Association of serum vitamin D status with gestational diabetes mellitus and other laboratory parameters in early pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) status and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) gained attention in recent years, however the conclusion is still controversial due to many interfering factors, such as region of living, environment, lifestyle, and food supplements. Other metabolites (laboratory parameters) are also important in reflecting gestational states. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum 25(OH)D status in early pregnancy with GDM and other laboratory parameters in pregnant women. METHODS: A total of 1516 pregnant women whose blood glucose were normal before pregnancy in the city of Foshan in Guangdong, China were enrolled in this study. GDM was diagnosed between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy following the guidelines from the American Diabetes Association. Maternal serum 25(OH)D and other laboratory parameters-including hematology, coagulation, chemistry, and bone density-were measured utilizing various analytical methods in clinical laboratory at gestational weeks 11 to 14. RESULTS: The average 25(OH)D concentration was 59.1 ± 12.6 nmol/L. None of the study subjects had 25(OH)D < 25 nmol/L; 434 (28.6%) women had 25(OH)D deficiency (< 50 nmol/L), 882 women (58.2%) had 25(OH)D insufficiency (50-74 mmol/L) and 200 women (13.2%) had 25(OH)D sufficiency (≥ 75 nmol/L). There were 264 (17.4%) women diagnosed with GDM. There was not, however, an association between serum 25(OH)D in early pregnancy and GDM. Interestingly, women with more parity and high serum alkaline phosphatase levels had higher serum 25(OH)D levels. There was a possible positive association between serum 25(OH)D and pre-albumin, and a possible negative association between serum 25(OH)D, creatinine, and thrombin time. This study did not find an association between serum 25(OH)D and bone density. CONCLUSIONS: There were no associations between maternal serum 25(OH)D concentration in early pregnancy and the risk of GDM or bone density. There were, however, correlations between serum 25(OH)D and parity, seasoning at sampling, serum alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, pre-albumin, and coagulation factor thrombin time, which need further study to explain their pathophysiology and clinical significance.

Traditional Patchouli essential oil modulates the host's immune responses and gut microbiota and exhibits potent anti-cancer effects in ApcMin /+ mice.

Patchouli Essential Oil (PEO) has been used as a scent for various healing purposes since the ancient Egyptian period. The primary source of the oil is Pogostemon cablin (PC), a medicinal plant for treating gastrointestinal symptoms. However, the pharmacological function has not been addressed. Here, we report the cancer prevention and gut microbiota (GM) modulating property of PEO and its derivatives patchouli alcohol (PA) and pogostone (PO) in the ApcMin /+ colorectal cancer mice model. We found that PEO, PA, and PO significantly reduced the tumor burden. At the same time, it strengthened the epithelial barrier, evidenced by substantially increasing the number of the goblet and Paneth cells and upregulation of tight junction and adhesion molecules. In addition, PEO, PA, and PO shifted M1 to M2 macrophage phenotypes and remodeled the inflammatory milieu of ApcMin /+ mice. We also found suppression of CD4+CD25+ and stimulation CD4+ CD8+ cells in the spleen, blood, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), and Peyer's patches (PPs) of the treated mice. The composition of the gut microbiome of the drug-treated mice was distinct from the control mice. The drugs stimulated the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producers and the key SCFA-sensing receptors (GPR41, GPR43, and GPR109a). The activation of SCFAs/GPSs also triggered the alterations of PPAR-γ, PYY, and HSDCs signaling mediators in the treated mice. Our work showed that PEO and its derivatives exert potent anti-cancer effects by modulating gut microbiota and improving the intestinal microenvironment of the ApcMmin /+ mice.

A Brief Overview and Update on Major Molecular Genomic Alterations in Solid, Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors, and Hematopoietic As Well As Lymphoid Malignancies.

