Quercetin and its derivatives for wound healing in rats/mice: Evidence from animal studies and insight into molecular mechanisms.

Aimed to clarify the effect of quercetin and its derivatives on wound healing in animal experiments. PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, Web of Science, SinoMed, Vip Journal Integration Platform, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and WanFang databases were searched for animal experiments investigating the effect of quercetin and its derivatives on wound healing to April 2023. The Review Manager 5.4 software was used to conduct meta-analysis. Eighteen studies were enrolled in this article. According to the SYRCLE's RoB tool assessment, these studies exposed relatively low methodological quality. It was shown that animals with cutaneous wound receiving quercetin had faster wound healing in wound closure (%) than the control group. Moreover, the difference in efficacy gradually emerged after third day (WMD = 7.13 [5.52, 8.74]), with a peak reached on the tenth day after wounding (WMD = 19.78 [17.82, 21.74]). Subgroup analysis revealed that quercetin for wound closure (%) was independent of the types of rats and mice, wound area and with or without diabetes. Clear conclusion was also shown regarding the external application of quercetin for wound healing (WMD = 17.77 [11.11, 24.43]). A significant reduction in the distribution of inflammatory cells occurred in the quercetin group. Quercetin could increase blood vessel density (WMD = 1.85 [0.68, -3.02]), fibroblast distribution and collagen fraction. Biochemical indicators, including IL-1ß, IL-10, TNF-α, TGF-ß, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hydroxyproline and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), had the consistent results. Quercetin and its derivatives could promote the recovery of cutaneous wound in animals, through inhibiting inflammatory response and accelerating angiogenesis, proliferation of fibroblast and collagen deposition.

Effects of the pestle needle therapy, a type of acupoint stimulation, on post-hemorrhoidectomy pain: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhoids are one of the most common conditions that lead to surgery, and until now surgical hemorrhoidectomy has been the major effective treatment. Post-operative pain from hemorrhoidectomy has been experienced by thousands of patients and remains a major inconvenience of the operation. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the clinical efficacy of the pestle needle therapy, an acupoint stimulation method, for relief of post-hemorrhoidectomy pain. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This was a single-center, patient-assessor-blinded and randomized controlled trial with 154 patients receiving Milligan hemorrhoidectomy surgery. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group at a ratio of 1:1. The treatment group received the pestle needle therapy, with manual stimulation at Yaoshu (DU2), Mingmen (DU4), Changqiang (DU1), Chengshan (BL57), Erbai (EX-UE2) and the perianal points (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11o'clock around the lesion); while the control group received a sham treatment with very light pressure. Three sessions of treatment were performed at 30 min, 4 h and 12 h after the surgery, and each lasted for 15 min. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was post-operative pain measured with the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 12 h after surgery. The secondary outcomes included the VAS scores measured at 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 24 and 48 h after surgery, the analgesic dose, the time and the VAS score of the patients' first defecation after surgery, as well as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAMA) evaluated before discharge. RESULTS: The mean pain score of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (3.10 ± 1.27 vs 4.82 ± 1.29; P < 0.001) at 12 h after surgery. Compared with the control group, patients in the treatment group needed a smaller dose of analgesic within the first 24 hours after surgery (P = 0.002); and their HAMA scores before discharge were lower (4.07 ± 2.40 vs 5.10 ± 2.45, P = 0.009). Compared to the treatment group, patients in the control group had a greater time to the first defecation after surgery ([52.34 ± 15.72] h vs [27.08 ± 13.68] h; P < 0.001), but there was no difference in their VAS scores at the first defecation (P = 0.092). CONCLUSION: The pestle needle therapy was effective for relieving pain, reducing anxiety and improving bowel function after hemorrhoidectomy, and it is worthy of clinical application.

MicroRNA-145 regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of human primary colon adenocarcinoma cells by targeting MAPK1.

Primary colon adenocarcinoma is responsible for high rates of mortality worldwide. The late diagnosis and lack of reliable biomarkers and therapeutic targets forms a bottleneck in the treatment of colon cancer. In the present study, the therapeutic potential of an important microRNA (miR), namely miR­145, was investigated in primary colon adenocarcinoma cells. The results revealed that the expression of miR­145 was significantly (P<0.05) downregulated in colon adenocarcinoma cells and the ectopic expression of miR­145 in colon cancer inhibited proliferation by promoting the apoptosis of SW480 primary colon adenocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR­145 exerts its effected by targeting mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK) in SW480 cells. This was confirmed by expression analysis wherein the expression of MAPK1 was significantly (P<0.05) upregulated in the primary colon adenocarcinoma cells and the ectopic expression of miR­145 inhibited the expression of MAPK1. By contrast, the silencing of MAPK1 had similar effects on the proliferation, migration and invasion of SW480 cells as that of the overexpression of miR­145. Furthermore, it was observed that the inhibition of miR­145 did not reverse the effects of MAPK1 silencing on SW480 cells. However, the overexpression of MAPK1 led to considerable reversal of the effects of the overexpression of miR­145 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of SW480 cells. The effects of the overexpression of miR­145 were also evaluated in vivo in xenografted mice and it was observed that the overexpression of miR­145 also inhibited tumor growth and volume in vivo. Taken together, it was concluded that miR­145 may prove to be an important therapeutic target for colon cancer.

Biofeedback therapy combined with traditional chinese medicine prescription improves the symptoms, surface myoelectricity, and anal canal pressure of the patients with spleen deficiency constipation.

In order to observe the clinical therapeutic effects of Yiqi Kaimi Prescription and biofeedback therapy on treating constipation with deficiency of spleen qi, the 30 cases in the control group were given oral administration of Yiqi Kaimi Prescription, in combination with anus-lifting exercise; the 30 cases in the treatment group were given biofeedback therapy on the basis of the afore mentioned methods for the control group. The TCM symptom scores and anorectal pressures before and after treatment were observed and evaluated. There were significant differences in TCM symptom scores, anorectal pressure, and clinical recovery rate before and after treatment. In the treatment group, the total recovery rate was 86.66%, while in the control group it was 50%; there were significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01). Yiqi Kaimi Prescription coupled with biofeedback therapy is clinically effective for treating constipation with deficiency of spleen qi, and thus this method is applicable for functional constipation with deficiency of spleen qi.

Traditional Chinese surgical treatment for anal fistulae with secondary tracks and abscess.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese surgical treatment for anal fistulae with secondary tracks and abscess. METHODS: Sixty patients with intersphincteric or transsphincteric anal fistulas with secondary tracks and abscess were randomly divided into study group [suture dragging combined with pad compression (SDPC)] and control group [fistulotomy (FSLT)]. In the SDPC group, the internal opening was excised and incisions at external openings were made for drainage. Silk sutures were put through every two incisions and knotted in loose state. The suture dragging process started from the first day after surgery and the pad compression process started when all sutures were removed as wound tissue became fresh and without discharge. In the FSLT group, the internal opening and all tracts were laid open and cleaned by normal saline postoperatively till all wounds healed. The time of healing, postoperative pain score (visual analogue scale), recurrence rate, patient satisfaction, incontinence evaluation and anorectal manometry before and after the treatment were examined. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding age, gender and fistulae type. The time of healing was significantly shorter (24.33 d in SDPC vs 31.57 d in FSLT, P < 0.01) and the patient satisfaction score at 1 mo postoperative follow-up was significantly higher in the SDPC group (4.07 in SDPC vs 3.37 in FSLT, P < 0.05). The mean maximal postoperative pain scores were 5.83 ± 2.5 in SDPC vs 6.37 ± 2.33 in FSLT and the recurrence rates were 3.33 in SDPC vs 0 in FSLT. None of the patients in the two groups experienced liquid and solid fecal incontinence and lifestyle alteration postoperatively. The Wexner score after treatment of intersphincter fistulae were 0.17 ± 0.41 in SDPC vs 0.40 ± 0.89 in FSLT and trans-sphincter fistulae were 0.13 ± 0.45 in SDPC vs 0.56 ± 1.35 in FSLT. The maximal squeeze pressure and resting pressure declined after treatment in both groups. The maximal anal squeeze pressures after treatment were reduced (23.17 ± 3.73 Kpa in SDPC vs 22.74 ± 4.47 Kpa in FSLT) and so did the resting pressures (12.36 ± 2.15 Kpa in SDPC vs 11.71 ± 1.87 Kpa in FSLT), but there were neither significant differences between the two groups and nor significant differences before or after treatment. CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese surgical treatment SDPC for anal fistulae with secondary tracks and abscess is safe, effective and less invasive.

[Effects of mild moxibustion on angiogenesis and microcirculation in wound repair after operation of anal fistula in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of mild moxibustion on angiogenesis and microcirculation in wound repair after operation of anal fistula, and to explore the mechanism of action. METHODS: Seventy-two SD male rats were made to bear an "acute, open, bleeding, infected" wound surface and were divided randomly into mild moxibustion group, microwave group and control group (24 rats per group). The wound surfaces of the treatment groups were treated for 15 min with mild moxibustion or microwave medical instrument from the first day after operation, and the control group was not given any treatment. At the first, third, seventh and fourteenth days after operation (1, 3, 7 and 14 days of treatment), six rats in each group were sacrificed after examining the blood flow of the wound surface, and the samples of granulation tissues were collected. The numbers of CD34 and positive expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in granulation tissues were detected. RESULTS: In the early and middle stages of wound healing, mild moxibustion could obviously increase the expression of VEGF, the number of CD34, and the blood flow of the wound surface. And the expression of VEGF, the number of CD34, and the blood flow of the wound surface began to increase at the third day, and reached the peak level at the seventh day, and then began to decrease. In the late stage of wound healing (day 14), mild moxibustion could decrease the expression of VEGF, the number of CD34, and decrease the blood flow of the wound surface. There were significant differences between the mild moxibustion group and the control group in the blood flow of the wound surface, the expression of VEGF and the numbers of CD34 in granulation tissues (P<0.05) after treatment, and except the number of CD34 at 14-day treatment, there were also differences between the mild moxibustion group and the microwave group. CONCLUSION: Mild moxibustion has better regulative actions on blood flow of the wound surface and the number of CD34 and positive expression of VEGF in granulation tissues, and can regulate microcirculation in wound surface and promote the wound healing.

[Reflection on development of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine].

After half a century of self-innovation, the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine has witnessed the great progress in both clinical and basic research. However, the theoretical system of the integrative medicine does not break through the limitations of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, which hinders its implication in experimental study and clinical work. In view of the current situation, to develop the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine further, efforts should be made in such aspects as educational system construction, talent personnel training, improving the level of clinical practice and corresponding basic research as well as the establishing the basic theoretical system.

[Clinical research of thread-dragging through fistula method in treating patients with simple anorectal fistula].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thread-dragging through fistula method in treating patients with simple anorectal fistula. METHODS: In this multi-centered, prospective, and randomized controlled clinical trial, 244 patients with simple low or high anorectal fistula were randomly divided into study group (with the method of thread-dragging through fistula) and control group (with the method of incision or thread-drawing). The healing time and curative rate of anorectal fistula, and the integral calculus of clinical symptom and life quality evaluations before and after treatment were all examined. The maximal anal canal squeeze pressure was measured to compare the therapeutic safety between these two groups. The health economical benefits were also assessed to determine which therapeutic method was more economical. RESULTS: The curative rate of simple low and high anorectal fistula were of no significant differences between the study group and the control group. The healing time of simple low anorectal fistula in the study group and the control group were (22.26+/-8.67) d and (31.41+/-11.39) d respectively, while the healing time of simple high anorectal fistula in the study group and the control group were (24.73+/-8.15) d and (32.20+/-12.60) d respectively, and there revealed significant differences between these two groups. Each integral calculus of clinical symptom evaluation in the study group was not obviously different from those in the control group besides the integral calculus of anal sphincter function. The integral calculus of life quality between the study group and the control group of simple low anorectal fistula had no significant differences. The integral calculus of anal sphincter function and confidence in treatment in the study group of high anorectal fistula were better than those in the control group. The hospitalization expense of the study group was remarkably lower than that of the control group. The maximal anal canal squeeze pressure in the study group after treatment was not reduced obviously as compared with that in the same group before treatment, while it was decreased significantly in the control group after treatment as compared with those in the same group before treatment and in the study group after treatment. CONCLUSION: The method of thread-dragging through fistula in treating simple low and high anorectal fistula can shorten the course of the disease, save the hospitalization expenses, improve the life quality of the patients, and protect the anal sphincter function.