[Investigation on the content of persistent organic pollutants in fish from Dongting Lake in China].

Objective: To investigate the content of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish from Dongting Lake. Methods: Ten sample collection points were set in lakeside city Yueyang and Yuanjiang. In July (wet season) and November (dry season) of 2012, 13 common fish species were captured by convenience sampling in Dongting Lake. Two to three fish with similar weight were selected in each season for the same species of fish. After sample preparation and pretreatment, the contents of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), indicator polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyls ether (PBDEs) in the samples were determined by high resolution gas chromatographer-high resolution mass spectrometry. Toxicity Equivalents (TEQ) of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs were calculated according to the revised toxicity equivalent factor (TEF) of WHO in 2005. The contents of POPs were expressed by median and quavtile. The differences of POPs in fish in different periods were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: The content of PCDD/Fs of fish in Dongting Lake in wet season was 12.397 (8.865, 24.964) pg/g, higher than that in the dry season 0.771 (0.490, 1.442) pg/g (P<0.001), and the toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ) were 0.150 (0.066,0.528) and 0.143 (0.066, 0.235) pg-TEQ/g without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). For the fish in wet and dry season from Dongting Lake,Σdl-PCBs of fish were 66.475 (28.065, 77.794) and 24.205 (18.237, 90.777) pg/g, respectively, and the TEQ were 0.061 (0.046, 0.268) and 0.075 (0.054, 0.182) pg-TEQ/g; Σ indicative PCBs were 237.764 (153.896, 335.483) and 119.711 (52.171, 408.696) pg/g, respectively; Σ PBDEs were 106.513 (64.834, 164.860) and 86.837 (61.872, 177.108) pg/g, respectively. The highest content of PCDD/Fs was found in grass carp (198.360 pg/g) in wet season. The higher content of PCBs was found in long-necked fish (2 332.509 pg/g) and PBDEs was found in pelteobagrus fulvidraco (343.857 pg/g), respectively. Conclusion: A lower burden was found in fishes from Dongting Lake, and the content of POPs varied in different seasons and fishes.

Estimation of methylmercury intake from the 2007 Chinese Total Diet Study.

Methylmercury intake for adult males of twelve provinces in China was estimated by means of the 2007 Chinese Total Diet Study. Methylmercury levels were measured in twelve food groups of each province of four regions and was only found in the aquatic food groups. The range for methylmercury contents of aquatic foods was 3.29-31.60 µg kg(-1), being 50-87% of total mercury. Methylmercury intakes from aquatic foods for adult males of twelve provinces ranged from 0.003 to 0.138 µg kg(-1) bw week(-1) with average of 0.041 µg kg(-1) bw week(-1), which were estimated according to methylmercury contents and corresponding aquatic food consumption. Methylmercury intakes for the Chinese population were far below the corresponding provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), which was established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Consequently, there was little health risk from methylmercury exposure for the average Chinese population.

[Effects of tongxinluo capsule on hemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption in dogs].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tongxinluo (TXL) capsule on hemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption in dogs. METHODS: The coronary arterial arterial blood flow, cardiac output, left ventricular pressure, blood pressure, myocardial oxygen consumption of dogs were recorded by the polygraph system before and after intraduodenal administration of TXL. RESULTS: TXL 0.72 g/kg increased obviously the coronary arterial blood flow by 21.56% after administration, and the left ventricular work was increased simultaneously, the difference was significant (P < 0.01) as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: TXL capsule could increase obviously the coronary arterial blood flow, dilate the coronary vessels, improve myocardial blood supply, increase left ventricular work, and result in the enhancement and readjustment of the "pump" function of heart and improvement of the intravascular stasis condition of blood circulation.

[Effect of tongxinluo capsule on experimental myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia and hyperlipidemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Tongxinluo capsule (TXLC) on experimental myocardial ischemia and infarction, arrhythmia and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: Using the methods of epicardial mapping and NBT-ink double staining and the ratio of tissue in myocardial infarction in which the anterior coronary artery was ligated in anesthetized dogs, acute myocardial ischemia was induced with pituitrin and hyperlipidemia was induced with feeding high lipid diet in rats, arrhythmia was induced with chloroform in mice. RESULTS: The TXLC reduced significantly the myocardial ischemic limits, degree and the myocardial infarction area, inhibited obviously the ocurrence of arrhythmia and reduced the level of hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSION: The TXLC could improve significantly the myocardial ischemia mycardial infarction and prevent obviously the ocurrence of arrhythmia and hyperlipidemia.

[Protective effects of cerebral ischaemia by tan fu kang oral liquor].

The pharmacological effects of Tan Fu Kang oral liquor (TFK) was studied. The results indicated that TFK could protect the acute cerebral ischaemia and alleviate the damage of brain tissues. It was able to enhance the blood flow to the brain and improve the ischaemia and hypoxemia of brain tissues. TFK could improve blood viscosity and the meningeal microcirculation. These observation suggest that the protective effects of brain ischaemia of TFK was one of therapeutical mechanism of ischaemic apoplectic diseases.

Effects of ginseng root saponins on brain monoamines and serum corticosterone in heat-stressed mice.

The rectal temperature and serum corticosterone increased in mice exposed to 45 degrees C for 15 min; at the same time, the contents of brain 5-HT and NE reduced, brain DA unchanged. Ginseng root saponins (GRS) ip 200 mg/kg inhibited the increase of serum corticosterone and the decrease of brain 5-HT and NE in heat-stressed mice, but did not affect brain DA. GRS lowered mice body temperature at room temperature and inhibited the rise of body temperature under heat environmental conditions in mice. Reserpine eliminated the hypothermia of GRS at room temperature and its inhibitory effect on hyperthermia under heat-stress conditions. PCPA eliminated only the inhibition of GRS on hyperthermia under heat-stress, but had no significant effect on hypothermia at room temperature.