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.

Effects of four traditional Chinese medicinal herbs on plasma level of IL－6 and induced TNF level in burned rats with wound i

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General Situation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Identification Methods

Traditional Chinese medicines are the material basis for the treatment of diseases under theoretical direction, as well as the raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces and Chinese patent medicines. The quality of traditional Chinese medicine directly influences clinical efficacy. Therefore, the identification of traditional Chinese medicine is the responsibility of medicinal workers. The identification method develops from observation, tasting, smelling and listening to firing method and testing with water, and the construction of fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicines and molecular biological techniques. The development and evolution of traditional Chinese medicine identification methods was reviewed in this paper.

Analysis on the traditional Chinese medicine syndromes and Six-Meridian Pattern Identification of coronavirus disease 2019

Zhongjing Zhang’s Shang Han Lun(Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases,an ancient Chinese medical book written by Zhongjing Zhang in the Eastern Han Dynasty)was pioneering to conduct the Six-Meridian Pattern Identification,which provided later generations with a theoretical basis for the treatment of Exogenous Febrile Diseases.The coronavirus disease 2019 belongs to the category of“Pestilence”(the general term for virulent infectious epidemic diseases)in“Febrile Diseases”(the general term for acute externally contracted diseases caused by Warm Pathogens,with fever as the chief manifestation,also known as Warm Diseases)and the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 is mostly based on the Triple Energizer Pattern Identification(the a categorization of Pattern Identification according to the theory of the Triple Energizer)or Defense,Qi,Nutrient and Blood Pattern Identification(the categorization of Febrile Diseases Pattern Identification according to the theory of Defense,Qi,Nutrient and Blood which indicates the stages of the clinical course with corresponding pathological changes).Although the theory of Cold-induced Diseases(the condition caused by Cold,manifested as chills and fever,absence of sweating,headache and floating-tense pulse)and the theory of Febrile Disease seem to be entirely distinct with each other,Zhongjing Zhang’s theory contained Triple Energizer Pattern Identification or Defense,Qi,Nutrient and Blood Pattern Identification,and Triple Energizer Pattern Identification or Defense Qi,Nutrient and Blood Pattern Identification also contained Zhongjing Zhang’s Six-Meridian Pattern Identification(the categorization of Pattern Identification according to the theory of the Six Meridians,applied to the diagnosis of acute Febrile Diseases at different stages,and also useful for the Pattern Identification of other diseases).The basic principles and therapeutic methods of Cold-induced Diseases and Febrile Diseases are intertwined.Therefore,this paper will combine the two theories to analyze the traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of coronavirus disease 2019,and try to use Six-Meridian Pattern Identification to guide the treatment of this disease.

Traditional Chinese Medicinal Syndromes and Treatment in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer remains the third most common malignancy worldwide. According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), colorectal cancer is related to spleen-deficiency, damp-heat, and toxicity accumulation. Traditional Chinese medicine has been confirmed to effectively reduce toxic side effects and enhance curative effects of chemotherapy, palliate clinical syndrome, prevent recurrence and metastasis, improve quality of life and immune function, and prolong survival time in colorectal cancer. However, TCM theoretical and syndrome differentiation study has lagged far behind due to progression of therapy model in colorectal cancer. As a type of drug treatment, there are some common biological basis between chemotherapy, targeted therapy and anti-cancer herb therapy in colorectal cancer, such as apoptosis, cell senescence and autophagy. There are growing needs to explore the effect mechanism and compatibility of anti-cancer herbs, to further enhance the efficacy of TCM treatment in colorectal cancer.

Determination of vanadium in food and traditional Chinese medicine by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy

Various experimental conditions were described for the vanadium determinationby graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). The experiments showed that whenatomization took place under the conditions where the combination of a pyrolytic coating graphitetube and fast raising temperature were used and the temperature was stable, the signal peak shapescould be improved, the sensitivity was enhanced, and the memory effect was removed. The vanadium infood and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs can be accurately determined using the standard curvemethod.

Traditional Chinese medicine for prevention and treatment of hepatocarcinoma: From bench to bedside

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has played a positive role in the management of hepatocarcinoma. Hepatocarcinoma patients may present Qi-stagnation, damp-heat, blood stasis, Qi-deficiency, Yin-deficiency and other TCM syndromes(Zheng). Modern treatments such as surgery, transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) and high intensity focus ultrasound treatment would influence the manifestation of TCM syndromes. Herbs with traditional efficacy of tonifying Qi, blood and Yin, soothing liver-Qi stagnation, clearing heat and detoxifying and dissolving stasis, have been demonstrated to be potent to prevent hepatocarcinogenesis. TCM has been widely used in all aspects of integrative therapy in hepatocarcinoma, including surgical resection, liver transplantation, TACE, local ablative therapies and even as monotherapy for middle-advanced stage hepatocarcinoma. Clinical practices have confirmed that TCM is effective to alleviate clinical symptoms, improve quality of life and immune function, prevent recurrence and metastasis, delay tumor progression, and prolong survival time in hepatocarcinoma patients. The effective mechanism of TCM against hepatocarcinoma is related to inducing apoptosis, autophagy, anoikis and cell senescence, arresting cell cycle, regulating immune function, inhibiting metastasis and angiogenesis, reversing drug resistance and enhancing effects of chemotherapy. Along with the progress of research in this field, TCM will contribute more to the prevention and treatment of hepatocarcinoma.

The role of autophagy in the treatment of osteoporosis by Chinese medicines(natural)

Osteoporosis is one of the common orthopaedic diseases,characterised by increased bone fragility due to reduced bone mass and microstructural degeneration,posing a great threat to patients’quality of life and safety.In recent years,Chinese medicine(natural)has had a unique advantage in the treatment of osteoporosis and has shown good efficacy.Autophagy is an inherent cellular survival mechanism for the removal and recycling of damaged proteins and organelles and plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the intracellular environment and organ function.Therefore,this article aims to provide a comprehensive review of these Chinese medicines(natural)for the treatment of osteoporosis through autophagy.They have been intensively studied and reported to have effects such as promoting osteogenesis and anti-bone resorption.The Chinese medicines include plants such as Cistanche deserticola,Epimedium,Curculigo orchioides Gaertn,Achyranthes bidentata Blume,Leonurus japonicus Houtt,Ginseng,Chuanxiong Rhizome,Eucommia ulmoides,Morindae Officinalis Radix,Curcuma longa,Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix,Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge,Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge and Pueraria Lobata,thus providing evidence for the use of alternative herbal therapies for the effective treatment of osteoporosis.

Determination of components in traditional Chinese medicines associated with promoting or inhibiting urinary stone formation

Objective:To measure oxalate,calcium,and sodium contents of traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs)that are commonly used to prevent and dissolve urinary stones to exclude the possibility that long-term use of such medicines promotes stone formation.The second objective was to measure citrate,potassium,and magnesium contents in the same medicines to provide possible clues about the mechanisms of prevention and dissolution of urinary stones by TCMs.Methods:Ten of the most commonly-used TCMs for preventing and dissolving urinary stones were chosen and subjected to ion chromatography(IC)to measure water-soluble and total oxalate and citrate contents.Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry(ICPAES)was used to measure calcium,potassium,magnesium,and sodium contents in a water extract and in digestion liquid.Results:Average contents of water-soluble oxalate,calcium,and sodium in the water extract were 41.92,84.32,and 22.82 mg/100 g,respectively,far below the normal dietary intake of adults in China.The average contents of citrate and magnesium in water extracts were 268.99 and 66.65 mg/100 g,respectively,below the recommended intake for adults.These ion contents are therefore insufficient to inhibit the formation of urinary stones.The average content of potassium in the water extract was 867.71 mg/100 g,which was relatively abundant,so taking the prescription used in this experimental protocol can increase the body’s potassium content to some extent.Conclusions:Long-term use of TCMs would not increase the risk of urinary stone formation.The potassium content in TCMs is high,which is one possible reason for the prevention of urinary stones by TCMs.

Herb-herb interaction in traditional Chinese medicine：a review of pharmacokinetics-based interaction in Herb-Pairs

"Herb-Pairs",also known as pair drugs,refers to a prescription consisted of two relatively fixed traditional Chinese medicine,is the most basic,most simple and most common form of medication prescription in traditional Chinese medicine compound compatibility.It is not a random combination of two herbs,nor is the simple accumulation of efficacy,but the simple and delicate experience of ancient Chinese medicine practitioners.As a bridge between single drug and prescriptions,it is the embodiment of the regular and dialectical connotation.Therefore,research on Herb-Pairs has always been the most basic and most important entry point for compound compatibility studies.However,the interaction between herbs and herbs is an effect with a downside as well as benefits.The beneficial herb-herb interaction in Herb-Pairs include mutual promotion,mutual enhancement,mutual restraint between two drugs and counteract toxicity of another drug.And the harmful herb-herb interaction in Herb-Pairs includes mutual inhibition and antagonism.Al of these interactions areby means of affecting the metabolism of components to play a therapeutic effect.Using the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic(PK-PD)binding model,the combination of drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics can further elucidate the influence on effect caused by drug concentration and metabolism,which can help elucidate the mechanism of drug action.Consequently,in this review,the herb-herb interactions in terms of pharmacokinetic were summarized to elucidate rule of TCM compatibility.

Research progress on the regulation of androgen receptor signaling pathway in the treatment of prostate cancer by traditional Chinese medicine monomers

The prevalence of prostate cancer in males worldwide is increasing every year.Androgen and androgen receptor drive the development of prostate cancer and are important targets for the treatment of prostate cancer.A growing number of reports indicate that the traditional Chinese medicine has a clear advantage in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.This article provides an overview of the in vitro and in vivo studies of different traditional Chinese medicine monomers acting on the androgen receptor-signaling pathway in prostate cancer.

A brief overview of traditional Chinese medicine prescription powered by artificial intelligence

Traditional Chinese medicine prescription is one of the treasures of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).There are tens of thousands TCM prescriptions accumulated in the past thousands of years,corresponding to different diseases,symptoms and therapeutic goals.The correspondences are so complicated that there is an urgent need to leverage new technologies such as artificial intelligence(AI)to analyze,understand and utilize them effectively.In this paper,we present a brief overview of this direction,where current research progress on TCM prescription powered by AI is summarized.Our summarization focuses on three aspects,TCM prescription mining that aims at understanding the TCM prescription,TCM prescription or herb knowledge base construction that aims at extracting knowledge to support the TCM prescription-related study,and TCM prescription discovery that aims at utilizing AI technologies to further energize TCM.It is encouraging to see that steady progress in this direction has been made recently.Besides,a toy experiment on image-based TCM herb recognition by using convolutional neural networks is also conducted.It basically verifies that it is promising to use AI technologies to address challenging tasks in TCM.We also point out several research topics that could be cooperatively performed by researchers from the two disciplines.

Research Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Carotid Atherosclerosis

Carotid atherosclerosis is a partial manifestation of arteriosclerosis of organism.In recent years,its incidence rate is increasing year by year.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has a broad prospect in the clinical development of CAS treatment by holism concept and the principle of treatment based on syndrome differentiation.This paper reviews the etiology,pathogenesis,TCM dialectics and TCM treatment of carotid atherosclerosis,in order to provide theoretical guidance for TCM treatment of CAS patients.

Perspectives in application of biosensors for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine

生物传感器是一种对生物材料敏感并将其浓度转换成电信号的仪器.酶,抗体,组织,细胞等有机体可以选择性地识别特定的物质.这些分子识别功能可以与靶标结合,如抗体和抗原的结合,以及通过识别过程将酶与底物结合.生物传感器具有特异性高,灵敏度高,反应速度快,成本低,操作简单等优点.在食品,制药,化工,临床检验,生物医药,环境监测等领域具有广泛的应用前景,特别是作为一种新的技术手段,在现代中草药研究领域的影响力.研究表明,生物传感技术已经应用于中药靶标,中药分离纯化,中药机理,中药质量控制,中药活性成分检测等基础研究.生物传感器技术为现代中草药的研究做出了重要贡献,已成为未来研究的热点.

Herbal Traditional Chinese Medicine and suspected liver injury: A prospective study

AIM To analyze liver tests before and following treatment with herbal Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) in order to evaluate the frequency of newly detected liver injury.METHODS Patients with normal values of alanine aminotransferase(ALT) as a diagnostic marker for ruling out pre-existing liver disease were enrolled in a prospective study of a safety program carried out at the First German Hospital of TCM from 1994 to 2015. All patients received herbal products, and their ALT values were reassessed 1-3 d prior to discharge. To verify or exclude causality for suspected TCM herbs, the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method(RUCAM) was used.RESULTS This report presents for the first time liver injury data derived from a prospective, hospital-based and largescale study of 21470 patients who had no liver disease prior to treatment with herbal TCM. Among these, ALT ranged from 1 × to < 5 × upper limit normal(ULN) in 844 patients(3.93%) and suggested mild or moderate liver adaptive abnormalities. However, 26 patients(0.12%) experienced higher ALT values of ≥ 5 × ULN(300.0 ± 172.9 U/L, mean ± SD). Causality for TCM herbs was RUCAM-based probable in 8/26 patients, possible in 16/26, and excluded in 2/26 cases. Bupleuri radix and Scutellariae radix were the two TCM herbs most commonly implicated. CONCLUSION In 26(0.12%) of 21470 patients treated with herbal TCM, liver injury with ALT values of ≥ 5 × ULN was found, which normalized shortly following treatment cessation, also substantiating causality.

Research Progress of the Wild Medicinal Plant,Pinellia ternata

Based on literature reviews and analysis of research reports on Pinellia ternata found locally and abroad in recent years,this article summarizes and arranges them.The research on Pinellia ternata mainly focuses on its cultivation,tissue culture,and so on.There are only a few research on its active components and its regulation mechanism.The wild resources of Pinellia ternata are gradually decreasing,hence it is urgent to take effective measures to protect these wild resources as well as to establish germplasm resources bank and nursery.In order to meet the needs of the domestic market,it is necessary to investigate the distribution of wild Pinellia ternata resources,explore the best growing environment and conditions,artificially cultivate Pinellia ternata,as well as implement resource industrialization,sustainable development,and utilization.

从“气化”浅述国医大师葛琳仪运用风药治疗脾胃病之学术思想

[目的]介绍国医大师葛琳仪教授(以下简称葛教授)分层次施用风药辨治脾胃病的临床特色及其临证经验。[方法]通过理论溯源,跟师随诊,整理并分析葛教授基于气化理论运用风药治疗脾胃系疾病的临床医案,总结葛教授巧施风药辨治脾胃病的思路、心得和用药特色,并附医案一则加以佐证。[结果]气化是生命的基本活动,气化异常是疾病产生的重要原因。葛教授指出,脾胃病的基本病机是“气化异常”,常从“气化”切入,巧施风药以调畅气机,恢复脾升胃降功能,维稳五脏气机,具体分为四个层次:以风药疏肝和脾、壮气运脾、燥湿健脾以及搜风通络养脾。常用的风药有柴胡、防风、黄芪、升麻、佛手、紫苏梗、苍术、娑罗子、桑叶、藿香、草果、厚朴、佩兰、徐长卿、炒僵蚕等及其组成的药对、药串。[结论]葛教授临证精于辨证,从“气”切入,按不同层次巧施风药治疗脾胃病,特色鲜明,疗效显著,其学术思想值得临床借鉴和推广。

孙克伟教授辨证论治肝病的经验探析

孙克伟教授在长期临床诊治中总结发现,多种肝病殊途同归,提出“补脾土,疏肝解郁”“逐湿邪,热无所依”“补先天,解毒袪邪”“调气血,瘀滞得化”“温脾阳,截断逆挽”的学术经验,临床应用效果显著。该文将从以上五法探析孙克伟教授辨证论治肝病经验,旨在为肝病中医诊疗提供参考和借鉴。

“中药鉴定学”亳州实习的几点思考

为了培养具有较强实践动手能力和科研创新能力的中药鉴定人才,针对学习中出现的知识点多、学习吃力、兴趣不高、内容烦琐等各种问题,通过教学改革,即加强理论教学,提升学生的学习兴趣,让学生喜欢中药鉴别;举办中药材讲解班,培养学生的学习能力和信心;引进中药故事,点燃学生学习的兴趣;积极投身教学标本和扩充药材标本馆,增强学生的学习信心;建设中药材网站,鼓励学生自主学习。通过教师和学生的结合,实现教学相长,让学生主动学习,为社会培养合格的人才。

中医体质分类辨识技术的回顾和展望

中医体质理论寻求建立以“治未病”为基础思想的疾病预防体系,体质辨识效果直接影响后续的健康干预等措施。目前中医体质的主要辨识方法为量表法和医生四诊法,缺乏标准性和客观性。对现有中医体质辨识技术与中医体质辅助辨识技术进行整理与回顾,并在现有研究基础上,结合以深度学习为主的人工智能技术和多模态数据融合思想,对未来中医体质分类辨识技术的发展方向作出探讨与展望。