Naphthoquinones from Rhinacanthus nasutus and Their Pharmacological Activities / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Rhinacanthus nasutus is the shrubs of Acanthacesa of Rhinacanthus nasutus. It has been used as traditional Zhuang medicine for thousands of years, with antipyretic and alexipharmic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, antiasthmatic and expectorant effects. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that R. nasutus has been used for treatment of various diseases, including pneumonia, gastritis and hepatitis. In addition, naphthoquinone esters isolated from this plant exhibits antitumor, antiviral, antifungal, and immunomodulatory activities, with a high application value. Scholars at home and abroad have isolated a variety of compounds from R. nasutus, including 20 naphthoquinones, organic acids, lignans, alkaloids and other structural types of components. Among them, naphthoquinones have a variety of biological activities. Up to now, there are no systematic and comprehensive report on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of naphthoquinones. In this review, we summarized the chemical constituents of naphthoquinones with pharmacological activity, finding that R. nasutus and naphthoquinones have a great potential to be developed as a traditional Chinese medicine for tumors, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver, which can provide an important scientific basis for defining the pharmacodynamic basis of the pharmacological activities and a reference for further research and comprehensive utilization of Zhuang medicine of Rhinacanthus nasutus.

Effect of Guilingji Capsule on the fertility, liver functions, and serum LDH of male SD rats exposed by 900 mhz cell phone / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Guilingji Capsule (GC) on the fertility, liver functions, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of adult male SD rats exposed by 900 MHz cell phone.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 18 adult male SD rats and 36 adult female rats in child-bearing period were selected and randomly divided into three groups according to weight equilibrium principle, i.e., the normal group, the radiated group, and the GC group, 6 males and 12 females in each group. Male rats in the normal group and all female rats were not radiated. Male rats in the radiated group and the GC group received radiation for 4 h per day, lasting for 18 successive days. Rats in the GC group received GC suspension at the daily dose of 0. 15 g/kg by gastrogavage at the same time. Equal volume of normal saline was administrated to other male rats. Then male rats were mated with corresponding female rats from the 14th radiation night to the 18th radiation night in the ratio of 1:2. Male rats were killed following on the next morning of ending the radiation. Female rats were normally fed and then killed before delivery. The pregnant outcomes of female rats in responding groups (the rates of pregnancy and the number of death fetus, birth weight, body length, and tail length) were observed and compared. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), AST/ALT, and LDH levels of the male rats were detected by colorimetry. Histological and morphological changes of liver were observed by HE staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, the pregnancy rates of female rats decreased and the number of death fetus increased, the serum LDH level obviously increased in the radiated group (P < 0.05). Serum levels of ALT, AST, and AST/ALT were no significantly changed in the radiated group. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration appeared. Compared with the radiated group, the pregnancy rates increased, the number of death fetus dropped, and the serum level of LDH decreased in the GC group (P < 0.05). There was no obvious change in serum levels of ALT, AST, or AST/ALT. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration were significantly attenuated. The histomorphological structures recovered to normal basically in the GC group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The pregnancy rates could be decreased, the number of death fetus increased, histomorphological structures abnormal, and serum LDH level increased by exposure toy GSM 900 MHz cell phone. GC could prevent and treat the aforesaid lesion. But there was no statistical difference in serum ALT or AST levels.</p>

Is there relationship between pink teeth phenomenon and cause of death? / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the relationship between the pink teeth phenomenon and the cause of death as well as its significance in forensic medicine.@*METHODS@#Inspection method was adopted to observe the pink teeth phenomenon in different causes of death. Ten rats were selected for every experimental groups, which were then divided into two groups: Eight in fresh group with teeth pulled immediately, and two in decayed group with body decayed in water firstly. The teeth pulled from rats were immersed in 75% alcohol and observed at different immersion time.@*RESULTS@#In every fresh groups, pink teeth phenomenon was not observed when they were pulled immediately, whereas it emerged gradually after the teeth immersed in 75% alcohol, and the color showed distinct and constant four hours later. In decayed groups, Pink teeth phenomenon was observed immediately when teeth pulled, it became distinct and constant after one hour's immersion in alcohol. So it was more distinctive in the decayed groups than that in the fresh groups.@*CONCLUSION@#There is no significant connection between the pink teeth phenomenon and the cause of death, thus it may not be subject to forensic identification.

The expression and significance of IgE in anaphylactic shock guinea-pigs / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To seek the pathomorphological targets for forensic expertise in anaphylactic shock.@*METHODS@#The expression of IgE in hearts, lungs, livers, spleens, kidneys, gastrics, intestinals, tracheas and tonsils of anaphylactic shock guinea-pigs was observed at 0, 6, 12 h and 24 h respectively by tissue chip S-P immuno-histochemical method.@*RESULTS@#Positive expression of IgE presented in lungs and tracheas in the test group with the peak at 0 hour and it declined as time advanced, and also there were significant differences at different times (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The immuno-histochemical method of detecting the expression of IgE in lungs, tracheas and spleens can be supposed to be the pathomorphological targets for forensic expertise in anaphylactic shock. The weakening of the positive expression of IgE in lungs and tracheas as the time advanced suggested that in this kind of case the autopsy should be arried out as early as possible.

Study on the relationship between PMI and the concentration of 21 elements in vitreous humor of rabbit after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To seek a precise method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) in forensic medicine practice.@*METHODS@#This study detected the concentration of 21 elements in the vitreous humor of rabbit within 96 hours after death and explored the relationship between their concentration and PMI using the method of ICP-MS.@*RESULT@#It was shown that the concentration of 9 elements in vitreous humor of rabbit within different intervals after death were correlated to PMI available as a reference indicator to estimate PMI.@*CONCLUSION@#The changes in the concentration of certain elements in vitreous humor of vitreous humor are correlated with PMI and determination of such changes can be used to estimate the time of death.

Study on the relationship between PMI and the concentration of magnesium and iron in the vitreous humor of rabbit after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To seek a exact method of estimating postmortem interval (PMI).@*METHODS@#This study detected the concentration of magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) in vitreous humor of rabbit at 96 h after death and explored the relationship between their concentration and PMI using a method ICP-MS.@*RESULTS@#The concentra-tion of Mg in vitreous humor of rabbit at 48 h after death and Fe in vitreous humor of rabbit at 6-48 h after death were related to PMI significantly. The formulae of the relationship between PMI and Mg concentrations is y = 0.0738x2 + 0.6997x + 11.45 (within 48 h, R2 = 0.9119). The formulae of the relationship between PMI and Fe concentrations is y = 0.0411x2 - 0.3148x + 1.4113 (within 6-48 h, R2 = 0.9594).@*CONCLUSION@#The concentration of Mg in vitreous humor of rabbit at 48 h after death and Fe in vitreous humor of rabbit at 6-48 h after death may be as reference indicator to estimate PMI.

Study on the relationship between PMI and the concentration of zincum and nickel in the vitreous humor of rabbit after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To seek a exact method of estimating postmortem interval (PMI).@*METHODS@#This study detected the concentration of zincum(Zn) and nickel(Ni) in vitreous humor of rabbit at hour 96 after death and explored the relationship between their concentration and PMI using a method ICP-MS.@*RESULTS@#The concentration of Zn and Ni in vitreous humor of rabbit at hour 24 after death were related to PMI significantly; The formulae of the relationship between PMI and Zn concentrations is y = 0.1404x2 - 1.3351x + 3.8298 (within 24 h; R2 = 0.9202). The formula of the relationship between PMI and Ni concentrations is y = 0.0043x2 - 0.0596x + 0.2665(within 24 h; R2 = 0.9103).@*CONCLUSION@#The concentration of Zn and Ni in vitreous humor of rabbit may be a reference indicator to estimate early PMI.

Study on the relationship between postmortem interval and the change of absorbance in vitreous humor of rabbit after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To seek a exact method of estimating Postmortem interval (PMI).@*METHODS@#This study was preformed to investigate the relationship between postmortem interval and absorbance in vitreous humor of rabbit after death. The absorbance in vitreous humor of 48 rabbits after death were investigated with Model 754 spectrophotometer in apt wavelength (420 nm).@*RESULTS@#There exists positive linear regression association between postmortem interval (Y) and absorbance in vitreous humor (X) (r = 0.98327, P < 0.05), during rabbits after death 0 to 72 hours. The formula of linear regression is Y = 453.30 X + 0.75 (Y = postmortem interval = PMI, X = absorbance in vitreous humor).@*CONCLUSION@#The absorbance in vitreous humor can be as reference indicator to estimate PMI within hour 72.