Chinese herbal medicine Ginkgo biloba L. preparations for ischemic stroke: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Ginkgo biloba L. preparations (GBLPs) are a class of Chinese herbal medicine used in the adjuvant treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). Recently, several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) of GBLPs for IS have been published. OBJECTIVE: This overview aims to assess the quality of related SRs and MAs. SEARCH STRATEGY: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Chinese Science and Technology Journals databases were searched from their inception to December 31, 2022. INCLUSION CRITERIA: SRs and MAs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that explored the efficacy of GBLPs for patients with IS were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the methodological quality, risk of bias (ROB), reporting quality, and credibility of evidence of the included SRs and MAs using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE), respectively. Additionally, descriptive analysis and data synthesis were conducted. RESULTS: Twenty-nine SRs/MAs involving 119 outcomes were included in this review. The overall methodological quality of all SRs/MAs was critically low based on AMSTAR 2, and 28 had a high ROB based on the ROBIS. According to the PRISMA statement, the reporting items of the included SRs/MAs are relatively complete. The results based on GRADE showed that of the 119 outcomes, 8 were rated as moderate quality, 24 as low quality, and 87 as very low quality. Based on the data synthesis, GBLPs used in conjunction with conventional treatment were superior to conventional treatment alone for decreasing neurological function scores. CONCLUSION: GBLPs can be considered a beneficial supplemental therapy for IS. However, because of the low quality of the existing evidence, high-quality RCTs and SRs/MAs are warranted to further evaluate the benefits of GBLPs for treating IS. Please cite this article as: Meng TT, You YP, Li M, Guo JB, Song XB, Ding JY, Xie XL, Li AQ, Li SJ, Yin XJ, Wang P, Wang Z, Wang BL, He QY. Chinese herbal medicine Ginkgo biloba L. preparations for ischemic stroke: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. J Integr Med. 2024;22(2): 163-179.

[Effect of soil moisture on efficacy to eliminate dampness and relieve jaundice and flavonoid content of Sedum sarmentosum].

The growth environment of medicinal plants plays an important role in the formation of their medicinal quality. However, there is a lack of combined analysis studying the close relationship between the growth environment, chemical components, and related biological activities of medicinal plants. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of different soil moisture treatments on the efficacy to eliminate dampness and relieve jaundice and the flavonoid content of Sedum sarmentosum, and explored their correlation. The flavonoid content in the decoction of S. sarmentosum growing under field conditions with soil moisture levels of 35%-40%(T1), 55%-60%(T2), 75%-80%(T3), and 95%-100%(T4) was compared. The effects of these treatments on liver function parameters, liver inflammation, and oxidative damage in mice with dampness-heat jaundice were evaluated, and the correlation between pharmacological indicators and flavonoid content was analyzed. The results showed that the total flavonoid and total phenolic acid content in the decoction of S. sarmentosum were highest in the T1 treatment, followed by the T3 treatment. The content of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin was highest in the T2, T1, and T3 treatments, respectively. Among the different moisture treatments, the T3 group of S. sarmentosum effectively reduced the levels of serum ALT, AKP, TBIL, DBIL, TBA, as well as hepatic TNF-α and IL-6 in mice with jaundice, followed by T2 treatment, especially in reducing AST level. The T4 treatment had the poorest effect. Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between AST, ALT, AKP levels in mice and the total content of quercetin and the three flavonoids. MDA showed a significant negative correlation with the total flavonoid content and kaempferol. TNF-α exhibited a significant negative correlation with the content of isorhamnetin. In conclusion, S. sarmentosum growing under field conditions with a soil moisture level of 75%-80% exhibited the best efficacy to eliminate dampness and relieve jaundice. This study provides insights for optimizing the cultivation mode of medicinal plants guided by pharmacological experiments.

Molecular mechanism of Ruxian Shuhou prescription in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology.

We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of Ruxian Shuhou prescription in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by using network pharmacology. The active components and targets of the prescription were obtained by Traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database. Gencards database, online mendelian inheritance in man database, therapeutic target database, and DRUGBANK database were used to search for the TNBC-related targets. The potential targets of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for TNBC were screened out by the intersection of effective ingredient action targets and disease targets. A herb-active ingredient-target network was constructed and analyzed for key ingredients. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed for studying key targets. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. Finally, the relationship between key ingredients and key genes was evaluated by molecular docking. The key ingredients of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for the treatment of TNBC may be Quercetin, Luteolin and Kaempferol, while the key therapeutic targets may be protein kinase B, interleukin-6, cellular tumor antigen p53, and vascular endothelial growth factor A. The related signaling pathways were mainly involved in tumor, apoptosis and virus infection, among which the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was the most closely related to TNBC. Molecular docking showed that the key ingredients had high binding activity with the key targets. The molecular mechanisms of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for TNBC are likely to involve multi-ingredient, multi-target and multi-pathway.

Sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number mediates the association between seminal plasma selenium concentrations and semen quality among healthy men.

Selenium (Se) is essential for successful male reproduction. However, the association of Se status with human semen quality remains controversial and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We measured seminal plasma Se concentrations, sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), and sperm quality parameters among healthy Chinese men screened as potential sperm donors. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the associations of within-subject pooled seminal plasma Se concentrations (n = 1159) with repeated sperm quality parameters (n = 5617); mediation analyses were applied to evaluate the mediating role of sperm mtDNAcn (n = 989). Seminal plasma Se concentrations were positively associated with sperm concentration and total count (both P for trend < 0.001). In adjusted models, men in the top vs. bottom quartiles of seminal plasma Se concentrations had 70.1 % (95 % CI: 53.3 %, 88.9 %) and 59.1 % (95 % CI: 40.5 %, 80.2 %) higher sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Meanwhile, we observed inverse associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn, and between sperm mtDNAcn and sperm motility, concentration, and total count (all P for trend < 0.05). Mediation analyses suggested that sperm mtDNAcn mediated 19.7 % (95 % CI: 15.9 %, 25.3 %) and 23.1 % (95 % CI: 17.4 %, 33.4 %) of the associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Our findings suggest that Se is essential for male spermatogenesis, potentially by affecting sperm mtDNAcn.

The isolation, structural features and biological activities of polysaccharide from Ligusticum chuanxiong: A review.

Ligusticum chuanxiong, the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort, has been widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine for treating plague, and it has appeared frequently in the prescriptions against COVID-19 lately. Ligusticum chuanxiong polysaccharide (LCPs) is one of the effective substances, which has various activities, such as, anti-oxidation, promoting immunity, anti-tumor, and anti-bacteria. The purified fractions of LCPs are considered to be pectic polysaccharides, which are mainly composed of GalA, Gal, Ara and Rha, and are generally linked by α-1,4-d-GalpA, α-1,2-l-Rhap, α-1,5-l-Araf, ß-1,3-d-Galp and ß-1,4-d-Galp, etc. The pectic polysaccharide shows an anti-infective inflammatory activity, which is related to antiviral infection of Ligusticum chuanxiong. In this article, the isolation, purification, structural features, and biological activities of LCPs in recent years are reviewed, and the potential of LCPs against viral infection as well as questions that need future research are discussed.

[Kinetics and variation of volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma during hot-air drying].

The present study explored the kinetics and variation of volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma during the hot-air drying process to obtain the optimal process parameters under multiple goals such as drying efficiency and drying quality. The dry basis moisture content and drying rate curves along with the change of drying time of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were investigated at five levels of drying air temperatures(30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 ℃). The relationship between moisture ratio and time in the drying process of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma was fitted and verified by Midilli model, Page model, Overhults model, Modified Page model, Logaritmic model, Two terms Exponential model, and Newton model. Meanwhile, the effective diffusion coefficient of moisture(D_(eff)) and activation energy(E_a) in Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were calculated under different drying air temperatures. GC-MS was used to determine the volatile components and content changes of the fresh Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and dried products at different temperatures. The dry basis moisture content and drying rate of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were closely related to the temperature of the drying medium, and the moisture of the Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma decreased with the prolonged drying time. As revealed by the drying rate curve, the drying rate increased with the increase in hot air temperature, and the migration of moisture was accelerated. The comparison of the correlation coefficient(R~2), chi-square(χ~2), and root mean standard error(RMSE) of each model indicated that the parameter average of the Midilli model had the highest degree of fit, with R~2=0.999 2, χ~2=8.78×10~(-5), and RMSE=8.20×10~(-3). Besides, the D_(eff) at 30-70 ℃ was in the range of 1.04×10~(-9)-6.28×10~(-9) m~2·s~(-1), and E_a was 37.47 kJ·mol~(-1). The volatile components of fresh Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and dried products at different temperatures were determined by GC-MS, and 18, 18, 18, 17, 17, and 18 compounds were identified respectively, which accounted for more than 84.76% of the volatile components. In conclusion, the hot-air drying of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma can be model-fitted and verified and the variation law of the moisture and volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma with temperature is obtained. This study is expected to provide new ideas for exploring the drying characteristics and quality of aromatic Chinese medicine.

Kinetics and variation of volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma during hot-air drying / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the kinetics and variation of volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma during the hot-air drying process to obtain the optimal process parameters under multiple goals such as drying efficiency and drying quality. The dry basis moisture content and drying rate curves along with the change of drying time of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were investigated at five levels of drying air temperatures(30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 ℃). The relationship between moisture ratio and time in the drying process of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma was fitted and verified by Midilli model, Page model, Overhults model, Modified Page model, Logaritmic model, Two terms Exponential model, and Newton model. Meanwhile, the effective diffusion coefficient of moisture(D_(eff)) and activation energy(E_a) in Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were calculated under different drying air temperatures. GC-MS was used to determine the volatile components and content changes of the fresh Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and dried products at different temperatures. The dry basis moisture content and drying rate of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were closely related to the temperature of the drying medium, and the moisture of the Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma decreased with the prolonged drying time. As revealed by the drying rate curve, the drying rate increased with the increase in hot air temperature, and the migration of moisture was accelerated. The comparison of the correlation coefficient(R~2), chi-square(χ~2), and root mean standard error(RMSE) of each model indicated that the parameter average of the Midilli model had the highest degree of fit, with R~2=0.999 2, χ~2=8.78×10~(-5), and RMSE=8.20×10~(-3). Besides, the D_(eff) at 30-70 ℃ was in the range of 1.04×10~(-9)-6.28×10~(-9) m~2·s~(-1), and E_a was 37.47 kJ·mol~(-1). The volatile components of fresh Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and dried products at different temperatures were determined by GC-MS, and 18, 18, 18, 17, 17, and 18 compounds were identified respectively, which accounted for more than 84.76% of the volatile components. In conclusion, the hot-air drying of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma can be model-fitted and verified and the variation law of the moisture and volatile components of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma with temperature is obtained. This study is expected to provide new ideas for exploring the drying characteristics and quality of aromatic Chinese medicine.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment on keloid tumor immune gene expression.

BACKGROUND: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has been demonstrated to influence the keloid recurrence rate after surgery and to relieve keloid symptoms and other pathological processes in keloids. To explore the mechanism of the effect of HBOT on keloids, tumor immune gene expression and immune cell infiltration were studied in this work. METHODS: From February 2021 to April 2021, HBOT was carried out on keloid patients four times before surgery. Keloid tissue samples were collected and divided into an HBOT group (keloid with HBOT before surgery [HK] group, n = 6) and a non-HBOT group (K group, n = 6). Tumor gene expression was analyzed with an Oncomine Immune Response Research Assay kit. Data were mined with R package. The differentially expressed genes between the groups were compared. Hub genes between the groups were determined and verified with Quantitative Real-time PCR. Immune cell infiltration was analyzed based on CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm analysis of gene expression and verified with immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: Inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced in the HK group. There were 178 upregulated genes and 217 downregulated genes. Ten hub genes were identified, including Integrin Subunit Alpha M (ITGAM), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-2, Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type C (PTPRC), CD86, transforming growth factor (TGF), CD80, CTLA4, and IL-10. CD80, ITGAM, IL-4, and PTPRC with significantly downregulated expression were identified. IL-10 and IL-2 were upregulated in the HK group but without a significant difference. Infiltration differences of CD8 lymphocyte T cells, CD4 lymphocyte T-activated memory cells, and dendritic resting cells were identified with gene CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm analysis. Infiltration levels of CD4 lymphocyte T cell in the HK group were significantly higher than those of the K group in IHC verification. CONCLUSION: HBOT affected tumor gene expression and immune cell infiltration in keloids. CD4 lymphocyte T cell, especially activated memory CD4+T, might be the key regulatory immune cell, and its related gene expression needs further study.

