Ancient Chinese Medicine Research Articles

Physico-Chemical Analysis of a Herbal Classical Formulation-Shleshmatakadhya Agada Ghanvati

One of India's ancient systems of medicine is Ayurveda. The fundamental principal of Ayurvedic medicine is to keep your body, mind, and environment in balance and harmony in order to prevent and treat sickness rather than to treat symptoms of disease. In order to treat the disease's underlying cause and restore balance, Ayurveda uses natural ingredients. For a very long period, herbal medicines were used for a variety of therapeutic goals in ancient Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, and Indian medicine. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of the world's population still primarily relies on traditional medicines for their medical care. With around 45,000 plant species, the Indian subcontinent is renowned for being one of the key hubs for biodiversity. Sharangdhara Samhita, emphasised the idea of polyherbalism as a means of enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Sometimes the active phytochemical components of a single plant are not enough to bring about the intended therapeutic results so they are mixed in a certain ratio to enhance the therapeutic effects and combat toxicity. Hence new findings in Ayurveda are gradually focusing on the significance of poly herbalism and its clinical relevance. In this study, efforts have been made to lay down analytical standards for Shleshmatakadhya Agada Ghanavati, which were not found reported till date. Shleshmatakadhya Agada Ghanavati was manufactured at the Hans Herbal Pvt. Ltd. Pharmacy, Haridwar were within acceptable range. Determination of heavy metals was also done additionally and the result showed that all the metals were within the API limits in the formulation. In TLC, 3 spots were found.

A survey of Japanese people's attitude to and experience of Kampo medicines

AbstractAimKampo medicine is traditional Japanese herbal medicine derived from ancient Chinese medicine. In the past, the Japan Kampo Medicines Manufacturers Association conducted surveys and reported on the awareness and experience of Kampo medicines among those participating in Kampo workshops as well as the local community. Here, we investigated the Japanese public's awareness and experience of using Kampo medicines through an online questionnaire. In addition, we analyzed how Kampo medicines are perceived and presented a favorable prospect for Kampo medicines.MethodsIn 2020, we conducted an online survey of registered Japanese members (aged over 25 years) of a research company.ResultsA total of 2060 respondents answered the questionnaire. Of these, 71% had taken Kampo medicines. Among this group, 63.5% obtained Kampo medicines through a doctor's prescription, 46.3% purchased Kampo medicines through pharmacies, drugstores, over the Internet, or by mail order, and only 11.3% had purchased Kampo medicines at Kampo specialty pharmacies. Although many people have taken Kampo medicines, they do not always have an accurate understanding of Kampo medicines as medicines. Especially in the case of Kampo medicines for prescription, people take them passively and do not have a strong awareness of Kampo medicines. In contrast, over‐the‐counter Kampo medicines are widely recognized as drugs.ConclusionMedical personnel, manufacturers, and pharmacists need to provide accurate information about Kampo medicines.

Ginseng as a Key Immune Response Modulator in Chinese Medicine: From Antipandemic History to COVID-19 Management.

The cytokine storm plays an indispensable role in the severe and critical illness and death of the COVID-19 vulnerable population. Thus, suppressing the cytokine storm is of great significance. Ginseng is a traditional Chinese herb originally used for improving physiological conditions and ameliorating disease. Common throughout the history of ancient Chinese medicine is utilizing ginseng as a major ingredient to successfully fight various pandemics, and the most famous decoction is Renshen Baidu powder. In recent years, ginseng has been observed to provide preventive and therapeutic benefits in the treatment of various conditions by suppressing hyper-inflammation, inhibiting virus intrusion, and balancing the host's immunity. This paper summarizes the ancient Chinese medicine books' recordings of, the clinical practice of, and the laboratory exploration of ginseng for the treatment of pandemics and COVID-19. Ginseng and its active ingredients were found to downregulate inflammatory cytokines, upregulate anti-inflammatory cytokines, stimulate the secretion of the antiviral cytokine IFN-[Formula: see text], prevent viral entry and replication, and improve viral clearance. Furthermore, ginseng modulates both natural and acquired immunity during viral infection. Collectively, we propose that ginseng can act as a key immune response modulator against the cytokine storm of COVID-19. This paper may provide a new approach to discover specific medications using ginseng to combat COVID-19.

