Construction of a magnetic solid-phase extraction method for the analysis of azole pesticides residue in medicinal plants.

In this work, a sensitive and cost-effective method for the quantitative analysis of azole pesticides residues in six medicinal plants was established based on magnetic cyclodextrin crosslinked with tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile (Fe3O4@TFN-CDPs) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Through characterization analysis, the outer shell of Fe3O4@TFN-CDPs has observed coating with a network of the polymer and forming a core-shell structure. Under the optimum conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) and limits of qualification (LOQs) of target pesticides were ranged from 0.011 to 0.106 µg Kg-1 and from 0.036 to 0.354 µg Kg-1, respectively. Finally, the achieved recoveries of pesticides in six medicinal samples fluctuated from 60.1% to 102.3%. Altogether, this method based on Fe3O4@TFN-CDPs composites provided a new idea for the analysis of trace pesticides in complicated matrices.

[Lingnan fire needling combined with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops in the treatment of xerophthalmia: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Lingnan fire needling combined with artificial tears in the treatment of xerophthalmia. METHODS: A total of 86 xerophthalmia patients were equally and randomly divided into treatment group and control group. The patients of both groups were received treatment with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops in their eyes 3 times a day, one drop in each eye. In addition, the patients of treatment group also treated by Lingnan fire needling on bilateral Shaoze (SI1), Neichengqi and beside lacrimal puncta once a week. The treatment was conducted for 4 consecutive weeks. Before and after 4 weeks of treatment, the clinical efficacy, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, ocular symptom score, OSDI score, fluorescence staining （FL） score, schemer I, tear menisci height, tear film break-up time (BUT) and eye redness index were recorded and evaluated. RESULTS: After the treatment, self-comparison showed that the symptom score, OSDI score, FL score and eye redness index were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and BUT was notably increased in both groups (P<0.05) in comparison with their own pre-treatment. The tear menisci height in the treatment group was higher than that before the treatment (P<0.05). Comparison between the two groups showed that the symptom score, OSDI score and eye redness index were obviously lower in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05), whereas the BUT and tear menisci height were evidently higher (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the treatment group was 84.88% (73/86), better than 76.74% (66/86) of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Lingnan fire needling combined with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops is more effective than simple sodium hyaluronate eye drops for xerophthalmia patients, with significant curative effect and no adverse reactions.

[LIN Guo-hua's experience in treating dry eye syndrome with Lingnan fire needling].

Professor LIN Guo-hua is the representative inheritor of Lingnan fire needling therapy. He proposed that the clinical application of Lingnan fire needling is mainly based on pattern differentiation according to eight priciples, as well as in coordination with the theories of meridians and zang-fu organs. He believes that dry eye syndrome can be treated from the aspects of deficiency of liver and kidney, heart yin deficiency, and qi and yin deficiency. Through deeply digging the connotation of ancient classics, and combined his clinical practice using Lingnan fire needling, professor LIN created a unique therapy that select "Neichengqi"as the main acupoint combined with Xialeidian, Dagukong (EX-UE 5), Xiaogukong (EX-UE 6) and Shaoze (SI 1) in the treatment of dry eye syndrome. In this paper, from the etiology and pathogenesis of dry eye syndrome and therapeutic characteristics of Lingnan fire needling, the thoughts of syndrome differentiation and characteristics of acupoints selection of professor LIN were analyzed by a typical case, and it is expect to enrich the clinical treatment plan for dry eye syndrome.

[Clinical characteristics and combined use of medicine analysis of 2 991 hospitalized patients with psoriasis based on real world database].

To analyze the clinical characteristics and combined use of chemical and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medicine of hospitalized patients with psoriasis base on real world database, 2 991 cases of hospitalized patients with psoriasis in hospital information system (HIS) database from 16 hospitals in China were analyzed for general hospitalization information, combined diseases and combined use of drugs et al. The results showed that half of inpatients aged 18-45 years old. The most common syndrome of TCM was intrinsic blood heat. More than 1/3 inpatients' hospitalization time was 18-25 days, and the average expense of hospitalization was 6 989. 20 RMB. The top five combined diseases were hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, upper respiratory tract infection and lipoprotein disorders. Medicine information analysis showed 599 chemical medicines and 341 TCMs were used and combined use of drugs was common in clinical practice. Licorice extract medicine was the most common combined TCM with western medicine; in the next two places were compound Qingdai capsule and tripterygium glycosides. The most common combined use of chemical medicines were Vitamin C, calcium gluconate, ketotifen, cetirizine, retinoic acid and external use glucocorticoid. Anti-inflammatory and liver protection, clearing heat and toxic materials, activating blood and dissolving stasis were the most common combined TCM medicine with western medicine, while the most common combined chemical medicine with TCM were anti-allergic, anti-infection, glucocorticoid and retinoic acid. In conclusion, half of hospitalized patients of psoriasis were young adults. The main type of combined diseases was metabolic disorders and upper respiratory infections. Combined use of chemical medicine and TCM was common in clinical practice. Licorice extract medicine was the most common combined TCM with western medicine.

Effects of Bambusae caulis in Liquamen on the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in hairless mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bambusae caulis in Liquamen (BCL) is a nutritious liquid extracted from heat-treated fresh bamboo stems. It is an important traditional herbal medicine used to treat coughs and asthma in East Asia. In recent years, it has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, and immune-regulating properties. AIM OF THE STUDY: To examine whether BCL suppresses the development of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in hairless mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of BCL were analyzed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), melanin content, and erythema in the skin, leukocyte numbers and IgE levels in the serum, and mRNA expression of relevant cytokines in the spleen. RESULTS: The transdermal administration of BCL to hairless mice inhibited the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions by suppressing TEWL, melanin production and erythema of skin, the number of leukocytes and the level of IgE in serum, and the mRNA expression of IL-4, IL-13, and TNF-alpha in the spleen. However, BCL administration increased the expression of IFN-gamma in the spleen. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that BCL suppresses the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions in hairless mice, suggesting that BCL may be a potential therapeutic agent for AD in a clinical setting.

Molecular cloning and characterization of ATX1 cDNA from the mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis.

To search for an insect homologue of antioxidant protein 1 (ATX1), a mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis, cDNA library was screened and a cDNA clone, which encodes a 73 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 8.0 kDa and pI of 5.68, was isolated. The G. orientalis ATX1 (GoATX1) cDNA features both a MTCXXC copper-binding site in the N-terminus and a KTGK lysine-rich region in the C-terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence of the GoATX1 cDNA showed 63% identity to Drosophila melanogaster ATX1 and 55% to Ixodes pacificus ATX1. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of GoATX1 transcripts in midgut, fat body, and epidermis. When H2O2 was injected into the body cavity of G. orientalis adult, GoATX1 mRNA expression was up-regulated in the fat body tissue. Fat body expression level of GoATX1 mRNA in the fat body was increased following exposure to low (4 degrees C) and high (37 degrees C) temperatures, suggesting that GoATX1 plays a protective role against oxidative stress caused by temperature shock. This is the first report about a functional role of insect ATX1 in antioxidant defense.