Traditional Chinese medicine (Xielikang) reduces diarrhea symptoms in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients by regulating the intestinal microbiota.

Diarrheal acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) seriously affects the quality of life of patients. In this study, we analyzed the differences in the intestinal microbiota among healthy individuals, AIDS patients without diarrhea and AIDS patients with diarrhea through high-throughput sequencing. The microbial diversity in the intestines of patients in the AIDS diarrhea group was significantly increased, and after treatment with Xielikang, the intestinal microbial diversity returned to the baseline level. At the phylum level, compared those in to the healthy (ZC) and AIDS non diarrhea (FN) groups, the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomirobia in the AIDS diarrhea (FA) group before treatment were significantly increased, while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased. Similarly, compared with those in the FA group, the relative abundances of Bacteroidea and Firmicutes in the AIDS diarrhea (FB) group after treatment were significantly increased, while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased after treatment. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the ZC and FN groups. At the genus level, compared with those in the ZC group, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Escherichia_Shigella in the FA group was significantly increased, while the relative abundances of Megamonas and Bifidobacterium was significantly decreased compared to that in the ZC group. After treatment with Xielikang, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Escherichia_Shigella in the FB group were significantly decreased, while the relative abundances of Megamonas and Bifidobacteria were significantly increased than those in the FA group; moreover, there was no significant difference between the ZC and FN groups. The functional prediction results showed that the ketodeoxyoctonate (Kdo) transfer to lipid IVA III and the superpathway of N-acetylglucosamine pathways in the AIDS diarrhea group were significantly altered. The correlation analysis results showed that Dorea was positively correlated with inflammatory factors, while Streptococcus and Lactobacillus were negatively correlated with inflammatory factors. The composition and function of the intestinal microbiota changed significantly in AIDS diarrhea patients, which affected the immune function of the host. The Xielikang capsule modulated the composition of the intestinal microbiota in AIDS diarrhea patients and thus improved immune function and reduced diarrheal symptoms.

Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of COVID-19 and Viral Disease: Efficacies and Clinical Evidence.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains an uncontained, worldwide pandemic. While battling the disease in China, the Chinese government has actively promoted the use of traditional Chinese medicine, and many studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for treating COVID-19. The present review discusses the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in curing COVID-19 and provides clinical evidence from all confirmed cases in China. Applications of traditional Chinese medicine and specific recipes for treating other viral infections, such as those caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza A viruses (including H1N1), are also discussed. Studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicine treatment plays a significant role in improving clinical symptoms. Therefore, further investigation may be of high translational value in revealing novel targeted therapies for COVID-19.

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine intervention for delaying HIV morbidity: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is caused by humans and is high worldwide. Active antiretroviral therapy emerged in the late 1990s and is effective against AIDS. However, despite the extensive research on AIDS, there is still no vaccine or cure. The benefits of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for AIDS are increasingly recognised, especially by patients with asymptomatic HIV infection. METHODS/DESIGN: The proposed trial will enrol 216 eligible patients who will be randomised into treatment and control groups. After 72 weeks of intervention, the efficacy and safety of TCM for patients with AIDS will be assessed. The variables that will be measured include clinical symptoms, TCM syndromes, viral load, immunological indicators, inflammatory factors, quality of life, patient-reported outcomes and safety assessment. DISCUSSION: The study aim to compare the effectiveness and safety of TCM for asymptomatic AIDS and explore its potential underlying mechanism. Additionally, the findings will provide a reference for the use of TCM to delay the onset and control the progression of HIV/AIDS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1800018365. Registered on 13 September 2018.

Prevalence of liver injury among patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy in China.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of liver injury among patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in rural Henan Province in China, and to explore whether Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment based on HAART would increase this risk. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. We collected medical information on patients with AIDS from two treatment databases in 2014. Criteria established by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group in 1996 were used for grading liver injury, classified based on the limit of normal (ULN) for alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase: grade 1 (1.25-2.5 × ULN); grade 2 (2.6-5 × ULN); grade 3 (5.1-10 × ULN); and grade 4 (> 10 × ULN). Factors associated with liver injury were evaluated using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total 6953 patients with AIDS (3324 male and 3629 female patients) were enrolled into this study. The prevalence of liver injury was 22.0% (18.0% grade 1, 3.1% grade 2, 0.9% grade 3). In multivariate analysis, patients aged 34-45 years were more likely to have liver injury than patients in other age groups [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.39; 95% CI, 1.01-1.91)]. Other factors associated with liver injury included male sex (AOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.46-1.85), HIV infection via blood (AOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.19-1.82), hepatitis B virus antibody positive (AOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.85-1.36), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody positive (AOR, 2.76; 95% CI, 2.28-3.34). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of liver injury was relatively high among HAART-experienced patients. Several factors associated with liver injury included male sex, age 35-45 years old, HIV infection through blood, and concurrent HCV infection. TCM had no relationship with liver injury in patients receiving HAART.

Carnosic acid attenuates apoptosis induced by amyloid-ß 1-42 or 1-43 in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.

Amyloid-beta (Aß) peptides, Aß 1-42 (Aß42) and Aß43 in particular, cause neurotoxicity and cell death in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) at higher concentrations. Carnosic acid (CA), a phenolic diterpene compound in the labiate herbs rosemary and sage, serves as an activator for neuroprotective and neurotrophic functions in brain cells. We investigated the effect of CA on apoptosis induced by Aß42 or Aß43 in cultured SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Treatment of the cells with Aß42 or Aß43 (monomer, 10 µM each) induced apoptosis, which was confirmed by the cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Concurrently, the Aß treatment induced the activation of caspase (Casp) cascades including an effector Casp (Casp3) and initiator Casps (Casp4, Casp8 and Casp9). Pretreatment of the cells with CA (10 µM) partially attenuated the apoptosis induced by Aß42 or Aß43. CA pretreatment also reduced the cellular oligomers of Aß42 and Aß43. These results suggest that CA suppressed the activation of Casp cascades by reducing the intracellular oligomerization of exogenous Aß42/43 monomer. The ingestion of an adequate amount of CA may have a potential in the prevention of Aß-mediated diseases, particularly AD.

[Complementary treatment of 141 HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection by qingfei peiyuan micro-pill: a clinical observation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Qingfei Peiyuan Micro-pill (QPM) on HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of phlegm heat obstructing lung syndrome (PHOLS). METHODS: Totally 141 HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of PHOLS were randomly assigned to the treatment group (94 cases) and the control group (47cases). On the basis of Western medicine, patients in the treatment group took QPM. The therapeutic course for all was 28 days. The improvement of symptoms and signs was observed. The body temperature (BT), chest X ray, and white blood cells (WBCs) were detected. RESULTS: The Chinese medical syndrome score was lower in the treatment group than in the control group at the 7th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The efficacy was better in the treatment group than in the control group at the 7th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The BT was lower in the treatment group than in the control group on the 7th day. There was no statistical difference in the patient number with normal WBCs on the 7th day (P > 0.05). But there was statistical difference in the patient number with normal WBCs on the 14th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the patient number with normal chest X ray on the 7th and 28th day of treatment (P > 0.05). But there was statistical difference in the patient number with normal chest X ray on the 14th and 21 st day of treatment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: QPM had certain complementary effect on HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of PHOLS.

Carnosic acid suppresses the production of amyloid-ß 1-42 and 1-43 by inducing an α-secretase TACE/ADAM17 in U373MG human astrocytoma cells.

Amyloid beta (Aß) peptides are key molecules in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the ß- and γ-secretases generates Aß peptides; however, the alternate cleavage of APP by the α- and γ-secretases decreases Aß production. We previously reported that carnosic acid (CA), a phenolic diterpene compound found in the labiate herbs rosemary and sage, suppresses Aß (1-40 and 1-42) production by activating α-secretase in cultured SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells (Neurosci. Res. 2013; 75: 94-102). Here, we investigated the effect of CA on the production of Aß peptides (1-40, 1-42 and 1-43) in U373MG human astrocytoma cells. The treatment of cells with CA suppressed Aß40/42/43 release (55-71% decrease at 50µM). CA treatment enhanced the mRNA expressions of an α-secretase TACE (tumor necrosis factor-α-converting enzyme, also called a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17, ADAM17); however, the ß-secretase BACE1 (ß-site APP-cleaving enzyme-1) was not increased by CA. Knockdown of TACE by siRNA reduced soluble-APPα release enhanced by CA and partially recovered the CA-suppressed Aß40/42/43 release. These results suggest that CA reduces Aß production, at least partially, by activating TACE in human astroglial cells. The use of CA may have a potential in the prevention of Aß-mediated diseases.

[Research on Chinese medicine syndrome distribution of asymptomatic HIV infection patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore Chinese medicine syndrome distribution laws of asymptomatic HIV infection patients. METHODS: Using Chi-square test, Chinese medicine syndrome distribution laws were compared and analyzed in 1 156 asymptomatic HIV infection patients from March 2009 to October 2011 from four aspects, i.e., age, possible infection time, disease duration, and different routes of infection. RESULTS: Qi deficiency syndrome (QDS) and internal dampness-heat accumulation syndrome (IDHAS) were dominant in all syndrome types. Along with aging, QDS showed a growing tendency, while IDHAS showed obvious declining tendency. There was no obvious change in other syndrome types. There was statistical difference in the distribution of each syndrome type among each age period (P < 0.01). Within 15 years, along with the increase of infection time, QDS showed a growing tendency, while IDHAS ratio showed an obvious declining tendency. No obvious laws were found in other syndrome types. There was statistical difference in the distribution of each syndrome type (P < 0.01). Along with the prolongation of disease duration, the case number of each syndrome showed a decreasing trend, but QDS and IDHAS still accounted for higher ratios in each stage. There was statistical difference in the distribution of each syndrome type (P < 0.01). As for infection routes, QDS was predominant in paid blood donation, blood transfusion infection, intravenous drugs. IDHAS was predominant in sexual transmit. No obvious laws were found in other syndrome types. There was statistical difference in the distribution of each syndrome type (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DIS, IDHAS, and no confirmable syndrome typing were dominant in asymptomatic HIV infection patients. Deficiency and dampness were important pathological factors for them.

Carnosic acid suppresses the production of amyloid-ß 1-42 by inducing the metalloprotease gene TACE/ADAM17 in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.

A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the aggressive appearance of plaques of amyloid beta (Aß) peptides, which result from the sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the ß- and γ-secretases. Aß production is evaded by alternate cleavage of APP by the α- and γ-secretases. Carnosic acid (CA) has been proven to activate the transcription factor Nrf2, a main regulator of the antioxidant response. We investigated the effects of CA on the production of Aß 1-42 peptide (Aß42) and on the expressions of the related genes in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. The treatment of cells with CA suppressed Aß42 secretion (61% suppression at 30µM). CA treatment enhanced the mRNA expressions of an α-secretase TACE (tumor necrosis factor-α-converting enzyme, also called a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17, ADAM17) significantly and another α-secretase ADAM10 marginally; however, the ß-secretase BACE1 (ß-site APP-cleaving enzyme-1) was not increased by CA. Knockdown of TACE by siRNA reduced soluble-APPα secretion enhanced by CA and partially recovered the CA-suppressed Aß42 secretion. These results suggest that CA reduces Aß42 production by activating TACE without promoting BACE1 in human neuroblastoma cells. The use of CA may have a potential in the prevention of Aß-mediated diseases, particularly AD.