Latest Issue
      2019 Year 25 Vol. 11 Issue

        Perspective

      • Yan ZHEN,Jing-feng CAI
        2019, 25(11): 803-811. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3163-y
        Abstract：Tibetan medicine, one of the time-honored medical systems in the world, has increasingly been receiving attention the world over. Tibetan medical paintings (TMP, tib. Sman thang) has become one of the focal points in the studies of this medical system. To date, there are many atlases and publications on TMP, which are principally based on the two major sets of TMP series existing today in the world, the Lhasa set and the Buryat set. It has been found that the Buryat set is based on the Lhasa set, which was brought in late 19th to the first half of the 20th century from Tibet to Buryatia, Russia. A careful investigation on the basic structure of the two sets reveals that there are many differences between the two sets of paintings, including the total number of the paintings involved, of which some are missing in one set, the details of the captions of some of the paintings, the existence of the 80th painting and its supervisor, and the overall order of the entire set, etc. The details of the differences are elaborated and discussed, and the prospective of developing the research to arrive at a standard and perfect TMP set in the future is also analyzed and anticipated.  
        Keywords：Tibetan medical painting;Sman thang;Lhasa set;Buryat set;Tibetan painting art;Sde srid Sangs rgyas rgya mtsho   
        309
        |
        0
        |
        0
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9713980 false
        Published：2021-08-27

        Original Article

      • Xue-qian WANG,Ying ZHANG,Wei HOU,Ying-tian WANG,Jia-bin ZHENG,Jie LI,Li-zhu LIN,Yi-lan JIANG,Shen-yu WANG,Ying XIE,Hong-liang ZHANG,Qi-jin SHU,Ping LI,Wei WANG,Jian-liang YOU,Ge LI,Jie LIU,Hui-ting FAN,Mei-ying ZHANG,Hong-sheng LIN
        2019, 25(11): 812-819. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3168-6
        Abstract：Objective:To evaluate the association between Chinese medicine (CM) therapy and disease-free survival (DFS) outcomes in postoperative patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:This multiple-center prospective cohort study was conducted in 13 medical centers in China. Patients with stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, or ⅢA NSCLC who had undergone radical resection and received conventional postoperative treatment according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines were recruited. The recruited patients were divided into a CM treatment group and a control group according to their wishes. Patients in the CM treatment group received continuous CM therapy for more than 6 months or until disease progression. Patients in the control group received CM therapy for less than 1 month. Follow-up was conducted over 3 years. The primary outcome was DFS, with recurrence/metastasis rates as a secondary outcome.Results:Between May 2013 and August 2016, 503 patients were enrolled into the cohort; 266 were classified in the CM treatment group and 237 in the control group. Adjusting for covariates, high exposure to CM was associated with better DFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.417, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.307–0.567)]. A longer duration of CM therapy (6–12 months, 12–18 months, >24 months) was associated with lower recurrence and metastasis rates (HR = 0.225, 0.119 and 0.083, respectively). In a subgroup exploratory analysis, CM therapy was also a protective factor of cancer recurrence and metastasis in both stage Ⅱ–ⅢA (HR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.37–0.67) and stage ⅢA NSCLC postoperative patients (HR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.33–0.71), DFS was even longer among CM treatment group patients.Conclusions:Longer duration of CM therapy could be considered a protective factor of cancer recurrence and metastasis. CM treatment is associated with improving survival outcomes of postoperative NSCLC patients in China. (Registration No. ChiCTR-OOC-14005398)  
        Keywords：Chinese medicine;non-small cell lung cancer;postoperative care;cohort study;disease-free survival   
        279
        |
        0
        |
        4
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714007 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Hiroyuki Murota,Hiroaki Azukizawa,Ichiro Katayama
        2019, 25(11): 820-824. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-017-2950-6
        Abstract：Objective:To study the effect of Jumihaidokuto (Shi-Wei-Bai-Du-Tang, 十味败毒汤) in the management of chronic spontaneous urticaria.Methods:A randomized two-arm, parallel group study was conducted to compare the effect of Jumihaidokuto (6 g daily) with a control for 8 weeks. Concomitant therapy (e.g., antihistamines) was continued. Twenty-one subjects with severe chronic urticaria were enrolled in this study. The primary treatment outcome was the severity score proposed by the Japanese Dermatological Association. Secondary outcomes were quality of life (Skindex-16), itch intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), and patients' subjective disability due to wheal or itch. After the subjects were randomly assigned to groups by block randomization, 10 received Jumihaidokuto, and 11 did not. All subjects had already taken antihistamines.Results:Improvement was significant when comparing the severity score of the Jumihaidokuto group with that of the control group (P<0.01). Skindex-16 values for both groups gradually decreased in the same fashion.Conclusion:Concomitant use of Jumihaidokuto with antihistamine was more effective than antihistamine alone in the management of chronic idiopathic urticaria. (Trial Registration No. UMIN000007251)  
        Keywords：Jumihaidokuto;crude drug extract;Shi-Wei-Bai-Du-Tang;Chinese medicine;antihistamine;chronic spontaneous urticaria;severity;quality of life   
        270
        |
        0
        |
        0
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9713961 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Hong-min ZHU,Jing-min ZHOU,Xue-juan JIN,Ming-qiang FU,Ling-ti ZHU,Xiao-tong CUI,Yue FAN,Ding-fang CAI,Jun-bo GE
        2019, 25(11): 825-830. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-015-2436-3
        Abstract：Objective:To investigate the distribution of Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on admission and its impact on prognosis.Methods:A total of 525 AMI patients were prospectively recruited and classified into 4 groups based on their clinical characteristics: excess-heat, excess-cold, deficiency-heat and deficiency-cold syndromes. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were followed up.Results:The excess syndrome was more common than deficiency syndrome (72.95% vs. 27.05%; P<0.05). Totally 495 (94.29%) of 525 AMI patients were followed up (median 277 days). There were 59 (11.92%) MACEs. After adjusted with confounding factors in Cox regression models, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of excess-heat, excess-cold, deficiency-heat and deficiency-cold syndrome groups were 1, 1.25 (0.63, 2.49; P<0.05), 2.37 (1.14, 4.94; P<0.05), 3.76 (1.71, 8.28; P<0.05), respectively.Conclusions:Excess syndrome was more common in AMI patients and had better prognosis, while deficiency-cold syndrome had the poorest prognosis. CM syndrome was of value in predicting long-term outcomes in AMI patients.  
        Keywords：acute myocardial infarction;Chinese medicine syndrome;prognosis   
        261
        |
        0
        |
        1
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9713981 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Ting-ting WANG,Li-yun HE,Ming ZHANG,Shao-mo WANG,Ai-guang ZHAO,Lei CHU,Li-yuan ZHANG,Sheng-fu YOU,Jie YOU
        2019, 25(11): 831-836. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-018-2991-5
        Abstract：Objective:To develop an improved version of the Quality-of-Life Assessment instrument for Lung Cancer Patients Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (QLASTCM-Lu) and to evaluate its psychometric property.Methods:The structured group method and the theory in developing rating scale were employed to revise the preliminary scale. The psychometric property (reliability, validity, and responsiveness) of the established QLASTCM-Lu (modified) were evaluated by quality of life data measured in 100 lung cancer patients. Statistical analyses were made accordingly by way of correlation analysis, factor analysis and paired t-test.Results:The internal consistency reliability of the overall scale and all domains was from 0.80 to 0.94. Correlation and factor analyses demonstrated that the scale was good in construct validity. The criterion validity was formed with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer (EORTC QLQ-LC43) as the criterion. Statistically significant changes were found apart from such domain as "mental condition" and "social function", with the standardized response means being close to those of QLQ-LC43.Conclusion:QLASTCM-Lu (modified) could be used to measure the quality of life of lung cancer patients with good reliability, validity and a certain degree of responsiveness.  
        Keywords：lung cancer;quality of life;Chinese medicine;scale;European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer   
        256
        |
        0
        |
        1
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714003 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Zhen-fei WANG,Da-guang MA,Ling WANG,Li FENG,Jian-wei FU,Ying LI,Dan-ting WANG,Yong-feng JIA
        2019, 25(11): 837-844. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-018-2985-3
        Abstract：Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effects of paeoniflorin on migration- and invasionpromoting capacities of gastric cancer associated fibroblasts (GCAFs) and to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the effects.Methods:Paired gastric normal fibroblast (GNF) and GCAF cultures were established from resected tissues. GCAFs were treated with control medium, or 2.5, 5 or 10 μg/mL paeoniflorin. Conditioned media were prepared from GNFs, GCAFs, control-treated GCAFs and paeoniflorin-treated GCAFs, and used to culture AGS human gastric cancer cells. The migration and invasion capacities of AGS cells were determined with wound healing test and transwell invasion assay, respectively. The interleukin 6 (IL-6) mRNA and microRNA-149 expression in GCAFs were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The IL-6 protein expression and secretion by GCAFs were measured with Western blot and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay analysis, respectively. The protein levels of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and MMP9 in AGS cells were examined by Western blot.Results:GCAFs displayed enhanced capacities to induce AGS cell migration and invasion as compared with GNFs. Paeoniflorin treatment significantly inhibited the migration- and invasion-promoting capacities of GCAFs (P<0.05). GCAFs produced and secreted more IL-6 into the conditioned medium than GNFs, leading to over-activation of STAT3-MMP signaling in AGS cells. Paeoniflorin suppressed IL-6 production and secretion by up-regulating microRNA149 expression in GCAFs, and subsequently prevented GCAFs from activating IL-6-STAT3-MMP signaling of AGS cells.Conclusions:Paeoniflorin inhibits the migration- and invasion-promoting capacities of GCAFs by targeting microRNA-149 and IL-6. Paeoniflorin is potentially a novel therapeutic agent against cancer microenvironment.  
        Keywords：paeoniflorin;Chinese medicine;gastric cancer associated fibroblasts;migration;invasion   
        297
        |
        0
        |
        1
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714075 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Ya-yun QIAN,Wen-yuan LI,Yan YAN,Xue-yu ZHAO,Ting YANG,Chuan-ci FANG,Jing-jing HOU,Yan-qing LIU
        2019, 25(11): 845-852. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3035-5
        Abstract：Objective:To characterize the molecular mechanism underlying the antineoplastic activity of Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. extracts (COE).Methods:The human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) knockdown expressed (HepG2/mTOR-) were constructed using molecular biological technology. In vitro, the HepG2/mTOR- cells were treated with COE at various concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 μg/mL). Cell viability was determined using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. According to the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value (140 mg/L), the concentrations of COE in the subsequent experiment was set to alleviate cytotoxicity. The HepG2/mTOR- cells were divided into 5 groups: negative control (untreated), COE treatment groups (40, 80, 120 mg/L COE) and positive control group (cisplatin, DDP, 2 mg/L), respectively. Wild-type HepG2 cells were used as a blank control. The effects of COE on the cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), respectively. The protein expression levels of mTOR signal pathways were determined by Western blotting. In vivo, HepG2/mTOR- cells (2×106 cell/mice) were subcutaneously injected into the right flank of nude mice. Thirty-six female nude mice were randomly assigned to 6 groups according to body weight (6 mice per group) as follows: solvent vehicle control, Banmao Capsule treated group (BM, 195 mg/kg), Tegafur, Gimeracil and Oteracil Potassium Capsules (10 mg/kg) treated group, and different dosages of COE (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) groups. Tumor growth was monitored and immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in tumor tissues.Results:COE inhibited the proliferation significantly in a concentration-dependent manner in HepG2/mTOR- cells (P<0.01). COE significantly induced the apoptosis of HepG2/mTOR- cells (P<0.01), and the apoptotic bodies can be observed under TEM. COE significantly inhibits the proteins expression of mTORrelated signal pathways. In vivo, COE significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice (P<0.01). Moreover, the results showed that COE down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and up-regulated the levels of Bax and caspase-3 protein (P<0.01).Conclusion:COE was a potential chemotherapeutic drug in HCC treatments via targeting mTOR signal pathway.  
        Keywords：Celastrus Orbiculatus;hepatocellular carcinoma;mammalian target of rapamycin;apoptosis   
        263
        |
        0
        |
        0
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714092 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Xin FANG,Xiao-liang MIAO,Jun-li LIU,Dong-wei ZHANG,Min WANG,Dan-dan ZHAO,Qian-qian MU,Na YU,Fang-fang MO,Hong-ping YIN,Si-hua GAO
        2019, 25(11): 853-860. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-015-2280-5
        Abstract：Objective:To investigate apoptotic effects of berberine, a significant alkaloids component existing in Rhizoma coptidis, and its possible acting mechanism in insulinoma cells.Methods:Different concentrations of berberine were used to treat mouse insulinoma (MIN6) cells for various period of time. The viability and apoptosis of the cells were analyzed using methylthiazolyldiphenvl-tetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. Changes in the relating pro- and anti-apoptosis proteins were detected by western-blotting.Results:The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of berberine was 5.7 μmol/L on MIN6 cells viability for 16 h. Berberine caused a 20% reduction (P<0.05) in cell number after only 4-h incubation; which reached 50% after 24 h (P<0.01). Berberine treatment for 16 h significantly increased the level of DNA fragmentation. The flow cytometry showed the apoptotic rate increased 2.9- and 4.6-fold after treating with berberine (5 μmol/L) for 8 and 16 h, while 3- and 8.7-fold after 10 μmol/L treatment for 8 and 16 h (P<0.01). Berberine treatment dramatically elevated the expression ratio of Bax to Bcl-2. Meanwhile, berberine notably increased the apoptosis-inducing factors and cytochrome C transforming from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) was subsequently activated after cytochrome C release. Furthermore, caspase-3 and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase were also activated to trigger apoptosis cascade.Conclusion:High concentration (5 and 10 μmol/L) of berberine could induce the apoptosis of MIN6 cells through cytochrome C/Apaf-1/caspase-3 and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) pathway.  
        Keywords：Chinese medicine;berberine;apoptosis;mouse insulinoma cells;cytochrome C/Apaf-1/ caspase-3;apoptosis inducing factor pathway   
        275
        |
        0
        |
        2
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714098 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      • Shi-huan TANG,Dan SHEN,Hong-jun YANG
        2019, 25(11): 861-866. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-017-2957-z
        Abstract：Objective:To analyze the composition rules of oral prescriptions in the treatment of headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea recorded in National Standard for Chinese Patent Drugs (NSCPD) enacted by Ministry of Public Health of China and then make comparison between them to better understand pain treatment in different regions of human body.Methods:Constructed NSCPD database had been constructed in 2014. Prescriptions treating the three pain-related diseases were searched and screened from the database. Then data mining method such as association rules analysis and complex system entropy method integrated in the data mining software Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System (TCMISS) were applied to process the data.Results:Top 25 drugs with high frequency in the treatment of each disease were selected, and 51, 33 and 22 core combinations treating headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea respectively were mined out as well.Conclusions:The composition rules of the oral prescriptions for treating headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea recorded in NSCPD has been summarized. Although there were similarities between them, formula varied according to different locations of pain. It can serve as an evidence and reference for clinical treatment and new drug development.  
        Keywords：Chinese patent drug;headache;stomachache;dysmenorrhea;pain;Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System;formulating principle   
        259
        |
        0
        |
        4
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714090 false
        Published：2021-08-27

        Traditional Medicine

      • Majid Nimrouzi,Mohammad M. Zarshenas
        2019, 25(11): 867-872. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-015-2302-3
        Abstract：Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) proposes a different viewpoint to the chronic diseases. Diagnosis and implemented treatment are based on individual differences among patients. Constipation or Ea'teghal-e-batn is a condition in which the patient develops difficult or painful defecation. Based on TPM concepts, the first digestion step starts from halq (oral cavity), and ends via defecation from the maq'ad (anus). Avicenna believed that four faculties, ha'zemeh (digestive), ja'zebeh (absorptive), ma'sekeh (retentive) and da'fe'eh (propulsive), are involved in the process of digestion and absorption of the ingested food and expelling the waste materials. The bowel movement and appearance of the stool is a measure for evaluating the gastrointestinal healthy function. Defecation should be with no pain and fecal material should have no burning and acuity. Low food intake or foods with dry temperament, dryness of gastrointestinal tract, diaphoresis and heavy exercise as well as intestine sensory loss were discussed as main causes of constipation. Management of constipation in TPM includes dietary schemes, oil massages and subsequently simple herbal medicines. According to TPM theories, the first step in treating a disease is the elimination of disease causes (asbabe-maraz) and also providing the causes of health (asbab-e-sehhat). Health care providers should know the proper condition which the herbal medicines should be administered in and be able to guide the patients about the benefits and hazards of herbal remedies, commonly used in their living origin.  
        Keywords：constipation;Ea'teghal-e-batn;herbal medicine;traditional Persian medicine   
        247
        |
        0
        |
        0
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714101 false
        Published：2021-08-27

        Review

      • Le-nyu GAO,Bing ZHONG,Yong WANG
        2019, 25(11): 873-878. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3151-2
        Abstract：Sinomenine (SIN) is a bioactive alkaloid compound extracted from a Chinese medicinal plant Sinomenium acutum. It is a multitarget antitumor natural substance. Various mechanisms have been proposed for the antitumor effects of SIN, such as direct cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, sensitization attenuating radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reversal of drug resistance, resistance to distant metastasis, and antiangiogenesis. SIN can be used as a tumor cell killer and an adjuvant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, recent studies are mostly limited to the basic experimental stage; no systematic clinical studies have yet been reported. Therefore, this paper aimed to review the mechanism underlying the antitumor effects of SIN by consulting relevant domestic and foreign studies and to provide a relevant reference for further development, use, and exploration of SIN.  
        Keywords：antitumor;mechanism;pharmacology;sinomenine;Chinese medicine   
        241
        |
        1
        |
        0
        <HTML>
        <Meta-XML>
        <CITATION> <Bulk Citation> 9714113 false
        Published：2021-08-27
      0