Editing the Human Genome with CRISPR/Cas: A Review of its Molecular Basis, Current Clinical Applications, and Bioethical Implications

ABSTRACT CRISPR/Cas genes evolved in prokaryotic organisms as a mechanism of defense designed to identify and destroy genetic material from threatening viruses. A breakthrough discovery is that CRISPR/Cas system can be used in eukaryotic cells to edit almost any desired gene. This comprehensive review addresses the most relevant work in the CRISPR/Cas field, including its history, molecular biology, gene editing capability, ongoing clinical trials, and bioethics. Although the science involved is complex, we intended to describe it in a concise manner that could be of interest to diverse readers, including anyone dedicated to the treatment of patients who could potentially benefit from gene editing, molecular biologists, and bioethicists. CRISPR/Cas has the potential to correct inherited diseases caused by single point mutations, to knock-in the promoter of a gene whose expression is highly desirable or knockout the gene coding for a deleterious protein. CRISPR/Cas technique can also be used to edit ex vivo immune cells and reinsert them in patients, improving their efficiency in attacking malignant cells, limiting the infectious potential of viruses or modulating xenotransplant rejection. Very important bioethical considerations on this topic include the need to internationally regulate its use by ad hoc expert committees and to limit its use until safety and bioethical issues are satisfactorily resolved.

Research progress of radiotherapy for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO)is the most common orbital disease in adults, and its incidence is increasing year by year. The clinical manifestations include proptosis, eyelid retraction, ocular motility disturbance and visual impairment, which seriously damage the physical and mental health of patients. Treatment options for TAO mainly include glucocorticoids, radiotherapy and orbital decompression. Among them, the glucocorticoids are the mainstay of treatment for moderate-to-severe and active disease; Orbital decompression is mainly for patients with severe proptosis and increased orbital pressure leading to optic nerve compression injury; And radiotherapy is used for TAO patients who are intolerant of glucocorticoids and who refuse orbital decompression. Radiation therapy can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of patients by exerting a non-specific anti-inflammatory effect, and it is an important means of treating TAO. With the continuous update of computer technology and medical imaging, radiotherapy techniques have developed rapidly. The emergence of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technology and intensity-modulated radiotherapy technology has made it possible to locate the lesions accurately. Recently, a large number of clinical results show that radiotherapy for TAO has good curative effects and manageable adverse reactions. This article reviews the mechanism of action, technical characteristic, clinical protocol, radiation dose parameter selection and complications of radiotherapy for TAO, in order to provide clinical reference for peers and formulate personalized TAO treatment plans.

Chemical and biological properties of nordihydroguaiaretic acid

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a natural product obtained by the alkaline extraction of dried plants of Larrea tridentata species. Due to the biological properties presented, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and cytotoxic capacity, this compound is being increasingly studied. In this review, it was evaluated the benefits of NDGA against different animal models. Besides that, it was found that this compound has antitumor activity similar to its synthetic derivative terameprocol in prostate tumors. The hypoglycemic effect may be evidenced by the inhibition of sugar uptake by NDGA; in obesity, studies have observed that NDGA presented a positive regulatory effect for Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-α) involved in the oxidation of hepatic fatty acids and reduced the expression of lipogenic genes. Regarding its antioxidant potential, its mechanism is related to the ability to in vitro scavenging reactive substances. Although there are several studies demonstrating the benefits of using NDGA, there are also reports of its toxicity, mainly of liver damage and nephrotoxicity

Genus Tetrastigma: A review of its folk uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology / 中草药·英文版

The genus Tetrastigma belongs to the Vitaceae family and contains over 100 species. This paper reviewed folk uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and clinical applications of the medicinal plants in the genus Tetrastigma. In addition, the paper also discussed the current problems for the further studies. Up to now, more than 240 compounds were reported from the genus Tetrastigma, covering 74 flavonoids, 14 terpenoids, 19 steroids, 21 phenylpropanoids, 14 alkaloids and others constituents. Among them, flavonoids are the major and the characteristic chemical constituents in this genus. Modern pharmacological studies and clinical practice showed that the extracts and chemical constituents of Tetrastigma species possessed wide pharmacological activities including antitumor, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. The information summarized in this paper provides valuable clues for new drug discovery and an incentive to expand the research of genus Tetrastigma.

Classical Famous Prescription Zhenwutang in Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Chronic heart failure （CHF）， the end stage of heart disease due to a variety of causes， features high disability rate and mortality， which has become a hot spot in cardiovascular field. As recorded in Treatise on Cold Damage（《伤寒论》）， Zhenwutang is composed of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata， Poria Cocos， Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae， Paeoniae Radix Alba， and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens. With the functions of warming Yang and excreting water， it is a classical prescription for the treatment of CHF in clinical settings. By searching China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， PubMed， Wanfang Data， and VIP， we find Zhenwutang exerts therapeutic effect on CHF through multiple targets and multiple pathways. Experiments show that it alleviates CHF by antagonizing the overactivation of neuroendocrine system， inhibiting immune-inflammatory response， suppressing cardiac remodeling， restricting apoptosis， regulating autophagy， improving myocardial energy metabolism， inhibiting oxidative stress injury， protecting endothelial function， and decreasing volume load. Clinical research shows that Zhenwutang can significantly alleviate the clinical symptoms of CHF patients in a safe manner with little adverse reactions. This paper systematically summarizes the mechanisms of and clinical research on Zhenwutang in the treatment of CHF in recent years， so as to provide theoretical and experimental data for the further research and development of Zhenwutang.

Formulação, análise físico-química e microbiológica de cimentos endodônticos bioativos / Formulation, physicochemical and microbiological analysis of bioactive endodontic cements

Os cimentos endodônticos bioativos apresentam inúmeras aplicações clínicas, devido as suas propriedades biológicas, como a bioatividade; alta capacidade de vedação; ação antimicrobiana; liberação de íons cálcio, além de apresentar resposta inflamatória reduzida ou ausente. Baseada nesses benefícios, a presente pesquisa objetivou desenvolver e caracterizar cimentos endodônticos bioativos de baixo custo e efetividade antimicrobiana para uso na endodontia. Para isso, foram preparadas algumas formulações contendo cimentos finos, escória moída e celulose. Esses cimentos testes foram comparados com o MTA branco reparador da Angelus®. Sendo então divididos em quatro grupos: Grupo 1 (cimento fino cinza com escória moída cinza - MZVI e celulose); Grupo 2 (cimento branco cinza, escória moída branca - MPW e celulose); Grupo 3 (cimento fino branco e celulose) e Grupo 4 (MTA branco, Angelus ­ controle positivo). As amostras de cada grupo foram submetidas às análises de Difração de Raio-X (DRX), Análise Termogravimétrica (TG), Termogravimetria Derivada (DTG), Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV), Potencial hidrogeniônico (pH), Picnometria, Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR) e Potencial Antibacteriano contra Enterococcus faecalis por meio do teste de difusão em ágar. Os testes estatísticos foram realizados utilizando o SPSS. As diferenças entre os grupos foram verificadas por meio do teste ANOVA com post hoc de Tukey, estatística descritiva e análises gráficas. Após a avaliação dos dados podese observar, principalmente, a presença de hidróxido de cálcio, silicato dicálcico, silicato tricálcico, aluminato tricálcico e carbonato de cálcio. Além disso, os cimentos apresentaram pH alcalino, ação antimicrobiana contra Enterococcus faecalis e na análise do MEV foi possível observar partículas de dimensões irregulares com uma distribuição heterogênea na matriz polimérica, contrastando com a homogeneidade apresentada pelo MTA. Porém, nas demais características, os cimentos apresentaram, de forma geral, grande semelhança com o MTA branco da Angelus, com maior destaque para o grupo 2. Assim, pode-se concluir que é possível formular cimentos bioativos, reutilizando escórias e mantendo as propriedades físico-químicas e antimicrobiana presentes no MTA (AU).

Bioactive endodontic cements have numerous clinical applications due to their biological properties, such as bioactivity; high sealing capacity; antimicrobial action; realease of calcium ions, also having a reduced or no inflammatory response. Based on these benefits, the present research aimed to develop and characterize low cost bioactive endodontic cements and antimicrobial effectiveness for endodontic use. For this, some formulations containing fine cements, ground slag and cellulose were prepared. These test cements were compared with Angelus® repairing white MTA. It was then divided into four groups: Group 1 (gray fine cement with gray ground slag - MZVI and cellulose); Group 2 (white gray cement, white ground slag - MPW and cellulose); Group 3 (white fine cement and cellulose) and Group 4 (white MTA, Angelus ­ positive control). The samples from each group were subjected to X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Derived Thermogravimetry (DTG), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Hydrogen Potential (pH), Picnometry, Infrared Spectroscopy with Fourier Transform (FTIR) and Antibacterial Potential against Enterococcus faecalis through the agar diffusion test. Statistical tests were performed using SPSS. Differences between groups were verified using the ANOVA test with Tukey's post hoc, descriptive statistics and graphical analyses. After evaluating the data, it was possible to observe, mainly, the presence of calcium hydroxide, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate and calcium carbonate. In addition, the cements showed alkaline pH, antimicrobial action against Enterococcus faecalis and in the SEM analysis it was possible to observe particles of irregular dimensions with a heterogeneous distribution in the polymer matrix, contrasting with the homogeneity presented by MTA. However, in the other characteristics, the cements showed, in general, great similarity with the white MTA from Angelus, with greater emphasis on group 2. Thus, it can be concluded that it is possible to formulate bioactive cements, reusing slag and maintaining the MTA physicochemical and antimicrobial properties (AU).

Research Progress on Lichongtang in Treatment of Uterine Leiomyoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Uterine leiomyoma （UL）， the most common benign tumor of the reproductive system in women of childbearing age， is characterized by clinical symptoms such as increased menstrual flow， prolonged menstrual period， breast tenderness，backache， lower abdominal pain and mass in the lower abdomen. With the continuous progress of modern society， the age of women's marriage and childbirth is gradually pushed back， which to a certain extent has led to an increase in the probability of modern women suffering from UL. Relevant literature shows that the incidence of UL is about 70%， and 25%-50% of the patients have clinical symptoms， seriously endangering women's physical health. The prevention and treatment of UL by modern medicine is currently limited to two aspects： drug control of estrogen and progesterone levels and surgical removal. Traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）has shown obvious advantages in improving the clinical symptoms of UL patients， with very broad application prospects as it can regulate body's Qi and blood on the basis of syndrome differentiation， treatment and overall concepts. Lichongtang， as a famous TCM prescription for replenishing Qi， activating blood and removing blood stasis， was created by ZHANG Xi-chun， a famous Chinese medicine doctor in the Qing dynasty， and recorded in the Records of Tradition Chinese and Western Medicine in Combination. It is widely used in the field of gynecological diseases in clinical practice. Studies have shown that Lichongtang is effective in treating UL. Clinical observations show that Lichongtang can significantly relieve the clinical symptoms of UL patients such as prolonged menstrual period， dysmenorrhea， waist and abdomen swelling and irregular vaginal bleeding， with the characteristics of stable curative effect， high safety， less side effect and low recurrence rate. The experimental results show that Lichongtang has a comprehensive regulatory effect on UL through inhibiting the proliferation of UL cells and inducing apoptosis， reducing serum estrogen and progesterone level， regulating the apoptosis pathway of tumor cells， and promoting the degradation of extracellular matrix（ECM）. After retrieval in PubMed， CNKI and other databases， the authors made a review by summarizing the theories， clinical efficacy and action mechanisms of Lichongtang in the treatment of UL， in order to provide reference for the follow-up in-depth study of pharmacological mechanism of Lichongtang and its further clinical application and promotion.

Dihydrophenanthrenes from medicinal plants of Orchidaceae: A review / 中草药·英文版

The plants of Orchidaceae are widely distributed in the world, 47 species of which have been used as folk medicines with a long history. The tubers and stems of them exhibit diverse efficacy, including clearing heat and resolving toxin, moistening lung and relieving cough and promoting blood circulation. Since dihydrophenanthrenes were responsible for the medical purposes, the characteristic skeletons, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of dihydrophenanthrenes were summarized in this review, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the comprehensive study, development and application of DPs from medicinal plants of Orchidaceae.

Review of chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Jiaotai Pills and predictive analysis of its quality marker(Q-marker) / 中国中药杂志

Jiaotai Pills is a traditional medical prescription to treat the incompatibility of heart and kidney. It has the distinctive functions of heart and kidney communication, sedation and hypnosis, anti-anxiety and depression, as well as the improvement of insulin resistance. However, this pill is broadly used to cure insomnia, anxiety, depression, and diabetes in the contemporary clinical trials. Based on the article, it illustrates the research progress of the chemical ingredients, pharmacological actions, and clinical applications of Jiaotai Pills. With respect to the "five principles" of Q-marker in Chinese medicine, the Q-marker of Jiaotai Pills is comprehensively predicted and analyzed, noting that berberine, epiberberine, coptisine chloride, palmatine chloride, berberine chloride, berberrubine chloride, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, proanthocyanidin B2 can be treated as the Q-marker of Jiaotai Pills. In addition, these components of Q-marker have been selected as indicators to provide a significant reference for the quality control and surveillance research of Jiaotai Pills.

Clinical applications of ear reconstruction with Medpor / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To discuss clinical practice,efficacy and surgical techniques for ear reconstruction with Medpor.Methods:Medpor ear reconstructions were used to treat 19 microtia in 17 patients (including 2 bilateral patients) in Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from January 2011 to December 2015.Reconstructions included 2 patients with one-stage ear reconstruction with temporoparietal fascial flap,2 patients with one-stage operation implanting Medpor directly into skin pocket,and 13 patients with two-stage ear reconstruction.Results:After 1-3 years of follow-up,16 microtia in 14 patients gained ideal appearance.Scaffold exposure occurred in 3 unilateral cases,among which one patient who underwent debridement,removal of superficial exposed scaffold and transposition of local flap to salvage exposure was not significantly influenced,and the other 2 patients' scaffolds were still exposed after repairs and finally removed.One stent was removed at the patient's urging because it induced an exacerbation of periarthritis of the right shoulder.Conclusion:Medpor ear scaffold has advantages,such as easy assembly,good immunologic compatibility,fast vascular ingrowth,simple operation,short operative time and ideal appearance of the reconstructed ear.Medpor is an alternative for microtia repair when patients are unwilling to use autologous rib cartilage or costal cartilages are calcified.However,the relatively high incidence of scaffold exposure reminds us that the indications of Medpor should be taken seriously,and measures to avoid skin necrosis and scaffold exposure should be implemented.Long-term follow-up efficacy needs to be proved.

Usos del láser terapéutico en Odontopediatría: Revisión de la literatura. Reporte de casos / Uses of Therapeutic Laser in Pediatric Dentistry: Review of the Literature. Case Reports

RESUMEN El término "LÁSER" es un acrónimo de "Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation" (en español "Amplificación de Luz por Emisión Estimulada de Radiación"). La utilización de la tecnología láser en Odontología ha tenido una constante evolución y desarrollo en los últimos 30 años. Se deben distinguir dos grandes grupos de láseres: De alta potencia o quirúrgicos y de baja potencia o terapéuticos. El más empleado en odontología pediátrica es el terapéutico o LLLT (o "blando"). El láser terapéutico está indicado para diversas anomalías tales como la hipersensibilidad, gingivitis, herpes, parestesias, neuralgias del trigémino, trismus, disfunción ATM, implantes, activación de químicos de blanqueamiento dental, entre otros. Este artículo pretende realizar una actualización de las aplicaciones del láser de baja potencia en el ámbito de la Odontología Pediátrica, así como la presentación de 4 casos clínicos representativos.

ABSTRACT The term "LASER" is an acronym for "Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation" (in Spanish "Amplificación de Luz por Emisión Estimulada de Radiación"). The use of laser technology in dentistry has had a constant evolution and development in the last 30 years. Two large groups of lasers should be distinguished: high-power or surgical and low-power or therapeutic. The most used in pediatric dentistry is the therapeutic or LLLT (or "soft"). The therapeutic laser is indicated for various anomalies such as hypersensitivity, gingivitis, herpes, paresthesias, trigeminal neuralgias, trismus, TMJ dysfunction, implants, activation of teeth whitening chemicals, among others. This article intends to perform an update of the applications of low power laser in the field of Pediatric Dentistry, as well as the presentation of 4 representative clinical cases.

The application of CAR-T cell therapy in hematological malignancies: advantages and challenges

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy is a novel adoptive immunotherapy where T lymphocytes are engineered with synthetic receptors known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR). The CAR-T cell is an effector T cell that recognizes and eliminates specific cancer cells, independent of major histocompatibility complex molecules. The whole procedure of CAR-T cell production is not well understood. The CAR-T cell has been used predominantly in the treatment of hematological malignancies, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Solid tumors including melanoma, breast cancer and sarcoma offer great promise in CAR-T cell research and development. CD19 CAR-T cell is most commonly used, and other targets, including CD20, CD30, CD38 and CD138 are being studied. Although this novel therapy is promising, there are several disadvantages. In this review we discuss the applications of CAR-T cells in different hematological malignancies, and pave a way for future improvement on the effectiveness and persistence of these adoptive cell therapies.

Clinical applications of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth in stem cell therapy / 华西口腔医学杂志

Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are one category of dental stem cells. They belong to ectodermal mesenchymal stem cells. As an ideal stem cell source, SHED possess great potential in stem cell therapy. This review demonstrates the biological characteristics and advantages of SHED in stem cell therapy and discusses its multiple functions in tissue regeneration and repair, including multiple differentiation potentiality, cell secretion of cytokines, and immunomodulatory ability. Furthermore, this article introduces the main findings regarding the potential clinical applications of SHED to a variety of diseases. This article demonstrates research progress in dentin-pulp regeneration, maxillofacial bone regeneration, and treatment of nervous system and immune system diseases with SHED for stem cell transplantation.

Chemical constituents, biological activities and clinical applications of artemisia rupestris / 中国中药杂志

Artemisia rupestris is a traditional medicine in Uygur and Kazak in Xinjiang Province, mainly distributed in the territory of Xinjiang Altai area, Tianshan mountains and the Kunlun mountains, growing at an altitude of 1 500 to 4 000 meters of grassland and forest areas. As the broad research on chemical constituents, pharmacological activity, the effective components of A. rupestris have attracted the interest to make up new drugs. Based on the latest research from A. rupestris, identification and geographic distribution, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, clinical applications were summarized in this article, in the view of Medicinal Ethnobotany. At the same time, some suggestions were proposed for future research.

Review on research of the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of Celosia argentea

ABSTRACT Celosia argentea L., Amaranthaceae, is widely used as traditional medicine with a long history in China. It is a unique source of Semen Celosiae whose contributions include purging the hepatic pathogenic fire, improving eyesight, and treating other eye diseases. Over 79 compounds from this plant were isolated and identified, mainly including saponins, peptides, phenols, fatty acids, and amino acids, of which saponins have been considered as the characteristic and active constituents of Celosia argentea. Experimental evidences manifested that Celosia argentea, with its active compounds, possesses wide-reaching biological activities such as hepatoprotection, tumor treatment, anti-diarrhea, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidant, anti-hypertension, and for treatment of a number of eye diseases. The objective of the study was to provide an overview of the ethno-pharmacology, chemical constituents, pharmacology, and related clinical applications of Celosia argentea, and to reveal their therapeutic potentials, and secure an evidence base for further research works on Celosia argentea.

Carthami flos: a review of its ethnopharmacology, pharmacology and clinical applications

ABSTRACTCarthami flos, the dried floret of Carthamus tinctorius L., Asteraceae (safflower), has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a broad range of ailments, such as coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, gynecologic disease, stroke, and hypertension. However, although several studies on Carthami flos have been done consecutively, the results are usually scattered across various documents. This review aims to provide up-to-date information on the traditional uses, pharmacology, clinical applications, and toxicology of Carthami flos in China and thereby to provide a basis for further investigation of its use to treat dissimilar diseases. Various ethnomedical uses of Carthami flos have been documented in many ancient Chinese books. Crude extracts and isolated compounds from Carthami flos show a broad range of pharmacological properties, such as protective effects on brain tissue, on osteoblasts, and in myocardial ischemia, as well as anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antitumor, and antidiabetic activities. To date, safflower and safflor yellow injections have been used to treat coronary heart disease, chronic pulmonary heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, orthopedic diseases, and diabetes mellitus. Regarding the toxicology of Carthami flos, among the side effects that have been observed are allergic reaction, spermatogenetic failure, fatty liver, and nephrotoxicity.

Unique roles of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer‑II.

Applications of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer are becoming increasingly popular. Common nanomaterials and devices applicable in cancer medicine are classifiable as liposomes, polymeric‑micelles, dendrimers, nano‑cantilevers, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, magnetic‑nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and certain miscellaneous nanoparticles. Here, we present review of the structure, function and utilities of the various approved, under trial and pretrial nanodevices applicable in the cancer care and medicine. The liposomes are phospholipid‑vesicles made use in carrying drugs to the target site minimizing the bio‑distribution toxicity and a number of such theranostics have been approved for clinical practice. Newly worked out liposomes and polymeric micelles are under the trail phases for nano‑therapeutic utility. A multifunctional dendrimer conjugate with imaging, targeting and drug molecules of paclitaxel has been recently synthesized for cancer theranostic applications. Nano‑cantilever based assays are likely going to replace the conventions methods of chemical pathological investigations. Carbon nanotubes are emerging for utility in regenerative and cancer medicine. Quantum dots hold great promise for the micro‑metastasis and intra‑operative tumor imaging. Important applications of magnetic nanoparticles are in the cardiac stents, photodynamic therapy and liver metastasis imaging. The AuNPs have been employed for cell imaging, computed tomography and cancer therapy. Besides these categories, miscellaneous other nanoparticles are being discovered for utility in the cancer diagnosis and disease management. However, the use of nanoparticles should be cautious since the toxic effects of nanoparticles are not well‑known. The use of nanoparticles in the clinical practice and their toxicity profile require further extensive research.

Propress of epigenetics mechanism during tumor development---DNA methylation / 实用肿瘤学杂志

As a heritable regulation , epigenetics can regulate gene expression by other ways without changing the DNA sequence ,and change cell or individual phenotypes .DNA methylation is an issue in the field of epigenetics research.Recently,many studies have been demonstrated that the methylation of repetitive DNA ,spe-cific gene and CpG island and loss of imprinting play an important role in tumor occurrence .As the development of technological approaches to DNA methylation ,we have a more comprehensive understanding on methylation pat-terns.As specific markers,abnormal methylation sites in the genome can be used in the diagnosis ,treatment and prognosis predictor of disease .For tumor development caused by DNA methylation ,the application of demethylat-ing drugs have achieved good effect in clinical treatment .

Study progress on clinical application and side effects of Tripterygium wil fordii / 药学实践杂志

Tripterygium wilfordii has been widely used in clinic for the treatment of autoimmune diseases ,such as ne‐phrotic syndrome ,rheumatoid arthritis ,systemic lupus erythematosus ,and the curative effect is significant .But it has toxic and side effects for liver ,kidney ,reproductive system ,etc .The side effects of Tripterygium wilfordii are the main obstacles for the usage and promotion .The literature reports about the clinical application and side effect of Tripterygium wilfordii are reviewed in this paper ,which provides reference for usage in clinic .

Current perspectives of bio-ceramic technology in endodontics: calcium enriched mixture cement - review of its composition, properties and applications

Advancements in bio-ceramic technology has revolutionised endodontic material science by enhancing the treatment outcome for patients. This class of dental materials conciliates excellent biocompatibility with high osseoconductivity that render them ideal for endodontic care. Few recently introduced bio-ceramic materials have shown considerable clinical success over their early generations in terms of good handling characteristics. Calcium enriched mixture (CEM) cement, Endosequence sealer, and root repair materials, Biodentine and BioAggregate are the new classes of bio-ceramic materials. The aim of this literature review is to present investigations regarding properties and applications of CEM cement in endodontics. A review of the existing literature was performed by using electronic and hand searching methods for CEM cement from January 2006 to December 2013. CEM cement has a different chemical composition from that of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) but has similar clinical applications. It combines the biocompatibility of MTA with more efficient characteristics, such as significantly shorter setting time, good handling characteristics, no staining of tooth and effective seal against bacterial leakage.