An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for treating atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review evaluated the Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for treating atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, the Wanfang database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to December 2021. Overall recovery rate, disease/symptom severity scoring, quality of life (QoL), recurrence rate, and incidence of adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. STATA SE 14.0 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 17 RCTs involving 1624 patients were eligible. CHM was associated with a higher overall recovery rate (risk ratio [RR] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.26, p = .003) and decreased recurrence rate (odds ratio [OR] = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.55, p = .002), both confirmed by sensitivity analyses. CHM could decrease scoring atopic dermatitis index (MD = -0.61, 95% CI: -1.12, -0.11, p = .017), however, sensitivity analysis revealed non-robustness. No significant differences were found between the CHM and the control group in Eczema Area and Severity Index, QoL, and the incidence of AEs. CONCLUSIONS: CHM was effective for treating AD as it could improve the overall recovery rate and decrease the recurrence rate. More studies are required to validate the potential of CHM on disease/symptoms severity and QoL.

Gu-Ben-Hua-Shi (AESS) formula ameliorates atopic dermatitis via regulating NLRP3 signaling pathways.

Background: Gu-ben-hua-shi (AESS) formula is a clinical experienced prescription from Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is used to treat atopic dermatitis (AD). Our previous work has shown that AESS has therapeutic effect on AD by regulating yes-associated protein (YAP). AESS formula has multi-component and multi-target characteristic, and need to be analyzed by systematic chemical profiling and network pharmacology technology, as well as verification of key signaling pathways. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the efficacy and effect of AESS formula in the treatment of AD and its effect on NLRP3 signaling pathway. Methods: The components of AESS formula were analyzed and identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC- MS/MS), and the potential mechanism of AESS formula in the treatment of AD was predicted by network pharmacology approach, with detected main components, and the potential components targeted NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein (NLRP3) signaling pathway [Direct binding with NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and Caspase-1] were assessed using molecular docking. AD-like symptoms were constructed by DNCB induced BALB/c mice. The effect of AESS formula on dorsal skin structure in AD-like mice was observed using H&E staining. Furthermore, the western blotting experiment explored the expression of the NLRP3 pathway protein. Results: By UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, 91 compounds were detected in AESS formula, and 76 of them were identified, while by network pharmacological analysis, 1500 component targets were obtained, and 257 of them were obtained by intersection with eczema targets. Then one of the key pathways, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like signaling pathway was obtained by KEGG enrichment analysis. Molecular docking results showed 24 main components could effectively combine with ASC and Caspase-1 (≤-7 kcal/mol). The animal experiment results further showed that AESS formula alleviates symptoms in AD-like mice. ELISA kit results showed that the expression of IL-1ß and IL-18 in serum was inhibited after AESS treatment. Additionally, western blotting analysis showed that the expressions of ASC, Caspase-1 and NLRP3 protein expression in the skin tissue of mice were down-regulated after AESS treatment. The experimental results show that AESS formula inhibited the expression of NLRP3 signaling pathway for the treatment of AD. Conclusions: AESS formula can improve AD symptoms in mice by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the expression of the related downstream inflammatory cytokines.

Therapeutic effect of chinese herbal medicine gu-ben-hua-shi (AESS) formula on atopic dermatitis through regulation of yes-associated protein.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent skin disease. At present, there is a lack of sufficiently effective and safe medicines that can be used for a prolonged time and reduce the recurrence of AD. The Gu-Ben-Hua-Shi (AESS) formula has been used for many years with a good clinical effect on AD but its specific treatment mechanism is unknown. Methods: The main components of AESS were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The composition of AESS compounds in the serum from rats was analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. An AD mouse model was constructed using 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene stimulation in Balb/C mice and the effect on the reduction of skin lesions and Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg balance after AESS administration were measured. The effects of AESS serum on the proliferation and apoptosis of keratinocyte cell line HaCaT and adhesion of HaCaT to human monocyte cell line THP-1 were detected in an IFN-γ/TNF-α stimulated AD-like inflammatory cell model. The effects of Yes-associated protein (YAP) expression on the therapeutic effect and a related signaling pathway were also investigated. Results: In total, 10 components were confirmed using UPLC, namely five organic acids, three flavonoids, and two chromogenic ketones. Additionally, the similarity of the three batches of samples (S1-3) was above 0.98, indicating that the formula samples have good uniformity. These 10 compounds were also detected in rat serum, suggesting that they are absorbed into rat blood as prototype components. Furthermore, AESS effectively reduced the skin lesions in the AD mouse model, regulated the Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg imbalance, improved the proliferation ability of the AD-like cell model, and inhibited HaCaT apoptosis and adhesion to THP-1 cells. It also reduced the expression of YAP in Th17 and Treg cells of the mouse spleen and increased YAP expression in the skin. The change in YAP expression in keratinocytes weakened the curative effect of AESS, and AESS exerted its effects through the NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusion: AESS may play a role in the treatment of AD by affecting the expression of YAP. These findings can be used to promote its use as an alternative medication for prolonged use with fewer side effects.

Efficacy of Bloodletting Therapy in Patients with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria: A Randomized Control Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of bloodletting therapy (acupoint pricking and cupping) in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) in a randomized, control, parallel-group trial. METHODS: A total of 174 patients with CIU enrolled from March 2018 to October 2019 were randomized into three groups: group A treated with bloodletting therapy and ebastine, group B treated with placebo treatment (acupoint pseudopricking and cupping) and ebastine, and group C treated with ebastine only. The intention-to-treat analysis was conducted, and the primary outcome was the effective rate of UAS7 score being reduced to 7 or below after treatment phase. RESULTS: The effective rates at the end of treatment phase were different among the three groups (P < 0.05), which were 73.7% in group A, 45.6% in group B, and 42.9% in group C. Multiple analysis indicated differences between groups A and B (P < 0.0125) and groups A and C (P < 0.0125) and no difference between groups B and C (P > 0.0125). No severe bloodletting therapy-related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study on patients with CIU, one month of bloodletting therapy combined with ebastine is clinically beneficial compared with placebo treatment combined with ebastine and treatment with ebastine only. Thus, bloodletting therapy can be an effective complementary treatment in CIU. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800015294.

The formulae and biologically active ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by severe pruritus that seriously affects the quality of patients' life. There is an increasingly large amount of research demonstrating that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) including herbal formulae and bioactive ingredients exerts pharmacological effects on atopic dermatitis. It has been a long history of TCM being used to treat atopic dermatitis, especially in preventing disease recurrence, maintaining long-term remission, and reducing disease burden. Nowadays, both of TCM monomer preparations and traditional formulae are still widely used. This review focuses on TCM as well as its bioactive ingredients for the treatment of AD, from the perspectives of animal model construction, pharmacodynamic mechanisms and clinical studies of formulae. To be more specific, the regulation and molecular mechanisms of the herbal formulae and bioactive ingredients of TCM are investigated, and the latest clinical research on TCM formulae is discussed. Furthermore, it provides a summary of the strengths and utilities of TCM, and will be useful for doctors who use Chinese medicine for treatment or researchers who select candidates for clinical treatments or further high-quality clinical studies.

Therapeutic Effects of Chinese Herbal Formula (PTQX) on NC/Nga Mice with Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema, is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease. The available systemic therapies for atopic dermatitis are inadequate. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Chinese herbal formula Pei Tu Qing Xin (PTQX) on dermatitis severity and ear swelling, immunomodulation, and the infiltration of mast cells in a mouse model of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene- (DNCB-) induced AD. Methods. AD-like symptoms were induced by DNCB in NC/Nga mice. Skin lesions, dermatitis, ear swelling, and scratching behaviour were evaluated. Changes in the T-helper type 1 (Th1), Th2, Th17, and regulatory T (Treg) subtypes and immunoregulation in the spleen and lymph nodes were detected by flow cytometry. Results. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that PTQX decreased the DNCB-mediated induction of mast cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ear and dorsal skin. PTQX also reduced the DNCB-induced increase in the serum immunoglobulin E level, pruritus, and dermatitis (red, flaky areas) on the dorsal skin. Furthermore, PTQX regulated the balance between the populations of Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells (particularly the latter two) in the lymph nodes. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the Chinese herbal formula PTQX can alleviate symptoms of AD, such as epithelial damage, redness, swelling, and pruritus, and potentially be used to treat this condition.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Jianpi Huoxue Formula on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by Methionine-Choline-Deficient Diet in Rat.

In parallel with the prevalence metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in most countries. It features a constellation of simple steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. There are no approved drugs for effective management of NAFLD and NASH. Jianpi Huoxue formula (JPHX) mainly consists of Atractylodes macrocephal (Baizhu), Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), Rasux Paeonia Alba (Baishao), Rhizoma Alismatis (Zexie), and Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (Wuweizi), which may have beneficial effects on NAFLD. The aim of the study was to identify the effect of JPHX on NAFLD. A NAFLD model was induced by methionine-choline-deficient food (MCD) in Wistar rats and orally administered with simultaneous JPHX, once a day for 8 weeks. Hepatocellular injury, lipid profile, inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis were evaluated. The results showed that JPHX significantly decreased the abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels compared with the MCD model (P<0.05). Furthermore, JPHX protected MCD diet-fed rats from accumulation of hepatic triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC). Histological examination demonstrated that JPHX noticeably normalized the NAFLD activity score (NAS). Moreover, JPHX ameliorated liver inflammation by decreasing TNF-α levels and reduced collagen and matrix metalloproteinases in MCD diet-fed rats. In addition, JPHX prevented rats from MCD-induced cellular apoptosis, as suggested by TUNEL staining, and suppressed the activation of caspase 3 and 7 proteins. JPHX also inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK. In conclusion, JPHX exhibited a hepatoprotective effect against NAFLD in an MCD experimental model.

[Expert consensus statement on Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid in clinical practice].

Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid has effects in clearing away heat and detoxifying,and is used to treat pharynx and throat swelling caused by the syndrome of excessive heat and toxin accumulation. Its efficacy is to relieve swelling and pain( redness,swelling and hot pain). It is included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 2015 Edition,and has been listed in provincial health insurance directories of Shaanxi,Jiangsu,Liaoning,Hunan,Tianjin,Xinjiang and Hebei. It has been recommended by health departments of Beijing,Chongqing and other provinces as a preferred drug for the prevention and treatment of H1 N1 and HFMD,and listed in the diagnosis and Treatment Guide of HFMD by the Ministry of Health,the Clinical Application Guide of Chinese Patent Medicine edited by the Lung Department Disease Branch of China Association of Chinese Medicine,and the Clinical Practice Guide of Single Administration/Combined Administration of Antibiotics in Treatment of Common Infectious Diseases by China Association of Chinese Medicine. To further improve the clinician's understanding of drugs and better guide the rational clinical application,we invited front-line clinical experts from respiratory department,infectious department and dermatology of traditional Chinese and Western medicine to develop and compile the expert consensus. The consensus fully considered the clinical evidence and the expert clinical experience to give recommendations for clinical problems with evidence support and consensus suggestions for clinical problems without evidence support by the nominal group method.This consensus is based on clinical research evidence and expert experience in a simple and clear format,which provides a preliminary reference for the clinical use of the drug.

Chinese herbal medicine for atopic eczema: an overview of clinical evidence.

Atopic eczema (AE), or atopic dermatitis, is a common inflammatory skin disease. As conventional medicines for moderate and severe AE patients have been reported to be associated with unwanted side effects, many patients with AE have sought other therapies. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is one of the most commonly used complementary therapies with a long history of being applied for the treatment of AE. Clinical evidence for CHM for AE in systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from 2013 to 2016 was reviewed. Findings from the Cochrane systematic review suggested that oral use of a CHM formulation may improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with moderate or severe AE. The benefit on improvement of AE requires further high-quality clinical studies.

Efficacy of a Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a randomised controlled study.

BACKGROUND: More randomised control trials are required to assess the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. This multi-centre, randomised, assessor-blind, controlled study assessed the efficacy of the Chinese herbal formula Pei Tu Qing Xin Tang (PTQXT) for treating patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: Patients aged 5-25 years with moderate-to-severe AD were randomised to receive a 12-week treatment involving either oral administration of PTQXT; oral administration of PTQXT combined with an external application of Chinese herbs; or oral administration of antihistamine and a placebo of PTQXT pills added to topical 1% mometasone furoate. The primary end-point measure was the change in the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis Index (SCORAD) at the end of the observation period, and secondary end-points included quality of life (QOL). The outcomes were evaluated at baseline, then every 4 weeks from week 4 to week 12 and every 8 weeks from week 12 to week 36. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-five patients were recruited. During the 12-week treatment period, up to the primary end-point, the mean SCORAD decreased gradually in all three groups. At week 28 and week 36, there was a significantly greater decrease in the mean SCORAD for the Chinese herbal medicine-treated groups than for the control group (at week 28, P=0.002 and P=0.036, respectively; at week 36, P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). At week 36, the difference in QOL scores showed a significantly greater improvement in both Chinese herbal medicine-treated groups than in the control group (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: PTQXT is effective in decreasing the severity of the disease and improving the QOL in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-08000156.

Chinese herbal medicine granules (PTQX) for children with moderate to severe atopic eczema: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Current conventional medical treatment for moderate and severe atopic eczema is not satisfactory. There is promising evidence derived from randomised clinical trials to support the clinical use of Chinese herbal medicine in the management of atopic eczema. However, the available evidence is compromised by the high risk of bias associated with most of the included trials. Therefore, well-designed and adequately powered randomised clinical trials are needed. The primary aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral ingestion of an oral Chinese herbal formula (Pei Tu Qing Xin granules; PTQX) in children aged between 6 and 16 years with moderate to severe atopic eczema. METHODS/DESIGN: We have designed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm, parallel clinical trial with 12 weeks of treatment and a 4-week follow-up period. A pilot study with 30 participants will be conducted at the RMIT University in Australia to determine the feasibility of the full-scale randomised clinical trial (N = 124). Eczema Area and Severity Index score will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcome measures include change in symptoms using the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index and the use of concomitant medicines. Safety parameters include report of adverse events and pathology tests during the trial period. DISCUSSION: Key elements for conducting a high-quality randomised clinical trial have been addressed in this protocol. Findings from the proposed trial will provide critical evidence regarding Chinese herbal medicine treatment for atopic eczema. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Identifier: ACTRN12614001172695. Date of Registration: 7 November 2014.

Development and initial validation of a Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom-specific outcome measure: a Zheng-related atopic dermatitis symptom questionnaire (ZRADSQ).

BACKGROUND: Zheng represents pattern differentiation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as the basic unit and a key concept in TCM therapeutic theory, is based on the physiology and pathology of TCM. None of the outcome measurements of atopic dermatitis (AD) are Zheng-specific. The effectiveness of TCM is likely to be underestimated without a Zheng-related symptom-specific instrument. The aim of this study was to develop an instrument for measuring the Zheng-related symptom-specific status of patients with AD. METHODS: We followed standard methodology to develop the instrument, including item generation and selection, item reduction and presentation, and pretesting, and recruited 188 patients with AD involved in a six-center randomized-controlled trial (ChiCTR-TRC-08000156) to validate the questionnaire. We conducted construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness analysis. The standardized effect size (SES) and standardized response mean (SRM) were used to calculate the responsiveness of additional items and the total score for the rating items. RESULTS: ZRADSQ has 15 items, with 12 rating items and 3 additional items. The 12 rating items fall within three domains: AD symptoms (n = 6 items); Heat (n = 4 items) and Mood (n = 2 items). Confirmatory factor analysis provided good support for a three-factor model (d.f. = 51, x2=97.11, RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.96), and the Pearson's correlation coefficient between ZRADSQ and Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) was 0.40 (P < 0.001). The reliability was also good, with a Cronbach's alpha value for ZRADSQ of 0.84, a split-half coefficient of 0.75, and a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.98. The standardized effect size and standardized response mean were close to or larger than 1, which indicated moderate to good responsiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The ZRADSQ demonstrates promising reliability, validity, and responsiveness. It can be used to determine whether Zheng-specific or symptom-specific treatments relieve the symptom that is most bothersome the patient.

Chinese herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, itching skin disease, and conventional therapies offer inadequate symptom management. Patients with AD are increasingly turning to Chinese medicine. OBJECTIVE: We systematically evaluated the clinical evidence of the efficacy and safety of oral Chinese herbal medicine for AD. METHODS: Searches were conducted on major electronic databases using the following key words: "randomized controlled trials," "atopic dermatitis," "traditional Chinese medicine," "traditional East Asian medicine," "herbal medicine," "Chinese herbal drugs," "medicinal plants," "phytotherapy," "Kampo medicine," and "Korean traditional medicine." The results were screened to include English/Chinese randomized controlled trials. A metaanalysis was conducted on suitable outcome measures. RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials were included (1 comparing Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine with Western medicine alone; 6 comparing Chinese herbal medicine with placebo). Combined Chinese herbal medicine with Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone. Three placebo controlled trials showed significant treatment efficacy and 2 showed significantly reduced concurrent therapy with Chinese herbal medicine. No abnormalities in safety profile or severe adverse events were reported. LIMITATIONS: A metaanalysis of all included studies could not be conducted because of study heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese herbal medicine significantly improved symptom severity of AD and was reported as well tolerated. However, the poor quality of studies did not allow for valid conclusions to support its tolerability and routine use. Additional studies addressing the methodologic issues are warranted to determine the therapeutic benefit of Chinese herbal medicine for AD.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a Chinese herbal formula (RCM-106) for atopic dermatitis: study protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in children.

INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin rash that greatly affects quality of life. The current therapies are inadequate in managing atopic dermatitis and often have associated adverse effects or drug tolerance development. Chinese medicine is expected to have promising prospects in the management of atopic dermatitis and recent studies have shown encouraging results. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a newly formulated Chinese herbal formula, RMIT Chinese Medicine-106 (RCM-106), in the management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in children aged 6-18 years. METHODS: The study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-armed clinical trial. Participant, investigator and assessors will remain blinded to the treatment assignment until after the study has been completed. After a 2-week run-in period, 90 participants will be randomised, using block randomised sequences generated by computer, to receive either RCM-106 or matching placebo capsules, twice daily, for a treatment period of 8 weeks and followed up for 4 weeks. Primary outcome measures include the evaluation of disease severity and extent using two validated scoring instruments-Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Patient-Oriented Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD). Secondary outcome measures include the evaluation of quality of life using the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI); occurrence of adverse events and total usage of other therapies as recorded in the participants' daily diary and laboratory studies which include eosinophil count, total IgE, full blood count and liver and kidney function tests. Intention-to-treat analysis will be applied to all data analyses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial has received human ethics approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of RMIT University (Project number 15/12). The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at the national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12612001181897. TGA CTN Scheme: Trial number 2012/0713; Protocol number 15/12.

[Serum cortisol and peripheral blood mononuclear cell glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in severe alopecia areata with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate serum cortisol level and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with severe alopecia areata and liver-kidney deficiency syndrome and their involvement in the pathogenesis of severe alopecia areata. METHODS: In 32 patients with severe alopecia areata, serum cortisol levels were measured by chemiluminescence assay and GR mRNA expression in the PBMCs was detected using reverse transcription real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR before and after treatment, with 20 normal subjects serving as the controls. RESULTS: Serum cortisol level showed no significant difference between the cases and the normal controls (P>0.05). The expression of GR mRNA in the PBMCs was significantly lower in the patients than in the normal controls (P<0.05). The expression of GR mRNA was even lower after treatments in patients with alopecia areata (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: GC-GR disorder exists in severe alopecia areata. A decreased GR mRNA expression in the PBMCs can be involved in the pathogenesis of severe alopecia areata, and such pathological changes at the receptor and genetic levels might also serve as the microscopic basis of liver-kidbey deficiency syndrome in severe alopecia areata.

[Systematic analysis on clinical safety of Shuxuetong injection].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical adverse drug reactions (ADR) of Shuxuetong Injection (SXTI) comprehensively for its proper use and post-marketing reevaluation. METHOD: Electronic searching of the online Chinese and English medical databases were carried out from their inception to Feb. 2012, studies were screened and data were extracted according to inclusion and exclusion criteria; total number of ADR were calculated by study type respectively, ADR incidence rate was calculated by number of ADRs in experimental arm of clinical trials with control groups divided by total number of experimental groups. RESULT: Eighty and eight papers published concerning ADRs report of SXTI were included, including 65 clinical trials, 20 case reports, and 3 ADRs surveillance or analysis report. 174 ADRs were reported, mainly in circulation system, nervous system, the digestive system, skin and appendages. Adverse reaction type is mainly rash (44.3%) and the digestive system response (23.0%). The incidence rate calculated by data extracted from 65 clinical trials was 4.3%. CONCLUSION: Allergic reaction is the most common ADR type of SXTI. Incidence rate of different studies varies, so a rigorously designed prospectively ADR surveillance study is needed to reevaluate its incidence rate, and analyze reasons of the heterogeneity. Information concerning ADR in literatures is always absent, the quality of reporting is relative poor, thus it is suggested that active, standardized, and systematic ADR reporting should be focused on in clinical trials.

[Regulatory effect of procyanidins on the expressions of interferon-gamma, interleukin-12 and transcription factor T-bet mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cell of patients with alopecia areata].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of procyanidins (PC) on the expressions of Th1 type cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-12) and the transcription factor T-bet mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) in patients with alopecia areata (AA). METHODS: Above-mentioned expressions were detected using RT-PCR technique in 20 AA patients (8 of mild and 12 of severe degree) and 10 healthy subjects after phytoaemagglutinin (PHA) or PHA + PC stimulation. RESULTS: After being stimulated by PHA and PHA + PC, in patients with severe AA, the expression of T-bet mRNA was 0.581 +/- 0.148 and 0.419 +/- 0.113 respectively; that of IFN-gamma mRNA, 0.689 +/- 0.219 and 0.430 +/- 0.162; and that of IL-12 mRNA, 0.198 +/- 0.056 and 0.136 +/- 0.035, respectively. As compared with those before stimulation, the respective difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PC can inhibit the expressions of Th1 type cytokines and transcription factor T-bet in PBMC of severe AA patients, and reverse the Th1 responses. The authors offered that it maybe part of the acting mechanism of pine needle for treatment of AA.

[Inhibitory impacts of Niaoluqing on urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing, an oral liquid of traditional Chinese medicine, on the growth of urogenital chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). METHODS: Niaoluqing's applying concentration was 1 g/ml and 10 serologically untyped strains of Ct from the STD clinic were used. And the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing on Ct was evaluated by McCoy cell microculture technique in vitro. RESULTS: Niaoluqing had inhibitory activity for urogenital Ct, and was capable of reducing inclusion numbers notably in the concentrations of 50 to 200 mg/ml. The number and volume of Ct inclusions reduced gradually and disappeared finally with the rising of the medicinal concentration. CONCLUSION: The traditional Chinese medicine Niaoluqing has inhibitory effects on the growth of urogenital Ct.

[Antibacterial effect of niaoluqing oral liquid on clinical drug-resistant strains and different serotype strains of Ureaplasma urealyticum in vitro].

OBJECTIVES: To study the antibacterial effect of Niaoluqing Oral Liquid (NOL) on clinical drug-resistant strains and 14 serotype strains Ureaplasma Urealyticum (UU). METHODS: Sixty-three clinical strains of UU were detected to determine their serology and antibiotic susceptibilities by the metabolic inhibition test (MIT). Mininum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was used to evaluate the sensitivity of NOL to different serotypes of UU. The sensitivity of NOL, erythromycin and tetracycline to 63 clinical strains of UU was also studied. RESULTS: In 63 clinical strains of UU, the range of MIC to NOL was from 0.48 mg/ml to 15.63 mg/ml, MIC50 < or = 1.95 mg/ml, MIC90 < or = 3.91 mg/ml. Among them, 31 strains were resistant to tetracycline and 31 were resistant to erythromycin. No obvious correlation between the sensitivity of NOL to UU clinical strains and that of erythromycin and tetracycline to UU clinical strains (P > 0.05). Clinical strains of UU in this experiment contains all of its serotypes, also having a higher sensitivity to NOL (MIC < or = 3.91 mg/ml) except serology 1, 2, 3 and 11 (MIC > or = 7.81 mg/ml). CONCLUSIONS: NOL exerts a strong in vitro antibacterial effect on erythromycin-resistant and tetracycline-resistant clinical strains of UU. All kinds of serotype strains had a higher sensitivity to NOL, too. Chinese medicinal herbs are of momentous significance in the treatment of UU infection.