The Classification of Sini Decoction Pattern in Traditional Chinese Medicine by Gene Expression Profiling

Abstract

We investigated the syndromes of the Sini decoction pattern (SDP), a common ZHENG in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The syndromes of SDP were correlated with various severe Yang deficiency related symptoms. To obtain a common profile for SDP, we distributed questionnaires to 300 senior clinical TCM practitioners. According to the survey, we concluded 2 sets of symptoms for SDP: (1) pulse feels deep or faint and (2) reversal cold of the extremities. Twenty-four individuals from Taipei City Hospital, Linsen Chinese Medicine Branch, Taiwan, were recruited. We extracted the total mRNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the 24 individuals for microarray experiments. Twelve individuals (including 6 SDP patients and 6 non-SDP individuals) were used as the training set to identify biomarkers for distinguishing the SDP and non-SDP groups. The remaining 12 individuals were used as the test set. The test results indicated that the gene expression profiles of the identified biomarkers could effectively distinguish the 2 groups by adopting a hierarchical clustering algorithm. Our results suggest the feasibility of using the identified biomarkers in facilitating the diagnosis of TCM ZHENGs. Furthermore, the gene expression profiles of biomarker genes could provide a molecular explanation corresponding to the ZHENG of TCM.

A Song of Ice and Fire: Cold and Hot Properties of Traditional Chinese Medicines

“…The above three examples are typical cases of TCM formulas for the treatment of hot syndrome. For cold syndrome, Sini Decoction , a classical TCM formula recorded in Shanghan Lun , has a significant therapeutic effect on cold symptoms displaying coldness on the extremities, vomiting, and diarrhea and is considered to be a therapy that has the essential effect of recuperating the patients from collapse ( Cheng et al, 2016 ). Therefore, cold TCMs and hot TCMs, including single herb and formula, are indispensable for the treatment of cold and hot syndromes.…”

The Challenges of Ethical Review in Clinical Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine

“…erefore, the performance and treatment protocols in various stages of the same disease are different. However, the diagnosis of "syndrome" is usually subjective, ambiguous, and unrepeatable, and it is difficult to find quantitative indicators even if part of the scientific basis of "syndrome" in TCM has been revealed by related studies with the development and application of genomics and metabonomics in recent years [5][6][7][8]. Meanwhile, it is challenging to format an acknowledged and standard model in syndrome differentiation, and the current methods for diagnosis are not perfect either.…”

Research Progress on the Mechanism of Reducing Toxicity and Increasing the Efficacy of Sini Decoction Compatibility

“…It can treat aversion to cold, tiredness, cold in extremities, vomitting, diarrhea, profuse sweat, barely palpable pulse and other symptoms caused by excess of Yin due to deficiency of yang. [3][4][5] Although the prescription is simple, the efficacy is potent and the compatibility is appropriate. It is regarded as "the first important prescription of supporting yang" by physicians over the years.…”