OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danning Tablet (DNT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of damp-heat syndrome type. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded and positive drug parallel controlled trial was performed. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled into the study and divided into two groups: DNT-treated group (n=102) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=33). Body mass index (BMI), principal symptoms, liver function, blood lipids, iconographic, and compositional parameters were measured before and after treatment, respectively. RESULTS: In the two groups, BMI, distress in hepatic region, fatigue, anorexia, liver function, blood lipids and iconographic parameters were significantly improved, and the improvements of BMI, distress in hepatic region were better in DNT-treated group than in UDCA-treated group. The histological study also showed that DNT had positive effect in treatment of NAFLD. CONCLUSION: DNT is an effective drug to treat patients with NAFLD of damp-heat syndrome type and is more effective than UDCA.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of metoprolol on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and caspase-8 activation after coronary microembolization(CME) in rats.

METHODSAdult rats were randomly assigned into CME group (intraventricular injection of 3000 microspheres with 42 µm in diameter), sham-operated group (0.1 ml saline) and CME plus metoprolol group (pretreatment with 3 bolus metoprolol 2.5 mg/kg intravenous injection at 10 minutes interval at 30 minutes before microspheres injection, n = 15, each group). Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography at 6 hours post various treatments. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected with TUNEL staining and the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8 was detected with Western blot analysis.

RESULTSCompared with sham-operated group, LVEF (72.68% ± 3.26% vs. 82.64% ± 3.43%, P < 0.05), fractional shortening (FS) (37.46% ± 2.38% vs. 42.85% ± 3.25%) and cardiac output (CO) [(0.101 ± 0.006) L/min vs. (0.162 ± 0.008) L/min] were significantly reduced while left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) [(6.22 ± 0.17) mm vs. (5.18 ± 0.43) mm] was significantly increased in CME group (all P < 0.05). Cardiac function [LVEF:73.94% ± 4.22%, FS:38.53% ± 2.03%, CO:(0.120 ± 0.012) L/min, LVEDd:(6.18 ± 0.27) mm] was similar in CME plus metoprolol group compared to CME group (all P > 0.05). The cardiomyocytes apoptosis rates (3.19% ± 1.23% vs. 0.18% ± 0.10%) and the levels of activated caspase-3 and caspase-8 proteins were significantly increased in CME group than in sham-operated group (all P < 0.05). The cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate (1.32% ± 0.28%) and the levels of activated caspase-3 and caspase-8 proteins were significantly lower in CME plus metoprolol group than in CME group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMetoprolol pretreatment reduced post-CME myocardial apoptosis possibly through downregulating death receptor-mediated apoptotic pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Coronary Occlusion ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Embolism ; drug therapy ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVEStudying the gene expression profiling of different stage hairy root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, in order to find functional genes.

METHODThe contents of second metabolites were determined by HPLC and gene expression profiling was detected by cDNA microarray. cDNA labeled with a fluorescent dye (Cy5 and Cy3-dCTP) was produced by Eberwine's linear RNA amplification method and subsequent enzymatic reaction. The microarrays were scanned with a ScanArray Express scanner using ScanArray 2.0 software and quantified by signal intensities of individual spots from the 16-bit TIFF images using GenePix Pro 4.0. The linear normalization method was used for data analyze. Northern blot was used to test the gene expression results obtained by microarray. Different expressed genes were sequenced and analyzed by gap4 software, and then they were analyzed with BLASTX, BLASTN, GO and KEGG.

RESULTGrowth rate and second metabolites analysis indicated that the stage from 30 d to 45 d was the growth stage, while the stage from 45 d to 60 d was the second metabolites accumulation stage. Accordingly 30 d hairy root was chosen as a reference, which was hybridized with 45 d and 60 d hairy root separately. Total 203 different expressed genes were obtained. Northern blot showed that the result was identical with the microarray result. After sequenced, there were 172 genes clustered into 114 clusters (Unigenes). Among them, 62 unigenes had known functions, 34 unigenes were hypothetical protein, 9 unigenes were homologues with no similarity and 9 unigenes were unidentified protein with low similarity. Total 67 genes were classified into cellular component ontology, molecular function ontology and biological process ontology based on GO analysis. Total 26 genes, which represented 29 metabolic-related enzymes, were located in metabolic maps based on KEGG pathway classification.

CONCLUSIONSeveral important functional genes related to second metabolite synthesis were cloned such as P450 and copalyl diphosphate synthase genes. cDNA microarray was a useful tool for functional genomics of traditional Chinese medicine.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genomics ; methods ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism

AIMTo study the effect of lidocaine-dodecanol binary eutectic system on the transdermal permeation of lidocaine.

METHODSBinary eutectic mixture of different proportions of lidocaine and dodecanol were prepared and the patch containing the binary eutectic mixture was developed. The solubilities of pure lidocaine and lidocaine from the binary eutectic system were determined in pH 7.9 phosphate buffer. The transdermal flux of lidocaine from the patches containing the binary eutectic system and pure lidocaine were measured using Franz-type single diffusion cell.

RESULTSThe melting point of the lidocaine-dodecanol binary eutectic system was markedly lower than that of pure lidocaine. The steady state transdermal flux of lidocaine from the patch of the binary eutectic system was six times as much as that of pure lidocaine patch.

CONCLUSIONThe lidocaine-dodecanol binary eutectic system could produce high thermodynamic activity of the drug and the high driving force for transdermal permeation of lidocaine.

Administration, Cutaneous ; Anesthetics, Local ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Dodecanol ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Stability ; Guinea Pigs ; Lidocaine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Skin Absorption ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of methyl jasmonate (MJ) on the accumulation and release of tanshinones in suspension cultures of Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy roots.

METHODAfter 18 day's suspension culture of S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834, the chemical elicitor--methyl jasmonat was added into 6-7V suspension cultures and at the same time, tanshinones contents (including cryptotanshinone and tanshinone II(A)) on the day 2, 6 and 9, after dealing with MJ, was quantified by HPLC.

RESULTAfter dealing with MJ on the day 2, 6 and 9, the concentration of cryptotanshinone reached to 0.039, 0.204, 0.571 mg x g(-1) respectively,and tanshinone II(A) reached 0.251, 0.601 and 1.563 mg x g(-1) respectively. After 9 day's treatment by MJ, the maximum increase of cryptotanshinone and tanshinone II(A) were 23.8 fold and 6.2 fold higher than that of the control respectively.

CONCLUSIONMJ could stimulate the accumulation of tanshinones in S. miltiorrhiza and have released them into the culture medium.

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Culture Techniques ; Cyclopentanes ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Oxylipins ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; metabolism ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo identify the risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

METHODSData from 72 patients with RDS (birth weight 1607 +/- 277 g; gestational age 29.47 +/- 2.54 weeks) who were hospitalized for >28 days and who received mechanical ventilation treatment between January 2001 and August 2005 were studied retrospectively. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with the development of BPD.

RESULTSOf the 72 patients, 17 developed BPD (23.6%). Uniovariate analysis revealed that in addition to a gestational age of < or = 30 weeks and a birth weight below 1250 g, the times of mechanical ventilation treatment (> or = 2 times), concurrent pulmonary infection and pneumorrhagia, prolonged mechanical ventilation (> or = 5 days), and positive sputum bacterial cultures on 2 occasions were all associated with an increase in the incidence of BPD. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that birth weight below 1250 g, prolonged mechanical ventilation (> or = 10 days),and positive sputum cultures on 3 or more occasions were independent risk factors for BPD (OR=6.614,14.997 and 39.752 respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe risk for BPD is multifactorial. Preventing small gestational age and low birth weight prematurity, decreasing the duration of mechanical ventilation and treatment of pulmonary infection are necessary to prevent BPD.

Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels and roles of serum growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODSSerum GH and PRL levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 54 neonates with HIE (20 mild, 19 moderate and 15 severe HIE) at the acute and convalescence stages. Twenty normal neonates were used as controls.

RESULTSSerum GH levels were significantly lower, but PRL levels were significantly higher in moderate and severe HIE neonates at the acute stage compared with those of controls and mild HIE neonates (P < 0.01). There were noticeable differences in serum levels of GH and PRL between the moderate and severe HIE cases (P < 0.01). During the convalescence stage, serum GH levels increased and PRL levels decreased in moderate and severe HIE neonates compared with those at the acute stage (P < 0.01); serum GH and PRL levels in each sub-group of HIE restored to the levels of controls. There was a closely negative correlation between GH and PRL levels at the acute stage of HIE (r = -0.8759, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGH and PRL might be involved in the pathophysiological process of HIE. The levels of GH and PRL closely relate to the severity of HIE at the acute stage.

