Network medicine analysis for dissecting the therapeutic mechanism of consensus TCM formulae in treating hepatocellular carcinoma with different TCM syndromes.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is widely utilized as an adjunct therapy, improving patient survival and quality of life. TCM categorizes HCC into five distinct syndromes, each treated with specific herbal formulae. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these treatments remain unclear. Methods: We employed a network medicine approach to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of TCM in HCC. By constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we integrated genes associated with TCM syndromes and their corresponding herbal formulae. This allowed for a quantitative analysis of the topological and functional relationships between TCM syndromes, HCC, and the specific formulae used for treatment. Results: Our findings revealed that genes related to the five TCM syndromes were closely associated with HCC-related genes within the PPI network. The gene sets corresponding to the five TCM formulae exhibited significant proximity to HCC and its related syndromes, suggesting the efficacy of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment. Additionally, through a random walk algorithm applied to a heterogeneous network, we prioritized active herbal ingredients, with results confirmed by literature. Discussion: The identification of these key compounds underscores the potential of network medicine to unravel the complex pharmacological actions of TCM. This study provides a molecular basis for TCM's therapeutic strategies in HCC and highlights specific herbal ingredients as potential leads for drug development and precision medicine.

G protein-coupled receptors and traditional Chinese medicine: new thinks for the development of traditional Chinese medicine.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) widely exist in vivo and participate in many physiological processes, thus emerging as important targets for drug development. Approximately 30% of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs target GPCRs. To date, the 'one disease, one target, one molecule' strategy no longer meets the demands of drug development. Meanwhile, small-molecule drugs account for 60% of FDA-approved drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered widespread attention for its unique theoretical system and treatment methods. TCM involves multiple components, targets and pathways. Centered on GPCRs and TCM, this paper discusses the similarities and differences between TCM and GPCRs from the perspectives of syndrome of TCM, the consistency of TCM's multi-component and multi-target approaches and the potential of GPCRs and TCM in the development of novel drugs. A novel strategy, 'simultaneous screening of drugs and targets', was proposed and applied to the study of GPCRs. We combine GPCRs with TCM to facilitate the modernisation of TCM, provide valuable insights into the rational application of TCM and facilitate the research and development of novel drugs. This study offers theoretical support for the modernisation of TCM and introduces novel ideas for development of safe and effective drugs.

Exploration of TCM syndrome types of the material basis and risk prediction of Wilson disease liver fibrosis based on 1H NMR metabolomics.

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by abnormal copper metabolism. The accumulation of copper in the liver can progress to liver fibrosis and, ultimately, cirrhosis, which is a primary cause of death in WD patients. Metabonomic technology offers an effective approach to investigate the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome types of WD-related liver fibrosis by monitoring the alterations in small molecule metabolites within the body. In this study, we employed 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) metabonomics to assess the metabolic profiles associated with five TCM syndrome types of WD-related liver fibrosis and analyzed the diagnostic and predictive capabilities of various metabolites. The study found a variety of metabolites, each with varying levels of diagnostic and predictive capabilities. Furthermore, the discerned differential metabolic pathways were primarily associated with various pathways involving carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism. This study has identified various characteristic metabolic markers and pathways associated with different TCM syndromes of liver fibrosis in WD, providing a substantial foundation for investigating the mechanisms underlying these TCM syndromes.

Parallel needling technique for peripheral facial paralysis with qi deficiency and blood stasis: a randomized controlled trial. / å¹³è¡Œå¯¹åˆºæ³•æ²»ç–—æ°”è™šè¡€ç˜€åž‹å‘¨å›´æ€§é¢ç˜«ï¼šéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy of the parallel needling technique for peripheral facial paralysis with qi deficiency and blood stasis. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with peripheral facial paralysis of qi deficiency and blood stasis were randomly assigned to a parallel needling group and a conventional acupuncture group, with 31 patients in each group. The conventional acupuncture group received needling at Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Jiache (ST 6), Dicang (ST 4), Yifeng (TE 17) on the affected side, Hegu (LI 4) on the healthy side, and bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Qihai (CV 6) etc. The parallel needling group, in addition to the conventional acupuncture points, received parallel needling at three additional groups of acupoints, i.e. forehead wrinkle group, mid-face group, and corner of the mouth group. Both groups retained needles for 30 min, with one session every other day and a total of three sessions per week, lasting for four weeks. The House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grading, physical function (FDIP) and social function (FDIS) scores of facial disability index (FDI), TCM syndrome score before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was assessed. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, after treatment, both groups showed improvements in H-B facial nerve function grading (P<0.05), FDIP total scores and sub-item scores were increased (P<0.05), FDIS total scores, sub-item scores, and TCM syndrome scores were decreased (P<0.05). After treatment, the parallel needling group showed the higher FDIP total score and eating sub-item score and lower FDIS total score and insomnia sub-item score compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.3% (28/31) in the parallel needling group and 87.1% (27/31) in the conventional acupuncture group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The parallel needling technique combined with conventional acupuncture, is as effective as conventional acupuncture alone in treating facial paralysis with qi deficiency and blood stasis. However, the parallel needling technique combined with conventional acupuncture shows advantages in the improvement of food intake and sleep quality.

Exploration of biomarkers for efficacy evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on metabolomics.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective for the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD); however, there is no objective index for the evaluation of TCM syndrome efficacy. This study aimed to screen biomarkers related to the efficacy of TCM syndrome using metabolomics. Methods: We recruited AECOPD patients with phlegm-heat congesting lung (PH)/phlegm-damp amassing lung (PD) syndrome and treated them with Chinese herbal medicine (Qingre Huatan or Zaoshi Huatan granules) in addition to conventional medicine for 7 days. Data on clinical symptoms and sign scores, modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC), COPD assessment test (CAT), and inflammation indicators, including white blood cell (WBC) count, percentage of neutrophil count (NEU%), and C-reactive protein (CRP), were collected before and after treatment to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Serum samples were collected before and after treatment for metabolomic analysis to screen differential metabolites. Results: A total of 69 patients with AECOPD were enrolled, including 41 and 28 patients in the PH and PD groups, respectively. The clinical symptoms and sign scores, CAT, mMRC, NEU%, and CRP levels after treatment were lower than those before treatment in both groups (p < 0.05). Serum metabolomics analysis showed that there were 13 differential metabolites in the PH group and 16 differential metabolites in the PD group before and after treatment (p < 0.05, variable importance projection (VIP) ≥ 1.00). In the PH group, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (16:0), LPC (17:1), LPC (18:3), LPC (18:2), and LPC (17:0) negatively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign scores (p < 0.05); LPC (16:0), LPC (17:1), LPC (16:1), and LPC (17:0) negatively correlated with WBC (p < 0.05) and NEU% (p < 0.05); and LPC (16:0) negatively correlated with CRP levels. In the PD group, L-phenylalanine positively correlated with CRP levels (p < 0.05), and 2-methylbutyroylcarnitine positively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign (p < 0.05) and CAT scores (p < 0.05). DL-carnitine positively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum metabolites may be potential indicators to objectively evaluate the efficacy of TCM syndromes; however, further large controlled trials are required to verify these findings.

Exploring the relationship between intestinal microbiota and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: insights from the "lung and large intestine stand in exterior-interior relationship" theory.

Objective: This study is aim to discern the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome classifications relevant to immunotherapy sensitive in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and to delineate intestinal microbiota biomarkers and impact that wield influence over the efficacy of NSCLC immunotherapy, grounded in the TCM theory of "lung and large intestine stand in exterior-interior relationship." Methods: The study cohort consisted of patients with advanced NSCLC who received treatment at the Oncology Department of Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital. These patients were categorized into distinct TCM syndrome types and subsequently administered immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), specifically PD-1 inhibitors. Stool specimens were collected from patients both prior to and following treatment. To scrutinize the differences in microbial gene sequences and species of the intestinal microbiota, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technology was employed. Additionally, peripheral blood samples were collected, and the analysis encompassed the assessment of T lymphocyte subsets and myeloid suppressor cell subsets via flow cytometry. Subsequently, alterations in the immune microenvironment pre- and post-treatment were thoroughly analyzed. Results: The predominant clinical manifestations of advanced NSCLC patients encompassed spleen-lung Qi deficiency syndrome and Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome. Notably, the latter exhibited enhanced responsiveness to ICIs with a discernible amelioration of the immune microenvironment. Following ICIs treatment, significant variations in microbial abundance were identified among the three strains: Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, and Lachnospirales, with a mutual dependency relationship. In the subset of patients manifesting positive PD-L1 expression and enduring therapeutic benefits, the study recorded marked increases in the ratios of CD3+%, CD4+%, and CD4+/CD8+ within the T lymphocyte subsets. Conversely, reductions were observed in the ratios of CD8%, Treg/CD4+, M-MDSC/MDSC, and G-MDSC/MDSC. Conclusion: The strains Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, and Lachnospirales emerge as potential biomarkers denoting the composition of the intestinal microbiota in the NSCLC therapy. The immunotherapy efficacy of ICIs markedly accentuates in patients displaying durable treatment benefits and those expressing positive PD-L1.

Clinical study on risk factors and characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome of advanced adenomatous large intestine polyps / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of adenomatous colorectal polyps in advanced stage.Methods:Retrospective cross-sectional study. A total of 400 hospitalized patients with colorectal polypectomy and pathological diagnosis of adenomatous polyps (Aps) were selected from December 2020 to December 2022 in Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Longgang), of which 107 patients with progressive adenomas and 293 patients with common adenomas were selected. General information of patients (name, gender, age, BMI), history of smoking, alcohol consumption, history of hypertension, history of diabetes mellitus, and results of 13C urea breath test were collected to analyze the risk factors for the development of adenomas in patients with progressive adenomas and their syndromic characteristics. Results:The distribution of male patients with advanced adenoma was significantly higher than that of common adenoma patients [70.09% (75/107) vs. 57.34% (168/293), P=0.021], and the ages were [(52.25±9.81) years vs. (48.41±10.23) years, P=0.001], BMI [(24.37±3.19) kg/m 2vs. (23.38±3.25) kg/m 2, P=0.007] significantly higher than those of ordinary adenoma patients. Intestinal damp-heat syndrome was the common witness type in both advanced and common adenomas, and the distribution of intestinal damp-heat syndrome in advanced adenomas was significantly higher than that in common adenomas [43.0% (46/107) vs. 32.1% (94/293); χ2=4.10, P=0.043]. The distribution of patients with alcohol drinking history in advanced adenomas was significantly higher than that in common adenomas [61.7% (66/107) vs. 39.3% (115/293); χ2=15.92, P<0.001]. The distribution of diabetic patients with advanced adenoma was significantly higher than that of common adenoma patients [29.9% (32/107) vs. 14.7% (43/293); χ2=19.94, P<0.001]. The infection rate of Hp in advanced adenoma patients was significantly higher than that in common adenoma patients [66.4% (71/107) vs. 44.7% (131/293); χ2=14.69, P<0.001]. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, BMI, male, intestinal damp-heat syndrome, drinking history, diabetes history and Hp infection were risk factors for the development of patients with progressive adenomas ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion:Intestinal damp-heat syndrome is the key syndrome in patients with progressive adenoma, and age, BMI, male, history of alcohol consumption, history of diabetes mellitus and Hp infection are the risk factors for its development.

The distribution of TCM syndromes in 464 patients with stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease without alternative treatment with objective information of four diagnostic instruments of traditional Chinese medicine / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:This study was designed to explore the distribution pattern of TCM syndrome types in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) stage 3-5 without alternative treatment after objective collection of TCM quad-diagnostic instruments.Methods:The four-diagnostic instruments of Chinese medicine were used to collect the four-diagnostic information of patients with stage CKD 3-5 non-alternative treatment for syndrome determination, and the correlation between TCM syndrome and basic disease characteristics of patients was analyzed.Results:The distribution of TCM syndrome types in 464 patients with CKD 3-5 stage non-substitution therapy was based on deficiency syndrome, and had both standard and solid syndrome. Qi-deficiency syndrome was the most common type, accounting for 24.6% (114/464), followed by kidney-yang deficiency syndrome, heart-qi deficiency syndrome, kidney-yin deficiency syndrome, heart-blood deficiency syndrome, spleen-yang deficiency syndrome and lung-yin deficiency syndrome. The positivism type of this deficiency is blood stasis, dampness-heat, moisture, turbidity and turbidity toxicity. There was no significant difference in gender and age distribution among patients with different CKD stages ( P>0.05), but the proportion of deficiency syndrome gradually increased with the increase of age. There were differences in the distribution of primary deficiency syndrome in different CKD stages ( χ2=57.48, P<0.001), but no difference in the distribution of primary deficiency syndrome ( χ2=2.59, P=0.957). Conclusions:According to the four diagnostic instrument of traditional Chinese medicine, the distribution of TCM syndrome types in patients with stage CKD3-5 non-alternative treatment is based on deficiency syndrome, combined with deficiency of primary and solid syndrome. The syndrome types in CKD3 stage were mainly qi deficiency and kidney qi deficiency, while the TCM syndrome types in CKD stage 4 were qi deficiency and kidney Yang deficiency. With the progression of the disease, the TCM syndromes of stage 5 CKD were mainly heart-qi deficiency and kidney-yang deficiency.

Study on the Distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Types in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease at Stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To investigate the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types in diabetic kidney disease(DKD),and to explore the correlation between TCM syndrome types and laboratory indices,so as to provide an objective basis for the TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment of DKD.Methods Syndrome differentiation was carried out in the 157 patients with DKD at stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ,and then the distribution of the syndromes of deficiency in the origin and the syndromes of excess in the superficiality was explored.The levels of 24-hour urinary total protein(24hUTP),serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(UREA),plasma albumin(Alb),total cholesterol(TC),and triglyceride(TG)of the patients were detected,and then the relationship between the TCM syndrome types and the biochemical indexes was analyzed.Results(1)The distribution of the syndromes of deficiency in the origin in DKD patients at different stages showed that DKD patients at stage Ⅲ were mainly differentiated as yin deficiency and dryness-heat syndrome[58.57％(41/70)],qi and yin deficiency syndrome[28.57％(20/70)],yin and yang deficiency syndrome[10.00％(7/70)],and spleen and kidney qi deficiency syndrome[2.86％(2/70)];DKD patients at stage Ⅳ were mainly differentiated as yin deficiency and dryness-heat syndrome[40.23％(35/87)],qi and yin deficiency syndrome[29.89％(29/87)],spleen and kidney qi deficiency syndrome[18.39％(16/87)],and yin and yang deficiency syndrome[11.49％(10/87)].The differences in the distribution of the syndromes of deficiency in the origin among the DKD patients at different stages were statistically significant(P<0.05).However,with the progression of the disease,DKD patients at different stages in general showed a trend of the decrease in the proportion of yin deficiency and dryness-heat syndrome while the increase in the proportions of qi and yin deficiency syndrome,spleen and kidney qi deficiency syndrome,and yin and yang deficiency syndrome.(2)The distribution of the syndromes of excess in the superficiality in DKD patients at different stages showed that DKD patients at stage Ⅲ were mainly differentiated as damp-heat syndrome[54.29％(38/70)],phlegm-stasis syndrome[27.14％(19/70)],blood-stasis syndrome[10.00％(7/70)],and cold-damp syndrome[8.57％(6/70)];DKD patients at stage Ⅳ were mainly differentiated as damp-heat syndrome[44.83％(39/87)],phlegm-stasis syndrome[35.63％(31/87)],cold-damp syndrome[14.94％(13/87)],and blood-stasis syndrome[4.60％(4/87)].There were no significant differences in the distribution of the syndromes of excess in the superficiality among the DKD patients at different stages(P>0.05).(3)The analysis of relationship between TCM syndrome type and biochemical indexes showed that Scr and UREA levels of DKD patients with spleen and kidney qi deficiency syndrome were significantly higher than those of patients with yin deficiency and dryness-heat syndrome,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);Scr and 24hUTP levels of DKD patients with cold-damp syndrome were significantly higher than those of patients with damp-heat syndrome,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion DKD patients at stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ are all predominantly suffering from yin deficiency and dryness-heat syndrome,and with the progression of the disease,the syndrome of yin deficiency and dryness-heat develops into qi and yin deficiency syndrome,spleen and kidney qi deficiency syndrome,and yin and yang deficiency syndrome sequentially.Pathogenic dampness and blood stasis are the main pathogenic factors of DKD.And Scr,UREA,and 24hUTP are correlated with the TCM syndrome types of DKD,which will be helpful for the differentiation of TCM syndrome types of DKD.

Serum Metabolomics Characteristics of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis Patients with Liver-Stomach Qi Stagnation Syndrome and Spleen-Stomach Weakness Syndrome / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To analyze the metabolomics characteristics of chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG)patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation and spleen-stomach weakness syndromes based on non-targeted metabolomics technology,and to identify the serum differentiated metabolites related to traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome of CAG patients,so as to provide a reference for the objectification of syndrome differentiation.Methods Sixty patients with CAG were included,including 30 cases of liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and 30 cases of spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.Fasting blood of 5 mL was collected from the cubital vein of patients in the two groups,and the serum levels of metabolites were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS)methods.The principal component analysis(PCA),orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA),and cluster analysis were used to screen the differentiated metabolites of CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.Finally,metabolite pathway analysis was performed for the obtained differentiated metabolites using the KEGG database.Results The results for the screening of differentiated metabolites showed that significant differences of amino acid derivatives and small peptide metabolites were presented between CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and CAG patients with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome.The amino acid derivatives consisted of N-acetylglycine,histamine,O-phosphoserine,selenomethylselenocysteine,and methyl-tyrosine.And the small peptide metabolites consisted of tyrosine-leucine-phenylalanine,histidine-alanine-glutamate-lysine,L-asparagine-L-proline-L-serine,and L-isoleucine-L-isoleucine.Conclusion Differences in amino acid metabolism exist between CAG patients with liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome and those with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome,and metabolites such as N-acetylglycine,intermethyltyrosine,and O-phosphoserine may be the potential biomarkers for distinguishing liver-stomach qi stagnation syndrome from spleen-stomach weakness syndrome in CAG patients.

Clinical Features of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Elements in Patients with Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Pneumonia:A Retrospective Analysis of 126 Cases / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To explore the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome elements in patients with multi-drug resistant bacteria-infected pneumonia.Methods Clinical data of 126 patients with multi-drug resistant bacteria-infected pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit of Lung Disease Centre of Qingdao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2020 to July 2022 were retrospectively collected.The clinical data included the patients'gender,age,underlying diseases,history of bad additions of smoking and alcohol,multi-drug resistant bacteria,and the information of four diagnostic methods of TCM,etc.The disease-nature syndrome elements in patients with drug-resistance to various strains of drug-resistant bacteria were extracted,and then deficiency-excess syndrome differentiation was carried out.Results(1)A total of 201 strains of multi-drug resistant bacteria were detected in 126 patients with multi-drug resistant bacterial pneumonia.The main pathogenic species were Gram-negative bacteria,and the proportion accounted for 95.52%(192/201),which was significantly higher than that of Gram-positive bacteria[4.48%(9/201)],with a statistically significant difference(χ2 = 166.612,P＜0.001).Klebsiella pneumoniae accounted for the highest percentage of 23.38%in the gram-negative bacterium.(2)A total of 12 syndrome elements were extracted from the 126 patients.The excess syndrome elements were predominated by phlegm and heat,and the deficiency syndrome elements were predominated by yin deficiency.There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of yin deficiency,blood deficiency,heat,phlegm,fluid-retention and damp syndrome elements among patients with different strains of drug-resistant bacterial infection(P＞0.05).(3)Of the 126 patients,62 cases(49.21%)had simple excess syndrome,one case(0.79%)had simple deficiency syndrome,and 63 cases(50.00%)had concurrent deficiency-excess syndrome.Among the 126 patients,there were 19 cases of single syndrome element,41 cases of concurrent two-syndrome element,49 cases of concurrent three-syndrome element,16 cases of concurrent four-syndrome element,and one case of concurrent five-syndrome element.And the combined syndrome element of phlegm-heat-yin deficiency occurred most frequently for 26 times.Conclusion Gram-negative bacteria are the primary infectious pathogens for the patients with multi-drug resistant bacterial infections,and the TCM syndrome elements of the patients are characterized by the concurrence of deficiency and excess and simple excess syndrome,mainly manifesting as phlegm,heat,and yin deficiency.

Clinical Efficacy of Ziyin Huatan Prescription in the Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules with Yin Deficiency and Phlegm Coagulation Type / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Ziyin Huatan Prescription(derived from flavored Xiaoluo Pills,mainly with the functions of nourishing yin and resolving phlegm)in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules(TN)of yin deficiency and phlegm coagulation type.Methods Sixty-two benign TN patients with yin deficiency and phlegm coagulation type were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group,with 31 patients in each group.Both groups were required to stick to a light diet with less spicy and stimulating food,appropriate exercise and ease of mind.Moreover,the trial group was given oral use of Ziyin Huatan Prescription,and the control group was given oral use of Levothyroxine Sodium Tablets for a period of 3 months.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,maximum diameter of thyroid nodules and thyroid function indexes in the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.After treatment,the clinical disease efficacy and TCM syndrome efficacy were evaluated in the two groups.Results(1)After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate for disease efficacy in the trial group was 90.32%(28/31),and that in the control group was 48.39%(15/31).The intergroup comparison showed that the clinical disease efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate for TCM syndrome efficacy in the trial group was 77.42%(24/31),and that in the control group was 38.71%(12/31).The intergroup comparison showed that the TCM syndrome efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of the trial group were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.01),while no obvious changes were shown in the control group(P＞0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the reduction of TCM syndrome scores in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the maximum diameter of TN in both groups was reduced compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the reduction of the maximum diameter of TN in the trial group was superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)There were no significant changes in the thyroid function indexes of the two groups before and after treatment,and the differences were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion Ziyin Huatan Prescription is effective on improving clinical symptoms and reducing the size of TN in patients with benign TN,without obvious adverse effects and with high safety.

Study on the Distribution Pattern of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes in Patients with Dry Eye and Its Correlation with Gender and Age / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To explore the etiology and pathogenesis of dry eye by studying the distribution pattern of gender,age and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome type in dry eye patients and by analyzing their correlation.Methods A total of 244 patients with dry eye who met the inclusion criteria were selected.The distribution of gender,age and TCM syndrome types was statistically analyzed,and then the correlation of TCM syndrome types with gender and age of dry eye patients was explored.Results(1)Of the 244 dry eye patients,96(39.34%)were male and 148(60.66%)were female,the incidence of the female being higher than that of the male.There were 124(50.82%)patients younger than 45 years old,81(33.20%)patients aged 45-60 years old,and 39(15.98%)patients older than 60 years old.The proportion of the patients younger than 45 years old was higher than that of other age groups.(2)Among the 244 patients with dry eyes,89 cases(36.47%)were differentiated as liver and kidney deficiency syndrome,75 cases(30.74%)were differentiated as qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome,69 cases(28.28%)were differentiated as spleen and kidney deficiency,and 11 cases(4.51%)were differentiated as yin deficiency and damp-heat syndrome.And the occurrence frequency of the above four syndrome types was in descending order.(3)In the dry eye patients of various age groups,patients aged＜45 years old predominantly suffered from qistagnation and blood stasis syndrome,accounting for 41.94%(52/124);patients aged 45-60 years old and those aged＞60 years old predominantly suffered from liver and kidney deficiency syndrome,accounting for 46.91%(38/81)and 53.85%(21/39),respectively.The distribution of TCM syndrome types varied in the patients with different age groups,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2 = 22.128,P＜0.01).(4)In male dry eye patients,qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was predominant,accounting for 39.58%(38/96);among female dry eye patients,liver and kidney deficiency syndrome and spleen and kidney deficiency syndrome were prevalent,accounting for 41.89%(62/148)and 31.08%(46/148),respectively.The distribution of TCM syndrome types varied in the patients with different genders,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2 = 82.610,P＜0.01).Conclusion The TCM syndromes of patients with dry eyes are frequently differentiated as liver and kidney deficiency syndrome,followed by the qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.The prevalence of dry eyes is related to the gender and age,and gender and age are correlated with the TCM syndrome types to certain extent.

A Retrospective Study of Acupuncture Combined with Rehabilitation Training in the Treatment of Post-stroke Hemiplegia / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in the treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia.Methods A retrospective study was conducted to select 121 cases of post-stroke hemiplegia patients who attended Haikou People's Hospital,Haikou Affiliated Hospital of Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine from January 2021 to January 2023,and were divided into the control group and the acupuncture group according to whether acupuncture treatment was performed or not;59 cases in the control group were given conventional rehabilitation training methods of treatment,and 62 cases in the acupuncture group were added with acupuncture treatment on the basis of the conventional rehabilitation treatment.The course of treatment was 1 month.The changes in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores of the patients in the two groups were observed before and after treatment,as well as the cerebrovascular resistance values,including carotid artery mean blood flow(Qmean),mean velocity(Vmean),cerebrovascular bed characteristic impedance(Zc),and peripheral vascular resistance(R),and the changes in the Stroke Impact Scale(SIS),China Stroke Scale(CSS),and Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA)in the patients in the two groups were observed before and after treatment,and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate was 93.55%(58/62)in the acupuncture group and 79.66%(47/59)in the control group.The efficacy of the acupuncture group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,all TCM syndrome scores and total scores of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the acupuncture group was significantly superior to the control group in improving TCM syndrome scores,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the cerebral circulatory kinetic parameters of the patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the acupuncture group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the cerebral circulatory kinetic parameters,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the SIS,CSS,and FMA scores of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the acupuncture group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the SIS,CSS,and FMA scores,and the differences were all statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia is remarkable,and its efficacy is better than that of simple conventional rehabilitation training.

Real-World Analysis of the Curative Effect in Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy of Different Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Types Treated by Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Combined with Pars Plana Vitrectomy / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)combined with pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)treatment for patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)of different traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types in the real world.Methods A prospective real-world study was performed in the 36 patients(involving 42 eyes)with PDR treated by anti-VEGF combined with PPV in the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from March 2019 to December 2019.According to the TCM syndrome manifestations,the patients were differentiated as qi-yin deficiency complicated with blood stasis obstructing collaterals type(15 cases,involving 18 eyes;shorten as qi-yin deficiency type),liver-kidney deficiency and ocular collaterals failing in the nourishment type(14 cases,involving 17 eyes;shorten as liver-kidney deficiency type),and yin-yang deficiency complicated with blood stasis and phlegm coagulation type(7 cases,involving 7 eyes;shorten as yin-yang deficiency type).The patients were treated with anti-VEGF therapy first and then received PPV after 5-7 days.Aqueous humor was sampled during anti-VEGF therapy and PPV.After treatment,the efficacy of PDR patients with different TCM syndromes was compared.Moreover,the patients were observed in the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)of the affected eyes before surgery and 3 months after surgery,levels of cytokines in the aqueous humor before and after anti-VEGF treatment,macular central retinal thickness(CRT),area of the foveal avascular zone(FAZ),the blood density of macular center,inner ring,outer ring and intact macula 3 months after surgery,and the postoperative complications.Results(1)The difference of the therapeutic efficacy of PDR patients with various TCM syndrome types was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Among 3 syndrome types,the best efficacy was found in the qi-yin deficiency type,followed by liver-kidney deficiency type,and then yin-yang deficiency type,with the total efficacy rate being 88.89%(16/18),52.94%(9/17),and 42.86%(3/7),respectively.(2)Three months after surgery,the logarithmic value of minimum angle of resolution(LogMAR)for BCVA of patients with qi-yin deficiency type was significantly superior to that of patients with yin-yang deficiency type,with the difference being statistically significant(P＜0.05).After the anti-VEGF treatment,the levels of cytokines in the aqueous humor of the patients varied in the 3 syndrome types:vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGF-A)level in the patients with the 3 syndrome types was significantly lower,placental growth factor(PLGF)and angiopoietin-like protein 4(ANGPTL4)levels in the patients with qi-yin deficiency type were higher,and interleukin 8(IL-8)level in the patients with liver-kidney deficiency type was higher than those before treatment,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The blood density of macular outer ring and intact macula in the patients with qi-yin deficiency type and liver-kidney deficiency type was larger than that in the patients with yin-yang deficiency type,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).However,the differences of CRT,FAZ area,and blood density of macular center and inner ring among the 3 syndrome types were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).(3)The incidence of postoperative complications in the patients with yin-yang deficiency type was relatively high,but the difference among the 3 syndrome types was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion In the real world,the best efficacy of anti-VEGF combined with PPV treatment in PDR patients with different TCM syndrome types can be achieved in the patients differentiated as qi-yin deficiency type,followed by liver-kidney deficiency type,and then yin-yang deficiency type.After anti-VEGF treatment,the levels of cytokines in the aqueous humor of the patients vary in the 3 syndrome types.Three months after the operation,the patients with qi-yin deficiency type and liver-kidney deficiency type have larger blood density of macular outer ring and intact macula,and exert good prognosis.

An insight into the mechanism of iron overload in knee osteoarthritis under the theory of blood stasis / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Knee osteoarthritis is a common disease in middle-aged and elderly people.It is a kind of disease that seriously affects the quality of life of patients and even has the risk of disability.Therefore,the pathogenesis and treatment of knee osteoarthritis have become the focus of research.In Chinese medicine,knee osteoarthritis is often treated as"biness,"which is closely related to"biness"caused by blood stasis and blood vessels blocking collaterals in the theory of"blood stasis"in traditional Chinese medicine.Iron overload is a kind of pathological state caused by iron metabolism disorder,which highly coincides with the pathogenic characteristics and clinical manifestations of the"blood stasis"theory of traditional Chinese medicine,and is a risk factor that promotes the development of knee osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:Based on the"blood stasis"theory,to summarize the effects of iron overload on cartilage metabolism and subchondral bone reconstruction,to lay a new theoretical foundation for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with traditional Chinese medicine,and to explore the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation after interfering with bone tissue. METHODS:CNKI,WanFang database,PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant literature.The Chinese search terms were"ferroptosis,iron,iron overload,osteoarthritis,blood stasis"and the English search terms were"ferroptosis,iron,iron overload,osteoarthritis,TCM."In the end,76 articles were included for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:First of all,we explored the potential of the"blood stasis"theory in treating knee osteoarthritis,and found that"blood stasis"is a crucial part in the progress of knee osteoarthritis,indicating that the"blood stasis"theory is the key to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in traditional Chinese medicine.Secondly,"blood stasis"and iron overload have a high degree of similarity in pathogenic factors,clinical manifestations,and pathogenic characteristics,suggesting the possibility of"blood stasis"theory in treating iron overload.This finding reminds us that iron overload may be an important mechanistic basis for the"blood stasis"theory in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.The extracts of blood-activating drugs can relieve iron overload and treat knee osteoarthritis,but the specific mechanism is still unclear.Therefore,we believe that the relationship between"blood stasis"theory and iron overload and related mechanisms are important research directions for knee osteoarthritis in the future.The related mechanism of"blood stasis"theory to alleviate iron overload and then treat knee osteoarthritis also provides a theoretical basis for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine,such as the development of new drugs and innovative usage,and has certain guiding significance for clinical practice.

Characteristic changes in morphology and function of skeletal muscles in a rat model of"tendon off-position" / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:"Tendon off-position"is a disease name included in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision,and also a clinical indication of manipulation,acupuncture and other treatments.However,its specific mechanism is still unclear.It is urgent to establish an animal model that can reflect the clinical and pathological characteristics of"tendon off-position,"so as to further study the mechanism of effective clinical treatments. OBJECTIVE:To establish an animal model of"tendon off-position"in rats based on isometric contraction of skeletal muscles,and to explore the changes of skeletal muscle function and morphological phenotype after"tendon off-position." METHODS:Sixty rats were randomly divided into control group,static-loading group and extra loading group,with twenty rats in each group.Rats in the control group were kept normally without treatment.In the latter two groups,the rats were fixed by the self-made static-loading modeling device and a static-loading(the body mass of each rats was applied as the static-loading)was applied to cause sustained isometric contraction of the upper limb muscles.Then,animal models of"tendon off-position"were successfully established.In the extra loading group,50%of the body mass was added to the ankle joint after modeling.The skeletal muscle samples were harvested at 2 and 4 weeks after modeling.The changes of limb grip strength,wet mass of skeletal muscle,and serum levels of creatine kinase-muscle and lactate dehydrogenase A were measured,and the changes of skeletal muscle histomorphology and ultrastructure were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 2 weeks after modeling,the rats in the static-loading group and extra loading group showed significantly decreased grip strength and wet muscle mass,significantly increased serum levels of creatine kinase-muscle and lactate dehydrogenase A,and abnormal muscle fiber morphology and structure accompanied by a large number of deposited collagen fibers.Electron microscopy results showed that the structure of myofibrils was disordered,the Z-line was distorted,and the light and dark boundaries were blurred.At 4 weeks after modeling,the grip strength of the model rats was increased compared with that at 2 weeks,the serum creatine kinase-muscle and lactate dehydrogenase A levels were decreased,and the changes of muscle fiber morphology and ultrastructure were recovered to varying degrees.It is suggested that the rat skeletal muscle injury model based on continuous isometric contraction of skeletal muscle can well reflect the pathological characteristics of"tendon off-position"at 2 weeks,and can be used to study the mechanism of acupuncture and manipulation in the treatment of"tendon off-position."

Correlation analysis of serum POT1,TERT,8-OHdG,SOD expression levels and syndrome type of osteoporosis / 现代医院

Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types in patients with osteoporosis and the distribution differences of clinical and serological indicators in TCM syndrome types.Meth-ods A total of 69 patients with osteoporosis were collected from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and Qifu Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University.The general information,bone mineral density T value,fasting periph-eral venous blood in the morning were collected.The expression of telomerase protective factor 1(POT1),telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT),serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG)and superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2)were detected by ELISA.Finally,the above data were statistically analyzed.Results There were significant differences in body weight,height,bone mineral density,POT1,TERT,and 8-OHdG among the four syndromes(P＜0.05).In terms of correlation,the relation-ship between bone mineral density and each parameter in different syndrome types was explored.The bone mineral density of qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was positively correlated with SOD2 value.There is a positive correlation between bone min-eral density and 8-OHdG in patients with Yin deficiency of liver and kidney.TERT was positively correlated with qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.Liver and kidney Yin deficiency syndrome was positively correlated with weight and bone mineral den-sity,and negatively correlated with TERT value.Weight was negatively correlated with qi and blood stasis syndrome.Conclusion In TCM syndrome differentiation of osteoporosis,there were statistical differences in weight,height,bone mineral density,ser-um POT1,TERT and 8-OHdG among Qi-stagnation and blood stasis,spleen-kidney Yang deficiency,liver-kidney Yin deficiency and Qi-blood-peace syndrome.In different syndrome types,serum SOD2 and 8-OHdG were the influencing factors of bone miner-al density.Serum TERT and 8-OHdG are the main factors affecting the dialectical classification of osteoporosis.

Study on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes of 800 Children with Alopecia Areata Based on Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo study the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes of children with alopecia areata， and provide evidence for TCM differentiation and treatment in clinic. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 800 children with alopecia areata admitted to the Hair Medicine Center of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 1， 2012 to December 31， 2021. The clinical data of the children were collected using a four-examination information questionnaire， including clinical characteristics （age of consultation， age of onset， course of disease， family history， severity grading）， alopecia areata-related factors （triggers）， and four-examination information （including sleep， diet， emotions， bladder and bowel function， etc.）. Descriptive frequency analyses， rank sum tests， factor analyses and cluster analyses were performed， and the distribution of the major TCM syndromes was summarised with the clinical data. ResultsThere were 800 children with alopecia areata， including 449 males and 351 females； 8 cases （1.00%） were in infancy， 36 cases （4.50%） were in early childhood， 180 cases （22.50%） were in preschool， 380 cases （47.50%） were in school age， and 196 cases （24.50%） were in puberty at the time of consultation； the average age of consultation was 8.31±3.86 years， the average age of onset of disease was 5.40±3.82 years， and the average duration of disease was 2.94±2.77 years； 527 children （65.87%） with severe alopecia areata； 85 children （13.56%） had a family history of alopecia areata； 772 children （96.50%） had unknown triggers for their first alopecia areata， and 28 children （3.50%） reported the presence of obvious triggers， including fright （9 cases）， high fever （5 cases）， allergic reactions （4 cases）， micronutrient （zinc， iron， etc.） deficiencies （4 cases）， inappropriate diet （2 cases）， environmental factors （1 case， new house renovation）， atopic dermatitis （1 case）， atopic asthma （1 case）， and pneumonia （1 case）. A total of 40 four-examination information items were collected， among which the frequency of kicking quilts was the highest with 380 cases （47.50%）， followed by picky eating （369 cases， 46.13%）， sleeplessness （334 cases， 41.75%）， irritability （334 cases， 41.75%）， partiality towards certain foods （306 cases， 38.25%）， impulsiveness （297 cases， 37.13%）， dry stools （233 cases， 29.13%）， yellow urine （215 cases， 26.88%）， nail biting （213 cases， 26.63%）， bad breath （211 cases， 26.38%）. According to factor analysis and cluster analysis， five types of TCM syndromes were obtained， in order as qi and blood deficiency syndrome （110 cases， 13.75%）， spleen deficiency syndrome （114 cases， 14.25%）， kidney essence deficiency syndrome （140 cases， 17.50%）， dietary stagnation syndrome （150 cases， 18.75%）， and liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome （286 cases， 35.75%）. Patients in each age group and SALT grading are mainly liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome. ConclusionThe TCM symptoms of children with alopecia areata are mainly based on qi and blood deficiency syndrome， spleen deficiency syndrome， kidney essence deficiency syndrome， dietary stagnation syndrome， and liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome， of which liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome is the most common type at different ages and stages of the disease.

Study on the Distribution and Clinical Characteristics of TCM Syndromes in Infertility Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To investigate the distribution and clinical characteristics of TCM syndromes in infertility patients with autoimmune thyroiditis(AIT).Methods By referring to the relevant literature on the distribution of TCM syndromes of AIT and infertility in women of childbearing age,the TCM Syndromes Survey of Infertility Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis was formulated.256 cases of infertility patients with AIT who underwent in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET)at the Reproductive Center of The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from June 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The data of basic information,TCM syndromes,basic thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH),thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPO-Ab)and thyroglobulin antibody(TG-Ab)were collected.By means of frequency analysis and systematic cluster analysis,the distribution regularity of TCM syndromes in infertility patients with AIT were concluded.Results After analysis,the following 5 common syndrome elements were obtained,namely,qi deficiency,liver depression,spleen deficiency,kidney deficiency and blood stasis.In addition,it was concluded that this disease was more common in complex syndromes.Through systematic clustering analysis,main TCM syndromes of this disease were obtained,which were qi deficiency and liver depression syndrome(69 cases,26.9%),spleen and kidney deficiency syndrome(45 cases,17.6%),spleen qi deficiency syndrome(38 cases,14.8%),qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome(36 cases,14.1%),kidney deficiency and liver depression syndrome(32 cases,12.5%)and other syndrome types(36 cases,14.1%).The basic TSH level was higher in patients with qi deficiency and liver depression syndrome,spleen qi deficiency syndrome,qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome than other syndrome types,with statistical significance(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in TPO-Ab and TG-Ab titers among different syndromes(P>0.05).Conclusion TCM syndromes of infertility patients with AIT can be clustered into qi deficiency and liver depression syndrome,spleen and kidney deficiency syndrome,spleen qi deficiency syndrome,qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,kidney deficiency and liver depression syndrome and other syndrome.The main element of syndrome is qi deficiency,and the pathological sites involved spleen,kidney and liver.Stasis blood is a main pathological product.It is required to pay close attention to the thyroid function in AIT patients with qi deficiency.