Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim最新文献

{"title":"Mechanosensory activation of Piezo1 via cupping therapy: Harnessing neural networks to modulate AMPK pathway for metabolic restoration in a mouse model of psoriasis","authors":"Ruo-fan Xi ,&nbsp;Xin Liu ,&nbsp;Yi Wang ,&nbsp;Han-zhi Lu ,&nbsp;Shao-jie Yuan ,&nbsp;Dong-jie Guo ,&nbsp;Jian-yong Zhu ,&nbsp;Fu-lun Li ,&nbsp;Yan-juan Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Psoriasis, a common chronic inflammatory skin condition with genetic underpinnings, is traditionally managed with cupping therapy. Although used historically, the precise mechanical effects and therapeutic mechanisms of cupping in psoriasis remain largely unexamined. This study aimed to evaluate cupping therapy’s efficacy for psoriasis and investigate its role in modulating inflammatory responses and cellular metabolism.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Psoriasis was induced in mice using topical imiquimod (IMQ). The effects of cupping on psoriatic lesions were assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. polymerase chain reaction sequencing (RNA-seq) and Western blotting were conducted to examine changes in mRNA expression and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Cupping therapy significantly reduced inflammation, epidermal thickness, and inflammatory cell infiltration in mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed lower expression of inflammatory markers and a shift in T-cell populations. RNA-seq and Western blotting indicated that cupping upregulated Piezo1 and activated the AMPK pathway, improving energy metabolism in psoriatic skin.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Cupping therapy reduces epidermal hyperproliferation and inflammation in psoriasis, rebalancing the local immune microenvironment. Mechanistically, cupping promotes calcium influx via Piezo1, activates AMPK signaling, and supports metabolic homeostasis, suggesting therapeutic potential for psoriasis.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Xi RF, Liu X, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Yuan SJ, Guo DJ, Zhu JY, Li FL, Duan YJ. Mechanosensory activation of Piezo1 via cupping therapy: Harnessing neural networks to modulate AMPK pathway for metabolic restoration in a mouse model of psoriasis. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):721–732.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 721-732"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145055960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Jiedu Fang inhibits hypoxia-induced angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting Aurora A/STAT3/IL-8 signaling pathway","authors":"Mao-feng Zhong ,&nbsp;Yu-jun Luo ,&nbsp;Yu-yu Guo ,&nbsp;Shuang Xiang ,&nbsp;Wan-fu Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Angiogenesis is a critical target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. The previous studies indicated that Jiedu Fang (JDF) could inhibit hypoxia-induced angiogenesis through interleukin-8 (IL-8). Therefore, the present study further explores the mechanisms behind JDF’s inhibition of HCC angiogenesis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Angiogenesis was assessed with the capillary-like tube formation assay in vitro and the matrigel plug angiogenesis assay in vivo. A liver cancer-related gene set and genes associated with angiogenesis and the hypoxic microenvironment were analyzed using a bioinformatics platform. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting assays were used to assess the targeted mRNA and protein levels, respectively. The Transwell assay was used to assess the migration and invasion potential of EA.hy 926 cells. The orthotopic tumor xenograft model was established, and immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays were used to detect cluster of differentiation 31 and angiopoietin 2 expression, while an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect vascular endothelial growth factor and IL-8 protein levels.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In vitro and in vivo assays showed that IL-8 promoted angiogenesis, and JDF could antagonize this effect. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that aurora kinase A (Aurora A) was an important candidate, which can promote IL-8 expression through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). The overexpression of Aurora A increased IL-8 secretion and promoted HCC migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, which was partly inhibited by JDF. Such effects were validated by in vivo assays. Further validation using the STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 demonstrated that STAT3 was regulated by Aurora A.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>JDF exhibits efficacy in reducing hypoxia-induced angiogenesis in HCC through a mechanism involving the Aurora A/STAT3/IL-8 signaling pathway. Therefore, JDF holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach for targeting HCC angiogenesis.</div><div>Please cite this article as: Zhong MF, Luo YJ, Guo YY, Xiang S, Lin WF. Jiedu Fang inhibits hypoxia-induced angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting Aurora A/STAT3/IL-8 signaling pathway. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):683–693.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 683-693"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From pioneering to innovation: A comprehensive review of acupuncture anesthesia in cardiothoracic surgeries","authors":"Xin-di Wu ,&nbsp;Xu-qiang Wei ,&nbsp;Tong-yu Chen ,&nbsp;Wen-xiong Zhou ,&nbsp;Ke Wang ,&nbsp;Jia Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolution of acupuncture anesthesia (AA) has spanned six decades. Cardiothoracic surgery serves as a representative case study to illustrate this evolution. Reflecting on its historical development, the use of AA in cardiothoracic surgery has advanced from basic AA procedures in the 1960s to combined acupuncture and drug anesthesia techniques in the early 1980s. Since 2005, the innovative use of non-intubation AA combined anesthesia has been implemented extensively in cardiothoracic surgery. As the medical industry continues to evolve, the techniques applied in AA have expanded to encompass the entire perioperative period in cardiothoracic surgery, leading to the introduction of the concept of modern AA. The use of AA in cardiothoracic surgery exemplifies the ongoing advances and integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Moving forward, it is imperative to enhance the theoretical framework of AA through the execution of rigorous multicenter clinical trials, to further strengthen the body of evidence supporting evidence-based medicine, and to finally explore the underlying mechanisms of AA.