Anxiolytic and free radical scavenging potential of Chinese celery(Apium graveolens) extract in mice

Objective: To elucidate the anxiolytic and free radical scavenging effect of methanolic extract of Apium graveolens(A. graveolens) in adult C57BL/6 mice.Methods: Sixty male mice were divided into 6 groups: control, vehicle, positive control and A. graveolens(125, 250 and 500 mg/kg). Different behavioral models of elevated plus maze, open field, light/dark, hole-board and pentobarbital-induced sleep were used to assess anxiety-like behavior. Biochemical parameters including monoamine oxidase-A(MAO-A) activity, lipid peroxidation, % inhibition of superoxide anion and glutathione peroxidase activity were measured. Histologic studies were also examined.Results: Mice receiving various doses of A. graveolens(125, 250 and 500 mg/kg)showed an alleviation of anxiety-like behavior as evidenced by the battery of behavioral tests. Likewise, A. graveolens treatment was found to significantly decrease MAO-A activity, lipid peroxidation as well as cause a significant increase of % inhibition of superoxide anion and glutathione peroxidase activity in both cortex and striatum. The total number of survival neurons found in the frontal cortex and striatum was significantly higher than that of the vehicle-treated group.Conclusions: Taken together, we showed that A. graveolens improve the behavioral changes which might be related to the inhibition of free radicals and modulation of MAOA activity resulting in an increased number of survival neurons. Our findings suggest the therapeutic potential of A. graveolens in the treatment of anxiety.

Thermal treatment and utilization of Al-rich waste in high calcium fly ash geopolymeric materials

The Al-rich waste with aluminium and hydrocarbon as the major contaminant is generated at the wastewater treatment unit of a polymer processing plant. In this research, the heat treatment of this Al-rich waste and its use to adjust the silica/alumina ratio of the high calcium fly ash geopolymer were studied. To recycle the raw Al-rich waste, the waste was dried at 110℃ and calcined at 400 to 1000℃. Mineralogical analyses were conducted using X-ray diffraction （XRD） to study the phase change. The increase in calcination temperature to 600, 800, and 1000℃ resulted in the phase transformation. The more active alumina phase of active θ-Al2O3 was obtained with the increase in calcination temperature. The calcined Al-rich waste was then used as an additive to the fly ash geopolymer by mixing with high calcium fly ash, water glass, 10 M sodium hydroxide （NaOH）, and sand. Test results indicated that the calcined Al-rich waste could be used as an aluminium source to adjust the silica/alumina ratio and the strength of geopolymeric materials. The fly ash geopolymer mortar with 2.5wt% of the Al-rich waste calcined at 1000℃ possessed the 7-d compressive strength of 34.2 MPa.

中医外治法治疗神经根型颈椎病简况

神经根型颈椎病乃六淫侵袭、慢性劳役、脏腑功能失调、感受风、寒、湿邪,侵袭项部导致肝肾亏虚、气血不足,致使颈项筋骨失于濡养,经络痹阻,气滞血瘀,发为项痹,属本虚标实之证。中医外治法作用直接,针刺(毫针刺、电针、平衡针及腹针)、中药外敷及推拿等单独或联合使用,可显著改善临床症状,疗效确切,目前基础性研究仍不够详实,缺乏诊疗统一标准,未来可逐步建立中医外治法治疗标准,对外治法推广意义重大。