Theory of “combination of disease with syndrome” has been widely used in the establishment and evaluation of experimental animal models. The ulcerative colitis animal models with spleen-kidney yang deficiency pattern were established based on the theory according to complex factors. These models were not only required to show the features of “disease” and “syndrome” at the macro characterization, but also combined with microscopic biological indicators and prescription test so as to make comprehensive evaluation. But the problems in the establishment and evaluation of “combination of disease with syndrome” models hindered further development, such as the weak connection between disease and syndrome, multiplicity of models, and limitations in evaluation standards. Therefore, further improvement in the establishment and evaluation of models will make great sense to better ulcerative colitis animal models with spleen-kidney yang deficiency pattern.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhenqing Recipe (ZQR) on non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), and the expression of hepatic salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-ic (SREBP-lc) in type 2 diabetes rats.

METHODSA rat model of type 2 diabetes was established by high fat/sucrose diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of small dose streptozotocin (STZ) . Modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, the ZQR group, and the metformin group, 8 in each group. Eight rats were recruited as a normal control group. ZQR at the daily dose of 12 g crude drugs/kg was administered to rats in the ZQR group by gastrogavage. Metformin suspension at the daily dose of 150 mg/kg was administered to rats in the metformin group by gastrogavage. Equal volume of distilled water was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication lasted for 12 weeks. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), free fatty acid (FFA), serum triglyceride (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected. The body weight and wet liver weight were weighed, and the liver weight index calculated. The liver TG content was measured. The pathological changes of liver and the expression of SIK1 were observed by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 and SREBP-1c were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, liver weight index, and liver TG contents significantly increased (P < 0.01); liver steatosis was severe, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously decreased (P < 0.01); mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c increased (P < 0.01). After drug therapy, compared with the model group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, and liver weight index significantly decreased, liver TG contents significantly decreased, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously increased, while mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the ZQR group and the metformin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and the pathological changes were also improved. All the indices were improved more in the ZQR group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn this experiment, we found that the expression of SIK1 decreased in NAFL rats with type 2 diabetes. ZQR could alleviate lesion of NAFL type 2 diabetes rats possibly by up-regulating hepatic SIK1 expression at mRNA and protein levels.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 ; metabolism

Objective:To establish a rapid, sensitive and accurate HPLC-QTOF/MS determination method for the illegally added antihypertensive drugs in traditional Chinese medicines and healthy care products .Methods:An Agilent Eclipse plus C 18 column ( 50 mm ×2.1 mm,1.8 μm) was adopted with the mobile phase of 0.5%formic acid and acetonitrile with gradient elution .The flow rate was 0.2 ml· min-1 .The electrospray ionization source was applied and operated in a positive ion mode .Results:The detection limit of 18 antihypertensive drugs was within the range of 0.2-2.5 ng· ml-1 .Reserpine was found in one sample .Conclusion:The method is selective and sensitive , which can be used for the detection of 18 chemical medicines illegally added in antihypertensive traditional Chinese medicines and health care products .

Objective To investigate the protective effects of felodipine on mRNA levels of endothelial nitricoxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitricoxide synthase (iNOS) as well as the level of nitrogen monoxidum (NO) from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injuryed by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). Methods Isolated HUVECs were divided into blank control group,ox-LDL injury group treated with ox-LDL of different concentrations (6,12.5 and 25 mg/L),and intervention group of felodipine (0.1,1.0 and 10 ?mol/L)+ox-LDL (25 mg/L). Then eNOS and iNOS expressions were measured by real time-polymerase chain reaction and the level of NO in the supernatants of the cultures was assayed by nitrate reductase method. Results The mRNA expressions of eNOS and iNOS in HUVECs and NO level in the supernatants during treatment with different ox-LDL concentrations were higher than those in control group. However,felodipine significantly down-regulated the expression of iNOS in HUVECs injured by ox-LDL and inceased NO generation. Conclusion Felodipine has protective effects on endothelial cells. The mechanism may be related to its lowering the mRNA expression of iNOS induced by low ox-LDL concentration and increasing NO production.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of felodipine on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation,mRNA level of inflammatory factors such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1),in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injured by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) so as to explore felodipine's anti-atherosclerosis mechanism independent of its anti-hypertensive effect. Methods Isolated HUVECs were treated with ox-LDL at different concentrations (6,12.5 and 25 mg/L) for 24 hours so that the optimal concentration and time of ox-LDL treatment were selected. Then the cells were incubated with ox-LDL and treated with felodipine at different concentrations (0.1,1 and 10 ?mol/L). Intracellular ROS level was determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Expressions of inflammatory factors ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured by real time-polymerase chain reaction (real time-PCR). Results ROS generation was increased in HUVECs after treatment with different concentrations (6,12.5 and 25 mg/L) of ox-LDL for 24 hours and there was a significant difference at 25 mg/L ox-LDL (P

