Effect of Purple Yam(Dioscorea alata L.) on Nutritional and Physiological Functions of Growing Rats

[Objective] This study was to explore the effect of purple yam on the nutritional and physiological functions of rats.[Method] Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups with ten rats in each group which were reared with artificial semisynthetic feed added with 10% steamed yam powder.The four groups,the casein（CK） group which was used as the control,the purple yam（PY） group,the Tiegun yam（TY） group and common Huai yam（HY） group,were supplied with feed of equal content of energy,protein and fat.The rats were pair-fed for 56 days to observe changes of relevant nutritional and physiological indices.[Result] There were no significant differences of body weight,food conversion rate and organ indices between rats in PY group and CK group.Mean corpuscular hemoglobin in PY group was significantly lower than that in CK group;hemoglobin showed no significant difference with that in CK group;eosnophils was lower than that in CK group.Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol,total cholesterol and atherogenic index in PY group were lower than that in the other three groups;anti-atherogenic index was the highest among the four groups,while showing no significant difference;triglyceride content was lower than that in CK group.Among the antioxidant indices,the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase were higher than that in CK group,while malondialdehyde content was lower than that in CK group.[Conclusion] Purple yam showed the trend of reducing the content of blood glucose,total cholesterol,low density lipoprotein-cholesterol,triglyceride,malondialdehyde,and raising the activity of glutathione peroxidase,superoxide dismutase and catalase,thus having certain antioxidative function.

Increased susceptibility for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and contraceptive-induced cholestasis in carriers of the 1331T>C polymorphism in the bile salt export pump

AIM： To study the association of three common ABCB11 and ABCC2 polymorphisms （ABCB11： 1331T〉C→V444A; ABCC2： 3563T〉A → V1188E and 4544G 〉A → C1515Y） with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy （ICP） and contraceptive-induced cholestasis （CIC）. METHODS： ABCB11 and ABCC2 genotyping data were available from four CIC patients and from 42 and 33 ICP patients, respectively. Allele-frequencies of the studied polymorphisms were compared with those in healthy pregnant controls and Caucasian individuals. Furthermore, serum bile acid levels were correlated with the presence or absence of the 1331 C allele. RESULTS： The ABCB11 1331T〉C polymorphism was significantly more frequent in cholestatic patients than in pregnant controls： C allele 76.2% （CI, 58.0-94.4） vs 51.3% （CI 35.8-66.7）, respectively （P = 0.0007）; and CC allele 57.1% （CI 36.0-78.3） vs 20% （CI 7.6-32.4）, respectively （P = 0.0065）. All four CIC patients were homozygous carriers of the C allele. In contrast, none of the studied ABCC2 polymorphism was overrepresented in ICP or CIC patients. Higher serum bile acid levels were found in carriers of the 1331CC genotype compared to carriers of the TT genotype. CONCLUSION： Our data support a role for the ABCB11 1331T〉C polymorphism as a susceptibility factor for the development of estrogen-induced cholestasis, whereas no such association was found for ABCC2. Serum bile acid and 7-glutamyl transferase levels might help to distinguish ABCB4- and ABCB11-related forms of ICP and CIC.

Complete spontaneous regression of giant focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver: Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation with hepatobiliary contrast media

Focal nodular hyperplasia(FNH) of the liver is a benign lesion occurring in 0.6%-3% of the general population that probably reflects a local hyperplastic response of hepatocytes to a vascular abnormality. Most lesions are diagnosed incidentally and the natural history of the disease remains largely unknown. It has been shown that most FNH remain stable, or even regress, over a long follow-up period. We present a patient with FNH of the liver who was followed up for 7 years. A 26-yearold woman with a 5-year history of oral contraceptive use was referred to our hospital in February 2005 for further examination of a liver tumour. The diagnosis of FNH was made using magnetic resonance(MR) imaging with hepatospecific contrast media; this technique allows a correct diagnosis, in particular distinguishing FNH from hepatic adenoma, avoiding an invasive procedure such as the lesion biopsy. After 7-year from the diagnosis, we observed the complete spontaneous regression of the lesion by enhanced MR scanning. In this patient, discontinuation of oral contraceptive use and two childbirths may have influenced the natural history of FNH. To our knowledge, in the English literature there is no report illustrating a complete regression of giant FNH but only studies of decreasing in size. The present case suggests that a young patient with giant FNH should be managed conservatively rather than by resection, because FNH has the potential for spontaneous regression.

Improving the Size and Market Value of an Underutilised Yam （Dioscorea esculenta） in Ghana： Implications for Crop Breeding and Production Choices

Yam, Dioscorea esculenta which is a high value commodity is a threatened species in Ghana, due to several factors including neglect on the part of science, technology, research and development. Different doses of radiation were use to improve the size and market value of D. esculenta to promote it effective use and enhance effective conservation. We observed through repeated experiments that irradiation of yam planting material at 40 Gy gave the best results producing a M1 generation with a decreased number of tubers but with an increased tuber size per vine. Some yam characteristics are valued more than others, and prices vary across species, time, and market sites. Tuber weight exhibits an increasing marginal value and price per kilogram increases above an optimum size; therefore, yam producers and dealers derive additional reward from extra-large tubers. We conclude that, to effectively access and benefit from urban markets, producers should focus on the improved size and conical shaped-tubers, which are easy to process and meet the aesthetic qualities preferred by urban consumers. The implications for research on improved variety development to reduce poverty and for crop and resource management practices are drawn.

How I treat my inflammatory bowel disease-patients with thiopurines?

Thiopurines are essential drugs to maintain remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Thiopurines used in IBD are azathioprine(2.0-2.5 mg/kg),mercaptopurine(1.0-1.5 mg/kg) and thioguanine(0.2-0.3 mg/kg).However,mainly due to numerous adverse events associated with thiopurine use,almost 50% of the patients have to discontinue conventional thiopurine treatment.Extensive monitoring and the application of several treatment strategies,such as split-dose administration,co-administration with allopurinol or dose reduction/increase,may increase the chance of successful therapy.With this review,we provide practical information on how thiopurines are initiated and maintained in two thiopurine research centers in The Netherlands.We provide clinical information concerning safety issues,indications and management of therapy that may serve as a guide for the administration of thiopurines in IBD patients in daily practice.

Breeding and Evaluation of New Iron Yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb) Varieties

[Objective] This study was conducted to develop some new iron yam （Dioscorea opposita） varieties with excellent cooking, eating and nutritional qualities. [Method] The fresh weight per plant, drying rate, dry weight per plant, yield, allan- toin content, water soluble extract content and disease resistance of seven new iron yam cultivars （No.1, No.2, No.4, No.6, No.8, No.9 and No.10） obtained through spaceflight mutation breeding were measured and compared with control （No.11）. Then, the nutrition quality of two elite cultivars No. 6 and No.10 was determined by comparing with the control. [Result] The eight iron yam cultivars ranked in descend- ing order of their fresh weight per plant as follows： No.6（0.255 kg）〉No.10（0.254 kg）〉 No.4（0.242 kg）〉No.9（0.237 kg）〉No.1（0.233 kg）〉No.11（0.206 kg）〉No.2（0.191 kg）〉No.8 （0.157 kg）. There was no significant difference in fresh weight per plant between No.6 and No.10, but extremely significant difference between No.6 and the control, No.10 and the control. The eight iron yam cultivars ranked in descending order of their drying rate as follows： No.2 （32.641%）〉No.10 （32.230%）〉No.9 （28.223%）〉No.6 （25.174%）〉No.8（25.122%）〉No.11 （25.043%）〉No.1 （24.291%）〉No.4（20.234%）. The dry- ing rate of both No.6 and No.10 was higher than that of the control. The eight iron yam cultivars ranked in descending order of their dry weight per plant as follows： No.10（0.082 kg）〉No.9（0.067 kg）〉No.6（0.064 kg）〉No.2（0.062 kg）〉No.1（0.056 kg）〉No.11 （0.052 kg）〉No.4 （0.049 kg）〉No.8 （0.039 kg）. The dry weight per plant of both No.6 and No.10 is higher than that of the control. The eight iron yam cultivars ranked in descending order of their allantoin content as follows No.6 （0.484%）〉No.4 （0.467%）〉 No.10 （0.399%）〉No.ll （0.386%）〉No.9 （0.378%）〉No.8 （0.350%）〉No.2 （0.342）〉No.1 （0.325%）. The allantoin content of No.6 was significantly higher than that of No.10 and the control. There was significant difference in allantoin content between No.6 and No.10, but no significant difference between No 10 and the control. The eight iron yam cultivars ranked in descending order of their extract content as follows No. 6（20.49%）〉No.2（16.01%）〉No.4（15.54%） 〉No. 10（15.35%）〉No. 1 （14.48%）〉No. 11 （14.10%） 〉No.9（13.88%）〉No.8（11.87%）. The extract content of No.6 exhibited extremely sig- nificant difference with that of No.10 and the control, and the extract content of No. 10 was also significantly different from that of the control. The taste of No.10 was dry, soft, floury, sweet and fragrant, better than that of the other seven cultivars. No.6 had the strongest resistance to Gloeosporium pestis and Cylindrosporium dioscoreae. No.10 had a middle resistance to G. pestis and a strong resistance to C. dioscoreae. No.6 and No.10 had higher contents of starch, reducing sugar, pro- tein and ash, lower water content and better nutrition quality than the control. [Conclusion] No.10 can be popularized as a new variety of edible iron yam, and No.6 as a new variety of medicinal iron yam.

中药道地药材及演变

道地药材起源于先秦时期,主要包括关药、秦药、怀药、淮药、浙药、川药、贵药、南药、广药、云药、藏药、维药、海药。道地药材变迁的原因包括:自然地理条件的变化,自然资源的减少,道地产区的优化缩减,野生产地改为栽培产地,道地品种的改变,新道地资源产地的发现,临床选择,药材品种的细致分化,产区经济结构的改变,异地引种。