[Advance in studies on pharmacological activities of chelerythrine].

Chelerythrine is a kind of benzo[c] phenanthridine alkaloids, with such pharmacological activities as antitumor, antibiosis and anti-inflammation, which is widely found in plant of Fumariaceae, Papaveraceae, Ranunculaceae and Rutaceae families. This article summarizes the advances in domestic and foreign studies on pharmacological effect of chelerythrine in the recent decade, in the expectation of providing scientific basis for the in-depth studies, development and utilization of chelerythrine.

[Experimental study on the effects of inactivated and un-inactivated pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Chinese herbs Qianggubao decoction on the proliferation of osteoblast cultured in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of inactivated and un-inactivated pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Chinese herbs Qianggubao decoction on the proliferation of osteoblast cells (OB)cultured in vitro. METHODS: OB was isolated from the skull of newly born SD rats aged 1 to 2 days by means of Trypsin-collagenase digestion and identified by image analysis under inverted microscope, V-G collagen staining, ALP staining, calcification nod staining etc. After the OB was identified, in activated and un-inactivated pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Qianggubao decoction of ferent phase (rats were fed with medicine 3 days or 5 days after last fed with medicine 1 hour or 3 hours) and concentration (5%, 10%, 20%) were added to the OB and incubated. After determined times, the effects of the proliferation of osteoblasts were detected by MTT analysis. RESULTS: There was significant difference between un-inactivated pharmaco-serum and inactivated pharmaco-serum on the proliferation of osteoblasts, and un-inactivated serum had stronger effects to improve the proliferation of osteoblasts (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Un-inactivated and inactivation pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Chinese herbs Qianggubao decoction can influence the proliferation of, and the un-inactivated pharmaco-serum has stronger effects.

[Deqi and application and manipulation of Deqi].

Deqi is the key for therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy. In the present paper, the significance of Deqi, and how to differentiate qi and how to induce Deqi are preliminarily studied. Deqi is concrete response of acupuncturist and the patient during acupuncture. Arrival of qi is like bobbing on water when the fish swallows the fishhook; no arrival of qi is like the deep valley with shallow sensation. For differentiation of qi, the vital-qi (essence derived from food), pathogenic factor, deficiency and excess, cold and heat need to be differentiated. For manipulation, the 14 methods of Yang Ji-zhou are used as guiding principle. In brief, massage along channel induces qi, on-the-point pressing promotes flow of qi, circling method regulates qi. And reinforcing and reducing by puncturing along and against the direction of channels respectively are explained, and how to induce Deqi is preliminarily expounded from methods of inserting the needle, manipulating the needle and withdrawing the needle.

[Comparison of the thermal conductivity of the related tissues along the meridian and the non-meridian].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the thermal conductivity of the related tissues along meridian line and non-meridian area. METHODS: Forty healthy volunteers were observed with a infrared thermal imaging system. RESULTS: During heating the acupoint or the non-acupoint along the meridian line, the velocity of spreading of the temperature-increasing response along the meridian line was more easy and rapid, with a definite direction. However, during heating the non-meridian spots, the change of temperature was confined to the local area, with no definite direction. The spreading of skin temperature response along the meridian line was more rapid than the non-meridian area during both the two were heated simultaneously, and finally, 3 infrared radiant tracks along the meridian courses conformed basically with that of the classical three yin- meridians of the hand appeared. CONCLUSION: The thermal conductivity of the related tissues along the meridian line is better than that of non-meridian area and has definite direction, with differences in physical characteristics between them.