Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is well known as a Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent kinase. eEF2K catalyzes the phosphorylation of eEF2 and subsequently inactivates eEF2 by impairing its ability to bind to the ribosome, thereby negatively modulates protein synthesis. The high expression of eEF2K has been found recently in several types of malignancies. As participating in the progress of tumor, eEF2K emerges a potential target for future cancer therapy. The relationship between eEF2K and tumor, and the latest progress of eEF2K inhibitors were summarized in this article.
Elongation Factor 2 Kinase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Peptide Elongation Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation

Six flavonol glycosides were isolated and calibrated from Ginkgo biloba extract, and then used to calibrate the content in 2 baiches of G. biloba reference extract, so was rutin. RSD values of rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside-2-glu- coside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnop-yranosyl-2-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnopyranosyl-2-O-(6-O-p-coum-aroyl) - glucoside were around 1.1%-4.6%, nevertheless, RSD values of quercetin-3-O-glucoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside were more than 5%. According to the results, the reference extract of G. biloba can be used as the substitute to determine rutin, kaempferol-3-O- rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside-2-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnopyranosyl-2-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside and kaempferol-3-0-rhamnopyranosyl-2-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside instead of corresponding reference substances. So reference extract in place of single component reference in assay is feasible.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Congresses as Topic ; Humans ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of ischemic preconditioning in clinical hepatectomy.

METHODSA total of 48 unselected patients undergoing liver resection were analyzed by randomized controlled trial from December 2004 to June 2006. Forty-eight unselected patients were randomized into two groups: IP group (5 minutes of ischemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion) and control group (received Pringle's maneuver no and no IP was given). Postoperative days 1, 3 and 7, the liver function were checked. Perioperative mortality, morbidity and hospitalized days were compared.

RESULTSIn IP group, ischemic times were 5 - 80 min, mean 31 min, hospitalized days were 13 - 50 days, mean 20 days. In control group, ischemic times were 10 - 60 min, mean 27 min, hospitalized days were 10 - 33 days, mean 17 days. Forty-seven patients were satisfactory with postoperative recovery, except one patient died of chronic liver dysfunction after 3 months postoperatively. Postoperative days 1, 3 and 7, the ALT, AST, TBIL, ALB levels in two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical use of IP through 5 minutes of warm ischemia in this technique of hepatectomy does not protect the liver from hepatic injury induced by the IRI.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Liver ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Young Adult

A new UPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eleven characteristic flavonoid glycosides in Ginkgo biloba leaves. The natural occurrence of flavonoid glycosides in Ginkgo biloba leaves within one vegetative season was investigated for the first time. The analysis was performed on an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (50 mm x 4.6 mm, 1.8 microm), the mobile phase A was acetonitrile, the mobile phase B was 0.4% phosphate aqueous solution in a gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.6 mL x min(-1), the detection was carried out at 360 nm. The result showed that eleven flavonoid glycosides had good linearity with good average recovery, separately. The method was proved to be accurate, rapid and good reproducible for the quality evaluation of Ginkgo biloba leaves, and provide an easy and rapid means for the quantitative analysis of flavonoid glycosides and their content fluctuation with seasons.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether overweight and obesity might cause oxidative stress and potential oxidative damage in overweight and obese children, and to explore its possible mechanism.

METHODSEighty-five overweight and obese children (OOC), and eighty-five age-matched healthy children (HC) were recruited in this case-control study. The present study analyzed spectrophotometrically vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE), and 3-carotene (P-CAR) in plasma, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in erythrocytes.

RESULTSCompared with those of VC, VE, P-CAR, SOD, CAT and MDA in the HC group, the average values of VC, VE, 3-CAR, SOD, and CAT in the OOC group were significantly decreased (P<0.001), while the average value of MDA in the OOC group was significantly increased (P<0.001). The regression analysis demonstrated that VC, VE, P-CAR, SOD, and CAT were negatively correlated (P<0.05-0.01), and MDA was positively correlated with BMI (P<0.05). Fitting to the model of multiple stepwise regression of BMI on VC, VE, P-CAR, SOD, CAT, and MDA in 85 OOC was Y= 27.0041 + 0.2541MDA - 2.1448beta-CAR - 0.0090CAT, where F= 43.8088, P<0.001, r = 0.7866, r(2)= 0.6187, adjusted r(2)= 0.6046. The findings from the reliability analysis for VC, VE, P-CAR, SOD, CAT, and MDA used to reflect increased oxidative stress and potential oxidative damage in the OOC showed that the reliability coefficients (alpha, 6 items) = 0.7231, P<0.0001, and that the standardized item alpha = 0.9207, P<0.0001.

CONCLUSIONThe present study suggests that there exists an increased oxidative stress in overweight and obese children.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology

The article aims at providing theoretical foundation for security of moxibustion through analyzing chemical compositions of Artemisia Argyi of different years from Qichun County, Hubei Province, and moxa wool refined in different proportions. Artemisia Argyi from Qichun on 2007, 2008 and 2009 were taken as raw materials, and processed into moxa wool with the proportions of raw material and product as 3 : 1, 5 : 1, 8 : 1 and 15 : 1, respectively. Essential oils of Artemisia Argyi and the refined moxa wool were extracted by steam distillation. Their chemical compositions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and calculated with semiquantitative method. The result showed that chemical compositions of Artemisia Argyi of different years and moxa wool refined in different proportions were almost the same, but their contents were with obvious difference. The relative content of volatile substances decreased with the age prolonged and a rise in the proportion of the refined moxa wool, while the involatile material increased. Therefore it can be concluded that the essential oil of Artemisia Argyi from Qichun and the refined moxa wool is basically safe. Involatile substances such as Juniper camphor, Caryophyllene oxide and Caryophyllene etc. are the main contents of high proportional moxa wool of old year. And these substances may be the effective components in moxibustion treatment.
Artemisia ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; Time Factors

AIMTo search for novel compounds with potent nNOS inhibitory activity for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

METHODSThe target compounds were obtained by introducing benzenealkyl groups into the structure of isothioureas. nNOS inhibitory activity assays were conducted for the target compounds.

RESULTSSixteen benzenealkyl isothiourea compounds (I1-16) were synthesized by three different synthetic methods from benzylamine (1) or (substituted) phenethylamine (2). Compounds I1-6 were synthesized from 1 or 2 by reaction with benzoyl isothiocyanate to form the corresponding benzoylthioureas 3 or 4, followed by hydrolysis with 10% sodium hydroxide solution, then S-alkylation with methyl iodide or ethyl iodide. I7-14 were synthesized from 1 or 2 by reaction with methyl isothiocyanate to form the corresponding 1, 3-disubstituted thioureas 7 or 8 which were S-alkylated with methyl iodide or ethyl iodide. I15 and I16 were synthesized from 2 by reaction with dimethyl cyanodithioimidocarbonate. The structures of compounds I1-16 were confirmed by MS, IR, 1HNMR and elementary analysis. The results of preliminary pharmacological test showed that all compounds possessed nNOS inhibitory activity, among which compounds I8, I12 and I14 had good activity.

CONCLUSIONCompounds I8, I12 and I14 showed superior pharmacological profiles to the control compound S-methyl-N-(4-methoxyphenyl) isothiourea. The IC50 values of compounds I8, I12 and I14 inhibiting nNOS were 8.13 x 10(-7) mol.L-1, 1.74 x 10(-7) and 2.23 x 10(-7) mol.L-1 respectively, and it is worth further studying.

Animals ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; enzymology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Thiourea ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) combined adjuvant chemotherapy in postponing relapse and metastasis of radical resected Ib-IIIa stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and to explore its effect in improving their quality of life (QOL) and clinical symptoms.

METHODSWe designed a cohort study of 336 radical resected Ib-IIIa NSCLC patients by analyzing disease free survival (DFS) using Log-rank test. They were randomly assigned to the control group (155 cases, treated by adjuvant chemotherapy group) and the test group (181 cases, treated by adjuvant chemotherapy combined CM). By using controlled method, 60 radical resected NSCLC patients undergoing NP/NC program in 2012 (vinorelbine 25 mg/m2, combined with cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on day 1 and day 8/on day 1 or on day 1, 2, and 3; or carboplatin AUC = 5 on day 1) were assigned to the control group (29 cases) and the test group (31 cases). QOL scores (using EORTC QLQ-LC43 questionnaire) and TCM symptoms scores were compared between the two groups before chemotherapy, peri-chemotherapy (one day before the 2nd course of chemotherapy) , and after chemotherapy (20 days after ending the 4th course of chemotherapy).

RESULTS(1) The median DFS was longer in the test group than in the control group, but with no statistical difference between the two groups (42.73 months vs 35.57 months , P = 0.179). In the subgroup analysis, there was statistical difference in IIIa stage DFS. The median IIIa stage DFS of was longer in the test group than in the control group with statistical difference (27.87 months vs 19. 93 months, P = 0.047). (2) In the control study, repeated measured data indicated there was significant difference in physical functions between the two groups (P < 0.05). Total scores for health states decreased more in the test group than in the control group, but with no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Scores for constipation and CM syndrome scores were higher in the test group than in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCM had advantages in postponing DFS of radical resected NSCLC patients, especially in IIIa stage. CM could improve their QOL and clinical symptoms during adjuvant chemotherapy.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carboplatin ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; therapeutic use ; Cohort Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Quality of Life ; Vinblastine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

The objective of this paper is to develop a fast analysis method to determine fingerprints of Radix Glycyrrhizae from different areas of China for identification and quality control. The experiments were carried out under following conditions: Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 (4.6 mm x 50 mm, 1.8 microm) column, acetonitrile and 0. 05% phosphoric acid solution as the mobile phases with gradient elution, flow rate 1.0 mL x min(-1), analysis time 11 min. The run time of the method was obviously decreased from 36 minutes to 11 minutes compared with routine HPLC method. The cluster analyses of the fingerprints of the 70 samples were performed by SPSS. The results showed that all samples were classified into 2 groups, 59 Glycyrrhiza uralensis as well as 11 G. inflata. Three compounds, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin and glycyrrhiza acid should be considered as effective references for quality control of Radix Glycyrrhizae. This method can be used widely for identification and quality control of Radix Glycyrrhizae.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Flavanones ; analysis ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; analysis ; Reproducibility of Results