Objective: To investigate the potential efficacy and safety of Lutai Danshen Baishao granules (LDBG) for treating female melasma associated with kidney deficiency and blood stasis patterns. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at the Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, China from March to December 2023. A total of 110 female patients with melasma linked to kidney deficiency and blood stasis were enrolled and treated with either LDBG or a placebo twice daily for 60 days. Efficacy was assessed through measures such as the total melasma area, reduced melasma area, reduction rate of melasma area, melasma color score, Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) score, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score scale. Safety assessments included routine blood and biochemical tests. Results: Participants in both groups were aged 52–63 years, with no significant differences. After the 2-month intervention, the total melasma area decreased in both groups; however, a greater reduction was observed in the test group [462.50 mm2 (12.81%) vs. 100.00 mm2 (3.11%), P < .001]. Moreover, LDBG treatment significantly reduced the MASI and melasma color scores in the test group (P < .05). The total TCM symptom evaluation score significantly decreased (test group: 6.00 vs. placebo group: 7.00, P = .001), with significant relief in symptoms such as improvement in dark lips, nails, and waist soreness in the test group, compared with that in the placebo group (P < .05). Within-group comparisons revealed that TCM syndrome was significantly alleviated in the test group (P < .05). Conclusion LDBG intervention shows promising effectiveness in reducing female melasma and alleviating TCM syndromes.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has historically played a pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of warm diseases, establishing a comprehensive theoretical framework that underpins its practices. The distinctive and indispensable contributions of aromatic Chinese herbs in dispelling harmful influences and mitigating the spread of these diseases are well recognized; however, further investigation is warranted to elucidate their systematic properties and regularities, and the theory of aromatic Chinese herbs in preventing and treating warm diseases still needs to be comprehensively summarized. This study employs the principles rooted in TCM, with particular emphasis on the framework for warm diseases. An analysis of the disease mechanisms, transmission dynamics, and preventive strategies is conducted during the early stage of infection, throughout the course of the disease, and in the post-illness phase. Furthermore, the characteristics and applications of aromatic Chinese herbs are integrated with insights drawn from modern pharmacological research to explore their specific roles in the prevention and management of warm diseases. The utilization of aromatic Chinese herbs manifests in a variety of therapeutic effects: aromatic medicinals purging filth and dispelling pathogens for preventing epidemic disease, aromatic medicinals regulation for relieving superficies syndrome and dispersing evils, aromatic medicinals ventilation the lung to relieve cough and asthma, aromatic medicinals resolving the dampness to awaken the spleen and stomach, aromatic medicinals opening the orifices to restore consciousness, aromatic and pungent medicinals to regulate qi, aromatic medicinals dredging the vessels to activate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis, and aromatic medicinals clearing latent heat from the yin level. These properties facilitate tailored approaches to address the diverse manifestations of warm diseases and their associated symptoms, providing clear guidance for clinical application to achieve pre-disease prevention, active disease treatment, complication prevention, and post-recovery relapse avoidance. The use of aromatic Chinese herbs in preventing and treating warm diseases demonstrates theoretical, practical, systematic, and regular characteristics. The theory of the properties of aromatic Chinese herbs has been expanded and sublimated in clinical practice, and its scientific connotation has been expounded in modern research. Under the guidance of the theory of treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and by taking into account the distinct stages and pathologies of warm diseases, the rational selection of aromatic Chinese herbs can improve the clinical efficacy.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of patchouli alcohol on mice with lung-heat syndrome based on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway. Methods: First, network pharmacology was used to predict the potential targets of patchouli alcohol in the treatment of lung-heat syndrome, and a "component-disease-key target" network was constructed for pathway analysis. Then, 40 BALB/c mice were assigned to the normal, lung-heat model, honeysuckle, and low-dose and high-dose patchouli alcohol groups. All groups, except the blank group, were intranasally infected with 50 μL (103 TCID50) of influenza virus solution. After two hours of infection, mice were treated once a day for seven consecutive days. The therapeutic mechanism of patchouli alcohol was explored by measuring pulmonary inflammatory factors, the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway, hypothalamic fever markers (PGE2, cAMP, cGMP levels), rectal temperature, and tissue energy metabolism. Results: Network pharmacology identified 135 target genes related to patchouli alcohol and lung-heat syndrome, with the key targets being STAT3, H1F1A, and NF-κB1. In animal experiments, patchouli alcohol significantly alleviated influenza virus-induced lung inflammatory damage in mice with lung-heat syndrome, inhibited the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in lung tissues(P<0.01), and suppressed the activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. It also reduced hypothalamic levels of PGE2 and cAMP(P<0.01), suppressed the increase in rectal temperature, significantly decreased liver glycogen and pyruvate levels(P<0.01), and increased the activities of SDH, LDH, and Na+ -K+ -ATPase in the liver(P<0.01) Conclusion Patchouli alcohol improves the symptoms of lung-heat syndrome in mice by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway, reducing proinflammatory cytokines and inflammatory damage, and regulating hypothalamic fever markers and energy metabolism.

Objective: To investigate the biological effects of carvacrol on rats with stomach-heat and stomach-cold and its regulation on transient receptor potential(TRP) channels in rats with stomach-heat, and to study the cold and heat properties of carvacrol and its possible mechanism. Methods: According to the random number method, 100 SD rats were divided into stomach-heat blank group, stomach-heat model group, Coptidis Rhizoma group, stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol group, stomach-cold blank group, stomach-cold model group, Baked ginger group, stomach-cold low-dose group and high-dose carvacrol group, 10 rats in each group. The rat model of stomach-heat was established by intragastric administration of pepper aqueous solution (0.80 g/kg) and anhydrous ethanol, and the rat model of stomach-cold was established by intragastric administration of water extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides and sodium hydroxide (10.40 g/kg). On the day of modeling, the rats in the Baked ginger group were given Baked ginger decoction (0.78 g/kg), and the rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group were given Coptidis Rhizoma decoction (0.43 g/kg).The stomach-cold and stomach-heat low-dose group of carvacrol was given carvacrol emulsion (40 mg/kg), high-dose group was given carvacrol emulsion (80 mg/kg).All rats of the blank and model groups were given the equal volume of emulsion prepared by 5% dimethyl sulfoxide, 1% Tween 80, 1% polyethylene glycol 400, and 93% normal saline, once a day, for 7 days. The general condition of rats was observed and the body mass was recorded. The pathological morphology of gastric tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The changes of material and energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide (cAMP), thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal hormone in each group were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), transient receptor potential channel M8 (TRPM8) and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in rats with gastric fever were detected by Western blotting. Results: Compared with the stomach-heat blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-heat model group decreased at the fifth and seventh day (P<0.05). The contents (or ratio) of hepatic glycogen (HGlyc), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were decreased (P<0.05), and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, cytochrome C oxidase (COX), NADH dehydrogenase (ND), cyclic adenosine phosphate (cAMP), cAMP/cyclic guanosine phosphate (cGMP), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), and α-amylase (α-AMS) all increased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-heat model group, the body mass of rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, VIP and α-AMS were increased, and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and GAS all decreased (P<0.05). The body mass of rats in the stomach-heat low-dose carvacrol group decreased at the seventh day. The contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, and VIP were increased, Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and MTL all decreased, the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 in gastric tissue decreased, while TRPM8 increased (P<0.05) in rats of the stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol groups. Compared with the stomach-cold blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-cold model group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, α-AMS, and VIP all increased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-cold model group, the body mass of rats in the Baked ginger group was increased at the seventh day, and the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, VIP, and α-AMS all decreased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all increased (P<0.05). The contents of HGlyc, cAMP, α-AMS, and VIP of rats in the stomach-cold low and high-dose carvacrol group all decreased (P<0.05). TG in the stomach-cold low-dose carvacrol group was increased. TC, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, and cGMP all increased, while cAMP/cGMP decreased (P<0.05) in the high-dose carvacrol group. Conclusion In this study, the rat model of stomach-cold and stomach-heat were successfully established by using cold and heat factors. The result showed that carvacrol had a certain inhibitory effect on body mass, material energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide level, thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal function in rats with stomach-heat, indicating that the drug was cold. Carvacrol′s cold medicinal property could be biologically explained by TRPV1 activation, UCP1 induction, and TRPM8 suppression.

Objective:To develop an air transfer stretcher for severely injured patients,so as to meet the requirements of severely injured patients for rapid transport of aviation medical treatment.Methods:The guide rails of hatch of mainstream civil airliner models were analyzed through investigation.Based on the principles of modularization,integration and intelligence,a highly universal and portable aviation stretcher with the functions of rapid transport and life support was designed and developed.The design of the stretcher was verified through simulation analysis and calculation,as well as tests in laboratory,which should meet the requirements of the standards from China Civil Aviation Regulations(CCAR)-25.Results:The results of simulation analysis and tests of laboratory showed that the aviation transport stretcher,and the strength and stiffness of its structure reached to requirement of CCAR-25 standard,which was suit to the portable aviation evacuation of severely injured patients on civil airliners,and the rapid transfer between air and ground.It has the function of supporting life,and the aviation transport stretcher with high universality and convenience can enhance the safety and rescue capability of aviation evacuation system of medical treatment of aviation.Conclusion:The portable aviation stretcher with high-versatility that was researched and developed by this study can effectively solve the problems of life support,injury monitoring,and emergently rescue and treatment during the transport for severely injured patients,which improve the support ability of air-ground transportation for severely injured patients.

The air-ground transfer device for patients with serious injury is one kind of medical equipment and system that can realize the safe and efficient transfer for patients with serious injury between the air and the ground under scenarios of emergency medical rescue,which plays an important role in the process of aviation rescue.At present,a variety of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury have been developed abroad,such as the trauma life support and transportation system of United States,the medical transport aircraft of Israel and so on.In China,it has also been developed,such as general-purpose airborne stretcher supports,life support system for patients with serious injury in moving,cross-platform and etc..However,there are still many challenges in current research and development of air-to-ground transfer devices,including technical stability,intelligent level,the application of new materials and so on.Based on this,this paper systematically reviewed the domestic and international development status of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury,and analyzed the facing problems and technical challenges of these devices,and discussed their development trends in future.Through the research and analysis for existing devices,this study aimed to provide references for the research and development of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury,so as to improve the efficiency and quality of emergency medical rescue.

The air-ground transfer device for patients with serious injury is one kind of medical equipment and system that can realize the safe and efficient transfer for patients with serious injury between the air and the ground under scenarios of emergency medical rescue,which plays an important role in the process of aviation rescue.At present,a variety of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury have been developed abroad,such as the trauma life support and transportation system of United States,the medical transport aircraft of Israel and so on.In China,it has also been developed,such as general-purpose airborne stretcher supports,life support system for patients with serious injury in moving,cross-platform and etc..However,there are still many challenges in current research and development of air-to-ground transfer devices,including technical stability,intelligent level,the application of new materials and so on.Based on this,this paper systematically reviewed the domestic and international development status of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury,and analyzed the facing problems and technical challenges of these devices,and discussed their development trends in future.Through the research and analysis for existing devices,this study aimed to provide references for the research and development of air-to-ground transport devices for patients with serious injury,so as to improve the efficiency and quality of emergency medical rescue.

Objective:To develop an air transfer stretcher for severely injured patients,so as to meet the requirements of severely injured patients for rapid transport of aviation medical treatment.Methods:The guide rails of hatch of mainstream civil airliner models were analyzed through investigation.Based on the principles of modularization,integration and intelligence,a highly universal and portable aviation stretcher with the functions of rapid transport and life support was designed and developed.The design of the stretcher was verified through simulation analysis and calculation,as well as tests in laboratory,which should meet the requirements of the standards from China Civil Aviation Regulations(CCAR)-25.Results:The results of simulation analysis and tests of laboratory showed that the aviation transport stretcher,and the strength and stiffness of its structure reached to requirement of CCAR-25 standard,which was suit to the portable aviation evacuation of severely injured patients on civil airliners,and the rapid transfer between air and ground.It has the function of supporting life,and the aviation transport stretcher with high universality and convenience can enhance the safety and rescue capability of aviation evacuation system of medical treatment of aviation.Conclusion:The portable aviation stretcher with high-versatility that was researched and developed by this study can effectively solve the problems of life support,injury monitoring,and emergently rescue and treatment during the transport for severely injured patients,which improve the support ability of air-ground transportation for severely injured patients.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Liqingtong (LQT) granules in patients with dampness-heat hyperuricemia. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial was conducted at the 983rd Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the People's Liberation Army from March 15, 2023, to August 10, 2023. In total, 119 participants were enrolled in this trial, and participants were given either LQT granules or placebo for 60 days based on a health education. The primary outcome was serum uric acid (SUA) level, and the secondary outcome was the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score, measured on days 0, 30, and 60. Safety indicators, including liver function, kidney function, blood routine, glucose, blood lipid, blood pressure, and heart rate were tested on days 0 and 60 of the trial. The data were analyzed using Prism 9 software, and the significance level was set at P < .05. Results: Among 119 participants, six in the LQT granule group and seven in the placebo group dropped out, and 106 participants completed clinical observation. Baseline information, including SUA levels, TCM symptom scores, and other clinical characteristics, did not differ between the groups. At the end of the trial, compared with baseline values, the SUA levels in the LQT granule group decreased (P < .001), and no significant change was observed in the placebo group (P = .422); compared with the placebo group, the SUA levels decreased in the LQT granule group (P = .001). Compared with baseline values, the total TCM symptom scores in the LQT granule group decreased (P < .001), with no change in the placebo group (P = .136). Safety indicators did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion The pilot trial demonstrated the potential of LQT granules to lower SUA levels and improve symptoms of dampness and heat.

Objectives:To explore the dynamic changes of right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) on echocardiography during the process of right ventricular fibrosis with right ventricular pressure overload.Methods:Animal models with RV pressure overload (n=5) were established by main pulmonary artery (PA) banding in piglets.The ratio of RV pressure to left ventricular (LV) pressure was greater than 60％ as assessed by the pressure measuring needle during the operation.Pre-and post-operative echocardiography were performed.Histopathological examination of RV tissues was performed at the end of the experiment.Results:During the establishment of the animal models,2 piglets died due to hemorrhagic shock,while 3 piglets survived and were included in the analysis.Systolic RV pressure,systolic PA pressure and mean PA pressure(measured at the proximal end of the constriction) were significantly increased immediately after PA banding,mean RV pressure and mean PA pressure were significantly inreased at 14 weeks postopseratively (all P<0.05).Tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion and peak early diastolic velocity of tricuspid annulus (TV e') decreased immediately after operation (all P<0.05).They returned to the pre-operative level in the following three weeks.The absolute values of RVGLS were reduced after PA banding (all P>0.05).The RVGLS of the inner membrane layer began to recover after 3 weeks,and the RVGLS of the middle and outer membrane layers began to recover after 7 weeks.However,the time to peak RVGLS was significantly prolonged and could not be restored even untill the end of the experiment (14 weeks after surgery)(all P<0.05).At the end of the experiment,pathological examination revealed fibrous tissue hyperplasia in both the myocardial interstitium and endocardium.Conclusions:The measurement of intracardiac pressure and pathological results confirmed the success of the establishment of the animal model of increased right ventricular afterload.Both stress and strain cannot truly represent the intrinsic characteristics of the myocardium under pressure overload.The prolonged time to peak of longitudinal strain might indirectly reflect the progression of myocardial injury more persistently during the process of increased right ventricular afterload and myocardial injury.