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Backgrounds. Chuanxiong Chatiao san (CXCT) is a famous Chinese classical prescription. It has a favorable effect in treating migraine. It is reported that CXCT combined with Western conventional medicine (WCM) could increase the therapeutic efficacy on migraine. The purpose of this paper is to systematically assess the clinical efficacy, safety, and some indexes of CXCT for migraine. Methods. PubMed, Embase Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, the Cochrane Library, and the CBM were searched from January 2000 to February 2019. We made a detailed record of outcome measurements. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. A total of 3307 patients were included in the 37 articles. Meta-analysis showed that CXCT significantly increased the total efficiency rate (TER), compared with Western medicine treatment (WMC) (P < 0.00001). When CXCT is combined with WMC, the result showed that P < 0.00001. CXCT was significantly reduced the adverse events (AEs) compared with WMC (P < 0.00001). The levels of VAS, number of migraine episodes (NE), and time of headache duration (TD) were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). Platelet function and blood rheology level were improved via a significantly decrease in 5-HT and β-EP (P < 0.00001). Other indicators such as substance P, CGRP high-cut viscosity, low-cut viscosity, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). Conclusion. Our findings provide evidence that CXCT and CXCT combined with WMC have higher efficacy in the treatment of migraine compared with WCM alone. Methodological quality was generally low, so the conclusion of this paper has some limitations and it has to be carefully evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze the abnormal changes of coagulation indexes in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and their clinical significance on prognosis. Methods. Among 80 patients with MM, there were 24 patients of light chain type, 36 patients of IgG type, and 20 patients of IgA type. In the same period, 30 healthy people were in the control group. The laboratory indexes such as plasma prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), thromboplastin time (TT), D-dimer (D-D), and platelet (PLT) were detected and compared. The prognosis of MM patients was followed up, and the effects of various coagulation indexes on the prognosis of MM were analyzed by single-factor and multifactor analyses. Results. The PT and APTT of IgG and IgA groups were longer than those of the control group and the light chain group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the IgG group and the IgA group, the control group, and the light chain group. There was no significant difference in FIB values among the four groups (P > 0.05). The D-D content in the light chain group was higher than that in the control group, the IgG group, and the IgA group (P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, of 80 MM patients, 61 patients survived and 19 patients died. Univariate analysis showed that APTT, PT, and D-D were the factors affecting the prognosis of MM patients, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that PT was an independent factor affecting the prognosis of MM patients (P < 0.05). Discussion. Patients with MM have clotting abnormalities. Patients with IgA and IgG type MM have a longer clotting time than patients with other types of MM, and patients with light-chain type MM have higher D-D content and are more prone to thrombosis. PT is an independent factor affecting the prognosis of MM patients, and analysis of coagulation abnormalities is important for evaluating the prognosis of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing and inadvertent use of herbs makes herb-drug interactions a focus of research. Concomitant use of warfarin, a highly efficacious oral anticoagulant, and herbs causes major safety concerns due to the narrow therapeutic window of warfarin. This paper presents an update overview of clinical findings regarding herb-warfarin interaction, highlighting clinical outcomes, severity of documented interactions, and quality of clinical evidence. Among thirty-eight herbs, Cannabis, Chamomile, Cranberry, Garlic, Ginkgo, Grapefruit, Lycium, Red clover, and St. John's wort were evaluated to have major severity interaction with warfarin. Herbs were also classified on account of the likelihood of their supporting evidences for interaction. Four herbs were considered as highly probable to interact with warfarin (level I), three were estimated as probable (level II), and ten and twenty-one were possible (level III) and doubtful (level IV), respectively. The general mechanism of herb-warfarin interaction almost remains unknown, yet several pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors were estimated to influence the effectiveness of warfarin. Based on limited literature and information reported, we identified corresponding mechanisms of interactions for a small amount of "interacting herbs." In summary, herb-warfarin interaction, especially the clinical effects of herbs on warfarin therapy should be further investigated through multicenter studies with larger sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CLEC-2 receptor protein belongs to the C-type lectin superfamily of transmembrane receptors that have one or more C-type lectin-like domains. CLEC-2 is a physiological binding receptor of podoplanin (PDPN), which is expressed on specific tumour cell types and involved in tumour cell-induced platelet aggregation and tumour metastasis. CLEC-2 and podoplanin-expressing tumour cells interact to increase angiogenesis, tumour development, and metastasis. CLEC-2 is a hemi-immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (hemi-ITAM) receptor located on platelets and a subset of dendritic cells that are expressed constitutively. This molecule is secreted by activated platelets around tumours and has been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation and tumour metastasis in colon carcinoma by binding to the surface of tumour cells. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried using a DrugLiTo, and molecular docking was performed using AutoDock Tools 1.5.6 (ADT). Twenty-nine bioactive compounds were included in the study, and four of them, namely, piperine, dihydrocurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demothoxycurcumin, showed potential antagonist properties against the target. The resultant best bioactive was compared with commercially available standard drugs. Further, validation of respective compounds with an intensive molecular dynamics simulation was performed using Schrödinger software. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on major bioactive found on clove as natural antagonists for CLEC-2 computationally. To further validate the bioactive and delimit the screening process of potential drugs against CLEC-2, in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to prove their efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qijiaoshengbai capsule (QJSBC) is a type of proprietary Chinese medicine, which is an effective treatment for leukopenia in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of QJSBC in improving specific clinical indicators, in patients with leukopenia of various origins. A total of seven electronic databases were searched, up until an end date of April 30, 2021, and a selection of clinical indicators was noted. The primary indicators of concern were related to blood: white blood cells (WBC). Secondary indicators were hemoglobin (Hb), platelets (PLT), neutrophils (NEU), bone marrow suppression rate (BMSR), and effective rate (ER). The methodological quality of the included trials was analyzed using a risk of bias assessment, as per the Cochrane Manual. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. Results. Twenty-four randomized controlled trials involving a total of 2,692 participants were included in this review. We found that QJSBC had a positive effect on increasing WBC, HB, PLT, and NEU and improving BMSR and ER. Conclusion. When compared with conventional chemotherapy (CC), conventional radiotherapy (CR), combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CC + CR), or conventional treatment (CT), the use of QJSBC combined therapy can effectively improve the clinical outcome for patients with leukopenia. However, a larger sample size and a more standardized, high-quality study are required to validate these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare the efficiency of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) with those of conventional and TCM herb on bone marrow suppression in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients after initial chemotherapy. Methods. We recruited 139 participants with pathologically confirmed SCLC who had not received chemotherapy. The conventional group (n = 37) received gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy and routine care. The TCM herb group (n = 35) received 3 Diyushengbai tablets thrice a day for one day prior to chemotherapy and maintained during the trial. The TEAS group (n = 42) received TEAS at a frequency of 65–100 Hz with a pulse width of 100–200 μsec. Acupoints were selected from Dazhui (DU14), Geshu (BL17), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Hegu (LI4) and were treated on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 14, 21, and 28 of chemotherapy for 30 min each day. All three groups underwent a 28-day treatment for a total of one treatment course. Changes in the white blood cell, neutrophil, platelet, and hemoglobin indices on day 1 before chemotherapy and days 5, 8, 11, 14, 21, and 28 days after chemotherapy were compared among the groups. Comfort levels of patients on day 1 before chemotherapy and days 5, 11, and 21 after chemotherapy were observed. Results. Compared with the conventional group, the white blood cell counts in the TEAS group on days 8 (7.07 ± 2.11 vs. 5.97 ± 2.10 × 109/L) and 14 (6.14 ± 1.51 vs. 5.07 ± 2.41 × 109/L) of chemotherapy and that in the TCM herb group on day 14 (6.63 ± 3.44 vs. 5.07 ± 2.41 × 109/L) of chemotherapy were increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the neutrophil count in the TEAS group on days 5 (4.28 ± 1.54 vs. 3.01 ± 1.41 × 109/L), 8 (3.75 ± 1.21 vs. 2.77 ± 1.17 × 109/L), 11 (3.46 ± 1.31 vs. 2.31 ± 1.24 × 109/L), 14 (3.18 ± 1.29 vs. 2.07 ± 1.14 × 109/L), and 21 (4.67 ± 1.31 vs. 3.58 ± 1.23 × 109/L) of chemotherapy and that in the TCM herb group on day 5 (3.88 ± 1.05 vs. 3.01 ± 1.41 × 109/L) of chemotherapy were increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the platelet count of patients in the TEAS group increased on days 5 (264.7 ± 64.1 vs. 201.0 ± 55.7 × 109/L), 8 (251.3 ± 74.9 vs. 188.2 ± 65.8 × 109/L), 11 (236.7 ± 74.9 vs. 181.3 ± 84.3 × 109/L), and 14 (238.3 ± 75.9 vs. 192.8 ± 95.8 × 109/L) of chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Compared with the TCM herb group, the platelet count in the TEAS group increased on days 5 (264.7 ± 64.1 vs. 216.3 ± 57.9 × 109/L), 8 (251.3 ± 74.9 vs. 213.7 ± 70.3 × 109/L), 11 (236.7 ± 74.9 vs. 181.3 ± 84.3 × 109/L), and 21 (254.8 ± 81.8 vs. 213.9 ± 82.6 × 109/L) of chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the hemoglobin level in the TCM herb group increased on day 14 (135.03 ± 28.06 vs. 122.09 ± 12.63 g/L) of chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the comfort score of the TEAS group increased on days 5 (78.31 ± 10.21 vs. 70.18 ± 9.34 score) and 11 (80.07 ± 10.44 vs. 72.11 ± 9.47 score) of chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Conclusion. TEAS is an effective and safe treatment modality for improving bone marrow suppression in SCLC patients after initial chemotherapy. TEAS improved comfort levels more effectively than did conventional and TCM herb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anacardium occidentale (cashew) has been used in the traditional system of medicine for curing many inflammatory disorders. The present study investigates the antiarthritic effects of cashew leaves extract using the rat model of FCA-induced rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritic rats were treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. ethanolic extract of cashew leaves. Animals were sacrificed at day 23, and before sacrificing the animals, gross pathological changes were observed. Histopathology of ankle joint was evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin staining, whereas the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated by the agglutination method. Inflammatory cells and other hematological parameters were assessed by employing an automated hemocytometer and chemistry analyzer. Rheumatoid factor (Rf) and lysosomal enzymes levels were determined in blood. Results indicated that A. occidentale significantly decreased the CPR levels, macroscopic arthritic score, and rheumatoid factor as compared to the diseased group. Histopathological evaluation showed significant attenuation in bone erosion, joint inflammation, and pannus formation by plant extract. Treatment with A. occidentale significantly suppressed the levels of acid phosphatase, β-galactosidase, β-glucuronidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, and collagenase. Moreover, A. occidentale significantly raised the HB levels and RBCs counts which were found depleted in the diseased group. The raised counts of total leukocytes, platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were also significantly decreased by treatment with plant extract. Comparative analysis showed that higher dose of A. occidentale demonstrated superior amelioration of rheumatoid arthritis as compared to low dose. In conclusion, A. occidentale possesses significant antiarthritic potential, which may be attributed to the suppression of lysosomal enzymes and collagenase levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa and shows a line of active biological functions, but its application has been limited and questioned because of its low solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid metabolism. In terms of antitumor effect, these disadvantages can be overcome by intratumoral injection. In this study, we present the intratumoral injection of curcumin and glycyrrhetinic acid-modified curcumin-loaded cationic liposome (GAMCLCL) in H22 tumor-bearing mice. The experimental results demonstrated that curcumin exhibited positive antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo by intratumoral injection, but its activities were much weaker than GAMCLCL and adriamycin. Compared with free curcumin, GAMCLCL showed much better effects in improving the blood parameters (WBC, RBC, PLT, ALT, CRE, and LDH), inhibiting tumor growth, reducing tumor microvascular density, downregulating the expression of VEGF-protein and mRNA, and upregulating the expression of caspase-3 protein and mRNA in H22 tumor tissues. Under the experimental conditions of this study, the antitumor effect of high-dose GAMCLCL was similar to adriamycin. In conclusion, the experimental results demonstrated that free curcumin possessed definite antitumor efficacy, but its antitumor activities were weaker, and some strategies should be adopted to overcome its disadvantages, improve, and ensure its clinical efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a trend to use medicinal plants for primary medical care or as dietary supplements; however, the safety of many of these plants has not been studied. The objective of this work was to determine the toxic effect of the aqueous extract of Calea ternifolia (C. zacatechichi), known popularly as "dream herb" in vivo and in vitro in order to validate its safety. In vivo, the extract had moderate toxicity on A. salina. In vitro, the extract induced eryptosis of 73% at a concentration of 100 μg·mL−1 and it inhibited CYP3A by 99% at a concentration of 375 μg/mL. After administering 8.5 mg/kg of C. ternifolia to rats, we found a reduction in platelets and leukocytes and an increase in urea and the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Histological analysis showed spongiform changes in the proximal tubules of renal tissue and a lymphoid infiltrate in liver tissue. This plant is used in the treatment of diabetes, and it is commercialized as a dietary supplement in several countries. Our results show renal and hepatic toxicity; therefore, more profound research on the toxicity of this plant is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to explore the protective effect of new gelatin (NG, Xin'ejiao in China) on hematopoietic injury caused by chemotherapy. Zebrafish, at 48 hours post fertilization (hpf), was treated with different chemotherapeutic drugs to establish the zebrafish hematopoietic damage model with reduced thrombocytes and erythrocytes. The protecting effects of NG on the thrombocytes and erythrocytes were observed, respectively, on zebrafish models. Then, the RT-PCR method was used to detect the change of mRNA level of the hematopoiesis-related cytokines scl1, c-myb, pu.1, GATA1, and runx1 genes. The results showed that 50 μg·mL−1 and 100 μg·mL−1 NG rescued and increased the thrombocytes numbers induced by vinorelbine (NVB) and chloramphenicol (CHL) and the erythrocytes numbers induced by methotrexate (MTX), doxorubicin (ADM), and mechlorethamine hydrochloride (MH) in zebrafish models. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of scl1, c-myb, and GATA1 genes in the NG treatment group was raised compared with the MTX treatment group. Also, the mRNA expression of pu.1 and Runx1 in the NG treatment group was reduced compared with the MTX treatment group. In consequence, traditional Chinese medicine NG showed a certain degree protective effect on hematopoiesis injury induced by chemotherapy in this study, which may depend on the promotion of erythrocytes proliferation and the regulation of the hematopoietic genes level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI) continues to increase despite advances in treatment. Excessive myocardial fibrosis plays a vital role in the development of adverse cardiac remodeling and deterioration of cardiac function. Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanism of the fibrosis process and developing effective therapeutics are of great importance. Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius extract (SCE) is indicated for angina pectoris and other ischemic cardiovascular diseases in China. SCE has been shown to inhibit the platelet activation and aggregation, ameliorate ROS-induced myocardial necrosis by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and promote angiogenesis by upregulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, whether SCE has effect on cardiac fibrosis after MI is not fully clear. Here, a mouse model of MI was established to observe the effect of SCE upon survival, cardiac function, myocardial fibrosis, and inflammation. Quantitative PCR and western blot assays were used to determine the expression of genes related to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) cascade and inflammatory responses in vivo. Additionally, the effects of SCE upon the collagen production, TGF-β/Smad3 (SMAD family member 3) signaling, and the levels of histone methylation in primary cardiac fibroblasts were detected. We found that SCE treatment significantly improved survival and left ventricular function in mice after MI. Inhibition of inflammation and fibrosis, as well as decreased expression of Smad3, was observed with SCE treatment. In TGF-β-stimulated cardiac fibroblasts, SCE significantly decreased the expression of collagen, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Smad3. Furthermore, SCE treatment downregulated the levels of H3K4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and H3K36 trimethylation (H3K36me3) at the Smad3 promoter region of cardiac fibroblasts, leading to inhibition of Smad3 transcription. Our findings suggested that SCE prevents myocardial fibrosis and adverse remodeling after MI with a novel mechanism of suppressing histone methylation of the Smad3 promoter and its transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The pathogenesis is mainly due to atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, and platelet thrombus formation. The main risk factors for coronary artery disease include obesity, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure. As a part of disease management, treatment options using anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs can be applied with addition to lipid-lowering medication. However, medicinal plants comprising antiatherothrombotic effects can be used as options to combat the disease rather than drug therapies with lesser adverse effects. Therefore, the haematological effect of Berberis vulgaris L., Teucrium polium L., and Orthosiphon stamineus Benth extracts was studied using in vitro model to prevent and to treat coronary atherothrombotic disease. The aqueous, methanol, and polysaccharide extracts of B. vulgaris, T. polium, and O. stamineus, respectively, were studied for their anticoagulant and antiplatelet effect on human whole blood. Extracts were subjected to the prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) test for anticoagulant activity. The antiplatelet activity was investigated using an electrical impedance method. B. vulgaris aqueous extract (BVAE), B. vulgaris polysaccharide extract (BVPE), T. polium aqueous extract (TPAE), and T. polium polysaccharide extract (TPPE) significantly prolonged the coagulation time in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.05). The administration of BVAE demonstrated the most effective antiplatelet activity against platelet aggregation caused by arachidonic acid (AA) and collagen. These antiplatelet activities may correspond to the presence of higher total phenolic compound, which thus inhibit the platelet aggregation activity. In conclusion, these findings provide strong evidence on the antiatherothrombotic effect of BVAE and TPAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Disodium cantharidinate and vitamin B6 (DCVB6) injection is effective and widely used for the clinical treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This meta-analysis aimed to provide evidence-based medical data for clinical treatment with DCVB6 injection. Methods. We searched 7 medical databases up to January 2018 for all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on DCVB6 injection combined with chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC. A manual search in relevant journals and of relevant literature on other websites was also performed. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted independently by two reviewers. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software. Pooled risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to evaluate dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively. The PROSPERO ID was CRD42018086377. Results. A total of 19 RCTs were included. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that the DCVB6 injection combined with chemotherapy was superior to chemotherapy alone regarding objective response rate (RR=1.58, 95% CI 1.40-1.79), Karnofsky performance score (RR=1.68, 95% CI 1.42-1.99), clinical symptom (RR=1.68, 95% CI 1.44-1.96), white blood cell toxicity (RR=0.36, 95% CI 0.27-0.49), platelet toxicity (RR=0.46, 95% CI 0.33-0.63), and vomiting (RR=0.50, 95% CI 0.37-0.67). Conclusions. The current evidence suggests that DCVB6 injection combined with chemotherapy could increase objective response rate and Karnofsky performance score, improve clinical symptoms, and reduce side effects caused by chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC. However, these results should be carefully interpreted due to the low-quality methodology and the small sample sizes of the trials, and our conclusions should be verified by high-quality, large-scale, double-blinded RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Xihuang pill (XHP) in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods. Three English and four Chinese databases were searched. Literature was screened using EndNote X7 and data were analyzed by Review Manager. Results. This review included 13 randomized clinical studies of 1272 patients. The results showed that XHP increased the tumor response [risk ratio (RR) = 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.98-4.26] and improved Karnofsky performance score (KPS) for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy [RR = 4.96; 95% CI = 2.07-11.86]. In addition, XHP treatment significantly reduced chemotherapy-induced adverse events, including nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.33-0.74], WBC reduction [RR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.47-1.06], platelet reduction [RR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.19-1.44], hemoglobin reduction [RR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.19-0.52], and hepatic function damage [RR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.35-1.11]. Conclusion. XHP combined with chemotherapy in comparison with chemotherapy alone could significantly enhance the tumor response, improve KPS, and alleviate toxicity induced by chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effects of two types of mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidum (GL) and Auricularia polytricha (AP), against carbofuran- (CF) induced toxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats (n=42) were divided into six equal groups. The rats in the negative control group received oral administration of CF at 1 mg/kg with the normal diet for 28 days. The treatment groups received oral administration of ethanolic extract of GL or AP at 100 mg/kg followed by coadministration of CF at 1 mg/kg with the normal diet for the same experimental period, respectively. In the CF alone treated group, there were significant decreases in the erythrocytic and thrombocytic indices but increases in the concentrations of the total leukocytes, including the agranulocytes. A significant increase in all of the liver function biomarkers except albumin, in lipid profiles except high-density lipoprotein, and in the kidney function markers occurred in the negative control group compared to the rats of the normal control and positive control groups. The coadministration of mushroom extracts significantly ameliorated the toxic effects of the CF. The GL mushroom extract was more efficacious than that of the AP mushroom, possibly due to the presence of high levels of phenolic compounds and other antioxidants in the GL mushroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a hydrolyzed polysaccharide, Rice Bran Arabinoxylan Compound (RBAC), on biomarkers in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A 90-day randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial examined the effect of RBAC on complete blood count, liver enzymes, lipids, oxidative stress markers, cytokines, and growth factors. Twenty-three adults with NAFLD were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of the two study conditions (n=12 RBAC and n=11 placebo) and consumed 1 gram/day of either compound for 90 days. Subjects were assessed at baseline and 45 and 90 days. No adverse effects were reported. Alkaline phosphatase significantly decreased (−3.1%; SD = 19.9; F[1,19]=5.1, p=0.03) in the RBAC group compared to placebo. Percent monocytes (17.9%; SD = 18.3; F[1,19]=5.9, p=0.02) and percent eosinophils (30.6%; SD = 30.5; F[1,19]=12.3, p<0.01) increased in the RBAC group. IFN-γ (156%; SD = 131.8; F[1,19]=4.2, p=0.06) and IL-18 (29.1%; SD = 64; F[1,19]=5.3, p=0.03) increased in the RBAC group compared to placebo. Other improvements were noted for platelets, neutrophils, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, γ-glutamyl transferase, and 4-hydroxynonenal. RBAC had beneficial effects on several biomarkers that add to the known immunomodulatory activities of RBAC, which may be promising for people with NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically review the effect of invigorating Pi and detoxification (Jianpi Jiedu, (JPJD)) herbs in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods. Three English and four Chinese databases were searched. Literature was screened by EndNote X7 and data were analyzed by RevMan 5.2. Results. This review comprised 12 randomized clinical studies of 701 patients. The results showed that JPJD herbs improved the therapeutic effect on Chinese medicine symptoms [risk ratio (RR) = 1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35~1.88] and Karnofsky performance score [RR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.52~2.82] for advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy, lowered the Chinese medicine symptoms’ score [weighted mean difference = −2.44; 95% CI: −3.23~−1.64], reduced the incidence of nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.11~0.49], improved platelet at toxicity grades III-IV [odds ratio = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12~0.74] and I–IV [RR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.51~0.82], and improved white blood cell at toxicity grades III-IV [RR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23~0.58] and I–IV [RR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60~0.79]. However, the results showed no significant effect on tumor response. Conclusion. JPJD herbs can improve quality of life, relieve symptoms, and reduce adverse events of advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]