Cycasin derivative: a potential embryotoxic component of rhizome for limb malformation.

Objective: The rhizome of Koidz. (Asteraceae), called rhizome (AMR) and known by its traditional name Bai Zhu, is a prominent Chinese herbal medicine employed for preventing miscarriage. However, our previous study revealed that high dosages of AMR administered during pregnancy could cause embryotoxicity but the specific embryotoxic components and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Rat Plantar Fascia Stem/Progenitor Cells Showed Lower Expression of Ligament Markers and Higher Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines after Intensive Mechanical Loading or Interleukin-1β Treatment In Vitro.

The pathogenesis of plantar fasciitis is unclear, which hampers the development of an effective treatment. The altered fate of plantar fascia stem/progenitor cells (PFSCs) under overuse-induced inflammation might contribute to the pathogenesis. This study aimed to isolate rat PFSCs and compared their stem cell-related properties with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs).

Developmental neurotoxicity evaluation of three Chinese herbal medicines in zebrafish larvae by means of two behavioral assays: Touch-evoked response and light/dark transition.

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is used among pregnant women. However, the question of its safety during pregnancy remains unclear. The use of these products relies on history of use data but there are specific toxicities like developmental neurotoxicity that are clearly understudied.

Mechanistic insights into the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of Patrinia villosa aqueous extract in colon cancer via modulation of TGF-β R1-smad2/3-E-cadherin and FAK-RhoA-cofilin pathways.

Background: Patrinia villosa, a traditional medicinal herb commonly used for treating intestinal-related diseases, has been commonly prescribed by Chinese medicine practitioners as a key component herb to treat colon cancer, although its anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated.

Hypothesis/purpose: This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of Patrinia villosa aqueous extract (PVW), and its underlying mechanisms.

Method: The chemical profile of PVW was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) method.

In vitro tests to evaluate embryotoxicity and irritation of Chinese herbal medicine (Pentaherbs formulation) for atopic dermatitis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder and its prevalence is increasing in the last few decades. No treatment can cure the condition. Pregnancy often worsens the clinical manifestation.

Human mast cells induce osteoclastogenesis through cell surface RANKL.

Objectives: We employed the co-culture of CD34 stem cell-derived human mast cells (HMC) and human monocyte-derived osteoclast precursors to evaluate if mast cells contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis through regulation of osteoclast proliferation and activation.

Methods: Mature HMC and osteoclast precursors were cultured from monocytes isolated from human buffy coat. The osteoclast precursors were incubated with HMC or receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) for a week prior to determination of osteoclast maturation through characterization by their morphology and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) expression.

The efficacy and safety of combined chinese herbal medicine and western medicine therapy for COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically review the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) with and without Western medicine (WM) for different severity of COVID-19.

Methods: CNKI, PubMed, Wanfang Database, ClinicalTrails.gov, Embase, ChiCTR and ICTRP were searched from 01 Jan, 2020 to 30 Jun, 2021.

Application of the adverse outcome pathway concept for investigating developmental neurotoxicity potential of Chinese herbal medicines by using human neural progenitor cells in vitro.

Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) are organized sequences of key events (KEs) that are triggered by a xenobiotic-induced molecular initiating event (MIE) and summit in an adverse outcome (AO) relevant to human or ecological health. The AOP framework causally connects toxicological mechanistic information with apical endpoints for application in regulatory sciences. AOPs are very useful to link endophenotypic, cellular endpoints in vitro to adverse health effects in vivo.

'Healthier Chinese spine': an update of osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) and in women (MsOS) Hong Kong spine radiograph studies.

For the MrOS (Hong Kong) and MsOS (Hong Kong) baseline (BL) studies, community-dwelling 2,000 Chinese men (mean age: 72.3 years) and 2,000 Chinese women (mean age: 72.5 years) were recruited from 2001 to 2003.

Current Advances in Mechanisms and Treatment of Dry Eye Disease: Toward Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Dry eye is currently one of the most common ocular surface disease. It can lead to ocular discomfort and even cause visual impairment, which greatly affects the work and quality of life of patients. With the increasing incidence of dry eye disease (DED) in recent years, the disease is receiving more and more attention, and has become one of the hot research fields in ophthalmology research.

A review on the molecular mechanisms, the therapeutic treatment including the potential of herbs and natural products, and target prediction of obesity-associated colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Obesity has been proven to be closely related to colorectal carcinogenesis. This review summarized the potential underlying mechanisms linking obesity to CRC in different aspects, including energy metabolism, inflammation, activities of adipokines and hormones.

Effects of topical application of a tri-herb formula on inflammatory dry-skin condition in mice with oxazolone-induced atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory and pruritic skin disease, affecting 10-20% of the population worldwide. Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews (Paeoniaceae) (Cortex Moutan) and Mentha haplocalyx Briq. (Labiatae) (Herba Menthae) have shown beneficial effects on AD.

Evidence on Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicines Combined Western Medicines Treatment for Breast Cancer With Endocrine Therapy.

Background: Breast cancer, a malignant disorder, occurs in epithelial tissue of the breast glands and ducts. Endocrine therapy is commonly applied as an important adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, but it usually induces a variety of side effects. Chinese Medicines (CM) has therapeutic effect on reducing adverse effects of the endocrine therapy in many clinical studies.

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ADMSCs) and ADMSC-Derived Secretome Expedited Wound Healing in a Rodent Model - A Preliminary Study.

Introduction: The biological role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in wound healing has been demonstrated. However, there were limited studies on the healing effect of secretome which consists of many biological factors secreted by MSCs. In this study, we aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of secretome with MSCs on facilitating wound healing.

Green tea extract synergistically enhances the effectiveness of an antiresorptive drug on management of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy in a rat model.

Antiresorptive drugs are effective for reducing bone loss in postmenopausal women, but their long-term application may be associated with adverse effects. The present study aimed to investigate the potential synergistic effects of green tea extract (GTE) and alendronate or raloxifene on the management of osteoporosis. Ovariectomized rats were fed orally with GTE, alendronate and raloxifene at different concentrations and various combinations for 4 weeks.

The flavonoids of Sophora flavescens exerts anti-inflammatory activity via promoting autophagy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-stimulated macrophages.

Tuberculosis (TB), a highly infectious air-borne disease, has remained a global health problem. Conventional treatment and preventions such as antibiotics and Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine can be unreliable. In view of the increasing prevalence of anti-TB drug resistance, adjunctive therapy may be necessary to shorten the recovery time.

Is it safe to take Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza - Radix Pueraria Lobate product with warfarin and aspirin? A pilot study in healthy human subjects.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and Radix Pueraria Lobate (Gegen) are officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and have long been used together as a Compound Chinese Traditional Medicine (CCTM) for treatment of coronary heart diseases, which are often co-administered with aspirin or warfarin to patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Aim Of Study: Since significant pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between Danshen-Gegen (DG) formula and aspirin/warfarin have been observed in our previous rat studies, the current study was proposed aiming to further verify such pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions in healthy human subjects and explore related mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: A 5-day, multiple dose, five-session clinical trial has been carried out (n = 14) with 2-week washout periods between sessions, during which the subjects would receive different combinations of the medications.

Herb-drug interaction of gastrodiae rhizoma on carbamazepine: A pharmacokinetic study in rats.

Objective: Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR), is a traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used for neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Epilepsy patients may be treated with adjunctive therapy of GR with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In particular, carbamazepine (CBZ) is of high potential to interact with concurrent treatment of Chinese Medicine.

The antiepileptic effect of Gastrodiae Rhizoma through modulating overexpression of mTOR and attenuating astrogliosis in pilocarpine mice model.

Objective: To investigate the effect of water extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR) on the development of acquired temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and on regulating the expression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and semaphorin 3F (SEMA3F).

Methods: A pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) model was adopted to precipitate injury in the limbic systems. GR and carbamazepine (CBZ) treatments were given to mice for 14 days prior to SE induction to demonstrate the antiepileptic effects and continued for 5 more days to illustrate the effects on histologic studies.

In vitro cytotoxic activity of Zaleya Pentandra L. Extracts against the breast cancer adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7.

Objective: To evaluate the cytotoxicity of crude aqueous and ethanol extracts of Zaleya pentandra against oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell line Michigan Cancer Foundation-7.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, from March to September 2017, and comprised Zaleya pentandra herbaceous perennial plant collected from Pakistani cities of Shakargarh, Lahore and Sialkot. Both aqueous and ethanol extracts were prepared in solvents following Soxhlet extraction technique.

Topical application of Chinese herbal medicine DAEP relieves the osteoarthritic knee pain in rats.

Background: The potential adverse effects of conventional oral pharmacotherapy of osteoarthritis (OA) restrict their long-term use. Topical application of a Chinese herbal paste for relieving OA knee pain can be effective and safe. However, evidence-based scientific research is insufficient to support its application worldwide.

Metronomic Chemotherapy for Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Survey of Current Practices and Opinions of Pediatric Oncologists.

Purpose: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience the burden of 80% of new childhood cancer cases worldwide, with cure rates as low as 10% in some countries. Metronomics combines frequent administrations of low-dose chemotherapy with drug repurposing, which consists of using already-approved drugs for new medical applications. With wide availability, limited costs, and little infrastructure needs, metronomics can be part of constraint-adapted regimens in these resource-limited settings-with the understanding that metronomics shall not be a substitute for standard treatments when available and doable.

Publisher Correction: GWAS of bone size yields twelve loci that also affect height, BMD, osteoarthritis or fractures.

The original HTML version of this Article was updated shortly after publication to add links to the Peer Review file.In addition, affiliations 16 and 17 incorrectly read 'School of Medicine Sydney, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, WA, 6160, Australia' and 'St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.' This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

GWAS of bone size yields twelve loci that also affect height, BMD, osteoarthritis or fractures.

Bone area is one measure of bone size that is easily derived from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. In a GWA study of DXA bone area of the hip and lumbar spine (N ≥ 28,954), we find thirteen independent association signals at twelve loci that replicate in samples of European and East Asian descent (N = 13,608 - 21,277). Eight DXA area loci associate with osteoarthritis, including rs143384 in GDF5 and a missense variant in COL11A1 (rs3753841).