Association of congenital iodine deficiency syndrome and differentiated thyroid cancer: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of iodine deficiency, especially during the fetal period, on thyroid cancer risk remains unclear. The evidence from observational studies is controversial because of the inevitable confounding factors. We studied the causal effect of congenital iodine deficiency on differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) based on Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: Two-Sample MR analysis was performed using data from published genome-wide association studies, including congenital iodine deficiency syndrome (CIDS) (353 cases, 187,684 controls) and DTC (649 cases, 431 controls) data. RESULTS: There was a causal relationship between CIDS and DTC (P < 0.05), with CIDS increasing the DTC risk by 37.4% (OR = 1.374, 95%CI = 1.110-1.700). Heterogeneity tests and tests of multiple validities indicated that the results were solid and reliable (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fetal iodine deficiency increases the risk of DTC, so future clinical studies should focus on the effect of iodine supplementation during pregnancy to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in the offspring.

[Tissue distribution of Qingfei Paidu Decoction based on HPLC-MS/MS].

The tissue distribution of Qingfei Paidu Decoction was studied by HPLC-MS/MS in vivo. Hypersil GOLD C_(18) column(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.9 µm) was used for gradient elution with acetonitrile as the mobile phase A and 0.1% formic acid solution as the mobile phase B. High-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in both positive and negative ion scanning mode and multiple response monitoring(MRM) mode was employed to analyze the behaviors of the active components of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in diffe-rent tissues. The results showed that 19, 9, 17, 14, 22, 19, 24, and 2 compounds were detected in plasma, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, large intestine, and brain, respectively. The compounds belonged to 8 groups, covering 14 herbs in the prescription. After administration with Qingfei Paidu Decoction, the compounds were rapidly distributed in various tissues, especially in the lung, liver, large intestine, and kidney. The majority of the compounds displayed secondary distribution. This study comprehensively analyzed the distribution rules of the main active components in Qingfei Paidu Decoction and provided a basis for the clinical application.

Laser and light therapy combined with topical minoxidil for alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

We aim to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of using laser and light combined with topical minoxidil for alopecia areata. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP database, and Wanfang Data from their inception to September 18, 2022. The risk of bias of the included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration tool. RevMan 5.3 software and Stata 14.0 software were used to perform the statistical analysis. The GRADE system assessed the quality of evidence. Ten studies were enrolled finally. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with topical minoxidil alone, the 308-nm excimer laser/light or He-Ne laser combined with topical minoxidil could reduce the SALT (Severity of Alopecia Tool) score (MD= -5.88, 95% CI [-9.79, -1.98], P=0.003). Whether fractional CO2 laser (RR=1.29, 95% CI [1.14, 1.46], P<0.0001), 308-nm excimer laser/light (RR=1.32, 95% CI [1.12, 1.55], P=0.001), He-Ne laser (RR=1.69, 95% CI [1.07, 2.69], P=0.03), or NB-UVB (RR=1.35, 95% CI [1.07,1.70], P=0.01) combined with topical minoxidil may improve the treatment response rate, comparing with topical minoxidil only. The recurrence rate of laser and light combined with topical minoxidil was lower than that of the minoxidil alone group (RR=0.54, 95% CI [0.31, 0.93], P=0.03) when follow-up time was 1 year. In addition, the incidence of adverse events including irritant contact dermatitis, erythema, desquamation, pain, and pruritus was no significant difference between the two groups (RR=1.50, 95% CI [0.95, 2.36], P=0.08). The level of evidence for outcomes was classified as very low to moderate. Based on the available evidence, laser and light combined with topical minoxidil therapy may be effective and safe for alopecia areata. However, more high-quality trials are required for comprehensive analysis and further verification.

[Application and thinking of acupuncture therapy in comprehensive management of hypertension].

The theory of disease prevention with traditional Chinese medicine is introduced into the prevention of chronic diseases such as hypertension. In order to fully implement the advantages of acupuncture, the three-level prevention strategy is strengthened on the whole-process intervention with acupuncture for hypertension, including prevention before disease onset, starting intervention at the early phase, and prevention disease from exacerbating. Moreover, the comprehensive management scheme, multidisciplinary coordination and participation mechanism are investigated in the field of traditional Chinese medicine for preventive treatment of hypertension.

Silicon solar cell-enabled organic photoelectrochemical transistor optoelectronics.

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have been increasingly explored for innovative electronic devices. However, they inherently demand two power suppliers, which is unfavorable for the utilization of portable and wearable systems with strict energy requirements. Herein, by assembling a monocrystalline silicon solar cell into the OECT circuit with light as fuel, we demonstrated the possibility of a self-powered and light-modulated operation of organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) optoelectronics. Exemplified by poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-based depletion-mode and accumulation-mode OECTs, different light-addressable configurations were constructed, and the corresponding characteristics were systematically studied and compared. Different device behaviors with distinct characteristics could be achieved with the appropriate usage of light stimulation. Toward applications, optologics were designed with various parameters depending on the incident irradiance. Light-controlled OPECT unipolar inverters were further demonstrated and optimized with respect to the power source and resistance. This work features new OPECT optoelectronics combined with proper flexible substrates and solar cells for potential applications in portable and wearable devices. Electronic Supplementary Material: Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s40843-022-2295-8.

Use of different ligand modification liposomes to evaluate the anti-liver tumor activity of cantharidin.

In this study, cantharidin(CTD), a bioactive terpenoid in traditional Chinese medicine cantharidin, was selected as a model component to construct novel nano liposome delivery systems for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. Previous studies have shown that although cantharidin has definite curative effects on primary liver cancer, it is associated with numerous toxic and side effects. Therefore, based on the glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) binding site and the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) on the hepatocyte membrane, the surface of CTD liposomes was modified with stearyl alcohol galactoside (SA-Gal) or/and the newly synthesized 3-succinic-30-stearyl deoxyglycyrrhetinic acid (11-DGA-Suc) ligands, and the physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, in vivo and in vitro anti-liver tumor activity and its mechanism of modified liposomes were investigated. Compared to CTD-lip, SA-Gal-CTD-lip, and 11-DGA-Suc + SA-Gal-CTD-lip, 11-DGA-Suc-CTD-lip showed stronger cytotoxicity and increased inhibition of HepG2 cell migration had the highest apoptosis rate. The cell cycle results indicated that HepG2 cells was arrested mainly at G0/G1phase and G2/M phase. The results of in vivo pharmacokinetic experiments revealed that the distribution of modified liposomes in the liver was significantly increased compared with that of unmodified liposome. In vivo tumor inhibition experiment showed that 11-DGA-Suc-CTD-lip had excellent tumor inhibition, and the tumor inhibition rates was 80.96%. The 11-DGA-Suc-CTD-lip group also displayed the strongest proliferation inhibition with the lowest proliferation index of 7% in PCNA assay and the highest apoptotic index of 49% in TUNEL assay. Taken together, our findings provide a promising solution for improving the targeting of nano liposomes and further demonstrates the encouraging potential of poor solubility and high toxicity drugs applicable to tumor therapy.

Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. Br.: Comprehensive review of propagation and breeding, traditional uses, chemical composition, pharmacology, quality control, and processing.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gymnadenia conopsea, a perennial herbaceous flowering plant that belongs to the family of Orchidaceae, sporadic distributed in the altitudes of 200-4700 m across northern Europe and, temperate and subtropical Asia region. The dried tubers of G. conopsea have been used to treat cough, asthma, and their syndromes, and also as a tonic in China and surrounding countries for a long history. G. conopsea is often processed deeply processed before use to enhance its efficacy. In recent years, because of its remarkable pharmacological activity and health care function, G. conopsea has been used more and more widely. Due to its extensive application and bad growth environment, the wild distribution of G. conopsea is decreasing and it has been listed as an endangered plant. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to summarize the propagation and breeding, traditional uses, chemical composition, pharmacology, quality control, and processing of G. conopsea. Moreover, it also provides suggestions for the future high-value utilization of G. conopsea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search on Gymnadenia genus and G. conopsea was performed using scientific databases including SciFinder, ACS, Web of Science, Springer, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and CNKI. Information was also collected from classic books of Chinese herbal medicine, official websites, Ph.D. and M.Sc. Dissertations, and so on. Structures of chemical compounds were drawn by ChemDraw software. RESULTS: As of submission date of this manuscript, total 170 natural compounds have been isolated and characterized from G. conopsea, and all of the compounds were isolated from the tubers. The isolated compounds including benzylester glucosides, dihydrostilbenes, phenanthrenes, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, polysaccharide, lignans, flavones, triterpenoids, steroids, and other compounds. Some of these compounds and active extracts exhibited a wide range of pharmacological activities, in which, the tonifying, anti-fatigue, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, sedative and hypnotic activities are consistent with the traditional uses for the treatment of diseases. In addition, a variety of new pharmacological activities, such as preventing and treating gastric ulcers, immunoregulatory, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-anaphylaxis, anti-silicosis, anti-cancer and neuroprotective activities have also been reported. However, the bioactive compounds responsible for most of the above pharmacological effects have not been well summarised till now. In this manuscript, analysis, speculation and summary of compounds that responsible for pharmacological effects were conducted. CONCLUSIONS: The chemical constituents and pharmacological activities studies of G. conopsea extract have been summarised in this context, the isolated compounds responsible for the pharmacological activities were also analyzed and deduced according to the publications, all above led to suggestions for the future high-value utilization of G. conopsea.

Selenium deficiency increased duodenal permeability and decreased expression of antimicrobial peptides by activating ROS/NF-κB signal pathway in chickens.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the body. Various organs of the body, including the intestine, are affected by its deficiency. Se deficiency can induce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the intestine. It can also increase intestinal permeability and decrease intestinal immune function in mammals. However, the detailed studies, conducted on the intestinal molecular mechanisms of Se deficiency-induced injury in poultry, are limited. This study explored the adverse effects of Se deficiency on intestinal permeability and its mechanism. A Se-deficient chicken model was established, and the morphological changes in the chicken duodenum tissues were observed using a light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and other methods were used to detect the expression levels of selenoproteins, oxidative stress indicators, inflammatory factors, tight junction (TJ) proteins, antimicrobial peptides, and other related indicators in intestinal tissues. The results showed that Se deficiency could decrease the expression levels of selenoproteins and antioxidant capacity, activate the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway, cause inflammation, and decrease the expression levels of TJ proteins and antimicrobial peptides in the duodenum tissues. The study also demonstrated that Se deficiency could increase intestinal permeability and decrease antimicrobial peptides via reactive oxygen species (ROS)/NF-κB. This study provided a theoretical basis for the scientific prevention and control of Se deficiency in poultry. Se deficiency decreased the expression levels of selenoproteins and increased ROS levels to activate the NF-κB pathway, resulting in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reducing the expression levels of TJ protein, and weakening the expression of antimicrobial peptides, which contributed to the higher intestinal permeability. Oxidative stress weakened the expression of antimicrobial peptides.

Application and thinking of acupuncture therapy in comprehensive management of hypertension / 中国针灸

The theory of disease prevention with traditional Chinese medicine is introduced into the prevention of chronic diseases such as hypertension. In order to fully implement the advantages of acupuncture, the three-level prevention strategy is strengthened on the whole-process intervention with acupuncture for hypertension, including prevention before disease onset, starting intervention at the early phase, and prevention disease from exacerbating. Moreover, the comprehensive management scheme, multidisciplinary coordination and participation mechanism are investigated in the field of traditional Chinese medicine for preventive treatment of hypertension.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on ethology, microglia activation and P2X7 receptor expression in periaqueductal gray in rats with migraine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) at "Fengchi"(GB20) on the ethology, microglia activation and P2X7 receptor(P2X7R) expression in the periaqueductal gray(PAG) in recurrent migraine rat model, so as to explore the underlying mechanism of EA reducing central sensitization of migraine. METHODS: Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups, with 12 rats in each group. Recurrent migraine model was induced using repea-ted dural electrical stimulation once another day(the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th days), for a total of 5 times; rats in the EA group received EA treatment(2 Hz/15 Hz, 0.8-1 mA) at GB20 after dural electrical stimulation, for 10 min every time, once a day for 9 days; rats in the control group only received electrode placement. The facial and hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold was detected by using an electronic von-Frey on the 0th(baseline), 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th days. Microglia activation in the PAG was evaluated by using immunofluorescence staining to detect the number of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1(Iba-1)-labeled microglia. Expression levels of microglia marker Iba-1, inflammatory factor interleukin(IL)-1ß and P2X7R were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the facial and hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold of rats were significantly reduced on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th days(P<0.01，P<0.001); the microglia in the PAG area were significantly activated, with the number of Iba-1-positive microglia, and the expression levels of Iba-1, IL-1ß and P2X7R proteins significant increased(P<0.001, P<0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the facial and hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold of rats were significantly increased on the 4th, 6th, and 8th days(P<0.05，P<0.001，P<0.01), and the above indicators were significantly reversed (P<0.05) in the EA group. CONCLUSION: EA at GB20 can significantly improve facial and hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold of migraine rats, and its possible mechanism may be related to inhibiting microglia activation mediated by P2X7R in the PAG.

Changes in brain connectivity linked to multisensory processing of pain modulation in migraine with acupuncture treatment.

Migraine without aura (MWoA) is a major neurological disorder with unsatisfactory adherence to current medications. Acupuncture has emerged as a promising method for treating MWoA. However, the brain mechanism underlying acupuncture is yet unclear. The present study aimed to examine the effects of acupuncture in regulating brain connectivity of the key regions in pain modulation. In this study, MWoA patients were recruited and randomly assigned to 4 weeks of real or sham acupuncture. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before and after the treatment. A modern neuroimaging literature meta-analysis of 515 fMRI studies was conducted to identify pain modulation-related key regions as regions of interest (ROIs). Seed-to-voxel resting state-functional connectivity (rsFC) method and repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance were conducted to determine the interaction effects between the two groups and time (baseline and post-treatment). The changes in rsFC were evaluated between baseline and post-treatment in real and sham acupuncture groups, respectively. Clinical data at baseline and post-treatment were also recorded in order to determine between-group differences in clinical outcomes as well as correlations between rsFC changes and clinical effects. 40 subjects were involved in the final analysis. The current study demonstrated significant improvement in real acupuncture vs sham acupuncture on headache severity (monthly migraine days), headache impact (6-item Headache Impact Test), and health-related quality of life (Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire). Five pain modulation-related key regions, including the right amygdala (AMYG), left insula (INS), left medial orbital superior frontal gyrus (PFCventmed), left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), and right middle cingulate cortex (MCC), were selected based on the meta-analysis on brain imaging studies. This study found that 1) after acupuncture treatment, migraine patients of the real acupuncture group showed significantly enhanced connectivity in the right AMYG/MCC-left MTG and the right MCC-right superior temporal gyrus (STG) compared to that of the sham acupuncture group; 2) negative correlations were established between clinical effects and increased rsFC in the right AMYG/MCC-left MTG; 3) baseline right AMYG-left MTG rsFC predicts monthly migraine days reduction after treatment. The current results suggested that acupuncture may concurrently regulate the rsFC of two pain modulation regions in the AMYG and MCC. MTG and STG may be the key nodes linked to multisensory processing of pain modulation in migraine with acupuncture treatment. These findings highlighted the potential of acupuncture for migraine management and the mechanisms underlying the modulation effects.

Acupuncture for menstruation-related migraine prophylaxis: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture, an alternative medicine therapy, as a preventive treatment for menstruation-related migraine (MRM). Patients and methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, double-dummy, participant-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in China between 1 April 2013, and 30 April 2014. The participants were enrolled from four study centers and randomized to into either the acupuncture group, which received 24 sessions of acupuncture at traditional acupoints plus placebo, or the medication group, which received sham acupuncture plus naproxen. The primary endpoint was change from the baseline average number of migraine days per perimenstrual period over cycles 1-3. The secondary endpoints included changes from the baseline average number of migraine days outside the perimenstrual period, mean number of migraine hours during and outside the perimenstrual period, mean visual analog scale score during and outside the perimenstrual period, ≥50% migraine responder rate, and the proportion of participants who used acute pain medication over cycles 1-3 and 4-6. Results: A total of 172 women with MRM were enrolled; 170 in the intention-to-treat analyses. Our primary outcome reported a significant between-group difference that favored the acupuncture group (95% CI, 0.17-0.50; P < 0.001), with the average reduction of migraine days per perimenstrual period from the baseline was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.82-1.07) in the acupuncture group and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.50-0.71) in the medication group over cycles 1-3. Conclusion: This study showed that compared to medication, acupuncture reduces the number of migraine days experienced by patients with MRM. For patients who received the acupuncture treatment over three cycles, the preventive effect of the therapy was sustained for six cycles. Clinical trial registration: [https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN57133712], identifier [ISRCTN15663606].

[Acupuncture as adjuvant therapy for 32 cases of coronavirus disease 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on the conventional treatment. METHODS: A total of 35 patients with COVID-19 of mild or ordinary type were involved (3 cases dropped off). Acupuncture was applied on the basis of western medicine and Chinese materia medica treatment. Dazhui (GV 14), Fengchi (GB 20), Kongzui (LU 6), Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected as the main acupoints, the supplementary acupoints and the reinforcing and reducing manipulations were selected according to syndrome differentiation. Acupuncture treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week. On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, relief condition of the main symptoms was observed. Before acupuncture and on day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, efficacy evaluation scale of TCM on COVID-19 (efficacy evaluation scale) score was recorded. The effects of different intervention time of acupuncture on patients' hospitalization time were compared, the understanding of acupuncture treatment of patients discharged from hospital was recorded, the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, the symptoms of lung system and non lung system were both relieved; the scores of efficacy evaluation scale were both decreased compared before acupuncture (P<0.05), and the efficacy evaluation scale score of day 7 of acupuncture were lower than day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). The average hospitalization time of patients received early acupuncture was shorter than late acupuncture (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 84.4% (27/32) on day 7 of acupuncture, which was higher than 34.4% (11/32) on day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). During the acupuncture treatment, there were neither adverse reactions in patients nor occupational exposures in doctors. The patients generally believed that acupuncture could promote the recovery of COVID-19 and recommended acupuncture treatment. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the conventional treatment, acupuncture can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19, early intervention of acupuncture can accelerate the recovery process. Acupuncture has good safety, clinical compliance and recognition of patients.

Efficacy of laser therapy combined with topical antifungal agents for onychomycosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail. Laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy is an emerging treatment for onychomycosis. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy for onychomycosis. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and VIP databases were searched from inception to November 2021. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on laser therapy combined with topical antifungal agents for onychomycosis were included. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and Revman 5.3 software was used in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twelve studies involving 869 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that compared with topical antifungal agents alone, laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy was superior in terms of the complete cure rate (RR 6.04,95% CI (2.17, 16.85), P = 0.0006), mycological cure rate (RR 1.27, 95% CI (1.10, 1.48), P = 0.001), clinical effective rate (RR 1.38, 95% CI (1.20, 1.57), P < 0.00001) and patient satisfaction rate (RR 1.47,95% CI (1.17, 1.84), P = 0.0009).The subgroup analysis of outcome indicators, including mycological cure rate and clinical effective rate, demonstrated that both carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy combined with topical antifungal therapy and 1064-nm neodymium-doped:yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser therapy combined with topical antifungal therapy showed better results than topical antifungal therapy alone. No adverse events were identified except for three studies reporting transient burning sensation without treatment and mild to moderate pain, both of which were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated that laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy is effective for onychomycosis. However, more large-scale and well-designed RCTs are warranted.

Tumor Customized 2D Supramolecular Nanodiscs for Ultralong Tumor Retention and Precise Photothermal Therapy of Highly Heterogeneous Cancers.

Target therapy for highly heterogeneous cancers represents a major clinical challenge due to the lack of recurrent therapeutic targets identified in these tumors. Herein, the authors report a tumor-customized targeting photothermal therapy (PTT) strategy for highly heterogeneous cancers, by which 2D supramolecular self-assembled nanodiscs are modified with tumor-specific binding peptides identified by phage display techniques. Taking osteosarcoma (OS) as a model heterogeneous cancer, an OS targeting peptide (OTP) is first selected after biopanning and is demonstrated to successfully bind to this heterogeneous cancer cells/tissues. Successful conjugation of OTP to heptamethine cyanine (Cy7)-based 2D nanodiscs Cy7-TCF (2-dicyanomethylene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran,TCF) enables the 2D nanodiscs to specifically target the heterogeneous tumor. Notably, a single dose injection of this targeted nanodisc (T-ND) not only effectively induces enhanced photothermal tumor ablation under near-infrared light, but also exhibits sevenfold increase of tumor retention time (more than 24 days) compared to generic nanomedicine. Thus, the authors' findings suggest that the combination of phage display-based affinity peptides selection and 2D supramolecular nanodiscs leads to the development of a platform technology for highly heterogeneous cancers precise therapy, offering specific tumor targeting, ultralong tumor retention, and precise PTT.

Bioactive neolignans and lignans from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora.

Two new neolignans and one new lignan (1-3) were obtained from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray crystallography, and the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 1 was a racemic mixture and successfully resolved into the anticipated enantiomers via chiral-phase HPLC. Compound 3 demonstrated moderate inhibitory activity against human carboxylesterase 2A1 (hCES2A1) with an IC50 value of 7.28 ± 0.94 µmol·-1.

Three new ursane-type triterpenoids from Rosmarinus officinalis and their biological activities.

Three new ursane-type triterpenoids, 3-oxours-12-en-20, 28-olide (1), 3ß-hydroxyurs-12-en-20, 28-olide (2) and 3ß-hydroxyurs-11, 13(18)-dien-20, 28-olide (3), were isolated from a potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial fraction of the ethanolic extract of Rosmarinus officinalis. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, MS data and comparisons with literature reports. Compounds 1-3 exhibited significantly inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse RAW264.7 macrophages, but no antibacterial activity was found at a concentration of 128 µg·mL-1.

Acupuncture as adjuvant therapy for 32 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on the conventional treatment.@*METHODS@#A total of 35 patients with COVID-19 of mild or ordinary type were involved (3 cases dropped off). Acupuncture was applied on the basis of western medicine and Chinese materia medica treatment. Dazhui (GV 14), Fengchi (GB 20), Kongzui (LU 6), Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected as the main acupoints, the supplementary acupoints and the reinforcing and reducing manipulations were selected according to syndrome differentiation. Acupuncture treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week. On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, relief condition of the main symptoms was observed. Before acupuncture and on day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, efficacy evaluation scale of TCM on COVID-19 (efficacy evaluation scale) score was recorded. The effects of different intervention time of acupuncture on patients' hospitalization time were compared, the understanding of acupuncture treatment of patients discharged from hospital was recorded, the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, the symptoms of lung system and non lung system were both relieved; the scores of efficacy evaluation scale were both decreased compared before acupuncture (P<0.05), and the efficacy evaluation scale score of day 7 of acupuncture were lower than day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). The average hospitalization time of patients received early acupuncture was shorter than late acupuncture (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 84.4% (27/32) on day 7 of acupuncture, which was higher than 34.4% (11/32) on day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). During the acupuncture treatment, there were neither adverse reactions in patients nor occupational exposures in doctors. The patients generally believed that acupuncture could promote the recovery of COVID-19 and recommended acupuncture treatment.@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of the conventional treatment, acupuncture can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19, early intervention of acupuncture can accelerate the recovery process. Acupuncture has good safety, clinical compliance and recognition of patients.

Bioactive sesquineolignans from the twigs of Litsea cubeba.

In a continuing search for biological natural products with structure diversity from traditional Chinese herbs, five new sesquineolignans (1-5) were isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of the twigs of Litsea cubeba. Their structures were elucidated based on MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, as well as experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compounds 1-5 showed moderate inhibitory effects against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, with IC50 values of 16.2, 20.2, 22.1, 15.1, and 16.6 µmol·L-1, respectively.

[Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Trigonella foenum-graecum].

Trigonella foenum-graecum is an annual plant of the genus Trigonella in the Leguminosae family. It is widely distributed in China and has a long history of application. According to phytochemistry research, the seeds, stem, and leaves of this herb contain not only a variety of bioactive ingredients, including alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, and phenols, but also abundant nutrients such as unsaturated fatty acids and amino acids and various trace elements. Pharmacological studies have shown that both the extract of T. foenum-graecum and its chemical constituents exhibit hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antitumor, antioxidative, antimicro-bial, and hepatoprotective activities. This paper reviews the research progress on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of T. foenum-graecum, which may contribute to further development, application, and clinical research of this herb.