In vivo transdermal penetration enhancing activity of essential oil from Zanthoxyli Pericarpium by using microdialysis technique / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this paper is to investigate the topical pharmacodynamics behavior of different lipophilic model drugs after treatment with essential oil from Zanthoxyli Pericarpium by using the cutaneous microdialysis technique, and then evaluate its in vivo transdermal penetration enhancing properties. Two traditional Chinese medicine active components, namely tetramethylpyrazine and puerarin, were chosen as lipophilic and hydrophilic model drugs, respectively. Firstly, the concentration difference method was employed to measure the in vitro recovery rate and loss of the microdialysis probe, and the in vivo recoveries of two model drugs were determined by using the retrodialysis method. Secondly, the skin pharmacodynamics behaviors of two model drugs were studied after treatment with different concentrations of the essential oil, and the well-established and standard penetration enhancer Azone was selected as a positive control. It was found that the recovery of microdialysis probe was equal to its loss for two model drugs, with no interaction between drugs in dialysis membranes. The retrodialysis studies revealed that the in vivo recovery of tetramethylpyrazine and puerarin were 59.17%, 19.85%, respectively. The skin pharmacodynamics studies showed that the essential oil could facilitate the transdermal absorption of tetramethylpyrazine in a concentration-dependent manner, and the enhancement ratio (ER) for 5% essential oil was 98.64, which was higher than that of the optimum concentration of Azone (3% Azone, ER=89.11). Meanwhile, the Zanthoxyli Pericarpium could effectively promote the transdermal permeation of the puerarin in a concentration-dependent manner. Hence, this study further confirmed that the Zanthoxyli Pericarpium had excellent penetration-enhancing activity as a natural transdermal penetration enhancer, providing data support for its application in traditional Chinese medicine external preparations.

Progress in Diagnosing Mitochondrial Myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is a progressive, multisystem affected mitochondrial disease associated with a number of disease-related defective genes. MELAS has unpredictable presentations and clinical course, and it can be commonly misdiagnosed as encephalitis, cerebral infarction, or brain neoplasms. This review aimed to update the diagnosis progress in MELAS, which may provide better understanding of the disease nature and help make the right diagnosis as well.</p><p><b>DATA SOURCES</b>The data used in this review came from published peer review articles from October 1984 to October 2014, which were obtained from PubMed. The search term is "MELAS".</p><p><b>STUDY SELECTION</b>Information selected from those reported studies is mainly based on the progress on clinical features, blood biochemistry, neuroimaging, muscle biopsy, and genetics in diagnosing MELAS.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MELAS has a wide heterogeneity in genetics and clinical manifestations. The relationship between mutations and phenotypes remains unclear. Advanced serial functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide directional information on this disease. Muscle biopsy has meaningful value in diagnosing MELAS, which shows the presence of ragged red fibers and mosaic appearance of cytochrome oxidase negative fibers. Genetic studies have reported that approximately 80% of MELAS cases are caused by the mutation m.3243A>G of the mitochondrial transfer RNA (Leu (UUR)) gene (MT-TL1).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MELAS involves multiple systems with variable clinical symptoms and recurrent episodes. The prognosis of MELAS patients depends on timely diagnosis. Therefore, overall diagnosis of MELAS should be based on the maternal inheritance family history, clinical manifestation, and findings from serial MRI, muscle biopsy, and genetics.</p>

Analysis of condom use and its factors on female sex workers in Shandong province / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was to investigate the condom use and its factors on sex workers in Shandong province, and to provide effective suggestions for AIDS prevention strategies and interventions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From April to July in 2009, 4732 female sex workers were investigated through anonymous questionnaires from 11 cities which were selected based on the AIDS epidemic, geographic location, economic conditions in Shandong province. Serum samples were collected and antibodies were tested by ELISA and TPPA from 4641 people.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>4732 female sex workers who were 15 - 58 years old were investigated and the majority belonged to the low age group (≤ 24 years old) which accounted for 61.5% (2912/4732). Among the 4732 female sex workers, the unmarried, the divorced, or the widowed females accounted for 72.8% (3441/4725) and 72.0% (3403/4726) of them were poorly educated.42.3% (1994/4719) of them were found from other provinces. The right answers for knowledge of AIDS accounted for 45.7% (2164/4732). 80.6% (3416/4236) of these females were found to used condoms in the most recent commercial sex activity. The rate of consistently using condoms in sex activity during the last month was 58.4% (2467/4221). In this survey, 7.3% (337/4637) of investigated females had been diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases, 30.7% (1449/4726) of them had received HIV antibody test, 70.4% (3323/4732) of these people had received the AIDS intervention services, and 3.6% (167/4668) of them had ever used drug. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high education level (junior high school or lower vs senior high school or higher, adjusted OR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.67 - 0.90), having received the HIV intervention (received vs unreceived, adjusted OR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.17 - 1.58), antibody detection (done vs not done, adjusted OR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.15 - 1.55), and good knowledge about AIDS (low score group vs high score group, adjusted OR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.32 - 0.44) were independent factors that increased safe sex behavior; while using drug (drug vs not drug, adjusted OR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.15 - 0.31) was a negative factor.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence rate of HIV infection among female sex workers was low in Shandong province. However, the low rate of condom use and the high prevalence of self-reported STD-related symptoms suggested that more attentions should be paid to the factors of risk behaviors, and more targeted interventions are critically needed.</p>

Study of the antiulcer effect of pantoprazole / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Aim To evaluate the effects of pantoprazole on various experimental acute ulcer inrats and mice. Methods The model of a gastric ulcer of rats or mice was caused bystree- induced ulcer and ligatel pylurus-induced ulcer. Results & Conclusions At adose of 5, 10, 20 mg? kg-1 of Pantoprazole can markedly decrease the ulcer index ofstree-induced ulcer. Pantoprazole(4, 8, 16 mg? kg -1 ) significantly decrease the areaof ligated pylorus-induced gastric ulcer. It was also found that pantoprazole caninhibit the output of basic gastric acid.