In order to achieve the comprehensive quality control of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), the conventional practice of selecting a single marker for testing has been gradually replaced by the determination of multiple active components based on the characteristics of the synergistic interaction of CHM and applicability of sophisticated analytical techniques. However, with a huge number of CHM in the market and more complex preparations, the limited availability of various standard substances for quantitative analysis has been a major bottleneck in realizing the goal. To overcome these uprising problems, quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) was proposed and accepted as a new method to reflect the internal quality of CHM. In this review, the current knowledge about QAMS is systematically summarized, including the general content of QAMS, current status, and general procedure. Additionally, speculation is proposed about the future applications of QAMS approaches in the modernization and standardization of CHM.

Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better understanding of Chinese herbal property theory (CHPT), this paper performed an improved association rule learning to analyze semistructured text in the book entitled Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. The text was firstly annotated and transformed to well-structured multidimensional data. Subsequently, an Apriori algorithm was employed for producing association rules after the sensitivity analysis of parameters. From the confirmed 120 resulting rules that described the intrinsic relationships between herbal property (qi, flavor and their combinations) and herbal efficacy, two novel fundamental principles underlying CHPT were acquired and further elucidated: (1) the many-to-one mapping of herbal efficacy to herbal property; (2) the nonrandom overlap between the related efficacy of qi and flavor. This work provided an innovative knowledge about CHPT, which would be helpful for its modern research.

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most common human cancers, and its incidence is significantly endemic in China. The combination of Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) with radiotherapy should be informed by the best available evidence. To update and expand the previous work to compare and rank CHIs combined with radiotherapy against esophageal cancer. Methods: We searched several electronic databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding CHIs against esophageal cancer from their inception to Mar 15, 2017. In network meta-analysis (NMA), and the bias of included trails was assessed in accordance to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Outcomes such as the clinical effectiveness rate, performance status, adverse reactions (ADRs) and survival rate were evaluated. We performed a random-effects NMA to obtain estimates for efficacy and safety outcomes and presented these estimates as odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) via Stata 13.1 and WinBUGS 1.4 software. Furthermore, the surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was performed to rank efficacy and safety of different CHIs for outcomes. Results: We identified 685 citations and of these included 55 eligible trials comprising 12 CHIs and 4114 participants. The results of cluster analysis indicated that the therapy of Compound kushen injection might be the optimal treatment for patients with esophageal cancer in improving clinical effectiveness rate and performance status than other CHIs. Besides, Huachansu and Kangai injection exhibited the superior response for improving 1-year and 2-year survival rate. Moreover, Lentinan injection may be considered as a favorable choice for reliving ADRs, and Compound kushen injection could provide treatment benefits for reducing both gastrointestinal reaction and radiation esophagitis. Conclusions: The current clinical evidence indicated that Compound kushen injection combined with radiotherapy had the potential to be the most preferable and beneficial option for patients with esophageal cancer on balance of efficacy and safety. However, the results for our study should be interpreted with caution that limited by the sample size and methodological quality of included trails.

Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) are prepared by extracting and purifying effective substances from herbs (or decoction pieces) using modern scientific techniques and methods. CHIs combined with aspirin + anticoagulants + dehydrant + neuroprotectant (AADN) are believed to be effective for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction (ACI). However, no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been performed to directly compare the efficacies of different regimens of CHIs. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacies of different regimens of CHIs for ACI. We conducted an overall and systematic retrieval from literature databases of RCTs focused on the use of CHIs to treat ACI up to June 2016. We used the Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 and CONSORT statement to assess the risk of bias. The data were analyzed using STATA 13.0 and WinBUGS 1.4.3 software. Overall, 64 studies with 6225 participants involving 15 CHIs were included in the NMA. In terms of the markedly effective rate, Danhong (DH) + AADN had the highest likelihood of being the best treatment. In terms of the improvement of neurological impairment, Shuxuening (SXN) + AADN had the highest likelihood of being the best treatment. Considering two outcomes, injections of SXN, Yinxingdamo (YXDM), DH, Shuxuetong (SXT), HongHuaHuangSeSu (HHHSS), DengZhanXiXin (DZXX) and Shenxiong glucose (SX) plus AADN were the optimum treatment regimens for ACI, especially SXN + AADN and YXDM + AADN. Based on the NMA, SXN, YXDM, DH, SXT, HHHSS, DZXX and SX plus AADN showed the highest probability of being the best treatment regimens. Due to the limitations of the present study, our findings should be verified by well-designed RCTs.

To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Salvianolate injection in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Using literature databases, we conducted a thorough and systematic retrieval of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that using Salvianolate injection for treating UAP. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the RCTs, and then the data were extracted and meta-analyzed by RevMan5.2 software. A total of 22 RCTs with 2050 participants were included. The meta-analysis indicated that the combined use of Salvianolate injection and western medicine (WM) in the treatment of UAP can achieve a superior effect in angina pectoris total effective rate (risk ratio [RR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.17, 1.27), Z = 10.15, P < 0.00001], and the total effectiveness rate of electrocardiogram [RR = 1.26, 95% CI (1.19,1.34), Z = 7.77, P < 0.00001]. In addition, Salvianolate injection can improve the nitroglycerin withdrawal rate and the serum level of NO, decrease high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or adverse drug events (ADEs) were reported in 6 RCTs involving 15 cases; however, there were no serious ADRs/ADEs. Based on the systematic review, the combined use of Salvianolate injection and WM in the treatment of UAP can achieve a better effect; however, there was no definitive conclusion about its safety. More the large-sample and multicenter RCTs are needed to support its clinical usage.