Chaihu Longgu Muli Decoction can be used to treat perimenopausal insomnia (PMI). It can be used either alone with modification or in combination with Western medicine or acupuncture and moxibustion and other external TCM treatment methods, which has achieved good efficacy, and can improve the symptoms of patients with difficulty falling asleep and decreased sleep quality, with good safety. The treatment of Chaihu Longgu Muli Decoction for PMI may exert its effects through multiple pathways, such as inhibiting HPA axis hyperactivity, regulating hormone and neurotransmitter levels, inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. However, existing clinical studies suffer from issues such as small sample sizes, inconsistent research protocols, and inconsistent efficacy evaluation criteria, which require further improvement and deeper exploration of relevant mechanisms.

Diabetic foot ulcer(DFU)is one of the severe complications of diabetes mellitus,which often leads to amputation and seriously impairs patients' quality of life.It has complex etiology,involving vascular disease,neuropathy,and infection,etc.,and western medical treatment options are limited.In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),DFU is classified as"tuoju"(gangrene of the extremities).Simiao Yong'an Decoction,a commonly used formula,has demonstrated clinical effects in improving blood flow,repairing nerves,controlling infection,and promoting wound healing.This article reviewed the TCM pathogenesis of DFU and the clinical and experimental research progress of Simiao Yong'an Decoction,aiming to provide a scientific basis for its treatment.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the preventive effect of Guizhi decoction on myocardial injury after chemical sympathectomy induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA).METHODS:Wistar rats (n=54) were randomly divided in-to 6 groups.Methycobal and Guizhi decoction ( with different proportions between Ramulus Cinnamomi and Radix paeoniae Alba at 2∶1, 1∶2 or 1∶1) were pre-administered to the rats.Immunohistochemical method was used to observe the cardiac sympathetic nerve distribution.The contents of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), choline acetylaminotransferase (ChAT) and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) in the left ventricle were measured by ELISA.The serum levels of myocardial en-zymes and morphology of myocardial tissues were also observed.RESULTS:6-OHDA successfully induced cardiac sympa-thetic denervation as the contents of TH and GAP-43 in the left ventricle declined significantly.Compared with model group, the content of TH was elevated in both methycobal group and Guizhi decoction groups, while the content of GAP-43 was elevated only in Guizhi decoction groups.The serum levels of myocardial enzymes and the histopathological changes of the cardiac tissues were deteriorated after injection of 6-OHDA, indicating that the myocardial injury was established. Methycobal and Guizhi decoction normalized the abnormal change.Guizhi decoctions at 2∶1 and 1∶1 showed the best effi-cacy.CONCLUSION:6-OHDA-induced sympathetic denervation causes myocardial injury.Guizhi decoction with the proportions between Ranulus Cinnamomi and Radix paeoniae Alba at 2∶1 and 1∶1 effectively alleviate the myocardial injury after cardiac sympathetic denervation induced by 6-OHDA.

PurposeTo investigate the role of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in the detection of focal liver lesions (FLL).Materials and Methods T2WI, dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) and DWI (b=100 s/mm2 and 600 s/mm2 respectively) were performed in 205 patients with 310 FLLs. All images were read by two reviewers to determine the detection of FLLs and score the confidence. The consistency of the results given by the two reviewers was evaluated. The confidence scores between different sequences and the detection rate of different sequences were also compared.Results The consistency of the two reviewers was excellent or good in T2WI, high b value DWI, low b value DWI, and DCE (Kappa=0.71, 0.85, 0.82 and 0.64,P<0.05). As to the confidence score of lesion detection, high b value DWI and low b value DWI were both significantly higher than T2WI (P<0.01), but both were lower than DCE (P<0.01). DWI yielded higher score and detection rate for detecting FLLs than T2WI (86.5%vs. 70.3%,P<0.01), but lower than DCE (91.6%,P<0.05). For small malignant lesions (≤2 cm in diameter), DWI showed similar detection rate with DCE (P>0.05), but higher than T2WI (P<0.01). The combination of DWI and DCE detected more small malignant lesions than DWI or DCE alone (P<0.01).Conclusion DWI can detect more FLLs than T2WI, and can help DCE detect small malignant FLLs. Therefore DWI is suggested to be included in the routine protocol of liver MRI examination.