ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the effect of dialectical diet on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score of cirrhotic ascites patients based on "Gu Ben Kai Qu" theory.Methods:From March 2019 to January 2020, 84 patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites admitted to Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of TCM were randomly divided into two groups according to the different dialectical types of the subjects, 14 cases in each group. Three non-syndrome differentiation diet groups were given routine nursing care of liver cirrhosis ascites. On the basis of routine nursing, the corresponding medicinal diet was selected according to syndrome differentiation based on "Gu Ben Kai Qu" theory. Patients with spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome selected Shenqi lean meat decoction. Patients with Yin deficiency of liver and kidney selected Wolfberry and ophiopogon spareribs decoction. Patients with qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome selected Danggui Sanqi spareribs decoction. The TCM syndrome score scale for liver disease and the curative effect evaluation of cirrhosis ascites were used to evaluate the effect.Results:Eighty effective cases were included. On the first day of admission, the 14th day and the second week after discharge, the TCM syndrome scores of liver disease were as follows: the group (a1b1) with the spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome was 46.38±8.56, 34.20±8.42, 31.40±4.22, respectively. The group (a1b2) with the liver kidney yin deficiency syndrome was 41.50±8.71, 31.35±8.63, 31.12±4.94. The group(a1b3) with the qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was 45.92±7.86, 35.17±7.57, 30.83±7.32, respectively. The non-syndrome differentiation diet group (a2b1) with the spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome was 46.29±8.38, 39.79±7.65, 36.64±6.83, respectively. The non-syndrome differentiation diet group (a2b2) with the liver and kidney yin deficiency syndrome was 40.50±8.12, 38.10±8.93, 35.38±8.24, respectively. The non-syndrome differentiation diet group (a2b3) with the qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was 45.62±7.99, 41.83±7.31, 38.83±7.96, respectively. The comparison of TCM syndrome scores of liver disease at three time points was statistically significant ( χ2 value was 63.998, P<0.05), and the comparison between groups was statistically significant ( χ2 value was 20.993, P<0.05). On the 14th day and the second week after discharge, there were significant differences between the groups with the syndrome differentiation diet and another three groups with non-syndrome differentiation diet ( F values were 3.244, 3.489, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Based on the theory of "strengthening the foundation and opening channels", the syndrome differentiation group can effectively reduce the TCM syndrome score of patients with cirrhosis ascites, improve the symptoms and enhance the curative effect. With the development of time, the score of TCM syndrome in patients with liver disease become lower. On the 14th day of admission, patients with Yin deficiency of liver and kidney given medicated diets had significant effect; patients with spleen kidney yang deficiency syndrome or qi stagnation and blood stasis had significant effect in 2 weeks after discharge; which can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of patients with cirrhosis ascites to worthy of clinical application.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the effects of Xintongtai （XTT） on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score and collagen fibers in vascular smooth muscle cells（VSMCs） of rabbits with atherosclerosis in the regulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）/activator protien-1 （AP-1）signaling pathway. Method:A total of 120 rabbits of SPF grade were randomly divided into the sham operation group， combined phlegm and blood stasis model group， rosuvastatin group， and low-， middle-， and high-dose XTT groups. The rabbit model of atherosclerosis due to combined phlegm and blood stasis was established by exposing them to high-fat diet and balloon injury. Following modeling， the corresponding drugs were administered by gavage for eight weeks （2.3， 4.6， 9.2 g·kg<sup>-1</sup> for low-， middle-， and high-dose XTT groups and 0.55 mg·kg<sup>-1 </sup>for rosuvastatin group）. At the end of medication， the abdominal aorta was isolated and stained with htoxylin-eosin （HE） for observing the vulnerable plaque. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 （TIMP-1） were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The collagen fiber decomposition in VSMCs was observed after Masson staining. The protein expression levels of p38 MAPK and AP-1 in aorta was assayed by Western blotting. The combined phlegm and blood stasis syndrome was scored based on TCM syndrome scoring scale. Result:Compared with the model group， XTT at each dose and rosuvastatin significantly decreased MMP-9 content， increased TIMP-1， down-regulated p38 MAPK protein expression， and weakened the nuclear translocation of AP-1 （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the low-dose XTT group， the middle- and high-dose XTT groups and rosuvastatin group exhibited obviously lowered MMP-9，elevated TIMP-1， down-regulated p38 MAPK protein expression， and diminished AP-1 nuclear translocation （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The TCM syndrome scores of the middle- and high-dose XTT groups and rosuvastatin group were significantly improved as compared with that in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The comparison with the low-dose XTT group revealed a remarkable improvement in TCM syndrome score of the middle- and high-dose XTT groups and rosuvastatin group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. As demonstrated by Masson staining， the smooth muscle fibers in the model group were arranged in disorder， accompanied by enhanced collagen decomposition， thinned fibrous cap， and increased plaque vulnerability. Compared with the model group， the VSMCs in each XTT group and rosuvastatin group were orderly arranged， manifested as decreased collagen fiber decomposition and increased plaque stability. Conclusion:XTT down-regulates the expression of p38 MAPK and MMP-9， increases the level of TIMP-1， reduces the nuclear translocation of AP-1， diminishes the decomposition of collagen fibers in VSMCs， and improves the score of combined phlegm and blood stasis syndrome. XTT alleviates arteriosclerosis due to combined phlegm and blood stasis by regulating p38 MAPK/AP-1 signaling pathway and downstream cytokines and stabilizing vulnerable plaques.