Content determination of five flavonoids in Tibetan medicine Rhododendron anthopogonoides by quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) / 中国中药杂志

To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS) method for five flavonoids in Rhododendron anthopogonoides and verify its feasibility and applicability in the medicinal materials of R. anthopogonoides. With hyperoside as the internal reference, relative correction factors(RCF) of rutin, quercetin, quercitrin and kaempferol were established by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) analysis. RCFs were used to calculate the content of each component, system durability and relative retention time. Simultaneously, QAMS and external standard method(ESM) were used to determine the content of five flavonoids in 12 batches of R. anthopogonoides from different origins. The results were statistically analyzed to verify the accuracy and feasibility. The fingerprints and cluster analysis data of R. anthopogonoides analyzed and discussed differences among the batches. According to the results, the RCFs of rutin, quercetin, quercetin and kaempferol in R. anthopogonoides were 1.242 6, 0.990 5, 0.535 0, and 0.781 3, respectively. The RCFs represented a good reproducibility under different experimental conditions. Besides, there was no significant difference between QAMS and ESM. Besides, the fingerprint and cluster analysis data showed the consistency between the classification and with the origin distribution of the herbs. In conclusion, the QAMS method shows a good stability and accuracy in the quality control of R. anthopogonoides.

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha reduces alveolar septal cell apoptosis in passive smoking rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Recent studies have revealed that lung cell apoptosis plays an important role in pathogenesis of cigarette-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is one of the most important cytokines which are involved in COPD. This study aimed at investigating the influence of its inhibitor, recombinant human necrosis factor-alpha receptor II:IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR:Fc) on alveolar septal cell apoptosis in passive smoking rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a passive smoking group, an rhTNFR:Fc intervention group and a sham intervention group. The passive smoking rats were treated by exposure to cigarette smoking daily for 80 days. After smoking for one month the rhTNFR:Fc intervention group was treated with rhTNFR:Fc by subcutaneous injection, the sham intervention group injected subcutaneously with a neutral preparation (normal saline 0.1 ml, manicol 0.8 ml, cane sugar 0.2 mg, Tris 0.024 mg as a control. Lung function was determined and the levels of TNF-alpha in serum and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay (ELISA). Lung tissue sections stained by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) were observed for study of morphological alternations. Mean linear intercept (MLI) and mean alveolar numbers (MAN) were measured and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method was carried out to determine the percentage of positive cells and distribution of apoptotic cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Increased MLI and decreased MAN were found in the passive smoking group compared with both the normal control group and the rhTNFR:Fc intervention group (P < 0.05). Forced expiratory volume in 0.3 second (FEV 0.3)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were lower in the passive smoking group than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham intervention group, FEV 0.3/FVC and PEF increased in the rhTNFR:Fc intervention group (P < 0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha in serum were higher in the passive smoking group than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05) and rhTNFR:Fc intervention group (P < 0.05). Significant differences were found between the levels of TNF-alpha in the serum of the rhTNFR:Fc intervention group and sham intervention group (P < 0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha in BALF were higher in the passive smoking group than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05), but no significant differences of TNF-alpha levels in BALF were found between the passive smoking group and rhTNFR:Fc intervention group. The number of TUNEL positive cells in alveolar septa was significantly increased in the passive smoking group as compared with the normal control group and the rhTNFR:Fc intervention group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study provides preliminary evidence that rhTNFR:Fc may interfere with TNF-alpha and reduce alveolar septal apoptosis in smoking rats.</p>

C-reactive protein level and the correlation between lung function and CRP levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the changes of C-reactive protein (CRP) level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and to analyze the correlation between the lung function and CRP levels.@*METHODS@#Sputum and serum specimens were obtained from 30 COPD patients diagnosed according to the national criteria. The CRP level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The lung function indexes such as the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) were also determined.@*RESULTS@#The sputum CRP level in COPD patients was 30-50 times higher than that of the health controls. The sputum CRP level in COPD patients is significantly higher than that of serum in these patients (P < 0.05). The correlation between changes of serum and sputum CRP levels and sputum CRP levels was positive (r = 0.625, P < 0.05). The correlations between changes of serum CRP levels and FEV1 were negative (r = -0.610, -0.725, respectively, P < 0.001). And the correlations between changes of serum and sputum CRP levels and FEV1/FVC were negative (r = -0.639, -0.600, respectively, P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The CRP may be secreted from the local respiratory tract. The damage of lung function in COPD patients is associated with the increase of CRP level.

Clinical observation and expression of C-reactive protein by LPS-induced A549 cells in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the level of mRNA expression of C-reactive proteins (CRP) induced by LPS in human alveolar type epithelial cell line, A549.@*METHODS@#Sputum and plasma specimens were obtained from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosed according to the national criteria. CRP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). A549 cells were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at different concentrations and for different time. CRP mRNA was extracted from cells and the expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. The CRP in the supernatant was measured by ELISA.@*RESULTS@#The concentration of CRP in the sputum of patients with COPD was significantly higher than that in the plasma (P < 0.05). LPS at different concentrations and for different time induced the expression and secretion of CRP in A549 with a time-dependent increase and the expression of CRP were significantly higher than those of the control (P < 0.05 - 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Self-secretion of CRP in the respiratory tract may exist. A549 induced by LPS may express CRP mRNA.