Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cardiomegaly ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology

To study the effect of different storage conditions and storage time on herb quality of Lonicera macranthoides, different packaging materials including vacuum plastic bags, plastic bags, woven bags, sealed with endometrial bags, paper bags, sack bags were selected for the study under different storage conditions including room temperature, 5 degrees C refrigerator, low temperature of - 20 degrees C refrigerator and desiccator. Twenty-four batches of samples were used for the study, and active ingredients were determined. The experimental results showed that the ingredients in each storage group changed with the storage time, storage conditions (storage environment, packaging). Under the same storage time, the storage environment (temperature, humidity) had effect on the stability of herb quality. Low temperature had less effect on herb quality. The effect of packaging on herb quality was as following: plastic vacuum packaging > woven with endometrial sealed packaging > plastic bag > woven bag > sack bags > paper bags. Under the same storage conditions, with the increase of storage time, caffeic acid content increased slowly, and other five ingredients content decreased gradually. Storage time affected significantly on the intrinsic quality (chemical composition) and appearance of herb. It is suggested that low temperature (5 degrees C), dark and sealed storage are suitable for storage of L. macranthoides herb, the storage time should be not more than 24 months.
Desiccation ; Drug Packaging ; Drug Storage ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Time Factors

To ascertain the optimal harvest period of Lonicera Flos (Lonicera macranthoides) the configuration yield and quality of L. macranthiodes bloom verity and bud verity flower at different develop periods were Observed. The quality of L. macranthiodes which harvested at different times of the day was Compared. The configuration was significant difference between different develop period of L. macranthiodes flower. As bud growth, yield increased. Bloom verity of L. macranthoides chlorogenic acid content was significantly lower after opening (silver flower stage, golden flower stage), before opening (young bud stage, green-white stage) have no significant difference of the quality. Bud verity of L. macranthoides macranthoidin B is significant lower at yellow-white stage, young bud stage and green-white stage have no significant difference of the quality. The chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid A content is significant difference between L. macranthoides harvested at different time of the day. The optimal harvest period of bloom verity is the white stage, picking time for 10:00 before and after 18:00. The optimal harvest period is the green-white stage, picking time is 8:00 before and after 18:00.
Agriculture ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flowers ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most serious vascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Compound preparation of huangqi and dahuang, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to preventing or treating diabetic nephropathy for several years, and has a certain protective effect on the kidney of diabetes mellitus patients. But its exact mechanism remains unknown and needs to be studied more.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of compound preparation shenkang wan on the proliferation and secretion of extracellular matrix in cultured rat mesangial cells induced by high glucose.DESIGN: Randomized and controlled study.SETTING: Center of Integrated Traditional and Western Nephrology of Zhujiang Hospital and Medicine Department of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University.MATERIALS: The serum pharmacological experiment was performed in Animal Experimental Center of Southern Medical University in A pril 2005.The cell culture experiment was conducted in Cell culture room of Southern Medical University from April 2005 to July 2005. Totally 16 normal Wistar male rats, weighted varied from 190 g to 220 g, were used in the study.METHODS: Sixteen normal Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal serum group, capoten group, shenkang wan group (high dose and low dose); shenkang wan was mainly constituted of huangqi,dahuang, leech, gordon guryale seed and corn stigma and made in Pharmacy Department of Zhujiang Hospital of Nanfang Medical University, agent number: 20031214). ① The rats in capoten group and high and low dose shenkang wan group were given the corresponding drugs respectively according to 5 mg/kg, 2.4 g/kg, 1.2 g/kg weight. The rats in normal serum group were given the same volume water. After treated 7 days, all rats were hocused and separated medication serum. ② Mesangial cell was cultured in vitro with different concentrations of glucose (10, 20, 30 and 40 mmol/L).The proliferation of mesangial cell was observed with the methyl-thiazoltelrazolium colorimetric assay at 24, 48, 72 hours and 96 hours. ③ Then the cultured mesangial cells were divided into six subgroups :Low glucose control group (10 mmol/L glucose), high glucose group (30 mmol/L glucose);normal serum group (30 mmol/L glucose); capoten group (30 mmol/L glucose); shenkang wan group (high dose and low dose, 30 mmol/L glucose).After cultured 72 hours, the proliferation of mesangial cell was detected with the methyl-thiazol-telrazolium colorimetric assay, the secretion and mRNA gene expression of fibronetin levels in mesangial cell were respectively detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Proliferation of mesangial cell induced by different concentrations glucose. ② Proliferation and secretion and mRNA gene expression of fibronectin in every group.RUSULTS: ① Effect of different concentrations glucose on the prolifera-tion of mesangial cell: Compared with low concentrations glucose(10 mmol/L), 20 mmol/L glucose could accelerate the proliferation ofmesangial cell during 96 hours experiment period, but only had a statisti-cally significant difference at 72 and 96 hours (P ＜ 0.05). 30 mmol/L glu-cose could significantly accelerate the proliferation of mesangial cell thanthat of 10 mmol/L glucose from 24 hours to 96 hours (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01),and this effect was increasing with time in 72 hours and reduced after 72hours. 40 mmol/L glucose could significantly increase the proliferation ofmesangial cell than of low concentrations glucose in 48 hours (P ＜ 0.05),and this effect was reduced after 48 hours and even conversed to restraineffect. ② Effect of different medication serum on the proliferation ofmesangial cell: The optical density value in high glucose group is obviouslyhigher than that of low glucose control group (P ＜ 0.01). Compared withhigh glucose group, the optical density value in capoten, shenkang wangroup (high dose and low dose) was decreased markedly (P ＜ 0.01 or P＜ 0.05). While the optical density value in normal serum group was showedno difference with the high glucose group (P ＞ 0.05). ③ Effect of differentmedication serum on secretion of fibronectin in mesangial cell: Content offibronectin in high glucose group was increased more markedly than that oflow glucose group (P ＜ 0.01). Compared with high glucose group, contentof fibronectin in capoten and shenkang wan group (high dose and low dose)was showed a significantly decrease (P ＜ 0.01 or P ＜ 0.05), while contentof fibronectin in normal serum group was showed no difference with thehigh glucose group (P ＞ 0.05). ④ Effect of different medication serum onexpression of fibronectin mRNA in mesangial cell: The optical density val-ue of fibronectin strip in high glucose group was brighter than that in lowglucose group and the ratio of it and β-actin were increased markedly too(P ＜ 0.01). Compared with high glucose group, the optical density value offibronectin strip in capoten and shenkang wan group (high dose and lowdose) was showed a significantly decrease and the ratio of it and β-actinwas reduced distinctly too (P ＜ 0.01), while the ratio of it and β-actin innormal serum group was showed no difference (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: High glucose could accelerate proliferation, increase thesecretion and mRNA gene expression of fibronectin in mesangial cell,while shenkang wan could inhibit proliferation and secretion of the extra-cellular matrix in mesangial cell induced by high glucose.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the rationality of the clinical replacement of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) bear bile with bile acid constituents, and analyze the difference between these constituents and bear bile in drug properties.

