Protecting action of acupuncture serum on calcium over-loaded neurons of the hippocampus in rats of ischemia-reperfusion / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of acupuncture serum on Ca2+ content in the cultured nervous cells of hippocampus after ischemia-reperfusion, so as to probe into humoral factors in acupuncture treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The neurons of the hippocampus from the new born rats were cultured for 9-11 days. Fluorescein-molecular probe Fluo-3 AM was used for staining of intracellular Ca2+. Fluorescent levels in the nervous cells cultured with the serum of the normal rats or the rats given electroacupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 2 weeks were determined by using a laser confocal microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the normal serum was added, the intracellular Ca2+ fluorescent levels increased to 697 +/- 113 from 461 +/- 96, while after acupuncture serum was added, the Ca2+ fluorescent levels decreased to 584 +/- 103 from 673 +/- 108, indicating that after addition of acupuncture serum, the increased intracellular Ca2+ content could be decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are some active substances in acupuncture serum which can obviously decrease intracellular Ca2+ content after ischemia-reperfusion, so as to provide a direct evidence for role of humoral factor in acupuncture treatment.</p>

Influence of Qingpeng plaster on blood vessels and mast cells in skin tissue of channel points of nude mice / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in the numbers of blood vessels and mast cells, which is relative to blood microcirculation in skin, during Qingpeng plaster (ZANG medicine) being applied to the skin surface of nude mice.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Fifteen healthy adult nude mice were divided into Qingpeng plaster group and the control group. The sites of skin tissues stuck with the plaster or with control plaster were selected after 7 days treated, and then all the slices stained and observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The numbers of the vessels and the mast cells increased in the dermal tissue of Qingpeng paster group. Although there were a few dilated blood vessels in the control group, but the numbers of the vessels and the mast cells were obviously less than those of the Qingpeng plaster group. Statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between tow groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Qingpeng plaster can cause obvious vascular dilatation and promot mast cells aggregation in the Qingpeng plaster stuck parts of the skin tissue.</p>

Acupuncture-serum decreases Ca2+ content in cultured rat myocardial cells / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore whether humoral factors play a role in the mechanisms of acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primary culture of myocardial cells of neonatal rats were carried out. Five days later, they were labeled by fluorescent molecular probe Fluo-3AM. Changes of Ca2+ contents in the cultured myocardial cells after addition of the normal rat serum or acupuncture-serum of the rat who received acupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) and Jianshi (PC 5), were dynamically observed by a confocal laser scanning microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After addition of normal serum of the rat, the intracellular Ca2+ level increased to a certain degree, and then gradually tended to stability, which was significantly decreased by addition of the acupuncture-serum (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The serum of the rat who received acupuncture at acupoints can decrease the Ca2+ level in cultured myocardial cells, which provides a direct evidence for serum factors involving in acupuncture mechanism.</p>

The chemical constituents of Breynia rostrata / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the chemical constituents of Breynia rostrata Merr.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Chromatography was used to isolate and purify the chemical constituents, their structures were identified by spectral analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four glycosides were identified as 6-O-methylpropanoyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (1), 4"-phenolic-6-O-methylpropanoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 1-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), arbutin (4).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds; 3 and 4 were isolated from Breynia rostrata Merr. for the first time.</p>

Preliminary study on effect of acupuncture serum on Ca2+ content in cultured neurons of cerebral cortex / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe effect of serum of the rat after acupuncture on Ca2+ content of cultured nervous cells in vitro for exploring the role of humoral factors in acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Neurons of the cerebral cortex from the new born rats were taken and were cultured in a medium, 7 - 10 days later, fluorescein-molecular probe Fluo-3AM was used for staining of intracellular Ca2+. The intracellular Ca2+ levels in the nervous cells cultured with the serum of the normal rats or the rats given acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 2 weeks were determined by using a laser confocal microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After addition of the serum of.normal rats, the intracellular Ca2+ level increased and then gradually got stable, and when the acupuncture serum was added to the cultured medium, its level decreased to a certain extent.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture serum can significantly decrease Ca2+ level in cultured cells of the cerebral cortex, which provides a direct evidence for involvement of humoral factors in the role of acupuncture.</p>