Cupping Therapy as an Adjunctive Therapy for Side Effects of Colorectal Cancer Treatment: A Prospective Observational Study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of moving cupping therapy in people with colorectal cancer (CRC) experiencing chemotherapy-related side effects. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in people diagnosed with CRC who were treated for the side effects of their chemotherapy. Participants received cupping therapy 3 times a week for 10 consecutive weeks at our traditional Chinese medicine ward. Their quality of life and meridian energies were evaluated both at baseline and at 3 months after the treatment course. Results: Forty-six individuals with CRC were enrolled and 34 completed the study. The average number of cycles of chemotherapy during the study was 4.5. The mean number of moving cupping treatments was 25.7. After the moving cupping treatment program, participants exhibited significant improvements in quality of life, physical function, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, sleep disturbance, and pain. Conclusion: For the participants in this study, moving cupping therapy relieved some chemotherapy-related side effects and improved quality of life in people with CRC.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome-Based Formulae to Neuropathic Pain Caused by Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: Chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (CINP) is a troublesome complication of anti-cancer treatment. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effectiveness of classic Chinese herbal formulae (CHF) Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang (HQGZWWT) and Dang Gui Si Ni Tang (DGSNT) in the treatment of CINP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaires were rated at baseline and after 3-monthly CHF treatment. RESULTS: By searching through our medical records of all the CIPN patients from 2018 to 2019, we identified and enrolled 37 patients with Deficiency-Cold syndrome in the study, for whom the treatment of neuropathic pain by regular pharmacotherapies had failed or intolerable. At the third month evaluation with the DN4 questionnaire, 13 patients had symptomatic remission, 15 patients remained stable, and 9 patients had no response to CHF. The 3-month mean DN4 score was significantly higher than that at the baseline (P < .001). After CHF treatment, significant differences in quality of life were noted in the physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being subscales, and in the total score, of the FACT-G (P < .001). No adverse events or instances of disease progression were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our small study are the first in the literature to show the clinical effectiveness of CHF for CINP. Combination of HQGZWWT and DGSNT is well tolerated and may offer the possibility to ameliorate CINP more than conventional care can. It merits further investigation.

Analysis of Meridian Flow Direction by Electrical Stimulation Method.

Meridians constitute the theoretical foundation of acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and they have been described for 2000 years. Classical TCM advocates for the directionality of meridians. Finding an accurate method to verify this directionality is an important goal of TCM doctors and researchers. In this study, we objectively explored the physical properties of meridians, such as response current from electrical stimulation, to explore their directionality. The Agilent B1500A semiconductor measurement analyzer was utilized to input the alternating current waveforms and detect the response current on the meridians. The results showed that the direction of the meridians influences the intensity of the response current. Therefore, the mechanisms behind the directions of ion transportation and the meridians were investigated using the response time and the intensity of the response current. Thereafter, we propose a model to explain this mechanism. Afterward, a comparison between the direction of the meridian in this experiment and ancient Chinese medicine classics was performed.

Review of Traditional Chinese Medicines for Common Complications Related to Hemodialysis: An Evidence-Based Perspective.

Renal replacement therapy is an important therapy for prolonging life in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) populations, and, in Taiwan, hemodialysis (HD) is the choice for most patients with ESRD. Although HD is effective for prolonging life, it is sometimes associated with complications that patients and doctors have to cope with every day, such as intradialytic hypotension, dialysis disequilibrium syndrome, and muscle cramps. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a complementary and alternative therapy that has been recognized for its efficacy in treating a variety of diseases by the World Health Organization. Nowadays, the clinical practice of TCM for HD-related complications has received attention for its effectiveness and safety. In this article, we summarize the TCM viewpoint and different TCM interventions for HD-related complications, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, herbal acupoint therapy, auricular acupoints, and moxibustion. In the ESRD population, TCM is able to balance Yin and Yang, prevent cardiovascular accidents, control blood pressure, and relieve pain. More importantly, TCM may also improve common HD-related complications such as uremic symptoms, imbalance of electrolyte and fluid status, insomnia, and malnutrition. The mechanism of TCM is considered related to the regulation of autonomous functions and the activation of biologically active chemical substances. According to the studies noted in this review article, TCM has been proven effective for HD-related complications. However, more well-designed and rigorous research will be necessary to reveal the underlying mechanisms in the future.

