Randomized controlled trial outcome indicators of traditional Chinese medicine for gastrointestinal dysfunction in sepsis in recent two years / 中国中药杂志

The purpose of the study is to analyze the outcomes of randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Chinese herbal medicine formula(CHMF) in the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in sepsis in recent two years. We systematically searched four Chinese databases, three English databases, and two clinical trial registries to analyze the reports of outcome indicators of clinical trials, and evaluated the risk of bias by using the ROB tool of Cochrane Collaboration. After screening, 55 clinical RCTs were included. The results showed that the current clinical studies of gastrointestinal dysfunction in sepsis reported the efficacy and safety indicators. The efficacy indicators included APACHE Ⅱ scores, gastrointestinal dysfunction scores, bowel sound scores, and inflammatory indicator such as C-reactive protein and procalcitonin. The safety indicators mainly include gastrointestinal reactions, skin reactions, and other adverse events and adverse reactions. However, there was no distinction between primary and secondary outcomes. The relevant indicators of health economics were not reported, and the quality of research methodology was poor. Therefore, we suggest that future researchers should be well prepared in the top-level design stage and actively construct the core outcome set, so as to improve the quality of clinical trials.

Improved stability and oral bioavailability of Ganneng dropping pills following transforming lignans of herpetospermum caudigerum into nanosuspensions / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to improve storage stability and oral bioavailability of Ganneng dropping pills (GNDP) by transforming lignans of Herpetospermum caudigerum (HL) composed of herpetrione (HPE) and herpetin (HPN) into nanosuspension (HL-NS), the main active ingredient of GNDP, HL-NS was prepared by high pressure homogenization and lyophilized to transform into solid nanoparticles (HL nanoparticles), and then the formulated HL nanoparticles were perfused into matrix to obtain NS-GNDP by melting method. For a period of 3 months, the content uniformity, storage stability and pharmacokinetics test in vivo of NS-GNDP were evaluated and compared with regular GNDP at room temperature. The results demonstrated that uniformity of dosage units of NS-GNDP was acceptable according to the criteria of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015J. Physical stability of NS-GNDP was investigated systemically using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), zeta potential measurement, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There was a slight increase in particles and PI of HL-NS re-dispersed from NS-GNDP after storage for 3 months, compared with new formulated NS-GNDP, which indicated a good redispersibility of the NS-GNDP containing HL-NS after storage. Besides, chemical stability of NS-GNDP was studied and the results revealed that HPE and HPN degradation was less when compared with that of GNDP, providing more than 99% of drug residue after storage for 3 months. In the dissolution test in vitro, NS-GNDP remarkably exhibited an increased dissolution velocity compared with GNDP and no distinct dissolution difference existed within 3 months. The pharmacokinetic study showed that HPE and HPN in NS-GNDP exhibited a significant increase in AUC, C and decrease in T when compared with regular GNDP. These results indicated that NS-GNDP possessed superiority with improved storage stability and increased dissolution rate and oral bioavailability.

Improved stability and oral bioavailability of Ganneng dropping pills following transforming lignans of herpetospermum caudigerum into nanosuspensions / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to improve storage stability and oral bioavailability of Ganneng dropping pills (GNDP) by transforming lignans of Herpetospermum caudigerum (HL) composed of herpetrione (HPE) and herpetin (HPN) into nanosuspension (HL-NS), the main active ingredient of GNDP, HL-NS was prepared by high pressure homogenization and lyophilized to transform into solid nanoparticles (HL nanoparticles), and then the formulated HL nanoparticles were perfused into matrix to obtain NS-GNDP by melting method. For a period of 3 months, the content uniformity, storage stability and pharmacokinetics test in vivo of NS-GNDP were evaluated and compared with regular GNDP at room temperature. The results demonstrated that uniformity of dosage units of NS-GNDP was acceptable according to the criteria of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015J. Physical stability of NS-GNDP was investigated systemically using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), zeta potential measurement, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There was a slight increase in particles and PI of HL-NS re-dispersed from NS-GNDP after storage for 3 months, compared with new formulated NS-GNDP, which indicated a good redispersibility of the NS-GNDP containing HL-NS after storage. Besides, chemical stability of NS-GNDP was studied and the results revealed that HPE and HPN degradation was less when compared with that of GNDP, providing more than 99% of drug residue after storage for 3 months. In the dissolution test in vitro, NS-GNDP remarkably exhibited an increased dissolution velocity compared with GNDP and no distinct dissolution difference existed within 3 months. The pharmacokinetic study showed that HPE and HPN in NS-GNDP exhibited a significant increase in AUC, C and decrease in T when compared with regular GNDP. These results indicated that NS-GNDP possessed superiority with improved storage stability and increased dissolution rate and oral bioavailability.

Application of micro-lecture in construction of immunologic technology course / 中国免疫学杂志

Currently,the quick development of information technology is enriching the traditional teaching.As a new form of teaching resource,a micro-lecture focused on a specific topic is a good combination of information technology and traditional teaching.It not only increases the vividness and visualization of teaching,but also boosts the learning interest of students in the course.What's more,it helps to show an integral time-consuming experiment in 5-10 minutes'micro-vedio,which broadens the contents of the course and offers convenience of self-teaching for students.In this article,we took the example of micro-lecture"Western blot"in the course of immunologic technology to post-graduates in Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine to clarify the advantages and the procedures of a typical micro-lecture,and to discuss about it.The experience achieved from the construction of this micro-lecture may offer a new idea of modern information education reform.

Effect of Acupuncture plus Rehabilitation Training on Upper Limb Functional Recovery in Stroke Patients / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture plus rehabilitation training on upper limb functional recovery in convalescent stroke patients.Methods One hundred and three convalescent stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction were randomized to a treatment group (54 cases) and a control groups (49 cases). Both group received conventional rehabilitation training. In addition, the treatment group received along-meridian syndrome differentiation-based acupuncture and the control group, sham acupuncture. Upper limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment (U-FMA) score, the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) score, the modified Barthel Index (MBI) score and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score were recorded in the two groups of patients before and at the end of treatment and at the 3-month follow-up.Results In the two groups there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before (P>0.05 orP<0.01). At the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05 orP<0.01). The scores of SF-36 items except social functioning and bodily pain had statistically significant differences within the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before and between the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up (P<0.01 orP<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture plus rehabilitation training can markedly improve upper limb function in stroke patients.

Research Progress on Non-Drug Treatment for Blood Glucose Control of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus / 中国结合医学杂志

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the common endocrinology diseases that greatly affects the health care sector and economy. Application of hypoglycemic drugs has its own drawbacks and the use of non-drug therapy on treating T2DM has drawn much attention recently. This paper reviewed the research development of the non-pharmacological interventions on T2DM in recent years, including dietary therapy, exercise therapy, psychotherapy, acupuncture and moxibustion therapies and so on. The authors mentioned the problems in the research of non-drug treatment for blood glucose control of T2DM and put forward new ideas for the research in the future. Further well-designed trials with large sample size and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm current conclusions.

Resveratrol improves high-fat diet induced insulin resistance by rebalancing subsarcolemmal mitochondrial oxidation and antioxidantion

Although resveratrol (RES) is thought to be a key regulator of insulin sensitivity in rodents, the exact mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to investigate how RES affects skeletal muscle oxidative and antioxidant levels of subsarcolemmal (SS) and intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondrial populations in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance (IR) rats. Systemic and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity together with expressions of several genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and skeletal muscle SIRT1, SIRT3 protein levels were studied in rats fed a normal diet, a HFD, and a HFD with intervention of RES for 8 weeks. Oxidative stress levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were assessed in SS and IMF mitochondria. HFD fed rats exhibited obvious systemic and skeletal muscle IR as well as decreased SIRT1 and SIRT3 expressions, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and mitochondrial biogenesis (p < 0.05). Both SS and IMF mitochondria demonstrated elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, SS mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly lower, while IMF mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activities were higher (p < 0.05). By contrast, RES treatment protected rats against diet induced IR, increased SIRT1 and SIRT3 expressions, mtDNA, and mitochondrial biogenesis (p < 0.05). Moreover, the activities of SS and IMF mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes were increased, which reverted the increased SS mitochondrial oxidative stress levels (p < 0.05). This study suggests that RES ameliorates insulin sensitivity consistent with improved SIRT3 expressions and rebalance between SS mitochondrial oxidative stress and antioxidant competence in HFD rats

In vitro dissolution rate of Liuwei Wuling tablet based on biological potency and integrated dissolution / 中国中药杂志

To explore the feasibility of chemical and biological method in evaluation of the in vitro dissolution rate of Liuwei Wuling tablet (LWT), this experiment investigated the inhibitory effect of LWT dissolving solutions on LX-2 hepatic stellate cells in 0.1% SDS dissolution medium in different dissolving periods. From these results, the cumulative dissolution rate of LWT was obtained based on the cell inhibitory rate. The dissolution rates of deoxyschizandrin, phillyrin, and Specnuezhenide were determined by HPLC method. A novel approach of self-defined weighting coefficient had been created to establish the integrated dissolution rate model. Then f2 similar factor method was used to evaluate the relevance of these two methods. The results showed that f2 values for deoxyschizandrin, phillyrin, Specnuezhenide, and the integrated dissolution were 61, 43, 61 and 75 respectively, indicating that the dissolution of multi-component integration could fully reflect the biological potency of the whole recipe. The dissolution evaluation method for multicomponent integration based on biological activity is expected to be one of the effective means for in vitro dissolution test of LWT.

Clinical study on treatment of carotid atherosclerosis with extraction of polygoni cuspidati rhizoma et radix and crataegi fructus: a randomized controlled trial / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of detoxifying and blood circulation activating Chinese herb extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque integral and plaque stability related serum indexes of patients with carotid atherosclerosis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Sixty and four cases of carotid artery atherosclerosis patients were assigned randomly to 2 groups: detoxifying and blood circulation activating treatment group (treatment group, 32 cases) and control group (32 cases). Patients in treatment group were treated with capsules of extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn, 1 pill po, bid (dosage of administration: polygonum cuspidatum extraction 5.33 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), hawthorn extraction 5.0 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)); patients in control group were treated with lovastatin 20 mg po, qd (dosage of administration: 0.33 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)). The course of treatment was six months. To observe changes of IMT, plaque integral, and detect the level of plaque stability related serum indexes such as Hs-CRP, MMP-1 and TIMP-1.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After 6 months of treatment, in control group one patient quit the clinical trial because of liver dysfunction and one patient was rejected because of having not followed the therapeutic regimen. 32 cases in treatment group and 30 cases in control group were analyzed. The results showed that IMT and plaque integral of treatment group decreased significantly after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference compared with control grope. Serum Hs-CRP, MMP-1 and MMP-1/TIMP-1 decreased after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the treatment group was superior to control group in decreasing serum Hs-CRP (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Detoxifying and blood circulation activating Chinese herb extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn has good effect of anti-atherosclerosis and promoting plaque stability. Its mechanism might be related with anti-inflammation and inhibiting degradation of extracellular matrix, and deserves further studies.</p>

Application of spectrum-effect relationship in Chinese medicine research and related thinking / 中国中药杂志

Fingerprint technology is the key technology in modern Chinese medicine research, while spectrum-effect relationship research is the advanced stage of fingerprint research. Spectrum-effect relationship research can reveal the relationship between fingerprint and pharmacological effect through multiple statistical analyses, which can be used in Chinese medicine research. Spectrum-effect relationship has been used in many areas of Chinese medicine research, such as effective basis of single and compound Chinese medicine research, component compatibility research, processing mechanism research, pharmacological effect forecast research, technology optimization research, and so on. This paper systematically reviewed the application of spectrum-effect relationship in Chinese medicine research, and indicated some problems in spectrum-effect relationship research. At last, the authors give an outlook of the future of spectrum-effect relationship research.

Optimization of extraction process for Baizhu Shaoyao San by multi-index orthogonal experiment / 中国中药杂志

Baizhu Shaoyao San is a famous traditional Chinese medicine formula, which is efficient to diarrhea clinically. However, there are very few reports for extraction process of Baizhu Shaoyao San at present. In this article, an orthogonal test was conducted, with 10 major components and extractum of Baizhu Shaoyao San as indexes, and data was processed by the compound weight method, in order to detect four factors, including the concentration of ethanol, the dosage of ethanol, the soaking and extracting times, and optimize the extraction process of Baizhu Shaoyao San. The results showed that the optimal extraction process was adding 12-fold ethanol of 70% concentration, soaking for 1 hours, and extracting for twice, 2 hours each time. Among the indexes, the extracting time made significant impact. The optimized method is stable and reliable, and can provide reference for further development and utilization of the formula.

Effect of Tuina at breast on postpartum lactation / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the efficacy of Tuina for postpartum lactation and work out a optimal protocol involved.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>With a randomized, controlled and clinical method, 84 primiparas were divided into a Tuina group and a control group. While patients in the control group received rooming-in conventional managements, those in the Tuina group were additionally treated with Tuina, including local manipulations on breasts combined with acupoint manipulations. The colostrum-time, lactation quantity and prolactin were observed to make the comparisons between two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The scores of lactation quantity after 1th, 2nd, 3rd of the treatment were 1.660 +/- 0.785, 2.530 +/- 1.030, 2.880 +/- 1.171 in Tuina group and 1.270 +/- 0.533, 1.460 +/- 0.811, 1.500 +/- 0.583 in control group respectively, where there were significant differences in each time stage between two groups (all P < 0.001). The time of colostrum was (21.6 6 +/- 10.508) h in the Tuina group and (22.5 +/- 9.762) h in the control group, in which the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The levels of prolactin (314.35 +/- 110.37) ng/mL and (321.56 +/- 109.61) ng/mL in Tuina group, (385.78 +/- 85.19) ng/mL and (340.12 +/- 103.10) ng/mL in control group before and after treatment, there were no significant differences (both P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Postpartum Tuina on breasts could increase the quantity of lactation and delay the decreasing of the levels of prolactin, which contributes primiparas to lactate more and sooner.</p>

Effect of Huxin Formula on reverse cholesterol transport in ApoE-gene knockout mice / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Huxin Formula on expressions of the chief reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) associated genes, caveolin-1 and scavenger receptor-BI (SR-BI) in ApoE-gene knockout [ApoE (-/-)] mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty ApoE (-/-) mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomly divided into three groups (A-C). After being fed with high-fat diet for 16 weeks, they were treated with HXF (1 mL/100 g), pravachol (0.3 mg/100 g), and saline in equal volume respectively for 16 weeks successively; in addition, a blank group was set up with 10 C57BL/6J mice of 6-week old received 16-week high-fat feeding and saline treatment. Animals were sacrificed at the termination of the experiment, their paraffin sections of aortic tissue were used to measure the size of plaque, expressions of cavolin-1 and SR-BI were detected by immunological histochemical method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with the blank group, levels of caveolin-1 and SR-BI were increased in Groups A and B (P<0.01); but the increase in Group A was more significant than that in Group B (P<0.05). The plaque/aorta area ratio decreased significantly in Groups A and B, but showed insignificant difference between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HXF could obviously increase the expressions of RCT associated genes, caveolin-1 and SR-BI, promote the RCT process, so as to reduce the formation of aorta atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE (-/-) mice.</p>

Discussion on the temperature characteristic of silver needle in the human body during the warm needling / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the temperature change of traditional silver needle in the human body during the burning of moxa ball.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six healthy volunteers were randomly divided into a single-needle group and a multi-needle group, 18 cases in each group. For both groups, one silver needle (18 cm in length, 1.1 mm in diameter), which was adopted in this research to measure the temperature change, was punctured in the insertion point of the volunteer (inside the top of the left buttock, 7 cm under the edge of the highest point of the iliac crest, 7 cm lateral to the dorsomedian line), then another four silver needles were punctured 2 cm respectively anterior, posterior and lateral to the insertion point in the multi-needle group, and all the silver needles were inserted with 6 cm depth. Afterigniting the 1.3 g moxa ball on the needle tail, the temperature of the measuring points that were 3 mm, 33 mm, and 63 mm above the silver needle tip were recorded separately by digital temperature measuring instrument.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The peak temperature of the three measuring points in the single-needle group was all around 41 degrees C, while those in the multi-needle group were around 43 degrees C, which had significant differences (all P < 0.05), but no significant differences among the highest temperature of the measuring points in the same group could be found (all P > 0.05). The highest temperature of moxa ball in the single needle group was (611.16 +/- 6.91) degrees C, while that of the central moxa ball in the multi-needle group was (628.94 +/- 8.99) degrees C, the difference of which was significant difference (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The temperature conductivity of the silver needle is very well, so the heat of the moxa ball could pass from the tail of needle to the tip during the warming treatment. The peak temperature on the body, tip of the silver needle in the multi-needle group is higher than those in the single needle group. Also, the peak temperature of multi-moxa ball is higher than that of single moxa ball.</p>

Characteristics of infrared radiation of meridians and acupoints / 中国针灸

Infrared radiation temperature and characteristics of infrared spectrum of meridians and acupoints are summarized in this article. The infrared radiant track along the running course of meridians might be a ubiquitous phenomenon of the vital activity. The high temperature bands below the meridian lines at the cuticular layer are often taken as the manifestation of the tract. It could be induced by various stimulations on acupoints with warm-needling as the best causative method. High temperature and low resistance are considered as 2 features of the acupoint zone. The adenosine-triphosphate energy metabolism of the acupoint zone is higher than the non-point zone, which indicates that essential physiological and pathological information are carried by infrared radiation temperature of acupoint and infrared spectrum of acupoint. However, it is realized that study on characteristics of infrared radiation only is far from enough to reveal the essence of meridians and acupoints. And much still remains to be done in strengthening basic studies of characteristics of infrared radiation, structure pattern of meridians and acupoints as well as volt-ampere characteristics.

Effect of acupoint Tuina on lactation amount for parturient / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect differences between acupoint Tuina and simple instruction and education to improve the lactation of the parturient after delivery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-six cases of primipara were divided into an acupoint Tuina group (28 cases) and a control group (28 cases) according to the order of entering group, the acupoint Tuina group was treated with Tuina intervention at local acupoint of the breast and distant acupoint on the basis of the instruction and education of breast feeding; the control group was treated with simple instruction and education of breast feeding. The differences of lactation amount, the level of serum prolactin at 48 h after delivery and the time start to lactate of the parturient in both groups were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum prolactin of the parturient at 48 h after delivery of (416.33 +/- 144.29) ng/mL in acupoint Tuina group was obviously higher than that of (320.06 +/- 187.55) ng/mL in control group, there were much more parturient with sufficient milk in acupoint Tuina group after treatment, and the time start to lactate was earlier than that of control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The acupoint Tuina is good for parturient to lactate early and lactate more, it is necessary to make further research.</p>

Clinical study on professor Wu Lian-zhong's experience in acupuncture treatment for facial paralysis / 中国针灸

This paper introduce the professor WU Lian-zhong's clinical experience in acupuncture treatment for facial paralysis. Professor WU emphasizes the treatment based on syndrome differentiation. The appropriate theory, method, prescription and acupoints should be applied according to observing the subtle details of syndromes and differentiating the state of diseases development, so as to obtain effectiveness, to shorten the duration of treatment course and to reduce sequelae. The concrete methods of prognosis diagnosis for facial paralysis and three effective cases are introduced.

Research on Tuina treatment for postpartum hypolactation / 中国针灸

In this paper, the TCM typing of postpartum hypolactation is introduced and the manipulation and duration of Tuina treatment for postpartum hypolactation are summarized, and the effectiveness index used in Tuina treatment is proposed. It is held that the Tuina therapy will be widely used for treatment of the postpartum hypolactation, and the convenient and effective Tuina manipulation will promote the development of postpartum nursing and will be used in gynecology department and enlarge the therapeutic range of the Tuina therapy.

Features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in malignant lymphoma after treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the typical features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging in malignant lymphoma after treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten patients with malignant lymphoma after different treatment cycles were examined with contrast-enhanced sonography, including 21 lymphnodes (in the neck, space of iliac blood vessels, retroperitoneum) and 7 spleen infiltrations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The blood flow pattern distribution in lymph node before freatment was significantly different from that after trentment showed either by color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) or by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS, P < 0.05), and the difference in splenic lesion was shown by CEUS (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging is a valuable tool for the follow-ups of malignant lymphoma after chemotherapy and guiding subsequent treatment.</p>

Regulatory effect of Chinese herbal compound for detoxifying and activating blood circulation on expression of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in aorta of apolipoprotein E gene knocked-out mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the regulatory effect of Chinese herbal compound for detoxifying and activating blood circulation on expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in aorta of apolipoprotein E gene knocked-out (ApoE (-/-)) mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ApoE (-/-) mice of 13-week old were divided into two groups and fed with normal diet (Group A) and hyperlipidemic diet (Group B) respectively, the latter was subdivided into 7 groups as Group B1 - 7. Besides, a normal control group was set up with C57BL/6J mice. The drugs used for intervention were polydatin (PD, with 26.6 mg/kg as one dose) for detoxifying and Xiongshao Capsule (XC, with 110 mg/kg as one dose) for activating blood circulation respectively. The intervention was started 19 weeks later by treated Group B1 with PD one dose daily, Group B2 with XC one dose daily, Group B3 with PD and XC each 2 doses daily, Group B4 with PD and XC each one dose daily, Group B5 with PD and XC each half dose daily, Group B6 with lovastatin. To the Group B 7 (as a hyperlipidemia model group) as well as Group A and the normal control group, normal saline was given. After 17 weeks of intervention, the expressions of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in aorta of mice were determined with immunohistochemical assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Expressions of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in aorta and sclerotic plaque were higher in group B7 than those in the normal control group, which were lowered in group B1 - 6 (P < 0.01), and the optimal effect was shown in group B3 (P <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combined use of Chinese herbal medicine for detoxifying and activating blood circulation could reduce expression of NF-kappaB and MMP-9 in aorta of ApoE (-/-) mice, and the effect of the combination of the two was superior to that of use either of them.</p>