甘麦大枣汤的药理研究与临床应用

甘麦大枣汤为经典方剂，用于妇人脏躁等疾病。药理实验证实：甘麦大枣汤具有升白、镇静、催眠、抗惊厥，促进离体平滑肌收缩等作用，无毒副作用。近年来，在临床应用方面，除了治疗妇女更年期综合征外，又兼有治疗消化系统、神经系统、心脑疾病及小儿的某些疾患。本文对近十年来甘麦大枣汤的药理研究与临床应用概况进行综述     

中药降香基原的研究

从文献查考、药材鉴别、理化分析和药理实验方面,将山油柑和降香黄檀作比较研究,二者相差很大,认为降香基原不能是山油柑。     

四氯化碳蒸熏法致肝细胞急性损伤时的功能变化及扶正化瘀方药物血清的调节作用

目的:研究体外急性损伤肝细胞的功能变化和扶正化瘀方药物血清的调节作用。方法:采用四氯化碳蒸熏法造成体外原代培养大鼠肝细胞急性肝损伤,检测其释放ALT、AST活性,分泌白蛋白及细胞内外胶原生成率的变化,同时通过添加体内给药后分离的药物血清,观察扶正化瘀方对急性损伤肝细胞病理变化的影响。结果:CCl_4体外急性损伤肝细胞后,其培养液中ALT、AST活性及胶原生成率显著升高,增殖能力明显降低,Alb变化不明显,扶正化瘀方药物血清能显著促进损伤肝细胞的增殖,有效地抑制损伤肝细胞培养上清波中ALT、AST活性,抑制损伤肝细胞的胶原生成率。结论:在急性损伤肝细胞状态,胶原合成已被启动,扶正化瘀方适当剂量具有保护肝细胞、抑制胶原生成的作用。     

Effects of fungal toxins on renal slice calcium balance

Citrinin and ochratoxin A disrupt renal function in many animal species. The mechanism(s) underlying these actions is (are) unclear. Although citrinin has been shown to bind covalently to renal tissue, there also is evidence that it is active in the unmetabolized form. Altered calcium homeostasis has been suggested as an event which might mediate cell injury and/or death; a possible role for calcium in citrinin- or ochratoxin A-induced nephrotoxicity is reported here. Renal cortical slice calcium balance was monitored by the uptake of 45Ca. Either ochratoxin A or citrinin added to fresh renal cortex slices enhanced 45Ca accumulation. These effects were evident as early as 5 min after addition of the toxins. Greater 45Ca uptake occurred with bathing solution calcium concentration of 1.1 mM than in the absence of added carrier calcium. Finally, the effect of citrinin to reduce p-aminohippurate accumulation by renal cortical slices was greater in the presence of calcium than in its absence.     

Ear lobe crease and coronary artery disease. 1,000 patients and review of the literature

One thousand unselected patients admitted to large urban medical centers were examined for the presence of a diagonal ear lobe crease and evaluated for the presence of coronary artery disease. A high degree of correlation between the two was seen, using both clinical and angiographic criteria for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. The association between the ear lobe crease and coronary artery disease was independent of patient age. Prospective analysis of single risk factors in 112 consecutive patients subjected to coronary cineangiography revealed that demonstrable coronary artery disease was correlated only with the ear lobe crease and with previous acute myocardial infarction (although less strongly with the latter). These conclusions are consistent with those of the world's literature, which also finds a strong correlation between coronary artery disease and the ear lobe crease, with the exception of Oriental patients, native American Indian patients, and children with Beckwith's syndrome.     

Effect of selenium on glutathione metabolism. Induction of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione reductase in the rat liver

The effect of sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃, Se) on cellular glutathione metabolism was examined, particularly with respect to its ability to alter the activities of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) reductase. The treatment of rats with Se (5, 10 and 20 μmoles/kg) caused time- and dose-dependent increases in the activities of the synthetase and the reductase in the liver. The activity of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis, was particularly susceptible to Se treatment. The Se-mediated increases in the activities of the above enzymes were inhibited by puromycin and the increases could not be elicited in vitro. Selenium treatment caused time-dependent perturbations in the levels and ratio of GSSG and GSH in the liver. When compared to the control animals, rats treated for 3 hr with 10 and 20 μmoles Se/kg showed increased cellular levels of GSSG; in contrast, 24 hr after Se treatment the concentration of GSH was increased significantly. The activity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, which catalyzes the initial reaction in GSH breakdown, was unaltered by Se treatment. Repeated administration of low doses of Se (7.0 μmoles/kg, three times) also increased the activities of the reductase and the synthetase as well as the cellular levels of hepatic GSH and GSSG. It is suggested that the Se-mediated increases in the activities of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and GSSG-reductase represent cellular responses to Se-mediated perturbations in the levels and ratio of GSH and GSSG.     

Contingent reinforcement for reduced breath carbon monoxide levels: Target-specific effects on cigarette smoking

This study determined the effects on smoking behavior of providing contingent reinforcement for nonsmoking versus reduced smoking afternoon breath carbon monoxide (CO) target levels. Twenty-eight hired chronic smoker volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions during a 10-day intervention: (a) 8 ppm target CO, $5 per day incentive (n = 11); (b) 16 ppm target CO, $4 per day incentive (n = 8); or (c) 8 ppm target CO, no incentive (n = 9). Both payment groups showed significantly lower CO levels and greater amounts of daytime smoking reduction than the no-pay group. A specific effect of CO target was also seen; 45% of subjects in the 8 ppm group compared with 0% of subjects in the 16 ppm target and no-pay groups produced average afternoon CO levels of 8.5 ppm or lower during the intervention. Average levels of CO and smoking reduction did not differ for the two paid groups, however, because some subjects in the 8 ppm group failed to reduce CO sufficiently to contact the reinforcer. Contingent reinforcement based on expired air CO levels can exercise powerful and precise (target-specific) control over smoking behavior, but there may be individual differences in ability to meet reinforcement contingencies if difficult targets are introduced abruptly.