With advances in complex network theory, the thinking and methods regarding complex systems have changed revolutionarily. Network biology and network pharmacology were built by applying network-based approaches in biomedical research. The cardiovascular system may be regarded as a complex network, and cardiovascular diseases may be taken as the damage of structure and function of the cardiovascular network. Although Chinese medicine (CM) is effective in treating cardiovascular diseases, its mechanisms are still unclear. With the guidance of complex network theory, network biology and network pharmacology, network-based approaches could be used in the study of CM in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. A new discipline-network cardiovasology of CM was, therefore, developed. In this paper, complex network theory, network biology and network pharmacology were introduced and the connotation of "disease-syndrome-formula-herb" was illustrated from the network angle. Network biology could be used to analyze cardiovascular diseases and syndromes and network pharmacology could be used to analyze CM formulas and herbs. The "network-network"-based approaches could provide a new view for elucidating the mechanisms of CM treatment.

Aged ; Castleman Disease ; complications ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; virology ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; complications ; Male

Adult ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications

The prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is increasing, and has been a severe burden on society and family worldwide. New ideas need to be achieved for developing more efficacious and safe therapies to treat CHD. Chinese medicine (CM) uses multicomponent drugs to prevent disease and ameliorate symptoms based on patients' different syndromes. The benefit of CM in CHD has recently been proven by increasing clinical evidence. More importantly, linking CM syndrome differentiation and biomedical diagnosis might provide innovative thinking for treating CHD. According to epidemiological investigations, blood stasis syndrome (BSS) is the major type of syndrome in CHD. Investigating the biomedical mechanisms of BSS of CHD is a topic of CM research. Because the holistic perspective of systems biology is well matched with CM, the application of omics techniques and other integrative approaches appears inherently appropriate. A wide range of omics techniques, including transcriptomics and proteomics, have been used in studies of BSS of CHD to search for a common ground of understanding. These approaches could be useful for understanding BSS of CHD from clinical and biological viewpoints. Nevertheless, current studies mainly contain results from a single approach, and they have not achieved the holistic, systematic and integrative concept of system biology. Therefore, we discuss the progress and challenges in exploring the biomedical mechanisms of BSS of CHD by systems biology approaches. With further development of systems biology, a better platform to study BSS of CHD may be provided, and biomarkers for BSS of CHD and therapeutic targets may be found. The study of BSS of CHD by systems biology approaches will also be beneficial for developing personalized treatment for BSS of CHD patients.
Coronary Disease ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Syndrome ; Systems Biology ; methods

China ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; trends ; Esophagoscopy ; methods ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Survival Rate

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Facial Neoplasms ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Rabbits

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of Gitelman syndrome in children and the difference between Gitelman syndrome and Bartter syndrome.Methods Clinical date,biochemical tests and therapy of 6 patients diagnosed as Gitelman syndrome in Beijing children′s hospital from Mar.to Dec.2006 were retrospectively analyzed.At the same time,the relative articies of Gitelman syndrome and Bartter syndrome were reviewed.Results The symptoms of 6 patients appeared early.The age of onset of Gitelman syndrome at infancy stage,the main complains were growth delay,weakness,tetany.All patients had normal blood pressure.The biochemical tests showed hypocalemic,hypomagnesium,alkalosis and hyperreninemia.But the concentration of aldosterone was normal or little higher.The manifestations of all patients were relieved after taking both potassium and magnesium.Conclusion Gitelman syndrom and Bartter syndrome have differences at clinical syndrome and machanism of onset.

Objective To study the effects of russel viper venom X(RVV X)on blood coagulation protein.Methods We divide diluted protein into control and RVV-X groups,then use chromogenic substract assay to detect the activation effect of RVV-Ⅹ on coagulation factor Ⅶ,Ⅸ,Ⅹ and antithrombin,plasminogen,with or without activator.Results In RVV-Ⅹ group,the coagulation factor Ⅶ, Ⅸ and plasminogen displayed weakly enhanced chromogenesis,all P

Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Skin ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; pathology ; Skin Ulcer ; pathology ; Tibia

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of sophoridine against bone cancer pain in bone cancer pain model rats induced by W256 tumor cells and its mechanism.

METHODThe rat model of bone cancer pain was reproduced by injecting W256 tumor cells into the rat marrow cavity. Ten days after the model establishment, 36 rats were selected and randomly divided into the model control group and the sophoridine treated group. At the same time, other 10 rats with sham-operation were selected to be the normal control group. Since the 15th day after the operation, rats in the treated group had been given sophoridine (25 mg x kg(-1)) for 10 days. The mechanical withdrawal threshold and the thermal withdrawal latency of each group were measured before and after the treatment. After the last treatment, the radiological and histopathological observation shall be conducted for sick legs of all rats. The expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor tissues were detected by mmunohistochemistry.

RESULTSophoridine could significantly increase the mechanical withdrawal threshold and the thermal withdrawal latency (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), significantly relief the bone injury caused by W256 tumor cells (P < 0.05), and notably down-regulate the COX-2 and VEGF expressions in tumor tissues (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSophoridine has the effect in relieving pain and inhibiting tumor progression in bone cancer pain rats induced by W256 tumor cells. Its mechanism may be related to the down-regulated expressions of COX-2 and VEGF.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Hyperalgesia ; complications ; drug therapy ; Pain ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism