Research progress on saponins, biological activities of saponins, and quality control of Panax quinquefolium / 中国中药杂志

Panax quinquefolium, as a common precious medicinal plant, has complex chemical components and unique pharmacological activities, which can play a healthcare role in the human body. With the deepening of research, the application of P. quinquefolium has become increasingly extensive. This paper summarized the research progress of the saponins isolated and identified from diffe-rent parts of P. quinquefolium, the structural classification and pharmacological activities of the saponins, and the quality control of Panacis Quinquefolii Radix. Further, this paper put forward the urgent problems to be solved in the development of P. quinquefolium. It is hoped to lay a foundation for the further study and provide reference for the research direction of P. quinquefolium.

Preventive effect of Ningmitai combined with tamsulosin in double-J stent syndrome / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical outcomes derived from Ningmitai combined with tamsulosin to prevent double-J stent syndrome after laser lithotripsy with ureteroscope. Methods 117 patients underwent laser lithotripsy with ureteroscope and then placed a double-J stent for draining were collected from January 2010 to January 2013. Patients with double-J stent placement were divided into four groups determined by dosage regimen. Tamsulosin group (30 cases) was treated with tamsulosin (0.4 mg once daily) lonely, Ningmitai group (29 cases) was treated with Ningmitai (1.52 g, trice time a day) lonely, tamsulosin combined Ningmitai group (30 cases) was treated with tamsulosin and Ningmitai at the same time, operation control group (28 cases) was neither tamsulosin nor Ningmitai. The catheter was removed on the 3rd day post-lithotripsy and then remained double-J stent for 1 month. The scores of urinary tract, pain and the incidence of gross hematuria were assessed. Results The significant differences in the improvement of symptom score (χ2=22.038, P=0.000), pain score (χ2=9.876, P=0.020) and hematuria (χ2=8.000, P=0.046) were found among tamsulosin group, Ningmitai group, and tamsulosin combined Ningmitai group. The number of patients with symptomless, slight symptom in tamsulosin combined Ningmitai group were higher than those of tamsulosin group, Ningmitai group, operation control group (symptomeless:14 vs. 6, 3 and 2 cases;slight symptom:13 vs. 9, 5, 4 cases). The number of patients with>Ⅱpain score (7 vs. 9, 14, 17 cases) and incidence of hematuriag [26.6%(8/30) vs. 56.7%(17/30), 58.6% (17/29), 53.6% (15/28)] were lower in tamsulosin combined Ningmitai group than those of tamsulosin group, Ningmitai group, operation control group. The drug combination of Ningmitai with tamsulosin had the synergism to relived symptom and pain, and showed the more obviousthan lonely use. Conclusion The drug combination of Ningmitai with tamsulosin can be used in clinic for prophylactic purpose to prevent double-J syndrome.

The timing of super-selective renal artery embolization for the treatment of renal hemorrhage after PCNL / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the timing of super-selective renal artery embolization (SRAE) for the treatment of renal hemorrhage after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) .Methods From June 2005 to February 2013 ,a total of 2 165 patients with upper urinary tract calculi underwent PCNL (2 384 PCNL procedures) and 16 of them suffered severe bleeding (0 .74% ) .In the 16 cases ,SRAE was used .The medical records of all the 16 cases were retrospectively analyzed .Results In 16 patients ,15 patients were successful with the first SRAE ,but 2 of them underwent an additional pure renal artery angiography (1 patient before SRAE and 1 patient after SRAE);1 healed after the second SRAE .The mean blood loss and transfusion volume were 32 .9 g/L and 250 mL before the first angiography/SRAE ,and an additional 3 .2 g/L and 0 mL before the second try .Although 1 patient died ,the oth-ers were recovered without complications .Conclusion SRAE should be adopted early for the treatment of severe renal hemorrhage after PCNL .However ,a second try should be considered for the repeated bleeding patients after the negative results of first renal artery angiography or SRAE .

LUTS in BPH patients with histological prostatitis before and after transurethral resection of the prostate / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) complicated by histological prostatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 432 cases of BPH pathologically confirmed after TURP. Excluding those with LUTS-related factors before and after surgery and based on the international prostatitis histological classification of diagnostic criteria, the remaining 144 cases were divided into groups A (pure BPH, n = 30), B (mild inflammation, n = 55), C (moderate inflammation, n = 31), and D (severe inflammation, n = 28). Each group was evaluated for LUTS by IPSS before and a month after surgery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 399 cases (92.4%) were diagnosed as BPH with histological prostatitis, 269 (67.4%) mild, 86 (21.6%) moderate and 44 (11.0%) severe. The preoperative IPSS was 21.43 +/- 6.09 in group A, 21.75 +/- 5.97 in B, 27.84 +/- 4.18 in C and 31.00 +/- 2.92 in D, with statistically significant differences among different groups (P < 0.001) except between A and B (P = 1.000); the postoperative IPSS was 5.60 +/- 2.16 in A, 7.36 +/- 2.77 in B, 11.55 +/- 3.39 in C and 16.89 +/- 3.37 in D, with statistically significant differences among different groups (P < 0.01), and remarkably lower than the preoperative one (P < 0.001). Almost all the infiltrating inflammatory cells in BPH with histological prostatitis were lymphocytes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BPH is mostly complicated with histological chronic prostatitis. The severity of LUTS is higher in BPH patients with histological prostatitis than in those without before and after TURP, and positively correlated with the grade of inflammation. Those complicated with moderate or severe histological prostatitis should take medication for the management of LUTS.</p>

Effects of top pruning on fruiting characters of Platycodon grandiflorum / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of top pruning on fruiting characters of Platycodon grandiflorum, and find the suitable stage, in which seed growth and development furtherly.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>One-year old seedlings were chosen and planted in field. Plant height, branching number, fruit number per plant, 1000 grains weight were measured during growth and development period, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The treatment of top pruning postponed in turn the flowering date, lowered the plant heights and the fruit number per plant, increased the branching number and influenced significantly on 1000 grains weights.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The suitable stage of top pruning for producing seeds was from June 20th to July 5th.</p>