TCM Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Supplementing the Kidney and Invigorating the Blood Circulation

The therapeutic effects in treating the intermediate and late rheumatoid arthritis by supplementing the kidney and invigorating blood circulation were observed. In the 43 cases of the treatment group, No. 2 Qu Feng Shi Ling capsules (祛风湿灵胶囊2号) and Fenbid (芬必得) were prescribed, while in the 39 cases of the control group Lei Gong Teng Tablets (雷公藤总甙片) and Fenbid were given. The results showed that the total effective rate in the treatment group was more satisfactory than that in the control (P<0.05 or P<0.01). With less toxic effects, the former could better improve the local swelling and lower the blood viscosity.

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 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.

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