Effects of Wendan decoction on depression-like behavior and cerebral monoamine neurotransmitters in a rat model of Parkinson's disease / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective To observe the effects of Wendan decoction (WD) on depression-like behavior in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) and explore the related mechanism.Methods Rodent model of PD was established by unilaterally lesioning medial forebrain bundle with 6-hydrodopamine.After intragastric administration with WD,the rats's behavior changes were detected by the open field test,sucrose preference test and forced swimming test;the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters in the rat brain were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.Results Compared with those of sham-operated rats,the horizontal and vertical activities of the PD model rats decreased significantly,and sucrose consumption decreased significantly,but immobility time during forced swimming was significantly prolonged.The contents of dopamine (DA),5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and DA in the striatum decreased significantly.After administration of WD for 2 weeks,the immobility time of the PD model rats was significantly decreased,sucrose consumption increased significantly;DA,5-HT and NA levels in the mPFC increased significantly.Conclusion WD improves the depression-like behavior in PD model rats,and the mechanisms may involve the regulation of monoamine neurotransmitters in mPFC.

Prevalence of hydatid cysts in livestock animals in Xinjiang, China.

Hydatid worms, hosted by humans and animals, impose serious human health risk and cause significant livestock production loss. To better understand the disease infection status in Xinjiang, China, we investigated the disease epidemics in 4 livestock animals, i.e., cattle, sheep (both sheep and goat), camels, and horses, slaughtered at the abattoirs in Urumqi, Yining, Tacheng, and Altay areas. The results showed that the animals were infected at different rates, in the order of sheep (9.8%), cattle (8.4%), camels (6.8%), and horses (4.3%). The infection rates were found to be different between the abattoirs in various regions even for the same animals. For sheep, the rates increased significantly as the animals grew older. It was 1.9% before 1 year of age and increased to 8.2% in the age of 1-2 years, and further increased to 12.3% when the animals were 3-4 years old, and reached 17.2% when they were 5-6 year old. Sheep older than 6 years had an infection rate of 19.5%. This study demonstrates that the 4 livestock animals in the pastoral areas in Xinjiang were infected by the parasites to various extend. This study is the first systematic investigation of the hydatid worms in various livestock animals in Xinjiang, China, which provides epidemiological information about the infection of hydatid worms in livestock, and is valuable in developing strategies for prevention and control of the hydatid disease.

EFFECT OF MELATONIN AGAINST GLUTAMATE-INDUCED EXCITOTOXICITY ON CULTURED CEREBRAL CORTICAL NEURONS / 药物分析学报

Objective To research the effect of melatonin against glutamate excitotoxicity. Methods The model of glutamate-induced excitotoxic damage was built up in rat cerebral cortical cell culture. The effect of mela- tonin against excitotoxic injury was observed by determining the leakage rate of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) from neurons. ResultsThe leakage rate of LDH wasn＇t decreased markedly when cultures were exposed to melatonin be- fore, during or 6 h after glutamate treatment. The leakage rate of LDH was decreased significantly when melatonin was administered 0 h, 2 h or 4 h after the cultures were exposed to glutamate. The inhibitory function of melatonin on LDH leakage was most effective at 2 h and 4 h. Conclusion Melatonin has protective effects on neurons damaged by glutamate in a certain time limit.