[Application of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with infusion of propofol in anodynia bronchoscopy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with infusion of propofol in anodynia bronchoscopy. METHODS: Ninety patients who received selective bronchoscopy were randomized into a group of compound TEAS with infusion of propofol (group A), a group of compound fentanyl with propofol (group B) and a group of simple propofol (group C). In group A, the plaster electrode stimulation was applied at bilateral Hegu (LI 4), Laogong (PC 8), Neiguan (PC 6) and Waiguan (TE 5). The anesthesia was induced after 20 min of stimulation till the end of examination. In group B and group C, the electric stimulation was not adopted. In group B, before anesthesia, fentanyl 1 microg/kg was injected intravenously. Afterwards, the intravenous infusion of propofol was used in the the three groups for anesthesia. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), saturation of pulse oximetry (SpO2) and respiratory rate (RR) were recorded at different time points. The induced dosage and total dosage of propofol, examination time, the awakening time and adverse reactions were observed in the patients of each group. RESULTS: The difference in examination time was not significant among the three groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative awakening time in group A was earlier than that in group B and group C [(220.3 +/- 110.5) s vs (285.6 +/- 109.4) s, (290.1 +/- 105.1) s, both P < 0.05]. The total dosage of propofol in group C was larger than those in group A and group B [(288.5 +/- 26.7) mg vs (225.1 +/- 30.2) mg, (230.4 +/- 29.3) mg, both P < 0.05]. The induced dosage in group C was larger than those in group A and group B [(193.7 +/- 42.3) mg vs (152.3 +/- 36.1) mg, (155.4 +/- 40.5) mg, both P < 0.05]. Every life physical sign in group A during examination was more stable as compared with that in group B and group C. The incidence of hypotension and bradycardia in group A were lower than those in group C [3.3% (1/30) vs 26.7% (8/30), 0% (0/30) vs 20.0% (6/30), both P < 0.05]. The adverse incidence of oxygen supply in group A was lower than that in group B [6.7% (2/30) vs 33.3% (10/30), P < 0.05]. Intraoperative awareness and improper memory did not happen in postoperative investigation. CONCLUSION: In the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with infusion of propofol in anodynia bronchoscopy, the physical sign of patient is stable with less adverse reactions. This method reduces anesthetic dosage and shortens the postoperative awakening time, which can be effectively applied in bronchoscopy.

[Antioxidant effects of the Uygur herb, Foeniculum Vulgare Mill, in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate therapeutic and antioxidant effects of Uygur Herb Foeniculum Vulgare Mill (FVM) in hepatic fibrosis rats. METHOD: Hepatic fibrosis model was built in rats by subcutaneous injection with 40% CCl4 olive oil mixture. At the same time the rats were given high lipoid-low protein animal feeds for 5 weeks. 94 male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups :blank control group (A-group), 8 rats were feed in normal; prevention model control group (B-group), 10 rats were given saline solution by intragastric administration during make of hepatic fibrosis model; FVM prevention group (C-group), 10 rats were given FVM by intragastric administration during make of hepatic fibrosis model; model control group (D-group), FVM treatment group (E-group); Fuzhenghuayu treatment group (F-group). 22 rats in each D, E, F-group were respectively given saline solution, FVM and Fuzhenghuayu by intragastric administration after hepatic fibrosis model were built. At the 5-th weekend, A, B, C- group rats were sacrificed. At the 6-th, 7-th, 8-th, 9-th weekend, 4-6 rats in D, E, F-group were sacrificed. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN) and 8 - hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were detected, liver tissue homogenate superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected. Histopathologic changes were observed after H.E and Masson staining. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin(a-SMA) were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The data were analyzed by SPSS17.0 software. RESULTS: The serum levels of ALT, AST, HA, and LN in the FVM prevention group were significantly reduced compared to the prevention model control group.(P less than 0.05). Rats in FVM treatment group appeared a marked lower serum levels of ALT, AST, HA compared to the model control group (P less than 0.05), and a distinguished lower Inflammation grade and fibrosis stage (P less than 0.05) when the liver section were assayed as well; Rats in FVM treatment group and FVM prevention group had a conspicuous lower content of MDA, 8-OHdG, fibre and a-SMA expression (P less than 0.05), a significantly higher level of SOD, GSH-Px compared to those of in the model control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Foeniculum Vulgare Mill declines liver inflammation response ,and prevent the hepatic fibrosis progression,, this may be due to its effects of antioxidative results.

Antidepressant-like effects of psoralen isolated from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia in the mouse forced swimming test.

The forced swimming test (FST) is suggested to produce abnormalities in the serotonergic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis systems. Therefore, compounds that attenuate these neurobiological alterations may have potential as antidepressants. The behavioral and biochemical effects of psoralen, a major furocoumarin isolated from Psoralea corylifolia, were investigated in the FST model of depression in male mice. Psoralen significantly reduced immobility and increased swimming without altering climbing in the mouse FST. Psoralen remarkably reversed FST-induced alterations in serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in frontal cortex and hippocampus in mice. Furthermore, psoralen attenuated FST-induced elevations in serum corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and corticosterone concentrations to normalize the HPA axis activity. These results suggested that psoralen possessed potent antidepressant-like properties which were at least in part mediated by improving the abnormalities in the serotonergic and the HPA axis systems.