Current Status of Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China

As an important component of traditional medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is widely spread and applied in more than 100 countries across the world. The standardization of TCM is very important for the international application of Chinese medicine. In this paper, we have explained and analyzed the standardization situations of TCM in China with the purpose of providing reference for standardization and international development of TCM

Network pharmacology approach to screen hypoglycemic extracts from Coptidis rhizoma and stu dy on their targets and pathways

Purpose: To screen the hypoglycemic active ingredients from Coptidis rhizoma, and study their targets as well as signal pathways via network pharmacology. Methods: The fifty-nine ingredients of Coptidis rhizoma were screened for. Their targets were confirmed by comparing with the hypoglycemic targets in DrugBank databases. The relationship between ingredients and targets was revealed through String database. The ingredient-target-passageway network was constructed. Coptidis rhizoma was soaked in boiling water and concentrated. Rat models were rendered diabetic by the administration of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection, and administered Coptidis rhizoma (0.40 g/kg, once a day by gavage), and tested for antidiabetic activity. Results: After four weeks of treatment, their blood glucose levels (BG) of all treated hyperglycemic rats decreased (p < 0.05). Twenty-four hypoglycemic compounds screened from Coptidis rhizome via network pharmacology could activate 13 targets, such as D (2) dopamine receptor (DRD2), insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2C (HTR2C), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 3A (HTR3A) and sodium-dependent noradrenaline transporter (SLC6A2). These targets were involved in 141 pathways, e.g., cAMP signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and Apelin signaling pathway. Conclusion: This study suggests that Coptidis rhizoma contains several active compounds that show significant hypoglycemic effects. Furthermore, this study has established the basis for future investigations on the hypoglycemic effects of Coptidis rhizoma

Factors predictive of papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma with bilateral involvement and central lymph node metastasis: a retrospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The optimal resection extent for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) remains controversial. The objective of the study was to investigate risk factors of bilateral PTMC and central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) to guide surgical strategies for PTMC patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed 211 PTMC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) and 122 clinical lymph node-negative (cN0) cases that underwent prophylactic central lymph node dissection (CLND) between 2010 and 2011. The frequency, pattern, and predictive factors for bilateral PTMC and CLNM in these patients were studied using univariate and multivariate analysis with respect to the following variables: age, gender, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), T stage, with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), tumor size and multifocality based on final pathology, and preoperative evaluation using ultrasonography (US).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-four of 211 (25.6%) patients had bilateral PTMC. In multivariate analysis, multifocality (<it>P</it> < 0.001, OR = 23.900) and tumor size ≥7 mm (<it>P</it> = 0.014, OR = 2.398) based on US were independent predictive factors for bilateral PTMC which was also independently associated with multifocality (<it>P</it> < 0.001, OR = 29.657) and tumor size ≥7 mm (<it>P</it> = 0.005, OR = 2.863) based on final pathology. Among 122 cN0 patients who underwent prophylactic CLND, we found 49.2% of patients had CLNM. CLNM was independently associated with men, age <50 years and tumor size ≥7 mm based on final pathology or preoperative US.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>TT should be considered for PTMC patients who are found multifocality and tumor size ≥7 mm based on preoperative US. CLND need be considered in cN0 patients who are men, aged <50 years or tumor size ≥7 mm based on preoperative US.</p

Network pharmacology approach to screen hypoglycemic extracts from Coptidis rhizoma and study their targets and pathways

Purpose: To screen the hypoglycemic active ingredients of Coptidis rhizoma, and study their targets as well as signal pathways via network pharmacology. Methods: Fifty-nine ingredients of Coptidis rhizoma were screened. Their targets were confirmed by comparing with the hypoglycemic targets in DrugBank databases. The relationship between ingredients and targets was revealed through String database. The ingredient-target-passageway network was constructed. Coptidis rhizoma was soaked in boiling water and concentrated. Rat models were rendered diabetic by the administration of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection. The hyperglycemic rats received Coptidis rhizoma extract (0.40 g/kg, once a day by gavage). Results: After four weeks of treatment, the blood glucose levels (BG) of all treated hyperglycemic rats decreased (p &lt; 0.05). Twenty-four hypoglycemic active compounds were obtained after screening the extract of Coptidis rhizome via network pharmacology. These active compounds activated 13 targets, including D (2) dopamine receptor (DRD2), Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), 5- hydroxytryptamine receptor 2C (HTR2C), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 3A (HTR3A) and sodiumdependent noradrenaline transporter (SLC6A2). These targets were involved in 141 pathways, e.g., cAMP signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and apelin signaling pathway. Conclusion: Coptidis rhizoma contains several active compounds that exhibit good hypoglycemic effects. Thus, there is a need for human studies on the hypoglycemic effects of Coptidis rhizome extracts. Keywords: Coptidis rhizome; Hypoglycemic effects; Network pharmacology; D (2) dopamine receptor (DRD2); Insulin-like growth factor 1 recepto

Effect and mechanism of exogenous selenium on selenium content and quality of fresh tea leaves

To study the effect and mechanism of selenium sources on the selenium content and quality of fresh tea leaves, tea seedlings (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) were the research object. A solution of 100 mg/L sodium selenate (Na2SeO4), sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), and selenium yeast (selenium yeast) were applied on the leaves surface of 5-week-old tea plants, and the selenium levels in the leaves, roots, and stems were determined at 20 weeks of age. The effects of different selenium sources on the mineral nutrient content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and quality parameters content in leaves were analyzed. The mechanism was analyzed by detecting the expression levels of related genes. The results showed that the three selenium sources can increase the growth of tea seedlings and the selenium content in leaves and stems, and the selenium yeast treatment had the most significant effect. Selenium spraying promoted the absorption of mineral nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but had no significant impact on the absorption of calcium and magnesium. Spraying the three selenium sources dramatically increased the activities of APX, POD, and SOD antioxidant enzymes, among which the selenium yeast treatment had the most significant effect. However, there was no significant impact on the MDA level in this study. Selenium sources markedly increased leaves total amino acid levels, accompanied by up-regulation the genes of amino acid synthetic enzymes (CsGS, CsGOGAT, and CsGDH). Leaves glucose, tea polyphenol, total soluble protein, catechin, flavonoid contents, and sucrose were higher in selenium sources treatments than in control treatment seedlings. Moreover, selenium sources up-regulated expression of CsHMGR, CsAPX, and CsTCS1 genes. selenium yeast had the best comprehensive effect of the three selenium sources. These results confirmed that selenium sources play a positive role on the selenium content and quality of tea by increasing the antioxidant capacity of leaves, the absorption rate of mineral nutrients, and regulating expression of related genes in Camellia sinensis

Optical Transport Properties along the Pericardium Meridian under Different Pressure

INTRODUCTION: This study seeks to discuss the light wave transport characteristics variation along the pericardium Meridian under different pressures.METHODS: We selected 36 healthy students at the school for this study, tied up the desktop blood pressure cuff onto subjects’right proximal arms, fixed the detection probe immovably on the Neiguan (PC6) acupoint and the reference point which was 1cm off the PC6, and collected the light signal along the meridian and non-meridian when the laser irradiate Jianshi(PC5), Ximen(PC4) and the corresponding reference points respectively under pressure of 0, 100, 130 and 160.RESULTS: The differences in optical transport properties between meridian and nonmeridian were significant: under the same pressures(0s, 100s,130s, and 160mmHg), the relative attenuation rate of optical signal at the same distance between meridian and non-meridian were significant(p&lt;0.001), the optical signal attenuates slower when it transported along meridians; however, there is no significant difference for the relative attenuation rate of optical signal along meridian or non-meridian under different pressures(p&gt;0.05). Under four different pressure situations, the optical signal at acupoint(PC5) and non-acupoint(NP) along the meridian were significantly different with the corresponding reference points along the non-meridian(P&lt;0.001); the optical signal on the meridian is stronger than the non-meridian one; the optical signals are strikingly different at acupoints, non-acupoints, and reference points between and 100, 130, and 160mmHg pressures (P≤0.001); however, no difference was found between 100, 130, and 160mmHg pressures.CONCLUSION: The optical signal on the meridian is stronger than the non-meridian. The optical signal attenuates slower when it transported along meridians. The human meridians may be the good pathway for light waves with certain wavelengths. That is to say light waves with certain wavelengths can transport and be blocked along meridian direction, when it irritates the meridians, or acupoints after excluding the influence of human anatomy structure, which verified again the objective existence of meridians transporting and the possibility of blocking from the optical view