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Aim To investigate the protective effects of different doses Gualou Xiebai Decoction (GXD) on type II cardiorenal syndrome (type II CRS) and explore its preliminary mechanisms. Methods The type II cardiorenal syndrome rat model was replicated by li-gating the left anterior descending coronary artery. After 10 weeks of intragastric administration, the cardiac function of the rats in each group was evaluated by echocardiography; serum were collected for biochemical testing; heart and kidney tissue samples were stained with HE and Masson to observe pathological changes. The hydroxyproline content in the heart and kidney was detected. The expression levels of endothelial/epitheli-al-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT/EMT) related proteins in heart and kidney tissues were detecterd by immunofluorescence double staining
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@#Posterior capsular opacification is the most common complication after cataract extraction, which seriously influences the quality of life of patients. At present, there is no effective measure to prevent posterior capsular opacification. Surgery or Nd:YAG laser is often used in clinical, and a new treatment is urgently needed. Hippo signaling pathway is involved in the steady-state regulation of many mammalian cells and organs. Recent studies have shown that Hippo signaling pathway can regulate the proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and other behaviors of lens epithelial cells. Hippo signaling pathway may provide a new target in the treatment of posterior capsular opacification. This article reviews the composition, regulatory mechanism of Hippo signaling pathway and its application in posterior capsular opacification. In order to provide a broader idea for the prevention and treatment of posterior capsular opacification.
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Objective: To assess the incidence, possible risk factors and prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension [PAH] in critically ill elderly patients
Methods: We selected 122 cases admitted to the ICU, ages 60-93 years old. An echocardiography examination was performed within four days after admission to the ICU. PAH is usually suspected if the patient's pulmonary artery systolic pressure >/= 40 mmHg. We collected echocardiography data, relevant clinical data and routine laboratory data; we then used a statistical method to analyze the risk factors for PAH in critically ill elderly patients and examined its impact on the prognosis
Results: Total 51 patients were diagnosed with PAH. The prevalence of critically ill elderly patients with PAH was 41.8%. The ANOVA analysis showed that if patients had COPD [P = 0.031] and/or respiratory failure [P = 0.021], they were more prone to PAH. An enlarged left atrium [P = 0.038] and/or right ventricle [P = 0.029], a declining left ventricle fractional shortening rate [P = 0.038], and an elevated amount of the brain natriuretic peptides [P = 0.046] were all associated with the occurrence of PAH. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the left atrial diameter [P = 0.045] was the risk factor in critically ill elderly patients with PAH. The 30-day mortality rate was 33.3% for elderly patients with PAH, which is statistically significant [P = 0.035] when compared with the mortality rate of patients with normal pulmonary artery pressure. Our multivariate regression analysis also showed that, for critically ill elderly patients admitted in the ICU, PAH [P = 0.039] is risk factor for increased mortality
Conclusions: A higher incidence of PAH occurs in critically ill elderly patients. PAH is more likely to occur in patients with an enlarged left atrium, and these problems adversely impact the prognosis
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Biological characteristic of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba in field was studied. HPLC method was used to determine the lipophilic constituents (dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone, tanshinone II (A) and miltione) and hydrophilic constituents (salvianolic acid, rosemarinic acid). The results showed that the fresh weight of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba which cropped for 2 years was decreased by 80.47%, while dry weight decreased by 79.42%. The normal diameter of the root was 0.3-0.5 cm, however, the diameter was 0.2-0.4 cm after 2 years, it was said that the decrease of the root diameter was the main reason for the decrease of the yield. The average contents of dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone, tanshinone II (A), miltione, salvianolic acid and rosemarinic acid were decreased by 35.26%, 32.26%, 19.35%, 3.39%, 64.40%, 66.93% in plant which continuously cropped for 2 years, respectively. The yield and active constituents were mostly effected in the plant of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba, which continuously cropped for 2 years.
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Linear Models , Quality Control , Reproducibility of Results , Salvia miltiorrhiza , Chemistry , Time FactorsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of pravastatin, fosinopril and their combination on ventricular remodeling, cardiac function, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was established by ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery in male Sprague-Dawly (SD) rats. Twenty-four hours after the procedure, the 48 surviving rats were grouped randomly as AMI control, fosinopril (10 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)), pravastatin (20 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)) and a combined use of the 2 drugs. Sham-operated group (n = 8) was taken randomly as non-infarction control. Six weeks after treatment with the drugs by gastric gavage, heart function and left ventricular remodeling were assessed. Left ventricular weight (LVW)/body weight (BW) ratio was determined. The relative expression of myocardium TNF-alpha mRNA was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Left ventricular myocardium MMPs activities were assessed by Zymography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no significant differences among the four AMI groups in infarction size (P > 0.05). In comparison with the AMI group, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, LVW/BW all decreased significantly (P < 0.05 - 0.01); while dp/dtmax, dp/dtmin, fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) increased significantly in all three drug-treated groups (P < 0.05 - 0.01); increments of FS, LVEF and dp/dtmax were more evident in the combination group than either the fosinopril or pravastatin group (P < 0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha mRNA in AMI rats treated with fosinopril, pravastatin and their combination reduced 29%, 26% and 33%, respectively (P < 0.01); MMP-2 activity reduced 25%, 30% and 35%, respectively (P < 0.01); MMP-9 activity reduced 20%, 18% and 24%, respectively (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in other variables among the 3 treatment groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Pravastatin, fosinopril and their combination showed favorable effects on left ventricular remodeling after AMI in rats and demonstrated improved cardiac function. The combined treatment group yielded better results in the context of improving left ventricular systolic function. These effects could be relevant to the attenuation of increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities and left ventricular expression of TNF-alpha.</p>