Drug policy in China: pharmaceutical distribution in rural areas

In 1978, China decided to reform its economy and since then has gradually opened up to the world. The economy has grown rapidly at an average of 9.8% per year from 1978 to 1994. Medical expenditure, especially for drugs, has grown even more rapidly. The increase in medical expenditure can be attributed to changing disease patterns, a higher proportion of older people in the population and fee-for-service incentives for hospitals. Due to the changing economic system and higher cost of health care, the Chinese government has reformed its health care system, including its health and drug policy. The drug policy reform has led to more comprehensive policy elements, including registration, production, distribution, utilization and administration. As a part of drug policy reform, the drug distribution network has also been changed, from a centrally controlled supply system (push system) to a market-oriented demand system (pull system). Hospitals can now purchase drugs directly from drug companies, factories and retailers, leading to increased price competition. Patients have easier access to drugs as more drugs are available on the market. At the same time, this has also entailed negative effects. The old drug administrative system is not suitable for the new drug distribution network. It is easy for people to get drugs on the market and this can lead to overuse and misuse. Marketing factors have influenced drug distribution so strongly that there is a risk of fake or low quality drugs being distributed. The government has taken some measures to fight these negative effects. This paper describes the drug policy reform in China, particularly the distribution of drugs to health care facilities.     

Evaluation of the purity of a purified, inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (VAQTA).

Manufacture of VAQTA, an inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccine, includes extensive purification of the intact virus particle to remove endogenous components from the host cell culture lysate as well as compounds introduced in the upstream purification process. Analysis of the final purified hepatitis A virus product by SDS-PAGE prior to inactivation shows that greater than 95% of the protein in the preparation is found in four protein bands, which have been confirmed to be hepatitis A virus capsid proteins VP0, VP1, VP2 and VP3 based on Western blot and mass spectrometry analyses. Validation of the manufacturing process and direct analysis of the final product were used to demonstrate that no other specific host cell-derived components are detected and that process residuals are all below the limits of detection of the assays used. Establishment of a rigorous standard of high purity for this product was pursued to minimize the impact of impurities during clinical development of this product and will facilitate the incorporation of this product into combination vaccines.     

Cytotoxicity of urushiols isolated from sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera stokes)

Cytotoxicities of four urushiols, congeners isolated from the sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera Stokes), to 29 human cancer cell lines originated from 9 organs were evaluated. Their values of 50% growth inhibition were below 4 microg/ml, and showed cell line specific cytotoxicity. The present result is the first report on the cytotoxicity of urushiols suggesting that they would have an anticancer activity to human cancer cells.     

Prognostic relevance of detection of ligands for vertebrate galectins and a Lewis(Y)-specific monoclonal antibody

Tissue sections taken from 157 potentially curatively operated lung carcinoma patients (70 epidermoid carcinomas, 68 adenocarcinomas, 15 large cell anaplastic, and 4 small cell anaplastic carcinomas) were examined by a standardized histochemical protocol in a prospective study evaluating the extent of various types of probes to serve as prognostic indicators in lung cancer. Detailed clinical records and survival data (minimum 56 weeks, maximum 96 weeks) were correlated to the results of the histochemical reactions. The study centres on monitoring the expression of galactoside-containing epitopes in tumor cells by human, animal and plant lectins: and with a monoclonal antibody. In addition, affinity-purified subfractions of natural antibodies from human serum with preferential affinity to alpha- and beta-galactosides, respectively, were employed. Significant contributions to the estimation of the survival of patients are given by clinical parameters (pT, pN stage), number of resected and positive lymph nodes and presence of tumor metastases into specific lymph nodes (No. 5 and No. 6 right and left). With respect to the relevance of subsets of beta-galactosides, the galectin from chicken liver (CL-16) and the Le(y)-specific monoclonal antibody unveiled a negative correlation at a statistically significant level. The predictive value of binding of the animal lectin CL-16 was especially pronounced for patients with advanced tumor stages, pointing to a potential role of such lectin-reactive beta-galactosides in late tumor stages or progression.     

Effects of eating an uncooked vegetable diet for 1 week

Biochemical and metabolic indicators were monitored in a group of volunteers suffering from a variety of chronic illnesses participating in a week's course on a special uncooked vegetable diet, known as "living food". Unmatched healthy controls ate the same diet cooked for 2 min in a microwave oven. After 1 week on the regimen, serum protein and urea contents decreased and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) activity increased in both groups, although all within the normal range. Blood glucose increased in both groups to slightly above normal limits but total serum cholesterol dropped about 1 mmol/l from normal starting levels. Serum tocopherol and retinol increased only in the group eating the uncooked diet. In both groups urinary sodium dropped drastically without a significant change in potassium. Serum and urinary phenol and p-cresol diminished also significantly. It is concluded that this vegetable diet may be of some benefit in the short term but any longer-term use requires evaluation.     

利培酮与氯丙嗪治疗精神分裂症对心电图的影响

目的 :了解和比较利培酮与氯丙嗪对心电图的影响。方法 :对服用利培酮及氯丙嗪的精神分裂症患者分别定期心电图检查 ,时间为服药后 2、4周。结果 :利培酮组和氯丙嗪组出现异常分别为 11.5 %和 4 2 .5 % ,两者有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :利培酮对心电图影响明显低于氯丙嗪。     

Study of neurological mechanism of lidocaine's suppression to tinnitus via microdialysis]

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the neurological mechanism of lidocaine's suppression to tinnitus. METHODS: Thirty-four Wistar rats weighing 300-350 grams were randomly divided into IC group (n = 17) and AC group (n = 17), according to microdialysis region. Each group was randomly subdivided into saline treatment group (n = 4), salicylate treatment group (n = 6), and salicylate + lidocaine treatment group (n = 7). Using in vivo microdialysis technique coupled with microbore HPLC-electrochemical detection, the present study first monitored the 5-HT release in IC and AC in salicylate-induced tinnitus animal models, and then, examined the effects of lidocaine on salicylate-induced 5-HT changes in IC and AC. The statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA for repeated measures of raw data with time and treatment condition as main effects. Individual time-point values between no more than two groups were compared with the unpaired Student's t-test. The accepted level of significance was 0.05, two-tailed. RESULTS: The 5-HT level increased to a maximum of 268% +/- 27% (mean +/- s) basal level in IC 2 h after salicylate application and of 277% +/- 24% basal level in AC around 3 h after application. And then, the 5-HT level gradually decreased to 157% +/- 16% of baseline in IC and 180% +/- 18% of baseline in AC by the end of the sixth hour. Saline did not alter the IC and AC dialysate 5-HT level in control rats. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated a significant effect of the condition factor [F (1, 8) = 413.949, P < 0.000001 in IC group; F(1,8) = 192.184, P < 0.000001 in AC group]. The increases of 5-HT levels in salicylate treatment groups were significantly reduced to 85% +/- 8% basal level in IC and 92% +/- 26% basal level in AC after local infusion of 1% lidocaine (P < 0.05). Compared with corresponding control value at that time (unpaired student t-test). Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures showed a significant difference between the salicylate group and salicylate + lidocaine group [P < 0.000001 with F(1, 11) = 329.267 for the condition factor in IC subgroup; P < 0.000001 with F(1, 11) = 133.844 for the condition factor in AC subgroup]. CONCLUSION: The suppression of lidocaine to tinnitus may be associated with the decrease of 5-HT level in IC and AC.     

钙离子拮抗剂治疗阿尔茨海默氏病的现状

目的：介绍钙离子(Ca2 )拮抗剂治疗阿尔茨海默氏病(AD)的机制和研究进展。方法：查阅近年来国内外相关献。结果：应用Ca2 拮抗剂(如尼莫地平等)治疗AD，可促进受伤神经的再生和感觉运动功能的恢复，并有较好的临床疗效。结论：Ca2 自体平衡失调学说为AD发病机制中的重要组成，应用Ca2 拮抗剂治疗AD具有良好的前景。     

HPLC法测定阿奇霉素的血药浓度

目的 :建立阿奇霉素血药浓度的测定方法。方法 :采用HPLC紫外检测法 ,岛津CLC CN分析柱 ,流动相为 0 1mol·L-1磷酸二氢钠 甲醇 乙腈 ( 85∶7∶8,,V/V/V) ,pH 3 0～ 3 5 ,流速 1mL·min-1,柱温 4 0℃ ,检测波长 2 10nm ,灵敏度 0 0 0 3AUFS ,提取液为氯仿 正己烷 ( 3∶2 ,V/V) ,以峰面积外标法定量。结果 :阿奇霉素血药浓度线性范围 5 0～ 5 0 0 0 μg·L-1,平均回收率( 10 0 9± 2 7) % ,日内RSD 1 2 %～ 4 3% ,日间RSD 2 8%～ 6 8%。结论 :本法简便 ,分析速度快 ,灵敏度较高 ,重复性好 ,基本能适用于临床血药浓度测定及药动学研究。     

诱发型一氧化氮合酶在人类鼻黏膜上皮细胞中的表达

目的　探讨人类鼻黏膜上皮细胞应答炎性刺激因子白细胞介素 1 β(interleukin 1 β ,IL 1 β)和肿瘤坏死因子 (tumornecrosisfactor α ,TNF α) ,合成诱发型一氧化氮合酶 (induciblenitricoxidesynthase ,iNOS)的能力及其机制 ,以及类固醇药物对上皮细胞的影响。方法　将人类鼻黏膜上皮细胞(包括鼻息肉上皮细胞 ,下鼻甲上皮细胞 )进行无血清原代细胞培养 ,分别加入各种不同浓度的炎性刺激因子 (IL 1 β和TNF α)以及地塞米松 ,采用原位杂交的方法检测不同条件下iNOSmRNA的水平。结果　①不论用IL 1 β或是TNF α刺激 ,iNOSmRNA水平均随浓度的增加 ,时间的延长而增加 ,尤以鼻息肉上皮细胞明显。但当浓度到一定水平后 ,iNOSmRNA水平不再继续升高 ;②用IL 1 β +TNF α共同刺激 ,iNOSmRNA水平要高于单纯用其中的一种 (P <0 .0 1 ) ,同样鼻息肉上皮细胞iNOSmRNA水平要高于下鼻甲上皮细胞 ;③加入地塞米松后 ,被炎性因子诱发的iNOSmRNA升高的水平下降。当地塞米松浓度为 4 0ng/ml以上时 ,iNOSmRNA水平不再继续下降。 结论　①IL 1 β和TNF α上调人类鼻黏膜上皮细胞合成的iNOSmRNA水平 ,鼻息肉上皮细胞更为活跃。它的机制可能是通过核因子 κB途径 ;②地塞米松降低这种上调作用 ,它的机制可能是通过阻断核