Effects of fructus psoraleae on specific hepatotoxicity in a state of immune stress / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the hepatotoxic effect of aqueous extract of fructus psoraleae (WEFP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatotoxicity in SD rats under immune stress and its mechanism. Methods SD rats were divided into control (CON), LPS, WEFP, LPS+WEFP group. The LPS and LPS+WEFP groups were injected with 4 mg·kg-1 LPS via tail vein; 2 h later, the rats in WEFP group and LPS+WEFP group received the WEFP (1.1 g·kg-1·d-1) by oral gavage for seven consecutive days. Different endpoints such as body weight, liver index, bile flow rate, serum biochemical, histopathological changes, inflammatory cytokines, protein and mRNA expression levels were determined to clarify the liver toxicity and mechanism of WEFP. Results Compared with the CON group, rats in the LPS group had no significant changes in body weight, liver coefficient, serum ALT, AST, and ALP liver injury indicators; mild steatosis in the liver of the rats in the WEFP group did not cause liver damage; for rats in the LPS+WEFP group, body weight and bile excretion decreased, liver coefficient, serum ALT, AST, ALP, TBA levels significantly increased, and IL-1 and TNF-α secretion in the liver increased; at the same time, the pathological changes such as inflammatory reaction, cholestasis, and steatosis appeared in liver, RhoA mRNA and protein expression increased, and TLR4 and ICAM-1 pro-inflammatory gene expression increased, leading to acute liver injury. Conclusions The non-hepatotoxic dose of LPS can cause the same dose of psoralen to show more obvious liver toxicity, leading to the body's immunospecific response. Psoralen can cause immune stress rats to activate the expression of RhoA and other pro-inflammatory genes, further aggravate the release of inflammatory factors,and promote inflammatory reaction damage to liver cells and intrahepatic bile duct tissues,leading to obstruction of bile acid efflux and causing special effects such as heterogeneous liver injury.

Studies on the Chronic Toxicity of Zukamu Granules in Rats / 医药导报

Objective To study the chronic toxicology of Zukamu granules in rats. Methods A total of 120 healthy SD rats ( male  female = 1 1 ) were randomly divided into the control, low ( 0. 72 g · kg-1 · d-1 ), middle (1.43 g·kg-1·d-1),and high (2.86 g·kg-1·d-1) doses of Zukamu granules. The drug was given orally,once daily for a month,and the controls were given with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. A 2-week recovery period was allowed after the drug withdrawal. Results Three rats in the high dose group developed diarrhea and loose stools for one day. Compared with the control group,the white blood cells ( WBC) ,red blood cells ( RBC) ,hemoglobin ( HGB) ,hematocrit ( HCT) and chlorine ( Cl-) in the high dose group increased. Prothrombin time ( PT ) , blood urea nitrogen ( BUN ) , alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) , cholesterol(CHO),and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) decreased markededly in the low,middle and high dose group. No obvious change was found in histopathological examination. Conclusion No obvious toxicity was observed in SD rats treated with Zukamu granules at 1. 4g·kg-1·d-1(equivalently to crude drug of 20. 8 g·kg-1·d-1) given orally for one month.

Operational state of drinking water defluorination project and situation of fluorosis in children aged 8 to 12 in Dagang district of Tianjin in 2009 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To investigate the state of drinking water defluorination project in Dagang district and study urinary fluoride levels and detect dental fluorosis of children aged 8 to 12, and to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of fluorosis. Methods Five defluorination projects in rural streets (towns) with highfluoride water and 2 urban water supply projects were choosen to investigate the running status in Dagang district Tianjin in 2009. Five rural and 2 urban schools were choosen to select 100 children aged 8 to 12 (for gender, age matched) in each primary school to study urinary fluoride levels and detection of dental fluorosis. Results A total of 66 defluorination projects in 73 villages were surveyed, among which 61 projects actually worked normally with using rate 92.4%(61/66). Water qualification of all projects could not be ensured due to direct project managers'lack of necessary expertise. In 2009, water qualification rate were 39.3%(24/61 )among the project normally used,with highlighted problem of biological pollution. A total of 490 children aged 8 - 12 in 5 rural towns were surveyed,dental fluorosis rate were 90%(441/490), and dental fluorosis index were 1.82. A total of 207 children aged 8 - 12in 2 urban areas were surveyed, the detection rate of dental fluorosis was 49.8%(103/207), and dental fluorosis index were 0.86. The urinary fluoride level of 230 children aged 8 - 12 in the 5 villages were surveyed. The Range of geometric mean of urinary fluoride were 1.82 - 2.70 mg/L. The urinary fluoride of 102 children aged 8 - 12 in the 2 urban area were surveyed. The Range of geometric mean of urinary fluoride were 1.53 - 1.72 mg/L. Conclusions There was phenomenon of high coverage, low utilization rate and less water consumption in the villages of Dagang district, Tianjin drinking water defluoridation projects, thus the health effects of the projects was minimum.Significant health effects is found in the defluorination projects in the urban areas with high coverage and high utilization rate. Studying new water improvment methods and new forms of water supply system is urgent for solving the problems met in the ineffective water defluorination project.

