The purpose of this paper is to explore the decoction and dosing methods of rhubarb root and rhizome in classical prescriptions and to provide a reference basis for the clinical use of rhubarb root and rhizome. By collating the relevant classical prescriptions of rhubarb root and rhizome in Shanghan Lun and Jingui Yaolüe, the relationship between its decoction and dosing methods and the syndrome was analyzed. The decoction of rhubarb root and rhizome in classical prescriptions can be divided into three categories: simultaneous decoction, decoction later, and other methods (impregnation in Mafei decoction, decoction with water from the well spring first taken in the morning, and pills). If it enters the blood level or wants to slow down, rhubarb root and rhizome should be decocted at the same time with other drugs. If it enters the qi level and wants to speed up, rhubarb root and rhizome should be decocted later. If it wants to upwardly move, rhubarb root and rhizome should be immersed in Mafei decoction. If it wants to suppress liver yang, rhubarb root and rhizome should be decocted with water from the well spring first taken in the morning. If the disease is prolonged, rhubarb root and rhizome should be taken in pill form. The dosing methods of rhubarb root and rhizome can be divided into five categories: draught, twice, three times, before meals, and unspecified. For acute and serious illnesses with excess of pathogenic qi and adequate vital qi, we choose draught. For gastrointestinal diseases, we choose to take the medicine twice. For achieving a moderate and long-lasting effect, we choose to take the medicine three times. If the disease is located in the lower part of the heart and abdomen, we choose to take it before meals. The use of rhubarb root and rhizome in clinical practice requires the selection of the appropriate decoction and dosing methods according to the location of the disease, the severity of the disease, the patient′s constitution, and the condition after taking the medicine.

BACKGROUND:During healing process of chronic wounds,excessive production of reactive oxygen species can impair the function of L929 fibroblasts,thereby delaying wound repair.Therefore,protecting fibroblasts from oxidative stress is important to promote wound healing. OBJECTIVE:To assess the protective effects of carboxymethyl chitosan-oxidized chondroitin sulfate/platelet-rich plasma(CMC-OCS/PRP)hydrogel on L929 cells under H2O2 stimulation. METHODS:CMC-OCS/PRP hydrogels were prepared,and the micromorphology,degradation performance,scavenging ability of H2O2 and hydroxyl radical and biocompatibility of the hydrogels were characterized.L929 cells with good growth state were taken and cultured in five groups.The control group was cultured conventionally.H2O2 was added to the H2O2 group.Carboxymethyl chitosan-oxidized chondroitin sulfate hydrogel extract+H2O2 was added to the CMC-OCS group.Platelet-rich plasma gel extract+H2O2 was added to the PRP group.The CMC-OCS/PRP group was treated with carboxymethyl chitosan-oxidized chondroitin sulfate/platelet-rich plasma hydrogel extract+H2O2.Each group was treated with hydrogel extract for 6 hours,and then H2O2 for 24 hours.After culture,the levels of active oxygen and malondialdehyde,apoptosis and expression of collagen fiber I protein were detected.In the presence of H2O2,the above hydrogel extracts were directly or indirectly co-cultured with L929 fibroblasts for 36 hours,respectively.Migration ability of the cells was detected by scratch test and Transwell chamber test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)CMC-OCS/PRP hydrogels had uniform and interrelated porous structure and good degradation ability,could effectively remove H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals in vitro,and had good biocompatibility.(2)Compared with the control group,the apoptosis rate,reactive oxygen species,and malondialdehyde levels were increased(P<0.05);the spread area of cells was decreased(P<0.05),and the expression of collagen fiber I protein had no significant changes(P>0.05)in the H2O2 group.Compared with the H2O2 group,reactive oxygen species level was decreased in the CMC-OCS group(P<0.05),malondialdehyde level was decreased(P<0.05),and cell spread area was increased(P<0.05)in the PRP group,CMC-OCS group,and CMC-OCS/PRP group;apoptosis rate was decreased in the CMC-OCS/PRP group(P<0.05),and collagen fiber I protein expression was increased in the PRP group,CMC-OCS group,and CMC-OCS/PRP group(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the control group,the number of cell migration was decreased(P<0.05),and the migration area had no significant change(P>0.05)in the H2O2 group.Compared with the H2O2 group,the number and area of cell migration were increased in the PRP group,CMC-OCS group,and CMC-OCS/PRP group(P<0.05),and the increase was most significant in the CMC-OCS/PRP group.(4)Under oxidative stress,CMC-OCS/PRP hydrogel can improve the migration ability of fibroblasts,resist cell apoptosis,and preserve cell extension function.

" Lijie and yellowish sweating" originates from the chapter on stroke and arthralgia diseases in Synopsis of Golden Chamber. Later generations typically interpret it as yellow fluid oozing from painful joints, a characteristic manifestation of arthralgia. In Western medicine, Lijie corresponds to diseases such as gouty arthritis, with its primary clinical manifestations being redness, swelling, heat, and painful joints, most often without yellow fluid discharge. Therefore, the interpretation of " Lijie and yellowish sweating" contradicts the clinical manifestations often observed in this disease. Thus, this article reinterprets the meaning of " Lijie and yellowish sweating" from the pathogenesis of " sweat exposure to water, as if water harms the heart" , combined with the viewpoints of other medical practitioners. Determining the meaning of " yellowish sweating" is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of arthralgia and clarifying the relationship between arthralgia and yellowish sweating. ZHANG Zhongjing mentioned arthralgia and " yellowish sweating" together, not to differentiate between the two diseases but to emphasize the common pathogenesis of the two, namely, the cold and dampness injuring the heart, blood, and vessels. This paper proposes a new explanation of " Lijie and yellowish sweating" , which suggests that " yellowish sweating" is not confined to the joints but can be found all over the body. The pathogenesis of " Lijie and yellowish sweating" lies in the insufficiency of the liver and kidney and exogenous water dampness, leading to disharmony between nutrient qi and defensive qi and between yin and yang. Primary treatment should harmonize yingfen and weifen, as well as tonify and replenish the liver and kidney. The clinical selection of medicines can be considered Guizhi Decotion, a type of formula. The pathogenesis of " Lijie and yellowish sweating" is complex, and clinical treatment should be comprehensively considered to achieve the best therapeutic effect.

Autism spectrum disorder in children (hereinafter called "childhood autism") is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition; however, ancient Chinese medical texts did not provide detailed accounts of it. The concept of "the sovereign fire illuminates, while the ministerial fire occupies its position" was first introduced in the Plain Questions: The Great Treatise on the Origin of Heavenly Influences chapter. Subsequent medical practitioners have elaborated on this idea, identifying the sovereign fire as the master of the spirit and governing life activities, while the ministerial fire is the assisting minister that supports the functions of the zang-fu organs. When these two are in harmony, they complement each other, collectively sustaining the body′s normal physiological functions. In the context of this theory, the pathogenesis of childhood autism is attributed to the imbalance between the sovereign and ministerial fires. The root cause lies in the mutual antagonism of these two fires, resulting in the dysfunction of the spirit. Central to childhood autism onset is the dimming of the sovereign fire and a deficiency in the spirit, while the displacement of the ministerial fire and the impaired function of the five viscera contribute significantly to the progression of the condition. Effective treatment for childhood autism involves restoring these imbalances: dispelling yin-related obstructions to illuminate the sovereign fire, nourishing the spleen and kidney to nourish the ministerial fire, and regulating the liver and lung to harmonize the sovereign and ministerial fires. The ultimate goal is to integrate body and spirit, harmonize the sovereign and ministerial fires, and restore the interconnectedness between spirit and the function of the five zang viscera. This article, based on the "the sovereign fire illuminates, while the ministerial fire occupies its position" theory, provides a novel perspective and insights for understanding and treating childhood autism through the holistic principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Emphasizing the integration of body and spirit offers new insights and approaches for the clinical management of childhood autism in traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND:Diabetic wounds have complicated conditions such as infection,ischemia,peripheral neuropathy,and vascular disease.Ordinary hydrogel dressings with single structure and function cannot meet the needs of diabetic wound healing. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of a hydrogel loaded with platelet-rich plasma on wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in diabetic rats. METHODS:The blood of SD rats was extracted to prepare platelet-rich plasma.Carboxymethyl chitosan/oxychondroitin sulfate hydrogel and carboxymethyl chitosan/oxychondroitin sulfate hydrogel loaded with platelet-rich plasma were prepared separately.Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes model in adult male SD rats.A round full-thickness skin wound with a diameter of 2 cm was made on the back of diabetic rats.The rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group).The blank group was applied with gauze on the wound.The hydrogel group,platelet-rich plasma group,and composite hydrogel group were respectively applied with the corresponding hydrogel,platelet-rich plasma and hydrogel loaded with platelet-rich plasma.The wound healing was observed within 20 days after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)On day 20 after treatment,the wound healing rate of the hydrogel group,platelet-rich plasma group and composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that of the blank group(P<0.05).The wound healing rate of the composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that of the platelet-rich plasma group(P<0.05).(2)The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining on day 5 after treatment showed that compared with the blank group,hydrogel group and platelet-rich plasma group,there were a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration,new granulation tissue and capillary formation in the wound tissue of the composite hydrogel group.(3)On day 5 after treatment,the results of immunohistochemical staining and western blot assay showed that the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β in wound tissue in the composite hydrogel group were significantly lower than those in the blank group,hydrogel group and platelet-rich plasma group(P<0.05).(4)Masson staining results on day 15 after treatment showed that compared with the blank group,hydrogel group and platelet-rich plasma group,there were more collagen fibers in the wound tissue of the composite hydrogel group,which were orderly,evenly distributed and dense.(5)CD31 immunofluorescence staining showed that on day 15 after treatment,the expression of CD31 in wound tissue of the composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that of the blank group,hydrogel group and platelet-rich plasma group(P<0.05).(6)These results suggest that the hydrogel loaded with platelet-rich plasma can promote the healing of full-thickness skin defect wounds in diabetic rats by promoting granulation tissue,collagen fiber and angiogenesis,and reducing the inflammatory response.

In Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases,there are five articles concerning"diet as usual".When many doctors annotate such articles,they mostly interpret"diet as usual"as normal diet or because of stomach qi not affected by disease,ignoring the true significance of"diet as usual"and its role in clinical differential diagnosis.Through sorting out and summarizing the relevant provisions of"diet as usual",combining with the comments of Shuowen Jiezi and various ancient and modern doctors on the relevant provisions of"diet as usual"to explore the meaning behind it,the author believes that"diet as usual"can only be understood as"diet as before".Because it exists in a variety of diseases,it cannot be blindly extended to"normal diet"."Diet as usual"has two functions in clinical differential diagnosis:on the one hand,the stomach is empty,and no solid no drink blocks the qi movement,or there is stagnant heat in the stomach and intestines,but has not yet formed dry feces;on the other hand,when the middle jiao becomes one of the pathogenic factors of the disease,"diet as usual"can exclude the influence of the middle jiao.

Objective This study aimed to analyze the impact of genetic factors on the clinical presentation of tic disorder and investigate the pathogenesis of tic disorder considering different sources of genetic influence and generations,along with the distribution characteristics of evidence from Chinese medicine.Methods Inclusion of 474 cases of tic disorder was assembled(from October,2020 to October,2023),and clinical data on the children,including gender,age of onset,disease duration,initial symptoms,severity,comorbidities,and family history,and TCM patterns were collected.Firstly,the children were divided into genetic and nongenetic groups based on family history,and their clinical manifestations were observed.Secondly,the age of peak incidence of tic disorder in China(6 or 9 years)was used as the age segmentation point to explore the influence of heredity on clinical manifestations at different ages and the distribution of TCM patterns.Finally,children with genetically-related tic disorder were selected as probands to carry out family studies.The morbidity of the first-degree,second-degree and third-degree relatives of the probands were investigated to analyze the morbidity characteristics and distribution of TCM patterns of children with tic disorder under different genetic types.Results Out of 474 children,226 cases(47.7％)belonged to the genetic group,and 248 cases(52.3％)to the nongenetic group.Compared with the non-genetic group,the genetic group had a younger age of onset(P=0.013),a longer duration of illness(P=0.011),a higher degree of severity(P＜0.01),and more comorbid conditions(P=0.016).Children in the genetic group with an age of onset under 6 years accounted for a larger proportion of the liver-hyperactive and wind-driven pattern(26.5％)and a smaller proportion of the qi depression transforming into fire pattern(17.1％),which were significantly different from those in the non-genetic group(P=0.016).In the genetic group,146 cases(64.6％)were inherited from the father,80 cases(35.4％)from the mother,and there was no significant difference in the developmental characteristics of children with tic disorder from different sources of genetic influence.Furthermore,183 cases(81.0％)were inherited from the parent-child generation,26 cases(11.5％)from the second generation,and 17 cases(7.5％)from the third generation;the difference in initial symptoms between different genetic generations was statistically significant(P=0.042).Conclusion Children with genetically related tic disorder have a younger age of onset,their condition is more severe,and they are more likely to be comorbid with other psychiatric disorders.The variation in the distribution of Chinese medicine patterns among children with tic disorder of different ages of onset.

ObjectiveTo explore the research status and trends of cohort studies on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） efficacy evaluation from 2017 to 2022 and provide ideas and references for research in this field. MethodsSix databases including Pubmed， Web of Science， Embase， Scopus， Cochrane Library and CNKI were searched from January 1st， 2017 to December 31st， 2022. The total number of annual publications， journals， highly cited literatures， and keywords were quantitatively and visually analyzed by Bibliometrix. ResultsA total of 328 articles were included， which were published in 141 journals. The number of articles published in this field showed an overall upward trend， and retrospective cohort studies （282 papers， 85.98%） accounted for the largest proportion. A total of 151 cohort studies （46.04%） were conducted based on the database and showed an overall upward trend. The subjects were mainly patients with tumors （77 papers， 23.48%）， and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases （64 papers， 19.51%）. The top 3 highly cited literatures mainly explore the association between TCM and survival outcome and quality of life in patients with malignant tumors. Fourteen and twenty-five high-frequency keywords were included in Chinese and English literature respectively， which formed 3 clusters such as research methods， statistical analysis and diseases. ConclusionIt was the current status to focus on retrospective cohort studies and focus on patients with tumors or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Using observational database to conduct cohort studies of TCM efficacy evaluation could be the future research direction.

ObjectiveTo explore the antioxidant and anti-human cervical cancer HeLa cell effect and mechanisms of Andrographis paniculata polysaccharide （APP）. MethodCell function assays were conducted to assess the effects of APP （400， 450， 500 mg·L^-1） on the proliferation， migration， and invasion of HeLa cells using the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay， scratch assay， and Transwell assay. Molecular mechanism experiments were conducted to detect the effects of APP on HeLa cell apoptosis and cell cycle-related mRNA and protein expression using flow cytometry， real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and Western blot analysis. The antioxidant activity of APP was tested using DPPH⁺， OH^-， and reducing power assays. ResultCompared with the blank group， APP （400， 450， 500 mg·L^-1） significantly inhibited the migration， proliferation， and invasion abilities of HeLa cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Flow cytometry with propidium iodide （PI） single staining was used to detect cell cycle. The results showed that compared with the blank group， the proportion of HeLa cells in the G₂/M phase increased after 48 hours of treatment with APP （400， 450， 500 mg·L^-1）， indicating that APP can arrest HeLa cells in the G₂/M phase. Flow cytometry with fluorescein isothiocyanate （Annexin V-FITC）/PI apoptosis kit was used to detect cell apoptosis. Compared with the blank group， the proportion of early and late apoptotic HeLa cells increased in a dose-dependent manner after 48 hours of APP （400， 450， 500 mg·L^-1） treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that APP promotes HeLa cell apoptosis. The results of Real-time PCR and Western blot assay showed that compared with the blank group， after 48 hours of APP （400， 450， 500 mg·L^-1） treatment resulted in decreased mRNA and protein expression of cell cycle-dependent kinase-1 （CDK-1）， Cyclin B₁， and B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and increased mRNA and protein expression of cysteine aspartate protease （Caspase）-3， Caspase-8， Caspase-9， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） （P<0.05， P<0.01）. These findings were consistent with the flow cytometry results and showed a dose-dependent effect. In vitro antioxidant tests demonstrated that different concentrations of APP （50-1 000 mg·L^-1） were able to scavenge DPPH⁺ and OH^- radicals， indicating certain antioxidant activity. ConclusionAPP possesses antioxidant activity and can inhibit the viability of HeLa cells while promoting their apoptosis.

Background::Understanding willingness to undergo pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and the factors associated with poor uptake of PFTs is crucial for improving early detection and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to understand willingness to undergo PFTs among high-risk populations and identify any barriers that may contribute to low uptake of PFTs.Methods::We collected data from participants in the "Happy Breathing Program" in China. Participants who did not follow physicians’ recommendations to undergo PFTs were invited to complete a survey regarding their willingness to undergo PFTs and their reasons for not undergoing PFTs. We estimated the proportion of participants who were willing to undergo PFTs and examined the various reasons for participants to not undergo PFTs. We conducted univariable and multivariable logistic regressions to analyze the impact of individual-level factors on willingness to undergo PFTs.Results::A total of 8475 participants who had completed the survey on willingness to undergo PFTs were included in this study. Out of these participants, 7660 (90.4%) were willing to undergo PFTs. Among those who were willing to undergo PFTs but actually did not, the main reasons for not doing so were geographical inaccessibility ( n = 3304, 43.1%) and a lack of trust in primary healthcare institutions ( n = 2809, 36.7%). Among the 815 participants who were unwilling to undergo PFTs, over half ( n = 447, 54.8%) believed that they did not have health problems and would only consider PFTs when they felt unwell. In the multivariable regression, individuals who were ≤54 years old, residing in rural townships, with a secondary educational level, with medical reimbursement, still working, with occupational exposure to dust, and aware of the abbreviation "COPD" were more willing to undergo PFTs. Conclusions::Willingness to undergo PFTs was high among high-risk populations. Policymakers may consider implementing strategies such as providing financial incentives, promoting education, and establishing community-based programs to enhance the utilization of PFTs.