The basic core traditional C hinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and its active mechanisms

Background:COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on human health,economies,societies,and livelihoods around the world.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulae have played an important role in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.WHO evaluated the role of TCM in treating of COVID-19 and encouraged other countries to promote the use of TCM formulae.However,the key is to find the basic core traditional Chinese medicine(BC-TCM)among those formulae.Methods:For the first time,we mined the data of TCM formulae in CNIPA and analyzed herb characteristics and association rules.We then determined the BC-TCM and screened main compounds and therapeutic targets.Finally,the potential molecular mechanisms were explored by using enrichment analyses and molecular docking.Results:This study screened 123 patented TCM formulae,including 312 herbs.According to frequency statistics and association rules,nine herbs(Gan Cao,Jin Yinhua,Guang Huoxiang,Fu Ling,Huang Qi,Jie Geng,Lian Qiao,Cang Zhu,Ku Xingren)were selected as the BC-TCM.The BC-TCM involved 166 main compounds and 48 therapeutic targets.The active compounds Hederagenin,Spinasterol,Beta-sitosterol,and Liquiritin had high binding activity to the COVID-19 targets 3CL,ACE2,and core targets RELA,HSP90AA1,STAT3,MAPK3,and TP53 according to molecular docking results.Interestingly,Hederagenin might be a potential compound for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.Conclusion:Our research predicted and confirmed the preventive therapeutic effect of BC-TCM on COVID-19.This has the potential to broaden the scope of TCM,guide people in using clinical formulae,and provide valuable insights for future TCM discovery research.

Comparative efficacy of traditional Chinese herbal injection for chronic renal failure:A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis(NMA) for the comparison of the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal injection(CHI) combined with Western medicine(WM) and WM monotherapy for chronic renal failure(CRF).Methods: Eight databases were searched from inception to August 30, 2022. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) regarding the comparison of CHI-WM combination therapy and WM monotherapy were included. Literature search, risk-of-bias assessment, and data extraction were conducted by 2 reviewers independently. NMA was performed by Stata 14.0, R 4.0.4 software, and the latest risk of bias assessment tool 2(RoB 2).Results: A total of 53 RCTs were finally included, involving 4445 participants and 16 CHIs. RoB 2 showed that 2 of these studies had a high risk of bias. Tianqi injection(TQ) + WM was the most effective in reducing serum creatinine(Scr) level. Xingding injection(XD) + WM was the most effective in reducing blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and cystatin C(Cys C) levels. Guhong injection(GH) + WM had the highest endogenous creatinine clearance rate(Ccr). Shuxuetong injection(SXT) + WM was the most effective in improving the clinical effective rate. Danhong injection(DH) + WM resulted in the lowest 24-h urinary protein quantity(24 h-UPQ), while Danshen injection(DS) + WM led to the lowest blood uric acid(UA)level. Shenfu injection(SF) + WM was the most effective in increasing hemoglobin(Hb) level.Conclusion: CHIs-WM combination therapy is more effective than WM monotherapy in treating CRF.Considering all of the indicators, SK + WM may be the optimal treatment option for improving renal function in patients with CRF.

Epigastric pain syndrome: What can traditional Chinese medicine do? A randomized controlled trial of Biling Weitong Granules

BACKGROUND Recent research suggests that although prokinetic agents,acid suppressors,and radical treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection may be effective in patients with functional dyspepsia(FD),a large proportion of patients still fail to respond to these treatments or may suffer from severe adverse reactions.Many traditional Chinese medicinal herbs can regulate the status of the entire body and have special advantages in the treatment of functional diseases.The present study was designed to verify the efficacy of Biling Weitong Granules(BLWTG),a traditional Chinese medicinal herbal compound formula,in alleviating epigastric pain syndrome(EPS)in FD patients,in an attempt to provide an effective prescription for the clinical treatment of this disease.AIM To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of BLWTG in treating EPS in patients with FD.METHODS In this multicenter,stratified,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,parallel group clinical trial,eligible patients were randomized into the BLWTG and placebo groups who were treated for 6 wk.Efficacy indicators including the severity and frequency of EPS and the time to pain resolution and safety indicators including adverse events were observed and compared.RESULTS The baseline demographic data and clinical characteristics,such as epigastric pain symptoms,pain intensity,and frequency of attacks,were matched between the two groups before randomization.After 6 wk of treatment and after the center effect was eliminated,the epigastric pain was significantly improved in 28.33%and 85.59%of the patients in the placebo and BLWTG groups,respectively(P<0.05).At 6 wk,the resolution rate of epigastric pain was 15%and 69.49%in the placebo and BLWTG groups,respectively(P<0.05).The differences of total FD clinical score between these two groups were significant(P<0.05)at 2,4,and 6 wk(P<0.05).The scores of each item and the total score in the Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life Questionnaire showed significant differences between the two groups at 6 wk after both the center and interaction effects were eliminated(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups,and no serious adverse event was noted during the observation.CONCLUSION Compared with placebo,BLWTG markedly improved EPS in FD patients without causing serious adverse reactions.

Clinical research progress of oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eyes

Dry eye is a common and frequently occurring ophthalmology disease with complex etiology and easy recurrence.Oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristicsof high curative effect and little toxic and side effect in the treatment of dry eye.This paper collates the domestic reported clinical studies on the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye,which are discussed from four aspects:special prescription for specific disease,addition and subtraction of main prescription,treatment based on syndrome differentiation and proprietary Chinese medicine.The curative effect and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye are demonstrated,providing a reference for the treatment of dry eye in the future.

Research progress on the regulation of androgen receptor signaling pathway in the treatment of prostate cancer by traditional Chinese medicine monomers

The prevalence of prostate cancer in males worldwide is increasing every year.Androgen and androgen receptor drive the development of prostate cancer and are important targets for the treatment of prostate cancer.A growing number of reports indicate that the traditional Chinese medicine has a clear advantage in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.This article provides an overview of the in vitro and in vivo studies of different traditional Chinese medicine monomers acting on the androgen receptor-signaling pathway in prostate cancer.

Adolescence dysfunctional uterine bleeding:perspectives from the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine

Because their endocrine system is not yet developmentally mature,adolescent girls are prone to dysfunctional uterine bleeding caused by insufficiency of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.The view of modern medicine is mainly aimed at the secretory function of sex hormones,such as estrogen and progesterone.However,it causes distress to patients because of the susceptibility of their treatment to endocrine system disorders.Traditional Chinese medicine considers the damage to the function of the Conception Vessel and Thoroughfare Vessel as the key to the disease.In this way,we guide the use of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and achieve good results.The pathogenesis and management of functional uterine bleeding in adolescence are discussed from two medical perspectives in this article.

Analysis of medication law of treatment of cholelithiasis by internal traditional Chinese medicine based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance system

Objective:Based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance System version 2.5 to explore the rule of medication used in internal traditional Chinese medicine for cholelithiasis in the national patent network.Method:Collect the internal administrations of cholelithiasis in the national patent network,and enter them into the Chinese medicine inheritance system version 2.5,adopt frequency analysis,association rules,complex system entropy clustering and other data mining methods to analyze the prescription rule of traditional Chinese medicine cholelithiasis.Results:According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,215 prescriptions were selected,involving 398 drugs,30 drugs with a frequency of>20,and 39 commonly used drug pairs.The core drugs are:Jinqiancao(Herba Lysimachiae),Yujin(Radix Curcumae),Chaihu(Radix Bupleuri),Yinchen(Herba Artemisiae Scopariae),Jineijin(Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli),Dahuang(Radix et Rhizoma Rhei),Gancao(Radix Glycyrrhizae),Huangqin(Radix Scutellariae),Baishao(Raidix Paeoniae Alba),Muxiang(Radix Aucklandiae),Zhishi(Fructus Aurantii Immaturus),Yanhusuo(Rhizoma Corydalis),Huzhang(Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati),Haijinsha(Herba Lygodii).And 9 new prescriptions have been got.Conclusion:In the national patent network,the traditional Chinese medicine is used in the treatment of cholelithiasis.The main treatment is clearing heat and dampness,regulating Qi and relieving pain,and promoting gallbladder removing stone,providing reference for clinical treatment of cholelithiasis.

Progress of traditional Chinese Medicine on ADHD Treatment Based on Syndrome Differentiation

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD)is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood.Syndrome differentiation for ADHD in traditional Chinese medicine is complex without common uniform,it is important to propose unified standards.Based on the principle of syndrome differentiation,this article focused on the different names of different syndrome differentiation methods but the same essence,and summarized Chinese medicine compounds according to syndrome factors.By collecting relevant literature on ADHD treatment with Chinese herbal compound in recent years,ADHD is classified into 7 different syndrome types,and Chinese herbal compound is classified correspondingly for reference and selection of clinical treatment of ADHD.

A study on the medication law of oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in treating breast carbuncle based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription Dictionary

Objective:Based on the database of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription Dictionary,the prescription medication rules of oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast carbuncle were explored by using the software of Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System(V2.5).Methods:To screen and retrieve the prescriptions for treating breast carbuncle in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription Dictionary,and data mining was carried out by using association rule algorithm,complex system entropy clustering and so on.Results:A total of 208 prescriptions which met the inclusion criteria were selected,involving 175 traditional Chinese medicines.Among them,23 medicines were found to be more than 21 times in the treatment of breast carbuncle.The nature of the medicine is mainly cold or warm,the flavour of the medicine is mainly bitter or sweet,most of them belong to the spleen,liver,stomach.15 commonly used drug combinations and 9 new prescriptions were obtained.Conclusion:The key pathogenesis of breast carbuncle is liver depression and Qi stagnation,stomach heat blocking collaterals,the treatment is mainly to clear heat and detoxify,regulate Qi to diffuse the knot,which provides reference for the choose of traditional Chinese medicine prescription in treating breast carbuncle.

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine alone in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease

Background:To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux.Methods:PubMed,The Cochrane Library,Embase,Web of Science,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Database,China Science and Technology Journal Database and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database were searched for randomized controlled trials of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux from database establishment time to December 2020.After two researchers independently screened the literature,extracted data and evaluated the bias risk included in the study,RevMan5.3 software was used for meta-analysis.Results:A total of 12 randomized controlled trials,were included,including 893 patients.The results of meta-analysis showed that the total effective rate of the treatment group(relative risk=1.28,95%confidence interval(CI)(1.19,1.38),P<0.00001),RGERDQ(refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease)score(mean difference(MD)=−3.35,95%CI(−4.13,−2.57),P<0.00001],acid reflux(acid in the stomach comes out of the mouth)[MD=−0.30,95%CI(−0.45,−0.15),P<0.00001],heartburn(the feeling that the heart is burned)(MD=−0.44,95%CI(−0.60,−0.29),P<0.00001,and retrosternal pain(MD=−0.27,95%CI(−0.44,−0.10),P<0.00001,belching(MD=−0.40,95%CI(−0.57,−0.24),P<0.00001],endoscopic mucosal score(MD=−0.62,95%CI(−0.78,−0.46),P<0.00001],the differences were statistically significant,and the effective rate of mucosal improvement under endoscopy was P=0.93>0.05,with no statistically significant difference.Conclusion:The current evidence shows that traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease is better than that of western medicine in the total effective rate,relieving acid reflux,heartburn,retrosternal pain and belching symptoms,but it is impossible to judge the improvement of mucosa under endoscope.Due to the limitations of the quality and quantity of included studies,more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the above conclusions.

A Review on Application and Development of General Prescriptions for Treating Epidemic Diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In thousands of years'struggling against epidemic diseases,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),with its unique and advantageous theories and methods,has protected prosperity of the Chinese nation,composing a brilliant chapter.There are many famous prescriptions and medicines for prevention and treatment of epidemic diseases in TCM.In view of characteristics of epidemic diseases,application of general prescriptions in fighting against epidemic diseases has its unique effects and advantages.Through combing and studying the application of TCM general prescriptions for treating epidemic diseases in different historical periods,summarizing experience and reflecting on lessons,this paper tries to define the concept of TCM general prescriptions for treating epidemic diseases,explore elements of their efficacy guarantee,analyze their advantages and limitations,as well as reveal their enlightenment significance and application prospects,or provide ideas and reference for clinical application.

Neural stem cells promote neuroplasticity: a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Recent studies have demonstrated that neuroplasticity,such as synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis,exists throughout the normal lifespan but declines with age and is significantly impaired in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.Hence,promoting neuroplasticity may represent an effective strategy with which Alzheimer’s disease can be alleviated.Due to their significant ability to self-renew,differentiate,and migrate,neural stem cells play an essential role in reversing synaptic and neuronal damage,reducing the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease,including amyloid-β,tau protein,and neuroinflammation,and secreting neurotrophic factors and growth factors that are related to plasticity.These events can promote synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis to repair the microenvironment of the mammalian brain.Consequently,neural stem cells are considered to represent a potential regenerative therapy with which to improve Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.In this review,we discuss how neural stem cells regulate neuroplasticity and optimize their effects to enhance their potential for treating Alzheimer’s disease in the clinic.

Circ_0003855 involvement of esophageal cancer progression through miR-622/FLOT1

To confirm the relationship between Circ_0003855 and EC,we purchased the Human esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109 and normal human esophageal epithelial cells HEEC,and the expression levels of Circ_0003855,miR-622,and FLOT1 were detected.The results show that Circ_0003855 and FLOT1 were highly expressed in Eca109 cells,while miR-622 was lowly expressed(p<0.05).Subsequently,Circ_0003855 small interfering RNA(si-Circ_0003855)and its negative control(si-NC)were used to detect changes in cellular biological behaviors.We found that the activity of Eca109 cells was reduced after interfering with the expression of Circ_0003855,and miR-622 expression was elevated,while FLOT1 was decreased(p<0.05).Additionally,si-Circ_0003855 and miR-622 inhibitor sequence(miR-622-inhibition)were co-transfected into cells with miR-622-inhibition alone,and untreated Eca109 cells were used as a control to detect the expression of FLOT1.Co-transfection of si-Circ_0003855 and miR-622-inhibition showed no significant difference in FLOT1 expression compared to the control cells(p>0.05).Synthesizing the results of these experiments above,we believe that interfering with the expression of Circ_0003855 can inhibit the activity of EC cells,and its mechanism is related to miR-622 and FLOT1.

Potential efficacy and mechanism of medicinal plants on chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification:a review

Vascular calcification is a crucial risk factor that affects the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease patients.Modern medicine relies on calcium-phosphorus binding agents,calcium mimetics,active vitamin D,and hemodialysis to prevent and treat vascular calcification,however,their efficacy is unsatisfactory and adverse reactions often occur.Medical plant therapy can act as an integrative regulator in patients with chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification,which can significantly improve patients’symptoms,but its specific mechanism has not been fully elucidated yet.In this paper,we reviewed the domestic and international theoretical studies on the pathogenesis mechanism of chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification in recent years,summarized eight active ingredients of medicinal plants as well as four compound formulas for improving chronic kidney disease-associated vascular calcification,and explored the mechanism of action of herbal medicine,which will provide a new strategy for promoting the prevention and treatment of vascular calcification.

Intestinal flora: New perspective of type 2 diabetes

Diabetes comprises a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia stemming from various factors.Current diabetes management primarily focuses on blood glucose control,yet it is inherently progressive,necessitating increased reliance on exogenous blood glucose control methods over time.Therefore,there is an urgent need to explore novel intervention strategies addressing both diabetes and its complications.The human intestinal microbiota,often referred to as the"second genome",exhibits significant diversity and plays a pivotal role in insulin resistance,glucose and lipid metabolism,and inflammatory response.Notably,Li and Guo have elucidated the involvement of intestinal flora in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and proposed a novel therapeutic approach targeting intestinal microbes.This advancement enhances our comprehension of the multifaceted and multi-target regulation of T2DM by intestinal microflora,thereby offering fresh avenues for understanding its pathogenesis and clinical management.This letter briefly summarizes the role of intestinal flora in T2DM based on findings from animal experiments and clinical studies.Additionally,it discusses the potential clinical applications and challenges associated with targeting intestinal flora as therapeutic interventions.

Efficacy of activating blood and resolving stasis therapy for IgA nephropathy:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of activating blood and resolving stasis in patients with IgA nephropathy.Methods:From inception to May 2022,databases including PubMed,Embase,the Cochrane Library,Web of Science,WanFang database,Chinese Biomedical Database,VIP,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for randomized controlled trials about enhancing blood circulation and removing stasis for IgA nephropathy.For the articles that satisfied the requirements,quality assessment and meta-analysis were done.Results:Seventeen randomized controlled trials with a total of 1653 patients were included.Meta-analysis showed that activating blood and resolving stasis could increase therapeutic effectiveness(risk ratio(RR)=-0.47,95%confidence interval(CI)(-0.37,-0.2),P=0.0006)and decrease levels of serum creatinine(RR=-0.47,95%CI(-0.37,-0.2),P=0.0006),urea nitrogen(RR=0.85,95%CI(1.44,0.26),P=0.005),24-hour urinary protein quantification(RR=1.6,95%CI(2.44,0.95).P=0.00001),and urine red blood cell count(RR=1.7,95%CI(2.57,0.82),P=0.0001).There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of security(RR=0.6,95%CI(0.36,1.01),P=0.05).Conclusion:Western medicine combined activating blood and resolving stasis is more efficient than Western medicine therapy alone in treating IgA nephropathy,but it still needs to be supported by additional large-scale,multi-center randomized controlled clinical trials due to the poor quality of the included trials.

The Prognostic Value of Red Cell Distribution Width in Critically Ill Cerebral Infarction Patients:A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective:Red blood cell distribution width(RDW)has been utilized as a prognostic indicator for mortality risk assessment in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular patients.Nevertheless,the prognostic significance of RDW in critically ill patients with cerebral infarction is yet to be investigated.The objective of this study is to examine the association between RDW and the risk of all-cause mortality in cerebral infarction patients admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU).Method:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV 2.2(MIMIC-IV)intensive care dataset for data analysis.The main results were the all-cause mortality rates at 3 and 12 months of follow-up.Cumulative curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method,and Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to examine the relationship between RDW and mortality rates in critically ill cerebral infarction patients.Results:The findings indicate that RDW serves as a significant prognostic factor for mortality risk in critically ill stroke patients,specifically at the 3 and 12-month follow-up periods.The observed correlation between increasing RDW levels and higher mortality rates among cerebral infarction patients further supports the potential utility of RDW as a predictive indicator.Conclusion:RDW emerges as an independent predictor of mortality risk during the 3 and 12-month follow-up periods for critically ill patients with cerebral infarction.

Correction: Efficacy of activating blood and resolving stasis therapy for IgA nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Medical Data Mining published an article entitled Efficacy of activating blood and resolving stasis therapy for IgA nephropathy:a systematic review and meta-analysis on 16 January 2024.The author confirmed this article’s proof on 15 January 2024 without any questions.But on 15 April 2024,the authors contacted the editorial office to state that the name of the corresponding author is mis-spelled as“Han-Qing Zang”.Hence the mis-spelled name“Han-Qing Zang”is corrected as“Han-Qing Zhang”.“Han-Qing Zhang”is the third author of this article.

Meta analysis on the effectiveness of auricular therapy combined with modern medicine in the treatment of depression/anxiety disorders in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Objective:We used meta-analysis to explore the clinical efficacy of auricular point therapy combined with modern medicine in improving depression/anxiety in maintenance hemodialysis patients.Methods:We searched CNKI,Wanfang,Weipu,CBM,The Cochrane Library,PubMed,Web of Science,Embase through computer to build a randomized controlled trials of auricular therapy combined with modern medicine in the treatment of depression/anxiety disorders in China and abroad since 2022.Two evaluators independently screened the studies,extracted and cross-checked the key data in the studies independently after determining the included studies,and then evaluated the quality of the studies respectively.Finally,we used RevMan 5.3 platform for statistical processing of data.Results:This meta-analysis included a total of 12 clinical randomized controlled trials,including a total of 899 patients.The results showed that the observation group was more effective in reducing the scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale,self rating Anxiety Scale,self rating Depression Scale,Pittsburgh sleep quality index score of maintenance hemodialysis patients.In addition,there was no statistical difference between the observation group and the control group in improving the total clinical effective rate.Conclusion:The observation group has a more obvious effect on the improvement of anxiety or depression in maintenance hemodialysis patients.However,due to the limitation of the quantity and quality of the included studies,the real efficacy of auricular therapy combined with modern medicine in improving anxiety or depression disorder after maintenance hemodialysis still needs to be supported by more carefully designed and standardized multi-center,large-sample clinical studies.

Temporal-spatial Analysis on Urban and Rural Drinking Water Health Monitoring of Tianjin in 2013

Objective Grasp quality and health status of drinking water, and provide scientific basis for decision making of health administrative de- partment. Method According to the Standards for Drinking Water Quality （ GB 5749 -2006）, monitoring results of Tianjin urban and rural drinking water health in 2013 were evaluated, and software SPSS 20.0 and GeoDa was used for temporal-spatial analysis on water quality. Result There were 2 882 copies of monitoring samples in total, in which both finished water and tap water of urban district were qualified, while qualified rates of tap water and secondary water supply from the county were respectively 86.36% and 93.91%, and major exceeding indexes were pH and total number of colonies. Qualified rates of tap water and secondary water supply from the county had difference（x2 = 1 576.875, P 〈0.01 ）. Quality of tap water（ X2 = 5.425, P 〉 0.05） and secondary water supply （X2 = 16.009, P 〉 0.05） was stable at temporal distribution （ January-December）, but spatial distribution of tap water had certain regional difference（x2 = 1 255.802, P 〈0.01 ）. Conclusion General quality situation of Tianjin urban and rural drinking water was better, but qualified rate of water quality in some counties was lower, which had safety risk and threatened the health of residents in the corresponding county. The related departments should enhance the supervision and management of drinking water supply, im- prove supply water quality, strengthen water quality monitoring, and guarantee drinking water safety. Geographic information system can better real- ize visualization of drinking water quality monitoring information.