A Multilayer Network Constructed for Herb and Prescription Efficacy Analysis

Chinese Medicine(CM)has been widely used as an important avenue for disease prevention and treatment in China especially in the form of CM prescriptions combining sets of herbs to address patients’symptoms and syndromes.However,the selection and compatibility of herbs are complex and abstract due to intrinsic relationships between herbal properties and their overall functions.Network analysis is applied to demonstrate the complex relationships between individual herbal efficacy and the overall function of CM prescriptions.To illustrate their connections and correlations,prescription function(PF),prescription herb(PH),and herbal efficacy(HE)intranetworks are proposed based on CM theory to identify relationships between herbs and prescriptions.These three networks are then connected by PF-PH and PH-HE interlayer networks adopting herb dosage to form a multidimensional heterogeneous network,a Prescription-Herb-Function Network(PHFN).The network is applied to 112 classic prescriptions from Treatise on Exogenous Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases to illustrate the application of PHFN.The PHFN is constructed including 146 functions in PF intra network,89 herbs in the PH intra network,and 163 herbal efficacies in the HE intra network.The results show that herb pairs with synergistic actions have stronger relevance,such as licorice-cassia twig,licorice-Chinese date,fresh ginger-Chinese date,etc.The integration of dosage to the network helps to indicate the main herbs for cluster analysis and automatic formulation.PHFN also reveals the internal relationships between the functions of prescriptions and composed herbal efficacies.

Chinese herbal medicine decreases incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in diabetes mellitus patients with regular insulin management

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM)is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),while insulin is a potent mitogen.Identifying a new therapeutic modality for preventing insulin users from developing HCC is a critical goal for researchers.AIM To investigate whether regular herbal medicine use can decrease HCC risk in DM patients with regular insulin control.METHODS We used data acquired from the Taiwan,Chinaese National Health Insurance research database between 2000 and 2017.We identified patients with DM who were prescribed insulin for>3 months.The herb user group was further defined as patients prescribed herbal medication for DM for>3 months per annum during RESULTS We initially enrolled 657144 DM patients with regular insulin use from 2000 to 2017.Among these,46849 patients had used a herbal treatment for DM,and 140547 patients were included as the matched control group.The baseline variables were similar between the herb users and nonusers.DM patients with regular herb use had a 12%decreased risk of HCC compared with the control group[adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)=0.88,95%CI=0.80–0.97].The cumulative incidence of HCC in the herb users was significantly lower than that of the nonusers.Patients with a herb use of>5 years cumulatively exhibited a protective effect against development of HCC(aHR=0.82,P<0.05).Of patients who developed HCC,herb users exhibited a longer survival time than nonusers(aHR=0.78,P=0.0001).Additionally,we report the top 10 herbs and formulas in prescriptions and summarize the potential pharmacological effects of the constituents.Our analysis indicated that Astragalus propinquus(Huang Qi)plus Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge(Dan Shen),and Astragalus propinquus(Huang Qi)plus Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim.(Tian Hua Fen)were the most frequent combination of single herbs.Meanwhile,Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan plus Dan Shen was the most frequent combination of herbs and formulas.CONCLUSION This large-scale retrospective cohort study reveals that herbal medicine may decrease HCC risk by 12%in DM patients with regular insulin use.

