The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest and most popular spices, and is derived from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. During the last two decades, cinnamon has demonstrated beneficial metabolic effects not only in animal experiments but also in clinical trials. Even recent meta-analyses have shown the protective effects of cinnamon on different components of metabolic syndrome and their complications. ⋯ This review paper will discuss how cinnamon and its active components, particularly cinnamaldehyde, suppress inflammation and oxidative stress, modulate mitochondrial dysfunction, and regulate glucose uptake, insulin resistance, lipogenesis, beta-oxidation, Ca2+ signaling, and other cellar events at the molecular level. Specifically, we will delve into the molecular mechanisms involved in the metabolic effects of cinnamon to provide a deeper insight into how cinnamon can bring such beneficial effects. This review hopes to encourage the use of cinnamon in clinical settings, guide the combination of cinnamon with other drugs used to treat different components of metabolic syndrome based on their mechanism of action, and support the concept of complementary medicine for metabolic diseases.
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Meta Analysis
Gut Microbiota Regulation by Acupuncture and Moxibustion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
There have been numerous studies investigating the impact of acupuncture and/or moxibustion on the gut microbiota, but the results have been inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that included both preclinical and clinical studies to assess the current evidence regarding the effects of acupuncture on gut microbiota changes. We collected relevant studies from EMBASE and PubMed, collected outcomes including diversity and relative abundance measures of the gut microbiome, and the summarized effect estimates were calculated using the ratio of means (ROM) with 95% confidence intervals. ⋯ Additionally, the pooled results showed an increase in the Firmicutes and a decrease in the Bacteroidetes in the treatment groups, along with increases in the Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus genera. These findings suggest acupuncture treatment can target the modification of specific phyla and genera of gut microbiota. However, it is important to note that the effects of acupuncture on the gut microbiome are heterogeneous across studies, particularly in different disease models.
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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years and has been proven to be effective at treating many complicated illnesses with minimal side effects. The application and advancement of TCM are, however, constrained by the absence of objective measuring standards due to its relatively abstract diagnostic methods and syndrome differentiation theories. Ongoing developments in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), specifically in computer vision (CV) and natural language processing (NLP), offer novel opportunities to modernize TCM by exploring the profound connotations of its theory. ⋯ Furthermore, extensive discussions emphasize the mature integration of ML and DL in TCM, such as tongue diagnosis, pulse diagnosis, and syndrome differentiation treatment, highlighting their early successful application in the TCM field. Finally, this study validates the accomplishments and addresses the problems and challenges posed by the application and development of TCM powered by ML and DL. As ML and DL techniques continue to evolve, modern technology will spark new advances in TCM.
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Review
Luteolin: A Comprehensive and Visualized Analysis of Research Hotspots and its Antitumor Mechanisms.
The aim of this study was to analyze the research hotspots and mechanisms of luteolin in tumor-related fields using bibliometric and bioinformatic approaches to guide future research. We conducted a comprehensive screening of all articles on luteolin and tumors in Web of Science from 2008 to 2023. The extracted words from these publications were visualized using VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica, and CiteSpace. ⋯ A total of 483 overlapping genes between luteolin and tumors were identified, and they were closely associated with the cancer-associated pathways, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways. Luteolin forms a complex network of antitumor-related genes, with TP53, TNF, STAT3, AKT1, JUN, IL6, and SRC playing key roles and showing strong binding affinity to luteolin. Computer technology is becoming increasingly integral to the discipline, and future research will focus on more precise antitumor mechanisms and effective clinical applications.
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Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) is a medicinal and food homologue of perennial plants derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of the genus Glycyrrhiza in the legume family. In recent years, the comprehensive utilization of licorice resources has attracted people's attention. ⋯ Thereby, all of these compounds promote the development of novel and more effective licorice-derived products. This paper reviews the progress of research on extraction techniques, chemical composition, bioactivities, and applications of licorice to provide a reference for further development and application of licorice in different areas.