Drug-loaded nanobubbles for ultrasound-mediated antitumor treatment.

Polylactic acid (PLA) bubbles that can act both as ultrasound contrast agents and drug carriers have the disadvantage of low encapsulation efficiency and do not allow effective extravasation into the tumor tissue. In this regard, PLA and lecithin are considered drug carriers. The present study used a modified ultrasonic double emulsion-solvent evaporation technology in order to prepare paclitaxel-loaded PLA-lecithin nanobubbles. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was used to investigate the state of the drug in the bubbles, whereas the tumor weight and the inhibition rate of tumor bearing mice in the ultrasound-mediated function were further examined. The results indicated that the nanobubbles prepared with a mass ratio of PLA and lecithin at 50:250 were characterized as inner hollow. The size of these particles was approximately 615 nm, and the drug loading and encapsulation reached 8.34±0.67% and 91.42±5.48%, respectively. Paclitaxel was distributed in the shell of the bubbles in an amorphous state, and the in vitro drug release was characterized by sustained release, zero release and ultrasound mediated drug release. The injection of H22 hematoma-bearing mice with ultrasound-mediated drug-loaded PLA-lecithin nano-scaled bubbles could reduce the toxicity and increase the antitumor efficacy compared with paclitaxel.

Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis examining the efficacy of phytoestrogens for the relief of menopausal symptoms. METHODS: Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases were searched until September 30, 2013 using the following key words: vasomotor symptoms, menopausal symptoms, phytoestrogens, isoflavones, coumestrol, soy, red clover. Inclusion criteria were (1) randomized controlled trial (RCT), (2) perimenopausal or postmenopausal women experiencing menopausal symptoms, (3) intervention with an oral phytoestrogen. Outcome measures included Kupperman index (KI) changes, daily hot flush frequency, and the likelihood of side-effects. RESULTS: Of 543 potentially relevant studies identified, 15 RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The mean age of the subjects ranged from 49 to 58.3 and 48 to 60.1 years, respectively, in the placebo and phytoestrogen groups. The number of participants ranged from 30 to 252, and the intervention periods ranged from 3 to 12 months. Meta-analysis of the seven studies that reported KI data indicated no significant treatment effect of phytoestrogen as compared to placebo (pooled mean difference = 6.44, p = 0.110). Meta-analysis of the ten studies that reported hot flush data indicated that phytoestrogens result in a significantly greater reduction in hot flush frequency compared to placebo (pooled mean difference = 0.89, p < 0.005). Meta-analysis of the five studies that reported side-effect data showed no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.175). CONCLUSION: Phytoestrogens appear to reduce the frequency of hot flushes in menopausal women, without serious side-effects.

Curcumin attenuates airway hyperreactivity induced by ischemia-reperfusion of the pancreas in rats.

OBJECTIVES: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) of the rat pancreas induces acute pancreatitis with a systemic inflammatory response. Activated inflammatory cells are sequestered in the lung, and the consequent respiratory burst may increase airway reactivity. In this study, we characterized the effect of the antioxidant curcumin on airway hyperreactivity induced by pancreatic I/R. METHODS: Ischemia of the pancreas was induced by clamping the gastroduodenal and the splenic artery for 2 hours followed by reperfusion for 6 hours. The pulmonary function data of Penh, a measurement of airway resistance, were used to show the airway responses to a methacholine challenge. The blood concentration of oxygen radicals, nitric oxide, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) were measured after pancreatic I/R. mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and TNFalpha in lung tissues were measured after pancreatic I/R. Pretreatment with curcumin (20 mg/kg) was administered by intraperitoneal injection 2 hours before pancreatic I/R. RESULTS: The protocol resulted in significant elevations of the blood concentrations of amylase, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, TNFalpha, and white cells among the I/R group. iNOS and TNFalpha mRNA expressions also significantly increased in lung tissues. Pulmonary function data showed that pancreatic I/R induced significant increases in responses to methacholine challenge: Penh increased significantly in the I/R group when compared with the sham group. Pretreatment with curcumin significantly attenuated the inflammatory, oxidative, and nitrosative responses and lung tissue iNOS and TNFalpha expressions. Curcumin also attenuated airway reactivity to methacholine challenge. CONCLUSIONS: I/R of the pancreas induced systemic inflammatory responses with respiratory burst, nitrosative stress, and hyperresponses in the airways. Curcumin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, significantly attenuated the inflammatory responses and airway hyperreactivity induced by pancreatic I/R.

Evaluation of the hepatic and renal-protective effects of Ganoderma lucidum in mice.

The antioxidative effect of hot water extract of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum on ethanol-induced free radical generation had been studied. In order to further investigate the hepatic and renal protective mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum, rates of lipid peroxidation were determined. The hot water extract of Ganoderma lucidum dose-dependently exhibited antioxidative effect on mouse liver and kidney lipid peroxidation; our results indicated that hepatic and renal homogenates have a higher malonic dialdehyde level in an ethanol administered group than in the Ganoderma lucidum treated group. It was concluded that the hepatic and renal protective mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum, might be due at least in part to its prominent superoxide scavenging effect. Ganoderma extract could protect the liver and kidney from superoxide induced hepatic and renal damages.

[Hairy root induction and in vitro cultivation of Pueraria lobata willa. ohwi].

OBJECTIVE: To study the hairy root induction and hormone-free in vitro liquid cultivation of Pueraria lobata (Willd) Ohwi. METHOD: Co-cultivation of super-virulent Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1601 with P. lobata leaves in vitro. RESULTS: Hairy roots of rapid growth, high branches and plagiotropism developed vigorously on the surface of leaves, exhibiting rapid growth and resistance to kanamycin in hormone-free medium in vitro. CONCLUSION: A method of hairy root induction with A. rhizogenes as well as a system hairy root liquid cultivation in vitro for P. lobata have been established.

[Prediction and prevention of hypertension syndrome of pregnancy].

Analysis of mean artery pressure (MAP-2) according to the differentiation of symptom complex of TCM can predict the occurrence of hypertension syndrome of pregnancy (HSP) at patients' first visit to hospital during their middle gestational period (less than 24 pregnant weeks). 424 pregnant women (MAP-2 greater than or equal to 12kPa) were divided into 4 groups and given preventive treatment as follows: (1) The control group, 122 women, no drugs were given; (2) the Theragan group, 102 women; (3) the TCM (A) group, 100 women, those with Liver-Kidney deficiency of Yin or no apparent signs were given Qiju Dihuang Wan, and those with Spleen-Kidney deficiency of Yang were given Shenqiwan; (4) the TCM(B) group, 100 women, were given Salvia miltiorrhiza plus (A) group's drugs. The results of prediction: (1) The occurrence rate of HSP in the MAP-2 less than 12kPa group was 10. 5%; in the MAP-2 greater than or equal to 12kPa group, 49.2%. The difference was significant. (2) The rate of deficiency of Yin in the MAP-2 greater than or equal to 12kPa was significantly higher than in the MAP-2 less than 12kPa. The rate of HSP in the deficiency of Yin was higher than in the nondeficiency of Yin. The rate of HSP increased to 70. 7% in the MAP-2 greater than or equal to 12kPa with deficiency of Yin. The results of prevention: (1) The occurrence rates of HSP in 4 groups were 49.2%, 30.4%, 15% and 14% respectively. (2) There was no side effect for mother and infant after preventive treatment. No eclampsia occurred.

[Scavenging effect of EDTA-fluorocarbon microspheres on 210lead].

EDTA-fluorocarbon microspheres (EDTAFM), calcium disodium ethylene diaminetetraacetate (CaNa2EDTA), calcium- or zinc-diethylene triamine pentaacetate (Ca- or Zn-DTPA) were investigated for their ability to treat experimental lead intoxication in mice. The 48 ICR mice were divided into six groups. Group I = no treatment; The other groups were injected with single ip doses of 210Pb (10 mg Pb2+ +555 kBq/kg). After 24 h they were injected in the tail vein with the chelating agents (20 mg/kg) or an equal volume of 10% glucose (10 mg/kg). Each mouse was housed in one metabolic cage, and urine was collected daily for 3 d. After 3 d, the mice were sacrificed for comparison of lead distribution within the liver, kidney, femur and the entire carcass as measured by 0.047 Mev gamma emission from 210Pb. The results reveal that injection of EDTA-FM to lead poisoned mice pretreated with 210Pb was more effective than Zn- or Ca-DTPA and CaNa2EDTA in reducing the lead induced inhibition in the activity of blood ALAD, and that it increased the excretion of 210Pb into the urine. The hepatic, renal and femur 210Pb contents after treatment with EDTAFM were much more decreased than Zn- or Ca-DTPA and CaNa2-EDTA. The order of effectiveness was EDTAFM greater than Zn-DTPA greater than Ca-DTPA greater than CaNa2-EDTA.