Analysis of Adverse Reactions in the Treatment of COVID-19 with Three Chinese Patent Medicines and Three Herbal Formulas

Objective To explore the rules and characteristics of the adverse drug reactions(ADRs)of three Chinese patent medicines and three herbal formulas for the treatment of COVID-19,and to provide a reference for clinical safe medication.Methods The cases and ADR reports of the three Chinese patent medicines and three herbal formulas in PubMed,Web of Science,Springer Link,CNKI,Wanfang and VIP database were retrieved from December 2019 to May 2021.Then we extracted and analyzed the effective information included in the literature.Results and Conclusion According to the pre-developed retrieval plan,a total of 136 documents were obtained,and a total of 6 documents met the inclusion criteria finally.553 patients used three Chinese patent medicines and three herbal formulas,and there were 133 cases of adverse reactions.The adverse reactions of patients taking the three Chinese patent medicines and three herbal formulas can all be explained under the theory of traditional Chinese medicine,and the adverse reactions can be eliminated by adding or subtracting the flavor of the medicine or stopping the medicine.

Rheumatic valvular heart disease treated with traditional Chinese medicine:A case report

BACKGROUND Rheumatic heart disease(RHD)is an autoimmune disease that leads to irreversible valve damage and heart failure.Surgery is an effective treatment;however,it is invasive and carries risks,restricting its broad application.Therefore,it is essential to find alternative nonsurgical treatments for RHD.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old woman was assessed with cardiac color Doppler ultrasound,left heart function tests,and tissue Doppler imaging evaluation at Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University.The results showed mild mitral valve stenosis with mild to moderate mitral and aortic regurgitation,confirming a diagnosis of rheumatic valve disease.After her symptoms became severe,with frequent ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia>200 beats per minute,her physicians recommended surgery.During a 10-day preoperative waiting period,the patient asked to be treated with traditional Chinese medicine.After 1 week of this treatment,her symptoms improved significantly,including resolution of the ventricular tachycardia,and the surgery was postponed pending further follow-up.At 3-month follow-up,color Doppler ultrasound showed mild mitral valve stenosis with mild mitral and aortic regurgitation.Therefore,it was determined that no surgical treatment was required.CONCLUSION Traditional Chinese medicine treatment effectively relieves symptoms of RHD,particularly mitral valve stenosis and mitral and aortic regurgitation.

Progress on traditional Chinese medicine in improving hepatic fibrosis through inhibiting oxidative stress

Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process that occurs in the development of various chronic liver diseases into cirrhosis and liver cancer,characterized by excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix.In the past,hepatic fibrosis was thought to be a static and irreversible pathological process.In recent years,with the rapid development of molecular biology and the continuous in-depth study of the liver at the microscopic level,more and more evidence has shown that hepatic fibrosis is a dynamic and reversible process.Therefore,it is particularly important to find an effective,simple,and inexpensive method for its prevention and treatment.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)occupies an important position in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis due to its advantages of low adverse reactions,low cost,and multi-target effectiveness.A large number of research results have shown that TCM monomers,single herbal extracts,and TCM formulas play important roles in the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.Oxidative stress(OS)is one of the key factors in the occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis.Therefore,this article reviews the progress in the understanding of the mechanisms of TCM monomers,single herbal extracts,and TCM formulas in preventing and treating hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting OS in recent years,in order to provide a reference and basis for drug therapy of hepatic fibrosis.

Efficacy of a Chinese herbal formula on hepatitis B e antigenpositive chronic hepatitis B patients

BACKGROUND No guideline recommends antiviral therapy for hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels and a high hepatitis B virus(HBV)DNA viral load.AIM To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a Chinese herbal formula as a therapeutic option for chronic HBV infection.METHODS In total,395 patients(30–65 years old)with confirmed HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B infection and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase were randomized to receive either Chinese herbal formula or placebo for 96 wk.Endpoints to evaluate therapeutic efficacy included:(1)HBV DNA levels decreased to less than 4 log10 IU/mL at weeks 48 and 96;and(2)HBeAg clearance and seroconversion rates at weeks 48 and 96.RESULTS HBV DNA levels≤4 log10 IU/mL were 10.05%at week 48 and 18.59%at week 96 in the treatment group.The HBeAg clearance and conversion rates were 8.54%and 8.04%at week 48 and 16.08%and 14.57%at week 96,respectively.However,HBV DNA levels≤4 log10 IU/mL were 2.55%and 2.55%at weeks 48 and 96,respectively,and the HBeAg clearance rates were 3.06%and 5.61%at weeks 48 and 96,respectively,in the control group.The quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen and HBeAg levels at baseline and changes during the treatment period as well as the alanine aminotransferase elevation at weeks 12 and 24 were strong predictors of HBeAg clearance.CONCLUSION High rates of HBV DNA reduction,HBeAg clearance and seroconversion could be achieved with Chinese herbal formula treatments,and the treatments were relatively safe for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B-infected patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase.The ability of the compound to modulate host immune function probably contributed to this effect.

Chinese herbal formula shen-ling-bai-zhu-san to treat chronic gastritis: Clinical evidence and potential mechanisms

BACKGROUND Chronic gastritis(CG) is an inflammatory disease of the gastric mucosa. Shenling-bai-zhu san(SLBZS), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is widely used for treating CG. Nevertheless, its effects are currently unclear.AIM To determine the clinical evidence and potential mechanisms of SLBZS for the treatment of CG.METHODS We systematically searched 3 English(PubMed, Embase, Medline) and 4 Chinese databases(Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform,and the VIP information resource integration service platform) without language or publication bias restriction. Qualified studies were selected according to pre-set inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis and literature quality assessment, Stata 14.0 software was used for sensitivity analysis, GRADE profiler 3.6 was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. And then, network pharmacology analysis was applied to primary research the mechanisms of action of SLBZS on CG.RESULTS Fourteen studies were finally included, covering 1335 participants. Meta-analysis indicated that:(1) SLBZS was superior to conventional therapies [risk ratio(RR):1.29, 95% confidence interval(CI): 1.21 to 1.37, P < 0.00001];(2) SLBZS was better than conventional therapies [RR: 0.24, 95% confidence interval(95%CI): 0.11 to 0.55, P = 0.0007] in terms of recurrence rate and reversal of Helicobacter pylori positivity(RR: 1.20, 95%CI: 1.11 to 1.30,P < 0.00001);and(3) The safety of SLBZS for CG remains unclear. According to the GRADE method, the quality of evidence was not high. Besides, SNZJS might treat CG by acting on related targets and pathways such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and others.CONCLUSION SLBZS might be useful in treating CG, but long-term effects and specific clinical mechanisms of it maintain unclear. More samples and high-quality clinical experiments should be assessed and verified in the next step.

Therapeutic Actions of the Chinese Herbal Formulae with Cold and Heat Properties and Their Effects on Ultrastructures of Synoviocytes in Rats of the Collagen-Induced Arthritis

The therapeutic actions of Qing Luo Yin (QLY清络饮) with heat property and Wen Luo Yin (WLY温络饮) with cold property on pain, swelling of the ankle, arthritis index and ultrastructures of synoviocytes were compared in rats of type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), with tripterygium glycosidorum (TG) used as control. The results indicated that both QLY and WLY could reduce pain, swelling of the ankle and the arthritis index of CIA, and QLY had better effects in reducing the swelling of the ankle and controlling the secondary pathological lesions as compared with WLY. Investigation on the ultrastructures of synoviocytes indicated that both QLY and WLY could reduce the number of Golgi apparatus, rough surface endoplasmic reticulum, dense bodies, matrix filaments and vacuoles so as to suppress the excessive secretion of synoviocytes in rats of CIA.

Chinese herbal formula Tongluo Jiunao injection protects against cerebral ischemia by activating neurotrophin 3/tropomyosin-related kinase C pathway

The Chinese herbal formula Tongluo fiunao, containing the active components Panax notogin- seng and Gardenia jasminoides, has recently been patented and is in use clinically. It is known to be neuroprotective in cerebral ischemia, but the underlying pathway remains poorly understood. In the present study, we established a rat model of cerebral ischemia by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, and administered Tongluo Jiunao, a positive control （Xuesai Tong, containing Panax notoginseng） or saline intraperitoneally to investigate the pathway involved in the action of TongIuo fiunao injection. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining showed that the cerebral infarct area was significantly smaller in model rats that received Tongluo fiunao than in those that received saline. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed significantly greater expression of neurotrophin 3 and growth-associated protein 43 in ischemic cerebral tissue, and serum levels of neurotrophin 3, in the Tongluo Jiunao group than in the saline group. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining showed that after treatment with Tongluo fiunao or Xuesai Tong, tropomyosin-related kinase C gene expression and immunoreactivity were significantly elevated compared with saline, with the greatest expression observed after Tongluo Jiunao treatment. These findings suggest that Tongluo Jiunao injection exerts a neuroprotective effect in rats with cerebral ischemia by activating the neurotrophin 3/ tropomyosin-related kinase C pathway.

Chinese herbal formulae defend against Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection

Mycoplasma gallisepticum HS strain(MG-HS)is a pathogen that causes chronic respiratory disease(CRD)in chicken,which is characterized by host respiratory inflammatory damage,brings huge economic losses to the poultry industry.Recently,emerging Chinese herbal medicines(CHM)have been used to treat CRD.This study was aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects and their potential mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicinal formulae(CHMF),which consisted of 10 kinds of Chinese herbal medicine including Scutellaria,Houttuynia cordate and licorice,on MGinduced CRD in chickens.With respect to the preventive effect,the results showed that CHMF could effectively recover the MG-induced decrease on body weight and feed conversion ratio.Histopathological analysis showed that both prevention and treatment of CHMF could significantly alleviate the severe respiratory inflammation induced by MG infection.Moreover,compared with the MG infection group,both the prevention groups and the treatment groups of CHMF could effectively reduce the expression of MG adhesion protein(p MGA1.2)to inhibit the proliferation of MG,and thus effectively inhibit the expression of MG-induced inflammatory factors interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and tumour necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).In summary,these findings confirm that CHMF can protect chickens from various tissue damage caused by MG infection and has no adverse effects on the performance of chickens in the short term.And its efficacy against MG is equal to or better than that of tiamulin.

Prescription analysis of traditional chinese medicine for COVID-19treatment

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 is still spreading all over the world and without any specific medicine.Traditional Chinese medicine has played an important role in the control of epidemics in China and accumulated many experiences.The aim of this study is to summarize the law of traditional Chinese medicine and provide reference for coronavirus disease 2019 traditional Chinese medicine treatment.Methods:We collected the treatment plans of traditional Chinese medicine for coronavirus disease 2019 in 24 provinces of China to evaluate the basic Chinese medicine formulas,and the efficacy types,frequency,“Four Characters”,“Five Tastes”,“Channel Tropism”of herbal medicines.Combination rules between medicines were calculated by Apriori algorithm and Clementine12.0.Results:The formulas for“Relieving Exterior Syndrome”,“Expelling Dampness”,“Clearing Heat”and“Supplementing”have highest proportion.In prevention period and medical observation period,the medicines mainly have effect for“Clearing Heat”,“Relieving Exterior Syndrome”and“Supplementing”.In treatment period,medicines for“Clearing Heat”,“Relieving Superficies”and“Relieving Dampness”had higher frequency.The“Four Characters”of Chinese medicines in all treatment plans were mainly“Cold”and“Warm”.Medicines in the treatment plans always belong to“Pungent Taste”,“Bitter Taste”and“Sweet Taste”.For“Channel Tropism”,most medicines turned over to the“Lung”,“Stoma”and“Spleen”.The common medicine combinations in the recommended formulas during the prevention period and medical observation period were medicines for“Qi-Supplementing”and“Relieving Superficies”.In treatment period(mild,moderate,severe/critical),medicines for“Dampness Expelling”,“Relieving Superficies”and“Qi-Supplementing”were combined in a high frequency.In recovery period,the medicines for“Dispelling Dampness”combined the medicines for“Promoting Blood Circulation”with highest frequency.Conclusions:We found the characteristics of medicine and prescription rules of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 and provided scientificity and effectiveness of it.More importantly,it provides reference for the development of new clinical prescriptions for coronavirus disease 2019.

Fetal bovine serum versus Chinese herbal formula Naoluoxintong serum supplementation for proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells

BACKGROUND： How to induce endogenous neural stem cells （NSCs） to differentiate into needed neural cell types is a hot spot of current researches. OBJECTIVE： To compare differences between fetal bovine serum and Chinese herbal formula Naoluoxintong serum supplementation for inducing proliferation and differentiation in rat embryonic NSCs. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： An in vitro, serum pharmacology, comparative, observation study was performed from March to September in 2008 at the Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, College of Life Science in University of Science and Technology of China, the Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Acupuncture Foundation and Technology in Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Anhui Province Key Laboratory of R ＆ D of Chinese Medicine, and at the Level 3 Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. MATERIALS： The Chinese herbal formula Naoluoxintong was produced by Radix Astragali, Radix Notoginseng, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Scolopendra at Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Mouse anti-rat nestin, gliat fibrillary acidic protein, and galactocerebroside monoclonal antibodies, as well as rabbit anti-neuron-specific enolase polyclonal antibody were produced by Chemicon, Billerica, MA, USA. METHODS： Wistar rats aged 3 months were intragastrically infused with Naoluoxintong. Wistar rat embryonic NSCs （passage 8） were induced to proliferate and differentiate using 10% fetal bovine serum, 10% Naoluoxintong serum, and 10% rat serum. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Phenotypic changes in cultured cells were detected using phase contrast microscopy, and cell proliferation and differentiation were observed using immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS： Proliferation and differentiation of embryonic NSCs was induced by three different types of blood serum. Although the differentiation time course with Nao/uoxintongserum was later than with the other two methods, the differentiated cells were morphologically similar to mature neurons to a greater extent. CONCLUSION： Nao/uoxintong serum supplementation induced differentiation of NSCs into neuronal-like cells and stimulated neuronal maturation.

Research and Development of Skincare Products Based on the Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The application of traditional Chinese medicine in skincare formula development was expounded from the views of“symptom,theory,method,prescription,medicine and effect”.Traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions were improved according to the laws and regulations for China’s cosmetic industry and by the modern scientific and technological means,which had important guiding significance for the research and development of plant-based functional skincare products.The problems in concept claim and quality control standard,and the problems of market confusion,which were ascribed to the lack of basic research in the application of Chinese herbal cosmetics,were pointed out.The future development direction of plant-based functional cosmetics guided by TCM theory was prospected.

Qingchang decoction retention enema may induce clinical and mucosal remission in left-sided ulcerative colitis: A case report

BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis(UC)is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by relapsing-remitting abdominal pain,diarrhea,mucopurulent discharge and rectal bleeding.To date,the etiology of the disease remains unknown;therefore,medical therapy is not yet available.Left-sided UC is mainly treated with oral and topical mesalazine.However,due to its modest clinical effect,endoscopic mucosal remission is not achieved in all patients.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old man presented to Longhua Hospital with a history of left-sided UC for more than 6 years and slight bloody diarrhea over time.Endoscopy suggested hyperemia,edema,and erosive mucosa involving the rectum and sigmoid colon.The Traditional Chinese medicine Qingchang decoction(QCD)enema treatment was initiated once a day combined with a previous standard dose of mesalazine for 8 wk,and rectal bleeding ceased after 4 wk of treatment.Another QCD enema treatment was provided after symptom relapse due to drug withdrawal for nearly 6 mo.At the 2-mo follow-up,the colonoscopy results indicated mucosal healing with no erosion or ulcers.CONCLUSION The Chinese formula QCD retention enema represents a potential treatment for left-sided UC with predominant rectal bleeding to achieve clinical and mucosal remission.

Effects of Fujian tablet on Nogo-A mRNA expression and plasticity of the corticospinal tract in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia

The present study investigated the effects of Fujian tablet, a Chinese medicine compound that can nourish liver and kidney, on corticospinal tract plasticity and cervical cord microenvironment in rats with focal cerebral ischemia. Results showed that motor function of rats with right proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion was significantly improved following treatment with Fujian tablet, 9 g crude drug/kg. Anterograde tracing revealed significantly increased biotinylated dextran amine expression in the denervated （left） side of the cervical cord （C4-6） following Fujian tablet treatment, and significantly decreased Nogo-A mRNA expression was detected in the denervated side of the cervical cord （C4-6） using in situ hybridization. Pearson＇s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between biotinylated dextran amine and Nogo-A mRNA expression （r = -0.943, P 〈 0.01）. Results demonstrated that Fujian tablet can promote corticospinal tract plasticity possibly through the inhibitory effect on Nogo-A mRNA expression in the cervical spinal cord, thereby improving motor dysfunction.

Classical Chinese Herbal Formulas in the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease: A Narrative Review

Objective:To summarize the current evidence for 8 frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formulas(CHF)as treatments for angina pectoris in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)and the associated adverse reactions.Methods:Seven electronic databases were screened from their inception through July 2018 for all evidence related to classical CHF for the treatment of patients with CHD.Results:CHF improves CHD outcomes in terms of angina pectoris,electrocardiogram results,Chinese medicine syndromes and biomarkers iomarkers.The combination of CHF and Western medicine(WM)is more effective on CHD than WM alone.The use of CHF to treat CHD shows the same or better clinical effects as the use of WM alone.The 8 investigated CHF do not induce hepatic and renal toxicity or other serious adverse effects.Conclusions:The safety and efficacy of 8 frequently prescribed herbal formulas for treating CHD have been confirmed in many studies.The findings of these studies are positive but should be interpreted cautiously due to the poor methodological quality of the randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and meta-analyses.Additional high-quality,multi-center,large-sample RCTs should be performed to confirm these results.

Potential mechanism of Huatan Qushi decoction on improving phlegm-dampness constitution using microRNA array and RT-qPCR targeting on hsa-miR-1237e3p

Background:Metabolic diseases pose considerable burden on the healthcare system worldwide,indicating the significance of prevention and treatment.In constitution theory of traditional Chinese medicine,phlegm-dampness constitution(PDC)is the common basis of metabolic diseases.In clinical practice,Huatan Qushi(HTQS)decoction targeting on PDC can effectively improve metabolic indicators.However,its underlying biochemical mechanism still remains unclear.Methods:Eight PDC participants received HTQS decoction for three months.Their blood was collected at baseline and 1 and 3 months after intervention started.Related biomedical indicators were detected.High-throughput sequencing and RT-qPCR were used for validation.Due to the missing data,repeated measures with missing values in mixed models were used.Results:After 3-month treatment,HDL-C level increased(P<.001)and FBG,FINS,and HbA1c all showed decreasing trend at different time points(all P<.05).After miRNA high-throughput sequencing,compared with the baseline,differential miRNAs at 1 and 3 months were screened,and target gene prediction and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed.The results displayed that metabolic disease-related pathways mainly included pathways in cancer,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,etc.Further,RT-qPCR showed that hsa-miR-1237e3p differed statistically(P=.008).Then we validated the target genes of hsa-miR-1237e3p in the“Pathways in Cancer”pathway including SDF1,AC,CRK,and HGF,also known as upstream target genes of PI3K/AKT pathway.The results showed that two indicators of CRK and HGF were in statistical significance(P=.045 and P=.036,respectively).Conclusion:PDC serves as a common basis for various metabolic diseases.Through adjusting PDC,HTQS decoction can improve biomedical indicators including blood glucose,HbA1c,insulin,and HDL-C.The target pathway is“Pathways in cancer”.Specifically,HTQS decoction acts on targets of CRK and HGF by regulating hsa-miR-1237e3p,and probably exerts effects on their downstream PI3K/AKT pathway.

Efficacy of integrative medicine in deficiency of both qi and yin in the rat model of type 2 diabetes

Objective:To establish a rat model of type 2 diabetes(T2DM)manifesting the Chinese medicine syndrome pattern of both qi and yin deficiency for evaluating the efficacy of a Chinese herbal formula(CHF),integrative medicine(IM),and pioglitazone(PIO)on T2DM indicators in the animal model.Methods:The rat model was induced by a high-fat diet(HFD)and streptozotocin(STZ,30 mg/kg).CHF(3.4 g/kg),PIO(2.7 mg/kg),and IM(3.4 g CHF+2.7 mg PIO)were administered to rats once daily for 14 days.Related laboratory parameters were observed.Results:Diabetic rats showed unsmooth fur,alopecia,reduced activity,huddling,somnolence,depression,pale or reddened tongue,damp/dark red tail,and high levels of water and food intake,urine volume,and stool weight,but weakened grip strength.Low levels of serum SOD,Nat-Kt-ATPase,cAMP/cGMP,and a high level of iNOS were observed.Hyperglycemia,hyperinsulinemia,insulin resistance,high levels of serum glucagon/IDE and pancreatic amylin,and low serum and pancreatic SS levels were evident as well.Conclusions:A rat model of T2DM with both qi and yin deficiency was successfully replicated.CHF appeared to be more efficacious than IM and PIO in the rat model of qi and yin deficiency pattern of T2DM,though IM and PIO were each found to have their merits and drawbacks in attenuating T2DM indicators in the rat model.

The traditional Chinese medicines treat chronic heart failure and their main bioactive constituents and mechanisms

Chronic heart failure(CHF)is a severe public health problem with increasing morbidity and mortality,any treatment targeting a single session is insufficient to tackle this.CHF is characterized by reduced cardiac output resulting from neurohumoral dysregulation and cardiac remodeling,which might be related to oxidative stress,inflammation,endoplasmic reticulum stress,apoptosis,autophagy,mitochondrial function,and angiogenesis.These molecular mechanisms interact with each other through crosstalk.Historically,Chinese medicinal herbs have been widely applied in the treatment of CHF,and therapeutic effects of Chinese medicinal herbs and their ingredients have been scientifically confirmed over the past decades.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)with multiple components can confront the different pathogenesis of CHF through multiple targets.This review analyzes commonly used TCM patent drugs and TCM decoctions that are applicable to different stages of CHF based on clinical trials.Diverse bioactive ingredients in Chinese medicinal herbs have been found to treat CHF via multiple molecular mechanisms.This review comprehensively covers the key works on the effects and underlying mechanisms of TCM,herbal ingredients and synergistic effects of constituent compatibility in treating CHF,providing additional ideas to address this threat.

A Yang-invigorating compound mixture alters neurotransmitters in rat telencephalon after exercise-induced fatigue

The aim of this study was to observe the changes in monoamine and amino acid neurotransmitters in the telencephalon of rats at four functional states after exhaustive exercise and treatment with a Yang-invigorating compound recipe.The main components of this Chinese traditional medicine preparation included Radix Ginseng,Rhizoma Chuanxiong,Fructus Schisandrae,Cortex Cinnamomi,Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum,Radix Morindae Officinalis,and Gecko.This experiment showed that dopamine（DA）,5-hydroxyindole acetic acid（5-HIAA）,and γ-aminobutyric acid levels noticeably decreased,while DA/5-hydroxytryptamine（5-HT） increased.Furthermore,glutamate（Glu） and Glu/γ-aminobutyric acid significantly increased after 1 hour of exercise in rats in the exercise ＋ medication group.The 5-HT and 5-HT/5-HIAA levels noticeably decreased,and DA/5-HT and Glu levels showed a robust and significant increase immediately after exhaustive exercise.The 5-HT,5-HT/5-HIAA levels sharply decreased,while DA/5-HT,Glu and γ-aminobutyric acid levels increased at 12 hours after exhaustion recovery.The results prove that Chinese herbal formula for strengthening Yang can induce changes in neurotransmitters in the telencephalon of rats after exhaustive exercise during the recovery process,and further improve central nervous system function.

Dissecting the underlying pharmaceutical mechanism of Danggui Buxue decoction acting on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with network pharmacology

Backgroud:Danggui Buxue decoction(DBD),a classical prescription in traditional Chinese medicine,has been found to have protective effect on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by reducing alveolar inflammation and fibrosis.However,the biological activity of individual chemical components and mechanism of action of whole formula are not clear.Methods:Potential targets of active ingredients of DBD were collected through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and SymMap database.Target genes related to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis were obtained from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database,Therapeutic Targets Database and Gkb database.Then,the common targets were obtained by overlapping the potential targets of active ingredients in DBD and diseases related targets.The selected targets were subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway and Gene Ontology analysis,and the network map of active component-target-pathway was established using Cytoscape 3.7.1 software.The active components of DBD with most targets were selected for fibrosis-related marker verification.The mRNA and protein expression of fibrosis markers,α-smooth muscle actin,collagen 1 and fibronectin,were detected in TGF-β1-induced fibroblast cell line after treatment with the active components.Results:The 14 active ingredients,such as quercetin and kaempferol,were screened from DBD.It acts on 26 targets like estrogen receptor 2 and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2,and mainly involves 38 signaling pathways such as cell inflammation and autophagy.Kaempferol and quercetin are the two compounds with the highest network regulation,which can inhibit the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and reduce the expression of fibrosis markersα-smooth muscle actin,collagen 1 and fibronectin.Conclusion:The integration mode of multi-component,multi-target,multi-channel and mechanism of DBD in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are predicted by means of network pharmacology.Our study could indicate the direction of further anti-fibrotic mechanism research.

Chinese Herb Formulae Inhibit the Proliferation of Human Colon Cancer SW480 Cells by Inducing Cell Apoptosis

Objective:This study aimed to reveal the antitumor effects of Chinese herbal formulae and the underlying mechanisms in treating colorectal cancer,with a focus on developing traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)as a supplement and alternative therapeutic method for cancers.Materials and Methods:Human colon cancer SW480 cells were treated with three Chinese herbal formulae,Bu Zhong Yi Qi Decoction,Fuzi Lizhong Decoction,and Pulsatilla Decoction at different concentrations(50–600μg/mL)for 24,36,and 48 h,respectively.Cell viability was determined using the resazurin reduction assay,and cell survival rate was evaluated using a colony formation assay.After treatment with different concentrations(50–600μg/mL)of these three formulae for 48 h,the effects of the Chinese herbal formulae on cell apoptosis were investigated using Hoechst/propidium iodide(PI)staining.The positive PI-stained cells were investigated using an EnSpire multilabel plate reader and the positive Hoechst-stained cells were observed under a fluorescence microscope for morphological changes.Results:Bu Zhong Yi Qi Decoction,Fuzi Lizhong Decoction,and Pulsatilla Decoction inhibited SW480 cell proliferation in a dose-and time-dependent manner and induced cell apoptosis.Conclusion:Chinese herbal formulae with a special prescription form of TCM with antitumor effects bring a new perspective in line with the principles of TCM in cancer treatment.