Effect of carrier materials on the properties of the andrographolide solid dispersion

Abstract In the work the andrographolide (AG)-solid dispersions (SDs) were prepared by the spray-drying method, using polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG8000), Poloxamer188, polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVPK30), Soluplus® as carrier materials. The effect of different polymers as carrier materials on the properties of the AG-SDs were studied. The results showed obvious differences in intermolecular interaction, thermal stability, drug state, powder properties, dissolution behavior, and so on of AG-SDs prepared using different polymers as carrier materials. AG-PEG8000-SD was a partial-crystalline and partial-amorphous powder with smaller surface area and pore volume, but it was easy to wetting and did not swell in contact with dissolved medium. AG-Soluplus®-SD was completely amorphous powder with larger specific surface area and pore volume, but it swelled in contact with water. Therefore, the dissolution profile of AG in AG-PEG8000-SD was similar to that in AG-Soluplus®-SD. Soluplus® and PEG8000 were suitable polymers to design AG-SDs, considering both physicochemical properties and dissolution behaviors. The results of this reseach showed that when selecting carrier materials for SD, we should not only consider the state of drugs in SD and the powder properties of SD, but also consider whether there is swelling when the carrier materials are in contact with the dissolution medium.

Acute renal failure in a patient with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita

Abstract: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is a severe autoimmune subepidermal bullous disease. In this report, we described for the first time a patient with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita who developed acute renal failure. There is a possibility that epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and acute renal failure's pathogenesis shared some common autoimmune pathways. Moreover, acute blood volume reduction may be another cause of prerenal kidney failure. Further studies are needed to verify our hypothesis.

Effect of superfine pulverization on physicochemical and medicinal properties of Qili Powder

Qili Powder, a preparation from Traditional Chinese Medicine, commonly used to treat injuries from falling or stumbling, pain caused by bruising, and traumatic hemorrhage. The aim of the present work was to investigate the application of the superfine pulverization on Qili Powder properties. The physicochemical and medicinal properties of fine Qili Powder with D90 particle size of 164.5 μm, and superfine Qili Powder with D90 particle size of 32.2 μm were investigated. The results showed that with decreasing particle size, the specific surface area and pore volume increased, the fluidity decreased, and the percentage of moisture absorption and the balanced moisture content decreased. Analysis HPLC, XRD and FTIR results indicated that superfine pulverization didn’t influence dracorhodin content, nor the molecular structure and crystal form of Qili Powder. The percentage of dissolution of dracorhodin was significantly improved after superfine pulverization. Pharmacokinetics results confirmed that superfine pulverization increases the absorption rate in rats and dracorhodin content of Qili Powder.

NF-E2: a novel regulator of alpha-hemoglobin stabilizing protein gene expression / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP), the α-globin-specific molecular chaperone, is regulated by erythroid transcription factor NF-E2.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We established the stable cell line with NF-E2p45 (the larger subunit of NF-E2) short hairpin RNA to silence its expression. Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis were performed to detect the expression of AHSP, the histone modifications at AHSP gene locus, and the binding of GATA-1 at the AHSP promoter with NF-E2p45 deficiency. ChIP was also carried out in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-induced DS19 cells and estrogen-induced G1E-ER4 cells to examine NF-E2 binding to the AHSP gene locus and its changes during cell erythroid differentiation. Finally, luciferase assay was applied in HeLa cells transfected with AHSP promoter fragments to examine AHSP promoter activity in the presence of exogenous NF-E2p45.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We found that AHSP expression was highly dependent on NF-E2p45. NF-E2 bound to the regions across AHSP gene locus in vivo, and the transcription of AHSP was transactivated by exogenous NF-E2p45. In addition, we observed the decrease of H3K4 trimethylation and GATA-1 occupancy at the AHSP gene locus in NF-E2p45-deficient cells. Restoration of GATA-1 in G1E-ER4 cells in turn led to increased DNA binding of NF-E2p45.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NF-E2 may play an important role in AHSP gene regulation, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the erythroid-specific expression of AHSP as well as new possibilities for β-thalassemia treatment.</p>