Fructus Xanthii is commonly used in rhinology, especially used in treatment of chronic rhinitis and sinusitis. But Fructus Xanthii is toxicant, and it maybe result in poisoning when used excessively, without preparation or in inappropriate preparation. This article reviewed all poisoning cases from 1960 to 2000, its toxicology and methods for detoxification.

The theory of formulas corresponding to syndromes is one of the characteristics of Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (Shanghan Zabing Lun) and one of the main principles in applying classic prescriptions. It is important to take effect by following the principle of formulas corresponding to syndromes. However, some medical practitioners always feel that the actual clinical effect is far less than expected. Six errors in the use of classic prescriptions as well as the theory of formulas corresponding to syndromes are the most important causes to be considered, i.e. paying attention only to the local syndromes while neglecting the whole, paying attention only to formulas corresponding to syndromes while neglecting the pathogenesis, paying attention only to syndromes while neglecting the pulse diagnosis, paying attention only to unilateral prescription but neglecting the combined prescriptions, paying attention only to classic prescriptions while neglecting the modern formulas, and paying attention only to the formulas but neglecting the drug dosage. Therefore, not only the patients’ clinical syndromes, but also the combination of main syndrome and pathogenesis simultaneously is necessary in the clinical applications of classic prescriptions and the theory of prescription corresponding to syndrome. In addition, comprehensive syndrome differentiation, modern formulas, current prescriptions, combined prescriptions, and drug dosage all contribute to avoid clinical errors and improve clinical effects.

Pulmonary-fibrosis (PF) is the result of interstitial lung disease which has different causes and it is one of the most intractable diseases in respiratory system. The PF is characterized by progressive difficulty of breath and dying of respiratory failure, seriously threatening the health of people. Immunosuppressive drugs and glucocorticoids have been widely adopted as the main methods in treatment, but the results are not satisfactory and the side effects are obvious. Many specialists have tried traditional Chinese medicine in recent years with satisfactory effect, indicating that the prospect of using traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of PF is optimistic. This article outlines the researches about using traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of PF.

On the basis of medical literature review and clinical research experience, the authors analyzed the reasons for low recognition rate of depression and poor progress of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiation of depression in this paper and put forward that depressive episode symptoms and the corresponding common terminology classification of Chinese and Western medicine should be the breakthrough points. Through symptom stratification and combination, as well as distinguishing between primary and secondary symptoms, the comprehensive integrative medicine clinical assessment of depression was explored so as to further obtain expert consensus and provide a methodology reference for the TCM differentiation of depression and the research of etiology and pathogenesis.

World Health Organization aims to develop safe, effective and practical traditional medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and other complementary and alternative medicine are being recognized in the whole world nowadays. However, the definite effect of Chinese medicine is still in need of scientific research proof. Placebo control is of equal importance to active control and blank control in clinical trial of TCM. This article briefly reviewed the importance of placebo control and commented on its present situation in clinical trial of TCM. This article also brought up the preliminary proposals of placebo application in TCM clinical trial. We should emphasize scientific placebo preparation and good design of placebo-controlled trial, which are directed by International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. A good clinical trial project will avoid unnecessary wastes and provide safe and effective treatment for people.

Effect of clinical intervention on human body is multistage and multifaceted, involving physiology, psychology, social function and the surrounding resources, etc. Therefore, the range of clinical outcome assessment includes patient, his or her family and care giver. The evaluation of clinical intervention mainly focuses on its effectiveness, safety and health economics. Effects of clinical interventions are measured by comparisons of the outcome of intervention and control groups. Different effect measures come from different comparisons.

Our ancestor found that some of the Chinese herbal drugs were toxic during their clinical practice. They graded the toxicity of Chinese herbal drugs into three degrees and thought that the term "toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs" could be used in a broad and a narrow sense. In modern times, toxic components of the Chinese herbal drugs and their toxic mechanisms, especially the toxicity on the kidney, were further revealed. The factors that affect the toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs include the species, preparation, dose and environment. To prevent the toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs, we must strengthen the management of the Chinese herbal drugs. On the other hand, doctors' recognition of the toxicity of Chinese herbal drugs should be enhanced. At the same time, patients should be told to decoct and take Chinese herbal drugs correctly.

The concept of "three-yin and three-yang" in Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases), a classic written by Zhang Zhongjing in Han Dynasty, has been always the focus of dispute in successive dynasties. The essence of "three-yin and three-yang" has not been fully revealed up till now. Through studying the six divisions of day and night, the six diseases, the combination of syndromes, the complicated diseases, the complete recovery time and the space division of "three-yin and three-yang", the authors draw a conclusion that the "three-yin and three-yang" in Shanghan Lun is a concept of time-sequence, which is associated with the location of disease in space. So it is suggested that the "six diseases" in Shanghan Lun is a categorization for exogenous febrile diseases, and this categorization reveals a sort of inner relationship between the emergence, development, transformation of the febrile diseases and the time.

Pathology and pathophysiology are sciences studying the laws and mechanisms of the occurrence and developmont of diseases,linking up the preclinical and clinical medicine.Owing to the different perspectives and ways of thinking,the western medicine and the traditional Chinese medicine developed respectively their independent theoretical,diagnostic and therapeutic systems.Integrative medicine,combining the theories and treatments of both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine,has become the developing trend of medicine along with the social development.For this reason,pathological and pathophysiological research in integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine is highly significant for revealing the internal relations between the clinical manifestation and the pathological changes,for expounding the causes,conditions.mechanisms and laws of the occurrence and development of diseases.In doing related research,we should combine the disease and the syndrome,combine the macro-level and the micro-level,combine the part and the whole.We should manage to systematize the clinical research,to establish animal models of the syndromes,and to integrate the animal models of syndromes with the clinical characteristics of disesses.We should apply the theories of traditional Chinese medicine to the pathological and pathophysiological research of modern medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine has accumlated rich experience in treating dysfunction of gastrointestinal peristalsis. In recent years, a large number of studies have been made on the mechanism and effects of traditional Chinese medicines on the gastrointestinal peristalsis, and the concept of "gastrointestinal promoting Chinese medicine" has been advocated. These traditional Chinese medicines can be divided into three types: promoting the gastrointestinal peristalsis, inhibiting the gastrointestinal peristalsis, and bi-directional modulating. The in vivo and/or in vitro experiments showed that some of the traditional Chinese medicines for activating blood or regulating qi could promote the stomach peristalsis, and the traditional Chinese medicines for moistening intestines to relieve constipation or invigorating spleen to promote digestion could accelerate the intestinal peristalsis. The mechanism lies in the neuroregulation and gut-peptide regulation. Further research on multi-regulation and of multi-target should be done, for the mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicines in regulating the gastrointestinal peristalsis is far more complicated.

Acupuncture is widely used as an alternative therapy with few side effects because of its simple manipulation and low cost. However, accidents may occur if the practitioner uses it improperly. Early in the Qin dynastuy, the Canon of Medicine mentioned that improper use of acupuncture could cause injury to the body and even death, and it systematically described the occurrence and prevention of acupuncture accidents. Physicians in the successive dynasties frequently reported it, and nealized that the manipulation skills were significantly important in preventing the occurrence of acupuncture accidents.Since the 1950s, acupuncture accidents had been effectively prevented because of the improving of acupuncture instruments, enhancing of the quality of the practitioners, popularizing of sterilization and disseminating of anatomic knowledge. Nevertherless, with the renovating of acupuncture techniques, new accidents may occur constantly. The prevention of acupuncture accidents still should be an arduors task for acupuncturists. Nowadays, acupuncture therapy is being used in more than 140 countries, and acupuncture accidents due to improper application are incrcasing. Prevention of acupuncture accidents has become a global issue deserving of great attention.

International League Against Epilepsy announced the new International Classification of Epilepsy in 2001. One of the main objectives of the project is to adopt standard terms to describe seizure phenomena according to the terminological database. The project may profit academic communication and resource integration, and provide evidence for the individual treatment for epilepsy. Treatment based on syndrome differentiation is one of the characteristics of the treatment for epilepsy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As far as the individuation on diagnosis and treatment is concerned, TCM and Western medicine present to reach the same goal by different routes gradually for the treatment of epilepsy. But for TCM, the diagnosis and treatment criteria for epilepsy are imperfect and the experts, opinions are not unified, so that the treatment based on syndrome differentiation becomes confused, hence the credit of treatment based on TCM is restricted accordingly. It is necessary to formulate advanced diagnosis and treatment criteria for syndromes of epilepsy in TCM.

