[Effects of qufengshi prescription on release of hydrogen peroxide and interleukin-1 from peritoneal macrophage in adjuvant arthritis rat].

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of antiarthritis effects of Qufengshi Prescription. METHODS: Adjuvant arthritis (AA) was applied as pathological model of rheumatoid arthritis and prednisone was used as positive control. RESULTS: The Prescription at high and medium dosages significantly decreased the rising level of hydrogen peroxide and interleukin-1 in AA rats (P < 0.05), the potency being similar to prednisone. CONCLUSION: Qufengshi Prescription Could reduce the rising level of interleukin-1 and hydrogen peroxide in AA rats, which may be part of mechanism of the antiarthritis effect.

[Comparative study on the pharmacokinetics of rifampicin between the old and middle-aged tuberculosis patients].

The pharmacokinetics of rifampicin was studied in 16 tuberculosis patients including the elderly (64.3 +/- 4.8 yrs, n = 8) and the middle-aged (35.9 +/- 7.6 yrs, n = 8). 450 mg of rifampicin (RFP) were given orally. The concentration of RFP was assayed by HPLC. The plasma concentration-time curves of both groups fitted to one-compartment model. Important parameters were taken: t 1/2 2.39 +/- 0.66, 3.84 +/- 1.91 h; Cmax: 14.56 +/- 6.45, 9.83 +/- 2.55 micrograms/ml; vd: 0.43 +/- 0.11, 0.67 +/- 0.15L/kg; CL: 0.14 +/- 0.03, 0.13 +/- 0.06 L.h-1/kg respectively. No significant difference was found between the old and middle aged TB patients on the pharmacokinetics of rifampicin (P greater than 0.05). We suggest that 450 mg/day of rifampicin taken orally are available for aging tuberculosis patients.