Dose-dependent inhibition of gastric injury by hydrogen in alkaline electrolyzed drinking water.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen has been reported to relieve damage in many disease models, and is a potential additive in drinking water to provide protective effects for patients as several clinical studies revealed. However, the absence of a dose-response relationship in the application of hydrogen is puzzling. We attempted to identify the dose-response relationship of hydrogen in alkaline electrolyzed drinking water through the aspirin induced gastric injury model. METHODS: In this study, hydrogen-rich alkaline water was obtained by adding H2 to electrolyzed water at one atmosphere pressure. After 2 weeks of drinking, we detected the gastric mucosal damage together with MPO, MDA and 8-OHdG in rat aspirin induced gastric injury model. RESULTS: Hydrogen-dose dependent inhibition was observed in stomach mucosal. Under pH 8.5, 0.07, 0.22 and 0.84 ppm hydrogen exhibited a high correlation with inhibitory effects showed by erosion area, MPO activity and MDA content in the stomach. Gastric histology also demonstrated the inhibition of damage by hydrogen-rich alkaline water. However, 8-OHdG level in serum did not have significant hydrogen-dose dependent effect. pH 9.5 showed higher but not significant inhibitory response compared with pH 8.5. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrogen is effective in relieving the gastric injury induced by aspirin-HCl, and the inhibitory effect is dose-dependent. The reason behind this may be that hydrogen-rich water directly interacted with the target tissue, while the hydrogen concentration in blood was buffered by liver glycogen, evoking a suppressed dose-response effect. Drinking hydrogen-rich water may protect healthy individuals from gastric damage caused by oxidative stress.

Estrogen receptor affinity chromatography: a new method for characterization of novel estrogenic disinfection by-products.

To identify the unknown estrogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) from the chlorination extract, an effective method based on affinity chromatography with immobilized human recombinant estrogen receptor α (ERα) was developed, which has an advantage in targeting different potential estrogenic compounds from mixed sample simultaneously by comparing their relative binding activities to ER. The new method worked well for six known environmental estrogens. To further test the validity of this method for unknown chemicals, six DBPs of diethylstilbestrol (DES) with relatively strong ER binding affinity after chlorination were isolated and identified. It was found that except for 2-chloro-DES which showed 1.36 times stronger binding affinity than DES, most of the by-products bound to ER much more weakly than DES. All these seven by-products induced a dose-dependent transcriptional activation in two-hybrid-yeast assays. Z,Z-dienestrol (DE) and 2-chloro-DES, which exhibiting the weakest and the strongest binding affinity, were further tested for their transcriptional potential as 0.00243 and 0.014 compared to DES, respectively. However, they were still potential harmful environmental estrogenic disruptors as their estrogenic activities were much stronger than that of bisphenol A (BPA). These results demonstrated that the new method can help to screen unknown estrogenic compounds from mixture more efficiently.

[Effect of massage on hemodynamics parameters of uterine artery and serum prostaglandin in treating patients with primary dysmenorrhea].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of massage in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD), and its effect on hemodynamics parameters of uterine artery and serum prostaglandins. METHODS: 60 PD patients were randomly assigned to the massage group and the control group, 30 in each. Patients in the massage group received massage, while those in the control group orally took ibuprofen sustained release capsule, both for three menstrual cycles. The pain degree was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS). The hemodynamics parameters of uterine artery [including pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), systolic to diastolic peak ratio (S/D)], the serum levels of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) and PGE2 in the menstruation were detected in the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in each index before treatment between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the control group after treatment, the scores of VAS (mm, 33. 17+/-7.93 vs 63.53+/-9.48), PI (2.18+/-0.18 vs 2.74+/-0.23), RI (0.67+/-0.09 vs 0. 86+/-0.27), S/D (5.44+/-0.47 vs 7.56+/-0.28), and serum PGF2a level (ng/L, 28. 10+/-2.41 vs 37.68+/-2.16) were lower and serum PGE, level (ng/L, 29.82+/-2.13 vs 26.43+/-1.42) higher in the massage group, showing statistical difference (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Massage had favorable therapeutic effect on PD. Its effect might be achieved through improving the blood circulation of uterus, adjusting the abnormal levels of PGF2a and PGE2, thus exerting pain relief effect.

[Treatment of lumbar disc herniation combine with buttock tender node with Pizhen].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effects of Pizhen in treating lumbar disc herniation combined with buttock tender node. METHODS: From August 2009 to February 2010,83 patients (29 males and 54 females) with lumbar disc herniation combined with buttock tender node were randomly divided into the Pizhen group and acupuncture group. Pizhen group were treated with Pizhen manipulation, inserting needle by vertical prick with quacking inserting and quick withdrawing the needle, no rotating and the depth was through the surface of fascia, two times as a course of treatment; acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture, inserting Ashi-point, retaining the needle 20 min, ten times as a course of treatment. VAS scoring at the end of treatment and B ultrasonic image at 3d after treatment was carried out to observe the therapeutic effects. RESULTS: B ultrasonic image of buttock tender node showed inflammation reaction or ellipse. The width of the inflammation reaction decreased after treatment, but there has no statistical significance (P=0.635). There was no significant difference between two groups (P=0.813). CONCLUSION: Pizhen manipulation is better than acupuncture. B ultrasonic image gives morphological performance of buttock tender node, the content is inflammatory infiltrates. B ultrasound has certainly significance in diagnosing, treating and evaluating the clinical effect of Pizhen manipulation on treating buttock tender node.