AIM: To study the. nephrotoxicity of various doses of Guangfangji. METHODS: Normal Wistar rats were given 1, 5 and 10 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji respectively. Renal pathology and function were observed. RESULTS Rats given 1 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji for 8 weeks showed normal renal function and histology. Rats given 5 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji significantly increased 24 hour urinary protein excretion. Tubular degeneration and interstitial edema was observed. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creactinine (Scr) remained in the normal range. BUN and Scr increased significantly in the group given 10 g·kg-1 of Guangfangji for 4 weeks. The tubulointerstitial abnormalities were more severe in the group given 5 g·kg-1 of Guangfangji. CONCLUSION: Longterm use of pharmacopoeial dose of Guangfangji shows no harm to the kidney. Renal injury may occur if relatively large dose of Guangfangji is given and the period of treatment using this drug is relatively longer.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of long-term use of low dose Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis (CAM) on the deterioration of chronic renal failure rats.

METHODSThe 5/6 nephrectomized Wistar rats were taken as animal model of chronic renal failure, which were divided into 3 groups. Group A was treated with 1 g/kg CAM decoction, the dose equivalent to that defined in the pharmacopoeia. Group B was treated with 3 g/kg CAM decoction and Group C treated with equal volume of tap water. Medication was given once per day by gastrogavage in all the three groups for 8 weeks. The serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein content and morphological changes of kidney were observed.

RESULTSAfter 8 weeks treatment, levels of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein excretion in Group B were higher than those in Group C significantly, they were 165.0 +/- 15.6 mumol/L vs 109.8 +/- 10.0 mumol/L, 27.8 +/- 3.6 mmol/L vs 18.7 +/- 2.5 mmol/L and 68.2 +/- 10.1 mg/24 hrs vs 44.6 +/- 8.5 mg/24 hrs, respectively, all P < 0.05. The pathological changes of renal mesenchyme and degree of glomerulosclerosis were also heavier in Group B.

CONCLUSIONThe susceptibility of chronic renal failure rats to the nephrotoxicity of CAM increases in long-term use of low dose CAM which could accelerate the deterioration of renal impairment in the model rats.

Animals ; Aristolochia ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Aristolochic Acids ; toxicity ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective:This study aimed to detect the special methylation profile in peripheral blood for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods:The methylation status of 12 tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) in the plasma of 55 HCCs and 54 chronic liver diseases (CLDs) was tested by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Results:In HCC, the methylation frequencies were 78.18%in APC, 63.64%in cyclin D2, 58.18% in TFPI2, 49.09% in DKK3, 49.09% in GSTP1, 47.27% in p16, 40.00% in Sigma 14-3-3, 18.18% in SFRP2, 16.36% in ppENK, 9.09% in DKK2, 7.27% in NPTX2, and 5.45% in LHX1. In CLD, the methylation frequencies were 27.78% in APC, 22.22%in cyclin D2, 7.41%in TFPI2, 3.70%in DKK3, 16.67%in GSTP1, 37.04%in p16, 37.04%in Sigma 14-3-3, 11.11%in SFRP2, 20.37%in ppENK, 7.41%in DKK2, 7.41%in NPTX2, and 9.26%in LHX1. The methylation frequencies of APC, cyclin D2, TFPI2, DKK3, and GSTP1 were higher in HCC than in CLD (P<0.01). The methylation index (MI) of the five-gene methylation profile was statistically higher in HCC (median, 0.6;IQR, 0.4-0.8) than CLD (median, 0.2;IQR, 0-0.2) (P<0.01). In HCC, MI was statistically related to the patient's age. Older patients with HCC had a higher MI. No significant correlation was observed between MI and other clinicopathological data. Moreover, MI was not related to the disease free survival and the overall survival in HCC. Conclusion:This five-gene methylation profile may be a promising biomarker for the assistant diagnosis of HCC.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To study the chemical constituents of "Shan-Ci-Gu" (the tuber of Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino), the compounds were isolated with silica gel and reverse phase silica gel as well as Sephadex column chromatographic method. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of modern spectra technology. Seven compounds were isolated and identified as 5-methoxybibenzyl-3, 3'-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), militarine (2), loroglossin (3), protocatechuic acid (4), succinic acid (5), gastrodin (6), and daucosterol (7). Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2 -6 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Benzyl Alcohols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; Plant Tubers ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Succinic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To observe the effects of casein and excessive iodine on histomorphalogY and ultrastructure of mouse thymicL Methods Based on 2 × 3 factorial design,the experimental mice were divided into 6 groupg Animal models were estabhshed by feeding the mice with different levels of iodine water and casein food.The levels of iodine were 50,600 μg/L in drinking water and 0(Ⅰ),10%(Ⅱ),20%(Ⅲ)of casein in food respectively.After 12 months,the thyroid weight was measured and the morphology of thyroid was observed under optical and electron microscope.Results Factorial analysis showed that iodine factors obviously affected the thyroid absolute and relative weiights of mice(F=16.23,9.47,P＜0.01),and there was interaction between casein and iodine(F=5.29,4.68,P＜0.01 or＜0.05).Compared wiht 150Ⅰ[(5.91±0.82)rag,(117.0±22.2)mg/kg]and 50Ⅲ[(4.90±0.63)rag,(106.1±13.3)mg/kg]groups.thyroid absolute and relative weights of the mice increased in 600 Ⅰ[(7.60±2.40)mg,(143.3±43.2)mg/kg]and 600Ⅲ[(8.63±1.88)mg,(166.2±39.4)mg/kg]groups(P＜0.05 or＜0.01),respectively.But compared with 600 Ⅰ and 600Ⅲ groups.they were reduced obviously in 600Ⅱ[(5.76±1.13)mg,(109.8±16.5)mg/kg]group(P＜0.05 or＜O.01).Colloid goiter,lymphocyte infiltration were found,some of the follicles epithelial cells appeared active under light and electron microscope in iodine excels group,which,however,decreased obviously along with the increase of casein dose.Conclusions Long-term excessive iodine may cause colloid goiter and inflammation injury of mice,possibly leading the development of thyroiditis in mice,which may be partly reduced by casein.

