Nitrate and oxygen significantly changed the abundance rather than structure of sulphate-reducing and sulphur-oxidising bacteria in water retrieved from petroleum reservoirs.

Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are the main culprits of microbiologically influenced corrosion in water-flooding petroleum reservoirs, but some sulphur-oxidising bacteria (SOB) are stimulated when nitrate and oxygen are injected, which control the growth of SRB. This study aimed to determine the distributions of SRB and SOB communities in injection-production systems and to analyse the responses of these bacteria to different treatments involving nitrate and oxygen. Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacca, Desulfobulbus, Sulfuricurvum and Dechloromonas were commonly detected via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Still, no significant differences were observed for either the SRB or SOB communities between injection and production wells. Three groups of water samples collected from different sampling sites were incubated. Statistical analysis of functional gene (dsrB and soxB) clone libraries and quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the SOB community structures were more strongly affected by the nitrate and oxygen levels than SRB clustered according to the sampling site; moreover, both the SRB and SOB community abundances significantly changed. Additionally, the highest SRB inhibitory effect and the lowest dsrB/soxB ratio were obtained under high concentrations of nitrate and oxygen in the three groups, suggesting that the synergistic effect of nitrate and oxygen level was strong on the inhibition of SRB by potential SOB.

Ginsenoside Rb1 alleviates chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy in db/db mice by regulating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the protective effect of ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), the main component of Renshen (), on cardiomyopathy in db/db mice exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and explore the potential underlying mechanism of Rb1 in treating diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: The db/db mice were randomly separated into five groups: normal control group, model group, Rb1 20 mg/kg group, Rb1 40 mg/kg group, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) group. Mice were exposed to air-condition or CIH for 8 weeks, and Rb1 and GLP-1 were administrated before CIH exposure every day. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (IPITT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected to evaluate glycolipid metabolism. The level of insulin was detected by a mouse enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography, and myocardial pathology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining. The expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ was detected by immunohistochemistry. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Rb1 treatment could improve glucose tolerance and the level of cardiac function indexes, and inhibit the level of oxidative stress indexes and the expression of collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ. Moreover, Rb1 treatment enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression. CONCLUSION: Rb1 treatment alleviated CIH-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy and glycolipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice by inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating the AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Treatment of Respiratory Diseases with Banxia Houputang： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Respiratory diseases are common， frequently-occurring clinical diseases. As the prevalence rate is increasing year by year， they have become a problem that seriously affects public health. The diseases are mainly located in the lung by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation. Lung governs Qi and controls breathing and is also an organ for the storage of phlegm. Clinically， phlegm and Qi are often used for the treatment. Banxia Houputang （BHT）， originated from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber （《金匮要略》）， was used to treat plum-stone Ai （globus hystericus） at first. It is composed of Rhizoma Pinelliae， Cortex Magnoliae Offcinalis， Poria， Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens， and Folium Perillae， and treats diseases with the core pathogensis of mutual obstruction of phlegm and Qi. BHT has the effects of moving Qi， dissipating mass， descending adverse Qi， and resolving phlegm， which basically correspond to the pathological characteristics of the lungs. Clinical studies have confirmed that modified BHT can be used either alone or in combination with western medicine to treat chronic pharyngitis， asthma， chronic obstructive pulmonary disease， pneumonia， obstructive sleep apnea， upper airway cough syndrome and other respiratory diseases， with significant effects. It effectively improves the symptoms and signs of the diseases and reduces the recurrence rate. Basic research has shown that BHT plays anti-inflammatory， anti-oxidative stress， anti-apoptotic， autophagy-regulating， and iron overload-regulating roles by regulating the targets in multiple pathways. This paper， by combing the relevant literature in recent years， conducted a systematic review on BHT from the three aspects of syndrome analysis， clinical treatment research and mechanism research， with a view to providing theoretical basis and reference for the mechanism research of BHT in treating respiratory diseases and for expanding its clinical application.

