To investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of Zhenwu Decoction on diabetic nephropathy(DN) mice of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome based on the Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase(ROCK)/IκB kinase(IKK)/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) pathway. Ninety-five 7-week-old db/db male mice and 25 7-week-old db/m male mice were fed adaptively for one week. The DN model of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome was induced by Dahuang Decoction combined with hydrocortisone by gavage, and then the model was evaluated. After modeling, they were randomly divided into a model group, high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose Zhenwu Decoction groups(33.8, 16.9, and 8.45 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and an irbesartan group(25 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with at least 15 animals in each group. The intervention lasted for eight weeks. After the intervention, body weight and food intake were measured. Serum crea-tinine(Scr), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), fasting blood glucose(FBG), urinary albumin(uALb), and urine creatinine(Ucr) were determined. The uALb/Ucr ratio(ACR) and 24 h urinary protein(UTP) were calculated. Renal pathological morphology was evaluated by HE staining and Masson staining. The levels of key molecular proteins in the ROCK/IKK/NF-κB pathway were detected by Western blot. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), interleukin-10(IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Compared with the blank group, the model group showed increased content of BUN, uALb, and SCr, increased values of 24 h UTP and ACR, decreased content of Ucr(P<0.05), enlarged glomeruli, thickened basement membrane, mesangial matrix proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and collagen fiber deposition. The protein expression of ROCK1, ROCK2, IKK, NF-κB, phosphorylated IKK(p-IKK), phosphorylated NF-κB(p-NF-κB), and phosphorylated inhibitor of NF-κB(p-IκB) increased(P<0.05), while the protein expression of inhibitor of NF-κB(IκB) decreased(P<0.05). The levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α increased(P<0.05), while the level of IL-10 decreased(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the groups with drug treatment showed decreased levels of BUN, uALb, SCr, 24 h UTP, and ACR, increased level of Ucr(P<0.05), and improved renal pathological status to varying degrees. The high-and medium-dose Zhenwu Decoction groups and the irbesartan group showed reduced protein expression of ROCK1, ROCK2, IKK, NF-κB, p-IKK, p-NF-κB, and p-IκB in the kidneys(P<0.05), increased protein expression of IκB(P<0.05), decreased levels of serum inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α(P<0.05), and increased level of IL-10(P<0.05). Zhenwu Decoction can significantly improve renal function and renal pathological damage in DN mice of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency syndrome, and its specific mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammatory response by down-regulating the expression of key molecules in the ROCK/IKK/NF-κB pathway in the kidney.
Mice ; Male ; Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukin-10 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6 ; I-kappa B Kinase ; Spleen ; Irbesartan ; Uridine Triphosphate ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Kidney/pathology*

This study aims to mine the regularity of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions for sick sinus syndrome(SSS) and provide a reference for clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment. The relevant papers were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed with the time interval from inception to January 31, 2023. The relevant information from qualified papers was extracted to establish a library. Lantern 5.0 and Rstudio were used to analyze the latent structure and association rules of TCMs with the frequency ≥3%, which combined with frequency descriptions, were used to explore the rules of TCM prescriptions for SSS. A total of 192 TCM prescriptions were included, involving 115 TCMs with the cumulative frequency of 1 816. High-frequency TCMs include Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Astragali Radix, and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The high-frequency medicines mainly had the effects of tonifying, releasing exterior with pungent-warm, and activating blood and resolving stasis. The analysis of the latent structure model yielded 13 hidden variables, 26 hidden classes, 8 comprehensive cluster models, and 21 core prescriptions. Accordingly, the common syndromes of SSS were inferred as heart-Yang Qi deficiency, heart-spleen Yang deficiency, heart-kidney Yang deficiency, Yang deficiency and blood stasis, both Qi and Yin deficiency and blood stasis, and Yin and Yang deficiency. The analysis of association rules predicted 30 strong association rules, among which Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata had the highest support. SSS is a syndrome with Yang deficiency and Qi deficiency as the root causes and cold, phlegm, and stasis as the manifestations. The clinical treatment of SSS should focus on warming Yang and replenishing Qi, which should be supplemented with the therapies of activating blood and resolving stasis, warming interior and dissipating cold, or regulating Qi movement for resolving phlegm according to the patients' syndromes.
Humans ; Sick Sinus Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prescriptions ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Aconitum ; Panax

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of governor vessel moxibustion combined with fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule, simple fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule and placebo moxibustion combined with fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule for mild to moderate depression with kidney-yang deficiency. METHODS: A total of 126 patients with mild to moderate depression with kidney-yang deficiency were randomized into a governor vessel moxibustion group (42 cases, 2 cases dropped off), a western medication group (42 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a placebo moxibustion group (42 cases, 1 case dropped off). The western medication group was given fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule orally, 20 mg a time, once a day. On the basis of the treatment in the western medication group, governor vessel moxibustion was applied from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) in the governor vessel moxibustion group, once a week; placebo moxibustion was applied in the placebo moxibustion group, once a week. Treatment of 8 weeks was required in the 3 groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of Hamilton depression scale-17 (HAMD-17), Asberg's rating scale for side effects (SERS) and TCM clinical symptom were compared, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of HAMD-17, SERS and TCM clinical symptom were decreased compared before treatment in the 3 groups (P<0.05), the decrease ranges of above scores in the governor vessel moxibustion group were larger than those in the western medication group and the placebo moxibustion group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 92.5% (37/40) in the governor vessel moxibustion group, which was higher than 75.6% (31/41) in the western medication group and 80.5% (33/41) in the placebo moxibustion group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Governor vessel moxibustion combined with fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule can improve the degree of depression and relieve the clinical symptoms in mild to moderate depression patients with kidney-yang deficiency, the efficacy is superior to simple fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule, and can reduce the fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule-induced adverse effect to a certain extent.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Depression/etiology* ; Fluoxetine ; Acupuncture Points ; Kidney

This study aimed to investigate the anti-fatigue effect and mechanism of Lubian(Cervi Penis et Testis) on kidney Yin deficiency and kidney Yang deficiency mice. After one week of adaptive feeding, 88 healthy male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a kidney Yin deficiency model group, a kidney Yin deficiency-Panacis Quinquefolii Radix(PQR) group, kidney Yin deficiency-Lubian treatment groups, a kidney Yang deficiency model group, a kidney Yang deficiency-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma(GR) group, and kidney Yang deficiency-Lubian treatment groups, with eight mice in each group. The kidney Yin deficiency model and kidney Yang deficiency model were prepared by daily regular oral administration of dexamethasone acetate and hydrocortisone, respectively, and meanwhile, corresponding drugs were provided. The mice in the blank group received blank reagent. The treatment lasted 14 days. The exhaustive swimming time was measured 30 min after drug administration on the 14th day. On the 15th day, blood was collected from eyeballs and the serum was separated to determine the content of lactic acid(LD), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP). The liver was dissected to determine the content of liver glycogen and the protein expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K) and protein kinase B(Akt). Compared with the kidney Yang deficiency model group, the kidney Yang deficiency-Lubian treatment groups showed increased body weight(P<0.05), relieved symptoms of Yang deficiency, decreased cGMP content(P<0.01), increased cAMP/cGMP(P<0.01), prolonged exhausted swimming time(P<0.01), reduced LD(P<0.01), elevated BUN content(P<0.01), increased liver glycogen content(P<0.01), and increased protein expression of PI3K and Akt in the liver(P<0.05). Compared with the kidney Yin deficiency model group, the kidney Yin deficiency-Lubian treatment groups showed increased body weight(P<0.01), relieved symptoms of Yin deficiency, increased content of cGMP(P<0.01), decreased cAMP/cGMP(P<0.01), prolonged exhausted swimming time(P<0.01), decreased LD(P<0.01), decreased BUN content(P<0.01), increased liver glycogen content(P<0.01), and increased protein expression of PI3K(P<0.05) and Akt in the liver(P<0.05). To sum up, Lubian can regulate Yin deficiency and Yang deficiency and increase glycogen synthesis by affecting the PI3K-Akt pathway, thereby exerting an anti-fatigue role.
Male ; Mice ; Animals ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Liver Glycogen ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Yin Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Kidney ; Body Weight

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between herbal-moxa plaster and moxa-box moxibustion for diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) of spleen and kidney yang deficiency. METHODS: Eighty patients with IBS-D of spleen and kidney yang deficiency were randomly divided into a herbal-moxa plaster group and a moxa-box moxibustion group, 40 cases in each group. The patients in the two groups were treated with conventional acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 24⁺), Zhongwan (CV 12) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Yinlingquan (SP 9), and Taixi (KI 3), etc. In addition, the patients in the herbal-moxa plaster group were treated with herbal-moxa plaster (Wenyang Fuzheng ointment, composed of prepared monkshood, prepared evodia rutaecarpa, dried ginger, cinnamon, etc.) at Shenque (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongwan (CV 12) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Shenshu (BL 23) and Shangjuxu (ST 37); the patients in the moxa-box moxibustion group were treated with moxa-box moxibustion at the same acupoints as the herbal-moxa plaster group. The acupuncture-moxibustion treatment was provided once every other day for 4 weeks (14 treatments). Before and after treatment, the scores of clinical symptom of TCM, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) and IBS quality of life scale (IBS-QOL) were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, each item scores and total scores of clinical symptom of TCM, and IBS-SSS scores in the two groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05). The abdominal bloating score, stool frequency score and total score of clinical symptom of TCM as well as IBS-SSS score in the herbal-moxa plaster group were lower than those in the moxa-box moxibustion group (P<0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the IBS-QOL scores in the two groups were increased after treatment (P<0.05), and the IBS-QOL score in the herbal-moxa plaster group was higher than that in the moxa-box moxibustion group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 92.5% (37/40) in the herbal-moxa plaster group, which was higher than 85.0% (34/40) in the moxa-box moxibustion group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of conventional acupuncture treatment, herbal-moxa plaster could effectively improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life in IBS-D patients of spleen and kidney yang deficiency, and its efficacy is superior to that of moxa-box moxibustion.
Humans ; Spleen ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Quality of Life ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Kidney ; Diarrhea

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect between long-snake moxibustion combined with western medication and simple medication on diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) of spleen and kidney METHODS: A total of 60 patients with IBS-D of spleen and kidney RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the symptom scores of abdominal pain, defecation frequency, mucous stool and appetite reduction were decreased ( CONCLUSION Long-snake moxibustion combined with western medication can effectively treat the IBS-D of spleen and kidney
Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Diarrhea/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Kidney ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Snakes ; Spleen ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical therapeutic effect between heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with western medication and simple western medication for low back pain of osteoporosis with kidney- METHODS: A total of 60 patients with osteoporosis were randomized into an observation group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (32 cases, 3 cases dropped off). In the control group, alendronate sodium tablet and calcium carbonate and vitamin D RESULTS: The VAS scores, ODI scores and TCM clinical symptom scores after treatment were reduced in the two groups ( CONCLUSION Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with western medication could relieve low back pain, improve BMD in patients of osteoporosis with kidney-
Acupuncture Points ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Kidney ; Low Back Pain ; Moxibustion ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy*

Huanglian Ejiao Decoction,firstly recorded in Treatise on Febrile Diseases,could be used to treat heat-conversion syndrome of Shaoyin. It has been identified that,the indications of Huanglian Ejiao Decoction include:(1)in modern medicine,it can be used to treat insomnia,arrhythmia,oral ulcer,Xiali,blood syndrome and other diseases;(2)in terms of symptoms and signs,it is mainly used for restlessness,ritability,insomnia,extremely difficult to fall asleep,palpitation,atrial premature beat,ventricular premature beat and other arrhythmias,stomach distension and stuffiness,stomach pain,vomiting,abdominal pain,cramps,lower edge,constipation,blush,red lips,easy bleeding,red tongue,thin or no coating,dry tongue surface,or light red tongue,or dark red,thin white tongue coating,and rapid pulse. It has been also identified that,(1)although the original statement of Huanglian Ejiao Decoction is very simple,it can not only be used according to irritability and insomnia;(2)tongue image is not the key to syndrome differentiation of this prescription;(3)the essence of Shaoyin syndrome is not completely heart kidney Yang deficiency,which is closest to shock in modern medicine,including septic shock,hypovolemic shock and cardiogenic shock;(4)the essential difference between Shaoyin cold and heat conversion syndrome of Shaoyin lies in the different types of shock,in which cardiogenic shock is the main cold type,while septic shock is the main heat shock;(5)heat-conversion syndrome of Shaoyin is more common in the late stage of septic shock,and part of it can be seen in the stage of heart failure combined with sympathetic activation;(6)Dioscoreae Rhizoma and Rehmanniae Radix are often used to replace egg yolk;(7)Huanglian Ejiao Decoction takes effect quickly and the course of treatment is short.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Gelatin ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy* ; Yang Deficiency

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Chinese medicine Wubi Shanyao pills on sexual function of kidney-yang-deficiency mice induced by hydrocortisone. METHODS: Male Kunming mice were injected with hydrocortisone for 10 days to prepare the kidney-yang-deficiency model, and administrated with Wubi Shanyao pills (0.91, 1.82, 2.73 g/kg) for 9 weeks. The general behaviors of mice (autonomous activity, grasping power) were observed; sexual behaviors (capture, straddle, ejaculation frequency and incubation period) of mice were detected by mating experiment. The serum levels of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E RESULTS: Wubi Shanyao pills increased the number of independent activities, grasping power, capture frequency of model mice and shortened the capture latency (all CONCLUSIONS Wubi Shanyao pills can improve the sexual function of mice with kidney-yang-deficiency induced by hydrocortisone, which may be related to regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), promoting the proliferation of testicular cells, and inhibiting cell apoptosis.
Animals ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Kidney/drug effects* ; Kidney Diseases/drug therapy* ; Male ; Mice ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/drug effects* ; Random Allocation ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy*

Mufangji Decoction is a famous herbal formula from Synopsis of Golden Chamber. However,it is easy to be misunderstood due to so its unique compatability. The syndromes treated by Mufangji Decoction included the following aspects:(1) in terms of modern medicine,it could be used to treat acute and chronic heart failure,heart failure aggravated by lung infection,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease acute episode,pulmonary heart disease,bilateral pleural effusion,acute attack of gout,rheumatic fever,rheumatoid arthritis,and rheumatoid arthritis;(2) in terms of symptoms,it could be used to treat asthma,chest tightness,wheeze impacting prostration and dyspnea impacting sitting posture; gastric distention; dark face,cyanotic,and mitral valvular face; edema of head and extremities; dry mouth,thirsty,unwilling to wear thick clothes,intolerance of heat,and irritable; fatigue,shortness of breath,poor appetite,constipation,less urine,yellow color,poor response to diuretics,and diuretic resistance; fast heart rate,which is hard to be controlled by Western medicine and has no response to Zhenwu Decoction; dark red tongue,dry tongue with yellow fur,rapid pulse,or deep tight pulse. In emergency and severe cases,Yang deficiency and fluid retention are normal syndromes of heart failure,while Yang deficiency,fluid retention,and heat are metamorphic syndromes of heart failure,which possessed complex mechanisms of pathophysiology; the mechanisms of Shaoyin heat-conversion syndrome is similar to Yang deficiency,fluid retention,and heat syndrome; the reason of application of gypsum in Mufangji Decoction shall be further studied; the " empty" and " real" in modified Mufangji Decoction are physical signs,rather than pathogenesis.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy