Key to Treating COVID‑19:Removing Phlegm from Small Airways

According to autopsy reports,patients who died from COVID‑19 had a lot of mucus in the lung that obstructed the airways,reduced the effect of mechanical ventilation,and even led to pulmonary failure.Traditional Chinese medicine literature mentions that“Inability to remove phlegm impairs the lung,which leads to death.”Hence one of the most urgent problems to be solved is to remove phlegm from the small airways.This article elaborates ten methods to remove phlegm for clinical reference.

Key to Treating COVID-19: Removing Phlegm from Small Airways

According to autopsy reports,patients who died from COVID-19 had a lot of mucus in the lung that obstructed the airways,reduced the effect of mechanical ventilation,and even led to pulmonary failure.Traditional Chinese medicine literature mentions that"Inability to remove phlegm impair s the lung,which leads to death."Hence one of the most urgent problems to be solved is to remove phlegm from the small airways.This article elaborates ten methods to remove phlegm for clinical reference.

The Proteomic Research of the Cure of Experimental Diabetes Deafness by Granules of Eliminating Phlegm and Removing Blood Stasis

Objective: Observing the expression changes of serum proteome in model rats after intervention of the Granules of Eliminating Phlegm and Removing Blood Stasis (豁痰祛瘀颗粒 also known as GEPRB), screening out and identifying the differentially expressed proteins by mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis, discussing the molecular mechanism of control the Diabetes deafness by GEPRB. Methods: By use of proteomics technology, the serum protein serum proteome of the control group, model control group, Duxil and each observation group were observed for 2-DE gel pattern matching, and the difference in the relative content of 2 times was chosen for the differentially expressed proteins. Identification of differentially expressed proteins by MALDI-TOF MS/MS, the authors further analysis the phosphorylation, subcellular localization, interaction, direct regulation, and transmembrane of the differences proteins by the way of bioinformatics analysis. Sixty SPF level SD rats elected in diabetic rats model group (abbreviated as DM group) were be randomly divided into 5 groups based on random number sheet, namely model control group, positive drug control group (Du-ke-xi group) and Mai-tong-fang high, medium and low dose group respectively. In addition, set of normal control group. 10 rats in each group. Results: By Coomassie brilliant blue staining, identified 51 differential protein spots dug from 2-D gel by mass spectrometry, successfully identified 13 non-redundant proteins. Most of the identified proteins were secreted protein and belong to different protein families. There were about 12 proteins have the transmembrane region from the authors’ result, ten of them were plasma membrane proteins. Conclusion: It’s suggesting that 13 differential proteins is most likely the protein response to GEPRB in vivo, these proteins may play key role for the treatment of GEPRB to Diabetes deafness. The two highly differentially expressed proteins Apolipoprotein E (apoE) and C3 may be a potential drug target of GEPRB.

Intervention effect of Cigu Xiaozhi prescription(慈菇消脂方)on ceramide lipoapoptosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of the Chinese medicine Cigu Xiaozhi prescription(慈菇消脂方,CGXZ)in the treatment of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)by detoxification and phlegm-reducing,the effect of CGXZ prescription on ceramide-mediated lipid apoptosis in Hep G2 cells with NAFLD.METHODS:The experiment was randomly divided into 6groups:normal control group,model group,CGXZ prescription medicated serum high,medium,and low dose groups,and pioglitazone positive control group.Using 500μmol/L free fatty acid(FFA)mixture to induce Hep G2 cells to establish NAFLD cell model,respectively,with 2%,4%,and 6%concentration of CGXZ prescription medicated serum intervention for 24 h.The changes in organelles and lipid droplet accumulation were observed under the electron microscope.Furthermore,Td T-mediated d UTP Nick-End Labeling method was used to assay hepatocyte apoptosis;Biochemical determination of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase,glutamic oxalacetic transaminase,triglycerides,and FFA levels in Hep G2cells;the content of ceramide was determined by highperformance thin-layer chromatography.Finally,Western Blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(q RT-PCR)were used to determine the protein and gene expression levels,such as inducible nitric oxide synthase(i NOS),nuclear factorκB(NF-κB),B cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2)and Bcl-2-associated X(Bax).RESULTS:Under the electron microscope,the cells in the model group showed moderate-to-severe steatosis,and apoptotic bodies could be seen.The model group had greater improvements in the apoptosis rate(P<0.01),and the levels of ceramide C2 and FFA in the cytoplasm(P<0.01)than the normal control group.The protein expressions of NF-κB,i NOS,and Bax were significantly up-regulated(P<0.05),while the Bcl-2 had no significant change(P>0.05).Compared with the model group,the levels of ceramide C2 and FFA(P<0.01),the protein expressions of NF-κB,i NOS,and Bax(P<0.05)in the CGXZ prescription treatment group and pioglitazone positive control group were significantly decreased;Only the Bcl-2 protein was significantly up-regulated in the high-dose Chinese medicine group(P<0.05).The downregulation of Bax m RNA expression in each Chinese medicine treatment group was significantly better than in the pioglitazone positive control group(P<0.01).CONCLUSIONS:The CGXZ prescription,formulated with the method of detoxification and phlegm,can inhibit lipoapoptosis in the NAFLD cell model by downregulating the levels of ceramide C2 and FFA,which may be achieved by regulating ceramide/i NOS/NF-κB signaling pathway.