Simultaneous identification and quantification of the common compounds of Viscum coloratum and its corresponding host plants by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Viscum coloratum is a perennial evergreen, semi-parasitic plant. It is generally used for treating cardiovascular diseases, cancer, hepatitis and hemorrhage. In this study, reliable methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the common constituents in Viscum coloratum and its corresponding host. In the rapid qualitative analysis, a method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry was established for identification of the same compounds. Based on the retention times, accurate mass measurement and previous literatures, 23 components were clearly identified by comparison with reference substances. In the quantitative analysis, a method for Viscum coloratum and its corresponding host was developed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. 13 common compounds of viscum coloratum and host plants from 19 batches were analyzed with a good linearity (r2≥0.9991), intra-day precision (RSD≤3.24%), inter-day precision (RSD≤3.31%), repeatability (RSD≤2.43%), stability (RSD≤2.63%), and recovery (98.2-102.4%). The overall limits of quantification were less than 5.0ng/mL. The results indicated that these effective and comprehensive methods can be applicable to simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of these common compounds presented in Viscum coloratum and corresponding host plants.

The needle-rolling therapy for treatment of non-organic chronic insomnia in 90 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of needle-rolling therapy for chronic insomnia. METHODS: In the present multi-central randomly controlled clinical study, 180 cases of chronic insomnia were randomly divided into the following two groups, a treatment group (90 cases) treated by the needle-rolling therapy and a control group (90 cases) treated with clonopin. The treatment course for both the two groups was 4 weeks. The therapeutic effects were evaluated based on improvement of the TCM symptoms and the Pittsburgs's sleep-quality index (PSQI). RESULTS: After treatment, there were significant differences between the two groups in the effective rate (P<0.05), and in the total score of PSQI and in the scores of the 4 sub-items, i.e. sleep-quality, sleep-efficiency, hypnotic and daytime function (P<0.05). Although there was no significant difference between the two groups in the effective rate after a 3-month follow-up period, significant differences still existed in the 3 sub-items of sleep-efficiency, hypnotic, and daytime function of the PSQI (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: As compared with hypnotics of the second generation, the needle-rolling therapy may show better therapeutic effects for chronic insomnia patients.

[Clinical and qualitative research on acu-moxibustion: considerations on acupuncture clinical trail methods].

Qualitative research refers to a generic name of research methods corresponding to the quantitative research. It is different from quantitative research not only in methods, properties of the collected data, but also and particularly in philosophy, ideology and epistemology. In the present paper, the authors make a brief introduction about the background and methodology of qualitative research, and forecast the future possible tendency of the combined clinical trails of acu-moxibustion. Hopefully, it may provide a possible model for acupuncture clinical research methods and make the acupuncture researchers understand the qualitative research methods in clinical practice so as to promote the further development of acupuncture clinical trails, improve the level of acupuncture theory and provide substantial acupuncture clinical evidence.

[Discussion on randomized controlled trials about clinical researches of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine].

The characteristics of clinical tests of acupuncture and moxibustion were analyzed by studies of the literature about clinical evidence-based trials of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine at present and on the basis of full analysis on the cause of insufficient evidence of clinical researches of acupuncture and moxibustion, in combination with the authors' experiences of clinical studies, and it is put forward that future clinical researches of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine should actively search for new research methods, insist evidence-based acupuncture and moxibustion medical researches, pay attention to retaining own researching characteristics of the acupuncture and moxibustion medicine, accumulate experiences, gradually establish and perfect the assessment system conforming with clinical research methods of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine, elevate the position of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine and develop the acupuncture and moxibustion medicine.

[Preliminary study on training of resident physicians and special physicians of acupuncture-moxibustion].

By using principles and methods of evidence-based medicine in a broad sense to systematically look up clinical acupuncture and moxibustion literatures issued in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion, and Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion from January, 2003 to June 2005, and relative official internet station of the departments responsible for health, to stipulate common criteria and select literatures. Preliminarily selected clinical acupuncture and moxibustion study literatures of 1 637 papers, and comprehensive synthesizing the message from the official internet station of The Ministry of Health and The State Administration of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy etc., indicates that although acupuncture and moxibustion have been widely applied in clinical treatment of 327 diseases, at present there is no systematic training system for resident physicians and special physicians of acupuncture and moxibustion, which is unfavourable for development of sciences and internationalization. On the basis of comprehensively considering the tendency of medical development at home and abroad and characteristics of training of talented persons and subject development of acupuncture and moxibustion, the training system of resident physicians and special physicians of acupuncture and moxibustion should be founded as soon as possible.