Overview of systematic reviews of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules / 中国中药杂志

At present, there have been many clinical trials and systematic reviews/Meta-analysis proving the good clinical efficacy of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules in the treatment of respiratory diseases, while comprehensive discussion is still required. This article overviews and analyzes the systematic reviews/Meta-analysis of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules to provide evidence support for clinical practice. The systematic reviews/Meta-analysis of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules were searched from CBM, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library. The AMSTAR 2 scale and GRADE system were respectively employed for the evaluation of methodological quality and the grading of evidence quality. Finally, 8 systematic reviews/Meta-analysis published during 2018-2021 were included for analysis. The diseases involved include acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, community-acquired pneumonia, acute tonsillitis, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and acute upper respiratory tract infection. The number of included RCTs studies ranged from 8 to 25. The results showed that Shufeng Jiedu Capsules combined with western medicine routine had better therapeutic effect than the latter alone in the treatment of the above five diseases. The reported adverse reactions caused by Shufeng Jiedu Capsules were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts such as mild nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, with low incidence and mild symptoms, which can be relieved by drug withdrawal. The methodological quality of the included studies was extremely low, and the outcome indicators were mainly of low and very low grades. The efficacy and safety of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules in the clinical treatment of diseases still need to be verified based on more high-quality studies. The relevant clinical research and systematic review/Meta-analysis should pay more attention to methodological quality and reporting standards and strengthen the scientificity of research.

Celastrol targets adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 to reduce macrophages-mediated inflammation and ameliorates high fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in mice

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of metabolic disorder with unclear molecular mechanism. Increasing studies have found that the pathogenesis and progression of metabolic syndrome are closely related to inflammation. Here, we report celastrol, a traditional Chinese medicine, can improve high fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome through suppressing resistin-induced inflammation. Mechanistically, celastrol binds to adenylyl cyclase associated protein 1 (CAP1) and inhibits the interaction between CAP1 and resistin, which restrains the cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA)-nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-

Application of objective performance criteria in post-marketing evaluation schemes of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs) have certain limitations in the clinical research design in their post-marketing evaluation, so that randomized controlled programs cannot be strictly implemented in some studies, while the objective performance criteria is a reasonable external controlled research method that has been gradually recognized at home and abroad in recent years in addition to randomized controlled trial(RCT) method. It is more mature in medical devices, surgery and other research fields, but there is no relevant report in the field of post-marketing evaluation of Chinese patent medicines. In this paper, the application prospect of the objective performance criteria and the problems were discussed in the field of post-marketing evaluation of TCM. The characteristics of as TCM are more consistent with the scope of the objective performance criteria, the application of the objective performance criteria in post-marketing evaluation of Chinese patent medicines, especially in single arm research, can break through the limitations of existing conventional clinical research methods, and improve the level of evidence, with good feasibility and advantages. However, in the application process, we should pay attention to the key issues such as the selection of index, research population, follow-up period and the reference selection, to ensure the quality of research. This research group has carried out some exploration and practice in the field of post-marketing evaluation of TCM injections by using single arm combined with the objective performance criteria, hoping to establish the key technology in this field, and provide certain research and design reference for the secondary development of Chinese patent medicines.

Traditional Chinese herbal medicine Astragalus Radix and its effects on intestinal absorption of aconite alkaloids in rats / 中草药·英文版

Objective: Astragalus Radix (AR, Huangqi in Chinese) has been widely used as a qi (energy) restoring herb that is thought to act through reinvigorating the spleen and lung. Aconite is used to rebalance the body temperature during illness and played an irreplaceable role in disease control since ancient times, but it is limited by its strong neuro and cardiotoxicity. Since the Song Dynasty (1227), the two herbs have been commonly used as herbal pairs including in the famous Qifu Decotion, from the “Wei's Family Prescription”. However, many ancient texts also record that they are not compatible using together, suggesting they can have negative outcomes when mixed. This study investigated whether Astragali Radix had either positive or negative effects on absorption of six different active alkaloids derived from aconite. Methods: Single intestinal perfusion model was used to study the effects of Astragali Radix on aconite alkaloids absorption. Response of ABC transporters and distribution of three tight junction proteins on the surface of intestinal enothelium were assessed by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy, respectively. Results: The results showed that aconite alkaloids absorption could be inhibited, and different concentrations of Astragali Radix considerably increased the expression levels of the ABC transporters and tight junction proteins with Astragali Radix treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that Astragali Radix can block absorption of aconite alkaloids through the upregulation expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters) and tight junction proteins. It demonstrates that co-administration of Astragali Radix with other drugs might change the absorption profile of the second drug which is important to know in clinic therapy.

Effect of Modified Wuzi Yanzong Pill () on Tip60-Mediated Apoptosis in Testis of Male Rats after Microwave Radiation / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of a modified Wuzi Yanzong Pill (, WZYZP) on the male rats' testis after microwave radiation, as well as its potential mechanism.@*METHODS@#Forty-five male rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group, the radiation group, and the WZYZP group. The rats in the radiation group and WZYZP group were exposed to microwave radiation for 15 min once, while the rats in the control group were not exposed to any radiation. The rats in the WZYZP group were given a modified of WZYZP by gavage daily for 7 days. Apoptosis in the testis was evaluated using terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Histopathological alterations of the testis were observed by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Tat-interactive protein, 60kD (Tip60) and p53 expressions were determined by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#The apoptosis index (AI) in the radiation group was higher than that of the WZYZP group and control group on day 1 (D1), day 7 (D7) day 14 (D14) after radiation (P<0.05). The seminiferous tubules were of normal morphology in the control group. In the radiation group, the partial seminiferous tubules were collapsed, basement membranes of the seminiferous epithelia became detached. WZYZP could restore the morphological changes. There was no expression of Tip60 among the three groups on D7 and D14. The expression of p53 was higher in the radiation group than in the control group (P<0.05). WZYZP could down-regulate the rising p53 induced by radiation on D7 and D14 (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#A modified WZYZP may affect germ cells, and its protective effects may partly result from its ability to intervene in Tip60 mediated apoptosis.

Carnosic acid enhances the anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin by inhibiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells / 中国天然药物

Cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs are used frequently for treatment of lung cancer. However, their clinical performance are usually limited by drug resistance or toxic effects. Carnosic acid, a polyphenolic diterpene isolated from Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), has been reported to have several pharmacological and biological activities. In the present study, the combination effect of cisplatin plus carnosic acid on mouse LLC (Lewis lung cancer) xenografts and possible underlying mechanism of action were examined. LLC-bearing mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection with cisplatin, oral gavage with carnosic acid, or combination with cisplatin and carnosic acid, respectively. Combination of carnosic acid and cisplatin yielded significantly better anti-growth and pro-apoptotic effects on LLC xenografts than drugs alone. Mechanistic study showed that carnosic acid treatment boosted the function of CD8 T cells as evidenced by higher IFN-γ secretion and higher expression of FasL, perforin as well as granzyme B. In the meantime, the proportion of MDSC (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) in tumor tissues were reduced by carnosic acid treatment and the mRNA levels of iNOS2, Arg-1, and MMP9, which are the functional markers for MDSC, were reduced. In conclusion, our study proved that the functional suppression of MDSC by carnosic acid promoted the lethality of CD8 T cells, which contributed to the enhancement of anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin.

Anti-inflammatory effect of external use of escin on cutaneous inflammation: possible involvement of glucocorticoids receptor / 中国天然药物

Escin, as an internally applied anti-inflammatory agent, has been widely used in the treatment of inflammation and edema resulting from trauma or operation in the clinic. However, the effect of its external use on cutaneous inflammation and edema remains unexplored. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effects of external use of escin were studied in carrageenan-induced paw edema and histamine-induced capillary permeability in rats, paraxylene-induced ear swelling in mice, and cotton pellet-induced granuloma in rats. Effects of external use of escin gel on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined by ELISA. The anti-inflammatory mechanism was explored by detecting the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) with Western blotting and Real-time PCR analyses, with further exploration of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) expressions. We demonstrated that external use of escin showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on acute and chronic inflammation in different animal models and its anti-inflammatory effects might be related to down-regulation of PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β. The results also showed that escin exerted its anti-inflammatory effects by promoting the expression of GR, with the possible mechanism being inhibition of the expressions of GR-related signaling molecules such as NF-κB and AP-1.

Carnosic acid enhances the anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin by inhibiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells / 中国天然药物

Cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs are used frequently for treatment of lung cancer. However, their clinical performance are usually limited by drug resistance or toxic effects. Carnosic acid, a polyphenolic diterpene isolated from Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), has been reported to have several pharmacological and biological activities. In the present study, the combination effect of cisplatin plus carnosic acid on mouse LLC (Lewis lung cancer) xenografts and possible underlying mechanism of action were examined. LLC-bearing mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection with cisplatin, oral gavage with carnosic acid, or combination with cisplatin and carnosic acid, respectively. Combination of carnosic acid and cisplatin yielded significantly better anti-growth and pro-apoptotic effects on LLC xenografts than drugs alone. Mechanistic study showed that carnosic acid treatment boosted the function of CD8 T cells as evidenced by higher IFN-γ secretion and higher expression of FasL, perforin as well as granzyme B. In the meantime, the proportion of MDSC (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) in tumor tissues were reduced by carnosic acid treatment and the mRNA levels of iNOS2, Arg-1, and MMP9, which are the functional markers for MDSC, were reduced. In conclusion, our study proved that the functional suppression of MDSC by carnosic acid promoted the lethality of CD8 T cells, which contributed to the enhancement of anti-lung cancer effect of cisplatin.

Anti-inflammatory effect of external use of escin on cutaneous inflammation: possible involvement of glucocorticoids receptor / 中国天然药物

Escin, as an internally applied anti-inflammatory agent, has been widely used in the treatment of inflammation and edema resulting from trauma or operation in the clinic. However, the effect of its external use on cutaneous inflammation and edema remains unexplored. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effects of external use of escin were studied in carrageenan-induced paw edema and histamine-induced capillary permeability in rats, paraxylene-induced ear swelling in mice, and cotton pellet-induced granuloma in rats. Effects of external use of escin gel on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined by ELISA. The anti-inflammatory mechanism was explored by detecting the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) with Western blotting and Real-time PCR analyses, with further exploration of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) expressions. We demonstrated that external use of escin showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on acute and chronic inflammation in different animal models and its anti-inflammatory effects might be related to down-regulation of PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β. The results also showed that escin exerted its anti-inflammatory effects by promoting the expression of GR, with the possible mechanism being inhibition of the expressions of GR-related signaling molecules such as NF-κB and AP-1.

Research progress of mechanical overload on osteoblast injury and its repair by traditional Chinese medicine / 医用生物力学

The growth and metabolism of bone are controlled by osteogenesis of osteoblasts and absorption of osteoclasts, and osteoblasts play a main role in the process of osteogenesis. Overload will affect proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, while the loading mode, intensity, duration and other factors can change the biological properties of osteoblasts and further affect the functional activity of osteoblasts. However, the mechanism of osteoblast response to overload is still at the exploratory stage and needs in-depth study. Numerous studies have demonstrated that icariin, a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, can promote proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, and icariin with a certain concentration plays an important role in the repair of osteoblast injuries. In this paper, the response of osteoblasts to overload stimulation and repair of osteoblast injuries by icariin were summarized.

