ABSTRACT
With the development of social economy,people's demand for health services is growing rapidly. As health resource with Chinese characteristics,health food containing Chinese materia medica have broad prospect and great market space for development.However,at present,there are still many problems of health food containing Chinese materia media in the research,development,evaluation and market application. In addition,due to lack of theoretical support of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in the research and development of health food containing Chinese materia media,blurred boundaries between health food containing Chinese materia media and other health products as well as TCM are present,lacking of TCM characteristics. In the evaluation process of health food containing Chinese materia media,the construction of functional food laws,regulations and evaluation norms is relatively lagging behind,which can't meet the needs of health food containing Chinese materia media research and development,severely restricting the development of health food containing Chinese materia media. Based on the research and evaluation of health food containing Chinese materia media,the existing problems were reviewed and the reasons for the deficiencies were analyzed in this paper. Guided by the theory of TCM,based on the constitution identification in TCM,and combined with modern scientific and technological means,a new research and development mode of functional food was put forward in this paper to distinguish health food containing Chinese materia media from TCM as well as general health products. Nevertheless,we should ensure the vitality of Chinese medicine health products with original thinking and scientific and technological connotations,and accelerate the harmonious,rapid and sustainable development of Chinese medicine health industry.
Subject(s)
Functional Food , Industry , Materia Medica , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , ResearchABSTRACT
The health food industry is an important support for the big health industry and the strategy of healthy China. The Chinese medicine prescription health food has exceeded 60% of the total declared health food. However,the main basis for its function evaluation,the Technical Specification for Inspection and Evaluation of Health Food,was abolished in 2018,and 27 of them were based on modern medical and nutritional theories. Quantitative efficacy evaluation methods in western pharmacology are short of function claims and function evaluation methods reflecting the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine,which could affect the health food industry to a certain extent. Therefore,the establishment of the evaluation mechanism of Chinese medicine prescription health food which conforms to the positioning of health food and the theory of traditional Chinese medicine is helpful for the healthy development of health food industry. In this paper,this problem was explained from five aspects. First,how to differentiate the positioning of Chinese medicine prescription health food from ordinary food and medicine,and how to embody the characteristics of Chinese medicine. Secondly,the relationship between traditional Chinese medicine prescription health food and Chinese patent medicine. Thirdly,how to scientifically and reasonably determine the raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine prescription health food. Fourthly,how to explain the function claim of traditional Chinese medicine prescription health food,and how to evaluate its function scientifically and reasonably. Fifthly,the functional evaluation of Chinese herbal medicine prescription health food is connected with other national scientific and technological strategies. In this paper,a preliminary analysis of the Chinese medicine prescription health food was conducted from the above five aspects,and some personal views and suggestions were put forward,hoping to provide reference for the competent authorities and researchers.
Subject(s)
China , Food , Food Industry , Medicine, Chinese TraditionalABSTRACT
Number of products claiming to enhance immunity function ranks first among all the approved health food products,and number of products whose formula contains Chinese medicine accounts for two thirds of all the products claiming to enhance immunity function. Chinese medicine allowed to be used in health food has a specified range,and the safety of raw materials is generally higher.The usage amount of raw materials shall not exceed the upper limit stipulated in the literature or regulations. The claim of enhancement of immunity function is put forward by western medicine based on modern pharmacology and nutriology. However,immunity is wide in scope and complex in mechanism. The health food that contains Chinese medicine plays an active effect in enhancement of immunity under the guidance of Chinese medicine theory in many ways such as immune organs,immune cells and immune molecules. In this article,the author first analyzed the current use of raw materials for health food,then summarized the approved health food claiming to enhance immunity function,and conducted statistical analysis on the enhancement of immunity for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)health food,use of raw materials,compatibility of raw materials,conducted in-depth analysis on health food formula,safety,health function,quality control and production process from the perspectives of technical review,supervision and management. Finally,some suggestions on registration and supervision of TCM health food claiming to enhance immunity function were put forward from the perspectives of problems found in the supervision and from the demand of TCM health food in the future.
Subject(s)
Humans , Food , Reference Standards , Immune System , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Quality ControlABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) on the benefits and safety of Tripterygium glycosides (TG) and total glucosides of paeony (TGP), commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China, for patients with RA.@*METHODS@#SRs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on TG or TGP in treating RA were included, by searching 8 databases from their inception until December 2017. Two authors extracted data independently. We assessed the quality of SRs using AMSTAR and graded the quality of evidence according to the GRADE approach.@*RESULTS@#Eleven SRs containing an average of 7.6 RCTs, involving a total of 7,012 participants were included in this overview. On the basis of included SRs, TG and TGP could improve the following indexes for RA patients: American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response rate, ACR50 response rate and ACR70 response rate, swollen joint count, tender joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. Moreover, TGP could reduce incidence of hepatotoxicity. The most common adverse effects of TG were gastrointestinal discomfort and gonad toxicity, while for TGP was mild to moderate diarrhea. The overall quality of evidence for these findings ranged from "low" to "moderate".@*CONCLUSIONS@#TG and TGP might be 2 potentially effective complementary and alternative drugs for patients with RA. Nevertheless, due to gonad toxicity, TG should only be considered in elderly patients or patients without reproductive needs. More evidence from high quality RCTs and SRs is warranted to support the use of TG and TGP for RA patients.