Research Progress in Pharmacological Effects and Mechanisms of Angelica sinensis against Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases.

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (A. sinensis) is a medicinal and edible values substance, which could promote blood circulation and enrich blood. It possesses rich chemical components and nutrients, which have significant therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly, especially in improving ischemic damage to the heart and brain, protecting vascular cells, and regulating inflammatory reactions. This article reviews the main pharmacological effects and clinical research of A. sinensis on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in recent years, explores the effect of its chemical components on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by regulating the expression of functional proteins and inhibiting inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and antioxidant mechanisms. It provides a reference for further research on A. sinensis and the development of related drugs. It provides a new reference direction for the in-depth research and application of A. sinensis in the prevention, improvement, and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

The use of traditional Chinese medicines in relieving exercise-induced fatigue.

Exercise-induced fatigue is a non-pathological fatigue and indicated by a reduction of muscle performance that is caused by excessive physical activity. It seriously affects the daily lives of people, in particular athletes, military personnel, and manual laborers. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to improving the adverse effect of exercise-induced fatigue on people's daily activities. Thus, studies and applications of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in relieving exercise-induced fatigue have become the focus because of their good curative effects with fewer side effects. This review aims to document and summarize the critical and comprehensive information about the biological processes of exercise-induced fatigue, and to know the types of TCMs, their active components, and possible molecular mechanisms in alleviating exercise-induced fatigue. The peripheral and central mechanisms that cause exercise-induced fatigue have been summarized. A total of 47 exercise-induced fatigue relief TCMs have been collected, mostly including the types of visceral function regulation and emotional adjustment TCMs. Polysaccharides, terpenes, flavonoids/polyphenols are demonstrated to be the major bioactive components. The underlying molecular mechanisms are mainly related to the improvement of energy metabolism, elimination of excess metabolites, inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory response, regulation of HPA axis and neurotransmitters. Although current results are obtained mostly from animal models, the clinic trials are still insufficient, and a very few TCMs have been reported to possess potential hepatotoxicity. These findings still offer great reference value, and the significant efficacy in relieving exercise-induced fatigue is impossible to ignore. This review is expected to give insights into the research and development of new TCMs-derived drugs and health care products in relieving exercise-induced fatigue.

[Problems and strategy of further development of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values].

"Medicine and food homology" is a precious health care concept rooted in the culture of Chinese medicine and plays an important role in the development of the national health industry. It is consistent with the current global trend that food and medicine are mutually penetrating. Accordingly, the Chinese medicinal materials with edible values have an increasing production scale. Especially, in the context that the development of Chinese medicinal materials is switching from pursuing quantity to quality, the food field has become the main market for the new production capacity of Chinese medicinal materials, which has presented a broad prospect. However, the quality standards of raw materials, production methods, and administration ways vary between the materials for edible and medicinal purposes. Specifically, the food for medicinal use on the market cannot meet the quality standards of medicinal mate-rials, while the medicinal materials fail to meet the taste requirements as food. As a result, these problems cause difficulties in market circulation and supervision. In this paper, we analyzed the formation of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values, compared the food with medicinal value, common food, and functional food, and analyzed the different quality requirements of Chinese medicinal materials used in different scenarios. Further, we advised the differential development of Chinese medicinal materials in different directions(edible or medicinal use) from production to supervision. Including:(1) In the variety registration of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values, the variety breeding direction should be announced according to the requirements that medicinal materials care more about the content of active ingredients and food use materials preferentially need to meet the requirements of edible palatability.(2) Differentiation can be reflected in the selection of cultivation mode and planting and processing technology of medicinal materials, The differential production technical specification of medicinal materials with edible values should be developed. Such as the "simulated cultivation" mode is encouraged in the plant of medicinal materials to ensure its quality and the strict management of inputs and sufficient cultivation years should be guaranteed. While for edible medicinal materials, more kinds of cultivation techniques can be selected according to their processing methods.(3) The market supervision of medicinal materials with edible values should be guided by the purpose of their sales and use, which depends on the accurately recognize of the relationship between the properties of medicinal materials with edible values and the situation of pharmacopeia collection.(4) During publicity, when used as ordinary food and health food medi-cinal materials, it should be noticed that the publicity of the product's efficacy must meet the requirements of corresponding regulations.