[Research progress on processing history evolution, chemical constituents, and pharmacological action of Scorpio].

Scorpio is a valuable Chinese animal medicine commonly used in clinical practice in China. It is the main drug in the treatment of liver wind internal movement caused by various reasons throughout the history of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), with the effects of relieving wind and spasm, dredging collaterals, relieving pain, and eliminating toxin and mass. Scorpio is poisonous and often used as medicine after processing. There are records of its processing as early as the Song Dynasty. Afterward, there were more than 15 processing methods, including frying with vinegar, neat processing, and stir-frying. After processing, the fishy smell could be removed to correct the taste, and the toxicity could be reduced, which was beneficial to clinical application. At present, the main reported components in Scorpio are protein polypeptides, alkaloids, and lipids, with many pharmacological effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-coagulation, anti-thrombosis, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-bacteria. In this study, the historical evolution of processing, chemical constituents, and pharmacological action of Scorpio were discussed in order to provide references for the related research on Scorpio.

Research Progress of Pharmacological Therapy and Nutritional Support for Cachexia in Lung Cancer Patients / 中国肺癌杂志

Cachexia is a common complication in patients with lung cancer. It aggravates the toxic and side effects of chemotherapy, hinders the treatment plan, weakens the responsiveness of chemotherapy, reduces the quality of life, increases complications and mortality, and seriously endangers the physical and mental health of patients with lung cancer. The causes and pathogenesis of tumor cachexia are extremely complex, which makes its treatment difficult and complex. Controlling cachexia in lung cancer patients requires many means such as anti-tumor therapy, inhibition of inflammatory response, nutritional support, physical exercise, and relief of symptoms to exert the synergistic effect of multimodal therapy against multiple mechanisms of tumor cachexia. To date, there has been a consensus within the discipline that no single therapy can control the development of cachexia. Some therapies have made some progress, but they need to be implemented in combination with multimodal therapy after fully assessing the individual characteristics of lung cancer patients. This article reviews the application of drug therapy and nutritional support in lung cancer patients, and looks forward to the research direction of cachexia control in lung cancer patients.
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Discovery of novel SecA inhibitors against "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" through virtual screening and biological evaluation.

"Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" (Ca. L. asiaticus) is the causal agent of Huanglongbing disease of citrus and current study focuses on the discovery of novel small-molecule inhibitors against SecA protein of Ca. L. asiaticus. In this study, homologous modeling was used to construct the three-dimensional structure of SecA. Then, molecular docking-based virtual screening and two rounds of in vitro bacteriostatic experiments were utilized to identify novel small-molecule inhibitors of SecA. Encouragingly, 93 compounds were obtained and two of them (P684-2850, P684-3808) showed strong antimicrobial activities against Liberibacter crescens BT-1 in bacteriostatic experiments. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to explore the binding modes of the receptor-ligand complexes. Results in MD simulations showed that compound P684-3808 was relatively stable during simulation, while compound P684-2850 left the binding pocket. Compound P684-3808 might be suitable as a lead compound for further development of antimicrobial compounds against SecA of Ca. L. asiaticus.

Mechanism of Danggui Sini Decoction in treatment of primary dysmenorrhea based on network pharmacology and molecular docking / 中国中药杂志

Network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vivo experiments were used to explore the pharmacodynamic basis and potential mechanism of Danggui Sini Decoction in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea(PD). The chemical constituents of Danggui(Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Guizhi(Cinnamomi Ramulus), Tongcao(Tetrapanacis Medulla), Baishao(Paeoniae Radix Alba), Xixin(Asari Radix et Rhizoma), Gancao(Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Dazao(Jujubae Fructus) from Danggui Sini Decoction were retrieved through TCMSP(Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database), and the action targets of Danggui Sini Decoction were collected through DrugBank. "Primary dysmenorrhea" and "dysmenorrhea" were used as the key words to search the corresponding targets in the GeneCards, OMIM and TTD databases, and then the intersection targets of Danggui Sini Decoction and the primary dysmenorrhea targets were taken for reverse screening to obtain the corresponding active ingredients. Cytoscape 3.6.1 software was used to construct a traditional Chinese medicine-compound-target-disease network; STRING database was used to build a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network; Gene ontology(GO) function enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were conducted by using DAVID database. The action mechanism of the intersection targets were then predicted, and a histogram chart and bubble chart were drawn for visualization. Then the top five targets in the PPI network were used for docking with the most compounds. In animal experiments, Sprague Dawley(SD) female rats were used to establish a primary dysmenorrhea model by intraperitoneal injection of diethylstilbestrol once a day. A total of 60 SD female rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, namely control group, model group, Danggui Sini Decoction low(1.5 g·kg~(-1)), medium(3.0 g·kg~(-1)), high(6.0 g·kg~(-1)) dose groups, and ibuprofen(20 mg·kg~(-1)) positive control group, with 10 rats in each group. From day 4, except for the control group, rats in the other groups were given intragastric administration of corresponding drugs, and the control group received intragastric administration of normal saline for 7 consecutive days. The number of writhing before and after the administration, the ute-rine contraction inhibition rate and the uterine index after administration were observed, and ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2) and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA) in the tissues of each group as well as the levels of serum inflammatory factors interleukin 1(IL-1), interleukin 6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α). According to network analysis, 7 Chinese medicines contained 114 active ingredients, 149 targets, and 30 common target genes with PD were obtained. The key targets included VEGFA, IL6, PTGS2, TNF, etc.; GO function enrichment analysis showed a total of 399 terms(P<0.05) were obtained, 353 of which were biological process(BP) terms, 21 were cell composition(CC) terms, and 25 were molecular function(MF) terms. In KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, 14 signaling pathways were obtained, 3 of which were related to inflammation, namely arachidonic acid metabolism, MAPK signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. The compounds in Danggui Sini Decoction can play a therapeutic role in the treatment of PD by acting on VEGFA, IL-6, PTGS2, TNF and other targets to regulate arachidonic acid and inflammatory signaling pathways.

Comparable effects of Jiedu Granule, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A prospective multicenter cohort study / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Sorafenib has been extensively used for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and Chinese herbal medicine has also been used to manage advanced HCC. The present work evaluates the effectiveness and safety of Jiedu (JD) Granule, a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, side-by-side with sorafenib for the treatment of advance HCC.@*METHODS@#Patients with advanced HCC receiving treatment with JD Granule or sorafenib were enrolled from December 2014 to March 2018. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and safety. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to control for possible selection bias from the study group allocation process.@*RESULTS@#Of the 325 patients included, 161 received JD Granule and 164 received sorafenib. No significant differences were found in OS or PFS among patients receiving JD Granule compared to sorafenib (P > 0.05). Median OS of the two study groups was 6.83 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.83-9.47) in the group receiving JD Granule and 8 months (95% CI: 6.67-9.80) in the group receiving sorafenib, with half-, 1- and 2-year survival rates of 53.6%, 31.2% and 13.2% vs 60.1%, 35.5% and 14.2%, respectively. Even after PSM, the median survival time did not differ between the JD Granule group (9.03 months; 95% CI: 6.37-14.2) and the sorafenib group (7.93 months; 95% CI: 6.5-9.97), with comparable half-, 1- and 2-year survival rates. The most common adverse events (AEs) were diarrhea (13.7%) and fatigue (5.6%) in the JD Granule group, and hand-foot skin reaction (46.3%) and diarrhea (36.6%) in the sorafenib group. The JD Granule was more cost-effective than sorafenib treatment for advanced HCC.@*CONCLUSION@#Compared to sorafenib, JD Granule was more cost-effective and caused fewer AEs for the treatment of Chinese patients with advanced HCC.

The abnormal function of CD39+ regulatory T cells could be corrected by high-dose dexamethasone in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia is an autoimmune disease, characterized with decreased platelet and increased risk of bleeding. Recent studies have shown the reduction and dysfunction of regulatory T (Treg) cells in ITP patients. CD39 is highly expressed on the surface of Treg cells. It degrades ATP to AMP and CD73 dephosphorylates AMP into adenosine. Then adenosine binds with adenosine receptor and suppresses immune response by activating Treg cells and inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines from effector T (Teff) cells. Adenosine receptor has several subtypes and adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) plays a crucial role especially within lymphocytes. The CD39+ Treg cells and the expression of A2AR showed abnormality in some autoimmune disease. But knowledge of CD39+ Treg cells and A2AR which are crucial in the adenosine immunosuppressive pathway is still limited in ITP. Thirty-one adult patients with newly diagnosed ITP were enrolled in this study. CD39 and A2AR expression was measured by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. The function of CD39 was reflected by the change of ATP concentration detected by CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability Assay. CD39 expression within CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in ITP patients was decreased compared to normal controls. After high-dose dexamethasone therapy, response (R) group showed increased CD39 expression within Treg cells while non-response (NR) group did not show any difference in contrast to those before treatment. The expression of A2AR in CD4+CD25- Teff and CD4+CD25+ Treg cells was both lower in ITP patients than that of normal controls. After therapy, CD4+CD25- Teff cells had higher A2AR expression while CD4+CD25+ Treg cells did not show any difference in comparison to that before treatment. The enzymatic activity of CD39 was damaged in ITP patients and improved after high-dose dexamethasone therapy. In ITP, there was not only numerical decrease but also impaired enzymatic activity in CD39+ Treg cells. After high-dose dexamethasone treatment, these two defects could be reversed. Our results also suggested that ITP patients had reduced A2AR expression in both CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and CD4+CD25- Teff cells. CD4+CD25- Teff cells had increased A2AR expression after treatment.

Photosynthesized gold nanoparticles from Catharanthus roseus induces caspase-mediated apoptosis in cervical cancer cells (HeLa).

Bionanotechnology has pivotal role in the development of a novel therapy, applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the treatment of cancer. In this study, we found that therapeutics, pharmaceutics and diagnostic effectiveness of photosynthesized Catharanthus roseus (CR) AuNPs induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic signalling pathways via reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) by in vitro model. The present examinations were for the most part centred around the gold chloride and photosynthesis AuNPs from the fluid leaf concentrate of CR and their harmful impacts on HeLa cell lines. The synthesized AuNPs were characterized using numerous biophysical analyses such as UV-vis, DLS, EDX, HR-TEM, SAED, FTIR and AFM. The synthesized AuNPs in the particle size range of 25-35 nm was confirmed by HR-TEM. The element gold and the crystalline nature of AuNPs were finalized using EDX, respectively. Anticancer potential of CR-AuNPs was studied using HeLa cells and the cytotoxic mechanism has been evaluated using MTT, mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway through AO/EtBr staining assay, pro-apoptotic (Bax), anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bid) protein expression western blotting analysis and caspases activity using ELISA analysis. In in vitro study, the IC50 of HeLa cells was found to be 5 µg/ml confirmed using MTT assay. The present data revealed that drug delivery vehicles developed on CR-AuNPs nanocomplexes might include extensive purpose in human cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Gold nano particles synthesized from Strychni semen and its anticancer activity in cholangiocarcinoma cell (KMCH-1).

Nanotechnology has been materialized as a proficient technology for the development of anticancer nanoparticles all the way through an environment-friendly approach. Conventionally, nanoparticles have been assembled by dissimilar methods, but regrettably rely on the negative impact on the natural environment. Amalgamation of nanoparticles by means of plant extract is alternate conservative methods. In the present study, we equipped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from Strychni semen; displayed as a less toxic and environment-friendly. Integration of AuNPs was famed by UV-absorbance which displays peak values. Moreover, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) substantiate the shape of the AuNPs in the combined materials. FTIR results exhibit the active molecules positioned in the flat surface of the AuNPs. Similarly, the anticancer effectiveness of AuNPs is considered in KMCH-1 cells. Also, AuNPs successfully aggravate cytotoxicity and apoptosis by conjugating apoptotic gene expressions in KMCH-1 cells. Eventually, our results confirm the synthesis of AuNPs from Strychni Semen shows anticancer effects with environment-friendly manner.

Exploration of dominant diseases and clinical application characteristics of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy based on data mining technology / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the literature regarding wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy by data mining technology, and the dominant diseases of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy were summarized to provide reference for evaluation of specificity effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy.@*METHODS@#The journal articles regarding wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy from the CNKI, WANFANG, and VIP since January 1, 1975 to December 31, 2017, and the medical cases regarding wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy in - and were retrieved. Based on the disease types of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy in the journal articles and medical cases, the association rules method of data mining technology was applied to calculate frequent itemsets. The self-developed database platform for wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy was used to extract and summarize the information to explore the rules of clinical application.@*RESULTS@#The scope of disease involved a total of 7 disease entities in the literature regarding wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy. In the journal articles, there were 83 disease types and the most common surgical diseases were soft tissue injury and periarthritis of shoulder, the frequency were 34 and 24 times respectively. The total effective rates of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy were 92.74% in internal medicine, 91.39% in surgery, 91.51% in gynecology, 90.88% in dermatology, 96.20% in pediatric, 89.05% in ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology and 88.78% in psychiatry. In the medical cases of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy, there were 118 disease types and the most common diseases were pain and syndrome, herpes zoster was also a common disease. Psychiatric diseases used more wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy, and the common diseases were anxiety and mania.@*CONCLUSION@#Wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy is widely used in treatment of clinical diseases and has significant therapeutic effects. It is mostly used in the treatment of surgery, internal medicine (neurology particularly), dermatology (herpes zoster particularly). Besides, the wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy is also applicable in the treatment of diseases of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, gynecology, pediatric and psychiatry.

Pharmacological Effect and Toxicity of Xanthii Fructus / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Xanthii Fructus (XF) is one of important drugs for the treatment of sinusitis and headache.It is commonly used in the treatment of diseases relating to immune abnormalities,such as rheumatoid arthritis,acute and chronic rhinitis,allergic rhinitis,and skin diseases,with a high medicinal value.Modern pharmacological studies have showed a wide range of pharmacological effect and a high medicinal value in XF.However,due to long-term or excessive intake,and improper processing of medicinal materials,toxic reactions have often occurred.Toxicological studies have shown that XF poisoning can cause substantial damage to organs,such as the liver,heart and kidney,especially to liver.This paper reviews the pharmacological action,toxic substances and hepatotoxicity mechanism of XF by systematically reviewing and summarizing relevant literatures on XF both at home and abroad.It is concluded that XF has anti-hypertension,anti-allergic,anti-bacterial,anti-inflammatory,analgesic,anti-tumor and lipid-decreasing effects.The toxic components are mainly atractyloside,carboxy atractyloside and 4'-desulphate-atractyloside.The mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by XF is closely related to lipid peroxidation,bile cholestasis and hepatocyte energy metabolism.Meanwhile,the discovery of novel biomarkers of hepatotoxicity,such as miRNA-122,also provides new ideals for medical research.Toxic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important part of TCM.Compatibility or processing can reduce or eliminate toxicity and preserve or increase efficacy.At present,there are few reports on the principle of attenuating the production of XF.The author suggests further strengthening the study on the principle of attenuation of XF,giving full play to the unique curative effect of XF and developing its greater medicinal value.

Taraxasterol suppresses the growth of human liver cancer by upregulating Hint1 expression.

Taraxasterol has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activity. However, the effect and potential mechanisms of Taraxasterol on the growth of human liver cancer have not been clarified. Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (Hint1) is a tumor suppressor and its downregulated expression is associated with the development of cancer. Here, we report that Taraxasterol treatment significantly suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis in liver cancer cells, but not in non-tumor hepatocytes. Furthermore, Taraxasterol upregulated Hint1 and Bax, but downregulated Bcl2 and cyclin D1 expression, accompanied by promoting the demethylation in the Hint1 promoter region in liver cancer cells. The effects of Taraxasterol were abrogated by Hint1 silencing and partially mitigated by Bax silencing, Bcl2 or cyclin D1 over-expression in HepG2 cells. Moreover, oral administration with Taraxasterol did not affect body weight, urinary protein levels, and the heart, liver, and kidney morphology in BALB/c mice but effectively inhibited the growth of implanted SK-Hep1 tumor in vivo. Collectively, we demonstrate that Taraxasterol inhibits the growth of liver cancer at least partially by enhancing Hint1 expression to regulate Bax, Bcl2, and cyclin D1 expression. Taraxasterol may be a drug candidate for the treatment of human liver cancer. KEY MESSAGES: Taraxasterol inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in human liver cancer cells. Taraxasterol enhances Hint1 expression by promoting demethylation in Hint1 promoter. Taraxasterol increases Hint1 levels to regulate Bax, Bcl2, and cyclinD1 expression. The effects of Taraxasterol are abrogated by Hint1 silencing in liver cancer cells. Taraxasterol inhibits the growth of subcutaneously implanted liver cancers in mice.

Study on phenotypic diversity and cluster analysis of Cistanche Herba in different populations in Xinjiang / 中国中药杂志

To intuitively understand the phenotypic diversity of intra-population and inter-population of the medicinal Cistanche Herba distributed in Xinjiang province, three species of Cistanche Herba were selected for the first time to be conducted to phenotypic observation and measurement from the morphological perspective, aiming to fill the gap in the morphological research concerning Cistanche Herba, and discuss about the relationship between the phenotypic variation and the host plants together with the geographical conditions, thus better understanding the speciation and evolutionary mechanism of Cistanche Herba and providing some scientific basis for the resource protection and germplasm breeding of Cistanche Herba. Based on sampling survey, a total of 118 well grown medicinal Cistanche samples from 17 Cistanche Herba distribution areas in Xinjiang province were selected, and various indexes were observed and measured. Besides, ANOVA and clustering analysis were conducted with 9 phenotypic quantity characters. The Cistanche Herba was plentiful in phenotypic variation. For detail, significant intra-population differences were observed in eight of the nine character indexes, and the intra-population differences were more obvious than those of inter-population. For each quantity character of the three species, the flower density possessed the maximal variable coefficient (71.1%) while the flower length was the minimum (15.9%). The phenotypic variation was also obvious among different populations. Specifically, the average variable coefficient of flower number was the maximal one (46.5%) and the flower length was the minimum one (10.0%). For different populations, the average variable coefficient of the D4 population was the maximal one (41.1%) and the S3 population was the minimum one (13.5%). According to the clustering analysis, all the samples of Cistanche Herba could be divided into three groups when the Euclidean distance was set at 15. The populations of S1, S3, D1, S2, D4, D6, D7 and D5 which distributed in the north of Xinjiang were clustered into one group, and the populations of D8, S4, D9, D2 and D3 that grown in east and central of Xinjiang were clustered into another group. The populations of C. deserticola and C. salsa could not be completely separated, but both of them were obviously differentiated from the T1, T3 and T2 populations of C. tubulosa. Besides, the C. deserticola and C. salsa displayed a patch distribution among different populations, and similar phenotypic characters were shared for each population. The research results of phenotype were consistent with that of molecular biology study of Cistanche Herba. The different phenotypic characters in different distribution areas were deduced to be arose from geographical isolation caused by mountains, which led to the specific genetic structure for each population of Cistanche Herba during the long-term adaptation and evolution. In conclusion, the current study showed the adaptation potency of Cistanche Herba exposed to different habitats.

Clinical Observation of Staging Treatment with Various Acupuncture Therapies Mainly on Yifeng Point for Peripheral Facial Paralysis / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of staging treatment with various acupuncture therapies mainly on Yifeng (TE17) point for the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis. Methods One hundred and two peripheral facial paralysis patients were randomly divided into trial group and control group, 51 patients in each group. The trial group was given acupuncture mainly on Yifeng point, by Yang needling(plum-blossom needling) for acute stage, Qi needling(concentrated triple-needling) for resting stage and Bang needling(lateral needling) for recovery stage. The control group was given conventional acupuncture. The treatment for the two groups was performed once a day, 5 continuous days constituted a course, and the treatment lasted 3 courses. Before treatment and after treatment for 1, 2, 3 course (s), facial nerve function scores were evaluated with House-Brackmann Grading Scale (HB) and the scores of pain in head and face were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). And the clinical efficacy of the two groups was assessed after treatment. Results (1) After treatment for 3 courses, the cure rate and total effective rate of the trial group were 82.35％, 100.00％, and those of the control group were 60.78％, 86.27％, respectively. The differences between the two groups were significant (P <0.05). (2) After treatment, HB scores and VSA scores of patients with facial pain and headache in the two groups were improved after treatment (P < 0.05 compared with those before treatment), and the improvement in the trial group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Staging treatment with various acupuncture therapies mainly on Yifeng point is more effective for the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis than conventional acupuncture.

Therapeutic Observation of Stage-based Treatment of Peripheral Facial Paralysis with Yifeng (TE 17) as the Major Point Treated by Different Acupuncture Methods / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of stage-based treatment of peripheral facial paralysis with Yifeng (TE 17) selected as the major point treated by different acupuncture methods.Method A total of 102 patients with peripheral facial paralysis were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 51 cases each. The treatment group was intervened by selecting Yifeng (TE 17) as the major point, treated with centro-square needling in the acute stage, triple needling in the resting stage, and proximal needling in the remission stage; the control group was intervened by ordinary acupuncture. The two groups were treated once a day, 5 d as a course of treatment. Before and after 3 treatment courses, the House Brackmann (HB) facial nerve grading scale and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in those patients complicated with pain were observed, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The total effective rate and recovery rate were respectively 100.0％ and 82.3％ in the treatment group versus 86.3％ and 60.8％ in the control group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The HB scores were significantly changed respectively after 1, 2 and 3 treatment courses in the two groups compared with the pre-treatment scores (P<0.05). The HB scores in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group respectively after 1, 2 and 3 treatment courses (P<0.05). The patients complicated with facial pain or headache presented significant differences in VAS score respectively after 1, 2 and 3 treatment courses in the two groups (P<0.05). In comparing the VAS score in the patients complicated with facial pain or headache, there were significant differences between the two groups respectively after 1, 2 and 3 treatment courses (P<0.05).Conclusion Stage- based treatment with Yifeng (TE 17) selected as the major point treated with different acupuncture methods can produce valid efficacy in treating peripheral facial paralysis.

Effect of Acupunctures Variable with Stages on Lumbar Intervertebral Dise Protrusion / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To investigate the effect of acupunctures variable with stages on lumbar intervertebral dise protrusion (LIDP). Methods 98 LIDP patients in our hospital from October, 2014 to July, 2015 were randomly divided into control group (n=49) and observa-tion group (n=49) according to the sequence of first diagnosis time. The control group received routine acupuncture, and the observation group acupunctured at Ouch point and Huantiao point (GB30) with different acupuncture according to manifestations and courses. Modified Yang acupuncture was adopted in acute phase, triple acupuncture was used in remittent phase, and lateral needling was used in the recovery phase. They were both treated once a day, 7 days as a course for 3 courses with 2 days of interval. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and clinical effects were assessed before and 1, 2, 3 courses after treatment. Results Both VAS and ODI scores im-proved after treatment (F>7.12, P4.43, P<0.05). The efficiency was higher in the observation group than in the control group (χ2=5.594, P<0.05). Conclusion Compared with normal acupuncture, the acupunctures variable with stages is more effective on LIDP than routine.

Efficacy and safety of Yimusake Tablets plus dapoxetine hydrochloride in the treatment of premature ejaculation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To evaluate the effect and safety of Yimusake Tablets combined with dapoxetine hydrochloride and either of them used alone in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We randomly assigned 180 PE patients to oral medication of Yimusake Tablets at 1.5 g per night (group A), dapoxetine hydrochloride at 30 mg at 1－3 hours before anticipated sexual activity (group B), the Yimusake Tablets plus dapoxetine hydrochloride simultaneously (group C), all for 8 weeks. After 4 and 8 weeks of medication, we recorded and compared the changes in the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), measures of the PE profile (PEP), and adverse events among the three groups of patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The treatment was accomplished and complete data obtained from 154 of the patients, 56 in group A, 52 in group B, and 46 in group C. After 4 and 8 weeks of medication, the mean IELT was dramatically prolonged in all the three groups as compared with the baseline (P<0.01), most significantly at 8 weeks in group C (［2.08±0.68］ min), followed by B (［1.76±0.52］ min) and A (［1.47±0.44］ min), with statistically significant differences among the three groups (P<0.01). The PEP measures were remarkably improved in group A at 8 weeks (P<0.05), and both in B and C at 4 and 8 weeks (P<0.05), most significantly at 8 weeks in group C (P<0.05), in which the patients scored 1.96±0.77 in perception of control over ejaculation, 2.62±0.98 in satisfaction with sexual intercourse, 3.04±0.62 in PE-related distress, and 3.57±0.80 in PE-induced difficult relationship with their partners, all markedly improved as compared with groups A and B (P<0.05). Adverse reactions were observed in 2 cases (3.6%) in group A, 6 cases (9.6%) in B, and 5 cases (10.9%) in C. No severe adverse events occurred in any of the patients during the study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Combined medication of Yimusake Tablets and dapoxetine hydrochloride, with its advantages of effectiveness and safety, deserves to be recommended for the treatment of PE.</p>

Effect of Yinao Jieyu Recipe on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor of the Limbic System in Post-Stroke Model Rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the evolutionary tendency of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) of the limbic system in post-stroke model rats and the intervention effect of Yinao Jieyu Recipe (YJR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n =6), the sham-operation group (n =7), the multiple cerebral infarction (MCI) group (n =10), the post-stroke depression (PSD) group (n =10), the Chinese medicine (CM) treatment group (n =10), and the Western medicine (WM) treatment group (n =10) according to random digit table after open-field testing. Rats in the normal control group were routinely fed. 0. 3 mL normal saline was intravenously pushing from the external carotid artery to rats in the sham-operation group, and distilled water administered to them by gastrogavage. Each dose allogenic microthrombi were in vitro pushed to rats in the rest groups from the external carotid artery. The PSD model was duplicated by 21-day chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and single cage feeding in the PSD group 7 days after surgery. After preparing models rats in the CM group and the WM group were administered with YJR and Nimodipine respectively for 4 successive weeks. Changes of BDNF and the intervention effect of YJR were observed at week 1, 2, and 4 after intervention.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemical results of BDNF showed, compared with the normal control group, expression levels of BDNF in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala decreased in the MCI group at week 2 and 4 (P <0. 01 , P <0. 05) ; expression levels of BDNF in each part decreased in the PSD group at week 1-4 (P <0.01). Compared with the MCI group, expression levels of BDNF in each part decreased in the PSD group at week 1-4 (P <0. 01). Compared with the PSD group, expression levels of BDNF in each part increased in the CM group at week 1-4 (P <0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BDNF changes existed in post-stroke model rats, and YJR could slow down this progress.</p>

Low-dose Radioiodine for Ablation in Non-metastatic High-risk Thyroid Cancer / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the role of low-dose radioiodine in the treatment of non-metastatic high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients with macroscopic extra-thyroidal extension (MAEE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 103 DTC patients with total/near-total thyroidectomy and selective lymph node resection, and with MAEE, any N stage,preablative stimulated thyroglobulin (ps-Tg) ≤ 5 ng/ml when thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) ≤ 46 U/ml and no evidence of distant metastasis were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Fifty-two received low dose RAI (1110 MBq) and 51 received high dose (≥ 3700 MBq). The successful ablation rate and disease-free survival rate were compared between these two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The successful ablative rate was 86.5% (45/52) in low-dose group and 86.3% (44/51) in high-dose group (P=0.9688), and the disease-free survival was 97.4% (38/39) in low-dose group and 97.5% (39/40) in high-dose group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ablation success and medium-term clinical outcome with low-dose RAI is proved to be non-inferior to high dose in non-metastatic patients with MAEE when ps-Tg level is less than 5 ng/ml.</p>

[Inhibition effects and mechanisms of the entophytic fungus Trichoderma harzianum LH-7 from Aloe barbadensis].

Inhibition spectrum and antagonistic mechanism of an endophytic fungus Trichoderma harzianum LH-7, isolated from wild medicinal plant Aloe barbadensis, were investigated by in vitro culture methods against 9 kinds of plant pathogens. The results showed that nutrient competition and hyper-parasitism were the two primarily antagonist approaches that strain LH-7 adopted to inhibit the tested plant pathogens with a significant inhibition rate of 62.4%-88.4%. Moreover, the active compound from metabolites of LH-7 could cause pathogen mycelial deformities, cell wall rupture and conidial malformation, leading to the effective inhibition on pathogens growth and reproduction.

Experimental Observation of Lung Oxidative Stress Injury in Mice Model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Induced by Different Inducers / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to observe the intervention effect of oxidation/antioxidation at different time point among mice induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and bleomycin. It provided experimental basis for the establishment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal model with qi-deficiency and phlegm-obstructing pattern with inducers mentioned above. A total of 96 mice were randomly divided into the normal control group, bleomycin group, and LPS group, with 32 mice in each group. In the bleomycin group and LPS group, 40 μL of nasal drops were given with bleomycin at the concentration of 3.75 μg/μL or LPS at the concentration of 5 μg/μL, respectively to establish the COPD animal model with qi-deficiency and phlegm-obstructing pattern. On the 1st day, 7th day, 14th day and 28th day after the model establishment, the general status and activities of mice were recorded. And traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) signs such as skin color of the four limbs, skin color under the tongue and color of the tail were also collected when the animal model was sacrificed. At each time point, 8 mice were sacrificed. The lung tissues were removed. And the contents of GSH, MDA, SOD and T-AOC were detected in the homogenate of lung tissues. The results showed that compared with the normal control group, mice in the bleomycin group had slightly dull eyes, dry hair without burnish, upright and fluffy hair, dark purple skin color of the auricle and four claws, tiredness, inactivity, occasional cough, asthma or rapid breathing. The GSH content of lung tissues on the 7th day, 14th day and 28th day was obviously reduced (P< 0.05, or P< 0.01). The MDA, SOD and T-AOC contents on the 1st day, 7th day, 14th day and 28th day were obviously reduced (P< 0.05, or P< 0.01). Compared with the normal control group, mice in the LPS group had slightly dull eyes, soft hair with slight burnish, pale red skin color of the auricle and four claws, tiredness; some mice preferred to gather. Contents of GSH and SOD in lung tissues on the 1st day and 7th day were obviously reduced (P< 0.05, or P< 0.01). Contents of MDA and T-AOC on the 1st day, 7th day and 14th day were obviously reduced (P < 0.05, or P < 0.01). It was concluded that obvious oxidation/antioxidation imbalance started on the 7th day in lung tissues of mice in the bleomycin group. It reduced later on. And the oxidation/antioxidation imbalance continued until the end of the model establishment. Obvious oxidation/antioxidation imbalance started on the 1st day in lung tissues of mice in the LPS group. However, this oxidation/antioxidation imbalance was adjusted back to normal level through time.