OBJECTIVETo explore effects of Tongxinluo Capsule (TC) on platelet activating factor (PAF), vascular endothelial function, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) blood flow, and heart function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients after delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODSTotally 80 AMI inpatients were recruited at Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital of Jiangxi Province, from Jan. 2008 to Sep.2013. Those in line with inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to TC treatment group and the conventional treatment group by random digit table, 40 in each group. Besides, another 40 healthy subjects from examinees at Outpatient Department were recruited as a healthy control group. PCI was performed after 1-week treatment. Then blood samples were collected, and then blood contents of CD62P, CD63, GP II b/III a, ET-1, NO, and plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels were detected. Coronary TIMI blood flow and corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC) were determined during PCI. Meanwhile, noninvasive blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before and after PCI, and cardiac function measured. They were compared with the healty control group.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, blood contents of CD62p, CD63, GP II b/IIIa receptor compound, vWF, and ET-1 significantly increased, but NO significantly decreased in AMI patients (all P < 0.05). After 1-week intervention of TC, blood contents of CD62p, CD63, GP II b/IIIa receptor compound, vWF, NO, and ET-1 significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the conventional treatment group at the same time point, blood contents of CD62p, CD63, GP II b/IIIa receptor compound, vWF, and ET-1 decreased more significantly in the TC group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), increased NO levels were also more obviously seen (P < 0.01). The aforesaid parameters changed more obviously at day 30, as compared with those changes at week 1 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The TIMI blood flow grade and CTFC were more obviously improved after PCI in the two treatment groups. Better TIMI blood flow was seen in the TC group. TIMI level 3 blood flow rate was higher in the TC group than in the conventional treatment group with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The left ventricular ejective factor (LVEF) after PCI was obviously elevated in the TC group and the conventional treatment group (P < 0.01), and the improvement was more obviously seen in the TC group (P < 0.05). There were 6 cases of recurrent angina, 3 cases of ventricular tachycardial (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF), 6 cases of heart failure (HF), 1 case of cardiac sudden death in the conventional treatment group, with the total incidence of cardiovascular events being 40% (16/40). There were 2 cases of recurrent angina, 2 cases of VT/VF, 2 cases of HF, no cardiac sudden death in the TC treatment group, with the total incidence of cardiovascular events being 15% (6/40). There was statistical difference in the recurrent rate of cardiovascular events between the two groups (χ² = 2.27, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTC not only could prevent coronary embolism of AMI patients after delayed PCI, attenuate vascular endothelial injury, but also could improve TIMI blood flow, and strengthen cardiac systolic function.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Blood Pressure ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Heart ; drug effects ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Platelet Activating Factor ; metabolism ; Regional Blood Flow ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism

The vacuum erectile device (VED) uses negative pressure to increase blood inflow into the corpora cavernosum, with a ring at the base of the penis to maintain erection for intercourse or without a ring for penile rehabilitation. Owing to the limitation of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5I) shown in the treatment of refractory erectile dysfunction (ED), the use of VED has resurged and is becoming the first line therapy in the treatment of ED following radical prostatectomy (RP). Currently, the combination therapy of VED with PDE5I and that of VED with intracavernous injection are advocated for post-RP ED. Hereby, we review the role of VED in penile rehabilitation, its underlying mechanisms, and the combination therapies for it.
Coitus ; Combined Modality Therapy ; methods ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Prosthesis ; Penis ; blood supply ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Prostatectomy ; adverse effects ; Regional Blood Flow ; Vacuum

Previous studies have shown that paeonol can antagonize acute myocardial ischemia and infarction in rat. This study further researched the effects of paeonol on blood pressure and blood flow in the artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats and its mechanisms related on vasomotion. Firstly, thirty spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into spontaneously hypertensive control group and paeonol-treating groups of high dose and low dose, and also, the other ten Wistar rats as healthy control group. Before and after the intraduodenal administration of the drug, arterial blood pressure was measured by carotid artery and blood flow through the renal artery and carotid artery in vivo were measured by animal flowmeter. The same volume of solvent was given to the spontaneously hypertensive control group and the healthy control group, and the other operations were same. In order to further study the effect of paeonol on vasomotor function, the superior mesenteric artery, renal artery and coronary artery of the spontaneously hypertensive rat were removed and separated, precontracted by a certain concentration of potassium chloride (KCl) and 5-serotonin (5-HT) respectively, and dilatory responses were assessed by cumulative addition of paeonol. Results showed that after duodenal one-time delivery of paeonol, the blood pressure significantly lowered, the renal arterial blood flow and the carotid arterial blood flow significantly increased in spontaneously hypertensive rat. And also, paeonol relaxed the mesenteric artery, renal artery and the coronary artery of spontaneously hypertensive rat in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicated that the effect of paeonol on decreasing arterial blood pressure and increasing the arterial blood flow was related to its vasodilative effect.
Acetophenones ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Regional Blood Flow ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

This study is to investigate the effects of paeoniflorin on cerebral blood flow and the balance of PGI2/TXA2 of rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. A total of 72 SD rats (3) were randomly divided into 6 groups: sham operation group, cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model group (I/R gourp), low (10 mg.kg-1), middle (20 mg.kg-1) and high (40 mg.kg-1) doses of paeoniflorin groups and nimrnodipine group. Focal cerebral ischemia in rats was made by inserting a monofilament suture into internal carotid artery for 90 min and then reperfused for 24 h. The effects of paeoniflorin on neurological deficit scores and the infarction volume of brain were detected. Relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was continuously monitored over ischemic hemispheres by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The expression of COX-2 in hippocampal CAl region was estimated by immunohistochemistry and the contents of prostacyclin I2 (PGI2), thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and ratio of PGIJ2/TXA2 in serum were measured by ELISA kits. Paeoniflorin significantly ameliorated neurological scores, reduced the infarction volume, and increased regional cerebral blood flow relative to the I/R group. In addition, paeoniflorin could inhibit COX-2 expression and the release of TXA2 and prevent the downregulation of PGI2 induced by I/R injury. The neuroprotective effects of paeoniflorin against focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats might be attributed to improve the supply of injured hemisphere blood flow and adjust the balance between PGI2/TXA2.
6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha ; blood ; Animals ; Brain ; blood supply ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Glucosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Monoterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regional Blood Flow ; drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Thromboxane B2 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic efficacy and the mechanism of Chinese medicine eye-patch with invigorating blood circulation and detoxification on asthenopia.

METHODSA total of 180 rabbits were subjected to three tests, namely the skin microcirculation, the microvascular regeneration in the skin and the skin temperature change, with 60 rabbits for each test. The rabbits in each test were randomly and equally divided into three groups: the normal control group was treated with physiological saline on naked back once per day, the low dose group was treated with the eye-patch on naked back for 15 min once per day, while the high dose group was treated for three times per day. Forty Hartley guinea pigs were randomly and equally divided into four groups for the muscle tone test: the normal control group was treated with physiological saline on naked back, the model group was treated without any medication, the low dose group was treated with the eye-patch on naked back for 10 min once per day, while the high dose group was treated for three times per day. All treatments were continued for 14 days until the termination of the test. The microcirculatory blood flow was observed by using a video-microscopy system. The histological sections were used to detect the microvascular regeneration by observing the expression of factor VIII. The temperature changes on the skin surface were measured by using infrared thermometer, and the muscle tone was tested by the electromyography.

RESULTSIn compare with the normal or the model group, the improvement in the skin microcirculation and the blood vascular regeneration, and the decreasing in the muscle tone in low dose and high dose groups were statistically significant with confident level at P<0.05.

CONCLUSIONSThe eye-patch with invigorating blood circulation and detoxification has great enhancement in blood vascular regeneration and skin microcirculation, and great improvement in the indexes for muscle tone. The study explains certain therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of the eye-patch and shows that it could reduce the symptoms for patients with asthenopia.

Animals ; Asthenopia ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Guinea Pigs ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rabbits ; Regeneration ; drug effects ; Regional Blood Flow ; drug effects ; Skin ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Skin Temperature ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and mechanism of Weiyangning pills against experimental gastric ulcer.

METHODThe gastric ulcer model were established by acetic acid, water-immersion stress, aspirin induction, pyloric ligation in rats, in order to observe the effect of Weiyangning pills against experimental gastric ulcer and study its effect on the content of nitric oxide (NO) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), gastric mucosal blood flow, the content of PGE2, gastric secretion, gastric acid content and the activity of pepsin.

RESULTWeiyangning pills markedly reduced index of gastric ulcers of various types, increased the content of NO, EGF, PGE2 and gastric mucosal blood flow, inhibited gastric secretion and gastric acid content, and decreased the activity of pepsin.

CONCLUSIONWeiyangning pills has a significant effect against experimental gastric ulcer, which is related to the reduction of gastric mucosa damage factors (gastric acid and pepsin) and the increase in gastric mucosa's function as a barrier and its recovery effects, such as NO, EGF, PGE2 and gastric mucosal blood flow.

Acetic Acid ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Aspirin ; adverse effects ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Female ; Gastric Acid ; metabolism ; secretion ; Ligation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regional Blood Flow ; drug effects ; Stomach Ulcer ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology

PURPOSE: Based on the vascular theory of glaucoma pathogenesis, we wanted to evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on peripapillary blood flow in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: Thirty patients with NTG were randomly placed in the GBE-treated or control groups. The GBE-treated group received 80 mg GBE orally, twice a day for four weeks, and the control group received a placebo twice a day for four weeks. Complete ocular examinations including visual field, Heidelberg retina flowmeter, and systemic examinations were performed on the first study day and on the day treatment was completed. RESULTS: After GBE treatment, the mean blood flow, volume, and velocity increased at almost all points, and there was a statistically significant increase in blood flow at almost all points, in comparison to the placebo. Blood volume significantly increased only in the superior nasal and superior temporal neuroretinal rim areas. GBE also significantly increased blood velocity in areas of the inferior temporal neuroretinal rim and superior temporal peripapillary area. CONCLUSIONS: GBE administration appears to have desirable effect on ocular blood flow in NTG patients.
Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; *Ginkgo biloba ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Low Tension Glaucoma/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Male ; Optic Disk/blood supply ; Phytotherapy/*methods ; Plant Extracts/*therapeutic use ; Regional Blood Flow/*drug effects ; Retina/*physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: Based on the vascular theory of glaucoma pathogenesis, we wanted to evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on peripapillary blood flow in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: Thirty patients with NTG were randomly placed in the GBE-treated or control groups. The GBE-treated group received 80 mg GBE orally, twice a day for four weeks, and the control group received a placebo twice a day for four weeks. Complete ocular examinations including visual field, Heidelberg retina flowmeter, and systemic examinations were performed on the first study day and on the day treatment was completed. RESULTS: After GBE treatment, the mean blood flow, volume, and velocity increased at almost all points, and there was a statistically significant increase in blood flow at almost all points, in comparison to the placebo. Blood volume significantly increased only in the superior nasal and superior temporal neuroretinal rim areas. GBE also significantly increased blood velocity in areas of the inferior temporal neuroretinal rim and superior temporal peripapillary area. CONCLUSIONS: GBE administration appears to have desirable effect on ocular blood flow in NTG patients.
Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; *Ginkgo biloba ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Low Tension Glaucoma/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Male ; Optic Disk/blood supply ; Phytotherapy/*methods ; Plant Extracts/*therapeutic use ; Regional Blood Flow/*drug effects ; Retina/*physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Visual Fields

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects of routine acupuncture, the electroacupuncture and the combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection.

METHODSNinety-one cases were randomly divided into a routine acupuncture group (30 cases), an electroacupuncture group (31 cases), and a combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection group (30 cases). Zusanli (ST 36), Fengchi (GB 20), Anmian (Extra), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Hegu (LI 4), Yintang (EX-HN 3), Baihui (GV 20) and Sishengcong (EX-HN 1) were selected among 3 groups. Even manipulation was applied in routine acupuncture group; G 6805 electroacupuncture apparatus was added in electroacupuncture group; in combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection group, electroacupuncture was applied, besides, Vitamin B12 0.5 mg and 0.2%/ Lidocaine 2 mL were injected at Fengchi (GB 20) and Anmian (Extra). Twenty treatments were given in 4 weeks. The changes of average blood flow of vertebral artery and basilar artery before and after treatment were observed and graded by the cervical vertigo syndrome and function score; the therapeutic effects were evaluated as well.

RESULTSThe average blood flow of vertebral artery and basilar artery, and the cervical vertigo syndrome and function score were improved in 3 groups (all P < 0.01), in which, it was more obvious in combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection group than in others (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and it in electroacupuncture group was superior to that in routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The effective rate was 63.3% (19/30) in routine acupuncture group, 80.6% (25/31) in electroacupuncture group and 90.3% (28/30) in combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection group, indicating the significant differences among them (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe routine acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection are effective for cervical vertigo; the combined therapy is the best, and electroacupuncture comes second. It illustrates that the routine acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and combined therapy of electroacupuncture and acupoint injection have additive effects on treatment of cervical vertigo.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Lidocaine ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Vertigo ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Vitamin B 12 ; administration & dosage

The aim of this study was to develop a nonlinear mixed-effects model for the increase in cerebral oximetry (rSO2) during the rapid introduction of desflurane, and to determine the effect of hypocapnia and N2O on the model. Twelve American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status class 1 and 2 subjects were allocated randomly into an Air and N2O group. After inducing anesthesia, desflurane was then increased abruptly from 4.0 to 12.0%. The PET(CO2), PET(DESF) and rSO2 were recorded at 12 predetermined periods for the following 10 min. The maximum increase in rSO2 reached +24-25% during normocapnia. The increase in rSO2 could be fitted to a four parameter logistic equation as a function of the logarithm of PET(DESF). Hypocapnia reduced the maximum response of rSO2, shifted the EC50 to the right, and increased the slope in the Air group. N2O shifted the EC50 to the right, and reduced the slope leaving the maximum rSO2 unchanged. The N2O-effects disappeared during hypocapnia. The cerebrovascular reactivity of rSO2 to CO2 is still preserved during the rapid introduction of desflurane. N2O slows the response of rSO2. Hypocapnia overwhelms all the effects of N2O.
Adult ; Anesthetics, Inhalation/*pharmacology ; *Cerebral Cortex/blood supply/drug effects/physiology ; Cerebrovascular Circulation/*drug effects/physiology ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypocapnia/*metabolism ; Isoflurane/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Theoretical ; Nitrous Oxide/*metabolism ; *Oximetry ; Random Allocation ; Regional Blood Flow/drug effects