[Therapeutic observation on horizontal penetration needling for residual dizziness after repositioning maneuver in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of horizontal penetration needling at vertigo auditory area and balance area on residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuver in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuver for BPPV were randomly divided into an observation group (34 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group were treated with horizontal penetration needling at vertigo auditory area and balance area, once every other day; three times were taken as a course of treatment, and two courses of treatment were given. The patients in the control group received no acupuncture and medication. The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were observed before treatment and after 1 and 2 courses of treatment. RESULTS: Except for the emotional score of DHI in the control group after 1 course of treatment, the sub item scores and total scores of DHI and VAS scores in the two groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). After 1 and 2 courses of treatment, the function scores, emotion scores, total scores of DHI and VAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Whether acupuncture or not, residual dizziness after repositioning maneuver for BPPV can be relieved within 2 weeks; horizontal penetration needling at vertigo auditory area and balance area could improve dizziness symptoms and shorten the course of disease.

Effect of zinc chloride and sodium selenite supplementation on in vitro maturation, oxidative biomarkers, and gene expression in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes.

This study examined the effects of zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) supplementation in maturation medium on in vitro maturation (IVM) rate, oxidative biomarkers and gene expression in buffalo oocytes. Ovaries from a slaughterhouse were aspirated and good quality cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with at least four layers of compact cumulus cells and evenly granulated dark ooplasm were selected. COCs were randomly allocated during IVM (22 h) to one of four treatment groups: (1) control maturation medium (basic medium), or basic medium supplemented with (2) ZnCl2 (1.5 µg/ml), (3) Na2SeO3 (5 µg/l), or (4) ZnCl2 + Na2SeO3 (1.5 µg/ml + 5 µg/l, respectively). Oocytes were denuded after 22 h of IVM in the first four replicates. Specimens were fixed and stained to evaluate the stage of nuclear maturation. The spent medium was collected for biochemical assays of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. A second four replicates were used for COCs for RNA extraction. The expression levels of antioxidant (SOD1, GPX4, CAT and PRDX1), antiapoptotic (BCL2 and BCL-XL) and proapoptotic (BAX and BID) genes were measured. Supplementation with ZnCl2 and Na2SeO3 during IVM increased the ratio of oocytes reaching metaphase II at 22 h, increased TAC and decreased MDA and H2O2 concentrations in the maturation medium (P < 0.05). Moreover, beneficial effects were associated with complementary changes in expression patterns of antioxidative, antiapoptotic and proapoptotic genes, suggesting lower oxidative stress and apoptosis. Supplementation medium with zinc chloride and sodium selenite improves the maturation rate, reduces oxidative stress and increases expression levels of antioxidative and antiapoptotic genes.

[Revelation of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy on the development of acupuncture and moxibustion].

By analyzing Fu 's subcutaneous needling phenomenon, the attribute of Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy in traditional acupuncture, the innovation and the role in the development of traditional acupuncture were demonstrated. The authors believe that the de-meridian in Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy is similar to the connotation of meridian before the Han dynasty, the de-acupoint phenomenon in Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy reproduces the acupoint evolution, and the sites of needle insertion of this therapy are partially overlapped with the location of traditional acupoints. In manipulation, the technique of Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy is derived from the traditional acupuncture technique and it is also in reference to the theory and the method of modern medicine, such as muscle energy technology and fasciology. The needle device and the sweeping technique are the most essential innovation of Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy. Fu 's subcutaneous needling therapy has the distinct attribute of traditional acupuncture.

[Analysis on relationship between syndrome differentiation of migraine and acupuncture effect].

The problems of the syndrome differentiation of migraine in acupuncture treatment were collected, e.g. inconsistency of syndrome differentiation, unclear staging of syndrome differentiation, lack of standardization in comparison between syndrome differentiation and non-differentiation, insufficient research on the factors of syndrome differentiation. In view of the exiting problems, focusing on two aspects of migraine, namely syndrome differentiation and acupuncture effect, the clinical treatment and research are conducted in migraine treated with acupuncture based on syndrome differentiation. It is believed that the comprehensive observation of the relationship between syndrome differentiation and acupuncture effect, as well as the analysis of the relevant factors of syndrome differentiation of migraine should be the focus in future research.

[Horizontal penetration needling method for headache].

The manipulation and key points of professor FAN Gang-qi 's horizontal penetration needling method for headache were introduced. This acupuncture method selects local acupoints of head, including occipital acupoint group, temporal acupoint group, frontal acupoint group and vertex acupoint group. The needles are shallowly and horizontally inserted at acupoints, with needle end towards the focus or headache site. The needle retaining time is long (6 h). This method is commonly used in the treatment of migraine, cervicogenic headache and tension-type headache. The manipulation is standard with better repeatability.

Panax notoginsenoside Rb1 Restores the Neurotrophic Imbalance Following Photothrombotic Stroke in Rats.

Mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF) has neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia. Conversely, the precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) has the opposite function to its mature form, inducing apoptosis. However, whether the neuroprotection of Panax notoginsenoside Rb1 (PNS-Rb1) on ischemic stroke is due to, at least partially, its modulation of suppressing proBDNF/P75NTR/sortilin or upregulation of mBDNF is not clear. To test this hypothesis, rats induced by photothrombotic stroke were treated with PNS-Rb1 100 mg/kg or nimodipine 1 mg/kg twice a day until 3, 7, and 14 days. Our data indicate that PNS-Rb1 significantly reduced cerebral infarction rate, proBDNF/P75NTR/sortilin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) protein levels, and improved sensorimotor dysfunctions induced by ischemic stroke, upregulation of BDNF/TrkB levels, and its processing enzymes (tissue plasminogen activator, tPA) in a time-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings indicate that the improvement of sensorimotor dysfunctions by PNS-Rb1 following ischemic stroke is made, at least partially, by activating the BDNF/TrkB and inhibiting proBDNF/sortilin/P75NTR.

Polyphenols Isolated from Xanthoceras sorbifolia Husks and Their Anti-Tumor and Radical-Scavenging Activities.

Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. is used in traditional medicine in North China. To evaluate the anti-tumor and radical-scavenging activities of X. sorbifolia husks polyphenols and determine their structure-activity relationships, 37 polyphenols 1-37 were obtained by bioassay-guided fractionation. Two new compounds 1-2, and compounds 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14-17, 21-25, 27-29, 31, 33, 34, 36, and 37 were isolated from the genus Xanthoceras for the first time. Compounds 1-37 did not show strong cytotoxicity against the four tested tumor cell lines (A549, HepG2, MGC-803, and MFC) compared to paclitaxel and under the conditions tested in the anti-tumor assay, but compounds 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 18-20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, and 35 exhibited stronger radical-scavenging activity than ascorbic acid in a 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt assay. This was the first report on the anti-tumor and radical-scavenging activities of the polyphenols isolated from X. sorbifolia husks. Overall, the present study contributed valuable information concerning X. sorbifolia husks use in medicine and pharmacology.

[Study on the genuineness and producing area of Panax notoginseng based on infrared spectroscopy combined with discriminant analysis].

The genuineness and producing area of Panax notoginseng were studied based on infrared spectroscopy combined with discriminant analysis. The infrared spectra of 136 taproots of P. notoginseng from 13 planting point in 11 counties were collected and the second derivate spectra were calculated by Omnic 8. 0 software. The infrared spectra and their second derivate spectra in the range 1 800 - 700 cm-1 were used to build model by stepwise discriminant analysis, which was in order to distinguish study on the genuineness of P. notoginseng. The model built based on the second derivate spectra showed the better recognition effect for the genuineness of P. notoginseng. The correct rate of returned classification reached to 100%, and the prediction accuracy was 93. 4%. The stability of model was tested by cross validation and the method was performed extrapolation validation. The second derivate spectra combined with the same discriminant analysis method were used to distinguish the producing area of P. notoginseng. The recognition effect of models built based on different range of spectrum and different numbers of samples were compared and found that when the model was built by collecting 8 samples from each planting point as training sample and the spectrum in the range 1 500 - 1 200 cm-1 , the recognition effect was better, with the correct rate of returned classification reached to 99. 0%, and the prediction accuracy was 76. 5%. The results indicated that infrared spectroscopy combined with discriminant analysis showed good recognition effect for the genuineness of P. notoginseng. The method might be a hopeful new method for identification of genuineness of P. notoginseng in practice. The method could recognize the producing area of P. notoginseng to some extent and could be a new thought for identification of the producing area of P. natoginseng.

Neolignans, lignans and glycoside from the fruits of Melia toosendan.

Four new neolignans, meliasendanins A-D (1-4), and a new glycoside, toosenoside A (5), together with ten known ones (6-15), were isolated from a n-BuOH partition of the fruits of Melia toosendan. Their structures were elucidated by analyses of extensive spectroscopic data and comparison of the NMR data with those reported previously. Meliasendanin A (1) was a rare neolignan containing isochroman moiety, and its absolute configuration was determined using a CD spectrum. Toosenoside A (5) was an unusual glycoside with a rare naturally occurring aglycone and its structure was confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. The antioxidant activity of the isolated neolignans and lignans was evaluated by ABTS radical-scavenging assay. Compounds 1 and 13 exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 62.8 and 45.1 µM, respectively.

[Identification of Dendrobium varieties by infrared spectroscopy].

The difference of Dendrobium varieties were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of 206 stems from 30 Dendrobium varieties were obtained, and showed that polysaccharides, especially fiber, were the main components in Dendrobium plants. FTIR combined with Wilks' Lambda stepwise discriminative analysis was used to identify Dendrobium varieties. The effects of spectral range and number of training samples on the discrimination results were also analysed. Two hundred eighty seven variables in the spectral range of 1 800-1 250 cm(-1) were studied, and showed that the return discrimination is 100% correct when the training samples number of each species was 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, whereas for the remaining samples the correct rates of identification were equal to 79.4%, 91.3%, 93.0%, 98.2%, and 100%, respectively. The same discriminative analyses on five different training samples in the spectral range of 1 800-1 500, 1 500-1 250, 1 250-600, 1 250-950 and 950-650 cm(-1) were compared, which showed that the variables in the range of 1 800-1 250, 1 800-1 500 and 950-600 cm(-1) were more suitable for variety identification, and one can obtain the satisfactory result for discriminative analysis when the training sample is more than 3. Our results indicate that FTIR combined with stepwise discriminative analysis is an effective way to distinguish different Dendrobium varieties.

[Intervention of Tibetan medicine--twenty wei chenxiang pill on elevation of hypoxic pulmonary arterial pressure in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill interfering with serum ET-1 level, in order to confirm that ET-1 is involved to the pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: 165 Wistar rats were randomly divided into high altitude control group,Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill group and plain control group. The physiological signal acquisition system was used to record pulmonary arterial pressure, and RV/(LV + S) ratio were caculated. Serum HIF-1alpha and ET-1 protein levels were determined by the method of ELISA, and ETA protein levels in lung tissue were determined by Western Blot method. RESULTS: Compared with the high altitude group,in the rats of Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill group,the pulmonary arterial pressure decreased significantly from the seventh day and the seventh day (P < 0.01), the RV/(LV + S) ratio and serum HIF-1alpha levels decreased significantly from the third day (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the serum ET-1 levels decreased significantly from the third day (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the expression of ETA protein decreased significantly from the beginning (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ET-1 is one of the important factors causing pulmonary artery pressure increasing and right ventricular wall thickening, which plays a role in hypoxic pulmonary artery only involved in the early period hypoxia, but not in the later period. Tibetan medicine--twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill can prevent the pulmonary artery hypertension and the right ventricular wall thickening in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the direct inhibition of ET-1 and protein levels of ETA or the indirect downregulation of ET-1 level and ETA through inhibition of HIF-la level.

[Effects of emodin on cell apoptosis of intestinal mucosa and serum leptin in rats with severe acute pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanisms of emodin in protecting intestinal mucosal barrier in rat with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operation group, untreated group, and emodin group. SAP in rats of the untreated group and the emodin group was induced by retrograde pumping of 3.0% sodium cholate to the common bile duct. Specimens were obtained 24 hours after the severe acute pancreatitis was induced. Serum level of leptin, serum activity of amylase and plasma content of endotoxin were measured. Ileum mucosa from ileocecal junction was observed by light microscopy and electron microscopy to measure pathological and ultrastructural changes. Apoptosis of ileum mucosal cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling method, and expression of Bax in ileum mucosal cells was measured by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, there was significant increase in the levels of leptin, endotoxin, the activity of amylase, apoptosis index and Bax expression in the untreated group (P<0.01). Compared with the untreated group, the level of endotoxin, apoptotic index and Bax expression level in the emodin group were significantly reduced (P<0.01) and the leptin level was increased (P<0.05). More severe pathological changes appeared in the untreated group than in the sham-operation group under the light and electron microscopes; meanwhile less severe damage was observed in the emodin group as compared with the untreated group. CONCLUSION: Emodin can inhibit the apoptosis of intestinal mucosa cells and up-regulate the serum leptin content to protect the intestina1 barrier function and prevent the translocation of bacteria and endotoxin.

[Clinical value of adjuvant therapy with estrogen for postpartum hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of estrogen in management of postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony. METHODS: Totalling 112 puerperants with postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony were randomly assigned into 2 groups and received routine managements for uterine atony such as uterine massage and uterotonics administration. The puerperants in one group (n=52) was treated with 4 mg estradiol benzoate injected intramuscularly, and the amount of blood loss 2 h after delivery and between 2 and 24 h after delivery was recorded. RESULTS: There were significant differences in vaginal blood loss at 2 h after delivery between the 2 groups (P<0.05). The puerperants with estrodiol benzoate treatment had blood loss of 589.6-/+226.4 ml at 2 h and 110.8-/+76.2 ml within 2-24 h after delivery, which were both less than those in the control group (864.5-/+359.5 ml and 161.5-/+98.3 ml, respectively). Postpartum hysterectomy was performed in 3 cases of the control group while none in estradiol benzoate-treated group. In the mothers and neonates, no major adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Estrogen shows cooperative efficacy with uterotonics in stimulating uterine contraction for managements of postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony, and can be of value in clinical application.