Neuronal protective effect of Songling Xuemaikang capsules alone and in combination with carbamazepine on epilepsy in kainic acid-kindled rats.

CONTEXT: Epilepsy is a common life-threatening neurological disorder that is often drug-resistant and associated with cognitive impairment. The traditional Chinese patent medicine Songling Xuemaikang capsules (SXC) is clinically used for epilepsy therapy and alleviation of cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the neuronal protective effect of SXC combined with carbamazepine (CBZ) on epilepsy and cognitive impairment in kainic acid-kindled SD rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kainic acid-kindled rats were established by injection of 0.45 µg kainic acid and randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 14): saline (sham-operated), control, CBZ, SXC and CBZ + SXC combined group. Rats in the treatment groups received CBZ (50 mg/kg/d), SXC (600 mg/kg/d) or combined CBZ (50 mg/kg/d) + SXC (600 mg/kg/d) via intragastric injection for 60 days. Epileptic behaviours, cognitive impairment, neuronal apoptosis and expression of p-Akt, Akt and caspase-9 were measured, and the alleviation of cognitive damage and neuronal apoptosis was analyzed. RESULTS: The combined administration of SXC and CBZ significantly decreased the frequency of seizures (1.2 ± 0.3) and the number of episodes (1.3 ± 0.5) above stage III (p < 0.05). Neuronal apoptosis was improved (p < 0.01), and cognitive damage was ameliorated (p < 0.05).The level of p-Akt was enhanced (p < 0.01) whereas the expression of caspase-9 was evidently inhibited (p < 0.01) in the combined group. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings confirm that the combined use of SXC with CBZ can effectively control epileptic seizures, alleviate damage to hippocampal neurons and protect against cognitive impairment. The mechanism of action might be related to the upregulation of p-Akt and inhibition of caspase-9 expression.

Protective effect of compound Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) dripping pills alone and in combination with carbamazepine on kainic acid-induced temporal lobe epilepsy and cognitive impairment in rats.

CONTEXT: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is resistant to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and is associated with cognitive impairment. The modern Chinese medicine, compound Danshen dripping pills (CDDP), is clinically effective in treating epilepsy and improving cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the protective effects of CDDP alone and in combination with carbamazepine (CBZ) on kainic acid-induced TLE and cognitive impairment in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (sham operated), model, CDDP, CBZ and combined. A TLE model was then created via bilateral intrahippocampal injection of 0.35 µg kainic acid (KA). Rats received CDDP (85 mg/kg), CBZ (100 mg/kg) or combined (85 mg/kg CDDP +100 mg/kg CBZ) via intragastric administration for 90 d, respectively. Seizure intensity, apoptosis and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were measured. Furthermore, the improvement in cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuronal damage was evaluated. RESULTS: CDDP combined with CBZ significantly decreased seizure severity and frequency (p < 0.05) and ameliorated cognitive impairment (p < 0.05). The model group showed a significant reduction of neurons and Bcl-2/Bax expression in the hippocampus CA3 area (p < 0.01), the combined groups significantly reversed these change (p < 0.01). GDNF expression in the combined groups showed a clear increase over the model group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings support the use of CDDP as an adjuvant drug for the treatment of TLE and cognitive deficit. Its mechanism might be related to an anti-apoptosis effect and up-regulation of GDNF.

[Effects of Fuzheng Huayu Decoction on plasma proteome in cirrhosis: preliminary experimental study with rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Fuzheng Huayu Decoction on plasma proteome in cirrhosis. METHODS: Twenty-six male S-D rats were randomly divided into three groups, cirrhotic model group (n = 10), treated with CCl4 (CCl4/olive oil: v/v = 1:1), Fuzheng Huayu Decoction intervention group (n = 10), treated with CCl4 + Fuzheng Huayu Decoction, and normal control group (n = 6), treated with olive oil only. After 8 weeks, blood sample was collected from the vena cava inferior to undergo bi-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and analysis by PDQuest 7.3 software. Differential protein spots were cut, enzyme hydrolysis was conducted, and peptide fragments extracted from the mixture underwent mass spectrometry with MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS. The liver fibrogenesis was assessed by digital image analysis instrument of Masson's trichrome stained sections. RESULTS: The fibrosis area of the Fuzheng Huayu Decoction was 9% +/- 4%, significantly smaller than that of the cirrhotic model group (12% +/- 5%, P < 0.05). Ten markedly changed protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS. Eight of the 10 proteins, including plasma glutathione peroxidase, plasma glutathione peroxidase precursor, prealbumin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A-IV precursor, complement C4, inter-alpha-inhibitor H4 heavy chain, and serine/threonine-protein kinase MARK1 (microtubule- affinity regulating kinase 1) were expressed very lowly in the cirrhotic model group while were expressed highly in the Fuzheng Huayu Decoction group. The expression of liver regeneration-related protein LRRG03 and vimentin increased in the cirrhotic model group, and reduced in the Fuzheng Huayu Decoction group. CONCLUSION: Some proteins related to oxidative stress, cell proliferation and transformation have changed in the plasma of cirrhosis induced by CCl4. Fuzheng Huayu Decoction promotes protein synthesis and plays an anti-fibrotic role by antioxidation and accommodation of cell proliferation and transformation.

[Preparation of a solid-phase microextraction fiber coated with gamma-Al2O3 and determination of volatile organic compounds in aqueous and gaseous samples].

A method for the preparation of a novel gamma-Al2O3 coated layer on fibers for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was developed. The adsorption and desorption properties of the coated fibers were studied by the extraction of some volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEXs) from aqueous samples. The calibration graphs were linear in the range 0.01 mg/L to 3 mg/L and the detection limits for BTEX compounds were between 1 microg/L and 10 microg/L. Also the gamma-Al2O3 coated fibers exhibited a good thermal stability (to 350 degrees C ) and reproducibility with relative standard deviation of 8.3%. It can be used to determine organic compounds in the real gaseous samples.