Mechanism of action of glucocorticoid receptors in the growth of hepatoma cells / 国际肿瘤学杂志

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) plays a critical role in signal transduction, expression of related genes and apoptosis of cancer cells. Hepatocellular carcinoma is characterized by high aggressiveness and mortality. In the exploration of the relationship between GR and hepatocellular carcinoma, numerous studies have shown that GR has an inhibitory effect on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, which provides new ideas and methods for the clinical application of GR in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Extraction Technology of Volatile Oil from Wenjing Huoxue Cataplasm / 药学实践杂志

Objective To optimize the supercritical CO2 extraction conditions of volatile oil from Wenjing Huoxue cataplasm. Methods On the basis of single factor investigation on the comprehensive score of extraction yield , osthole content and isoimperatorin, the effects of extraction temperature, pressure and time on the comprehensive score of extracted volatile oil were optimized by orthogonal design. Results In the single factor experiment, the factors that had a great influence on the comprehensive score of the extracted volatile oil were extraction temperature, extraction pressure and extraction time. The orthogonal experiment results showed that the extraction temperature and extraction pressure had a significant influence on the comprehensive score of volatile oil. The optimized extraction process was as follows: extraction temperature at 55 ℃, extraction pressure as 30 MPa, and extraction time as 2 h. Conclusion The extraction process optimized in this experiment is stable and feasible, which could be used for the extraction and preparation of the volatile oil.

Anti-hepatoma mechanisms of ginsenoside / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Ginsenosides (GS)as the main ingredient of ginseng,include dozens of monomer,such as Rg3,Rh2,Rd,Rh1 ,Rg2,etc.GS and various monomers have different anti-hepatoma mechanisms.The main mechanism includes the following aspects,inducing the apoptosis of liver cancer cells,inhibiting the prolifera-tion,invasion and metastasis,reversing the multidrug resistance of liver cancer cells,increasing therapeutic effects by combining with other treatments,improving the immune function of organism and inhibiting hepatic glu-cose production.Different GS monomers play different roles of anti-hepatoma through their respective channels.

Efficacy of ginsenosides combined with prednisone in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial / 中西医结合学报

Background: The side effects of glucocorticoid in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been the focus of debate, and our preliminary study indicates that ginsenosides can enhance the efficacy of dexamethasone. Objective: To observe the effects of ginsenosides combined with prednisone in SLE patients. Design, setting, participants and interventions: A total of 60 SLE patients from Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 30 patients in each group. Patients in the treatment group were given routine treatment with prednisone plus ginsenosides, while those in the control group were given routine treatment with prednisone plus placebo. They were all treated for 3 months. Main outcome measures: After three-month treatment, syndrome score in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), total response rate and symptom improvement rate were measured and evaluated. Results: Twenty-eight cases in treatment group and twenty-seven cases in control group were included in analysis. The total response rates in the treatment group and control group were 89.28% and 66.67% respectively, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM syndrome scores in the two groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01), and prednisone plus ginsenosides was better in decreasing the TCM syndrome score than prednisone plus placebo (P<0.05). The symptoms were improved in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Prednisone combined with ginsenosides can increase the clinical effective rate and improve the clinical symptoms of SLE patients.

Experimental study of ginsenosides in reversing the down-regulation of glucocorticoids on glucocorticoid receptor / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective To observe the effect of ginsenosides (GS) on the action of glucocorticoid (GC) in down-regulating glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and to explore the mechanism. Methods The rat model with hepatic artery ligation (HAL) was established and treated with GS and dexamethasone (DEX). Serum corticosterone level, maximal GK binding capacity (GR Bmax), K<,d> and GR mRNA in liver cells were detected 12 h after HAL. Results The levels of corticosterone in GS group and model group were higher than those in GS + DEX group, DEX group and normal group (all P < 0.01). The levels of corticosterone in GS + DEX group and DEX group were higher than that of normal group (both P <0.01). Compared to model group, GR Bmax in GS group was higher (P < 0.05), GR Bmax in GS + DEX group was lower (P < 0.05), but higher than that of DEX group (P <0.01). The expression of GR mRNA in GS group was significantly higher than model group (P < 0.01), but GR mRNA expression in DEX group was lower than that in model group, normal group and GS + DEX group (P <0.01). Conclusion GS partially reverses the down-regulation of GC on GR Bmax and GR mRNA, but it has no effect on serum corticosterone level in the rat model with HAL.

Ginsenosides combined with dexamethasone in preventing and treating postembolization syndrome following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: a randomized, controlled and double-blinded prospective trial / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of ginsenosides (GS) and low dose glucocorticoid in preventing and treating the postembolization syndrome following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: Eighty patients with primary liver carcinoma were randomly divided into 4 double-blinded groups, with 20 patients in each group. Patients in groups A, B, C, D were treated with placebo, dexamethasone (Dex), GS, Dex and GS, respectively. The changes of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests after TACE were observed. RESULTS: Dex combined with GS markedly decreased the occurrence ratio and lasting time of the symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fever and pain, and protected the function of liver as compared with the placebo (P<0.05). Single use of Dex or GS improved some symptoms as compared with the placebo, but it was not as good as the combination of Dex and GS. CONCLUSION: Dex combined with GS can effectively prevent and treat the postembolization syndrome following TACE.