Successful Treatment with Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Massive Colchicine Overdose: A Case Report.

A 42-year-old male was hospitalized 13.5 hours after ingestion of 50 mg (approximately 0.7 mg/kg) colchicine in a suicide attempt. The patient developed gastrointestinal dysfunction, grade IV myelosuppression, and restrictive respiratory failure without occurrences of cardiovascular collapse or fatal dysrhythmias. Emergency treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine was started and the patient fully recovered without long-term complications. This report describes a massive overdose of colchicine successfully treated with integrated Chinese and Western medicine. Current treatment options are reviewed.

Effect of Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) on Sepsis Induced by Cecal Ligation Puncture and Its Relevance to Spleen.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36), Quchi (LI11), and Tianshu (ST25) is commonly used in septic patients by traditional Chinese physicians. The protective effect of acupuncture at ST36 on the intestinal barrier is associated with Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway (CAIP). However, its detailed mechanism and whether acupuncture at LI11 and ST25 have similar effects to ST36 remain unclear. AIM: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36, LI11, and ST25 on septic rats and investigate the role of the spleen in the treatment of EA at ST36. METHODS: A septic rat model caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and a postsplenectomy (SPX) CLP rat model were established. Rats were divided into nine groups depending on different treatments. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-10, D-lactic acidosis (D-LA), double amine oxidase (DAO), and T-lymphocyte subgroup level in intestinal lymph nodes were compared. RESULTS: EA could not improve the 2-day survival of CLP rats. For CLP rats, EA at ST36 and LI11 significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-10, DAO, and D-LA in serum and normalized intestinal T-cell immunity. For SPX CLP rats, EA at ST36 failed to reduce serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-10, and D-LA but increased the values of CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD8+ cells and Treg/Th17 cells. CONCLUSIONS: EA at ST36 and LI11, respectively, could alleviate inflammation reaction, protect the intestinal barrier, and maintain intestinal T-cell function in septic rats. Spleen participated in the protective effect of EA at ST36 in sepsis.

A Systematic Review of Rhubarb (a Traditional Chinese Medicine) Used for the Treatment of Experimental Sepsis.

Sepsis is a global major health problem in great need for more effective therapy. For thousands of years, Rhubarb had been used for various diseases including severe infection. Pharmacological studies and trials reported that Rhubarb may be effective in treating sepsis, but the efficacy and the quality of evidence remain unclear since there is no systematic review on Rhubarb for sepsis. The present study is the first systematic review of Rhubarb used for the treatment of experimental sepsis in both English and Chinese literatures by identifying 27 studies from 7 databases. It showed that Rhubarb might be effective in reducing injuries in gastrointestinal tract, lung, and liver induced by sepsis, and its potential mechanisms might include reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, ameliorating microcirculatory disturbance, and maintaining immune balance. Yet the positive findings should be interpreted with caution due to poor methodological quality. In a word, Rhubarb might be a promising candidate that is worth further clinical and experimental trials for sepsis therapy.