Proteomics and syndrome of Chinese medicine

Syndrome of Chinese medicine is an understanding of the regularity of disease occurrence and development and its performance of symptoms. Syndrome is the key to recognize diseases and the foundation to treat them. However, because of the complexity of the concept and the limitation of present investigations, the research of syndrome is hard to go further. Proteomics has been received extensive attention in the area of medical diagnosis and drug development. In the holistic and systemic context, proteomics have a convergence with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome, which could overcome the one-sidedness and singleness of TCM and avoid the complication and tedious processes. Chinese medicine has a wealth of experience and proteomics has a substantial research potential, the integration of the two aspects will bring a great enhancement of our knowledge of disease.     

中医药参与干细胞研究特色及进展

干细胞因其具有自我更新、在特定的诱导条件下可以分化为多种工作细胞及向损伤组织迁移的能力,受到越来越多研究者的关注。近年来,有关传统中医药参与干细胞的研究已见诸多报道,本文回顾了近年来中医药参与干细胞研究的诸多报道,总结了得出了在中医经典理论指导下中医药参与干细胞研究多以补肾、益气类中药为主,以中药复方、单味中药以及中药有效组分的形式进行研究,结果表明中药可以影响干细胞的生物学特性及功能,能参与完成干细胞动员、迁移、归巢、增殖、分化等各个环节,传统的中医理论可以拓宽干细胞研究的思路,有望解决干细胞研究中的诸多难题,提示中医药在干细胞研究领域中具有较大的潜能,中医药联合干细胞治疗在临床应用中具有较大的应用前景。     

中药银杏制剂的心血管药理效应:机制与展望

银杏是传统的活血化瘀中药,银杏制剂是现代科技开发的植物药中最为成功的案例之一.目前研究较多的银杏制剂是银杏酮酯,其主要活性成分为银杏黄酮、银杏内酯等,具有较为广泛的心血管药理效应,对多种心血管疾病具有较好的预防和治疗效果.本文对中药银杏制剂的主要活性成分、心血管药理效应及其机制、研究展望做一述评.     

Proteomics meets blood banking: Identification of protein targets for the improvement of platelet quality

Proteomics has brought new perspectives to the fields of hematology and transfusion medicine in the last decade. The steady improvement of proteomic technology is propelling novel discoveries of molecular mechanisms by studying protein expression, post-translational modifications and protein interactions. This review article focuses on the application of proteomics to the identification of molecular mechanisms leading to the deterioration of blood platelets during storage — a critical aspect in the provision of platelet transfusion products. Several proteomic approaches have been employed to analyse changes in the platelet protein profile during storage and the obtained data now need to be translated into platelet biochemistry in order to connect the results to platelet function. Targeted biochemical applications then allow the identification of points for intervention in signal transduction pathways. Once validated and placed in a transfusion context, these data will provide further understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to platelet storage lesion. Future aspects of proteomics in blood banking will aim to make use of protein markers identified for platelet storage lesion development to monitor proteome changes when alterations such as the use of additive solutions or pathogen reduction strategies are put in place in order to improve platelet quality for patients.     

人体粪便中药与粪微生态疗法述略

在漫长的历史中,中国的医药学家对粪便类药物持续不断地在进行研究,尤其是在过去的几百年间积累了越来越多的经验,是中国传统医药学极其宝贵的财富。应用粪便类药辨治疾病是中医诊疗特色之一。广泛而丰富的临床治疗信息为现代医学积累了大量的诊疗依据和启示,尤其是目前的粪菌移植治疗研究,它拓展了粪便类中药治疗的新概念,明确其疗效机制乃至为新产品的研发提供依据。现代微生态学的发展也为祖国医学的研究带来了新的契机和前景。     

Traditional Chinese medicines benefit to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidences from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the efficiency of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are conflicting. Here we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to evaluate the efficiency and safety of TCM in the treatment of NAFLD. Studies were searched on PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from January 1995 to June 2010. RCTs comparing either TCM formulations alone or in combination with placebo, ursodeoxycholic acid, insulin sensitizers, lipid-lowering drugs, or antioxidants were included. The category of most usually used herbs in the treatment of NAFLD was also calculated. Five thousand nine hundred and four patients from 62 RCTs were included for meta-analysis and 25,661 patients from 419 clinical studies were for TCM formulation analysis. Comparing with western medicines mentioned above, TCM had a better effect on the normalization of alanine aminotransferase and disappearance of radiological steatosis in the treatment of NAFLD. Furthermore, 246 kinds of Chinese herbs were included in our present study, with an average of 10 herbs (range 1-31) in each formulation. Hawthorn Fruit (321 times in 17,670 patients) was the most often used herb in the treatment of NAFLD. In conclusion, TCM is of modest benefit to the treatment of NAFLD.     

Correlation between the different therapeutic properties of Chinese medicinal herbs and delayed luminescence

In the practice and principle of Chinese medicine, herbal materials are classified according to their therapeutic properties. ‘Cold’ and ‘heat’ are the most important classes of Chinese medicinal herbs according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this work, delayed luminescence (DL) was measured for different samples of Chinese medicinal herbs using a sensitive photon multiplier detection system. A comparison of DL parameters, including mean intensity and statistic entropy, was undertaken to discriminate between the ‘cold’ and ‘heat’ properties of Chinese medicinal herbs. The results suggest that there are significant differences in mean intensity and statistic entropy and using this method combined with statistical analysis may provide novel parameters for the characterization of Chinese medicinal herbs in relation to their energetic properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regulation of neuroinflammation by herbal medicine and its implications for neurodegenerative diseases. A focus on traditional medicines and flavonoids

Herbal medicine has long been used to treat neural symptoms. Although the precise mechanisms of action of herbal drugs have yet to be determined, some of them have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and/or anti-oxidant effects in a variety of peripheral systems. Now, as increasing evidence indicates that neuroglia-derived chronic inflammatory responses play a pathological role in the central nervous system, anti-inflammatory herbal medicine and its constituents are being proved to be a potent neuroprotector against various brain pathologies. Structural diversity of medicinal herbs makes them valuable source of novel lead compounds against therapeutic targets that are newly discovered by genomics, proteomics, and high-throughput screening.     

Application of proteomics in the mechanistic study of traditional Chinese medicine

Systems biology is considered to be the possible technology that could bring breakthroughs in the study of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). Proteomics, as one of the major components of systems biology, has been used in the mechanistic study of TCM, providing some interesting results. In the present paper, we review the current application of proteomics in the mechanistic study of TCM. Proteomics technologies and strategies that might be used in the future to improve study of TCM are also discussed.     

Traditional Chinese medicine herbs - are they safe for psoriatic patients?

Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) relies on remedies of natural origin, its use is not always safe as it can have not only beneficial but also deleterious effects. Psoriatic patients, disappointed by conventional treatment and unaware of the potential side effects of TCM preparations, are increasingly reaching for non-traditional therapeutic methods. This review presents brief characteristics of selected Chinese herbs self-prescribed by psoriatic patients. It is important that dermatologists should be able to recognize any potential hazards connected with current or previous taking of these herbs by their patients.     

Large-scale analysis of small RNAs derived from traditional Chinese herbs in human tissues

Plant-derived microRNAs have recently been reported to function in human blood and tissues. Controversy was immediately raised due to possible contamination and the lack of large sample sizes. Here, we report thousands of unique small RNAs derived from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) herbs found in human blood cells and mouse lung tissues using a large-scale analysis.We extracted small RNAs from decoctions of 10 TCM plants(Ban Zhi Lian, Chai Hu, Chuan Xin Lian, Di Ding Zi Jin, Huang Qin, Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, Pu Gong Ying, Xia Ku Cao, and Yu Xing Cao) and obtained millions of RNA sequences from each herb. We also obtained RNA-Seq data from the blood cells of humans who consumed herbal decoctions and from the lung tissues of mice administered RNAs from herbal decoctions via oral gavage. We identified thousands of unique small RNA sequences in human blood cells and mouse lung tissues. Some of these identified small RNAs from Chuan Xin Lian and Hong Jing Tian could be mapped to the genomes of the herbs, confirming their TCM plant origin. Small RNAs derived from herbs regulate mammalian gene expression in a sequence-specific manner, and thus are a superior novel class of herbal drug components that hold great potential as oral gene-targeted therapeutics, highlighting the important role of herbgenomics in their development.     

Application of proteomics in research on traditional Chinese medicine

Introduction: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a widely used complementary alternative medicine approach. Although many aspects of its effectiveness have been approved clinically, rigorous scientific techniques are highly required to translate the promises from TCM into powerful modern therapies. In this respect, proteomics is useful because of its ability to unveil the underlying target proteins and/or protein biomarkers.

Areas covered: In this review, we summarize the recent interplay between proteomics and research on TCM, ranging from exploration of the medicinal materials to the biological basis of TCM concepts, and from pathological studies to pharmacological investigations. We show that proteomic analyses provide preliminary biological evidence of the promises in TCM, and the integration of proteomics with other omics and bioinformatics offers a comprehensive methodology to address the complications of TCM.

Expert commentary: Currently, only limited information can be obtained regarding TCM issues and thus more work is required to resolve the ambiguity. As such, more collaborations between proteomics and other techniques (other omics, network pharmacology, etc.) are essential for deciphering the underlying biological basis in TCM topics.     

Abnormal Whole Blood Thrombi in Humans with Inherited Platelet Receptor Defects

To delineate the critical features of platelets required for formation and stability of thrombi, thromboelastography and platelet aggregation measurements were employed on whole blood of normal patients and of those with Bernard-Soulier Syndrome (BSS) and Glanzmann’s Thrombasthenia (GT). We found that separation of platelet activation, as assessed by platelet aggregation, from that needed to form viscoelastic stable whole blood thrombi, occurred. In normal human blood, ristocetin and collagen aggregated platelets, but did not induce strong viscoelastic thrombi. However, ADP, arachidonic acid, thrombin, and protease-activated-receptor-1 and -4 agonists, stimulated both processes. During this study, we identified the genetic basis of a very rare double heterozygous GP1b deficiency in a BSS patient, along with a new homozygous GP1b inactivating mutation in another BSS patient. In BSS whole blood, ADP responsiveness, as measured by thrombus strength, was diminished, while ADP-induced platelet aggregation was normal. Further, the platelets of 3 additional GT patients showed very weak whole blood platelet aggregation toward the above agonists and provided whole blood thrombi of very low viscoelastic strength. These results indicate that measurements of platelet counts and platelet aggregability do not necessarily correlate with generation of stable thrombi, a potentially significant feature in patient clinical outcomes.     

代谢组学在中药研究中的应用进展

代谢组学是功能基因组学和系统生物学研究不可或缺的重要组成部分,是通过考察生物体系受刺激或扰动前后代谢产物的动态变化,研究生物体系的代谢网络的一种技术。应用代谢组学高通量、整体性的研究思路来理解中药的作用过程,与中医药的整体、辩证观点是一致的。代谢组学已成为中药研发的一个重要途径和手段,为中药现代化在技术上提供巨大支持,有助于为中药现代化研究寻找更多有效的突破口。本文在前人综述的基础上,着重概括了中药代谢组学研究方法近3年来在中药有效物质基础和作用机制、药物作用模型的鉴别和确证、毒性研究和中药安全性评价等方面的应用情况,同时展望了代谢组学方法所面临的机遇和挑战。     

Therapeutic options of TCM for organ injuries associated with COVID-19 and the underlying mechanism

BackgroundCoronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection with severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading rapidly throughout China and in other countries since the end of 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the epidemic is a public health emergency of international concerns. The timely and appropriate measures for treating COVID-19 in China, which are inseparable from the contribution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have won much praise of the world.PurposeThis review aimed to summarize and discuss the essential role of TCM in protecting tissues from injuries associated with COVID-19, and accordingly to clarify the possible action mechanisms of TCM from the perspectives of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.MethodsElectronic databases such as Pubmed, ResearchGate, Science Direct, Web of Science, medRixv and Wiley were used to search scientific literatures.ResultsThe present review found that traditional Chinese herbs commonly used for the clinical treatment of organ damages caused by COVID-19, such as Scutellaria baicalensis, Salvia miltiorrhizaSalvia miltiorrhiza, and ginseng, could act on multiple signaling pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.ConclusionTCM could protect COVID-19 patients from tissue injuries, a protection that might be, at least partially, attributed to the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of the TCM under investigation. This review provides evidence and support for clinical treatment and novel drug research using TCM.     

Synthetic lethality theory approaches to effective substance discovery and functional mechanisms elucidation of anti-cancer phytomedicine

BackgroundLongstanding, successful use of combinations of phytopharmaceuticals in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has caught the attention of several pharmacologists to natural medicines. However, the development and popularisation of TCM is mainly limited because of the unavailability of reports clarifying the mechanisms of action and pharmacologically active ingredients in such formulations. Previous studies on natural medicines have mostly focused on their dominant components using forward pharmacology which often neglects trace components. It is necessary to assess the pharmacological and therapeutic superiority of many such trace components in comparison with single constituents.PurposeIn this study, we aimed to propose a new pharmacological research strategy for TCM. In particular, we presented the possibility that the effective mechanism of action of trace components of TCM is based on synthetic lethality. We sincerely hope to explore this theory further.MethodWe obtained retrieve published research information related to synthetic lethality, phytochemicals and Chinese medicine from PubMed and Google scholar. Based on the inclusion criteria, 71 studies were selected and discussed in this review.ResultsAs an interaction among genes, synthetic lethality can amplify co-regulatory biological effects exponentially. Synthetic strategies have been successfully applied for research and development of anti-tumour agents, including poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors and clinical combination of chemotherapeutic agents for efficacy enhancement and toxicity reduction. TCM drugs contain several secondary metabolites to combat environmental stresses, providing a multi-component basis for corresponding synergistic targets. Therefore, we aimed to study whether this method could be used to identify active components present in trace amounts in TCM drugs. Based on a reverse concept of target–component–effect and identified synergistic targets, we explored the mechanisms of action of weakly active components present in trace amounts in TCM drugs to assess combinations of potential synergistic components.ConclusionThis pattern of synthetic lethality not only elucidated the mechanisms of action of TCM drugs from a new perspective but also inspired future studies on discovering naturally occurring active components.     

现代生物医学科技前沿与中西医结合交叉

本文讨论了中医现代化和中西医结合的有关问题,指出中医现代化工作可分为三个方面：第一方面,应当培养大批临床上过硬的中医人才,在临床上有所突破,以此为基础进行理论研究;第二方面,将中医理论转换成现代语言;第三方面,中医与包括现代生物医学在内的多学科结合。阐述了现代生物医学科技前沿与中西医结合交叉而产生的新学科一光子中医学。指出光子中医学将为中西医结合提供理论和技术平台,成为多学科研究中医的代表性学科,并将成为中医现代化的一个重要方向,为人类卫生事业作出重大贡献。     

苦寒类中药抗白念珠菌的研究进展

深部真菌(主要为白念珠菌)感染现象在临床中越来越常见,真菌耐药已经成为目前治疗的主要难题.传统中医理论认为“苦寒燥湿”类中药能有效治疗各种感染,对寻找抗耐药白念珠菌新药及协同药物具有一定的指导意义.该文主要总结阐述苦寒类中药抗真菌研究进展.