RECENT RESEARCH
Acupuncture and TCM
Tang K , Hao W , Mo X . et al .
Analysis of the therapeutic effect of Dimu Ningshen ( TCM formula ) on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on gut microbiota and serum metabolomics . BMC Complement Med Ther , 2022 ; 22 , 24 . https :// doi . org / 10.1186 / s12906-022-03512-5
Background : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed during adolescence and adulthood . Assessment of the long-term risks of the current drugs for ADHD treatment has been insufficient , and little is known concerning the long-term therapeutic effects of psychostimulants . Commercially available traditional Chinese medicine compound oral preparations [ e . g ., Dimu Ningshen ( DMNS )] have been widely used in the clinical treatment of ADHD , but their influence on the interaction between gut microbes and potential metabolomes remains inconclusive .
Methods : We used a series of behavioral experiments to evaluate the behavioral effects of DMNS on adolescent and adult ADHD rats and used 16S rDNA sequencing of gut microbes and nontarget metabolomics to evaluate the potential pathogenesis of ADHD and explore the biological mechanism of DMNS in ADHD treatment .
Results : For the first time , DMNS was shown to reduce the excessive activity of adult and adolescent ADHD rats and improve the attention deficit of adult ADHD rats . DMNS improved the structural composition of the ADHD gut microbiota and reduced the abundance of Ruminococcaceae-NK4A214-group , Ruminococcus _ 2 , and Eubacterium _ nodatum _ group . Simultaneously , DMNS increased the circulating levels of peripheral monoamine neurotransmitter precursors ( e . g ., phenylalanine ) and reduced the circulating levels of peripheral fatty acid amides ( e . g ., oleamide ). Finally , the changes in the ADHD serum metabolites were strongly correlated with the gut microbiota .
Conclusion : DMNS has a good effect in treating ADHD , and it may exert this effect by regulating the gut microbiota and affecting metabolites in the peripheral circulation .
Zhou L , Wang J , Xie R , Pakhale S , Krewski D et al .
The Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an Auxiliary Treatment for COVID-19 : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis . The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , 2021 ; 27 . https :// doi . org / 10.1089 / acm . 2020.0310
Background : Coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) has become a pandemic with no specific and widely accepted effective drug or vaccine . However , studies have shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM ) may play a significant role as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 .
Objective : This study aimed to assess the effects of TCM as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 through a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials ( RCTs ).
Methods : Four English and three Chinese language databases were searched from December 1 , 2019 , to June 30 , 2020 . RCTs comparing TCM in combination with Western medicine ( WM ) with the same WM therapies alone for confirmed COVID-19 patients were included . The outcome measures were cure rate , lowering of body temperature , cough relief , improvement in chest computed tomography ( CT ) images , deterioration of condition , and adverse effects . Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane riskof-bias tool . A series of meta-analyses were conducted for selected outcomes using RevMan 5.3 software . The quality of evidence was appraised using the grading of recommendation , assessment , development , and evaluation ( GRADE ) recommendations .
Results : Ten RCTs with a total of 1,285 patients were included . Compared with WM alone in treating COVID-19 , WM with auxiliary treatment by TCM appears to have increased the cure rate ( risk ratio
[ RR ] 1.15 [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 1.04 – 1.26 ]), relieved cough ( RR 1.32 [ 95 % CI 1.15 – 1.52 ]), improved chest CT images ( RR 1.23 [ 95 % CI 1.11 – 1.37 ]), and reduced the number of cases transitioning from a moderate to severe condition ( RR 0.58 [ 95 % CI 0.43 – 0.77 ]). The authors are uncertain whether TCM combined WM has effects on fever normalization ( RR 1.10 [ 95 % CI 0.94 – 1.29 ]) or adverse effects ( RR 0.81 ( 95 % CI 0.42 – 1.57 ]). Although they evaluated the certainty of evidence for lowering body temperature and adverse effects as very low , and low for cure rate , certainty was evaluated as moderate for improvement in chest CT images , cough relief , and deterioration of condition .
Conclusion : TCM may be an effective auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 patients , which is likely to help improve the main symptoms and reduce disease progression . However , due to the limited number of studies and apparent heterogeneity among them , a more definitive conclusion on the effect of TCM on lowering body temperature and adverse effects cannot be drawn at this time .
Aromatherapy
Cid-Chevecich C , Müller-Sepúlveda A , Jara JA et al .
Origanum vulgare L essential oil inhibits virulence patterns of Candida spp and potentiates the effects of fluconazole and nystatin in vitro . BMC Complement Med Ther , 2022 ; 22 , 39 . https :// doi . org / 10.1186 / s12906- 022-03518-z
Background : Recurrence and resistance of Candida spp . infections is associated with the ability of these microorganisms to present several virulence patterns such as morphogenesis , adhesion , and biofilm formation . In the search for agents with antivirulence activity , essential oils could represent a strategy to act against biofilms and to potentiate antifungal drugs .
Objective : To evaluate the antivirulence effect of Origanum vulgare L . essential oil ( O-EO ) against Candida spp . and to
42 | vol28 | no1 | JATMS