Effect of Chinese Herbs for Activating Blood Circulation,Removing Stasis and Supplementing Qi on the Circulating Endothelial Cells in Patients with Unstable Angina Pectoris

Objective: To observe the effect and clinical significance of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease with unstable angina pectoris (CHD-UAP), and to explore the protective effect of Chinese herbs for activating blood circulation, removing stasis and supplementing Qi (CH) on CHD-UAP patient's CEC. Methods: Sixty patients with diagnosis of CHD-UAP confirmed and differentiated to be Qi-deficiency and blood stasis by TCM were randomly divided into two groups and treated, on the basis of Western drug-therapy, with Tongxinluo capsule (通心络胶囊, TXL) and Huoxue Tongmai capsule (活血通脉胶囊, HXTM) respectively by way of oral taking three times a day, 3 capsules every time, with 1 month as one therapeutic course. The number of CEC in patients' blood circulation was counted before and after treatment. Besides, the number of CEC in 30 healthy persons was also counted for control. Results: The number of CEC in CHD-UAP patients was significantly higher than that in the healthy persons (P<0.01). After the patients were treated with CH, either TXL or HXTM, it significantly decreased (P<0.01)with insignificant difference between the two treated groups. Conclusion: CEC in CHD-UAP patients is severely damaged and endothelial function in disorder, Chinese herbs have protective effect on patients' CEC.

Supplementing Qi and activating blood circulation method to treat vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia with posterior circulatory watershed infarction:a case report of two patients

Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia(VBD),a rare posterior circulation vascular variant disease,is an important risk factor for many acute cerebrovascular diseases.An insufficient understanding of VBD often leads to misdiagnose.Two cases of VBD that were initially diagnosed as posterior circulation watershed infarction are reported here.Absence of common causes of stroke including hypoperfusion,blood system diseases,carotid and aortic dissection,and eosinophil elevation,the symptoms of the 2 patients met the diagnostic criteria of VBD.Both patients displayed symptoms that were in line with the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)syndrome pattern of"Qi deficiency and blood stasis".Accordingly,they were comprehensively treated with Supplementing Qi and activating blood circulation method.The clinical manifestations of the 2 patients were remarkably improved and no recurrence of watershed infarction was found in a 1-year follow-up.A detailed medical history and laboratory examination are capable of improving diagnostic accuracy of VBD.TCM treatment based on syndrome identification might be a promising candidate for VBD management.

Effect of Chinese Drugs for Supplementing Qi,Nourishing Yin and Activating Blood Circulation on Myocardial Perfusion in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction after Revascularization

Objective:To observe the effects of Chinese drugs for supplementing qi,nourishing yin and activating blood circulation on the myocardial perfusion in acute myocardial infarction(AMI) patients after revascularization.Methods:Eighty patients with anterior or inferior ventricular wall AMI,who had received revascularization by intravenous thrombolysis or coronary bypass,were randomized into the treated group and the control group equally,both treated with conventional Western medical treatment,but combined,resp...

Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine for Nourishing Yin,Supplementing Qi,and Activating Blood on the Th1/Th2 Immune Balance in Peripheral Blood in Patients with Primary Sjogren's Syndrome

Objective： To observe the effect of Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood on the expression of interferen- γ （IFN-γ,）/interleukin-4 （IL-4） in peripheral blood and disease activity in primary Sjogren＇s syndrome （pSS） patients, and to study the relationship between the immune balance of Th1/Th2 and the disease activity. Methods： A total of 66 pSS patients were randomized with tossing coins method into two groups： the integrative therapy group （34 cases） and the control group （32 cases）; and 28 healthy subjects were taken as the normal group. The integrative therapy group was treated by Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood combined with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets and the control group was treated with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets. The treatment course was 3 months for both groups. The levels of serum immunoglobulin G （IgG）, erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）, IFN-γand IL-4 in peripheral blood were measured before and after treatment. Results： Compared with the normal group, the levels of IgG, ESR, IFN- γ and IL-4 were significantly increased in pSS patients （P〈0.05）. Remarkably, after 3 months of treatment, these levels were dramatically decreased in both the integrative therapy group and the control group, although still higher than the normal group. The levels of IgG, ESR, IFN- and IL-4 in the integrative therapy group were lower than the control group and the same group before treatment （P〈0.05）. The ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 also significantly decreased after treatment. Moreover, the level of IFN- γ, and the ratio of IFN- γ/IL-4 in the integrative theraphy group were significantly lower than the control group （P〈0.05）. For all patients the ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 before and after treatment was positive correlated with the levels of IgG and ESR. Conclusion： Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood can alleviate the disease activity of pSS by regulating the immune balance of Th1/Th2.

Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Nourishing Yin,Supplementing Qi,and Activating Blood on Reproductive Endocrine Activity and Immune Functions in Patients with Primary Sjogren's Syndrome

ABSTRACT Objective： To investigate the effect of Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood on the reproductive endocrine-immune network and its mechanisms in patients with primary Sjogren＇s syndrome （pSS）. Methods： Seventy pSS patients were randomly assigned to two groups using a randomized digital table： the integrative therapy group （36 cases） and the control group （34 cases）. Thirty healthy subjects were taken as a normal group. The control group was treated with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets alone, and the integrative therapy group was treated by Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood combined with hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets. The treatment course was 6 months for both groups. Before and after treatment, serum estradiol （E2）, testosterone （T）, luteinizing hormone （LH）, prolactin （PRL） by radioimmunoassay and immunoglobulin （IgG） by immunodiffusion, erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR） by Westergren, interferon-γ （IFN-γ） and interleukin-4 （IL-4） by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were determined. Results： E2 and T levels in all patients were lower than those of normal subjects before treatment （P〈0.05） and were increased significantly after 6-month treatment （P〈0.05）. ESR, FSH, LH, IgG, IFN - γ, IL - 4 and ratios of E2/T, and IFN --γ/IL in the patients were higher than those of normal subjects before the treatments （P〈0.05）, and were reduced significantly after the treatments （P〈0.05）. The T and IFN -γ levels and E2/T ratio in the patients treated with integrative therapy were reduced significantly compared with the control group （P〈0.05）. However, the PRL levels before and after treatment were not significantly changed in the two groups （P〉0.05）. The ratios of E2/T and IFN -γ/IL-4, and levels of IgG and ESR were positively correlated before and after treatment （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： The ratios of E2/T and IFN - γ/ IL-4 might be used as indicators of pSS activity. Chinese herbal medicines for nourishing yin, supplementing qi, and activating blood combined with Western medicine could improve the therapeutic effect by regulating the reproductive endocrine-immune network in pSS patients.

Protective Effect of Chinese Herbs for Supplementing Qi,Nourishing Yin and Activating Blood Circulation on Heart Function of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective： To investigate the effects of Chinese herbs for supplementing qi, nourishing yin and activating blood circulation on heart function of patients with acute coronary syndrome （ACS） after successful percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. Methods： One hundred patients with ACS after successful PCI were randomly assigned to a Western medicine （WM） treatment group （WMG） and a combined treatment group （CMG） treated by Chinese herbs for supplementing qi, nourishing yin and activating blood circulation, besides Western medicine treatment, with 50 cases in each group. Both treatment courses were 6 months. The follow- up was scheduled at baseline, 6 months and 1 year after PCI, and New York Heart Association （NYHA） functional class, Chinese medicine （CM） symptom scores, blood stasis syndrome scores, and major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE） were observed, serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） and hyper-sensitivity C-reactive protein （Hs-CRP） were measured, an echocardiogram was conducted to examine left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）, left ventricular end-diastolic volume （LVEDV）, left ventricular end-systolic volume （LVESV）, inter-ventricular septal thickness （IVST）, left ventricular posterior wall thickness （LVPWT）, and ventricular wall motion index （VWMI）. Results： Compared with the baseline, LVEF significantly increased （P〈0.01）, and CM symptom scores, blood stasis syndrome scores, VWMI, LVEDV, LVESV, NT-proBNP, and Hs-CRP all decreased （P〈0.01） in both groups at 6 months and at 1 year after PCI. There were no significant differences in all the above parameters at 1 year vs those at 6 months after PCI （P〉0.05）. VWMI, LVEDV, LVESV, NT-proBNP, Hs-CRP, LVEF, and CM symptom and blood stasis syndrome scores were all improved obviously in CMG than those in WMG （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01） at 6 months and at 1 year after PCI. There were no significant differences in NYHA functional class between CMG and WMG at different follow-up timepoints; it was notable that P value was 0.054 when comparing the cases of NYHA functional class between the two groups at 1-year follow-up. During the 1-year follow-up, 3 MACE and 11 MACE occurred in CMG and WMG, respectively; the MACE rate in CMG was lower than that in WMG （6% vs 22%, P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Chinese herbs for supplementing qi, nourishing yin and activating blood circulation could improve heart function, reduce the CM symptom scores and blood stasis syndrome scores, and decrease the incidence of MACE in patients with ACS after successful PCI.

Randomized Double-blinded and Controlled Clinical Trial on Treatment of HIV/AIDS by Zhongyan-4 (中研-4号)

Objective： To assess the efficacy and safety of Zhongyan-4 （中研-4号, ZY-4, a Chinese herbal preparation worked out according to the therapeutic principle of supplementing qi, nourishing Yin, clearing heat and detoxication） in treating HIV/AIDS patients in the early or middle stage. Methods： Adopted was randomized double-blinded and placebo-parallel-controlled method, with 72 HIV/AIDS patients randomly divided into the ZY-4 group （36 patients） treated with ZY-4 and the control group （36 patients） treated with placebo. The treatment course was six months. The index of OD4^＋, OD8^＋ counts, body weight, clinical symptom scoring were estimated at 4 time points （0, 1, 3 and 6 month in the course）, and also the viral load before and after treatment. The whole course of observation was completed in 63 patients, 30 in the ZY-4 group and 33 in the control group. Results： OD4^＋ count in the ZY-4 group got elevated by 7.70 4±150.96/mm^3 on average, while that in the control group lowered by 27.33 4±85.28 /mm^3 . Fifteen out of the 30 patients in the ZY-4 group had their OD4^＋ count increased, which was evidently much higher than that in the control group （8/33, P〈0. 05）, suggesting that the efficacy of ZY-4 is superior to that of placebo in elevating OD4^＋ count. Moreover, ZY-4 showed actions in elevating OD45RA^＋ and OD8^＋ count, reducing HIV virus load, improving clinical symptom/sign and increasing body weight of patients. No obvious adverse reaction was found in the clinical trial. Conclusion： ZY-4 has an immunity-protective and/or rebuilding function in HIV/AIDS patients in the early and middle stage, and also shows effects in lowering viral load, increasing body weight and improving symptoms and signs to a certain degree.

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