The relationship between symptomatic status and aneurysm wall enhancement characteristics of single unruptured intracranial aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) characteristics of a single unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) and observe the relationship between the symptoms of a single UIA and the aneurysm wall. METHODS: In our hospital, 85 patients diagnosed with a single UIA using computed tomography angiography (CTA) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, including 46 asymptomatic and 39 symptomatic aneurysms. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the vascular wall (HR-MR-VWI) was utilized to ascertain the presence, degree, and extent of AWE and thick-wall enhancement. In addition to AWE characteristics, morphological parameters of aneurysms, such as maximal size, shape, height, neck width, aspect ratio (AR), and size ratio (SR), were scanned using CTA. The differences in the parameters of a single UIA between the two groups were compared. An investigation explored the correlation between the symptom status of a single UIA and AWE. RESULTS: We observed a correlation between symptom status and maximal size, height, and neck width for a single UIA, the presence or absence of AWE, and the levels and boundaries of AWE and thick-wall reinforcement. This study found that the AWE range was independently correlated with symptom status in the multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSION: A larger AWE range was an independent risk factor for the onset of symptoms in a single UIA.

Association between furosemide administration and outcomes in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Although current guidelines for AKI suggested against the use of furosemide in AKI management, the effect of furosemide on outcomes in real-world clinical settings remains uncertain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between furosemide administration and outcomes in critically ill patients with AKI using real-world data. METHODS: Critically ill patients with AKI were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III database. Propensity score (PS) matched analysis was used to match patients receiving furosemide to those without diuretics treatment. Linear regression, logistic regression model, and Cox proportional hazards model were used to assess the associations between furosemide and length of stay, recovery of renal function, and in-hospital and 90-day mortality, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 14,154 AKI patients were included in the data analysis. After PS matching, 4427 pairs of patients were matched between the patients who received furosemide and those without diuretics treatment. Furosemide was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67; 95% CI 0.61-0.74; P < 0.001] and 90-day mortality [HR 0.69; 95% CI 0.64-0.75; P < 0.001], and it was also associated with the recovery of renal function [HR 1.44; 95% CI 1.31-1.57; P < 0.001] in over-all AKI patients. Nevertheless, results illustrated that furosemide was not associated with reduced in-hospital mortality in patients with AKI stage 0-1 defined by UO criteria, AKI stage 2-3 according to SCr criteria, and in those with acute-on-chronic (A-on-C) renal injury. CONCLUSIONS: Furosemide administration was associated with improved short-term survival and recovery of renal function in critically ill patients with AKI. Furosemide was especially effective in patients with AKI UO stage 2-3 degree. However, it was not effective in those with AKI SCr stage 2-3 and chronic kidney disease. The results need to be verified in randomized controlled trials.

Polysaccharide extracts of Astragalus membranaceus and Atractylodes macrocephala promote intestinal epithelial cell migration by activating the polyamine-mediated K+ channel.

Astragalus membranaceus (Radix Astragali, RA) and Atractylodes macrocephala (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, RAM) are often used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. In the present study, we determined the effects of polysaccharides extracts from these two herbs on IEC-6 cell migration and explored the potential underlying mechanisms. A migration model with IEC-6 cells was induced using a single-edged razor blade along the diameter of cell layers in six-well polystyrene plates. The cells were grown in control media or media containing spermidine (5 µmol·L-1, SPD), alpha-difluoromethylornithine (2.5 mmol·L-1, DFMO), 4-Aminopyridine (40 µmol·L-1, 4-AP), the polysaccharide extracts of RA or RAM (50, 100, or 200 mg·L-1), DFMO plus SPD, or DFMO plus polysaccharide extracts of RA or RAM for 12 or 24 h. Next, cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) was measured using laser confocal microscopy, and cellular polyamine content was quantified with HPLC. Kv1.1 mRNA expression was assessed using RT-qPCR and Kv1.1 and RhoA protein expressions were measured with Western blotting analysis. A cell migration assay was carried out using Image-Pro Plus software. In addition, GC-MS was introduced to analyze the monosaccharide composition of both polysaccharide extracts. The resutls showed that treatment with polysaccharide extracts of RA or RAM significantly increased cellular polyamine content, elevated [Ca2+]cyt and accelerated migration of IEC-6 cells, compared with the controls (P < 0.01). Polysaccharide extracts not only reversed the inhibitory effects of DFMO on cellular polyamine content and [Ca2+]cyt, but also restored IEC-6 cell migration to control level (P < 0.01 or < 0.05). Kv1.1 mRNA and protein expressions were increased (P < 0.05) after polysaccharide extract treatment in polyamine-deficient IEC-6 cells and RhoA protein expression was increased. Molar ratios of D-ribose, D-arabinose, L-rhamnose, D-mannose, D-glucose, and D-galactose was 1.0 : 14.1 : 0.3 : 19.9 : 181.3 : 6.3 in RA and 1.0 : 4.3 : 0.1 : 5.7 : 2.8 : 2.2 in RAM. In conclusion, treatment with RA and RAM polysaccharide extracts stimulated migration of intestinal epithelial cells via a polyamine-Kv1.1 channel activated signaling pathway, which facilitated intestinal injury healing.

