BACKGROUNDTraditional Chinese medicine has been used widely for many years in China to treat acute pancreatitis. We have investigated the effects of Dachengqi decoction on intestinal mucosal permeability and outcome in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODSForty patients with sustained SAP that required admission to the surgical intensive care unit were enrolled prospectively in the study. All of these patients were divided randomly into the Dachengqi decoction group (n = 20) and control group (n = 20) on admission. Intestinal permeability was assessed by measuring absorption of two metabolically inert markers, lactulose (L) and mannitol (M), which were administered orally. Serum concentrations of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and the ratio of lactulose to mannitol in urine (L/M) were detected in all patients.

RESULTSCompared with those in the control group, urinary L/M ratio decreased significantly in the Dachengqi decoction group on the 7th day after admission (P = 0.001). Also, serum concentrations of LPS were reduced on the 5th and 7th day after admission (P = 0.006, P = 0.008, respectively). Incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and pancreatic infection was significantly lower in the Dachengqi decoction group compared with those in the control group (P = 0.038,P = 0.025, respectively).

CONCLUSIONDachengqi decoction may promote the recovery of intestinal mucosal permeability and decrease the incidence of MODS and pancreatic infection in patients with SAP.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effects of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) on silent myocardial ischemia (SMI).

METHODSForty patients with SMI were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group and a medicine group, 20 cases in each group. The Electroacupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture and Neiguan (PC 6) was selected as the main acupoint, and the other acupoints were selected by syndrome differentiation. The medicine group was treated with oral administration of compound Danshen dripping pill. The total effective rate, heart rate, blood pressure and dynamic electrocardiogram in 24 h were compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 95.0% (19/20) in the electroacupuncture group was better than that of 75.0% (15/20) in the medicine group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the two groups were decreased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and the electroacupuncture group was superior to the medicine group (all P < 0.05). The SMI duration and the number of ST segment depression were decreased significantly in both groups after treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and the electroacupuncture group was superior to the medicine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) has a good therapeutic effect on SMI. It can decrease the heart rate and blood pressure, reduce the afterload in left ventricular and is superior to that of compound Danshen dripping pill.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo provide scientific basis for angiostrongyliasis cantonensis control and prevention in Beijing.

METHODSDescriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze angiostrongyliasis cantonensis reported from June to September in 2006.

RESULTS141 cases were treated at the Beijing Friendship Hospital with the peak in July (61 cases) and August (68 cases). All patients had dined at the same restaurant in Beijing city and they ate undercooked Pomacea canaliculata or related eatables. The source of Pomacea canaliculata was from Guilin in Guangxi. Major manifestations would include fever (56.79%), headache (93.83%), neck stiffness (100%), and skin paresthesia (77.78%). Some cases had significant eosinophil increase in peripheral blood picture and cerebrospinal fluid respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe source of infection related to angiostrongyliasis cantonensis was clear, suggesting that the improvement of restaurant sanitation and on awareness of personal hygiene were important preventive and control measures on angiostrongyliasis cantonensis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Angiostrongylus cantonensis ; pathogenicity ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Strongylida Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; parasitology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Gubenanshen decoction on menopausal syndrome model rats . METHODS Totally 70 rats were anesthetized and placed on the operating table for bilateral ovariectomy to induce menopausal syndrome model . Other 10 rats without modeling were taken as sham operation group . Sixty model rats were divided into model group ，Gengniananpian group （TCM positive control group ，0.56 g/kg），Estradiol valerate tablet group （chemical drug positive control group ，0.1 mg/kg），Gubenanshen decoction high -dose，medium-dose and low -dose groups （18.0，9.0，4.5 g/kg）， with 10 rats in each group . Model group and sham operation group were given normal saline intragastrically ；administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ，once a day ，for consecutive 4 weeks. After last administration ，the plasma contents of luteinizing hormone （LH），follicle stimulating growth hormone （FSH）and estradiol （E2）were determined .The indexes of uterus，adrenal gland ，spleen and thymus were measured ；pathological changes of rat uterus were observed ；mRNA expressions of kisspenptin 1（Kiss-1），inositol triphosphate receptor 1（IP3R1）and gonadotropin -releasing hormone （GnRH）in hypothalamic tissues were detected ，and the protein expressions of Kiss -1，ERK1/2 and p -ERK1/2 were also detected . RESULTS Compared with sham operation group ，the contents of LH and FSH in the plasma of rats were significantly increased in model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The contents of E 2，organ index ，mRNA expressions of Kiss -1，IP3R1 and GnRH and protein expressions of Kiss -1 and p-ERK1/2 were decreased significantly in hypothalamic tissues （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The glands of the uterus were reduced and the cells in the lamina propria were dense . Compared with model group ，above indexes of Gubenanshen decoction groups （except for the content of E 2 in the low -dose group ）were reversed significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The number of uterine glands increased，and single columnar epithelial cells were arranged orderly （except for the low -dose group ）. CONCLUSIONS Gubenanshen decoction can increase mRNA expressions of Kiss -1，IP3R and GnRH and protein expressions of Kiss -1 and p -ERK1/2 in hypothalamic tissues of rats ，and activate GnRH secretion signaling pathways so as to improve the menopausal syndrome .