Treatment of Liver Fibrosis after Hepatitis B with TCM Combined with NAs Evaluated by Noninvasive Diagnostic Methods: A Retrospective Study.

Objective. Chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis is an important intermediate link in the development of liver cirrhosis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Longhua Hospital affiliated to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in order to prove whether integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine could improve the incidence of CHB complications and clinical prognosis. There are 130 patients with hepatitis B liver fibrosis (being treated from 2011-2021) included in the study, and the patients were divided into 64 TCM users (NAs combined with TCM) and 66 TCM nonusers (NAs antiviral therapy). The serum noninvasive diagnostic model (APRI, FIB-4) and LSM value were used to classify the stages of fibrosis. The results showed that the LSM value was decreased significantly in TCM users compared with TCM nonusers (40.63% versus 28.79%). Indicators of FIB-4 and APRI of TCM users have improved significantly compared with that of TCM nonusers (32.81% versus 10.61% and 35.94% versus 24.24%). The AST, TBIL, and HBsAg levels in TCM users were lower than those in TCM nonusers, and the HBsAg level was inversely correlated with the CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ in TCM users. The PLT and spleen thickness of TCM users also were improved considerably. The incidence rate of end-point events (decompensated cirrhosis/liver cancer) in TCM nonusers was higher than that of TCM users (16.67% versus 1.56%). The long course of the disease and a family history of hepatitis B were the risk factors for disease progression, and long-term oral administration of TCM was the protective factor. As a result, the serum noninvasive fibrosis index and imaging parameters in TCM users were lower than those of TCM nonusers. Patients in the treatment of NAs combined with TCM had better prognoses such as a lower HBsAg level, a more stable lymphocyte function, and a lower incidence of end-point events. The present findings suggest the effect of TCM combined with NAs in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis is better than that of single drug treatment.

Dually folate/CD44 receptor-targeted self-assembled hyaluronic acid nanoparticles for dual-drug delivery and combination cancer therapy.

Nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with targeting ligands have shown promise, but are still limited by their nonspecific uptake by certain healthy tissues and cells that express low or even comparable levels of receptors. To increase their accumulation at tumor sites while decreasing the unintended toxicity, a possible solution is the involvement of two separate tumor-specific ligands in the localization. In this study, a dual tumor-targeting drug-loaded NP system was self-assembled by the amphiphilic conjugate of methotrexate-hyaluronic acid-octadecylamine (MTX-HA-OCA) with curcumin (CUR) encapsulated within the hydrophobic core (designated as MTX-HA-OCA/CUR NPs). The advantages of this nanosystem are that the anticancer drug MTX can be utilized as a tumor-targeting ligand toward folate receptors due to its structural similarity to folic acid (FA), and HA can serve as another tumor-targeting ligand toward CD44 receptors. The MTX-HA-OCA/CUR NPs are ∼70 nm in diameter and have sustained/controlled drug release behavior. An in vitro cellular uptake and competition inhibition study exhibited that MTX-HA-OCA/CUR NPs could significantly enhance the internalization efficiency in HeLa cells via folate/CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis as compared to HA-OCA/CUR NPs. More importantly, the in vitro cytotoxicity of MTX-HA-OCA/CUR NPs was significantly enhanced as compared to those of the HA-OCA/CUR NPs, both free drugs, and individual free drug. Furthermore, the real-time in vivo and ex vivo fluorescence imaging of HeLa tumor-bearing mice showed that MTX-HA-OCA/CUR NPs could more efficiently enhance their accumulation and improve the penetration at the tumor site as compared to HA-OCA/CUR NPs. Therefore, these dually folate/CD44 receptor-targeted self-assembled HA NPs for the co-delivery of both anticancer drugs might provide a promising strategy for dual-targeted combination cancer therapy.

Effect of Different Temperature Moxibustion on Serum IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-αContents in Acute Adjuvant Arthritis Rats / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of different temperature moxibustion on serum IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-αcontents in acute adjuvant arthritis rats and provide a basis for the mechanism of local anti-inflammatory and immune action of moxibustion. Methods A rat model of adjuvant arthritis (AA) was made by Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA) modeling method. Of 32 SD rats, 8 were randomly selected as a normal group and the other 24 for model making. After successful model making, the rats were randomly allocated to model, treatment 1 and treatment 2 groups, 8 rats each. Treatment 1 and 2 groups received moxibustion. Local temperature at moxibustion point was controlled at (38±1)℃in treatment 1 group and at (45±1)℃in treatment 2 group. Rat serum IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-αcontents were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results There were statistically significant differences in serum IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-αcontents between the model, treatment 1 or treatment 2 group and the normal group (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in serum IL-2 content between treatment 1 and the model groups (P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in serum IL-1β, IL-2 and TNF-αcontents between treatment 2 group and the model or treatment 1 group (P<0.01). Conclusions Moxibustion has a reducing effect on serum IL-1βand TNF-αcontents and a raising effect on IL-2 content. 45℃moxibustion temperature can improve the effect of moxi bustion. The anti-inflammatory action of moxibustion may be through the mechanism of reducing serum IL-1βand TNF-αcontents and raising IL-2 content, which relieve body inflammatory reaction. The action of moxibustion needs proper moxibustion temperature.

CHENG DAN-AN's contribution to direct moxibustion with moxa cone in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion / 中国针灸

In the book of Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion by CHENG Dan-an, direct moxibustion with moxa cone was regarded as a classic style of moxibustion because of its innate character of heat induced thermal stimulus and burn toxin. CHENG Dan-an made the quantity of moxibustion more controllable through the selection of moxa wool, the size and number of moxa cones, and the tightness of moxa cones, etc. CHENG Dan-an 's clinical experience is summarized through treating stubborn and infectious diseases with direct moxibustion with moxa cone. The results showed that only with understanding the characteristics of moxibustion and key pathological mechanism of suitable disease could direct moxibustion with moxa cone and the appropriate methods be performed correctly. CHENG Dan-an confirmed the clinical effect of treating stubborn and intectious diseases with direct contact moxibustion with moxa cone, and optimized the specific operation scheme of direct moxibustion with moxa cone. It tell us that we should deeply study on moxibustion, to make it wide spread in the hereafter, bring benefit to mankind.

Research on medication regularity of pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu in chronic atrophic gastritis based on correspondence between prescription and syndrome / 中草药

To study the medication regularity of Huazhuo Jiedu Formula in treating the chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), and to explore the stable relationship of correspondence between Huazhuo Jiedu Formula and the pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu. Statistical analysis was conducted among 200 cases of CAG, whose case histories included their gender, age, electronic gastroscope, pathological results, clinical symptoms, and prescriptions of Chinese materia medica. On the basis of "golden section method", the association rule between drugs and syndromes was investigated using frequency statistic method and association rule analysis. Through data processing, 153 kinds of Chinese herbal decoction were obtained. According to the principle of "golden section method", 15 kinds of Chinese herbal decoction, whose frequency of use was over 61.8% (including 61.8%), were used as the therapeutical core drugs of pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu in CAG. Ten kinds of clinical symptoms, which had the high ocurrence rate, were the main symptoms of the pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu in CAG. According to association rules analysis, it was found that there was a strong correlation between drugs and pulses, which explained the high degree of correspondence of prescription and syndromes between the pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu in CAG and Huazhuo Jiedu Decoction. It can be seen that there exists a relationship of correspondence between Huazhuo Jiedu Formula and the pattern of internal accumulation of zhuodu in CAG. And it shows that the key pathogenesis of CAG is internal accumulation of zhuodu, and the corresponding treatment is Huazhuo Jiedu Method.

[Shengjing tablets for semen non-liquefaction: a clinical study of 100 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and action mechanism of Shengjing Tablets in the treatment liquefaction. METHODS: We randomly assigned 150 patients with semen non-liquefaction to receive Shengjing Tablets group, n = 100) and vitamin E capsules (control group, n = 50) for 2 courses of 45 days each, followed by observation liquefaction time and other semen parameters. RESULTS: After the first course, 68 of the patients in the treatment group 20 responded and 12 failed to respond; and after the second course, 84 were cured, 9 responded and 7 failed to respond, effective rate of 93.0%. In comparison, only 8 of the controls were cured, 8 responded and 34 failed to respond after medication. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the treatment showed obvious improvement in sperm motility and concentration. CONCLUSION: Shengjing Tablets may shorten the time liquefaction, and can be used as a safe and effective therapy for semen non-liquefaction.