[Effect of polysaccharides from Radix Glycyrrhizae on migration and polyamines contents of IEC-6 cell].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of polysaccharides from Radix Glycyrrhizae on migration and polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) contents of IEC-6 cell. METHODS: Cell migration model was induced by scratch method in each well,and the polyamines in IEC-6 cell was determined by pre-column derivation high performance liquid chromatography. The polysaccharides inhibited effect on migration and polyamines contents of IEC-6 cells, and on IEC-6 cell migration by DFMO (a polyamines synthesis inhibitor) and the polyamines contents in the cells were observed. RESULTS: The polysaccharides (50 mg/L or 100 mg/L) was able to promote the cell migration, reverse the cell migration inhibition by DFMO, enhance the IEC-6 cell polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) contents in the process of cell migration and reverse the reduction of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) induced by DFMO. CONCLUSION: The effect of Radix Glycyrrhizae on the gastrointestinal mucosal damage repairing may be related to increasing polyamine content in cells and promoting cell migration.

Studies on cell migration model in intestinal epithelial restitution for pharmacological research.

OBJECTIVE: To set up a suitable IEC-6 migration model for pharmacological research and observe the effect of complex polysaccharide from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao to IEC-6 cell migration. METHODS: The main conditions related to the establishment of the model, including the planting density of the cell, the observation time after scratching, the concentration of the auxiliary material Matrigel, the treatment of the serum-starvation, the concentration of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of the cell migration, were investigated respectively; and the effects of the tested medicines on the model were observed. RESULTS: 4 x 10(5) cell/mL was the suitable planting density of the cell in the 6-well plate; at the 24th hour after scratching was the appropriate time to count the migrating cells; and the proper concentration of Matrigel was 5%; the serum-starvation could evidently reduce the migrating cells, so the culture medium should contain the serum; 2.5 - 5 mmol/L DFMO was proper for inhibition of the cell migration. Complex polysaccharide from Astragalus membranaceus and spermidine both can promote cell migration. CONCLUSION: The established model of IEC-6 cell migration was suitable for intestinal epithelial restitution such as the researches on pathophysiological mechanisms is the effects of the medicines on the cell migration.

[Determination of berberine chloride in mouse plasma after intragastric administration of Lianxiang microemulsion].

OBJECTIVE: To determine berberine chloride in mouse plasma for the investigation of the bioavailability of Lianxiang microemulsion in mouse. METHODS: After single dose ig administration,the plasma samples were taken at different time,respectively, for the determination of berberine chloride by HPLC; And the relative bioavailability of Lianxiang microemulsion vs Lianxiang emulsion (reference formulation) was calculated. RESULTS: Berberine chloride was separated well from endogenous foreign substances. The calibration curve of berberine chloride was liner over the range of 10.4-156 microg/L (r = 0.9991) and the method recovery was within 89.6%-94.7%. The intraday RSD or the inter-day RSD < or = 12.9%. After single dose,the AUC0-->24h of the microemulsion and the emulsion were (688.3 +/- 123.7) and (371.4 +/- 68.4) microg x h/L,respectively; And the relative bioavailability of the microemulsion vs the emulsion was (193.1 +/- 63.2)%. CONCLUSION: The validated HPLC method is suitable for the determination of berberine chloride in mouse plasma; And microemulsification can clearly promote the bioavailability in mouse of berberine chloride in Lianxiang prescription.

[Screening of anti-diarrhea effective fractions from guava leaf].

OBJECTIVE: To screen the fractions from guava leaf to ascertain the effective anti-diarrhea fraction and to establish the method of quality control. METHODS: A series of samples from guava leaf were prepared through extraction and separation by solvents progressively, and their effect on the mice diarrhea models induced by senna decoction were tested individually; and the constituent correlated with the effect of the samples on the models was determined by HPLC. RESULTS: The effect of the fractions with moderate-polar glucosides from guava leaf was better than that of the other fractions; the effect of the fractions with the glucosides was correlated with the content of the quercetin glucosides in the fractions. CONCLUSION: The fractions with the moderate-polar glucosides is the effective anti-diarrhea fraction of guava leaf; determination of the quercetin glucosides can be used for quality control of guava leaf and its extracts.

[Study on self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of LianXiang prescription].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) of LianXiang prescription. METHODS: After the test of solubility for the initial screening, surfactants and cosurfactants with certain oil phase were screened through the study of ternary phase diagram and in accordance with the size of self-microemulsifying areas; To screen and optimize the self-microemulsifying formulation, the influence of related factors such as the ingredients of the prescription and dilution media on the self-microemulsifying areas were tested, and the particle dimension of microemulsion was determined. The tests of self-microemulsifying rate and stability were carried out to evaluate the formulation. RESULTS: The total alkaloid of Coptis chinensis--the essential oil of Eugenia caryophyllata-Cremophor RH60-1,2-propylene glycol(40: 20: 60: 20, w/w) was the optimal formulation; it had good self-microemulsifying efficiency and stability, and its microemulsion had smaller particle dimension and polydispersity index (17.4 nm, 0.176). CONCLUSION: The optimal formulation can be used as SMEDDS of LianXiang prescription for follow-up researches.

[Study on extraction of quercetin in guava leaf by microemulsion].

OBJECTIVE: To study the extraction of quercetin in guava leaf by microemulsion. METHODS: The optimal component proportion was obtained by investigating the ratio of oil, water, surfactant and cosurfactant. The extraction of quercetin in microemulsion was determined by HPLC which compared with the traditional method. RESULTS: The traditional solvent extraction methods were used to extract quercetin in guava leaf, and the content of quercetin extracted with methanol was the highest (4.72 microg/mL). But the contents of quercetin extracted by 72 percent of the microemulsions were higher than methanol, and the extraction by the optimum formulation of microemulsion which consisted of acetoacetate (oil phase) -30% avantin solution (water phase) -RH60 (surfactant) was 2 times as much as that was extracted by methanol (10.43 microg/mL). CONCLUSION: Compared with traditional solvent extraction methods, microemulsion method can effectively improve the extraction rate of quercetin in guava leaf.

[Study on self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of Jiaotai Pill active components].

OBJECTIVE: To develop self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) of Jiaotai Pill active components and its quality control method. METHODS: The solubility of berberine hydrochloride in different auxiliary-materials were investigated, and the self-microemulsion formula was optimized by studying the self-microemulsifying efficiency. The content of berberine hydrochloride and cinnamaldehyde in the preparation were determined by HPLC. RESULTS: The optimal self-microemulsion formula was composed of OP, propanediol, cinnamon oil, and total alkaloid from Rhizoma Coptidis with the ratio of 4:8:3:6. The average size of the microemulsion particle was 15.8 nm; the average content of berberine hydrochloride and cinnamaldehyde in the preparation was above 20.0% and 10.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The acquired microemulsion with small particle size is stable. The determination method of berberine hydrochloride and cinnamaldehyde in the preparation is accurate and reliable.