The Sacred Writing of Knowledge: Interpreting the True Form Charts of the Man-Bird Mountain in Taoism

The True Form Charts of the Man-Bird Mountain (人鳥山真形圖, or TFCMBM) are important ritual images created by ancient Taoists. Scholars envisage them as the “fairy mountain map” (仙山圖) or “fairyland picture” (仙境圖) imagined by ancient Taoists. However, TFCMBM is actually a description of the mechanism of the “convergence of celestial and terrestrial qi”(天地氣交) in the human body. According to ancient Chinese medicine, the mechanism of the inter-induction of qi (氣交) controls the transmission and transformation of food, circulation of qi-blood in the body, and generation and storage of vital essence. Ancient Taoist priests referred to the mechanism of the inter-induction of qi as “regulating qi in Central Yellow” (黃中理炁) and as a kind of image, “the true shape of the human bird mountain” to guide novice Taoists in meditation (存思) and activating qi (行氣). This study argues that the TFCMBM is a portrayal of the mechanism of the inter-induction of qi and reveals the Taoist method of writing sacred knowledge and its cognitive nature.

Chinese Medicine as Supporting Therapy for Psoriasis: Past, Present, and Future.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease and an important health concern. Western medicine and therapies are the main treatment strategies for psoriasis vulgaris (PV); however, the overall prognosis of patients with PV is still poor. Therefore, PV prevention is especially crucial. Chinese medicine (CM) has a long history of treating psoriasis, and it has unique wisdom in different cognitive angles and treatment modes from modern medicine. In this review, we first summarized the herbs and ancient CM formulas that have therapeutic effects on PV. Second, the research status and obstacles to the current development of CM in modern medicine were reviewed. Finally, the future of CM in the context of precision medicine and integrated medicine was discussed. After a detailed reading of the abundant literature, we believe that CM, through thousands of years of continuous development and clinical practice, has achieved high effectiveness and safety for PV treatment, despite its surrounding controversy. Moreover, precise analyses and systematic research methods have provided new approaches for the modernization of CM in the future. The treatment of PV with CM is worth popularizing, and we hope it can benefit more patients.

Traditional Chinese Medicines and Prescriptions Brought from China to Japan by a Monk (Jianzhen, Japanese: Ganjin): A Historical Review

(1) Background: Japanese Kampo medicine has its origin in ancient Chinese medicine. In 742, a Tang Dynasty monk named Jianzhen (Ganjin) was invited by Japanese clerics to visit Japan and teach commandments in Buddhism. Because of the dangers of the voyage and also other obstacles, he took 11 years to reach Japan on the sixth voyage and he was blind when he arrived in Japan. He was the first person in China to go to Japan to establish the Buddhism commandments, and he was also the first person in Japan to directly teach traditional Chinese medicine. Until now, there have been few reports in English about the details of the Chinese herbal medicines he brought to Japan, including the types of herbal medicines, pharmacological activities, and formulations. In the review, we systematically and comprehensively summarized Jianzhen’s life from the standpoint of his medical and pharmaceutical knowledge and the types and pharmacological activities of Chinese herbal medicines and prescriptions that were brought to Japan by Jianzhen; (2) Methods: A review was made on the relevant literature written by Chinese, Japanese, and English languages regarding the medical and pharmacological knowledge of Jianzhen, the 36 Chinese herbal medicines brought to Japan by Jianzhen, and the pharmacological and therapeutic effects of these 36 herbal medicines, as well as their formulations; (3) Results: The review of the literature proved that Jianzhen’s prescriptions served as a basis for current herbal medicines (Kampo) in Japan. In the process of the literature search, we found a book entitled Jianshangren (Holy Priest Jianzhen)’s Secret Prescription, which recorded the complete prescription of the 36 traditional Chinese medicines Jianzhen brought to Japan; (4) Conclusions: Jianzhen is one of the ancestors of traditional Chinese medicine/Kampo medicine, and he brought traditional Chinese medicine and medical books to Japan for patients. He made important contributions to the development of traditional Chinese medicine in Japan.

Efficacy of curculigoside in protecting against ischemic brain injury through regulation of oxidative stress and NF-κB and PI3K/Akt expression

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe ancient Chinese medicine book “Huangdi Neijing” reports that “the brain is the sea of marrow” and that the kidney “mainly induces bones to produce marrow”. Therefore, Chinese medicine has a “kidney-brain axis” theory, but supporting evidence is lacking. In this study, curculigoside, the main component of the kidney-tonifying drug Rhizoma Curculiginis, was used to explore whether a kidney-tonifying drug could regulate the pathological state of the brain. Aim of the studyTo explore the efficacy of curculigoside in protecting against ischemic brain injury (IBI) through the regulation of oxidative stress and NF-κB and PI3K/Akt expression. Materials and methodsMiddle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to induce IBI in rats, and curculigoside was administered. The degree of IBI, morphological changes and severity of nerve injury (using neurological severity scores; NSSs) in the rats were assessed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate changes in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), TNF-α, IL-1β, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), NF-κB, PI3K and Akt levels. ResultsCurculigoside significantly alleviated behavioral deficits and reduced the degree of cerebral ischemia in the rats. After curculigoside treatment, the levels of H2O2, NO, MDA, NOS, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and NF-κB in the ischemic area of the brain were significantly reduced. The activities of CAT, SOD, PI3K and Akt were significantly increased. ConclusionCurculigoside is a potentially effective drug for the treatment of IBI.

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome in ancient traditional Chinese medicine.

In western medicine, obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is an increasingly serious public health hazard, which is exacerbated by the obesity epidemic and an aging population. Ancient medical literature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also recorded OSAHS-like symptoms but described the disease from a completely distinct theoretical perspective. The earliest records of snoring in ancient China can be traced back 2500years. In TCM, the pathogenesis of OSAHS can be attributed mainly to turbid phlegm and blood stasis. Various TCM prescriptions, herbal medicines, and external therapy have also been proposed for the prevention and therapy of OSAHS. Some of these strategies are still used in current clinical practice. This review highlights historical characterizations of OSAHS and the theory of TCM and also explores its therapy in TCM, which may shed light on future OSAHS research. This is the first systematic English review of the role of TCM in the treatment of OSAHS.

Hypouricemic and nephroprotective effects of palmatine from Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis: A uric acid modulator targeting Keap1-Nrf2/NLRP3 axis

Ethnopharmacological relevancePalmatine (Pal) is a major bioactive alkaloid originated from ancient Chinese herbal medicine Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis (CPA), which has long been applied to treat hyperuricemia (HUA)-related diseases. Pal possesses potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects against metabolic diseases. However, its potential beneficial effect against PO (potassium oxonate)/HX (hypoxanthine)-induced HUA remains elusive. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to investigate the potential pharmacological effect and mechanism of Pal on PO/HX-induced HUA in mice. Material and methodsA mouse model of HUA was established by co-administration of PO/HX once daily for 7 consecutive days. The HUA mice were orally given three doses (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) of Pal daily for a week. Febuxostat (Feb, 5 mg/kg) was given as a positive control. At the scheduled termination of the experiment, the whole blood, liver and kidney were collected for subsequent analyses. The concentrations of uric acid (UA), creatinine (CRE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and xanthine oxidase (XOD) were evaluated. Histopathological alterations of the kidney were detected by H&E staining. The inflammatory and oxidative stress status was detected by assay kits. Additionally, key proteins involved in the urate transporter, Keap1-Nrf2 and TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathways were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Finally, molecular docking was employed to probe the binding characteristics of Pal and target proteins Keap1, NLRP3, URAT1 and HO-1. ResultsAdministration of Pal substantially decreased the elevated kidney weight, lowered UA, CRE and BUN levels, and attenuated abnormal histopathological alterations. Meanwhile, treatment with Pal also dramatically lowered hepatic XOD and ADA activities. Besides, Pal treatment effectively mitigated the renal inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Further mechanistic investigation indicated Pal distinctly downregulated the protein levels of GLUT9 and URAT1, while up-regulated the expression levels of OAT1 and ABCG2. Pal also restored Nrf2 activation, promoted subsequent expression of anti-oxidative enzymes, and downregulated the expressions of TXNIP, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like (ASC), caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18. Molecular docking analysis also indicated Pal firmly bound with Keap1, NLRP3, URAT1 and HO-1. ConclusionsThese findings indicated that Pal exhibited favorable anti-HUA effect via modulating the expressions of transporter-related proteins and suppressing XOD activity. Furthermore, Pal also alleviated HUA-induced kidney injury, which was at least partially related to restoring Keap1-Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome. Our investigation was envisaged to provide experimental support for the traditional application of CPA and CPA-containing classical herbal formulas in the management of HUA-related diseases and might provide novel dimension to the clinical application of Pal.

Transmission of Ancient Chinese Forensic Medicine in the West: The View from Xiyuan Jilu (Records for Vindication)

Chinese forensic medicine has a long and brilliant history, and the forensic knowledge in ancient China represents the world’s highest medicolegal level at the time. Among all extant essays and works on China’s early medical jurisprudence, Xiyuan Jilu (Records for Vindication) written by Song Ci in 1247 CE, during the Southern Song dynasty, is the oldest text on legal medicine in the world. Subsequently, this work went through successive editions and expansions. The book was not simply a manual providing instruction on conducting inquests; it also established standards for all judicial practices in ancient China. From the beginning of the 18th century, the earliest existing Yuan edition and subsequent editions of this book were translated. They contributed to the broad dissemination of ancient Chinese forensic culture in the West. By discussing the diffusion of Xiyuan Jilu and its corresponding studies in the Western world, this paper intends to expound on the cultural transmission of early Chinese forensic medicine, and reveal its values and impacts on the history and development of legal medicine worldwide to provide an illustrative example of Sino-Western medical and cultural exchange.

Comparison of the four pairs of "phleps" in ancient Greek medicine and the eleven "mai" in Mawangdui silk manuscripts

Using the philological method, the comparison was conducted between the internal canals of human body, meaning the four pairs of "phleps" in the ancient Greek medicine, and the eleven "mai" (meridians, vessels, channels) of Mawangdui silk manuscripts. It is believed that they refer to the initial understanding on the connecting passages of the human body in Western medicine and Chinese medicine respectively. Although they have their own unique characteristics, there are many similarities in running courses, related indications, diagnosis and treatment, as well as theoretic foundation. Both of them represent the duality of tangible blood vessels and intangible pathways, reflecting the common cognitive mode of human body and diseases in early human medicine, with the similar characteristics, e.g.analogy, examining the exterior to deduce the conditions in the interior, holistic connection and natural balance. The four pairs of "phleps" of ancient Greek medicine, with the preliminary features of meridians, were substituted by the blood circulation theory afterwards; whereas, the eleven "mai" of Mawangdui silk manuscripts were developed into a twelve-meridian system. These different evolution paths and outcomes may be associated with the distinct medical philosophies and cultural backgrounds between ancient Greek medicine and Chinese medicine. This summary provides a new approach and new perspectives for the study on the regularity of the early human medical origin, especially the origin of meridians.

CPMCP: a database of Chinese patent medicine and compound prescription.

Although several traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related databases have emerged, they focus on researching single medicinal materials, which is far from sufficient for clinical research and application. In comparison, compound prescriptions are more informative and meaningful in TCM, for they embody the information on the compatibility of TCM besides the relatively isolated information about single medicinal materials. The compatibility information is essential in TCM because it conveys not only what components are involved to treat special diseases but also how to combine these single medical materials. We established a database of Chinese patent medicine and compound prescription (CPMCP). It demonstrates the prescription information of Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) and ancient Chinese medicine prescriptions (CMPs). CPMCP reports their comprehensive and standardized information such as the components, indications and contraindications. It is worth mentioning that we organized relevant experts and spent lots of time manually mapping the functions of compound prescriptions in ancient Chinese to the standardized TCM symptom vocabularies, obtaining a total of 71 414 associations between compound prescriptions and TCM symptoms. In this way, CPMCP established the associations between TCM and modern medicine (MM) according to the associations between TCM symptoms and MM symptoms. In addition, to further exhibit the compatibility mechanism of compound prescriptions, CPMCP summarizes a set of common drug combination principles by analyzing the existing prescriptions. We believe that CPMCP can promote the modernization of TCM and make greater contributions to MM. Database URL http://cpmcp.top

Radix Asteris: Traditional Usage, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of An Important Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Radix Asteris (RA), also known as ‘Zi Wan’, is the dried root and rhizome of Aster tataricus L. f., which has been used to treat cough and asthma in many countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. This article summarizes the available information on RA in ancient Chinese medicine books and modern research literature: its botanical properties, traditional uses, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, toxicity and quality control. Studies have shown that RA extracts contain terpenes, triterpenoid saponins, organic acids, peptides and flavonoids, and have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, and anti-depression. RA is considered to be a promising medicinal plant based on its traditional use, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities. However, there are few studies on its toxicity and the consistency of its components, which indicates the need for further in-depth studies on the toxicity and quality control of RA and its extracts.

Analysis of Meridian Flow Direction by Electrical Stimulation Method

Meridians constitute the theoretical foundation of acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and they have been described for 2000 years. Classical TCM advocates for the directionality of meridians. Finding an accurate method to verify this directionality is an important goal of TCM doctors and researchers. In this study, we objectively explored the physical properties of meridians, such as response current from electrical stimulation, to explore their directionality. The Agilent B1500A semiconductor measurement analyzer was utilized to input the alternating current waveforms and detect the response current on the meridians. The results showed that the direction of the meridians influences the intensity of the response current. Therefore, the mechanisms behind the directions of ion transportation and the meridians were investigated using the response time and the intensity of the response current. Thereafter, we propose a model to explain this mechanism. Afterward, a comparison between the direction of the meridian in this experiment and ancient Chinese medicine classics was performed.

Deciphering the myth of icariin and synthetic derivatives in improving erectile function from a molecular biology perspective: a narrative review.

Background and ObjectiveAlthough epimedium herb (EH) has been widely used in ancient Chinese medicine to enhance sexual activity, its pharmacological mechanism is not clear. Modern studies have shown that epimedium herb is rich in icariin (ICA, a flavonoid compound), and 91.2% of icariin is converted to icariside II (ICA II) by hydrolytic enzymes in intestinal bacteria after oral administration. YS-10 is a synthetic derivative of icariside II. The aim of this review was to summarize the contemporary evidence regarding the pharmacokinetics, therapeutic properties, and molecular biological mechanisms of ICA and some ICA derivatives for erectile dysfunction therapy.MethodsA detailed search was conducted in the PubMed database using keywords and phrases, such as “icariin” AND “erectile dysfunction”, “icariside II” AND “erectile dysfunction”. The publication time is limited to last 20 years. Articles had to be published in peer reviewed journals.Key Content and FindingsICA and its some derivatives showed the specific inhibition on phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) and the promotion of testosterone synthesis. In addition, by regulating various reliable evidence of signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT, TGFβ1/Smad2, p38/MAPK, Wnt and secretion of various cytokines, ICA and ICA derivatives can activate endogenous stem cells (ESCs) leading to endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell proliferation, nerve regeneration and fibrosis inhibition, repair pathological changes in penile tissue and improve erectile function.ConclusionsICA and some of its derivatives could be a potential treatment for restoring spontaneous erections. In addition ICA and his derivatives may also be valuable as a regenerative medicine approach for other diseases, but more clinical and basic researches with high quality and large samples are recommended.

The understanding of chronic rhinitis in traditional Chinese medicine and the definition of nasal obstruction disease

This paper reports on review of the conceptual cognition and definition of chronic rhinitis in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Diseases with nasal congestion as the main symptom were recorded in The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic (Huang Di Nei Jing) and Medical Bamboo slips of Wu Wei(Wu Wei Yi Jian), but these diseases had not been given names at that point in time. Chronic rhinitis and acute rhinitis had not been distinguished clearly. Some symptoms, in ancient Chinese medical books, indicated some possibility as those of chronic rhinitis, such as "bi weng"(), "stuffy nose"(), "anosmia" (), "nasal obstruction"(), "stuffy nose with anosmia"() and " poor nasal passages" ().In the first half of the last century, "biyuan"(), "biweng" () and "stuffy nose"() were classified at the symptoms of chronic rhinitis with the same names in traditional Chinese medicine. "Biyuan" was widely used at that time, but was gradually eliminated for the lack of semantic meaning. In the 1970s, "nasal obstruction" was proposed by many textbooks as the name of TCM for chronic rhinitis. In 1980, "nasal obstruction disease"() was finally specified as the formal name by Otorhinolaryngology of TCM (the 4th edition), the national unified textbook. This term has been widely accepted in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, driven by the united textbooks and clinical guidelines, while it is still insufficient in the perspective of meaning and science. The process of normalisation of "nasal obstruction disease" shows that the name of chronic rhinitis in ancient Chinese medicine is not equivalent to its term in modern medicine. It also suggests that the comparison of disease names between traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine must be fully investigated. It is necessary to understand the differences between ancient and modern connotations of terminology when reading and using ancient Chinese medicine literature.

An online stepwise background subtraction-based ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry dynamic detection integrated with metabolic molecular network strategy for intelligent characterization of the absorbed chemical-fingerprint of QiangHuoShengShi decoction in vivo

QiangHuoShengShi decoction (QHSS) was an ancient and classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription. In the previous study, its phytochemical fingerprint had been comprehensively characterized. However, no reports were available on its absorbed prototypes and the related metabolites in rat plasma samples. In this study, an intelligent and innovate analysis strategy was built for characterizing metabolic chemical-fingerprint in rat plasma after oral administration of QHSS extract. Firstly, a very simple and highly efficient online stepwise background subtraction (BS)-based ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) dynamic detection method was established to analyze the plasma samples. Secondly, the intelligent metabolic molecular network (MMN) technology was developed and used for rapidly screening out the metabolites of interest, which was followed by prediction of chemical types using the modified deep-learning assisted mass defect filter (MDF) analysis. Thirdly, the screened metabolites with identification features (metabolic pathways and chemical classification) were deeply characterized based on the MS/MS datasets. Finally, 58 prototypes of QHSS were successfully acquired and subsequently identified, including coumarins, chromones, phthalides, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and saponins. A total of 111 metabolites of the coumarins, chromones, phthalides were filtered to be tentatively characterized. This developed qualitative strategy was very helpful to quickly target medicine-related metabolites in the complex bio-matrix and, importantly, it could further visualize medicine-metabolic pathways hidden in the messy mass spectrum datasets. In all, the innovate strategy would provide a powerful tool for effectively acquiring and decode complex metabolic fingerprint of natural products in vivo.

The Aspect of Ancient Chinese Medicine thought in Chunag-tzu Examined as Philosophy of Medicine’s Perspective - Focusing on the Disease and Illness

이 글은 장자 중에서 중국고대의학사상의 면모를 엿볼 수 있는 내용들을 의철학적 관점에서 발굴하여 제시하는 데 목적이 있다. 근대 과학혁명 이후 그 발전에 의해 확립된 서양의 현대의학은 동아시아의 전통의학과 노정을달리하였다. 이를 고려하되, 장자 중에서 현대의학과 관련이 깊은 측면을 엿볼 수 있도록 그 범위를 질병과 질환에 해당하는 내용들로 한정하였다. 이러한 고찰을 통해 다음과 같은 점들을 확인할 수 있었다. 첫째, 동아시아의 전통의학은 음양의 불균형을 통해 병리를 이해해왔고, 질병과 질환의 구분은 근대적 사유양식의 소산이기에, 장자 당시에는 그러한 구분이 존재하지 않았다. 그럼에도 ｢열어구｣에는 현대의학의 구분법에 의거할 때, 질병에 속하는 종기와 항문주위농양인 치루가 언급되고 있었다. 둘째, 중국고대의학사상은 치신과 치국을 유비적으로 이해하였고, 동시에 제자백가는 자신들의 역할을 의사의역할과 유비적으로 이해하였다. 셋째, ｢인간세｣의 섭공자고와 관련된 우언에서는 음양의 균형이 깨져 양기가 성해진 탓에, 열이 오르는 질환이언급되고 있었다. 넷째, ｢인간세｣의 내용들은 포악한 군주와 그를 섬기는 신하와 같은 몸들 사이의 관계에서 죽음의 환난을 겪지않을 수 있는가에 대해 양생을 통한 답을 주고 있었다. 이는 또한 장자 가 중국고대의학사상의 면모를 갖추면서도 내경 과 병인을 다르게 보는 이유를 설명해줄 수 있었다.

Uncovering the pharmacological mechanism of Wei-Tong-Xin against gastric ulcer based on network pharmacology combined with in vivo experiment validation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe prescription of Wei-Tong-Xin (WTX) is improved based on the prescription “Wanyingyuan”, a famous decoction documented in the book of Huatuozhongzangjing in the Han dynasty. Many years of clinical verification have demonstrated that WTX can be used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, especially gastric ulcer (GU). However, the potential pharmacological mechanism is undefined. Aim of the studyThis research was conducted to explore the pharmacological mechanisms under the consideration of the therapeutical effect of WTX against GU by combining the network pharmacology strategy and in-vivo verified experiments. Materials and methodsA prediction network describing the relationship between WTX and GU was established based on information collected from multiple databases. Then, the intersecting protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the drug-disease overlapping gene targets was constructed, and several key targets related to both WTX and GU were obtained. Besides, the Gene Ontology (GO) biological enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed to investigate the key target genes and pathways of WTX against GU. Then, the candidate targets and signaling pathways of network pharmacology were validated in a rat model of GU induced by indomethacin following the results and available proof. ResultsThere are 243 targets obtained from the 65 active ingredients in WTX, and 1362 disease targets related to GU were identified. Then, 6 key targets were determined with the PPI interaction network, which was structured from 126 overlapping gene targets. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway might play a crucial role in the therapeutic mechanism of GU. In vivo verified experiments, WTX significantly reduced the ulcer area and improved the histopathological appearance of gastric tissues. Moreover, down-regulated the protein levels of IL6, TNF-α, and Caspase 3 in the gastric tissues while up-regulating the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-P53, and VEGFA compared to the model group. ConclusionWTX, an ancient traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound prescription, may affect the inflammatory response and apoptosis process by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and related gene targets. Therefore, it is an effective drug candidate for the modern treatment of GU.

Construction and Knowledge Mining of Traditional Chinese Medicine Ancient Books Bibliographic Abstracts Database Based on Genetic Algorithm and BP Neural Network

With the rapid development of modern science technology and Internet technology, the establishment of a unified and standardized bibliographic summary database to realize the exchange and resource sharing of ancient Chinese medicine bibliography, is the inevitable trend of ancient Chinese medicine bibliography digital service. Firstly, this paper formulates the bibliographic metadata specification of traditional Chinese medicine ancient books (TCMAB), extracts each cataloging file into an XML document in line with the bibliographic metadata specification of TCMAB. Secondly, this paper realizes the unified description of ancient book resources in the database system of TCMAB, uses the native XML database eXist to store and manage the XML documents of all traditional Chinese medicine ancient book resources, and integrates the multimedia data with XML data. Finally, genetic algorithm and BP neural network are used for knowledge mining and discovery, the overall model design of TCMAB bibliographic abstracts database system is proposed based on the construction process of knowledge map. The system platform adopts B/S mode, eXist database management system, PowerSSP streaming media and video server for audio video processing.