Study on antioxidant activity of pigment of Lycium ruthenicum / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elvaulate the antioxidant activity of the pigment of Lycium ruthenicum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The antioxidant activities were measured by the effects of the reducing ability, scavenging DPPH. H2O2-induced hemolysis of mice erythrocyte, serum resistance of reactive oxygen species, content of MDA in liver tissue, and swelling effect of mitochondria in liver tissue.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The pigment of L. ruthenicum could scaveng DPPH* remarkably with IC50 0.164 mg x mL(-1), inhibitte hemolysis of mice erythrocyte evidently with IC50 0.112 mg x mL(-1). The resistant of reactive oxygen species was enhanced by the tested substances, simultanously. The concentration of MDA of peroxidation of lipid in mice liver could be reduced, and the swelling of mice liver mitochondria alse be restrained.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The pigment of L. ruthenicum has antioxidant activity in tested concentration.</p>

Inhibitory effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on alpha-glucosidase in small intestines of rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on small intestinal a-glucosidase and postprandial blood glucose levels in rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The inhibitory effects of STT on a-glucosidase extracted from small intestines in rats were carried out in vitro. The blood glucose levels were measured after 60 min when sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)) or glucose (2 g x kg(-1)) was administered orally with STT (100 mg x kg(-1)). After treated with STT (100 mg x kg(-1)) for 14 d, the activities of a-glucosidase were determined daily, as well as the postprandial blood glucose levels after oraly administered sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>STT at concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 mg x mL(-1) reduced significantly the activities of alpha-glucosidase with inhibitory rates of (20.83 +/- 1.66)%, (43.73 +/- 2.39)% and (52.62 +/- 2.69)%, respectively. In facts STT (100 mg x kg(-1)) considerably decreased the blood glucose levels which was 52.61% of that of the control in rats co-administered orally with sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)). However, it showed no such effect on the rats co-administered orally with glucose (2 g x kg(-1)). After orally administered of STT for 14 d, the activity of alpha-glucosidase was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) to (58.17 +/- 3.24)% of that those in control. Meanwhile, The rats were oral administered with sucrose, the increase of postprandial blood glucose levels were (69.50 +/- 4.28)% of that in control 60 min later ( P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It was through inhibiting the activity of a-glucosidase in small intestines that STT significantly retarded the increase in postprandial blood glucose levels in rats.</p>

Cardiac risk stratification in patients with congestive heart failure: a catecholamines-beta-adrenoceptor-cAMP pathway / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the stratification risk of catecholamines-beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR)-cAMP pathway for cardiogenic death events in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 83 identified CHF patients with a baseline and follow-up plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E), lymphocytes beta-AR density (Bmax), and intralymphocyte cAMP content in peripheral blood were followed up. Major cardiogenic death events were registered.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The period between the initial entry and the last follow-up measurement were 51 +/- 16 months, the total duration of clinical follow-up after the last measurement were 14 +/- 8 months. During follow-up, 39 patients died of cardiogenic (sudden death 17 patients, worsening heart failure 22 patients). Persistence of high NE, E, and cAMP from baseline to follow-up were confirmed as risk predicting factors of cardiovascular events. Persistence NE above 4.0 nmol/L, E above 3.5 nmol/L, and the intralymphocyte cAMP content above 3.5 pmd x mg(-1) x pro(-1) from baseline to follow-up were significant adverse prognostic predictors. The major cardiogenic death events rates per 100 patients-years were 1.33 and 4.82 in patients with NE below and above 4.0 nmol/L (HR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.08-7.33; P = 0.015); were 1.42 and 4.36 in the patients with E levels below and above 3.5 nmol/L (HR: 2.64; 95% CI: 1.02-6.41; P = 0.019); were 1.81 and 4.67 in the patients with the intralymphocyte cAMP content below and above 3.5 pmd x mg(-1) x pro(-1) (HR: 2.79; 95% CI: 1.04-6.83; P = 0.017), but difference was not significant between the beta-AR density below and above median.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Persistent increase in circulating catecholamines and intralymphocyte cAMP content may increase the long-term mortality in CHF patients.</p>