Objective:To explore the relationship between gut microbiota and giant cell arteritis (GCA), and to identifyits potential therapeutic strategies.Methods:Gut microbiota data were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium genome-wide association study (GWAS), and GCA data were obtained from the FinnGen consortium public GWAS. Causal associations between gut microbiota and GCA were assessed using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR-Egger regression, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were evaluated, and false positive results were excluded by using the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) method of multiple hypothesis testing. All analyses were completed using the TwoSampleMR and MRPRESSO software packages (version 4.3.0) in R language. The analysis of the intestinal flora data, followed by conducting network pharmacology analysis were carried out by Cytoscape 3.9.1 and perform molecular docking verification was performed with AutoDock Vina software.Results:IVW simulations revealed 13 gut microbiota taxa were associated with GCA, of which Lachnospiraceae was significantly negatively associated with GCA risk[nSNP=16, OR(95% CI)=0.32(0.16, 0.63), β=-1.15, Se=0.35, P=0.001, FDR<0.05], and there was no heterogeneity (Cochran′s Q test, Q=13.42, P=0.490) as well as horizontal pleiotropy ( P=0.370). Further literature search and computer simulation docking analysis showed that genistein binds to MMP2 with a binding energy of -43.1 kJ/mol. Conclusion:Lachnospiraceae in the gut microbiota was is negatively associated with GCA, and genistein may be able to regulate the abundance of Lachnospiraceae through the MMP2 target to treat GCA, providing a new therapeutic approach for giant cell arteritis.

Objective:To explore the relationship between gut microbiota and giant cell arteritis (GCA), and to identifyits potential therapeutic strategies.Methods:Gut microbiota data were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium genome-wide association study (GWAS), and GCA data were obtained from the FinnGen consortium public GWAS. Causal associations between gut microbiota and GCA were assessed using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR-Egger regression, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were evaluated, and false positive results were excluded by using the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) method of multiple hypothesis testing. All analyses were completed using the TwoSampleMR and MRPRESSO software packages (version 4.3.0) in R language. The analysis of the intestinal flora data, followed by conducting network pharmacology analysis were carried out by Cytoscape 3.9.1 and perform molecular docking verification was performed with AutoDock Vina software.Results:IVW simulations revealed 13 gut microbiota taxa were associated with GCA, of which Lachnospiraceae was significantly negatively associated with GCA risk[nSNP=16, OR(95% CI)=0.32(0.16, 0.63), β=-1.15, Se=0.35, P=0.001, FDR<0.05], and there was no heterogeneity (Cochran′s Q test, Q=13.42, P=0.490) as well as horizontal pleiotropy ( P=0.370). Further literature search and computer simulation docking analysis showed that genistein binds to MMP2 with a binding energy of -43.1 kJ/mol. Conclusion:Lachnospiraceae in the gut microbiota was is negatively associated with GCA, and genistein may be able to regulate the abundance of Lachnospiraceae through the MMP2 target to treat GCA, providing a new therapeutic approach for giant cell arteritis.

The chemical constituents of Justicia procumbens are mainly lignans,flavonoids,alkaloids,etc.It is commonly used in clinical practice as an adjunctive treatment for malaria,fevers,coughs of pulmonary fever,poisonous snake bites and other diseases.Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Justicia procumbens has anti-platelet aggregation,analgesic,anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects.In this review,the herbal evidence of Justicia procumbens was summarised in more detail,and the chemical composition,the pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Justicia procumbens were summarised in combination with domestic and international studies,and the quality marker(Q-Marker)of Justicia procumbens was predicted and analyzed on the basis of the Five Principles,network pharmacology,and traditional medicinal properties.The preliminary predictions of 6'-hydroxy justicidin A,6'-hydroxy justicidin B,6'-hydroxy justicidin C,justicidin B,Chinensinaphthol methyl ether,and kaempferol were used as the Q-Markers of Justicia procumbens with a view to provide a reference for the better development and utilisation of Justicia resources.

Gallic Acid/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Senotherapeutics ; Stem Cells

Objective:To observe the effect of combining scalp acupuncture with hyperbaric oxygen on serum homocysteine and highly-sensitive c-reactive protein levels and functional recovery after cerebral infarction.Methods:A total of 101 survivors of cerebral infarction were divided randomly into a scalp acupuncture group ( n=33), a hyperbaric oxygen group ( n=34) and a combined treatment group ( n=34). All received routine treatment plus the appropriate supplementary treatment once a day for 10 days. The subjects were evaluated before the experiment as well as 10 and 90 days afterward. The National Institutes of Health′s stroke scale (NIHSS) was used to quantify neurological deficits and the Barthel Index quantified ability in the activities of daily living. Ninety days after the treatment, modified Rankin scale scores were also assigned. The levels of serum homocysteine (Hcy) and highly-sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) before and after 10 days of treatment were also compared among the 3 groups. Results:The average NIHSS and Barthel Index scores of all three groups had improved significantly after 10 days of treatment and the improvements persisted at the follow-up 3 months later. Both results were significantly better in the combined treatment group than in the scalp acupuncture group at the 90-day follow-up evaluation. The average Rankin score of the combined treatment group was lower at the last follow-up. Compared with before the intervention, the average Hcy of the scalp acupuncture group, the average hs-CRP of the hyperbaric oxygen group, as well as the average Hcy and hs-CRP of the combined treatment group were significantly lower after 10 days of treatment. Compared with the scalp acupuncture group, the average Hcy [(11.68±2.6) μmol/L] of the combined treatment group was significantly lower after the 10 days of treatment.Conclusions:Supplementing scalp acupuncture with hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the long-term outcomes of cerebral infarction, reducing the level of serum Hcy.

Objective To investigate the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of breast.Methods Patients with breast PNET were retrieved from CNKI,Pubmed,Europe PMC and other databases from Jan.1980 to Dec.2016.The clinical data of one patient with breast PNET in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.Results 18 cases had painless,rapid growth mass as the main clinical features.The pathological morphology showed small round cell tumors,PAS staining positive.Immunohistochemistry CD99 and Fli-1 characteristic expression were the main indexes for the diagnosis of breast PNET.The positive expression of Vimentin,NSE,Syn and negative expression of CK,EMA,Desmin,CgA,LCA,S-100 also played an important role in the diagnosis of breast PNET.The positive expression of genetic marker EWSRI was the golden standard for diagnosis of breast PNET.The size of the tumor,surgical treatment,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and chemotherapy were the important factors that affect the prognosis of the PNET.The survival rates of 1 and 3 years were 71.4％ and 33.3％ respectively.Conclusions Breast PNET is a rare tumor with poor prognosis,and its diagnosis is highly dependent on pathology.Surgery can significantly improve the prognosis of the patients.Surgery should be the main treatment,combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.The current study does not show evidence of effectiveness in terms of endocrine or targeted drug therapy for breast PNET patients.

Objective::To understand the resources distribution and varieties of crude drug Coptis chinensis Franch. on Chinese market to provide scientific basis for the resource conservation and variety collection and studies of the Chinese medicine. Methods:On the basis of literature survey, field investigation, mandatory survey and interview survey were conducted. Results:Due to the chan-ges in environment for many years and the predatory development in Coptis resources at the end of 20th century, the ecological environ-ment of wild Coptis resources changed significantly with destructed resources and decreased reserves, especially wild Yalian and Yun-lian were on the verge of extinction. The mainstream product on Chinese market was Weilian followed by Yunlian mainly used in small-scale medical clinic and medicine market in the distribution area, while Yalian commodity medicine could not found. Conclusion::The supply and demand on Coptis market should be stabilized to ensure herbalist interests. The production technology of Coptis need further improvement, cultivated area and suitable variety should be confirmed to guarantee the quality of Coptis medicinal materials. State should pay attention to the changes in Coptis resources and strengthen protection for wild Coptis resources to ensure the sustainable development of Coptis resources. Relevant government departments should guide the production of Coptis reasonably.

Ten flavonoids were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of the seeds of Alpinia galanga Willd. with a combination of various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. On the basis of spectroscopic data analysis, they were elucidated as (2R, 3S)-pinobaksin-3-cinnamate (1), (2R, 3R)-pinobaksin-3-cinnamate (2), pinocembrin (3), pinobaksin (4), 3-O-acetylpinobaksin (5), galangin (6), galangin-3-methylether (7), kumatakenin (8), 3-methylkaempferol (9) and (2R, 3R)-3, 5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (10). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, compounds 2, 5 and 10 were isolated from the genus Alpinia for the first time, and others were isolated from this plant for the first time.

This study was aimed to show the extraction research of cpDNA in Gentiana straminea Maxim. and G. crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk., which will increase the knowledge about the chloroplast genome sequence characteris-tics, understand its genetic diversity and improve the efficiency of breeding schemes. G. straminea Maxim. and G. crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. were taken as study objects. The improved sucrose-gradient centrifugation and purifica-tion methods were used to obtain the cpDNA, measure the concentration, detect the OD value, and amplify the ITS2 sequence to verify the nucleus pollution. The results showed that the high quality and purity cpDNA (0.1 - 0.4 μg/10 g) was demonstrated without other pollution after ITS2 sequence amplification, which met to the subsequent effi-cient sequencing of chloroplast genomes. The purity and mass have an important influence on the accuracy and cred-ibility of the cp genome sequencing. It was concluded that this study improved the sucrose-gradient centrifugation and purification with great effect of the purity and mass of cpDNA, and guaranteed the obtaining of complete cpDNA of Gentiana.

In this review, the authors summarized the new technologies and methods for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials, including molecular identification, chemical identification, morphological identification, microscopic identification and identification based on biological effects. The authors introduced the principle, characteristics, application and prospect on each new technology or method and compared their advantages and disadvantages. In general, new methods make the result more objective and accurate. DNA barcoding technique and spectroscopy identification have their owner obvious strongpoint in universality and digitalization. In the near future, the two techniques are promising to be the main trend for identifying traditional Chinese medicinal materials. The identification techniques based on microscopy, liquid chromatography, PCR, biological effects and DNA chip will be indispensable supplements. However, the bionic identification technology is just placed in the developing stage at present.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction