Protective effects and its mechanisms of total alkaloids from rhizoma Coptis chinensis on Helicobacter pylori LPS induced gastric lesion in rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects and its possible mechanisms of total alkaloids (TA) from rhizoma Coptis chinensis on H. pylori LPS induced gastric lesion in rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>H. pylori lipopolysaccharide was applied to rat intragastrically for 4 days to induce a pattern of mucosal responses resembling that of acute gastritis. After treatment with 50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1) TA, we identified the changes on gastric histopathology, the effects on the activities of cNOS and NOS-2, the contents of TNF-alpha and the gastric mucus epithelial cell apoptosis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>H. pylori LPS could significantly induce the epithelial cell apoptosis of gastric mucus, increase the expression of NOS-2 and decline the expression of cNOS, and enhance the content of TNF-alpha in serum. Treatment with 50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1) TA led to reduction in the extent of mucosal inflammatory changes elicited by H. pylori LPS and decrease in epithelial cell apoptosis. Furthermore, this effect of TA was associated with decrease in content of TNF-alpha in serum, decline in NOS-2, and increase in cNOS.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The findings suggest that TA is a potent protective agent against H. pylori LPS induced gastric mucosal inflammation. The concerned mechanisms may be related to its inhibition on epithelial cell apoptosis, and the suppression of the inflammatory responses by upregulating cNOS and interfering with the events propagated by NOS-2, and reducing the content of TNF-alpha.</p>

Thermal dosimetric study on hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy for deep seated pelvic malignancies / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To ascertain a clinically meaningful thermal dose unit-temperature equivalent minute (TEM) 42.5 degrees C and the relationship between TEM 42.5 degrees C and tumor response rate.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From August 1998 to December 2002, 49 patients with recurrent or metastatic malignancies in the pelvis were treated with hyperthermia combined with conventional radiotherapy. Direct thermometry with high resistance lead needle was used whenever possible to measure the temperature by inserting Teflon catheter into the tumor. TEM 42.5 degrees C was used as the thermal dose unit and the relationship between TEM 42.5 degrees C and tumor response rate was monitored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a positive correlation between response rate TEM 42.5 degrees C and the radiation dose. The tumor volume and number of heat treatment showed no influence on response.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicate that there is a positive correlation between the response rate, TEM 42.5 degrees C and the radiation dose. TEM 42.5 degrees C may act as a useful thermal dose unit in the combination of hyperthermia and radiotherapy. To lower the incidence of complications in thermometry, direct thermometry with high resistance lead needle can be used to measure the temperature by inserting Teflon catheter into the deep-seated malignancies.</p>