Objective: To determine the component of naphtha from Acorus tatarinowii Schott.which can pass through the blood-brain barrier. Methods: Naphtha in rat brain was analyzed by GC-MS after gastric infusion of naphtha. Results: The methylisoeugenol,elemicin, ?-asarone and ?-asarone were detected in rat brain. Conclusion: The resuscitative effect of naphtha is resulted from the comprehensive action of multiple components.

Objective: To determine ? asarone and ? asarone in Rhizoma acori tatarinowii(RAT) . Methods: HPLC condition consists of ODS C 18 column(150mm?4.6mm, 5?m), methanol: water(6∶4) as mobile phase containing potassium dihydrogen phosphate 1.4g and sodium lauryl sulfate 1.2g per 1000mL, detective wavelength at 257nm, flow rate at 1.0mL?min -1 . Results: For RAT the mean recovery of 99.02%( RSD =1.03%) for ? asarone, 101.26%( RSD =3.57%) for ? asarone are obtained, respectively. Conclusion: The method is sensitive, rapid and accurate.

Autophagy is an important homeostatic cellular recycling mechanism responsible for degrading injured or dysfunctional cellular organelles and proteins in all living cells. Aging is a universal phenomenon characterized by progressive deterioration of cells and organs due to accumulation of macromolecular and organelle damage. Growing evidences indicate that the rate of autophagosome formation and maturation and the efficiency of autophagosome/lysosome fusion decline with age. Dysfunctional autophagy has also been observed in age-related diseases. Autophagy disruption resulted accumulation of mutated or misfolded proteins is the essential feature of neurodegenerative disorders. However, in cancers, fibroproliferative diseases or cardiovascular diseases, autophagy can play either a protective or destructive role in different types of disease, and even in different stages of the same disease. The review will discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autophagy and its important role in the pathogenesis of aging and age-related diseases, and the ongoing drug discovery strategies for therapeutic intervention.
Aging ; Autophagy ; Drug Discovery ; Humans ; Lysosomes ; metabolism ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Phagosomes ; metabolism ; Protein Folding

OBJECTIVE:To study the quality standards for Shenchang injection.METHODS:TLC was applied to identify the properties of Borneol and volatile oil of Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii in the formula.HPLC was adopted to determine the content of ?-asarone in Shenchang injection.RESULTS:?-asarone showed good linear relationship in the range of 0.632 3～ 1.264 6? g.The average recovery of ammonium ?-asarone was 99.92%(RSD=0.91%).CONCLUSION:The standard can be used for the quality control of Shenchang injection.

Objective: To determine the contents of ?-Asarone and ?-Asarone in Xing Nao nasal drops. Methods: HPLC was used with ODS C18 column (150mm?4.6mm, 5?m). Methanol mixture : water being 6 : 4 and Patassium biphoepate 1.4 and Dodecyl Sulphonic acid sodium salt 1.2g in 1000mL mixture served as mobile phase, detection wavelength at 257nm and flow rate being 1.0mL/min. Results: The mean recovery was 99.38 %(RSD=2.25 %) for ?-Asarone and 96.59 %(RSD=2.16) for ?-Asarone. Conclusion: this method is simple,rapid and accurate.

The Ca²⁺-activated monovalent cation selective transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channel expressed in pancreatic β-cells is implicated in the β-cell function and insulin secretion, but how pharmacological function of TRPM4 channel affects membrane excitability of β-cells remains largely unknown. Here, we report that pharmacological inhibition of TRPM4 by specific inhibitor 9-phenanthrol attenuates electrical activities of pancreatic β-cells. In whole-cell current clamp recordings, 9-phenanthrol results in inhibition of action potential frequency induced by tolbutamide of the INS-1 pancreatic β-cells in a dose-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value of 14.99 ± 7.93 μmol·L^-1. Similarly, 9-phenanthrol also inhibited action potential firing in INS-1 cells stimulated by current injection. Further recordings of β-cells demonstrate the significant inhibitory effects on action potential peak and action potential amplitude by 9-phenanthrol. Taken together, our results show the involvement of TRPM4 channel function in pancreatic β-cells depolarization and action potential, it provides pharmacological experimental methods and theoretical support for the study of TRPM4 channel in pancreatic β-cells.

BACKGROUND: Serum creatinine (SCr) is the most commonly used parameter to estimate renal function impairement, but there are some shortcomings. Many factors including age, gender, drug, diet, muscle mass and metabolic rate can influence SCr, leading to an inaccurate estimation of kidney impairment. Studies have shown that cystatin C (CysC) is not affected by factors such as muscle mass, age, gender, diet, inflammation or tumor. The present study was undertaken to compare the sensitivity of CysC and SCr in evaluating renal function impairment at early stage of shock. METHODS: Seventy-one patients aged 38.3±21.4 years, who had been treated at the Emergency Medicine Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University between February 2006 and June 2007, were studied. They were divided into groups A, B, C, and D according to the shock time. Serum sample was drawn from each patient at 1, 2, 3, 4 hours after shock to determine SCr and CysC. CysC and SCr were determined again at 72 hours and 7 days after shock. RESULTS: CysC increased earlier than SCr in the 71 patients, and CysC decreased slower than SCr when shock was corrected. CysC increased at 1 hour after shock. There was a negative correlationship between CysC, SCr and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), especially at early stage of shock. CONCLUSIONS: There is renal injury at early stage of shock. CysC is more sensitive than SCr in assessing renal function at the early stage of shock.

Objective To explore the features of autonomic nerve function in reflux esophagitis (RE) patients, and the role of abnormal function in the pathogenesis of RE. Methods Twenty RE patients (RE group) and 18 healthy controls (HS group) all underwent heart rate variability (HRV) with meal stimulation to test the function of autonomic nerve. At same time, the endoscopic Los Angeles (LA) Classification, RE symptom score, Gastroesophageal reflux disease-health related quality of life (GERD-HRQL), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were evaluated in the RE patients. Of those, 12 RE patients were re-examined the function of autonomic never after 2 to 4 months [mean (3.7±0.8) months] of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) treatment. Results In fasting state, the sympathetic activity was higher in RE group than in HS group, while the parasympathetic activity was lower in HS group (P=0.022 and 0.034). Postprandial, the trend of autonomic functional change was the same in RE group and HS group. Postprandial, the sympathetic activity was negatively correlated with symptom score in RE patients; however, the parasympathetic activity was positively correlated with RE symptom score. The influence of meal on the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic was negatively correlated with RE symptom score (r=-0.48, P=0.022). The influence of meal on the parasympathetic nerve was positively correlated with RE symptom score and GERD-HRQL score. After PPI treatments, RE symptom score, GERD-HRQL score, SAS score and SDS score were all significantly decreased in RE patients. There was no significant difference in autonomic nerve function before and after PPI treatment. Conclusions There is abnormal autonomic nerve function in RE patients, characterized by higher sympathetic activity and lower parasympathetic activity in fasting state. The autonomic nerve function is correlated with RE symptom score. The abnormal autonomic nerve function may be one of the causes of RE.

Objective To investigate the effect of combination therapy by observing the salivary glands function and related organ pathology after given methotrexate (MTX) and cyclophosphamide (CTX) intermittently in induced mice model of Sjogren's syndrome (SS). To further explore the synergistic effect of combination therapy by detecting the immunological regulatory factor B cell activation factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) expression. Methods The ingredients of Lewis rat's exocrine glands homogenate were injected into female C57BL/6 mice to set up the mice model of SS. After established the SS mice model successfully, they were randomly divided into six SS model group, including low-dose MTX treatment group (0.02 mg/w), high-dose MTX treatment group (0.06 mg/w), CTX pause treatment group (1.2 mg/3 w), CTX alternate day treatment group (0.6 mg/2 d), MTX+CTX combination treatment group (MTX 0.02 mg/3 w+ CTX 1.2 mg/3 w). Treatment effects were assessed both clinically and histologically. Results Eighteen weeks after the first treatment, the improvement of the salivary secretion of the CTX alternate day treatment group and MTX+CTX combination treatment group were higher than other groups, which showed statistically significant difference (P<0.01). Compared with the SS model control group, HE staining showed that the lymphocytic infiltration of exoerine glands was decreased in the treatment group. In the CTX alternate day treatment group and MTX+CTX combination treatment group, few amount of inflammatory cell infiltration were found, and the expression intensity of BAFF mRNA and protein were decreased markedly in salivary gland than others by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assay (P<0.01). Conclusion MTX and CTX can inhibit lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary glands, inhibit BAFF transcriptional level and production of BAFF protein, leading to an increase of fluid production. It suggests that modulation of signaling via BAFF pathways may be a mechanism of action. MTX and CTX combination therapy is more effective than single-agent therapy. The inhibitory effects of MTX and CTX on BAFF-mediated inflammatory pathways are primarily synergistic.

Objective To investigate the lipid profiles of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) and to analyze the correlation between abnormal serum lipids and the inflammationsof SS. Methods One hundred and fourteen pSS patients and 20 gendermatehed healthy controls were studied. Serum lipids were measured in both groups. Results There was statistically significant difference between SS and healthy controls, and the serum HDL-c and apoA<,1 concentrations were significantly lower in patients (P<0.05). The incidence of abnormal serum lipids was 39.5% in these patients. Patients with abnormal lipids had longer course of disease, higher ESR level, lower salivary flow rate and more frequent parotid gland enlargement than those without abnormal lipids(P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant association between serum lipids levels and occurrence of parotid gland enlargement. Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that patients with SS have altered lipid profiles and the decrease of apoA, and HDL-c levels may be the correlated factors of SS. The inflammation of SS may cause changes in lipids metabolisms.