• Yan Yonghe and his Formulas for Succouring the Sick (Ji Sheng Fang)

    Yongxuan Liang, Yinghua Huang

    Cover Story 7 Aug 2025

  • Establishing expert consensus on Chinese herbal medicine for rheumatoid arthritis management in Singapore

    ObjectiveTo establish consensus on Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) among 21 Singaporean experts, this study addressed the lack of CHM clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in Singapore. Despite advancements in RA therapies, the disease's progressive nature and high costs of novel treatments worsen disparities in management and outcomes. The initiative aimed to bridge this gap by developing expert-backed recommendations for CHM use in RA care.MethodsThe group of experts conducted two rounds of Delphi surveys containing 29 items identified from a literature review. Consensus was defined as ≥75% of votes in dichotomized ratings on a five-point ordinal scale for recognition. Items that did not reach consensus were discussed in a focus group with four selected experts.ResultsNineteen experts completed both rounds of Delphi surveys. A consensus was reached for 27 items, which encompassed Chinese medicine rationale, pattern differentiation, management, CHM prescription, and co-effectiveness with pharmacological therapy. Collective expert opinions were formed for the two remaining items. All items received a recognition score >3.5.ConclusionsThe consensus derived from this study provides a foundation for CHM CPGs for RA in Singapore. However, the findings are limited by the demographic composition of the experts and the representativeness of the patient pool.

    Ang Loh, Huijuan Li, Wai Ching Lam, Yan Yin Tjioe, Warren Fong, Linda L.D. Zhong

    Original Articles 7 Aug 2025

  • Associations between traditional Chinese medicine constitution and depression/anxiety/sleep disturbances in patients with chronic pain: A cross-sectional study

    ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the composition of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and depression/anxiety/sleep disturbances (D/A/S) in patients with chronic pain.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at 13 tertiary hospitals across China, enrolling patients who experienced chronic pain between November 2023 and May 2024. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and TCM constitution categories were used to assess the patients. The association between the TCM constitution and the D/A/S ratio was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsA total of 1107 patients (63.2% women) were analyzed. Compared with those with a balanced constitution, patients who had qi-deficiency and yin-deficiency were at a higher risk of depression. Qi-deficiency and yin-deficiency were associated with anxiety. Sleep disturbances were common in patients with qi-deficiency constitution (odds ratio [OR]: 2.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–3.81), yang-deficiency constitution (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.26–2.98), yin-deficiency constitution (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.24–3.32), blood stasis constitution (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.01–4.22), and qi-stagnation constitution (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.35–5.25).ConclusionIn patients with chronic pain, specific TCM constitutions may be associated with D/A/S. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the potential causal relationships between TCM constitution types and these conditions.

    Shiqi Guo, Cunzhi Liu, Liqiong Wang, Jianfeng Tu, Tie Li, Yong Fu, Zhongyu Zhou, Changchun Ji, Hui Hu, Nana Yang

    Original Articles 7 Aug 2025

  • Current Issue:

    Vol.12  Issue 3, 2025

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Ginger oil-loaded transdermal adhesive patch treats post-traumatic stress disorder

ObjectiveTo find a viable alternative to reduce the number of doses required for the patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and to improve efficacy and patient compliance.MethodsIn this study, we used ginger oil, a phytochemical with potential therapeutic properties, to prepare ginger oil patches. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the main active component of ginger oil, 6-gingerol. Transdermal absorption experiments were conducted to optimize the various pressure-sensitive adhesives and permeation enhancers, including their type and concentration. Subsequently, the ginger oil patches were optimized and subjected to content determination and property evaluations. A PTSD mouse model was established using the foot-shock method. The therapeutic effect of ginger oil patches on PTSD was assessed through pathological sections, behavioral tests, and the evaluation of biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and melatonin (MT).ResultsThe results demonstrated that ginger oil patches exerted therapeutic effects against PTSD by inhibiting inflammatory responses and modulating MT and BDNF levels. Pharmacokinetic experiments revealed that ginger oil patches maintained a stable blood drug concentration for at least one day, addressing the rapid metabolism drawback of 6-gingerol and enhancing its therapeutic efficacy.ConclusionsGinger oil can be prepared as a transdermal drug patch that meets these requirements, and the bioavailability of the prepared patch is better than that of oral administration. It can improve PTSD with good patient compliance and ease of administration. Therefore, it is a promising therapeutic formulation for the treatment of PTSD.

Xingshuang Song, Yizhi Zhang, Ziyan Tang, Jing Dai, Yanping Wu, Guiyu Huang, Hong Niu, Yaxin Wang, Xu Jin, Lina Du

article 3 Aug 2024

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