Efficacy of Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone for the treatment of poor sleep quality: a multi-center, randomized controlled, superiority trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone for treating poor sleep quality. METHODS: This multi-center, dynamic block-randomized, parallel-group superiority clinical trial included 130 patients. The combined treatment group received Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone treatment, and the control group received eszopiclone treatment only. The group allocation ratio was 1∶1. The duration of treatment was 2 weeks. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires before treatment, after 1 week of the intervention, after 2 weeks of the intervention, and at the follow-up on week 3. The primary outcomes were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score and the total effective rate of treatment. The secondary outcome was the rate of adverse effects. RESULTS: Compared with the eszopiclone treatment group, the PSQI score of the combined treatment group was significantly lower after 2 weeks of the intervention (6.98 vs 8.26, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the mean PSQI score after 1 week of the intervention (9.89 vs 9.15, P = 0.124). After the follow-up on week 3, the PSQI score of the combined treatment group remained significantly lower than that of the eszopiclone treatment group (6.12 vs 8.31, P < 0.001). The total effective rates of treatment of the combined group and the eszopiclone group were 36.92% vs 35.38% (Z = 0.033, P = 0.855) after 1 week of the intervention, 83.08% vs 58.46% (Z = 9.519, P < 0.05) after 2 weeks of the intervention, and 83.08% vs 61.54% (Z = 7.530, P < 0.05) and after the follow-up on week 3, respectively. There was no significant difference in the overall rate of adverse reactions between the combined and eszopiclone treatment groups (21.53% vs 31.8%, P = 0.318). CONCLUSION: The combination of Zhumian Tang formula granules with eszopiclone was found to be safe and more effective in improving sleep quality than eszopiclone alone. Traditional Chinese medicine can enhance the effectiveness of Western medicine in the treatment of insomnia.

Observation on clinical effect of auricular acupoint sticking plus music therapy for post-stroke insomnia / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of auricular acupoint sticking plus music therapy for post-stroke insomnia. Methods:A total of 154 cases with post-stroke insomnia were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group by the random digital table, 77 cases in each group. The control group was treated by auricular acupoint sticking, while the observation group was treated by auricular acupoint sticking plus music therapy, to compare the clinical effects at the end of the treatment and three months after the treatment between the two groups. Results:At the end of treatment, the total effective rate was 98.7% in the observation group, remarkably higher than 89.6% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P Conclusion:Auricular acupoint sticking plus music therapy was affirmative in the clinical effects for post-stroke insomnia, providing a new idea to design a best nursing and rehabilitative plan for the patients with post-stroke insomnia.

The fear gene stathmin alleles generated heterosis on feed efficiency parameters in Peking ducks.

Stathmin is an inhibitor of microtubule formation, as highly expressed in the lateral nucleus (LA) of the amygdala as well as in the thalamic and cortical structures that send information to the LA about the learned and innate fear. So we assume that STMN1 genetic variation may also affect the physical activity so as to influence the Residual Feed Intake (RFI) of duck. The Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in duck Stathmin gene were screened by sequencing and genotyped by restriction endonuclease Msp I, EcoR I, Xho I, Taq I, EcoR II. A total of five SNPs (c.187 -15G > A, c.187 -110T > C, c.379 -95G > A, c.379 -318C > T, c.426 C > T) were detected in duck STMN1 gene. The c.187 -15G > A is near the 3' splice site of intron 2, which has a putative effect on the STMN1 pre-mRNA secondary structures. The c.187 -15G > A genotypes had significant effect on RFI of Peking drakes (P < 0.01). Individuals with heterozygous genotypes were more productive than that with homozygous genotypes, which suggested a molecular heterosis in c.187 -15 alleles on RFI. The current study is the first step to confirm the relationship between STMN1 gene polymorphisms and RFI. Supplemental material is available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Animal Biotechnology for a figure of linkage disequilibrium between SNPs and table about frequencies of haploype.

Therapeutic value of sesame oil in the treatment of adhesive small bowel obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment of partial adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO) is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of oral administration of sesame oil to the standard of conservative treatment in this disease. METHODS: Sixty-four cases of partial adhesive SBO were retrospectively allocated into either the control group or the intervention group (with sesame oil added), and clinical results were compared. RESULTS: Of the 64 patients, 33 were in the control group and 31 in the intervention group. Significantly fewer patients required surgical intervention in the intervention group than in the control group (4/31 vs 16/33, P = .0029). Less SBO resolution time (24 hour vs 30 hour, P = .0019) and a shorter hospital stay (6 days vs 10 days, P = .0235) were observed in the interventional group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that sesame oil was a safe and effective adjunct to the standard treatment of partial adhesive SBO.

Preparation and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of etoposide submicro-emulsion for intravenous injection / 药学学报

The aim of this thesis is to prepare etoposide submicro-emulsion (ESE) for intravenous injection and investigate its characteristics in vitro and in vivo. High-pressure homogenization was used to prepare ESE, using 10% (w/w) soybean oil and 10% (w/w) medium-chain triglyceride as mixed oil phase, and 1.8% (w/w) fabaceous lecithin as emulsifier. The pH was adjusted to 5.5 with 0.1 mol x L(-1) NaOH to keep the most stability of ESE. The particle size distribution and zeta potential were measured using photon correlation spectroscopy. Ultrafiltration was used to estimate the relative percentages of etoposide in each phase. Long-term storage test and accelerated isothermal test-Weibull distribution method were used to estimate the physical and chemical stability of ESE. Plasma pharmacokinetics in rats was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography by comparison with etoposide nonaqueous solution at the same time. The mean particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of ESE were (189.9 +/- 54.6) nm, - 32.6 mV and 91.7%, respectively. The emulsion was stable during 9 month storage at 4 degrees C. The shelf life (T0.9) of etoposide in lipid emulsion was estimated to be about 665 days at 4 degrees C. The drug concentration-time curves of ESE and solution were similar and could be described by two compartment model. The area under the curve of concentration versus time from zero to the last time point and the mean residence time of ESE and solution were (18.30 +/- 8.74) and (19.32 +/- 6.45) microg x h x mL(-1), and (1.46 +/- 0.32) and (1.71 +/- 0.52) h, respectively. Etoposide was incorporated in submicro-emulsion to improve its physical and chemical stability without addition of organic solvents with insignificant different characteristics in vivo when compared with solution.

Treatment of advanced Wilms' tumor / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To improve prognosis of the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor, the authors compared different therapeutic strategies including preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-two patients aged from 5 months to 10 years (mean 3.2 years) were identified from medical records to have histologically confirmed advanced Wilms' tumor during the period from January 1993 to December 2002. The criteria for choice were huge tumor size with a volume more than 550 ml or the mass extending beyond the midline, involvement of vital structures, inferior vena cava invasion, distal metastasis or bilateral Wilms' tumor judged by imaging examination. All cases were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment received: 31 cases in group TACE received preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with Lipiodol-Epirubicin (EPI)-Vincristine emulsion. One week after TACE, systemic chemotherapy with Actinomycin D (ACTD) was administered and tumor resected at two weeks after TACE. 20 cases in group PC received conventional preoperative chemotherapy with VCR, ACTD plus EPI for 4-5 weeks, and 11 cases in group IS underwent initial surgery. Postoperative treatment for all patients was based on the postoperative staging and tumor histology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the patients treated with TACE, no drug-induced complications such as cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatic dysfunction or bone marrow suppression were observed except for mild fever due to tumor necrosis. The percentages of tumor size shrinkage were 32.4% and 20.3% in group TACE and group PC, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete surgical removal of the tumor was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%) in group TACE, significantly higher in comparison with 14 in group PC (70.0%, P < 0.05) and 2 in group IS (18.2%, P < 0.01). Event-free survival (EFS) at 2 years was 87.1% (27/ 31), 60.0% (12/20) and 18.2% (2/11), respectivrely. EFS at 4 years was 84.6% (11/13), 56.3% (9/16 ) and 18.2% (2/11) in groups TACE, PC and IS, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present study has shown that both preoperative TACE and conventional preoperative chemotherapy can be applied to the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor who are not candidates for immediately surgical resection. The survival is significantly increased in the patients undergoing preoperativeTACE when compared with conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.</p>

Pharmacodynamics of compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release pellets in dogs / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To prepare the compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release pellets and filled them in capsules and then study thier pharmacodynamics.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The pH-dependent delayed release pellets were prepared by coating with HPMC, Eudragit L-30D-55 and Eudragit L100-Eudragit S100 (1:6), separately, and mixed in proper proportion to prepare the two pH-dependent delayed release systems T1 and T2. The release of delayed release pellets was determined according to the method of China Pharmacopoeia (2000) in the simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. The pharmacodynamic,parameters were evaluated by serum pharmacology method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release pellets were prepared with the characteristics of pH dependent delayed release profile in vitro. In single oral dose, the pharmacodynamic parameters of rapid release tablets R Emax (%) and Tmax (h) were 34.63% and 0.58 h, respectively. Tmax S of delayed-release pellets T1 and T2 were extended to 2.42, 3.17 h and Emax S (%) were declined to 13.57%, 14.52%. The relative bioavailabilities of T1 and T2 were 99.3%, 133.6% , respectively. In multiple oral doses of R the pharmacodynamic parameter of DF was 7.32 and those T1, T2 DF were 3.40, 3.03, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The compound danshen pH-dependent delayed release capsules have characteristics of pH dependent releasing in vitro and characteristics of delayed release in vivo. In multiple oral (loses the DF of delayed release capsules was lower than that of rapid release tablet at steady state.</p>

Determination of ligustilide in volatile oil from rhizome of ligusticum chuanxiong by RP-HPLC / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine Ligustilide in volatile oil from Ligustrcum chuanxiong with RP-HPLC.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>ODS2 column (4.6 mm x 200 mm, 5 microm) was used and nitrendipine was used as internal standard. The mobil phase consisted methanol, acetontrile and water (33:21:46). The ligustilide was at 275 nm.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The linear range was 2.92-29.2 mg x L(-1) for ligustilide. The average recovery of ligustilide was 95.1% and RSD was 2.3%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This method is simple and can be used to determine ligustilide with satisfactory accuracy and reproducibility.</p>