Traditional Chinese medicine in COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread across the globe, posing an enormous threat to public health and safety. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in combination with Western medicine (WM), has made important and lasting contributions in the battle against COVID-19. In this review, updated clinical effects and potential mechanisms of TCM, presented in newly recognized three distinct phases of the disease, are summarized and discussed. By integrating the available clinical and preclinical evidence, the efficacies and underlying mechanisms of TCM on COVID-19, including the highly recommended three Chinese patent medicines and three Chinese medicine formulas, are described in a panorama. We hope that this comprehensive review not only provides a reference for health care professionals and the public to recognize the significant contributions of TCM for COVID-19, but also serves as an evidence-based in-depth summary and analysis to facilitate understanding the true scientific value of TCM.

Ethanol extracts of Danlou tablet attenuate atherosclerosis via inhibiting inflammation and promoting lipid effluent.

As a chronic inflammatory disease, atherosclerosis is characterized by accumulation of lipid-rich macrophages on the inner walls of arteries. Deposited macrophages promote atherosclerotic lesion progression; therefore they are viewed as the main targets in order to alleviate atherosclerosis. Danlou tablet, a patented Chinese Medicine, has long been used to treat cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we used Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice model and in vitro cell line of RAW264.7 to explore the mechanisms of ethanol extracts of Danlou tablet (EEDT) in treating atherosclerosis. The potential targets that EEDT works to treat atherosclerosis were predicted by "Network pharmacology analysis", based on which we designed mRNA array of 93 genes. Then mRNA array and oil red O staining were performed in aortic extracted from the cohorts of Control (C57BL/6 mice, chow fed), Model (ApoE-/- C57BL/6 mice, 20 weeks of high-fat diet) and EEDT intervening (ApoE-/- mice, 20 weeks of high-fat diet with 12 weeks of EEDT treatment) group. Furthermore, mRNA array, inflammation cytokines and lipid content were examined in RAW264.7 cell line. It was showed that EEDT decreased the expressions of inflammation cytokines by down regulating NF-κB singling pathway and accelerated cholesterol effluent through activating PPARα/ABCA1 signaling pathway. On the other hand, activation of NF-κB pathway or suppression of PPARα/ABCA1 signaling pathway both abolished the therapeutic effect of EEDT. In conclusion, EEDT played a key role in anti-inflammation and preventing lipid deposition in macrophages of atherosclerosis via suppressing NF-κB signaling and triggering PPARα/ABCA1 signaling pathway.

Recognition of Pathogenesis of Climacteric Syndrome / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

At present,most of the scholars of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) considered that climacteric syndrome was caused by yin-deficiency,as the therapy of nourishing yin and clearing heat was the most common treatment,neglecting the pathologic role of yang-deficiency in climacteric syndrome.This paper redefined the pathogensis of climacteric syndrome and its syndromes based on differentiation in Gynecology of Traditional Chinese Medicine of various versions and in accordance with previous syndrome epidemiological results over it.The emerge of hot flushes and sweating,forgetful and hyposexuality was prevalent.The inaccurate description of hot flash and sweating in climacteric syndrome was rectified.The therapeutic effects of nourishing yin therapy on vasomotion were discussed based on the understanding of etiology,pathology and treatment of climacteric syndrome in ancient Chinese medical books.The phytoestrogens action of warming kidney-yang drugs was summarized from the aspect of modern pharmacology for exploring the significance of the role of yang-deficiency in climacteric syndrome.The treatment against yang-deficiency would be an innovative clinical pathway of climacteric syndrome.

Pharamacological action in Toddalia asiatica Lam.:research advances / 国际药学研究杂志

Radix Toddaliae asiaticae which belongs to Toddalia genus of Rutaceae family is a folk medicine in China. Modern pharmacological studies have shown its anti-inflammatory,analgesic,antioxidative,antibacterial,antifungal,cardiovascular protec?tive,antitumor activities and so on. The review systematically summarizes pharmacological effects,which can provide references for reasonable utilization.

Interaction of anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory activities of commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis revealed by network pharmacology analysis / 药学学报

Chinese traditional patent medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis(PBCRBS) originated from traditional Chinese medicine theory and had approved efficacy and safety standards. However, its compatibility regularity and anti-thrombotic mechanism is not clear. To analyze the compatibility regularity and anti-thrombotic mechanism of Chinese traditional patent medicine for PBCRBS, a statistical and bioinformatics analysis was carried out using traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system (TICMISS, V2.0) and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). The compatibility regularity analysis shows that the most commonly used herb combinations are Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.), Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.) and Honghua (Carthamustinctorius L.). The anti-thrombotic mechanism analysis reveals that 25 ingredients have an effect on 29 thrombosis related molecules which 23 molecules are related to inflammation response. Furthermore, there are 5 inflammation molecules (NOS2, PTGS2, IL6, TNF, IL1β) served as major targets. At the same time, Danshen, Chuangxiong and Honghua mainly used as sovereign herb or minister herb in the application of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, Chinese traditional patent medicine for PBCRBS probably has an effect on anti-thrombotic activity through inhibiting the inflammatory response. In summary, the most commonly used herb combinations of Chinese traditional patent medicine for PBCRBS are Danshen, Chuanxiong and Honghua. Inhibiting inflammatory response, especially inflammation related molecules (NOS2, PTGS2, IL6, TNF and IL1β), is probably a new starting point to clarify the anti-thrombotic mechanism of Chinese patent medicine for PBCRBS.

Advance of research on toxic attenuation by compatibility of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions / 中国中药杂志

The Chinese herbs have been used for thousands years, their effects were certified in clinic. The compatibility of Chinese medicine prescriptions is the basis principle in clinical application. In order to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity, reasonable compatibility of the Chinese herbs is the main method for the safety and effective use. However, it is not clear about its mechanism. So it is necessary to study their mechanisms by using the modern pharmacological technology. At present, there are some studies on the mechanisms of the compatibility relating with toxicity or adverse effect attenuation, for instance, reducing the dose of toxic Chinese herbs, changing their pharmacokinetic parameter and resisting the damage to human body system. In this paper, we planed to review the attenuation mechanism of the prescription compatibility from relevant studies.