ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of Tianxiang capsule on Neurotransmitters and Hormone Level of rats with motion sickness. Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups, including blank control group, model control group, positive drug control group, low-dose, mid-dose and high-dose Tianxiang capsule groups with the method of random digital table, and every group had 10 mice. Except the normal group, the rats in the other groups were intragastrically pre-administered for 1 hour, and the low, medium and high doses of Tianxiang capsule were 0.91, 1.82, 3.64 g/kg, the positive drug control group was given scopolamine 1 mg/kg, and then the rat motion sickness model was induced by a rotary stimulation device. After the modeling, the feces, urine, standing hair, trembling were immediately observed and recorded, and the halo response index of the rats was calculated. The blood from the heart puncture was taken and the vestibular nucleus were put on the ice. Then, the content of histamine (HIS) in the vestibular nucleus and plasma was detected by ELISA. The expression of plasma cortisol (Cort) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results Compared with the model control group, the motion sickness index of rats with low, medium and high doses of Tianxiang capsule (6.56 ± 2.16, 6.10 ± 1.35, 4.46 ± 2.50 vs. 8.90 ± 2.61) significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The HIS content in the vestibular nucleus (12.70 ± 3.86 μg/L, 11.45 ± 1.57 μg/L, 10.02 ± 1.30 μg/L vs. 17.50 ± 4.82 μg/L) significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The plasma content of HIS (4.24 ± 1.75 μg/L vs. 7.69 ± 3.06 μg/L), Cort (286.90 ± 8.72 ng/ml vs. 329.26 ± 29.04 ng/ml) and AVP (16.54 ± 2.48 pg/ml vs. 22.35 ± 3.08 pg/ml) in the high doses of Tianxiang capsule significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions The Tianxiang capsule could effectively reduce the motion sickness index of rats with motion sicknes, which might be related to the down-regulation of HIS in Vestibule Nucleus and HIS, Cort and AVP in plasma.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate and analyze TCM syndrome characteristics, impact factors and internal relationship among the factors of mental fatigue of university students. A preliminary understanding of mental fatigue situation of university students and prevent diseases was acquired in advance. Methods 100 students were randomly selected in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, of whom 40 were undergraduate students and 60 were post-graduate students. Mental fatigue questionnaire was used to investigate mental fatigue situation for students, and TCM constitution scale was applied to collect TCM syndromes. A body energy survey was also conducted. Results In undergraduate and post-graduate students, the mental fatigue rate was relatively higher, both of them were over 50%of the total numbers, 57.5%(23/40)、61.7%(37/60) respectively. For the fatigue levels distribution in these two groups, the ratios of slight mental fatigue (undergraduate:52.5%;post-graduate:56.67%) were both higher than those of severe mental fatigue (undergraduate:5%;post-graduate:5%). In the undergraduate group, the top three biased constitutions among mental fatigue students were yang deficiency (7 out of 23:30.43%), qi deficiency (3 out of 23:13.04%) and dampness-heat (3 out of 23:13.04%). In the post-graduate group, the top three biased constitutions were yang deficiency (11 out of 37:29.73%), qi deficiency (6 out of 37: 16.22%) and dampness-heat (5 out of 37: 13.51%). Conclusion It is easier for university students with biased constitution to suffer from mental fatigue, mostly with yang deficiency, qi deficiency and dampness-heat constitution.