Clinical study on compound prescription with Valerianae Jatamansi Rhizoma et Radix in treatment of generalized anxiety disorder / 中国中药杂志

This study was aimed to observe the clinical efficacy of anxiolytic compound prescription with Valerianae Jatamansi Rhizoma et Radix (ACPV) in treating liver Qi stagnation and feel ill at ease type generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Sixty-seven patients diagnosed as GAD with stagnation of liver Qi and feel ill at ease were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. Patients in treatment group (n=34) was treated with ACPV decoction, and patients in control group (n=33) were treated with deanxit. Both groups were treated with respective drugs for 4 weeks. HAMA scale, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scale (liver Qi stagnation and feel ill at ease type) and salivary cortisol levels were measured before and 2 weeks and 4 weeks after drug treatment. The life events scale (LES) and drug safety evaluation were performed before and after 4 weeks treatment. Two patients were excluded according to LES, and 5 patients were discontinued. Sixty patients were enrolled in the study finally (30 cases in each group). As compared with baseline, HAMA scores in both groups were significantly decreased at 2 weeks and 4 weeks (P<0.05, P<0.01). After 2 weeks and 4 weeks treatment, the TCM syndrome score in both group was also significantly improved (P<0.01). Moreover, the salivary cortisol levels in both groups were also decreased at 2 weeks and 4 weeks (P<0.05, P<0.01). The total efficiency between two groups had no statistically significant difference after 2 weeks treatment and 4 weeks treatment; moreover, no statistically significant differences were observed between two groups in HAMA scores, TCM syndrome scale scores and salivary cortisol levels between two groups. The incidence of adverse reactions in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01), and there were no obvious side effects in general physical examination during the period of treatment. Thus, anxiolytic compound prescription with Valerianae Jatamansi Rhizoma et Radix is effective for GAD (stagnation of liver Qi and feel ill at ease type).

Epidemiological characters of Yunnan sudden death syndrome and its research progress / 法医学杂志

Yunnan sudden death syndrome (YSDS) is an abruptly fatal disease of unknown etiology, found mostly in central or northwestern mountain area (with altitude between 1,815 and 2,225 meters) of Yunnan province from June to September every year. It occurs mostly in young female adults, with high incidences in Lisu, Yi and Miao ethnics and high familial aggregation. The clinical manifestation of YSDS is changeful and the pathological characteristic is lack of specificity. The pathogenesis may be attributed to several factors including poor hygiene and lower socioeconomic conditions, lack of Selenium or Chromium, infection of Coxsackie B virus, mushroom consumption and special geological conditions. This article reviews the epidemiologic features, clinical manifestations, pathological features, etiology and hypothesis in order to provide clues for the research of YSDS.

Study on inhibitory effect of lycium pigment on lipopolysaccharide-induced uveitis in rats and its mechanism / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibitory effect of lycium pigment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced uveitis in rats and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The rat uveitis model was established by 30-day oral administration of lycium pigment (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) and footpad injection of LPS. Ocular tissues were collected for a histopathological inspection. The protein, nitric oxide and ADMA in aqueous humor, level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in retina, activities of serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by using Western blot, ELISA and biochemical methods.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>According to the pathological study, lycium pigment (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) could notably reduce the inflammatory cell infiltration around corpus ciliare matrix of uveitis rats, and the concentration of protein and nitric oxide, and increased ADMA in aqueous humor. Lycium pigment (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) could significantly inhibit the expression of iNOS in ocular tissues. In addition, lycium pigment (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) also decrease the activities of serum T-AOC, SOD, GSH-PX, and the content of lipid peroxide MDA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lycium pigment has the inhibitory effect on LPS-induced uveitis in rats. Its mechanism is related to the regulation of nitric oxide/ADMA pathway and the improvement of oxidation resistance.</p>

Effect of Astragalus injection combined with mesenchymal stem cells transplantation for repairing the spinal cord injury in rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Astragalus Injection (ASI) combined with rat's mesenchymal stem cells transplantation (rMSCs) for repairing spinal cord injury in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, named respectively by letters from A-F. they were treated respectively with none, PBS solution, ASI, rMSCs, and ASI + rMSCs, with the ASI administered via intraperitoneal injection and the rMSCs given by local injection to the spinal cord, on the 3rd day of operation. The condition of nerve function recovery was assessed on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day after treatment by scoring according to the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale. Besides, the pathological change of the injured spinal cord was observed and expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament-M (NF-M) in the BrdU-labeled rMSCs in the spinal cord tissue were examined by immune histochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The recovery of spinal cord in Group D, E and F was better than that in Group B and C, showing higher BBB scores. As compared with Group E, Group F showed a higher score of nerve function and a milder inflammatory cell infiltration with lessened tissue edema in the spinal cord and more active proliferation of gliacyte. Double-labelled immunohistochemical examination showed that the transplanted rMSCs were alive in the host's spinal cord, revealing the expressions of GFAP and NF-M from the 7th day after transplantation, which were migrating to the injured site. The amount of GFAP and NF-M positive cells in Group F was much more than that in Group E (P < 0.05)</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Transplantation of rMSCs is an effective method in treatment of the spinal cord injury; ASI has the capacity for inducing rMSCs differentiated into neurons, and could synergize with rMSCs to promote the repairing of the spinal cord from injury.</p>