Research Progress on Acupuncture Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common clinical degenerative disease, which occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. Acupuncture therapy has a significant effect in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, and is gradually accepted by more and more patients. Observing the treatment of knee osteoarthritis by different acupuncture and moxibustion therapies, we can find that acupuncture treatment of knee osteoarthritis has the advantages of relieving knee joint pain, improving knee joint function, absorbing knee joint inflammation, and promoting the recovery of damaged soft tissue. The treatment of osteoarthritis provides a more effective treatment plan.

Elucidation of the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Lianhuaqingwen for Treatment of COVID-19 Based on Network Pharmacology

Lianhuaqingwen (LH) is the widely used in the treatment of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, its mechanisms of action and molecular targets for treatment of COVID-19 are not clear. The active compounds of LH were collected and their targets were identified through the network pharmacology. The mechanism of compound multi components and multi targets and its relationship with disease are analyzed. COVID-19 targets were obtained by analyzing with TCMSP. In total, 282 active ingredients and 510 targets of LH were identified. Twenty-one target genes associated with LH and COVID-19. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) data were then obtained and PPI networks of LH putative targets and COVID-19-related targets were visualized and merged to identify the candidate targets for LH against COVID-19. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were carried out. The gene-pathway network was constructed to screen the crucial target genes. The functional annotations of target genes were found to be related to immune regulation, host defense, inflammatory reaction and autoimmune diseases and so on. Twenty pathways including immunology, cancer, and cell processing were significantly enriched. Quercetin and luteolin might be the crucial ingredients. IL6 was the core gene and other several genes including IL1B, STAT1, IFNGR1, and NCF1 were the key genes in the gene-pathway network of LH for treatment of COVID-19. The results indicated that LH’s effects against COVID-19 might relate to regulation of immunological function through the specific biological processes and the related pathways. This study demonstrates the application of network pharmacology in evaluating mechanisms of action and molecular targets of complex herbal formulations.

Research Progress on Antibiosis Activity of Scutellaria Flavonoids

Scutellariae (Huangqin) is a traditional medicine that is widely applied in China for the treatment of cold and fever, and nowadays research found that it can against pathogenic microorganism. Flavonoids is the main active constituent isolated from Scutellariae and possesses outstanding antibiosis activity. Scutellaria flavonoids displayed antiseptic actions and anti-resistance, including but not limited to destroy bacterial biofilm, suppressed activity of the DNA enzyme, restrain efflux pump and quorum-sensing system. This paper highlights and discusses the antibiosis activity of Scutellaria flavonoids, along with possible mechanisms of its action. hoping to providing basis and evidence for clinical application.

Safety Assessment of Intravenous Application of the Homeopathic Medicine Viscum Album D3 in Dogs

Background: Viscum album (VA) extracts have a wide variety of biologically active compounds that can be used in the treatment of various diseases, with cancer being the main one. However, few data on the effects of homeopathic VA are found in the literature, even though commercially VA formulations are available, with extremely low doses of its active compounds. Previous studies used the anthroposophical form of Viscum and provided information on the mechanisms of action of this drug in tumor cells or in cells of the immune system. Materials and methods: This study aimed to evaluate the safety of intravenous and subcutaneous application of D3 homeopathic Viscum album (VAD3) in dogs. Healthy dogs (n=7) underwent blood collection for blood cells count and biochemistry analysis and clinical examinations 7 days prior and at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14 after the beginning of treatment. The dogs received intravenous application of VAD3 at days 0, 5, 10, and 14, and subcutaneous at days 3, 7, and 12. Results: There was a transient increase in the number of monocytes (P=0.0022) at day 5, while there were no significant (P>0.05) changes in any of the other blood endpoints over time. Nevertheless, all blood parameters remained within the reference values for the species. All animals completed the study in good health conditions. According to the Quality-of-Life Assessment Questionnaire, all animals showed improvement in mood and appetite after receiving VAD3. Conclusion: The homeopathic medicine VAD3 is safe for intravenous and subcutaneous applications in dogs, besides possibly bringing benefits to the entire organism.

COVID -19 Vaccination in Patients with End Stage Kidney Disease. Early Results for an mRNA Vaccine in a Vulnerable Population

Patients with end stage kidney disease receiving dialysis treatment are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection. These patients have also higher rates of complications and mortality. The vulnerability may in part be explained by the profound changes in the immune system that are associated with impaired renal function. At the time of approval of the first vaccine for COVID-19, the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, there was no information on the efficacy and safety of the vaccine in dialysis patients. Preliminary reports on outcomes with the vaccine in the dialysis population have been published recently and the results are, in general, encouraging. However, these results indicate a lower response rate, a longer time to mount antibody response, lower antibody levels and possibly higher rate of COVID-19 breakthrough infection in the dialysis population. These results raise several questions that await further data to be reported. Meanwhile the dialysis patient’s population may still need special attention. Lessons learnt in this special population may also be applicable for other vulnerable patient groups.

Consumption of Sun-Exposed Oyster Mushrooms Help Patients Fight Tuberculosis

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne infectious disease that usually affects the lungs leading to severe coughing, fever, and chest pains. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of consuming sun-exposed mushrooms on the treatment outcomes of TB Methods: Participants were TB patients and categorized into block-1 (32) and block-2 (32) based on their willingness to consume sandwich bread containing sun-exposed oyster mushrooms. Blood and sputum samples were taken at the beginning (Day 0) and end of the study (4th month). Assays of 25-hydroxy (OH) D, cytokines, LL-37, and CRP were performed using Enzyme Linked- Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique, and mycobacterial cultures were performed using Lowenstein Jensen media. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Consumption of the sandwich bread induced a 27.8% increase in the mean serum 25(OH)D level with 35.5% and 32.3% reduction in the proportion of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and insufficiency (VDI), respectively. There were progressive changes in TB score (mean } SD of 2.6 } 1.8; 95% CI of 1.95 to 3.17; p<0.001) and Karnofsky performance status scale (80.3 } 6.9%, p < 0.001) with significant improvements in IFN-γ and LL-37 levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: Consumption of sun-exposed oyster mushrooms effectively improved the deficiencies of vitamin D in TB patients. The accelerated improvements on the clinical and immunological outcomes give us a clue that sun-exposed oyster mushrooms could serve as a potential, safe, easily available, and affordable adjunctive treatment and help patients fight TB. Keywords: Sun-exposure; Mushrooms; Vitamin D; Tuberculosis; Treatment outcomes