Study on saponins in shengmai injection / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the saponin in Shengmai injection.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>On the basic of studing the chemical constituents of red ginseng and Shengmai injection, 20 compositions had been identifided by LC-MS/MS.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Twenty identifided compositions were the common components of Shengmai injection and red ginseng extracts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The analytical method for saponins in Shengmai injection was established which could be used as the basis for further study and quality control.</p>

ß,ß-Dimethylacrylshikonin exerts antitumor activity via Notch-1 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

ß,ß-Dimethylacrylshikonin (DA) is a major component of Radix Lithospermum erythrorhizon and has various biological activities. We have investigated the inhibitory effect of DA on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Notch signaling plays a critical role in maintaining the balance between cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Hence, perturbed Notch signaling may contribute to tumorigenesis. In the present study, we evaluated whether DA could be an effective inhibitor on cell growth in human gastric cancer cell line, and also the molecular mechanisms. Using multiple cellular and molecular approaches such as MTT assay, colony formation assay, DAPI staining, flow cytometry, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, we found that DA inhibited cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Biochemical analysis revealed the involvement of cell cycle regulated proteins in DA-mediated of G0-G1 arrest of SGC-7901 cells. Furthermore, DA treatment led to reduced Notch-1 activation, expression of Jagged-1 and its downstream target Hes-1 in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrated that DA is a potent inhibitor of progression of gastric cancer cells, which could be due to attenuation of Notch-1. We also suggest that DA could be further developed as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Identification of traditional Chinese medicine scorpio by powder X-ray diffraction Fourier pattern / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To set up a new analysis method of the traditional Chinese medicine Scorpio.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten Scorpio samples were obtained from Hubei, Shaanxi, and Shandong provinces and analyzed with X-ray diffraction Fourier pattern technique to obtain the geometric topology and characteristic marked peak of Scorpio.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The geometric topologies of 9 samples were similar, excepting Sample 7#. Totally 11 characteristic marked peaks were observed among these 9 samples.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>X-ray diffraction Fourier pattern is a useful tool for the identification and quality control of the Scorpio.</p>

Effect of jingui shenqi pill on pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone gene expression in shen-yang deficiency rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Jingui Shenqi pill (JGSQP) with various concentrations at different time points on pituitary adrencorticotropic hormone (ACTH) gene expression level in Shen-Yang deficiency rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The Shen-Yang deficiency rats were randomly divided into the model control group and the high, medium and low dosage of JGSQP groups. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to observe the effect of JGSQP on the ACTH mRNA of pituitary tissue in rats treated at different time points (10 d, 20 d, 30 d).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with that in the model group, the ACTH gene expression level was significantly higher in the high dose JGSQP group (P < 0.05), and the increment in the medium dosage group was significantly higher in comparing with that in the high and low dosage groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Through up-regulation on ACTH gene expression is possibly one of the mechanisms of JGSQP in treating Shen-Yang deficiency.</p>