Insights & Discussion
Traditional Chinese medical prescriptions showed a correlation with pattern diagnosis in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.
In the methodology, clinical data encompassing patterns and prescriptions from the electronic medical records of patients with lupus at a medical center were gathered and processed. A specific coding system, termed the B-code, was used to encode patterns and prescriptions, offering a platform for processing and statistical analysis. Nonlinear canonical correlation analysis was then performed to investigate the connection between the patterns and prescriptions.
Regarding the results, from the 261 valid patient visits collected, a total of 46 patterns and 193 prescriptions were encoded into 57 B-codes. Yin, Vacuity, Heat, and Dampness were the most frequently observed B-codes both in patterns and prescriptions. Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill, along with Miltiorrhizae Radix, were identified as the most frequently used formula and herb, respectively. The most effective variable sets correlating the patterns and prescriptions were Water-rheum, kidney, and stasis. This suggests a rationale for pattern differentiation and the principle of treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus.
Discover Related Insights
Chinese herbal medicine can significantly reduce the risks of complications and need for surgery associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
2022 International Journal of Urology Effects of Chinese herbal medicine in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: A nationwide cohort study in Taiwan Ou SC, Huang ST, Lin MC, Chen WC, Huang CP, Lin HJ
Cohort Study Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Chinese Herbal Medicine Dan Shen
The methodology of the retrospective cohort study involved analyzing data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, covering the period between 2001 to 2013. 4142 patients newly diagnosed as having benign prostatic hyperplasia were divided into Chinese herbal medicine users and non-users. To compare these groups, they employed 1:1 propensity score matching, and the risk of complications related to benign prostatic hyperplasia was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazard model.
The results showed that during the study period, the risk of complications related to benign prostatic hyperplasia was considerably lower in the Chinese herbal medicine group compared to the non-Chinese herbal medicine group, even when other variables were controlled for. The Chinese herbal medicine users had a significantly lower risk of urinary tract infection and urine retention. Plus, the Chinese herbal medicine users experienced a lower incidence rate of surgery related to benign prostatic hyperplasia and enjoyed a longer surgery-free interval than non-Chinese herbal medicine users. Among the Chinese herbal medicine, Salviae miltiorrhizae and Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan were prescribed the most by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
Various traditional Chinese medicine treatment strategies could potentially provide an effective alternative in slowing the progression of Chronic Kidney Disease.
2022 Frontiers in Pharmacology Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Diseases: Theories, Applications, and Mechanisms Yunlai Wang, Ye Feng, Manman Li, Mo Yang, Gaoxiang Shi, Zihua Xuan, et al.
Review Article Chronic Kidney Disease Dan Shen Dang Gui
The study explores the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and various Chinese materia medica (CMM) to manage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The review delves deeper into the principles and treatment approaches of TCM in battling CKD, dictating that the disease's nature is deficient in the root and excessive in the branches, where deficiency and excess persist simultaneously throughout the condition. The main strategies employed by TCM in the treatment of CKD include invigorating Qi, tonifying kidneys, promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, eliminating heat and dampness, reducing turbidity, and controlling edema.
The discussion highlights the effectiveness of several CMMs in treating CKD, which are undergirded by clinical evidence or experimental studies. Notably, it points out a correlation between the macroscopic view of TCM and the microscopic view of modern medicine. These TCM and CMM strategies are hailed for their multi-targeted and multi-functional characteristics, potentially providing an effective alternative treatment approach for CKD.
Chinese herbal medicines could alleviate chronic kidney disease symptoms by combating fibrosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and encouraging repair and regeneration.
2021 Frontiers in Pharmacology New Insights Into the Effects of Individual Chinese Herbal Medicines on Chronic Kidney Disease Shao M, Ye C, Bayliss G, Zhuang S
Review Article Dan Shen Ge Gen Huang Kui
The study's methodology consisted of both clinical and experimental approaches. It started with an examination of an array of traditional Chinese herbs. The criteria for considered herbs were their clinical efficacy, frequency of use in treating chronic renal disease, and a well-studied mechanism of action. Five herbs, namely, Tanshinone II A, Salvianolic acid A & B, Triptolide, Tripterygium glycosides and a monomer from Kudzu root, made the cut after having met the set criteria.
The results showed that these Chinese herbs were found to possess pharmaceutical properties that were effective against fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, these also showed the potential to promote renal repair and regeneration, which are fundamental for treating chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest a broader scope of therapeutic treatments that could benefit the patients in a more natural and potentially less invasive way.
Fructus Lycii and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extract improve retinal morphology and function by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to curb oxidative reactions.
2021 Journal of Ethnopharmacology Fructus Lycii and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extract alleviate retinitis pigmentosa through Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway Ou C, Jiang P, Tian Y, Yao Z, Yang Y, Peng J, et al.
Experimental Study Dan Shen Goji Berry Retinitis Pigmentosa
In terms of methodology, Fructus Lycii and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (FS) extracts were identified through Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis and administered intragastrically over four weeks to Rd10 mice, known to model retinitis pigmentosa. Following the animals' sacrifice, histopathological examination and Scotopic electroretinography analysis were performed. Oxidative stress markers were determined and the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA were evaluated via quantitative real-time PCR. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were employed to identify the expression and distribution of Nrf2 and HO-1 protein.
In the discussion of the results, substantial morphological improvements were observed regarding the thickness and number of the Outer Nuclear Layer, along with significant functional enhancements in a-amplitude and b-wave amplitude measurements, following FS extract treatment. In addition, the treatment led to a considerable escalation in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels and a reduction in malondialdehyde levels. Furthermore, FS extract was found to stimulate the up-regulation of Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA and protein expression, possibly underlying the observed retinal enhancements.