[Effect of Ilepcimide Combined Western Drugs on Serum Level of Neuron Specific Enolase in Treating Epilepsy Children Patients].

Objective To observe changes of serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) level in children patients with epilepsy by additional use of ilepcimide (piperine derivative). Methods Totally 107 epilepsy children patients were assigned to the test group (77 cases) and the control group (30 cases) ac- cording to random digit table. Children patients in the control group received anti-epileptic Western drugs only. Those in the test group additionally took ilepcimide, 5 mg/kg per day as initial dose, taken in two times. The dose was gradually added to those without control of epilepsy attack. Added dose within a week should not exceed 10 mg/kg per day. The therapeutic course for all was one year. Electoencephalo- gram (EEG) was performed before treatment, half a year after treatment, and one year after treatment, respectively. Serum NSE level was detected using electrochemiluminescence. Efficacy was assessed after 1-year treatment. Results The total effective rate was 65. 0% (50177) in the test group, with statistical difference as compared with that in the control group [30. 0% (9/30), P <0. 01 ]. Compared with before treatment, serum NES-level obviously decreased in the test group after 0. 5-year treatment and 1- year treatment respectively (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Besides, serum NES level was lower after 1-year treatment than after 0. 5-year treatment (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). There was no statistical difference in serum NES level between the test group and the control group at each time point (P >0. 05). Results of EEG were obviously superior in the test group (3 with normal range EEG, 5 critically abnormal EEG, 69 abnormal EEG) to the control group (2 with normal range EEG and 75 abnormal EEG) after 1-year treatment, with statistical difference (Z= -2. 33, P <0. 05). There was no statistical difference in EEG results of the control group between before treatment (all abnormal EEG) and after 1-year treatment (3 critically abnormal EEG and 27 abnormal EEG) (Z = -1. 732, P > 0. 05). Conclusion Adding ilepcimide (piperine derivative) for epilepsy children patients could lower serum NSE level and the frequency of seizures, and improve results of EEG.

Bear bile powder (熊胆粉) induces apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via mitochondrion-dependent pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Bear Bile Powder(, BBP) on the growth and apoptosis of HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and investigate the possible molecular mechanisms mediating its anti-cancer activity. METHODS: HepG2 cells were treated with 0.4-1.0 mg/mL of BBP for 24, 48 and 72 h. The viability of HePG2 cells was determined by MTT assay. Cellular morphology was observed via phase-contrast microscopy. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis with Annexin-V/propidium idodide and 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazol-carbocyanine iodide (JC-1) staining was performed to determine cell apoptosis and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, respectively. Activation of caspase-9 and -3 was evaluated by a colorimetric assay. RESULTS: The treatment with 0.4-1 mg/mL of BBP for 24, 48, or 72 h respectively reduced cell viability significantly by 7%-60%, 20%-90% or 25%-98%, compared with the untreated control cells (P<0.01). In addition, BBP treatment induced morphological changes in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, after treated with 0, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mg/mL of BBP, apoptosis cells (including early and late apoptotic cells) were 18.0%±1.3%, 34.9%±2.2%, 33.9%±2.8%, 37.4%±2.8% and 46.0%±2.5%, respectively (P<0.05); and the percentage of cells with reduced JC-1 red fluorescence were 6.6%±0.8%, 8.5%±0.8%, 13.5%±1.6%, 17.6%±2.3% and 46.7%±3.6%, respectively (P<0.01). Finally, BBP treatment significantly and dose-dependently induced activation of both caspase-9 and caspase-3 in HepG2 cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BBP could inhibit the growth of HepG2 hepatocellular cancer cells through mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis, which may, in part, explain its anti-cancer activity. BBP may be a potential novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

[Effects of sericine on TGF-beta1/Smad3 signal pathway of diabetic mephropathy rats kidney].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of color silk cocoon extraction-sericine on transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and Smad3 protein expression in kidney of diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats. METHODS: 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 12): normal control group, DN model group, sericine treatment group, metformin group and sericine prevention group. The rats in model group, sericine treatment group, metformin group and sericine prevention group were all established DN rats model by intraperitoneally injected streptozotocin (STZ). Blood glucose > or = 16.7 mmol/L was taken as standard to judge if the rats model were successfully established. After the rats model were successfully established, the rats in sericine treatment group were lavaged with sericine (2.4 g/(kg x d), 35 d). The rats in metformin group were lavaged with metformin (55.33 mg/(kg x d), 35 d). The rats in sericine prevention group were lavaged with the same dose sericine for 35 d before injecting STZ. The blood glucose and kidney weight/body weight of rats in each group were respectively detected. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of TGF-beta1 and Western blot to detect the expression of Smad3 in kidney. RESULTS: Compared with normal control rats: the blood glucose, kidney weight/body weight, TGF-beta1 and Smad3 expression in kidney of rats in model group increased obviously (P < 0.01). The blood glucose, TGF-beta1 and Smad3 expression in kidney of rats in sericin treatment group, sericin prevention group and metformin group were significantly lower than that of model group (P < 0.01). Moreover, there were no obvious differences between sericin treatment group, sericin prevention group and metformin group (P > 0.05). The kidney weight/body weight of rats in sericin treatment group, sericin prevention group and metformin group were significantly lower than that of model group (P < 0.01). Moreover, the kidney weight/body weight of rats in sericin treatment group and sericin prevention group were obviously lower than that of metformin group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sericin can inhibit activation of TGF-beta1/Smad3 signal pathway in kidney of DN rats, lighten glomerulosclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis, so has protective and preventive effects on kidney injury of DN rats. Moreover, the therapeutical and preventive effects of sericin on DN are similar with metformin.

[Advances in study on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of plants of genus Pteris].

The main chemical constituents in plants of genus pteris include diterpenoids, diterpenoid glycosides, flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, sesquiterpenoids and volatile oils, etc. Some of extracts show the following activities, such as antitumor, antifungi and antibacteria. Some of compounds have inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation and antiinflamatory action. The latest progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological activity were reviewed in the paper. Main problems and study directions in future of pteris were indicated.

[The application of infrared spectra and clustering analysis in the discrimination of geographical origin of Flos Chrysanthemi].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the origin of Flos Chrysanthemi. METHODS: FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and SIMCA (sofe independent modeling of class analogy). RESULTS: The correctness of every classification was higher than 60%. CONCLUSION: This approach was proved to be a reliable and practicable method for the discrimination of geographical origin of Chrysanthemum.

[The analysis on processed chrysanthemum by FTIR spectrums second-order derivative spectrums and two-dimensional spectrums].

Using Infrared spectrums, Second-order derivative spectrums and Two-dimensional spectrums to analyze Chrysanthemum and processed Chrysanthemum in henan province, the infrared characters of Chrysanthemum and processed Chrysanthemum can be found.

[Infrared spectroscopy technology, one of the faster and more convenient methods to detect the stability of stored Niuxi].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the change of Niuxi in reserve and establish one easier method of evaluating the quality change of Niuxi. METHODS: Infrared spectroscopy and compare software were used to distinguish the different Niuxi, and simulation testing were used to observe calefactive stability. RESULTS: There were obvious difference between transmutative and normal Niuxi, and Niuxi had evident change when the temperature above 140 degrees C in the simulation testing. CONCLUSION: Infrared spectroscopy can be used to evaluae the quality stability of Niuxi. It is one tried method to provide the establishment of reserve and torrefaction conditions.

[Quantitative analysis of reducing sugar in shu dihuang sewing with wine by near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectrum].

OBJECTIVE: To determine rapidly the reducing sugar content in the powder of decoction pieces of Shu Dihuang stewing with mine by FT-NIRS and data analysis software. METHODS: The powders of samples were analyzed by reducing sugar radiometer and FT-NIR spectra. The prediction model was set up based on PLS (partial least square) and was used to predict reducing the sugar content in the unknown samples. RESULTS: Cross validation and test samples determination showed that the correlation coefficient of this prediction model were 89.02 and 88.47, the RMSECV were 0.962 and 0.987 respectively. And t-test showed that there was no significant difference between the true data and predictive value. CONCLUSION: The prediction model could be used to predict reducing sugar content in the powder of decoction pieces of Shu Dihuang stewing with mine. This method is feasible to determine reducing sugar content in Shu Dihuang with convenient operation. It can offer reference to contents determination of other Chinese crude drugs and Chinese patent medicine.

[The correlation between 2D-IR and HPLC in dried Rehmannia glutinosa processed by different processing techniques].

OBJECTIVE: To establish one easier and higher efficient method of evaluating the quality of dried Rehmanwa glutinosa processed by different processing techniques in different producing areas. METHOD: Studies on the correlations between 2D-IR and HPLC in dried R. glutinosa processed by different processing techniques. RESULT: There are good correlations between their datas. CONCLUSION: It is properly to evaluate the quality of dried R. glutinosa processed by different processing techniques and different producing areas.