Bushen Qiangji Granule () medicated serum inhibits osteogenic differentiation of fibroblasts in ankylosing spondylitis by inhibiting the BMP/Smads signal pathway in vitro / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of Bushen Qiangji Granule (, BSQJ) in restraining the osteogenic differentiation of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) fifibroblasts.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hip joint capsules were obtained from AS patients (n=10) receiving total hip replacement and healthy hip joint capsules from patients with hip fracture (n=10) receiving surgery as a control. Finite fifibroblast lines were established from these tissue samples to observe the effect of BSQJ on suppressing osteogenic differentiation of fifibroblasts. The expression of osteogenic marker gene corebinding factor a1 (Cbfa1) and Smad family proteins were examined by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mRNA expression level of Cbfa1 was significantly higher in AS fibroblasts than that in normal fibroblasts and the expression of pSmad1, pSmad5, Smad4 and Cbfa1 in AS fibroblasts was also higher, demonstrating the activation of the BMP/Smads signal pathway in AS fifibroblasts. BSQJ-medicated serum not only restrained the mRNA and protein expression levels of Cbfa1 and inhibited protein expression level of Smad4 but also decreased the expression quantities of pSmad1 and pSmad5.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>BSQJ can inhibit osteogenic differentiation of AS fifibroblasts in vitro by suppressing the activation of the BMP/Smads signal pathway. This may be the important molecular mechanism of BSQJ in regulating AS ossifification.</p>

Research progress on MAPK signal pathway in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis / 中国骨伤

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signal is one of the important ways in eukaryotic cell,which adjusts and controls the structure and function of the cell. MAPKs in eukaryotes include p38, ERK, JNK and ERK5, etc. With the deepening research,we found that the activation of p38, ERK, JNK signal pathways were closely related with osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage injury. MAPKs are the key signaling systems involved in the production of matrix metalloproteinases and the regulation of cartilage cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Expecially the matrix metalloproteinases can accelerate the degradation of articular cartilage. So it has been the new spot in pathogenesis of osteoarthritis study.

Clinical effect analysis of ankylosing spondylitis treated by Chinese medical syndrome differentiation / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the curative effect and safety of Bushen Qiangji Decoction (BQD) and Qingre Qiangji Decoction (QQD) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and to verify the clinical utility of AS syndrome differentiation and treatment scheme [Shen-deficiency induced stasis obstruction syndrome (SDISOS) and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome (DHOS) being two basic syndrome types, Shen invigorating blood activating method (SIBAM) and heat clearing dampness resolving method (HCDRM) being two basic treatment methods].</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 354 AS patients of SDISOS and DHOS were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group using a multi-center randomized, positive drug parallel-controlled clinical trail. Patients in treatment group were treated by BQD or QQD according to syndrome typing, while those in the control group took Sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablet (SECT), 24 weeks as one therapeutic course. After treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated by using ASAS20 standard (set by Asessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis working group), Chinese medical efficacy evaluation standards, and BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, night-pain index, spinal pain index, PGA, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 24 weeks of treatment by BQD or QQD, ASAS20 standard rate was 86.75% in the treatment group, and the total effective rate of Chinese medical syndrome was 85.47%. They could significantly reduce patients' integrals of Chinese medical syndrome, BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, night-pain index, spinal pain index, and PGA (all P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QQD and BQD got confirmable clinical effects in treating AS, providing strong evidence of evidence-based medicine for syndrome differentiation and treatment of AS.</p>

Research progression of interleukin-1 in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis / 中国骨伤

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease, which seriously affects the patient's health and quality of life. It results in substantial social and economic costs. Etiology and pathogenesis of OA is still not completely clear, but people paid more attention on Cytokines, especially IL-1, which is considered as core factor in the development of OA. In recent years, many clinical trials considered IL-1 as a target treatment for OA. It provided a new treatment method. This article is to overview the mechanism of IL-1 in OA cartilage damage.

Clinical study on effect and safety of bushen qiangji granule in treating ankylosing spondylitis patients / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bushen Qiangji Granule (BQG) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with Shen-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A randomized controlled and single-blinded prospective clinical trial was carried out on 68 patients, who were randomly assigned into the BQG group treated with BQG alone and the combined treated (CT) group treated with BQG and sulfasalazine, six-month medication was successively applied to both groups. The therapeutic effects were evaluated before treatment and at the end of the 1st, 3rd and 6th month of the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 81.82% in the BQG group and 86.82% in the CT group after 6 months of treatment, showing no significant difference between the two groups, but that after 1 months of treatment in the BQG group was lower than that in the combined group (15.15% vs. 27.59%, P < 0.01). Bath AS disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath AS function index (BASFI), and clinical symptoms such as ache and morning stiffness, as well as indexes of Schober test, activity of thoracic cage, finger-ground distance, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and Creactive protein (CRP) in both groups were improved remarkably. BQG showed a time-dependant' effect, the therapeutic effect intensified as the time went by (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, the effect initiating time was earlier in the CT group than that in the BQG group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BQG has satisfactory efficacy, good safety and compliance, and is convenient for administering, therefore, it has broad applying prospect with high exploiting value.</p>