Objective To study the chemical constituents in the mature fruit of Momordica Charantia. Methods M. charantia was extracted by alcohol and then extracted by chloroform; isolation and purification were carried out by silica gel. Compounds were identified and elucidated by spectral and chemical methods. Results Five compounds were obtained and identified as aglycone of momordicoside F_1 (Ⅰ), 5, 25-stigmastadien-3-ol (Ⅱ), aglycone of momordicoside Ⅰ (Ⅲ), charantin (Ⅳ), and ?-sitosterol (Ⅴ). Conclusion For the first time, compound Ⅰ is found as the novel natural product and compound Ⅱ is found in the fruit of M. charantia in China.

Objective To study the chemical constituents in Momordica charantia.Methods The alcohol extract was isolated by macroporous adsorption resin and silica gel,and the compound structures were identified by spectral methods.Results Two couple isomers were isolated,the structure of one couple was identified as 19R-5?,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23,25-trien-3?,19-diol(Ⅰa)and 19S-5?,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23,25-trien-3?,19-diol(Ⅰb);the structure of the other couple was identified as 3-O-glucopyranoside of 5?,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23,25-trien-3-ol(Ⅱa),and 3-O-allopyranoside of 5?,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23,25-trien-3-ol(Ⅱb).Conclusion New compounds Ⅰa,Ⅰb,Ⅱa,and Ⅱb are isolated from M.charantia for the first time.

By analyzing relevant documents of procurement of drugs with target quantity in Shanghai, com-bined with onsite investigations and interviews, this paper summarizes the practice of procurement of drugs with target quantity in Shanghai from six aspects, namely the basic situation of centralized procurement, pilot scope and variety of procurement of drugs with target quantity, business qualification and certification, determination of successful bid-der, drug distribution, and drug payment settlement. This paper argues that Shanghai has successfully implemented the policy of procurement of drugs with target quantity, by scientifically establishing a comprehensive evaluation index of quality, setting up private drug procurement accounts, prepaying drug procurement loans and strengthening plat-form services and regulatory capabilities, in order to effectively guarantee the operation of procurement of drugs with target quantity. From this case study of Shanghai, it can draw the following implications that in order to successfully achieve procurement of drugs with target quantity mechanism, setting up functional departments of unified authority is the most important guarantee, and using technical means and platform building is the basic conditions. Therefore, the setting up of economic and technical bidding should focus on the individual properties of generic drugs, and the pro-moting of tripartite system reform will help to further expand the scope of procurement of drugs with target quantity.

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for the establishment of a system of expired medicine recycling in China. METHODS:The experience of developed countries with respect to the system of expired medicine recycling was summed up,and the existing problems about the recycling of expired medicines in China were considered to make suggestions to the establishment of a system of medicine recycling in China. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS:Generally,the developed countries such as Britain, France,Germany and America treat expired medicines as hazardous wastes in the Environmental Protection Law,Waste Disposal Law and other laws,and have basically standardized the recycling of expired medicines. The projects of recycling expired medi-cines in those countries are usually funded by their governments or enterprises of manufacturing or selling medicines,where the medicines were recycled at designated places or on a regular basis or by post,executed by pharmacists and pharmacies,and then disposed on the basis of classification or burned and buried at dumps. However,currently there are no laws and regulations and spe-cial funds for medicine recycling in China,leading to people’s lacking of enthusiasm to recycle the expired medicines. It is suggest-ed that China should take such measures as soon as possible,including establishing and improving the laws and regulations of ex-pired medicine recycling,distinguishing the reasonably determination and disposition of different types of expired medicines,accel-erating the reform of the medical insurance payment system,giving full play to the pharmacist’s role of medication guidance,and fully increasing information transparency.

OBJECTIVETo develop an HPLC for determination of aglycone of momordicoside L in Momordica charantia.

METHODA Kromasil C18 (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) column was used. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-H2O (64:36), the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1) and the UV detection wavelength was set 203 nm.

RESULTThe calibration curves were linear from of 0.025 microg to 1 microg (r =0.9911), the contents of aglycone of momordicoside L in Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Jiangxi are 0.211, 0.033, 0.013, 0.007 mg x g(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe method is simple and reliable for determination of aglycone of momordicoside L in M. charantia.

