Berberine Induces Cell Apoptosis through Cytochrome C/Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1/Caspase-3 and Apoptosis Inducing Factor Pathway in Mouse Insulinoma Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate apoptotic effects of berberine, a significant alkaloids component existing in Rhizoma coptidis, and its possible acting mechanism in insulinoma cells.@*METHODS@#Different concentrations of berberine were used to treat mouse insulinoma (MIN6) cells for various period of time. The viability and apoptosis of the cells were analyzed using methylthiazolyldiphenvl-tetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. Changes in the relating pro- and anti-apoptosis proteins were detected by western-blotting.@*RESULTS@#The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) of berberine was 5.7 μmol/L on MIN6 cells viability for 16 h. Berberine caused a 20% reduction (P<0.05) in cell number after only 4-h incubation; which reached 50% after 24 h (P<0.01). Berberine treatment for 16 h significantly increased the level of DNA fragmentation. The flow cytometry showed the apoptotic rate increased 2.9- and 4.6-fold after treating with berberine (5 μmol/L) for 8 and 16 h, while 3- and 8.7-fold after 10 μmol/L treatment for 8 and 16 h (P<0.01). Berberine treatment dramatically elevated the expression ratio of Bax to Bcl-2. Meanwhile, berberine notably increased the apoptosis-inducing factors and cytochrome C transforming from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) was subsequently activated after cytochrome C release. Furthermore, caspase-3 and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase were also activated to trigger apoptosis cascade.@*CONCLUSION@#High concentration (5 and 10 μmol/L) of berberine could induce the apoptosis of MIN6 cells through cytochrome C/Apaf-1/caspase-3 and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) pathway.

Correlation analysis for the attack of bacillary dysentery and meteorological factors based on the Chinese medicine theory of Yunqi and the medical-meteorological forecast model / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the impact of meteorological factors on the outbreak of bacillary dysentery, so as to provide suggestions for disease prevention.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the Chinese medicine theory of Yunqi, the descriptive statistics, single-factor correlation analysis and back-propagation artificial neural net-work were conducted using data on five basic meteorological factors and data on incidence of bacillary dysentery in Beijing, China, for the period 1970-2004.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence of bacillary dysentery showed significant positive correlation relationship with the precipitation, relative humidity, vapor pressure, and temperature, respectively. The incidence of bacillary dysentery showed a negatively correlated relationship with the wind speed and the change trend of average wind speed. The results of medical-meteorological forecast model showed a relatively high accuracy rate.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There is a close relationship between the meteorological factors and the incidence of bacillary dysentery, but the contributions of which to the onset of bacillary dysentery are different to each other.</p>

Correlation analysis for the attack of respiratory diseases and meteorological factors / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between respiratory diseases onset and the meteorological factors in the same period and in a specific environment. METHODS METHODS: By using the data of daily incidence of respiratory diseases obtained from Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2007, and the data of 16 items of meteorological factors (such as the average, maximum, and minimum temperatures, etc., including meteorological factors derived) obtained from the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Observatory, mathematical statistical methods were applied to achieve the non-linear correlation analysis, or the correlation test, between the incidence of respiratory diseases and the time-related meteorological factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The simple correlation coefficients of the relationship between the incidence of respiratory diseases and 9 meteorological elements, including the average values of temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, degree of comfort, precipitation, vapor pressure, low cloud cover, change of vapor pressure, and change of wind speed, were all greater than 0.8286, in which one of the relationship between the incidence of respiratory diseases and the maximum temperature is as high as 0.9670. Statistical tests showed R>Rα=0.05 and F>Fα=0.05.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The incidence of respiratory diseases was closely correlated to meteorological factors, such as air temperature, vapor pressure, precipitation, wind speed, etc. To a certain extent, this conclusion confirmed the scientificity and objectivity of the theory of five evolutive phases and six climatic factors (Wu Yun Liu Qi ) in Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine).</p>

Microarray and research of Chinese medications: pharmcogenomics of Chinese medications / 中国中药杂志

The mechanism of Chinese medications have some characteristic such as multi-pathway, multi-components, multi-targets and so on, which decide the direction of systems research. In the recent years, microarrays be concerned with the relative field of Chinese medications for its superiority of highthough, parallel and high-density. This paper mainly generalize the approach of these methods in the recent three years, such as finding effective target of Chinese medications, effective part of Chinese medications, checkup of Chinese medications, screening new drugs and so on. We suggest the concept of Pharmacogenomics of Chinese medications with the guidance of the theory of Chinese medications for further development of Chinese medications.

Survey on factors influencing the use of suitable techniques on Chinese medicine in the countryside in 10 provinces / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effective factors and difficulties in the application of Suitable Technique of Chinese Medicine(STCM) in the countryside.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A survey on current situation was carried out on incumbency doctors in 12 cities with a self-designed questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 1387 available questionnaire, 51.8% of the doctors agreed with the active application of some STCM in the countryside while 42.8% thought that they could be promoted. Factors as age,titles of professional, jobs and holding a diploma had close relation with their attitude to the application of techniques in their cities (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Suitable technique of CM could be adopted by the rural doctors working at the grassroot healthcare unit, suggesting that these techniques should be popularized step by step.</p>

Safety issues of traditional Chinese medical preparations containing arsenic substances: review starting from Niuhuang Jiedu Pian (Wan) / 中国中药杂志

By comprehensively reviewing the origin and history of Niuhuang Jiedu Wan and its "derivatives", we studied the clinical records of realgar, investigated its clinical usage, dosage, efficacy, and toxicity in the literatures. We pinpointed the factors that might be associated with safety problems of Niuhuang Jiedu Pian (Wan) and other traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations containing arsenic substances. In this article we also put forward suggestions for strengthening the surveillance and administration of similar TCM preparations.