Drying is the critical link during pharmaceutical process of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is directly related to the quality of drugs. The key to technology upgrading of pharmaceutical equipment in Chinese materia medica enterprise is the development of new drying techniques, which concerns the modernization of TCM. The study provides new ideas for the drying technology and equipment by means of reviewing the research status of drying process for the traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations, and analyzing the traditional and modern drying methods and equipment, as well as their existing problems and corresponding measures for the drying processes and equipment. In addition, this paper expounds the development trend of traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations of drying process and equipment.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; instrumentation ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Leaves of Chrysanthemum morifolium were potential medicinal resource. The present study aims to estimate the main bioactive components: total flavonoids (TF), galuteolin (GA), quercitrin (QU), chlorogenic acid (CA) and 3 ,5-O-caffeoylquinic acid ( CQ), which were considered to be the main effective components, in leaves of C. morfolium cultivars in China. The TF content was estimated hy UV-VIS spectrophotometry, while GA, QU, CA, and CQ were quantitatively determined by HPLC. The highest TF content (7. 13% w/w) was found in cultivar Wan Cong (Shexian county). Cultivar Da Bo ( Bozhou county) had the highest GA content (33. 45 mg - g-1); Cultivar Hong Xin (Sheyang county) contained the highest QU content (29.25 mg · g(-1)); Cultivar Chang Ban (Sheyang county) had the highest CA content (13.14 mg ·(-1)). The maximum CQ content (7.35 mg · g(-1)) was observed in culti- r Da Yang ( Tongxiang county). Different cultivars of C. morfolium had significant difference in components, but the leaf and capitulum of C. morifolium. were found to possess similar chemical compositions. The high content of bioactive components in several cultivars suggested the potential utilization of C. morifolium leaves.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Satellite Communications ; instrumentation ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; epidemiology ; Snails ; parasitology ; Topography, Medical ; instrumentation ; methods

Growth year is one of the important factors for the quality of Polygala tenufolia. In this study, primary metabolites and secondary metabolites were compared in 1, 2 and 3 years old P. tenufolia cultivated in Shaanxi Heyang. The samples were subjected to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, and the obtained data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and other statistical analysis methods. In addition, content and correlation of different metabolites were also calculated. The results showed no significance between main component contents in 2 year-old and 3 year-old P. Tenufolia, but 1 year-old was statistically different. The contents of primary metabolites, such as fructose, sucrose, and choline increased as time goes on, while glycine and raffinose decreased. The contents of secondary metabolites, such as onjisaponin Fg, polygalasaponin XXVIII, polygalasaponin XXXII increased, while polygalaxanthone III and parts of oligosaccharide multi-ester including tenuifoliose A, tenuifoliose C, tenuifoliose C2 and tenuifoliose H decreased with the extension of the growth years. Growth years has important impact on the quality of P. tenuifolia and the existing growing years of commodity P. tenuifolia have its scientific evidence. This study supplied a new method for the quality evaluation of Chinese medicinal materials.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metabolomics ; Oligosaccharides ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygala ; chemistry ; Quality Control

In order to compare the differences of 35 Menthae Herba samples collected on the market and at producing areas, the contents of six total terpenoids, the essential oil and chromatographic fingerprints were analyzed, which provided evidences for drawing up the commodity specifications and grading criteria of Menthae Herba. GC-MS method was used to analyze the chemical constituents of 35 different samples. The chromatographic fingerprints obtained by using GC were then evaluated by similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis and principal component analysis. The relativity between the content of six terpenoids and the essential oil were studied. In this study, the chemical profiles of 35 samples from different producing areas had significant disparity. All samples collected in the report could be categorized into four chemical types, L-menthol, pulegone, carvone and L-menthone, but the chemical profiles had no relationship with the areas. The chromatographic fingerprints of the samples from different types were dissimilar, while the different producing areas were difficult to be separated. It was indicated that the content of volatile oil was positively correlated with the content of L-menthol and the sum of six total terpenoids. The content of the essential oil, L-menthol and the sum of six total terpenoids of Menthae Herba were considered as one of the commercial specifications and grading criteria. These results in the research could be helpful to draw up the commercial specification and grading criteria of Menthae Herba from a view of chemical information.
Cluster Analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Mentha ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Terpenes ; analysis

This report documents the treatment of a giant aneurysm of the internal carotid artery bifurcation with a fistula to the cavernous sinus, which appeared following closed head trauma. A 39-year-old man suffered from a blunt head trauma in an automobile accident. Two weeks after the trauma, progressive chemosis of left eye was presented. Four months after the trauma, digital subtraction angiography showed an internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysm, with drainage into the cavernous sinus. The lesion was successfully obliterated with preservation of the parent artery by using coils in conjunction with Onyx. Follow-up angiography obtained 3 months postoperatively revealed persistent obliteration of the aneurysm and fistula as well as patency of the parent artery. Endovascular treatment involving the use of coils combined with Onyx appears to be a feasible and effective option for treatment of this hard-to-treat lesion.
Adult ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cavernous Sinus ; pathology ; Drainage ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo observe the dynamic expression of calcium-sensing receptor(CaSR) in myocardium of diabetic rats.

METHODSThirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups including control, diabetic-4 week and diabetic-8 week groups(n = 10). The type 2 diabetes mellitus models were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) after high-fat and high-sugar diet for one month. The cardiac morphology was observed by electron microscope. Western blot analyzed the expression of CaSR, phospholamban (PLN), a calcium handling regulator, and Ca+-ATPase(SERCA) in cardiac tissues.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the expressions of CaSR and SERCA were decreased, while the expression of PLN was significantly increased in a time-dependent manner in diabetic groups. Meanwhile diabetic rats displayed abnormal cardiac structure.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that the CaSR expression of myocardium is reduced in the progression of DCM, and its potential mechanism may be related to the imnaired intracellular calcium homeostasis.

Animals ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Disease Progression ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Calcium-Sensing ; metabolism ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Streptozocin

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of gut-enriched Kruppel-like factor 4(KLF4) in gastric cancer, and its association with prognosis.

METHODSSurgical specimens were collected from 264 patients undergoing radical surgery between 2004 and 2009 in the Affiliated Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University. KLF4 mRNA level of specimens was detected by real-time PCR. KLF4 protein expression was measured by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray, which contained primary gastric cancer, corresponding para-cancerous tissue, and paired lymph node metastases.

RESULTSReal-time PCR revealed that mRNA level of KLF4 was down-regulated in gastric cancer compared with paired normal gastric mucosa. Immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray showed gastric cancer tissues had significantly lower KLF4 levels compared with paired normal gastric tissues. By univariate and multivariate analysis, KLF4 was a significant predictor of survival and recurrence.

CONCLUSIONKLF4 expression is significantly down-regulated in gastric cancer, and is an independent predictor of survival and recurrence.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism