Effect of total peony glucoside pretreatment on NF-κB and ICAM-1 expression in myocardial tissue of rat with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Early recovery of myocardial perfusion is beneficial for myocardial ischemia. However, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) may exacerbate myocardial injury. Research shows that total peony glucoside (TPG) can inhibit ischemic myocardial cell apoptosis. However, whether it can ameliorate I/R injury remains poorly understood. This study explored the effect of TPG pretreatment on I/R, through nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expressions in I/R-affected myocardium. Healthy 7-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly categorized into sham operation (A), modeling (B), and 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg TPG pretreatment groups (C, D, and E, respectively), with 20 rats in each group. I/R rat models were designed by ligating left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min to induce ischemia and for 120 min to induce reperfusion. Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. NF-κB and ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expressions were detected through RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Compared to group A, serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels of group B elevated significantly (P < 0.05), whereas NF-κB and ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expressions increased in the myocardium (P < 0.05). Serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels, and NF-κB and ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expressions, in myocardium of TPG groups reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, TPG pretreatment could alleviate myocardium reperfusion injury in I/R rat models by reducing NF-κB and ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expressions and cytokine secretions. This mechanism could be associated with the inhibition of NF-κB activation and downregulation of ICAM-1 expression.

Evaluating the response of gastric carcinomas to neoadjuvant chemotherapy using iodine concentration on spectral CT: a comparison with pathological regression.

AIM: To investigate the potential of iodine concentration (IC) determined using virtual monochromatic spectral computed tomography (CT) to predict the response of gastric carcinomas to preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients were enrolled who underwent two spectral CT examinations (1 week before and two cycles after NC). The percentage change in tumour thickness (%ΔCWT) and in IC on the arterial phase (%ΔIC-a) and venous phase (%ΔIC-v) after NC were calculated and compared for different histopathological regression grades and response groups. The diagnostic efficacies to discriminate good response (GR) and poor response (PR) of the above three parameters were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The decrease rate of %ΔIC-a for the GR group was higher than that for the PR group (-0.59 [-0.76, -0.20] versus -0.11 [-0.75, 0.92], p=0.012). There was no significant difference in the %ΔIC-v and %ΔCWT values between the GR and PR groups (p=0.076 and p=0.779, respectively). The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) values were 0.857, 0.762, and 0.542 for %ΔIC-a, %ΔIC-v, and %ΔCWT, respectively, in the response prediction. The cut-off value for identifying PR was a decrease rate of <52.9% for %ΔIC-a, and the sensitivity and specificity values were 0.857 and 0.833. CONCLUSION: Changes in the IC for gastric carcinomas following NC were detected using spectral CT and correlated with histopathological regression. The prediction efficacy for IC was better than that for tumour thickness, with IC on the arterial phase being a better predictor than IC on the venous phase.

Pharmacological studies of the large-scaled purified genistein from Huaijiao (Sophora japonica-Leguminosae) on anti-osteoporosis.

In this report, we used genistein that was extracted from a Chinese herbal medicine Huaijiao (Sophora japonica-Leguminosae) to evaluate its pharmacological function on anti-osteoporosis. This genistein is purified in a large-scale production from Huaijiao by a state-of-art method as described by Tian et al. [2004. The preparation of genistein and LC-MS/MS on-line analysis. Drug Devel. Res. 61, 6-12]. Chemical structure of the isolated genistein was examined by using various techniques including nuclear magnetic resonant spectrum, infrared absorption spectrum, ultraviolet absorption spectrum and mass spectrum, and was proved to be identical to those purified from soybean in a small scale as previously reported. We randomly divided female SD rats into 6 groups, including control, ovariectomized model, Nilestriol-treated, and three level of dosages of genistein-treated. We evaluated the pharmacological effects of genistein against osteoporosis by measuring the bone density of femur and bone mineral group including calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium. The consequences of genistein treatment on bone histology and morphology were also determined by measuring the trabcular area, thickness and number. Our results indicated that treatment with a 4.5 or 9 mg/kg dosage of genistein could also prevent osteoporosis significantly at the 4th week after treatment. In comparison with the anti-osteoporosis effects of soybean genistein, the genistein extracted from Huaijiao has the same beneficial effect on anti-osteoporosis.

Selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in Yulin District (People's Republic of China) endemic for Kashin-Beck disease.

We studied the status of selenium, iodine and fungal contamination in 353 school children (age 5-14 years) from four rural villages in the District of Yulin. In three villages Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) was endemic, whereas there were no cases of KBD in the fourth village. Clinical, biological and radiological examinations (right hand) were performed and KBD was established by X-ray diagnosis. The prevalence rate of KBD was 30.2%, 44.2% and 45.3% in the three endemic villages. Mean hair selenium and urine iodine concentrations were lower in affected than in unaffected children and fungal contamination in cereal grains stored in families with KBD was more elevated than in families without KBD. Low hair selenium concentration and presence of fungal cereal contamination were significantly associated with an increased risk of KBD, but low urine iodine was not.

Tetrandrine: a vasodilator of medicinal herb origin with a novel contractile effect on dog saphenous vein.

During our recent pharmacological characterization of the vasodilator effects of tetrandrine on endothelium-denuded rings of dog saphenous vein, we have unexpectedly observed a slowly developing transient contractile response upon washout of KCl following the relaxation by tetrandrine of KCl-induced contraction. This washout-induced contraction in the presence of tetrandrine was most prominent in dog saphenous vein, smaller in dog mesenteric vein and not observed in dog mesenteric artery, dog aorta and rat aorta. This transient contraction induced in the presence of tetrandrine was not affected by atropine, indomethacin or prazosin, but was substantially inhibited by phentolamine and rauwolscine. Addition of amiloride or readmission of KCl inhibited the transient contraction upon washout of high KCl in the presence of tetrandrine, whereas addition of ouabain turned this transient contraction into a sustained one. Our results suggest that tetrandrine, in addition to its well known vasodilator effect via the blockade of Ca2+ channels, elicited a novel contractile effect which is specifically associated with the activation of postjunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors functionally characteristic in venous smooth muscle.

[Experimental study of preventing liver cirrhosis by using four kinds of Chinese herbs].

UNLABELLED: 55 rats were divided into six groups; (1) normal control, (2) cirrhosis control, (3-6) Chinese herbs groups, 2-6 groups were liver cirrhosis model caused by combined factor dominated by CCl4, and 3-6 groups were given Chinese herbs simultaneously until the end of sixth week. Radix Salviae miltlorrhizae (RSM) were used in group 3, Flos Carthami (FC) in group 4, Radix Angelicae sinensis (RAS) in group 5, Semen persicae (SP) in group 6. THE RESULTS: in group 2, 7 out of 9 rats developed into cirrhosis, the degree of fibrosis was 2.55+ and collagen protein content was 35.3 mg/g.liver, SGPT 387u. In group 3(RSM), no cirrhosis was found, the degree of the fibrosis was 0.43+ (compared with group 2, P < 0.01, collagen protein content was 16.7 mg/g.liver (P < 0.01), SGPT 132u (P < 0.01). In group 4(FC), 8 out of 9 rats did not develop into cirrhosis, collagen content 21.1 mg/g.liver, compared with group 2, P < 0.05. In the group of 5 and 6, some rats were developed into cirrhosis. The result showed that RSM and FC possessed an inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis. The effect of RSM was remarkable. It could prevent experimental cirrhosis. The effect of RAS and SP were uncertain. This experiment predicted that RAM would become the promising drug to restrain chronic hepatic disease from developing into cirrhosis clinically.

Reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy and imaging for surface studies in transmission electron microscopes.

A review is given on the techniques and applications of high-energy reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy (REELS) and reflection electron microscopy (REM) for surface studies in scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM) and conventional transmission electron microscopes (TEM). A diffraction method is introduced to identify a surface orientation in the geometry of REM. The surface dielectric response theory is presented and applied for studying alpha-alumina surfaces. Domains of the alpha-alumina (012) surface initially terminated with oxygen can be reduced by an intense electron beam to produce Al metal; the resistance to beam damage of surface domains initially terminated with Al+3 ions is attributed to the screening effect of adsorbed oxygen. Surface energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES), extended energy-loss fine structure (EXELFS), and microanalysis using REELS are illustrated based on the studies of TiO2 and MgO. Effects of surface resonances (or channeling) on the REELS signal-to-background ratio are described. The REELS detection of a monolayer of oxygen adsorption on diamond (111) surfaces is reported. It is shown that phase contrast REM image content can be significantly increased with the use of a field emission gun (FEG). Phase contrast effects close to the core of a screw dislocation are discussed and the associated Fresnel fringes around a surface step are observed. Finally, an in situ REM experiment is described for studying atomic desorption and diffusion processes on alpha-alumina surfaces at temperatures of 1,300-1,400 degrees C.

Vascular effects of tetramethylpyrazine: direct interaction with smooth muscle alpha-adrenoceptors.

The interaction of tetramethylpyrazine, a vasoactive ingredient of a Chinese traditional medicinal plant, with the vascular muscle alpha 1-adrenoceptors was investigated by a direct radioligand binding technique using [3H]prazosin and vascular smooth muscle microsomes isolated from dog aorta and mesenteric artery. Tetramethylpyrazine inhibited the binding of [3H]prazosin to vascular muscle membranes in a concentration-dependent manner at a suboptimal concentration of prazosin. Scatchard analysis of the effect of tetramethylpyrazine on the saturation profile of [3H]prazosin binding to vascular muscle microsomes of either arterial muscle indicated a substantial increase of Kd values (the affinity for prazosin) without a change in Bmax (maximal binding sites for prazosin). Thus, the present results provide supporting evidence that the inhibitory effect of tetramethylpyrazine on the vasoconstriction of dog mesenteric artery induced by phenylephrine in the earlier studies may be, at least, in part due to a direct action at the recognition sites of alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Amiloride and amiloride-related compounds, which shares a common pyrazine ring structure with tetramethylpyrazine and other related derivatives, also inhibits the binding of [3H]prazosin to aortic muscle microsomal membranes. Functional studies of dog saphenous vein also indicated that both tetramethylpyrazine and its ethyl derivatives inhibited the responses induced by phenylephrine and B-HT 920 in the presence and absence of extracellular Ca2+. Together with our earlier findings that amiloride also inhibits [3H]prazosin and [3H]rauwolscine binding to vascular muscle alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors, the present radioligand binding study in canine arteries and functional study in saphenous veins suggest that the above compounds containing the pyrazine nucleus indeed interacted at the alpha-adrenoceptor sites.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Liriope spicata Lour (Thunb), var. prolifera Y.T. Ma].

From the methanol extract of the roots of Liriope spicata Lour (Thunb) var. prolifera Y.T. Ma (Liliaceae) cultivated in Hubei province (China) four steroidal glycorides, tentatively named glycoside I, II, III and IV, were isolated. On the basis of chemical evidences, IR, EI-MS, FAB-MS, 1HNMR and 13CNMR analysis, structures of these glycosides were elucidated and identified as beta-sitosterol(major) and stigmasterol(minor)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (glycoside I), 25(S)-ruscogenin 1-O-beta-D-fucopyranosido-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (glycoside II), 25(S)-ruscogenin 1-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-beta-D-xylopyranoside (glycoside III) and 25(S)-ruscogenin 1-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)] [beta-D-xylopyra-nosyl(1----3)]-beta-D-fucopyranoside (glycoside IV), in which both glycoside III and glycoside IV are new steroidal saponins.