Mechanism of Xiaojinwan Against Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis： An Exploration Based on Bioinformatic Analysis Combined with Cell Experiments / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the mechanism of Xiaojinwan in treating breast cancer bone metastases through cell experiments and bioinformatic analysis. Method:The inhibitory effect of Xiaojinwan on MCF-7 cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. The key components and targets responsible for Xiaojinwan in inhibiting breast cancer bone metastases were predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking. The active components and targets of Xiaojinwan were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCSMP） and SwissTarget Prediction， and the breast cancer bone metastases-related targets from GeneCards and DisGeNET. The results were imported into STRING for constructing a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， followed by Gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis using DAVID. A network of the active components of Xiaojinwan-breast cancer bone metastases-related targets-pathways was constructed using Cytoscape 3.7.2. AutoDock 4 was employed for molecular docking. The protein expression levels of matrix metallopmteinase-9 （MMP-9）， hypoxia-inducible factor 1<italic>α </italic>（HIF1A）， and androgen receptor （AR） were assayed by Western blot. Result:Xiaojinwan inhibited the viability of MCF-7 cells and acted on breast cancer bone metastases through such processes as redox and protein autophosphorylation. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that HIF-1， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） pathways were involved. As verified by molecular docking， the active components such as eucalyptin stably bound to AR and MMP-9. Western blot indicated that Xiaojinwan dose-dependently inhibited the expression of MMP-9 and HIF1A proteins in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion:Xiaojinwan acts on AR and MMP-9 through HIF， VEGF and other related signaling pathways， thereby improving hypoxia in tumor microenvironment， inhibiting angiogenesis， and reducing cell invasion and viability.

Yanghe Huayantang Reverses Tamoxifen Resistance in Breast Cancer Through ER/PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the possible mechanism of Yanghe Huayantang in reversing the drug resistance of breast cancer by observing the effect of Yanghe Huayantang on the transplant tumor of tamoxifen （TAM）-resistant breast cancer and its influences on the interaction pathway of estrogen receptor （ER）/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian rapamycin target protein （mTOR）. Method:Fifty mice were randomly divided into 5 groups： blank group， model group， Yanghe Huayantang group， everolimus group， and Yanghe Huayantang+everolimus group. The model of kidney deficiency was established by bilateral ovariectomy， and the blank group was treated with sham operation. Three days after the establishment of the model， all the five groups of mice were inoculated with breast cancer TAM drug-resistant cells （MCF-7/TAM^-） to establish breast cancer TAM -resistant transplanted tumor model. After successful modeling， Yanghe Huayantang group received intragastric administration of Yanghe Huayantang （traditional Chinese medicine preparation 20 mL·kg^-1）， everolimus group received intraperitoneal injection of everolimus （10 mg·kg^-1）. Yanghe Huayantang + everolimus group received Yanghe Huayantang by intragastric administration and everolimus by intraperitoneal injection. The blank group and model group received intragastric administration and intraperitoneal injection of phosphate buffer （PBS）. Drug administration was lasted for 28 days in all groups， once a day. After administration， the tumor tissue was separated and weighed， and the tumor inhibition rate was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of tumor tissue. Immunofluorescence and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） were used to detect the expression of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， ER protein and mRNA in tumor tissue. Result:Compared with the model group， the tumor volume and tumor weight of Yanghe Huayantang group decreased significantly on the 12th， 20th and 28th days （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the tumor inhibition rate increased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.01）.Yanghe Huayantang group significantly reduced the density of tumor cells and caused tumor cell necrosis. Compared with the model group， Yanghe Huayantang group， everolimus group and Yanghe Huayantang+everolimus group inhibited the expression of PI3K， Akt， mTOR protein and mRNA （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the blank group， Yanghe Huayantang group， everolimus group and Yanghe Huayantang+everolimus group all inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of ER， and mRNA expression of ER in Yanghe Huayantang+everolimus group was significantly lower than that in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Yanghe Huayantang can inhibit the growth of TAM-resistant breast cancer. The mechanism may be that Yanghe Huayantang can reverse the TAM resistance of breast cancer by down-regulating the expression of key molecules of ER/PI3K/Akt/mTOR cross-signal pathway.

Therapeutic effect of Jinghuosu on oligospermia and asthenospermia / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the effects of the compound preparation Jinghuosu on oligospermia and asthenospermia.@*METHODS@#This multi-centered clinical study included 120 cases of mild to moderate idiopathic oligospermia or asthenospermia, all treated with oral Jinghuosu once a bag, bid, for 3 successive months. Before and at 1, 2 and 3 months after treatment, we detected sperm concentration, total sperm motility, progressive sperm motility and normal sperm morphology of each ejaculate, and recorded whether the patients had any adverse reactions.@*RESULTS@#After 3 months of treatment, all the patients showed obvious improvement in semen parameters, most significantly in sperm concentration, total sperm motility, and the percentages of progressive motile sperm and morphologically normal sperm (P <0.05). No significant adverse reactions were observed during the 3 months of medication.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Jinghuosu has a significant efficacy and no obvious adverse effect in the treatment of mild to moderate oligospermia and asthenospermia.

Research on syndrome distribution features, etiologies, and pathogeneses of Japanese encephalitis / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore Chinese medical syndrome distribution features of Japanese encephalitis (JE), and to analyze its correlation between syndromes and features of etiologies and pathogeneses.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Recruited were 277 patients with confirmative diagnosis of JE from Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Fifth People's Hospital of Guiyang City, Hangzhou Sixth People's Hospital, and Chengdu Hospital of Infectious Diseases between July to September 2012. Chinese medical syndrome distribution features were summarized from their general materials and detailed records of clinical data, including medical history, symptoms and signs, tongue fur, and pulse figures.The frequency of symptoms and signs was calculated according to mild, ordinary, severe, extreme severe degrees. The distribution of Chinese medical syndromes was summarized. And its correlation between syndromes and features of etiologies and pathogeneses were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After clustering analysis, Chinese medical syndromes of JE could be categorized as four groups: toxicity accumulation in Fei and Wei syndrome (TAFWS), brain collateral impaired by poison syndrome (BCIPS), depression of toxicity in the pericardium syndrome (DTPS), exhaustion of yin and yang syndrome (EYYS). BCIPS and DTPS were dominated, accounting for 74.0% (205 cases). The main causes covered evil of summer heat [accounting for 92.42% (256/277 cases)], heat [accounting for 87.73% (243/277 cases)], and toxin [accounting for 99.64% (276/277 cases)].</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The four Chinese medical syndrome types of JE met Chinese medical clinical features of encephalitis. It is induced by infestation of dampness-heat, resulting in toxicity accumulation in Fei and Wei, brain collateral impaired by poison, depression of toxicity in the pericardium. Yin fluid and blood is exhausted as time goes by. Qi and yin are impaired to form intermingled deficiency and excess, and finally causing exhaustion of yin and yang.</p>

Fushile: a safe and effective therapeutic for benign prostatic hyperplasia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the efficacy and safety of Fushile, a compound preparation of several Chinese herbal drugs, in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A multi-centered, open and self-controlled clinical trial was performed in 60 BPH patients, who were treated with Fushile for 12 weeks. The efficacy of the compound was evaluated by the International Prostate Syndrome Score (IPSS), maximum flow rate (Qmax), post void residual (PVR) and prostate volume as the primary indexes and by the quality of life (QOL) score and average urinary flow rate (Qave) as the secondary indexes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 12 weeks of Fushile treatment, IPSS, Qmax, PVR, QOL and Qave of the BPH patients were significantly improved (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference in the volume of the prostate before and after the treatment (P > 0.05). No adverse events were observed in any of the patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Fushile can significantly improve voiding symptoms, increase urinary flow and reduce PVR in BPH patients. It is effective and safe in the treatment of BPH.</p>

Therapeutic effect of rupi xiaosan recipe in treating 60 patients with cyclomastopathy / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical curative effect of Rupi Xiaosan Recipe (RPXSR) on cyclomastopathy by adjusting the Chong-Ren Meridian through various paths.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred patients were assigned to two groups, the 60 patients in the treatment group and the 40 in the control group. They were treated by RPXSR and Rukang Tablet (RKT) respectively, and the changes of clinical symptoms and signs before and after treatment were observed and recorded, and the size of mammary tubercle was measured by molybdenum target X-ray and infrared scanning as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate in the treatment group and the control group was 96.7% and 87.5% respectively, showing significant difference between them (P < 0.05). The outcome of X-ray and infrared scanning confirmed that RPXSR was superior to RKT in reducing the size of tubercle (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RPXSR can improve the local blood circulation and inhibit the hyperplasia of mammary gland, has reliable effect on improving clinical symptoms in patients with cyclomastopathy.</p>