Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on skin barrier function in guinea pigs with eczema of skin damp-heat accumulation / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the water content of stratum corneum (WCSC), expression of serum inflammatory factors and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in skin, lung and rectum in guinea pigs with eczema of skin damp-heat accumulation, and to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion for regulating skin barrier function.@*METHODS@#A total of 24 male albino guinea pigs were randomly divided into a blank group (n=6) and a modeling group (n=18). The guinea pigs in the modeling group were induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to establish the eczema model of skin damp-heat accumulation. The guinea pigs with successful modeling were further randomly divided into a model group, a medication group and an acupuncture-moxibustion group, 6 guinea pigs in each group. The guinea pigs in the medication group were treated with loratadine tablets (0.8 mg/kg) by gavage, once a day for 7 days; the guinea pigs in the acupuncture-moxibustion group were treated with acupuncture at "Feishu" (BL 13), "Pishu" (BL 20), "Quchi" (LI 11), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Xuehai" (SP 10); at the same time, moxibustion was applied at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), moxibustion intervention for 10 min and needle retaining for 15 min at each acupoint, once a day for 7 days. The eczema area and severity index (EASI) score was evaluated before and After intervention, and WCSC and trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured by skin tester. After intervention, The HE staining was used to observe the changes of skin histomorphology in each group; ELISA was used to measure the contents of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17; Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of AQP3 in skin, lung and rectum.@*RESULTS@#Before the intervention, compared with the blank group, the EASI scores and TEWL were increased in the remaining groups (P<0.01), and the WCSC was decreased (P<0.01). After the intervention, compared with the model group, the EASI scores and TEWL were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and WCSC was increased (P<0.01) in the medication group and the acupuncture-moxibustion group. The epidermal structure in the blank group was complete and the fibers in the dermis were arranged orderly; in the model group, epidermal hyperkeratosis, proliferation of granular layer, spinous cell layer and basal layer, and disordered arrangement of dermal fibers and infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed. The morphological performance in the medication group and the acupuncture-moxibustion group was better than that in the model group. Compared with the blank group, the contents of serum IgE and IL-17 were increased (P<0.01), and the content of serum IL-4 and the protein expression of AQP3 in skin, lung and rectum were decreased in the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the contents of serum IgE and IL-17 were decreased and the contents of serum IL-4 were increased in the medication group and the acupuncture-moxibustion group (P<0.01), and the protein expression of AQP3 in skin, lung and rectum in the acupuncture- moxibustion group were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the medication group, the contents of serum IgE and IL-17 were increased (P<0.01), and the content of serum IL-4 was decreased (P<0.01) in the acupuncture-moxibustion group.@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture and moxibustion could improve the epidermal water metabolism and skin tissue morphology in guinea pigs with eczema of skin damp-heat accumulation. Its mechanism may be related to regulating inflammatory factors, up-regulating the expression of AQP3, and then repairing the skin barrier function.

Study on preparation process and formulation optimization of herpetin liposomes / 中国中药杂志

Herpetin (HPT) is an active monomer constituent isolated from lignanoid in seeds of Herpetospermum caudigerum. HPT shows inhibitory effects in hepatic injury and HBV-DNA and the replication. In the study, we successfully prepare herpetin liposomes by film dispersion method for the first time. The prescription process was optimized, with the entrapment efficiency as the index. According to the optimized prescription, the mass ratio of HPT: phospholipids: cholesterol was 2.44:78.05: 19.51, the hydration and de-molding process was performed with 0.5% F68 solution at 50 degrees C, and the water-bath ultrasonic time was 20 min. The HPT liposomes prepared by this method showed an average entrapment efficiency of (94.50 +/- 2.15)% and a particle size of (119.2 +/- 10.7) nm, which was consistent with the trial expectations and will lay a solid foundation for the hepatic targeting delivery system in future.

Effects of combination of puerariae lobatae radix and salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma on lipid metabolism in atherosclerotic quails / 中国中药杂志

In present study, cholesterol/high fat diet-induced atherosclerotic quails were used to evaluate the effects of combination of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (1: 1, abbreviated as PRSM) on lipid metabolism, liver index, apolipoprotein levels. The results obtained from this study indicated that oral administration of ethyl acetate extract of PRSM at doses of 7.5, 5.0, 2.5 g x kg(-1) as well as aqueous extract of PRSM at dose of 7.5 g x kg(-1) could reduce the serum cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels as well as the weight of liver and liver index, and increase the serum level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Furthermore, reduced levels of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and elevated levels of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) were observed in ethyl acetate extract and aqueous extract of PRSM treated atherosclerotic quails. All results demonstrate that PRSM possess a regulatory role on lipid metabolism disorders in atherosclerotic quails, which may be the pharmacological basis of PRSM for preventing the development of atherosclerosis.

Discussing displacemental trend on nontractional side of canine mandible with finite element method when distraction osteogenesis with unilateral incomplete osteotomy / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the trend of displacement on the side of nondistraction when distraction osteogenesis with unilateral incomplete osteotomy of canine mandible.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The method of finite element analysis was used to simulate distraction osteogenesis with unilateral incomplete osteotomy and the displacement of six marked point such as the temporomandibular joint and the angle of mandible and coracoid process and teeth were observed on nondistractional side when the transport disc was distracted with a distance and without a distance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When the transport disc was distracted without a distance, the Von Mises stress was 0 in the six marked point of nondisractional side and their displacement in 3 dimensions (X, Y, Z axis) was 0. When the transport disc was distracted with 1 mm width, all marked point had some displacement.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>When distracted and observed from the side of distraction, the mandible at the side of nondistraction has the trend of contrarotation round the center of the transverse ridge mid-point of condyle process on the plane of sagittal, whereas it has the trend of parallel movement approximately in the direction of opposite side on the plane of coronary.</p>