Clinical observation on acupuncture for treatment of male osteoporosis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with drug and simple drug for treatment of male osteoporosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-five cases were divided into an observation group (25 cases) and a control group (30 cases) randomly. The observation group was treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Mingmen (GV 4), Shenque (CV 8) and so on combined with taking Alendronate, while the control group was treated with taking Alendronate simply. The improvement of both Integral of Clinical Symptoms (ICS) and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of two groups was observed after 6 months treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ICS of two groups after treatment both decreased significantly (both P < 0.001), and the decreasing degree in observation group was more significant than that in control group (P < 0.001). The BMD of lumbar vertebrae and femur in observation group increased obviously than that before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The increasing degree of BMD of lumbar vertebrae in observation group after treatment was more obvious than that in control group (P < 0.05). There were abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia and other adverse reaction in control group, while the degree and occurrence rate of those in observation group alleviated and decreased obviously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The effect of acupuncture combined with drug for treatment of male osteoporosis is good with little adverse reaction. This method is better than taking Alendronate.</p>

Sodium caffeate induces endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibits VEGF expression in cancer cells / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the induction of endothelial cell apoptosis and the suppression of VEGF expression in cancer cells by sodium caffeate (SCA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Apoptosis of transformed human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECV304 cell line) was detected by flow cytometry, DNA electrophoresis assay and morphological assessment. Western blotting analysis was applied for determination of VEGF expression in cancer cells. Substrate degradation by type IV collagenase was measured by zymography. ELISA was used to detect the binding of type IV collagenase with relevant monoclonal antibody.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SCA induced ECV304 cell apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. After treatment with 100 and 250 microg X mL(-1) of SCA for 48 h, DNA laddering appeared. SCA treated cells showed strong blue fluorescence and distinct changes of nuclear morphology, such as pyknosis and the occurrence of apoptotic bodies. VEGF expression in hepatoma HepG-2 cells and prostate carcinoma DU145 cells was reduced after SCA treatment. The degradation activity of type IV collagenase including MMP-2 and MMP-9 secreted by giant cell pulmonary carcinoma PG cells was inhibited by SCA in a dose-dependent manner. SCA also reduced the binding of mAb 3D6, a relevant monoclonal antibody, to type IV collagenase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SCA can induce endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibit VEGF expression as well as type IV collagenase activity in cancer cells. SCA might be active in modulating tumor angiogenesis and the microenvironment.</p>