Fluorescence urethroscopy following instillation of 5-aminolevulinic acid: A new procedure for detecting clinical and subclinical HPV lesions of the urethra

OBJECTIVE: To report early clinical experience with intraurethral instillation of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) for the detection of clinical lesions (condyloma acuminata) and subclinical human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions of the urethra, not visible by conventional endoscopy. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Eighty-four men with clinical diagnosis of condyloma acuminata were examined for urethral HPV lesions at the Department of Urology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany. METHODS: The anogenital areas of the patients were thoroughly examined using a magnifying glass before and after application of 5% acetic acid. Conventional as well as fluorescence urethroscopy were performed 1 h after topical application of 0.1% ALA for 15 min. A sensitive colour charge-coupled device camera for fluorescence video inspection was used with spectral analysis. Biopsies were taken for histological examination and HPV detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Forty-three of 84 men attending our clinic for condyloma acuminata had clinical HPV lesions of the urethra. Condylomas of the proximal urethra were found by conventional endoscopy in eight patients. Fluorescence urethroscopy detected additional subclinical lesions in 13 men. All lesions were HPV infections of the urethra confirmed histologically or by PCR. In nine of these subclinical urethra lesions low-risk HPV types (HPV6, 11, 34) were found. Four lesions were associated with high-risk types (HPV18, 31,52,58). CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescence urethroscopy is a promising diagnostic procedure for detecting subtle clinical and subclinical HPV lesions of the urethra, that are normally not visualized by conventional endoscopy. Generally, urethroscopy is recommended in all cases of externally visible condylomas of the urethra after therapy.     

Induction of HSP27 nuclear immunoreactivity during stress is modulated by vitamin C

For the investigation of the skin irritancy potential of chemicals in an in vitro model it is necessary to have sensitive endpoints that predict the effects of those compounds on native human skin. Recently, we have identified that 27-kDa heat shock protein (HSP27) can serve as a sensitive marker of skin irritation, as exposure of human skin to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) both in vitro and in vivo induced relocalization of HSP27 from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus. The aim of the present study was to determine whether nuclear localization of HSP27 could be used as a parameter for evaluation of potential skin irritants in screening assays in vitro. For this purpose, human skin equivalent consisting of epidermis reconstructed on de-epidermized dermis was exposed to SLS or UV light. Stress-induced nuclear relocalization of HSP27 was observed in excised skin exposed to SLS or UV light and in reconstructed epidermis only when the latter was generated in the absence of vitamin C. The omission of vitamin C results in an impaired barrier function. In the presence of vitamin C, however, the barrier function was comparable with excised skin, suggesting that vitamin C may control the response to stress in the reconstructed epidermis. Besides the presence of vitamin C, the response of skin equivalents may strongly depend on other conditions under which they are generated, because the stress-induced HSP27 relocalization was not detected in the commercially available epidermal kit EpiDerm. The results of the present study show that HSP27 nuclear staining can serve as a sensitive marker for skin irritation or cellular stress in excised skin as well as in certain well-characterized human skin equivalents in vitro.     

Topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for the treatment of skin conditions other than non-melanoma skin cancer

Topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) is used increasingly for superficial non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and dysplasia. However, the relative accumulation of the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in diseased tissue is not specific for neoplastic disease, and has been shown after the application of ALA to benign proliferative skin conditions such as viral warts and psoriasis. This review appraises the quality of evidence available for the use of topical ALA-PDT in the treatment of skin conditions other than NMSC. The diseases that have been studied in most detail are recalcitrant viral warts, acne, psoriasis and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Publications relating to the treatment of other diseases by topical PDT are restricted to small case series or case reports. The relevant literature will be discussed and the potential for topical PDT in the treatment of several skin diseases is highlighted, although more detailed studies are required to clarify the role of PDT beyond the treatment of NMSC.     

23-羟基白桦酸在Caco-2细胞模型中的吸收特性研究

 目的研究23-羟基白桦酸在Caco-2细胞模型中的吸收特性,为设计合理的给药方式提供依据。方法利用MTT实验筛选出23-羟基白桦酸在Caco-2细胞中的安全浓度,然后用Caco-2细胞单层模型研究23-羟基白桦酸的双向转运,采用同位素示踪法检测药物浓度,计算其表观渗透系数,考察时间、药物浓度对23-羟基白桦酸吸收的影响。结果23-羟基白桦酸在Ca- co-2细胞模型中的转运中对应时间点表观渗透系数值(P_app)A→B约等于(P_app)B→A,随时间增加P_app逐渐下降,而在所测浓度范围内P_app值基本保持恒定。结论23-羟基白桦酸在Caco-2细胞模型中的吸收机制主要是被动转运。     

异地种植对PA型紫苏叶酚酸 黄酮类成分及挥发油的影响

目的 研究异地种植不同环境对紫苏醛（PA）型紫苏叶酚酸、黄酮和挥发油3类成分的影响。方法 将5份PA型紫苏种质分别在甘肃、北京和安徽的试验田以相同方法进行种植,检测野黄芩素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、木犀草素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、芹菜素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、野黄芩素-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷、木犀草素-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷、芹菜素-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷、咖啡酸、迷迭香酸和挥发油含量。结果 通过实验数据分析发现,异地种植PA型紫苏叶的咖啡酸、木犀草素-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷、木犀草素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、芹菜素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷及总黄酮含量差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。其中,甘肃地区种植的紫苏中木犀草素-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷、木犀草素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、芹菜素-7-O-二葡萄糖醛酸苷、总黄酮、挥发油含量和紫苏醛含量最高,北京地区种植的紫苏中咖啡酸含量最高。结论 相较于北京、安徽的试验田,甘肃的试验田更适宜种植PA型紫苏。     

二甲双胍对糖尿病大鼠脂肪组织AMPKα2及氧化应激水平的影响

目的 观察二甲双胍对2型糖尿病大鼠脂肪组织中腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶α2( AMPKα2)表达及对氧化应激水平的影响,探讨其改善血糖、氧化应激及胰岛素抵抗的可能机制.方法 32只雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC,n=12)、糖尿病模型组(DM,n=10)、二甲双胍治疗组(MT,n=10);后两组高脂饮食1个月后腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ)30 mg/kg制备2型糖尿病大鼠模型.造模成功后,MT组给予二甲双胍50 mg/(kg ·d)灌胃,NC组、DM组给予同剂量0.5％羟甲基纤维素钠溶液.测定大鼠治疗前后的体质量,并检测各组空腹血糖(FBG)、空腹胰岛素(FINS)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽(GSH)、βN-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、髓过氧化物酶(MPO)、丙二醛(MDA)、单胺氧化酶(MAO)、总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)水平,计算大鼠脂体比、胰岛素敏感指数(ISl).同时以半定量RT-PCR检测脂肪组织AMPKα2 mRNA的表达.结果 与DM组比较,MT组脂肪组织AMPKα2 mRNA的表达及血清GSH、SOD、ISI、HDL增高,FINS、FBG、NAG、MDA、MPO、MAO、TC、TG、LDL降低,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 二甲双胍调节2型糖尿病大鼠,糖脂代谢,改善胰岛素敏感性及氧化应激可能与脂肪组织AMPKα2的表达增加有关.     

微生物内氨基酸和小肽的分析方法及其应用进展

氨基酸和小肽是微生物内重要的活性组分和代谢产物.随着现代分析技术的日益革新,微生物氨基酸和小肽的定性定量分析方法也在不断发展.本文首先从淬灭、提取、样品衍生化和浓缩几个方面对微生物样品前处理方法做了介绍;进而分别从分离技术和检测方法两方面综述了氨基酸和小肽研究中所采用相关技术的特点及应用实例,并系统分析了各种方法的优缺点,同时展望了其发展趋势.     

双波长HPLC法同时测定茱苓草中马钱苷酸和龙胆苦苷

目的建立HPLC同时测定茱苓草中马钱苷酸和龙胆苦苷的方法。方法采用双波长HPLC法,以Hypersil C18柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)为色谱柱,以甲醇-0.1%磷酸溶液(20∶80)为流动相,检测波长为233 nm(测定马钱苷酸)和272 nm(测定龙胆苦苷),体积流量为1 mL/min。结果马钱苷酸在0.498～3.32μg的范围内线性关系良好,相关系数为0.999 1,平均回收率为98.33%,RSD为1.14%;龙胆苦苷在0.657～4.38μg线性关系良好,相关系数为0.999 9,平均回收率为97.74%,RSD为1.25%。结论本方法快速,简便,准确,可靠,可用于茱苓草的质量控制。     

Herbal medicines for the prevention of alcoholic liver disease: A review

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Long-term excess alcohol exposure leads to alcoholic liver disease (ALD)—a global health problem without effective therapeutic approach. ALD is increasingly considered as a complex and multifaceted pathological process, involving oxidative stress, inflammation and excessive fatty acid synthesis. Over the past decade, herbal medicines have attracted much attention as potential therapeutic agents in the prevention and treatment of ALD, due to their multiple targets and less toxic side effects. Several herbs, such as Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson (Apiaceae), Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) and Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (Leguminosae), etc., have been shown to be quite effective and are being widely used in China today for the treatment of ALD when used alone or in combination.

Aim of the review

To review current available knowledge on herbal medicines used to prevent or treat ALD and their underlying mechanisms.

Materials and methods

We used the pre-set searching syntax and inclusion criteria to retrieve available published literature from PUBMED and Web of Science databases, all herbal medicines and their active compounds tested on ALD induced by both acute and chronic alcohol ingestion were included.

Results

A total of 40 experimental studies involving 34 herbal medicines and (or) active compounds were retrieved and reviewed. We found that all reported extracts and individual compounds from herbal medicines/natural plants could be beneficial to ALD, which might be attributed to regulate multiple critical targets involved in the pathways of oxidation, inflammation and lipid metabolism.

Conclusions

Screening chemical candidate from herbal medicine might be a promising approach to drug discovery for the prevention or treatment of ALD. However, further studies remain to be done on the systematic assessment of herbal medicines against ALD and the underlying mechanisms, as well as their quality control studies.     

HPLC同时测定山楂提取物中绿原酸和牡荆素鼠李糖苷的含量

目的:采用HPLC建立山楂提取物中绿原酸和牡荆素鼠李糖苷的含量测定方法。方法:SHISEIDO CAPCELLPAK C18色谱柱(4.6 mm×250 mm,5μm),流动相甲醇(A)、四氢呋喃-乙酸-水(10∶2∶76,B),梯度洗脱,检测波长330 nm,流速1.0 mL.min-1,柱温25℃。结果:绿原酸和牡荆素鼠李糖苷分别在1.34～164.8,1.18～148.7 mg.L-1线性关系良好;平均加样回收率分别为100.4%,98.83%,RSD 1.5%,1.3%。结论:该方法简单、准确、重复性好,可用于测定山楂提取物中绿原酸和牡荆素鼠李糖苷的含量,为山楂提取物及其制剂的质量控制有效的方法。