Astragalus membranaceus flavonoids (AMF) ameliorate chronic fatigue syndrome induced by food intake restriction plus forced swimming

Aim of the study

Alteration of immune function may be associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and this study reveals the immunoregulatory effect of Astragalus membranaceus flavonoids (AMF).

Materials and methods

CF rats were induced by food intake restriction plus forced swimming for 6 weeks.

Results

An atrophied spleen associated with a significantly decreased spleen/body weight ratio and a reduced spleen cells proliferation was found in CF rats when compared with home cage controls. AMF given orally at 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight once a day consecutively for 6 weeks could recover the reduced cell proliferation. A switch to Th1-dominated immune regulation was observed in CF rats as the cultured splenocytes produced more interleukin-2 (IL-2) but less IL-4 when compared with controls. Supplementation with AMF could significantly counteract the aberrant cytokine production and rats received AMF exhibited higher endurance capacity to swim when compared with those without AMF administration. Checking the spectrum signals confirmed that the three major isoflavones contained in AMF were ononin, formononetin, and demethylhomopterocarpin.

Conclusion

Alterations of immune function may be associated with CFS and the tonic effects of AMF against CF may be attributable to balance the abnormal cytokine level by isoflavones.     

运用新一代抗肿瘤药物分类系统指导中医学研究

在反复比较第一代与第二代抗肿瘤药物分类系统的基础上，提出了第三代抗肿瘤药物分类系统，将抗肿瘤药物分为细胞毒药物、细胞生物行为调节剂、生物应答调节剂与生化调节剂。生物应答调节剂（如免疫调节剂）和生化调节剂（即化疗增效减毒剂）常常是西医肿瘤治疗的补充手段，而中药的细胞毒作用通常明显低于化疗药物，要想在中医肿瘤学研究取得新的突破，就必须采用“新思维、新技术、新靶点”，从新的角度研究中药的作用机制。中药逆转肿瘤细胞生物学行为异常可能是中医肿瘤学研究的一个重要突破口。     

Synaptic organization of cortico-cortical connections from the primary visual cortex to the posteromedial lateral suprasylvian visual area in the cat

The synaptic organization of the projection from the cat striate visual cortex to the posteromedial lateral suprasylvian cortical area (PMLS) was examined. The anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) was iontophorectically delivered into area 17, and anterogradely labeled fibers were revealed in PMLS by means of an immunocytochemical detection method. Most axons and presumptive terminal swellings were found in layers III and IV. The neuronal elements (n = 190) that were postsynaptic to anterogradely labeled boutons were quantitatively analyzed. All anterogradely labeled cortico-cortical boutons (n = 182) established type 1 synapses. The results show that 83% of the postsynaptic targets were dendritic spines, probably belonging to pyramidal cells. Dendritic shafts constituted 17% of the targets. The dendritic shafts postsynaptic to cortico-cortical boutons were studied for the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) with a postembedding immunogold method. Most dendritic shafts (85%) that were tested were found to be GABA-positive, demonstrating that they originate from local inhibitory neurons. Taking into account that most postsynaptic targets were spines and extending the results of the immunocytochemical testing to the total population of postsynaptic dendrites, it was calculated that at least 14% of targets originated from GABA-positive cells. Thus cortico-cortical axons establish direct monosynpatic connections mainly with pyramidal and to a lesser extent with GABAergic nonpyramidal neurons in area PMLS, providing both feedforward excitation and feedforward inhibition to a visual associational area known to be involved in the processing of motion information. The results are consistent with previously demonstrated deficits in physiological properties of neurons in PMLS following removal of cortico-cortical afferents.     

丁香郁金配伍的药理研究

丁香郁金配伍属中药配伍禁忌“十九畏”之一，本文就二者单独使用和配伍后的抗炎、镇痛、止泻、抗溃疡等指标进行了动物药效学试验。二药配伍后镇痛、抗炎及止泻作用有下降趋势；抗溃疡作用不受影响；对试验动物胸腺指数和脾脏指数无明显影响。实验结果，二者配伍似属“相恶”。     

产科诊断剂量超声波对培养细胞影响的实验研究

采用模拟在人体中使用的实测超声剂量，对体外培养的Ｌ－９２９株细胞进行辐照，通过细胞回复能力试验，观察回复前后的细胞增殖与抑制。对体外培养的人胚肺纤维细胞经１次及５次辐照，观察了ＤＮＡ及细胞核面积的影响。并通过电镜观察了细胞超微结构的变化。上述实验结果，均提示经辐照后细胞有增殖趋向     

白细胞介素1α对鼠甲状腺细胞增殖的影响

采用四氮唑蓝（MTT）比色法检测TSH存在和缺乏时白细胞介素1α（IL－1α）对鼠FRTL-5细胞增殖的影响。结果提示，在无TSH条件下IL-1α20～2000kU／L对FRTL－5细胞无明显促增殖作用；在TSH存在时IL－1α20和200kU／L对FRTL－5细胞增殖亦无明显抑制作用，IL－1α2000kU／L则可显著抑制TSH介导的FRTL－5细胞增殖。     

The effect of fluconazole and ketoconazole on the metabolism of sulphamethoxazole

1 Cytochrome P450-mediated bioactivation of sulphamethoxazole to a hydroxylamine has been implicated in the hypersensitivity reactions associated with co-trimoxazole administration. Inhibiting the formation of the hydroxylamine may be one method of preventing the high frequency of toxicity which is observed in HIV-infected patients. Therefore, in this study, we have investigated the ability of fluconazole and ketoconazole, known cytochrome P450 inhibitors, to inhibit the formation of sulphamethoxazole hydroxylamine.
2 Ten healthy male volunteers were given co-trimoxazole (800  mg sulphamethoxazole and 160  mg trimethoprim) alone or 1  h after either fluconazole (150  mg) or ketoconazole (200  mg) in a randomized fashion with a washout period of at least 1 week between each phase. Urine was collected for 24  h, and sulphamethoxazole and its metabolites were quantified by electrospray LC-MS.
3 Ketoconazole had no effect on the urinary recovery of sulphamethoxazole or any of its metabolites. In contrast, fluconazole significantly ( P <0.001) inhibited the formation of sulphamethoxazole hydroxylamine by 50.0±15.1%. Fluconazole also inhibited the oxidation of sulphamethoxazole to the 5-methylhydroxy and 5-methylhydroxy acetate metabolites by 69.9±15.8% and 64.0±12.0%, respectively, but had no effect on the amount of sulphamethoxazole, N₄-acetyl sulphamethoxazole, or sulphamethoxazole N₁-glucuronide excreted in urine.
4 The potential clinical benefit of using fluconazole to prevent hypersensitivity to co-trimoxazole in patients with AIDS needs to be assessed in a prospective study using both metabolite formation and the clinical occurrence of adverse reactions as end-points.     

SCP对人乳腺癌细胞增殖抑制作用的研究

目的：研究SCP对人乳腺癌细胞生长，抑制效应，探讨其抗癌作用机制。方法：用不同浓度的SCP加入体外培养的人乳腺癌细胞（MCF－7）中，观察加药后细胞生长和有丝分裂指数（MI）的变化，用MTT法检测其细胞毒作用；Hoechst33342/PI荧光双染色方法检测细胞凋亡。结果：SCP明显抑制MCF－7细胞生长，IC50值为1mg/ml;MI于加药后48h较对照组明显降低；凋亡细胞比例在用药后48h达63．3％，结论：SCP可有效抑制人乳腺癌细胞的增殖。     

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ENALAPRILAT AND SELECTED α-ADRENOCEPTOR ANTAGONISTS IN ISOLATED RAT TAIL ARTERIES

1. Isolated perfused rat tail artery preparations were used to investigate the effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalaprilat on the actions of a series of α-adrenoceptor antagonists. The agonist used was phenylephrine. 2. Enalaprilat (1 μmol/L) potentiated the competitive α₁-adrenoceptor antagonist actions of phentolamine (10–100 nmol/L) and yohimbine (0.3–3.0 μmol/L) as well as the non-competitive antagonist action of phenoxybenzamine (50–100 pmol/L). 3. The competitive α₁-adrenoceptor antagonist action of prazosin (1–10 nmol/L) was not affected by enalaprilat. 4. For the competitive α₁-adrenoceptor antagonists, including prazosin, there appeared to be an inverse relationship between antagonist potency and the extent of potentiation by enalaprilat. 5. The results support the hypothesis and angiotensin II modulates vascular smooth muscle α₁-adrenoceptor function.     

Competition for sucrose-pellets in triads of male wistar rats: effects of acute and subchronic chloridazepoxide

Within triads of male Wistar rats, some animals almost completely abstain from competition for palatable sucrose pellets (so-called poor-performing rats), whereas other rats consistently win the competition (so-called high-performing rats). Subchronic (5 mg/kg; 5 consecutive days), but not acute (0.1–20 mg/kg), treatment with chlordiazepoxide temporarily helped poor-performing rats to behave more competitively. This finding, considered together with parallel studies (using high-performing rats), suggested that chloridazepoxide's beneficial effect was only demonstrable when the poor-performing rats had become tolerant to the drug's initial sedative effect.