Dictamni Cortex powder-induced liver injury based on integrated evidence chain / 中国中药杂志

A typical clinical case of taking Dictamni Cortex(Baixianpi) powder was analyzed to study liver damage caused by Dictamni Cortex. Liver damage was diagnosed according to the integrated evidence chain method recommended by the Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Herb-Induced Liver Injury. By analyzing clinical history and biochemistry and imaging examinations, underlying diseases, such as viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease and alcoholic liver disease, were excluded. Through the investigation of medication history, we made it clear that the patient only took Dictamni Cortex powder during the period, and thus suspected that the liver injury was induced by Dictamni Cortex. Furthermore, the quality of the drug was tested, and the results showed it was consistent with the quality standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. DNA barcoding showed that the drug was 100% similar with Dictamnus dasycarpus. Moreover, exogenous harmful substances and chemical drug additions were tested, and the results showed that the content of heavy metal, pesticide residues and microbial toxin were consistent with the required standards, and no chemical drug additions were found in Agilent Fake TCM-Drugs database. In summary, we confirmed that the clinical case of drug-induced liver injury was induced by D. dasycarpus with the dose of 15 g•d⁻¹, which exceeded the prescribed amount of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. According to the Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Herb-Induced Liver Injury, the case of drug-induced liver injury induced by D. dasycarpus was confirmed, which provided a direct and reliable evidence for the study of risk of liver injury induced by D. dasycarpus and its relevant preparations.

Diagnostic value of renal function parameter detection of early renal damage in multiple myeloma / 中国实验血液学杂志

Renal damage is one of the most common complications and cause of death in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The studies have pointed out that early renal impairment is risk factor for progress of this disease, timely diagnosis and prompt intervention therapy are very important to improve the prognosis and survival of MM patients. Therefore, the diagnosis of early renal damage is crucial for clinical treatment. The progress on detection of early renal damage parameters and their value are reviewed in this article.

Significance of low molecular weight urinary protein for assessment of early renal damage in patients with multiple myeloma / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to evaluate the clinical significance of low molecular weight urinary proteins for diagnosis of early renal damage in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Medical records of 278 patients with MM in Nanjing School of Clinical Medicine from January 2004 to May 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were divided into 3 groups: glomerular damage group (n = 143), tubular damage group (n = 114) and normal group (n = 21). The clinical and laboratorial data were compared among them. The correlations of urinary retinol-binding protein (RBP) or urinary N-acetyl-β-D-amino-glucosaminidase (NAG) with blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Scr, blood cystatin-C (Cys-C), clearance of creatinine (Ccr), 24 h protein uria and 24 h urine light chains were further analyzed, and the correlation of renal tubulointerstitial lesion scores with low molecular weight urinary proteins in 61 patients were also analyzed. The area under curve (ROC curve) was used to evaluate and compare the discrimination of urinary RBP and urinary NAG. The results showed that glomerular damage group had higher urinary RBP than tubular damage group. However, glomerular damage group had lower urinary NAG than tubular damage group. The two groups had higher urinary RBP and urinary NAG than that in normal group. Urinary RBP related positively to the level of Scr, BUN, Cys-C, 24 h proteinurias and related negatively to the level of Ccr. Urinary NAG related positively to the level of 24 h proteinurias, Ccr and related negatively to the level of Cys-C. Renal tubulointerstitial lesions were significantly correlated with urinary RBP, but weakly correlated with urinary NAG. It is concluded that urinary RBP significantly correlates with renal tubular damage. Compared with urinary NAG, urinary RBP can better assess the extent of renal damage, and has higher specificity.

Effects of salvianolic acid B on cerebral energy charge and activity of ATPase in mice with cerebral ischemia / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of salvianolic acid B (SalB) on high energy phosphate and activity of ATPase of cerebral ischemia in mice, and to study the role of SalB on hydrocephalus further.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>NIH mice were divided into four groups randomly: Sham-operated group, cerebral ischemia group, SalB-treated group and Nimodipine (Nim)-collated group. In Sal B-treated group, mice were injected with SalB (22.5 mg x kg(-1)) in vena caudalis at 30 min before the experiment. In Nim-collated group, Nim (0.03 mg x kg(-1)) was injected into tail vein at the same time, while the mice in Sham-operated group and cerebral ischemia group were injected the same volume normal saline. The acute cerebral ischemia model was established by ligating bilateral common carotid arteries for 30 min in mice, then the mice were killed and the content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), phosphocreatine (PCr) were observed, and the cerebral energy charge (EC) was computed. At the same time, activity of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca2(+) -ATPase, content of water in brain tissue were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with cerebral ischemia group, EC and content of ATP, ADP, PCr in SalB-treated group heightened evidently (P < 0.01). Moreover, activity of Na(+)-K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase in SalB-treated group had a remarkable increase (P < 0.01). But the content of water in brain tissue decreased markedly (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mechanism that SalB can relieve content of water in brain tissue of cerebral ischemia in mice, may be associated with improving the content of high-energy phosphoric acid compounds and enhancing the activity of ATPase.</p>