Supercritical carbon dioxide extract exhibits enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Physalis peruviana.

Physalis peruviana L. (PP) is a medicinal herb widely used in folk medicine. In this study, supercritical carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2) method was employed to obtain three different PP extracts, namely SCEPP-0, SCEPP-4 and SCEPP-5. The total flavonoid and phenol concentrations, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of these extracts were analyzed and compared with aqueous and ethanolic PP extracts. Among all the extracts tested, SCEPP-5 demonstrated the highest total flavonoid (234.63+/-9.61 mg/g) and phenol (90.80+/-2.21 mg/g) contents. At concentrations 0.1-30 microg/ml, SCEPP-5 also demonstrated the strongest superoxide anion scavenging activity and xanthine oxidase inhibitory effect. At 30 microg/ml, SCEPP-5 significantly prevented lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 microg/ml)-induced cell cytotoxicity in murine macrophage (Raw 264.7) cells. At 10-50 microg/ml, it also significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO release and PGE2 formation in a dose-dependent pattern. SCEPP-5 at 30 microg/ml remarkably blocked the LPS induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Taken together, these results suggest that SCEPP-5, an extract of SFE-CO2, displayed the strongest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities as compared to other extracts. Its protection against LPS-induced inflammation could be through the inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 expression.

Eutrophication study of twenty reservoirs in Taiwan.

Taiwan is an island off the southeastern coast of China with total area of roughly 36,000 km2. The geographic position of Taiwan is between 21degrees 45' 25" to 25 degrees 56' 31" north latitude and 119 degrees 18' 3"to 124 degrees 34' 30" east longitude and includes both tropical and subtropical areas. The study was carried out at twenty main reservoirs in Taiwan area from 1994 to 1998. The study revealed that the water quality of most reservoirs gradually deteriorated during the study period. Total phosphorus concentrations over 60 microg/L were observed in 12.5% of these reservoirs in 1994, but in 22.2% of these reservoirs in 1998. Total nitrogen concentrations over 1.0 mg/L were observed in 37.5% of these reservoirs in 1994, but in 94.4% of these reservoirs in 1998. Secchi disc transparency below 2 m was observed in 75% of these reservoirs in 1994, but in 83.3% of these reservoirs in 1998. Chlorophyll a concentrations over 15 mg/m3 were observed in 12.5% of these reservoirs in 1994, but in 27.8% of these reservoirs in 1998. The TN:TP mass ratios (wt/wt) of all the studied reservoirs except Akungting Reservoir, Fongshan Reservoir, and Chengching Reservoir are higher than 16. The study results on nutrient limitation indicated that phosphorus is the primary limiting nutrient in Taiwan reservoirs except Akungting Reservoir, Fongshan Reservoir, and Chengching Reservoir.

[Observation of cell ultrastructuse in suppurative otitis media treated with bosneol and application].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pharmacological action and optimal concentration of borneol in treating suppurative otitis media. METHOD: Aspergillus niger separated from the secretion in external auditory canal of the patient and the fungus strains kept in the laboratory were used to determine the minimum fungus inhibiting concentration (MIC) and minimum fungus killing concentration (MFC) of borne. The change of cell ultrastructure after borneol taking effect was observed under electron microscope. RESULT: Borneol MIC and MFC turned out to be 5% and 10% respectively. The cell wall of Aspergillus niger became thicker and blurred with vacuoles. In the cytoplasm various materials were found deep dyed and agglutinated with many fat drops. The electron density increased and the ridge arrangement was in disorder. Some organelles were destroyed, and many areas of electron blank appeared. Some cells became warped and deformed and lost their original structure. CONCLUSION: Borneol can destroy the structure of fungus cells, make fungus dissolve and dieout and thus features a fungus inhibiting and killing function. The optimal inhibiting concentration is 5% and killing concentration 10%.

Efficacy and safety of estriol replacement therapy for climacteric women.

BACKGROUND: As an estrogen derivative, estriol is rather effective in the relief of climacteric symptoms due to estrogen deficiency. When given one dose a day, it will not provoke endometrial proliferation and shedding. Thus, it is suitable for postmenopausal women who no longer want to have uterine bleeding and for those with comparatively higher risk of endometrial hyperplasia. In the aspect of postmenopausal osteoporosis, the prevention of further bone loss due to estrogen deficiency is also important and to be evaluated. METHODS: We collected 20 patients, aged 44-62 years, who had undergone either natural or surgical menopause and were treated with estriol succinate (Synapause; Organon; Holland 2 mg/tab) 2 mg/day for 2 years, with relief of climacteric symptoms evaluated after the first 3 months of treatment. Bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine was measured using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) after one and two years of treatment, respectively. RESULTS: Estriol was very effective in the improvement of major subjective climacteric complaints in 86% of patients, especially hot flush and insomnia within 3 months. The atrophic genital changes caused by estrogen deficiency were also improved satisfactorily. No subjective symptoms induced by the therapy were seen. The rate of uterine bleeding was low, complained by only one patient. However, our study did not show the preventive effect of estriol against osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS: Estriol can be a safe and effective alternative in the relief of climacteric symptoms for postmenopausal women, but it cannot prevent the bone loss.

Electroejaculation for the treatment of idiopathic anejaculation: a case report.

Electroejaculation to produce semen from anejaculated males has been employed successfully in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer, and gamete intrafallopian transfer. We herein report the use of IUI to achieve pregnancy following electroejaculation in a patient with primary idiopathic anejaculation. This 30-year-old patient had a history of anejaculation that was noted after marriage, but had normal sexual potency and occasional nocturnal emission. Electroejaculation was successfully used to obtain semen. The highly motile sperm was recovered from swim up procedure and used for IUI. The 25-year-old wife was given clomiphene citrate and Pergonal for ovulation induction. A triplet pregnancy was achieved. At 26 weeks of gestation, the first triplet was delivered after spontaneous rupture of membrane. We tried to delay delivery of this retained twin pregnancy. Thirty-two days later, the remaining two fetuses were delivered weighing 1100 gm and 900 gm. Ninety-three days after delivery, these two babies were discharged, putting on weight to 3564 gm and 3264 gm. This case represents the first success of using electroejaculation to achieve pregnancy from anejaculated patient in Taiwan.