Explore pharmacological mechanism of glycyrrhizin based on systems pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

To explore the pharmacological mechanism of glycyrrhizin with series methods of systems pharmacology, main diseases related to glycyrrhizin were obtained by text mining tool; and the target proteins of glycyrrhizin were obtained via the database of Polysearch and PubChem. Then, the target proteins interaction network of glycyrrhizin was built using the software called Cytoscape. Next, the protein groups related to glycyrrhizin were analyzed by using Gene Ontology (GO) tool, and the action pathway of its target proteins was analyzed by using enrichment method. Text mining results showed that the related diseases of glycyrrhizin included chronic hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis, hepatitis, HIV virus, liver cancer and so on. Gene ontology analysis indicated that glycyrrhizin played a role mainly through modification of proteins and chromatin. The signaling pathway enrichment results showed that the main action proteins of glycyrrhizin were related to MAPK signaling pathway, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, neurotrophic factor signaling pathway, cancer and apoptosis pathways. So we can conclude that glycyrrhizin may exert its biological functions primarily by regulating multiple pathways such as MAPK signaling pathway and Toll-like receptors signaling pathway. The pharmacological action of a drug can be rapidly and comprehensively analyzed by the ways of systems pharmacology.

Study of the effect of leeching on plasma endothelin and soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>to explore the mechanism of leeching in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-four patients with SLE were randomly divided into conventional corticosteroid treated group (control group, n = 20) and conventional treatment group with leeching intervention added (leeching group, n = 24). Before and after treatment the concentration of plasma endothelin (ET) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before treatment the level of plasma ET and sIL-2R in the SLE patients were all higher than those in the normal healthy group, (P < 0.01). But after treatment the level of these in both groups were significantly improved than those of before treatment (P < 0.05), and comparison between these two treated groups showed that the difference between them was significant (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Leeching added to conventional treatment of SLE could be more effective in improving the level of plasma ET and sIL-2R, and ameliorating the impairment of renal tissues.</p>

Experimental study of vasoligation in the treatment and prevention of benign prostatic hyperplasia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the possibility and efficacy of vasoligation and deferent vein ligation in treating and preventing benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>40 male pooches were divided into A, B, C and D groups randomly. Each group has 10 pooches group A and B were made into the model of BPH. Two years later, the pooches in group A and C accepted the operation of vasoligation and deferent vein ligation on both sides. Group B and D only accepted the operation of dissection and relieving its deferent duct. Then continuing to feed the 40 pooches after the operation, they were killed another two years later. After taking out their prostates and calculating their volume and weight, the sections of the prostates were checked by microscope to observe their histology and pathology changes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences of weight and volume as well as the changes of histology and pathology between group A and group C (P < 0.01). It was the same with group B and D (hyperplasia changes).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Vasoligation and deferent vein ligation before benign prostatic hyperplasia at pooches grow-up stage can reduce the extent of BPH at old age, and treatment after benign prostatic hyperplasia can make prostatic tissue appear different degrees of atrophy.</p>