Latest Issue
Vol. 30 ， Issue 1 ， 2024
- Abstract：Acupuncture, a therapeutic treatment defined as the insertion of needles into the body at specific points (ie, acupoints), has growing in popularity world-wide to treat various diseases effectively, especially acute and chronic pain. In parallel, interest in the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia, particularly the neural mechanisms have been increasing. Over the past decades, our understanding of how the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system process signals induced by acupuncture has developed rapidly by using electrophysiological methods. However, with the development of neuroscience, electrophysiology is being challenged by calcium imaging in view field, neuron population and visualization in vivo. Owing to the outstanding spatial resolution, the novel imaging approaches provide opportunities to enrich our knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at subcellular, cellular, and circuit levels in combination with new labeling, genetic and circuit tracing techniques. Therefore, this review will introduce the principle and the method of calcium imaging applied to acupuncture research. We will also review the current findings in pain research using calcium imaging from in vitro to in vivo experiments and discuss the potential methodological considerations in studying acupuncture analgesia.Keywords：acupuncture research;calcium imaging;optical imaging;nervous system
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Published：2023-12-20
Perspective
- Abstract：Objective:To evaluate the effect of manual acupuncture on endometrial blood flow parameters by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound in women undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET).Methods:Seventy patients undergoing IVF-ET were equally randomized into traditional or sham acupuncture treatment group for totally 4 days (from the day of oocyte aspiration to the day of embryo transfer) of treatment by random envelope method at the Reproductive Medicine Center and Outpatient Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2013 to December 2015. Patients in the traditional acupuncture group accepted traditional acupuncture methods with manual acupuncture, and Zhongji (CV3), Qihai (CV 6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taichong (LR 3), Tianshu (ST 25), Guilai (ST 29) and Zusanli (ST 36) were chosen. Patients at the sham acupuncture group accepted shallow acupuncture methods at 4 non-meridian points at each shoulder and upper arm. Outcome measures included endometrial ultrasonic indices such as vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI), endometrial thickness and volume, subendometrial VI (sVI), subendometrial FI (sFI), subendometrial VFI (sVFI), implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, live birth rate and number of live births.Results:Finally, 34 patients in the traditional acupuncture group and 35 in the sham acupuncture group completed this trial. VI, FI and VFI of the traditional acupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the sham acupuncture group (P <0.05). No significant differences were found in endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, sVI, sFI, sVFI, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, live birth rate and number of live births (P >0.05).Conclusions:Manual acupuncture performed after oocyte aspiration and before transplantation improved the endometrial blood flow parameters VI, RI and VFI in women who underwent IVF-ET, instead of sVI, sFI and sVFI. Therefore, acupuncture might be beneficial in women undergoing IVF-ET by increasing endometrial blood flow and endometrial receptivity. (Registration No. ChiCTR2100053354)Keywords：acupuncture;endometrial blood flow;endometrial receptivity;in vitro fertilization;randomized controlled trial
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Published：2023-12-20 - Abstract：Objective:To assess the outcomes after acupoint application in patients with pharyngeal pain in a real-world settings, and analyze the characteristics of effective population and prescription characteristics of acupoint application.Methods:Based on CHUNBO platform, patients with pharyngeal pain who were candidates for acupoint application on the basis of physician-evaluation, were enrolled in a nationwide, prospective, 69-week multicenter observational study from August 2020 to February 2022. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match the confounding factors and the association rules were used to analyze the characteristics of effective population and prescription characteristics of acupoint application. Outcome assessments included the disappearance rate of pharyngeal pain (within 3, 7, and 14 days), disappearance time of pharyngeal pain, as well as adverse events.Results:Of 7,699 enrolled participants, 6,693 (86.9%) received acupoint application and 1,450 (21.7%) with non-acupoint application. After PSM, there were 1,004 patients each in the application group (AG) and non-application group (NAG). The disappearance rate of pharyngeal pain in the AG at 3, 7, and 14 days were all higher than those in the NAG (P <0.05). The disappearance time of pharyngeal pain in the AG were shorter than that in the NAG (logrank P <0.001, hazard ratio=1.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.41–1.63). The median age of effective cases was 4 years, mainly 3–6 years old (40.21%). The disappearance rate of pharyngeal pain in the application group with tonsil diseases was 2.19 times higher than that in the NAG (P <0.05). The commonly used acupoints for the effective cases were Tiantu (RN 22), Shenque (RN 8) and Dazhui (DU 14). The commonly used herbs for the effective cases were Natrii sulfas, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, and Herba Ephedrae. Among them, Natrii sulfas was applied to RN 8 most frequently (support 84.39%). A total of 1,324 (17.2%) patients experienced AEs, and mainly occurred in the AG, with significant difference in the incidence of AEs between goups (P <0.05). All AEs reported were the first grade, and the average regression time of AEs was 2.8 days.Conclusions:Acupoint application in patients with pharyngeal pain resulted in improved effective rate and shortened duration, especially children aged 3–6 years old, and those with tonsil diseases. Acupoint of RN 22, RN 8 and DU 14, herbs of Natrii sulfas, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, and Herba Ephedrae were the most commonly used in the treatment of pharyngeal pain.Keywords：acupoint application;Chinese medicine;pharyngeal pain;multicentre;effectiveness characters;real-world study
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Published：2023-12-20
Acupuncture Research
- Abstract：Objective:To determine whether monotropein has an anticancer effect and explore its potential mechanisms against colorectal cancer (CRC) through network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with experimental verification.Methods:Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict potential targets of monotropein against CRC. Cell counting kit assay, plate monoclonal assay and microscopic observation were used to investigate the antiproliferative effects of monotropein on CRC cells HCT116, HT29 and LoVo. Flow cytometry and scratch assay were used to analyze apoptosis and cell cycle, as well as cell migration, respectively in HCT116, HT29, and LoVo cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell migration, and the expression of proteins key to the Akt pathway.Results:The Gene Ontology and Reactome enrichment analyses indicated that the anticancer potential of monotropein against CRC might be involved in multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. Among these pathways, RAC-beta serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt1, Akt2), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cell division control protein 42 homolog (CDC42) were shown as the potential anticancer targets of monotropein against CRC. Molecular docking suggested that monotropein may interact with the 6 targets (Akt1, Akt2, CDK6, MMP9, EGFR, CDC42). Subsequently, cell activity of HCT116, HT29 and LoVo cell lines were significantly suppressed by monotropein (P <0.05). Furthermore, our research revealed that monotropein induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 and increasing Bax, induced G 1 –S cycle arrest in colorectal cancer by decreasing the expressions of CyclinD1, CDK4 and CDK6, inhibited cell migration by suppressing the expressions of CDC42 and MMP9 (P <0.05), and might play an anticancer role through Akt signaling pathway.Conclusions:Monotropein exerts its antitumor effects primarily by arresting the cell cycle, causing cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration. This indicates a high potential for developing novel medication for treating CRC.Keywords：monotropein;Chinese medicine;anticancer activity;colorectal cancer cells;network pharmacology
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Published：2023-12-20 - Abstract：Objective:To investigate the effects of asperuloside on cervical cancer based on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial pathway.Methods:Different doses (12.5–800 μg/mL) of asperuloside were used to treat cervical cancer cell lines Hela and CaSki to calculate the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of asperuloside. The cell proliferation was analyzed by clone formation assay. Cell apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by flow cytometry. The protein expressions of cleaved-caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, Cyt-c, cleaved-caspase-4 and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) were analyzed by Western blot. And the inhibitor of ER stress, 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) was used to treat cervical cancer cells to further verify the role of ER stress in the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells induced by asperuloside.Results:Asperuloside of 325, 650, and 1300 μg/mL significantly inhibited the proliferation and promoted apoptosis of Hela and CaSki cells (P <0.01). All doses of asperuloside significantly increased intracellular ROS levels, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, significantly reduced Bcl-2 protein expression level, and increased Bax, Cyt-c, GRP78 and cleaved-caspase-4 expressions (P <0.01). In addition, 10 mmol/L 4-PBA treatment significantly promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis (P <0.05), and 650 μg/mL asperuloside could reverse 4-PBA-induced increased cell proliferation, decreased apoptosis and cleaved-caspase-3, -4 and GRP78 protein expressions (P <0.05).Conclusion:Our study revealed the role of asperuloside in cervical cancer, suggesting that asperuloside promotes apoptosis of cervical cancer cells through ER stress-mitochondrial pathway.Keywords：asperuloside;Chinese medicine;cervical cancer;endoplasmic reticulum stress;mitochondrial damage;apoptosis
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Published：2023-12-20 - Abstract：Objective:To obtain detailed understanding on the gene regulation of natural compounds in altering prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSC).Methods:Gene expression data of HNSC samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HNSC patients were collected from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Differential gene expression analysis of GEO datasets were achieved by the GEO2R tool. Common differentially expressed gerres (DEGs) were screened by comparing DEGs of HNSC with those of PBMCs. The combination was further analyzed for regulating pathways and biological processes that were affected.Results:Totally 110 DEGs were retrieved and identified to be involved in biological processes related to tumor regulation. Then 102 natural compounds were screened for a combination such that the expressions of all 110 commonly DEGs were altered. A combination of salidroside, ginsenoside Rd, oridonin, britanin, and scutellarein was chosen. A multifaceted, multi-dimensional tumor regression was showed by altering autophagy, apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and inflammatory cytokines production.Conclusions:This study has helped develop a unique combination of natural compounds that will markedly reduce the propensity of development of drug resistance in tumors and immune evasion by tumors. The result is crucial to developing a combinatorial natural therapeutic cocktail with accentuated immunotherapeutic potential.Keywords：natural compounds;chemopreventive;gene expression;head and neck cancer;immunomodulator;salidroside;ginsenoside Rd;oridonin;britanin;scutellarein
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Published：2023-12-20
Original Article
- Abstract：Objective:To study the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of the polysaccharide of Alocasia cucullata (PAC) and the underlying mechanism.Methods:B16F10 and 4T1 cells were cultured with PAC of 40 μg/mL, and PAC was withdrawn after 40 days of administration. The cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8. The expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins were detected by Western blot and the expressions of ERK1/2 mRNA were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A mouse melanoma model was established to study the effect of PAC during long-time administration. Mice were divided into 3 treatment groups: control group treated with normal saline, positive control group (LNT group) treated with lentinan at 100 mg/(kg • d), and PAC group treated with PAC at 120 mg/(kg • d). The pathological changes of tumor tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The cell apoptosis of tumor tissues was detected by TUNEL staining. Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 protein expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of ERK1/2, JNK1 and p38 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR.Results:In vitro, no strong inhibitory effects of PAC were found in various tumor cells after 48 or 72 h of administration. Interestingly however, after 40 days of cultivation under PAC, an inhibitory effect on B16F10 cells was found. Correspondingly, the long-time administration of PAC led to downregulation of Bcl-2 protein (P <0.05), up-regulation of Caspase-3 protein (P <0.05) and ERK1 mRNA (P <0.05) in B16F10 cells. The above results were verified by in vivo experiments. In addition, viability of B16F10 cells under long-time administration culture in vitro decreased after drug withdrawal, and similar results were also observed in 4T1 cells.Conclusions:Long-time administration of PAC can significantly inhibit viability and promote apoptosis of tumor cells, and had obvious antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice.Keywords：polysaccharide of Alocasia cucullata;tumor cells;Bcl-2;caspase-3;ERK1/2;Chinese medicine
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Published：2023-12-20
Original Artical
- Abstract：Elemene, derived from Curcuma wenyujin, one of the "8 famous genuine medicinal materials of Zhejiang province," exhibits remarkable antitumor activity. It has gained wide recognition in clinical practice for effectiveness on tumors. Dr. XIE Tian introduced the innovative concept of "molecular compatibility theory" by combining Chinese medicine principles, specifically the "monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy" theory, with modern biomedical technology. This groundbreaking approach, along with a systematic analysis of Chinese medicine and modern biomedical knowledge, led to the development of elemene nanoliposome formulations. These novel formulations offer numerous advantages, including low toxicity, well-defined composition, synergistic effects on multiple targets, and excellent biocompatibility. Following the principles of the "molecular compatibility theory", further exploration of cancer treatment strategies and methods based on elemene was undertaken. This comprehensive review consolidates the current understanding of elemene's potential antitumor mechanisms, recent clinical investigations, advancements in drug delivery systems, and structural modifications. The ultimate goal of this review is to establish a solid theoretical foundation for researchers, empowering them to develop more effective antitumor drugs based on the principles of "molecular compatibility theory".Keywords：molecular compatibility theory;Chinese integrative medicine;elemene;antitumor activity;drug delivery;structural modification
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Published：2023-12-20 - Abstract：Good nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining a balanced lifestyle. The beneficial effects of nutrition have been found to counteract nutritional disturbances with the expanded use of nutraceuticals to treat and manage cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other developmental defects over the last decade. Flavonoids are found abundantly in plant-derived foods such as fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa, and wine. Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, and terpenoids. Flavonoids can act as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-microbial (antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral) antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-diarrheal agents. Flavonoids are also reported to upregulate apoptotic activity in several cancers such as hepatic, pancreatic, breast, esophageal, and colon. Myricetin is a flavonol which is naturally present in fruits and vegetables and has shown possible nutraceutical value. Myricetin has been portrayed as a potent nutraceutical that may protect against cancer. The focus of the present review is to present an updated account of studies demonstrating the anticancer potential of myricetin and the molecular mechanisms involved therein. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism(s) underlying its anticancer activity would eventually help in its development as a novel anticancer nutraceutical having minimal side effects.Keywords：myricetin;flavonoids;anticancer;nutraceuticals;Chinese medicine;Ayurveda;complementary and alternative medicine
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Published：2023-12-20
Herbal and Botanical Review
- Abstract：Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases affecting the health of human beings. With limited therapeutic options available, complementary and alternative medicine has been widely adopted in cancer management and is increasingly becoming accepted by both patients and healthcare workers alike. Chinese medicine characterized by its unique diagnostic and treatment system is the most widely applied complementary and alternative medicine. It emphasizes symptoms and ZHENG (syndrome)-based treatment combined with contemporary disease diagnosis and further stratifies patients into individualized medicine subgroups. As a representative cancer with the highest degree of malignancy, pancreatic cancer is traditionally classified into the "amassment and accumulation". Emerging perspectives define the core pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer as "dampness-heat" and the respective treatment "clearing heat and resolving dampness" has been demonstrated to prolong survival in pancreatic cancer patients, as has been observed in many other cancers. This clinical advantage encourages an exploration of the essence of dampness-heat ZHENG (DHZ) in cancer and investigation into underlying mechanisms of action of herbal formulations against dampness-heat. However, at present, there is a lack of understanding of the molecular characteristics of DHZ in cancer and no standardized and widely accepted animal model to study this core syndrome in vivo. The shortage of animal models limits the ability to uncover the antitumor mechanisms of herbal medicines and to assess the safety profile of the natural products derived from them. This review summarizes the current research on DHZ in cancer in terms of the clinical aspects, molecular landscape, and animal models. This study aims to provide comprehensive insight that can be used for the establishment of a future standardized ZHENG -based cancer animal model.Keywords：cancer;Chinese medicine syndrome;ZHENG;dampness-heat syndrome;animal model;pancreatic tumor;evaluation methods
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Published：2023-12-20
Review
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