Effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture combined with conventional drugs in the treatment of stable angina pectoris in coronary artery disease: A systematic evaluation and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture combined with conventional drugs in the treatment of stable angina pectoris. METHODS: Computer searches of 3 Chinese literature databases (CNKI, VIP, WangFang) and 4 English literature databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science), all searched from the time of database construction to October 2022. Two researchers were selected to independently perform literature screening, data extraction, and risk of bias evaluation, and meta-analysis of the included studies was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 7 publications with a total of 1042 patients were included, and electroacupuncture combined with conventional drug therapy compared with drug therapy alone was effective in improving clinical symptoms of angina pectoris (relative risk [RR] = 1.19, 95% CI = [1.09, 1.31], P = .0002), clinical treatment efficiency of electrocardiography (RR = 1.34, 95% CI = [1.19, 1.50], P = .00001), visual analog score (VAS) (mean deviation = 0.07, 95% CI = [-0.11, 0.25], P = .44), and Seattle Angina Scale (mean deviation = 4.91, 95% CI = [2.91, 6.91], P < .00001) were better than conventional drug therapy, while the number of adverse events in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group. One of the outcome indicators with greater heterogeneity was tested by sensitivity analysis, and each outcome indicator was found to be more robust. The risk of bias evaluation of each outcome indicator using funnel plots suggested the possibility of publication bias. CONCLUSION: The current study results found that electroacupuncture combined with conventional drugs can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with stable angina pectoris compared with conventional drug therapy, with a low incidence of adverse reactions, but the number of high-quality literature with rigorous study design protocols is currently low, which may cause bias in the results of this study, so the above conclusions need to be further verified through clinical trials.

Optimization of Extraction and Purification of Polysaccharides from Veronicastrum axillare, and Evaluation of Their Biological Activities.

Veronicastrum axillare polysaccharides (VAP) were isolated by cellulase-assisted digestion. The optimum conditions (2 % cellulase, 47 °C for 2.5 h, then, 95 °C for 2.5 h, pH 4.1, solid/liquid ratio 1 : 7.6) were identified by a combination of single factor optimization and response surface DOE (design of experiment) methods, and achieved a yield of 4.7 %. Treatment with 1 % TCA for 10 min, then, 2 % DEAE-cellulose removed protein and colored impurities. Purified VAP retained most of the radical-scavenging activities and GES-1 cell protection capability in vitro, indicating VAP were the key active components of V. axillare. Some molecular features were identified by FT-IR and NMR analyses. The molecular weight was estimated from DOSY NMR experiments to be around 21 kDa. There were 6.3 % uronic acid residues in the VAP. The constituent sugars after TFA hydrolysis were identified by HPLC to include glucose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, and xylose in a molar ratio of 405 : 259 : 82 : 42 : 1.

Trends in the use of antimuscarinics and alpha-adrenergic blockers in women with lower urinary tract symptoms in Taiwan: A nationwide, population-based study, 2007-2012.

BACKGROUND: We aim to examine the trend in the use of antimuscarinics and off-label alpha-adrenergic blockers for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a Taiwanese Women Cohort between 2007 and 2012. METHODS: This population-based National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) was used to examine the trends in the use of antimuscarinics or off-label alpha-adrenergic blockers in Taiwan. A sample of 1,000,000 individuals randomly drawn from the whole population of 23 million individuals who were registered in the NHI in 2005. From 2007 through 2012, women aged over 18 years whose claim record contained prescriptions of either of the two drugs for treatment of any of the LUTS-related diagnoses were identified and analyzed. The annual usage of the two drug classes were calculated by defined daily dose (DDD). RESULTS: From 2007-2012, there was a 0.80 fold (69676.8 to 125104.3) increase in DDD of antimuscarinics in our cohort. The overall healthcare seeking prevalence of LUTS was 7.33% in 2007 and 12.38% in 2012, in a rising trend. The prevalence of antimuscarinics-treated LUTS in our cohort increased from 2.53 in 2007 to 3.41 per 1000 women in 2012. The prevalence of LUTS treated by antimuscarinics increased especially for those older than 60 years during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This 6-year observational study provided the epidemiologic information of clinically significant LUTS of Asian female population. Moreover, there was a rising trend in the use of antimuscarinics and off-label alpha-adrenergic blockers in the population-based cohort.