Qilin Pills combined with clomiphene for idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of Qilin Pills combined with clomiphene on idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We randomly assigned 300 patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia to a trial (n = 156) and a control group (n = 144) to be treated with Qilin Pills (6 g, tid) combined with clomiphene (50 mg, qd) and clomiphene alone (50 mg, qd), respectively, both for a course of 12 weeks. Before and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of medication, we determined sperm concentration, the percentages of grade a and grade a + b sperm, sperm motility, and the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T), followed by evaluation of the clinical efficacy of Qilin Pills with the pregnancy rate in the patients' spouses as the secondaty therapeutic indexes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the baseline, both groups of patients showed remarkably improved semen parameters and hormone levels after treatment (all P < 0.01). After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of medication, statistically significant differences were observed between the trial and control groups in sperm concentration ([17.06 ± 2.24] vs [15.07 ± 2.48], [22.10 ± 2.65] vs [18.11 ± 2.97], and [28.13 ± 3.59] vs [21.21 ± 3.60] x 10(6)/mL, P < 0.01), the percentage of grade a sperm ([15.03 ± 2.39] vs [13.08 ± 2.51], [21.08 ± 3.16] vs [16.04 ± 3.05], and [28.08 ± 4.70] vs [20.14 ± 4.74]%, P < 0.01), the percentage of grade a + b sperm ([30.10 ± 5.07] vs [26.21 ± 3.96], [38.08 ± 5.64] vs [30.07 ± 4.80], and [48.04 ± 6.49] vs [35.28 ± 4.77]%, P < 0.01), sperm motility ([42.04 ± 4.86] vs [40.29 ± 4.19], [52.05 ± 5.58] vs [48.03 ± 4.40], and [65.03 ± 5.13] vs [56.67 ± 4.99]%), the FSH level ([7.75 ± 1.38] vs [7.20 ± 1.17], [10.83 ± 1.23] vs [9.10 ± 1.32], and [14.22 ± 0.84] vs [12.06 ± 1.45] IU/L, P < 0.01), the LH level ([10.05 ± 1.68] vs [9.18 ± 1.54], [13.96 ± 1.68] vs [11.99 ± 1.71], and [19.01 ± 2.42] vs [15.86 ± 2.08] IU/L, P < 0.01) and the T level ([19.19 ± 192] vs [18.34 ± 1.79] [21.06 ± 1.63] vs [20.06 ± 1.56], and [24.63 ± 1.06] vs [22.03 ± 1.49] nmol/L, P < 0.01). The pregnancy rate in the patients' spouses was significantly higher in the trial than in the control group at 4, 8, and 12 weeks (1.92 vs 0.69, 4.81 vs 3.47, and 11.54 vs 8.33%, P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in drug tolerance between the two groups (P > 0.05). No obvious adverse reactions were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Qilin Pills combined with clomiphene can evidently improve the seminal quality and hormone level of oligoasthenospermia patients with no obvious adverse events. However, its long-term efficacy and tolerance deserve further clinical investigation.</p>

Uses of fresh herbs with antioxidant effect and prospect for population ecology reconstruction in Macau / 中国中药杂志

The average life expectancy in Macau is ranking the second in the world, the consumption of fresh medicinal plants is a profound culture in Macau. The paper focus on the distribution of the antioxidant herbs, a comprehensive investigation and analysis the amount of the plant resources was carried out. The antioxidant activity of alcohol extracts was determined by using the DPPH method, and six kinds fresh herbs with high antioxidant free radical activity were screened out. Reference to adult daily dose of vitamin C, it is calculated that the daily dose amount of fresh herbs is less than 200 g. For the expected shortage of resources and the ecological status of Macau, we give some suggestions of herbal introduction in population ecology reconstruction.

Case-control study on tibetan Baimai ointment (see symbol in text) for the treatment of wrist-dysfunction after distal radius fracture / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate efficacy and safety of Baimai ointment (see symbol in text) in the treatment of wrist-dysfunction after distal radius fracture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From April, 2011 to June, 2012, 43 patients with distal radius fracture were treated with plaster fixation. All the patients were divided into two group: test group and control group. Twenty-one patients in test group and 22 in control group, and the baseline was balance (P > 0.05). The 21 patients in test group were treated with Baimai ointment (see symbol in text), fomentation, functional exercises. The 22 patients in control group were treated with placebo, fomentation, functional exercises. Foment affected side wrist with wet towel in 20 min before medication, with the temperature between 50 degrees C and 60 degrees C. Smear drugs uniformly in range of 3 cm in the vicinity of palm stripes after drying (about 3 g) and take functional exercises for the activities of wrist and hand. Continuous follow the program per 8 hours once and follow-up for 8 weeks. The Wrist's pain was assessed with VAS. The wrist's activities were measured with the protractor of orthopedic. Measure The grip strength was measured with dynamometer. The wrist's function were assessed with the table of Cooney.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The test group had a significantly better results than those of control group in the extent of wrist's pain throughout the treatment (P < 0.001), and grip strength on the 28th day and the 56th day (P < 0.05), and Cooney functional assessment on the 56th day (P < 0.05). Wrist's activities had no significane difference throughout the 8 weeks (P > 0.05). There were no drug adverse reactions occurred.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Tibetan Baimai ointment (see symbol in text) has the treatment of wrist-dysfunction after distal radius fracture for external use, which can reduce the extent of wrist's pain, promote grip strength recovery in the middle and late of process, promote wrist's function recovery latterly, and safety for external use.</p>

Minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis with intramedullary nail and close reduction by manipulation for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the technique and clinical results of close reduction by manipulation and minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis with intramedullary nail for the treatment of femur shaft fractures. methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze 96 patients with the femur shaft fractures who had been treated with close reduction by manipulation and minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis with intramedullary nail. There were 67 males and 29 females. The average age of patients was 39 years old (ranging from 16 to 88). According to AO fracture classification for the femur shaft fractures,there were 29 cases of type A,46 type B,21 type C.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients were followed up and the duration ranged from 12 to 24 months (averaged, 15 months). All the fractures showed union. The time required for the bony union ranged from 3 to 10 months (averaged,4 months). The clinical results were evaluated by Thorsen classification system. At the latest follow-up, 87 patients obtained excellent results, 7 good, 2 fair.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This treatment method combines advantages of intramedullary nail with close manipulative reduction, so can get satisfactory clinical results for the treatment of femoral shaft fracture with minimal trauma.</p>

The regulatory mechanism of songling xuemaikang capsule on PPARgamma in spontaneously hypertensive rats: an experimental study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Songling Xuemaikang Capsule (SXC) on blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and regulatory mechanisms for peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 24 10-week-old SHR rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, the Chinese medicine (CM) group, and the Western medicine (WM) group, 8 in each group. Rats in the CM group were administered with SXC at the daily dose of 20 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Those in the WM group were administered with ramipril at the daily dose of 1 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Those in the blank control group were administered with equal volume of normal saline. The blood pressure was measured once per week. The cardiac ultrasound was performed 4 weeks later. Rats were killed and then blood was sampled from abdominal aorta. mRNA expressions of liver PPARgamma and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) were detected by fluorescence real-time quantitative PCR. Protein expressions of PPARgamma and AT1R were detected using immunohistochemical assay (SP). The contents of PPARgamma and AT1R were quantitatively analyzed by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 4 weeks of treatment, the blood pressure decreased in the CM group, showing statistical difference when compared with the blank control group (P < 0.01). CM was inferior to WM in lowering blood pressure. But as a whole, CM was more stable and could maintain blood pressure at a relatively stable level. The cardiac ejection fraction increased in the CM group, showing statistical difference when compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The mRNA and protein expressions of liver PPARgamma were up-regulated in the CM group, showing statistical difference when compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CM could obviously inhibit the AT1R mRNA expression, and down-regulate the protein expression of AT1R, showing statistical difference when compared with the blank control group and the WM group respectively (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SXC decreased blood pressure and improved the cardiac ejection fraction, which might be partially achieved by up-regulating the PPARgamma mRNA expression and protein synthesis, and inhibiting the AT1R mRNA expression and AT1R protein synthesis.</p>

Close reduction by Chinese traditional manipulation and MIPPO for the treatment of tibial fractures in middle and distal segment / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the technique and clinical results of close manipulative reduction and minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) for the treatment of tibial fractures in the middle and distal segment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2009, 40 patients with tibial fractures in middle and distal segment were treated with close manipulative reduction and MIPPO fixation, including 28 males and 12 females with an average age of 54 years old (ranging from 21 to 76). According to AO fractures classification for the tibial fractures in the middle and distal segment, there were 26 cases of type A, 8 of type B, 6 of type C.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients were followed up for 12 to 24 months (averaged 18 months). All the fractures gained bone healing, and the time required for the bony union ranged from 3 to 18 months (averaged 4 months). The patients were evaluated with respect to functional recovery according to Mazur Grating System for the ankle. The aggregate score was 96.67 +/- 3.91, involving pain 48.59 +/- 2.28, hills up 2.95 +/- 0.22, hills down 2.85 +/- 0.37, stairs down 2.92 +/- 0.35, run score 4.95 +/- 0.32, plantar flexion score 4.62 +/- 0.54, dorsiflexion score 4.13 +/- 0.61. The clinical results were excellent in 36 cases, good in 3 and fair in 1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Close manipulative reduction and MIPPO fixation is a good method for the treatment of the tibial fractures in the middle and distal segment.</p>

Evaluation of different multidimensional LC-MS/MS pipelines for isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis of potato tubers in response to cold storage.

Cold-induced sweetening in potato tubers is a costly problem for the food industry. To systematically identify the proteins associated with this process, we employed a comparative proteomics approach using isobaric, stable isotope coded labels to compare the proteomes of potato tubers after 0 and 5 months of storage at 5 °C. We evaluated both high pH reverse phase (hpRP) liquid chromatography (LC) and off-gel electrophoresis (OGE) as first dimension fractionation methods followed by nanoLC-MS/MS, using two high performance mass spectrometry platforms (Q-TOF and Orbitrap). We found that hpRP-LC consistently offered better resolution, reduced expression ratio compression, and a more MS-compatible workflow than OGE and consistently yielded more unique peptide/protein identifications and higher sequence coverage with better quantification. In this study, a total of 4463 potato proteins were identified, of which 46 showed differential expressions during potato tuber cold storage. Several key proteins important in controlling starch-sugar conversion, which leads to cold-induced sweetening, as well as other proteins that are potentially involved in this process, were identified. Our results suggest that the hpRP-RP shotgun approach is a feasible and practical workflow for discovering potential protein candidates in plant proteomic analysis.

Folotyn (pralatrexate injection) for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma: U.S. Food and Drug Administration drug approval summary.

PURPOSE: On September 24, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for Folotyn (pralatrexate injection, Allos Therapeutics, Inc.) as a single agent for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL); it is the first drug approved for this indication. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: This review was based on study PDX-008, a phase II, single-arm, nonrandomized, open-label, international, multicenter trial, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pralatrexate when administered concurrently with vitamin B(12) and folic acid supplementation in patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 27% in 109 evaluable patients [95% confidence interval (CI), 19-36%]. Twelve percent of 109 evaluable patients (95% CI, 7-20%)] had a response duration of ≥14 weeks. Six of these 13 patients achieved a complete response, and one patient had complete response unconfirmed. The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia, mucositis, and neutropenia. CONCLUSION: This accelerated approval was based on a response rate that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit in this heavily pretreated patient population with this rare disease. The applicant has committed to conducting postmarketing clinical trials to assess clinical benefit. The recommended starting dose of pralatrexate in patients with relapsed or refractory PTCL is 30 mg/m(2) via intravenous push over 3 to 5 min weekly for 6 weeks followed by a one-week rest (one cycle). Intramuscular injection of 1 mg vitamin B(12) should be administered every 8 to 10 weeks along with 1.0 mg folic acid given orally once a day.

Anti-fertility effect of Tongbi composition and its reversibility in male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the anti-fertility effect of maximum-dose Tongbi Composition and its reversibility in male rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six male SD rats were equally randomized into a control group and a medication group, the former given normal saline at 10 ml/(kg x d), while the latter treated with Tongbi Composition at 10 g/(kg x d), both for 60 days. Half the rats of each group were sacrificed randomly at the cessation of treatment, and the rest killed at 72 days after it. The relative testis weight, testis volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility were measured, and the pathological changes in the testicular tissue observed under the optical microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 60 days of treatment, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in the relative testis weight, testis volume and sperm concentration (P > 0.05) , and the sperm motility of the medication group dropped to zero, but it was restored to normal at 72 days after drug withdrawal. Almost no lesions were observed in the testis tissue of the medication group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The short-term use of Tongbi Composition at the maximum clinical dose has an obvious anti-fertility effect, but it is reversible.</p>

Effects of Tongbi Mixture 2 on expressions of CD28 and CD152 and content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in peripheral blood in rats with collagen-induced arthritis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Tongbi Mixture 2, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), on immunoregulation of T lymphocytes in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group, Tongbi Mixture 2-treated group, methotrexate (MTX)-treated group and Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP)-treated group. Except for the rats of the normal control group (injection with normal saline), rats of the other four groups were subcutaneouly multipoint-injected with collagen protein II to induce CIA. The rats were treated with normal saline, Tongbi Mixture 2, MTX tablets and TWP tablets respectively for 36 days. The expressions of CD28 and CD152 were detected by flow cytometry, while the content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The expression of CD28 among the three drug treated groups had no statistical difference (P>0.05), while significantly higher than that of the normal control group (P0.05). There were no statistical differences in content of TNF-alpha between the drug treated groups and the normal control group (P>0.05), but the content of TNF-alpha of the drug treated groups was lower than that of the untreated group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Tongbi Mixture 2 can inhibit T lymphocytes through down-regulating the expressions of CD28 and CD152 and the content of TNF-alpha, which may be the major mechanisms in treating RA.