[Study on origin and authentication of medicinal materials of Dalbergiae Lignum in crude drug's market].

The study is aimed to distinguish morphological characteristics of Dalbergiae Lignum collected from crude drug's markets and establish a identification methods and the quality standard for Dalbergiae Lignum. The macroscopic and microscopic features of Dalbergiae Lignum from crude drug's market were observed, analyzed and compared according to Hongmu specification issued by the People's Republic of China in 2000, and by the characteristics recorded in domestic monograph of Mucai Shibie (wood identification). The redwood of Dalbergiae Lignum cut into small pieces as medicinal material are dry heart wood of mahogany (trees from Dalbergia sp.), which characteristics of the small pieces as crude drug are different. There are differences in macroscopic and microscopic features about texture of wood and color, odor, taste, transverse section, radial section, tangential section. The results can provide basis for identification, application and improment of the quality standard of Dalbergiae Lignum as medicinal material.

[Morphology study on traditional Chinese medicine of animal skeleton of osteon myospalacem baileyi].

Sailonggu, a traditional Chinese medicine is whole skeleton of Myospalax baileyi, which is a kind of animal of rodent from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China. Osteon Myospalacem Baileyiis the first category medicinal materials of China Food and Drug Administration. For better quality control, a method of the morphological identification of Osteon Myospalacem Baileyi was established by means of studying characteristics of the animal skeleton, it's microscopic characteristics of powder, and literatures comparison. The characteristics of Osteon Myospalacem Baileyi were observed and recorded in detail and marked by number, which could be used for identifying crude drug of Osteon Myospalacem Baileyi efficiently.

[Research on the effect of biyan qingdu granula drug-containing serum on inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells growth in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Biyan Qingdu Granula drug-containing serum (BQG-DS) on cell growth and apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines CNE1, CNE2, TWO3, C666-1, and explore the antineoplastic mechanism of Biyan Qingdu Granula. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: experimental (Biyan Qingdu Granula) group, positive control (cytoxan) group and negative control group. After administration of drug, the serum was collected from the treated animals. MTT assay was used to examine the effect of BQG-DS on the proliferation of CNE1, CNE2, TWO3, C666-1 cell, and flow cytometry was used to observe the cell cycle distribution. Apoptosis of CNE1, CNE2, TWO3, C666-1 cell was further investigated by inverted microscope. RESULTS: BQG-DS inhibited the proliferation of CNE1, CNE2, TWO3, C666-1 cell and the effects were in a time-and concentration-dependent manner. BQG-DS could also induce apoptosis while the G1 phase was arrested. CONCLUSION: BQG-DS inhibits proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via induction of apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle.

Long-term efficacy of microwave hyperthermia combined with chemoradiotherapy in treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical lymph node metastases.

OBJECTIVE: The long-term efficacy of microwave hyperthermia combined with chemoradiotherapy in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with metastatic foci in cervical lymph nodes was evaluated. METHODS: A total of 154 cases of N2 or N3 stage NPC were randomized into two groups: hyperthermia group (76 cases) and control group (78 cases). Both received cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, the hyperthermia group further received microwave hyperthermia to the metastatic cervical nodes with different patterns (before or after radiotherapy), heating temperatures (T90 < 43° and T90 ≥ 43°) and hyperthermia episodes (< 4 times, 4-10 times and > 10 times). RESULTS: The 3-month and 5-year complete response (CR) rates of cervical lymph nodes in the hyperthermia group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate and the 3-year / 5-year overall survival rate in the hyperthermia group were also significantly higher. There was no significant difference in 5-year metastatic rates. In the hyperthermia group, the 3-month and 5-year CR rates of T90 < 43° treatment were significantly lower than with T90 ≥ 43° treatment. The CR rate was highest when the hyperthermia was performed 4-10 times. There were no significant differences in 3-month and 5-year CR rates between hyperthermia before or after radiotherapy treatment. CONCLUSION: Microwave hyperthermia combined with chemoradiotherapy can increase local control, DFS and 3, 5-year overall survival rates of patients with N2 ~ N3 stage NPC. The heating temperature should be over 43° with hyperthermia repeated 4-10 times.

Comparison of ancient and modern Clonorchis sinensis based on ITS1 and ITS2 sequences.

In 1975, an ancient corpse buried in 167 BC was found at Jiangling County, Hubei Province of China. The eggs of Clonorchis sinensis found in the gall bladder of the corpse were preserved well. In the present paper, we extracted the genomic DNA from the ancient eggs and modern eggs, respectively, and the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) at ribosomal RNA genes were studied. The results show that ITS2 sequences from the ancient sample were identical with those from modern samples, but in ITS1 differences in 15 nucleotide positions were found between the ancient and modern samples. The results demonstrated that it is possible to extract and sequence DNA from ancient parasite eggs. The ITS1 sequence obtained differed from all modern ones available to date. This might indicate sequence divergence through time, or might reflect a sequence polymorphism that may eventually be found also in modern samples.

[Discussion of some problems in studying relationship between sphygmo-diagram and syndrome types or diseases].

In contemporary studies of pulse and of the relationship between sphygmo-diagram and syndrome types or diseases, pulse instrument is usually applied to trace the sphygmo-diagram. A comparatively systemic theory about pulse diagnosis has been formed, and it promotes the pulse researching process. But the mechanism of pulse is complicated and the expressive information of pulse is diversity. So it is difficult to record the complicated information of pulse by applying the instrument. In addition, the simplicity in methods of tracing and analyzing sphygmo-diagram and the lack of criterion for syndrome differentiation make it difficult to study the relationship between the sphygmo-diagram and the syndrome types. It's important to lay stress on clinical applying, to promote communication among researchers, to unify the standards of pulse instrument and syndrome differentiation, and to reinforce the research on the relationship between sphygmo-diagram and the syndrome types. The government's support is also needed to promote multi-science cooperation at the same time.