Regulatory effects of stage-treatment with established Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators in pediatric asthma

OBJECTIVE： To explore the regulatory effects of es- tablished Chinese herbal formulas on inflammatory mediators released during asthma attacks, and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of asthma. METHODS： Seventy-five asthmatic children were randomly divided into a Chinese medication group （45 cases） and a Western medication control group （30 cases）. Patients in the Chinese medication group were treated with a series of established Chi- nese herbal formulas, whereas the Western medica- tion control group received a leukotriene receptor antagonist and a bronchial relaxant. Real-time PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of interleukin （IL）-4, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 （CysLTR1）, and interferon （IFN）-γ in peripheralblood mononuclear cells before and after treat- ment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the peripheral blood levels of IL-4, leukotriene （LTE）-4, and INF-γ before and after treat- ment. RESULTS： After treatment, the mRNA expression levels of 11-4 and CysLTR1 were down-regulated （P〈 0.01） and the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ were up-regulated （P〈0.05） in the Chinese medication and Western medication groups; no significant dif- ference was found between the two groups. In the Chinese medication group, IL-4 blood level was de- creased and it was significantly different from that in the Western medication group （P〈0.05）; there was also a significant increase in IFN-γ blood levels after treatment with Chinese medica- tion （P〈0.05）. There were no significant differenc- es in LTE-4 blood levels between the two groups before and after treatment （P〉0.05）. CONCLUSION： Chinese medication has a regulato- ry effect on leukotriene receptor gene expression and the imbalance of Th1/Th2 immune cells dur- ing asthma attacks in pediatric patients.     

CGX,a multiple herbal drug,improves cholestatic liver fibrosis in a bile duct ligation-induced rat model

Ethnopharmacologic relevance

CGX is a modification of a traditional herbal medicine that has been used for various liver disorders as a meaning of “cleaning the liver”. The cholestatic liver disorders become prevalent.

Back ground and aim

This study aimed to investigate the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of CGX and its underlying mechanisms in a rat model of bile duct ligation (BDL).

Materials and methods

BDL was conducted in SD rats except shame operation group. The rats were orally administrated with distilled water, CGX (25 or 50 mg/kg) or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, 25 mg/kg) for two weeks. The pharmaceutical effects and mechanisms were analyzed in histopathology, biochemistry, oxidative stress/antioxidant biomarkers and hepatic fibrogenic cytokines levels.

Results

BDL markedly elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts as well as changed subset proportions such as increased neutrophils and decreased lymphocytes in peripheral blood. BDL drastically elevated the serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and hepatic tissue levels of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA), while it reduced the total glutathione (GSH) content and the activities of GSH-redox system enzymes such as GSH-peroxidase, GSH-reductase and GSH-S-transferase. These alterations were significantly attenuated by CGX treatment (mainly 50 mg/kg). CGX treatment normalized both the accumulation of collagen in hepatic tissue and the increased levels of profibrogenic cytokine including transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Moreover, CGX treatment enhanced interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) expression compare to the BDL group at the protein and gene level.

Conclusion

These results suggest that CGX exerts anti-hepatofibrotic effect in rat BDL model, and the responsible mechanisms involve the inhibition of hepatic fibrogenic cytokines and oxidative stress.     

Effects of Lepidium sativum,Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum‐graceum on Phenytoin Pharmacokinetics in Beagle Dogs

The present work was designed to evaluate the effect of some commonly used herbs viz. garden cress (Lepidium sativum), black seed (Nigella sativa) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graceum) on the disposition of phenytoin after oral administration in a dog model. Phenytoin was given orally at a dose of 50 mg, and blood samples were obtained for the determination of drug's pharmacokinetic parameters. After a suitable washout period, animals were commenced on a specific herb treatment for one week. Garden cress treatment caused a modest increase in maximum observed concentration (C_max) and terminal half‐life (T_1/2λ) of phenytoin with a reduction in clearance by 33%. The effect of black seed therapy was more drastic on drug elimination and to a lesser extent on its volume of distribution at steady state (V_ss) with a consequent reduction in systemic exposure measured by area under the curve (AUC_0‐∞) by about 87%. The effect of fenugreek therapy resembled, albeit to a lesser extent, that of black seed with a significant reduction in AUC_0‐∞ by ~72%. In addition, there was a 73% increase in V_ss. Our findings suggest that the phenytoin disposition can be significantly altered by the concurrent consumption of tested herbal products. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

宣肺平喘方治疗咳嗽变异性哮喘的有效性和对FeNO影响临床研究

目的:评价宣肺平喘方治疗咳嗽变异性哮喘的有效性和对FeNO影响。方法采用开放的、前瞻性临床研究。病例选自2011年09月—2012年10月在我院呼吸科就诊,并被诊断为咳嗽变异性哮喘的患者,入选时咳嗽症状积分至少≥2分。治疗用药为宣肺平喘方饭后口服,总疗程4周。主要疗效评价指标:咳嗽严重程度评价和FeNO的变化。结果:共入组82例,其中男性32例女性50例。年龄18⁷0岁平均年龄52.6岁。入选患者咳嗽时间2月70岁平均年龄52.6岁。入选患者咳嗽时间2月¹0年。纳入疗效分析的共82例,治疗后痊愈48例,占58.54%,显效29例,占35.36%,进步4例,占4.88%,无效1例,占1.22%,总有效率占93.90%。治疗后日间咳嗽评分、夜间咳嗽评分以、咳嗽总评分值及FeNO与治疗前相比差异均有统计学意义P<0.001。纳入安全性分析共82例2例发生不良事件,发生率为2.44%,不良反应均为轻度反应,本研究中无严重不良事件发生。结论宣肺平喘方咳嗽变异型哮喘的临床疗效显著,不良反应轻,该药可以在临床上推广应用。     

根及根茎类中药饮片产地炮制加工生产模式的构建

结合目前中药饮片生产现状和存在的突出问题,提出以根及根茎类中药为研究对象,建立中药饮片产地炮制加工生产新模式,从源头确保饮片信息的准确性、饮片质量的稳定性和安全性,为搭建中药炮制和饮片研究技术平台提供规范的中药饮片生产模式,推动中药饮片行业的规范化、规模化和专业化发展.开展常用根及根茎类中药饮片的产地炮制加工研究,并逐步推广应用到其他类别中药饮片,将显著提高中药饮片的质量和中医药在我国乃至世界医疗卫生事业中的地位和作用.     

胸痹心痛病名与病机

＂胸痹＂最早出现在《灵枢·本脏》,阐述较模糊;汉·张仲景从脉象症状等方面说明,晋·葛洪、隋·巢元方《、圣济总录·胸痹门》、明代秦景明《症因脉治》等将胸痹之名来源归结为胸痹脉象、症候特点、发病原因等。心痛始见于马王堆汉墓帛书《足臂十一脉灸经》《,素问》有＂心病先心痛＂、＂心痹者,脉不通,烦则心下鼓,暴上气而喘＂,《灵枢·厥病》把厥心痛分为肝心痛、胃心痛、脾心痛、肺心痛、肾心痛,云：＂痛如以锥针刺其心＂;隋·巢元方对心痛病名论述详实,因、证、象等具备;唐·孙思邈、《太平圣惠方》、从治法方药方面给后世医家很大启发;明清时期有更详尽修正,最具代表性是《临证指南医案·心痛》把心痛与胃脘痛、真心痛等从发病部位确切区分。日本人丹波元坚所著《杂病广要》对＂胸痹心痛＂最早进行了详尽论述,对现今影响颇丰;汉·张仲景将胸痹与心痛合一而述。从脉象、病因、症候等方面看＂,胸痹心痛＂之名更优于胸痹、心痛分而论之。病机乃心脉痹阻、阳微阴弦。     

但见一证便是, 不必悉具

《伤寒论》中蕴含着中医理论与实践的诸多智慧。通过对《伤寒论》第101条"但见一证便是,不必悉具"的理解与应用,强化读经典,做临床,理论联系实际的重要性。     

蒙药材石化炮制品质量标准研究

目的建立石花药材炮制品的质量控制标准。方法采用生药学法对其进行鉴定,并测定其杂质、水分、总灰分、酸不溶性灰分和浸出物的含量。结果对石花炮制品的药材性状、显微特征进行了描述;测定了水分、总灰分和浸出物的含量。结论较全面的考察了石花的各项质量指标,为制定石花炮制品的质量标准提供了依据。     

中药坐浴联合太宁栓治疗慢性肛周湿疹临床观察

目的观察中药坐浴联合太宁栓治疗慢性肛周湿疹的疗效。方法将83例慢性肛周湿疹患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,分别采用中药坐浴联合太宁栓和派瑞松软膏局部外搽联合太宁栓治疗;治疗2周,观察两组临床疗效和症状改善情况。结果治疗组总有效率为92.50%,对照组为88.37%;两组临床疗效比较有显著性差异（P〈0.05）。治疗后,两组瘙痒程度、皮疹面积、皮损形态积分较治疗前明显降低（P〈0.05）,且治疗组低于对照组（P〈0.05）。治疗组复发率（5.00%）低于对照组（11.62%）（P〈0.05）。结论中药坐浴联合太宁栓可提高慢性肛周湿疹临床疗效。     

辛苍鼻渊汤熏蒸结合内服治疗慢性鼻窦炎疗效观察

目的观察辛苍鼻渊汤治疗慢性鼻窦炎的临床疗效。方法54例慢性鼻窦炎患者采用辛苍鼻渊汤鼻部熏蒸和内服治疗,疗程2周;治疗后观察其临床疗效。结果临床治愈率为70．37％,总有效率为100％。结论辛苍鼻渊汤熏蒸结合内服治疗慢性鼻窦炎疗效确切。