Immediate analgesic effect of electroacupuncture combined with diclofenac sodium on acute gouty arthritis: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the immediate analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with diclofenac sodium on acute gouty arthritis (AGA).@*METHODS@#A total of 90 patients with AGA were randomly divided into a low-dose medication (LM) group (30 cases, 1 case was eliminated, 1 case dropped off), a conventional medication (CM) group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a combination of acupuncture and medication (AM) group (30 cases ). The LM group was given oral administration of 50 mg diclofenac sodium sustained-release capsule; the CM group was given oral administration of 100 mg diclofenac sodium sustained-release capsule; on the basis of the treatment of LM group, the AM group was treated with electroacupuncture at ashi points, Dadu (SP 2), Taichong (LR 3), Taibai (SP 3), Neiting (ST 44), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) on the affected side, and Taichong (LR 3) and Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) were connected to electroacupuncture respectively, continuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of pain before treatment and after 10 min, 2 h, 4 h and 6 h of treatment completion, joint tenderness and swelling scores before treatment and after 10 min and 6 h of treatment completion were compared, and the rate of diclofenac sodium addition within 24 h after treatment completion was recorded among the three groups.@*RESULTS@#After 10 min of treatment completion, the scores of VAS, joint tenderness and joint swelling in the AM group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the VAS score in the AM group was lower than that in the other two groups (P<0.05). After 2, 4 and 6 h of treatment completion, the VAS scores of the three groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores in the AM group were lower than those in the LM group (P<0.05). After 6 h of treatment completion, the joint tenderness scores of the three groups and the joint swelling scores of the AM group and the CM group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the joint tenderness and swelling scores of the AM group were lower than those of the LM group (P<0.05). The rate of diclofenac sodium addition was 3.3 % (1/30) and 3.4 % (1/29) in the AM group and the CM group, respectively, which were lower than 17.9% (5/28) in the LM group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture combined with diclofenac sodium have a good immediate analgesic effect in the treatment of AGA, and have the advantages of small dosage of analgesic drugs and less adverse reactions.

Sensitivity baseline establishment and resistance risk assessment of Botrytis cinerea from Panax ginseng to prochloraz / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to establish the baseline sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea from Panax ginseng to prochloraz, and ensure the fitness of prochloraz-resistant mutants and the cross-resistance of B. cinerea to prochloraz and commonly used fungicides for the prevention and control of gray mold including boscalid, pyraclostrobin, iprodione, and pyrimethanil. The sensitivity of B. cinerea from P. ginseng to fungicides was determined by the mycelial growth rate method. The prochloraz-resistant mutants were screened out through fungicide domestication and ultraviolet(UV) induction. The fitness of resistant mutants was determined through the stability of subculture, mycelial growth rate, and pathogenicity test. The cross-resistance between prochloraz and the four fungicides was determined by Person correlation analysis. The results showed that all B. cinerea strains tested were sensitive to prochloraz, and the EC_(50) value ranged from 0.004 8 to 0.062 9 μg·mL~(-1), with an average of 0.022 μg·mL~(-1). The sensitivity frequency distribution diagram showed that 89 B. cinerea strains were located within the main peak with a continuous single peak curve, and the average EC_(50) value of 0.018 μg·mL~(-1) was taken as the baseline sensitivity of B. cinerea to prochloraz. The fungicide domestication and UV induction obtained 6 resistant mutants, among which 2 strains were unstable and the other 2 strains showed decreased resistance after multiple generations of culture. Furthermore, the mycelial growth rate and spore yield of all resistant mutants were lower than those of their parents, and the pathogenicity of most mutants was lower than that of their parents. In addition, prochloraz had no obvious cross-resistance with boscalid, pyraclostrobin, iprodione, and pyrimethanil. In conclusion, prochloraz has great potential for controlling gray mold in P. ginseng, and the resistance risk of B. cinerea to prochloraz is low.

Research progress in the theoretical connotation and mechanism of the eliminating dampness-heat method for the treatment of chronic kidney disease / 国际中医中药杂志

This article aimed to explore the theoretical connotation and mechanism of clearing damp-heat method in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD), provide theoretical support for clearing damp-heat method in the treatment of chronic kidney disease, and further explain the modern scientific connotation of "damp-heat impairing kidney". Modern Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that damp-heat is an important pathogenesis of kidney damage. Clearing damp-heat method plays a key role in inhibiting CKD immune inflammatory response, improving oxidative stress and antagonizing renal fibrosis. The mechanism is mainly related to the regulation of TNF-α level, blocking NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibiting inflammatory cytokines, antagonizing TGF-β1 secretion and other pathways.

Prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis by Panax Notoginseng Saponins Combined with Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin in Surgical Patients / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prevention among real-world surgical inpatients who received panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) combined with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH).@*METHODS@#A prospective cohort study was conducted among surgical patients between January 2016 and November 2018 in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Participants received LMWH alone or PNS combined with LMWH for preventing DVT. The primary outcome was incidence of lower extremity DVT, which was screened once a week. Participants in the LMWH group were given LMWH (enoxaparin) via hypodermic injection, 4000-8000 AxalU once daily. Participants in the exposure group received PNS (Xuesaitong oral tablets, 100 mg, 3 times daily) combined with LMWH given the same as LMWH group.@*RESULTS@#Of the 325 patients screened for the study, 281 participants were included in the final analysis. The cohort was divided into PNS + LMWH group and LMWH group with 134 and 147 participants, respectively. There was a significant difference of DVT incidence between two groups (P=0.01), with 21 (15.7%) incident DVT in the PNS + LMWH group, and 41 (27.9%) incident DVT in the LMWH group. Compared with participants without DVT, the participants diagnosed with DVT were older and had higher D-dimer level. The multivariate logistic regression model showed a significant lower risk of incident DVT among participants in the PNS + LMWH group compared with the LMWH group (odds ratio 0.46, 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.86). There were no significant differences in thromboelaslography values (including R, K, Angle, and MA) and differences in severe bleeding between two groups. No symptomatic pulmonary embolism occurred during the study.@*CONCLUSION@#Combined application of PNS and LMWH can effectively reduce the incidence of DVT among surgical inpatients compared with LMWH monotherapy, without increased risk of bleeding.

Overview of systematic reviews of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules / 中国中药杂志

At present, there have been many clinical trials and systematic reviews/Meta-analysis proving the good clinical efficacy of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules in the treatment of respiratory diseases, while comprehensive discussion is still required. This article overviews and analyzes the systematic reviews/Meta-analysis of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules to provide evidence support for clinical practice. The systematic reviews/Meta-analysis of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules were searched from CBM, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library. The AMSTAR 2 scale and GRADE system were respectively employed for the evaluation of methodological quality and the grading of evidence quality. Finally, 8 systematic reviews/Meta-analysis published during 2018-2021 were included for analysis. The diseases involved include acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, community-acquired pneumonia, acute tonsillitis, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and acute upper respiratory tract infection. The number of included RCTs studies ranged from 8 to 25. The results showed that Shufeng Jiedu Capsules combined with western medicine routine had better therapeutic effect than the latter alone in the treatment of the above five diseases. The reported adverse reactions caused by Shufeng Jiedu Capsules were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts such as mild nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, with low incidence and mild symptoms, which can be relieved by drug withdrawal. The methodological quality of the included studies was extremely low, and the outcome indicators were mainly of low and very low grades. The efficacy and safety of Shufeng Jiedu Capsules in the clinical treatment of diseases still need to be verified based on more high-quality studies. The relevant clinical research and systematic review/Meta-analysis should pay more attention to methodological quality and reporting standards and strengthen the scientificity of research.

Progress on acupuncture intervention for perioperative stress response / 中国针灸

To summarize the application value of acupuncture in perioperative stress response. Perioperative acupuncture can not only effectively relieve pain and stress response during operation, but also relieve psychological stress response represented by preoperative anxiety before operation, and regulate adaptive immune response after operation. Acupuncture, as a safe non-drug therapy, shows its core advantage of participating in the multidisciplinary intervention of enhance recovery after surgery (ERAS). The future studies need to explore and evaluate the role of acupuncture during perioperative period from multiple dimensions, and gradually reveal the mechanism of acupuncture while establishing the evidence-based basis for acupuncture during perioperative period.

Formation of neutrophil extracellular traps and their effects on autoimmune diseases / 中国中药杂志

Neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) are networks of extracellular fibers primarily composed of DNA, histones, granular proteins, and cytoplasmic proteins and released to the outside of cells by neutrophils under the stimulation of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, etc. NETs are generated in two forms, suicidal NETs and vital NETs, according to different stimuli. NETs have both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects. On the one hand, they can play the anti-microbial role to resist inflammation by capturing, fixing, and killing invading pathogens, which is a special way for neutrophils to exert host defenses. On the other hand, in case of excessive formation or insufficient elimination, they can cause tissue damage directly, and also promote the release of inflammatory factors by recruiting other pro-inflammatory cells or proteins to further expand the inflammatory response, which is related to the pathologies of many diseases. In autoimmune diseases, NETs as important sources of autoantigens, can act as danger-associated molecular patterns( DAMPs) and activate the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain leucine-rich repeats containing pyrin domain 3(NLRP3) inflammasome and complement system, thereby breaking self-tolerance and accelerating autoimmune inflammation. In addition, NETs can also activate other immune cells(such as B cells, antigen-presenting cells, and T cells) and regulate the acquired immune response. The present study reviewed the correlation of NETs with diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), rheumatoid arthritis(RA), and gouty arthritis(GA) to reveal the effect of dynamic balance between formation and clearance of NETs in autoimmune diseases and provide a theoretical basis for the investigation of underlying mechanisms and targeted therapies of traditional Chinese medicine.

Puerarin ameliorates depressive symptoms in diabetic mice induced by high-fat diet / 药学学报

Our previous studies have shown that puerarin, an active component of the traditional Chinese medicine-Pueraria Lobata, can improve glycometabolism in high-fat diet (HFD) mice with diabetes by activating the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) pathway. This study intends to further evaluate the effect of puerarin on depressive symptoms in HFD mice. Long-term HFD induces type 2 diabetes and depressive-like symptoms in mice. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval No. AEWC-025). The experiment was divided into: control group, model group, model/puerarin (150 mg·kg-1·day-1) group, and model/fluoxetine (15 mg·kg-1·day-1) group. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and behavioral experimental analysis were performed after 6 weeks of continuous administration. Afterwards, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and corticosterone (CORT) in serum of mice for each group. Western blot assays were used to detect the level of activation and expression of proteins related to neuroplasticity and depressive disorder in the hippocampus. Moreover, HT-22 cell line was used to investigate the protective effect of puerarin on cell morphology and survival. The results show that puerarin can effectively maintain the survival of HT22 in an environment with high glucose and corticosterone. Meantime, the glycemic regulation of diabetic mice was improved after treatment of puerarin, the depressive symptoms were alleviated, the 5-HT increased, and the corticosterone, IL-1β, and IL-6 decreased in the serum. The up-regulation of related proteins in GLP-1R/Wnt/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling in hippocampus suggests that its effect on ameliorating depression in diabetic mice may be related to the activation of GLP-1R/Wnt/mTOR signaling pathway. This study shows that puerarin can significantly ameliorate the depressive symptoms of HFD induced diabetic mice which might be achieved through activating the GLP-1R/Wnt/mTOR signaling pathway and improving hippocampal neuroplasticity.

Correlation between internal damage due to seven emotions in traditional Chinese medicine and pathogenesis of breast cancer from perspective of psychological stress / 中国中药杂志

Breast cancer is a major chronic disease threatening women's health. It has topped the global cancers as the diagnosed cases outnumbered lung cancer patients in 2020. Internal damage due to the seven emotions is an important cause of breast cancer and the disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis and endocrine system and the abnormal immune defense mechanism in response to psychological stress all affect the occurrence and development of breast cancer. It is noteworthy that the theory of seven emotions in traditional Chinese medicine and the psychological stress theory of modern medicine have something in common in some aspects. Therefore, this study explored the correlation between internal damage due to the seven emotions and psychological stress and analyzed the molecular biological mechanisms of psychological stress influencing breast cancer from the perspective of modern medicine, which is helpful to reasonably prevent breast cancer and other related tumors and improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients through emotion regulation.

Analysis of Chemical Constitutions of Polygonatum cyrtonema Dried Rhizomes Before and After Processing with Wine Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To quickly analyze and identify the components in raw and wine-processed products of <italic>Polygonatum cyrtonema</italic> （PC） dried rhizomes by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MS）， and then find out the differential components before and after processing. Method:The ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈ column （2.1 mm×100 mm， 1.8 μm） was used with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution-acetonitrile as the mobile phase for gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.25 mL·min^-1. Electrospray ionization was selected for collection and detection in positive and negative ion modes， and the data were analyzed by PeakView 1.2.0.3. According to the retention time， accurate relative molecular weight and fragmentation ion information provided by MS， and combined with the reference substance and literature， the components were identified. After normalized treatment， the MS data of each sample were analyzed with principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）， and then the differential components before and after processing were screened according to the principle that variable importance in the projection （VIP） value was >1. Result:A total of 38 components were identified from raw and wine-processed products of PC dried rhizomes， including 15 steroidal saponins， 6 alkaloids， 3 flavonoids， 2 amino acids， 2 organic acids and 10 others. The results of PCA and OPLS-DA showed that there were significant differences in the contents of components in PC dried rhizomes before and after processing， and 16 differential components such as kingianoside Z， disporopsin and linoleic acid were screened. Conclusion:UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique can accurately and comprehensively identify the components in PC dried rhizomes， these components are mainly steroidal saponins， flavonoids and alkaloids. It takes a great difference in the contents of components before and after processing， and transformation of the same category components is the main reason for the differences of raw and wine-processed products， which will provide reference for the researches on material basis and processing chemistry of PC dried rhizomes.

Material Basis and Mechanism of Epimedii Folium Against Osteoporosis Based on Spectrum-Effect Relationship and Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To study the material basis and potential molecular mechanism of Epimedii Folium against osteoporosis. Method:The chemical components in 14 batches of Epimedii Folium were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）. With the activity of alkaline phosphatase （ALP） as the pharmacodynamic index，the partial least squares regression analysis （PLSR） was conducted to establish a model uncovering the spectrum-effect relationship between UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS spectral peak and ALP activity and screen the active components against osteoporosis. Online databases such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP），Comparative Toxicogenomics Database （CTD），Database for Annotation，Visualization，and Integrated Discovery （DAVID） and Cytoscape 3.6.1 were employed to predict the possible mechanism of action of Epimedii Folium against osteoporosis. Result:A total of 61 peaks and 56 compounds were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. PLSR showed that icariin，baohuoside Ⅰ，epimedin A，sagittatoside A，and baohuoside Ⅱ might be the active components for Epimedii Folium to inhibit osteoporosis considering their strong correlation with ALP activity. As revealed by the network pharmacological analysis of the five components mentioned above，Epimedii Folium<italic> </italic>mainly regulated seven targets such as tumor necrosis factor （TNF），androgen receptor （AR），and estrogen receptor 1 （ESR1） and eight key pathways like endocrine and other factor-regulated calcium reabsorption，vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） signaling pathway，and transient receptor potential （TRP） channels to exert its anti-osteoporosis effect. Conclusion:The exploration of material basis and potential molecular mechanism of Epimedii Folium against osteoporosis based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS，spectrum-effect relationship，and network pharmacology has provided an experimental basis for the scientific explanation and clinical application of Epimedii Folium in treating osteoporosis.

Clinical Efficacy of Modified Shengyutang in Treatment of Active Stage Psoriasis Vulgaris due to Qi and Blood Deficiency / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To study the clinical efficacy of modified Shengyutang on patients with active stage psoriasis vulgaris due to Qi and blood deficiency. Method:The 134 cases were randomly divided into control group and observation group， with 67 cases in each group. The control group was given avic a capsule + Danggui Buxuewan， while the observation group was given avic a capsule + modified Shengyutang for 4 weeks， respectively. The psoriasis area and severity index （PASI）， dermatological life quality index （DLQI） and psoriasis vulgaris due to Qi and blood deficiency syndrome were observed before and after treatment. The serum growth factor ［endothelial cell specific molecule-1 （ESM-1）， transforming growth factor-<italic>β</italic>₁（TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁）， vascular endothelial cell growth factor （VEGF）］， hemorheological indicators ［high cut blood viscosity （HBV）， low cut blood viscosity （LBV）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）］， CC cphenotype receptor（CCR）6， CC cphenotype ligand 20 （CCL20）， monocyte chemotactic protein-4 （MCP-4） in serum and tissue fluid of lesions were detected. Clinical efficacy and recurrence follow-up for 12 months were compared. The safety was evaluated between two groups. Result:Three cases in control group and one case in observation group fell off during the study period. The total effective rate was 96.97% （64/66） in observation group， which was higher than 81.25% （52/64） in control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=5.064， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. During the 12-month follow-up， the recurrence rate was 20.31% （13/64） in observation group， which was lower than 51.92% （27/52） in control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=6.038， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with control group after treatment， PASI， DLQI， TCM syndromes， ESM-1， TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁， VEGF， HBV， LBV， ESR， CCR6， CCL20 and MCP-4 in observation group were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. No obvious blood and urine routine， or heart， liver and renal dysfunction was observed in the two groups. The incidence of adverse reactions was 3.03% （2/66） in observation group， which was lower than 26.56% （17/64） in control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=5.764， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Modified Shengyutang can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with active stage psoriasis vulgaris due to Qi and blood deficiency， with a low recurrence rate and the incidence of adverse reactions.

Network Meta-analysis of 10 Kinds of Oral Chinese Patent Medicine Combined with Chemotherapy in Treatment of Gastric Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of 10 kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of gastric cancer in a network Meta-analysis. Method:PubMed，Embase，Web of Science，Cochrane Library，CNKI，China biomedical literature service system，VIP，Wanfang database were retrieved to obtain Chinese and English literatures published before March 1，2020. The randomized controlled trials（RCTs） and data were screened and extracted. The quality of the included literatures was also evaluated. The pair-work Meta-analysis was conducted by Revman 5.3 software， and the Meta-analysis were conducted by ADDIS 1.16.7 software. Result:A total of 41 randomized controlled trials were eventually involved. All of them were two-arm，including 10 oral Chinese patent medicines，Cinobufotalin，Jinlong capsule，Pingxiao capsule，Shenyi capsule，Xihuang pill （or capsule），Xiaoaiping tablet，Yangzheng Xiaoji capsule，Zhenqi Fuzheng granule combined with chemotherapy for gastric cancer. The effective rate for treating cancer was significantly higher than that of chemotherapy alone （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Zhenqi Fuzheng+chemotherapy was the best choice； the KPS improvement rate of Cinobufacin，Shenyi capsule，Yangzheng Xiaoji capsule，Zhenqi Fuzheng granule combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of gastric cancer was significantly increased（<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Shenyi capsule combined with chemotherapy might be the best regimen. The incidence rate of leukocyte decline was significantly lower in the treatment of gastric cancer（<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The combination of Zhenqi Fuzheng granule and chemotherapy was the best choice. Traditional Chinese medicine could not reduce the incidence of neurotoxicity（<italic>P></italic>0.05）. Cinobufufacin，Yangzheng Xiaoji capsule and Zhenqi Fuzheng granule combined with chemotherapy could increase CD4⁺/CD8⁺in patients with gastric cancer， which was significantly higher than that of chemotherapy alone（<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:All kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines can play a significantly role in the treatment of gastric cancer. Zhenqi Fuzheng granule，angzheng Xiaoji capsule and Shenyi capsule combined with chemotherapy are more effective in treating gastric cancer.

Molecular Mechanism of Modified Guizhi Fulingwan Intervention on Uterine Fibroids in Rats Based on micRNA Expression Profiling / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the molecular mechanism of modified Guizhi Fulingwan in rats with uterine fibroids. Method:Seventy-two female adult SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into a model group， a normal group， and a preventive administration group. The model group and preventive administration group were established by estrogen and progestin loading method. After successful modeling， the rats in the model group were randomly divided into a western medicine group （mifepristone）， the high-dose traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） group， and a low-dose TCM group. All the rats were dosing as required once a day for 28 consecutive days. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE）staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the uterus. The micRNA gene chip was used to detect the expression profile of uterine micRNA gene. Differential expressions of micRNA were screened by bioinformatics methods. Gene function enrichment was used to predict the possible signaling pathways in rats with uterine fibroids by modified Guizhi Fulingwan. Result:Compared with the normal group， microRNA of the model group was 1 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated. Compared with the model group， microRNA of the high-dose group of TCM group was 2 up-regulated and 1 down-regulated， in the preventive administration group， 9 was up-regulated and 2 was down-regulated. Gene function enrichment analysis indicated that four signaling pathways were closely related to uterine fibroids. They were mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway， Wnt signaling pathway， mammalian rapamycin target protein （mTOR） signaling pathway and vascular endothelial cell growth factor （VEGF） signaling pathway. Conclusion:Modified Guizhi Fulingwan affected the expression profile of micRNA in rat model of uterine fibroids induced by estrogen and progesterone， suggesting that modified Guizhi Fulingwan may involve in a variety of biological processes such as signal transduction and gene regulation in the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Effects of meditation therapy on fear of disease progress and mental health among acute myocardial infarction patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of meditation therapy on fear of disease progress and mental health among acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients.Methods:Totally, 120 cases of acute myocardial infarction patients admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University were divided into experimental group and control group according to the enrolled time. 60 patients with AMI treated from June to November 2018 served as the control group and 60 patients with AMI treated from January to May 2019 served as the experimental group. The patients in the control group received routine nursing, the experimental group carried out 4-week meditation therapy based on the routine nursing. Before and after intervention, the effect was assessed by Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), respectively.Results:After intervention, the physical health and social family function dimension scores in FoP-Q-SF as well as total FoP-Q-SF scores were (12.78±3.47), (10.45±2.44), (23.24±4.25) points, significantly lower than in the control group (14.33±2.72), (11.59±2.82), (25.91±3.89) points, the difference was statistically significant ( t values were 2.623, 2.277, 3.499, P<0.05); the scores of somatization, compulsion, anxiety, depression and total SCL-90 were (1.26±0.19), (1.42±0.23), (1.19±0.28), (1.20±0.16) and (121.81±9.59) points, significantly lower than (1.83±0.25), (1.68±0.37), (1.82±0.41), (1.71±0.33) and (145.85±9.12) points in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( t values were from 4.580 to 13.659, P<0.001). Conclusion:Meditation therapy can effectively decrease disease progress and promote mental health in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Chemical constituents of Psidium guajava and their antitumor and antifungal activities / 中国中药杂志

Twenty-six compounds, including sixteen meroterpenoids(1-16), a triterpenoid(17), four terpenoid derivatives(18-21), and five aromatic compounds(22-26), were isolated from the leaves of Psidium guajava. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analyses including NMR and MS. Compounds 21-26 were obtained from plants of Psidium for the first time. Based on the structure,(R)-2-ethylhexyl 2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylate(24 a), an α-glucosidase inhibitor recently isolated from Paramignya trimera, should be revised as compound 24. Meroterpenoids 1-16 were evaluated for their antitumor and antifungal activities. Meroterpenoids psiguajadial D(4), guapsidial A(5), 4,5-diepipsidial A(7), guadial A(14), and guadial B(15) showed cytotoxicities against five human tumor cell lines(HL-60, A-549, SMMC-7721, MCF-7, and SW-480), among which 5 was the most effective with an IC_(50) of 3.21-9.94 μmol·L~(-1).

Mechanism of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction in treating eczema by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology / 中国中药杂志

To study the molecular mechanism of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction in the treatment of eczema by means of network pharmacology and molecular docking. First, the TCMSP database was used to excavate the active ingredient of each drug in Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction and predict its target, and the Uniprot database was used to standardize the names of target proteins, in order to obtain the disease targets of eczema through GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb, DrugBank and other databases. And next, the potential targets on which drug targets and disease targets work together were selected to make a Venn diagram, the Cytoscape 3.6.1 software was used to screen out and construct the "active ingredient-core targets" network. STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, and the R language was used to perform GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Finally, the molecular docking verification of main active ingredients and core targets of the drug was performed by AutoDock software. The study showed that 74 active ingredients and 103 targets of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction for the treatment of eczema were screened. The main active ingredients included quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol, and the main targets included PTGS1, ESR1, PPARG, and MAPK3. In addition, eight key targets, including MAPK8, MAPK3, JUN, MAPK14, TP53, MAPK1, ESR1 and RELA, were calculated by PPI network. GO enrichment analysis involved 2 024 biological processes, 81 cell components, and 140 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to screen out 158 eczema-related pathways, which mainly acted on AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, virus-related pathways, and the results of molecular docking showed that the main active compounds could respectively bind to representative targets and exhibit a good affinity. The study proved that the treatment of eczema with Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction involved multiple signaling pathways and biological processes, and the combination of main active ingredients(such as quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol) and key targets(such as MAPK8, MAPK3, JUN, MAPK14, TP53, MAPK1, ESR1, RELA) may be one of the important mechanisms of action.

Study on mechanism of combination of Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus with homology of medicine and food in treating pneumonia / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the potential molecular mechanism of the combination of Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus with the homology of medicine and food in the treatment of pneumonia by means of network pharmacology and in vitro verification experiment. Under the condition of bioavailability(OB)≥30% and drug-like(DL)≥0.18, the active components of Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus were screened in TCMSP database; the prediction targets of active components were searched from TCMSP, DrugBank and other databases, and the potential targets of pneumonia were obtained through GeneCards and OMIM database. The common targets were obtained by the intersection of drug and disease targets. The PPI network of common targets was constructed by STRING 11.0, and the core targets were obtained by topological analysis. Then the core targets received GO and KEGG analysis with use of WebGestalt and Metascape. The "component-target-pathway" network was constructed with the help of Cytoscape 3.7.1 software, and the component-target molecular docking verification was carried out with Discovery Studio 2016 software. Finally, the core targets and pathways were preliminarily verified in vitro. In this study, 12 active components were screened, 225 drug prediction targets and 420 potential diseases targets were obtained based on data mining method, and 14 core targets were obtained by topological analysis, including TNF, MMP9, AKT1, IL4 and IL2. The enrichment results of GO and KEGG showed that "Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus" drug pair may regulate inflammation, cell growth and metabolism by acting on 20 key signaling pathways such as TNF and IL-17, thereby exerting anti-pneumonia effects. The results of molecular docking showed that 12 active components had good binding ability with 14 core targets. In vitro experiment results showed that the core components of "Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus" drug pair could inhibit the expression of MMP9 and TNF-α by regulating TNF signal pathway. This study confirmed the scientificity and reliability of the prediction results of network pharmacology, and preliminarily revealed the potential molecular mechanism of the compatibility of Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus in the treatment of pneumonia. It provides a novel insight on systematically exploring the mechanism of the compatible use of Platycodonis Radix and Lilii Bulbus, and has a certain reference value for the research, development and application of new drugs.

[Research progress on genus Clinopodium].

The plants of genus Clinopodium are perennial herbs of Labiatae, which are widely distributed in the world and have a promising medicinal value. Modern researches have shown flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, terpene glycosides, terpenoids, volatile oils and phenylpropanoids are the main compounds in the plants, presenting various pharmacological effects such as hemostasis, anti-bacteria, anti-inflammation, immunoregulation, reducing blood glucose, antioxidation, and anti-tumor effects. The preparations made of those plants are mainly used for treatment of various bleeding diseases in clinical application. In this review, we systematically summarized the research progress on taxonomy, resource distribution, chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, and clinical application of the medicinal plants of genus Clinopodium. This review provides references and scientific basis for further research and development of genus Clinopodium.

[Research progress on processing history evolution, chemical components and pharmacological effects of Polygonati Rhizoma].

Polygonati Rhizoma(PR), listed as a top-grade medicine, was recorded first in the Mingyi Bielu written by TAO Hongjing. It is a good medicine through the ages to tonify Qi and nourish Yin, strengthen spleen and kidney. PR has a long history of processing and has a variety of processing methods and technologies. Steaming and stewing are the main processing methods. There are many different excipients used in processing PR, such as wine, honey, black beans, and multiple excipients. At present, there are three plant varieties of PR recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, including Polygonatum sibiricum, P. kingianum and P. cyrtonema, collectively called medicinal PR. Medicinal PR has a wide range of chemical components, mainly including polysaccharides, steroidal saponins, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids and alkaloids etc. It also has a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as anti-oxidation, anti-osteoporosis and anti-tumor effects. In this paper, we review the historical evolution, chemical components, pharmacological effects, and the effects of processing on ingredients and pharmacological effects of PR. We also analyze the limitations of the current research on PR, and put forward the prospects on the scientific connotation of processing, quality improvement, process innovation and new product development of PR for further researches.