Traditional Chinese medicine Jia Wei Gui Pi Tang improves behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and favourable positive emotions in patients

Background

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are challenging to manage, leading to caregiver burden and often to subsequent transfer of patients to a nursing home or psychiatric hospital for treatment. Eliciting favourable positive emotions should be an important goal in the treatment of negative emotions associated with BPSD. To date, no data have indicated that antipsychotic medications can improve positive emotions. BPSD are known to be associated with anxiety in patients with dementia. The traditional Chinese medicine Jia Wei Gui Pi Tang is officially indicated and approved for anxiety treatment in Japan.

Methods

Here, we performed a multicentre, randomised, observer-blind control study of the effect of Jia Wei Gui Pi Tang on BPSD in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Patients with AD or AD with cerebral vascular disease were randomly divided into the Jia Wei Gui Pi Tang treatment group and the control group that received no traditional Chinese medicine. BPSD were scored using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH) and by favourable positive emotions using the Delightful Emotional Index (DEI).

Results

A total of 63 participants (18 male and 45 female; mean age: 83.3 ± 6.0 years) were included in the study. Changes in NPI-NH scores differed significantly between the two groups (one-way analysis of variance, P < 0.001). Within the treatment group, there was a significant improvement in the NPI-NH score from 29.8 ± 17.3 at baseline to 13.2 ± 9.4 at the endpoint (paired t-test, P < 0.001), whereas there was no statistically significant change in the control group. Changes in DEI scores differed significantly between the two groups. Within the treatment group, there was a significant improvement in the DEI score from 24.3 ± 23.0 at baseline to 32.5 ± 21.2 at the endpoint (paired t-test, P = 0.001), whereas there was no statistically significant change in the control group.

Conclusion

The traditional Chinese medicine Jia Wei Gui Pi Tang significantly improved both BPSD and positive emotions.     

沉痛悼念中国眼科微生物学奠基人金秀英教授

北京市眼科研究所第三任所长金秀英教授于2023年1月19日逝世,享年99岁。本文简单回顾了金秀英教授的生平及其对我国眼科微生物学事业的主要贡献。（眼科,2023,32:78-封Ⅲ）     

UPLC-Q-Exactive四级杆-静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱联用快速分析瑶药黄红钻的成分＊

目的 采用UPLC-Q-Exactive四级杆-静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱联用技术，快速分析鉴定瑶药“十八钻”之一黄红钻的成分。方法 采用Thermo Gold C₁₈（2.1 mm × 100 mm， 1.9 μm）色谱柱，乙腈（A）-0.1%甲酸水溶液（含10 mmol乙酸铵）（B）-为流动相梯度洗脱，流速0.3 mL·min^-1，柱温35℃，正、负离子模式扫描。结果 共鉴定出黄红钻中23个成分。包括有机酸类1个、糖苷类2个、氨基酸类1个、酚酸类8个、生物碱类3个、木脂素类3个、环烯醚萜苷类5个。结论 UPLC-Q-Exactive四极杆-静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱联用技术可以快速鉴定黄红钻化学成分，为黄红钻药效物质基础提供科学依据。     

姚树坤教授论治功能性便秘经验

功能性便秘是一种常见的慢性消化系统疾病,近年来发病率不断上升,严重困扰着人们的生活。姚树坤教授在治疗消化系统疾病方面,疗效卓著,对于功能性便秘的治疗,颇具心得。姚教授认为,功能性便秘的诊断、治疗应中西合璧,先明确诊断,再予辨证论治,病机以湿热阻滞肠胃为主要特点,治疗应清化湿热、疏调气机为本。