In the past several years, prevention and treatment of diabetes has become a hotspot in the research field, but there is blindness in the prevention and treatment of diabetes by Chinese materia medica (CMM). The research advances in anti-hyperglycaemic ingredients of CMM and their mechanism of action according to kinds of these compounds were summarized in this article. As the idea of application of CMM was proposed for the treatment of diabetes, the rationality of the application of CMM could be improved, the high activity of modern hypoglycemic CMM preparation could be developed.

Exquisite materials and excellent excipients are the key parts of modern Chinese medicine development. Long-term clinical researches indicate that the meridian guided medicine has the property of carriers. In this paper, the status of the meridian guided medicine was analyzed, and the research ideas were tried to be put forward. On the one hand, to take advantage of the meridian guided action, the screening of active ingredients should be strengthened. On the other hand, the material basis and mechanism of meridian guided action were clearly explained. In summary, deep research of the meridian guided medicine can exploit the excellent excipients to promote the rapid development of modern Chinese medicine.

Aim To investigate the effects of harpagide on cerebral ischemia and the mitochondria mediated Caspase dependent apoptotic signaling pathway in mice.Methods The MCAO was employed to establish MCAO model.When the models were established, the mice were given harpagide (4, 8, 12 mg·kg-1) and edaravone (3.2 mg·kg-1) [0.1 ml·(10 g)-1] by tail vein injection after MCAO immediately.And the model and control mice were given equivalent normal saline by the same way.After MCAO for 6 h, the behavior, volume of cerebral ischemia and pathological changes in the brain were observed.Westernblot was employed to determine the contents of Cyt C in mitochondrion and pro-caspase-3 in endochylema.Results Compared with the model group, harpagide (4, 8, 12 mg·kg-1) could significantly decrease the increased nerve functional score, brain index, brain water content and volume of cerebral ischemia induced by cerebral ischemia.Harpagide (4, 8, 12 mg·kg-1) could reduce the contents of Cyt C in mitochondrion and pro-caspase-3 in endochylema.Conclusion Harpagide may have protective effect on the cerebral ischemia injury in mice, which might be related to the inhibition of the cerebral mitochondria mediated Caspase dependent apoptotic signaling pathway.

Polymerase chain reaction was employed to amplify the whole HBV CP region from the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection, and then the PCR products were subcloned into pGEM Teasy vectors. Clones were randomly selected to be sequenced and the selected clones were compared to look for the difference.The sequencing results suggested that each sequence of selected clones was different and there were HBV quasispecies groups in patients. There were hot deletion region and point mutation near the TATA like box of CP gene. To address whether the mutations were responsible for the transcriptional activity, the wild type(wt) and the mutants of HBV CP genes were subcloned into pcDNA3 1( ) vectors, respectively. The reverse oriented clones were digested with KpnI and XhoI, and cloned into the KpnI and XhoI sites of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) expressing vector (pCAT3 basic).The recombinant CAT plasmids were transfected into HepG2 cells using lipofectamine PLUS reagent, and the CAT expression which indirectly represented the transcriptional activity of HBV CP lying upstream of CAT gene was detected with a CAT ELISA kit. The restriction enzyme digesting results indicated that the recombinant CAT plasmids were successfully constructed, and the transfection tests indicated that the transcriptional activity of the mutants with deletion or substitute point mutation of TATA like box were reduced in comparison with that of CPwt. The HBV CP gene heterogeneity downregulated the transcriptional activity to some extent.

Objective To investigate the curative effect of acute severe brain injury complicated ARDS, Methods 31 patients who had acute severe brain injury complicated ARDS were divided into two groups:A group was early discovery of ARDS and given treatment.B group was late discovery of ARDS and treated late.Then the curative effects were compared.Results A group was significantly higher than B group in blood gas analysis(P

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; External Fixators ; adverse effects ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

To explore anti-tumor active components of Chimonanthus salicifolius, the phytochemistry of the chloroform fraction from leaves extract was investigated by repeated silica gel column chromatography. Twelve compounds were isolated and their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data analysis as 9-epi-blumenol C(1), blumenol C(2), (+)-dehydrovomifoliol (3), (+)-vomifoliol (4), robinlin (5), (-)-loliolide (6), isofraxidin (7), scopoletin (8), 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin (9), 6, 7, 8-trimethoxycoumarin (10), beta-sitostenone (11), and beta-stigmasterol(12). Compounds 1-6 belonging to nor-sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the family Calycanthaceae for the first time. Compound 1 was a new natural product. Compounds 7, 11 and 12 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Antineoplastic Agents ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Calycanthaceae ; chemistry ; Chloroform ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo develop a bacteria expression system to produce the fusion protein of humanized anti-HBsAg scFV and interferon-alpha.

METHODSThe expression vector was constructed after cleaving the plasmids harboring the humanized anti-HBsAg scFv and interferon alpha respectively and ligating to linearized pET22b subsequence. The expression of fusion protein in E.coli was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The binding activity and antiviral activity of the fusion protein was characterized by competing inhibition test and cytopathic effect reduction.

RESULTSThe plasmid harboring the in frame arranged fusion gene was constructed and identified. After induction for 12h, a new band close to 4.5 10(4) was observed using SDS-PAGE. Results of competing ELISA and cytopathic effect reduction showed the fusion protein retained its specific binding activity and antiviral activities.

CONCLUSIONSThe construction and expression of the fusion gene of humanized anti-HBsAg scFv and interferon in E.coli are successful.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fragments ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Interferon-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo determine the molecular mechanisms involved in atrial fibrosis which occurs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and to investigate their effects on the initiation and maintenance of AF.

METHODSThe right atrial tissue samples were taken from 73 patients with rheumatic heart disease who underwent heart valve replacement surgery. 34 patients had no history of AF (sinus rhythm group), 9 patients had paroxysmal AF and 30 patients had persistent AF. The mRNA content of collagen type I, collagen type III, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 was measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and normalized to beta-actin or GAPDH.

RESULTSCompared to sinus rhythm group, the mRNA of collagen type I and MMP-2 increased significantly in the persistent AF group (all, P < 0.01), followed by the paroxysmal AF group (all, P < 0.05). The mRNA of collagen type III was slightly higher in both AF groups than in the sinus rhythm group, but the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The mRNA of TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 was down-regulated in the persistent AF group (all, P < 0.01, respectively), however, the trends of reduction did not reach statistical significance in the paroxysmal AF group (P > 0.05). The mRNA of TIMP-4 remained compatible in each group. The mRNA of collagen type I was significantly correlated with left atrial dimension (r = 0.336, P = 0.004) and AF duration (r = 0.339, P = 0.003). The mRNA of MMP-2 was significantly correlated with the mRNA of TIMP-2 (r = -0.326, P = 0.006), the mRNA of collagen type I (r = 0.322, P = 0.006), left atrial dimension (r = 0.300, P = 0.011) and AF duration (r = 0.300, P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONThe increased level of collagen type I associated with selective downregulation of TIMP-2 and upregulation of MMP-2 gene expression in atrium could be one of the molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrosis during atrial fibrillation, which correlates with the initiation and maintenance of AF.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Atrial Fibrillation ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; genetics ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous cryoablation (PCC) and (125)I seed implantation combined with chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer.

METHODSSixty-seven patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (6 in stage III, 61 in stage IV) received PCC and (125)I seed implantation combined with concomitant gemcitabine hydrochloride and DDP chemotherapy. The clinical benefit response (CBR), survival rate and therapy-related complications were assessed.

RESULTSAll patients except one were followed up over 1 year. The 6-month and 1-year survival rates were 84.8% and 33.4%, respectively. The median progression free survival were 6.3 months and 5.5 months in the group stage III and group stage IV (P > 0.05), respectively, while the overall survival was 9.1 months in the group stage III and 11.0 months in the group stage IV (P > 0.05). CR,PR and SD were achieved in 5, 8, 54 patients, respectively. Fifty-four and 50 in the 67 patients experienced a ≥ 50% reduction of pain score and analgesic consumption, respectively, 18 patients experienced a ≥ 2 kg weight gaining, and KPS was increasing from 71.2 ± 0.4 to (90.0 ± 0.3, P < 0.05), the overall benefit rate was 80.6%. No serious therapy-related complications except pancreatic fistula accompanied abdominal hemorrhage, bile leakage, acute pancreatitis and needle track seeding in 1, 1, 2 and 1 case, respectively.

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous cryoablation and (125)I seed implantation combined with chemotherapy are effective and safe for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Brachytherapy ; methods ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cryosurgery ; methods ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult