[Observation on pathological changes of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head of hallux valgus].

OBJECTIVE: To observe pathological characteristic of bone and soft tissue of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head in order to investigate the pathogenesis of hallux valgus. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-three patients with hallux valgus (235 feet) were obtained from August 2003 to December 2004 in our department. The bone and soft tissue of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head were taken out from the incision. The pathological conditions of specimen were observed by HE stain. RESULTS: The pathological changes included: degeneration and desmoplasia around the attachment point of tendon and joint capsule, reactive hyperplasia of periost, decreasing of bone trabecula, cartilaginification of periost, cortical bone and tendon insertion, bone formation and osteoclasts response. CONCLUSION: The pathological changes of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head of hallux valgus presented extensive chronic inflammation.

[Change of gene expression pattern and regulation of SFK on the change in early stage after hemitransection of the spinal cord in rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of gene expression in early stage of hemitransection of spinal cord and the regulatory effects of the traditional Chinese mixture Suifukang (SFK) on these changes. METHODS: Eighty-six adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Suifukang group (Group S, n = 31, administered with SFK 3 days before the hemitransection at the dose of 2.5 g crude drugs/100 kg body weight QD and then 4 h and 8 h after hemitransection), model group (Group M, n = 45, administered with normal saline in the manner as in Group S), and normal control group (Group N, n = 10, without any treatment). The rats of Groups S and M underwent hemitransection of spinal cord at the level T12 three days before treatment. Twenty-four hours after the spinal cord injury (SCI), the rats were anesthetized and the injured tissues of Groups S and M and the corresponding tissues of Group N were removed. Total RNA was extracted, mRNA was purified and marked by Cy3 or Cy5 fluorescence labeling to synthesize cDNA hybridized probe that was hybridized with Biostars gene chip. Then the chip was scanned with ScanArray500 scanning apparatus. The data were analyzed by Imagene3.0 software. RESULTS: There were 139 differentially expressed genes in Group M, 83 up-regulated and 56 down-regulated, involved in multifarious functions, such as cell metabolism, especially lipid metabolism, and regulation of ionic channel, immunity and defense, cytoskeleton protein, extracellular matrix, cell cycle, etc. There were 37 differentially expressed gene in Group S, 11 up-regulated, such as such Anxal, Ca(2+)-ATPase, IL-1 beta, Ofp, and 26 down-regulated, such as HSP-70 and Psap, several being key genes related to protection and regeneration of neuron. CONCLUSION: In the early stage after SCI many genes related to nervous degeneration, necrosis, traumatic inflammation, secondary injury of spinal cord, and aborted regeneration, etc, are expressed differentially. SFK regulates the changes of gene expression induced by SCI, thus initiating the protective effect of nervous tissues and promoting and supporting the regeneration of injured nervous tissues.

[Study on effect of suifukang in regulating the change of free radical after hemitransected spinal cord injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory effect of Suifukang (SFK), a compound Chinese patent drug on the change of free radical in tissue of spinal cord and blood caused by experimental spinal injury. METHODS: Seventy male adult SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, the SFK group (n = 20), the hormone group (n = 20), the control group (n = 20) and the normal group (n = 10). Rats in the former three groups were made into the right hemitransected spinal cord (T12) injury. SFK were given to the rats in the SFK group 3 days before and 2 hrs after modeling via gastrogavage, saline was given to rats in the control group at the same time. As for the rats in the hormone group, methyl-prednisolone 30 mg/kg was given once immediately by peritoneal injection. The rats were sacrificed in two batches (10 of each group in each batch) at 8 hrs and 24 hrs after modeling to obtain the serum and injured spinal cord tissue for determining superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. RESULTS: (1) As compared with the normal group, SOD activity in serum and spinal tissue of the control group was lower significantly both at 8 hrs and 24 hrs after modeling, but the changes of SOD activity in the SFK and the hormone group were insignificant; (2) Content of MDA in serum and spinal tissue of rats elevated after modeling, which in the control group at 8 hrs after modeling were higher than that in the normal group, also higher than that in the SFK group and the hormone group; but at 24 hrs after modeling, it lowered significantly in both treated groups. The changes of MDA content in serum were similar to those in the spinal tissue. CONCLUSION: SFK could effectively eliminate the excessive free radical in serum and injured spinal tissue, and raise the capability of antioxidation of organism.