Traditional Chinese medicine enhances myocardial metabolism during heart failure.

The prognosis of various cardiovascular diseases eventually leads to heart failure (HF). An energy metabolism disorder of cardiomyocytes is important in explaining the molecular basis of HF; this will aid global research regarding treatment options for HF from the perspective of myocardial metabolism. There are many drugs to improve myocardial metabolism for the treatment of HF, including angiotensin receptor blocker-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi) and sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. Although Western medicine has made considerable progress in HF therapy, the morbidity and mortality of the disease remain high. Therefore, HF has attracted attention from researchers worldwide. In recent years, the application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in HF treatment has been gradually accepted, and many studies have investigated the mechanism whereby TCM improves myocardial metabolism; the TCMs studied include Danshen yin, Fufang Danshen dripping pill, and Shenmai injection. This enables the clinical application of TCM in the treatment of HF by improving myocardial metabolism. We systematically reviewed the efficacy of TCM for improving myocardial metabolism during HF as well as the pharmacological effects of active TCM ingredients on the cardiovascular system and the potential mechanisms underlying their ability to improve myocardial metabolism. The results indicate that TCM may serve as a complementary and alternative approach for the prevention of HF. However, further rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess the effect of TCM on long-term hard endpoints in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Potent therapeutic effects of shouwu jiangqi decoction on polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Shouwu Jiangqi Decoction (SJD) on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with insulin resistance (IR) in rats and to explore the underlining molecular mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 51 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (n=7), model group (n=8), SJD high-dose group (n=9), SJD medium-dose group (n=9), SJD low-dose group (n=9) and DMBG group (n=9). Radioimmunoassay was used to measure serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations and qRT-PCR and western blot were used to examine the expression levels of mRNA and protein respectively of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) p85α in different groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FSH level significantly decreased in the model group compared with the normal control (P<0.01), and high-dose SJD and DMBG can significantly increase FSH level (P<0.01). LH level showed a mild increase without statistic significance in the model group compared with the control and different dosages of SJD had no significance effect on LH level, while DMBG can significantly decrease LH level (P<0.01). Testosterone level significantly increased in the model group compared with the control group (P<0.01), and high-dose SJD and DMBG can significantly decrease testosterone level (P<0.01). The expression of IRS-1 as well as PI3Kp85α were significantly decreased in the model group compared with the normal control group at both mRNA (P<0.001) and protein (P<0.01) level, and both high-dose SJD and DMBG can enhance IRS-1 and PI3K expression (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SJD has potent therapeutic effects on PCOS with IR in rats. The therapeutic effects of SJD on IR and ovulatory dysfunction are probably achieved through correcting the defective insulin signaling transduction.</p>

Anesthetic effect of preemptive analgesia of frequency acupoint electrical stimulation on painless-induced abortion / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the anesthetic effect of preemptive analgesia of frequency acupoint electrical stimulation on painless-induced abortion as well as its effect on anesthetics dosage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety cases of early pregnancy who selected painless-induced abortion were randomly divided into two groups, 45 cases in each group. Frequency acupoint electrical stimulation at Ciliao (BL 32) and Shenshu (BL 23), disperse-densewave, 2 Hz/100 Hz in frequency for 15 to 20 min, was applied in the group A, which was followed by intravenous anesthesia of propofol. The intravenous anesthesia of propofol was applied in the group B. The blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and SpO2 before, during and after surgery, anesthetic effect and dosage, waking time and adverse events were observed in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The BP and HR during and after the surgery in the group A were not statistically different from those before the surgery (all P > 0.05). The BP was reduced and HR was slowed down during the surgery in the group B, which was significantly different from those before the surgery as well as those in the group A (all P < 0.05). The dosage of propofol was (114. 3-+6. 1) mg in the group A. obviously less than (193.2 +/- 8.9) mg in the group B (P < 0.05). The waking time was (5.6 +/- 1.2) min in the group A, obviously less than (10.1 +/- 3.9) min in the group B (P < 0.05). As for anesthetic effect, the incidence of Grade I in the group A was more than the group B (P < 0.05). The adverse events, including nausea, vomiting and contractions pain in the group A were evidently less than those in the group B (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The preemptive analgesia of frequency acupoint electrical stimulation could significantly improve anesthetic effect of painless-induced abortion, reduce dosage of anesthetics, shorten waking time of surgery and guarantee the safety of surgery.</p>

Effects of Chinese medicines for tonifying the kidney on DNMT1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women during implantation period.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Erzhi Tiangui Granule (ETG) on DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women with Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Sixty-six (66) infertile patients who had Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome and who were to undergo in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group according to a random table. Besides gonadotropin (Gn) therapy in both groups, the treatment group received ETG for 3 menstrual cycles before IVF, and the control group received placebo granules. The ETG and the placebo granules were made with similar color and shape, as well as in the same packaging. The scores of the Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome were assessed. Other outcome measures included the dosage and duration of Gn, the number of retrieved oocytes, the rate of high-quality oocytes, the rate of high-quality embryos, the fertilization rate, and the clinical pregnancy rate. DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was measured in the midluteal phase. RESULTS: The difference in the syndrome score change before and after treatment between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). The dosage and duration of Gn were significantly lower in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<0.05). The high-quality oocyte and embryo rates, and clinical pregnancy rate were all higher in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<0.05). The fertilization rate was not significant when compared to the placebo group. No difference was found in the number of retrieved oocytes between the two groups. The DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was much more abundant in the treatment group than that in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For the infertile patients undergoing IVF, the Chinese recipe for tonifying the Kidney as an adjunct treatment could reduce Gn dosage and treatment duration, alleviate clinical symptoms, and improve the clinical pregnancy rate. The increased level of DNMT1 protein expression after treatment may lead to enhanced endometrial receptivity. This finding may explain the improvement in clinical pregnancy rate.

Effects of Er'zhi Tiangui Granule () on sequential expressions of integrin β 3 and its ligand osteopontin in mouse endometrium during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Er'zhi Tiangui Granule (, ETG) on sequential expressions of integrinβ3 and its ligand osteopontin in the mouse endometrium during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and implantation period.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-five Mature female Kunming mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, a normal control group, a model group, and a treatment group administrated with ETG for 10 days, 25 in each group. After mated with male mice, every 5 mice were sacrified in each group at the 0, 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th days to take their endometrium. In-situ hybridization was used to detect the expressions of integrinβ3 and osteopontin in the endometrium.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>mRNA expressions of integrinβ3 and osteopontin in the endometrium during implantation period showed similar time sequence rules in the treatment group to those in the normal control group; the peak values of them were a little lower in the treatment group than the normal control without significant differences. In the model group, integrinβ3 mRNA expression was higher at the 2nd day, obviously lower at the 4th and 6th days, and insignificantly lower at the 8th day; and osteopontin expression was remarkably lower at the 4th, 6th, and 8th days, compared with the normal control and the treatment groups (P<0.05, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>COH might influence the sequential expressions of integrinβ3 and its ligand osteopontin, bring forward the integrinβ3 expression peak, impact on the cooperation of integrinβ3 and osteopontin, so as to damage the endometrial receptivity. ETG could regulate the sequential expressions of integrinβ3 and its ligand osteopontin to improve the mouse endometrial receptivity during COH.</p>

Study on climate regionalization of Artemisia annuua in Guangxi / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the major effective factors under the climatic conditions of Guangxi which influence artemisinin content, in order to determine the best planting region.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The correlation, the gradually regression analysis with the statistical analysis system, the geography space analysis and the regionalization with GIS were used for the study.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>The temperature and the sunshine-hour were the major effective factors to artemisinin content, followed by the rainfall amount, the humidity showed less influence, and wind speed had no effect; And the climatic factors of seedling stage and the flowering season were the most influences to the artemisinin content. The artemisinin content was higher during the flowering season, in the region of temperature relatively lower and the rainfall amount smaller. The knoll and the mountainous region in northeast and southwest of Guangxi is the best suitable region for the Artemisia annua planting. The plain area in the southeast and middle of Guangxi is the not suitable region; Other areas are suitable regions for the A. annua planting.</p>

Observation on the therapeutic effect of acupoint application on constipation / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test the therapeutic effect, safety of acupoint application for treatment of constipation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-two cases were randomly divided into a treatment group of 22 cases and a control group of 20 cases. The treatment group were treated with acupoint application, with the cake made by Sanleng (Rhizoma Spargani), Ezhu (Rhizoma Zedoariae), Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) and Bingpian (Borneolum), which was applied at Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4); the control group were treated with oral administration of Congrong Tongbian Oral Liquid.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 81.8% in the treatment group and 50.0% in the control group, the treatment group being better than the control group (P < 0.05); the first defecation time was (5.1 +/- 2.8) h in the treatment group and (10.1 +/- 7.3) h in the control group, with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TCM acupoint application therapy has a definite therapeutic effect on constipation.</p>