Calibration ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Momordica charantia ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

OBJECTIVE:To provide theoretic support for medicine affordability evaluation in China by studying medicine af-fordability evaluation methods. METHODS:Through introducing the concept and evaluation methods of affordability,the evalua-tion steps of“catastrophic expenditure”and“medicine affordability”in medicine affordability evaluation methods were interpreted systematically. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS:The catastrophic expenditure and impoverishing effect methods can measure med-icine affordability,but they both have limitations. Catastrophic expenditure evaluation method cannot measure the consequences of a catastrophic expenditure to the family,and ignore the reduction of family income after the occurrence of diseases. Impoverishing effect evaluation method cannot pay attention to originally poor population. These two evaluation methods complement each other, and can more objectively reflect the ability of patients bearing medical expenses,which can provide scientific references for poli-cies of enhancing medicine pricing and reimbursement system.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of percutaneous kyphoplasty at different surgical timings in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) based on the theory of “dynamic-static integration”. Methods: Patients with OVCF who underwent percutaneous kyphoplasty in our hospital were selected and divided into Groups A, B, and C for those undergoing surgery within 7, 7–21, and >21 days of fracture occurrence. The variations in the amount of bone cement injected, pre- and post-operative pain levels, functional activity, deformity correction of the injured vertebrae, bone cement leakage, and vertebral body height loss were compared among the three groups. Results: Regarding pain relief and functional activity, the postoperative Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores of the three groups significantly improved. Furthermore, the deformities of the injured vertebrae in the three groups were significantly corrected, with Groups A and B exhibiting superior correction compared to Group C. Moreover, the bone cement leakage rates in groups A and C were higher than that in Group B. At the 3-month follow-up, the loss of vertebral height in Group C was significantly higher than those in groups A and B. Conclusion Kyphoplasty is effective for OVCF treatment. Early surgery can effectively restore the vertebral height of the injured vertebra, reduce kyphosis, and reduce height loss of the injured vertebra after surgery; nevertheless, treatment within 1–3 weeks of the fracture can reduce the occurrence of bone cement leakage, making the surgery safer. Therefore, surgical treatment within 1–3 weeks of fracture is safer and can achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, PKP surgery can transform the fracture end from a micromotion state to a fixed state, which fully embodies the theory of “dynamic-static integration”.

Objective To study the clinical presentations of Kennedy disease (KD) and compare the neurophysiological features between KD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Methods Nine patients with KD, 13 patients with ALS and 26 normal control subjects were recruited. The clinical presentations of KD were analyzed, and the results of nerve conduction studies and electromyography were compared among the 3 groups. Results The rates of tongue atrophy and facial fasciculation were 100% and 88.9%, respectively, in the early course and mid-course of KD, sensory damages might be perceived. 2)The sural nerve sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) was not elicited in 56.3% of the patients with KD, and sural nerve SNAP amplitudes were significantly lower in KD (7.9±3.4μV) than in ALS patients (20.0±5.2μV) and normal control subjects (26.1± 16.8 μV) (P<0.05). Conclusion The onset of clinical presentations mimicking motor neuron disease, appearance of tongue atrophy and facial fasciculation in the early and mid-course, and presence of sensory impairment with a decreased sural nerve SNAP amplitude may suggest the diagnosis of KD and should prompt a genetic test for KD.

Objective To study the clinical presentations of Kennedy disease (KD) and compare the neurophysiological features between KD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Methods Nine patients with KD, 13 patients with ALS and 26 normal control subjects were recruited. The clinical presentations of KD were analyzed, and the results of nerve conduction studies and electromyography were compared among the 3 groups. Results The rates of tongue atrophy and facial fasciculation were 100% and 88.9%, respectively, in the early course and mid-course of KD, sensory damages might be perceived. 2)The sural nerve sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) was not elicited in 56.3% of the patients with KD, and sural nerve SNAP amplitudes were significantly lower in KD (7.9±3.4μV) than in ALS patients (20.0±5.2μV) and normal control subjects (26.1± 16.8 μV) (P<0.05). Conclusion The onset of clinical presentations mimicking motor neuron disease, appearance of tongue atrophy and facial fasciculation in the early and mid-course, and presence of sensory impairment with a decreased sural nerve SNAP amplitude may suggest the diagnosis of KD and should prompt a genetic test for KD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mRNA expression of monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), a thyroid hormone transport protein, in the lateral ventricle of rats with cerebral ischemia.

METHODSImmunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression of MCT8 in the lateral ventricle of 5 normal SD rats. Another 20 adult male SD rats were randomized into 4 groups and subject to permanent ligation of both the common carotid arteries (2-vessel occlusion, 2VO) for 3 days, 2 weeks, or 5 weeks, or no ligation (control). At the end of the experiment, the transcriptional level of MCT8 in the brain tissue of the rats were detected using fluorescent quantitative PCR.

RESULTSMCT8 mRNA levels in 3-day and 2-week 2VO groups were comparable with that in the control group (P=0.909; P=0.694), but increased significantly in 5-week 2VO group compared with that in the control and 3-day 2VO groups (P=0.029; P=0.023). No significance was found in MCT8 mRNA between the 2-week and 5-week 2VO groups (P=0.065).

CONCLUSIONProlonged cerebral ischemia causes compensatory increase of MCT8 mRNA expression on the capillary endothelial cell membranes in the lateral ventricle of rats.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley