Effect of Artemisia annua extract on treating active rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effect and safety of the complementary use of the extract of Artemisia annua L. (EAA) on treating active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed.

Effect of Sanhuangyilong decoction plus methotrexate on tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma in serum and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis patients with symptom pattern of damp heat obstruction.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Sanhuangyilong decoction plus methotrexate (MTX) on Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the serum and synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with damp-heat-obstruction symptom pattern, Sanhuangyilong decoction and the role of TNF-α and IFN-γ in the development of RA.

Methods: RA inpatients with damp-heat-obstruction symptom pattern (partly with knee joint effusion) were selected as the research subjects. Before the treatment, healthy subjects and osteoarthritis (OA) patients with knee joint effusion were assigned to the serum control group and the synovial fluid control group, respectively; during the treatment, RA patients with damp-heat-obstruction symptom pattern were divided into two groups: one is combined group that was administered Sanhuangyilong decoction plus MTX; the other group was MTX group that received MTX only.

Effect of sanhuangwuji powder, anti-rheumatic drugs, and ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with peptic ulcer: a randomized controlled study.

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of oral sanhuangwuji powder, anti-rheumatic drugs (ARDs), and ginger-partitioned acupoint stimulation at zusanli (ST 36) on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complicated by peptic ulcer.

Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study included 180 eligible inpatients and outpatients randomly assigned to an ARD treatment (n.= 60), ginger-partitioned stimulation (n = 60), or combination treatment (n = 60).

[Effect of Sanhuang Yilong Decoction combined MTX on the expression of serum IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis patients of accumulated dampness-heat syndrome].

Objective: To study the effect of bitter-cold herbs easing dampness method (BCHEDM) plus Sanhuang Yilong Decoction (SYD) combined with methotrexate (MTX) on expression levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of accumulated dampness-heat syndrome (ADHS).

Methods: From January 2011 to January 2013 recruited were 90 RA inpatients of ADHS at Department of Integrative Medicine on Rheumatoid Disease, General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region. They were assigned to the treatment group (45 cases) and the control group (45 cases) according to the random digit table produced by SPSS 11.

[Correlation study between interleukin-17 and ESR and CRP in serum and the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients of accumulated dampness-heat obstruction in joints syndrome].

Objective: To probe the function of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of accumulated dampness-heat obstruction in joints syndrome (ADOJS) by detecting levels of IL-17 in serum and the synovial fluid and analyzing its correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein (CRP).

Methods: From January 2011 to January 2013, recruited were 90 RA inpatients of ADOJS at Department of Integrative Medical Rheumatism, General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, of which 28 patients had knee joint effusion. Besides, 30 healthy volunteers who received physical examination at our hospital were recruited as the normal control group, and 30 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) who had knee joint effusion were recruited as the synovial fluid control group.

Phage-display library biopanning and bioinformatic analysis yielded a high-affinity peptide to inflamed vascular endothelium both in vitro and in vivo.

Vascular inflammation is considered the primary pathological condition occurring in many chronic diseases. To detect the inflamed endothelium via imaging analysis or guide the drug to target lesions is therefore important for early diagnosis and treatment of vascular inflammatory diseases. In this study, we obtained a novel peptide NTTTH through high throughout biopanning and bioinformatic analysis.

Hegu acupuncture for chronic low-back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acupuncture has long been employed for the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, very few studies have characterized the effectiveness of the different acupuncture modes for CLBP.

Methods: In total, 187 patients with CLBP participated in this study.