Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy evaluation of Chinese herbal medicine, VGH-BPH1, for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover study.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can affect quality of life and cause various complications. Previous studies have suggested that Chinese herbal medicine can alleviate symptoms in patients with BPH. This study aimed to investigate whether the Chinese herbal medicine prescription VGH-BPH1 can alleviate BPH symptoms when used as an add-on treatment. ⋯ Although VGH-BPH1 treatment did not outperform the placebo in terms of improving BPH symptoms, it resulted in improvement in several quality of life indicators when relative to the placebo. Future research using a larger sample size with appropriate amendments to the protocol should be conducted to further investigate the effects of VGH-BPH1.
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Taxifolin is a flavanonol with efficacious cytoprotective properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective effects. However, the potential protective effects of taxifolin against gentamicin-induced ototoxicity have not been confirmed. In this study, the possible mechanisms underlying the effects of taxifolin on gentamicin-induced death of UB/OC-2 cochlear cells were investigated. ⋯ In summary, pretreatment with taxifolin is effective for mitigating gentamicin-induced apoptotic cell death mediated by the mitochondrial pathway. Our data suggest that taxifolin provides a new approach to combat gentamicin-induced ototoxicity.
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There is growing evidence linking low levels of vitamin D3 to an increased risk of many autoimmune diseases. Compared to the general population, hypovitaminosis D is more prevalent among children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can be associated with sun exposure avoidance, long-term corticosteroid treatment, and renal disease. Therefore, we launched this study to assess the correlation between 25 (OH) D3 (VitD3) levels and the disease activity of children with SLE (cSLE) in Taiwan. ⋯ This study shows that VitD3 deficiency is common in patients with cSLE. It was also noted that serum VitD3 levels negatively correlate to SLEDAI-2K, which can be partially explained by less usage of SCS.
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The results of the recent Amsterdam Investigator-Initiated Absorb Strategy All-Comers trial showed that the predilatation, sizing, and postdilatation (PSP) technique did not lower the long-term rates of scaffold thrombosis and adverse events. We evaluated the impact of aggressive PSP bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BRS) implantation on the short- and long-term clinical outcomes. ⋯ Lesion preparation by aggressive PSP in BRS implantation was associated with better long-term clinical outcomes.
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Magnolol is a component of the bark of Magnolia officinalis, which is a traditional herbal remedy used in China. In this study, we investigated whether magnolol can reduce myocardial injury induced by renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). ⋯ Magnolol reduces myocardial injury induced by renal I/R. The underlying mechanisms for this effect might be related to modulation of the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the limiting of apoptosis.