Determination of random- and blockwise-type de-esterified pectins by capillary zone electrophoresis.

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was employed to determine the correlations between migration time and degree of esterification (DE) of pectinesterase-de-esterified pectins (PDPs) and alkaline-de-esterified pectins (ADPs) using 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) as carrier electrolyte solution and 15 KV as applied voltage. Results showed that pectins with higher DEs exhibited shorter migration times. Linear correlation (r = 0.995) between migration time and DE of ADPs was observed, whereas down-curve correlation in PDPs was observed, regardless of the capillary length used (effective length, 30 and 60 cm). In addition, PDP appeared to migrate faster than ADP with the same DE under the same experimental conditions.

Change in particle size of pectin reacted with pectinesterase isozymes from pea (Pisum sativum L.) sprout.

Four pectinesterase (PE) isozymes were isolated by CM-Sepharose CL-6B chromatography from etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) sprouts and then reacted with citrus pectin (degree of esterification = 68%, 30-100 kDa) to observe the change in pectin particle size using a laser particle size analyzer. After incubation of a pectin-PE mixture (pH 6.5) at 30 degrees C for 4 h, PE 1 was observed to catalyze the transacylation reaction most remarkably, increasing the particle size from approximately 50-70 to approximately 250-350 nm, followed by PE 3, PE 2, and PE 4.

[Clinical observation on effect of chemotherapy combined with Chinese medicine in treating advanced tumor patients and on immunologic parameters].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of chemotherapy combined with Chinese herbal medicine (Spleen-Kidney tonifying) in treating advanced tumor patients and on immune parameters. METHODS: One hundred and one advanced tumor patients were randomly divided into the treated group (54 patients) treated by Chinese medicine combined with chemotherapy, and the control group (47 patients) treated by chemotherapy alone. After being treated for 8 weeks (2 treatment courses), the changes of tumor size, body weight, Karnofsky scores, immunologic parameters, peripheral blood cells, as well as the toxic and side-effects were also studied. RESULTS: Improvement of various degree was obtained on the immunologic parameters such as CD3, CD4, CD4/CD8, NK cells, and the quality of life, as Karnofsky score in the treated group, in comparing with those in the control group the difference was significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). But on behalf of the toxic and side-effects in advanced patients, there was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy combined with Chinese Spleen-Kidney tonifying drugs could improve the immunologic functions in the advanced tumor patients.

Development of mustard oil-induced hyperalgesia in rats.

Age-dependent changes in nociceptive responses were investigated using either the electromyogram (EMG) recorded from the hamstring muscle in response to electrical stimulation of the hind foot in spinal transected rats or measurement of the tail-flick (TF) reflex latency in intact rats. The development of hyperalgesia produced by topical application of mustard oil was subsequently studied. In experiments involving EMG recordings, rats were tested from day 2 to day 34 after birth (4-day interval) and as adults. In experiments involving measurement of the TF reflex, rats were tested from day 5 to day 30 after birth (5-day interval) and as adults. It was found that the latency and the duration of an early component of the EMG decreased with an increase in animal age, and was similar to adult animals at approximately 18 days after birth. The thermal tail withdraw threshold was lower in pups in comparison with older rats, and took more than 30 postnatal days to become similar to that of adult rats. Although nociceptive behaviors such as biting, body movement, and vocalization could be produced in intact rats by mustard oil in rats as young as 5 days old, the intensities of these responses were subjectively less than those of adult rats. Mustard oil application enhanced significantly the EMG response to electrical stimulation and the effect increased with increasing age. Similarly, mustard oil applied to a hind leg facilitated the TF reflex (decreased response latency). In both experiments, it took approximately 34-40 postnatal days for mustard oil-produced hyperalgesia to become similar to that of adult rats. These data confirm that nociceptive processing is not mature in the young animal and that a developmental period after birth is required for hyperalgesia-related mechanisms to mature.