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Objective: To explore the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of Bushen Huoxue Decoction (BHD), a traditional Chinese medicinal preparation, on dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) in the brain of rat models of Parkinson's disease (PD)., Methods: A total of 120 SD rats were randomized into normal control group, saline model group and BHD-treated group. In the latter two groups, PD rat models were established by direct injection of 6-OHDA to destruct the substantia nigra compact part (SNC) with corresponding treatments. The behavioral changes of the rats were observed. Radioimmunoassay was employed to determine the changes in the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) and maximal binding capacity (B(max)) of DRD2, and immunohistochemistry was used to observe the number of the DRD2-positive cells in the brain of the rats., Results: BHD can markedly improve the behavioral abnormalities of PD model rats. Compared with those in the saline model group, the B(max) of DRD2 in the damaged hemisphere increased while the Kd of BHD decreased significantly after BHD treatment (P<0.01). The number of DRD2-positive cells in BHD-treated group was significantly higher than that in the model group (80.9∓13.59 vs 11.15∓6.78, P<0.01), but showed no significant difference from that in the normal control group (P>0.05)., Conclusion: BHD can improve the behavioral abnormalities and increase the cerebral expression and affinity of DRD2 in PD rat models.

Objective: To study the effects of Bushenhuoxue Granules on Parkinson's disease sleep scale (PDSS) score in Parkinson's patients., Methods: 120 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups randomly,the control group were treated with placebo and treatment group with Bushenhuoxue Granules, both group based on Madopar treatment. Double-blinded clinical trial was adopted in treatment period. Follow-up period for 6 months, PDSS was adopted to measure sleep condition of PD patients at baseline time, after 3 months and after 9 months., Results: Bushenhuoxue Granules treatment group showed a higher efficacy than the placebo group in relieving the sleep disorders of Parkinson disease patients,both in treatment and follow-up period (P < 0.01). No adverse effects were found in this trial., Conclusions: Bushenhuoxue Granules can markedly improve sleep disorders in Parkinson's patients. The effects are stable and obvious along with the process of treatment.

Objective: To observe the effect of Bushen Huoxue Granule (BHG) on dopamine (DA) neurotransmitter and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) as an adjunctive therapy., Methods: Ninety-four PD patients were randomly assigned to two groups, 47 in each group. Madopar was given to all as the basic treatment group. The placebo was given to those in the control group while BHG was given to those in the treatment. The therapeutic course for all was three months. Before and after treatment DA levels in the brain of patients were detected by encephalofluctuograph (EFG) technique. Changes of DAT in the striatum of patients in the treatment group were detected by positron emission tomography (PET) and region of interest (ROI) analysis., Results: (1) Before treatment the DA level was lower in the two groups than the normal value, showing significant difference (P < 0.01), but with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment the DA level obviously increased in the two groups, showing significant difference from that before treatment (P < 0.01). No significant difference existed in the DA level in the two groups when compared with the normal value (P > 0.05), but with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Better results were obtained in the treatment group than in the control group. (2) The DAT radioactive accumulation inside the striatum increased obviously in the treatment group after treatment. ROI analysis showed the total ratio of striatum/cerebellum before and after treatment was 1.86 +/- 0.32 and 2.61 +/- 0.53 respectively, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: BHG could improve the DA level of PD patients, and increasing DAT contents in the striatum, thus playing a role in effectively treating PD.

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and observe the therapeutic effect with integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) approach in treating patients with SARS., Methods: Forty-eight patients selected from the authors' hospital, whose diagnosis confirmed as SARS were analysed to sum-up the diagnostic type and basic feature of patients and the chief clinical characteristics. All the patients were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group, 24 in each. The control group was treated with the western medical therapeutic program and the trial group was treated with ICWM therapeutic program. The differences between the two groups were compared in terms of development of illness, time of using corticosteroid and absorption time of pulmonary inflammatory lesion, etc., Results: Most patients were youth and adult aged between 18 to 40 years old, the initial symptom was mainly the high fever, accompanied with general soreness, chest stuffiness and cough, etc. The hospitalization time, body temperature fluctuation sustaining time and time of using corticosteroid in the trial group were shorter than those in the control group, showing significant difference (P < 0.05). ICWM treatment showed a better effect in defervescence and inflammatory lesion absorption time, but with no statistical significance., Conclusion: Patients of SARS are mainly youth and adults in the prime of life, fever always appears as the initiation of illness and some accompanying symptoms would appear. As compared with the western treatment, ICWM treatment could evidently shorten the course of illness, prevent the rebounding of fever and reduce the time of using corticosteroid.