Application of edible Chinese medicine in epidemic prevention / 药学实践杂志

Edible Chinese medicine is a significant part of traditional Chinese medicine. With the concept of "disease prevention", it can be used in all stages of epidemic prevention and control. This paper introduced the current status of anti-epidemic applications of edible medicines in detoxifying by heat-clearing or blood-cooling, removing dampness and turbidity, Qi and Yin tonifying, etc. In addition, new suggestions and strategies were provided for the professionals in this aera.

Network pharmacological analysis and experimental study of Pulsatilla chinensis against inflammatory injury caused by pneumonia in mice infected with influenza virus FM_1 / 中国中药杂志

Network pharmacology and the mouse model of viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus FM_1 were employed to explore the main active components and the mechanism of Pulsatilla chinensis against the inflammatory injury of influenza virus-induced pneumonia. The components and targets of P. chinensis were searched from TCMSP, and the targets associated with influenza virus-induced pneumonia were searched from GeneCards. The common targets between P. chinensis and influenza virus-induced pneumonia were identified with Venn diagram established in Venny 2.1. The herb-component-disease-target(H-C-D-T) network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2. The above data were imported into STRING for PPI network analysis. Gene Ontology(GO) enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment were performed with DAVID. BALB/cAnN mice were infected with the influenza virus FM_1 by nasal drip to gene-rate the mouse model of pneumonia. Immunohistochemistry was adopted to the expression profiling of inflammatory cytokines in the lung tissues of mice in the blank group, model group, and P. chinensis group 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after infection. The pathological changes of lung and trachea of mice in blank group, model group, and P. chinensis group were observed with light microscope and scanning electron microscope at all the time points. The network pharmacological analysis indicated that 9 compounds of P. chinensis were screened out, with a total of 57 targets, 22 of which were overlapped with those of influenza virus-induced pneumonia. A total of 112 GO terms(P<0.05) were enriched, including 81 terms of biological processes, 11 terms of cell components, and 20 terms of molecular functions. A total of 53 KEGG signaling pathways(P<0.05) were enriched, including TNF signaling pathway, influenza A signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and other signaling pathways related to influenza/inflammation. In the P. chinensis group, the expression of TNF-α and IL-1 in the lung tissue was down-regulated on the 3 rd day after infection, and that of IL-6 in the lung tissue was down-regulated on the 5 th day after infection. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that P. chinensis significantly alleviated the pathological damage of lung and trachea compared with the model group. This study reflects the multi-components, multi-targets, and multi-pathways of P. chinensis against influenza virus-induced pneumonia. P. chinensis may reduce the production of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators and block the pro-inflammatory signaling pathways to alleviate viral pneumonia, which provides reference for future research.

Study on efficacy markers of heat-clearing and detoxifying effect of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos based on systematic traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos has a long history of heat-clearing and detoxifying effect. The description of its efficacy in Chinese Pharmacopoeia of past dynasties is relatively stable, and it is an excellent carrier for the study of efficacy markers. Guided by the theory of systematic traditional Chinese medicine, heat-clearing and detoxifying effect efficacy system of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos was taken as an example in this study to clarify the elements(active ingredients) of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos in heat-clearing and detoxifying efficacy system, determine the boundary(signal pathway), establish the structure(system dynamics model), identify the system functions corresponding to pharmacology, efficacy and effects(heat-clearing and detoxifying effect), and explore the application of system dynamics model in the discovery of efficacy markers of traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, the dynamic models of interleukin 1(IL-1) and interleukin 6(IL-6) in vivo were established to predict the expression of related factors in IL-1 and IL-6 signaling pathways of different components and their combinations in Lonicerae Japonicae Flos by dynamic network, so as to find the effective markers of heat-clearing and detoxification of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. The results showed that the lower the concentration of chlorogenic acid, the higher the inhibition rate of Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) at downstream of IL-1 by the combination of chlorogenic acid and linalool; the higher the concentration of luteolin in IL-6 pathway, the higher the inhibition rate of C-reactive protein(CRP) at downstream of IL-6 by the combination of chlorogenic acid and luteolin. It revealed that the potential efficacy markers of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos in heat-clearing and detoxifying effect based on IL-1 signaling pathway were chlorogenic acid and linalool, and the potential efficacy markers of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos in heat-clearing and detoxifying effect based on IL-6 signaling pathway were chlorogenic acid and luteolin. This study provided methodological guidance for the discovery of efficacy markers of traditional Chinese medicine.

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese herbs / 中国中药杂志

Heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese herbs (HDCHs) are mainly used to treat carbuncle, sore throat, erysipelas, gills, dysentery and other diseases induced by heat-toxicity. Inflammation is a defensive response to damaging factors in living organism with vascular system. In recent years, a large amount of experimental and clinical studies showed that HDCHs had good therapeutic effect on inflammation. This review analyzed the anti-inflammatory mechanism of 11 HDCHs by retrieving literature in past 5 years, including Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Jinyinhua), Lonicerae Flos (Jinyinhua), Lonicerae Japonicae Caulis (Rendongteng), Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao), Rhizoma Coptidis（Huanglian）, Gardeniae Fructus (Zhizi), Andrographis Herba (Chuanxinlian), Taraxaci Herba (Pugongying), Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen), Pulsatillae Radix (Baitouweng), and Agrimoniae Herba (Xianhecao). The data showed that the regulatory effect of HDCHs on inflammation may be involved mainly in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway, with similarity of action links among these three. Based upon the analysis of literature, we proposed some promising directions in this research field, providing a reliable theoretical basis for both experimental researches and clinical practices of HDCHs.

Analysis of the Origin and Disadvantages of the Excessive Use in Treatment of Epidemic Disease with Heat-clearing and Detoxifying Method / 浙江中医药大学学报

Objective] To analyze the origin and disadvantages of the excessive use in treatment of epidemic disease with heat-clearing and detoxifying method. [Methods] We analyse the original reason of excessive use of heat-clearing and detoxifying method in treatment of epidemic disease in the thought of classics academic,combining with core journals from pre-Qin to after the founding of China. [Results] In pre-Qin ,heat-clearing and detoxifying method showed signs; The heat-clearing and detoxifying method created some formulas in Jin Tang; Heat-clearing and detoxifying method in treating the epidemic disease increased obviously in Song;In the Ming dynasty ,heat-clearing and detoxifying became an important method of eliminating;In the Qing dynasty to the Republic of China,advocate use of heat-clearing and detoxifying method;After the founding of China,there has appeared the trend of excessive use of heat-clearing and detoxifying method. [conclusion] At present ,treatment abuse in epidemic disease with heat-clearing and detoxifying method has its historical reasons,but this deviates with thoughts of traditional Chinese medicine treatment based on syndrome differentiation , and deserves further research.

Clinical observation of heat-clearing and detoxifying Liangxue prescription decocting-free granules in treatment of puerperal infection / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To investigate the application of heat-clearing and detoxifying Liangxue prescription decocting-free granules in puerperal infection and its clinical curative effect.Methods 97 cases patients with puerperal infection were chosen in the hospital from Dec.2012 to Dec.2014, according to the digital method, which were randomly divided into experimental group (n=49) and control group (n=48).The two groups were given metronidazole injection 250 mL/d, and 0.2 g mesylate levofloxacin added into 5% glucose injection 250 mL, intravenous drip, twice per day.On the basis of above therapy, experimental group were treated with heat-clearing and detoxifying Liangxue prescription decocting-free granules, orally, twice per day, one bag each time.Both of two groups were treated for 2 weeks as one course.Clinical symptom score, hemodynamic indexes, inflammatory factor, blood biochemical indexes and efficacy were observed and compared between two groups.Results Total effective rate of experimental group was 95.92%, which was significantly higher than 75.00% of control group ( U =3.58, P<0.01 ) .After treatment, the cell count of white blood cell ( WBC) and neutrophilic granulocyte ( GRAN ) , values of middle cell percentage (%MON ) , neutrophilic granulocyte ratio (%GRAN ) , and lymphocyte percentage (%LYM) in both of two groups significantly decreased compared with before treatment (P<0.05), and the above indexes in experimental group were lower than those in control group ( P<0.05 ) .After treatment, the serum IL-6 and TNF-αlevels in two groups decreased compared with before treatment ( P<0.05 ) , and the above indexes in experimental group were lower than those in control group ( P<0.05 ) .After treatment, the hemodynamic indexes including cell aggregation index, whole blood viscosity ( high, medium and low shear ) and plasma viscosity significantly improved compared with before treatment than control group ( P<0.05 ) , and the above indexes in experimental group significantly improved compared with control group (P<0.05).After treatment, the score of hypogastralgia, chills and fever, uterine body tender and a funicular tenderness of attachment area, lochia score and total score significantly decreased compared with before treatment (P<0.05), and the above indexes in experimental group significantly were lower than control group ( P<0.05 ) .Conclusion The heat-clearing and detoxifying Liangxue prescription decocting-free granules can significantly improve the inflammatory symptoms in treatment of puerperal infection, and its mechanism of action may improve microcirculation, reduce inflammatory reaction.The clinical efficacy of therapy is obviously better than western medicine treatment alone, which can be popularized in clinical application.

An experimental study of influence of Qingwen Baidu decoction on serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels in septic rats / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

Objective To observe the influence of Qingwen Baidu decoction (QBD) on serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in septic rats and study the mechanism of heat-clearing and detoxifying method for treatment of sepsis. Methods Fifty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (n=5), model group (n=25), and heat-clearing and detoxifying experimental group (experimental group, n=20). The septic model was reproduced by intra-peritoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg). In control group, an equal volume of normal saline was given. After modeling for 2 hours, the heat-clearing and detoxifying experimental group received QBD the first time (composition of the decoction: Gypsum Fibrosum Recens 30 g, Rehmanniae Radix 10 g, Bubali Cornu 15 g, Coptidis Rhizoma 4 g, Gardeniae Fructus 5 g, Platycodonis Radix 5 g, Scutellariae Radix 5 g, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma 5 g, Paeoniae Radix Rubra 5 g, Scrophulariae Radix 5 g, Forsythiae Fructus 5 g, Glycyrrhizae Radix 5 g, Moutan Cortex 5 g, Lophatheri Herba 5 g) by gavage (0.01 mL/g); the rest administration time was 08:00 to 09:00, once a day. The rats in model group were given an equal volume of warm water by gavage. At different time points after modeling, the blood of 5 rats in control group, model group, and experimental group was collected from the abdominal aorta. The serum PCT and CRP levels were tested by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes in lung and intestinal tissue were observed under a light microscope. Results Compared with the control group, the PCT level of the model group after modeling for 2 hours was significantly increased (ng/L:332.32±22.85 vs. 70.46±3.18, P 0.05). The level of CRP in model group was lower than that of control group at 24 hours and 72 hours after modeling (μg/L:281.34±32.81, 237.84±41.42 vs. 350.09±56.67, P 0.05). The PCT level of experimental group was significantly lower than that of model group beginning from 48 hours after modeling (ng/L: 321.57±28.00 vs. 358.12±10.14, P < 0.05), and this situation continued until 72 hours after modeling (ng/L: 269.50±49.10 vs. 347.69±26.90, P <0.05). The CRP level of experimental group was significantly lower than that of model group beginning from 8 hours after modeling (μg/L:232.73±13.29 vs. 335.35±53.78, P<0.05), this statistical significant difference between the two groups persisted until 72 hours after modeling (μg/L:177.31±6.70 vs. 237.84±41.42, P<0.05). Compared to those in the model group, the lung tissue inflammatory cell infiltration, the intestinal mucosal inflammation and interstitial edema were milder in the experimental group. Conclusion Heat-clearing and detoxifying therapy can effectively reduce the serum PCT and CRP levels of septic rats induced by LPS, and it can alleviate the infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissues so as to play a role in protection of tissue organ.

Research progress in hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese materia medica / 中草药

Heat-toxin stagnation is regarded to be an important pathologic mechanism of diabetes mellitus (DM) in terms of traditional Chinese medicine. Treating DM with heat-clearing and detoxifying principle on the basis of syndrome differentiation proves to be effective. Heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese materia medica can decrease blood sugar by protecting islet β-cell, improving insulin resistance, regulating glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism, regulating GLP-1, inflammatory cytokines, and intestinal microflora.