Percutaneous foraminal endoscopy for the treatment of lumbar lateral recess stenosis in elderly / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of percutaneous foraminal endoscopy in the treatment of lumbar lateral recess stenosis in elderly.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 31 elderly patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis treated by percutaneous foraminal endoscopic decompression from March 2018 to August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Including 16 males and 15 females, aged from 65 to 81 years with an average of (71.13±5.20) years, the course of disease ranged from 3 months to 7 years with an average of (14.36±6.52) months. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to assess clinical symptom and functional status before operation and 1, 6, 12 months after operation. At the final follow-up, the modified Macnab standard was used to evaluate clinical efficacy.@*RESULTS@#All patients were completed the operation successfully. The operation time was from 75 to 120 min with an average of (97.84±11.22 ) min. All 31 patients were followed up from 12 to 28 months with an average of (17.29±5.56) months. Postoperative lumbago-leg pain VAS and ODI were significantly improved at 1, 6, and 12 months(P<0.01). At the final follow-up, according to the modified Macnab standard to evaluate the effect, 23 got excellent results, 5 good, 3 fair. One patient had severe adhesions between peripheral tissues and nerve root, and postoperative sensory abnormalities in the lower extremities were treated conservatively with traditional Chinese medicine and neurotrophic drugs, which recovered at 2 weeks after surgery. No complications such as nerve root injury and infection occurred.@*CONCLUSION@#The intervertebral foraminal endoscopy technique, which is performed under local anesthesia for a short period of operation, ensures adequate decompression while minimizing complications, and is a safe and effective surgical procedure for elderly patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis.

Protective mechanism of Yinchenzhufu decoction against cholestatic liver injury induced by lithic acid based on network pharmacology / 药学学报

Yinchenzhufu decoction (YCZFD) is a classic formula for treating Yin Huang syndrome, which can improve liver injury caused by cholestasis. However, the mechanism of action of YCZFD still remains unclear. This article used network pharmacology, molecular docking, animal experiments, and molecular biology methods to explore the mechanism of YCZFD in treating liver injury caused by cholestasis. A mouse model of acute cholestasis induced by lithocholic acid was used to investigate the effects of YCZFD on liver injury. The experimental procedures described in this paper were reviewed and approved by the Ethical Committee at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval NO. PZSHUTCM190823002). The results showed that YCZFD could reduce the levels of blood biochemical indicators and improve hepatocyte damage of cholestatic mice. Then, multiple databases were used to predict the corresponding targets of YCZFD active components on cholestatic liver injury. An intersection target protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks based on String database and Cytoscape software was used to demonstrate the possible core targets of YCZFD against cholestatic liver injury. The results indicated that core targets of YCZFD include tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1β, non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src, interleukin-6, etc. GO (gene ontology) and KEGG (kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) enrichment analysis indicated that YCZFD may regulate the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, bile secretion, and other related factors to ameliorate the cholestatic liver injury. AutoDockTools software was used to perform molecular docking verification on the core targets and components of YCZFD. To verify the results of network pharmacology, UPLC-MS/MS method was used to determine the effect of YCZFD on levels of bile acid profiles in mouse liver tissues. It was found that treatment with YCZFD significantly reduced the content of free bile acids, taurine bound bile acids, and total bile acids in the liver tissues of cholestatic mice. Then, results from real time PCR and Western blot also found that YCZFD can upregulate the expression of hepatic nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor, metabolizing enzyme (UDP glucuronidase transferase 1a1), and efflux transporters (bile salt export pump, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2, multidrug resistance-associated protein 3, etc) in cholestasis mice, promote bile acid metabolism and excretion, and improve bile acid homeostasis. Moreover, YCZFD can also inhibit pyroptosis and inflammation by regulating NOD-like receptors 3 pathway, thereby inhibiting cholestatic liver injury.

Investigation on the pharmacological mechanisms of Shirebi granules in treating gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome based on crosstalk of Wnt/β-catenin signaling / 药学学报

Gouty arthritis is a type of metabolic rheumatic disease caused by autoimmune abnormalities. Currently, the use of Western medicine in the clinical treatment of gouty arthritis has been associated with a high risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring therapeutic drugs from traditional Chinese medicine as a potential alternative. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, gouty arthritis has been classified as damp-heat arthralgia syndrome. Shirebi granules has been found to have good clinical efficacy in treating gouty arthritis. However, its underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. To address this problem, the study first established the interaction network of candidate targets for Shirebi granules, which is used to treat damp-heat syndrome of gouty arthritis. Then, the key candidate targets of Shirebi granules for treating gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome were screened by calculating the topological features of the network nodes. Then, the functional mining of the key candidate targets revealed that the candidate targets of Shirebi granules may intervene in the biological process of inflammatory response and lipid metabolism through the crosstalk of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. To verify the effectiveness of Shirebi granules in treating gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome, a rat model was established. The results demonstrated that the granules significantly improved the severity of arthritis in rats with this condition, reduced joint inflammation, gait score, swelling index, increased mechanical pain threshold (P < 0.05), and reduced the content of serum inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in gouty arthritis rats with damp-heat syndrome (P < 0.01) gouty. It was also found that Shirebi granules effectively alleviated the symptoms of dampness heat syndrome such as local joint fever and dry mouth by reducing the temperature of the joints in acute gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome (AD) rats, increasing the threshold of heat pain, increasing water intake (P < 0.01), and inhibiting abnormal changes in the content of fatty acid oxidation related enzymes (P < 0.01). Western blot analysis showed that Shirebi granules increased the protein expression levels of Wnt and β-catenin (P < 0.01) while decreasing the protein expression of p65, p-p65 and PPARγ (P < 0.01) in rats with gouty arthritis and damp-heat syndrome. The results showed that Shirebi granules may reverse the "inflammation-immune" imbalance and lipid metabolism disorder by regulating the crosstalk of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and play a role in alleviating the severity of the disease. This study provides a methodological reference for elucidating the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine formulas. It also presents research ideas for the appropriate clinical use of Chinese patent medicines and the development of new clinical drugs for gouty arthritis therapy. The animal welfare and experiment procedures of this study were performed in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (grant No. ERCCACMS11-2302-08).

A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Current Research Trends in Chinese Medicine for Osteosarcoma / 中国结合医学杂志

BACKGROUND@#To illustrate the research framework, overall knowledge structure, and development trends of Chinese medicine (CM) treatment for osteosarcoma (OS) by using a bibliometric analysis and newly developed visualization tools.@*METHODS@#Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science (WOS) database from January 1, 1980 to September 30, 2019. VOS viewer and Citespace software was used to analyze the data and generate visualization knowledge maps. Annual trends of publications, distribution of institutes, distribution of journals, citation and H-index status, co-authorship status, research hotspots and co-citation status were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 223 publications in the WOS database met the requirement. The number of published articles showed a rise but the citation frequency and the H-index of China were relatively low. The cooperation between the countries, institutes and authors were relatively weak. Most publications were basic researches. Most of the previous researches focused on basic mechanisms of CM in treating OS, and therapy and improvement of dosage form may become a frontier in this research field.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Compared with other fields, the field of CM treatment for osteosarcome is still in infancy. The distribution of researches is imbalanced and cooperation between countries, institutions and authors remains to be strengthened. Furthermore, basic research occupies an absolute dominant position, and the exploration of the molecular mechanism of CM in preventing and treating OS may become a key point in the future.

Pharmacokinetic comparison between Tanreqing Capsules Substitute and Tanreqing Capsules in rats by LC-MS/MS / 中国中药杂志

Due to the limited resource of bear bile powder, the major raw material of Tanreqing Capsules(TRQ), cultured bear bile powder is used as a replacement to develop the Tanreqing Capsules Substitute(TRQS). An LC-MS/MS method was established in this study for simultaneous quantitation of 8 compounds from TRQS in rat plasma: tauroursodeoxycholic acid(TUDCA), taurocheno-deoxycholic acid(TCDCA), ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), chenodeoxycholic acid(CDCA), ferulic acid, wogonoside, baicalin, and forsythoside A. Thereby, the pharmacokinetic behaviors of TRQ and TRQS were evaluated. Concentration of endogenous compounds TUDCA, TCDCA, UDCA, and CDCA was determined with the stable isotope surrogate analytes: D4-TUDCA, D4-TCDCA, D4-UDCA, and D4-CDCA. Plasma samples were extracted by acetonitrile-induced protein precipitation. The LC conditions are as follows: Waters BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm), mobile phase of 10 mmol·L~(-1) ammonium formate aqueous solution(containing 0.01% formic acid) and acetonitrile-methanol mixture(1∶5). MS conditions are as below: multiple reaction monitoring(MRM), ESI~(+/-). Concentration of UDCA, CDCA, TUDCA, and TCDCA was corrected with a response factor, which is the ratio between the responses recorded for the surrogate and the authentic analyte at the equal concentration. Each of the plasma components showed good linearity(r > 0.995 1). Accuracy and precision met the criteria(inter-day RSD<7.0%, RE 89.98%-112.0%; intra-day RSD<12%, RE 90.41%-111.2%). The recovery was 64.83%-119.9% and matrix effect was 87.15%-113.8%. The validated method was applied for pharmacokinetic study of TRQS and TRQ(po, 0.94 g·kg~(-1)). There was no significant difference in C_(max) and AUC_(0-24 h) of baicalin, UDCA, TUDCA, and TCDCA between the two groups, indicating similar pharmacokinetic behaviors between TRQS and TRQ in rats.

Mild and moderate postpartum depression treated with acupuncture of / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical therapeutic effect on mild and moderate postpartum depression treated with acupuncture of @*METHODS@#A total of 116 patients with mild and moderate postpartum depression were divided into an acupuncture group (103 cases) and a non-acupuncture group (13 cases) according to treatment regimen provided. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture of @*RESULTS@#The total effective rate of the acupuncture A group was 100.0% (31/31), better than 76.9% (10/13) in the non-acupuncture group and 58.1% in the acupuncture B group (18/31) (@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture of

Research progress on nutrients and special diet for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease / 中华临床营养杂志

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the chronic refractory inflammation of gastrointestinal tract. Although the pathogenesis of IBD has not been fully elucidated, there is increasing evidence that various environmental factors, including dietary nutrition, play an important role in the occurrence and development of the disease. Dietary nutrition has the effect on modulating the gut microbiome and regulating immune system, and even shows potential influence on epigenetic regulations. Therefore, diet has raised great research interest as a therapeutic tool to improve the disease course, due to its fewer side effects. Here is a review of the role of dietary nutrients in the development and treatment of IBD, with emphasis on fiber, fat, vitamin D, zinc, selenium and three specific dietary patterns considered applicable to the management of IBD therapy, namely the special carbohydrate diet, the low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyol diet, and the Mediterranean diet.

Effect of electroacupuncture on expressions of Lyn and Syk in mast cells of subcutaneous loose connective tissue in rats with urticarial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning on the expressions of tyrosine kinase Lyn and spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) in mast cells of subcutaneous loose connective tissue in the rats with urticaria and explore the potential biological mechanism of EA in the intervention of urticaria.@*METHODS@#A total of 32 SD rats were randomized into a blank group, a model group, an EA group and a positive medication group, 8 rats in each one. Except of the blank group, the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) was adopted to prepare the model of urticaria in the rats of the rest three groups. In the EA group, EA was applied to bilateral "Quchi" (LI 11), "Xuehai" (SP 10) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/15 Hz in frequency and 1 mA in current intensity, once daily, for 20 min each time, consecutively for 7 days. In the positive medication group, loratadine (1 mg•kg•d) was for intragastric administration, once daily, consecutively for 7 days. The samples were collected for index detection 30 min after PCA antigen challenge in the rats of each group. Spectrophotometer was adopted to determine the effusion quantity of Evans blue in the allergized site of skin. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes in the allergized site of skin. Toluidine blue staining was provided to observe mast cell degranulation in subcutaneous loose connective tissue in the allergized site of skin. Immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the protein expressions of Lyn and Syk during degranulation of mast cells.@*RESULTS@#In the rats of the odel group, the eipdermis of allergized site was thickening, cells were disorganized in hierarchy and inflammatory cells were infiltrated largely in the dermis. In the positive medication group and the EA group, the epidermis was getting thin, cell arrangement was clear and the inflammatory cell infiltration was obviously alleviated as compared with the model group. Compared with the blank group, the OD value of skin dye effusion quantity, the degranulation rate of mast cells and the positive expressions of Lyn and Syk were all increased in the model group (<0.01). Compared with the model group, the OD value of skin dye effusion quantity, the degranulation rate of mast cells and the positive expressions of Lyn and Syk were all reduced in the EA group and the positive medication group (<0.01). Compared with the positive medication group, the degranulation rate of mast cells was increased significantly in the EA group (<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture at "Quchi" (LI 11), "Xuehai" (SP 10) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) reduces vascular permeability and gives play to the role of anti-allergy by the way of regulating and controlling the degranulation of mast cells in the rats with urticaria and the effect mechanism of electroacupuncture may be related to the inhibition of protein expressions of Lyn and Syk in mast cells.

Challenges and enlightenments of SPARC program on acupuncture and moxibustion researches in China / 中国针灸

The advantages of western medical research were analyzed and the differences between skin nerve stimulation in western medicine and acupuncturemoxibustion in TCM were compared, so as to inspire the scientific researches of acupuncture and moxibustion in China. The related literature was searched and the research basis, content and achievements of the American stimulating peripheral activity to relief condition (SPARC) program were systematically summarized. From the perspectives of theoretical system, stimulation site, stimulation method and mechanism of action, the similarities and differences between skin nerve stimulation in western medicine and acupuncturemoxibustion in TCM were compared. Through comparative analysis, it is found that the systematic construction of SPARC "high-resolution neural circuit map" is essentially the upgraded version of the traditional distribution map of meridians and acupoints in China, which is similar to the research on origin of nervous system and stimulation site of acupuncturemoxibustion of TCM. Under the impact of "localization of traditional Chinese medicine" in other countries, learning from the international advanced research technology, gathering top-level talents, and encouraging openness and innovation will be the necessary pathway to improve the quality of acupuncturemoxibustion research and master the power of knowledge initiative.

The clinical efficacy of the Mulligan technique for treating cervical vertigo in an environment containing hy-perbaric oxygen / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of the Mulligan technique in treating cervical vertigo ( CV) in a hyperbaric oxygen ( HPO) environment. Methods Sixty-eight CV patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, each of 34. Both groups were given routine treatment with ultrashortwave irra-diation, but the observation group was additionally provided with 15 minutes of treatment based on the Mulligan tech-nique in an environment with oxygen at 0.2 MPa, five days a week for two weeks. Both groups were assessed using the cervical vertigo symptoms and functional assessment scale ( ESCV) and the daily frequency of vertigo was recorded before the treatment and 2, 4, 7, 14 and 60 days after treatment began. Moreover, the mean blood flow velocity in the patients' vertebral ( VA) and basilar arteries ( BA) was detected using transcranial Doppler sonography before the treatment and after two weeks and two months. Results There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the measurements before the intervention. Afterward, however, significant improvement in all of the measurements was observed compared with before the treatment. After two weeks and two months the average ESCV score, daily occurrence of CV and mean VA and BA blood flows in the observation group were all significantly superi-or to those of the control group at the same time points. Conclusion Treatment based on the Mulligan technique in an environment with 0.2 MPa partial pressure of oxygen is a more effective way to relieve the symptoms of cervical vertigo and reduce the frequency of its occurrence. Such treatment is worthy of application in the clinic.

The clinical efficacy of the Mulligan technique for treating cervical vertigo in an environment containing hyperbaric oxygen / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective@#To observe the clinical efficacy of the Mulligan technique in treating cervical vertigo (CV) in a hyperbaric oxygen (HPO) environment.@*Methods@#Sixty-eight CV patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, each of 34. Both groups were given routine treatment with ultrashortwave irradiation, but the observation group was additionally provided with 15 minutes of treatment based on the Mulligan technique in an environment with oxygen at 0.2 MPa, five days a week for two weeks. Both groups were assessed using the cervical vertigo symptoms and functional assessment scale (ESCV) and the daily frequency of vertigo was recorded before the treatment and 2, 4, 7, 14 and 60 days after treatment began. Moreover, the mean blood flow velocity in the patients′ vertebral (VA) and basilar arteries (BA) was detected using transcranial Doppler sonography before the treatment and after two weeks and two months.@*Results@#There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the measurements before the intervention. Afterward, however, significant improvement in all of the measurements was observed compared with before the treatment. After two weeks and two months the average ESCV score, daily occurrence of CV and mean VA and BA blood flows in the observation group were all significantly superior to those of the control group at the same time points.@*Conclusion@#Treatment based on the Mulligan technique in an environment with 0.2 MPa partial pressure of oxygen is a more effective way to relieve the symptoms of cervical vertigo and reduce the frequency of its occurrence. Such treatment is worthy of application in the clinic.

Anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble alkaloid fractions from ethanolic extracts of Sophora moorcroftiana seeds in Caenorhabditis elegans / 中国天然药物

Parasite infections of humans and animals remain a major global health problem, with limited choice of drugs being available to the treatment of parasitosis in the clinic. Sophora moorcroftiana (S. moorcroftiana) is a shrub that grows in Tibet Plateau of China. Decoction of the seeds has been used as a traditional Tibetan medicine to treat parasitosis for years. But the anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble fractions in the seeds need further investigation. In the present study, the water-soluble alkaloid fractions (E2) were obtained from S. moorcroftiana seeds by refluxing extraction with 60% ethanol and low polarity fraction (E2-a) and high polarity fraction (E2-b) were subsequently isolated from E2 using column chromatography. As a parasite model, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were treated with different fractions and their survivals were recorded. The results showed that that E2-a induced a lower survival rate in C. elegans than E2-b and E2. The protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) were cultured in the presence of E2-a. Compared with E2-b and E2, protoscoleces exhibited decreased survival rate following E2-a treatment. Furtherly, the effects of E2-a on the behavior, brood size, and lifespan of the worms were investigated. Body bend frequencies of the worms treated with the high concentration of E2-a were reduced by two-thirds compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with non-E2-a-treated group, exposure of nematodes to E2-a led to a decrease in head thrashes and pharyngeal pumps frequency (P < 0.01). E2-a treatment resulted in a significantly lower brood size (P < 0.01). Additional E2-a treatment induced a significantly shortened lifespan, compared with the control (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that water-soluble fraction E2-a from S. moorcroftiana seeds was a potential helminthic agent.

Constituent and effects of polysaccharides isolated from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds on lifespan, reproduction, stress resistance, and antimicrobial capacity in Caenorhabditis elegans / 中国天然药物

Sophora moorcroftiana (S. moorcroftiana) is an endemic leguminous dwarf shrub in Tibet, China. Decoctions of the seeds have been used in Chinese folk medicine for dephlogistication, detoxication, and infectious diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the constituent and biological effects of polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds (SMpol) were extracted with 60% ethanol and constituent was analyzed by GC-MS. SMpol was composed of glucose, galactose and inositol in the molar ratio of 35.7 : 1.3 : 17.0. Synchronized worms were treated with SMpol and then lifespan, motility, reproduction, stress resistance and antimicrobial activity were examined. Compared with the control group, the lifespan was increased to the average of 27.3 days and the number of laying eggs showed a 1.3-fold increase in nematodes treated with SMpol (4 mg·mL). In SMpol (4 mg·mL) treated worms, there was a 1.1-fold increase in 24-h survival of acute heat stress and a 1.6-fold increase in 2-h survival of oxidative stress The colonization of the bacteria in the SMpol treated nematode was significantly lower than that of the untreated group by 68.3%. In vivo studies showed SMpol significantly extended the life span, improved reproduction, increased stress resistance and antimicrobial capacity of C. elegans. In conclusion, those results indicated that the polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds were involved in a variety of biological activities leading to its modulatory effects on C. elegans which may be developed as a natural supplement agent.

Application of Individualized Rehabilitation Nursing Combined with Music Therapy in Severe Pneumonia Complicated with Multiple Organ Failure:One Case Report / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To summarize the effect of individualized rehabilitation nursing combined with music therapy on one patient with severe pneumonia complicated with multiple organ failure. Methods Based on the comprehensive evaluation of patients,the rehabilitation programs including critical care,person-alized rehabilitation care and personalized music therapy were established,and the corresponding nursing mea-sures and muscle training were implemented. Results After careful nursing, music therapy and muscle training for seven days, the score of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Scoring System (APACHE II) decreased from 28 to 14; the upper limb muscle strength increased;the score of Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)decreased from 71 to 52;the score of Fugl-Mey-er Assessment(FMA)increased from 38 to 80;and modified Barthel index increased from 0 to 55. Conclusion Personalized rehabilitation care could effectively promote the recovery,and increase the activities of daily living of patients with severe pneumonia complicated with multiple organ failure.

Effects of Acupuncture on the Level of Inflammatory Cytokines and Toll-like Receptor 4 in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture on the level of inflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptor 4 in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of SHR; To investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture in reduction of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in SHR. Methods Thirty 10-week old SHR were randomly divided into SHR group, acupuncture group and non-acupoint group, with 10 rats in each group. 10 WKY rats were set as control group. Acupuncture group received bilateral acupuncture in "Taichong" acupoint, and twisting and diarrhea method was used to stimulate; non-acupoint group received acupuncture at the back of feet, and soothing and diarrhea with twisting method was used to stimulate. Materials were taken two weeks later. The mean arterial pressure of rats was detected every day; the expression of TLR4 mRNA in PVN was detected by RT-PCR; The expression of TLR4 protein in PVN was detected by Western blot; The levels of TNF-αa nd IL-6 were detected. Results Compared with control group, the mean arterial pressure of SHR group increased; TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in PVN increased significantly; the level of TNF-α and IL-6 increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with SHR group, the mean arterial pressure of acupuncture group decreased significantly;TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in PVN decreased significantly; the level of TNF-α and IL-6 decreased significantly (P<0.05). There was no significant change in non-acupoint group. Conclusion Acupuncture in"Taichong" acupoint can attenuate blood pressure of SHR by inhibiting expression of TLR4 in PVN and reducing the levels of TNF-α and IL-6.

Anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble alkaloid fractions from ethanolic extracts of Sophora moorcroftiana seeds in Caenorhabditis elegans / 中国天然药物

Parasite infections of humans and animals remain a major global health problem, with limited choice of drugs being available to the treatment of parasitosis in the clinic. Sophora moorcroftiana (S. moorcroftiana) is a shrub that grows in Tibet Plateau of China. Decoction of the seeds has been used as a traditional Tibetan medicine to treat parasitosis for years. But the anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble fractions in the seeds need further investigation. In the present study, the water-soluble alkaloid fractions (E2) were obtained from S. moorcroftiana seeds by refluxing extraction with 60% ethanol and low polarity fraction (E2-a) and high polarity fraction (E2-b) were subsequently isolated from E2 using column chromatography. As a parasite model, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were treated with different fractions and their survivals were recorded. The results showed that that E2-a induced a lower survival rate in C. elegans than E2-b and E2. The protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) were cultured in the presence of E2-a. Compared with E2-b and E2, protoscoleces exhibited decreased survival rate following E2-a treatment. Furtherly, the effects of E2-a on the behavior, brood size, and lifespan of the worms were investigated. Body bend frequencies of the worms treated with the high concentration of E2-a were reduced by two-thirds compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with non-E2-a-treated group, exposure of nematodes to E2-a led to a decrease in head thrashes and pharyngeal pumps frequency (P < 0.01). E2-a treatment resulted in a significantly lower brood size (P < 0.01). Additional E2-a treatment induced a significantly shortened lifespan, compared with the control (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that water-soluble fraction E2-a from S. moorcroftiana seeds was a potential helminthic agent.

Constituent and effects of polysaccharides isolated from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds on lifespan, reproduction, stress resistance, and antimicrobial capacity in Caenorhabditis elegans / 中国天然药物

Sophora moorcroftiana (S. moorcroftiana) is an endemic leguminous dwarf shrub in Tibet, China. Decoctions of the seeds have been used in Chinese folk medicine for dephlogistication, detoxication, and infectious diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the constituent and biological effects of polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds (SMpol) were extracted with 60% ethanol and constituent was analyzed by GC-MS. SMpol was composed of glucose, galactose and inositol in the molar ratio of 35.7 : 1.3 : 17.0. Synchronized worms were treated with SMpol and then lifespan, motility, reproduction, stress resistance and antimicrobial activity were examined. Compared with the control group, the lifespan was increased to the average of 27.3 days and the number of laying eggs showed a 1.3-fold increase in nematodes treated with SMpol (4 mg·mL). In SMpol (4 mg·mL) treated worms, there was a 1.1-fold increase in 24-h survival of acute heat stress and a 1.6-fold increase in 2-h survival of oxidative stress The colonization of the bacteria in the SMpol treated nematode was significantly lower than that of the untreated group by 68.3%. In vivo studies showed SMpol significantly extended the life span, improved reproduction, increased stress resistance and antimicrobial capacity of C. elegans. In conclusion, those results indicated that the polysaccharides from S. moorcroftiana seeds were involved in a variety of biological activities leading to its modulatory effects on C. elegans which may be developed as a natural supplement agent.

Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to bone and joint tuberculosis in Chinese Han population / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene Apa I polymorphism and the susceptibility to bone and joint tuberculosis in Chinese Han population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between May, 2015 and June, 2016, 100 patients with bone and joint tuberculosis and 100 healthy volunteers were recruited concomitantly in Heyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Vitamin D receptor gene Apa I polymorphisms in these subjects were analyzed using SNaPshot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The genotype frequencies of Apa I-AA, Apa I-Aa and Apa I-aa were 51%, 41%, and 8% in the case group and 33%, 55%, and 12% in the control group, respectively, showing significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). The genotype of Apa I-AA was significantly higher in the case group with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.073 (95% CI: 1.142-3.763).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Apa I polymorphisms of the VDR gene are associated with the susceptibility to bone and joint tuberculosis in Chinese Han population, and individuals with a Apa I-AA genotype are at greater risks to develop bone and joint tuberculosis.</p>

Effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 expressions of gastric tissues in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on the expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK1/2) and extracellular regulatory protein kinase (ERK1/2) in gastric tissues of rats with spleen deficiency syndrome, and to explore the possible mechanisms of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion in treating spleen deficiency syndrome. Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (group A), a model group (group B), a ranitidine group (group C), and a herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group (group D) by random digit, 15 rats in each group. Rat models of spleen deficiency syndrome were made by intragastric administration of 4℃ 200% concentrated Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei). After successful modeling, the rats in group C were treated with 25 mg/(kg·bw) ranitidine by intragastric adminstration and rats in group D were treated with herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12), for 8 d. Excepted for rats in group A, all the other rats were treated with indomethacin at 5 mg/(kg·bw) at 8:00 a.m. on the second day after finishing all the intervention and sacrificed 7 h later to isolate the stomach. Histopathological changes of the gastric tissues were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in the gastric tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results:After intervention, the gastric mucosal injury in group B was significantly severer than that in group A, with large breakage and ablating; the damage of gastric mucosa was decreased in group C compared with group B; the gastric mucosal surface remained relatively complete, and the status of breakage and ablating was significantly improved. After intervention, compared with group A, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in gastric tissues of the other groups were significantly higher (P<0.01). Compared with group B, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in group C and D were significantly higher (allP<0.01). Compared with group C, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in group D were significantly higher (P<0.01). Conclusion: Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion promotes the repair of gastric mucosa in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome, via improving protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in gastric tissues, as well as activating MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 expressions of gastric tissues in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on the expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK1/2) and extracellular regulatory protein kinase (ERK1/2) in gastric tissues of rats with spleen deficiency syndrome, and to explore the possible mechanisms of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion in treating spleen deficiency syndrome. Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (group A), a model group (group B), a ranitidine group (group C), and a herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group (group D) by random digit, 15 rats in each group. Rat models of spleen deficiency syndrome were made by intragastric administration of 4℃ 200% concentrated Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei). After successful modeling, the rats in group C were treated with 25 mg/(kg·bw) ranitidine by intragastric adminstration and rats in group D were treated with herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12), for 8 d. Excepted for rats in group A, all the other rats were treated with indomethacin at 5 mg/(kg·bw) at 8:00 a.m. on the second day after finishing all the intervention and sacrificed 7 h later to isolate the stomach. Histopathological changes of the gastric tissues were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in the gastric tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results:After intervention, the gastric mucosal injury in group B was significantly severer than that in group A, with large breakage and ablating; the damage of gastric mucosa was decreased in group C compared with group B; the gastric mucosal surface remained relatively complete, and the status of breakage and ablating was significantly improved. After intervention, compared with group A, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in gastric tissues of the other groups were significantly higher (P<0.01). Compared with group B, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in group C and D were significantly higher (allP<0.01). Compared with group C, the protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in group D were significantly higher (P<0.01). Conclusion: Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion promotes the repair of gastric mucosa in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome, via improving protein expressions of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in gastric tissues, as well as activating MEK/ERK signaling pathway.