Effect of oxymatrine on hepatic gene expression profile in experimental liver fibrosis of rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of oxymatrine on hepatic gene expression profile in a rat model of liver fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, a normal group (n=8), a model group (n=16), and an oxymatrine treatment group (n=16). Experimental hepatic fibrosis was induced by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). The rats in the treatment group received oxymatrine via celiac injection at a dosage of 40 mg/kg once a day at the same time. The rats in the model and normal groups received saline at the same dosage via celiac injection. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), hyaluronic acid (HA), and laminin (LN) were assayed. The deposition of collagen was observed with HE and Masson staining. Effect of oxymatrine on hepatic gene expression profile was detected by oligonucleotide microarray analysis with Affymetrix gene chip rat U230A. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) was carried out to confirm the expression changes of six genes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Oxymatrine significantly improved liver function, lowered serum levels of HA and LN, and decreased the degree of liver fibrosis, compared with the model group (P<0.05). A total of 754 differentially expressed genes were identified by gene chip between the model group and the normal group, among which 438 genes increased and 316 genes decreased over two folds. Compared with the model group, 86 genes were downregulated markedly in the oxymatrine group (P<0.05), including collagen I and other genes related to extracellular material (ECM), integrin signal transduction genes, early growth response factor genes, and proinflammatory genes; 28 genes were upregulated significantly (P<0.05), including cytochrome P450 (CYP450) superfamily genes, glycolipids metabolism and biological transformation related genes. Six genes were confirmed with QRT-PCR, consistent with the result from microarray.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oxymatrine could affect the expression of many functional genes and may be useful in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis.</p>

Protective effect of Jiechangning decoction in treating experimental ulcerative colitis in guinea pigs / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Jiechangning (JCN) decoction on carrageenan induced experimental ulcerative colitis (UC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After sensitizing guinea pigs with carrageenan, we established UC animal models by free drinking water containing 2% acid degraded carrageenan (ADC). JCN decoction was orally administered once a day for 2 weeks after carrageenan treatment. Salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) and normal saline were given to the other two groups as control. The levels of colon lipid peroxide (LPO), acid phosphatase (ACP) activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured; colitis activity score (CAS) was carried out for assessment of the degree of tissue inflammation and injury; the colonic pathological changes were examined simultaneously with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and toluidine blue staining used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of JCN decoction and SASP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Experimental colitis models resembling human UC were successfully induced. The levels of tissue LPO, ACP activity and the content of tissue TNF-alpha were markedly increased in the model group as compared with the normal control group (P < 0.01) and were positively correlated with CAS. JCN decoction could reverse these changes like SASP. HE staining showed that JCN decoction and SASP could reduce CAS and the degree of tissue injury, toluidine blue staining revealed that mucosa and submucosa red metachromasia pellets in JCN group and SASP group were markedly fewer than those in the model group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>JCN decoction is effective in treating experimental UC, which provides theoretical basis for its clinical application.</p>

The value of delta model of end stage liver disease in predicting the prognosis of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis / 中华消化杂志

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of dynamic delta model of end stage liver disease(MELD)in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods Ninty-seven patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis were enrolled in the study and followed for 1 year followed up.Child-Turcotte- Pugh(CTP)score and MELD score were calculated twice for each patient on the first day of admission and one month later.The difference between two MELD scores represented the delta MELD.The predictive value related with delta MELD,MELD and CTP scores was determined by the area under receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results Ten patients died within 3 months,whose delta MELD(3.23?2.77) were higher than those of survivors(0.15?0.39)(P