CONTEXT.­: Recent advances in comprehensive genomic profiling by next-generation sequencing have uncovered the genomic alterations at the molecular level for many types of tumors; as such, numerous small specific molecules that target these alterations have been developed and widely used in the management of these cancers. OBJECTIVE.­: To provide a concise molecular genomic update in solid, bone and soft tissue tumors, hematopoietic as well as lymphoid malignancies; discuss its clinical applications; and familiarize practicing pathologists with the emerging cancer biomarkers and their diagnostic utilities. DATA SOURCES.­: This review is based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines and peer-reviewed English literature. CONCLUSIONS.­: Tumor-specific biomarkers and molecular/genomic alterations, including pan-cancer markers, have been significantly expanded in the past decade thanks to large-scale high-throughput technologies and will continue to emerge in the future. These biomarkers can be of great value in diagnosis, prognosis, and/or targeted therapy/treatment. Familiarization with these emerging and ever-changing tumor biomarkers will undoubtedly aid pathologists in making accurate and state-of-the-art diagnoses and enable them to be more actively involved in the care of cancer patients.

Corilagin prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection by targeting RBD-ACE2 binding.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease caused more than 100,000,000 people get infected and over 2,200,000 people being killed worldwide. However, the current developed vaccines or drugs may be not effective in preventing the pandemic of COVID-19 due to the mutations of coronavirus and the severe side effects of the newly developed vaccines. Chinese herbal medicines and their active components play important antiviral activities. Corilagin exhibited antiviral effect on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). However, whether it blocks the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 RBD and hACE2 has not been elucidated. PURPOSE: To characterize an active compound, corilagin derived from Phyllanthus urinaria as potential SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors for its possible preventive application in daily anti-virus hygienic products. METHODS: Computational docking coupled with bio-layer interferometry, BLI were adopted to screen more than 1800 natural compounds for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 spike-RBD inhibitors. Corilagin was confirmed to have a strong binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2-RBD or human ACE2 (hACE2) protein by the BLI, ELISA and immunocytochemistry (ICC) assay. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of viral infection of corilagin was assessed by in vitro pseudovirus system. Finally, the toxicity of corilagin was examined by using MTT assay and maximal tolerated dose (MTD) studies in C57BL/6 mice. RESULTS: Corilagin preferentially binds to a pocket that contains residues Cys 336 to Phe 374 of spike-RBD with a relatively low binding energy of -9.4 kcal/mol. BLI assay further confirmed that corilagin exhibits a relatively strong binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2-RBD and hACE2 protein. In addition, corilagin dose-dependently blocks SARS-CoV-2-RBD binding and abolishes the infectious property of RBD-pseudotyped lentivirus in hACE2 overexpressing HEK293 cells, which mimicked the entry of SARS-CoV-2 virus in human host cells. Finally, in vivo studies revealed that up to 300 mg/kg/day of corilagin was safe in C57BL/6 mice. Our findings suggest that corilagin could be a safe and potential antiviral agent against the COVID-19 acting through the blockade of the fusion of SARS-CoV-2 spike-RBD to hACE2 receptors. CONCLUSION: Corilagin could be considered as a safe and environmental friendly anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent for its potential preventive application in daily anti-virus hygienic products.

Commensal flora triggered target anti-inflammation of alginate-curcumin micelle for ulcerative colitis treatment.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by dysregulation of colon immune response. Curcumin (Cur) has strong anti-inflammatory activities, but the application is severely hindered by the extremely hydrophobicity and pitiful bioavailability. Alginate (Alg), a natural polysaccharide with ideal solubility and biosafety, was introduced to prepare the esterified alginate-curcumin conjugate (Alg-Cur) and constructed stable Alg-Cur micelle in physiological solutions. Compared with crystalline Cur, the target anti-inflammatory activities of Alg-Cur were systematically investigated. The results showed that Alg-Cur exerted effective anti-inflammatory effects in Raw 264.7 cells. After oral administration, 92.32 % of Alg-Cur reached colon, and the ester bonds were quickly sheared by abundant esterase produced by commensal anaerobic flora. The released Cur was quickly absorbed in-situ in monomolecular state, and effectively ameliorated the colonic inflammation and tissue damage by inhibiting the TLR4 expression in colonic epithelial cell, reducing the transcription and expression of the pro-inflammation cytokines downstream, as well as the infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and neutrophils. The Alg-Cur micelle effectively enhanced the hydrophilicity and bioavailability of Cur, and the commensal flora triggered Cur release showed great potential for UC treatment.

