Efficacy of Hypertonic Dextrose Proliferation Therapy for the Treatment of Rotator Cuff Lesions: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: One of the most prevalent disorders of the shoulder is rotator cuff tendinosis, which is a major contributor to shoulder discomfort and shoulder joint dysfunction. Rotator cuff tendinosis occurs in 0.3% to 5.5% of people worldwide and is diagnosed in 0.5% to 7.4% of people in China annually. We performed a meta-analysis to assess whether hypertonic dextrose proliferation therapy, a form of prolotherapy, improves the well-being of patients with rotator cuff injuries. Methods: We screened the literature by searching the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for the search terms prolotherapy, hypertonic dextrose, and rotator cuff. We identified and evaluated studies that treated individuals with rotator cuff lesions with hypertonic dextrose proliferation therapy (intervention) or a placebo (control). The outcome measures for patients with rotator cuff lesions were the visual analog scale score, the shoulder pain and disability index, and other metrics. These metrics were used to evaluate the effects of hypertonic dextrose proliferation therapy on individuals with rotator cuff diseases by meta-analysis. Results: The meta-analysis used data from 6 studies. In the 6 studies, the visual analog scale scores improved in the intervention and control categories, with greater improvement for the intervention category compared with the control category (standardized mean difference [SMD], 1.10 [95% CI, 0.37-1.83]; P = .04). In the studies that measured other outcomes, greater improvement for the intervention category compared with the control category was seen for the shoulder pain and disability index score (SMD, 8.13 [95% CI, 5.34-10.91]; P < .01), flexion (SMD, 5.73 [95% CI, 0.99-10.47]; P < .01), and abduction (SMD, 6.49 [95% CI, 0.66-12.31]; P < .05). There were no statistically significant differences of internal rotation between the intervention and control categories (SMD, -1.74 [95% CI, -4.25 to 0.78]; P = .18) and external rotation (SMD, 2.78 [95% CI, -0.13 to 5.69]; P = .06). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that individuals with rotator cuff injuries may benefit from hypertonic dextrose proliferation therapy based on the visual analog scale score, the shoulder pain and disability index score, flexion, and abduction. These results must, nevertheless, be supported by high-caliber follow-up research.

Electroacupuncture Improves Learning and Memory Abilities via Activating AMPK/mTOR-Induced Autophagy in APP/PS1 Mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a global public health problem characterized by memory and cognitive impairments. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been indicated to exert promising therapeutic effects on AD. This study aimed to further investigate the underlying mechanism of EA in AD treatment. APP/PS1 transgenic mice and wide-type mice underwent with or without EA treatment at GV20 and BL23 acupoints. Morris water maze test was utilized for examining the learning and memory of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin, Congo red, immunofluorescence, and TUNEL staining were employed for detecting the pathological changes of mouse brain hippocampus. Western blotting was implemented for measuring protein levels of autophagy- and AMPK/mTOR pathway-associated markers. APP/PS1 mice exhibited significant impairments in the spatial learning and memory. EA treatment improved the cognitive impairments, reduced amyloid-beta (Aß) deposition, and alleviated neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal tissues of APP/PS1 mice. EA promoted autophagy and activated the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. EA improves the cognitive deficits, enhances Aß clearance, and attenuates neuronal apoptosis in APP/PS1 mice in part by activating AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy.

Spinal Fixed-point Rotating Reduction for Treatment of Facet Joint Disorders.

Context: Facet joint disorder is a series of clinical syndromes that lumbar trauma or degenerative disease can cause, and it can result in lumbar pain and restricted movement. Despite use of conventional Western and traditional Chinese treatments, patients can still experience many clinical symptoms, with no effective improvements in lumbar-spine movement or quality of life. Objective: The study intended to investigate the effects of spinal, fixed-point, rotating reduction on the pain levels and daily living abilities of patients with facet joint disorders. Design: The research team performed a prospective, randomized controlled study. Setting: The study took place at Wuhan Central Hospital, Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. Participants: Participants were 88 patients with facet joint disorders who had been admitted to the hospital between June 2021 and August 2022. Intervention: The research team randomly divided participants into two groups, with 44 participants in each group, using the numerical table method: (1) the intervention group, who received treatment using the spinal, fixed-point, rotating reduction method, and (2) the control group, treated who received treatment using conventional tui-na, acupuncture, and traction. Outcome Measures: The research team measured changes: (1) in pain, (2) in lumbar mobility, (3) in lumbar-spine function, and (4) in daily living abilities. Results: In the comparisons between the groups at baseline, no significant differences existed: (1) in pain levels (P = .656); (2) in forward flexion (P = .982), extension (P = .887), lateral flexion (P = .408), or rotation (P = .888); (3) in the scores for clinical symptoms (P = .982), subjective symptoms (P = .887), or limitations in daily activities (P = .408); or (4) in the scores for daily living abilities (P = .427). In the comparisons between the groups at two weeks postintervention, the intervention group's: (1) pain levels were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < .001); (2) forward flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation were significantly higher than those of the control group (all P < .001); (3) scores for clinical symptoms, subjective symptoms, and limitations in daily activities were significantly better than those of the control group (all P < .001); and (4) scores for daily living abilities were subjective higher than those of the control group (P < .001). Conclusion: Spinal, fixed-point, rotating reduction can significantly relieve the pain of patients with facet joint disorders restore their lumbar spine mobility, improve their lumbar spine function, increase their ADL abilities, and facilitate patients' recovery. Practitioners can promote it in clinical practice.

Acupuncture for chronic sciatica: protocol for a multicenter randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Sciatica is a disabling condition causing considerable medical, social and financial implications. Currently, there is no recognised long-term effective treatment to alleviate sciatica. Acupuncture has been widely used for treating chronic pains with persistent analgesic effects. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for chronic sciatica with follow-up in 52 weeks. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicenter randomised sham-controlled trial. A total of 216 patients with chronic sciatica will be enrolled and randomly assigned to the acupuncture or sham acupuncture group. There will be 10 treatment sessions applied in 4 weeks with frequency decreased over time. Patients will complete follow-ups during 52 weeks. The primary outcomes are changes in leg pain intensity and disability from baseline to week 4. Secondary outcomes include back pain intensity, frequency and bothersomeness, quality of life, and global perceived effect. Adverse events will be recorded in detail. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval of this trial was granted from the ethics committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and all study centres (No. 2020BZYLL0803). Written informed consent will be obtained from enrolled patients. Trial results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2100044585 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, http://www.chictr.org.cn, registered on 24 March 2021); preresults.

Three flavanols delay starch digestion by inhibiting α-amylase and binding with starch.

The study aimed to reveal the different mechanisms of delaying starch digestion by ECG, EGCG and Procyanidin based on the perspective of α-amylase-flavanol interaction and starch-flavanol interaction. The interaction characteristics of flavanols with α-amylase were studied from five aspects: enzyme inhibition, kinetics, fluorescence quenching, circular dichroism (CD) and computer simulation. The IC50 of flavanols (ECG, EGCG and Procyanidin) against α-amylase were 172.21 ± 0.22, 732.15 ± 0.13 and 504.45 ± 0.19 µg/mL according to the results of α-amylase inhibition experiment, respectively. ECG and Procyanidin showed mixed inhibition against α-amylase, while EGCG showed non-competition against α-amylase. However, thermodynamic parameters，computer-based docking and dynamic simulation proved that ECG and EGCG-α-amylase complexs were mainly driven by van der Waals and hydrogen bonds, while Procyanidin-α-amylase complexs was driven by hydrophobic interaction. In addition, it was indicated, by means of starch­iodine complex spectroscopy, that flavanols inhibited the digestion of starch not only through bind with α-amylase but also through bind with starch. Thus, flavanols as a starch-based food additive have the potential to be employed as adjuvant therapy for diabetes.

Screening and identifying of α-amylase inhibitors from medicine food homology plants: Insights from computational analysis and experimental studies.

There is a growing interest in screening α-amylase inhibitors from natural products for application in the development of new antidiabetic drugs or functional foods. In this study, a structure-based virtual screening was applied to rapidly identify the α-amylase inhibitors from medicine food homology (MFH) plants. Similarity search, docking & scoring were used for further filter small molecules. As a result, 21 corresponding potential α-amylase inhibitors from MFH plants were obtained. And, six polyphenol compounds (curcumin, procyanidins, epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), hesperidin, and puerarin) were highlighted for further verification after a thorough assessment of the classification of hit molecules as well as docking scores. The results of the enzyme inhibition test showed that ECG, EGCG, and procyanidins had the better binding ability of α-amylase among these six polyphenols. The Ki values of ECG, EGCG, and procyanidins on α-amylase were 0.70, 1.68, and 0.24, respectively. The CD spectra results indicated that the three polyphenols can cause conformational changes in α-amylase. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: A structure-based virtual screening method for rapid identifying α-amylase inhibitors from MFH plants was developed successfully in this study. These findings suggested that natural polyphenols such as ECG, EGCG, and procyanidins may be a potential inhibitor of α-amylase which could be used as a nutrient supplement for the prevention of diabetes mellitus or can be further used in the development of hypoglycemic drugs. At the same time, it can provide theoretical guidance for the better utilization and development of medicine food homology plants containing these potential α-amylase inhibitors. Moreover, this work may provide ideas and references for the screening of other target protein inhibitors.

Inhibitory mechanisms and interaction of tangeretin, 5-demethyltangeretin, nobiletin, and 5-demethylnobiletin from citrus peels on pancreatic lipase: Kinetics, spectroscopies, and molecular dynamics simulation.

This study aimed to reveal the interaction and inhibitory mechanisms of tangeretin (TAN), nobiletin (NBT), and their acidic hydroxylated forms, 5-demethyltangeretin (5-DT) and 5-demethylnobiletin (5-DN) on porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) using spectroscopic techniques and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. PPL inhibition assay showed that the inhibitory activity of NBT (IC50 value of 3.60 ± 0.19 µM) was superior to those of three polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), indicating it may be related to the methoxy groups at the 3'-position in its molecular structure. Inhibition kinetic analyses demonstrated that the inhibition types of the 4 PMFs were consistent with the mixed inhibition model, which agreed well with the results from the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular docking, and MD simulation that PMFs could bind to the PPL catalytic site and non-catalytic site, affecting the normal spatial conformation of PPL and weakening its ability to decompose the substrate. All these findings suggest that PMFs are a kind of natural lipase inhibitors, and NBT has the potential as a lipase inhibition precursor because of its unique flavone skeleton structure.

Dummy template surface molecularly imprinted polymers based on silica gel for removing imidacloprid and acetamiprid in tea polyphenols.

Dummy template surface molecularly imprinted polymers based on silica gel were prepared through the surface molecular imprinting technique. Nonpoisonous nicotinamide, which is a structural analogue of imidacloprid and acetamidine, was chosen as the dummy template molecule. The obtained polymers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the polymers exhibited high adsorption capacity and selectivity for imidacloprid and acetamiprid. The maximum adsorption capacities of the polymers toward imidacloprid and acetamiprid were 42.05 and 22.99 mg/g, and the adsorption could reach binding equilibrium within 150 min. The polymers were successfully applied as column-filling materials to extract imidacloprid and acetamiprid from tea polyphenols with a relatively high removal rate (92.36 and 95.20%). The polymers also showed great stability and reusability during the application. The obtained polymers possessed good application prospects for removing imidacloprid and acetamiprid in tea polyphenol production processes.

Effects of intensity of electroacupuncture on chronic pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is impaired in people with chronic pain such as knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The purpose of this randomized, controlled clinical trial was to investigate whether strong electroacupuncture (EA) was more effective on chronic pain by strengthening the CPM function than weak EA or sham EA in patients with KOA. METHODS: In this multicenter, three-arm parallel, single-blind randomized controlled trial, 301 patients with KOA were randomly assigned. Patients were randomized into three groups based on EA current intensity: strong EA (> 2 mA), weak EA (< 0.5 mA), and sham EA (non-acupoint). Treatments consisted of five sessions per week, for 2 weeks. Primary outcome measures were visual analog scale (VAS), CPM function, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). RESULTS: Three hundred one patients with KOA were randomly assigned, among which 271 (90.0%) completed the study (mean age 63.93 years old). One week of EA had a clinically important improvement in VAS and WOMAC but not in CPM function. After 2 weeks treatment, EA improved VAS, CPM, and WOMAC compared with baseline. Compared with sham EA, weak EA (3.8; 95% CI 3.45, 4.15; P < .01) and strong EA (13.54; 95% CI 13.23, 13.85; P < .01) were better in improving CPM function. Compared with weak EA, strong EA was better in enhancing CPM function (9.73; 95% CI 9.44, 10.02; P < .01), as well as in reducing VAS and total WOMAC score. CONCLUSION: EA should be administered for at least 2 weeks to exert a clinically important effect on improving CPM function of KOA patients. Strong EA is better than weak or sham EA in alleviating pain intensity and inhibiting chronic pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( ChiCTR-ICR-14005411 ), registered on 31 October 2014.

Effects of Acupuncture on Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence from Neuroimaging Studies.

