板蓝根颗粒的薄层色谱鉴别

板蓝根颗粒为临床常用中成药。被收入中国药典（１９９５年版）。其主要原料为十字花科植物菘蓝ＩｓａｔｉｓｉｎｄｉｇｏｔｉｃａＦｏｒｔ的干燥根。目前,生产该品种的厂家甚多,价格亦差异较大。中国药典收载前,我国各省市都有其标准。但各地在原料使用、生产工艺及质...     

产复康颗粒（冲剂）中黄芪薄层色谱鉴别的方法改进

本文采用薄层层析方法对产复康颗粒中黄芪的鉴别方法进行了改进，较《中国药典》中原鉴别方法专属性好，重现性强，更能有效控制产复康颗粒的质量，可作为修改产复康颗粒质量标准时参考。     

利福平含量测定液紫外鉴别试验的对比分析

中国药典１９８５年版二部,利福平及其制剂的含量测定和紫外鉴别,均用紫外光光度法［１］。为排除杂质干扰,从中国药典１９９０年版二部起,含量测定改为薄层色谱一紫外分光光度法,而紫外鉴别仍然保留［２］。中国药典１９９５年版二部继续延用［３］。本文按中国药典１９９０年版二部,在其四个特定的波长处,分别将它们的含量测定液和紫外鉴别液,做了紫外吸收度的试验。逐个描绘了同批制剂上述两种溶液的紫外吸收图谱;并计算了这两种溶液所测的吸收度３３４ｍｍ与吸收度４７４ｍｍｍ的比值,得出两组（１０对）吸收度比值数据。运用…     

黄芩薄层色谱鉴别研究

目的：改善《中国药典》中黄芩薄层色谱鉴别方法。方法：将黄芩薄层色谱鉴别中的展开剂改为“甲苯-丙酮-甲醇-冰乙酸（8：1：1：1）”。结果：该方法操作简便,稳定性、重现性均较好。结论：该方法可以用于黄芩原料的薄层鉴别。     

改进《中国药典》2005年版防己薄层色谱鉴别方法的建议

防己为防己科植物粉防己Stephania tetrandra S．Moore的干燥根。最近我们在检验中发现多批防己，按《中国药典》2005年版一部检验，结果性状、组织横切面均符合规定，但薄层鉴别不符合规定，供试品和防己对照药材均未检出防己诺林碱，且粉防己碱斑点有拖尾现象，为此，我们对《中国药典》2005年版防己[鉴别]项的薄层色谱条件进行了修改，结果供试品和对照药材薄层色谱中，在与防己诺林碱对照品相应的位置上，显相同颜色的斑点，TLC图谱斑点清晰、圆整，鉴定结果准确。     

祛痘宝口服液的质量标准研究

目的确定祛痘宝口服液的质量控制标准。方法主药材的定性检验参照《中华人民共和国药典》2010年版中的有关方法;以黄芩苷为对象进行含量测定;制订质量标准,并进行稳定性和回收率试验研究。结果该产品质量标准符合要求,黄芩苷在0．0535～0．289μg范围内线性关系良好,其回归方程为Y=10629X-71．34（r=0．9999）。结论本质量标准合理、稳定,测得祛痘宝口服液中黄芩苷的含量符合药典标准。     

产复康颗粒(冲剂)中黄芪薄层色谱鉴别的方法改进

本文采用薄层层析方法对产复康颗粒（冲剂）中黄芪的鉴别方法进行了改进，较《中国药典》中原鉴别方法专属性好、重现性强，更能有效控制产复康颗粒的质量，可作为修改产复康颗粒质量标准时参考。     

关于药典中氯霉素含量测定方法改进的探讨

本文采用薄层色谱－紫外分光光度法测定氯霉素含量。结果准确可靠，回收率为９９．８８％，ＲＳＤ＝０．１６％，ｎ＝５，本法测定结果同中国药典法基本一致。     

连防感冒颗粒中防风薄层鉴别方法改进

目的寻找连防感冒颗粒中防风TLC鉴别更清晰，更可行的薄层色谱条件。方法在中国药典2005年版一部防风鉴别项下所用方法的基础上，改用硅胶G薄层板，展开后喷以10％硫酸乙醇溶液显色，365nm下检视。结果改进后的方法所得到的色谱图像较清晰，易于观察。结论该方法可以作为防风的薄层色谱鉴别方法。     

苍耳子的薄层层析鉴别研究

目的　完成苍耳子的薄层层析研究 ,为 2 0 0 5年版《中国药典》苍耳子的质量标准提供薄层层析方法。方法　采用薄层色谱法。首次对不同产地有代表性的苍耳子药材 ,用苍耳子药材及芦丁作为对照品进行了系统的定性分析。结果　苍耳子药材在不同的层析条件下分离效果均好 ,斑点清晰。结论　所用方法专属性强 ,重复性好 ,可作为苍耳子药材的定性鉴别方法。     

Gender-related symptoms and correlates of alcohol dependence among men and women with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol use disorders

This study explored gender-related symptoms and correlates of alcohol dependence in a crosssectional study of 150 men and 150 women with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Participants were recruited in equal numbers from treatment settings, correctional centres and the general community. Standardized measures were used to determine participants' use of substances, history of psychiatric disorders and psychosocial stress, their sensation seeking and family history of substance use and mental health disorders. Multivariate analyses were used to detect patterns of variables associated with gender and the lifetime severity of AUD. Men had a longer history of severe AUD than women. Women had similar levels of alcohol dependence and medical and psychological sequelae as men, despite 6 fewer years of AUD. More women than men had a history of severe psychosocial stress, severe dependence on other substances and antecedent mental health problems, especially mood and anxiety disorders. There were differences in family history of alcohol-related problems approximating same-gender aggregation. The severity of a lifetime AUD was predicted by its earlier age at onset and the occurrence of other disorders, especially anxiety, among both men and women. The limitations in the generalizability of these findings due to sample idiosyncrasies are discussed.     

Alzheimer’s disease – current trends in basic and clinical research. Highlights from the 16th ECNP

Advances in the molecular biological knowledge of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have led to a growing interest by the pharmaceutical industry in the development of novel compounds that selectively modulate nAChR function. The ability of (-)-nicotine, an activator of nAChRs, to enhance attentional aspects of cognition in animals and humans, to exert neuroprotective and anxiolytic-like effects, and presumably to mediate the negative correlation between smoking and Alzheimer's (and Parkinson's) Disease, has focused interest on the potential therapeutic utility of modulators of nAChR function for treatment of some of the deficits associated with these progressive, neurodegenerative conditions. Numerous compounds are known which activate nAChRs and which might serve as lead compounds toward the development of such agents. The pharmacologic diversity of neuronal nAChR subtypes suggests the possibility of developing selective compounds which would have more favourable side-effect profiles than existing agents. This broader class of agents, collectively called cholinergic channel modulators (ChCMs), is anticipated to encompass compounds which would have more favourable side-effect profiles than existing agents, which generally exhibit low selectivity. This selectivity may be achieved by preferentially activating some subtypes of nAChRs (i.e., Cholinergic Channel Activators, ChCAs) or inhibiting the function of other subtypes (Cholinergic Channel Inhibitors, ChCIs). An overview of the biology of nAChRs and the rationale for the use of ChCMs for the treatment of dementia related to neurodegenerative diseases are presented, followed by a discussion of lead compounds and compounds under consideration for clinical evaluation.     

Physicochemical properties of maltosyl and glucosaminyl derivatives of beta-lactoglobulin

Maltosyl and glucosaminyl derivatives of beta-lactoglobulin (b-LG) were analyzed for their physicochemical properties: reduced viscosity, ultraviolet difference spectra, intrinsic fluorescence, hydrophobicity and circular dichroism. The viscosity of these derivatives increased as the mass of the carbohydrates covalently linked to b-LG increased. The ultraviolet difference spectra and the intrinsic fluorescence of these proteins revealed that the microenvironments of aromatic amino acid residues of b-LG were increasingly exposed to the surface of the protein as the extent of modification increased; and the polarity of these residues also increased as modification increased. The hydrophobicities of M-b-LG derivatives decreased as the extent of modification increased while the hydrophobicities of G-b-LG derivatives were relatively unchanged. The circular dichroic analysis of these proteins indicated that the ordered secondary structures of the extensively modified derivatives of b-LG were partially unfolded. Thus, the carbohydrates covalently linked to b-LG altered many physiochemical properties. These physicochemical changes of b-LG apparently resulted from an alteration of forces stabilizing the structure of the protein.     

Validity and reliability of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in a Brazilian sample of drug users

The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) is a short, five-item scale which provides a measure of degree of dependence upon different drugs. The present study explores the validity and reliability of a Portuguese version of the instrument with a sample of 374 Brazilian drug users. Concurrent validity of the SDS was assessed in relation to reported quantity of drugs used and to DSM-IV dependence items, and test-retest reliability was assessed with a subsample of 42 subjects. The SDS total scores for powder cocaine, crack cocaine, cannabis and alcohol were significantly and highly positively correlated with severity of dependence as measured by DSM-IV,and with the estimated quantity of drugs used in the last month. Test-retest coefficients were high for all drugs studied. Principal components analysis showed that the SDS scores lie on a single dimension with the exception of crack cocaine where scores lie on a single dimension for treatment attenders and on two dimensions for community samples. The results indicate that the Portuguese version of the SDS is a valid research tool for measuring severity of dependence upon powder cocaine (snorted), crack cocaine (smoked), cannabis and alcohol. [Ferri CP,Marsden J, de Araujo M, Laranjeira RR, Gossop M. Validity and reliability of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in a Brazilian sample of drug users. Drug Alcohol Rev 2000;19:451-455]     

Aquatic Insects and Trace Metals: Bioavailability,Bioaccumulation, and Toxicity

Abstract

The uptake of metals from food and water sources by insects is thought to be additive. For a given metal, the proportions taken up from water and food will depend both on the bioavailable concentration of the metal associated with each source and the mechanism and rate by which the metal enters the insect. Attempts to correlate insect trace metal concentrations with the trophic level of insects should be made with a knowledge of the feeding relationships of the individual taxa concerned. Pathways for the uptake of essential metals, such as copper and zinc, exist at the cellular level, and other nonessential metals, such as cadmium, also appear to enter via these routes. Within cells, trace metals can be bound to proteins or stored in granules. The internal distribution of metals among body tissues is very heterogeneous, and distribution patterns tend to be both metal and taxon specific. Trace metals associated with insects can be both bound on the surface of their chitinous exoskeleton and incorporated into body tissues. The quantities of trace meals accumulated by an individual reflect the net balance between the rate of metal influx from both dissolved and particulate sources and the rate of metal efflux from the organism. The toxicity of metals has been demonstrated at all levels of biological organization: cell, tissue, individual, population, and community. Much of the literature pertaining to the toxic effects of metals on aquatic insects is based on laboratory observations and, as such, it is difficult to extrapolate the data to insects in nature. The few experimental studies in nature suggest that trace metal contaminants can affect both the distribution and the abundance of aquatic insects. Insects have a largely unexploited potential as biomonitors of metal contamination in nature. A better understanding of the physico-chemical and biological mechanisms mediating trace metal bioavailability and exchange will facilitate the development of general predictive models relating trace metal concentrations in insects to those in their environment. Such models will facilitate the use of insects as contaminant biomonitors.     

Antifungal drugs in pregnancy: a review

The use of any medication in pregnant women requires careful consideration of benefit to the mother versus risk posed to the fetus. Fungal infections are not uncommon in pregnant women; in fact, the incidence of certain infections such as Candida vaginitis is increased in this patient population. A variety of antimycotic agents are currently available to treat systemic or mucocutaneous fungal infections. Many of these agents are capable of penetrating the placental barrier and entering fetal cord blood, therefore adverse effects of these agents on the fetus are a valid concern. The use of topical azoles for the treatment of superficial fungal infections is safe and efficacious. However, there are some data suggesting a dose-related increase in the risk of teratogenicity associated with the use of systemic azoles. Amphotericin B remains the drug of choice for the treatment of systemic fungal infections in pregnancy. There are serious risks of fetal malformations associated with the use of griseofulvin, ketoconazole, voriconazole, flucytosine and potassium iodide. These drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy. There are insufficient data regarding the use of caspofungin in pregnancy. This article will review available data regarding the safety of antifungal drug use in pregnant women.     

Taming effects of handling on 6-hydroxydopamine induced ratge.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the importance of handling to the expression of hyperemotional behaviors, i.e., rage, known to occur after chronic depletion of brain norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) following central injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats. Five min of handling per day for 6 consecutive days reduced resistane to capture as well as the magnitude and frequency of startle responding following one 300 mug injection of 6-OHDA intracisternally. Both 6-OHDA-handled and 6-OHDA-unhandled rats showed comparable levels of brain NE, DA, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), comparable resting levels of plasma corticosterone, and comparable adrenal weights. These data demonstrate the importance of handling to the expression of 6-OHDA-induced rage and emphasize the importance of controlling for handling as a variable which can significantly affect the assessment of rage by behavioral criteria in this animal model of hyperemotionality.     

Inhibition of synaptosomal uptake of amino acid transmitters by diamines

Reports of the inhibitory effects of diaminocarboxylic acids on the uptake of amino acid transmitters led the present authors to examine the effects of simple aliphatic diamines on the synaptosomal uptake of glutamate, aspartate, GABA and glycine. The diamines studied were the series from ethylenediamine through to 1,7-diaminoheptane; DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) was also tested for comparative purposes. The greatest inhibition seen was on the uptake of glycine and GABA. Weaker effects on uptake were seen with glutamate, while aspartate was unaffected. The patterns of inhibition for glycine and GABA were similar and the effects were dose-dependent. 1,2-Diaminopropane was the most inhibitory, followed by ethylenediamine and 1,7-diaminoheptane. The reported inhibitory effects of DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid on the uptake of GABA and glutamate were confirmed; comparable inhibition of the uptake of glycine and aspartate was seen but the effects on GABA were most potent. Inhibition of the uptake of GABA by 1,2-diaminopropane was approximately one fifteenth that reported for DL-2,4-diaminobutyric acid. The inhibition by diamine of the uptake of glycine and GABA can provide an explanation of the depressant effects of diamines, seen after ventricular administration; however, the excitotoxic effects of the diamines 1,3-diaminopropane through to 1,7-diaminoheptane could not be explained by the present results.     

Inhaled therapeutics for prevention and treatment of pneumonia

The lungs are the most common site of serious infection owing to their large surface area exposed to the external environment and minimum barrier defense. However, this architecture makes the lungs readily available for topical therapy. Therapeutic aerosols include those directed towards improving mucociliary clearance of pathogens, stimulation of innate resistance to microbial infection, cytokine stimulation of immune function and delivery of antibiotics. In our opinion inhaled antimicrobials are underused, especially in patients with difficult-to-treat lung infections. The use of inhaled antimicrobial therapy has become an important part of the treatment of airway infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis and the prevention of invasive fungal infection in patients undergoing heart and lung transplantation. Cytokine inhaled therapy has also been explored in the treatment of neoplastic and infectious disease. The choice of pulmonary drug delivery systems remains critical as air-jet and ultrasonic nebulizer may deliver sub-optimum drug concentration if not used properly. In future development of this field, we recommend an emphasis on the study of the use of aerosolized hypertonic saline solution to reduce pathogen burden in the airways of subjects infected with microbes of low virulence, stimulation of innate resistance to prevent pneumonia in immunocompromised subjects using cytokines or synthetic pathogen-associated molecular pattern analogues and more opportunities for the use of inhaled antimicrobials. These therapeutics are still in their infancy but show great promise.