Utilization of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine among patients with Alzheimer's disease in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Large-scale studies of utilization of medical services among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are lacking. We aimed to investigate the usage of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) among these patients in Taiwan. METHODS: We analyzed one million samples from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Patients (n = 1814) newly diagnosed with AD in 2001-2010 were divided into TCM users (n = 528) and non-TCM users (n = 1286). RESULTS: Compared with non-TCM users, TCM users were younger, had a higher female:male ratio and higher utilization rate of Western medicine. The median interval between diagnosis and the first TCM consultation was 7.92 months. Donepezil and rivastigmine were commonly prescribed medications. Chinese herbal medicine was the most popular treatment among TCM users. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed the specific usage patterns of TCM and non-TCM medical services among patients with AD. The information could be used for improving the healthcare of patients with AD.

[Effect of beneficial mixture for body immune function on serum acute phase reaction protein levels in acute traumatic patients].

The levels of acute phase reaction protein (ARP)--haptoglobin (HP), plasma albumin (Palb), transferrin (TF) and alpha-acid glycoprotein (alpha-AG), and the effect of Beneficial Mixture for Body Immune Function (BMBIF), were studied in 20 cases with acute injury. The results were shown that the metabolism of the protein of traumatic body was in disorder: the levels of HP and alpha-AG significantly increased, while the levels of Palb and TF obviously decreased. After the treatment of BMBIF, the ARP recovered to a certain extent. This proved that BMBIF could adjust the disorder of ARP metabolism.

The value of human growth hormone as an adjuvant for ovarian stimulation in a human in vitro fertilization program.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the combined treatment of growth hormone (GH) and gonadotropins can improve ovulation stimulation in previously poor responders. Twelve patients who, had suboptimal responses in previous in vitro fertilization cycle were enrolled. They underwent 1 cycle with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) and gonadotropins and another cycle with GnRH-a, gonadotropins, and GH. Serum gonadotropins, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and sex steroids, including estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), testosterone, and androstenedione were measured on Day 2 and during ovulation induction. The serum IGF-1 level was higher in the GH cycle. There were no significant differences in the levels of the serum luteinizing hormone, E2, P4, testosterone, and androstenedione between the 2 cycles, so was IGF-1, E2 and P4 in follicular fluid. Co-treatment with GH did not improve the ovarian response. However, the GH cycles had better performance in terms of the number of oocytes fertilized and the pregnancy rate.

[Effect of TRH and buzhong yiqi tang on natural killer cell activity and endocrine in stress mice].

Both thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and Buzhong Yiqi tang (BZYQT) were studied on their effect on splenic natural killer (NK) activity and hypothalamic-hypophyseal-thyroid (HHT) axis of stress mice. TRH (0.2 microgram/mouse/day, ip.) and BZYQT (0.2g/mouse/day, po.) had been given for 3 days before the amputation of right hind leg of mice were performed. Result showed that the TRH and BZYQT had rarely any effect on splenic NK activity and HHT axis recovery when they were used separately, but when used in combination they could increase the NK activity of splenic cells significantly in comparing with control group (from 8.32 +/- 4.50% to 15.60 +/- 4.18%, P < 0.05), while the HHT axis recovered to normal level at 24 hours after the amputation. The result suggests that there was a synergistic effect between TRH and BZYQT, and which exerted beneficial effect to the HHT axis stabilization and splenic NK activity recovery.

[Chemical constituents of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.)].

Three sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the aerial parts of Ambrosia artemisiifolia were identified as psilostachyin, psilostachyin B and psilostachyin C. All of them have some molluscicidal activity against Oncomelania hupensis.

[Effect of si jun zi tang on the macrophage cytotoxic activity in mice].

The effect of Si Jun Zi Tang (SJZT) on the activities of peritoneal macrophage (M phi) mediated MTC and ADCC in normal and immunosuppressed mice were examined by isotope releasing assay (51Cr, 125I-UdR). The results showed the SJZT no significantly increased peritoneal M phi-mediated cytotoxic activity (MTC, ADCC) in normal mice. After the injection of immuno-depressive cyclophosphamide (Cy) alone (ip), the cytotoxic activities were decreased, but by treatment with Cy and SJZT, the cytotoxic activities were significantly increased compared with Cy group, the enhancing rates amounted to 74.40% (M phi-MTC) and 121.03% (M phi-ADCC) respectively. It was demonstrated that the SJZT could protest against the effect that the Cy inhibited the activities of MTC and ADCC of peritoneal M phi in mice, but there was no significant effect on normal mice. It indicated that the function of SJZT's immunoregulation was related to the state of immune in body.