Applications of network pharmacology are increasingly widespread and methods abound in the field of drug development and pharmacological research. In this study, we choose rosiglitazone compound as the object to predict the targets and to discuss the mechanism based on three kinds of prediction methods of network pharmacology. Comparison of the prediction result has identified that the three kinds of prediction methods had their own characteristics: targets and pathways predicted were not in accordance with each other. However, the calcium signaling pathway could be predicted in the three kinds of methods, which associated with diabetes and cognitive impairment caused by diabetes by bioinformatics analysis. The above conclusion indicates that the calcium signaling pathway is important in signal pathway regulation of rosiglitazone compound, which provides a clue to further explain the mechanism of the compound and also provides a reference for the selection and application of methods of network pharmacology in the actual research.
Calcium Signaling ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; Computational Biology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Pharmacology ; methods ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology

In this study, the human umbilical vein endothelial cell model was used to study the regulating effect of lipophilic components in Salvia miltiorrhiza on angiogenesis, and explore its possible mechanism. The cell model was established to determine the effect of lipophilic components in S. miltiorrhiza on the proliferative activity and migration capacity of endothelial cells. Then the realtime fluorescence quantification PCR technology was applied to detect the changes in the gene expressions of angiogenesis-related cytokines VEGF-A, VEGF-C and MMP-9. The results showed that 5 mg x L(-1) lipophilic components in S. miltiorrhiza could inhibit the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells, and reduce the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 genes. It indicated that lipophilic components in S. miltiorrhiza may inhibit the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells by inhibiting the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 genes, so as to show the inhibitory effect on angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Tangshen Recipe (TR) on the homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism of patients with diabetic nephropathy.

METHODS64 patients with diabetic nephropathy were randomly assigned to two groups, 32 in each. Those in the Western medicine treatment group (Group A) received insulin and orally took anti-diabetic drugs, while those in the TR group (Group B) received insulin and orally took TR (consisting of astragalus, raw rehmannia root, sanchi root, euonymus branchlet, rhubarb, bitter orange, and dogwood fruit, etc. 4 g/package). Six months was taken as one therapeutic course. Another 48 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group. Eight intermediate metabolites of the homocysteine metabolism in plasma were quantitated before treatment, three months and six months after treatment. The in vivo changes of each metabolite after treatment were analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, contents of cysteine (Cys), Hcy, s-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and SAH significantly increased in Group A and B before treatment. Contents of methionine (Met), glutathione (GSH), and Cys-gly decreased significantly, showing statistical difference (P<0.05). Patients' in vivo contents of Cys, Hcy, SAM, and SAH significantly decreased, while contents of Met, GSH, and Cys-gly significantly increased after three and six months of treatment when compared with before treatment in the same group (all P<0.05). No statistical difference existed in contents of SAH, SAM, and GSH of Group A and B after six months of treatment when compared with the healthy control group (P>0.05). No adverse reaction occurred in Group A and B.

CONCLUSIONSTreatment of insulin and TR showed similar favorable effect to Western medicine in treatment of diabetic nephropathy. It could improve in vivo hypomethylation and oxidative stress.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Dipeptides ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Homocysteine ; blood ; metabolism ; Humans ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

[Objective] To investigate the quality of secondary water supply in Shanghai , in order to provide the basis for efficient management measures . [ Methods] Secondary water supply data were collected and analyzed from Shanghai drinking water health inspection and monitoring information system . [ Results] Cleaning and disinfection of secondary water supply facilities and water quality self -check and others were found to be low in pass rate .The drinking water quality of secondary water supply was lower . The main unqualified monitoring indexes were oxygen consumption , total number of bacteria and residual chlorine. [ Conclusion] Several problems exist in secondary water supply .By using Shanghai drinking water health inspection and monitoring information system , we can take effective measures to achieve sec-ondary water supply scientific supervision , then ensuring water safety .

[Objective] To study the correlation between onsite rapid examination , online monito-ring and laboratory examination results for drinking water turbidity and total chlorine , and to obtain a basis for rational disposition of the three methods . [ Methods] A total of 87 sets of onsite rapid examination and online monitoring results were compared with laboratory examination results respectively by using paired t tests.Linear correlation coefficients between onsite rapid examination results and laboratory examination results , between online monitoring results and laboratory examination results were calculated .Corresponding linear regression equations were set up . [ Results] There were no significant differences found either between onsite rapid examination results and online monitoring results or between online monitoring results and laboratory examination results .Linear correlation coefficients showed that the degree of correlation be-tween onsite rapid examination results and laboratory examination results was higher than that between on -line monitoring results and laboratory examination results for both turbidity and total chlorine . [ Conclu-sion] Onsite rapid examination and online monitoring are both reliable water examination methods in health inspection .The characteristics of the three methods should be considered when making disposition decisions .One or more methods should be used to maximize working effects and efficiency .

This study was to report the effect of Tangshen Formula on phospholipids metabolism in diabetic nephropathy patients. A normal phase-HPLC-TOF/MS method was used in this study for the determination of seven species of phospholipids in human plasma. Then, the concentration changes of potential phospholipids biomarkers were discussed in diabetic nephropathy phase III and phase IV patients among different groups, including before and 3, 6 months after administration of Tangshen Formula. Significant increases of PE750, PI885, PC792, PC826, PC830, PC854 and PC802 levels were observed 6 months after administration of Tangshen Formula and conventional western medicine, as well as a decrease of LPC540 level, when compared with those before medication. Concentrations of all the potential phospholipids biomarkers showed a tendency towards normal levels; however, both the improvement degree and onset time of these compounds were not same. Additionally, Tangshen Formula treatment based on conventional western medicine treatment was more efficient in adjusting the levels of these compounds when compared with western medicine treatment alone, especially for the phase IV patients. These results indicated that Tangshen Formula was capable in regulating and improving phospholipids metabolism in diabetic nephropathy patients, which may be related with the direct or indirect inhibition of protein kinase C pathway and the corresponding reduction of phospholipase A2 activity. Therefore, Tangshen Formula may be used as an effective drug for diabetic nephropathy therapy, at least as an adjunctive therapeutic drug.
Diabetic Nephropathies ; blood ; metabolism ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glycerophospholipids ; blood ; Humans ; Lysophosphatidylcholines ; blood ; Phospholipases A2 ; metabolism ; Phospholipids ; blood ; classification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Sphingomyelins ; blood

This study was to comprehensively evaluate the chemical quality of main species of epimedium planted in China. The contents of 5 marker compounds, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, icariin and baohuoside I, as well as total flavonoids of 22 samples of 8 officinal species of Epimedium were determined by HPLC and UV, separately. Some physical and chemical tests (H2O, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and EtOH extract) were also carried out to investigate their chemical qualities. There were significant differences in types and contents of prenyl-flavonoid glycosides such as epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, icariin and baohuoside I in different species, meanwhile, the physical and chemical parameters results also showed that there were obvious differences in chemical quality among different species of epimedium herb. The results provide theoretical and experimental basis for the establishment of comprehensive quality assessment system of epimedium in China.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; classification ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Species Specificity ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods

Metabonomics technology has been widely applied in the field of biology and pharmacy nowadays. The integration on mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and other modern analytical techniques, made up of the metabonomics technology platform, have accelerated the study on metabonomics. In this paper, the past results of metabonomics studies are reviewed, and the applications of metabonomics to traditional Chinese medicine are prospected.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; trends ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Proteomics ; methods ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective To evaluate the reliability, validity and sensitivity of a Family Burden Scale (FBS) of disease used on schistosomiasis. Methods 224 schistosomiasis patients were investigated, using the FBS. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's α coefficient and split-half reliability. Validity was tested by factor analysis. Sensitivity was evaluated by comparison of patients with different income levels. Results The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.874 and split-half reliability was 0.939 for FBS, respectively. Most values of Cronbach's α and split-half reliability for each component of scale were above 0.70. Construct validity was appraised by factor analysis, and 6 factors were identified. These factors could explain 66.76 % of the total variance. Patients with different income levels showed significant difference in terms of family burden for schistosomiasis (P<0.001 ). Conclusion This FBS appeared to have satisfactory reliability, validity and sensitivity and could be used in evaluating family burden of schistosomiasis patients.

Recent work indicates that an Aurora kinase inhibitor MK-0457 (VX-680), a small-molecule inhibitor of Aurora kinases A, B, C and BCR-ABL, FLT-3, JAK-2, can block the progression of cell growth cycle, causing apoptosis in a range of human tumors. MK-0457 has the activity against expressions of wild-type and mutated bcr-abl gene, including the T315I mutant, and can inhibit the activity of FLT-3, JAK-2 and their mutated types as well. Clinical applications suggest that the MK-0457 has therapeutic effect on the highly refractory CML and CML with poor prognosis, Ph(+) ALL with T315I mutant, relapse refractory AML and JAK-2 positive myeloproliferative diseases (MPD). The intensive preclinical studies and the on-going phase II clinical trials will open up a new vista of therapy for some hematological malignancies. This review focuses on the pharmacologic action of MK-0457 and its clinical trial as well as combined application.
Aurora Kinases ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; classification ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors