UNASSIGNED: To prove more accurately that Chinese herbal bath therapy may be a safe, effective, simple alternative treatment modality for knee OA, we designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to explore the effectiveness of SSBD for the relief of pain, daily activities, and quality of life in patients with knee OA.
UNASSIGNED: A single-center, 52-week, randomized controlled trial of SSBD versus placebo is being performed. A total of 200 patients with symptomatic knee OA will be randomly allocated to the SSBD treatment or placebo intervention group for 4 weeks. The two groups of patients are allowed to steam and bathe their knees once every other day, using one packet of SSBD each time, for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for a total of 4 weeks. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale at 4 weeks is the primary outcome measure, and the secondary outcomes include WOMAC stiffness and function scores, the Lysholm knee scale score, quality of life, the Brief Pain Inventory score, the Patient\'s Global Impressions of Improvement Scale score and the Clinical Global Impressions of Severity scale score. The safety of the herbal medications will also be evaluated.
UNASSIGNED: We will discuss whether SSBD has greater advantages in terms of efficacy, safety, and patient overall perception than does placebo control in middle-aged and elderly patients with knee OA. The findings may provide new and valuable information about the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal bath therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

In this paper, we present a comprehensive guide for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) research. We cover essential aspects of the AI model development pipeline, including research objective establishment, data collection and preprocessing, model selection, evaluation, and interpretation. The unique considerations in applying AI to TEAM datasets, such as data scarcity, imbalance, and model interpretability, are discussed. We provide practical tips and recommendations based on best practices and our own experience. The potential of large language models in TEAM research is also highlighted. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions of AI application in TEAM, emphasizing the need for standardized data collection and sharing platforms.

Depression, a mood disorder characterized by a persistent low mood and lack of enjoyment, is considered the leading cause of non-fatal health losses worldwide. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain\'s ability to adapt to external or internal stimuli, resulting in functional and structural changes. This process plays a crucial role in the development of depression. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shows significant potential as a complementary and alternative therapy for neurological diseases, including depression. However, there has been no systematic summary of the role of neuroplasticity in the pathological development of depression and TCM Interventions currently. This review systematically summarized recent literature on changes in neuroplasticity in depression and analyzed the regulatory mechanisms of active metabolites in TCM and TCM formulas on neuroplasticity in antidepressant treatment. Additionally, this review discussed the limitations of current research and the application prospects of TCM in regulating neuroplasticity in antidepressant research.

UNASSIGNED: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tongxin Formula in the treatment of coronary microvascular disease.
UNASSIGNED: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study simultaneously in two hospitals, consisting of 80 participants. Using a random number table, we assigned patients to the treatment and control groups. Patients in both groups received conventional Western medicine for coronary microvascular disease. In addition, those in the treatment group received Tongxin formula granules, while those in the control group received a placebo. The treatment course for both groups was three months, and the follow-up duration was six months. The primary efficacy indicators were coronary blood flow reserve and cardiovascular adverse events; the secondary efficacy indicators were the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, the angina symptom score, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) score, left ventricular function, and adverse reactions.
UNASSIGNED: After treatment, patients in the treatment group showed significantly higher variation in the coronary flow reserve (CFR) levels (CFR >2) and improvement of diastolic function (peak filling rate, or PFR >2.5) than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After 6 months of follow-up, the incidence of cardiovascular events in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After 3 months of treatment and 6 months of follow-up, the total effective rates of TCM symptoms and angina symptoms, as well as the total SAQ standard scores, in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no serious adverse reactions in either group before or after treatment, and there was no significant change (P > 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: We found that Tongxin Formula combined with conventional Western medicine can significantly improved the level of coronary blood flow reserve, reduced the occurrence of cardiovascular adverse events, improved the clinical symptoms of patients, and enhanced the quality of life of patients with coronary microvascular disease with favorable safety.

Merging traditional Chinese medicine\'s (TCM) principles of medicine-food homology with modern flavor chemistry, this research unveils PungentDB (http://www.pungentdb.org.cn/home), a database documenting 205 unique pungent flavor compounds from 231 TCMs. It provides detailed insights into their chemical attributes, biological targets (including IC50/EC50 values), and molecular structures (2D/3D), enriched with visualizations of target organ distribution and protein structures, exploring the pungent flavor space with the help of a feature-rich visual interface. This collection, derived from over 3249 sources and highlighting 9129 targets, delves into the compounds\' unique pungent flavors-taste, aroma, and thermal sensations-and their interaction with taste and olfactory receptors. PungentDB bridges ancient wisdom and culinary innovation, offering a nuanced exploration of pungent flavors\' role in enhancing food quality, safety, and sensory experiences. This initiative propels flavor chemistry forward, serving as a pivotal resource for food science advancement and the innovative application of pungent flavors.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered to be one of the most comprehensive and influential form of traditional medicine. It plays an important role in clinical treatment and adjuvant therapy for cancer. However, the complex composition of TCM presents challenges to the comprehensive and systematic understanding of its antitumor mechanisms, which hinders further development of TCM with antitumor effects. Omics technologies can immensely help in elucidating the mechanism of action of drugs. They utilize high-throughput sequencing and detection techniques to provide deeper insights into biological systems, revealing the intricate mechanisms through which TCM combats tumors. Multi-omics approaches can be used to elucidate the interrelationships among different omics layers by integrating data from various omics disciplines. By analyzing a large amount of data, these approaches further unravel the complex network of mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of TCM and explain the mutual regulations across different molecular levels. In this study, we presented a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in single-omics and multi-omics research focused on elucidating the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of TCM. We discussed the significance of omics technologies in advancing research on the antitumor properties of TCM and also provided novel research perspectives and methodologies for further advancing this research field.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer ranks the first in the mortality of gynecological tumors. Because there are no obvious symptoms in the early stage of ovarian cancer, most patients are in the advanced stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. The incidence of ovarian cancer is increasing year by year, and the incidence of ovarian cancer has a trend of younger age. In recent years. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a significant impact on improving the quality of life of cancer patients, reducing drug toxicity, preventing metastasis and recurrence, enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and prolonging survival time, so patients have benefited a lot.
OBJECTIVE: This review summarizes the mechanisms and molecular pathways through which active ingredients of TCM act in ovarian cancer. It explores the advantages of TCM in treating ovarian cancer. This review provides theoretical support for the use of TCM in the treatment of ovarian cancer, offering new perspectives for its clinical prevention and treatment.
METHODS: This review conducted a literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Wanfang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for relevant studies on TCM active ingredients in preventing ovarian cancer. The search terms included \"ovarian cancer\" combined with \"Chinese herbal medicine,\" \"Herbal medicine,\" \"Traditional Chinese medicine,\" and \"Active ingredients of Chinese medicine\". Based on existing experimental and clinical research, the paper systematically summarized and analyzed the mechanisms of TCM in treating ovarian cancer.
RESULTS: Active ingredients of TCM inhibit the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer through inducing tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, suppressing tumor cell migration and invasion, inducing tumor cell autophagy, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy drugs. Chinese medicine provides a comprehensive treatment option for ovarian cancer patients, synergizing with radiotherapy and chemotherapy drugs to enhance treatment effectiveness and introduce new hope and possibilities in clinical therapy.
CONCLUSIONS: Active ingredients of TCM can inhibit the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer, but further clinical research is needed to support their application.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a severe cerebrovascular disease with increasing incidence and mortality rates in recent years. The pathogenesis of IS is highly complex, with mitochondrial dysfunction playing a critical role in its onset and progression. Thus, preserving mitochondrial function is a pivotal aspect of treating ischemic brain injury. In response, there has been growing interest among scholars in the regulation of mitochondrial function through traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including herb-derived compounds, individual herbs, and herbal prescriptions. This article reviews recent research on the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in IS and explores the potential of TCM in treating this condition by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are now the second leading cause of death among cancer patients. Heart injury in patients with terminal cancer can lead to significant deterioration of left ventricular morphology and function. This specific heart condition is known as cancer-induced cardiac cachexia (CICC) and is characterized by cardiac dysfunction and wasting. However, an effective pharmacological treatment for CICC remains elusive.
CONCLUSIONS: The development and progression of CICC are closely related to pathophysiological processes, such as protein degradation, oxidative responses, and inflammation. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers offer unique advantages in reversing heart injury, which is the end-stage manifestation of CICC except the regular treatment. This review outlines significant findings related to the impact of eleven TCM monomers, namely Astragaloside IV, Ginsenosides Rb1, Notoginsenoside R1, Salidroside, Tanshinone II A, Astragalus polysaccharides, Salvianolate, Salvianolic acids A and B, and Ginkgolide A and B, on improving heart injury. These TCM monomers are potential therapeutic agents for CICC, each with specific mechanisms that could potentially reverse the pathological processes associated with CICC. Advanced drug delivery strategies, such as nano-delivery systems and exosome-delivery systems, are discussed as targeted administration options for the therapy of CICC.
CONCLUSIONS: This review summarizes the pathological mechanisms of CICC and explores the pharmacological treatment of TCM monomers that promote anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and pro-survival. It also considers pharmaceutical strategies for administering TCM monomers, highlighting their potential as therapies for CICC.

UNASSIGNED: Preventing and treating diabetic nephropathy (DN) are global challenges due to the complexity and diversity of its causes and manifestations. It is important to find effective medications to treat DN.
UNASSIGNED: Gene expression files of DN were downloaded from the GEO database to identify the differentially expressed genes. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to explore the possible mechanisms of modified Buyang Huanwu Decoction (mBHD) in treating DN. Biochemical, histopathological, and real-time PCR analyses were conducted in both in vivo and in vitro DN models to investigate the effects of mBHD.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 336 active ingredients and 124 potential targets of mBHD associated with DN were identified. Among them, 8 hub genes were found to be important targets for mBHD in treating DN and were significantly correlated with the infiltration status of six immune cells. Partially, the active ingredients of mBHD demonstrated good stability in binding to CASP3 and TP53. mBHD treatment significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and microalbumin in db/db mice. HE and Masson\'s staining results showed that mBHD attenuated renal injury in db/db mice. Additionally, mBHD treatment could significantly alter the expression of CASP3, CCL2, TP53, ALB, and HMOX1.
UNASSIGNED: mBHD may be involved in the treatment of DN through multiple ingredients, targets, and pathways. In addition, mBHD could alleviate renal injury in db/db mice, possibly involving CASP3, CCL2, TP53, ALB, and HMOX1.