[Application status and challenges of molecular docking in development of traditional Chinese medicine].

Traditional Chinese medicine is precious treasure of ancient Chinese science and a key to unlocking the treasure trove of Chinese civilization. To elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines, scientists have been engaged in the research on the molecular basis and regulatory targets. Molecular docking is a computer-aided drug design method capable of visualizing the interaction between components and target proteins. With the progress in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and the advancement of algorithms and computing power, molecular docking has become an essential approach in the development of new traditional Chinese medicines. This article summarizes the recent research progress in molecular docking in the development of traditional Chinese medicine, aiming to provide valuable references for further screening of active components and offering insights for improving the development of new traditional Chinese medicines.

[Morphological study of sexual reproductive disorders in Ligusticum chuanxiong].

Chuanxiong Rhizoma is a well-known Sichuan-specific herbal medicine. Its original plant, Ligusticum chuanxiong, has been cultivated asexually for a long time. L. chuanxiong has sexual reproductive disorders, which restricts its germplasm innovation. However, there is little research on the reproductive system of L. chuanxiong. This study is based on a comparative anatomical research approach, using morphological dissection, paraffin sectioning, staining and compression, and combined with scanning electron microscopy technology, to observe and compare the flowers, fruits, and seeds at various stages of reproductive growth of L. chuanxiong and its wild relative L. sinense. The results showed that the meiosis of pollen mother cells is abnormal in L. chuanxiong anthers, and the size and number of microspores are uneven and inconsistent in the tetrad stage. tapetum cells are not completely degenerated during anther development. During the pollen ripening stage, there are fine cracks in the anther wall, while most anthers could not release pollen normally. The surface of mature pollen grains is concave and partially deformed, and the pollens are all inactive and cannot germinate in vitro. The starch, polysaccharides, and lipids in the pollen were insufficient. The filaments of L. chuanxiong are short at the flowering stage and recurved downward. Double-hanging fruits were observed in the fruiting stage, being wrinkled; with shriveled seeds. Compared with L. sinense at the same stage, the anthers of L. sinense developed normally, and the pollen grains are vigorous and can germinate in vitro. The double-hanging fruits of L. sinense are full and normal; at the flowering period, the filaments are long and erect, significantly higher than the stigma. Mature blastocysts are visible in the ovary of both L. chuanxiong and L. sinense, and there is no significant difference in stigmas. The conclusion is that during the development of L. chuanxiong stamens, the meiosis of pollen mother cells is abnormal, and tetrad, tapetum, filament and other pollen structures develop abnormally. L. chuanxiong has the characteristic of male infertility, which is an important reason for its sexual reproductive disorders.

Lotusine ameliorates propionic acid-induced autism spectrum disorder-like behavior in mice by activating D1 dopamine receptor in medial prefrontal cortex.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neuropsychiatric condition for which effective drug therapy for core clinical symptoms remains elusive. Lotusine, known for its neuroprotective properties in the treatment of neurological disorders, holds potential in addressing ASD. Nevertheless, its specific efficacy in ASD remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of lotusine in ASD and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. We induced an ASD mouse model through intracerebroventricular-propionic acid (ICV-PPA) injection for 7 days, followed by lotusine administration for 5 days. The efficacy of lotusine was evaluated through a battery of behavioral tests, including the three-chamber social test. The underlying mechanisms of lotusine action in ameliorating ASD-like behavior were investigated in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, molecular docking, and cellular thermal shift assay. The efficacy and mechanisms of lotusine were further validated in vitro. Lotusine effectively alleviated social deficits induced by ICV-PPA injection in mice by counteracting the reduction in miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency within the mPFC. Moreover, lotusine enhanced neuronal activity and ameliorated α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor dysfunction in ICV-PPA infusion mice by upregulating c-fos, p-GluA1 Ser 845, and p-GluA1 Ser 831 protein levels within the mPFC. Our findings also suggest that lotusine may exert its effects through modulation of the D1 dopamine receptor (DRD1). Furthermore, the rescuing effects of lotusine were nullified by a DRD1 antagonist in PC12 cells. In summary, our results revealed that lotusine ameliorates ASD-like behavior through targeted modulation of DRD1, ultimately enhancing excitatory synaptic transmission. These findings highlight the potential of lotusine as a nutritional supplement in the treatment of ASD.

