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Sonchus brachyotus DC. (S. brachyotus) is considered a vegetable, and rarely considered to be medicinal. However, S. brachyotus is used as a kind of traditional folk herb in Europe. Pharmacological studies are necessary in order to provide a scientific basis to substantiate their use. This study investigated the antimicrobial effect and mechanism of action of the ethanol extract from S. brachyotus. Ethanol extract from S. brachyotus exhibited antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella enteric, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus; this is especially so in the case of E. coli. This study investigated the novel antibacterial mechanism of ethanol extract from S. brachyotus that shows an apoptosis-like response in E. coli. At all the tested concentration, it was found that ethanol extract from S. brachyotus–treated E. coli cells displayed various apoptotic markers, such as membrane damage, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and m...

To investigate the effect of using e-PTFE containing nervous homogenates to repair the rabbit facial nerve defect.Thirty-six adult New-Zealand rabbits weighing 2000-2500 g were randomly selected. The right sides were selected as e-PTFE containing nervous homogenates group, 8 mm defect of facial never were made, then the defect was bridged with e-PTFE tube, and the nervous homogenates were implanted into the e-PTFE tube. The left sides were selected as e-PTFE group, 8 mm defect of facial never were made, the proximal and distal stumps were simply bridged with e-PTFE tube. Regeneration of the nerve was assessed by gross observation, nerve electrophysiological test and optical microscope observation.The electrophysiological examination showed that in the e-PTFE group, there was no muscular contraction; while in the homogenates group, the electric stimulus could get through the nerve defect at 4th week. The nerve conduction velocity of the homogenates group recovered better than that of the e-PTFE group at 8th, 12th week. Optical microscope observation showed that at 4th week, in the e-PTFE group, the proximal and distal nerve stumps denervated widely;while in the homogenates group, all the proximal nerve stumps regenerated through the chamber and reached the distal end. At 8th week, in the e-PTFE group, the regenerating nerve fiber got through the nerve defect, the nerve fibers were sparse and arranged in disorder throughout the tube.In the homogenates group, the tube was filled with regenerating nerve fibers which arranged in order. At 12th week, in the e-PTFE group, the nerve fibers lined up in orders, but there existed the phenomena that the nerve fibers were confused. In the homogenates group, regenerating nerve fibers were mature.From this experiment, we found that the effect of e-PTFE containing nervous homogenates to repair the facial never was better than that of e-PTFE group.

To observe and compare the effects of using mGTR and venous autografts to repair the defect of facial nerve in rabbits.mGTR and venous autografts were performed on three groups of rabbits. Then physical and histological examinations were carried out to get the results of these two repair methods.Both the two methods can induce regeneration of facial nerve. The mGTR is more effective and faster in repairing the nerve defect. Three months after operation, the distance of NCV between bilateral facial nerve in mGTR group was (2.10 +/- 1.2) m/s, (6.80 +/- 1.4) m/s in venous autografts, (2.16 +/- 1.6) m/s in nerve transplantation group. Histologically, the facial nerve fibers were arranged regularly and in continuity in mGTR, the facial nerve fibers were arranged irregularly with marked hyperplasia of connective tissues in venous autografts three months after repair.The mGTR is more effective than venous autografts in repair of facial nerve.