[Effect of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36 and "Taichong" (LR 3) on gastrointestinal hormone levels in rats with diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Taichong" (LR 3) on gastrointestinal hormone levels in diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats so as to provide experimental evidence for acupuncture treatment of IBS-D. METHODS: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, model, acupuncture and medication groups, with 12 rats in each group. IBS-D model was established by chronic mild restraining stress combined with isolated raising and intragastric administration of Folium Sennae (10 mL/kg). For rats of the acupuncture group, bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Taichong" (LR 3) were punctured and stimulated for 30 min, once daily for 14 days. The rats of the medication group were treated by gavage of Pinaverin bromide, once daily for 14 days, and those of the control and model groups were given with equal volume of saline. Somatostatin (SS), substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the rats' plasma and ileum tissues were detected by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the body weight and food intake quantity were reduced significantly, while the diarrhea index was increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comparison with the model group, the body weight and food intake volume in both acupuncture and medication groups were increased remarkably after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) whereas the diarrhea index in the latter two groups was reduced obviously (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, plasma VIP level was increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01), while those in both acupuncture and medication groups were decreased remarkably compared with the model group (P < 0.05). No significant changes of plasma SP and SS levels were found after modeling and after both acupuncture and medication treatments. In comparison with the control group, ileum SP, VIP and SS levels in the model group were up-regulated significantly (P < 0.01), while those in both acupuncture and medication groups were down-regulated considerably compared with the model group (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between acupuncture and medication groups in the levels of ileum SP, VIP and SS (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture of ST 36 and LR 3 can effectively down-regulate ileum SP, VIP and SS levels in IBS-D rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving IBS-D.

[Study on the extracting and dried process of Qinxiangzhixie enteric-coated tablet].

OBJECTIVE: To study the optimum extracting and dried process of Qinxiangzhixie enteric-coated tablet. METHODS: With the content of Aesculin and Aescaletin as factor, the optimum extraction process was selected with the orthogonal design. RESULTS: The optimum extraction process conditions were as: decocting for 2 times, with water of 8, 6 times of the drug mixture respectively 1.5 h, 1.0 h respectively. The optimum decompression dried process conditions was as follows :60 degrees C, -0.08 pa. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results provide the basis for the ascertainment of extraction process of Qinxiang enteric-coated tablet.

[Vascular endothelial growth factor and pigment epithelium-derived factor in aqueous humor of patients with choroidal neovascularization].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in aqueous humor of patients with active choroidal neovascularization (CNV). METHODS: Aqueous humor samples were obtained from 32 patients with active CNV. The concentrations of VEGF and PEDF in aqueous humor were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantitative analysis. VEGF and PEDF in 10 samples of aqueous humor from patients with cataract were also detected by the same methods as control. RESULT: The mean VEGF and PEDF concentrations in aqueous humor of active CNV patients were higher than those in the control group (P=0.000). CONCLUSION: The patients with active CNV exhibit significantly higher VEGF and PEDF levels than those in control, indicating that VEGF along with PEDF may modulate the formation of CNV.

[Case control study on the risk factors of primary open angle glaucoma in China].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to comprehensively explore the risk factors of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in China. METHODS: Two groups of data based on distinct resources were analyzed to explore the risk factors of POAG. One group of data was based on hospital records between 1995 and 2000 which composed of 107 patients with POAG and 149 controls without POAG. The other group of data was based on 40 patients with POAG and 120 matched controls without POAG. The former was designed by non-matched case control study, the latter was done by 1:3 matched case control study. The relationships between POAG and the factors such as age, sex, family history, diabetes, hypertension, intraocular pressure (IOP), cardiovascular diseases, smoking, drinking and mutation of TIGR gene were studied by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The simple factor analysis showed that the risk of POAG was related to age, family history, hypertension, IOP, cardiovascular diseases, smoking, drinking and the mutation of TIGR gene (T353I). However, logistic regression analysis confirmed that POAG mainly related to IOP, family history, hypertension, smoking, alcohol intake and the mutation of TIGR gene. CONCLUSION: The most important risk factor of POAG was IOP. Family history, hypertension, smoking and the mutation of TIGR gene were also important risk factors of POAG. However, alcohol intake was a protective factor for POAG.

[Study on single nucleotide polymorphism of TIGR gene in primary open-angle glaucoma patients].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of trabecular meshwork-induced glucocorticoid response protein (TIGR) gene and to investigate the association between SNP and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in Chinese Han population. METHODS: High throughput conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (HTCSGE) and fluorescent labeling automated sequencing method were used to screen and identify the SNPs of TIGR in 82 unrelated patients with POAG. Restriction endonuclease analysis was used to detect the SNPs of TIGR in 150 sex-and age-matched unrelated control subjects without POAG. The frequencies of genotypes and alleles of each SNP between the two groups were compared by chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of six SNPs were identified in TIGR gene with a length of 2172 bp, including all coding regions and part of promoter, introns and 3'UTR region: 1-83(G --> A), G12R, R46X, R76K, IVS2 + 35(A --> G), and T353I. Significant differences were found in frequencies of the genotype TC and the allele T of T353I between POAG patients and control subjects. The frequency of heterozygote TC was 12.20% in POAG patients, significantly higher than that in control subjects (3.33%, kappa(2) = 6.885, P = 0.009, OR = 4.028, OR95% CI = 1.327 approximately 12.223). The frequency of the allele T was 6.10% in POAG patients, significantly higher than that in control subjects (1.67%, kappa(2) = 6.655, P = 0.010). No significant difference was found between the two groups in frequencies of genotypes and alleles of the other SNPs. CONCLUSION: The T353I polymorphism of TIGR gene is associated with POAG in Chinese Han population.