In vitro activity of ten essential oils against Sarcoptes scabiei.

BACKGROUND: The development of alternative approaches in ectoparasite management is currently required. Essential oils have been demonstrated to exhibit fumigant and topical toxicity to a number of arthropods. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential efficacy of ten essential oils against Sarcoptes scabiei. METHODS: The major chemical components of the oils were identified by GC-MS analysis. Contact and fumigation bioassays were performed on Sarcoptes mites collected from experimentally infected pigs. For contact bioassays, essential oils were diluted with paraffin to get concentrations at 10, 5, and even 1% for the most efficient ones. The mites were inspected under a stereomicroscope 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180min after contact. For fumigation bioassay, a filter paper was treated with 100 µL of the pure essential oil. The mites were inspected under a stereomicroscope for the first 5min, and then every 5min until 1h. RESULTS: Using contact bioassays, 1% clove and palmarosa oil killed all the mites within 20 and 50min, respectively. The oils efficacy order was: clove > palmarosa > geranium > tea tree > lavender > manuka > bitter orange > eucalyptus > Japanese cedar. In fumigation bioassays, the efficacy order was: tea tree > clove > eucalyptus > lavender > palmarosa > geranium > Japanese cedar > bitter orange > manuka. In both bioassays, cade oil showed no activity. CONCLUSION: Essential oils, especially tea tree, clove, palmarosa, and eucalyptus oils, are potential complementary or alternative products to treat S. scabiei infections in humans or animals, as well as to control the mites in the environment.

Dissolving mechanism of strain P17 on insoluble phosphorus of yellow-brown soil.

Strain P17 was a bacterial strain identified as Bacillus megaterium isolated from ground accumulating phosphate rock powder. The fermentation broth of strain P17 and the yellow-brown soil from Nanjing Agricultural University garden were collected to conduct this study. The simulation of fixed insoluble phosphorous forms after applying calcium superphosphate into yellow-brown soil was performed in pots, while available P and total P of soil were extremely positive correlative with those of groundwater. Then the dissolving effect of strain P17 on insoluble P of yellow-brown soil was studied. Results showed that Bacillus megaterium strain P17 had notable solubilizing effect on insoluble phosphates formed when too much water-soluble phosphorous fertilizer used. During 100 days after inoculation, strain P17 was dominant. Until the 120th day, compared with water addition, available P of strain P17 inoculation treated soil increased by 3 times with calcium superphosphate addition. Besides available P, pH, activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase and population of P-solubilizing microbes were detected respectively. P-solubilizing mechanism of P-solubilizing bacteria strain P17 seems to be a synergetic effect of pH decrease, organic acids, phosphatase, etc.

Danhong enhances recovery from residual dizziness after successful repositioning treatment in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

OBJECTIVES: Although the repositioning maneuvers are usually very effective in patients with BPPV, some patients still complain residual dizziness. Danhong injection (DHI), a traditional Chinese medicine, can effectively dilate blood vessels and improve microcirculation, and has been proven to be effective in improving cervical vertigo and posterior circulation ischemic vertigo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of DHI on residual dizziness after successful repositioning treatment in patients with BPPV. METHODS: Eighty-six patients with BPPV were randomized into two treatment groups, DHI group and non DHI group. The DHI group received the same repositioning treatment as the non-DHI group, with the addition of DHI therapy. The durations of residual dizziness of DHI group and non-DHI group were compared. In addition, the scores of the dizziness handicap inventory of these two groups were calculated. RESULTS: The durations of residual dizziness of DHI group were shorter than that of non-DHI group. There were no significant differences in the scores of dizziness handicap inventory in the first week between these two groups, and there were much significant differences in the second, the fourth, the sixth and eighth weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that DHI can significantly improve the residual dizziness after successful repositioning treatment in patients with BPPV.

Radix astragali injection enhances recovery from sudden deafness.

OBJECTIVES: An acute interruption of the blood supply to the inner ear is one of the most likely causative factors for sudden deafness (SD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested to be important mediators of the tissue injury during cochlear ischemia and reperfusion. Radix astragali (RA) is natural antioxidant. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of RA in patients with SD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We compared the hearing gains from hearing impairment in 46 ears treated with RA with 46 ears treated with non-RA. RA was given intravenously daily for 10 days. There were no significant differences in clinical or audiological data between RA and non-RA groups. RESULTS: The hearing gain at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz in RA group was much higher than that of non-RA group correspondingly (P < .01). Also, the hearing gain at PTA (pure-tone average of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) in RA group was significantly higher than that of non-RA group (P < .01). CONCLUSION: The recovery of hearing was significantly better after treatment of RA than non-treatment of RA. RA can be valuable concurrent therapy for patients with SD.

Radix Astragali injection enhances recovery from acute acoustic trauma.

CONCLUSION: The average recovery of hearing and cessation of tinnitus was significantly better after treatment with Radix Astragali (RA) than after non-treatment with RA. RA can be valuable adjuvant therapy for patients with acute acoustic trauma (AAT). OBJECTIVES: AAT is one of the early indications for the use of RA. The reasons for administering RA to patients with AAT are based on experimental studies showing that noise exposure results in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which trigger metabolic damage to the organ of Corti. RA is a natural antioxidant. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of RA in patients with AAT. METHODS: We compared the recovery from hearing impairment and tinnitus in 40 ears treated with RA with 40 ears treated with non-RA. RA was given intravenously daily for 10 days. There were no significant differences in clinical or audiological data between RA and non-RA groups. RESULTS: The average recovery of hearing at both high and speech frequencies was significantly better and tinnitus persisted less commonly in the RA group than in the non-RA group. Normal hearing at the end of the follow-up period was regained in 27 ears in the RA group and in 21 ears in the non-RA group (p < 0.01).

Microsphere resin chromatography combined with microbial biotransformation for the separation and purification of salvianolic acid B in aqueous extract of roots of Salvia multiorrihza Bunge.

Salvianolic acid B was separated and purified from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (danshen) by microbial transformation together with chromatography of microsphere resin. The aqueous extract of danshen was transformed by Fusarium graminearum in a bioreactor containing phosphate buffer (PBS), in which rosmarinic acid was transformed into danshensu and caffeic acid and the yield of salvianolic acid B was higher than 85%. After biotransformation, salvianolic acid B was purified by microsphere resin. A parallel test for making a comparison of microsphere resin chromatography between elution by methanol water solution and water was done. The purity of salvianolic acid B was up to 95% at the yield of 62% when impurities and salvianolic acid B were eluted by 45% and 55% methanol solution respectively. The purity of salvianolic acid B was up to 99% at the yield of 90% when distilled water was used to elute the impurities and salvianolic acid B. The total yield of salvianolic acid B was up to 75% at the purity over 99% while biotransformation combined with microsphere resin chromatography by water elution. Microbial biotransformation together with water elution of microsphere resin supplied an efficient method to eliminate the micromolecular impurities and a possible method to purify water-soluble compounds in traditional Chinese medicine.

[Study on transformation of P-dissolving Penicillium oxalicum P8 with double-marker vector expressing green fluorescent protein and hygromycin B resistance].

P-dissolving Penicillium oxalicum P8 was isolated previously in this lab which has a considerable ability to dissolve many kinds of inorganic phosphorus and improve crop growth. In order to study rhizosphere colonization of plants by Penicillium oxalicum P8, protoplasts were transformed with a double-marker expression vector of green fluorescent protein and hygromycin B resistance. Some transformants were selected which expressed both the GFP and hygromycin B phosphotransferase and did not show significant morphological or physiological differences as compared to wild-type strain. Southern blot analysis confirmed the heterogeneous genomic integration of the vector DNA into the transformants.