The article analyzed the contemporary study of pattern recognition of tongue images in traditional Chinese medicine by computer technology from its key sectors. It regards that the methods of orthogonal design and evaluation of image quality should be introduced to get a high-quality and practicable condition. In the field of tongue image segmentation, multiple methods used together are expected to improve the effect of segmentation. A scientific and canonical standard of tongue diagnosis based on comprehensive experts' experience with Delphi evaluation method and multi-center experts diagnosis on internet are also very essential. The study of pattern recognition on tongue image is still concentrated on the color. Further study should be extended to achieve quantification. And a comprehensive diagnosis on pattern recognition of tongue image is the aim that should be focused on later.

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.

Radix Glycyrrhizae is a commonly used herbal drug for traditional Chinese medicine in China, and it is also an important material for drug, food, chemical industry, and dye industry. Furthermore, in Northwest China, Radix Glycyrrhizae acts as a key plant for preventing desertification, which currently is the most serious environmental problem in China. This report concentrated on discussing the great potential value of Glycyrrhiza on ecosystem, introducing the principles of protection and sustainable utilization of Glycyrrhiza resource, offering the suitable methods of utilization, and suggesting how to carry out the research on the substitute drugs. To protect the ecosystem and herbal resource of Radix Glycyrrhizae, we should use this herb in a more reasonable way.

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.

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.

Objective

To study the efficacy and safety of Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FZHY Capsule) against liver fibrosis with chronic hepatitis B.

Methods

Multicentric, randomized, double blinded and paralleled control led trial was conducted on patients (aged between 18 and 65) with liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B．Indexes observed: (1) hepatic histological changes and HBV markers were observed at 0 and 24th week during the treatment; serological indexes (HA, LN, P-Ⅲ-P, Ⅳ-C) were determined and B ultrasound examination of spleen and liver was taken at 0, 12th, 24th week; liver function (during the period of follow-up, liver function and serological indexes for liver fibrosis were evaluated) were observed at 0, 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th week; (2) indexes for safety: blood and urine routine tests, renal function and ECG were examined.

Results

(1) Enrollment and demographic data: There was no significant difference between the trial (110 cases) and control group (106 cases) in demographic feature, vital signs, course of illness,history for drug anaphylaxis, history of previous therapy, liver function, serological indexes for liver fibrosis, liver histological examination (99 cases for test group, 96 cases for control group), HBV markers, and renal function, etc. (2) Histological pathological examination: 93 cases of liver histological examination were taken, of these 50 cases for the trial group and 43 cases for control group which turned out to be at S mean value of 2.33 and 2.11 respectively pretreatment according to criteria for liver fibrosis staging. Post-treatment, the trial showed a significant decrease with S value of 1.80 compared to that of pretreatment; however, there was no significant improvement in control group before and after the treatment with S mean value of 2.14. There was significant difference in reversing rate (decrease at least 1 stage according to criteria for liver fibrosis staging) between the trial (52%) and control (23.3%) after liver biopsy. The trial had a rather good effect on improving inflammatory activity and was superior to control group with a marked decrease of mean value of inflammatory activity and score of inflammation (P<0.05). (3) Serological indexes for liver fibrosis: There was a significant decrease in HA, LN, P-Ⅲ-P, Ⅳ-C content in test group after 12 and 24 weeks' treatment compared to that of pretreatment; the differences of HA, LN, P-Ⅲ-P, Ⅳ-C between 12 , 24 weeks' treatment and pretreatment were significantly greater than control group (P<0.01 or 0.05); the effectual was defined as 2 of 4 indexes lowered more than 30% of the baseline, according to this criteria, the trial was 72.7%, while control group 27.4% (P<0.01). (4) Liver function: Obvious improvement of serum Alb, ALT, AST, GGT was seen in 2 groups; compared with control group, marked improvement of GGT and Alb in the trial (P<0.05); the effective rate of serum ALT in the trial group was 72.7%, while control 59.4%. (5) No changes of significant difference between pre- and post-treatment in routine tests for blood and urine, renal function and ECG, etc. There was also no difference in the stable rate of ALT and serological indexes for liver fibrosis between the trial and control group 12 weeks after withdrawal (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Fuzheng Huayu Capsule has good effect on alleviating liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B without any adverse effect and is superior to Heluo Shugan Capsule. Fuzheng Huayu Capsule is a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.

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.

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.

Objective

To introduce and analyse the present status of research on decomposed recipes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Methods

The relevant literature on the study of the decomposed recipes of TCM in the past five years was collected and analysed.

Results and Conclusion

Studies on the decomposed recipes of TCM have been made from the whole body level to the organ, cell and molecular research level. The pharmacological research in vitro is the main way and quantitative changes of the chemical ingredients have been measured before and after composition. It is very important to combine the modern science and technology in exploring the composing mechanisms of TCM remedies.

Objective: To introduce the method of analyzing repeated data measured by water maze with SPSS 11.0, and offer a reference statistical method to clinical and basic medicine researchers who take the design of repeated measures. 

Methods: Using repeated measures and multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) process of the general linear model in SPSS and giving comparison among different groups and different measure time pairwise. 

Results: Firstly, Mauchly's test of sphericity should be used to judge whether there were relations among the repeatedly measured data. If any (P≤0.05), multivariate ANOVA should be taken next, or Greenhouse-Geisser corrected results should be taken. Treated effect could be evaluated by estimating between-subject variance. Repeated measurement effect or its interactive effect with treated group could be evaluated by estimating within-subject variance. The method of Bonferroni should be used to do pairwise comparisons of the repeatedly measured data in different measurement time of each treated group. With multivariate ANOVA, data in different treated group of each measurement time could be compared pairwise. 

Conclusion: The repeated measures process of the general linear model is suitable for variance analysis of repeatedly measured data. SPSS statistical package is available to fulfil this process.

Objective

To investigate analgesic, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) by three experimental methods. 

Methods

Analgesic activity of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (EEPF) was carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition in mice. The method of castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice was utilized to evaluate antidiarrhoeal activity. The cytotoxic activity of EEPF was explored with a brine shrimp lethality bioassay. 

Results

The extract showed 68.75% and 30.00% inhibition of writhe at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The extract increased the mean latent period prior to diarrhoeal onset to about 1.55 h and 1.17 h, and decreased the mean number of stools to 4.4 and 5.6 at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight. The extract also demonstrated cytotoxic activity in the brine shrimp lethality assay, and the median lethal concentration for brine shrimp nauplii was 80 μg/mL. 

Conclusion

The results suggest that the plant extract has analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities, supporting its uses in traditional medicine. The results also demonstrate that the plant extract possesses cytotoxic activities.

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.

Objective

To investigate the effects of Yangyin Shengjin Decoction (YYSJD) on hemorheological parameters and coagulation factors in model rabbits with syndrome of excessive heat consuming body fluid and blood stasis.

Methods

Rabbit model with syndrome of excessive heat consuming body fluid and blood stasis was produced. The effects of YYSJD on the blood viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hematocrit, platelet aggregation rate, prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), kaolin partial thromboplastin time (KPTT), fibrinogen (Fg), thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂), and 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α (6-keto-PGF_1α) in the model rabbits were observed.

Results

YYSJD decreased the whole blood viscosity and hematocrit, inhibited the platelet aggregation, prolonged PT, TT and KPTT, and reduced the content of Fg. It also regulated the balance between TXB₂ and 6-keto-PGF_1α.

Conclusion

YYSJD can promote the blood circulation, adjust the blood agglutinating function, and decrease the formation of thrombus. This is one of the pharmacological mechanisms of the therapeutic method of "nourishing yin to promote blood circulation" in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine for seasonal febrile diseases.

Currently, the model of the research evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is set up through imitating that of western medicine. The application of quantitative research to TCM does promote the advance of modernization of TCM, which explore the part of TCM that can be measured in quantitative method. However, TCM has a background of profound philosophy and culture. The priority of TCM can not be expressed through quantitative research alone. On the contrary, qualitative research is more suitable to most research area of TCM. In TCM clinical research, the priority of TCM should be fully explored. It is very significant to set up the effectiveness evaluation system of TCM, especially by applying qualitative research to the diagnosis and the evaluation of treatment results and combining quantitative research.

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.

Insulin resistance is the common pathophysiologic basis of multiple metabolic diseases, but the exact mechanism of insulin resistance is still unclear presently. In the past few years, studies on the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, in which the endocrine function of adipocyte and inflammation reaction participate, as well as the insulin-sensitizing drugs have become the new hotspot. The exploration on pathogenesis and treatment of insulin resistance in traditional Chinese medicine has established a foundation for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance in integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.

The genus Michelia, belonging to family Magnoliaceae, consists of about 80 plant species mainly distributed in South Asian countries. The plants of this genus have been traditionally used in curing various diseases like fever, colic, leprosy, eye disorders, inflammation, antidote for scorpion, etc. Ninety-four compounds isolated from nine species of the genus Michelia like sesquiterpenes, steroids, flavonoids, aporphines, phenols, esters, benzenoids and alkaloids have antibacterial, anticancer and antiplasmodial activities. This review presents first time detailed information on chemical and biological properties of constituents isolated from the genusMichelia.

Objective: To explore the experience of the process of Tai Chi exercise
Methods: The study was conducted in a local park in Beijing of China where varying numbers of community members gathered to practice Tai Chi every day. Volunteers meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited after signed an informed consent form. In-depth interview and the participatory observation were used to know of the real feeling of practicing Tai Chi. The qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by using Colaizzi seven-step method to find the subjects.
Results: Six volunteers having a long-time Tai Chi exercise were recruited in this qualitative study, and their real experience was summarized in the physiological level, psychological level, social level and cultural level. In the physiological level, Tai Chi improves the health and exercise of Tai Chi assists the elderly to develop good living habits. In the psychological level, Tai Chi practice guides the person to inner peace, relieves tension, improves depressive mood state, and makes the elderly regain self worth. In the social level Tai Chi is a good form of community practice. In the cultural level, Tai Chi roots in yin and yang culture and integrates internal and external exercises.
Conclusion: Tai Chi is good for body and mind health and the community of practice is very important for practitioners. Tai Chi gains popularity for its benefits to health and psychological adjustments, and its cultural connotation.

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 observe the effects of salidroside on carbohydrate metabolism and differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods: 3H-glucose uptaking rate in adipocytes treated by salidroside was detected. Adipocytes treated by salidroside in differentiation were stained by oil red O and analyzed by spectrophotography quantitatively. The expression of PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α mRNA relating to differentiation of adipocytes was detected by reverse transcription PCR. Results: 3H-glucose uptaking rate in the salidroside group was 110.4％, higher than that in the blank control group (P<0.01). Salidroside suppressed the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and down-regulated the expression of PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α mRNA (P<0.01, vs control group). Conclusion: Salidroside promotes the 3H-glucose uptaking, suppresses the differentiation and down-regulates the expression of PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α mRNA in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

There exists close relationship between the damp-heat and the occurrence, development, treatment and prognosis of kidney diseases. The occurrence of damp-heat is based on water and wetness, which may come from outside or may be caused by internal damage. The water and wetness can change into heat if they are stored in the body for a long period, and the combination of water and wetness and heat may cause damp-heat syndrome. The function of spleen and stomach plays the most important role in the water metabolism of sanjiao. Kidney diseases are mainly caused by damp-heat of spleen and stomach resulted from internal damage of spleen and stomach, and symptoms of damp-heat of middle-jiao are commonly seen in most patients of chronic kidney diseases. During the development from renal function damage to renal failure, the remaining of damp-heat in san-jiao can affect the function of spleen and stomach for transportation, transformation and digestion, resulting in the symptoms of dysfunction of spleen and stomach. Regulating the function of spleen and stomach is one of the most important therapeutic methods for kidney diseases.

Objective: To investigate the effects of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate on cell cycle and apoptosis of human gastric epithelial cell line AGS cells.
Methods: The inhibitory effects of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate at different concentrations on AGS cell growth were measured by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and the concentrations of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate to be used in following experiments were decided. Then, cell cycle analysis was performed by FACScan flow cytometry after culture with taraxerol or taraxeryl acetate. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining was used to measure cell apoptosis.
Results: Taraxerol significantly inhibited AGS cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Taraxerol arrested the AGS cells at G₂/M stage. 110 μmol/L taraxerol elevated the population of AGS cells arrested in G₂/M phase compared with solvent (P<0.05). Taraxerol also promoted early cell apoptosis in AGS cells. 110 μmol/L taraxerol increased the early cell apoptosis rate from 4.45% to 10.29%, which was 1.31 times higher than that of the untreated cells. However, taraxeryl acetate had a lower inhibitory effect than taraxerol, and it showed a tendency of G₂/M arrest and apoptosis promotion but with no statistical significance (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Taraxerol has inhibitory effects on AGS cell growth through inducing G₂/M arrest and promotion of cell apoptosis. Taraxeryl acetate has less effect on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of AGS cells than taraxerol.

Objective: To study the analgesic effects of naringenin on chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain.
Methods: After inducing of neuropathic pain by CCI, treatment with 25 and 50 mg/kg of naringenin and 10 mg/kg of pregabalin was given. Rats were evaluated for behavioral tests using Hargreaves apparatus for thermal hyperalgesia, pin prick test for tactile mechanical hyperalgesia and cold water-induced allodynia on days 0, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21. At the end of study, oxidative stress parameters were measured.
Results: Naringenin showed ameliorating action against CCI-induced neuropathic pain in all the tested models. Also, naringenin attenuated the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide, and restored the level of reduced glutathione.
Conclusion: The results of the present investigation suggest that naringenin exhibits analgesic effect in sciatic nerve injury model.

By retrospectively reviewing the current status of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine treatments of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP), the TCM understanding of its etiologies and pathogenesis, the therapeutic principles and the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment of CNP, the clinical study strategies of acupuncture treatment for CNP were further proposed, which could provide more scientific basis and support for the definite longer-term therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture treatment of CNP. Breakthrough in the treatment of CNP will be achieved with the application of acupuncture therapy both in clinical practice and experimental research.

Objective: To study the pulse diagram parameters of subjects with subhealth state and to find the pulse parameters for subhealth state evaluation. .

Conclusion: A total of 1 275 subjects without diagnosed diseases were recruited and their health conditions were assessed with Health Evaluating Questionnaire H20 V2009. The subjects were assigned to health group or subhealth group according to the scale score. Subjects’ syndrome in the subhealth group was differentiated using score of “subhealth state of syndrome differentiation V2010”. Another 121 patients with cardiovascular diseases were enrolled as a control. The pulse information was collected with YJJ-101 subhealth pulse monitoring system and the parameters include amplitude of main wave (h₁), amplitude of repeat wave (h₅) and its front wave (h₃), 1/3 or 1/5 width of main wave (w₁) or (w₂), time of rapid ejection phase (t₂), period of pulse (t), pulse pressure (Pp), square (S), area in systole (As) and area in diastole (Ad) of pulse diagram and ratios of h₃/h₁, h₅/h₁, w₁/t, w₂/t and h₁/t₁.

Results: Pulse diagram analysis showed significant differences among health, subhealth and disease group in Pp, h₁, S and As and ratios of h₅/h₁ and w₂/t. Compared with the health group, the values of w₁/t and w₂/t of the subhealth group increased (P<0.05), and Pp, h₁, h₅, h₅/h₁, S, As and Ad decreased (P<0.05). Compared with health group, the parameters of pulse of the subhealth group were increased in Pp and h₅/h₁ (P<0.05) and decreased in h₁, w₂/t, S and As (P<0.05). Compared with health group, pulse parameters h₃/h₁, w₁, w₁/t, w₂/t of excess and deficiency syndrome group increased, and h₁, h₅, h₁/t₁ and h₅/h₁ decreased. Among different syndromes of subhealth state, pulse diagram parameters h₁, h₅, h₃/h₁, h₅/h₁ and w₁/t of yin deficiency, qi deficiency, liver stagnation and excess heat group were significantly different (P<0.05) from the health group, for example, pulse parameters h₁ and h₅ of stagnation, yin deficiency, qi deficiency and excess heat group declined in order, and pulse parameters h₃/h₁ and w₁/t of liver stagnation, excess heat, yin deficiency and qi deficiency group increased in order. Pulse index h₁ in the kidney deficiency group was higher than that in the health group and the other syndrome groups.

Conclusion: Results of analyzing sphygmogram parameters showed different characteristics among different health status and the subhealth state due to different syndromes. Sphygmogram parameters may be used for objective evaluation of health status or subhealth syndrome differentiation.

Oenothera genus (Onagraceae) has been used as a folk remedy since ancient times for the treatment of asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, neuralgia, skin diseases, and hepatic and kidney diseases. Different chemical constituents like lipids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids and triterpenes have been isolated from this genus. The various notable pharmacological activities reported from the genus are antioxidant, cytotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidaemic, thrombolytic and antidiarrhoeal. The present paper is to summarize the worldwide reported biological activities and phytoconstituents associated with this genus for about 50 years and highlight the medicinally important species belonging to this genus so that these species can be further explored and used as therapeutic agents for various diseases.

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.

Integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine (ITCWM) plays an important role in developing traditional Chinese medicine. Implementing ITCWM is necessary in accordance with the developing rule of medical sciences and the optimum profits pursued in medical areas. In the face of challenge and problems, collaborating with international academic researchers interested in ITCWM, striving to resolve some problems and puzzles in basic and clinical research of ITCWM, introducing new methods and techniques from any other subjects into the research of ITCWM, and encouraging communication and cooperation among investigators from different scientific areas are suggested to be carried out. It is actually a great opportunity to develop ITCWM at present.

Natural products, either as pure compounds or as standardized plant extracts, provide extensive opportunities for new drug leads because of the unmatched availability of chemical diversity. In contrast to modern medicines, herbal medicines are frequently used to treat chronic diseases. Standardization guarantees the content of one or more active constituents and marker compounds. The plant environment and genetic factors could significantly affect the biochemical components of the plant extract, in which plants are still the most abundant and cost-effective resource for drug innovation. Production of botanical drugs requires genetically uniform monocultures of the source plant in fully standardized conditions, to assure the biochemical consistency and to optimize the safety and efficacy of every crop. The present review article illustrates about the methods for standardization of herbal medicine and how the goal of preparing herbal medicines of consistent quality and effects can be achieved.