Search

The treatment and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was affected by the occurrence of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR-CVT). Yiqi Buxue prescriptions were a class of traditional single or compounded formulations that have become a consensus for NSCLC. There was no clear information and or summary available for Yiqi Buxue prescriptions combined with adjuvant chemotherapy for NSCLC in reducing CTR-CVT. To systematically evaluate the Yiqi Buxue prescriptions combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in reducing CTR-CVT for patients with NSCLC. Search strategies were developed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), SinoMed and WanFang Data from database inception date to October 2022. The methodological quality of evidence was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias (ROBs) assessment tool, and the meta-analysis was analyzed using RevMan 5.3. A total of 9 studies were included. Compared with the adjuvant chemotherapy group, Yiqi Buxue prescriptions combined with adjuvant chemotherapy group showed no statistically significant in reducing CTR-CVT (RR 0.67, 95%CI 0.11 to 3.93, P = 0.65) and in CD4+/CD8+(MR 0.32, 95%CI -0.13 to 0.77, P = 0.16). However, it significantly improved the objective response rate (ORR) (RR 1.57, 95%CI 1.32 to 1.87, P < 0.00001), disease control rate (DCR) (RR 1.25, 95%CI 1.15 to 1.35, P < 0.00001), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) improvement rate (RR 1.34, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.55, P < 0.0001), CD3+ (MR 4.17, 95%CI 3.68 to 4.66, P < 0.00001), CD4+ (MR 4.87, 95%CI 4.28 to 5.46, P < 0.00001), and CD8+ (MR 3.12, 95%CI 2.57 to 3.67, P < 0.00001). The current RCTs are hampered by small sample sizes and poor methodological quality. More rigorously designed and large sample RCTs with primary outcome of CTR-CVT are needed to investigate the effectiveness of Yiqi Buxue prescriptions combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in reducing CTR-CVT for patients with NSCLC. [Display omitted] • This paper is the first systematic evaluation of the effect of Yiqi Buxue prescriptions in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy on CTR-CVT in NSCLC patients. • Nine RCTs involving 952 patients were included in this meta-analysis. • Current RCTs are simultaneously limited by small sample sizes and poor methodological quality. • More RCTS with CTR-CVT as the primary outcome should be conducted in the future. • More sufficient patients and rigorously designed explanatory RCTs are needed to investigate Yiqi Buxue prescriptions combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of CTR-CVT in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An herbal pair is a classic form of clinical dispensing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), often used in prescriptions to enhance the effect or reduce potential side effects. It is the smallest component unit of Chinese medicine prescription and an essential bridge between Chinese medicine and prescription. Curcumae Rhizoma (called Ezhu in Chinese) is a representative TCM herb that promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Ezhu is generally used in clinical applications as a part of a "drug pair" to treat heartburn, stomach pain, tumour, amenorrhea and abdominal pain caused by blood stasis, qi stagnation and injury. This review aims to summarize the latest and comprehensive situation of the biological activity and clinical application of drug pairs containing Ezhu, find the law of Ezhu compatibility application, and discuss the rationalization of Ezhu drug compatibility. For Ezhu, herb pairs to provide a theoretical basis for clinical research in TCM and serve as a research foundation for developing new drugs. Using a self-built prescription database and Apriori algorithm for association rule mining. A systematic search for studies on herb pairs containing Ezhu was carried out by using the internet databases of PubMed, CNKI, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar and Web of Science, as well as other relevant textbooks, reviews and documents (e.g. Chinese Pharmacopoeia , 2020 edition, Chinese herbal classic books and PhD and MSc theses, etc.). Among them with keywords including "Curcumae Rhizoma", "Ezhu", "herb pairs", "clinical application", etc. and their combinations. Moreover, the t-copula function was used to analyse the dose-coupling effect of five drug pairs, including Ezhu. The preliminary statistical analysis retrieved Ezhu prescriptions from self-built prescription database and internet databases. The results showed that the compatibility frequency of Ezhu with the other five Chinese medicines was high. Most of these selected herbal combinations are used to treat internal diseases. In this paper, the progress of the ethnopharmacology of Ezhu was reviewed, emphasizing the changes in bioactive components and compatibility of Chinese traditional medicine combinations such as Ezhu and Astragalus Curcuma (Sparganium stoloniferum Buch. -Ham; called Sanleng in Chinese), Ezhu and Astragali Radix (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge.; called Huangqi in Chinese). Some other varieties, such as Ezhu and Rhizoma Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.; called Chuanxiong in Chinese), Trionycis Carapax (Trionyx sinensis Wiegmann; called Biejia in Chinese), and Coptidis Rhizoma (Coptis chinensis Franch., Coptis deltoidea C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao, Coptis teeta Wall.; called Huanglian in Chinese), are also recorded in ancient books but rarely researched. The dose of Ezhu is strongly correlated with the amount of Sanleng, Huangqi, Biejia, Chuanxiong and Huanglian, respectively. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between them. The bioactive components and compatibility effects of Ezhu herb pairs were studied in detail using data mining and t-copula function analysis. Ezhu and Astragalus Curcuma (Sanleng) mainly treat gynecological disorders by activating blood circulation and relieving congestion. Ezhu and Astragali Radix (Huangqi) drug pair and Ezhu and Trionycis Carapax (Biejia) drug pair are all commonly used in the clinical treatment of tumors, the former is mainly used clinically for the treatment of digestive tract-related inflammation and tumors, liver cancer and gynecological tumors, and the latter is commonly used for the treatment of malignant tumors, such as liver cancer and mammary cancer. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a "silent killer" that threatens women's lives and health, ovarian cancer (OC) has the clinical characteristics of being difficult to detect, difficult to treat, and high recurrence. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can be utilized as a long-term complementary and alternative therapy since it has shown benefits in alleviating clinical symptoms of OC, decreasing toxic side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, as well as enhancing patients' quality of life. This paper reviews how TCM contributes to the apoptosis of OC cells through signaling pathways, including active constituents, extracts, and herbal formulas, with the aim of providing a basis for the development and clinical application of therapeutic strategies for TCM in OC. The search was conducted from scientific databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed databases aiming to elucidate the apoptosis signaling pathways in OC cells by TCM. The articles were searched by the keywords "ovarian cancer", "apoptosis", "signaling pathway", "traditional Chinese medicine", "Chinese herbal monomer", "Chinese herbal extract", and "herbal formula". The search was conducted from January 2013 to June 2023. A total of 97 potentially relevant articles were included, including 93 articles on Chinese medicine active constituents or extracts and 4 articles on Chinese herbal compound prescriptions. TCM can induce apoptosis in OC cells by regulating signaling pathways with obvious advantages, including STAT3, PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, MAPK, NF-κB, Nrf2, HIF-1α, Fas/Fas L signaling pathway, etc. Chinese medicine can induce apoptosis in OC cells through multiple pathways, targets, and routes. TCM has special advantages for treating OC, providing more reasonable evidence for the research and development of new apoptosis inducers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the important traditional Chinese medicines, Alpinia oxyphylla could warm and tonify the kidney and spleen. It has been used as anti-salivation, anti-diarrhea in various diseases. In recent years, many studies have reported the significant effect of Alpinia oxyphylla on improving cognitive ability, anti oxidative stress and protecting neurons. In this paper, we studied whether AE and its main active components could improve M1 and M2 polarization, inhibit neuroinflammation through triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), and exert anti-inflammatory effects. In this paper, the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines such as NO, TNF-α, IL-10 were assessed using detection kits respectively. Arg-1 and Iba-1, as polarized markers of M1 and M2, were detected by Immunofluorescence staining. CD86 and CD206 were tested by flow cytometry as surface markers of M1 and M2. Furthermore, RT-PCR was performed to determinate TNF-α, IL-10, Arg-1, and Iba-1. Western blot was used to test the activation of PI3K/AKT/GSK3β and BDNF/TrkB/TLR4 signaling pathways. TREM2 siRNA treatment further verified the action target of Chrysin, the main active ingredient of Alpinia oxyphylla. Molecular docking study was performed to investigate the binding mode between Chrysin and the human TREM2. We found that AE could promote the phenotypic transformation of microglia from M1 to M2, and similar effects of Chrysin were observed. Furthermore, downregulation of TREM2 blocked the anti-neuroinflammation of Chrysin, and inhibited the shift of M1 phenotype to M2 phenotype. Additionally, TREM2-siRNA suppressed the effects of Chrysin on PI3K/AKT/GSK3β and BDNF/TrkB/TLR4 signaling pathways. Our findings indicated that AE could improve the polarization response of microglia. TREM2 plays a vital role in the microglial repolarization effects of Chrysin through PI3K/AKT/GSK3β and BDNF/TrkB/TLR4 signaling pathways regulated by neuroinflammation. [Display omitted] • Alpinae Oxyphyllae Fructus could regulate the phenotypic transformation of LPS-induced BV2 cells. • Chrysin is the key component of Alpinae Oxyphyllae Fructus to exert anti-inflammatory activity. • TREM2 plays a vital role in promoting M2 phenotype polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roots of Achyranthes bidentata Blume are one of the regularly used herbal drugs in Chinese medicine, and has been applied for strengthening the muscle and bone for a long time. However, its effect on muscle remains unclear. This paper aims to explore the anti-muscle atrophy effect of A. bidentata , and to clarify the possible signaling pathways involved. The saponin extract of the roots of A. bidentata (ABSE) was prepared and analyzed, and its activity on myoblast differentiation was assayed with C2C12 cell culture. ABSE was then orally administered at dosage of 35, 70 and 140 mg/kg/day to disuse-induced muscle atrophy mice. The studies on mice body weight and muscle quality were conducted, and Western blot was used for exploring the possible signaling pathways involved in the muscle protective action aided with transcriptome analysis. The total saponin content of ABSE was 59.1%. ABSE promoted the C2C12 cells differentiation to myotube in C2C12 differentiation assay. Further study with disuse-induced muscle atrophy mice model demonstrated that ABSE significantly increased muscle fiber diameter as well as the proportion of slow muscle fibers. Possible mechanism study aided with transcriptome analysis revealed that ABSE alleviated muscle atrophy at least through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway in vivo & vitro. The saponin extract of the root of A. bidentata (ABSE) has a protective effect on muscle atrophy, and showed a considerable potential in prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy. [Display omitted] • The saponin extract of A. bidentata (ABSE) was prepared and analyzed. • ABSE promoted the differentiation of C2C12 cells to myotubes. • ABSE displayed a protective effect on muscle atrophy in vivo. • ABSE activated PI3K/Akt pathway in vivo & in vitro. • ABSE increased protein levels of Myogenin and MyoD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major mental disorder and it is currently recognized as the second-leading cause of disability worldwide. However, the therapeutic effect of antidepressants remains unsatisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used for centuries, including commonly-used complementary and alternative medical therapies for depression. Recent clinical trials have been carried out to assess the efficacy and safety of TCM, and to explore the mechanisms of action in relation to the treatment of depression. To summarize frequently used TCM decoctions and Chinese patent medicines (CPM) for treating depression, review their clinical therapeutic effects in treating depressive disorders, consider their possible mechanisms, and characterize the relationships between their efficacy and mechanisms. We performed a computerized literature search using the electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases, with the keywords "depression", "traditional Chinese medicine decoction", "Chinese patent medicine", "application", "mechanism", and their combinations, from January 1, 2000 to August 8, 2022 (inclusive). A total of 51 papers were identified. We reviewed studies on six each TCM decoctions and CPMs, which demonstrated their significant clinical efficacy for treating depression and examined their mechanisms of action. The anti-depressive effects were related to: 1) increased monoamine neurotransmitter levels, 2) inhibiting hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, 3) regulating hippocampal neurons and neurotrophic factors, 4) regulating immune cytokines, 5) counteracting excitatory amino acid toxicity, and 6) regulating microbe-gut-brain axis function. TCM plays an increasingly important role in the management of depression by enhancing the therapeutic effects and alleviating the side effects of antidepressant chemicals. [Display omitted] • Traditional Chinese medical formulas with antidepressant effect have been confirmed. • TCM has the advantage of multi-target antidepressant effects. • The combination of TCM and Western medicine can improve the efficacy and reduce side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic dermatopathy is one of the most serious and common complications of diabetes. It has been found that high glucose can lead to abnormal glycometabolism. The skin microenvironment pollution caused by the increase in glucose and the oxidative stress mediated by the deposition of advanced glycation end products can lead to invisible skin injury, and the interaction between them is the key factor that makes the skin wounds of diabetic rats difficult to heal. Therefore, the main task of promoting healing is to reduce blood glucose levels and relieve the deposition of advanced glycation end products. Polygonatum kingianum Collett & Hemsl (PK) of Asparagaceae is planted in Yunnan, China, and is used by the Bai, Hani and Wa nationalities as a traditional medicine for preventing and treating diabetes. To study the effects of PK extract on skin wound healing in diabetic rats and to explore the regulatory mechanism of PK on wound microenvironment pollution, the antioxidative stress signaling pathway and latent injury of wound skin tissue. First, wounds were prepared after diabetic rats were given PK extract by gavage for 4 weeks, and then gavage was continued for 2 weeks to observe and calculate the wound healing rate. A scanning electron microscope was used to observe the pathomorphological changes in the skin tissue at the edge of the wound. Western blotting was used to detect protein expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD34, AGEs, bFGF and VEGF. The Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in skin tissue was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Serum biochemical indicators and inflammatory cytokine levels were detected by a kit. After PK treatment, the wound healing rate increased significantly (P < 0.001), the infiltration of inflammatory cells in skin tissue of DM lesion rats decreased, the number of new blood vessels increased, and the epidermis and dermis thickened. The content of glucose, AGEs, RAGE protein and RAGE mRNA in skin decreased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001), while the expression of Nrf2 mRNA, HO-1 mRNA, CD34, bFGF and VEGF increased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001). The levels of SOD, GSH, MMP-9 and MMP-2 in skin decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001), but the level of TIMP-2 increased (P < 0.001). GSP, GHb and ICAM-1 in plasma decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001), while T-AOC, SOD and FINS increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The levels of MDA, TNF-, IL-6, IL-2 and IFN-γ in plasma and wound skin tissue decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001). PK can reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells and glucose content in the skin tissue at the edge of the wound, reduce inflammatory factors in skin and plasma, and increase angiogenesis, thus improving the wound healing rate. PK can alleviate the microenvironment pollution caused by AGEs and glucose metabolism disorder in diabetic rats and induce antioxidant activity through the Nrf 2/HO-1 signaling pathway, thus reducing oxidative damage and offsetting endogenous skin damage and hidden damage. [Display omitted] • There has been no previous report on the study of PK in the treatment of diabetic complications，and this paper is the first time to study the repairing effect of Polygonatum kingianum on diabetic skin injury complications. • This study established a "chain of disease" from beginning to end, and explored the multi-target and multi-link therapeutic effects of Polygonatum kingianum. • This study prove that Polygonatum kingianum can improve the quality of micro-environmental pollution in diabetic rat skin lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our recently published paper demonstrated that ethyl acetate fractions obtained from Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (C. citratus) leaves, which are consumed as infusion in folk medicine due to their therapeutic properties, are rich in polyphenols and exhibit promising antioxidant activity by acting through different mechanisms in vitro. However, studies regarding the toxicity of these fractions are necessary to investigate their safe use in future biomedical applications. This study aimed to investigate the toxicity of ethyl acetate (obtained in acidic and basic conditions and after the essential oil removal from the leaves) and chloroform fractions, essential oil, and its pure constituents, citral and geraniol. The toxicity of C. citratus samples was evaluated by using Artemia salina (A. salina) and human blood cells (leukocytes and erythrocytes). The A. salina lethality assay demonstrated that C. citratus fractions were moderately toxic with LC 50 values ranging from 146.12 to 433.15 μg mL−1, whereas the essential oil and isolated compounds were highly toxic with LC 50 lower than 100 μg mL−1. Leukocyte viability decreased after incubation in the presence of the fractions obtained after the essential oil removal from the plant leaves, as well as in the presence of essential oil, citral and geraniol. The same samples increased the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis revealed significant changes in cell morphology. Interestingly, our results suggest that the previous removal of essential oil from plant leaves facilitated the extraction of cytotoxic compounds from C. citratus. It was demonstrated that C. citratus ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions, essential oil, as well citral and geraniol were considered toxic to A. salina , cytotoxic to human blood cells and showed to induce alterations in the erythrocyte membrane at higher concentrations. These fractions will be further investigated to identify the phytochemicals involved in the observed cytotoxic effects and explored using in vivo models. [Display omitted] • Cymbopogon citratus samples and isolated compounds were toxic for Artemia salina. • Citral, geraniol and essential oil increased osmotic fragility in human erythrocytes. • FESEM analysis showed that some samples changed erythrocytes morphology. • The removal of essential oil from leaves enhanced the extraction of cytotoxic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]