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The tubers and roots of Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) are widely used as heart medicine or analgesic agents for the treatment of coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis and neuropathic pain since ancient times. As a type of natural products mainly extracted from Aconitum plants, Aconitum alkaloids have complex chemical structures and exert remarkable biological activity, which are mainly responsible for significant effects of Aconitum plants. The present review is to summarize the progress of the pharmacological, toxicological, and pharmacokinetic studies of Aconitum alkaloids, so as to provide evidence for better clinical application. Research data concerning pharmacological, toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies of Aconitum alkaloids were collected from different scientific databases (PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science) using the phrase Aconitum alkaloids, as well as generic synonyms. Aconitum alkaloids are both bioactive compounds and toxic ingredients in Aconitum plants. They produce a wide range of pharmacological activities, including protecting the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and immune system and anti-cancer effects. Notably, Aconitum alkaloids also exert strong cardiac toxicity, neurotoxicity and liver toxicity, which are supported by clinical studies. Finally, pharmacokinetic studies indicated that cytochrome P450 proteins (CYPs) and efflux transporters (ETs) are closely related to the low bioavailability of Aconitum alkaloids and play an important role in their metabolism and detoxification in vivo.
Subject(s)
Aconitum/chemistry , Alkaloids/toxicity , Biological Availability , Phytochemicals/toxicity , Plant Roots/chemistryABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the effect of private hospitals development on the operational efficiency of public hospitals. Methods: The effect was performed using the Malmquist-Tobit Method. Results: The results found that from 2010 to 2015, the average factor of Total Productivity Index ( TPI) of the Chinese public hospitals was 1. 036 and the contribution rates of technological progress and technical efficiency were 66. 7% and 33. 3% , respec-tively. The coefficients of correlation between total productivity index, technological progress and technical efficiency were 0. 328, 0. 742. The structure optimization of private hospitals exerted a very significant inhibitory effect on the operating efficiency of public hospitals. The core resources of private hospitals were significantly promoted, and the number of public hospitals and scale of industries were not significant as per results revealed. Conclusion: The opera-tional efficiency of the public hospitals in China was in the overall improvement stage, but there was a threat of irreg-ular negative growth associated with regional and inter-provincial differentiation. The operational efficiency was driven by the technical progress and efficiency double paths. The effect of private hospitals on operational efficiency of pub-lic hospitals was characterized by heterogeneity, asymmetry and threshold characteristics under the framework of structural competition between private and public hospitals.
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Objective:The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of China's heath resources al-location during 2004 to 2015 under the constraint of medical expenses control. Methods:To evaluate the efficiency of China's heath resources allocation,the undesired output Slacks-Based Measure(SBM) model was used. Results:As per the findings of this study,the efficiency of heath resources allocation at the national and regional levels of the undesired output SBM model was significantly lower than that of the traditional CCR model during 2004 to 2015. The non-expec-ted output redundancy rate and expected output deficiency rate at the national and regional levels were much greater than the input redundancy rate of health resources allocation of the national and regional levels. In addition,with re-dundancy rate introduction,the losses of health resource allocation efficiency in different provinces within the region were not the same. Conclusions:The efficiency of China's heath resources allocation was overestimated by the tradition-al DEA model,which was less sensitive to the change in its characteristics..Giving priority to non-expected output re-dundancy and expected output deficiency are the main reasons for the loss of health resource allocation in china,and are considered as internal and external improvement priorities for the performance of health resource allocation. It was suggested to establish the performance evaluation system of health resource allocation,which includes the integration of health resources input,expected-output and non-expected output,and evaluation techniques;and a mechanism for per-formance assessment and evaluation,supervision and feedback of health resource allocation should be established;and improve the implication of regional medical and health planning policies.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression and the role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in preterm rats with hyperoxia-induced lung injuries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-four three-day-old preterm Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a hyperoxia group (90% oxygen exposure) and a control group (room air exposure), with 32 rats in each group. After 3 days or 7 days of exposure, the lung activity of HO-1 and nitric oxide (NO) contents in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), pulmonary histopathologic changes, and the cellular distribution and expression of HO-1 and iNOS in the lungs were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 3 days and 7 days of exposure, the hyperoxia group showed acute lung injuries characterized by the presence of hyperaemia, red cell extravasation and inflammatory infiltration. The NO contents in BALF and the iNOS expression in the lungs increased significantly in the hyperoxia group compared with those in the control group 3 and 7 days after exposure. The expression of HO-1 in macrophages in the lungs increased significantly in the hyperoxia group compared with that in the control group 3 and 7 days after exposure. The NO contents in BALF and the iNOS and HO-1 expression in the lungs increased significantly 7 days after hyperoxia exposure compared with 3 days after hyperoxia exposure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>iNOS and HO-1 levels in the lungs increase in preterm rats with hyperoxia-induced lung injuries, suggesting that iNOS and HO-1 may play roles in hyperoxia-induced pulmonary injuries.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Rats , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Chemistry , Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) , Physiology , Hyperoxia , Lung , Lung Injury , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II , Physiology , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of protoporphyrin Ⅸ zinc(Znpp) on hyperoxic lung injury in preterm rats.Methods Three-day-old preterm SD rats were randomly assigned to room air control group(group Ⅰ)hyperoxia control group(oxygen≥900 mL/L)(group Ⅱ),room air plus Znpp group(group Ⅲ),hyperoxia plus Znpp group(group Ⅳ).Group Ⅲ and group Ⅳ were injected intraperitoneally with ZnPP 45 ?mol/kg each day.After the third day and the 7th day of exposure,the activity of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and the percent of carboxyhemoglobin(HbCO) in the lungs,the lung wet weight /dry weight ratio(W/D),tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?),total protein and malondialdehyde(MDA) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were determined and lung histophathological changes were examined in all groups.Results On the third day,compared with group Ⅰ the activity of HO-1 and the percent of HbCO in the lungs,W/D,TNF-?,total protein and MDA,all greatly rised in group Ⅱ(Pa