ROLE OF OXYGEN IN MYOCARDIAL REOXYGENATION INJURY AND THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SHENG MAI SAN

The mechanism of myocardial reoxygenation injury and Sheng Mai San's (生脉散) protection on the myocardium were studied by the Langendorff isolated perfused heart system. After the anoxic perfusion for 40 minutes, the myocardial ultrastructure was abnormally changed. The myocardial succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were decreased. After anoxia for 35 minutes and reoxygenation for 5 minutes, the myocardial ultrastructural changes were more prominant. The activities of SDH, SOD and GSH-Px were further depressed with the level of end product of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA), being increased. When Sheng Mai San was added into the perfusate during the anoxia and reoxygenation processes, myocardial ultrastructure was seen to be improved, The SDH, SOD, and GSH-Px activities were elevated with the level of MDA being reduced, Thus, it can be concluded that the oxygen free radicals and the lipid peroxidation play critical roles in the process of reoxygenation injury on the myocardium and that Sheng Mai San possesses protective effect on the myocardial injury through improving myocardial ultrastructure and metabolism.     

EFFECT OF SHENG MAI SAN ON LEFT VENTRICULAR PERFORMANCE IN CORONARY HEART DISEASE

The present study aims at ascertaining thenature of Xin Qi Xu (XQX,deficiency of Heart-Qi) and the effect of the drug Sheng Mai San 生脉散(SMS) on heart performance,using systolicand diastolic time intervals as criteria in CHDassociated with XQX patients.The results ascompared with normal subjects showed increa-ses in QA_2,PEP,ICT,IRP,SFP,RFP,a/H%,PEP/LVET and SFP/RFP and a reduction ofLVET,suggesting that the patients have a la-tent cardiac insufficiency possibly relating tothe nature of XQX.The changes in systolic anddiastolic time intervals after intravenous ShengMai San were prolongation of MST and LVET,shortening of PEP and PEP/LVET,and slowingof heart rate.These changes are statisticallysignificant (P<0.05-0.001).The blood pressurewas not significantly changed.These changesand their degree suggest a positive inotropic ac-tion on myocardium and a reduction of myo-cardial oxygen consumption by Sheng Mat San.Its effects compared with Cedilanid-D showedthat the action of both drugs on systolic anddiastolic time intervals was similar.We ten-tatively suggest,therefore,that the inotropicaction of SMS simulates that of digitalis glycosi-des.Further studies are needed to determinewhether SMS affects the heart in the same wayas digitalis glycosides,for current work indica-tes that SMS may have other effects on theheart.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON PREGNANCY-TERMINATION EFFECT OF CURCUMA AROMATICA

Curcuma Aromatica in the form of decoc-tion administered intraperitoneally or subcuta-neously at the daily dosage of 5-10 g/kg for 2-3days to rabbits in various stages of gravidity,terminated it.The drug was less effective whenused orally.The LD_(50) of the herb in mice was33.7±3.1g/kg when administered in a single i.p.injection.The estrogenic and antiestrogenic activitiesof the herb were negligible.The significantchange observed was marked suppression of thedeciduoma.The termination of early gestationin mice was prevented by simultaneous injectionof progesterone and the herb,suggesting that thepregnancy-termination action of the herb wasprobably due to its antagonistic effect on endo-genous progesterone and the uterine contractioneffect.     

THE EFFECT OF ORALLY ADMINISTERED PINGLE JIEGUDAN ON FRACTURE HEALING:AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

The effect of orally administered Jicgudan(JGD)on fracture healing was studied in 120 mice and 44rabbits with experimentally incurred radial defectsand closed tibial fractures.Mice and rabbits weredivided into experimental and control groups.Through radiologlcal,histological and histochemicalexaminations,JGD has proven effective in promotingthe healing of bone fractures,healing time beingshortened by 36.62%(P<0.01).~3H-TdR autoradio-graphy showed the labelling index of the experi-mental group to be 211‰,greater than that of thecontrol(P<0.01).This demonstrates the ability ofJGD to promote fracture healing due to its stimula-tion of osteogenic cell proliferation,speeding up ofDNA synthesis,activation of osteoblast function,increasing alkaline phosphatase level and activity,accelerating glycogen metabolism and synthesis,andpromoting the combination of collagen with calciumto form new bone.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON ACUPUNCTURE ANTI-HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK

The effect of acupuncture at Neiguan(P 6)on regulating hemorrhagic shock in 90 rabbitswas observed.All the results suggested that acupuncture at Neiguan could raise blood pres-sure,protect cardiac pump function,correct the disturbance of secretion and metabolism ofhumoral factors,reduce blood adhesion to normal level and thus achieve anti-hemorrhagicshock.This study has provided scientific basis for expounding the mechanism of acupuncturein anti-shock.     

EFFECTS OF BREVISCAPIN ON MYOCARDIAL REOXYGENATION DAMAGE: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

By means of Langendor ff isolated-heart perfusion technique, a model of cardiac global hypoxia/reoxygenation was prepared. Breviscapin (100mg/L in perfusate) effectively reduced the myocardial hypoxic perfusion and reoxygenation damage with respect to lowering myocardial CPK release, indicating a membrane-protective effect of the drug. After 50min hypoxic perfusion. Breviscapin-treated grup showed relatively higher myocardial activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase comparing to the control group. After 5min reoxygenation, the level of myocardial malondialdehyde-like substance in the treated group was lower than that in the control group indicating less free radical accumulated in the myocardium of treated group.     

CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE ANTI-PLATELET AGGREGATION EFFECT OF D-CATECHIN

Animal experiments on the action of d-catechin,on effective constituent extracted fromRadix Paeonia Rubra,revealed that the me-chanism of this crude drug in relieving stasis andactivating circulation possibly embraces a seriesof actions including inhibition of platelet ag-gregation,anti-thrombosis,vaso-dilatation,in-crease in coronary blood circulation,promotionof microcirculation and effect on the metabolismof liver and connective tissue.     

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF INSULIN ON ISOLATED RAT HEARTS

The protective effect of preoperative intravenous infusion of high doses of insulin (2U/100gm) was studied in isolated rat heart models, using modified Langendorff apparatus. Fifteen rat hearts were equally divided into three groups: Group Ⅰ(control group) received glucose and potassium within 60 min. prior to the onset of operation. Group Ⅱ (insulin group) was administered with glucose, insulin and potassium(GIK)within 60 min. before operation, whereas Group Ⅲ(insulin cardioplegia group)was treated with the same amount of GIK Preoperatively as well as an addition of insulin (100U/L) to the cardioplegia. All the rat hearts were subjected to a 30-min. period of ischemia. Coronary effluent, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) of coronary effluent, myocardial water content, histochemistry and ultrastructure of myocardium were studied. After reperfusion, the amount of coronary effluent was 2.84±0.79 ml/min/100gm in Group Ⅱ, 1.32±0.45 ml/min/100gm in Group Ⅰ and 1.72±1.03 ml/min/100gm in Group Ⅲ, respectively, (Group Ⅱ vs Group Ⅰ or Ⅲ p<0.05), LDH was significantly lower in Group Ⅱ (4.48±1.24 U/L) than in Group Ⅰ (25.16±8.96 U/L) (P<0.01) and in Group Ⅲ (17.8±12.2 U/L) (P<0.05), but no significant difference could be seen between Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅲ. Myocardial water content was 71.5±1.21% in Group Ⅱ and 78.57±3.14% in Group Ⅰ (p<0. 01), whereas it was 75.42±3.28% in Group Ⅲ(vs Group Ⅰ and Ⅱ p>0.05).Histochemical succinodehydrogenase (SDH) reaction was graded 0 to 1 in Group Ⅱ and 2 to 3 in Group Ⅰ and Ⅲ (p<0.01). Group Ⅱ showed nearly normal myocardial ultrastructure with increased glycogen stores, while Groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ revealed local myofibrillary disorganization. disrupted mitochondria and Pronounced depletion of glycogen storages. These results prove that the Protective effect of preoperative application of high doses of insulin together with glucose and potassium on isolated rat hearts is definitely superior to the use of glucose and potassium alone. These findings also suggest that addition of insulin to cardioplegia is ineffective and even harmful to the ischemic myocardium.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF ANTIVIRAL ACTION OF 472 HERBS ON HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS

The antiviral effects of 472 medicinal herbs(atraw material concentration of 10 mg/ml),on type1 herpes simplex virus were studied using tissue cul-ture.Using water and alcohol extracts,the numberof effective herbs by initial screening was reducedby 28.8-80.0% during secondary screening.Therewas a decrease in the number of effective herbs,i.e.pre-mixing mode>simultaneous mode>therapeuticmode>preventive mode.After the secondary scree-ning,ten highly effective herbs were identified forall modes of administration as either aqueous oraclohol extracts.These ten herbs included Aristo-lochia debilis,Artemisia anomala,Lindera strychni-folia,Patrinia villosa,Pinus massoniana,Prunellavulgaris,Pyrrosia lingua,Rhus ehinensis,Sargassumfusiforme,and Taraxacum mongolicum.Clinically,of 78 cases of herpetic keratitis due to HSV treatedby Pyrrosia lingua and Prunella vulgaris eye drops,38 eases were cured,37 cases improved,and 3 casesineffective.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE PHOTODYNAMIC ACTIVITY OF BERBERINE IN VITRO OF CANCER CELLS

The photodynamic activity of berberine on astomach cancer cell line was studied and revealedthat the cell growth activity was not inhibited whe-ther the drug was added to the culture medium alone(the final concentration of drug does not exceed10μg/ml of medium) or the culture was illuminatedby means of a black light lamp (wave length 320-450nm,20W) alone.If both are combined,and themedium is changed but without the drug afterillumination,are could be observed a strong in-hibition of cell growth.The inhibitory effect isdirectly proportional to the concentration of drug.     

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF PROSTAGLANDIN E_2 ON PANCREATIC ISLET B CELLS OF EXPERIMENTAL DIABETIC RATS AND ITS MECHANISMS

The cytoprotective effect of PGE_2 on pancreatic islet B cells both in vivo and in vitro was studied. The results indicated that PGE_2 possesses significant protective effect on B cells. The increase of cAMP level, the prevention of Ca~(2+) accumulation, and the stimulation of DNA synthesis might be involved in the mechanisms of the protective effect of PGE_2.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON EFFECT OF TRADITIONAL BONE-KNITTING DRUGS ON TRAUMATIC GU BI (BONE-RHEUMATOID LESIONS)

Traditional bone--knitting drugs (TBKD) are used frequently in the treatment of bone frac-tures. An animal model of Gu Bi (bone--related rheumatoid lesions) with defects of articularcartilage as the main lesion was developed by surgical trauma under the stereomicroscope inWistar rats and treated with TBKD. The results showed that TBKD could promoteproliferation of cartilage cells around the traumatic site and improve the osteogenetic func-tion in the traumatic state, suggesting that TBKD can be used in combination with otherChinese drugs to treat Gu Bi, including bony lesions of the late--stage rheumatoid arthritisand bony arthritis. But the experimental results also suggested that TBKD might have an ef-fect of promoting development of inflammation, and therefore, should be used with care inthe acute phase of inflammation.     

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF RADIX SALVIAE MILTIORRHIZAE COMPOSITA ON CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA

The protective effects of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Composita (RSMC) on cerebral ischemia in gerbils produced by unilateral ligation of left common carotid artery and on the development of ischemic cerebral edema were studied. It was found that the administration of RSMC resulted in a very significant decrease in neurological deficits and the time for ex-hibiting first signs of neurological deficit delayed compared with untreated animals. Al-though the values of specific gravity of fresh cerebral tissue on the ligated side of common carotid artery in untreated animals (1.0406± 0.0039 SD) and in RSMC-treated animals (1.0453 ± 0.0009) were decreased significantly compared to that (1.0468± 0.0003) of sham-operated animals, the specific gravity of cerebral tissue in RSMC-treated animals was significantly heavier than that in untreated animals (t= 5.5022, P< 0.001), i.e. the ad-ministration of RSMC decreased the severity of cerebral edema. A significant negative cor-relation was found between stroke index and specific gravity, and it suggests that one of the protective mechanisms of RSMC might be related to its ameliorating cerebral edema.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MECHANISMS OF EMBRYONIC TOXICITY OF LEAD NITRATE

ＥＸＰＥＲＩＭＥＮＴＡＬＳＴＵＤＹＯＮＭＥＣＨＡＮＩＳＭＳＯＦＥＭＢＲＹＯＮＩＣＴＯＸＩＣＩＴＹＯＦＬＥＡＤＮＩＴＲＡＴＥ￥ＹｕＫａｉ（喻凯）；ＴｏｎｇＳｕｍｉｎｇ（童夙明）；（Ｄｅｐｔ．ｏｆＨｉｓｔｏｅｍｂｒｙｏｌｏｇｙ，ＴａｉｓｈａｎＭｅｄｉｃａ...     

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MELATONIN ON NEURAL CELLS AGAINST THE CYTOTOXICITY OF OXYRADICALS

Objective. To investigate the exact mechanism of melatonin to prohibit the apoptosis of neural cells induced by various kinds of cytotoxic agents. Methods. We used the methods of phase contrast microscopy, MTT assay and hoechst dye staining to check this mechanism in SKNSH and U251 cell lines. Results. Both 2mmol/L H2O2 and 0. 5 μmol/L amyloid β- protein (Aβ) induce these two cell lines die via apoptosis. Either melatonin or glutathione can significantly protect both cell lines. The protective effect of 10 μmol/L melatonin is as same as that of 60μmol/L glutathione. Conclusion. Melatonin can partly inhibit the cytotoxicity of H2O2 and Aβ through its role as a free radical scavenger.     

