[The 473rd case: renal failure, abdominal pain, and mental abnormality].

A 43-year-old male presented with elevated serum creatinine for 4 years and developed abdominal pain for 3 days. He started peritoneal dialysis 2 months ago. Dialysis-related peritonitis was ruled out and acute gastroenteritis was diagnosed. The patient was administrated with ertapenem 500 mg/d. An acute mental abnormality developed 3 days later. After excluded organic encephalopathy, ertapenem was discontinued for the suspicion of antibiotic-related encephalopathy. The frequency of peritoneal dialysis was increased to accelerate the clearance of antibiotics. However, the metal abnormality became even more severe. Then a diagnosis of Wernick-Korsakoff syndrome was considered. After the administration of high dose vitamin B(1), the mental disorder dramatically relieved. Vitamin B(1) 30 mg/d is maintained during peritoneal dialysis and the mental disorder does not relapse.

[The 463rd case: rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure and acute hepatic failure].

We represented a 22-year-old male patient who developed rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure and acute hepatic failure and was finally diagnosed as multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency. The patient appeared temporary stable status after high dose vitamine-B(2) supplement whereas deterioration was still fatal with pulmonary infection, acute respiratory failure and acute heart failure.

B-FAHF-2 plus oral immunotherapy (OIT) is safer and more effective than OIT alone in a murine model of concurrent peanut/tree nut allergy.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent sensitization to peanut (PN) and tree nuts (TN), the most dangerous food allergies, is common. Current oral immunotherapy (OIT) is not fully satisfactory. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the herbal formula B-FAHF-2 (BF2) ameliorates PN/TN OIT adverse reactions and enhances persistence of a tolerant state. METHODS: Concurrently sensitized PN-, walnut- (WN) and cashew (CSH)-allergic mice received 1-day PN/WN/CSH rush OIT plus 3 weeks of maintenance dosing, with or without 3 weeks prior and 3 weeks BF2 co-treatment. Anaphylactic symptom scores, core body temperatures, plasma histamine levels, basophil numbers, antigen-specific IgE, cytokine levels, and IL-4, INF-γ and Foxp3 gene promoter DNA methylation status, and their correlation with final challenge symptom scores were determined. RESULTS: BF2+OIT-treated mice experienced significantly fewer and less severe adverse reactions than OIT-only-treated mice (P<.01) during the 1-day rush OIT build-up dose phase. Both OIT-only and BF2+OIT mice showed significant desensitization (P<.01 and .001, respectively) at 1 week post-therapy challenge, being greater in BF2+OIT mice. All sham-treated and 91% of OIT-treated mice experienced anaphylaxis whereas only 21% of BF2+OIT-treated mice exhibited reactions during 5-6 weeks of dose escalation single PN and TN challenges. Greater and more persistent protection in BF2+OIT mice was associated with significantly lower plasma histamine and IgE levels, increased IFN-γ/IL-4 and IL-10/IL-4 ratios, DNA remethylation at the IL-4 promoter and demethylation at IFN-γ and Foxp3 promoters. Final challenge symptom scores were inversely correlated with IL-4 DNA methylation levels (P<.0002) and positively correlated with IFN-γ and Foxp3 gene promoter methylation levels (P<.0011) (P<.0165). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Combined BF2/OIT therapy was safer and produced longer post-treatment protection and more tolerance-prone immunological and epigenetic modifications than OIT alone. BF2/OIT may provide an additional OIT option for patients with concurrent PN/TN and other food allergies.

Effects of low-protein diets on growth performance and carcass yields of growing French meat quails (France coturnix coturnix).

A dose-response experiment with 5 analyzed dietary crude protein (CP) levels (17.61, 19.73, 21.58, 23.24, and 25.32%) was conducted to investigate the effects of low-protein diets on growth performance and carcass yields of French meat quails from 15 to 42 d of age. All diets were formulated to contain a similar dietary energy level and amino acid profile. A total of 400 fifteen-day-old French quails were divided into 5 experimental treatments and each treatment contained 4 replicate pens of 20 birds (10♂+10♀). At 42 d of age, weight gain, feed intake, CP intake, feed/gain, and the yields of breast part with bone, leg part with bone, and liver of quails from each pen were measured. The results showed significant effects of the low-CP diets on CP intake, weight gain, feed intake, and feed/gain at different experiment periods except for the sixth wk of age (P < 0.05). In addition, as dietary CP decreased from 25.32 to 17.61%, feed intake and feed/gain were increased linearly (P < 0.05), whereas CP intake showed the opposite trend and decreased gradually. On the other hand, the carcass yields of quail were not influenced by reducing dietary CP at 42 day of age (P > 0.05). Based on broken-line regression, 23.0%, 22.5%, and 20.4% were the minimum dietary CP to keep weight gain similar to the quails fed with 25.32% CP diets during the third, fourth, and fifth wk of age, respectively. In summary, with crystalline amino acid supplementation based on a similar amino acid profile, it was possible to formulate the low-protein diets containing about 22.0% CP for growing meat quails without adverse effects on growth and carcass yields of meat quails.

Immunosuppressive effects of the traditional Chinese herb Qu Mai on human alloreactive T cells.

Current therapies for transplant rejection are suboptimally effective. In an effort to discover novel immunosuppressants we used cytokine ELISPOT and ELISAs to screen extracts from 53 traditional Chinese herbs for their ability to suppress human alloreactive T cells. We identified a dichloromethane-soluble fraction (Qu Mai fraction AD [QMAD]) of Qu Mai (Dianthus superbus) as a candidate. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of QMAD revealed three dominant peaks, each with a MW ~600 Daltons and distinct from cyclosporine and rapamycin. When we added QMAD to human mixed lymphocyte cultures, we observed dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation and IFNγ production, by naïve and memory alloreactive T cells, and observed an increased frequency of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) T cells. To address whether QMAD induces regulatory T cells we added QMAD to anti-CD3/CD28-stimulated naïve CD4 T cells and observed a dose-dependent upregulation of Foxp3 associated with new suppressive capacity. Mechanistically, QMAD did not induce T cell IL-10 or TGFß but blocked T cell AKT phosphorylation, a key signaling nexus required for T cell proliferation and expansion, that simultaneously prevents Foxp3 transcription. Our findings provide novel insight into the antiinflammatory effects of one traditional Chinese herb, and support the need for continued isolation, characterization and testing of QMAD-derived components as immune suppressants for transplant rejection.

Rabbit model of primary hyperparathyroidism induced by high-phosphate diet.

The objective of this study is to establish a new rabbit model of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) induced by high-phosphate diet. One hundred twenty rabbits were divided into two groups of 60 each. The treatment group was fed a high-phosphate diet (Ca:P = 1:7) and the control group was given a normal animal diet (Ca:P = 1:0.7) for 1 to 6 mo. Serologic examinations, including parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and phosphorus levels, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid, and the histologic examination, including parathyroid, kidney, and bones, were performed at the end of each month for 6 mo. Compared with the control, serum PTH levels in the treatment groups were elevated at all six time points, whereas serum calcium levels were reduced, and serum phosphorus levels remain unchanged over the course of the first 3 mo. Serum calcium levels were increased, whereas serum phosphorus levels were reduced at 4, 5, and 6 mo. Parathyroid histopathological examination showed no change during the first month, whereas 60% of the animals exhibited mild hyperplasia starting at 2 mo, and 90% of the animals in the treatment group exhibited mild-to-moderate hyperplasia with gland enlargement starting from 3 mo through the end of the study. Histopathological examination of the kidneys showed no change at 1 mo, but focal parenchymal inflammation with calcium deposition was observed in the treatment groups at 2 to 6 mo. Fibrous tissue of the bone extended toward the cortex, and fibrosis was evident at the third month. The fibrous cells were found to be concentrated mainly on the inner and outer membranes of the bone cortex, and the amount of fibrous tissue increased as the disease progressed. We conclude that a new rabbit animal model of PHPT can be successfully created by the administration of a high-phosphate diet. This animal model can be used in various future studies related to PHPT.

Intestinal growth and morphology is associated with the increase in heat shock protein 70 expression in weaning piglets through supplementation with glutamine.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of oral Gln supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and expression of heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 in weaning piglets. A total of 65 piglets after weaning at 21 d of age (d 0) were used in this experiment. Five piglets were randomly selected and euthanized initially at d 0 to determine baseline values for the expression of Hsp70 in the small intestine. The remaining piglets were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments and received 0 or 1 g of oral Gln/kg of BW every 12 h. After piglets were humanely killed at d 3, 7, and 14 postweaning, the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of piglets were sampled to evaluate intestinal morphology and the expression and localization of Hsp70. The results indicated that oral Gln supplementation increased plasma concentrations of Gln compared with those in control piglets (P < 0.05). Average daily gain and ADFI were greater in piglets orally supplemented with Gln than in control piglets during the whole period (P < 0.05). The incidence of diarrhea in piglets orally supplemented with Gln was 24% less than (P = 0.064) that in control piglets at 8 to 14 d after weaning. The weights of the jejunum and ileum were greater in piglets orally supplemented with Gln compared with those of control piglets relative to BW on d 14 postweaning (P < 0.05). The villus height and the villus height:crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and the ileum were greater in piglets receiving oral Gln on d 14 postweaning (P < 0.05) than in control piglets. These results indicate that Gln supplementation can influence the intestinal morphology of weaned piglets. The expression of hsp70 mRNA and Hsp70 proteins in the duodenum and jejunum was greater in piglets supplemented with Gln than in control piglets (P < 0.05). However, Gln supplementation had no effect on the expression of hsp70 mRNA and Hsp70 proteins in the ileum. Moreover, the localization of Hsp70 in the cytoplasm indicated that Hsp70 has a cytoprotective role in epithelial cell function and structure. These results indicate that Gln supplementation may be beneficial for intestinal health and development and may thus mitigate diarrhea and improve growth performance. The protective mechanisms of Gln in the intestine may be associated with the increase in Hsp70 expression.

Efficacy, safety and immunological actions of butanol-extracted Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 on peanut anaphylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Therapies for peanut allergy (PNA) are urgently needed. Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) has profound therapeutic effects in a murine PNA model and is safe for food-allergic adults in clinical trials. However, the large FAHF-2 pill-load is not conducive to clinical studies in children. Thus, refining FAHF-2 to decrease pill-load is essential for the inclusion of children in clinical trials and to facilitate studying FAHF-2 as a clinically useful botanical drug. OBJECTIVES: Testing long-term efficacy and safety of a butanol-purified extract of FAHF-2 (B-FAHF-2) in a murine model of PNA, and to explore its immunological mechanisms of action. METHODS: FAHF-2 was purified by butanol extraction. C3H/HeJ mice with established PNA received the first course of B-FAHF-2 at 6 mg, twice daily for 7 weeks (PNA/B-FAHF-2) or water (PNA/sham) and were then challenged immediately after completing the treatment and six more times every 1-2 months post-treatment up to week 50. Mice then received a second course of B-FAHF-2 treatment at week 52 and were challenged at week 65. In vivo and in vitro immunological effects on T, B and mast cells were also determined. RESULTS: Butanol purification reduced the volume of the effective dose ∼5-fold. All PNA/B-FAHF-2 mice were completely protected from PN anaphylaxis until the fifth challenge after the first course of treatment, as compared with PNA/sham mice. Partial protection persisted up to 50 weeks. A second treatment course restored complete protection. B-FAHF-2 significantly suppressed Th2 cytokine, IgE and histamine levels in vivo, and showed direct inhibition of Th2, IgE-producing B cells and mast cell activation in vitro. B-FAHF-2 had a high margin of safety. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: B-FAHF-2 produced long-lasting protection against PN anaphylaxis for approximately half of the murine life span without side-effects. B-FAHF-2 exhibited direct effects on multiple food allergy effector cells.

