Effects of Qufengtongluo Recipe on podocin mRNA expression and podocyte morphology in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Qufengtongluo Recipe (QFTLR) on the expression of podocin mRNA and podocyte morphology in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN), and explore the possible mechanism mediating the therapeutic effect of QFTLR on nephropathic proteinuria.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rats were randomized into normal control group, AN model group (established by a single injection of adriamycin via the tail vein), and 3 intervention groups with QFTLR, prednisone, or benazepril treatment. After the corresponding treatments, the expression of podocin mRNA in the renal tissues was detected by RT-PCR methods, and the morphological changes of the podocytes were examined by electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the AN model group showed significantly lowered expressions of podocin mRNA (P<0.01) with reduced podocytes and widening, fusion or even absence of the foot processes (FP). Intervention with QFTLR significantly increased the expression of podocin mRNA (P<0.01) and the number of podocytes, and obviously lessened the structural changes of the FP.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QFTLR can produce therapeutic effect against nephropathic proteinuria possibly by up-regulating the expression of podocin mRNA and improving the morphological changes of the podocytes.</p>

Clinical and pathological study on effects of Qianggan Capsule combined lamivudine on hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutic effects of Qianggan Capsule (QC) combined Lamivudine on hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-five patients were randomly divided into two groups, group A (40 cases) were treated with QC and Lamivudine and group B (45 cases) were treated with QC alone both for 6 months. Hepatic fibrosis related indexes and pathologic examination of liver biopsy were performed within 3 months before treatment and in 1 month after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum levels of hyaluronic acid, collagen N and laminin decreased markedly after treatment in both groups (P < 0.05). Hepatic histopathological examination showed that the total effective rate of impovement in activity of inflammation-necrosis and fibrosis was 80.0% and 70.0% in group A, 57.8% and 75.6% in group B, respectively, the combined treatment showed a better effect in improving the activity of inflammation-necrosis than QC alone (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference to the latter in improving fibrosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QC combined Lamivudine could markedly reduce the activity of hepatic inflammation-necrosis, QC alone could also improve hepatic fibrosis.</p>

Relationship between the genotypes of hepatitis B virus and the severity of liver diseases / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between different genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the severity of liver diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The S nucleotide sequences of HBV strains isolated from plasma samples of 284 patients were detected and compared. Among them, 87 patients were HBV asymptomatic carriers (ASC), 157 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 22 liver cirrhosis (LC), and 18 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Genotypes B and C were predominant, with a 26.1% proportion and a 63.2% proportion respectively. The percentage of genotypes B and C in patients with ASC, CHB, LC, and HCC were significantly different (x(2)=15.09, P<0.001). Compared with genotype B, genotype C was more common in patients with CHB and HCC (59.6% vs 43.2%, chi(2)=10.87, P<0.001; 7.7% vs 1.4%, x(2)=7.41, P<0.001), but in patients with LC there was no different (7.7% vs 8.1%, chi(2)=1.29, P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study suggests that genotype B and C are predominant. And genotype C may induce more severe the liver inflammation than genotype B may do.</p>