[Effect of tobacco extracts on human gingival fibroblasts' proliferation and fibronectin expression].

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence and mechanism of smokeless tobacco (ST) extracts on proliferation and fibronectin expression of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) adhered to titanium plates. METHODS: The cultured primary HGFs with ST of different concentrations for a period of 2h and 2, 4, 6, 8 d was separately conducted; the cell proliferation and the adhesion was assayed using CCK-8 method; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the content of supernatant fibronectin (FN) at different times. The data was analyzed with SPSS 19.0 software package. RESULTS: With the increase of ST concentration, the cell adherence rate decreased accordingly. With ST concentration of 5.0 g/L and 10 g/L, the adhesion rate was (34.316±7.725)% and (25.478±10.651)%, respectively, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (100%) (P<0.01). Cell proliferation on the titanium plate started at 2 d and 4 d and the cell abundance of the control group was significantly greater than that of ST group (P<0.05) with concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 10 g/L; The cell abundance of the control group was significantly greater than that of ST group (P<0.05) with concentrations of 0.625-10 g/L on the 6th and 8th day. In 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 g/L ST group, FN concentration was (69.352±31.640), (23.595±8.625) and (7.292±2.865) ng/mL, respectively, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (142.188 ± 28.126) ng/mL (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ST can significantly inhibit the proliferation and adhesion of HGFs on pure titanium surface, and the mechanism may be related to decrease of FN secreted by HGFs.

Neuroprotective properties of vitamin C on equipotent anesthetic concentrations of desflurane, isoflurane, or sevoflurane in high fat diet fed neonatal mice.

Obesity has been reported to be one of the significant contributors to various chronic disease conditions. Childhood obesity has been on an alarming increase over recent years leading to various health complications. Millions of children undergo surgery each year as a part of medical care on various health grounds. In the present study, influence of vitamin C on the effect of obesity and over-weight under anaesthetic exposure was analysed. Separate groups of neonatal mice (C57BL/6) were fed on high-fat diet to induce obesity. The mice were administered with vitamin C at 30 and 60 mg/kg b.wt post natal day 1 (P1) to P21. P7 mice were exposed to equipotent doses of isoflurane or sevoflurane or desflurane. Neuroapoptosis was assessed by measuring activated caspase-3 and TUNEL assay. Plasma S100ß levels were detected by ELISA. The mice were assessed for their general behaviour. Morris water maze test was performed to assess the spatial working memory. Anesthesia exposure caused severe neuroapoptosis and also raised the levels of plasma S100ß. Neuroapotosis, working memory and learning impairments observed following anesthetics were comparatively more profound on high fat diet fed mice. Desflurane exposure resulted in higher apoptotic counts, learning and memory deficits than equipotent dose of isoflurane and sevoflurane. Vitamin C supplementation offered significant protection against anesthetic induced neurotoxicity and behavioural alterations. Vitamin C administration resulted in marked reduction in neurotoxicity induced by anesthesia and as well improved learning and memory of both normal and high fat diet fed mice.

[Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure Patients with Qi-Yang Deficiency and Blood Stasis Resistance Syndrome by Xnmallong Injection: a Multi-center Randomized Control Study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection (XI) in treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with qi-yang deficiency and blood stasis resistance syndrome (QY-DBSRS). METHODS: Totally 238 CHF patients with QYDBSRS were assigned to the treatment group (118 cases) and the control group (120 cases) by randomized, double-blind, placebo parallel controlled method. Patients in the treatment group received routine therapy and XI (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days), while those in the control group received routine therapy and XI mimetic agent (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days). The heart function classification of New York Heart Association (NYHA), 6-min walking distance, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), scores for Chinese medical symptoms were observed before and after treatment, and safety assessed. RESULTS: Totally 235 patients actually entered full analysis set (FAS), including 120 cases in the control group and 115 cases in the treatment group. The total effective rate of heart function, 6-min walking distance and increased post-pre-treatment distance in the experimental group were superior to those of the control group with statistical difference (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, increased value of post-pre-treatment LVEF, the total effective rate of Chinese medical syndrome efficacy, scores for Chinese medical symptoms and decreased post-pre-treatment value of Chinese medical syndrome scores were obviously improved (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: XI could improve the heart function of CHF patients, improve Chinese medical symptoms, elevate exercise tolerance, and improve LVEF. It had no obvious toxic and side effects.

Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids from the roots of cyclea tonkinensis.

Cissampentine A (1), an enantiomer of cissampentin, three new cycleatjehenine-type bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, cissampentine B-D (2-4), and five known alkaloids were isolated from the roots of Cyclea tonkinensis. Their structures were established by interpretation of NMR, high-resolution ESI-MS data, and CD spectra. In vitro studies indicated that compounds 1 and 4 exhibited cytotoxicity against the HCT-8 tumor cell line (IC50 values of 8.97 and 9.73 µM, respectively), and compound 4 was also active against the Bel-7402 tumor cell line (IC50 value of 5.36 µM).

[Chemical constituents of Cocculus orbiculatus var. mollis root].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in the root of Cocculus orbiculatus var. mollis. METHODS: The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography, their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. RESULTS: Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as wattisine A (I), O-methylcocsoline (II), (+) cocsoline (III), (+) cocsuline (IV), magnoflorine (V), sino-coculine (VI), isosinococuline (VII), (-) coclaurine (VIII), daucosterol (IX), beta-sitosterol (X) and 1-oleioyl-3-(9Z, 12Z-arachoyl) glycerol (XI). CONCLUSION: Compound I is isolated from this genus for the first time,and compound II - XI are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Active targeted therapy for metastatic collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney: a case report and review of the literature.

Collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) is a rare and aggressive renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with extremely poor prognosis, which has been shown to have a poor response to several kinds of systemic therapy. Targeted agents have greatly changed the therapeutic landscape in advanced RCC. Nonetheless, patients with CDC are always excluded from the prospective trials with targeted therapies due to its rarity. We present a case of metastatic CDC that responded favorably to the multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sorafenib, achieving a partial response in both lungs and retroperitoneal lymph nodes metastases. We also reviewed the limited number of reports of metastatic CDC treated with targeted agents and found that 33.33 % (4/12) of patients had favorable clinical activity. These suggest that targeted therapy should be considered for the treatment of metastatic CDC and its prospective evaluation is encouraged.

[Effect of Epimedium extract on osteoprotegerin and RANKL mRNA expressions in glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of glucocorticoid on the expression levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) mRNAs in rat femoral head and the antagonistic effect of Epimedium, and explore the mechanism of Epimedium in preventing glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis. METHODS: Forty-eight adult SD rats were randomized into glucocorticoid group, Epimedium group and control group. In the former two groups, the rats received intramuscular injection of 12.5 mg prednisolone twice a week, and in Epimedium group, additional 1 ml/100 g aqueous Epimedium extract (equivalent to 0.1 g/ml of the crude drug) was administered intragastrically once daily. The control group received only intramuscular saline injection. After 4 weeks of treatment, osteonecrosis of the left femoral head was detected by HE staining, and the right femoral head was sampled for detection of OPG and RANKL mRNA expressions using real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: In glucocorticoid, Epimedium and control groups, the mortality rate of the rats was 12.5% (2/16), 6.25% (1/16), 0 (0/16), and femoral head necrosis occurred at a rate of 71.43% (10/14), 26.67% (4/15), and 0 (0/16), respectively. In glucocorticoid group, the expression level of OPG mRNA was significantly lower, RANKL expression significantly higher, and OPG/RANKL ratio significantly lower than those in Epimedium and control groups (P<0.05). OPG, RANKL and their ratios showed no significant differences between Epimedium group and the control group. CONCLUSION: Epimedium can prevent glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis probably by antagonizing glucocorticiod-induced abnormal expressions of OPG and RANKL mRNA.

Cytotoxic bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids from the roots of Cyclea racemosa.

Six new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, racemosidines A-C (1-3) and racemosinines A-C (4-6), and four known compounds were isolated from the roots of Cyclea racemosa. Compound 1 is the first bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid reported that has diphenyl ether bridges at C-11/C-7' and C-8/C-12' and a benzyl-phenyl ether bridge at C-7/C-11'. Structures and absolute configurations of 1-6 were established by interpretation of spectroscopic data and confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis of representative compounds. Compounds 1-3 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against HCT-8 and BEL-7402 tumor cells, and compound 1 was also cytotoxic against A2780 tumor cells.

[Determination of sinigrin in semen Thlaspi from Sichuan and Tibet using near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy].

The objective of the present study was to develop a method for the determination of sinigrin in semen Thlaspi from Sichuan using near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Near infrared spectra (NIR) in the region of 7,502.1-5,446.2 cm(-1) were recorded for the 246 semen Thlaspi samples containing sinigrin in the content of 1.962%-3.917%. Calibration models were established using the PLS (partial least squares). Different spectra pretreatment methods were compared. The study showed that spectral information can be extracted thoroughly by minimum and maximum normalization pretreatment methods. In this calibration model, the correlation coefficient (R2) was 0.9280, the SEC (standard deviation of the calibration sets) was 0.314 and the SEP (standard deviation of the prediction sets) was 0.388. Results indicated that near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy method can be used to rapidly analyze the valid component in traditional Chinese medicine, and also can be used in the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine.