Aims To establish several behavioral paradigms to characterize the psychotropic effects of hallucinogens which ze-brafish was utilized as a model animal, and then to investigate the effects of potent hallucinogenic drugs on these models. Methods With the video record and track system, the behavior was recorded and quantified automatically. In the experiments, the bottom dwelling test, social behavior and mirror test were performed to test the hallucinogenic effects of drugs. Metham-phetamine (METH, 2 mg·L-1) and ketamine (20 mg·L-1) were selected as experimental challenges. The 30 min pre-treat-ment time was chosen based on our prior experience in zebrafish models. Results Compared to the normal group, in dwelling test, acute exposure of zebrafish to METH and ketamine de-creased transitions significantly, and in mirror reflection test, the drug-treated fish changed the preference for mirror zone, and ex-hibited aggressive for their mirror images. The pretreatment of METH and ketamine significantly reduced the contact durations, and the ketamine inhibited the contact frequency each other, the results indicated that the social interaction of zebrafish was im-paired. Conclusion The results confirm high sensitivity of ze-brafish models to hallucinogenic compounds with complex behav-ioral and physiological effects.

Schizophrenia, described as the worst disease affecting mankind, is a severe and disabling mental disorder. Schizophrenia is characterized by complicated symptoms and still lacks a diagnostic neuropathology, so developing schizophrenia animal models which have quantifiable measures tested in a similar fashion in both humans and animals will play a key role in new therapeutic approaches. According to the symptoms of cognitive impairment and emotional disorder, the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonist MK-801 was applied to induce schizophrenia-like behavior in mice. Locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition (PPI) were selected as indices and the effect of clozapine was also investigated in this model. The results showed that compared with the normal group, MK-801-treated mice exhibited significantly increased locomotor activity and impaired PPI, and pre-exposure to clozapine could ameliorate the abnormality and make it back to normal level. These findings suggest that the model we established could be a useful tool for antipsychotic drug screening.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of physcione on acute liver injury in rats.Methods Acute liver injury rat model was constructed with 2ml/kg CCl_4((?)3 d)via intragastric administration.The serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)in different groups were detected.Hepatic histopathology of different groups was also observed to reflect the effect of physcione.Results The serum concentrations of ALT,AST and TNF in physcione group were significantly lower than those of model group(P

To investigate the differential gene expression profile in two typical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to find the relationship between TCM syndromes and gene expressions.

Objective To evaluate the role of sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway in spinal neurons in morphine tolerance (MT) in mice.Methods Pathogen-free healthy female Kunming mice,weighing 20-25 g,aged 8-10 weeks,were used in the study.MT was induced with morphine 10 mg/kg injected subcutaneously twice a day for 7 consecutive days.The experiment was performed in two parts.Experiment Ⅰ Forty-eight mice were randomly assigned into 2 groups:control group (group C,n =8) and MT group (group M,n=40).The thermal pain threshold (TPT) was measured at 1 day before morphine injection and 1,3,5,7 and 14 days after the end of injection.Eight mice in each group were sacrificed at 2 h after measurement of TPT at each time point after the end of injection in group M or at 2 h after the last measurement of TPT in group C,and the lumbar segment (L4-6) of the spinal cord was removed.Experiment Ⅱ Forty-eight mice were randomly assigned into 6 groups (n=8 each):SHH inhibitor cyclopamine plus MT group (group CP+M),cyclopamine solvent plus MT group (group D1 +M),SHH agonist SAG plus MT group (group SAG+M),SAG solvent plus MT group (group D2+M),MT plus cyclopamine group (group M+CP) and morphine plus cyelopamine solvent group (group M+D1).At 15 min before morphine injection,cyclopamine 10 mg/kg was injected subcutaneously in group CP+M,and SAG 5 mg/kg was injected subcutaneously in group SAG+M.Cyclopamine 10 mg/kg was injected subcutaneously once a day during the 1-3 days after the end of morphine injection in group M+CP.The TPT was measured before injection of morphine,at 30 min after the first injection of morphine every day and at 1-3 days after the end of morphine injection.The animals were sacrificed at 2 h after the last measurement of TPT,and the lumbar segment (L4-6) of the spinal cord was removed for determination of the expression of SHH signaling pathway-related proteins SHH,ptch1,smo,gli1 and gli3 using Western blot.Results Experiment Ⅰ Compared with group C,the TPT was significantly decreased at 1 and 3 days after the end of morphine injection (P＜0.05),no significant change was found in TPT at 5-14 days after the end of morphine injection (P＞0.05),and the expression of SHH,smo and glil at 1-5 days after the end of morphine injection,of ptchl at 1 and 3 days after the end of morphine injection and of gli3 at 7 days after the end of morphine injection was up-regulated in group M (P＜0.05).Experiment Ⅱ Compared with group D1+M,the TPT was significantly increased,the expression of SHH,ptchl,smo and glil was down-regulated,and gli3 expression was up-regulated in group C P+M (P＜0.05).Compared with group D2+M,the TPT was significantly decreased,the expression of SHH,ptch1,smo and glil was up-regulated,and gli3 expression was down-regulated in group SAG+M (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the parameters mentioned above between group M+CP and group M+D1 (P＞0.05).The TPT was significantly lower on 3rd-7th days after beginning of morphine injection and 1-3 days after the end of morphine injection than at 30 min after the first injection of morphine in group CP+M (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism underlying the development of MT is partially related to activation of SHH signaling pathway in spinal neurons of mice,however,the maintenance mechanism has no marked relationship with it.

Oxidation method with sodium iodide was used to synthesize immunogenic antigen (PF-BSA) and coating antigen (PF-OVA) of paeoniflorin. UV spectroscopy showed that paeoniflorin was successfully conjugated with BSA and OVA. After immunized by PF-BSA, the mice can produce anti-paeoniflorin antibodies specifically. The ELISA test results showed the high titer (1:12 800) and specificity (IC50 = 0.791 mg x L(-1)) of the antiserum from mice injected with PF-BSA. Also, the antiserum showed low cross activities against nine traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) of small molecules. These artificial antigens were successfully synthesized and the anti-paeoniflorin antibody well prepared, which provides the experimental basis for the further study of ELISA and its kit.
Animals ; Antibodies ; analysis ; Antigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; immunology ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry ; immunology

OBJECTIVEIn our study, the function of the third-order branches of the mesentenc artery was measured by microvascular ring technique, which can be used to detect microvascular function in some disease related to microvascular dysfunction.

METHODSIsolated, fixed, standardized and then activated the third-order branches of rat mesenteric artery. Microvascular tone was measured by systolic and diastolic drags respectively, with the help of DMT tension apparatus and PowerLab data acquisition system.

RESULTSThe third-order branches of rat mesenteric artery showed excellent response to vasoactive drugs. The contraction effect of norepinephrine (NE) reached 19 in mN. When acetylcholine (Ach) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) of 10(9)-10(5)mol/L was added, vascular tones showed gradient drop: 80% of maximal relaxation when adding ACh, while 95% of maximal relaxation when adding SNP.

CONCLUSIONThe third-order branches of the mesenteric artery function was successfully detected by using microvascular ring technique.

Acetylcholine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation ; physiology ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

Acetaminophen ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Interactions ; Flavonoids ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment promoting the motor function recovery of neonate rats with cerebral palsy.

METHODSThe improved hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) means was performed to establish the model of neonate rats with cerebral palsy. All neonate rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham group, model group and acupuncture group (n = 20). We observed and scored motor function of rats, measured the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, and also measured the expression of synaptophysin (SYP) and growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the diseased region of cerebral tissue.

RESULTSThe motor function scores (11.3 +/- 0.29) and the serum level of SOD (147.1 +/- 12.7) U/ml in acupuncture treatment group were higher than those of model group ( P < 0.05). The serum level of MDA was lower in acupuncture treatment group than that of model group (P < 0.05). The expression of SYP and GAP-43 in the diseased region of cerebral tissue of acupuncture treatment group were higher than those of model group ( P < 0.05) .

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture-therapy could improve the motor function of neonate rats with cerebral palsy by decreasing the content of MDA in serum, increasing the contents of SOD in serum, and prolonging the upregulation of SYP and GAP-43 expressions in hmin tissue.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cerebral Palsy ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; GAP-43 Protein ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; therapy ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism