Effect and mechanism of quercetin or quercetin-containing formulas against COVID-19: From bench to bedside.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic since 2019. Immunopathogenesis and thromboembolic events are central to its pathogenesis. Quercetin exhibits several beneficial activities against COVID-19, including antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidative, and antithrombotic effects.

Proton pump inhibitors reduce the survival of advanced lung cancer patients with therapy of gefitinib or erlotinib.

Gefitinib and erlotinib are the first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. However, co-administration of either drug with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) may reduce TKI's bioavailability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of these drug-drug interactions.

Is colistin-associated acute kidney injury clinically important in adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Colistin is the last-resort antimicrobial agent against infections caused by multidrug-resistance Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). However, a differing risk of colistin-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) has been demonstrated without affecting mortality, thus the association and its importance needs to be questioned. To assess the impact of this adverse effect, a meta-analysis comparing colistin with other antibiotics in treating MDR-GNB infections was conducted.

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Formulas Against Acute Airway Viral Infections as Examples.

Herbal medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is widely used worldwide. Herbs and TCM formulas contain numerous active molecules. Basically, they are a kind of cocktail therapy.

Optimal Regimen of N-Acetylcysteine on Chromium-Induced Renal Cell Damage.

Chromium (Cr) is a well-known heavy metal that can cause renal damage. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to chromium-induced toxicity induces cell dysfunction, apoptosis, and death. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant used as an antidote for chromium-induced toxicity.

Two-month breathing-based walking improves anxiety, depression, dyspnoea and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomised controlled study.

Aims And Objectives: To examine the effects of the two-month breathing-based walking intervention and its follow-up on anxiety, depression, dyspnoea and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Mind-body-related exercises improve bio-psychological symptoms and quality of life in chronic diseases, but these improvements are not proven for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Design: This was a randomised controlled study and applied the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement.

The use of chemical probes to detect the proteomics of renal tubular injury induced by maleic acid.

Maleic acid (MA), an industrial raw material, was found to be illegally added to edible starch-based food products in Taiwan in 2013, a practice unheard of in most of the world. MA has been associated with renal dysfunction in many experimental animal studies. In this study, we developed chemical probes to investigate protein-protein interactions between MA and renal proteins.

Optimal dosage and early intervention of L-ascorbic acid inhibiting KCrO-induced renal tubular cell damage.

Chromium poisoning can cause renal failure and death. Chromium intoxication may be managed using L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) therapy. However, the evidence supporting the effectiveness of this treatment is insufficient, and the mechanism of action has not been clarified in renal cells.

Artemisia capillaris inhibited enterovirus 71-induced cell injury by preventing viral internalization.

Artemisia capillaris (A. capillaris) is a common herbal drug used for thousands years in ancient China. A.

Transient Monocytosis Subjugates Low Platelet Count in Adult Dengue Patients.

Background: Dengue is one of the most important vector-borne human viral diseases globally. The kinetic changes of hematological parameters of dengue in adult Taiwanese patients have seldomly been systematically investigated and characterized.

Methodology/principal Findings: Serial laboratory data of 1,015 adult patients who were diagnosed with dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) and 3 (DENV3) infections in southern Taiwan were retrospectively examined.

Flos Farfarae Inhibits Enterovirus 71-Induced Cell Injury by Preventing Viral Replication and Structural Protein Expression.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection can cause airway symptoms, brainstem encephalitis, neurogenic shock, and neurogenic pulmonary edema with high morbidity and mortality. There is no proven therapeutic modality. Flos Farfarae is the dried flower bud of Tussilago farfara L.

An antibiotic decision-making tool for patients with pneumonia admitted to a medical intensive care unit.

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in medical intensive care units (MICUs). Delayed or inappropriate antibiotic therapy largely increases morbidity and mortality. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) micro-organisms are major reasons for inappropriate antibiotic use.

Gan-Lu-Siao-Du-yin, a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, inhibited enterovirus 71 replication, translation, and virus-induced cell apoptosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Gan-Lu-Siao-Du-yin (GLSDY) is a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine. GLSDY contains 11 ingredients and is commonly used for endemic diseases. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is an endemic disease that can cause meningoencephalitis with mortality and neurologic sequelae without any effective management.

Association of prescribed Chinese herbal medicine use with risk of end-stage renal disease in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The evidence on whether Chinese herbal medicines affect outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is limited. Here we retrospectively explored the association of prescribed Chinese herbal medicine use and the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with CKD. Patients with newly diagnosed CKD in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2005 were categorized into new use or nonuse of prescribed Chinese herbal medicine groups.

Yakammaoto inhibits enterovirus 71 infection by reducing viral attachment, internalization, replication, and translation.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) can cause central nervous system infections with mortality and neurologic sequelae. At present, there is no effective therapeutic modality for EV71 infection. The infection is more common in families with poor socioeconomic status.

Effects of aerobic exercise during hemodialysis on physical functional performance and depression.

Previous studies have concluded that exercise training is beneficial to patients on hemodialysis (HD). Results, however, have shown that differences in the type, intensity, and frequency of physical exercise lead to variability in its effects on physical functional performance and depression. Further research is thus warranted.

Hepatitis C virus infection increases risk of developing end-stage renal disease using competing risk analysis.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are closely linked and both increase patient mortality. The association of HCV and risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has not been analyzed with competing risk model.

Method: We enrolled a prospective cohort of 4,185 patients (mean age, 62 years; 41% female) registered in the CKD integrated care program at two affiliated hospitals of Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan between November 11, 2002 and May 31, 2009.

Yakammaoto inhibited human coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4)-induced airway and renal tubular injuries by preventing viral attachment, internalization, and replication.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Yakammaoto is a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) containing nine ingredients, including Ephedra sinica, Pinellia ternate, Zingiber officinale, Tussilago farfara, Aster tataricus, Ziziphus jujube, Belamcanda chinensis, Asarum sieboldii, and Schisandra chinensis. Yakammaoto has been used against flu-like symptoms for more than two thousand years in China and Japan. Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) causes not only flu-like symptoms but life-threatening diseases, such as pneumonia, acute kidney injury, and so forth with severe morbidity and mortality.

Water extract of Pueraria lobata Ohwi has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) infects all age groups and causes bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome with a significant mortality rate. To date, only ribavirin has been used to manage HRSV infection. However, ribavirin is expensive with an only modest effect.

Anti-viral activity of water extract of Paeonia lactiflora pallas against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines.

Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (P. lactiflora, Ranunculaceae) is a common ingredient of Sheng-Ma-Ge-Gen-Tang (SMGGT; Shoma-kakkon-to) and Ge-Gen-Tang (GGT; kakkon-to). SMGGT and GGT are different prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine with different ingredients designed for airway symptoms.

Water extract of licorice had anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Leguminosae) has been used in herbal medicine and food supplement worldwide for centuries. Licorice is a common ingredient of several prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine which have been proved to inhibit infection of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV).

Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang (Sho-seiryu-to) inhibited cytopathic effect of human respiratory syncytial virus in cell lines of human respiratory tract.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang (XQLT, TJ-19, Sho-seiryu-to, so-cheong-ryong-tang) has been used against acute airway diseases for thousands of year in ancient China. Most of the acute airway illnesses are caused by virus. However, without activity against influenza virus, XQLT has been questioned to manage respiratory tract viral infection.

Water extract of Cinnamomum cassia Blume inhibited human respiratory syncytial virus by preventing viral attachment, internalization, and syncytium formation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cinnamomum cassia Blume is a popular traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used to manage respiratory tract disease, including common cold and chronic bronchitis for thousand years. Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is one of the leading causes of severe lower respiratory tract illness worldwide. No effective therapeutic modality against HRSV infection has been proved.

Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, is a common spice and also a widely used medicinal plant in ancient China. Ginger is an ingredient of Ge-Gen-Tang (Kakkon-to; GGT). GGT has been proved to have antiviral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV).

Antiviral effect of cimicifugin from Cimicifuga foetida against human respiratory syncytial virus.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes serious infection of the lower respiratory tract in children and an effective antiviral therapy against the viral pathogen remains unavailable. We previously demonstrated that the oriental medicinal plant, Cimicifuga foetida L. (C.