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Macleaya cordata, a perennial plant in the genus Macleaya, it mainly distributed in most provinces and regions south of the Yangtze river and north of Nanling mountains of China and has been used as a Chinese traditional medicine. It is bitter, cold, warm, poisonous. M. cordata has the functions of dispelling wind, analgesia, detoxification and detumescence. It mainly treats poisonous abscess, cachexia, ulcer, scabies, trichomonal vaginitis, etc. It also has insecticidal and anti-itching activities. The main chemical constituents of M. cordata are isoquinoline alkaloids, sanguinarine, chelerythrine, protoopioid and allocrine alkaloids are the higher ones. In addition, it also contains phenylpropanoids, steroids, organic acids, phenols and volatile oils. The pharmacological effects of M. cordata are mainly anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and improving liver function. In agriculture, it can be used as botanical insecticides and bacteriostasis, and also as feed additives for animal husbandry. By reviewing and analyzing domestic and foreign researches that isoquinolines were the main active constituents and characteristic components of M. cordata. This paper provides theoretical basis for the development and utilization of M. cordata extract and its' monomer compounds.
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Objective To investigate the changes of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the correlation with cognitive function in patients with ischemic white matter disease with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI).Methods Totally 71 subjects underwent routine MRI,DCE-MRI,mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Fazekas scoring,and then were divided into patient group and control group according to the Fazekas scores.The leakage rate (K),area under the leakage curve (AUC) and fractional blood plasma volume (Vp) in cerebral white matter hyperintensities area and normal appearing white matter area were measured and compared between the two groups.The correlation between these parameters and MMSE scores were analyzed.Results K and AUC value of white matter hyperintensities area and normal appearing white matter area in patient group were significantly higher than those in control group (all P＜0.001).Vp value of normal appearing white matter area in patient group was lower than that in control group (P=0.015).K and AUC value of white matter hyperintensities area in patient group had significant negative correlation with MMSE scores (r=-0.440,--0.540,both P＜0.001).Conclusion BBB permeability increased in cerebral white matter hyperintensities and normal appearing white matter area in patients with ischemic white matter lesions,which correlated with cognitive function.
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Purpose With the progression of brain tissue aging, the transport and drainage characteristics of metabolites and secretory products for neurons in extracellular space occurs irreversible change. This paper aims to investigate and quantify MR tracer diffusion characteristics in cerebral interstitial fluid of elderly SD rats. Materials and Methods MR contrast agent Gd-DTPA was injected into the caudate nucleus of two groups of rats including 8 in experimental group (15-17 month old) and 15 in control group (7-10 month old). MR scan was performed at 0.25 h, 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 4 h to observe the dynamic distribution in the caudate and measure the diffusion and clearance rate. Results There was no statistically significant difference in diffusion rate and D* between control group with (3.32±0.70)×10-4 mm2/s and experimental group with (3.25±0.46)×10-4 mm2/s (t=1.739, P>0.05). The clearance rate k' was significantly different between control group (0.62±0.12)×10-4/s and experimental group (0.29±0.08)×10-4/s (t=11.602, P<0.05). Conclusion The degeneration of aging brain tissue changes the composition of extracellular space resulting in decreased speed of ISF clearance. This may cause accumulation of metabolites which eventually triggers a variety of age-related diseases.
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Objective To compare the extracellular space diffusion at different stages of rat C6-gliomas determined by MRI tracer method and analyze the influencing effect of extracellular matrix ( ECM) on the diffusion process.Methods Introducing adolinium-diethylene triaminepentaacetic acid ( Gd-DTPA) into extracellular space ( ECS) as a tracer.The diffusion parameters and half-life time were quantified according to mathematical model of diffusion.The main ECM components ( e.g. chordroitin sulfate proteoglycans ( CSPGs ) , collagen IV tenascin C ) were detected by immunohistochemical and immunoblot analysis.Results Gd-DTPA introduced into 20-day glioma in the rats diffused more slowly [(6.67 ±1.78) ×10 -5 mm2/s vs.(1.26 ±0.27) ×10-4 mm2/s; t =4.265; P<0.01)], deriving a larger tortuosity [(3.99 ±0.57) vs.(2.83 ±0.29);t=4.11;P<0.01)], localized within the tumor with a smaller clearance rate [(7.67 ±2.29) ×10 -5mm2/s)vs.(1.46 ±0.36) ×10 -4mm2/s);t=3.87;P<0.05), and a longer half-life time ((0.86 ±0.23 h)vs.(1.64 ±0.12 h);(t=5.91;p<0.01)] compared with 10-day gliomas in the rats.The increased levels of extracellular matrix of glioma were associated with different diffusion and clearance parameters of 20-day gliomas in the rats in comparision with those in the 10-day rat gliomas, in which the chordroitin sulfate proteoglycans[(0.48 ±0.07) vs.(0.32 ±0.09);t=4.663;P<0.01)], tenascin C [(0.29 ±0.04) vs.(0.58 ±0.11);t =6.50;P<0.01] and collagen IV [(0.24 ±0.07)vs.(0.33 ±0.06);t=3.81;P<0.05] were tested.Conclusions The ECS parameters are changed with the C6 glioma progression due to the increased ECM content.The results of our study may help us to better understanding the glioma micro-environment and provide beneficial references for the brain interstitial drug delivery to treat gliomas.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The underlying mechanism of early neurobiological impairment after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is not well understood, but the system of reactive oxygen superoxide (ROS) might be involved. Edaravone (MCI-186), a potent free radical scavenger that prevents apoptosis of neurons, was thus used in this study to see its possible therapeutic effect in early brain injury due to SAH in a rat model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: group 1, control rats receiving sham operation only; group 2, rats with SAH treated by saline; group 3, rats with SAH treated with 1 mg/kg MCI-186 injected intraperitoneally; and group 4, rats with SAH treated with 3 mg/kg MCI-186. Treated with either saline or MCI-186 twice daily for two consecutive days after SAH, the rats were sacrificed for measurements of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and histological analysis of caspase-3 protein by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. In addition, mortality and neurological scores were statistically analyzed by the chi-square test and Dunn's procedure respectively for each group. One-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey's procedure was also used in data analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rats in group 2 that received saline only showed neurological impairment as well as elevated mortality, and were found to have significantly increased levels of MDA and caspase-3, but reduced SOD activities in brain tissues (P < 0.05). When treated with MCI-186 at two different dosages, the rats in groups 3 and 4 had markedly decreased levels of MDA and caspase-3 but increased SOD activities in the brain tissue (P < 0.05), along with improved scores of neurological evaluation (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study sheds some lights on the therapy of SAH-induced early brain injury by providing the promising data indicating that MCI-186, a radical scavenger, can efficiently diminish apoptosis of neurons and thus prevent the function loss of the brain in rats with SAH.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Antipyrine , Therapeutic Uses , Blotting, Western , Brain Injuries , Drug Therapy , Immunohistochemistry , Malondialdehyde , Metabolism , Neuroprotective Agents , Therapeutic Uses , Random Allocation , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage , Superoxide Dismutase , MetabolismABSTRACT
Cyclops of zooplankton propagates prolifically in eutrophic waterbody and it cannot be exterminated by conventional disinfection process. The mutagenicity of Mesocyclops leukarti and its extermination with oxidants in a drinking waterworks in China were studied. Among five oxidants for use in bench-scale, chlorine dioxide is the most effective and the potassium permanganate is the weakest against Mesocyclops leukarti under the same conditions. Full-scale results showed that Mesocyclops leukarti could be effectively removed from water by 1.0 mg/L chlorine dioxide preoxidation combined with conventional removal physical process. After filtration, chlorite, a by-product of prechlorine dioxide, is stable at 0.45 mg/L, which is lower than the critical value of the USEPA. GC-MS examination and Ames test further showed that the quantity of organic substance and the mutagenicity in water treated by chlorine dioxide preoxidation are obviously less than those of prechlorination.