Zhang Boli

Complex Traditional Chinese Medicine for Poststroke Motor Dysfunction A Systematic Review

Background and Purpose— For its current dimensions, stroke represents the world’s primary health challenge. In China stroke is the second most common cause of death. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has for many centuries been used, and it is still widely used today in countries of south and east Asia for the treatment of people with stroke. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate whether complex Traditional Chinese Medicine (cTCM) improves poststroke motor recovery. In particular, we defined cTCM as intervention that included at least acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Methods— An extensive search including PubMed, EMBASE, CBM, and the Cochrane Library was performed up to December 2007. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) about cTCM for motor dysfunction of poststroke were searched irrespective of any language. The quality of each trial was assessed according to the Cochrane Reviewers’ Handbook 4.2.6. Results— After selection of 11 234 articles, 34 RCTs and quasi-RCTs were included. All these trials were conducted in China and published on Chinese journals. All trials but one reported results in favor of cTCM treatments suggesting a strong publication bias. Because of the significant clinical and methodological heterogeneity, no meta-analysis was performed and thus no cumulative result was obtained pooling data of RCTs. Conclusions— What appears from this systematic review is that scant data are available to evaluate efficacy of cTCM for poststroke motor dysfunction. Most of the primary studies available for this review were inadequately designed trials characterized by unknown dropout rates and definitional vagueness in outcomes measures. None of the studies approached important end points like death, survival times, rate of dependency, reduction in length of stay in hospital, etc. The key to lead to evidence-based practices is establishing a consensus on standardized relevant outcome measures and then designing and conducting appropriate RCTs that adopt those standards.

Combined Research of Si wu tang and Blood Deficiency

Abstract Combined research on prescriptions and zheng hou sets up a bridge between theory and therapy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Based on Si wu tang (SWT) and blood deficiency (BD), three BD animal models were induced by 60Co irradiation, cyclophospha- mide, or chronic bleeding. Factors such as circulating blood cells, the ability of colony-forming unit of bone marrow cells, CD34+ count, cell cycle, and apoptosis play important roles in the pathogenesis and development of BD. Based on pharmacology mechanism research on the entire body, tissue, cell and molecular level, polysaccharide, paeoniflorin, tetramethylpyrazine, and ferulic acid were found to be hematopoietic constituents of SWT. And hematopoietic cytokines are also involved in hematopoietic mechanism of SWT.

Immunoregulation of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection Combined with Chemotherapy in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Immunosuppression is a well-recognised complication of chemotherapy in cancer patients. We assemble the clinical evidence that SQI, an adjuvant drug for lung cancer and gastric cancer which was widely prescribed in China, interventions could increase objective tumour response and regulate immunity in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods. We undertook a systemic review of the clinical data from randomised controlled trials up to September 2015 in which a SQI intervention was compared with a control arm in patients undergoing conventional chemotherapy. Revman 5.0 Software was used for the data analysis. Results. 49 randomised controlled trials were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis results demonstrated that the SQI intervention with conventional chemotherapy exhibited better therapeutic efficacy than the conventional chemotherapy group with a statistically significant higher objective tumour response. Cotreatment with SQI could enhance NK, CD3 +, CD4 + level, and CD4 +/CD8 + ratio comparing with the conventional chemotherapy group. Conclusions. The conclusions of this review might suggest a high risk of bias due to the low quality and the limitation of cancer types in the included trials. A more reliable conclusion regarding the immunoregulation of SQI could be reached based on more trials of higher quality.

Mathematical analysis of Si-Wu-Tang model in TCM

Abstract It is a better way to establish a mathematical model of formulae for finding out therapeutic laws. On the basis of complex system theory, complex network theory and qualitative mathematics, we proposed a combined components evaluation model, a multi-level evaluation model and a targets evaluation model. The comprehensive model was established using multi-source causality theory, which provided a scientific basis for systematically studying formulae.