Chinese herbal property theory (CHPT) is the fundamental characteristic of Chinese materia medica different from modern medicines. It reflects the herbal properties associated with efficacy and formed the early framework of four properties and five flavors in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. After the supplement and improvement of CHPT in the past thousands of years, it has developed a theory system including four properties, five flavors, meridian entry, direction of medicinal actions (ascending, descending, floating and sinking) and toxicity. However, because of the influence of philosophy about yin-yang theory and five-phase theory and the difference of cognitive approach and historical background at different times, CHPT became complex. One of the complexity features was the multiple methods for determining herbal property, which might include the inference from herbal efficacy, the thought of Chinese Taoist School and witchcraft, the classification thinking according to manifestations, etc. Another complexity feature was the multiselection associations between herbal property and efficacy, which indicated that the same property could be inferred from different kinds of efficacy. This paper analyzed these complexity features and provided the importance of cognitive approaches and efficacy attributes corresponding to certain herbal property in the study of CHPT.

Chinese herbal property is the highly summarized concept of herbal nature and pharmaceutical effect, which reflect the characteristics of herbal actions on human body. These herbal actions, also interpreted as presenting the information about pharmaceutical effect contained in herbal property on the biological carrier, are defined as herbal property expressions. However, the biological expression of herbal property is believed to possess complex features for the involved complexity of Chinese medicine and organism. Firstly, there are multiple factors which could influence the expression results of herbal property such as the growth environment, harvest season and preparing methods of medicinal herbs, and physique and syndrome of body. Secondly, there are multiple biological approaches and biochemical indicators for the expression of the same property. This paper elaborated these complexities for further understanding of herbal property. The individuality of herbs and expression factors should be well analyzed in the related studies.

Herbal property theory of traditional Chinese medicines is the theoretical guidance on authentication of medicinal plants, herborization, preparation of herbal medicines for decoction and clinical application, with important theoretical value and prac- tical significance. Our research team proposed the "three-element" theory for herbal properties for the first time, conducted a study by using combined methods of philology, chemistry, pharmacology and mathematics, and then drew the research conclusion that herbal properties are defined as the chemical compositions-based comprehensive expression with complex and multi-level (positive/negative) biological effects in specific organism state. In this paper, researchers made a systematic mathematical analysis in four aspects--the correlation between herbal properties and chemical component factors, the correlation between herbal properties and organism state fac- tor, the correlation between herbal properties and biological effect factor and the integration study of the three elements, proposed future outlook, and provided reference to mathematical studies and mathematical analysis of herbal properties.
Drug Compounding ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Theoretical ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Cells, Cultured ; Flutamide ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb ; metabolism ; Sp1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To study the efficacy of JueDuYin in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods 120 cases were randomly recruited into a treatment group and a control group, with 60 cases in each group.The treatment group was given JueDuYin, one dosage per day, while the control group was administrated with Finasteride, 5mg per day. After three courses of twelve weeks' treatment, the indications of international prostate symptom score (IPSS), residue urine (RU), Qmax and total prostatic value (IPV) were observed. Results There was significant changes in the valve of IPSS,RU, Qmax for both groups after the treatment compared (P<0.05～0.01). The therapeutic effects of the treatment group was obvious better than the control group (P<0.05).

Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Poisoning ; physiopathology ; Xylenes ; poisoning

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of radical operation for gastric cancer with liver cirrhosis.Methods The clinicopathological data of 56 gastric caner patients with liver cirrhosis performed on between Jan 2000 and Dec 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.Results The morbidity rate was 71％.The main complications of the group with liver cirrhosis were postoperative ascites (7 cases),delayed gastric emptying(6 cases),pulmonary infection(8 cases),intra-abdominal infection (5 cases),anastomotic leakage (3 cases).wound infection (2 cases)and,astrointestinal bleeding(1 cases).Postoperative complications of gastric cancer with liver cirrhosis were associated with age (＞ 60 yrs),Child-pugh grade(B),lymph node dissection(D2).There were no mortality.The 1-,3-and 5-year survival rates of the 56 cases were 73.2％,41％ and 26.7％.Conclusion Multi-disciplinary treatment,complete preoperative evaluation,correct perioperative management,individualized principle were the best mode on effective treatment of the patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objective: To assay minimal biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) of various extraction compounds from Galla Chinensis to 5 oral bacterial biofilms, and then to set up traditional Chinese medicine empirical study methods of pharmacodynamic susceptibility. Methods:5 cariogenic bacteria strains were selected (Streptococcus mutans ATCC25175, Streptococcus sanguis ATCC10556, Lactobacillus rhamnosus AC413, Actinomyces naeslundii WVU627, Actinomyces viscosus ATCC19246) in present study. Various extraction compounds of Galla Chinensis were GCE (aqueous extract), GCE-B(300 ml/L alcohol extract), GCE-C(500 ml/L acetone extract),GCE-D(1 000 ml/L acetone extract), gallic acid and methyl gallate. ①Observed oral bacterial biofilm formation in MBECTM-Device at different-time-stages. ②MBECTM -HTP-Assay:The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) of various extraction compounds of Galla Chinensis on 5 oral bacteria strains were determined. Results:5 oral bacterial biofilm were readily formed on the lid of MBECTM-Device under selected condition (observed by SEM). 5 oral cariogenic bacteria growing as planktonic populations were sensitive to 6 extraction compounds of Galla Chinensis. When compared to 6 extraction compounds of Galla Chinensis, 5 oral cariogenic bacterial biofilm were 2-16 times less susceptible than growing planktonic bacteria. GCE and GCE-B are the most effective medicine against 5 oral cariogenic bacterial biofilm. GCE-C and GCE-D were effective in killing oral-bacterial biofilm at relatively high concentration, but gallic acid and methyl gallate were less effective.Conclusion:GCE and GCE-B are the most effective medicine against 5 oral cariogenic bacterial biofilm of 6 extraction compounds from Galla Chinensis. MBEC can provide a relatively accurate medicine concentration for clinical test.

Wistar rats, fed laborotory stock diets, were randomly divided into three groups, given cholesterol oxides (Och) and purified cholesterol (Pch) (at a dosage of 250mg/kg/day), and gelatin (control group) through stomach tube for 2 successive days. In the first part of the experiment, Evans blue, dissolved in normal saline, was injected into the tail veins 18 hrs after last tube feeding and the rats were killed 2 hrs following the injection, The aorta were excised for determination of the endothelial permeability by fluorophotometry. In the second part of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed 24 hrs after last tube feeding. The aorta were prepared for the observation of the aortic endothelium under scanning electronic microscope. The results showed that the endothelial permeability of rats fed Och was much higher than those fed Pch and gelatin (P0.05). Scanning electron microscopic observation showed that severe endothelial damage occ-ured in the Och rats, while the aortic endothelium from the rats fed Pch revealed relatively mild degeneration. Results were briefly disscussed.