Clinical Applications of Omics Technologies on ZHENG Differentiation Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ZHENG is the basic concept of TCM theory. The effectiveness of TCM treatment depends on the accuracy of ZHENG differentiation. ZHENG differentiation, using the “four diagnostic methods,” has the drawbacks of subjectivity and variability. Following development of omics technologies, which study the functional activities of human body from a system-wide perspective, it has been more and more applied in study of objectivity differentiating TCM ZHENG and understanding its biological mechanisms. This paper reviewed the literatures of clinical TCM ZHENG differentiation researches, underlying omics technologies, and indicated the increased trends of related articles with four kinds of omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and the correlations between ZHENG differentiation and findings in omics studies. Moreover, the paper summarized the typical omics application in common studied diseases and TCM ZHENGs and discussed the main problems and countermeasure of ZHENG differentiation researches. The work here may provide a reference for further research of TCM ZHENG differentiation using omics technologies.

A hagyományos kínai fitoterápia értelmezése és beillesztése a nyugati típusú orvoslásba az emberi genom ismeretének birtokában

“…A zsenget HKO szindrómának vagy mintázatnak nevezi, a diszharmonikus szimptóma vagy jel megjelenési formája. A kü-lönböző zsengek különböző kezelési stratégiákat igé-nyelnek [4,[6][7][8].…”

Serum proteomic-based analysis by iTRAQ of damp-heat impeding syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis

“…Omics including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, is similar with the characteristics of TCM syndrome, which pays much attention to integrity and dynamics. Different omics data helps to explore the variation of DNA, mRNA, protein, and metabolite in human body [6].…”

“…However, the biological basis of damp-heat impeding syndrome/hot syndrome of RA is rarely studied by using proteomics technology. Clinical TCM syndrome studies using omics technologies only were the beginning [11]. However, proteomics complements genomics technology and metabolomics technology, and has been successfully used to study CM syndromes, such as syndromes in chronic myocardial ischemia [12], coronary heart disease [13], chronic hepatitis B [14], tuberculosis [15], et al The results of proteomic approaches are useful in clinical research areas, such as diagnosis, disease subtype classification, characterization of metabolic pathways, biomarker quantification, and therapeutic target generation [16].…”

Standardization and future directions in pattern identification research: International brainstorming session

“…PI is characterized by both its theoretical basis and practical experience. (2)(3)(4)(5) Generally, PI is based on clinical information obtained through the "four examinations" i.e., inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry and palpation; the practitioner then selects an appropriate herbal medicine prescription or acupuncture treatment according to the PI derived from the reasoning process. Thus, effective TEAM treatment and accurate PI are inseparable and linked.…”

“…(5,8,9) These domains include the conception and development of PI, (10) its clinical applications in several diseases (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) and biomarker exploration using recent technologies such as "omics" and data mining for PI. (5,(16)(17)(18) However, PI research still faces many challenges due to a lack of quantitative methods for the four examinations and non-standardized names and terms for patterns. To further develop and standardize PI diagnostic criteria, technique and theory, it is necessary to foster international collaborations through a research network.…”