Research progress of the effective active ingredients of Astragalus mongholicus in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most prevalent consequences of diabetes, with a high incidence and disability rate. The DPN's pathogenesis is extremely complex and yet to be fully understood. Persistent high glucose metabolism, nerve growth factor deficiency, microvascular disease, oxidative stress, peripheral nerve cell apoptosis, immune factors, and other factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of DPN. Astragalus mongholicus is a commonly used plant used to treat DPN in clinical settings. Its rich chemical components mainly include Astragalus polysaccharide, Astragalus saponins, Astragalus flavones, etc., which play a vital role in the treatment of DPN. This review aimed to summarize the pathogenesis of DPN and the studies on the mechanism of the effective components of Astragalus mongholicus in treating DPN. This is of great significance for the effective use of Chinese herbal medicine and the promotion of its status and influence on the world.

Trends in the disparities and equity of the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine health resources in China from 2010 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: At present, improving the accessibility to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health resources is an important component of China's health policy. This study evaluated the trends in the disparities and equity of TCM health resource allocation from 2010 to 2020 to inform optimal future local health planning and policy. METHOD: The data for this study were extracted from the China Health Statistical Yearbook (2011-2021) and China Urban Statistical Yearbook (2020). The equity and rationality of the allocation of TCM health resources at the national and provincial levels were evaluated using the Gini coefficient and the health resource aggregation degree, respectively. RESULT: The number of TCM-related institutions, beds, health staff, outpatients and admissions increased by 1.97, 2.61, 2.35, 1.72 and 2.41 times, respectively, between 2010 and 2020. The population-based Gini coefficients for health staff, beds and institutions were 0.12, 0.23 and 0.13, respectively, indicating acceptable equity, while the geographical area-based Gini index for health staff, beds and institutions were 0.65, 0.62 and 0.62, respectively, indicating serious inequity. The agglomeration degree as a function of geographical area was as follows: eastern region > central region > western region. Moreover, the institutional and health staff gaps between the geographical areas increased from 2012 to 2020. In addition, there was a relatively balanced agglomeration degree based on the population in these three regions and an increasingly equitable allocation of institutions and health staff. CONCLUSION: In recent years, China's TCM health resources and services have increased rapidly, but their proportions within the overall health system remain low. The equity and rationality of TCM health allocated by the population was better than that by the geographic area. Regional differences and inequalities, especially for institutions, still exist. A series of policies to promote the balanced development of TCM need to be implemented.

Connexin 43 mediated the angiogenesis of buyang huanwu decoction via vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-1 after ischemic stroke.

Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD), a classical prescription for ischemic stroke, has been reported to promote angiogenesis after focal ischemia. However, the mechanisms of the contribution of BYHWD on angiogenesis are still unclear. Connexin 43 (Cx43) played important roles in the functions of neurogliovascular unit. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the potential role of Cx43 in angiogenesis of the ischemic brain after BYHWD treatment. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to establish the model of focal ischemia. BYHWD was administrated intragastrically twice a day after MCAO with or without Gap26 (a specific Cx43 inhibitor). Western blot, neurological deficits, immunofluorescent staining, and Evans blue dye were used to confirm the role of Cx43 in angiogenesis after BYHWD treatment. The expression levels of total Cx43 and phosphorylated Cx43 were upregulated by BYHWD and peaked at 7 days post MCAO. Inhibition of Cx43 with Gap26 significantly attenuated the protective role of BYHWD in neurological behavior. BYHWD treatment promoted angiogenesis demonstrated by increased microvascular density, upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), while inhibition of Cx43 with Gap26 attenuated these effects of BYHWD. In addition, Gap26 inhibited the beneficial effect of BYHWD on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. These results suggested that Cx43 mediated the angiogenesis of BYHWD via VEGF and Ang-1 after focal ischemic stroke.