Effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression in newly diagnosed diabetes subclinical vascular lesions.

Aim: To investigate the effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule (DJC) on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subclinical vascular lesions.

Methods: Sixty-two patients with newly diagnosed T2DM subclinical vascular lesions were randomly divided into a control group and treatment group of 31 cases each. Oral antidiabetic therapy with routine western medicine was conducted in both groups, and the treatment group was additionally treated with DJCs.

[Effects of xinfeng capsule on the cardiac function and the myocardial ultrastructure in rats with adjuvant arthritis].

Objective: To observe the effects of Xinfeng Capsule (XC) on the cardiac function and the myocardial ultrastructure in rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA).

Methods: Sixty rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the model group, the methotrexate (MTX) treated group, the Tripterygium Glycosides Tablet (TGT) treated group, and the XC treated group, 12 in each group. Except those in the normal control group, rats in the rest groups were induced to establish the AA model by intradermally injecting Freund's complete adjuvant into their right paws.

Effect of xinfeng capsule on the cardiac function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To study the changes in cardiac function of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and: to observe the effect of xinfeng capsule ( XFC) on them.

Methods: Sixty-eight RA patients were: randomly assigned to two groups by a lottery: 38 patients in the treatment group treated orally with XFC, 3 capsules, thrice a day, and 30 in the control group treated with fengshi gutong capsule (FSGTC), 4 capsules, twice a day, 30 days as one course of treatment, and two courses were given for both groups. A normal control (NC) group including 20 healthy subjects was set up.

The potential role of Chinese medicine in ameliorating extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease chiefly affecting synovial membranes of multiple joints. The clinical manifestations are highly variable. Besides joint affection, extra-articular manifestations always occur in RA patients, such as lung, blood vessel, heart, endocrine glands, hematological system, and nervous system affections.

[Effect of qihuang decoction on mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3, 9 in intestinal mucosa epithelium of ischemia/reperfusion injured rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of Qihuang Decoction (QHD) on mRNA expression of apoptosis genes Bcl-2, Bax, and signal transduction molecules Caspase-3, 9 in intestinal mucosa epithelium of ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injured rats.

Methods: Forty Wistar rats were randomized equally into 4 groups, the control group, the model group, the glutamine group, and the QHD group. Rats in the latter two groups were gastric infused with glutamine and QHD respectively for 3 days, but saline was infused instead to rats in the control group and model group.

[Effect of qingshen granule on plasma P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with sharp deteriorated chronic renal failure of damp-heat syndrome type].

Objective: To observe the plasma levels of p-selectin (CD62 P) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in patients with sharp deteriorated chronic renal failure (CRF) of damp-heat syndrome type (DHS), and the curative efficacy of Qingshen Granule (QSG) on the disease.

Methods: Sixty cases with sharp deteriorated CRF of DHS were equally randomized to the treated group and the control group, all were treated with conventional Western medical therapy combining with retention enema of Jiedu Xiezhuo No. II; but for patients in the treated group, QSG was given additionally, 1 bag thrice a day by oral intake.