Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicine Resuscitation Pack for Enhanced Recovery after Bronchoscopy: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a hospital-made resuscitation pack, a Chinese medicinal herbal compound formula designed to enhance recovery in post-bronchoscopy patients. METHODS: In this randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, eligible patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to either the treatment or control groups. The patients in the treatment group applied the resuscitation pack, which contained aromatic compounded Chinese herbs. The patients in the control group applied a hospital-made, single herb placebo pack. Packs were placed on the Tiantu (CV 22) acupuncture point for 4 h as soon as the bronchoscopy finished. Efficacy indicators, such as recovery time, patients' symptoms including nausea and dizziness, and adverse events (AEs) were observed and compared. The outcome indices were evaluated at baseline, 1 and 24 h after the bronchoscopy. Subgroup analysis was further performed by patients' age and depth of sedation. RESULTS: When applying generalized estimating equations (GEE) to evaluate the intensity of post-bronchoscopy nausea and vomiting, the intensity was lower in the treatment group (163 cases) compared with the control group (162 cases; 95% CI: 0.004, 0.099, P=0.03]. Also, significantly lower intensity of nausea was observed in the 60-70 years of age subgroup (95% CI: 0.029, 0.169, P=0.006) and deep sedation subgroup (95% CI: 0.002, 0.124; P=0.04). There was no significant difference in dizziness between two groups by GEE (95% CI: -0.134, 0.297; P=0.459). In addition, no serious AEs were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the resuscitation pack markedly improved patients' symptoms by reducing nausea and vomiting after bronchoscopy without AEs, compared with placebo in the perioperative period. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR2000038299).

[Research progress on Pheretima and earthworms with related origin].

Through literature analysis of Pheretima and its origin-related earthworm,this study summarized the progress on Pheretima in textual criticism of origin,origin identification,effective components,detection of harmful components,and pharmacological effects,which can lay a basis for further research on Pheretima. Through literature research,the authors found that Pheretima was first recorded in Secret Formulary for Traumatology and Fracture Taught by Immortal written by LIN Daoren in Tang Dynasty rather than the Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief in Song Dynasty. The latest techniques for origin identification include microscopic trait identification,DNA barcoding,and HPLC. The main effective components of Pheretima are proteins,polypeptides,enzymes,nucleotides,amino acids,and trace elements. According to recent studies,Pheretima has anti-pulmonary and anti-renal interstitial fibrosis,respiratory syncytial virus-inhibiting,human hypertrophic scar fibroblast proliferation-suppressing,and mouse embryonic fibroblast proliferation-promoting effects. Moreover,Pheretima can prevent colitis-induced colon cancer by inhibiting the activation of COX-2/PGE2/ß-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:: for detecting the harmful components and their residues( organic pollutant polychlorinated biphenyl,heavy metals) and bacteria in Pheretima,have been established. Pheretima,mainly derived from wild earthworms,has remarkable clinical efficacy. However,the wild resource is in short supply and artificial culture is expected to be a promising solution.

[Effect of needle-implantation at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on the expression of myocardial TGF-beta3 and its mRNA in the Chinese miniswine with myocardial ischemia injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of needle-implantation (NI) at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on the expression of myocardial transforming growth factor-beta 3 Protein(TGF-beta 3) and mRNA in Chinese miniswine with myocardial ischemia (MI) injury. METHODS: A total of 32 Chinese Guizhou miniswine were randomly and equally divided into Sham-operation group, model group, NI-PC 6 group and NI-Geshu (BL17, NI-BL17) group. MI injury model was established by occlusion of the descending anterior branch of the left coronary artery. Two acupuncture needles (veterinary use) were separately and subcutaneously implanted into "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Geshu" (BL17) areas for 7 days. TGF-beta 3 protein and mRNA expressions were determined by Western blot and real-time PCR techniques, separately. RESULTS: In comparison with the sham-operation (sham) group, TGF-beta 3 protein and mRNA expressions in model group were upregulated significantly (P < 0.05). While compared with the model group, myocardial TGF-beta3 mRNA expression was upregulated considerably in NI-PC 6 group (P < 0.01), rather than in NI-BL17 group (P > 0.05), and myocardial TGF-beta 3 expression in both NI-PC 6 and NI-BL17 groups was upregulated obviously (P < 0.01). Comparison between NI-PC 6 and NI-BL17 groups showed that the expression levels of myocardial TGF-beta 3 protein and mRNA were significantly higher in NI-PC 6 group than in NI-BL17 group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Needle-implantation of "Neiguan" (PC 6) can upregulate myocardial TGF-beta 3 protein and mRNA expression in MI Chinese miniswine, which may contribute to its effect in improving the ischemic myocardial injury by way of enhancing the angiopoiesis.

[A study on differences of curative effects of acupuncture and nCPAP for treatment of OSAHS].

OBJECTIVE: To compare curative effects of acupuncture and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) on obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS), and to explore the characteristics and advantages of acupuncture in treatment of this disease. METHODS: Sixty-six cases of OSAHS were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (n = 44) treated by acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23) and Tianrong (SI 17) etc., and a nCPAP group (n = 22) treated by nCPAP. Indexes of respiration, blood oxygen and sleep were monitored before, during and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, no significant differences of these indexes were found in the acupuncture group during treatment (P > 0.05), but hypopnea index (HI), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the maximal apnea duration, the maximal hypopnea duration, sleep time spent when SaO2 was below 90% (SaO2 < 90%T) and the microarousal index improved significantly at the end of treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); while all the indexes improved significantly in the nCPAP group during treatment (P < 0. 01), but the therapeutic effect was not maintained at the end of treatment with no significant difference as compared with those before treatment. The therapeutic effect in the nCPAP group was better than that in the acupuncture group during the treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but no significant difference of the therapeutic effect was found between the two groups at the end of treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of nCPAP on OSAHS produces during treatment and the therapeutic effect of acupuncture produces after treatment, indicating they possibly have different mechanisms.

[Headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for analysis of volatile components from pollen pini].

Headspace solid-phase microextraction HS-SPME) technique was employed to extract the volatile compounds from Pollen Pini. The volatile components were isolated and identified successfully by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The volatiles were collected using several SPME parameters (including extraction time and temperature). The best response was obtained using a PA fiber by when the extraction temperature was 70 degrees C, extraction time was 30 minutes and desorption time was 10 time. Analysis was performed by GC-MS. Seventy components were identified by HS-SPME. The main components were fatty compounds. The results showed that the HS-SPME technique could be used to extract the volatile components from HS-SPME-GC-MS.