Objective To study the effects of Guhong injection on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the cortex 14 days after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Methods 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham group (n=6), ischemia group (n=6), aceglutamide injection group (n=6), Honghua injection group (n=6) and Guhong injection group (n=6). The middle cerebral arteries of all the rats were occluded for 2 hours and reperfusion, except the sham group. Drugs were administered once a day 24 hours after reperfusion. The expression of VEGF in cortex was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 14 days after reperfusion. Results The expression of VEGF decreased in the ischemia group compared with the sham group (P<0.001), and it increased both in the aceglutamide and Guhong injection groups compared with the ischemia group (P<0.05). Conclusion Guhong injection can significantly increase the expression of VEGF in the cortex 14 days after ischemia-reperfusion, which may be one of the ways for neuro-protection.

Animals ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor function of upper limbs of stroke patients. Methods 80 stroke patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. Both groups accepted routine rehabilitation, while the experimental group accepted anodal stimulation, and the control group received sham stimulation. They were assessed with Brunnstrom stages of arms and hands, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of upper extremities, Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and 1 month after treatment. Results All the scores improved in both groups after treatment (P<0.05), and improved more in the Brunnstrom stages of arms and hands, FMA, ARAT in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion tDCS may promote the recovery of arms and hands function of stroke patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the discrepancy of HBsAg titre and correlation of HBV DNA levels among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSHBsAg titre and HBV DNA in serum samples were measured among 47 CHB, 72 LC and 54 HCC cases using Abbott chemiluminescence and fluorescence quantitative PCR, respectively. Statistical analyses among multiple groups, between two groups and about the correlation were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman test, respectively.

RESULTSThe median HBsAg titre level in serum samples decreased from 2361.10 IU/ml in CHB cohort to 1001.64 IU/ml in LC cohort and 594.35 IU/ml in HCC cohort, suggesting a statistically significant difference (x2 = 24.394, P less than 0.05). Moreover, HBsAg titre in CHB group was significantly higher than that in LC group ( Z = -3.754, P less than 0.05). CHB patients had significantly higher HBsAg titre than HCC cases ( Z = -4.630, P less than 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in HBsAg titre between LC and HCC group. Among HBeAg positive patients, HBsAg titre decreased from 3259.83 IU/ml in CHB group to 1077.30 IU/ml in LC group and 789.72 IU/ml in HCC group, indicating a significant difference (x2 = 15.643, P less than 0.01). Among HBeAg negative patients, HBsAg titre declined from 1669.00 IU/ml in CHB group to 1001.64 IU/ml in LC group and 582.05 IU/ml in HCC group, suggesting of a significant difference (x2 = 6.423, P less than 0.05). Positive correlation between HBsAg titre and HBV DNA was found in CHB ( r = 0.297, P less than 0.05), LC (r = 0.346, P less than 0.05) and HCC (r = 0.452, P less than 0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONHBsAg titre level in serum decreased progressively from CHB to LC and HCC group. There were positive correlations between HBsAg titre and HBV DNA level in CHB, LC and HCC.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo compare the antibacterial effects of Huangqin-Tang with its metabolites produced by intestinal flora.

METHODThe antibacterial tests in vitro and in vivo were performed by agar dilution method and lethal protection of animal respectively.

RESULTHuangqin-Tang and its metabolites had antibacterial action on bacteria in vitro, however the antibacterial activity of metabolites of Huangqin-Tang on Salmomella, Dysentery bacillus and Proteus in vitro was stronger than Huangqin-Tang. The metabolites of Huangqin-Tang had protective effect on the animals infected by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli respectively from death, but Huangqin-Tang had no lethal protection action.

CONCLUSIONThe antibacterial effects of metabolites of Huangqin-Tang in vitro and in vivo are stronger than that of Huangqin-Tang, which shows that intestinal flora play a very important role in antibacterial effects of Huangqin-Tang.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Escherichia coli Infections ; drug therapy ; Feces ; microbiology ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Male ; Mice ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proteus ; drug effects ; Salmonella ; drug effects ; Shigella dysenteriae ; drug effects ; Staphylococcal Infections ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of astragalus on testis tissues following unilateral testicular torsion/detorsion.

METHODSThirty healthy adult Wistar rats were equally randomized into Group A (sham-operation control), B (torsion/detorsion) and C (torsion/detorsion plus intraperitoneal injection of astragalus). The testicular torsion/detorsion model was established by the Turner method. All the rats were fed under the same condition for 7 days and sacrificed, and the torsional testes were harvested for the detection of germ cell apoptosis, glutathione activity and the level of malonic diethylaldehyde (MDA).

RESULTSThe apoptosis indexes (AI) of spermatogenic cells in the torsional testes were (5.82 +/- 1.21), (36.18 +/- 8.40) and (20.39 +/- 3.57) in Group A, B and C, significantly higher in Group B and C than in A (P < 0.05) and in Group B than in C (P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in glutathione activity in the ipsilateral testes among Group A (48.03 +/- 2.01), B (30.93 +/- 1.25), C (38.44 +/- 1.06) U/mg (P< 0.05), as well as in the level of MDA, (1.43 +/- 0.17), (3.98 +/- 0.36), (2.57 +/- 0.53) nmol/ml, among the three groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAstragalus could significantly reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, decrease the level of lipid peroxidation and protect glutathione activity in the torsional testis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Astragalus Plant ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the action characteristics of "two-way application and conditioned dominance" of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property by observing the action characteristic of 10 traditional Chinese medicines capable of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis with neutral property in the microcirculation in rats with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.

METHODThe rat model with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was established by injecting carrageenan and dry yeast, and the rat model with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was built by the body freezing method. Ten traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, including 5 with hot property and 5 with cold property, were selected for intervention to observe blood flow rate and flow state indicators in rat auricles and make a comparative analysis on action characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property.

RESULTANOVA showed that among the 10 traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, 6 such as Typhae Pollen, Sappan Lignum and Vaccariae Semen can obviously increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the above two models; all of the 5 traditional Chinese medicines with cold property can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat model with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, but only Salvia miltiorrhiza can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat models with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, while other medicines showed no notable effect; among the 5 traditional Chinese medicines with hot property, Carthamus tinctorius and Ligusticum chuanxiong can increase the blood flow rate (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in the rat models with cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, but had no obvious effect to the blood flow rate in the rat models with heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. According to the analysis on average blood flow rate, traditional Chinese medicines with natural and cold properties showed similar effect on heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and better effect in increasing blood flow rate than those with hot property; those with natural and hot properties showed similar effect and better effect in increasing blood flow rate than those with cold property.

CONCLUSIONUnder the condition of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property have the similar action characteristics with those with cold property; wile under the condition of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property have the similar action characteristics with the Chinese medicinal herbs with hot property. This indicates the action characteristics of "two-way application and conditioned dominance" of traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property to some extent.

Animals ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo compare the protective activity of liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (GalN) between Huangqin-Tang and their metabolites by human intestinal bacteria(HIB).

METHODThe liver injuries in conventional and pseudo-germfree mice were induced by GalN. After oral administration of Huangqin-Tang and their metabolites mixtures by HIB, the serum transaminase (ALT and AST) activities were detected.

RESULTIn conventional mice, large and medium doses (20 and 10 g.kg-1) of Huangqin-Tang decoction significantly reduced the increase of serum ALT activity after 18 h GalN treatment. In pseudo-germfree mice, metabolites significantly reduced the ALT levels. However, Huangqing-Tang didn't affect the ALT levels in this kind of mice. To all of the animals, AST levels remained the same after oral Huangqin-tang or their metabolites.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolism by intestinal bacteria plays a role in pharmacological effects of constituents of Chinese herbal medicine. The metabolites of the constituents by intestinal bacteria were the real active components in vivo.

Administration, Oral ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Galactosamine ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Liver Diseases ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of long-term microwave radiation on male reproduction in rats.

METHODSA total of 100 male Wistar rats were exposed to microwave radiation with average power density of 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 mW/cm2 for 4 weeks, 5 times a week and 6 minutes per time. Changes in serum testosterone, testicular index, histology and ultrastructure, and the percentage of teratospermia in the epididymis were observed dynamically at 6 h, 7 d, 14 d, 28 d and 60 d after the exposure.

RESULTSThere was a significant decrease in serum testosterone concentration at 28 d after microwave radiation at 2.5, 5 and 10 mW/cm2 ([10.20 +/- 4.31] ng/ml, [5.56 +/- 3.47] ng/ml and [7.53 +/- 4.54] ng/ml) and at 60 d at 10 mW/cm2 ( [15.95 +/- 9.54] ng/ml), as compared with the control group ([23.35 +/- 8.06] ng/ml and [31.40 +/- 9.56] ng/ml) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No significant changes were found in the testis index at 6 h -60 d after microwave radiation at the three doses, but different degrees of degeneration, necrosis and shedding of spermatogenic cells, thinning of spermatogenic epithelia, and decrease or deletion of spermatozoa were observed, and more obvious at 28 d and 60 d. Swelling and cavitation of mitochondria in all spermatogenic cells, agglutination and margin translocation of nuclear chromatin in the spermatogonial and Leydig cells were seen at 7 d and 60 d after 5 mW/cm2 microwave radiation. The rate of teratospermia of the epididymis was increased, more obviously at 7 d after 2.5, 5 mW/cm2, 60 d after 5 mW/cm2, and 7 d, 28 d and 60 d after 10 mW/cm2 microwave radiation (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLong-term microwave radiation may cause injury to male reproduction, which is positively correlated with the radiation dose, and has an obvious late effect.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reproduction ; radiation effects ; Sperm Head ; radiation effects ; Testis ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the restoration of erectile function by reconstructing cavernous nerves (CN) with small intestinal submucosa (SIS) grafts.

METHODSWe prepared SIS grafts, established rat models and divided the models into a CN ablation, a sham-operation and an SIS graft group. The CNs at both sides were severed with 1 cm ablated in the first group, and 0.5 cm removed in the third, followed by reconstruction with the SIS grafts. Three months after surgery, the apomorphine test was performed to evaluate the erectile function, and then all the rats were sacrificed to detect the expression of nNOS in the penis.

RESULTSPenile erection was observed in 72.73% (8/11) of the rats for (1.07 +/- 0.89) times within 30 min in the SIS graft group, as compared with 0% (0/11) of the rats for (0.00 +/- 0.00) times in the CN ablation group (P < 0.01), and 90.91% (10/11) of the rats for (2.19 +/- 1.17) times in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01). The number of nNOS nerve fibers was significantly larger in the SIS graft than in the CN ablation group (70.36 +/- 10.09 versus 22.09 +/- 4.76, P < 0.01), but both were significantly smaller than that of the sham-operation group (90.81 +/- 5.69, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe SIS grafting technique contributes to the recanalization of the severed CN and restoration of erectile function in rats after surgical injury.

Animals ; Erectile Dysfunction ; surgery ; Intestinal Mucosa ; transplantation ; Intestine, Small ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; Nerve Tissue ; injuries ; surgery ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; innervation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley