Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects* ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Animals

To explore the effect of Internet+diet self-management intervention technology on the blood pressure control of hypertension high-risk population through the intervention of hypertension high-risk population in Haikou City community, so as to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The multi-stage cluster sampling method was used, and 295 hypertension high-risk participants were recruited from 15 communities in Haikou City from July to December 2021. The 15 communities were randomly divided into three groups: blank group, traditional group and Internet plus group by random number table method. The blank group referred to the group (99 participants) that did not take special intervention measures but the routine interventions in accordance with the "National Basic Public Health Service Standards (the Third Edition) Health Education Service Standards". On the basis of the blank group, the traditional group (95 participants) was intervened by giving additional traditional methods such as holding lectures and distributing popular science books. The Internet plus group (101 participants) was given additional Internet measures on the basis of the intervention of the traditional group. After 6 months, questionnaires, laboratory biochemical tests, and physical measurements were conducted. SPSS 25.0 software was applied for data analysis. Measurement data that followed normal distribution were statistically described by using mean±standard deviation, analysis of variance was used for inter group comparisons before intervention, analysis of covariance was used for inter group comparisons after intervention, and Bonferroni adjustment was used for pairwise comparisons between groups. Measurement data that did not follow the Normal distribution were represented by M (Q₁, Q₃). The rank sum test was used for inter group comparison. The k sample Kruskal Wallis single factor ANOVA was used to compare the distribution between different groups. Counting data were described by composition ratio or rate. Under the premise of balanced comparison between groups before intervention, Chi-squared test was used for inter group comparison after intervention, and Bonferroni adjustment method was used for pairwise comparison between groups. The results showed that a total of 295 participants were included, with males accounting for 35.6% (105) and females accounting for 64.4% (190). The age ranged from 55 to 74 years old, with an average age of (64.69±5.73) years. The number of married accounted for 95.6% (282 participants). There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, family history, education level, occupation, marital status, drinking habits, regular exercise, dietary status, SBP (systolic blood pressure), DBP (diastolic blood pressure), pulse pressure difference, BMI (body mass index), folic acid, and 24-hour urine sodium among the three groups upon enrollment (P values>0.05). After the intervention, the drinking rate was as follows: Internet plus group (29, 28.7%)2=28.948, P<0.001); Regular exercise rate was higher in the Internet plus group (37, 36.6%) than in the traditional group (18, 18.9%) and the blank group (16, 16.2%) (χ²=13.476, P=0.001). After the intervention, compared with the participants in the blank group, the intake of energy, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sodium and folic acid in the Internet plus group were significantly different (all P<0.05); Compared with the participants in the traditional group, the energy, carbohydrate and dietary fiber intake of the participants in the Internet plus group were significantly different (all P<0.05). After the intervention, the blood pressure levels in the Internet plus group [ SBP: (128.95±6.55) mmHg, DBP: (79.88±5.75) mmHg ] and the traditional group [ SBP: (129.63±8.41) mmHg, DBP: (79.77±7.73) mmHg ] were lower than those in the blank group [ SBP: (132.93±8.41) mmHg, DBP: (82.42±7.76) mmHg ] (SBP: F=9.417, P<0.001; DBP: F=6.967, P=0.001), the 24-hour urinary sodium level in the Internet plus group (143.63±38.58) mmol/24 h was lower than that in the traditional group (163.31±35.67) mmol/24 h and the blank group (154.14±35.52) mmol/24 h (F=11.509, P<0.001). In conclusion, compared with the traditional intervention mode, the "Internet plus diet self-management intervention" mode is more likely to promote the development of a healthy lifestyle for people at high risk of hypertension, effectively improve blood pressure and 24-hour urine sodium level, and facilitate CVD prevention.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Self-Management ; Hypertension/prevention & control* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control* ; Diet ; Sodium ; Internet ; Folic Acid

To explore the effect of Internet+diet self-management intervention technology on the blood pressure control of hypertension high-risk population through the intervention of hypertension high-risk population in Haikou City community, so as to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The multi-stage cluster sampling method was used, and 295 hypertension high-risk participants were recruited from 15 communities in Haikou City from July to December 2021. The 15 communities were randomly divided into three groups: blank group, traditional group and Internet plus group by random number table method. The blank group referred to the group (99 participants) that did not take special intervention measures but the routine interventions in accordance with the "National Basic Public Health Service Standards (the Third Edition) Health Education Service Standards". On the basis of the blank group, the traditional group (95 participants) was intervened by giving additional traditional methods such as holding lectures and distributing popular science books. The Internet plus group (101 participants) was given additional Internet measures on the basis of the intervention of the traditional group. After 6 months, questionnaires, laboratory biochemical tests, and physical measurements were conducted. SPSS 25.0 software was applied for data analysis. Measurement data that followed normal distribution were statistically described by using mean±standard deviation, analysis of variance was used for inter group comparisons before intervention, analysis of covariance was used for inter group comparisons after intervention, and Bonferroni adjustment was used for pairwise comparisons between groups. Measurement data that did not follow the Normal distribution were represented by M (Q₁, Q₃). The rank sum test was used for inter group comparison. The k sample Kruskal Wallis single factor ANOVA was used to compare the distribution between different groups. Counting data were described by composition ratio or rate. Under the premise of balanced comparison between groups before intervention, Chi-squared test was used for inter group comparison after intervention, and Bonferroni adjustment method was used for pairwise comparison between groups. The results showed that a total of 295 participants were included, with males accounting for 35.6% (105) and females accounting for 64.4% (190). The age ranged from 55 to 74 years old, with an average age of (64.69±5.73) years. The number of married accounted for 95.6% (282 participants). There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, family history, education level, occupation, marital status, drinking habits, regular exercise, dietary status, SBP (systolic blood pressure), DBP (diastolic blood pressure), pulse pressure difference, BMI (body mass index), folic acid, and 24-hour urine sodium among the three groups upon enrollment (P values>0.05). After the intervention, the drinking rate was as follows: Internet plus group (29, 28.7%)2=28.948, P<0.001); Regular exercise rate was higher in the Internet plus group (37, 36.6%) than in the traditional group (18, 18.9%) and the blank group (16, 16.2%) (χ²=13.476, P=0.001). After the intervention, compared with the participants in the blank group, the intake of energy, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sodium and folic acid in the Internet plus group were significantly different (all P<0.05); Compared with the participants in the traditional group, the energy, carbohydrate and dietary fiber intake of the participants in the Internet plus group were significantly different (all P<0.05). After the intervention, the blood pressure levels in the Internet plus group [ SBP: (128.95±6.55) mmHg, DBP: (79.88±5.75) mmHg ] and the traditional group [ SBP: (129.63±8.41) mmHg, DBP: (79.77±7.73) mmHg ] were lower than those in the blank group [ SBP: (132.93±8.41) mmHg, DBP: (82.42±7.76) mmHg ] (SBP: F=9.417, P<0.001; DBP: F=6.967, P=0.001), the 24-hour urinary sodium level in the Internet plus group (143.63±38.58) mmol/24 h was lower than that in the traditional group (163.31±35.67) mmol/24 h and the blank group (154.14±35.52) mmol/24 h (F=11.509, P<0.001). In conclusion, compared with the traditional intervention mode, the "Internet plus diet self-management intervention" mode is more likely to promote the development of a healthy lifestyle for people at high risk of hypertension, effectively improve blood pressure and 24-hour urine sodium level, and facilitate CVD prevention.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Self-Management ; Hypertension/prevention & control* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control* ; Diet ; Sodium ; Internet ; Folic Acid

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) carries the experience and theoretical knowledge of the ancients, and the use of "toxic" Chinese medicines is a major feature and advantage of TCM. "Toxic" Chinese medicines have unique clinical value and certain medication risk under the guidance of TCM theories such as compatibility for detoxification and treatment based on syndrome differentiation. In recent years, the safety events of Chinese medicines have occurred frequently, which has made the safety of Chinese medicine a public concern in China and abroad. However, limited by conventional cognitive laws and technical methods, basic research on toxicity of Chinese medicines fails to be combined with the clinical application. As a result, it is difficult to identify the clinical characteristics of, predict toxic and side effects of, or form a universal precise medication regimen for "toxic" Chinese medicines, which restricts the clinical application of them. In view of the problem that the toxicity of "toxic" Chinese medicines is difficult to be predicted and restricts the clinical application, the evidence-based research concept will provide new ideas for safe applcation of them in clinical practice. The integrated development of multiple disciplines and techniques in the field of big data and artificial intelligence will also promote the renewal and development of the research models for "toxic" Chinese medicines. Our team tried to propose the academic concept of evidence-based Chinese medicine toxicology and establish the data-intelligence research mode for "toxic" Chinese medicines and the intelligent risk prediction method for medicinal combination in the early stage, which provided methodological supports for solving the above problem. Thus, on the basis of summarizing the research status and problems of the clinical medication regimen of "toxic" Chinese medicines, our team took the evidence-based toxicology of TCM as the core concept, and tried to construct the multiple-evidence integrated evaluation and prediction method for "toxic" Chinese medicine, so as to guide the establishment of the non-toxic medication regimen of "toxic" Chinese medicines. Specifically, through the analysis of multivariate data obtained from the basic research, the evidence-based toxicology database of Chinese medicines and the individualized "toxicity-effect" intelligent prediction platform were built based on the disease-syndrome virtual patients, so as to identify the clinical characteristics and risks of "toxic" Chinese medicines and develop individualized medication regime. This study is expected to provide a methodological reference for the establishment of medication regimen and risk prevention strategy for "toxic" Chinese medicines. The method established in this study will bridge clinical research and basic research, enhance the transformation of the scientific connotation of attenuated compatibility, promote the development of evidence-based Chinese medicine toxicology, and ensure the clinical safety of "toxic" Chinese medicines.
Artificial Intelligence ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design ; Syndrome

Advances in science and technology promote the rapid development of toxicological detection technologies. However, there is still a lack of decision-making tools for toxicological risk assessment, such as the lack of transparent schemes to evaluate current toxicological research and practice and the lag of toxicological testing tools to evaluate toxicity, resulting in difficulties in toxicity verification and hindering the transformation of toxicological research paradigm. Some scholars have proposed to integrate the concept of evidence-based medicine with the toxicological practice to improve the technical methods of toxicological research concept and risk assessment decision-making. With the promotion of relevant scholars and academic organizations, the concept and connotation of evidence-based toxicology have gradually become clear and a framework for research and practice has been initially formed. Although there are still many challenges, it also provides a new idea for the toxicity risk assessment and safe medication decision-making of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The era of digital intelligence has brought new opportunities and broad space for the development of TCM evidence-based toxicology. The exploration of TCM evidence-based toxicology from concept to method is an important embodiment of the development of TCM evidence-based toxicology, and will also promote the continuous enrichment and improvement of the research and practice system of TCM evidence-based toxicology.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/toxicity* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design

Objective:To compare oxytocin combined with ergometrine with oxytocin alone in terms of primary prophylaxis for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) at the time of cesarean section (CS).Methods:This was a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled interventional study comparing ergometrine combined with oxytocin and oxytocin alone administered at CS. From December 2018 to November 2019, a total of 298 parturients were enrolled in 16 hospitals nationwide. They were randomly divided into experimental group (ergometrine intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 148 cases) and control group (oxytocin intra-myometrial injection following oxytocin intravenously; 150 cases) according to 1∶1 random allocation. The following indexes were compared between the two groups: (1) main index: blood loss 2 hours (h) after delivery; (2) secondary indicators: postpartum blood loss at 6 h and 24 h, placental retention time, incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution; (3) safety indicators: nausea, vomiting, dizziness and other adverse reactions, and blood pressure at each time point of administration.Results:(1) The blood loss at 2 h after delivery in the experimental group [(402±18) ml] was less than that in the control group [(505±18) ml], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). (2) The blood loss at 6 h and 24 h after delivery in the experimental group were less than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of PPH, the proportion of additional use of uterine contraction drugs, hemostatic drugs or other hemostatic measures at 2 h and 24 h after delivery, the proportion requiring blood transfusion, and the proportion of prolonged hospital stay due to poor uterine involution (all P>0.05). (3) Adverse reactions occurred in 2 cases (1.4%, 2/148) in the experimental group and 1 case (0.7%, 1/150) in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). The systolic blood pressure within 2.0 h and diastolic blood pressure within 1.5 h of drug administration in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05), but the blood pressure of the two groups were in the normal range. Conclusion:The use of ergometrine injection in CS could reduce the amount of PPH, which is safe and feasible.

Objective:To investigate the effect of rhein on aquaporin 4 （AQP4） and brain edema after cerebral ischemia and the role of microglia-mediated inflammation in this process. Method:The modified thread embolization method was selected to establish the cerebral ischemia model of the right middle cerebral artery embolism （MCAO） in rats. The rats were divided into sham operation group， model group， minocycline group， and high， medium and low-dose rhein groups （3.46，1.73，0.865 mg·kg^-1）. The neurobehavioral function was measured by a modified neurobehavioral score. Wet and dry weight methods were used to measure the changes of water content in brain tissue of rats with cerebral ischemic injury. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of interferon-γ （IFN-γ） and interleukin-2 （IL-2） in the peripheral ischemic area of rats in each group. Immunofluorescence double labeling method was used to detect the expressions and localization of microglia fine markers Iba-1 and AQP4. Result:Compared with the sham operation group， neurological function score and water content on the side of brain tissue injury of the model group were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the neurological function score and the water content of the brain tissue of each drug group were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with sham operation group， the protein expressions of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the model group increased significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the protein expressions of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the peripheral area of cerebral ischemia of each drug group were significantly improved （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence double staining results showed that compared with the sham operation group， the model group showed significant increase in the fluorescence expression of AQP4 protein on activated microglia， while each drug group could reduce the fluorescence expression of AQP4 protein on activated microglia， different levels of activated microglia markers Iba-1 and AQP4 were co-localized in the peripheral area of cerebral ischemia in each group. Conclusion:Rhein could reduce the degree of brain edema caused by cerebral ischemic injury， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and the down-regulation of AQP4 expression.

Physalin B (PB), one of the major active steroidal constituents of Solanaceae Physalis plants, has a wide variety of biological activities. We found that PB significantly down-regulated β-amyloid (Aβ) secretion in N2a/APPsw cells. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the current study, we investigated the changes in key enzymes involved in β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism and other APP metabolites by treating N2a/APPsw cells with PB at different concentrations. The results indicated that PB reduced Aβ secretion, which was caused by down-regulation of β-secretase (BACE1) expression, as indicated at both the protein and mRNA levels. Further research revealed that PB regulated BACE1 expression by inducing the activation of forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) and inhibiting the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). In addition, the effect of PB on BACE1 expression and Aβ secretion was reversed by treatment with FoxO1 siRNA and STAT3 antagonist S3I-201. In conclusion, these data demonstrated that PB can effectively down-regulate the expression of BACE1 to reduce Aβsecretion by activating the expression of FoxO1 and inhibiting the phosphorylation of STAT3.
Alzheimer Disease ; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases/metabolism* ; Down-Regulation ; Forkhead Box Protein O1/genetics* ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Secosteroids

Mouse cortical radial glial cells (RGCs) are primary neural stem cells that give rise to cortical oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and olfactory bulb (OB) GABAergic interneurons in late embryogenesis. There are fundamental gaps in understanding how these diverse cell subtypes are generated. Here, by combining single-cell RNA-Seq with intersectional lineage analyses, we show that beginning at around E16.5, neocortical RGCs start to generate ASCL1

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of chidamide on the killing activity of NK (Natural killer cell, NK) cells targeting K562 cells and its related mechanism. METHODS: K562 cells were pretreated with chidamide at different concentrations and cocultured with NK cells at different effect-target ratios. The killing effect of chidamide on K562 cells by NK cells, the expression of natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) ligands and apoptosis rate of K562 cells were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The killing sensitivity of NK cells to K562 cells could be enhanced by chidamide. The expression of ULBP2 on K562 cell surface could be up-regulate, however, the expression of ULBP1 and MICA/MICB showed no statistically difference as compared with control group. Chidamide showed no obvious cytotoxicity to K562 cells. CONCLUSION Chidamide can significantly improve killing efficiency of NK cells on K562 cells, which may be related to the up-regulation of ULBP2 expression.
Aminopyridines ; Benzamides ; GPI-Linked Proteins ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K