Intervention effect of Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule on epididymal morphological changes in experimental varicocele rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To explore the effect of Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule (MDZG) on the development and maturation of epididymal sperm in experimental varicocele (VC) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty SD male rats were randomly divided into six groups of equal number, sham operation, VC model, Aescuven forte, and low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG. The model of left VC was made by the Turner method in all the rats except those of the sham operation group, followed by treatment with 0.9% normal saline for the animals in the sham operation and VC model groups, Aescuven forte tablets at 54 mg per kg of the body weight for those in the Aescuven forte group, and MDZG at 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4 g/ml for those in the low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG groups, all administered intragastrically qd for 8 successive weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and their left epididymides harvested for examination of the quality of the epididymal sperm and the local microscopic and ultrastructural changes of the epididymal tissue.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The VC model rats showed significant apoptosis of the epididymal sperm cells, interstitial edema, microvascular dilatation, degeneration and degeneration of the epithelial cells, degeneration of some principal cells and basal cell vacuoles, and immature spermatids in the lumen. Sperm motility was significantly increased in the Aescuven forte and low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG groups as compared with the VC models (P <0.01). Both sperm concentration and motility were markedly higher in the high-dose MDZG than in the Aescuven forte group (P <0.05). Remarkable apoptosis of epididymal sperm cells was observed in the microenvironment of sperm development in the VC models, which exhibited no statistically significant difference from that in the rats of the medium- and high-dose MDZG groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Experimental varicocele induced local apoptosis of epididymal sperm cells, interstitial edema and microvascular dilatation in the rat epididymis, while Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule could improve the stability of epididymal sperm maturation and contribute to their development.</p>

Evaluation for extraction process of Shenqi Tongmai Yizhi particles based on antioxidant capacity in vitro and its spectrum-effect relation / 中国中药杂志

Based on DPPH method, the antioxidant activities of Shenqi Tongmai Yizhi particles with different extraction processes were compared. The contribution to the anti-oxidant capacity in vitro was explored by means of grey relational analysis on different chemical compositions in the fingerprint. The results showed that the IC₅₀ concentration values of water extract, water extract from alcohol precipitation, alcohol extract, and alcohol and water extract were 0.801 4, 0.859 1, 0.796 1, 0.918 0 g•L⁻¹; and the alcohol extract is the best method to extract antioxidative components, with the highest antioxidant activity and lowest IC₅₀. When the mass concentration of the herbs reached a certain degree, its free radical clearance rate was similar to that of vitamin C control group. The order of different chemical contributions of constituents to the antioxidant activity in the fingerprint was 4>3>33>53>9>10>11>34>15>59>8>61>52>20>42>18>29. The preliminary exploration for the spectrum efficiency relations provides reference for studying traditional Chinese medicine compound processing method and the pharmacodyamic material basis.

Optimization of solvent-free microwave extraction for Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and analysis on volatile components by GC-MS / 中草药

Objective: To study the solvent-free microwave extraction for oils of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and analyze the volatile components. Methods: The paper selected the best technological conditions by L9(34) orthogonal test, with the index of α-asarone, volume of volatile oils, and sum of the percentage, The essential oils in Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma were analyzed with GC-MS. Results: The percentage of volatile oils was calculated according to peak area normalization method. The results showed similar amount of volatile oil components by two methods, and the extraction rates of α-asarone, β-asarone, and γ-asarone accounted for 4.12%, 55.11%, and 10.54% on the method of solvent-free microwave extraction, while the steam distillation was 5.39%, 47.03%, and 9.15%. To compare with two methods, solvent-free microwave extraction extracted volatile oil 0.235 mL and α-asarone 31.99 mg for 5 min, while steam distillation extracted volatile oil 0.175 mL and α-asarone 29.09 mg for 1 h. The method of solvent-free microwave extraction had the advantage of short reaction time and high yields. Conclusion: Solvent-free microwave extraction is a new method with shorter extracting time and better extracting efficiency.

Evaluation on intestinal absorption of alkaloids extracted by different methods from Rhizoma Coptidis-Rheum rhabarum herbal pair via everted gut sacs / 中国中药杂志

The research aimed to evaluate the intestinal absorption of alkaloids extracted by decoction and alcohol extraction proces- ses from Rhizoma Coptidis-Rheum rhabarum herbal pair via everted gut sacs. Berberine, palmatine, coptisine and epiberberine were the main alkaloids in this herbal pair and taken as the standard indexes in the quantitative analysis with multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method, in order to calculate absorption rate constant (Ka) and evaluate intestinal absorption characteristics of these four alkaloids extracted by different extraction methods in different intestinal segments in rats. The results showed that the four alkaloids extracted by two different processes in high, medium and low doses had linear absorption properties in the small intestine segment, which conformed to zero-order absorption rate, intestinal segment than 0.99. The absorption rate constant (Ka) of decoction group was higher than that of alcohol extraction group.