Neutral polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng enhanced cyclophosphamide antitumor efficacy in hepatoma H22-bearing mice.

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies demonstrated that the administration of crude Polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (CPPN) can effectively prolong the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice via boosting the host immune system as well as weak cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, Neutral Polysaccharide (NPPN) were further purified from crude polysaccharide isolated from panax notoginseng. The effects of NPPN on the immune function and hematopoietic function of mice with low immunity and myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) were investigated. The effect of NPPN combined with CTX on the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice and the impact of NPPN on the proliferation of H22 liver cancer cells in vitro were investigated. METHODS: CPPN was obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation method, and further purified by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN was added to the immunosuppressed with myelosuppression mice induced by CTX. Thymus index, spleen index, lymphocyte proliferation stimulation index by adding of concanavalin A, determination of serum hemolysin, NK cell activity assay, mice carbon clearance experiment, blood count tests were detected. The tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice treated with NPPN combined with CTX was recorded. RESULTS: NPPN and 4 kinds of acid polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (APPN) were successfully isolated from the CPPN by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN inhibited the growth of H22 cells and significantly increase the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice combined with CTX. The elevation of the cellular and humoral immunity levels as well as a variety of blood count tests indicators of immunosuppressive with myelosuppression mice may contribute to the antitumor activity of NPPN. CONCLUSION: NPPN has a potential antitumor activity for the treatment of liver cancer combined with cyclophosphamide.

Structurally Diverse Labdane Diterpenoids from Leonurus japonicus and Their Anti-inflammatory Properties in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Cells.

A phytochemical study on the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus led to the isolation and identification of 38 labdane diterpenoids, including 18 new (1, 2, 11, 12, 16-21, 24, 30-34, 37, 38) and 20 known (3-10, 13-15, 22, 23, 25-29, 35, 36) analogues. Their structures were elucidated based on physical data analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, UV, IR, and X-ray diffraction. The structure of the known compound 4 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. These compounds can be divided into furanolabdane (1-10), tetrahydrofuranolabdane (11-15), lactonelabdane (16-23), labdane (24-29), and seco-labdane (30-38) type diterpenoids. All compounds were screened by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric acid (NO) production in RAW264.7 cells to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects. Compounds 1, 5, 10-13, 16-19, 31-33, and 38 inhibited NO production with IC50 values lower than 50 µM, with compound 30 being the most active, with an IC50 value of 3.9 ± 1.7 µM. Further studies show that compound 30 inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production and IKK α/ß phosphorylation and restores the IκB expression levels in the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Footprint mismatch of cervical disc prostheses with Chinese cervical anatomic dimensions / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The footprint of most prostheses is designed according to Caucasian data. Total disc replacement (TDR) has been performed widely for cervical degenerative diseases in China. It is essential to analyze the match sizes of prostheses footprints and Chinese cervical anatomic dimensions in our study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The anatomic dimensions of the C4-C7 segments of 138 patients (age range 16-77 years) in a Chinese population were measured by computed tomography scans. We compared the footprints of the most commonly used cervical disc prostheses (Bryan: Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Prestige LP: Medtronic, Fridley, Minnesota, USA; Discover: DePuy, Raynham, MA, USA; Prodisc-C: Synthes, West Chester, PA, USA) in China with Chinese cervical anatomic dimensions and assessed the match of their size.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mismatch of available dimensions of prostheses and anatomic data of cervical endplates ranged from 17.03% (C4/C5, Prestige LP, Prodisc-C) to 57.61% (C6/C7, Discover) in the anterior-posterior (AP) diameter, and 35.51% (C4/C5, Prodisc-C, Prestige LP) to 94.93% (C6/C7, Bryan) in the center mediolateral (CML) diameter. About 21.01% of endplates were larger than the largest prostheses in the AP diameter and 57.25% in the CML diameter. All available footprints of prostheses expect the Bryan with an unfixed height, can accommodate the disc height (DH), however, 36.23% of the middle DH was less than the smallest height of the prostheses. The average disc sagittal angles (DSAs) of C4-C7 junctions were 5.04°, 5.15°, and 4.13° respectively. Only the Discover brand had a built-in 7° lordotic angle, roughly matching with the DSA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There is a large discrepancy between footprints of prostheses and Chinese cervical anatomic data. In recent years, possible complications of TDR related with mismatch sizes are increasing, such as subsidence, displacement, and heterotopic ossification. Manufacturers of prostheses should introduce or produce additional footprints of prostheses for Chinese TDR.</p>