[Composition changes reveal relationship between color and enzymatic reaction of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex during "sweating" process].

In this study, we employed Q Exactive to determine the main differential metabolites of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex du-ring the "sweating" process. Further, we quantified the color parameters and determined the activities of polyphenol oxidase(PPO), peroxidase(POD), and tyrosinase of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex during the "sweating" process. Gray correlation analysis was performed for the color, chemical composition, and enzyme activity to reveal the effect of enzymatic reaction on the color of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex during the "sweating" process. Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex sweating in different manners showed similar metabolite changes. The primary metabolites that changed significantly included amino acids, nucleotides, and sugars, and the secondary metabolites with significant changes were phenols and phenylpropanoids. Despite the different sweating methods, eleven compounds were commonly up-regulated, including L-glutamic acid, acetylarginine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine; six compounds were commonly down-re-gulated, including L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, and phenylalanine. The brightness value(L~*), red-green value(a~*), and yellow-blue value(b~*) of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex kept decreasing during the "sweating" process. The changes in the activities of PPO and POD during sweating were consistent with those in the color parameter values. The gray correlation analysis demonstrated that the main differential metabolites such as amino acids and phenols were closely related to the color parameters L~*, a~* and b~*; POD was correlated with amino acids and phenols; PPO had strong correlation with phenols. The results indicated that the color change of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex during "sweating" was closely related to the reactions of enzymes dominated by PPO and POD. The study analyzed the correlations among the main differential metabolites, color parameters, and enzyme activities of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex in the "sweating" process. It reveals the common law of material changes and ascertains the relationship between color changes and enzymatic reactions of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex during "sweating". Therefore, this study provides a reference for studying the "sweating" mechanism of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex and is of great significance to guarantee the quality of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex.

[Clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a single-center experience].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with radiofrequency ablation alone for the treatment of 3 - 5 cm hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From January 2006 to March 2010, sixty-two HCC patients were randomly treated with RFA combined with TACE (n = 32) or RFA alone (n = 30). This group included the patients who had Child-Pugh class A or B with three or fewer tumors, in which just one tumor size was 3 - 5 cm in diameter, and no evidence of extrahepatic tumor metastasis or macrovascular invasion. The follow up ranged from 9 to 39 months. Survival probabilities were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between survival curves were evaluated with the Log rank test. RESULTS: At the end of the study, the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates in the combined treatment group were 90.6%, 72%, and 53.1%, respectively, and in the radiofrequency ablation alone group were 83.3%, 56.75%, and 23.3%, respectively. The differences between the survival curves of the two groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.176). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year progress-free survival rates in the combined treatment group were 75.0%, 50.0%, and 34.3%, respectively, and in the radiofrequency ablation alone group were 63.3%, 33.3%, and 16.7%, respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P = 0.027). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local tumor progression rates in the combined treatment group were 12.5%, 18.75%, and 18.75% vs. 16.7%, 30%, and 36.6% in the radiofrequency ablation alone group, with a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation plus TACE is better than radiofrequency ablation alone for the treatment of 3 - 5 cm hepatocellular carcinoma.