OBJECTIVE: To establish a one-step esterification derivative analysis method for fatty acids in Cordyceps sinensis. and analyze and compare the composition and content of fatty acids of 12 samples from five counties of Yushu prefecture of Qinghai province. METHODS: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of fatty acids was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in combination with comparison to reference substances, then the data was compared. RESULTS: Thirteen kinds of fatty acids of C14-C20 were found with a total amount of 79.81 - 160.20 mg · g^-1. For a same sample, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid were the three kinds of fatty acids with the highest contents, the total content of which accounted for 92.81% -95.66% of the total 13 fatty acids. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acid was much higher than that of saturated fatty acids, and the ratio of UFA/SFA was 4.23-6.63. The fatty acids of 18 carbon and 16 carbon were the component with the highest amount and content, and the ratio of C18/C16 ranged from 4.04 to 6.19. Furthermore, the composition of the 13 fatty acids was basically consistent, while the content and proportion of the fatty acids varied greatly in samples from different origins. CONCLUSION: The method of fatty acids determination in Cordyceps sinensis set up by this research is simple, accurate, and reproducible, which is suitable for the fatty acids analysis in natural Cordyceps sinensis. The qualitative and quantitative data of the fatty acids could provide references for better recognition of the value of Cordyceps sinensis and further studies on its quality control.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of 15 nucleosides in Cordyceps sinensis, and investigate the differences in the composition and contents of these 15 nucleosides in 12 samples from 5 counties of Yushu prefecture, Qinghai province.

This study aims to establish an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases components in Gastrodia elata. The separation was carried out on an Agilent Zorbax Bonus-RP (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column with a methanol-(0.04% acetic acid) water solution gradient elution program at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was 36 degrees C, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. The volume of injection was 20 μL. The nine components including gastrodin, cytosine, uracil, cytosine, adenine, thymine, uridine, guanosine and adenosine were well separated. The calibration curve was well linear in the range of 2.04-262.00 mg x L(-1), 0.20-24.67 mg x L(-1), 0.18-23.75 mg x L(-1), 0.20-25.83 mg x L(-1), 0.20-26.67 mg x L(-1), 0.16-20.00 mg x L(-1), 0.22-27.71 mg x L(-1), 0.20-24.29 mg x L(-1), 0.24-30.58 mg x L(-1), respectively, and the correlation coefficient was between 0.998 9-0.999 9. The average recovery of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases were 96.4%-99.6%, RSD less than 2.7% (n = 6). The contents of gastrodin in all the seven Tibet cultured Gastrodia elata samples were over 2 mg x g(-1). Further, all samples contain higher contents of adenosine, guanosine, uridine and cytidine compared to low contents of cytosine, uracil, adenine and thymine. The established method is accurate, reproducible and suitable for the determination of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases comppnents in Gastrodia elata.
Benzyl Alcohols ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Gastrodia ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Nucleosides ; analysis ; Nucleotides ; analysis

This study was purposed to investigate the expression and significance of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD) in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) isolated from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), GPI-PLD activity in BMMNC isolated from 78 patients with AML and 15 normal persons was measured by using GPI-anchored placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) as a substrate and Triton X-114 phase partitioning. The GPI-PLD mRNA expression was measured by semi-quantitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the mRNA expression level and activity of GPI-PLD in BMMNC from de novo AML patients were 1.86 +/- 0.32 and 46.96 +/- 7.15% respectively; the mRNA expression level and activity of GPI-PLD in BMMNC from completely remission and refractory or relapsed patients were 1.26 +/- 0.29, 33.36 +/- 5.13%and 1.79 +/- 0.19, 44.31 +/- 7.22%, while those in BMMNC from normal controls were 1.27 +/- 0.23, 35.38 +/- 5.15% respectively. The mRNA expression level and activity of GPI-PLD in de novo and refractory or relapsed patients were obviously higher than those in normal controls with significant difference (p < 0.01), while the comparison between remitted patients and normal controls showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05). It is concluded that the expression level of GPI-PLD mRNA coincides with GPI-PLD activity. The mRNA expression and activity of GPI-PLD in de novo and refractory or relapsed patients are obviously higher than those in normal controls. It is worthy of further exploring whether GPI-PLD plays a certain role in process of leukemia pathogenesis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phospholipase D ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing, an oral liquid of traditional Chinese medicine, on the growth of urogenital chlamydia trachomatis (Ct).

METHODSNiaoluqing's applying concentration was 1 g/ml and 10 serologically untyped strains of Ct from the STD clinic were used. And the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing on Ct was evaluated by McCoy cell microculture technique in vitro.

RESULTSNiaoluqing had inhibitory activity for urogenital Ct, and was capable of reducing inclusion numbers notably in the concentrations of 50 to 200 mg/ml. The number and volume of Ct inclusions reduced gradually and disappeared finally with the rising of the medicinal concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe traditional Chinese medicine Niaoluqing has inhibitory effects on the growth of urogenital Ct.

Chlamydia trachomatis ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Urogenital System ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the resident dietary cadmium exposure in Jiangsu province and assess its safety.

METHODSCadmium concentration of 229 food items under 12 food groups were obtained from the food surveillance program in Jiangsu province between 2001 and 2006. Food consumption data of 778 food items of 3938 residents who were classified into four age groups (< 7, 7-, 13-, 18-) were got from the Nutrition and Health Status Survey of the Jiangsu resident in 2002 by 24 h dietary recall on three consecutive days. Dietary cadmium exposures for the residents of different age groups were obtained by using both point estimation and simple distribution estimation through integrating the two datasets above. The safety of dietary cadmium exposure was assessed.

RESULTSPoint estimation showed that the average dietary cadmium intakes of different age groups ranged from 5.7 to 8.6 microg/kg, accounting for 567.1% - 857.1% of the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI, 1.0 microg/kg). Result of simple distribution method showed mean daily cadmium exposure of different age groups ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 microg/kg, accounting for 20% - 40% of PTDI. Mean weekly cadmium exposure ranged from 1.4 to 2.5 microg/kg, accounting for 20% - 35.7% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, 7.0 microg/kg). The mean daily dietary cadmium exposure for different groups were as follows: < 7, 0.4 microg/kg; 7-, 0.3 microg/kg; 13-, 0.2 microg/kg; 18-, 0.2 microg/kg. Differences of daily dietary cadmium exposures among groups were significant (F = 69.0, P < 0.05). The mean weekly dietary cadmium exposure for different groups were: < 7, 2.5 microg/kg; 7-, 2.0 microg/kg; 13-, 1.4 microg/kg; 18-, 1.4 microg/kg. Differences of weekly dietary cadmium exposures among groups were also significant (F = 41.6, P < 0.05). The P97.5 of daily cadmium exposure for < 7 and 7- were 1.4 and 1.2 microg/kg, respectively, both of which were higher than PTDI. The P99.0 of daily cadmium exposure for 13- and 18- were 1.3 and 1.1 microg/kg, respectively. The daily dietary exposure from cereals for different age groups were 21.5 - 253.4 microg/kg, occupying 42.2% - 47.8% of the total daily exposure. Vegetables were 8.0 - 119.4 microg/kg, occupying 14.6% - 20.1%.

CONCLUSIONThe average level of dietary cadmium exposures for residents in Jiangsu province calculated by simple distribution estimation were much lower than that calculated by point estimation and were considered to be at no risk. P97.5 or P99.0 of daily or weekly dietary cadmium exposure of different age groups exceeded PTWI and PTDI. The main food types of dietary cadmium exposure were cereals and vegetables.

Adolescent ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Child ; Diet ; Environmental Exposure ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Risk Assessment

AIMTo explore possible signal transmission way through which ginsenoside Rg1 protect cells from MPP(+)-induced apoptosis.

METHODSThe apoptosis of SHSY5Y induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) was observed by AO-EB staining. Flow cytometry was used to quantitate the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western Blotting was used to detect the c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activity in SHSY5Y cells. Immunocytochemistry staining was used to detect cleaved Caspase-3 positive cells.

RESULTSMPP+ was shown to induce apoptosis in SHSY5Y cells. The percentage of apoptotic SHSY5Y cells induced by MPP+ was obviously lower in those groups pretreated with 10 mumol.L-1 Rg1 or 2.5 mmol.L-1 N-acetylcysyteine (NAC). It showed more ROS in MPP+ groups than in control. JNK activity increased with time within 72 hours in 1 mmol.L-1 MPP+ group. Simultaneously, it showed decrease of ROS, less activity of JNK and lower expression of cleaved Caspase-3 in 10 mumol.L-1 Rg1 and 2.5 mmol.L-1 NAC pretreated groups compared with groups treated with MPP+ only.

CONCLUSIONRg1 protects against MPP(+)-induced apoptosis in SHSY5Y cells and the effect might be attributed to its removal of ROS, inhibition of the activity of JNK and expression of cleaved Caspase-3.

1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; MAP Kinase Kinase 4 ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; metabolism ; Neuroblastoma ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Panax ; chemistry ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the perinatal management and outcome of different types of fetal arrhythmia.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted among the fetuses with arrhythmia identified by M-mode and pulsed Doppler echocardiography in a single institution between October 2003 and December 2010.

RESULTSA total of 130 fetuses were found to have fetal arrhythmia. The most common arrhythmia during pregnancy was extrasystole (n=59), followed by bradycardia (n=23), tachycardia (n=16), atrial flutter (AF, n=3), atrioventricular block (AVB, n=12) and other arrhythmia (n=17). The overall incidence of cardiac anomalies (commonly fetal bradycardia) was 9.2% in these cases. The prognosis of arrhythmia differed significantly between cases of different classifications. The type of fetal arrhythmia (P=0.024), presence of congenital heart defect (CHD, P=0.000) and fetal hydrops (P=0.008) were significant risk factors associated with termination of pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONFetal arrhythmias without CHD or hydrops under close monitoring often have good clinical outcome, while fetal bradycardia is associated with a high mortality rate. CHD and the presence of fetal hydrops are significant risk factors for pregnancy termination.

Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; classification ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; Young Adult

Interventions for endometriosis(EMs)include surgical excision of lesions and hormonal therapy,which usually have limited efficacy and adverse drug reactions.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has the multi-component and multi-target characteristics,which can help patients achieve good clinical benefits by intervening in different parts of the disease.In this paper,we briefly discuss the modern pharmacology of Sanlang and Curcuma longa,and deeply summarize the possible mechanisms of action of TCM monomer and classical compound extracts and their active ingredients through signal pathways in inflammation,immune system,angiogenesis,hormone regulation,etc.,so as to provide theoretical bases for the clinical use of TCM monomers,drug-to-drug groups and compounds in the treatment of EMs.

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes and significance of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) in left ventricular remodeling in FVB/N mice. METHODS: A total of 54 FVB/N mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: 0 d group with 8 mice, 7 d group with 10 mice, 14 d group with 16 mice, and 21 d group with 20 mice. A model of cardiac remodeling was established by intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol (ISO) at a daily dose of 30 mg/kg, and the 7 d, 14 d, and 21 d groups were injected for 7, 14, and 21 consecutive days respectively. The 0 d group was given intraperitoneal injection of an equal volume of normal saline. Echocardiography was used to measure left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end diastole (dLVPW) and the ratio of heart weight to tibia length (HW/TL) was measured. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to measure left ventricular myocardial fiber diameter. Picric-Sirius red staining was used to measure myocardial collagen deposition area in the left ventricle. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of ASK1, type I collagen (collagen I), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). The mortality rate was observed for each group. RESULTS: There were gradual increases in HW/TL, myocardial fiber diameter, and dLVPW after 0, 7, and 14 days of ISO injection (P<0.05). There were no significant changes in HW/TL ratio and dLVPW from days 14 to 21 of ISO injection (P>0.05), while there was a significant reduction in myocardial fiber diameter (P<0.05), which was similar to the value on day 7 (P>0.05). There were significant increases in myocardial collagen deposition area and the mRNA expression of collagen I, ASK1, and BNP after 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of ISO injection, which reached the peaks on day 21 (P<0.01). The mRNA expression of ASK1 was positively correlated with myocardial collagen deposition area and the mRNA expression of collagen I and BNP and had a weak correlation with HW/TL, myocardial fiber diameter, and dLVPW. There was a significant increase in the mortality rate of the mice over the time of ISO injection. CONCLUSIONS The expression of ASK1 in the myocardium is closely associated with left ventricular remodeling. The increase of ASK1 expression may lead to the aggravation of left ventricular remodeling, and the mechanism of which needs further study.
Animals ; Isoproterenol ; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 ; Mice ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Ventricular Remodeling