Traditional Indian Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine:A Comparative Overview

Traditional Indian medicine or Ayurveda(阿育吠陀)and Traditional Chinese Medicine remain the most ancient yet living traditions.These are the two great traditional medicines with rich philosophical,experiential,and experimental basis.Both the systems have been developed and enriched by thousands of years of practices,observations,and experiences.As India and China are neighbors,some exchange of medical ideas and practices might have occurred between the two nations since ancient times.Therefore,when the two traditional medicines are examined closely,many similarities become apparent in the theories and practices along with individual differences.

Meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials for scalp acupuncture treatment of stroke：A systematic review

OBJECTIVE:To conduct a systematic review to assess the clinical effectiveness of scalp acupuncture(SA) for stroke.METHODS:Literature searches were performed in7 databases up to 16 August 2014,and all the randomized controlled trials(RCTs) in which SA therapy was administered to stroke patients were selected.Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad score,the Cochrane risk of bias assessment,and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture.RESULTS:Of a total of 2086 papers,21 RCTs were selected.Meta-analysis revealed significant differences in the total efficacy rates of the SA group and the body acupuncture(BA) group vs the medication group(P < 0.002,P < 0.000 001,respectively),the SA plus BA group vs the BA group(P < 0.001);in the motor function of the SA plus BA group vs the BA group(P = 0.077);and in the nerve function of the SA group vs the SA plus BA group(P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION:The results of our systematic review showed that SA therapy may exhibit effects in treatment efficacy and in the recovery of motor and nervous functions in patients with acute to chronic stroke.However,because of the lack of methodological quality,the thoroughly planned clinical studies are still required.

The Effect of Hormones of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-target Gland Axes in a Kidney-Yang Deficiency Syndrome Model

Kidney-yang deficiency syndrome(KYDS)is a diagnostic pattern in the traditional Chinese medicine.Studies have shown that KYDS is related to the functional disorder of hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-target gland axes.The standard procedure used to mimic KYDS is the injection of a high dose of exogenous glucocorticoid(hydrocortisone and corticosterone).Such a model showed symptoms such as exhaustion,body twists,cold limbs,lying crowded together,decreased rectal temperature,sexual dysfunction,decreased reaction speed,reduced spontaneous activity,hair loss,loss of appetite,and weight loss.Moreover,the model manifested an imbalance in mutual control among the hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes,including adrenocorticotrophic hormone,CORT,CRH,thyroid-stimulating hormone,triiodothyronine,thyroxine,T,E2,follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone,and 17-OHCS.