By collecting and analyzing the information of the processing of Flos Sophorae in ancient and recent literatures, we discovered that such methods as steaming, boiling, stir-frying and baking had been used before Qing Dynasty. There were more than 10 kinds of different decoction pieces due to different subsidiary agents and distinction of processing degree. In modern times, besides stir-frying with vinegar used in Jilin, stir-flying with honey used in Henan and Shandong, being crude, yellowing by stir-frying and carbonizing by stir-frying are used in other places. This research has provided useful information for the modern processing study by summarizing the previous experiences earnestly.
Acetic Acid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; history ; Flowers ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Medieval ; Hot Temperature ; Plants, Medicinal ; Quality Control ; Sophora ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; history ; methods

·Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are common outer retinal degenerative problems, which are also the predominant causes of most blinding retinal diseases. Retinal prosthesis is a promising solution for such photoreceptor degeneration diseases.Most of current concepts for a retinal prosthesis are based on neuronal electrical stimulation. In the past twenty years, retinal prosthesis has been developed in two different directions: epiretinal prosthesis and subretinal prosthesis. Each prosthesis technique has its advantages and disadvantages. For epiretinal prosthesis, it is easier to be implanted and has the advantage of keeping most of the electronics in the vitreous cavity, off the retinal surface, which greatly helps in dissipating the heat generated by the implant device. In this paper, a brief overview of retinal prostheses concepts is introduced. After that, several important aspects of epiretinal electrical stimulation will be discussed. Moreover, some practical epiretinal prosthesis devices developed by researchers in United States, Germany and Japan in the past have been reviewed. We hope that the devices will be used widely in the near future.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents in Flos Sophorae Carbonisatus.

METHODSilica gel column chromatography was used to separate and purify the chemical constituents. The structures were elucidated by spectral analysis.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated from Flos Sophorae Carbionisatus, and their structures were elucidated as maltol (1), 3-hydroxypyridine (2), malto-3-O-[6'-O-(4"-hydroxy-tans-cinnamoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl] sophoradiol ethyl ester (4), 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl] sophoradiol methyl ester (5), rutin (6).

CONCLUSION4 is a new compound, and 1,2,3,5 were first reported from Flos Sophorae Carbonisatus.

Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyridines ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Pyrones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sophora ; chemistry

Objective To compare the actions of Longbie Capsules and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)transplantation in repairing the damaged cartilage of knee osteoarthritis(KOA)rats. Methods Thirty-six rats aged 4-6 weeks old were induced into KOA model(bilateral knees)by collagenase injection method. All of the modeled rats were randomly divided into model group(intragastric administration of normal saline), BMSC transplantation group(giving tail vein injection of 1 ×106 of BMSCs per time, 2 times every week), and Chinese medicine group (intragastric administration of Longbie Capsules of 7.5 g·kg-1·d-1),12 rats in each group. Six weeks later,the cartilage of rat bilateral knees was taken out. The pathological changes of cartilage were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining method, and the protein and mRNA expression levels of Col2a1, X-linkedinhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), HuR in rat knee cartilage were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively. Results The HE staining results showed that the cartilage tissue surface was rough with more cracks, and the cartilage cells gathered with the cytoplasm collapsed and arranging disorderly in the model group. The number of chondrocytes was increased and cell surface was flat,and the cracks of the cartilage were decreased with the chondrocytes arranging uniformly in Chinese medicine group and BMSC transplantation group compared with the model group. The results of immunohistochemistry and qPCR detection showed that in Chinese medicine dosage group and BMSC transplantation group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of Col2a1,XIAP and HuR were significantly higher than those in the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.0001), but there was no significant difference between the two medication groups(P>0.05). Conclusion Longbie Capsules and BMSC transplantation can promote the secretion of Col2a1 in the cartilage tissue of KOA rats,improve cartilage, and their mechanism may be related with up-regulating apoptosis-related proteins HuR and XIAP.