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics,risk factors and preventive measures for nosocomial pneumonia in patients with post-hepatitis liver cirrhosis.METHODS A prospective and retrospective study was carried out to investigate the clinical data of 495 patients with post-hepatitis liver cirrhosis in Department of Infectious Diseases during Jan 1,2005 to Dec 31,2007.RESULTS The incidence rate of the nosocomial pneumonia in post-hepatitis liver cirrhosis patients was 13.50 %.The death rate was 25.40 %,which was obviously higher than 6.8% of patients without no nosocomial infection(?2=23.77,P

″Herb-Pairs″, also known as pair drugs, refers to a prescription consisted of two relatively fixed traditional Chinese medicine, is the most basic, most simple and most common form of medication prescription in traditional Chinese medicine compound compatibility. It is not a random combination of two herbs, nor is the simple accumulation of efficacy, but the simple and delicate experience of ancient Chinese medicine practitioners. As a bridge between single drug and prescriptions, it is the embodiment of the regular and dialectical connotation. Therefore, research on Herb-Pairs has always been the most basic and most important entry point for compound compatibility studies. However, the interaction between herbs and herbs is an effect with a downside as well as benefits. The beneficial herb-herb interaction in Herb-Pairs include mutual promotion, mutual enhancement, mutual restraint between two drugs and counteract toxicity of another drug. And the harmful herb- herb interaction in Herb- Pairs includes mutual inhibition and antagonism. All of these interactions areby means of affecting the metabolism of components to play a therapeutic effect. Using the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) binding model, the combination of drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics can further elucidate the influence on effect caused by drug concentration and metabolism, which can help elucidate the mechanism of drug action. Consequently, in this review, the herb-herb interactions in terms of pharmacokinetic were summarized to elucidate rule of TCM compatibility.

Objective To study the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and its underlying mechanism. Methods A 38-year-old female with PV presented with refractory, painful oral ulcers and erosions. Since she was poorly responsive to prednisone 80 mg daily, intravenous ritu-ximab of 500 mg once a week was given for successive 3 weeks followed by 5 successive days of intra-venous gamma globulin at a dose of 400 mg/kg per day, and a total of two treatment sessions were conducted. ELISA was used to detect the serum titer of anti-Dsg3 antibodies and their IgG subtypes (IgG1 and IgG4) as well as serum level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10). Results Three months after the end of two treatment sessions, the symptom was obviously improved, and lesions subsided; alter another 1 month, clinical symptom fully disappeared. During the 1-year follow-up, no lesions recurred. The anti-Dsg3 antibody titer was 253.33 U/mL before treatment, plateaued at 250 U/mL within 4 weeks after the initial infusion, decreased till 3 months after the withdrawal, and reached 26.06 U/mL 7 months after the withdrawal, and remained within normal range till the time of this writing. The serum titer of IgGl subclass of anti-Dsg3 antibodies dropped dramatically fight after the first infusion, but that of IgG4 subclass remained at a high level at early stage of medication, began to decline until 3 months after the with-drawal, and finally reached the normal range following clinical remission. Also, serum level of IFN-garnma and IL-10 correlated with the severity of PV. Conclusions Combined rituximab is effective for the control of PV, likely by eliminating Dsg3-specific antibodies, especially IgG4 subclass of them.

Objective To explore the possible role of B7 family cell surface costimulatory molecules and their receptors in immunopathogenesis in children with asthma.Methods Forty children with acute exacerbation of asthma and 36 cases of age-matched healthy children were enrolled in the study.Interferon(IFN-?),IFN-? and lipopolysaccharide(LPS),phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin or zero were used to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells,flow cytometry was used to detect B7-1 and B7-2,B7H1,B7DC and B7H expression on CD14+ cells;CD4+ cells were separated by immune beads and stimulated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect CD28,cytotoxic lymphocyte associated antigen-4(CTLA-4),programmed death-1(PD-1)and inducible costimulator(ICOS) mRNA expression.Results 1.The levels of B7-1 and B7-2 expression in children with asthma were higher than those of healthy control group [B7-1:(6.68?3.97)% vs(1.74?0.69)%;B7-2:(10.87?5.99)% vs(1.58?0.75)% Pa

Objective To establish a method of isolation and purification of rat skeletal muscle satellite cells,and observe the characteristics of proliferation and myotube cell formation of skeletal muscle satellite cells cultured in vitro. MethodsPurified skeletal muscle satellite cells were obtained by improved two-step enzymatic digestion method and pre-plating technique.Immunohistochemical staining was employed to identify the skeletal muscle satellite cells cultured in vitro.The growth of skeletal muscle satellite cells cultured in vitro was examined by MTT assay.The differentiation of skeletal muscle satellite cells was observed by inverted microscopy. Results The skeletal muscle satellite cells with higher purity were obtained and confirmed by the high expression of desmin.When cultured in vitro,the latent phase of skeletal muscle satellite cells was the first to the second day,and the platform phase was the fifth to the sixth day.Myotube cells gradually formed when cell confluence was more than 60% to 70% or differential medium with lower fetal bovine serum was used.Conclusion The combination of improved two-step enzymatic digestion method and pre-plating technique serve as an easy and practical way to obtain skeletal muscle satellite cells with higher purity.Skeletal muscle satellite cells can form myotube cells with contraction characteristics without any special induction.