Therapeutic effect of a natural squamosamide derivative FLZ on Parkinson's disease model mice induced by LPS plus MPTP / 药学学报

The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of N-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-2-(2, 5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)acrylamide (FLZ), a novel synthetic squamosamide cyclic derivative, against Parkinson's disease (PD) model mice induced by the inflammatory bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and the neurotoxin 1-methy-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). C57/BL mice were ip injected LPS (5 mg x kg(-1)) once. One week following the LPS injection, mice received a subcutaneous injection of MPTP (25 mg x kg(-1)) once daily for 2 days. Eight weeks later, FLZ (25, 50 and 75 mg x kg(-1)) was orally administered to mice once daily for 60 days. The motor ability of the mice was evaluated by rod climbing test and footprint test. The dopamine (DA) levels in mouse striatum were determined by high performance liquid chromatography system. The tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells were showed by immunohistochemical analysis. FLZ treatment significantly improved motor dysfunction of mice challenged by LPS plus MPTP. The increase of TH-positive cell numbers and elevation of DA levels may be contributed to the beneficial effects of FLZ on motor behavior. This study showed FLZ has significant therapeutic effect on LPS plus MPTP induced chronic PD model, which indicates its potential as a new candidate drug to treat PD.

A community-based sero-epidemiological study of hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, China, 2010

Introduction:The 2010 targets of the China Hepatitis B Prevention Programme were a prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) less than 1.0% for children less than five years old and less than 6.0% for the total population. This survey assessed the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China in 2009–2010.Methods:Multistage sampling was used with 2372 subjects among 17 selected villages. Blood specimen collection and testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbnet assay (ELISA) were completed using the following markers for hepatitis infection: HBsAg and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe); and hepatitis B core antibody (total anti-HBc). The data were analysed with Epi Info, version 3.3.2.Results:The prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.8–3.0; Adjusted Prevalence [AP] 2.9%); anti-HBs prevalence was 51.1% (95% CI: 49.1–53.1; AP 49.2%) and total anti-HBc prevalence was 41.7% (95% CI: 39.8–43.7; AP 45.5%). The prevalence of HBsAg and total anti-HBc positivity increased from young to older age groups, yet the prevalence of anti-HBs positivity decreased from young to older age groups (PP= 0.108 and 0.089), but females had a higher prevalence than males for total anti-HBc positivity (P< 0.001). Discussion: This survey showed that in 2010 the prevalence of HBsAg among children aged less than five years was lower than the national target of 1.0% and that the prevalence of HBsAg for the total population was lower than the national target of 6.0%.

Protective action of ulinastatin against lipopolysaccharides-induced acute lung injury in mice and the relation of it to iNOS and c-Jun expressions / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the protective action of ulinastatin against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury in mice and the mechanism of its action.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mice were intraperitoneally injected with ulinastatin (50 and 100 ku x kg(-1)) or saline at a period of 12 h, separately, 30 min after the last injection of ulinastatin, except normal control, all mice of other groups were injected a dose of LPS 15 mg x kg(-1) via tail vein. The levels of TNFalpha in serum and lung were measured by ELISA. The expression of TNFalpha mRNA and iNOS mRNA in lung was assayed by RT-PCR. The expression of c-Fos and c-Jun protein in lung was measured by Western blotting method. And the NO2- / NO3- level in serum and MDA in lung were measured with kits.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of NO2- / NO3- and TNFalpha in serum, MDA and TNFa in lung all increased after iv injection of LPS. The expressions of TNFa mRNA, iNOS mRNA, c-Fos and c-Jun in lung of LPS-injected mice were enhanced. Pretreatment with ulinastatin 100 ku x kg(-1) decreased the levels of NO2- / NO3- in serum and lung, reduced the index of lung, and inhibited the expressions of iNOS mRNA and c-Jun in lung induced by LPS in mice, while ulinastatin showed no effect on TNFa level in serum and lung.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ulinastatin protected mice from acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharides via inhibiting the activation of c-Jun and iNOS mRNA expression.</p>