[Clinical observation on treatment of infantile cholestatic hepatitis syndrome by rhubarb].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of Rhubarb in treating infantile cholestatic hepatitis syndrome (IHS). METHODS: Forty-four patients of the treatment group were treated with Rhubarb per os and/or duodenal infusion, 20 cases of the control group were treated with general liver protecting therapy such as inosine, vitamin C and glucose. Serum bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT) level, bilirubin in duodenal juice and liver size were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: In the treatment group, 18 cases were markedly effective, 21 effective, 3 ineffective and 2 were deteriorated, while in the control group, the respective number were 0, 4, 13 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Rhubarb was a markedly effective in cholagoging and abating of jaundice, it could promote the recovery of liver function, dredge the cholestasis in cholangiole and micro-cholangiole so as to promote the bile secretion.

The effects of "huoxuequyu" decoction on lipid peroxidation in IUGR rats.

The rats exposed to passive smoking were used as the animal model to further study the pathogenesis of IUGR and the effects of "Huoxuequyu" decoction. The results showed that the mean birth-weight of fetus and SOD activity of placenta and plasma in model rats were significantly reduced, and LPO levels of placenta and plasma were significantly increased. We found that the mean birth-weight and SOD activity in treated group were higher than that in model group, and LPO levels of placenta and plasma were lower in treated group than that in model group and there was no difference in SOD activity and LPO levels of placenta and plasma as well as the mean birthweight between treated group and control group, indicating that "Huoxuequyu" decoction can protect placenta and plasma against lipid peroxidation, and improve the blood circulation of uteroplacenta, thus contributing to the increase of the mean birth-weight.

Effect of Tripterygium Wilfordii on adrenal cortex in rat with adjuvant arthritis.

This paper reports the effects of Tripterygium Wilfordii (TW) on adrenal cortex in rats with adjuvant arthritis. Forty rats were divided into 5 groups. Adjuvant arthritis (AA) models were made with complete freund's adjuvant (CFA) in groups I-IV. Each of which was treated with sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose, TW, prednisone and cyclophosphamide respectively. The untreated rats allocated to group V served as normal controls. The swelling of AA markedly subsided in group II, III and IV as compared with group I (P < 0.01), whereas no significant differences were noted among groups II, III and IV (P > 0.05). The obviously increased plasma corticosterone levels and decreased adrenal ascorbic acid levels were observed in group II, whereas decreased plasma corticosterone levels and increased adrenal ascorbic acid levels were noted in group III. There was a striking contrast between groups II and III. The morphological changes of adrenal glands under light microscope revealed hypertrophic adrenal cortices in group II, and atrophic adrenal cortices in group III. The above findings suggest that the effect of promoting production of corticosteroids may be one of the mechanism by which TW can effectively treating autoimmune diseases.

[Antagonistic effect of re du qing on damage of hepatocytic microsomes in rabbits with endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation].

In this study, the generalized Shwartzman reaction of rabbit induced by endotoxin of Escherichia Coli was built as DIC models. The experiment showed that the levels of lipid peroxide (LPO) in the hepatocytic microsomes of model group were increased significantly, whereas the cytochrome P-450 (Cyto. P-450) contents and aniline hydroxylase activities were obviously decreased. In the Re Du Qing (RDQ) group and dexamethasone group the decrease of LPO in hepatocytic microsomes as well as the reduction of Cyto. P-450 contents and aniline hydroxylase activities were alleviated. Furthermore, the correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between levels of LPO in microsomes and the Cyto. P-450 contents as well as aniline hydroxylase activities. This study indicates the LPO may play an important role in the damage of hepatocytic microsomes and RDQ could prevent hepatocytic microsomes from injury of rabbits with endotoxin-induced DIC.

[Preventive effect of re du qing on hepatocytes and mitochondria damaged by lipid peroxidation in experimental rabbits with endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation].

In this study, the general Shwartzman reaction of rabbits induced by Escherichia Coli endotoxin was made as DIC models. The experiments showed that the levels of lipid peroxide (LPO) in hepatic tissue and mitochondria in the model group were increased significantly compared with the control group (P less than 0.01), while superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in hepatic tissue and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in hepatic tissue and mitochondria were decreased significantly (P less than 0.01). The levels of LPO in hepatic tissue and mitochondria in Re Du Qing (RDQ) group and vitamin E (VE) group were decreased significantly (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05 respectively) compared with the model group. The levels of LPO in the RDQ group did not differ from the control group (P greater than 0.05), but the levels of LPO in the VE group were still higher than those in the control group significantly (P less than 0.05). The SOD activity in hepatic tissue and GSH-Px activity in hepatic tissue and mitochondria in both RDQ group and VE group were also significantly higher than those in the model group (P less than 0.01). These data suggest that the levels of oxygen free radicals were increased in hepatocytes and mitochondria. This is related to the decreased activities of SOD and GSH-Px in the course of pathogenesis of endotoxin-induced DIC. This study indicates that lipid peroxidation might be one of the important mechanisms resulting in hepatocellular and mitochondria from oxidative damage.

[Experimental studies on the antagonistic effect of re du qing on endotoxin-induced damage of lysosomes and mitochondria].

A rabbit endotoxic DIC model was preliminarily performed. The structures of lysosomes and mitochondria in liver cells were evidently destroyed as observed under electronic microscope, whereas those rabbits pretreated with Re Du Qing (RDQ, formerly named anti-inflammatory No. 6)--a mixture of Chinese traditional herbs providing antipyretic and detoxifying action, showed principally normal ultrastructure in liver cells. In lysosomal functional studies, the activity of the lysosomal marker enzyme--acid phosphate (ACP) was 79.0 +/- 4.7% (M +/- SD) in model group, higher than pretreated group (54.01 +/- 4.0%, P less than 0.01). Studies on the mitochondrial function showed that the significant criteria of the respiratory activity of mitochondria--respiratory control ratios (RCR) was 2.83 +/- 1.08 in model group and markedly lower than pretreated group (5.46 +/- 1.25, P less than 0.01). Mitochondrial ATPase activity (mu mol pi/min/mg pr.) was lower in model group (0.280 +/- 0.015) than in pretreated group (0.341 +/- 0.018, P less than 0.05). Lipid peroxide (LPO) in liver homogenates and serum were 1.86 +/- 0.43 n mol MDA/mg pr. and 12.26 +/- 0.84 n mol MDA/ml respectively in model group, whereas in pretreated group they gave a much lower value (1.19 +/- 0.12 and 6.55 +/- 2.97) respectively. Those data showed very significant difference between two groups (P less than 0.01). All of the above indices of pretreated group yielded values close to those of normal control group. The results of experimental study in vitro were identical to those of experimental study in vivo. These experimental studies suggested that RDQ provide antagonistic effect on endotoxin induced damage of lysosomes and mitochondria.