Meridian study on the response current affected by electrical pulse and acupuncture.

Acupuncture and its meridians are important components of traditional Chinese medicine, and numerous opinions have been previously expressed regarding these meridians. This study aims to explore the phenomenon of meridians from the perspective of electronic physics by studying these meridians for the response current affected by electrical pulse and acupuncture. In this study, acupuncture which applies an electrical pulse was used to research the physical properties of the meridians. Different kinds of pulses were applied to the human body to realize abnormal electrical signals. Comparing these electrical measurement results with the isothermal transient ionic current (ITIC) theory, we found that the transmission of meridian messages may be related to ion conduction. The movement of ions induced by acupuncture and electrical stimulation can lead to drift and diffusion currents through the meridians. The ionic conduction of meridian hypothesis is proved in that the substances delivered by meridians are in fact ions.

Yu Gan Long Ameliorates Hepatic Fibrosis by Inhibiting PI3K/AKT, Ras/ERK and JAK1/STAT3 Signaling Pathways in CCl4-induced Liver Fibrosis Rats.

Yu Gan Long (YGL) is a Chinese traditional herbal formula which has been reported to attenuate liver fibrosis for many years and we have explored its anti-fibrotic mechanism through blocking transforming growth factor (TGF-ß) in the previous study. But the mechanisms associated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB remain obscure. In this study, we further investigated the mechanism of YGL reducing carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Our results showed that YGL suppressed CCl4-induced upregulation of collagen IV (Col IV), type HI precollagen (PCHI), hyaluronuc acid (HA) and laminin (LN), which are implicated in liver fibrosis. Also, YGL reduced the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, which acts as the indicator of liver fibrosis. Furthermore, YGL decreased the serum levels of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) mitogen PDGF-BB and inflammation cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6. Markers involved in liver fibrosis, such as Ras, p-Raf-1, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, p-P38, p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-JAKl, p-STAT3 were downregulated significantly after treatment with YGL. Our results indicated that YGL ameliorated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by reducing inflammation cytokines production, and suppressing Ras/ERK, PI3K/AKT, and JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathways, which provided further evidence towards elucidation of the anti-fibrotic mechanism of YGL.

[Spatial-temporal evolution of ecological land and influence factors in Wuhan urban agglome-ration based on geographically weighted regression model]. / åŸºäºŽåœ°ç†åŠ æƒå›žå½’æ¨¡åž‹çš„æ­¦æ±‰åŸŽå¸‚åœˆç”Ÿæ€ç”¨åœ°æ—¶ç©ºæ¼”å˜åŠå½±å“å› ç´ .

Ecological land is essential to sustainable development of urban agglomeration. Based on the results of remote sensing image interpretation, we analyzed the spatial-temporal evolution of ecological land in 32 research units of ecological land in Wuhan urban agglomeration in 2000-2005, 2005-2010 and 2010-2015, using the land use transition matrix, exploratory regression analysis, the ordinary least squares (OLS) model, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. Then, the best regression model was selected after perfecting the traditional index system of influencing factors by data of the location and quantitative information of companies, enterprises and life services, etc., and conducting exploratory regression analysis. Finally, we analyzed the influencing factors and spatial differentiation rules of different research periods with GWR model. The results showed that, from 2000 to 2015, the amount of transition from ecological land use to non-ecological land use in the urban agglomeration showed an inverted U-shaped change pattern, and the space showing the expanding trend from point to surface. Land use patterns of 8.4% area had changed in the urban agglomeration, among which the conversion of cultivated land, forest land, grassland, water body and unused land to non-ecological land accounted for 41.9% of the total area. The spatial pattern gradually expanded from the central urban area of Wuhan to the periphery of the municipal sub-center and county-level towns. The total number of passing models in the three stages of exploratory regression analysis was 326. The GWR and OLS regression were used for comparative analysis of all models. The adjusted R2 in the three stages of selected models were 0.83, 0.91 and 0.76, respectively. The former improved by 0.02, 0.03 and 0.02, and the AICc decreased by 2.88, 3.42 and 0.83, respectively. The results of GWR model showed substantially spatial differentiation of influencing factors of ecological land evolution in Wuhan urban agglomeration, and that the influence patterns was dominated by gradual transition in different directions in space, with other patterns such as "V" distribution. The effects of spatial factors were significant. The potential information of spatial data enhanced the interpretation of ecological land evolution within the urban agglomeration.

