Background High levels of nitric oxide （NO） produced by inducible NO synthase （iNOS） have been associated with atherosclerosis processes. Naoxintong is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of cerebrovascul...Background High levels of nitric oxide （NO） produced by inducible NO synthase （iNOS） have been associated with atherosclerosis processes. Naoxintong is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to detect and quantify changes of iNOS mRNA and NO levels in the vessel wall after the administration of Naoxintong in an atherosclerotic rabbit model. Methods Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups （n=8）. Rabbits were fed a standard diet （group A）, an atherogenic diet consisting of 79% standard feed＋l% cholesterol＋5% lard＋15% egg yolk powder （group B）, an atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 0.25 mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group C）, an atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 0.5 mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group D）, or atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 1.0mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group E） for 12 weeks. Results Supplemented administration of Naoxintong led to a down-regulation of cholesterol （CHOL） （P 〈0.001） and low-density lipoprotein （LDL） （P 〈0.001）. The trend became more notable as the dose of Naoxintong increased; group C vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.568; LDL-cholesterol （LDL-C）, P=0.119）, group D vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.264; LDL-C, P=0.027）, group E vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.028; LDL-C, P=0.002）. Atherosclerotic lesions in aorta were reduced in Naoxintong groups （groups C, D, E） compared to group B. Group B had higher iNOS mRNA （P=0.001） and NO level （P 〈0.001） than group A. Compared with the atherogenic diet fed-rabbits, Naoxintong supplements decreased the expression of iNOS mRNA （P 〈0.001） and the NO level （P 〈0.001） in the vessel wall. Groups given a higher Naoxintong dose exhibited greater benefits, iNOS mRNA and NO levels seemed to be reduced in group C, although the difference did not quite reach statistical significance （iNOS mRNA, P=0.130; NO, P=0.038）. iNOS mRNA and NO levels significantly decreased in group D （iNOS mRNA, P=0.019; NO, P=0.018） and group E （iNOS mRNA, P=0.004; NO, P 〈0.001）. Conclusion Naoxintong has beneficial effects on atherosclerosis treatment by reducing expression of iNOS mRNA and the NO level in the vessel wall.展开更多
Background Despite the large scale technical innovations that have been made,a number of patients with neuromyelitis optica （NMO） are lacking NMO-IgG in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.Longitudinally extensive sp...Background Despite the large scale technical innovations that have been made,a number of patients with neuromyelitis optica （NMO） are lacking NMO-IgG in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.Longitudinally extensive spinal cord （LESC） lesions and linear lesions are associated with NMO.However,differences of spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） features,including LESC lesions and linear lesions,between NMO-IgG positive and negative patients still remain unknown.The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between NMO-IgG status and spinal cord MRI features in NMO patients,particularly concerned about LESC lesions and linear lesions.Methods Clinical data and spinal cord MRI of 52 NMO patients were retrospectively analyzed.Eight patients were NMO-IgG negative in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid,while 44 were NMO-IgG positive.Quantitative data between the two cohorts were compared by the Student＇s t test or Mann-Whitney U test,the chi-square test or Fisher＇s exact test was used to evaluate qualitative data.Results NMO-IgG negative patients had a higher sex ratio （male/female） （P=0.014）.On axial MRI,lesions in the NMO-IgG negative group were mostly located in the peripheral cord （50%）,and central lesions （55%） were more common in the NMO-IgG positive group （P=-0.051）.LESC lesions were common in both cohorts.None of linear lesions was found in NMO-IgG negative patients,while the NMO-IgG positive cohort had significantly more linear lesions （48%）（P=0.016）.Conclusions Patients with NMO-IgG negativity may have different spinal cord lesion features compared to NMO-IgG positive patients.Diagnosis of NMO cannot be excluded even when NMO-IgG negativity and non-specific spinal lesions occur.展开更多
文摘Background High levels of nitric oxide （NO） produced by inducible NO synthase （iNOS） have been associated with atherosclerosis processes. Naoxintong is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to detect and quantify changes of iNOS mRNA and NO levels in the vessel wall after the administration of Naoxintong in an atherosclerotic rabbit model. Methods Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups （n=8）. Rabbits were fed a standard diet （group A）, an atherogenic diet consisting of 79% standard feed＋l% cholesterol＋5% lard＋15% egg yolk powder （group B）, an atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 0.25 mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group C）, an atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 0.5 mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group D）, or atherogenic diet with Naoxintong 1.0mg.kg^-l.d^-1 （group E） for 12 weeks. Results Supplemented administration of Naoxintong led to a down-regulation of cholesterol （CHOL） （P 〈0.001） and low-density lipoprotein （LDL） （P 〈0.001）. The trend became more notable as the dose of Naoxintong increased; group C vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.568; LDL-cholesterol （LDL-C）, P=0.119）, group D vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.264; LDL-C, P=0.027）, group E vs. group B （CHOL, P=0.028; LDL-C, P=0.002）. Atherosclerotic lesions in aorta were reduced in Naoxintong groups （groups C, D, E） compared to group B. Group B had higher iNOS mRNA （P=0.001） and NO level （P 〈0.001） than group A. Compared with the atherogenic diet fed-rabbits, Naoxintong supplements decreased the expression of iNOS mRNA （P 〈0.001） and the NO level （P 〈0.001） in the vessel wall. Groups given a higher Naoxintong dose exhibited greater benefits, iNOS mRNA and NO levels seemed to be reduced in group C, although the difference did not quite reach statistical significance （iNOS mRNA, P=0.130; NO, P=0.038）. iNOS mRNA and NO levels significantly decreased in group D （iNOS mRNA, P=0.019; NO, P=0.018） and group E （iNOS mRNA, P=0.004; NO, P 〈0.001）. Conclusion Naoxintong has beneficial effects on atherosclerosis treatment by reducing expression of iNOS mRNA and the NO level in the vessel wall.
文摘Background Despite the large scale technical innovations that have been made,a number of patients with neuromyelitis optica （NMO） are lacking NMO-IgG in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.Longitudinally extensive spinal cord （LESC） lesions and linear lesions are associated with NMO.However,differences of spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） features,including LESC lesions and linear lesions,between NMO-IgG positive and negative patients still remain unknown.The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between NMO-IgG status and spinal cord MRI features in NMO patients,particularly concerned about LESC lesions and linear lesions.Methods Clinical data and spinal cord MRI of 52 NMO patients were retrospectively analyzed.Eight patients were NMO-IgG negative in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid,while 44 were NMO-IgG positive.Quantitative data between the two cohorts were compared by the Student＇s t test or Mann-Whitney U test,the chi-square test or Fisher＇s exact test was used to evaluate qualitative data.Results NMO-IgG negative patients had a higher sex ratio （male/female） （P=0.014）.On axial MRI,lesions in the NMO-IgG negative group were mostly located in the peripheral cord （50%）,and central lesions （55%） were more common in the NMO-IgG positive group （P=-0.051）.LESC lesions were common in both cohorts.None of linear lesions was found in NMO-IgG negative patients,while the NMO-IgG positive cohort had significantly more linear lesions （48%）（P=0.016）.Conclusions Patients with NMO-IgG negativity may have different spinal cord lesion features compared to NMO-IgG positive patients.Diagnosis of NMO cannot be excluded even when NMO-IgG negativity and non-specific spinal lesions occur.
