Curative efficacy of extract from Ganjiangdazao recipe on functional dyspepsia in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the extract from Ganjiangdazao recipe (EGR) on functional dyspepsia in rats with spleen-stomach deficiency cold pattern (SSDCP) in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and to investigate its pharmacodynamics. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group, SSDCP group, low-EGR SSDCP group, high-EGR SSDCP group, probiotics group, EGR group. SSDCP model was induced by gavage with the 0 ?edible vinegar. The symptoms and manifestations were scored by method from the relative literature, the ecological changes in cecal microflora was analyzed by 16SrRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, gastric tissues were treated by immunohistochemistry, the levels of related biochemical components related to the gastrointestinal functions were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetry, gastric juice was measured by pH meter, blood pressure measurement by trapping tail method, surface temperature measured by infrared thermal imaging, and the content of 6-gingerol in the serum was determined by liquid-mass chromatography before and after EGR was given. RESULTS: It was found that EGR could effectively relieve the symptoms and manifestations of the SSDCP rats (P < 0.05); the value of the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Coprobacillus increased, while the value of the relative abundance of Clostridium decreased (P < 0.05) in the cecal microflora in the SSDCP rats after high-EGR administration; It was also found that EGR had no substantial effect on the related biochemical components related to the gastrointestinal functions of in the SSDCP rats; and a certain amount of 6-gingerol was detected in the serum of EGR group. CONCLUSION: The pharmacodynamic site of EGR is the intestinal tract, and the mechanism behind the effect of EGR on SSDCP rats, involves increasing the beneficial bacteria and decreasing the proinflammatory bacteria in the intestinal tract. The blood pharmacodynamics of EGR remains to be further studied in the future.

Effects of Pulsatile Cupping on Body Pain and Quality of Life in People with Suboptimal Health:A Randomized Controlled Exploratory Trial.

Objective: The curative effect of pneumatic pulsatile cupping on pain has been shown. This study was conducted to investigate effects of the pulsating frequency of pneumatic pulsatile cupping, compared with traditional cupping (TC), on body pain and quality of life (QoL) in people with suboptimal health status (SHS). Materials and Methods: Ninety-six participants with SHS were randomized to low-frequency (LF; n = 24) or high-frequency (HF; n = 24) pulsating cupping, traditional cupping (TC; n = 24), or wait-list (WL; n = 24) groups. The LF, HF, and TC groups received 4 sessions of cupping over 2 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS; 0-100 mm) pain level and Short-Form-36 (SF-36) QoL measurements were taken before and after the intervention. Results: Both LF and HF reduced pain significantly (VAS: -28.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] -36.18 to -20.34; and -31.88, 95% CI -39.81 to -23.96; both P = 0.000) and improved QoL more than WL (SF-36, Bodily Pain dimension: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.85 to 2.07; and 1.75, 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.36, both P = 0.000). Compared to TC, LF and HF significantly reduced pain (VAS: -7.92, 95% CI: -15.75 to -0.08, P LT = 0.048; and -11.54, 95% CI: -19.38 to -3.70, P HT = 0.004) and improved QoL (SF-36, Bodily Pain dimension: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.01 to 1.21, P LT = 0.046; and 0.90, 95% CI: 0.30 to 1.50, P HT = 0.004). There was no significant difference between LF and HF. Conclusions: This study showed that, in patients with SHS, pulsatile cupping therapy could have a more-favorable effect to relieve body pain, compared to TC. LF and HF pulsation produced equivalent pain relief. Further studies investigating the underlying mechanism are needed. Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-INR-16009345).

An innovative method to evaluate the severe level of general Qi deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: The study aim was to use existing relevant indexes to establish an index series for the quantitative measurement of Qi deficiency pattern (QDP) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). METHODS: Seventeen indexes of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), TCM pulse diagnosis, heart rate, and blood pressure were integrated into an index series, and 94 selected subjects were divided into a healthy control group, a mild QDP group, and a typical QDP group. All three groups were then synchronously given a breath-holding (BH) test and index detections using TCM apparatus for auxiliary diagnosis and treatment and a photoplethysmograph. The detections were carried out repeatedly until there was no monotonic change in the value of the minimal SaO2 during a BH measurement (SaO2min) or in the duration of BH during a BH measurement (TBH). RESULTS: BH measurement and index detection data from 380 eligible cases were analyzed and a significant intergroup difference was found for 12 indexes. CONCLUSION: An index series for quantitative QDP measurement could comprise the 12 effective indexes: RSaO2d (rate of decline of SaO2 during a BH measurement), RSaO2r (recovery rate of SaO2 after a BH measurement), SaO2min, BFV (blood flow velocity), TSaO2d (the time at which SaO2 started declining during a BH measurement), TBH, TSaO2min (the time of occurrence of the minimal SaO2 during a BH measurement), TSaO2max (the time of occurrence of the maximal SaO2 after a BH measurement), PTP (pulse-touching pressure), SBP (systolic blood pressure), PWV (pulse wave velocity), and DBP (diastolic blood pressure). Of the indexes, RSaO2d could play a key role in quantitative QDP measurement; RSaO2r and SaO2min could be used to differentiate the QDP symptom of shortness of breath and as early-warning indexes for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. BFV, TSaO2d, and TBH could be used to quantitatively assess the QDP symptoms of spontaneous perspiration and shortness of breath.

[Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Treatment of Gastro-esophageal Reflex Disease by Needling Dorsal Segment of the Governor Vessel].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of needling stimulation of the dorsal segment (7 spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9) of the Governor Vessel for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: A total of 60 cases of GERD patients were randomly divided into acupuncture group and medication group (n = 30 in each group). For patients of the acupuncture group, the depression spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9, including both acupoints [Shenzhu (GV 12), Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jinsuo (GV 8)] and non-acupoints (T4, T8) were punctured with filiform needles, once every other day for 8 weeks. Patients of the medication group were asked to take Omeprazole capsules (20 mg/time) twice a day for 8 weeks. The curative effects were assessed by "Reflux Disease Questionnaire" score (RDQ score of heartburn, retrosternal pain, acid regurgitation and food regurgitation, 0-40 points, the "Guidelines for Clinical Research on Chinese New Herbal Drugs" (GRED symptom scale scores about the 38 symptoms of the digestive system, respiratory system, five-sense organs, cardiovascular system, back-pain, sleep, headache, daily life activity, etc. 0-114 points, 0-3 scales), and "the Consensus about Diagnosis and Treatment of GERD of Traditional Chinese Medicine", respectively. RESULTS: Following the treatment, both RDQ score and GERD symptom scale score were significantly decreased in patients of the acupuncture and medication groups (P<0.05), and the effect of acupuncture was markedly superior to that of the medication in lowering RDQ and GERD scale scores (P<0.05). The cured plus markedly effective rate for RDQ score and the effective rate for GERD scale score were 70.0% (21/30) and 93.3% (28/30) respectively in the acupuncture group, being significantly higher than those [43.3% (13/30) and 66.7% (20/30)] in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of the dorsal segment

A novel peroxinectin involved in antiviral and antibacterial immunity of mud crab, Scylla paramamosain.

Peroxinectin (PX) with cell adhesion and peroxidase activities is important in invertebrate immune responses. We identified a novel PX homolog from Scylla paramamosain (designated as Sp-PX) through transcriptome sequencing. The full-length of cDNA sequence was 3,165 bp. And there was a peroxidase domain in the deduced protein sequence. A cell-adhesive sequence (KGD motif) was also found in the N-terminus. The predicted molecular mass of the mature protein is 83.9 kDa, with an estimated pI of 6.21. At the amino acid level, Sp-PX shared much higher similarities with other crustaceans PX proteins. And Sp-PX also exhibited some similarities with other peroxidase family members. According to real-time polymerase chain reaction, Sp-PX was mainly distributed in the hemocytes. The gene expression levels in the hemocytes of the normal and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-challenged crabs were compared via high-throughput RNA sequencing technology, and the results showed that Sp-PX was upregulated at 48 h post-WSSV challenge. Subsequently, how Sp-PX responds to WSSV stimulus was explored through time-course experiments. The Sp-PX transcripts dramatically increased and reached the highest level at 12 h post-injection, whereas Sp-PX transcripts were recovered at 96 h post-challenge. Meanwhile, it was found that the WSSV copies proliferated significantly after a period of latent viral infection for 48 h. In addition,Sp-PX transcripts were also upregulated after Vibrio harveyi or Staphylococcus aureus challenge. Overall, Sp-PX not only participates in antibacterial immunity but also plays a crucial role in the antiviral immune responses of mud crab at the early stage of WSSV infection.

[Effects of initial feeding on the growth, survival, and body biochemical composition of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) larvae].

Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) larvae were raised with Limnodrilus sp., Artemia nauplii, Moina sp., and artificial commercial diet for 30 days to investigate the effects of different initial feeding diets on the growth, survival, and body biochemical composition of the larvae. The results showed that A. nauplii was the best initial feeding diet, with the survival rate of A. baerii larvae being significant higher (96.67%) than the others. Feeding with Limnodrilus sp. gave the highest growth rate of A. baerii larvae, while feeding with artificial commercial diet gave the lowest efficiency on the growth rate and survival rate of the larvae. The larvae raised with different diets had significantly different body biochemical composition. After fed with artificial commercial diet, the larvae had the highest moisture content but the lowest crude protein and crude ash contents. Taking A. nauplii as the initial feeding diet and then feeding with Limnodrilus sp. could gave the ideal growth and survival rates of A. baerii larvae.