Effects of acetylcysteine on micro-inflammation and pulmonary ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

BACKGROUND Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is a serious complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,often characterized by increased morbidity and mortality.In traditional Chinese medicine,AECOPD is linked to phlegm-heat and blood-stasis,presenting symptoms like thick sputum,fever,and chest pain.It has been shown that acetylcysteine inhalation in conjunction with conventional therapy significantly reduced inflammatory markers and improved lung function parameters in patients with AECOPD,suggesting that acetylcysteine may be an important adjunctive therapy for patients with phlegm-heat-blood stasis type AECOPD.AIM To investigate the effect of acetylcysteine on microinflammation and lung ventilation in patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD.METHODS One hundred patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD were randomly assigned to two groups.The treatment group received acetylcysteine inhalation(10%solution,5 mL,twice daily)along with conventional therapy,whereas the control group received only conventional therapy.The treatment duration was 14 d.Inflammatory markers(C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-alpha)in the serum and sputum as well as lung function parameters(forced expiratory volume in one second,forced vital capacity,and peak expiratory flow)were assessed pre-and post-treatment.Acetylcysteine inhalation led to significant reductions in inflammatory markers and improvements in lung function parameters compared to those in the control group(P<0.05).This suggests that acetylcysteine could serve as an effective adjunct therapy for patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD.RESULTS Acetylcysteine inhalation significantly reduced inflammatory markers in the serum and sputum and improved lung ventilation function parameters in patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis type AECOPD compared with the control group.These differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The study concluded that acetylcysteine inhalation had a positive effect on microinflammation and lung ventilation function in patients with this type of AECOPD,suggesting its potential as an adjuvant therapy for such cases.CONCLUSION Acetylcysteine inhalation demonstrated significant improvements in reducing inflammatory markers in the serum and sputum,as well as enhancing lung ventilation function parameters in patients with phlegm-heat and bloodstasis type AECOPD.These findings suggest that acetylcysteine could serve as a valuable adjuvant therapy for individuals with this specific type of AECOPD,offering benefits for managing microinflammation and optimizing lung function.

Recent Highlights of Experimental Research for Inhibiting Tumor Growth by Using Chinese Medicine

ABSTRACT To give an overview of contemporary experimental research using Chinese medicine （CM） for the treatment of cancer. As an integral part of mainstream medicine in the People＇s Republic of China, CM emphasizes improvements in holistic physical condition instead of merely killing tumor cells, which is consistent with the current medical model that advocates patient-oriented treatment. Great progress has been made in experimental research, and the principle aspects include anti-tumor angiogenesis, inducing apoptosis and differentiation, reversing multi- drug resistance, and improving immune function. As a current hot topic in cancer research, tumor micreenvironment （TME） highlights the mutual and interdependent interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding tissues, and the CM treatment concept bears a striking resemblance to it. To date, primary points of TME include extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammation, hypoxia, and angiogenesis, but trials using CM with a focus on TME are rare. Despite considerable recent development, experimental research on CM for solving cancer issues appears insufficient. Greater efforts in this field are urgently needed.

Recent Highlights of Chinese Medicine for Advanced Lung Cancer

Owing to its unique superiority in improving quality of life and prolonging survival time among advanced lung cancer patients, Chinese medicine（CM） has, in recent years, received increased attentions worldwide. We utilized a bibliometric statistical method based on MEDLINE/Go Pub Med to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current application status of CM in lung cancer, by including annual and accumulated publications, origin distribution of countries and journals, and keywords with a higher frequency score. Then the relevant clinical trials and mechanistic studies were systematically summarized within the field according to research types. We have raised potential problems and provided potentially useful reference information that could guide similar studies in the future. The basic experimental results are highly consistent with clinical trials, leading us to conclude that CM can offer better overall therapeutic benefits when used in combination with routine Western medicine for patients with advanced lung cancer.

Longer Overall Survival in A Patient with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Chinese Medicine and Chemotherapy

Non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） is the leading cause of cancer death in the industrialized world. Despite significant progress in early stage of the disease, the overall survival rates for advanced disease remain low. Herein we present a case of NSCLC who was treated with Chinese medicine and chemotherapy with a longer overall survival.

Protective Effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction(人参养荣汤) on Bone Marrow against Radiation Injury in Mouse

Objective：To explore the effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction（人参养荣汤,RYD） in protecting bone marrow from radiation injury.Methods：One hundred and eighty Kuming mice were subjected to the three tests for anti-radiation injury effect evaluation,i.e.the test of peripheral white blood cell（WBC） count, the test of bone marrow nucleated cell count,and the bone marrow micronucleus test,using 60 mice for each test.The mice in each test were divided into 6 groups：the blank control group,the model control group,the positive control group treated by Shiyiwei Shenqi Tablet（十一味参芪片,1.0 g/kg）,and three RYD groups treated with high（42.0 g/kg）,moderate（21.0 g/kg）,and low（10.5 g/kg） doses of crude drugs of RYD,with 10 mice in each group.The treatment was given by gastrogavage perfusion continuously for 7-14 days before mice received ^（60）Co-γray radiation and continued until the end of the experiment.The body weights of the mice were monitored,the changes in peripheral WBC and bone marrow nucleated cells were counted,and the variation in bone marrow micronucleated cells was observed on the respective appointed days.Results：A significant decrease in body weight,peripheral WBC count,and bone marrow nucleated cell count,as well as marked changes in bone marrow micronucleated cells were observed in the mice after radiation,indicating that the radiation injury model was successfully established.As compared with the model control group,the decrease in body weight,peripheral WBC count,and bone marrow nucleated cell count,as well as the increase in bone marrow micronucleus cell count in the high dosage RYD treated group were obviously inhibited or lessened （P0.05 or P0.01）.Conclusion：RYD showed obvious protective effect in mice with bone marrow injury induced by radiation.

Anti-fatigue Effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction(人参养荣汤) in Mice

Objective： To explore the anti-fatigue effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction （人参养荣汤 RYD） in mice. Methods： One hundred Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 20 mice in each group. The negative control group was treated with distilled water, the positive control group was treated with Shiyiwei Shenqi Tablet （十一味参芪片 1.0 g/kg）, the high-, medium- and low-dose RYD groups were treated with 42.0, 21.0 and 10.5 g/kg of RYD daily, respectively, by gastric infusion. At the end of the 7-day treatment, loaded swimming time, organ wet weight and coefficient, serum glucose, urea nitrogen, and hepatic glycogen levels were determined. The outcomes were compared among groups. Results： As compared with the negative control group, the loaded swimming time was significantly increased in the positive control group, specifically the medium- and high-dose RYD groups （P〈0.01）. In addition, the wet weights and coefficients of the spleen and thymus, and the serum glucose and hepatic glycogen contents were increased, whereas serum urea nitrogen level was significantly decreased in the positive control group and the high dose RYD group （P〈0.05 or P=〈0.01）. Conclusion： RYD showed an anti-fatigue effect in mice.