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Objective: To assess efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) on insomnia considering characteristics of treatment based on syndrome differentiation. Methods: A total of 116 participants aged 18 to 65 years with moderate and severe primary insomnia were randomized to the placebo (n=20) or the CM group (n=96) for a 4-week treatment and a 4-week follow-up. Three CM clinicians independently prescribed treatments for each patient based on syndromes differentiation. The primary outcome was change in total sleep time (TST) from baseline. Secondary endpoints included sleep onset latency (SOL), wake time after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and CM symptoms. Results: The CM group had an average 0.6 h more (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3–0.9, P<0.001) TST and 34.1% (10.3%–58.0%, P=0.005) more patients beyond 0.5 h TST increment than that of the placebo group. PSQI was changed −3.3 (−3.8 to −2.7) in the CM group, a −2.0 (−3.2 to −0.8, P<0.001) difference from the placebo group. The CM symptom score in the CM group decreased −2.0 (−3.3 to −0.7, P=0.003) more than the placebo group. SOL and WASO changes were not significantly different between groups. The analysis of prescriptions by these clinicians revealed blood deficiency and Liver stagnation as the most common syndromes. Prescriptions for these clinicians displayed relative stability, while the herbs varied. All adverse events were mild and were not related to study treatment. Conclusion: CM treatment based on syndrome differentiation can increase TST and improve sleep quality of primary insomnia. It is effective and safe for primary insomnia. In future studies, the long-term efficacy validation and the exploratory of eutherapeutic clinicians' fixed herb formulas should be addressed (Registration No. NCT01613183). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new iridoid glycosides, piasezkiiosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from aqueous extract of the whole plant of Rehmannia piasezkii. Their structures were established from the spectroscopic data, chemical transformation, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 exhibited weak hepatoprotective activity against APAP-induced HepG2 cell damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new iridoid glycosides (1–4), rehmaglutosides L–O, were isolated from the air-dried roots of Rehmannia glutinosa. Their structures were established from the spectroscopic data obtained and by chemical evidence. The known mellittoside (5) and ajugol (6) were also obtained in the current investigation, and the structure of mellittoside was unequivocally defined using X-ray diffraction data. Compounds 1–6 were tested for their cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines and proliferation effects on Lactobacillus Reuteri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis is a common and complex syndrome characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. Chinese medicine has been recently found to show good efficacy in treating endometriosis. Our previous results revealed that Maqian fruit essential oil (MQEO) could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs), but the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aim to explore the molecular mechanism of MQEO's specific effects in EESCs. Methods: We conducted a quantitative proteomics analysis by iTRAQ on EESCs treated with MQEO or DMSO. Then deep analysis was performed based on differentially expressed proteins, including Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, pathway enrichment analysis and protein interaction analysis. Candidate protein targets were subsequently verified by western blotting. Results: Among 6575 identified proteins, 435 proteins exhibited altered expression levels in MQEO-treated EESCs. Of these proteins, most were distributed in signal transduction as well as immune system and the most significantly altered pathway was complement and coagulation cascades. Moreover, two differentially expressed proteins (Heme oxygenase 1 and Acyl-CoA 6-desaturase) were verified and they can be potential biomarkers for endometriosis treatment. Conclusions: Our proteomic analysis revealed distinct protein expression patterns induced by MQEO treatment in EESCs, highlighting the potential of MQEO for endometriosis treatment and biomarker discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In China, the traditional Chinese medicine compound Xuefu Zhuoyue prescription (XFZY) has been widely used in the therapy of coronary heart disease (CHD). Currently, several systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) of XFZY for the treatment of CHD have been published. This overview aims to evaluate the existing SRs/MAs and provide a scientific basis for evaluating the efficacy and safety of XFZY for the therapy of CHD. Methods. The SRs/MAs of XFZY for the treatment of CHD were obtained from 7 electronic databases with the search date set at March 7, 2022. Two researchers independently assessed the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the included SRs/MAs using the following tools: the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results. A total of 11 SRs/MAs were included in this overview. All SRs/MAs assessed by means of AMSTAR-2 had more than one critical defect, so all SRs/MAs were rated low. Regarding the assessment of reporting quality, the results of PRISMA 2020 showed that none of the SRs/MAs were fully reported. In addition, the results of the GRADE assessment of the quality of evidence indicated that only one outcome was rated as high quality across all SRs/MAs. Conclusion. Current evidence suggests that XFZY is effective and safe for the management of patients with CHD. However, the high risk of bias of the original clinical studies and the low quality of the SRs/MAs reduced the reliability of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To study the clinical efficacy of modified Yiwei Shengyang decoction combined with FOLFOX4 chemotherapy regimen in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer and its effect on tumor marker levels. Methods. A total of 106 patients with advanced gastric cancer who were treated in our hospital from September 2019 to September 2021 were recruited and assigned via random number allocation to receive either FOLFOX4 chemotherapy (control group) or modified Yiwei Shengyang decoction plus FOLFOX4 chemotherapy (observation group). Outcome measures included clinical efficacy and tumor marker levels. Results. Modified Yiwei Shengyang decoction plus FOLFOX4 chemotherapy was associated with a significantly higher efficacy (86.79%, including 22 (41.51%) cases of complete response (CR), 24 (45.28%) cases of partial response (PR), 6 (11.32%) cases of stable disease (SD), and 1 (1.89%) case of progressive disease (PD)) compared to FOLFOX4 chemotherapy alone (47.16%, including 10 (18.87%) cases of CR, 15 (28.30%) cases of PR, 21 (39.62%) cases of SD, and 7 (13.21%) cases of PD) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of CEA and CA19-9 between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). Modified Yiwei Shengyang decoction plus FOLFOX4 chemotherapy resulted in significantly lower levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) (2.08 ± 0.47, 15.12 ± 6.74) compared to FOLFOX4 chemotherapy alone (5.46 ± 1.84, 31.82 ± 7.48) (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Modified Yiwei Shengyang decoction plus FOLFOX4 chemotherapy regimen is effective in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. It regulates the levels of various serum tumor markers in patients and controls the disease, so it is worthy of clinical application and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to find new biomarkers of prognosis and metabolomic therapy for gastric carcinoma (GC) treated with chemotherapy and investigate the metabolic mechanism of the Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng (JPYZXZ) decoction in the treatment of GC. Methods. First, 36 patients with GC were randomly assigned to the treatment (chemotherapy plus JPYZXZ) and control (chemotherapy alone) groups. The clinical efficacy, side effects, and quality of life of patients in the two groups were evaluated after treatment. Then, the serum samples taken from 16 randomly selected patients (eight treatment cases and eight control cases with no evident pattern characters) and eight healthy volunteers were tested to identify the differential metabolite under the gas chromatography-time-of-fight mass spectrometry platform. The relevant metabolic pathways of differential substances were analyzed using multidimensional statistical analysis. Results. JPYZXZ combined with chemotherapy resulted in a lower risk of leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal reaction (P < 0.05). Additionally, patients in the treatment group showed a higher Karnofsky (KPS) scale (P < 0.05). Compared with healthy persons, patients with GC were found to have 26 significant differential metabolites after chemotherapy; these metabolites are mainly involved in 12 metabolic pathways, such as valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis. JPYZXZ primarily influences the pentose phosphate pathway; glutathione metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism; and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism of patients with GC treated with chemotherapy. Conclusions. The metabolic characteristics of patients with GC after chemotherapy are mainly various amino acid metabolic defects, especially L-glutamine, L-leucine, L-alloisoleucine, and L-valine. These defects lead to a series of problems, such as decreased tolerance and effectiveness of chemotherapy, increased side effects, decreased immunity, and shortened survival time. In addition, the remarkable upregulation of the gluconolactone level in patients with GC suggests the high proliferative activity of GC cells. Thus, gluconolactone may be used as a potential prognostic and diagnostic evaluation index. Moreover, JPYZXZ can reduce the incidence of ADRs and improve the life quality of patients by the correction of L-glutamine, L-leucine, L-alloisoleucine, and L-valine metabolism deficiency. In addition, gluconolactone metabolism is inhibited by JPYZXZ. Such inhibition may be one of the antitumor mechanisms of JPYZXZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Mulam are an ethnic group native to Guangxi, and nearly 80% of the Mulam population lives in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County, northern Guangxi, southern China. They have accumulated rich medicinal folk knowledge through practice and experience in their long-term struggles with disease and the harsh natural environment. However, their traditional medicinal knowledge is threatened due to a lack of written records, conservative inheritance patterns, and rapid economic development. Therefore, the investigation and documentation of medicinal plants and their associated indigenous wisdom are necessary. Method: Ethnobotanical data were collected from 12 villages and five communities in Luocheng County from January 2013 to April 2017. A total of 128 informants were interviewed through semistructured interviews, field observations, group discussions, and guided field walks. Quantitative indices such as use categories, preference ranking exercises, the informant consensus factor (ICF), and the fidelity level (FL) were used to evaluate the importance of medicinal plant species. Additionally, group discussions were conducted about the conservation of and threats to medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. Results: A total of 456 medicinal plant species from 350 genera and 132 families were recorded and documented in our ethnobotanical investigation. Most of them (335 species, 73.47%) were obtained from wild habitats. Most of the documented species (246) were herbaceous (54%), followed by shrubs, with 76 species (17%), lianas, with 75 species (16%), and trees, with 59 species (13%). The most common method of administration was oral administration, which was used for 390 species (62.70%). The most common method of preparation was decoction (316 species, 54.11%). The plants were used to treat 312 human diseases in 12 disease categories, and most of the categories had a high ICF value. The highest ICF value was recorded for gynecological ailments (0.92), followed by nervous and psychosomatic problems (0.90) and digestive system diseases (0.89). Traditional medicinal knowledge and medicinal plants are under threat due to conservative inheritance processes and anthropogenic pressures for various reasons. Conclusion: A rich diversity of medicinal plants is distributed in the Mulam area, and these plants play an important role in healthcare among the Mulam people. Mulam people are skilled in using the plants in their surroundings to treat diseases in their daily lives. However, their traditional medicinal knowledge and medicinal plants are greatly threatened by rapid economic development for various reasons. Thus, policies and practices for the conservation of medicinal plants and the associated traditional knowledge are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to predict the active ingredients, potential targets, signaling pathways and investigate the "ingredient-target-pathway" mechanisms involved in the pharmacological action of Danshiliuhao Granule (DSLHG) on liver fibrosis. Pharmacodynamics studies on rats with liver fibrosis showed that DSLHG generated an obvious anti-liver fibrosis action. On this basis, we explored the possible mechanisms underlying its antifibrosis effect using network pharmacology approach. Information about compounds of herbs in DSLHG was collected from TCMSP public database and literature. Furthermore, the oral bioavailability (OB) and drug-likeness (DL) were screened according to ADME features. Compounds with OB≥30% and DL≥0.18 were selected as active ingredients. Then, the potential targets of the active compounds were predicted by pharmacophore mapping approach and mapped with the target genes of the specific disease. The compound-target network and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network were built by Cytoscape software. The core targets were selected by degree values. Furthermore, GO biological process analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out to investigate the possible mechanisms involved in the anti-hepatic fibrosis effect of DSLHG. The predicted results showed that there were 108 main active components in the DSLHG formula. Moreover, there were 192 potential targets regulated by DSLHG, of which 86 were related to liver fibrosis, including AKT1, EGFR, and IGF1R. Mechanistically, the anti-liver fibrosis effect of DSLHG was exerted by interfering with 47 signaling pathways, such as PI3K-Akt, FoxO signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. Network analysis showed that DSLHG could generate the antifibrosis action by affecting multiple targets and multiple pathways, which reflects the multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine and provides novel basis to clarify the mechanisms of anti-liver fibrosis of DSLHG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of Xijiao Dihuang Decoction (犀角地黄汤, XJDHD) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced acute liver failure (ALF) as well as the underlying mechanism of action, and to clarify the key herbs and components of XJDHD. Methods: LPS/D-galactosamine (D-GalN) or TNF-α/D-GalN were intraperitoneally injected into C57BL/6J mice to induce ALF. Simultaneously, XJDHD or its individual herbs and components were orally administered. Survival rates, transaminase levels in serum, and hepatic histology were examined to evaluate the effects of XJDHD. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction were additionally performed to expound the mechanism underlying the anti-apoptotic activity of XJDHD. Results: Oral administration of XJDHD protected mice from lethal liver failure induced by LPS and TNF-α, with notable amelioration of liver injury in histology and a significant decrease in transaminase levels in serum. XJDHD significantly inhibited apoptosis of hepatocytes and enhanced expression of the antiapoptosis genes, c-Flip, Iap1, Gadd45b and A20. In addition, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. was identified as the key herb of XJDHD and galactose as the effective component of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. that protects against ALF. Conclusions: XJDHD inhibits TNF-α-induced apoptosis of hepatocytes by promoting the expression of nuclear factor κ B-regulated anti-apoptotic genes. Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. is the effective herb of XJDHD and galactose is an active component in this protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the potential antifibrotic mechanisms of Chinese medicine Ganshuang Granules (肝爽颗粒, GSG) and to provide clinical therapeutic evidence of its effects.Methods: A cirrhotic mouse model was established by intraperitoneally injecting a mixture of CCl4 (40%) and oil (60%) at 0.2 mL per 100 g of body weight twice a week for 12 weeks. After 12-week modeling, GSG was intragastric administrated to the mice for 2 weeks, and the mice were divided into low-, medium- and high-dose groups at doses of 1, 2 and 4 g/(kg·day), respectively. Liver morphology changes were observed using Masson's trichrome staining and B-ultrasound. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in serum were detected using an automatic biochemistry analyzer. The expressions of desmin, smooth muscle actin (SMA) and Foxp3 in liver were detected by immunoflfluorescence. The regulatory T cell (Treg) frequency was determined through flflow cytometry analysis. Collagen-I, SMA, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) expression levels were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).Results: Masson's staining result showed fewer pseudolobule structures and fibrous connective tissue in the GSG-treatment groups than in the spontaneous recovery group. Ultrasonography showed that GSG treatment reduced the number of punctate hyperechoic lesions in mice cirrhotic livers. The serum ALT, AST, HA levels were significantly ameliorated by GSG treatment (ALT: F=8.104, P=0.000; AST: F=7.078, P=0.002; and HA: F=7.621, P=0.001). The expression levels of collagen-I and SMA in the cirrhotic livers were also attenuated by GSG treatment (collagen-I: F=3.938, P=0.011; SMA: F=4.115, P=0.009). Tregs, which were elevated in the fibrotic livers, were suppressed by GSG treatment (F=8.268, P=0.001). The expressions of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β increased, and TGF-β levels decreased in the cirrhotic livers after GSG treatment (IL-6: F=5.457, P=0.004; TNF-α: F=6.023, P=0.002; IL-1β: F=6.658, P=0.001; and TGF-β1: F=11.239, P=0.000).Conclusions: GSG promoted the resolution/regression of cirrhosis and restored liver functions in part by suppressing Treg cell differentiation, which may be mediated by hepatic stellate cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether patterns of enterovirus 71 (EV71)-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) were classified based on symptoms and signs, and explore whether individual characteristics were correlated with membership in particular pattern. Methods: Symptom-based latent class analysis (LCA) was used to determine whether patterns of EV71-HFMD existed in a sample of 433 cases from a clinical data warehouse system. Logistic regression was then performed to explore whether demographic, and laboratory data were associated with pattern membership. Results: LCA demonstrated a two-subgroup solution with an optimal fit, deduced according to the Bayesian Information Criterion minima. Hot pattern (59.1% of all patients) was characterized by a very high fever and high endorsement rates for classical HFMD symptoms (i.e., rash on the extremities, blisters, and oral mucosa lesions). Non-hot pattern (40.9% of all patients) was characterized by classical HFMD symptoms. The multiple logistic regression results suggest that white blood cell counts and aspartate transaminase were positively correlated with the hot pattern (adjust odds ratio=1.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.006-1.115; adjust odds ratio=1.051, 95% confidence interval: 1.019-1.084; respectively). Conclusions: LCA on reported symptoms and signs in a retrospective study allowed different subgroups with meaningful clinical correlates to be defined. These findings provide evidence for targeted prevention and treatment interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tripterygium wilfordiiHook. f. is the traditional medicinal plants in China. Triptolide, wilforgine, and wilforine are the bioactive compounds inT. wilfordii.In this study, the contents of three metabolites and transcription levels of 21 genes involved in three metabolites biosynthesis inT. wilfordiiwere examined using high-performance liquid chromatography and reverse transcription PCR after application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on hairy roots in time course experiment (3–24 h). The results indicated that application of MeJA inhibited triptolide accumulation and promoted wilforgine and wilforine metabolites biosynthesis. In hairy roots, wilforgine content reached 693.36 μg/g at 6 h after adding MeJA, which was 2.23-fold higher than control. The accumulation of triptolide and wilforine in hairy roots increased the maximum at 9 h, which was 1.3- and 1.6-folds more than the control. Most of the triptolide secretes into the medium, but wilforgine and wilforine cannot secrete into the medium. The expression levels of unigenes which involved terpenoid backbone biosynthesis exist the correlation with marker metabolites (triptolide, wilforgine and wilforine) after induction by MeJA, and can be then used to infer flux bottlenecks inT. wilfordiisecondary metabolites accumulation. These results showed that these genes may have potential applications in the metabolic engineering ofT. wilfordiimetabolites production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is well-validated in the western countries. However, it has not been widely adopted or disseminated in China. One possibility is that therapeutic approaches drawn from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will be more widely accepted. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of medication in combination with a therapeutic approach drawn from TCM, Low Resistance Thought Induction Sleep-regulating Technique (TIP3-2), for acute treatment of insomnia. Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Ninety primary insomnia patients were randomly assigned to receive TIP3-2 combined with medication ( n = 45) or medication only ( n = 45) for 4 weeks. Medication consisted of 1-2 mg Estazolam nightly. On the basis of taking Estazolam, TIP3-2 combined with medication group was given Low Resistance Thought Induction Sleep-regulating Technique (TIP3-2) treatment twice a week. Outcomes were assessed with the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and polysomnography (PSG) before and after treatment. Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in the PSQI and polysomnography indices. The TIP3-2+ medication group demonstrated a significant difference between the two groups in PSQI total score, sleep medication use, daytime dysfunction, subjective sleep quality, as well as polysomnography indices of sleep efficiency and awakening times ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Among patients with primary insomnia, the addition of TIP3-2 provided benefits above and beyond the role of medication alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to describe Chinese women’s postpartum physiological and psychological health and adherence to “doing-the-month” practices. A descriptive repeated measures design was used, with data collected at 3 days and 6 weeks postpartum. The convenience sample consisted of 198 healthy childbearing women with a term birth. Maternal physical health was measured by the Six-Minute Walk (endurance), Chair Stand test (muscle strength), severity of physical symptoms, and physical health subscales of SF36v2. Maternal psychological health was measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale. Adherence was measured by the Adherence to Doing-the-Month Practices questionnaire. Aerobic endurance and lower-body muscle strength improved significantly across time (p < .001) but remained suboptimal for maternal age. Women who delivered by Cesarean section had significantly poorer physical health than those who had a vaginal delivery. Physical functioning significantly increased, but general health and role limitations due to physical health significantly decreased over time. Postpartum physical symptoms decreased in number and severity. Depression increased over time (p < .001). Adherence to doing the month was negatively correlated with aerobic endurance and positively correlated with depression at 6 weeks (p < .05). These findings challenge the assumption that practices of doing the month are healthy for Chinese women’s recovery after childbirth. Research-based evidence needs to be integrated into doing-the-month practices. Education of Chinese women and families, whether living at home or abroad, is needed about the adverse health effects of doing the month. Routine screening for postpartum depression is also advised. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The cytotoxic activity of 36 saponins isolated from roots ofPulsatilla chinensis(Bunge) Regel against the human cancer cell lines (A549, SGC-7901) and the human hepatic cell line (HL-7702) was tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Saponins1–14showed considerable cytotoxic activity, whereas saponins15–36showed no significant activity, which suggested that a free carboxylic group located at C-28 of aglycon is essential for their cytotoxic activity. Moreover, the analysis of structure–activity relationships also suggested that the oleanane-type saponins showed better cytotoxic activity than lupane-type saponins, and the length and linkage of glycolic chain attached to C-3 of aglycon displayed an important effect to the potent cytotoxicity. In conclusion, oleanolic acid 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-α-l-arabinopyranoside (5) exhibited the most significant cytotoxic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The regulatory effect of Liuwei Dihuang Pills (LDP) was studied on cytokines in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for human multiple sclerosis (MS), induced by immunization with MOG35-55 and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) supplemented with pertussis toxin (PTX). LDP was administrated orally for 40 days, and prednisone acetate (PA) was used as a control. The pathological changes in the spinal cords of mice were observed by light microscope with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The protein and mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the spinal cords were assessed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR assay, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in mice plasma was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) on days 12, 25 and 40 post-immunization (PI). The results showed that inflammatory cells, demyelination and axonal loss were reduced, and that the protein and mRNA expression of TNF-α and the ratio of TNF-α/TGF-β were obviously decreased, to different extents. However, the levels of cAMP were enhanced in LDP-treated groups. These findings suggested that LDP regulates the cytokine balance in favor of T helper 1 (Th1)/regulatory T (Treg) cells, which depend on enhancement of cAMP levels. LDP has a potential role in the treatment of MS and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation on the leaves of Tibetan Leucosceptrum canum , a Chinese medicinal herb, led to the isolation of seven new leucosceptrane sesterterpenoids (1 – 7) and five known analogs (8 – 12). Comprehensive spectroscopic analysis (including 1D and 2D NMR, and HRMS), quantum chemistry computations, and single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis were applied to elucidate their structures. Compounds 1 – 3 and 6 were the first examples of the leucosceptrane sesterterpenoids with rare C-2 oxidation. Compound 2 exhibited immunosuppressive activities via suppressing the secretion of cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in LPS-induced macrophages RAW264.7 with IC 50 values of 13.39 and 19.34 μM, respectively. [Display omitted] • Seven new leucosceptrane sesterterpenoids were isolated from Leucosceptrum canum. • NMR, ECD and X-ray analyses were used to clarify the absolute configurations. • It was the 1st report of the leucosceptrane sesterterpenoids with C-2 oxidation. • Several compounds showed moderate immunosuppressive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The traditional medicinal markets held during the Dragon Boat Festival are common and important in China's countryside. In Jianghua, a Yao autonomous county in Hunan Province in China, the medicinal market also plays an important role for the application, conservation, and communication of traditional Yao medicinal knowledge. Methods: During the Dragon Boat Festival in 2016 and 2017, ethnobotanical surveys and inventories were conducted in the medicinal market of Jianghua County, and voucher plant specimens were collected, identified, and deposited in a herbarium. Quantitative analysis included measurement of frequency of occurrence for species in the marketplace and the relative importance index for the number of uses for a given species. Results: A total of 306 plant species (249 genera, 113 families) and their related information about the medicinal market were collected. Some major findings include the following: (1) Using the whole plant as medicine is more common than other medicinal plant parts; (2) treating rheumatism and clearing inner heat are the most frequent medicinal uses; and (3) taking a medicinal bath is the most frequent modality to administer the traditional medicine. The frequency of occurrence and the relative importance index of some medicinal plants were analyzed, as well as the demographics and the number of stalls and the status of traditional Yao medicinal knowledge in Jianghua. Based on the investigation, suggestions were proposed for better protecting the medicinal market and preserving traditional medicinal knowledge in Jianghua County. Conclusion: The medicinal market during the Dragon Boat Festival in Jianghua County possesses an important cultural value and helps to conserve the traditional Yao medicinal knowledge. The medicinal plants sold at the market showed great diversity and unique local characteristics. The medicinal market is facing some challenges in such a rapidly developing era. Cultivation of young healers and maintaining the local biodiversity might be the key solutions for the development of local medicinal market and local Yao medicinal knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root of Croton crassifolius has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), called Radix Croton Crassifolius, and commonly known as "Ji Gu Xiang" in Chinese. Its medicinal value has been recorded in several medical books or handbooks, such as "Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao", "Ben Cao Qiu Yuan" and "Zhong Hua Ben Cao". It has been traditional employed for treating sore throat, stomach-ache, rheumatism and cancer. At present, there are limited studies on the evaluation of low-polarity extracts of roots in C. crassifolius. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effect of the low-polarity extract of C. crassifolius root. Extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction. The extracts were tested for antitumor effects in vitro on several cancer cell lines. A CCK-8 kit was used for further analysis of cell viability. A flow cytometer and propidium iodide staining were used to evaluate the cell cycle and apoptosis. Hoechst staining, JC-1 staining and the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA were used to evaluate apoptotic cells. Molecular mechanisms of action were analyzed by quantitative RT‒PCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used for the evaluation of xenograft tumors in male BALB/c mice. Finally, molecular docking was employed to predict the bond between the desired bioactive compound and molecular targets. Eleven diterpenoids were isolated from low-polarity C. crassifolius root extracts. Among the compounds, chettaphanin II showed the strongest activity (IC 50 = 8.58 μM) against A549 cells. Evaluation of cell viability and the cell cycle showed that Chettaphanin II reduced A549 cell proliferation and induced G2/M-phase arrest. Chttaphanin II significantly induced apoptosis in A549 cells, which was related to the level of apoptosis-related proteins. The growth of tumor tissue was significantly inhibited by chettaphanin II in experiments performed on naked mice. The antitumor mechanism of chettaphanin II is that it can obstruct the mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in A549 cells. Molecular docking established that chettaphanin II could bind to the active sites of Bcl-2 and Bax. Taken together, the natural diterpenoid chettaphanin II was identified as the major antitumor active component, and its potential for developing anticancer therapies was demonstrated for the first time by antiproliferation evaluation in vitro and in vivo. [Display omitted] • Eleven diterpenoids were obtained from the SFE extract of C. crassifolius roots. • Chettaphanin II showed the strongest antitumor activity against A549 cells. • Chettaphanin II inhibited A549 cell proliferation and arrested cells in G2/M-phase. • Chettaphanin II induced A549 cell apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. • Chettaphanin II significantly inhibited the growth of tumor tissue in nude mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Fufangkushen colon-coated capsule (FCC) was a newly developed herbal drug for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pattern of damp-heat accumulating in the interior. Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of FCC in the treatment of active UC compared with Huidi (HD, mesalazine enteric-coated tablets) were evaluated in a double-blinded and randomized clinical trial. Materials and Methods: In the double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter, randomized and controlled study, 320 active UC patients with TCM pattern of damp-heat accumulating in the interior were assigned to two groups: 240 treated with FCC plus HD placebo treatment, 80 with HD plus FCC placebo. The drugs and their corresponding placebos were administrated at advised dosage for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was a positive clinical response at week 8, and Mayo scoring system was employed for assessment of UC activity. Results: At the 8th week, 72.50% of patients in FCC group (170 of 234) and 65.00% of patients in HD group (52 of 80) had achieved a clinical response. There was no statistically significance between the 2 groups (P >0.05). The proportions of patients who had a clinical remission was similar in 2 groups (41.50% in FCC group, 41.25% in HD group, P >0.05), mucosal healing rate at week 8 in the two groups were also without significant difference (55.13% in FCC group, 55.00% in HD group, P >0.05). Mayo scores at week 8 showed no statistically difference in the two groups. No significant differences were observed between the safety profiles of the 2 groups (P >0.05). No severe AEs were reported in either group. The latent class analysis indicated that FCC was superior applicable for the left hemicolon involved patients than HD. Conclusions: Compared with HD, a mesalamine enteric-coated tablet, FCC is similarly effective and safe in the treatment of active UC with TCM pattern of damp-heat accumulation interior pattern. In addition, FCC indicates superior effect in the treatment of UC with inflamed area of the left hemicolon than HD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]