[Research advances on adrenergic receptor signaling involved in disease microenvironment through regulation of macrophages].

Adrenergic receptor (AR), one of the key receptors for nervous system, plays an important role in the immune microenvironment and the progression of many diseases. In recent years, the regulation of ARs and its signal on macrophages has become a research hotspot. Researchers found that ARs could exert different regulatory functions on macrophages in different microenvironments, which in turn affects occurrence and development of diseases such as tumor, heart failure, obesity, acute injury, infection and pregnancy-related diseases. This review summarizes the expression and functional regulation of ARs on macrophages, and the role of ARs in microenvironment of related diseases, which might provide new ideas for the treatments.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Chinese herbal medicine capsules for the treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the treatment effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine capsules containing the Yangyin Shugan formula (YYSG) in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). METHODS: One-hundred forty-six women with POI participated in this stratified, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants in two groups (n = 73 in each)-the YYSG group and control group-underwent treatment for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included the Chinese version Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (CMS), serum levels of basal follicle-stimulating hormone (bFSH), basal estradiol, and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), the antral follicle count (AFC), and ovarian peak systolic velocity (PSV; cm/s). RESULTS: Treatment with YYSG significantly reduced the total scores of the CMS at the end of the 12th week with statistical significance (P < 0.01); the vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains significantly improvement after treatment (P < 0.01). Compared with the baseline hormone levels, YYSG markedly decreased the bFSH level with statistical significance (P < 0.01) and improved the AMH level (P < 0.01). Furthermore, YYSG greatly improved the participants' AFC and ovarian PSV, compared with placebo (P < 0.01). There were no serious adverse events, and the safety indices of whole blood counts, renal function, and liver function were within the normal range, both before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with YYSG was more effective than placebo for improving menopausal symptoms, basal hormone levels, and ovarian function in women with POI in Guangdong, China.