[Study on changes of Styrax varieties].

Styrax is a commonly used imported traditional Chinese medicinal material in China. It was introduced to China in the Han Dynasty and was first described as a traditional Chinese medicine in Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians(Ming Yi Bie Lu). In this paper, by combing ancient and modern Chinese and foreign herbal medicine books and modern literature, combined with the results of field investigations on the origin of Styrax, the changes of Styrax involving the name, quality evaluation, origin, place of origin, and harvesting and processing were systematically verified. The results show that since ancient times, the origin and place of origin of Styrax have been unclear. The medical scientists of all dynasties in China have evaluated the quality of Styrax from four aspects: texture, viscosity, odor concentration, and color. The varieties of Styrax changed twice. The first change may have occurred during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the base changed from Styrax officinalis to Liquidambar orientalis. The second change was in modern times, and the base changed from L. orientalis to L. styraciflua. At the same time, the place of origin changed for the first time, from Turkey, Syria, and other countries in southern Asia Minor to Honduras, Guatemala, and other countries in Central America and southern North America. This paper studied the historical evolution of Styrax in terms of quality evaluation, origin, place of origin, character, and harvesting and processing. At the same time, it summarized the application of Styrax in the western countries, which can provide a historical basis for the further development and utilization of Styrax.

Single-Plane Retroperitoneoscopic Adrenalectomy Guided by Indocyanine Green Dye: An Optimized Step.

Background: The objective of this study was to explore the perioperative outcomes of single-plane posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (SPRA) guided by indocyanine green dye (ICG) fluorescence imaging. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent SPRA from April to September 2023 in our center was conducted. Patients were divided into the ICG group and the non-ICG group, based on whether they received intraoperative ICG fluorescence guided or not. Baseline and perioperative data were recorded and analyzed by R software (R 4.3.1). Results: A total of 23 patients were enrolled in the study, with 12 in the ICG group and 11 in the non-ICG group. The demographics including age, gender, body mass index, or American Society of Anesthesiologists classification showed no significant differences between groups. There were obvious advantages in shortening adrenal gland localization time and total operative time, as well as reducing estimated blood loss in the ICG group compared with the non-ICG group (5.58 ± 0.36 minutes vs 7.55 ± 0.62 minutes, p < 0.001; 27.50 ± 5.46 minutes vs 45.00 ± 10.99 minutes, p < 0.001; 22.91 ± 7.57 mL vs 54.54 ± 18.90 mL, p < 0.001; respectively). Furthermore, patients in the ICG group exhibited significantly lower visual analog pain scale scores at 24 hours postoperatively and at discharge (p = 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). The oral intake intervals, hospital stays, and perioperative complications were comparable between groups. Conclusions: ICG-guided SPRA could be a safe and effective procedure for patients with adrenal tumors. This technique improves the accuracy and efficacy of adrenal gland localization and has shown benefits in perioperative outcomes. The use of ICG fluorescence guidance represents a promising clinical application.

Bladder neck contracture following transurethral surgery of prostate: a retrospective single-center study.

PURPOSE: Bladder neck contracture (BNC) is a rare but intolerant complication after transurethral surgery of prostate. The present study aims to investigate the incidence and risk factors of BNC in patients diagnosed benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and following transurethral resection or enucleation of the prostate (TURP/TUEP). METHODS: This retrospective study included 1008 BPH individuals who underwent transurethral surgery of the prostate between January 2017 and January 2022. Patients' demographics, medical comorbidities, urologic characteristics, perioperative parameters, and the presence of BNC were documented. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 2% (20/1008) BPH patients developed BNC postoperatively and the median occurring time was 5.8 months. Particularly, the incidences of BNC were 4.7% and 1.3% in patients underwent Bipolar-TURP and TUEP respectively. Preoperative urinary tract infection (UTI), elevated PSA, smaller prostate volume (PV), bladder diverticulum (BD), and B-TURP were significantly associated with BNC in the univariate analysis. Further multivariate logistic regression demonstrated preoperative UTI (OR 4.04, 95% CI 2.25 to 17.42, p < 0.001), BD (OR 7.40, 95% CI 1.83 to 31.66, p < 0.001), and B-TURP (OR 3.97, 95% CI 1.55 to 10.18, p = 0.004) as independent risk factors. All BNC patients were treated with transurethral incision of the bladder neck (TUIBN) combined with local multisite injection of betamethasone. During a median follow-up of 35.8 months, 35% (7/20) of BNC patients recurred at a median time of 1.8 months. CONCLUSION: BNC was a low-frequency complication following transurethral surgery of prostate. Preoperative UTI, BD, and B-TURP were likely independent risk factors of BNC. TUIBN combined with local multisite injection of betamethasone may be promising choice for BNC treatment.

Clinical analysis of 114 cases of bronchiolitis in infants.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolitis is a common lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children. Severe cases may be accompanied by obvious dyspnea and oxygen saturation decline. AIM: To summarize the clinical features, standard diagnosis, and treatment of bronchiolitis. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 114 pediatric patients (74 males, 40 females) who were first diagnosed as having bronchioles at the Department of Pediatrics of Tongling Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019. The clinical features, imaging features, treatment, and other clinical data were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The age of onset of the disease was mainly from 1 mo to 6 mo (75.4%), and the time to hospital visit was mostly from the 2nd day to the 4th day of the course of the disease (75.4%). Lung imaging examination showed increase in lung texture, fuzzy (93.8%). The main treatment was atomization therapy: Budesonide combined with terbutaline (45.6%) and budesonide combined with salbutamol (38.5%). The average hospitalization time was 7.1 ± 2.4 d, and the overall cure rate was 94.7%. In patients without bacterial infection, the use of antibiotics significantly prolonged the length of hospital stay (7.8 ± 2.5 d vs 5.7 ± 1.8 d) and improved the cure rate (98.3% vs 87.9%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Infants with bronchiolitis are mainly male and tend to have a good prognosis. However, the unneeded use of antibiotics may prolong the length of hospital stay significantly, which imposes the burden both on the patients and hospital system.

[Textual research on Bungarus Parvus].

Bungarus Parvus, a precious animal Chinese medicinal material used in clinical practice, is believed to be first recorded in Ying Pian Xin Can published in 1936. This study was carried out to analyze the names, geographical distribution, morphological characteristics, ecological habits, poisonousness, and medicinal parts by consulting ancient Chinese medical books and local chronicles, Chinese Pharmacopeia, different processing standards of trditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces, and modern literatures. The results showed that the earliest medicinal record of Bungarus Parvus was traced to 1894. In 1930, this medicinal material was used in the formulation of Annao Pills. The original animal, Bungarus multicinctus, was recorded by the name of "Bojijia" in 1521. The morphological characteristics, ecological habits, and poisonousness of the original animal are the same in ancient and modern records. The geographical distribution is similar between the ancient records and modern documents such as China Medicinal Animal Fauna. The dried body of young B. multicinctus is used as Bungarus Parvus, which lack detailed references. As a matter of fact, it is still inconclusive whether there are differences between young snakes and adult snakes in terms of active ingredients, pharmacological effects, and clinical applications. This study clarified the medicinal history and present situation of Bungarus Parvus. On the basis of the results, it is suggested that systematic comparison on young and adult B. multicinctus should be carried out to provide references for revising the medicinal parts of B. multicinctus.

[Slicing specifications in general rule of processing in Chinese Pharmacopoeia from slicing development of Chinese materia medica processed product and thinking and suggestion on slicing techniques].

Slicing is critical in the processing of Chinese materia medica(CMM) processed product and the specification(thickness) is closely related to the quality of the decoction. On the basis of clarifying the concept and evolution of slicing of CMM processed product by reviewing the Chinese herbal classics of the past dynasties and general rules of local processing standards, this study discussed the development history of slicing specifications in general rules of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition), analyzed the current situation and key problems, and proposed the thinking and suggestion on promoting the sound development of slicing of CMM processed product. Since 2000, the slicing thickness of CMM processed product in the general rules of local CMM processed product processing specifications newly revised and issued by 27 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities has been consistent with that in the general rules of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). The standard that the thickness of extremely thin pieces is less than 0.5 mm is rarely retained, and the pieces in 0.5-1 mm thickness have not been found on the market, which is consistent with the provisions of the general rules of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. This study can provide a historical and modern basis for the rationality of slicing of CMM processed product.

[Comparison on volatile components between Artemisiae Verlotori Folium and Artemisiae Argyi Folium based on GC-MS and chemometrics].

Artemisiae Argyi Folium is commonly used in clinical practice. Artemisiae Verlotori Folium, the dried leaves of Artemisia verlotorum, is often used as a folk substitute for Artemisiae Argyi Folium in Lingnan area. In this study, gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used to detect the volatile oil components of 27 samples of Artemisiae Verlotori Folium and 13 samples of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, and the volatile components were compared between the two species. The internal standard method was combined with multi-reaction monitoring mode(MRM) to determine the content of six major volatile components. Hierarchical clustering analysis(HCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were carried out for the content data. The results showed that the Artemisiae Argyi Folium samples had higher content and more abundant volatile oils than the Artemisiae Verlotori Folium samples. Artemisiae Argyi Folium mainly had the components with lower boiling points, while Artemisiae Verlotori Folium mainly had the components with higher boiling points. Terpenoids were the main volatile components in Artemisiae Verlotori Folium(mainly sesquiterpenoids) and Artemisiae Argyi Folium(monoterpenoids). In addition, Artemisiae Argyi Folium had higher content of oxygen-containing derivatives than Artemisiae Verlotori Folium. Furthermore, the stoichiometric analysis showed that the two species could be distinguished by both HCA and OPLS-DA, indicating that the volatile components of the two were significantly different. This study can provide a scientific basis for the quality evaluation and data support for the local rational application of Artemisiae Verlotori Folium in Lingnan.

Role of pyroglutamic acid in cumulus cells of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a complex heterogeneous endocrine disorder associated with established metabolic abnormalities and is a common cause of infertility in females. Glutathione metabolism in the cumulus cells (CCs) of women with PCOS may be correlated to the quality of oocytes for infertility treatment; therefore, we used a metabolomics approach to examine changes in CCs from women with PCOS and oocyte quality. METHODS: Among 135 women undergoing fertility treatment in the present study, there were 43 women with PCOS and 92 without. CCs were collected from the two groups and levels of pyroglutamic acid were measured using LC-MS/MS followed by qPCR and Western blot analysis to examine genes and proteins involved in pyroglutamic acid metabolism related to glutathione synthesis. RESULTS: Women with PCOS showed increased levels of L-pyroglutamic acid, L-glutamate, and L-phenylalanine and decreased levels of Cys-Gly and N-acetyl-L-methionine. Gene expression of OPLAH, involved in pyroglutamic synthesis, was significantly increased in women with PCOS compared with those without. Gene expression of GSS was significantly decreased in women with PCOS and synthesis of glutathione synthetase protein was decreased. Expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, involved in resistance to oxidative stress, was significantly increased in women with PCOS. CONCLUSIONS: CCs of women with PCOS showed high concentrations of pyroglutamic acid and reduced glutathione synthesis, which causes oxidative stress in CCs, suggesting that decreased glutathione synthesis due to high levels of pyroglutamic acid in CCs may be related to the quality of oocytes in women with PCOS.

Drosophila mechanical nociceptors preferentially sense localized poking.

Mechanical nociception is an evolutionarily conserved sensory process required for the survival of living organisms. Previous studies have revealed much about the neural circuits and sensory molecules in mechanical nociception, but the cellular mechanisms adopted by nociceptors in force detection remain elusive. To address this issue, we study the mechanosensation of a fly larval nociceptor (class IV da neurons, c4da) using a customized mechanical device. We find that c4da are sensitive to mN-scale forces and make uniform responses to the forces applied at different dendritic regions. Moreover, c4da showed a greater sensitivity to localized forces, consistent with them being able to detect the poking of sharp objects, such as wasp ovipositor. Further analysis reveals that high morphological complexity, mechanosensitivity to lateral tension and possibly also active signal propagation in dendrites contribute to the sensory features of c4da. In particular, we discover that Piezo and Ppk1/Ppk26, two key mechanosensory molecules, make differential but additive contributions to the mechanosensitivity of c4da. In all, our results provide updates into understanding how c4da process mechanical signals at the cellular level and reveal the contributions of key molecules.

