Integrative Analysis of the Transcriptome and Metabolome Reveals the Developmental Mechanisms and Metabolite Biosynthesis of the Tuberous Roots of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum.

The tuberous root of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg (T. hemsleyanum) is a traditional Chinese medicine with a wide range of clinical applications. However, the scarcity of its wild resources, its low yield, and the variable quality that results from its artificial cultivation leads to expensive market prices that are not conducive to the further industrial development of T. hemsleyanum. In this study, transcriptomic and non-targeted metabolomic analyses were integrated to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms and metabolite biosynthesis that occur during its root development. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly enriched for processes associated with flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Genes related to lignin were downregulated in tuberous roots (TRs), resulting in a decrease in lignification and the downregulation of metabolites related to flavonoids and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. In addition, the expression levels of starch- and sucrose-related genes were upregulated in TRs. The root development of SYQ is also related to IAA, GA, ABA, and JA signaling pathways. Collectively, this study lays the foundation for analyzing the root development and quality-modulating mechanisms employed by T. hemsleyanum; this will be beneficial in conducting molecular-assisted breeding and controlling its secondary metabolite production.

[Effect of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum on sepsis and mechanism based on network pharmacology and experimental verification].

Based on network pharmacology and in vivo experiment, this study explored the therapeutic effect of Tetrastigma hemsle-yanum(SYQ) on sepsis and the underlying mechanism. The common targets of SYQ and sepsis were screened out by network pharmacology, and the "SYQ-component-target-sepsis" network was constructed. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was established by STRING. Gene Ontology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment were performed based on DAVID to predict the anti-sepsis mechanism of SYQ. The prediction results of network pharmacology were verified by animal experiment. The network pharmacology results showed that the key anti-sepsis targets of SYQ were tumor necrosis factor(TNF), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1ß, IL-10, and cysteinyl asparate specific proteinase 3(caspase-3), which were mainly involved in Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor kappaB(NF-κB) signaling pathway. The results of animal experiment showed that SYQ can decrease the content of C-reactive protein(CRP), procalcitonin(PCT), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß, increase the content of IL-10, and down-regulate the protein levels of Bcl-2-associa-ted X(Bax)/B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl2), cleaved caspase-3, TLR4, MyD88, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65. In summary, SYQ plays an anti-inflammatory role in the treatment of sepsis by acting on the key genes related to inflammation and apoptosis, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-lß, IL-10, Bax, Bcl2, and cleaved caspase-3. The mechanism is the likelihood that it suppresses the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, which verifies relative prediction results of network pharmacology.

Protective effects and potential underlying mechanisms of sodium copper chlorophyllin against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice.

In study, we aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying the gastroprotective effects of sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer injury in mice. First, the gastroprotective effects of SCC against gastric ulcer induced by ethanol were assessed. Then, biochemical, histopathological, immunohistochemistry assays, and western blot analysis were conducted to determine the possible mechanisms of action underlying the effects of SCC. Compared to the effects of omeprazole (OME) in a confirmed mouse model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer injury, treatment with various doses of SCC resulted in up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Significant decreases in the levels of the malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and NO in the gastric tissues were observed. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokine analysis revealed that SCC treatment inhibited the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6, greatly reduced the phosphorylation level of IκB, and repressed the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65, which demonstrated that SCC inhibited the activation of the NF-κB pathway. The present findings suggest that the protective effects of SCC may be beneficial as a potential preventive and therapeutic agent for gastric ulcer through the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, SCC administration significantly decreased the levels of MPO, NO, and MDA in gastric tissue and exerted a powerful anti-inflammatory activity as demonstrated by reduction in the secretions of proinflammatory mediators such as IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of mice exposed to ethanol.

Screening of Potential Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors in Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC. by Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography and Ultrafiltration-Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

In this study, a new method based on immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) combined with ultrafiltration-ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UF-UPLC-MS) was developed for discovering ligands for xanthine oxidase (XO) in Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC., a folk medicine used in China for the treatment of gout. By IMAC, the high flavonoid content of G. hypoleucum could be determined rapidly and efficiently. UF-UPLC-MS was used to select the bound xanthine oxidase ligands in the mixture and identify them. Finally, two flavonoids, luteolin-4'-O-glucoside and luteolin, were successfully screened and identified as the candidate XO inhibitors of G. hypoleucum. They were evaluated in vitro for XO inhibitory activity and their interaction mechanism was studied coupled with molecular simulations. The results were in favor of the hypothesis that the flavonoids of G. hypoleucum might be the active content for gout treatment by inhibiting XO.