Construction of Literature Knowledge Ontology for Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Trials： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo effectively organize the interdisciplinary knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and evidence-based medicine contained in the clinical trial literature of TCM and facilitate the processing and mapping of multi-source data， this paper organized the knowledge of clinical trial literature of TCM by ontology modeling. MethodThe seven-step method and skeleton method were used to develop the ontology. After the structure and language characteristics of TCM clinical trial literature were analyzed， the ontological and non-ontological resources such as top-level framework of Scientific Evidence and Provenance Information Ontology （SEPIO） and TCM language system （TCMLS） were reused to determine the domain concepts and attribute relationship. Finally， the core concepts and attribute relationship such as disease， syndrome， symptom， grouping， intervention measures， outcome indicators and literature quality information were determined. ResultThe information contained in the clinical trial literature of TCM was divided into five categories. According to the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and CONSORT 2010 statement， the literature quality evaluation information was mapped to the ontology， and a total of 68 categories， 8 object attributes， and 38 data attributes were established， which basically realized the structured expression of clinical trial literature. ConclusionThe ontology of TCM clinical trial literature constructed in this study can well organize， utilize， and present the construction and association of internal knowledge system in TCM clinical trial literature， underpinning the reasoning of strength of evidence and information of diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Jianpi Peiyuan acupoint thread embedding therapy for perimenopausal obesity: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Jianpi Peiyuan acupoint thread embedding therapy on perimenopausal obesity (PMO).@*METHODS@#Ninety-six patients of PMO were randomly divided into an observation group (48 cases) and a control group (48 cases). The control group received health education and lifestyle intervention. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the observation group was treated with acupoint thread embedding at the main acupoints of Shangwan (CV 13), Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Fenglong (ST 40), etc. as well as the supplementary acupoints in accordance with the syndrome differentiation, once every 2 weeks for 8 weeks (4 times in total). The indexes of obesity (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, hip circumference and body mass), modified Kupperman score, insomnia severity index (ISI) score, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, and self-rating depression scale (SDS) score of the two groups were observed before and after treatment, and the safety was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and body mass in the two groups were lower than before treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, Kupperman, ISI and SAS scores in the observation group were lower than before treatment (P<0.05), and ISI score in the control group was lower than before treatment (P<0.05). Kupperman, ISI and SAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in SDS between the two groups or within groups (P>0.05). No serious adverse reactions occurred during the experiment.@*CONCLUSION@#Jianpi Peiyuan acupoint thread embedding therapy can reduce the degree of obesity in PMO patients, and improve patients' the perimenopausal symptoms, insomnia and anxiety, with good safety.

Effect of acupuncture at Weizhong (BL 40) on bladder urination function based on ultrasound / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of acupuncture at Weizhong (BL 40) with deqi on bladder urination function.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 healthy subjects were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 subjects in each group. Under the guidance of ultrasound, acupuncture was applied Weizhong (BL 40) on both sides. In the observation group, the needling depth was reached to the tibial nerve, and lifting-thrusting twirling method was used to induce deqi. In the control group, the needling depth was reached to the superficial fascia, and no manipulation was operated to induce deqi. The needles were retained for 10 min and acupuncture was given once in both groups. The bilateral ureteral ejection frequency and volume of the bladder were observed by ultrasound before and after acupuncture, and the score of clinical evaluation scale of deqi sensation was observed in both groups.@*RESULTS@#After acupuncture, the frequency of bilateral ureteral ejection in the observation group and the bladder volume in the two groups were increased compared before acupuncture (P<0.05), and the frequency of bilateral ureteral ejection, bladder volume and score of clinical evaluation scale of deqi sensation in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture at Weizhong (BL 40) with deqi improves the bladder urination function. Ultrasound visualization improves the standardization and safety of acupuncture, intuitively evaluates the acupuncture effect, and provides an objective basis for the correlation between meridian points specificity and zang-fu organs.

Identification of chemical components and network pharmacology of Huanglian Decoction based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology / 中国中药杂志

The chemical components of Huanglian Decoction were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology. The gradient elution was conducted in Agilent ZORBAX Extend-C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm) with the mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile(B) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1) and the column temperature of 35 ℃. The MS adopted the positive and negative ion mode of electrospray ionization(ESI), and the MS data were collected under the scanning range of m/z 100-1 500. Through high-resolution MS data analysis, combined with literature comparison and confirmation of reference substances, this paper identified 134 chemical components in Huanglian Decoction, including 12 alkaloids, 23 flavonoids, 22 terpenes and saponins, 12 phenols, 7 coumarins, 12 amino acids, 23 organic acids, and 23 other compounds, and the medicinal sources of the compounds were ascribed. Based on the previous studies, 7 components were selected as the index components. Combined with the network pharmacology research and analysis me-thods, the protein and protein interaction(PPI) network information of the intersection targets was obtained through the STRING 11.0 database, and 20 core targets of efficacy were screened out. In this study, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology was successfully used to comprehensively analyze and identify the chemical components of Huanglian Decoction, and the core targets of its efficacy were discussed in combination with network pharmacology, which laid the foundation for clarifying the material basis and quality control of Huanglian Decoction.

Significance of high expression of C5orf46 in gastric cancer and potential intervention of tarditional Chinese medicine based on bioinformatics, molecular docking, and cell experiments / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the expression, prognosis, and clinical significance of C5orf46 in gastric cancer and to study the interaction between the active components of C5orf46 and tarditional Chinese medicine. The ggplot2 package was utilized for differential expression analysis of C5orf46 in gastric cancer tissues and normal tissues. The survival package was used for survival analysis, univariate regression analysis, and multivariate regression analysis. Nomogram analysis was used to assess the connection between C5orf46 expression in gastric cancer and overall survival. The abundance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was calculated by GSVA package. Coremine database, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP) database, and PubChem database were used to search the potential components corresponding to C5orf46 gene and tarditional Chinese medicine. Molecular docking was performed to explore the binding affinity of potential components to C5orf46. Cell experiments were performed to explore the expression of C5orf46 gene in cells of the blank group, model group, and drug administration groups. As compared with normal tissues, C5orf46 expression was higher in gastric cancer tissues, which had more significant predictive effects in the early stages(T2, N0, and M0). The more advanced the tumor node metastasis(TNM) stage, the higher the C5orf46 expression and the lower the probability of survival of patients with gastric cancer. The expression of C5orf46 positively correlated with the helper T cells1 in gastric cancer and the macrophage infiltration level in gastric cancer, and negatively correlated with B cells, central memory T cells, helper T cells 17, and follicular helper T cells. Seven potential components of C5orf46 were obtained, and three active components were obtained after the screening, which matched five tarditional Chinese medicines, namely, Sojae Semen Nigrum, Jujubae Fructus, Trichosanthis Fructus, Silybi Fructus, and Bambusae Concretio Silicea. Molecular docking revealed that sialic acid and adeno-sine monophosphate(AMP) had a good binding ability to C5orf46. The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) and Western blot showed that, as compared with the model group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of C5orf46 were significantly lower in the drug administration groups. The lowest expression level was found at the concentration of 40 μmol·L~(-1). The results of this study provide ideas for the clinical development of traditional Chinese medicine compounds for the treatment of gastric cancer as well as other cancers.

Research on Mechanisms of Chinese Medicines in Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Adhesion / 中国结合医学杂志

Postoperative adhesion (PA) is currently one of the most unpleasant complications following surgical procedures. Researchers have developed several new strategies to alleviate the formation of PA to a great extent, but so far, no single measure or treatment can meet the expectations and requirements of clinical patients needing complete PA prevention. Chinese medicine (CM) has been widely used for thousands of years based on its remarkable efficacy and indispensable advantages CM treatments are gradually being accepted by modern medicine. Therefore, this review summarizes the formating process of PA and the efficacy and action mechanism of CM treatments, including their pharmacological effects, therapeutic mechanisms and advantages in PA prevention. We aim to improve the understanding of clinicians and researchers on CM prevention in the development of PA and promote the in-depth development and industrialization process of related drugs.

Effects of berberine hydrochloride on immune response in the crab Charybdis japonica.

Berberine hydrochloride is the main effective component of Coptis spp. used in Chinese herbal medicine and its underlying molecular mechanisms, responsible for inducing effects in crustacean species, are not fully understood. In this study, the molecular response of the crab Charybdis japonica to berberine hydrochloride exposure was studied using transcriptome sequencing. The survival rate, gene expression and activities of several immune enzymes were measured after berberine hydrochloride treatments, with or without injection of the pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. A total of 962 differentially expressed genes (464 up-regulated and 498 down-regulated) were observed during exposure to 100 mg/L of berberine hydrochloride and in the control group after 48 h. Enrichment analysis revealed that these genes are involved in metabolism, cellular processes, signal transduction and immune functions, indicating that exposure to berberine hydrochloride activated the immune complement system. This bioactive compound simultaneously activated fibrinogen beta (FGB), fibrinogen alpha (FGA), alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), kininogen (KNG), fibrinogen gamma chain (FGB), alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG), caspase-8 (CASP8), cathepsin L (CTSL), adenylate cyclase 3 (Adcy3) and MMP1. Its action could significantly increase the survival rate of the crabs injected with A. hydrophila and promote the activity of LZM, Caspas8, FGA, ACP and AKP in the hepatopancreas. When A. hydrophila was added, the neutralization of 300 mg/L berberine hydrochloride maximized the activities of Caspas8, LZM, ACP and AKP. Our results provide a new understanding of the potential effects of berberine hydrochloride on the immune system mechanisms in crustaceans.

