OBJECTIVE:To study the effect and mechanism of tandospirone citrate (TC) on blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS:SHR were divided into model group,positive control group (Levamlodipine besylate tab-lets,2.5 mg/kg),TC high-dose,medium-dose,low-dose groups(TC capsules,40,20,10 mg/kg),8 in each group. Other 8 nor-mal rats were chosen as normal control group. The rats were intragastrically administrated medicines,once a day,for 28 d. Systolic blood pressure(SBP)before first administration and after 0.5,1,1.5,2,3,4 h of administration in each group were measured, and SBP after 1 h of administration were measured once every 7 d. After last administration,nitric oxide(NO)content in serum, endothelin,renin,angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ) and norepinephrine (NE) contents in plasma were detected. RESULTS:In single ad-ministration,compared with model group,SBP in 0.5,1 h in positive control group and TC groups after first administration were obviously decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01),then SBP were obviously decreased only in positive control group and TC high-dose group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In multiple administration,compared with model group,SBP in 7th,14th,28th day of administra-tion in positive control group and TC high-dose,medium-dose groups were obviously decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with model group,NO content in serum in positive control group,TC high-dose group were obviously increased;endothelin,re-nin,Ang Ⅱ and NE contents in plasma were obviously decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with positive control group, NO content in serum in TC groups was obviously decreased;endothelin,renin,Ang Ⅱ and NE contents in plasma were obviously increased in TC medium-dose group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:TC can obviously decrease the blood pressure of SHR. The mechanism may be associated with adjusting the balance of NO and endothelin,and decreasing renin,AngⅡand NE contents.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate in treating chondromalacia patellae and its effect on inflammatory factors in knee joint fluid. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with chondromalacia patellae were randomized into a control group and an observation group, with 34 cases in each group. The control group was treated with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate, while the observation group was given additional warm needling moxibustion treatment. Before and after treatment, the two groups were scored using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS), examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and determined for the levels of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β in knee joint fluid. Clinical efficacy was estimated after treatment. Results: The effective rate was higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of pain, stiffness and daily activities, as well as the general score of WOMAC declined significantly in both groups (all P<0.05), and were lower in the observation group than in the control group (all P<0.05); the time cost for climbing up and down one staircase and VAS score decreased markedly in both groups (all P<0.05), and were shorter or lower in the observation group than in the control group (both P<0.05); the MRI grading showed no significant change in the control group after intervention (P>0.05), while the grading in the observation group showed notable improvement (P<0.05), and was better than that in the control group (P<0.05); the levels of NF-κB and IL-1β in knee joint fluid dropped significantly in the control group after treatment (both P<0.05), while the levels of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β in knee joint fluid all decreased significantly in the observation group (all P<0.05) and were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Warm needling moxibustion plus intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate can produce definite efficacy in treating chondromalacia patellae; it can mitigate the clinical symptoms, improve the lesion extent of chondromalacia and down-regulate the levels of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β in knee joint fluid.

Coronary Sinus ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subclavian Vein ; Vena Cava, Superior

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Chinese drugs for invigorating qi and tonifying Shen (IQTS) on expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in spleen and maternal-fetal interface of abortion-prone mice during pregnancy.

METHODSCBA female mice were mated with DBA/2 male mice to establish abortion-prone models, which were randomly divided into 4 groups, the negative control group (fed with normal saline), the positive control group (treated with CsA), the Chinese medicine group (treated with IQTS), and the Chinese and Western medicine group (treated with IQTS+CsA). Mice were sacrificed in batches on the 9th and the 14th day of gestation, their splenic and decidual tissues were taken out to analyse CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell expression by flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the negative control group, the expression of splenic CD4+CD25+ regulatory T all significantly increased on the 9th day of gestation (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in intergroup comparison of the three treatment groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the negative control group, the expression of splenic CD4+CD25+ regulatory T all significantly increased on the 14th day of gestation (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Of them, its expression was the highest in the Chinese and Western medicine group, showing significant difference from that in the Chinese medicine group and the positive group (P < 0.01). The difference between the Chinese medicine group and the positive group was insignificant (P > 0.05). On day 9 of gestation, compared with the negative control group, the expressions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T in maternal-fetal interface increased in the three treated groups, showing no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Its expression was ordered from high to low in sequence as the Chinese and Western medicine group, the positive control group, the Chinese medicine group, and the negative control group. On day 14 its expression was obviously enhanced in the Chinese and Western medicine group, showing statistical difference from that in the negative control group (P < 0.05). But its expression was obviously enhanced in the Chinese medicine group and the positive group, showing insignificant difference from that in the negative group. The same sequence was found in the percentage of CD4+CD25+ T cells in CD4+ T cells.

CONCLUSIONSChinese drugs for IQTS could up-regulate the expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T in spleen of abortion-prone mice in the early and late pregnancy stages. When combined with CsA, it also could up-regulate its expression in maternal-fetal interface in the mid and late pregnancy stages, suggesting that Chinese drugs for IQTS are facilitate to maintain the immune tolerance state in mice during pregnancy.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred CBA ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Spleen ; cytology ; drug effects ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism

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 investigate the clinical efficacy of She medicine therapy in rehabilitation after endoscopic surgery for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.Methods Sixty patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were allocated, using random number table method following registration order, to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The treatment group received She medicine therapy and the control group, oral administration of conventional drugs. The excellent and good rate was observed in the two groups after treatment. Post-treatment active straight leg raising times and analgesic dosages were compared between the two groups.Results Active straight leg raising time was significantly advanced (P<0.01) and the number of potent analgesic uses was significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the treatment group after endoscopic surgery for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. The excellent and good rate was 93.3％ in the treatment group and 80.0％ in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion She medicine therapy can help rapid rehabilitation after endoscopic surgery for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XFC) on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients' symptoms and signs, serum immunoglobulin levels, peripheral blood lymphocyte autophagy protein, autophagy gene, and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSTotally 59 AS patients were assigned to the treatment group (39 cases) and the control group (20 cases) according to random digit table. Patients in the treatment group received XFC, 0.5 g each pill, three pills each time, 3 times per day, while those in the control group received sulfasalazine (SASP), 0.25 g per tablet, 4 tablets each time, twice per day. Three months consisted of one therapeutic course. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) were statistically calculated. Serum immunoglobulins (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA , SIgA, and IgM) were detected using ELISA. Changes of Beclin1, LC3-II, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were detected using Western blot. Serum autophagy related genes such as Atg1, Atg5, Atg12, Atg13, and Atg17 were detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The correlation between immunoglobulin subtypes and autophagy gene in AS patients using Spearman correlation.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, BASDAI, IgG1, lgG3, and IgA decreased (P < 0.01); PI3K, Akt, and mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.01); ATG1, ATG12, ATG13, and ATG17 mRNA expressions decreased, ATG5 mRNA expression increased (P < 0.01) in the treatment group. But BASDAI, IgG1, and IgA levels decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); PI3K, Akt, and mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.05); ATG1 and ATG13 mRNA expressions decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the control group. Compared with the control group, BASDAI, IgG1, and IgA levels decreased (P < 0.05); PI3K, Akt, mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.01); ATG12 and ATG17 mRNA expression decreased, ATG5 mRNA expression increased (P < 0.01) in the XFC group. Correlation analysis showed AS patients' IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgA, SIgA, IgM had negative correlation with ATG17; IgG4 and ATG17 were positively correlated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXFC could elevate clinical efficacy of AS patients and enhance their autophagy, which might be achieved by acting on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal, affecting autophagy gene and autophagy protein expression, taking part in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of lymphocyte B, and strengthen humoral immunity.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Beclin-1 ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; Sulfasalazine ; therapeutic use ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEAnemia can not only reduce the quality of life of patients with cancer, but also affect their survival. This study was to investigate the prognostic value of hemoglobin (Hb) level in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with radiotherapy.

METHODSClinical data of 520 NPC patients received definitive radiotherapy between 2000 and 2002 at Sun Yat sen University Cancer Center were analyzed. Patients were stratified into normal Hb level and anemia groups according to their Hb levels before, during, and after radiation. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria as Hb level < 130 g/L in men and < 120 g/L in women. Hb continuous decrease group and non decrease group were defined according to Hb changes in the patients during radiotherapy. Loco regional recurrence free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox model to analyze the prognostic factors.

RESULTSBefore radiation, the 5 year LRFS rates were 60.9% in anemia group and 63.9% in normal Hb level group (P = 0.337); the 5 year OS rates were 65.2% and 71.0%, respectively (P = 0.299). During radiation, the 5 year LRFS rates were 56.7% in anemia group and 67.9% in normal Hb level group (P = 0.013); the 5 year OS rates were 61.0% and 75.9%, respectively (P = 0.001). After radiation, the 5 year LRFS rates were 59.6% in anemia group and 64.9% in normal Hb level group (P = 0.169); the 5 year OS rates were 65.0% and 71.9%, respectively (P = 0.090). The 5 year LRFS and OS rates were significantly lower in Hb continuous decrease group than in Hb non decrease group (59.1% vs. 69.3%, P = 0.032; 66.2% vs. 76.4%, P=0.011). Multivariate analysis showed that the continuous decrease of Hb was an independent prognostic factor for OS.

CONCLUSIONThe change in Hb level during radiotherapy is an important prognostic factor affecting the OS of NPC patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Anemia ; blood ; etiology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoglobins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Particle Accelerators ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy, High-Energy ; adverse effects ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of ulinastatin (Uti) and low-molecular-weight heparin (Lmwh) on coagulation function and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients undergoing hip joint replacement.

METHODSFrom March to December 2010 150 ASAI-II patients with average age of 72.5 (65 - 85) years undergoing hip joint replacement were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 50 each): normal saline (NS) control group (Group C), Uti group (Group U) and Lmwh group (Group L). Group U received intravenous infusion of ulinastatin (10 000 U/kg) at preoperative, perioperative and after operation 1, 2 and 3 d, respectively. Group C received the same volume of NS instead of Uti. Group L were injected Lmwh subcutaneously (3200 U/d) at preoperative, after operation 1, 2 and 3 d. Blood samples were taken before operation (T(0)), at the end of surgery (T(1)), 1 d (T(2)), 2 d (T(3)) and 3 d (T(4)) after operation for determination the values of R, K, α angle, MA and CI, using thromboelastography, and the DVT were also examined through color Doppler ultrasonography at 3 d after operation.

RESULTSCompared with T(0), R, K were shorter, α angle, MA and CI were larger in group C, the values at T(2) were up to the peak then declined at T(4). Compared with group C, the value of R, K were larger, the value of α angle, MA and CI were shorter in group U and group L. The DVT checked by ultrasonography were found in 20 cases in group C, 1 case in group U, and zero case in group L. The differences were no statistically significant between group U and group L.

CONCLUSIONIntravenous infusion of Uti during the period of operation can correct the hypercoagulability of blood and decrease the incidence of DVT after operation.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; adverse effects ; Blood Coagulation ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; therapeutic use ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Venous Thrombosis ; etiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo sum up the experience of performing ascending aorta replacement combined triple-branched stent graft implantation for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection.

METHODSFrom January 2010 to December 2010, 14 patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection underwent the procedure of performing ascending aorta replacement combined triple-branched stent graft implantation. Right axillary artery cannulation was used for cardiopulmonary bypass and selected cerebral perfusion. When the body temperature drops below 18°C, the ascending aorta was transected near the base of the innominate artery. From the incision, the triple-branched stent graft was implanted into the true lumen of the arch, descending aorta and the aorta bifurcation vessel. The transected stump of the ascending aorta was anastomosis to the proximal of the branched blood vessel prosthesis.

RESULTSCardiopulmonary bypass time was (186 ± 38) min, cross clamp time was (101 ± 27) min, and average selective cerebral perfusion and lower body arrest time was (39 ± 11) min. The in-hospital mortality was zero. One patient of transient postoperative neurologic dysfunction, one of acute renal failure, one of transient limbs disturbance, one of secondary thoracotomy operation, one of gastrointestinal hemorrhage and one of postoperative chylothorax were observed. CT angiography rechecked showed the position of the vascular stent were satisfactory and the blood flow of arterial branches stents were lucid. The false lumen of the aortic arch and descending aorta closed with thrombus or shrinked.

CONCLUSIONSThe patients required aortic arch to be reconstructed which had no main tearing of intima in the arch may be best candidates for this technique. Open triple-branched stent graft placement combined ascending aorta replacement is an effective means for aortic arch reconstruction in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; surgery ; Aorta, Thoracic ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult