A randomized, placebo controlled study on Fangfeng Tongsheng granule in treatment of sub-acute eczema / 中国中药杂志

The clinical study was conducted to further evaluation the effectiveness and safety of Fangfeng Tongsheng granule in the treatment of sub-acute eczema (superficial cold and interior heat syndrome, exterior and interior sthenic syndrome). In the block randomized, multi-centered study, totally 108 patients were enrolled and assigned to two groups: 72 patients in the test group and 36 patients in the placebo control group. Those in the test group took Fangfeng Tongsheng granule with the dose of 3 g, twice a day, while those in the control group were give simulated agent granules with the same dose. The therapeutic course lasted for 14 days. Their efficacies in TCM syndrome, dermal symptoms and adverse events were observed. According to the test results, except for the one exit case, all of the remaining 108 cases, including 71 in the test group, and 36 in the control group, completed the clinical trial. As for the efficacy of TCM syndrome, after the medication for 2 weeks, the cure rate was 33.81% (24/71) in the test group and 0% (0/36) in the control group (P < 0.01), with a statistical difference between the two groups. Regarding the TCM score, after the medication for 2 weeks, the test group decreased by (12.82 +/- 7.96), while the control group decreased by (3.67 +/- 4.12), indicating a statistical difference between the two groups. As for the efficacy of dermal symptoms, after the medication for 2 weeks, the cure rate was 25.35% (18/71) in the test group and 0% (0/36) in the control group, with a statistical difference between the two groups. Regarding the dermal symptom score, after the medication for 2 weeks., the test group decreased by (10.04 +/- 7.17), while the control group decreased by (2.33 +/- 3.57), indicating a statistical difference between the two groups. There was no significant adverse event caused by Fangfeng Tongsheng granule. In conclusion, Fangfeng Tongsheng granule was effective and safe in treating subcute eczema (superficial cold and interior heat syndrome, exterior and interior sthenic syndrome).

The afferent pathway of the lumbar inervertebral disc and its clinical significance in the mechanism of the symptoms of discgenic low back pain / 中华骨科杂志

ObjectiveTo demonstrate the project scope of the afferent nerves of the lumbar intervertebral disc,on which basis to explore the mechanism of the symptoms of discgenic low back pain.MethodsThirty Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups of 10 rats each:the L4-5,L5-6,and L6 S1 group.Each group was further divided randomly into two subgroups,the experimental group and the control group,5 rats for each group.Intervertebral disc was exposed through the posterior approach under peritoneal cavity anesthesia,after the nerve roots were pull away,2 μl of 30％ cholera toxin-horseradish peroxidase (CT-HRP) was injected into the inner layer of the intervertebral disc in the experimental group,while 2 μl of 0.9％ Nacl was used in the control group.Forty-eight hours after the surgery,all rats were perfused and bilateral dorsal root ganglions(DRGs) of T10-L3 were resected and fixxied.Each DRG was sectioned at 30 μm thickness and processed by DAB method.The sections of DRGs were coverslipped and observed by optical microscopy for the neurons or axons labelled by CT-HRP.It was judged as positive that brownish-black particles were in the neurons or axons.ResultsNot in a single dorsal root ganglions,but in a scope of dorsal root ganglions axons labled by CT-HRP could be seen in the rats in the experimental groups.No CT-HRP labled neurons or axons were seen in dorsal root ganglions in the contral groups.ConclusionAfferent nerves of the lumbar intervertebral disc project to a scope of dorsal root ganglions,which is the anatomic basis of the mechanism of the symptoms of discgenic low back pain.

Optimization and Limitation of Calcium Ionophore to Generate DCs from Acute Myeloid Leukemic Cells / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Calcium ionophore (CI) is used to generate dendritic cells (DCs) from progenitor cells, monocytes, or leukemic cells. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal dose of CI and the appropriate length of cell culture required for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and to evaluate the limitations associated with CI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To generate leukemic DCs, leukemic cells (4 x 10(6) cells) from six AML patients were cultured with various concentrations of CI and/or IL-4 for 1, 2 or 3 days. RESULTS: Potent leukemic DCs were successfully generated from all AML patients, with an average number of 1.2 x 10(6) cells produced in the presence of CI (270 ng/ml) for 2 days. Several surface molecules were clearly upregulated in AML cells supplemented with CI and IL-4, but not CD11c. Leukemic DCs cultured with CI had a higher allogeneic T cell stimulatory capacity than untreated AML cells, but the addition of IL-4 did not augment the MLR activity of these cells. AML cells cultured with CI in the presence or absence of IL-4 showed increased levels of apoptosis in comparison to primary cultures of AML cells. CONCLUSION: Although CI appears to be advantageous in terms of time and cost effectiveness, the results of the present study suggest that the marked induction of apoptosis by CI limits its application to the generation of DCs from AML cells.