Effects of maca extract on exercise endurance and blood hormone levels in the rats / 中国实验动物学报

Objective To study the effects of maca extract on exercise endurance and blood hormone levels in the rats. Methods Wistar rats treated with maca extract (2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight) were freely swimming in the cir-culating water flow daily for 15 days. On the 16th day of experiment, the exercise endurance and blood noradrenaline (NA), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) levels of the rats were determined. Results The rats administered with maca extract at the doses of 2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight for 15 d showed that the swimming time before sinking was in-creased by 32. 51%, 60. 04%, 106. 52%, the total swimming time was extended by 16. 99%, 56. 50%, and 101. 73%respectively ( P<0. 01 ); while the number of sinking was decreased by 18. 89%, 35. 89%, and 58. 06%, respectively (P< 0. 01), compared with those swimming rats without maca extract treatment. The noradrenaline level in the blood of rats treated with maca extract 2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight was increased by 3. 30%, 6. 60%, and 16. 50%, respec-tively, compared with the control group, and increased by 42. 49%,47. 05%, and 60. 70%, respectively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment;the E2 level was increased by 132. 83%,102. 72%, and 62. 26% (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the control group, while decreased by 23. 88%, 33. 72%, and 46. 95% (P<0. 01) respec-tively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment. The blood testosterone level was increased by 5. 11%, 37. 65%, and 123. 16% (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the control group, and increased by 28. 98%, 68. 92%, and 173. 85%, (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that maca extract has effect to resist fatigue and enhance exercise capacity in rats. The mechanism is associated with reduced blood E2 , and increased noradrenaline and testosterone levels in the blood of rats.

Effects of maca extract on exercise endurance and blood hormone levels in the rats / 中国实验动物学报

Objective To study the effects of maca extract on exercise endurance and blood hormone levels in the rats. Methods Wistar rats treated with maca extract (2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight) were freely swimming in the cir-culating water flow daily for 15 days. On the 16th day of experiment, the exercise endurance and blood noradrenaline (NA), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) levels of the rats were determined. Results The rats administered with maca extract at the doses of 2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight for 15 d showed that the swimming time before sinking was in-creased by 32. 51%, 60. 04%, 106. 52%, the total swimming time was extended by 16. 99%, 56. 50%, and 101. 73%respectively ( P<0. 01 ); while the number of sinking was decreased by 18. 89%, 35. 89%, and 58. 06%, respectively (P< 0. 01), compared with those swimming rats without maca extract treatment. The noradrenaline level in the blood of rats treated with maca extract 2. 0, 4. 0, 8. 0 g/kg body weight was increased by 3. 30%, 6. 60%, and 16. 50%, respec-tively, compared with the control group, and increased by 42. 49%,47. 05%, and 60. 70%, respectively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment;the E2 level was increased by 132. 83%,102. 72%, and 62. 26% (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the control group, while decreased by 23. 88%, 33. 72%, and 46. 95% (P<0. 01) respec-tively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment. The blood testosterone level was increased by 5. 11%, 37. 65%, and 123. 16% (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the control group, and increased by 28. 98%, 68. 92%, and 173. 85%, (P<0. 01) respectively, compared with the swimming rats without extract treatment. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that maca extract has effect to resist fatigue and enhance exercise capacity in rats. The mechanism is associated with reduced blood E2 , and increased noradrenaline and testosterone levels in the blood of rats.

Effects of qi-supplementing dominated Chinese materia medica combined with rehabilitation training on the quality of life of ischemic post-stroke fatigue patients of qi deficiency syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of qi-supplementing dominated Chinese materia medica (QSDCMM) combined with rehabilitation training on the quality of life (QOL) of ischemic post-stroke fatigue (PSF) patients of qi deficiency syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety ischemic stroke patients of qi deficiency were randomly assigned to 3 groups, 30 in each. Patients in the Chinese medicine treatment group were treated with oral administration of QSDCMM decoction and rehabilitation. Those in the Western medicine treatment group were treated with Chinese medicine placebo, Western medicine, and rehabilitation. Those in the control group were treated with Chinese medicine placebo and rehabilitation. The therapeutic course for all was 4 weeks. All patients were assessed using Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment the scores of SS-QOL and FSS increased in the 3 groups, especially in the CM treatment group, showing significant difference (P < 0.05). After treatment significant difference existed between the CM treatment group and the Western medicine treatment group, between the CM treatment group and the control group, showing significant difference (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the Western medicine treatment group and the control group (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>QSDCMM combined with rehabilitation training could improve the QOL of ischemic PSF patients of qi deficiency syndrome.</p>

Effects of integrative medicine protocols on the improvement of neural function deficit and disability outcomes in patients with acute ischemic cerebral stroke / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of integrative medicine protocols on the neural function deficit and short-term disability outcomes in patients with acute ischemic cerebral stroke.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>99 patients were randomly assigned to three groups, i.e., the Dengzhan Xixin (fleabane) group (Group A), the Kudiezi (sowthistle-leaf ixeris seedling) group (Group B), and the Western medicine control group (Group C). Dengzhan Xixin Injection was intravenously dripped to patients in Group A for 14 days. Chinese decoction was administered to them by pattern typing as well. Meanwhile, they took Dengzhan Shengmai Capsule for two months. Kudiezi Injection was intravenously dripped to patients in Group B for 14 days. Chinese decoction was administered to them by pattern typing as well. Meanwhile, they took Naoshuantong Capsule for two months. In addition to internal therapies, patients in Group A and B received acupuncture, massage, and external washing with Chinese medicine for 21 days. Patients in Group C also received modem rehabilitation therapy for 21 days, including rehabilitation training and electronic stimulus in addition to the internal medicine. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and disability outcome (modified Rank Scale, mRS) were taken as main effect indices.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NIHSS scores at each time point obviously decreased more than before treatment in all the three groups (P<0.01), but with no difference at each time point (P>0.05). The disability outcomes of all the three groups postponed as time went by. Significant difference existed among the three groups by log-lineal model (CATMOD) (P<0.05). The best effect was shown in Group B, with the markedly effective rate of 19. 35% and the total effective rate 54.84%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The integrative medicine protocols could improve the nerve functions of ischemic stroke patients. Therefore, it could improve the disability outcomes. The comprehensive protocol (Kudiezi Injection + Naoshuantong Capsule + Chinese decoction according to pattern typing + acupuncture + massage + external washing with Chinese medicine) was better.</p>

Key points on clinical trial of acupuncture / 中国针灸

Suggestions such as how to enhance the rationality of designation of clinical trails, regulate the evaluation system on therapeutic effects, control the quality strictly and unify the standard of report on key points of acupuncture clinical trials from the aspects of designation, therapeutic evaluation, quality control and report standard were expounded in this paper. Highlights such as perspective of acupuncture in qualitative investigation and practical clinical trails were explored as well in this paper. And some international and domestic disputes in the related fields such as placebo acupuncture and selection of acupoints were discussed and analyzed so as to provide methodological instruction for acupuncture clinical trails and promote its normalization process.

Considerations on intervention goal and efficacy evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of neurological diseases / 中国结合医学杂志

In the last several years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made much progress in the treatment of neurological diseases. The living space of TCM in neurological diseases lies in refractory diseases, aging and chronic diseases caused by multiple factors as well as sub-health state and chronic fatigue state. The effect model of TCM mainly consists of whole effect, self-organization, self-stable model, holographic effect and butterfly effect. The effective point of TCM in neurological diseases lies mainly in end-points and health-related events. Moreover, TCM has advantages in the evaluation of symptoms, syndrome and quality of life (QOL). Some key indexes should be included when evaluating the efficacy of TCM in neurological diseases. Meanwhile, the advantages of TCM such as end-points, health-related events and QOL should be highlighted. Multi-subject researching methods could be adopted to make a comprehensive evaluation of subjective and objective indexes. The clinical evidence on the TCM efficacy evaluation may come from RCTs, and other types of designs can also be considered.