The 501st case: elevated blood glucose, chronic pancreatitis, and post- pancreatoduodenectomy malnutrition / 中华内科杂志

A 50-year-old man with a 15-year history of elevated blood glucose and an approximately 2-year history of diarrhea was admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The initial diagnosis was type 2 diabetes. After repeated pancreatitis and pancreatoduodenectomy, severe pancreatic endocrine and exocrine dysfunction including alternating high and low blood glucose and fat diarrhea occurred. Tests for type 1 diabetes-related antibodies were all negative, C-peptide levels were substantially reduced, fat-soluble vitamin levels were reduced, and there was no obvious insulin resistance. Therefore, a diagnosis of pancreatic diabetes was clear. The patient was given small doses of insulin and supplementary pancreatin and micronutrients. Diarrhea was relieved and blood glucose was controlled. The purpose of this article is to raise clinicians' awareness of the possibility of pancreatic diabetes after pancreatitis or pancreatic surgery. Timely intervention and monitoring may reduce the occurrence of complications.

Research progress of Chinese materia medica in inhibiting malignant biological behavior of lung cancer stem cells / 国际中医中药杂志

Chinese materia medica can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration and expression of drug-resistant proteins of lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs), and induce apoptosis and delay self-renewal, as well as exert anti-tumor effects by interfering with their ecological niche, immune microenvironment and aerobic glycolysis, etc. The biomarkers involved mainly include CD133, CD44, ALDH and ABCG2, while the related signaling pathways are Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, and Notch. The research on the intervention of LCSCs by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is generally few, mostly concentrated in basic research, and the selected experimental indicators have a high repetition rate, involving fewer cell types and signaling pathways; there is a relative lack of clinical trials, which lack an organic connection with basic experiments. In the future, the quality of research is expected to be improved, and in-depth study of TCM with anti-lung cancer stem cell effect should be carried out, with the purpose to promote the precise treatment of lung cancer.

Effects of individualized parenteral nutrition versus pre-mixed parenteral nutrition on liver function of patients with acute kidney injury / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of individualized parenteral nutrition versus pre-mixed parenteral nutrition on liver function of patients with acute kidney injury （AKI）. METHODS Totally 97 AKI patients in the intensive care unit of our hospital from January 2021 to March 2022 were collected and randomly divided into pre-mixed multi-chamber bag （MCB） group （48 cases） and compounded parenteral nutrition （COM） group （49 cases）. The patients in both groups were given routine treatment to correct the reversible cause in time， and parenteral nutrition support treatment was started within 48 hours after the fluid resuscitation was successful or the hemodynamics of low-dose vasoactive drugs were stable. MCB group was given one bag of Fat emulsion amino acid （17） glucose （11%） injection， intravenous infusion， once a day； COM group was given Medium/long chain Fat emulsion injection （C8-24Ve） 0.5-0.8 g/kg+Compound amino acid 18AA-Ⅶ 1.0-1.2 g/kg+Glucose injection 1.5-2.5 g/kg+one Water soluble vitamin injection+Fat-soluble vitamin injection （Ⅱ） 10 mL+Multiple trace element injection （Ⅱ） 10 mL+ individualized supplement of sodium chloride and potassium chloride， with a ratio of glucose to lipid of 5∶5 and a ratio of heat to nitrogen of 100∶1. The treatment course of both groups lasted for 7 days. The percentage of abnormal liver function， the levels of liver function indexes [alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， total bilirubin （TBIL）， aspartate transaminase （AST）]， albumin （ALB）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and C-reactive protein （CRP） were observed in 2 groups before and after treatment. RESULTS After treatment， the ratio of liver dysfunction， the levels of ALT， AST and CRP in MCB group were significantly higher than before treatment； the ratio of liver dysfunction， the levels of ALT and CRP in MCB group were significantly higher than COM group （P＜0.05）. There were no statistical significance in the ratio of liver dysfunction， the levels of ALT， AST， TBIL and CRP in COM group before and after treatment （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Individualized parenteral nutrition support treatment can reduce the occurrence of liver injury and improve the nutritional status of AKI patients.

The Mechanism Study of Moxa Combustion Products on Regulating Vascular Endothelial Function in Atherosclerotic Mice.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-atherogenic effect of moxa combustion products (MCPs) and whether it is mediated through improving the vascular endothelial function in ApoE-/- mice. Methods: A total of 60 male ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into the moxa smoke (MS) group, filtered moxa smoke (FMS) group, moxa floss volatile (MFV) group, essential oil of Artemisia argyi (EOAA) group, and model group (n = 12/group), while 12 male C57BL/6 mice were used as the control group. The six groups were intervened for 20 min/day, 6 days/week. After 14 weeks of intervention, the mice were euthanized and their blood lipids were measured. The aortic roots and thoracic aortas were collected for haematoxylin and eosin (HE) or Oil Red O staining, respectively. The contents of AMPK, PI3K, Akt, and eNOS mRNA in the thoracic aortas were examined by RT-qPCR. Results: The MS group and FMS group showed significantly lower plaque area percentage in the aortic roots and thoracic aortas and higher contents of AMPK-mRNA and eNOS-mRNA in the thoracic aortas compared with the model group. Conclusion: MS and FMS equally suppressed the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice. It was suggested that the particulate matter in MS may not be the key components of moxibustion.

Transcriptome and metabolome reveal the accumulation of secondary metabolites in different varieties of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum.

BACKGROUND: Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao ex H. W. Li, whose leaves produce essential oils, is a traditional Chinese medicine and economically important tree species. In our study, two C. longepaniculatum varieties that have significantly different essential oil contents and leaf phenotypes were selected as the materials to investigate secondary metabolism. RESULT: The essential oil content and leaf phenotypes were different between the two varieties. When the results of both transcriptome and metabolomic analyses were combined, it was found that the differences were related to phenylalanine metabolic pathways, particularly the metabolism of flavonoids and terpenoids. The transcriptome results based on KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that pathways involving phenylpropanoids, tryptophan biosynthesis and terpenoids significantly differed between the two varieties; 11 DEGs (2 upregulated and 9 downregulated) were associated with the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, and 12 DEGs (2 upregulated and 10 downregulated) were related to the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides. Through further analysis of the leaves, we detected 196 metabolites in C. longepaniculatum. The abundance of 49 (26 downregulated and 23 upregulated) metabolites differed between the two varieties, which is likely related to the differences in the accumulation of these metabolites. We identified 12 flavonoids, 8 terpenoids and 8 alkaloids and identified 4 kinds of PMFs from the leaves of C. longepaniculatum. CONCLUSIONS: The combined results of transcriptome and metabolomic analyses revealed a strong correlation between metabolite contents and gene expression. We speculate that light leads to differences in the secondary metabolism and phenotypes of leaves of different varieties of C. longepaniculatum. This research provides data for secondary metabolite studies and lays a solid foundation for breeding ideal C. longepaniculatum plants.

The observation on the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with suspension exercise training for the patients with cerebral infarction and lower limb hemiplegia / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To explore the curative effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with suspension exercise training for the patients with cerebral infarction combined and lower limb hemiplegia.Methods:According to random number table method, 94 patients with cerebral infarction and lower limb hemiplegia meeting the inclusion criteria were divided into the control group and the observation group between January 2017 and February 2021, 47 in each group. The control group was treated with suspension exercise training, while observation group was additionally treated with Buyang Huanwu Decoction on the basis of the control group treatment. All were treated for 6 weeks and then followed up for 3 months. Before and after treatment, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes scores were recorded. The severity of nerve function injury was evaluated by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The lower limb function was evaluated by Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). The balance function was evaluated by Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The activities of daily life were assessed by Barthel Index (BI). The whole blood high shear viscosity, plasma viscosity and hematocrit were detected by full-automatic hemorheology analyzer. The levels of plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected by full-automatic analyzer. All were followed up for 3 months. The prognosis of patients was assessed by modified Rankin scale (mRS). The adverse reactions during treatment were recorded.Results:After treatment, scores of TCM syndromes and NIHSS in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group ( t=5.35, 4.54, P<0.01), while scores of FMA, BBS and BI were significantly higher than those in control group ( t=3.40, 3.10, 7.57, P<0.01). The whole blood high-shear viscosity, plasma viscosity and hematocrit in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group ( t=2.94, 3.81, 4.23, P<0.05 or P<0.01), and levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly lower than those in control group ( t=4.10, 4.27, 3.61, P<0.01). The differences in good prognosis rate between observation group and control group were statistically significant [74.47% (35/47) vs. 51.06% (24/47); χ2=5.51, P=0.019]. Conclusion:The Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with suspension exercise training can relieve clinical symptoms, recover lower limb function, improve activities of daily life and prognosis in cerebral infarction combined with lower limb hemiplegia.

Research progress of the modernization of TCM tongue diagnosis / 国际中医中药杂志

Tongue diagnosis is one of the diagnostic methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), but its development has always been restricted by the lack of objective quantitative indicators. With the rapid development of computer technology and the advent of the algorithm era, the modernization of TCM tongue diagnosis has gradually become a hot research spot. This paper annalyses the literature and related patents of the modernization of tongue diagnosis and summarizes the R&D progress and application of tongue diagnosis as well as related instruments. It is found that domestic and foreign scholars focus on tongue diagnosis related research and attach importance to the formulation of relevant international standards. Tongue collection and analysis technology continues to develop; tongue diagnostic instruments are also gradually enriched. At present, their applications are extended to family self-use, but they are still mainly used in teaching, scientific research and other fields, involving the clinical efficacy evaluation of TCM, clinical case classification and health management, and there is still much room for development. In the future, we should strengthen the communication between multi-regional research centers, promote the communication among talents in different fields, constantly make up for the deficiencies and promote the development of tongue diagnosis research.

Analysis of heavy metal pollution in Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and its health risk assessment / 中国中药杂志

In this study, the content of five heavy metals(Pb, Cd, As, Hg, and Cu) in 59 batches of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos(LJF) medicinal materials and pieces were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). The health risk assessment was processed using the maximum estimated daily intake(EDI), target hazard quotients(THQ), and carcinogenic risks(CR) assessment models. With reference to the limit standard for heavy metal content in LJF specified in 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, five batches produced in Hebei were found to contain excessive Pb, and the remaining 54 batches met the specifications, with the unqualified rate of 8.47%. Comparative analysis of heavy metal content in LJF samples from three different producing areas, namely Shandong, Henan, and Hebei showed that the levels of Pb, As, and Hg in LJF from Hebei were significantly higher than those from Henan and Shandong. The samples produced in Shandong contained the highest content of Cd. The samples from Hebei contained the highest content of Cu while those from Shandong had the lowest content of Cu. As demonstrated by health risk assessment based on the EDI, THQ and CR models, these 59 batches of LJF samples did not cause significant health hazards for the exposed population, and there was no potential non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic risk. In conclusion, a few of LJF samples contained excessive heavy metals, so some measures, including controlling production environment, cultivating management mode, and optimizing processing methods, should be taken for ensuring the medication safety of LJF.

Effect of Modified Huangqi Gancaotang on Proliferation， Apoptosis， Invasion， Migration， and Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Based on Wnt/β-catenin Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate effect of lyophilized powder of modified Huangqi Gancaotang on proliferation， apoptosis， invasion， migration， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human non-small cell lung cancer cells （A549， PC9） and possible mechanism. MethodEffect of 1.0， 2.0， 4.0， 8.0， 12.0 g·L-1 modified Huangqi Gancaotang on the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. A549 and PC9 cells were classified into the blank group and the low-， medium-， and high-dose Huangqi Gancaotang groups （2.0， 4.0， 8.0 g·L-1）. Plate cloning assay was used to examine the effect of modified Huangqi Gancaotang on cell cloning ability. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were employed to detect the apoptosis， and scratch assay and Transwell migration assay were applied to examine cell migration and invasion abilities， respectively. Mammosphere assay was used to examine the sphere-forming ability of tumor cells， and real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） to detect the mRNA expression of stemness-related molecules octamer-binding transcription factor 4 （Oct-4）， human sex-determining region Y-box 2 （Sox2）， and homeobox transcription factor （Nanog） to assess cancer stem cell activity. The protein expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated death promoter （Bad）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved Caspase-3， Caspase-3， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， vimentin， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， β-catenin， c-Myc， Cyclin D1， and zinc-finger transcription factor （Slug） was determined by Western blot. ResultThe proliferation ability of A549 and PC9 cells was significantly inhibited after 24 h and 48 h treatment with 1.0， 2.0， 4.0， 8.0， and 12.0 g·L-1 lyophilized powder of modified Huangqi Gancaotang compared with that in the blank group and the inhibition was dose- and time-dependent （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang suppressed the cloning ability of A549 and PC9 cells （P< 0.05， P<0.01）， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang induced apoptosis of A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.01）. In comparison with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang inhibited the invasion and migration of A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang significantly decreased volume of the microspheres of A549 cells and the mRNA expression of Oct-4， Sox2， and Nanog in A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the medium- and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang down-regulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bad， Bax， and cleaved Caspase-3/Caspase-3 （P<0.05， P<0.01） in A549 and PC9 cells， decreased the expression of MMP-2， N-cadherin， and vimentin （P<0.05， P< 0.01）， and raised the E-cadherin expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the medium-dose and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang all reduced the expression of β-catenin， c-Myc， Cyclin D1， and Slug in A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Huangqi Gancaotang can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， migration， activity of cancer stem cells， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human non-small cell lung cancer （A549， PC9） cells and induce apoptosis， and the mechanism is the likelihood that it regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Clinical study on 3% Diquafosol Sodium eye drops in treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction-related dry eye / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To observe the clinical effect of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops in treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction-related dry eye.METHODS: The study involved 280 patients totally with meibomian gland dysfunction-related dry eye in the ophthalmology department, Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2020 to May 2021. Patients were divided into the treatment group(160 cases with 320 eyes)and the control group(120 cases with 240 eyes)according to the randomized number table method. The control group was treated with YangXueRunMu formula combined with 0.3% sodium hyaluronate eye drops, the treatment group was treated with YangXueRunMu formula combined with 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops. Both groups were administered for 4wk. The following indicators were measured before and after treatment at 2 and 4wk, respectively: the ocular surface disease index(OSDI)score, Schirmer I test( SⅠt), comprehensive analysis of tear meniscus height(TMH), non-invasive tear film break-up time(NITBUT), meibomian gland lipid secretion of smooth degree scoring and meibomian gland loss rate score, the determination of interleukin-6(IL-6)in tears and the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α). The efficacy of these tests results was evaluated among these indicators.RESULTS: The overall effective rates of the treatment group and the control group were 95.6% and 81.7% respectively(P<0.05). After 2, 4wk of treatment, the ocular surface disease index(OSDI), NITBUT, meibomian gland lipid secretion scoring, meibomian gland loss rate score and the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in tears of two groups were significantly different than before treatment(P<0.05). and the treatment group was better than the control group; there was no difference between the SⅠt and TMH groups before and after treatment in the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops can promote the normal secretion of meibomian gland by prolonging the homeostasis of the tear membrane, and it can also inhibit the release of inflammatory factors in tears in the treatment of blebomian gland dysfunction-related dry eye.

Analysis of CiteSpace knowledge map for traditional Chinese medicine prevention and treatment of cerebral small vessel diseases / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to analyze the research on the prevention and treatment of cerebral small vessel diseases(CSVDs) with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) based on knowledge map, and to preliminarily explore the research hotspots and trends. To be specific, articles on TCM treatment of CSVDs in CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP(from establishment to November 2021) were retrieved, followed by bibliometric analysis. Then CiteSpace 5.7 R4 and Gephi were employed for generation of maps on annual number of articles, author cooperation, institution cooperation, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and keyword emergence. A total of 106 eligible articles were screened out, and the annual number of articles presented a steady upward trend. A total of 277 authors were included in the author cooperation network, among whom CHEN Zhigang published the most articles. A total of 87 institutions were included in the institution cooperation network, among which Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine showed the most frequent cooperation with other institutions. Keyword clustering showed that research on the TCM treatment of CSVDs mainly focused on five aspects: related disease research, neurological function deficits, disease nature and location in TCM, TCM treatment methods, and formulas. The prevention and treatment of CSVDs with TCM in China has been developing steadily in the past ten years, and TCM has unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of this disease. The knowledge maps vividly demonstrated the development and research hotspots and trends in this field. The result is expected to provide a reference for further research in this field.

Natural ingredients from Chinese materia medica for pulmonary hypertension / 中国天然药物

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe pathophysiological condition characterized by pulmonary artery remodeling and continuous increases in pulmonary artery pressure, which may eventually develop to right heart failure and death. Although newly discovered and incredible treatment strategies in recent years have improved the prognosis of PH, limited types of effective and economical drugs for PH still makes it as a life-threatening disease. Some drugs from Chinese materia medica (CMM) have been traditionally applied in the treatment of lung diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) derived from those medicines brings promising future for the prevention and treatment of PH. In this review, we summarized the pharmacological effects of APIs derived from CMM which are potent in treating PH, so as to provide new thoughts for initial drug discovery and identification of potential therapeutic strategies in alternative medicine for PH.

Analysis on formulation regularity and characteristics of memory-boosting Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines / 中国中药杂志

The present study analyzed the current Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines effective in boosting memory,aiming at providing references for the formulation and development of memory-boosting health products. The information on memory-boosting health products published by the Department of Special Food Safety Supervision and Management,the State Administration for Market Regulation( SAMR) was collected and the Chinese patent medicines on DRUGDATAEXPY were searched. Microsoft Excel and the TCMISS were used to statistically analyze the characteristics of formulations. A total of 212 memory-boosting health products were obtained from SAMR,including 83 ones containing Chinese medicinal materials. Twelve Chinese herbal medicines showed a usage frequency ≥ 8,with 151 times in use. In DRUGDATAEXPY,258 similar Chinese patent medicines were collected.Twelve Chinese herbal medicines showed a usage frequency ≥ 58,with 907 times in use. Through unsupervised hierarchical entropybased clustering of the above-mentioned Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines separately,5 and 12 new formulas were obtained. The selection of Chinese herbal medicines for the new formulas was consistent with the principles of traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) theories,i. e.,tonifying kidney and marrow,benefiting Qi,nourishing Yin,resolving phlegm,and eliminating stasis. According to TCM theories,syndrome differentiation of the users was conducted,and the formulas were designed following the correspondence of syndromes with formulas and Chinese herbal medicines. This study is expected to provide new ideas and methods for the development of Chinese medicinal health products and accurately guide practical applications to exert the advantages of TCM in health care based on syndrome differentiation and improve the effect of Chinese medicinal health products.

Formulation regularity and thinking of adjuvant sleep-improving Chinese medicinal health products / 中国中药杂志

To summarize and analyze the current adjuvant sleep-improving Chinese medicinal health products,this study retrieved the information on health products with the sleep-improving effect published by the Department of Special Food Safety Supervision and Management,State Administration for Market Regulation( SMAR),which was statistically analyzed with Microsoft Excel and TCMISS for the characteristics of formulations. A total of 435 sleep-improving health products were collected,including 344 ones containing Chinese herbal medicines. Among them,413 health products were not suitable for adolescents,neither 194 for pregnant women. Ten Chinese herbal medicines showed a frequency of use ≥40,with 1 095 times( 73. 1%) in use. Through unsupervised hierarchical entropy-based clustering of the above Chinese herbal medicines of health products( degree of support of 45 and confidence coefficient of0. 7),12 new formulas were obtained. The composition of Chinese herbal medicines was consistent with the principles of improving sleep in traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) theories,i. e.,replenishing the heart and spleen,nourishing blood,calming the nerves,nourishing Yin,reducing internal heat,communicating the heart and kidney,replenishing Qi,relieving convulsions,clearing heat,resolving phlegm,regulating the middle warmer,soothing the liver,relieving heat,and calming the heart. According to TCM theories,syndrome differentiation was performed based on the existing sleep-improving health products,followed by data mining and analysis according to the formulation regularity,aiming to provide new ideas for the development of new Chinese medicinal health products. In particular,attention should be attached to the requirements of special populations to provide a basis for follow-up studies,exert the advantages of TCM,and lay a foundation for Chinese medicinal health products to service the public.

Analysis on formulation regularity and characteristics of acne-relieving Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines / 中国中药杂志

This study summarized and analyzed the current acne-relieving Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines,aiming at providing references for the formulation and development of acne-relieving health products. The information on acne-relieving health products published by the Department of Special Food Safety Supervision and Management,the State Administration for Market Regulation( SAMR) was retrieved,and the Chinese patent medicines on DRUGDATAEXPY were searched. Microsoft Excel and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System V2. 5( TCMISS) were employed to statistically analyze the characteristics of formulations. Forty-three acne-relieving health products were obtained,including 40 ones containing Chinese herbal medicines. Six Chinese herbal medicines showed a usage frequency ≥8,with 61 times in use totally,including Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma( 13),Lonicerae Japonicae Flos( 12),Taraxaci Herba( 11),ALOE( 9),Carthami Flos( 8),and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma( 8). A total of 29 Chinese patent medicines with similar efficacy were collected in DRUGDATAEXPY. Nine Chinese herbal medicines showed a usage frequency ≥6,with 63 times in use,including Rhei Radix et Rhizoma( 10),Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma( 8),Scutellariae Radix( 8),Lonicerae Japonicae Flos( 7),Angelicae Sinensis Radix( 6),Paeoniae Radix Rubra( 6),Astragali Radix( 6),Paeoniae Radix Alba( 6),and Gardeniae Fructus( 6). Through unsupervised hierarchical entropy-based clustering of the above-mentioned Chinese medicinal health products and Chinese patent medicines,five and three new formulas were obtained,respectively. The selection of Chinese herbal medicines was consistent with the principles of traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) theories in relieving acne,i. e.,dispelling exterior wind,ventilating lungs,clearing heat,dissipating mass,promoting diuresis,relaxing bowels,removing toxin,activating blood,resolving stasis,eliminating phlegm,and regulating Qi. According to the " lung governing skin and body hair" and " interior-exterior relationship between lung and large intestine" in TCM theories,the idea that acne could be treated by relieving constipation was proposed,which provided new methods and references for the research and development of Chinese medicinal health products.

Effectiveness and Safety of Moxibustion Robots on Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To conduct a pilot trial to explore the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion robots in treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD) and evaluate its feasibility in clinic.@*METHODS@#A total of 70 participants with PD were allocated to either moxibustion robot (MR) group (35 cases) or manual moxibustion (MM) group (35 cases) using computer-generated randomization. One acupoint Guanyuan (CV 4) was selected to receive moxa heat stimulation. Two groups of participants were given 3 menstrual cycles of MM and MR treatment respectively (once a day, 5 days a session) and received another 3 menstrual cycles follow-up. The degree of pain was evaluated by short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and the symptoms of dysmenorrhea were evaluated by Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS). The safety was measured by the occurrence rate of adverse events (AEs), including burns (blisters, red and swollen), itching, bowel changes, menstrual cycle disorder, menorrhagia and fatigue, etc. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients completed the trial, 32 in MR group and 30 in MM group. Compared with baseline, scores of SF-MPQ and CMSS significantly decreased in both groups (P0.05). The total occurrence rate of AEs in MR group was 2.1%, which was significantly lower than MM group (7.2%, P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#MR has the same effect as MM at SF-MPQ and CMSS in patients with PD. However, MR is safer than MM (Trial registration No. ChiCTR1800018236).

Development and application of a moxibustion instrument with multi-jointed manipulator / 中国针灸

In view of the limitations of the existing moxibustion instruments, i.e. possible accidental injury when using moxibustion instruments, the negative effects of products from moxibustion instruments on treatment efficacy and health of medical staff and patients, a moxibustion instrument with multi-jointed manipulator is designed. This moxibustion instrument could accurately control the temperature, maintain a safe moxibustion distance, automatically process the burning ashes of moxa and selectively handle moxa smoke. The experimental results shows that this instrument could maintain the constant temperature of target acupoint, reduce the risk of empyrosis, and reasonably deal with the products of moxibustion. The purification rate of moxa smoke is 44.9%, which not only ensures the therapeutic effect of moxa smoke, but also reduces the negative effects of high-concentration moxa smoke on the health of medical staff and patients.

Discussion on traditional Chinese medicine properties of Myrtus communis leaves based on literature analysis and Chinese medicine theory / 中国中药杂志

Myrtus communis is a traditional medicinal aromatic plant in the Mediterranean. At present, the plant has been introduced and cultivated in the southern part of China, and it is mostly used for ornamental or cosmetic purposes. Based on literature analysis and the theory of Chinese medicine, we discussed the medicinal parts and properties of M. communis in this paper to provide a theoretical basis for exploring the medicinal value of M. communis and its compatibility with traditional Chinese medicines. Literatures were searched from Web of Science(core collection), PubMed, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang by using the set conditions as key words. Then the obtained literatures were screened and classified. Finally, a total of 376 articles were included, consisting of 44 reviews, 54 germplasm resources, 78 chemical researches, 48 studies on application, extraction, or quality, 18 human trials, 132 pharmacological studies, and 2 safety studies. Based on literature analysis and theories of Chinese medicine, the leaves of M. communis were finally selected as the medicinal part of Chinese medicine, and the traditional Chinese medicine properties of M. communis leaves were deduced as pungent, bitter, and cool. The channel tropisms of M. communis leaves included lung, liver, and large intestine, with functions of detoxifying, resolving a mass, and insecticide. It was used for mouth sores, vaginal itching, hemorrhoids and warts, etc.; appropriate amount shall be applied for external use, and the decoction form shall be used for washing the affected parts; 3-12 g equivalent product shall be used in decoction, and this herb shall be put into the decoction in a later stage. The clarification of the medicinal parts of M. communis, and the determination of the Chinese medicine properties of M. communis leaves would lay a theoretical foundation for its compatibility and application with Chinese medicines, and can do more contribution to the medical and healthcare industry in our country.

Literature research of Passiflora incarnata and discussion of its traditional Chinese medicine properties / 中国中药杂志

Based on the research literatures of Passiflora incarnata and the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the paper discussed the traditional Chinese medicinal properties of P. incarnate, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the compatibility and application of P. incarnata. The literature databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus were selected, and the literatures relating to P. incarnata were reviewed to screen out the scientific research literatures with a high credibility, rational design and reliable conclusions. Foreign pharmacopoeia was consulted, and the listed products were summarized. The traditional Chinese medicine properties of P. incarnata were studied based on 32 clinical trials, 66 pharmacological researches, 64 chemical constituents researches as well as the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. It was preliminarily concluded that the medicinal properties of P. incarnata are sweet, cool, and enter heart, liver channels. The function is mainly to calm the heart and tranquilizing the mind, and calm the liver wind. It is used for hyperactivity of liver-Yang, stagnation of liver-Qi, restlessness of mind, depression, nervousness, insomnia. This paper summarized the source, characteristics of natures, tastes and channel tropism, usage and dosage, function indications of P. incarnata, and defined its clear traditional Chinese medicine property, which lays a theoretical foundation for the compatibility and clinical application of P. incarnata and Chinese medicine.

Research progress and discussion on traditional Chinese medicine properties of Kaempferia parviflora / 中国中药杂志

Kaempferiae Parviflorae Rhizoma is the dried rhizome of Kaempferia parviflora in Zingiberaceae. It is originated and widely distributed in Thailand and other tropical and subtropical regions, where it has been used as food and medicine for thousands of years. K. parviflora is also planted in Yunnan and other places of China, but its traditional Chinese medicine properties are not clear, which greatly limits its compatibility with traditional Chinese medicines. In this article, the English and Chinese literatures of K. parviflora were searched from Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases for research and analysis. The medicinal properties of K. parviflora were preliminarily discussed based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine under the guidance of clinical application and research literatures. The traditional Chinese medicine properties of K. parviflora were inferred as follows: flat, acrid, sweet. The channel tropisms of K. parviflora included kidney, spleen, stomach, and liver. The function of K. parviflora included tonifying kidney to strengthen essence, tonifying Qi and invigorating spleen, soothing liver and relieving depression. K. parviflora was clinically applied for the diseases such as syndrome of kidney essence deficiency, sex apathy, deficiency of spleen Qi, lassitude and asthenia, a weary spirit, obesity, diabetes, liver Qi stagnation, depression, and restless. The equivalent of dry power is 1.5 g·d~(-1) and the equivalent of decoction is 1.5-6 g·d~(-1). The determination of traditional Chinese medicine properties of K. parviflora has indeed laid a theoretical foundation for its application in the field of traditional Chinese medicine and enriched traditional Chinese medicine resources.