Research status of photodynamic therapy combined anti - VEGF drugs to treat exudative age-related macular degeneration / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Photodynamic therapy ( PDT ) is a new technique to diagnose and treat diseases with photodynamic effect produced by photosensitizer and light, and is now a main method of treating exudative age - related macular degeneration ( AMD ) . ln recent years, with the development of science and technology, combinations of PDT have become a research hot spot. ln this paper, we reviewed the research status of treatments on exudative AMD with PDT combined anti-VEGF drugs.

Effects of Tongxinluo capsule on atherosclerosis obliterans in iliofemoral artery of rabbits / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of Tongxinluo capsule (TXL) on the atherosclerosis obliterans (ASO) in iliofemoral artery of rabbits.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Rabbits were randomly divided into 7 groups: sham, model, TXL (0.8, 0.4, 0.2 g x kg(-1)), Tongsaimai tablet (0.8 g x kg(-1)) and Laishike (0.002 g x kg(-1)). The animal model of ASO was established with a combined method of mechanical trauma, immunologic injury and high fat fodder feeding. Rabbits were administrated the drugs 8 weeks after surgery. The levels of TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C in serum were determined at the time points below: pre-experiment (0 week), pre-drug administration (8 weeks post-surgery), 4 weeks after drug administration (12 weeks post-surgery), 8 weeks after drug administration (16 weeks post-surgery), 12 weeks after drug administration (20 weeks post-surgery). Meanwhile, the behavioral study was performed, the distal skin temperature of the injured hind limb detected. The histopathological changes in iliofemoral artery were examined after opacification.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C and TC/HDL-C were decreased significantly in serum of ASO rabbits. The severity of lameness in the injured hind limb was improved. The distal skin temperature was increased. The thickness and the ratio of intima area of the iliofemoral artery of the injured hind limb were decreased, while the stenosis extent was improved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TXL might be beneficial to modulate blood lipid, as well as the prevention and treatment for ASO.</p>

Effect of vitexia-rhamnoside (V-R) on vasomotor factors expression of endothelial cell / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the influence of vitexia-rhamnoside (V-R) on vasomotor factor expression of endothelial cell (EC) damaged by hypoxia and reoxygenation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUV ECs) were subject to ischemia and reperfusion following hypoxia and reoxygenation. The levels of ET-1, NO and NOS intracellular in culture supertanants were measured by radioimmunity, Griess and immunohistochemistry, respectively. And the gene expressions of ET-1 and NOS intracellular were measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>V-R at different doses markedly increased the gene expression and activity of NOS, enhanced the level of vaso-dilating factor NO, and significantly decreased the gene expression and production of vaso-constricting factor ET-1 of EC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We have demonstrated that V-R had the regulatory effect on the expression of vaso-active substances of EC damaged by hypoxia and reoxygenation in the levels of protein and gene transcription of cytokines.</p>

Cardio-protective effects of Corocalm on acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the cardio-protective effects of Corocalm on acute myocardial ischemia in rats, and to explore its possible therapeutic mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The acute ischemic model was prepared by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups, 8 in each group. The sham operated group underwent heart exposure without ligation and were treated with normal saline 3 ml/kg, while the other 5 groups, the model groups, consisted of acceptable acute ischemic model rats and were also treated with normal saline, with the Guanxin Capsule (GXC) group treated with refined GXC, 600 mg/kg, the low and high dose Corocalm groups treated with 85 mg/kg and 340 mg/kg of Corocalm respectively, and the Diltiazem group, treated with Diltiazem 5 mg/kg, with all the tested drugs prepared with normal saline into equal volume (3 ml/kg) and administrated once via duodenum 10 min before ligation. Myocardial infarction area was determined by the quantitative histological assay with nitroblue tetrazolium (N-BT) stain. And the levels of creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were measured by biochemical assay and spectrophotometry respectively. Besides, the blood viscosity in another 50 rats was determined, who received for 7 successive days oral administration with different concentration of Corocalm or aspirin.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It showed that low and high dose Corocalm could significantly reduce the infarction area, inhibit the increase of serum CK, LDH activity and MDA content, and enhance the SOD activity after ischemia/reperfusion. The whole blood viscosity at different shear rates in rats treated with high dose Corocalm was significantly lower than those treated with normal saline (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Corocalm has favourable protective effects on heart in ischemic condition, the effect of which might be through its actions in inhibiting CK and LDH activity, scavenging oxygen free radicals, and lowering blood viscosity.</p>