Analysis of Short-and Long-Term Therapeutic Efficacies of Acupuncture for Metabolic Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the short- and long-term efficacies of acupuncture in treating metabolic syndrome (MS). Method A hundred MS patients were randomized into an acupuncture group and a Western medication group. In addition to basic treatment, acupuncture was used in the acupuncture group, while Western medication was adopted in the Western medication group. The fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), insulin (INS), triglyceride (TG), blood pressure (BP), weight circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), and MS score were evaluated before and after treatment, and a month and 3 months after the treatment. Result There was no significant difference in comparing the short-term therapeutic efficacy between the two groups after treatment, while the long-term therapeutic efficacy of the acupuncture group was superior to that of the Western medication group (P<0.01); the FPG, INS, TG, HDL, BP, and MS score were significantly improved after treatment and a month after the treatment in both groups (P<0.01); the acupuncture group had significant improvements in WC and BMI after treatment and a month after the treatment (P<0.01), significantly superior to the Western medication group (P<0.01); the acupuncture group showed marked improvement in INS, HDL, WC, and BMI 3 months after the treatment (P<0.01), significantly superior to the Western medication group (P<0.01,P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture can produce a similar short-term but a better long-term therapeutic efficacy compared to Western medication. Hence, acupuncture can be taken as an assistant intervention for MS.

Influence of oxaliplatin combined with LCP on proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cell line HT29 / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of oxaliplatin combined with low-molecular-weight citrus pectin (LCP) on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cell line HT29 in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Effects of oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cells proliferation were determined by MTT. Coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) was calculated. Influence of oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cell apoptosis was determined by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Protein expression change of procaspase-3, 8, 9, PARP was examined by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP could suppress HT29 cell proliferation in both dose- and time-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cell proliferation was more significant (P<0.01) with a CDI less than 1. FACS analysis showed that oxaliplatin alone and combination therapy could increase the apoptosis proportion of HT29 cells. After the drug treatment for 6, 24, and 48 hours, the apoptosis rate of oxaliplatin alone group was (9.76±0.47)%, (20.45±0.74)%, (28.70±3.29)%, and apoptotic rate of the combination group was (20.63±0.69)%, (34.35±1.02)%, (49.47±3.04)%, respectively, which was significantly higher as compared to oxaliplatin alone (P<0.01). Both oxaliplatin alone and combination therapy down-regulated expressions of procaspase-3, 9, and PARP protein. Procaspase-3, 9, PARP protein expression in combination group decreased more significantly, while procaspase-8 expression was not significantly different between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LCP can enhance the ability of oxaliplatin to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, which may be associated with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.</p>

Acute and 30-day oral toxicity studies of administered carnosic acid.

PURPOSE: Increasing interest in carnosic acid (CA) is due to its pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and 30-day oral toxicity of CA. METHODS: The acute oral toxicity study in Kuming mice design followed the OECD-guidelines 423, and a 30-day chronic oral toxicity study in Wistar rats based on the enhanced OECD test guideline 407 were performed. RESULTS: The oral lethal dose (LD50) for mice was 7100 mg/kg of body weight in the acute toxicity study. The histopathological changes were observed in the heart, liver and kidney for the survival mice treated with a single dose CA. For the sub chronic toxicity study, CA administered for 30 days produced slightly reductions in the weight gain pattern, which did not reach the significant level when compared with the control values. With respect to serum biochemistry test, decreased total serum protein levels, but conversely increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected in the high-dose and moderate-dose groups. Histopathologically, light pathological changes were observed in the heart, liver, and kidney of rats treated with the high-dose CA. CONCLUSION: The present work suggests that a short-term oral administration of CA has a relatively low toxicity profile.

Comparison of antibacterial activities of different concentrations of the cefoperazone-sulbactam combination disc upon commonly found gram negative bacilli / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To evaluate antibacterial activities of Cefoperazone-Sulbactam upon gram negative bacilli,and compare the differences in susceptibility between two different concentrations of Cefoperazone-Sulbactam combination disc.Method A total of 381 strains of commonly occurred gram negative bacilli were found from 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine,Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital,The Third Hospital of Hangzhou and Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine respectively.Susceptibility test was conducted by K-B method using 75 μg/disc Cefoperazone plus with 75 μg/disc Sulbactam(150 disc)and 75 μg/disc Cefoperazone with 30 μg/disc Sulbactam(105 disc),respectively.Meanwhile the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC)of Cefoperazone-Sulbactam was determined by standard agar dilution.The data were analyzed by using WHONET 5.4 and SPSS.Results Disc diffusion method was carried out to detect the antibacterial activities upon Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumonia,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii,using 105 disc and 150 disc,respectively.The data indicated that consistency rates between these two different discs were 26.3%,79.2%,83.7%and 33%,respectively.The k-related sample test was performed by using SPSS version 10.0 and shown that the P value was less than 0.05.Upon those organisms mentioned above,the consistency rates between the antibacterial activities of 105 disc and those of agar dilution were 77.8%,89.6%,70.9%and 77%,respectively.When it was going to compare agar dilution vs.150 disc upon the susceptibility of those organisms the consistency rates were 27.3%,79.2%,61.6%and 30%,respectively.Compared with agar dilution,the error rates of those two different concentration discs revealed that the false susceptibility and false intermediate of 105 disc were higher than those of 105 disc.ConclusionsThe results of susceptibility test showed that 105 disc was more close to agar dilution than that of 150 disc.However,the 150 disc used in clinic led to increase in sensitivity of susceptibility test to organisms.

Effects of acupuncture at different Shichen (traditional twelve two-hour periods) on serum SOD and MDA in guinea pigs / 中国针灸

<p><b>UNLABELLED</b>OBJECTIVE To compare anti-oxidative effects of acupuncture at different Shichen (traditional twelve two-hour periods) accordin-17:00), You (17:00-19:00), Xu (19:00-21:00), Hui (21:00-23:00) periods according to the eight methods of the intelligent turtle, once each day, for 7 consecutive days. Changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SOD activities and MDA contents at the 12 periods were different in the healthy guinea pigs, SOD activity at Wu period was the highest and the lowest at Zi period; MDA content was the highest at Zi period and the lowest at Wu period. The needling method according to eight methods of the intelligent turtle could increase SOD activity in the guinea pigs. The increasing amplitude of SOD activity was the largest at Mao period and the smallest at the Wu period; it also could decreased MDA content, the decreasing amplitude of MDA was the largest at Wu period and the smallest at Hai period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at different periods according to eight methods of intelligent turtle has different effects on serum SOD and MDA, which can increase SOD activity and decrease MDA content in the healthy guinea pig.</p>

Effects of eight methods of intelligent turtle on free radical metabolism in the kidney-yang deficiency model guinea pigs / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe effects of moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle on aging and the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Healthy and adult guinea pigs were randomly divided into 5 groups, a prevention group of kidney-yang deficiency model with eight method of intelligent turtle (group I), a prevention group of kidney-yang deficiency model (group II) with moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4), a group of treatment group of kidney-yang deficiency model with eight methods of intelligent turtle (group III), a treatment group of kidney-yang deficiency model (group IV) with moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) and a control group of kidney-yang deficiency. Effects of moxibustion according to opening on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle and moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) on superoxide dismulase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After modeling, no signs of kidney-yang deficiency and no significant changes of SOD and MDA were found in group I and II; but obvious symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency and decrease of SOD (P < 0.01) and increase of MDA (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) were found in group III, IV and V; after treatment, in the group III); the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency basically disappeared, SOD increased (P < 0.01) and MDA decreased (P < 0.01), with no significant differences as compared with those before modeling (P > 0.05); in the group N, the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency significantly improved and SOD increased (P < 0.05) with difference as compared with those before modeling (P < 0.05), and MDA decreased (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference compared with that before modeling (P > 0.05); the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency, SOD and MDA did not significantly change in group V (P > 0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle and moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4) can effectively regulate free radical metabolism and have obvious action of preventing and treating kidney-yang deficiency in the model guinea pigs, and the therapeutic action of moxibustion according to opening points on time in eight methods of intelligent turtle is better than that of moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4).</p>

Comparison of Effects of Xiaoyu Tablets and its Constituents on Endothelin-1 and Nitric Oxide in Atherosclerotic Rabbits / 中成药

Objective: To determine the rationality of prescription of Xiaoyu tablets. Methods: The effects of Xiaoyu tablets and its single constituents on endothelin-1(ET-1) and nitric oxide(NO) in atherosclerotic rabbits were observed. Results: Xiaoyu tablets showed stronger actions than its single constituents (extract of radix salviae miltiorrhizae or fructus crataegi) in decreasing the contents of ET-1 in plasma and atherosclerotic vessel wall and increasing the contents of NO in serum and atherosclerotic vessel wall. Conclusion: There was the obvious synergism on reduction of ET-1 and elevation of NO in atheroscleerotic rabbits when both extracts of the Chinese herbal medicines were simultaneously used.