Shenling Baizhusan Improves Spermatogenesis in Hyperuricemia Oligoasthenospermia Mice by Regulating Nrf2/ARE Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Shenling Baizhusan on the treatment of oligoasthenospermia with hyperuricemia （HUA）. MethodThirty-two male Kunming （KM） mice were randomly divided into blank group （n=6）， model group （n=6）， high-dose Shenling Baizhusan group （n=7）， low-dose Shenling Baizhusan group （n=7）， and febuxostat group （n=6）. Except for the blank group， all other groups received intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxazinate suspension （600 mg·kg-1） for 7 days. After modeling， the high-dose Shenling Baizhusan group and the low-dose Shenling Baizhusan group were orally administered with 20.14 g·kg-1 and 10.07 g·kg-1 of Shenling Baizhusan， respectively. The Febuxostat group was orally administered with 0.25 g·kg-1 of Febuxostat， while the blank group and model group were orally administered with the same volume of physiological saline. Oral administration was performed once a day for 14 consecutive days， after which samples were collected. Biochemical methods were used to measure serum uric acid （UA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） in testicular tissue. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in testicular tissue and evaluate the spermatogenesis function. Automated sperm analyzer was used to measure sperm density and motility. Single-cell gel electrophoresis （SCGE） was used to assess sperm DNA integrity. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） was used to detect testicular cell apoptosis rate. Western blot analysis was performed to measure the protein expression levels of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 （Keap1）， nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and Caspase-3 in testicular tissue. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was conducted to evaluate the mRNA expression levels of Keap1， Nrf2， and HO-1 in testicular tissue. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed elevated serum UA level （P<0.01）， decreased testicular spermatogenesis function， sperm density， and motility （P<0.01）， and increased sperm trailing rate and testicular cell apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose Shenling Baizhusan group showed significant improvements in the above-mentioned indicators （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Additionally， the expression levels of Keap1， Bax， and Caspase-3 in testicular tissue were reduced， while the expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and Bcl-2 increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The mRNA level of Keap1 decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionShenling Baizhusan can significantly improve HUA oligoasthenospermia， and its mechanism may be related to the Nrf2/antioxidant response element （ARE） signaling pathway.

Determination of components in Radix paeoniae rubra based on QAMS.

The current study aimed to establish simple and quick quality evaluation method of Chishao based on QAMS. Oxypaeoniflorin is used as a marker in the Chishao root. Based on it, the content of other components could be obtained by establishing the mathematical relationship. UPLC method was used to collect data, and the detection wavelengths were 230nm (benzoic acid, paeoniflorin), 263nm (hydroxy paeoniflorin) 274nm (gallic acid, paeoniflorin, catechin), respectively. The stationary phase was an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 and the mobile phase was acetonitrile -0.1% formic acid-water. The gradient elution method was adopted at the certain flow rate (0.3 mL/min). The column temperature set 40oC, and the injection volume was 1µL. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was selected for data collection. The linear ranges of benzoic acid, paeoniflorin, hydroxy-paeoniflorin, gallic acid, catechin and paeoniflorinhad good linearity (r ≥0.9995). The UPLC method was established to determine the content of paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, catechin, gallic acid, paeoniflorin, andhydroxy-paeoniflorin in Radix Paeoniae Rubra. In the current study, the method for the chemical components in Radix Paeoniae Rubra to provide the evaluation basis of medicinal effects.

Practice and thinking on teaching reform of Chinese medicine course Acupuncture-moxibustion Therapeutics based on "trinity" comprehensive evaluation / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Guided by the emphasis on learning process, the educational reform has designed a "trinity" comprehensive evaluation system (quantitative clinical practice, in-class medical record analysis, and staged comprehensive written test) as the formative evaluation of the course. Through this assessment system, students' self-learning potential is stimulated, clinical skills practice is strengthened, and "taking exams to promote learning and taking exams to promote teaching" is realized. In the practice of teaching reform, it has been found that compared with the conventional teaching class, the students in the teaching reform class have higher participation and are more satisfied with the process assessment of the "trinity" comprehensive evaluation system.

Research progress on Astragali Radix and prediction of its quality markers (Q-markers) / 中国中药杂志

Astragali Radix, a medicinal herb for invigorating Qi, has anti-aging, anti-tumor, immunoregulatory, blood sugar-and lipid-lowering, anti-fibrosis, anti-radiation and other pharmacological effects. This article reviewed the studies about the chemical components and pharmacological effects of Astragali Radix. According to the theory of quality markers(Q-markers) of Chinese medicinal materials, we predicted the Q-markers of Astragali Radix from traditional efficacy, chemical component validity, measurability, plant phylogeny, and pharmacokinetis. The results showed that total polysaccharides, flavonoids(e.g., calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, formononetin, calycosin, quercetin, and ononin), and saponins(e.g., astragalosides Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ) can be taken as the main Q-markers. This review lays a foundation for regulating the quality research and standard establishment of Astragali Radix, and benefits the control and quality supervision of the production process of Astragali Radix and its related products.

Material basis and molecular mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in activating blood:based on computer-aided drug design / 中国中药杂志

Angelicae Sinensis Radix excels in activating blood, but the scientific mechanism has not been systematically analyzed, thus limiting the development of the medicinal. This study employed the computer-aided drug design methods, such as structural similarity-based target reverse prediction, complex network analysis, molecular docking, binding free energy calculation, cluster analysis, and ADMET(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) calculation, and enzyme activity assay in vitro, to explore the components and mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in activating blood. Target reverse prediction and complex network analysis yielded 40 potential anticoagulant targets of the medicinal. Gene Ontology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the targets mainly acted on the complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathway to exert the anticoagulant function. Among them, the key enzymes thrombin(THR) and coagulation factor Xa(FXa) in coagulation cascade and thrombosis were the drug targets for thromboembolic diseases. At the same time, molecular docking and cluster analysis showed that the medicinal had high selectivity for FXa. According to binding free energy score, 8 potential active components were selected for enzyme activity assay in vitro. The results demonstrated that 8 components inhibited THR and FXa, and the inhibition was stronger on FXa than on THR. The pharmacophore model of 8 active compounds was constructed, which suggested that the components had the common pharmacophore AAHH. The ADMET calculation result indicated that they had good pharmacokinetic properties and were safe. Based on target reverse prediction, complex network analysis, molecular docking and binding free energy calculation, anticoagulant activity in vitro, spatial binding conformation of molecules and targets, pharmacophore model construction, and ADMET calculation, this study preliminarily clarified the material basis and molecular mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in activating blood from the perspective of big data, and calculated the pharmacology and toxicology parameters of the active components. Our study, for the first time, revealed that the medicinal had obvious selectivity and pertinence for different coagulation proteins, reflecting the unique effect of different Chinese medicinals and the biological basis. Therefore, this study can provide clues for precision application of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and the development of the blood-activating components with modern technology.

Effect of Electro-acupuncture on Expression of IRS-1/PI3K/GLUT4 Pathway in Ovarian Granulosa Cells of Infertile Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Insulin Resistance of Phlegm-Dampness Syndrome / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) in infertile patients with phlegm-dampness polycystic ovary syndrome-insulin resistance (PCOS-IR).@*METHODS@#Seventy-six PCOS-IR patients who underwnet in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were equally assigned to two groups according to a random digital table: the EA group and the control group, with 38 cases in each group. Before undergoing IVF, the two groups were treated with EA or pseudo-acupuncture, respectively, for 3 menstrual cycles. The intervention was 25 min twice a week until the day of oocyte collection. The selected acupoints were Zhongwan (RN 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Daheng (SP 15), Daimai (GB 26), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), and bilateral points including Xuehai (SP 10), Fenglong (ST 40), Zusanli (ST 36), and Yinlingquan (SP 9). Evaluation of phlegm-dampness syndrome score and IR score were carried out before and after treatment. Additionally, the number of oocytes retrieved, transplantable embryo rate, high-quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were compared between the two groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to monitor the mRNA expression of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositiol 3-kinase (PI3K) and glucose transport factor 4 (GLUT4) in ovarian granulosa cells.@*RESULTS@#EA treatment reduced the phlegm-dampness syndrome score as well as the IR scores compared with the control group (P0.05). Moreover, the transplantable embryo rate [49.0% (284/580) vs. 41.9% (273/652)], high-quality embryo rate [36.6% (104/284) vs. 27.8% (76/273)], and live birth rate [50% (19/38) vs. 26.3% (10/38)] in the EA group were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Gene expression analyses revealed significantly elevated IRS-1, PI3K and GLUT4 mRNA in ovarian granulosa cells of the EA group compared with the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EA may ameliorate the effects of phlegm-dampness syndrome and ovarian IR in PCOS-IR patients. Mechanistically, this effect might be through an upregulation of the IRS-1/PI3K/GLUT4 signaling pathway, which may result in improved oocyte quality and embryonic development potential. (Registration No. ChiCTR1800015453).

Effects of the composite of buckwheat-oat-pea on blood glucose in diabetic rats / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of buckwheat-oat-pea (BOP) composite flour [buckwheat ∶ oats ∶ peas=6 ∶ 1 ∶ 1 (quality ratio)] on blood glucose in diabetic rats.@*METHODS@#In this study, 64 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 8 groups by fasting blood glucose (FBG) and body weight: normal control group, model control group, metformin group, buckwheat group, oats group, BOP low-dose group (BOP-L), medium-dose group (BOP-M), and high-dose group (BOP-H). The rats in the normal control group were fed with normal diet, the rats in the model control group and metformin group were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD), and the rats in the buckwheat group, oats group, and BOP-L, BOP-M, BOP-H groups were fed with HFD containing 10% buckwheat flour, 10% oat flour, 3.3% BOP, 10% BOP, 30% BOP, respectively. The HFD in all the groups had the same percentage of energy from fat (45%). After 30 days, the rats fed with HFD received intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (30 mg/kg, once a week for two weeks) to establish diabetes mellitus. After the model was successful established, the rats were fed for another 28 days. During the study, the body weight, food intake/body weight (FI/BW) and water intake/body weight (WI/BW), food utilization rate, 24 h urine volume, FBG, glucose area under curve (GAUC) of oral glucose tolerance test were measured regularly. At the end of the study, the fasting serum glucose and insulin were measured, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated.@*RESULTS@#With the inducing of HFD and streptozotocin, compared with the normal control group, the rats in the model control group had higher FI/BW, WI/BW, 24 h urine volume, FBG, GAUC, HOMA-IR (P < 0.05), and lower body weight, food utilization rate (P < 0.05). Compared with the model control group, the rats in the three BOP groups all had higher body weight, food utilization rate (P < 0.05), and lower WI/BW, HOMA-IR (P < 0.05); the rats in the BOP-L and BOP-M groups had lower FI/BW, 24 h urine volume, FBG (P < 0.05), and the rats in the BOP-M group also had lower GAUC (P < 0.05). After the establishment of diabetes, there was no significant difference in blood glucose and the other indicators between the rats in the three BOP groups and the buckwheat group or the oats group (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The BOP had the effects of reducing blood glucose, insulin resistance and diabetic symptoms on diabetic rats, and had the value for further development and utilization.

Military-related posttraumatic stress disorder and mindfulness meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant global mental health concern, especially in the military. This study aims to estimate the efficacy of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of military-related PTSD, by synthesizing evidences from randomized controlled trials.@*METHODS@#Five electronic databases (Pubmed, EBSCO Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and Cochrane Library) were searched for randomized controlled trials focusing on the treatment effect of mindfulness meditation on military-related PTSD. The selection of eligible studies was based on identical inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information about study characteristics, participant characteristics, intervention details, PTSD outcomes, as well as potential adverse effects was extracted from the included studies. Risk of bias of all the included studies was critically assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. R Statistical software was performed for data analysis.@*RESULTS@#A total of 1902 records were initially identified and screened. After duplicates removal and title & abstract review, finally, 19 articles in English language with 1326 participants were included through strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results revealed that mindfulness meditation had a significantly larger effect on alleviating military-related PTSD symptoms compared with control conditions, such as treatment as usual, present-centered group therapy and PTSD health education (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.33; 95% CI [-0.45, -0.21]; p < 0.0001). Mindfulness interventions with different control conditions (active or non-active control, SMD = -0.33, 95% CI [-0.46, -0.19]; SMD = -0.49, 95% CI [-0.88, -0.10], respectively), formats of delivery (group-based or individual-based, SMD = -0.30, 95% CI [-0.42, -0.17], SMD = -0.49, 95% CI [-0.90, -0.08], respectively) and intervention durations (short-term or standard duration, SMD = -0.27, 95% CI [-0.46, -0.08], SMD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.21], respectively) were equally effective in improving military-related PTSD symptoms.@*CONCLUSION@#Findings from this meta-analysis consolidate the efficacy and feasibility of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of military-related PTSD. Further evidence with higher quality and more rigorous design is needed in the future.

Anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix in LPS-induced inflammation mouse model / 中国中药杂志

This paper aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix in a lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation mouse model and its regulation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. The ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix was separated and purified on the macroporous adsorption resin and its main chemical components were identified by UPLC-QE/MS. The identification results showed that the top ten components of ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix were mainly chromones and coumarins. A mouse model of inflammation induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS was used to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix after intragastric administration for seven successive days. Mice in all groups except for the control group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of LPS(0.015 g·kg~(-1)) one hour after the last administration, and twelve hours later, the blood was sampled and separated and the broncoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) was collected. The levels of nitric oxide(NO), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6), and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in mouse serum and BALF were detected by ELISA. The harvested lung tissue was stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE) for observing the pathological changes, followed by the detection of protein expression levels of related molecules in TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway by Western blotting. The results showed that the ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix significantly ameliorated the pathological conditions in lung tissue of model mice, reversed the increase in NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels of mouse serum and BALF, down-regulated the protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor(MyD88), and phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor κB-p65/nuclear transcription factor κB-p65(P-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65), and up-regulated the NF-κB inhibitory protein α(IκBα). The ethanol extract from Saposhnikoviae Radix exhibited a good anti-inflammatory effect in the LPS-induced acute inflammation muse model, which might be related to the inhibition of the activation of TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Chromones and coumarins have been proved to be the active components for its anti-inflammatory effects.

Effect of total saponins from Panax japonicus on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by regulating autophagy / 中国中药杂志

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) was induced by high-sugar and high-fat diet in mice to investigate the intervention effect of total saponins from Panax japonicus(TSPJ) and explore its possible mechanism. Mice were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet to establish NASH model, and intervened with different doses of TSPJ(15, 45 mg·kg~(-1)). The animals were fed for 26 weeks. The histomorphology and pathological changes of liver tissues were observed by HE staining. The transcriptional expression levels of miR-199 a-5 p, autophagy related gene 5(ATG5) and inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) in mouse liver were measured by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). Western blot was used to detect the expression of autophagy-related proteins ATG5, P62/SQSTM1(P62), and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3(LC3)-I/Ⅱ proteins in mouse liver. The expression of P62 protein was detected by immunofluorescence staining. In order to verify the targeting regulation relationship between miR-199 a-5 p and ATG5, miR mimic/inhibitor NC and miR-199 a-5 p mimic/inhibitor were transfected into Hepa 1-6 cells, and the expression of ATG5 mRNA and protein was detected. pMIR-reportor ATG5-3'UTR luciferase reporter gene plasmid was constructed and co-transfected with miR mimic/inhibitor NC and miR-199 a-5 p mimic/inhibitor into Hepa 1-6 cells to detect luciferase activity. In vivo, HE staining in the model group showed typical fatty degeneration and inflammatory infiltration, with increased expression of miR-199 a-5 p and decreased expression of ATG5 mRNA and protein. The expression of autophagy-associated protein P62 increased significantly, the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ decreased, and the transcriptional expression of inflammatory factors increased significantly. After the intervention by TSPJ, the pathological performance of liver tissue was significantly improved, the expression of miR-199 a-5 p decreased and the expression of ATG5 mRNA and protein increased, the expression of autophagy-associated protein P62 decreased significantly, the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ increased, and the transcriptional expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α decreased significantly. In vitro, it was found that the expression of ATG5 mRNA and protein and luciferase activity decreased significantly in miR-199 a-5 p overexpression cells, while after inhibition of miR-199 a-5 p expression, the expression level of ATG5 mRNA and protein and luciferase activity increased. The results showed that TSPJ can improve NASH in mice fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of miR-199 a-5 p/ATG5 signal pathway, the regulation of autophagy activity and the improvement of inflammatory response of NASH.

Mechanism of Jingfang Granules in relieving alcohol and protecting liver based on bioinformatics technology / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the potential mechanism of Jingfang Granules in relieving alcohol and protecting liver by network pharmacology and molecular docking and verified the effects and related pathways by animal experiments. The active components of Jingfang Granules were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). Targets of drugs and diseases were obtained from PubChem, Swiss Target Prediction and CTD. The common targets were uploaded to STRING to plot the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network. The core targets were screened out and the target organs were identified by Bio GPS and Metascape, followed by Gene Ontology(GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis of common targets. The acute drunk mouse model was established and the effects of Jingfang Granules on serum ethanol level and the expression of proteins related to the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3 K)/protein kinase B(Akt) signaling pathway in the liver tissue of mice were observed. A total of 187 active components of Jingfang Granules were obtained, including 47 common targets with alcoholic liver injury. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis showed that Jingfang Granules might play the role of relieving alcohol and protecting liver through the PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway. The drug-component-target and component-target-pathway networks revealed that the important active components of Jingfang Granules in relieving alcohol and protecting liver included quercetin, 5-O-methylvisamminol, glyasperin M, glyasperin B and hederagenin. Molecular docking showed that the active components had a good affinity with AKT1, EGFR, ESR1 and PTGS2. Experimental results showed that Jingfang Granules(15 and 10. 5 g·kg-1) could significantly reduce the content of serum ethanol in mice and up-regulate the protein expression ratios of p-PI3 K/PI3 K and p-Akt/Akt in the liver tissue. Jingfang Granules could relieve alcohol and protect liver through multi-component and multitarget, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway.

Clinical research progress in treatment of shoulder hand syndrome afterstroke with characteristic acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training / 国际中医中药杂志

The method of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in the treatment of shoulder hand syndrome after stroke is reliablet, quick, with simple operation and less adverse reactions. Among them, characteristic acupuncture could focus on the targeted points with obvious effect than ordinary acupuncture, and the combination with rehabilitation training could greatly improve the curative effect. However, there still exist some problems in the current research, such as the difficulty of conducting blind clinical trials of acupuncture therapy; the lack of follow-up data in the evaluation of curative effect, the uncertainty of long-term curative effect; the small sample size of clinical research, etc., so multi-centered and large sample RCT research are still needed.

[Effect of Panax japonicus saponin â £a on alleviating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by regulating miR-17-5p/MFN2 signaling pathway].

To study the effect of Panax japonicas saponin Ⅳa(SPJ-Ⅳa) on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) through miR-17-5 p/MFN2 signaling pathway. The nonalcoholic steatohepatitis model was induced by a high-fat diet combined with CCl_4 in Balb/c male mice. The mouse serum and liver were collected, the body weight and liver weight were measured, the liver index was calculated, and the serum biochemical indicators alanine amino transferase(ALT), triglyceride(TG), and glucose(Glu) were measured. The morphological changes in the liver were detected by HE and Masson staining, Real-time PCR was used to detect lipid metabolism-related genes, inflammation-related genes interleukin-6(IL-6) and interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), miR-17-5 p and MFN2 expressions, and Western blot was used to detect MFN2 protein expression level. Compared with the normal control group, the liver index in the HFD+CCl_4 group was significantly increased, and the contents of ALT, TG, and Glu were significantly increased; the morphology showed obvious steatosis and collagen fiber deposition; mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes, inflammation-related genes and miR-17-5 p increased significantly, the mRNA expression level of MFN2 decreased significantly, and the protein level of MFN2 decreased. After intervention with SPJ-Ⅳa, the levels of ALT, TG and Glu decreased, morphological steatosis decreased, collagen fiber deposition decreased, and mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes, inflammation-related genes and miR-17-5 p decreased. The mRNA expression level of MFN2 increased, and the protein level of MFN2 also increased. The results of this study indicated that miR-17-5 p/MFN2 signaling pathway may be involved in the occurrence and development of NASH, and SPJ-Ⅳa had a protective effect on NASH, its mechanism may be related to the regulation of miR-17-5 p/MFN2 signaling pathway.

Design and application of a new magnetic joint for electroacupuncture instrument / 中国针灸

Combined with the material characteristics of acupuncture needle, new connection technology and injection moulding technology, and through mechanical test, a new type of magnetic joint for electroacupuncture instrument, with regular appearance and simple manufacturing process, is developed, which can be connected with acupuncture needle in close range. This joint is composed of the inner magnet joint and the outer joint protective sleeve. The new conductive adhesive is used to simplify the manufacturing process. Its advantages include connection with acupuncture needle by magnetic force, being convenient to store when idle and easy to switch to the working state, and quick disconnection in case of emergency. This joint is connected safely and firmly with acupuncture needle by magnetic force, which shortens the operation time, improves the working efficiency, and effectively solves the problems existing in the crocodile clip connector.

Effect of electronic moxibustion on memory function in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electronic moxibustion on memory function in the patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).@*METHODS@#A total of 59 aMCI patients were randomized into an electronic moxibustion group (30 cases) and a placebo moxibustion group (29 cases). In the electronic moxibustion group, the electronic moxibustion was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Mingmen (GV 4) and Taixi (KI 3), 45 ℃ in temperature, 20 min each time. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week. The treatment for 4 weeks was as one course and 2 courses were required totally. In the placebo moxibustion group, the moxa-free patch was used, 38 ℃ in temperature. The acupoint selection and the treatment frequency were same as the electronic moxibustion group. Before and after treatment, Rivermead behavior memory test (RBMT) was adopted to evaluate the global memory function of the patients in the two groups and the N-back task test was adopted to evaluate working memory function separately. Additionally, the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and its immediate memory, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and its delay recall were adopted to evaluate the global cognitive function and memory function@*RESULTS@#In the electronic moxibustion group, after treatment, RBMT score, N-back accuracy rates, MMSE and MoCA scores and the scores of immediate memory and delay recall were improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (<0.01). In the placebo moxibustion group, the accuracy rates of 1-back and 2-back task and the scores of immediate memory and delay recall were improved obviously as compared with those before treatment (<0.05, <0.01). After treatment, the improvements of RBMT score, the accuracy rates of N-back task and MMSE and MoCA scores in the electronic moxibustion group were higher than those in the placebo moxibustion group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Electronic moxibustion improves memory function in the patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Study on mechanism of curcumin in treatment of acute pancreatitis based on regulation of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway by miR-198 / 中国中药杂志

Curcumin was used to interfere with acute pancreatitis model rats to explore its possible mechanism. One hundred and twenty rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, model+curcumin group, model+mock+curcumin group, model+antagonist+curcumin group and model+curcumin+LY294002 group, with 20 rats in each group. The wet/dry weight ratio of pancreatic tissue was measured and the pathological changes of pancreas were observed by HE staining. The apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining; the levels of serum amylase, lipase, Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by ELISA, and the levels of PI3 K, Akt and p-Akt in pancreatic tissue were measured by Western blot. HE staining showed that curcumin could improve the pathological changes of pancreas and reduce the pathological score of pancreas, while ELISA results showed that curcumin could decrease the levels of amylase, lipase and Bax in peripheral serum and increase the concentration of Bcl-2. Western blot results showed that the expression levels of PI3 K and p-Akt in pancreatic tissue of model rats were up-regulated after the intervention of curcumin, and the apoptosis rate of pancreatic cells decreased in TUNEL staining. The above effects could be weakened by miR-198 antagonist and PI3 K-Akt signal pathway inhibitor LY294002. In conclusion, curcumin has an ideal effect on acute pancreatitis, and its mechanism may be mediated by miR-198-PI3 K-Akt axis.

Study on mechanisms of anti-Alzheimer's disease action of absorbed components of Gardeniae Fructus based on network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

Gardeniae Fructus has the traditional effects of promoting intelligence and inducing resuscitation, but its mechanism is unclear. In this study, the relationship between Gardeniae Fructus's traditional effect of promoting intelligence and inducing resuscitation and anti-Alzheimer's disease effect was taken as the starting point to investigate the anti-Alzheimer's disease mechanism of the major absorbed components in Gardeniae Fructus by the network pharmacology method. The network pharmacology research model of "absorbed composition-target-pathway-disease" was adopted. In this study, the active components screening and target prediction technology were used to determine the active components and targets of Gardeniae Fructus in treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The enrichment pathway and biological process of Gardeniae Fructus were studied by using the bioinformatics annotation database(DAVID), and the results of molecular docking validation network analysis were used to elaborate the mechanism of Gardeniae Fructus in treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It was found that 35 absorbed components of Gardeniae Fructus not only regulated 48 targets such as cholines-terase(BCHE) and carbonic anhydrase 2(CA2), but also affected 11 biological processes(e.g. transcription factor activity, nuclear receptor activity, steroid hormone receptor activity, amide binding and peptide binding) and 7 metabolic pathways(MAPK signaling pathway, Alzheimer disease and estrogen signaling pathway, etc.). Molecular docking results showed that more than 60% of the active components could be well docked with key targets, and the relevant literature also showed that the active components could inhibit the MAPK1 expression of key targets, indicating a high reliability of results. These results indicated that Gardeniae Fructus may play its anti-Alzheimer's disease action via a "multi-ingredients-multi-targets and multi-pathways" mode, providing a scientific basis for further drug research and development.

Analysis of classical prescription Jinshui Liujun Jian based on ancient literature / 中国中药杂志

To provide the ancient literary evidence support for the clinical application and development of classical prescription based on systematical collection and analysis of the ancient Chinese medical literature containing Jinshui Liujun Jian, including its origin and development. Bibliometric analysis was used and information of Jinshui Liujun Jian in ancient Chinese medical literature was then collected for statistical analysis of formula compositions, main indications, dosage, preparation methods, etc. A total of 151 valid items of data were obtained from 48 ancient Chinese medicine books. Jinshui Liujun Jian was first recorded in Jingyue Quanshu written by ZHANG Jiebin. This prescription consisted of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Pinelliae Rhizome, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Poria and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome Praeparata cum Melle, and it was mainly used to treat the deficiency of lung and kidney, edema and excess production of phlegm, or Yin deficiency in the old, insufficient blood-qi, wind-cold evil, cough and disgusting, asthma and excessive phlegm. Doctors in later dynasties mostly followed the prescription compositions, dosages and indications in Jingyue Quanshu, and extended the clinical application of this prescription.

Clinical Efficacy of Xuanfei Huazhuo Prescription on 40 Cases of COVID-19 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription in the treatment of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Method:A total of 40 patients with COVID-19 were selected and treated with Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription. The changes of body temperature, clinical symptoms, computed tomography (CT), blood routine and biochemical indexes were observed before and after treatment. Result:The 40 patients included 15 males and 25 females, with a male to female ratio of 1∶1.7. They were aged between 20-94 years old, with the average age of （43.9±16.3） years old. The course of disease was 8-23 days, with the average of （14±4.4） days. Compared with before administration, the patients' clinical symptoms, such as cough, fever, sputum, diarrhea, loss of appetite and fatigue, were all improved (P<0.05). Before treatment the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes of patients were mainly cold dampness lung (57.5%) and cold dampness Lung (42.5%), and the tongue coating was mainly white greasy coating (52.9%). After adjuvant treatment with Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription, the fever removal time was (2.48±2.56) days; white blood cell (WBC), lymphocyte percentage (LYM%), neutrophil percentage (NEUT%), absolute value of lymphocytes (LYM #) indexes of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), total bilirubin (TBIL), ratio of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase to glutamic pyruvic transaminase (AST/ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were basically restored to the normal range (P<0.05) compared with before administration. After adjuvant treatment with Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription, the results of three pharyngeal test virus nucleic acid tests were negative, and the lung CT showed that infected lesions were absorbed and all met the discharge criteria. All 40 patients met the discharge criteria and were all cured and discharged, with a cure rate of 100%. There has been no case of recurrence with a positive result of nucleic acid detection so far. The score of symptom and clinical index of patients after administration was （1.62±1.90）, which was significantly lower than that before administration (7.65±4.08, P<0.05). Conclusion:In the adjuvant treatment of COVID-19, Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription can reduce body temperature, promote the absorption of pulmonary inflammation, and improve clinical symptoms, such as fever and cough.

Analysis of "Gansu Prescriptions" in Prevention and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease-2019 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious disease caused by a 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection. It is highly contagious, and can spread quickly home and abroad. It has caused a global pandemic. After the outbreak, Gansu province actively responded to the national "integrated Chinese and western medicine(ICWM)" epidemic prevention policy by organizing an expert group on the prevention and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and establishing a joint working mechanism of ICWM. In adherence to the principle of ICWM, it highlighted the advantages of TCM in epidemic prevention, and emphasized early, timely and whole course use of TCM. The expert group continued to summarize in practice and form a series of "Gansu prescriptions", so as to explore the prevention and control strategy of "prevention in advance, timely interruption and reversal, early prevention and cure, and cure in early stage". Before illness, the prevention shall be made in advance by taking Fuzheng Biwen prescription based on constitution differentiation, in order to strengthen the body resistance and removing pathogenic Qi, after the onset, the syndromes were first treated, interrupted and reversed, and Xuanfei Huazhuo prescription and Qingfei Tongluo prescription were administered based on syndrome differentiation, so as to exorcise pathogenic Qi and cure COVID-19 at the early stage, at the beginning stage of recovery, Jianpi Yifei prescription was used to strengthen the spleen and lungs, and harmonize the stomach and resolve dampness, so as to prevent recurrence. In the principle of ICWM, "Gansu prescriptions" were selected based on the constitution differentiation and syndrome differentiation, so as to prevent the occurrence of epidemics, block light and common symptoms from developing to heavy and critical symptoms, improve the clinical efficacy, shorten the course of disease, and reduce the incidence of critical illness, thereby reducing mortality.