A study on the effectiveness of sodium selenite in treating cadmium and perfluoro octane sulfonic (PFOS) poisoned zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Perfluoro octane sulfonate (PFOS) and cadmium (Cd) are toxic elements in the environment. As a micronutrient trace element, selenium (Se) can mitigate the adverse effects induced by PFOS and Cd. However, few studies have examined the correlation between Se, PFOS and Cd in fish. The present study focused on the antagonistic effects of Se on PFOS+Cd-induced accumulation in the liver of zebrafish. The fish was exposed to PFOS (0.08mg/L), Cd (1mg/L), PFOS+ Cd (0.08 mg/L PFOS+1 mg/L Cd), L-Se (0.07mg/L Sodium selenite +0.08mg/L PFOS+1mg/L Cd), M-Se (0.35mg/L Sodium selenite + 0.08mg/L PFOS+ 1 mg/L Cd), H-Se (1.75 mg/L Sodium selenite + 0.08 mg/L PFOS+ 1mg/L Cd) for 14d. The addition of selenium to fish exposed to PFOS and Cd has been found to have significant positive effects. Specifically, selenium treatments can alleviate the adverse effects of PFOS and Cd on fish growth, with a 23.10% improvement observed with the addition of T6 compared to T4. In addition, selenium can alleviate the negative effects of PFOS and Cd on antioxidant enzymes in zebrafish liver, thus reducing the liver toxicity caused by PFOS and Cd. Overall, the supplementation of selenium can reduce the health risks to fish and mitigate the injuries caused by PFOS and Cd in zebrafish.

Diversified cassane family diterpenoids from the leaves of Caesalpinia minax exerting anti-neuroinflammatory activity through suppressing MAPK and NF-κB pathways in BV-2 microglia.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Caesalpinia minax Hance, whose seeds are known as "Ku-shi-lian" in China, have been used in Chinese folk medicine for treatment of rheumatism, dysentery, and skin itching. However, the anti-neuroinflammatory constituents of its leaves and their mechanism are rarely reported. AIM OF THE STUDY: To search for new anti-neuro-inflammatory compounds from the leaves of C. minax and elucidate their mechanism on anti-neuroinflammatory effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main metabolites of the ethyl acetate fraction from C. minax were analyzed and purified via HPLC and various column chromatography techniques. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Anti-neuroinflammatory activity was evaluated in BV-2 microglia cells induced by LPS. The expression levels of molecules in NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways were analyzed through western blotting. Meanwhile, the time- and dose-dependent expression of associated proteins such as iNOS and COX-2 were detected by western blotting. Furthermore, Compounds 1 and 3 were performed on the NF-κB p65 active site using molecular docking simulation to elucidate the molecular level inhibition mechanism. RESULTS: 20 cassane diterpenoids, including two novel ones (caeminaxins A and B) were isolated from the leaves of C. minax Hance. Caeminaxins A and B possessed a rare unsaturated carbonyl moiety in their structures. Most of the metabolites exhibited potent inhibition effects with IC50 values ranging from 10.86 ± 0.82 to 32.55 ± 0.47 µM. Among them, caeminaxin A inhibited seriously the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins and restrained the phosphorylation of MAPK and the activation of NF-κB signaling pathways in BV-2 cells. The anti-neuro-inflammatory mechanism of caeminaxin A has been studied systematically for the first time. Furthermore, biosynthesis pathways for compounds 1-20 were discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The new cassane diterpenoid, caeminaxin A, alleviated the expression of iNOS and COX-2 protein and down-regulated of intracellular MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. The results implied that cassane diterpenoids had potential to be developed into therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

Discovery of diversified cassane diterpenoids as potent antibacterial agents from Caesaplinia pulcherrima and their mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Natural products play a significant role in the development of novel bactericide candidates. Caesalpinia pulcherrima, a traditional medicine, had anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifeedant activities, therefore the previous bioassay results of C. pulcherrima implied that its main active ingredients may have potential to be used as botanical bactericides. RESULTS: Bio-guided isolation of C. pulcherrima was conducted to obtain 11 novel cassane diterpenoids (capulchemins A-K) and 10 known sesquiterpenes. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Capulchemins A-F possess a rare aromatic C ring, while capulchemin K with a 15,16-degradative carbon skeleton represents a rare group of cassane diterpenes. Capulchemin A exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against four phytopathogenic bacteria, particularly against Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidae and Bacillus cereus, with minimal inhibitory concentration values of 3.13 µM. Meanwhile, capulchemin A showed significant control effect on kiwifruit canker in vivo. Further investigation of its mechanism of antibacterial activity revealed that compound 1 was closely related to destroy cell membrane to cause cell death. Additionally, some of those cassane diterpenoids showed potential antifeedant against Mythimna separate walker and Plutella xylostella. Consequently, capulchemin A could have the potential to be used as a template for the development for new eco-friendly NP-based bactericides. CONCLUSION: These data contribute to a better understanding of the antibacterial activity of cassane diterpenes. Cassane diterpenes have been discovered to be leading to broad application prospects in the development as novel botanical bactericides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antibacterial Activity of Two New Cassane Diterpenoids from Caesaplinia pulcherrima against Bacillus cereus by Damage to Cell Membrane.

Bacillus cereus, a Gram-positive bacterium, is a food contaminant that threatens the health of thousands of people around the world. Because of the continuous emergence of drug-resistant strains, the development of new classes of bactericides from natural products is of high priority. In this study, two novel cassane diterpenoids (pulchins A and B) and three known ones (3-5) were elucidated from the medicinal plant Caesaplinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw. Pulchin A, with a rare "6/6/6/3" carbon skeleton, showed significant antibacterial activity against B. cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, with MIC values of 3.13 and 6.25 µM, respectively. Further investigation of its mechanism of antibacterial activity against B. cereus is also discussed in detail. The results revealed that the antibacterial activity of pulchin A against B. cereus may be caused by pulchin A interfering with bacterial cell membrane proteins, affecting membrane permeability and causing cell damage or death. Thus, pulchin A may have a potential application as an antibacterial agent in the food and agricultural industries.

Research progress in dialectical treatment of premature ovarian failure by Zhejiang TCM gynecology schools / 中国基层医药

In traditional Chinese medicine, premature ovarian failure is attributed to the menstrual diseases such as amenorrhea, infertility, premenopausal and postmenopausal syndromes. The Zhejiang TCM gynecology schools are good at dialectical treatment of the above menstrual diseases similar to premature ovarian failure, especially Gynecology of Xiaoshan Zhulin Temple, Gynecology of Haining Chen Mushan, Gynecology of Ningbo Song's Family and Gynecology of Hangzhou He's Family. This paper summarizes the characteristics and experience of the four Zhejiang TCM gynecology schools in the dialectical treatment of premature ovarian failure, which can be used for reference.

Electro-acupuncture promotes gut motility and alleviates functional constipation by regulating gut microbiota and increasing butyric acid generation in mice / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Abnormalities in the gut microbiota and intestinal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels are implicated in the pathogenesis of functional constipation (FC). Electro-acupuncture (EA) has been shown to improve constipation-related symptoms and rebalance the gut microbiota. However, it is currently unknown whether the gut microbiota is a key mechanistic target for EA or how EA promotes gut motility by regulating the gut microbiota and SCFAs. Therefore, we assessed the effects of EA in FC mice and pseudo-germfree (PGF) mice to address these questions.@*METHODS@#Forty female Kunming mice were randomly separated into a normal control group (n = 8), an FC group (n = 8), an FC + EA group (n = 8), a PGF group (n = 8) and a PGF + EA group (n = 8). The FC group and FC + EA group were treated with diphenoxylate to establish the FC model; the PGF group and PGF + EA group were given an antibiotic cocktail to initiate the PGF model. After maintaining the model for 14 d, mice in the FC + EA and PGF + EA groups received EA stimulation at the ST25 and ST37 acupoints, once a day, 5 times per week, for 2 weeks. Fecal parameters and intestinal transit rate were calculated to assess the efficacy of EA on constipation and gastrointestinal motility. Colonic contents were used to quantify gut microbial diversity using 16S rRNA sequencing, and measure SCFA concentrations using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.@*RESULTS@#EA significantly shortened the first black stool defecation time (P < 0.05) and increased the intestinal transit rate (P < 0.01), and fecal pellet number (P < 0.05), wet weight (P < 0.05) and water content (P < 0.01) over 8 h, compared with the FC group, showing that EA promoted gut motility and alleviated constipation. However, EA treatment did not reverse slow-transit colonic motility in PGF mice (P > 0.05), demonstrating that the gut microbiota may play a mechanistic role in the EA treatment of constipation. In addition, EA treatment restored the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and significantly increased butyric acid generation in FC mice (P < 0.05), most likely due to the upregulation of Staphylococcaceae microorganisms (P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#EA-mediated resolution of constipation occurs through rebalancing the gut microbiota and promoting butyric acid generation. Please cite this article as: Xu MM, Guo Y, Chen Y, Zhang W, Wang L, Li Y. Electro-acupuncture promotes gut motility and alleviates functional constipation by regulating gut microbiota and increasing butyric acid generation in mice. J Integr Med. 2023; Epub ahead of print.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate autophagy-related mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) action in improving gastrointestinal motility in mice with functional constipation (FC).@*METHODS@#According to a random number table, the Kunming mice were divided into the normal control, FC and EA groups in Experiment I. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to observe whether it antagonized the effects of EA in Experiment II. An FC model was established by diphenoxylate gavage. Then the mice were treated with EA stimulation at Tianshu (ST 25) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) acupoints. The first black stool defecation time, the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and intestinal transit rate were used to assess intestinal transit. Colonic tissues underwent histopathological assessment, and the expressions of autophagy markers microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expressions of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway members were investigated by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The relationship between enteric glial cells (EGCs) and autophagy was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, localization analysis, and electron microscopy.@*RESULTS@#EA treatment shortened the first black stool defecation time, increased the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and improved the intestinal transit rate in FC mice (P<0.01). In terms of a putative autophagy mechanism, EA treatment promoted the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 proteins in the colonic tissue of FC mice (P<0.05), with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and LC3 significantly colocalized. Furthermore, EA promoted colonic autophagy in FC mice by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The positive effect of EA on intestinal motility in FC mice was blocked by 3-MA.@*CONCLUSION@#EA treatment can inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in the colonic tissues of FC mice, thereby promoting EGCs autophagy to improve intestinal motility.

The biological principle of "Biao Ben Jian Zhi" / 药学学报

Along with the progress of pharmaceutical science in the past century, the theme of pharmacology has gone through pseudo agent scheme, to ligand-receptor model, and then to the theory of targeted therapy today. Due to the success of drug R&D, current drug research keeps its focus mainly on drugs with single target and precise treatment, in which the molecular mechanism is relatively clear but the therapeutic efficacy is often limited. Thus, there is a big space for exploration in the field of pharmacology. In the past 30 years, several novel chemical drugs, originated from traditional Chinese medicine, have been identified and then used in clinic, provoking a strong interest to explore new theory for pharmacology, of which the term of "Biao Ben Jian Zhi" (treating diseases by directing symptoms and root causes) has demonstrated a promising nature. We consider this concept useful for future drug discovery, drug design and clinical therapy. In this review, example drugs such as berberine, metformin and azvudine, are discussed, and "drug Cloud" (dCloud) model is introduced to elaborate the mechanism of treating diseases by directing symptoms and root causes of diseases.

A nomograph model for prediction of central lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma / 预防医学

Objective@#To establish a nomograph model for prediction of cervical central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) among patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC), so as to provide the evidence for designing personalized treatment plans for PTC.@* Methods @#The data of patients that underwent thyroidectomy and were pathologically diagnosed with PTC post-surgery in the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2018 to 2021 were collected. Patients' data captured from 2018 to 2020 and from 2021 were used as the training set and the validation set, respectively. Predictive factors were screened using a multivariable logistic regression model, and the nomograph model for prediction of CLNM risk was established. The predictive value of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the adjusted curve.@* Results@#Totally 1 820 PTC cases were included in the training set, including 458 cases with CLNM (25.16%), and 797 cases in the validation set, including 207 cases with CLNM (25.98%). The prediction model is p=ey/(1+ey), y=0.761 + 0.525 × sex + (-0.039) ×age + 0.351 × extrathyroid invasion + 0.368 × neck lymph node enlargement + 1.021×maximum tumor diameter + (-0.009) × TT4 + (-0.001) × anti-TPOAb. The area under the ROC curve was 0.732 for the training set and 0.731 for the validation set, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a good fitting effect (P=0.936, 0.722).@*Conclusion@# The nomograph model constructed in this study has a high predictive value for CLNM among patients with PTC.

Research progress of histone acetylation in prevention and treatment of heart failure and new ideas based on traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Chronic heart failure(CHF) has become a worldwide public health problem due to its high morbidity and mortality, which seriously endangers people's lifespan and quality of life. In recent years, the treatment strategy of CHF has shifted its emphasis on short-term improvement and transformation of hemodynamics to long-term repair as well as improvement of the biological properties of heart failure. At present, with the continuous deepening of medical research, it has been found that histone acetylation is closely related to the occurrence and development of CHF. Traditional Chinese medicine, via regulating histone acetylation, delays ventricular remodeling, improves energy metabolism, inhibits fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and intervenes in the development process of heart failure, thus reducing the mortality and the readmission rate and ultimately improving long-term prognosis. Therefore, this study reviewed the mechanism of histone acetylation in the treatment of heart failure as well as its prevention and treatment with traditional Chinese medicine, to provide reference for clinical treatment of CHF.

Development and characteristics of automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device / 中国针灸

An automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device was developed, which could keep relatively constant temperature of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and realize the automatic ignition and automatic ash removal of moxa sticks during heat-sensitive moxibustion. The automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device comprises a bracket and a moxibustion box fixed on the top of the bracket; the bracket is composed of a base and a movable telescopic arm. This device can solve the problems of temperature instability, moxa ash blocking heat transfer and moxa ash falling during heat-sensitive moxibustion, avoiding the scalding caused by moxa ash falling, and reduce the workload of medical staff.

Component analysis and network pharmacology of flavonoids in Sophora flavescens tissues at anthesis / 药学学报

italic>Sophora flavescens is a traditional Chinese medicine rich in flavonoids and has wide application potential in drug development and clinical practice. In this study, a total of 227 flavonoids were detected among five tissues of S. flavescens during anthesis using widely targeted metabolomics techniques. There were 137 flavonoids shared by five S. flavescens tissues and 18 root-specific flavonoids. There were 156, 155, 156 and 150 differentially accumulated metabolites identified in stem, leaf, flower, and young pod, respectively, compared with root. Forty-seven potentially active flavonoid components in S. flavescens were identified using the PubChem and SwissADME databases. The 58 potential target proteins for these potentially active components were predicted to be important in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on the SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards database. These 58 target proteins were used to construct a protein-protein interaction network through the STRING database, from which we performed GO and KEGG functional enrichment analysis. The mechanisms by which S. flavescens flavonoids may be useful in the treatment of T2DM was further explored in a multi-level and systematic way based on a "component-target-pathway" network. Finally, ten key potentially effective components were identified and found to be mainly distributed in the roots, flowers, and pods, and their content varied significantly between tissues. The results predict that the key targets of S. flavescens flavonoids in the treatment of T2DM are AKT1, ESR1, EGFR, PIK3R1, TNF and PTGS2, and that they play a hypoglycemic role through the regulation of endocrine resistance, AGE-RAGE, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance and other signaling pathways. This analysis of the tissue distribution and network pharmacology of S. flavescens flavonoids provides a theoretical basis for further studies on S. flavescens metabolites, the rational development and utilization of the S. flavescens aboveground parts, and initiates a comprehensive exploration of the mechanisms by which S. flavescens can be used in the treatment of T2DM.

Research progress on Kangfuyan capsules in treatment of gynecological inflammation disease / 药学实践杂志

Gynecological inflammatory disease refers to female reproductive system inflammatory disease, which has a direct impact on the female conception and reproductive health. Kangfuyan capsule is a classic traditional Chinese medicine preparation of the Miao nationality, which has the functions of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and clearing away heat and dampness. It is mainly used to treat pelvic inflammation, vaginitis, and chronic cervicitis caused by the accumulation of heat and dampness. In this paper, the basic research and clinical application of the Kangfuyan capsule in gynecological inflammatory diseases were reviewed to provide a reference for the development of drug for gynecological inflammation diseases.

Study on the effect of acupunture treatment on autonomic nerve dysfunction in convalescent period of stroke based on heart rate variability assessment technique.

Stroke patients with autonomic dysfunction are more likely to develop cardiac problems, which have been linked to lower functional outcomes and increased mortality. In this study, heart rate variability (HRV) detection paired with the Clinical Feature Scale will be utilized to elucidate the immediate impact of manual acupuncture on autonomic dysfunction of varying severity in the convalescence stroke phase. This is a randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial approach. At a ratio of 1:1, 60 appropriate patients will be randomly randomized into either the experimental or control group. On the basis of symptomatic treatment drugs, the experimental group will additionally undertake acupuncture therapy 3 times a week for 4 weeks, for a total of 12 times. Primary outcomes include 24-hour HRV and 60-minute HRV detection at week 4 compared with baseline. The secondary outcome is the score of clinical feature scale at week 4 compared with the baseline. Adverse events and safety indices will be recorded throughout the experiment. The SPSS V.25.0 statistical program was applied for analysis, and measurement data were expressed as mean ±â€…SD.

Layer-by-layer assembly of peptides-decorated coaxial nanofibrous membranes with antibiofilm and visual pH sensing capability.

The countermeasure of biofilm infections leaving a challenge due to a dense antibiotic-resistant barrier formed by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Although antibiotic alternative methods have been developed to combat biofilms, develop effective remedies coupling with timely feedback about the therapeutic effect are still in urgent demand. To this end, we construct an intelligent coaxial electrospun nanofibrous membranes (ENMs) that integrated therapy of infections and in situ visualized diagnosis. Specifically, pH-sensitive alizarin was incorporated into polyamide 6 to subtly consist core layer and curcumin (Cur) was formulated with degradable polyglycolic acid (PGA) to composed of the shell layer. The shell layer can gradually release curcumin along with the degradation of PGA. Moreover, epsilon-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) was deposited on coaxial ENMs via layer-by-layer self-assembly technique to disturb EPS integrity. As a result of the treatment, two different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria displayed increased susceptibility to the drug hybrids. The degradation of PGA would trigger a sustained release of Cur and ε-PL, and once the core layer exposing, the acidic microenvironment of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm could be detected in situ by emerging visualized color change to timely feedback. Besides, the ENMs showed good biocompatibility. It paves a feasible and effective avenue for constructing a facile treatment and diagnosis platform for wound biofilm infections.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals the potential mechanism of hot water treatment alleviated-chilling injury in banana fruit.

Banana fruit is prone to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage, resulting in quality deterioration and commodity reduction. The hot water treatment (HWT), dipping banana fruit in hot water (52 °C) for 3 min, reduced CI symptom at 7 °C storage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential molecular mechanism of HWT on the alleviation of CI of postharvest banana fruit. It was found that HWT treatment obviously inhibited the increases in CI index, relative electrolytic leakage, and the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) and O2•-, while enhanced proline accumulation. Further transcriptome analysis in the pericarp of banana fruit was evaluated during storage. The results showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the comparison between control and HWT group were mainly enriched in photosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, lipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and brassinosteroid and carotenoid biosynthesis. Moreover, transcriptome expression profiles and RT-qPCR analyses exhibited that the corresponding genes involved in these metabolism pathways and heat shock proteins (HSPs) were upregulated by HWT during cold storage. In general, our findings clearly reveal the potential pathways by which HWT alleviates CI in banana fruit, enriching the theoretical basis for the application of hot water to reduce CI in fruits.

Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: study protocol for randomized, controlled, exploratory clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: At present, there is short of effective treatment for acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). The treatment of IPF with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has some advantages. However, the evidence is unclear whether TCM can be recommended as an effective therapy to treat AE-IPF. The purpose of the study is to explore the efficacy and safety of TCM for patients with AE-IPF. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, exploratory clinical trial will be performed. A total of 80 patients diagnosed with AE-IPF will be randomized into the intervention or control group. In addition to conventional treatment, the intervention group will be treated with Kangxianhuanji granule, and the control group will be given a placebo granule. The administration frequency is 10 g each time and two times daily. After 4 weeks of treatment, the patients were followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes are treatment failure rate and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcome measures will include the length of hospitalization, overall survival, acute exacerbation rate, intubation rate, Modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) score, the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (SGRQ-I) score, and arterial blood gas analysis. DISCUSSION: TCM may be beneficial in IPF. However, it has never been evaluated in patients with AE-IPF, who are incredibly prone to respiratory failure and have a high mortality rate. It is the first clinical trial to explore the efficacy and safety of TCM in the treatment of AE-IPF. This result will provide a basis for further study, which provides a high-quality evidence for the treatment of AE-IPF with TCM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900026289 . Registered on 29 September 2019.

Quality value transfer of substance benchmarks in Huanglian Decoction / 中国中药杂志

Following the preparation of substance benchmarks in Huanglian Decoction from 18 batches, the method for detecting their characteristic spectra was established to identify the similarity range and peak attribution. The content and transfer rate ranges of the index components coptisine, palmatine, berberine, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, 6-gingerol, and cinnamaldehyde and the extraction amount were combined for analyzing the quality value transfer from the Chinese medicinal pieces to substance benchmarks and clarifying the key quality attributes of substance benchmarks in Huanglian Decoction. The results showed that the substance benchmarks in Huang-lian Decoction of 18 batches exhibited good similarity in characteristic spectra(all greater than 0.98). There were 17 characteristic peaks identified in the substance benchmarks of Huanglian Decoction, including 10 from Coptidis Rhizoma, 3 from Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle(processed with water), 1 from Zingiberis Rhizoma, and 3 from Cinnamomi Ramulus. The contents and average transfer rates of the index components were listed as follows: coptisine 2.20-6.46 mg·g~(-1) and 18.50%±2.93%; palmatine 3.03-8.13 mg·g~(-1) and 26.56%±4.69%; berberine 7.71-22.29 mg·g~(-1) and 17.34%±3.00%; liquiritin 0.88-2.18 mg·g~(-1) and 9.88%±4.88%; glycyrrhizic acid 1.83-4.44 mg·g~(-1) and 8.50%±3.72%; 6-gingerol 0.56-1.43 mg·g~(-1) and 11.36%±2.37%; cinnamaldehyde 1.55-3.48 mg·g~(-1) and 19.02%±4.36%. The extraction amount of the substance benchmarks from the 18 batches was controlled at 10.65%-13.88%. In this paper, the quality value transfer of substance benchmarks in Huanglian Decoction was analyzed based on the characteristic spectra, the index component contents and the extraction amount, which has provided a basis for the subsequent development of Huanglian Decoction and the quality control of its related preparations.

Quality value transmitting of substance benchmarks of Zhuru Decoction / 中国中药杂志

A total of 18 batches of Zhuru Decoction samples were prepared. Chromatographic fingerprints were established for Zhuru Decoction and single decoction pieces, the content of which was then determined. The extraction rate ranges, content, and transfer rate ranges of puerarin, liquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid, together with the common peaks and the similarity range of the fingerprints, were determined to clarify key quality attributes of Zhuru Decoction. The 18 batches of Zhuru Decoction samples had 25 common peaks and the fingerprint similarity higher than 0.95. Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens had 21, 3, and 1 characteristic peaks, respectively. The 18 batches of samples showed the extraction rates within the range of 18.45%-25.29%. Puerarin had the content of 2.20%-3.07% and the transfer rate of 38.5%-45.9%; liquiritin had the content of 0.24%-0.85% and the transfer rate of 15.9%-37.5%; glycyrrhizic acid had the content of 0.39%-1.87% and the transfer rate of 16.2%-32.8%. In this paper, the quality value transmitting of substance benchmarks of Zhuru Decoction was analyzed based on chromatographic fingerprints, extraction rate, and the content of index components. A scientific and stable method was preliminarily established, which provided a scientific basis for the quality control and formulation development of Zhuru Decoction.

Regularity of prescriptions for intermediate and advanced lung cancer based on latent structure combined with association rules / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the regularity of prescriptions for the treatment of intermediate and advanced lung cancer to provide references for clinical medication. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM were searched for the research papers on the treatment of lung cancer by Chinese medicine published from database inception to May 31, 2021. The relevant information of qualified papers was extracted to establish a database. The Chinese medicines with frequency >3% underwent analysis of the latent structure and association rules by Lantern 5.0 and SPSS Molder 14.1, respectively, and the prescription regularity in the treatment of intermediate and advanced lung cancer was analyzed based on the frequency description. A total of 713 papers were included, involving 327 Chinese medicines with a cumulative frequency of 12 794 and 106 prescriptions with a cumulative frequency of 824. The commonly used Chinese medicines were dominated by deficiency-tonifying, heat-clearing, phlegm-resolving, and cough/dyspnea-relieving drugs, such as Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Ophiopogonis Radix, Poria, and Hedyotis Diffusa, which are cold, warm, and plain in nature and sweet, bitter, and pungent in flavor, and mainly act on lung, spleen, and stomach meridians. Commonly used prescriptions included Shashen Maidong Decoction, Liujunzi Decoction, and Baihe Gujin Decoction. The latent structure analysis revealed 32 latent variables and 65 hidden classes. Six comprehensive clustering models and 11 core prescriptions were obtained by professional knowledge inference. The common syndromes of intermediate and advanced lung cancer were inferred to be Qi and Yin deficiency in the lung, Qi deficiency in the lung and spleen, Yin deficiency in the liver and kidney, combined phlegm and stasis, phlegm-heat obstructing lung, and Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Forty-four strong associations were screened out by association rules analysis, including four pairwise strong associations(Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma→Ophiopogonis Radix, Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma→Glehniae Radix, Amomi Fructus→Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, and Polygonati Rhizoma→Astragali Radix) and 40 triplet strong associations(such as Trichosanthis Radix+Glehniae Radix→Ophiopogonis Radix, Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma+Glehniae Radix→Ophiopogonis Radix, Trichosanthis Radix+Ophiopogonis Radix→Glehniae Radix, and Scutellariae Barbatae Herba+Codonopsis Radix→Hedyotis Diffusa). In the treatment of intermediate and advanced lung cancer, Qi-replenishing and Yin-nourishing drugs are mainly employed, assisted with cancer-resisting, toxin-removing, spleen-invigorating, phlegm/stasis-resolving, and blood-activating drugs based on syndrome differentiation. The roots were treated following the principles of tonifying lungs and replenishing the spleen, and symptoms following the principles of removing the toxin, dispelling stasis, and resolving phlegm.