OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoids from astragalus complanatus (FAC) on paraquat poisoning-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

METHODSThe rats were divided into six groups randomly: control group, paraquat group, prednisolone group and FAC low-dose, middle-dose, high-dose group. Pulmonary fibrosis model was replicated by intratracheal injection of paraquat. In the mext day,the rats were treated by intragastric administration once a day. After 28 days, the rats were sacrificed. The lung index and the levels of HYP and T-AOC were measured, and the pathologic changes of the lung tissue were obtained by HE staining. The levels of TGF-β, Smad2, α-SMA protein were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSFAC improved the activity of T-AOC in serum and reduced pulmonary index and the content of HYP as well (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the alveolitis and fibrosis extent were attenuated. The expression of Smad2 significantly decreased in groups of FAC low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose (0.31±0.11, 0.45±0.12 and 0.30±0.05) as compared with that of the PQ group (0.85±0.34) (P<0.05). The expression of α-SMA significantly decreased in groups of FAC low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose (0.31±0.11, 0.35±0.07 and 0.32±0.10) as compared with that of the PQ group (0.45±0.08) (P<0.05). The expression of TGF-β significantly decreased in groups of FAC low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose (0.35±0.04, 0.27±0.05 and 0.18±0.04)as compared with that of the PQ group (0.63±0.11) (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONFAC can alleviate PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats through inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Lung ; pathology ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Phytochemicals ; pharmacology ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Smad2 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of polygala on leaning and memory and the expression of Microtubule associated protein on manganese poisoned mice.

METHODS60 female Kunming mice were randomly and equally divided into 5 group. They are normal control group (CG), manganese poisoned group (MG), manganese poisoned with polygala high dose group (MHG), manganese poisoned with polygala middle dose group (MMG), manganese poisoned with polygala low dose group (MLG). The model of manganese poisoned mice was prepared of the way of intraperitoneal injection of manganese chloride (MnCl2 15 mg/kg), the spatial learning and memory ability was tested by Morris water maze, the Doublecortin (DCX) was tested by the way of immunofluorescent staining in the SVZ and SGZ.

RESULTIn the navigation test, compared with MG, the escape latency of MHG, MMG and MLG were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), in space exploration experiments, MHG, MMG, MLG compared with MG, the number increased significantly across platforms (P < 0.05). compared with MG, the DCX expression of MHG, MMG and MLG were significantly increased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUTIONThe leaning and memory ability of manganese poisoned mice can be improved by the polygala, and the mechanism may be related to promote the expression of DCX and neurogenesis in the brain.

Animals ; Female ; Manganese Poisoning ; drug therapy ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; drug effects ; Neurogenesis ; drug effects ; Neuropeptides ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Polygala ; chemistry

No abstract available.
Coronary Angiography ; Electrocardiography ; Flowers ; Honey/*poisoning ; Humans ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction/*chemically induced/diagnosis/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plant Nectar ; Predictive Value of Tests ; *Rhododendron ; Risk Factors ; Toxins, Biological/*poisoning

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzyme disorder. There are more than 400 million people worldwide with G6PD deficiency, and its distribution is similar to that of malaria. G6PD deficiency is an X-linked recessive disorder. Most patients with G6PD deficiency may be asymptomatic throughout their lives. They may present as neonatal jaundice, or acute and chronic hemolysis. The most important point in the management of G6PD deficiency is to avoid oxidative stress. The prevalence of G6PD deficiency in Korea is about 0.9%. However, a nationwide survey has revealed that the number of patients with enzymopathy is increasing. Immigration of different ethnicities into Korea, and the rise of interracial marriages will likely lead to an increase in the number of patients with G6PD deficiency.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital Nonspherocytic ; Emigration and Immigration ; Favism ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal ; Korea ; Malaria ; Marriage ; Oxidative Stress ; Prevalence ; Splenectomy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effects of garlic oil (GO) on benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice.

METHODSSpecific pathogen-free male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., control group, model group, and low-, middle-, and high-dose GO groups (n = 20 in each group). Mice in GO groups were orally given GO at 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg BW, while mice in the other two groups received an equal volume of corn oil. Two hours later, mice in model group and GO groups were orally given benzene (20%, v/v, dissolved in corn oil, 10 ml/kg BW) for 21 days consecutively. On the 22nd day, blood was collected from the orbital sinus, to determine the counts of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets (PLT) and hemoglobin level using an automatic blood cell counter. The mice were sacrificed thereafter. The spleen was excised and weighed for calculation of the spleen index (spleen weight/body weight×100%).

RESULTSThe counts of WBC, RBC, and PLT and Hb level in the model group were reduced by 40%, 18%, 28%, and 23.6%, respectively, as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with those in the model group, WBC and PLT counts in the high-dose GO group increased by 95% and 66%, respectively (P < 0.01), wherein lymphocytes and monocytes increased by 142% and 100%, respectively (P < 0.01); the RBC count and Hb level in the low-dose GO group increased by 15% and 16%, respectively (P < 0.05). GO significantly suppressed benzene-induced decreases in spleen weight and spleen index.

CONCLUSIONGO is capable of suppressing benzene-induced hematotoxicity in mice. One possible mechanism may be promotion of hematopoiesis in the spleen.

Allyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Blood Cell Count ; Disease Models, Animal ; Garlic ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Sulfides ; pharmacology

Poisoning by Phytolacca esculenta commonly occurs by misidentification as other edible plants. The root of Phytolacca esculenta is similar to other roots, such as kudzu, balloon flower, codonopsis lanceolata, and ginseng. The author experienced four cases of Phytolacca esculenta intoxication due to misidentification as a ginseng. We report on these cases with a review of the literature.
Codonopsis ; Panax* ; Phytolacca americana ; Phytolacca* ; Plant Poisoning ; Plants, Edible ; Platycodon ; Poisoning ; Pueraria

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drug and Narcotic Control ; trends ; Humans ; Male ; Paranoid Disorders ; etiology ; Plant Poisoning ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Product Packaging ; legislation & jurisprudence ; trends ; Psychotropic Drugs ; pharmacology ; Salvia ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; Street Drugs ; adverse effects ; legislation & jurisprudence

Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; Child, Preschool ; Favism ; complications ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of rosa roxburghii tratt preparation on immune function of arseniasis patients caused by burning coal.

METHODSAccording to the diagnosis standard for endemic arseniasis(WS/T 211-2001), 62 cases of arseniasis patients who resided in endemic arseniasis area in Guizhou province were selected and divided stratified randomly into two groups: rosa roxburghii tratt juice treatment group and superoxide dismutase(SOD)-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt juice treatment group, with 31 patients in each group.Each patient took 120 ml/d rosa roxburghii tratt preparation or SOD-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt orally for one month. Another 30 healthy residents from a neighbour township 12 km away where arsenic was not prevalent were selected as controls. A 2 ml blood and 50 ml urine samples were collected from individuals and the urine arsenic contents, peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell), serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA) and complement (C3, C4) were detected. The differences between more than two groups on above indicators were compared. The correlations between urinary arsenic and immune parameters were analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the rosa roxburghii tratt juice group, SOD-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt juice before intervention group and the control group, the levels of urine arsenic were (76.55 ± 23.02) , (72.60 ± 25.91) and (26.33 ± 11.30) µg/g Cr respectively and IgG were (11.31 ± 1.68), (11.35 ± 1.94) and (9.23 ± 1.75) g/L respectively. The differences were statistically significant(F values were 82.01, 13.82, both P values < 0.05). After intervention with rosa roxburghii tratt preparation, the levels of urine arsenic were (53.21 ± 16.51) and (51.72 ± 17.70)µg/g Cr, both decreased than before intervention (t values were 5.80 and 3.78, both P values < 0.05). The levels of CD3(+) were (44.47 ± 7.14)%, (43.44 ± 6.61)% and (70.78 ± 5.26)%, CD4(+) were (29.87 ± 5.67)%, (29.42 ± 5.87)% and (46.08 ± 5.87)%, CD4(+)/CD8(+) were(1.25 ± 0.42), (1.22 ± 0.39) and (1.79 ± 0.26) and C4 were (0.13 ± 0.08), (0.13 ± 0.09) and (0.20 ± 0.11) g/L respectively among the two treatment group before intervention and the control group. The differences were significant (F values were 178.04, 76.71, 23.13 and 5.26, all P values < 0.05). After intervention, the levels of CD3(+) were (59.73 ± 7.38)% and (66.31 ± 7.57)%, CD4(+) were (34.00 ± 7.97)% and (39.11 ± 5.81)%, CD4(+)/CD8(+) were (1.41 ± 0.37) and(1.58 ± 0.26), all increased than before intervention(t values were 12.47, 25.18, 5.41, 10.47, 3.22 and 5.05, all P values < 0.05). The levels of urine arsenic and CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), C4 were inversely correlated correlation, while positive correlation existed between the level of urine arsenic and IgG(r values were -0.68, -0.56, -0.51, -0.43 and 0.36, all P values < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe level of urinary arsenic level is closely related to immune function suppression in arseniasis patients caused by burning coal, rosa roxburghii tratt preparation can effectively improve immune function of arseniasis patients.

Adult ; Arsenic ; urine ; Arsenic Poisoning ; etiology ; immunology ; China ; Coal ; Complement System Proteins ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rosa ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVE: To observe the pathological changes of major organs in rats with acute Dysosma versipellis poisoning and investigate the toxic mechanism and the injuries of target tissues and organs. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups, which were given the gavage with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 LDo doses of Dysosma versipellis decoction, and one control group, which was given the gavage with 1.0 LD0 dose of normal saline. The rats were sacrificed 14 days after Dysosma versipellis poisoning and samples including brain, heart, liver, lung, and kidney were taken. After pathological process, the pathological changes of the major organs and tissues were observed by light microscope and electron microscope. The experimental data were statistical analyzed by chi2 test. RESULTS: The observations of light microscopy: loose cytoplasm of neurons with loss of most Nissl bodies; swelling of myocardial cells with disappearance of intercalated disk and striations; hepatocellular edema with ballooning degeneration; and swelling epithelial cells of renal proximal convoluted tubule with red light coloring protein-like substances in the tube. The observations of electron microscopy: the structures of cell membrane and nuclear membrane of neurons were destroyed; cytoplasm of neurons, obvious edema; and most organelles, destroyed and disappeared. The mortalities of rats after acute poisoning of the four groups increased with doses (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Acute Dysosma versipellis poisoning can cause multi-organ pathological changes. There is a positive correlation between the toxic effect and the dosage. The target tissues and organs are brain (neurons), heart, liver and kidney.
Animals ; Berberidaceae/poisoning* ; Brain/pathology* ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Kidney/pathology* ; Liver/pathology* ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Neurons/pathology* ; Plant Extracts/poisoning* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley