Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Four Gates(bilateral LI4 and LR3)and other acupoints in treating postoperative pain after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair and to explore its potential mechanism of action.Methods Sixty patients who underwent tension-free laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between June 2024 and January 2025 and developed postoperative pain were enrolled.They were randomly divided into an observation group(n=30)and a control group(n=30)using a random number table.The control group received standard postoperative care,while the observation group received additional acupuncture at Four Gates and other acupoints(administered at 0 hour and 24 hours postoperatively).Clinical efficacy was assessed after 24 hours.Changes in the Numerical Rating Scale(NRS)for pain and the Bruggrmann Comfort Scale(BCS)were recorded.Serum levels of white blood cells(WBC),C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),and cortisol(COR)were compared before and after treatment.Safety and adverse reactions were also evaluated.Results(1)After 4 hours and 24 hours of treatment,the NRS scores in the observation group were significantly improved(P＜0.05).Additionally,the observation group showed a significantly greater improvement in NRS scores than the control group during the same period,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).(2)After 4 hours and 24 hours of treatment,the BCS scores of both groups of patients were significantly improved(P＜0.05).The observation group showed a significantly greater improvement in BCS scores than the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the levels of WBC,CRP,and ESR in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in COR levels between the two groups(P＞0.05).After treatment,the WBC levels in the observation group were slightly lower than before treatment,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05),while the WBC levels in the control group were significantly higher than before treatment(P＜0.05).(4)The overall response rate in the observation group was 96.70％(29/30),while that in the control group was 56.77％(17/30).The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).(5)No significant adverse reactions occurred in either the observation group or the control group.There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Four Gates and other acupoints significantly alleviates postoperative pain,enhances patient comfort,and demonstrates excellent clinical efficacy with high safety.The treatment modulates postoperative WBC,CRP,ESR,and COR levels,suggesting systemic anti-inflammatory and stress-regulatory effects.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) released the "2024 ESC guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension" on August 30, 2024. This guideline updates the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension." One notable update is the introduction of the concept of "elevated blood pressure" (120-139/70-89 mm Hg). Additionally, a new systolic blood pressure target range of 120-129 mm Hg has been proposed for most patients receiving antihypertensive treatment. The guideline also includes numerous additions or revisions in areas such as non-pharmacological interventions and device-based treatments for hypertension. This article interprets the guideline's recommendations on definition and classification of elevated blood pressure and hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk assessment, diagnosing hypertension and investigating underlying causes, preventing and treating elevated blood pressure and hypertension. We provide a comparison interpretation with the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension" and the "2017 ACC/AHA guideline on the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults."

This study compared the differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of eleven active components in Rubus multibracteatus(RM) extract(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, epicatechin, catechin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) between normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats using the in-vitro everted intestinal sac model. The RM extract was administered at absorption concentrations of 25.0, 50.0, and 100.0 mg·mL~(-1). The contents of the eleven components in intestinal absorption solution samples were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), and their cumulative absorption(Q) and absorption rate constant(K_a) were calculated to evaluate the absorption characteristics of these components in normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats. The results show that except for catechin, epicatechin, and caffeic acid, the cumulative absorption-time curves of the other eight components(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) exhibit an upward trend without saturation, with correlation coefficients(R~2) all > 0.9, indicating linear absorption. However, the overall absorption of all components is not dose-dependent with increasing concentration, suggesting that their absorption mechanisms are not solely passive diffusion. In both normal and model rats, the jejunum shows the highest absorption for all components except xanthotoxin. The overall absorption of seven components(excluding protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, apigenin-7-O-glucuronide, and luteoloside) in normal rats is better than that in model rats across all intestinal segments. These findings indicate that the pathological state of inflammatory pain alters the intestinal absorption of RM extract, and its mechanism needs further investigation.
Animals ; Rats ; Intestinal Absorption/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Pain/metabolism* ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism*

The analysis presented here is based on the blood components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets, the key anti-atherosclerosis pathway of Guanxin Qiwei tablets was screened by network pharmacology, and the anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of Guanxin Qiwei tablets was clarified and verified by cell experiments. HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS technique was used to analyze the components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets into blood, to determine the precise mass charge ratio of the compounds, and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the components by using secondary mass spectrometry fragments and literature comparison. Finally, a total of 42 components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets into blood were identified. To better understand the interactions, we employed the Swiss Target Prediction database to predict the associated targets. Atherosclerosis (AS) disease targets were searched in disease databases Genecard, OMIM and Disgent, and 181 intersection targets of disease targets and component targets were obtained by Venny 2.1.0 software. Protein interactions were analyzed by String database. The 32 core targets were selected by Cytscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed in DAVID database. It was found that the anti-atherosclerosis pathways of Guanxin Qiwei tablets mainly include lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications and other signal pathways. The core targets and the core compounds were interlinked, and it was found that cryptotanshinone and tanshinone ⅡA in Guanxin Qiwei tablets were well bound to TNF, PPARγ, AKT1, PTG2 and other targets. The lipid metabolism and atherosclerotic pathway was verified using human hl-7702 hepatocytes. This study preliminarily identified the potential pharmacodynamic components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets in the treatment of AS diseases and predicted their pathways of action, and verified the relationship between regulating lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis of Guanxin Qiwei tablets in vitro, providing a reference for the further study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of action of this prescription. This experiment was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Inner Mongolia Medical University (No. YKD202401262).

Objective To investigate prevalence and immunological properties of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection among chronic gastritis population in Wuhan. Methods A total of 1 866 patients with chronic gastritis in Wuhan were selected from May 2021 to December 2023, and Hp antibody and typing in serum were detected by immunoblotting to analyse the infection rate and typing of patients of different genders and age groups, as well as the correlation between Hp infection and the severity of chronic gastritis. Western blotting technique was utilized to detect the Hp antibodies and typing. The infection rates and subtypes were recorded in patients of different genders and ages. Then the correlation between Hp infection and the severity of chronic gastritis were discussed. Results The overall detection rate of Hp infection was 65.38% (1 220/1 866) in 1866 patients, and the prevalence rate of type I infection was higher than that of type II infection [61.31% (748/1 220) vs 38.69% (472/1 220), P<0.05]. No statistical difference was reported in overall infection rate in terms of gender (P>0.05). In terms of gender, the rate of type I infection was higher than that of type II infection [70.08% (431/615) vs 29.92% (184/615), P<0.05], whereas the prevalence of the two types of infections demonstrated no statistical difference in female patients (P>0.05). In terms of age, the prevalence of Hp infection in patients increased with age (2=64.687, P=0.000). The infection rate of type I was higher than type II in the age groups of below 18, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-60 years old (P<0.05), and infection rates of type I and type II yielded no statistical difference in the age groups of 18-30 and ≥60 years old (P>0.05). With the aggravation of chronic gastritis, the infection rate and percentage of type I infections increased, and the percentage of type I infections was higher than that of type II infections (P<0.05). Conclusion Patients with chronic gastritis in Wuhan suffer a high prevalence rate of Hp infection, and the rate of Hp infection increases with the age of the patients, is positively correlated with the severity of the disease, and presents certain typological features.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Shexiang Baoxinwan in treating stable angina pectoris with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome in patients with coronary artery disease （CAD） complicated with anxiety and depression and explore its underlying mechanisms. MethodsThis study employed a randomized， double-blind， and placebo-controlled clinical trial design. Patients admitted to the hospital were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group， with 52 patients in each group. Patients in the observation and control groups received Shexiang Baoxinwan and placebo， respectively， both in combination with conventional Western medication. The dose was 45.0 mg， three times daily， for a total duration of eight weeks. The primary outcome was the Seattle Angina Questionnaire （SAQ） scores before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， the patient health questionnaire-9 （PHQ-9）， generalized anxiety disorder-7 （GAD-7）， inflammatory markers ［interleukin-18 （IL-18）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， CD40， etc.］， monoamine neurotransmitters ［e.g.， dopamine （DA）］， vascular endothelial function markers ［e.g.， endothelin-1（ET-1）］， adipokines， and ischemia-modified albumin （IMA）. Adverse reactions were also recorded. ResultsA total of 92 patients completed the study， with 44 in the observation group and 48 in the control group. Compared with baseline， both groups showed significant decreases in PHQ-9， GAD-7， and TCM syndrome scores following treatment （P<0.05）， along with a significant increase in SAQ scores （P<0.05）. In the observation group， DA levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while levels of IL-18， TNF-α， CD40， ET-1， and IMA were decreased （P<0.05）. In contrast， the control group exhibited significantly increased CD40 levels （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the observation group showed significant improvements in the SAQ dimensions of physical limitation， angina stability， treatment satisfaction， and disease perception， as well as in TCM syndrome score， PHQ-9 score， IL-18， CD40， ET-1， and IMA （P<0.05）. No adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionShexiang Baoxinwan can improve anxiety and depression， alleviate angina symptoms， and reduce TCM symptoms of Qi stagnation and blood stasis in CAD patients. The mechanism may involve anti-inflammation， improvement of vascular endothelial function， reduction of IMA， and increase of monoamine neurotransmitter levels.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Shexiang Baoxinwan in treating stable angina pectoris with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome in patients with coronary artery disease （CAD） complicated with anxiety and depression and explore its underlying mechanisms. MethodsThis study employed a randomized， double-blind， and placebo-controlled clinical trial design. Patients admitted to the hospital were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group， with 52 patients in each group. Patients in the observation and control groups received Shexiang Baoxinwan and placebo， respectively， both in combination with conventional Western medication. The dose was 45.0 mg， three times daily， for a total duration of eight weeks. The primary outcome was the Seattle Angina Questionnaire （SAQ） scores before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， the patient health questionnaire-9 （PHQ-9）， generalized anxiety disorder-7 （GAD-7）， inflammatory markers ［interleukin-18 （IL-18）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， CD40， etc.］， monoamine neurotransmitters ［e.g.， dopamine （DA）］， vascular endothelial function markers ［e.g.， endothelin-1（ET-1）］， adipokines， and ischemia-modified albumin （IMA）. Adverse reactions were also recorded. ResultsA total of 92 patients completed the study， with 44 in the observation group and 48 in the control group. Compared with baseline， both groups showed significant decreases in PHQ-9， GAD-7， and TCM syndrome scores following treatment （P<0.05）， along with a significant increase in SAQ scores （P<0.05）. In the observation group， DA levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）， while levels of IL-18， TNF-α， CD40， ET-1， and IMA were decreased （P<0.05）. In contrast， the control group exhibited significantly increased CD40 levels （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the observation group showed significant improvements in the SAQ dimensions of physical limitation， angina stability， treatment satisfaction， and disease perception， as well as in TCM syndrome score， PHQ-9 score， IL-18， CD40， ET-1， and IMA （P<0.05）. No adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionShexiang Baoxinwan can improve anxiety and depression， alleviate angina symptoms， and reduce TCM symptoms of Qi stagnation and blood stasis in CAD patients. The mechanism may involve anti-inflammation， improvement of vascular endothelial function， reduction of IMA， and increase of monoamine neurotransmitter levels.

BACKGROUND: China is seeing a growing demand for rehabilitation treatments for post-stroke upper limb spastic paresis (PSSP-UL). Although acupuncture is known to be effective for PSSP-UL, there is room to enhance its efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study explored a semi-personalized acupuncture approach for PSSP-UL that used three-dimensional kinematic analysis (3DKA) results to select additional acupoints, and investigated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of this approach. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This single-blind, single-center, randomized, controlled trial involved 74 participants who experienced a first-ever ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with spastic upper limb paresis. The participants were then randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups received conventional treatments and acupuncture treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The main acupoints in both groups were the same, while participants in the intervention group received additional acupoints selected on the basis of 3DKA results. Follow-up assessments were conducted for 8 weeks after the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) response rate (≥ 6-point change) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included changes in motor function (FMA-UE), Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS), manual muscle test (MMT), spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale, MAS), and activities of daily life (Modified Barthel Index, MBI) at week 4 and week 12. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants completed the trial and underwent analyses. Compared with control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly higher FMA-UE response rate at week 4 (χ² = 5.479, P = 0.019) and greater improvements in FMA-UE at both week 4 and week 12 (both P < 0.001). The intervention group also showed bigger improvements from baseline in the MMT grades for shoulder adduction and elbow flexion at weeks 4 and 12 as well as thumb adduction at week 4 (P = 0.007, P = 0.049, P = 0.019, P = 0.008, P = 0.029, respectively). The intervention group showed a better change in the MBI at both week 4 and week 12 (P = 0.004 and P = 0.010, respectively). Although the intervention group had a higher BRS for the hand at week 12 (P = 0.041), no intergroup differences were observed at week 4 (all P > 0.05). The two groups showed no differences in MAS grades as well as in BRS for the arm at weeks 4 and 12 (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Semi-personalized acupuncture prescription based on 3DKA results significantly improved motor function, muscle strength, and activities of daily living in patients with PSSP-UL. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056216. Please cite this article as: Huang XY, Liao OP, Jiang SY, Tao JM, Li Y, Lu XY, Li YY, Wang C, Li J, Ma XP. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis can improve the efficacy of acupoint selection for post-stroke patients with upper limb spastic paresis: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 15-24.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Upper Extremity/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Single-Blind Method ; Aged ; Stroke/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Stroke Rehabilitation/methods* ; Adult ; Muscle Spasticity/therapy* ; Paresis/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome

Coptis chinensis Franch. and Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. are traditional herbal medicines with millennia of documented use and broad therapeutic applications, including anti-diabetic properties. However, the synergistic effect of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. The research demonstrated that the optimal ratio of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng was 4∶1, exhibiting maximal efficacy in improving insulin resistance and gluconeogenesis in primary mouse hepatocytes. This combination demonstrated significant synergistic effects in improving glucose tolerance, reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG), the weight ratio of epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Subsequently, a T2DM liver-specific network was constructed based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments and public databases by integrating transcriptional properties of disease-associated proteins and protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The network recovery index (NRI) score of the combined treatment group with a 4∶1 ratio exceeded that of groups treated with individual components. The research identified that activated adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) signaling in the liver played a crucial role in the synergistic treatment of T2DM, as verified by western blot experiment in db/db mice. These findings demonstrate that the 4∶1 combination of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng significantly improves insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice, surpassing the efficacy of individual treatments. The synergistic mechanism correlates with enhanced AMPK/ACC signaling pathway activity.
Animals ; Panax/chemistry* ; Ginsenosides/administration & dosage* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Alkaloids/pharmacology* ; Coptis/chemistry* ; Drug Synergism ; Insulin Resistance ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Transcriptome/drug effects* ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Hepatocytes/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate short-term effectiveness of using expert adolescent lateral femoral nail (EALFN) in treating femoral shaft fractures in older children and adolescents. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 17 patients with femoral shaft fractures who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted between July 2020 and June 2024. All fractures were fixed with EALFN after reduction. There were 11 males and 6 females, with a mean age of 13.3 years (range, 11-16 years). The average body weight was 51.2 kg (range, 40-84 kg), and the average height was 162.1 cm (range, 150-172 cm). The causes of injury included traffic accidents ( n=9), falling from height ( n=1), and simple falls ( n=7). One patient had an open fracture treated with an external fixator and experienced delayed fracture healing. The remaining patients were closed fractures, with an average time from injury to operation of 5.8 days (range, 2-10 days). Operation time and postoperative hospital stay were documented. During follow-up, X-ray films were taken to observe the fracture healing, and the bilateral femoral length, femoral neck-shaft angle, widest femoral neck diameter (FND), and articular trochanteric distance (ATD) were measured at last follow-up. Hip function was assessed using the Harris score. The differences in the all indicators between the healthy and affected sides were compared. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 65 to 130 minutes (mean, 94.1 minutes). Postoperative hospital stay ranged from 5 to 40 days (mean, 16.7 days). All patients were followed up 7-36 months (mean, 14.4 months). One patient exhibited delayed fracture healing during follow-up. The distal locking nail was removed at 6 months after operation, and partial weight-bearing was initiated following dynamic fracture stabilization. The fracture healing was achieved, and the intramedullary nail was removed at 24 months after operation. The other fractures healed with the healing time of 6-20 months (mean, 9.6 months), and the intramedullary nails were removed. During follow-up, no femoral fracture, abnormal development of the greater trochanter, or ischemic necrosis of the femoral head occurred. At last follow-up, there was no significant difference in femoral length, femoral neck-shaft angle, FND, ATD, or Harris score between the affected and healthy sides ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION For older children and adolescents with femoral neck fractures, the application of EALFN fixation aligns more closely with the principles of intramedullary central fixation and rapid rehabilitation. This approach is associated with fewer complications and superior short-term effectiveness.
Humans ; Male ; Femoral Fractures/surgery* ; Female ; Child ; Adolescent ; Retrospective Studies ; Bone Nails ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/instrumentation* ; Fracture Healing ; Treatment Outcome