Construction of naturally derived hydrogels containing anti-inflammatory melittin for sustained drug delivery to treat osteoarthritis disease.

Osteoarthritis (OA) has become a common degenerative joint disease, lacking clinical means to alleviate this disease. Melittin, taken from natural honeybee venom, possesses outstanding anti-inflammatory properties and has great potential to treat OA. However, its high toxicity and hemolytic properties limit its application.

An investigation of secondary anti-D immunisation among phenotypically RhD-negative individuals in the Chinese population.

Background: Despite the introduction of anti-D prophylaxis into clinical practice, RhD alloimmunisation remains a problem, particularly in the context of transfusions and pregnancy-induced alloimmunisation. The incidence of RhD alloimmunisation among phenotypically RhD-negative individuals is unknown in most countries. We investigated RhD alloimmmunisation in RhD-negative pregnant women and transfusion recipients in south-east China in order to optimise the prevention of this phenomenon.

Heavy metals in rice and garden vegetables and their potential health risks to inhabitants in the vicinity of an industrial zone in Jiangsu, China.

Contamination of soil and agricultural products by heavy metals resulting from rapid industrial development has caused major concern. In this study, we investigated heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Hg and Cd) concentrations in rice and garden vegetables, as well as in cultivated soils, in a rural-industrial developed region in southern Jiangsu, China, and estimated the potential health risks of metals to the inhabitants via consumption of locally produced rice and garden vegetables. A questionnaire-based survey on dietary consumption rates of foodstuffs showed that rice and vegetables accounted for 64% of total foodstuffs consumed, and over 60% of rice and vegetables were grown in the local region.

Exposure and risk assessment for aluminium and heavy metals in Puerh tea.

As the consumption of Puerh tea is booming because of its multiple health-promoting effects, the possible health risks resulting from long-term exposure to metals contained in this tea need to be evaluated. To assess the human risk associated with drinking Puerh tea, concentrations of aluminium, lead, cadmium, mercury, zinc, copper and arsenic were determined in samples of Puerh tea, tea leaves from the plants, and planted soil collected from the Yunnan province, China. Site-specific exposure parameters such as body weight and consumption rate of Puerh tea were investigated in Kunming and Puer cities using face-to-face surveys.

Arsenic accumulation in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and its effects on plant growth and pharmaceutical components.

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. The effects of arsenic (As) on the growth and the formation of pharmaceutical components of S. baicalensis, and the uptake and accumulation of As by S.