Imported medicinal materials are an important part of Chinese medicinal resources. To be specific, about 10% of the around 600 commonly used Chinese medicinal materials are from abroad, and the introduction of foreign medicinal materials has promoted the development of Chinese medicine. Amid the advancement of reform and opening up and the "Belt and Road" Initiative, major headway has been made in the cross-border trade in China, bringing opportunities for the import of medicinal materials from border ports. However, for a long time, there is a lack of systematic investigation on the types of exotic medicinal materials at border ports. In the fourth national census of traditional Chinese medicine resources, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, together with several organizations, investigated the nearly 40 border ports, Chinese medicinal material markets, and border trade markets in 6 provinces/autonomous regions in China for the first time and recorded the types, sources, circulation, and the transaction characteristics of imported medicinal materials. Moreover, they invited experts to identify the origins of the collected 237 medicinal materials. In addition, the status quo and the problems of the medicinal materials were summarized. This study is expected to lay a basis for clarifying the market and origins of imported medicinal materials as well as the scientific research on and supervision of them.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Materia Medica ; Records ; Censuses ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

Objective:To explore the effects of bilateral arm transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) based on mirror therapy (MT) on upper limb function of subacute stroke hemiplegic patients. Methods:From September, 2017 to October, 2019, 48 subacute stroke hemiplegic patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 24) and experimental group (n = 24). All the patients accepted routine rehabilitation and MT, while the experimental group received bilateral arm TEAS and the control group received sham TEAS, for four weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and after treatment. Results:All the scores of FMA-UE, ARAT, WMFT and MBI improved in both groups after treatment (|t| > 11.870, P < 0.001), and improved more in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.678, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Bilateral arm TEAS based on MT can promote the upper limb function of subacute stroke hemiplegic patients.

Zerumbone(ZER), one of humulane-type sesquiterpenoids, showed its unique advantage against tumor activities. The main underlying mechanisms include inhibiting the growth and proliferation of cancer cells, inducing apoptosis of cancer cells and differentiation of cancer cells, regulating immune function, inhibiting invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, and reversing multidrug resistance of cancer cells. Studies on ZER focusing its cytotoxic or anti-tumor is one of hot topic. Currently, with the increasing studies on ZER, the clarified mechanisms are getting rich. The present paper describes a summary of its anti-tumor mechanism of action and helps to provide significant reference to more in-depth research.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Sesquiterpenes ; pharmacology

Objective :To study safety and effectiveness of vitamin D combined benazepril on patients with essential hyper-tension (EH) and positive urine microalbumin (UMA).Methods :A total of 92 EH patients with positive UMA were ran-domly divided into benazepril group (n＝44 , received benazepril 5md/d ,placebo 1 capsule/d) and combined treatment group (n＝48 , received vitamin D3 400mg/d and benazepril 5mg/d) ,both groups were treated for 12 weeks.Levels of mean arterial pressure (MAP) ,serum creatinine (SCr) and UMA were measured and compared between two groups before and after treatment .Results :Compared with before treatment ,there were significant reductions in levels of MAP and UMA in two groups after treatment , P＝0.001 all ;compared with benazepril group ,there were significant reductions in levels of MAP [ (108.45 ± 15.09) mmHg vs.(101.1 ± 15.02) mmHg] and UMA [ (52.35 ± 17.45) mg/L vs.(43.75 ± 13.29) mg/L] in combined treatment group ,P＜0.05 or ＜0.01.There was no significant difference in SCr level between two groups before and after treatment , P＞0.05 all.Conclusion : Compared with pure benazepril antihypertensive treat-ment ,vitamin D combined benazepril possesses better therapeutic effect on reducing UMA and antihypertensive effect .And it is safe without obvious damage on kidney function ,which is worth extending .

AIM To investigate the effects of drying temperature,growing area and plucking time on hederacoside C,α-hederin from leaves of Hedera helix L..METHODS Three batches of H.helix leaves plucked in different time from two growing areas were dried in a vacuum oven to the constant weight at 60 ℃,70 ℃,80 ℃,90 ℃ and 105 ℃,respectively.Two saponins in the processed leaves were determined by HPLC.The powders of the processed H.helix leaves of different batches were mixed with proper ratios,which were determined by least squares optimization method with constraints.RESULTS The content of hederacoside C in the processed H.helix leaves of the three batches increased while that of α-hederin decreased with increasing temperature.The relative error between measured value and desired contents of hederacoside C and α-hederin in the mixed H.helix leaves was less than 5.5％.CONCLUSION The effects of three factors on the content of two saponins in the H.helix leaves are in the order of drying temperature,growing area and plucking time.Mixing processed H.helix leaves of different quality statues reasonably can control the contents of two saponins in a certain range.

BACKGROUNDWe investigated whether and to what extent the ratio between circulating fibrinogen (Fg) and its degradation products (FDP) reflects the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODSPlasma levels of Fg and FDP were determined, and Fg/FDP ratio was calculated in 344 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes and chest pain on exertion undergoing coronary angiography. The severity of CAD was evaluated by the number of significant CAD (>50% luminal diameter narrowing) and Gensini score.

RESULTSPlasma Fg was higher, but Fg/FDP ratio was lower in patients with significant CAD (n = 255) compared with those without (n = 89), due to a disproportionate increase in FDP. Fg and FDP correlated positively, while Fg/FDP ratio negatively, with the number of diseased coronary arteries and the tertile of Gensini score (all P values for trend < 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, risk factors for CAD, lipid profiles, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, creatinine, leukocyte count, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, Fg/FDP ratio remained an independent determinant for multivessel coronary disease (MVD) (odds ratio [OR], 0.869; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.788-0.958, P = 0.005) and high tertile of Gensini score (OR, 0.797, 95% CI, 0.682-0.930, P = 0.004). The area under the curve of Fg/FDP ratio was larger than that of Fg for predicting the presence of MVD (0.647 vs. 0.563, P = 0.048) and Gensini score ≥ 30 (0.656 vs. 0.538, P = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONSElevated plasma Fg and FDP level and reduced Fg/FDP ratio are associated with presence of CAD, and Fg/FDP ratio is superior to Fg in reflecting severe coronary atherosclerosis for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibrin ; metabolism ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To evaluate the safety and tolerance of multi-dose of ulinastatin ( UTI ) injection in Chinese healthy volunteers. Methods This is a parallel, randomized, double -blind, placebo -controlled, multi-dose study, and 24 health volunteers were randomized into A, B, C three dose groups.In each group, 2 subjects were adminis-trated with placebo and 6 subjects with UTI.Each health volunteer re-ceived four doses a day, with interval period of 3 h.The health volun-teers in group A, B and C were administrated 6 ×105 , 9 ×105 and 12 ×105 U UTI at each dose, respectively.Each subject received the first dose of UTI by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes at a stable rate using an infusion pump, and the following three doses via intravenously drip at a rate of 5 ×105 U/0.5 h.Adverse events ( AEs) , vital signs and laboratory tests throughout the study were used to assess the safety and tolerance.Results All the 24 healthy volunteers finished the study. After administration of UTI, 5 cases of fibrinogen(FIB) with clinical sig-nificance occurred in C group and placebo group, other test results were normal or abnormal with no clinical significance.During the trail, no serious AEs were observed.No AEs occurred in the group A and group B.Only 2 cases of slight and mild diarrhea, probably related to the drug, and 1 case of periumbilical abdominal pain, probably unrelated to the drug, were observed in group C ( except the placebo group);3 and 2 cases of FIB, probably unrelated to the drug, were observed in group C and placebo group, respectively.All AEs were of grade I according to the common terminology criteria for adverse events ( CTCAE) version 4.0 and required no medical intervention.Conclusion Multi-dose ( qid) ranged from 6 ×105 U to 12 ×105 U of UTI in Chinese healthy volunteers was safe and well tolerant.It is recommended that dose up to 12 ×105 U ( qid) may be tested for the follow-up clinical trials.

OBJECTIVETo assess the role of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the etiological diagnosis of male obstructive azoospermia.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and TRUS findings of 695 patients with obstructive azoospermia from January 2007 to May 2009.

RESULTSConcerning the etiology of obstructive azoospermia, the main TRUS findings included ejaculatory duct abnormality (29.2%), seminal vesicle abnormality (25.4%) and prostate midline cyst (18.5%). TRUS revealed 203 cases of ejaculatory duct dilation, 177 cases of seminal vesicle abnormality (including 108 with absence or agenesis and 51 with dilation of the seminal vesicle), and 128 cases of prostate midline cyst (including 75 with ejaculatory duct cyst and 39 with Müllerian cyst). Calcification of the verumontanum or ejaculatory duct was suspected to be the causes of obstructive azoospermia in 34 cases. However, no significant etiological abnormality was found in 153 cases. Obvious etiology was shown by TRUS in 78.0% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONTRUS can clearly display the structural abnormality of the ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicle, and provide important information on the etiology of male obstructive azoospermia.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and laboratory features of 9 cases of gammadeltaT cell lymphoma or leukemia.

METHODSFrom 2007 to 2011, 9 patients with gammadeltaT-cell lymphoma/leukemia were diagnosed in our hospital. The immunophenotype of the abnormal cells were detected by flow cytometry, clonal gene rearrangement of IgH, TCRgamma, TCRdelta by PCR, chromosome karyotype analysis by G banding, acute leukemia gene and the DNA of type 1 - 8 human herpes virus by multiple nested PCR, The gammadeltaT cells were determined by T cell with TCR gammadelta chain, the malignant gammadelta T cells by the abnormal expression of T cell antigens and the precursor malignant gammadelta T cells by the expression of CD34, TDT, CD99, CD1 a or acute leukemia genes.

RESULTSIn the 9 patients with gammadeltaT cell lymphoma leukemia, significant malignant gammadeltaT cells infiltration of bone marrow were found in 8 with blast morphology. 5 were diagnosed as T-ALL/LBL (gammadeltaT type) and 4 HSgammadelta TCL. The clonal gene rearrangement of TCRgamma and/or TCRB were detected in 6/6 patients. Patients either did not achieve complete remission(CR) after induction therapy or relapsed quickly after CR. Only 4/5 patients remained continuous CR(CCR) at 2, 2, 3,12 months respectively, after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the fifth T-ALL (gammadeltaT) relapsed 1 month after allo-HSCT.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of gammadelta T cell lymphoma or leukemia may be higher than reported, part of them were T-ALL/LBL with poor prognoses. FCM and clonal gene rearrangement of TCRgamma and/or TCRdelta are helpful to diagnosis. Allo-HSCT may be the only curative approach.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Karyotype ; Leukemia, T-Cell ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta ; genetics ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDSepsis is a leading cause of death in the intensive care units. The late inflammatory cytokine, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), plays a critical role in sepsis. In the present study, we investigated the association between the serum HMGB1 levels and the severity of organ injury in the lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis in rats.

METHODSTo produce an animal model of sepsis with different degree of organ injury, animals were treated with three different doses of lipopolysaccharide (4, 8 and 16 mg/kg), and the animals in control group were treated with the same volume of the vehicle (saline). The levels of serum HMGB1 were measured at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 48 hours after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle injection, meanwhile the biochemical and histopathological indicators for the severity of organ injury were assessed.

RESULTSThe level of HMGB1 had a positive, high correlation with the abnormal changes of serum cardiac troponin I, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, as well as the pathologic scores of heart, lung, liver and kidney.

CONCLUSIONSThe level of serum HMGB1 is highly correlated with the severity of sepsis in rats, suggesting that HMGB1 could serve as a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis and management of sepsis.

Animals ; HMGB1 Protein ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharides ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology