The effect of externally applied traditional Chinese medicine in diabetic foot: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 RCTs.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of externally applied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on diabetic foot. METHODS: We searched the China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Wanfang Database, PubMed and Web of Science from inception to July 31, 2022, to find all randomized control trials (RCTs) related to externally applied TCMs in diabetic foot treatment. Information about the total effective rate, healing rate, and healing time were extracted. In addition, the relative risk (RR)/odds ratio (OR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: Finally, a total of 34 RCTs including 3758 patients were included in this meta-analysis. There were 5 articles that reported hydropathic compress with astrogalin, 14 articles that reported MEBO burn cream, 9 articles that reported compound cortex phellodendri liquid and 6 articles that reported Shengji Yuhong ointment. Compared with the basic treatment, the externally applied TCM (astrogalin, MEBO burn cream, compound cortex phellodendri liquid and Shengji Yuhong ointment) combined with basic treatment improved the total effective rate (RR = 1.31 [1.20, 1.42], P < 0.0001) and healing rate (RR = 1.84 [1.56, 2.17], P < 0.0001) and shortened the healing time (SMD = - 2.51 [- 3.39, - 1.63], P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that common TCM applied externally could significantly improve the clinical efficacy comparing to the basic treatment.

Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of Qizhi Xiangfu Pills Based on Quantitative Analysis of Multi-Components by a Single Marker Combined with GC Fingerprints and Chemometrics.

BACKGROUND: Qizhi Xiangfu Pills (QXPs) are a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used clinically for qi stagnation and blood stasis. The current quality control of QXPs in the ministry standards and the reported literature is minimal, and requires improvement. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze and determine the active ingredients in QXPs for its overall evaluation. METHODS: In this study, a quantitative analysis of multi-components by a single marker (QAMS) method was established to simultaneously determine caryophyllene oxide, cyperotundone, ligustilide, and α-cyperone in QXPs by GC. Moreover, the GC fingerprints of 22 batches of samples were also established, and the common peaks were initially identified by GC-MS, then classified in various dimensions using chemometric methods, and the main markers causing the discrepancies between groups were analyzed by orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). RESULTS: Compared with an internal standard method (ISM), the determination results obtained by QAMS had no significant difference. Twenty-two common peaks were distinguished in the fingerprint of 22 batches of QXPs, 17 of which were identified, and the similarity of the fingerprints was greater than 0.898. The 22 batches of QXPs were roughly divided into 3 categories, and 12 main markers causing the discrepancies were discovered. CONCLUSION: The established QAMS method combined with the GC fingerprint and chemometrics is convenient and feasible, which helps to improve the quality evaluation of QXPs and provides a demonstration for the related study of compound preparations and single herbs. HIGHLIGHTS: QAMS combined with a GC fingerprint and chemometrics method was established to evaluate the quality of QXPs for the first time.

Application and problems analysis of traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil preparation technology based on ionic liquids / 中国中药杂志

Ionic liquids(ILs) are salts composed entirely of anions and cations in a liquid state at or near room temperature, which have a variety of good physicochemical properties such as low volatility and high stability. This paper mainly reviewed the research overview of ILs in the application of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) volatile oil preparation technology. Firstly, it briefly introduced the application of TCM volatile oil preparation technology and composition classification and physicochemical properties of ILs, and then summarized the application of ILs in the extraction, separation, analysis, and preparation of TCM volatile oil. Finally, the problems and challenges of ILs in the application of TCM volatile oil were explained, and the application of ILs in TCM volatile oil in the future was prospected.

Observation on the efficacy of traditional Qigong exercise combined with Tuina manipulations in treating lower cervical disc herniation / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the efficacy of traditional Qigong exercise combined with Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)manipulations in treating lower cervical disc herniation(CDH).Methods:A total of 120 CDH patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 60 cases in each group.Patients in both groups were given the same Tuina manipulations.In addition,patients in the observation group practiced traditional Qigong exercise,and those in the control group did conventional neck exercise.After 8 weeks of treatment,the efficacy of the two groups was observed.Follow-up was conducted 3 months after the end of the treatment to record any recurrence.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05).The improvement in symptom scores was more significant in the observation group than in the control group(P＜0.05).There was inter-group statistical significance in comparing the cross-sectional area and fatty infiltration of certain cervical muscles(P＜0.05).In addition,the recurrence rate in the observation group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:On the basis of the same Tuina manipulation treatment,the efficacy of traditional Qigong exercise in treating CDH is superior to that of conventional neck exercise,with more significant improvements in pain and quality of life and a lower recurrence rate.