Adjuvant herbal therapy for targeting susceptibility genes to Kawasaki disease: An overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of Kawasaki disease.

BACKGROUND: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a self-limiting acute systemic vasculitis occur mainly in infants and young children under 5 years old. Although the use of acetylsalicylic acid (AAS) in combination with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) remains the standard therapy to KD, the etiology, genetic susceptibility genes and pathogenic factors of KD are still un-elucidated. PURPOSE: Current obstacles in the treatment of KD include the lack of standard clinical and genetic markers for early diagnosis, possible severe side effect of AAS (Reye's syndrome), and the refractory KD cases with resistance to IVIG therapy, therefore, this review has focused on introducing the current advances in the identification of genetic susceptibility genes, environmental factors, diagnostic markers and adjuvant pharmacological intervention for KD. RESULTS: With an overall update in the development of KD from different aspects, our current bioinformatics data has suggested CASP3, CD40 and TLR4 as the possible pathogenic factors or diagnostic markers of KD. Besides, a list of herbal medicines which may work as the adjunct therapy for KD via targeting different proposed molecular targets of KD have also been summarized. CONCLUSION: With the aid of modern pharmacological research and technology, it is anticipated that novel therapeutic remedies, especially active herbal chemicals targeting precise clinical markers of KD could be developed for accurate diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Effects of Refined Xiaoyaosan on Depressive-Like Behaviors in Rats with Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress through Neurosteroids, Their Synthesis and Metabolic Enzymes.

Abstract: To observe the effects of refined Xiaoyaosan (XYS) on the depressive-like behaviors in rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and to explore the relationship between the changes of neurosteroids and mRNA expressions of their synthesis and metabolic enzymes, and the mechanism of XYS in the treatment of depression. Methods: Eighty-four healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, XYS group and fluoxetine group. The latter three groups were subjected to 21 days of CUMS to prepare the stress depression model. Rats in the XYS group, and fluoxetine group were given intragastric administration with refined XYS and fluoxetine, respectively. The behavioral changes of the rats were observed after 21 days. The contents of pregnenolone (PREG), progesterone (PROG) and alloprognanolone (ALLO) in the plasma of rats were measured by ELISA. The levels of PREG, PROG and ALLO in the hippocampus and amygdala tissues were measured by LC-MS/MS. The mRNA expressions of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD), 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) and 5α-reductase (5a-R) in the hippocampus and amygdala were detected by RT-qPCR methods. Results: There were changes in the model rats. The contents of PREG, PROG and ALLO changed similarly, which reflected in the decrease of PROG and ALLO, and the increase of PREG. The mRNA expression of P450scc was increased, and the mRNA expressions of 3α-HSD, 3ß-HSD and 5a-R were decreased. Refined XYS could improve the behaviors of rats and the biological indicators. Conclusions: There is a neurosteroid dysfunction in the brain region of depression rat model animals, and the mechanism of refined XYS depression treatment may be related to the regulation of the control of mRNA expression of related synthesis and metabolic enzymes in the hippocampus and amygdala, further affecting the contents of neurosteroids.

Cytotoxic cochlioquinone derivatives from the endophytic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana derived from Pogostemon cablin.

Chemical investigation of the liquid culture of the endophytic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana A606, which was isolated from the medicinal plant Pogostemon cablin resulted in the isolation of four new cytotoxic compounds, named isocochlioquinones D-E (1-2) and cochlioquinones G-H (3-4), along with five known cochlioquinone analogues (5-9). Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. Isocochlioquinone D (1) possessed a rare benzothiazin-3-one moiety and cochlioquinone G (3) was the first example of cochlioquinones bearing an indole-4,7-dione fragment. All of the isolates (1-9) were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against MCF-7, NCI-H460, SF-268 and HepG-2 tumor cell lines by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Compounds 4 and 6-9, featuring a cochlioquinone core, exhibited potent cytotoxicities in vitro against the four tumor cell lines, and a preliminary structure-activity relationship of these compounds was also discussed.

[Study on cytotoxic secondary metabolites of endophytic fungus Diaporthe longicolla A616 from Pogostemon cablin].