The complete coding sequences of Eya gene family was amplified by standard PCR fromhuman tissues or cells cDNA library.The product of PCR was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3-FLAG,generating pcDNA3-FLAG-Eya1～4.Thenhuman embryo kidney 293T cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmids and the expression of Eya genes were identified by Western blot.Transcriptional assay using a reporter containing myogenin enhance factor indicated that expression of Eya cooperation with Six in 293T cells affected the Myogenin gene expression.The expression vectors of Eya genes were constructed and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequence analysis.Transcriptional assay using a reporter containing myogenin enhance factor indicated that expression of Eya in coordination with Six in 293T cells stimulated the Myogenin gene expression.Eya proteins are transcriptional activator of Six and can improve the activity of myogenin promoter.

ObjectiveTo test the effect of human tremor detector in clinic based on the principle of photoelectrical transformation.MethodsFifty-five subjects including normal youth and elderly persons, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), hyperthyroidism and cerebellor ataxia were tested with human tremor detector. The displacement, frequency spectrograph, velocity and acceleration of both hands in four kinds of postures and action were involved.ResultsThe physiological tremor and pathological tremor in different kinds of patients were significantly different (P<0.05). Especially in PD, both quantitive and qualitative data had a significant difference.ConclusionHuman tremor detector can provide the evidence for early diagnosis of PD.

Design space approach is applied in this study to enhance the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Codonopsis Radix (Dangshen) by optimizing parameters. Total flavonoid recovery, dry matter removal, and pigment removal were defined as the process critical quality attributes (CQAs). Plackett-Burman designed experiments were carried out to find the critical process parameters (CPPs). Dry matter content of concentrated extract (DMCE), mass ratio of ethanol to concentrated extract (E/C ratio) and concentration of ethanol (CEA) were identified as the CPPs. Box-Behnken designed experiments were performed to establish the quantitative models between CPPs and CQAs. Probability based design space was obtained and verified using Monte-Carlo simulation method. According to the verification results, the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Dangshen can be guaranteed by operating within the design space parameters. Recommended normal operation space are as follows: dry matter content of concentrated extract of 45.0% - 48.0%, E/C ratio of 2.48-2.80 g x g(-1), and the concentration of ethanol of 92.0% - 92.7%.
Chemical Precipitation ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVEGas-containing encephalo-meningitis is very rare. There have only been a few cases reported in the literature. The majority of neonatal cases reported in literature died. We report a case of a 5-day-old neonate who developed diffuse pneumocephalus from Enterobacter cloacae septicemia and intracranial infection.

METHODThis neonate was initially treated with penicillin and mezlocillin. He also received phototherapy, intravenous infusion, correction of acidosis and other supportive therapy. Complete blood count, C-Reactive protein, cranial CT scan, blood culture, cerebrospinal fluid culture and biochemistry were tested repeatedly.

RESULTSThis neonate's condition deteriorated after admission. He developed respiratory distress, increased muscle tone and decreased level of consciousness. His WBC and C-reactive protein were elevated, while blood gas, electrolytes, liver enzymes and renal function were within normal range initially. Cranial CT scan was done which demonstrated diffuse pneumocephalus. He was transferred to a higher level hospital for further management at the request of the family. Blood culture done in our hospital subsequently showed growth of Enterobacter cloacae. The infant developed seizures and further deterioration in level of consciousness after transfer. Antibiotics were switched to penicillin and ceftizoxime. Cranial CT scan repeated 2 days after transfer showed hydrocephalus and some resolution of pneumocephalus. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was aspirated from the lateral ventricles two weeks after admission. CSF culture also showed growth of Enterobacter cloacae. Antibiotic was switched to imipenem according to antibiotic sensitivity. His general condition was improved. Blood and CSF cultures were negative 1 month after admission. His head circumference at discharge was 34.6 cm. Repeat cranial CT scan at 4 month of age demonstrated severe hydrocephalus, diffuse leukomalacia and calcification. This infant suffered significant neurodevelopmental deficit. Muscle tone was diffusely increased. Head circumference at 9 month of age was 48.4 cm.

CONCLUSIONThis case suggests the importance of Enterobacter cloacae infection in the newborns. Our analysis of 34 cases of Enterobacter cloacae infection showed that 93.75% - 100% were sensitive to quinolones, 94.12% were sensitive to imipenem, 73.33% were sensitive to gentamicin, 50% were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam. Enterobacter cloacae is generally not sensitive to penicillin, first and second generation cephalosporins (0 - 21.4%). Enterobacter cloacae septicemia and intracranial infection in neonates have a high mortality rate and can result in severe neurodevelopmental deficit in survivors.

Enterobacter cloacae ; Enterobacteriaceae Infections ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Meningitis ; microbiology ; Pneumocephalus ; microbiology