[Effect of growth hormone supplementation on liver and lung function in patients with hypopituitarism].

To analyze the clinical features of patients with anterior hypopituitarism (HP) complicated with cirrhosis, and to explore the effects of growth hormone supplementation on liver and lung function. A total of 11 patients with HP complicated with cirrhosis admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022 were included in the study, including 8 males and 3 females, aged [M(Q1, Q3)]31 (20, 37) years. There were 6 patients with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome, 4 patients after craniopharyngioma resection, and 1 patient after germinal cell tumor chemoradiotherapy. Cirrhosis appeared at [M(Q1, Q3)]7 (1, 16) years after the diagnosis of HP. There were 7 cases complicated with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). The liver and lung function of 5 patients were improved significantly after the addition of growth hormone, and the arterial partial pressure of oxygen increased from (47±11) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (84±12) mmHg. Timely supplementation of growth hormone can improve the symptoms of fatty liver, cirrhosis and HPS, and postpone or even avoid the transplantation of liver and other organs.

Targeting apoptosis pathways in cancer with magnolol and honokiol, bioactive constituents of the bark of Magnolia officinalis.

Magnolol and honokiol, main active compounds from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, have been found to have various pharmacological actions, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial properties, without appreciable toxicity. Recently, the anti-tumor activity of magnolol and honokiol has been extensively investigated. Magnolol and honokiol were found to possess anti-tumor activity by targeting the apoptosis pathways, which have been considered as targets for cancer therapies. This review will focus on the mechanisms by which magnolol and honokiol act on apoptosis pathways in cancer that have been characterized thus far, including the death receptor mediated pathway, mitochondria-mediated pathway, caspase-mediated common pathway, and regulation of apoptosis-related proteins. These breakthrough findings may have important implications for targeted cancer therapy and modern applications of traditional Chinese medicine.

Dynamic of modernizing traditional Chinese medicine and the standards system for its development.

This article reviewed the process of Traditional Chinese Medicine's modernization on a global scale. This process is motivated by the potential need for traditional medicine as a result of health transitions and increasing drug R&D based on know-how from TCM. The established standards system for modern medicine serves as a basic model yet has limitations in terms of comprehensively evaluating TCM. Spurred by policy committments, research to provide supplements suited to TCM's features and principles is underway. Advanced and interdisciplinary technology and methodology is expected to play an essential role in TCM development.

[Studies on alkaloids of Asteropyrum cavaleriei (Lévl. et Vant.) Drumm. et Hutch].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents in the plant of Asteropyrum cavaleriei. METHOD: The Chemical constituents were extracted with cation exchange resin 732 and separated by column chromatography, and the structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULT: Four compounds were isolated and identified as berberine, berberrabine, palmatine and magnoflorine. CONCLUSION: All compounds were separated from A. Cavaleriei for the first time.

[Effect of sanchinoside Rg1 on experimental thrombosis and its mechanisms].

The effect of sanchinoside Rg1 on generation of thrombosis and its mechanism was studied. Rg1 was shown to markedly inhibit experimental thrombosis formation induced by extra corporeal shunt between the carotid artery and jugular vein. After Rg1 infusion, the activity of t-PA was found to be increased, so did the percentage of active-type t-PA, but the activity of PA-I decreased. Further data in our study indicate that incubation of endothelial cells with Rg1 for 24 h caused significant increase of NO production. This effect was found to be dose-dependent. These observations suggest that Rg1 is a potent anti-thrombosis substance and can enhance the function of fibrinolysis system and stimulate vascular endothelial cells to release NO.

The production and assessment of a plastic rod for the Chinese Reference Preparation for Opacity.

A reference preparation for opacity consisting of a plastic rod was introduced by Perkins et al. in 1973. It was adopted as the International Reference Preparation for Opacity in 1975. This plastic rod opacity reference preparation has been used to standardize the Chinese National Bacterial Opacity Standard. The material was prepared from plastic sheet by a water-bath method and by a dry-heat method; the sheet was then machined into the plastic rods. We have studied the technical processes and set up methods for the examination of the sheets and rods. The water-bath method was found to be better than the dry-heat method in our tests. Collaborative assays in research institutes of biological products have shown that the plastic rod can replace the glass-powder suspension. The duration of validity of the plastic rod opacity reference preparation and that of the glass-powder suspension used for the Chinese National Bacterial Opacity Standard were studied and found to be similar. For this reason the plastic rod opacity reference preparation has not been widely used in China.