CLINICAL STUDY ON MALE ANTIFERTILITY EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE ENANTHATE （AN INTERIM REPORT）

Thirty-two fertie and married men, aged 27-45 (average 35.1) were recruited for the following stud/es: (1) a control phase lasting 1 month; (2) a treatment phase 1, lasting 4 months and a treatment phase 2, lasting 12 months; (3) a recovery phase lasting until all     

THE EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF BREVESCAPIN INJECTION ON MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA

Experimental myocardial infarction models were established in 23 dogs through ligating left anterior descending coronary artery. The effects of Brevescapin (灯盏花)injection on hemodynamics and infarct size in dogs were studied by NBT staining, electronmicroscopic observation, serum CPK assessment and coronary artery tree casting to compare the differences between the treatment group and control group. The results indicate that Brevescapin injection has the effects of slowing heart rate, decreasing cardiac contractility, reducing cardiac oxygen consumption and cardiac work, decreasing blood pressure, decreasing total peripheral vascular resistance and reducing myocardial infarct size (treatment group 6.78±1.97%, control group 15.68±4.00%, P<0.001), The probable pharmacology of Brevescapin is discussed.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE INDUCTIONMECHANISM OF SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN CULTURED CARDIOMYOCYTES DURING HEAT SHOCK

Objective To explore the role of reaction oxygen species (ROS) in heat shock (HS) on the tolerance of cardiomyocytes to anoxia - reoxygenation (AO - RO) injury and on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD).Methods Cultured neonatal myocytes of rats were divided into 5 groups: normal control, anoxic control, HS,HS- SOD pretreated and exogenous ROS pretreated (n= 6). Results Compared with the 2 control groups, ROS release in HS and ROS pretreated groups increased mildly, but after experiencing 3h anoxia/lh reoxygenation 24hlater, ROS release of the two groups decreased significantly, which was accompanied by enhanced SOD activities and less myocytes damage. Opposite results were found when SOD was insituted during HS. Conclusion HS did enhance myocardial tolerance to AO-RO injury. The mild release of ROS during HS may trigger delayed myocardial protection by altering SOD activity.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ANTIHSV-Ⅱ ACTION OF 500 HERBAL DRUGS

Experimental assessments were made on the anti-HSV-Ⅱ action of 500 herbs by determinations of thevirus inhibition logarithm(VIL).13 highly effectiveherbs (VIL■4.00)were screened cut,providing a ra-tional basis for clinical therapy.Among these effec-tive herbs,10 were aqueous extracts of Artemisiaanomala,Centella asiatica,Epimedium Sagittatum,Hibiscus mutabills,Hosta plantaginea,Hypericumjaponicum,Inula japonica.Mosla punctata,Rhodo-dendron simsii,and Rhus chinenses,while 3 werealcohol extracts of Epimedium Sagittatum,Hypericumjaponicum,and Mosla punctata.     

NEGATIVE REGULATORY EFFECT OF SOMATOSTATIN ON EXPERIMENTAL RAT HEPATIC FIBROSIS

Objective To clarify the actions of somatostatin （SST） on the hepatic fibrogenesis in experimental rats. Methods Seventy five Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups at random, including normal control, model control, SST-treated model groups of high, medium and low doses （200 μg·kg^-1·d^-1 , 100μg·kg^ 1 ·d^-1and 50 μg·kg^ 1 ·d^-1, respectively） （ n = 15, in each group）. All rats, except for the normal controls, were injected with 40% carbon tetrachloride （ CCI4 ） subcutaneously for 8 weeks to establish hepatic fibrosis. Meanwhile, rats of SST-treated model groups were given different doses of SST twice a day in the same way. Then the liver function, serum levels of hyaluronic acid （HA）, laminin （ LM） , and collagen type IV （CIV） were tested. The collagen types I and III, and pathological changes in liver tissue were assessed. Results Being compared with the model control group, SST-treated groups, especially the medium and low dose ones, exhibited significantly improved indices of liver function, including alanine minotransferase （ALT）, aspartate aminotrans- ferase （AST）, albumin （ALB）, total bilirubin （TBIL） and alkaline phosphatase （ALP）. Markedly lowered expres- sion of serum HA, LM and tissular collagen types I, III were also detected radioimmunologically and immunohisto- chemically in the low dose SST-treated model group. Moreover, pathological findings, such as lessened fibrous septa, decreased hepatic stellate cells （HSCs）, alleviated hepatic steatosis and attenuated inflammation, confirmed the significant improvement in fibrotic degree under the treatment of low dose rather than other doses of SST. Conclusion SST exerts the negative modulatory effect on hepatic fibrosis with a pathophysiological basis of extra- cellular matrixes （ECM） decreasing and hepatocyte protection. Low dose of SST （50 μg·kg^ 1 ·d^-1 ） maY be the optimum one among all doses.