Being able to sense harm is essential for survival. Animals have to be able to tell the difference between a gentle touch and a dangerous pressure. They do this using nerve cells called mechanical nociceptors which switch on when the body feels a potentially painful pressure, such as a sharp object poking the skin. Once activated, the nerves send outputs to other parts of the central nervous system which coordinate the motions needed to escape the source of the pain. One popular model to understand harm-sensing is the larvae of fruit flies which automatically roll back and forth when they sense the pointy sting of a wasp. This process is initiated by sensory nerve cells called class IV dendritic arborization neurons (or c4da for short) which sit under the fly's skin. However, it is still not fully understood how these mechanical nociceptors detect the poking forces of the wasp's tail. To investigate, Liu, Wu et al. built a device that could poke sections of fly larvae under a microscope so they could see how different types of pressure affected the activity and shape of c4da cells. This revealed that c4da nerves were most sensitive to sharp objects that illicit a more localized force, which may explain why these cells are so good at responding to wasp attacks. Further analysis showed that this sensitivity was due to the high number of branches, or dendrites, protruding from the body of c4da nerves. Liu, Wu et al. discovered that the dendrites were coated in a touch-sensitive protein that can sense and amplify both squashing and pulling, resulting in a signal that activates c4da nerves to send outputs to other parts of the central nervous system. This mechanism increases the likelihood that a c4da cell will detect a mechanical pressure even if it is far away from the body of the nerve. These findings shed light on how sensory cells like c4da are optimized to carry out specific roles. This could be important for understanding other nerve systems which sense mechanical pressure, such as those involved in touch or auditory processes. However, further work is needed to see whether the molecules and mechanism identified by Liu, Wu et al. are also present in humans.

[Mechanism of moistening process of Rehmanniae Radix based on kinetic process].

The moistening process of Rehmanniae Radix was characterized quantitatively by moisture phase, texture properties, and component content based on water absorption kinetics and expansion kinetics. Non-linear fitting of water absorption kinetics and expansion kinetics in the moistening process of Rehmanniae Radix was carried out. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging(LF-NMR/MRI) technology was used to investigate the phase state and distribution changes of water during the moistening process. The Texture Analyzer was used for the determination of texture properties. The correlations between water absorption rate, expansion rate, water phase state, hardness, and compression cycle work of Rehmanniae Radix at different moistening time were analyzed. The results showed that the water absorption kinetics and expansion kinetics of Rehmanniae Radix were in accordance with the first-order kinetics. Moreover, the water absorption rate and expansion rate increased with the increase in temperature but decreased with the increase in the size of the medicinal materials.In the moistening process, the moisture was transferred from the outside to the inside, and the proportion of the moisture phase changed significantly.Within 16 hours, free water increased from 0.825% to 97.7%,while bound water decreased from 99.2% to 2.33%.Within 28 hours, the texture properties, such as hardness and compression cycle work, decreased gradually with the prolongation in moistening time.At 32 hours, water was evenly distributed throughout the whole medicinal material, and the texture properties also tended to be stable.Pearson correlation bivariate analysis showed that moistening time, water absorption rate, expansion rate, the relative content of free water and bound water, hardness, and compression cycle work were significantly correlated, suggesting that water absorption kinetics and expansion kinetics, LF-NMR/MRI,and Texture Analyzer could directly and quantitatively characterize the moistening process.This study is expected to provide a scientific basis for clarifying the scientific connotation of the moistening process of Rehmanniae Radix.

[Textual research of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica].

Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are well-known Chinese herbal medicines for wind dispersing and exterior releasing. Through textual research on Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica, the discrimination of their medicinal parts in history was clarified, and the processing, the property(nature and flavor), meridian tropism, functions, indications, usage, dosage, and the selection of decoction pieces were compared to provide the basis for clinical application. As a result, the whole herb of Schizonepeta tenuifolia was used as medicine in the early records. The aerial part and the dried spike of S. tenuifolia were used as medicines separately in the Song Dynasty, which was recorded in the Atlas of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Tu Jing). Some ancient classics emphasized that only the dried spike could be used as medicine. The separation of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica meets the different needs of clinical medication and supports the concept of rational development and utilization of Chinese medicine resources. About ten processing methods for Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica have been recorded since ancient times, and raw and charred drugs were the major products. Raw Schizonepetae Herba is required to be used in sections, whereas raw Schizonepetae Spica in clean preparation. Both charred products should avoid scorching. Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are similar in the property(pungent, bitter, and warm), meridian tropism(lung and liver meridians, as well as qi and blood aspects), and functions(releasing exterior, dispersing wind, regulating and stopping blood, promoting eruption, dispelling sores, promoting digestion, eliminating alcohol effect, etc.), but Schizonepetae Spica is superior in efficacy. For Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica in traditional Chinese medicinal prescriptions, the raw and charred products are similar in usage and dosage, while their focuses in clinical compatibility vary. The raw and charred products of Schizonepetae Herba and Schizonepetae Spica are widely applied clinically. Decoction pieces of different specifications can result in different efficacies and clinical applications, so medication should be performed with caution.

[Herbalogical study on Liangmianzhen (Zanthoxyli Radix)].

Liangmianzhen(Zanthoxyli Radix) has long been used as medicine. The current medicinal parts are different from those in the ancient. As recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopeia, the medicinal part is root. However, in ancient works, the medicinal parts include root, stem, leaf, and fruit. In an attempt to find the historical basis that stem is a reasonable medicinal part, the herbalogical study was carried out on this medicinal based on the formal names, synonyms, original plant, medicinal parts, habitat of the medicinal plant, producing area, processing and preparation methods, efficacy, and indications recorded in ancient Chinese materia medica and local gazetteers. The results showed that Liangmianzhen was firstly recorded as a medicinal in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica with the formal name of "Manjiao". "Manjiao" was adopted from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty when it was changed to "Rudijinniu", the name originating from the folk in the south of the Five Ridges. Now, the formal name is "Liangmianzhen", which was firstly recorded in Wuxuan County Gazetteer in 1914 and then as a synonym in the Updated Records of Picking Herbs in the South of the Five Ridges. According to the formal names, synonyms, and the descriptions of the original plant, the medicinal plants of Liang-mianzhen have the characteristics of shrub-like young seedlings, vine adult seedlings, corymbiform thyrsus, stems with thorns, amphitropous golden-yellow roots with horn-like branches, and thorns on both sides of the leaves. Thus, "Manjiao", "Rudijinniu", and "Liangmianzhen" were from the same species of Zanthoxylum nitidum(Rutaceae), which was also verified based on the growth environment, habitat, processing and preparation methods, efficacy, and indications. In ancient times, the stem and root were the main medicinal parts and leaves and fruits were also used. However, in the Chinese Pharmacopeia, root is recorded as the only medicinal part, which is obviously inconsistent with the records in the ancient classics. In light of the limited medicinal resources for Liang-mianzhen, other medicinal parts of Z. nitidum is recommended. This study clarified the medicinal parts of Z. nitidum in history. It is recommended that the stem be added to the medicinal parts of Z. nitidum in the next edition of Chinese Pharmacopeia.

[Herbalogical study on historical evolution of collection, processing and efficacy of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium].

In ancient times, the original plants of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium had experienced succession and change, including tangerine(Citrus reticulata), pomelo(C. grandis), and Huazhou pomelo(C. grandis 'Tomentosa'), a specific cultivar of C. grandis produced in Huazhou, Guangdong. Before the Qing Dynasty, tangerine was the main original plant, while Huazhou pomelo came to the fore in the Qing Dynasty. In the 1950 s and 1960 s, the producing area of Huazhou pomelo was destroyed, and thus it had to be supplemented with pomelo. From then on, C. grandis 'Tomentosa' and C. grandis were both listed as the original plants of Citri Grandis Exocarpium in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. This paper reviewed the historical evolution of the collection, processing, and efficacy of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium. The research showed that:(1)The harvest time of the original plants of Citri Grandis Exocarpium and Citri Grandis Exocarpium had changed from maturity to immaturity. The collection and processing of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum was first recorded in the Illustrated Classics of Materia Medica in the Song Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the mesocarp of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum needed to be removed completely, and Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis 'Tomentosa' was processed into different specifications such as seven-piece, five-piece, and single piece. Furthermore, processed young fruits of Huazhou pomelo appeared.(2)Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium were processed with carp skin for the first time in the Master Lei's Discourse on Medicinal Processing. It was suggested that carp skin might be helpful for eliminating bones stuck in throat. During the Song, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties, some other processing methods such as ba-king, stir-frying, and salt-processing appeared. Honey, soil, ginger juice, and alum were firstly used as adjuvants for the processing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Citri Exocarpium Rubrum was mainly prepared with salt in order to improve the effect of lowering Qi, while it was unnecessary for Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis 'Tomentosa' because of its obvious effect of lowering Qi and eliminating phlegm. The stir-frying and honey-frying methods helped reduce the strong effect of Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis 'Tomentosa'.(3)According to the application of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium in history, their medicinal use began in Han and Tang Dynasties, developed in Song, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties, and matured in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis 'Tomentosa' was originally applied in Ming and Qing Dynasties, and it still plays an important in role treating COVID-19 nowadays. Moreover, Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis had cold medicinal property, while Citri Grandis Exocarpium from C. grandis 'Tomentosa' had warm medicinal property, and thus they should not be treated the same. At present, Huazhou pomelo has a certain production scale. Therefore, it is recommended that in the next edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, only C. grandis 'Tomentosa' should be included as the original plant of Citri Grandis Exocarpium, and C. grandis should be deleted. The results are conducive to the further development and utilization of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum and Citri Grandis Exocarpium, and support the rational use of Citri Grandis Exocarpium and its processed products.

[Herbalogical analysis of Aconiti Carmichaeli Radix].

Tianxiong has been used as a Chinese medicinal in China for thousands of years, and the earliest record can be traced back to the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. It is effective in dispersing wind, dissipating cold, and replenishing fire to streng-then yang. To clarify the origin of Tianxiong, the present herbalogical study reviewed the ancient and modern literature from the origin, processing, and clinical efficacy. Before the Tang Dynasty, although the description of Tianxiong was quite superficial, an apparent difference between Tianxiong and Fuzi was recognized. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Tianxiong and Fuzi were mistakenly recognized to be prepared from a same plant since their raw materials came from artificial cultivation. Medical literature in the Ming and Qing Dynasties mostly followed the previous records, with the origin of Tianxiong remaining controversial. There were three mainstream views about the origin of Tianxiong according the ancient medical books. First, Tianxiong was a kind of Aconiti Radix(Chuanwu) without attachment of Fuzi. Second, Tianxiong was the large Fuzi. Third, Tianxiong derived from Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix(Caowu) about 10 cm in length. By contrast, Fuzi in a large size was simply regarded as Tianxiong in modern times. The processing methods were diversified in the ancient times, and the fire-processing was continuously applied. With the deepening of the research on the efficacy and detoxification mechanism, more methods were discovered, such as processing with ginger juice, child's urine and alcohol. As for modern times, the processing of Tianxiong has not been nearly passed down. The characteristic processing of Tianxiong only handed down in Sichuan province and Lingnan area, which can be discriminated by the last step. The efficacies of Tianxiong can be directly understood from its literal name, including dispersing wind, dissipating cold, and replenishing fire to assist yang. Nowadays, Tianxiong is mostly used to strengthen yang.

[Herbalogical study on historical evolution of Juhong and Huajuhong].

In ancient times, there were two types of "Juhong" came from the tangerines(Citrus reticulata) and the pomelos(C. grandis and its cultivars), which corresponded to Juhong and Huajuhong recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia respectively. In different periods, Juhong basically came from the same species and the same medicinal parts, but there were also some differences. This article sorted out the ancient and modern literature, under the guidance of "Succession theory of Medicinal materials varieties" and "Change theory of Medicinal materials varieties"(XIE Zong-wan), and combined with field investigation, the evolution and reasons of the original plants and medicinal parts of Juhong were analyzed. In the Han Dynasty and before, the peel of tangerines and pomelos were both used as medicine. In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the way tangerine peel was used was dried and aged, and then "soaked in hot water and scraped off the mesocarp", which had the essence of only using exocarp as medicine of Juhong already, and its original plant was C. reticalata. In the Song Dynasty, the name of "Juhong" and its medicinal usage were recorded in book on materia medica, and the species and medicinal parts of tangerine were inherited from the previous dynasties. The way tangerine peel was used was only dried and aged without removing the mesocarp. The medicinal material obtained by the way was called Chenpi(dried and aged tangerine peel). The item "Juhong" listing as a separate medicinal material was first recorded in the Collected Discussions from Materia Medica(Bencao Huiyan) in the Ming Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the Dao-di habitat of Juhong was recorded as Guangdong province in most books on materia medica, and the original plants probably were C. reticalata and C. grandis 'Tomentosa'(Huazhou pomelo, a special cultivated species of C. grandis produced in Huazhou, Guangdong, which was recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as "Huajuhong"), according to the records in the local chronicles. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, the original plants of Juhong were C. reticalata and C. grandis 'Tomentosa'. Of the two, the latter one was considered as the better. As far the medicinal part, it was still the exocarp, while the whole young fruit of C. grandis 'Tomentosa' began to be used as medicine. After the founding of The People's Republic of China, the exocarps of Citrus reticalata, C. grandis and C. grandis 'Tomentosa' were listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia under "Juhong". From the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Republic of China, C. grandis exocarp was a fake of Juhong. Therefore, it was contradictory to historical records that C. grandis exocarp was listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as Huajuhong. Juhong had been divided into two types as "Juhong" and "Huajuhong" since 1985. The medicinal part of Huajuhong was only the exocarp of immature and nearly mature fruits, but not the whole young fruit, the actual mainstream medicinal part of Huajuhong. The results are helpful to clarify the historical evolution of species and medicinal parts of Juhong and Huajuhong. It is suggested that in the next edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, only C. grandis 'Tomentosa' should be included as the original plant of Huajuhong, and C. grandis should be deleted, and the young fruit should be added in the medicinal parts besides the exocarp of immature and nearly mature fruit.

[Herbalogical study on original plant and medicinal and edible values of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus].

Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus is a both medicinal and edible species specified by the China Ministry of Health, with a long history in China. According to the ancient monographs about materia medica, it was found that the records of the Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus on the original plants were confused. This paper reviewed the ancient monographs about materia medica, and made a summarization and textual research on the name, origin, habitat, processing methods, medicinal properties and clinicacy efficacy of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus based the comprehensive analysis on modern literatures and authoritative books of Chinese herbal medicine. The results indicated that there were many bynames of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus. Before the Yuan Dynasty, there was a mixed use of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus and Citri Fructus, which were not distinguished from each other in terms of nature and taste until the Yuan dynasty. Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus was a varietas of Citri Fructus. The main shape of the original plant of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus is "like a human hand with fingers" as recorded in ancient monographs about materia medica. The main places of origin of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus were Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, which were relatively stable. There were fewer records about medicinal proces-sing methods of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus. Only steaming and baking methods were found in ancient monographs about materia medica, and the steaming method could reduce the irritability of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus. The processing of therapeutic dietary of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus was widely used in folk, which was represented by Chaozhou Laoxianghuang, a traditional succade made of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus. According to the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus had effects in soothing liver and regulating gas, relieving pain in the stomach, eliminating dampness and resolving phlegm, which was basically consistent with the descriptions in ancient monographs about materia medica. This paper defined the original plant of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus, and sorted out and summarized the processing methods, nature and taste of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus, so as to provide data support for the standardization of the processing technology and the development and utilization of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus.

[Historical evolution of Coicis Semen processing methods].

Coicis Semen is widely used as a raw material which can be used as both medicine and food among people. According to the ancient monographs on materia medica and relevant documents on the processing specifications in various provinces and cities, herba logical study on the historical evolution of the processing methods of Coicis Semen was conducted in this paper from the aspects of collecting and processing methods of Coicis Semen, the processing methods in the past dynasties and the nature, flavour and efficacy of Coicis Semen. The results showed that the processing methods of Coicis Semen recorded in monographs on materia medica mainly included stir-frying, glutinous rice stir-frying, salt processing(including salt cooking and salt stir-frying), stir-frying with the earth scraped from the wall facing east, and ginger juice stir-frying, etc. Among them, stir-frying, and stir-frying with the earth scraped from the wall facing east are still used nowadays. The bran stir-frying is the improved version of glutinous rice stir-frying in order to be adaptive to the modern-day situation and the needs of the present. In addition, the ancient shell removal and kernel keeping method are also included in the processing procedures in modern local processing specifications, which are combined with frying to form a new method named "Fazhi" processing( "Fazhi" means a processing method of multiple procedures). The 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia records that Coicis Semen is helpful to clear dampness and promote diuresis, strengthen the spleen and prevent diarrhea, eliminate impediment, discharge pus, resolve toxin and a mass, etc., which are consistent with those contained in ancient monographs on materia medica. After the "Fazhi" processing, the cold nature of Coicis Semen has been removed and its nature,flavour and meridian tropism have been changed, so its application scopes expanded. The results of this study clearly traced the history of the collecting and proces-sing of Coicis Semen, summarized the nature, flavour and efficacy of Coicis Semen contained in both ancient and modern literature, and provided a historical basis for the standardization of the subsequent processing technology of Coicis Semen, the clinical application of various processed products, and the further development and utilization of medicinal materials.

[Herbalogical study of Colla Corii Asini(Ejiao)].

Colla Corii Asini(Ejiao)is an important Chinese medicine used in China for thousands of years, and is well known for its famous tonic properties. The herbalogical study was detailed carried out based on the naming, habitat, harvesting, processing, medicinal properties and clinical efficacy. The results showed that the name of Ejiao could be traced back to Shennong's Materia Medica, and various names of Lvpi Jiao, Penfu Jiao and Fuzhi Jiao were recorded in other ancient books. In the many intervening centuries, the main materials of Ejiao had been replaced from cow leather before Tang Dynasty to donkey skin in the middle to late Tang Dynasty. This phenomenon could be probably caused by complicated social factors of various periods and different efficacy of Ejiao made by all kinds of raw materials. Ejiao was merely processed with the simple methods before Tang Dynasty, which subsequently improved avariety of methods to enhance the supplementation action. Most importantly, Ejiao has a wide clinic application along with the development of processing theories and methods, which can be found in various Classics, especially in imperial medical case record in Qing Dynasty.

Quantitative Analysis of Six Phenolic Acids in Artemisia capillaris (Yinchen) by HPLC-DAD and Their Transformation Pathways in Decoction Preparation Process.

We aimed to establish a quantitative analysis method of six constituents (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid) in Artemisia capillaris (Yinchen) and its decoction by using HPLC coupled with DAD. Besides, the transformation paths of the six constituents were analyzed in decoction preparation processing. The analytical method was fully validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, repeatability, and recovery and applied to assess the transformation trend and quantitative analysis of the six constituents in Yinchen decoction. The contents of six constituents varied greatly in Yinchen herb and Yinchen decoction, and there were inextricable internal relationships between them. Presumably 3-caffeoylquinic acid was isomerized to generate 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 4-caffeoylquinic acid. Similarly, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid were produced by isomerization of 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. In conclusion, this study provides a chemical basis for quality control of Yinchen decoction, and the changes of selected markers in decoction could give us some novel perspectives to study the relationship between substances and drug efficacy.