Discussion on the Scientific Connotation of Fortifying Spleen， Resolving Phlegm and Dispelling Stasis in the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease under the Guidance of Dysfunctional High-Density Lipoprotein / 中医杂志

The key pathogenesis of coronary heart disease （CHD） is spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis， and dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein （dys-HDL） may be the biological basis for the occurrence of CHD due to spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis. Considering the biological properties and effects of high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， it is believed that the structure and components of HDL are abnormal in the state of spleen deficiency which led to dys-HDL； and dys-HDL contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques through two major pathways， namely， mediating the dysfunction of endothelial cells and mediating the foaminess of macrophages and smooth muscle cells， thus triggering the development of CHD. It is also believed that dys-HDL is a microcosmic manifestation and a pathological product of spleen deficiency， and spleen deficiency makes foundation for the production of dys-HDL； dys-HDL is also an important biological basis for the phlegm-stasis interactions in CHD. The method of fortifying spleen， resolving phlegm， and dispelling stasis， is proposed as an important principle in the treatment of CHD by traditional Chinese medicine， which can achieve the therapeutic purpose by affecting the changes in the structure and components of dys-HDL， thus revealing the scientific connotation of this method， and providing ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of CHD by traditional Chinese medicine.

Cinobufagin Combined with Thalidomide/Dexamethasone Regimen in the Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma of Phlegm and Stasis Obstruction： A Retrospective Study / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of cinobufagin tablets combined with thalidomide/dexamethasone （TD） regimen in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma （NDMM） with phlegm and stasis obstruction. MethodsThe clinical data of 50 patients with NDMM of phlegm and stasis obstruction who were hospitalized at the Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine from June 1st， 2015 to July 31th， 2019 were retrospectively analyzed， and they were divided into a control group （bortezomib/dexamethasone-containing regimen， 27 cases） and an observation group （cinobufagin tablets combined with TD regimen， 23 cases）. The clinical efficacy and safety were compared between the two groups after two or three courses of treatment. The primary outcomes were clinical remission rate including overall response rate and deep remission rate， one-year and two-year overall survival rate， and adverse effects. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of plasma cells in bone marrow， hemoglobin， β2-microglobulin， lactate dehydrogenase， serum creatinine， blood urea nitrogen， bone pain score， and KPS functional status score （KPS score） before and after treatment. ResultsIn terms of clinical efficacy， there was no statistically significant difference （P＞0.05） in the overall response rate ［the observation group 69.57%（16/23） vs the control group 70.37% （19/27）］ and deep remission rate ［the observation group 56.52% （13/23） vs the control group 55.56% （15/27）］ between groups after the treatment. The one-year overall survival rates of the observation group and the control group were 90.9% and 92.4%， and the two-year overall survival rates were 81.8% and 80.9% respectively， with no statistically significant differences between groups （P＞0.05）. During the treatment， no renal function injury occurred in both groups. The incidence of peripheral nerve injury in the observation group was 8.70%， which was lower than 48.15% in the control group （P＜0.01）. After the treatment， the proportion of myeloma plasma cells， β2-microglobulin， serum creatinine level， and bone pain score decreased， while the hemoglobin level and KPS score increased in both groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared between groups after treatment， the bone pain score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group， while the KPS score was higher than that of the control group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe clinical efficacy of cinobufagin tablets combined with TD in the treatment of NDMM is equivalent to bortezomib/dexamethasone-containing regimen， but the former is more helpful in relieving the pain and improving the quality of life， and has better safety.

Analysis of the Treatment Strategy of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Based on ZHANG Boli's Theory of “Damp-turbidity and Phlegm-rheum Type of Diseases” / 中医杂志

Professor ZHANG Boli believed that the core pathogenesis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction （HFpEF） is weak pulse at yang and wiry pulse at yin. By referring to the theory of “damp-turbidity and phlegm-rheum type of diseases”， he proposed that yin pathogens of damp-turbidity and phlegm-rheum may damage yang qi in each stage of HFpEF， thus aggravating the trend of weak pulse at yang and wiry pulse at yin， which played an important role in the deterioration of HFpEF. Therefore， Professor ZHANG Boli advocated that importance should be attached to the elimination of yin pathogen and the protection of yang qi during the various stages of HFpEF in order to delay the aggravation of weak pulse at yang and wiry pulse at yin； he put forward the idea of staged treatment that “yin pathogen should be dispelled and yang qi should be demonstrated”； and he formulated the treatment strategy of treating the disease as early as possible， eliminating pathogens and protecting yang， interrupting the disease trend， using warm-like medicinals， and activating blood circulation， to enrich the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of HFpEF.

Effect of Modified Cangfu Daotantang on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Simple Obese Children with Phlegm Dampness and Stagnation / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe and compare the intervention effect of modified Cangfu Daotantang on glucose and lipid metabolism in simple obese children with phlegm dampness and stagnation. MethodA total of 60 children with simple obesity were randomly divided into two groups according to the simple randomization method of the random number table. The odd number was included in the test group， and the even number was included in the basic treatment group， with 30 cases in each group. On the basis of signing the informed consent notice， the treatment group was given modified Cangfu Daotantang combined with basic treatment， while the control group was only given basic treatment. After three months of treatment， the body mass index （BMI）， glucose and lipid metabolism level ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， fasting plasma glucose （FPG）， fasting insulin （FINS）， and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）］， the change in the total score of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， and the effective rate of treatment were observed and compared. ResultAfter treatment， the BMI of the observation group and the control group decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the BMI level in the observation group decreased significantly （P<0.05）. After treatment， the levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C in the observation group and the control group decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C in the observation group decreased significantly （P<0.05）. In addition， the level of TC in the observation group improved significantly compared with that in the control group （P<0.01）. The levels of FPG， FINS， and HOMA-IR in the observation group and the control group were significantly lower than those before treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， compared with the control group， the levels of FPG， FINS， and HOMA-IR in the observation group were significantly reduced （P<0.05）. The level of FPG in the observation group was significantly improved compared with that in the control group （P<0.01）. After treatment， the total score of TCM syndromes in the two groups decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the total score of TCM syndromes in the observation group was lower （P<0.01）. After treatment， the total effective rate of treatment was 86.67% （26/30） in the observation group and 73.33% （22/30） in the control group. By rank sum test， the total effective rate of the observation group was better than that of the control group （Z=-2.100， P<0.05）. ConclusionModified Cangfu Daotantang combined with basic treatment can effectively reduce the BMI of obese children and improve their glucose and lipid metabolism. It has good clinical effects and high clinical application value， which is worth further in-depth research and promotion.

Evaluation of Clinical Efficacy of Modified Houpo Dahuangtang in Moderate and Severe ARDS Patients Based on Electrical Impedance Tomography / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Houpo Dahuangtang in moderate and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome （ARDS） patients with phlegm-heat accumulation，and monitor the pulmonary ventilation changes of patients before and after treatment by electrical impedance tomography（EIT）. MethodThe 62 cases of moderate and severe ARDS patients with phlegm-heat accumulation who required mechanical ventilation in the department of intensive care unit （ICU） in Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2021 to June 2022 were selected，and divided into an experimental group（31 cases）and a control group（31 cases）using a random number table. On the basis of regular Western medicine treatment，the experimental group received modified Houpo Dahuangtang and the control group received warm water by a nasogastric tube for seven days. The changes in the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM），the oxygenation index［arterial oxygen partial pressure （PaO2）/fractional inspired oxygen（FiO2），P/F］，lactic acid（Lac），acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ（APACHE Ⅱ） score，compliance，plateau pressure，gas distribution parameters monitored by EIT（Z1，Z2，Z3 and Z4），inflammatory factors［interleukin-6 （IL-6），IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and C-reactive protein （CRP）］ of both groups before and after treatment were recorded. Besides， the mechanical ventilation time， length of stay in ICU， 28-day mortality and incidence of adverse reactions（delirium，abdominal pain and diarrhea）in the two groups were also observed. ResultThere was no significant difference in the baseline indexes of patients in the two groups，and thus the two groups were comparable. After treatment for one week， the total effective rate for TCM syndromes in the experimental group was 90.30%（28/31）， higher than the 67.74%（21/31）in the control group（Z=-2.415，P<0.05）.Compared with the same group before treatment， the plateau pressure and Lac decreased （P<0.01）and the compliance and P/F increased （P<0.01） in experimental group， while the Lac decreased （P<0.05）and the P/F increased （P<0.05）， and the compliance and plateau pressure did not change significantly in the control group. After treatment，the plateau pressure and inflammatory factors in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group（P<0.05）， but the compliance and P/F in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group（P<0.05）， and the gas distribution parameters Z1，Z2，Z3，Z4，Z1+Z2，and Z3+Z4 monitored by EIT in the experimental group were all higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in mechanical ventilation time， ICU hospitalization time， 28-day mortality， delirium， abdominal pain， diarrhea and other adverse reactions between the two groups. ConclusionModified Houpo Dahuangtang can significantly improve the P/F，pulmonary ventilation in gravity-dependent regions and pulmonary compliance，reduce the release of inflammatory factors in moderate and severe ARDS patients. Compared with conventional methods，EIT can timely monitor the pulmonary ventilation changes in ARDS patients，which suggests its clinical feasibility.

Effect of Huatan Tongluo Prescription on Vulnerability of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque in Hypertension / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of Huatan Tongluo prescription on the vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries of patients with hypertension of phlegm-stasis combination syndrome. MethodA total of 132 eligible patients were randomly divided into an observation group （66 cases） and a control group （66 cases）. The control group received oral atorvastatin calcium tablets and enteric-coated aspirin tablets， while the observation group received Huatan Tongluo prescription in addition to the treatment received by the control group. The treatment duration was 6 months. A carotid artery ultrasound examination was performed to record the number of plaques， the maximum plaque area， the maximum plaque cross-sectional thickness， and the intima-media thickness （IMT） of the carotid artery. Crouse score， plaque vulnerability score， and phlegm-stasis combination syndrome score were assessed. Blood lipid levels ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）］， inflammatory markers ［neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR）， monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio （MLR）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）］， vascular endothelial function ［endothelin-1 （ET-1）， von Willebrand factor （vWF）， and nitric oxide （NO）］， and relevant proteins ［pentraxin 3 （PTX3） and galectin-3 （Gal-3）］ levels were measured. Safety evaluation was conducted， and comparisons were made in terms of carotid artery stenosis rate， plaque regression efficacy， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome efficacy. ResultCompared with the results before treatment， both groups showed significant reductions in IMT， plaque number， maximum plaque area， and maximum plaque cross-sectional thickness （P<0.05）. After treatment， the observation group exhibited more significant reductions in the above indicators compared with the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， Crouse scores， plaque vulnerability scores， and phlegm-stasis combination syndrome scores in both groups were lower than those before treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， the observation group had lower scores in these indicators than the control group （P<0.05）. In terms of blood lipid levels， both groups showed decreases in TC， TG， and LDL-C levels， and an increase in HDL-C levels after treatment compared to those before treatment （P<0.05）. The observation group exhibited greater improvements in these lipid parameters than the control group （P<0.05）. Inflammatory markers NLR， MLR， IL-6， and hs-CRP significantly decreased in both groups after treatment compared with those before treatment （P<0.05）. The observation group showed more significant reductions in these markers than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups demonstrated decreases in levels of ET-1， vWF， PTX3， and Gal-3， along with an increase in NO levels compared with those before treatment （P<0.05）. The observation group showed more significant improvements in these markers than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， the observation group had a lower carotid artery stenosis rate than the control group （P<0.05）. The plaque regression efficacy rate was 51.72% （30/58） in the observation group， and the total effective rate of TCM syndrome was 84.48% （49/58）， both of which were higher than 18.64% （11/59） and 52.54% （31/59） in the control group （χ²=10.061， 13.799， P<0.05）. No adverse reactions related to the Huatan Tongluo prescription were observed during the treatment period. ConclusionIn addition to statin therapy， Huatan Tongluo prescription can effectively reverse carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques in patients with hypertension and carotid artery stenosis， reduce plaque vulnerability， exhibit lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects， and improve vascular endothelial function. The treatment demonstrates favorable clinical efficacy and safety. Therefore， it is very worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Literature Analysis on the Characteristics of ZHU Zhenheng in Treating Phlegm Syndrome with Erchen Decoction （二陈汤） based on Grounded Theory / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical experience and characteristics of treating phlegm syndrome with Erchen Decoction （二陈汤） by ZHU Zhenheng， a famous doctor in Jin-Yuan Dynasty， and provide ideas for treating various diseases from phlegm in clinical practice. MethodsThis study comprehensively collected the medical cases and discussions of Erchen Decoction in treating phlegm syndrome in ZHU Zhenheng's six types of medical works. With the help of qualitative grounded theory method， pathogenesis and treatment were coded by Nvivo 11， and finally the pathogenesis and treatment system of ZHU Zhenheng using Erchen Decoction in the treatment of phlegm syndrome was constructed. ResultsA total of 48 medical case reports of ZHU Zhenheng using Erchen Decoction to treat phlegm were collected， having 52 discussions about Erchen Decoction， and involving 38 miscellaneous internal diseases such as vomiting， fullness， and stroke， six gynecological diseases， four pediatric diseases and four surgical diseases. According to the pathogenesis， ZHU Zhenheng mainly used Erchen Decoction in modifications to treat the tangible phlegm such as damp phlegm （28）， cold phlegm （17）， hot phlegm （17）， wind phlegm （15）， food phlegm （13）， phlegm stasis （7）， and phlegm-rheum （3）， as well as invisible phlegm such as latent phlegm mainly composed of qi phlegm （27）， and deficiency phlegm （15）. Seven methods are suggested to treat corresponding syndromes based on the different pathogenesis， which are fortifying the spleen and reinforcing healthy qi （28）， warming the center and dissipating cold （15）， nourishing blood and supplementing yin （10）， rectifying qi and relieving constraint （34）， raising the clear and directing the turbid downward （11）， dispelling wind and eliminating dampness （39）， and discharging heat and moving stagnation （17）. ConclusionZHU Zhenheng widely uses Erchen Decoction dissolving phlegm， draining phlegm and dispelling phlegm methods to treat internal， surgical， gynecological and pediatric diseases caused by tangible phlegm such as damp phlegm， qi phlegm， cold phlegm， hot phlegm， wind phlegm， deficiency phlegm and invisible phlegm.

Pharmacological research progress of five classical prescriptions in treatment of chronic heart failure / 中国中药杂志

Chronic heart failure(CHF) is a comprehensive clinical syndrome caused by multiple factors that result in structural and/or functional abnormalities of the heart, leading to impaired ventricular contraction and/or relaxation functions. This medical condition represents the final stage of various cardiovascular diseases. In the treatment of CHF, multiple clinical studies have demonstrated the benefits of using traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) to control oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, thereby delaying ventricular remodeling and reducing myocardial fibrosis. In this study, common TCM syndromes in the diagnosis and treatment of CHF in recent years were reviewed and summarized. Five common treatment methods including benefiting Qi and activating blood circulation, enhancing Qi and nourishing Yin, warming Yang for diuresis, eliminating phlegm and dampness, rescuing from collapse by restoring Yang, and corresponding classic prescriptions in prevention and treatment of CHF were concluded under the guidance of TCM syndrome differentiation thinking. Meanwhile, research progress on the modern pharmacological effects of these classic prescriptions was systematically discussed, so as to establish a unique treatment system for CHF by classic prescriptions under the guidance of TCM syndrome differentiation theory and provide innovative diagnosis and treatment strategies for clinical CHF.

Syndrome differentiation and treatment of coronary heart disease combined with anxiety and depression from stages of phlegm, blood stasis, and toxic pathogen based on theory of "coexistence of diseases and depression syndromes" / 中国中药杂志

Depression syndromes(anxiety and depression), as typical psychological disorders, often coexist with and mutually influence coronary heart disease(CHD). They constitute a psycho-cardiology disease involving both the blood vessels of the heart and the spirit of the heart. Based on the theory of "coexistence of diseases and depression syndromes", it was proposed that CHD and depression syndromes coexisted independently and were causally related. The factors of depression syndromes go through the entire course of CHD and have different causal relationships at different stages, leading to a pathogenic process of "depression causing disease" or "disease causing depression". In the chronic latent period, phlegm predominates, with depression leading to the production of phlegm. Phlegm accumulation and Qi stagnation initiate a mutual damage process of psycho-cardiology, marking the onset of the disease. In the pathological development period, blood stasis becomes predominant. Depression leads to blood stasis, which further obstructs Qi circulation, accelerating disease progression. In the acute attack period, toxicity becomes crucial. Depression transforms into toxicity, damaging Qi and blood, disturbing the balance of the mind, and inducing a sudden and severe exacerbation of the disease. Based on this, the approach of treating phlegm and depression together, treating blood stasis and depression together, and treating toxicity and depression together by stages was established. Research has found that this approach can simultaneously improve organic damage and emotional disorders, and also has a regulating effect on micro-level syndrome indicators, achieving harmonization of psycho-cardiology in the treatment.

Role of lymphatic system in coronary heart disease based on theory of combined phlegm and stasis / 中国中药杂志

According to the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory, coronary heart disease(CHD) is mainly caused by heart vessel obstruction due to Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and phlegm turbidity. Chest impediment with combined phlegm and stasis is a common syndrome of CHD, with the manifestations of chest tightness, chest pain, and asthma. Lymphatic system is one of the important immune systems in the human body and has a close relationship with the Qi and blood movement in TCM. The dysfunction of the lymphatic system may lead to metabolism disorders, the generation of dampness pathogen which turns into sticky and difficult-to-dissolve phlegm turbidity. Moreover, it can affect blood circulation and coagulation, causing slow blood flow, increased blood viscosity, and microcirculation disorders. Alterations in lymphatic hydrodynamics may affect the interaction between blood circulation and the lymphatic system. A variety of small molecule drugs and TCM can treat cardiovascular diseases by targeting the lymphatic system. This review discusses the role of the lymphatic system in CHD based on the theory of combined phlegm and stasis, involving the influences of mechanical factors on lymphatic function and the effects and pharmacological mechanisms of TCM and chemicals that target lymphocyte function and lymphatic circulation. By expounding the development process of combined phlegm and stasis in CHD from the lymphatic system, this paper aims to provide new ideas for deciphering pharmacological mechanisms of TCM for resolving phlegm and stasis.

Analysis of the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Pulmonary Nodules based on the “Six Constraints” Theory / 中医杂志

Based on ZHU Zhenheng's “six constraints” theory， it is proposed that the formation of pulmonary nodules is closely related to the six constraints， which are constraint of qi， blood， phlegm， fire， dampness and food. All six constraints might lead to pulmonary nodules， among which qi constraint is the dominant one. When qi constraint lasts for a long time， it will turn into fire constraint， resulting in the failure of spleen to transport， which may lead to phlegm constraint， dampness constraint and food constraint； when qi fails to move blood， blood constraint is formulated. Mutual generation of six constraints lead to the disease， and the pathogenesis is interrelated， jointly promoting the occurrence and development of pulmonary nodules. The treatment is mainly to unblock qi， usually using Yueju Pills （越鞠丸）， a classic formula commonly used for six constraints， as the basic formula. And according to the six constraints partiality， it is suggested to flexibly add the medicinals of soothing the liver and rectifying qi， clearing heat and dissipating masses， dissolving phlegm and dissipating masses， fortifying spleen and dissipating dampness， promoting digestion and removing accumulation， invigorating blood and dissolving stasis.

Experience of ZHANG Boli in Staged Treating Very Early Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease Based on the Theory of “Similar Diseases and Syndromes of Damp-Turbidity-Phlegm-Rheum” / 中医杂志

This article summarizes the experience of Professor ZHANG Boli in the staged treatment of very early onset inflammatory bowel disease （VEO-IBD）. Grounded in the theory of “similar diseases and syndromes of damp-turbidity-phlegm-rheum”， it is believed that dampness and turbidity are crucial pathogenic factors in VEO-IBD. During the acute phase， the core pathogenesis centers on the accumulation of turbid toxins in the intestines. The treatment focuses on dispelling dampness and clearing turbidity to eliminate turbid toxins， while also regulating the flow of qi and nourishing the spleen and kidney. During the remission phase， the core pathogenesis involves spleen and kidney deficiency， which is treated by invigorating the spleen and warming the kidney to strengthen the body resistance. Additionally， promoting blood circulation and eliminating stasis is integrated throughout the treatment process. Medications are chosen to be mild and gentle， emphasizing balance and harmony， and attention is given to the methods of administration and psychological well-being， ensuring comprehensive care for both body and mind.

Wendantang Treats Inflammation in Obesity （Syndrome of Phlegm-dampness） by Regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway-mediated Adipocyte Autophagy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Wendantang on the expression of inflammatory cytokines， autophagy markers， and key molecules of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway in the adipocytes of the rat model of obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） and to explore the material basis of inflammation in obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） and the underlying mechanism of Wendantang intervention. MethodA total of 126 SD rats were randomized into 2 groups： 16 rats in the blank group and 110 rats in the modeling group. The blank group was fed with a basic diet while the modeling group with a high-fat diet to establish the animal model of obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） for 8 weeks. After successful modeling， 48 obese rats were selected according to their body mass and randomized into a model control group， an orlistat （ORLI， 32.40 mg·kg-1） group， a rapamycin （RAPA， 2 mg·kg-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （4.45， 8.90， 17.80 g·kg-1， respectively） Wendantang groups， with 8 rats in each group. In addition， 8 rats were randomly selected from the blank group to be set as the normal control group. The corresponding agents in each group were administrated by gavage and the model and control groups were administrated with equal amounts of distilled water once daily for 6 weeks. The body mass， Lee's index， body fat ratio， and obesity rate were measured or calculated. The expression of UNC51-like kinase-1 （ULK1）， Beclin1， human autophagy-related protein 5 （Atg5）， p62， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） Ⅰ/Ⅱ （markers of autophagy in adipocytes） was detected by the immunohistochemical two-step method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β， monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）， IL-4， IL-10， IL-13， and transforming growth factor （TGF）-β in adipocytes. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of classⅠ-PI3K， phosphatidylinositol triphosphate （PIP3）， Akt， mTORC1， ULK1， TSC1， and TSC2 in adipocytes. ResultCompared with the blank group， the modeling group showed increased body mass and Lee's index （P<0.01）， the obesity rate >20%， and phlegm-dampness syndrome manifestations such as physical obesity， decreased mobility， decreased appetite， lusterless and tight fur， loose stools， decreased responsiveness to the outside world， and decreased water intake. Compared with the normal control group， the model control group showed increased body mass， Lee's index， body fat ratio， adipocyte autophagy marker expression， pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated protein levels of classⅠ-PI3K， PIP3， Akt， mTORC1， TSC1， and TSC2 （P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein level of ULK1 （P<0.01）. The intervention groups showed lower body mass， body fat ratio， adipocyte autophagy marker protein expression， and protein levels of TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， MCP-1， IL-4， and IL-13 than the model control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the RAPA and Wendantang （medium and high dose） groups showed lowered levels of IL-10 and TGF-β （P<0.01）， and the ORLI group showed down-regulated expression of TGF-β （P<0.01）. The expression of key molecules of the signaling pathway was up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01） while that of ULK1 was down-regulated （P<0.01） in all the intervention groups. Compared with the RAPA group， the Wendantang groups showed up-regulated expression of all autophagy marker proteins in adipocytes （P<0.01）. In addition， the low-dose Wendantang group showed elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines （except TNF-α） （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of all key molecules of the signaling pathway （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of inflammatory cytokines （except IL-16， MCP-1， and IL-10） were elevated in the medium-dose Wendantang group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expression of key molecules except PI3K of the signaling pathway was down-regulated in the medium- and high-dose Wendantang groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the ORLI group， low- and medium-dose Wendantang groups showed up-regulated expression of autophagy markers in adipocytes （P<0.01）， and the low-dose group showed elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines （IL-6， IL-4， and TGF-β） （P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of all key molecules of the signaling pathway （P<0.01）. The medium-dose Wendantang group showed up-regulated expression of IL-4 （P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of key molecules except PI3K of the signaling pathway （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The high-dose Wendantang group showed increased body mass， up-regulated expression levels of autophagy markers （ULK1， LC3 Ⅰ/Ⅱ） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated expression of PIP3， mTORC1， and TSC1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lowered levels of Beclin1， Atg5， TNF-α， and IL-13 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe inflammation in obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） is closely associated with the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-mediated adipocyte autophagy. Wendantang can treat the chronic inflammation in obese rats with the syndrome of phlegm-dampness by regulating this signaling pathway and thus improve adipocyte autophagy.

Neuroprotective Effect of Chinese Medicinal Compounds Effective in Supplementing Qi and Resolving Phlegm on Alzheimer's Disease： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Alzheimer's disease （AD） is a common chronic degenerative neurological disease in the elderly and is mainly manifested by the impairment of cognition， memory， and behaviors. At present， the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease have not been fully unraveled， and the research on related drugs for alleviating the disease progression is still in clinical trials. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） believes that the elderly have reduced visceral function. Deficiency of vital Qi and turbid phlegm obscuring orifices are the core pathogenesis of AD. Qi deficiency and phlegm obstruction run through the whole pathological process of AD， and the important role of therapeutic principles of supplementing Qi and resolving phlegm is emphasized in treatment. In recent years， the Chinese medicinal compounds effective in supplementing Qi and resolving phlegm represented by Kaixin Powder have been widely used in the clinical and basic research of AD. As reported， in addition to the improvement of the cognitive function of AD， it can also reduce β amyloid （Aβ） deposition， inhibit tau hyperphosphorylation， improve neurotransmitter activity， regulate neuronal synaptic plasticity， resist oxidant stress injury， and inhibit the central inflammatory response and neuronal apoptosis. Therefore， this article reviewed and analyzed the theoretical basis of the treatment of AD by supplementing Qi and resolving phlegm and the mechanism of Chinese medicinal compounds effective in supplementing qi and resolving phlegm against AD to provide theoretical support and a scientific basis for the clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of AD.

Effect of Synergistic Treatment with Qingjin Huazhuo Formula （清金化浊方） on Thrombotic Events in Hospitalized Patients of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Phlegm Heat Stasis Obstructing in the Lung Syndrome： A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the effect and possible mechanism of the synergistic treatment with Qingjin Huazhuo Formula （清金化浊方， QHF） on the occurrence of thrombotic events in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （AECOPD） and phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome. MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study， 305 AECOPD inpatients with the syndrome of phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung were included. According to whether using QHF （the course of treatment ≥ 7 days）， they were divided into the exposure group （193 cases） and the non-exposure group （112 cases）. Totally， 109 pairs of cases were obtained by 1∶1 propensity score matching （PSM）. After matching， the occurrence of thrombotic events during hospitalization， the remission of main symptoms or signs （including cough， expectoration， wheezing， cyanosis） after 10 days （±3 days） of treatment， and the difference of the indicators including D-dimer， percentage of neutrophils （NEUT%）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， arterial partial pressure of oxygen （PaO2）， and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO2） before treatment and after 10 days （±3 days） of treatment during the first auxiliary examination. ResultsAfter matching， the incidence of thrombotic events during hospitalization in the exposure group （5 cases， 4.59%） were lower than that of the non-exposure group （15 cases， 13.76%， P＜0.05）. The exposure factor that taking QHF for 7 days or above was a protective factor for thrombotic events in AECOPD hospitalized patients with phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome （RR = 0.333， 95% CI 0.126 to 0.885）. The remission rates of cough （100/109， 91.74%）， expectoration （103/109， 94.50%）， wheezing （102/109， 93.58%）， and cyanosis （97/109， 88.99%） in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the non-exposure group （90/109， 82.57%； 94/109， 86.24%； 89/109， 81.65%； 86/109， 78.90%） after treatment （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the levels of D-dimer， NEUT%， CRP and PaCO2 in both groups significantly decreased （all P＜0.05）， and the level of PaO2 significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The difference of the levels of D-dimer， NEUT% and PaO2 in the exposure group before and after treatment were larger than those in the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）， while the pre-post difference of CRP and PaCO2 were not significantly different between the two groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionThe synergistic treatment with QHF can effectively reduce the occurrence of thrombotic events， alleviate the clinical symptoms or signs such as cough， expectoration， wheezing， and cyanosis， and can improve lung function in hospita-lized patients with AECOPD and phlegm heat stasis obstructing in the lung syndrome. Its mechanism may be related to improving blood coagulation and inflammatory status.

Discussion on the Treatment Thoughts of Bronchiectasis in Traditional Chinese Medicine based on Hypothesis of “Vicious Circle” / 中医杂志

Bronchiectasis is characterized by a “vicious cycle” involving compromised host defense， mpaired clearance of airway mucus， bacterial colonization， infections， and inflammation， leading to frequent acute exacerbations and diminished quality of life. Based on the hypothesis of “vicious circle”， this paper explores the treatment of bronchiectasis by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） from three aspects. Firstly， dissipating excessive “phlegm” secretion and enhancing airway clearance form the foundation of the treatment， aiming to improve the condition of mucus hypersecretion. Secondly， invigorating spleen for strengthening vital energy can improve the function of immune system and reduce recurrent infections and acute attacks. Lastly， clearing heat and purging the lung can alleviate infection and inflammatory damage. By employing these methods， TCM can disrupt the progression of the “vicious circle”， delaying disease advancement， minimizing acute exacerbations， and improving the quality of life for patients.

Treatment of Menopausal Syndrome Based on Phlegm，Stagnation，and Fire / 中医杂志

Menopausal syndromes are mostly based on kidney deficiency， which could be expalined that kidney governing essence storage and controlling innateness， so when the kidney water was deficient and the liver fail to nourish， then led to liver depression and transform into fire； deficiency of the kidney， loss of warmth of the spleen， and inability to transport and transform the water and dampness will easily lead to phlegm and fire； the decline of the kidney yin and loss of water and fire will easily cause the exuberance of heart fire. Therefore， clinical symptoms of hot flashes， insomnia， and palpitations are common due to phlegm， depressions， and fire. Based on this， at the beginning of the treatment， we should treat the symptoms firstly by resolving phlegm， relieving depression and clearing fire， and commonly use Huanglian Wendan Decoction （黄连温胆汤）， Yigan Powder （抑肝散）， Chaihu plus Longgu Muli Decoction （柴胡加龙骨牡蛎汤）， and Qingxin Zishen Decoction （清心滋肾饮）， etc. After improving the symptoms of hot flashes and sweating， irritability， dreaming and frightening， then we should give the prescriptions to tonify kidney yang and nourish kidney yin， in order to eliminate the pathogens and reinforce healthy qi， and to treat both the manifestations and the root cause， so that the symptoms of the patients can be better alleviated.

Effect of Gandouling Decoction Combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Impulse Control Disorders in Wilson's Disease with Syndrome of Combined Phlegm and Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Gandouling decoction combined with cognitive behavioral therapy （CBT） in the treatment of impulse control disorders in patients with Wilson's disease （WD， syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis）. MethodA prospective study was conducted on 90 WD patients with the syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis and impulse control disorders （ICD） treated in the Department of Encephalopathy of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from August 2018 to February 2023. They were randomized into a control group， a CBT group， and a treatment group， with 30 patients in each group. The control group received routine Western medicine treatment （basic copper removal）. The CBT group received cognitive behavioral therapy in addition to the therapy in the control group， and the treatment group received Gandouling decoction in addition to the therapy in the CBT group. Each course of treatment was 8 days， and the patients were treated for 4 courses. Before and after treatment， the 24-hour urine copper （24 h U-Cu）， non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper （NCC）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， unified WD rating scale part Ⅲ （UWDRS Ⅲ） score， Barratt Impulse Scale Version 11 （BIS-11） score， Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire （BPAQ） score， modified overt aggression scale （MOAS） score， and treatment emergent symptom scale （TESS） score of three groups of patients were determined and statistically analyzed. ResultBefore treatment， there was no statistically significant difference in the level of 24 h U-Cu or NCC among the three groups. After treatment， all the three groups showed an increase in 24 h U-Cu （P<0.01） and a decrease in the NCC level （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no significant difference in the 24 h U-Cu level among the three groups after treatment. After treatment， the NCC level showed no significant difference between the control group and the CBT group， while the NCC level in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group and CBT group （P<0.05）. Before treatment， there was no statistically significant difference in the TCM syndrome score among the three groups. After treatment， the TCM syndrome scores of all the three groups decreased （P<0.01）. Moreover， the treatment group had lower TCM syndrome score than the control group and CBT group （P<0.05）. Before treatment， the UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS scores had no statistically significant differences among the three groups. After treatment， the UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS in all the three groups declined （P<0.05）. Moreover， the CBT group and treatment group had lower UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS scores than the control group （P<0.05）， and the treatment group had lower BIS-11 and BPAQ scores than the CBT group （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe combination of Gandouling decoction and CBT can ameliorate impulse control disorders in the WD patients with combined phlegm and stasis.

Effect of Modified Gualou Zhishitang Combined with Piperacillin Sodium and Tazobactam Sodium on Immune Function and Serum Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Stroke-associated Pneumonia with Syndrome of Phlegm-heat Accumulation in Lung / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of modified Gualou Zhishitang combined with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium on the immune function and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines in the patients with stroke-associated pneumonia （SAP， syndrome of phlegm-heat accumulation in lung）. MethodEighty SAP patients with the syndrome of phlegm-heat accumulation in lung were randomized into a control group （40 cases） and a study group （40 cases）. The SAP patients in the control group were treated with piperacillin sodium and tazobtam sodium， while those in the study group were treated with modified Gualou Zhishitang on the basis of the treatment in the control group for 2 consecutive weeks. The clinical therapeutic effects， immune function indexes， inflammation indexes， and lung function of SAP patients in the two groups before and after treatment were determined and compared. ResultAfter treatment， the scores of lesion， pulmonary rales， cough， fever， phlegm color， and constipation in both groups decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced expiratory volume （FEV1/FVC） and forced expiratory volume in the first second as percentage of predicted value（FEV1%） in both groups improved （P<0.05）， and the study group outperformed the control group （P<0.05）. The treatment decreased the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio （NLR） in the two groups （P<0.05）， and the study group had lower NLR than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. The serum levels of procalcitonin （PCT） and hypersensitive C-reactive protein （hs-CRP） in both groups declined after treatment （P<0.05）， and the declines were more significant in the study group than in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， the study group was better than the control group （P<0.05）. The treatment in both groups elevated the levels of CD3+， CD4+， and CD4+/CD8+ in the peripheral blood and lowered the level of CD8+ （P<0.05）， and the changes were more significant in the study group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The total response rate of the study group was 95.00% （38/40）， which was higher than that （80.00%， 32/40） of the control group （χ2=4.114，P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. ConclusionModified Gualhou Zhishitang combined with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium demonstrates a significant therapeutic effect on the SAP patients with the syndrome of phlegm-heat accumulation in lung. This therapy can mitigate the clinical symptoms， improve the lung function， lower the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines， and improve the immune capacity， with high safety.

Clinical study on the treatment of spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis syndrome in alcoholic cirrhosis with Qinggan Huashi Huoxue Decoction and conventional western medicine / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of Qinggan Huashi Huoxue Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of alcoholic cirrhosis with spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis syndrome.Methods:Randomized controlled trial. A total of 110 patients from Tangshan Fengrun District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2020 to March 2022 were selected as observation objects and divided into 2 groups with 55 patients in each group by computer random drawing method. The control group was treated with conventional Western medicine, while the observation group was treated with Qinggan Huashi Huoxue Decoction on the basis of the control group treatment. Both groups were treated for 3 months. The traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score was performed before and after treatment, and the levels of proline peptidase (PLD), type Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C) and type Ⅰ procollagen aminopeptidase (PINP) were detected by phthalaldehyde contrast colorimetry, and the levels of pentamylin 3 (PTX3), protein kinase B (Akt) and B cell activating factor receptor (BAFF-R) were determined by ELISA. Adverse events were recorded and clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:The total effective rate in the observation group was 92.73% (51/55), while that in the control group was 76.36% (42/55), the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=5.64, P=0.018). After treatment, the score and total score of costal pain and fullness, swelling and firmness, anorexia, white and greasy tongue coating in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t values were 11.02, 7.36, 7.47, 6.38, 9.37, respectively, P<0.01). After treatment, the levels of serum PLD[(143.28±16.38)U/L vs. (160.69±18.35)U/L, t=5.25], Ⅳ-C[(71.93±8.33)μg/L vs. (83.12±9.91)μg/L, t=6.41], and PINP[(32.36±5.32)ng/L vs. (39.02±5.61)ng/L, t=6.39] in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01); The levels of PTX3[(36.82±4.96)ng/L vs. (42.14±5.83)ng/L, t=5.15], Akt[(69.22±7.94)ng/L vs. (77.24±8.63)ng/L, t=5.07], and BAFF-R[(15.29±3.64)ng/L vs. (19.92±4.15)ng/L, t=6.22] in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01). During the treatment period, the incidence of adverse reactions was 12.73% (7/55) in the observation group and 9.09% (5/55) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=0.37, P=0.541). Conclusion:Qinggan Huashi Huoxue Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine therapy can improve the Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome and the degree of liver fibrosis damage in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis with spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis syndrome, inhibit the expression of serum inflammatory factors, and improve clinical efficacy.