RESUMO
This study aimed at a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using acupuncture to treat tinnitus. Five electronic databases, in both English and Chinese, were searched. All studies in our review and meta-analysis included parallel RCTs of tinnitus patients which compared subjects receiving acupuncture (or its other forms, such as electroacupuncture) to subjects receiving no treatment, sham treatment, drugs or basic medical therapy. Data from the articles were validated and extracted using a predefined data extraction form. Nearly all of Chinese studies reported positive results, while most of English studies reported negative results. Analysis of the combined data found that the acupuncture treatments seemed to provide some advantages over conventional therapies for tinnitus. It had difference in acupuncture points and sessions between Chinese studies and English studies. Methodological flaws were also found in many of the RCTs, especially in Chinese studies. The results of this review suggest that acupuncture therapy may offer subjective benefit to some tinnitus patients. Acupuncture points and sessions used in Chinese studies may be more appropriate, whereas these studies have many methodological flaws and risk bias, which prevents us making a definitive conclusion.
Assuntos
Terapia por Acupuntura/métodos , Zumbido/terapia , HumanosRESUMO
The prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is still poor. Trichosanthin (TCS) has abortifacient, anti-virus, immunoregulation and various anti-tumor pharmacological activities, but there are no reports about its effect on NPC and the exact mechanisms that TCS inhibits tumor are not well known. In this study, the proliferation, apoptosis and soft agar colony formation abilities of CNE2 cells were examined with various assays in vitro followed by treatment with TCS. Furthermore, the activation status of Notch signaling pathway in TCS and control cells also was examined. The results revealed that TCS could inhibit NPC cell line CNE2 in vitro, reduce clone formation ability and induce apoptosis of CNE2 cells. Down-regulation of Notch signaling may be one of the mechanisms that TCS inhibits NPC.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/uso terapêutico , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Fitoterapia , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Trichosanthes/química , Tricosantina/uso terapêutico , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Carcinoma , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Regulação para Baixo , Humanos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Tricosantina/farmacologiaRESUMO
Total panax notoginsenosides (TPNS) are the main active ingredients in San-Chi, the root of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F.H. Chen, which belongs to the Araliaceae family and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat atherosclerosis. We investigated the effect of TPNS on serum lipid levels and cell differentiation antigen 40 (CD40) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression in atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout (apoE-KO) mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Twenty-four apoE-KO mice were divided into two groups, the ApoE-KO group and the ApoE-KO + TPNS group. TPNS (60 mg/kg) was orally administered daily for 12 weeks in ApoE-KO + TPNS group. After 12 weeks, blood and aortas were obtained. Serum levels of lipid were analyzed, serum oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) concentration, ratio of plaque area-to-vessel area and the expression of CD40 and MMP-9 were examined by ELISA, histological staining, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR, respectively. It was observed in our study that serum levels of lipid and oxLDL, ratio of plaque area to vessel area, and expression of CD40 and MMP-9 were lower in the ApoE-KO + TPNS group than in the ApoE-KO group. These results suggest that TPNS could prevent atherosclerosis by lowering serum lipid levels and regulating vascular CD40 and MMP-9 expression. TPNS may have implications for clinical treatment of atherosclerosis vascular disease.
Assuntos
Aterosclerose/prevenção & controle , Antígenos CD40/metabolismo , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Ginsenosídeos/uso terapêutico , Lipídeos/sangue , Metaloproteinase 9 da Matriz/metabolismo , Panax notoginseng/química , Animais , Aorta/efeitos dos fármacos , Aorta/patologia , Apolipoproteínas E/deficiência , Apolipoproteínas E/genética , Aterosclerose/metabolismo , Aterosclerose/patologia , Antígenos CD40/genética , Dieta , Gorduras na Dieta , Regulação para Baixo , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Ginsenosídeos/farmacologia , Lipoproteínas LDL/sangue , Masculino , Metaloproteinase 9 da Matriz/genética , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Raízes de Plantas , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismoRESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ningdong granula (NDG) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation for the treatment of Tourette's syndrome (TS). AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the effects of NDG on stereotyped behavior, homovanillic acid (HVA) in sera, dopamine (DA) and dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) in striatum in TS rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four rats were randomly divided into control group and three experimental groups. TS rat models were induced by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of Apomorphine (Apo, 2 mg/kg) in the experimental groups. After Apo i.p., rats were intragastrically injected (i.g.) with NDG at 370 mg/kg (NDG+Apo group), haloperidol (Hal) at 1.0 mg/kg (Hal+Apo group), and normal saline (0.9%) at 10 ml/kg (control group and Apo group), respectively, once a day for 12 weeks. The behaviors of the rats were observed and recorded each day. After 12 weeks, all rats were sacrificed and sera and striatum were collected. The levels of HVA in sera, DA in striatum were examined by ELISA, and the expression of DRD2 mRNA in striatum was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: NDG could increase the HVA content in sera (P<0.05), meanwhile downregulate the expression of DRD2 mRNA in striatum (P<0.05), and inhibit the stereotyped behaviors induced by Apo (P<0.01) in TS rats, the same effects with Hal. NDG could also reduce the DA content in striatum (P<0.01), while Hal could not. CONCLUSIONS: NDG could effectively inhibit the stereotyped behaviors in TS rats, and the mechanisms may be related to the suppression of DA system by increasing the content of HVA in sera, decrease the content of DA and repressing the expression of DRD2 mRNA in striatum.
Assuntos
Dopaminérgicos/farmacologia , Dopamina/metabolismo , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Síndrome de Tourette/metabolismo , Animais , Apomorfina/farmacologia , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Química Farmacêutica , Agonistas de Dopamina/farmacologia , Ácido Homovanílico/sangue , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , Neostriado/efeitos dos fármacos , Neostriado/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Receptores de Dopamina D2/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptores de Dopamina D2/metabolismoRESUMO
Gastrodin is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat Tourette's syndrome (TS). This study evaluated the effects of gastrodin on the dopamine system. TS rat models were established by intraperitoneal injection of apomorphine. After intervention by gastrodin, stereotyped behaviors of TS rats were significantly inhibited and levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) were significantly increased. We conclude that gastrodin effectively inhibited stereotyped behaviors and controlled TS symptoms by promoting dopamine metabolism, thereby increasing levels of HVA in sera.
Assuntos
Álcoois Benzílicos/uso terapêutico , Dopamina/metabolismo , Glucosídeos/uso terapêutico , Síndrome de Tourette/tratamento farmacológico , Animais , Apomorfina/farmacologia , Álcoois Benzílicos/administração & dosagem , Glucosídeos/administração & dosagem , Ácido Homovanílico/sangue , Injeções Intraperitoneais , Masculino , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , Ratos , Síndrome de Tourette/sangue , Síndrome de Tourette/induzido quimicamente , Síndrome de Tourette/patologiaRESUMO
Shu-Mai-Tang (SMT) is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of ischemic heart disease. The effect of SMT on inflammation-induced myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and the potential mechanism in myocardial ischemia (MI) rats were investigated. Rats with ligated left anterior descending coronary artery (MI model) were randomly divided into three groups (SMTL, SMTH, and MIR). A group undergoing Sham operation (Sham; n=16) was also included. SMT (342 or 1710 mg/kg for SMTL or SMTH groups, respectively) was orally administered daily for 1 and 6 weeks. Cardiac function, myocardial fibrosis, serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) concentration, the cardiac expressions of phosphorylated p38 MAPK and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TNFalpha were examined by echocardiography, histological staining, radioimmunoassay, western blot, respectively. In the present study, significant reduced myocardial fibrosis, as well as decreased phospho-p38 MAPK, TIMP-1, and TNFalpha proteins, and serum TNFalpha level, accompanied by improved cardiac function in the SMT-treated rats in a dose-dependent manner as compared with the MIR. These results suggested that SMT could anti-inflammation-induced myocardial fibrosis and reverse LV remodeling in MI rats, and the mechanism may be related to the effect of SMT on inhibiting p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
Assuntos
Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Fibrose/tratamento farmacológico , Isquemia Miocárdica/tratamento farmacológico , Administração Oral , Animais , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/administração & dosagem , Fibrose/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , Isquemia Miocárdica/fisiopatologia , Miocárdio/patologia , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Distribuição Aleatória , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Inibidor Tecidual de Metaloproteinase-1/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidor Tecidual de Metaloproteinase-1/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/farmacologia , Remodelação Ventricular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Quinases p38 Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismoRESUMO
Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has been widely used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders. Hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) is associated with the risk of atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. The objective of this study was to investigate whether GBE could attenuate the Hhcy-induced intimal thickening after balloon injury in rabbit abdominal aorta. It was observed in this study that GBE could decrease the neointima area (NA) and the ratio of the neointima area to the media area (NA/MA), down-regulate the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and up-regulate the protein expression of p21 (WAF1/CIP1) (p21). It suggests that GBE can reverse the Hhcy-induced neointima formation in rabbits following balloon injury, and the suppressive effect of GBE on the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) may contribute to its actions.
Assuntos
Aorta Abdominal/efeitos dos fármacos , Ginkgo biloba/química , Hiper-Homocisteinemia/complicações , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Túnica Íntima/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Aorta Abdominal/lesões , Western Blotting , Cateterismo/efeitos adversos , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p21/metabolismo , Homocisteína/sangue , Masculino , Metaloproteinase 9 da Matriz/genética , Extratos Vegetais/química , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Coelhos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Túnica Íntima/patologia , Doenças Vasculares/sangue , Doenças Vasculares/etiologia , Doenças Vasculares/prevenção & controleRESUMO
Qin-Dan-Jiang-Ya-Tang (QDJYT) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of hypertension. The effect of QDJYT on blood pressure (BP) and vascular remodeling in hypertension was investigated in the model of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). Sixteen SHRs were divided into two groups: the SHR group and the SHR+ QDJYT group. Eight Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were in the normal control group. QDJYT (750 mg/kg) was orally administered daily for 12 weeks to the SHR+QDJYT group. After 12 weeks, thoracic aortas were segregated. The media thickness (MT) and the lumen diameter (LD) of the aortic wall, the ratios of MT to LD, the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) mRNA, and the level of its proteinic production were examined by histology, real-time PCR, and Western blot analysis, respectively. It was observed in our study that MT, MT/LD, the expression of bFGF mRNA, and the level of its proteinic production in aortic walls were higher in SHRs than in WKY rats. However, in the SHRs treated with QDJYT, we found MT, MT/LD, the expression of bFGF mRNA and the level of its proteinic production were lower than SHRs. These results suggest that QDJYT can improve the vascular remodeling in SHRs, and the mechanisms may be related to the suppressive effect of QDJYT on bFGF mRNA and its proteic productions in the aortic walls of SHRs.
Assuntos
Aorta Torácica/efeitos dos fármacos , Aorta Torácica/patologia , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão/patologia , Animais , Aorta Torácica/metabolismo , Sequência de Bases , Primers do DNA/genética , Fator 2 de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/genética , Fator 2 de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Hipertensão/genética , Hipertensão/metabolismo , Masculino , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos SHR , Ratos Endogâmicos WKY , Túnica Íntima/efeitos dos fármacos , Túnica Íntima/patologiaRESUMO
Qin-Dan-Jiang-Ya-Tang (QDJYT) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of hypertension. The effect of QDJYT on blood pressure and on vascular remodeling in hypertension was investigated in the model of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). Sixteen SHRs were divided into two groups, the SHR group and the SHR+QDJYT group. Eight WKY rats were a normal control group. QDJYT (750 mg/kg) was orally administered daily for 12 weeks in SHR+QDJYT group. After 12 weeks, thoracic aortas were segregated. Media thickness (MT), lumen diameter (LD), the ratio of MT to LD, the volume fraction of collagen (VFC) in media, the ultrastructure of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the expression of osteopontin (OPN) mRNA were examined by histological staining, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and real-time PCR, respectively. It was observed in our study that MT, MT/LD, VFC and the expression of OPN mRNA were higher in the SHRs than in the WKY rats, volume and numeral density of mitochondria in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in media increased obviously. However, in the SHRs treated with QDJYT, we found MT, MT/LD, VFC and the expression of OPN gene were lower than in the SHRs, and the phenotype of VSMCs were close to normal. These results suggest that QDJYT could reverse the vascular remodeling in SHR, and the mechanisms may be related to the suppressive effect of QDJYT on the expression of OPN mRNA in arterial wall.