Anti-aging role of Chinese herbel medicine: an overview of scientific evidence from 2008 to 2018.

The aging of the population has become a global health problem. It is an important risk factor for major diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. Presently, there is no definite and effective anti-aging treatment. Chinese herbal medicine has a long history of application and is often used for aging-related diseases in China. A large number of clinical and preclinical studies on the anti-aging effect of Chinese herbal medicine has been performed. Through literature research, we reviewed the anti-aging clinical research of Chinese herbal medicine and preclinical research of Chinese herbal medicine monomers, components, extracts, and compounds, and their mechanisms. Results from preclinical studies have shown that Chinese herbal medicines have beneficial anti-aging effects. The mechanism mainly includes anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotection, apoptosis and mitochondrial function regulation, etc. However, more detailed high-quality clinical trials are required for future investigation of the anti-aging effects of Chinese herbal medicines.

Effect of Qingjin Huatantang on AECOPD Inflammatory Factors by Regulating p62 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To regulate autophagy protein p62 of airway epithelial cells in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) rats with Qingjin Huatantang, in order to explore its effect on interleukin (IL) -1β and tumor necrosis, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and leukotriene C4 (LTC4). Method:Airway epithelial cells and AECOPD airway epithelial cells were cultured. Sixty SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, namely high, medium and low-dose Qingjin Huatantang groups, western medicine group, model group and normal group. Except for the normal group, the remaining groups were included into the AECOPD model by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) tracheal instillation method + fumigation method. After modeling, the dosage of the high-dose traditional Chinese medicine group was 30 g·kg-1·d-1, that of the middle-dose group was 15 g·kg-1·d-1, that of the low-dose group was 7.5 g·kg-1·d-1, the positive control group was given luo erythromycin (0.017 5 g·kg-1·d-1), the model group and the blank control group were orally given normal saline with the volume of 20 mL·kg-1·d-1. Serum was extracted two weeks after administration, and the cells were intervened with drug-containing serum. The content of interleukin IL-1β, TNF-α, and LTB4 in cell supernatants were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And LTC4 content, p62 mRNA and protein expressions in lung airway epithelial cells were detected by quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot. Result:Compared with the normal group, ELISA results showed that IL-1β, TNF-α, LTB4, and LTC4 in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, IL-1β, TNF-α, LTB4, LTC4 in cell supernatants in each administration group were significantly reduced (P<0.01), mRNA and protein expressions in p62 showed that compared with the normal group, mRNA and protein expressions in p62 of model group significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the mRNA and protein expressions of p62 in each administration group significantly increased to different degrees (P<0.01). The expression of autophagy in Qingjin Huatantang high-dose group and western medicine group was comparable. Conclusion:Qingjin Huatantang can reduce the inflammatory response in airway epithelial cells, which may be related to the regulation of autophagy protein p62.

Efficacy and safety of Xinnaoning capsule in treating chronic stable angina (qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome): Study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic stable angina (CSA) is a cardiovascular disease with high prevalence. At present, drug treatment is still the main measure of stable angina pectoris. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history in the treatment of CSA. Qi stagnation and Blood stasis syndrome is a common syndrome of CSA. Xinnaoning (XNN) capsule is considered as an effective adjuvant treatment for CSA with the efficacy of promoting qi and blood circulation but lack of high-quality clinical evidence. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of XNN capsule compared with placebo by clinical trial. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted with a total of 240 participants diagnosed with chronic stable angina (qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome). The participants will be randomized (1:1) into groups receiving either XNN or placebo for 12 weeks. After a 2-week run-in period, they will receive either XNN or placebo (3 pills, 3 times daily) for 12 weeks on the basis of conventional therapy. The primary outcomes include changes in the integral scores of angina symptoms. The secondary outcome measures include changes in the total score of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, severity grading of angina pectoris, the number of angina pectoris per week, nitroglycerin dosage, score of seattle angina scale, serum homocysteine, incidence of cardiovascular events. Safety outcomes will also be assessed. Adverse events will be monitored throughout the trial. RESULTS: This study will investigate whether XNN capsule can alleviate clinical symptoms, and improve quality of life of patients with chronic stable angina (qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome). The results of this study will provide clinical evidence for the application of XNN capsule in the treatment of chronic stable angina. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03914131.

Chemical constituents and cytotoxicity assay research in small polar substances from Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana / 中国中药杂志

This article studied the chemical constituents from the aerial part of Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana. The 60% ethanol extract was eluted with 95% ethanol though HP-20 macroporous adsorption resin column. 12 compounds, including (1) betulinic acid, (2)2, 2, 2'-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) propane bis (2, 3-epoxypropyl) ether, (3) eriodictyol, (4) trans-ε-viniferin, (5) (+)-cis-ε-viniferin, (6) kobophenol A, (7) ampelopsin A, (8) nepalensinol B, (9) cis-miyabenol C, (10) cis-vitisin B, (11) cis-gnetin H and (12) (+)-hopeaphenol, were separated by using normal phase silica gel, ODS, Sephdadex LH-20 column chromatographies and semi-preparative or preparative HPLC. Compounds 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 were separated from the genus Vitis for the first time and compounds 3, 7, 12 were separated from Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana for the first time. At a concentration of 50 μmol · L(-1), compound 6, 7 and 11 showed strong cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell lines with the inhibition rate of 66.58%, 57.16%, 52.84%, respectively.

Identification of Placenta hominis and its adulterants using COI barcode / 中国中药杂志

In order to provide a new method for the identification of Placenta hominis, the COI barcode has been employed to identify the P. hominis medicinal materials and its adulterants. Genomic DNA was extracted from the experimental samples. The COI sequences were amplified and sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner. NJ tree was constructed by MEGA6.0 software. COI sequences can be successfully obtained from all experimental samples. The intra-specific variation and inter-specific divergence were calculated. The average intra-specific K2P distance of P. hominis was 0.001 and the maximum intra-specific distance was 0.008. The cluster dendrogram constructed can be seen that the same genus is together, and distinguished from its adulterants. It is concluded that P. hominis and its adulterants can be correctly identified by DNA barcoding method.

Developmental status and prospect of musical electroacupuncture / 中国针灸

Through searching domestic and foreign medical journals in CNKI, Wanfang database, VIP database and Pubmed database from January of 2003 to November of 2013, 39 articles regarding musical electroacupuncture (MEA) were analyzed. The result showed that MEA was clinically used to treat neurological and psychotic disorders; because it was combined with musical therapy and overcame the acupuncture tolerability, and MEA was superior to traditional electroacupuncture. However, problems such as low research efficiency and the mechanism of MEA superiority and the musical specificity not being revealed by research design still exist. In future, large-sample multi-center RCT researches should be performed to clarify MEA clinical efficacy. With modern science and technology and optimized study design, guided by five-element theory of TCM, researches on different musical elements and characteristics of musical pulse current as well as MEA's correlation with meridians and organs should be studied, so as to make a further exploration on MEA mechanisms and broaden the range of its clinical application.

Comparison of the botanic morphology and blooming characteristics of four cultivars of rose / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish identifying method for further development and utilization by studying botanic morphology and blooming characteristics of four varieties of roses in Jiangsu province.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Flower-bud and flower-form were observed by dissection and plant modality and blooming process were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>The flower form and plant modality was obviously different among the 4 varieties of roses. The process of differentiation of flower-bud could be divided into five stages: the transformation of nutritive growth cone, the occurrence and development of sepal, formation of petal primordium, formation of pistil and stamen. The blooming process was made up of flower-bud period, display-petal period, initiating blooming period, blooming period, withering period and corresponding biological marks.</p>

Study on preparation process and analytical methods of ESAC from Ganoderma lucidum / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop the procedure for separating the ethanol-soluble and acidic components (ESAC) from Ganoderma lucidum, and to establish a method for quantifying ESAC in G. lucidum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The ethanol extract of G. lucidum was extracted with a saturated NaHCO3 solution, acidified and re-extracted by chloroform to obtain ESAC. The quantitative analysis of ESAC was based on the characteristic color reaction between ESAC and H2SO4.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The optimal conditions for separating ESAC on a 10 g scale are as follows: ratio of material and ethanol (mL), 1:15; immersing time, 24 h; volume of saturated NaHCO3 and chloroform, 1300 mL; extract 3 times. The condition for measuring ESAC is as follows: sample weight, 1 g; solution volume, 1.5 mL; immuersing time, 0.5 h; detecting reagent, 50% H2SO4 in ethanol; heating time in 100 degrees C water bathe, 3 min; measuring wavelength, 490 nm.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The procedure for ESAC preparation is simple and well-designed, and the established method for ESAC can be used for the qualitative analysis of the G. lucidum related products.</p>