1.The Development of Chinese Herbal Formulae for Non-severe COVID-19 Based on Artificial Intelligence Technology and Investigation of Its Action Mechanisms
Wenting HUANG ; Liansheng QIAO ; Di YAN ; Tengwen LIU ; Hongmei CAO ; Hongyan GUO ; Zhi ZHANG ; Jing CHENG ; Lan XIE ; Qingquan LIU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(1):103-112
ObjectiveTo develop traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulae for the treatment of nonsevere coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to explore its anti-inflammatory mechanism. MethodsThe dysregulated signaling pathways were determined in macrophages from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of COVID-19 patients and in lung epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 in vitro based on transcriptome analysis. A total of 102 TCM formulae for the clinical treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 were collected through literature. The pathway-reversing rates of these formulae in macrophages and lung epithelial cells were evaluated based on signature signaling pathways, and the basic formula was determined in conjunction with TCM theory. The commonly used Chinese materia medica for nonsevere COVID-19 were summarized from the 102 TCM formulae as abovementioned. And together with the screening results from the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, a “Chinese materia medica pool” was esta-blished for the development of TCM formulae for COVID-19. The regulatory effects of each herb on signaling pathways were obtained based on targeted transcriptome analysis. Oriented at reversing dysregulated signaling pathways of COVID-19, the calculation was carried out, and the artificial intelligent methods for compositing formulae, that are exhaustive method and parallel computing, were used to obtain candidate compound formulas. Finally, with reference to professional experience, an innovative formula for the treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 was developed. The ethanol extract of the formula was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory effects by detecting the mRNA expression of interleukin 1b (Il1b), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Cxcl2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (Cxcl10), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2), nitric oxide synthase 2 (Nos2), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (Ptgs2) using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in RAW264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). ResultsIn macrophages and lung epithelial cells, 34 dysregulated signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 were identified respectively. The effects of the 102 formulae for clinical treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 were evaluated based on the dysregulated signaling pathways and targeted transcriptome, and the result showed that Yinqiao Powder and Pingwei Powder (银翘散合平胃散, YQPWP) ranked first, reversing 91.18% of the dysregulated signaling pathways in macrophages and 100% of the dysregulated signaling pathways in lung epithelial cells. Additionally, YQPWP had the function of scattering wind and clearing heat, resolving toxins and removing dampness in accordance with the pathogenesis of wind-heat with dampness in COVID-19. It was selected as the basic formula, and was further modified and optimized to develop an innovative fomula Qiaobang Zhupi Yin (翘蒡术皮饮, QBZPY) based on expert experience and artificial intelligence in composing formulae. QBZPY can reverse all the dysregulated signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 in macrophages and lung epithelial cells, with the reversing rates of 100%. The chief medicinal of QBZPY, including Lianqiao (Fructus Forsythiae), Xixiancao (Herba Siegesbeckiae) and Niubangzi (Fructus Arctii), can down-regulate multiple signaling pathways related with virus infection, immune response, and epithelial damage. RT-qPCR results indicated that compared with the model group, the QBZPY group down-regulated the mRNA expression of Il1b, tumor necrosis factor (Tnf), Cxcl2, Cxcl10, Ccl2, Nos2 and Ptgs2 induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionBased on targeted transcriptome analysis, expert experience in TCM and artificial intelligence, QBZPY has been developed for the treatment of nonsevere COVID-19. The ethanol extract of QBZPY has been found to inhibit mRNA expression of several pro-inflammatory genes in a cellular inflammation model.
3.Comparison of the characteristics of NK cells after two different methods of expansion and observation of the clinical efficacy in patients who relapsed post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Xun Hong CAO ; Zhi Dong WANG ; Yu Qian SUN ; Jun KONG ; Sheng Ye LU ; Fei Fei TANG ; Yuan Yuan ZHANG ; Jing Zhi WANG ; Lan Ping XU ; Xiao Hui ZHANG ; Yu WANG ; Kai Yan LIU ; Xiao Jun HUANG ; Xiao Yu ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2022;43(5):400-407
Objective: To explore the differences in the biological effects of different expansion systems on natural killer (NK) cells, as well as the safety and preliminary clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with recurrence after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: Peripheral blood cells from healthy donors were stimulated with either CD3 combined with CD52 or K562 feeder cells loaded with IL-21/4-1BB to induce NK cell expansion. Changes in the NK cell phenotype, cytokine secretion, and cytotoxicity before and after expansion were detected. We also evaluated the safety and clinical efficacy of two different expansion strategies for patients received NK infusion. Results: Compared with the CD3/CD52 monoclonal antibody amplification system, the feeder cell expansion group had a higher purity of NK cells and higher expression ratios of NK cell surface activation receptors such as DNAM-1 and NKp30, while inhibitory receptor CTLA-4 expression was low and NKG2D/CD25/CD69/ Trail/PD-1/TIM-3/TIGIT had no statistically significant differences between the groups. Further functional results showed that the expression level of KI67 in NK cells after expansion in the two groups increased significantly, especially in the feeder cell expansion group. Simultaneously, the perforin and granzyme B levels of NK cells in the feeder cell expansion group were significantly higher than in the CD3/CD52 expansion group. A retrospective analysis of eight patients who received monoclonal antibody-expanded NK cell reinfusion and nine patients with trophoblast cell-expanded NK cell reinfusion was done. The disease characteristics of the two groups were comparable, NK cell reinfusion was safe, and there were no obvious adverse reactions. Clinical prognostic results showed that in the CD3/CD52 monoclonal antibody amplification group, the MRD conversion rate was 50% (2/4) , and the feeder cell expansion group was 50% (3/6) . After 5 years of follow-up from allo-HSCT, three patients in the monoclonal antibody expansion group had long-term survival without leukemia, and the remaining five patients had died; two patients died in the feeder cell expansion group, and the other six patients had long-term survival. Six cases had GVHD before NK cell reinfusion, and GVHD did not aggravate or even relieved after NK cell reinfusion. Conclusions: Preliminary results show that the biological characteristics of NK cells with diverse expansion strategies are significantly different, which may affect the clinical prognosis of patients with recurrence or persistent minimal residual disease after HSCT. The two groups of patients treated with NK cells from different expansion strategies had no obvious adverse reactions after NK cell infusion, but efficacy still needs to be further confirmed.
Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology*
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Graft vs Host Disease/metabolism*
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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
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Humans
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Killer Cells, Natural
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Treatment Outcome
4.An Epidemiologic Survey and Violent Behavior Analysis of Antisocial Personality Disorder in Young Men in Chengdu.
Ruo-Chen CAO ; Xia-Can CHEN ; Lu YIN ; Hao-Lan HUANG ; Wei-Zhi WAN ; Yan LI ; Jun-Mei HU
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2022;38(2):239-245
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in young men in Chengdu and explore the characteristics and risks of violence.
METHODS:
Stratified random sampling was used to conduct a self-assessment questionnaire survey in 4 108 males aged from 18 to 34 in Chengdu, including general demographic characteristics, structured clinical interview for the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-Ⅳ axis Ⅱ disorders (SCID-Ⅱ) personality disorder screen questionnaire, violence questionnaire, psychosis screening questionnaire (PSQ), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and drug use. χ2 test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis and odds ratio (OR) was calculated.
RESULTS:
The positive rate of ASPD was 5.91%, which was associated with young age, unmarried, unemployment state, low educational level, violent behavior, psychotic symptoms, alcohol and drug use (P<0.05). Young men with ASPD also had a risk (P<0.05) of violence (OR was 8.51), multiple violence (OR was 16.57), injury (OR was 6.68), intentional violence (OR was 11.41), etc., the risk decreased after controlling for psychotic symptoms and substance abuse, but was still statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
The risk of violence, severe violence and intentional violence in young men in Chengdu is high, and psychotic symptoms and substance abuse increase the risk of ASPD violence and relate characteristics.
Alcoholism/epidemiology*
;
Antisocial Personality Disorder/epidemiology*
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Comorbidity
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Humans
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Male
;
Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
5.Comparison of transcriptome of Atractylodes lancea rhizome and exploration of genes for sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis.
Ye CAO ; Wen-Jin ZHANG ; Li-Kun CHANG ; Chuan-Zhi KANG ; Yue-Feng WANG ; Dong-Mei XIE ; Sheng WANG ; Lan-Ping GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2022;47(18):4895-4907
This study compared the transcriptome of Atractylodes lancea rhizome at different development stages and explored genes encoding the key enzymes of the sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis pathway. Specifically, Illumina NovaSeq 6000 was employed for sequencing the cDNA libraries of A. lancea rhizome samples at the growth stage(SZ), flowering stage(KH), and harvesting stage(CS), respectively. Finally, a total of 388 201 748 clean reads were obtained, and 16 925, 8 616, and 13 702 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) were identified between SZ and KH, KH and CS, and SZ and CS, separately. Among them, 53 genes were involved in the sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis pathways: 9 encoding 6 enzymes of the mevalonic acid(MVA) pathway, 15 encoding 7 enzymes of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate(MEP) pathway, and 29 of sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis pathway. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) yielded 12 genes related to sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis for the SZ, 1 gene for the KH, and 1 gene for CS, and several candidate genes for sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis were discovered based on the co-expression network. This study laid a solid foundation for further research on the sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis pathway, analysis of the regulation mechanism, and mechanism for the accumulation of sesquiterpenoids in A. lancea.
Atractylodes/genetics*
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Mevalonic Acid/metabolism*
;
Rhizome/genetics*
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Sesquiterpenes/metabolism*
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Transcriptome
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Triterpenes/metabolism*
6.A multicenter epidemiological study of acute bacterial meningitis in children.
Cai Yun WANG ; Hong Mei XU ; Jiao TIAN ; Si Qi HONG ; Gang LIU ; Si Xuan WANG ; Feng GAO ; Jing LIU ; Fu Rong LIU ; Hui YU ; Xia WU ; Bi Quan CHEN ; Fang Fang SHEN ; Guo ZHENG ; Jie YU ; Min SHU ; Lu LIU ; Li Jun DU ; Pei LI ; Zhi Wei XU ; Meng Quan ZHU ; Li Su HUANG ; He Yu HUANG ; Hai Bo LI ; Yuan Yuan HUANG ; Dong WANG ; Fang WU ; Song Ting BAI ; Jing Jing TANG ; Qing Wen SHAN ; Lian Cheng LAN ; Chun Hui ZHU ; Yan XIONG ; Jian Mei TIAN ; Jia Hui WU ; Jian Hua HAO ; Hui Ya ZHAO ; Ai Wei LIN ; Shuang Shuang SONG ; Dao Jiong LIN ; Qiong Hua ZHOU ; Yu Ping GUO ; Jin Zhun WU ; Xiao Qing YANG ; Xin Hua ZHANG ; Ying GUO ; Qing CAO ; Li Juan LUO ; Zhong Bin TAO ; Wen Kai YANG ; Yong Kang ZHOU ; Yuan CHEN ; Li Jie FENG ; Guo Long ZHU ; Yan Hong ZHANG ; Ping XUE ; Xiao Qin LI ; Zheng Zhen TANG ; De Hui ZHANG ; Xue Wen SU ; Zheng Hai QU ; Ying ZHANG ; Shi Yong ZHAO ; Zheng Hong QI ; Lin PANG ; Cai Ying WANG ; Hui Ling DENG ; Xing Lou LIU ; Ying Hu CHEN ; Sainan SHU
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2022;60(10):1045-1053
Objective: To analyze the clinical epidemiological characteristics including composition of pathogens , clinical characteristics, and disease prognosis acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in Chinese children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical and laboratory data of 1 610 children <15 years of age with ABM in 33 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients were divided into different groups according to age,<28 days group, 28 days to <3 months group, 3 months to <1 year group, 1-<5 years of age group, 5-<15 years of age group; etiology confirmed group and clinically diagnosed group according to etiology diagnosis. Non-numeric variables were analyzed with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, while non-normal distrituction numeric variables were compared with nonparametric test. Results: Among 1 610 children with ABM, 955 were male and 650 were female (5 cases were not provided with gender information), and the age of onset was 1.5 (0.5, 5.5) months. There were 588 cases age from <28 days, 462 cases age from 28 days to <3 months, 302 cases age from 3 months to <1 year of age group, 156 cases in the 1-<5 years of age and 101 cases in the 5-<15 years of age. The detection rates were 38.8% (95/245) and 31.5% (70/222) of Escherichia coli and 27.8% (68/245) and 35.1% (78/222) of Streptococcus agalactiae in infants younger than 28 days of age and 28 days to 3 months of age; the detection rates of Streptococcus pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae were 34.3% (61/178), 14.0% (25/178) and 13.5% (24/178) in the 3 months of age to <1 year of age group; the dominant pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and the detection rate were 67.9% (74/109) and 44.4% (16/36) in the 1-<5 years of age and 5-<15 years of age . There were 9.7% (19/195) strains of Escherichia coli producing ultra-broad-spectrum β-lactamases. The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and blood culture were 32.2% (515/1 598) and 25.0% (400/1 598), while 38.2% (126/330)and 25.3% (21/83) in CSF metagenomics next generation sequencing and Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen detection. There were 4.3% (32/790) cases of which CSF white blood cell counts were normal in etiology confirmed group. Among 1 610 children with ABM, main intracranial imaging complications were subdural effusion and (or) empyema in 349 cases (21.7%), hydrocephalus in 233 cases (14.5%), brain abscess in 178 cases (11.1%), and other cerebrovascular diseases, including encephalomalacia, cerebral infarction, and encephalatrophy, in 174 cases (10.8%). Among the 166 cases (10.3%) with unfavorable outcome, 32 cases (2.0%) died among whom 24 cases died before 1 year of age, and 37 cases (2.3%) had recurrence among whom 25 cases had recurrence within 3 weeks. The incidences of subdural effusion and (or) empyema, brain abscess and ependymitis in the etiology confirmed group were significantly higher than those in the clinically diagnosed group (26.2% (207/790) vs. 17.3% (142/820), 13.0% (103/790) vs. 9.1% (75/820), 4.6% (36/790) vs. 2.7% (22/820), χ2=18.71, 6.20, 4.07, all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the unfavorable outcomes, mortility, and recurrence between these 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The onset age of ABM in children is usually within 1 year of age, especially <3 months. The common pathogens in infants <3 months of age are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae, and the dominant pathogen in infant ≥3 months is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Subdural effusion and (or) empyema and hydrocephalus are common complications. ABM should not be excluded even if CSF white blood cell counts is within normal range. Standardized bacteriological examination should be paid more attention to increase the pathogenic detection rate. Non-culture CSF detection methods may facilitate the pathogenic diagnosis.
Adolescent
;
Brain Abscess
;
Child
;
Child, Preschool
;
Escherichia coli
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Hydrocephalus
;
Infant
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Male
;
Meningitis, Bacterial/epidemiology*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Streptococcus agalactiae
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Streptococcus pneumoniae
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Subdural Effusion
;
beta-Lactamases
7.Management and short-term outcomes of neonates born to mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
Shu Juan LI ; Lan ZHANG ; Hao YUAN ; Xiao Bo ZHANG ; Chuan Qing WANG ; Gong Bao LIU ; Ying GU ; Tong Ling YANG ; Xiao Ting ZHU ; Xiao Wen ZHAI ; Yu SHI ; Si Yuan JIANG ; Ke ZHANG ; Kai YAN ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiao Jing HU ; Qing LIU ; Rui Wei GAO ; Juan ZHAO ; Jian Guo ZHOU ; Yun CAO ; Zhi Hua LI
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2022;60(11):1163-1167
Objective: To summarize the management and short-term outcomes of neonates delivered by mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 158 neonates born to mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant admitted to the isolation ward of Children's Hospital of Fudan University from March 15th, 2022 to May 30th, 2022. The postnatal infection control measures for these neonates, and their clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes were analyzed. They were divided into maternal symptomatic group and maternal asymptomatic group according to whether their mothers had SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. The clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups using Rank sum test and Chi-square test. Results: All neonates were under strict infection control measures at birth and after birth. Of the 158 neonates, 75 (47.5%) were male. The gestational age was (38+3±1+3) weeks and the birth weight was (3 201±463)g. Of the neonates included, ten were preterm (6.3%) and the minimum gestational age was 30+1 weeks. Six neonates (3.8%) had respiratory difficulty and 4 of them were premature and required mechanical ventilation. All 158 neonates were tested negative for SARS-COV-2 nucleic acid by daily nasal swabs for the first 7 days. A total of 156 mothers (2 cases of twin pregnancy) infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, the time from confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to delivery was 7 (3, 12) days. Among them, 88 cases (56.4%) showed clinical symptoms, but none needed intensive care treatment. The peripheral white blood cell count of the neonates in maternal symptomatic group was significantly higher than that in maternal symptomatic group (23.0 (18.7, 28.0) × 109 vs. 19.6 (15.4, 36.6) × 109/L, Z=2.44, P<0.05). Conclusions: Neonates of mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant during third trimester have benign short-term outcomes, without intrauterine infection through vertical transmission. Strict infection control measures at birth and after birth can effectively protect these neonates from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Female
;
Humans
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Infant
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Infant, Newborn
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Male
;
Pregnancy
;
COVID-19
;
Mothers
;
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/prevention & control*
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Retrospective Studies
;
SARS-CoV-2
8.Extraction and separation, structure analysis and biological activity of polysaccharides from Atractylodis Rhizoma.
Li-Kun CHANG ; Wen-Jin ZHANG ; Ye CAO ; Sheng WANG ; Chuan-Zhi KANG ; Li ZHOU ; Quan YANG ; Liang-Yun ZHOU ; Lan-Ping GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2021;46(9):2133-2141
Atractylodis Rhizoma(AR) is a traditional Chinese medicinal material for food and medicine, with the functions of eli-minating dampness, strengthening the spleen, expelling wind evil and dispersing cold. AR contains a variety of compounds, including sesquiterpenoids, alkynes, triterpenoids, aromatic glycosides, polysaccharides and so on. At present, the researches on AR mainly focus on volatile components, with relatively fewer researches on non-volatile components. Polysaccharide from Atractylodis Rhizoma(ARP) is an important material basis among non-volatile components for the efficacy. Due to its many biological activities such as immunomodulatory activity, anti-tumors, anti-virus and anti-oxidation, ARP has certain research value and potential. The diversity of the polysaccharide structure is the basis for biological functions, but it also increases the difficulty of carbohydrate research. The research on the extraction, separation, purification, structure and activity of ARP is in the preliminary exploration stage, still with many shortcomings. Herein, recent advancements in the extraction, purification, structural characteristics and biological activities of ARP were summarized in this article to provide scientific reference for the in-depth systematic research of ARP and the development of AR resources.
Atractylodes
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal
;
Polysaccharides
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Rhizome
;
Triterpenes
9.Regulation Effect and Clinical Efficacy of Addition and Subtraction Therapy of Jinkui Shenqiwan Combined with Buzhong Yiqitang on Immune Inflammatory Factors of Patients with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Deficiency of Spleen and Kidney
Yu-lan AN ; Chang-xia CAO ; Yu-mei TIAN ; Lei REN ; Zhi-fang LI ; Rong CHENG ; Hai-ping LI ; Tao WU ; Bao-ming TANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2021;27(6):69-75
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of addition and subtraction therapy of Jinkui Shenqiwan combined with Buzhong Yiqitang to postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) with deficiency of spleen and kidney, and to investigate its regulation effect on immune inflammatory factors. Method:One hundred and sixty patients were randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 80 cases in each group. Both groups got comprehensive western medicine treatment measures. Patients in control group additionally got Zhuanggu Zhitong capsule, 4 capsules/time, 3 times/day. Patients in observation group additionally got addition and subtraction therapy of Jinkui Shenqiwan combined with Buzhong Yiqitang, 1 dose/day. The treatment was continued for 24 weeks. Before and after treatment, lumbar L2-4 bone mineral density (BMD) was detected by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and lumbar BMD was detected by quantitative CT (QCT). Scores of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes and Chinese osteoporosis-targeted quality of life questionnaire (COQOL) were graded. Levels of Estradiol (E2), type Ⅰ procollagen amino terminal pro peptide (PINP), serum osteocalcin (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), type Ⅰ collagen cross-linked C-terminal peptide (S-CTX), tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) and urinary pyridinoline (PYD) were detected. Levels of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, interleukin-17 (IL-17), tumor necrosis factor-
10.Current status and prospects of implementing GAP in Chinese medicine injection materials.
Wen-Jin ZHANG ; Ye CAO ; Yan ZHANG ; Yang GE ; Sheng WANG ; Chuan-Zhi KANG ; Xiu-Fu WAN ; Hai-Yu XU ; Lan-Ping GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2021;46(20):5166-5172
Chinese medicine injections(CMIs) have higher requirements for quality consistency and controllability than other traditional Chinese medicine products. The implementation of Good Agricultural Practice of Medicinal Plants and Animals(GAP) is an important factor that guarantees the quality stability of raw Chinese medicinal materials and affects the quality of CMIs. Through literature review, data research, expert consultation, and statistical analysis, this paper analyzes the current status of GAP management of key CMIs and the impact of GAP management of raw medicinal materials on the quality consistency and controllability of CMIs. Furthermore, it demonstrates the rationality, necessity, and feasibility of the full implementation of GAP on the basis of CMIs safety re-evaluation.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal
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Injections
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Plants, Medicinal

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