Prussian blue-modified ferritin nanoparticles for effective tumor chemo-photothermal combination therapy via enhancing reactive oxygen species production.

To realize the photothermal therapy ability of Prussian blue-modified ferritin nanoparticles (PB-Ft NPs) and its synergistic effect with chemotherapy, PB-Ft NPs were synthesized by a simple surface double decomposition reaction. Mean sizes of ferritin and PB-Ft NPs were 10.4 nm and 12.6 nm, respectively. The obtained PB-Ft NPs were verified to have both the photothermal conversion ability of Prussian blue and the morphology of ferritin. The in vitro and in vivo photothermal therapy results confirm PB-Ft NPs can successfully inhibit the growth of murine breast cancer cell line (4T1) without any obvious side effect. Moreover, taking use of the peroxidase-like activity of PB-Ft NPs, the photothermal therapy effect of PB-Ft NPs effectively improved the curative effect of gemcitabine (GEM) via enhancing reactive oxygen species production. The obtained PB-Ft NPs can be served as a useful and safe photothermal therapy agent in breast cancer. Moreover, PB-Ft NPs-assisted photothermal therapy can be applied as an adjunctive therapy with various established cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

[A research of Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment standard procedure for patients with HIV associated pruritus based on experts' questionnaires].

OBJECTIVE: To establish Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment standard procedure for patients with HIV associated pruritus. METHODS: A Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment standard procedure for patients with HIV associated pruritus was established by literature retrieval and peer review. Two questionnaires were carried out to investigate the confirmation and advice of in-group specialists to key points of the draft including diagnosis, treatment and nursing. Then the procedures were revised accordingly. RESULTS: The recovery rate of complete questionnaires in the 1st survey was 96%. Specialists confirmed more on case history and physical examinations, syndrome differentiation of three syndrome types, treatment of blood deficiency wind dryness syndrome (BDWDS) and nursing. They held different opinions on the outlines, auxiliary examinations, treatment of blood heat induced wind evil syndrome (BHWES) and wind cold and dampness accumulation syndrome (WCDAS), of which the coefficient of variations (CVs) was within 0.1603 -0.2473. The procedures were revised and the 2nd survey was launched. The recovery rate of complete questionnaires in the 2nd survey was 100%. Specialists confirmed more on case history and physical examinations, diagnostic criteria, syndrome differentiation of BDWDS and WCDAS, and treatment of BDWDS, of which CVs was 0. All indicated high agreement and good compliance. The CVs of other items were within 0.0638-0.1439, less than those of the 1st survey. The consistency of experts' opinions were somewhat improved. The contribution by one single item showed less difference in assessing the overall results in the two surveys. A new revision of the procedure was preliminarily established according to results of two surveys. CONCLUSIONS: Experts' activeness, concentration, and coordination were good in the two surveys. They had reached consensus in key points of the draft including diagnosis, treatment, and nursing.

Duration of viral shedding of influenza A (H1N1) virus infection treated with oseltamivir and/or traditional Chinese medicine in China: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: H1N1 was a new and potentially serious infectious disease, in human, the severity of influenza can vary from mild to severe, thus to find an effective and safety way to control the influenza pandemic is of crucial importance. This retrospective study describes the duration of viral shedding in H1N1 patients that were hospitalized and treated in China. METHODS: Clinical data were collected from May to July, 2009 in China for 963 patients with influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. Patients were treated based on the guidelines issued by the Chinese Ministry of Health. The primary outcome was duration of viral shedding and statistical comparisons were performed. RESULTS: In the patients with body temperature greater than 38.0 degrees C, there were no differences in virus shedding duration among the patients taking oseltamivir within two days, patients undergoing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy or those receiving no drug therapy. In patients with body temperature > or =38.1 degrees C, TCM therapy reduced the viral shedding duration (P < 0.05, vs. oseltamivir therapy). Furthermore, taking oseltamivir two days after onset of symptoms might prolong the virus shedding duration (P < 0.05, vs. taking oseltamivir less than 2 days of onset). CONCLUSION: TCM therapy is effective for reducing the length of virus shedding in patients with body temperature > or =38.0 degrees C. Oseltamivir used for reducing virus shedding duration should be taken within two days of onset.

Oseltamivir compared with the Chinese traditional therapy maxingshigan-yinqiaosan in the treatment of H1N1 influenza: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies from Asia suggest that maxingshigan-yinqiaosan may be effective in the treatment of acute H1N1 influenza. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of oseltamivir and maxingshigan-yinqiaosan in treating uncomplicated H1N1 influenza. DESIGN: Prospective, nonblinded, randomized, controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00935194) SETTING: Eleven hospitals from 4 provinces in China. PATIENTS: 410 persons [corrected] aged 15 to 69 [corrected] years with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 influenza. INTERVENTION: Oseltamivir, 75 mg twice daily; maxingshigan-yinqiaosan decoction (composed of 12 Chinese herbal medicines, including honey-fried Herba Ephedrae), 200 mL 4 times daily; oseltamivir plus maxingshigan-yinqiaosan; or no intervention (control). Interventions and control were given for 5 days. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was time to fever resolution. Secondary outcomes included symptom scores and viral shedding determined by using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Significant reductions in the estimated median time to fever resolution compared with the control group (26.0 hours [95% CI, 24.0 to 33.0 hours]) were seen with oseltamivir (34% [95% CI, 20% to 46%]; P < 0.001), maxingshigan-yinqiaosan (37% [CI, 23% to 49%]; P < 0.001), and oseltamivir plus maxingshigan-yinqiaosan (47% [CI, 35% to 56%]; P < 0.001). Time to fever resolution was reduced by 19% (CI, 0.3% to 34%; P = 0.05) with oseltamivir plus maxingshigan-yinqiaosan compared with oseltamivir. The interventions and control did not differ in terms of decrease in symptom scores (P = 0.38). Two patients who received maxingshigan-yinqiaosan reported nausea and vomiting. LIMITATIONS: Participants were young and had mild H1N1 influenza virus infection. Missing viral data precluded definitive conclusions about viral shedding. CONCLUSION: Oseltamivir and maxingshigan-yinqiaosan, alone and in combination, reduced time to fever resolution in patients with H1N1 influenza virus infection. These data suggest that maxingshigan-yinqiaosan may be used as an alternative treatment of H1N1 influenza virus infection. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Beijing Science and Technology Project and Beijing Nova Program.

[Clinical feature and treatment of 69 Chinese children patients infected with influenza A (H1N1)].

OBJECTIVE: During the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) epidemic in China, children are the main group among people infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus, but few reports about children are available. The present study aimed to observe the clinical, laboratory features and to analyze therapeutic result. METHOD: The research subject were 93 children infected with influenza A (H1N1), 59 male and 34 female who were treated in Beijing Ditan Hospital from 15 May 2009 to 10 September 2009. The patients' data on symptoms, signs, chest X-ray, blood routine test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), liver function, renal function, helper T lymphocyte were collected and analyzed. The patients were treated with Oseltamivir, traditional Chinese medicine and symptomatic treatment. RESULT: The main symptoms of children infected with influenza A (H1N1) are fever (84 cases, 90.3%), cough (62 cases, 66.7%), pharyngodynia (36 cases, 38.7%) and expectoration (19 cases, 20.4%) at onset, and fever (59 cases, 63.4%), cough (52 cases, 55.9%), pharyngodynia (23 cases, 24.7%) and expectoration (9 cases, 9.7%) were the mojor symptoms and signs while the patients visited our hospital. The main signs were fervescence, pharyngeal congestion (53 cases, 57.0%), tonsilar swelling (21 cases, 22.6%), and abnormal white blood count (WBC) was found in 32 cases, abnormal ESR in 10 cases, abnormal CRP in 10 cases, abnormal CD4 T lymphocyte count in 19 cases, abnormal liver function and renal function were found in very few patients. After treatment, the febrile duration and time to virus negative in patients treated with oseltamivir alone, traditional Chinese medicine alone, combined oseltamivir and traditional Chinese medicine as well as those who were neither treated with oseltamivir nor traditional Chinese medicine were respectively 1 - 6 days (median 1 day), 3 - 13 days (median 7 days), 1 - 6 days (median 1.5 days), 4 - 11 days (median 8 days), 1 - 5 days (median 1 days), 5 - 14 days (median 8 days), 1 - 5 days (median 2 days), 4 - 13 days (median 8 days). CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations of 93 children cases were the same as those of adults. The traditional Chinese medicine could improve symptoms of children infected with influenza A (H1N1), but other clinical therapeutic effects need further study.

[Application of comparison method with correlation coefficient array in identification of Chinese herbs].

The infrared spectrum of Chinese herbs possesses the character similar to fingerprint. The purpose to identify Chinese herbs can be achieved by way of comparing these spectra. The software of comparing correlation coefficient array of FTIR spectra was designed in Visual Basic 6.0. It established an infrared spectrum database including more than 300 kinds of Chinese herbs. The FTIR spectra of unknown herb can be compared with those of Chinese herbs in the database, and this method can identify the suitable herbs according to the similar herbs in the database. The study shows that within the spectral database of herbs, the factors of spectral interference, such as H2O, CO2, etc., can be avoided through assigning threshold values of correlation coefficients and comparing spectra with characteristic peak bands, and the comparison result is credible and correct. This method was expected to be a common method in identifying Chinese herbs.

[Glucocorticoid in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome patients: a preliminary report].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effect of glucocorticoid (methylprednisolone) on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). METHODS: Thirty SARS patients were treated at our hospital for over 3 weeks since March to May 2003. The course and dosage of glucocorticoid, counts of CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) and CD(3)(+), electrolytes, blood routine, and sera albumin before and after the treatment were analysed. RESULTS: Before treatment by methylprednisolone, the counts of CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) and CD(3)(+) of 27 SARS patients were (401 +/- 203), (340 +/- 187), (756 +/- 383) cells/ microl. Twenty-nine of the 30 SARS patients were treated by methylprednisolone. The dosage for 24 patients was 80 - 160 mg/d with the largest being 1,000 mg/d before admission to the hospital. The count of WBC was increased after treatment (P < 0.01). No obvious effect was observed on the potassium, sodium and chlorine of blood (P > 0.05). Glucocorticoid increased the level of blood glucose (P = 0.01), decreased the level of sera albumin (P < 0.01), and its large dosage decreased the counts of CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) and CD(3)(+). Three severe patients had secondary infection after administration of a large dose of glucocorticoid. CONCLUSIONS: In the early stage of the disease, the counts of CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) and CD(3)(+) of SARS patients may reduce markedly indicating the immunity is suppressed. A large dose of glucocorticoid may aggravate the suppression and make the body in an active metabolic state (the increase of blood glucose and the decrease of sera albumin). Thus the disease is aggravated and patients are likely to suffer from severe secondary infection. Indications for use of glucocorticoid must strictly controlled and its large dosage is improper.