Spinal disease is the injury caused by congenital malformation, degeneration, inflammation and trauma. These injuries lead to structural lesion of spinal itself, intervertebral discs, spinal cord, nerve root and the attachment, and can cause spinal and associated diseases. Spinal diseases include some frequently encountered diseases, as well as some stubborn and serious diseases. These diseases may cause pain of head and neck, shoulder and arm, waist and leg when they are mild, and partial or thorough paralysis when they are serious. In this article, the history, development, foundations and research progress of non-surgical operation of spinal diseases and the developing tendency of modern spinology are introduced.

“Association of the kidney with the ears” is central to the traditional Chinese medical (TCM) theory of the viscera and their manifestations. Previous studies have shown that thyroxin, aldosterone, calcium and iron might be the material basis of the correlation between the kidney and the ears. Due to restriction in research techniques and methods, there has been no further progress in this research field, whose modern biological mechanisms and scientific connotations have not been explained clearly. In recent years, the progress of biological techniques and research on kidney essence provided promising opportunities for research of the association between the kidney and the ears. This article summarized the study progress of “association of the kidney with the ears” theory and posed some meaningful study thoughts. Presbycusis is a kind of degenerative disease caused by aging, which is one aspect of aging of the human body. Because aging is considered as physiological “kidney deficiency”, presbycusis can be regarded as a model of “kidney deficiency” deafness. In conclusion, investigating the correlation between “kidney deficiency” and presbycusis using biotechnology systems combined with “essence of kidney”, should provide a sound basis for study of the theory of the relationship between the kidney and the ears. This will provide new and valuable information for the modern biological research about the theory of visceral associations in TCM.

Clinical practice guidelines play an important role in practitioner and patient decisions regarding appropriate clinical health care and in health policy formation. In the guideline development process, inappropriate methodologies and development strategies significantly influence the quality of guidelines; therefore, research and evaluation of guidelines have great significance. The original Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument was published in 2003 by a group of international guideline developers and researchers. AGREE has important significance for the quality guarantee and successful implementation of guidelines, and has extensively achieved endorsement since 2003. In 2009, The AGREE Collaboration has developed the AGREE Ⅱ by refining the original AGREE instrument. At present, the AGREE Ⅱ has already replaced the original AGREE instrument; however, related introduction regarding AGREE Ⅱ has not been found in China. The authors of this article briefly introduce the AGREE Ⅱ, and believe that it will add value to research and evaluation of the guidelines.

Objective: To study the possible pathway of the effect of musk on brain disorder,distributing into the brain through blood brain barrier.Methods: We used the musk ketone (muscone), a main composition of musk,to inject through the tail vein of the rats into the blood and took the brain and other organs at different times to make samples. Then gas chromatography was used to measure the distribution of muscone in the brain and other organs.Results: Muscone could pass through the normal rat's blood brain barrier into the brain and soon reached the highest peak and remained in higher concentration, and more slowly metabolized as compared with other organs.Conclusion: Musk distributing into the brain through blood brain barrier provides the basis for its effect in treating brain disorders. Chromatography is an effective method to study the active composition of Chinese herbal medicine distributing through the blood brain barrier into the brain.

Study of kidney deficiency syndrome may utilize the modern molecular biology technique, such as gene chip, representational difference analysis (RDA) and genes sequence analysis, to clone the different genes of kidney deficiency syndrome from single TCM syndrome type of the disease, to investigate the inner connection between the various phenotypes of kidney deficiency syndrome and their genes expression pattern and their function products, then to definite the related genes of kidney deficiency syndrome. The research method may also be used for the study of other TCM syndrome types.

Murraya koenigii Spreng (Rutaceae), a medicinally important herb of Indian origin, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Leaves, fruits, roots and bark of this plant are a rich source of carbazole alkaloids. These alkaloids have been reported for their various pharmacological activities such as antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, diuretic and antioxidant activities. Apart from these activities, the plant is reported to possess a wide spectrum of biological activities. Phytochemistry and pharmacology of this plant make a demand of an exhaustive review of its potential as a valuable therapeutic agent for the treatment and management of various ailments frequently affecting humans. The present review gives a detailed description of the phytochemical, pharmacological, clinical and pre-clinical works carried out on this medicinal herb and also throws light on its therapeutic potential.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used in treating liver diseases worldwide, especially in China. The advantages of using TCM for treatment of liver diseases include: protecting hepatocytes, inhibiting hepatic inflammation and antifibrosis in the liver. In this article, we introduce TCM herbal preparations from the Chinese materia medica (such as Fuzheng Huayu) that are typically used for the treatment of liver diseases. Literature surrounding the mechanisms of TCM therapy for treatment of liver diseases is presented and discussed. We propose that side effects of herbal compounds are often under-appreciated, and that more care should be taken in the prescription of potentially hepatotoxic medicines. Further, to deepen the understanding of TCM mechanisms, new techniques and methodologies must be developed. Future studies will lead to the enhancement of clinical outcomes of TCM. As complementary and alternative therapies, TCMs will play an expanding role in the future of liver disease treatment.

Objective: To establish Caco-2 (a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line) cell monolayer model and the standard operation procedure for studying and assessing intestinal absorption of chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine.Methods: Caco-2 cell monolayer model was established and evaluated by morphology feature using scanning electron microscope, inverted microscope and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assay. Additionally, the model was further tested for the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the apparent permeability (P_app) of standard compounds, i.e. propranolol and atenolol, which were the control substances for high and poor transcellular transport marker, respectively.Results: The integrality of cell monolayer, cell differentiation (reflected by expression of alkaline phosphatase and cell monolayer morphology), and the P_app value of standard compounds in the established Caco-2 cell model were satisfactory. All parameters tested were in good agreement with those reported in the literature.Conclusion: The established Caco-2 cell model can be used to study the intestinal absorption of orally administrated chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine and their absorption mechanism.

Acupuncture therapy is one of the original innovations in traditional Chinese medicine. The study of acupuncture has gradually advanced towards the world since 1970s. In these years the most important events might be the influence of acupuncture anesthesia, the attention of the World Health Organization, the establishment and development of the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies, and the consensus development conference on acupuncture held by the National Institutes of Health in America, and so on. The reasons why acupuncture is accepted by the world are both the convinced curative effects and the scientific foundations, due to the great efforts of medical stuff in China guided by the principle of integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine. This article poses several proposals about further extending the influence of acupuncture. In brief, acupuncture research is one of the few fields that authentically impact the western scientific technology. It is of very important responsibility in the new century to impulse the acupuncture study to further progress and expand the international influence of acupuncture.

Objective

To discuss the definition of "traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine integration" and "integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine".

Methods

Logic methods.

Results

It was found that there were a lot of problems on the definition of "traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine integration" and "integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine".

Conclusion

The understanding of the concepts of "traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine integration" and "integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine" was improved after the extensive discussion.

The concept of syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a nonlinear, open and complicated huge system. Syndrome differentiation in TCM belongs to cognitive and noetic science. To establish a new syndrome differentiation system based on the key elements of the syndrome is necessary for TCM practitioners to promote differentiation ability and reach consensus on differentiation method. With combination of experience and computation models, the Bayesian network was used in the study of the relationship between the key elements of syndrome and the symptoms, and the relationship among different key elements, in which the computing diagnosis result was identical to the result from an experienced TCM doctor. The study showed that Bayesian network is a good method to deal with the information of symptoms and signs for syndrome differentiation, but it is also not to reflect comprehensively the thinking ability of TCM doctors in doing syndrome differentiation.

The scientificalness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often doubted and criticized for the record in Huangdi Neijing that the liver is located in the left of the human body. The most popular explanation of this criticism is that the conception of zang-fu viscera in TCM is quite different from which defined in Western medicine. It means that the zang-fu viscera in TCM are not exactly the corresponding anatomical organs in modern human anatomy but reflect the functions of some systems in human body. According to the classical theories of TCM in Huangdi Neijing, we consider that the record of liver located in the left of the human body is based on the Ba Gua (Eight Diagrams) of traditional Chinese philosophy, not the human anatomy. In brief, the conception of zang-fu viscera is initially a gross anatomical conception, and in a sense the anatomic sites and functions of which are mostly similar to those described in Western medicine.

Objective

To explore the way of quantified diagnosis of blood stasis syndrome (BSS) and the essence of BSS.

Methods

Using t-test and logistic regression to analyze the symptoms, signs, and objective indexes of BSS in clinical test.

Results

(1) The levels of endothelin, nitric oxide, and t-PA between 182 patients with BSS and non-BSS had notable difference. (2) The stepwise regression analysis about hemoglobin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, endothelin, nitric oxide, and t-PA in 170 patients with BSS or non-BSS revealed that the order of these indexes considering their importance was: endothelin, hemoglobin, t-PA, nitric oxide. However, the triglyceride and total cholesterol could not enter the regression equations. (3) The stepwise regression analysis about 40 symptoms and signs in 601 patients with BSS or non-BSS revealed that the 18 items had the very contribution to diagnose the BSS when the F value was 6, and so a regression equation was available. The total coincidence ratio was 94.24% when the other quantified data about BSS were tested in the equation.

Conclusion

The standardized TCM syndrome, which accorded with the criteria of combining diseases with syndrome,was made up of symptoms, signs, and objective indexes.The standard could be obtained by multi-center, prospective, random and controlled clinical epidemiological survey and clinical test.

Objective: There exists a close relationship between drying of a fresh herb and its preservation and extraction of efficient components. In order to investigate the influences of different drying methods on extraction and separation of ginsenosides, three drying processes, such as drying in the sun, drying in oven and microwave drying, were used to dry fresh ginsengs .Methods: The ginsenosides of the dry ginsengs were extracted by poaching and microwave heating, and were separated by foam separation.The concentrations of ginsenosides were measured.Results: Microwave drying saved both time and labour, and was favorable for release of ginsenosides. The ginsenosides could be extracted from the dry ginsengs in a shorter time by microwave heating than poaching. The ginsenosides Rb₁, Rb₂, Rd could be observably concentrated by foam separation.Conclusion: Microwave drying and microwave assisted extraction are efficient and economic methods with a high recovery yield of ginsenosides.

Pain is one of the common symptoms of cancer which seriously affects the quality of life of the patients. Cancer pain is mainly treated with the three-step method, biological therapy or nerve block therapy based on antitumor therapy. However, up to 50 percent of patients with cancer-related pain do not receive adequate pain relief, affecting their physical and psychological well-being, and leading to a lower quality of life for the patient after conventional treatment. Clinical observation suggests that traditional Chinese medicine may alleviate cancer-related pain either by oral administration, topical administration, acupuncture or other means with continuing non-addictive and non-drug-resistant qualities. However, scientific evaluation of the efficacy of herbs in the treatment of pain is insufficient; the underlying mechanisms are unclear and, safety and toxicity remain a concern.

Metabolic syndrome also can be named insulin resistance syndrome. The main clinical manifestations include metabolic disorders of glucose and lipid and some diseases caused by the metabolic disorder, such as impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes, obesity, hyperlipemia, fatty liver, hypertension, coronary heart disease, microalbuminuria, etc. According to the theory of zang-fu organs (viscera) in traditional Chinese medicine, these diseases all result from the deficiency of spleen-qi. They are characterized by deficiency in the Ben (root) and excess in the Biao (branch). The Ben (root) is the failure of the spleen in transportation, and the Biao (branch) is stagnation of qi, blood, phlegm, fire, dampness and food. In the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, it is advocated that the intervention of medicine should be used as early as possible, so as to slow down the occurrence and development of insulin resistance, and that emphasis should be transferred from decreasing blood glucose alone to comprehensive prevention of risk factors, especially to the prevention of cardiovascular events. The effect of traditional Chinese herbs is not as good as the western drugs in decreasing the blood pressure and glucose. However, the traditional Chinese herbs have distinctive superiority in ameliorating the insulin resistance, protecting the injury of vascular endothelial cells, regulating the metabolism of lipid, inhibiting the hypercoagulability, and treating the inflammation. Moreover, they are relatively safe. Therefore, the integration of the traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine is worth further research.

Objective: To select the proper experimental animal model for research on prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia.Methods: Hyperlipidemia models of mouse, rat, golden hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, pigeon and quail often used in the last ten years were compared.Results: Golden hamster and guinea pig models are similar to human beings in lipid metabolism and have unique superiority in experimental study, while the models of rat, mouse, pigeon and quail have significant difference as compared with human beings. Rabbit is one of the best animal models in studying new drugs for regulating lipid and treating arteriosclerosis.Conclusion: Factors such as the required time, indexes, the duration of making models, and the cost and feeding of animals should be considered in selecting animal models according with the experimental requirements.