Experimental study of liver fibrosis reversal effect of warming-yang compound formula ganzhifu / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Ganzhifu (GZF), a Chinese compound formula for Warming-yang on experimental hepatic fibrosis, and to explore its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-nine Wistar rats were divided into the normal control group and the model group. After the hepatic fibrosis model was established in rats by subcutaneous injection of CCl4 and feeding 10% alcohol in the model group, the rats were randomly sub-divided into the Ganzhifu group, colchicine group and model group, they were treated with Ganzhifu, colchicine and normal saline of same volume once a day respectively for 30 days as one treatment course. The serum liver function and hepatic fibrosis indexes, liver tissue contents of hydroxyproline (Hyp), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured at the end of the experiment. Histologic changes of liver tissue were observed and scored by the modified inflammatory activity and fibrosis semiquantative scoring system (SSS), and collagen type I , III and IV in liver tissue were stained and semiquantitive analysis conducted.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the Ganzhifu group, liver function and inflammatory activity and fibrosis SSS scores were markedly improved, indexes of hepatic fibrosis, liver contents of Hyp, MDA and collagen type I, III and IV were significantly decreased, and the SOD activity was increased, the changes were more significant as compared with those in the model group. The protective effect of Ganzhifu against hepatic fibrosis was the same as that of colchicine.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ganzhifu can alleviate or reverse hepatic fibrosis in experimental hepatic fibrosis, and antioxidation may be its mechanism.</p>

Influence of wen-yang herbs on hemodynamics in liver fibrotic rats / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To observe the influence of wen-yang herbs on the hemodynamics in liver fibrotic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wistar rats with liver fibrosis, induced by carbon tetrachloride and alcohol, were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was administered wen-yang herbs and the control group saline. At the end of the experiment, the hemodynamic markers of the liver and the mesentery, the liver function and hydroxyproline content of liver tissues between the two groups were compared. Blood volume of the livers and hydroxyproline content of liver tissues were also determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood volume of the liver and mesentery (P < 0.01) and blood flow velocity of small vein of mesentery (P < 0.05) of the treatment group were distinctly higher than the control group. The hydroxyproline content (P < 0.01) of the treatment group was remarkably reduced and liver function was improved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Wen-yang herbs can activate microcirculation of the liver and mesentery, decrease the deposit of collagen in the liver and improve liver function.</p>

Immune response enhanced by genes encoding IFN-alpha 8 and T alpha 1 co-inoculated with HBV DNA vaccine / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To evaluate if the humoral immune response of hepatitis B DNA vaccine pVAX1-S2S could be enhanced by Talpha1 and/or IFNa expression plasmid co-inoculated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The following mammalian expression recombinant plasmids were constructed: the plasmid pVAX1-S2S expressing hepatitis B surface antigen S2S, the plasmid pVAX1-T/I co-expressing thymosin a and IFNalpha, the plasmid pVAX1-I/S2S co-expressing IFNalpha and S2S. These plasmids were inoculated intramuscularly into several BALB/c mice groups in different combinations. In the co-immunization group 1 (pVAX1-I/S2S), each mouse was inoculated with 100 microg of pVAX1-I/S2S; in the co-immunization group 2 (pVAX1-S2S) each mouse was co-inoculated with pVAX1-S2S and 50 microg of pVAX1-TI; in the control group each mouse was inoculated with 100 microg of pVAX1-S2S. All the immunizations were boosted at 2 and 4 week intervals; then the serum samples were collected to detect the anti-HBs and anti-preS2 strengths.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>3, 5 and 8 weeks after the first inoculation, the positive rates of anti-HBs were 12.5%, 12.5%, 62.5% respectively in the co-immunization group 1 and 25%, 50%, 50% in the co-immunization group 2, while those in the control group were 0, 25%, 37.5%. The titers of anti-preS2 in co-immunization group 2 was 5 times higher than those in the other two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The data shows that Talpha1 and/or IFNalpha expression plasmid co-inoculated with pVAX1-S2S might act as an adjuvant to enhance the humoral immune response induced by pVAX1-S2S.</p>

Full-length sequence of hepatitis B virus isolated from high incidence hepatocellular carcinoma area-Longan county / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand full-length sequence of HBV isolated from high incidence hepatocellular carcinoma area-Longan county, Guangxi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplifying the whole HBV DNA in sera of asymptomatic carriers. The products were sequenced by clone sequencing and homological analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>This isolate contained 3 215 bases. The genotype was C and the serotype was adw. There were 40 point mutations in polymerase gene which made 11 amino acids change. There were 11,2 and 3 point mutations in PreS1, PreS2 and S gene respectively which made 3,1,1, amino acids change. Six point mutations including the double mutations (nt 1762 A to T, 1764 G to A) were found in X gene leading to 4 amino acids change. There were 13 point mutations in C gene which made 2 amino acids change. No mutation was found in a determinant and Pre C. The isolate was quite close to the isolate from Vietnamese in evolution while far from the genotype C isolates from Shanghai, Beijing and Tibet.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>No special sequence was found in the isolate from high incidence hepatocellular carcinoma area, Longan county, Guangxi.</p>

Early indexes to predict the therapeutic effect of interferon on chronic hepatitis B / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the clinical changing characters of the clinical markers after interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and make out practical indexes to predict the effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>150 CHB patients were randomly divided into two groups: therapeutic group (90) and control group (60) in the prospective controlled trial. The levels of endogenous interferon before treatment, interferon antibody at the end of the second month and fourth month after treatment, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV DNA in the serum were detected. Then the data was analysed to find out indexes for predicting the effect.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The clearance rate of HBeAg had no significant difference in age except for 20 - 30 and 30 - 40 (t > 2.331 2, P < 0.01). (2) It was more effective if ALT level was higher than 400 U/L before treatment and it decreased more than 50% two months after treatment. (3) The patients whose HBV DNA was negative (dot hybridization) or less than 10(6) copies/ml before treatment had higher rate of HBeAg clearance. (4) There was no effect on patients whose interferon antibody turned positive at the end of the second month. (5)A predictive method of comprehensive factors was made out, whose sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 80%, 100% and 90%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The clinical characters of these Chinese patients are different from those of the westerners and the effects of interferon have close relation to the levels of ALT, HBV DNA and interferon antibody.</p>