Anhui musk deer [ Moschus ( moschiferus/berezovskii ) anhuiensis ] has been a taxonomic mystery since its discovery in early 80's.In this paper,with museum samples,we sequenced the complete cytochrome b ge...Anhui musk deer [ Moschus ( moschiferus/berezovskii ) anhuiensis ] has been a taxonomic mystery since its discovery in early 80's.In this paper,with museum samples,we sequenced the complete cytochrome b gene of five Anhui musk deer.When compared with other species in Genus Moschus ,Anhui musk deer showed a rather level of sequence divergence from all the other species in this genus.The phylogenetic trees constructed by multiple methods supported the same topology,in which the monophyly of Anhui musk deer was clearly demonstrated.Therefore,our molecular data suggest a full species status for Anhui musk deer ( Moschus anhuiensis ),rather than a subspecies of either M moschiferus or M berezovskii previously suggested by morphological studies.展开更多
In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for forest musk deer （Moschus berezovskii） through an improved enrichment protocol. Five new markers were isolated from the genom...In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for forest musk deer （Moschus berezovskii） through an improved enrichment protocol. Five new markers were isolated from the genomic DNA of forest musk deer and showed high polymorphism with 4 - 13 alleles in 24 sampled individuals from the population of Jinfeng Mountain, Sichuan Province, China. The observed and expected heterozygesities were from 0.429 - 0.957 and 0.587 - 0.902, respectively. The average polymorphism information content （PIC） value in these five loci was 0. 730. This suggests that the five microsatellite loci are a valuable tool for further studies about forest musk deer.展开更多
The present study analyzed expressional changes of excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the rat corpus striatum after single-use and combined-use diazepam and Chinese herb moschus. The infl...The present study analyzed expressional changes of excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the rat corpus striatum after single-use and combined-use diazepam and Chinese herb moschus. The influence of moschus on the central nervous system was analyzed, in particular whether moschus increased penetration of other drugs into the brain. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which included pre-column derivation with orthophthaladehyde detection, showed varied increased levels of excitatory neurotransmitters, including aspartate and glutamate, and inhibitory neurotransmitters, including glycine and Y-aminobutyric acid, in the corpus striatum after treatment with moschus alone, diazepam alone, or a combination of both. Compared with the diazepam group, aspartate levels significantly decreased at 30 and 60-105 minutes after combined treatment with moschus, while glutamate significantly increased at 45 and 75-105 minutes, glycine levels significantly increased at 105 minutes, and γ-aminobutyric acid increased at 30 and 75-105 minutes. These findings suggested that moschus increased the inhibition effects of diazepam on the brain.展开更多
The present study collected cerebrospinal fluid samples from the corpus striatum in rats treated with borneol, moschus, storax, and acorus tatarinowii using brain microdialysis technology. Levels of excitatory neurotr...The present study collected cerebrospinal fluid samples from the corpus striatum in rats treated with borneol, moschus, storax, and acorus tatarinowii using brain microdialysis technology. Levels of excitatory neurotransmitters aspartic acid and glutamate, as well as inhibitory neurotransmitters glycine and ^-aminobutyric acid, were measured in samples using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, phosphate gradient elution, and fluorescence detection. Results showed that concentrations of all four amino acid neurotransmitters significantly increased in the corpus striatum following treatment with borneol or moschus, but effects due to borneol were more significant than moschus. Acorus tatarinowii treatment increased ^-aminobutyric acid expression, but decreased glutamate concentrations. Storax increased aspartic acid concentrations and decreased glycine expression. Results demonstrated that borneol and moschus exhibited significant effects on con amino acid neurotransmitter expression; storax exhibited excitatory effects and acorus tatarinowii resulted in inhibitory effects.展开更多
Objective To investigate the effects of Niuhuang(Bovis Calculus,BC)and Shexiang(Moschus)(BC-Moschus)on human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells SMMC-7721 and a nude mouse model of subcutaneous xenografts,and to explor...Objective To investigate the effects of Niuhuang(Bovis Calculus,BC)and Shexiang(Moschus)(BC-Moschus)on human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells SMMC-7721 and a nude mouse model of subcutaneous xenografts,and to explore its anti-HCC mechanism.Methods The BC-Moschus combination was applied to two liver cancer models in vivo and in vitro.SMMC-7721 was divided into the BC-Moschus group and the control group,and different doses(rude drug dosage 0.625,1.25,2.5,and 5 mg/m L)of BC-Moschus extract were used for the intervention.The proliferation ability of HCC cells was detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assay,and the migration ability was detected by a wound healing assay.A subcutaneous xenograft model was prepared using nude mice with human HCC.Specific pathogen-free-grade BALB/c nude mice(5-week-old)were randomly divided into the following groups(n=6 per group):control(0.9%physiological saline 0.2 m L/d),BC-Moschus[BC 45.5 mg/(kg·d)+Moschus 13 mg/(kg·d)],and cisplatin(DDP,intraperitoneal injection5 mg/kg per week)groups.All groups were administered for 14 d.The volume and mass of the subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice were observed.The expression levels of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin(PI3K/AKT/mTOR)pathway,apoptosis-associated factor p70 S6 Kinase(S6K),Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,and caspase-9 in nude mice subcutaneous xenografts were measured by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blot.Terminal Deoxynucleotidy Transferase-Mediated d UTP NickEnd Labeling(TUNEL)was used for quantitative analysis of apoptotic cells.Results The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the BC-Moschus combination inhibited HCC cell proliferation in a superior manner to the use of BC and Moschus alone,and the inhibition effect was dose-and time-dependent(P<0.01).The wound healing assay showed that the BC-Moschus combination inhibited HCC cell migration(P<0.01).In the subcutaneous xenograft model of nude mice with human HCC,we found that the tumor volume and weight of the BC-Moschus group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.01).The levels of the PI3K/AKT/m TOR signaling pathway and S6K protein in the BC-Moschus and DDP groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The expression level of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 was downregulated(P<0.05),and the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Baxand apoptosis-related factors caspase-3 and caspase-9 were significantly upregulated(P<0.01).The TUNEL assays further confirmed that the combination of the BC-Moschuas could promote HCC(P<0.01).Conclusion The BC-Moschus combination inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of HCC cells SMMC-7721 and effectively inhibited the growth of subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice.The mechanism may be closely related to the downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway,regulation of apoptosis-related protein caspase-3,caspase-9,Bcl-2,and Bax expression,and promotion of apoptosis.展开更多
In order to solve the problem that the musk deer concentrated feed were easy to get rancidity in spring, summer, autumn and freezing in winter, high quality and palatability pellet feed of musk deer was researched and...In order to solve the problem that the musk deer concentrated feed were easy to get rancidity in spring, summer, autumn and freezing in winter, high quality and palatability pellet feed of musk deer was researched and developed to ensure the quality of musk deer＇s feed. Twenty-eight male musk deer （3 - 10 years old） （Moschus berezovskii） with normal body condition in the same culture conditions were chosen and were randomly divided into experimental group （fed pellets group） and control group （original feeding diet group）, the results show that musk deer was able to adapt to the pellet feed generally in 13 days and the duration varied with the palatability of pellet feed. During the trial period, the difference of the body weight, the average musk yield of producing musk deer and the producing musk incidence between the experimental group and the control group was not significant, the incidence of disease and mortality of experimental group deer was significantly lower than the control group.展开更多
Objective To examine the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms of polypeptide from Moschus(PPM)in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice.Methods The polypeptide was extracted fr...Objective To examine the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms of polypeptide from Moschus(PPM)in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice.Methods The polypeptide was extracted from Moschus and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).Subsequently,LPS was used to induce inflammation in THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice.In LPS-treated or untreated THP-1 macrophages,cell viability was observed by cell counting kit 8 and lactate dehydrogenase release assays;the proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry,respectively;and protein and mRNA levels were measured by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),respectively.In LPS-induced BALB/c mice,the proinflammatory cytokines were measured,and lung histology and cytokines were observed by hematoxylin and eosin(HE)and immunohistochemical(IHC)staining,respectively.Results The SDS-PAGE results suggested that the molecular weight of purified PPM was in the range of 10–26 kD.In vitro,PPM reduced the production of interleukin 1β(IL-1β),IL-18,tumor necrosis factorα(TNF-α),IL-6 and ROS in LPS-induced THP-1 macrophages(P<0.01).Western blot analysis demonstrated that PPM inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factorκB(NF-κB)pathway and thioredoxin interacting protein(TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain,leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway by reducing protein expression of phospho-NF-κB p65,phospho-inhibitors of NF-κB(IκBs)kinaseα/β(IKKα/β),TXNIP,NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),and pro-caspase-1(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In addition,qRT-PCR revealed the inhibitory effects of PPM on the mRNA levels of TXNIP,NLRP3,ASC,and caspase-1(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Furthermore,in LPS-induced BALB/c mice,PPM reduced TNF-αand IL-6 levels in serum(P<0.05 or P<0.01),decreased IL-1βand IL-18 levels in the lungs(P<0.01)and alleviated pathological injury to the lungs.Conclusion PPM could attenuate LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB-ROS/NLRP3 pathway,and may be a novel potential candidate drug for treating inflammation and inflammation-related diseases.展开更多
Objective Herba menthae, Borneolum and moschus are strongly volatile. Herba menthae, borneolum have been widely used as traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of nasal congestion. The aim of this study was to...Objective Herba menthae, Borneolum and moschus are strongly volatile. Herba menthae, borneolum have been widely used as traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of nasal congestion. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of herba menthae, borneolum and moschus on nasal sensation of airflow and nasal resistance. Method 52 volunteers (32 females, 20 males, aged from 19 to 32 years) were studied. Only subjects with normal nose functions were included in the study. Those who had had a coryzal illness or allergic rhinitis during the last three weeks excluded from the study. Nasal resistance was measured by active anterior rhinomanometry, using Master PF 2001 rhinomanometry (ICS Corporation, U.S.A.). Nasal sensation was measured with a self made equipment, called “nasal sensation indication scale”. There was a 100cm line scale on the equipment. Each end of the 100cm line scale was defined as either “extremely clear” or “extremely blocked”. The slide control was brought to the center point of the 100cm scale before each scoring of nasal sensation. The center point was the zero point for the scoring of nasal sensation. Each subject expressed his subjective feelings of nasal sensation of airflow by moving the slide control to the appropriate direction. Substances were administered by self made wick inhaler which consisted of a vessel in which the substances were put and a capsule which can spray air. Inhalers A, B, C and D respectively contained a blank wick, herba menthae at a concentration of 100mg dissolved in 1ml vaseline, borneolum at a concentration of 100mg dissolved in 1ml vaseline, moschus Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Third Clinical College of Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun 130031, China (Wang YP, Dong Z, Yang ZQ and Bu GX) 1g. Each nostril was sprayed three times during the experiment, first the left and then the right. The protocol was as follows. Nasal resistance was measured before the administration of substances. Air control was first administered, followed by the other three kinds of medicines which were administered randomly, so that bias resulting from the order of presentation of substances would be controlled in the final analysis of the results. After inhalation of medicines, nasal sensation and nasal resistance were measured in order. Every two kinds of medicine were administered at an interval of 15 minutes so that any delayed effects could be observed. Results Because original data of nasal resistance and nasal sensation were not normal distribution, the logarithm of the original data were used for statistic analysis. Inhalation of herba menthae, borneolum or moschus all had no obvious influence on nasal resistance (P>0.05), but all caused enhancement of nasal sensation of airflow (P<0.01). Among these medicines the action of herba menthae was the strongest, borneolum and moschus being the second. 4 subjects had a sensation of nasal obstruction after inhalation of the substance, but there was no corresponding increase in nasal resistance. Conclusion The above results clearly demonstrate that herba menthae, borneolum and moschus all cause a highly significant enhancement of nasal sensation of airflow, but had no obvious effects on nasal resistance, in other words, enhancement of sensation of nasal airflow was not accompanied by the decrease of nasal resistance (increase of airflow). Therefore, the enhancement of airflow sensation is just a subjective, false impression and this sort of medicine should be regarded as pseudonasal decongestant.展开更多
基金This work received supportsfrom Natural Science Foundation of Yun nan Science Technology Committee granted to SuBingpartlys
文摘Anhui musk deer [ Moschus ( moschiferus/berezovskii ) anhuiensis ] has been a taxonomic mystery since its discovery in early 80's.In this paper,with museum samples,we sequenced the complete cytochrome b gene of five Anhui musk deer.When compared with other species in Genus Moschus ,Anhui musk deer showed a rather level of sequence divergence from all the other species in this genus.The phylogenetic trees constructed by multiple methods supported the same topology,in which the monophyly of Anhui musk deer was clearly demonstrated.Therefore,our molecular data suggest a full species status for Anhui musk deer ( Moschus anhuiensis ),rather than a subspecies of either M moschiferus or M berezovskii previously suggested by morphological studies.
文摘In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for forest musk deer （Moschus berezovskii） through an improved enrichment protocol. Five new markers were isolated from the genomic DNA of forest musk deer and showed high polymorphism with 4 - 13 alleles in 24 sampled individuals from the population of Jinfeng Mountain, Sichuan Province, China. The observed and expected heterozygesities were from 0.429 - 0.957 and 0.587 - 0.902, respectively. The average polymorphism information content （PIC） value in these five loci was 0. 730. This suggests that the five microsatellite loci are a valuable tool for further studies about forest musk deer.
文摘The present study analyzed expressional changes of excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the rat corpus striatum after single-use and combined-use diazepam and Chinese herb moschus. The influence of moschus on the central nervous system was analyzed, in particular whether moschus increased penetration of other drugs into the brain. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which included pre-column derivation with orthophthaladehyde detection, showed varied increased levels of excitatory neurotransmitters, including aspartate and glutamate, and inhibitory neurotransmitters, including glycine and Y-aminobutyric acid, in the corpus striatum after treatment with moschus alone, diazepam alone, or a combination of both. Compared with the diazepam group, aspartate levels significantly decreased at 30 and 60-105 minutes after combined treatment with moschus, while glutamate significantly increased at 45 and 75-105 minutes, glycine levels significantly increased at 105 minutes, and γ-aminobutyric acid increased at 30 and 75-105 minutes. These findings suggested that moschus increased the inhibition effects of diazepam on the brain.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81173572
文摘The present study collected cerebrospinal fluid samples from the corpus striatum in rats treated with borneol, moschus, storax, and acorus tatarinowii using brain microdialysis technology. Levels of excitatory neurotransmitters aspartic acid and glutamate, as well as inhibitory neurotransmitters glycine and ^-aminobutyric acid, were measured in samples using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, phosphate gradient elution, and fluorescence detection. Results showed that concentrations of all four amino acid neurotransmitters significantly increased in the corpus striatum following treatment with borneol or moschus, but effects due to borneol were more significant than moschus. Acorus tatarinowii treatment increased ^-aminobutyric acid expression, but decreased glutamate concentrations. Storax increased aspartic acid concentrations and decreased glycine expression. Results demonstrated that borneol and moschus exhibited significant effects on con amino acid neurotransmitter expression; storax exhibited excitatory effects and acorus tatarinowii resulted in inhibitory effects.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(81473617)Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(2020JJ4066)+1 种基金Scientific Research Project of Hunan Education Department(18A266)Hunan Graduate Scientific Research Innovation Project(QL20210173)。
文摘Objective To investigate the effects of Niuhuang(Bovis Calculus,BC)and Shexiang(Moschus)(BC-Moschus)on human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells SMMC-7721 and a nude mouse model of subcutaneous xenografts,and to explore its anti-HCC mechanism.Methods The BC-Moschus combination was applied to two liver cancer models in vivo and in vitro.SMMC-7721 was divided into the BC-Moschus group and the control group,and different doses(rude drug dosage 0.625,1.25,2.5,and 5 mg/m L)of BC-Moschus extract were used for the intervention.The proliferation ability of HCC cells was detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assay,and the migration ability was detected by a wound healing assay.A subcutaneous xenograft model was prepared using nude mice with human HCC.Specific pathogen-free-grade BALB/c nude mice(5-week-old)were randomly divided into the following groups(n=6 per group):control(0.9%physiological saline 0.2 m L/d),BC-Moschus[BC 45.5 mg/(kg·d)+Moschus 13 mg/(kg·d)],and cisplatin(DDP,intraperitoneal injection5 mg/kg per week)groups.All groups were administered for 14 d.The volume and mass of the subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice were observed.The expression levels of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin(PI3K/AKT/mTOR)pathway,apoptosis-associated factor p70 S6 Kinase(S6K),Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,and caspase-9 in nude mice subcutaneous xenografts were measured by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blot.Terminal Deoxynucleotidy Transferase-Mediated d UTP NickEnd Labeling(TUNEL)was used for quantitative analysis of apoptotic cells.Results The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the BC-Moschus combination inhibited HCC cell proliferation in a superior manner to the use of BC and Moschus alone,and the inhibition effect was dose-and time-dependent(P<0.01).The wound healing assay showed that the BC-Moschus combination inhibited HCC cell migration(P<0.01).In the subcutaneous xenograft model of nude mice with human HCC,we found that the tumor volume and weight of the BC-Moschus group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.01).The levels of the PI3K/AKT/m TOR signaling pathway and S6K protein in the BC-Moschus and DDP groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The expression level of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 was downregulated(P<0.05),and the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Baxand apoptosis-related factors caspase-3 and caspase-9 were significantly upregulated(P<0.01).The TUNEL assays further confirmed that the combination of the BC-Moschuas could promote HCC(P<0.01).Conclusion The BC-Moschus combination inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of HCC cells SMMC-7721 and effectively inhibited the growth of subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice.The mechanism may be closely related to the downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway,regulation of apoptosis-related protein caspase-3,caspase-9,Bcl-2,and Bax expression,and promotion of apoptosis.
基金Supported by Sci-tech Achievement Transformation Project from Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Department([2007]33)
文摘In order to solve the problem that the musk deer concentrated feed were easy to get rancidity in spring, summer, autumn and freezing in winter, high quality and palatability pellet feed of musk deer was researched and developed to ensure the quality of musk deer＇s feed. Twenty-eight male musk deer （3 - 10 years old） （Moschus berezovskii） with normal body condition in the same culture conditions were chosen and were randomly divided into experimental group （fed pellets group） and control group （original feeding diet group）, the results show that musk deer was able to adapt to the pellet feed generally in 13 days and the duration varied with the palatability of pellet feed. During the trial period, the difference of the body weight, the average musk yield of producing musk deer and the producing musk incidence between the experimental group and the control group was not significant, the incidence of disease and mortality of experimental group deer was significantly lower than the control group.
基金the Establishment of Key Disciplines of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sichuan Province-Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica(No.2020ZDXK01)the Systemic Research and Development of Moschus(No.D-2019-6 and D-2019-8)。
文摘Objective To examine the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms of polypeptide from Moschus(PPM)in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice.Methods The polypeptide was extracted from Moschus and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).Subsequently,LPS was used to induce inflammation in THP-1 macrophages and BALB/c mice.In LPS-treated or untreated THP-1 macrophages,cell viability was observed by cell counting kit 8 and lactate dehydrogenase release assays;the proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry,respectively;and protein and mRNA levels were measured by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),respectively.In LPS-induced BALB/c mice,the proinflammatory cytokines were measured,and lung histology and cytokines were observed by hematoxylin and eosin(HE)and immunohistochemical(IHC)staining,respectively.Results The SDS-PAGE results suggested that the molecular weight of purified PPM was in the range of 10–26 kD.In vitro,PPM reduced the production of interleukin 1β(IL-1β),IL-18,tumor necrosis factorα(TNF-α),IL-6 and ROS in LPS-induced THP-1 macrophages(P<0.01).Western blot analysis demonstrated that PPM inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factorκB(NF-κB)pathway and thioredoxin interacting protein(TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain,leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway by reducing protein expression of phospho-NF-κB p65,phospho-inhibitors of NF-κB(IκBs)kinaseα/β(IKKα/β),TXNIP,NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),and pro-caspase-1(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In addition,qRT-PCR revealed the inhibitory effects of PPM on the mRNA levels of TXNIP,NLRP3,ASC,and caspase-1(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Furthermore,in LPS-induced BALB/c mice,PPM reduced TNF-αand IL-6 levels in serum(P<0.05 or P<0.01),decreased IL-1βand IL-18 levels in the lungs(P<0.01)and alleviated pathological injury to the lungs.Conclusion PPM could attenuate LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB-ROS/NLRP3 pathway,and may be a novel potential candidate drug for treating inflammation and inflammation-related diseases.
文摘Objective Herba menthae, Borneolum and moschus are strongly volatile. Herba menthae, borneolum have been widely used as traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of nasal congestion. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of herba menthae, borneolum and moschus on nasal sensation of airflow and nasal resistance. Method 52 volunteers (32 females, 20 males, aged from 19 to 32 years) were studied. Only subjects with normal nose functions were included in the study. Those who had had a coryzal illness or allergic rhinitis during the last three weeks excluded from the study. Nasal resistance was measured by active anterior rhinomanometry, using Master PF 2001 rhinomanometry (ICS Corporation, U.S.A.). Nasal sensation was measured with a self made equipment, called “nasal sensation indication scale”. There was a 100cm line scale on the equipment. Each end of the 100cm line scale was defined as either “extremely clear” or “extremely blocked”. The slide control was brought to the center point of the 100cm scale before each scoring of nasal sensation. The center point was the zero point for the scoring of nasal sensation. Each subject expressed his subjective feelings of nasal sensation of airflow by moving the slide control to the appropriate direction. Substances were administered by self made wick inhaler which consisted of a vessel in which the substances were put and a capsule which can spray air. Inhalers A, B, C and D respectively contained a blank wick, herba menthae at a concentration of 100mg dissolved in 1ml vaseline, borneolum at a concentration of 100mg dissolved in 1ml vaseline, moschus Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Third Clinical College of Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun 130031, China (Wang YP, Dong Z, Yang ZQ and Bu GX) 1g. Each nostril was sprayed three times during the experiment, first the left and then the right. The protocol was as follows. Nasal resistance was measured before the administration of substances. Air control was first administered, followed by the other three kinds of medicines which were administered randomly, so that bias resulting from the order of presentation of substances would be controlled in the final analysis of the results. After inhalation of medicines, nasal sensation and nasal resistance were measured in order. Every two kinds of medicine were administered at an interval of 15 minutes so that any delayed effects could be observed. Results Because original data of nasal resistance and nasal sensation were not normal distribution, the logarithm of the original data were used for statistic analysis. Inhalation of herba menthae, borneolum or moschus all had no obvious influence on nasal resistance (P>0.05), but all caused enhancement of nasal sensation of airflow (P<0.01). Among these medicines the action of herba menthae was the strongest, borneolum and moschus being the second. 4 subjects had a sensation of nasal obstruction after inhalation of the substance, but there was no corresponding increase in nasal resistance. Conclusion The above results clearly demonstrate that herba menthae, borneolum and moschus all cause a highly significant enhancement of nasal sensation of airflow, but had no obvious effects on nasal resistance, in other words, enhancement of sensation of nasal airflow was not accompanied by the decrease of nasal resistance (increase of airflow). Therefore, the enhancement of airflow sensation is just a subjective, false impression and this sort of medicine should be regarded as pseudonasal decongestant.
