Efficacy of Baishao Luoshi decoction on synaptic plasticity in rats with post stroke spasticity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Baishao Luoshi decoction (, BD) on synaptic plasticity in rats with post stroke spasticity (PSS), and to study the mechanism behind the action. METHODS: The PSS model of rat was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The neurological deficit symptoms were evaluated by modified neurological deficit score (mNSS). Muscle tension were evaluated by Modified Ashworth score (MAS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the synaptic ultrastructure. The expression of synaptic plasticity-related protein brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), growth associated protein-43 (GAP43), synaptophysin (p38) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) in the brain tissue around the infarct were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: We found that mNSS were significantly improved and limb spasticity was ameliorated treated by BD. The thickness of postsynaptic density and the synaptic curvature increased significantly. The expression of synaptic plasticity-related protein BDNF, GAP43, p38, MAP2 in the brain tissue around the infarct were raised remarkably after treated by BD. CONCLUSIONS: Alleviating PSS by BD may be related to rescuing the synaptic plasticity, which provides a probable new therapeutic method for PSS.

Effectiveness and Safety of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for the Treatment of Poststroke Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Acupoint catgut embedding therapy has shown effectiveness in treating functional constipation; however, relevant, high-quality clinical evidence is scarce. This study aimed to systematically assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint catgut embedding in treating poststroke constipation. Methods: Correlative randomized controlled trials were identified through a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane Library/Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Internet, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang, and VIP databases from inception until February 2022. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Fifteen trials involving 1084 patients were identified. The meta-analysis revealed that the acupoint catgut embedding group was significantly superior to the non-catgut embedding group with regard to the efficacy rate (RR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.19, 1.37), P < 0.05), the first defecation time (MD = -3.08, 95% CI (-4.53, -1.63), P < 0.05), the defecation sensation score (MD = -0.44, 95% CI (-0.61, -0.26), P < 0.05), the degree of difficulty in defecation (MD = -0.73, 95% CI (-1.10, -0.37), P < 0.05), the PAC-QOL scale score (MD = -10.06, 95% CI (-13.47, -6.64), P < 0.05), and the symptom integral (MD = -3.15, 95% CI (-3.60, -2.71), P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the stool property score (MD = 0.06, 95% CI (-0.39, 0.50), P > 0.05) as well as the incidence of adverse reactions (RD = 0.01, 95% CI (-0.01, 0.03), P > 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusions: The results showed that acupoint catgut embedding is probably an effective and safe acupuncture treatment strategy for poststroke constipation. Nevertheless, more rigorously designed, standardized, large-sample, and multicenter randomized controlled designs are warranted to further verify the findings of this study.

Impact of hepatoprotective drugs on the performance of APRI for diagnosing liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the impact of hepatoprotective drugs on the performance of APRI for diagnosing liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).@*Methods@#Patients with CHB who underwent a percutaneous liver biopsy were recruited and divided into hepatoprotective drugs using group and hepatoprotective drugs free group. Grouping was carried out according to the types of commonly used hepatoprotective drugs, and controls were matched for each groups by stage of liver fibrosis and age from hepatoprotective drugs free group. The performance of APRI for diagnosing significant fibrosis and cirrhosis was evaluated and compared between each experimental groups and control groups using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.@*Results@#A total of 1447 patients were enrolled, including 60 using glycyrrhizin, 54 using silymarin, 63 using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) containing schisandra, and 113 using more than one hepatoprotective drug. In patients using glycyrrhizin, the sensitivity of APRI to predict significant fibrosis was higher than its control group. In patients using more than one hepatoprotective drug, the sensitivity of APRI to exclude significant fibrosis was higher than its control group; the area under ROC curve of APRI to diagnose significant fibrosis, the specificity of APRI to exclude and predict significant fibrosis were all lower than its control group. In patients using glycyrrhizin and patients using more than one hepatoprotective drug, the specificity of APRI to exclude cirrhosis were both lower than their control groups. In patients using silymarin and patients using TCM, the performance of APRI to diagnose significant fibrosis and cirrhosis was comparable with their control groups.@*Conclusions@#Glycyrrhizin and combination of hepatoprotective drugs would have significant impact on the performance of APRI for diagnosing liver fibrosis in CHB, silymarin and TCM containing schisandra would have less impact.

Effects of dahuang zhechong pill on expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase in rats' hepatic stellate cells / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP) on the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in rats' hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) that secreted into the culture base.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HSC were isolated from the liver of normal rats and incubated with DZP-contained drug serum. The expression of MMP-1 in the HSC was detected by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The activity of MMP-2 was examined by zymography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DZP-contained drug serum could obviously promote the gene expression of MMP-1 in HSC. In the meantime, it could obviously increase the content and activity of MMP-2 synthesized by HSC (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The anti-fibrosis action of DZP was correlated to the promotion of HSC's gene expression of MMP-1 and increasing of the contents and activity of MMP-2.</p>

Effect of supplemented danggui shaoyao powder and its disassembled prescriptions on lymphocytes proliferation in aged rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of supplemented Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS) and its disassembled prescriptions on function of lymphocyte in aged rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats aged 18 months were administered with decoction of DSS and its disassembled prescriptions separately in groups for 3 weeks to prepare drug containing serum. Samples of ConA induced rats splenic lymphocytes proliferation was treated respectively with prepared drug serum, for testing their effect on lymphocyte proliferation using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, and isoprel (ISO) and propranolol were taken as the controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The A value of lymphocyte proliferation in the drug serum treated groups was significantly different from that in the control groups (P < 0.01), which could be reduced markedly after treatment with ISO, but could restore to the level before ISO treatment by adding drug serum or propranolol.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DSS and/or its disassembled prescriptions could raise the lymphocyte proliferation in aged rats significantly, it also shows antagonizing effect against the inhibition of ISO on lymphocyte proliferation.</p>