Research progress in phytoestrogens of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds, which have a similarity in structure with human endogenous estrogen 17-β-estradiol. Structural likeness enables phytoestrogens to interact with estrogen receptors, not simply mimicking the effects of human steroidal estrogen but also exhibiting similar and divergent actions. The global literature relating to phytoestrogen in recent years was systematically summarized in this paper. Chemical compositions of phytoestrogens were mainly flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, terpenoids, steroids, etc., with a character of prevention and treatment of perimenopausal syndrome, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases, cancer, regulation of brain function and other pharmacological effects. The mechanisms of action mainly included classical estrogen receptor pathway, epigenetic effect, activation of 5'-adenosyl-phospho-activated protein kinase, inhibition of kinase, activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, regulation of apoptosis-related proteins, inhibition of nuclear factor κB signaling pathway and so on. According to their efficacy classification, phytoestrogens were mainly distributed in the tonifying medicines, blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicines and heat-clearing medicines. The classical prescriptions with estrogen activity included tonifying formula, Qi-regulating formula and harmonizing formula, etc. This review was aimed at providing a certain reference for the further study of phytoestrogens by researchers and clinicians.

Effect of Coixenolide on Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Regulatory T Cells in Collagen-induced Arthritis Mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of coixenolide on Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) mice, and to explore its possible mechanism for treating rheumatiol arthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Five mice were recruited as a normal control group from 25 mice, and the rest 20 were used in CIA modeling. After successful modeling they were randomly divided in the model control group and the coixenolide group, 10 in each group. Coixenolide injection at 25 mL/kg was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the coixenolide group, while normal saline at 25 mL/kg was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the normal control group and the model control group. The injection lasted for 21 days. Scoring for CIA was performed after injection and arthritis index was calculated. The peripheral blood Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg ratio was determined by flow cytometry (FCM).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the arthritis index obviously increased in the model control group (P < 0.01). The arthritis index obviously decreased more in the coixenolide group than in the model control group (P < 0.01). Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg levels obviously decreased more in the model control group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01 ). Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg levels obviously increased more in the coixenolide control group than in the model control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Coixenolide could up-regulate Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg ratios in CIA mice, which might play certain immunoregulation roles in the incidence of CIA.</p>

Regulatory effect of Langchuang serial recipes on T-lymphocyte subsets Th and Tc in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the principle of clearing Fei (), cooling blood, and detoxification as well as nourishing yin and moisening Fei (abbr. as CCD-NM) in regulating the levels of peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets Th and Tc cells to explore its mechanism for lowering the incidence of infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty SLE patients without complicated infection were assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 30 in each group. The control group was treated with Western medicine alone, while the treatment group was treated with the same program of Western medicine, but additionally administered with either Langchuang No.1 (I) or 2 (II), serial concerted Chinese recipes, applied respectively in patients in the active stage or in the resting stage. The total time of treatment for both groups was 1 year. Further, a healthy control group was set up with 20 healthy subjects. The expressions of Th1, Th2, and Tc1 and Tc2 cells in peripheral blood were detected and compared with those in the healthy control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) As compared with the healthy control group, ratios of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 in SLE patients, whether complicated with infection or not, were significantly lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01). (2) Comparison between patients with complications and those uncomplicated with infection showed that the two ratios and Th1 expression were lower and Tc2 was higher in the former than those in the latter (all P<0.05). (3) Ratios of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 increased after treatment in patients of both the treatment group and the control group (P<0.05 and P<0.01), but the changes in the treatment group were more significant (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The principle of CCD-NM could regulate the Th and Tc subsets toward equilibrium in SLE patients, which might be one of the mechanisms of action for alleviating complicated infection.</p>

Clinical research on effect of TCM treatment beginning with Fei in treating systemic lupus erythematosus for reducing incidence of complicated infection / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of TCM treatment beginning with Fei in reducing the incidence of complicated infection and the antibiotic utilization rate in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and ten SLE patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups equally, the control group treated with the conventional Western medicinal treatment and the treated group treated with the same conventional treatment and SLE I formula (in active stage) or SLE II formula (in silent period) additionally.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 3-month and 6-month treatment, the total effective rate was 83.64% , 87.27% in the treated group, and 78.18%, 81.82% in the control group respectively, showing insignificant difference between the two groups. It lowered in both groups after 1-year treatment, however, which in the treated group (78.18%) was higher than that in the control group (60.00%, P < 0.05). But the difference became insignificant again after 2-year treatment, it being 87.27% in the treated group and 72.73% in the control group. The incidence of complicated infection and antibiotic utilization rate in the 2-year treatment was 23.6%, 55.0% respectively in the treated group, markedly lower than those (50.9% and 100%) in the control group respectively (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TCM treatment beginning with Fei could decrease the incidence of complicated infection and the antibiotic utilization rate in SLE patients.</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion in 60 cases of Sjogren syndrome / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on Sjogren syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Treatment group (n=60) were treated with acupuncture of clearing away dryness and toxic substance and removing obstruction in collaterals at Quze (PC 3), Taichong (LR 3), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3), and the control group (n=60) with prednisone. Their therapeutic effects were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 73.3% in the treatment group and 56.7% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); there was no reverse effect in the treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The needling method for clearing dryness and removing obstruction in collaterals is effective and safe for treatment of Sjogren syndrome.</p>