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Due to the high similarity with the lipid layer between human skin keratinocytes, functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structure prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology encapsulating natural active substances have become a hot research topic in recent years. This type of functional cosmetic often has a fresh and natural skin feel, excellent skin barrier repair function and efficient moisturizing effect, etc., showing great potential in cosmetic application. However, the present research on the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology to functional cosmetics is still in the initial stage, and there are fewer relevant reports with reference values. Based on the mentioned above, this review provides a comprehensive summary of functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structures prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology from the following aspects: the structure of human skin, the composition of lamellar liquid crystal, the advantages of liquid crystal emulsification technology containing natural active substances used in the field of functional cosmetics, the preparation process, main components, influencing factors during the preparation and the market functional cosmetics with lamellar liquid crystal structure. Finally, the prospect of the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology in functional cosmetics is presented, to provide useful references for those engaged in the research of liquid crystal emulsification technology-related functional cosmetics.
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Ramulus Mori (Sangzhi) alkaloids (SZ-A) are a group of polyhydroxy alkaloids extracted and isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine mulberry twig, which is mainly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition to acting as a glycosidase inhibitor in the small intestine after oral administration, SZ-A can also be absorbed into blood and widely distributed to target organs related to diabetes, exerting multiple pharmacological effects. It is important to elucidate the possible pharmacokinetic influences of SZ-A for its clinical rational applications, such as drug interactions, the effects of food and alcohol on the absorption of SZ-A. However, studies in this area are limited. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic interactions between orally administrated SZ-A (50 mg·kg-1) and metformin hydrochloride (Met, 200 mg·kg-1) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were examined. Then, the effect of food (standard feed) on the pharmacokinetics of SZ-A was investigated using fasting administration of SZ-A (50 mg·kg-1) in rats as a control. Finally, we investigated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of SZ-A (50 mg·kg-1) in different concentrations alcohol solutions using aqueous solution of SZ-A administered to rats as a control to evaluate the effect of alcohol on the bioabsorption of SZ-A. The results showed no significant pharmacokinetic interactions between SZ-A and Met after combination treatment. The standard feed had little effect on the pharmacokinetic profile of SZ-A. Alcohol retarded the absorption of SZ-A, resulting in a significant decrease in the Cmax of SZ-A. The decrease was greater at higher alcohol concentrations; however, no significant difference was observed in the AUC0-t. These results support the clinical rational applications of SZ-A. All animal protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of Kangtai Medical Laboratory Service Hebei Co., Ltd. (Hebei, China) (No. MDL2022-01-17-1).
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To investigate the effects and mechanism of the combination of Morus alba L. (Sangzhi) alkaloids(SZ-A) and metformin (Met) on glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic mice, KKAy mice were divided into four groups according to the glucose and lipid indexes: control group (control), Morus alba L. (Sangzhi) alkaloids group (SZ-A, 100 mg·kg-1), metformin group (Met, 100 mg·kg-1) and combined administration group (combination, Comb, 100 mg·kg-1 SZ-A + 100 mg·kg-1 Met). All groups were administered by gavage once daily for 7 weeks accompanied with monitoring food intake, water intake, body weight as well as glycemia. Additionally, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT) and oral sodium pyruvate tolerance test (OPTT) were performed at week 2, week 5, week 6, respectively. The experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (00004332). We determined the weight and lipid content of liver, and then performed the histopathological analysis after sacrificed. Furthermore, Western blot assay was used to detect the protein levels of key molecules of PI3K/PDK1/Akt/GLUT signaling pathway in liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Compared to the SZ-A or Met monotherapy group, SZ-A + Met significantly improved the glucose metabolism disorder, which was showed in reduced food intake, water intake, the level of fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of KKAy mice, as well as improved glucose tolerance, enhanced insulin sensitivity and inhibited gluconeogenesis. In addition, SZ-A + Met obviously up-regulated the protein expression levels in PI3K/PDK1/Akt/GLUT signaling pathway in liver, muscle and adipose tissue of KKAy mice. Moreover, the liver lipid accumulation and blood aminotransferase level of KKAy mice in the combined administration group were significantly reduced. Therefore, we concluded that the combination of SZ-A and Met improved glucose metabolism and inhibited the occurrence and development of T2DM via promoting glucose uptake and utilization, suggesting that the combination of SZ-A and Met is a more useful treatment for T2DM.
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This study aimed to prepare silk fibroin nanoparticles (SF-NPs) and assess the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of the formulation. An optimized and simplified solvent displacement method was employed to obtain SF-NPs. Single-factor prescription screening, such as silk fibroin (SF) solution concentration, the ratio of SF solution to organic solvent, ultrasonication power and time, and different types of organic phases, was used to optimize the formulation. The characterization of the optimal formulation included particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, morphology, and stability. The in vitro cell compatibility of the nanoparticles was evaluated using CCK-8 and Calcein-AM/PI cell viability staining. The results showed that when SF concentration was 20 mg·mL-1, volume ratio of aqueous phase to acetone was 1∶6, ultrasonic power was 80 W and ultrasonic time was 3 min, the best SF-NPs was obtained. The nanoparticles prepared in this study exhibit a near-spherical shape, with a uniform size distribution, having an average size of 144.8 nm, a PDI of 0.174, and a zeta potential of -27.35 mV. Results from in vitro cell experiments demonstrate excellent cell compatibility of SF-NPs, showing the ability to promote cell proliferation. The SF-NPs which were successfully prepared in this study exhibit uniform particle size and excellent biocompatibility.
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Nanotechnology has shown broad application prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Currently, nearly 80 cancer nanomedicines are under clinical investigation, and many have been approved with enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and decreased side effects. However, the presence of various barriers in related basic research, process control and clinical trials lead to extremely low translation rate. From the perspective of clinical commercialization, we summarized the progress, clinical status, challenges and opportunities of cancer nanomedicine, and presented a cutting-edge prospect on the rational design of nanomedicine and clinical trial strategies.
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Silk fibroin is a natural polymer with certain water solubility, structural modification, good biocompatibility and biodegradability, which can be used as a drug delivery carrier material. As a promising drug delivery system, drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles can control drug release, reduce toxicity and improve therapeutic effects. In this paper, the basic characteristics of silk fibroin, the preparation methods of drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles and the application of silk fibroin in nanoparticulate drug delivery systems are reviewed, and on this basis, the further development of drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles is prospected.
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Obesity has become an important inducer of many public diseases such as diabetes, endocrine disorders, and so on. Anti-obesity treatment has become a hot topic. Inhibiting fat synthesis and promoting fat decomposition are important ways of drug anti-obesity treatment. With the in-depth study of the distribution, morphology and function of adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue containing multi-compartment fat drops and rich mitochondria have attracted people's attention. Beige adipocytes which are similar to brown adipocytes in morphology and function have aroused great interest, such cells can be transformed from white adipocytes by external stimulation or browning agents. This process is called "white fat browning". The expression of promoting energy consumption proteins in these cells increase, so that the function of adipocytes changes from energy storage to energy consumption to increase excessive energy consumption in the body and reduce lipid accumulation. The browning of white adipose tissue has brought new ideas for obesity treatment, but the systemic administration of browning agent has the risk of adverse reactions to non-target tissues such as heart and central nervous system, which limits its application in inducing white fat browning. Browning agents to white adipose tissue can reduce its adverse reactions and improve its bioavailability by constructing a drug delivery system targeting white adipose tissue. In this review, the mechanism on browning of white adipose tissue, the commonly used browning agents and the targeted delivery carriers that induce browning of white adipose tissue are summarized.
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OBJECTIVE@#To assess the efficacy and safety of mulberry twig alkaloids (Sangzhi alkaloids, SZ-A) for treatment of type 2 diabetes in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial.@*METHODS@#A total of 200 patients were randomized to receive SZ-A (n=100) or placebo (n=100) for 16 weeks. The data analysis system for electronic data capture clinical trial central randomization system was used for randomization and dispensing of drugs. The primary outcome was the change in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level. The secondary outcome included the proportions of cases with HbA1c <7.0% and HbA1c <6.5%, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), area under curve for the PBG (AUC0-2h), body weight, and body mass index (BMI). Adverse events (AEs), severe adverse events (SAEs), treatment-related adverse events (TAEs), gastrointestinal disorders (GDs), blood pressure, routine blood tests, and liver and kidney function were monitored.@*RESULTS@#Compared with baseline, the change of HbA1c at week 16 was -0.80% (95% CI: -0.98% to -0.62%) and -0.09% (95% CI: -0.27% to 0.09%) in SZ-A group and placebo group, respectively. The proportion of patients with HbA1c <7% and <6.5% was higher in the SZ-A group than in the placebo group (46.8% vs. 21.6% and 29.9% vs. 10.8%). The observed values and changes in FBG, 1 h-PBG, 2 h-PBG, and AUC0-2h differed significantly between groups (P<0.001), but differences were not significant in body weight and BMI (P>0.05). The incidence rates of AEs, TAEs, and GDs differed significantly between groups (P=0.010, P=0.005, and P=0.006, respectively), whereas the incidence rates of SAEs showed no significant differences between groups (P=1.000).@*CONCLUSION@#SZ-A are effective and safe for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The protocol was registered in http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=60117 (ChiCTR2000038550).
Subject(s)
Humans , Alkaloids , Blood Glucose , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Double-Blind Method , Glycated Hemoglobin , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Morus , Tablets/therapeutic use , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Objective@#To understand the Implementation of Comprehensive Evaluation of School Health (GB/T 18205-2012) and associated factors, so as to provide rationalization proposals for future revision of standards.@*Methods@#A questionnaire survey was conducted on 436 schools, 56 health supervision agencies and 55 disease control agencies in Liaoning Province, and the main contents include the investigation of awareness rate, training, application, rationality and application of evaluation items and indicators.@*Results@#Totally 44 supervision agencies and 29 CDCs had independent school health departments, with significant differences in faculty equipment ( t =8.53, P <0.05). The standard was trained in 100% of municipal supervision agencies, 22.50% of district and county level, 46.15% of municipal CDC ,50.00% of district county CDC; 61.54% of municipal and 45.00% of district and county supervision agencies conducted evaluations in accordance with this standard, 53.85% of the municipal CDC, 60.00% of county CDC jointly completed the standard; 30.77% of municipal and 52.50% of district and county supervisory bodies informed the educational administration of the results of the comprehensive evaluation.@*Conclusion@#The establishment of school health professional departments and the training of management objects affect the implementation of comprehensive evaluation of school health, so it is necessary to combine the actual work to modify some of the important indicators, and strengthen the application of comprehensive evaluation results.
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Objective@#To explore the associated factors in the implementation of the "random" sampling inspection of the lighting institutions in kindergartens, outofschool training institutions and primary and secondary schools in 2019 (Supervision Letter [2019] No. 314 of National Health Office) (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), and to provide reference for better implementation of the Plan.@*Methods@#A survey of schoolbased myopia prevention and control was conducted in 23 provincial, municipal and countylevel health supervision institutions in China. The main contents of the survey focused on the introduction, implementation and implementation of the program.@*Results@#The implementation of the "plan" was significantly associated with the specific work organized and coordinated by the health administrative department, clear responsibility of various departments, and collaboration with educational institutions[OR(95%CI)=1.57(1.05-2.36), 0.05(0.03-0.10), 0.31(0.19-0.52), 0.03(0.01-0.09), 0.12(0.04-0.37), P<0.05]. It was also associated with independent school health supervision department, one and two fulltime school health supervision staff equipment, onsite quick inspection of health supervision institutions, school selfexamination[OR=1.87(1.33-2.62), 0.62(0.40-0.97), 2.37(1.82-3.09), 1.62(1.09-2.40), P<0.05].@*Conclusion@#The program needs to be implemented through multiple departments and is associated with multiple factors. It is of great importance to strengthen multisector collaboration and clarify the responsibility of various departments for the health supervision of schoolbased myopia prevention and control.
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italic>Tert-butanol is an organic solvent, widely used in the medical field and chemical industry. It could be characterized by high crystallization temperature and vapor pressure. It could be easily sublimed and removed during the freeze-drying process. This review mainly describes the use of tert-butanol in the lyophilized formulations of poorly soluble drugs, the lyophilization solvent of porous structure productions, and as an ice crystal growth guider. In addition, the application of tert-butanol in nano drugs and aerogels has also been reviewed, as well as the current research progress in its quality and safety.
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The volatile oil from Mastiche and Olibanum medicinal materials was extracted by steam distillation, and the chemical components of the volatile oil were analyzed by GC-MS technology. The differences of the volatile oil components were compared and study on the Helicobacter pylori in vitro antimicrobial activitiy was conducted. The results showed that the yields of the volatile oil from Mastiche and Olibanum were 11.93% and 2.40%, respectively. A total of 46 compounds(91.31%) were identified from the volatile oil from Mastiche annd 35 compounds(92.49%) from Olibanum. The classification and comparison study of the components showed that the content of monoterpenes in the volatile oil from Mastiche was the highest(40.69%), followed by alcohols(28.48%); while the content of alcohols in the volatile oil from Olibanum was the highest(35.81%), followed by esters(24.92%). There were significant differences in the components of volatile oil from Mastiche and Olibanum, which might be one of the reasons for the difference in efficacy and application. In vitro bacteriostatic experiments showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) of the volatile oil from Mastiche against H. pylori was 1 mg·mL~(-1), and the MIC of the volatile oil from Olibanum against H. pylori was more than 1 mg·mL~(-1). In combination with the results of the oil yield experiment, Mastiche had the advantage of inhibiting H. pylori activity. The research results provide scientific basis for the rational application of Mastiche and Olibanum.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Frankincense , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Helicobacter pylori , Monoterpenes/analysis , Oils, Volatile/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Methotrexate(MTX) is a commonly used antimetabolite, which can be used in the treatment of a variety of diseases. However, hepatotoxicity in the use of MTX severely limits its clinical use. Therefore, how to prevent and treat hepatotoxicity of MTX has become an urgent clinical problem. This paper summarizes and analyzes relevant literatures on the prevention and treatment of hepa-totoxicity caused by MTX with traditional Chinese medicines and natural medicines in recent years. MTX-induced hepatotoxicity mechanisms include folate pathway, oxidative stress damage and adenosine pathway, of which oxidative stress theory is the main research direction. A total of 14 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine extracts including white peony root, and 21 kinds of natural monomer compounds, including berberine, play an anti-MTX-induced hepatotoxic effect by resisting oxidative stress, inhibiting inflammation and regulating signal pathways. According to current studies on the prevention and treatment of hepatotoxicity induced by MTX with traditional Chinese medicines and natural medicines, there are insufficiencies, such as partial and superficial mechanism studies, inadequate combination of experimental research and clinical practice, non-standard experimental design and lack of application of advanced technologies and methods. This paper systematically reviewed the effects and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines and natural medicines against hepatotoxicity induced by MTX and defined current studies and deficiencies, in the expectation of proposing new study strategies and directions and providing scientific basis for rational clinical use of MTX and development of new drugs against MTX hepatotoxicity.
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Humans , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/prevention & control , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Liver/metabolism , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Methotrexate/toxicity , Oxidative StressABSTRACT
The aim of this paper was to explore the potential molecular mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction in the treatment of colon cancer through pharmacology network and molecular docking methods. The chemical constituents and action targets of 7 herbs from Banxia Xiexin Decoction were collected by using TCMSP database,Chinese Pharmacopoeia and literatures consultation. GeneCards database was used to predict the potential targets of colon cancer. GO biological process analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the disease and drug intersection targets were carried out through DAVID database. "Component-target-pathway" network and protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were construction by using Cytoscape and STRING database,and then the core components and targets of Banxia Xiexin Decoction in the treatment of colon cancer were selected according to the topological parameters. Finally, Autodock Vina was used to realize the molecular docking of core components and key targets. The prediction results showed that there were 190 active compounds and 324 corresponding targets for Banxia Xiexin Decoction,involving 74 potential targets for colon cancer. Cytoscape topology analysis revealed 11 key targets such as STAT3,TP53,AKT1,TNF,IL6 and SRC, as well as 10 core components such as quercetin,β-sitosterol,baicalein,berberine,and 6-gingerol.In bioinformatics enrichment analysis, 679 GO terms and 106 KEGG pathways were obtained, mainly involving PI3 K-AKT signaling pathway,TNF signaling pathway and TP53 signaling pathway. The results of molecular docking showed that baicalein,berberine,licochalcone A and 6-gingerol had a high affinity with SRC,STAT3,TNF and IL6. The results suggested that Banxia Xiexin Decoction could play an anti-colon cancer effect by inhibiting cell proliferation, regulating cell cycle, inducing apoptosis and anti-inflammatory function. The study revealed the multi-components,multi-targets and multi-pathways molecular mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction,which could provide scientific basis and research ideas for the clinical application of Banxia Xiexin Decoction and the treatment of colon cancer with compound Chinese medicines.
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Humans , Colonic Neoplasms , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Molecular Docking Simulation , TechnologyABSTRACT
To evaluate the traits and rheological properties of thermosensitive in situ gel of Yihuang Decoction and its common gel for vaginal use, and predict the release behavior of Yihuang Decoction in situ gel in vitro. Poloxamer was used as thermosensitive material to prepare Yihuang Decoction vaginal in situ gel, and Yihuang Decoction common gel was prepared with carbopol. Then the differences of the two gels before and after diluting with vaginal fluid were compared. The rheological parameters of Yihuang Decoction in situ gel and its common gel were determined with Anton Paar MCR102 rheometer. In addition, berberine hydrochloride was selected as an index component to evaluate the in vitro release properties of Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel. Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel was Newtonian fluid under low-temperature conditions, which was yellow and transparent. After reaching the gelling temperature of 24.5 ℃, it became semi-solid, pseudoplastic fluid. The gelling temperature was predicted to be 37 ℃, and the phase transition time was 30 s after diluting with simulated vaginal fluid. However, the rheological properties of Yihuang Decoction common gel had no significant changes with temperature. Compared with in situ gel, the color of common gel was darker and more translucent. Besides, its mobility was stronger after diluting with simulated vaginal fluid. The in vitro release study showed that the kinetic behavior of berberine hydrochloride in Yihuang Decoction vaginal thermosensitive in situ gel was matched with the Higuchi equation. Through simulation of vaginal administration, physical properties and dynamic rheological parameters were used to intuitively and scientifically evaluate the two gels. Compared with the common gel, the thermosensitive in situ gel could quickly attached to the vaginal mucosa and release drug, and thus was more suitable for developing vaginal administration of Yihuang Decoction, which also provides references for studying new vaginal preparation of Yihuang Decoction.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Administration, Intravaginal , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Gels/chemistry , Poloxamer , Rheology , Temperature , ViscosityABSTRACT
Objective:To establish HPLC-UV fingerprints of Ilex pubescens pieces,and simultaneously determine two components in 46 batches of I. pubescens in pieces of I. pubescens saponin A1 and B1,in order to provide a reference for the quality standard of I. pubescens slices. Method:Methanol was used to extract the I. pubescens saponin samples,and the extracts were measured by HPLC-UV with the absorption wavelength at 210 nm. Kromasil C18 column (4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm) was used for determining the extracts at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1. The mobile phase condition was acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid aqueous solution with gradient mode. The chromatographic fingerprint similarity evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine (2012 edition) was used to analyze I. pubescens fingerprints. SPSS 20.0 software was used to cluster the peak area of common peaks. Principal component analysis was performed to reduce the dimension of common peaks. Result:There were great differences between the root and stem parts in I. pubescens fingerprints. The fingerprints of roots and stems of I. pubescens were established respectively,cluster results assorted the roots of I. pubescens into three categories andthe branches of I. pubescens into two categories. The integrity and difference of I. pubescens decoction pieces from different parts and places of origin were compared,and the principal component analysis was performed to screen out the common components that played a decisive role in fingerprint of I. pubescens pieces. And the common peaks were determined. The content of saponin A1 and saponin B1 in Radix I. pubescens were determined. Conclusion:The established I. pubescens fingerprints and content determination methods are simple and suitable. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis are used to screen out the key components of quality control of I. pubescens. The results can provide references for quality control of I. pubescens.
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Sangzhi alkaloids (SZ-A) are derived from traditional Chinese medicine Ramulus Mori, serving well as an innovative antidiabetic drug, due to α-glucosidase inhibition. To evaluate the potency of glucosidase inhibitory effect of SZ-A, the enzyme-based screening platforms, including sucrase, maltase and amylase were established, and IC50 was calculated. The effects of SZ-A on postprandial blood glucose at a single dose, oral sucrose, starch and glucose loading were determined in normal ICR mice and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice. To confirm the anti-diabetic effects of SZ-A on glucose and lipid metabolism after long-term administration, the postprandial and fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, urinary glucose levels, glycosylated serum proteins and blood lipid levels were determined in high-fat fed C57 obese mice (pre-diabetic HFC57 mice) and diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College approved all of the protocols for this research. We found that SZ-A exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the sucrase and maltase. SZ-A showed no effect on amylase. In normal ICR mice and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice, SZ-A at a single dose significantly delayed and reduced the peak of blood glucose after sucrose or starch loading, but showed no effect on the increase of blood glucose after glucose loading. In STZ diabetic rats, SZ-A significantly reduced the postprandial or fasting blood glucose levels, glycosylated serum proteins and urinary glucose. SZ-A also reduced serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) levels after 3 weeks of treatment. SZ-A ameliorated the postprandial blood glucose or the fasting blood glucose elevation, and reduced the incidence of hyperglycemia in HFC57 mice. SZ-A decreased the basal insulin level, improved insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated glucose intolerance in pre-diabetic HFC57 mice. Our results indicated that SZ-A had a novel inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase, especially on disaccharidases. SZ-A at a single dose significantly reduced the peak of blood glucose elevation and delayed the increase of blood glucose in normal and diabetic mice after disaccharide and polysaccharide loading. Long-term SZ-A treatment improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles by delaying carbohydrate absorption from the intestine and reduced the postprandial blood glucose levels in both pre-diabetic and diabetic animal models. Therefore, SZ-A application may display a beneficial role in preventing the development and complications of diabetes.
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The development of tumor tissue is a complicated process, which is closely related to tumor microenvironment. In order to simulate the tumor tissue in vivo, non-contact co-culture of human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7 cells) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs cells) using transwell cell culture plate was developed in this study. The cell viability, morphology, cell resistance, cell cycle and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein content of co-cultured MCF-7 and HUVECs cells were investigated, and compared with those of separately cultivated MCF-7 and HUVECs cells during the same period. Different to the separately cultured MCF-7 and HUVECs cells, co-cultured MCF-7 and HUVECs cells exhibited higher cell viability, deformed cell morphology, lower cell resistance, higher proportion of S and G2/M phases and higher VEGF protein content (about 1.4−2 times). The double cell model via non-contact co-culture of MCF-7 and HUVECs cells constructed in this study could simulate the interaction between tumor cells and tumor vascular endothelial cells in vivo, which may provide a more realistic model for subsequent study of drug release system in the control of breast cancer in vitro.
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Based on DPPH method, the antioxidant activities of Shenqi Tongmai Yizhi particles with different extraction processes were compared. The contribution to the anti-oxidant capacity in vitro was explored by means of grey relational analysis on different chemical compositions in the fingerprint. The results showed that the IC₅₀ concentration values of water extract, water extract from alcohol precipitation, alcohol extract, and alcohol and water extract were 0.801 4, 0.859 1, 0.796 1, 0.918 0 g•L⁻¹; and the alcohol extract is the best method to extract antioxidative components, with the highest antioxidant activity and lowest IC₅₀. When the mass concentration of the herbs reached a certain degree, its free radical clearance rate was similar to that of vitamin C control group. The order of different chemical contributions of constituents to the antioxidant activity in the fingerprint was 4>3>33>53>9>10>11>34>15>59>8>61>52>20>42>18>29. The preliminary exploration for the spectrum efficiency relations provides reference for studying traditional Chinese medicine compound processing method and the pharmacodyamic material basis.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the risk factors for moderate and severe iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in infants aged 6-12 months, and to preliminarily investigate the effects of IDA on the neuromotor development and temperament characteristics of infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 326 infants aged 6-12 months with IDA were classified into three groups: mild IDA (n=176), moderate IDA (n=111), and severe IDA (n=39) according to the severity of anemia. The risk factors for moderate or severe IDA were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Three hundred and forty-six infants without IDA who showed matched age, sex, and other backgrounds were selected as the control group. The Gesell Development Diagnosis Scale was used to evaluate children's mental development. The Temperament Scale for infants was used for evaluating children's temperament.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The univariate analysis showed that the severity of IDA was associated with sex, birth weight, gestational age, multiple birth, maternal anemia during pregnancy, and mother's lack of knowledge about IDA (P<0.05). Setting the mild IDA group as control, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that multiple birth, premature birth, low birth weight (<2500 g), maternal anemia during pregnancy, breast feeding, and mother's lack of knowledge about IDA were the risk factors for severe IDA (OR>1; P<0.05); premature birth, breast feeding, and mixed feeding were the risk factors for moderate IDA (OR>1; P<0.05). The IDA group had significantly lower scores in Gesell general development quotient, gross motor, adaptive behavior, and fine motor than the control group (P<0.05). The IDA group had higher percentages of children with difficulty and intermediate difficulty temperaments than the control group (P<0.05). The IDA group had significantly higher scores in activity level, rhythmicity, adaptability, and perseverance than the control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The severity of IDA is associated with premature birth, multiple birth, low birth weight, feeding pattern, maternal anemia during pregnancy and mother's lack of knowledge about IDA in infants aged 6-12 months. Infants with IDA have delayed neuromotor development and most of them have negative temperaments. More attention should be paid to mental and behavior problems for the infants. It is necessary to provide guidance for their parents in feeding and education.</p>