[Longdan Xiegan Decoction and its interpretation from the perspective of meridians].

By systematically examing through Longdan Xiegan Decoction in medical books of the past dynasties, it was found that the Longdan Xiegan Decoction recorded in Lan Shi Mi Cang mainly targeted men's genital odor at frist. After Xue Ji's addition and subtraction, the scope of the prescription was gradually generalized and expanded, and confusion its name, composition and source of the prescription appeared, which was particularly prominent in Jingyue Quanshu and Yifang Jijie.Doctors used to interpret this prescription from the perspective of viscera. In order to better understand the main treatment rules of Longdan Xiegan Decoction, it is necessary to change the perspective and reinterpreted it from the perspective of meridians.Attributing the symptoms of the perineum to Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin,hypochondriac pain, deafness and other symptoms to the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang, and adding or subtracting herbs according to the specific conditions, is not only conducive to a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the prescription to achieve accurate clinical syndrome differentiation and medication, but also prompts modern researchers to rethink the important role of meridian theory in the formation and development of the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Intervention effect of biofeedback combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise on low anterior resection syndrome in patients with low anus-preserving rectal cancer].

Objective: To explore the effect of biofeedback training combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise on the recovery of anorectal function in patients with middle and low rectal cancer undergoing sphincter-preserving surgery, and to find the best way to prevent low anterior resection syndrome. Methods: A single-center prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. One hundred and nine patients with mid-low rectal cancer in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre from June 2015 to December 2016 were enrolled in the study, who were going to undergo sphincter-preserving surgery or preventive ostomy after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. They were divided into three groups: blank control group, pelvic floor muscle exercise group and biofeedback training combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise group. Intervention and follow-up were conducted for 16 months. High-resolution anorectal manometry was used to measure the objective anorectal pressure and sensory index of patients, and the Chinese version of MSKCC Intestinal Function Questionnaire was used to evaluate the intestinal function of patients. The differences of objective anorectal manometry index and subjective intestinal function between the three groups were compared, and the occurrence of low anterior rectal resection syndrome was evaluated. Results: At the end of the intervention, the total scores of anal resting pressure, rectal resting pressure, anal maximum systolic pressure, anal maximum systolic time, initial rectal volume, rectal fecal sensory capacity, rectal maximum tolerance capacity, rectal compliance, anorectal hypertensive zone and total score of intestinal function in the biofeedback training combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise group were (44.83±9.01) mmHg, (4.31±1.75) mmHg, (130.46±10.00) mmHg, (19.94±4.30) s, (32.71±5.00) ml, (74.26±8.30) ml, (188.4±12.68) ml, (5.69±1.18) ml/kPa, (3.31±0.96) cm and (68.09±6.38) points respectively. The main effects of the changes of five indices, including anal resting pressure, rectal resting pressure, anal maximum systolic pressure, anal maximum systolic time and anal high pressure zone, were time. Significant differences were found in initial rectal capacity, sensory capacity of rectal defecation, maximum tolerance capacity of rectum, rectal compliance and total score of intestinal function in every time point of measurement in the biofeedback training group combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise group. They were significantly higher than those in the blank control group (P<0.05); the score of the biofeedback training group combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise group at one month after operation, perioperative period and 3 months after operation were significantly higher than those in pelvic floor muscle exercise group (P<0.05). Biofeedback training combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise reduced the incidence of low anterior resection syndrome of rectum (P<0.05). Conclusion: Biofeedback training combined with pelvic floor muscle exercise can significantly improve the sensory indicators of patients with mid-low rectal cancer, promote the recovery of intestinal function, and alleviate low anterior resection syndrome of rectal cancer patients, which is worthy of popularization and application.

Interspecies difference of luteolin and apigenin after oral administration of Chrysanthemum morifolium extract and prediction of human pharmacokinetics.

The aims of the present study were to study the interspecies difference in the pharmacokinetics of luteolin and apigenin occurring in Chrysanthemum morifolium extract (CME) among rats, beagle dogs, mini-pigs, and humans, and compared the human pharmacokinetic parameters with the data predicted from the above three animals. The plasma concentrations of luteolin and apigenin were determined with a RP-HPLC method. An interspecies difference of pharmacokinetics was found, especially between rats and other species, the plasma concentration of luteolin was much lower than that of apigenin in rats, although the content of luteolin in CME was higherthan that of apigenin, whereas the plasma concentration of luteolin was much higher than that of apigenin in dogs, mini-pigs and humans. Animal scale-up of some pharmacokinetic parameters of luteolin and apigenin were also performed after rats, beagle dogs, mini-pigs and humans were orally given CME at dosages of 400 mg/kg, 102 mg/kg, 90 mg/kg, and 20 mg/kg, respectively. Linear relationships were obtained between log mean retention time (MRT) and log species body weight (W) (kg), and log elimination half-life (t1/2) (h) and logW. The corresponding allometric equations were MRT=9.382W(0.1711) (R2 = 0.9999) and t1/2 = 4.811W(0.1093) (R2 = 0.9013) for luteolin, MRT = 12.53W(0.0356) (R2 = 0.9980) and t1/2 = 7.940W(0.0294) (R2 = 0.9258) for apigenin, respectively. The predicted human pharmacokinetic parameters (MRT and t1/2) by an allometric approach were 18.6 h and 7.46 h for luteolin, 14.3 h and 8.95 h for apigenin, respectively, which were close to the values obtained from humans (20 mg CME/kg) in the present study. The study has demonstrated the possibility to extrapolate the pharmacokinetic behavior of flavonoids from animals to humans.

Bone marrow transplantation for beta-thalassaemia major by an HLA-mismatched parent.

A six-year-old boy was diagnosed with beta-thalassaemia major during infancy. Since then, he required monthly blood transfusion and irregular iron chelation therapy. He had hepatosplenomegaly and elevated liver enzymes; the serum ferritin was up to 3800 ng/mL. An echocardiogram showed left-ventricular enlargement. His one-antigen-mismatched mother was chosen as a bone marrow donor. He was pretreated with intensive red blood cell transfusion and hydroxyurea for 6 weeks prior to conditioning. The conditioning included total body irradiation (300 cGy), busulfan (14 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide (160 mg/kg) and anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit; 90 mg/kg). Marrow cell dose was 5.4 x 108/kg. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis included cyclosporine A (CSA) and methylprednisolone. Neutrophil engraftment occurred on day 23. Grade II acute GVHD occurred on day 45. The patient developed complications including septicaemia, haemorrhagic cystitis, intracranial haemorrhage and heart failure. He subsequently recovered from the complications without sequelae. The patient remained transfusion-independent at a follow-up examination after 18 months. This case suggested that a mismatched family member may be considered as a bone marrow donor for beta-thalassaemia major. In places where conventional treatment is not feasible, for example, in China, this approach may be an alternative option. A more intensive immunosuppressive regimen and a higher marrow cell dose may be important for successful engraftment. High-dose anti-thymocyte globulin may also prevent severe GVHD.

Effects of electroacupuncture on blood-brain barrier after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rat.

The effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) was investigated in rats. The dye Evans Blue (EB) was used as a tracer for assessing the disruption of BBB. Fluorescence quantification of EB was performed to explore the temporal pattern of permeability of BBB after the cerebral I-R with a fluorescence spectrophotometer (HITACHI 650-60). Furthermore, the morphology of BBB opening was detected under confocal laser scanning microscopy system. It was found that the BBB opening after cerebral I-R was biphasic. A rare scattered extravasation of EB was detected 2 hours after cerebral I-R. The EB extravasation reached its first peak at 6 h then decreased at 24 h and increased again at the time-point of 48h after cerebral I-R. EA can attenuate the disruption of BBB after cerebral I-R. EA could not only limit the area of extravasation of EB, but also reduce the concentration of extravasation of EB in the rat brain after cerebral I-R. The results indicated that one of the mechanisms of curative effect of EA on the cerebral ischemia might be due to its function of protecting the integrity of BBB.

[Study on anticancer activity of Syngnathus in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To study the anticancer activity of Syngnathus in vitro. METHOD: Observing the influence of different extracts from Syngnathus on growth of different cancer cell strains by MTT method. RESULT: It has been found out that the fat-soluble nonsaponified extract from Temminck et Schlegel and the alcoholic extract from Syngnathus acus have cytotoxic activities. The nonsaponified extract from Temminck et Schlegel can inhibit the growth of cancer cell strains KB, Hela, PAA, K562, and Bcap37, and the alcoholic extract from Syngnathus acus can inhibit the growth of cancer cell strin KB, But Bloch shows no apparent anticancer activity. CONCLUSION: Syngnathus has promising prospects as an anticancer Chinese medicine.