Aman Tedasen is a PhD student at Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. He received his Medical technology training and earned his Bachelor degree in 2012. He received a scholarship from the Royal Golden Jubilee PhD Program of Thai government. His research interest has focused on developing effective treatment strategies from herbal medicine for breast cancer.

5′-desmethoxyyatein, a natural lignan, has shown potent cytotoxic activity in many cancer cell lines including melanoma, leukemia, breast, colon and brain cancers. Molecular docking is a powerful computational tool to predict the binding mode and binding affinity of a ligand with the specific proteins. In this study, we aimed to investigate molecular targets of 5′-desmethoxyyatein from 80 proteins, which relate to cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, or cell migration. Binding affinity evaluation of 5′-desmethoxyyatein to these proteins was carried out using Molecular docking method. Results showed that 5′-desmethoxyyatein may inhibit activin receptor 2 (ACTVR2), prostaglandin G/H synthase 2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), janus kinase 3 (JAK3), protein kinase C (PKC), heat shock protein 90-beta (Hsp90-beta), transforming growth factor receptor I (TGF-β receptor I), androgen receptor and NF-kappa-B-inducing kinase (NIK) proteins. This information was derived from better predicted binding affinity of 5′-desmethoxyyatein, compared to its known inhibitors. Moreover, 5′-desmethoxyyatein may hinder cell cycle progression via binding to cyclin A, polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and aurora A proteins with binding energy and inhibition constant lower than its known inhibitors. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XAIP) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3β) proteins, involved in apoptosis and migration in cancer cells, also may better interact with 5′-desmethoxyyatein than their inhibitors. This study suggests 5′-desmethoxyyatein would be anti-tumor agent with anti-proliferation, cell cycle arrest inducing, apoptosis induction and anti-migration activities. However, further studies such as Western blot analysis are needed.

Chiayi Chou earned her MD degree from China Medica University in Taiwan in 2008. She specialized in acupuncture. After 3 years residency training in Tzu Chi Medical Center, she has experience in treating patients with various diseases, including cardiopulmonary diseases and sports, injuries rehabilitation and recovery. She has great passion and interests in sports medicine. She would like to utilize and apply acupuncture in exercise science. She is pursuing her MS degree in exercise science at Department of Kinesiology in University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) is a safe standardized non-invasive therapeutic technique to enhance the heart rate regulation in healthy and cardiovascular disease individuals PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the acute therapeutic effect of TEAS on recovery heart rate (HR) after exercise. METHODS: Forty-one recreationally active college students were recruited and randomly assigned into either TEAS group (TG) or control group (CG). All participants were required to perform two trials of 3-minute step exercise (3MST) wtih a break of 30 minutes between trials . For the TG, participants received 10 minutes TEAS treatment on both forearms at the two selected standard acupoints (Nei-Guan [PC6] and Lie-Que [LU7]) for cardiovascular disease before the second trial, while the CG was seated at rest. HR was measured at rest (HRrest), the first (HR1), second (HR2) and third-minute (HR3) of recovery after 3MST. Mixed-models repeated measures method was used to compare differences between the groups (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There were no significant difference in HRrest1 and HRrest2 between the first and the second 3MST in both groups, as well as between groups. Groups HRrest1 (beats/min) HRrest2 (beats/min) 3MST Fitness Index (Pre-treatment) 3MST Fitness Index (Post treatment) TG 81 ± 7 82 ± 8 56.93 ± 8.43 58.31 ± 11.80 CG 81 ± 10 82 ± 11 58.31 ± 11.80 58.13 ± 6.09 The caluculated 3MST fitness indexes were no significance different between the Pre-treatment and the post treatment in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although TEAS at PC6 and LU7 has demonstrated it can slowdown the heart rate in tachycardia patients. But in this study, it did not show the effect. We spaculate, the timing and durantion of TEAS treatment may play important role and its machanism on enhencing cardiovascular enhencing need to further investigate. Keywords: theraputics, cardiovascular, regulation, fitness

Cui Shu Li finished MD from Traditional Chinese Medicine University, Beijing China in 1984. She has taken advanced training in Western Medicine from Xuan Wu Hospital in Beijing for two years and worked in China Academy of TCM for 12 years till 1996. She was invited by MOH of Singapore in 1996, as a senior principal acupuncturist working in Singapore for 20years in Singapore General Hospital. She has more than 30 papers published. She is Chairman of Continuing Professional Education, Academia of Chinese Medicine Singapore, and a member of TCM professional panel and examinational committee of TCM Practitioner Board of Singapore.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment on oocyte retrieval (OR) in IVF. Method: 28 women undergoing IVF were randomized to 2 groups. Group A of 12 women received electro-acupuncture for 20 minutes before the start of OR. Group B of 16 women underwent routine conscious sedation just before the start of OR. Outcomes assessed the pain scores of lower back and lower abdominal measured using the visual analogue scale of 0 to 10. Measurements were done at 5 stages: 30 minutes before, during OR and 30, 60 and 120 minutes after OR. All scores were categorized as low (score ≤3) and high (score ≥4). The HR.BP, and SpO2, Respiration were assessed twice at before and after OR. Duration of procedure, post procedure monitoring and pregnancy outcome were also compared between the two groups. Results: All acupuuncture group patients with kidney in deficiency, 4 of them plus liver in deficiency, there into 2 of 4 not pregnant after OR. 44% in sedation group required top-up of additional pain relief compared to 8% in acupuncture group. The sedation group required post procedure monitoring while the acupuncture group did not require any. In additional, the pregnancy rate in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than the sedation group (83% versus 40%).Acupuncture didn’t affect the normal range of the patients’ BP, HR, SpO2 and Respiration. Conclusions: Electro-acupuncture has similar effects as sedation treatment for pain relief and increased in pregnancy rate.

Toxicity of Indigenous plant Ambrosia maritima was investigated. Twenty fore, 6-8 month old, 12 female and 12 male of Sudanese Nubian goats were used. Dried Leaves powder of Ambrosia maritima was mixed with water and given orally by drench to the animals at a dose of 1000 or 2000mg/kg/day for 126 days. Two females drenched the plant at a dose of 1000mg/kg/day, were died at day 8 and 9 post treatment and one female drenched the plant at a dose of 2000/kg/day died at day 13. The results revealed that goats drenched the plant for 126 days, showed chronic toxicity evident by clinical symptoms, pathological and biochemical changes. The main symptoms were watery diarrhea, inappetance, respiratory distress and depression. Later these symptoms disappeared and the animals appeared healthy. The most evident pathological features were hydrothorax, hydropretonium, hydropericardium, and enlargement of the liver. Histopathological changes were exemplified by degeneration and necrosis of the hepatic cells. Focal necrosis, congestion and haemorrhag of proximal convoluted tubules. Necrosis of intestinal vili with severe infelteration of inflammatory cells. Congestion of alveolar capillaries and pancreatic hyperplasia. These changes were correlated to the activity of Asparate Aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphate (ALP), the concentration of cholesterol, sodium and potassium in the serum, and with the hematological values. The effect of the plant on males was less marked compared to that on female goats. There was gradual increase in mean body-weight of both sexes. Key words: Ambrosia maritima, Nubian goats Toxicity, serology, hematology,

Hsuan-Shu Shen is an experienced Chinese medicine physician in Hualien Tzu Chi hospital. He is interested in the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine, especially in treating cancer patients. He is the principal investigator of the project about the efficacy of combined using traditional Chinese medicine among patients with cancer and willing to make contributions for treating cancer.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used by patients suffered from lung cancer. Evidence shows that TCM can alleviate the complications of the lung cancer, but there is little large-scale well-designed study to evaluate the clinical effect of TCM on survival time. Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by using the data provided by Health and Welfare Data Science Center to evaluate the survival time of the patients with lung cancer from 2001 to 2010. The patients were divided into TCM users (who use TCM in the first 90 days after diagnosed) and non TCM users(who do not use TCM after diagnosed). We balanced the baseline characteristic between two groups by propensity-score matching method and compare the survival curve by Kaplan-Meier curve and stratified log-rank test. Robust cox regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: There were 2009 patients and 422 patients were TCM users and 1587 patients were non TCM users. There was no significant difference in age, gender, stage, treatment type and co-morbidities between two groups. The mean survival time is significantly longer in TCM users than in non TCM users with 715 days and 605 days respectively. Compared to non TCM users, TCM users were significantly associated with a decrease risk of death (adjusted HR=0.82, 95% CI=0.73-0.92) with multivariate adjustment. Among the late stage, there was still a significantly protective effect by using TCM with multivariate adjustment (stage III, adjusted HR=0.72, 95% CI=0.57-0.92, stage IV, adjusted HR=0.87, 95% CI=0.75-1.00). Conclusion: Our study showed that adjunctive TCM therapy can lengthen the survival time in patients with lung cancer. The findings may be helpful to the physicians when treating the patients with lung cancer.

Junhong GAO, Associate Professor of Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Master’s tutor. His research interest is to explore the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion and joint administration of acupuncture and drugs. So far totally 3 research projects are/were granted by National Natural Science Foundation of China and Natural Science Foundation of Beijing (as the principal investigator), and more than 40 articles in total were published in reputed journals.

Objective: To compare the effects of carbamyl-β-methylcholine chloride (CMCC) administered by intra-acupuncture point injection (IAI), intramuscular injection (IMI), and intravenous injection (IVI), and to analyze the mechanisms. Methods: In the IAI group, CMCC was injected into the Zusanli acupoint (ST 36) immediately after 30-min stimulation by electro-acupuncture (EA) at the acupoints, and into the femoral vein and skeletal muscle in IVI and IMI groups, respectively. Intragastric pressure was detected. The plasma concentration of CMCC was measured at various times. Results: The gastric effect of CMCC in the IVI group was enhanced and attenuated more rapidly than in the other groups. In the IAI group, this effect was significantly stronger than that in the IMI group at 2 min and 15 min, but not significantly different between the two groups at 5 min and 30 min. Plasma concentration of CMCC in the IAI group was similar to that in the IVI group at 2 min, but higher than that in the IMI group. The concentration in the IAI group was higher than that in the IV group and similar to that in the IMI group at 5, 15 and 30 min, indicating rapid increase and slower reduction of the plasma concentration of the drug in the IAI group. There was a positive correlation between the plasma concentration of CMCC and intragastric pressure in all groups. Conclusion: The effect of IAI with CMCC was stronger than that of IMI and longer-lasting than that of IVI, which correlated with the blood concentration of CMCC.

Naglaa Gamil Shehab has graduated from Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt and has received the PhD from Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt. She has received the best Master thesis from Egypt and the best research award from Saudi Arabia. Currently, she is Associate Professor at Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt. She is member in American society of Pharmacognosy and also reviewer for many international journals. Her interesting field is in the bioactivity of medicinal plants. She published about 25 papers in international journals.

Micromeria fruticosa (L) Druce ssp serpyllifolia is used widely in many Mediterranean regions for various inflammatory conditions and in wound healing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the constituents of the alcoholic extract of Micromeria fruticosa (L.) as well, to evaluate the antimicrobial and the burn healing activities. The LD50 of the ethanolic extract (up to 4 g/kg) indicated its safety. The growth inhibitory activity of the ethanolic extract, and its hexane, chloroform, and n-butanol fractions as well the isolated compounds was evaluated in-vitro against a set of micro-organisms. The isolated compounds from the chloroform and n-butanol fractions were belonging to flavonoids and triterpenes. The ethanolic extract as well its frctions, hexane, chloroform and the butanol exhibited variable antimicrobial activities comparable to broad spectrum antibiotic gentamycin. These effects could be attributed to the isolated flavonoids compounds. Burn healing potentiality of the ethanolic extract was also explored against the commercial product and found noticeably significant. Histopathological analysis showed severe endodermal, columnar basal cells and sebaceous gland damage in the controlled burned animals. On the other hand, significant reduction in wound size and improvement in the histological finding for the treated animals were observed.

Szu-Ying Wu has completed his Undergraduate studies at Chang Gung University and earned his Medical degree in 2012. He is a CAM resident at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital with a major in Acupuncture and Traumatology. He is the Vice Secretary-general of Taiwan Association of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy Quality. His research topics focus on low level laser acupuncture and treatment of sleep disorders. His recent clinical interest is sports medicine.

Background: Sepsis remains a major cause of mortality in intensive care. Previous studies have pointed out that sepsis is caused by excessive inflammatory responses, leading to cell and organ damage in a host. In addition, Toona sinensis is believed to possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of Toona sinensis leaf extracts (TS) on the cytokine levels in the RAW264.7 cells treated with LPS. Methods: RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with TS extracts (25, 50, 75 g/mL) for 2 hours before the treatment of LPS (1 g/ml) for 24 hours. Cytokines in the supernatants of cells were determined by Bio-Plex Pro mouse cytokine assay kit for IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-, which IL-6 and TNF- were proinflammatory and IL-10 was anti-inflammatory cytokines. Results: Compared with those in the control group, the levels of IL-6, TNF-, and IL-10 were increased in the LPS group without TS. However, the levels of IL-6 and TNF- were significantly decreased in the LPS group with TS compared with those without TS. Discussion: Our results indicated that the TS pretreatment could decrease the levels of IL-6 and TNF- in the RAW264.7 cells treated with LPS. This finding was consistent with the report of Chao-Chuan Wang et al., who had proposed that the TS extracts could inhibit the level of TNF- in microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by LPS. Additionally, HL Yang et al., demonstrated that the TS could suppress LPS-induced inflammation and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells via NF-B activation. Thus, we suggested that the TS might decrease the levels of TNF- and IL-6 via inhibition of NF-B pathway in RAW264.7 cells treated with LPS. Conclusions: In summary, TS may be a potentially effective adjuvant therapy to LPS-induced sepsis.

Rong Peijing is a Professor and an academic leader of acupuncture in China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS). She received her Bachelor’s, Master and PhD degrees from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Hong Kong Baptist University before she finished two-year Post-doctoral visiting study at faculty of neurosciences in Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Her research interests are involved in mechanisms underlying acupuncture. She has made series studies on pain physiology and acupuncture analgesia, also conducted translational medicine study, and proposed treating on chronic pain. Currently she is the Associate Director of the Committee of Auricular Acupuncture and the secretary general of the Academic Committee of China Association of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (CAAM) and has also served as editor/guest editor in about 10 peer reviewed journals in professional science. There are more than one hundred publications in recent 5 years.

Objective: To investigate the effect of needle embedded in PC6 (Neiguan) on ECG changes of myocardial ischemia in pigs. Methods: 11 Chinese miniature pigs were randomly divided into PC6 (Neiguan) group (n=6) and ST36 (Zusanli) group (n=5). The surgery were implanted for all pigs with the protein shrink narrow ring (Ameroid Ring) in the proximal part of the left coronary anterior descending branch for 4 weeks to make the chronic myocardial ischemia pig model, respectively, then needles were embedded in PC6 or ST36 for 2 weeks. The ECG was conducted before and after 4 weeks of operation, then 2 weeks after needle imbedded. Results: The Q voltage was lower in the needle embedded in Neiguan group than in Zusanli group after 2 weeks (P<0.05), and ST-T time the PC6 group was prolonged than ST36 after electroacupuncture (P<0.05); in ST36 group Q voltage decreased significantly after modeling, needle embedded or after electroacupuncture when compared with the previous operation (normal status) (P<0.01), Q voltage in PC6 group was decreased after the modeling (P<0.05), For PC6 group after acupuncture needle embedded the Q voltage was no significant difference before and after treatment; the heart rate in ST36 group showed no difference with that before; however, the PC6 group rate decreased when post-electroacupuncture, or needle embedded comparing to that before modeling (P<0.05, P< 0.01). the heart rate of PC6 group decreased when post electroacupuncture than post- needle-embedding (P<0.05); The length of ST-T there was no significant difference in ST36 group before and after treatment, but was extended from the electroacupuncture to post- needle embedding in PC6 group (P<0.05). After the anterior descending branch of the pig was narrowed, the myocardial damage was caused, and the electrocardiogram was typical ischemic change, so the pathological Q wave appeared, and it means the model was successful created. Conclusion: Acupuncture at "Neiguan" plays the role of prolonging ST-T segment, slowing the heart rate, reducing myocardial oxygen consumption, then improving myocardial blood supply, thereby reducing myocardial injury. It can be used to treat the myocardial ischemia.

Sudeendra Prabhu has completed his MDS (Master in Dental Surgery) – Oral Pathology, and presently working as a Professor, with academic and research activity in Oral Biology, Oral Pathology and Forensic Odontology. He has published more than 40 research papers in high impact factor journals with citation index of 180. He is a member of editorial board of many international journals of high repute and impact facor. He has presented research papers at international conferences. He has won several awards for scientific presentation.

Background: It has been well documented that traditional medicinal plants confer considerable antimicrobial activity against various microorganisms. The effect of Bridelia scandens against intestinal and other systemic pathogens have been reported. However, the beneficial effects of this plant materials against oral pathogens is not evaluated. Objective: To study the antimicrobial properties of water and alcohol extract of Bridelia scandens against selected oral pathogens by various microbiological assays. Methodology: The water extract was prepared using cold percolation method and alcoholic extract was prepared in soxhlet apparatus by using ethyl alcohol. The test organisms are Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus salivaries, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Candida albicans. Antimicrobial activity is being determined by various microbial assays like Kirby-Bauer antibiotic sensitivity testing, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time kill assay (TKA). Result & Conclusion: From our study, it is found that all tested organisms Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus salivaries, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Candida albicans were sensitive to both water and alcoholic extract of leaves of Bridelia scandens at varying concentrations (200 mgm/ml and 400 mgm/ml) with zone of inhibition ranging from 20 mm to 48 mm. Even the minimum inhibitory concentration ( MIC ) was less than 100 mgm/ml indicating that extract of leaves of Bridelia scandens is most effective against the oral pathogens. The alcoholic extract is better than aqueous extract.

Sujeong Mun is a senior researcher at Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. Her recent research interest is to explore the association of patterns in traditional East Asian medicine with biological parameters.

Evaluating cold and heat patterns is a basic pattern identification component in traditional East Asian medicine. This study aims to investigate the association of cold and heat pattern with resting energy expenditure (REE) and body composition. The cold and heat pattern of 130 adults were evaluated with a self-administered questionnaire. REE and body composition were analyzed by spearman’s correlation tests and regression analysis for their association with the cold and heat pattern. The cold pattern score (CPS) was higher in women and heat pattern score (HPS) was higher in men. REE showed moderate correlation with the CPS (rho=-0.469, p<0.001) and HPS (rho=0.418, p<0.001). Fat free mass (FFM), body cell mass, the ratio of extracellular water (ECW) to intracellular water (ICW), and the proportion of ICW and ECW in FFM were moderately correlated with the CPS and weakly correlated with the HPS. A cold or heat preference and a cold or hot body sensation showed stronger correlations with metabolic measures than did other parameters in the questionnaire. The CPS and HPS explained 25.5% of the REE variance, and the HPS was independently associated with REE after adjusting for age, gender and FFM. Cold and heat patterns appear to be related to REE, and in particular, heat patterns were independently associated with REE. Future studies are needed to investigate the biological basis and diagnostic value of these findings.

Xiang-Hong JING has completed her PhD in 2004 from China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. She is the Vice-director of Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Doctoral tutor. She has devoted to the research of acupuncture mechanism for more than twenty years. She has published more than 60 papers in reputed journals. So far 8 research projects including National Basic Research Programs of China are/were granted by Ministry of Science and Technology of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Natural Science Foundation of Beijing (as the principal investigator).

Visceral injury has been shown to induce somatic sensitization due to neuroinflammation, but little is known about the changes in these somatically sensitized locations. Using gastric mucosal injury (GMI) model, we investigated the local histochemical changes around these somatic sensitized areas (sensitized acupoints). Evans Blue (EB) dye is injected through the tail vein, and the distribution of extravasated EB dots in the skin are observed and compared with the locations of acupoints. We detected the expression of neuroinflammatory mediator (calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP))-labeled nerve fibers, histamine (HA)-, serotonin (5-HT)-, and tryptase-labeled cells in EB dots. The EB dots induced by acute GMI were found in the skin over the back and abdomen, innervated mostly by the T9-11 dermatomere. The dots disappeared gradually during natural self-recovery of gastric mucosa from the injury. The consistent rates between EB dots and acupoints were BL20: 88.23%, BL21: 82.35%, DU6: 58.82%, BL17: 47.5%, RN12: 17.64%, RN13: 5.88% respectively. Furthermore, nociceptive neuropeptides SP and CGRP were expressed much higher in extravasated EB dots than that beside the EB dots or control, which were mostly distributed through the nerve fibers around both the vessels and the root of hair follicle. Meanwhile, mast cells gathered, degranulated and released HA and 5-HT around the vessels in areas within extravasated EB dots. We conclude that GMI results in somatic sensitization named sensitized acupoints, where an elevated SP and CGRP expressed in nerve fibers, as well as of HA and 5-HT released in mast cells.