[Influence on orbicularis oculi muscle in the patients with facial neuritis treated with the penetra-ting needling at Cuanzhu (BL2) and Yuyao (EX-HN4) combined with the perpendicular needling at Shenmai (BL62)].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect on incomplete eyelid in the patients with facial neuritis treated with the penetrating needling at Cuanzhu (BL2) and Yuyao (EX-HN4) combined with the perpendicular needling at Shenmai (BL62). METHODS: A total of 64 patients with facial neuritis, in compliance with the inclusion criteria, were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, with 32 cases in each. In the treatment group, the penetrating needling was applied to BL2 and EX-HN4 on the affected side, combined with the perpendicular needling at bilateral BL62. Besides, on the affected side, the penetrating needling was applied from Yangbai (GB14) toward four directions, named Shangxing (GV23), Touwei (ST8), Cuanzu (BL2) and Sizukong (TE23), the mutual penetrating needling was adopted between Dicang (ST4) and Jiache (ST6). Between Yingxiang (LI20) and Xiaguan (ST7), a row-arranged needling technique was applied. All of the needles were retained for 10 to 30 min in each treatment. The treatment was given once daily and the treatment for 10 days was as 1 course. A total of 2 courses of treatment were required. In the control group, prednisone acetate （30 mg/d）, was administered consecutively for 5 days. Afterward, the dose was reduced to be 10 mg/d and the medication stopped after taking consecutively for 1 week. Muscular injection with vitamin B12 （0.5 mg） and B1 （0.1 mg） was given, once daily. 10 days later, vitamin B1 was taken for oral administration, 10 mg each time, three times a day, for 10 days totally. Before and after the treatment, the clinical effect was compared between the two groups in terms of the analysis on the Hourse-Brackman (H-B) grade of facial nerve function, the distance between the upper and the lower eyelids, muscle strength, degree of eyelid closure and electromyogram (EMG). RESULTS: The total effective rate of treatment group was 96.9 % (31/32), better than 84.4%（27/32） in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, in the treatment group, the distance between the upper and lower eyelids, the muscle strength, the degree of eyelid closure, the wave amplitude of motor nerve conduction and the latent period, as well as the blink reflex were all improved as compared with those before the treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). In the control group, the distance between the upper and lower eyelids, the muscle strength, the degree of eyelid closure, the latent period of motor nerve conduction and the blink reflex were all improved as compared with those before the treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). After the treatment, the results of the distance between the upper and lower eyelids, the muscle strength, the degree of eyelid closure, the wave amplitude of motor nerve conduction and the latent period, as well as the blink reflex in the treatment group were all better than those in the control group (P<0.05，P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The treatment with the penetrating needling at Cuanzhu (BL2) and Yuyao (EX-HN4) combined with the perpendicular needling at Shenmai (BL62) greatly promotes the recovery of orbicularis oculi muscle in the patients with facial neuritis, reduces the complications and presents the satisfactory clinical effect.

[Jingjin needling improves facial nerve function and psychosomatic function in Hunt facial para-lysis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effectiveness of Jingjin (muscle region) needling in the treatment of Hunt facial paralysis (HFP). METHODS: A total of 80 HFP patients were randomly divided into acupuncture and medication groups (n＝40 cases/group). Jingjin needling was applied to Yangbai(GB14) to Shangxing (GV23), Touwei (ST8), Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (TE23，penetrative needling), Dicang (ST4) to Jiache (ST6, penetrative needling), Yingxiang(LI20) and Xiaguan(ST7), Hegu(LI4), Yifeng (TE17), Yuyao (EX-HN 4), and Shenmai (BL62), with the needles retained for 30 min. The treatment was conducted once daily, with 10 consecutive days being a therapeutic course, and 3 courses altogether. Patients of the medication group received oral administration of Prednisone acetate (12 days), Acyclovir (7 days), intramuscular injection of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B1(10 days), then, oral administration of Vitamin B1, successively. The therapeutic effect was assessed by using House-Brackman (H-B) facial function grading system (grade I to VI), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) sign and symptom score, and facial disability index (FDI) scale including FDI physical function (FDIP, food and water swallowing, speaking-pronouncing, dryness or tearing, and mouth-opening) and FDI social function (FDIS, self-rating anxiety/depression scales), separately. RESULTS: After the treatment, the TCM symptom and sign scores for depth of nasolabial groove, nose shrugging, lower lip asymmetry, food retention and post-auricular pain were significantly lower in the medication group (P<0.05)．After the treatment, the TCM symptom and sign scores for frontal muscle movement, eyelid opening and closing, depth of nasolabial groove, nose shrugging, lower lip asymmetry, cheek blowing, food retention, latissimus cervicalis contraction, taste disorder, hearing hypersensitivity, tears and discomfort and post-auricular pain were significantly lower in the acupuncture group (P<0.05)．Comparison between two groups showed that the TCM symptom and sign scores for frontal muscle movement, eyelid opening and closing, depth of nasolabial groove, nose shrugging, lower lip asymmetry, cheek blowing, food retention, latissimus cervicalis contraction, taste disorder, hearing hypersensitivity, tears and discomfort and post-auricular pain were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the medication group(P<0.05)．The scores of FDIP and FDIS were significantly increased in both groups (P<0.01) and notably higher in the acupuncture group than in the medication group (P<0.01) after the treatment. The total effective rate of acupuncture group was 97.5% (39/40), and that of medication group was 72.5% (29/40). The therapeutic effect of the acupuncture group was significantly superior to that of the medication group (P<0.01)．. CONCLUSION: Jingjin needling has a good therapeutic effect in improving facial nerve function, psychosomatic function and clinical signs and symptoms in HFP patients, evidently being better than medication.

Development of a colorimetric sensor array for the discrimination of Chinese liquors based on selected volatile markers determined by GC-MS.

A new colorimetric sensor array was developed for the discrimination of 12 high-alcoholic Chinese base liquors from Luzhou Co., Ltd., and 15 commercial Chinese liquor of different brands as well as flavor types. Seventeen volatile compounds within four chemical groups were determined as markers in the base liquor by GC-MS analysis and factor analysis method (FAM). A specialized colorimetric sensor array composed of 20 sensitive dots was fabricated accordingly to obtain sensitive interaction with different types of volatile markers. Discrimination of the liquor samples was subsequently performed using chemometric and statistical methods, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The results suggested that facile identification of either base liquors with high-alcoholic volume or commercial liquors of the same flavor types could be achieved by analysis of the color change profiles. The response of the sensor improved significantly in comparison with those that rely on nonspecific interactions, and no misclassification was observed for both liquor samples using two chemometric methods. Besides, it was also found that the discrimination is closely related to the characteristic flavor compounds (esters, aldehydes, and acids) and alcoholic strength in liquors, and its performance was even comparable with that of GC-MS.

Accelerated solvent extraction and pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatographic purification of yunaconitine and 8-deacetylyunaconitine from Aconitum vilmorinianum Kom.

This study aimed to seek an efficient method to extract and purify yunaconitine and 8-deacetylyunaconitine from Aconitum vilmorinianum Kom. by accelerated solvent extraction combined with pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography. The major extraction parameters for accelerated solvent extraction were optimized by an orthogonal test design L9 (3)(4). Then a separation and purification method was established using pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography with a two-phase solvent system composed of petroleum ether/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (5:5:2:8, v/v) with 10 mM triethylamine in the upper phase and 10 mM HCl in the lower phase. From 2 g crude extract, 224 mg of 8-deacetylyunaconitine (I) and 841 mg of yunaconitine (II) were obtained with a purity of over 98.0%. The chemical structures were identified by ESI-MS and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy.

[Effect of TFCC on proliferation of the first trimester human cytotrophoblast and its possible signal transduction pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of total flavones from Cuscuta chinens is (TFCC) on proliferation of the first trimester human cytotrophoblast and its possible signal transduction pathway. METHODS: The first trimester human trophoblast cells were isolated by trypsin/Dnasel digestion and discontinuous Percoll density gradient centrifugation. After identified by immunocytochemistry to Cytokeratin 7 and Vimentin, the trophoblast cells appared to more than 95% pure. MTT Assay was used to evaluate the effect of TFCC in vitro viability/proliferation of the first trimster human cytotrophoblasts, The PCNA expression of the first rimester human cytotrophoblasts were analyzed by the way of flow cytopmetry. The pERK level of the first trimester human cytotrophoblasts was analyzed by the way of western blotting. RESULTS: TFCC could promote viabilitylproliferation and PCNA expression of the first trimester human cytotrophobia in vitro, which could activate the ERK 1/2 in time-dependent and dosage-dependent manner.