The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between obesity-related hormone peptides and quality of life in obese women among different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome groups (?? zhèng xíng). 260 obese women met with age between 20 and 65 years old and body mass index (BMI) ? 27 kg/m2, were recruited. The participants filled out a questionnaire on obese TCM syndrome groups, which was designed by professional TCM doctors, and two questionnaires on quality of life (QOL), WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version and MOS Short Form-12 (SF-12). Data of biochemical characteristics and obesity-related hormone peptides were collected at the same time. According to the responses provided, the obese subjects were classified into spleen deficiency with dampness encumbrance syndrome (????? pí xu shi zu zhèng; SDD), stomach heat with dampness encumbrance syndrome (????? wèi rè shi zu zhèng; SHD), liver depression and qi stagnation syndrome (????? gan yù qì zhì zhèng; LDQ), dual spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome (????? pí shèn liang xu zhèng; SKD), yin deficiency with internal heat syndrome (????? yin xu nèi rè zhèng; YDI) and a control group. For physical conditions, SDD group had significantly higher means in weight and BMI compared with the control group. The insulin and leptin levels in SHD group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The LDQ group showed marked decrease in mental condition scores compared with the control group. This study found that obese women in the SDD group were fatter than those in the control group. SHD group might have greater influence on the regulation of obesity-related hormone peptides. The LDQ group had poor QOL than the control group. Analysis of TCM syndrome groups among obese women merits further investigation.

Yam tubers, a common tuber crop and an important traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan, have many bioactive substances, including phenolic compounds, mucilage polysaccharides, steroidal saponins and proteins. Among the total soluble proteins, 80% of them are dioscorins. In the past two decades, many studies showed that dioscorins exhibited biological activities both in vitro and in vivo , including the enzymatic, antioxidant, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, lectin activities and the protecting role on airway epithelial cells against allergens in vitro . Some of these activities are survived after chemical, heating process or enzymatic digestion. Despite of lacking the intact structural information and the detail action mechanisms in the cells, yam dioscorins are potential resources for developing as functional foods and interesting targets for food protein researchers.

Eastern and Western approaches to nutrition are unique and possess both strengths and weaknesses. Blending the best of both techniques will allow for the development of an integrative nutrition system that is more effective than either tradition on its own. The Western view to nutrition is already adopting certain attributes of the Eastern medicine philosophy as exemplified by the progression towards individualized nutrition through methods such as nutrigenetics. Nevertheless, many differences still remain between Eastern and Western nutritional concepts. Becoming fluent in both Western and Eastern methodologies can ensure the extraction of the best from both techniques for the development of a comprehensive, systematic, and holistic nutritional approach to achieve optimal health.

Chronic inflammation leads to a progressive inflammation in certain types of cells. Recent studies report that the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B) increases the expression of inflammation-related protein such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which further enhance the chronic inflammation, thus conduct the development of disorders. The aim of the study is to develop an efficient method for screening food components with anti-inflammation function. Here we employed a reporter plasmid, which contains NF-?B response element followed by a minimal promoter for driving the down-stream luciferase reporter gene. After transfection of this plasmid to a mouse cell line RAW264.7, we obtained stable clones by using Hygromycin selection. Our results reveal that the luciferase activity of the cell based platform can be induced by the inflammation inducing reagent LPS and can be further suppressed by the administration of CAPE, an anti-inflammation chemical. The results estimated by our platform present good correlation to that analyzed by RT-Q-PCR. Additionally, the known anti-inflammation factors such as resveratrol, significantly counteracted the effect of LPS on our platform. Furthermore, the screening result of various mushroom extract showed that some fractions revealed NF-?B activating effects. Therefore, we conclude that the platform is effective in large scale screening for inflammatory regulating compounds.

In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of a classical TCM formula, Free Wanderer Powder (??? xiao yáo san), in a breast cancer mouse model induced with estrogen-insensitive breast cancer 4T1 cells. Ovariectomized Balb/c mice (6-8 weeks) or sham mice were injected into the fourth mammary fat pad with 4T1 cells in which tumors were palpable 7 days after injection. On the eighth day, the mice were divided into 4 groups and tubefed daily with vehicle, Free Wanderer Powder (??? xiao yáo san) formula or tamoxifen for 28 days. Tumor growth inhibition and the decrease of the average tumor mass were most evident in mice treated with Free Wanderer Powder (??? xiao yáo san). Free Wanderer Powder (??? xiao yáo san) treatment significantly reduced Bcl-2 and elevated Bax and p53 protein expressions in breast cancer tumor. These results were further confirmed by immunohistochemisty. Tamoxifen could decrease spleen mass and Bcl-2 protein expression, increase the Bax protein expression as well as exert uterotrophic effects by increasing uterus index and inducing the gene expressions in the uterus. Taken together, these results show that Free Wanderer Powder (??? xiao yáo san) treatment induced apoptosis at protein level and inhibited the tumor growth in 4T1-induced ovariectomized Balb/c female mice, indicating the possibility of its future use for treatment of estrogen-insensitive breast caner.

Chronic inflammation leads to a progressive inflammation in certain types of cells. Recent studies report that the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B) increases the expression of inflammation-related protein such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which further enhance the chronic inflammation, thus conduct the development of disorders. The aim of the study is to develop an efficient method for screening food components with anti-inflammation function. Here we employed a reporter plasmid, which contains NF-?B response element followed by a minimal promoter for driving the down-stream luciferase reporter gene. After transfection of this plasmid to a mouse cell line RAW264.7, we obtained stable clones by using Hygromycin selection. Our results reveal that the luciferase activity of the cell based platform can be induced by the inflammation inducing reagent LPS and can be further suppressed by the administration of CAPE, an anti-inflammation chemical. The results estimated by our platform present good correlation to that analyzed by RT-Q-PCR. Additionally, the known anti-inflammation factors such as resveratrol, significantly counteracted the effect of LPS on our platform. Furthermore, the screening result of various mushroom extract showed that some fractions revealed NF-?B activating effects. Therefore, we conclude that the platform is effective in large scale screening for inflammatory regulating compounds.

The safety of herbal products is one of the major concerns for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, and pharmacokinetic data of medicinal herbs guide us to design the rational use of the herbal formula. This article reviews the advantages of the automated blood sampling (ABS) systems for pharmacokinetic studies. In addition, three commonly used sample preparative methods, protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction, are introduced. Furthermore, the definition, causes and evaluation of matrix effects in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis are demonstrated. Finally, we present our previous works as practical examples of the application of ABS systems and LC/MS for the pharmacokinetic studies of Chinese medicinal herbs.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between obesity-related hormone peptides and quality of life in obese women among different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome groups (?? zhèng xíng). 260 obese women met with age between 20 and 65 years old and body mass index (BMI) ? 27 kg/m2, were recruited. The participants filled out a questionnaire on obese TCM syndrome groups, which was designed by professional TCM doctors, and two questionnaires on quality of life (QOL), WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version and MOS Short Form-12 (SF-12). Data of biochemical characteristics and obesity-related hormone peptides were collected at the same time. According to the responses provided, the obese subjects were classified into spleen deficiency with dampness encumbrance syndrome (????? pí xu shi zu zhèng; SDD), stomach heat with dampness encumbrance syndrome (????? wèi rè shi zu zhèng; SHD), liver depression and qi stagnation syndrome (????? gan yù qì zhì zhèng; LDQ), dual spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome (????? pí shèn liang xu zhèng; SKD), yin deficiency with internal heat syndrome (????? yin xu nèi rè zhèng; YDI) and a control group. For physical conditions, SDD group had significantly higher means in weight and BMI compared with the control group. The insulin and leptin levels in SHD group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The LDQ group showed marked decrease in mental condition scores compared with the control group. This study found that obese women in the SDD group were fatter than those in the control group. SHD group might have greater influence on the regulation of obesity-related hormone peptides. The LDQ group had poor QOL than the control group. Analysis of TCM syndrome groups among obese women merits further investigation.

This article will review selected herbal products from Chinese Materia Medica that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The herbs come from the upper, middle, and lower class medicines as listed in The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon (????? Shén Nóng Ben Cao Jing). The review will focus on the active constituents of the herbs and their bioactivities, with emphasis on the most recent progress in research for the period of 2003 to 2011.