A Potential Anti-cancer Compound Separated from the Chloroform Extract of the Chinese Medicine Formula Shenqi San.

This study examined anti-cancer compounds present in the chloroform extract of the Chinese medicine formula Shenqi San (CE-SS). Silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, octadecylsilyl (ODS) column chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to separate the compounds from CE-SS. The structural formulas of the separated compounds were determined using 1D 1H and 13C experiments as well as high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS). The corresponding results were compared with the reported literature data. A total of six compounds were separated and their structures were identified on the basis of corresponding spectroscopic and physico-chemical properties. They were Saikogenin F (I), Prosaikogenin D (II), Prosaikogenin F (III), ß-sitosterol (IV), 3ß,16ß,23-trihydroxy-13,28-epoxyurs-11-ene-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (V), and methyl ursolic acid (VI). The separated compounds were evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory ability against the proliferation of A549 cells via MTT assay. Apoptosis was investigated using Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) by flow cytometry. Apoptosis-associated proteins were examined by Western blotting. All the compounds were observed to have inhibitory activities against the proliferation of A549 cells to different degrees. Flow cytometry showed that compound V increased the proportion of apoptotic A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Western blotting showed that compound V increased the expression of Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9 and cleaved-poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and decreased the expression of Bcl-2. These results indicated that compound V featured a significant inhibitory effect on A549 cells when compared with other compounds, and it may be considered a potential drug against cancers.

A Narrative Review of Complementary Nutritional Supplements for Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common troublesome side effect and affects long-term activities of daily living. This neuropathic disorder is still difficult to treat with current clinical treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate and offer an updated perspective of complementary therapies for CIPN. METHODS: This review included current databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Database, Google Scholar, and Ovid Medline, published up to May 2019 in the English language, to summarize the role of nutrient supplements in CIPN, based on evidence from both animal and clinical studies. RESULTS: A total of 58 studies were included in this review. There were 19 preclinical studies that reported mechanisms of effects and 31 clinical studies corroborated preclinical findings, including 22 randomized controlled trials and 3085 patients with CIPN. Interventions included vitamin E, vitamin B complex, glutamine, acetyl-L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium/magnesium (Ca2+/Mg2+). The administration of various nutrients remains inconsistent, and limited evidence of effective ones for treating CIPN is available. However, glutamine and omega-3 fatty acids present potential as treatment options for CIPN. The evidence on vitamin E and vitamin B complex is inconclusive, and some forms of vitamin B, such as B6 or B12, await confirmation of their potential to offer protection from CIPN. Less robust evidence was found for nutrients such as acetyl-L-carnitine, α-Lipoic acid, glutathione, and Ca2+/Mg2+ for CIPN. CONCLUSION: Nutritional therapists seem to recommend nutrient supplements as potential anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents for both the prevention and management of CIPN. An understanding of this evolving literature is useful in exploring these therapies with patients who are considering using them. However, their effects against CIPN are still controversial due to the undetermined neuropathic mechanisms of different antineoplastic agents and complex drug interactions. Further research on these agents is warranted.

[Pharmacokinetics of eight constituents in rat plasma after oral administration of Modified Xiaochaihu Granules for gastric ulcer based on UPLC-MS/MS].

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed in this study to simultaneously determine the contents of eight effective constituents in rat plasma, including baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, berberine hydrochloride, saikosaponin a and saikosaponin d in plasma of gastric ulcer rats, and investigate the pharmacokinetics of Modified Xiaochaihu Granules. Chromatographic separation was conducted on Zorbax SB-C18 column (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 µm) with acetonitrile -0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution, at a flow rate of 0.4 mL·min⁻¹ and column temperature of 40 °C. Detection was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with ESI ion source. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r>0.996) over a wide concentration range for all constituents. RSDs of intra-day and inter-day precision were all within 15% and the extraction recoveries of all the constituents were in the range of 81.92% to 104.8%. The time to peak (tmax) of these eight constituents was (2.69±2.02), (5.17±2.04), (0.25±0), (0.83±0.26), (0.92±0.20), (0.92±0.20), (0.58±0.20), and (0.083±0) h, respectively; the half-life (t1/2) of them was (7.85±0.34), (10.16±2.21), (6.79±0.21), (8.32±0.48), (11.05±1.78), (11.56±3.46), (15.30±1.84), and (5.54±1.91) h, respectively; the peak concentration (Cmax) of them was (55.02±1.67), (213.66±4.62), (62.61±0.69), (68.43±1.42), (62.22±0.39), (30.17±1.89), (61.79±4.81), and (38.02±1.75) µg·L⁻¹, respectively. This established method is simple and accurate with good repeatability and strong specificity, which could provide modern experimental basis for modified Xiaochaihu granules in clinical treatment of gastric ulcer.

[Studies on serum pharmacochemistry of effective parts of modified Xiaochaihu Tang for treatment of gastric ulcer].

To conduct the studies on serum pharmacochemistry of effective parts of modified Xiaochaihu Tang for treatment of gastric ulcer by using chromatography-mass spectrometry. Absolute ethyl alcohol induced-gastric ulcer model of mouse was used in this study to investigate the pharmacology of modified Xiaochaihu Tang and its effective parts. Both groups could significantly decrease the absolute ethyl alcohol induced-ulcer. Gasphase-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to detect chemical compositions of volatile fractions and the drug components after gastric administration. A total of 63 compounds were identified in extracts, accounting for more than 93% of the all volatile oil, including 23.51% α-curcumene, 11.96% zingiberene, 9.56% curzerene, 6.54% ß-sesquinene, 4.77% camphene, and 6 prototype components were also detected in serum for gastric ulcer model. In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), a total of 17 compounds were identified in extracts, 6 prototype components and 2 metabolites (3,5-O-feruloylquinic acid and palmatine) were obtained in serum. In a conclusion, this study provides an important scientific basis for identifying the active ingredients in modified Xiaochaihu Tang, and also helps to reveal the pharmacological effect of modified Xiaochaihu Tang for treatment of gastric ulcer.

Tuberculosis prevalence among university freshmen in Zhengzhou, China, during 2004-2013.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern worldwide, and spreads more easily in densely populated areas such as school campuses. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of positive TB skin tests among freshmen, i.e. newly-enrolled college students, in Zhengzhou City, China. METHODS: We reviewed the data of purified protein derivative (PPD) skin tests in 656,212 freshmen in 2004-2013. RESULTS: A positive test showed a diameter of swelling ≥ 5 mm. The PPD positive rate was 40.69 %, with a prevalence of 146.29 per 100,000. During the 10-year study period, the rate of students with positive PPD test increased from 34.19 % in 2004 to 40.69 % in 2013. The positive PPD rate was significantly higher in males than in females (41.68 % vs 39.61 %, P<0.0001), and in rural compared with urban areas (42.04 % vs 38.03 %, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: These findings indicated a high prevalence of PPD positivity among participants during the study period, with an increasing trend. Therefore, this population needs to be targeted by TB prevention and control programs.

Erratum to: Chinese medicine formula "Shenqi San" extract inhibits proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells via inducing apoptosis.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The presentation of the affiliation number was incorrect. The corrected one is given below.Zhong-zhu AI () 1†.

