Efficacy and safety of electrical acupoint stimulation for postoperative nausea and vomiting: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting are typical postsurgical complications. Drug therapy is only partially effective. The goal of our meta-analysis is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of electrical acupoint stimulation for postoperative nausea and vomiting and to score the quality of evidence supporting this concept. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to March 19, 2020. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies (2064 patients) were included. Compared with control treatment, electrical acupoint stimulation reduced the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.57, P < 0.001), postoperative nausea (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.64, P < 0.001) and postoperative vomiting (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.70, P < 0.001). Electrical acupoint stimulation also reduced the number of patients requiring antiemetic rescue (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.85, P = 0.004). No differences in adverse events were observed. Subgroup analysis showed that both electroacupuncture (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.74, P < 0.001) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.58, P < 0.001) had significant effects. Electrical acupoint stimulation was effective whether administered preoperatively (RR 0.40, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.60, P < 0.001), postoperatively (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.76, P < 0.001), or perioperatively (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.67, P < 0.001). The quality of evidence was moderate to low. CONCLUSIONS: Electrical acupoint stimulation probably reduce the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, postoperative nausea, postoperative vomiting, and reduce the number of patients requiring antiemetic rescue, with few adverse events.

Systematic review and Meta-analysis of Gusongbao preparation in treatment of primary osteoporosis / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to provide evidence for clinical practice by systematically reviewing the efficacy and safety of Gusongbao preparation in the treatment of primary osteoporosis(POP). The relevant papers were retrieved from four Chinese academic journal databases and four English academic journal databases(from inception to May 31, 2022). The randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Gusongbao preparation in the treatment of POP was included after screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of articles was evaluated using risk assessment tools, and the extracted data were subjected to Meta-analysis in RevMan 5.3. A total of 657 articles were retrieved, in which 15 articles were included in this study, which involved 16 RCTs. A total of 3 292 patients(1 071 in the observation group and 2 221 in the control group) were included in this study. In the treatment of POP, Gusongbao preparation+conventional treatment was superior to conventional treatment alone in terms of increasing lumbar spine(L2-L4) bone mineral density(MD=0.03, 95%CI[0.02, 0.04], P<0.000 01) and femoral neck bone mineral density, reducing low back pain(MD=-1.69, 95%CI[-2.46,-0.92], P<0.000 1) and improving clinical efficacy(RR=1.36, 95%CI[1.21, 1.53], P<0.000 01). Gusongbao preparation was comparable to similar Chinese patent medicines in terms of improving clinical efficacy(RR=0.95, 95%CI[0.86, 1.04], P=0.23). Gusongbao preparation was inferior to similar Chinese patent medicines in reducing traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores(MD=1.08, 95%CI[0.44, 1.71], P=0.000 9) and improving Chinese medicine syndrome efficacy(RR=0.89, 95%CI[0.83, 0.95], P=0.000 4). The incidence of adverse reactions of Gusongbao preparation alone or combined with conventio-nal treatment was comparable to that of similar Chinese patent medicines(RR=0.98, 95%CI[0.57, 1.69], P=0.94) or conventio-nal treatment(RR=0.73, 95%CI[0.38, 1.42], P=0.35), and the adverse reactions were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts. According to the available data, Gusongbao preparation combined with conventional treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone in increasing lumbar spine(L2-L4) bone mineral density and femoral neck bone mineral density, reducing low back pain, and improving clinical efficacy. The adverse reactions of Gusongbao preparation were mainly gastrointestinal discomforts, which were mild.

Combination treatment with photodynamic therapy and laser therapy in chronic hyperplastic candidiasis: A case report.

Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis (CHC) is a rare subtype of oral candidiasis. Due to the malignant transformation potential of this disease, its treatment deserves attention. Here we report a refractory case of an 85-year-old female with chronic hyperplastic candidiasis treated with combined photodynamic therapy and laser therapy with a superior clinical result. The patient had a two-months history of thick white plaque on her upper inner lip. Conventional antifungal therapy and repeated photodynamic therapy contributed slightly improvement to the hyperkeratosis lesion, and then it was removed by laser therapy. Recurrence was found at the follow-up visit of eighth- week, and the recurrent lesion was removed again by laser therapy and prophylactic photodynamic therapy was performed. The patient is still under follow-up.

Three new pyrrole alkaloids from the endophytic fungus Albifimbria viridis.

Three new pyrrole alkaloids albifipyrrols A-C (1-3), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Albifimbria viridis collected from the Chinese medicinal plant. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR and HRESIMS spectrometric analyses. All compounds were evaluated for immunosuppressive activity. Fortunately, compound 2 exhibits certain inhibition specifically against the LPS-induced proliferation of B lymphocyte cells with IC50 value 16.16 µM.

Electroacupuncture ameliorates postoperative cognitive dysfunction and associated neuroinflammation via NLRP3 signal inhibition in aged mice.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is associated with worsened prognosis especially in aged population. Clinical and animal studies suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) could improve POCD. However, the underlying mechanisms especially EA's regulatory role of inflammasomes remain unclear. METHODS: The model of POCD was established by partial hepatectomy surgery in 18-month mice with or without postoperative EA treatment to the Baihui acupoint (GV20) for 7 days. Cognitive functions were assessed by Morris water maze test, and proinflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and IL-6 and microglia activity were assayed by qPCR, ELISA, or immunohistochemistry. Tight junction proteins, NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream proteins, and NF-κB pathway proteins were evaluated by western blotting. RESULTS: EA markedly preserved cognitive dysfunctions in POCD mice, associated with the inhibition of neuroinflammation as evidenced by reduced microglial activation and decreased IL-1ß and IL-6 levels in brain tissue. EA also preserved hippocampal neurons and tight junction proteins ZO-1 and claudin 5. Mechanistically, the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB was inhibited by EA, while NLRP3 activation abolished EA's treatment effects on cognitive function. CONCLUSION: EA alleviates POCD-mediated cognitive dysfunction associated with ameliorated neuroinflammation. Mechanistically, EA's treatment effects are dependent on NLRP3 inhibition.

Electroacupuncture treatment ameliorated the long-term cognitive impairment via activating eNOS/NO pathway and related Aß downregulation in sepsis-survivor mice.

OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is a major challenge in intensive care unit worldwide and the septic survivors are left with long-term cognitive deficits. This work aims to explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on long-term cognitive function and its underlying mechanism in sepsis-survivor mice. METHODS: Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture in C57BL/6 male mice. Seven days post-surgery, sepsis-survivor mice were treated with EA or nonacupoint EA for 17 days twice daily. Then, cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze task. The hippocampus tissue were collected from the mice at 30 days post-surgery. The level of nitric oxide and the expression of endothelial nitric oxide (eNOS), phospho-eNOS (p-eNOS), and amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated control, sepsis-survivors had significant cognitive deficits evidenced by the increased time of escape latency and reduced crossing number in Morris water maze task, as well as lower NO and p-eNOS level and higher Aß level. EA treatment at GV20 and ST36 acupoints but not at a nonacupoint improved the cognitive function, increased the NO and p-eNOS level, and decreased Aß generation; while eNOS inhibitor (l-NAME) undermined the efficacy of EA treatment. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, repeated EA treatment could ameliorate the long-term cognitive impairment via manipulating the expression of p-eNOS and related Aß in sepsis-survivor mice.

Total Saponins of Panax notoginseng Activate Akt/mTOR Pathway and Exhibit Neuroprotection in vitro and in vivo against Ischemic Damage / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To reveal the neuroprotective effect and the underlying mechanisms of a mixture of the main components of Panax notoginseng saponins (TSPN) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) of cultured cortical neurons.@*METHODS@#The neuroprotective effect of TSPN was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry and live/dead cell assays. The morphology of dendrites was detected by immunofluorescence. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was developed in rats as a model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The neuroprotective effect of TSPN was evaluated by neurological scoring, tail suspension test, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) and Nissl stainings. Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to measure the changes in the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway.@*RESULTS@#MTT showed that TSPN (50, 25 and 12.5 µ g/mL) protected cortical neurons after OGD/R treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Flow cytometry and live/dead cell assays indicated that 25 µ g/mL TSPN decreased neuronal apoptosis (P<0.05), and immunofluorescence showed that 25 µ g/mL TSPN restored the dendritic morphology of damaged neurons (P<0.05). Moreover, 12.5 µ g/mL TSPN downregulated the expression of Beclin-1, Cleaved-caspase 3 and LC3B-II/LC3B-I, and upregulated the levels of phosphorylated (p)-Akt and p-mTOR (P<0.01 or P<0.05). In the MCAO model, 50 µ g/mL TSPN improved defective neurological behavior and reduced infarct volume (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3B in cerebral ischemic penumbra was downregulated after 50 µ g/mL TSPN treatment, whereas the p-mTOR level was upregulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#TSPN promoted neuronal survival and protected dendrite integrity after OGD/R and had a potential therapeutic effect by alleviating neurological deficits and reversing neuronal loss. TSPN promoted p-mTOR and inhibited Beclin-1 to alleviate ischemic damage, which may be the mechanism that underlies the neuroprotective activity of TSPN.

[Effects of Aerobic Carbon Sources on Biofilm with Simultaneous Phosphate Removal and Enrichment].

In a cyclic alternating O/A operation mode, phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) can undertake phosphate removal and enrichment as the main process in wastewater treatment plants. The effects of the concentration of carbon sources during the aerobic stage on phosphate removal and enrichment performance of PAO biofilms, and the microbial population structure in the biofilms, were investigated. The results showed that the aerobic COD concentration decreased from 200 mg·L-1 to 0 mg·L-1, the phosphorus uptake rate improved by 1.29 times, the phosphorus concentration in effluent stabilized below 0.5 mg·L-1, the phosphorus release rate increased by 3.56 times, and the phosphate concentration in the circulating solution increased from 27.125 mg·L-1 to 55.91 mg·L-1. With respect to the change in microbial communities, the identification showed that the abundance of Proteobacteria increased by approximately two times, and the enrichment effects of Rhodocyclaceae and Anaerolineaceae increased by 2.28 and 5 times, respectively. Reducing the concentration of the carbon source in the aerobic section was beneficial to the screening and enrichment of PAOs, strengthening the removal of phosphate in the aerobic section and the release of phosphate in the anaerobic section. This resulted in an enriched phosphate solution. These observations provide a theoretical basis for future urban sewage treatment plants seeking to reduce their carbon demand.

Huangqi-Fangfeng protects against allergic airway remodeling through inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in mice via regulating epithelial derived TGF-ß1.

BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to aeroallergens such as house dust mite (HDM) could result in airway inflammation and airway remodeling, characteristic features of allergic asthma. Huangqi-Fangfeng (HF), an important "couplet medicines" of Yu-Ping-Feng-San (YPFS), mediates allergen-induced airway inflammation in mice, but its role in the airway remodeling is not known. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of HF on airway remodeling of allergic asthma in a murine model and to investigate the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: The main components of HF were analyzed by HPLC. The HDM-induced asthma mice model was established to study the effects of HF on airway inflammation and airway remodeling in vivo. Enhanced pause (Penh) index value was used as an indicator of airway hyper-reactivity. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was processed for differential cell counting and determination of cytokines production. The lungs were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for histological examination after staining with H&E, trichrome and IHC. Production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-ß1) in BALF and lung tissues, IgE in serum were measured by ELISAs. Expression of epithelial markers and mesenchymal markers were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blots. The effects of HF and its components on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were detected in human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) treated with TGF-ß1 and HDM. RESULTS: The main components of Huangqi-Fangfeng detected by HPLC were Calycosin, Formononetin and Cimifugin. In HDM-induced allergic asthma mice model, respiratory exposure to HDM lead to airway hyperresponsiveness and thickening of the smooth muscle layer in the airway. TGF-ß1 levels increased in mice airways while epithelial cells lost expression of E-cadherin and gained expression of the mesenchymal proteins N-cadherin, α-SMA and collagen І. These changes were relieved by treatment with HF. Furthermore, restored epithelial markers expression treated with individual components were also detectable in 16HBE cells. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that Huangqi-Fangfeng protected against allergic airway remodeling through inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in mice via regulating epithelial derived TGF-ß1.

Research Progress on Amelioration of Hemorrhagic Stroke by Traditional Chinese Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Cerebral hemorrhage, also known as hemorrhagic stroke, refers to non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Cerebral hemorrhage is a common and frequently-occurring disease in middle-aged and elderly people. It has the characteristics of high mortality and high disability rate. Most survivors have serious neurological deficits, which seriously threaten human health and quality of life.The pathological process of cerebral hemorrhage is more complicated, including the formation and expansion of hematoma, elevated intracranial pressure, destruction of blood-brain barrier, brain edema, neuronal apoptosis and neurological dysfunction.At present, the main methods for treating cerebral hemorrhage by western medicine include antiplatelet therapy, blood pressure reduction and hematoma surgery. However, it is usually accompanied by the risk of rebleeding caused by surgery, infection, nerve damage and insufficient effective perfusion pressure. Chinese medicine believes that blood stasis and endogenous fever are the most basic pathogenesis of acute cerebral hemorrhage. The previous studies found that many traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can improve blood-brain barrier damage, brain edema, neuronal apoptosis and neurological dysfunction related to cerebral hemorrhage to reduce cerebral hemorrhage injury. Main signal transduction pathways regulated by TCM to treat cerebral hemorrhageinclude Aquaporin 4(AQP4)-related, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt), nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB),suppressor protein 53/Bcl-2-associated X protein/Caspase-3(p53/Bax/Caspase-3)molecular pathways, etc.In this paper, based on the current Chinese medicine to improve the brain damage caused by cerebral hemorrhage and the molecular pathway of intervention, it reviews the research progress published in foreign journals in the past ten years, in order to provide clues and reference for the treatment of hemorrhagic stroke diseases and and the further development of new drugs.

Calycosin alleviates allergic contact dermatitis by repairing epithelial tight junctions via down-regulating HIF-1α.

Calycosin, a bioactive component derived from Astragali Radix (AR; Huang Qi), has been shown to have an effect of anti-allergic dermatitis with unknown mechanism. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of calycosin related to tight junctions (TJs) and HIF-1α both in FITC-induced mice allergic contact dermatitis and in IL-1ß stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) were detected by ELISA. The epithelial TJ proteins (occludin, CLDN1 and ZO-1), initiative key cytokines (TSLP and IL-33) and HIF-1α were assessed by Western blot, real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. Herein, we have demonstrated that allergic inflammation and the Th2 cytokines in ACD mice were reduced significantly by calycosin treatment. Meanwhile, calycosin obviously decreased the expression of HIF-1α and repaired TJs both in vivo and in vitro. In HaCaT keratinocytes, we noted that IL-1ß induced the deterioration of TJs, as well as the increased levels of TSLP and IL-33, which could be reversed by silencing HIF-1α. In addition, administration of 2-methoxyestradiolin (2-ME), a HIF-1α inhibitor,significantly repaired the TJs and alleviated the allergic inflammation in vivo. Furthermore, TJs were destroyed by DMOG or by overexpressing HIF-1α in HaCaT keratinocytes, and simultaneously, calycosin down-regulated the expression of HIF-1α and repaired the TJs in this process. These results revealed that calycosin may act as a potential anti-allergy and barrier-repair agent via regulating HIF-1α in AD and suggested that HIF-1α and TJs might be possible therapy targets for allergic dermatitis.

Therapeutic Observation of Acupuncture plus Auricular Point Electroacupuncture for Post-stroke Depression and Its Effect on the Quality of Life / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus auricular point electroacupuncture and its effect on the quality of life (QOL).Method Ninety-eight patients with post-stroke depression were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 49 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture plus auricular point electroacupuncture, while the control group was by oral administration of Fluoxetine hydrochloride. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Side-effect Rating Scale (SERS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) were observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were also compared.Result The total effective rate was 89.1% in the treatment group versus 87.0% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Respectively after 2-week, 4-week, and 8-week treatment, the HAMD scores were significantly different from that before intervention in the treatment group (P0.05). The SERS scores in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group after 4-week and 8-week treatment (P<0.05). In the treatment group, the SERS score after 8-week treatment was significantly different from that after 4-week treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of general health domain 1 and 4, physical health domain, psychological health domain, and environment domain from WHOQOL-BREF were significantly changed in both groups (P<0.05). After intervention, the physical health domain score of the treatment group was significantly different from that of the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture plus auricular point electroacupuncture is an effective approach in treating post-stroke depression, and it can improve the quality of life of the patients.

Overview of Taiwan's indigenous ethnopharmacology in the perspective of traditional knowledge protection / 中国结合医学杂志

Ethnopharmacology, the study of ethnic use of drugs, opens up the crucial gateway to understanding and promoting traditional medicine in the new age. Taiwan is a unique region where traditional medicine and herbal therapeutics have been benefiting its people of multiple races for centuries. This article overviews Taiwan's indigenous traditional medicine and the emerging status of ethnopharmacology study, and outlines the global scenario of the inheritance and development of traditional medicine. In such a scope of knowledge protection, this article particularly highlights the challenges with bioprospecting and biopiracy, and summarizes the current measures for protection of traditional knowledge in Taiwan. Finally, based upon these analyses, we propose rational strategies for promoting Taiwan's ethnopharmacology, from multiple angles of resource, economy, policy and law. We conclude that four measures, namely (1) protecting the natural environment of biodiversity, (2) avoiding unnecessary conflicts caused by bioprospecting and biopiracy, (3) strengthening the international collaboration, and (4) upgrading the legal system of traditional intelligence, would be the right paths for Taiwan to protect its invaluable heritage of traditional medicine and the knowledge of ethnopharmacology therein.

γ-Hydroxynitrile glucosides from the seeds of Prinsepia utilis.

γ-Hydroxynitrile glucosides (prinsepicyanosides A-E) were isolated alongside 11 known compounds from seeds of Prinsepia utilis Royle. Their structures were determined by detailed analysis of NMR and MS spectroscopic data. The relative configuration of prinsepicyanoside C was established by Cu-Kα X-ray crystallography. Prinsepicyanoside A, osmaronin, and 4-(hydroxylmethyl)-5H-furan-2-one exhibited borderline antibacterial activity against Salmonella gallinarum, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio cholera with MIC values of 30.1, 20.7, and 22.8µg/mL, respectively.

New sesquiterpenic acids from Inula wissmanniana.

Eight new (1-8) and two known (9 and 10) sesquiterpenic acids featuring α-methylene-γ-carboxyl units were isolated from the whole plants of Inula wissmanniana, along with two new germacranolides (11 and 12). Their structures were elucidated based on detailed spectroscopic analysis, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, and X-ray crystallography. Notably, the skeleton of 1 was firstly discovered from nature, while that of 2 was discovered for the second time. All the compounds were evaluated for their inhibition against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Compound 11 exhibited the strongest activity with the IC50 value of 1.04 µM.

Systematic review of soy isoflavone supplements on osteoporosis in women.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the effect of soy isoflavones on prevention of osteoporosis, and the effective dosage of soy isoflavones and its duration. METHODS: Random control trials that investigated the association of soy isoflavones and osteoporosis were included in the meta-analysis by researching MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Chinese Biomedical Database up to October 2011. The Rev Man software was used for all of the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The present meta-analysis found that soy isoflavones significantly increased the bone mineral density by 54% and decreased the bone resorption marker urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD) by 23% compared to baseline in women. Using random effects model, the effect of isoflavones on bone mineral density (BMD) regarding menopausal status and isoflavone dose revealed higher weighted mean difference changes were found in postmenopausal women and isoflavone dose above 75 mg/d. Subgroup analysis of trials with menopausal status, supplement type, isoflavone dose and intervention duration that used soy isoflavone extracts resulted in significant different overall effect of DPD using by random effects model. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the effect of soy isoflavones on BMD and DPD was robust. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis reveals that soy isoflavone supplements significantly increase bone mineral density and decrease the bone resorption marker urinary DPD. It shows no significant effect on bone formation markers serum bone alkaline phosphatase. The significant effect of soy isoflavones on BMD and urinary DPD is relative to menopausal status, supplement type, isoflavone dose and intervention duration.

Globalization of acupuncture technology innovation: a quantitative analysis based on acupuncture patents in the U.S.A / 中国针灸

The structure of international flow of acupuncture knowledge was explored in this article so as to promote the globalization of acupuncture technology innovation. Statistical methods were adopted to reveal geographical distribution of acupuncture patents in the U.S.A. and the influencing factors of cumulative advantage of acupuncture techniques as well as innovation value of application of acupuncture patents. Social network analysis was also utilized to establish a global innovation network of acupuncture technology. The result shows that the cumulative strength on acupuncture technology correlates with the patent retention period. The innovative value of acupuncture invention correlates with the frequency of patent citation. And the U. S. A. and Canada seize central positions in the global acupuncture information and technology delivery system.

Effects of matrine, oxymatrine and resveratrol on HERG channel expression / 药学学报

Because HERG potassium channel has important effects on both proarrhythmia and antiarrhythmia, we use immunofluorescence and Western blotting methods to detect the expression of HERG channel of HERG-HEK cells in different concentrations of matrine, oxymatrine and resveratrol. The findings showed that both matrine (1 micromol x L(-1) ) and oxymatrine ( 1micromol x L (-1) ) increased HERG channel expression ( n = 5, P < 0. 05 ) , while matrine (100 micromol x L(-1) ) decreased HERG channel expression ( n = 5, P < 0. 05), resveratrol didn't affect HERG channel expression. In conclusion, different concentrations of matrine and oxymatrine affect HERG channel expression, while there is no relationship between resveratrol and HERG channel expression. It provides a theoretical support for the safety and mechanism of anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Flavonoids from Chinese Viscum coloratum: antiarrhythmic efficacy and ionic mechanisms.

Viscum coloratum flavonoids (VCF) have been demonstrated to produce a variety of biological actions. An accumulating line of evidence supported the view that VCF may exert protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The aim of the study was to assess the antiarrhythmic activity as well as the electrophysiological properties of VCF. The antiarrhythmic effects of VCF were observed in a rat model of arrhythmia induced by aconitine. VCF significantly and dose-dependently increased the dosage of aconitine required to induce the arrhythmia indexes. Electrophysiological experiment revealed that VCF shortened APD through inhibition of ICa-L.

Multicenter controlled study on transient asthma-stopping action of acupuncture at "Qingchuan point" / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test and verify the transient therapeutic effect of acupuncture at point "Qingchuan" on bronchial asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred cases of bronchial asthma at acute attack stage were divided into a trial group of 100 cases treated with acupuncture at point "Qingchuan" and a control group of 100 cases treated with acupuncture at Dingchuan (EX-B1).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 92.60% and the effect occurred within 42-860 seconds after acupuncture in the trial group, and 81.0% and within 114-126 seconds in the control group, respectively, with very significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at point "Qingchuan" can significantly improve asthmatic state in the patient of bronchial asthma with action of rapidly stopping asthma.</p>