Knowledge graph analysis of pyroptosis research in traditional Chinese medicine based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace / 中国中药杂志

To explore the research hotspots and frontier directions of pyroptosis in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the authors searched CNKI and Web of Science for literature related to pyroptosis in TCM, screened literature according to the search strategy and inclusion criteria, and analyzed the publication trend of the included literature. VOSviewer was used to draw author cooperation and keyword co-occurrence network diagrams, and CiteSpace was employed for keyword clustering, emergence, and timeline view. Finally, 507 Chinese literature and 464 English literature were included, and it was found that the number of Chinese and English literature was increasing rapidly year by year. The co-occurrence of the authors showed that in terms of Chinese literature, there was a representative research team composed of DU Guan-hua, WANG Shou-bao and FANG Lian-hua, and for English literature, the representative research team was composed of XIAO Xiao-he, BAI Zhao-fang and XU Guang. The network visualization of Chinese and English keywords revealed that inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, organ damage, fibrosis, atherosclerosis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury were the primary research diseases and pathological processes in TCM; berberine, resveratrol, puerarin, na-ringenin, astragaloside Ⅳ, and baicalin were the representative active ingredients; NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD, TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3, and p38/MAPK signaling pathways were the main research pathways. Keyword clustering, emergence, and timeline analysis indicated that the pyroptosis research in TCM focused on the mechanism of TCM monomers and compounds intervening in diseases and pathological processes. Pyroptosis is a research hotspot in the area of TCM, and the current discussion mainly focuses on the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of TCM.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Acupuncture at Gastrointestinal Back-Shu and Front-Mu Points for Post-stroke Constipation / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at gastrointestinal Back-Shu and Front-Mu points for post-stroke functional constipation. Method Sixty-six patients with post-stroke functional constipation were randomized to treatment and control groups, 33 cases each. The treatment group received acupuncture at gastrointestinal Back-Shu and Front-Mu points: Weishu (BL21), Dachangshu (BL25), Xiaochangshu (BL27), Zhongwan (CV12), Tianshu (ST25) and Guanyuan (CV4). The control group took Chinese herbal medicine Liumo Decoction prescribed originally. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. The CCS score was recorded and fecal characteristics were scored in the patients at baseline, during treatment and at follow-up. Result The total efficacy rate was 90.9％ in the treatment group and 42.4％ in the control group. The CCS score and the fecal characteristic score were lower in the two groups after treatment compared with before (P<0.05) and the therapeutic effect was more marked in the treatment group (P<0.05). The CCS score and the fecal characteristic score increased in the two groups at follow-up, but the increments were significantly smaller in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Shu-Mu point combination acupuncture can significantly relieve the symptoms of post-stroke functional constipation and change fecal characteristics. It is superior to Chinese herbal treatment alone.

Finite element analysis on simulation of change characteristics in human lumbar vertebrae under different motion status / 医用生物力学

Objective To compare characteristics of stress variations in 3D finite element models of normal and degenerative lumbar vertebrae and the dose-effect relationship, and analyze the mechanism of mechanical balance by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) manipulation on degenerative lumbar vertebrae. Methods The 3D finite element model of intact, real human degenerative lumbar vertebrae (L4-5) was established to simulate the physiological activity of flexion and extension in lumbar vertebrae. The characteristics of stress variation in degenerative lumbar vertebrae under external loading, namely, the TCM manipulation was analyzed, and the stress variation in degenerative lumbar vertebrae under gradual increasing-external loading was analyzed as well, which was compared with the stress and strain variation in normal lumbar vertebrae under different motion status. Results Under different motion status, the stress distributions on lumbar disc as well as the elastic modulus of nucleus pulposus and fiber ring showed a gradually increasing tendency with lumbar degeneration increasing. TCM manipulation could change the stress distributions on lumbar disc, enlarge the space of spinal canal to a certain degree, and decrease the stress on nerve root. Stresses on small joints of the vertebral body and vertebral pedicle under posterior extension were larger than those under anterior flexion, while stresses on intervertebral disc under anterior flexion were greater than those under posterior extension, which showed a gradually increasing trend from top to bottom. Conclusions The mechanical environment of human lumbar vertebrae can be balanced by TCM manipulation, for the purpose of improving and treating lumbar disc diseases. The comparison with the 3D finite element model of normal human lumbar vertebrae and investigation on lumbar degeneration from perspective of changes in biomechanical environment and characteristics can provide scientific basis for clinic application of TCM manipulation in prevention and treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, as well as new research idea for studying mechanical mechanism of TCM manipulation in effective prevention and treatment of lumbar lesions.

Reciprocal effects of Guizhi decoction to the Guizhi decoction syndrome by toll-like receptor mRNA expression and cytokines secretion / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the pathological mechanisms of Guizhi Decoction () syndrome and the therapeutic molecular mechanisms of the Guizhi Decoction, Mahuang Decoction (), Sangju Decoction ( ) and Yinqiao Powder (), as well as the potentially biological basis that Guizhi Decoction is most effective only for the patients with Guizhi Decoction syndrome in clinical practice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We first got serum samples from the patients suffering from both upper respiratory tract infection and Guizhi Decoction syndrome identified by the doctors of Chinese medicine (CM) in the clinic. Four formulas with therapeutic actions of pungent warmth or pungent coolness for superficial syndromes were chosen and four kinds of rat serum samples each containing one of the above-mentioned herbal formulas were collected, then the effects of Guizhi Decoction syndromes' patient serum as well as the effects of sera containing the formulas after being stimulated by the patient serum samples on both the mRNA expression of certain toll-like receptor (TLR) subtypes and the release of some inflammatory cytokines in RAW264.7 cells were tested and analyzed in vitro.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of TLR-3, TLR-4 and TLR-9 mRNA among the 9 tested TLR subforms were up-regulated in the macrophages stimulated by the sera from untreated upper respiratory infection patients with the Guizhi Decoction syndrome (symptomcomplex). The products such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-β from stimulated macrophages through TLR signaling pathways were also increased correspondingly. Interestingly, the changes induced by the Guizhi Decoction syndrome patients' sera were masked significantly after the macrophages were incubated with the sera from donors treated with Guizhi Decoction. Similarly, the three other exterior-releasing formulas were all effective in reversing the up-regulated changes of certain TLR subforms to different degrees, but both the number of targeted TLRs and efficacy of them seemed to be inferior to that of Guizhi Decoction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Evidence from these experiments might contribute to the scientific explanation of both the pharmacological mechanisms of Guizhi Decoction and also the CM theory that Guizhi Decoction is specifically prescribed for the treatment of Guizhi Decoction syndrome (The gearing formula to the symptom-complex).</p>

Pharmacognostical identification of the leaf of Uncaria hirsuta Havil / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To perform a pharmacognostical study of the leaf of Uncaria hirsuta Havil.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The specimens of Folium Uncariae Hirsutae were collected for studying its characteristics, microscopic appearance and thin-layer chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The leaf of Uncaria hirsuta Havil was characterized by numerous multicellular non-glandular hairs, 2 lines of palisade tissue, a diacytic type of stoma, and clustered crystals in its parenchyma. At least two kinds of alkaloids identical to the control were identified in the specimens.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results can be used as the evidence for identification, formulation of the quality-control standards as well as further utilization of Folium Uncariae Hirsutae.</p>

Essential characteristics of qualitative research and its commonly used methods / 中国中西医结合杂志

The main objectives of qualitative research lies in exploring the opinion, attitude, behavior, and experience of a person as a social role, also a patient. This essay introduces the basic characteristics of qualitative research, including its natural property, inductive method adopted, open character and wholism concept; the results of qualitative research are presented in a text form; and its commonly used methods include observation, individual interview and focus group discussion.

The value of Roferon-A combined with hepatic artery chemoembolization and portal vein chemotherapy after radical resection in hepatocellular carcinoma for preventing recurrence / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the change of T cell subsets in patients suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after hepatectomy, and study the value of Roferon-A (interferon alpha-2a) combined with hepatic artery chemoembolization (HACE) and portal vein chemotherapy (PVC) after radical resection of HCC for preventing recurrence.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>On 75 HCC patients, PVC and HACE were respectively given at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after radical tumor resection. In 2nd week after surgery, 33 cases of them accepted Roferon-A treatment for 1 week. Seventy-two patients were followed up over 3 years. Effect of Roferon-A combined with HACE and PVC on postoperative recurrence rate was compared with that of HACE and PVC. Changes of T cell subsets in peripheral blood were examined with labeled monoclonal antibodies before and after hepatectomy or using interferon. Forty cholecystolithiasis patients received cholecystectomy were used as the controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CD(3)(+) and CD(4)(+) cells in peripheral blood were reduced in patients with HCC. After hepatectomy, they declined further with decrease in CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) ratio. The results returned to pre-operative level at the end of 4th week after surgery. The CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+) cells and the CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) ratio increased remarkably following the use of Roferon-A. The 1-, 2- and 3-year recurrence rates of patients treated with HACE, PVC and Roferon-A in combination were 0%, 6.2% and 15.6%, respectively, while those treated with HACE and PVC were 5.0%, 12.5% and 27.5%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with HCC suffer from marked immuno-suppression which became ever more severe after hepatectomy, combined use of HACE, PVC and Roferon-A is superior to only HACE and PVC by decreasing the recurrence rate.</p>

Medicinal plant resources of the Chinese endemic genera of seed plants / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To survey medicinal plant resources of the Chinese endemic genera of seed plants.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>On the basis of herbarium, we studied on more than 800 specimens of the medicinal plant from Chinese endemic genera of seed plants and reviewed literature.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>There are 67 genus, 78 species, 3 varitas in medicinal plant from the Chinese endemic genera of seed plants, which belong to 41 family. Their habitat and medicinal value are provided.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Medicinal plant resources of the Chinese endemic genera of seed plants should be actively protected and widely utilized.</p>