Experimental study of saikosaponin-D (SSd) on lipid peroxidation of hepatic fibrosis on rat / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of SSd on lipid peroxidation during experimental hepatic fibrosis progression.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The experimental models of hepatic fibrosis were induced by intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) on rats. SSd was administered by intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. Serum was analyzed for alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), collagen IV (IV-C), malonaldehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Liver samples were measured for MDA contents and SOD activities in normal group, model group and SSd group.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>SSd significantly decreased ALT and AST activities and lowered HA, LN and IV-C contents. It enhanced SOD activities in liver, while reduced MDA contents both in serum and liver.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SSd has obvious effects of protecting hepatocytes and resisting hepatic fibrosis, and the mechanism may be associated with its anti-lipid peroxidation effect.</p>

Studies on antiviral constituents in stems and leaves of Pithecellibium clypearia / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the antiviral constituents in the stems and leaves of Pithecellibium clypearia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The constituents of P. clypearia were systematically separated with various chromatographic techniques in combination with antiviral activity monitoring. Their structures were elucidated by physical and chemical properties and spectral data.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Six compounds were isolated from P. clypearia and were identified as: tricetiflavan (5, 7, 3', 4', 5'-pentahydroxylflavan) (1), myricitrin (myricetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside) (2), quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside) (3), quereetin (4), methyl gallate (5) and gallic acid (6).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compound 1 approximately 5 were obtained from this plant for the first time. Compound 4 was found to show an obvious anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity.</p>

Cholesteryl hemisuccinate as liposomal membrane stabilizer and its use in the preparation of saikosaponin-D liposomes / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the membrane stabilization effect and mechanism of cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS) on dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes; Saikosaponin-D (SSD) liposomes were prepared by using CHEMS as a membrane stabilizer and its encapsulation efficiency and hemolytic activity were evaluated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and calcein release were used to study membrane stabilization effect of CHEMS on DPPC membrane, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to study the interacting mechanism of CHEMS with DPPC, sedimentation experiment was done to study the interaction of CHEMS with SSD and hemolytic study was used to evaluate the hemolytic activity of SSD-liposomes with CHEMS as membrane stabilizer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DSC analysis showed that CHEMS and cholesterol (CHOL) could all decrease the Tm value slightly and the deltaH value markedly. CHEMS was more effective than CHOL in decreasing the deltaH value of DPPC membrane. It suggested that CHEMS was more effective in increasing DPPC membrane stability. It was also proved by calcein release study carried out both in PBS and 30% plasma. The findings by FT-IR suggested that CHEMS has both hydrogen bond and electrostatic interaction with the polar head of DPPC. CHEMS did not form insoluble complex (INCOM) with SSD by sedimentation experiment. Stable SSD-liposomes were prepared using DPPC and CHEMS and decreased effectively the hemolytic activity of SSD, SSD-liposomes may be given intravenously at a concentration of 15 microg x mL(-1), while free SSD was forbidden to be given intravenously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CHEMS was more effective than CHOL in increasing DPPC membrane stability, and it could be of great use in the preparation of cholesterol-dependent hemolytic saponins-liposomes. The hemolytic activity of SSD-liposomes was greatly reduced, allowing a possible concentration of 15 microg x mL(-1) to be intravenously administered.</p>

Effect of magnesium lithospermate B on endothelial cells in human aorta after free radical injury / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the cardiovascular effects of magnesium lithospermate B (MLB), a water soluble extract from red sage root, on human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) proliferation and in treating free radical injured endothelial cells, so as to further understand the cardiovascular pharmacological mechanism of MLB.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HAECs of 3-6 passages were used in the experiment. MLB of different concentrations was used to treat the cells, and cell proliferation was observed using morphological and MTT method. The free radical injured model cell was made by glucose-glucose oxidase method for observing the effect of MLB on its microstructure by transmission electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MLB in concentration of 1.0 mg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml had significant cytotoxicity (P<0.01), when its concentration was lower than 0.2 mg/ml, the drug showed no adverse reaction on cell proliferation. MLB showed significantly cell protective effect against free radical injury, the effect in protecting ultrastructure of cells, such as mitochondria, could be demonstrated in transmission electron microscopy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MLB showed a low cytotoxicity on HAECs, it could obviously protect cells from free radical injury.</p>