Study of the destructive effect to inherent quality of Angelicae dahuricae radix (Baizhi) by sulfur-fumigated process using chromatographic fingerprinting analysis.

The after-harvesting sun-dried process of Angelicae dahuricae radix (Chinese name: Baizhi) was previously the traditional treatment for commodity. Over recent decades the natural drying process for some fleshy roots or rhizomes of Chinese materia medica has been replaced by sulfur-fumigation for curtailing the drying duration and pest control. We used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting analysis to investigate the potential damaging effect of the sulfur-fumigating process. The experimental conditions were as follows. HPTLC analysis was carried out on pre-coated silica-gel 60 plate, twice development was performed with two solvent systems (mobile phase) A, chloroform-ethyl acetate (10:1) and B, hexane-chloroform-ether (4:1:2); the fluorescent images were observed under UV 365 nm. HPLC was preceeded on Zorbax SB-C(18) column; the linear gradient elution was conducted with mobile phase prepared from methanol-0.5% acetic acid; column temperature was at 25 degrees C; the detection wavelength was 250 nm. We found serious degradation of the majority of coumarins in sulfur-fumigated Baizhi. The destructive effect was manifested by the defaced chromatographic profile and verified by imitating the sulfur dioxide reaction with the constituents in Baizhi in the laboratory. It is suggested that sulfur-fumigation process is an unacceptable approach for processing herbal drugs.

Effects of Tai Chi and resistance training on cardiovascular risk factors in elderly Chinese subjects: a 12-month longitudinal, randomized, controlled intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Tai Chi is rapidly gaining in popularity, worldwide. This study was performed to assess its impact on cardiovascular risk factors in comparison with resistance training exercises in elderly Chinese subjects. METHODS: A total of 207 healthy elderly participants (65-74 years, 113/207 (55%) men) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: (1) Tai Chi, three times/week for 1 h/session (n = 64); (2) resistance training exercise, three times/week for 1 h/session (n = 65); (3) usual level of physical activity control group (n = 78). Anthropometric measures, dual X-ray densitometry body composition, blood pressure, lipids, glycaemic and insulin sensitivity indices were measured at baseline and 12 months. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (anova) was used to assess the between-group changes using a last-observation-carried-forward intention-to-treat approach. RESULTS: A total of 180 (87.0%) subjects completed the study. No significant changes were identified in the Tai Chi group compared to the resistance training or control group. Of the primary outcomes, only the improvement in the insulin sensitivity index differed, being significantly greater in the resistance training than in the control group [mean difference 0.018 (95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.000-0.037) mmol glucose/min, P = 0.02), and tending to be greater than in the Tai Chi group (mean difference 0.019 (95% CI 0.000-0.038) mmol glucose/min, P < 0.06). CONCLUSION: Tai Chi had no significant effect on any measure compared to the controls, whereas resistance training improved the insulin sensitivity index in this 12-month study.