Efficacy of Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone for the treatment of poor sleep quality: a multi-center, randomized controlled, superiority trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone for treating poor sleep quality. METHODS: This multi-center, dynamic block-randomized, parallel-group superiority clinical trial included 130 patients. The combined treatment group received Zhumian Tang formula granules combined with eszopiclone treatment, and the control group received eszopiclone treatment only. The group allocation ratio was 1∶1. The duration of treatment was 2 weeks. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires before treatment, after 1 week of the intervention, after 2 weeks of the intervention, and at the follow-up on week 3. The primary outcomes were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score and the total effective rate of treatment. The secondary outcome was the rate of adverse effects. RESULTS: Compared with the eszopiclone treatment group, the PSQI score of the combined treatment group was significantly lower after 2 weeks of the intervention (6.98 vs 8.26, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the mean PSQI score after 1 week of the intervention (9.89 vs 9.15, P = 0.124). After the follow-up on week 3, the PSQI score of the combined treatment group remained significantly lower than that of the eszopiclone treatment group (6.12 vs 8.31, P < 0.001). The total effective rates of treatment of the combined group and the eszopiclone group were 36.92% vs 35.38% (Z = 0.033, P = 0.855) after 1 week of the intervention, 83.08% vs 58.46% (Z = 9.519, P < 0.05) after 2 weeks of the intervention, and 83.08% vs 61.54% (Z = 7.530, P < 0.05) and after the follow-up on week 3, respectively. There was no significant difference in the overall rate of adverse reactions between the combined and eszopiclone treatment groups (21.53% vs 31.8%, P = 0.318). CONCLUSION: The combination of Zhumian Tang formula granules with eszopiclone was found to be safe and more effective in improving sleep quality than eszopiclone alone. Traditional Chinese medicine can enhance the effectiveness of Western medicine in the treatment of insomnia.

Effectiveness of Xiaoyao capsule on sleep disorders and mood disturbance in patients in recovery from coronavirus disease 2019: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of Xiaoyao capsule in improving the clinical symptoms of sleep and mood disorders during recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The study cohort comprised 200 patients with sleep and mood disorders during recovery from COVID-19. Patients were randomized into the control group and the experimental group in a 1:1 ratio by blocked randomization. The patients received either Xiaoyao capsule (experimental group) or a placebo Xiaoyao capsule (control group) for 2 weeks. The improvements in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome scales, total effective rates, and disappearance rates of irritability, anxiety, and poor sleep were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The TCM syndrome pattern scales, total effective rates, and disappearance rates of irritability, anxiety, and poor sleep did not significantly differ between the experimental group versus the control group in the full analysis set and the per protocol set after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment ( > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Xiaoyao capsule do not significantly improve the clinical symptoms of sleep and mood disorders in patients in recovery from COVID-19.

Research progress of Chinese materia medica in inhibiting malignant biological behavior of lung cancer stem cells / 国际中医中药杂志

Chinese materia medica can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration and expression of drug-resistant proteins of lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs), and induce apoptosis and delay self-renewal, as well as exert anti-tumor effects by interfering with their ecological niche, immune microenvironment and aerobic glycolysis, etc. The biomarkers involved mainly include CD133, CD44, ALDH and ABCG2, while the related signaling pathways are Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, and Notch. The research on the intervention of LCSCs by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is generally few, mostly concentrated in basic research, and the selected experimental indicators have a high repetition rate, involving fewer cell types and signaling pathways; there is a relative lack of clinical trials, which lack an organic connection with basic experiments. In the future, the quality of research is expected to be improved, and in-depth study of TCM with anti-lung cancer stem cell effect should be carried out, with the purpose to promote the precise treatment of lung cancer.

Efficacy of vitamin D adjuvant therapy for prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis of hepatitis B / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis of hepatitis B.Methods:A total of 172 patients with decompensated cirrhosis of hepatitis B admitted in Jinhua Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January to December 2021 were randomly divided into two groups with 86 cases in each group. Patients in both groups received conventional antiviral and symptomatic treatment; while patients in the intervention group received additinal oral vitamin D drops (800 IU/d) for 6 months. After 6 months of treatment, the incidence of SBP and the serum biochemical indexes were compared between two groups. SPSS 21.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results:After 6 months of treatment, the incidence of SBP in the intervention group(5.81%, 5/86) was significantly lower than that in control group(30.23%, 26/86)( χ2=19.210, P<0.01). The serum 25-(OH)D level in intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( t=13.425, P=0.018), while the levels of CRP, PCT and IL-6 in intervention group were significantly lower than those in control group ( t=17.312, 10.353 and 12.218, P<0.01 or <0.05). Conclusion:Vitamin D adjuvant therapy can increase serum 25-(OH)D level, decrease serum CRP, PCT and IL-6 levels, and effectively reduce the incidence of SBP in patients with decompensated cirrhosis of hepatitis B.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in transurethral surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) measures have not been systematically applied in transurethral surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study was performed on patients with BPH who required surgical intervention. From July 2019 to June 2020, the ERAS program was applied to 248 patients, and the conventional program was applied to 238 patients. After 1 year of follow-up, the differences between the ERAS group and the conventional group were evaluated. The ERAS group had a shorter time of urinary catheterization compared with the conventional group (mean ± standard deviation [s.d.]: 1.0 ± 0.4 days vs 2.7 ± 0.8 days, P < 0.01), and the pain (mean ± s.d.) was significantly reduced through postoperative hospitalization days (PODs) 0-2 (POD 0: 1.7 ± 0.8 vs 2.4 ± 1.0, P < 0.01; POD 1: 1.6 ± 0.9 vs 3.5 ± 1.3, P < 0.01; POD 2: 1.2 ± 0.7 vs 3.0 ± 1.3, P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of postoperative complications, such as postoperative bleeding (P = 0.79), urinary retention (P = 0.40), fever (P = 0.55), and readmission (P = 0.71). The hospitalization cost of the ERAS group was similar to that of the conventional group (mean ± s.d.: 16 927.8 ± 5808.1 Chinese Yuan [CNY] vs 17 044.1 ± 5830.7 CNY, P =0.85). The International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) scores in the two groups were also similar when compared at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge. The ERAS program we conducted was safe, repeatable, and efficient. In conclusion, patients undergoing the ERAS program experienced less postoperative stress than those undergoing the conventional program.

Prevalence and influencing factors of thyroid nodules in children aged 8-10 years old in Suzhou / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of thyroid nodules in children aged 8-10 years in Suzhou , and to provide a scientific basis for the rational prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Methods PPS sampling method was used in this study. Questionnaire survey, physical examination and thyroid B-ultrasound examination were conducted on students aged 8-10 years. Salt samples and urine samples were collected for laboratory detection of the salt iodine and urinary iodine. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors related to thyroid nodules. Results A total of 2 048 children aged 8-10 years were included in the present survey, and the prevalence of thyroid nodules was 23.34% (478/2 048). The prevalence of nodules in boys was 20.98% (218/1 039), and the prevalence of nodules in girls was 25.77% (260/1 009). Multivariate analysis showed that gender (OR=1.338, P=0.006), height (OR=1.993, P=0.001), frequency of iodine-rich food intake (OR=0.862, P=0.048) and nutritional supplements (OR=1.469, P=0.008) were correlated with the prevalence of thyroid nodules. Conclusion The prevalence rate of thyroid nodules in children aged 8-10 years old in Suzhou is 23.34%. Female gender, higher height, regular intake of iodine-rich foods and dietary supplements are statistically associated with the prevalence of thyroid nodules, which may be risk factors for the prevalence of thyroid nodules , but further research is needed to confirm.

Establishment of the fingerprint of Temurin- 5 powder and content determination of 4 components / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish the fing erprint of Temurin- 5 powder，conduct chemical pattern recognition analysis ，and determine the contents of 4 components simultaneously. METHODS The fingerprints of 10 batches of Temurin- 5 powder were established and similarity evaluation was performed by using high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）combined with the Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprints of Traditional Chinese Medicine （2012 edition）；common peaks were identified by comparing with mixed substance control. The common peaks were analyzed by systematic cluster analysis and principal component analysis with SPSS 26.0 software. The HPLC method was used to determine the contents of gallic acid ， geniposide，chlorogenic acid and ellagic acid in 10 batches of samples. RESULTS A total of 15 common peaks were identified from the fingerprints of 10 batches of Temurin-5 powder，and the similarity was 0.997-0.999. It was identified that peak 1 was gallic acid ，peak 3 was geniposide ，peak 5 was chlorogenic acid and peak 12 was ellagic acid. Among the 10 batches of samples ， S4 and S 9 were grouped into one category ，S6-S8 were grouped into one category ，and the other batches of samples were grouped into one category. The accumulative variance contribution rate of first three principal components was 89.245％. The linear ranges of gallic acid ，geniposide，chlorogenic acid and ellagic acid were 5.55-177.5，15.98-511.5，2.56-82.0 and 13.48-431.5 μg/mL， respectively. RSDs of precision ，stability（24 h）and repeatability tests were all less than 2％（n＝6 or n＝7）. The average recoveries were 101.56％，102.21％，98.60％ and 96.62％，respectively，RSDs were 1.90％，1.61％，1.58％ and 1.73％（n＝6）. Average contents of above components were 5.03-5.64，10.38-12.16，1.40-1.69，6.47-7.11 mg/g，respectively. CONCLUSIONS The established fingerprint is stable and feasible ，and the content determination method meets the relevant regulations. Combined with chemical pattern recognition analysis ，it can be used for the quality control of Temurin- 5 powder.

Effects of Bushen Yiqi Huoxue Decoction in Treatment of Patients with Diminished Ovarian Reserve: A Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the therapeutic effect of Bushen Yiqi Huoxue Decoction BYHD) in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).@*METHODS@#A total of 180 patients with DOR diagnosed from December 2013 to December 2014 were equally assigned into progynova and duphaston (E+D) group, Zuogui Pill group and BYHD group with 60 cases in each by computerized randomization. Patients received E+D, Zuogui Pill or BYHD for 12 months, respectively. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), antral follicle count (AFC), ovarian volume, endometrial thickness, and the resistance indices (RIs) of ovarian arteries and uterine arteries were observed before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#Nine women (4 from the E+D group, 3 from the Zuogui Pill group, and 2 from the BYHD group) withdrew from the study. After 6 months, Zuogui Pill and BYHD significantly decreased FSH and LH and increased endometrial thickness and AMH (all P<0.01). BYHD also resulted in E2 elevation (P<0.05), ovary enlargement (P<0.05), AFC increase (P<0.01), and RI of ovarian arteries decrease (P<0.05). After 12 months, further improvements were observed in the Zuogui Pill and BYHD groups (all P<0.01), but BYHD showed better outcomes, with lower FSH, larger ovaries and a thicker endometrium compared with the Zuogui Pill group (all P<0.01). However, E+D only significantly increased endometrial thickness (P<0.01) and no significant improvements were observed in the RI of uterine arteries in the three groups.@*CONCLUSIONS@#BYHD had a favorable therapeutic effect in patients with DOR by rebalancing hormone levels, promoting ovulation, and repairing the thin endometrium. The combination of tonifying Shen (Kidney), benefiting qi and activating blood circulation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for DOR.

Effect of Modified Huangqi Gancaotang on Proliferation， Apoptosis， Invasion， Migration， and Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Based on Wnt/β-catenin Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate effect of lyophilized powder of modified Huangqi Gancaotang on proliferation， apoptosis， invasion， migration， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human non-small cell lung cancer cells （A549， PC9） and possible mechanism. MethodEffect of 1.0， 2.0， 4.0， 8.0， 12.0 g·L-1 modified Huangqi Gancaotang on the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. A549 and PC9 cells were classified into the blank group and the low-， medium-， and high-dose Huangqi Gancaotang groups （2.0， 4.0， 8.0 g·L-1）. Plate cloning assay was used to examine the effect of modified Huangqi Gancaotang on cell cloning ability. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were employed to detect the apoptosis， and scratch assay and Transwell migration assay were applied to examine cell migration and invasion abilities， respectively. Mammosphere assay was used to examine the sphere-forming ability of tumor cells， and real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） to detect the mRNA expression of stemness-related molecules octamer-binding transcription factor 4 （Oct-4）， human sex-determining region Y-box 2 （Sox2）， and homeobox transcription factor （Nanog） to assess cancer stem cell activity. The protein expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated death promoter （Bad）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved Caspase-3， Caspase-3， E-cadherin， N-cadherin， vimentin， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， β-catenin， c-Myc， Cyclin D1， and zinc-finger transcription factor （Slug） was determined by Western blot. ResultThe proliferation ability of A549 and PC9 cells was significantly inhibited after 24 h and 48 h treatment with 1.0， 2.0， 4.0， 8.0， and 12.0 g·L-1 lyophilized powder of modified Huangqi Gancaotang compared with that in the blank group and the inhibition was dose- and time-dependent （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang suppressed the cloning ability of A549 and PC9 cells （P< 0.05， P<0.01）， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang induced apoptosis of A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.01）. In comparison with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang inhibited the invasion and migration of A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang significantly decreased volume of the microspheres of A549 cells and the mRNA expression of Oct-4， Sox2， and Nanog in A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the medium- and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang down-regulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bad， Bax， and cleaved Caspase-3/Caspase-3 （P<0.05， P<0.01） in A549 and PC9 cells， decreased the expression of MMP-2， N-cadherin， and vimentin （P<0.05， P< 0.01）， and raised the E-cadherin expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the medium-dose and high-dose modified Huangqi Gancaotang all reduced the expression of β-catenin， c-Myc， Cyclin D1， and Slug in A549 and PC9 cells （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Huangqi Gancaotang can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， migration， activity of cancer stem cells， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human non-small cell lung cancer （A549， PC9） cells and induce apoptosis， and the mechanism is the likelihood that it regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Meanings of polysaccharides in traditional Chinese medicines decoction from the viewpoint of its gut microbiota regulation effects / 药学学报

Decoction is one of the traditional dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In addition to small molecular components, decoction also contains polysaccharides and other macromolecular components. For a long time, ethanol precipitation has been commonly used during TCMs based new drug development to remove "ineffective macromolecular components", and enrich "active small molecules components", so as to improve the subsequent formability of the preparations. With the recognition of the relationships between gut microbiota and host health/disease, and the potential prebiotic effects of natural polysaccharides, the important values of polysaccharides in TCMs decoctions have been gradually emerged. Based on the representative findings of our own research and the literatures, the potential prebiotics function of TCMs polysaccharides were reviewed regarding its related effects on host physiological and pathological processes of metabolic function, bowel function, immunity, inflammation, emotion and tumor, on the metabolism and absorption of coexisting small molecule components, as well as the structure-function features, so that the meanings of polysaccharides in TCMs decoction were discussed and emphasized, and hopefully to provide enlightenment for the premise of attaching importance to the existence of polysaccharide components in the process of innovative drug research and development based on classical and clinical TCMs prescriptions.

Effect of herb-partitioned moxibustion in improving tight junctions of intestinal epithelium in Crohn disease mediated by TNF-α-NF-κB-MLCK pathway / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To explore the effect of herb-partitioned moxibustion (HPM) on tight junctions (TJs) of intestinal epithelial cells in Crohn disease (CD) mediated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-myosin-light- chain kinase (MLCK) pathway. Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a model control (MC) group, an HPM group and a mesalazine (MESA) group, with 12 rats in each group. Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was administered to establish CD models. When the model was confirmed a success, the HPM group rats were treated with HPM at Tianshu (ST 25) and Qihai (CV 6), while the MESA group rats were given MESA solution by lavage. When the intervention finished, the colonic epithelial tissues were separated, purified and cultured in each group to establish the intestinal epithelial barrier model in vitro, and TNF-α was added (100 ng/mL) in the culture medium and maintained for 24 h to establish an increased epithelial permeability model. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was used to examine the permeability of the barrier; Western blot was used to observe the expressions of the proteins related to TJs of intestinal epithelial cells mediated by TNF-α-NF-κB-MLCK pathway; immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expressions and distributions of tight junction proteins in the intestinal epithelium. Results: After TNF-α induction, compared with the MC+TNF-α group, the TEER value increased significantly in the HPM+TNF-α and MESA+TNF-α groups (both P<0.001); the expressions of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, MLCK, myosin light chain (MLC), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and receptor interaction protein-1 (RIP1) decreased significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the expression of zinc finger protein A20 (A20) increased significantly (P<0.01); the expressions of occludin, claudin-1, zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) and F-actin also increased significantly (all P<0.01). Compared with the MESA+TNF-α group, the expressions of MLC, occludin, claudin-1, ZO-1 and F-actin increased significantly in the HPM+TNF-α group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion: HPM can protect or repair the damage of intestinal epithelial barrier in CD rats, which may be achieved through modulating the abnormal TJs in intestinal epithelium mediated by TNF-α-NF-κB-MLCK pathway.

Mechanism of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction in treatment of EMT induced dysmenorrhea based on network pharmacology and molecular docking / 中国中药杂志

Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP) and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine(BATMAN-TCM) were searched for the effective components and targets of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction. The relevant targets for endometriosis(EMT) and dysmenorrhea were retrieved from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database(CTD), Therapeutic Target Database(TTD), GeneCards, and DisGeNET with the terms of "endometriosis" and "dysmenorrhea". Cytoscape 3.8.0 was employed to construct the drug-active component-therapeutic target network. A protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was established by STRING 11.0. Analyze Network, the plug-in in the Cytoscape 3.8.0, was used to calculate the topological parameters of the nodes and screen out the critical proteins in the network. The potential therapeutic targets were imported into RStudio and subjected to Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses with clusterProfiler package. Finally, the AutoDock Vina(Vina) platform was used for molecular docking to predict the binding degree of the main active components of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction to key targets. As revealed by the screening results, 136 active components and 380 targets of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction were obtained. Additionally, there were 1 627 targets related to EMT and 142 targets related to dysmenorrhea with 107 common targets, and 42 potential therapeutic targets of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction for the treatment of EMT-induced dysmenorrhea. The targets such as interleukin 6(IL6) and prostaglandi-nendoperoxide synthase-2(PTGS2) were pivotal in the biological network of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction intervention in EMT-induced dysmenorrhea, which involved multiple signaling pathways, including inflammation, hormones, and those promoted cell proliferation [e.g., mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase(PI3 K)-protein kinase B(AKT)]. The results of molecular docking showed that the active components of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction had good binding capacities to key targets such as IL6 and PTGS2. The findings of this study demonstrated that Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction could treat EMT-induced dysmenorrhea through multiple targets and multiple pathways, which could provide new ideas for investigating the underlying mechanism of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction in the treatment of EMT-induced dysmenorrhea.

Clinical Efficacy on Shugan Bushen Huoxue Decoction in Treating Perimenopausal Perio Syndrome (Kidney Deficiency and Liver Depression and Blood Stasis Syndrome) / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Shugan Bushen Huoxue decoction in the treatment of perimenopausal perio syndrome （PPS） with kidney deficiency， liver depression and blood stasis syndrome. Method:One hundred and twelve patients were randomly divided into control group and observation group according to random number table. Both groups took Remifemin orally， 1 tablet/time， by swallowing in the morning and evening. The patients in control group additionally took Fuke Yangrong capsules， 4 capsules/time， 3 times/day. The patients in observation group additionally took Shugan Bushen Huoxue decoction， 1 dose/day. The course of treatment was 12 weeks in both groups. Before and after treatment， scores were graded for modified Kupperman index （KI）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， menopausal quality of life scale （MENQOL）， self-rating depression scale （SDS） and self-rating anxiety scale （SAS）. Follicle stimulating hormone （FSH），luteinizing hormone （LH），serum estrogen （E₂）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， dopamine （DA）， norepinephrine （NE）， 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid （5-HIAA）， endothelin （ET）， and nitric oxide （NO） levels were detected before and after therapy. Result:In the observation group， scores of KI， TCM syndrome， SDS and SAS were lower than those in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. All dimensions of MENQOL scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. FSH and LH levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group， and the E₂ level was higher than that of the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The levels of 5-HT， 5-HIAA， DA and NE in the observation group were higher than those in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The ET level in the observation group was lower than that in the control group， and the NO level was higher than that of the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. In observation group，the clinical efficacy was superior to that in control group （<italic>Z</italic>=2.073<italic>，P</italic><0.05）， and the efficacy of TCM syndromes was also superior to that in control group （<italic>Z</italic>=2.086<italic>，P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Shugan Bushen Huoxue decoction in the treatment of PPS in patients with kidney deficiency and liver depression and blood stasis can significantly reduce clinical symptoms， depression and anxiety， regulate the sex hormones， vasomotor factors and monoamine neurotransmitters levels， and improve the quality of life， with obvious clinical efficacy and high safety， so it is worthy of clinical use.

Research advances in active components of traditional Chinese medicine in prevention and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease based on oxidative stress / 临床肝胆病杂志

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multifactorial pathological disease. Although the molecular mechanism of the onset of NAFLD has not been fully elucidated, oxidative stress is believed to play a key role in this process and can affect a variety of physiological functions. In recent years, the use of active components of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD has become a research hotspot. This article summarizes the role of active components of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of NAFLD from the perspective of anti-oxidative stress effect, so as to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

A strategy for rapid discovery of traceable chemical markers in herbal products using MZmine 2 data processing toolbox: A case of Jing Liqueur / 中草药·英文版

Objective: The quality evaluation of herbal products remains a big challenge. Traceable markers are the core concept of the authentication of herbal products. However, the discovery of traceable markers is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The aim of this study is to develop a convenient approach to rapidly screen the traceable markers for herbal product authentication. Methods: Commercial Jing Liqueur and its 22 species of herbal ingredients were analyzed using HPLC-QTOF-MS and GC–MS to characterize nonvolatile and volatile chemicals. The acquired data were imported into MZmine 2 software for mass detection, chromatogram building, deconvolution and alignment. The aligned data were exported into a csv file and then traceable markers were selected using the built-in filter function in Excel. Finally, the traceable markers were identified by searching against online databases or publications, some of which were confirmed by reference standards. Results: A total of 288 chemical features transferred from herbal materials to Jing Liqueur product were rapidly screened out. Among them, 52 markers detected by HPLC-QTOF-MS were annotated, while nine volatile markers detected by GC–MS were annotated. Moreover, 30 of these markers were confirmed by comparing with reference standards. A chemical fingerprint consisting of traceable markers was finally generated to ensure the authentication and quality consistency of Jing Liqueur. Conclusion: A strategy for rapid discovery of traceable markers in herbal products using MZmine 2 software was developed.

Efficacy of compatible acupoints and single acupoint versus sham acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acupoint selection is a key factor in the treatment of diseases and has not been well studied. The aim of this trial is to explore the differences in efficacy between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint for patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine in China. Two hundred and sixteen FD patients will be randomly assigned to the compatible acupoints group, single acupoint group, or sham acupuncture group. This trial will include a 1-week baseline period, a 4-week treatment period, and a 4-week follow-up period. During the 4-week treatment period, patients will receive 20 sessions of acupuncture (weekly cycles of one session per day for 5 consecutive days followed by a 2-day break). The primary outcome will be a change in the Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index from baseline to after the 4-week treatment period. Secondary outcome measures will include the dyspeptic symptom sum score, Overall Treatment Effect questionnaire, and 36-item Short Form survey. Adverse events also will be recorded. Ultraweak photon emission and metabolomics tests will be performed at baseline and at the end of treatment to explore the mechanisms of the differences between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint. DISCUSSION: The results of this trial will allow us to compare the difference in efficacy between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint. The findings from this trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Acupuncture-Moxibustion Clinical Trial Registry, AMCTR-IPC-18000176, registered on 4 March 2019; Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900023983, registered on 23 June 2019.

Investigation and Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes with 144 Cases of COVID-19 Patients in Anhui Province / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To analyze the general situation and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome characteristics in patients with coronavirus disease-2019（COVID-19） in Anhui province, and to provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Method:The 144 cases of COVID-19 patients in Anhui province were collected from designated hospitals by means of multi-center cross-sectional epidemiological survey. The TCM syndrome information collection table of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia was created to collect the general data, etiology and pathogenesis, pulse and signs, syndrome type and frequency statistics of the patients, and then summarize and analyze the main symptoms and syndrome distribution characteristics of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia. Result:The mean age of 144 patients with COVID-19 infection was （43.54±15.91） years old, and the number of males was larger than the number of females (9/7). The age distribution and gender difference of the patients were statistically significant (P<0.05). 36.11%（52/144） of the patients had a history of travel/residence in Wuhan/Hubei province, and 63.89% (92/144) of the patients had a history of close contact with the confirmed patients. The main clinical manifestations included fever, cough, diarrhea, fatigue and poor tolerance. Light red tongue and red tongue were dominant in tongue quality, with mainly greasy coating, slippery pulse, rapid pulse and soft pulse were the main types of pulse. The main types of syndrome differentiation were the common type (76.38%, 110/144), most of which were demonstrated as dampness obstructing the lung and spleen (56.25%, 81/144). There was no significant difference in gender composition and age distribution between two groups. Conclusion:The pathogenesis of COVID-19 patients in Anhui province is closely related to the lung and spleen, and the dampness caused by pathogen of the epidemic virus is the main pathological factor of disease, which is in line with characteristics of dampness epidemic in TCM, also can see concurrently "heat, poison, stasis" for a characteristic.

Comprehensive quality analysis of "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the comprehensive quality of the "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" and provide a basis for improving the influence of the journal.Methods:The iournal evaluation data of "Chinese Science and Technology Journal Citation Reports (Core Version)" (2013 - 2017 periodicals, hereinafter referred to as the journal citation report) as a statistical source, epidemiological and environmental medicine core journals as reference objects, an analysis of the academic influence of "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" within journals in the same field was carried out. The overall quality of the journal was evaluated through adopting the dynamic evaluation model of academic influence of sci-tech periodicals, combined with the total cited frequency, influencing factor, he cited rate, source of literature, immediacy index, international papers ratio, fund papers ratio of "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" in 2013 - 2017 edition of the journal citation report, and calculating the academic impact assessment score ( I), and 5-year growth rate in 2012 - 1016. Results:The impact factors of the "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" in 2012 - 2016 were 0.745, 1.243, 1.507, 1.390, and 1.221, respectively; ranked 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd and 2nd in the same field medical core journals (24 kinds), respectively. The total citation frequencies were 1 167, 1 682, 1 164, 1 688, and 1 584, respectively; ranked 9th, 5th, 7th, 7th and 7th in the same field medical core journals (24 kinds), respectively; the comprehensive scores were 40.4, 45.8, 42.0, 42.4, and 41.5, respectively; ranked 5th, 7th, 6th, 7th and 7th in the same field medical core journals (24 kinds), respectively. The results of the dynamic evaluation model of academic influence showed that the I values of the "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" in 2012 - 2016 were 240 035.56, 377 602.24, 434 144.09, 612 260.69, and 529 411.90, respectively; and the 5-year growth rate was 0.21. Conclusion:The academic influence of the "Chinese Journal of Endemiology" is on the rise, and the comprehensive quality of the journal is constantly improving.

Impaired Hypothalamic Regulation of Sympathetic Outflow in Primary Hypertension / 神经科学通报·英文版

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a crucial region involved in maintaining homeostasis through the regulation of cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and other functions. The PVN provides a dominant source of excitatory drive to the sympathetic outflow through innervation of the brainstem and spinal cord in hypertension. We discuss current findings on the role of the PVN in the regulation of sympathetic output in both normotensive and hypertensive conditions. The PVN seems to play a major role in generating the elevated sympathetic vasomotor activity that is characteristic of multiple forms of hypertension, including primary hypertension in humans. Recent studies in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model have revealed an imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs to PVN pre-sympathetic neurons as indicated by impaired inhibitory and enhanced excitatory synaptic inputs in hypertension. This imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs in the PVN forms the basis for elevated sympathetic outflow in hypertension. In this review, we discuss the disruption of balance between glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs and the associated cellular and molecular alterations as mechanisms underlying the hyperactivity of PVN pre-sympathetic neurons in hypertension.

Correlation between referred pain distribution and acupoint sensitization in patients with intestinal diseases / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the correlation between referred pain distribution and acupoint sensitization in patients with intestinal diseases.@*METHODS@#In clinical research, 443 patients from 8 hospitals were recruited, including the outpatients and inpatients of Crohn's disease (=143), ulcerative colitis (=108), chronic appendicitis (=87) and other intestinal diseases (=105). The site with tenderness on the body surface and the morphological changes of local skin were observed and recorded in the patients. Using a sensory tenderness instrument, the pain threshold at the sensitization point was measured in 60 patients with ulcerative colitis. In animal experiment, SD rats were used and divided into a enteritis group (=8), in which the enteritis model were established, and a control group (=3), in which no any intervention was given. After the injection of Evans blue (EB) at caudal vein, the blue exudation points on the body surface were observed and the distribution rule was analyzed statistically.@*RESULTS@#The referred pain on the body surface in the patients with intestinal diseases was mainly located in the lower abdomen (93.9%, 416/443), the lumbar region (70.9%, 314/443) and the lower legs (33.0%, 146/443). The diameter of tenderness region was 1.5 to 2.5 cm. Compared with the region without sensitization, the pain threshold of the sensitization point in the patients with ulcerative colitis was reduced significantly (<0.001). The referred pain on the body surface in the patients with appendicitis was located in the right lower abdomen (97.7%, 85/87), the waist and back (54.0%, 47/87) and the right lower limbs on the medial side (71.3%, 62/87). The tenderness region was 1 to 2 cm in diameter and was irregular in form. After modeling of enteritis in the rats, the EB exudation points were visible from T to L.@*CONCLUSION@#Intestinal diseases induce referred pain on the body surface where is the same as or adjacent to the location of the spinal segment corresponding to the affected intestinal section. These sensitization regions are related to the locations of acupoints.