To study active secondary metabolites of endophytic fungus Diaporthe longicolla A616 isolated from Pogostemon cablin. Ten compounds were isolated from fermentation product of the strain 616 by silica gel, reverse phase silica gel, Sephadex-LH20, HPLC and so on. Their structures were identified as 1,3-diamino-1,3-dimethylurea(1),(7R,9R)-7-hydroxy-9-propyl-5-nonen-9-olide(2), Ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3ß-ol(3),(22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14)-22-tetraen-3-one(4),(22E,24R)-3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6ß-ergosta-7,22-diene(5), citreoisocoumarin(6), glycerol monolinoleate(7), 1-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl(E)-octadec-9-enoate(8), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ala)(9), cyclo(L)-Pro-(L)-Val(10), respectively, based on extensive spectroscopic analysis and literature comparisons. Compounds 6-10 were isolated from the genus Diaporthe for the first time. All isolated compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against SF-268, MCF-7, NCI-H460 and HepG-2 tumor cell lines. Compounds 4 and 5 showed potent growth inhibitory activities against the four cell lines with IC50 values of 5.3, 6.5, 12.2, 6.1µmol•L⁻¹ and 8.2, 5.2, 6.1, 9.4µmol•L⁻¹, respectively.

bFGF and Activin A function to promote survival and proliferation of single iPS cells in conditioned half-exchange mTeSR1 medium.

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be well maintained by clonal growth. The pluripotent growth of single iPS cells is limited by low survival. To facilitate robust single iPS cells cultured in vitro, half-exchange mTeSR1 medium (HM), whole-exchange medium (WM) and iPS cell-derived conditioned medium (iPS-CM) culture were used. The effects of bFGF and Activin A on the growth of single iPS cells were explored. The dissociation and propagation of single iPS cells also included Accutase enzymatic isolation, Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y27632 protection and high-density single-cell seeding (1 × 10(6) cells/well). CCK-8 assays demonstrated that the viability of clonal iPS cells in mTeSR1 medium and single iPS cells in HM, iPS-CM or WM supplemented with 100 ng/ml bFGF and 10 ng/ml Activin A was significantly higher than that in WM. Annexin v and propidium iodide (PI) assay, Calcein AM and EthD-III double staining also confirmed the similar results. ELISA assays showed that the levels of bFGF and Activin A of single iPS cells in HM and iPS-CM were higher than single iPS cells in WM. Meanwhile, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), Western Blotting (WB), Immunofluorescence (IF) and karyotype analysis revealed that HM culture was able to maintain undifferentiated markers of Nanog, Klf4, Sox2, Oct4, and did not affect the karyotype of iPS cells. Undifferentiated single iPS cells in HM displayed homogenized growth. These findings demonstrate that bFGF and Activin A are important for the survival and growth of single iPS cells. HM culture system combined Accutase, Y27632 and high-density single-cell seeding can facilitate short-term growth of single iPS cells in vitro.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protect human lens epithelial cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and senescence.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and senescence in human lens epithelial cells. METHODS: To study apoptosis, SRA01/04 cells, a human lens epithelial cell lines, were exposed to 200 µM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 24 h with or without pretreatment with LBPs. Cell viability was measured using a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cell apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the loss of mitochondria membrane potential (Δψm) were detected by flow cytometric analyses. Expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were measured by western blot analysis. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) were quantized using commercial enzymatic kits according to the manufacturer's instructions. To study senescence, SRA01/04 cells were pre-incubated with LBPs and all cells were then exposed to 100 µM H2O2 for 96 h. Cellular senescence was assessed by morphologic examination and senescence-associated ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) staining. RESULTS: LBPs significantly reduced H2O2-induced cell apoptosis, the generation of ROS, the loss of Δψm, and the levels of MDA. LBPs also inhibited H2O2-induced downregulated Bcl-2 and upregulated Bax proteins and increased the levels of SOD and GSH enzyme activity. Moreover, LBPs significantly attenuated H2O2-induced cellular senescence. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that LBPs protect human lens epithelial cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis by modulating the generation of ROS, loss of Δψm, Bcl-2 family, and antioxidant enzyme activity and attenuating cellular senescence.

