To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of the baicalin-berberine complex(BA-BBR) in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC), BA-BBR nanocrystal microspheres(BA-BBR NC MS) were prepared using the dropping method. The microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, particle size, differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction(XRD). The release profiles of BA and BBR from the microspheres were measured, and the drug release mechanism was investigated. A rat model of UC was induced by 5% dextran sodium sulfate(DSS) and treated continuously for 7 days to evaluate the therapeutic effects of different formulations. The results showed that the prepared BA-BBR MS and BA-BBR NC MS were uniform gel spheres with particle sizes of(1.77±0.16) mm and(1.67±0.08) mm, respectively. After drying, the gels collapsed inward and exhibited a rough surface. During the preparation process, the BA-BBR nanocrystals(BA-BBR NC) were uniformly encapsulated within the microspheres. The release profiles of the microspheres followed a first-order kinetic model, and the 12-hour cumulative release of BA and BBR from BA-BBR NC MS was higher than that from BA-BBR MS. Compared with BA-BBR, BA-BBR NC, and BA-BBR MS, BA-BBR NC MS further alleviated UC symptoms in rats, most significantly reducing the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MPO, while increasing the level of IL-4 in colon tissues. These results indicate that BA-BBR NC MS, based on a "nano-in-micro" design, can deliver BA-BBR to the intestine and exert significant therapeutic effects in a UC rat model, suggesting it as a promising new strategy for the treatment of UC.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/metabolism* ; Rats ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Microspheres ; Male ; Berberine/administration & dosage* ; Flavonoids/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Particle Size ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Drug Liberation ; Drug Compounding

Aim To analyze the effects of berberine on the apoptosis of colon epithelial cells and polymorpho-nuclear neutrophils ( PMNs) in mice with ulcerative colitis ( UC ) by regulating JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Methods The UC mouse models were established by dextran sulfate sodium ( DSS) method and were randomly divided into control group, UC group, low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose berberine groups and positive drug group ( mesalazine enteric-coated tablet group) . In addition, the mice were randomly di¬vided into UC group, high-dose berberine group, AG490 group, and high-dose berberine + AG490 group. Levels of serum tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and colon epithelial cell apoptosis and PMN apoptosis were compared among the groups. Western blot was used to detect the expres¬sions of colon tissue apoptosis-related and JAK/STAT signaling pathway-related proteins. Results The lev¬els of serum TNF-α and IL-6, apoptosis rate of colon epithelial cell and protein expressions of Fas, FasL, Bax, caspase-3, p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 in each dose berberine group and positive drug group were significantly lower than those in UC group (P < 0.05), and the above indicators in berberine groups were reduced gradually (P <0.05) . The PMN apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 protein expression were significantly higher in each dose berberine group and positive drug group than those in UC group (P <0. 05) , and the two indicators increased gradually in berberine groups ( P < 0.05). AG490 could reverse the above effects of berberine ( P < 0. 05 ). Conclusions Berberine can inhibit the apoptosis of colon epithelial cell and promote the apoptosis of PMN in UC mice by regulating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and then play a role in the treatment of UC.

This article reported a successful cesarean section performed on a woman with 37 +6 weeks of gestation after heart-lung transplantation (HLTx) at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. The patient was a 29-year-old woman with singleton pregnancy who underwent HLTx seven years ago. During pregnancy, she was treated with azathioprine and tacrolimus to suppress immune rejection. The patient was in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅰ and had no fever or shortness of breath. Prenatal examinations indicated that the mother and the fetus were in good condition. A baby girl was delivered successfully at full term by a transverse lower-segment cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Both the mother and the child were healthy at follow-up of 42 d after discharge.

With the dropping process of Xuesaitong Dropping Pills(XDP) as the study object, critical factors affecting the quality indicators of pill pass rate, average weight of drop pills and roundness were screened out, so as to deepen the understanding of the dropping process. The critical process units, critical quality attributes and potential critical process influencing factors of XDP were determined by risk analysis and prior knowledge, and then the critical influencing factors were screened out by Plackett-Burman design. First, according to the risk assessment, the critical technique of XDP preparation process was dropping, and then the critical quality attributes of dropping process were pill pass rate, average weight of drop pills and roundness. Then, according to fishbone diagram and failure mode and effects analysis(FMEA), potential critical influencing factors were determined as flow rate, matrix ratio, solid-liquid ratio, feed-liquid temperature, top temperature of condensate, bottom temperature of condensate and dropping distance. Finally, among these seven potential factors, the critical influencing factors were determined as material liquid ratio, dropping distance, top temperature of condensate, bottom temperature of condensate. This study revealed the potential of Plackett-Burman design in screening and understanding the influence of selected factors on XDP dropping process, which could provide a reference for studying the dropping process.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Saponins ; Temperature

Objective:To study the effect of Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction and its deficiency tonifying and pathogen eliminating components on renal interstitial fibrosis in UUO rats. Method:A rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) was established through ligation of a unilateral ureter. The rats were divided into six groups: sham operation group, model group, benazepril group, Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group, Buxufang group, and phlegm group, with 24 rats in each group. On the third day after operation, the rats in the Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group, Buxufang group, and phlegm group were given Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction concentrating agent at a dose of 8.0 g·kg^-1·d^-1, the rats in the benazepril group were given benazepril 1.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, and the rats in the sham operation group and the model group were given the same volume of saline. On the 7^th, 14^th and 21^st days after operation, the expressions of peripheral cells and relevant signal pathway markers in renal tissue were detected by Western blot and Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) respectively. Result:The stromal damage score and the interstitial collagen accumulation on the 14^th and 21^st days after UUO were significantly lower in the Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group, Buxu prescription group and Qixie prescription group than those in the model group (P<0.05). Except for the sham operation group, the protein expressions of α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), platelet derived growth factor A (PDGFA), nerve/glial type 2 chondroitin sulfate glycoprotein (NG-2), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), platelet-derived growth factor -β (PDGF-β) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β) in the kidney tissues of the 14^th and 21^st days were significantly increased compared with those on the 7^th day (P<0.05). On the 21^st day after surgery, the expressions of NG-2, VEGFA, VEGFR1 and PDGFR-β in renal tissue of Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group were significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, relevant expressions of α-SMA, PDGFA, NG-2, VEGFA, VEGFR1, PDGF-β, and PDGFR-β in kidney tissue of Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group decreased significantly on the 21^st day after operation (P<0.05), and relative expressions of α-SMA, NG-2, VEGFA, VEGFR1 and PDGFR-β in the Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction group were significantly lower than those in the benazepril group on the 21^st day after surgery (P<0.05). Conclusion:Shenshuai Xiezhuo decoction and its deficiency tonifying and pathogen eliminating components have an antagonistic effect on renal interstitial fibrosis in UUO rats. Its mechanism is related to the inhibition of activation of peripheral cells and relevant cell signaling pathways.