Astragalus membranaceus injection combined with conventional treatment for viral myocarditis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Astragalus membranaceus Injection combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of viral myocarditis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment compared with conventional treatment alone were included. Study population characteristics and outcome results were extracted independently by two assessors. Meta-analysis was performed for data available. RESULTS: Six RCTs, involving 639 participants, were included in this study. The methodological quality of the included trials was generally low, and there was high risk of publication bias in the included trials. The total effective rate of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment was significantly higher than that of conventional treatment alone. Compared with conventional treatment, the cointervention treatment group showed significant recovery in myocardium enzyme levels and electrocardiography. Two RCTs reported there were no adverse effects from A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment. CONCLUSION: A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment appeared to be more efficacious compared with conventional treatment alone for treating viral myocarditis. However, this conclusion should be cautiously interpreted due to low methodological quality, small sample size, limited number of trials, and high risk of publication bias and other unidentified risks of bias. The safety of A. membranaceus Injection combined with conventional treatment remains uncertain.

Effects of acupuncture at Baihui (DU20) and Zusanli (ST36) on the expression of heat shock protein 70 and tumor necrosis factor α in the peripheral serum of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion-injured rats.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of acupuncture on the peripheral serum expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). METHODS: In total, 152 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into an operated group and a non-operated group according to a random digits table. The operated group included a sham-operated group, a model group and an acupuncture group, whereas the non-operated group consisted of a normal group. Except for the normal group, each group was further divided into 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 144 h time points according to different reperfusion times. Eight rats were assigned in each operated group and in the normal group. The rat model of CIRI was established by the thread occlusion method in the model and acupuncture groups. The acupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) and Zusanli (ST36) for the required time after successful operation. Blood was sampled to detect the HSP70 and TNF-α content by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The expression of HSP70 protein in the peripheral serum of the experimental groups was higher than that in the normal control group. The peak time in both the model and the sham-operated groups was 12 h, and the peak time in the acupuncture group was 24 h. The expression in the acupuncture group declined to a lower level at 72 h and was lower than that in the model and sham-operated groups (P<0.05). The peak time for the expression of TNF-α protein in the peripheral serum of both the model and the acupuncture groups was 24 h, but the expression in the acupuncture group was lower than the model group. Additionally, the expression of TNF-α in all experimental groups was higher than the normal group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture at DU20 and ST36 in rats attenuated CIRI, which was associated with a reduction in the expression of HSP70 and TNF-α. These results provide clues to acupuncture's neuroprotective properties. Acupuncture at DU20 and ST36 in rats after CIRI can adjust the expression of HSP70 and TNF-α in the peripheral serum, which might be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture's attenuation of CIRI.

[Thinking on teaching experiences of acupuncture manipulation and moxibustion method in western medicine college].

For the problems existed in the teaching of acupuncture manipulation and moxibustion method in western medicine college, for instance, the lack of credit hours and divorce from theory and practice, in addition to visualization teaching, this paper introduced case study and problem-centered teaching approaches. Besides clinical teaching, this paper emphasized anatomical knowledge which strengthen memory. In this way, the quality of teaching and teaching effects will be improved in the education of acupuncture manipulation and moxibustion method in western medicine college.

[Analysis of Chinese medicine syndrome pattern in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relationship with diabetic chronic complications].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome pattern of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and the relationship of CM patterns with the different blood glucose levels controlled and the incidences of diabetic chronic complications. METHODS: CM syndromes in 557 DM2 patients were sorted into 7 patterns, A: the Fei-Wei yin-deficiency with exuberant heat pattern; B: the Pi-qi deficiency pattern; C: the Shen-qi deficiency pattern; D: the Pi-Shen qi-deficiency pattern; E: the Gan-Shen yin-deficiency pattern; F: the both qi-yin deficiency pattern; and G: the both yin-yang deficiency pattern, the concurrent or accompanied excessive syndromes were not taken as the indication for sorting. The blood glucose level, duration of illness and incidence of diabetic chronic complications in patients of different patterns were compared. RESULTS: The CM syndrome patterns commonly encountered in mostly of the 557 patients was pattern F (in 264 patients, accounting for 47.4%); the next was pattern C (95 patients, 17.1%) and E (92 patients, 16.5%). The concurrent syndromes appeared in most patients was blood stasis (501 patients, 89.9%), Gan-qi stagnation was the second (225 patients, 40.4%), and the portion of damp-heat syndrome was also rather large (180 patients, 32.3%). The duration of diabetes mellitus for patients with various patterns was significantly different (P < 0.01), the longest appeared in patients of pattern G, followed by pattern D, C, F, and E in sequence, and patients of pattern A and B had a rather shorter duration. Level of fasting blood glucose was rather higher in patients of pattern A, C, D, F, and G than in those of pattern B and E. Level of glycosylated hemoglobin in patients of pattern G was the highest and in pattern A the second, while in pattern B and E was rather lower. Incidences of diabetic chronic complications, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, cerebral infarction, and atherosclerosis in patients of pattern A and B were lower than in those of other 5 patterns (P < 0.05); but the highest incidence of multiple chronic complications revealed in pattern D and G, and that of coronary heart disease revealed in pattern C and G, all showed significant different as compared with other patterns (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The most commonly encountered CM syndrome patterns in DM2 patients of early stage are pattern A and B; and those of middle stage are pattern C, D, E and F, various diabetic chronic complications may reveal in this stage; pattern G could be found in patients accompanied with multiple chronic complications and with uncontrolled blood glucose for a long time.

[Effect of Tujian decoction on protein kinase C activity in renal cortex in diabetic rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate influence of administration of Tujian decoction (Chinese herbal medicine) on protein kinase C (PKC) activity, renal function and structure in diabetic rat kidney. METHOD: Experimental diabetic nephropathy model was induced by nephrectomy combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection in sprague-dawley rat. Tujian decoction (20 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and Valsartan (20 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) were orally administrated respectively for 12 weeks. PKC activity was measured by [3H]phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate ([3H]PDBu) binding assay. 24 h urine protein excretion (Upro) and renal pathological changes were observed. RESULT: In 12th week, diabetic nephrectomized rats developed proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis, increased membrane PKC activity (mPKC), decreased cytosol PKC (cPKC), and increased ratio of mPKC and cPKC (M/C). Administration of Tujian decoction or Valsartan led to a reduction in proteinuria, structural injury, mPKC and M/C, and a recovery in cPKC. CONCLUSION: Tujian decoction possesses a renoprotective effect on diabetic nephrectomized rat, at least partially via the inhibition of PKC activation in renal cortex.