Abdominal massage: A review of clinical and experimental studies from 1990 to 2021

ObjectiveTo systematically review the current state and holistic application of abdominal massage (AM).DesignA systematic review of qualitative evidence was conducted. All English articles exploring the topic of AM that had been published until the end of June 2021 were retrieved.Data sourcesThe PubMed, Cochrane library, and Embase databases were accessed. Some original texts were obtained from Google Scholar.Data extraction and synthesisTwo authors independently evaluated all search data to identify relevant studies. Disagreements were settled by discussion with a third author. Results were independently extracted into standardized sheets and checked for accuracy.Main resultsA total of 107 full-text reports were eligible for inclusion. Adult digestive disorders, pediatric disorders, gynecological disorders, obstetric disorders, metabolic disorders, psychological disorders, the side effects of AM, and animal experiments accounted for 49.53%, 14.02%, 7.48%, 7.48%, 4.67%, 4.67%, 5.61%, and 6.54% of all these papers, respectively, with most reports focusing on clinical studies.ConclusionThe variety of diseases treated with AM is gradually increasing, and the treatment programs of AM for many diseases are being gradually optimized. Different forms of AM, especially mechanical AM, have been widely studied; the side effects of AM have also been considered; and the possible mechanisms of AM therapy continue to be discovered. In general, AM is an effective and safe therapy and can be widely used in various diseases, but further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanism of AM for different diseases. In the future, AM could become an even safer, more popular, and more modern therapy.     

Inhibition of IL-1 release from human monocytes and suppression of streptococcal cell wall and adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats by an extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook

1. It was investigated whether an extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f (TW) inhibits IL-1 production by monocytes and suppresses the development of IL-1-dependent arthritis induced in rats with streptococcal cell wall and adjuvant.2. TW preferentially inhibited IL-1α and IL-1β production by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human monocytes with IC₅₀ of approximately 1 μg/ml.3. Oral administration of TW dose-dependently suppressed joint swelling and structural damage in streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis (ED₅₀ = 20 mg/kg/day) and in adjuvant-induced arthritis (ED₅₀ = 46 mg/kg/day for developing and 8/mg/kg/day for established arthritis).     

Current Status and Problem-Solving Strategies for Ginseng Industry

Ginseng is a plant in the family Araliaceae and the genus Panax with the formal name of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer and the treasure of traditional herbal medicine resources as the "king of herbs". Ginseng has been traditionally used for over 2,000 years in Asian countries, especially in China and Republic of Korea. During the ginseng industry chain, the cultivation in farmland and seed breeding are important for sustainable development of ginseng resources. Active components in ginseng including ginsenosides, polysaccharides, phenolic compound and their therapeutic benefits for multiple diseases are being studied. This paper aimed to review current research status and problem-solving strategies for each step of ginseng industry, including ginseng growing cultivation and seed resources, basic and clinical studies as well as comparison of ginseng industry between China and Republic of Korea, hoping to provide a reference for research direction and future development of ginseng industry.