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Objective@#To assess the effects of subchronic intake of high-dose Dendrobium officinale on body weight, food intake, food utilization, and blood biochemical parameters in rats, so as to provide insights into assessment of edible safety of D. officinale.@*Methods@#Eighty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into the low-, medium- and high-dose groups and the control group, of 10 male and 10 female rats in each group. Rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups were administered with D. officinale feeds at doses of 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 g/kg body weight, respectively, while animals in the control group were given basic diet for successive 13 weeks. The rat body weight, food intake, food utilization, and blood biochemical parameters were compared between groups.@*Results@#Normal diet and activity was seen in all rats, and no abnormal syndromes, signs or deaths were found during the study. There were no significant differences in rat body weight, food intake, total weight gain, total food intake, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea nitrogen, creatinine, triacylglycerol, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio or blood glucose among four groups (P>0.05). The food utilization 7 weeks post-administration [(8.71%±0.78%) vs. (10.54%±1.37%), P<0.05] and the total food utilization [(18.00%±0.41%) vs. (19.51%±1.21%), P<0.05] were significantly lower in male rats in the high-dose group than in the control group.@*Conclusion@#Subchronic intake of high-dose D. officinale shows no toxicity in rats, and reduced food utilization may be associated with the health function of D. officinale in male rats.
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Objective @#To study the damage effect of sunlight ultraviolet exposure on skin.@*Methods @#No exposure group, low exposure group and high exposure group were set up with 10 mice in each. The exposure doses of sunlight ultraviolet were 0, 10 J/cm2 and 20 J/cm2, respectively. The skin of mice was irradiated by a sunlight ultraviolet simulator for 5 days a week, 13 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the skin appearance of mice was examined; the skin moisture, oil content, texture density, hydroxyproline ( HYP ), hyaluronic acid (HA), malondialdehyde ( MDA ), glutathione ( GSH ) and superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) activities were detected; and the skin tissue morphology, collagen fiber morphology and elastic fiber morphology were observed. @*Results @#The skin appearance of mice in the no exposure group was normal; in the low exposure group, only one mouse had mild skin desquamation; in the high exposure group, the skin was loose and wrinkled, dry and desquamated, local thickening and erythema formation. Compared with the no exposure group, the contents of skin moisture, HYP, HA and SOD activity were lower, texture density, MDA content, morphological scores of skin tissue, collagen fiber tissue and elastic fiber tissue were higher in the high exposure group ( all P<0.05 ). Compared with the low exposure group, the HA content and SOD activity were lower, the skin texture density, MDA content, and histomorphological scores of skin tissue and collagen fibers were higher in the high exposure group ( all P<0.05 ).@*Conclusion @#Exposure to 20 J/cm2 sunlight ultraviolet can significantly lead to abnormal skin appearance and function in mice.
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Objective@#To observe the effect of 5-hudroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) on glycolipid metabolism and hepatic function in mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hepatic injury. @*Methods@#A low, a medium and a high 5-HMF dose group, a model group, and a control group were designed, with ten female ICR mice in each group. The low, medium and high dose group were given 0.27, 0.80 and 2.67 mg/kgbw 5-HMF, respectively, for 12 weeks; while the model group and the control group were given volume controlled deionized water. The model group and three dose groups were fed with high-fat and high-sugar food (36%), and the intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (60 mg/kgbw) was executed in the 10th and 11th week; the control group were fed with normal food. The body weight, blood glucose, blood lipid, and liver function of mice were determined regularly. The livers were stained by periodic acid Schiff and the changes in pathology were observed. @*Results@#Compared with the control group, the serum levels of glucose (GLU), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the AST level in the low and high 5-HMF dose group, and the LDH level in the low, medium and high 5-HMF dose group, were significantly lower (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of GLU, total cholesterol, LDL-C, triacylglycerol, HDL-C and ALT between the model group and the three dose groups (P>0.05). Moderate to severe vacuolar degeneration was observed in the model group, while mild vacuolar degeneration was observed in the high dose group. Medium or large amount of hepatic glycogen granules were observed in the high dose group and the model group. @*Conclusion@#Under the conditions of this experiment, 5-HMF does not show any obvious function of reducing blood glucose and lipid in the mice with T2DM and liver injury, but show some protective effects on liver function．
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Objective@#To study the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides ( LBP ) on blood indexes and liver tissue morphology in rats with intrahepatic cholestasis.@*Methods@#Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, and LBP low, medium and high dose group. The rats in the model group and LBP dose groups were given 60 mg/kg alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate ( ANIT ) by gavage every three days of the experiment, and the rats in the control group were given salad oil instead of ANIT. From the third day, the rats in each dose group were given 40, 150 and 600 mg/kg LBP, and the rats in the model group were given distilled water. After four weeks, the blood and urine indexes were measured, and the morphological changes of liver tissue were observed. @*Results@#From the third day of the experiment, the activity of rats in the model group and LBP dose groups decreased, and the color of urine changed to dark yellow. There was no abnormality in the group. In the model group, the levels of serum total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total bile acid ( TBA ), alkaline phosphatase ( ALP ), γ-glutamyltransferase(γ-GGT), cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ), aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ), white blood cell ( WBC ), percentage of granulocyte, urinary bilirubin, urinary bile acid, liver mass and liver to body ratio were higher than those in the control group, while red blood cell and percentage of lymphocyte were lower than those in the control group ( all P<0.05 ). Pathological changes of liver tissue were observed. The levels of serum TBA, ALP, γ-GGT, ALT, AST, WBC and liver to body ratio in LBP high dose group were lower than those in the model group ( all P<0.05 ). The infiltration of inflammatory cells, proliferation and expansion of bile duct, degeneration and necrosis of liver cells were alleviated. @*Conclusions@#LBP can improve the blood indexes and pathological changes of liver tissue in rats with intrahepatic cholestasis at the dosage of 600 mg/kg. Inhibition of inflammatory response and reduction of oxidative stress injury may be the mechanism for alleviating cholestatic liver injury.
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Objective@#To explore the cause and type of pigmentation in the livers and kidneys of rats caused by a compound Chinese medicine preparation. @*Methods@#The experiment consist of low, medium, and high dose groups and a control group, the Sprague-Dawley rats in these groups were orally given 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kgbw of a compound Chinese medicine preparation of gardenia and distilled water for 30 days, respectively. The body weight, diet, hematology and histopathology of the rats in each group were observed for changes in pigment metabolism. @*Results@#In the first and second weeks of the experiment, the rats in the low, medium, high dose groups and the control group showed no abnormal symptoms or signs. From the third weekend, the urine of the rats in the high dose group turned thick yellow and green, and the stool color became light. During the experiment, no rats died. There were statistically significant differences in body weights and weight gains among these groups ( P<0.05 ) . There were statistically significant differences in total food utilization, direct bilirubin, r-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and liver/body ratios among these groups ( P<0.05 ). Gross examination revealed that the livers and kidneys of rats in the high dose group were dull and green. Microscopic examination revealed changes in dark pigment particles in the livers and kidneys of rats in the high dose group. Histochemical staining confirmed that pigments in the livers and kidneys were bile pigments. @*Conclusions@#At a dosage of 4.0 g/kgbw, a compound Chinese medicine preparation of gardenia can lead to bile pigment deposition in the livers and kidneys of rats due to cholestasis.
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Objective@#To learn the toxicity of Dendrobium officinale flowers to pregnant rats ( P, F1 ) and offspring rats ( F1, F2 ) before birth, so as to provide toxicological evidence for the safety assessment.@*Methods @#The rats were divided into four groups with 20 female rats and 10 male each. The rats in three dose groups were fed with Dendrobium officinale flowers at the dose of 2.0, 4.0, 6.4g/kgbw. After two generation, the F1a and F2a rats were fed with basal diet; F1b and F2b rats were fed with Dendrobium officinale flowers. The body weights and total weight gains during the gestation, the conception rates, the pregnancy rates, the birth weights and survival rates of offspring rats were examined. @* Results@#There were no statistically significant differences in the body weights and total weight gains during the gestation, the conception rates, and the pregnancy rates in pregnant rats ( P, F1 ) among the four groups ( P>0.05 ). There were also no statistically significant differences in the survival rates and live birth rates in offspring rats (F1, F2) between the dose groups and the control group ( P>0.05 ). @*Conclusions@#Dendrobium officinale flowers did not show obviously adverse effects on pregnant rats ( P, F1 ) and offspring rats ( F1, F2 ) before birth.
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Objective@#To learn the effects of Dendrobium officinale flowers on testivular tissue morphology and sperm quality in parent and offspring rats,so as to provide reference for safety evaluation of Dendrobium officinale flowers.@*Methods@#The 40 SD rats was randomly divided into the low-,middle-,high-dose and the control group,given 2.0,4.0,6.4 and 0 g/kgbw Dendrobium officinale flowers,respectively. After three months,the body weight,mass and organ/body coefficients of testis and epididymis of parent （P） and offspring （F1,F2） rats were measured;the number,activity and deformity of sperms were observed under microscope;the changes of testis and epididymis were observed by hematoxylin eosin staining. @* Results@#There were no significantly statistical differences in the body weight,mass and organ/body coefficients of testis and epididymis,sperm quantity,sperm motility rate among four groups of P、F1、F2 male rats （P>0.05）. There were no significantly statistical differences in sperm malformation rate between the high-dose group and the control group （P>0.05）. There was no significant change in testis and epididymis of P,F1 and F2 male rats. @*Conclusion@#Dendrobium officinale flowers did not show obviously adverse effects on testivular tissue morphology and sperm quality in parent and offsping rats.
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Objective To observe and evaluate the clinical value of presepsin level in cirrhosis-associated bacterial infections. Methods 30 cirrhosis patients with bacterial infections were enrolled as study group.At admission,60 cirrhosis patients without bacterial infections were enrolled as control group.The difference of blood presepsin level between two groups were analyszed and compared the relationship between level of presepsin patients.The level of presepsin of survival and death group were compared and analyszed risk factors for the prognosis of bacterial infection by COX multi-factor analysis.The sensitivity and specificity were compared by PCT,CRP and presepsin detection.Results The blood presepsin level of study group was 1 002.3(575.1 2~149.5)pg/ml,the blood presepsin level of control group was 475.0(332.7~680.2)pg/ml. The presepsin of study group was significantly higher than control group,the difference was statistically significant(t=1.865,P<0.05).The presepsin level of death patients was significantly higher than survival patients(t=5.875,P<0.05). COX multi-factor analysis showed that presepsin levels were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of bacterial in-fection in patients with liver cirrhosis.There were statistically significant of sensitivity and specific degrees between presep-sin and CRP(P<0.05).Conclusion Presepsin level is a valuable new biomarker for defining severe infections in cirrhosis. The increase of Presepsin level can be used as a judgment is an important index indicator of liver cirrhosis bacterial infection. It was worthy of clinical attention.
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. These results suggest that simvastatin could stimulate the activity of eNOS via its phosphorylation by Akt and AMPK, which provides a new mechanism, other than lipid-lowering effect, for the cardiovascular protection of statins.