Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach Research Articles

Research Progress on Coronary Microvascular Diseases

Coronary microvascular disease (CMVD) is a multifactorial myocardial ischemia-angina condition mainly stemming from abnormalities in the structure and function of coronary microvessels. Currently, there is no specialized treatment for CMVD. Therefore, enhancing research on CMVD can generate insights for subsequent clinical development of personalized treatments. This article delves into the research progress of CMVD and comprehensively reviews its definition, classification, epidemiology, pathological mechanisms, non-drug treatments, and advancements in Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine approaches.

Topical Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment of a Non-healing Leg Wound in a Horse: A Case Report

Wound care in horses, particularly chronic non-healing lesions, pose a major medical challenge for equine practitioners and can result in considerable financial loss as well as missed training goals for owners. The lower equine limb is particularly susceptible to damage due to the lack of protective muscling and superficial synovial and tendinous structures. This paper presents the treatment of a non-healing distal leg wound in a horse by topical application of a Chinese herbal medicine decoction using a traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) approach. The patient had sustained damage to the palmar aspect of the flexor tendons on the left thoracic limb caused by jumping off a transport vehicle. This injury was initially treated by cleaning the area, topical erythromycin antibiotic ointment and intramuscular injection of penicillin for 3 days. Over a 2-month period the initial trauma progressed to a chronic non-healing wound. Medical management of the wound was then changed to topical application of a Chinese herbal decoction which was applied 3 times daily. Over a 29-day period, this treatment encouraged normalization of the wound healing process with epithelization, tissue remodeling and normal scar formation. The clinical results achieved in this horse suggest topical treatment with Chinese herbal medicine can decrease complications and speed the healing process of chronic wounds. The use of the topical herbal formula in this case was convenient, simple to use, and cost effective.

TCVM Treatment of the Subfertile Mare

The treatment of reproductive disorders and the promotion of fertility represent cornerstones of the equine and bovine industries. Along with conventional medical treatments, the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has been used to treat reproductive problems for thousands of years in humans, is showing increasing potential through evidence-based studies to treat infertility in animals. In this article, a traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) approach to treatment of infertility in the mare will be presented. Discussion of common TCVM infertility patterns in the sub-fertile mare such as Kidney Qi and Blood Deficiency and Kidney Yin Deficiency will be explored. Review of research studies substantiating evidence-based efficacy of TCVM techniques along with practical tips for acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment for infertility will also be presented.

The role of competing endogenous RNA network in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets.

The current situation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management is challenging due to its high incidence, mortality, recurrence and metastasis. Recent advances in gene genetic and expression regulation have unveiled the significant role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in various cancers. This led to the formulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, which posits that both coding RNA and ncRNA, containing miRNA response elements (MRE), can share the same miRNA sequence. This results in a competitive network between ncRNAs, such as lncRNA and mRNA, allowing them to regulate each other. Extensive research has highlighted the crucial role of the ceRNA network in HCC development, impacting various cellular processes including proliferation, metastasis, cell death, angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, organismal immunity, and chemotherapy resistance. Additionally, the ceRNA network, mediated by lncRNA or circRNA, offers potential in early diagnosis and prevention of HCC. Consequently, ceRNAs are emerging as therapeutic targets for HCC. The complexity of these gene networks aligns with the multi-target approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), presenting a novel perspective for TCM in combating HCC. Research is beginning to show that TCM compounds and prescriptions can affect HCC progression through the ceRNA network, inhibiting proliferation and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis. Currently, the lncRNAs TUG1, NEAT1, and CCAT1, along with their associated ceRNA networks, are among the most promising ncRNAs for HCC research. However, this field is still in its infancy, necessitating advanced technology and extensive basic research to fully understand the ceRNA network mechanisms of TCM in HCC treatment.

New approach to heart failure: Integrated traditional Chinese with Western medicine

AbstractHeart failure (HF) is a major global healthcare problem leading to substantial deterioration of prognosis. The current clinical guidelines in HF have begun to emphasize the importance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM has been utilized in clinical practice for over 2000 years and is capable of treating a variety of HF pathogenic issues. This review summarizes the classification, pathophysiology, and treatment of HF from three perspectives: Western medicine, TCM, and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine (ITCWM). Emphasizing the most recent evidence, this review consolidates knowledge on ITCWM treatments for HF pertaining to different TCM syndromes, including TCM decoctions, oral patent Chinese medicine, TCM injections, as well as therapies like acupuncture and moxibustion. Additionally, this review explores TCM approaches to HF prevention, such as tai chi, Baduanjin exercise, and Sanfu acupoint herbal patching. The findings of this study suggest that ITCWM holds promise for the treatment and rehabilitation of HF. However, further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Electro-Acupuncture Effects Measured by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Electro-acupuncture, an innovative adaptation of traditional acupuncture, combines electrical stimulation with acupuncture needles to enhance therapeutic effects. While acupuncture is widely used, its biological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent research has explored the neurophysiological aspects of acupuncture, particularly through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate its effects on brain activity. In this systematic review, we conducted an extensive search for randomized clinical trials examining electro-acupuncture effects measured by fMRI. We employed strict eligibility criteria, quality assessment, and data extraction. Five studies met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The selected studies investigated electro-acupuncture in various medical conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and obesity. Notably, electro-acupuncture was found to modulate brain activity and connectivity in regions associated with pain perception, emotional regulation, and cognitive processing. These findings align with the holistic approach of traditional Chinese medicine, emphasizing the interconnectedness of body and mind. In carpal tunnel syndrome, electro-acupuncture at both local and distal sites showed neurophysiological improvements, suggesting distinct neuroplasticity mechanisms. In fibromyalgia, somatosensory electro-acupuncture correlated with reduced pain severity, enhanced brain connectivity, and increased gamma-aminobutyric acid levels. For Crohn's disease, electro-acupuncture influenced the homeostatic afferent processing network, potentially mitigating gut inflammation. Electro-acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome led to decreased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, offering pain relief, while electro-acupuncture for obesity impacted brain regions associated with dietary inhibition and emotional regulation. This systematic review provides evidence that electro-acupuncture can positively impact a range of medical conditions, possibly by modulating brain activity and connectivity. While the quality of the reviewed studies is generally good, further research with larger sample sizes and longer-term assessments is needed to better understand the mechanisms and optimize electro-acupuncture protocols for specific health conditions. The limited number of studies in this review emphasizes the need for broader investigations in this promising field. The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023465866).

Factors influencing TCM syndrome types of acute cerebral infarction: A binomial logistic regression analysis.

Acute cerebral infarction, characterized by a rapid onset and high fatality rate, presents a significant global challenge in terms of timely and effective treatment. In recent years, research focusing on the combined approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine has demonstrated promising results in improving therapeutic outcomes in patients with acute cerebral infarction. This study adhered to the latest edition of Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, published by the China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a reference. It selects eight commonly encountered TCM syndrome differentiations for accurate diagnosis. This study included 151 patients admitted to the hospital between 2019 and 2022 with acute cerebral infarction. Data on various diagnostic indicators were meticulously collected and subjected to single-factor analysis. Among the multiple factors analyzed, those exhibiting a significance level of P < 0.05 included blood pressure, uric acid, glucose level, triglyceride level, total cholesterol level, homocysteine level, duration of disease, and cerebral infarction site. Subsequently, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of these factors on different TCM syndrome types. The findings of this study indicate that Wind Phlegm Obstruction syndrome, triglyceride levels, location of cerebral infarction, uric acid levels, and disease duration significantly influence the development and progression of acute cerebral infarction. Additionally, blood pressure and cerebral infarction site were found to have a statistically significant impact on the Wind Yang Disturbance syndrome. Uric acid level and blood pressure were also identified as statistically significant factors. Moreover, total cholesterol and homocysteine levels were found to significantly affect phlegm stasis-blocking collateral syndrome. The insights gained from this study will contribute to the advancement of integrated treatment approaches, combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine, for acute cerebral infarction. Furthermore, these findings can serve as a valuable reference for the general population in terms of preventive measures against this condition.

Exploring the pathogenesis of cancer pain from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine

The management of cancer pain is crucial during cancer treatment, as many patients endure both physiological and psychological suffering. Cancer pain research has primarily focused on the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment principles, but significant breakthroughs remain elusive. Cancer pain is a prominent issue in clinical practice, and effective pain control is essential for improving the quality of life for cancer patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches cancer pain by emphasizing its holistic view and individualized treatment, with a particular focus on the relationship between the tumor and pain. This article explores the epidemiology, etiology, and TCM understanding of cancer pain, aiming to provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of cancer pain and its clinical treatment.

Effects of kidney tonic herbs for primary osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Primary osteoporosis (POP) is one of the most common orthopedic conditions with a high risk of fractures. Effective treatment of POP is crucial for reducing disability rates and improving quality of life. Kidney tonic therapy is a classical traditional Chinese medicine approach for treating POP. This study aims to provide a comprehensive and reliable assessment of the clinical evidence of kidney tonic herbs (KTH) in treating POP patients. An extensive literature search was conducted in 8 electronic databases from their inception through September 30, 2022, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KTH for POP. We included 43 randomized controlled trials with 4349 participants. The qualified studies will be chosen and evaluated separately by 2 researchers. The primary outcome measure was bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar. RevMan 5.3 and Stata 16 were used to carry out the meta-analyses. Our meta-analysis showed 29 studies with significantly increased lumbar BMD (mean difference [MD] = 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]; I2 = 98%, P = .003), 18 studies with noticeably higher femoral neck BMD (MD = 0.08; 95% CI; I2 = 98%, P = .0005), 6 studies with significantly increased femoral trochanter BMD (MD = 0.10; 95% CI; I2 = 97%, P = .002), 4 studies with noticeably higher ward's triangle BMD (MD = 0.13; 95% CI; I2 = 100%, P = .04), and 3 studies with noticeably higher distal radius BMD (MD = 0.06; 95% CI; I2 = 86%, P = .009). One study showed 12 falls and 8 fallers in the intervention group, 28 falls and 17 fallers in the control group at 36 months. 3 studies showed a significant difference in fracture incidence between the intervention group and the control group (95% CI: 0.15-0.81; I2 = 0%, P = .01). Additionally, the meta-analysis demonstrated that KTH offered superior pain relief (8 trials, n = 980; 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.74; I2 = 94%, P < .00001). Besides, KTH found no serious harmful effects. KTH may increase BMD and decrease the likelihood of fractures in POP patients. However, further research is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of KTH in reducing falls and fractures.

Assessment of the potential value of combining western medicine therapies with traditional chinese medicine in the treatment of COVID-19: Mechanistic perspectives.

The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since early 2020 is one of the most significant global health issues in history. Although there is currently no specific treatment for COVID-19, researchers have provided a whole array of potential treatments, both from the Western medicine approach, which is molecular target and pathogenesis based, and from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approach, which is based on the exposure to toxins/pathogens and the balance of the body to combat them for recovery. The aim of this research is to find combinations of Western medicine and TCM that may offer better therapeutic efficacy synergystically with a better adverse events profile. The findings of the research may provide a new insight in the development of the treatment of COVID-19. From the Western medicine perspective, drugs target the mechanisms of viral infection, including the stages of viral entry (Arbidol, Camostat Mesylate, Convalescent Plasma therapy) and viral replication (Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Redemsivir, Ribavirin). Additional therapies target host defenses, preventing cytokine storms (Tocilizumab) and stimulating the immune system (Interferons). On the other hand, TCM also proposed a number of treatment methods for COVID-19 with new scientific approaches identifying their antiviral and immunomodulatory activities. The novel combination of Western medicine and TCM can be proposed by analyzing their respective molecular targets. Although TCM is not generally accepted in the Western community because of the general lack of knowledge on their detailed mechanisms, studies and clinical trials suggest that TCM could be beneficial in combating COVID-19. Based on the principle of combining TCM and Western medicine, two combinations are tested effective in clinical trials, and three possible combinations that might be effective are proposed in the paper.

TCM2Vec: a detached feature extraction deep learning approach of traditional Chinese medicine for formula efficacy prediction

In current era, the intelligent development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted more and more attention. As the main carrier of clinical medication, formulas use synergies of active substances to enhance efficacy and reduce side effects. Related studies show that there is a nonlinear relationship between the efficacy of formulas and herbs. Deep learning is an effective technique for fitting nonlinear relationships. However, it is not good for using deep learning model directly due to ignoring the characteristics of formulas. In this paper, we propose a detached feature extraction approach (TCM2Vec) based on deep learning for better feature extraction and efficacy prediction. We build two detached encoders, one of it uses cross-feature-based unsupervised pre-training model (FMh2v) to extract the relationship features of herbal medicines for initializing, while the other one simulates multi-dimensional characteristics of medicines by normal distribution. Then we integrate relationships and medicinal characteristics for deep feature extraction. We processed 31,114 unlabeled formulas for pre-training and two classification tasks in-domain for predicting and fine-tuning. One of tasks is multi-classed with 1036 formulas, other one is multi-labelled with 1,723 formulas. For labelled formulas, different feature extraction models based on detached encoder are trained to predict efficacy. Compared with the no pre-training, CBOW and BERT baseline models, FMh2v leads to performance gains. Moreover, the detached encoder offers large positive effects in different models which for efficacy prediction, where ACC increased by 5.80% on average and F1 increased by 12.06% on average. Overall, the proposed feature extraction is an effective method for obtaining characteristic representation of TCM formulas, and provides reference for the adaptability of artificial intelligence technology in the domain of TCM.

Overlapping Symptoms of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Current Challenges and the Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Several functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) have overlapping symptoms, and, consequently, developing treatment strategies based on symptomatology poses a challenge for the clinical management of complex FGIDs. The significant overlap in the symptoms of FGIDs caused by the shared pathophysiological mechanisms is both a challenge and an excellent target for therapeutic development, since treatment strategies focused on shared pathophysiological mechanisms can treat the associated underlying diseases rather than just alleviating the primary symptoms. Owing to its multi-targeted approach, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered immense interest worldwide; however, the quality of the data demonstrating its effectiveness is generally weak. Additionally, the causal link between the intrinsic mechanisms of action of TCM and its clinical benefits remains obscure. Systems biology is characterized by holistic and dynamic research, which corresponds to the holistic, multi-targeted, and syndrome-based approach of TCM. Therefore, high-throughput analysis techniques can be employed to describe and comprehend the genesis and progression of diseases, as well as the impacts of TCM on the organism, which may aid in elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of the diseases as well as the mechanism of action of TCM.

Discovery of the key active compounds in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Citrus reticulata "Chachi") and their therapeutic potential for the treatment of COVID-19 based on comparative metabolomics and network pharmacology.

Edible herbal medicines contain macro- and micronutrients and active metabolites that can take part in biochemical processes to help achieve or maintain a state of well-being. Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) is an edible and medicinal herb used as a component of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approach to treating COVID-19 in China. However, the material basis and related mechanistic research regarding this herb for the treatment of COVID-19 are still unclear. First, a wide-targeted UPLC-ESI-MS/MS-based comparative metabolomics analysis was conducted to screen for the active metabolites of CRP. Second, network pharmacology was used to uncover the initial linkages among these metabolites, their possible targets, and COVID-19. Each metabolite was then further studied via molecular docking with the identified potential SARS-CoV-2 targets 3CL hydrolase, host cell target angiotensin-converting enzyme II, spike protein, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Finally, the most potential small molecule compound was verified by in vitro and in vivo experiments, and the mechanism of its treatment of COVID-19 was further explored. In total, 399 metabolites were identified and nine upregulated differential metabolites were screened out as potential key active metabolites, among which isorhamnetin have anti-inflammatory activity in vitro validation assays. In addition, the molecular docking results also showed that isorhamnetin had a good binding ability with the key targets of COVID-19. Furthermore, in vivo results showed that isorhamnetin could significantly reduced the lung pathological injury and inflammatory injury by regulating ATK1, EGFR, MAPK8, and MAPK14 to involve in TNF signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, and T cell receptor signaling pathway. Our results indicated that isorhamnetin, as screened from CRP, may have great potential for use in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. This study has also demonstrated that comparative metabolomics combined with network pharmacology strategy could be used as an effective approach for discovering potential compounds in herbal medicines that are effective against COVID-19.

A cross-cultural randomized pilot trial of western-based and five elements music therapy for psychological well-being

BackgroundMusic therapy and culture are interconnected. It is unclear whether the therapeutic effects of music can be exerted in diverse cultural contexts. Both Western-based and Chinese Five elements music therapy (FEMT) have shown effectiveness in improving the perception of stress, anxiety and depression in their respective cultures. FEMT is a commonly used traditional Chinese Medicine approach; however, it has not been investigated with non-Chinese participants. PurposeTo investigate the impact of FEMT and of Western-based music therapy on stress and related outcomes and explore cross-cultural comparisons in participants from Chinese and Canadian contexts. MethodsThis pre-post randomized controlled study was conducted with 35 participants, 23 from Canada and 12 from China. Participants from the two cultural groups were randomly divided into two groups: a FEMT group (n = 20), a western art music therapy (WAMT) group (n = 15). The main outcome was self-rated stress, evaluated by a 10-point numeric rating question. Secondary outcomes included anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), pulse rate and qualitative comments. Cross-sectional, pre-post and longitudinal comparisons were pursued. ResultsWe observed comparable effects of FEMT and WAMT in both the Chinese and Canadian samples. There was a statistically significant decrease in self-rated stress over time, especially after the conclusion of the four-week music therapy intervention (p = 0.001), regardless of type of music therapy, and in both cultural contexts. We observed a statistically significant decrease in anxiety and depression scores in the FEMT group only (p<0.001), but no effect on pulse rate. ConclusionThis is the first study to report evidence of feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of FEMT in non-Chinese participants. Further investigation of the observed differences is warranted.

The science behind TCM and Gut microbiota interaction-their combinatorial approach holds promising therapeutic applications.

The trend toward herbal medicine as an alternative treatment for disease medication is increasing worldwide. However, insufficient pharmacologic information is available about the orally taken medicines. Not only herbal medicine, but also Western drugs, when passing through the gastrointestinal tract, interact with trillions of microbes (known as the gut microbiome [GM]) and their enzymes. Gut microbiome enzymes induce massive structural and functional changes to the herbal products and impact the bioavailability and efficacy of the herbal therapeutics. Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researchers extend the horizon of TCM research to the GM to better understand TCM pharmacology and enhance its efficacy and bioavailability. The study investigating the interaction between herbal medicine and gut microbes utilizes the holistic approach, making landmark achievements in the field of disease prognosis and treatment. The effectiveness of TCM is a multipathway modulation, and so is the GM. This review provides an insight into the understanding of a holistic view of TCM and GM interaction. Furthermore, this review briefly describes the mechanism of how the TCM–GM interaction deals with various illnesses.

Berberine protects against chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced cognitive impairment and hippocampal damage via regulation of the ERK/Nrf2 pathway

Vascular cognitive impairment caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) seriously affects the quality of life of elderly patients and places a great burden on society and family. With the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM approaches to the prevention and treatment of senile ischemic cerebrovascular disease has received increasing attention. In this study, rats with bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) were treated with berberine (BBR). Their learning and memory function, neuronal injury and repair, the extracellular regulatory protein kinase (ERK)/nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway, and impairment and improvement of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) were evaluated. This study found that BBR can alleviate the pathological injury to the brain, reduce neuronal loss and promote neuronal cell survival after CCH by interfering with the ERK/Nrf2 signaling pathway. BBR can reduce BBB injury in CCH rats by inhibiting the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 in plasma, which reveals a protective effect of BBR on vascular cognitive impairment. This study provides a new research direction for BBR in the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Evidence Mapping of 23 Systematic Reviews of Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined With Western Medicine Approaches for COVID-19

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already spread around the world. The modality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with Western medicine (WM) approaches is being used to treat COVID-19 patients in China. Several systematic reviews (SRs) are available highlighting the efficacy and safety of TCM combined with WM approaches in COVID-19 patients. However, their evidence quality is not completely validated. Purpose: We aimed to assess the methodological quality and the risk of bias of the included SRs, assess the evidence quality of outcomes, and present their trends and gaps using the evidence mapping method. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, CBM, and Wanfang Data were searched from inception until March 2021 to identify SRs pertaining to the field of TCM combined with WM approaches for COVID-19. The methodological quality of the SRs was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), the risk of bias of the included SRs was assessed with the Risk of Bias in Systematic Review (ROBIS) tool, and the evidence quality of outcomes was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: In total, 23 SRs were found eligible. Twenty-one were rated of moderate confidence by AMSTAR 2, while 12 were rated at low risk using the ROBIS tool. In addition, most outcomes were graded as having moderate quality using the GRADE system. We found that the combined use of TCM and WM approaches could improve the CT recovery rate, effective rate, viral nucleic acid negative conversion rate, and the disappearance rate of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Also, these approaches could decrease the conversion rate from mild to critical, white blood cell counts, and lymphocyte counts and shorten the time to viral assay conversion and the length of hospital stay. Conclusion: TCM combined with WM approaches had advantages in efficacy, laboratory, and clinical symptom outcomes of COVID-19, but the methodological deficiencies of SRs should be taken into consideration. Therefore, to better guide clinical practice in the future, the methodological quality of SRs should still be improved, and high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies should also be carried out.

Biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine: a fruitful scientific and cultural interaction.

Over the years, the approach of traditional Chinese medicine has changed, as has the concept of the health status. Particularly in this article we will focus on the importance of some techniques that we can define millennial, as acupuncture. We will highlight the relationship between a millenary system and the principles of modernity, emphasizing the relevance of a technique that appears to be in line with the latest scientific research and numerous studies of effectiveness, proposing therapeutic integration as a usable way. We will see how acupuncture has an anti-inflammatory effect, and has a beneficial role in subjects suffering from allergic or autoimmune diseases, including an antihistamine action and downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α). In addition, acupuncture could also act as an immunomodulatory agent, involving the neuroimmune network, T helper and natural killer cells. Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture in particular, is widely used within Western health systems and there are many studies done regarding its efficacy in the clinical field. In addition to scientific validation, however, a comparison on a cultural level is also necessary. To build a constructive dialogue, indeed, it is necessary to deconstruct the preconceptions and prejudices concerning both biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine. In fact, only through deconstruction we can understand that biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine are both culturally connoted knowledge. In this article it will first be underlined how clinical observations can be better understood if we pay attention to analyzing the cultural context of the medical systems that here interact with each other. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Sphygmopalpation Using Tactile Robotic Fingers Reveals Fundamental Arterial Pulse Patterns

Sphygmopalpation at specific locations of human wrists has been used as a medical diagnostics technique in China since the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD) and it is now generally accepted that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors are able to decipher at least 28 fundamental pulse patterns among all patients using their fingertips. However, unlike collecting EEG (electroencephalography), ECG (electrocardiography), and EMG (electromyography) signals, there is no standardization on how the arterial pulse waves from the TCM sphygmopalpation methods should be digitalized and analyzed. We have developed a pulse sensing platform for studying and digitalizing arterial pulse patterns via a TCM approach. This platform consists of a robotic hand with three pressure-feedback-controlled robotic fingers (each with <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$4\times 6$ </tex-math></inline-formula> sensing pixel arrays) for pulse measurement and an artificial neural network (ANN) for pulse pattern recognition. Data analyses reveal that 3 types of consistent pulse patterns, i.e., “HUA” ( <fig orientation="portrait" position="float" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <graphic orientation="portrait" position="float" xlink:href="kong9-3144475.eps"/> </fig> ), “XI” ( <fig orientation="portrait" position="float" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <graphic orientation="portrait" position="float" xlink:href="kong10-3144475.eps"/> </fig> ), and “CHEN” ( <fig orientation="portrait" position="float" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <graphic orientation="portrait" position="float" xlink:href="kong11-3144475.eps"/> </fig> ) – key fundamental pulse patterns described by TCM doctors – could be identified in a selected group of subjects. The classification rates are 99.1% in the training process and 97.4% in testing result for these 3 basic pulse patterns. The results will lead to further development of a high-level artificial intelligence system incorporating knowledge from TCM – the robotics finger system could become a standard clinical equipment for digitalizing and visualizing human arterial pulses.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for COVID-19: A Network Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

To compare the efficacy of different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and provide a higher level of evidence in the form of network meta-analysis (NMA) and systematic review. We searched the studies from the following databases: CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from the establishment of the respective database until December 2021. Relevant studies were screened according to the pre-established inclusion criteria. The quality of the included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were assessed using the risk of bias (ROB) tool and the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS), respectively. R software 4.1.1 and Stata 13.1 were used for data analysis and mapping. A total of 34 studies were included in this network meta-analysis that tested 24 TCM interventions and included 3443 patients. Using cluster analysis of time to negative SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the length of hospital stay and composite events, we found that Jinyinhua oral liquid (JYH, 120 mL) + conventional Western medicine (CWM) has the highest SUCRA value at 88.64%, 85.61% and 84.24%. The traditional meta-analysis results revealed that Qingfei Paidu decoction + CWM were significantly different compared with CWM alone for the score of clinical symptoms (MD =-0.75, 95% CI [-1.04, -0.47]). Nine studies reported 57 adverse reactions (ADRs) and 3 adverse events (ADEs) in TCM + CWM groups, and eight studies reported 33 ADRs and 8 ADEs in CWM groups. In conclusion, the combination of TCM and CWM approaches may enhance the efficacy of CWM in COVID-19 patients. Based on the NMA result, JYH (120 mL) + CWM may be a more effective treatment and deserves further investigation. However, the differences in many comparisons between TCM interventions did not reach statistical significance; therefore, further high-quality studies are required to validate these findings.