ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo observe the therapeutic effect of Shugan Huazheng prescription on hepatic fibrosis model rats induced by carbon tetrachloride （CCl4） and explore whether it plays its role through hypoxia-induced factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor/transforming growth factor-β1 （HIF-1α/VEGF/TGF-β1） pathway. MethodA total of 54 male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into six groups： blank group， model group， colchicine group （0.2 mg·kg-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose groups （29.52， 14.76， and 7.38 g·kg-1） of Shugan Huazheng prescription， with nine rats in each group. The molding was conducted three times a week for eight weeks. Administration began the day after the first injection， and the drug intervention was once a day for eight weeks. On the day after the last administration， the rats were deprived of food and water， and they were killed the next day， during which the physiological status of each group of rats was dynamically monitored. The pathological changes in the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the content of hydroxyproline （HYP） and angiotensin Ⅱ （AngⅡ） in liver tissue were detected by enzyme-related immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR） was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， VEGF， and TGF-β1 in liver tissue， and immunohistochemical method （IHC） and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of HIF-1α， VEGF， and TGF-β1 in liver tissue. ResultCompared with the blank group， the overall condition of rats in the model group decreased significantly. The proliferation of connective tissue and the increase in adipose cells between hepatocytes were obvious. The content of HYP and Ang was increased. The mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α， VEGF， and TGF-β1 were increased to varying degrees （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the proliferation of connective tissue and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver tissue of colchicine and Shugan Huazheng prescription groups were reduced. The content of HYP and Ang was decreased. The mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α， VEGF， and TGF-β1 were decreased， and the colchicine group and high-dose group of Shugan Huazheng prescription were the most significant （P<0.05）. ConclusionShugan Huazheng prescription has an obvious therapeutic effect on CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis model rats. Its therapeutic mechanism may be related to the regulation of the HIF-1α/VEGF/TGF-β1 signaling pathway and the improvement of hepatic hypoxia， vascular remodeling， and the syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis in hepatic fibrosis.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To explore the role of clinical pharmacists in identifying paroxysmal spasms caused by drugs， and provide reference for rational drug use. METHODS Retrospective analysis was conducted on pharmaceutical care provided by clinical pharmacists for a patient with ceftazidime-avibactam （CZA-AVI） induced paroxysmal spasms. The clinical pharmacists identified， analyzed and summarized the clinical manifestations， risk factors and treatment methods of the nervous system toxicity caused by antibacterial drugs. According to the patient’s clinical symptoms and test results， the clinical pharmacists recommended temporarily discontinuing the use of polymyxin B and montelukast sodium， and halving the dose of CZA-AVI. The physicians did not adopt the recommendation to halve the dose of CZA-AVI， and when the patient’s neurologic toxicity did not improve， the clinical pharmacists again recommended discontinuing CZA-AVI， which was accepted by the physicians. RESULTS Clinical pharmacists analyzed the condition and checked related drugs that caused paroxysmal spasms of extremities one by one， and finally determined that CZA-AVI might be the drug that caused paroxysmal spasms of extremities in the patient. After stopping the drug， the patient’s symptoms improved and was transferred to a community hospital for rehabilitation treatment. CONCLUSIONS The dose of CZA-AVI should be adjusted according to the renal function and the neurotoxicity should be guarded against， especially for patients with advanced age， renal insufficiency， and the combined use of multiple drugs related to nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity.