[Professor LI De-hua's experience in treating facial nerve injury after total parotidectomy with blade needle based on jingjin theory].

The paper summarizes the academic thought and clinical experience of professor LI De-hua in treatment of facial nerve injury after total parotidectomy with blade needle based on jingjin (muscle region of meridian, sinew/fascia) theory. This disease is located at muscle regions of hand-/foot-three yang meridians; and the sinew/fascia adhesion is its basic pathogenesis, manifested by "transversely-distributed collaterals" and "knotted tendons". In treatment, the knotted tendons are taken as the points. Using the relaxation technique of blade needle, the lesions of sinews/fascia are dissected and removed to release the stimulation or compression to the nerves and vessels so that the normal function of sinews/fascia can be restored.

Xuebijing alleviates LPS-induced acute lung injury by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokine production and inhibiting gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis of alveolar epithelial cells.

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is characterized by diffuse alveolar injury primarily caused by an excessive inflammatory response. Regrettably, the lack of effective pharmacotherapy currently available contributes to the high mortality rate in patients with this condition. Xuebijing (XBJ), a traditional Chinese medicine recognized for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, exhibits promise as a potential therapeutic agent for ALI/ARDS. This study aimed to explore the preventive effects of XBJ on ALI and its underlying mechanism. To this end, we established an LPS-induced ALI model and treated ALI mice with XBJ. Our results demonstrated that pre-treatment with XBJ significantly alleviated lung inflammation and increased the survival rate of ALI mice by 37.5%. Moreover, XBJ substantially suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in the lung tissue. Subsequently, we performed a network pharmacology analysis and identified identified 109 potential target genes of XBJ that were mainly involved in multiple signaling pathways related to programmed cell death and anti-inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we found that XBJ exerted its inhibitory effect on gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis of lung cells by suppressing TNF-α production. Therefore, this study not only establishes the preventive efficacy of XBJ in ALI but also reveals its role in protecting alveolar epithelial cells against gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis by reducing TNF-α release.

The prediction of lymphocyte count and neutrophil count on the efficacy of Xuebijing adjuvant treatment for severe community-acquired pneumonia: A post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant Xuebijing therapy exhibited a protective effect on severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) in previous studies. Blood inflammatory biomarkers related to the disease subtype and severity of SCAP might be associated with the effects of Xuebijing on clinical outcomes of SCAP. PURPOSE: To investigate whether neutrophils or lymphocytes are a useful biomarker of the therapeutic effect of Xuebijing on mortality and inflammation damage index. STUDY DESIGN: A post hoc analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blinded clinical trial of Xuebijing in patients with SCAP (Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR-TRC-13003534). METHODS: We compared 28-day mortality (primary outcome) and four clinical scores (secondary outcome), including pneumonia severity index (PSI) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score, according to the baseline strata of neutrophil count and lymphocyte count. RESULTS: A total of 675 patients were included in the analyses, of which 334 received Xuebijing and 341 received the placebo. Xuebijing was more effective in SCAP patients with higher lymphocyte counts and lower neutrophil counts. In the lymphocyte-dominated inflammation (LDI) subgroup, defined as neutrophil count <13 × 109 cells/l and lymphocyte count ≥0.65 × 109 cells/l, Xuebijing reduced 28-day mortality by 15% while mortality of the neutrophil-dominated inflammation (NDI) subgroup decreased by 4.7% (p = 0.050). There was also greater improvement in the PSI, SOFA, APACHE II, and SIRS scores following Xuebijing treatment in the LDI subgroup compared with the NDI subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Xuebijing treatment shows stronger protective effects in SCAP patients with higher lymphocyte and lower neutrophil counts. Our findings may facilitate the selection of the most appropriate treatments for individual patients with SCAP, including who will receive Xuebijing injections.

Photobiomodulation Therapy With Different Wavebands for Hair Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Photobiomodulation is a promising therapy for hair loss with negligible side effects. However, the reported effects of photobiomodulation therapy for hair loss are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To assess the curative effect of photobiomodulation therapy for the treatment of hair loss. METHODS: A systematic review of self-controlled studies and randomized controlled trials was conducted. ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Wiley Online Library were searched from the earliest date to May 30, 2021. RESULTS: Thirty-six studies (966 patients) were included. Two to 4 meta-analyses with different indices were performed separately on 4 groups of studies to test the effectiveness of the following hair loss treatments: ultraviolet light for alopecia areata (AA), red light for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), infrared light for AA, and infrared light for AGA. All meta-analyses showed that treatments were superior to control ( p < .05). CONCLUSION: The meta-analyses strongly suggested that photobiomodulation therapies with ultraviolet and infrared light were effective for treating AA, and photobiomodulation therapies with red light and infrared light were effective for treating AGA.

Ambient Spray Coating of Organic-Inorganic Composite Thin Films for Perovskite Solar Cell Encapsulation.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are developing rapidly in recent years, showing remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25 %, which is comparable to crystalline silicon solar cells. However, since perovskite and other functional layers are very sensitive to the environment with high humidity, illumination, and heat, PSCs meet great challenges in device stability, which significantly limit their industrialization and commercialization. Encapsulation has become an effective strategy to enhance the stability of PSCs, and various encapsulation techniques have been developed, such as atomic layer deposition and glass-glass technology. Most of the current encapsulating methods are either time-consuming and sophisticated processes, or exhibit rigid configuration, which is unsuitable for flexible and curved devices. Here, an ambient spray coating method was developed to fabricate organic-inorganic composite film for direct encapsulation of PSCs. By systematical optimization of the film composition, thickness, and microstructures, a superhydrophobic encapsulating thin film with high compactness and homogeneity was achieved. As a result, the hybrid encapsulating film with polystyrene (PS)-4033/PS-4033-SiO2 significantly improved the stability of PSCs in humid environment (60-70 % relative humidity, 35 °C) by showing about 10 times longer lifetime than that of the unencapsulated devices, which was mainly attributed to complementary effects from the high compactness of PS and high hydrophobicity of SiO2 . This work suggests that direct deposition of organic-inorganic composite on devices as encapsulating films is an efficient strategy to enhance the device stability, and this method shows great promises of application in flexible and large-area devices.

Chinese Propolis Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Gastric Cancer Cells by Inducing Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest.

Special Chinese propolis sourced from the Changbai Mountains (CBMP) in Northeast China is rich in specific flavonoids and phenolic acids and its bioactivity has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative effect of CBMP on cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms. Different cancer cell lines were treated with the ethanol extracts of CBMP for 24 hours before the cell viability and mechanism measurements. The results showed CBMP had weak activities against human pancreatic cancer cell PANC1, human lung cancer cell A549, human colon cancer cell HCT116, human liver cancer cell HepG2, human bladder cancer cell T24, and human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231, but it significantly inhibited the growth of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, caused cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in S phase, with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The results indicate that Chinese propolis sourced from the Changbai Mountains selectively inhibits the proliferation of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells by inducing both death receptor-induced apoptosis and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in S phase. These activities and mechanisms help understand the anticancer action of propolis and its active compounds.

Manipulation of living cells with 450 nm laser photobiomodulation.

Increasing studies demonstrated that photobiomodulation (PBM) influenced specific biological effects in cells, tissues and organs, and these effects rely on the production of light irradiation. In this study, we aimed to precisely manipulate the spatial arrangement of adhesion cells in a traditional culture condition with 450 nm low intensity laser. Through 450 nm laser PBM, the adhesion of the cultured cells was significantly improved and resisted the digestion of 0.1% trypsin. Combined with a computer aided design system (CAD) and computer numerical control (CNC) system, the designed laser irradiation pattern induced the specific cell micropattern in the culture dish. RNA sequencing and biochemical experiments confirmed that the 450 nm laser prompted low-density lipoprotein (LDL) bonding to the cell surface and induced lipid peroxidation, which crosslinked and modified the protein molecules on the irradiated cell surface. In this way, the peroxidation product-modified proteins resisted trypsin proteolysis, ultimately leading to a differential detachment between the irradiated and non-irradiated cells under trypsin treatment. This convenient method did not require special biomaterial processing, has no impact on cell viability and functions, and required no changes to the conventional cell culture conditions. The photo-induced cell capturing is a great complement to existing tools by providing spatial resolution.

Gut Flora: Novel Therapeutic Target of Chinese Medicine for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the three major threats to human health identified by WHO. Dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are well established as common CVD risk factors. However, controversies exist on the effects of gut flora on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current evidence suggests that gut microbiota is a double-edged sword for CVD risk, and its effects are largely determined by the metabolites of the gut microbiota. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), as one of the metabolites of gut flora, is consistently associated with higher CVD risk. A few studies have emerged providing early evidence about the safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating cardiovascular diseases by regulating gut flora. In this article, we review and interpret the existing evidence as well as explore the potential of intestinal flora as novel therapeutic targets of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

[Effects of methyl jasmonate on metabolism of topical alkaloids and expression of relate genes in Atropa belladonna].

Hyoscyamine and scopolamine are important secondary metabolites of tropane alkaloid in Atropa belladonna with pharmacological values in many aspects.In this study, the seedlings of A.belladonna were planted by soil culture and treated with different concentrations of methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The contents of hyoscyamine and scopolamine,the upstream products in alkaloid synthesis,and the expression levels of key enzyme genes PMT, TR Ⅰ and H6H in secondary metabolites of A. belladonna seedlings were measured to clarify the mechanism of MeJA regulating alkaloids synthesis.The results showed that MeJA(200 µmol·L⁻¹) treatment was more favorable for the accumulation of alkaloids.The content of putrescine was almost consistent with the change of key enzymes activities in the synthesis of putrescine,the both increased first and then decreased with the increased MeJA concentration and the content of putrescine reached the highest at 200 µmol·L⁻¹ MeJA.Further detection of gene expression of PMT, TR Ⅰ and H6H in TAs synthesis pathway showed that no significant trend in PMT gene expression levels.The expression levels of TR Ⅰ and H6H in leaves and roots under 200 µmol·L⁻¹ MeJA were the highest.It can be speculated that the regulation of the formation of hyoscyamine and scopolamine by MeJA mainly through affecting the expression of key enzyme genes.Appropriate concentration of MeJA increased the gene expression of TR Ⅰ in both leaves and roots as well as H6H in roots,promoting the accumulation of alkaloids and the conversion of hyoscyamine to scopolamine.

[Effects of nitrogen form on accumulation of alkaloids and expression of relative genes in Atropa belladonna].

Hyoscyamine and scopolamine are two main alkaloids in Atropa belladonna with great medicinal value. In this paper, the contents of hyoscyamine and scopolamine, the upstream products in alkaloid synthesis, and the expression levels of key enzyme genes PMT, TRⅠ and H6H in secondary metabolism of A. belladonna seedlings were measured to clarify the mechanism of nitrogen forms regulating alkaloids synthesis.The results showed that the 50/50 (NH⁺4/NO⁻3) treatment was more favorable for the accumulation of alkaloids and the conversion of hyoscyamine to scopolamine. The content of putrescine was almost consistent with the change of key enzymes activities in the synthesis of putrescine, they both increased with the rise of ammonium ratio, reaching the highest at 75/25 (NH⁺4/NO⁻3). The detection of signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) showed that the NO concentration decreased with the decrease of nitrate proportion. Further detection of gene expression levels of PMT, TRⅠ and H6H in TAs synthesis pathway showed that a certain amount of ammonium promoted the expression of PMT and H6H in roots. When the ratio of ammonium to nitrate was 50/50, PMT, TRⅠ and H6H in leaves and roots had higher expression levels. It can be speculated that the regulation of the formation of hyoscyamine to scopolamine by nitrogen forms mainly through affecting the expression of key enzyme genes. 50/50 (NH⁺4/NO⁻3) treatment increased the gene expression of TRⅠ in both leaves and roots as well as PMT and H6H in roots, promoting the synthesis of putrescine to hyoscyamine and the conversion of hyoscyamine to scopolamine.

Three statistical experimental designs for enhancing yield of active compounds from herbal medicines and anti-motion sickness bioactivity.

BACKGROUND: Since antiquity, Zingiber officinale (ginger), pogostemonis herba, and radix aucklandiae have been used as traditional Chinese medicines to remit gastrointestinal discomfort. Recent evidences also show the efficacy of the three herbal medicines against nausea and vomiting. OBJECTIVE: To optimize the CO2 supercritical fluid extraction (SFE-CO2) conditions for ginger and the ethanol reflux extraction conditions for radix aucklandiae, control the quality of pogostemonis herba essential oil, and evaluate anti-motion sickness activity of the compound recipes composed of the three herbal medicine extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two orthogonal array designs L9 (3)(4) were employed to optimize the SFE-CO2 conditions for enhancing yield of 6-gingerol from ginger and the ethanol reflux extraction conditions for enhancing yield of costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone from radix aucklandiae; a uniform design U5(5(3)) was applied for evaluation of anti-motion sickness activity of the compound recipes. RESULTS: Extraction pressure (P < 0.01), extraction temperature and extraction time (P < 0.05) have significant effects on the yield of 6-gingerol from ginger by SFE-CO2; ethanol concentration (P < 0.01) and times of repeating extraction (P < 0.05) have significant effects on the total yield of costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone from radix aucklandiae by ethanol reflux extraction; the anti-motion sickness effects of the optimized compound recipe composed of the three herbal medicine extracts were markedly better than those of dimenhydrinate. CONCLUSION: The compound recipe composed of ginger, pogostemonis herba, and radix aucklandiae could be developed as a promising anti-motion sickness medicine.

Comparisons of ethanol extracts of chinese propolis (poplar type) and poplar gums based on the antioxidant activities and molecular mechanism.

The biological activities of propolis are varied from plant sources and the prominent antioxidant effects of Chinese propolis (poplar type) have been extensively reported. Oxidative stress is associated with inflammation and induces many diseases. In the study, to evaluate antioxidant capacities and clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms of ethanol extracts of Chinese propolis (EECP) and ethanol extracts of poplar gums (EEPG), we analyzed their compositions by HPLC, evaluating their free radical scavenging activities and reducing power by chemical analysis methods. Moreover, we studied the roles of EECP and EEPG on the elimination of ROS and expressions of antioxidant genes (HO-1, TrxR1, GCLM, and GCLC) in RAW264.7 cells. We further investigated the effects of MAPKs on the antioxidant genes expression by specific inhibitors. The nucleus translocation effects of Nrf2 were also measured by confocal microscopy analysis. The results indicated that EECP had higher TPC and FDC values but regarding TFC values were not significant. EECP also possessed more contents of 11 compounds than EEPG. Both phytochemical analysis and cell experiment reflected that EECP exerted stronger antioxidant activities than EEPG. EECP and EEPG enhanced endogenous antioxidant defenses by eliminating reactive oxygen species directly and activating Erk-Nrf2-HO1, GCLM, and TrxR1 signal pathways.

Identification of catechol as a new marker for detecting propolis adulteration.

Adulteration of propolis with poplar extract is a serious issue in the bee products market. The aim of this study was to identify marker compounds in adulterated propolis, and examine the transformation of chemical components from poplar buds to propolis. The chemical profiles of poplar extracts and propolis were compared, and a new marker compound, catechol, was isolated and identified from the extracts of poplar buds. The polyphenol oxidase, catechol oxidase, responsible for catalyzing oxidation of catechol was detected in poplar buds and propolis. The results indicate catechol can be used as a marker to detect propolis adulterated with poplar extract.

Assay of 6-gingerol in CO2 supercritical fluid extracts of ginger and evaluation of its sustained release from a transdermal delivery system across rat skin.

Ginger has been widely used as healthy food condiment as well as traditional Chinese medicine since antiquity. Multiple potentials of ginger for treatment of various ailments have been revealed. However, the biological half-life of 6-gingerol (a principal pungent ingredient of ginger) is only 7.23 minutes while taken orally. Delivery of ginger compositions by routes other than oral have scarcely been reported. Therefore, we studied a noninvasive transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) of ginger to bypass hepatic first pass metabolism, avoid gastrointestinal degradation and achieve long persistent release of effective compositions. After establishment of a HPLC analysis method of 6-gingerol, assays of 6-gingerol were performed to compare two kinds of ginger extracts. Then, the characteristics of transdermal delivery of 6-gingerol in TDDS were exhibited. The results showed that the contents of 6-gingerol in two kinds of ginger extracts were significantly different. The maximal delivery percentage of 6-gingerol across rat skin at 20 h was more than 40% in different TDDS formulations. TDDS may provide long-lasting delivery of ginger compounds.

Anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts of Chinese propolis and buds from poplar (Populus×canadensis).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Propolis is used widely in a number of cultures as a folk medicine and is gaining wider recognition for its potential therapeutic use, due to its wide range of biological properties and pharmacological activities, especially its anti-inflammatory effects. Despite an increasing number of studies focused on the biological activities of propolis together with its botanical sources, studies on Chinese propolis are insufficient. This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of ethanol extracts from Chinese propolis (EECP) and poplar buds (EEPB) from Populus×canadensis Moench (Salicaceae family). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phytochemical analysis of EECP and EEPB was performed via total phenolic and flavonoid content measurements followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. DPPH and ABTS free-radical scavenging methods were used to evaluate their anti-oxidant properties. The anti-inflammatory effects of EECP and EEPB were investigated in vitro by evaluating their modulating effects on the key inflammatory cytokines and mediators in LPS/IFN-γ co-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and by measuring nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in TNF-α or IL-1ß stimulation HEK 293 cells using reporter gene assays. Their effects on acute inflammatory symptoms (LPS-induced endotoxemia and acute pulmonary damage) were also examined in mice. RESULTS: EECP and EEPB exhibited strong free-radical scavenging activity and significant in vitro anti-inflammatory effects by modulating key inflammatory mediators of mRNA transcription, inhibiting the production of specific inflammatory cytokines, and blocking the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. The administration of EECP and EEPB (25 and 100 mg/kg) provided significant protective effects by attenuating lung histopathological changes and suppressing the secretion of LPS-stimulated inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-12p70 production in endotoxemic mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented here reveal the potent anti-inflammatory properties of Chinese propolis and poplar buds, and provide biological information for developing suitable substitute(s) for propolis in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Icaritin induces AML cell apoptosis via the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signal pathways.

Icaritin, a hydrolytic product of icaritin, is isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb epimedium. Icaritin inhibits the proliferation of several tumor cell lines, but its effect on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and underlying mechanisms remain to be identified. In the present study, we demonstrated that icaritin inhibits the proliferation of human AML cell lines NB4, HL60, and U937, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, icaritin showed anti-leukemia activity on bone marrow mononuclear cells from 15 newly diagnosed AML patients. Flow cytometry analyses indicated that icaritin induces AML cells apoptosis. Icaritin induced activation of caspase-9, -3, -7 and the cleavage of PARP as measured by Western blotting. Icaritin downregulates p-ERK and p-AKT and inhibits the expression of c-myc. These results suggest that icaritin is a promising candidate drug for the treatment of AML. The underlying mechanisms of icaritin anti-AML activity are associated with inhibition of the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signals and downregulation of c-myc.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of a flavonoid-rich ethanol extract from chinese propolis (poplar type).

China produces the greatest amount of propolis but there is still lack of basic studies on its pharmacological mechanisms. Our previous study found that ethanol extract from Chinese propolis (EECP) exerted excellent anti-inflammatory effects in vivo but mechanisms of action were elusive. To further clarify the possible mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of Chinese propolis (poplar type), we utilized EECP to analyze its chemical composition and evaluated its potential anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profile indicated that EECP contained abundant flavonoids, including rutin, myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, pinocembrin, chrysin, and galangin. Next we found that EECP could significantly inhibit the production of NO, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and suppress mRNA expression of iNOS, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that EECP could suppress the phosphorylation of IκBα and AP-1 but did not affect IκBα's degradation. In addition, using a reporter assay, we found that EECP could block the activation of NF-κB in TNF-α-stimulated HEK 293T cells. Our findings give new insights for understanding the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effects by Chinese propolis and provide additional references for using propolis in alternative and complementary therapies.

[Effect of Xuebijing injection on T helper 17 and CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in patients with sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the level and significance of T helper 17 (Th17) and CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis and to evaluate the effects of Xuebijing injection on them. METHODS: ¹ Sixty-four patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU) of Anhui Provincial Hospital were divided into three groups: sepsis group (n=26), severe sepsis group (n=21), and septic shock group (n=17). Eighteen healthy individuals served as controls. The comparison in the expression of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg within groups and the correlation between their levels and the severity of sepsis was made. ² Sixty-four patients were also randomly divided into two groups: routine group (n=25, received routine bundle treatment) and Xuebijing treatment group (n=39, received bundle treatment + Xuebijing treatment). Patients in Xuebijing treated group were given 50 ml Xuebijing injection two times per day in addition to routine bundle treatment. Seven days constituted one course of treatment. The expressions of Th17 and CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg of 64 patients on the 1 day and 7 days after treatment were detected by flow cytometry. The effects of Xuebijing injection on the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: ¹ The expression rate of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg was (0.84 ± 0.29)% and (0.43 ± 0.20)% respectively in control group, and they were lower than that of patients with sepsis (P<0.05). The expression rate of Th17 was higher in severe sepsis group [(3.18 ± 0.84)%] than that of other two groups (P <0.05). Moreover , The expression rate of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg was highest [(3.28 ± 0.76)%] in septic shock group (P<0.05) , and it was positive correlated with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHEII) score and blood lactate (r(1)=0.519, r(2)=0.451, both P =0.01) in all 64 patients. ² Compared with routine group, our study indicated that Xuebijing injection could reduce the abnormal expression of Th17 [(1.72 ± 0.69)% vs. (2.35 ± 0.81)%,P<0.05] and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg [(1.78 ± 1.00)% vs. (2.30 ± 0.85)%,P<0.05] and decrease length of stay in ICU [(4.7 ± 2.6) days vs. (7.5 ± 4.3) days,P=0.002]. It also lowered 28-day mortality of patients with sepsis, but the difference between two groups was not significant (20.5% vs. 28.0%,P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg was increased in sepsis patients and was positively correlated with severity of sepsis, suggesting that they may play an important role in pathogenesis of sepsis. Xuebijing injection could decrease the abnormal expression of Th17 and CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg and tend to decrease the fatality rate of sepsis.