Anti-Asthma Simplified Herbal Medicine Intervention-induced long-lasting tolerance to allergen exposure in an asthma model is interferon-γ, but not transforming growth factor-ß dependent.

BACKGROUND: Chronic allergic asthma is the result of a T-helper type 2 (Th2)-biased immune status. Current asthma therapies control symptoms in some patients, but a long-lasting therapy has not been established. Anti-Asthma Simplified Herbal Medicine Intervention (ASHMI™), a Chinese herbal formula, improved symptoms and lung function, and reduced Th2 responses in a controlled trial of patients with persistent moderate to severe asthma. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the persistence of ASHMI™ beneficial effects following therapy in a murine model of chronic asthma and the immunological mechanisms underlying such effects. Methods BALB/c mice sensitized intraperitoneally with ovalbumin (OVA) received 3 weekly intratracheal OVA challenges to induce airway hyper-reactivity (AHR) and inflammation (OVA mice). Additionally, OVA mice were treated with ASHMI™ (OVA/ASHMI™) or water (OVA/sham) for 4 weeks, and then challenged immediately and 8 weeks post-therapy. In other experiments, OVA mice received ASHMI™ treatment with concomitant neutralization of IFN-γ or TGF-ß. Effects on airway responses, cytokine- and OVA-specific IgE levels were determined 8 weeks post-therapy. RESULTS: Before treatment, OVA mice exhibited AHR and pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation following OVA challenge, which was almost completely resolved immediately after completing treatment with ASHMI™ and did not re-occur following OVA re-challenge up to 8 weeks post-therapy. Decreased allergen-specific IgE and Th2 cytokine levels, and increased IFN-γ levels also persisted at least 8 weeks post-therapy. ASHMI™ effects were eliminated by the neutralization of IFN-γ, but not TGF-ß, during therapy. CONCLUSION: ASHMI™ induced long-lasting post-therapy tolerance to antigen-induced inflammation and AHR. IFN-γ is a critical factor in ASHMI™ effects.

Removal of low-concentration BTX in air using a combined plasma catalysis system.

The behavior of non-thermal plasma (NTP) and combined plasma catalysis (CPC) was investigated for removal of low-concentration benzene, toluene and p-xylene (BTX mixture) in air using a link tooth wheel-cylinder plasma reactor. Combining NTP with MnO(x)/Al(2)O(3) catalyst after the discharge zone (CPC) significantly promoted BTX conversion and improved the energy efficiency. For a specific input energy (SIE) of 10 JL(-1), the conversion of benzene, toluene and p-xylene reached 94%, 97% and 95%, respectively. The introduction of MnO(x)/Al(2)O(3) catalyst also moved the BTX conversion towards total oxidation and reduced the emission of O(3) and NO(2) as compared to NTP alone. For an SIE of 10 JL(-1), the O(3) outlet concentration decreased from 46.7 for NTP alone to 1.9 ppm for CPC, while the NO(2) emission correspondingly decreased from 1380 to 40 ppb.

Phosphate adsorption characteristics at the sediment-water interface and phosphorus fractions in Nansi Lake, China, and its main inflow rivers.

Phosphorus fractions and phosphate adsorption characteristics of 16 sediments from a shallow freshwater lake (Nansi Lake, China) and its inflow estuaries were investigated. In the present study, the sediment phosphorus is fractionated into exchangeable P (exch-P), Al-P, Fe-P, Ca-P, organic P (OP), inorganic P (IP) and total P (TP). The results show that the total phosphorus (TP) content in the sediments ranges from 571.67 to 1,113.55 mg kg(-1), and calcium bound phosphorus (Ca-P) is the main fraction of IP. The biologically available phosphorus (BAP) ranges from 32.02 to 229.67 mg kg(-1) in the Nansi Lake sediments. Phosphate adsorption on the sediments mainly occurs within 10 h and is completed within 48 h. The content of native adsorbed phosphorus (omega(NAP)) varies greatly from 6.05 to 194.37 mg kg(-1), showing a significant correlation with the total maximal amount of phosphorus adsorbed (TQ(max)). Adsorption efficiency (m) ranges from 574.79 to 3,220.68 l kg(-1) and zero equilibrium phosphorus concentration (C(EPC)) ranges from 0.010 to 0.157 mg l(-1). After the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the inherent phosphorus present in sediments will be a major threat to the diverted water quality and be a predominant factor determining the trophic status of the lake even if the external load is reduced.

Therapeutic effects of a fermented soy product on peanut hypersensitivity is associated with modulation of T-helper type 1 and T-helper type 2 responses.

BACKGROUND: ImmuBalance is a koji fungus (Aspergillus oryzae) and lactic acid fermented soybean product. This unique production process is believed to create a food supplement that helps to induce or maintain normal immune response. OBJECTIVE: To assess possible therapeutic effects of ImmuBalance on peanut (PN) hypersensitivity using a murine model of peanut allergy (PNA). METHODS: PN allergic C3H/HeJ mice were fed standard mouse chow containing 0.5% or 1.0% ImmuBalance (ImmuBalance 2X), radiation-inactivated 1.0% ImmuBalance (I-ImmuBalance 2X), or regular diet chow (sham) for 4 weeks, beginning 10 weeks after the initial PN sensitization, and then challenged with PN. Anaphylactic symptom scores, plasma histamine, serum PN specific-IgE levels and splenocyte cytokine profiles were determined. RESULTS: While 100% of sham-treated PNA mice developed anaphylactic reactions with a median score of 3.3 following PN challenge, only 50% of ImmuBalance, 30% of ImmuBalance 2X and 40% of I-ImmuBalance 2X-treated mice developed allergic reactions with median scores of 1.0, 0.4 and 0.5 respectively, which were significantly less than that in the sham-treated mice (P<0.05). Plasma histamine and PN specific-IgE levels were also significantly less in all treated mice than in sham-treated mice (P<0.05). Furthermore, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 production by PN-stimulated splenocytes in vitro from ImmuBalance fed mice were markedly reduced compared with sham-treated mice, whereas IFN-gamma production was moderately increased. TGF-beta and TNF-alpha production were similar. CONCLUSIONS: ImmuBalance protects against PN-induced anaphylaxis when administered as a food supplement in this model. Protection was associated with down-regulation of Th2 responses. This supplement may provide a potential novel therapy for PNA.

Induction of tolerance after establishment of peanut allergy by the food allergy herbal formula-2 is associated with up-regulation of interferon-gamma.

BACKGROUND: Peanut (PN)-anaphylaxis is potentially life threatening. We previously reported that a Chinese herbal medicine preparation, food allergy herbal formula-2 (FAHF-2), prevented peanut allergy (PNA) in mice when administered during sensitization. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether FAHF-2 also can prevent anaphylactic reactions when administered to mice with established PNA and, if so, whether protection would persist after cessation of therapy. METHODS: C3H/HeJ mice sensitized and boosted over 8 weeks with a standard protocol known to establish PN hypersensitivity received seven weeks of FAHF-2 treatment or water as a sham treatment. Mice were subsequently challenged with PN at week 14 (1-day post-therapy) and week 18 (4-week post-therapy) to evaluate the efficacy and persistence of FAHF-2 treatment by assessing anaphylactic scores, core body temperatures and plasma histamine levels. Serum PN-specific antibody levels and cytokine profiles from splenocytes and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells were also determined. RESULTS: All sham-treated mice challenged at weeks 14 and 18 showed anaphylactic symptoms. In contrast, FAHF-2-treated mice showed no sign of anaphylactic reactions. PN-specific IgE levels in FAHF-2-treated mice also were reduced whereas IgG2a levels were increased. Furthermore, MLN cells from FAHF-2-treated mice produced markedly less IL-4 and IL-5, but more IFN-gamma, and contained increased numbers of IFN-gamma-producing CD8+ cells as compared with sham-treated mice. CONCLUSION: FAHF-2 treatment established PN tolerance in this model, which persisted for at least 4-week post-treatment. This result was associated with modulation of intestinal T helper type 1 cell (Th1) and Th2 cytokine production, and with increased numbers of mesenteric IFN-gamma-producing CD8+ cells.

Effect of the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on age-related oxidative stress in aged mice.

Oxidative damage of biomolecules increases with age and is postulated to be a major causal factor of various physiological function disorders. Consequently, the concept of anti-age by antioxidants has been developed. Lycium barbarum fruits have been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and the data obtained in in vitro models have clearly established the antioxidant potency of the polysaccharides isolated from the fruits. In the present study, the age-dependent changes in the antioxidant enzyme activity, immune function and lipid peroxidation product were investigated and effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on age-induced oxidative stress in different organs of aged mice was checked. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (200, 350 and 500 mg/kg b.w. in physiological saline) were orally administrated to aged mice over a period of 30 days. Aged mice receiving vitamin C served as positive control. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid peroxides in serum and tested organs, and immune function were measured. Result showed that increased endogenous lipid peroxidation, and decreased antioxidant activities, as assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), and immune function were observed in aged mice and restored to normal levels in the polysaccharides-treated groups. Antioxidant activities of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides can be compable with normal antioxidant, vitamin C. Moreover, addition of vitamin C to the polysaccharides further increased the in vivo antioxidant activity of the latter. It is concluded that the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides can be used in compensating the decline in TAOC, immune function and the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thereby reduces the risks of lipid peroxidation accelerated by age-induced free radical.

Protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Fruit from Lycium barbarum L. in the family Solanaceae is well-known in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) have been identified as one of the active ingredients responsible for its biological activities. We isolated polysaccharides from dried Lycium barbarum fruits by boiling water extraction. In the study, 50 animals were divided into two groups: a nondiabetic control (n=10) and a diabetic group (n=40). Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (50mg/kg BW; Sigma, USA) freshly dissolved in a 0.1 mol/L citrate buffer (pH 4.5) into the intraperitonium. The normal control rats and the untreated diabetic control rats were only injected with the citrate buffer. Treated diabetic rats were administrated with LBP in drinking water through oral gavage for 30 days. At the end of experiment, oxidative indice in blood, liver and kidney of all groups were examined. The results show that administration of LBP can restore abnormal oxidative indice near normal levels. Therefore, we may assume that LBP is effective in the protection of liver and kidney tissue from the damage of STZ-induced diabetic rats and that the LBP may be of use as a antihyperglycemia agent.

Cross-talks between circadian timing system and cell division cycle determine cancer biology and therapeutics.

The circadian clock orchestrates cellular functions over 24 hours, including cell divisions, a process that results from the cell cycle. The circadian clock and cell cycle interact at the level of genes, proteins, and biochemical signals. The disruption or the reinforcement of the host circadian timing system, respectively, accelerates or slows down cancer growth through modifications of host and tumor circadian clocks. Thus, cancer cells not only display mutations of cell cycle genes but also exhibit severe defects in clock gene expression levels or 24-hour patterns, which can in turn favor abnormal proliferation. Most of the experimental research actively ongoing in this field has been driven by the original demonstration that cancer patients with poor circadian rhythms had poor quality of life and poor survival outcome independently of known prognostic factors. Further basic research on the gender dependencies in circadian properties is now warranted, because a large clinical trial has revealed that gender can largely affect the survival outcome of cancer patients on chronotherapeutic delivery. Mathematical models further show that the therapeutic index of chemotherapeutic drugs can be optimized through distinct delivery profiles, depending on the initial host/tumor status and variability in circadian entrainment and/or cell cycle length. Clinical trials and systems-biology approaches in cancer chronotherapeutics raise novel issues to be addressed experimentally in the field of biological clocks. The challenge ahead is to therapeutically harness the circadian timing system to concurrently improve quality of life and down-regulate malignant growth.

Food Allergy Herbal Formula-1 (FAHF-1) blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model.

BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is a major cause of fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to foods. There is no curative therapy for this condition. Traditional Chinese medicines have been reported to have antiallergic properties, which might be useful for treating peanut allergy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Chinese herbal formula, FAHF-1, on peanut anaphylactic reactions in a mouse model of peanut allergy. METHODS: Mice were sensitized with freshly ground whole peanut in the presence of cholera toxin and boosted 1 and 3 weeks later. FAHF-1 treatment was initiated 1 week later and continued for 7 weeks. After treatment, mice were challenged with peanut, and anaphylactic symptoms, body temperatures, and plasma histamine and IgE levels were measured. T-cell proliferative responses and cytokine production were also determined. RESULTS: FAHF-1 completely blocked peanut-induced anaphylactic symptoms and markedly reduced mast cell degranulation and histamine release. Peanut-specific serum IgE levels were significantly reduced by 2 weeks of treatment at the time of challenge, and they remained lower 4 weeks after discontinuation of treatment. FAHF-1 significantly reduced peanut-induced lymphocyte proliferation as well as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 synthesis but not IFN-gamma synthesis. No toxic effects on liver or kidney functions were observed, nor was there any overall immune suppression. CONCLUSION: FAHF-1 protected peanut-sensitized mice from anaphylactic reactions and significantly reversed established IgE-mediated peanut allergy. This suggests that FAHF-1 might prove valuable for the treatment of peanut allergy.

[Studies on chemical constituents in fruit of Lycium barbarum L].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in the fruit of Lycium barbarum. METHOD: The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography and identified by spectral data. RESULT: The compounds obtained were identified as scopoletin(I), beta-sitosterol(II), p-coumaric acid(III), glucose(IV), daucosterol(V) and betaine(VI). CONCLUSION: Compounds III, IV and V were isolated from Lycium barbarum for the first time.

[Study on effect of nephropathy mixture on genetic expression of liver albumin in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Nephropathy mixture on genetic expression of liver albunin in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome. METHODS: The rat model of adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome was established and the liver albumin mRNA expression level was observed with Northern hybridization and Dot-blot quantitative analysis. RESULTS: The liver albumin mRNA expression level in the Nephropathy Mixture treated group was significantly higher than that in the model group and the normal control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Nephropathy Mixture could up-regulate the liver albumin mRNA expression level and promote the synthesis of albumin in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome.

[Effect of langchuangding on serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor and neopterin level in patients of systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: In order to explore the therapeutic mechanism of Langchuangding (LCD) in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by observation of its effect on serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and neopterin level in SLE patients. METHODS: Forty-five patients of SLE were randomly divided into two groups, the 25 cases in the treated group were treated with LCD plus glucocorticoid (GCC) and the 20 cases in the control group were treated with GCC alone. The levels of sIL-2R and neopterin were observed before and after treatment by double antibody sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: SLE patient showed higher levels of sIL-2R and neopterin than normal, and being higher in active stage than in remission stage. The level of neopterin was positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r = 0.86, P < 0.01). After treatment, the levels of sIL-2R and neopterin were lowered significantly in the treated group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: LCD could effectively reduce the serum levels of sIL-2R and neopterin in SLE patients, which would be beneficial to cellular immune functional regulation and induce the disturbed internal environment of immunity to homeostasis.