Efficacy and safety of external application of Chinese herbal medicine trials

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of external application of Chinese herbal medicine(exCHM) for psoriasis vulgaris(PV). METHODS:Different search portals, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang, Sino Med, clinicaltrials, Pub Med, Cochrane Library, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, were searched for randomized controlled trials(RCTs) that compared the ex-CHM intervention with othe...     

Chinese herbal medicine for subacute thyroiditis： a systematic re- view of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the effectiveness and safe- ty of Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） in the treat- ment of subacute thyroiditis. METHODS： Randomized controlled trials found in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and three Chinese data- bases were selected. RevMan 5.2 software was used to analyze the data with relative risk or mean difference, expressed with 95% of confidence inter- val. The quality of trials was assessed and gradedthe quality of evidence with GRADE profiler soft- ware. RESULTS： Twenty one studies were included. CHM was superior to Western Medicine （include predni- sone and NSAIDs） in abating fever, relieving thyroid pain, recovering blood sedimentation, improving thyroid function, and preventing hypothyroidism （P〈0.05）, while no statistical differences were found in eliminating goiter and reducing relapse rate. CHM plus Western Medicine were superior to West- ern Medicine in abating fever, relieving thyroid pain, eliminating goiter, and reducing relapse rate, while no statistical differences （P〉0.05） were found in recovering blood sedimentation and improving thyroid function. The incidence of adverse reac- tions in treatment group was lower than that in control group （relative risk was 0.12 and 95% confi- dence interval was 0.03-0.51）. The methodological quality of trials is generally poor with a high risk of bias. CONCLUSION： CHM （particularly CHM combined with Western Medicine） used to treat subacute thy- roiditis may improve clinical symptoms and signs, reduce relapse rate, and alleviate the side effects of hormones. Due to poor methodological quality of included trials, further more high-quality studies are warranted to confirm the effectiveness and safe- ty of CHM.     

Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for lumbar disc herniation： a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE： This is a review of the effects of Chi- nese herbal medicine （CHM） used alone to treat lumbar disc herniation （LDH）. METHORDS： A literature search of the following electronic databases from their inception to Febru- ary 2013 was conducted： Chinese Biomedical data- bases, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Cochrane Library, Web of Sci- ence, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Randomized con- trolled trials where CHM had been used to treat LDH were selected. Data extraction, quality assess- ment, and data analysis were carried out by two in- dependent reviewers. RESULTS： Of the 2415 studies identified, eight with complete data on 1146 patients were selected. The methodological quality was poor in all trials. Five studies reported that CHM was better than WesternMedicine [OR=2.81, 95% CI （1.27, 6.18）; OR=3.34, 95% CI （1.92, 5.79）; 0R=2.22, 95% CI （1.08, 4.57）; OR= 6.67, 95% CI （1.34, 33.28）; and OR=1.94, 95% CI （1.23, 3.06）]. Two studies reported that the clinical outcome was better in CHM groups than in physio- therapy and placebo groups, [OR=3.02, 9.5% CI （1.08, 8.46）; and OR=2.67, 95% CI （1.26, 5.64）, re- spectively], whereas one study reported no differ- ence between CHM and physiotherapy groups. One study reported that CHM resulted in higher Japanese Orthopedic Association scores [MD=7.78, 95% CI （6.67, 8.89）] than in a control group and an- other that participants treated with CHM had lower Visual Analogue Scale scores [MD=- 0.72, 95% CI （ - 0.86, 0.58）] than those in a control group. Three studies reported that the adverse effects of CHM and Western Medicine did not differ signifi- cantly [OR=0.10, 95% CI （0.01, 1.85）; OR=0.19, 95% CI （0.01,4.07）; and OR=O.07, 95% CI （0.00, 1.32）]. CONCLUSION： CHM may be more effective than other interventions for LDH; however, methodologi- cal weaknesses in the studies assessed in this re- view prevent a definitive conclusion. More high-quality large-scale studies are required to clar- ify this matter.     

Is the yin–yang nature of Chinese herbal medicine equivalent to antioxidation–oxidation?

It has been suggested that yin-yang theory described in traditional Chinese medicine is somewhat equivalent to the modern theory of antioxidant-oxidant balance. Some yin-tonic Chinese herbal medicines possess antioxidant properties. In this context, the DNA protective effect of 12 yin-tonic and 13 yang-tonic herbs were tested using the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. Lymphocytes from three healthy subjects were pre-incubated with aqueous herb extract, and the comet assay was performed on treated, untreated, challenged and unchallenged cells in parallel, oxidant challenge being induced by 5 min exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Results using this ex vivo cellular assay showed protection by some herbs. Seven out of 12 yin-tonic Chinese herbs demonstrated decreased DNA damage after treatment while 10 out of 13 yang-tonic herbs showed protection. Among 25 herbs tested, rhizome of Ligusticum sinensis Oliv. and aerial part of Artemisia annua L. demonstrated greatest DNA protective effect. Results indicated that the yin nature of herbs may not be necessarily associated with superior antioxidative effect to yang-tonic herbs, at least in terms of DNA protection against oxidant challenge.     

Natural potential therapeutic agents of neurodegenerative diseases from the traditional herbal medicine Chinese Dragon׳s Blood

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Dragon?s blood has been used as a famous traditional medicine since ancient times by many cultures. It is a deep red resin, obtained from more than 20 different species of four distinct genera. Red resin of Dracaena cochinchinensis S.C. Chen, known as Chinese Dragon?s Blood or Yunnan Dragon?s Blood, has been shown to promote blood circulation, alleviate inflammation, and to treat stomach ulcers, diarrhea, diabetes, and bleeding. This study investigated an effective approach to identify natural therapeutic agents for neurodegeneration from herbal medicine. The dichloride extract and isolated effective constituents of Chinese Dragon?s Blood showed quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) inducing activity and anti-inflammatory effect significantly, which are therapy targets of various neurodegenerative diseases.

Materials and methods

Multiple chromatography and spectra analysis were utilized to afford effective constituents. Then Hepa 1c1c7 and BV-2 cells were employed to assay their NQO1 inducing and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively.

Results

Bioactivities guided isolation afforded 21 effective constituents, including two new polymers cochinchinenene E (1), cochinchinenene F (2) and a new steroid dracaenol C (16). The main constituent 3 (weight percent 0.2%), 5 (weight percent 0.017%), 4 (weight percent 0.009%), 9 (weight percent 0.094%), 10 (weight percent 0.017%) and 8 (weight percent 0.006%) are responsible for the anti-inflammatory activities of Chinese Dragon?s Blood. While, new compounds 1, 2 and known compounds 5, 11 showed good NQO1 inducing activities. The brief feature of the activities and structures was discussed accordingly.

Conclusion

Overviewing the bioactivities and phytochemical study result, 4'-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxydihydrochalcone (3) and pterostilbene (5) as effective constituents of Chinese Dragon?s Blood, were found to be potential candidate therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases.     

Effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional medicine on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine(CHM) combined with conventional Western Medicine(CWM) on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD) based on high-quality randomized placebocontrolled trials. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang databases for randomize...     

Regression of hepatocellular carcinoma spontaneous or herbal medicine related?

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common causes of death from cancer in Taiwan. Treatments for this disease include surgical resection, transcatheter arterial embolization, chemoembolization and systemic chemotherapy. Without treatment, the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is poor, and mortality continues to be significant even in patients with small tumors detected during follow-up. For patients in Taiwan with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, traditional herbal medicine is frequently used. However, neither the overall prevalence of this therapy nor its efficacy has been studied systematically. Spontaneous regression of cancer, although rare, may occur, but the mechanism leading to regression is still far from understood. Here, we report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma with complete regression after taking herbal medicine. We cannot be certain how significant the herbal preparation was in the regression of the hepatocellular carcinoma, but the regression of the tumor provides us a reason and hope for further research.     

Anti-inflammatory activities of Chinese herbal medicine sinomenine and Liang Miao San on tumor necrosis factor-α-activated human fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

Aim of the study

Sinomenine, an alkaloid isolated from the root of Sinomenium acutum, has been used to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatic diseases. Liang Miao San (LMS), composed of the herbs Rhizoma Atractylodis (Cangzhu) and Cotex Phellodendri (Huangbai), is another traditional Chinese medicine formula for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the potential anti-inflammatory activities of sinomenine and LMS, the underlying intracellular mechanisms regulating the anti-inflammatory activities of sinomenine and LMS on human primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from RA patients and normal control subjects have not been elucidated.

Materials and methods

We investigated the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of sinomenine and LMS on inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-mediated activation of human normal and RA-FLS. The underlying intracellular signaling molecules were analyzed quantitatively using flow cytometry.

Results

Sinomenine was found to significantly inhibit TNF-α induced cell surface expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and release of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine IL-6, CCL2 and CXCL8 from both normal and RA-FLS (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the suppression of sinomenine on TNF-α induced VCAM-1 expression and IL-6 release of RA-FLS was significantly higher than that of normal FLS (p < 0.05). LMS significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced inflammatory chemokines CXCL10 and CCL5 release from both normal and RA-FLS, with significantly higher suppression on CXCL10 secretion in RA-FLS than that of normal FLS (all p < 0.05). Further investigations showed that sinomenine and LMS could significantly suppress TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of inhibitor κBα and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, the central signaling molecules mediating TNF-α-induced VCAM-1 expression and chemokine production.

Conclusion

Our results therefore provide a new insight into the differential anti-inflammatory activities of sinomenine and LMS through the suppression of TNF-α-activated FLS by modulating distinct intracellular signaling pathways in RA.     

Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cellsOA

Objective:To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin(SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum(Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.).Methods:We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis.Subsequently,the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN,and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) release and...     

从社会发展角度探讨中药资源的历史、现在与未来

中华人民共和国成立前,药材基原种类混杂、产地多、以野生为主;中华人民共和国成立后,野生资源急剧减少,药材来源由野生转为栽培、品质下降、产区变化明显。中药资源的变化与社会发展有着密切的关系,人口的增加、对中药知识认识增强和快速发展交通条件是中药资源变化的主要原因。根据社会发展的变化,未来中药资源以栽培为主,优质药材是中药资源发展的基本方向。围绕药材质量形成的因素,通过明确具体的基原、具体的生态型,进一步通过目标育种优化种质,实现品种精准化;通过优化产地,实现产地集中化;通过适当生物调控,再现植物野生状态下的次生代谢或增强次生代谢,实现生产技术独特化,从而大幅度提高栽培药材的质量。     

中药资源的生态研究

目的 :论述中药资源生态研究的现状和发展趋势。方法 :对中药资源生态研究所涉及的主要领域进行了分析。结果 :指出当前中药资源生态研究中存在的主要问题是基础理论研究薄弱及应用实践缺乏。结论 :认为基础理论的建立和完善 ,应用实践的加强 ,以及新技术新方法的引入 ,必将为中药资源的生态研究带来新的突破 ,并最终会促成生态学的一个新的分支学科———中药资源生态学的产生。     

桂林草药市场药用植物调查及疑难品种的考证

目的调查桂林草药市场药用植物来源。方法通过药农访谈、标本收集、文献查阅和药材鉴定等方法,对桂林草药市场药用植物资源开展调查和疑难品种进行考证。结果桂林市草药市场共记录并鉴定植物种类446种,隶属于142科260属,并对22种疑难中草药进行了品种考证。结论对桂林草药市场的调查研究和疑难中药的品种考证,为药用植物疑难品种开发利用研究提供理论依据。     

青藏高原藏药资源与品质评价研究进展

随着藏医药产业化的快速发展,造成藏药材资源的需求量急剧升高,加之青藏高原生态环境极其脆弱,导致常用藏药材的资源匮乏、品种短缺,同时藏药长期存在"同名异物"、"同物异名"和多基原藏药品种多等问题。目前,资源短缺、质量控制标准落后成为制约藏医药事业和藏药产业化可持续发展的两大瓶颈问题。因此,资源保护和可持续利用是藏药研究的关键,藏药资源调查和藏药标准化是目前工作的核心问题。该文就青藏高原藏药资源调查及品种整理、种质资源库的建立、野生抚育与人工繁育、质量标准规范化研究,以及用DNA条形码、1H-NMR代谢组学等新技术新方法应用诸方面进行述评,以期为解决青藏高原藏药资源保护和可持续利用、品种鉴定和质量标准化等问题提供参考。     

《中华本草》药性数据中的四气规律

目的:以四气为核心,分析中药药性数据中气与味、归经、毒性之间的相关关系,为中医临床用药、中药实验研究、中药新资源开发等提供理论线索和数据支持.方法:在对数据等级编码基础上,采用spearman等级相关法对《中华本草》中8 356味具有四气属性中药的药性规律进行分析.结果:四气与辛、甘2味存在显著正相关(P＜0.01);与苦、淡2味存在显著负相关(P＜0.01);与脾、胃、肾三经存在显著正相关(P＜0.01);与大肠、心、膀胱、胆、小肠、肺六经(按相关性递减排序)存在显著负相关(P＜0.01);与毒性之间存在显著正相关(P＜0.01).结论:药性越“热”则越可能具有辛、甘2味,越常入脾、胃、肾三经,其毒性更大;药性越“寒”则越可能具有苦、淡2味,越常人大肠等六经.     

Quercetin as a cancer chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent: Where we stand

Quercetin has a wide range of potential health benefits, working as a direct or indirect agent or an adjuvant following different principles. It may be used as a generally useful or exclusive supplement, but also specifically used to treat an acute or chronic condition. Quercetin may work as a cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent, because this versatile substance, which owns antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may also kill cancer cells and also holds senolytic properties. While both the specific chemo-preventive or chemotherapeutic uses as a drug need clinical trials, it may be used without any contraindication as a general chemo-preventive supplement.     

临江市中药资源调查研究

通过对临江市中药资源的系统调查,并走访调查当地中药传统知识的应用情况,研究临江中药资源种类、蕴藏量及药用价值,为当地野生中药资源开发利用提供指导。采用样地、样方定点调查,结合野踏非定点方式调查中药资源分布,同时统计相关数据。共调查野生药用植物86科331种。首次报道东北地区新物种菊科款冬,不仅掌握了临江市款冬的分布及发育状况,同时为《东北检索表》的完善提供重要依据。     

中药资源发展的趋势探讨

作者在分析中药资源利用的现状和主要问题的基础上,对当前中药资源的发展趋势提出相应的策略:针对盲目引种的现象,提出以"道地"为基础的定向栽培;针对品种选育进展缓慢的问题,提出以"有效成分"为目标的定向培育;针对药用器官利用单一的现象,提出以"扩大药用部位"为突破的多元化利用;针对药渣综合利用度低的现象,以"药渣"为切入的综合利用.     

无公害中药材生产HACCP质量控制模式研究

危害分析和关键控制点(hazard analysis and critical control points,HACCP)为控制农产品安全的一种有效方法与质量控制体系.介绍了HACCP质量评价体系,对该体系在无公害中药材生产领域中的应用进行了探讨与分析,HACCP对我国无公害中药材生产、保障民众安全健康,中药产业化和国际化具有重要的现实意义.     

吉林省中药资源种类空间分布差异研究

区域之间自然条件、社会资源等差异,决定了区域间中药资源的差异性分布。中药资源种类分布的时空演变是中药产业发展过程在时间和空间上的表现形式,研究区域中药资源分布的时空演变过程,可以揭示中药资源空间分布的规律性。县域作为全国中药资源普查的基本单元,县与县之间的资源禀赋差异,对合理制定中药资源政策、实行区域资源、环境的协调发展具有十分重要的意义。该研究基于吉林省中药资源普查试点工作阶段成果,选取51个已经完成中药资源普查工作的县,根据中药资源种类,运用探索性空间数据分析(ESDA)、趋势面分析、空间变异函数等地统计分析技术对吉林省县域中药资源多样性进行研究,分析中药资源丰富程度的空间差异特性。结果显示:吉林省中药资源种类丰富度较高的地区,总体上分布在东部和东南部,区域内植被类型主要以阔叶林为主;中药资源种类丰富度较低的地区,总体上分布在长春和吉林市行政中心附近,多为城市建成区,区域内植被类型以栽培植被为主。