Research progress on the interactions between gut bacterial β-glucuronidases and Chinese herbal medicines / 药学学报

In traditional oral practice, the presystemic interactions with gut microbiota is an important mechanism underlying the holistic health benefits of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs), making the study of CHMs distinct from the research of Western medicines of which the systemic exposure (level in blood) is the starting point and the core. Gut microbial metabolism complements host metabolism in maintaining metabolic homeostasis of many biologically important endogenous molecules and the disposition of numerous exogenous compounds. Among them, the widely distributed gut bacterial β-glucuronidases (BGUSs) coordinate with host UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) to play a role in the occurrence and intervention of diseases by affecting the glucuronidation homeostasis and altering the intestinal local and/or systemic exposure of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. On one hand, many ingredients of CHMs undergo enterohepatic circulation; On the other hand, CHMs can act on BGUSs directly or indirectly change the distribution and function of BGUSs through reprogramming gut microbiome. The multiple interactions between BGUSs and CHMs may play an important role in the overall therapeutic benefits of CHMs. This work firstly summarizes the latest research progress on BGUSs; then the physiological, pathological and pharmacological significance of BGUSs are exemplified with representative endogenous and exogenous compounds from the aspects of nutrient utilization, metabolic homeostasis, and therapeutic response based on the varied substrate spectra of BGUSs; finally, the scattered data in literature were integrated to summarize the multiple interactions between BGUSs and CHMs, highlighting the important role of BGUSs in the holistic actions of CHMs.

Supplementation of milk polar lipids to obese dams improves neurodevelopment and cognitive function in male offspring.

Milk contains about 4% fat globules with its surface covered by polar lipids. Despite the abundant consumption of dairy products, the biological effects of dietary milk polar lipids on metabolic health have only been sparsely examined. Maternal obesity results in neurodevelopmental disorders and cognitive impairment in offspring. Considering the importance of maternal nutrition, the effects of polar lipids-enriched milk fat globule membrane (MFGM-PL) supplementation to dams during pregnancy and lactation on neurodevelopment and its long-term programming effects on offspring cognition were examined. Female Sprague-Dawley rats consumed 8-week control diet (CON) or high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity before mating. Then, female rats were fed CON or HFD with or without the supplementation of 400 mg/kg body weight MFGM-PL during pregnancy and lactation. The offspring were fed 11-week HFD after weaning. MFGM-PL supplementation to obese dams suppressed body weight gain and hyperinsulinemia in both dams and offspring. Offspring born to obese dams displayed delayed neurological reflexes development, impaired neurogenesis before weaning, and cognitive impairment in adulthood, which were recovered by maternal MFGM-PL supplementation. Insulin resistance and aberrant brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling were induced in the hippocampus of neonatal and adult offspring due to maternal and progeny HFD, but recovered by maternal MFGM-PL administration. This study demonstrates that maternal MFGM-PL supplementation can promote neurodevelopment and exert long-term effects against HFD-induced cognitive impairment in offspring via alleviating hippocampal insulin resistance. Hence, MFGM-PL is a promising ingredient for exerting beneficial programming effects on the brain health of offspring.

Adaptation in the Dorsal Belt and Core Regions of the Auditory Cortex in the Awake Rat.

The rat auditory cortex is divided anatomically into several areas, but little is known about the functional differences in information processing among these areas. Three tonotopically organized core fields, namely, the primary (A1), anterior (AAF), and ventral (VAF) auditory fields, as well as one non-tonotopically organized belt field, the dorsal belt (DB), were identified based on their response properties. Compared to neurons in A1, AAF and VAF, units in the DB exhibited little or no response to pure tones but strong responses to white noise. The few DB neurons responded to pure tones with thresholds greater than 60 dB SPL, which was significantly higher than the thresholds of neurons in the core regions. In response to white noise, units in DB showed significantly longer latency and lower peak response, as well as longer response duration, than those in the core regions. Responses to repeated white noise were also examined. In contrast to neurons in A1, AAF and VAF, DB neurons could not follow repeated stimulation at a 300 ms inter-stimulus interval (ISI) and showed a significant steeper ISI tuning curve slope when the ISI was increased from 300 ms to 4.8 s. These results indicate that the DB processes auditory information on broader spectral and longer temporal scales than the core regions, reflecting a distinct role in the hierarchical cortical pathway.

Effects of Tanreqing Capsule on the negative conversion time of nucleic acid in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Traditional Chinese medicine plays a significant role in the treatment of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Tanreqing Capsule (TRQC) was used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of TRQC in the treatment of COVID-19.@*METHODS@#A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 82 patients who had laboratory-confirmed mild and moderate COVID-19; patients were treated with TRQC in one designated hospital. The treatment and control groups consisted of 25 and 57 cases, respectively. The treatment group was given TRQC orally three times a day, three pills each time, in addition to conventional Western medicine treatments which were also administered to the control group. The clinical efficacy indicators, such as the negative conversion time of pharyngeal swab nucleic acid, the negative conversion time of fecal nucleic acid, the duration of negative conversion of pharyngeal-fecal nucleic acid, and the improvement in the level of immune indicators such as T-cell subsets (CD3, CD4 and CD45) were monitored.@*RESULTS@#COVID-19 patients in the treatment group, compared to the control group, had a shorter negative conversion time of fecal nucleic acid (4 vs. 9 days, P = 0.047) and a shorter interval of negative conversion of pharyngeal-fecal nucleic acid (0 vs. 2 days, P = 0.042). The level of CD3@*CONCLUSION@#Significant reductions in the negative conversion time of fecal nucleic acid and the duration of negative conversion of pharyngeal-fecal nucleic acid were identified in the treatment group as compared to the control group, illustrating the potential therapeutic benefits of using TRQC as a complement to conventional medicine in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19. The underlying mechanism may be related to the improved levels of the immune indicator CD3

Early therapeutic interventions of traditional Chinese medicine in COVID-19 patients: A retrospective cohort study / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the early interventions of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on the conversion time of nucleic acid in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and find possible underlying mechanisms of action.@*METHODS@#A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 300 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were treated with TCM, at a designated hospital in China. The patients were categorized into three groups: TCM1, TCM2 and TCM3, who respectively received TCM interventions within 7, 8-14, and greater than 15 days of hospitalization. Different indicators such as the conversion time of pharyngeal swab nucleic acid, the conversion time of fecal nucleic acid, length of hospital stay, and inflammatory markers (leukocyte count, and lymphocyte count and percentage) were analyzed to observe the impact of early TCM interventions on these groups.@*RESULTS@#The median conversion times of pharyngeal swab nucleic acid in the three groups were 5.5, 7 and 16 d (P < 0.001), with TCM1 and TCM2 being statistically different from TCM3 (P < 0.01). TCM1 (P < 0.05) and TCM3 (P < 0.01) were statistically different from TCM2. The median conversion times of fecal nucleic acid in the three groups were 7, 9 and 17 d (P < 0.001). Conversion times of fecal nucleic acid in TCM1 were statistically different from TCM3 and TCM2 (P < 0.01). The median lengths of hospital stay in the three groups were 13, 16 and 21 d (P < 0.001). TCM1 and TCM2 were statistically different from TCM3 (P < 0.01); TCM1 and TCM3 were statistically different from TCM2 (P < 0.01). Both leucocyte and lymphocyte counts increased gradually with an increase in the length of hospital stay in TCM1 group patients, with a statistically significant difference observed at each time point in the group (P < 0.001). Statistically significant differences in lymphocyte count and percentage in TCM2 (P < 0.001), and in leucocyte count (P = 0.043) and lymphocyte count (P = 0.038) in TCM3 were observed. The comparison among the three groups showed a statistically significant difference in lymphocyte percentage on the third day of admission (P = 0.044).@*CONCLUSION@#In this study, it was observed that in COVID-19 patients treated with a combination of Chinese and Western medicines, TCM intervention earlier in the hospital stay correlated with faster conversion time of pharyngeal swab and fecal nucleic acid, as well as shorter length of hospital stay, thus helping promote faster recovery of the patient. The underlying mechanism of action may be related to improving inflammation in patients with COVID-19.

Study on extraction kinetics of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma: model establishment and investigation of critical process parameters / 中国中药杂志

In this study, Fick's first law and partition equilibrium were used to represent the internal and external mass transfer processes of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma at the macroscopic level, and a mass transfer model was established. The specific surface area was integrated into the mass transfer resistance, which effectively avoided the irregular shape of medicinal materials and expanded the application scope of the model. Meanwhile, the mass transfer model was further combined with the kinetic model of salvia-nolic acid degradation to establish the extraction kinetic models of salvianolic acid B, lithospermic acid and Danshensu. The model was applied to study the extraction process of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. According to the sensitivity analysis results, the relative error of the model prediction was within 5% near the maximum extraction rate(320 min), and the prediction performance of the model was good. According to the investigation results of different process parameters, stirring could significantly accelerate the mass transfer rate of salvianolic acid B, while the mass transfer resistance and degradation rate constant were not affected by solvent-to-solid ratio. The linear relationship between the reciprocal of temperature and the logarithm of mass transfer resistance was good(R~2=0.996), indicating that the temperature and mass transfer resistance conformed to Arrhenius formula. In addition, we also found that the concentration changes of lithospermic acid and Danshensu were weakly affected by mass transferwhen the extraction temperature was higher than 358 K. This study has provided the basis for the process optimization and quality control of traditional Chinese medicine extraction.

Systematic evaluation and sequential Meta-analysis of modified Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with Western medicine in treatment of leiomyoma / 中国中药杂志

CNKI, PubMed and other databases were retrieved to extract eligible randomized controlled trial(RCT) about modified Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction(MXZD) combined with Western medicine(trial group) versus Western medicine alone(control group) in the treatment of leiomyoma. Therefore, a total of 25 RCTs were included, involving 2 328 patients. Bias risk evaluation tool in Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 was used for evaluating the quality of these RCTs. Meta-analysis was performed for the reported indicators, including total efficiency, serum hormone level [progesterone(P), luteinizing hormone(LH), estradiol(E_2), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)], uterine size, fibroids size and adverse reactions by using Stata 14.0 software. Meta-analysis showed that the total efficiency(RR=1.21,95%CI[1.17,1.25],P<0.05) of trial group was better than that of control group. Serum hormone level(WMD_P=-3.86,95%CI[-4.31,-3.41],P<0.05; WMD_(LH)=-3.64,95%CI[-4.47,-2.82],P<0.05; WMD_(E_2)=-39.99,95%CI[-53.45,-26.52],P<0.05; WMD_(FSH)=-3.79,95%CI[-4.86,-2.72],P<0.05), uterine size(WMD=-50.02,95%CI[-55.98,-44.06],P<0.05), fibroids size(WMD=-15.79,95%CI[-18.11,-13.46],P<0.05) and adverse reactions(RR=0.65,95%CI[0.48,0.88],P<0.05) of trial group were all lower than those of control group, with statistical significances. Trial sequential analysis(TSA) was performed by using TSA 0.9 software, and showed a reliable therapeutic effect of the experimental group. In short, our study indicated that modified Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with Western medicine had a better therapeutic effect on leiomyoma than Western medicine alone, but more high-quality studies are needed to verify this conclusion in the future.

Systematic evaluation of efficacy and safety of Songling Xuemaikang Capsules in treatment of essential hypertension / 中国中药杂志

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of essential hypertension. PubMed, VIP, CNKI, Wanfang and other databases were retrieved from the establishment of the database to February 2020 for clinical randomized controlled trial(RCT) about Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of essential hypertension. The literatures were screened out according to the inclusion criteria, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis. A total of 3 100 patients in 27 RCTs were enrolled. According to Meta-analysis, Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine could effectively reduce systolic blood pressure(MD=-7.88,95%CI[-9.68,-6.08],P<0.000 01) and diastolic blood pressure(MD=-7.85, 95%CI[-9.07,-6.62], P<0.000 01), triglyceride(MD=-0.46, 95%CI[-0.66,-0.26], P<0.000 01) and total cholesterol(MD=-0.92, 95%CI[-1.49,-0.35], P=0.001), but increase HDL cholesterol(MD=0.51, 95%CI[0.28, 0.73], P<0.000 01), with a better effect than the Western medicine group alone. The results of LDL-C analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups(MD=-0.91, 95%CI[-1.82, 0.01], P=0.05). The subgroup analysis suggested that reduced systolic blood pressure may be related to the use of ARB. There was a close correlation between CCB drugs and the decrease of diastolic blood pressure. In addition, there was no significant difference in the compliance and the incidence of adverse reactions. Clinical application of Songling Xuemaikang Capsules combined with Western medicine in the treatment of patients with essential hypertension has clear efficacy and certain safety. More clinical randomized controlled trials are needed for verification in the future.

Systematic evaluation and trail sequential analysis of efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Granules in treatment of essential hypertension and its accompanying symptoms / 中国中药杂志

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Granules combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of essential hypertension and its accompanying symptoms. PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, VIP, CNKI, Wanfang, and China biomedical database(CBD) were searched to screen out from the establishment of the database to April 2020 about the clinical randomized controlled trials of Yangxue Qingnao Granules combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of essential hypertension and accompanying symptoms. The articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis. TSA 0.9.5.10 Beta software was used for sequential analysis, and GRADE 3.6 was used for evidence quality evaluation. A total of 4 532 patients were included in 34 randomized controlled trials. Meta-analysis results showed that: Yangxue Qingnao Granules combined with conventional anti-hypertensive agents reduced systolic blood pressure(MD=-10.56, 95%CI[-13.63,-7.50], P<0.000 01) and diastolic blood pressure(MD=-8.21, 95%CI[-10.84,-5.59], P<0.000 01), improved total effective rate(RR=1.21, 95%CI[1.14, 1.29], P<0.000 01), improved patients dizziness(RR=1.29, 95%CI[1.21, 1.37], P<0.000 01), insomnia(RR=1.66, 95%CI[1.44, 1.91], P<0.000 01), headache(RR=1.32, 95%CI[1.21, 1.43], P<0.000 01), chest distress(RR=1.26, 95%CI[1.12, 1.42], P=0.000 1), memory loss(RR=1.24, 95%CI[1.10, 1.40], P=0.000 4), palpitation(RR=1.28, 95%CI[1.17, 1.41], P<0.000 01), and improved traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores(MD=-4.24, 95%CI[-5.25,-3.23], P<0.000 01) and headache symptom improvement scores(MD=-2.02, 95%CI[-2.51,-1.53], P<0.000 01) as compared with Western medicine group alone. Subgroup analysis results showed that Yang-xue Qingnao Granules combined with ACEI drug had more obvious effects in lowering systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions, and no abnormal liver and kidney function was observed in each study. Trial sequential analysis showed that the total effective rate was cumulative across the traditional and TSA thresholds, further confirming its clinical efficacy. The evidence level was mostly low or extremely low in GRADE evaluation. The clinical application of Yangxue Qingnao Granules combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of essential hypertension and its accompanying symptoms is clear and safe, so it is recommended for clinical application.

Status Quo and Analysis of the Cardiovascular Clinical Practice Guidelines/Expert Consensuses of Chinese and Integrative Medicine: A Systematic Review / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To describe and analyze the status quo of cardiovascular clinical practice guidelines or expert consensuses including both Chinese medicine (CM) and integrative medicine, through systematic literatures searching and quality assessment.@*METHODS@#Data bases including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database were searched for published CM or integrative cardiovascular clinical practice guidelines or expert consensuses. The website www. medlive.cn was also retrieved as supplementary. The clinical practice evaluation tool AGREE II was used to assess the quality of included guidelines or consensuses.@*RESULTS@#A total of 31 relevant clinical practice guidelines or expert consensuses were included, covering diagnosis, treatment, Chinese patent and patient fields. Common cardiovascular diseases like coronary heart diseases, heart failure and arrhythmia were also involved. Through analysis it was found that both the quantity and quality of included guidelines have been improved year by year. A total of 4 evidence-based clinical practice guideline has been found, one of which was a guideline project plan. Except that, the remaining 27 reports were all consensus-based guidelines. The scores of each field, from highest to lowest, were clarity of presentation (58%), scope and purpose (54%), stakeholder involvement (28%), rigor of development (21%), applicability (13%) and editorial independence (8%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Although clinical practice guidelines in cardiovascular domain of Chinese have gained increasing concern, with both quantity and quality improved, there is still huge gap in methodology and reporting standards between CM guidelines and international ones. On the one hand, it is essential to improve and standardize the methodology of developing CM guidelines. On the other hands, the evaluation system of evidence and recommendation with CM characters should be developed urgently.