The Meridian Tropism and Classification of Red Yeast Rice Investigated by Monitoring Dermal Electrical Potential.

Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese medicine and food that has been purported to color food, ferment, and lower cholesterol. In order to study the antioxidative capacity of red yeast rice and the effects on electrical potential difference (EPD) of 12 acupuncture meridians, the pH value, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), ABTS, FRAP, T-SOD, and particle size distribution of red yeast rice were analyzed. 20 volunteers were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, the red yeast rice group (10 g red yeast rice and 40 g water) and control CK group (50 g water). The left 12 acupuncture meridians' EPD was real-time monitored. Samples were taken at the 10th minutes. The whole procedure continued for 70 minutes. It is shown that the pH value of the red yeast rice was 4.22, the ORP was 359.63 mV, the ABTS was 0.48 mmol Trolox, the FRAP was 0.08 mmol FeSO4, the T-SOD was 4.71 U, and the average particle size was 108 nm (7.1%) and 398.1 nm (92.9%). The results of 12 acupuncture meridians' EPD showed that the red yeast rice can significantly affect the EPD of stomach, heart, small intestine, and liver meridians.

Formononetin relieves the facilitating effect of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1-miR-195/miR-545 axis on progression and chemo-resistance of triple-negative breast cancer.

This investigation attempted to discern whether formononetin restrained progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by blocking lncRNA AFAP1-AS1-miR-195/miR-545 axis. We prepared TNBC cell lines (i.e. MDA-MB-231 and BT-549) and normal human mammary epithelial cell line (i.e. MCF-10A) in advance, and the TNBC cell lines were, respectively, transfected by pcDNA3.1-lncRNA AFAP1-AS1, si-lncRNA AFAP1-AS1, pcDNA6.2/GW/EmGFP-miR-545 or pcDNA6.2/GW/EmGFP-miR-195. Resistance of TNBC cells in response to 5-Fu, adriamycin, paclitaxel and cisplatin was evaluated through MTT assay, while potentials of TNBC cells in proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed via CCK8 assay and Transwell assay. Consequently, silencing of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 impaired chemo-resistance, proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells (P<0.05), and over-expression of miR-195 and miR-545, which were sponged and down-regulated by lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 (P<0.05), significantly reversed the promoting effect of pcDNA3.1-lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 on proliferation, migration, invasion and chemo-resistance of TNBC cells (P<0.05). Furthermore, CDK4 and Raf-1, essential biomarkers of TNBC progression, were, respectively, subjected to target and down-regulation of miR-545 and miR-195 (P<0.05), and they were promoted by pcDNA3.1-lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 at protein and mRNA levels (P<0.05). Additionally, formononetin significantly decreased expressions of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1, CDK4 and Raf-1, while raised miR-195 and miR-545 expressions in TNBC cells (P<0.05), and exposure to it dramatically contained malignant behaviors of TNBC cells (P<0.05). In conclusion, formononetin alleviated TNBC malignancy by suppressing lncRNA AFAP1-AS1-miR-195/miR-545 axis, suggesting that molecular targets combined with traditional Chinese medicine could yield significant clinical benefits in TNBC.

Qigong for women with breast cancer: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of Qigong in improving the quality of life and relieving fatigue, sleep disturbance, and cancer-related emotional disturbances (distress, depression, and anxiety) in women with breast cancer. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Sinomed, Wanfang, VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from their inceptions to March 2020 for controlled clinical trials. Two reviewers selected relevant trials that assessed the benefit of Qigong for breast cancer patients independently. A methodological quality assessment was conducted according to the criteria of the 12 Cochrane Back Review Group for risk of bias independently. A meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3. RESULTS: This review consisted of 17 trials, in which 1236 cases were enrolled. The quality of the included trials was generally low, as only five of them were rated high quality. The results showed significant effectiveness of Qigong on quality of life (n = 950, standardized mean difference (SMD), 0.65, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.23-1.08, P =  0.002). Depression (n = 540, SMD = -0.32, 95 % CI -0.59 to -0.04, P =  0.02) and anxiety (n = 439, SMD = -0.71, 95 % CI -1.32 to -0.10, P =  0.02) were also significantly relieved in the Qigong group. There was no significant benefit on fatigue (n = 401, SMD = -0.32, 95 % CI  0.71 to 0.07, P = 0.11) or sleep disturbance relief compared to that observed in the control group (n = 298, SMD = -0.11, 95 % CI  0.74 to 0.52, P = 0.73). CONCLUSION: This review shows that Qigong is beneficial for improving quality of lifeand relieving depression and anxiety; thus, Qigong should be encouraged in women with breast cancer.

Identifying windows of susceptibility to essential elements for semen quality among 1428 healthy men screened as potential sperm donors.

BACKGROUND: Essential elements such as iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo) are necessary for reproductive health. However, their associations with human semen quality remain inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the associations of urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo concentrations with semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and identify critical windows of susceptibility. METHODS: 1428 healthy men provided 3766 urine and 6527 semen samples, which were measured for urinary essential element concentrations and sperm quality parameters, respectively. Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves were used to evaluate associations between urinary essential elements and semen quality. Multiple informant models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility. RESULTS: Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves showed positive dose-response relationships between urinary Zn and sperm concentration and total count and between urinary Mo and total sperm count [all False Discovery Rate (FDR) adjusted p-value for trend < 0.05]. In the multiple-element linear mixed models, the men in the highest versus lowest quartiles of urinary Zn and Mo had a higher sperm concentration of 17.5% (95% CI: 2.8%, 34.2%; p-value for trend = 0.006) and total sperm count of 18.3% (95% CI: 1.4%, 38.0%; p-value for trend = 0.027), respectively. Urinary Zn was also positively associated with total sperm count in a dose-dependent manner (p-value for trend = 0.036), though the percentile difference in total sperm count between men in the highest and lowest quartile was not statistically significant (16.4%, 95% CI: -1.7%, 37.9%). These associations appeared to be stronger when urinary Zn and Mo were measured at 0-9 days before the date of semen examination (i.e., corresponding to epididymal storage). CONCLUSIONS: Higher urinary Zn and Mo, particularly during the period of epididymal storage, were associated with greater sperm production.

[Systematic review and Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy and safety of Ginkgo Leaf Tablets in treatment of acute cerebral infarction].

