Acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure for smoking cessation and its effects on tobacco dependence and smoking behavior among Hong Kong smokers: a multicenter pilot clinical study.

Background: Acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure has been used as a complementary and alternative treatment for smoking cessation in Hong Kong for over 10 years. This study aimed to investigate the success rates of smoking cessation posttreatment, and to evaluate treatment effects on tobacco dependence, smoking behavior, anxiety levels, and sleep disturbances between successful and unsuccessful quit smokers in Hong Kong.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter clinical study conducted between September 2020 and February 2022 in Hong Kong was part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area project on smoking cessation.

Effect of Berberine on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Mechanistic Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Berberine, a long-standing, widely used, traditional Chinese medicine, is thought to have beneficial effects on CVD risk factors and in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The mechanisms and effects, specifically in men, possibly via testosterone, have not been examined previously.