Analysis of Brain Absorption Components and Their Distribution of Tianyuan Zhitong Prescription Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and DESI-MSI / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the brain absorption components of Tianyuan Zhitong prescription and their distribution based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS）， desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging（DESI-MSI） and hyperspectral imaging techniques. MethodTen BALB/c mice were randomly divided into blank group（n=3） and administration group（n=7）， the administration group was gavaged with 0.3 mL of Tianyuan Zhitong prescription liquid at a concentration of about 5 g·mL-1 of the raw material， and the blank group was gavaged with an equal volume of normal saline， and the whole brain of the mice were taken for the preparation of tissue homogenates and frozen sections， respectively. The tissue homogenates were qualitatively analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS for the brain absorption components in positive and negative ion modes， frozen sections were used for imaging to observe the distribution of these components in the brain. Cytoviva dark-field enhancement microscope was used to perform hyperspectral imaging scanning on the brain sections of mice from each group， and the scattered light data of at least 1 000 pixels in the visible-near-infrared（400-1 000 nm） band in the microscopic field of view were collected and average spectrum were created， which were used to compare the components in the brain tissues of mice from the blank and administration groups. ResultA total of 27 brain absorption components of Tianyuan Zhitong prescription were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS， including 10 organic acids， 5 glycosides， 4 alkaloids， 1 phenol， 4 flavonoids， 2 phthalides and 1 other compound， which were mainly derived from Gastrodiae Rhizoma， Chuanxiong Rhizoma， vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma， Ziziphi Spinosae Semen and processed Morindae Officinalis Radix. A total of 14 components were identified by mass spectrometry imaging， of which ferulic acid， tetrahydropalmatine and N-methyl dehydroberberine were mainly distributed in the cerebral cortex， vitamin B5， vemonoic acid and ricinoleic acid were mainly distributed in the hypothalamus， elemicin， octadecenic acid and octadecanoic acid were mainly distributed in the cortex and hypothalamus， while senkyunolide B， ligustilide， linoleic acid， 9，12-octadecadienoyl ethyl ester and spinosin were distributed in most regions of the brain tissues. Hyperspectral imaging showed that in the visible-near-infrared band range， the average spectrum of the brain tissues of mice in the administration group was significantly red-shifted， indicating that there were differences in the physical properties or contents of the chemical components in the brain between mice in the blank group and those in the administration group， and further verified the results of mass spectrometry imaging. ConclusionThrough the combination of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and imaging techniques， the pharmacodynamic components of Tianyuan Zhitong prescription in the treatment of headache and the regional characteristics in brain tissue are clarified， which can provide reference for the selection of the index components of the research on the quality standard of this prescription and the research on the mechanism of the pharmacological effect.

Continuously Monitoring of Concentration of Extracellular Ascorbic Acid in Spinal Cord Injury Model / 分析化学

Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) represents one of the most devastating injuries that afflict the human body. Ascorbic acid ( AA) plays an important role in mammalian central nervous system, especially in SCI. In this study, the change of AA concentration after SCI was investigated by using an on-line electrochemical method integrated with in vivo microdialysis. A microdialysis probe (2 mm in length) was implanted into the spinal cord of an anesthetized rat (Thoracic-10). Microdialysis perfusate (2 μL/ min) was collected in the sample loop of an on-line injector for direct injection onto a glassy carbon electrode which was modified with the heat-treated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Normal ascorbic acid concentration in the extracellular fluids of spinal cords was (26. 17 ± 1. 25) μmol/ L (n =8). The experimental spinal cord injury, induced by a lesion at T-10, significantly increased the extracellular ascorbic acid levels to (53. 24± 1. 95) μmol/ L (n =8). This study provides the experimental evidence on the essential roles of ascorbic acid in spinal cord injuries.