Multi-Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Enzymatic Extraction of Atratylodes macrocephala Polysaccharides and Antioxidants Using Response Surface Methodology and Desirability Function Approach.

Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharides (RAMP) have been reported to have a variety of important biological activities. In this study, an ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) was employed to obtain the highest extraction yield and strongest antioxidant activity of RAMP and optimized by a multi-response optimization process. A three-level four-factor Box-Behnken design (BBD) was performed as response surface methodology (RSM) with desirability function (DF) to attain the optimal extraction parameters. The DPPH scavenging percentage was used to represent the antioxidant ability of RAMP. The maximum D value (0.328), along with the maximum yield (59.92%) and DPPH scavenging percentage (13.28%) were achieved at 90.54 min, 57.99 °C, 1.95% cellulase and 225.29 W. These values were further validated and found to be in good agreement with the predicted values. Compared to the other extraction methods, both the yield and scavenging percentage of RAMP obtained by UAEE was favorable and the method appeared to be time-saving and of high efficiency. These results demostrated that UAEE is an appropriate and effective extraction technique. Moreover, RSM with DF approach has been proved to be adequate for the design and optimization of the extraction parameters for RAMP. This work has a wide range of implications for the design and operation of polysaccharide extraction processes.

Multi-omics combined with MALDI mass spectroscopy imaging reveals the mechanisms of biosynthesis of characteristic compounds in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg is recognized as a source of extracts with various desirable bioactivities. However, current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of biosynthesis of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and other bioactive chemicals is limited. We conducted comprehensive tissue distribution studies and biosynthetic analyses of the 26 main bioactive compounds of this plant. The majority of flavonoids exhibited higher concentrations in the cortex (CT) compared to the vascular cylinder (VC). The expression levels of genes and proteins in CT and VC were quantified using mRNA sequencing and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). A total of 31,700 genes were identified, among which 4921 exhibited differential expression between CT and VC. A total of 13,996 proteins were identified in the proteomes of CT and VC, with 927 showing differential expression. Co-expression network analyses of DEGs and DEPs from multiple sites demonstrated substantial pathway variations linked to flavonoid biosynthesis. Through differential enrichment analysis, a total of 32 genes involved in the flavone biosynthesis pathway were identified, with iTRAQ specifically detecting C3'H, F3H and FLS. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong association between the expression levels of C3'H, F3H, and FLS and the concentrations of flavonoids. The validation of multiple genes encoding pivotal enzymes was conducted using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The findings provide a foundation for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms and functional characterization of T. hemsleyanum candidate genes associated with characteristic compounds.

A tissue-specific profile of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. by transcriptome, small RNAs and degradome sequencing.

Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (Paeonia) has aroused many concerns due to its extensive medicinal value, in which monoterpene glucoside paeoniflorin and its derivatives are the active chemical components. However, little is known in the molecular mechanism of monoterpenoids biosynthesis, and the regulation network between small RNAs and mRNAs in monoterpenoids biosynthesis has not been investigated yet. Herein, we attempted to reveal the tissue-specific regulation network of miRNAs and their targets related to paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis in Paeonia by combining mRNA and miRNA expression data with degradome analysis. In all, 289 miRNAs and 30177 unigenes were identified, of which nine miRNAs from seven miRNA families including miR396, miR393, miR835, miR1144, miR3638, miR5794 and miR9555 were verified as monoterpenoids biosynthesis-related miRNAs by degradome sequencing. Moreover, the co-expression network analysis showed that four monoterpenoids-regulating TFs, namely AP2, MYBC1, SPL12 and TCP2, were putatively regulated by five miRNAs including miR172, miR828, miR858, miR156 and miR319, respectively. The present study will improve our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of the paeoniaflorin and monoterpenoids biosynthesis mediated by miRNA to a new level, and provide a valuable resource for further study on Paeonia.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg ameliorates lipopolysaccharide induced sepsis via repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier.

OBJECTIVE: Sepsis causes excessive systemic inflammation and leads to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The intestine plays a key role in the occurrence and development of sepsis. Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg (San ye qing, SYQ), a precious Chinese medicine, has been widely used for centuries due to its high traditional value, such as a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect. However, the role of SYQ in intestinal permeability during the development of sepsis needs to be discovered. METHODS: Mice were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate intestinal mucosal barrier function damage in sepsis. Pathological section, inflammatory cytokines, tight junctions, cell apoptosis, and intestinal flora were detected to evaluate the protective effect of SYQ on intestinal mucosal barrier injury in LPS-induced septic mice. RESULTS: The results showed that SYQ treatment obviously attenuated LPS-induced intestinal injury and reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Besides, SYQ also up-regulated the expressions of tight junctions, including Zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), Claudin-5, and Occludin along with a decreased in the levels of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain (MLC). In addition, SYQ down-regulated the expression of Bax/Bcl2 as well as that of cleaved caspase-3 to prevent the cells from undergoing apoptosis. Further, SYQ restored the diversity of the intestinal flora, increased the abundance of Firmicutes, and decreased the abundance of Bacteroidota. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that SYQ exerted its protective effect on intestinal mucosal barrier injury in LPS-induced septic mice by reducing inflammatory response, improving the tight junction protein expression, inhibiting cell apoptosis, and adjusting the intestinal flora structure.

Uncovering the Pharmacology of Xiaochaihu Decoction in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis Based on the Network Pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Xiaochaihu decoction (XD) has demonstrated the pharmacodynamics on acute pancreatitis. This study was aimed at investigating the material and molecular basis of Xiaochaihu decoction. METHODS: Firstly, compounds of seven herbs containing XD were collected from the TCMSP, ETCM, and BATMAN-TCM databases, and the putative targets of pancreatitis were obtained from the OMIM, TTD, and GeneCards databases. Then, the PPI network was constructed according to the matching results between XD potential targets and pancreatic neoplasm targets. Furthermore, enrichment analysis on GO and KEGG by DAVID utilized bioinformatics resources. Finally, molecular docking was performed to simulate the interaction between the active compound of XD and putative targets. In an in vitro experiment, AR42J cells were induced by LPS and then treated with Quercetin (25, 50, and 100 µM) or XCHD. The IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß levels were detected by ELISA kit, MAPK3 and TP53 mRNA expressions were measured by qRT-PCR, and the proteins of MAPK3 and TP53 expressions were measured by WB. RESULTS: A total of 196 active ingredients and 91 putative targets were selected. The PPI network analysis demonstrated that Quercetin was the candidate agent and MAPK3, IL-6, and TP53 were the potential targets for the XD treatment of acute pancreatitis. The KEGG analysis revealed that pathways in cancers, TNF signaling way, and MAPK signaling way might play an important role in pancreatitis therapy. And molecular docking results showed that Quercetin combined well with MAPK3, IL-6, and TP53. An in vitro experiment indicated that XCHD and Quercetin inhibited the IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß levels and MAPK3 and TP53. CONCLUSION: This study illustrated that XCHD and Quercetin contained in XD played an important role in the treatment of acute pancreatitis by acting on the key genes of MPAK3, IL-6, and TP53 which were associated with inflammation and apoptosis.

Rapid and Simultaneous Measurement of Praeruptorin A, Praeruptorin B, Praeruptorin E, and Moisture Contents in Peucedani Radix Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics.

BACKGROUND: Peucedani Radix is a popular traditional Chinese medicine herb with a long history in China. Praeruptorin A (PA), praeruptorin B (PB), and praeruptorin E (PE) are usually taken as important quality indexes of Peucedani Radix. OBJECTIVE: To establish a rapid method for simultaneous determination of PA, PB, PE, and moisture contents in Peucedani Radix using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics. METHODS: One hundred twenty Peucedani Radix samples were analyzed with HPLC as a reference method. The NIR spectral scanning range was from 12000 cm-1 to 4000 cm-1. Partial least squares (PLS) regression algorithm was used to establish calibration models. Three variable selection methods were investigated, including variable importance in projection (VIP), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination (MCUVE). The performances of the established models were evaluated by root-mean-square error (RMSEC) and determination coefficient (Rc2) of calibration set, root-mean-square error (RMSEP) and determination coefficient (Rp2) of prediction set, and residual predictive deviation (RPD). RESULTS: A clear ranking of the performance of the calibration models could be as follows: CARS-PLS > MCUVE-PLS > VIP-PLS > Full-PLS. For CARS-PLS, Rp2, RMSEP, and RPD of the prediction set are as follows: 0.9204, 0.0860%, and 3.5850 for PA; 0.8011, 0.0431%, and 2.0868 for PB; 0.8043, 0.0367%, and 2.1569 for PE; and 0.9249, 0.3350%, and 3.6551 for moisture, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The NIR spectroscopy combined with CARS-PLS calibration models could be used for rapid and accurate determination of PA, PB, PE, and moisture contents in Peucedani Radix samples.

Bioinformatic analysis of miR-4792 regulates Radix Tetrastigma hemsleyani flavone to inhibit proliferation, invasion, and induce apoptosis of A549 cells.

BACKGROUND: Radix Tetrastigma hemsleyani, a kind of Chinese medicinal herb, contains multiple medicinal ingredients and can exert a variety of pharmacological activities. Our previous study revealed that miR-4792 was significantly upregulated in Radix Tetrastigma hemsleyani flavone (RTHF)-treated A549 cells; however, the regulatory mechanism of RTHF-treated A549 cells remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we investigated the antitumor mechanism and regulatory pathway of miR-4792 in RTHF-treated A549 cells, and the target genes were predicted and pathway enrichment of miR-4792 was performed using bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: Our results confirmed that the upregulated expression of miR-4792 could inhibit cell proliferation and invasion, provoke cell cycle arrest, and induce apoptosis in A549 cells. Gene Ontology analysis showed that target genes of miR-4792 were enriched in protein binding, cytosol, cytoplasm, plasma membrane, and metal ion binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that target genes of miR-4792 were enriched in aminoacyltRNA biosynthesis, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, sphingolipid signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, glycosaminoglycan degradation, and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes. Additionally, FOXC1 was identified as an important target gene of miR-4792 in RTHF-treated A549 cells, and miR-4792 may be the target of some apoptotic-related proteins involved in induction of apoptosis in A549 cells by RTHF. Moreover, the intracellular Ca2+ levels of A549 cells were increased after RTHF treatment, which may be involved in the anticancer regulatory process of miR-4792 in RTHF-treated A549 cells. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a novel therapeutic approach for lung cancer that will be investigated in future studies.

Analysis of change in microRNA expression profiles of lung cancer A549 cells treated with Radix tetrastigma hemsleyani flavonoids.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the inhibition effects of Radix tetrastigma hemsleyani (RTH) flavonoids on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. RTH is an important Chinese traditional herb that has been widely used in cancer therapy. As an important type of active substance, RTH flavones (RTHF) have been shown to have good antiproliferative effects on various cancer cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules that play important roles in cancer progression and prevention. However, the miRNA profile of RTHF-treated A549 cells has not yet been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The miRNA expression profile changes of A549 cell treated with RTHF were determined using the miRNA-seq analysis. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of differentially expressed miRNAs' (DE-miRNAs) target genes were carried out. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 162 miRNAs that displayed expression changes >1.2-fold in RTHF-treated A549 cells. GO analysis results showed that target genes of DE-miRNAs were significantly enriched in protein binding, binding, cell, cell part, intracellular, cellular process, single-organism process, and single-organism cellular process. Pathway analysis illustrated that target genes of DE-miRNAs are mainly involved in endocytosis, axon guidance, lysosome, melanogenesis, and acute myeloid leukemia pathway. CONCLUSION: These results may assist in the better understanding of the anticancer effects of RTHF in A549 cells.

Luteolin-4'-O-glucoside and its aglycone, two major flavones of Gnaphalium affine D. Don, resist hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis activity in animal models.

BACKGROUND: Gnaphalium affine D. Don is a folk medicine of China believed to be efficacious in the treatment of many ailments, including hyperuricemia and gout. PURPOSE: Based on a previous study, we isolated two flavones, luteolin and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside, from G. affine. Our aim was to assess the potential beneficial effects of treatment and mechanisms of these two flavones on hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis. METHODS: The model of potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemia and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammation in mice has been established. We evaluated serum uric acid (Sur), xanthine oxidase (XO) activity, protein expression of urate transporter 1 (mURAT1) and glucose transporter 9 (mGLUT9) in renal and kidney protection in a hyperuricemia model. In addition, paw swelling and levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum were assessed in MSU crystal-induced mice. RESULTS: Luteolin and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside showed a potent clinical effect in treating hyperuricemia and gout. We observed that the two flavones possess potent effect in hyperuricemia mice by decreasing the level of mURAT1 and inhibiting XO activity, which contribute to enhancing uric acid (UA) excretion and improving hyperuricemia-induced renal dysfunction. In addition, luteolin and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside also alleviated paw swelling and inflammation induced by MSU crystals. Further investigation implied that luteolin and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside improved the symptoms of inflammation by decreasing the levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that luteolin and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside could be developed as therapeutics for treating hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis.

Blood and urinary metabolomic evidence validating traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic classification of major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Further classification may characterize its heterogeneity. The purpose of this study was to examine whether metabolomic variables could differentiate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnostic subtypes of MDD. METHODS: Fifty medication-free patients who were experiencing a recurrent depressive episode were classified into Liver Qi Stagnation (LQS, n = 30) and Heart and Spleen Deficiency (HSD, n = 20) subtypes according to TCM diagnosis. Healthy volunteers (n = 28) were included as controls. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to examine serum and urinary metabolomic profiles. RESULTS: Twenty-eight metabolites were identified for good separations between TCM subtypes and healthy controls in serum samples. Both TCM subtypes had similar profiles in proteinogenic branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and energy metabolism-related metabolites that were differentiated from healthy controls. The LQS subtype additionally differed from healthy controls in multiple amino acid metabolites that are involved in biosynthesis of monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters, including phenylalanine, 3-hydroxybutric acid, o-tyrosine, glycine, l-tryptophan, and N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid. Threonic acid, methionine, stearic acid, and isobutyric acid are differentially associated with the two subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: While both TCM subtypes are associated with aberrant BCAA and energy metabolism, the LQS subtype may represent an MDD subpopulation characterized by abnormalities in the biosynthesis of monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters and closer associations with stress-related pathophysiology. The metabolites differentially associated with the two subtypes are promising biomarkers for predicting TCM subtype-specific antidepressant response [registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02346682) on January 27, 2015].

Effects of Gnaphalium affine D. Don on hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Gnaphalium affine D. Don is used in China as a folk medicine to treat gout, anti-inflammatory, antitussive and expectorant activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of the extract of G. affine to treat hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis in animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: G. affine extract was evaluated in an experimental model with potassium oxonate (PO) induced hyperuricemia in mice which was used to evaluate anti-hyperuricemia activity and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition. Therapies for acute gouty arthritis was also investigated on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal induced paw edema model. RESULTS: G. affine extract showed expressive results on active in reducing serum uric acid (Sur) through effect renal mGLUT9 and mURAT1 mainly and inhibit XO activity in vivo. The extract of G. affine also showed significant anti-inflammatory activity and reduced the paw swelling on MSU crystal-induced paw edema model. Meanwhile, eight major compounds were identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. CONCLUSIONS: The extract of G. affine showed significant effect on evaluated models and therefore may be active agents for the treatment of hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis.

[Study on treatment of iron-deficiency anemia by shengxuening].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of shengxuening (SXN) in treating iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) and to explore its molecular mechanism on iron metabolism balance regulation. METHODS: Patients with IDA were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group, 50 in each group. They were treated with SXN (0.1 g, three times per day) and ferrous gluconate (0.1 g, three times per day) respectively, for 30 days. Levels of serum iron (Fe), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS), serum ferritin (SF), transferrin (Tf), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and blood routine test, as well as scoring of TCM qi-blood deficiency Syndrome were conducted before and after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the treated group reached 92%, it was shown that SXN could improve the iron metabolism, increase levels of Fe, TS, SF and reduce levels of TIBC, Tf, sTfR, it has obvious effect in promoting erythrocyte generation and could promote formation of leucocytes and platelets. The total effective rate in the control group was 32%, which was significantly lower than that in the treated group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The effect of SXN in treating IDA and qi-blood deficiency Syndrome is evident, it could improve the iron metabolism, increase levels of Fe, TS, SF and lower levels of TIBC, Tf, sTfR.

Essential hypertension treated by wuling powder and modified tianma gouteng decoction: a cohort study without controls.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of wuling powder and modified tianma gouteng decoction as an open add-on therapy for treating essential hypertension (EH). METHODS: 72 cases of EH patients took wuling powder and modified tianma gouteng decoction for 2 weeks to treat EH without changing their former medication. New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart function classification, heart rate, blood pressure and 6-min walking test were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: Wuling powder and modified tianma gouteng decoction decreased the EH patients' heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and increased the 6-min walking distance very significantly (P<0.01). The total effective rate on blood pressure was 91.7%, and the total effective rate on NYHA heart function improvement was 95.1%. No serious side effect appeared. CONCLUSION: From this study, treating EH with wuling powder and modified tianma gouteng decoction as an open add-on therapy seems to be effective and safe. Further randomized trials are needed to test the positive findings.