Do individual psychological characteristics predict induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects on pain and itch?

Background: Nocebo and placebo effects, i.e., adverse or beneficial treatment effects, respectively, putatively due to expectancies can modulate pain and itch. These effects can generalize within the pain or itch modality. Predicting the induction and generalization of these effects can be helpful in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate whether psychological characteristics related to the fear-avoidance model predict the induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects on pain and itch in young healthy participants. Methods: Data from two previous experiments were analyzed. In Experiment 1, we induced nocebo and placebo effects on heat pain and tested generalization to pressure pain and to cowhage-evoked itch (n = 33 in a nocebo group, n = 32 in a placebo group). In Experiment 2, we induced nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch and tested generalization to mechanical itch and to mechanical touch (n = 44). Potential predictors were anxiety- and stress symptoms, attention to pain/itch, and pain/itch catastrophizing. Multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: For nocebo effects, none of the individual psychological characteristics significantly predicted induction of nocebo effects nor their generalization. For placebo effects, only less stress symptoms, lower attention to pain, and higher pain catastrophizing weakly predicted a stronger generalization of placebo effects from heat pain to pressure pain. Conclusion: The tested psychological characteristics may not play an important role in the induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects in healthy individuals. However, firm conclusions cannot be drawn with the current sample. Future studies should validate findings in larger and more diverse samples.

A retrospective analysis of emergency hysterectomy intervention strategy in obstetrics.

Objectives: To investigate the indications of obstetric emergency hysterectomy and analyze the clinical effects of subtotal hysterectomy and total hysterectomy. Methods: We included 247 hospitalized women who had undergone abdominal hysterectomy due to obstetric reasons in Fujian Province Maternity and Child Health Hospital (a provincial class-A hospital) and Ningde People's Hospital (a primary Class-B hospital) between January 2002 and December 2018. We identified surgical indications and clinical characteristics of the patients. Furthermore, the patients from Fujian Provincial Maternity and Child Health Hospital were subdivided into subtotal hysterectomy group and total hysterectomy group to examine general operation conditions, and postoperative complications. Results: The main surgical indications for emergency obstetric hysterectomy in Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital were placental implantation (49.6%) and uterine weakness (31.9%), while uterine weakness (37.5%) was the most important indication in Ningde People's Hospital. No differences were found in operation time, hospitalization time, intraoperative blood loss, postpartum blood loss, and intraoperative fresh frozen plasma transfusion between the subtotal hysterectomy group and the total hysterectomy group. Postoperative test parameters, including postoperative prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), hemoglobin (HGB), and hematocrit (HCT), were not significantly different between the two groups. No significant difference was noted in postoperative vesicoureteral injury, pelvic hematoma, infection, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) incidence, but renal failure incidence was different (P=0.040). Conclusion: The treatment effect of subtotal hysterectomies for the cases without placenta accreta and placenta previa was similar in the two hospitals. There is no statistically significant difference in therapeutic effect between total hysterectomy and subtotal hysterectomy.

Investigating the Association between COMMD3 Expression and the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The Copper Metabolism MURR1 Domain (COMMD) family proteins are known to play roles in promoting or inhibiting the proliferation, migration and invasion of tumor cells. However, the role of COMMD3 in hepatocellular carcinoma are still unclear. By investigating the TCGA datasets, we found that the mRNA expression of COMMD3 was significantly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue compared with normal liver tissue, which was further supported by Oncomine dataset, Western blot, qRT-PCR, and IHC analysis. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the high expression of COMMD3 was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Consistently, the clinic-pathological analysis found that the overexpression of COMMD3 was correlated with advanced TNM stage, advanced T stage and vascular invasion. By performing multivariate analysis, we found that the expression of COMMD3 was an independent influencing factor on OS and DFS. Furthermore, we knocked down COMMD3 in HCC cells via RNA interference. The results showed that silencing COMMD3 could inhibit the migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of HCC cells. Finally, we established xenograft tumor model in nude mice, and the knockdown of COMMD3 suppressed tumor growth and angiogenesis. In summary, our study showed that the high expression of COMMD3 was correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients and contributed to migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC cells.

Induction and generalization of nocebo effects on itch.