METHODSummarizing the drug properties of bear bile by reference to medical literatures for drug properties of TCM bear bile and Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2007). Analyzing and summarizing the pharmacological effects of main bile acid constituents according to relevant literatures for studies on pharmacological effects of main bile acid constituents in CNKI database. Predicating the drug properties of these bile acid constituents by using the drug property predication model established by the study group according the pharmacological effects of main bile acid constituents in the paper, and compare the prediction results with the drug properties of bear bile.

RESULTBile acid constituents in bear bile were mostly cold in property, bitter in taste, and the combination of their drug properties could reflect the combined drug properties of bear bile.

CONCLUSIONAll of these bile acid constituents in bear bile could show part of effects of bear bile. Attention shall be given to regulate the medication scheme in clinical application according to actual conditions.

Animals ; Bile ; chemistry ; Bile Acids and Salts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Taste ; Ursidae

Objective To find out the distribution characteristics of drinking water with high arsenic in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan. Methods General investigation plus sampling survey was adopted in the city of Dali and 11 counties. The arsenic content in water was tested by half-quantitative fast reagent-box method. The water samples exceeding the standard(≥0.03 mg/L) were re-tested by silver diethyldithiocarbamate eolorimetric method or mercury-atomic fluorescence spectrometric method. Population and children exposed by high-arsenic were statistically analyzed. Results Arsenic content in 15 180 samples from 2639 villages are screened, of which 14 976 samples were less than 0.01 mg/L, reaching 98.66% (14 976/15 180); 110 samples was no less than 0.05 mg/L, only accounting for 0.72%(110/15 180). Water sources with excessive arsenic was found in 29 villages, in a percentage of 1.1% of all covered villages(29/2639). The samples were constituted of 10 399 portions of well water(well was less than 10 m deep), 3903 from spring, 93 from river water, 69 from hot spring water, 26 from reservoir water and 690 from surface water. And for the samples which arsenic content were ≥0.05 mg/L, 89 samples(0.86%, 89/10 399) were from well water, 15 from spring water(0.38%, 15/3903) and 6 from spring water(8.70%, 6/69). A total of 1 561 553 individuals were investigated, in a percentage of 67.83%(1 561 553/2 302 156) of the whole population, among those 420 513 were children, rating 26.93% of the investigated population(420 513/1 561 553); 27 865 were exposed to arsenic, accounting for 1.78% of the investigated population 27 865/1 561 553; 8993 children were exposed, rating 2.14% of the investigated population(8993/420 513). Conclusions There exists high-arsenic water resources in Dali Prefecture, Yunan, so the local inhabitants are in the danger of high-arsenic exposure. Urgent attention shall be paid for the endemic arsenic including investigation, prevention and control.

Objective To assess the clinicopathological and confocal microscopic features of porokeratosis.Methods This study included 186 patients with porokeratosis.The clinical and pathological findings from the patients were retrospectively analyzed.Confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM)was used to observe the lesions of disseminated superficial porokeratosis in 16 patients.Results Most of the patients had characteristic lesions of porokeratosis,i.e.,papules or plaques with a thread-like elevated border.Comoid lamella was observed in all of the cases,which was unassociated with sweat glands or hair follicles in most cases(171/186),and located in sweat pore or hair follicles in a few cases(15/186).There were dyskeratocytes as well as vacuolized and degenerated basal cells beneath the cornoid lamella.Varying amounts of lymphocytes and melanophages were observed in the superficial dermis.Amyloid was deposited in the papilla dermis in 2 cases.CLSM showed dyskeratocytes in a characteristic arcuate arrangement in spinous cell layer.Conclusions The CLSM images of porokeratosis are consistent with its histopathological manifestations,and CLSM may serve as a sensitive and specific noninvasive method for the diagnosis of porokeratosis.

OBJECTIVETo study the association between susceptibility to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and the null genotypes of detoxication gene gstM1 and gstT1.

METHODSPeripheral blood white blood cells DNA samples were obtained from all the subjects including 140 HCC cases and 536 controls from AFB1 high risk area Guangxi. gstM1 and gstT1 polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction technique.

RESULTS(1) gstM1- and gstT1-present were associated with decreasing risk of HCC. gstM1- and gstT1-null were associated with the increasing risk of HCC [adjusted OR (95 % CI) = 2.07 (1.20-3.57) and 1.44 (0.85-2.45), respectively]; (2) The appearance of both gstM1- and gstT1-null genotypes were more susceptible to HCC than either one of them(adjusted OR and 95% CI are 2.43 and (1.19-4.97); (3) From low/median to high level of AFB1 exposure, both gstM1- and gstTl-null genotypes were associated with significantly conspicuous increasing risk of HCC [adjusted OR(95% CI) = 12.76(5.38-30.24) and 7.82(3.61-16.90) respectively].

CONCLUSIONIt was suggested that: genetic polymorphisms of gstM1 and gstT1 were susceptible to HCC; individuals who were gstM1- or gstT1-null would have an increasing risk of developing HCC while individuals with both nulls were more susceptible. There was evidence of interaction between gstM1- and gstT1-null and the level of AFB1 exposure which was associated with the increasing risk of HCC.

Adult ; Aflatoxin B1 ; toxicity ; Aged ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; etiology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; etiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of calcification of autogenous bone marrow stem cell transplantation in periodontal tissue regeneration.

METHODSBone marrow stem cells derived from the same dog were cultured with alpha-MEM. 1 x 10(7) cells of first passage were allowed to attach to the collagen membrane for 24 hours. The membrane-cells were transplanted into periodontal defect in the same dog. Then the defects were covered with e-pTFE membranes. The defects covered only with e-pTFE without membrane-cells were served as control. Eighteen teeth of 6 dogs for every group were studied. The dogs were sacrificed after 6 weeks.

RESULTSThe results showed that new bone formation in test group was significantly higher than that of control group. The calcification of new bone in test group was better than control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggested that autogenous bone marrow stem cell transplantation with guided tissue regeneration technique could enhance periodontal tissue regeneration and could form new bone tissue fast and could shorten times of periodontal tissue regeneration in dogs.

Alveolar Bone Loss ; therapy ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone Regeneration ; Dogs ; Male ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Tooth Calcification ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the association between susceptibility to aflatoxin B1(AFB1)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the polymorphism of detoxication gene GSTM1.

METHODSThe peripheral white blood cell DNA samples were obtained from all the subjects including 140 HCC cases and 536 controls from an AFB1 high risk area in Guangxi province. The GSTM1 polymorphism was detected using PCR technique.

RESULTS(1) The GSTM1-present was associated with a decreased HCC risk. The GSTM1-null was associated with an increased HCC risk [adjusted OR (95% CI)= 2.07 (1.20-3.57)]. (2) In the cohorts of both low/median and high exposure levels of AFB1, GSTM1-null genotype was associated with a conspicuous significantly increased risk for HCC [adjusted OR (95% CI) = 1.92 (0.92-4.00) and 1.80 (0.77-4.17)].

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that genetic polymorphism of GSTM1 was susceptible to HCC and individuals who are GSTM1-null have an increased risk of developing HCC. There is evidence of interaction between GSTM1 polymorphism and AFB1 exposure, especially with low/median degrees of AFB1 exposure.

Aflatoxin B1 ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic