The potential of Chinese herbal medicines in treating anxiety disorders

In recent years,there has not been much progress in developing anxiolytic drugs.Amongst the barriers are the lack of clarity on the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders,low product conversion rates for developing drugs targeting the receptors,and species variability.Some scientists have focused on natural medicines,especially herbal medicines in traditional Chinese medicine.New drugs with excellent anxiolytic activity are hoped to be found in herbal medicines with anxiolytic effects.This mini-review summarised three Chinese herbal medicines with anxiolytic effects and anxiolytic herbal formulas used in the traditional Chinese medicine clinic.Several key issues that block the development of new anxiolytic drugs are also discussed.We hope to provide some ideas for researching and developing new anxiolytic drugs and studying anxiolytic components in traditional Chinese medicine.

Application of Computer-Aided Drug Design to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Computer-aided drug design (CADD) is an interdisciplinary subject, playing a pivotal role during new drug research and development, especially the discovery and optimization of lead compounds. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) modernization is the only way of TCM development and also an effective approach to the development of new drugs and the discovery of potential drug targets (PDTs). Discovery and validation of PTDs has become the “bottle-neck” restricted new drug research and development and is urgently solved. Innovative drug research is of great significance and bright prospects. This paper mainly discusses the “druggability” and specificity of PTDs, the “druglikeness” of drug candidates, the methods and technologies of the discovery and validation of PTDs and their application. It is very important to achieve the invention and innovation strategy “from gene to drug”. In virtue of modern high-new technology, especially CADD, combined with TCM theory, research and develop TCM and initiate an innovating way fitting our country progress. This paper mainly discusses CADD and their application to drug research, especially TCM modernization.

PROGRESS OF RESEARCH IN THE PREPARATION OF CHINESE TRADITIONAL AND HERBAL DRUGS WITH ANTICANCER ACTIVITY

Research into anticancer substances madefrom Chinese herbal drugs and their clinicalapplication is gaining international attention bythe medical profession of the more than 20analogues of camptothecine isolated from Camp-totheca tree in China, most exhibited anticanceractivity. Among them, 10-hydroxycamptothe-cine has a wide anticancer spectrum and is lesstoxic. In suspension, it exhibits some therapeu-tic effects on primary hepatic cancer, gastriccarcinoma, cancer of the urinary bladder andleukemia.

Recent advances in network pharmacology applications in Chinese herbal medicine

Network pharmacology is a new discipline based on the theory of systems biology and network analysis of biological systems to design the drugs.It comprehensively observes the intervention and influence of drugs on the disease network,and reveals the mystery of multi-molecular drugs synergistically acting on disease.These concepts reflect the ideas of multi-component,multi-target and system regulation,and have many similarities with the research ideas of traditional Chinese medicine,which focuses on syndrome differentiation and treatment,emphasizes the overall understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis.Network pharmacology can be used to predict and identify the target and active component of traditional herbal medicine,to clarify the mechanism of action,to scientifically explain the rules of the prescription,to explore the rules of real-world prescription,to discover new indications and new active compounds,and to study drug relocation,etc.The applications of network pharmacology in traditional herbal medicine were systematically summarized to demonstrate the significant value in these areas.

Integrating traditional Chinese (herbal) medicines into risk based regulation-With focus on non-clinical requirements to demonstrate safety

Within the public health sector of Hong Kong(China),there is a consensus around the important role of traditional Chinese medicines.For Hong Kong(China)to play a bridging role to bring Chinese medicines to the global market requires a concerted effort from the government,academic institutes and industries.The release of the final version of the European Medicines Agencies guidance document,which details the acceptance of minimum requirements to nonclinical package in bibliographical applications,grants the opportunity for well-established and traditional herbal medicines to demonstrate an‘acceptable safe’status for registration in the European Union.It is anticipated that this minimum nonclinical package can be applied to demonstrate the safe use of many traditional Chinese medicines regardless of their eligibility to be registered under the simplified procedure within the European Union.This paper conceptualizes an integration of a simplified evaluation route for eligible proprietary Chinese medicines(pCm)with long history of use into the existing drug regulatory framework in Hong Kong(China).Such integration utilizing the minimum nonclinical package,based on bibliographical data or expert report,as proof of evidence to demonstrate safety for pCm with long history of use requires less demand in scientific resources.With Hong Kong(China)conducting‘first hand’review for eligible pCm,it provides an option for overseas and local pharmaceutical companies to register their products in Hong Kong(China)without the need to rely on issuance of Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product from other countries.This could bring eligible pCm with long history of use to reach international risk-based standard and to be marketed globally as‘medicines’to reach their full therapeutic potential.An important process to positioning Hong Kong(China)to compete with other countries in promoting importation and exportation of pCm to better serve the global health.

Application of Theories of Free Radicals and Electron Spin Resonance for Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The present paper reviews new findings in redoxproperties of the active constituent of Chinese herbalmedicine(CHM),a kind of CHM or a compoundprescription as an antioxidant.Firstly,we have studiedtheir antioxidant and prooxidant actions with electronspin resonance(ESR).The results show that the activecomponents from over 10 kinds of CHM are able toscavenge the oxygen free radicals but propyl gallate

Regulating effect of Chinese herbal medicine on the peritoneal lymphatic stomata in enhancing ascites absorption of experimental hepatofibrotic mice

AIM: To observe the regulatory effect of Chinese herbal medicine on peritoneal lymphatic stomata and its significance in treating ascites in liver fibrosis model mice. METHODS: Two Chinese herbal composite prescriptions were used separately to treat the carbon tetrachloride-induced mouse model of liver fibrosis. The histo-pathologic changes of the liver sections (HE and VG stainings) were observed. The peritoneal lymphatic stomata was detected by scanning electron microscopy and computer image processing. The changes of urinary volume and sodium ion concentration were measured. RESULTS: In the model group, lots of fibrous tissue formed in liver and extended into the hepatic lobules to separate them incompletely. In the treated and prevention groups, the histo-pathologic changes of liver was rather milder, only showed much less fibrous tissue proliferation in the hepatic lobules. The peritoneal lymphatic stomata enlarged with increased density in the experimental groups (diameter: PA, 3.07 +/- 0.69 microm; PB, 2.82 +/- 0.37 microm; TA, 3.25 +/- 0.82 microm and TB, 2.82 +/- 0.56 microm; density: PA, 7.11 +/- 1.90 stomata.1000 microm(-2); PB, 8.76 +/- 1.45 stomata.1000 microm(-2); TA, 6.55 +/- 1.44 stomata.1000 microm(-2)and TB, 8.76+/-1.79 stomata.1000 microm(-2)), as compared with the model group (diameter: 2.00+/-0.52 microm density: 4.45+/-1.05 stomata.1000 microm(-2)). After treatment, the urinary volume and sodium ion excretion increased in the experimental groups (PA, 231.28+/-41.09 mmol.L(-1); PB, 171.69 +/- 27.48 mmol.L(-1) and TA, 231.44 +/- 34.12 mmol.L(-1)), which were significantly different with those in the model group (129.33 +/- 36.75 mmol.L(-1)). CONCLUSION: Chinese herbal medicine has marked effects in alleviating liver fibrosis, regulating peritoneal lymphatic stomata, improving the drainage of ascites from peritoneal cavity and causing increase of urinary volume and sodium ion excretion to reduce the water and sodium retention, and thus have favorable therapeutic effect in treating ascites.

An Analysis of Therapeutic Effect of Drug Acupoint Application in 209 Cases of Allergic Asthma

Both therapies of traditional crude herb moxibustion and drug acupoint application were used in 209 cases of allergic asthma to compare their long-term and short-term therapeutic effects and to analyze the relationship between clinic therapeutic effects of both therapies and differential types of the disease. The results showed that the short-term total effective rate in the group of drug acupoint application was higher than that in the group of traditional crude herb moxibustion, the therapeutic effects of drug acupoint application being closely related to differential types. Analysis also shows the best short-term therapeutic effect was in the type of heat in the lung while the poorest effect in the type of deficiency of the kidney-yang.

Research Status of Serum Pharmacology and Serum Pharmacochemistry of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Serum pharmacochemistry of traditional Chinese medicine has become a more accurate and rapidly developing reasonable way to analyze the effective material basis of traditional Chinese medicine in recent years. Through this method, we can select very complex Chinese medicine components and clarify the effective substances consistent with the main functions, and then separate and purify effective ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine, so as to explain the material basis of the drug effect and prove the rationality and principle of action of Chinese medicine compounds. It can show the multi-component and multi-target characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine, and after analyzing the migrating components of serum, we can explore the direct effective substances that act on the patient’s body, so as to accelerate and accurately complete the in-depth study of the effective substances of Chinese medicine.

A REVIEW ON TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis(MS),a diseaseaffecting the central nervous system,ischaracterized by patches of demyelinationand sclerosis of gliosis desseminatedthroughout the white matter of brain andspinal cord.In 1968,Charcot firstdescribed its clinical and pathologicalcharacteristics.Its incidence is very high,especially in Europe and America.Thereis no epidemic data of this

Treating Principles and Methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Peripheral Vascular Diseases

Peripheral vascular disease embraces a variety of conditions such as thromboangiitis obliterans, Raynaud's disease, thrombophlebitis, aorto-arteritis, obliterate atherosclerosis, varix or phlebothrombosis of the lower limb. Although the affected blood vessel may be arterial or venous one and caused either by inflammation or degenerate changes, they share common symptoms and signs, such as blood stasis, ischemia, thrombosis, ecchymosis, swelling, constriction or obliteration of blood vessels due to circulatory impairment. Since they share common characteristics, the treating principles and methods will be discussed as follows.

Application of the Drugs for Expelling the Pathogenic Wind in Treatment of Chronic Diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea can be divided into four types:retention of dampness leading to blockage of qi,invasion of the intestines by pathogenic wind,damp-retention due to deficiency of the spleen, andstagnation of the liver-qi with deficiency of thespleen.

CLINICAL ANALYSIS ON THE TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDS BY TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

From Jan.1991 to Dec.1995,we treatedwith TCM nearly one thousand confirmedHIV/AIDS patients in Muhimbili MedicalCenter,Tanzania.Of them,437 cases withcomplete data have been summarized

ADVANCES IN TREATMENT OF DIABETIC NEUROPATHY BY TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is the most commonly seen complication in diabetes mellitus (DM), and can occur in its early stage. With the prolongation of the course of the disease, the incidence of DN can reach 90％. The lesion can involve any location of neural system, it can occur

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN TREATMENT OF BRONCHITIS AND BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

According to the onset, acute or chronic, and the disease course, long or short, bronchitis can be divided into acute and chronic bronchitis, with their common main symptoms of cough, expectoration and oppression in the chest, and basically they belong to the category of 'cough' in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

New Progress in Modern Research on Chinese Herbal Medicines Published in Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs in 2010:Annual Highlights and Comments

As a series of and continuous publication,the papers published on Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs in 2010 were selectively and briefly highlighted to reflect the new progress on modern research of Chinese herbal medicines.Within 617 articles,chemical constituents(127),pharmaceutics and technology(149),pharmacological studies and clinical observation,and medicinal materials are still major categories.Some comments have also been personally provided.

Application of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang According to TCM Differentiation of Syndromes

Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (补中益气汤Decoction for Reinforcing the Middle-jiao and Replenishing Qi) is an effective formulated recipe commonly used for treating a variety of diseases with the manifestations of kidney-qi deficiency. In my opinion, however, it is also very effective for the conditions of which the symptoms of kidney-qi deficiency is not noticeable, but its mechanism lies in dysfunction of the spleen. The following are some examples.……

Application of the Yang-Warming Method for Treatment of Diabetes

Warming yang is one of the most important therapeutic methods for treating diseases. In Peaceful Holy Benevolent Prescriptions (太平圣惠方 a collection of more than ten thousand formulas) written by Dr. Wang Huaiyin (王怀隐) et al in the Song Dynasty in 992 AD, more than one hundred formulas for treating diabetes are all complied with the principles of supplementing qi and nourishing yin. Dr. Liu Hejian (刘河间) in the period of Jin and Yuan Dynasty advocated that it should be treated with the principles of clearing away pathogenic heat and fire, and supplementing qi and nourishing yin. Dr. Huang Kunzai (黄坤载) in the Qing Dynasty held that diabetes should be treated by supplementing qi and nourishing yin.

Effect of Chinese Medicines on the Subretinal Fluid Absorption after Operation for Retinal Detachment

Purpose:To determine the effects of traditional Chinese medicines on subretinal fluld absorption after Operation for retinal detachment.Mehods:Among100eyes with operations fo retinal detachment without drainage of fluid,there were 50eyes in traditional Chinese medicine treatment group and 50eyes in the control group.and there were no significant difference between the two groups in age,myopia and retinal detachment area.We observed the time for the absorption of subretinal fluid and visual acuity improvement aftr the opera-tions for retinal detachment.Results;he result showed that the average time for the absorption of subretinal fluid was14.5days in the traditional Chinese medicine treatment group,21.7days in the control group and the visual acuity was better in the former than in the latter.Conclusions:The taditional Chinese medicine treatment could increase the ab-sorption of subretional fluid,the mechanisms of which may be that Chinese medicines regulated and impved the general blood circulation and local eye blood criculation and the function of blood-retinal barrier so that they increase the out-ward osmotic suction forces of the pigment epithelium.