Nocebo effects, that is, negative treatment outcomes due to negative expectancies, can increase itch. Moreover, indirect evidence has shown that nocebo hyperknesis can generalize to another itch modality. Knowledge on response generalization can help to prevent and decrease negative effects. The aims of this study were to investigate (1) the efficacy of inducing nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch via verbal suggestions and (2) whether these effects can generalize to (2a) mechanically evoked touch and (2b) mechanically evoked itch. Forty-four healthy participants watched a video suggesting that a nocebo solution increases cowhage-evoked itch and that a control solution does not affect itch. Subsequently, cowhage, mechanical itch, and mechanical touch stimuli were applied. Nocebo effects were measured as the difference in both mean and peak of the outcomes itch and urge to scratch between nocebo and control trials. Main analyses revealed significant nocebo effects on mean and peak itch for all stimuli. For urge to scratch, a significant nocebo effect was only observed for mechanical touch (peak). As mechanical stimuli did not induce pure sensations as planned, posthoc sensitivity analyses were run for mechanical stimuli that individually induced either touch or itch at baseline. These analyses showed similar results for generalization to mechanical itch, but generalization to mechanical touch was non-significant. This study showed that merely verbal suggestion can induce nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch and that these effects can generalize to another itch modality. Future studies may examine how to prevent negative experiences from generalizing to subsequent encounters.

Can placebo and nocebo effects generalize within pain modalities and across somatosensory sensations?

Pain and other somatosensory sensations, such as itch, can be effectively decreased by placebo effects and increased by nocebo effects. There are indications that placebo effects on pain generalize to other sensations and that nocebo effects generalize within itch modalities. However, it has not yet been investigated whether learned effects can generalize within pain stimulus modalities or from pain to itch. Our aims were to test whether placebo and nocebo effects can generalize within pain modalities, ie, from heat pain to pressure pain, and across somatosensory sensations with psychophysiological similarities, ie, from heat pain to cowhage-evoked itch. For this purpose, 65 healthy participants were randomized to either a placebo or nocebo group. All participants first underwent a conditioning and verbal suggestion procedure with heat pain stimuli. Subsequently, responses to heat pain, pressure pain, and cowhage-evoked itch stimuli were tested. Results showed altered levels of heat and pressure pain with the conditioned cue in both placebo and nocebo groups in the expected directions, but no significant difference in itch in both groups. In conclusion, placebo and nocebo effects on pain may generalize within but not across stimulus modalities. This study provides a novel perspective on the role that response generalization plays in physical symptoms.

Asparagus Polysaccharide inhibits the Hypoxia-induced migration, invasion and angiogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells partly through regulating HIF1α/VEGF expression via MAPK and PI3K signaling pathway.

Aim: Although there are so many treatment strategies used for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the overall survival (OS) of HCC patients still remains very low. In our previous studies, asparagus polysaccharide (ASP) has been demonstrated to suppress proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC cells under normoxic conditions in vitro. However, the inhibitory effects of ASP on the hypoxia-induced migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC cells still remain largely unexplored. Materials and methods: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, transwell assay, and tube formation assay were used to determine the effects of ASP on hypoxia-induced proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC cells. ELISA, Western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence assay were used to confirm the effects of ASP on the expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF at the protein level. Moreover, effects of ASP on signaling pathway-related proteins were investigated by Western blotting analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was applied to test the effects of ASP on angiogenesis-associated proteins of tumor cells. Results: We showed that ASP effectively suppressed hypoxia-induced proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the inhibitory effect of ASP might be partly attributed to down-regulation of HIF1α and VEGF proteins in SK-Hep1 and Hep-3B cells under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, signaling pathway study indicated that ASP significantly down-regulated the hypoxia-induced expressions of p-AKT, p-mTOR and p-ERK, while it had little effects on AKT, mTOR and ERK. Besides, SK-Hep1 xenograft tumor models in nude mice further confirmed that the inhibitory effect of ASP on xenograft tumors might be exerted partly via down-regulation of HIF1α and VEGF through blocking MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that ASP suppressed the hypoxia-induced migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC cells partly through regulating HIF-1α/VEGF expression via MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways.

