Challenges in integrating traditional Chinese medicine and gut microbiota research for insomnia treatment

The gut microbiome is an extensive variety of bacteria with a range of metabolic capabilities that can be pathogenic,beneficial,or opportunistic.Changes in the gut microbiota's composition can affect the link between gut integrity and host health as well as cause disruptions to numerous neurological systems.The second most prevalent mental health problem,insomnia has a negative social and economic impact.Currently,it is becoming increasingly obvious how crucial it is to preserve the delicate balance of gut microbiota to treat illness-related symptoms like insomnia.Although traditional Chinese medicine has proposed an effective strategy against insomnia through gut microbiota alteration in animal models,studies in human models are limited.This decreases the predictive value of the studies in terms of human outcomes.This editorial places an emphasis on cultural sensitivity rather than scientific reasoning that promotes the use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).We aim to emphasize the concern that promoting TCM could divert resources from conventional medical research,leading to suboptimal care.

Current status of outcome reporting in randomized controlled trials of traditional Chinese medicine for mammary gland hyperplasia: A systematic review

Objective:To assess outcome indicators in clinical trials and provide a reference for establishing a core outcome set to treat hyperplasia of mammary gland(HMG)with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Eight online databases were searched from their inception to December 31,2022,to assess outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of HMG treated with TCM.The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool.All outcomes were extracted,classified,and described.Results:A total of 8249 articles were initially retrieved.Of these,70 articles were eligible and involved 10618 participants with HMG.A total of 17 outcome indicators with a frequency of 271 times were involved and were collected according to six outcome domains.Conclusions:The core outcomes of RCTs of HMG treated with TCM are large and divergent.There are problems in evaluation standards,primary and secondary outcomes,TCM characteristic indicators,long-term prognosis,and standardization of reporting.It is recommended to strengthen the trial design and actively construct the core outcome sets with TCM characteristics for HMG.

Discussion on the Fundamental Role of Traditional Culture in the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine--Using Ophthalmology As An Example

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)was developed from and is rooted in traditional Chinese culture.Nowadays,the Chinese state attaches great importance to the development of TCM and has implemented a series of policies and measures.This paper first demonstrates the rationality of the view that"traditional culture plays a fundamental role in the development of TCM",and analyzes the influence of traditional culture on the development of TCM from the perspective of philosophy and religion,in order to have a deeper understanding of the formation and development process of TCM.Finally,taking ophthalmology of TCM as an example,this paper discusses the importance of the continual inheritance of traditional culture and development of TCM.

Reflections on Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture Teaching in the Context of International Chinese Education

With the development of the times,both international Chinese education and traditional Chinese medicine have ushered in not only great potential development opportunities,but also various challenges.Traditional Chinese medicine culture has gradually gained international recognition,and many foreign students are now choosing to study traditional Chinese medicine.Therefore,the development of international Chinese education needs to embody traditional Chinese medicine culture teaching,which can promote the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.At the same time,encountering problems such as cultural differences ensue the need for improving the teaching system,which lacks teaching practice.On this basis,strategies such as exploring the teaching mode of traditional Chinese medicine culture,cultivating a team of high-quality international Chinese teachers,and creating experience courses with characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine culture have been put forward,so as to enhance the teaching of traditional Chinese medicine culture and promote the development of international Chinese education.

The Implantation and Transmission of Plague Culture by the Five Plague Gods in Shuilu Murals

The Five Plague Gods(五瘟神) in the Shuilu(水陆) murals from the Ming and Qing dynasties exemplify a distinctive manifestation of plague gods image developed under the pedigree of Taoist gods.As a significant system for expelling disasters in Shuilu,the depiction of the Five Plague Gods prominently merges human beings and livestock.This shape form to a large extent,draws on the image of Nuo(傩),a figure reflecting an imagination of the host of plague pathogens.In terms of the numbers of gods,it aligns with the conceptual framework of Wu Xing(五行 the five elements),a foundational principle in traditional Chinese medicine.The internal cultural connection highlights the means of plague prevention and control in China,as well as the external reflection of plague culture.Through multi-dimensional interpretations with the double proof method,this article dissects the formation,core elements,and cultural characteristics of the beliefs in the Five Plague Gods reflected in the Shuilu murals,and transcends mere visual semantics,offering a deeper understanding of these complex cultural symbols.

A Brief History of the Development of Hui Medicine

The Hui Medicine in China, as an important part of traditional Chinese medicine, has a long history. It originated from the unique medical knowledge and practices of the Hui ethnic group and impacted the health of people of all ethnic groups in the whole nation. Over time, it has continuously absorbed and integrated the essence of various medical systems. In ancient times, Hui doctors made important contributions with their superb medical skills. They passed on their medical wisdom from generation to generation. In modern times, with the development of science and technology, Hui Medicine has also been constantly evolving and innovating, combining modern medical concepts and technologies. It has played an active role in protecting people’s health and promoting medical progress in China. Although facing challenges, it still strives to inherit and develop, showing strong vitality.

Core outcome set for stable angina pectoris in traditional Chinese medicine(COS-SAP-TCM)

Objective:This study aimed to develop a core outcome set(COS)for use in future studies of stable angina pectoris(SAP)in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods:Systematic literature reviews and qualitative interviews with cardiologists and patients with SAP treated using TCM were conducted to generate a set of outcomes.Outcomes were prioritized by stakeholders via two rounds of an online Delphi survey and face-to-face consensus meetings.Following the final consensus meeting,a final COS was generated.Results:An initial set of 324 outcomes was identified.A preliminary list of 65 outcomes was employed in the Delphi study.In total,223 participants from seven stakeholder groups were invited to score outcomes in the first Delphi round:87 completed round 1 and 47 completed round 2.Thirty-one participants attended the consensus meeting and agreed on a final core set of outcomes comprising six items across four domains:frequency of angina attack,duration of angina attack,Seattle angina questionnaire,total exercise duration in the exercise treadmill test,cardiovascular events,and QT interval on electrocardiography.Conclusions:The COS developed in this study provides the minimum requirements for measurement and reporting in future TCM clinical trials for the treatment of SAP.The employment of this COS may reduce heterogeneity across trials and facilitate evidencebased decision-making for stakeholders.

Discussion on application of food-medicine homologous traditional Chinese medicine in prevention prescriptions for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

From sorting out and statistical analysis of 172 prevention prescriptions for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) put forward by government departments, medical institutions and TCM clinical experts in various provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, the results showed that food-medicine homologous traditional Chinese medicine (abbreviated as"food-medicine materials") such as honeysuckle, licorice, agastache, tangerine peel, fresh reed rhizome, perilla and platycodon are used most frequently. Combined with TCM theory and modern pharmacology analysis, not only deeper understandin/g of the application value of food-medicine materials, but also reference value of their daily use and development of related products reference in the future is expected to be acquired.

Study on Current Trends in the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Australia and Policy Proposals of Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine Education in Future

With the rapid rise of China’s economy and the deployment of the Belt and Road Initiative,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),one of the main components of Chinese culture,has become an important aspect of foreign exchange.Therefore,recent research has focused on how to effectively spread TCM culture internationally and improve TCM acceptance.Australia is currently a representative region with decent TCM development.Taking TCM development in Australia as a starting point,this article analyzes the challenges in TCM development,discusses countermeasures to address these issues,and provides recommendations for improving the international development and dissemination of TCM.

Outcome measures in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine for stable angina pectoris

Objective:This work aimed to present a descriptive analysis of the outcome measures used in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for patients with stable angina pectoris,and to provide baseline data for the development of core outcome sets(COSs)for relevant clinical trials.Methods:Medical databases were searched to identify randomized trials of the effects of TCM for the treatment of stable angina pectoris.Outcome measures of each trial were extracted.Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the baseline characteristics of outcomes in clinical trials of TCM.Results:94 randomized trials(with 9,111 participants)involving 79 different outcomes were identified.The mean number of outcomes was 5(1-21 per trial).The 5 most commonly reported outcomes were efficacy rate of electrocardiogram,efficacy rate of angina pectoris,efficacy rate of TCM syndrome,fasting lipid indices,and withdrawal rate of nitroglycerin.Several challenges were identified:(1)significant heterogeneity of outcomes and differences in the technique and timing of the measurement of the same outcome;(2)transformation of continuous data into categorical data and presented as such in>90% of trials;(3)few trials on the outcomes associated with the advantages and characteristics of TCM;and(4)selective reporting of outcomes.Conclusions:The outcomes used are excessively heterogenous,and the choice of some outcomes(timing and techniques)for measurement is confusing or inappropriate.Hence,developing and implementing a COS is necessary for greater consistency.

The Li Lineage of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Professor Li Ding(李鼎)is the founder and tenured professor,doctoral supervisor at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,a Representative Inheritor for China Intangible Cultural Heritage-Acupuncture and Moxibustion.It is well known that Chinese medicine is rooted in Chinese culture and history.The inheritance of Chinese medicine cannot be separated from the inheritance of Chinese culture and history.Professor Li Ding’s path of Chinese medicine inheritance perfectly reflects the above-mentioned laws and is worthy of further exploration and research.The full text of this article is divided into three parts and will be published one after another.The first part“The Lineage of Gu Yi Tang”brings us Li’s family historical stories;the second part“The Lineage of Chinese Studies”introduces professor Li’s Chinese culture studies;and the third part“The Lineage of Dao Sheng Tang”discusses professor Li's inheritance of Chinese medicine.This article will bring our readers a rich and colorful Chinese scroll painting,which not only focuses on Chinese Medicine,acupuncture but also touches ancient Chinese history culture,Daoism,and even more.

Transmission of Knowledge and Practice between Cultures:A Case Study of Chinese Medicine Integration in the United States

Medicine operates within the world views of the culture that it serves,and the widespread Chinese diaspora has carried medical practices with it.The resulting creolization takes shape at the borders of intersecting cultures in a distinct form of integration.This article explores the intersections of integration relative to the spread of Chinese medicine in the United States in practical,cognitive,and theoretical terms.This article could be a reference to practitioners,academics,and policymakers in the areas of integrative and Chinese medicine.

Chinese Immigrants’Health Beliefs and Practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine in British Columbia of Canada

Objective:This study is to address the health beliefs and health behavior of Chinese immigrants residing in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia(BC)Province in Canada.This article discussed Chinese immigrants’traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)use,health beliefs,and health behaviors.Methods:Information used in this study is based on data collected in the Chinese-speaking community in the Greater Vancouver area of BC in 2020–2022.Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to this study.The first stage recruited 314 participants for the quantitative study to cross-validate an instrument tool,followed by the 2nd stage of 20 stratified random sampling out of the 314 participants for TCM-related in-depth qualitative interviews.This study focuses on the second stage of TCM qualitative interviews.Results:Results indicated that TCM health beliefs have cultural and spiritual meanings tied to the Chinese-speaking participants.There are barriers for the Chinese-speaking population to access the existing healthcare services due to their TCM health beliefs and other health needs,for example,family doctors,integrated medicine for better health outcomes,and mental health services especially during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Conclusion:Integrating TCM health beliefs and behaviors of Chinese-speaking immigrants into existing Canadian mainstream health services are strongly recommended.

Analysis of the rule of medication of compound Chinese traditional patent medicine for digestive system tumors based on data mining

Objective:Based on the data mining method,explore the medication rules of Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of digestive system tumors.Method:Based on the"Chinese Traditional Medicine Prescription Database"in https://db.yaozh.com/,collect Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of digestive system tumors,establish an Excel table,and use the ancient and modern medical case cloud platform(V2.2.1)to perform frequency statistics,association rules,and drugs on the data Clustering and complex network analysis.Results:A total of 36 Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of digestive system tumors were screened.The medicinal properties were mainly warm and cold,the taste was bitter and sweet,and the meridians were mainly liver and spleen meridians.High frequency Chinese medicine include Astragalus,Scutellaria-barbata,Ginseng,Curcuma,Triangle,Atractylodes,Hedyotis diffusa,etc.Correlation analysis obtained 17 drug combinations,High-frequency drug pairs include Scutellaria-barbata-Astragalus,Ginseng-Astragalus,Curcuma-Astragalus,Scutellaria-barbata-Curcuma,etc.Cluster analysis found 3 types of drugs.The core drug network is composed of 27 drugs,and the core compatibility network consists of 3 groups of drugs.Conclusion:The Chinese patent compound medicine for the treatment of digestive system tumors has the characteristics of combining cold and warming,replenishing and reducing treatment,and treating the liver and spleen at the same time.The medicine is mainly used to replenish qi and invigorate the spleen,promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis,and clear away heat and detoxification.Replenish qi,nourish yin,invigorate blood,and detoxify are mainly compatible with each other,reflecting the pathogenesis characteristics of"deficiency,stasis,and toxin"in digestive system tumors.Data mining can provide references for the prescription and compatibility of Chinese patent medicines.

The Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine into the Western World

This paper introduces the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine into the western world.Internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)into the Western world is not a simple or easy task.Its exposure and exportation into the rest of the world should be a task taken on with a special focus and determination on staying strong along the way.Keeping the truth,strength,and integrity in TCM medicine as it is exported is the highest priority and the best way to promote it.Doing this will give it a solid foundation in its new land and for its new patients.Let’s study and analyze what really is required to help TCM avoid all problems and hardships of this exportation process as TCM goes west.

The Li Lineage of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine cannot be separated from Chinese culture and history.Professor Li Ding's path floridly embodies that,and so is worthy not just of admiration,but also of studious exploration.Aside from still,after well over half a century there,serving as a doctoral supervisor professor at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine(SHUTCM),and being one of the university's founders,he continues to contribute long after having been formally declared“A representative inheritor for China intangible cultural heritage-Acupuncture and Moxibustion.”This is the second article in a three-part series on Professo r.Li Ding.The first part focuses on“The Lineage of Gu Yi Tang,”and that storied our family history we will continue discussing now,with this second installment:"The Lineage of Chinese Studies,"which introduces professor Li's Chinese cultural studies.The forthcoming third part:“The Lineage of Dao Sheng Tang”will discuss professor Li's inheritance of Chinese medicine specifically.These three articles will bring our readers a rich and colorful Chinese scroll painting,which not only focus on acupuncture and general Chinese medicine,but also touch ancient Chinese history,culture,Taoism,and even more.

Experimental Study of the Anti-human Papilloma Virus Mechanisms by a Traditional Chinese Medicine “Keyouling”

To investigate the anti-human papilloma virus (HPV) effect of the external liniment of traditional Chinese medicine “Keyouling”, the efficacy of this drug acting upon the proliferation and growth of the normal epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce in different concentrations was observed. An experimental model of pathology of histocytes infected with HPV in vitro was established by using the human HPV infected prepuce epidermis cells as virus carrier to infect the sub-cultured epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce. The direct killing effect and the blocking effect of infections of epidermis cells in rabbits′ penis prepuce induced by HPV with different concentrations of “Keyouling” were determined by 3 kinds of culture methods: (1) the infected epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce were challenged by co-culture with HPV suspension and with culture medium containing drug; (2) the co-culture with epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce and HPV suspension was challenged with drug; (3) co-culture with culture medium containing drug and epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce was challenged with HPV suspension. It was found that “Keyouling” had little effect on the proliferation and growth of the normal epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce, but it had direct killing effect on HPV, and blocked effectively the infection of the epidermis cells of rabbits′ penis prepuce by HPV. It concludes that “Keyouling” has significant killing effect to HPV, but not normal histocytes in vitro , indicating that it is safe for clinical use. Its blocking effect on the HPV infection of rabbits′ penis prepuce epidermis cells suggested “Keyouling” may be clinically used to prevent the development of tumors or to inhibit the further progression or metastasis of tumors.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:How Is It An Invaluable Intangible Cultural Heritage

This article deals with the concept of intangible culture heritage and the reasons why traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)should be specially preserved.The potential value of TCM and the existing measures for carrying on the cultural heritage adopted by China are also explored in the article.

A real-world study of the differences in Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis and treatment rules for coronavirus disease 2019 between Northern and Southern China

OBJECTIVE:To explore the differences in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)diagnosis and treatment rules for coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)between Northern and Southern China based on the real-world data from 982 COVID-19 patients.METHODS:All consecutive cases of COVID-19 admitted to the TCM department of designated COVID-19 hospitals in eight provinces and cities were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into a Northern and a Southern group according to the location of the admitting hospital.The symptoms,syndrome elements,syndrome distribution and herbal treatments were analyzed.The core prescriptions were extracted using the multiscale backbone-based network comparison algorithm(msbNC).RESULTS:The distribution of syndrome elements showed that dampness was common in Northern and Southern China,wind and heat were more often present in the South,while fire toxin and spleen deficiency were more often encountered in the North.The distribution of syndromes showed that the South was dominated by heat dampness accumulating in the lung(55.69%),while the North was dominated by dampness-toxin stagnating in the lung(44.90%).The results of core prescription mining showed that dispelling dampness,dispersing wind,clearing heat and strengthening spleen were the common treatment methods in Northern and Southern China.For mild cases,Jinyinhua(Flos Lonicerae)and Lianqiao(Fructus Forsythiae Suspensae)were often used in the South to clear heat and relieve exterior symptoms,while Chaihu(Radix Bupleuri Chinensis)and Huangqin(Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis)were often used in the North to relieve muscles by expelling heat.For moderate cases,Chaihu(Radix Bupleuri Chinensis),Qinghao(Herba Artemisiae Annuae),and Shigao(Gypsum Fibrosum)were often used to clear heat of Tri-jiao Channel and stomach in the South,while Fuling(Poria),Chenpi(Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae),and Dangshen(Radix Codonopsis)were often used to invigorate spleen and remove dampness in the North.For severe cases,spleen invigoration and dampness removal as well as relaxing the bowels and discharging heat were often used in the North.CONCLUSION:There were certain North-South differences in terms of symptoms,syndrome elements and syndrome distribution of COVID-19,as well as differences in core prescriptions during different periods of the disease.The regional differences in the rules of TCM diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19 should be further considered in the process of optimization and revision of relevant treatment guidance.