Chromatographic fingerprint analysis of metabolites in natural and artificial agarwood using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with chemometric methods.

Agarwood is a resinous material formed in wounded Aquilaria sinensis in China, which is widely used as an effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study is aimed to use gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with chemometric methods to create reliable criteria for accurate identification of natural agarwood and artificial agarwood, as well as for quality evaluation of artificial agarwood. Natural agarwood and artificial agarwood (stimulated by formic acid or formic acid plus fungal inoculation) were used as standards and controls for the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and multivariate analysis. The identification criteria developed were applied to commercial agarwood. A reliable criteria including correlation coefficient of GC-MS fingerprint of natural agarwood and 22 markers of metabolism in natural and artificial agarwood was constructed. Compared with chemically stimulated agarwood (formic acid) and in terms of the 22 markers, artificial agarwood obtained by formic acid stimulation and fungal inoculation were much closer to natural agarwood. The study demonstrates that the chemical components of artificial agarwood obtained by comprehensive stimulated method (formic acid plus fungal inoculation) are much closer to the natural agarwood than those obtained by chemically stimulated method (formic acid), as times goes by. A reliable criteria containing correlation coefficient of GC-MS fingerprint of natural agarwood and 22 metabolism markers can be used to evaluate the quality of the agarwood. As an application case, three samples were identified as natural agarwood from the 25 commercial agarwood by using the evaluation method.

[Rapid identification and preliminary study of fragmentation regularity of saponins components of ginseng].

OBJECTIVE: To study a method for rapidly identifying the saponions components in Ginseng and explore the fragmentation regularity. METHODS: Used ACQUITY UPLC/Q-TOF micro system gradient elute wirh 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate-acetonitrile mobile phase under the ESI negative mode; Data were analyzed by Masslynx 4.1 software. RESULTS: 30 kinds of saponins in Ginseng were analyzed and identified by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS, and the fragmentation regularity of ginseng saponins components were explored. CONCLUSION: A analysis method is established for rapid identification of saponin components.

Effects of the chinese traditional prescription xiaoyaosan decoction on chronic immobilization stress-induced changes in behavior and ultrastructure in rat hippocampus.

Xiaoyaosan (XYS) decoction has been widely used as a traditional medicine for treating stress and depression-related disorders in China for thousands of years. Aim of the Study. To observe the potential mechanism of XYS decoction's antidepressant-like effect in α -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors related to synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus rats induced by chronic immobilization stress (CIS). Materials and Methods. Animals were randomly divided into five groups: (1) control group; (2) sham-operated group; (3) CIS group, in which rats were conducted CIS for 21 days; (4) XYS decoction treatment group; (5) 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) positive group, in which the amygdala of CIS rats was unilaterally microinjected with a competitive glutamate receptor antagonist, CNQX. After CIS for 21 days, the open field test (OPT) and elevated plus-maze test (EPM) were measured, the ultrastructure of hippocampus CA1 subregion was observed by the electron microscopy; both the GluR1 and GluR2 mRNA level of AMPA receptor subunits in hippocampus CA1 subregion were detected by real-time qPCR. Results. Rats subjected to CIS exhibited increases in time in central zone and decreases in total distance traveled in the OPT. In the EPM, they also showed decreases in center zone time and entries, open arm time and entries, and an increase in close arm time. Ultrastructural damage in the hippocampus CA1 was also observed. XYS decoction and CNQX showed significant improvement behavioral changes and the ultrastructural damage of the hippocampus CA1; XYS decoction also reversed CIS-induced decreases in GluR2 mRNA and increases in GluR1 mRNA in the hippocampus CA1 as well as CNQX. Conclusions. XYS decoction may effectively produce an antidepressant-like effect, which appears to be involved AMPA receptors related synaptic plasticity of hippocampus.

