Effects of maternal and progeny dietary selenium supplementation on growth performance and antioxidant capacity in ducklings.

This study evaluated the effects of selenium (Se) supplementation in maternal and offspring diets on performance and antioxidant capacity of ducklings aged from 0 to 2 wk. A total of 144 female Longyan duck breeders aged 22-wk were allotted into 2 treatments and fed a control diet or a 0.16 mg Se/kg supplemented diet. At 40-wk, 120 offspring from each treatment were divided into 2 groups, with 6 replicates of 10 birds. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, ducklings from each maternal dietary treatment were assigned to a control diet or a 0.16 mg Se/kg supplemented diet from hatch to 2-wk. Compared with Se-deficient diet, maternal diet supplemented with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased the BW of hatchlings (P < 0.01). There were interactions between maternal and progeny diet with 0.16 mg Se/kg in BW of ducklings aged 2 wk and BW gain (BWG) as ducklings from maternal Se/progeny none treatment had the lightest BW and BWG (P < 0.01). Maternal diet with 0.16 mg Se/kg decreased plasma concentration of uric acid and insulin-like growth factor 1 (P < 0.01), and progeny diet supplemented with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) in plasma and glutathione peroxidase 1 in erythrocyte (P < 0.01). Maternal diet with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased (P < 0.05) the hepatic activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD). Progeny diet supplemented with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased (P < 0.01) hepatic activity of GPx3 and decreased (P < 0.01) the hepatic concentration of malondialdehyde. Interactions were detected between maternal and progeny diet with 0.16 mg Se/kg in hepatic activity of T-SOD and maternal and progeny diet supplemented with Se displayed the highest hepatic activity of T-SOD (P < 0.05). Overall, Se supplementation in the diet of duck breeders and offspring increased the antioxidant capacity of ducklings. Maternal Se supplementation increased the BW of hatchlings, whereas maternal and progeny dietary Se supplementation did not affect the BWG of ducklings aged from 0 to 2 wk. Se supplementation with additional 0.16 mg/kg in the diet of duck breeders and offspring displayed beneficial effects particularly on the antioxidant capacity in ducklings.

Shenjincao (Palhinhaea cernua) injection for treatment of experimental silicosis of rats.

Shenjincao injection is a traditional Chinese medicine prepared from Palhinhaea cernua (L.) A. Franco et Vasc. by ultrafiltration. Its anti-silicosis action has been investigated both as a prophylactic and for treatment of the disease. Wistar rats were injected intra-tracheally with quartz dust and then divided randomly into groups-treatment and control prophylactic groups and treatment and control disease groups. After five days or eight weeks, respectively, the silica-exposed rats of the two treatment groups were injected intraperitoneally three times a week with shenjincao injection, dose 2.0 mL, for five weeks or 11 weeks, respectively. The rats were then dissected, and the ceruloplasmin content of the serum and the fresh weight, dry weight, collagen content and pathological grade of the lungs were measured. Compared with the corresponding exposed control groups for the same treatment periods the values of these parameters were reduced by 62.8% to 30.7% for rats in the prophylactic treatment group (P < 0.01 for all) and by 50.8% to 30.2% for the diseased group (P < 0.01 for all). The values for the disease-treatment group were also reduced by 37.9% to 25.9% compared with values for the exposed control group before treatment (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The effective coefficients for prophylactic treatment were 82.6% to 56.0%; for disease treatment they were 68.8% to 39.8%. These results show that shenjincao injection is efficacious against experimental silicosis not only when used prophylactically but also when used to treat the disease.

[Clinical observation on treatment of infantile cholestatic hepatitis syndrome by rhubarb].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of Rhubarb in treating infantile cholestatic hepatitis syndrome (IHS). METHODS: Forty-four patients of the treatment group were treated with Rhubarb per os and/or duodenal infusion, 20 cases of the control group were treated with general liver protecting therapy such as inosine, vitamin C and glucose. Serum bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) level, bilirubin in duodenal juice and liver size were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: In the treatment group, 18 cases were markedly effective, 21 effective, 3 ineffective and 2 were deteriorated, while in the control group, the respective number were 0, 4, 13 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Rhubarb was a markedly effective in cholagoging and abating of jaundice, it could promote the recovery of liver function, dredge the cholestasis in cholangiole and micro-cholangiole so as to promote the bile secretion.