Female ; Human Growth Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; blood ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Prolactin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo compare and evaluate the biocompatibility of three kinds of dentin bonding agents Xeno III (XO), Adper Prompt (AP), Single bond2 (SB) through cell culture in vitro.

METHODSThree kinds of dentin bonding agents (XO, AP, SB) were applied on the surface of the dental slices which were 5.0 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm in depth. By immersing the slices into the DMEM culture medium, the maceration extracts were obtained. Normal dental pulps of teenagers were collected and human pulp fibroblast was cultured using tissue explant method. The fifth generation pulp cells were exposed to culture medium containing different concentrations of maceration extracts (100.0%, 50.0%, 25.0%, 12.5%) for 24, 72, 120 h. At last, MTT method was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the dentin bonding agents on human pulp fibroblast.

RESULTSThe results showed that all three kinds of dentin bonding systems had cytotoxicity to human pulp fibroblast in different degree in vitro. The cytotoxicity of XO and AP was less than SB. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of cell culture in vitro indicated that total-etching adhesives system has more irritation to pulp than self-etching adhesives system.

Adhesives ; Adolescent ; Dental Pulp ; Dentin ; Dentin-Bonding Agents ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Resin Cements

OBJECTIVEEstablishing cDNA microarray, in order to study functional genomics of Salvia miltiorrhiza.

METHODTotal RNA samples were prepared from S. miltiorrhiza roots using a modified CTAB method. mRNA was isolated by Quichprep Micro mRNA Purification Kit from Pharmacia. Then cDNA was synthesized and cloned into the EcoRI-XhoI sites of the ZAP Express vector using a cDNA synthesis kit, and the ligation mixture was packaged using a ZAP-cDNA Gigapack Gold III cloning kit (Stratagene). The single phage was isolated for PCR amplification, Aliquots of the PCR reactions were analyzed in a 1.5% agarose gel to verify the quality of PCR. The remaining cDNA was purified by Multiscreen filter plates (Millipore) and aliquots were analyzed by agarose gel again to verify the quality of purification. Clones passed verification was resuspended in 15 microL 50% DMSO for arraying. An actin gene from S. miltiorrhiza was used for positive control. PloyA and 50% DMSO was used for negative controls.

RESULTBacterial colonies containing cNDAs of S. miltiorrhiza were inserted with average insert size of 0. 5 kb to 2. 5 kb. Total 4 354 genes were singled out from the first 8 736 PCR product and used for cDNA microarray manufacture. Single color fluorescence hybridization showed that all positive controls had signals while negative controls had no signals.

CONCLUSIONIt was the first cDNA microarray about traditional Chinese herbs especially for geoherbs. It could be a powerful tool for studying functional genomics of S. miltiorrhiza.

Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genomics ; methods ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection in the lower respiratory tract and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

METHODSSeventy-three VLBW infants diagnosed with neonatal RDS, who had received at least one dose of pulmonary surfactant, as well as mechanical ventilation, and were hospitalized for over 28 days, were recruited. Endotracheal aspirates were obtained from the lower respiratory tract and examined by real-time PCR to detect UU DNA. The infants were divided into UU infection and non-UU infection groups according to examination results. Clinical characteristics and the incidence of BPD were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the non-UU infection group, the UU infection group had a higher rate of maternal vaginal delivery, higher incidence of recurrent nosocomial pulmonary infection and premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and longer durations of PROM, oxygen supplementation, and hospital stay; in addition, the UU infection group had higher plasma IgM level, leukocyte count, and neutrophil count within 3 hours after birth. Among 73 VLBW infants, 45 developed BPD; the incidence of BPD in the UU infection group was 90% (19/21), versus 50% (26/52) in the non-UU infection group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSUU infection in the lower respiratory tract increases the incidence of BPD in VLBW infants with RDS.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; complications ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; Ureaplasma urealyticum