Extract of Torreya nucifera Pericarps Exhibits a Parasiticidal Effect on the Nematode Parasite, Trichinella spiralis.

Benzimidazole derivatives can effectively treat nematode parasitic infections; however, some derivatives demand distinct administrative strategies depending on plasma concentration and patient conditions. Numerous studies have examined the potential of natural extracts to exert parasiticidal activity with minimal side effects. Herein, we examined the potential parasiticidal effects of Torreya nucifera extract. The pericarps of T. nucifera were extracted with methanol, dried, and the pellet was dissolved in hot water (Tn-Phw). We designed four individual mouse experiments to clarify the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Tn-Phw on Trichinella spiralis infection. Also, 100 L1 larvae were isolated and treated with Tn-Phw (10 mg/mL) in vitro to confirm the killing effect. Furthermore, we microscopically examined the morphology of L1 larvae to confirm the parasite-killing effect and analyzed the morphology using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The expression of three molting-related genes was confirmed to determine whether Tn-Phw induced morphological changes in L1 larvae. Following treatment with Tn-Phw, L1 larvae death was observed after 16 h. Following SEM examination, the healthy muscle larvae showed striated ridges and wrinkles; this was not observed in extract-treated muscle larvae. Expression levels of the three molting-related genes did not differ between the Tn-Phw-treated and control groups. T. spiralis-infected mice pretreated with Tn-Phw showed significantly reduced muscle larva infection when compared with control mice. In all experiments, treatment with Tn-Phw afforded preventive and therapeutic effects against T. spiralis infection and parasitism. Natural substances against nematode parasites could be developed as therapeutic agents with few side effects and enhanced parasiticidal efficacy.

Construction of the pharmacoeconomic evaluation system of Chinese patent medicine in the prevention and treatment of major chronic diseases / 中国药房

OB JECTIVE To explore the construction of system of pharmacoeconomic evaluation fo r Chinese patent medicine in preventing and treating major chronic diseases. METHODS The problems in pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Chinese patent medicine for preventing and treating major chronic diseases were analyzed. Based on the problem ，the pharmacoeconomic theory ， tools and methods that can be used to systematically evaluate the prevention and treatment of major chronic diseases by Chinese patent medicine were explored to build the relevant pharmacoeconomic evaluation system. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Traditional Chinese medicine shows the advantages in the prevention and treatment of major chronic diseases. This unique advantage needed to be explored ，reflected and proved in the pharmacoeconomic evaluation. The pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Chinese patent medicine had made some progress in recent years. However ，there were still deficiencies of theory and methodology in the pharmacoeconomic evaluation for the advantages of Chinese patent medicine in preventing and treating major chronic diseases. It was difficult to truly and comprehensively reflect the value of Chinese patent medicine by simply applying the economic evaluation indicators and technologies of chemical medicine. It is necessary to focus on the unique pharmacoeconomic attributes of Chinese patent medicine ，excavate the economic value indicators of Chinese patent medicine for “preventive treatment of disease ” and playing the self-regulation role of human body ，comprehensively consider the pharmacoeconomic particularity of Chinese patent medicine in respects of research design ，research angle ，target population ，intervention measures and control selection ，research time limit and evaluation method ，etc. Through the use of system modeling ，real-world research and the establishment of Chinese medicinal quality of life scale that reflects the characteristics of TCM ，the economic value of Chinese patent medicine in the prevention and treatmen t of major chronic diseases is reflected comprehensively，so as to reflect the advantage of Chinese patent medicine in preventing and treating major chronic diseases.

Prediction of the molecular mechanism of eucommiae Cortex - Achyranthis bidentatae radix in the treatment of osteoarthritis: network pharmacology and molecular docking.

OBJECTIVE: To retrieve the core drug of osteoarthritis in clinic using Data Mining, predict the drug molecular action target through the Network Pharmacology, identify the key nodes of the interaction by combining with the related targtes of osteoarthritis, explore the pharmacological mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine against osteoarthritis and other possible mechanisms of actions. METHODS: to retrieve the commonly used therapeutic formulations for osteoarthritis patients in clinical with PubMed, CNKI, VIP, CBM, Wan Fang Database and other databases, and screen out the core drugs through the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform and software Gephi, filter out the core drug molecules and targets combined with TCMSP database and the targets of osteoarthritis in Genecard and OMIM database, plunge those data into R project and Cytoscape to construct the intersection model of Drug molecule-osteoarthritis, establish PPI network and GO and conduct KEGG enrichment analysis with String database. Vina molecular docking was finally implemented to draw molecular docking diagram, and the results were analyzed after comprehensive analysis. RESULTS: The core drug pairs were identified as 'Eucommiae Cortex - Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix' through correlation analysis, complex network analysis based on the coefficient. 'Eucommiae Cortex - Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix' can intervene cell behavior through multiple pathways and regulate cell metabolism, cytokine synthesis, oxidative and cellular immunity with the help of topology analysis in String Database. CONCLUSIONS: The core molecules of Quercetin and Kaempferol derived from 'Eucommia bark - achyranthes' can change the spatial conformation of PTGSs by hydrogen bonding with PTGSs, the hydrophobic bonds and van der Waals forces generated by Baicalein, Wogonin and ß-carotene, thereby changing the activity of PTGSs and affecting bone properties the process of osteoarthritis.

Reticulated Meta-analysis of effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine therapy for traumatic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of different interventions of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy by means of mesh Meta-analysis.<p>METHODS:The Computer searched of Chinese databases(CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed)and English databases(PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library). Search time was limited from their inception to March 2020. Randomized controlled clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy were subjected to Meta-analysis. Cochrane evaluation tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies and Stata 14.2 software was used to conduct network Meta-analysis.<p>RESULTS: Twenty-one RCT studies involving 1 297 patients were included and 7 interventions were involved. Among them, Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine+hormone drugs, acupuncture+Chinese medicine+neurotrophic drugs were better than those with neurotrophic drugs alone. Chinese medicine+hormone drugs, acupuncture+Chinese medicine+neurotrophic drugs, acupuncture+Chinese medicine+hormone drugs were better than that of hormone drugs alone(<i>P</i><0.05), and the intervention measures ranked first in terms of effective treatment rate is acupuncture+Chinese medicine+neurotrophic drugs.<p>CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine has advantages in the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy. Among them, acupuncture+ Chinese medicine+neurotrophic drugs is most likely to be the best choice.

Development of an overall evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

This paper reviews modern science and technology with regard to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research methods, quality control, and discusses the establishment and improvement of the evaluation system for TCM, focusing on the following issues: 1) How to incorporate the efficacy of TCM in the overall evaluation of TCM quality; 2) how to quantify the efficacy and properties of TCM; 3) how to understand the correlation between the efficacy and properties of TCM and its application; 4) how to reflect the specificity of the effective components in the overall evaluation of TCM quality; and 5) how to reflect the quality value transfer of effective components in the whole process of production and metabolism in vivo to the overall evaluation of TCM quality. The overall quality evaluation of TCM needs to better reflect its clinically safety and effectiveness. It is suggested to establish a clinical quality assessment method based on the content of the chemical components of TCM to explore and establish an overall evaluation method of TCM quality that reflects the efficacy of TCM and conforms with clinical practice.

Clinical Efficacy of Modified Huqianwan Combined with Auricular Acupressure with Seeds on Central Precocious Puberty due to Yin Deficiency and Fire Hyperactivity / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Huqianwan combined with auricular acupressure with seeds on girls with central precocious puberty （CPP） due to Yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity. Method:A total of 150 cases were randomly divided into three groups （A group，B group， and C group），with 50 cases in each group. The cases received modified Huqianwan，Zhibo Dihuangwan，and modified Huqianwan combined with auricular acupressure with seeds， respectively， for 12 weeks. The traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms，bone age difference/chronological age difference （ΔBA/ΔCA）， predicted adult height （PAH），ovarian volume，uterine volume，breast nodule index，serum sex hormones ［follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH），luteinizing hormone （LH），and estradiol （E₂）］，and serum kisspeptin-1 （KISS-1）/G protein-coupled receptor 54 （GPR54）/hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） signaling pathway of the three groups were observed before and after treatment. The clinical efficacy and safety of the three groups were evaluated. Result:The total effective rate was 97.9% in the C group， which was higher than 81.3% in the A group （<italic>χ</italic>²=4.516，<italic>P</italic><0.05） and 71.4% in the B group （<italic>χ</italic>²=5.162，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the results in the A group after treatment，TCM syndrome，ΔBA/ΔCA，E₂，LH，KISS-1，GPR54，and GnRH decreased（<italic>P</italic><0.05），and ovarian volume，uterine volume，and breast nodule index were reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05），but PAH increased in the C group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the B group after treatment，the C group showed decreased TCM syndrome，ΔBA/ΔCA， FSH，E₂，LH，KISS-1，GPR54，and GnRH （<italic>P</italic><0.05），reduced ovarian volume，uterine volume，and breast nodule index （<italic>P</italic><0.05），and increased PAH（<italic>P</italic><0.05）. During the study，there was one case of anorexia in the A group，and no obvious adverse reactions were found in the B group and the C group. Conclusion:Modified Huqianwan combined with auricular acupressure with seeds can significantly increase the PAH of girls with CPP due to Yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity and improve the serum sex hormones and the KISS-1/GPR54/GnRH signaling pathway.

Considerations from FDA Food Traceability to Chinese Medicinal Materials Traceability / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As a Chinese saying goes， "good Chinese medicinal material makes good medicine"， the traceability of Chinese medicinal materials is closely related to the high-quality development of Chinese medicine industry. This article intends to analyze the "new era of smarter food safety blueprint" and Proposed Rule for Food Traceability related to food traceability of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration （FDA）， including food traceability list， critical tracking events， and examples of exemptions. By studying the process and consideration of the construction of the FDA food traceability system， as well as the specific traceability requirements of fresh herbs， vegetables and fruits in the FDA food traceability system that are related to Chinese medicinal materials， on the one hand， it provides research materials for the communication and discussion of Chinese medicinal materials traceability， on the other hand， it also provides reference for the construction of food traceability system in China. To sort out the idea of constructing a traceability system for Chinese medicinal materials suitable for the current development status of traditional Chinese medicine， the contents to be considered are as follows：①To determine the traceability list of Chinese medicinal materials based on the risk control of Chinese medicinal materials. ②Determine the critical tracking links and information in the Chinese medicinal materials industry chain， and standardize the traceability information of Chinese medicinal materials. ③The quality information of Chinese medicinal materials should be reflected in the traceability of Chinese medicinal materials. ④Within the scope of the traceability list of Chinese medicinal materials， enterprises should be encouraged to make voluntary traceability by selecting Chinese medicinal materials with a good foundation of traceability work.

Effect of Modified Fuyuanwan Combined with Auricular Acupressure Bean on Stage Ⅱ， Ⅲ Diabetic Nephropathy and Its Effect on Serum JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of modified Fuyuanwan combined with auricular acupressure bean on stage Ⅱ， Ⅲ diabetic nephropathy and its effect on serum janus kinase （JAK）/ signal transducer and activator of tranions （STAT） signaling pathway. Method:A total of 180 cases were randomly divided into control group and observation group， 90 cases in each group. Losartan potassium， modified Fuyuanwan combined with auricular acupressure bean were given respectively for 12 weeks. Renal function indexes ［blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， urinary albumin excretion rate （UAER）， 24 h urinary protein quantitative （24 h Upor）］， relative abundance of intestinal flora （verruca microflora， scleriobacteriae， deferribacter， proteobacteria）， oxidative stress indicators ［advanced oxidation protein products （AOPPs）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， total superoxide dismutase （TSOD）］， renal blood flow index ［end-diastolic blood flow velocity （EDV）， peak systolic value （PSV）， pulse index （PI）， blood flow resistance index （RI）］， JAK/STAT signaling pathway ［JAK， phosphorylated JAK （p-JAK）， STAT， phosphorylated STAT （p-STAT） were observed before and after treatment. The safety indexes of two groups were evaluated after treatment. The efficacy was observed after treatment and followed up for 1 years and 2 years. Result:After treatment and follow-up for 1， 2 years， the total effective rates of patients in observation group were 97.8% （87/89）， 81.6% （71/87）， 59.8% （49/82）， respectively， observation group which were significantly higher than those in control group of 79.3%（69/87），57.8%（48/83），37.2%（29/78） （<italic>χ</italic>²=4.016， <italic>χ</italic>²=4.503， <italic>χ</italic>²=4.769， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with control group after treatment， UAER， BUN， SCr， 24 h Upor， firmicutes， actinobacillus， proteobacteria， AOPPs， ROS， PI， RI， p-JAK， p-STAT3 in observation group were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， microflora verruca， GSH-PX， TSOD， JAK， STAT3 were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， EDV and PSV were significantly accelerated （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The incidence of adverse reactions was 1.1% （1/89） in observation group， lower than 13.8% （12/87） in control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=5.127， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Modified Fuyuanwan combined with auricular acupressure bean can significantly improve the curative effect of stage Ⅱ， Ⅲ diabetic nephropathy， and its mechanism of action may be related to the serum JAK/STAT signaling pathway.

Preliminary Considerations on Management Mode and Technical Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Same Name and Prescription / 中国实验方剂学杂志

With the publication of Registration and Classification of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） and Application Data Requirements， the related management and technical documents of TCM with the same name and prescription need to be further studied and formulated. In this paper， the management mode and technical evaluation of TCM with the same name and prescription are discussed to provide reference for the formulation of management and technical documents of TCM with the same name and prescription. The issues to be discussed include which management mode to adopt， how to select the control drugs with the same name and prescription， whether the indication risk level should be divided， whether the indication should be limited to medium and low risk， and how to carry out the technical evaluation of similarity/consistency. From the perspective of technical document research and formulation， this paper mainly focuses on the technical level. However， there are still other theoretical possibilities in the management mode and technical evaluation of TCM with the same name and prescription. Therefore， this paper， as a preliminary summary of the management and technical evaluation of TCM with the same name and prescription， needs more scholars and industry experts to pay attention to and participate in this work.

Effect of Modified Huangqi Biejiatang Combined with Auricular Acupressure on Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of Qi-Yin Deficiency Syndrome and Serum MyD88/IκB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of modified Huangqi Biejiatang combined with auricular acupressure on diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） due to Qi and Yin deficiency and serum myeloid differentiation factor 88/inhibitor of nuclear factor-<italic>κ</italic>B （MyD88/I<italic>κ</italic>B） signaling pathway. Method:One hundred and forty cases were randomly divided into an observation group （<italic>n</italic>=70） and a control group （<italic>n</italic>=70）. In addition to routine treatments like dietary intervention and the regulation of fasting blood glucose （FBG） and blood pressure， the modified Huangqi Biejiatang combined with auricular acupressure was further provided in the observation group， while mecobalamine was administered in the control group. After four-week intervention， the toronto clinical scoring system （TCSS） score， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， the conduction velocities of motor and sensory nerves （median nerve， common peroneal nerve， tibial nerve， and ulnar nerve）， glucose metabolism indexes ［fasting plasma glucose （FPG）， 2 h postprandial blood glucose （2 h PG）， and hemoglobin A1c （HbA1c）］， intestinal genera （<italic>Clostridium</italic>， <italic>Prauserella</italic>， <italic>Bacteroides</italic>， and <italic>Faecalibacterium</italic>）， as well as the serum MyD88， I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>， and phosphorylated I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α </italic>（p-I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>） levels in the MyD88/I<italic>κ</italic>B signaling pathway before and after treatment were observed in the two groups， for comparing their clinical efficacy and safety. Result:The total effective rate of the observation group was 85.3% （58/68）， which was higher than 48.5% （32/66） of the control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=6.143， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. The comparison with the control group revealed that the scores of TCSS and TCM syndrome， the levels of FPG， 2 h PG， HbA1c， MyD88， and p-I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic>， as well as the abundances of <italic>Clostridium</italic> and <italic>Prauserella</italic> in the observation group were decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， while the conduction velocities of motor and sensory nerves （median nerve， common peroneal nerve， tibial nerve， and ulnar nerve） were significantly accelerated （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Besides， the abundances of <italic>Bacteroides</italic> and <italic>Faecalibacterium</italic> and I<italic>κ</italic>B<italic>α</italic> level were significantly elevated （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 1.5% （1/68）， lower than 12.1% （8/66） in the control group （<italic>χ</italic>²=4.328， <italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:The modified Huangqi Biejiatang combined with auricular acupressure alleviates DPN due to Qi and Yin deficiency， which may be attributed to the regulation of serum MyD88/I<italic>κ</italic>B signaling pathway.

Considerations on Relevant Technical Requirements for Listing Application of Over-the-counter Traditional Chinese Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In this paper， a comparative analysis is carried out on the policy of listed drugs in Australia， the policy of over-the-counter drugs in Japan， the policy related to the conversion of Chinese patent medicines to over-the-counter drugs， and the policy related to health food. The focus is on one of the possible situations for the registration of over-the-counter traditional Chinese medicines （TCMs）， namely new prescription-composed over-the-counter TCMs. This paper discussed separately from the three parts of the scope of Chinese medicinal materials in the prescription medicines， the scope of indications， and the technical requirements， in order to provide references for the technical requirements related to the registration of over-the-counter TCMs. Recommendations on the marketing and registration of new prescription-composed over-the-counter TCMs：①It is recommended to formulate a list of medicinal materials for the use of Chinese herbal medicines， and consider including raw materials of health food. On this basis， a batch of safe Chinese medicinal materials/decoction pieces was added. And consider dynamic supervision， such as allowing the addition or recall of Chinese medicinal materials/decoction pieces in the list of medicinal materials. ②The scope of indications is recommended to consider the scope of indications for the conversion of Chinese patent medicines to over-the-counter TCMs in China， and the selection of medium-risk indications can reflect the characteristics and advantages of TCM treatment. ③Efficacy evaluation needs to provide high-quality scientific evidence， including clinical research data， and consider relaxing the requirements for non-clinical pharmacodynamic trials.

Botanical drug clinical trial: Common issues and future options

In order to understand this disparity between human use and drugs approved by regulatory agencies, we analyzed botanical drug clinical trials registered at ClinicalTrial.gov to detect trends in current trials and guide future trials. A total of 195 botanical drug clinical trials were registered from 2016 to 2019, of which 81 are phase II or phase II/III. 95% of all phase II and II/III studies were designed with 100 or less participants per arm, indicating a more observational nature due to the limited power to detect differences in outcomes between treatment and control groups. Due to the limited number of participants, efficacy outcome from results may be highly subjective. 14% of the total trials were phase I studies. For botanical drugs with well-documented or extensive history of human use, phase I may not provide significant additional information, and may, therefore, not be necessary. For the trial design, we suggest added-on studies when botanical drugs are used as part of a combination treatment. Additionally, we believe standardized data collection methods and criteria are critical to utilizing the vast collection of human experience as quality evidence to support regulatory approval.

Integrative medicine rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy: a study protocol for a multicenter pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) has been employed for the treatment of children with cerebral palsy in Korea; however, the addition of TKM to usual rehabilitation (UR) treatment is hindered by insufficient evidence of clinical improvement with TKM in patients with cerebral palsy. In this study, we will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of integrative medicine rehabilitation (IMR) for cerebral palsy through a randomized controlled clinical study. METHODS: Eighty children (2-6 years old) diagnosed with cerebral palsy will be recruited and randomly divided into groups A and B. Patients in group A will receive IMR with UR, while those in group B will receive only UR during weeks 1-12 of the study. IMR includes acupuncture treatment (head and limb acupuncture) three times a week and the administration of herbal medicine (Yukgunza-tang and Yukmijihwang-tang extracts) twice a day in parallel with UR. Evaluations will be conducted at the beginning of the study and at 12 and 24 weeks (follow-up). The primary outcome is the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 score, and the secondary outcomes are the scores for the Goal Attainment Scale, Korean Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and adverse events. DISCUSSION: This will be the first pragmatic randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IMR in children with cerebral palsy in Korea. The results will help to demonstrate if IMR is an effective therapeutic approach for cerebral palsy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety 31361 ( http://www.mfds.go.kr ). Registered on 29 June 2017. Clinical Research Information Service KCT0002620 ( https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01.jsp?seq=9819 ). Registered on 29 December 2017.

Optimal placement of electrodes for treatment of post-stroke dysphagia by neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with effortful swallowing.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the optimal placement of electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for post-stroke dysphagia therapy. METHODS: 31 patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomised to three groups according to NMES electrode placement. In Group A (n = 10), two pairs of electrodes were attached horizontally on the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles. In Group B (n = 11), one pair of electrodes was attached horizontally on the suprahyoid muscles while the other was attached vertically on the infrahyoid muscles. In Group C (n = 10), the electrodes were attached vertically, with one pair above the hyoid bone and the other above the cricoid cartilage. All patients received rehabilitation treatment via NMES combined with effortful swallowing training five times weekly for four weeks. The effect of NMES electrode placement was assessed in terms of the Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) and Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS) scores. RESULTS: Group A showed significantly greater improvement than Group B in overall FDS (p = 0.009) and pharyngeal-phase FDS (FDS-P; p = 0.005) scores. Group A also showed significant improvement when compared with Group C in overall FDS (p = 0.001) and FDS-P (p = 0.001) scores. CONCLUSION: Horizontal placement of the NMES electrodes on the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles for the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia by NMES combined with effortful swallowing was more effective than the horizontal and vertical placement of electrodes on the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, respectively, and their vertical placement above the hyoid bone and cricoid cartilage.

EFLA 945 restricts AIM2 inflammasome activation by preventing DNA entry for psoriasis treatment.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects about 2% of the general population. Activation of the Absent in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome is crucial for immune defense, but it can also cause inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis. We currently lack an AIM2 inflammasome inhibitor that could be used therapeutically. Here, we show that EFLA 945, a safe product of red grape vine leaf extracts, can restrict AIM2 inflammasome activation. Mechanistically, EFLA945 prevents DNA entry into THP-1-derived macrophages, and thereby inhibits cytoplasmic DNA-dependent apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) oligomerization, caspase-1 activation, and the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. The major phytochemicals of EFLA 945, resveratrol and peonidin 3-O-glucoside (P3G), appear to be the potential bioactive compounds responsible for its ability to restrict AIM2-dependent IL-1ß secretion. Importantly, in an in vivo mouse model, EFLA 945 attenuates imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-related pro-inflammatory responses in topical psoriatic skin, including caspase-1 activation, IL-1ß maturation, and IL-17 production, and decreases the severity of psoriasis. Together, these results demonstrate that the safe natural product, EFLA 945, can restrict the AIM2 inflammasome activation through preventing DNA entry and may prove beneficial for treating psoriasis.

Study on registration management and technical requirements of Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions / 中草药

Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions are an important reservoir for new traditional Chinese medicines. The management basis for the registration and filing of Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions are sorted out, and the general situation is analyzed, and the current filing information and technical requirements of Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions and new traditional Chinese medicine compound preparations are compared. The purpose is to understand the variety of Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions and the potential issues in the application materials, and to provide reference for better application of human experience and exemption from the application materials of new traditional Chinese medicines derived from Chinese medicine preparations in medical institutions.

Review of chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Jiaotai Pills and predictive analysis of its quality marker(Q-marker) / 中国中药杂志

Jiaotai Pills is a traditional medical prescription to treat the incompatibility of heart and kidney. It has the distinctive functions of heart and kidney communication, sedation and hypnosis, anti-anxiety and depression, as well as the improvement of insulin resistance. However, this pill is broadly used to cure insomnia, anxiety, depression, and diabetes in the contemporary clinical trials. Based on the article, it illustrates the research progress of the chemical ingredients, pharmacological actions, and clinical applications of Jiaotai Pills. With respect to the "five principles" of Q-marker in Chinese medicine, the Q-marker of Jiaotai Pills is comprehensively predicted and analyzed, noting that berberine, epiberberine, coptisine chloride, palmatine chloride, berberine chloride, berberrubine chloride, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, proanthocyanidin B2 can be treated as the Q-marker of Jiaotai Pills. In addition, these components of Q-marker have been selected as indicators to provide a significant reference for the quality control and surveillance research of Jiaotai Pills.

Formononetin Antagonizes the Interleukin-1ß-Induced Catabolic Effects Through Suppressing Inflammation in Primary Rat Chondrocytes.

In the present study, we demonstrated the anti-catabolic effects of formononetin, a phytoestrogen derived from herbal plants, against interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced severe catabolic effects in primary rat chondrocytes and articular cartilage. Formononetin did not affect the viability of primary rat chondrocytes in both short- (24 h) and long-term (21 days) treatment periods. Furthermore, formononetin effectively antagonized the IL-1ß-induced catabolic effects including the decrease in proteoglycan content, suppression of pericellular matrix formation, and loss of proteoglycan through the decreased expression of cartilage-degrading enzymes like matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, MMP-1, and MMP-3 in primary rat chondrocytes. Moreover, catabolic oxidative stress mediators like nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and prostaglandin E2 were significantly downregulated by formononetin in primary rat chondrocytes treated with IL-1ß. Sequentially, the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (like IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α), chemokines (like fractalkine, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-3α), and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly downregulated by formononetin in primary rat chondrocytes treated with IL-1ß. These data suggest that formononetin may suppress IL-1ß-induced severe catabolic effects and osteoarthritic condition. Furthermore, formononetin may be a promising candidate for the treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis.

Response to vitamin D replacement in overweight and normal weight children with vitamin D deficiency.

PURPOSE: It is well known that obesity is related to vitamin D deficiency (VDD). We investigated the response to vitamin D replacement in normal-weight and overweight children. METHODS: This was a prospective study including 62 Korean children with VDD. VDD was defined as a serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) concentration <20 ng/mL. Overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI)≥the 85th percentile (n=21), and normal weight as a BMI between the 5th and 84th percentiles (n=41). All participants received vitamin D3 supplementation (2,000 IU/day) for 8 weeks. The serum levels of 25(OH)D, PTH and biochemical parameters were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 10.0±1.4 years in normal-weight children and 10.0±2.1 years in overweight children (P=0.93). After 8 weeks of treatment, 61.9% of normal-weight children and 47.6% of overweight children achieved vitamin D sufficiency (P =0.30). The mean serum 25(OH)D levels after vitamin D replacement were 33.8±7.6 ng/mL and 30.3±6.6 ng/mL in normal-weight and overweight children, respectively (P =0.10). The mean calcium/creatinine ratios after treatment were 0.09±0.07 and 0.08±0.06 in the normal-weight and overweight groups, respectively, and no hypercalciuria was found. In multiple regression analysis, the response to vitamin D replacement was influenced by the BMI (ß=-1.0, P=0.03) and sex (ß=-4.0, P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Eight weeks of vitamin D replacement (2,000 IU/day) is sufficient to overcome vitamin D deficiency in normal-weight and overweight children without any complications.