OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Hongjingtian (Gadol) injection on cardiac hemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption for analyzing its underlying mechanism in the treatment of coronary heart disease.

METHODA total of 20 dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg x kg(-1), i.v.) were evenly randomized into control group, low-dose Gadol (LDG) group, high-dose Gadol (HDG) group and Herbesser Injection group. The blood flow volume (BFV) of the left coronary artery and cardiac output (CO), left ventricular pressure (LVP), maximum ascending rate (dp/dtmax) of LVP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) of the femoral artery, oxygen contents of the coronary artery and coronary vein (venous sinus), oxygen consumption index (OCI), cardiac index (CI), coronary artery resistance (CAR) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) as well as oxygen utilization rate (OUR) were detected respectively.

RESULTAfter venous injection of Gadol, CAR, MAP, TPR, OCI, myocardial oxygen consumption and heart rate lowered significantly (P < 0.05-0.01), while BFV and blood oxygen content of the venous sinus increased considerably (P < 0.05-0.01) in comparison with pre-injection. No significant differences were found in LVP and myocardial contractivity between control group and LDG, and between control and HDG groups respectively.

CONCLUSIONIt showed dilation of the coronary artery and reduction of the cardiac afterload after injection of Gadol. Besides, CO and stroke volume increased considerably and the cardiac effective work was raised without any significant simultaneous increase of both myocardial contractility and LVP. A decrease in the myocardial oxygen consumption and reduction of OCI indicates an improvement of the oxygen supply of the myocardium, and a favorable regulation of the compliance of the cardiac vessels. As a result, the cardiovascular performance was ameliorated. The abovementioned improvement of these indexes may contribute to the therapeutic effect of Gadol in the treatment of coronary heart disease in clinic.

Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Cardiac Output ; drug effects ; Dogs ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rhodiola ; chemistry ; Vascular Resistance ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the role of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in Fas ligand (FasL) expression regulation during vascular lesion formation and to elucidate the potential mechanisms.

METHODSSIRT1 and FasL protein levels were detected by Western blotting in either mouse arteries extract or the whole rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) lysate. Smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific human SIRT1 transgenic (Tg) C57BL/6 mice and their littermate wild-type (WT) controls underwent complete carotid artery ligation (ligation groups) or the ligation-excluded operation (sham groups). The carotid arteries were collected 1 day after operation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the mRNA levels of SIRT1 and FasL. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to detect the effect of WT-SIRT1, a dominant-negative form of SIRT1 (SIRT1H363Y), and GATA-6 on the promoter activity of FasL. Flow cytometry assay was applied to measure the hypodiploid DNA content of VSMC so as to monitor cellular apoptosis.

RESULTSSIRT1 was expressed in both rat aortic VSMCs and mouse arteries. Forced SIRT1 expression increased FasL expression both in injured mouse carotid arteries 1 day after ligation (P<0.001) and VSMCs treated with serum (P<0.05 at the transcriptional level, P<0.001 at the protein level). No notable apoptosis was observed. Furthermore, transcription factor GATA-6 increased the promoter activity of FasL (P<0.001). The induction of FasL promoter activity by GATA-6 was enhanced by WT-SIRT1 (P<0.001), while SIRT1H363Y significantly relieved the enhancing effect of WT-SIRT1 on GATA-6 (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSOverexpression of SIRT1 up-regulates FasL expression in both flow-restricted mouse carotid arteries and serum-stimulated VSMCs. The transcription factor GATA-6 participates in the transcriptional regulation of FasL expression by SIRT1.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carotid Arteries ; physiology ; Fas Ligand Protein ; genetics ; GATA6 Transcription Factor ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirtuin 1 ; physiology ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUNDProneurotrophins such as the precursor of nerve growth factor (proNGF) and the precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) interacted with sortilin and p75(NTR) to form a complex capable of activating an apoptotic signaling. We found that the expression of p75(NTR) and sortilin was increased in ischemic retina induced by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), but the protein expression changes of proNGF and proBDNF in the same situation were not clear. This study aimed to ascertain the protein expression changes of proNGF and proBDNF in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP.

METHODSExpression of proBDNF and proNGF was examined by double-labeling immunochemistry in normal rat retina, examined using Western blotting and analyzed using statistical methods in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP.

RESULTSImmunocytochemistry showed that the proBDNF expressed in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) while the proNGF primarily existed in both the nerve fiber layers (NFL) and large ganglion cell bodies of normal rat retina. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the molecule weights of 28 kD (proBDNF)/25 kD (proNGF) band were increased significantly (P < 0.05) at days 3, 5 and 7 after retinal elevated-IOP-induced ischemia.

CONCLUSIONProBDNF expressed in the GCL and proNGF primarily presented in NFL and large ganglion cell bodies of normal rat retina, the protein expression forms of 28 kD proBDNF and 25 kD proNGF increased in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intraocular Pressure ; physiology ; Ischemia ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; analysis ; Protein Precursors ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Retinal Diseases ; metabolism

The study is aimed to clarify the actual original plant, find out the usage status and the resource distribution of the Tibetan medicinal plant "Bangga". By using the way of the literatures survey, interview and investigation, it found out that the actual original plant of the Tibetan medicinal plant "Bangga" were the whole dried plant or the aerial part of Aconitum tanguticum or A. naviculare of Ranunculaceae, among which A. tanguticummainly distributed in Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, Tibet (Qamdo), and A. naviculare mainly distributed in Tibet. Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai and other Tibetan areas mainly used the resources of A. tanguticum, Tibet (except the Qamdo area) mainly uses the A. naviculare, which resource was imminent in danger. Other species described in the literature were not used. It showed that the use of herbs related to their resources, it is recommended to strengthen the protection and guide the market.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors of low back pain and the relationship of the influence of bad working posture, weight load and frequency of load and the dose-response relationship among the occupational workers of key industries in China. METHODS: A total of 57 501 employees from 15 key industries in China were selected as research subjects using stratified cluster sampling method. The occurrence of low back pain in the past one year, as well as occupational factors such as job type, labor organization and work posture were investigated by using the Chinese version Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of low back pain in the occupational population of key industries in China was 16.4%(9 448/57 501). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of low back pain in females was higher than that in males(P<0.01). Married, obese, occasional and frequent smokers, and a history of lower back disease were associated with increased risk of low back pain(all P<0.05). The risk of low back pain was associated with older age, higher education level, and lower frequency of physical exercise(all P<0.01). The risk of low back pain was higher with longer working time, greater back curvature, and the high frequency of long standing and sitting position work, uncomfortable working posture, repeated operation per minute, and lifting>5 kg weight(all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The influencing factors of low back pain in the occupational population of key industries in China include bad working posture, high frequency load, weight load and other individual factors. There is a dose-response relationship with low back posture load and frequency of load.