Exploring the mechanism of action of herb pair Pinellia Ternata-Magnolia Officinalis in the treatment of liver cancer based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Background:Explore the anti-tumor mechanism of herb pair Pinellia ternate-Magnolia officinalis(BX-HP)in liver cancer through network pharmacology using molecular docking methods.Method:The active ingredients and corresponding targets of the herb pair Pinellia ternate-Magnolia officinalis were obtained from the HERB database.The relevant targets for liver cancer were obtained from GeneCards,DisGeNET,TTD,and Drugbank databases.Obtain common targets between herb pair Pinellia ternate-Magnolia officinalis and liver cancer through the Bioinformatics platform,establish a PPI network diagram using STRING software,and perform GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on the DAVID platform.AutoDockTools 1.5.7 software and molecular dynamics simulation analysis are used to evaluate the binding of components to target proteins.HERB database,SwissTargetPrediction database,SwissADME database,UniProt database,GeneCards database,TTD database,DRUGBANK database,DisGeNET database,String,DAVID.Bioinformatics platform,PDB database,PubChem and TCMSP database.Result:A total of 22 active ingredients with a Probability>0.1 targets in Magnolia officinalis were screened,26 active ingredients with a Probability>0.1 targets in Pinellia ternata,ten vital active ingredients,corresponding to 979 and 803 targets with a Probability>0.1 targets,2536 liver cancer-related targets,and 279 targets in the herb pair Pinellia ternata-Magnolia officinalis.The GO functional enrichment analysis resulted in 1297 entries,namely 971 biological process entries,118 cell localization entries,and 208 molecular function entries.Three signaling pathways were annotated through the KEGG pathway.Based on molecular docking,ten vital active ingredients and five target proteins were validated to exhibit an excellent binding affinity.The above data indicates that combining the herb pair Pinellia ternata-Magnolia officinalis may treat liver cancer through specific targets and signaling pathways.Conclusion:Herb pair Pinellia ternata-Magnolia officinalis has a synergistic effect on treating liver cancer through multicomponent,multitarget,and multi-pathway approaches.This study provides a sufficient theoretical basis for subsequent research.

Structure and Properties of PLA Composite Enhanced with Biomass Fillers from Herbaceous Plants

PLA composites containing biomass fillers from the three herbaceous plants such as reed,wheat stalk,and coco-nut fiber with length and diameter at the scale of several millimeters were prepared without using additives.The reinforcement effect on the properties of PLA/biomass filler composites is investigated.The research results show that the PLA/biomass filler composites exhibit good stiffness,flexural strength,and impact toughness.Among the three kinds of biomass fillers,reed reinforced PLA composites show optimal mechanical properties.When filled with 40%–50%reed,the flexural moduli of the composites are over 7000 MPa.Flexural strength retains at the same level of pure PLA.The notch impact strength reaches to 4.50±0.73 kJ/m^(2),which is 2.06 times higher than that of pure PLA.Furthermore,the introduction of biomass fillers increases the crystallization ability of PLA and does not increase the water absorption of the composites.This research demonstrated that PLA composites prepared with biomass fillers from the herbaceous plants(namely herb plastic composites,HPCs)is a material with good comprehensive mechanical properties while retaining the intrinsic particularity of biological sources.

Herbalife hepatotoxicity: Evaluation of cases with positive reexposure tests

AIM: To analyze the validity of applied test criteria and causality assessment methods in assumed Herbalife hepatotoxicity with positive reexposure tests. METHODS: We searched the Medline database for suspected cases of Herbalife hepatotoxicity and retrieved 53 cases including eight cases with a positive unintentional reexposure and a high causality level for Herbalife. First, analysis of these eight cases focused on the data quality of the positive reexposure cases, requiring a baseline value of alanine aminotransferase(ALT) < 5 upper limit of normal (N) before reexposure, with Nas the upper limit of normal, and a doubling of the ALT value at reexposure as compared to the ALT value at baseline prior to reexposure. Second, reported methods to assess causality in the eight cases were evaluated, and then the liver specific Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) scale validated for hepatotoxicity cases was used for quantitative causality reevaluation. This scale consists of various specific elements with scores provided through the respective case data, and the sum of the scores yields a causality grading for each individual case of initially suspected hepatotoxicity. RESULTS: Details of positive reexposure test conditions and their individual results were scattered in virtually all cases, since reexposures were unintentional and allowed only retrospective rather than prospective assessments. In 1/8 cases, criteria for a positive reexposure were fulfilled, whereas in the remaining cases the reexposure test was classified as negative (n = 1), or the data were considered as uninterpretable due to missing information to comply adequately with the criteria (n = 6). In virtually all assessed cases, liver unspecific causality assessment methods were applied rather than a liver specific method such as the CIOMS scale. Using this scale, causality gradings for Herbalife in these eight cases were probable (n = 1), unlikely (n = 4), and excluded (n = 3). Confounding variables in- cluded low data quality, alternative diagnoses, poor exclusion of important other causes, and comedication by drugs and herbs in 6/8 cases. More specifically, problems were evident in some cases regarding temporal association, daily doses, exact start and end dates of product use, actual data of laboratory parameters such as ALT, and exact dechallenge characteristics. Short-comings included scattered exclusion of hepatitis A-C, cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus infection with only globally presented or lacking parameters. Hepatitis Evirus infection was considered in one single patient and found positive, infections by herpes simplexvirus and varicella zoster virus were excluded in none. CONCLUSION: Only one case fulfilled positive reexposure test criteria in initially assumed Herbalife hepatotoxicity, with lower CIOMS based causality gradings for the other cases than hitherto proposed.

Herbs and management of hypertension:Claims,criticism,and challenges

Hypertension(HTN)is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting over 30%of the adult population globally,with a growing incidence rate.This article aims to identify the commonly used herbs for HTN treatment and examine their claims,criticisms,and challenges.It further aims to provide useful recommendations regarding the use of herbs for HTN treatment.HTN complications,such as coronary heart disease,stroke,peripheral vascular disease,vision impairment,and renal failure can result in morbidity and mortality.The high cost of conventional medications,which sometimes may not even be available or easily accessible with their unfavorable side effects as well as taking more than one pill per day,has led hypertensive patients,particularly those in rural areas,to explore alternative treatments such as herbal therapies.It is crucial to determine the different modes of action,doses,safety,and efficacy of herbal remedies used in combination with conventional medications to improve treatment adherence and enhance patient outcomes.

Mechanism of Herbal Medicine and Food Dandelion Effects May be Related to RNA or DNA Regulation: A Review

Background: A dandelion is a common plant with a global growth distribution that has been used as a medicinal and food with no adverse effects. Purpose: In this article, the products and effects of dandelions are reviewed to help further in-depth studies and develop more products derived from dandelions in the future. Method: The literature about dandelion in various databases such as Pubmed is searched. Results: Dandelions have many effects, such as virus inhibition, anti-tumor activity, nutritional value, anti-aging, potential as a vaccine and alleviation of heat stress. The mechanism underlying these effects is analyzed and it was found that dandelions were regulated by RNA or DNA. Conclusion: As a medicinal and food, dandelions are safe and have many effects. Many products derived from dandelions have been developed. The metabolic regulation is related with ribonucleic acid or possibly deoxynucleic acid. Further in-depth studies should be conducted on the regulation of dandelions through RNA or DNA. There will likely be more products derived from dandelions in the future.

Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Herbal Compound TJAOA101 in Treating Diminished Ovarian Reserve: A Protocol for Multicenter, Prospective, and Pre-Post Study

Objective Diminished ovarian reserve(DOR)can lead to early menopause,poor fecundity,and an increased risk of disorders such as osteoporosis,cardiovascular disease,and cognitive impairment,seriously affecting the physical and mental health of women.There is still no safe and effective strategy or method to combat DOR.We have developed a novel Chinese herbal formula,Tongji anti-ovarian aging 101(TJAOA101),to treat DOR.However,its safety and efficacy need to be further validated.Methods In this prospective and pre-post clinical trial,100 eligible patients aged 18–45 diagnosed with DOR will be recruited.All participants receive TJAOA101 twice a day for 3 months.Then,comparisons before and after treatment will be analyzed,and the outcomes,including anti-mullerian hormone(AMH)and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)levels and the antral follicle count(AFC),the recovery rate of menopause,and the Kupperman index(KMI),will be assessed at baseline,every month during medication(the intervention period),and 1,3 months after medication(the follow-up period).Assessments for adverse events will be performed during the intervention and follow-up periods.Conclusion A multicenter,prospective study will be conducted to further confirm the safety and efficacy of TJAOA101 in treating DOR and to provide new therapeutic strategies for improving the quality of life in DOR patients.

Cell-Based Biological Markers for Blood-Enriching Chinese Herbs: Erythropoietin Production in HepG2 Cells and Nitric Oxide Release in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs)

Chinese tonifying herbs, which are classified into four functional categories (namely, Yang, Qi, Yin, Blood) are commonly used for restoring normal body function and the prevention of diseases. To explore cell-based biological markers for Blood-enriching Chinese herbs, we investigate the effect of 11 commonly used Blood-enriching herbs on erythropoietin (EPO) production in HepG2 cells. Herbs for nourishing Yin were tested for determining the specificity of Blood-enriching herbs in inducing EPO production. In addition, the effects of Blood-enriching herbs on nitric oxide (NO) production in both HepG2 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were also investigated. The results indicated that methanolic extracts of Blood-enriching herbs (but not Yin-nourishing herbs) showed characteristic pharmacological activity in inducing EPO production in HepG2 cells and NO release in HUVECs. The experimental findings, therefore, support the use of cell-based EPO production and NO release as biological markers for Blood-enriching Chinese tonifying herbs.

Topology and Semantic Information Fusion Classification Network Based on Hyperspectral Images of Chinese Herbs

Most methods for classifying hyperspectral data only consider the local spatial relation-ship among samples,ignoring the important non-local topological relationship.However,the non-local topological relationship is better at representing the structure of hyperspectral data.This paper proposes a deep learning model called Topology and semantic information fusion classification network(TSFnet)that incorporates a topology structure and semantic information transmis-sion network to accurately classify traditional Chinese medicine in hyperspectral images.TSFnet uses a convolutional neural network(CNN)to extract features and a graph convolution network(GCN)to capture potential topological relationships among different types of Chinese herbal medicines.The results show that TSFnet outperforms other state-of-the-art deep learning classification algorithms in two different scenarios of herbal medicine datasets.Additionally,the proposed TSFnet model is lightweight and can be easily deployed for mobile herbal medicine classification.

Quality Standard of Qiang Herb Sophora davidii var.chuansiensis

[Objectives]To establish the quality standard of common clinical folk herb Sophora davidii var.chuansiensis.[Methods]The qualitative identification was performed by microscopic method and thin-layer chromatography(TLC).The contents of moisture,total ash,acid insoluble ash and extract were determined according to the methods of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020).High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)was used to determine the contents of oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine.[Results]The microscopic characteristics were obvious,including crystal sheath fiber,calcium oxalate square crystal,non glandular hair,stone cells,epidermal cells,stomata,cork cells,vessels with marginal pits and so on.TLC spots were clear,and the resolution was good.The contents of moisture,total ash,acid insoluble ash and extract from 10 batches of samples were 4.70%-8.33%,3.43%-4.19%,0.65%-1.02%and 14.67%-22.04%respectively.The determination results of oxymatrine were between 0.10%-0.33%,with an average value of 0.19%.The determination results of sophocarpine oxide were between 0.30%-0.38%,with an average value of 0.34%.[Conclusions]The established quality standard of S.davidii var.chuansiensis had good specificity and accuracy,and could be used for the quality control of herb S.davidii var.chuansiensis.

Traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and herbs for the treatment of hypothyroidism:a narrative review

The increasing prevalence of hypothyroidism,which can cause endocrine dysfunction,abnormal neurological function,and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular injuries,poses serious health problems.Thyroid hormone supplementation constitutes the current main therapeutic method for hypothyroidism,yet it has many limitations and risks and is not suitable for everyone.Therefore,it is necessary to seek alternative and complementary treatment methods.It has been proven in practice that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)possesses multi-channel comprehensive characteristics for the treatment of hypothyroidism and has more advantages than single thyroid hormone supplementation.Through a comprehensive examination of existing literature about TCM efficacy in addressing hypothyroidism,we have meticulously consolidated the most recent research findings on prescriptions and herbal substances employed in the treatment of this condition.Furthermore,we have explicated their respective functions in the management of hypothyroidism,thereby offering valuable perspectives and recommendations for the prospective utilization of natural remedies in its treatment.

“Astragali Radix−Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma”herb pair in the treatment of liver cirrhosis and its pharmacological mechanisms

Objective:Liver cirrhosis is a disease that seriously damages human health.Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)formulae have a good therapeutic effect on cirrhosis,and the herb pair is the smallest unit in formula compatibility,which is important for improving the therapeutic effect.Therefore,identifying core herb pairs among TCM formulae is key.Methods:We mined the data of TCM formulae for the treatment of cirrhosis in the China National Intellectual Property Administration for the first time and analyzed their herb characteristics and association rules.We screened 405 patented TCM formulae,including 953 herbs.Based on frequency statistics and association rules,we determined“Astragali Radix-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma”as the core herb pair.Results:Six active compounds,Isorhamnetin,Formononetin,Calycosin,Cryptotanshinone,Dihydrotanshinone I,and Tanshinone II A,were screened out based on previous studies and network pharmacology.We found that SRC,TP53,HSP90AA1,MAPK3,MAPK1,and STAT3 played pivotal roles in treating cirrhosis.Interestingly,molecular docking indicated that MAPK3 might be a potential pharmacological target for cirrhosis.Conclusion:We preliminarily predicted and verified the pharmacological and molecular mechanism of“Astragali Radix-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma”in treating cirrhosis.This can expand the scope of TCM in the treatment of cirrhosis,guide people to use clinical formulae,and provide valuable insights for further drug discovery studies.

Herbal hepatotoxicity:Challenges and pitfalls of causality assessment methods

The diagnosis of herbal hepatotoxicity or herb induced liver injury(HILI) represents a particular clinical and regulatory challenge with major pitfalls for the causality evaluation.At the day HILI is suspected in a patient,physicians should start assessing the quality of the used herbal product,optimizing the clinical data for completeness,and applying the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences(CIOMS) scale for initial causality assessment.This scale is structured,quantitative,liver specific,and validated for hepatotoxicity cases.Its items provide individual scores,which together yield causality levels of highly probable,probable,possible,unlikely,and excluded.After completion by additional information including raw data,this scale with all items should be reported to regulatory agencies and manufacturers for further evaluation.The CIOMS scale is preferred as tool for assessing causality in hepatotoxicity cases,compared to numerous other causality assessment methods,which are inferior on various grounds.Among these disputed methods are the Maria and Victorino scale,an insufficiently qualified,shortened version of the CIOMS scale,as well as various liver unspecific methods such as thead hoc causality approach,the Naranjo scale,the World Health Organization(WHO) method,and the Karch and Lasagna method.An expert panel is required for the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network method,the WHO method,and other approaches based on expert opinion,which provide retrospective analyses with a long delay and thereby prevent a timely assessment of the illness in question by the physician.In conclusion,HILI causality assessment is challenging and is best achieved by the liver specific CIOMS scale,avoiding pitfalls commonly observed with other approaches.

Study on the Effects of Chinese Herb Additive on Milk Yield and Anti-heat Stress Ability of Holstein Cow

[Objective] The research aimed to explore the effects of Chinese herb additive on milk yield and anti-heat stress ability of Holstein cow.[Method] 36 Holstein cows with similar birth order and milk yield were equally and randomly divided into 3 groups which were control group, Chinese medicine Ⅰ group and Chinese medicine Ⅱ group. In control group, cows were fed with basic feed, while in Chinese medicine Ⅰ group, cows were fed with basic feed containing 4% compound Chinese herb additive and in Chinese medicine Ⅱ group, cows were fed with basic feed containing 3% compound Chinese herb additive.All cows in the 3 groups were analyzed comparatively.[Result] Adding some compound Chinese herb additive into basic feed would increase milk yield and anti-heat stress ability of Holstein cow,besides,it also could decrease cow diseases such as cow mastitis.Chinese medicine Ⅰ would generate the highest economic benefit of practical production.[Conclusion] Adding Chinese herb additive into basic feed is an effective way for reliefing heat stress and increasing milk yield.

A Survey of the Pteridophyte Herbs of Hainan Island

There are almost 400 species(containing 8 varieties)of pteridophytes on Hainan Island,belonging to 43 families and 114 genera,one third of which are officinal.To understand the distribution of pteridophytes resources of Hainan Island,we conducted this survey mainly by photographing the habitat,plant morphology,sorus and specific traits of some pteridophytes.The results showed that nearly 32 families and 94 species were recorded.These pteridophyte herb resources play important roles in medical treatment of native Li nationality people.

Research on Anti-bacterial Effects of 5 Kinds of Chinese Herb Extracts on Ameromonas hydrophila in vitro

[Objective] The aim was to study the anti-bacterial effects of 5 kinds of Chinese herb extracts on Ameromonas hydrophila in vitro. [Method] in vitro anti-bacterial effects of 5 kinds of Chinese herb extracts like Galla Chinensis,Syzygium aromaticum,Salvia miltiorrhiza,Punica granatum L. and Terminalia chebula Retz on Ameromonas hydrophila were studied; furthermore,cure rates of the Chinese herb extracts with better anti-bacterial effects were determined to find out the optimal drug dosage. [Result] Under the same experimental conditions,Galla Chinensis,Punica granatum and Terminalia chebula Retz had relatively strong anti-bacterial effects on Ameromonas hydrophila,among them the anti-bacterial effect of Galla Chinensis was significantly higher than those of the others （P0.05）. The optimal treatment dose of Galla Chinensis treating bacterial septicemia caused by Aeromonas hydrophila was that they were treated with medicated bath for 40 min by 0.5 mg/ml Galla Chinensis extract,and the cure rate was 100%. [Conclusion] The research provides a scientific drug basis for the control and prevention of outbreak bacterial diseases of fish.

传统文化术语英译路径探究——以杨、霍英译《红楼梦》中Herb一词的选择为例

如何翻译好具有中国传统特色术语是推动中国优秀传统文化走出去的关键。通过评析杨宪益、戴乃迭以及大卫·霍克斯、约翰·闵福德两个《红楼梦》经典译本,对选用herb一词所体现出的传统文化术语英译需考虑因素和可借鉴方法等方面加以分析,以期对中华文化内涵的科技术语翻译有所启示。

Advances in treatment of ulcerative colitis with herbs: From bench to bedside

Ulcerative colitis(UC), an idiopathic inflammatory disorder in the colon, has become a clinical challenge, owing to the increasing incidence and poor prognosis. The conventional treatments for UC including aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants, induce remission in only half of patients. Meanwhile, the treatments often come with serious side effects which can be life-threatening. Herbal medicine, one of the most common traditional Chinese medicine modalities, has been introduced for centuries into clinical treatment of many human diseases such as infections and functional disorders. Recently, the potential effectiveness of herbs has been suggested as the treatment of UC, as shown by a variety of clinical trials and experimental studies. The herbs reported in the literature include aloe vera gel, butyrate, tormentil extracts, wheat grass juice, and curcumin. In the review, bioactivity of the herbs and their involvement in UC treatment are discussed.

Herbs祛斑系列治疗黄褐斑31例临床验证报告

目的 :研究中药植物萃取液加基质复配而成的系列产品 ,对治疗黄褐斑的疗效。 方法 :将 Herbs祛斑系列产品以不同剂型种类作用于体外。 结果 :治疗组治愈 6例 ,达 19.4% ;显效 14例 ,达 45 .2 % ,有效 5例 ,达 16 .1% ;总有效率为 80 .6 %。对照组治愈 4例 ,达 13.3% ;显效 10例 ,达 33.3% ;有效 10例 ,达 33.3% ;总有效率为 79.9%。 结论 :Herbs祛斑系列在体表能明显抑制酪氨酸酶活性 ,清除氧自由基 。