Bushen Huoxue Fang promotes the apoptosis of epithelial cells in the prostatic ductal system of rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Bushen Huoxue Fang (BSHX) on the apoptosis of epithelial cells in the prostatic ductal system of rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and its possible action mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred 3- month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of equal number (control, castrated, BPH model, and BSHX). BPH models were made by subcutaneous injection of testosterone following castration; the rats in the BSHX group were treated intragastrically with BSHX at 2.34 g/ml after modeling, while those in the other two groups with equal volume of saline, all for 37 days. On the 38th day, all the rats were sacrificed and their prostates harvested for detection of the distribution of TGF-beta1 and alpha-actin and the count of positive cells in the prostatic ductal system by immunohistochemical staining. The apoptosis rate of epithelial cells in the prostatic ductal system was determined by TUNEL assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of TGF-beta1 was significantly increased in the rats of the BSHX group as compared with the BPH models in both the proximal prostatic duct ([15.28 +/- 4.30]% vs [36.42 +/- 8.10]%, P < 0.01) and the distal prostatic duct ([4.42 +/- 2.07]% vs [8.71 +/- 2.28 ]%, P < 0.05), while the expression of alpha-actin in the proximal duct was remarkably higher in the BSHX-treated rats than in the models ([28.14 +/- 7.43]% vs [18.28 +/- 4.07]%, P < 0.01), but lower than in the control animals ([33.57 +/- 6.85]%, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the BPH models and BSHX-treated rats both exhibited markedly decreased apoptosis of epithelial cells in the proximal prostatic duct ([39.42 +/- 9.20]% vs [3.86 +/- 1.34]%, P < 0.01, and [31.14 +/- 5.64]%, P < 0.01) and distal prostatic duct ([17.60 +/- 4.86]% vs [3.07 +/- 1.14]%, P < 0.01, and [12.37 +/- 2.25]%, P < 0.05). The apoptosis rate of epithelial cells in the prostatic ductal system was significantly higher in the BSHX-treated rats than in the BPH models (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>By upregulating the expression of TGF-beta, BSHX can suppress the reduction of smooth muscle cells in the proximal prostatic duct, promote the apoptosis of prostatic epithelial cells, and thus effectively inhibit benign prostatic hyperplasia.</p>

In vitro dissolution of Qishe Pills / 中草药

Objective: To study the dissolution characteristics of Qishe Pills in two kinds of media and to lay the foundation for the establishment of quality evaluation methods by stripping method. Methods: With 1% Polysorbate 80 solution and 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as media, the sinomenine, calycosin-7-glucoside, senkyunolide I, ononin, calycosin, formononetin, and senkyunolide A, determined by HPLC, were used as indexes. The cumulative dissolution of Qishe Pills at different time was investigated, and the dissolvable situation of respective components in the different media was compared simultaneously. The dissolution models were fit and the dissolution parameters were obtained. Results: The linear ranges of sinomenine, calycosin-7-glucoside, senkyunolide I, ononin, calycosin, formononetin, and senkyunolide A were 0.718-10.770, 0.190-2.850, 0.100-1.500 μg, 31.4-471.0, 34.0-510.0, 33.6-504.0, and 40.0-600.0 ng. In 45 min, the cumulative dissolving rates of the respective components were above 90% (calycosin-7-glucoside excepted) with 1% Polysorbate 80 solution as medium, while they were slower with 0.5% SDS as medium. The Weibull model of the seven components was good in the two kinds of media, while other model of the individual components had higher correlation in the different media. The f2 similarity factor method indicated that the dissolution of the same component of Qishe Pills has no similarity in the two different media. Conclusion: The dissolvable speed of each component with 1% Polysorbate 80 as medium was faster than that with 0.5% SDS as medium obviously. With 1% Polysorbate 80 as medium, the dissolution of each component had similarity and synchronism. Using 1% Polysorbate 80 solution as medium is applicable to research the dissolution of Qishe Pills.

Effect of combination of bushen jianpi recipe and erythropoietin on serum tumor necrosis factor alpha in patients with anemia / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of treatment of renal anemia by combination of Bushen Jianpi Recipe (BJR, a Chinese experience recipe for supplementing Shen and supporting Pi) and low dosage erythropoietin (EPO), and the influence of treatment on change of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) so as to explore the possible mechanism of integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) in treating renal anemia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with renal anemia were randomly divided into two groups, the ICWM group and the control group, symptomatic and supporting treatment such as dialysis, supplementing of ferrous, foliac acid and vitamin B12, was given to both groups. Additionally, to the ICWM group, 50 IU/kg of EPO subcutaneous injection for twice every week, and oral intake of BJR, one dose per day taken in two parts, were given, and to the control group, EPO alone, 50 IU/kg by subcutaneous injecting, 3 times per week, was given. The therapeutic course for two groups was 3 months. Blood levels of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), TNF-alpha were measured before treatment and the therapeutic effect was observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the levels of Hb and Hct increased significantly in both groups (P < 0.01), comparison between the two groups in Hb and Hct after being treated for 3 months showed significant difference (P < 0.05). The serum level of TNF-alpha was markedly higher than normal range in both groups before treatment, it significantly lowered after treatment in the ICWM group (P < 0.05), but unchanged in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combination of BJR and EPO could significantly inhibit the production of TNF-alpha, this may be an important factor for ICWM in effectively improving sensitivity to EPO.</p>