Efficacy and Safety of Gegen Qinlian Decoction for Pediatric Diarrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Gegen Qinlian decoction in the treatment of pediatric diarrhea. Methods: A search for relevant RCTs was performed from which a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. This meta-analysis was registered at INPLASY (reference number ID: INPLASY202180105). Results: (1) Eleven trials involving 1126 patients were included in the meta-analysis. (2) Two trials recorded the adverse events. (3) The meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group, the experimental group has a significantly shorter duration of diarrhea in children (MD = -18.64, 95% CI (-23.76, -13.52), P < 0.00001), duration of fever (MD = -19.43, 95% CI (-25.76, -13.11), P < 0.00001), duration of vomiting [MD = -22.51, 95% CI (-29.92, -15.09), P < 0.00001], duration of correcting dehydration (MD = -23.35, 95% CI (-35.48, -11.22), P=0.0002), and the effective rate (OR = 4.64, 95% CI (3.12, 6.90), P < 0.00001). Conclusion: There were significant differences in the clinical efficacy in the treatment of pediatric diarrhea between the experimental and control groups. Thus, Gegen Qinlian decoction may have certain advantages in the treatment of pediatric diarrhea. In addition, we conclude the following: (1) the application of Gegen Qinlian decoction to treat this disease is recommended for >5 days. (2) We recommend conducting multicenter RCTs to avoid the impact of regional differences on the results. (3) We recommend using the unmodified Gegen Qinlian decoction, which may have better efficacy.

Effects of Zhishi Daozhi Decoction on the intestinal flora of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease mice induced by a high-fat diet.

Background and aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of chronic liver disease with a high incidence, and the situation is not optimistic. Intestinal flora imbalance is strongly correlated with NAFLD pathogenesis. Zhishi Daozhi Decoction (ZDD) is a water decoction of the herbs used in the classical Chinese medicine prescription Zhishi Daozhi Pills. Zhishi Daozhi Pills has shown promising hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic properties, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. Methods: Mice were fed on a high fat-rich diet (HFD) for ten weeks, and then the animals were administrated ZDD through oral gavage for four weeks. The serum liver function and blood lipid indexes of the mice were then tested using an automatic biochemical analyzer. H&E and Oil Red O staining were used to observe the pathological conditions of mice liver tissue, and 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to analyze the changes in intestinal flora of mice. The concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gut of mice was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins between ileal mucosal epithelial cells was analyzed using the immunofluorescence technique. Results: ZDD was found to reduce the bodyweight of NAFLD mice, reduce serum TG, CHO, ALT, and AST levels, reduce fat accumulation in liver tissue, make the structure of intestinal flora comparable to the control group, and increase the concentration of intestinal SCFAs. It was also found to increase the expression of TJ proteins such as occludin and ZO-1, making them comparable to the control group. Conclusions: ZDD has a therapeutic effect on NAFLD mice induced by HFD, which may act by optimizing the intestinal flora structure.

A Trial Study of Moxibustion with a Warming Needle on Edema.

Edema is an accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells or intercellular tissues. In order to examine the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on edema, seven subjects were randomly divided into three groups, that was a Control group, an Acupuncture group (Acp), and an acupuncture and moxibustion group (Acp-Mox). After sitting for 60 minutes keeping their bodies still, the Acp and Acp-Mox subjects were administered acupuncture or acupuncture/moxibustion on the points of Zusanli (ST-36) and Sanyinjiao (SP-6), separately as against the Control group who only lied on the bed after modelization. After modelization at 60 minutes, the skin temperature and blood flow of all the groups were significantly lower in blood flow when compared with premodelization. But shortly after the procedure at 80 minutes, skin temperature in the Acp and Acp-Mox groups were significantly increased when compared with premodelization (vs. 60 minutes, p < 0.05). Moreover, the skin temperature and blood flow of the Acp-Mox group were significantly increased as compared to both the Control and the Acp group at the 80-minute time point. These results indicate that Acp and Mox-Acp could relieve edematous conditions significantly, especially the procedure of moxibustion with warming needle, was effective in improving edema which is often accompanied with cold intolerance and would be a recommended and superior therapy for edema.

Aristoyunnolin H attenuates extracellular matrix secretion in cardiac fibroblasts by inhibiting calcium influx.

Aristoyunnolin H is a novel aristophyllene sesquiterpenoid isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Aristolochia yunnanensis Franch. The present research was designed to explore the anti-fibrotic effects of aristoyunnolin H in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) stimulated with angiotensin II (Ang II). Western blot analysis data showed that aristoyunnolin H reduced the upregulation of fibronectin (FN), connective tissue growth factor and collagen I(Col I) production induced by Ang II in CFs. By studying the dynamic intracellular changes of Ca2+, we further found that while aristoyunnolin H relieved the calcium influx, it has no effect on intracellular calcium store release. Meanwhile, aristoyunnolin H also inhibited the Ang II-stimulated phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. In conclusion, aristoyunnolin H may attenuate extracellular matrix secretion in vitro by inhibiting Ang II-induced calcium signaling.

[The more efficacious acupoints of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao than that of non-acupoints on bone mass in osteopenic ovariectomized rats].

OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether the acupoints of Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) have specific actions other than non-acupoints to bone. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley female rats were divided into five groups: Sham operated (sham) group; Ovariectomized (OVX, model) group; non-acupuncture group; OVX, needling on Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-A) group; OVX, needling on the reverse sides of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-B) group; OVX, periostineal stimulation on the same height as points of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-C) group. The experiment was continued for 23 weeks and then all animals were sacrificed. RESULTS: OVX had a significantly higher body weight and lower bone mineral density (BMD) on the lumbar vertebrae, total femora and tibiae than sham rats, however, Acp-A showed a higher BMD compared with the other OVX groups. On the other hand, bone weights, bone strength and bone morphometry such as trabecular volume, trabecular separation, labeled width and bone formation rate also showed the same improvements in Acp-A as compared to the other OVX rats. CONCLUSION: The stimulation on Zusanli and Sanyinjiao specifically prevented the development of osteopenic rats compared with non-acupoints.