A multivariate analysis of prognostic determinants for stages II and III colorectal cancer in 141 patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous prognosis analyses of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with stage II and III disease were done as separate categories. The purpose of this study was to analyze prognostic factors associated with survival in a group of patients who underwent radical resection of stages II and III CRC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective review was performed for 141 consecutive stages II and III patients who had undergone radical resection of colorectal adenocarcinoma between May 2003 and November 2003. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the effect of record variables on disease free survival and overall survival.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median follow-up time was 59 months, and the 3- and 5-year survival rates were 76% and 68%, respectively. Four factors were independently associated with a worse disease-free survival: diabetes (hazard ratio (HR) 2.338; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.011 - 5.407), expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) (HR 0.335; 95%CI 0.126 - 0.888), expression of matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP-2) (HR 0.233; 95%CI 0.101 - 0.541), expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (HR 0.295; 95%CI 0.088 - 0.996). Four factors were independently associated with a worse overall survival: lymph nodes metastasis (HR 1.67; 95%CI 1.29 - 2.14), Cox-2 positive (HR 0.056; 95%CI 0.247 - 0.731), MMP-2 positive (HR 0.398; 95%CI 0.190 - 0.836), VEGF (HR 0.364; 95%CI 0.090 - 0.716).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Diabetes, expression of Cox-2, MMP-2 and VEGF were independently associated with a worse disease- free survival. Lymph nodes metastasis, expression of Cox-2, MMP-2 and high level of VEGF predicted a poor overall survival.</p>

Quality evaluation of Flos Carthami / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop methods for qualitative and quantitative analyses of Flos Cartnami from three aspects, pigments, flavonoids and adenosine.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>A method using HPLC coupled with electrochemical detector was developed to determine the content of hydroxysafflor yellow A and fingerprint of Flos Carthami. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Zorbax SB C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) by gradient elution with phosphate buffer and acetonitrile at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1), the column temperature was 35 degrees C, the reference electrode was ISAAC (in-situ silver/silver chloride), the working electrode was glassy carbon, the counter electrode was Pt, and the applied potential was + 800 mV. Concentration of adenosine was determined by HPLC-UV on an Diamonsil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with water-acetonitrile (95:5) as mobile phase, the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), the column temperature was 40 degrees C and the detection wavelength was 260 nm. The content of cartharmin was detected using a spectrophotometric method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Twenty-one common chromatographic peaks were selected as characteristic peaks in the chromatogram of sample solution of Flos Cartnami. Seven peaks were identified as hydroxysafflor yellow A, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-glucoside, rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin, kaempferol. The contents of hydroxysafflor yellow A and adenosine were from 0.35% to 3.58% and from 0.03% per hundred to 0.49% per hundred, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The methods can be used to evaluate the quality of Flos Carthami.</p>

Studies on expectorant compounds in volatile oil from root and rhizome of Aster tataricus / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the expectorant components in volatile oil from the root and rhizome of Aster tataricus.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>GC-MS was applied to isolate and identify the compounds. In addition, TLC was used to isolate compound, and its structure was elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis. At the same time, its expectorant effect was observed by method of the excretion quantity of phenol red in trachea of mice.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Seven compounds were isolated and identified by GC-MS, they were (R)(-)-p-menth-1-en-4-ol (1), 2-undecanone (2), n-decanoic acid (3), (-)-spathulenol (4), hexahydrofamrnesyl acetone (5), hexadecanoic acid (6), and cis-9, cis-12-octaecadienoic acid (7). A known compound 1-acetoxy-2-ene(E)-4,6- decandiyne was isolated from the root and rhizome of A. tataricus, and it was shown to have expectorant effect.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>1-Acetoxy-2-ene(E) -4,6- decandiyne, a main compound in volatile oil, had been found to have expectorant effect.</p>

Studies on GC fingerprint of volatile oil of Houttuynia cordata / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a GC fingerprint of the volatile oil of Houttuynia cordata.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The volatile oil was extracted from H. cordata by water stream distillation method, and analyzed by GC coupled with FID.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>12 bathes of samples collected from different regions were analyzed; the GC fingerprint of the volatile oil of H. cordata was subsequently established.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The established GC fingerprint can be used for the identification of H. cordata.</p>