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.

Effects of huangqi jianzhong tang on hematological and biochemical parameters in judo athletes.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of Huangqi Jianzhong Tang (HQJZT) on hematological and biochemical parameters in judo athletes. METHODS: Sixteen male and eight female judo athletes in Hsin-Ming senior high school were randomly and stratified divided into control and experimental group, which received placebo and HQJZT respectively during the five-week training program. The measurement of the hematological and biochemical parameters was performed twice, just before and after the training. The data was analyzed with paired-t test and ANOVA. RESULTS: The values of RBC, Hb, and Hct were obvious decreased after intervention, while the value of GOT, GPT, BUN, and CK was elevated. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the hematological and biochemical changes were caused by the physical training but not the effects of HQJZT. The HQJZT had no adverse effects on the judo athletes in our study.

Tobacco, betel quid, alcohol, and illicit drug use among 13- to 35-year-olds in I-Lan, rural Taiwan: prevalence and risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: This study determined the prevalence of and risk factors for substance use among rural Taiwanese. METHODS: We used a survey of a representative sample of 6318 participants aged 13 to 35 years in I-Lan, Taiwan, in 1996 through 1997. RESULTS: Perceived use of illicit drugs by peers, tobacco smoking, betel quid chewing, and male gender were the strongest predictors of illicit drug use. The prevalence of illicit drug use ranged from 0.3% among those who did not use any other substance to 7.1% among those using tobacco, betel quid, and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Preventive measures should address substance use in general rather than aiming at single substances.

Effects of glycyrrhizae and glycyrrhizic acid on cellular immunocompetence in low-dose gamma-ray irradiated mice.

BACKGROUND: For both animals and human beings, it is important to prevent damage from ionizing radiation and to restore immunocompetence following irradiation. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of glycyrrhizae (GL) and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) on cellular immunocompetence in low dose gamma-ray-irradiated mice. METHODS: Six- to 8-week-old ICR strain' Crl:CD-1-ICR (BR) strain male mice, bred in the Institute of Cancer Research, U.S.A., were chosen and divided into four groups. Group A was the normal control. Group B, the experimental control, received 1 Gy of whole body gamma-ray irradiation. Groups C and D, the experimental groups, were treated with 500 mg/kg of GL (orally) and 5 mg/kg body weight of GA (i.p.), respectively, once a day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks after gamma-irradiation. The tested mice were killed, at 6 different intervals to measure their leukocyte and differential counts. Cellular immunocompetence was measured by the 3H-thymidine uptake in each group. RESULTS: One gray of gamma-ray irradiation had evident inhibition on the leukocyte and differential counts and the cellular immunity of mice. GL and GA could help to restore the decreased leukocyte counts and the cellular immunocompetence in low dose gamma-irradiated mice. CONCLUSION: GL and GA could help to restore decreased leukocyte counts and the cellular immunocompetence in low-dose gamma-ray-irradiated mice.

Effects of gypenosides on cellular immunity of gamma-ray-irradiated mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of gypenosides (Gs) on cellular immunocompetence in the gamma-ray-irradiated mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tested mice of ICR strain were treated continuously with Gs for 10 days before or after 4 Gy gamma-irradiation. Body weight and splenic weight of mice were measured. The blastogenic response of splenocytes to mitogens, such as PHA, Con A and LPS were also detected. The cellular immunocompetence was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation in each tested mouse. RESULTS: Body weight as well as splenic weight decreased in gamma-ray-irradiated mice. The blastogenic responses of splenocytes to mitogens were inhibited after gamma-ray irradiation. To treat with Gs was effective to enhance the recovery of body weight, splenic weight and immunocompetence in gamma-ray-irradiated mice from radiation damage. CONCLUSIONS: Four Gy gamma-ray irradiation could decrease splenic weight and cellular immunocompetence of mice. Gs could help the recovery of the splenic weight and cellular immunocompetence in gamma-ray-irradiated mice.

Effects of glycyrrhizae and glycyrrhizic acid on cellular immunocompetence of gamma-ray-irradiated mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of glycyrrhizae (GL) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on cellular immunocompetence in the gamma-ray-irradiated mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tested mice of ICR strain were treated with GL and GA for 10 days continuously after 4 Gy gamma-irradiation. The counts of total leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes in peripheral blood of mice were measured. The blastogenic responses of splenocytes to mitogens, such as PHA, PWM, Con A and LPS were also detected. The cellular immunocompetence was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation in each tested mouse. RESULTS: The leukocytes and their differential counts decreased in gamma-irradiated mice. The blastogenic responses of splenocytes to mitogens were inhibited by gamma-ray irradiation. GL and GA were effective in enhancing the recovery of leukocyte count and the blastogenic responses of splenocytes to mitogens, such as PHA, PWM, Con A and LPS from the inhibition of 4 Gy gamma-irradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Four Gy gamma-ray irradiation can decrease leukocytes and their differential counts, and the blastogenic responses of splenocytes of mice. GL and GA can help the recovery of the cellular immunocompetence in the gamma-irradiated mice.

Protective effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum in gamma-irradiated mice.

Radiation protective effects of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum (Gp) were investigated in gamma-irradiated mice. Animals were sacrificed on days 5, 15, 25 and 35 after gamma-irradiation. GOT, GPT, serum IgG and leukocyte counts were measured. Proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens, such as PHA, Con A, and LPS were detected and compared. The results showed that all parameters measured in this study were decreased and proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by mitogens were repressed in gamma-irradiated mice. Gp helped to recover the decreased leukocyte counts, GOT, GPT and IgG in serum and the proliferation of splenocytes stimulated by PHA, LPS and Con A in the gamma-ray irradiated mice.

Effect of berberine alone or in combination with argon ion laser treatment on 9L rat glioma cell line.

The cell-killing effect and its possible mechanism of berberine used alone or in combination with argon ion laser treatment on 9L rat glioma cells were studied. The survival fraction of 9L cells after single treatment of berberine has been investigated using both colony formation and microtitration (MTT) method, the half lethal dose of berberine (LD50) has been estimated to be 60 micrograms/ml. After the addition of low energy laser treatment, the LD50 of berberine markedly decreased to 10 micrograms/ml. The inhibitory effect of berberine on biosynthesis for DNA, RNA, and protein of 9L cells was enhanced by argon ion laser. Moreover, when morphologic change was examined, the 9L cells showed lysis, encystation, and degeneration after berberine treatment; the laser treatment enhanced the cell-killing effect. The study proves the cell-killing effect of berberine combined with laser treatment on 9L rat glioma cell line, hence introducing the possibility of berberine as a photosensitive agent.

Combined effects of chuling (Polyporus umbellatus) extract and mitomycin C on experimental liver cancer.

Chuling (Polyporus umbellatus), one of the commonly used Chinese medical herbs, was combined with mitomycin C and then studied against intrahepatic implantation of sarcoma 180 tumor cells in mice. Oral administration of chuling extract, intraperitoneal injection of mitomycin C and the combination of both increased the life span of tumor-bearing mice 71.6%, 70.1% and 119.9%, respectively. The same treatments were found to be cytotoxic to Sarcoma-180-induced liver tumor cells. The synthetic rates of DNA, RNA and protein were all inhibited measurably by the combined treatment. Histopathological studies showed that lymphocytes infiltrated and surrounded the cancer cells, and there was some fibrosis found in normal cells and cancer cells. These results indicate the potential use of chuling as an anticancer agent.