[Feasibility study of arterial pressure measurement by snuff pot artery puncture].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of snuff pot arterial pressure measurement for patients undergoing routine elective surgery during anesthesia. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients undergoing elective surgery admitted to the Handan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 1, 2020 to June 1, 2022 were enrolled. Patients who needed arterial pressure measurement for hemodynamic monitoring were randomly divided into routine radial artery puncture group and snuff pot artery puncture group with their informed consent. The patients in the routine radial artery puncture group were placed a catheter at the styloid process of the patient's radius to measure pressure. In the snuff pot artery puncture group, the snuff pot artery, that was, the radial fossa on the back of the hand (snuff box), was selected to conduct the snuff pot artery puncture and tube placement for pressure measurement. The indwelling time of arterial puncture catheter, arterial blood pressure, and complications of puncture catheterization of patients in the two groups were observed. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the relevant factors that affect the outcome of arterial catheterization. RESULTS: Finally, a total of 252 patients were enrolled, of which 130 patients received routine radial artery puncture and 122 patients received snuff pot artery puncture. There was no statistically significant difference in general information such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and surgical type of patients between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the indwelling time of artery puncture catheter between the routine radial artery puncture group and the snuff pot artery puncture group (minutes: 3.4±0.3 vs. 3.6±0.3, P > 0.05). The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) measured in the snuff pot artery puncture group were significantly higher than those in the conventional radial artery puncture group [SBP (mmHg, 1 mmHg ≈ 0.133 kPa): 162.3±14.3 vs. 156.6±12.5, DBP (mmHg): 85.3±12.6 vs. 82.9±11.3, both P < 0.05]. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications such as arterial spasm, arterial occlusion, and pseudoaneurysm formation between the two groups. However, the incidence of hematoma formation in the snuff pot artery puncture group was significantly lower than that in the conventional radial artery puncture group (2.5% vs. 4.6%, P < 0.05). Based on the difficulty of arterial puncture, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender [odds ratio (OR) = 0.643, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.525-0.967], age (OR = 2.481, 95%CI was 1.442-4.268) and BMI (OR = 0.786, 95%CI was 0.570-0.825) were related factors that affect the outcome of arterial catheterization during anesthesia in patients undergoing elective surgery (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Catheterization through the snuff pot artery can be a new and feasible alternative to conventional arterial pressure measurement.

Chuanxiong improves angiogenesis via the PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway based on network pharmacology and DESI-MSI metabolomics.

Introduction: Chuanxiong, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been proved to treat a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by promoting angiogenesis. However, the mechanisms of Chuanxiong's pro-angiogenesis is currently unknown. This study aimed to uncover the effect and mechanisms of Chuanxiong promoting angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Methods: First, potential targets were predicted by network pharmacology analysis, and PPI network was established and the pathways were enriched. Then, the chorioallantoic membrane test on quails was applied to assess the proangiogenic effects in vivo. As well, to evaluate the effects in vitro, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, the scratch test, and the tube formation experiment were used. Subsequently, the major metabolic pathways were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics. Results: As a result of network pharmacological analysis, 51 collective targets of Chuanxiong and angiogenesis were identified, which are mainly associated with PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway. And the biological verification results showed that Chuanxiong could increase the vessel numbers and vessel area in qCAM models. Meanwhile, Chuanxiong contributed to HUVEC proliferation, tube formation, migration, by encouraging scratch healing rates and boosting tube branch points. In addition, the levels of VEGFR2, MAPK and PI3K were elevated compared to the control group. The western blot analysis also confirmed Chuanxiong could promote an increase in AKT, FOXO1 and Ras. Furtheremore, metabolomic results showed that the proangiogenic effect of Chuanxiong is associated with glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Discussion: In conclusion, this study clarified that Chuanxiong could promote angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro via regulating PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway.

Effectiveness and safety of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE50) in the treatment of dizziness caused by cerebral arteriosclerosis: a multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE50) in the treatment of dizziness caused by cerebral arteriosclerosis. METHODS: This was a multi-center, double-blind, double-dummy, positive-controlled, parallel randomized controlled clinical trial with 1? allocation. We recruited 404 patients with dizziness caused by cerebral arteriosclerosis (blood stasis symptom pattern) in 10 hospitals in China. GBE50 group received GBE50 and Naoxinqing tablet (NXQ) of mimetic agent, control group received NXQ and GBE50 of mimetic agent. The main outcome was Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) symptom pattern score of blood stasis after 6 weeks. The secondary outcomes were changes in the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) score, vertigo visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the university of California vertigo questionnaire (UCLA-DQ) score and single-item symptom score of TCM from baseline to 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Safety indicators included the incidence of adverse events, severe adverse events and laboratory examination including blood routine, liver function, renal function, and so forth. RESULTS: The total effective rate of TCM symptom pattern score in the GBE50 group after 6 weeks of treatment was higher than that in the control group, the difference in rate was statistically significant (92.67% vs 83.07%, P = 0.004). Compared with the control group, there was no difference in the incidence of adverse reactions (9.95% vs 14.85%, P = 0.136). CONCLUSION: The treatment of dizziness caused by cerebral arteriosclerosis with GBE50 is effective, safe and reliable.

Mogroside-rich extract from Siraitia grosvenorii fruits protects against the depletion of ovarian reserves in aging mice by ameliorating inflammatory stress.

Mogroside-rich extract (MGE), the main bioactive component of dried Siraitia grosvenorii fruit, has long been used as a natural sweetener and traditional Chinese medicine. This extract possesses various types of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, hypoglycemic and hypolipemic activities. Moreover, we recently revealed that MGE has beneficial effects on female reproduction. Increasing maternal age leads to a rapid reduction in female fertility; in particular, it dramatically decreases ovarian function. Nevertheless, whether MGE can alleviate ovarian aging and the underlying mechanisms have not yet been explored. In this study, mice were treated with MGE by supplementation in drinking water from 10 to 44 weeks of age. Then, ovarian function and molecular changes were determined. Our findings showed that MGE treatment protected aged mice from estrous cycle disorder. Moreover, MGE treatment significantly increased the ovarian reserves of aged mice. RNA-seq data showed that MGE upregulated the expression of genes related to gonad development, follicular development, and hormone secretion in ovarian tissue. Additionally, inflammatory stress was induced, as indicated by upregulation of inflammation-related gene expression and elevated TNF-α levels in the ovarian tissues of aged mice; however, MGE treatment attenuated inflammatory stress. In summary, our findings demonstrate that MGE can ameliorate age-related estrous cycle disorder and ovarian reserve decline in mice, possibly by alleviating ovarian inflammatory stress.

Monoclonal Gammopathy of Renal Significance (MGRS): Prospects for Treatment in Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine.

Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) is a pathological state which presents with a spectrum of renal lesions. MGRS is characterized by pathogenic monoclonal immunoglobulins or light chains produced by a premalignant plasma cell or B cell clone. In view of inadequate understanding in the past, the low detection rate of MGRS often results in poor outcomes and reduces quality of life of patients. Thus, MGRS stands for a group of clinical refractory renal diseases. To date, no standard treatment strategy for MGRS is available. Current consensus suggests a clone-directed approach that aims to eradicate the offending clone, but its long-term prognosis is not clear. In this article, we discuss the diagnostic methods, highlight treatment advances, and introduce integrated Chinese and Western medicine in the management of MGRS.

Identification and Functional Characterization of Metabolites for Bone Mass in Peri- and Postmenopausal Chinese Women.

CONTEXT: Although metabolic profiles appear to play an important role in menopausal bone loss, the functional mechanisms by which metabolites influence bone mineral density (BMD) during menopause are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to systematically identify metabolites associated with BMD variation and their potential functional mechanisms in peri- and postmenopausal women. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed serum metabolomic profiling and whole-genome sequencing for 517 perimenopausal (16%) and early postmenopausal (84%) women aged 41 to 64 years in this cross-sectional study. Partial least squares regression and general linear regression analysis were applied to identify BMD-associated metabolites, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to construct co-functional metabolite modules. Furthermore, we performed Mendelian randomization analysis to identify causal relationships between BMD-associated metabolites and BMD variation. Finally, we explored the effects of a novel prominent BMD-associated metabolite on bone metabolism through both in vivo/in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Twenty metabolites and a co-functional metabolite module (consisting of fatty acids) were significantly associated with BMD variation. We found dodecanoic acid (DA), within the identified module causally decreased total hip BMD. Subsequently, the in vivo experiments might support that dietary supplementation with DA could promote bone loss, as well as increase the osteoblast and osteoclast numbers in normal/ovariectomized mice. Dodecanoic acid treatment differentially promoted osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation, especially for osteoclast differentiation at higher concentrations in vitro (eg,10, 100 µM). CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on metabolomic profiles associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis risk, highlighting the potential importance of fatty acids, as exemplified by DA, in regulating BMD.

Efficacy and safety of berberine for dyslipidemia: study protocol for a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and a leading cause of death worldwide. The clinical utility of commonly used lipid-lowering drugs such as statins and fibrates is sometimes limited by the occurrence of various adverse reactions. Recently, berberine (BBR) has received increasing attention as a safer and more cost-effective option to manage dyslipidemia. Thus, a high-quality randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BBR in the treatment of dyslipidemia is deemed necessary. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 118 patients with dyslipidemia will be enrolled in this study and randomized into two groups at a ratio of 1:1. BBR or placebo will be taken orally for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is the percentage of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction at week 12. Other outcome measures include changes in other lipid profiles, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure, body weight, Bristol Stool Chart, traditional Chinese medicine symptom form, adipokine profiles, and metagenomics of intestinal microbiota. Safety assessment includes general physical examination, blood and urine routine test, liver and kidney function test, and adverse events. DISCUSSION: This trial may provide high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of BBR for dyslipidemia. Importantly, the findings of this trial will help to identify patient and disease characteristics that may predict favorable outcomes of treatment with BBR and optimize its indication for clinical use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900021361 . Registered on 17 February 2019.

[Mechanism of Hematopoietic Reconstruction in Mice Treated with Danggui Buxue Decoction combined with Muscle-Derived Stem Cell Transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of hematopoietic reconstruction in mice treated with Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD) combined with the muscle-derived stem cell transplantation (MDSCT). METHODS: Female Kunming mice were randomly divided into the 6 groups: irradiation model, the bone marrow transplantation, the MDSC transplantation, the DBD 1 (4.5 g/kg), 2 (13.5 g/kg), and 3 (22.5 g/kg) + MDSC transplantation. After a week of oral administration of normal saline or different doses of DBD, The mice were exposied to 8 Gy 137Cs γ ray and were followed by bone marrow or MDSC transplantation. The expression levels of Notch1, Jagged1 and Hes1 in bone marrow, thymus and spleen were measured at 3 and 8 weeks after irradiation and transplantation. RESULTS: In the bone marrow, 3 weeks after above-mentioned treatment, the expression of Notch1 mRNA increased obviously and the expression of Jagged1, Hes1 mRNA decreased obviously in each intervention group, compared with the irradiation model group. 8th week after treatment, the expression of Notch1 mRNA decreased obviously in each intervention group, the Jagged1 mRNA expression decreased obviously except the bone marrow group, and Hes1 mRNA expression increased (P＜0.05) in each intervention group. 3 weeks after treatment, compared with the irradiation model group, the expression of Notch1 mRNA in the thymocytes increased only in DBD1+MDSC group, Jagged1, Hes1 mRNA was increased in the MDSC transplantation group and the DBD1、2+MDSC group. 8th week after treatment, the expression of Notch1, Jagged1 mRNA expression decreased in each intervention group, the expression of Hes1 mRNA increased obviously in the MDSC transplantation group and the DBD1、2+MDSC group (P＜0.05). In the spleen, 3 weeks after treatment, the expression of Notch1, Jagged1 mRNA in the spleen of each intervention group decreased obviously, compared with the irradiation model group. The expression of Jagged1, Hes1 mRNA in each intervention group were increased obviously 8th week after treatment (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: MDSC transplantation after pretreatment of DBD can improve the hematopoietic reconstitution in mice with lethal dose radiation damage. Notch1、Jagged1 and Hes1 play different roles in this process, but the concrete mechanism needs to be further studied.

[Systematic review and Meta-analysis on efficacy and safety of berberine for dyslipidemia].

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of berberine in the treatment of dyslipidemia. In this review, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, and Medline(OVID) were retrieved from database establishment to January, 2019 in any language. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of berberine with or without lipid-lowering drugs vs placebo, without drugs or lipid-lowering drugs only in treatment of dyslipidemia were collected. Data extraction and paper quality assessment were conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook. Then RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis. A total of 25 trials were included, covering 3 042 cases, including 1 552 cases in the experimental group and 1 490 cases in the control group. The clinical heterogeneity of the included trials was relatively high, and the methodological quality of most trials was generally low, with bias in terms of random sequence generation, allocation hiding, blind method and result data. Interventions were divided into different subgroups for analysis. Meta-analysis suggested that use berberine alone or along with lipid lowing drugs could reduce TC, TG, LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C levels with statistically significant difference as compared with control group. As compared with control group, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events. No severe adverse effects were reported in all trials. Berberine has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of dyslipidemia. Due to the quality limitations of the included trials, the above conclusions need to be further verified by high-quality, large sample size and multi-center clinical trials.

Nanostructured SL9-CpG Lipovaccines Elicit Immune Response for the Treatment of Melanoma.

Antigen peptides and adjuvants have been extensively investigated for cancer immunotherapy, and they are expected to elicit specific immune responses for cancer treatment. However, the anti-cancer efficacy of antigen peptide and adjuvant-based cancer vaccines has been limited due to the inefficient delivery to draining lymph nodes after administration. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a suitable delivery system to transport antigen peptides and adjuvants. Here, we report a novel type of nanostructured lipovaccines for the treatment of melanoma by delivering antigen peptide (SL9) and oligodeoxynucleotide adjuvant (CpG) to the lymphatic vessels and to the draining lymph node. The SL9-CpG lipovaccines were characterized using dynamic laser scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The lymph uptake, immune response elicitation and treatment effects were evaluated on melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice using flow cytometry (FCM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and tumor inhibitory efficacy. The SL9-CpG lipovaccines were uniform with a nanoscale size (~70 nm), had high encapsulation efficiency, and exhibited effective lymph uptake, resulting in activation of specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and release of IFN-γ, and a robust inhibition of tumor growth. Therefore, the nanostructured SL9-CpG lipovaccines offer a promising strategy for melanoma treatment.

[Effect of acupoint massage dominant early comprehensive intervention on the prognosis of premature infants with brain injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of acupoint massage dominant early comprehensive intervention on the prognosis of premature infants with brain injury. METHODS: Totally 210 premature infants with brain injury were assigned to the intervention group (112 cases) and the control group (98 cases). All patients received routine therapy (medicinal + routine care instructions). Patients in the intervention group additionally received acupoint massage. Those with abnormal early motion received physical sports treatment. Those with upper limbs dysfunction or with fine movement disorders received occupational therapy. Premature infants' development quotient (DQ) was performed at corrected age of 6 and 12 months by using neuropsychological development examination table for 0 - 6 years old children. The incidence of cerebral palsy was statistically calculated. RESULTS: At corrected age of 6 months, DQ of gross motor, fine motor, language three functional areas was higher in the intervention group than in the control group with significant difference (P < 0.05). At corrected age of 12 months, DQ of gross motor, fine motor, language, social and adaptive capacities was higher in the intervention group than in the control groupwith significant difference (P < 0.05). The incidence of cerebral palsy was 4.46% (5/112) in the intervention group and 12.24% (12/98) in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupoint massage dominant early comprehensive intervention could obviously improve the intelligence development level and lower the incidence of cerebral palsy in premature infants with brain injury.

Effects of wuwei dilong decoction on inflammatory cells and cytokines in asthma model guinea pigs.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects and the mechanism of Wuwei Dilong Decoction (Schisandra Fruit and Earthworm Decoction) for treatment of asthma. METHODS: The asthma guinea pig model was established with spray of ovalbumin (OVA). Fifteen days later, the guinea pigs were administered by intra-gastric perfusion of Wuwei Dilong Decoction once a day for 8 consecutive days. Blood samples were taken for testing the total leucocytes, eosinophil (EOS), lymphocytes, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). RESULTS: In the asthma model group, the total leucocytes, EOS and lymphocytes were all increased, with significant differences as compared with the different dosage Wuwei Dilong Decoction groups (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The serum LTB4 in the asthma model group was significantly increased and IFN-gamma decreased. After administration of Wuwei Dilong Decoction of the large, medium and small dosages, LTB4 decreased, while IFN-gamma increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Wuwei Dilong Decoction can inhibit infiltration and diffusion of the inflammatory cells in the asthma model guinea pigs, and regulate LTB4 and IFN-gamma, which is probably one of the important mechanisms of Wuwei Dilong Decoction for relieving asthma.

Bifunctional metal-salen complexes as efficient catalysts for the fixation of CO2 with epoxides under solvent-free conditions.

A bifunctional cobalt-salen complex containing a Lewis acidic metal center and a quaternary phosphonium salt unit anchored on the ligand effectively catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and epoxides under mild conditions without the utilization of additional organic solvents or co-catalysts. The effects of various reaction variables on the catalytic performance were studied in detail and indicate an optimized reaction temperature of about I00 degrees C and CO2 pressure of around 4 MPa, although the reaction proceeds smoothly even at pressures as low as 2 MPa. The catalyst is applicable to a variety of epoxides, producing the corresponding cyclic carbonates in good yields in most cases. Furthermore, the catalyst can be easily recovered and reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. This process thus represents a greener pathway for the environmentally benign chemical fixation of CO2 to produce cyclic carbonates.

[Effect of earthworm decoction on airway inflammation of bronchial asthma in guinea pigs].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Earthworm decoction on the airway inflammation of experimental bronchial asthma in guinea pigs and inquire into the mechanism in the decoction. METHOD: Forty-eight guinea pigs were randomly divided into six groups: the control group, the model group, the dexamethasone group, the Xiaoqinglong decoction group, the earthworm decoction large dosage group and the Earthworm decoction low dosage group, 8 guinea pigs in each group. Except the control group, the other groups were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) by a combination of intraperitional injection and repeated intranasal challenges to establish the guinea pigs asthma model. However, in the control group, normal saline was used. The morphological changes of bronchial tube, the lung tectology and the inflammation germ cell quantity of eosinophils (Eos), lymphocytes (Ly), neutrophils (Neu) and total blood cells in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavaga fluid (BALF) were examinated in each group respectively. RESULT: The levels of Eos, Ly, Neu and total cell quantity in the blood and BALF after the earthworm decoction treatment in the large dosage group were significantly lower than those in the model group (P <0.01), and in the low dosage group were lower too (P <0.05). The Earthworm decoction large dosage could obviously improve the bronchial tube epidermis damage, the mucous membrane gland proliferation and hydrops, asthma pathology change and basilar membrane accumulation. Eos apoptosis was obsered in the bronchoalveolar, blood and BALF. The Earthworm decoction small dosage had a similar effect but slightly to the large dosage. CONCLUSION: The Earthworm decoction can lighten the airway inflammation in asthmatic guinea pigs, its mechanism is related with the inhibition of Eos infiltration, acceleration of Eos apoptosis and improvement of the bronchial tube and the lung tectology changes. The effect of the decoction is dose-dependent.

Keemun black tea extract contains potent fatty acid synthase inhibitors and reduces food intake and body weight of rats via oral administration.

The inhibitory effects of a black tea extract on fatty acid synthase were measured through inhibition kinetics. The Keemun black tea extract showed more potent inhibitory activity on fatty acid synthase than green tea extract. Additionally, the inhibitory ability of the black tea extract depended on the extracting solvent and the conditions used. Only 10-23% of the inhibitory activity from the black tea was extracted by the general method of boiling with water. The results suggested that the main fatty acid synthase inhibitors in black tea might be theaflavins. Which were more potent than epigallocatechin gallate or C75. The reaction site on the fatty acid synthase and the inhibition kinetics for the extract were different from those of epigallocatechin gallate or C75. In addition, Keemun black tea extract significantly reduced food intake, body weight and blood triglyceride of diet-induced obesity SD rats via oral administration.

[Spectral determination of the contents of mineral elements in polygonum cuspidatum].

The present paper reports the determination of mineral elements by FAAS, including K, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu. The best condition for the determination was investigated. The best ionization inhibitor and acidity media were confirmed. The experiment used CsCl to prevent ionization interference, and the concentration of HCl was controlled below 2%. At the same time SrCl prevented interference of P to Ca. So the value of absorbance was stable. The results were obtained by calibration curve method. The analysis method is simple, rapid, accurate and fitting to the determination of mineral elements in plants. The recoveries of the method are 90.5%-108.2%. The relative standard deviations are 0.3%-0.7%. The result show that large amounts of mineral elements are embodied in polygonum cuspidatum. The contents of K and Ca are in conformation with the medical effects of polygonum cuspidatum, and each element is related closely to its growing.