Study on the correlation between Chinese medicine syndrome types in influenza A (H1N1) virus and potential biomarkers / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the contents changes of potential biomarkers of patients infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus of different Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome types.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two patients with influenza A (H1N1) virus were differentiated as three syndrome types, i. e., wind-heat invading weifen syndrome (51 cases), heat-toxicity attacking Fei syndrome (22 cases), and superficies tightened by wind cold syndrome (9 cases) according to Chinese medicine syndrome typing. According to patients' willingness and clinical conditions, they were treated by three therapeutic schedules, i. e., herbal therapy, symptomatic treatment, and antiviral therapy. The changes of potential biomarkers contents were detected in the serum of patients of various syndrome types before and after treatment. Results There was no statistical difference in the potential biomarkers contents correlated to symptoms of fever, inflammation and cough, such as PGG2, 20-COOH-LTB4, homocystein, and so on in the serum of patients of various syndrome types before treatment (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in the potential biomarkers such as 20-OH-LTE4, LTA4, and linolenic acid, etc. between superficies tightened by wind cold syndrome and wind-heat invading weifen syndrome (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was statistical difference in the potential biomarkers such as PGF1alpha, prostanoic acid, and etc. between superficies tightened by wind cold syndrome and heat-toxicity attacking Fei syndrome (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Statistical difference existed in other indices other than dUTP; 5,10-methylene-THF and PGF1alpha in wind-heat invading weifen syndrome and superficies tightened by wind cold syndrome; prostanoic acid, homocysteine, and glucose in superficies tightened by wind cold syndrome when compared with before treatment in the same group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The changing tendency of potential biomarkers among different syndrome types was identical. Of them, the change of 6-keto-PGF1alpha content was the most obviously of all indices.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There was difference in the contents of potential biomarkers of patients infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus of different syndrome types, and our study provided experimental data support for the objectiveness of CM syndrome differentiation from the perspective of metabolic substances.</p>

Effects of tangshen recipe on the homocysteine metabolism of patients with diabetic nephropathy / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Tangshen Recipe (TR) on the homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism of patients with diabetic nephropathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>64 patients with diabetic nephropathy were randomly assigned to two groups, 32 in each. Those in the Western medicine treatment group (Group A) received insulin and orally took anti-diabetic drugs, while those in the TR group (Group B) received insulin and orally took TR (consisting of astragalus, raw rehmannia root, sanchi root, euonymus branchlet, rhubarb, bitter orange, and dogwood fruit, etc. 4 g/package). Six months was taken as one therapeutic course. Another 48 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group. Eight intermediate metabolites of the homocysteine metabolism in plasma were quantitated before treatment, three months and six months after treatment. The in vivo changes of each metabolite after treatment were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the healthy control group, contents of cysteine (Cys), Hcy, s-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and SAH significantly increased in Group A and B before treatment. Contents of methionine (Met), glutathione (GSH), and Cys-gly decreased significantly, showing statistical difference (P<0.05). Patients' in vivo contents of Cys, Hcy, SAM, and SAH significantly decreased, while contents of Met, GSH, and Cys-gly significantly increased after three and six months of treatment when compared with before treatment in the same group (all P<0.05). No statistical difference existed in contents of SAH, SAM, and GSH of Group A and B after six months of treatment when compared with the healthy control group (P>0.05). No adverse reaction occurred in Group A and B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Treatment of insulin and TR showed similar favorable effect to Western medicine in treatment of diabetic nephropathy. It could improve in vivo hypomethylation and oxidative stress.</p>