Practice and exploration of capacity building for infection control practitioners / 中华医院管理杂志

Infection prevention and control(hereinafter referred to as " infection control" )practitioners are the backbone of infection control teams of individual departments. Their capacity-building is key to improving the management efficiency at both hospital and department levels, which can effectively ensure medical safety. Since 2017, a tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospital had scored desirable results based on the analysis of the problems existing in their capacity-building. In its explorations, the hospital attempted to improve the professional competency and management ability by the following measures. These measures included improving and standardizing the organization and management, establishing an on-the-job training system, formulating an annual management manual of department′s infection control teams, implementing a cross inspection system and patrol system of the practitioners during an epidemic, establishing an assessment and evaluation system and incentive mechanism, establishing infection control elite teams, and building a mode dominated by infection control doctors. These experiences can provide reference for optimizing the capacity building of the infection control practitioners.

Efficacy and Safety of Lianhua Qingwen for Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / 中国结合医学杂志

BACKGROUND@#Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the world since its outbreak, and there is no ascertained effective drug up to now. Lianhua Qingwen (LHQW) has been widely used in China and overseas Chinese, which had some advantages in the treatment of COVID-19.@*OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy and safety of LHQW for COVID-19 by conducting a systematic review with meta-analysis.@*METHODS@#A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 12 electronic databases from their establishment to October 30, 2021. Note Express 3.2.0 was used for screening of trials, and the data was independently extracted in duplicate by 2 researchers. The risk of bias of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and retrospective studies were assessed by using the Cochrane collaboration tool and Newcastle Ottawa Scale, respectively, followed by data analysis using RevMan 5.3. The RCTs or retrospective studies to treat COVID-19 using LHQW were included. The intervention measures in the experimental group were LHQW alone or combined with chemical drugs (LCWC), and that in the control group were chemical drugs (CDs). Outcome measures included computed tomography (CT) recovery rate, disappearance rates of primary (fever, cough, fatigue), respiratory, gastrointestinal and other symptoms, exacerbation rate and adverse reaction. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to whether LHQW was combined with CDs and the different treatment methods in the control group.@*RESULTS@#Nine trials with 1,152 participants with COVID-19 were included. The CT recovery rates of LHQW and LCWC were 1.36 and 1.32 times of CDs, respectively (P<0.05). Compared with CDs, LCWC remarkably increased the disappearance rates of fever, cough, fatigue, expectoration, shortness of breath, and muscle soreness (P<0.05). LHQW also obviously decreased the exacerbation rate, which was 0.45 times of CDs alone (P<0.05). There was no obvious difference between LCWC and CDs in adverse reaction (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#LHQW was more suitable for treating COVID-19 patients with obvious expectoration, shortness of breath and muscle soreness. LHQW had advantages in treating COVID-19 with no obvious exacerbation. (PROSPERO No. CRD42021235937).

Comparison between peel and pulp of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus by UPLC fingerprint and multicomponent quantitative analysis / 中国中药杂志

Twenty batches of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus(AFI) were collected, with their peel and pulp taken as research objects. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) fingerprints of peel and pulp of AFI were established with 17 common peaks in peel and 10 in pulp. Six kinds of flavonoids were identified, i.e., narirutin, naringin, rhoifolin, hesperidin, neohesperidin and nobiletin. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine was employed for similarity analysis, which showed that the chromatographic peaks of peel and pulp were basically similar to their respective reference fingerprints, with all similarities greater than 0.90. The similarity between peel and pulp of the same batch of AFI ranged from 0.850 to 0.983. Cluster analysis(CA), principal component analysis(PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were conducted on the common peaks of peel and pulp of AFI with SPSS 17.0 and SIMCA 14.1. Combined with the reference fingerprints, these analyses revealed 12 differential components regarding peel and pulp. Further, the content of the 6 flavonoids and synephrine was determined. The proposed method integrating UPLC fingerprint and multicomponent quantitative analysis is applicable to the quality evaluation of AFI. The results provide a certain basis for the scientific connotation about the appearance characteristic of AFI.

Compatibility Rules of Prescriptions Containing Forsythiae Fructus in Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions and Anti-inflammatory Mechanism： An Exploration Based on Data Mining and Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To analyze the compatibility rules of prescriptions containing Forsythiae Fructus based on data mining and explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Forsythiae Fructus based on network pharmacology，so as to provide reference for the rational clinical application of Forsythiae Fructus and the development of health foods and new Chinese medicines. Method:The prescriptions containing Forsythiae Fructus in the<italic> Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions</italic> were collected，based on which a clinical prescription database was constructed. The Chinese herbs combined with Forsythiae Fructus and the corresponding indications were subjected to frequency statistics，association rule analysis，and complex network analysis using SPSS Statistics 26，IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0，and Gephi 9.2. The active components and targets of Forsythiae Fructus for anti-inflammation were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP），BATMAN-TCM，and SEA，and the targets related to anti-inflammation from GeneCards，Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM），CTD，and GenCLiP3. Following the analysis of protein-protein interactions （PPI） with STRING，a PPI network was constructed. The enrichment analysis was performed using Metascape，and the active component-anti-inflammation target-signaling pathway network of Forsythiae Fructus was constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.2. Result:According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria，2 245 prescriptions containing Forsythiae Fructus were harvested，involving 512 Chinese herbs，with a total usage frequency of 27 314. The Chinese herbs that were most frequently combined with Forsythiae Fructus （>800 times） were Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （1 483 times），Scutellariae Radix （964 times），and Angelicae Sinensis Radix （842 times）. Hence，the herbal pairs "Forsythiae Fructus-Scutellariae Radix" and "Forsythiae Fructus-Angelicae Sinensis Radix" were further explored. The prescriptions containing Forsythiae Fructus could be utilized for the treatment of 29 kinds of diseases，and three representative disease categories including "carbuncle，gangrene，sores and ulcers"，"ophthalmic diseases and syndromes" and "epidemic diseases" are selected for data mining. There were 19 association rules obtained with "Forsythiae Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Lonicerae Japonicae Flos-Angelicae Sinensis Radix" as the core herb combination for "carbuncle，gangrene，sores and ulcers". The clustering analysis revealed one multi-herb clustering group，four herbal pairs，and single herb Lonicerae Japonicae Flos，the complex network analysis four herbal modules，and the factor analysis six common factors. There were 23 association rules obtained with "Forsythiae Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix" as the core herb combination for "ophthalmic diseases and syndromes". The clustering analysis revealed two multi-herb clustering groups and four herbal pairs，the complex network analysis four herbal modules，and the factor analysis five common factors. There were 28 association rules obtained with "Forsythiae Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Menthae Haplocalycis Herba-Lonicerae Japonicae Flos" as the core herb combination for "epidemic diseases". The clustering analysis revealed three multi-herb clustering groups，one herbal pair，and two single herbs Forsythiae Fructus and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma，the complex network analysis four herbal modules，and the factor analysis five common factors. As demonstrated by network pharmacology-based analysis，the core anti-inflammation components of Forsythiae Fructus were quercetin，luteolin，and kaempferol，and the core targets were phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 （PIK3R1），protein kinase B 1 （Akt1），and epidermal growth factor receptor（EGFR）. The biological pathways were mainly concentrated in proteoglycans in cancer，pathways in cancer，and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway，with such functions as inhibition of transcription factors，regulation of enzyme activity，and inflammation-related gene expression involved. Conclusion:This study employed a variety of data mining techniques to objectively，intuitively，and scientifically uncover the compatibility rules of Forsythiae Fructus in the treatment of high-frequency diseases. It has been found that Forsythiae Fructus is often combined with heat-clearing herbs，tonifying herbs，exterior-releasing herbs，and blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs for diverse diseases and syndromes. Under the premise of clearing heat and removing toxin，reinforcing healthy Qi and dredging stagnation are also emphasized. According to the degree of internal heat exuberance，the heat-clearing herbs with different merits are combined. This study has revealed the unique advantages of Forsythiae Fructus in the treatment of specific diseases and syndromes as well as its multi-component，multi-target，and multi-pathway mechanisms in anti-inflammation，breaking through the limitations in modern clinical and experimental research of Forsythiae Fructus. These findings are of great significance for guiding the rational clinical application of Forsythiae Fructus and the development of health foods and new Chinese medicines，thus better accelerating the development of Chinese medicine health industry.

[Research progress on effective components of Chinese materia medica in regulating autophagy].

Autophagy is a highly conservative and multi-component activated energy metabolism and self-renewal mechanism, which plays a crucial regulatory role in maintaining the normal physiological state of cells and is involved in various pathological processes. In recent years, the mechanism study has made great progress in regulating autophagy with effective components of Chinese materia medica(CMM),which are reported to prevent and treat cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic and immune-related diseases. This review outlines the molecular regulation mechanisms of cell autophagy with CMM components in controlling the above-mentioned diseases. There are many relevant reports on the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in tumor and cardiovascular cells with CMM monomers. The main chemical structural types are alkaloids, saponins, polyphenols, flavonoids and terpenes. And m-TOR pathway is the main mechanism relating to the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy with CMM. Therefore, the regulatory mec-hanisms of cell autophagy become a new research targeting strategy of therapies with CMM. This review provides evidences for the effectiveness and scientificity of CMM in regulating autophagy, in the expectation of providing references for the in-depth studies of CMM in the field of autophagy and the development of natural autophagy regulators.

Usage of ethnomedicine on COVID-19 in China / 中国中药杂志

In December 2019, an outbreak of viral pneumonia began in Wuhan, Hubei Province, which caused the spread of infectious pneumonia to a certain extent in China and neighboring countries and regions, and triggered the epidemic crisis. The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease listed as a B infectious disease, which is managed according to standards for A infectious disease. Traditional Chinese medicine and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine have played an active role in the prevention and control of this epidemic. China's ethnomedicine has recognized infectious diseases since ancient times, and formed a medical system including theory, therapies, formula and herbal medicines for such diseases. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Chuxiong Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, Qiandongnan Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou have issued the prevention and control programs for COVID-19 using Tibetan, Mongolian, Uygur, Yi and Miao medicines. These programs reflect the wisdom of ethnomedicine in preventing and treating diseases, which have successfully extracted prescriptions and preventive measures for the outbreak of the epidemic from their own medical theories and traditional experiences. In this paper, we summarized and explained the prescriptions and medicinal materials of ethnomedicine in these programs, and the origin of Tibetan medicine prescriptions and Mongolian medicine prescriptions in ancient books were studied. These become the common characteristics of medical prevention and treatment programs for ethnomedicine to formulate therapeutic programs under the guidance of traditional medicine theories, recommend prescriptions and prevention and treatment methods with characteristics of ethnomedicine, and focus on the conve-nience and standardization. However, strengthening the support of science and technology and the popularization to the public, and improving the participation of ethnomedicine in national public health services and the capacity-building to deal with sudden and critical diseases are key contents in the development of ethnomedicine in the future.

Research progress on effective components of Chinese materia medica in regulating autophagy / 中国中药杂志

Autophagy is a highly conservative and multi-component activated energy metabolism and self-renewal mechanism, which plays a crucial regulatory role in maintaining the normal physiological state of cells and is involved in various pathological processes. In recent years, the mechanism study has made great progress in regulating autophagy with effective components of Chinese materia medica(CMM),which are reported to prevent and treat cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic and immune-related diseases. This review outlines the molecular regulation mechanisms of cell autophagy with CMM components in controlling the above-mentioned diseases. There are many relevant reports on the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in tumor and cardiovascular cells with CMM monomers. The main chemical structural types are alkaloids, saponins, polyphenols, flavonoids and terpenes. And m-TOR pathway is the main mechanism relating to the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy with CMM. Therefore, the regulatory mec-hanisms of cell autophagy become a new research targeting strategy of therapies with CMM. This review provides evidences for the effectiveness and scientificity of CMM in regulating autophagy, in the expectation of providing references for the in-depth studies of CMM in the field of autophagy and the development of natural autophagy regulators.

A study on effects of Wenyang Baidu Yin on liver and kidney function of septic rats / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

Objective To observe the effects of Wenyang Baidu Yin on the serum liver DeRitis ratio [aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio] and the level of renal neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in septic rats. Methods One hundred and twenty healthy male sprague-dawley (SD) rats were divided into normal control group, model group, western medicine treatment group, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment group and combined medicine group by random number table method, with 24 rats in each group. Rat sepsis model was established by intra-peritoneal injection of E.coli endotoxin; after modeling for 2 hours, normal control group and model group were given normal saline intragastric administration, western medicine treatment group was given dexamethasone 2.5 mg/kg intra-gastric administration, TCM treatment group was given Wenyang Baidu Yin intragastric administration (honeysuckle 30 g, dandelion 30 g, aconite 30 g, mixed with water and after two times of boiling, the obtained liquid was concentrated and made into dry ointment for reserve, when the ointment was used, it was dissolved in warm water to 8 g/kg, administered by gavage, twice a day), the combined medicine group was given both the above TCM decoction and dexamethasone dosages by gavage. After modeling for 24, 48 and 72 hours, the differences of DeRitis ratio and NGAL levels were compared among various groups. Results The DeRitis ratio and NGAL level in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group at 24, 48, 72 hours after modeling (DeRitis ratio: 4.14±0.53 vs. 2.08±0.37, 4.78±0.07 vs. 1.73±0.61, 4.83±0.31 vs. 1.05±0.20 respectively, NGAL was 2 412.73±368.03 vs. 837.52±142.98, 1 735.16±290.76 vs. 817.38±102.08, 1 838.43±295.44 vs. 847.82±140.14 respectively, all P < 0.05). The DeRitis ratios and NGAL levels of western medicine treatment group, TCM treatment group and combined medicine group were significantly lower than those of model group at each time point, and the decrease degree of combined medicine group was more significant, there were statistical differences 48 hours after modeling between combined medicine group and Western medicine treatment group and between combined group and TCM treatment group [DeRitis ratio: 3.09±0.15 vs. 3.68±0.44, 3.27±0.62, NGAL (ng/L):1 105.32±270.27 vs. 1 206.35±143.82, 1 526.53±289.02], and reached the lowest level until 72 hours [DeRitis ratio: 2.27±0.26 vs. 2.93±0.38, 2.61±0.54, NGAL (ng/L): 903.47±105.37 vs. 9 316.05±116.23, 1 025.14±152.68, all P < 0.05], showing the usage of combined therapeutic method in the aspect of improving DeRitis ratio and NGAL of septic rats was prominently superior than using either western medicine or TCM decoction alone. Conclusion Wenyang Baidu Yin can effectively reduce the liver DeRitis ratio and the kidney NGAL level in endotoxin-induced septic rats.

Safety evaluation and risk control measures of Cassiae Semen / 中国中药杂志

In this study, the authors reviewed domestic and foreign literatures, conducted the textual research on origin and development of Cassia Semen, studied records in ancient books and ancient and modern literatures, clinical adverse reactions and relevant experimental studies in recent years, and summarized the clinical features and influencing factors related to the safety of Cassiae Semen. According to the findings,Cassia Semen's safety risks are mainly liver and kidney system damages, with the main clinical features of fatigue, anorexia, disgusting of oil, yellow urine and gray stool; digestive system injury, with the main clinical features of diarrhea, abdominal distension, nausea and loose stool; reproductive system damage, with the main clinical features of vaginal bleeding. Allergic reactions and clinical adverse events, with the main clinical features for numb mouth, itching skin, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing and lip cyanosis were also reported. The toxicological studies on toxic components of Cassiae Semen obtusifolia were carried out through acute toxicity test, subacute toxicity test, subchronic toxicity test and chronic toxicity test. Risk factors might include patients, compatibility and physicians. Physicians should strictly abide by the medication requirements in the Pharmacopoeia, pay attention to rational compatibility, appropriate dosage,correct usage and appropriate processing, control the dosage below 15 g to avoid excessive intake, strictly control the course of treatment to avoid accumulated poisoning caused by long-term administration. At the same time, clinicians should pay attention to the latest research progress, update the knowledge structure, quickly find the latest and useful materials from clinical practice, scientific research and drug information and other literatures, make evaluation and judgment for the materials, establish a traditional Chinese medicine intelligence information library, and strengthen the control over adverse effects with a pre-warning consciousness. The authors suggested standardizing clinical medication of Cassiae Semen, and avoiding misuse or excessive use; clinicians should prescribe it in strict accordance with there commended usage and dosage in the Pharmacopoeia, and focus on the safety signal accumulation in clinic, while strengthening studies for toxic substance basis and toxicity mechanism, in order to give full play to Cassiae Semen's clinical efficacy and reduce its adverse reactions.

Technology adaptability research on removal of heavy metals in Acanthopanax senticosus extract with alkyl thiourea functionalised silica / 中草药

Objective: To study on the scavenging rules and optimum processing condition of heavy metals Pb, Cd, Hg, and Cu removal in Acanthopanax senticosus extract (ASE) with alkyl thiourea functionalized silica (ATFS). Methods: ASE was simulated as study object of excessive harmful elements Pb, Cd, Hg, and Cu.The scavenging mass, scavenging time, shaking speed and scavenging temperature were investigated by static scavenging way and the diameter ratio, sample solution, washing speed and washing temperature were investigated by dynamic scavenging way influence to metal removal rate. The best process of static and dynamic was chosen by orthogonal experiment; Eleutheroside B and eleutheroside E were as the effective constituents in ASE, solid contents and HPLC fingerprint similarity were as investigated index, the change of chemical composition in ASE to heavy metals removal from aqueous solution before and after treatment was evaluated. Results: Compared with unmodified silica gel (SG), static absorption and dynamic absorption had a high removal rate of heavy metals, the scavenging speed was relative fast, the best static scavenging process of harmful elements in ASE were: The ratio of TCME mass and adsorbent was 80∶1, shaking speed was 260 times/min, scavenging time was 600 min, scavenging temperature was 45 ℃; The best dynamic scavenging process: Diameter ratio was 1∶20, sample volume was 100 mL, washing speed was 3 BV/h, washing temperature was 15 ℃; The change rate of eleutheroside B and eleutheroside E before and after heavy metal elements in ASE dislodged were less than 2.00%, loss ratio of solid contents was 0.18%, fingerprint similarity was more than 99.9%. Conclusion: The method can be used to satisfy the high efficiency of selective removal of harmful elements in ASE and the effective composition of almost no effect, the method is simple and easy, so it can be recommended for pretreatment of harmful elements in traditional Chinese medicine extracts and this way provides a new thought and research technique to decrease the contents of harmful elements.

Role of ERK/FoxO3a signal axis in inhibitory effect of vitexin 1 (VB-1) in HepG2 cell proliferation / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether the ERK/FoxO3a signal axis could induce the inhibitory effect of vitexin 1 (VB-1) in HepG2 cell proliferation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The MTT method was adopted to observe the effect of different concentrations of VB-1 on human hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG2 and immortalized human embryo liver cell line L-02. The cell growth was assessed by the clone formation assay. The protein phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and FoxO3a were measured by the western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>VB-1 inhibited the viability of HepG2 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner, with a weak effect on L-02 cell line. VB-1 could effectively inhibit the anchorage-dependent growth of HepG2 cells, and reduce the expression levels of pERK1/2 and pFoxO3a in a concentration-dependent manner. MEK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 could enhance VB-1' s effect in inhibiting HepG2 cell proliferation and ERK1/2, FoxO3a phosphorylation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VB-1 inhibits the proliferative activity of hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG2 by blocking the ERK/FoxO3a signal axis.</p>

Effect of Weifuchun on inhibiting inflammation of Helicobacter pylori-infected GES-1 cells and NF-kappaB signaling pathway / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Weifuchun on inflammation of Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-infected gastric epithelial cells (GES-1) and its correlation with NF-kappaB signaling pathway.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hp standard home-made strain (CagA +, VacA +) NCTCI 1637 infected GES-1 cells were used. Weifuchun was used as intervention. Weifuchun of different concentrations (5,10, and 20 microg/mL) were screened by MTT assay. A blank group and the model group were set up. Then the growth inhibition rate of drugs on gastric epithelial GES-1 cells was detected with MTT assay. Cell cycle was detected using flow cytometry. The supernatant liquid was separated to detect the contents of IL-8 and IL-4 by ELISA.The protein expression level of NF-kappaB was detected by Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MTT assay indicated significantly inhibitory effect of Weifuchun on GES-1 cells [5% inhibiting concentration (IC5)] was 10 microg/ml in the Weifuchun group. After GES-1 and Hp were cultured together,the contents of IL-8 in the supernatant were more obviously higher in the model group than in the blank group (P < 0.05), and then gradually decreased. After treatment with different concentrations of Weifuchun, the levels of IL-8 in the supernatant were less when compared with the model group at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h (P < 0.05). The decrement was the most significant in the high dose Weifuchun group. The IL-4 level in the supernatant was obviously lower in the model group than in the blank group. It obviously increased in the high concentration Weifuchun group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the IL-4 level between middle, low concentration Weifuchun group and the blank group (P > 0.05). The protein expression of intranuclear P65 increased and that of IkBalpha decreased 60 min after Hp infection. But the protein expression of intranuclear P65 decreased and the protein expression of IkBalpha increased after intervention of Weifuchun.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Weifuchun adjusted H. pylori induced IL-8 and IL-4 production by gastric epithelial cells through blocking NF-kappaB pathways. Its mechanisms might possibly lie in inhibiting p65 from entry into nucleus and the degradation of IkBalpha. Weifuchun was an effective drug for treatment of Hp correlated chronic gastritis.</p>

Determination of L-tetrahydropalmatine in human plasma by HPLC and pharmacokinetics of its disintegrating tablets in healthy Chinese.

The objective of the study was to establish an HPLC method for the determination of L: -tetrahydropalmatine in human plasma, and to investigate the pharmacokinetics after oral administration of L: -tetrahydropalmatine disintegrating tablets in healthy Chinese. L: -tetrahydropalmatine in human plasma was separated on a Phenomenex luna C(18) column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm), eluted using methanol-water (75:25, v/v) as mobile phase, and detected by photodiode array detector at a wavelength of 281 nm. A single 60 mg of L: -tetrahydropalmatine orally disintegrating tablets were orally given to 12 healthy male volunteers after fasting overnight. Before and after administration 4 mL of blood samples was collected at the scheduled time. The plasma concentration of L: -tetrahydropalmatine was determined by the established HPLC method after disposition and its pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed and evaluated by both compartmental and noncompartmental models using Drug and Statistic (version 2.0). The disintegrating time and the sense of mouth were observed and recorded. The lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) for L: -tetrahydropalmatine in plasma was 0.01 µg mL(-1), and a linearity was obtained in the range of 0.01-1 µg mL(-1) (r = 0.9998). The disposal procedure of L: -tetrahydropalmatine in human was fitted using the DAS program, following a double-compartment open model system (w = 1). L: -tetrahydropalmatine was absorbed quickly with t (1/2ka) of 0.5 ± 0.054 h, distributed fast with t (1/2α) of 0.74 ± 0.088 h, and eliminated slowly with t (1/2ß) of 11.42 ± 2.43 h. L: -tetrahydropalmatine was distributed mainly in the periphery compartment with the V(1)/F of 133.30 ± 30.78 L. L: -tetrahydropalmatine orally disintegrating tablets with good taste were disintegrated in the mouth within 16 s. The established HPLC method was sensitive, rapid, and suitable for both L: -tetrahydropalmatine pharmacokinetic studies and its content assay in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The procedure of L: -tetrahydropalmatine in human was fit to double-compartmental model (w = 1). L: -tetrahydropalmatine orally disintegrating tablets were palatable, well-tolerated, disintegrated and absorbed quickly.

Correlation between traditional Chinese medicine syndromes and omics: a literature review / 中西医结合学报

As the post-genome era is approaching, omics has become a hot topic in the research field of life sciences and is also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. For discussing the correlation between syndromes and omics, the authors explored the application of genomics, proteomics and metabonomics in the study of syndrome classification from the macroscopic view, after a systematic and normative study of the literature. The authors drew the conclusion that research into the correlation between syndromes and omics has great clinical significance in terms of the scientific application and quantification of TCM treatment based on syndrome differentiation.

Influence of tongxie prescription on CRF expression in spinal cord and brain of hypersensitive viscera rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the distribution and expression of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in spinal cord, hypothalamus and third ventricle of cerebrum, of the hypersensitive viscera rats, and to research on the mechanism of CRF in the hypersensitive vicera signal conduction pathway in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and to investigate possible active mechanisms of tongxie prescription on IBS.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Forty SD rats were divided randomly into three groups. The rats of model No. 1 were sensitized by injecting egg albumin into abdominal cavity. The rats of model No. 2 were sensitised by conditional stimulus and unconditional stimulus. The two model groups were both divided randomly into two groups. The five groups were given intragastric administration with Tongxie prescription or normal saline for four weeks. Then quantitative analysis of CRF in the lumbosacral spinal cord and brain of rats were achieved by immunohistochemical method and computerized image system.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The sensitivity of the groups being treated with tongxie prescription were much lower than the model groups (P < 0.01). The immunohistochemical method showed that CRF was expressed in the lumbar intumescentia of spinal cord, hypothalamus and the diaphragmatic surface of third ventricle of cerebrum. The CRF positive index of the model groups was higher than that of the blank group (P < 0.01). The CRF positive index of the healing groups was lower than that of the model groups (P < 0.01). The CRF positive index of the healing groups was higher than that of the blank group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The two model rats evoked by two different stimulation both appeared visceral hypersensitivity state. CRF is related to stress. The increase of CRF expression in the lumbar intumescentia of spinal cord, hypothalamus and the diaphragmatic surface of third ventricle of cerebrum showed that CRF is critical to the introduce of stimulus signal of vicera. Tongxie prescription can significantly decrease CRF expression. This is one mechanism to decrease sensitivity of hypersensitive viscera rats.</p>

Multicentric randomized double blinded clinical study of Yiqi Tongmai Oral Liquid against angina pectoris in patients with coronary heart disease / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy and safety of Yiqi Tongmai Oral Liquid (YQTM), a traditional compound Chinese herbal medicine, in treating angina pectoris in patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: A multicentric, randomized, double blinded and paralleled controlled trial was conducted on 110 patients in trial group treated with YQTM, and 109 patients in control group treated with Shuxin Oral Liquid (SX). Cure and effective rates in both groups were evaluated. Frequency and duration of angina attack were counted and measured. Coronary angiography (CAG), electrocardiogram (ECG) and flat exercise test were taken in both groups. Blood lipid indexes, such as cholesterol (CH), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), were determined at pre- and post-treatment. The hemodynamic indexes, such as whole blood viscosity (J2), high-shear reduced viscosity (Eh), low-shear reduced viscosity (Ei), red cell aggregation index (Lb), red cell rigidity index (Rh), fibrinogen (Fb), blood sedimentation rate (BSR) and hematocrit (HCT), were determined at pre-and post-treatment. The indicated scores of symptoms and signs of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pattern, such as chest pain, chest constriction, breath shortness, palpitation, fatigue, dim complexion, spontaneous perspiration and tongue proper, tongue coating were evaluated in week 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 during the treatment course. The safety indexes, such as body temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure were observed. Routine tests of blood, urine and stool, hepatic function test and renal function test were taken at pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the total effective rate of the trial group and that of the control group, which were 91.82% and 85.32%, respectively (P>0.05). Trial groups percentile of cure rate is significantly higher than that of the control group (P0.05). The levels of CH, TG and LDL of both groups were lowered significantly (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Yiqi Tongmai Oral Liquid bears good therapeutic effect on angina pectoris without adverse reaction, and is superior to Shuxin Oral Liquid. Yiqi Tongmai Oral Liquid is a new effective and safe medicine for the treatment of angina pectoris in patients with coronary heart disease.

Effect of asarinin on the acute heart transplantation rejection and the expression of adhesion molecule / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test the effect of asarinin, the extract of Herba Asari, on the acute heart transplantation rejection and the expression of adhesion molecule.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Asarinin was extracted from herba asari. 64 SD rats undergone heart transplantation were divided into four groups: group A (control group), group B (Cyclosporine A treated), group C (Asarinin treated), and group D (1/2 CsA and 1/2 Asarinin). Some rats were used to examine survival time (n = 8) and the others were used to observe the pathological injury and the expression level of interrellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-I (VCAM-1) by using immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Asarinin could prolong the survival time of allografts, which was similar to CsA group (P > 0.05). Asarinin could relieve the damage of cardiomyocytes of the transplanted. Asarinin could also decrease the level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the allografts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Asarinin may play important roles in suppressing the immune rejection, prolong the allografts survival time and protect the donor organ, which was similar to CsA. The expression level of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 is increased in suppressing the course of acute rejection and asarinin can inhibit their expression level. Asarinin can decrease the dosage of CsA.</p>