Chinese medicine formula "Shenqi San" extract inhibits proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells via inducing apoptosis.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the active components of the Chinese medicine formula Shenqi San (SS) by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector and electrospray ionization-hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrum (HPLC-DADESI- QTOF-MS), and demonstrate the anticancer mechanism of SS on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells by evaluating the cell proliferation and apoptosis induction. The chloroform extraction of SS (CE-SS) was extracted from SS, while HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS assay was performed to identify components of CE-SS. MTT assay was used to quantify the proliferation of A549 cells with the treatment of CE-SS. Apoptosis analysis was carried out by detecting phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization using the Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit and the stained cells were analyzed with a flow cytometer. DAPI staining assay was carried out to observe morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of important signaling proteins including caspase-3, -8, -9, p53, Bax and Bcl-2. Eight compounds were identified through HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis and 3-pyridine carboxylic acid, barbatin C, scutebarbatine F and barbatine D might be the main compounds responsible for the antitumor effect of CE-SS. CE-SS suppressed the proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. By Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, we found that treatment with CE-SS induced apoptosis in A549 cells. After 24-h exposure to CE-SS, the expression of cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-8 and cleaved-caspase-3 protein was activated, the expression of p53 protein increased while the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 also increased. This study identified the eight compounds of CE-SS, and demonstrated their anticancer effect on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells via induction of apoptosis.

E2F1 induces TINCR transcriptional activity and accelerates gastric cancer progression via activation of TINCR/STAU1/CDKN2B signaling axis.

Recent evidence indicates that E2F1 transcription factor have pivotal roles in the regulation of cellular processes, and is found to be dysregulated in a variety of cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also reported to exert important effect on tumorigenesis. E2F1 is aberrantly expressed in gastric cancer (GC), and biology functions of E2F1 in GC are controversial. The biological characteristics of E2F1 and correlation between E2F1 and lncRNAs in GC remain to be found. In this study, integrated analysis revealed that E2F1 expression was significantly increased in GC cases and its expression was positively correlated with the poor pathologic stage, large tumor size and poor prognosis. Forced E2F1 expression promotes proliferation, whereas loss of E2F1 function decreased cell proliferation by blocking of cell cycle in GC cells. Mechanistic analyses indicated that E2F1 accelerates GC growth partly through induces TINCR transcription. TINCR could bind to STAU1 (staufen1) protein, and influence CDKN2B mRNA stability and expression, thereby affecting the proliferation of GC cells. Together, our findings suggest that E2F1/TINCR/STAU1/CDKN2B signaling axis contributes to the oncogenic potential of GC and may constitute a potential therapeutic target in this disease.

LincRNAFEZF1-AS1 represses p21 expression to promote gastric cancer proliferation through LSD1-Mediated H3K4me2 demethylation.

BACKGROUND: Although the prognosis of gastric cancer patients have a favorable progression, there are some patients with unusual patterns of locoregional and systemic recurrence. Therefore, a better understanding of early molecular events of the disease is needed. Current evidences demonstrate that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be an important class of functional regulators involved in human gastric cancers development. Our previous studies suggest that HOTAIR contributes to gastric cancer development, and the overexpression of HOTAIR predicts a poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the characteristic of the LncRNA FEZF1-AS1 in gastric cancer. METHODS: QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of FEZF1-AS1 in gastric cancer tissues and cells. MTT assays, clonogenic survival assays and nude mouse xenograft model were used to examine the tumorigenesis function of FEZF1-AS1 in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis were used to select downstream target genes of FEZF1-AS1. Cell cycle analysis, ChIP, RIP,RNA Pulldown assays were examined to dissect molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: In this study, we reported that FEZF1-AS1, a 2564 bp RNA, was overexpressed in gastric cancer, and upregulated FEZF1-AS1 expression indicated larger tumor size and higher clinical stage; additional higher expression of FEZF1-AS1 predicted poor prognosis. Further experiments revealed that knockdown FEZF1-AS1 significantly inhibited gastric cancer cells proliferation by inducing G1 arrest and apoptosis, whereas endogenous expression FEZF1-AS1 promoted cell growth. Additionally, RIP assay and RNA-pulldown assay evidenced that FEZF1-AS1 could epigenetically repress the expression of P21 via binding with LSD1, the first discovered demethylase. ChIP assays demonstrated that LSD1 could directly bind to the promoter of P21, inducing H3K4me2 demethylation. CONCLUSION: In summary, these data demonstrated that FEZF1-AS1 could act as an "oncogene" for gastric cancer partly through suppressing P21 expression; FEZF1-AS1 may be served as a candidate prognostic biomarker and target for new therapies of gastric cancer patients.

