Clinical efficacy of shenfu injection in treating severe sepsis and its effects on serum levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Shenfu Injection (SFI) on patients with severe sepsis and its effects on serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight patients with severe sepsis were randomly assigned to the SFI group (36 cases, treated by SFI + routine therapy) and the control group (32 cases, treated by routine therapy). The acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score and Marshall score were observed before treatment, 3 and 7days after treatment. The therapeutic efficacy was assessed, and the 28th-day mortality rates were compared. The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were determined by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment. C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined by immunoturbidimetric assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in the APACHE II score, Marshall score, IL-6, IL-10, or CRP between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). APACHE II score and Marshall score of all patients decreased after treatment, with more obvious decrease shown in the SFI group (P<0.05). The mortality rate in the SFI group and the control group was 25.0% (9/36) and 37.5% (12/32) respectively, with no significant difference shown between the two groups (P>0.05). The serum levels of IL-6 and CRP obviously decreased after 7 days of treatment (P<0.05). But more decrement was shown in the SFI group, showing significant difference when compared with the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the serum IL-10 level between the two groups before and after treatment (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SFI could lower the serum IL-6 level, regulate the equilibrium of proinflammatory factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines in severe sepsis patients, thus playing a role in improving the therapeutic efficacy.</p>

Saponins from roots of Stephanotis mucronata / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents from n-BuOH fraction of the roots of Stephanotis mucronata.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The compounds were separated by chromatographic methods. A combination of UV, MS, and NMR spectroscopic methods was applied to identify structure of these compounds.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Four oleane saponins were isolated and identified as sitakisoside VII (1), sitakisoside VI (2), sitakisoside II (3), and sitakisoside I (4).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These four compounds were obtained for the first time from this plant.</p>

Studies on the chemical constituents in radix Astilbes chinensis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To isolate and determine the chemical constituents from Astilbe chinensis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Four compounds were isolated and purified by extraction and column chromatography on silica gel. The chemical structures were determined on the basis of physical-chemical evidence and extensive spectral analysis(HR-EIMS, EIMS, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, DEPT, 1H-1H-COSY, HMQC and HMBC).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Their structures were elucidated as beta-sitosterol palmitate I, daucosterol II beta-sitosterol III and Bergenin IV, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compound I and II were isolated from A. chinensis for the first time.</p>