[A brief textual research on Mei shi fang (Prescriptions of Master Mei) and Yi men fang (Prescriptions of Medical Professionals)].

Mei shi fang (Prescriptions of Master Mei) cited in Zheng lei ben cao (Classified Syndromes Materia Medica) and Yi men fang (Prescriptions of Medical Professionals) cited in Yi xin fang (Ishinpo) are actually the same book with different titles, which is actually called Yi men mi lu (Secret Records of Medical Professionals) with 5 volumes or the 5-volume Mei chong xian fang (Prescriptions of Mei Chongxian) approximately compiled during the years of Zhenyuan to Yuanhe reigns of the Tang Dynasty (785-820) written by Mei Chongxian, a Tang taoist. Mei Chongxian and Mei Biao, the author of Shi yao er ya (Dictionary of Mineral Medicines), might probably be the same person. According to the citations of Yi xin fang and Zheng lei ben cao, Yi men mi lu should be a comprehensive medical book including theories, methods, prescriptions and medications, recorded classical prescriptions of predecessors extensively, with some innovations and high clinical and documentary significance.

De novo urothelial carcinoma in kidney transplant patients with end-stage aristolochic acid nephropathy in China.

OBJECTIVE: Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is a progressive renal interstitial fibrosis disease that was initially reported among a Belgian cohort of about 50 patients after the intake of diet pills containing the Chinese herb Aristolochia fangchi. In addition to renal disease, foci of AAN show increased incidences of urothelial carcinomas (UC). Immunosuppression is associated with an increased risk for the development of different malignancies. Our aim was to examine the outcomes of UC among patients with AAN after transplantation in China, the cradle of this traditional medicine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective evaluation of the charts and pathology reports of 1612 renal transplant recipients treated at our 2 institutions. RESULTS: From January 1998 to December 2006, we performed cadaveric kidney transplantations in 17 patients with AAN, all of whom were treated with cyclosporine plus azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil plus prednisone. One-year graft survival was 100%. During the mean follow-up of 57 months (range, 21-108 months), 9 recipients (52.9%) developed UC, compared with a 0.46% prevalence of urinary tract tumors among other Chinese kidney transplant recipients. The age at which the diagnosis was made ranged from 39 to 66 years (mean, 53.6 +/- 6.8 years). Among the 9 patients with UC, 8 cases (88.9%) involved the upper urinary tract: bilateral, 3 cases, 37.5%; unilateral, 5 cases, 62.5%. In 1 patient only a bladder tumor was detected. Two patients showed the bladder, synchronous bilateral ureter, and pelvis to be involved. All patients with UC underwent surgical treatment, recovering uneventfully with functioning grafts after tumor excision, except 1 patient who underwent nephrectomy of the transplanted kidney. Six patients (75%) experienced recurrences during the follow-up period. Three patients died within a mean of 20 months (range, 1-42 months) after tumor excision. CONCLUSIONS: The risk for UC is increased among patients with AAN after transplantation. Regular screening for early detection of malignancy is mandatory. Longer follow-up and results from other transplant centers are needed to further investigate the relationship between AAN and UC among renal transplant patients.

Genotoxicity of heated cooking oil vapors.

Epidemiological studies of lung cancer in Chinese women indicated that factors other than cigarette smoking are related to lung cancer risk. A case-control study suggested that indoor air pollution, particularly from cooking oil emissions, may be involved. Condensates of volatile emissions from rapeseed and soybean cooking oils were prepared and found to be genotoxic in short-term tests including the Salmonella mutation assay, SV50 forward-mutation assay, and sister-chromatid exchange assay, as well as the micronucleus assay in mouse bone marrow. In contrast, condensates from rapeseed oil with butylated hydroxyanisole or hydrogenated rapeseed oil were not mutagenic, implicating oxidation products as the cause for mutagenicity. Peanut oil and lard condensates were not mutagenic in any assay. The association of exposure to Chinese rapeseed cooking-oil emissions and lung-cancer risk may be related to the mutagenic component of these condensates.