Effect of Poria cocos hydroethanolic extract on treating adriamycin-induced rat model of nephrotic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf hydroethanolic extract (PHE) against nephrotic syndrome (NS) in rats and to identify the potential active components from PHE. METHODS: The high content compounds were isolated and purified by using column chromatography followed by preparative highperformance liquid chromatography (p-HPLC). Forty male Wistar rats with adriamycin (ADR)-induced NS were randomly divided into 5 groups, 8 in each group: model control group, positive control group (with prednisone treatment), PHE low-dose group, PHE middle-dose group and PHE high-dose group. Another 8 rats were recruited as vehicle control group. All rats received the intragastric administration of corresponding drugs or saline for 30 days. During the experimental period, rats' behavior and appearance were observed and recorded daily, and their body weights were recorded weekly. After treatment, 24-h urine samples were collected to evaluate the urine protein and urine creatinine (Ucr); then the rats were sacrificed to collect carotid blood and to determine the levels of serum total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), globulin (Glo), total cholesterol (TC) and cytokine interlukin-4 (IL-4). RESULTS: Six acidic components were isolated and identified from the PHE section: pachymic acid, 15α-hydroxydehydrotumulosic acid, trametenolic acid, dehydropachymic acid, 3ß-hydroxy-lanosta-7,9(11), 24-trien-21-oic-acid and dehydroeburicoic acid. Compared with the model control group, the urine protein content were significantly decreased in the PHE treatment groups and positive control group (P<0.05), especially PHE middle-dose group (P<0.01). The Ucr values and serum levels of TP, Glo, TC and IL-4 in PHE low- and middle-dose groups were also presented obvious recover tendency as compared with the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, positive control group and all PHE groups indicated no significant therapeutic effect on raising Alb value, although PHE low- and middle-dose treatment groups showed better outcomes than positive control group (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PHE showed an encouraging therapeutic effect against ADR-induced NS in a rat model. PHE might be a group of effective substances for the treatment of NS.

Chinese Medicine Formula "Shenqi San" Extract Inhibits Proliferation of Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells via Inducing Apoptosis / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the active components of the Chinese medicine formula Shenqi San (SS) by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector and electrospray ionization-hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrum (HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS),and demonstrate the anticancer mechanism of SS on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells by evaluating the cell proliferation and apoptosis induction.The chloroform extraction of SS (CE-SS) was extracted from SS,while HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS assay was performed to identify components of CE-SS.MTT assay was used to quantify the proliferation of A549 cells with the treatment of CE-SS.Apoptosis analysis was carried out by detecting phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization using the Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit and the stained cells were analyzed with a flow cytometer.DAPI staining assay was carried out to observe morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of important signaling proteins including caspase-3,-8,-9,p53,Bax and Bcl-2.Eight compounds were identified through HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis and 3-pyridine carboxylic acid,barbatin C,scutebarbatine F and barbatine D might be the main compounds responsible for the antitumor effect of CE-SS.CE-SS suppressed the proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner.By Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining,we found that treatment with CE-SS induced apoptosis in A549 cells.After 24-h exposure to CE-SS,the expression of cleaved-caspase-9,cleaved-caspase-8 and cleaved-caspase-3 protein was activated,the expression of p53 protein increased while the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 also increased.This study identified the eight compounds of CE-SS,and demonstrated their anticancer effect on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells via induction of apoptosis.