ABSTRACT
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the main regulator of physiological angiogenesis during embryonic development, bone growth, and reproductive function, and it also participates in a series of pathological changes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with a history of more than 2000 years, has been widely used in clinical practice, while the exploration of its mechanisms has only begun. This review summarizes the research of recent years on the influence of TCM on VEGF. It is found that many Chinese medicines and recipes have a regulatory effect on VEGF, indicating that Chinese medicine has broad prospects as a complementary and alternative therapy, providing new treatment ideas for clinical applications and the theoretical basis for research on the mechanisms of TCM.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor AABSTRACT
With the recent upsurge of studies in the field of microbiology, we have learned more about the complexity of the gastrointestinal microecosystem. More than 30 genera and 1000 species of gastrointestinal microflora have been found. The structure of the normal microflora is relatively stable, and is in an interdependent and restricted dynamic equilibrium with the body. In recent years, studies have shown that there is a potential relationship between gastrointestinal microflora imbalance and gastric cancer (GC) and precancerous lesions. So, restoring the balance of gastrointestinal microflora is of great significance. Moreover, intervention in gastric premalignant condition (GPC), also known as precancerous lesion of gastric cancer (PLGC), has been the focus of current clinical studies. The holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is consistent with the microecology concept, and oral TCM can play a two-way regulatory role directly with the microflora in the digestive tract, restoring the homeostasis of gastrointestinal microflora to prevent canceration. However, large gaps in knowledge remain to be addressed. This review aims to provide new ideas and a reference for clinical practice.
Subject(s)
Humans , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Precancerous Conditions/pathology , Stomach Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of Ganhai Weikang capsule (GWC) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD).Methods:A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel, multi-center, superiority clinical trial was conducted. From March 2018 to April 2020, totally 324 patients with dyspepsia symptoms, who were diagnosed as chronic non-atrophic gastritis by endoscopy and pathology and met the Rome Ⅳ diagnostic criteria for FD from 7 top hospitals were enrolled, including the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital), Heilongjiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Capital Medical University and the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. The patients were randomly divided into the GWC group and the placebo group according to the ratio of 1∶1. The patients of GWC group were given GWC and the patients of placebo group were given GWC capsule simulant. The patients of both groups orally took capsules before meals, 2.4 g each time and 3 times per day, and the course of treatment was 4 weeks. The main efficacy index was the total clinical effective rate after 4 weeks, and the secondary efficacy index was the changes of clinical symptom scores of upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety. The safety index included laboratory tests and adverse events. Chi-square test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 320 FD patients were enrolled in the full analysis set (FAS), which included 161 cases in GWC group and 159 cases in placebo group. A total of 298 cases were in the per-protocol set (PPS), 149 cases each in GWC group and placebo group. The results of FAS and PPS both showed that the total clinical effective rates of the GWC group were higher than those of the placebo group (84.5%, 136/161 vs. 44.0%, 70/159 and 83.9%, 125/149 vs. 46.3%, 69/149), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=57.07 and 46.32, both P<0.001). In addition, the differences of the total score of main symptoms and each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety) before and after treatment of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (FAS: 10 (7, 14) vs. 5 (3, 11); 3 (2, 4) vs. 2 (0, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 3); 3 (1, 4) vs. 2 (1, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 3). PPS: 10 (7, 13) vs. 5 (3, 11); 3 (2, 4) vs. 2 (0, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 2); 3 (1, 4) vs. 2 (1, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs.1 (0, 3)), and the differences were statistically significant (FAS: Z=5.80, 5.91, 3.19, 3.72 and 3.30; PPS: Z=5.14, 5.11, 2.86, 3.21 and 2.84; all P<0.01). The results of FAS and PPS indicated that the improvement rates of main symptoms and each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety) of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (FAS: 77.8% (54.6%, 91.3%) vs. 42.9% (28.6%, 61.5%); 100.0% (60.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 60.0%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 71.4% (33.3%, 100.0%) vs. 41.4% (25.0%, 66.7%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (20.0%, 100.0%). PPS: 77.8% (54.2%, 89.5%) vs. 44.0% (28.6%, 65.0%); 100.0% (60.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 71.4% (33.3%, 100.0%) vs. 46.4% (25.0%, 66.7%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (20.0%, 100.0%)), and the differences were statistically significant (FAS: Z=8.60, 7.72, 4.98, 4.24 and 5.61; PPS: Z=7.90, 7.03, 4.49, 3.88 and 4.83; all P<0.001). After 2 weeks of treatment, the differences of the total score of main symptoms and score of each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning and early satiety) before and after treatment of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (5.0 (3.0, 8.0) vs. 4.0 (2.0, 6.0); 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) vs. 2.0 (0.0, 2.0); 1.5 (0.0, 2.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 2.0); 1.5 (0.0, 2.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 2.0)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=2.95, 3.44, 2.43 and 2.79, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the GWC group and the placebo group (0.6%, 1/163 vs. 0, 0/159). Conclusion:The clinical total effective rate of GWC in the treatment of FD is superior to that of placebo and it has good safety.
ABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairments with progressive loss of memory and behavioral disorder.Up to now,there is no effective therapy or drug to cure AD.Recent studies have shown p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of AD,while the extracellular domain of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75ECD) has neuroprotective effect and can attenuate the development and progression of AD.Therefore,p75ECD is a research-hotspot for prevention and treatment of AD.Here,recent studies are reviewed to learn about the advances of p75ECD in the prevention and therapy of AD and provide references for getting novel methods and drugs to treat AD.