Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better ...Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better understanding of Chinese herbal property theory （CHPT）, this paper performed an improved association rule learning to analyze semistructured text in the book entitled Shennong＇s Classic of Materia Medica. The text was firstly annotated and transformed to well-structured multidimensional data. Subsequently, an Apriori algorithm was employed for producing association rules after the sensitivity analysis of parameters. From the confirmed 120 resulting rules that described the intrinsic relationships between herbal property （qi, flavor and their combinations） and herbal efficacy, two novel fundamental principles underlying CHPT were acquired and further elucidated： （1） the many-to-one mapping of herbal efficacy to herbal property; （2） the nonrandom overlap between the related efficacy of qi and flavor. This work provided an innovative knowledge about CHPT, which would be helpful for its modern research.展开更多
The property theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years,playing a pivotal role in the clinical application of TCM. While advancements in energy metabolism,chemical compositio...The property theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years,playing a pivotal role in the clinical application of TCM. While advancements in energy metabolism,chemical composition analysis, machine learning, ion current modeling, and supercritical fluid technology have provided valuable insight into how aspects of TCM property theory may be measured, these studies only capture specific aspects of TCM property theory in isolation, overlooking the holistic perspective inherent in TCM. To systematically investigate the modern interpretation of the TCM property theory from multidimensional perspectives, we consulted the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition) to compile a list of Chinese materia medica(CMM). Then, using the Latin names of each CMM and gut microbiota as keywords, we searched the PubMed database for relevant research on gut microbiota and CMM. The regulatory patterns of different herbs on gut microbiota were then summarized from the perspectives of the four natures, the five flavors and the meridian tropism. In terms of the four natures, we found that warm-natured medicines promoted the colonization of specific beneficial bacteria,while cold-natured medicines boosted populations of some beneficial bacteria while suppressing pathogenic bacteria. Analysis of the five flavors revealed that sweet-flavored and bitter-flavored CMMs positively influenced beneficial bacteria while inhibiting harmful bacteria. CMMs with different meridian tropism exhibited complex modulative patterns on gut microbiota, with Jueyin(Liver) and Taiyin(Lung) meridian CMMs generally exerting a stronger effect. The gut microbiota may be a biological indicator for characterizing the TCM property theory, which not only enhances our understanding of classic TCM theory but also contributes to its scientific advancement and application in healthcare.展开更多
The mild-natured and bitter-flavored traditional Chinese medicines(MB-TCMs)are an important class of TCMs that have been widely used in clinical practice and recognized as safe long-term treatments for chronic disease...The mild-natured and bitter-flavored traditional Chinese medicines(MB-TCMs)are an important class of TCMs that have been widely used in clinical practice and recognized as safe long-term treatments for chronic diseases.However,as an important class of TCMs,the panorama of pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of MB-TCMs have not been systemically reviewed.Compelling studies have shown that gut microbiota can mediate the therapeutic activity of TCMs and help to elucidate the core principles of TCM medicinal theory.In this systematic review,we found that MB-TCMs commonly participated in the modulation of metabolic syndrome,intestinal inflammation,nervous system disease and cardiovascular system disease in association with promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria Bacteroides,Akkermansia,Lactobacillus,Bifidobacterium,Roseburia as well as inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria Helicobacter,Enterococcus,Desulfovibrio and Escherichia-Shigella.These alterations,correspondingly,enhance the generation of protective metabolites,mainly including short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs),bile acid(BAs),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),indole and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA),and inhibit the generation of harmful metabolites,such as proinflammatory factors trimethylamine oxide(TAMO)and lipopolysaccharide(LPS),to further exert multiplicative effects for the maintenance of human health through several different signaling pathways.Altogether,this present review has attempted to comprehensively summarize the relationship between MB-TCMs and gut microbiota by establishing the TCMs-gut microbiota-metabolite-signaling pathway-diseases axis,which may provide new insight into the study of TCM medicinal theories and their clinical applications.展开更多
Objective: According to theory of Chinese medicine property, the ecological environment shapes properties(natures and flavors) of Chinese materia medica(CMM) and there are close relationships between certain natures a...Objective: According to theory of Chinese medicine property, the ecological environment shapes properties(natures and flavors) of Chinese materia medica(CMM) and there are close relationships between certain natures and flavors. However, to date these observations have not been validated scientifically in the context of the whole flora of a region. The present study aims to address this gap.Methods: We collected geographical distributions of 3637 vascular plant species native to the Xinjiang region of northwest China, of which around 812 are medicinal plants. The CMM property characters of these medicinal plants were also collected. All medicinal plants were then analyzed in the occurrence of their natures(cold, cool, neutral, warm, and hot) and flavors(sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent). Possible correlations between these properties and environmental factors, notably climate, as well as correlations with plant species richness of the wider native flora of Xinjiang were then investigated using permutation test and regression.Results: Cold species(38.5%) were more numerous than warm(21.0%) and neutral(22.3%), while bitter species(43.3%) were more numerous than pungent(25.6%), sweet(22.4%) and sour(6.7%) ones. Species with bitter flavor were most commonly also cold(48.6%) in nature, sour flavor usually coincided with cold(44.2%) or cool nature(26.0%), whereas pungent or sweet species tended to be warm(34.4%, 28.4%) or neutral(27.8%, 28.4%). The percentages of species of cold/cool nature, bitter flavor were higher in mountainous regions, and the percentages of warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour were higher in basins. The percentages of species of cold/cool, bitter were positively correlated with actual evapotranspiration(AET),and also plant species richness but had a bell-shaped relationship with potential evapotranspiration(PET),whereas the inverse situation was shown for warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour species.Conclusion: Analysis of the data in Xinjiang region of China supports the qualitative observations concerning natures and flavors in traditional theory of Chinese medicine property. Specifically,(i) certain natures and flavors co-occur more frequently than if randomly distributed;(ii) correlations between proportions of natures and flavors and climatic variables suggest a role for the environment in shaping the properties of CMM.展开更多
文摘Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better understanding of Chinese herbal property theory （CHPT）, this paper performed an improved association rule learning to analyze semistructured text in the book entitled Shennong＇s Classic of Materia Medica. The text was firstly annotated and transformed to well-structured multidimensional data. Subsequently, an Apriori algorithm was employed for producing association rules after the sensitivity analysis of parameters. From the confirmed 120 resulting rules that described the intrinsic relationships between herbal property （qi, flavor and their combinations） and herbal efficacy, two novel fundamental principles underlying CHPT were acquired and further elucidated： （1） the many-to-one mapping of herbal efficacy to herbal property; （2） the nonrandom overlap between the related efficacy of qi and flavor. This work provided an innovative knowledge about CHPT, which would be helpful for its modern research.
基金supported financially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81973217)。
文摘The property theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years,playing a pivotal role in the clinical application of TCM. While advancements in energy metabolism,chemical composition analysis, machine learning, ion current modeling, and supercritical fluid technology have provided valuable insight into how aspects of TCM property theory may be measured, these studies only capture specific aspects of TCM property theory in isolation, overlooking the holistic perspective inherent in TCM. To systematically investigate the modern interpretation of the TCM property theory from multidimensional perspectives, we consulted the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition) to compile a list of Chinese materia medica(CMM). Then, using the Latin names of each CMM and gut microbiota as keywords, we searched the PubMed database for relevant research on gut microbiota and CMM. The regulatory patterns of different herbs on gut microbiota were then summarized from the perspectives of the four natures, the five flavors and the meridian tropism. In terms of the four natures, we found that warm-natured medicines promoted the colonization of specific beneficial bacteria,while cold-natured medicines boosted populations of some beneficial bacteria while suppressing pathogenic bacteria. Analysis of the five flavors revealed that sweet-flavored and bitter-flavored CMMs positively influenced beneficial bacteria while inhibiting harmful bacteria. CMMs with different meridian tropism exhibited complex modulative patterns on gut microbiota, with Jueyin(Liver) and Taiyin(Lung) meridian CMMs generally exerting a stronger effect. The gut microbiota may be a biological indicator for characterizing the TCM property theory, which not only enhances our understanding of classic TCM theory but also contributes to its scientific advancement and application in healthcare.
基金The authors acknowledge the financial supports of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81973217,82174340).
文摘The mild-natured and bitter-flavored traditional Chinese medicines(MB-TCMs)are an important class of TCMs that have been widely used in clinical practice and recognized as safe long-term treatments for chronic diseases.However,as an important class of TCMs,the panorama of pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of MB-TCMs have not been systemically reviewed.Compelling studies have shown that gut microbiota can mediate the therapeutic activity of TCMs and help to elucidate the core principles of TCM medicinal theory.In this systematic review,we found that MB-TCMs commonly participated in the modulation of metabolic syndrome,intestinal inflammation,nervous system disease and cardiovascular system disease in association with promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria Bacteroides,Akkermansia,Lactobacillus,Bifidobacterium,Roseburia as well as inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria Helicobacter,Enterococcus,Desulfovibrio and Escherichia-Shigella.These alterations,correspondingly,enhance the generation of protective metabolites,mainly including short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs),bile acid(BAs),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),indole and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA),and inhibit the generation of harmful metabolites,such as proinflammatory factors trimethylamine oxide(TAMO)and lipopolysaccharide(LPS),to further exert multiplicative effects for the maintenance of human health through several different signaling pathways.Altogether,this present review has attempted to comprehensively summarize the relationship between MB-TCMs and gut microbiota by establishing the TCMs-gut microbiota-metabolite-signaling pathway-diseases axis,which may provide new insight into the study of TCM medicinal theories and their clinical applications.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 81560660, 81503183)
文摘Objective: According to theory of Chinese medicine property, the ecological environment shapes properties(natures and flavors) of Chinese materia medica(CMM) and there are close relationships between certain natures and flavors. However, to date these observations have not been validated scientifically in the context of the whole flora of a region. The present study aims to address this gap.Methods: We collected geographical distributions of 3637 vascular plant species native to the Xinjiang region of northwest China, of which around 812 are medicinal plants. The CMM property characters of these medicinal plants were also collected. All medicinal plants were then analyzed in the occurrence of their natures(cold, cool, neutral, warm, and hot) and flavors(sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent). Possible correlations between these properties and environmental factors, notably climate, as well as correlations with plant species richness of the wider native flora of Xinjiang were then investigated using permutation test and regression.Results: Cold species(38.5%) were more numerous than warm(21.0%) and neutral(22.3%), while bitter species(43.3%) were more numerous than pungent(25.6%), sweet(22.4%) and sour(6.7%) ones. Species with bitter flavor were most commonly also cold(48.6%) in nature, sour flavor usually coincided with cold(44.2%) or cool nature(26.0%), whereas pungent or sweet species tended to be warm(34.4%, 28.4%) or neutral(27.8%, 28.4%). The percentages of species of cold/cool nature, bitter flavor were higher in mountainous regions, and the percentages of warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour were higher in basins. The percentages of species of cold/cool, bitter were positively correlated with actual evapotranspiration(AET),and also plant species richness but had a bell-shaped relationship with potential evapotranspiration(PET),whereas the inverse situation was shown for warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour species.Conclusion: Analysis of the data in Xinjiang region of China supports the qualitative observations concerning natures and flavors in traditional theory of Chinese medicine property. Specifically,(i) certain natures and flavors co-occur more frequently than if randomly distributed;(ii) correlations between proportions of natures and flavors and climatic variables suggest a role for the environment in shaping the properties of CMM.