MicroRNAs that regulate PTEN as potential biomarkers in colorectal cancer: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in a variety of biological processes, including tumorigenesis, progression, invasion, and drug resistance to multiple cancers. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a cancer suppressor gene that has been certified to be regulated by miRNAs in various tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this review, we screened articles focusing on low PTEN expression in CRC, observed the expression of related miRNAs, analyzed their correlation and relationship with clinicopathological features, and discussed the possibility of these miRNAs as prognostic molecules. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search for articles published in the Web of Science, PubMed and EBSCO databases between January 1, 2002, and July 18, 2019. We identified these studies by using combinations of the following index entries and key words: 'colorectal tumor OR colorectal neoplasm OR colorectal carcinoma OR colorectal cancer OR CRC', 'protein tyrosine phosphatase OR PTEN', and 'microRNA OR MiRNA OR miRNA OR MicroRNA'. Moreover, we evaluated the underlying association between alterations in PTEN and CRC prognosis. RESULTS: PTEN expression was obviously lower in CRC tissues than in normal mucosa. However, PTEN expression did not differ significantly between adenoma and normal tissues. PTEN tends to be negatively associated with tumor size and metastasis. MiR-21, miR-200a, miR-543, miR-32, miR-92a, miR-26a, miR-106a and miR-181a were correlated with the downregulation of PTEN. MiR-26a, miR-106a and miR-181a were obviously higher in CRC tissues than in normal tissues, while PTEN was downregulated in CRC tissues. Additionally, miRNAs were mainly positively correlated with distant metastasis, followed by TNM stage. The relationship between miRNAs and tumor differentiation is controversial. However, there were no significant differences between miRNAs and either sex or age. CONCLUSIONS: The loss of PTEN may be a diagnostic factor for CRC patients. The above-mentioned miRNAs may function as oncogenes in CRC and represent potential targets for CRC therapy. However, further prospective clinical studies are necessary.

Colistin Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Snakes in Taiwan.

This study included fifty-eight isolates of P. aeruginosa from the oral cavity of snakes that were recruited from clinical cases, captive and wild snakes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the determination of susceptibility were identified by the broth microdilution method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect ß-lactamases genes. With regard to antipseudomonal antibiotics, the lowest nonsusceptible rates were in aztreonam (15%), piperacillin/tazobactam (12%), and amikacin (9%). The nonsusceptible rates were high in gentamicin (33%) and colistin (55%). Meanwhile, blaTEM presented in 100% of isolates where blaAmpC, blaOXA-1, and blaOXA-10 came at 94.8%, 89.7%, and 27.6%, respectively. Emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains and colistin-resistant strains highlights the potential breach of public health as P. aeruginosa could be transmitted through either direct contact or indirect dissemination through the environment. This study reports that the highly resistant P. aeruginosa from snakes' oral cavity were discovered for the very first time in Taiwan.

Targeting of growth factors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: The potentials of polysaccharides.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide and is thus of great concern. Although various chemotherapeutic drugs are currently used for the treatment of HCC, severe side effects associated with these treatments have prompted interest in novel therapies, including the use of certain biological macromolecules such as polysaccharides. Several studies have shown that polysaccharides have anticancer and antiproliferative effects on HCC. Vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor ß, epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor may be effective targets for polysaccharides and may modulate tumor growth and immunity through increasing the expression levels of cytokines. The present review focuses on the ways in which growth factors contribute to the development of HCC, and on the anti-growth factor activities of natural and synthetic polysaccharides, as well as their effect on proinflammatory cytokines.

Anticancer effects of deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide on hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in the world whose chemoprevention became increasingly important in HCC treatment. Although the anticancer effects of asparagus constituents have been investigated in several cancers, its effects on hepatocellular carcinoma have not been fully studied. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of the deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide on the hepatocellular carcinoma cells using the in vitro and in vivo experimental model. Our data showed that deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide might act as an effective inhibitor on cell growth in vitro and in vivo and exert potent selective cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B and HepG2 cells. Further study showed that it could potently induce cell apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in the more sensitive Hep3B and HepG2 cell lines. Moreover, deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide potentiated the effects of mitomycin both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide might exert its activity through an apoptosis-associated pathway by modulating the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. In conclusion, deproteinized asparagus polysaccharide exhibited significant anticancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells and could sensitize the tumoricidal effects of mitomycin, indicating that it is a potential therapeutic agent (or chemosensitizer) for liver cancer therapy.

Asparagus polysaccharide and gum with hepatic artery embolization induces tumor growth and inhibits angiogenesis in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma model.

Liver cancer is one of leading digestive malignancies with high morbidity and mortality. There is an urgent need for the development of novel therapies for this deadly disease. It has been proven that asparagus polysaccharide, one of the most active derivates from the traditional medicine asparagus, possesses notable antitumor properties. However, little is known about the efficacy of asparagus polysaccharide as an adjuvant for liver cancer chemotherapy. Herein, we reported that asparagus polysaccharide and its embolic agent form, asparagus gum, significantly inhibited liver tumor growth with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor model, while significantly inhibiting angiogenesis and promoting tumor cell apoptosis. Moreover, asparagine gelatinous possessed immunomodulatory functions and showed little toxicity to the host. These results highlight the chemotherapeutic potential of asparagus polysaccharide and warrant a future focus on development as novel chemotherapeutic agent for liver cancer TACE therapy.

A multifunctional heptamethine near-infrared dye for cancer theranosis.

Personalized oncology significantly relies on the development of cancer theranostic agents to integrate cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. Current most common strategy for development of such multifunctional agents requires multistep chemical conjugation with cancer targeted ligands, contrast agents and therapeutic agents. Here we report the chemical synthesis and biological characterization of a new heptamethine dye, termed as IR-808DB, natively with multifunctional characteristics of cancer targeting, near-infrared fluorescence imaging, and efficient anticancer activity. The tumor inhibition effect of IR-808DB is higher than that of cyclophosphamide (CTX) toward a broad spectrum of tumor xenograft models. These findings provide IR-808DB a promising prospect as a new cancer theranostic agent that would enable integration of cancer targeted therapeutics and diagnostics without requirement of multi-component chemical conjugation.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of new fluoroquinolones containing a cis- or trans-cyclohexane moiety.

New quinolone derivatives bearing a cis- or trans-cyclohexane side chain at the C-7 position have been synthesized and evaluated for their antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar dilution method. The activities of compound 53 against these three bacteria were superior to those of the reference drug lomefloxacin. Compounds bearing a cis-cyclohexane side chain generally exhibited greater antibacterial activity than their corresponding trans-isomers.

[Effect of raloxifene on fracture healing of rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the influence of raloxifene (RLX) on fracture healing in rabbit. METHODS: Eight healthy New Zealand white rabbits (44 females and 36 males) weighing 1.9-2.1 kg were used. A 0.5-cm bone defect model in the mid-diaphysis of the left forelimb radius was established in 72 rabbits, which thereafter were divided into 4 groups (n = 18 per group, 10 females and 8 males): groups A, B and C received 7.5, 15.0 and 30.0 mg/(kg x d) RLX, respectively, from the 2nd to the 50th postoperative day; group D received no further treatment. The rest untreated 8 rabbits (4 females and 4 males) served as normal control for serum osteocalcin detection. At different postoperative time points, bone mineral density detection, X-ray scanning, biomechanics measurement, histology and immunohistochemistry observations were conducted; serum estradiol, plasma cholesterol, serum osteocalcin and the ratio of uterine weight to body weight were detected. RESULTS: The bone mineral density of each group reached a peak 20 days after operation, showing a significant difference between groups A, B and C and group D (P < 0.05), and no significant differences among groups A, B and C (P > 0.05). On the 30th and 50th postoperative day, the maximum failure load and the maximum displacement of groups A, B and C were greater than those of group D (P < 0.05), but no significant differences among groups A, B and C were evident (P > 0.05). On the 7th, 20th and 30th postoperative day, the X-ray score of fracture healing of groups A, B and C was greater than group D (P < 0.05); on the 50th postoperative day, there was significant difference between groups B and C and group D, and between group A and group C (P < 0.05), and no significant difference was evident between group B and group C (P > 0.05). The percentage of new bone formation in the fractured area of groups A, B and C was greater than that of group D on the 30th and 50th postoperative day (P < 0.05). For the type II collagen protein secretion in the fractured area, groups B and C were superior to group D on the 30th postoperative day (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between group A and group D (P > 0.05); no significant differences among four groups were evident on the 50th postoperative day (P > 0.05). On the 10th, 30th and 50th postoperative day, the serum osteocalcin of groups A, B, C and D was higher than that of normal control (P < 0.05), groups B and C were higher than group D (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between groups A, B and C, and between group A and group D (P > 0.05). For the plasma cholesterol, on the 30th postoperative day, no significant change was detected in each group (P > 0.05); on the 50th postoperative day, obvious decrease was observed in groups A, B and C, showing a significant difference compared with group D (P < 0.05). On the 30th and 50th postoperative day, there was significant difference between groups B and C and group D in serum estradiol (P < 0.05), and no significant differences were evident among other groups (P > 0.05). On the 30th and 50th postoperative day, the ratio of uterine weight to body weight in groups B and C was less than that of group D (P < 0.05), and no significant difference was evident between group A and group C (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Oral administration of 7.5 mg/(kg x d) RLX can promote the fracture healing of rabbit radius defect models safely and effectively.

Ethyl 7-amino-1-cyclo-propyl-6-fluoro-8-meth-oxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-quinoline-3-carboxyl-ate monohydrate.

In the title compound, C(16)H(17)FN(2)O(4)·H(2)O, the dihedral angle between the heterocyclic ring and the benzene ring is 5.77 (9)°, that between the heterocycle and the ethoxy-carbonyl plane is 15.5 (1)°, and that between the heterocyclic ring and the cyclopropane ring is 67.75 (13)°. In the crystal structure, mol-ecules are linked into a ribbon-like structure along the c axis by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

[Synthesis of [1,6-bis(L-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid) oxytocin].

A novel derivative of oxytocin containing nonprotein amino acid L-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid (L-Dap) was synthesized by 7+2 fragment combination in solution. N beta of all the amino acid necessary was protected by carbobenzoxy (Z) and N beta of L-Dap was protected by tert. -butoxycarbonyl (Boc) . The important intermediate, heptapeptide, was synthesized by the stepwise elongation method using carbobenzoxy amino acid p-nitrophenyl esters in solution. Azide synthesis was used to get the nonapeptide. Z group was removed by treatment with 5% Pd/C and Boc with CF3COOH. Eight new compounds incorporating L-Dap were obtained and confirmed by the amino acid analysis and mass spectral detection.

[Synthesis of 5-fluorouracil derivatives containing alkanoic acid].

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize 5-fluorouracil derivatives containing 2-5 carbon alkanoic acid. METHODS: N1-substituted derivatives containing alkanoic acid were prepared through the hydrolysis of these products of the reaction of haloesters and excessive amount of 5-fluorouracil. 5-fluorouracil were protected with tertbutoxycarbonyl (Boc) at N1-position, then reacted with haloesters and deprotected in turn, through this "one-pot" method, N3-substituted 5-FU alkanoic acid esters can be obtained, with high yields (75%-85%). The hydrolysis of these products gave N3-substituted 5-FU alkanoic acid at last. RESULTS: Including 10 new compounds and 8 aim compounds, 16 derivatives of 5-fluorouracil were obtained and confirmed by the spectral detection. CONCLUSIONS: The reaction of excessive amount of 5-fluorouracil and haloesters can produce a good yield of N1-substituted derivatives. N3-substituted derivatives can be obtained through the reactions of 5-fluorouracil protected with Boc at N1-position and haloesters.

[Piperazinyl estrone, a new estrogen derivant, prevents bone loss in aged rats].

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of piperazinyl estrone, a new estrogen derivative, on bone turnover, bone mass and uterine weight in female aged rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley female rats at the age of 22 months were treated with vehicle or with piperazinyl estrone (P-E) at 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous injection for 1 month. At the time of death, the uterine weight was measured and bone histomorphometric analysis of proximal tibial metaphyses (PTM) was performed in undecalcified sections. Compared with control, bone mass was increased in P-E groups. Dynamic data showed that bone resorption were decreased, but bone formation was not declined and bone mass was increased significantly in P-E (1 mg/kg day) group. There was no significant change in uterine weight. The findings of this study show that piperazinyl estrone at dosage of 1 mg/kg/d is most efficacious in preventing the bone losses in aged rats and has no side effect on uterus.

[Study on the determination of piperazinylethylestrone].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an HPLC method and a non-aqueous titration for the determination of piperazinylethylestrone drug substance, and an HPLC method for the determination of piperazinylethylestrone in dog plasma. METHODS: Anhydrous acetic acid as solvent, 0.1 mol/L perchloric acid as titrant, crystal violet solution as indicator to establish non-aqueous titrations and ODS column as stationary phase, methanol and a mixture of 0. 025 mol/L sodium phosphate monobasic and 0.02 mol/L sodium dedecyl sulfate (80:20) [adjusted with phosphoric acid to a pH (4.8 +/- 0.1)] as mobile phase, 220 nm as detective wavelength to establish HPLC-UV method for determination of piperazinylethylestrone drug substance; FMOC-CL as a derivatization reagent, FD as a detector to establish an HPLC method with derivatization and column switching for determination of piperazinylethylestrone in dog plasma. RESULTS: The RSD of non-aqueous titrations within-day and between-day were 0.28% and 0.21%, respectively; the established HPLC-UV method had good linearity and precision within the range of 1.001-5.005 microg of piperazinylethylestrone, the detection limit was 4 ng (S/N=3); the linearity of HPLC method with derivatization and column switching was within the range of 8.4-420 ng/ml, the detection limit was 1 ng (S/N=3). The clean-up recoveries were from 77.24% to 83.10%, and the method recoveries were 98.33%-103.3%. The RSD of within-day and between-day were less than 7.7% and 7.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The above three methods are simple, accurate and precise for the determination of piperazinylethylestrone drug substance and for the determination of piperazinylethylestrone in dog plasma.