Randomised clinical trial: Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang granules versus placebo for patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang (TXYF) is a Chinese herbal formula for treating chronic diarrhoea accompanied by abdominal pain. The results were inconsistent in previous trials examining its effect. AIM: To study the efficacy of TXYF granules for treating diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). METHODS: We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial and enrolled 160 participants with IBS-D. The participants had VAS scores ≥3 cm in IBS-D global symptoms and ≥2 days in a week with abdominal pain and loose stools (Bristol score 5, 6 or 7). They were randomly assigned to received TXYF or placebo during a treatment period of 4 weeks, and they were followed up for 8 weeks after treatment. The primary outcome was adequate relief of IBS-D global symptoms for at least 2 of 4 weeks during weeks 1-4. Secondary outcomes included mean weekly VAS scores of IBS-D major symptoms, mean weekly stool frequency, mean weekly Bristol score, and adverse events. RESULTS: 155 of 160 patients completed the trial. We found a significantly higher rate of adequate relief of global symptoms in TXFY group during weeks 1 to 4 (57.5% vs 37.5%, χ2 = 5.6391, P = 0.017); logistic regression analysis showed a similar result (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.4, P = 0.016). Most of the secondary outcomes showed superiority of TXYF over placebo in weekly assessment from week 3 to week 7. The adverse event rate was low in both groups (3.8% vs 3.8%, P = 1.000). CONCLUSION: During a 4 week trial, TXFY granules were superior to placebo in controlling symptoms of IBS-D.

[1.4 kb 5' flanking region of class I patatin directs tuber-specific gus expression in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)].

Binary vectors pPATIs (with partial signal sequence) and pPATI (without signal sequence) were constructed by fusing 1.4 kb 5' flanking regions of Class I patatin gene with GUS. Transient GUS expression was observed in in vitro tuber slices bombarded with pPATI. These constructs were then introduced into potato (cv. Desiree) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation. Transgenic potato plants were confirmed by X-Gluc staining and PCR. Using in vitro tuberization system, GUS activities were assayed by fluorescence. It was shown that, in plants transformed with PATI-GUS, GUS specific activities were about 10-20 fold higher in tubers than in stems. Increased sucrose concentration could not induce PATI-GUS expression, but light enhanced PATI-GUS expression in cultured shoots.