Objective To observe the improvement of motor dysfunction and serum levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),blood glucose and blood lipid in post-stroke patients treated with scalp acupuncture at different needle retention time.Methods A total of 120 patients with motor dysfunction after stroke were randomly divided into control group,observation group 1 and observation group 2,with 40 cases in each group.The patients in the 3 groups were treated with scalp acupuncture,body acupuncture and routine rehabilitation exercise,once a day and 6 times a week,lasting for 2 weeks.The control group was given scalp acupuncture with retaining of needles for 30 minutes,the observation group 1 was given scalp acupuncture with retaining of needles for one hour,and the observation group 2 was given scalp acupuncture with retaining of needles for 2 hours.Before and after treatment,the 3 groups were observed in the changes of the scale scores of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS),Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FM A),Berg Balance Scale(BBS)and modified Barthel Index(MBI),and the levels of laboratory indicators of peripheral blood CRP,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C).After treatment,the clinical safety of the three groups was evaluated.Results(1)After treatment,the scale scores of NIHSS in the three groups were lower(P＜0.01)and the scale scores FMA,BBS and MBI were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The comparison of post-treatment scale scores showed that the differences among the three groups were statistically significant(P＜0.01).The intergroup comparison showed that the decrease of NIHSS score and the increase of FMA,BBS and MBI scores in the observation group 2 were significantly superior to those in the control group and the observation group 1(P＜0.01);the improvement of FMA score in the observation group 1 was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01),while the improvement of NIHSS,BBS and MBI scores tended to be superior to that in the control group without statistically significant differences(P＞0.05).The results indicated that the curative effect of scalp acupuncture plus exercise regimen was positively correlated with the duration of needle retention for scalp acupuncture.(2)After treatment,the laboratory indicator levels of CRP and FPG in the peripheral blood of the three groups,the levels of TG and LDL-C in the two observation groups and the level of HDL-C in the observation group 2 were improved compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Statistically significant differences were presented in the post-treatment levels of CRP and TG in peripheral blood among the three groups(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The intergroup comparison showed that the improvement of CRP and TG levels in the observation group 2 was significantly superior to that in the control group,and the improvement of CRP level in the observation group 2 was significantly superior to that in the observation group 1,the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The TC level in the three groups after treatment did not differ from that before treatment,and there was no significant difference in TC level after treatment among the three groups either(P＞0.05).(3)During the treatment,no adverse reactions such as fainting,needle breaking and hematoma occurred in the three groups,the vital signs of the patients were stable,and there were no obvious abnormal changes in pulse,blood pressure and respiratory rate.Conclusion Scalp acupuncture can effectively improve the motor function of post-stroke patients in a pasitive time-effect relationship with the needle retention,and better the curative effect can be achieved by retaining of the needle for 2 h.

This study explored the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD) on platelet activation and differential gene expression after acute myocardial infarction(AMI). SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operated group, a model group, a positive drug(aspirin) group, and a BYHWD group. Pre-treatment was conducted for 14 days with a daily oral dose of 1.6 g·kg~(-1) BYHWD and 0.1 g·kg~(-1) aspirin. The AMI model was established using the high ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery method. The detection indicators included myocardial infarct size, heart function, myocardial tissue pathology, peripheral blood flow perfusion, platelet aggregation rate, platelet membrane glycoprotein CD62p expression, platelet transcriptomics, and differential gene expression. The results showed that compared with the sham-operated group, the model group showed reduced ejection fraction and cardiac output, decreased peripheral blood flow, and increased platelet aggregation rate and CD62p expression, and activated platelets. At the same time, TXB_2 content increased and 6-keto-PGF1α content decreased in serum. Compared with the model group, BYHWD increased ejection fraction and cardiac output, improved blood circulation in the foot and tail regions and cardiomyocytes arrangement, reduced myocardial infarct size and inflammatory infiltration, down-regulated platelet aggregation rate and CD62p expression, reduced serum TXB_2 content, and increased 6-keto-PGF1α content. Platelet transcriptome sequencing results revealed that BYHWD regulated mTOR-autophagy pathway-related genes in platelets. The differential gene expression levels were detected using real-time quantitative PCR. BYHWD up-regulated mTOR, down-regulated autophagy-related FUNDC1 and PINK genes, and up-regulated p62 gene expression. The results demonstrated that BYHWD could regulate platelet activation, improve blood circulation, and protect ischemic myocardium in AMI rats, and its mechanism is related to the regulation of the mTOR-autophagy pathway in platelets.
Rats ; Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Myocardial Infarction/genetics* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Aspirin/therapeutic use* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Mitochondrial Proteins

Protective effect of Qilong Capsules(QL) on the myocardial fibrosis and blood circulation of rats with coronary heart disease of Qi deficiency and blood stasis type was investigated. Sleep deprivation and coronary artery ligation were used to construct a disease-symptom combination model, and 60 SD rats were divided into sham operation(sham) group, syndrome(S) group, disease and syndrome(M) group and QL group randomly. The treatment group received administration of QL 0.4 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1). Other groups were given the same amount of normal saline. The disease indexes of each group [left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVESD), left ventricular end systolic diameter(LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF), left ventricular axis shortening rate(LVFS), myocardial histopathology, platelet morphology, peripheral blood flow] and syndrome indexes(tongue color, pulse, grip power) were detected. In sham group, cardiomyocytes and myocardial fibers were arranged neatly and densely with clear structures. The tongues' color in sham were light red, and the pulse shape were regular. RGB is a parameter reflected the brightness of the image of the tongue. In the S group, the amplitude and frequency of the animal's pulse increased accompanied by decreasing R,G,B, however, the decreased R,G,B was accompanied by reduced pulse amplitude in M group. And in M group, we observed fuzzy cell morphology, hypertrophied myocytes, disordered arrangement of cardiomyocytes and myocardial fibers, reduced peripheral blood flow and increased collagen volume fraction(CVF). Increased LVESD and LVEDD, and decreased LVEF and LVFS represented cardiac function in S group was significantly lower than that in sham. In QL group, the tongue's color was red and the pulse was smooth. The myocardial fibers of the QL group were arranged neatly and secreted less collagen. It improved the blood circulation in the sole and tail, and reversed the increasing of LVEDD, LVESD and the decreasing of LVEF and LVFS of M group. Platelets in M and S group showed high reactivity, and QL could decrease aggregation risk. In conclusion, Qilong Capsules has an obvious myocardial protective effect on ischemic cardiomyopathy, which may inhibit the degree of myocardial fibrosis and reduce platelet reactivity.
Animals ; Capsules ; Cardiomyopathies/drug therapy* ; Fibrosis ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Qi ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left

This study aims to explore the effect of Jinzhen Oral Liquid(JOL) on cough after infection in rats and the mechanism. To be specific, a total of 60 male SD rats were classified into 6 groups: normal group(equivalent volume of distilled water, ig), model group(equivalent volume of distilled water, ig), Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide Oral Solution group(3.67 mL·kg~(-1), ig), high-, medium-, and low-dose JOL groups(11.34, 5.67, and 2.84 mL·kg~(-1), respectively, ig). Lipopolysaccharide(LPS, nasal drip), smoking, and capsaicin(nebulization) were employed to induce cough after infection in rats except the normal group. Administration began on the 19 th day and lasted 7 days. Capsaicin(nebulization) was used to stimulate cough 1 h after the last administration and the cough frequency and cough incubation period in rats were recorded. The pathological morphology of lung tissue was observed based on hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect the specific expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(Trpv1), nerve growth factor(NGF), tropomyosin receptor kinase A(TrkA), and phosphorylated-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK) in lung tissue, Western blot the protein expression of Trpv1, NGF, TrkA, and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue, and real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(real-time PCR) the mRNA expression of Trpv1, NGF, and TrkA. The results showed that model group demonstrated significantly high cough frequency, obvious proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, significantly enhanced positive protein expression of Trpv1, NGF, TrkA, and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue and significant increase in the mRNA expression of Trpv1, NGF, and TrkA compared with the normal group. Compared with the model group, JOL can significantly reduce the cough frequency, alleviate the pathological changes of lung tissue, and decrease the protein expression of Trpv1, NGF, TrkA, and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue, and high-dose and medium-dose JOL can significantly lower the mRNA expression of Trpv1, NGF, and TrkA. This study revealed that JOL can effectively inhibit Trpv1 pathway-related proteins and improve cough after infection. The mechanism is that it reduces the expression of NGF, TrkA, and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue, thereby decreasing the expression of Trpv1 and cough sensitivity.
Animals ; Capsaicin/adverse effects* ; Cough/drug therapy* ; Dextromethorphan/adverse effects* ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS)/adverse effects* ; Hematoxylin ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, trkA/metabolism* ; TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism* ; Tropomyosin/metabolism* ; Water/metabolism* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the therapeutic effect of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) on rhesus monkeys irradiated with 5.0 Gy ⁶⁰Co γ-ray, and provide experimental basis for clinical treatment of similar patients. METHODS: Fourteen adult rhesus monkeys were irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-ray on both sides at the dose of 5.0 Gy (dose rate 69.2 cGy/min) to establish the acute radiation sickness model. The monkeys were divided into irradiation group (n=5), rhTPO 5 μg/kg group (n=4) and rhTPO 10 μg/kg group (n=5). Two hours after irradiation, the three groups of monkeys were injected with saline 0.1 ml/kg, rhTPO 5 μg/kg（0.1 ml/kg） and rhTPO 10 μg/kg(0.2 ml/kg), respectively. The general signs, survival, peripheral hemogram and serum biochemistry of rhesus monkeys were observed before and after irradiation, and the differences between rhTPO group and irradiation control group were compared. RESULTS: After total body irradiation with 5.0 Gy⁶⁰Co γ-ray, rhesus monkeys successively showed fever, hemorrhage, sharp decrease of whole blood cell counts in peripheral blood and disorder of serum biochemical indexes. Compared with the irradiated control group, a single intramuscular injection of rhTPO 5 μg/kg or 10 μg/kg 2 hours after irradiation could improve the symptoms of fever and bleeding, increase the nadir of peripheral red blood cells and platelets counts, shorten the duration of hemocytopenia, and advance the time for blood cells to return to the pre-irradiation level. The serum biochemical results showed that rhTPO could improve the abnormality of serum biochemical indexes in rhesus monkeys induced by 5.0 Gy total body irradiation to some extent. Compared with the two administration groups, the therapeutic effect of rhTPO 10 μg/ kg was better. CONCLUSION A single injection of rhTPO 5 μg/ kg or 10 μg/ kg 2 hours after irradiation can alleviate the injury of multilineage hematopoiesis and promote the recovery in monkeys irradiated by 5.0 Gy γ-ray. It also improves animal signs and has obvious therapeutic effect on acute radiation sickness.
Humans ; Animals ; Macaca mulatta ; Radiation Injuries

OBJECTIVE: Using network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of the 'invigorating qi and promoting blood circulation' drug pair Ginseng-Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) on treatment of ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS: The chemical constituents of ginseng and Danshen drug pair were identified by searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the potential targets of the pair were identified. The pharmacodynamics of the pair was analyzed using network pharmacology. The targets of IHD were identified by database screening. Using protein-protein interaction network, the interaction targets of Ginseng-Danshen on IHD were constructed. A "constituent-target-disease" interaction network was constructed using Cytoscape software, Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis and biological pathway enrichment analysis were carried out, and the mechanism of improving myocardial ischemia by the Ginseng-Danshen drug pair was investigated. RESULTS: Seventeen active constituents and 53 targets were identified from ginseng, 53 active constituents and 61 targets were identified from Danshen, and 32 protein targets were shared by ginseng and Danshen. Twenty GO terms were analyzed, including cytokine receptor binding, cytokine activity, heme binding, and antioxidant activity. Sixty Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways were analyzed, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-serine-threonine kinase (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, interleukin 17 signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and the advanced glycation end product (AGE)-the receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling pathway in diabetic complications. CONCLUSION The specific mechanism of Ginseng-Danshen drug pair in treating IHD may be associated with improving the changes of metabolites inbody, inhibiting the production of peroxides, removing the endogenous oxygen free radicals, regulating the expression of inflammatory factors, reducing myocardial cell apoptosis and promoting vascular regeneration.

The present study evaluated the curative efficacy of Chinese herbal injection on unstable angina pectoris( UAP) by network Meta-analysis. The databases,including Pub Med,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,CNKI,CBM,VIP and Wanfang were searched for randomized controlled trial( RCT) of Chinese herbal injection in the treatment of UAP. All researchers independently screened the articles,extracted the data and evaluated the quality. Open BUGS and Stata were employed for the analysis of the trials that met the quality standards. Fifty-eight studies were finally included in this study,involving 20 intervention measures. In terms of the effective rate,16 injections such as Dengzhan Xixin Injection,Xuesaitong Injection and Danshen Injection combined with western medicine exhibited significant efficacy. In terms of ECG,Puerarin Injection,Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection( GDI),Breviscapine Injection combined with western medicine were superior to western medicine. In terms of the reduction of the angina attack times,Sodium Tanshinone ⅡASulfonate Injection,GDI and Dazhu Hongjingtian Injection combined with western medicine showed better effects than western medicine. In terms of shortening the angina duration,Shenmai Injection combined with western medicine was superior to western medicine. As revealed by the results,Dengzhan Xixin Injection,Xuesaitong Injection,Danshen Injection,Breviscapine Injection,Danshen Ligustrazine Injection combined with western medicine displayed prominent curative efficacy,which were recommended for clinical application. Meanwhile,appropriate intervention measures should be selected according to individual conditions. Limited by the quality of the included trials,the conclusions still need to be further verified.
Angina Pectoris ; Angina, Unstable/drug therapy* ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the effect of Shuangshen Ningxin capsules （SSNX） on cardiac hemodynamics and cardiac function in rats with coronary microvascular dysfunction. Method:Rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group， a model group， a nicorandil group （5 mg·kg^-1）， and high- （180 mg·kg^-1）， medium- （90 mg·kg^-1）， and low-dose （45 mg·kg^-1） SSNX groups. Rats received corresponding drugs for 7 days. Two hours after the last administration， the model of coronary microvascular dysfunction was induced by left ventricular injection of embolic microspheres （40-120 μm， about 1 000 microspheres）. Twenty-four hours after modeling， left ventricular internal dimension in diastole （LVIDd）， left ventricular internal dimension in systole （LVIDs） left ventricular end-diastolic volume （LVEDV）， left ventricular end-systolic volume （LVESV）， stroke volume （SV）， cardiac output （CO）， left ventricular ejection fraction （EF）， and left ventricular shortening rate （FS） were detected by echocardiography. Cardiac catheterization was used to observe the arterial systolic blood pressure （SBP）， diastolic blood pressure （DBP）， left ventricular systolic pressure （LVSP）， left ventricular end-diastolic pressure （LVEDP）， maximum rate of increase in left ventricular pressure （LV+dp/dt_max）， and maximum rate of decrease in left ventricular pressure （LV-dp/dt_max）， and the mean arterial pressure （MAP） was calculated. Heart rate （HR） was calculated according to Ⅱ lead ECG. Biochemical analysis was carried out to detect the activities of creatine kinase （CK）， creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）， and lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect serum cardiac troponin T （cTnT）. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Caspase-3， Bcl-2， and Bax， and 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining to observe the area of myocardial infarction. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the myocardium. Result:As revealed by echocardiography， compared with the sham operation group， the model group showed reduced SV， CO， EF， and FS （P<0.01）， and increased LVIDs and LVEDV （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the SSNX groups showed increased EF （P<0.05， P<0.01） and FS （P<0.01）， and the high- and medium-dose SSNX groups displayed reduced LVIDs and LVESV， and increased LVEDV， SV， and CO （P<0.05， P<0.01）. SBP， DBP， MAP， LVSP， LV+dp/dt_max， and LV-dp/dt_max in the model group were lower than those in the sham operation group （P<0.01）， while there was no significant difference in HR. SSNX improved hemodynamics of rats， and increased SBP， DBP， MAP， LVSP， LV+dp/dt_max， LV-dp/dt_max， and HR as compared with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The serum CK， LDH， CK-MB， and cTnT levels in the model group were higher than those in the sham operation group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， SSNX groups reduced serum CK， LDH， CK-MB， and cTnT （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the sham operation group， the model group displayed increased expression of Caspase-3 protein in the myocardium （P<0.01） and reduced expression of Bcl-2 protein （P<0.05）. The expression of Caspase-3 protein in the myocardium of SSNX groups was lower than that in the model group， and statistical difference was observed between the low-dose SSNX group and the model group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the SSNX groups exhibited increased expression of Bcl-2 in the rat myocardium， and the statistical difference was observed in the high-dose SSNX group （P<0.01）. As demonstrated by the TTC staining， compared with the model group， SSNX groups showed reduced areas of myocardial infarction （P<0.01）. The HE staining indicated that the pathological injury in myocardial tissues of the SSNX groups was relieved as compared with that in the model group. Conclusion:SSNX can significantly enhance the cardiac function after coronary microvascular dysfunction caused by embolic microspheres， improve cardiac hemodynamics， reduce the area of myocardial infarction， and decrease CK， LDH， CK-MB， and cTnT levels. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis to protect the myocardium.

Objective:To analyze the functions and indications， formulation， dosage form and medication characteristics of Chinese patent medicines in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅰ） for treating cough of children， and to provide ideas for the clinical rational application and provide reference for the research and development of new cough medicines for children. Method:The name， dosage form， formulation， functions and indications， usage and dosage， and other information of Chinese patent medicines for cough were collected from the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅰ）， then relevant information was input into Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine v2.0， and data analysis and mining were carried out through the analysis module of prescription medication rule， VOSviewer 1.6.14 was used to make drug clustering network view of Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of exogenous wind cold， exogenous wind heat and phlegm heat cough. Result:In the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅰ）， a total of 75 kinds of Chinese patent medicines for treating cough of children were collected， including 34 kinds of Chinese patent medicines for adults and children， 41 kinds of Chinese patent medicines for children only. There were 7 types of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes， such as wind-cold attacking the lung， wind-heat invading the lung and phlegm-heat obstructing the lung. There were 45 Chinese patent medicines for treating exogenous cough， accounting for 60%， among which 35 kinds were used for exogenous wind-heat cough and 10 kinds were used for wind-cold cough. There were 30 kinds of Chinese patent medicines for treating internal injury cough， including 19 kinds of medicines for phlegm heat obstructing the lung， 4 kinds of medicines for phlegm dampness containing the lung and phlegm food stagnation， 2 kinds of medicines for Yin-deficiency lung heat， 1 kind of medicine for the lung and spleen Qi-deficiency. The formulation analysis showed that Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， Platycodonis Radix， Scutellariae Radix， Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium appeared frequently， which were mainly cold， bitter and sweet herbs， mainly belonged to the lung and stomach meridians. According to the analysis of administration and dosage forms， 71 kinds of Chinese patent medicines were administered through gastrointestinal tract， including 20 kinds of granules， 15 kinds of oral liquids， others included syrups， pills， capsules， tablets， powers， etc. Only 2 suppositories and 2 injections were administered by nongastrointestinal tract. The usage and dosage of most Chinese patent medicines were not clear. Conclusion:In the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅰ）， the main syndromes of Chinese patent medicines for cough of children are exogenous wind-heat and phlegm-heat obstruction in the lung. Most of the Chinese medicines are cold， bitter and sweet， and their meridians are mainly lung and stomach meridians. Scutellariae Radix， Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Forsythiae Fructus are the most common medicines of exogenous wind heat syndrome. Perillae Folium， Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium and Ephedrae Herba are the most common medicines of exogenous wind cold syndrome. Meanwhile， Scutellariae Radix， Platycodonis Radix and Armeniacae Semen Amarum are the most common medicines of phlegm heat obstructing the lung syndrome. At present， the dosage forms of Chinese patent medicines used for treating cough of children are too few and the dosage labeling is not comprehensive， so it is necessary to further strengthen the research and development of new Chinese medicines suitable for characteristics of children.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) triggers the activation of the endogenous coagulation mechanism, and a large amount of thrombin is released to curb uncontrollable bleeding through thrombin receptors, also known as protease-activated receptors (PARs). However, thrombin is one of the most critical factors in secondary brain injury. Thus, the PARs may be effective targets against hemorrhagic brain injury. Since the PAR1 antagonist has an increased bleeding risk in clinical practice, PAR4 blockade has been suggested as a more promising treatment. Here, we explored the expression pattern of PAR4 in the brain of mice after TBI, and explored the effect and possible mechanism of BMS-986120 (BMS), a novel selective and reversible PAR4 antagonist on secondary brain injury. Treatment with BMS protected against TBI in mice. mRNA-seq analysis, Western blot, and qRT-PCR verification in vitro showed that BMS significantly inhibited thrombin-induced inflammation in astrocytes, and suggested that the Tab2/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway plays a key role in this process. Our findings provide reliable evidence that blocking PAR4 is a safe and effective intervention for TBI, and suggest that BMS has a potential clinical application in the management of TBI.