Moxibustion Moxibustion(written as“jiū(灸)”in Chinese),also known as“jiūruò(灸焫)”in ancient Chinese,was described in the ancient Chinese book Shuo Wen Jie Zi as having the meaning of burning and possessing...Moxibustion Moxibustion(written as“jiū(灸)”in Chinese),also known as“jiūruò(灸焫)”in ancient Chinese,was described in the ancient Chinese book Shuo Wen Jie Zi as having the meaning of burning and possessing the properties of fire,while sharing the same pronunciation as“jiǔ(久).”“Moxibustion is a method of curing diseases that uses lighted moxa to press and cauterize acupoints.”Moxibustion is a traditional external treatment method that involves the application of moxa wool or other materials,either directly or indirectly(such as through burning or fumigation),to stimulate specific points or areas on body surface.It is used for purposes such as prevention,treatment,rehabilitation,and health care.Moxibustion originated in ancient times,prevailed during the Qin and Han dynasties(221 B.C.E.–220 C.E.),experienced a period of decline during the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368–1912 C.E.),and was revitalized in the contemporary era.展开更多
The autonomic nervous system(ANS)includes the sympathetic,parasympathetic,and enteric nervous systems,and its senior regulatory center includes the brainstem,cingulate gyrus,and hypothalamus.Acupuncture can affect vis...The autonomic nervous system(ANS)includes the sympathetic,parasympathetic,and enteric nervous systems,and its senior regulatory center includes the brainstem,cingulate gyrus,and hypothalamus.Acupuncture can affect visceral,vascular,and glandular functions via the autonomic nervous regulatory pathway.In this paper,the relationship between pain and autonomic nervous function,the application of acupuncture guided by the autonomic nervous system,and the basis and clinical research on acupuncture analgesia are reviewed.展开更多
Medicinal plants are renowned for their abundant production of secondary metabolites,which exhibit notable pharmacological activities and great potential for drug development.The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites ...Medicinal plants are renowned for their abundant production of secondary metabolites,which exhibit notable pharmacological activities and great potential for drug development.The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is highly intricate and influenced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors,resulting in substantial species diversity and content variation.Consequently,precise regulation of secondary metabolite synthesis is of utmost importance.In recent years,genome sequencing has emerged as a valuable tool for investigating the synthesis and regulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants,facilitated by the widespread use of high-throughput sequencing technologies.This review highlights the latest advancements in genome sequencing within this field and presents several strategies for studying secondary metabolites.Specifically,the article elucidates how genome sequencing can unravel the pathways for secondary metabolite synthesis in medicinal plants,offering insights into the functions and regulatory mechanisms of participating enzymes.Comparative analyses of plant genomes allow identification of shared pathways of metabolite synthesis among species,thereby providing novel avenues for obtaining cost-effective biosynthetic intermediates.By examining individual genomic variations,genes or gene clusters associated with the synthesis of specific compounds can be discovered,indicating potential targets and directions for drug development and the exploration of alternative compound sources.Moreover,the advent of gene-editing technology has enabled the precise modifications of medicinal plant genomes.Optimization of specific secondary metabolite synthesis pathways becomes thus feasible,enabling the precise editing of target genes to regulate secondary metabolite production within cells.These findings serve as valuable references and lessons for future drug development endeavors,conservation of rare resources,and the exploration of new resources.展开更多
Azadirachtin,a complex tetratriterpenoid limonin with potent insecticidal properties,is the most widely used biological pesticide worldwide.Its versatile pharmacological applications include the inhibition of tumor gr...Azadirachtin,a complex tetratriterpenoid limonin with potent insecticidal properties,is the most widely used biological pesticide worldwide.Its versatile pharmacological applications include the inhibition of tumor growth and anti-malarial,anti-bacterial,and anti-inflammatory properties.Azadirachtin plays a pivotal role in pest control and novel drug development.The primary source of azadirachtin is the neem tree(Azadirachta indica A.Juss),with an azadirachtin content ranging from 0.3%to 0.5%.Despite the market demand for botanical pesticides reaching approximately 100,000 tons per year,the annual neem production in China is only 1.14 tons.Although azadirachtin can be obtained through plant extraction or chemical synthesis,the quantity obtained does not meet the market demand in China.The sluggish pace of azadirachtin biosynthesis results from the limited availability of genetic information and the complexity of the synthetic pathway.Recent advancements in azadirachtin biosynthesis hold promise as an efficient collection method.In this study,we explored the physicochemical properties,biological activities,mechanisms of action,and acquisition methods of azadirachtin.We also delved into recent progress in azadirachtin biosynthesis and assessed potential future usage challenges.This study aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the scientific application and efficient synthesis of azadirachtin,offering valuable reference information to the industry.展开更多
Vaccination is a major achievement that has become an effective prevention strategy against infectious diseases and active control of emerging pathogens worldwide.In response to the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)p...Vaccination is a major achievement that has become an effective prevention strategy against infectious diseases and active control of emerging pathogens worldwide.In response to the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,several diverse vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have been developed and deployed for use in a large number of individuals,and have been reported to protect against symptomatic COVID-19 cases and deaths.However,the application of vaccines has a series of limitations,including protective failure for variants of concern,unavailability of individuals due to immune deficiency,and the disappearance of immune protection for increasing infections in vaccinated individuals.These aspects raise the question of how to modulate the immune system that contributes to the COVID-19 vaccine protective effects.Herbal medicines are widely used for their immune regulatory abilities in clinics.More attractively,herbal medicines have been well accepted for their positive role in the COVID-19 prevention and suppression through regulation of the immune system.This review presents a brief overview of the strategy of COVID-19 vaccination and the response of the immune system to vaccines,the regulatory effects and mechanisms of herbal medicine in immune-related macrophages,natural killer cells,dendritic cells,and lymphocytes T and B cells,and how they help vaccines work.Later in the article,the potential role and application of herbal medicines in the most recent COVID-19 vaccination are discussed.This article provides new insights into herbal medicines as promising alternative supplements that may benefit from COVID-19 vaccination.展开更多
Objective:Pinellia Tuber,the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata,is widely used in Japanese Kampo medicines and traditional Chinese medicines.The unprocessed Pinellia Tuber is known to cause very strong acrid irritation a...Objective:Pinellia Tuber,the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata,is widely used in Japanese Kampo medicines and traditional Chinese medicines.The unprocessed Pinellia Tuber is known to cause very strong acrid irritation at oral and laryngopharynx mucosa.Recent studies have shown that the sharp needle-like crystals called raphides,that are composed of calcium oxalate and proteins,are the main causative substances of the irritation.Ginger,the rhizome of Zingiber officinale,has been used in the processing to reduce the acridity of Pinellia Tuber since before the sixth century,however,the mechanisms of reducing acridity have not been scientifically proved yet.Methods:We developed the raphides denaturation assay(RDA)to quantify the degree of denaturation in the raphides to cause irritation.By their lipophilic characters,the raphides could be extracted in petroleum ether(PE)layer from powdered Pinellia Tuber suspended in water,and the contents of the raphides in PE layer were measured by the absorbance.By this assay,we conducted the activity-guided fractionation from the boiling water extract of ginger to find the ingredients to denature the raphides.We also conducted the gustatory tests to detect the change of the irritation of the denatured raphides.Results:The treatment of powdered Pinellia Tuber suspension with ginger extract reduced the distribution of raphides in PE layer in RDA in a concentration-dependent manner.The activity-guided fractionation using RDA revealed that oxalic acid was the main active ingredient in ginger extract to denature the raphides of Pinellia Tuber.Oxalic acid reduced the lipophilicity of the raphides in the thermo-,time-,and concentration-dependent manners,and its activity was affected by pH.The treatment of powdered Pinellia Tuber suspension with oxalic acid significantly reduced its acrid irritation in gustatory test in human.Conclusions:We found that oxalic acid is the main active ingredient in ginger to reduce the acrid irritation of Pinellia Tuber.展开更多
In the article,“Effects of acupuncture on angiogenesis associated factor expression in ischemic brain tissue following cere-bral infarction in rats”[1]which published in Volume 3,Issue 1 of Acupuncture and Herbal Me...In the article,“Effects of acupuncture on angiogenesis associated factor expression in ischemic brain tissue following cere-bral infarction in rats”[1]which published in Volume 3,Issue 1 of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine,the ethical statement“All animals were kept in certificated environment.The experimental procedures were approved by the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Animal Research Committee(TCM-LAEC2019021).展开更多
As a bidirectional link between the brain and other organs,the autonomic nervous system(ANS)plays a pivotal role in internal environment homeostasis,both through its sensing and modulatory roles.From the principles of...As a bidirectional link between the brain and other organs,the autonomic nervous system(ANS)plays a pivotal role in internal environment homeostasis,both through its sensing and modulatory roles.From the principles of modern anatomy and physiology,investigating the correlation between the body’s surface and internal organs in the context of the nervous system can offer valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of acupuncture.展开更多
Objective:Gut-derived serotonin strongly inhibits bone formation by inhibiting osteoblast proliferation.Our previous study demonstrated that the lignan-rich fraction prepared from Sambucus willimasii Hance,a folk herb...Objective:Gut-derived serotonin strongly inhibits bone formation by inhibiting osteoblast proliferation.Our previous study demonstrated that the lignan-rich fraction prepared from Sambucus willimasii Hance,a folk herbal medicine used to treat bone fractures and joint diseases in China,exerted bone-protective effects,and its actions were modulated by suppressing the synthesis of gut-derived serotonin via the inhibition of intestinal tryptophan hydroxylase 1(TPH-1).However,there is no direct evidence for the action of lignans on TPH-1.This study aimed to verify the direct action of lignans on the TPH-1 and its influence on serotonin synthesis and bone properties.Methods:Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance were performed to determine the affinities of lignans to TPH-1.The cell viability and the protein activity and expression of TPH-1 were measured in RBL2H3 cells.The serum serotonin level and bone mineral density upon lignan treatment in ovariectomized mice were determined.Result:The lignans showed high binding scores and binding affinities to TPH-1,inhibited the activity and protein expression of TPH-1,suppressed the serum serotonin levels in ovariectomized mice as well as promoted bone mineral density.Conclusion:This is the first study to report that lignans are novel TPH-1 inhibitors and that these lignans could be potential agents for the management of serotonin-related diseases,including osteoporosis.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81973953,82174501).
文摘Moxibustion Moxibustion(written as“jiū(灸)”in Chinese),also known as“jiūruò(灸焫)”in ancient Chinese,was described in the ancient Chinese book Shuo Wen Jie Zi as having the meaning of burning and possessing the properties of fire,while sharing the same pronunciation as“jiǔ(久).”“Moxibustion is a method of curing diseases that uses lighted moxa to press and cauterize acupoints.”Moxibustion is a traditional external treatment method that involves the application of moxa wool or other materials,either directly or indirectly(such as through burning or fumigation),to stimulate specific points or areas on body surface.It is used for purposes such as prevention,treatment,rehabilitation,and health care.Moxibustion originated in ancient times,prevailed during the Qin and Han dynasties(221 B.C.E.–220 C.E.),experienced a period of decline during the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368–1912 C.E.),and was revitalized in the contemporary era.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82004505)the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2020YFC0841600)Henan Province Coronavirus Emergency Prevention and Control Special Research(201100310400,201003050).
基金funded by the Surface Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.82274658)Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (No.2022J01347)Medical Innovation Project of Fujian Provincial Health Commission (No.2022CXA053).
文摘The autonomic nervous system(ANS)includes the sympathetic,parasympathetic,and enteric nervous systems,and its senior regulatory center includes the brainstem,cingulate gyrus,and hypothalamus.Acupuncture can affect visceral,vascular,and glandular functions via the autonomic nervous regulatory pathway.In this paper,the relationship between pain and autonomic nervous function,the application of acupuncture guided by the autonomic nervous system,and the basis and clinical research on acupuncture analgesia are reviewed.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,grant number 81603221.
文摘Medicinal plants are renowned for their abundant production of secondary metabolites,which exhibit notable pharmacological activities and great potential for drug development.The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is highly intricate and influenced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors,resulting in substantial species diversity and content variation.Consequently,precise regulation of secondary metabolite synthesis is of utmost importance.In recent years,genome sequencing has emerged as a valuable tool for investigating the synthesis and regulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants,facilitated by the widespread use of high-throughput sequencing technologies.This review highlights the latest advancements in genome sequencing within this field and presents several strategies for studying secondary metabolites.Specifically,the article elucidates how genome sequencing can unravel the pathways for secondary metabolite synthesis in medicinal plants,offering insights into the functions and regulatory mechanisms of participating enzymes.Comparative analyses of plant genomes allow identification of shared pathways of metabolite synthesis among species,thereby providing novel avenues for obtaining cost-effective biosynthetic intermediates.By examining individual genomic variations,genes or gene clusters associated with the synthesis of specific compounds can be discovered,indicating potential targets and directions for drug development and the exploration of alternative compound sources.Moreover,the advent of gene-editing technology has enabled the precise modifications of medicinal plant genomes.Optimization of specific secondary metabolite synthesis pathways becomes thus feasible,enabling the precise editing of target genes to regulate secondary metabolite production within cells.These findings serve as valuable references and lessons for future drug development endeavors,conservation of rare resources,and the exploration of new resources.
基金supported by the Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (C12021A04111 and C12021A04116)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes (ZZ14-YQ-031 and ZZ13-YQ-040)+1 种基金the National Key Research and Development Project (2019YFC19066)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32200308).
文摘Azadirachtin,a complex tetratriterpenoid limonin with potent insecticidal properties,is the most widely used biological pesticide worldwide.Its versatile pharmacological applications include the inhibition of tumor growth and anti-malarial,anti-bacterial,and anti-inflammatory properties.Azadirachtin plays a pivotal role in pest control and novel drug development.The primary source of azadirachtin is the neem tree(Azadirachta indica A.Juss),with an azadirachtin content ranging from 0.3%to 0.5%.Despite the market demand for botanical pesticides reaching approximately 100,000 tons per year,the annual neem production in China is only 1.14 tons.Although azadirachtin can be obtained through plant extraction or chemical synthesis,the quantity obtained does not meet the market demand in China.The sluggish pace of azadirachtin biosynthesis results from the limited availability of genetic information and the complexity of the synthetic pathway.Recent advancements in azadirachtin biosynthesis hold promise as an efficient collection method.In this study,we explored the physicochemical properties,biological activities,mechanisms of action,and acquisition methods of azadirachtin.We also delved into recent progress in azadirachtin biosynthesis and assessed potential future usage challenges.This study aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the scientific application and efficient synthesis of azadirachtin,offering valuable reference information to the industry.
基金This work was supported by the Science and Technology Project of Tianjin(22ZXGBSY00020,22ZYJDSS00080 and 21ZYJFJC0070)National Key Research and Development Project of China(No.2021YFC1712904).
文摘Vaccination is a major achievement that has become an effective prevention strategy against infectious diseases and active control of emerging pathogens worldwide.In response to the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,several diverse vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have been developed and deployed for use in a large number of individuals,and have been reported to protect against symptomatic COVID-19 cases and deaths.However,the application of vaccines has a series of limitations,including protective failure for variants of concern,unavailability of individuals due to immune deficiency,and the disappearance of immune protection for increasing infections in vaccinated individuals.These aspects raise the question of how to modulate the immune system that contributes to the COVID-19 vaccine protective effects.Herbal medicines are widely used for their immune regulatory abilities in clinics.More attractively,herbal medicines have been well accepted for their positive role in the COVID-19 prevention and suppression through regulation of the immune system.This review presents a brief overview of the strategy of COVID-19 vaccination and the response of the immune system to vaccines,the regulatory effects and mechanisms of herbal medicine in immune-related macrophages,natural killer cells,dendritic cells,and lymphocytes T and B cells,and how they help vaccines work.Later in the article,the potential role and application of herbal medicines in the most recent COVID-19 vaccination are discussed.This article provides new insights into herbal medicines as promising alternative supplements that may benefit from COVID-19 vaccination.
基金the grant from Oriental Medicine Research Foundation in 2020.
文摘Objective:Pinellia Tuber,the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata,is widely used in Japanese Kampo medicines and traditional Chinese medicines.The unprocessed Pinellia Tuber is known to cause very strong acrid irritation at oral and laryngopharynx mucosa.Recent studies have shown that the sharp needle-like crystals called raphides,that are composed of calcium oxalate and proteins,are the main causative substances of the irritation.Ginger,the rhizome of Zingiber officinale,has been used in the processing to reduce the acridity of Pinellia Tuber since before the sixth century,however,the mechanisms of reducing acridity have not been scientifically proved yet.Methods:We developed the raphides denaturation assay(RDA)to quantify the degree of denaturation in the raphides to cause irritation.By their lipophilic characters,the raphides could be extracted in petroleum ether(PE)layer from powdered Pinellia Tuber suspended in water,and the contents of the raphides in PE layer were measured by the absorbance.By this assay,we conducted the activity-guided fractionation from the boiling water extract of ginger to find the ingredients to denature the raphides.We also conducted the gustatory tests to detect the change of the irritation of the denatured raphides.Results:The treatment of powdered Pinellia Tuber suspension with ginger extract reduced the distribution of raphides in PE layer in RDA in a concentration-dependent manner.The activity-guided fractionation using RDA revealed that oxalic acid was the main active ingredient in ginger extract to denature the raphides of Pinellia Tuber.Oxalic acid reduced the lipophilicity of the raphides in the thermo-,time-,and concentration-dependent manners,and its activity was affected by pH.The treatment of powdered Pinellia Tuber suspension with oxalic acid significantly reduced its acrid irritation in gustatory test in human.Conclusions:We found that oxalic acid is the main active ingredient in ginger to reduce the acrid irritation of Pinellia Tuber.
文摘In the article,“Effects of acupuncture on angiogenesis associated factor expression in ischemic brain tissue following cere-bral infarction in rats”[1]which published in Volume 3,Issue 1 of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine,the ethical statement“All animals were kept in certificated environment.The experimental procedures were approved by the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Animal Research Committee(TCM-LAEC2019021).
基金This work was supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.81825024).
文摘As a bidirectional link between the brain and other organs,the autonomic nervous system(ANS)plays a pivotal role in internal environment homeostasis,both through its sensing and modulatory roles.From the principles of modern anatomy and physiology,investigating the correlation between the body’s surface and internal organs in the context of the nervous system can offer valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of acupuncture.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81873192 and 81202877)Postgraduate Research and Innovation Project of Tianjin(2021YJSB288 and YJSKC-20211004)the Science and Technology Program of Tianjin(Grant No.20ZYJDJC00070)
基金financially supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(Nos.81530097 and 81222051)the National Key Technology R&D Program“New Drug Innovation”of China(No.2017ZX09101003-008-003).
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2021A1515010648)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81903616)+1 种基金The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Start-up Funding(A0038607)The Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme(ITFMOST:MHX/002/20).
文摘Objective:Gut-derived serotonin strongly inhibits bone formation by inhibiting osteoblast proliferation.Our previous study demonstrated that the lignan-rich fraction prepared from Sambucus willimasii Hance,a folk herbal medicine used to treat bone fractures and joint diseases in China,exerted bone-protective effects,and its actions were modulated by suppressing the synthesis of gut-derived serotonin via the inhibition of intestinal tryptophan hydroxylase 1(TPH-1).However,there is no direct evidence for the action of lignans on TPH-1.This study aimed to verify the direct action of lignans on the TPH-1 and its influence on serotonin synthesis and bone properties.Methods:Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance were performed to determine the affinities of lignans to TPH-1.The cell viability and the protein activity and expression of TPH-1 were measured in RBL2H3 cells.The serum serotonin level and bone mineral density upon lignan treatment in ovariectomized mice were determined.Result:The lignans showed high binding scores and binding affinities to TPH-1,inhibited the activity and protein expression of TPH-1,suppressed the serum serotonin levels in ovariectomized mice as well as promoted bone mineral density.Conclusion:This is the first study to report that lignans are novel TPH-1 inhibitors and that these lignans could be potential agents for the management of serotonin-related diseases,including osteoporosis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81303182,81173523)the National Major Scientific and Technological Special Project for“Significant New Drugs Development”(2018ZX09734-002).
