The protective effect of yi shen juan bi pill in arthritic rats with castration-induced kidney deficiency.

Androgens have been linked to the onset, severity, and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the most common pattern in RA is kidney deficiency, which partly corresponds to a low sex hormone state. In this study, TCM kidney deficiency was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats with castration surgery, and a TCM preparation, Yi Shen Juan Bi Pill (YJB), was used to treat collagen induced arthritis (CIA) rats with castration.

Network-based gene expression biomarkers for cold and heat patterns of rheumatoid arthritis in traditional chinese medicine.

IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM), PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO TWO MAIN PATTERNS: cold-pattern and heat-pattern. This paper identified the network-based gene expression biomarkers for both cold- and heat-patterns of RA. Gene expression profilings of CD4+ T cells from cold-pattern RA patients, heat-pattern RA patients, and healthy volunteers were obtained using microarray.

Plasma metabonomics study of rheumatoid arthritis and its Chinese medicine subtypes by using liquid chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most severe type of chronic inflammatory disease and has always been a research hotspot in different fields. In this study, a non-targeted metabonomics approach was carried out to profile metabolic characteristics of RA and its Chinese medicine subtypes by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Plasma samples of 57 RA patients and 23 healthy controls were collected.

Inhibitory effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-a and IL-1β production in THP-1 cells.

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), one of main bioactive components in Astragalus membranaceus Bunge, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory activities, but the molecular mechanisms behind this activity are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate expression of inflammatory cytokines and the MAPK/NF-κB pathway in human THP-1 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that the concentrations of TNF-a and IL-1β released from LPS stimulated THP-1 cells increased significantly compared to control (p < 0.

Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese materia medica.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named "Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine" (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions.

Syndrome differentiation in modern research of traditional Chinese medicine.

Syndrome differentiation (Bian Zheng) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the comprehensive analysis of clinical information gained by the four main diagnostic TCM procedures: observation, listening, questioning, and pulse analysis, and it is used to guide the choice of treatment either by acupuncture and/or TCM herbal formulae, that is, Fufang. TCM syndrome differentiation can be used for further stratification of the patients' conditions with certain disease, identified by orthodox medical diagnosis, which could help the improvement of efficacy of the selected intervention. In modern TCM research it is possible to integrate syndrome differentiation with orthodox medical diagnosis leading to new scientific findings in overall medical diagnosis and treatment.

Development of clinical practice guidelines in 11 common diseases with Chinese medicine interventions in China.

Objective: To analyze the clinical practice guideline (CPG) development on 11 common diseases with Chinese medicine (CM) interventions in China.

Methods: The CPGs of 11 common diseases which could be treated effectively with CM had been published between 1980 and 2010 in China. The 11 diseases include coronary heart disease (angina pectoris), hypertension, chronic gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cerebral infarction, migraine, diabetes, primary osteoporosis, insomnia, common cold, and IgA nephropathy.

A network-based analysis of traditional Chinese medicine cold and hot patterns in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous disease, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can be used to classify RA into different patterns such as cold and hot based on its clinical manifestations. The aim of this study was to investigate potential network-based biomarkers for RA with either a cold or a hot pattern.

Method: Microarray technology was used to reveal gene expression profiles in CD4(+) T cells from 21 RA patients with cold pattern and 12 with hot pattern.

Muscle-derived stem/progenitor cell dysfunction limits healthspan and lifespan in a murine progeria model.

With ageing, there is a loss of adult stem cell function. However, there is no direct evidence that this has a causal role in ageing-related decline. We tested this using muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells (MDSPCs) in a murine progeria model.

NF-κB negatively impacts the myogenic potential of muscle-derived stem cells.

Inhibition of the inhibitor of kappa B kinase (IKK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway enhances muscle regeneration in injured and diseased skeletal muscle, but it is unclear exactly how this pathway contributes to the regeneration process. In this study, we examined the role of NF-κB in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs). MDSCs isolated from the skeletal muscles of p65(+/-) mice (haploinsufficient for the p65 subunit of NF-κB) had enhanced proliferation and myogenic differentiation compared to MDSCs isolated from wild-type (wt) littermates.

Serum low-density lipoprotein and heart rate related to the effectiveness in the treatment of angina pectoris with two similar Chinese medicine herbal formulae.

Objective: To explore the effectiveness related indicators which might help identify the indications of Tongxinluo Capsule () and Kangxin Capsule () targeting on qi deficiency and blood stasis pattern in Chinese medicine (CM) in the treatment of angina pectoris.

Methods: The data from a multicenter, randomized and double-blinded study conducted at 5 centers in China were obtained for the analysis. A total of 239 patients with angina pectoris and CM syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to Tongxinluo Capsule group (119 cases) and Kangxin Capsule group (120 cases).

Metabolic transformation of DMBA-induced carcinogenesis and inhibitory effect of salvianolic acid b and breviscapine treatment.

Oral cancer typically develops from hyperplasia through dysplasia to carcinoma with a multistep process of carcinogenesis involving genetic alterations resulting in aberrant cellular appearance, deregulated cell growth, and carcinoma. The metabolic transformation during the process of oral carcinogenesis and its implications for cancer therapy have not been extensively investigated. Here, we report a metabonomic study on a classical model of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral carcinogenesis in hamsters to delineate characteristic metabolic transformation during the carcinogenesis using gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS).

