Aloe-emodin exerts cholesterol-lowering effects by inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 in hyperlipidemic rats.

Hyperlipidemia (HPL) characterized by metabolic disorder of lipids and cholesterol is one of the important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a potent circulating regulator of LDL through its ability to induce degradation of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol receptor (LDLR) in the lysosome of hepatocytes. Aloe-emodin (AE) is one of potentially bioactive components of Chinese traditional medicine Daming capsule. In this study we evaluated the HPL-lowering efficacy of AE in both in vivo and in vitro HPL models. High-fat diet-induced rats were treated with AE (100 mg/kg per day, ig) for 6 weeks. We found that AE administration significantly decreased the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and LDL in the serum and liver tissues. Moreover, AE administration ameliorated HPL-induced hepatic lipid aggregation. But AE administration did not significantly inhibit HMG-CoA reductase activity in the liver of HPL rats. A cellular model of HPL was established in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells treated with cholesterol (20 µg/mL) and 25-hydroxycholesterol (2 µg/mL), which exhibited markedly elevated cholesterol levels. The increased cholesterol levels could be reversed by subsequent treatment with AE (30 µM). In both the in vivo and in vitro HPL models, we revealed that AE selectively suppressed the sterol-regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) and hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)1α-mediated PCSK9 signaling, which in turn upregulated LDL receptor (LDLR) and promoted LDL uptake. This study demonstrates that AE reduces cholesterol content in HPL rats by inhibiting the hepatic PCSK9/LDLR pathway.

Blood rheology analysis of 23436 samples and establishment of reference range by sitting and lying position / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To establish reference range of blood theology for different gender by sitting and lying in healthy populations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In 31 volunteers blood were drawed in the postures of sitting and lying to measure blood rheology. Data (between July 2002 and July 2006) of 32854 samples (23436 check-up, 6553 out-patient,2865 in-patient) were collected. Differences between different postures and different gender were compared by Independ-Sample t-test with SPSS 13.0 software and each reference range of blood rheology was established.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In sitting and lying postures 12 parameters of blood rheology showed great significance (P < 0.01). 8 parameters such as whole blood viscosity, blood reduce viscosity, plasma viscosity, hematocrit, were decreased by 9.33% on average while posture was changed from sitting to lying. But index of erythrocyte deformability, erythrocyte electrophoresis presented inverse correlation and were increased by 6.49% on average with the same posture change.Various parameters of blood theology in different gender showed great significance (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is significant difference in various parameters of blood rheology in the posture change from sitting to lying. Reference ranges of blood theology of different postures are established which may be used to decrease the rate of misdiagnosis by 8-10 percent.</p>

Effects of fluvastatin on blood levels of inflammatory cytokines in patients with unstable angina undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of fluvastatin on blood levels of c-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in patients with unstable angina undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients who underwent PCI from July 2002 to April 2004 in our hospital were randomized into two groups: control group; fluvastatin group (40 mg/d). Serum levels of CRP, TNFalpha and cTnI were measured before and after two weeks treatment (in the early morning of the procedure) and at 24 hours after the procedure.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum levels of CRP, TNFalpha and cTnI in fluvastatin group were distinctly lower than those in control group before (P < 0.01) and after the procedure (P < 0.01), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The result suggested that PCI could lead to a detectable increase in serum levels of CRP, TNFalpha and cTnI in patients with coronary heart disease; Fluvastatin could significantly decrease the serum levels of CRP, TNFalpha and cTnI in patients with coronary heart disease; Fluvastatin could also decrease the serum levels of CRP, TNFalpha and cTnI in patients with PCI.</p>

The effect of changing body posture on thrombin activity and concentration / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To provide proof for Evidence-based Medicine as well quality control, our laboratory detected the thrombin activity on various body position.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By autogenous contrast and cross matched survey, 105 volunteers divided into 3 season patches of winter, spring and summer, blood samples were drawn from the same part in both standing and lying position. Both samples and the quality control were detected to investigate the effect of the body position to thrombin activity's changing. The data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Taking the lying's data as baseline, the average changing on all those the "5" index was 7.07% and the highest changing reached 9.33%. This kind changing had great significant differences (P < 0.01). According to the t value, sequences ranged: FIB > TT > PT > INR > APTT. FIB, TT and APTT's values slowly raised, adversely PT and INR slowly went down. While sitting for 15 min after lying, these indices returned to 95.2% of the original value in sitting position in addition. Season, age and device had no relationship with body position.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Changing body position can result in obvious physiological variation of thrombin activity.</p>