As the worldwide population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases. However, the results of promising medications have been unsatisfactory. Chinese acupuncture has a long history of treating dementia, but lack of evidence from well-designed randomized controlled trials that validate its efficacy and safety, as well as its lack of clear underlying mechanisms, contribute to its limited application in clinical practice. In recent years, brain imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, have been used to assess brain responses to acupuncture in a dynamic, visual, and objective way. These techniques are frequently used to explore neurological mechanisms of responses to acupuncture in AD and provide neuroimaging evidence as well as starting points to elucidate the possible mechanisms. This review summarizes the existing brain imaging evidence that explains the effects of acupuncture for AD and analyzes brain responses to acupuncture at cognitive-related acupoints [Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Taixi (KI 3)] from perspectives of acupoint specificity and acupoint combinations. Key issues and directions to consider in future studies are also put forward. This review should deepen our understanding of how brain imaging studies can be used to explore the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in AD.

[Effects on cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type and the concentrations of plasma NPY and UII in the patients treated with the modified acupuncture at unilateral/bilateral Renying (ST 9)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects on cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type (CSA) between the modified acupuncture and the routine acupuncture at unilateral/bilateral Renying (ST 9) as well as the impacts on the concentrations of plasma neuropeptide Y (NPY) and urotensinⅡ(UⅡ) in the patients. METHODS: A total of 160 patients were divided into a modified bilateral acupuncture group, a modified unilateral acupuncture group, a routine bilateral acupuncture group and a routine unilateral acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one according to the random number table. In the modified bilateral acupuncture group, the modified acupuncture was applied bilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the modified unilateral acupuncture group, the modified acupuncture was applied unilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the routine bilateral acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture was applied bilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the routine unilateral acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture was applied unilaterally to Renying (ST 9). The treatment was given once every day, continuously for 6 days as one course. Two courses of treatment were required at the interval of 1 day. In each group, before and after treatment, we observed the peak systolic blood flow velocity (Vs) of the vertebral artery (VA) and the basilar artery (BA), cervical vertigo symptoms and functional assessment scales (ESCV) and the concentration of plasma NPY and UⅡ. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared among the groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the modified bilateral acupuncture group was 90.0% (36/40), which was better than 80.0% (32/40) in the modified unilateral acupuncture group, 77.5% (35/40) in the routine bilateral acupuncture group and 65.0% (26/40) in the routine unilateral acupuncture group (all P<0.05). After treatment, Vs of VA and BA was improved remarkably in every group (all P<0.01), and the result in the modified bilateral acupuncture group was higher than those in the other groups (all P<0.01). After treatment, ESCV scores were all increased remarkably in every group (all P<0.01). ESCV score and improvement index in the modified bilateral acupuncture group were all higher than those in the other groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the concentrations of plasma NPY and UⅡ were all reduced remarkably in every group (all P<0.01) and the differences were significant among the groups (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The modified bilateral acupuncture at Renying (ST 9) effectively regulates the blood supply of the vertebral basilar artery and improves the cerebral circulation. The effects are superior to those of the unilateral acupuncture at Renying (ST 9).

Occurrence, biological activity and metabolism of 6-shogaol.

As one of the main bioactive compounds of dried ginger, 6-shogaol has been widely used to alleviate many ailments. It is also a major pungent flavor component, and its precursor prior to dehydration is 6-gingerol, which is reported to be responsible for the pungent flavor and biological activity of fresh ginger. Structurally, gingerols including 6-gingerol have a ß-hydroxyl ketone moiety and is liable to dehydrate to generate an α,ß-unsaturated ketone under heat and/or acidic conditions. The conjugation of the α,ß-unsaturated ketone skeleton in the chemical structure of 6-shogaol explicates its higher potency and efficacy than 6-gingerol in terms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiemetic and other bioactivities. Research on the health benefits of 6-shogaol has been conducted and results have been reported recently; however, scientific data are scattered due to a lack of systematic collection. In addition, action mechanisms of the preventive and/or therapeutic actions of 6-shogaol remain obscurely non-collective. Herein, we review the preparations, biological activity and mechanisms, and metabolism of 6-shogaol as well as the properties of 6-shogaol metabolites.

Acupoint combinations used for treatment of Alzheimer's disease: A data mining analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the acupoint combinations used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: The clinical literature regarding acupuncture and moxibustion for AD was searched and collected from databases including Chinese Biomedical Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and PubMed. The database of acupuncture and moxibustion prescriptions for AD was established by using Excel software so as to conduct the descriptive analysis, association analysis on the data. RESULTS: Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Fengchi (GB 20), Taixi (KI 3), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenshu (BL 23), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenting (GV 24), Fenglong (ST 40), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Shuigou (GV 26) and Taichong (LR 3) were of higher frequency in the treatment of AD with acupnucture and moxibustion. Most acupoints were selected from the Governor Vessel. The commonly used acupoints were located on the head, face, neck and lower limbs. The combination of the local acupoints with the distal ones was predominated. The crossing points among the specific points presented the advantage in the treatment. The association analysis indicated that the correlation among Fengchi (GB 20)-Baihui (GV 20) was the strongest, followed by combinations of Dazhui (GV 14)-Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23)- Baihui (GV 20) and Neiguan (PC 6)- Baihui (GV 20) and indicated the common rules of the clinical acupoint selection and combination for AD. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide a reference for acupoints selection and combination for AD in clinical acupuncture practice.

Protective effects of polysaccharide from Dendrobium nobile against ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats.

Dendrobium nobile is a medicinal herb in traditional China and Southeast Asian countries. Employing a rat model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, we examined the protective effect of polysaccharide (JCP) extracted from Dendrobium nobile and explored the related mechanisms. Oral administration with 100mg/kg and 300mg/kg body weight JCP for days can significant prevent the formation of gastric ulcer. Moreover, JCP pretreatment could alleviate ethanol-induced histological damage, antioxidant activities, the level of epidermal growth factor, gastric concentration of prostaglandin E, and regulate the signaling pathways of mitogen-activated protein kinases and matrix metalloproteinases. This study investigated the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer protective effect of JCP for the first time, and elucidated that the protective mechanisms.

[Efficacy of Modified Acupuncture Method at Renying (ST 9) for Patients with Cervical Spondylosis of Vertebral Artery Type and Its Impact on Velocity of Cervical Blood Flow].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of modified acupuncture at Renying point (ST 9) for patients with cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type and its influence on velocity of cervical blood flow. METHODS: Fifty-nine cases of vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis were randomly divided into control group (n=30) and treatment group (n=29). Both groups were acupunctured at ST 9, with routine acupuncture technique used in the control group and modified technique in the treatment group, respectively. All cases received two courses of treatment, each course covered consecutive 6 once-per-day treatments. Before and after treatment, transcranial Doppler (TCD) was used to measure the systolic peak blood flow velocity (Vs) of left vertebral artery (LVA), right vertebral artery (RVA) and basilar artery (BA), and the scores of "cervical vertigo symptoms and functional assessment scale" (CVSFAS) were also assessed, separately. RESULTS: CVSFAS scoring, Vs of LVA, RVA and BA after treatment showed significant improvement compared with those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). The efficacy of the treatment group in the above mentioned indexes was superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the treatment group was 93.1% (27/29), superior to 70.0% (21/30) of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The modified acupuncture method at ST 9 is clinically effective in the treatment of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type via increasing the Vs of vertebral-basilar artery, improving the local blood circulation and relieving pain.

Optimization of PEG-based extraction of polysaccharides from Dendrobium nobile Lindl. and bioactivity study.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a green solvent was employed to extract polysaccharide. The optimal conditions for PEG-based ultrasonic extraction of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. polysaccharide (JCP) were determined by response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions: extraction temperature of 58.5°C; ultrasound power of 193W, and the concentration of polyethylene glycol-200 (PEG-200) solution of 45%, the highest JCP yield was obtained as 15.23±0.57%, which was close to the predicted yield, 15.57%. UV and FT-IR analysis revealed the general characteristic absorption peaks of both JCP with water extraction (JCPw) and PEG-200 solvent extraction (JCPp). Thermal analysis of both JCPs was performed with Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Antioxidant activities of two polysaccharides were also compared and no significant difference in vitro was obtained.

Hypolipidemic Activity of Peony Seed Oil Rich in α-Linolenic, is Mediated Through Inhibition of Lipogenesis and Upregulation of Fatty Acid ß-Oxidation.

Peony seed oil (PSO) is a new resource food rich in α-Linolenic Acid(ALA) (38.66%). The objective of this study was to assess the modulatory effect of PSO on lipid metabolism. Lard oil, safflower oil (SFO), and PSO were fed to wistar rats with 1% cholesterol in the diet for 60 d. Serum and liver lipids showed significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in PSO fed rats compared to lard oil and SFO fed rats. ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), contents were significantly increased, whereas linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA) levels decreased in serum and liver of PSO fed rats. Feeding PSO increased ALA level and decreased n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio. The hypolipidemic result of PSO indicated that PSO participated in the regulation of plasma lipid concentration and cholesterol metabolism in liver. The decreased expression of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 1C (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS)-reduced lipid synthesis; Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor (PPARα) accompanied by increase of uncoupling protein2 (UP2) and acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) stimulated lipid metabolism and exerted an antiobesity effect via increasing energy expenditure for prevention of obesity.

Hypocholesterolaemic mechanism of bitter melon aqueous extracts via inhibition of pancreatic cholesterol esterase and reduction of cholesterol micellar solubility.

This study investigated the hypocholesterolaemic effects of bitter melon aqueous extracts (BMAE) in vitro, the inhibitory effects of BMAE on pancreatic cholesterol esterase (CEase) and incorporation of cholesterol into micelles were investigated. BMAE decreased the in vitro micellar solubility of cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner. The conformation of CEase was investigated by means of circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence. The result revealed the decrease of α-helix contents, increase of ß-sheet and exposure of aromatic amino acid residuals. The incorporation of cholesterol into micelles was inhibited by BMAE. A complex was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicated interaction between cholesterol and BMAE. The result revealed that BMAE can play a role in decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition of CEase, and of micelle formation.

[Observation on clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment on functional dyspepsia based on syndrome differentiation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy difference in treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) between syndrome differentiation based acupuncture and ordinary acupuncture. METHODS: Seventy FD patients were assigned to a syndrome differentiation based acupuncture group (Group A) and an ordinary acupuncture group (Group B) by Excel Software randomization. Zhongwan (RN12 ), Tianshu (ST25), and Zusanli (ST36) were needled as main points for patients in Group A. Meanwhile, different combined acupoints were needled according to syndrome differentiation. Only the same main points were needled for patients in Group B. All patients were needled once per day, 30 min each time, 6 days as one treatment cycle, 2 treatment cycles in total. Fasting serum levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were determined before treatment and after 2 treatment cycles. 36-item Short-form Heath Survey (SF-36) and Nepean Dyspepsia Index [NDI, including Nepean Dyspepsia Symptom Index (NDSI) and Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index (NDLQI)] were assessed before treatment, after 2 treatment cycles, and one month after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment in the same group, serum levels of GAS and MLT increased in the two groups after 2 treatment cycles (P <0. 05), but changes were more obvious in Group A (P <0. 05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, SF-36 and NDLQI score increased, and NDSI score decreased in the two groups after 2 treatment cycles and 1 month after treatment (all P <0. 05). Compared with Group B, SF-36 and NDLQI score increased in Group A after 2 treatment cycles and 1 month after treatment (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). But NDSI score at 1 month after treatment was lower in Group A than in Group B (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Syndrome differentiation based acupuncture could evidently improve dyspeptic symptoms of FD patients, and significantly improve their quality of life with remarkable curative effect.

Electroacupuncture inhibits chronification of the acute pain of knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) has a significant effect on acute pain, but it has not solved the clinical problem of the chronification of acute pain. Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) function as a reliable indicator to predict the risk of chronic pain events. DNIC function in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients has been demonstrated to gradually decrease during the development of chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized, controlled clinical trial to determine if EA can repair impaired DNIC function and thus prevent chronification of the acute pain of KOA. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a multicenter, single blind, randomized, controlled, three-arm, large-scale clinical trial. A total of 450 KOA patients will be randomly assigned to three groups. The strong EA group will receive EA with high-intensity current (2 mA < current < 5 mA) at the ipsilateral 'Neixiyan' (EX-LE5), 'Dubi'(ST35), 'Liangqiu'(ST34) and 'Xuehai' (SP10). The weak EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) on the same acupoints. The sham EA group will receive EA with low-intensity current (0 mA < current < 0.5 mA) with fine needles inserted superficially into the sites 2 cm lateral to the above acupoints. The patients will be treated with EA once a day, 30 minutes per session, in 5 sessions per week, for 2 weeks. In order to determine the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention, patients within the treatment groups also will be divided into four stages. The primary outcomes are Visual Analog Scale (VAS), DNIC function and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Clinical assessments will be evaluated at baseline (before treatment) and after 5 to 10 sessions of treatment. DISCUSSION: This trial will be helpful in identifying whether strong EA is more effective than weak EA in reversing chronification of acute pain through repairing the impaired DNIC function and in screening for the best stage of KOA for effective EA intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Number: ChiCTR-ICR-14005411. The date of registration is 31 October 2014.