Evolution of commercial specification and experimental identification terms of Gastrodiae Rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

Gastrodia Rhizoma, as a precious Chinese materia medica, has attracted the attention of Chinese materia medica experts in the past dynasties for the commercial specification and experimental identification, and has gradually formed a wealth of terms concerning commercial specification and experimental identification. Through combing the literatures of successive dynasties, this paper discussed the change of the commercial specification of the Gastrodiae Rhizoma and formation of its identifying terms. It has found that the Gastrodiae Rhizoma mainly came from the dried rhizomes of the Gastrodia elata f.elata before the Qing Dynasty. Since the Qing Dynasty, G. elata in Yunnan and Guizhou gradually arose and become one of sources of mainstream commodities. After that, G. elata f. glauca and G. elata f. elata were becoming the main sources of Gastrodiae Rhizoma. Before the large-scale cultivation of G. elata in the 1970 s, there is only wild G. elata over the country. In terms of commercial specification, they were often classified into Chunma and Dongma according to their harvest time. With the successful promotion of cultivation technology and the endangered wild resources of G. elata, the Dongma became the mainstream in the market. The adulterants of G. elata increased significantly in the 1960 s and 1970 s, in this period, the terms of experimental identification for G. elata also increased obviously. Experimental identification is distinctive in different times, therefore, studying experimental identification of medicinal materials helps to promote the development of the Chinese materia medica.

The expression of connective tissue growth factor in mast cells in the development of pulmonary fibrosis / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether connective tissue growth factor (CGGF) is expressed in mast cells (MCs) in lung in the development of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: BLM group and control group (n=16). The rats in BLM group were received single intratracheal instillation of BLM (5 mg/kg), and the rats in control group received equal volume of 0.9% normal saline(NS) to BLM. The rats in each group were sacrificed for lung tissue sampling on day 14 and day 28 after intratracheal instillation respectively. As the index of the severity of pulmonary fibrosis, the content of hydroxyproline in lungs was analyzed by chloramine T method. Mast cells and CTGF expression in lungs were examined by toluidine blue stain and immunohistochemical assay respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) On day 28 after intratracheal instillation of BLM, the content of hydroxyproline in lungs of rats was higher than that of control rats (P < 0.01). (2) Compared to control rats, the rats on day 14 and day 28 after instillation of BLM showed increased number of mast cells (Both P < 0.01) and up-regulated CTGF expression (Both P < 0.01). (3) No CTGF immuno-positive MCs were seen in the lungs of control rats whereas CTGF immuno-positive MCs were observed in the pathological areas in lungs of rats on day 14 and day 28 after BLM.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CTGF is expressed in MCs in lungs in the development of pulmonary fibrosis, which might be one of the mechanisms underling promoting effect of MCs on fibrosis in lung.</p>

Alterations in pulmonary arterial reactivity during pulmonary arterial hypertension at the early-stage of pulmonary fibrosis in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the alterations in pulmonary arterial reactivity during pulmonary arterial hypertension at the early-stage of pulmonary fibrosis in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: bleomycin (BLM) group and sham group. The rats in BLM group were received single intratracheal instillation of BLM (5 mg/kg), and the rats in sham group received equal volume of 0.9% normal saline (NS). The alterations in pulmonary arterial reactivity were measured by vascular tension detected technique, the pathomorphological changes in the wall of pulmonary arteries were displayed with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining, the degree of fibrosis in lung was revealed with Masson staining, and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure was detected via a catheter in the pulmonary artery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The contractile response to a- adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE), of pulmonary arteries both with remaining endothelium and with removing endothelium, from BLM-treated rats , was reduced significantly, compared with sham rats (P both < 0.05). (2) The relaxant response to the endothelially dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (Ach), of pulmonary arteries with remaining endothelium, from BLM-treated rats, was also reduced, compared with sham rats (P < 0.01). (3) In sham rats, the contractile response to (omega) -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) plus PE, of pulmonary arteries with remaining endothelium, was enhanced, compared with that to PE alone (P < 0.01), while in BLM group, the contractile responses to L-NAME plus PE, of pulmonary arteries with remaining endothelium, was not different from that to PE alone (P > 0.05). (4) In BLM group, vascular endothelial cells lost. (5) In BLM group, the initial stage of fibrogenesis was observed in lungs, and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure increased, compared with that in sham group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The abnormal responsibility of pulmonary arteries occurred during pulmonary arterial hypertension at the early-stage of pulmonary fibrosis in rats.</p>