Anti-oxidation and Anti-inflammatory Effect of Yixinshu Capsule in Treatment of Qi-Yin Deficiency in Viral Myocarditis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To discuss the clinical efficacy of Yixinshu capsule for viral myocarditis (VMC) with deficiency of Qi and Yin, and to investigate its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. Method:One hundred and thirty-two patients were randomly divided into control group (66 cases) and observation group (66 cases) by random number table. Patients in two group got comprehensive treatment of Western medicine, i.e. intravenous drip of creatine phosphate injection for 14 days, 1 g/time, 1 time/day. Coenzyme Q10 capsule, 1 grain/time, 3 times/day after meals. Trimetazidine dihydrochloride tablets, 1 tablet/time, 3 times/day during meals. And critically ill patients got intravenous drip of dexamethasone sodium phosphate injection for 14 days, 10-20 mg/time, 1 time/day. The control group took Wenxin granules orally,One bag at a time,3 times/day. Patients in observation group additionally got Yixinshu capsule, 3 grains/time, 3 times/days. The courses of treatment were 8 weeks in both groups. The serum troponin I (cTnI) and creatine phosphokinase (CK-MB) were monitored, and after treatment, the recovery rates of cTnI, CK-MB were recorded. Before and after treatment, the electrocardiogram was observed and the recovery rate after treatment was recorded. Before and after treatment, the scores of deficiency of Qi and Yin were graded, and levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-17 and IL-35 were detected. Echocardiography, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac index (CI), and maximum velocity values between early and late diastolic (E/A) were detected. Result:In the analysis of rank sum test, clinical efficacy in observation group was better than that in control group (Z=2.151, P<0.05). Recovery rates of cTnI, CK-MB and electrocardiogram in observation group were 82.26% (51/62), 90.32% (56/62) and 80.65% (50/62), higher than 65.00% (39/60), 73.33% (44/60) and 63.33% (38/60) in control group (P<0.05). Levels of serum cTnI, CK-MB, CPK, HBDH, LDH, AST, MDA, IFN-γ and IL-17 were lower than those in control group (P<0.01), while levels of LVEF, CI, E/A, SOD, GSH-Px, IL-10 and IL-35 were higher than those in control group (P<0.01). Conclusion:On the basis of comprehensive anti-infection treatment, Yixinshu capsule can additional protect myocardium by anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect, reduce myocardial enzyme, promote the recovery of ECG and cardiac enzyme, improve cardiac function and improve the effect of clinical treatment.

Acupuncture therapy for the improvement of sleep quality of outpatients receiving methadone maintenance treatment: a randomized controlled trial / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for the improvement of sleep quality of outpatients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using randomized double-blinded controlled design, seventy-five MMT outpatients with low sleep quality [score of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) > or = 8], were randomly assigned to the acupuncture group (38 cases) and the sham-acupuncture group (37 cases). All patients maintained previous MMT. Acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV20), Shenmen (bilateral, TF4), Shenting (GV24), Sanyinjiao (bilateral, SP6), and Sishencong (EX-HN1) in the acupuncture group. The same procedures were performed in the sham-acupuncture group, but not to the acupoints (5 mm lateral to the acupoints selected in the acupuncture group) with shallow needling technique. The treatment was performed 5 times each week for 8 successive weeks. The PSQI was assessed before treatment, at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th week of the treatment. The detection ratio of low sleep quality and the incidence of adverse acupuncture reactions were compared between the two groups at the end of the 8th week.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall PSQI score was obviously higher in the acupuncture group than in the sham-acupuncture group with statistical difference (P < 0.01). The detection ratio of low sleep quality at the end of the 8th week was lower in the acupuncture group (60.53%, 23/38 cases) than in the sham-acupuncture group (83.78%, 31/37 cases) with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The rate of adverse acupuncture reaction was 5.26% (2/38 cases) in the acupuncture group and 2.70% (1/37 cases) in the sham-acupuncture group respectively, showing no statistical difference (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture therapy could effectively and safely improve the sleep quality of outpatients receiving MMT.</p>

Inhibition of cell growth by rapamycin through targeting mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of rapamycin on cell growth and cell cycle in CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Growth inhibition effect of rapamycin on CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Morphological alterations of the cells were observed by microscope. Cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analyzed by FCM. The expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The growth of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells was inhibited significantly by rapamycin dose-dependently. FCM showed that CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells at 48 hours after rapamycin (150 nmol/L) treatment were arrested in the G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. However rapamycin treatment did not significantly induce apoptosis of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells (P > 0.05). RT-PCR showed that rapamycin significantly inhibited mRNA expression of mTOR in CNE-2 cells (t = 10.625, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Rapamycin inhibits the growth of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells by inhibiting the progression of cell cycle, which could be achieved through decreasing the expression of mTOR.</p>

Endoscopic transoropharyngeal approach to the ventral region of craniocervical junction / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the surgical methods and clinical effect of endoscopic transoropharyngeal approach to deal with the lesions of the ventral region of the craniocervical junction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From August 2002 to November 2006, endoscopic transoropharyngeal approach was taken to deal with the lesions of the ventral region of the craniocervical junction, including 6 patients with chordoma, 5 patients with craniovertebral malformation, 3 patients with skull-base invagination combined with Chiari malformation, 2 patients with odontoid fracture . 0 degrees endoscope was used to deal with the lesions of middle and lower clivus, 30 degrees endoscope was used to deal with the lesions of craniovertebral malformation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Follow-up ranged from 2 to 48 months. Three patients with chordoma recurred. All patients with craniovertebral malformation recovered.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Endoscopic transoropharyngeal approach is a new method to deal with the lesions of the ventral region of the craniocervical junction, and it has many advantages, such as direct approach, good exploration, micro-invasive, wide operation space, and good results.</p>