Effects of TAT-SOD at Acupoints on Essential Hypertension by Monitoring Meridians Electrical Potential / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the effect on essential hypertension of the topical application of TAT-Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (TAT-SOD) at left acupoint Zusanli (ST 36), and to observe whether the change of electrical potential difference (EPD) can be related to the change of blood pressure.@*METHODS@#Sixteen patients with essential hypertension and 16 healthy subjects were included in the study. EPD between the left acupoints of Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Qiuxu (GB 40) was firstly screened out for the EPD detection. An intracellular superoxide quenching enzyme, TAT-SOD, was topically applied to the acupoint ST 36 within an area of 1 cm once a day, and the influence on EPD was investigated. The dosage applied to TAT-SOD group (n=8) was 0.2 mL of 3000 U/mL TAT-SOD cream prepared by adding purified TAT-SOD to a vehicle cream, while placebo group (n=8) used the vehicle cream instead. The left acupoints of Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Qiuxu (GB 40) were selected for EPD measurement after comparing EPD readings between 5 acupoints on each of all 12 meridians.@*RESULTS@#EPDs between the left acupoints of GB 34 and GB 40 for 16 patients of essential hypertension and 16 healthy subjects were 44.9±6.4 and 5.6±0.9 mV, respectively. Daily application of TAT-SOD for 15 days at ST 36 of essential hypertension patients significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 179.6 and 81.5 mm Hg to 153.1 and 74.1 mm Hg, respectively. Responding to the change in blood pressure, EPD between the left acupoints of GB 34 and GB 40 also declined from 44.4 to 22.8 mV with the same trend. No change was observed with SBP, DBP and EPD between the left acupoints of GB 34 and GB 40 with the daily application of the placebo cream.@*CONCLUSION@#Enzymatic scavenging of the intracellular superoxide at ST 36 proved to be effective in decreasing SBP and DBP. The results reconfirm the involvement of superoxide anions and its transportation along the meridians, and demonstrate that EPD between acupoints may be an indicator to reflect its functioning status. Moreover, preliminary results suggest a close correlation between EPD and blood pressure readings, implying a possibility of using EPD as a sensitive parameter for blood pressure and to monitor the effect of antihypertensive treatment.

Investigating mechanism of toxicity reduction by combination of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata on terms of proteins self-assembly / 中国中药杂志

The combination of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata can increase efficacy and decrease toxicity. This study started from the phenomena of protein self-assembly in the mixed decoction of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma with Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata. The attenuated mechanism was explored between the combination of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata by using the protein of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and aconitine which was the major toxic component of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma protein with aconitine could form stable particles which particle mean diameter was (206.2 ± 2.02) nm and (238.20 ± 1.23) nm at pH 5.0 in normal temperature. Through the mouse acute toxicity experiment found that injection of aconitine monomer all mice were killed, and injection of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma protein-aconitine particles with the same content of aconitine all mice survived. Survey the stability of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma protein-aconitine shows that the colloid particles is stable at room temperature, and it has the possibility to candidate drug carrier. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma protein can reduce the toxicity of aconitine through self-assembly.

Mechanism study of anti-influenza effects of Radix Isatidis water extract by red blood cells capillary electrophoresis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the mechanism of the inhibition effects of BWE on cell attachment of influenza virus by capillary electrophoresis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The morphologic difference of red cells after treating with BWE infected by influenza virus was detected with microscope, capillary electrophoresis and HA.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The pretreatment of the normal cells with BWE inhibited the attachment of influenza to the cells, while no meaningful inhibition was observed when influenza virus was pretreated before being inoculated to cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicate that the inhibition effects of BWE on cell attachment of influenza virus may be an important mechanism of anti-influenza activity of Radix Isatidis Extracts.</p>

Purification and characterization of the proliferation of rat osteoblast-like cells UMR-106 from pilose antler / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The activity of deer serum albumin on proliferation of rat osteogenic-like cells UMR-106 and the IGF-I secretion were investigated in order to elucidate pilose antler's bone-strengthening mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Deer serum albumin was isolated from freeze-dry pilose antler powder extract. The methods were Sephacryl S-200HR gel filtration, POROS 20QE ion-exchange and TSK G3000SW chromatographies. The effect of deer serum albumin on proliferatio of UMR-106 cells was assaied by MTT, and the secretion of IGF-I of UMR-106 cells was assaied by RIA.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Deer serum albumin, with the molecular weight of 56.3 kDa, significantly increased the proliferation rate of the osteoblast-like UMR-106 cell and IGF-I secretion. When concentration of deer serum albumin reached 0.149 microg x mL(-1), UMR-106 cell proliferation rate was 241.03% and IGF-I secretion was 66.89 ng x mL(-1).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The concentration of deer serum albumin, from 14.9 ng x mL(-1) to 14.90 microg x mL(-1), significantly increased the proliferation rate of the osteoblast-like UMR-106 cell and IGF- I secretion.</p>

The modulation of pilose antler extract (PAE) on the proliferation of rat osteogenic cells UMR-106 / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the modulation of pilose antler extract (PAE) on rat osteogenic cells UMR-106 in vitro.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Component P2 of PAE was isolated by Sephacryl S-200HR gel filtration chromatography. The proliferative effects of P2 and other components isolated by Sephacryl S-200HR on UMR-106 cells were investigated by MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The P2 could significantly increase the proliferation rate of osteogenic cells. When the protein concentration of P2 was between 0.972 mg x L(-1) and 97.2 mg x L(-1), it could inhibit the proliferation of UMR-106 cells. But while the concentration was equal to or greater than 97.2 mg x L(-1), the P2 could increase the proliferation rate of cells, especially 477.92% at 9.72 g x L(-1), which was approximated to 499.62% of PAE. The molecular weight of the P2 was about 59 kDa determined by SDS-PAGE. On the other hand, inhibition was also observed in the sample of the P3, P4 and P5.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Those regulative factors in PAE which have different molecular weight can affect the proliferation of UMR-106 cells two-wayly. And this adjustment also relies on the dose of those factors. This finding may help us to understand the possible mechanism of Chinese traditional medicine from animal materials.</p>