Objective: To optimize formulations of emulsion-hydrogel transdermal patch of essential oil from Artemisia Argyi Folium, and to evaluate its transdermal characteristics in vitro. Methods: The formulations were optimized by orthogonal experiment with four factors including hydrogel patch carrier (sodium polyacrylate NP-700), crosslinking agent (dihydroxyaluminium aminoacetate), crosslinking modifier (EDTA), and moisturizing agent (glycerol). Initial adhesive force, hold force, 180° peeling strength, cohesion, and permeability were measured. In addition, the contents of eucalyptol, camphor, and borneol in hydrogel transdermal patch were analyzed by GC. Results: The impacting factors which affected the patch shaping were in the order of glycerol > dihydroxyaluminium aminoacetate > EDTA > sodium polyacrylate NP-700. The optimized formulation was as following: 30% glycerol, 5% NP-700, 0.3% dihydroxyaluminium aminoacetate, and 0.03% EDTA. The permeation rates of eucalyptol, camphor, and borneol were 85.216, 4.442, and 3.941 μg/(cm2∙h), respectively. Conclusion: Emulsion-hydrogel transdermal patch of essential oil from Artemisia Argyi Folium has a better quality and a transdermal property of zero-order release process.

OBJECTIVETo establish a stable rat experimental model of concealed penis for studying the effect of buried penis on the structure and function of the corpus cavernosum.

METHODSNinety male SD rats, aged 2 weeks, were randomly divided into 3 groups (A, B and C) of equal number. Groups A and B underwent surgery with intra-purse suture of the penile root and folding suture of the prepuce, respectively, to bury the penis, while Group C were included as sham operation controls.

RESULTSIn Group A, death resulted in 4 cases from acute post-operative urine retention, failure in burying the penis occurred in 5 cases because of soft tissue ulceration around the urethral orifice and in another 3 due to loose concealment. In Group B, 1 died from deep anesthesia and 2 from acute post-operative urine retention. With the penile development and erection, 7 in Group A and 10 in Group B protruded the penis in different stages. In Group C, 1 died from deep anesthesia. The operations succeeded in all the other rats in Groups A and B, with the success rates of 36.7% and 56.7%, respectively. And the concealment could be relieved any time during the experiment.

CONCLUSIONThe experimental rat model of concealed penis can be successfully established by both intra-purse suture of the penile root and folding suture of the prepuce, which is stable and similar to the natural course of this disorder in human.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Male ; Penis ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urogenital Abnormalities

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of buried penis on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity of the corpus cavernosum in rats.

METHODSThe experimental model of concealed penis was established by intra-pocket-suture of the root of the penis. Two hundred and forty rats were equally randomized into a 2, a 4 and a 6 months group, each further divided into a buried (n = 50), a sham operation (n = 15) and a normal subgroup (n = 15). The development of the corpus cavernosum was surveyed by measuring its weight and the ratio to the body weight, followed by determination of NOS activity in the corpus cavernosum by spectrophotometry.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found in the corpus cavernosum weight, the body weight and their ratio among the buried, sham operation and normal groups in any experimental stage (P > 0.05). Buried penis decreased NOS activity in the 4- and 6-month groups (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) compared with the normal group, but effected no significant change in the 2-month group.

CONCLUSIONBuried penis decreases the NOS activity of the corpus cavernosum in a positively time-related manner, but with no significant influence on its appearance and weight.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Erectile Dysfunction ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Penis ; abnormalities ; enzymology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrophotometry

OBJECTIVETo study the formulation and technique of preparation of rapid-dissoluted EGb (Extract of Ginkgo biloba) droppills.

METHODTaking the dissolution percentage of total flavonoids in EGb and weight variation as index, the formulation and technique of EGb droppills were optimized by the orthogonal experiment.

RESULTT50 was 3.62 min and mean weight variation was 2.80%.

CONCLUSIONRapid-dissoluted EGb droppills can increase the dissoluting rate distinctly and reach the purpose of preparation.

Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

BACKGROUNDWhile the abnormal appearance of the concealed penis has been well recognized, the effect of buried penis on the structure and function of corpus cavernosum has not been well studied. To explore this issue, we established a rat model and evaluated the effect of buried penis on cavernosum weight, contents and ultrastructure of tissue, and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity.

METHODSTwo hundred and ten rats were randomly divided into 3 equal cohorts for 2, 4 and 6 months study (groups A, B and C). Each group was randomly divided into buried group (n = 40), control group (n = 15), and normal group (n = 15), respectively. Intra-purse-string suture of the root of the penis was used to establish the model. Macroscopic development was judged by measuring the weight of the corpus cavernosum. Masson's trichrome staining was performed for observing microstructure while a transmission electron microscope was used for observing ultrastructure. The NOS activity was detected by a NOS activity assay kit.

RESULTSBuried penis had no significant influence on the appearance and weight of the corpus cavernosum. Buried penis resulted in decreased smooth muscle content (P > 0.05 in group A, and P < 0.05 in groups B and C) and increased fibrous connective tissue content (P > 0.05 in groups A and B, and P < 0.05 in group C) compared with the normal and control groups. Ultrastructural abnormalities of corpus cavernosum were observed in the 6-month buried group. Moreover, there was decrease of NOS activity in groups B and C (P < 0.05 in group B and P < 0.01 in group C) when compared with the normal and control groups.

CONCLUSIONBuried penis affects the structure and function of corpus cavernosum in rats and the effect is positively correlated with the buried time, but there is no significant effect on the macroscopic development.

Animals ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of herbal cake-separated moxibustion on the expression of erythrocyte CD58 in different ages of healthy people and explore the differences of the therapeutic effect in different ages and its mechanism.

METHODSA total of 82 health participants were divided into a young age group and a middle-old age group according to the ages. They were treated with herbal cake-separated moxibustion on Shenque (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) with cake made by Shudihuang (Radiz Re hmanniae Preparata), Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni ), etc. The treatment was given for 10 sessions once other day and each acupoint for 3 successive dosages. The mean fluorescence intensities of erythrocyte CD58 were measured by flow cytometry before and after moxibustion.

RESULTSAfter moxibustion, erythrocyte CD58 expression were significantly higher than that before moxibustion in two groups (both P < 0.01), particularly in young age group, which was significantly higher than that in middle-old age group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe effect of moxibustion in youth is evidently superior to that in middle-old age. Its mechanism is connected with that moxibustion can enhance the expression of erythrocyte CD58.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Age Factors ; CD58 Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo prepare an inclusion complex of daidzein and hydropropyl-beta-cyclodextrin to enhance the solubility of daidzein.

METHODThe inclusion complex of daidzein was prepared by the solution stirring method. The binary system of daidzein and HP-beta-CD was confirmed by differential thermal, thermogravimetry analysis, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry.

RESULTThe drug content in the inclusion complex was 6. 76% and the solubility was 13.68 mg x mL(-1). The identification results showed that the inclusion complex was formed.

CONCLUSIONThe preparation method of the inclusion complex of daidzein and hydropropyl-beta-cyclodextrin is simple and available, with a increased solubility of daidzein.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin ; Differential Thermal Analysis ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; X-Ray Diffraction ; beta-Cyclodextrins ; chemistry

To define the molecular basis of ethanol dependence, changes in the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the nucleus accumbens of rats after acute and chronic ethanol administration were detected using immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that the expression of phospho-CREB (p-CREB) protein in the rat nucleus accumbens significantly increased after 15 min of acute ethanol exposure, reaching a peak at 30 min after ethanol administration. The increment remained after 1 or 6 h of ethanol exposure compared to the control rats. In contrast, chronic intake of ethanol solution obviously decreased the expression of p-CREB protein compared to the control rats. The decrement remained 24 h or 72 h after ethanol withdrawal, and returned to the control levels after 7 d of ethanol withdrawal. The results suggest that an acute ethanol administration led to an increase in the phosphorylation of CREB in the nucleus accumbens, but chronic ethanol administration produced a decrement, which is possibly one of the molecular mechanisms of alcohol dependence.
Alcoholism ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Ethanol ; pharmacology ; Male ; Nucleus Accumbens ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Substance-Related Disorders ; metabolism ; physiopathology

AIMTo observe the antiproliferative effect of antisense recombinant adenoviral vector for c-myc on rat thymus lymphocytes.

METHODSAntisense and sense bacterial plasmids for c-myc were constructed. Bacterial plasmids and El detected adenoviral plasmid were cotransfected into 293 cells. Recombinant adenoviral vectors were obtained after cotransfection. The antiproliferative effects were assayed by MTS. The expression of c-myc mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe results showed that antisense recombinant adenoviral vector for c-myc could inhibit rat thymus lymphocytes proliferation. The expression of c-myc mRNA was decreased after antisense recombinant adenoviral vector for c-myc was transfected into cells.

CONCLUSIONRecombinant antisense adenoviral vector for c-myc could inhibit rat thymus lymphocytes proliferation.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Antisense Elements (Genetics) ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Genes, myc ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Rats ; Thymus Gland ; cytology

Objective:To explore the distribution features of resident CD8 + T cells infiltration in human esophageal cancer tissues and its clinical significance. Methods:Data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database were retrieved, the correlation between CD103 + CD8 + T cells and infiltration degree of conventional type 1 dendritic cell (cDC1), conventional type 2 dendritic cell (cDC2), type 3 dendritic cell(DC3) was investigated. From January 2006 to December 2008, 78 esophageal cancer tissues and 75 adjacent normal tissues from 78 esophageal cancer patients were collected by Shanghai Outdo Biotechnology Co., Ltd, the clinical data of patients was followed up by telephone until July 2015. The distribution of CD8 + T cells and CD103 + CD8 + T cells in cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues was detected by multi-color labeling techniques and multispectral tissue imaging. The differences of the number and the ratio of CD8 + T cells and CD103 + CD8 + T cells in cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were compared. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves of patients with tissue infiltration of CD8 + T cells and CD103 + CD8 + T cells at different levels were drawn through the R language " survminer" package, and the best cut-off value was obtained. TNM stage, pathological stage and other clinical parameters of patients with high and low infiltration of CD8 + T cells, CD103 + CD8 + T cells were compared. Wilcoxon rank sum test, chi-square test, log-rank test and Cox proportional risk regression model statistical analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the above indicators. Spearman correlation analysis was used for correlation analysis. Results:In the cancer tissues of patients with esophageal cancer, the infiltration degree of CD103 + CD8 + T cells was positively correlated with the infiltration degree of cDC1 cells, cDC2 cells and DC3 cells ( r=0.67, 0.53 and 0.47, all P<0.001). The percentage of CD8 + T cells in all cells in the whole tissue core of tumor tissues (63.09% (42.14%, 76.21%)) was higher than that of adjacent normal tissues (2.56% (1.68%, 5.38%)), and the difference was statistically significant ( U=41.00, P<0.001). The proportion of CD103 + CD8 + T cells in all cells in the whole tissue core of tumor tissues (7.92% (1.60%, 20.61%)) was higher than that of adjacent normal tissues (0.04% (0.01%, 0.10%)), and the difference was statistically significant ( U=857.50, P<0.001). The percentage of high CD8 + T cells infiltration in esophageal cancer tissues of patients with pathological stage Ⅰ+ Ⅱ was lower than that of patients with stage Ⅲ+ Ⅳ (57.9%, 33/57 vs. 85.7%, 18/21); the percentage of high CD103 + CD8 + T cells in CD8 + T cells in esophageal cancer tissues of patients with TNM stage Ⅰ+ Ⅱ was lower than that of patients with stage Ⅲ+ Ⅳ (21.6%, 8/37 vs. 48.8%, 20/41), and the differences were both statistically significant ( χ2=5.25 and 6.23, P=0.022 and 0.013). The results of Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate Cox proportional risk regression model showed that the overall survival (OS) of patients with high CD8 + T cell infiltration was longer than that of patients with low CD8 + T cell infiltration ( HR=0.57, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.34 to 0.96, P=0.034). There was no significant difference in OS between patients with high CD103 + CD8 + T cell infiltration and patients with low CD103 + CD8 + T cell infiltration ( HR=0.66, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.08, P>0.05). Conclusion:The high infiltration of CD103 + CD8 + T cells in esophageal cancer tissues are expected to be used as a prognostic predictor for patients with esophageal cancer, which is an important component of anti-tumor immune response in tumor microenvironment of esophageal cancer.