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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]

Background. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is widely used in China, but it does not fundamentally improve exercise endurance or reduce mortality associated with cardiovascular disease. Standardized cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can reduce the mortality associated with coronary heart disease and reduce the need for repeated PCI procedures. Currently, research on CR after PCI is mainly based on traditional exercise prescription, while research on TCM is limited. Often, the combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and exercise rehabilitation is adopted, from which it is difficult to determine the unique advantages of TCM. Qishen Yiqi dripping pills (QSYQ) can improve myocardial energy metabolism and alleviate myocardial reperfusion injury after PCI. This paper describes the protocol for the clinical assessment of QSYQ on CR. Methods. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will be used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of QSYQ on improving exercise endurance and quality of life. We plan to recruit 66 patients with stable angina pectoris with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome differentiation after PCI from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. On the basis of conventional drug treatment, QSYQ or placebo will be used for 12 weeks. PeakVO2 will be the main efficacy evaluation index, while Seattle scale and quality of life scale will be the secondary efficacy evaluation indexes. Discussion. CR therapy with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine has been developed as a treatment modality in China and has been included in the expert consensus of TCM diagnosis and treatment. A rigorous trial design will ensure objective and scientific evaluation of the efficacy and safety of QSYQ in improving exercise endurance and quality of life in patients with PCI. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with Clinical trial registration in China: ChiCTR2000040838 (registration date: December 11, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription has been confirmed by the gynecological clinical observation to be effective in the treatment of endometriosis (EMs), and inflammatory cytokines were involved in EMs. In this paper, animal experiments were designed to explain anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription on endometriosis. The EMs model was established by autoplastic transplantation, and rats were randomly divided into seven groups: normal control group, model group, ovariectomized group, gestrinone (Western medicine) group, Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription (Chinese medicine) group, celecoxib (inhibitor) group, and combination (Chinese medicine + inhibitor) group. After oral administration for 21 days, the growth inhibitory rates of the ectopic endometria in treatment groups were evaluated, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and peritoneal fluid were determined by ELISA, as well as the expression of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) in the ectopic endometrial tissues was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. The growth inhibitory rates of the ectopic endometria were significantly higher in the Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription group and gestrinone group, in comparison with the model group p < 0.05 . In the Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription group, the levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and PGE2 were all reduced in the serum and peritoneal fluid p < 0.05 . In addition, the specific expression of PTGS2 in the ectopic endometrial tissues significantly decreased in the Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription group and PTGS2 inhibitor celecoxib group both at mRNA and protein levels, but in the steroid hormone drug gestrinone group not at the mRNA level. So, Caulis Sargentodoxae prescription has a reliable therapeutic effect on the EMs by its comprehensive anti-inflammatory roles, possibly in a way different from gestrinone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI), a serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is gaining more acceptance and attention. The learning and memory function of diabetics always decreases. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been demonstrated to be effective in treating the symptoms in China, and thereinto Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) are the most widely used. The objective of the present study was to review and analyze the existing data about reducing the symptoms in CMH treatment for DCI. Methods. Electronic literature databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, SinoMed, and Wan fang) were searched for randomized controlled trials conducted in China, comparing CMH with western medicines in the treatment of DCI, up to April 1, 2018. We applied standard meta-analytic techniques to analyze data from papers that reached acceptable criteria. Result. Nine randomized controlled trials (n = 576) on CMH were included. We found moderate evidence that CMH used alone or in combination with western medicines was more effective than western medicines alone in reliving the symptoms for DCI (total effective rate, odds radio (OR) = 4.64 (2.60, 8.29), and 95% confidence interval, P<0.00001). Besides, CMH along or in combination with western medicines showed more beneficial effects on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale (mean difference (MD) = 1.31(0.75, 1.87), P<0.00001), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale (MD = 2.07 (0.86, 3.28), P<0.00001, and TCM symptom score (TCMSS) (MD = -4.89 (-8.44, -1.34), P = 0.007). Most of the included studies showed that there was not a significant difference in the adverse events. Conclusions. These findings demonstrated that CMH used alone or in combination with western medicines were apparently better than western medicines alone in the treatment of DCI. Because of the poor quality of the studies that were available for the present meta-analysis, further researches are still needed to support these early findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Dan’e-fukang soft extract in endometriosis treatment. Method. PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP, SinoMed, and Cochrane Library were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of Dan’e-fukang soft extract and conventional western medicines for endometriosis treatment were included. The data were extracted independently by two people and analyzed using RevMan 5.2.0 software. The relative risk (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals were considered as effective outcome indicators. Results. Thirty-nine papers including 5442 patients with endometriosis were included in this study. A meta-analysis revealed that Dan’e-fukang soft extract was more efficient than gestrinone in the treatment of endometriosis (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.15, I2 = 71%, REM, 18 trials) and its efficacy was comparable to that of danazol and mifepristone. Dan’e-fukang soft extract was also as effective as gestrinone and mifepristone in terms of relapse rate and relieving dysmenorrhea. The incidence of adverse reactions was lower than that of conventional western medicines. Conclusions. The results of this study showed that Dan’e-fukang soft extract offers certain advantages in endometriosis treatment, but rigorously designed, strictly implemented RCTs are needed to further validate its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]