[Efficacy observation of Guan's quadruple therapy for kidney disease on the treatment of chronic renal failure].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences in the clinical efficacy between Guan's quadruple therapy for kidney disease and the conventional western medication in the treatment of chronic renal failure (CRF). METHODS: Eighty patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In the observation group, besides the physician instruction of low protein and low phosphorus diet in the two groups, Guan's quadruple therapy for kidney disease was applied, including (1) the isolated herbal moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Pishu (BL 21), or Ganshu (BL 18), Zusanli (ST 36) and Guanyuan (CV 4) alternatively; (2) acupuncture at the auricular points such as shen (CO10), jiaogan (AHR6), Shenshangxian (TG2), fei (CO14) and pizhixia (AT4); (3) injection of mixture of astragalus injection and lidocaine injection at Feishu (BL 13), Pishu (BL 21), Shenshu (BL 23) and the others; (4) modified Shenshuai Yihao decoction according to syndrome differentiation. In the control group, the conventional western medication was used. After 6 months of treatment, the differences were observed between the two groups in the clinical efficacy, serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), endogenous creatinine (Ccr) and 24 h urine protein quantitation (UPQ). RESULTS: In the observation group, after treatment, the remarkably effective rate was 50.0% (20/40) and the total effective rate was 82.5% (33/40), which were superior to 25.0% (10/40) and 45.0% (18/40) in the control group (both P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of Scr, BUN and 24 h UPQ were reduced apparently (all P < 0.05), and the level of Ccr was increased apparently in the two groups (both P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of Scr, BUN and 24 h UPQ were reduced much more apparently in the observation group as compared with those in the control group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Guan's quadruple therapy for kidney disease achieves a better efficacy on CRF compared with the conventional western medication. This therapy improves renal functions, relieves clinical symptoms and physical signs and benefits the life quality of patients.

[Effect of yupingfengsan on the growth of tumor and immunological function in tumor-bearing mice].

AIM: To explore the effect of yupingfengsan on the growth of tumor and immunological function in tumor-bearing mice. METHODS: The models of tumor-bearing mice were established by inoculating the healthy mice with S180 tumor carneus cells cultured in vitro. Then the ratio of tumor restriction was calculated. The phagocytosis activity of phagocytes, the level of NO secreted by phagocytes, the proliferating activity of T lymphocytes and the level of IL-2 were detected in the mice after being treated with yupingfengsan 12 days. RESULTS: yupingfengsan elevated the phagocytosis of phagocytes and the level of NO secreted by phagocytes. It promoted T lymphocytes to transform, and increased the level of IL-2 and the activity of NK cells. CONCLUSION: yupingfengsan can increase the immunological function of tumor-bearing mice and suppress the development of tumor in mice.

Ethanol extracts of Rehmannia complex (Di Huang) containing no Corni fructus improve early diabetic nephropathy by combining suppression on the ET-ROS axis with modulate hypoglycemic effect in rats.

AIM: Liuwei Dihuang (Rehmannia complex, RC) decoction, a classic prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used in treating diabetic nephropathy (DN). Among the 6 crude medicines which contains Corni fructus is recognized as the active fraction for its effectiveness. We aimed to investigate, first, if without Corni fructus a modified RC could be still effective, second, if the ethanol extracts could be better than that of water extract and third, the beneficial effect is mainly stemmed from suppressing the endothelin (ET-1) pathway associated with a moderate hypoglycemic effect. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Diabetes for 8 weeks was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats and treated with RC extracts in either 95%, 70% ethanol or water separately during 5-8th week. The efficacy of extracts was compared with aminoguanidine (AMG). RESULTS: An increase in albumin and creatinine in 24h urine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was found in STZ rats. Oxidative stress was found in renal cortex in association with upregulated plasma ET-1 and mRNA of ETA, decreased MMP 2,9 (matrix matelloproteinases) and increased hydroxyproline. CONCLUSIONS: The RC without Corni fructus was very effective in alleviating DN and ethanol extracts provided greater effects against water extracts. The efficacy in alleviating DN is attributed to normalizing the activated ET system, oxidative stress and MMP 2,9 in combination with a moderate hypoglycemic activity.

[Prophylactic immunization of dangguibuxue decoction against Cryptosporidium infection in immune suppressed mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prophylaxis of dangguibuxue decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine made from Angelica sinensis and Radix astragalus, on immunosuppressed mice infected by Cryptosporidium parvum. METHODS: 48 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control (A), immunosuppressed control (B), high dose (C), and low dose (D). Mice in groups B, C and D were intragastrically administered with dexamethasone (DXM) for 8 days, and in the same time mice in groups C and D were given high dose (2 g/kg) and low dose (1 g/kg) dangguibuxue decoction respectively. On the ninth day all mice in groups B, C and D were orally inoculated by 1 x 10(6) oocysts of C. parvum. The amount of oocysts in feces was examined daily since being infected. 11 days after infection, the subset of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood was analyzed with flow cytometry, sIL-2R in serum and sIgA of intestinal fluid were detected by ELISA. Pathological change of duodenum and jejunum was observed microscopically. RESULTS: Compared with the immuno-suppressed control group, there were less oocysts in feces (35.0 +/- 4.21) (P < 0.01) and lighter injury in the intestinal mucosa in mice of the high dose dangguibuxue decoction group. Both the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes (47.483 +/- 4.082) and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ (2.271 +/- 0.378) increased, sIgA [(320.19 +/- 1.94) ng/ml] in the intestinal fluid elevated and sIL-2R [(321.34 +/- 6.66) ng/ml] in peripheral blood decreased in the high dose group, with a significant difference in comparison to the immunosuppressed group (P < 0.01). All the above-mentioned indices in low dose dangguibuxue decoction group showed no significant difference with the immunosuppressed control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of high dose dangguibuxue decoction plays a role of prophylaxis on the infection of C. parvum in immunosuppressed mice through improving the immune status.

Pharmacological efficacy of CPU 86017 on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats: mediated by direct inhibition of calcium channels and antioxidant action, but indirect effects on the ET-1 pathway.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. The present study was conducted to examine the effects of a novel compound p-chlorobenzyltetrahydroberberine (CPU 86017) on endothelin-1 system of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. SD male rats were divided into control, untreated pulmonary hypertension, nifedipine (10 mg/kg p.o.), and CPU 86017 (80, 40, and 20 mg/kg p.o.) groups. The pulmonary hypertension was established by housing the rats in a hypoxic (10 +/- 0.5% oxygen) chamber 8 hours per day for 4 weeks. Hemodynamic and morphologic assessment exhibited a significant increase in the central vein pressure (CVP), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), and pulmonary arteriole remodeling in the pulmonary hypertensive rats, which were improved by CPU 86017 80 and 40 mg/kg administration (P < 0.01). The elevated pulmonary endothelin-1 level and the over-active preproET-1 and iNOS mRNA expression were also decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in CPU 86017 groups. The maladjustment of redox enzyme system in pulmonary hypertension rats was corrected after treatment. We concluded that CPU 86017 improves pulmonary hypertension mainly to suppress the endothelin-1 pathway at the upstream and downstream via calcium antagonism and antioxidative action, then, resulting in a relief in pathogenesis of the disease.

[The influence of the extract of lumbricus on the production of NO and TNF-alpha by mouse MPhi and splenocytes].

AIM: To explore the effect of the abstracts of lumbricus on the secretion of NO and TNF-alpha by mouse Mphi s and splenocytes. METHODS: Murine Mphi s and spleen cell were co-cultured with various doses of lumbricus abstracts for 24 hours and then the supernate was collected. The levels of NO and TNF-alpha were detected by diazotization reaction and MTT colorimetry, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with control group, 0.1 g/L of lumbricus abstracts could increase the NO level and antagonize the inhibition of dexamethasone(Dex). 1 x 10(-4), 1 x 10(-3) g/L of lumbricus abstracts could increase TNF-alpha level and also antagonize the inhibition of Dex on the secretion of TNF-alpha by Mphi s and splenic cells. CONCLUSION: The abstracts of lumbricus can activate Mphi s and splenic cells to secrete NO and TNF-alpha and antagonize the inhibition effect of Dex on these cells.