Effect of Suan Zao Ren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) Extract on the TXNIP/NLRP3 Pathway in Insomniac Rats

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of Suan Zao Ren(Semen Ziziphi Spinosae,SZS)extract on insomnia induced by p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)in rats and its influence on the thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding domain Leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway,and to preliminarily explore themechanism by which SZS extract improves insomnia.Methods Fifty male Sprague–Dawley(SD)rats were used,with 8 rats in the blank group and 42 rats in the modeling group.The modeling group was induced by intraperitoneal injection of PCPA at a dose of 500mg·kg^(-1) for six consecutive days,with daily cage exchange.After 6 days,40 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into five groups:themodel group(equal volume of distilled water),the positive group(0.75 mg·kg^(-1)),and low-,medium-,and high-dose SZS extract groups(1.5,3,and 6 g·kg^(-1),respectively),with 8 rats in each group.Treatments were administered for seven consecutive days.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)in the rat cerebral cortex.The thiobarbituric acid(TBA)method was used to determine malondialdehyde(MDA)levels,and the hydroxylamine method was used to determine superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels.The 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)method was used to measure total antioxidant capacity(TAOC)in the cerebral cortex.Pathological changes in the cerebral cortex were observed,and Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of TXNIP,NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a Caspase activation and recruitment domain(CARD),and cysteine–aspartate-specific protease 1(Caspase-1)in the cerebral cortex.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group showed a significantly prolonged sleep latency(p<0.001)and a significantly shortened sleep duration(p<0.001).There were no changes in serum MDA and SOD levels.MDA levels in the cerebral cortex were significantly increased(p<0.001),while SOD and TAOC levels were significantly decreased(p<0.001).The 5-HT level was increased(p<0.05),and the GABA level was significantly decreased(p<0.001).SZS extract improved these conditions to varying degrees.Light microscopy showed no significant changes in cortical neurons but transmission electron microscopy revealed intact mitochondrial structures in the blank group,while the model group showed swollen and unclear mitochondria with reduced organelles.After 7 days of treatment,these conditions improved in the SZS extract groups.Compared with the blank group,the expressions of the four proteins in the model group were increased,and the expressions of these proteins were decreased in the SZS extract groups compared with the model group.Conclusion SZS extract may exert an antioxidant effect to treat insomnia by downregulating the expression of TXNIP/NLRP3 proteins and regulating oxidative stress levels in the cerebral cortex.

中西医治疗对哮喘发作期轻中度热哮患者临床症状及肺功能影响的对比研究

目的:初步评价中医辨证治疗、中医辨证治疗加穴位贴敷、西药常规治疗对于哮喘发作期轻中度热哮患者的临床疗效。方法:将157例发作期轻中度哮喘患者随机分为3组,辨证组辨证给予口服中药颗粒剂芩龙清肺止哮汤,综合组在辨证组基础上加用中药穴位贴敷,西药组按照哮喘指南口服西药。治疗10天,观察患者治疗前后中医症状积分:喘息、哮鸣、咳嗽、咯痰、口渴、汗出、面红;肺功能指标肺活量(FVC)、一秒钟用力呼气容积(FEV1)、一秒钟用力呼气容积占用力肺活量比值(FEV1/FVC)、呼气峰值流速(PEF)。结果:治疗前3组中医症状积分比较,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05),具有可比性。治疗后,3组分别与治疗前比较,差异均有非常显著性意义(P<0.01),治疗后明显缓解。治疗后3组间比较,差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。治疗前3组比较,肺功能FEV1/FVC、FVC、FEV1、PEF差异均无显著性意义(P>0.05),具有可比性。治疗后辨证组肺功能FEV1/FVC、FVC、FEV1、PEF与治疗前比较,差异均有非常显著性意义(P<0.01),治疗后明显缓解。治疗后综合组肺功能PEF与治疗前比较,差异有非常显著性意义(P<0.01),治疗后明显缓解。治疗后西药组肺功能FEV1/FVC、FVC、FEV1、PEF与治疗前比较,差异均有非常显著性意义(P<0.01),治疗后明显缓解。结论:中药辨证治疗能够有效改善支气管哮喘患者的肺功能及临床症状。

Acupuncture versus oral medicine for women with diminished ovarian reserve:A cohort study

Objective:To observe whether electro-acupuncture(EA) is better in improving hormone levels among women with diminished ovarian reserve(DOR) compared with oral medicine [Chinese herbs with or without hormone replacement therapy(HRT)] that is often used in gynecology clinics in China.Methods:Eligible participants entered the EA group or medication group according to their preferences.Participants in the EA group received EA treatment,and participants the medication group received herbal decoction alone or combined with HRT.Reproductive hormone levels of the participants were tested before and during treatment in both groups.Results:A total of 80 women with DOR were screened and 57 cases were included(29 in the EA group and 28 in the medication group) in the final analysis.The differences in the change from baseline between the EA and medication group in mean follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) levels were-6.6(95% Cl,-17.03 to 3.72),(P=0.848) and-7.09(95% CI,-15.86 to 1.66),(P=0.539) at weeks 12 and 24,respectively.The proportion of women with regular FSH levels in the EA and medication group was 51.3% vs 32.1% at week 12(P=0.134) and 51.3% vs 25.0% at week 24(P=0.038).Conclusion:EA might influence regulating the levels of FSH,luteinizing hormone(LH),estrogen and the FSH/LH ratio,and no difference was found between the effects of EA and oral medicine in changes of reproductive hormone levels.

Research progress of moxibustion in treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

As the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)therapy,moxibustion includes many techniques,such as Chinese herb-isolated moxibustion,heat-sensitive moxibustion,mild moxibustion and warming needling.Through multiple functions of moxibustion,e.g.heat stimulation,meridian conductivity and drug effect,moxibustion brings the therapeutic effect into play,thus,it displays a certain advantage in treatment of Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).In clinical practice,moxibustion therapy is widely used in the treatment of IBS and has achieved certain therapeutic effect.It is found in clinical and experimental researches that moxibustion may achieve the therapeutic effect by means of the intervention of visceral hypersensitivity,gastrointestinal hormone,gastrointestinal motility,brain-gut axis,intestinal flora,etc.But,the specific mechanism remains to be further explored.In this paper,the current status of treatment and research progress are summarized and reflected so as to provide ideas for future research and application.

Acupuncture for chronic rhinosinusitis and related postoperative pain:A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:The network meta-analysis system was used to evaluate the efficacy of various acupuncture and moxibustion techniques for chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS)and related postoperative pain.Methods:An electronic search of PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,OVID(the Offshore Vessel Inspection Database),CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,and CBM databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials on acupuncture and moxibustion for CRS and related postoperative pain from database inception to February 2021.The study included randomised controlled trials(RCTs)published in China and other countries in languages limited to Chinese and English.Primary studies included treated individuals without limitations on age,gender,or nationality and diagnosed as CRS.The total effective rate,visual analogue scale(VAS)score,and symptom and sign score were the primary outcomes.Evidence quality and risk-of-bias were determined.Network meta-analysis was performed.Results:Nineteen articles were included,involving 11 types of intervention measures.The pairwise comparisons showed that both acupuncture therapy combined with drugs(ATD)and sphenopalatine ganglion acupuncture combined with drugs(SGAD)were superior to western medicine(WM)in improving the total effective rate,and ATD was superior to manual acupuncture therapy(MAT),WM,and placebo(PL).In reducing the VAS score,both ATD and SGAD were superior to WM.Point-through-point acupuncture combined with pricking blood therapy(PABT)was superior to MAT.In reducing symptom and sign score,ATD was superior to WM and PL.PABT was superior to MAT.The results of network meta-analysis showed that ATD was superior to MAT,Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),and WM in improving the total effective rate.In reducing the symptom and sign score,ATD was superior to PL,WM,MAT,and sham acupuncture(SA).PL was superior to MAT,WM,and SA.and PABT was superior to MAT and SA,MAT was superior to WM.There was no significant difference between the intervention measures in reducing the VAS score.The surface under the cumulative ranking curve showed that ATD had the best effect in improving the total effective rate and reducing the VAS and symptom and sign score.Conclusion:ATD was the best method for improving the total effective rate and reducing the VAS and symptom and sign score in the treatment of CRS and related postoperative pain.However,considering the current study quantity and quality,multicentre and high-quality clinical studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify our findings.