Guizhi Decoction Research Articles

Efficacy and Safety of Guizhi Decoction AssociatedFormulas for Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review.

In this study, we aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Guizhi Decoction associated formulas for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. A total of seven online databases were searched to collect studies published up to Feb 23rd, 2020. Study quality of each included article was evaluated by the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. Systematic reviews were conducted based on the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan 5.3 Software. Among the included trials, Guizhi Decoction associated formulas alone (or plus Western medicine, or acupoint-based therapy) were main therapies in experimental groups. Interventions in control groups include Western medicine, Guizhi Decoction associated formulas alone, Chinese patent medicine, and placebo control. Primary outcomes in this study include recovery rate, accumulative marked effective rate, accumulative effective rate, and recurrence rate. Finally, 23 trials involving 2281 participants were included. Results of systematic reviews show that Guizhi Decoction and associated formulas alone, plus Western medicine or plus acupoint-based therapies, were significantly better compared with using Western medicine alone in terms of efficacy. In addition, the formulas plus nasal TCM fumigation therapy could improve effective rate for AR treatment compared to using the formulas alone. More types and cases of adverse events were reported in the control groups (Western medicine alone), but events of included trials were all mild and did not need specific medical intervention. More RCTs of high quality, and large sample size, with appropriate blinding methods or nonblinded pragmatic trials of Guizhi Decoction and associated formulas for AR are needed.

Effects of Guizhi decoction for diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) is one of the serious complications of diabetes. The pathogenesis of DCAN has not been fully elucidated. There is currently no effective treatment for such chronic disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long clinical history for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and chronic complications, and it also shows certain advantages in the treatment of DCAN. Many clinical studies have confirmed that Chinese medicine Guizhi decoction can reduce the clinical symptoms and improve neuronal function of patients with DCAN. So we intend to conduct a systematic review further clarified the effectiveness and safety of Guizhi decoction for DCAN.Methods:We will search each database from the built-in until July 2020. The English literature mainly searches Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, while the Chinese literature comes from CNKI, CBM, VIP, and Wangfang database. Simultaneously we will retrieval clinical registration tests and grey literatures. In this study, only the clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Guizhi decoction in the treatment of DCAN. The 2 researchers independently conducted literature selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Statistical heterogeneity among studies will be evaluated using the Cochran Q test (x2) and the I2 statistical value. We will utilize the Review Manage software V5.3.0 (The Nordic Cochrane Center, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014, Copenhagen, Denmark) to statistically analyze all data.Ethics and dissemination:This study is a protocol for a systematic review of Guizhi decoction as a treatment of DCAN patients.Results:This study will provide high-quality synthesis of effectiveness and safety of Guizhi decoction for DCAN.Conclusion:This systematic review aims to provide new options for Guizhi decoction treatment of DCAN in terms of its efficacy and safety.Registration number:INPLASY202080018.

Gui-zhi decoction for allergic rhinitis: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

The treatment effects and safety of Gui-zhi decoction (GZD) for patients with allergic rhinitis have yet to be clarified. We will search PubMed, EMBASE (Excerpta Medical Database), Cochrane Library, Chinese Cochrane Centre's Controlled Trials Register Platform, Wanfang Chinese Digital Periodical and Conference Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and VIP Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database to collect randomized controlled trials of Gui-zhi decoction (GZD) for allergic rhinitis. RevMan5.3 software was used to conduct a meta-analysis. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was applied to evaluate the evidence quality for each outcome. Cochrane Risk Assessment Tool will be used to assess the quality of eligible studies according to the Cochrane handbook. The results of this systematic review will provide a synthesis of current evidence of GZD and we have a specific opportunity to determine the efficacy and safety of it. This study will explore the efficacy and safety of GZD to treat allergic rhinitis. Identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/CWQNH (https://osf.io/cwqnh/).

Professor YANG Wen-hui's experience in treatment of alopecia areata with the combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs based on yingwei theory

Professor YANG Wen-hui 's clinical experience of treating alopecia areata with combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs based on yingwei theory was summarized. Professor YANG divides alopecia areata into ying qi disease and wei qi disease. Alopecia areata belonging to wei qi disease locates on the skin and is related to the lung and kidney, and belonging to ying qi disease locates in the meridians and is related to the heart, spleen and stomach. Acupuncture is chosen when the disease locates in the skin and meridians. If both viscera and meridians suffered, acupuncture and Chinese herbs should be combined. As for the acupuncture, professor YANG used the method of harmonizing yingwei needling to treat alopecia areata, which includes regulating the origin of yingwei, regulating the deficiency and excess of yingwei and regulating the operation of local yingwei. As for the Chinese herbs, wei qi disease can be washed out by Chinese herbs of relieving exterior wind and activating meridians and collaterals. The ying qi disease can be washed out by Chinese herbs in mild condition, and long course of disease can be given Guizhi decoction as the base, add or subtract according to syndrome.

Network pharmacology based investigation into the effect and mechanism of Guizhi decoction against osteoarthritis

Network pharmacology based investigation into the effect and mechanism of Guizhi decoction against osteoarthritis

Text mining and analysis of treatise on febrile diseases based on natural language processing

Objective: With using natural language processing (NLP) technology to analyze and process the text of “Treatise on Febrile Diseases (TFDs)” for the sake of finding important information, this paper attempts to apply NLP in the field of text mining of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) literature. Materials and Methods: Based on the Python language, the experiment invoked the NLP toolkit such as Jieba, nltk, gensim, and sklearn library, and combined with Excel and Word software. The text of “TFDs” was sequentially cleaned, segmented, and moved the stopped words, and then implementing word frequency statistics and analysis, keyword extraction, named entity recognition (NER) and other operations, finally calculating text similarity. Results: Jieba can accurately identify the herbal name in “TFDs.” Word frequency statistics based on the word segmentation found that “warm therapy” is an important treatment of “TFDs.” Guizhi decoction is the main prescription, and five core decoctions are identified. Keyword extraction based on the term “frequency-inverse document frequency” algorithm is ideal. The accuracy of NER in “TFDs” is about 86%; latent semantic indexing model calculating the similarity, “Understanding of Synopsis of Golden Chamber (SGC)” is much more similar with “SGC” than with “TFDs.” The results meet expectation. Conclusions: It lays a research foundation for applying NLP to the field of text mining of unstructured TCM literature. With the combination of deep learning technology, NLP as an important branch of artificial intelligence will have broader application prospective in the field of text mining in TCM literature and construction of TCM knowledge graph as well as TCM knowledge services.

Baihu Jia Guizhi Decoction Improves Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation by Regulating Succinate/SUCNR1 Metabolic Signaling Pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by synovitis. Succinate is an inflammatory metabolic signal that exacerbates RA synovitis by activating succinate receptor 1 (SUCNR1) to amplify the release of IL-1β. Thus, inhibition of succinate activation of SUCRN1 could be an effective method to inhibit the inflammation of RA. Baihu Jia Guizhi decoction (BHGZ), which is composed of Gypsum Fibrosum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge., Cinnamomum cassia Presl., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., and Oryza sativa L., is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription used to treat RA in clinic. In addition, TCM believes that damp and heat environment is one of the causes of RA. In this study, we tested the role of damp and heat environments in exacerbating RA inflammation and the anti-inflammatory effect of BHGZ, based on succinate/SUCNR1/IL-1β pathway in the adjuvant arthritis (AA) model with damp and heat environment (AA + DHE). Results showed that paw swelling and synovial pathology were significantly increased in AA rats, and these results were aggravated by stimulation in damp and heat environment. BHGZ improved AA + DHE rats' paw swelling, synovial hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced IL-1β. In addition, AA rats significantly increased the expression of SUCNR1, and the stimulation of damp and heat environment not only increased the expression of SUCNR1 but also promoted the accumulation of succinate. BHGZ simultaneously reduced the concentration of succinate and the expression of SUCNR1. Finally, SDH activity was decreased in AA rats and AA + DHE rats, while BHGZ increased SDH activity and then reduced succinate concentration. Therefore, we prove that damp and heat environment deteriorated the inflammation of RA which is the activation of succinate/SUCNR1 pathway, while BHGZ regulates SDH activity to reduce the accumulation of succinate and inhibit the activation of SUCNR1 that is the underlying mechanism of its treatment of RA.

Involvement of PARP-1/AIF Signaling Pathway in Protective Effects of Gualou Guizhi Decoction Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury-Induced Apoptosis.

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury is a complex pathophysiological process. Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase-1 (PARP-1)/apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) signaling pathway-mediated apoptosis is one of the non-caspase-dependent cell death programs that are widely present in neurological diseases such as stroke. In our study, we aimed to conduct further research on the effects of Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) on the PARP-1/AIF signaling pathway in cell apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion injury caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The results showed that GLGZD administration for 7days significantly ameliorated MCAO-induced neurological damage, limb paralysis and the pathological state of the ischemic cortex. GLGZD exerted its effects by significantly reducing the volume of ischemic cerebral infarction, increasing the number of Nissl-positive cells, and reducing neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that GLGZD significantly inhibited the total protein expression of PARP-1, PAR, AIF and endonuclease G (Endo G) in the ischemic cortex and significantly increased the total protein expression of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70). On the one hand, the expression of PARP-1, AIF and Endo G protein in the nucleus significantly decreased while the expression of PAR nucleoprotein significantly upregulated. On the other hand, compared with the MCAO model group, the GLGZD-treated group showed a significantly reduced protein expression of PAR in mitochondria and significantly increased protein expression of mitochondrial AIF and Endo G. It was concluded that GLGZD had good therapeutic effects in MCAO model rats. These effects were closely related to GLGZD-mediated inhibition of ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulation of protein expression and translocation in the PARP-1/AIF signaling pathway.

Application of cream formula in treatment of severe heart failure

Cream formula has been mostly used to treat deficiency syndrome. Currently,it has been used to recuperate the body,promote health against aging,and prevent and treat chronic disease. In modern medicine,there are only treatment concepts and methods of diseases,but lack of concepts of " deficiency syndrome" and " restoring deficiency". The concepts of " deficiency syndrome" and " restoring deficiency" could effectively supplement and improve the diagnosis and treatment scheme of some modern diseases. Refractory heart failure,dilated cardiomyopathy,ischemic cardiomyopathy,and valvular heart disease belong to the traditional category of " consumptive disease". The cream formula with the efficacy of restoring deficiency can not only alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life,but also improve the structure and function of the heart,reduce the dosage of diuretics and the number of hospitalizations,and achieve the purpose of secondary prevention in the treatment of severe heart failure,dilated cardiomyopathy,ischemic cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease. The cream formula for treating chronic heart failure include Shenqi Pills,Zhenwu Decoction,Yougui Pills,Wuling Powder,Linggui Zhugan Decoction,Danggui Shaoyao Powder,Lizhong Decoction,Buzhong Yiqi Decoction,Guipi Decoction,Yupingfeng Powder,Guizhi Decoction. Long-term administration of cream formula could not only resist aging,but also play an irreplaceable role in the secondary prevention of acute and critical diseases.

Molecular mechanism of Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba drug pair against sepsis based on integrative pharmacology platform of traditional Chinese medicine

Guizhi Decoction is a resolving agent,which is a classic prescription for traditional Chinese medicine. It is effective in the treatment of sepsis in clinical practice. However,due to the complexity of the prescription,its anti-sepsis mechanism is difficult to be clarified. The " Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba" drug pair,as the classic compatibility for medicinal and medicinal herbs,is the core of Guizhi Decoction. In this study,Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba drug pair was used as the research object and the molecular mechanism of its treatment of sepsis was investigated by analyzing the chemical compositions with integrative pharmacology platform( TCMIP,http://www.tcmip.cn/),predicting disease target,analyzing gene function and pathway of " Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba" in treatment of sepsis,and establishing a multi-dimensional network relationship of " Chinese medicine-chemical components-core targets-key pathways". The prediction results of " Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba" drug pair showed that its anti-sepsis effect was associated with 45 active components,and the active components played an anti-sepsis role through multiple targets and pathways,involving inflammatory targets such as PF4,MyD88,TLR4,BDKRB2,CD14,and NOS3. The sepsis was relieved mainly by regulating Toll like signaling pathway,Fox O signaling pathway,chemokines signaling pathway,thyroid and insulin endocrine signaling pathways and biological processes. This study provides a scientific basis for further development of Cinnamomi Ramulus-Paeoniae Radix Alba drug pair and Guizhi Decoction against sepsis.

Guizhi Decoction () Inhibits Cholinergic Transdifferentiation by Regulating Imbalance of NGF and LIF in Salt-Sensitive Hypertensive Heart Failure Rats.

To observe the imbalance of anatomical and functional innervation factors of sympathetic nerves, nerve growth factor (NGF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), in salt-sensitive hypertensive heart failure rats and to explore the effects of treatment with Guizhi Decoction () on sympathetic remodeling by inhibiting cholinergic transdifferentiation. SS-13BN and Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats were divided into 3 groups: SS-13BN group (control group, n=9), DS group (model group, n=9) and GS group (Guizhi Decoction, n=9). After 10 weeks of a high-salt diet, the GS group rats were given Guizhi Decoction and other two groups were given saline at an equal volume as a vehicle. After 4 weeks' intragastric administration, rats were executed to detect the relevant indicators. Echocardiography and plasma n-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were used to assess cardiac function. Noradrenaline (NA) levels in the plasma and myocardium were detected to evaluate the sympathetic function. NGF and LIF expression were detected in the myocardium by Western blot or quantitative real-time PCR. Double immunofluorescence or Western blot was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) and growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) in order to reflect anatomical and functional changes of sympathetic nerves. DS group had anatomical and functional deterioration of sympathetic nerves in the decompensation period of heart failure compared with SS-13BN group. Compared with the DS group, Guizhi Decoction significantly decreased the expression of LIF mRNA/protein (P<0.01), increased the expression of NGF (P<0.05 or P<0.01), enhanced the levels of TH+/GAP43+ and TH+/CHAT+ positive nerve fibers (P<0.01), and improved the protein expression of TH and GAP43 in left ventricle, but had no effect on CHAT (P>0.05). Guizhi Decoction inhibited inflammatory infiltration and collagen deposition of myocardial injury, increased the content of myocardial NA (P<0.05), reduced the plasma NA level (P<0.01), improved cardiac function (P<0.01), and improved weight and blood pressure to some extent (P<0.05), compared with DS group. Guizhi Decoction could inhibit cholinergic transdifferentiation of sympathetic nerves, improve the anatomical and functional denervation of sympathetic nerves, and delay the progression of decompensated heart failure. The mechanism may be associated with the correction of the imbalance of NGF and LIF.

Herbal medicine (zhishi xiebai guizhi decoction) for unstable angina: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unstable angina (UA) is a clinically common coronary heart disease. Zhishi xiebai guizhi decoction (ZXGD) has been widely used in the management of UA, although its effective evidence is not clear and there is no systematic review regarding its efficacy and safety. Therefore, we conduct this systematic review protocol to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ZXGD in the treatment of UA. We will search the following electronic databases: Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, EBASE, Springer, WHO International Clinical Trial Registration Platform, China Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wan-fang database from their inception to October 2018. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English and Chinese will be included. Continuous data will be expressed as mean difference or standard mean difference, and dichotomous data relative as risk. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment with risk of bias and data analysis will be performed by two independent authors. RevMan software version 5.3 will be used for meta-analysis. This study will provide high-quality evidence of ZXGD in the treatment of UA from the following aspects, including clinical efficacy, blood lipids, Seattle angina scale, electrocardiogram improvement, ST-segment depression, left ventricular ejection fraction, angina duration, and adverse events. This systematic review will provide a basis for judging whether ZXGD is an effective intervention for UA or not. PROSPERO CRD 42018115528.

Research progress in modern clinical application and mechanism of Guizhi decoction

Guizhi decoction come from Typhoid Theory written by Zhang Zhongjing, a famous physician in the Han dynasty. It is called "the leading group of the group" by later doctors. At present, Guizhi decoction is widely used in treatment of many diseases of internal, external, gynecologic and other diseases. This article discusses the clinical application and mechanism of Guizhi decoction in two aspects. This article expounds that Guizhi decoction is widely used in colds, febrile diseases, various perspiration, digestive system diseases and respiratory diseases, Some diseases, such as ear, nose and throat disease, nervous system disease, cardiac autonomic neuropathy, and bone and joint disease. The mechanism of Guizhi decoction in the treatment of diseases may be related to the mechanism of biaxial regulation of body temperature and gastrointestinal motility, mucosal immune intervention, secretion of sweat glands, inflammation immune function and myocardial protective effect and so on.

Chinese classical formulas Ephedra associated prescriptions for treatment of skin diseases

Chinese classical formulas, firstly recorded in Shanghan Zabing Lun by Zhang Zhongjing in the Han dynasty, have been widely used by traditional Chinese medicine physicians for thousands of years due to its good compatibility, strict structures, significant clinical efficacy and less adverse effects. Ephedra associated prescriptions, widely used in the treatment of skin diseases, are famous representative prescriptions in Chinese classical formulas. The commonly used Ephedra associated prescriptions include Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou decoction, Maxing Shigan decoction, Maxing Yigan decoction, Mahuang decoction, Mahuang Jiazhu decoction, Guizhi Mahuang Geban decoction, and Guizhi Eryue Biyi decoction. Skin allergy is an allergic reaction, manifested as erythema, papules, and itching. It has been identified that Guizhi Mahuang Geban decoction (1/2 Guizhi decoction + 1/2 Mahuang decoction) is effective in dispersing wind and cold, relieving exterior syndrome and dredging the collaterals, so it can be used to treat skin allergy caused by pathogenic wind-cold. Guizhi Eryue Biyi decoction (1/4 Guizhi decoction + 1/8 Yuebi decoction) is effective in dispersing wind and cold, relieving exterior syndrome and clearing heat, so it is mainly used for the syndrome of wind-cold tightening superficies and heat transformed from wind-cold. Additionally, Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou decoction can relieve exterior syndrome, clear heat and remove dampness, mainly for the dampness and heat depression in the muscle surface. It is found that Guizhi Mahuang Geban decoction and Guizhi Eryue Biyi decoction have certain efficacy for skin allergies, while Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou decoction has significant efficacy for urticaria, acute and chronic eczema, etc. It has been identified that if the conditions of Ephedra associated prescriptions are well mastered by traditional Chinese medicine physicians, they could be widely applied to treat exogenous diseases and miscellaneous diseases.

Characterization of sediment of water extract of Guizhi decoction and its effect on relevant compound (fractions) in decoction

In order to study the effect of sediment of water extract of Guizhi decoction on the stability, clarity and peaks area, and characterize the chemical composition of the sediments, HPLC and MS methods were established. Through comparison of the common peak areas and the turbidity value of water extract and filtrate, the sediments could greatly change the common peak areas of the decoction (for more than 5 times of the study standard); at the same time, the turbidity value of the decoction could increase by （38.66±1.57）% in 48 h [particularly by （24.54±1.68）% in 6 h]. The test indicated that the sediments had an effect on the stability and clarity under the test conditions in Guizhi decoction. The study confirmed that the sediments were mainly derived from Cassia twig, Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. On the basis of the reference information, the accurate molecular weight and fragment ion information provided by LC-MS were analyzed, the molecular formula of sediments components A-F were determined, and the possible structural information of components B, C, D and F were deduced. It was suggested that the multi-index, multi-target and multi-angle analysis could ensure the quality of traditional Chinese medicine and the effect of clinical medication. The study also suggested the effect of the sediments on clinical application and the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine.

Gualou Guizhi decoction promotes neurological functional recovery and neurogenesis following focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Recovery following stroke involves neurogenesis and axonal remodeling within the ischemic brain. Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) is a Chinese traditional medicine used for the treatment of post-stroke limb spasm. GLGZD has been reported to have neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemic injury. However, the effects of GLGZD on neurogenesis and axonal remodeling following cerebral ischemia remain unknown. In this study, a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurological function was assessed immediately after reperfusion using Longa's 5-point scoring system. The rats were randomly divided into vehicle and GLGZD groups. Rats in the sham group were given sham operation. The rats in the GLGZD group were intragastrically administered GLGZD, once daily, for 14 consecutive days. The rats in the vehicle and sham groups were intragastrically administered distilled water. Modified neurological severity score test, balance beam test and foot fault test were used to assess motor functional changes. Nissl staining was performed to evaluate histopathological changes in the brain. Immunofluorescence staining was used to examine cell proliferation using the marker 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) as well as expression of the neural precursor marker doublecortin (DCX), the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the axon regeneration marker growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43). GLGZD substantially mitigated pathological injury, increased the number of BrdU, DCX and GFAP-immunoreactive cells in the subventricular zone of the ischemic hemisphere, increased GAP-43 expression in the cortical peri-infarct region, and improved motor function. These findings suggest that GLGZD promotes neurological functional recovery by increasing cell proliferation, enhancing axonal regeneration, and increasing the numbers of neuronal precursors and astrocytes in the peri-infarct area.

Research progress on chemical constituents, pharmacological mechanism and clinical application of Guizhi decoction

Guizhi Decoction was one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese Medicine which possesses the effects of "jie-ji-fa-biao, regulating Ying and Wei". It was mainly used to treat mind-cold due to exogenous evils such as fever, headache, sweating, hate the wind, et al. Modern studies indicated that the chemical constituents of Guizhi decoction mainly include phenylpropanoid, monoterpenes, organic acids, flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins and so on. Pharmacological experimental studies had shown that Guizhi decoction could play a big role in dual-directional regulation on sweat gland, body temperature, immune function, gastrointestinal peristalsis, and blood pressure, and could also play the role of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-allergic, analgesic, hypoglycemic, and cardiovascular protection. Many diseases such as internal, external, gynecological and pediatric diseases were treated in the clinical by using Guizhi decoction and its analogous formulae involving circulatory, immune, urinary, reproductive, endocrine, digestive, nervous and other systems. This article reviews the latest research progress of Guizhi decoction from three aspects: chemical constituents, pharmacological mechanism and clinical application. It will provide reference for further research and development of Guizhi decoction.

Gualou Guizhi decoction reverses brain damage with cerebral ischemic stroke, multi-component directed multi-target to screen calcium-overload inhibitors using combination of molecular docking and protein–protein docking

Stroke is a disease of the leading causes of mortality and disability across the world, but the benefits of drugs curative effects look less compelling, intracellular calcium overload is considered to be a key pathologic factor for ischemic stroke. Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD), a classical Chinese medicine compound prescription, it has been used to human clinical therapy of sequela of cerebral ischemia stroke for 10 years. This work investigated the GLGZD improved prescription against intracellular calcium overload could decreased the concentration of [Ca2+]i in cortex and striatum neurone of MCAO rats. GLGZD contains Trichosanthin and various small molecular that they are the potential active ingredients directed against NR2A, NR2B, FKBP12 and Calnodulin target proteins/enzyme have been screened by computer simulation. “Multicomponent systems” is capable to create pharmacological superposition effects. The Chinese medicine compound prescriptions could be considered as promising sources of candidates for discovery new agents.

Quality evaluation of Gualou Guizhi decoction based on chemical compositions and biological effects

The paper was aimed to establish a quality evaluation model for Gualou Guizhi decoction based on the chemical compositions and biological effects. Ultra high performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer was used to analyze and determine 24 kinds of chemical compositions in Gualou Guizhi decoction, and then, biological activity effect was quantitatively assessed in a zebrafish neuronal injury model which was induced by mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). As a result, the established method for quality evaluation of Gualou Guizhi decoction based on the chemical compositions and biological effects is feasible, stable and reliable, which can provide reference for quality control of compound Chinese medicines.

Effects of Gualou Guizhi Decoction Aqueous Extract on Axonal Regeneration in Organotypic Cortical Slice Culture after Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation.

Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) is effective for the clinical treatment of limb spasms caused by ischemic stroke, but its underlying mechanism is unclear. Propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time qPCR were used to observe the axonal regeneration and neuroprotective effects of GLGZD aqueous extract on organotypic cortical slices exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and further elucidate the potential mechanisms. Compared with the OGD group, the GLGZD aqueous extract decreased the red PI fluorescence intensity; inhibited neuronal apoptosis; improved the growth of slice axons; upregulated the protein expression of tau and growth-associated protein-43; and decreased protein and mRNA expression of neurite outgrowth inhibitor protein-A (Nogo-A), Nogo receptor 1 (NgR1), ras homolog gene family A (RhoA), rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK), and phosphorylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2). Our study found that GLGZD had a strong neuroprotective effect on brain slices after OGD injury. GLGZD plays a vital role in promoting axonal remodeling and functional remodeling, which may be related to regulation of the expression of Nogo-A and its receptor NgR1, near the injured axons, inhibition of the Rho-ROCK pathway, and reduction of CRMP2 phosphorylation.