Auranofin modulates gelatinase release from rat neutrophils

We have examined the effects of auranofin and some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on the release of gelatinase from rat neutrophils. Two preparations of neutrophils were used, one derived from normal blood and the other from the inflamed pleural fluids of carrageenin-elicited pleurisy. Both neutrophil preparations released gelatinase in response to stimulation by serum-treated zymosan (STZ) or concanavalin A (Con A). Control, blood-derived neutrophils exposed to STZ produced more than a four-fold increase in the release of gelatinase, a response significantly inhibited by the presence of auranofin at 10(-5) and 10(-4) M. Inflamed, pleural neutrophils exposed to STZ produced a doubling in gelatinase release and this was also inhibited by auranofin at 10(-5) and 10(-4) M. The release of gelatinase by control neutrophils (no stimulation) or by neutrophils exposed to Con A was enhanced by 10(-6) M auranofin. In contrast, the NSAIDs aspirin, piroxicam, sulindac, indomethacin and naproxen had no inhibitory action on neutrophil gelatinase release. We conclude that auranofin is an effective inhibitor of gelatinase release from neutrophils and this property may represent a contributory factor assigned to the beneficial therapeutic action of gold salts.     

甲状腺手术205例分析

对205例甲状腺手术进行分析,其发病情况与资料报道基本相符。各种并发症的发生率未超过1%,无手术死亡,术后无甲状腺危象发生,与60年代以前相比已大为降低。     

Pregnancy: Oral misoprostol versus placebo for cervical dilatation before vacuum aspiration in first trimester pregnancy

Intravaginal misoprostol has been shown to be effective forcervical priming before a surgically induced abortion. The objectivewas to investigate the effectiveness of oral misoprostol incervical dilatation prior to vacuum aspiration between the 6thand 12th weeks of pregnancy. The results showed that in nulliparouspatients, the median cervical dilatation in the treatment group(7.8 mm) was significantly greater than that in the placebogroup (3.7 mm). In multiparous patients, the difference wasalso statistically significant (9.8 versus 6.0 mm). The easeof dilatation, assessed subjectively by the operating surgeons,was significantly improved in the treatment group. There wasalso a significant reduction in the duration of the operationand in the mean blood loss in the treatment group. The side-effectsencountered in the treatment group were mild and well acceptedby the women. Oral misoprostol is an effective and safe methodfor cervical dilatation prior to vacuum aspiration in firsttrimester pregnancy.     

Insect-derived crude drugs in the Chinese Song dynasty

Fifty-four kinds of crude drug derived from insects are listed in the "herbal" Jing-shi-zheng-lei-da-guang-ben-cao (1108 A.D.) edited during the Chinese Song dynasty (960-1280 A.D.). We considered each of them from the viewpoint of various herbals and have commented on them, the order being adhered to in most cases. We added our own findings of identification of insect crude drugs available on the market. The crude drugs emphasized are mantis egg case, wasp's nest, scarab larva, red cicada, snipe fly, horse fly, flying cockroach, Eupolyphaga, Chinese Cantharides and scarab beetle. Others are discussed to a lesser extent.     

Clinical and experimental study of the effect of compound five-shen herbal drink in the treatment of acute febrile diseases with damage to the yin and reddened tongue syndrome

Based on the experience of the late Beijing traditional medicine professor Zhao Bingnan in treating acute infectious febrile disease and its complications, compound herbal drink composed of five kinds of shen. Six hundred cases of febrile disease with damage to Yin and reddened tongue syndrome and hypokalemia. Patients were randomly divided into groups I, II and control. The perspective study of treatment results and experiments were carried out. The results showed that group I and II who received the compound five-Shen herbal drink (CFSHD) showed good therapeutic effects, the rates of significant effectiveness were 65.5% and 73.1% respectively (P greater than 0.05). The total rates of effectiveness were 97.2% and 96.2% respectively. The rate of significant effectiveness of the control group was 11%, total rate of effectiveness was 43%. There was significant statistical difference between the control group and group I or II (P less than 0.001). Authors of present paper are the first to propose the "Reddened Tongue" to be the main diagnostic criterion of syndrome of "Damage both to the Qi and Yin". Laboratory examination of 344 cases of "Reddened Tongue" revealed that 317 cases with hypokalemia (blood potassium less than 3.5 mEq/L) were 92.15% of the entire group. The authors point out that most of the patients with "damage to both the Qi and Yin" besides hypokalemia can be also low in calcium, magnesium and trace elements. After treatment with CFSHD restoration of normal blood potassium was parallel with the improvement of the reddened tongue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Region-specific growth properties and trophic requirements of brain- and spinal cord-derived rat embryonic neural precursor cells

To determine whether neural precursor cells have region-specific growth properties, we compared the proliferation, mitogenicity, and differentiation of these cells isolated from the embryonic day 16 rat forebrain and spinal cord. Neural precursor cells isolated from both regions were cultured in growth medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, or epidermal growth factor+basic fibroblast growth factor. Under all three conditions, both neural precursor cell populations proliferated for multiple passages. While spinal cord-derived neural precursor cells proliferated moderately faster in epidermal growth factor-enriched growth medium, brain-derived cells proliferated much faster in basic fibroblast growth factor-enriched growth medium. When exposed to both epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, the two neural precursor cell populations expanded and proliferated more rapidly than when exposed to a single factor, with brain-derived neural precursor cells expanding significantly faster than spinal cord-derived ones (P<0.0001). Differentiation studies showed that both neural precursor cell populations were multi-potent giving rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. However, neuronal differentiation from brain-derived neural precursor cells was greater than spinal cord-derived ones (11.95+/-5.00% vs 1.92+/-1.13%; passage 2). Further, the two neural precursor cell populations differentiated into a similar percentage of oligodendrocytes (brain: 8.66+/-5.85%; spinal cord: 7.69+/-3.91%; passage 2). Immunofluorescence and Western blot studies showed that neural precursor cells derived from both regions expressed receptors for basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor. However, brain-derived neural precursor cells expressed higher levels of the two receptors than spinal cord-derived ones in growth medium containing epidermal growth factor+basic fibroblast growth factor. Thus, our results showed that neural precursor cells isolated from the two regions of the CNS have distinct properties and growth requirements. Identifying phenotypic differences between these neural precursor cell populations and their growth requirements should provide new insights into the development of cell therapies for region-specific neurological degenerative diseases.