BACKGROUND: Clinical observation has been proved that acupuncture has effect on antiinflammation and immunoloregulation, which is the basis for preventing and curing immune disturbance and active chronic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electropumcture on antiinflammation, analgesia and subgroup of T cells of adjuvant-arthrosis rats at Jiaji acupoint.DESIGN: Completely randomized grouping and controlled study.SETTING: Basic Laboratory of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. MATERIALS: A total of 30 Wistar rats were selected in this study. Five days after feeding, all rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, model group and electropumcture group with 10 in each group. METHODS: ① The experiment was completed at Basic Laboratory of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January to May 2005. Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) was used to establish adjuvant-arthrosis models in model group and electropumcture group. On the modeling day, the 3rd and the 5th Jiaji acupoints of bilateral lumbar vertebrae of rats in electropumcture group were acupunctured with 28-sized stainless-steel milli-needle of 0.5 inch.The needle was stimulated 0.3 cm from the 3rd and the 5th spinous process of lumbar vertebra which was counected to G6805-2A multiple functional electropumcture meter for sparse-tight waves (frequency of sparse wave: 4 Hz, frequency of tight wave: 60 Hz, intensity: t mA) 30 minutes each time,once a day for 7 days. Rats in normal group and model group were fixed with the same way for 7 days. (Rats were fixed with cloth-rope at fixing apparatus.) ② Pain threshold was measured before modelling, 1 and 7 days after modelling. Foot pad was exposured with strong light by hot-pain stimulation meter, and paw withdrawal latency was regarded as pain threshold. ③ Right hindfoot bulk of rats was assayed with foot bulk determinator (bulk draining method) before modelling, 1 and 7 days after modelling to calculate swelling rate (％) [(foot bulk after modelling-foot bulk before modelling)/ foot bulk before modelling × 100％ ]. ④ Expressional rates of serum CD4+ and CD8+ were assayed with FACSCalibur flow cytometer and the ratio between CD4+ and CD8+ was calculated 8 days after modelling. ⑤ Average value of multiple samples were compared with single-factor analysis of variance and t test.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effect of electropumcture at Jiaji acupoint on pain threshold, swelling rate and subgroup of serum T cells of adjuvant-arthrosis rats.RESULTS: A total of 30 rats were involved in the final analysis. ① One day after modeling, bulk of right hindfoot in model group and electropumcture group was bigger than that in normal control group and that before modeling (P ＜ 0.01), and swelling rate was higher than that in normal control group (P ＜ 0.01); 7 days after modeling, bulk and swelling of right hindfoot in model group were higher than those in normal control group (P ＜ 0.01), and bulk was bigger than that before modeling (P ＜ 0.01);bulk and swelling of right hindfoot in electropumcture group were lower than those in model group (P ＜ 0.05). ② Pain threshold of both rear feet of normal rats were not changed after modelling. One day after modelling,pain threshold at inflammatory side was decreased in model group and electropumcture group (P ＜ 0.01) and it was lower than that in normal control group (P ＜ 0.01); 7 days after modeling, pain threshold at inflammatory side was still lower than that before inflammation (P ＜ 0.05),and it in electropumcture group was higher than that in model group (P＜ 0.05). ③ Percentages of CD4+ T lymphocyte and CD8+ T lymphocyte in model group were lower than those in normal control group (P ＜ 0.01), and ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was also higher than that in normal control group (P＜ 0.05). Percentage of CD4+ in electropumcture group was higher than that in model group, but there was no significant difference. Percentage of CD8+ in electropumcture group was higher than that in model group (P ＜ 0.01),but ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was lower than that in model group (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Electropumcture at Jiaji acupoint has obvious effect on anti-inflammation and analgesia, and can also regulate cellular immunity of adjuvant-arthrosis rats.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Yunkang oral liquid on postpartum kidney deficiency in mice. MethodPostpartum mice were randomized into model and low-dose （6 mL·kg^-1）， medium-dose （9 mL·kg^-1）， and high-dose （12 mL·kg^-1） Yunkang oral liquid groups. The mouse model of postpartum kidney deficiency was established by sleep deprivation combined with forced swimming. Another 9 female ICR mice were selected as the normal control group. The mice were administrated with Yunkang oral liquid during the period of modeling. The levels of estradiol （E₂）， progesterone （P）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， and luteinizing hormone （LH） in the serum were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The morphological changes of ovaries and uterus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the expression of transforming growth factor （TGF）-β and Smad2/3 was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. ResultThe mice in the model group showed prolonged estrous cycle， reduced voluntary activity， dorsal temperature， grip strength， and bone strength， and whitening tongue coating. Compared with the model group， Yunkang oral liquid shortened the estrous cycle， increased the voluntary activity， dorsal temperature， grip strength， and bone strength， and alleviated the whitening of tongue coating. Moreover， it elevated the E₂ and P levels and lowered the FSH and LH levels in the serum， decreased ovarian follicular atresia rate， promoted uterine repair， and down-regulated the expression of TGF-β and Smad2/3 in the ovarian and uterine tissues. ConclusionYunkang oral liquid can ameliorate postpartum kidney deficiency in mice by regulating the TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway.

Novel series of limonin derivatives (V-A-1-V-A-8, V-B-1-V-B-8) were synthesized by adding various tertiary amines onto the C (7)-position of limonin. The synthesized compounds possessed favorable physicochemical property, and the intrinsic solubility of the novel compounds were significantly improved, compared with limonin. Different pharmacological models were used to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the target compounds. Compound V-A-8 exhibited the strongest in vivo activity among the novel limonin analogs; its analgesic activity was more potent than aspirin and its anti-inflammatory activity was stronger than naproxen under our testing conditions.
Analgesics ; administration & dosage ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Drug Discovery ; Edema ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Limonins ; administration & dosage ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Pain ; drug therapy