[Simultaneous determination of six flavonoids in Hyperici Japonici Herba by HPCE-DAD].

Objective: To establish a high performance capillary electrophoresis method with diode array detection (HPCE-DAD) for simultaneous determination of rutin, isoquercitrin, hyperoside, quercitrin, kaempferol and quercetin in Hyperici Japonici Herba.

Method: Based on the mode of capillary zone electrophoresis, 40 mmol x L(-1) borax was used as buffer solution (pH 8.62), uncoated fused silica capillary (56 cm x 64.

[Exploration on syndrome differentiation standardization of Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment].

The syndrome differentiation standardization of Chinese medicine and treatment technologies is the premise of Chinese medicine's entry into the world. But its individualized diagnosis and therapeutic features are contrary to the specification of standardization. The achievement and existent problems in syndrome differentiation standardization of Chinese medicine and treatment technologies were summarized in this paper.

Chinese medicine pattern diagnosis could lead to innovation in medical sciences.

Chinese medicine (CM) pattern diagnosis (Bian zheng or syndrome differentiation), as another patient classification approach, has been incorporated with biomedicine diagnosis in clinical practice in China, and the clinical experience has proven that the integration of biomedicine and CM is better in the treatment of many diseases. CM pattern diagnosis is completely different from the diagnosis in biomedicine, and it must take an active role in innovation for medical sciences. This paper is trying to discuss how CM pattern diagnosis lead to innovations in basic research, clinical research and new drug discovery.

Evidence-based Chinese medicine for rheumatoid arthritis.

Chinese medicine (CM) has long been adopted for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). CM approaches RA as it does for other diseases by holistic treatment, focusing on the whole body condition, and giving a variety of applications in accordance with the stage and symptoms of the disease. For seeking the best evidence of CM in making decisions for the care of RA individual patients, a number of clinical studies have been conducted in China to gain credibility with the researchers' unremitting efforts.

Down-regulation of Treg cells and up-regulation of TH1/TH2 cytokine ratio were induced by polysaccharide from Radix Glycyrrhizae in H22 hepatocarcinoma bearing mice.

Radix Glycyrrhizae polysaccharide (GP) possesses multiple pharmacological activities. However, the effect of GP on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GP on Treg cells and Th1/Th2 cytokines in H22 hepatocarcinoma tumor-bearing mice.

Effects of selective COX-2 inhibitor and Helicobacter pylori eradication on precancerous gastric lesions.

Objective: Helicobacter pylori infection and overexpression of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) are associated with gastric cancer and its precursors. To evaluate the effect of a selective COX-2 inhibitor alone and combined with H pylori eradication on the evolution of precancerous gastric lesions, a randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Linqu County, Shandong Province, China.

Methods: A total of 1024 participants aged 35-64 years with H pylori infection and advanced gastric lesions were randomly assigned in a factorial design to two interventions or placebo: anti-H pylori treatment for 7 days, and a COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib) for 24 months.

Scorpio and Scolopendra attenuate inflammation and articular damage in rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Scorpio and Scolopendra (SS) are two traditional Chinese medicines, which are generally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. However, the mechanism is so far unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of SS in attenuating inflammation and joint injury in collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

Efficacy and safety of Fufangkushen colon-coated capsule in the treatment of ulcerative colitis compared with mesalazine: a double-blinded and randomized study.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fufangkushen colon-coated capsule (FCC) was a newly developed herbal drug for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pattern of damp-heat accumulating in the interior.

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of FCC in the treatment of active UC compared with Huidi (HD, mesalazine enteric-coated tablets) were evaluated in a double-blinded and randomized clinical trial.

Materials And Methods: In the double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter, randomized and controlled study, 320 active UC patients with TCM pattern of damp-heat accumulating in the interior were assigned to two groups: 240 treated with FCC plus HD placebo treatment, 80 with HD plus FCC placebo.

[Establishment of a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis with kidney deficiency syndrome].

Objective: To establish a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with kidney deficiency syndrome.

Methods: A total of 110 six-week-old specific pathogen-free male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group, sham-operated group, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) control group, castration plus CIA group and hydroxyurea plus CIA group. Testiculus or ovary of rats in the castration plus CIA group was cut off, respectively.

An integrative approach of linking traditional Chinese medicine pattern classification and biomedicine diagnosis.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical system with over 3000 years of continuous practice experience and refinement through treatment observations. The TCM pattern classification (also defined as Syndrome or Zheng differentiation) and treatment of ill health is the basis and the key concept of the TCM theory. All diagnostic and therapeutic methods in TCM are based on the differentiation of TCM pattern.

Phospholipase A2 group IIA expression correlates with prolonged survival in gastric cancer.

Aims:   The secreted phospholipase A2 type IIA (PLA2G2A) gene has been identified as a modifier of intestinal adenoma multiplicity in Apc(Min/+) mice. The aim of the present study was to analyse the clinical significance of PLA2G2A expression in human gastric cancer.

Methods And Results:   Using immunohistochemistry, cytoplasmic immunoreactivity of PLA2G2A was observed in 27% (40 of 149) of gastric cancer tissues compared with negative staining in normal mucosa.