Short-term efficacy observation of venetoclax combined with azacitidine in treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To explore the clinical short-term efficacy of venetoclax (Ven) combined with azacitidine (AZA) in treatment of newly treated and relapsed/refractory patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:The data of 18 newly treated and relapsed/refractory patients with AML who received Ven+AZA treatment in Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from April 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The complete remission or complete remission with incomplete recovery of blood cell count (CR/CRi) and objective remission rate (ORR) [calculated as CR/CRi+partial remission (PR)] were analyzed in newly treated and relapsed/refractory patients or patients with different gene mutations. The patients were followed up until June 30, 2022, and the overall survival (OS) of relapsed/refractory patients was analyzed. The occurrence of adverse reactions was summarized.Results:The median age of the 18 patients was 58 years old (23-81 years old), 8 were males and 10 were females; 6 were newly treated and 12 were relapsed/refractory; the median follow-up time was 3 months (1-15 months). In 6 newly treated patients, after the first cycle of Ven+AZA, 5 cases achieved CR/CRi, and the ORR was 83.3% (5/6). In 12 relapsed/refractory patients, after the first cycle of Ven+AZA, 5 cases achieved CR/CRi, 3 achieved PR, and the ORR was 66.7% (8/12). Among the 18 patients, 7 cases had FLT3-ITD/TKD mutation, after the first cycle of Ven+AZA, 1 case achieved CR/CRi, 1 case achieved PR, and the ORR was 28.6% (2/7); 3 cases had NPM1 mutation combined with FLT3-ITD/TKD mutation, 1 case achieved CR/CRi, and the ORR was 33.3% (1/3); 4 cases had IDH1/2 mutation, and 3 cases of them combined with FLT3-ITD/TKD mutation, all of which were non-remission, and the other 1 relapsed/refractory patient combined with K/NRAS mutation achieved CR/CRi; among the 4 cases with K/NRAS mutation, 2 cases combined with FLT3-ITD/TKD mutation, including 1 case of NR and 1 case of PR, and the other 2 cases achieved CR/CRi, the ORR was 75.0% (3/4). Of the 12 relapsed/refractory patients, 6 died by the end of follow-up, with a median OS time of 2.6 months (1- 8 months), including 4 cases of disease progression and 2 cases of disease relapse; the 6 surviving patients had stable disease. All the 18 patients had ≥grade 3 hematologic adverse reactions, and non-hematologic adverse reactions included lung infection, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.Conclusions:Ven+AZA treatment for newly treated and relapsed/refractory AML patients results in a high response rate with tolerable adverse reactions, but it is not effective in AML patients with FLT3-ITD/TKD mutation.

Conversion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into nanomedicine:application of theory of unification of medicines and excipients / 中国中药杂志

In recent years, the use of active substances as excipients or as substitutes for other excipients in the design of modern drug delivery systems has received widespread attention, which has promoted the development of the theory of unification of medicines and excipients in the design of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) preparations. Adopting the theory of unification of medicines and excipients to design drug delivery systems can reduce the use of excipients and thus the cost of preparations, reduce drug toxicity, increase drug solubility and biocompatibility, enhance synergistic effect, and realize targeted delivery and simultaneous delivery of multiple components. However, the research on the application of this theory in the modern drug delivery system of TCM preparations is still insufficient, with few relevant articles. In addition, the TCM active substances that can be used as the excipients remain to be catalogued. In this paper, we review the types and applications of the drug delivery systems with TCM active substances as excipients and describe their common construction methods and mechanisms, aiming to provide references for the in-depth research on the modern drug delivery systems for TCM preparations.

Effects of Cognitive Training and Social Support on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life in Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the effects of cognitive training and social support on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to examine the efficacy of cognitive training and social support in colorectal cancer patients and survivors. METHODS: The PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from database establishment until August 2021 to identify suitable studies according to relevant key words, taking cancer-related fatigue and quality of life as the outcomes. The Jadad scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. Stata 15.1 software was used for statistical analyses, and sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Eleven studies (6 published in English and 5 published in Chinese) involving 980 patients and survivors were included in the meta-analysis. All studies had Jadad scores ≥3. Statistically significant effects of cognitive training and social support were detected for cancer-related fatigue within 14 weeks (SMD = -1.13, P < .001) and after 14 weeks (SMD = -0.56, P < .001), overall quality of life within 14 weeks (SMD = 0.73, P < .001) and after 14 weeks (SMD = 0.54, P = .003). However, no statistically significant effects of the combination intervention were detected on long-term QOL (SMD = 0.50, P = .435). CONCLUSIONS: Distinct cognitive interventions and a combination of cognitive and social support interventions can help to alleviate long-term and short-term CRF and short-term QOL. Further studies are needed to examine the mechanisms of cognitive training and social support for cancer-related fatigue and overall quality of life in patients and survivors with colorectal cancer.

Total Ginsenoside Extract from Panax ginseng Enhances Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Neuronal Differentiation by Inactivating GSK-3β / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of total ginsenosides (TG) extract from Panax ginseng on neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and differentiation and their underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#The migration of NSCs after treatment with various concentrations of TG extract (50, 100, or 200 µ g/mL) were monitored. The proliferation of NSCs was examined by a combination of cell counting kit-8 and neurosphere assays. NSC differentiation mediated by TG extract was evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining to monitor the expression of nestin and microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2). The GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway in TG-treated NSCs was examined by Western blot assay. The NSCs with constitutively active GSK-3β mutant were made by adenovirus-mediated gene transfection, then the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs mediated by TG were further verified.@*RESULTS@#TG treatment significantly enhanced NSC migration (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and increased the proliferation of NSCs (P<0.01 or P<0.05). TG mediation also significantly upregulated MAP2 expression but downregulated nestin expression (P<0.01 or P<0.05). TG extract also significantly induced GSK-3β phosphorylation at Ser9, leading to GSK-3β inactivation and, consequently, the activation of the GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway (P<0.01 or P<0.05). In addition, constitutive activation of GSK-3β in NSCs by the transfection of GSK-3β S9A mutant was found to significantly suppress TG-mediated NSC proliferation and differentiation (P<0.01 or P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TG promoted NSC proliferation and neuronal differentiation by inactivating GSK-3β.

Efficacy and safety of anti-B cell maturation antigen chimeric antigen receptor T-cell for retreatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) for the retreatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).Methods:The clinical data of 10 RRMM patients who received anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy for the second time (CART2) in Henan Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine due to failure or recurrence after their first anti-BCMA CAR-T (CART1) therapy from January 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment, efficacy and adverse events of patients receiving CART2 therapy were summarized; and the objective response rate (ORR), median duration of response (DOR) and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between CART1 and CART2.Results:Among 10 patients, 8 were males and 2 were females, with a median age of 57 years (41-70 years). Patients' 3-month ORR after CART1 therapy was 90%, and the median DOR was 16.0 months (3.0-27.0 months). CART2 used human-derived anti-BCMA CAR-T to treat 6 cases and mouse-derived anti-BCMA CAR-T to treat 4 cases. The 3-month ORR of patients receiving CART2 therapy was 40%, and the median DOR was 8.5 months (3.0-11.0 months). Among 9 patients who received mouse-derived anti-BCMA CAR-T in CART1 therapy, 4 of them received the same product again and none of them showed curative effect. Among 6 patients retreated with human-derived anti-BCMA CAR-T, 4 patients (66.7%) of them achieved partial remission (PR) or better. During CART1 therapy, 10 patients developed grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and 7 patients developed different degrees of decrease in leukocyte, neutrophil absolute count (ANC) and platelet. Among patients who achieved effective outcomes after receiving CART2 therapy, 4 patients of them developed grade 1-2 CRS, and different degrees of decrease in white blood cell, ANC and thrombocytopenia. Immune effector cell-related neurotoxicity syndrome was not observed.Conclusions:Anti-BCMA CAR-T is effective and safe to retreat RRMM. The ORR and DOR of patients receiving CART2 therapy are lower than those of patients receiving CART1 therapy. CRS and cytopenia are common adverse reactions.

Role of Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway in Seborrheic Alopecia and Its Intervention with Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Seborrheic alopecia is a chronic dermatological disease caused by multiple factors. It occurs frequently in young and middle-aged men aged 20-30 years. The main clinical manifestations are greasy hair， itching， excessive dandruff， receding hairline， sparse hair on the top of the head， and progressive hair loss in the frontotemporal area. Seborrheic alopecia is not fatal， but it affects the appearance of patients， seriously harming their self-esteem and bringing great psychological distress to them. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway widely exists in multicellular eukaryotes and is a basic growth regulatory pathway which regulates cell proliferation and differentiation， maintains stem cells activity and organ homeostasis， and affects cell migration. At present， it has been reported in China and abroad that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely related to the occurrence and development of seborrheic alopecia and the action mechanism of drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has multi-component， multi-target， and multi-pathway advantages， and it can promote the formation of hair follicle laminae， the proliferation and differentiation of hair follicle stem cells， and the periodic changes in hair follicles by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， thereby alleviating seborrheic alopecia. This article reviewed the relationship of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its key target protein factors with seborrheic alopecia to clarify the important role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in seborrheic alopecia. At the same time， the TCM that targeted the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to relieve seborrheic alopecia were summarized， so as to provide reference for the treatment of seborrheic alopecia and further development of new drugs.

Mechanism analysis of repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata in delaying brain aging in ovariectomized mice based on proteomics / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the effect and mechanism of repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata(RRP) in delaying brain aging in ovariectomized mice. After ovariectomy, the mice were randomly divided into a model group, an estradiol valerate group(0.3 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-(1.0 g·kg~(-1)), medium-(2.0 g·kg~(-1)), and high-dose(4.0 g·kg~(-1)) RRP groups, and a sham operation group was also set up, with 15 mice in each group. One week after the operation, intragastric administration was carried out for 15 consecutive weeks. The step-down test and Morris water maze test were used to detect the behavioral changes of mice. HE staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes of mouse brain tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Aβ and ER_β in mouse brain tissues. The serum estrogen levels and cholinesterase and cholinesterase transferase levels in brain tissues of mice were detected by assay kits. The extracted hippocampal protein was detected by the Nano-ESI-LC-MS system, identified by the Protein Discovery, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by the SIEVE. The PANTHER Classification System was used for GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the differential proteins. Compared with the sham operation group, the model group showed decreased learning and memory ability, shortened step-down latency(P<0.05), prolonged escape latency(P<0.05), reduced platform crossings and residence time in the target quadrant, scattered nerve cells in the hippocampus with enlarged intercellular space, increased expression of Aβ-positive cells(P<0.05), declining expression of ER_β-positive cells and estrogen level(P<0.05), and weakened cholinergic function(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the RRP groups showed improved learning and memory ability, prolonged step-down latency(P<0.05), increased estrogen level(P<0.05), neatly arranged nerve cells in the hippocampus with complete morphology, declining Aβ-positive cells, and elevated expression of ER_β-positive cells. A total of 146 differential proteins were screened out by proteomics, and KEGG pathway enrichment yielded 75 signaling pathways. The number of proteins involved in the dopaminergic synapse signaling pathway was the largest, with 13 proteins involved. In summary, RRP can delay brain aging presumedly by increasing the level of estrogen, mediating the dopaminergic synapse signaling pathway, and improving cholinergic function.

Melatonin and hyperbaric oxygen therapies suppress colorectal carcinogenesis through pleiotropic effects and multifaceted mechanisms.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Colorectal carcinogenesis is frequently induced by hypoxia to trigger the reprogramming of cellular metabolism and gain of malignant phenotypes. Previously, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy and melatonin have been reported to alter the hypoxic microenvironment, resulting in inhibiting cancer cell survival. Accordingly, this study tested the hypothesis whether HBO and melatonin effectively inhibited CRC carcinogenesis. In vitro results indicated that melatonin therapy significantly suppressed the malignant phenotypes, including colony formation, growth, invasion, migration and cancer stemness with dose-dependent manners in CRC cell lines through multifaceted mechanisms. Similar to in vitro study, in vivo findings further demonstrated the melatonin, HBO and combined treatments effectively promoted apoptosis (cleaved-caspase 3/ cleaved-PARP) and arrested tumor proliferation, followed by inhibiting colorectal tumorigenesis in CRC xenograft tumor model. Moreover, melatonin, HBO and combined treatments modulated multifaceted mechanisms, including decreasing HIF-1α expression, alleviating AKT activation, repressing glycolytic metabolism (HK-2/PFK1/PKM2/LDH), restraining cancer stemness pathway (TGF-ß/p-Smad3/Oct4/Nanog), reducing inflammation (p-NFκB/ COX-2), diminishing immune escape (PD-L1), and reversing expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (E-cadherin/N-cadherin/MMP9). In conclusion, melatonin and HBO therapies suppressed colorectal carcinogenesis through the pleiotropic effects and multifaceted mechanisms, suggesting melatonin and HBO treatments could be novel therapeutic strategies for CRC treatment.

Changes in forms of Indigo Naturalis slices in ancient and modern times: a systematic study on quality of purified Indigo Naturalis and crude Indigo Naturalis / 中国中药杂志

Indigo Naturalis has a long history of medicinal use with particularity and complexity in its processing. Before the Ming dynasty,Indigo Naturalis was extracted from the top layer of zymotic fluid,called " purified Indigo Naturalis". In modern processing,the precipitate " crude Indigo Naturalis" is dried to produce Indigo Naturalis after impurity removal. The form of Indigo Naturalis slices has undergone significant changes in ancient and modern times. In view of this,the quality comparison between crude Indigo Naturalis and purified Indigo Naturalis was conducted in this study with modern analytical techniques. Firstly,chemical composition was analyzed with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS,and the chemical composition of scent with HS-SPME/GC-MS/MS. The content of indigo,indirubin,total ash,and water-soluble extract was determined as well as the inorganic composition in crude Indigo Naturalis and purified Indigo Naturalis. Then,their microscopic morphology was observed and the surface element composition was investigated. Finally,the antipyretic activities of crude Indigo Naturalis and purified Indigo Naturalis were compared in the fever rat model induced by lipopolysaccharide and 2,4-dinitrophenol. The results demonstrated that the purified Indigo Naturalis had a faster and more lasting antipyretic effect,while the crude Indigo Naturalis had almost no antipyretic effect. This study is of great significance to the research on processing technology of Indigo Naturalis and provides reference for the formulation of its quality standards,production specifications and calibration procedures.

Tissue culture of safflower and analysis of secondary metabolites in suspension cells / 中国中药杂志

Safflower(Carthamus tinctorius), a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant, has attracted much attention in recent years. This study established a stable tissue culture system of safflower and analyzed the chromatogram of its secondary metabolites, providing high-quality experimental materials for further research on natural products in safflower. The calluses were established from the safflower seeds germinated in a sterile environment, and then they were differentiated into the aseptic seedlings, or cultured to obtain suspension cells in liquid medium. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), Progenesis QI, and principal component analysis(PCA) were used to detect and analyze the secondary metabolites in the suspension cells before and after induction with different elicitors(methyl jasmonate, silver nitrate, salicylic acid and yeast extract). A total of 23 secondary metabolites including flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, fatty acids and aromatic glycosides were detected in safflower suspension cells. In response to the four elicitors, 11 compounds showed increased or decreased relative content. The results indicate that different elicitors have various effects on the accumulation of secondary metabolites in safflower suspension cells, and yeast extract shows more obvious positive induction. Therefore, different elicitors may play a role in the expression of related genes in the biosynthetic pathway of specific secondary metabolites. The results facilitate the discovery of targeted elicitors and the large-scale production of valuable secondary metabolites in the future.

Effects of moxibustion on the P2X7R/STAT3/VEGF pathway in rats with colitis-associated colon cancer / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion on the growth of colon tumors in rats with colitis-associated colon cancer (CACC), and explore the mechanism of moxibustion intervening CACC through the purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7R)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. Methods: A total of 26 male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected. According to the random number table method, 6 rats were selected as the normal group. The remaining 20 rats were injected intraperitoneally with azoxymethane (AOM) combined with oral dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to prepare the CACC model. After the model was successfully established, 2 rats were randomly selected for model identification. The remaining 18 rats which were successfully modeled were randomly divided into a model group, a herb-partitioned moxibustion group and a ginger-partitioned moxibustion group, with 6 rats in each group. Moxibustion intervention was performed in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group at Qihai (CV 6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25). Moxibustion was performed twice at each point each time, once a day, at a 1-day interval after 6 consecutive interventions, for a total of 30 interventions. After intervention, the colon tumor load, pathological change and histopathological score were observed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of VEGF, P2X7R, phospho-STAT3 (p-STAT3), and nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) proteins in rat colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the levels of p-STAT3 and NF-κB p65 proteins in rat colon tissue. Results: Compared with the normal group, the colon tumor load and histopathological score in the model group were significantly increased (both P<0.001), and different grades of dysplasia were observed in colon tissue from the model group, reaching the degree of adenocarcinoma; the expression level of P2X7R protein in colon tissue was significantly decreased (P<0.001), and the expression levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins were significantly increased (all P<0.001) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the colon tumor load, colon histopathological score and the levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins in colon tissue were significantly decreased (all P<0.05) in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group while the expression levels of P2X7R protein in colon tissue were significantly increased (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Both herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion can reduce the colon tumor load in CACC rats and delay the progression of colon adenomas. The mechanism may be mediated by the P2X7R/STAT3 pathway to inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation, thereby reducing VEGF protein expression.

Current situation and problems of national standards for Chinese medicinal materials / 中国中药杂志

To learn the current situation and strengthen the management of national standards for Chinese medicinal materials, we sorted out the relevant national standards. According to incomplete statistics, there are 1 185 kinds of Chinese medicinal materials, including 1 024 kinds of plant medicines, 106 kinds of animal medicines, and 54 kinds of mineral medicines, in addition to ethnic medicinal materials with different functions. The relevant standards include 819 Pharmacopoeia standards, 342 standards issued by the Ministry of Health or National Medicinal Products Administration, 7 standards for new medicinal materials, and 17 standards for imported medicinal materials. In this paper, the sources of standards as well as the distribution of families and genera and the distribution of medicinal parts of medicinal materials are analyzed. The suggestions are as follows:(1)to improve the coordination among different national standards of Chinese medicinal materials;(2)to improve the standardization and controllability of relevant standards;(3)to revise the issued standards for Chinese medicinal materials(including Tibetan, Uygur, and Mongolian medicinal materials).

The clinical value and potential molecular mechanism of the downregulation of MAOA in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common cancers worldwide and tends to be detected at an advanced stage. More effective biomarkers for HCC screening and prognosis assessment are needed and the mechanisms of HCC require further exploration. The role of MAOA in HCC has not been intensively investigated. METHODS: In-house tissue microarrays, genechips, and RNAsequencing datasets were integrated to explore the expression status and the clinical value of MAOA in HCC. Immunohistochemical staining was utilized to determine MAOA protein expression. Intersection genes of MAOA related co-expressed genes and differentially expressed genes were obtained to perform functional enrichment analyses. In vivo experiment was conducted to study the impact of traditional Chinese medicine nitidine chloride (NC) on MAOA in HCC. RESULTS: MAOA was downregulated and possessed an excellent discriminatory capability in HCC patients. Decreased MAOA correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Downregulated MAOA protein was relevant to an advanced TNM stage in HCC patients. Co-expressed genes that positively related to MAOA were clustered in chemical carcinogenesis, where CYP2E1 was identified as the hub gene. In vivo experiment showed that nitidine chloride significantly upregulated MAOA in a nude mouse HCC model. CONCLUSIONS: A decreased MAOA level is not only correlated with aggressive behaviors in males but also serves as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC patients. Moreover, MAOA may play a role in AFB1 toxic transformation through its synergistic action with co-expressed genes, especially CYP3A4. MAOA also serves as a potential therapy target of NC in HCC patients.

The main active components of Curcuma zedoaria reduces collagen deposition in human lung fibroblast via autophagy.

Disordered collagen production by fibroblasts in response to tissue injury contributes to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Therefore, elimination of collagen deposition has becoming a potential target in PF treatment which despite standard anti-fibrosis regiment still remains challenge. Curcumin and curcumol are regarded as the main active components extraction from the rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria, which is widely used for inhibition the proliferation of multiple cells. However, the molecular basis for the function of curcumin and curcumol in limiting fibrogenesis still unknown. In this study, we have investigated the effects of curcumin and curcumol in the fibroblast overproliferation model human lung fibroblast (HLF) inducing by TGF-ß1. The growth-inhibitory effects of the components wasn't observed from 8 to 64 µg/ml. Administration of curcumin or curcumol significantly diminished the level of hydroxyproline hydroxyproline and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), also the collagen Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ) and collagen Ⅲ (Col-Ⅲ) deposition were reduced in the HLF. Furthermore, related to the collagen synthesis proteins including N-terminal pro-peptide for Type Ⅰ collagen (PⅠNP), N-terminal pro-peptide for Type Ⅲ collagen (PⅢNP) and prolyl-hydroxylase (PHD) were degraded gracefully at dose-dependent manner. Autophagy as the scavenger was crippled in TGF-ß1-fibroblast overproliferation HLF, conversely the increased autophagosomes have been spotted in cytoplasm under transmission electron microscope which is consistent with up-regulation of Beclin1 and ATG7 after treatment with curcumin or curcumol in this study. Additionally, blocking autophagy by inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) caused collagen deposition, providing further evidence regard to autophagy activation capacity of curcumin and curcumol. Our findings provide a detailed understanding that the function of curcumin and curcumol on decreasing collagen deposition mediating by autophagy mechanism, which may also inspire the further research on PF at different perspectives.

Prescription Research and Clinical Application of Wenjingtang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The prescription research and clinical application of Wenjingtang were summarized in order to provide reference for the formulation of material standard and the development of compound preparation. By systematically sorting out the relevant ancient medical books and modern literature reports， combined with the relevant policy requirements of the development of compound preparations of famous classical formulas， this paper expounded the existing problems and put forward some suggestions. Wenjingtang is composed of nine herbs， which is derived from Complete Effective Prescriptions for Women's Diseases written by CHEN Zi-ming in Song dynasty. The original medicinal plants and medicinal parts of the formula were basically the same as those recorded in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia， for example， Paeonia lactiflora was the choice of Paeoniae Radix Alba， Cinnamomi Cortex was selected as Guixin， the rhizoma of Curcuma phaeocaulis was selected as Curcumae Rhizoma. It was suggested that raw products should be selected for decoction pieces and processed according to the methods recorded in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. According to the dosage of 1 Liang=40 g， the dosages of Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Chuanxiong Rhizoma， Paeoniae Radix Alba， Cinnamomi Cortex， Moutan Cortex and Curcumae Rhizoma were 20 g， the dosages of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix were 40 g， the total amount of this formula was 240 g. The 9 kinds of decoction pieces were crushed （particle size<6 mm） separately and mixed， each dose was 20 g， 525 mL of water was added， and then decocted to 280 mL. After filtration， warm medicine was taken for once a day. According to ancient books， Wenjingtang has the functions of activating blood circulation， regulating menstruation，warming meridians and dispersing cold. It is mainly used to treat dysmenorrhea， irregular menstruation and other diseases in modern clinical practice. In addition， it has certain curative effect on endometriosis， pelvic inflammatory disease， acne， eczema and other skin diseases. Through the research， the historical evolution and clinical application of Wenjingtang are fully clarified， which can provide research for the later development and application of this famous classical formula.

Pathogenesis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulation of Chloasma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The pathogenesis of chloasma is complex and diverse. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） believes that it is mostly related to liver, spleen and kidney, with hematogenous impassability as the standard and pigmentation on the face or body surface as the main symptom. Western medicine believes that it is closely related to family inheritance, ethnic differences and ultraviolet radiation. At present, there are various clinical therapies, mainly including prevention of ultraviolet radiation, local whitening agent and chemical skin. In addition, TCM plays an important role in the treatment of chloasma, often involving internal use, topical use, acupuncture and moxibustion. Modern studies have shown that TCM therapies mainly regulate the metabolism of antioxidant, endocrine and melanin in vivo. Although the mechanism of action could not explained to some extent, there are still some restriction in the discussions on the mechanism of external use of TCM in controlling chloasma. As the skin nerve-endocrine-immune (NEI) network is proposed and further studied, the role of NEI network in realizing overall functional regulation with cytokines, hormones and neurotransmitters as information molecules has been widely verified and recognized. This paper symmetrically reviewed the pathogenesis of chloasma and the progress of the regulatory effect of TCM, and proposed the possible local efficacy of TCM for external use in treating chloasma by regulating surface NEI network. This is worth further study and exploration in the expectation of providing new ideas for the treatment of chloasma and the studies on the mechanisms of action of TCM for external use.