Anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects of hydroalcoholic extract from Erythrina variegata and its possible mechanism of action.

BACKGROUND: Erythrina variegata has been widely used as a traditional medicine. OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to evaluate the anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects of an extract from Erythrina variegata. METHODS: The extract was evaluated for anxiolytic and anti-depressant action using the elevated plus maze, light/dark box, open field, forced swimming and tail suspension tests in mice. The mechanism of action was further elucidated using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection methods to assay the levels of five neurotransmitters in brain. RESULTS: The extract exhibited significant increase in the percentage of the open arms entries and the time spent in the open arms in the elevated plus maze test. The results of the light/dark box test revealed a significant increase in the amount of time spent in the light chamber. Extract- treated mice also produced significant increase in the number of crossings and rearings in the open field test. In the forced swimming and tail suspension tests, the extract was able to promote significant decrease in the immobility time. In addition, the extract significantly altered the levels of five neurotransmitters in the brain tissue. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that Erythrina variegata presents potential anxiolytic and anti-depressant activity, and the mechanism may be related to the alteration of neurotransmitter levels.

Chronic stress causes protein kinase C epsilon-aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 signaling pathway perturbation in the rat hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but not in the myocardium.

Chronic stress is strongly associated with the occurrence and development of depression and cardiovascular disease. Stress can induce altered mitochondrial function and activation of apoptosis in the cardio-cerebral system. However, it is unknown whether the protein kinase C ε (PKCε)-aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) pathway is altered under chronic stress, and this study sought to address this question. A rat model of depression was established using a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) protocol. After experiencing CUMS for 4 weeks, the sucrose preference test and the forced swim test verified depressive-like behaviors. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays showed that ALDH2 activity was decreased in the rat hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but was not altered in the myocardium. Western blot assays demonstrated reduced levels of ALDH2 and PKCε, but increased levels of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE) adducts. Caspase-3 expression did not obviously alter, but active forms of caspase-3 were increased in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In the myocardium, expression of ALDH2, PKCε and 4HNE adducts did not remarkably alter; while caspase-3 expression was reduced and the active forms of caspase-3 were upregulated. Pearson's correlation test demonstrated that expression of 4HNE adducts was positively correlated with levels of the active forms of caspase-3 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but not in the myocardium. In conclusion, chronic stress can damage the PKCε-ALDH2 signaling pathway in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but not in the myocardium. Moreover, 4HNE is associated with active forms of caspase-3 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

[Grade classification of Scutellariae Radix slices based on determination of section color and lustre].

By determination the section color and lustre indexes as well as the content of baicalin in 30 batches of Scutellariae Radix slices, calculate the correlation of these two, screen the color and lustre indexes which could represent their intrinsic quality, and establish a new grade classification method based on the results. The results showed that samples met the conditions of △L≥－37, △b≥45 simultaneously were picked grade and the content of baicalin was of ≥200 mg•g⁻¹ definitely; Samples inconsistent with any one of above conditions were general grade. This research indicated that indexes of △L and △b could characterize both the color and luster of slice and intrinsic quality, so that could be used as the indexes to classify the grades of Scutellariae Radix slices accurately, easily and objectively. The research results would provide new ideas and references for grade classification of traditional Chinese medicine slices.

Ambrisentan May Improve Exercise Tolerance and Cardiac Function in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by a significant increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, which results in ventricular failure and death. Ambrisentan appears to be an effective treatment in the pathogenesis and progression of ambrisentan, but some researchers disagree. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to examine the clinical efficacy of ambrisentan in the treatment of PH. METHODS: A search of the scientific literature using the Embase, Cochrane, and CHINAHL databases retrieved published studies related to our topic of interest. Eight cohort studies related to ambrisentan and PH treatment were selected on the basis of our strict inclusion and exclusion criteria for a systematic meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA version 12.0 statistical software (StataCorp LP, College Station, Texas). FINDINGS: Our meta-analysis retrieved 124 studies using our search criteria (90 studies in English and 34 studies in Chinese), and 8 studies (4 studies in English and 4 studies in Chinese) were eventually selected for this meta-analysis. The 8 studies contained data on a total of 172 PH patients. Pooled data in our meta-analysis revealed that 6-minute walking distance in PH patients significantly improved after ambrisentan treatment compared with before treatment. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure, brain natriuretic peptide level, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure in PH patients decreased measurably after ambrisentan treatment compared with before treatment. Sensitivity analysis results confirmed that the included studies had no publication bias (all P > 0.05). IMPLICATIONS: Our meta-analysis results demonstrated that ambrisentan is highly effective in improving exercise tolerance and cardiac function in PH patients, and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and brain natriuretic peptide level levels in PH patients significantly decreased. However, with the limitations of small sample size, insufficient data, and ethnic difference in the study, further studies with larger sample sizes and sufficient information are essential to validate our findings of the high safety profile and efficacy of ambrisentan in treatment of PH.

A cross-sectional analysis of prescription and stakeholder surveys following essential medicine reform in Guangdong Province, China.

BACKGROUND: An essential medicine (EM) system has been implemented in China to reduce patients' financial burden and to make the use of drugs more rational. This study aims to evaluate the current state of the EM system in Guangdong Province. METHODS: We conducted surveys in 21 cities in 2012, covering 98 medical institutions, 1,509 doctors, 17 medicine manufacturers, and 17 distribution companies. We also reviewed outpatient prescriptions (n = 9,941) for treating hypertension, diabetes, bacterial infections and gout to measure the rational use of drugs in secondary and tertiary (upper-level) hospitals. RESULTS: The percentage of non-priority EM use ranged from 8.1% to 10.7% in upper-level hospitals, and this non-priority use significantly increased prescription drug costs. Other types of inappropriate medicine use were found more frequently in treating bacterial infections (7.4%) than in treating hypertension (1.6%), diabetes (1.3%) and gout (1.7%). Tertiary hospitals prescribed fewer EMs than secondary hospitals; moreover, tertiary hospitals had higher prescription drug costs. The zero mark-up policy decreased prescription drug costs in secondary hospitals. The survey revealed that forced full-prescription EM use might lead to fewer patient visits to primary hospitals. Manufacturers had halted the production of four (1, 23) types of EMs at the time of the survey. CONCLUSIONS: Encouraging the priority use of EMs and implementation of the zero mark-up policy were effective in curtailing prescription medicine costs in upper-level hospitals. Further work should focus on the following: creating guidelines to enhance rational prescription behavior, establishing policies to support EM use in upper-level hospitals and improving the bidding system to ensure a steady supply of the lowest-priced generic drugs.

Resonant modes of 12-fold symmetric defect free photonic quasicrystal.

This work investigates the resonant modes of a 12-fold symmetric defect free photonic quasicrystal (PQC) nanorod array using finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation. Localized modes can exist in PQC without introducing defects due to the lack of translational symmetry. The resonant modes of the unit cell PQC and the one time expanded PQC from unit cell are systematically examined. The resonant spectrum is that of a single rod modified by the interaction among PQC nanorods. The mode confinement is contributed by guided resonance and destructive interference scattering. The self-scaling similarity of resonant spectrum and mode profile are also investigated.

[Effects of intensive clinic follow-up on short-term outcome of outpatients with chronic heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of intensive clinic follow-up for outpatients with chronic heart failure (CHF) on outcome. METHODS: All patients diagnosed as CHF in our cardiac center between January 2007 to December 2008 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two intensive follow-up (IF) and usual care (UC) groups. Endpoints including death or rehospitalization, medication, the quality of life evaluated with Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and hospital costs were analyzed with the data collected through hospital records or by telephone and post survey. RESULTS: A total of 333 patients were enrolled (108 patients in IF group and 225 in UC group). The mean follow-up duration was 454 days for IF group and 484 days for UC group. Mortality and readmission rate (66.67% vs. 42.59%, P < 0.05) and mortality rate (14.35% vs. 1.85%, P < 0.05) were significantly higher in UC group than in IF group. The percentage of patients receiving ACEI/ARB (86.79% vs. 40.54%, P < 0.05) and beta-adrenergic receptor blocker (89.62% vs. 46.49%, P < 0.05) were higher in IF group than in the UC group. In addition, the percentage of patients receiving target dosage of drugs is also higher in IF group (ACEI/ARB17.92%, BB17.92%) than in UC group (ACEI/ARB8.65%, BB1.62%, P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, mean MLHFQ total score (30.7 vs. 37.7, P < 0.05) and hospital cost (3821.51 RMB less per patient in this period) were significantly lower in IF group than in UC group. CONCLUSION: Intensive clinic follow-up for outpatients with CHF in HF clinic can improve evidence-based treatment, reduce the readmission and death rate, improve quality of life and save hospital cost.