Identification of Atractylodes plants in Chinese herbs and formulations by random amplified polymorphic DNA.

AIM: An efficient, precise, and sensitive method for identifying Atractylodes plants has been established and will contribute significantly to quality control and scientific analysis in Chinese traditional medicine. METHODS: Twenty primers were applied for setting up the RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) markers of Atractylodes plants, Atractylodes lancea DC (A lancea DC), Atractylodes japonica Koidz (A japonica K), and Atractylodes ovata DC (A ovata DC). The primer OPF03, OPF05, and OPF14 could discriminate them successfully. The results were also able to apply on the Chinese formulations with Atractylodes purchased from local markets. RESULTS: RAPD was used to investigate phylogenetic relationships among and within closely related species. RAPD analysis reflects heritable changes in the nucleotides sequence in both the coding and noncoding regions, because it is conducted directly from the DNA level. This work first conducted RAPD analysis of Atractylodes plants to establish their RAPD makers. CONCLUSION: The RAPD markers could be applied extensively in the Chinese herbal formulations.

The preventive effects of G115 on balloon injury-induced neointima formation in rats.

After percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), 30-50% of the patients may present with restenosis within 6 months. The aim of this study was to search for a preventive remedy against the balloon injury-induced neointima formation. Ginseng, with its wide indications on immune and cardiovascular functions, has prompted us to explore its role in neointima formation. In the present study, we aimed to explore if a standardized Panax Ginseng extract G115 was able to inhibit neointimal formation. With BrdU luminencence assay, maximal proliferation of rat smooth muscle cells was reduced to 24% of control values by G115. Norepinephrine-induced vasocontraction was antagonized in 21% and 44% by 1.44mg/ml and 2.88mg/ml of G115, respectively. Neointima-to-lumen area ratio of balloon-injured rat carotid arteries was reduced 77.3% by G115 as compared to the sham control. These results demonstrate the preventive effects of ginsenosides on angioplasty-mediated neointima formation.

[Sedative and anticonvulsive effects of differently processed rhizoma Pinelliae].

Mice were employed to study the sedative and anticonvulsive effects of Rhizoma Pinelliae processed by different methods. The results showed that of raw Rhizoma Pinelliae and its infusion were equally sedative and had anticonvulsive effect against the convulsion caused by cardiazol, but no anticonvulsion effect against that caused by strychnine.

Viral etiology of chronic cervicitis and its therapeutic response to a recombinant interferon.

Chronic cervicitis was shown to be related to papillomavirus type 16(HPV-16), herpes simplex virus type 2 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections as demonstrated by DNA hybridization technique and virus isolation method from samples taken from erosive and normal cervices. After one course of treatment with recombinant interferon alpha 1 (rIFN-alpha 1), 93.8% of cases showed clinical improvement and 60% marked improvement. The HPV-16 and HSV detection rates dropped down significantly after rIFN-alpha 1 treatment as compared with those before treatment. Astragalus membranaceus, a Chinese herbal drug, was shown to be synergic to interferon therapy.

Structural organization of apolipoprotein B-100 of human plasma low density lipoproteins. Comparison to B-48 of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins.

The present study characterizes the substructural organization of apolipoprotein B-100 (B-100) of human plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) and its relation to B-74 and B-26 of LDL and B-48 of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. LDL were digested with human kallikrein and thrombin to yield two major fragments: K1 (Mr 410,000) and K2 (Mr 145,000) and T1 (Mr 385,000) and T2 (Mr 170,000), respectively. The antigenic sequences, Mr, and amino acid compositions of K1 and K2 were identical to those of plasma B-74 and B-26; B-26 and K2 had identical NH2-terminal sequences and correspond to the NH2-terminal region of B-100. K1 was further degraded by kallikrein to give K3 (Mr 235,000) and K4 (Mr 170,000); these peptides correspond immunochemically to two newly discovered plasma LDL peptides B-44 and B-30 and are assigned as complementary fragments of B-74. The thrombin cleavage fragments, T1 and T2, did not correspond to B-74 and B-26. Neither kallikrein nor thrombin generated a fragment from B-100 corresponding to B-48 in chylomicrons. However, B-48 showed antigenic homology with B-26 and to the of B-74 adjoining B-26, indicating that its structure is represented in the NH2-terminal half of B-100. The structural studies further clarify the relatedness among the B-100, B-74, B-26, and B-48 polypeptides and should now make possible the delineation of the functional domains mediating the interactions of apolipoprotein B in the circulation and arterial wall.

Postprandial distribution of apolipoproteins C-II and C-III in normal subjects and patients with mild hypertriglyceridemia: comparison of meals containing corn oil and medium-chain triglyceride oil.

Five healthy male subjects and five patients with mild hypertriglyceridemia were studied following the administration of 800-kcal liquid meals containing 40% of energy from fat, 40% from carbohydrate, and 20% from protein. On the first day of the study, the fat source was corn oil (long-chain triglyceride), whereas medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil was used the second day. Meals were infused into the duodenum using a peristaltic pump. Plasma samples, obtained at hourly intervals for 8 hours, were analyzed for glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoproteins C-II and C-III. The distribution of apoC-II and apoC-III between ultracentrifugally-separated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) was also evaluated. The patient group had significantly elevated fasting levels of triglyceride, apoC-II and apoC-III, as well as much greater lipemic response to the meal containing corn oil. In both groups, TRL apoC-II and apoC-III levels were positively correlated with the triglyceride level as it increased following the corn oil meal. These correlations were also observed in the normal subjects when the MCT oil meal was administered, even though changes in plasma triglycerides were minimal. In normal subjects, whole plasma levels of apoC-II and apoC-III decreased significantly following the meal containing corn oil, whereas no net changes occurred following the MCT oil meal. In hypertriglyceridemic subjects, small decreases in plasma apoC-II and apoC-III levels occurred after both meals, although the changes in apoC-II were not statistically significant. The tendency for decreased plasma apoC levels following alimentary lipemia confirms previous reports, and provides further data to support the concept that some apoC is cleared from plasma in association with TRL remnants. The finding that mildly hypertriglyceridemic subjects responded similarly to both conventional fat and MCT may indicate that their rates of remnant clearance were similar following the two meals.