Enhancing efficacy and mitigating toxicity of Semen Strychni: From traditional practices to modern pharmaceutical innovations.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Semen Strychni (Maqianzi), the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L. (family Loganiaceae), is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine known for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-tumor properties. However, the clinical application of Semen Strychni has been seriously limited due to its severe central nervous system toxicity and narrow therapeutic window.

Brucine Sulfate, a Novel Bacteriostatic Agent in 3D Printed Bone Scaffold Systems.

Bacterial infection is a common complication in bone defect surgery, in which infection by clinically resistant bacteria has been a challenge for the medical community. Given this emerging problem, the discovery of novel natural-type inhibitors of drug-resistant bacteria has become imperative. Brucine, present in the traditional Chinese herb , is reported to exert analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Effect of electroacupuncture at ST36 on the cerebral metabolic kinetics of rheumatoid arthritis rats.

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to enhance the recovery of symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Both the pathogenesis of RA and the therapeutic effects of EA are closely associated with the metabolic activity of the brain. In this study, we investigated the effect of EA at the "Zusanli" acupoint (ST36) on a rat model of collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis (CIA).