AIM: To study the therapeutic effect of Angeng Recipe(AGR) on the female climacteric rats. METHODS: Female SD rats were collected and randomly divided into climacterium,AGR(low dose,medium dose and high dose),nilestriol and young control groups.The level of hormone in serum and hypothalamus was analyzed after using AGR,the alteration of organ coefficient of uterus,adrenal,appendix cerebri and thymus were detected,the apoptosis of ovary granulosa cells was detected by fluorescence microscope and flow cytometer. RESULTS: E_2 contents in high dose group were higher than those in the climacterical group.FSH contents in high dose group were lower than those in the climacterical group.Uterus and adrenal gland viscera coefficient of high dose group,medium dose and low dose group were higher than that of climacterical group,The apoptosis of cells in medium dose group showed lower than that in the climacterical group. CONCLUSION: AGR could adjust the function of endocrine secretion by the effect on ovaries and appendices suprasphenoidalis directly or indirectly,and the mechanism of action was multitarget and the regulation was entirety.AGR could relieve the degeneration of sexual gland axis,and improve symptomatic in climacteric.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in substantia nigra (SN) cells of rotenone-induced rats model of Parkinson's disease (PD),and explore the underlying mechanism of EA on PD.Methods A total of 32 male Sprague-Dawley mice were randomly and evenly divided into a normal group,a shamoperation group,a model group and an EA group.Model group and EA group were injected intradermally with rotenone (1 mg/kg,dissolved in DMSO and saline,concentration:O.25 mg/ml) on the nape of neck.Sham-operation group was injected the same dose of DMSO and saline.Normal group had no intervention.EA group was applied to Fengfu (DU16) and Taichong (LR3) acupoints after the establishment of PD model in rats.Behavioral assessment was conducted after the treatments,the rats were sacrificed for sampling substantia nigra tissue to detect the expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH),p-c-Jun amino terminal kinase (p-c-Jun) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) protein with Western blotting (WB).Results Model rats showed significant PD syndrome characteristics,comparing with normal group and sham group,the difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).The results of open box test showed that the scores of model group rats decreased significantly in terms of the horizontal movement [(19.12 ±2.34) points] and vertical locomotor activity [(5.27 ± 1.04) points] when compared with normal group and sham group,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).After EA treatment,locomotor activity of rats increased significantly when compared with model group (P ＜ 0.05),however,the normal group and sham group was not statistically and significantly different in locomotor activity (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with normal group,the expression of TH protein in (0.183 ± 0.0213) reduced significantly and the expressions of p-c-Jun (0.388 ± 0.0283) and IFN-γ protein(0.453 ± 0.0332) increased significantly in model group,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.05).Compared with normal group,the expression of TH protein(0.324 ± 0.0538) reduced and the expressions of p-c-Jun(0.207 ± 0.0592) and IFN-γ protein (0.239 ± 0.0215) increased in EA group,the difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with model group,the expression of TH protein increased significantly in EA group(P ＜ 0.05),the expressions of p-c-Jun and IFN-γ protein reduced significantly in EA group(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion EA therapy may reduce the expression of IFN-γ protein in SN of PD rats model by regulating the expression of JNK/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway,which may delay the process of PD.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina massage for treatment of sub-health.

METHODSA systematic evaluation on randomized controlled trial, quasi-randomized control trial or controlled clinical trial of treatment of sub-health with acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina was carried out according to the assessment methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration.

RESULTSThere are totally 9 articles and 937 subjects met the inclusion criteria and are included into the assessment system. The average quality of methodologies adopted is not so high, and with many limitations. Meta-analysis or descriptive analysis on the data collected: (1) General effect: Tuina massage therapy is better than auricular-point-pressing therapy; acupuncture is better than self health care; acupoint injection is better than intramuscular injection, Tuina is similar to Chinese herb. (2) Quality of life and pain score: Tuina is better than blank control. (3) Individual effect: the effect of Tuina massage on lassitude is better than acupuncture. (4) Effect on sleep quality index: Tuina massage is better than acupuncture.

CONCLUSIONThere are not enough evidences to approve that the effect of acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina massage on sub-health is better than that of other therapies. Therefore, more high quality randomized controlled trials with strict and scientific designation are necessary for obtaining more and better evidences.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Health Status ; Humans ; Massage ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

The aim of this Post-Marketing Surveillance study was to assess efficacy,safety and acceptance of acarbose treatment in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day practice conditions.A total of 2 480 patients were enrolled by 231 physicians throughout China into an open,prospective,uncontrolled,non- randomised,multi-centre study.Main efficacy parameters were the changes in fasting and postprandial blood glucose concentrations as well as in HbA-(1C) levels after acarbose treatment.The majority of patients had been previously treated with other oral anti-diabetic medication or insulin and received concomitant anti-diabetics during the mean observation period of 13.5 weeks.Most patients started on a daily acarbose dose of 50 mg t.i.d. Acarbose treatment reduced fasting blood glucose concentrations by 56.1 mg/dl ( 18 mg/dl glucose = 1 mmol/L glucose) and 2h-postprandial values by 111.3 mg/dl over the study period.HbA-(1C) decreased by 1.9% and body weight by 0.9 kg.76 acarbose-relatod adverse events occurred;two patients experienced serious adverse events. The attending physicians assessed treatment efficacy as“very good”or“good”for 90.1% of the patients, tolcrability for 89.1% and acarbose acceptance for 87.1% of the patients.Acarbose is efficacious,safe and well accepted by Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day routine conditions,both as anti-diabetic mono- therapy and in combination with other anti-dlabetic drugs.

Objective Thisstudyaimstoexploretheeffectofmeasurement-basedcareusingPatientHealthQuestionnaire DepressionScale(PHQ-9)onpatientswithonsetdepression.Methods Atotalof120patientswithonsetdepressionwere randomly assigned to the test group and control group.The test group was treated with measurement-based care using PHQ-9 and the control group maintains normal treatment.We assessed the HAMD1 7 score and social function of all patients on acute phase (after two month treatment),middle phase (after six month treatment)and long phase (after one year treatment).Results ThemeanHAMD17scoreofpatientsinthetestgroupwaslowerthanthecontrolgroupat6monthand 1 2month(P<0.01 ),and the difference of the reduced score at 1 2month was significant (P<0.01 ).The patients has better social function score and lower recurrence rate in the test group than that of the control group (P <0.05 ). Conclusion Theonsetdepressivepatientwhotreatedwithmeasurement-basedcareusingPHQ-9showsbettereffect and social function compared with those with normal outpatient treatment.

BACKGROUNDMicrovascular decompression (MVD) is a well accepted surgical treatment strategy for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) with satisfying long-term outcome. However, considerable recurrent patients need more effective management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of radiofrequency thermocoagulation rhizotomy (RTR) on patients with recurrent TN after MVD.

METHODSTotally 62 cases of recurrent TN after MVD undergoing RTR from January 2000 to January 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. Based on surgical procedures undertaken, these 62 cases were classified into two subgroups: group A consisted of 23 cases that underwent traditional RTR by free-hand; group B consisted of 39 cases that underwent RTR under the guidance of virtual reality imaging technique or neuronavigation system. The patients in group A were followed up for 14 to 70 months (mean, 40 ± 4), and those in group B were followed up for 13 to 65 months (mean, 46 ± 7). Kaplan-Meier analyses of the pain-free survival curves were used for the censored survival data, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival curves of the two groups.

RESULTSAll patients in both groups A and B attained immediate pain relief after RTR. Both groups attained good pain relief rate within the first two years of follow-up: 92.3%, 84.6% and 82.6%, 69.6% respectively (P > 0.05). After 2 years, the virtual reality or neuronavigation assisted RTR group (group B) demonstrated higher pain relief rates of 82.5%, 76.2% and 68.8% at 3, 4 and 5 years after operation respectively, while those in group A was 57.2%, 49.6%, and 36.4% (P < 0.05). Low levels of minor complications were recorded, while neither mortalities nor significant morbidity was documented.

CONCLUSIONSRTR was effective in alleviating the pain of TN cases suffering from unsuccessful MVD management. With the help of virtual reality imaging technique or neuronavigation system, the patients could attain better long-term pain relief.

Adult ; Aged ; Electrocoagulation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery ; Middle Aged ; Radiosurgery ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhizotomy ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; surgery ; therapy

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; therapy ; Oligopeptides ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type II ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Female ; Kinetin ; pharmacology ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe mechanism of mucosal damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) after hemorrhagic shock is complex; mast cells (MC) degranulation is associated with the mucosal damage. Astragalus membranaceus can protect intestinal mucosa against intestinal oxidative damage after hemorrhagic shock, and some antioxidant agents could prevent MC against degranulation. This study aimed to observe the effects of astragalus membranaceus injection on the activity of intestinal mucosal mast cells (IMMC) after hemorrhage shock-reperfusion in rats.

METHODSThirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, low dosage group, (treated with Astragalus membranacaus injection, 10 g crude medication/kg) and high dosage group (treated with Astragalus membranacaus injection, 20 g crude medication/kg). The rat model of hemorrhagic shock-reperfusion was induced by hemorrhage for 60 minutes followed by 90 minutes of reperfusion. The animals were administrated with 3 ml of the test drug solution before reperfusion. At the end of study, intestinal pathology, ultrastructure of IMMC, and expression of tryptase were assayed. The levels of malondisldehyde (MDA), TNF-alpha, histamine, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in intestine were detected, and the number of IMMC was counted.

RESULTSThe Chiu's score of the rats in the model group was higher than in other groups (P < 0.01). The Chiu's score in the high dosage group was higher than that in the low dosage group (P < 0.05). Hemorrhage-reperfusion induced IMMC degranulation: Astragalus membranaceus injection attenuated this degranulation. Expression of tryptase and the number of IMMC in the model group increased compared with the other groups (P < 0.01) and was significantly reduced by the treatments of Astragalus membranaceus injection at both doses. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups (P > 0.05). MDA content and concentration of TNF-alpha in the model group were higher than that in the other three groups (P < 0.05), and the concentration of TNF-alpha in the low dosage group was higher than that in the high dosage group (P < 0.05). SOD activity and the concentration of histamine in the model group were lower than the other three groups (P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the Chiu's score and the concentration of histamine and a positive correlation between the Chiu's score and the concentration of TNF-alpha and between the SOD activity and the concentration of histamine in the four groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAstragalus membranaceus injection may reduce the damage to small intestine mucosa by inhibiting the activated IMMC after hemorrhagic shock.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; Histamine ; analysis ; Injections ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tryptases ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect and safety of Tuina for treatment of somatic pain of sub-health.

METHODSA randomized, double-blind and blank parallel controlled trial was done. The experiment group was treated with Tuina and the control group lied down for rest, 45 minutes each time, twice each week for three weeks.

RESULTSTuina treatment could improve more on sensory, affective, evaluation, pain rating index and extant pain intensity of the pain index, and score of subjective sensation of life quality and health status together with physiology and psychology field of life quality.

CONCLUSIONMassage is an effective therapy for treatment of somatic pain of sub-health without adverse reactions and it should be generalized to application.

Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; psychology ; Pain Management ; Quality of Life