A single arm phase 2 clinical trial of YIV-906 with neoadjuvant concurrent chemo-radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: Pre-operative chemoradiation for rectal cancer is often associated with severe gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity which can interrupt, delay, and/or lead to termination of treatment. In this study, we evaluated whether the addition of YIV-906, a novel herbal medicine proven to reduce GI toxicity associated with chemotherapy could also reduce GI side effects during standard pre-operative capecitabine and pelvic radiation therapy (RT) in the neoadjuvant setting for the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: This single arm clinical study enrolled 24 patients between Dec 23, 2014-Sep 17, 2018 at Smilow Cancer Hospital, a comprehensive cancer center at Yale New Haven Hospital.

The risk of herpes zoster is positively associated with obesity, especially morbid obesity.

This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and herpes zoster (HZ) occurrence. This study used data covering 2 million people in Taiwan in 2000, which were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The cohort study observed aged 20-100 years with obesity from 2000 to 2017 (tracking to 2018).

YIV-818-A: a novel therapeutic agent in prostate cancer management through androgen receptor downregulation, glucocorticoid receptor inhibition, epigenetic regulation, and enhancement of apalutamide, darolutamide, and enzalutamide efficacy.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) often develops resistance to androgen deprivation therapy. Resistance in CRPC is often driven by AR variants and glucocorticoid receptor (GR).

Celastrol attenuates hepatitis C virus translation and inflammatory response in mice by suppressing heat shock protein 90β.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major factors to trigger a sustained hepatic inflammatory response and hence hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but direct-acting-antiviral (DAAs) was not efficient to suppress HCC development. Heat shock protein 90 kDa (HSP90) is highly abundant in different types of cancers, and especially controls protein translation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and viral replication. In this study we investigated the correlation between the expression levels of HSP90 isoforms and inflammatory response marker NLRP3 in different types of HCC patients as well as the effect of a natural product celastrol in suppression of HCV translation and associated inflammatory response in vivo.

Risk of Herpes Zoster in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis-A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), a global health problem, is typically caused by the bacterium . Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The reactivation of VZV can be caused by stress.

YIV-906 enhances nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) activity of T cells and promotes immune checkpoint blockade antibody action and CAR T-cell activity.

YIV-906 is a systems biology botanical cancer drug, inspired by a traditional Chinese herbal formulation. Results from eight Phase I/II to II clinical studies demonstrated the potential of YIV-906 to prolong survival and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. As an immunomodulator in the tumor microenvironment, YIV-906 can turn cold tumors hot and potentiate anti-tumor activity for different classes of anticancer agents; and as a cytoprotector in the GI, YIV-906 can reduce non-hematological side effects and speed up damaged tissue recovery.

The NLRP3 inflammasome in depression: Potential mechanisms and therapies.

Increasing evidence suggests that the failure of clinical antidepressants may be related with neuroinflammation. The NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular multiprotein complex, and has been considered as a key contributor to the development of neuroinflammation. Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome is an effective method for depression treatment.

Comprehensive characterization of multiple components of using UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometers.

is the dried ripe fruit of the Rhamnaceae family; it is widely distributed in Shandong, Henan, Liaoning, and other places in China. In folk medicine, it was used to restore vital energy, as a blood tonic, and for the treatment of spleen deficiency. To date, a complete investigation of the compounds of has rarely been performed.

Chondromalacia patella increases the risk of herpes zoster: a population-based study.

Background: The reactivation of herpes zoster (HZ) is associated with disease stress. However, the relationship between chondromalacia patella (CMP) and HZ remains poorly understood. This study investigated the relationship between CMP and the risk of developing HZ.

Corrigendum: An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Kinmen.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.

The Risk of Herpes Zoster in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Retrospective Population-Based Study.

Background: The association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) remains unclear. This study investigated the risk of HZ in women with PCOS. Methods: This study used data from the Longitudinal Generation Tracking Database (LGTD 2005) which contains the information of 2 million randomly selected from National Health Insurance beneficiaries.

Ethnobotanical Survey on Bitter Tea in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, herbal tea is considered a traditional medicine and has been consumed for hundreds of years. In contrast to regular tea, herbal teas are prepared using plants other than the regular tea plant, Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze.

An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Kinmen.

Kinmen is an outlying island that has the richest plant resources in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to record the methods that people in Kinmen use medicinal plants and to analyze the cultural characteristics of their use. Field investigations were carried out in various towns and villages in Kinmen, and 80 respondents were included in the survey.

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacy Prescriptions for Dysmenorrhea.

Chinese herbal medicines have long been used for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. The treatment experiences of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies passed down through generations have contributed to a wealth of prescriptions for dysmenorrhea that have achieved significant therapeutic effects in countless Taiwanese women. Therefore, surveying and analyzing these prescriptions may enable us to elucidate the core medication combinations used in TCM prescriptions for dysmenorrhea.

Traditional herbal medicine and nanomedicine: Converging disciplines to improve therapeutic efficacy and human health.

Traditional herbal medicine (THM), an ancient science, is a gift from nature. For thousands of years, it has helped humans fight diseases and protect life, health, and reproduction. Nanomedicine, a newer discipline has evolved from exploitation of the unique nanoscale morphology and is widely used in diagnosis, imaging, drug delivery, and other biomedical fields.

YIV-906 potentiated anti-PD1 action against hepatocellular carcinoma by enhancing adaptive and innate immunity in the tumor microenvironment.

YIV-906 (PHY906) is a standardized botanical cancer drug candidate developed with a systems biology approach-inspired by a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, historically used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. In combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, preclinical and clinical results suggest that YIV-906 has the potential to prolong survival and improve quality of life for cancer patients. Here, we demonstrated that YIV-906 plus anti-PD1 could eradicate all Hepa 1-6 tumors in all tumor bearing mice.

Prospective: Evolution of Chinese Medicine to Treat COVID-19 Patients in China.

During the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Chinese government took a series of public health measures to tackle the outbreak and recommended six traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) evolved formulas, collectively referred to as "3-drugs-3-formulas", for the treatment. In this prospective article, we will discuss how these six formulas evolved from TCM and what their underlying mechanisms of actions may be by evaluating the historical usage of the component formulas, the potential targeted pathways for the individual herbs used by STAR (signal transduction activity response) database from our laboratory, and the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Five of the six recommended formulas are administered orally, while the sixth is taken as an injection.

Gallic Acid Ameliorated Impaired Lipid Homeostasis in a Mouse Model of High-Fat Diet-and Streptozotocin-Induced NAFLD and Diabetes through Improvement of -oxidation and Ketogenesis.

Gallic acid (GA) is a simple polyphenol found in food and traditional Chinese medicine. Here, we determined the effects of GA administration in a combined mouse model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemia, which mimics the concurrent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes pathological condition. By combining the results of physiological assessments, pathological examinations, metabolomic studies of blood, urine, liver, and muscle, and measurements of gene expression, we attempted to elucidate the efficacy of GA and the underlying mechanism of action of GA in hyperglycemic and dyslipidemic mice.

Investigation on the function tropism of Tiaoqin and Kuqin (different specification of Scutellaria baicalensis) by comparing their curative effect on different febrile disease model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) is the root of S. baicalensis Georgi.

A Phase II Clinical Trial on the Combination Therapy of PHY906 Plus Capecitabine in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Lessons Learned: A PHY906 and capecitabine combination could be effective as a salvage therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously treated with multiple systemic therapies. This traditional Chinese medicine formulation can work with Western cancer chemotherapeutic agents to improve clinical outcomes or alleviate side effects for patients with advanced HCC.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of capecitabine combined with a PHY906 (a pharmaceutical-grade formulation of four traditional Chinese herbs) in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Asian patients who were positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV).