青蒿提取物对伯氏疟原虫超微结构的影响

采用4天抑制试验法,观察青蒿提取物和青蒿素对伯氏疟原虫超微结构的影响。结果显示,青蒿提取物和青蒿素均使原虫滋养体膜结构损伤,表现为虫体表膜、食物泡膜、限制膜、线粒体膜、内质网、核膜呈现肿胀及膜间隙增宽。有些虫体表膜、食物泡膜呈现多层螺纹膜样改变。严重病变的原虫滋养体退变崩解,结构消失,残留退变的食物泡和吞噬泡散在红细胞内。此外,还观察到青蒿提取物和青蒿素对疟原虫纳虫泡内裂殖子发育有抑制作用。试验证明,青蒿提取物和青蒿素对伯氏疟原虫滋养体的超微结构损伤部位和病变特征基本相同;并提示对疟原虫纳虫泡内裂殖子发育有一定影响。     

Cockroach allergen extract stimulates protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) expressed in mouse lung fibroblast

Objective: To investigate whether cockroach allergen extract can stimulate Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) expressed in mouse lung fibroblast.Materials: We established an immortalized lung fibroblast cell line, DM5, from PAR-2 deficient mice. By stable transfection with either an empty vector (DM5/EV) or an expression vector encoding mouse PAR-2 cDNA (DM5/Par2), a pair of lung fibroblast cell lines with or without functional PAR-2 expression were prepared.Treatment: The cells were exposed to cockroach allergen extract {up to 800 protein nitrogen unit (PNU)/ml}, trypsin (up to 100 nM), SLIGRL agonist peptide (up to 500 M), and trans-cinnamoyl-LIGRO agonist peptide (up to 400 M).Methods: The cells were loaded with Fluo-3 calcium indicator and mobilization of intracellular calcium with the stimuli was monitored by a fluorometric plate reader. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation was examined by Western blot analysis using an anti-phospho ERK antibody.Results: The cockroach extract induced intracellular calcium transients in a concentration dependent manner in DM5/Par2 but not in DM5/EV. The activity was abolished when the cockroach extract was heat denatured or pre-incubated with PMSF (phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride) prior to the assay. Concomitantly, ERK phosphorylation was seen in DM5/Par2 with the cockroach extract but not with a heat-denatured extract. The responses were sensitive to an inositol-1,4,5 triphosphate antagonist (2-APB) indicating that calcium was mobilized from intracellular store.Conclusions: Cockroach allergen extract can activate PAR-2 and thereby stimulate mouse lung fibroblasts likely through protease(s). The present study proposes a potential mechanism for cockroach antigens, similar to house dust mite antigens, in the etiology of respiratory diseases.Received 29 February 2004; returned for revision 12 April 2004; accepted by M. Katori 22 April 2004     

In vivo and in vitro comparison of fire ant venom and fire ant whole body extract

Thirty-four patients with a history of immediate hypersensitivity to the sting of the imported fire ant were evaluated in a study designed to compare the diagnostic usefulness of fire ant whole body extract (WBE) preparations with that of fire ant venom (IFAV). Ninety-one percent ($\text{31}\text{34}$) of the hypersensitive patients skin tested with IFAV at a maximal concentration of 1:5 × 10³, $\text{v}\text{v}$, demonstrated a wheat equal to or greater than the histamine control. Fifty-three percent ($\text{18}\text{34}$) of the group were skin test positive to a WBE preparation. When the criteria for a positive skin test were relaxed, 82% of the hypersensitive group could be identified with the IFAWBE. A comparison of skin test results in sensitive patients revealed variability in the sensitivity of the WBE preparations utilized in the study. Leukocyte histamine release demonstrated a dose-response release of histamine with both IFAV and SIWBEa preparations. Specific venom antisera produced in rabbits identified a precipitin line of common identity in a gel-diffusion system containing IFAWBE and IFAV. This finding was verified by the competitive inhibition of IFAWBE with IFAV in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay system. Fire ant WBEs contain venom constituents and are effective diagnostic agents in up to 82% of patients with hypersensitivity to the sting of the imported fire ant. Marked variability in the responsiveness of sensitive patients to different WBE preparations mandates standardization of these diagnostic preparations.     

Multiplicity of allergens in peanuts

Crude peanut protein fractions from raw and roasted peanuts were examined in the RAST with 10 sera from patients showing clinical peanut sensitivity. The radioactive uptake results, which were generally high, did not reveal any distinguishable pattern. Two commercially available peanut proteins, peanut lectin and phospholipase D, gave poor RAST responses. Three purified peanut proteins, α-arachin, conarachin I, and concanavalin A-reactive glycoprotein, all gave significant RAST results that were generally lower than those obtained with the crude extracts. The extent of RAST inhibition obtained with these materials was inversely related to their abundance in the total peanut protein. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis with extracts from raw and roasted peanut indicated the presence of 22 and 10 anodically migrating antigens, respectively. Sixteen IgE binding antigens were revealed for raw peanut and seven for roasted peanut after incubation with a mixed serum from the 10 patients in crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) using ¹²⁵I-labeled anti-IgE. CRIE plates treated with individual serum samples showed that all the patients had specific IgE for the major antigen peak, which has been tentatively identified as α-arachin. This major storage protein of peanut, which is known to be particularly heat resistant, may be of greater clinical significance than its apparently low RAST activity would seem to indicate.     

山药配方颗粒溶化性差的原因分析与解决策略

山药配方颗粒由山药饮片经水煎煮提取、分离、浓缩、干燥、制粒而成,具有调剂简单、使用方便、免煎易服等优势。然而,因山药富含淀粉与黏液质类成分,其提取物粉末与配方颗粒溶化性差,在5 min内难以完全溶化或分散,不溶物即使在水中静置24 h也难以完全溶散,影响了配方颗粒的质量评价与患者的服药心理。因此,通过研究山药提取物及其配方颗粒的溶化过程与机制,发现山药特殊的化学组成、高温提取过程中淀粉的变性及其与蛋白质等物质的复合、喷雾干燥过程中“衣膜”的收缩形成等因素综合叠加,最终形成“衣膜”包覆淀粉粒的特殊微观结构,是山药配方颗粒溶化性差的根本原因。基于课题组前期对粉体结构-性质-功能的研究,笔者提出采用粉体改性工艺改善山药配方颗粒溶化性的技术策略,并通过实验证明改性处理后的山药配方颗粒能在2 min内实现全部溶散,解决了该技术难题,可为其他类似品种的溶化性改善提供借鉴,推动中药配方颗粒产业的高质量发展。     

泽漆水提物对香烟烟雾诱导小鼠慢性阻塞性肺病及肺组织癌前病变相关蛋白的影响

目的：探究泽漆水提物对香烟烟雾(CS)所致的慢性阻塞性肺病(COPD)的保护作用及肺组织癌前病变相关蛋白的影响。方法：通过建立CS所致的COPD小鼠模型(60只),随机分为正常组、模型组、阳性药组(地塞米松2 mg·kg^-1)及泽漆水提物低、中、高剂量组(1.875、3.75、7.5 g·kg^-1)。采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定泽漆水提物中相关成分;动物肺功能仪检测小鼠呼气末期暂停(EEP)、气道阻力(Penh)、50%肺活量呼吸时的呼气流量(EF50)等肺功能指标变化;高通量液相蛋白芯片技术检测小鼠肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中白细胞介素(IL)-2、IL-5、IL-18、IL-17A、IL-27等炎性因子水平变化;苏木素-伊红(HE)染色检测小鼠肺组织的病理变化;比色法测定小鼠肺组织中的丙二醛(MDA)、髓过氧化物酶(MPO)及谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)含量变化;实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(Real-time PCR)检测肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、转化生长因子-β(TGF-β)、基质金属蛋白酶(MMP)-2、MMP-9及MM...     

Vascular Effects of the Polyphenolic Nutraceutical Supplement Taurisolo®: Focus on the Protection of the Endothelial Function

Preservation of vascular endothelium integrity and functionality represents an unmet medical need. Indeed, endothelial dysfunction leads to decreased nitric oxide biosynthesis, which is prodromic of hypertension and hypercoagulability. In this panorama, the nutraceutical supplement Taurisolo^®, a polyphenolic extract from Aglianico cultivar grape, rich in catechin and procyanidins, was evaluated as a vasoprotective, vasorelaxing, anti-hypertensive and anti-coagulant agent in: cell lines, isolated vessels, in vivo models of chronic hypertension and hypercoagulability, and in clinical tests of endothelial reactivity. Taurisolo^® demonstrated to fully protect vascular cell viability from oxidative stimulus at 100 µg/mL and evoke vasorelaxing effects (Emax = 80.6% ± 1.9 and pEC50 = 1.19 ± 0.03) by activation of the Sirtuins-AMPK-pathway. Moreover, Taurisolo^®, chronically administered at 20 mg/Kg/die in in vivo experiments, inhibited the onset of cardiac hypertrophy (heart weight/rat weight = 3.96 ± 0.09 vs. 4.30 ± 0.03), hypercoagulability (decrease of fibrinogen vs. control: p < 0.01) and hypertension (mean of Psys: 200 ± 2 vs. control 234 ± 2 mmHg) and improved endothelial function (Emax = 88.9% ± 1.5 vs. control 59.6% ± 3.6; flow-mediated dilation in healthy volunteers after 400 mg twice daily for 8 weeks vs. baseline: p = 0.019). In conclusion, Taurisolo^® preserves the vascular function against ox-inflamm-ageing process and the consequent cardiovascular accidents.     

益元止泻颗粒对脾虚泄泻小鼠肠道菌群的影响

目的 探讨以四君子汤加味研制而成的益元止泻颗粒治疗脾虚泄泻的作用机制。方法 观察益元止泻颗粒对大黄煎剂所致脾虚泄泻小鼠肠道菌群的影响。结果 益元止泻颗粒对实验性脾虚泄泻小鼠的肠道菌群有调节作用,能增加有益菌如双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌的数量。结论 益元止泻颗粒能调节肠道微生态平衡,从而对脾虚泄泻的恢复有重要影响。