On the Treatment of Insomnia with Fang’s Scalp Acupuncture Based on the Therapy of “Regulating Mental Activities and Smoothing the Liver”

As a common clinical disease,insomnia was usually treated with anti-psychotic or sedativehypnotic drugs in Western medicine,which showed a fast efficacy,as well as easy drug tolerance and side effects.In traditional Chinese medicine,the basic and key pathogenesis of insomnia are believed to be“the restlessness of the mind”,as well as“the absence of the mind”;and the treatment mainly focus on“regulating mental activities and smoothing the liver”.By combining the theoretical basis and characteristics of Fang’s scalp acupuncture,this paper aims to explain the advantages of Fang’s scalp acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia,and provide new ideas and methods for its clinical treatment.

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT 4(PIAS4) regulates liver fibrosis through modulating SMAD3 activity

Excessive fibrogenesis disrupts normal liver structure,impairs liver function,and precipitates the development of cirrhosis,an irreversible end-stage liver disease.A host of factors including nutrition surplus contribute to liver fibrosis but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood.In the present study,we investigated the involvement of protein inhibitor for activated stat 4（PIAS4）in liver fibrosis in a mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis（NASH）.We report that PIAS4 silencing using short hairpin RNA（shRNA）attenuated high-fat high-carbohydrate（HFHC）diet induced liver fibrosis in mice.Quantitative PCR and Western blotting analyses confirmed that PIAS4 knockdown downregulated a panel of pro-fibrogenic genes including type I and type III collagens,smooth muscle actin,and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase.Mechanistically,PIAS4 silencing blocked the recruitment of SMAD3,a potent pro-fibrogenic transcription factor,to the promoter regions of pro-fibrogenic genes and dampened SMAD3 acetylation likely by upregulating SIRT1 expression.In conclusion,PIAS4 may contribute to liver fibrosis by modulating SIRT1-dependent SMAD3 acetylation.

Effectiveness of tonifying-kidney and regulating-liver therapy on diminished ovarian reserve: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Traditional Chinese Medicine tonifying-kidney and regulating-liver therapy on diminished ovarian reserve(DOR).METHODS: The literature was comprehensively searched up to August 2019 using four Chinese and three English electronic databases to extract randomized clinical trials(RCTs) comparing Traditional Chinese Medicine tonifying-kidney and regulating-liver prescriptions(combined with hormone therapy or not) with Western Medicine. Data quality evaluation was conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.3 software with effect estimates presented as mean difference(MD), risk ratio(RR), and95% confidence interval(CI).RESULTS: A total of nine RCTs with 512 participants were extracted and eligible for Meta-analysis.There were no significant differences between Chinese medicine and Western Medicine on basal serum follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) level(MD0.11, 95% CI-0.52 to 0.74, 392 participants, seven trials), anti-Müllerian hormone level(MD 0.48, 95%CI-0.62 to 1.58, 95 participants, two trials), and the FSH and luteinizing hormone ratio(MD 0.01,95% CI-0.95 to 0.96, 115 participants, two trials).Chinese medicine was more effective at improving Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom scores(TCMSS)(MD-2.39, 95% CI-3.83 to-0.94, 160 participants, three trials), effective rate of TCMSS(RR1.18, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.36, 160 participants, three trials), antral follicle count(AFC)(MD 0.55, 95% CI 0.05 to 1.04, 155 participants, three trials), and FSH levels at 3 months post-treatment(MD-4.77, 95% CI-6.09 to-3.45, 137 participants, two trials).CONCLUSION: Compared with Western Medicine,tonifying-kidney and regulating-liver therapy is more effective at relieving symptoms and improving AFC and FSH at 3 months post-treatment.

Microenvironment of Liver Regeneration in Liver Cancer

The occurrence and development of liver cancer are essentially the most serious outcomes of uncontrolled liver regeneration. The progression of liver cancer is inevitably related to the abnormal microenvironment of liver regeneration. The deterioration observed in the microenvironment of liver regeneration is a necessary condition for the occurrence, development and metastasis of cancer. Therefore, the use of a technique to prevent and treat liver cancer via changes in the microenvironment of liver regeneration is a novel strategy. This strategy would be an effective way to delay, prevent or even reverse cancer occurrence, development and metastasis through an improvement in the liver regeneration microenvironment along with the integrated regulation of multiple components, targets, levels, channels and time sequences. In addition, the treatment of ＂tonifying Shen（Kidney） to regulate liver regeneration and repair by affecting stem cells and their microenvironment＂ can regulate ＂the dynamic imbalance between the normal liver regeneration and the abnormal liver regeneration＂; this would improve the microenvironment of liver regeneration, which is also a mechanism by which liver cancer may be prevented or treated.

疏肝调神针法结合择时耳穴压豆治疗阈下抑郁

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical therapeutic effect on subthreshold depression of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency treated with acupuncture therapy for soothing the liver and regulating the mind combined with the well-timed auricular acupressure.MethodsA total of 34 patients were treated with acupuncture therapy for soothing the liver and regulating the mind combined with well-timed auricular acupressure.In acupuncture therapy for soothing the liver and regulating the mind,main acupoints included Baihui(BL20),Neiguan(PC6)and Taichong(LR3),and supplementary acupoints included Sishencong(EX-HN1),Shenting(GV24),Benshen(GB13),Zusanli(ST36),Ganshu(BL18)and Pishu(BL20).Acupuncture was given three times a week as one course and 4 courses of treatment were required.In well-timed auricular acupressure,auricular points included Xin(CO15),Pizhixia(AT4),Shenmen(TF4),Gan(CO12)and Pi(CO13).Acupressure with herbal seeds at those auricular points was applied at three time divisions,i.e.9:00 to 11:00,11:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 17:00 successively.The auricular acupressure with herbal seeds was given once every 3 days,the treatment for 1 week was 1 course and 4 courses were required.At the end of treatment and in 3 months of follow-up,the score of Hamilton depression scale-24(HAMD-24),syndrome score of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),the score of Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale(CES-D)and the score of Short-form 36 item health survey(SF-36)were adopted to evaluate clinical therapeutic effect.ResultsAfter treatment and in three months of follow-up,HAMD-24 score,TCM syndrome score and CES-D score were all reduced as compared with the scores before treatment(all P<0.05)and SF-36 score was higher than the score before treatment,respectively(both P<0.05).In comparison of the scores after treatment with those in 3 months of follow-up,differences were not statistically significant(all P>0.05).Of 34 patients with subthreshold depression,8 cases were cured,15 cases effective remarkably,9 cases improved and 2 cases no effect.The total effective rate was 94.12%.ConclusionThe combined treatment of acupuncture therapy for soothing the liver and regulating the mind with the well-timed auricular acupressure can be benefit for relieving the symptoms and improves the quality of life in the patients with subthreshold depression of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency.