[Qilin Pills improve sperm quality in patients with oligozoospermia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of Qilin Pills (QLP) on oligoasthenospermia. METHODS: This prospective study included 168 patients diagnosed with oligozoospermia in our hospital between September 2015 and September 2017, and all of them failed to achieve pregnancy. We randomly divided them into a QLP group (n = 82) and a placebo control group (n = 86) to receive oral QLPs or placebo pills, respectively, both at 6 g tid for 6 months. We followed up the patients and recorded their routine semen parameters every month during the medication and the rate of pregnancy in their spouses. RESULTS: After 6 months of treatment, the QLP group, as compared with the placebo controls, showed significantly improved sperm concentration (25.13 ×106/ml vs 11.62 ×106/ml, P < 0.01), grade a+b sperm (33.81% vs 17.32%, P < 0.01), grade a sperm (22.84% vs 13.56%, P < 0.01) and sperm motility (56.33% vs 26.23%, P < 0.01); and 26 pregnancies were achieved in the QLP group (32.91%), remarkably more than 13 in the placebo control group (15.85%) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Qilin Pills can effectively improve sperm quality and increase the rate of pregnancy.

[Experimental study on anti-tumor effect and mechanism of green tea extract].

OBJECTIVE: To explore anti-cancer effect and mechanism of green tea extract (GTE) in three human oral squamous carcinoma cell lines (CAL-27, SCC-25 and KB). METHODS: The cell lines were in vitro cultured and its growth inhibition was detected by MTT. After screening most sensitive cell line, effect of GTE on CAL-27 cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. The protein expression of GTE on CAL-27 cell strain was determined by protein chip technique. The protein expression of CDK4, CDK6, and p-PDK1 was verified by using Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the inhibition rate on CAL-27 increased significantly after treated by 50, 100, 200, and 400 µg/mL GTE; the inhibition rate on KB increased after treated by 100, 200, and 400 µg/mL GTE; the inhibition rate on SCC-25 increased after treated by 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 µg/mL GTE, all with statistical difference and in dose dependant manner (P < 0.01). Flow cytometric analysis showed that, when compared with the control group, 50 µg/mL GTE arrested CAL-27 cells in the G2/M phase (P < 0.05), and 100 µg/mL GTE arrested CAL-27 cells in the G2/M phase with concurrent decreased cells in the G0/G1 phase (P < 0.01). Totally 107 proteins were analyzed by protein chip technique. After treated by GTE, a total of 13 proteins significantly changed in CAL-27 cell line. Western blot showed that 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL GTE inhibited the expression of phopho-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (p-PDK1), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), and CDK6 of CAL-27 cell line with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The higher the drug concentration, the higher the inhibition rate (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GTE could inhibit the proliferation of different human oral squamous carcinoma cell lines. CAL-27 is a sensitive cell line. GTE significantly affected EGFR and Notch signal network, and influenced changes of cell cycle related protein expression levels through the aforesaid channels, resulting in cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases.

[Anti-leukemic effect of scutellaria extract SBX and its mechanisms].

This study was aimed to explore the anti-leukemic effect of scutellaria extract SBX in human leukemia cell lines and its mechanism. The leukemia cell lines, including HL-60, NB4, U937, K562 and Jurkat, were cultured in vitro and proliferative inhibition of these cell lines was detected by CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability Assay in order to screen the most sensitive cell line. The effect of SBX on cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and the protein expressions determined by Protein Pathway Array respectively. The results indicated that SBX (10 - 200 µmol/L, for 72 h) significantly inhibited the proliferation of different leukemia cell lines in a dose-dependent manner (r value was 0.86, 0.88, 0.95, 0.94, 0.96, respectively), the HL-60 was the most sensitive cell line. Flow cytometric analysis showed that SBX (50, 10 µmol/L, for 48 h) arrested HL-60 cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase. In addition, protein expression of p-PKC α/ßII, p-p38, Cdc25B, XIAP of HL-60 cells increased, and p-AKT, p-SAPK/JNK, Notch4, Cdk4, Cdc2, cyclin E, Akt, Bcl-2, Bax, cdc42, TNF-α, p27, CaMKKa decreased after exposure to SBX (50 µmol/L, for 48 h). It is concluded that SBX can inhibit the proliferation of different leukemia cell lines, and HL-60 is a sensitive cell line. SBX significantly influences EGFR, Ras/Raf/MAPK and Notch signaling pathway, through which effects the expression of cell cycle-related proteins resulting in arrest of HL-60 cells in G(0)/G(1).

Successful treatment of paraquat poisoning by Xuebijing, an injection concocted from multiple Chinese medicinal herbs: a case report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: 1,1'-Dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium dichloride (Paraquat) poisoning remains a significant global health problem. Despite noteworthy research and clinical efforts worldwide in the last few decades, little improvement has been made in reducing fatality from Paraquat poisoning with conventional treatment strategies. We herein report a case of successful management of Paraquat poisoning by Xuebijing, a newly developed injection concocted from multiple traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. SETTINGS/LOCATION, SUBJECTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: A 25-year-old male patient was brought to the Emergency Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun, China approximately 23 hours after ingestion of approximately 50 mL of 20% (w/v) Paraquat in a suicide attempt. On admission, the patient presented with clinical symptoms as well as significantly abnormal results in the liver and kidney function tests that were typical of severe Paraquat poisoning. Following the routine emergency procedures for pesticide poisoning to minimize the poison exposure and relieve the poisoning symptoms, an intravenous drip of Xuebijing together with dexamethasone was given daily to the patient until discharge 10 days after admission. The patient was followed up for 15 months after discharge, during which monthly chest radiography was performed. Treatment outcomes: At the time of discharge, the patient had recovered well: His symptoms of poisoning in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract were all diminishing; his liver and kidney functions were recovering with the major test parameters improving; his chest radiograph was clear, showing no signs of pulmonary fibrosis. During the postdischarge follow-up period, the monthly chest radiographs were all normal. CONCLUSIONS: This case report suggests that Xuebijing has great potential as a novel effective alternative to the conventional management of Paraquat poisoning. This potential needs to be further evaluated in a substantially larger number of clinical cases in the future.

A lipid microsphere vehicle for vinorelbine: Stability, safety and pharmacokinetics.

A lipid microsphere vehicle for vinorelbine (VRL) was designed to reduce the severe venous irritation caused by the aqueous intravenous formulation of VRL. Lipid microspheres (LMs) were prepared by high pressure homogenization. The physical stability was monitored by the appearance, particle size and zeta potential changes while the chemical stability was achieved by using effective antioxidants and monitored by long-term investigations. Safety tests were performed by testing rabbit ear vein irritation and a guinea pig hypersensitivity reaction. A pharmacokinetic study was performed by determining the drug levels in plasma up to 24h after intravenous administration of VRL-loaded LMs and conventional VRL aqueous injection separately. The VRL-loaded LMs had a particle size of 180.5+/-35.2nm with a 90% cumulative distribution less than 244.1nm, while the drug entrapment efficiency was 96.8%, and it remained stable for 12 months at 6+/-2 degrees C. The VRL-loaded LMs were less irritating and toxic than the conventional VRL aqueous injection. The pharmacokinetic profiles were similar and the values of AUC(0-t) were very close for the two formulations. A stable and easily mass-produced VRL-loaded LM preparation has been developed. It produces less venous irritation and is less toxic but has similar pharmacokinetics in vivo to the VRL aqueous injection currently commercially available.