). The silica-coated ethosomes loading curcumin (CU-SE) were prepared by alcohol injection method with homogenization, followed by the precipitation of silica by sol-gel process. The physical and chemical features of CU-SEs, and curcumin release were determined in vitro. The pharmacodynamics and bioavailability measurements were sequentially performed. The mean diameter of CU-SE was (478.5 +/- 80.3) nm and the polydispersity index was 0.285 +/- 0.042, while the mean value of apparent drug entrapment efficiency was 80.77%. In vitro assays demonstrated that CU-SEs were significantly stable with improved release properties when compared with curcumin-loaded ethosomes (CU-ETs) without silica-coatings. The bioavailability of CU-SEs and CU-ETs was 11.86- and 5.25-fold higher, respectively, than that of curcumin suspensions (CU-SUs) in in vivo assays. The silica coatings significantly promoted the stability of ethosomes and CU-SEs exhibited 2.26-fold increase in bioavailablity relative to CU-ETs, indicating that the silica-coated ethosomes might be a potential approach for oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs especially the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine with improved bioavailability.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; chemistry ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Carriers ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Male ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silicon Dioxide ; chemistry ; Solubility

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of peripheral blood CD4~+, CD25~+ and CD4~+CD25~+ T subpopulations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosis.Methods The per- centage and fluorescence intensities of peripheral blood CD4~+,CD25~+ and CD4~+CD25~+ subpopulations from 34 SLE and 18 normal controls were measured with flow cytometry assay,then the correlation with clincal data was analyzed.The CD25~+ cells were defined as the CD25~(high) cells if their fluorescence intensity was higher than 10. Results The percentage of CD4~+CD25~+,CD4~+CD25~(high) T lymphocytes in active SLE patients[(4.80?1.21)% and (0.25?0.10)%]was lower than that in normal controls[(8.92?3.21)% and(0.44?0.22)% and non-active SLE patients(11.28?2.09)% and(0.59?0.34)%](P＜0.05).However,as for the CD25~+ cells in the CD4~+ T cells,there was no difference between SLE patients and normal control group.Peripheral blood CD4~+CD25~+,CD4~+CD25~(high) cells in SLE were reversely correlated with SLEDAI(r=-0.74,P=0.004 and r=-0.614,P=0.026),but not with others such as complements,ANA titers etc.Peripheral blood CD4~+ and CD25~+ lymphocytes in active SLE pa- tients were also lower than those in normal controls[(23?7)vs(34?7)and(7.4?1.8)vs(13.9?3.4),P＜0.05]. CD25 fluorescence intensities were higher in the SLE patients those in the normal controls,but CD4 fluores- cence intensities were not.Conclusion CD4~+CD25~+ may play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE.

Objective To evaluate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor-D(VEGF-D)in lymphangiogenesis of breast cancer,and investigate its relationship with some clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Methods VEGF-D expression was detected in 85 cases with primary breast carcinoma by immunohistochemistry,and VEGF-D mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.Podoplanin monoclonal antibody was used to mark lymphatic endothelial cell and lymphatic vessel density(LVD) was counted.The relationship among the aboved parameters,clinicopathological parameters and prognosis was analysed. Results It was revealed by immunohistochemistry that VEGF-D expression was ranked by 5 levels: negative,n=5(5.88%);"+",n=17(20%);"++",n=34(40%);"+++",n=22(25.88%),and "++++",n=7(8.24%).VEGF-D expression was associated with tumor lymph node metastasis and TNM clinical stage(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between Pi and Shen by observing the relationship between the metabolism of aristolochic acid (AA) and mRNA and protein expression levels of organic anion transporting polypeptide (oatp) superfamily member 2a1 and 2 b1 (oatp2al and oatp2bl) in renal, small intestinal, and large intestinal tissues of Pi deficiency syndrome (PDS) model rats.

METHODSTotally 46 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the blank group (n = 12), the PDS group (n = 22), the AA-I group (n = 6), and the PDS AA-I group (n = 6). PDS model was established by subcutaneously injecting Reserpine at the daily dose of 5 mg/kg for 16 successive days. Carotid intubation was performed in 6 rats selected from the blank group and the PDS group. Pharmacokinetics of AA-I were detected at 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after gastrogavage of AA-I. AA-I concentrations in renal, small intestinal, and large intestinal tissues of 10 rats selected from the PDS group were determined. Normal saline was administered to 6 rats selected from the PDS group and the blank group by gastrogavage. Renal, small intestinal, and large intestinal tissues were collected in the AA-I group and the PDS AA-I group at 60 min after gastrogavage of AA-I. mRNA and protein expression levels of oatp2a1 and oatp2b1 in each tissue were detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, plasma concentrations of in vivo AA-I were obviously higher in the PDS group at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after gastrogavage of AA-I with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of AA-I were obviously decreased at 60 min after gastrogavage of AA-I; AA-I concentrations in renal and large intestinal tissues were elevated; AA-I concentrations in small intestinal tissues were obviously reduced in the PDS group. There was no statistical difference in mRNA expression levels of oatp2a1 and oatp2b1 in the aforesaid three tissues of rats between the blank group and the PDS group. Compared with the blank group, mRNA expression levels of oatp2a1 and oatp2b1 decreased in small intestinal tissues of the AA-I group, and the mRNA expression level of oatp2a1 in large intestinal tissues significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the PDS group, mRNA expression levels of oatp2a1 and oatp2b1 increased in renal tissues of the PDS AA-I group (P < 0.05); mRNA expression levels of oatp2b1 increased in large intestinal tissues of the PDS AA-I group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe difference in AA-I metabolism might be associated with changed expression levels of oatp2a1 and oatp2b1 in renal, small intestinal, and large intestinal tissues under Pi deficiency induced loss of transportation. Shen and Dachang played important roles in substance metabolism under Pi deficiency state, which proved Pi-Shen correlated in Chinese medical theories.

Animals ; Anions ; Aristolochic Acids ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Kidney ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Organic Cation Transport Proteins ; metabolism ; Peptides ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of treating myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) combined with Chinese medical syndrome typing.

METHODSFrom July 2009 to July 2013, 6 MDS patients were treated with allo-HSCT combined with Chinese medical syndrome typing from HLA-identical sibling donors at Department of Hematology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. Patients were classified as refractory anemia (RA, 2 cases), refractory anemia with ringed sideroblast (RARS, 1 case), refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD, 2 cases), and RA with excess blasts-I (RAEB-I , 1 case). Modified BuCy conditioning regimen was used in all 6 cases. Two patients received bone marrow transplantation (BMT), 1 patient received peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), and 3 patients received BMT + PBSCT. In order to prevent the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), all patients were treated with cyclosporine + methotrexate + mycophenolate mofetil. Different Chinese medical treatment methods (by syndrome typing) were given to patients according to different criticality of international prognostic scoring system (IPSS, 5 at moderate risk and 1 at high risk).

RESULTSAll 6 patients successfully reconstructed their hematopoietic system. The time from transplantation to ANC ≥ 0.5 x 10(9)/L and platelet (PLT) ≥ 20 x10(9)/L were 13 (9-15) days and 11 (9-22) days respectively. Main complications were GVHD. Acute GVHD (aGVHD) occurred in 4 cases, 3 cases of grade I and 1 case of grade II, and local chronic GVHD (cGVHD) occurred in 1 patient. All cases survived with median follow-up of 18 (11-58) months. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate were 100%.

CONCLUSIONSHSCT combined with Chinese medical syndrome typing could improve clinical symptoms, reduce transplant as- sociated complications. So it was an effective treatment choice for MDS.

Biomedical Research ; Blood Platelets ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cyclosporine ; therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; therapy ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of different needling methods at Tiaokou (ST 38) on periarthritis of shoulder.

METHODSEighty cases of periarphritis of shoulder were randomly assigned to four groups. Tiaokou (ST 38) was selected in all the 4 groups. The treatment group were treated with penetration needling, and the control group A, B, C were treated by needling into 40 mm deep, needling into the subcutaneous tissue, sham acupuncture, respectively. Therapeutic effect was evaluated by Constant-Murley shoulder joint scale.

RESULTSThe clinical effective rate was 100.0% in the treatment group and 68.4% in the control group A, 52.6% in the control group B, 38.0% in the control group C with significant differences as the treatment group compared with the control groups A, B, C (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). And with no significant difference as the control group A compared with the control group B, C, and the group B with the group C (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDifferent needling depths of Tiaokou (ST 38) have different therapeutic effects, the penetration needling being the best and the sham needling being worse which can be used as control method.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder Pain ; therapy

Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the fermentation conditions of FGFC1 (Fungi fibrinolytic compound 1). On the basis of single factor tests, response surface analysis was designed by Design-Expert, and the effects of culture time, ornithine hydrochloride addition and culture temperature on the yield of FGFC1 were studied, the predicted value and measured value were also contrasted. The results show the optimal culture conditions as follows: the culture time is 7 d, ornithine hydrochloride addition is 0.5% (M/V), culture temperature is 28 degrees C. Under these conditions, the yield of FGFC1 is 1 978.33 mg/L, which is consistent with the predicted value. It shows that the experiment is effective.
Culture Techniques ; methods ; Fermentation ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; metabolism ; Seawater ; microbiology ; Stachybotrys ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Surface Properties

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of naringin of Drynaria Rhizome, a Chinese medical component of Zhuanggu Jianxi Recipe (ZJR) containing serum on caveolin-p38MAPK signal factors (such as caveolin-1, p-p38, p-ATF-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in IL-1β induced rabbit degenerated chondrocytes, and further to explore its mechanism for protecting articular cartilages.

METHODSNaringin of Drynaria Rhizome was obtained and analyzed by HPLC-TOF/MS. Four weeks old New Zealand rabbits were killed and their bilateral knee joints were isolated aseptically. CDs were isolated and then cultured in vitro. The second generation of CDs were used for later experiment. The effect of naringin on CDs proliferation was detected by MTT assay. The effect of naringin on the expression of IL-1β-induced collagen II in CDs was detected by immunohistochemical method. The effect of naringin on caveolin-1, p-p38, and p-ATF-2 protein in IL-1β-induced CDs was detected by Western blot. The effect of naringin on mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in IL-1β-induced CDs was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe appearance time of naringin in flow graphs of naringin standard solution and ZJR containing serum was 23.5 min, and the molecular weight ranged between 581.0 and 581.5 m/z. Naringin could promote the proliferation of CDs, and inhibit the effect of IL-1β on collagen II in CDs. Compared with the model group, naringin could reduce the expression of caveolin-1, p-p38, p-ATF-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α in IL-1β induced CDs (P < 0.05), which was approximate to the level of the normal group.

CONCLUSIONSNaringin could not only promote the proliferation of CDs, but also protect IL-1β-induced CDs. Its mechanism might be associated with decreasing the expression of caveolin-1, p-p38, and p-ATF-2 proteins, inhibiting caveolin-p38MAPK signal pathway, and further reducing mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the downstream of caveolin-p38MAPK signal pathway.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cartilage, Articular ; Caveolins ; Chondrocytes ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavanones ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Polypodiaceae ; Rabbits ; Rhizome ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism