Objective. The ethyl acetate (EA) extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF) and its major active component, triptolide, have been reported to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Nitric oxide (NO) has been recognized as an important mediator of inflammation. This study was therefore undertaken to examine the effects of the EA extract and triptolide on the production of NO and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene expression and transcription in vivo and in vitro.Methods. Peritoneal macrophages from C57BL/6J mice treated orally with the EA extract of TWHF were assayed for NO production and iNOS messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The murine fibroblast cell line NIH3T3 was also assessed for NO production and iNOS mRNA expression, as well as for iNOS promoter activation, Oct-1 nuclear binding capacity, and Oct-1 protein content by transient transfection, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and immunoblotting, respectively.Results. NO production and iNOS mRNA expression by macrophages from C57BL/6J mice immunized with trinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin in Freund's complete adjuvant were significantly inhibited by oral administration of the EA extract (52.3% and 59.8% of control, respectively, at one-eighth of the dose that is lethal for 50% of the animals [LD 50 ] and 21.0% and 38.1% of control, respectively, at one-fourth the LD 50 ). Moreover, the EA extract and triptolide significantly inhibited NO production in vitro in activated peritoneal macrophages, which reflected a decreased level of iNOS mRNA. Finally, triptolide inhibited promoter activity of the iNOS gene and induction of the activity of the regulator of iNOS transcription, Oct-1.Conclusion. The EA extract of TWHF and triptolide inhibit transcription of the iNOS gene. This may contribute to the antiinflammatory effects of this traditional herbal remedy.

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These results indicate that TWHF exerts a significant anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

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In this study, heparin was covalently coupled by glutaraldehyde to Poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA] in solid-liquid two-phase reaction system by two-step synthesis method to prepare a LDL-selective adsorbent. The parameters (the material ratio, reaction time and dosage of catalyzer) were investigated to evaluate their effect upon the immobilized amount of heparin onto the surface of PVA, IR was used to verify the covalent immobilization result and the heparin-modified PVA was also undergone the evaluation of its adsorption capability for low-density lipoprotein from hyperlipemia plasma, and its hemocompatibility was preliminarily evaluated by platelet adhesion test. Results showed: (1) under optimized reaction conditions the highest immobilization amount of heparin onto PVA surface within the experiments of this study has been obtained; (2) the optimized reaction conditions were: (i) at the refluxing temperature 78 degrees C; (ii) the material ratio of "PVA(g): 50% glutaraldehyde (ml)" was about "1:3"; (iii) the reaction time was about 5 h; and (iv) the amount of catalyzer (concentrated HCL) was about 1% of the 50% glutaraldehyde; (3) within the experiments of this study the highest immobilization amount would be up to 25 microg heparin on the surface of per g PVA granules; (4) the heparin-modified PVA granules showed significant adsorption for LDL under faintly alkaline environment (pH=7.2-9.5) ; (5) The result of platelet adhesion test showed no platelet adhered to its surface. Therefore, immobilization of heparin onto the surface of a support is one approach to prepare a kind of LDL adsorbent for blood purification.

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