Introduction The fundamental theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) implies that when different diseases have the same pathogen, the syndromes of these individual diseases will be the same. “Treating different diseases with the same method” is a TCM principle suggesting that when different diseases have similar pathological changes during different stages of their development, the same method of treatment can be applied. Our study aims to analyze the concept “treating different diseases with the same method” from a molecular perspective, in order to clarify its biological basis and to objectively standardize future TCM syndrome research. Objective The TCM syndromes Qi deficiency and blood stasis have similar pathogenesis in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. We aim to use big data technology and complex network theory to mine the genes specifically relevant to these TCM syndromes. This study aims to explore the correlation between the biological indicators of CHD and stroke from a scientific perspective. Methods Mining the relevant neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) genes by means of gene entity recognition, complex network construction, network integration, and decomposition to categorize relevant syndrome terms and establish a digital dictionary of gene specifically related to individual diseases. We analyzed the biological basis of “treating different diseases with the same method” from a molecular level using the TCMIP v2.0 platform in order to categorize the TCM syndromes most relevant to CHD and stroke. Results We found 46 genes were involved in the TCM syndromes of Qi deficiency and blood stasis of CHD and stroke. The same genes and their molecular mechanism also appeared to be in close relation to inflammatory response, apoptosis, and proliferation. Conclusion By using information extraction and complex network technology, we discovered the biological indicators of the TCM syndromes Qi deficiency and blood stasis of CHD and stroke. In the era of big data, our results can provide a new method for the researchers of TCM syndrome differentiation, as well as an effective and specific methodology for standardization of TCM.

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether urinary iodine concentration (UIC) can predict goiter among school-age children, and to assess the association between UIC and goiter prevalence.MethodsWe searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews), Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, and Wan Fang databases for relevant reports in both English and Chinese up to August 25, 2016. The mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the UIC and goiter prevalence assessments. Pooled odds ratios and 95% CIs were used to compare the prevalences of goiter in the different UIC groups.ResultsWe identified 11 case-control studies, and found that children with goiter had lower UIC values, compared to children without goiter (MD: –1.82, 95% CI: –3.24, –0.40, p < 0.05). An increased risk of goiter was associated with UIC values of < 20 μg/L or > 200 μg/L.ConclusionThe results of our meta-analysis suggest that lower UIC values were associated with an increased risk of goiter, and that iodine deficiency may lead to an increased risk of goiter. Furthermore, we observed U-shaped relationships between UIC and the prevalence of goiter, which suggests that both severe iodine deficiency and excessive iodine intake may lead to increased risks of goiter.

Sargassum species combined with Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a famous herbal pair in traditional Chinese medicine, as one of the so-called “eighteen antagonistic medicaments.” In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, two different species of Sargassum, Sargassum pallidum and Sargassum fusiforme, are recorded but they are not clearly differentiated in clinical use. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the two species of Sargassum could result in different effects when combined with G. uralensis in Haizao Yuhu Decoction (HYD), which is used for treating thyroid-related diseases, especially goiter. HYD containing S. pallidum or S. fusiforme was administered to rats with propylthiouracil-induced goiter. After 4 weeks, pathological changes in the thyroid tissue and the relative thyroid weight indicated that HYD containing S. pallidum or S. fusiforme protected thyroid tissues from propylthiouracil damage. Neither species increased the propylthiouracil-induced decrease in serum levels of thyroid hormones. However, there were some differences in their actions, and only HYD containing S. fusiforme abated the propylthiouracil-induced elevation of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and activated thyroglobulin mRNA expression.

Background Haizao Yuhu Decoction has been widely used to treat thyroid-related diseases especially goiter with few side effects in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including herb pair Sargassum (HZ) and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (GC), as one of “eighteen antagonistic medicaments.” The two different species of Sargassum, Sargassum fusiforme (Sf) and Sargassum pallidum (Sp), are not clearly differentiated in clinical use, so that herb pair Sf-GC and Sp-GC could show different effect and toxicity. Methods We investigated the antigoitrous effect and toxicity and clarified the potential underlying mechanism of the two different species of Sargassum in HYD (HYDf and HYDp) in PTU-reduced goiter rats. Results The results demonstrated that both HYDf and HYDp could exhibit antigoitrous effect through alterations in hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and inhibition of the TPO gene expression; there is no difference in the antigoitrous effects between the two different species of Sargassum application in HYD. Conclusion This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of herb pair HZ-GC applied in HYD in goiter rats at molecular, cellular, and whole level and compared the two species of Sargassum further. We provide a reliable way to clarify the possible mechanism of the antagonistic medicament herb pair HZ-GC for its application.

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