A new aurone glycoside from Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f.

To study the chemical constituents of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f., a new aurone glycoside named as (Z)-7, 4'-dimethoxy-6-hydroxyl-aurone-4-O-ß-glucopyranoside was isolated from the 95% ethanol extracts of the rhizomes and roots of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f. by repeated column chromatography on silica gel and recrystallization. Its structure was established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and its cytotoxicities against HepG-2, MCF7 and A549 cell lines were measured in vitro.

Five new diarylheptanoids from the rhizomes of Curcuma kwangsiensis and their antiproliferative activity.

Five new diarylheptanoids (1-5), along with nine known ones (6-14), were isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma kwangsiensis. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1-3 were cyclic diarylheptanoids rarely discovered from C. kwangsiensis. Of all the isolated compounds, compound 4 showed moderate antiproliferative activity on HH and HaCaT cells.

Effect of Peitu Shengjin Recipe on Nutritional States and Immune Functions of Stable Phase COPD Patients / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Peitu Shengjin Recipe (PSR) on nutritional states and immune functions of stable phase chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 62 stable phase COPD patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (30 cases) and the control group (32 cases). All patients inhaled Seretide (50/500 µg), twice per day. Besides, patients in the treatment group additionally received PSR, one dose per day. After three months of treatment, the COPD assessment test (CAT) score, the index of nutritional states [including body mass index (BMI) , thickness of skin fold (TSF), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), serum albumin, serum prealbumin], and immune functions (including IgA, IgM, and IgG) were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By the end of the treatment, the CAT score decreased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The improvement of BMI, TSF, MAMC, serum albumin, and serum prealbumin was better in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). IgM and IgG also increased more in the treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in IgA between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Additionally use of PSR could improve nutritional states and immune functions of stable phase COPD patients to some extent. Meanwhile, it also could improve their health related quality of life.</p>

A new aurone glycoside from Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f., a new aurone glycoside named as (Z)-7, 4'-dimethoxy-6-hydroxyl-aurone-4-O-β-glucopyranoside was isolated from the 95% ethanol extracts of the rhizomes and roots of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f. by repeated column chromatography on silica gel and recrystallization. Its structure was established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and its cytotoxicities against HepG-2, MCF7 and A549 cell lines were measured in vitro.

Electrophysiological effects of Chinese medicine Shen song Yang xin (SSYX) on Chinese miniature swine heart and isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Shen song Yang xin (SSYX) is a compound of Chinese medicine with the effect of increasing heart rate (HR). This study aimed to evaluate its electrophysiological properties at heart and cellular levels.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The Chinese miniature swines were randomly assigned to two groups, administered with SSYX or placebo for 4 weeks (n = 8 per group). Cardiac electrophysiological study (EPS) was performed before and after drug administration. The guinea pig ventricular myocytes were enzymatically isolated and whole cell voltage-clamp technique was used to evaluate the effect of SSYX on cardiac action potential (AP).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SSYX treatment accelerated the HR from (141.8 +/- 36.0) beats per minute to (163.0 +/- 38.0) beats per minute (P = 0.013) without changing the other parameters in surface electrocardiogram. After blockage of the autonomic nervous system with metoprolol and atropin, SSYX had no effect on intrinsic HR (IHR), but decreased corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT) and sinus atrium conducting time (SACT). Intra cardiac EPS showed that SSYX significantly decreased the A-H and A-V intervals as well as shortened the atrial (A), atrioventricular node (AVN) and ventricular (V) effective refractory period (ERP). In isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes, the most obvious effect of SSYX on action potential was a shortening of the action potential duration (APD) without change in shape of action potential. The shortening rates of APD(30), APD(50) and APD(90) were 19.5%, 17.8% and 15.3%, respectively. The resting potential (Em) and the interval between the end of APD(30) and APD(90) did not significantly change.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present study demonstrates that SSYX increases the HR and enhances the conducting capacity of the heart in the condition of the intact autonomic nervous system. SSYX homogenously decreases the ERP of the heart and shortens the APD of the myocytes, suggesting its antiarrhythmic effect without proarrhythmia.</p>

Study on microwave-assisted extraction technology for active ingredients in different parts of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the optimization process of microwave-assisted extraction for active ingredients in different parts of TMC.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Using the uniform design, the optimization processes of microwave-assisted extraction for Flavonoids and Paneonolum in Bidens and Cortex Moutan were gained.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The optimization process of extraction for Flavonoids in Bidens can be described as following: microwave power was 850 W, radiation time was 30 min, solvent concentration was 40%, solvent volume was 13 times as the proportion of raw material, and dipping time was 60 min. The optimization process of extraction for Paneonolum in Cortex Moutan has also been gained which could be shown as following: 340 W as microwave power, 20 min as radiation time, 85% as solvent concentration, 1:5 as the proportion of raw material to solvent, and 30 min as the dipping time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These can prove it reasonable to get active ingredients in Bidens and Cortex Moutan with microwave-assisted extraction technology.</p>

Effect of triptolide on urinary monocyte chemottractant protein-1 in patients with diabetic nephropathy / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the change of urinary monocyte chemottractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN), and to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of triptolide (TL) in treating DN.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five patients in the treated group were treated with TL plus benazepril and thirty two patients in the control group were treated with benazepril alone for six months. The change of urinary MCP-1 was measured before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Level of urinary MCP-1 in DN patients was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects (P < 0.01), but it could be significantly decreased after TL treatment, showing significant difference as compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Determination of urinary MCP-1 level is beneficial to know the degree of kidney inflammation in DN patients. TL can inhibit inflammatory reaction to decrease the level of urinary MCP-1, and thus improve the renal function.</p>