Electroacupuncture prevents cocaine-induced conditioned place preference reinstatement and attenuates ΔFosB and GluR2 expression.

Acupuncture has been used for treating drug addiction since the 1970s, but little is known about the mechanisms by which acupuncture affects drug cue-induced relapse. The transcription factor delta-FosB (ΔFosB) plays a critical role in behavior and pathology after chronic use of cocaine. ΔFosB regulates glutamate receptor signaling and dendritic spine morphology in animal models. This experimental study compared the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints LI4 and LI11 with those of another potentially beneficial intervention, gabapentin (GBP), alone or in combination, on reinstatement of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and levels of ΔFosB and glutamate receptor subunit 2 (GluR2) expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). EA at LI4 and LI11 significantly prevented cue-induced cocaine CPP reinstatement, whereas needle insertion without electrical stimulation at these acupoints had no such effect. EA also significantly attenuated cocaine-induced increases in ΔFosB and GluR2 expression in the NAc. Unexpectedly, these effects were reversed when GBP was combined with EA. Treatment with EA at LI4 and LI11 prevented cocaine-induced increases in dendritic spine density in the NAc core and shell. Our results suggest that EA at LI4 and LI11 may prevent cocaine relapse by modulating ΔFosB and GluR2 expression, as well as dendritic spine density.

In vitro iron absorption of α-lactalbumin hydrolysate-iron and ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-iron complexes.

To study the feasibility of promoting iron absorption by peptides derived from α-lactalbumin and ß-lactoglobulin, the present work examined the transport of iron across Caco-2 monolayer cell as in vitro model. Caco-2 cells were seeded in bicameral chambers with α-lactalbumin hydrolysate-Fe (α-LAH-Fe) complex and ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-Fe (ß-LGH-Fe) complex, α-LAH and iron mixture, ß-LGH and iron mixture, FeSO4 and ascorbic acid mixture, and FeSO4. In addition, the cytotoxicity of α-LAH-Fe and ß-LGH-Fe complexes were measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The iron absorption and ferritin content were assessed using the coupled in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell model. Results support that peptide-iron complexes can promote ferritin formation and it is possible to apply ß-LGH-Fe complexes as iron-fortified supplements with high iron absorbability.

Preparation and characterization of ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-iron complexes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the best preparation condition of ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-iron complexes and characterize its structural transformation both before and after binding using the UV-visible absorption spectrum, Fluorescence spectrum, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results showed that ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysates obtained with alcalase after hydrolysis for 6h possessed the highest iron-binding capacity. The highest yield of complexes was obtained when the mass ratio between ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate and Fe(3+) reached 40:1, with the optimal pH value of 7.0. All of the spectra indicated that some sites such as amido bonds transformed during chelation, and nitrogen atoms could chelate with Fe(3+) to form coordinate bonds by offering electron pairs. Therefore, ß-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-iron complexes may be good carriers for iron and possess great potential to be used as iron supplements.

[A study on pollen morphology of Dipsacus].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pollen morphology of Dipsacus L. produced in China. METHOD: Examining the pollen morphology of 17 species and 2 varieties of Dipsacus L. with light microscope and scanning electron microscope. RESULT: The shape of pollen grains is spheroidal and the aperture is tricolpate. The ornamentation of exine may be divided into 3 types: dispinulate-reticulate, dispinulate-foveolate, dispinulate-rugulate or nearly smooth. CONCLUSION: Dipsacus is a natural class group, and the slight difference of its pollen grains is useful to some extent in the division of species.

[Studies on pharmacognosy of Echinacea purpurea].

Pharmacognostical studies of Echinacea purpurea were carried out by botanical analysis, microscopic analysis and physicochemical analysis. The detalied pharmacognostical characteristics of Echinacea purpurea were described respectively.

[Medicinal plant resources of Dipsacaceae in China].

Based on field investigation and taxonomic research on the medicinal plants of Dipsacaceae in China, eighteen species and four varieties of five genera in this family are reported. Among them, some new medicinal plant resources are supplemented, the Latin name of one species is revised, the distribution, habitats and medicinal uses of the species are spelled out and a key for the genus of Dipsacus is given.

[Correlative study on the storage time and quality of rhizoma Dryopteris crassirhizomae].

The contents of dryocrassin in Rhizoma Dryopteris Crassirhizomae were determined by TLC-scanning in a period of two years of storage. Phloroglucinol content was calculated by area normalization method. The results show that in contrast with the fresh crude drugs of Rhizoma Dryopteris Crassirhizomae, the contents of dryocrassin in the crude drugs of one year and two years of storage have reduced by 22% and 27% respectively, and phloroglucinol contents have reduced by 2% and 8% respectively.

[Pharmacognostic studies on the Chinese drug guanzhong produced in East China].

By on-the-spot investigation we have checked up on 8 kinds of botanical origin of the Chinese traditional drug Guanzhong produced in East China and have given keys for their identification. The major tissue features of basal petioles and the external characteristics of the crude drugs have also been given.