Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs for tonifying Qi and kidney, and replenishing spleen on intermittent asthma in children aged 2 to 5 years old

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) herbs for tonifying Qi and kidney, and replenishing spleen on intermittent asthma in children aged 2 and 5 years.METHODS: A randomized, single-blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted. Children with intermittent asthma were enrolled and their baseline conditions were measured using a questionnaire. A total of 60 participants, aged 2 to 5, were randomized into either the treatment group(n = 40) or the placebo group(n = 20). The treatment group was treated with granules of TCM herbs for tonifying Qi and kidney, and replenishing spleen, and the placebo group was given placebo granules for 3 months.The number of asthma attacks was counted and TCM syndrome scores were measured at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9,and 12 months. The airway resistance and levels of eosinophil cationic protein for the two groups were observed before and after 3 months. The results were statistically analyzed.RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group, the number of asthma attacks significantly decreased in the treatment group(P < 0.05). For the treatment group, the TCM syndrome scores decreased after 1 and 2 months; there was also a significant difference in scores between the two groups(P < 0.05).The difference remained after the medicine was stopped for 9 months(P < 0.05). After the 3-month treatment, compared with the placebo group, the airway resistance decreased in the treatment group(P < 0.05). No adverse events were reported in the treatment group.CONCLUSION: The TCM herbs for tonifying Qi and kidney, and replenishing spleen reduced the number of intermittent asthma attacks, decreased the TCM syndrome scores, and reduced the airway resistance in the children aged 2 to 5.

Case of professor Xu ZOU’s acupuncture technique for“benefiting kidney and strengthening anti-pathogenic qi”in promoting the absorption of COVID-19

A case of the absorption of corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)promoted by professor Xu ZOU’s acupuncture technique for"benefiting kidney and strengthening anti-pathogenic qi"is introduced.A female patient suffered from COVID-19,64 years old,had been treated with acupuncture and Chinese herb granules for 10 days on the base of the oral administration of moxifloxacin.In the re-examination,the chest CT image indicated that the absorption of COVID-19 was obvious as compared with before,the nucleic acid test of novel corona virus was negative and the patient narrated no obvious discomfort.Acupuncture therapy plays its active adjuvant effect in the whole process of the treatment of COVID-19.

Clinical Study on Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine for Supplementing Kidney and Qi and Activating Blood Circulation in Treating Intrauterine Growth Retardation of Fetus

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effect and the possible working mechanism in using Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for supplementing Kidney and Qi, and activating blood circulation in treating intrauterine growth retardation of fetus (IUGR). Methods: Fifty-five cases of IUGR were divided into two groups, 30 cases in the CHM group treated with CHM and the 25 in the control group treated with amino acids. The effect of CHM treatment was observed and compared with that of the control group, normal pregnancy group and non-treated IUGR group. Results: Body weight of the newborns in the CHM was markedly higher than that in the control group. Not only the maternal fundal height (FH) and the abdominal circumference (AC), but also the fetal growth parameters, including biparietal diameter, head circumference (HC), and femur length (FL) in the CHM group increased much faster than those in the control group. After CHM treatment, the maternal serum levels of estriol (E3) and human placental lactogen (hPL) approached to those in the normal pregnancy group, but the control group,in comparison with the normal pregnancy group, was significantly different. The umbilical venous plasma concentration of essential amino acids in both treated groups improved, but the improvement in the CHM group was more significant than that in the control group. No apparent adverse effect of CHM was observed in either mother or fetus.Conclusion: CHM for supplementing Kidney and Qi and activating blood circulation was more effective in improving placental function and enhancing amino acid transportation than amino acid

Progress of studies on cancer-related anemia in Chinese and Western medicine

Cancer-related anemia is a common complication in patients with a malignant tumor caused by the tumor itself or the tumor's treatment.It can seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even accelerate the progression of the tumor.Western medicine is often given a blood transfusion,erythropoietin,and iron agent in cancer-related anemia treatment,but there are also some problems such as increasing tumor-related mortality.Traditional Chinese medicine believes that cancer-related anemia's occurrence is related to the“Deficiency of Spleen and Kidney and Deficiency of Qi and Blood”,so clinical treatment is mainly to“Tonify Spleen and Kidney and Qi and Blood”.The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine is useful in cancer-related anemia's treatment,which provides a new idea and method for cancer-related anemia's clinical treatment.

Efficacy and advantages of modified Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments based on"kidney reinforcing"for chronic aplastic ane-mia:a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE:To compare the efficacy of modified treatments based on "kidney reinforcing" in the management of chronic aplastic anemia(CAA),and explore their advantages and specialties.METHODS:One hundred and eleven patients with CAA were randomly divided into three groups:kidney reinforcing alone(KA),"kidney reinforcing and Qi tonifying"(KQ),and "kidney reinforcing and blood circulation invigorating"(KC).Normal and positive control groups were also formed.All patients were treated for 6 months(two courses).Hemograms,Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) syndrome scores,and therapeutic effects were assessed,and changes in T-lymphocyte subsets,regulatory T cells and cytokines were detected.RESULTS:The KQ and KC groups had lower TCM syndrome scores than the positive control group after 6 months(P < 0.05).The KQ group had a higher overall efficacy than the positive control group after 3 months(P < 0.05),while platelet counts increased in the KC group after 6 months(P < 0.05).CD3+ T-lymphocyte ratios decreased only in the KQ group,while CD3 + CD4 + CD8-Tlymphocytes increased only in the KC group after 6 months(P <0.05).Levels of interferon-γ,tumor necrosis fac-tor-α,interleukin(IL)-2 and IL-6 decreased and levels of IL-4 and IL-10 increased in all treated groups after 6 months.Levels of IL-6 in the KQ and KC groups were lower than those in the positive control group(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Treatments based on kidney reinforcing have a rebalancing effect on cytotoxic and T helper cells,and regulate expression of interferon-γ,IL-2,IL-6 and IL-4.KQ may be more effective in treating CAA,and KC may have an advantage in platelet recovery.

Shen Qi Wan attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis through upregulating AQP1

Renal interstitial fibrosis(RIF)is the crucial pathway in chronic kidney disease(CKD)leading to the end-stage renal failure.However,the underlying mechanism of Shen Qi Wan(SQW)on RIF is not fully understood.In the current study,we investigated the role of Aquaporin 1(AQP1)in SQW on tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EMT).A RIF mouse model induced by adenine and a TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cell model were etablished to explore the involvement of AQP 1 in the protective effect of SQW on EMT in vitro and in vivo.Subsequently,the molecular mechanism of SQW on EMT was explored in HK-2 cells with AQP1 knockdown.The results indicated that SQW alleviated kidney injury and renal collagen deposition in the kidneys of mice induced by adenine,increased the protein expression of E-cadherin and AQP1 expression,and decreased the expression of vimentin andα-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).Similarly,treatmement with SQW-containing serum significantly halted EMT process in TGF-β1 stimulated HK-2 cells.The expression of snail and slug was significantly upregulated in HK-2 cells after knockdown of AQP1.AQP1 knockdown also increased the mRNA expression of vimentin andα-SMA,and decreased the expression of E-cadherin.The protein expression of vimentin increased,while the expression of E-cadherin and CK-18 significantly decreased after AQP1 knockdown in HK-2 cells.These results revealed that AQP1 knockdown promoted EMT.Furthermore,AQP1 knockdown abolished the protective effect of SQW-containing serum on EMT in HK-2 cells.In sum,SQW attentuates EMT process in RIF through upregulation of the expression of AQP1.

Effects of Bushenyiqihexue Formula on the Endometrial Gland Apoptosis in Mice with Blastocyst Implantation Dysfunction

Objective: To observe the effects of Bushenyiqihexue Formula (补肾益气和血方 Formula for Tonifying the Kidney, Replenishing qi and Harmonizing Blood, FTKRQHB) on the endometrial gland apoptosis in the mice with blastocyst implantation dysfunction. Methods: The mice with the first-day pregnancy were divided into the control, model and treatment groups, with 30 in each group, and blastocyst implantation dysfunction was induced by subcutaneous injection of mifepristone in the mice of the model and treatment groups. The pregnancy rate and implantation number of blastocysts were measured and the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bax, Bcl-2, and activated caspase-3 were detected in all the three groups. Results: The model group had significantly depressed pregnancy rate, implantation number of blastocysts and apoptosis index, and elevated proliferation index of endometrial gland as compared with the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Administration of FTKRQHB (the treatment group) resulted in significant increases in pregnancy rate, implantation number of blastocysts and apoptosis index of the endometrial gland, and a significant decrease in the proliferation index of the endometrial gland as compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The differences in the four indexes between the treatment group and control group were not significant statistically. The Bax and activated caspase-3 expressions in endometrial gland in the model group became significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01), whereas those in the treatment group were significant higher than that of the model group (P<0.01). However, the Bax and activated caspase-3 expressions in endometrial gland were similar in both treatment and control groups. Conclusion: Promoting the increases in Bax and activated caspase-3 expressions in the endometrial gland and bringing into balance between apoptosis and proliferation of the glandular cells at the implantation window phase by FTKRQHB may contribute to the effects of promoting the establishment of endometrial receptivity and improving blastocyst implantation dysfunction.

Effects of Preventive Administration of Juanbi Capsules on TNF-α、 IL-1 And IL-6 Contents of Joint Fluid in the Rabbit with Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective:To probe into the mechanism of the Chinese herbs with functions of reinforcing kidney and supplementing qi for preventing knee osteoarthritis of the rabbit. Methods: Totally 72 healthy Japan long-ear white rabbits, aged 4 months, were randomly divided into 6 groups, blank group (A), model group (B), high dose Chinese herb group (C), middle dose Chinese herb group (D), small dose Chinese herb group (E), aminoglucose hydrochloride capsule control group (F), 12 rabbits in each group. All the rabbits in the groups, except the group A, were fixed with plaster cast for six weeks to establish rabbit knee osteoarthritis. At the same time of modeling, the different doses of Juanbi Capsules and aminoglucose hydrochloride capsule were administrated intragastrically in the group C, D, E, F, respectively, for 4 weeks, for preventive treatment. In the group B, the rabbit was administrated intragastrically with equal volume of normal saline to the medication groups, twice each day, in the morning and the evening, and in the group A, nothing was administrated. After modeling for 6 weeks, the joint fluid was taken and TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 contents were detected with ELISA method, and the articular cartilage was taken for macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Results: In all the preventive treatment groups, the articular cartilage color changed to varying degrees with formation of osteophyte and bone cyst, superficial erosion on the chondral articular surface, and the cartilage defect reached to the mid layer in a part of specimens with cartilage exfoliation, but which in the extent were significantly lower than those in the model group. There were significant differences between the group A and B in TNF-α , IL-1 and IL-6 contents in the joint fluid (P<0.05), indicating that the modeling is successful; and there were significant differences as group B compared with the group C,D, E, F, showing that TNF-α , IL-1 and IL-6 contents are decreased in all the medication groups; and significant differences between group C, D, E suggests that the increase of Chinese herb doses strengthened the effect of reducing TNF-α , IL-1 and IL-6 contents in joint fluid. Conclusion: The Juanbi Capsule prevents osteoarthritis possibly through decreasing serum TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 contents.

Preventive Administration of Juanbi Capsules (蠲痹胶囊) for Knee Osteoarthritis: Effects on Serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels and Cartilage Repair

Objective: To explore the mechanism of action of Juanbi Capsules (蠲痹胶囊), a Chinese medicine for invigorating the kidney and replenishing qi, in preventing osteoarthritis of the knee in rabbits. Methods: Seventy-two 4-month-old, Japanese long-eared white rabbits were randomly divided into 6 groups: control (group A), model (group B), Chinese drug; high-dose (group C), Chinese drug; mid-dose (group D), Chinese drug; low-dose (group E), and drug control (group F). With the exception of the rabbits in group A, each rabbit was subjected to plaster cast fixation for 6 weeks to induce osteoarthritis. In addition, rabbits were administrated with an intragastric injection of the Chinese drug (groups C, D and E) or an aminoglucose hydrochloride capsule (group F) for 4 weeks. Blood was drawn from the central ear artery for serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 concentrations, and the knee joint cartilage was harvested for gross observation and light microscopy. Results: There were significant differences in serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 concentrations between group B and groups C, D and E (P<0.05), with no significant differences between groups D and F. Histological results showed various changes in tissue staining with treatment, with osteophyte and bone cyst formation, and superficial erosion in the articular surface of the cartilage; in some cases, the defect reached the mid-layer of the cartilage, and these changes were lower than those in the model group. Conclusion: Juanbi Capsules assist in preventing osteoarthritis in the rabbit, possibly by decreasing serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels.

Curative effect of assisted reproduction technology by Traditional Chinese Medicine multi-channel interventional therapy on 95 cases of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer failure

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the curative effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) multi-channel interventional therapy on women with Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART) failure, to compare the curative effect of the dual therapy and triple therapy on women with ART Failure, and to choose the best TCM interventional therapeutic plan.METHODS: The 95 cases with ART Failure from West China second University Hospital of Sichuan University meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into three groups:dual therapy group(31 cases), triple therapy group(33 cases)and control group(31 cases). According to the intervene treatment of in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer(IVF-ET) long cycle scheme, the control group wait naturally for 3 months before IVFET. The dual therapy group take TCM prescriptionⅡ of cultivating emotion and assisting reproduction and auricular acupoint therapy for 3 months before IVF-ET, then Western Medicine treatment progestin supporting as well as auricular application and Antai Recipe after IVF-ET transplantation.The triple therapy group take TCM prescription Ⅱof cultivated emotion and assisted reproduction,auricular acupoint therapy and retention enema of TCM, and combination treatment the same as dual therapy group after transplantation. The natural pregnancy number, the period condition of secondary IVF-ET and the improvement of the kidney deficiency, liver depression and blood stasis syndrome among those three groups were compared.RESULTS: It was showed from analysis in 95 cases with ART failure that the number of natural preg-nancy was as followings: 3 patients from the dual therapy group, 10 patients from the triple therapy group, and no patient from the control group. The comparison among three groups have statistical significance(P < 0.05). The treatment group is superior to the control group, while the triple therapy is superior to the dual therapy. The comparison of the condition of the fertility rate, clinical pregnancy rate, biochemical pregnancy rate and early abortion rate during the period of secondary IVF-ET between pre-therapy and post-treatment of both the dual therapy group and the triple therapy group have statistical significance(P < 0.05). The comparison of the improvement of the kidney deficiency,liver depression and blood stasis syndrome between pre-therapy and post-treatment of both the dual therapy group and the triple therapy group have statistical significance(P < 0.05). The comparison between three groups after treatment have statistical significance(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: TCM multi-channel interventional therapy can increase the natural pregnancy rate of patients with ART Failure(the triple therapy is superior to the dual therapy); it can increase the fertility rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and decrease the early abortion rate during the period of secondary IVF-ET; it can improve syndromes of kidney deficiency, liver depression and blood stasis.

Effect of traditional Chinese comprehensive therapy on gestation in patients with previously failed in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of traditional Chinese comprehensive therapy(TCCT) on promoting gestation in patients with previously failed in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET) because of kidney deficiency, liver stagnation, and blood stasis(KLB).METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups: a trial group with 35 patients and a control group with 32 patients. The trial group was given TCCT for 3months, then administered IVF-ET or awaited natural pregnancy. The control group was administered IVF-ET without TCCT 3 months after the previous IVF-ET or natural pregnancy attempt. The patterns of KLB were observed both before and after treatment. The natural pregnancy rate of the two groups was calculated after treatment. Differences between the two groups were compared after using IVF-ET treatment again in fertilized egg number and fertilization rate were evaluated.RESULTS: After treatment with TCM comprehensive therapy, seven patients in the treatment group became pregnant, while there were no successful conceptions in the control group. The difference in clinical pregnancy rate in the initial cycle and transfer cycle of IVF were significantly different(P <0.05). The trial group had a significantly higher conception rate than that of the control group(P <0.05).CONCLUSION: TCCT can promote the natural pregnancy rate in patients with previously failed IVF-ET.TCCT could increase patients' fertilized egg number, fertilization rate, pregnancy rate, and clinical pregnancy rate after another IVF-ET treatment.TCCT can also relieve the symptoms of KLB.