[Effect of atropine on the enhancing action of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus on the myoelectric activity of small intestine in dogs].

Effect of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus (FAI) was observed by using the computerized electrophysiologic method with the interdigestive myoelectric complex (IDMEC) as criterion. 100% FAI was given to the healthy, awakened and fasting dogs by gastrogavage and as soon as the effect on electric activity of small intestine appeared, atropine was injected. Results showed that the enhancing effect of FAI could be inhibited significantly by atropine, an antagonist of cholinergic receptor. It revealed that although the duration of phase II and general cycle were prolonged, but the spike burst per cluster in the duration between phase II and phase III as well as that per minute were decreased. It suggested the effect of FAI might be relevant with muscarinic receptor.

Evidence that the putative compatible solute 5-dimethylsulfoniopentanoate is an extraction artifact.

A novel gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for analyzing sulfonium compounds as their S-demethylated silyl derivatives has clarified the origin of 5-dimethylsulfoniopentanoate. This compound, previously reported from flowers of Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC. (Cruciferae), is generated from glucoerucin during treatment with hot 6 N HCl. Glucoerucin is the characteristic glucosinolate of D. tenuifolia.

[Treatment of infantile hepatitis syndrome with injection of yin zhi huang].

The infantile hepatitis syndrome is defined as a liver disease which occurs during the infantile period with the clinical manifestation of jaundice, hepatomegaly and hepatic dysfunction. The cause of disease is complex and the treatment is difficult. From March 1987 to June 1988, 55 patients (treatment group) were treated with injection of yin zhi huang, and 15 cases (control group) with injection of Inosine, vitamin C and glucose. The course of treatment lasted 15 days. At the beginning and the end of the treatment, serum bilirubin level, sALT level, duodenal juice bilirubin level, liver size and T cell subsets in peripheral blood had been detected separately. The results showed that among the treatment group, serum bilirubin level was significantly lower at the end of the treatment than that of the control group. The sALT, and hepatomegaly were also reduced or lessened, while the duodenal juice bilirubin level was increased. But there was no difference in T cell subsets between the two groups.

PIP: Infantile hepatitis syndrome is a liver disease which occurs during the infantile period with the clinical manifestation of jaundice, haptomegaly, and liver dysfunction. The cause of the disease is complex, and, currently, no medicine can provide satisfactory treatment. Yinzhihuang injectable has been found to be effective in treating infantile jaundice, and acute and chronic hepatitis and, therefore, its effectiveness in treating infantile hepatitis syndrome was tested. From March 1987 to June 1988, 55 infants with hepatitis syndrome were treated with Yinzhihuang injection for 1 or 2 15-day cycles, and 15 infants randomly chosen to be the controls received injections of Inosine, vitamin C, and glucose. Serum bilirubin level, liver SALT levels, duodenal juice bilirubin level, liver size, and T cell subsets in peripheral blood were tested both before and after the treatment. The results showed that the treatment group experiences a significant decline of serum bilirubin level and a reduction in liver size after the treatment, while the differences for the control group were not significant. The duodenal juice bilirubin level of the treatment group increased, but the difference was not statistically significant. Both the treatment and the control group experienced a reduction of CD+4 to normal level, but CD+8 for both groups was still high, which indicated that Yinzhihuang can not regulate cell immunological functioning in a short term. Nevertheless, its longterm impact on immunological functions needs to be further explored.

Study on the Alkaloids of Melodinus tenuicaudatus.

Fourteen alkaloids were isolated from the stem bark of MELODINUS TENUICAUDATUS Tsiang et P. T. Li. Eleven of them were identified as known alkaloids, namely, scandine ( 2), Delta (14)-eburnamine ( 4), vindolinine N(b)-oxide ( 5), 11-methoxytabersonine ( 6), vindolinine ( 7), EPI-vindolinine N(b)-oxide ( 8), hazuntine ( 9), compactinervine ( 10), 11-hydroxytabersonine ( 11), Delta (14)-vincine ( 12), and normacusine B ( 14). Two alkaloids were new: 10-hydroxyscandine ( 1), and the dimer, tenuicausine ( 3); their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. One alkaloid ( 13) occurring in trace amounts, could not be identified.