On correlation between body mass index and lumbar spine average bone mineral density: a study in male patients with osteopenia and those with osteoporosis / 生物医学工程学杂志

From among the patients who visited the Dept. of Rehabilitation of West China Hospital for arthalgia in the period from Aug. 2003 to Dec. 2005, we recruited 566 male patients who were over 40 years of age and did not have hyperostosis in the lumbar spine, and whose T scores were each less than--1. Their ages ranged from 40 to 93 years, and the average age was 62.93 +/- 13.50. The dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry from DMS Company in France was used to measure the bone density of the L2-4 anterior-posterior. The basic data about the subjects, containing the age, height, weight, diabetes mellitus, exercise and smoking or not, were recorded. Then the body mass index were calculated. In accordance to the T score, the subjects were separated into two groups: osteopenia group and osteoporosis group. In comparison of the basic data between groups, BMI of osteoporosis group was significantly higher than that of the osteopenia group, but the number of the subjects who exercised was smaller (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that in the case BMI increased by 1 kg/m2, BMD significantly decreased by 0.003 g/cm2 (P = 0.002), and the age negatively correlated with BMD (B = -0.001, P = 0.035). "Exercise or not" was positively related to BMD (B = 0.028, P = 0.000). "Smoking or not" and BMD were not significantly correlated (P = 0.837). In conclusion, increase of BMI, or we may say, increase of fat, would decrease the lumbar spine average BMD in the patients of osteoporosis or osteopenia. Some reports have pointed out that only by increasing BMI with increased amount of muscles, but not with increased amount of fat, would be beneficial to the prevention of osteoporosis. So we concluded that the muscle amount in the subjects should be taken into account when we probe into the relation between BMI and BMD.

Systematic assessment of acupoint stimulating therapy for deglutition disorders after apoplexy / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect of acupoint stimulating therapy on deglutition disorders after apoplexy, so as to provide basis for clinical treatment and further study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to Cochrane systematic assessment method of evidence-based medicine, Meta analysis on randomized controlled trials or half randomized controlled trials of acupoint stimulating therapy for deglutition disorders after apoplexy were made.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 37 Chinese literatures, 3 697 patients in total were enrolled, and the results indicated that the effective rate of acupoint stimulating therapy on deglutition disorders after apoplexy was better than that in the control group [RR was 1.38, 95% CI (1.28, 1.49), Z = 8.38, P < 0.01]; and the cured rate also was better than that of the control group [RR was 2.56, 95% CI (2.15, 3.04), Z = 10.70, P < 0.01].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of acupoint stimulating therapy on deglutition disorders after apoplexy is better than that of the control group, but more randomized, double blind, controlled trials with good designs are needed to confirm this result.</p>

Correlation between obesity and female hyperostosis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Hyperostosis is a common pathological change among people more than 50 years old; it is connected with many risk factors, which are all indefinite. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the correlation between obesity and female hyperostosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 4326 females were included in this study and their basic information including their age, stature, body weight, course of disease, symptoms, medical complications, frequency of exercise and smoking, and X-ray and bone mineral density (BMD) examination results, was carefully collected for a statistical analysis. The t test or chi(2) test was used to evaluate the differences between two groups; an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the differences among several groups; the relationship between hyperostosis and body mass index (BMI), age, medical complications, exercise, average BMD was analyzed using Logistic regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence rate of hyperostosis in obese patients was higher than that in patients with normal weight (P = 0.000). Obesity was relevant to hyperostotic sites (P = 0.000), and the incidence of hyperostosis in one or several sites of the lumbar vertebrae, knee joints, and other sites was higher in obese patients than in patients with normal weight. There was also a difference in the extent of hyperostosis between these two groups. BMI had positive effects on the incidence and degree of hyperostosis, which were also relative to the sites of hyperostosis, and the BMI of patients without hyperostosis were much lower than those of the patients with hyperostosis in their lumbar vertebrae, knee joints, or multiple sites. Obesity, age, and exercise had positive effects on the incidence of hyperostosis (P = 0.002, 0.000, 0.018).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Obesity is a significant potential stimulant of hyperostosis, especially hyperostosis in knee joints and multiple sites; keeping fit might be an important way to prevent it.</p>