To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Ginkgo Leaf Tablets(GLT) in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction(ACI). Seven databases both at home and abroad were systematically retrieved from their establishment to March 2020. The data of the included studies were extracted after review and screening. The quality of the included studies was assessed with the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool, and then the included studies were put into Meta-analysis by RevMan 5.3 to evaluate the total cli-nical efficiency, neurological function score, blood lipids and incidence of adverse reactions in treatment of ACI by GLT. Finally, the GRADE system was adopted to evaluate the evidence quality of each outcome indicator and form recommendations. Ten studies involving 886 participants were included, all of which were of low quality. Meta-analysis results showed that,(1)in terms of the total clinical efficiency, GLT+Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone(RR_(NDS)=1.20, 95%CI[1.06, 1.36], P=0.005; RR_(NIHSS)=1.35, 95%CI[1.09, 1.69], P=0.007), and there was no statistical difference between GLT+Xuesaitong Injection+Wes-tern medicine and Xuesaitong Injection+Western medicine(RR=1.16, 95%CI[1.00, 1.35], P=0.05).(2)In terms of improving neurological function score, GLT+Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone(MD_(NIHSS[moderate(severe)])=-1.55, 95%CI[-2.22,-0.88], P<0.000 01; MD_(NIHSS(severe))=-7.51, 95%CI[-8.00,-7.02], P<0.000 01; MD_(NDS)=-1.36, 95%CI[-2.39,-0.33], P=0.01), and GLT+Danshen Injection+Western medicine was superior to Danshen Injection+Western medicine(MD_(NDS)=-3.09, 95%CI[-3.84,-2.34], P<0.000 01).(3)In terms of regulating blood lipids, GLT+Western medicine was superior to Wes-tern medicine alone(MD_(TC)=-1.40, 95%CI[-2.13,-0.66], P=0.000 2; MD_(TG)=-1.29, 95%CI[-1.86,-0.73], P<0.000 01; MD_(LDL-C)=-1.48, 95%CI[-2.91,-0.04], P=0.04; MD_(HDL-C)=0.07, 95%CI[0.02, 0.12], P=0.009).(4)In terms of incidence of adverse reactions, there was no statistical difference between GLT+Western medicine and Western medicine alone(RR=0.63, 95%CI[0.30, 1.32], P=0.22). The results of the evaluation showed that the evidence level of each outcome indicator was low, and the recommendation was at weak level. In conclusion, GLT+Western medicine could improve the total clinical efficiency, neurological function score, and blood lipid status, with a low incidence of adverse reactions. However, due to the small amount of included stu-dies, low study quality and low level of evidence, it is expected to carry out clinical studies with standardized design and large sample size in the future to further investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of GLT in the treatment of ACI.

Nanoselenium and Selenium Yeast Have Minimal Differences on Egg Production and Se Deposition in Laying Hens.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of nanoselenium (NS) and selenium yeast (SY) on the performance, egg selenium (Se) concentration, and anti-oxidative capacity of hens. A total of 216 Brown Hy-line hens (29-week old) were randomly allocated into three treatments (6 replicate/treatment, 12 hens/replicate). The pre-trial period lasted 7 days, and the experimental period lasted 35 days. Dietary treatments included corn-soybean meal basal diet (containing 0.16 µg Se/g, as control group), and basal diet supplemented with 0.3 mg Se/kg diet (Se was from NS or SY), called as SY group or NS group, respectively. At the end of the experiment, one hen per replicate from each treatment was slaughtered. Liver, spleen, and kidney tissues were sampled for the determination of Se concentrations. The results showed that NS or SY supplement significantly improved feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), soft broken egg rate (P < 0.05), and the serum T-AOC value (P < 0.05) when compared with control group. Remarkably, the deposition of Se increased significantly (P < 0.05) and equivalently in egg, liver, and kidney of hens supplemented with both NS and SY. Interestingly, SY supplement also enhanced the serum CAT and SOD activities (P < 0.05), NS but not SY significantly reduced serum MDA (P < 0.05), whereas RT-PCR results did not show significant differences in the mRNA levels of antioxidant genes among three groups (P > 0.05). Taken together, dietary supplemented with SY or NS improved the Se deposition in eggs, liver and kidney of laying hens, increased antioxidant activity, and NS supplement had greater Se deposition in the kidney tissue than SY supplement. SY or NS supplement could be considered to be applied for Se-enriched egg production.

