Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from Nandina domestica fruits.

The chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from Nandina domestica fruits were studied for the first time. Twenty-two compounds, representing 82.79% of the oil, were identified from the oil. The major compounds were 3-hexen-1-ol (12.9%), linalool (12.3%), 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (9.9%), oleic acid (8.0%), furfural (5.8%) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (5.7%). The antioxidant activities of the oil were evaluated using reducing power, metal chelating ability and scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and superoxide anion free radical. The oil exhibited significant antioxidant activities.

[Continuous XRF Element Characteristics and Significance of Sedimentary Facies Indication of the Quaternary Core from Fuzhou Basin].

This paper focuses on the study on continuous XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) scanning elements of a 39 m core from Fuzhou Basin. The XRF scanning result is used to recognize the different sedimentary environment before the discussion of the element variation of different deposit in transitional zone between land and ocean. There are five sedimentary facies in the study area from the late Pleistocene: lacustrine-fluvial-estuary (mud tidal flat)-mixed tidal flat-fluvial. The XRF result from the 5 sedimentary stages shows that the high concentration of Co, Fe, Ti, Si are controlled largely by grain size. The average element intensity of layers with similar grain size indicates that Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe and Co from the marine (tidal flat) deposit is 3~10 times bigger than those from terrestrial (fluvial) deposit, with higher content of Si coinciding with terrestrial deposit. It is indicated that except grain size, the deposit environment is an important factor for element concentration. In this study, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe and Co are relatively better indicator elements for marine sediments while Si is good and K, Rb and Sr have some indication for terrestrial sediments. The study result shows XRF continuous scanning can help to identify the subtle variation of elements, as to the determination of the sediment facies. Thus, XRF scanning is an important supplement to sediment facies identification. This study also provides an application example of XRF in a typical transitional zone between land and ocean.

[Investigation on therapeutic effect and mechanism of acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and "Gongxue" for treatment of patients with vertebral-basilar insufficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and western medicine on the patients with vertebral-basilar insufficiency (VBI), and investigate its mechanism. METHODS: According to the different velocity of blood flow recorded by Transcranial Doppler (TCD), sixty patients with VBI were divided into an acupunture group (31 cases) and a western medicine group (29 cases). In the acupuncture group, the patients were punctured at Fengchi (GB 20) and "Gongxue" (Extra). In the western medicine group, the patients were orally given the Flunarizine hydrochlorid capsules. Before and after two-week treatment, the clinical symptoms and related data of TCD were compared, analyzed and evaluated. RESULTS: The clinical symptoms were obviously improved in the acupuncture group, which was better than the western medicine group (P < 0.05). Acupuncture not only could up-regulate the velocity of vertebral-basilar blood flow (VBF) on the patients with slower VBF of peak-systolic phase (Vs), end-diastolic phase (Vd) and mean value (Vm), but also reduced the VBF on the patients with faster Vs, Vd and Vm. In comparison of the data before and after treatment, there were significantly differences in two groups (P < 0.05), however, there were no difference between the two groups (all P > 0.05). On the index of vascular pulsation (PI), resistance index (RI) and Vs/Vd, there were no difference in both groups before and after treatment (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncturing at Fengchi (GB 20) and "Gongxue" has bidirectional and beneficial function of regulation on the VBF, but no active role on the compatibility of vertebral-basilar blood vessel.

Clinical effects of acupuncture combined with nimodipine for treatment of vascular dementia in 30 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with nimodipine for vascular dementia. METHODS: Acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17), and the points selected according to the midnight-noon, ebb-flow eight methods of the intelligent turtle, combined with the drug nimodipine. The treatment was continued for 8 consecutive weeks. RESULTS: Of the 30 cases treated, 6 cases were cured, 21 cases improved, and 3 cases failed, with a total effective rate of 90%. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17), and the points selected according to the midnight-noon, ebb-flow eight methods of the intelligent turtle combined with the drug nimodipine can yield definite therapeutic effects for vascular dementia.

[Professor HUANG Xuan-Wei's clinical experience in acupuncture and moxibustion].

Professor HUANG's clinical acupuncture and moxibustion characters are introduced from selection of acupoints, needles used, needling methods, etc. Based on the differentiation of symptoms and signs, he is good at using pair-points and syndrome differentiation, point-through-point acupuncture and combined many methods, and pays attention to adjusting mental activity, promoting flow of qi, treating both body and mental treatment. He also uses other therapies besides acupuncture and adopts good advance from others, so as to greatly increase clinical therapeutic effects.

[Effect of needling quchi and taichong points on blood levels of endothelin and angiotension converting enzyme in patients with hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and explore the mechanism of needling Quchi and Taichong points in treating hypertension patients and the influence on blood levels of angiotension converting enzyme (ACE) and endothelin (ET) levels. METHODS: Sixty hypertension patients were randomly divided into the Taichong needling group (A), Quchi needling group (B) and control group (C, treated by Captopril). Changes of plasma ET was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and serum ACE content was measured by chemical colorimeter. RESULTS: The effect of lowering systolic pressure at 15 min after needling in Group B was better than that in Group A (P < 0.01), but it was inferior to the latter at 120 min after withdrawal of needle (P < 0.05), while after one course treatment, the effect in Group B and C was obviously better than that in Group A (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Content of serum ACE significantly increased in Group B and that of plasma ET significantly decreased in Group A, showing significant difference between the two groups, all P < 0.01. CONCLUSION: Needling Quchi and Taichong all show hypertensive effect, the former is obviously higher than that of the latter. They could regulate the blood level of ACE and ET, protect and repair vascular endothelial cells, but the key links of their mechanism might be different.