Effect of atractylone on the viability and apoptosis of hepatoma HepG2 cells and related mechanism / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of atractylone on the viability and apoptosis of hepatoma HepG2 cells and its mechanism of action. Methods Hepatoma HepG2 cells were selected and divided into low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups (5, 10, and 20 μmol/L), and the cells in the control group were added with an equal volume of DMSO. MTT colorimetry was used to measure the viability of HepG2 cells after treatment with different concentrations of atractylone; flow cytometry was used to measure the apoptosis rate and mitochondrial membrane potential of HepG2 cells; the DCFH-DA fluorescent probe labeling method was used to measure the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HepG2 cells; Transwell assay was used to evaluate the effect of atractylone on the migration ability of HepG2 cells; Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for comparison between two groups. Results After 24 and 48 hours of treatment with atractylone, compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups had a tendency of reduction in cell viability (all P < 0.05), with a half inhibitory concentration of 26.19 μmol/L in atractylone treatment of HepG2 cells for 72 hours. The low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups had a significantly higher apoptosis rate than the control group (14.34%/29.32%/50.12% vs 0.32%, all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups had a significant increase in the fluorescence intensity of ROS in HepG2 cells (all P < 0.05). After 48 hours of treatment with atractylone, compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups had a significant reduction in the number of migrated cells (132.67±18.36/57.00±9.26/31.00±2.45 vs 258.11±38.54, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose atractylone groups had a significant reduction in the expression of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 and significant increases in the expression of the apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved caspase-3 (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Atractylone can induce the apoptosis and inhibit the migration of HepG2 cells, which provides an experimental basis for further development and utilization of atractylone.

Umbilicus application with Chinese medicine for chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance in kids：a multicenter randomized trial / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of umbilicus application with Chinese medicine in treating children’s chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance and the value of healthy diet education. Methods:Eighty kids with chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance were recruited from multiple centers and divided by using the random number table into a treatment group of 40 cases and a control group of 40 cases. For both groups, based on the level of serum food-specific immunoglobulin G (Ig-G), the patients were given unified diet following the healthy diet guidance: safe, alternate, and forbidden, while the treatment group was additionally given umbilicus application with Chinese medicine. The therapeutic efficacy and symptom score of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were observed and compared respectively after 1-week, 2-week, 4-week, and 12-week treatment. Results:The diarrhea symptoms and coupled symptoms scores dropped significantly in the two groups after treatment ( all P<0.05), and the inter-group comparisons also showed statistical significances (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 97.5% in the treatment group versus 77.5% in the control group, and the inter-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:The healthy diet guidance based on the food intolerance test is effective in helping treat diarrhea, while umbilicus application with Chinese medicine works better in treating diarrhea for kids with chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance and can significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy.

Prediction value of IL-28B gene polymorphism on antiviral curative effect in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To investigate the role of IL-28B gene on the antiviral curative effect in the patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods 205 HBeAg-positive patients treated with the antiviral therapy of pegylation interferon(PEG-IFN)were detected the IL-28B rs12980275 and rs12979860 genotypes by TapManSNP genotyping assay and the relationship between the IL-28B genotypes and HbeAg seroconversion at end of treatment was analyzed.Results Among 205 cases,6 cases of genotype were uncertainty,the frequencies of IL-28B genotypes in other 199 cases were 77%,19%,5% for AA,AG,GG genotypes at rs12980275 and 76%,20%, 4%,for CC/CT/TT genotypes at rs12979860 respectively.The IL-28B polymorphisms were significantly correlated with the HbeAg seroconversion at the end of PEG-IFN treatment (P =0.001).In rs12979860 genotype,by the HBV genotyp,age,HBV lev-el,ALT and the combined therapy,the odds ratio (OR)of AA versus AG/GG was adjusted to 3.16 by HbeAg seroconversion.The similar result also obtained for the rs12980275 genotype.The IL-28B genotype was also associated with the HBsAg clearance.Con-clusion The IL-28B gene polymorphism is associated with the antiviral curative effect in the patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B.

Syndrome distribution among patients with chronic hepatitis C and interventions of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine: study protocol / 中西医结合学报

Background: Chronic hepatitis C is one of the major causes of end-stage liver disease with a high incidence rate, amounting to a grave and serious problem of public health. Currently, interferon-based (with or without ribavirin) antiviral therapy has limited use due to its stringent indications, possible contraindications and side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may have advantages in the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis C and it is of significant value to discover the advantages. Through this research, a safe and effective treatment protocol of TCM or integrated TCM and Western medicine for chronic hepatitis C can be formed. To this end, during China's Eleventh Five-Year Plan, special research projects on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), viral hepatitis and the other major infectious diseases were established. Our studies on chronic hepatitis C constitute one of the major special research topics. Methods and design: Clinical information of patients with chronic hepatitis C will be first collected in a large, multicenter epidemiological survey. Positive symptoms will be analyzed by rapid cluster analysis, principal constituent analysis and factor analysis, and syndrome types will be diagnosed based on expert advice. Concurrently, a large, multicenter, randomized, parallel-group prospective study will be launched based on evidence-based medical principles to evaluate the effects and safety of the treatment protocol for chronic hepatitis C. The evaluated indexes will include the normalization rate of liver function, virological improvement and quality of life improvement for the short-term efficacy and the incidence of liver cirrhosis and (or) primary liver cancer and mortality for the long-term efficacy. Discussion: This study will investigate the TCM syndrome differentiation norms and the syndrome distribution rules of chronic hepatitis C and evaluate the efficacy and safety of a treatment protocol for chronic hepatitis C based on TCM theory or combined treatment of TCM and Western medicine. The study results will be helpful to developing a TCM treatment program for chronic hepatitis C. Trial registration: The research program was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry in English and Chinese in January 2010. Registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-10000770.

Effectiveness of Danning Tablet in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver of damp-heat syndrome type: a multicenter randomized controlled trial / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danning Tablet (DNT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of damp-heat syndrome type. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded and positive drug parallel controlled trial was performed. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled into the study and divided into two groups: DNT-treated group (n=102) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=33). Body mass index (BMI), principal symptoms, liver function, blood lipids, iconographic, and compositional parameters were measured before and after treatment, respectively. RESULTS: In the two groups, BMI, distress in hepatic region, fatigue, anorexia, liver function, blood lipids and iconographic parameters were significantly improved, and the improvements of BMI, distress in hepatic region were better in DNT-treated group than in UDCA-treated group. The histological study also showed that DNT had positive effect in treatment of NAFLD. CONCLUSION: DNT is an effective drug to treat patients with NAFLD of damp-heat syndrome type and is more effective than UDCA.

Portal hemodynamics in patients with different syndromes of cirrhosis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the portal hemodynamics or the indices of liver fibrosis and the liver function score in patients with different traditional Chinese medical syndromes of liver cirrhosis. METHODS: One hundred and forty-seven cases of liver cirrhosis with different syndromes were included in the study. Diameters and blood flow velocities of the portal vein and splenic vein were tested by color Doppler sonarography. The indices of liver function (TBIL, ALT, AST, Alb, Glb, PTA) and the indices of hepatic fibrosis (HA, PC-III, LN, VI-C) were tested. RESULTS: The diameters of portal vein in liver cirrhosis patients with different syndromes (internal accumulation of of damp-heat, stagnation of liver-qi, superabundance of dampness due to spleen-asthenia, asthenia of liver and kidney yin, asthenia of spleen and kidney yang, blood stasis) were not significantly different. The blood flow velocities and flow volumes of portal vein in patients with the blood stasis syndrome and the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome were significantly different (P < 0.05). The diameter of splenic vein in patients with the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome was significantly different to that of the asthenia of liver and kidney yin syndrome, or the blood stasis syndrome, or the asthenia of spleen and kidney yang syndrome, respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The blood flow velocity of splenic vein in patients with the blood stasis syndrome or the asthenia of spleen and kidney yang syndrome was significantly different to that of the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome, or the stagnation of liver-qi syndrome, or the asthenia of liver and kidney yin syndrome, respectively (P < 0.01). The blood flow volume of splenic vein in patients with the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome was significantly different to that of the asthenia of liver and kidney yin syndrome, or the asthenia of spleen and kidney yang syndrome, or the blood stasis syndrome, respectively (P < 0.01). The liver cirrhosis indices HA and PC-III in patients with the asthenia of liver and kidney yin syndrome were significantly different to those of the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome (P < 0.05). In Child-Pugh classification, the incidence of Child-Pugh C was the highest in the asthenia of spleen and kidney yang syndrome, while the incidence of Child-Pugh A was the highest in the stagnation of liver qi syndrome. CONCLUSION: The changes of portal vein dynamics in liver cirrhosis patients with the asthenia of liver and kidney yin syndrome, or the asthenia of spleen and kidney yang syndrome, or the blood stasis syndrome are significantly different to those of the internal accumulation of damp-heat syndrome and the stagnation of liver-qi syndrome.

The study of HLA-A,DRB1 allele polymorphism in cirrhosis patients due to hepatitis B / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:In order to find a possible relationship between the polymorphism of HLA A,DRB1 allele and susceptibility to cirrhosis due to hepatitis B.Methods:HLA A,DRB1 allele polymorphism in 61 patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis B were analyzed by DNA chip,146 healthy subjects as control group were also tested.Results:The most frequent alleles were HLA A02,11,24 for HLA A locus and HLA DRB112,09,04 for HLA DRB1 locus in control group respectively,the significantly increased frequencies of HLA A02(43 4% vs 29 1%,OR:1 87,P=0 005,95% CI:1 21 2 89)与HLA DRB107(13 9% vs 5 1%,OR:3 00,P=0 002,95% CI:1 48 6 07)、HLA DRB108(16 4% vs 6 8%,OR:2 67,P=0 003,95% CI:1 40 5 08)、HLA DRB111(12 3% vs 5 8%,OR:2 27,P=0 025,95% CI:1 11 4 64) were found in cirrhosis patients due to hepatitis B compared to the control group,the homozygotes of HLA A02 showed a tendency to increase in cirrhosis patients,but failed to reach statistical significance.Conclusion:HLA A02 and HLA DRB107、08、11 may be susceptibility genes for cirrhosis due to hepatitis B. [

Effect of Qingkai Granule on patients with subclinical hepatic encephalopathy of intelligence test and evoked potential / 中成药

AIM: To explore the treatment of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy(SHE) by traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: Sixty patients with SHE were randomized into two groups: treatment group with 30 cases treated by Qingkai Granule and control group with another 30 cases treated by lactulose.They were all treated for two weeks.The evoked potentials(Eps) were measured,moreover,number connection test(NCT) and digit symbol test(DST) were conducted. RESULTS: In treatment group,the period for NCT was shorter and the DST also improved apparently;peak latency(PL) and interpeak latency(IPL) of SEP and AEPs were shorter to different degrees,with significant differences among groups. CONCLUSION: Qingkai Granule acts to effectively increase the learning,memory and space cognitive capacities in patients,and improves the nerve electrophysiology in patients.