Damp-heat Constitution Research Articles

Personality and sleep quality among nursing interns: Traditional Chinese medicine constitution as a mediator and sedentary time as a moderator

AimsThis study investigated whether the relationship between neuroticism and sleep quality in nursing interns is mediated by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution. In addition, the study examined whether sedentary behaviour affects this mediating model. BackgroundThe importance of sleep quality for nursing interns cannot be overstated. Previous studies have demonstrated that neuroticism negatively affects sleep quality. However, little is known about the path of the relationship between neuroticism and sleep quality among nursing interns. DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted in Central and South China. MethodsA total of 630 nursing interns participated in this study. Neuroticism, TCM constitution, sleep quality, and sedentary behaviour were measured using reliable and valid questionnaires. Data were analysed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. ResultsNeuroticism significantly predicted the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; β = 0.144, P < 0.001). Neuroticism exerted a significant indirect effect on the PSQI through gentleness and damp heat constitution (β = 0.265, 95 % CI [0.214, 0.315]). In addition, sedentary time moderated this mediation model. Sedentary time marginally moderated the direct pathway from neuroticism to the PSQI (B = −0.025, 95 % CI [−0.046, −0.004]) and the pathway from neuroticism to the damp heat constitution (B = 0.175, 95 % CI [0.021, 0.329]) in the nursing interns. ConclusionTCM constitution mediates the relationship between neuroticism and sleep quality. Given the moderating effect of sedentary behaviour, targeting sedentary behaviour can be an effective approach to improve the sleep quality of nursing interns.

Gut microbiome and metabolome alterations in traditional Chinese medicine damp–heat constitution following treatment with a Chinese patent medicine and lifestyle intervention

BackgroundThe gut microbiota is crucial in human health and diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) divides people into those with a balanced constitution (Ping-he [PH]) and those with an unbalanced constitution. Dampness–heat constitution (Shi-re [SR]) is a common unbalanced constitution in the Chinese population and is susceptible to diseases. However, unbalanced constitutions can be regulated by Chinese medicine and lifestyle interventions in clinical practice. Ermiao Pill (EMP) is a Chinese medicine known for clearing heat and draining dampness and improving SR. However, the efficacy and mechanism of EMP are unclear. Hypothesis/PurposeTo determine alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolome in SR and any changes after EMP treatment combined with lifestyle intervention. Study designRandomized clinical trial. MethodsWe enrolled 112 healthy SR individuals and evaluated the efficacy of EMP along with lifestyle interventions. We further assessed serum cytokine levels, serum and urinary metabolomes, and the gut microbiota by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis before and after the EMP and lifestyle interventions. Results107 SR individuals (55 in the intervention group and 52 in the control group) completed the 1-month-intervention and 1-year-follow-up. The intervention group significantly improved their health status within 1 month, with a reduced SR symptom score, and the efficacy lasted to the 1-year follow-up. The control group needed a further 6 months to reduce the SR symptom score. The gut microbiota of PH individuals was more diverse and had significantly higher proportions of many bacterial species than the SR. Microbiota co-occurrence network analysis showed that SR enriches metabolites correlating with microbial community structure, consistent with traits of healthy SR-enriched microbiota. ConclusionEMP combined with lifestyle intervention produced health benefits in SR individuals. Our study indicates a pivotal role of gut microbiota and metabolome alterations in distinguishing between healthy SR and PH. Furthermore, the study reveals structural changes of gut microbiota and metabolites induced by EMP and lifestyle intervention. The treatment enriched the number of beneficial bacteria, such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Lactobacillus in the gut. Our findings provide a strong indication that several metabolite factors are associated with the gut microbiota. Moreover, the gut microbiome and metabolome might be powerful tools for TCMC diagnosis and personalized therapy.

Application of machine learning models in predicting insomnia severity: an integrative approach with constitution of traditional Chinese medicine.

This study sought to explore the utility of machine learning models in predicting insomnia severity based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution classifications, with an aim to discuss the potential applications of such models in the treatment and prevention of insomnia. We analyzed a dataset of 165 insomnia patients from the Shanghai Minhang District Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital. TCM constitution was assessed using a standardized Constitution in Chinese Medicine (CCM) scale. Sleep quality, or insomnia severity, was evaluated using the Spiegel Sleep Questionnaire (SSQ). Machine learning models, including Random Forest Classifier (RFC), Support Vector Classifier (SVC), and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), were utilized. These models were optimized using Grid Search algorithm and were trained and tested on stratified patient data, with the TCM constitution classifications serving as primary predictors. The RFC outperformed others, achieving a weighted average accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score of 0.91, 0.94, 0.92, and 0.92 respectively, it also effectively classified the severity of insomnia with high area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) values. Feature importance analysis demonstrated the Damp-heat constitution as the most influential predictor, followed by Yang-deficiency, Qi-depression, Qi-deficiency, and Blood-stasis constitutions. The results demonstrate the potent utility of machine learning, specifically RFC, coupled with TCM constitution classifications in predicting insomnia severity. Notably, the constitution classifications such as Damp-heat and Yang-deficiency emerged as crucial determinants, emphasizing its potential in guiding targeted insomnia treatments. This approach enables the development of more personalized and efficient interventions, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.

Investigating material basis and molecular mechanism of Qing Cuo formula in the treatment of acne based on animal experiments, UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS and network pharmacology

Context Qing Cuo Formula (QCF) is a traditional Chinese medicine for treating acne, but its active compounds and molecular mechanisms are unclear. Objective To investigate the material basis and molecular mechanism of QCF. Materials and methods In vivo experiments were conducted on 60 male golden hamsters with damp-heat acne, with a blank group, a spironolactone group and 3 QCF administration groups (given high, medium and low doses) over a 30-day period. Serum androgen and inflammatory cytokine levels were tested by ELISA. In vitro, chemical compositions of QCF were investigated by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS. Network pharmacology approaches were used to analyse the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and QCF active compounds-intersection targets-acne network. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis was conducted subsequently. Results Low-dose QCF group (11.4 g/kg/day) showed significantly reduced levels of serum T (4.94 ± 0.36; 5.51 ± 0.36 ng/mL), DHT (6.67 ± 0.61; 8.09 ± 0.59 nmol/L), E2 (209.01 ± 20.92; 237.08 ± 13.94 pg/mL), IL-1α (36.84 ± 3.23; 44.07 ± 4.00 pg/mL) and FFA (128.32 ± 10.94; 148.00 ± 12.12 µmol/L) compared to the blank group (p < 0.05). In vitro experiments identified 75 compounds in QCF decoction, with 27 active compounds absorbed in serum. Network pharmacology identified 6 active components connecting 17 targets. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that QCF’s anti-acne targets mainly regulate extracellular matrix function, inflammatory processes, immune response and endocrine function. Conclusions This study provides evidence of the molecular mechanism and material basis of QCF in treating androgen-related damp-heat acne, paving the way for further research on its potential in treating other conditions related to damp-heat constitution.

Traditional Chinese Medicine constitution types of high-normal blood pressure: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveWe determined the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and provided evidence for the prevention of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. MethodsEight digital databases were searched from January 2011 to November 2022, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, CNKI, CBM, Wangfang, and CQVIP. We performed a meta-analysis with the random-effects model or fixed-effects model to describe the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. The studies were assessed based on heterogeneity testing and the potential for publication bias. The meta-analysis was performed on Stata software 15.0. ResultsA total of 17 studies with 8118 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The proportion of the biased constitution (82.3%; 95% CI: 75.6%–89.1%, p < 0.001) was higher than the balanced constitution (17.3%; 95% CI: 10.7–23.8%, p < 0.001). Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution accounted for 16.0% (95%CI: 10.5–21.5%, p < 0.001), 14.8% (95% CI: 11.0–18.6%, p < 0.001), 11.3% (95% CI: 8.0–14.5%, p < 0.001) of the total high-normal blood pressure cases, respectively. The subgroup analyses performed that region, age and gender were positively associated with the distribution of constitution types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. Compared with the general population, the risk of high-normal blood pressure in people with the phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and blood-stasis constitution was 2.665 (95%CI: 2.286–3.106, p < 0.001), 2.378 (95%CI: 1.197–4.724, p = 0.013), 1.965 (95%CI: 1.634–2.363, p < 0.001) times of the general population, respectively. Meanwhile, the risk of high-normal blood pressure was lower in people with a balanced constitution (0.248, 95%CI: 0.165–0.372, p < 0.001). ConclusionsPhlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution were the common constitution types of high-normal blood pressure. There might also be differences in the distribution characteristics of TCM constitution among people with high-normal blood pressure in different regions, ages, and genders. Finally, a balanced constitution might be a protective factor for hypertensive people.

The Correlation between Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution and Hyperuricemia and Gout: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

To investigate the correlation between the constitution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and hyperuricemia (HUA) and gout. Databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), China Biology Medicine Disc (CBMdisc), PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Excerpta Medical Database (Embase) were searched to collect observational studies about TCM constitution in HUA and gout from inception to November 21, 2021. The distribution of TCM constitution types in HUA and gout patients was presented by proportion, while the correlation was presented by odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI. Meta-analysis was performed using StataCorp Stata (STATA) version 16.0 software. Twenty-one cross-sectional studies and 10 case-control studies involving 38028 samples were included, among which 27526 patients were diagnosed with HUA and 2048 patients with gout. Phlegm-dampness constitution (PDC), damp-heat constitution (DHC), and qi-deficiency constitution (QDC) are the most common types, accounting for 24% (20%-27%), 22% (16%-27%), and 15% (12%-18%), respectively, in HUA patients, while DHC, PDC, and blood stasis constitution (BSC) accounted for 28% (18%-39%), 23% (17%-29%), and 11% (8%-15%), respectively, in gout patients. PDC and DHC were the main constitution types in patients with HUA or gout in south China, east China, north China, southwest China, northwest China, and northeast China. There was no difference in the distribution of PDC and QDC in male or female patients with HUA, while males with DHC in HUA were more common than females. The proportion of PDC or DHC among HUA patients was 1.93 times and 2.14 times higher than that in the general population (OR and 95% CI: 1.93 (1.27, 2.93), 2.14 (1.47, 3.13)), while the proportions of PDC, DHC, and BSC were 3.59 times, 4.85 times, and 4.35 times higher than that of the general groups (OR and 95% CI: 3.59 (1.65, 7.80), 4.85 (1.62, 14.57), and 4.35(2.33, 8.11)). PDC, DHC, and QDC are the main constitution types of patients with HUA, while PDC and QDC may be the risk factors for HUA. DHC, PDC, and BSC are the main constitution types of patients with gout, and they may be the risk factors for gout. In clinical and scientific research, more attention should be paid to the relationship between the above-mentioned TCM constitution in HUA or gout. Nevertheless, because the quality of the included observational studies is low, more prospective cohort studies related to TCM constitution and HUA or gout can be carried out to verify the causality between TCM constitution and HUA or gout.

Impact of Different Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitutions on the Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution and disease occurrence, development, and prognosis are interrelated. This study aimed to investigate the association between TCM constitution and the time to negative nucleic acid test results in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. We identified COVID-19 patients (≥18 years) infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and collected clinical data, including clinical symptoms, time to negative nucleic acid test results, and TCM constitution. Linear and logistic regression analyses explored the relationship between TCM constitution and the time to negative nucleic acid test results in patients with the COVID-19 Omicron variant. We included 486 patients with COVID-19, with a mean age of 40.2 years; 321 (66.0%) men and 165 (34.0%) women. Balanced constitution accounted for 43.8%, and unbalanced constitution accounted for 56.2%. Chi-square test showed that different TCM constitutions had significant differences in the influence of clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients (P < 0.01). After controlling for various factors, multiple linear regression analysis revealed that an unbalanced constitution was significantly positively correlated with time to negative nucleic acid test results (P < 0.05). After controlling for various factors, logistic regression analysis revealed that an unbalanced constitution was closely related to the 7-day nucleic acid test conversion rate (odds ratio (OR): 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36-0.80, P < 0.05). After dividing the unbalanced constitution into deficiency constitution and non-deficiency constitution, the non-deficiency constitution was closely associated with the 7-day nucleic acid test conversion rate (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.28-0.74, P < 0.05). Further analysis revealed that damp-heat constitution in the non-deficiency constitution was associated with the 7-day nucleic acid test conversion rate (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18-0.60, P < 0.05). In patients with COVID-19, an unbalanced constitution is associated with a longer time to negative nucleic acid test results and lower 7-day nucleic acid test conversion rates.

Damp-heat constitution influences gut microbiota and urine metabolism of Chinese infants

BackgroundAs an increasingly popular complementary and alternative approach for early detection and treatment of disease, traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) divides human beings into those with balanced constitution (BC) and unbalanced constitution, where damp-heat constitution (DHC) is one of the most unbalanced constitutions. Many studies have been carried out on the microscopic mechanism of constitution classification; however, most of these studies were conducted in adults and rarely in infants. Many diseases are closely related to intestinal microbiota, and metabolites produced by the interaction between microbiota and the body may impact constitution classification. Herein, we investigated the overall constitution distribution in Chinese infants, and analyzed the profiles of gut microbiota and urine metabolites of DHC to further promote the understanding of infants constitution classification. MethodsGeneral information was collected and TCMC was evaluated by Constitutional Medicine Questionnaires. 1315 questionnaires were received in a cross-sectional study to investigate the constitution composition in Chinese infants. A total of 56 infants, including 30 DHC and 26 BC, were randomly selected to analyze gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing and urine metabolites by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS method. ResultsBC was the most common constitution in Chinese infants, DHC was the second common constitution. The gut microbiota and urine metabolites in the DHC group showed different composition compared to the BC group. Four differential genera and twenty differential metabolites were identified. In addition, the combined marker composed of four metabolites may have the high potential to discriminate DHC from BC with an AUC of 0.765. ConclusionsThe study revealed the systematic differences in the gut microbiota and urine metabolites between infants with DHC and BC. Moreover, the differential microbiota and metabolites may offer objective evidences for constitution classification.

Serum cytokine profiles in phlegm-dampness constitution and damp-heat constitution using proteomic antibody microarray

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutional theory guides clinical diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to further explore more objective biological expressions among people with different constitutions. Antibody microarrays were used to investigate the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in sera of people with three different constitutions, Balanced constitution (BC) group (n = 18), Phlegm-dampness constitution (PdC) group (n = 13) and Damp-heat constitution (DhC) group (n = 13). The clusters of DEPs were basically consistent with the clinical classification which is according to Classification and Determination Standards of Constitutions in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Biological functional analysis of DEPs revealed that the signaling pathways involved in PdC and DhC were JAK-STAT, TGF-β/BMP and PI3K-Akt pathways. These biological pathways played their roles were basically related to cardiovascular diseases, abnormality of lipid metabolism and tumor diseases. The phenomenon of more up-regulated proteins in PdC while more down-regulated proteins in DhC suggesting that these two constitutions may be related to hyperthyroidism or low in immune system respectively. Our study showed that both PdC and DhC had unique serum protein profiles compared to BC. Signaling pathways related to DEPs of PdC and DhC providing evidence for the susceptibility of cardiovascular diseases and other diseases in PdC and DhC population. Our study could provide insights for future in-depth investigation of the material basis and mechanism of TCM constitutional theory.

Serum protein complex profiling reveals heterogeneity of Balanced constitutional population in traditional Chinese medicine through blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Pulse-taking is widely used for diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and protein complexes in serum perform various biological functions. The Balanced constitution is one of the major constitutions in TCM, people with Balanced constitution can also share some common characteristics with unbalanced constitution types. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) was applied to the serum of 25 people with balanced constitutions. The patterns of the protein complexes could be recognized according to the number, molecular weight, and intensity of the gel bands. All of the individual bands from these patterns were cut and in-gel-digested with trypsin, followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for protein identification and biological function analysis. The protein complex patterns were roughly categorized as type A and B with high stability and reproducibility, and there were 15 and 16 gel bands in type A and type B, respectively. Among the 25 serum samples, 14 belonged to type A, and 11 belonged to type B. High-abundance proteins significantly decreased from 99% to 44% after BN-PAGE separation. The unique proteins in type A were mainly related to lipid metabolism, while the unique proteins in type B were involved in biological processes related to immune response and inflammatory regulation. The Qi-deficiency constitution converted score of type A was higher than that of type B, while the Damp-heat constitution converted score of type A was lower than that of type B. Our study provided an objective reference for diagnosis and prognosis, which might lay a foundation for establishing the characteristic protein complex spectra of all of the TCM constitutions.

Clinical study on traditional Chinese medicine constitution types and CYP2C19 gene polymorphism in acute cerebral infarction

Objective To investigate the correlation between Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution classification and clopidogrel-related CYP2C19 gene polymorphism of acute cerebral infarction patients. Methods A cross-sectional method was used in this study. Patients with acute cerebral infarction were screened and enrolled according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. TCM constitution were evaluated in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Digital fluorescence hybridization Technology was used to test genotypes of CYP2C19 and Hardy-Weinberg’s equilibrium was used to examine CYP2C19 gene polymorphism of the patients. Binary logistic regression analysis method was used to explore the relationship between TCM constitution types and clopidogrel-related CYP2C19 gene polymorphism in acute cerebral infarction. Results Among the 100 patients with acute cerebral infarction, 18 belong to Yang-deficiency constitution (18 cases, 18%), 30 Yin-deficiency (30 cases, 30%), 18 belong to Qi-deficiency constitution (18 cases, 18%), 51 belong to phlegm-dampness constitution(51 cases, 51%), 14 belong to damp-heat constitution (14 cases, 14%), 2 belong to special constitution (2 cases, 2%), blood-stasis constitution (27 cases, 27%), Qi stagnation constitution (4 cases, 4%), and normal constitution (11 cases, 11%). The CYP2C19*2 gene polymorphism distribution: CYP2C19*2 (A/A, mutant homozygous) (21 cases, 21%), CYP2C19*2 (A/G, mutant heterozygote) (33 cases, 33%), CYP2C19*2 (G/G) (normal homozygous) (46 cases, 46%). The mutant allele frequency was 0.375. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that compared with A/A genotype, the G/G genotype of CYP2C19*2 in acute cerebral infarction was correlated with phlegm-dampness constitution (OR=5.105, 95% CI: 1.308-19.928, P<0.05) and blood-stasis constitution (OR=12.557, 95% CI: 1.741-90.558, P<0.05). Conclusions The proportion of phlegm-dampness constitution is the highest in patients with acute cerebral infarction. The mutation rate of clopidogrel-related CYP2C19*2 was significantly higher than that of CYP2C19*3 clopidogrel-related CYP2C19*2 gene polymorphism might be related to phlegm-dampness constitution and blood-stasis constitution. Key words: Brain infarction; Constitutional type (TCM); Clopidogrel; CYP2C19 gene polymorphism; Cross-sectional study

Constitution of traditional chinese medicine and related factors in women of childbearing age

BackgroundThis study investigates the constitution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) among women who want to be pregnant in one year and explores factors related to TCM constitution. MethodsThis study was conducted on women who participated in free preconception check-ups provided by the Zhabei District Maternity and Child Care Center in Shanghai, China. The information regarding the female demographic characteristics, physical condition, history of pregnancy and childbearing, diet and behavior, and social psychological factors was collected, and TCM constitution assessment was performed. The Chi-square test, t-test, logistic regression analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to explore the related factors of TCM constitution. ResultsThe participants in this study were aged 28.3 ± 3.0 years. Approximately fifty-five women in this study had Unbalanced Constitution. Logistic regression analysis showed that Shanghai residence, dysmenorrhea, gum bleeding, aversion to vegetables, preference for raw meat, job stress, and economic stress were significantly and negatively associated with Balanced Constitution. Multinomial logistic analysis showed that Shanghai residence was significantly associated with Yang-deficiency, Yin-deficiency, and Stagnant Qi Constitutions; gum bleeding was significantly associated with Yin-deficiency, Stagnant Blood, Stagnant Qi, and Inherited Special Constitutions; aversion to vegetables was significantly associated with Damp-heat Constitution; job stress was significantly associated with Yang-deficiency, Phlegm-dampness, Damp-heat, Stagnant Blood, and Stagnant Qi Constitutions; and economic stress was significantly associated with Yang-deficiency, and Stagnant Qi Constitutions. ConclusionThe application of TCM constitution to preconception care would be beneficial for early identification of potential TCM constitution risks and be beneficial for early intervention (e.g., health education, and dietary education), especially during the women who do not have a medical condition and those who have related factors found in this study.

"Heterozygous Treatment" Method to Improve the Biased Status of the Damp-heat Constitution and Symptom Integral: Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of "heterozygous treatment" intervening the damp-heat constitution. Method: 106 cases with damp-heat constitution were randomly divided into the observation group and control group, 53 cases for each group. Lianpu drink was given to the two groups, and the observation group was treated with scraping, acupuncture, cupping, constitution care and popularization of constitution science for "heterozygous treatment" based on the control group. 70 days later, "constitution classification and determination table of traditional Chinese medicine" was used to determine, and statistics was applied to analyze the change of the symptoms of the two groups before and after the intervention. Results: in the observation group, compared to before the intervention, symptoms like dirty and oily complexion, yellow greasy tongue, bitter taste, dullness and scanty dark urine were significantly improved (P &lt; 0.05), and improvement of the above symptoms was greater than the control group (P &lt; 0.05) .Conclusion: There is no significant difference between the two groups (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: the "heterozygous treatment" method can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of people with damp-heat constitution, with a better role in regulating.

亚健康系列中药足浴粉临床疗效研究

目的：探讨亚健康系列6种中药足浴粉的临床疗效及其安全性评估。方法：研究对象为2015年8月~2017年7月在广州市天河区中医医院治未病科门诊就诊的人员共186例。将其分为对照组30例及治疗组6组：阳虚质组29例、阴虚质组25例、血瘀质组25例、气郁质组25例、痰湿质组25例、湿热质组27例。对照组及治疗组各组都采用健康生活方式干预，给予相应体质的饮食、运动、生活调养建议，对照组采用温热水足浴，治疗组各组分别给予相应体质的足浴粉进行治疗，连续使用6周、12周后，观察治疗后体质变化情况、临床有效率和安全性。结果：治疗12周后，治疗组各组及对照组中医体质均明显改善，由复合体质转变为单一体质或由偏颇体质转变为平和体质，治疗组各组与对照组比较差异有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。干预6周后，治疗各组的总有效率分别为：阳虚质组96.55%、阴虚质组96.00%、血瘀质组84.00%、气郁质组88.00%、痰湿质组100%、湿热质组96.30%，治疗组各组与对照组总有效率对比有显著性差异，有统计学意义(P < 0.01)；干预12周后，治疗各组的总有效率分别为：阳虚质组100%、阴虚质组96.00%、血瘀质组96.00%、气郁质组92.00%、痰湿质组100%、湿热质组100%，治疗组各组与对照组总有效率对比有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。治疗组各组明显优于对照组。所有病例均无不良反应发生。结论：亚健康系列足浴粉能明显改善亚健康状态的阳虚质、阴虚质、血瘀质、气郁质、痰湿质、湿热质患者的临床症状，使用简便、安全、价廉、有效且无任何不良反应，值得临床推广。 Objective: To observe the clinical effect and security of the six kinds of Chinese Medicine Pedicure powder. Methods: The observed 186 cases of sub-healthy out patients from August 2015 to July 2017, were divided into observation group and control group. The control group include 30 cases, the other cases were divided to 6 groups, 29 cases of Yang deficiency, 25 cases of Yin deficiency, 25 cases of Blood stasis, 25cases of Qi stagnation, 25 cases of Phlegm wet, 27 cases of Damp-heat, Each group had the same suggestion of the health care, and the control group use the warm water to do the foot bath and the observed groups used the different pedicure powder. We will study the change of the physical state and the safety after 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Results: After 12 weeks, all of the observed groups and the control group can improve the patients’ sub-health state, the pa-tients can change the compound states into the pure single constitution or change from the unba-lanced constitution into the mild constitution, compared with the control group, the above changes of each observed group had significant statistical differences (P < 0.05). After 6 weeks treatment, the total effective rate of the observed groups: 96.55% of Yang deficiency, 96% of Yin deficiency, 84% of Blood stasis, 88% of Qi stagnation, 100% Phlegm wet, 96.3% of Damp-heat. Compared with the control group, the above changes of each observed group has significant statistical differences (P < 0.01). After 12 weeks, the above rate change into 100% of Yang deficiency, 96% of Yin deficiency, 96% of Blood stasis, 92% of Qi stagnation, 100% Phlegm wet, 100% of Damp-heat. Compared with the control group, the above changes of each observed group had significant statistical differences (P < 0.05). No adverse reactions occurred in all cases. Conclusion: The Sub-health selection of Chinese medicine pedicure powder can improve the patients’ state of the Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, Blood stasis, Qi stagnation, Phlegm wet, Damp-heat constitution, and the treatment is safe.

Association of TCM body constitution with insulin resistance and risk of diabetes in impaired glucose regulation patients

BackgroundImpaired glucose regulation (IGR) patients have increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Identifying relevant risk factors in IGR subjects could facilitate early detection and prevention of IGR progression to diabetes. This study investigated the association between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) body constitution and serum cytokines, and whether body constitution could independently predict diabetes in IGR subjects.MethodPatients with IGR (n = 306) received a blood test and their body constitution type was assessed using a body constitution questionnaire (BCQ). Serum levels of cytokines were measured by ELISA. Patients were followed up for at least three years, and their status of diabetes were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of diabetes for body constitution.ResultsPhlegm-damp, Damp-heat and Qi-deficiency were three most common unbanlenced constitutions among IGR subjects. Phlegm-damp and Damp-heat constitution subjects showed higher serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), leptin and lower serum levels of adiponectin (P<0.05). Qi-deficiency constitution subjects showed higher serum levels of leptin and lower serum levels of adiponectin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) (P<0.05). Subjects with Phlegm-damp or Damp-heat constitution demonstrated a significantly higher risk of diabetes (P<0.05).ConclusionPhlegm-damp and Damp-heat TCM body constitution are strongly associated with abnormal serum cytokines, and could potentially serve as a predictor of diabetes in IGR subjects. Body constitution can help to identify IGR subjects who are at a high risk of progression to diabetes.

TCM comprehensive external therapy for acne oriented by damp-heat constitution

Acne is a kind of common skin disease in modern young people. Damp-heat constitution is the pathological basis of acne. Influenced by external factors, damp-heat constitution can lead to acne in the three pattern types, including lung meridian wind-heat, spleen and stomach damp-heat and phlegm stasis congestion and stagnation. Therefore, according to the thought of traditional Chinese medicine, the only way to completely solve the problem of recurrent acne is to correct the damp-heat constitution. TCM external therapy has always been the common therapy for acne, but the specific application scheme of the therapy has not been systematically summarized. In this paper, the relationship between damp-heat constitution and acne, and the design of TCM external therapy for acne on the face oriented by damp-heat constitution will be systematically discussed on the basis of long-term clinical practice and theory summary.

Association of Chinese medicine constitution susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy and transforming growth factor-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphism

To explore the association of Chinese medicine constitution susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy (DN) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphism. TGF-β1 gene polymorphism detected with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was screened for 180 DN cases and 180 type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) cases without combined DN. Patients with DN were surveyed epidemiologically with constitution in the Chinese medicine questionnaire (CCMQ). Binary logistic regression analysis was utilized to study the correlation between nine types of Chinese medicine constitution and TGF-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphisms. The DN group has a higher frequency of TGF-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphism than the T2DM group, and CC/CT genotypes than the T2DM group [CC, CT, TT (DN group): 88, 87, 5 (cases) versus (T2DM group) 71, 73, 36 (cases), P<0.05]. The phlegm-dampness constitution, damp-heat constitution, and blood stasis constitution have correlations with TGF-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphism. Chinese medicine constitutions were associated with TGF-β1 (T869C) gene polymorphism, a potential predictor of susceptibility to DN in T2DM patients.

Research on constitutions and physiology of skin‐development of traditional Chinese medicine for skin

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is considered medical treatment for constitutions (Shou). In women, who are healthy volunteers living in Tokyo, we investigated the relationship among the four types of skin condition and six types of constitution, which are based on the general idea of TCM. As a result, it is clear that skin types are composed of several constitutions. The constituent proportions of damp heat constitution and yin deficient constitution are high in the case of active skin (this type of skin tends to turn red and is easily partially inflamed). The constituent proportions of qi‐blood deficient constitution and yang deficient constitution are high in the case of inactive skin (this type of skin tends to be pale). The proportion of phlegm dampness constitution is high in the case of damp skin (this type of skin looks greasy and tends to break out in acne). The constituent proportions of qi‐blood deficient constitution and yin deficient constitution are high in the case of dry skin (this type of skin looks dry and rough). In other words, it is suggested that the features of the four types of skin are signified as the sum total of local symptoms composed of the constitutions. Furthermore, we trialled the external prescriptions of TCM, which changed the features of the four types of skin. It is proved that each of the external prescriptions of TCM can change the skin features according to the effective result of all of types of skin. Consequently, it is considered to be appropriate to classify skin type on the basis of TCM.