Anti-hyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory actions of vaticaffinol isolated from Dipterocarpus alatus in hyperuricemic mice / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to examine the anti-hyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory effects and possible mechanisms of vaticaffinol, a resveratrol tetramer isolated from ethanol extracts of Dipterocarpus alatus, in oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mice. At 1 h after 250 mg·kg potassium oxonate was given, vaticaffinol at 20, 40, and 60 mg·kg was intragastrically administered to hyperuricemic mice once daily for seven consecutive days. Vaticaffinol significantly decreased serum uric acid levels and improved kidney function in hyperuricemic mice. It inhibited hepatic activity of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XOD), regulated renal mRNA and protein levels of urate transporter 1 (URAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1), OCT2, organic cation/carnitine transporter 1 (OCTN1), and OCTN2 in hyperuricemic mice. Moreover, vaticaffinol markedly down-regulated renal protein levels of NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like (ASC), and Caspase-1, resulting in the reduction of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in this animal model. Additionally, HPLC and LC-MS analyses clearly testified the presence of vaticaffinol in the crude extract. These results suggest that vaticaffinol may be useful for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia with kidney inflammation.

Effect of early intervention of liver-smoothing and blood-activating decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with post-stroke depression / 中国中药杂志

To study the effect of early intervention of liver-soothing and Blood-activating decoction combined with acupuncture in improving neurological functions, depressive symptom and life quality of patients with post-stroke depression, and compare with fluoxetine hydrochloride. Specifically, 63 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture group (31 cases) and the western medicine group (32 cases). On the basis of the conventional treatment of the primary disease, the TCM acupuncture group was treated with liver-soothing and blood-activating decoction and acupuncture, while the western medicine group was treated with fluoxetine hydrochloride for four weeks. In the follow-up visit six months later, scores of HAMD, NIHSS and SS-QOL were observed. The scores of HAMD and NIHSS of both groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), while the scores of SS-QOL increased significantly, with a notable difference compared with that before the treatment (P < 0.01). Specifically, the TCM acupuncture group's was superior to the western medicine group (P < 0.05). The study suggests that the early intervention of liver-soothing and blood-activating decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with post-stroke depression has the effect in relieving depression symptom and improving neurological functions, thereby improving their quality of life and prognosis.

Study on growth of height among students during their adolescence in Zhongshan, Guangdong / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To discuss characteristics of height growth such as Peak Height Velocity (PHV) and Age at Peak Height Velocity (PHA) during adolescence,and to compare the results with other research findings.Methods Primary and middle school students' annual physical examination data of Zhongshan in 2005-2010 was used.The height velocity by age,PHV,PHA,height velocity by PHA were calculated.Results The average peak height velocity boys was ( 10.03 ± 1.67 ) cm/yr.and that of the girls was ( 8.39 ± 1.05 ) cm/yr.Both findings were close to the results from previous similar findings.The average age at which peak height velocity reached 12.28± 1.30 years for boys and 10.78 ± 1.04 years for girls,both lower than the previous findings.The correlation coefficients,between height level and PHA were -0.357 (P＜0.001) for boys and -0.338 (P＜0.001) for girls.Conclusion The height levels were positively related to the height velocity before PHA.The Zhongshan students' PHA was lower than the Beijing,Shanghai and Shenyang students,also lower than American and Britain students',but their PHVs were similar.

Recent researches of synthetic mercury sulfide in traditional medicine system / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Herein, the synthesis, component, microstructure and pharmacological and toxicology researches of the Synthetic Mercury Sulfide (S-HgS) a kind of common drug in Chinese, Mongolia, Tibetan medicine, and Indian medicine system were summarized. The similar cognition about mercury toxicity & pharmacological action from some Asian regions was analyzed, and it can supply some useful direction for the traditional Asian medicine system.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Recent literatures both domestic and abroad were summarized and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>S-HgS is the basis of Vermilion, Mongolia-Vermilion, Zuotai, and Ras-sindoor. Athough the processes of synthesis are very different, but the microstructure and pharmacological & toxicology of S-HgS is similar.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>S-HgS has a far-ranging application,and unique curative effect. New technology such as nanotechnology can be used for improving the advancement of traditional Asian medicine.</p>

Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on the phenotype and functions of human dendritic cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the effect of astragalus polysaccharides (APS) in inducing phenotypic and functional changes of human dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human dendritic cells were induced from the peripheral blood monocytes in vitro by the application of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and GM-CSF, and cultured in the presence of APS at different concentrations (50, 100, and 200 mg/L). The morphological changes of the DCs were identified by optical microscope or scanning electron microscope. The phenotypic alterations of the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The DCs cultured for 24 h in the presence of LPS and APS at 50 and 100 mg/L showed suspended growth in the culture medium and underwent morphological changes from spherical cells to irregular cells, with rough cell surface and cell processes of different morphologies. APS-treated DCs had the most typical dendritic structures and highly expressed the phenotypic markers of DCs (CD86 and HLA-DR), but with down-regulated CD14 expression as shown by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both APS and the cytokines can induce the maturation of DCs derived from peripheral blood monocytes.</p>