川楝素对K+、Ca2+通道活动及细胞内Ca2+浓度的调控

川楝素是我国学者从驱蛔中药中分离、鉴定的一个三萜化合物,已证明具选择地影响神经递质释放,有效地对抗肉毒中毒,促进细胞分化、凋亡,抑制肿瘤增殖,抑制昆虫发育和取食,影响K 、Ca2 通道活动等多种生物效应.综述了证明川楝素抑制多种K 通道,选择地易化L型Ca2 通道和进而升高胞内Ca 浓度的研究资料,并对川楝素产生这些生物效应的机制进行了讨论.     

川楝素对K+、Ca2+通道活动及细胞内Ca2+浓度的调控

川楝素是我国学者从驱蛔中药中分离、鉴定的一个三萜化合物,已证明具选择地影响神经递质释放,有效地对抗肉毒中毒,促进细胞分化、凋亡,抑制肿瘤增殖,抑制昆虫发育和取食,影响K⁺、Ca²⁺通道活动等多种生物效应. 综述了证明川楝素抑制多种K⁺通道,选择地易化L型Ca²⁺通道和进而升高胞内Ca⁺浓度的研究资料,并对川楝素产生这些生物效应的机制进行了讨论.     

植物水通道蛋白活性的调节机制

植物水通道蛋白的活性主要由磷酸化作用、蛋白质异聚化、pH值、Ca2 浓度、环境胁迫、胞内渗透压、温度等因素调节。该文主要从分子生物学角度介绍了与上述因子有关的水通道蛋白活性的调节机制。     

短期模拟失重可增强大鼠脑动脉平滑肌细胞L-型Ca~(2+)通道对血管紧张素Ⅱ的反应性

已有研究表明模拟失重可引起大鼠脑动脉发生区域特异性变化,其中Ca2+通道和肾素-血管紧张素系统(renin-angio-tensin system,RAS)可能发挥着重要的作用。本研究旨在探讨血管紧张素Ⅱ(angiotensin Ⅱ,Ang Ⅱ)对短期模拟失重大鼠脑基底动脉血管平滑肌细胞(vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs)L-型Ca2+通道(L-type calcium channel,CaL)功能的影响。模拟失重(尾部悬吊)3d后,用木瓜蛋白酶法分离大鼠脑基底动脉VSMCs。采用全细胞膜片钳技术,以Ba2+作为载流子,测定CaL电流密度,然后观察Ang Ⅱ对该电流的影响。结果显示,模拟失重3d对大鼠脑基底动脉VSMCs的膜电容和接入电阻无明显影响,但可致VSMCs的CaL电流密度显著增加。不过,模拟失重对CaL的电压激活特性和稳态激活曲线亦无明显影响。对照组和模拟失重组大鼠脑基底动脉VSMCs的CaL电流密度在给予Ang Ⅱ处理后均显著增加,且模拟失重组的增加幅度显著大于对照组。以上结果提示,3d短期模拟失重即可引起大鼠脑动脉VSMCs的CaL发生适应性改变,且可导致其对...     

Practice of traditional Chinese herbal medicine shops in central London

The popularity of traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) in the UK raises questions about the safety of practice of TCHM retail outlets/shops. This pilot study involving twelve TCHM outlets included interviews with six employees to understand some aspects of TCHM practices in London and to assess the feasibility of undertaking this type of work. Overall, eight shops displayed names of medical uses/conditions at their premises. There were 274 occurrences of 137 different terms for uses/conditions displayed; after classification by British National Formulary 49 chapters, the most frequent therapeutic categories to which displayed uses/conditions belonged were Central Nervous System (n = 53/274; 19.3%), Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Urinary-tract Disorders (14.2%) and Skin (13.5%). Most staff interviewed believed TCHM was more effective for chronic problems, and inappropriate for acute conditions. Interviewees considered TCHM safer than western medicines. Interviewees used several strategies to ensure safe and effective practice of TCHM, e.g. giving medical advice to customers. Adverse effects (AEs) occurring during TCHM treatments were considered part of the normal response (e.g. diarrhoea is “expected” with treatments for “clearing heat”). Staff's actions to reported AEs included asking customers to stop taking medicines and consulting colleagues. There are areas where interviewees described behaviours or expressed opinions suggesting a lack of awareness of current safety issues; communication of information on herbal safety between the UK competent authority for regulating medicines and TCHM shops appears to be inadequate.     

MicroRNA介导中药活性成分抗肿瘤机制的研究进展

MicroRNA(miRNA)作为一类新发现的非编码RNA,其异常表达在肿瘤的病理过程中扮演着重要角色,起着类似癌基因和抑癌基因的双重作用。目前中药活性成分抗肿瘤已成为关注的热点,但其影响miRNA的报道却较少。就近几年有关中药活性成分、miRNA及肿瘤间关系的研究进行了综述,为今后中药活性成分抗肿瘤的机制研究提供新思路。     

Modulatory effects of bufalin,an active ingredient from toad venom on voltage-gated sodium channels

Chan-su (toad venom) has been used as an analgesic agent in China from ancient to modern times. Bufalin, a non-peptide toxin extracted from toad venom, is considered as one of the analgesic components. The molecular mechanism underlying the anti-nociceptive effects of bufalin remains unclear so far. In this study, we investigated the pharmacological effects of bufalin on pain-related ion channels as well as animal models through patch clamping, calcium imaging and animal behavior observation. Using the whole-cell recording, bufalin caused remarkable suppressive effect on the peak currents of Nav channels (voltage gated sodium channels, VGSCs) of dorsal root ganglion neuroblastomas (ND7-23 cell) in a dose-dependent manner. Bufalin facilitated the voltage-dependent activation and induced a negative shift on the fast inactivation of VGSCs. The recovery kinetics of VGSCs were significantly slowed and the recovery proportion were reduced after administering bufalin. However, bufalin prompted no significant effect not only on Kv4.2, Kv4.3 and BK channels heterologously expressed in HEK293T cells, but also on the capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate induced Ca²⁺ influx. What’s more, bufalin could observably relieve formalin-induced spontaneous flinching and licking response as well as carrageenan-induced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in dose-dependent manner in agreement with the results of in vitro experiments. The present results imply that the remarkable anti-nociceptive effects produced by bufalin are probably ascribed to its specific regulation on Nav channels. Bufalin inhibits the Nav channels in a dose-dependent manner, which will provide references for the optimal dose selection of analgesia drugs.     

Anxiolytic effect of Gardeniae Fructus-extract containing active ingredient from Kamishoyosan (KSS), a Japanese traditional Kampo medicine

Kamishoyosan (KSS), a Kampo formula used to treat menopausal psychotic syndromes in women, consists of ten crude herbal drugs. The anxiolytic effect of KSS was investigated by the social interaction (SI) test using mice, and whether the effect of KSS was due to the stimulating and/or sedating effects was examined by the open field locomotion test. Furthermore, the present study examined the effect of individual crude drugs in KSS by the SI test to clarify its active components. Oral administration of KSS increased the total SI time in a dose-dependent manner (50--200 mg/kg), but this effect was not observed over a dose of 300 mg/kg. On the other hand, there were no significant changes observed for the open field locomotion test. These results suggest that the appearance of KSS-induced SI behavior is due to an anxiolytic effect. The unaltered results of the open field test indicated that KSS was neither a stimulant nor sedative. To identify the essential herbs in KSS, the effects of "the component herbs in KSS" and "KSS minus one component herb" using the SI test were examined. An increase in the SI time was observed for hot water extracts of Menthae herba and Gardeniae Fructus, the same as for the KSS treatment. On the other hand the effect of KSS on the SI time was reduced to the control level for KSS minus Gardeniae Fructus, KSS minus Paeoniae Radix, KSS minus Glycyrrhizae Radix and KSS minus Hoelen. Oral administration of Gardeniae Fructus-extract or its common constituent, geniposide increased the SI time in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that Gardeniae Fructus and geniposide play a role in the anxiolytic effect of KSS.     

中药成分对氟康唑抗非白色念珠菌的增效作用

近年来,对氟康唑敏感性差的非白色念珠菌的分离率逐渐上升,而现有的抗真菌药品种少,且大多价格昂贵、或毒副作用大,使它们的临床应用受到限制。因此联合用药特别是与中药联合成为研究热点。研究表明,有些中药成分与氟康唑联合具有协同抗真菌作用。该文就中药成分与氟康唑联合抗非白色念珠菌作用及机制的研究进展进行综述,旨在为新型抗真菌药物的研究提供参考。     

高等植物雄性不育的细胞生物学研究进展

高等植物的雄性不育有多种类型,发生的原因复杂。对高等植物雄性不育机理的探索一直是一个活跃的研究领域。近年来采用多种细胞生物学方法对植物雄性不育的研究取得了一些新的成果,从绒毡层细胞结构与功能的分析以及Ca^2＋、ATP酶的分布特征、细胞骨架的排列方式、细胞程序性死亡等不同的细胞生物学研究角度探索了雄性不育花药的败育过程。雄性不育的细胞生物学研究结果起到了将分子水平研究与个体水平研究结果相联系的纽带作用,有助于全面地了解高等植物中各种雄性不育的发生机理。     

Emerging issues in traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has many beneficial effects and has been practiced for several thousand years. It is known to treat the cause of a disease rather than to alleviate its symptoms. Based on a belief that TCM is natural, safe, and of lower cost, consumers worldwide are spending more out-of-pocket money on this form of therapy. This increased spending, and reports of adverse reactions, has drawn the attention of many regulatory agencies. Scientists have called for more evidence-based and scientific research on the risks and benefits of TCM. In Canada, the Natural Health Product Regulations came into effect January 2004. TCM herbal product manufacturers will need to provide products of reputable quality to the market. Many will apply modern technology and good science to support their products. The issues facing producers, scientists, and consumers alike are quality control and assessment, standardization of bioactive components, mechanisms of actions, and integration of the evolved modern Chinese medicine into the healthcare system. Solid science, better regulation of the final product, and better education of consumers are necessary to extract the best of TCM to complement existing conventional medicine to deliver the best healthcare.     

Commercial herbal preparations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: The urban face of traditional medicine

The modern trend in traditional medicines reflects an increase in the sale of complex herbal mixtures rather than those prepared from single plants. This trend is well documented in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and can be seen in recent developments in African traditional medicine. An increase in the prevalence of locally produced herbal preparations, especially those containing complex mixtures of several medicinal plants, sold in numerous retail outlets, including supermarkets and pharmacies has been observed. The appearance of these preparations is not surprising in rapidly urbanizing societies where traditional products are still desired but the users have neither the time nor resources to produce them. The production of these herbal mixtures has resulted in a growing herbal industry with about 50 to 100 private entrepreneurs in the informal market and has also contributed to creation of numerous jobs. The products are extensively advertised in newspapers, on the internet, television and radio programmes as well as through pamphlets and posters. This review examines and documents the prevalence of commercial herbal mixtures and preparations common in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Different types of herbal mixtures, claims, ethical and legal implications are discussed. Methods of preparation and marketing strategies as well as the way forward in ensuring economic impact, safety and efficacy of this new aspect of South African traditional medicine are also highlighted.