Biological indicators of sub-optimal health status.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate biological indicators of sub-optimal health status and provide means of objective assessment of sub-optimal health status. METHODS: We set the unified standards for diagnosing a SHS. We tested various laboratory indicators in 407 cases that we selected randomly from 2807 subjects and collected 15 mL of fasting venous blood from each case. We measured serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations, serum beta endorphins (beta-EP), cortisol (C), testosterone (T), plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and serum T lymphocyte subsets CD3+ and CD4+. RESULTS: Mean serum testosterone concentrations and their ratio to cortisol (C) concentrations were significantly higher in the healthy group than in those with sub-optimal health status (P < 0.01). Mean serum CD3+ concentrations were significantly higher in those with sub-optimal health status than in the healthy group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Decreased serum testosterone/cortisol ratio may be an objective indication of sub-optimal health status. Changes in neuroendocrine and immunological indicators may explain some of the symptoms, including malaise and poor work performance, attributable to persistent or relapsing fatigue in subjects with sub-optimal health status.

[Study on the chemical constituents of Heterosmilax japonica].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the chemical constituents of Heterosmilax japonica Kunth. METHODS: The sample was separated and analyzed by GC-MS. RESULTS: 62 ingredients were elucidated. The major components were steroids and fatty acids. CONCLUSION: The method is reliable, and the result provides a reference for further study of Heterosmilax japonica Kunth.

[Study on the chemical substrates of SFE extract from Rhizoma Cyperi].

OBJECTIVE: To extract the effective part of Rhizoma Cyperi and study the chemical constituents of diffrent parts. METHODS: The extract of Rhizoma Cyperi was obtained by SFE and dealed with molecular distillation, then the effective components was enriched. The chemical compositions were separated and identified by GC/MS. RESULTS: The content of volatile oil in the extract upgraded from 43.2% to 86.0% by molecular distillation, and the relative amount of cyperene and (+) -alpha-cyperone from 20.2% to 38.6%. Fatty acids was not found in Rhizoma Cyperi-MD1. CONCLUSION: The SFE of Rhizoma Cyperi could be refined with molecular distillation. The active ingredients, such as volatile oil and alpha-cyperolone, were remained effectively. The ineffective ingredients fatty acids were removed.

[Vectorial angle method for studying on GC fingerprint of naphtha in Alpinia officinarum Hance].

OBJECTIVE: To establish GC quality analysis and GC fingerprint spectrum of naphtha in Alpinia officinarum Hance. METHODS: The naphtha in Alpinia officinarum Hance was extracted and analyzed by GC to establish the fingerprint spectrum. The results were analyzed by similarity grade calculate method to compare the fingerprint difference of Alpinia officinarum Hance. RESULTS: The GC fingerprint spectrum of Alpinia officinarum Hance were established. It consisted of 11 peaks. The GC spectrum results were analyzed by similarity grade calculate method which can divide Alpinia officinarum Hance into various habitats. CONCLUSION: The fingerprint spectrum can be used to distinguish Alpinia officinarum Hance and to evaluate its quality.

[Study on quality standard of extracts from Rhizoma Zingiberis by supercritical fluid extraction].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the quality standard of extracts from Rhizoma Zingiberis by supercritical CO2 fluid extraction. METHOD: The extracts were identified by TLC. The total phenols and the 6-gingerol were determined by dual-wavelength UV spectrophotometry and HPLC separately. RESULT: The recovery of total phenols was 97.7% (RSD 2.0%). The linear range of 6-gingerol is 0.20-2.0 microg, the average recovery was 97.7% (RSD 2.0%). CONCLUSION: The method is convenient for a good resolution and can be used for the quality control of extracts from Rhizoma Zingiberis.

[Re-study on characteristic fingerprint of volatile oil from Herba Pogostemonis by GC].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the characteristic fingerprint and parameter of volatile oil from Herba Pogostemonis. METHODS: The dffferent collecting time and county samples of Herba Pogostemonis were determined by GC. RESULTS: Accuracy, stability and repeatability of the method were good. The same region samples had good stability and main constituents were same in different collection time, but content were different. The samples collected from different region were more different in constituents and content. CONCLUSION: The 11 components in common buildup the characterisitic fingerprint of volatile oil from Herba Pogostemonis. The ratiio of pogostone to patchoulic alcohol were used index parameter for quality evaluation and characteristics of producing region.