Advances in animal models of chronic heart failure and its applications in traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Chronic heart failure(CHF) is a series of clinical syndromes in which various heart diseases progress to their end stage. Its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year, which seriously threatens people's life and health. The diseases causing CHF are complex and varied, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cardiomyopathy and so on. It is of great significance to establish animal models of CHF according to different etiologies to explore the pathogenesis of CHF and develop drugs to prevent and treat CHF induced by different diseases. Therefore, based on the classification of the etiology of CHF, this paper summarizes the animal models of CHF widely used in recent 10 years, and the application of these animal models in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) research, in order to provide ideas and strategies for studying the pathogenesis and treatment of CHF, and provide ideas for TCM modernization research.

Acupuncture at acupoints along the meridians for primary insomnia: a multi-center randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect differences among different acupoint selection methods for primary insomnia.@*METHODS@#A total of 333 patients with primary insomnia were recruited from 3 study centers and randomly divided into a group A (111 cases, 7 cases dropped off), a group B (111 cases, 5 cases dropped off) and a group C (111 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the group A were treated with acupuncture at Shenmen (HT 7) and Baihui (GV 20), the patients in the group B were treated with acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Baihui (GV 20), and the patients in the group C were treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint and Baihui (GV 20). All the treatment was given once a day, 30 min each time; 5 treatments were taken as a course and 5 courses of treatment were given. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Athens insomnia scale (AIS) scores were evaluated before and after treatment as well as 4 weeks after treatment. The encephalofluctuograph technology (ET) was observed before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the PSQI scores after treatment and at follow-up were significantly decreased in three groups (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The acupuncture at acupoints along the meridians could improve the sleep quality in patients with primary insomnia, and the therapeutic effect of acupoint along the meridians is better than that of non-acupoint.

Effect of Different Stimulating Strength of Electroacupuncture on Gastrointestinal Motility and RhoA/ROCK Signaling in Gastric Antral Smooth Muscle in Diabetic Gastroparesis Rats / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of different strength of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation on gastrointestinal motility and Ras homolog gene family member (RhoA)/Rho associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase (ROCK) signaling in diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) rats, so as to reveal the underlying mechanisms of EA for improving DGP. METHODS: Sixty SD rats were randomly and equally divided into blank control, DGP model, weak EA, medium EA, and strong EA groups (n＝12 rats in each). The DGP model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mmol/kg, 2%) and high-sugar and high-fat fodder feeding for 8 weeks. EA (0.12, 0.24, 0.36 mA, 20 Hz/100 Hz) was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Liangmen" (ST 21) for 20 min, once daily for 15 successive days. Blood glucose levels were measured weekly with blood glucose meter and blood glucose test paper. Fecal phenol red excretion method was used to display gastric emptying and small intestinal propulsion function. The expression of RhoA protein in the gastric antral smooth muscle tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot (WB), separately, and that of ROCK, myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT 1) and phosphorylated (p)-MYPT 1 proteins in gastric antrum detected by WB. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate of the model group were significantly decreased (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture stimulation of ST 36-SP 6-ST 21 at 0.12, 0.24 and 0.36 mA can promote the gastrointestinal motility in DGP rats, which may be associated with its effects in enhancing RhoA/ROCK signaling in the gastric antral smooth muscle at different degrees.

Effects of Acupuncture on 5-HT, NE and DA in Serum of Insomnia Rats / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture in acupoints at different meridians on 5-HT, DA, NE in the peripheral serum of insomnia rats; To explore the mechanism of action of acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia. Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, Baihui+Shenmen group, Baihui+Sanyinjiao group, and Baihui+non-acupoint group, with 12 rats in each group. Injection of PCPA suspension of rats was used to establish insomnia model. Each acupuncture group received corresponding acupoints, 30 min each time, for 7 days. The levels of 5-HT, DA and NE in serum were measured by ELISA. Results Compared with the blank group, the levels of 5-HT, DA and NE in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of DA and NE in the acupuncture groups were significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the 5-HT in Baihui+Sanyinjiao group was significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.05). Among all acupuncture groups, overall efficacy of Baihui+Shenmen group was better than Baihui+Sanyinjiao group and Baihui+non-acupoint group. Conclusion Acupuncture can improve sleep structure in rats may be related to serum monoamine neurotransmitters. Acupuncture in acupoints at different meridians may be one of the influencing factors of acupoint compatibility effects.

Value of early application of different doses of amino acids in parenteral nutrition among preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the short-term response and tolerance of different doses of amino acids in parenteral nutrition among preterm infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 86 preterm infants who had a birth weight between 1 000 to 2 000 g and were admitted to the hospital within 24 hours of birth between March 2013 and June 2014. According to the early application of different doses of amino acids, they were randomized into low-dose group (n=29, 1.0 g/kg per day with an increase of 1.0 g/kg daily and a maximum of 3.5 g/kg per day), medium-dose group (n=28, 2.0 g/kg per day with an increase of 1.0 g/kg daily and a maximum of 3.7 g/kg per day), and high-dose group (n=29, 3.0 g/kg per day with an increase of 0.5-1.0 g/kg daily and a maximum of 4.0 g/kg per day). Other routine parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition support were also applied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The maximum weight loss was lower and the growth rate of head circumference was greater in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group (P<0.05). The infants in the medium- and high-dose groups had faster recovery of birth weight, earlier attainment of 100 kcal/(kg·d) of enteral nutrition, shorter duration of hospital stay, and less hospital cost than those in the low-dose group (P<0.05). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in the high-dose group increased compared with the other two groups 7 days after birth (P<0.05). The levels of creatinine, pH, bicarbonate, bilirubin, and transaminase and the incidence of complications showed no significant differences between groups (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Parenteral administration of high-dose amino acids in preterm infants within 24 hours after birth can improve the short-term nutritional status of preterm infants, but there is a transient increase in BUN level.</p>

Synthesis and bioactivies of salicylic acid-g-chitosan derivatives / 药学学报

To prepare the derivatives of salicylic acid-g-chitosan and study their synergistic and complementary actions, the synergism of anti-inflammatory action of the derivatives was investigated with the experiments of xylene-induces mice ear edema, the analgesic activities by the tartaric emetic-induced mice twist test and the hot-plate test, and the complementary effects between salicylic acid and chitosan through morphological changes of stomach mucous membrane of rat, separately. The anti-inflammatory activities of salicylic acid-g-chitosan derivatives for anti-inflammatory activities were more potent than that of salicylic acid and chitosan and dexamethasone cream in external use, and more potent than that of aspirin orally. However, immediate analgesic activity of the derivatives was lower than that of aspirin and persistent activity was similar as that of aspirin. And the stomach mucous membrane morphology change of the derivatives was much milder than that of aspirin. The salicylic acid grafted chitosan derivatives showed synergistic and complementary effect on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities and so on.

Inclusion constant of beta-CD and paeonol measured by phase solubility method / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Measure the thermal stability and the forming constant of inclusion complex for paeonol with beta-CD, and investigate interaction between beta-CD and paeonol,</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The thermal stability investigated by using different thermal analysis. The forming constant was determined by using phase method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Comparing with melt temperature of paeonol, that of its inclusion complex increase about 220 degrees C. The solubility of paeonol increases with the increased concentration of beta-CD, the composing ratio and the inclusion constant of beta-CD-paeonol is respectively 1/1 and 27.42 mL x mg(-1).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Inclusion constant is applied to research the stability of included drug in physiological condition.</p>