Background: Component compatibility is important to the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Studies have shown that San-ao decoction (SAD) can treat respiratory diseases by relaxing airway smooth muscle (ASM) and reducing airway hyper-responsiveness. However, whether its bioactive components and compatibility also present with similar relaxant effects remains unknown. This study aims to explore the potential relaxant property, dose-response relationship, and underlying mechanisms of the bioactive component compatibility in SAD. Methods: Network pharmacology was primarily used to identify the bioactive components of SAD and uncover its underlying mechanisms. ASM tension force measuring technique was utilized to verify the relaxant and dose-response effects on in vitro guinea pig ASM. Results: We postulated pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (PH), amygdalin (AM), and diammonium glycyrrhizate (DG) to be the bioactive components of SAD, which could effectively relax ASM in a dose-dependent manner on both acetylcholine-induced and spontaneous contraction. Both PH and AM could lead to DG dose–response curve shift. The regression equation of these three bioactive components was Y = −2.048 × X 1 + 0.411 × X 2 + 14.052 × X 3 (X 1 , X 2 , X 3 representing PH, AM, and DG, respectively). The underlying mechanisms of these components might be associated with the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. Conclusions: PH, AM, and DG are the bioactive components of SAD, which can relax ASM in a dose–response manner and exert a synergistic effect. Clinically, compatibility of these three bioactive components may serve as a new complementary and alternative treatment for respiratory diseases.

Background: Curcuma wenyujin rhizome (CWR) is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine for treating blood stasis in China for 1000 of years. However, the underlying mechanism of CWR remains unclear. Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to clarify the bioactive mechanism of CWR in treating blood stasis. Materials and Methods: In this study, pharmacological indexes, including hemorheology and four blood coagulation indexes were tested. Bile and urine metabolomics were engaged by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. Multivariate statistical analysis were used to screen out differential endogenous metabolites. Results: The results indicated that CWR significantly ameliorated the hemorheology and coagulation functions of acute blood stasis (ABS) model rats. Moreover, 27 endogenous metabolites between the CWR group and the ABS group were screened, and the levels were all improved to certain degrees by CWR preadministration. Metabonomics results indicated that ABS was mainly related to linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, pentose and glucuronate intercereasonversions, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Conclusion: In a word, the metabolomics method is consistent with the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that can be a powerful means to illustrate the biological activity mechanism of CWR in treating blood stasis and to offer research demonstration for further study on the effector mechanism of TCM.

Objective: To compare the pharmacokinetic differences of the main components of Naoxintong capsule (NXTC) in normal and acute blood stasis rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were subcutaneously injected with adrenaline hydrochloride twice; during the two subcutaneous injections, the rats were placed in ice water for 4 min to reproduce the model rat of acute blood stasis. The normal and acute blood stasis rats were administrated a 5.04 g/kg dose of NXTC suspension. Then, blood samples were collected from the posterior retinal venous plexus at different time points. Plasma concentrations of four major bio-active components including caffeic acid, ferulic acid, formononetin, and tanshinone IIA in NXTC were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. Phoenix WinNonlin v6.2 software was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. Results: Compared with the normal rats, the acute blood stasis rats showed a significant decrease in C max of ferulic acid and formononetin, AUC all of caffeic acid and ferulic acid, and AUC INF_obs of ferulic acid. Conversely, an increase in the Vz_F_obs and MRT last of ferulic acid and caffeic acid was observed. These findings demonstrate that the absorption of the four NXTC components was weakened in the acute blood stasis rats and that the elimination time was prolonged. Conclusions: The significant difference in some parameters of the four NXTC components between the normal and acute blood stasis rats might be caused by an increase in blood viscosity and the subsequent slowing down of blood flow in the acute blood stasis rats. The pharmacokinetic study conducted in pathological state can provide important information and scientific basis for further rational clinical application of NXTC.

Objective: The objective of the study is to combine network pharmacology with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to screen for quality markers (Q-markers) of Inulae Flos and predict mechanism on anti-hepatitis. Materials and Methods: Active ingredient library of Inulae Flos is structured using databases and the literature. “Compound-target-pathway” network on anti-hepatitis and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network are constructed using network pharmacology. Next, chromatographic fingerprints of Inulae Flos in 7 origins are obtained through HPLC, and chemometric analysis is implemented to identify chemical markers, which is combined with network pharmacology to identify Q-markers and detect content. Results: 1,6-O, O-Diacetylbritannilactone, Ivangustin, and Inulanolide A are key ingredients of Inulae Flos to interact with 82 potential targets related to anti-hepatitis. Furthermore, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and transcription factor AP-1 are the core targets in the PPI network. Chromatographic fingerprints of the Inulae Flos define 20 common peaks and identify 8 peaks using reference substances. Through partial least square discriminant analysis, 7 compounds including caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and 1,6-O, O-Diacetylbritannilactone were main chemical markers for variability. 1,6-O, O-Diacetylbritannilactone is both a key ingredient and exclusive chemical marker. Therefore, 1,6-O, O-diacetylbritannilactone is a Q-marker of Inulae Flos , and the average content is 1.82 mg/g. Conclusion: 1,6-O, O-diacetylbritannilactone is determined to be a Q-marker of Inulae Flos .

Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of integrative medicine in the treatment of immunological disorders of the nervous system. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were adopted to conduct this study, which included randomized controlled trials with a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), myasthenia gravis (MG), and Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS), all of which were treated with integrative medicine. The effective rate, recurrent frequency, and disease score were used as the markers of outcome variables for the meta-analysis. Results: A total of 48 randomized control trials were included. The effective rates of treatment with integrative medicine were noticeably higher than those with Western medicine alone for the three diseases. The recurrence frequency for MS and the recurrence rate for MG treated with integrative medicine were reduced more than those with Western medicine alone. The Extended Disability Status Scale, acetylcholine receptor antibody, and Hughes scores for MS, MG, and GBS, respectively, treated with integrative medicine were significantly lower than those with Western medicine alone. The risks of bias in the literature evaluation showed that the quality of the included studies was not high. Conclusions: Compared to treatment with Western medicine alone, integrative medicine might ameliorate immunological disorders of the nervous system.

Objective: The objective is to observe the effect of Kuanxiong aerosol (KXA) on angina and the quality of life of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Materials and Methods: Six hundred patients with angina after PCI (AAP) were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group ( n = 300 in each group) and received basic treatment with KXA or basic treatment (respectively) for 8 weeks. The Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the two groups during the screening period and five follow-up periods were compared. Results: A total of 179 patients were included in this interim report, including 85 in the experimental group and 94 in the control group. Among the five-dimensional scores of the SAQ, the improvement in the angina frequency and quality of life scores in the experimental group was better than those in the control group after treatment ( P < 0.01), and the difference in scores of the remaining dimensions was not statistically significant ( P > 0.01). The difference in VAS scores between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P > 0.01). No obvious adverse reactions were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: KXA can reduce the frequency of AAP and improve patients' quality of life.