Effects of Herb-partition Moxibustion at Navel on Protein and mRNA Expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax in Rats Model with Premature Ovarian Failure / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the effects of herb-partition moxibustion at navel on the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax in rats with premature ovarian failure (POF); To explore its mechanism underlying improvement of POF. Methods POF model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide. Forty-eight Female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, moxibustion group and Western medicine group, with 12 rats in each group. Rats of moxibustion group were treated with herb-partition moxibustion at navel (Shenque, CV8), 30 min/d, once every other day; rats of Western medicine group were given intragastric dose of estradiol valerate, once a day, for 14 d. The protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 in ovarian granulosa cells were detected by immunohistochemal method, Western blot and qRT-PCR, respectively.Results The weights of ovaries in the model group rats were significantly lower than those in the normal group (P<0.05). The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax protein in ovarian tissue of each group were mainly expressed brown coloration and in the cytoplasm of cells. The range of Bax protein in granulosa cells of moxibustion group and Western medicine group was significantly less than that in model group. The range of Bcl-2 in moxibustion group and Western medicine group was significantly larger than that in model group. Compared with the normal group, the expressions of Bcl-2 protein and mRNA in the model group rats significantly decreased (P<0.05,P<0.01), and the expression of Bax protein and mRNA significantly increased (P<0.05,P<0.01). The expression level of Bcl-2 protein and mRNA was significantly higher in the moxibustion group and in the western medicine group than that in the model group (P<0.05,P<0.01). The expression level of Bax protein and mRNA in the moxibustion group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0.05,P<0.01). ConclusionThe herb-partition moxibustion at navel can improve the function of ovaries by up regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and down regulating the expression of Bax in POF rats model.

Clinical observation of acupuncture plus electroacupuncture for hand spasm in stroke patients / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect difference between acupuncture combined with electroacupuncture (EA) and simple acupuncture for hand spasm in stroke patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients were randomly assigned into an acupuncture group and a combination group, 30 cases in each one. Patients in the two groups were treated with acupuncture at the affected Jianyu (LI 15), Binao (LI 14), Jianliao (TE 14), Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Waiguan (TE 5), Futu (ST 32), Liangqiu (ST 34), Xuehai (SP 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Xiajuxu (ST 39), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3), and the points at the middle of all the dorsal muscles between metacarpal bones. EA with discontinuous wave was used in the combination group at Waiguan (TE 5) and the middle point of the dorsal muscle between the second and the third metacarpal bones. The treatment was given for 40 min, once a day for 3 courses, five treatment per week, 4 weeks as a course. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Fugl-Meyer finger motor function rating scale and the modified Barthel index (BI) were observed before and after treatment in the two group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MAS scores after treatment significantly decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both<0.05), with lower score in the combination group (<0.05). The Fugl-Meyer scores and BI scores after treatment increased in the two groups (all<0.05), with higher scores in the combination group (both<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA combined with acupuncture can more apparently alleviate hand spasm, promote the recovery of hand function, improve the quality of life for stroke patients than simple acupuncture.</p>

Chinese Eye Exercises and Myopia Development in School Age Children: A Nested Case-control Study.

Chinese eye exercises have been implemented in China as an intervention for controlling children's myopia for over 50 years. This nested case-control study investigated Chinese eye exercises and their association with myopia development in junior middle school children. Outcome measures were the onset and progression of myopia over a two-year period. Cases were defined as 1. Myopia onset (cycloplegic spherical equivalent ≤ -0.5 diopter in non-myopic children). 2. Myopia progression (myopia shift of ≥1.0 diopter in those who were myopic at baseline). Two independent investigators assessed the quality of Chinese eye exercises performance at the end of the follow-up period. Of 260 children at baseline (mean age was 12.7 ± 0.5 years), 201 were eligible for this study. There was no association between eye exercises and the risk of myopia-onset (OR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.24-2.21), nor myopia progression (OR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.41-1.53). The group who performed high quality exercises had a slightly lower myopia progression of 0.15 D than the children who did not perform the exercise over a period of 2 years. However, the limited sample size, low dosage and performance quality of Chinese eye exercises in children did not result in statistical significance and require further studies.

[External therapy of plasma cell mastitis by jiuyi powder using partial least-squares discriminant analysis: a safety analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and the clinical value of external use of jiuyi Powder (JP) in treating plasma cell mastitis using partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA). METHODS: Totally 50 patients with plasma cell mastitis treated by external use of JP were observed and biochemical examinations of blood and urine detected before application, at day 4 after application, at day 1 and 14 after discontinuation. Blood mercury and urinary mercury were detected before application, at day 1, 4, and 7 after application, at day 1 and 14 after discontinuation. Urinary mercury was also detected at 28 after discontinuation and 3 months after discontinuation. The information of wound, days of external application and the total dosage of external application were recorded before application, at day 1, 4, and 7 after application, as well as at day 1 after discontinuation. Then a discriminant model covering potential safety factors was set up by PLSDA after screening safety indices with important effects. The applicability of the model was assessed using area under ROC curve. Potential safety factors were assessed using variable importance in the projection (VIP). RESULTS: Urinary ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), 24 h urinary protein, and urinary α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) were greatly affected by external use of JP in treating plasma cell mastitis. The accuracy rate of PLSDA discriminate model was 74. 00%. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under ROC curve was 0. 7826, 0. 7037, and 0. 8084, respectively. Three factors with greater effect on the potential safety were screened as follows: pre-application volume of the sore cavity, days of external application, and the total dosage of external application. CONCLUSIONS: PLSDA method could be used in analyzing bioinformation of clinical Chinese medicine. Urinary ß2-MG and urinary NAG were two main safety monitoring indices. Days of external application and the total dosage of external application were main factors influencing blood mercury and urine mercury. A safety classification simulation model of treating plasma cell mastitis by external therapy of JP was established by the two factors, which could be used to assess the safety of external application of JP to some extent.

Melanin biosynthesis inhibitory activity of a compound isolated from young green barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in B16 melanoma cells.

In the course to find compounds that inhibit melanin biosynthesis (i.e., whitening agents), we evaluated the effects of the methanol-soluble fraction (i.e., the water-soluble portion of methanol extracts-CHP20P-MeOH eluted fraction) from young green barley leaves on melanin production in B16 melanoma cells. Activity-guided fractionation led to an isolate called tricin (compound 1) as an inhibitory compound of melanin production in B16 melanoma cells. Furthermore, tricin analogs such as tricetin, tricetin trimethyl ether, luteolin, and apigenin were used for analyzing the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of 5,7-dihydroxyflavones studies. Tricin demonstrated stronger inhibitory activity compared to three other compounds. The results suggest that a hydroxyl group at the C-4' position and methoxy groups at the C-3',5' positions of the tricin skeleton may have important roles in this inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells. Our results suggest that tricin inhibits melanin biosynthesis with higher efficacy than arbutin, and it could be used as a whitening agent.

Efficacy of Chinese eye exercises on reducing accommodative lag in school-aged children: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of Chinese eye exercises on reducing accommodative lag in children by a randomized, double-blinded controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 190 children aged 10 to 14 years with emmetropia to moderate myopia were included. They were randomly allocated to three groups: standard Chinese eye exercises group (trained for eye exercises by doctors of traditional Chinese medicine); sham point eye exercises group (instructed to massage on non-acupoints); and eyes closed group (asked to close their eyes without massage). Primary outcome was change in accommodative lag immediately after intervention. Secondary outcomes included changes in corrected near and distant visual acuity, and visual discomfort score. RESULTS: Children in the standard Chinese eye exercises group had significantly greater alleviation of accommodative lag (-0.10 D) than those in sham point eye exercises group (-0.03 D) and eyes closed group (0.07 D) (P = 0.04). The proportion of children with alleviation of accommodative lag was significantly higher in the standard Chinese eye exercises group (54.0%) than in the sham point eye exercises group (32.8%) and the eyes closed group (34.9%) (P = 0.03). No significant differences were found in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: Chinese eye exercises as performed daily in primary and middle schools in China have statistically but probably clinically insignificant effect in reducing accommodative lag of school-aged children in the short-term. Considering the higher amounts of near work load of Chinese children, the efficacy of eye exercises may be insufficient in preventing myopia progression in the long-term. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01756287.