Fabrication and characterization of a novel zein/pectin/pumpkin seed oil Pickering emulsion and the effects of myricetin on oxidation stability.

In this study, zein/pectin/pumpkin seed oil (PSO) Pickering emulsions (ZPPEs) were fabricated loading with myricetin (MYT), and the quality control methods of oxidation stability were innovatively investigated. The microstructure and particle properties of zein-pectin particles were determined. The zein to pectin ratio of 5:3 and oil phase fraction (φ = 50 %) turned out as the most optimal conditions for the stabilization of myricetin-loaded ZPPEs. The expected oil-in-water emulsion-type structure was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The internal 3D structure of Pickering emulsions (Lugol's solution improved the water-phase contrast) was imaged by micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) for the first time. Results showed a sponge like structure of water phase in emulsion with 42 µm as mean droplet size. Light-induced oxidation was evaluated with the PetroOxy method and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays. Encapsuling ZPPEs with MYT could prevent the light induced oxidation, especially, loading of MYT at the core of the emulsion. The analysis of Electronic nose (E-nose) was used to analyze the odor before and after UV-induced oxidation, and showed a good discrimination. This study provided a new approach to prepare ZPPEs with high oxidation stability. Micro-CT, PetroOxy and E-nose could be new methods for characterization and quality assessment of Pickering emulsions.

Drug-Free Antimicrobial Nanomotor for Precise Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections.

Manufacturing heteronanostructures with specific physicochemical characteristics and tightly controllable designs is very appealing. Herein, we reported NIR-II light-driven dual plasmonic (AuNR-SiO2-Cu7S4) antimicrobial nanomotors with an intended Janus configuration through the overgrowth of copper-rich Cu7S4 nanocrystals at only one high-curvature site of Au nanorods (Au NRs). These nanomotors were applied for photoacoustic imaging (PAI)-guided synergistic photothermal and photocatalytic treatment of bacterial infections. Both the photothermal performance and photocatalytic activity of the nanomotors are dramatically improved owing to the strong plasmon coupling between Au NRs and the Cu7S4 component and enhanced energy transfer. The motion behavior of nanomotors promotes transdermal penetration and enhances the matter-bacteria interaction. More importantly, the directional navigation and synergistic antimicrobial activity of the nanomotors could be synchronously driven by NIR-II light. The marriage of active motion and enhanced antibacterial activity resulted in the expected good antibacterial effects in an abscess infection mouse model.

Structural Characterization, Cytotoxicity, and the Antifungal Mechanism of a Novel Peptide Extracted from Garlic (Allium sativa L.).

Garlic (Allium sativa L.) is a traditional plant with antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to discover new antifungal peptides from garlic, identify their structure, and explore the antimicrobial mechanism. Peptides were separated by chromatography and identified by MALDI-TOF analysis. Structure and conformation were characterized by CD spectrum and NMR analysis. Mechanism studies were conducted by SEM, membrane depolarization, and transcriptomic analysis. The cytotoxicity to mammalian cells as well as drug resistance development ability were also evaluated. A novel antifungal peptide named NpRS with nine amino acids (RSLNLLMFR) was obtained. It was a kind of cationic peptide with a α-helix as the dominant conformation. NOESY correlation revealed a cyclization in the molecule. The peptide significantly inhibited the growth of Candida albicans. The mechanism study indicated that membrane destruction and the interference of ribosome-related pathways might be the main mechanisms of antifungal effects. In addition, the resistance gene CDR1 for azole was down-regulated and the drug resistance was hardly developed in 21 days by the serial passage study. The present study identified a novel antifungal garlic peptide with low toxicity and provided new mechanism information for the peptide at the gene expression level to counter drug resistance.

Gut microbiome-mediated glucose and lipid metabolism mechanism of star apple leaf polyphenol-enriched fraction on metabolic syndrome in diabetic mice.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a kind of metabolic syndrome (MetS) that seriously threatens human health globally. The leaf of star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito L.) is an incompletely explored folk medicine on diabetes. And, the effects and mechanisms on diabetes complicated glycolipid metabolism disorders are unknown till now. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the constituents of star apple leaf polyphenol enriched-fraction (SAP), and elucidate their treatment effects and mechanism on diabetes and accompanied other MetS. METHODS: The components of SAP were tentatively identified by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The antioxidant activity was determined by the scavenging of free radicals and hypoglycemic activities by inhibition of α-glucosidase in vitro. HepG2 cells were used for evaluating the alleviation effects of SAP on lipid accumulation. Streptozotocin and high-fat diet induced diabetic mice were grouped to evaluate the effects of different dosages of SAP. 16S rRNA was conducted to analysis gut microbiome-mediated glucose and lipid metabolism mechanism. RESULTS: It showed that myricitrin was one of the main active constituents of SAP. SAP not only showed low IC50 on -glucosidase (24.427± 0.626 µg/mL), OH·(3.680± 0.054 µg/mL) and ABTS· (9.155±0.234 µg/mL), but significantly induced the lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells (p < 0.05). SAP at 200 mg/kg·day significantly decreased the blood glucose, insulin and oral glucose tolerance test value (p < 0.05). The insulin resistance indexes and oxidative stress were alleviated after administration. SAP not only attenuated hepatic lipid deposition, but also reversed the hepatic glycogen storage. 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed that the interaction between SAP and gut microbiota led to the positive regulation of beneficial bacteria including Akkermansia, Unspecified S24_7, Alistipes and Unspecified_Ruminococcaceae, which might be one of the mechanisms of SAP on MetS. CONCLUSION: For the first time, this study explored the regulation effect of star apple leaf polyphenols on the hepatic glycolipid metabolism and studied the underlying mechanism from the view of gut microbiota. These findings indicated that SAP possesses great potential to serve as a complementary medicine for diabetes and associated MetS. It provided scientific evidence for folk complementary medicine on the treatment of diabetes-complicated multiple metabolic disorders.

A novel visualization method for the composition analysis of processed garlic by MALDI-TOF imaging mass spectrometry (MSI) and Q-TOF LC-MS/MS.

Laba garlic is a kind of vinegar processed garlic (Allium sativum L.) product with multiple health effects. This study applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MSI) and Q-TOF LC-MS/MS for the first time to investigate the garlic tissue spatial distribution changes of low molecular weight compounds during the Laba garlic processing. The distribution characteristics of the compounds were observed in processed and unprocessed garlic including amino acids and derivatives, organosulfur compounds, pigment precursors, polysaccharides and saponins. During Laba garlic processing, some bioactive compounds such as alliin and saponins were lost because they were transformed into other compounds or leached into the acetic acid solution, and some new compounds including pigments-related compounds occurred. This study provided a basis for the spatial distributions and changes of compounds in garlic tissue during Laba garlic processing, which suggested that the bioactivities of garlic might be changed after processing owing to the transformation and change of the constituents.

Biochemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Antiproliferative Effects of Different Processed Garlic Products.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a type of agricultural product that is widely used as a food spice, herb and traditional medicine. White garlic (WG) can be processed into several kinds of products, such as green garlic (GG), Laba garlic (LAG) and black garlic (BG), which have multiple health effects. In this study, GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry), DPPH (1,1'-diphenyl-2-propionyl hydrazide) radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) in vitro assays were used to compare the composition, antioxidant and antiproliferation effects of different processed garlic extracts. The relationship between the constituents and the bioactivities was analyzed using the principal components analysis (PCA) and heatmap analysis. BG showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.63 ± 0.02 mg/mL) in DPPH radical assays and the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.80 ± 0.01 mg/mL) by hydroxyl radical assay. Moreover, GC-MS results showed that 12 organosulfur compounds were detected in the extracts of four garlic products, and allyl methyl trisulfide showed a positive relation with the anticancer activity on SMMC-7721 cells (hepatocellular carcinoma cells). The results suggested that the processing of garlic had a significant influence on the constituents and antioxidant effects and that GG, LAG and BG might be better candidates for the related functional food products compared to WG.

Compositional analysis and immunomodulatory activity of blue pigment fraction (BPF) from Laba garlic.

Laba garlic is a kind of garlic (Allium sativum L.) product and blue pigment fraction (BPF) is the characteristic fraction of Laba garlic. The objective of the study was to isolate BPF from Laba garlic and explore its stability, composition, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulatory activity. The results suggested BPF was unstable under alkaline conditions. Twenty-four constituents including 9 peptides and 10 saponins were detected in BPF by Q Exactive HF LC/MS anlaysis. BPF showed antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. It also showed effective immunomodulatory activity at a concentration of 5 µg/mL at the cellular level and the morphology of RAW 264.7 cells changed to a polygonal and dendritic-like structure. BPF could significantly increase NO production (P < 0.05), and up-regulate the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS and NF-κB in the RT-QPCR analysis. The present study systematically analyzed the compositions of BPF for the first time, and the results suggested that BPF might be a potential immunomodulator candidate, which is beneficial for the development and application of garlic products and natural pigments.

Structural, functional and proteomic differences of proteins extracted from white garlic and Laba garlic.

Protein is one of the main nutrients in garlic with multiple functions and healthy effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of greening process on the functional and structural properties of garlic protein, and proteomic strategy was applied to analyze the changes of protein compositions as well as their activities. Results showed that the manufacturing process led to a smaller isoelectric point (pI) and larger particle size of garlic protein (Laba garlic protein, LP) compared to the unprocessed one (untreated white garlic protein, WP). Circular dichroism (CD) and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed that the dominant α-helix structure was lost and became random coil in LP. The surface hydrophobicity was also decreased after processing. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that molecular weight distributions of WP varied from 10 to 80 kDa but those of LP were in 10 to 25 kDa. In the functional property analysis, greening process resulted in poor emulsifying ability for WP at pH 7.2, but led to an increase in water holding capacity (WHC). The proteomic analysis indicated that WP had numerous kinds of proteins and the vital alliinase in WP was lost in LP, and only 6 types of proteins were reserved. The proteins in WP were presumably degraded into peptides in LP. This study firstly applied proteomic analysis to investigate the protein differences in garlic processing, and based on the significant properties difference, WP might be a promising agent for additives in food industry, while LP might be a potential source for bioactive peptides extraction and separation.

Polysaccharides from mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf prevents obesity by inhibiting pancreatic lipase in high-fat diet induced mice.

Pancreatic lipase (PL) is a key enzyme related to the prevention and treatment of obesity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of mulberry leaf polysaccharides (MLP) on PL and possible interaction mechanism, inhibition on lipid accumulation in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that MLP had obvious inhibitory effects on PL (P < 0.05). The interaction of MLP-PL complexes was in a spontaneous way driven by enthalpy, and hydrogen bonds were the main factors in the binding. MLP could significantly inhibit the development of lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells (P < 0.05). Furthermore, consumption of high-fat diet containing MLP showed protective effects on liver and adipose tissue damages in mice, and inhibited the lipid absorption in digestive tract. MLP also significantly reduced the increased expression level of pancreatic digestive enzymes (P < 0.05). The study indicated that the anti-obesity effect of MLP might be caused by inhibition of lipid absorption via reducing PL activity.

Phosphorus transport in riverbed sediments and related adsorption and desorption characteristics in the Beiyun River, China.

Riverbed sediments are the interface layer in riverine ecosystems connecting the overlying medium of water and the vadose zone. The transport behavior of phosphorus (P), which has been recognized as the primary cause of freshwater eutrophication, in riverbed sediments remains unclear. Understanding the impact of riverbed sediments on P transport is a necessary prerequisite for the development of appropriate strategies to reduce potential groundwater pollution. In this study, riverbed sediments were collected from the upstream, midstream, and downstream sections of the Beiyun River, China, and packed into vertical soil columns to perform leaching experiments to quantify P transport characteristics. In addition, the impact mechanisms were further explored by conducting laboratory batch tests of P adsorption and desorption. The results demonstrated that approximately 80% of P can be adsorbed by riverbed sediments in soil column leaching experiment, and a tailing phenomenon was observed in its desorption. The hydraulic conductivity properties of riverbed sediments were evaluated by the advection-dispersion equation, showing a gradually decreasing adsorption capacity for P from upstream to downstream sections, which was supported by the results obtained from adsorption-desorption thermodynamic and kinetic batch tests. The estimated annual leaching masses of P increased from 60.72 g/(m2 a) in the upstream section to 132.31 g/(m2 a) in the downstream section. The role of riverbed sediments as a source or sink of P is possibly determined by their coarse sand particles content, and the mean equilibrium P concentration (EPC0). The competitive relationship between P and other forms of nutrients also has an important influence on its source-sink role. These findings suggest that the prevention of the potential P leaching is most needed in the downstream sections of Beiyun River, and corresponding control strategies should be developed to avoid groundwater pollution.

Evaluation of acute and sub-chronic toxicity of lithothamnion sp. in mice and rats.

Lithothamnion sp., a red algae of the Corallinaceae family, when harvested in its calcareous form, is rich in calcium, magnesium and a variety of trace minerals. It is used as a beneficial dietary mineral supplement across the world (Aquamin F). This study was designed to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of Lithothamnion sp. according to the Procedure and Methods of Food Safety Toxicological Assessment GB-15193 (China). In an acute toxicity test, mice (n = 20, 10 male, 10 female) were administered a single dose of 10 g/kg BW of Lithothamnion sp. No mortality, or signs of toxicity were observed. In the sub-chronic toxicity arm of the study, SD rats (n = 80, 40 male, 40 female) were randomly divided into four groups with 10 rats in each group and provided pelleted food containing the algae at either 0.00 %, 0.625 %, 1.25 %, 2.50 % inclusion rates for 90 days. Lithothamnion sp. at all inclusion rates did not cause any mortality, and no treatment-related changes were observed in body weight, organ weight, feed consumption, feed utilization rate, urinalysis, hematological and biochemical blood analysis, gross necropsy or histopathologic examinations. In summary, the median lethal dose (LD50) of Lithothamnion sp. was >10 g/kg BW. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for female and male rats of Lithothamnion sp. under these experimental conditions was 2.69 g/kg BW and 2.10 g/kg BW respectively.

Preparation and characterization of a novel conformed bipolymer paclitaxel-nanoparticle using tea polysaccharides and zein.

To improve the aqueous solubility of the anticancer agent paclitaxel (PTX), a newly conformed bipolymer paclitaxel-nanoparticle using tea polysaccharide (TPS) and zein was prepared and characterized. Tea polysaccharide was used as a biopolymer shell and zein was as the core and the optimal formula was subjected to the characteristic study by TEM, DSC, FTIR and in vitro release study. Results showed that the optimal particle was acquired with particle yield at 40.01%, drug loading at 0.12% and diameters around 165nm when the concentration of tea polysaccharide was set at 0.2%, and the amount of PTX:zein=1:10. The particle was a nanoparticle with spherical surface and the encapsulated PTX was in an amorphous form rather than cystalline form. PTX was interacted with zein and polysaccharide through O H and CO groups and it had a sustained release. The results suggested that the novel bipolymer might be a promising agent for PTX delivery and tea polysaccharide was demonstrated its function in drug delivery system.

Involvement of the PI3K/Akt signal pathway in the hypoglycemic effects of tea polysaccharides on diabetic mice.

In order to investigate the hypoglycemic effects and potential mechanism of tea polysaccharides (TPS) on diabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice were established and treated with TPS. Results showed that TPS treatment could result in the increase of body weight and the decrease of blood glucose in the diabetic mice. The contents of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) were decreased significantly (p<0.05) while the contents of triglyceride (TG) and (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) HDL-c were almost restored to the normal levels. TPS possessed the efficacy of insulin resistance alleviation and exerted obvious cytoprotective action. The enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were notably improved in both liver and kidney tissues (p<0.05) after the treatment of TPS. Furthermore, the expressions of PI3Kp85/p-Akt/GLUT4 were upregulated by TPS, which indicated the involvement of the PI3K/Akt signal pathway in the hypoglycemic mechanism of TPS. Results suggested that TPS could ameliorate the T2MD and might be a promising candidate functional food or medicine for T2DM treatment.

A comparison study of immune-inflammatory response in electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on immuno-inflammatory response was tested and the differences between electroacupuncture (EA) and TENS in immuno-inflammatory response in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy were explored. METHODS: 51 patients received craniotomy were divided randomly into 3 groups: control (group C, n=18), EA (group A, n=19) and TENS (group T, n=14) groups. Blood samples were collected before anesthesia (T0) and 30 min (T1), 2 h (T2) and 4 h (T3) after induction of anesthesia to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IgM, IgA and IgG.. RESULTS: No significant difference existed between groups A and group T during craniotomy. IgM and IgA decreased significantly in group C compared with groups A and T at T2 and T3 time points. Compared with group C, there were significant difference in TNF-α, IgM and IgA level at T0 in groups A and T; no significant difference was found in the levels of IgG, IL-10 and IL-8. CONCLUSION: EA and TENS could reduce immunosuppression in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy and it has significance in choice of treatment in immunosuppressive therapy.

Intraoperative and postoperative anaesthetic and analgesic effect of multipoint transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation combined with sufentanil anaesthesia in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the anaesthetic and analgesic effect of multipoint transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation (TEAS) during supratentorial tumour resection for postoperative recovery and side effects. METHODS: In a blinded clinical trial, 92 patients scheduled for supratentorial craniotomy under general anaesthesia were randomly allocated into either a multipoint TEAS (n=46) or a sham TEAS group (n=46). All patients received total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and sufentanil. The target concentration of sufentanil was adjusted and recorded according to mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and bispectral index (BIS). Patients in the TEAS group received TEAS 30 min before anaesthesia induction and this was maintained throughout the operation at four pairs of acupuncture points. Postoperative pain, recovery and side effects were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients completed the study. Continuous monitoring of MAP, HR and BIS showed stable values with no significant differences between the two groups (p>0.05). Sufentanil target plasma concentration in TEAS patients was significantly lower at some time points during supratentorial craniotomy, and total sufentanil consumption was significantly higher in the sham group (p<0.05). Postoperative recovery and pain were significantly improved by TEAS (p<0.001), without the postoperative side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Multipoint TEAS at both proximal and distal points combined with TIVA can significantly decrease intraoperative sufentanil requirements, increase pain relief on postoperative day 1 and improve postoperative recovery of patients during supratentorial tumour resection, with no significant increase of side effects. These findings suggest that multipoint TEAS may be clinically effective as an adjunct to analgesia in intraoperative anaesthesia and postoperative pain treatment and may speed recovery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number ChiCTR-TRC-10001078).

A comparison study of immune-inflammatory response in electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on immuno-inflammatory response was tested and the differences between electroacupuncture (EA) and TENS in immuno-inflammatory response in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy were explored. METHODS: 51 patients received craniotomy were randomly divided into 3 groups: control (group C, n=18), EA (group A, n=19) and TENS (group T, n=14) groups. Blood samples were collected before anesthesia (T0) and 30 min (T1), 2 h (T2) and 4 h (T3) after induction of anesthesia to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IgM, IgA and IgG. RESULTS: No significant difference existed between group A and group T during craniotomy. IgM and IgA decreased significantly in group C compared with groups A and T at T2 and T3 time points. Compared with group C, there were significant differences in TNF-α, IgM and IgA levels at T0 in groups A and T; no significant difference was found in the levels of IgG, IL-10 and IL-8. CONCLUSION: EA and TENS could reduce immunosuppression in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy and it has significance in choice of treatment in immunosuppressive therapy.

The effect of electroacupuncture on postoperative immunoinflammatory response in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on immune function in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. We also examined whether point specificity in EA was present. The study involved 29 patients undergoing craniotomy. The patients were divided into three groups: a control (C, n=10), an EA (A, n=9) and a sham acupoints group (S, n=10). Blood samples were collected at the following time points: before anesthesia (T0), 4 h after the induction of anesthesia (T1), 1 day post-surgery (T2) and 2 days post-surgery (T3) to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgA and IgG. Data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 software. When comparing the levels of cytokines following surgery, we observed that the peripheral blood IL-8 levels in groups A and S were increased significantly compared with those of group C at 1 and 2 days after surgery. When comparing immunoglobulin levels after surgery, we established that the peripheral blood IgA levels in group C had decreased significantly compared to those of group A and group S 4 h after induction of anesthesia and 1 day after surgery. However, there was no significant difference between group A and group S. Compared with simple general anesthesia, acupuncture combined with anesthesia partially reduces immune suppression in the perioperative periods under the same conditions as the simple general anesthesia. Point specificity in EA was not present.

Electroacupuncture alleviates intraoperative immunosuppression in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

BACKGROUND: Clinical experience suggests that anaesthesia using a combination of acupuncture and drugs can reduce the dosage of anaesthetics required for craniotomy, decreasing both the disturbance in physiological functions during the operation and postoperative complications and improving the rate of recovery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) on the dynamic equilibrium of the immune system and immune cell populations during the pericraniotomy period. METHODS: A total of 56 patients undergoing craniotomy were randomised into three groups: control (C, n=18), EA (A, n=19) and sham acupuncture (S, n=19) groups. Blood samples were collected before anaesthesia (T0) and 30 min, 2 h and 4 h after induction of anaesthesia (T1, T2 and T3, respectively,) to measure the levels of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IgM, IgA, IgG and full blood count. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the measurements in groups A and S during craniotomy. The levels of IgM and IgA decreased significantly in group C compared with groups A and S at T2 and T3 time points. The levels of total T cells and suppressor T cells in group C decreased significantly compared with groups A and S at T1 and T2, and the level of natural killer cells in group C decreased significantly compared with groups A and S at T1. No significant differences between groups were found in the levels of TNFα, IgG, IL-10, IL-8, leucocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, Th cells or B cells. CONCLUSIONS: EA appears to reduce immunosuppression of both the humoral and cellular components during surgery.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on Sevoflurane anesthesia in patients undergoing resection of supratentorial tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the supplementary analgesic effect of electroacupuncture and its influence on the maintenance of anesthesia and the speed of recovery of patients undergoing craniotomy. METHODS: Eighty cases of supratentorial tumor resection were randomly divided into group A and group S, 40 cases in each group. All the patients were anesthetized with 2% Sevoflurane. The patients in group A received electroacupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) and Waiguan (TE 5), Jinmen (BL 63) and Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36) and Qiuxu (GB 40) from anesthesia beginning to the end of operation, and in group S without electroacupuncture. The end-tidal Sevoflurane concentration, minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), bispectral index (BIS) and the information during anesthesia recovery stage were recorded, respectively. RESULTS: The end-tidal concentration and MAC of Sevoflurane in group A at all times were significant lower than those in group S (P<0.05, P<0.01) with a Sevoflurane saving of 9.62% on average. The BIS in group A during a few phases were higher than that in group S (all P<0.05). During anesthesia recovery stage, the time of each phase in group A was significantly shorter than that in group S (all P<0.01). No dysphoria and one case with nausea and vomiting were shown in group A, but in group S, 2 patients had dysphoria and 3 patients had nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture combined with Sevoflurane anesthesia can decrease the dosage of Sevoflurane, shorten the recovery time of anesthesia and improve the quality of anesthesia recovery of the patients undergoing resection of supratentorial tumor.

[Correlation of tip perfusion index with hemodynamics and catecholamines in patients undergoing general anesthesia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation of tip perfusion index (TPI) with the hemodynamics and catecholamines and to assess the value and meaning of TPI for monitoring stress responses in general anesthesia. METHODS: Twenty patients who were to receive selective neurosurgery underwent induction and maintenance of propofol and remifentanil by target controlled infusion (TCI). A 60 mA-50 Hz-5 s electrostimulus was applied before tracheal intubation and head holder setting respectively. TPI, SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index (BIS) were recorded at nine time points: before induction (baseline), before and after electrostimulation, before and after tracheal intubation, before and after electrostimulation, and before and after head holder setting. The changes of parameters (DeltaTPI, DeltaSBP, DeltaDBP, DeltaHR, and DeltaBIS) were calculated after each stimulation. Five out of 20 patients were selected randomly to monitor the plasma concentration of catecholamine at the above time points. The responses to tracheal intubation and head holder setting were defined as the SBP increasing > 15 mm Hg over the baseline value. RESULTS: DeltaTPI was significantly correlated with DeltaSBP and DeltaDBP (r = 0.623 and 0.317, P <0.01 and 0.05). The responses to tracheal intubation and head holder setting were inhibited effectively when the DeltaTPI caused by electrostimulus was less than 10% of the pre-electrostimulus TPI. TPI was significantly negatively correlated with the plasma concentrations of norepinephrine and epinephrine (r = -0.679, and r = -0.364, P < 0.05 and 0.01). CONCLUSION: (1) The TPI change is correlated well with the blood pressure change during stresses, and the TPI change caused by electrostimulus can predict the blood pressure change caused by tracheal intubation and head holder setting. (2) The TPI change reflects the norepinephrine plasma level indirectly.