The apoptosis in primary oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) without lymph node (LN) metastases and its relation with clinical stages and pathological grades was investigated. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl trasferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect the apoptotic cells in 15 cases of OSCCs. The percentage of apoptotic cells among tumor cells were calculated as apoptotic index (AI). The results showed that in all 15 cases of OSCCs, apoptotic cells could be visualized by TUNEL with AI ranging from 0.03 to 0.92 (average 0.32). AI was significantly negatively correlated with pathological grades (P<0.05). It was concluded that the apoptotic rate was related to the malignant degree of OSCCs without LN metastases.

Spermicidal effect of Jieze No. 1 (JZ1) in combination with nonoxynol-9 (N-9) was examinedin vitro. The minimum spermicidal concentration of JZ1 decoction, N-9 and their mixture solution in 20 s and 3 min were examined by improved spermicidal test of Sander-cramerin vitro. The percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa and viable spermatozoa were also observed 20 s, 3 min and 30 min after the addition of the liquid medicine. Our results showed that sperms did not recover their activities in a revival test when the minimum spermicidal concentration of either JZ1 decoction, or N-9, or the mixed solution of the two agents, was used. N-9 (JZ1 in the mixed group) showed significant differences in the percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa, and visible spermatozoa in 20 s, 3 min, and 30 min, when compared with N-9 alone (P<0.01). We are led to conclude that JZ1 decoction can improve N-9 spermicidal actionin vitro, and when used in combination with N-9, it has synergic effect.