Abstract:Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds a holistic theory, and specializes in balancing disordered human body using numerous natural products, particularly Chinese herbal formulae. TCM has certain treatment advantages for patients suffering from various complex diseases. However, due to the complex nature of TCM, it remains difficult to unveil such holistic medicine by the current reductionism research strategies, which treat both herbal ingredients and targets in isolation. Recently, an emerging network pharmacology approach has been introduced to tackle this bottleneck problem. A TCM-derived novel therapeutic concept, "network target", which is different from the Western medicine's "onetarget" concept, has been proposed from China. The network target strategy is able to illustrate the complex interactions among the biological systems, drugs, and complex diseases from a network perspective, and thus provides an innovative approach to access ancient remedies in a precision manner and at a systematic level, which also highlights TCM's potential in current medical systems.  
Keywords:Traditional Chinese Medicine;network target;network pharmacology;Herbal Formula;complex disease
Abstract:To evaluate the long-term clinical effect of Tangyiping Granules (糖异平颗粒, TYP) on patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to achieve normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and hence preventing them from conversion to diabetes mellitus (DM). In total, 127 participants with IGT were randomly assigned to the control (63 cases, 3 lost to follow-up) and treatment groups (64 cases, 4 lost to follow-up) according to the random number table. The control group received lifestyle intervention alone, while the patients in the treatment group took orally 10 g of TYP twice daily in addition to lifestyle intervention for 12 weeks. The rates of patients achieving NGT or experiencing conversion to DM as main outcome measure were observed at 3, 12, and 24 months after TYP treatment. The secondary outcome measures included fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin (FINS), 2-h insulin (2hINS), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), blood lipid and patients' complains of Chinese medicine (CM) symptoms before and after treatment. A higher proportion of the treatment group achieved NGT compared with the control group after 3-, 12- and 24-month follow-up (75.00% vs. 43.33%, 58.33% vs. 35.00%, 46.67% vs. 26.67%, respectively, P<0.05). The IGT to DM conversion rate of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group at the end of 24-month follow-up (16.67% vs. 31.67%, P<0.05). Before treatment, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, FINS, 2hINS, HOMA-IR, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the 2hPG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and TG levels of the treatment group decreased significantly compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). CM symptoms such as exhaustion, irritability, chest tightness and breathless, spontaneous sweating, constipation, and dark thick and greasy tongue were significantly improved in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). No severe adverse events occurred. TYP administered at the IGT stage with a disciplined lifestyle delayed IGT developing into type 2 DM.  
Keywords:Tangyiping Granules;conversion of impaired glucose tolerance;long-term clinical effect;Chinese Medicine
Abstract:To investigate the effects of Hedan Tablet (荷丹片) on serum lipid profile, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PSCK9) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions in patients with hyperlipidemia. Thirty-seven patients with hyperlipidemia were randomized to treatment with Hedan Tablet 4.38 g/day as Hedan group (18 cases) or placebo (19 cases) as control group for 8 weeks. The lipid profile, PCSK9 and HDL subfractions were determined at day 0 and week 8 in both groups respectively. Hedan treatment for 8 weeks mildly decreased serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, while no changes were found in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and PCSK9 concentrations. Furthermore, Hedan treatment increased the concentration of large high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the percentage of large HDL subfraction, while decreased the concentration of small HDL-C and the percentage of small HDL subfraction without changing serum HDL-C levels in patients with hyperlipidemia. Hedan treatment of 4.38 g per day for 8 weeks could confer a favorable effects on serum LDL-C concentration as well as HDL subfractions.  
Keywords:Hedan Tablet;hyperlipidemia;lipid profile;proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9;high-density lipoprotein subfraction;Chinese Medicine
Abstract:To investigate whether Shen-Fu Injection (参附注射液, SFI) reduces post-resuscitation immune dysfunction in a porcine model of cardiac arrest by modulating apoptosis of regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) in the spleen. After 8-min untreated ventricular fibrillation and 2-min basic life support, 24 pigs were divided into 3 groups with a random number table, i.e. SFI group, epinephrine (EP) group, and saline (SA) group (8 in each group), which received central venous injection of SFI (1.0 mL/kg), EP (0.02 mg/kg) and SA, respectively. The same procedure without CA initiation was achieved in the sham-operated (sham) group (n=6). After successful return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), apoptosis rate of splenic Treg was detected by flow cytometry; and the mRNA expression of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3) of splenic Treg was detected by real time-polymerase chain reaction; and the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in porcine splenic Treg were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with the sham group, the apoptosis rate of Treg was significantly decreased, and the levels of Foxp3 mRNA expression, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-4 were increased in the SA group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the EP and SA groups, SFI treatment increased the apoptosis rate of Treg and reduced the levels of Foxp3 mRNA expression, IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 (P<0.05). SFI has signifificant effects in attenuating post-resuscitation immune dysfunction by modulating apoptosis of Treg in the spleen.  
Keywords:Shen-fu Injection;cardiopulmonary resuscitation;post-resuscitation immune dysfunction;regulatory T lymphocytes apoptosis;forkhead/winged helix transcription factor;Chinese Medicine
Abstract:To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of Radix Astragali Injection on multiple organs of rats with obstructive jaundice (OJ). A total of 180 rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated, model control and treated groups (60 in each group). On 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after operation, the serum contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), r-glutamyl transpeptidase (r-GT), total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil), blood urine nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (CREA) were determined. And the pathological changes of livers, kidneys and lungs, and protein expressions of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) of livers, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) of lungs, Bax and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), as well as apoptotic indexes of multiple organs were observed, respectively. The pathological severity scores of multiple organs (including livers on 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, kidneys on 14 and 28 days, and lungs on 14 days), serum contents of ALT (14 and 21 days), AST (14 days), TBil (7, 14, 21 and 28 days), DBil (14 and 21 days), BUN (28 days), protein expressions of TLR-4 (in livers, 28 days), Bax (in livers and kidneys, 21 days), and apoptotic indexes in livers (7 and 21 days) in the treated group were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
Radix Astragali Injection exerts protective effects on multiple organs of OJ rats by improving the pathological changes of lung, liver and kidney, decreasing the serum index of hepatic and renal function as well as inhibiting the protein expression of TLR-4 and Bax in the livers and Bax in the kidneys.  
Keywords:Radix Astragali Injection;obstructive jaundice;multiple organ dysfunction;apoptosis;immunohistochemistry;tissue microarray;Chinese Medicine
Abstract:To investigate the microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profile of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats and the regulating effects of Huoxue Anxin Recipe (活血安心方, HAR) on angiogenesis-related miRNAs and genes. Forty-five Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups according to a random number table: sham, AMI, and AMI+HAR groups (15 in each group). AMI rats were established by ligation of the left descending coronary artery. HAR was intragastrically administered to rats of the AMI+HAR group for successive 21 days since modeling, meanwhile the same volume of 0.9% normal saline was administered to rats of the sham and AMI groups. Doppler echocardiography was used for noninvasive cardiac function test. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the histopathological change. miRNAs expression profile was detected by quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The mRNA and protein expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and a target gene of miR-210 was further detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. The microvessels density of myocardium was evaluated by CD31 immunostaining. Compared with the sham group, ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) values were decreased significantly in the AMI group (P<0.01), while the infarction area and the interstitial collagen deposition were increased obviously. As for the AMI+HAR group, EF and FS values were increased significantly (P<0.05 vs. AMI group), and the infarction area was reduced and the interstitial collagen deposition were alleviated significantly. Total of 23 miRNAs in the AMI group expressed differently by at least 1.5 folds compared with those in the sham group; 5 miRNAs in the AMI+HAR group expressed differently by at least 1.5 folds compared with those in the AMI group. Among them, miR-210 was low in the AMI group and high in the AMI+HAR group. The relative mRNA and protein expressions of VEGF were decreased significantly in the AMI group (P<0.05 vs. sham group), and increased significantly in the AMI+HAR group (P<0.01 vs. AMI group). CD31 expression area and optical intensity were decreased significantly in the AMI group (P<0.05 vs. sham group), and increased significantly in the AMI+HAR group (P<0.01 vs. AMI group). HAR could reduce the infarction area, alleviate the interstitial fibrosis and improve the cardiac function of AMI rats. Those effects could be related to promoting myocardium angiogenesis of HAR by up-regulating miR-210 and VEGF.  
Keywords:Huoxue Anxin Recipe;acute myocardial infarction;angiogenesis;microRNA-210;vascular endothelial growth factor;Chinese Medicine
Abstract:To evaluate the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants of leaf extract from Alpinia purpurata. One gram of fresh leaf of Alpinia purpurata was grinded in 2 mL of 50% ethanol and centrifuged at 10,000×g at 4°C for 10 min. The supernatant obtained was used within 4 h for various enzymatic antioxidants assays like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), ascorbate oxidase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C, total reduced glutathione (TRG) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The leaf extract of Alpinia purpurata possess antioxidants like vitamin C 472.92±6.80 μg/mg protein, GST 372.11±5.70 μmol of 1-chloro 2,4 dinitrobenzene (CDNB)-reduced glutathione (GSH) conjugate formed/min/mg protein, GPx 281.69±6.43 μg of glutathione oxidized/min/mg protein, peroxidases 173.12±9.40 μmol/g tissue, TRG 75.27±3.55 μg/mg protein, SOD 58.03±2.11 U/mg protein, CAT 46.70±2.35 μmol of H2O2 consumed/min/mg protein in high amount whereas ascorbate oxidase 17.41±2.46 U/g tissue, LPO 2.71±0.14 nmol/L of malondialdehyde formed/min/mg protein and PPO 1.14±0.11 μmol/g tissue in moderate amount.
Alpinia purpurata has the potential to scavenge the free radicals and protect against oxidative stress causing diseases. In future, Alpinia purpurata may serve as a good pharmacotherapeutic agent.  
Abstract:To study a non-drug therapy for hypertension disease by combining percutaneous laser and electric pulse stimulation to acupoint with music, and to test the efficiency of the combining treatment to grade 1 essential hypertension. A total of 174 patients with grade 1 essential hypertension were randomly assigned to 3 groups with a random number table after Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome differentiation: the photoelectric and musical treatment group (Group 1, with a self-developed multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus), acupuncture group (Group 2), and oral placebo group (Group 3), 58 cases per group. The curative effect of each group was evaluated by the changes of blood pressure and CM syndrome integral before and after treatment. Compared with Group 3, there were significant decrease of blood pressure and CM syndrome integral in Group 1 and Group 2 (P<0.01). Compared with Group 2, Group 1 showed the highest decrease in systolic pressure (P<0.017). The total effective rate of anti-hypertension in Group 1 (91.38%, 53/58) was significantly higher than that in Group 2 (74.13%, 43/58) and Group 3 (18.97%, 11/58, P<0.05 or P<0.01); and that in Group 2 was also significantly higher than that in Group 3 (P<0.01). There were significant difference in the total effective rate of CM syndrome integral in both Group 1 (93.10%, 54/58) and Group 2 (84.48%, 49/58) as compared with Group 3 (17.24%, 10/58, P<0.01), while there was no significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 (P>0.05). The multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus, combining music, laser and electric pulse stimulation, is clinically useful for grade 1 essential hypertension. This "three in one" therapy method is non-invasive, easy and simple to handle. It is expected to be popularized as a new alternative treatment.  
Keywords:laser and electric pulse stimulation to acupoint;musical treatment;multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus;grade 1 essential hypertension
Abstract:To investigate whether analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) is affected by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) on microglia. There were two experiments. The experiment 1: 40 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the normal, surgery, EA and sham EA groups, and the L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) on the right side was used to establish neuropathic pain model. EA was applied to bilateral Zusanli (ST36) and Kunlun (BL60) at 24, 48 and 72 h after SNL for 30 min, once per day. The paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were measured before surgery (as base) and at 24, 25, 49 and 73 h after surgery. Phospho-p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK), oxycocin-42 (OX-42, marker of microglia), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, marker of astrocyte) in bilateral spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) were detected by immunofluorescence, respectively. The experiment 2: 40 male SD rats were cannulated for SNL-induced neuropathic pain, and then were randomly divided into the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), EA plus DMSO, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfonylpheny)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole (SB203580) and EA plus SB203580 groups. SB203580 (30 nmol/L) was administered 5 min prior to EA treatment. The PWTs and OX-42 in bilateral SCDH were measured as mentioned above. SNL-induced neuropathic pain reduced PWTs and increased the expression of p-p38 MAPK and OX-42 in bilateral lumbar SCDH of rats (P<0.01). Spinal p-p38 MAPK was only co-localized with OX-42 in our study. EA treatment significantly alleviated SNL-mediated mechanical hyperalgesia, and suppressed the expression of p-p38 MAPK and OX-42 in lumbar SCDH (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Intrathecal injection of low dose SB203580 had no influence on PWTs (P>0.05), but significantly inhibited the expression of OX-42 positive cells in bilateral SCDH (P<0.01 or P<0.05). EA plus SB203580 synergistically increased PWTs, and reduced the expression of bilateral spinal OX-42 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The central mechanism of EA-induced anti-hyperalgesia may be partially associated with the reduced expression of p-p38 MAPK, and subsequently reducing the activation of OX-42 in neuropathic pain. Therefore, EA may be a new complementary and alternative therapy for neuropathic pain.  
Keywords:electroacupuncture;neuropathic pain;microglia;p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase;oxycocin-42
Abstract:An international brainstorming session on standardizing pattern identification (PI) was held at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine on October 1, 2013 in Daejeon, South Korea. This brainstorming session was convened to gather insights from international traditional East Asian medicine specialists regarding PI standardization. With eight presentations and discussion sessions, the meeting allowed participants to discuss research methods and diagnostic systems used in traditional medicine for PI. One speaker presented a talk titled "The diagnostic criteria for blood stasis syndrome: implications for standardization of PI". Four speakers presented on future strategies and objective measurement tools that could be used in PI research. Later, participants shared information and methodology for accurate diagnosis and PI. They also discussed the necessity for standardizing PI and methods for international collaborations in pattern research.  
Keywords:pattern identification;international symposium;Chinese Medicine