Facing the challenge of modern medicine, how to develop Chinese traditional surgery is a question. The tremendous heritage of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the springhead of the development and innovation of TCM. Succession and innovation is an eternal subject for the development of Chinese traditional surgery. In order to improve Chinese traditional surgery, we should explore traditional medical literature, and carry forward the theories of Chinese traditional surgery.

Objective: To explore the effects and action mechanisms of Buyang Huanwu Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in wound healing of chronic skin ulcers of rats. Methods: A total of 54 male SD rats with back full-thickness skin lesion were used in this study. Except for the normal control group, the rats were injected with hydrocortisone for inducing chronic skin ulcers, and were randomly divided into untreated group and Buyang Huanwu Decoction group. The rate and the time of wound healing were observed. Immunohistochemical method and image analytical method were used to test the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel count (MVC) in granulation tissue of chronic skin ulcers in the rats. Results: The rate of wound healing was significantly lowered in the untreated group as compared with the normal control group (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the time of wound healing was obviously longer too (P<0.01). In the Buyang Huanwu Decoction group, the rate of wound healing was significantly higher than that in the untreated group (P<0.01), and the time of wound healing was obviously shorter than the latter's (P<0.01). In the untreated group, the expression of VEGF and MVC were significantly lower than those in the normal control group (P<0.01); the expression of VEGF and MVC were obviously increased in the Buyang Huanwu Decoction group as compared with those in the untreated group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Buyang Huanwu Decoction has the effect to promote the wound healing for chronic skin ulcers of rats by regulating the expression of VEGF in granulation tissue of chronic skin ulcers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the therapy mainly for strengthening healthy energy to promote blood circulation in treating diabetic patients with gangrene. METHODS: A series of 112 diabetic patients with gangrene were investigated before and after treatment in the changes of wounds, clinical symptoms and quality of life. RESULTS: Fifty-eight cases were cured, 12 cases showed response, 36 cases improved, and 6 cases failure of treatment. The total obvious effect rate was 62.5% (70/112) and the amputation rate was 8.9% (10/112). The 104 diabetic cases of three-stage gangrene were classified into grade I, II and III. The total effect rates of the diabetic cases of grade I, II and III were 83.3% (30/36), 55.6% (35/63) and 20% (1/5), and the amputation rates were 0%, 12.7% (8/63), and 40% (2/5) respectively. After the treatment, the clinical symptoms, gangrene number, gangrene area and gangrene depth were obviously improved (P<0.05), and the quality of life was obviously improved (P<0.01), especially in physical condition, emotional well-being and therapeutic effects on patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Strengthening healthy energy to promote blood circulation is effective in treating diabetic patients with gangrene.

To observe the effects of Fuhuang Shengji Yuchuang (FHSJYC) Ointment, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on the expressions of types I and III collagens in granulation tissue of wound in rats with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Ru'ai Shuhou Recipe (RSR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on 5-year recurrence rate after mastectomy in breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 300 patients with breast cancer were divided into two groups: treatment group and control group. The patients in the treatment group were treated with Western medicine and RSR, and the patients in the control group were treated only with Western medicine (the same as the treatment group). In the two groups, the 5-year recurrence rates after mastectomy in breast cancer were investigated. RESULTS: Thirty-four breast cancer patients were lost to five-year follow-up during the course of investigation, and 266 breast cancer patients went through the evaluation. The 5-year recurrence rate after mastectomy in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The recurrence rate after mastectomy was influenced by positive lymph node, primary breast tumor size, clinical stage, and patients' health status. There was significant difference in the 5-year recurrence rates between the two groups (P<0.05) under the following conditions, such as the positive lymph nodes more than four, the primary breast tumor larger than two centimeters, and in the clinical stage II and III, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/progesterone receptor (PR)-positive and ER-negative/PR-negative. The recurrence rate was not associated with the operation method and age distribution. CONCLUSION: RSR can reduce the 5-year recurrence rate after mastectomy in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Chinese herbs for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation on hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with syndrome of blood stasis and qi deficiency. METHODS: Diabetic rats with back full-thickness skin lesion and syndrome of blood stasis and qi deficiency were divided in to five groups: untreated group, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-treated group, Yiqi Huayu Recipe (a recipe for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation)-treated group, Yiqi Recipe (a recipe for replenishing qi)-treated group and Huayu Recipe (a recipe for resolving stagnation)-treated group, and another eight normal rats served as normal control group. Immunohistochemical method and image analysis were used to test the expressions of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with diabetes. RESULTS: In the untreated group, the expression of HIF-1alpha was significantly increased and the expression of VEGF was significantly decreased as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.01). The expression of HIF-1alpha was obviously lower (P<0.01) and the expression of VEGF was significantly higher in the four drug treated groups as compared with those in the untreated group. In the Yiqi Huayu Recipe-treated group, the expression of HIF-1alpha was obviously lower than those in the bFGF-treated, Yiqi Recipe-treated and Huayu Recipe-treated groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the expression of VEGF was significantly higher than that in the bFGF-treated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Chinese herbs for replenishing qi and resolving stagnation can promote the wound healing in rats through reducing the expression of HIF-1alpha, accelerating the expression of VEGF in granulation tissue of skin ulcers in rats with diabetes and ameliorating the status of ischemia and hypoxia.