Meta-analysis of traditional Chinese medicine on chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: Databases were used for literature research until 16 December 2022, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Embase. After full-text screening, data were extracted by two researchers independently. The Cochrane ROB tool was applied for quality assessment. The heterogeneity was tested using the Chi-squared-based Q statistic test and the I2 statistic. RESULTS: The findings revealed that the use of TCM significantly improved the total effective rate (pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.15, 1.57]), reduced the serum creatinine (SCr) level (pooled mean difference (MD) = -0.11, 95% CI = [-0.20, -0.03]), and increased the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, pooled MD = 3.76, 95% CI = [2.66, 4.87]) in patients with CKD, compared with non-TCM treatment. Meanwhile, TCM performed better effect on 24-h proteinuria (pooled MD = 0.17, 95% CI = [0.04, 0.31]) than non-TCM. No significant difference in the incidence of adverse events was found between TCM and non-TCM treatment (pooled OR = 0.63, 95% CI = [0.32, 1.24]). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the stability of the pooled estimates. CONCLUSION: TCM has the advantage over non-TCM treatment and is worth popularizing and applying in the prevention and cure of CKD. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021279281.

Efficacy of the combination of Chinese herbal medicine and negative pressure wound therapy in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcer: A meta-analysis.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine combined with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Computerised searches of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase databases were conducted for randomised controlled trials on the use of Chinese herbal medicines combined with NPWT for the treatment of DFU. The search period ranged from the time of establishment of each database to July 2023. Literature screening and data extraction were performed independently by two investigators, and the quality of the included studies was assessed. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. A total of 25 studies were analysed, including 1777 DFUs, with 890 and 887 patients in the experimental and control groups, respectively. The results showed that the treatment of DFUs with a Chinese herbal medicine in combination with NPWT increased the overall effectiveness (odds ratio [OR] = 4.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.96-6.30, p < 0.001), wound healing rate (mean difference [MD] = 18.35, 95% CI: 13.07-23.64, p < 0.001) and ankle brachial index (MD = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.06-0.14, p < 0.001); reduced the wound healing time (MD = -11.01, 95% CI: -13.25 to -8.78, p < 0.001) and post-treatment wound area (MD = -1.73, 95% CI: -2.46 to -1.01, p < 0.001); decreased the C-reactive protein level (MD = -3.57, 95% CI: -5.13 to -2.00, p < 0.001); and increased vascular endothelial growth factor level (MD = 19.20, 95% CI: 8.36-30.05, p < 0.001). Thus, Chinese herbal medicines combined with NPWT can effectively promote wound healing, reduce inflammation and shorten the disease course in patients with DFU, while demonstrating precise clinical efficacy.

Changes in key aroma-active compounds and sensory characteristics of sunflower oils induced by seed roasting.

This study investigated the changes in aroma composition and perception of sunflower oils induced by seed roasting using sensory-oriented flavor analysis. Volatile compounds were extracted by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation and headspace solid-phase microextraction. Odorants were characterized by gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry and aroma extract dilution analysis. The cold-pressed and roasted sunflower oils contained 13 and 50 odorants, respectively, with the flavor dilution factors between 1 and 256. Fifty-six odorants were newly identified in sunflower oils. Quantification of 26 important odorants by the external standard method revealed apparent changes induced by seed roasting in loss of terpenes, formation of Maillard reaction products, and the increase in lipid oxidation products. The most important odorants (odor active values, OAVs = 1-1857) in the cold-pressed sunflower oil included α-pinene (11,145 µg/kg), ß-pinene (4068 µg/kg), linalool (56 µg/kg), hexanal (541 µg/kg), octanal (125 µg/kg), α-phellandrene (36 µg/kg), and (E)-2-octenal (69 µg/kg), contributing to the raw sunflower seed, woody, green, earthy, and sweet aromas of the oil. The most important contributors (OAVs = 1-884) to the roasted, smoky, and burnt aromas of the roasted sunflower oil were 2- and 3-methylbutanal (6726 and 714 µg/kg), 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (2329 µg/kg), 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (12,228 µg/kg), 2,3-dimethylpyrazine (238 µg/kg), 2,3-pentanedione (1456 µg/kg), 2-pentylfuran (1332 µg/kg), 2,3-dimethyl-5-ethylpyrazine (213 µg/kg), and 1-pentanol (693 µg/kg). Aroma recombination of the key odorants in odorless sunflower oil adequately mimicked the general aroma profiles of sunflower oils. This study provides an important foundation for understanding the relationship between oil processing and aroma molecules of sunflower oils. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The clear changes observed in the composition and concentrations of key aroma compounds explained the changes in sensory characteristics of sunflower seed oils induced by seed roasting on a molecular basis. Characterizing the key aroma-active composition of sunflower oil and investigating its relationship with oil processing could provide important practical applications for the sunflower oil industry in flavor regulation, quality control, product development, and process optimization.