Latest ArticlesTo explore the clinical effect of Modified Huagnqi Jianzhong Decoction (黄芪建中汤加减) combined with acupuncture on Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-positive chronic atrophic gastritis.
A total of 60 patients with Hp-positive chronic atrophic gastritis admitted to the gastroenterology department of the hospital (admitted from January 2021 to January 2023) were divided into Western medicine treatment group and combined Chinese medicine group by random number table method, with 30 patients in each group. All patients in the Western medicine treatment group were treated with conventional western medicine therapy. The combined Chinese medicine was treated with Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction combined with acupuncture treatment on the basis of Western medicine treatment group. The Hp eradication rate and clinical therapeutic effect after treatment, as well as the changes of TCM syndrome scores such as continuous stomach pain, watery vomiting, warm hands and feet, fatigue and loose stool of the two groups before and after treatment, as well as the levels of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), the level changes of serum somatostatin, gastrin and motilin, adverse reactions and disease recurrence rate 1 year after treatment were compared between the two groups.
The eradication rate of Hp in the combined Chinese medicine group (96.67%) was significantly higher than that in the western medicine group (76.67%) (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the combined Chinese medicine group (93.33%) was significantly higher than that of Western medicine group (73.33%) (P<0.05). Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores, inflammatory factor levels (IL-1β and IL-6), serum levels of somatostatin, gastrin and motilin were not significant before treatment in two groups (all P>0.05). After treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms such as continuous stomachache, watery vomiting, lukewarm hands and feet, fatigue and loose stool, as well as the levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β and IL-6) were decreased in both groups, and the levels of serum somatostatin, gastrin and motilin were increased in both groups, and all indexes in the combined Chinese medicine group were better than those in the Western treatment group (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rate (3.33%) in the combined Chinese medicine group was lower than that in the western medicine treatment group (26.67%), and the recurrence rate one year after treatment (0.00%) was lower than that in the Western medicine treatment group (13.33%) (all P<0.05).
Huagnqi Jianzhong Decoction combined with acupuncture has good clinical effect in the treatment of Hp-positive chronic atrophic gastritis, which can better relieve the symptoms, inhibit the inflammatory response of the body, improve the gastrointestinal function of the patients, with less adverse drug reactions and low disease recurrence rate one year after treatment, which is relatively safe and reliable.
The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of Qingre Jiedu Formula (清热解毒方) against human papillomavirus (HPV), specifically investigating its immunomodulatory effects at the molecular and cellular levels.
At the molecular level, macromolecular interaction analysis was employed to investigate the binding capacity between Qingre Jiedu Formula and HPV virus. The experimental groups were designed as follows. (1) Blank control group: The equal volume of complete medium was added. (2) Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) positive control group (LPS group): The final concentration was 1 μg/mL. (3) Qingre Jiedu Formula groups: There were four concentration gradients (20, 100, 500, 1000 μg/L). At the cellular level, Raw 264.7 and Jurkat cell lines were used, and the expression levels of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in cell supernatants were measured by RT-PCR.
Qingre Jiedu Formula could bind HPV at the molecular level. The purgative formula had the effect of activating macrophages, enhancing their ability to phagocytose neutrophilic red and promoting the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-beta (IFN-β) in macrophages.
Qingre Jiedu Formula exerts anti-HPV effects through two mechanisms, directly binding to the HPV and enhancement of immune cell activity.
To investigate the clinical effect and safety of Modified Qianjin Weijian Decoction (千金苇茎汤加减) combined with azithromycin in the treatment of mycoplasma pneumonia in children with phlegm-heat blocking lung syndrome.
A total of 58 children with mycoplasma pneumonia with phlegm-heat blocking lung syndrome (admitted from August 2021 to February 2024) were included in the study. All the children received conventional treatment, and were divided into azithromycin single-drug group (29 cases) and azithromycin combined Chinese medicine group (29 cases) by random number table method. The therapeutic effect, adverse reactions, time for symptoms and signs to disappear, TCM syndrome scores before and after treatment and serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC and other lung function indicators, and T lymphocyte subsets were compared between the two groups.
The total effective rate of the azithromycin combined Chinese medicine group was higher than that of azithromycin single-drug group (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rate of azithromycin singledrug group and azithromycin combined Chinese medicine group was lower (P>0.05). The disappearance time of symptoms and signs in the azithromycin combined Chinese medicine group was shorter than that in the single medicine group (P<0.05). The levels of TCM syndrome scores, inflammatory factors (PCT, IL-6, CRP), lung function indexes (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) and T lymphocyte subsets were compared between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, TCM syndrome scores, inflammatory factors (PCT, IL-6, CRP), lung function indexes (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) and T lymphocyte subsets of children in both groups were improved. The levels of TCM syndrome scores, inflammatory factors (PCT, IL-6, CRP), lung function indexes (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) and T lymphocyte subsets in the azithromycin combined Chinese medicine group after treatment were better than those in the monotherapy group (P<0.05).
Modified Qianjin Weijian Decoction combined with azithromycin has good clinical effect on mycoplasma pneumonia in children with phlegm-heat blocking lung syndrome, and is safe and reliable.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most frequent and serious retinal microvascular complications of diabetic mellitus (DM), which belongs to the category of intraocular disturbance diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. Astragaloside Ⅳ (AS-Ⅳ), the main active component of Huangqi (Astragali Radix), integrates multiple pharmacological targets that align with the complex pathogenesis of DR. For the past few years, numerous studies have focused on the impact of AS-Ⅳ on DR, confirming its effects through various mechanisms such as hypoglycemic effect, anti-oxidative stress damage, inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), anti-apoptosis of retinal cells, suppression of inflammatory responses, and inhibition of ferroptosis, thereby obstructing the occurrence and progression of DR through multiple pathways and targets. This paper mainly reviewed the research progress of AS-Ⅳ on the treatment of DR in order to provide reference for its further development and utilization and clinical application.
This study centered on cannabinoid receptors (CNRs) and aimed to screen small molecular compounds associated with flavonoids and phenolic acids derived from Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma) and Fuzi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques. Based on the obtained results, the differences in the binding affinities of these compounds to CNR1 or CNR2 were compared.
Three flavonoids and phenolic acids, namely daidzin, daidzein and curcumin, were identified from Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma) and Fuzi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata) using a nontargeted UPLCMS metabolomics approach, which were confirmed as small molecular ligands. Subsequently, the molecular docking was employed to predict the binding modes between these compounds and CNRs. Their pharmacokinetic properties, toxicity profiles and drug-likeness were further predicted using relevant bioinformatics methods. The differences in the binding stabilities of these compounds to CNR1 or CNR2 were evaluated through molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, the stabilities of the complexes formed between the three flavonoids and phenolic acids and CNR1 (or CNR2) were verified by SPR.
The findings from molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the stabilities of the daidzin-CNR2, daidzein-CNR2 and curcumin-CNR2 complexes were higher than those of the daidzin-CNR1, daidzein-CNR1 and curcumin-CNR1 complexes, respectively. Further SPR results indicated that the dissociation constant value of the daidzin-CNR2 complex (10.19 μmol) was lower than that of the daidzin-CNR1 complex (19.67 μmol), suggesting a higher affinity of the daidzin-CNR2 complex compared to the daidzin-CNR1 complex.
The compound daidzin from Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma) and Fuzi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata), which was stably bound to CNR2, was reconfirmed via high-throughput biological informatic approach and SPR experiment. These results offer new perspectives for the application of Tianma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma) and Fuzi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata) in the treatment of RA.
To explore the effect of classical prescription Modified Zhenwu Decoction (真武汤加减) combined with acupoint application in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis complicated with osteoporosis of spleen and kidney Yang deficiency type.
The research subjects were 82 patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated with osteoporosis of spleen and kidney Yang deficiency type who were treated in the hospital from January 2020 to January 2024. They were divided into two groups by the random number table method, with 41 cases in the control group and the observation group respectively. Both groups took celecoxib capsules. On this basis, the control group was combined with acupoint application, and the observation group took Modified Zhenwu Decoction on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared, and the morning stiffness time, the numbers of tender joints and swollen joints, inflammatory level, hemorheology indexes, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and bone metabolism indexes before and after treatment were compared.
The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group. The morning stiffness time, the numbers of tender joints and swollen joints, inflammatory level and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores after treatment were lower than those in the control group. The hemorheology and bone metabolism were significantly improved, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).
Modified Zhenwu Decoction combined with acupoint application in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis complicated with osteoporosis of spleen and kidney Yang deficiency type helps to improve the clinical efficacy and the joint symptoms and bone metabolism of the patients.
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity, resulting in tumor cell invasion or metastasis to the pleura, which increases pleural permeability and obstructs lymphatic drainage. MPE is a common complication of various advanced malignant tumors, especially lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancerand malignant lymphoma. The patients often present with symptoms such as dyspnea, chest tightness, coughand chest pain, which significantly affect their quality of life. The prognosis is generally poor, with a median survival of approximately 3～12 months[1]. Currently, there is no curative treatment for MPE worldwide. Modern medical management focuses on controlling the primary tumor, alleviating symptomsand improving the quality of life. Common approaches include thoracentesis drainage, pleurodesis, intrapleural chemotherapy or targeted therapyand supportive care[2]. However, most of these interventions are palliative, with limitations such as high recurrence rates, unstable efficacyand considerable adverse effects. Therefore, the clinical treatment strategies still require further optimization. In recent years, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine has shown certain advantages in improving symptoms, reducing pleural effusion recurrenceand enhancing the patients' quality of life, garnering increasing the attention from clinicians and patients. Integrated diagnosis and treatment emphasize combining standard modern medical management with the distinctive strengths of traditional Chinese medicine, such as syndrome differentiation, holistic regulationand personalized intervention, to form a systematic and individualized comprehensive treatment model. Given the current lack of uniform and standardized guidelines for the integrated diagnosis and treatment of MPE in clinical practice, and in order to better standardize and guide clinical management in line with China's national conditions and the latest research advances, the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) has developed the Expert Consensus on the Integrated Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Pleural Effusion (hereinafter referred to as Consensus). This Consensus aims to promote standardized integrated diagnosis and treatment of MPE in China and to improve clinical outcomes.
This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of Tianma Gouteng Decoction (天麻钩藤饮) in the treatment of tic disorders by examining its intervention effects on tic disorder model mice and its impact on striatal metabolites in brain tissue using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS).
Sixty male ICR mice were chosen and randomly allocated into 6 groups with 10 mice in each, specifically the control group, the model group, the western medicine group, as well as the Tianma Gouteng Decoction high, medium and low dose groups. A tic disorder model in mice was constructed via intraperitoneal injection of iminodipropionitrile (IDPN). The therapeutic effect of Tianma Gouteng Decoction on tic disorder model mice was preliminarily evaluated by comprehensively considering changes in mouse behavior, histopathology, as well as the levels of dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in the brain tissue of mice. UPLC/Q-TOF MS was used to detect striatal metabolites in the brain tissue of the mice in the control group, the model group, the western medicine group and Tianma Gouteng Decoction high, medium and low dose groups. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis was adopted for multivariate statistical analysis and pattern recognition, aiming to screen out differential metabolites. Metabolic pathway enrichment was performed using the MetaboAnalyst 5.0 database.
Tianma Gouteng Decoction could significantly improve the stereotyped behavior scores of tic disorder model mice, reduce the lung index, lower the level of 5-HT and raise the levels of DA and NE. In particular, when compared with those in the control group, the level of 5-HT in the brain tissue of the mice in the model group was significantly higher (P<0.05), whereas the levels of DA and NE were significantly reduced (P<0.05). In comparison with the model group, the 5-HT levels in the brain tissue of the mice in the Tianma Gouteng Decoction high, medium and low dose groups were significantly lowered, while the levels of DA and NE were significantly elevated (P<0.05). Further comparison showed that the content of 5-HT in the brain tissue of the mice in the Tianma Gouteng Decoction high-dose group was lower than that in the Tianma Gouteng Decoction medium and low dose groups, while the contents of DA and NE were higher (P<0.05). Metabolomics results revealed that there were more than 50 differential metabolites related to the regulation of Tianma Gouteng Decoction, including glycerophospholipids, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid.
From a metabolomics standpoint, this research explored the therapeutic mechanism of Tianma Gouteng Decoction in addressing tic disorders, laying a foundation for research and clinical application of Tianma Gouteng Decoction in the treatment of tic disorders.
This study aimed to screen dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for Gegen (Pueraria lobata) fermentation and optimize the synergistic fermentation processes to enhance the bioactive compound yields.
By monitoring the dynamic changes in bacterial activity, total acid, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity during the fermentation process of six strains of LAB, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-Entropy Weight Method was used to comprehensively evaluate and screen the dominant LAB and optimize the key process parameters such as strain ratio, inoculation amount and solid-liquid ratio based on the synergistic fermentation strategy of dominant bacteria.
Lactobacillus plantarum P9 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus were the dominant strains for Gegen (Pueraria lobata) fermentation. The optimal process conditions for their synergistic fermentation were a strain ratio of 3∶1, inoculation volume of 10%, solid-liquid ratio of 1∶25, temperature of 37 ℃ and fermentation for 3 d. Under these conditions, the viable counts reached 8.96 lgCFU·mL-1 (231.6% higher than Lactobacillus plantarum P 9 monoculture, 31.83% higher than Lactobacillus rhamnosus), total acid content peaked at 2.95 g·L-1 (91.6% increase over Lactobacillus rhamnosus monoculture), and daidzein content achieved 1.32 mg·g-1 (164% and 238% enhancements compared to respective monocultures).
Microbial consortia integration synergistically amplified strain-specific advantages, significantly elevating bioactive metabolites and providing strain selection and process optimization strategy for the development of fermented functional beverages and probiotic preparations based on Gegen (Pueraria lobata).
As the body surface mapping area of human organs and meridians, the accurate identification and location of auricular points in traditional Chinese medicine is the key technical support for auricular acupuncture diagnosis and treatment, traditional Chinese medicine health monitoring and other scenes. Traditional ear acupoint detection is highly dependent on the clinical experience of professional doctors, which is not only subjective and inefficient, but also difficult to meet the needs of standardized application. The existing target detection algorithms generally have pain points that are difficult to balance accuracy and speed in auricular point detection. To this end, this study proposes an improved traditional Chinese medicine auricular point detection algorithm based on YOLOv12. First of all, combined with the national standard of auricular points and 9 kinds of TCM diseases, a special data set containing 31 auricular points partitions was constructed, including 2140 auricular points images covering different age groups, ear shape characteristics and shooting environment. In terms of model optimization, the C3k2-GV3S Lightweight Residual Feature Aggregation Module is introduced to replace the C3k2 module of the original backbone network. With the help of the two-stage strategy of “basic feature generation + cheap phantom feature completion”, the parameter quantity and calculation amount are reduced by about 50% on the premise of retaining the advantage of residual feature multiplexing, and the key feature representation of small auricular targets is strengthened. The bilinear adaptive boundary-enhanced upsampling module BABEU (Bilinear Adaptive Boundary-Enhanced Upsampling Module) is designed to replace the traditional interpolation operation. Through the combination strategy of “bilinear interpolation smoothing feature + learnable convolution thinning boundary”, the high-frequency detail features of the auricular point boundary are adaptively learned to avoid pixel block effect and checkerboard artifacts, and the boundary feature recovery accuracy of the auricular point small target is significantly improved. Finally, a bilinear adaptive boundary enhanced upsampling and lightweight residual feature aggregation network YOLOv12n-BiGS (Bilinear Adaptive Boundary-Enhanced Upsampling and Lightweight Residual Feature Aggregation Network) based on YOLOv12n has been constructed. The experimental results show that the average Dice coefficient of the model on the dedicated data set is 0.5821, and the reasoning time is only 3.3 ms. The comprehensive performance is better than the mainstream lightweight algorithms such as YOLOv8 n, YOLOv11 n and DeepEar. The special data set constructed in this study meets the clinical needs, and the improved model realizes the collaborative optimization of auricular point detection accuracy and real-time performance, which provides technical support for the intelligent and standardized promotion of auricular point diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine.
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