Panax ginseng ameliorates airway inflammation in an ovalbumin-sensitized mouse allergic asthma model

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Panax ginseng (PG) is a medicinal herb that has been used to treat various immune diseases including asthma and COPD. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory mechanism of PG on asthma parameters in mice.

Materials and methods

BALB/c mice were sensitized with 20 μg/200 μl OVA adsorbed on 1.0 mg/50 μl aluminum hydroxide gel adjuvant by i.p. injection on days 0 and 14. Mice were then challenged with 5% OVA in PBS to the nose for 30 min once a day for 3 days, from day 20 until day 22, using a nebulizer. PG (20 mg/kg) or vehicle was administrated by i.p. injection once a day 10 min before every OVA challenge for 3 days. The recruitment of inflammatory cells into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or lung tissues was measured. The expression of EMBP, Muc5ac, CD40, and CD40 ligand (CD40L) in lung tissues was investigated. In addition, the cytokines and mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot.

Results and conclusions

PG restored the expression of EMBP, Muc5ac, CD40, and CD40L, as well as the mRNA and protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-5, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. In addition, PG inhibited the numbers of goblet cells and further small G proteins and MAP kinases in bronchoalveolar lavage cells and lung tissues increased in ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma in mice. These results suggest that PG may be used as a therapeutic agent in asthma, based on reductions of various allergic responses.     

Focal adhesion kinase: a potential target in cancer therapy

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in signal transduction pathways that are initiated at sites of integrin-mediated cell adhesions and by growth factor receptors. FAK is a key regulator of survival, proliferation, migration and invasion: processes that are all involved in the development and progression of cancer. FAK is also linked to oncogenes at both a biochemical and functional level. Moreover, overexpression and/or increased activity of FAK is common in a wide variety of human cancers, implicating a role for FAK in carcinogenesis. Given the important role of FAK in a large number of processes involved in tumorigenesis, metastasis and survival signalling FAK should be regarded as a potential target in the development of anti-cancer drugs. Therefore, selective inhibitors of FAK need to be developed. Combination of these selective FAK inhibitors with cytotoxic agents could be a very promising anti-cancer therapy.     

左右寸脉与心肺病证相关性探讨

通过７１例心气虚证、６７例肺气虚证患者和５３例正常人左右寸脉图各参数对比分析，发现心气虚证左寸脉图重搏前波、降中峡明显抬高，升支速率明显变慢，收缩期时限变短。肺气虚证右寸脉图降中峡显著降低，降支速率明显增快，舒张期时限相对缩短。表明心气虚证左寸局部动脉血管内压力和外周阻力增高，动脉管壁张力增大，应指较为有力，指感相对较强。肺气虚证右寸局部动脉血管壁顺应性相对较强，外周阻力较低，应指相对柔和而滑利。反映心肺不同病证在寸口分候的相应脉位上有不同反应，提示左右寸脉与心肺脏气存在某种内在联系，进一步为寸口脉分候脏腑理论提出新的佐证。     

Secular trends in mortality and causes of death among children and adolescents aged 1–19 years in China from 1953 to 2016: a national and subnational variations systematic analysis

Background

The level and pace of mortality, and causes of death in children and adolescents might vary across regions within China. We aimed to analyse the national and subnational mortality trends, and the principal causes of deaths among Chinese children and adolescents aged 1–19 years from 1953 to 2016.

夏军教授治疗糖尿病合并高血压经验

糖尿病合并高血压疾病属于中医"眩晕""头痛"等范畴,对心血管系统有极强的危害性,被称为同源性疾病。其病机特点是本虚标实、虚实夹杂,以阴虚为本,阳亢为标,而肝肾亏虚是主因。糖尿病合并高血压疾病在临床上,有糖尿病发病在先,高血压发病在后;或高血压在先,糖尿病在后;或两者发病时间顺序不明显。夏军教授是北京市名中医,从事中医临床40余载,对多种临床疑难病症见解独到,尤其是对心血管病、糖尿病的治疗更是得心应手,治疗糖尿病合并心血管病经验独特。夏教授认为,糖尿病合并高血压,阴虚是基本病机,无论糖尿病和高血压发病时间上孰先孰后,纠正阴虚是二者共同的着眼点,以平益肝肾,使其阴平阳秘为治疗该病的重要环节。     

杨骏教授针药结合治疗颈椎病经验举隅

[目的]总结杨骏教授针药结合治疗颈椎病的临床经验。[方法]通过跟师学习,分析老师治疗颈椎病的相关病历,总结杨师对颈椎病的诊治思想和经验。[结果]杨师重视“从项论治”,善采用百会调神、通督统阳、特殊选穴、风池宜灸等针灸疗法,并配合桂枝葛根汤加减治疗颈椎病,临床有着很好疗效。[结论]杨师采用针药结合治疗颈椎病有着独特疗效,其诊治方法值得我们深入学习和探索。