Acute upper respiratory tract infections (AURTIs) are the illnesses caused by an acute infection with various viruses and bacteria involving the upper respiratory tract. Shuanghuanglian (SHL) injection, a Chinese medicine intravenous preparation extracted from honeysuckle, Scutellaria baicalensis, and fructus forsythiae, is commonly used to treat AURTIs. Although it is used largely in Chinese hospitals, there is no substantial evidence to demonstrate its clinical effect on AURTIs. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Shuanghuanglian injection for the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections.

CM adjunct therapy has potential therapeutic benefits by decreasing UPDRS scores and reducing adverse effect.

Abstract. Cerebral hypoperfusion is a common feature of vascular dementia and has recently been recognized to contribute to the progression of cognitive decline. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Bushen Huoxue decoction (BHD), a two-herb Chinese Medicine, on cognitive impairment in a rat model of cerebral hypoperfusion induced by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO). The results demonstrated that BHD significantly attenuated learning and spatial memory deficits in the Morris water maze test in a dose-dependent manner. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that the reduction of synapse density in hippocampal CA1 and cortex parietal isolated from rats with 2VO was partially restored by BHD treatment. In addition, the expression levels of a number of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathine and glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) increased, whereas malondialdehyde decreased in the hippocampi of rats with 2VO following BHD treatment. Polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis further confirmed that the GPx-1 and CAT expression increased in the BHD treatment group. In conclusion the results suggested that BHD has therapeutic potential to treat vascular dementia, which may be associated with synapse density and anti-oxidant activities in the hippocampus.

Progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). The efficacy of these currently used drugs is limited while traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in the management of neurodegenerative diseases for many years. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a modified traditional Chinese herbal medicine decoction, Cong Rong Jing (CRJ), on cell survival and apoptosis of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium- (MPP+-) treated MES23.5 dopaminergic cells. CRJ was prepared as a decoction from three Chinese herbs, namely, Herba Cistanches, Herba Epimedii, and Rhizoma Polygonati. We reported here that CRJ significantly enhanced the cell survival of MES23.5 cells after the exposure of MPP+ and inhibited the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by MPP+. CRJ also prevented the MPP+-treated MES23.5 cells from apoptosis by reducing the externalization of phosphatidylserine and enhancing the Bcl-2/Bax protein expression ratio. Signaling proteins such as JAK2, STAT3, and ERK1/2 were also involved in the action of CRJ. Taken together, these results provide a preliminary mechanism to support clinical application of the TCM formulation in PD and possibly other neurodegenerative diseases associated with ROS injury and apoptosis.