The application of positron emission tomography in the research and development of central nervous system drugs / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Positron emission tomography (PET) now plays an important role in the research and development (R&D) of central nervous system (CNS) drugs. PET could characterize the biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, and receptor binding of CNS drugs quantitatively. The present review summarized the quantitative methods of PET used in the pharmacokinetics and receptor occupancy analysis of CNS drugs. Moreover, the present review listed various applications of PET supporting R&D of CNS drugs, which could provide a new direction for the R&D of CNS drugs.

Research Progress in Hypoxia Tumor Microenvironment with Spleen Deficiency, Blood Stasis and Phlegm Retention / 中国中医药信息杂志

Hypoxia is one of the most important characteristics of malignant tumor microenvironment, and its degree is closely related to the development and prognosis of the tumor. Hypoxia promotes neovascularization in tumor microenvironment, which leads to changes of energy metabolism and the formation of drug tolerance in tumor. Studies in recent years have shown that TCM can interfere with the occurrence and development of hypoxia tumor microenvironment in certain aspects, thus inhibiting tumor growth. This article summarized recent studies on the etiology, pathogenesis, and TCM intervention for the occurrence and development of hypoxia tumor microenvironment in terms of spleen deficiency, blood stasis, and phlegm retention, and provided a reference for clinical intervention of tumors and research and development of new drugs.

Significance of metabonomics in modern research of Chinese materia medica / 中草药

Metabonomics is a new branch of "-omics" science in post-gene time. The physiological and biochemical situation can be directly understood by its "metabolome profile" as a whole in metabonomics. Therefore it can provide a lot of information that differs from those came out of other "-omics". Metabonomics has been used to evaluate the test animal models and xenobiotics each producing a distinctive series of metabolic perturbations that are characteristic of the type of action mechanism, target organ of toxicity, and tissue damage. In research and development of new drugs, metabonomics is hopeful to be necessary part. Applying metabonomics involves metabolic databases for the use in discovery of new biomarkers, in screening of new drugs, in drug safety testing, and in action mechanism research. Metabonomics is also hopeful for modern research of Chinese materia medica.