Gender differences in the saliva of young healthy subjects before and after citric acid stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Gender differences in the function and anatomical features of salivary glands are well known. However, specific gender differences in the biochemical composition and salivary flow rate (SFR) remain uncertain. Collection methods affect the assessment of the salivary composition and SFR, which are also highly affected by acid stimulation. METHODS: In the present study, we analyzed the differences in salivary characteristics of SFR, pH and salivary α-amylase (sAA) for 28 females and 27 males before and after citric acid stimulation, as measured by 3 different collection methods sequentially. RESULTS: Salivary pH values were significantly lower in females than that in males, both before and after stimulation, irrespective of collection methods. Salivary pH consistently increased after acid stimulation in both genders. Mean SFR in females before acid stimulation was significantly lower than that in males in all 3 samples collected. No gender difference in sAA was evident. CONCLUSION: Substantial gender differences in biochemistry and flow of saliva exist, and these findings are robust, as evidenced by reasonable consistency of the data among different saliva sampling methods.

Effects of Weipixiao (胃痞消) on Wnt pathway-associated proteins in gastric mucosal epithelial cells from rats with gastric precancerous lesions / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of Weipixiao (胃痞消, WPX) on Wnt pathway-associated proteins in gastric mucosal epithelial cells from rats with gastric precancerous lesions (GPL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, vitacoenzyme (0.2 g·kg(-1)·day(-1)), WPX high-dose (H-WPX, 15 g·kg(-1)·day(-1)), WPX medium-dose (M-WPX, 7.5 g·kg(-1)·day(-1)) and WPX low-dose (L-WPX, 3.75 g·kg(-1)·day(-1)) groups. After successfully establishing the GPL model, the rats were consecutively administered WPX or vitacoenzyme by gastrogavage for 10 weeks. Differential expression of Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-proteincoupled receptor 5 (Lgr5), matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), Wnt1, Wnt3a, and β-catenin in gastric mucosal epithelial cells in all groups were immunohistochemically detected, and the images were taken and analyzed semiquantitatively by image pro plus 6.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Gastric epithelium in the model group showed significantly higher expression levels of Lgr5, MMP-7, Wnt1, Wnt3a and β-catenin than those of the control group(P<0.01). Interestingly, we also observed Lgr5+ cells, which generally located at the base of the gastric glandular unit, migrated to the luminal side of gastric epithelium with GPL. The expression levels of Lgr5, MMP-7, Wnt1, and β-catenin were all down-regulated in the L-WPX group as compared with those of both model and vitacoenzyme groups (P<0.05). A similar, but nonsignificant down-regulation in expression level of Wnt3a was noted in all WPX groups (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our findings suggested that the therapeutic mechanisms of WPX in treating GPL might be related with its inhibitory effects on the expressions of Lgr5, MMP-7, Wnt1, β-catenin and the aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.</p>

Effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase, total protein, salivary flow rate and pH value in Pi deficiency children / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), total protein (TP), salivary flow rate, and pH value between Pi deficiency (PD) children and healthy children, thereby providing evidence for Pi controlling saliva theory.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty PD children were recruited, and 29 healthy children were also recruited at the same time. Saliva samples from all subjects were collected before and after citric acid stimulation. The sAA activity and amount, TP contents, salivary flow rate, and pH value were determined and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Citric acid stimulation was able to significantly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, sAA activities, sAA specific activity and sAA amount (including glycosylated and non-glycosylated sAA amount) in healthy children (P<0.05), while it could markedly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, and glycosylated sAA levels in PD children (P<0.05); (2) Although there was no statistical difference in determined salivary indices between the two groups (P>0.05), salivary indices except salivary flow rate and glycosylated sAA levels decreased more in PD children. There was statistical difference in sAA activity ratio, sAA specific activity ratio, and the ratio of glycosylated sAA levels between PD children and healthy children (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PD children had decreased response to citric acid stimulation.</p>

Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of Qingqiao capsule in treating patients with secretory otitis media / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy of Qingqiao Capsule (QQC) in treating patients with secretory otitis media (SOM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 90 patients were randomly assigned into the treated group (n = 45) and the control group (n = 45). Patients in the treated group were administrated with QQC, 5 capsules each time, 3 times a day for totally 10-14 days, and those in the control group were given per os cefaclor capsules 0.5 g each time for adult, 3 times a day, or 20 mg/(kg.d) for children, for 10-14 days. The therapeutic efficacy of treatment on the patients was observed and compared after treatment and followed up for 3-6 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The clinical efficacy in the treated group was superior to that in the control group with significant statistical difference (P < 0.01); (2) Comparison of the efficacies in patients of three different TCM syndrome types (the external pathogenic wind invasion caused auditory orifice stuffiness type, the Gan-Dan damp-heat steaming up auditory orifice type and the Pi-deficiency dysfunction induced dirty dampness blocking ear type) showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05); (3) The vanishing rate and time needed of the main symptoms and signs in the treated group were superior to those in the control group on ear muffle, tinnitus, hearing impairment, hydrotypanum, pure tone threshold and abnormal tongue figure, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), only those of earache, otopiesis and abnormal pulse figure were insignificantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QQC is an effective Chinese composite medicine on patients with SOM, and shows no obvious adverse reaction.</p>