Knee osteoarthritis:A review of animal models and intervention of traditional Chinese medicine

Background:Knee osteoarthritis(KOA)characterized by degeneration of knee cartilage and subsequent bone hyperplasia is a prevalent joint condition primarily affecting aging adults.The pathophysiology of KOA remains poorly understood,as it involves complex mechanisms that result in the same outcome.Consequently,researchers are interested in studying KOA and require appropriate animal models for basic research.Chinese herbal compounds,which consist of multiple herbs with diverse pharmacological properties,possess characteristics such as multicomponent,multipathway,and multitarget effects.The potential benefits in the treatment of KOA continue to attract attention.Purpose:This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the advantages,limitations,and specific considerations in selecting different species and methods for KOA animal models.This will help researchers make informed decisions when choosing an animal model.Methods:Online academic databases(e.g.,PubMed,Google Scholar,Web of Science,and CNKI)were searched using the search terms“knee osteoarthritis,”“animal models,”“traditional Chinese medicine,”and their combinations,primarily including KOA studies published from 2010 to 2023.Results:Based on literature retrieval,this review provides a comprehensive overview of the methods of establishing KOA animal models;introduces the current status of advantages and disadvantages of various animal models,including mice,rats,rabbits,dogs,and sheep/goats;and presents the current status of methods used to establish KOA animal models.Conclusion:This study provides a review of the animal models used in recent KOA research,discusses the common modeling methods,and emphasizes the role of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in the treatment of KOA.

Bio-soft matter derived from traditional Chinese medicine:Characterizations of hierarchical structure,assembly mechanism,and beyond

Structural and functional explorations on bio-soft matter such as micelles,vesicles,nanoparticles,aggregates or polymers derived from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has emerged as a new topic in the field of TCM.The discovery of such cross-scaled bio-soft matter may provide a unique perspective for unraveling the new effective material basis of TCM as well as developing innovative medicine and biomaterials.Despite the rapid rise of TCM-derived bio-soft matter,their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism must be unambiguously probed for a further in-depth understanding of their pharmacological activity.In this review,the current emerged TCM-derived bio-soft matter assembled from either small molecules or macromolecules is introduced,and particularly the unambiguous elucidation of their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism with combined electron microscopic and spectroscopic techniques is depicted.The pros and cons of each technique are also discussed.The future challenges and perspective of TCM-derived bio-soft matter are outlined,particularly the requirement for their precise in situ structural determination is highlighted.

Retrospective cohort study on the postoperative survival rate enhancement of patients with colorectal cancer using three traditional Chinese medicine formulations:evidence from 1,361 cases

Background:Prior studies have affirmed the safety and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in treating colorectal cancer patients.However,definitive evidence regarding whether traditional Chinese medicine can significantly enhance the survival of colorectal cancer patients remains elusive.This study seeks to provide conclusive insights by examining the postoperative administration of Xihuang capsules,Pingxiao capsules,and Zilongjin tablets and its impact on the 5-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)rates among colorectal cancer patients.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted,involving 1,361 patients selected from the medical center.This retrospective study was carried out at a medical center in Tianjin,China.We assessed differences in postoperative OS and DFS between the control group and the medication group using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling.Additionally,propensity score matching was used to mitigate imbalances in baseline characteristics among patients.Results:Before propensity score matching,Xihuang capsules could prolong the 5-year OS(79.9%vs.81.4%,P=0.0480)and 5-year DFS(74.9%vs.79.5%,P=0.0046)of patients after surgery.Similar conclusions were obtained after propensity score matching:OS(74.8%vs.78.3%,P=0.0084),DFS(72.7%vs.78.9%,P=0.008).Patients taking Pingxiao capsules showed improved 5-year OS(77.2%vs.84.0%,P=0.0383)and 5-year DFS(69.9%vs.80.0%,P=0.0157)after propensity score matching.Patients taking Zilongjin tablets showed improvement in the 2-year OS(84.2%vs.93.1%,P=0.0390)and 1-year DFS(88.2%vs.92.0%,P=0.0320)after propensity score matching.Conclusion:Xihuang capsules and Pingxiao capsules significantly improved the 5-year OS and DFS of patients with colorectal cancer after surgery.Zilongjin tablets showed improvement in the 2-year OS and 1-year DFS after surgery for patients.

Natural regulatory T cells and bifunctional regulatory T cells:potential targets of traditional Chinese medicine in treating colitis-associated colon cancer

Colon cancer(CRC)is one of the most common malignancies globally,ranking third in terms of new cancer cases and second as a cause of cancer deaths[1].In recent 30 years,the incidence and mortality rates of CRC in China have been increasing,gradually exceeding the global levels[2].Due to the fact that most CRC patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage,the treatment of this disease is challenging and often ineffective.Therefore,prevention and early diagnosis of CRC are crucial.

Screening and immune infiltration analysis of ferroptosis-related genes in pancreatic cancer with predictions for traditional Chinese medicine treatments

Background:This study aims to explore the involvement of ferroptosis-related genes and pathogenesis in pancreatic cancer and predict potential therapeutic interventions using Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM).Methods:We utilized gene expression datasets,ferroptosis upregulated genes and applied machine learning algorithms,including LASSO and SVM-RFE,to identify key ferroptosis-related genes in pancreatic cancer.Perform Gene Ontology,Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes,and Disease Ontology enrichment analysis,immune infiltration analysis and correlation analysis between immune infiltrating cells and characteristic genes on differentially expressed genes using the R software package.Retrieve potential traditional Chinese medicine for targeted ferroptosis gene therapy for pancreatic cancer through Coremine and Herb databases.Results:Seventeen feature genes were identified,with significant implications for immune cell infiltration in pancreatic cancer.The results of immune cell infiltration analysis showed that B cells naive,B cells memory,T cells regulatory,and M0 macrophages were significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer patients;Mast cells resting were significantly downregulated.Chinese herbal medicines such as ginkgo,turmeric,ginseng,Codonopsis pilosula,Zedoary turmeric,deer tendons,senna leaves,Guanmu Tong,Huangqi,and Banzhilian are potential drugs for targeted ferroptosis gene therapy for pancreatic cancer.Conclusion:TIMP1 emerged as a key gene,with several TCM herbs predicted to modulate its expression,offering new avenues for treatment.

Guidelines for application of high-content screening in traditional Chinese medicine:concept,equipment,and troubleshooting

High-content screening(HCS)technology combines automated high-speed imaging hardware and single-cell quantitative analysis.It can greatly accelerate data acquisition in cellular fluorescence imaging and is a powerful research technique in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).An increasing number of laboratories and platforms,including TCM laboratories,have begun utilizing HCS systems.However,this technology is still in its infancy in TCM research and there is a lack of sufficient experience with the associated concepts,instrument configurations,and analysis methods.To improve the understanding of HCS among researchers in the field of TCM,this paper summarizes the concept of HCS,software and hardware configuration,the overall research process,as well as common problems and related solutions of HCS in TCM research based on our team’s previous research experience,providing several research examples and an outlook on future perspectives,aiming to provide a technical guide for HCS in TCM research.

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.

The causes of adverse reactions in traditional Chinese medicine

With the increasingly widespread application of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical practice,the safety of traditional Chinese medicine has been given more attention.The occurrence of adverse drug reactions of traditional Chinese medicine will harm the health of patients,leading to a certain incidence rate and mortality rate,and serious adverse drug reactions of traditional Chinese medicine will lead to increased treatment costs of patients,bringing huge economic burden to patients and society[1-3].

Research Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine External Treatment for Cancer Pain

Cancer pain,as a common complication in patients with malignant tumors,is regarded as the fifth vital sign.The involvement of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of malignant tumors has become a distinctive feature of oncology treatment in China.It is also an important component of cancer pain management.TCM analgesic treatments include various methods,such as internal medicine and external therapies.External analgesic therapies,in particular,are significant methods in TCM pain management and offer both local treatment and systemic regulation.These methods are simple,easy to perform,and non-invasive.They can enhance pain relief effects while reducing the difficulty of oral medication intake and avoiding adverse gastrointestinal reactions,providing new perspectives and approaches for cancer pain treatment with broad development prospects.This article provides a review of the external TCM therapies for cancer pain to share with peers in the field.

Research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory liver disease primarily mediated by T cell.It has not been fully elucidated about the pathogenesis,and it is presently thought to be related to genetic susceptibility,infection and environmental triggers,and abnormal autoimmune regulation.Recent studies have found that traditional Chinese medicine can improve the biochemical indicators and clinical symptoms of patients with autoimmune hepatitis.This article reviews the specific mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine on treating autoimmune hepatitis in order to propose new ideas for its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

The future of artificial hibernation medicine:protection of nerves and organs after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a serious disease of the central nervous system involving irreversible nerve injury and various organ system injuries.At present,no effective clinical treatment exists.As one of the artificial hibernation techniques,mild hypothermia has preliminarily confirmed its clinical effect on spinal cord injury.However,its technical defects and barriers,along with serious clinical side effects,restrict its clinical application for spinal cord injury.Artificial hibernation is a futureoriented disruptive technology for human life support.It involves endogenous hibernation inducers and hibernation-related central neuromodulation that activate particular neurons,reduce the central constant temperature setting point,disrupt the normal constant body temperature,make the body adapt"to the external cold environment,and reduce the physiological resistance to cold stimulation.Thus,studying the artificial hibernation mechanism may help develop new treatment strategies more suitable for clinical use than the cooling method of mild hypothermia technology.This review introduces artificial hibernation technologies,including mild hypothermia technology,hibernation inducers,and hibernation-related central neuromodulation technology.It summarizes the relevant research on hypothermia and hibernation for organ and nerve protection.These studies show that artificial hibernation technologies have therapeutic significance on nerve injury after spinal co rd injury through inflammatory inhibition,immunosuppression,oxidative defense,and possible central protection.It also promotes the repair and protection of res pirato ry and digestive,cardiovascular,locomoto r,urinary,and endocrine systems.This review provides new insights for the clinical treatment of nerve and multiple organ protection after spinal cord injury thanks to artificial hibernation.At present,artificial hibernation technology is not mature,and research fa ces various challenges.Neve rtheless,the effort is wo rthwhile for the future development of medicine.

Effects of traditional Chinese medicine nursing combined with conventional nursing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:a meta-analysis

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) nursing combined with conventional nursing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods: Data were collected from the databases of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), WanFang Data(WF) and VIP Database, including literature regarding the effects of TCM nursing combined with conventional nursing in patients with COPD published before January 2017. The Jadad scale was used to assess the quality of the eligible literature. The weighted mean differences and odds ratios were used to analyze St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ) scores, pulmonary function, hospital stay, and clinical efficacy.Results: Twenty-three randomized controlled trials comprising 3116 cases(TCM nursing combined with the conventional nursing group: 1559; conventional nursing group: 1557) met the inclusion criteria. TCM nursing combined with conventional nursing was associated with a lower SGRQ score, higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1) value, higher FEV1/forced vital capacity(FVC) value, higher FEV1% value, higher FEV1 predicted value, shorter hospital stay, and preferable clinical efficacy.Conclusions: TCM nursing combined with conventional nursing emphasized that dialectical nursing can be performed preferably in patients with COPD.

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.

The Quest for the Modernization and Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is deeply rooted in ancient Chinese culture and has been practiced by Chinese people for thousands of years in order to maintain their health and fight against disease. This ancient Chinese wisdom has accumulated from the long struggle to cope with various diseases through hundreds or even thousands of trial-and-error practices. However, due to its empirical character, TCM has long been criticized as being deficient in scientific evidence, and is still not widely accepted by the mainstream conventional medical system. The complexity of the chemical components of TCM and the clarification of its mechanisms remain an enormous challenge in the conversion of TCM into an evidence-based medicine. Thanks to incredible progress in biomedical research, TCM has evolved at an astonishing pace in various aspects, as indicated by the 2015 Nobel Prize awarded to Professor Youyou Tu for her discovery of artemisinin.

Traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019:a review

prevalence.A number of clinical workers and researchers have made great efforts to understand the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics and develop effective drugs for treatment.However,no effective drugs with antiviral effects on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have been discovered currently.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has gained abundant experience in the treatment of infectious diseases for thousands of years.In this review,the authors summarized the clinical outcome,pathogensis and current application of TCM on coronavirus disease 2019.Further,we discussed the potential mechanisms and the future research directions of TCM against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Potential Treatment of COVID-19 with Traditional Chinese Medicine: What Herbs Can Help Win the Battle with SARS-CoV-2?

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has been successfully applied worldwide in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).However,the pharmacological mechanisms underlying this success remain unclear.Hence,the aim of this review is to combine pharmacological assays based on the theory of TCM in order to elucidate the potential signaling pathways,targets,active compounds,and formulas of herbs that are involved in the TCM treatment of COVID-19,which exhibits combatting viral infections,immune regulation,and amelioration of lung injury and fibrosis.Extensive reports on target screening are elucidated using virtual prediction via docking analysis or network pharmacology based on existing data.The results of these reports indicate that an intricate regulatory mechanism is involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.Therefore,more pharmacological research on the natural herbs used in TCM should be conducted in order to determine the association between TCM and COVID-19 and account for the observed therapeutic effects of TCM against COVID-19.

Traditional Chinese medicine of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge: a review of phytochemistry, pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge,known as red sage or Danshen,is commonly applied in Chinese herbal therapeutics for various biological effects.In 25-220 C.E.,the earliest Chinese Materia Medica referred to as Shengong’s Classic of Materia Medica(Eastern Han Dynasty of China,200 C.E.)initially documented Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.Currently,Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is one of the most frequently prescribed traditional Chinese medicines in clinics for antidiabetic,antianxiety,antihypertensive,antidepressant,antilipidemic,antiarrhythmic,and anticancer effects.Undoubtedly,it is best known for improving and promoting blood circulation;thus,its recommendation for use in cardiovascular disorders.Regarding this article,important information was sourced both manually and electronically using patent compendium and databases,including Google Scholar,herbal plant monographs,Hindawi,PubMed,Embase,CNKI,pharmacopoeias,Springer,etc.Well-concise details and discussions on the botany,traditional medicinal uses,chemical constituents-phytochemistry,pharmacokinetics,pharmacology,and toxicology information are presented.In perspective,understanding the comprehensive information of the above-stated fields with regards to Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge would yield an additional positive knowledge on areas that need urgent attention and identify gaps in research and safety for future consideration.

Efficacy of combining traditional Chinese medicine fumigation with Western medicine for diabetic peripheral neuropathy:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of supplementing Western medicine with Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)fumigation in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Methods:The China Biomedical Literature,Chinese full-text periodical,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,WanFang,PubMed,EMbase,and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials published from inception through May 2015.The methodological quality of eligible studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk Bias Assessment tool,and summarized effects were calculated using Reviewer Manager 5.1 software.Subgroup analysis was conducted based on the duration of intervention.Results:The initial search identified 312 relevant studies,of which 40 randomized controlled trials involving 3497 patients were eligible for analysis.The results indicated that TCM fumigation significantly improved the curative effects[risk ratio(RR)=1.34,95%CI(confidence interval):1.29e1.39],common peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity[standard mean difference(SMD)=2.93,95%CI:2.26e3.61],common peroneal sensory nerve conduction velocity(SMD=2.23,95%CI:1.46e3.01),and plasma viscosity(SMD=1.02,95%CI:1.35e0.69)compared to Western medicine alone(all p<0.01).A subgroup analysis indicated that the curative effects were significant after 15 days(RR=1.31,95%CI:1.21e1.42),30 days(RR=1.33,95%CI:1.26e1.40),and 60 days(RR=1.50,95%CI:1.32e1.71)of combined treatment(all p<0.01).

Application of Thermal Science to Tongue Inspection in Traditional Chinese Medicine

The study on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)by the technology and method of thermal science is a new cut in point in interdisciplinary science, and its purpose is to study the tongue inspection in TCM from the view of the bio heat transfer theory. In this paper human tongues were studied with the infrared thermal imaging technology. And the characteristic relationship between temperature distribution and age, tongue color as well as infrared thermal tongue image concerning the characteristic of viscera was analyzed by the experimental data,which confirms that the change in temperature distribution in different positions of the tongue is related to the diseases of different internal organs of the body. From a series of invasive experiments in animals, the blood perfusion rate was measured with the equipment of CBI 8000 Doppler Blood Flow Meter and MP 100 Physiologic Research System for the first time and the characteristic relationship curve between the temperature on the surface of the tongue and the blood perfusion rate was obtained. From the experiments the temperature on the surface of the tongue reflects objectively the tongue color which is influenced by the blood perfusion rate. This will help to develop some new cognition in the theory of TCM.

Clinical research report on traditional Chinese patent medicines and traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions(2022)

Objective:The paper is to comprehensively summarize and analyze the basic situation and methodological quality of clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of traditional Chinese patent medicines and traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions published in 2022,to provide evidence and reasonable suggestions for the advancement of clinical research and the formulation of policies and guidelines.Methods:The Evidence Database System of clinical evidence-based evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine was searched,and data from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),PubMed,and other databases were supplemented.The search duration was from January 1,2022,to December 31,2022.RCTs of traditional Chinese patent medicines and traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions were included as the source of clinical evidence,and published information,sample size,intervention,control measures,treatment course,methodological quality,and key link report were analyzed and evaluated.Results:A total of 1,464 RCTs of traditional Chinese patent medicines were included,which comprised 667 types of traditional Chinese patent medicines;“traditional Chinese patent medicines+Western medicine vs.Western medicine”was the most widely used intervention and control setting,involving 417 RCTs(28.48%).A total of 245 RCTs of traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions were included,comprising 55 types of traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions.“Decoction+conventional treatment vs.conventional treatment”was the most widely used intervention and control setting,with 87 RCTs(35.51%).Published RCTs on traditional Chinese patent medicines and traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions were limited by the study design and implementation.Most“allocation concealment”and“blinding of patients and personnel”were rated as medium to high risk.There are insufficient reports on key research links such as experimental registration and ethical approval.Conclusions:The number of RCTs on traditional Chinese patent medicines has decreased in 2022,but there has been a slight improvement in the research quality and impact.There are relatively few studies on traditional Chinese classic famous prescriptions.Measures must be taken to improve clinical trial design,implementation,and reporting.Methodological experts should be invited to provide professional technical guidance on the trial design.In the research implementation process,attention should be paid to quality control,particularly the standardization of the randomized execution.