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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Facing the challenge of modern medicine, how to develop Chinese traditional surgery is a question. The tremendous heritage of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the springhead of the development and innovation of TCM. Succession and innovation is an eternal subject for the development of Chinese traditional surgery. In order to improve Chinese traditional surgery, we should explore traditional medical literature, and carry forward the theories of Chinese traditional surgery.

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 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.

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 high recurrent rate and insufficient protection of anal function in treatment of anal fistula were reviewed in this article. To solve the problems in the treatment of complex fistula-in-ano including ignorance of preoperative assessment and lack of consciousness of preserving anal function, the authors raised the countermeasures to carry out the “gold standard” of preoperative assessment and the system of medical delivery, form the new principle of incision of anal sphincters, collect the high-level evidence-based medicine proof, improve the healing rate and significantly reduce the postoperative continence disturbance, so as to develop a new guideline for the treatment of fistula-in-ano.

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.

According to TCM theory of the wholistic concept and the principles of sydrome differentiation and treatment, the characteristics of the pathogenesis of aplastic anemia (AA) were summarized and corresponding treatment was put forward on the basis of clinical observation and the study of literature. In the pathogenesis of AA, the deficiency of spleen and kidney is the primary aspect, fire attacking blood vessels is the secondary aspect and there is change because of blood stasis. In treatment,the method of invigorating spleen and tonifying kidney is adopted in order to get at the root, and releasing fire to stop bleeding is adopted in order to bring about a temporary solution, and activating blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis is adopted in order to produce blood. The outline should be caught hold of that consumption is primary aspect and fire is secondary aspect and there is change because of blood stasis in order to obtain satisfactory curative effect.

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.

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.

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.

Objective: To determinate the catalpol contents in dried rehmannia root and Taohong Siwu Decoction containing rehmannia root with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Methods: Catalpol was separated on a YWG-C18 column using water-acetonitrile (99.4∶0.6) as mobile phase and detective wavelength at 210 nm. Results: The linear curve of tested catalpol concentration within the range of 0.0536-5.3600 μg/μl was ideal (n=5, r=0.9997). The average recovery rate of the dried rehmannia root and Taohong Siwu decoction was 98.7% (RSD=0.48%) and 98.2% (RSD=1.29%) respectively. Conclusion: HPLC method is accurate and valuable for the quality control of Radix Rehmanniae and Taohong Siwu Decoction.

Evidence of the pharmacological activity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides the basis for clinical prescription. Study of the classification of Chinese medicines according to these activities is key to understanding the general active tendencies of medicinal prescriptions, exploring their material basis, investigating their properties and searching for their alternatives. Taking the herbal classic Shennong's Materia Medica Classic (Shennong Bencao Jing) for the data source, this paper studied the classification of Chinese medicines based on semi-supervised incremental clustering algorithm using "micro-cluster" concept in order to investigate the complex similarity among Chinese medicines. The results showed that 253 Chinese medicines were reasonably classified into 14 types, such as invigoration, clearing heat, diuresis, dredging blockages in the channels, treating gynecological conditions and treating strange diseases caused by ghosts. The results also showed that the other 112 Chinese medicines were classified into 112 individual types and the same high similarity to different known types was the main reason for this. The semi-supervised incremental clustering algorithm employed in the study had a high quality and a good development for clustering which is suitable for classification of Chinese medicines. This study illustrated the diversity of Chinese medicines and their complex similarities, thus aiming to provide innovative ideas and methods for related research.

Relapse and metastasis are the main causes responsible for failure of surgical operation in treating malignant tumors. This article introduces the present development in post-operation treatment of lung cancer, liver cancer and stomach cancer, showing that the synthetic treatment by stages combined with traditional Chinese medicine is the important way to prevent and treat the post-operation relapse and metastasis of tumors, and suggesting the optimized method for treatment.

Objective

To investigate the effects of Gypsum Fibrosum and Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum in promoting granulation.

Methods

The wounds of muscle layer were produced in rats by using surgical operation. Two round wounds, with diameter about 1.5 cm, were cut at the depilatory area of two sides of the back of each rat, with an interval of 2 cm, deep to muscle layer, and the thickness of the knife wound of muscle layer was about 0.15 cm. Forty SD rats with the wounds were randomly divided into 4 groups: untreated group, beifuji-treated group, Gypsum Fibrosum-treated group and Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum-treated group, with 10 rats in each group. Then the wounds were sprinkled with powders of Gypsum Fibrosum and Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum, or sprayed with beifuji solution, respectively. The healing state of granulation tissues of the wounds was observed at the eighth and fourteenth day respectively.

Results

The number of fibroblasts, the number of capillary tubes and the area of capillary tubes in granulation tissue of wounds in the Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum-treated group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group and Gypsum Fibrosum-treated group (P＜0.01). There were no statistical differences between the Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum-treated group and the beifuji-treated group. However, Gypsum Fibrosum-treated group showed no obvious differences compared to the untreated group (P＞0.05). 

Conclusions

Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum can accelerate the formation of collagenoblast and micrangium in wounds, and the proliferation of granulation tissues, thus promoting the skin wounds to healing. The effect of Gypsum Fibrosum is changed after being calcined, and Gypsum Fibrosum Preparatum has obvious effect in promoting granulation.

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.

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.