Latest Issue

    2014 Year 20 Vol. 1 Issue

      OriginalPaper

    • Yan Sun
      2014, 20(1): 3-10. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1551-2
      Abstract:Chinese Medicine (CM) has been used for several thousand years, playing an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases including cancer. In the recent four decades, a number of CM herbs have aroused extreme interest in the world—isolating anticancer components from medicinal herbs, using them as biological response modifiers, and most recently as angiogenesis inhibitors. The present review reports both the experimental and clinical results obtained in the field of clinical oncology, especially conducted by our group. The review also presents the possible future of integration of CM and modern medicine in basic research and clinical practice, especially when CM used as adjuvant and maintenance therapy.  
      Keywords:Chinese Medicine;clinical oncology;anticancer agents;Fu-zheng therapy;angiogenesis inhibitor   
      1481
      |
      795
      |
      17
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338249 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Lu Liu,Ying Gao,Bin Ma
      2014, 20(1): 11-18. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1194-8
      Abstract:To investigate whether Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome is associated with particular molecular mechanism, we explored the correlation between CM syndrome and changes of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in patients with ischemic stroke, which were reported to play an important role in the inflammatory and apoptosis cascade. CM syndrome factors of 175 patients with ischemic stroke were assessed using Ischemic Stroke CM Syndrome Factor Diagnostic Scale (ISTSFDS). The patients were grouped according to the main syndrome factor combinations at different time points based on distribution probability of syndrome factor combinations. Blood levels of ICAM-1, MMP-9 and HSP70 were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ICAM-1 expression was significantly higher in the internal-wind+phlegm-dampness+blood-stasis, phlegmdampness+ blood-stasis, internal-fire+phlegm-dampness+blood-stasis group than that in the blood-stasis+qideficiency group within 72 h from stroke onset (P <0.05); HSP70 expression was significantly lower in the phlegm-dampness+blood-stasis, internal-fire+phlegm-dampness+blood-stasis, blood-stasis group than that in the phlegm-dampness+blood-stasis+qi-deficiency group on the 7th day from stroke onset (P<0.05). Phlegm-dampness and blood-stasis exist through the whole process of ischemic stroke. An increased level of ICAM-1 and a reduced level of HSP70 reflect the pathological state of phlegm-stasis mutual binding. These results suggest that inflammation and apoptosis induced by cerebral vascular injury in the pathological processes of ischemic stroke are more prominent in the excess syndrome state like phlegm-dampness and blood-stasis.  
      Keywords:ischemic stroke;Chinese medicine syndrome;intercellular adhesion molecule-1;matrix metalloproteinase 9;heat shock protein 70   
      1161
      |
      720
      |
      8
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338197 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Zheng-qin Zhao,Shao-wei Jia,Shu Hu,Wen Sun
      2014, 20(1): 19-23. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-014-1680-2
      Abstract:To explore the effectiveness of electro-acupuncture (EA) in the treatment of childhood autism (CA) and evaluate its effectiveness using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A total of 55 CA patients (4.52±2.73 years) were enrolled in this study. All patients received EA treatments and were examined by SPECT before and after treatments. Following treatment, the intracerebral multiple focal radioactivity distribution defect areas of CA patients were observed to be partially filled. Specifically, significant differences in the ratios of regional cerebral blood flow and global cerebral blood flow before (Fb) and after (Fe) EA treatment in different lesions were observed (in the left prefrontal cortex, t=5.01, P<0.01; in the right prefrontal cortex, t=2.32, P<0.05; in the left temporal lobe, t=4.54, P<0.01; in the right temporal lobe, t=2.90, P<0.05; in the left Broca’s area, t=5.82, P<0.01). After EA treatment, the patients exhibited symptomatic relief. EA is useful to treat CA and SPECT can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment.  
      Keywords:electro-acupuncture;single photon emission computed tomography;childhood autism   
      1150
      |
      781
      |
      9
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338159 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Yi-zhou Wang,Shuang Kou,Ling-yun Gu,Qi Zheng,Ming Li,Fang Qi,Hui Zhao,Lei Wang
      2014, 20(1): 24-30. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1236-2
      Abstract:To study the effects of Zuogui Pill (左归丸, ZGP) and Yougui Pill (右归丸, YGP) on the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling of axonal regeneration in the Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), in order to explore the possible mechanism of ZGP and YGP on promoting axonal regeneration. The rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC), model (MO), prednisone acetate (PA), ZGP and YGP groups. The EAE model of rat was established by injecting antigen containing myelin basic protein (MBP)68–86. The brain and spinal cord were harvested on the 14th and 28th day post-immunization (PI), the protein and mRNA expression of BDNF and PKA in the brain and spinal cord of rats were detected by Western blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the cAMP levels were detected by using enzyme-immunoassay method. (1) On the 28th day PI, the mRNA expression of BDNF in brain white matter and spinal cord of rats in ZGP and YGP groups were up-regulated, especially in YGP group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). (2) On the 14th day PI, the cAMP levels in brain white matters significantly increased in PA and YGP groups compared with MO group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the cAMP level in YGP group was higher than that in ZGP group (P<0.05). The cAMP level in spinal cord also significantly increased in YGP group compared with MO, PA and ZGP groups, respectively (P<0.01). (3) On the 14th day PI, the PKA expression in spinal cord of rats in ZGP group was significantly decreased compared with MO and YGP groups, respectively (P<0.05). (4) On the 28th day PI, there was a positive correlation between cAMP and PKA expression in the brain white matter of YGP rats. The results suggest that ZGP and YGP may promote axonal regeneration by modulating cAMP/PKA signal transduction pathway, but the targets of molecular mechanism of ZGP may be different from those of YGP.  
      Keywords:experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis;Zuogui Pill;Yougui Pill;brain-derived neurotrophic factor;cyclic adenosine monophosphate;protein kinase A;axonal injury and regeneration;Chinese Medicine   
      988
      |
      804
      |
      19
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338114 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Nan Yao,Rong-rong He,Xiao-hui Zeng,Xue-jun Huang,Tie-liang Du,Jing-chao Cui,Kurihara Hiroshi
      2014, 20(1): 31-35. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1243-3
      Abstract:To investigate the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of apple polyphenols extract (APE) in Triton WR-1339-induced endogenous hyperlipidemic model. Firstly, APE was isolated and purified from the pomace of Red Fuji Apple and contents of individual polyphenols in APE were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Secondly, forty male National Institude of Health (NIH) mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 animals in each group. The Fenofibrate Capsules (FC) group and APE groups received oral administration of respective drugs for 7 consecutive days. All mice except those in the normal group were intravenously injected through tail vein with Triton WR-1339 on the 6th day. Serum and livers from all the mice were obtained 18 h after the injection. The changes in serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) were measured by respective kits. Finally, expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) mRNA was measured by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. APE could reduce TG level via up-regulation of LPL activity, which provides new evidence to elucidate the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of APE.  
      Keywords:apple polyphenols extract;Triton WR-1339;triglyceride;Lipoprotein Lipase;peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha   
      1074
      |
      859
      |
      17
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338078 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Xue-jin Zhang,Xiao-feng Xu,Rui-lan Gao,Jian-feng Xu
      2014, 20(1): 36-42. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1537-0
      Abstract:To determine the antiproliferative activity of Rubus parvifolius L. (RP) extract, its medicinal serum and RP total saponins (RPTS) against K562 cells in vitro and in vivo. Nude mice models bearing leukemia tumors were treated with different concentrations of RP extract. The size, weight and histopathological change of leukemic tumors were determined. Semi-solid agar culture and methylthiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay were used to determine in vitro the inhibition of colony formation and proliferation of K562 cells respectively by different concentrations of RP medicinal serum and RPTS. RP extract had a tumor inhibition rate of 84.8% when administered to mice at a dose of 1.0 g/day of crude RP root equivalent. Semi-solid agar culture of K562 cells in the presence of 20% (v/v) of RP medicinal serum and 150 mg/L RPTS demonstrated a 50.8% and 100% inhibition of the colony forming unit (CFU)-K562, respectively. The same doses of RP medicinal serum and RPTS showed a proliferation inhibition of 31.4% and 86.3%, respectively against K562 cells in MTT assay. RP extract and RPTS show effective antiproliferative activity against myeloid leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo.  
      Keywords:Rubus parvifolius L.;medicinal serum;total saponins;leukemic animal model;K562 Cell;inhibition;Chinese Medicine   
      927
      |
      802
      |
      5
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338031 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Min Ge,Ying-yan Fang,Guo-ping Liu,Su-dong Guan
      2014, 20(1): 43-48. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1096-9
      Abstract:To explore the diaphragmatic toxicity in doxorubicin (DOX)-treated rats and the related mechanisms, as well as the effects of Shengmai Injection (SMI, 生脉注射液) on the diaphragmatic dysfunction. Thirty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, DOX-treated and DOX+SMI treated groups. DOX was given to rats in DOX and DOX+SMI groups in 6 equal doses [2.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection (i.p.)], on alternate days, over a period of 2 weeks for a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg. SMI was given to DOX+SMI rats in 12 doses (3 mL/kg, i.p.) for a period of 2 weeks before the administration of DOX and 2 weeks during the administration of DOX. The rats in the control group received equal volume of normal saline. Subsequently, the twitch and tetanic characteristics and force-frequency relationships, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, as well as the mRNA content and proteins of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined. The DOX-treated rats had decreased the peak twitch tension (Pt), maximal tetanic tension (P0) and force-frequency relationship as compared with the control rats (P<0.01), while the diaphragm contractility in rats treated with SMI were significantly higher than that in DOX-treated rats (P<0.01). The DOX-treated rats had increased MAD levels and decreased SOD activities (P<0.05), and SMI decreased the MDA levels and increased the SOD activities in DOX-treated rats (P<0.05). Ultrastructure of diaphragm in the DOX-treated rats revealed typical alterations including fracture of diaphragm fibers, and edema and degeneration of mitochondria; these changes were relieved by SMI treatment. The mRNA content and protein of iNOS in DOX-treated rats were remarkably higher than those in control rats (P<0.01), while SMI decreased the mRNA expression level of iNOS in DOX-treated rats (P<0.05). Lipid peroxidation is responsible for DOX-induced diaphragm toxicity. SMI protects diaphragm muscles and their function from DOX impairment, and these beneficial effects may be somehow correlated with the decrease in expression of iNOS and lipid peroxidation.  
      Keywords:Shengmai Injection;doxorubicin;diaphragm;lipid peroxidation;Nitric Oxide   
      990
      |
      815
      |
      4
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16338004 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Jae-Woo Park,Jeungwon Yoon,Chong-Kwan Cho,Yeon-Weol Lee,Hwa-Seung Yoo
      2014, 20(1): 49-55. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1084-0
      Abstract:To evaluate the efficacy of HangAm-Plus (HAP) on stage IV metastatic gastric cancer by analyzing the treated patients’ overall survival outcome. Following the study eligibility, overall survival and one year survival rate of 44 stage IV metastatic gastric cancer patients who visited East-West Cancer Center (EWCC) were analyzed. The study consisted of two arms: HAP treatment only (n=18) and combined treatment of concurrent conventional chemotherapy and HAP (n=26). Patient characteristics by gender, age, surgical intervention, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, treatment duration (< 4 weeks or ⩾4 weeks), and lines of the chemotherapy received were assessed. Treatment related side effects were also assessed. The median survival of combined group was longer (10.0 months) than that of HAP group (5.1 months). One-year survival rate of combined treatment group and HAP group was 38.5%±9.5% and 33.3%±11.1%, respectively (P>0.05). One-year survival rate of those received more and less than 4-week treatment was 57.1%±18.7% and 8.3%±8.0%, respectively (P=0.001). The study supports the safety and potential efficacy of HAP treatment in prevention of chemo-related side effects for stage IV metastatic gastric cancer treated with conventional chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to investigate and confirm the results before applying the treatment in clinical settings.  
      Keywords:advanced gastric cancer;supportive care;Chinese Materia Medica;Oriental Medicine   
      959
      |
      647
      |
      8
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16337954 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Ioannis Solos,Yuan Liang,Guang-xin Yue
      2014, 20(1): 56-62. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1543-2
      Abstract:The ancient teacher-disciple tradition is regarded as one of the most celebrated practices within the Chinese medicine world. Such traditions of secrecy, private wisdom and honor are deeply rooted in the theories of Confucianism. This paper only explores the surface of this ancient culture, by investigating relevant popular ancient texts and common Chinese proverbs, as well as utilizing personal experiences, in order to reflect on how the ancient Chinese perceived such practices within their own society and how secret teaching was passed on from teacher to student, including the revelation of secret formulas and their importance and how that tradition differs from our modern-day perspectives. Various rare manuscripts from the author’s personal library are employed in order to provide relative examples of the importance of secret knowledge, and how these secrets applied in the traditional healing.  
      Keywords:teacher;disciple;secrecy;Chinese Medicine;Confucianism;formulas   
      1024
      |
      835
      |
      4
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16337923 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Yun-long Li,Jie Li,Chun-yin Yan,Ze-feng Lai,Gui-jie Hu
      2014, 20(1): 63-67. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1080-4
      Abstract:Malignant cancer is the leading cause of death in man, exceeding cerebrovascular disease and heart disease. More than half of the total mortality due to malignant cancer is from lung, liver, intestinal and gastric cancer. Chemotherapy is one of the effective treatments for cancer. However, the great majority of Western anticancer medicines have considerable side effects. Herbal medicines offer many more advantages than synthesized compounds because they are made from purely natural compounds and have less adverse effects. However, the single administration methods used as standard in herbal medicine, and deficient drug targeting, severely limit their anticancer activity. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be used as drug carriers. They have been modified to form Chinese anticancer medicine-SWNT compounds which can specifically target tumors, thereby significantly increasing the therapeutic effectiveness of these medicines. Water-soluble SWNTs have high stability. As a drug carrier, SWNTs functional modification of the anticancer medicine may improve the targeting and killing of tumor cells. SWNTs have been attached to the Chinese antitumor medicines paclitaxel and plumbagin and have achieved excellent therapeutic effects. Furthermore, choosing the best administration methods such as internal iliac arterial infusion, intravesical infusion and embedment of a hypodermic chemotherapeutic pump, may also improve the anticancer effects of Chinese medicine.  
      Keywords:Chinese Medicine;single-walled carbon nanotube compound;Chinese anticancer medicine;targeted antitumor therapy   
      1009
      |
      604
      |
      0
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16337878 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    • Xiao-yan Lu,Hao Xu,Geng Li,Tie Zhao
      2014, 20(1): 68-71. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-1182-z
      Abstract:Studying the essence of a syndrome has been a key challenge in the field of Chinese medicine. Until now, due to limitations of the methods available, the progress towards understanding such complicated systems has been slow. Metabonomics encompasses the dynamics, composition and analysis of metabolites, enabling the observation of changes in the metabolic network of the human body associated with disease. Being from the point of view of the whole organism, metabonomics provides an opportunity to study the essence of a syndrome to an unprecedented level. Phlegm and blood stasis syndrome is the main syndrome associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), which bring difficulties in clinical treatment due to difficulties associated with differentiation of symptoms and signs. The fundamental differences of material between the two also need to be interpreted. The authors consider that we can use the method of combining a disease (in this case CHD) with associated syndromes (phlegm and blood stasis syndrome) to select patients with phlegm and blood stasis syndrome of CHD, and utilize metabonomics to explore the essence of the syndrome by difference analysis of metabolite spectra. Meanwhile, we can study the syndrome in CM, observe the change regularity of metabolism spectra after the treatment of corresponding and non-corresponding prescription and syndrome, in order to validate the material fundament in the progress of syndrome formation and their differences. This will not only have great significance in enhancing the ability to identify syndrome of phlegm and blood stasis in CHD and to establish the clinical curative criteria, but will also offer a new approach of studying the essence for a syndrome using metabonomics.  
      Keywords:metabonomics;phlegm and blood stasis syndrome;coronary heart disease;combination of disease with syndrome;correspondence between prescription and syndrome   
      1077
      |
      802
      |
      10
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16337854 false
      Published:2021-08-27

      ReviewPaper

    • Li-li Zang,Bao-ning Wu,Yuan Lin,Jun Wang,Lei Fu,Ze-yao Tang
      2014, 20(1): 72-79. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-013-1541-4
      Abstract:Ursolic acid (UA) is a sort of pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid purified from natural plant. UA has a series of biological effects such as sedative, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, antiulcer, etc. It is discovered that UA has a broad-spectrum anti-tumor effect in recent years, which has attracted more and more scholars’ attention. This review explained anti-tumor actions of UA, including (1) the protection of cells’ DNA from different damages; (2) the anti-tumor cell proliferation by the inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor/mitogen-activated protein kinase signal or of FoxM1 transcription factors, respectively; (3) antiangiogenesis, (4) the immunological surveillance to tumors; (5) the inhibition of tumor cell migration and invasion; (6) the effect of UA on caspase, cytochromes C, nuclear factor kappa B, cyclooxygenase, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) or mammalian target of rapamycin signal to induce tumor cell apoptosis respectively, and etc. Moreover, UA has selective toxicity to tumor cells, basically no effect on normal cells. With further studies, UA would be one of the potential anti-tumor agents.  
      Keywords:Ursolic Acid;anti-tumor;research progress   
      1316
      |
      745
      |
      31
      <HTML>
      <Meta-XML>
      <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 16337778 false
      Published:2021-08-27
    0