"Treatment based on diseases identification and formulas corresponding to diseases" is one of important therapy modes of Chinese medicine. Although it originates from Huangdi Neijing, it is seldom systematically discussed. Modern Chinese medicine (CM) now faces diseases mostly with comparatively confirmed Western medical diagnoses. Most of them have specific pathophysiological changes. How to interpret these specific pathophysiological changes, play CM's advantages, and improve clinical efficacies has become an inevitable problem for modern CM in clinic. Authors expounded historic development and clinical application of "formulas corresponding to diseases", and its difference from "formulas corresponding to syndromes", put forward that we should combine "formulas corresponding to diseases" and "formulas corresponding to syndromes" in CM clinics. We should focus on the disease and summarize treatment rules, thereby improving targeted CM formulas.
Drug Compounding ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Syndrome

Angina Pectoris ; therapy ; Coronary Disease ; therapy ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Chronic Disease ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Yin-Yang

Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Animals ; Cardiovascular System ; drug effects ; Curcuma ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

Aspirin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Phytotherapy

Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Angina, Unstable ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Severity of Illness Index

Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Xiongshao Capsule (XSC) on blood vessel collagenase gene expression in experimental rabbits with arterial restenosis, and to probe its mechanisms for preventing restenosis.

METHODSRestenosis rabbit model was established by injuring endothelium of abdominal aorta by balloon dilation and feeding with high fatty diet for 6 weeks. Eighty rabbits were randomly allocated into 8 groups, Group A, normal rabbit for control; Group B, rabbit with simple injured arterial endothelium; Group C, model rabbits at different times after modeling (3 days for Group C1, 2 weeks for Group C2, and 6 weeks for Group C3); Group D, model rabbit treated with Probucol for 6 weeks; Group E and F, model rabbit treated with small and large dose of XSC respectively. The effect of XSC on collagenase gene expression during the course of restenosis was observed adopting RT-PCR method and computer image analyzer, and its mechanisms in preventing RS were probed by combined analyzing the change of collagen and patho-morphological examination.

RESULTSCompensatory dilation of lumens appeared at the end of the 2nd week; while 6 weeks after modeling, the diameters of lumens obviously diminished with an apparently increased proliferation index. The cell proliferation inhibiting effect in Group D and F was significant. The total amount of collagen increased and reached the peak at the 2nd week but without conspicuous accumulation on intima, which increased gradually and reached its peak at the 6th week. In Group D-F, especially in Group F, the amount of collagen in vascular wall (intima, media and externa) was lesser than that in Groups C. MMP-1 mRNA showed weak expression in Group A and Group C1-C3; significant difference only existed in comparing Group F with C3 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXSC could markedly increase the MMP-1 mRNA expression in injured portion of vessels, suggesting that its action in preventing RS might be related with the up-regulating of MMP-1 mRNA expression, increasing collagen degradation and reducing collagen deposition in vascular wall.

Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; enzymology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Capsules ; Catheterization ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction