OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of vitamine B(6) (Vit B(6)) and Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZY, for activating blood circulation to remove stasis) in patients with localized scleroderma(LSD).

METHODSThirty-three patients were treated with XFZY and Vit B(6), with 15 cases taking orally prednisone acetate and 20 healthy volunteers as the control. Their level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the patients with LSD before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSThe level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha in the serum from the patients with LSD were higher than those of healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). After treatment with Vit B(6) and XFZY, the level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha from the patients with LSD decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but there were no difference between the group taking Vit B(6) plus XFZY and the group given prednisone.

CONCLUSIONThe activating blood circulation to remove stasis approach in treating LSD with integrative Chinese and Western drugs got better results, and metabolic disorder of tryptophan might be correlated with the etiology of LSD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Scleroderma, Localized ; blood ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Vitamin B 6 ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Breviscapine on essential hypertension (EH) patients complicated with micro-albuminuria of renal impairment.

METHODSSeventy-six EH patients were randomly assigned to the control group and the treated group, the former was given amlodipine, captopril/uropidil and the latter was given in addition Breviscapine intravenously dripped for 2 treatment courses. The indexes of serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood and urinary beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-MG), and quantitative determination of 24 hrs urinary protein were evaluated before and after treatment.

RESULTSIn the control group, compared with before treatment, the quantitative determination of 24 hrs urinary protein got reduced significantly (P < 0.05), while in the treated group, both urinary beta(2)-MG and quantitative determination of 24 hrs urinary protein got lowered significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). But after treatment, compared with the control group, urinary beta(2)-MG and quantitative determination of 24 hrs urinary protein in the treated group were obviously reduced (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBesides lowering blood pressure effectively, Breviscapine could improve the renal function significantly and reduce the urinary micro-albuminuria, hence showing promising effect on renal protection.

Adult ; Aged ; Albuminuria ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Amlodipine ; therapeutic use ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Captopril ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Flushing ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Injections, Intravenous ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; urine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proteinuria ; etiology ; physiopathology ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; urine

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) of the constipation predominant type and observe the therapeutic effects of Sinisan (SNS).

METHODSForty-seven IBS patients with the constipation predominant type were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 23). Another group of 22 healthy subjects was set up for healthy control. The treated group was treated with modified SNS, and the control group was treated with Cisapride, the therapeutic course for both groups was 8 weeks. The changes of symptom scoring and anorectal manometry (the anorectal resting pressure, anal tract systolic pressure, anal tract diastolic pressure, rectal threshold feeling, maximal tolerance volume of rectum, and rectum compliance) of these two groups were recorded respectively and compared with each other.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, the rectal threshold feeling, maximal tolerance volume of rectum and rectal compliance of the treated groups got reduced significantly before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, the symptom scoring, rectal threshold feeling and maximal tolerance volume of rectum were improved in both groups (P < 0.05), and the improvement of the treated group was more significant than that of the control group (P < 0.01). The total effective rate and recurrence rate of the treated group were superior to those of the control group significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNS has good effect on IBS of the constipation predominant type.

Adult ; Aged ; Anal Canal ; physiopathology ; Cisapride ; therapeutic use ; Constipation ; etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; complications ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Manometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Preparations ; therapeutic use ; Pressure ; Rectum ; physiopathology ; Recurrence ; Sensation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Yangxue Qingnao granule (YXQNG) in treating chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (CCI) and its possible mechanism.

METHODSEighty-three patients with CCI were randomly divided into YXQNG and nimodipine (ND) groups, the score of vertigo and the change in cerebral blood velocity before and after treatment were observed. And in the animal experiment, the authors adopted bilateral ligation of cervical carotid communis artery to establish CCI rat models in order to observe the effect of YXQNG and ND on incubation period of vertigo in rats and on memory performance.

RESULTSAfter clinical treatment, the vertigo score of YXQNG group was 2.34, and that of the ND group was 4.18, the comparison between the two groups showed that the difference was significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the middle cerebral artery mean velocity (MCA Vm) of YXQNG group was 64.78 cm/s, vertebral artery mean velocity (VA Vm) was 29.78 cm/s, while that of ND group was 60.34 cm/s and 23.23 cm/s respectively, the comparison between these two groups showing statistical significance and the difference being obvious (P < 0.05). Experimental study showed that the rats in the model group after 12 weeks learning and memory were markedly lowered, the vertigo incubation period significantly lengthened, and compared with that of the model group, learning and memory of the YXQNG group was markedly improved and vertigo incubation period shortened, with the difference from that of the ND group insignificant, P > 0.05.

CONCLUSIONYXQNG could effectively improve CCI patients' vertigo and other clinical symptoms and increase the cerebral blood flow, lessen the vertigo incubation of model group rats, elevate model group rats' memory performance.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; drug effects ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; drug effects ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Nimodipine ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilator Agents ; therapeutic use ; Vertigo ; etiology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Rebixiao granule (RBXG) in treating repeatedly attacking acute gouty arthritis and through experimental study on blood uric acid to explore RBXG's therapeutic mechanism.

METHODSNinety repeatedly attacking acute gouty arthritis patients were divided into the treated group (n = 60) and control group (n = 30). The treated group was treated with RBXG, and the control group was treated with Futalin tablets (diclofenac sodium). The baseline treatment including good rest, low purine diet, sufficient water drinking and urine alkalization, etc. was then given to both groups. Hypoxanthine 600 mg/kg and niacin 100 mg/kg was applied to hyperuricemic mice by gastrogavage to establish the animal models.

RESULTSThe clinical effective rate of the treated group was 95.0% and that of the control 90.0%. Good therapeutic effects were won, insignificant difference (P > 0.05)was shown between the two groups. However, the cure rate of the treated group was 26.7% while that of the control group was 10.0%, with significant difference (P < 0.01) shown between them. The treated group had its blood uric acid lowered, which was significantly different (P < 0.05) from that of the control group. The animal experiment indicated that all the three groups treated with different dosages of RBXG, as well as the Ash bark and Smilax glabra rhizome groups had their blood uric acid content reduced in the hyperuricemic mice.

CONCLUSIONRBXG has a quicker initiation and better treatment effects than sole anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents on the treatment of repeatedly attacking acute gouty arthritis, showing no obvious toxic or adverse reactions and therefore good for long-term administration and likely to be a safe TCM preparation to control the symptoms and reduce the onsets of repeatedly attacking of acute gouty arthritis. The animal experiment shows that both the compound preparation and part of the single ingredients in the recipe have the function of reducing blood uric acid. However, the compound recipe has better therapeutic effects, proving to be superior to single drugs.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Gouty ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Diclofenac ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome ; Uric Acid ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Xuesaitong soft capsule (XST) on liver fibrosis criteria in patients with post-hepatitis fibrosis.

METHODSSixty-four patients with such fibrosis were randomly divided into the treated group and control group. They were treated with XST and Dahuang Zhechong pill (NFDA1) for 3 months respectively. Their liver fibrosis criteria were examined before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe levels of serum procollagen III, hyaluronic acid, collagen IV, laminin in the two groups were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than those before treatment. The differences between the two groups were insignificant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXST could recover liver dysfunction and had anti-liver fibrosis function.

Adult ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Ganxian recipe (GXR) and lamivudine (LVD) in a two-year treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients with CHB were randomly divided into the combinedly treated group (combined group) of 40 CHB patients who were treated with GXR combined with LVD. Another 40 CHB patients were treated with LVD alone (WM group), and still another 40 CHB patients were treated with GXR alone (TCM group). All these cases were randomly controlled and observed for two years.

RESULTSComprehensive efficacy: Total effective rate of the combined group (complete response and partial response) was 92.5%, while that of the WM group was 67.5% and TCM group 57.5%, respectively, with the difference between them was significant (P < 0.01); after treatment, the hepatic functions (AST, ALT, SB) of the three groups were all reduced, and the reduction in the combined group was particularly significant in comparison with the WM group or TCM group, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 respectively, suggesting that the effect in the combined group was better than that in the other two groups; the rate of tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) virus mutation: it was 7.5% in the combined group, 40.0% in the WM group, and 5.0% in the TCM group; liver fibrosis improvement parameter: after treatment, the results in the combined group got better than those in the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONGXR could inhibit the appearance of YMDD after long-term application of LVD, and combined use has marked synergism.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, Viral ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; physiopathology ; therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Phytotherapy ; adverse effects ; Plant Preparations ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Animals ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Gastroenterology ; trends ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; therapy ; Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Preparations ; therapeutic use ; Research ; trends ; Western World

OBJECTIVETo determine the pyrolysis characteristics of calcined and processed calamine, qualitatively and quantitatively compare the contents of related elements, morphology and functional groups of the pyrolysis products dried at different heating temperatures and explore the critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature for the process of calamine with Huanglian Decoction (HLD, ) and San Huang Decoction (SHD, ).

METHODSPyrolysis products were prepared by programmable and constantly heating the calcined and processed calamine to or at different heating temperatures. Thermogravimetry (TG) was used to test their pyrolysis characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopeenergy dispersive spectrometer were used to determine their morphology, functional groups and element contents. Page model was used to investigate the constant drying kinetics of processed calamine.

RESULTSThe adding of HLD or SHD to calcined calamine (CC) can slow its weight loss in drying pyrolysis process. The temperature ranges where HLD and SHD can affect its weight loss were 65-150 °C and 74-180 °C, respectively. The drying temperature was optimized as 90 °C. The drying kinetic for the processed calamine fits Page model shows good linearity.

CONCLUSIONSConclusions: The critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature where HLD and SHD can affect the weight loss rate in the process of calamine were explored using the theories and methods of both biophysical chemistry and processing of Chinese materia medica. This work provides a good example for the study of the process of other Chinese medicines using modern analytical techniques.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate anti-melanoma effect of ethanol extract of Ilex hainanensis Merr. (IME) and elucidate its underlying mechanism.

METHODSThirty-six tumor-bearing mice were randomized into 6 groups (n=6) as follows: model group, IME 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg groups and dacarbazine (DTIC) 70 mg/kg group. The mice in the IME treatment groups were intragastrically administered with IME 25, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg per day, respectively. The mice in the DTIC group were intraperitoneally injected with DTIC 70 mg/kg every 2 days. The drug administration was lasting for 14 days. The cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dime-thylthylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Flow cytometry was employed to detect cell cycle and apoptosis. The gene and protein expressions of nuclear factor κB-p65 (NF-κB-p65), Bcl-2, B-cell lymphomaextra large (Bcl-xL) and Bax were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Caspases-3, -8, and -9 activities were detected using the colorimetric method. In addition, a B16-F10 melanoma xenograft mouse model was used to evaluate the anti-cancer activity of IME in vivo. Furthermore, a survival experiment of tumor-bearing mice was also performed to evaluate the possible toxicity of IME.

RESULTSIME significantly inhibited the proliferation of B16-F10 cells (P<0.01). Flow cytometric analysis showed that IME induced G/S cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (both P<0.01). IME inhibited activation of NF-κB, decreased the gene and protein expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and increased the gene and protein expressions of Bax (all P<0.01). In addition, IME induced the activation of Caspases-3, -8, and -9 in B16-F10 cells. The study in vivo showed that IME significantly reduced tumor volume (P<0.01), and the inhibitory rate came up to 68.62%. IME also induced large areas of necrosis and intra-tumoral apoptosis that correlated with a reduction in tumor volume. Survival experiment showed that treatment with IME for 14 days significantly prolonged survival time and 20% of mice in the IME 200 mg/kg group were still alive until the 50th day. Notably, IME showed no apparent side-effects during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONIME exhibited significant anti-melanoma activity in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that IME might be a promising effective candidate with lower toxic for malignant melanoma therapy.