Pharmacognosy (Chinese Medicine) discipline has a long history and International cooperation is more and more frequent, but the communication of the Chinese traditional medicine cul-ture is very difficult. In order to solve this problem, it is urgent to improve the professional English level of the students. Thus, combined with the education survey and interview results, as well as the reports in previous studies and our own experience, we think about how to set pharmaceutical profes-sional English course and put forward some suggestions such as the innovation of curriculum organiza-tion strategy, convergence of basic English course, teaching content and form being closely linked to academic activities, and paying attention to highlighting the subject characteristics of pharmacognosy (Pharmacy).

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contains a big array of chemical constituents. These constituents un-dergo various metabolic reactions to produce complex in v iv o metabolites. Identification and distribution of these metabolites are important to reveal the effective constituents from a complex formulation. Recently, developments had been made to elucidate the complex metabolic process. In this review, we summarized the methods and strategies developed for TCM metabolism. Application of these metabolic results has also been discussed.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of dysmenorrhea in patients with adenomyosis treated by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). Methods From April 2012 to December 2015, 477 cases of adenomyosis patients with dysmenorrhea were treated by HIFU in the Third Xiangya Hospital. Among them, some patients were treated with HIFU alone, some of them were treated with HIFU combined with GnRH-a and (or) LNG-IUS, thus were classified as H group, H+G group, H+M group and H+G+M group. The improvements of clinical results were compared among the four groups and the influencing factors of HIFU treatment for adenomyosis were also analyzed. Results During the follow-up period, the overall effective rates of the treatment decreased with time, 3 months 89.4% (345/386), 12 months 84.0%(221/263), 24 months 74.2%(98/132), and the overall recurrence rate was 12.9%(39/303). The significant difference in the curative at 3 months [H group 83.7%(170/203), H+M group 95.0%(95/100), H+G group 100.0%(43/43), H+G+M group 96.8%(30/31)], 12 months [H group 79.4%(123/155), H+M group 93.2%(69/74), H+G group 11/12, H+G+M group 15/17], and 24 months [H group 68.0%(51/75), H+M group 96.4% (27/28), H+G group 6/12, H+G+M group 15/15] after HIFU treatment and recurrence rate [H group 19.0%(29/153), H+M group 3.3%(3/90), H+G group 19.4%(6/31), H+G+M group 4.5%(1/22)] were observed among the four groups (P<0.05). Pairwise comparison further showed that, in 3 months after the treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than those of H+M group and H+G group (P=0.003, P=0.005);in 12 months after the treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than that of H+M group (P=0.006);while in 24 months after treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than that of H+G+M group (P=0.005), and the effect of H+G group was lower than that of H+G+M group (P=0.001); and the recurrence rate of H group was significantly higher than that of H+M group (P<0.008). In patients of group H, the effect of HIFU was related to uterine size, the effect of patients with large uterine volume was significantly higher than that of small volume of uterine of patients (P=0.017, OR=2.739, 95%CI:1.200-6.251); with increasing of age, the improvement of dysmenorrhea had a increasing trend (P<0.05). Conclusions HIFU combined with GnRH-a and (or) LNG-IUS could improve the treatment effect in relief of dysmenorrhea. Based on our results, individual treatment protocol should be selected for different patients.

Objective To evaluate the effect of leptin on K17 expression in HaCaT human keratinocytes.Methods Some cultured HaCaT cells were treated with leptin (100 ng/ml) or remained untreated for 24 hours followed by the quantification of K17 mRNA expression by real-time PCR and detection of K17 protein expression by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.To investigate the action mechanism of leptin,some cultured HaCaT cells were divided into several groups to be treated with leptin (100 ng/ml) alone,Piceatannol (an inhibitor of the STAT3 pathway) + leptin (100 ng/ml),PD-98059 (an inhibitor of the Erk1/2 pathway) + leptin (100 ng/ml),respectively for 24 hours,with the cells receiving no treatment as the negative control.Subsequently,the mRNA and protein expressions of K17 were measured by the above methods.Statistical analysis was done by the two-sample ttest.Results The mRNA expression of K17 was significantly higher in HaCaT cells treated with leptin alone than in those remaining untreated (3.086 7 ± 0.186 1 vs.1.000 0 ± 0.000 0,P ＜ 0.01),but significantly downregulated in HaCaT cells treated with Piceatannol + leptin and those with PD-98059 + leptin compared with those treated leptin alone (0.674 1 ± 0.060 0 and 0.855 0 ± 0.390 3 vs.2.242 7 ± 0.188 7,both P ＜ 0.01).The results of Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were in agreement with those of real-time PCR.Conclusions Leptin can induce K17 expression in HaCaT cells,likely by activating the STAT3 and Erk1/2 signaling pathways.

OBJECTIVE: Construct a recombinant plasmid pET28a-EDA-EDB, prepare the fusion EDA-EDB protein. METHODS: For the production of recombinant fibronectin EDA-EDB in Escherichia coli, the EDA and EDB segments were separated from pGEM2-EDA/EDB and recomposed with two additional amino acids, then cloned into the expression vector pET28a. pET system to express EDA-EDB fusion protein and 6 x His/Ni-NTA system to purify it in a single step were used. Western blotting confirmed the purified protein. RESULTS: The EDA and EDB segments were ligated and inserted into pET28a vector. EDA-EDB fusion protein was highly expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Afterwards, it was purified by Ni-NTA resin and verified by western blotting. CONCLUSION EDA-EDB fusion protein can be expressed in pET system and purified by 6 x His/Ni-NTA system.
Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Fibronectins/biosynthesis* ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/isolation & purification* ; Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification*

Objective To investigate the expression of interferon-induced protein 44 (IFI44) gene in the leukocytes of the peripheral blood samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to evaluate the relationship between the expression level and disease activity. Methods Mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood samples from 100 SLE patients were compared with those of 40 disease controls and 40 healthy donors (HD) and the expression of the IFI44 was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR.Comparisons between groups were performed with ANOVA, and the correlation analysis between the level of expression was higher in SLE patients than disease controls and healthy donors (26.8±5.3, 7.4±2.7, 5.2±2.0,respectively) (P=0.0012, P=0.005), but no difference was found between disease controls and healthy donors. Mild disease activity and the SLE patients with stable disease (63.1±22.4, 28.0±7.2, 9.2±1.8, respectively)and 24 hours urine protein level (r=0.42, P=0.000). Conclusion IFI44 is demonstrated to be highly expressed in SLE patients. The level of IFI44 may be a promising candidate biomarker for identifying SLE activity.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of mature B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(mature B-ALL) and to assess the safety and efficacy of the treatment protocol.Methods From February of 2003 to December of 2012,15 children were diagnosed as mature B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma possible (mature B-ALL/NHLp) in Shanghai Children's Medical Center(SCMC) were enrolled,and they were treated with SCMC-mature B-ALL/NHLp-2003 protocol.All of the clinical characteristics,therapeutic effects and long-term outcomes were analyzed.The statistical data were processed by SPSS 21.0.Results The median age on diagnosis was 8.7 years (1 year and 5 months to 14 years and 4 months).Among them,4 cases presented with local mass including maxillofacial tumors,neck and abdominal mass.The others had systemic manifestations such as fever and pale face.These neoplastic cells retained the expressions of surface membrane immunoglobulin M,terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase,Cμ,CD10,CD19,cCD79 a differently.Follow-up was updated to November 30,2013.The median follow-up period was 80 months (39-128 months).Theestimated 5-year event free survival rate was (80.0 ± 10.3) ％.According to univariate analysis,increased lactate dehydrogenase level (＞ 4-times the normal value),increased serum ferritin level (＞ 2-times the normal value),no small residual disease markers were indepen-dent poor prognostic factors(x2 =5.49,4.89,5.49,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions SCMC-mature B-NHL/ALLp-2003 protocol is feasible and safe for children with mature B-ALL/NHLp,but more sample cases need to be investigated.

Objective:To summarize acute type A aortic dissection(ATAAD) is relatively uncommon in dialysis patients, and repair outcomes are not fully understood.Methods:Between January 2014 and March 2020, 20 patients with ATAAD required dialysis for preoperative end-stage renal disease(ESRD) were treated by our group. There were 11 male and 9 female patients at mean age of(47.8±11.3) years. The mean duration of dialysis therapy in the total 20 patients before the onset of ATAAD was(4.5±3.9 )years, with 90%(18 cases) of these patients undergoing hemodialysis(rather than peritoneal dialysis). 17 patients were treated emergency surgically, surgical operation were performed under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and perfused the cerebral selective cerebral perfusion, 5 cases with ascending aorta + arch fenestrated stent, 5 cases with ascending aorta+ hemi-arch replacement(2 cases with stent elephant trunk), 4 cases with ascending aorta+ arch replacement+ stent elephant trunk(1 case with coronary artery bypass grafting for left anterior descending coronary artery), 2 cases with aortic valvuloplasty + ascending aorta+ hemi-arch replacement, 1 case with Bentall+ arch fenestrated stent.Results:2 patients were died from aortic ruptured before operation, 1 patient treated medically was alive three months after admission. Cross-clamp, cardiopulmonary bypass, and circulatory arrest times of all the surgical patients were(233.8±84.4) min, (155.5±63.6)min and(28.2±10.8)min, respectively. The following complications occurred postoperative: 3 cases died in the hospital, 1 case of tracheotomy, 2 cases of cerebral infarction, 1 case of cerebral hemorrhage, 1 case of transient paraplegia, and 1 case of surgical site infection. After a mean follow-up of(11.6±14.5) months(rang, 3-61 months). the overall survival rate at 1 year and 5 years was 53% and 27% respectively.Conclusion:Dialysis patients with ATAAD should be operated on urgently and medical treatment carries high risks of aortic rupture, although in-hospital mortality is acceptable, long-term mortality is poor.

Huang-Qin is a traditional Chinese medicine with antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Its major bioactive compounds are diverse flavone O-glucuronides and glucosides. Although three flavonoid O-glycosyltransferases have been identified from S. baicalensis, this information is not sufficient to elucidate the structural diversity of flavonoid glycosides. In this study, nine glycosyltransferase candidate genes were discovered from S. baicalensis by BLAST analysis and their functions were characterized after heterologous expression. Three new flavone O-glycosyltransferases were able to catalyze the formation of major compounds in S. baicalensis, including baicalin and wogonoside. These enzymes could also utilize exogenous flavones as sugar acceptors. This work further elucidates biosynthetic pathways for Scutellaria flavonoid O-glycosides.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the seeds of Cuscuta chinensis.

METHODThe separation was carried out by polyamide and silica gel chromatography, and the compounds were identified by means of physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods.

RESULTSEight compounds were isolated from the plant and identified as quercetin 3-O-beta-D-galactoside-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (I), quercetin 3-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-galactoside (II), hyperoside (III), isorhamnetin (IV), kaempferol (V), quercetin (VI), d-sesamin (VII) and 9(R)-hydroxy-d-sesamin (VIII).

CONCLUSIONCompounds IV and VII were isolated from Cuscuta for the first time, and I, II and VIII were characteristic constituents for this vegetable drug.

Cuscuta ; chemistry ; Flavonols ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Seeds ; chemistry