Quality control and standardization of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is the key to its globalization. Generally, there is a common practice to select one or more compounds as chemical markers for the purpose of qual-ity assessment. However, how to select chemical markers and how to set the range of effective concentrations are still the bottleneck. The authors proposed a bioactive equivalent combinatorial components (BECCs) as defined labeled amount of active constituents oriented quality control strategy of TCMs based on years of research work. Focusing on the relationship between chemical components efficacy and quality of TCMs, this strategy provides a new perspective and methods to improve quality control of TCMs.

Cancer, a group of various diseases involving unregulated cell growth, still imposes a global threat to public health. Ginseng plants, which contains a wide variety of saponins, known as ginsenosides, is an age-old remedy for human ailments, including cancer.This review sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cancer chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic activity of ginsenosides and their metabolites with particular focus on the modulation of cell signaling pathways associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, inflammation and the metastasis of cancer cells.The review could enhance the understanding of the anticancer mechanisms of ginsenosides, provide directions for clinical practice and give more information for developing novel an-ticancer agents with high efficiency, low toxicity and weak resistance.

BACKGROUND: Blood platelet is active commonly appeared in both acute and recovery stages in ischemic cerebral apoplexy. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are closely correlated with the blood platelet function.OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effects of compound danshen drop on clinical prevention and treatment of transient cerebral ischemic attack (TIA) and the influence on serum cAMP and cGMP.DESIGN: Randomized control experiment.SETTING: Department of Neurology of Binzhou Medical College affiliatedHospitalPARTICIPANTS: Totally 180 TIA patients participated in the experiment in volunteer in the clinic of Neurological Department of Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College from September 2000 to April 2001. Based on randomized number scale, 3 groups were divided according to dosages of compound danshen drop. In 10 drops/d group, there were 60 cases, of which 35 cases were male and 25 cases female, aged varied from 50 to 70 years, averagely (54.3±7.2) years old. In 20 drops/d group, there were 60 cases, of which, 32 cases were male and 28 cases female, aged varied from 49 to 62 years, averagely (55.7±5.1) years old. In 30 drops/d group, there were 60 cases, of which, 33 cases were male and 27 cases female, aged varied from 52 to 69 years, averagely (54.9±5.5) years old.METHODS: In 10 drops/d group, the drug was given once per day, 10drops each time. In 20 drops/d group, the drug was given twice per day,10 drops each time. In 30 drops/d group, the drug was given three times per day, 10 drops each time. Four weeks after medication, 3 mL blood was collected from each patient in the morning. With radioimmunoassay, the contents of cAMP and cGMP in serum were determined. Each case was tions, gem bleeding, epistaxis, subcutaneous bleeding, mouth numbness,headache, dizziness, etc.tack: In 10 drops/d group, there were 1 case in internal carotid arterial system, 2 cases in vertebral arterial system, 1 case of cerebral infarction and 2 cases of myocardial infarction. In 20 drops/d group, it was 2, 2 and 1 cases successively and in 30 drops/d group, it was 1, 2, 1 cases succesgroup: There were 1, 2 and 4 cases of harmful accident and side effects in three groups successively, of which, peripheral numbness of mouth 1 case in 10 drops/d group, 1 case of either peripheral numbness of mouth or headache in 20 drops/d group, gastrointestinal reaction 1 case, peripheral numbness of mouth 2 cases and dizziness 1 case in 30 drops/d group.There was no gem bleeding, epistaxis and subcutaneous bleeding, and no patient was withdrawn the treatment due to above-mentioned side effects.With comparison among groups, significant difference was not indicated The contents of cAMP were (21.22±3.94), (22.5±3.67), (23.1±7.7) ng/Land cGMP were (3.67±1.18), (4.74±2.12), (4.6±0.7) ng/L successively in three groups (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: During second-grade prevention of TIA, compound danshen drop presents definite therapeutic effects, which is basically same in comparison of dosages. Simultaneously, no remarkable side effects appear.

Aim: To establish a simple and convenient quality evaluation method for Fructus Gardeniae(FG).Methods: The internal standard correction factors(f_(km))of four crocetin derivatives to crocin-1 were established and the system suitability was tested.The content of crocin-1 was determined by external standard method,the contents of other crocetin derivatives were calculated by the content of crocin-1 and their f_(km).Results: There was no significant difference between the test results obtained by the methods oftheoretical calculation by f_(km)androutire determination technique.Conclusion: The internal standard correction method(the method oftheoreti-cal calculation by f_(km))is practical and feasible in the quantitative analysis of Frnctus Gardeniae.

Metabolomics,a hot field of research of life science in recent years,is to analyze endogenous smallmolecule metabolites in biological samples for an overall understanding of the characteristics of metabolic disorders.A growing number of studies have confirmed the application of metabolomics for clinical diagnosis and treatment of diseases."Metabolic fingerprint" of biological fluids can be employed for disease prevention,timely diagnosis,accurate treatment,prognostic assessment and drug discovery.Clinical metabolomics is to measure low-molecule-weight metabolites' alterations of individuals in response to physiological stressors,disease processes,or drug therapy,aiming to discover potential biomarkers and drug targets.Coronary artery disease (CAD) is characterized as complex molecular events.Metabolic disturbances are involved in CAD progression.The application of metabolomics to CAD is an emerging field.Advances in metabolomics improve our knowledge on CAD in early diagnosis,prognostic prediction,and personalized therapy.

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to analyze the chronological changes in postoperative complications in surgical ulcerative colitis patients over the past decade in China and to investigate the potential parameters that contributed to the changes. Methods: Ulcerative colitis patients who underwent surgery during 2008–2017 were retrospectively enrolled from 13 hospitals in China. Postoperative complications were compared among different operation years. Risk factors for complications were identified by logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 446 surgical ulcerative colitis patients were analyzed. Fewer short-term complications (24.8% vs. 41.0%, P=0.001) and more laparoscopic surgeries (66.4% vs. 25.0%, P<0.001) were found among patients who received surgery during 2014–2017 than 2008–2013. Logistic regression suggested that independent protective factors against short-term complications were a higher preoperative body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 0.870; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.785–0.964; P=0.008), laparoscopic surgery (OR, 0.391; 95% CI, 0.217–0.705; P=0.002) and elective surgery (OR, 0.213; 95% CI, 0.067–0.675; P=0.009). The chronological decrease in short-term complications was associated with an increase in laparoscopic surgery. Conclusions Our data revealed a downward trend of short-term postoperative complications among surgical ulcerative colitis patients in China during the past decade, which may be due to the promotion of minimally invasive techniques among Chinese surgeons.