Study on the effect of ultrasonic irrigation in deactivating and eliminating the endotoxin in the root canals of chronic periapical periodontitis / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of ultrasonic irrigation in deactivating and eliminating the endotoxin in the root canals of chronic periapical periodontitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>10 maxillary premolars with 2 root canals extracted because of serious chronic periapical periodontitis were opened conventionally and prepared with modified double-flared technique with apical foramen sealed. 30 microL 3% H2O2 solution was introduced into each root canal and 2 minutes ultrasonic vibration was given. Samples were taken before and after ultrasonic vibration. 10 maxillary premolars with 2 root canals of chronic periapical periodontitis of 10 patients in clinic were selected. The root canals of them were instrumented as above, followed by 2 minutes ultrasonic irrigation with asepsis distilled water. Samples were taken before, after root canal preparation and after ultrasonic irrigation. The endotoxin activity of them was tested by kinetic turbidimetric limulus test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean endotoxin activity of extracted premolars before ultrasonic vibration was 4.069 EU x mL(-1) while after ultrasonic vibration it was 16.410 EU x mL(-1). There was great statistical difference between them (P < 0.01). The endotoxin activity after ultrasonic vibration was significantly higher than that of before vibration. The clinically mean endotoxin activity before, after root canal preparation and after ultrasonic irrigation were 44.860, 4.099, and 0.116 EU mL1 respectively. There was great statistical difference between the endotoxin activity before and after root canal preparation (P < 0.01). After the preparation, the endotoxin activity droped obviously. There was great statistical difference between the endotoxin activity before and after ultrasonic irrigation (P < 0.01). After ultrasonic irrigation, the endotoxin activity droped obviously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Under the condition of simulating clinical work presence, the ultrasonic irrigation can not intensify the effect of the root canal rinse solution in deactivating the endotoxin of infected root canals, but it may intensify the effect of the root canal rinse solution in eliminating the endotoxin of infected root canals.</p>

Effects on Helicobacter pylori reinfection in gastric mucosa by two oral plaque control methods / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the reinfection rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in gastric mucosa by two measures of oral plaque control on patients, and to demonstrate the necessity and better method of plaque control on those patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>148 patients suffered gastritis or gastroduodenal ulcer were assigned into test group 1 (54 patients), test group 2 (55 patients) and control group (39 patients). 13C-urea breath test proved that there were no H. pylori in their gastric mucosa. Daily plaque control was used in test group 1, oral professorial interventions were added into test group 2, neither daily plaque control nor oral professorial interventions was conducted in control group. All patients were conducted 13C-urea breath test again after half a year to determine the reinfection rate of H. pylori in gastric mucosa.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>5 patients were eliminated because of stopping mouthwash in the test group 1, 8 patients failed to control dental plaque in the test group 2. The infection rates of H. pylori in gastric mucosa of test group 1, test group 2 and control group were 67.3%, 19.1%, 82.1%, respectively. The infection rate of H. pylori of test group 2 was lower significantly than that in control group and test group 1 (chi2=33, P<0.05; chi2=31.06, P<0.05). There were no significant difference between test group 1 and control group (chi2=2.43, 0.1<P<0.25).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Dental plaque is an important source of gastric H. pylori reinfection. Dental plaque control procedures should be performed in the treatment of gastric disease correlated with H. pylori. The method of mixing professional dental plaque control and solution of mouthwash was better.</p>