Humans ; Otitis Media ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis

Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Semicircular Canals ; surgery

Aim To investigate the effects of perindopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, on mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP) and pulmonary vascular remodeling.Methods Using the normobaric hypoxia-hypercapnia rat model,the changes of plasma angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ), mPAP and ultrastructure of pulmonary arteriolar wall were observed after administration of perindopril.Results The mPAP and AngⅡ were significantly greater and the ultrastructure of the small lung vessels had a more obvious change in the 4 weeks hypoxia-hypercapnia group than those in the control group.It was also found that perindopril decreased AngⅡ, declined mPAP and ameliorated vascular ultrastructure change.But the change of ultrastructure was similar in the 8 weeks hypoxia-hypercapnia group and perindopril treatment group.Conclusion It is suggested that chronic hypoxia-hypercapnia should induce the remodeling of pulmonary arteriolar structure via AngⅡ and that perindopril could ease pulmonary vascular remodeling in early stage.

Ten glycosidic compounds were isolated from an ethanol extract of Machilus wangchiana by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 and reversed-phase flash chromatography and HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis (IR, MS, and NMR) as icariside B1 (1), boscialin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), pisumionoside (3), isolariciresinol-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (4), 5'-methoxyisolariciresinol-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (5), lyoniresinol-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (6), (E) -4-hydroxyphenylprop-7-ene 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), (E) - 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylprop-7-ene 4-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 6) -β-D-glucopyranoside (8), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylprop-8-ene 4-O-β-D-xylopyraosyl-(1 --> 6) -β-D-glucopyranoside (9), and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenylprop-8-ene 4-O-α-L-rhamnpyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-β-D- glucopyranoside (10), respectively.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Lauraceae ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Along with the development of economy and society, type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) has become one of the most common diseases at the global level. As one of the complications of T2DM, diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) stubbornly and chronically affects the health and life of human beings. In the pain field, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is generally considered as the first stage of the sensory pathway where the hyperexcitability of injured neurons is associated with different kinds of peripheral neuropathic pains. The abnormal electrophysiology is mainly due to the changed properties of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and the increased sodium currents (I(Na)). Curcumin is an active ingredient extracted from turmeric and has been demonstrated to ameliorate T2DM and its various complications including DNP effectively. The present study demonstrates that the I(Na) of small-sized DRG neurons are significantly increased with the abnormal electrophysiological characteristics of VGSCs in type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain rats. And these abnormalities can be ameliorated efficaciously by a period of treatment with curcumin.
Animals ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; drug therapy ; Ganglia, Spinal ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Neuralgia ; drug therapy ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sodium ; Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels ; physiology

Oxidative stress could induce apoptosis and autophagy process simultaneously, but the role of autophagy is still not clear. Beclin 1, a key gene regulating the preautophagosome formation, is involved in the injury induced by oxidative stress. To observe the role of autophagy in H2O2-induced injury of U251 cells, the recombinant plasmid Psilencer3.1-siRNA-Beclin 1 was transfected into U251 cells by eukaryotic cell transfection technique. Plasmid vector and cell culture medium were used as negative and control groups respectively. The cells were collected 24 h later, and the cell total protein was extracted to detect Beclin 1, Bcl-2 and Bax protein expressions by Western blot. After the Beclin 1-siRNA cells were treated with 1 mmol/L H2O2, the autophagic vacuoles in the cells were stained with monodansylcadaverine (MDC), and the cell apoptotic ratio was determined with PI/Annexin V-FITC staining by flow cytometry analysis. The results showed that the synthetic siRNA decreased the expression of Beclin 1 protein significantly, but had no obvious effect on the levels of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expressions. Compared with those in the control group, the autophagic vacuoles, the level of LC3-II protein expression and the percentage of apoptotic cells increased (P < 0.05) in 1 mmol/L H2O2 group. In Beclin 1-siRNA + H2O2 group, autophagic vacuoles and the levels of LC3-II protein expression decreased obviously, the percentage of apoptotic cells increased significantly compared with that in 1 mmol/L H2O2 group (P < 0.05). H2O2 and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) combination also increased the percentage of apoptotic cells obviously (P < 0.05). These results revealed that the transfection of Psilencer3.1-siRNA-Beclin 1 effectively inhibited the expression of Beclin 1 protein expression, degraded the autophagy level and increased the apoptotic rate in U251 cells under oxidative stress, which was coincident with the effect of autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. This study suggests that autophagy is a cell protective role in oxidative stress process, and the inhibition of autophagy may enhance apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; physiology ; Beclin-1 ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glioma ; pathology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection

From an aqueous extract of Lonicera japonica flower buds, sixteen compounds were isolated by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over macroporous resin, MCI gel, silica gel, and sephadex LH-20 and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis as 6'-O-acetylvogeloside (1), 6'-O-acetylsecoxyloganin (2), dichlorogelignate (3), guanosinyl-(3' --> 5')-adenosine monophosphate(GpA,4) , 5'-O-methyladenosine (5), 2'-O-methyladenosine (6), adenosine (7), syringin (8), methyl 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl caffeate (9), (-)-dihydrophaseic acid 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), ketologanin (11), 7α-morroniside (12), 7β-morroniside (13), kingiside (14), cryptochlorogenic acid methyl ester (15), and 6-hydroxymethyl-3-pyridinol (16). All the compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time, compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds, 3 and 5 are new natural products, and 4 is the first example of dinucleoside monophosphate isolated from a plant extract.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure

Objective To investigate whether the effect of puerarin on right ventricle hypertrophy of pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by chronic hypoxia-hypercapnia was related to new peptide Apelin or its receptor(APJ).Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, they are control group,hypoxia-hypercapnia 4-week model group,and hypoxia-hypercapnia 4-week plus puerarin group.The concentrations of Apelin-36 protein in plasma and homogenate of right ventricular muscle were detected by radioimmunoassay.The mRNA expressions of Apelin and APJ in right ventricu- lar muscle were measured by semi-quantitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Results The weight ratio of right ventricle to left ventricle plus septum[RV/(LV+S)] in model group was significantly higher than that in control group(P0.05).The plasma concen- tration of Apelin-36 protein in model group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of safflower injection on prevention and treatment of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and clarify the function of the endoplasmic reticulum stress apoptosis pathway during the process.

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomly grouped as normal control group, hypoxia-hypercapnia group and hypoxia+safflower group. The latter two groups were put in the cabin with oxygen concentration ranged from 9% to 11% and carbon dioxide concentration from 5% to 6%. The pulmonary artery pressure and the index of right ventricular hypertrophy were determined after hypoxia exposure (8 h/dx28 d). Changes in morphology of lung tissue were observed by electron microscopy. To explore the possible mechanisms, we also detected apoptosis and apoptosis-related genes/proteins in lung tissue by TUNEL reactivity and PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, pulmonary artery pressure and the index of right ventricular hypertrophy in hypoxia group were 45% and 33.4% higher, respectively. Tiny blood vessel wall of lungs was thickened and edema, and proliferation of collagen fibers was obvious under the electron microscope. TUNEL staining of apoptotic cells in lung tissues showed more high brightness green fluorescence (+-++), but less green fluorescence showed in the pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cell layer, and apoptosis index (AI) value was 150% higher; gene and protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway were increased. Compared with hypoxia-hypercapnia group, pulmonary artery pressure and the index of right ventricular hypertrophy in the hypoxia+safflower group were 18% and 15.6% lower, respectively; collagen fibers were decreased, and smooth muscle cells and epithelial cells were got apoptotic-like changes under the electron microscope. TUNEL staining of apoptotic cells in lung tissues showed brighter green fluorescence (++-+++); the high brightness green fluorescence showed in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cell layer, and apoptotic index (Al) value was 40% higher; gene and protein expressions of endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway were significantly upregulated.

CONCLUSIONOur findings demonstrate that safflower injection could activate endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis and especially promote apoptosis in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Hypercapnia ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of detachable balloons,detachable coils and intracranial covered stents in management of intracranial giant aneurysms.Methods From April 1998 to March 2006,20 patients with a giant or very large aneurysm were treated by parent artery occlusion(PAO), coils embolization and covered stent,in which 9 aneurysms were treated by PAO,8 by coils embolization and 3 by covered stent at initial management.Two recurrent aneurysms treated by coils embolization were performed by covered stent.Follow-up 9-83 months,mean 41.1?25.3 months.Immediate postprocedural angiographic outcomes were categorized as complete occlusion(100%),subtotal occlusion(95%-99%),and incomplete occlusion(＜95%)of the aneurysms;and follow-up angiographic outcomes were categorized as stable, thrombosis,and recanalization.Clinical outcomes were graded according to a modified Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).Results Endovascular treatment was technically feasible in all aneurysms without procedural-related complications.Immediate postprocedural angiograms showed complete occlusion was achieved in 11 aneurysms, subtotal occlusion in 7 and incomplete occlusion in 2.One patient with incomplete occlusion died on the seventh day with a rebleeding.The final angiographic findings in nineteen survival patients confirmed a complete occlusion in 15 aneurysms,subtotal occlusion in 3 and incomplete occlusion in 1,in which 10 parent arteries were successfully preserved.No rebleeding occurred during the follow-up period.The clinical evaluation performed at final follow-up in 19 patients revealed that the symptoms disappeared in 11 patients and improved in 8 in the modified GOS.Conclusions Treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms with coiling was associated with a low complete occlusion rate and a high recanalization rate.Treatment with endovascular parent artery occlusion remains practical,but this technique may result in damage to the parent artery and cause cerebral ischemic events.The use of an intracranial covered stent proved to be a relatively simple and safe procedure and maintained the pateney of the parent artery.