[Pharmacological study of Rubus parvifolius L]

Aqueous extracts of Rubus parvifolius have been proved useful in shortening bleeding time and coagulation time in mice, shortening euglobulinlysis time in rabbits, inhibiting platelet thrombosis in rabbits in vivo, Rubus parvifolius increasing coronary flow in isolated rat heart, preventing rats from pituitrin induced changes of ECG and Rubus parvifolius increasing the tolerance of mice to hypoxia. The toxicity of Rubus parvifolius is small.

[plants of Coptis from Tibet and Yunnan]

In this paper the relationship of Tibetan Huanglian and Yunnan Huanglian with Coptis teeta has been studied. The distribution and taxonomic features of Tibetan Huanglian are just the same as Coptis teeta, but quite different from Yunnan Huanglian. The results reveal that Tibetan Huanglian and Yunnan Huanglian are different in botanical origin.

Induction of tumor necrosis factor by macrophage colony-stimulating factor in vivo

The effect of human urinary colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in vivo was assessed. Purified CSF-1 was administered i.v. to rabbits 4 days prior to injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). TNF in the serum prepared from rabbits bled 90 min after LPS injection was measured using cytotoxicity assays employing mouse L929 cells and antirabbit TNF monoclonal antibody. The results indicated that CSF-1 was able to induce the production of TNF in vivo and had a synergistic effect with Propionibacterium acnes.

[Preliminary study of traditional Chinese medicine treatment of minimal brain dysfunction: analysis of 100 cases]

This paper reports the clinical treatment of 100 patients with minimal brain dysfunction (MBD), their age ranged from 7-14.2 years, and the average age was 10.5. Patients were divided into TCM and WM group randomly. The TCM group (80 cases) were treated with the therapy of subdueing hyperactivity of the Liver and invigorating the function of the Spleen by using: Bupleurum chinense, Scutellaria baicalensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis pilosula, Ligustrum lucidum, Lophatherum gracile and thread of ivory. The WM group (20 cases) were treated with retalin 5-15 mg twice daily. One course of treatment lasted one month, and effects were evaluated after 1-3 courses of treatment. The results were as follows: In the TCM group, 23 cases were cured (clinical symptom and sign disappeared, 10 IQ units were raised in their intelligence, abnormal electroencephalogram was recovered and there was no recurrence during the first six months after recovery). 46 cases were improved (clinical symptom and sign markedly improved, 4 IQ units raised in intelligence and electroencephalogram improved), and 11 cases ineffective. The effective rate was 86.25%. In the WM group, 6 cases were cured, 12 cases improved and 2 cases ineffective, the clinical effective rate being 90.0%. There was no significant difference between the two groups in this study, but, the side-effects of the TCM group was less than the WM group, and the TCM group had more beneficial effects to improve intelligence, enuresis and the black of orbits. The study showed that the Verbal Scale in Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children is one of the indications of diagnosis and evaluating of the curative effect of MBD.

[Antitumor action of lignum sappan]

The aqueous extract of lignum sappan can kill cell lines of HL-60, K562, L929 and Yac-1 at the concentration of 2 microliters/ml. The survival time of mice bearing EAC is increased by 185% (P less than 0.01) by ip 0.2 ml/mouse x 7d. The three-stage sequential test standard can be passed smoothly.

Age and binocular advantage: A VEP assessment

Monocular and binocular visual evoked potentials (VEP's) were recorded in response to contrast-reversing checkerboard patterns of 2 check sizes (14 and 28 min arc) and 2 contrast-reversal rates (1.88 and 7.50 rps) in children (10 and 11-year-olds) and young adults (20 to 30-year-olds). The magnitude of binocular advantage, expressed as the ratio of the binocular to the average monocular response, was assessed by amplitude measurements of the major positive peak. The overall VEP amplitudes were larger for children than for adults across all conditions. The VEP amplitudes for binocularly viewed patterns were also consistently larger than the VEP amplitudes for the monocularly viewed patterns for both age groups. However, when the binocular advantage was expressed as a ratio of binocular to monocular average (MAV), the amplitude difference between the age groups was no longer apparent; although the children's average VEP responses were of a larger amplitude, the binocular advantage remained the same regardless of age.

Sphingosine stimulates cellular proliferation via a protein kinase C-independent pathway

Sphingosine, a metabolite of membrane sphingolipids, is generally considered to be cytotoxic for a variety of cell types. However, we have found that sphingosine at low concentrations stimulates DNA synthesis and acts synergistically with known growth factors to induce proliferation of quiescent Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. Structurally related analogs of sphingosine, such as N-stearoylsphingosine and other long chain aliphatic amines, had no mitogenic effects, suggesting that sphingosine did not induce nonspecific membrane perturbations. Sphingosine, which has been proposed to be a physiological inhibitor of protein kinase C, also markedly potentiates the mitogenic effect of the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Sphingosine still stimulates DNA synthesis in cells made protein kinase C deficient by prolonged treatment with phorbol ester. At mitogenic concentrations, sphingosine does not bind to protein kinase C as shown by its lack of effect on phorbol dibutyrate binding. Only at higher concentrations, in the cytotoxic range, was there a displacement of phorbol dibutyrate from its cellular-binding sites. In contrast to sphingosine, H-7, a known inhibitor of protein kinase C, inhibited the mitogenic response to TPA and the TPA-induced phosphorylation of the 80 kDa cellular substrate of protein kinase C. Our results suggest that sphingosine may play an important role as a positive regulator of cell growth acting in a fundamentally different, protein kinase C-independent pathway.

Tolerance to diazepam and methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate measured in substantia nigra of benzodiazepine tolerant rats

The spontaneous activity of neurons in the pars reticulata of substantia nigra (SNpr) was studied in chloral hydrate anesthetized rats. As a function of dose, intravenous diazepam decreased, and methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta CCM) increased discharge frequency. Two days after terminating a one week treatment with flurazepam (FZP), both diazepam and beta CCM showed decreased ability to alter SNpr neuronal activity. Neither residual FZP nor down-regulation of benzodiazepine receptors can account for these results. In contrast, behavioral testing revealed no change in the ability of i.v. beta CCM to cause convulsions, suggesting that sites other than the SNpr are of prime importance in expressing the convulsant actions of systemically injected beta CCM.

A model for tumor cell killing by topoisomerase poisons

Our model proposes that topoisomerase-targeting antitumor drugs form reversible drug-enzyme-DNA complexes that collide with the DNA and RNA synthesis machineries. On collision, the complexes lose their reversibility, and generate lethal double-strand DNA breaks. Further investigations of topoisomerase action will allow this model to be refined, and may ultimately lead to the development of more effective anticancer drugs.

[Citation analysis of Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 1984-1989]

Citation analysis was made bibliometrically on the collection and dispersion of the references in Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 1984-1989. Core periodicals were sorted out: 31 in foreign languages and 6 in Chinese. Suggestions are proposed to the information services.

Effects of contralateral superior laryngeal nerve stimulation on dorsal medullary inspiratory neurons

The effects of superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) stimulation on phrenic (PHR) nerve activity and on activity of dorsal respiratory group (DRG) inspiratory (I) neurons contralateral to the stimulus were examined in decerebrate, paralyzed cats. Stimulation caused bilateral PHR suppression followed by recovery at ca. 30 ms. Most DRG neurons (70%) contralateral to the stimulus were inhibited, but average onset of inhibition lagged that of PHR suppression. This contrasts sharply with the observation in an earlier study that inhibition of ipsilateral I neurons on the average preceded PHR suppression. The remaining neurons (30%) were not inhibited. Only 22% of contralateral neurons were excited by SLN stimulation, in contrast to 52% of ipsilateral neurons. Thus, contralateral DRG I neurons do not mediate the onset of bilateral PHR suppression by SLN stimulation and are probably inhibited through a longer pathway than that for the ipsilateral unit responses.

[Effect of injections of huoxue huayu on hemodynamics of the canine small intestine]

The effect of Huoxue Huayu injection(HHI) on hemodynamics of canine small intestine was investigated in 25 healthy mongrel dogs. SMA was used for intestinal blood flow measurement with an electronic magnetic flowmeter. After measuring the arterial and venous oxygen saturation the intestinal oxygen consumption and vascular resistance were calculated. In the control group (n = 8) the dog was infused with normal saline (NS) and in the experimental group (n = 9) HHI was used with the same dosage of 3.75 ml per kg body weight per hour. Small molecular weight dextran (SMD) was administered in the third group as a known vasodilator agent. The results showed no effect of NS on intestinal hemodynamics. At the periods of 20, 40 and 60 minutes following HHI the mean values of intestinal blood flow were 291.22 +/- 98.12, 307.56 +/- 106.64 and 283.33 +/- 96.84 ml.min-1 respectively. They were statistically different against the premedication values (181.56 +/- 62.38 ml.min-1). The values of intestinal oxygen consumption at the corresponding periods were 6.97 +/- 3.62, 6.97 +/- 3.80 and 7.11 +/- 3.04 ml.min-1. They were markedly greater than those before HHI (4.85 +/- 2.23 ml.min-1). Analysis proved that blood flow and vascular resistance had a dependent relationship. HHI was marked by stronger effect than SMD when used in smaller dosage. It was believed that both the increase of blood flow and oxygen consumption might be an important pharmacological basis of the application of Huoxue Huayu principle in the treatment of acute abdominal diseases.

[Comparison of effect in the change of respiration by stimulating three trigeminal subnucleus]

Experiments were performed on 31 rabbits. After recovery from surgical anesthesia the change of respiration were observed in various experimental conditions, under which original nucleus of trigemini (ONT), terminal nucleus of trigemini (TNT), spinal tractus nucleus of trigemini (SNT) were respectively stimulated by an electrical current (EC) or monosodium glutamate (MSG) or lidocaine (LID). Because SNT had a longitudinal long shape, three different sections of SNT were selected as stimulating points respectively, namely rostral point (A2.33 mm), middle point (AP0 mm) and caudal point P1.9 mm). Phrenic nerve discharge and its integrated curve, PCO2 and blood pressure were recorded by a RM-6000 polygraph. The results indicated that the stimulations of EC and MSG to SNT and TNT enhanced respiratory activity obviously. Stimulation of EC and MSG to ONT caused much less enhancement of respiration. Microinjection of LID to TNT and ONT decreased respiratory activity, but microinjection of LID to SNT increased. The present experiment concluded that stimulation of SNT and TNT could cause significant change in respiration.

Abnormal processing of multiple proteins in Alzheimer disease

Cerebrovascular amyloid is the main constituent of the perivascular and neuritic plaques typical of Alzheimer disease, whereas neurofilaments and microtubule-associated tau protein have been considered primary contributors to the formation of the characteristic Alzheimer tangles. Plaques and tangles and their constituents have at times been ascribed a role in pathogenesis of the disease. Normally, neurofilaments become phosphorylated only upon axonal entry. In many neurologic disorders, neurofilament phosphorylation, as detected by any of the available monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to neurofilament phosphorylated epitopes is shifted from an axonal to a cell-body location. An exception is provided by Alzheimer disease, where tangles (which are neuronal cell-body-derived structures) exhibit only one phosphorylated epitope. However, the very presence of neurofilaments in tangles and plaques has been questioned because of a reported cross-reaction of mAbs to phosphorylated neurofilaments with tau protein. On reinvestigating this cross-reactivity we found that four of five mAbs to phosphorylated neurofilaments and four of five mAbs to nonphosphorylated neurofilaments failed to react with tau protein. A fifth mAb (07-5) to phosphorylated neurofilament cross-reacted with partially denatured tau protein at an affinity 1/1700th of that for denatured neurofilaments; nondenatured tau protein in tissue sections did not cross-react. A fifth mAb (02-40) to nonphosphorylated neurofilament also cross-reacted weakly. In Alzheimer disease normal-appearing axons were revealed with all the mAbs to phosphorylated neurofilaments, but tangles were revealed with only one of them (mAb 07-5). mAb to tau protein did not stain or did so indistinctly. Four of five mAbs to nonphosphorylated neurofilaments failed to reveal axons. Upon dephosphorylation of tissue, staining by mAbs to phosphorylated neurofilaments disappeared, and axons were revealed with the mAb to tau protein and all mAbs to the nonphosphorylated neurofilaments. Tangles became stained with tau mAb and one mAb to the nonphosphorylated neurofilaments (mAb 10-1). Quantitative evaluation of immunocytochemical staining intensities and immunoblot cross-reactivity showed that neurofilaments are, indeed, constituents of tangles--apparently exceeding the concentration of tau protein 17-fold. Contribution of both conformation and primary structure to IgG specificity may explain the lack of any cross-reaction of mAbs to neurofilaments with tau protein in intact tissue and the appearance of cross-reaction in immunoblots where conformation specificity may be largely lost. The present data extend earlier findings of abnormal processing of neurofilaments and tau protein in Alzheimer disease and, together with reported abnormal processing of cerebrovascular amyloid beta-protein, suggest that inhibition of the processing of multiple proteins is basic to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease, whereas formation of plaques and tangles could be merely the most striking histologic result.

Recognition and management of Budd-Chiari syndrome: report of one hundred cases

Budd-Chiari syndrome is an unusual form of portal hypertension caused by occlusion of the hepatic venous outflow, and it is often confused with portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis. Its prognosis is poor, and optimal therapy remains to be established. This is a report of 100 confirmed cases of this syndrome treated from December 1982 to March 1988 at two vascular centers in China. Sixty-two male and 38 female patients, 15 to 62 years of age (mean age, 32.6 years) were treated. Seventy-six patients had intractable ascites, 56 had esophageal varices, and 22 had upper gastrointestinal bleeding. There were 37 cases of membranous obstruction, 57 cases of occlusion of the inferior vena cava above the confluence of the hepatic veins, and 6 cases of occlusion of the hepatic veins. Eighty-one patients were operated on. Operative mortality rate was 8.6% (7/81). Follow-up from 2 to 66 months revealed that 58 of the patients operated on (72%) had good results, whereas 11 of 19 (58%) patients treated nonoperatively died within 2 months after admission. On the basis of these data we conclude that the operative procedure must be tailored to the cause and underlying pathologic characteristics. Mesoatrial shunting is the operation of choice for patients with occlusion of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava and hepatic veins, and inferior vena cava--atrial shunting is the operation of choice for patients with occlusion of the inferior vena cava and patency of the hepatic veins. Membranotomy is used for patients with inferior vena cava webbing, and mesocaval shunting is used for patients with intrahepatic venous occlusion only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Seeding of autogenous endothelial cells to inner surface of small-caliber dacron vascular prostheses. An experimental study on canines

We presented the experimental results of endothelial cells (EC) seeding in small caliber interpositional dacron grafts of canine carotid arteries. Six weeks after surgery, 9 (56.25%) seeded, and 6 (37.5%) control grafts remained patent. The mean thrombus-free surface area was 83.4% in the seeded and 62% in the controls. The mean volume of thrombus was 74 mg and 218 mg respectively (P less than 0.05). Morphologically, the endothelial layer extension on the graft from the host artery was less than 1 cm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that a thin luminal layer was composed of flat polygonal cells at the seeded midgrafts, and that fibrous tissues were covered with numerous platelets, fibrin, and blood cells at the unseeded midgrafts. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that cells on the seeded midgrafts were characterized by endothelial cells. We conclude that endothelial cells seeding could improve the performance of small-caliber dacron prostheses.