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Wu XD, Wei XQ, Chen TY, Zhou WX, Wang K, Zhou J. From pioneering to innovation: A comprehensive review of acupuncture anesthesia in cardiothoracic surgeries. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):623–629.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 623-629"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antidepressant mechanism of Xiaoyaosan: A perspective from energy metabolism of the brain and intestine","authors":"Meng-ting Xiao,&nbsp;Sen-yan Wang,&nbsp;Xiao-ling Wu,&nbsp;Zi-yu Zhao,&nbsp;Hui-min Wang,&nbsp;Hui-min Liu,&nbsp;Xue-mei Qin,&nbsp;Xiao-jie Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study investigated the antidepression mechanisms of Xiaoyaosan (XYS), a classic Chinese prescription, from the perspective of energy metabolism in the brain and intestinal tissues.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Chronic unpredictable mild stress model—a classic depression rat model—was established. Effects of XYS on behaviors and gastrointestinal motility of depressed rats were investigated. Effects of XYS on energetic charge (EC), adenosine triphosphate-related enzymes, and key enzymes of energy metabolism in both hippocampus and jejunum tissues of depressed rats were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography, biochemical analysis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to construct a correlation network of “behavior-brain energy metabolism-intestinal energy metabolism” of depression.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>XYS significantly reduced the abnormal behaviors that observed in depressed rats and increased the EC and the activity of Na⁺-K⁺-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase in hippocampus and jejunum tissues of depressed rats. XYS restored the key energetic pathways that had been interrupted by depression, including glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, XYS exhibited antidepressive effects in terms of regulating energy metabolism in tissues of both brain and intestine.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>XYS significantly corrected the disturbances in EC and energy metabolism-related enzymes of both brain and intestinal tissues, alleviating both core and concomitant symptoms of depression. The current findings underscore the role of energy metabolism in the antidepressive activity of XYS, providing a fresh perspective on depression, and novel research strategies for revealing the mechanism of actions of traditional Chinese medicines on multi-site and multi-symptom diseases.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Xiao MT, Wang SY, Wu XL, Zhao ZY, Wang HM, Liu HM, Qin XM, Liu XJ. Antidepressant mechanism of Xiaoyaosan: A perspective from energy metabolism of the brain and intestine. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):706–720.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 706-720"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herbal medicine in the modern age: The era of personalized precision","authors":"Muhammad Shahzad Aslam,&nbsp;Yun Jin Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This perspective review explores the transformative potential of personalized herbal medicine, examines the integration of ancient herbal knowledge with modern personalized medicine, delves into the principles of personalized medicine particularly in the context of herbal treatments, and investigates the principles of personalized medicine and elucidates how they are being applied to herbal medicine. It emphasizes the individualized nature of this approach and how it is facilitated through genetic analysis and health profiling. This review also highlights key advancements in herbal medicine, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and bioinformatics, and their role in the development of precise and personalized herbal remedies. The outcomes of personalized herbal medicine reveal how genetic variations are being considered to tailor treatments, create target-specific therapies, and customize dosage regimens. Furthermore, this review illustrates the evolution of herbal medicine with technological advancements, particularly DNA analysis and bioinformatics, to enhance precision and personalization. The challenge associated with implementing personalized herbal medicine more broadly includes issues of accessibility, regulation, education and ethics. It underscores the transformative potential of personalized herbal medicine. It calls for continued exploration, research and collaboration in this burgeoning field. This emerging field encourages researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders to engage in advancing healthcare practices that are increasingly personalized, evidence-based, and centered on patient's needs.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Aslam MS, Kim YJ. Herbal medicine in the modern age: The era of personalized precision. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):591–604.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 591-604"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chlorogenic acid mitigates glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis via modulation of HER2/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway","authors":"An-na Xie ,&nbsp;Sun-zheng-yuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yu Zhang,&nbsp;Jin-long Cao,&nbsp;Cheng-long Wang,&nbsp;Li-bo Wang,&nbsp;Hong-jin Wu,&nbsp;Jie Zhang,&nbsp;Wei-wei Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is a common complication of prolonged glucocorticoid therapy. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenol with antioxidant properties that is extracted from traditional Chinese medicines such as Eucommiae Cortex, has potential anti-osteoporotic activity. This study aimed to investigate the possible effects of CGA on GIOP in mice and murine long bone osteocyte Y4 (MLO-Y4) cells and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The protective effects of CGA were initially evaluated in the GIOP mouse model induced by dexamethasone (Dex). The micro-computed tomography, hematoxylin–eosin staining, silver nitrate staining, and serum detection were used to assess the efficacy of CGA for improving bone formation in vivo. Then, network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the potential targets and molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of CGA against GIOP. After that, 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorofluorescein diacetate staining, flow cytometry, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting were used to verify the mechanisms of CGA against GIOP in vitro.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Animal experiments showed that CGA treatment effectively attenuated Dex-induced decreases in bone mass and strength and improved disrupted osteocyte morphology in mice. The protein–protein interaction analysis highlighted erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase (ERBB2), which is also known as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), caspase-3, kinase insert domain receptor, matrix metallopeptidase 9, matrix metallopeptidase 2, proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src, and epidermal growth factor receptor as core targets. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed several significantly enriched pathways (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), including the ERBB, phosphoinositide 3 kinase-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT), and mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) pathways. Cellular experiments verified that CGA enhanced bone formation and promoted autophagy while inhibiting apoptosis in MLO-Y4 cells exposed to Dex, which was associated with the upregulated expression of HER2 and activation of the HER2/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CGA exerted anti-osteoporotic effects against GIOP, partially through targeting osteocytes and modulating the HER2/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.</div><div><br> Please cite this article as: Xie AN, Zhang SZY, Zhang Y, Cao JL, Wang CL, Wang LB, Wu HJ, Zhang J, Dai WW. Chlorogenic acid mitigates glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis via modulation of HER2/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):670–682.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 670-682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine","authors":"Xin-ran Du ,&nbsp;Meng-yi Wu ,&nbsp;Mao-can Tao ,&nbsp;Ying Lin ,&nbsp;Chao-ying Gu ,&nbsp;Min-feng Wu ,&nbsp;Yi Cao ,&nbsp;Da-can Chen ,&nbsp;Wei Li ,&nbsp;Hong-wei Wang ,&nbsp;Ying Wang ,&nbsp;Yi Wang ,&nbsp;Han-zhi Lu ,&nbsp;Xin Liu ,&nbsp;Xiang-fei Su ,&nbsp;Fu-lun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a well-accepted therapy for atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there are currently no evidence-based guidelines integrating TCM and Western medicine for the treatment of AD, limiting the clinical application of such combined approaches. Therefore, the China Association of Chinese Medicine initiated the development of the current guideline, focusing on key issues related to the use of TCM in the treatment of AD. This guideline was developed in accordance with the principles of the guideline formulation manual published by the World Health Organization. A comprehensive review of the literature on the combined use of TCM and Western medicine to treat AD was conducted. The findings were extensively discussed by experts in dermatology and pharmacy with expertise in both TCM and Western medicine. This guideline comprises 23 recommendations across seven major areas, including TCM syndrome differentiation and classification of AD, principles and application scenarios of TCM combined with Western medicine for treating AD, outcome indicators for evaluating clinical efficacy of AD treatment, integration of TCM pattern classification and Western medicine across disease stages, daily management of AD, the use of internal TCM therapies and proprietary Chinese medicines, and TCM external treatments.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Du XR, Wu MY, Tao MC, Lin Y, Gu CY, Wu MF, Cao Y, Chen DC, Li W, Wang HW, Wang Y, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Liu X, Su XF, Li FL. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):641–653.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 641-653"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Specific effect of inserted sham acupuncture and its impact on the estimation of acupuncture treatment effect in randomized controlled trials: A systematic survey","authors":"Xiao-chao Luo ,&nbsp;Jia-li Liu ,&nbsp;Ming-hong Yao ,&nbsp;Ye-meng Chen ,&nbsp;Arthur Yin Fan ,&nbsp;Fan-rong Liang ,&nbsp;Ji-ping Zhao ,&nbsp;Ling Zhao ,&nbsp;Xu Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiao-ying Zhong ,&nbsp;Jia-hui Yang ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Ying Zhang ,&nbsp;Xin Sun ,&nbsp;Ling Li","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.011","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The use of inserted sham acupuncture as a placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is controversial, because it may produce specific effects that cause an underestimation of the effect of acupuncture treatment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This systematic survey investigates the magnitude of insert-specific effects of sham acupuncture and whether they affect the estimation of acupuncture treatment effects.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Search strategy&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify acupuncture RCTs from their inception until December 2022.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Inclusion criteria&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;RCTs that evaluated the effects of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture and no treatment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Data extraction and analysis&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The total effect measured for an acupuncture treatment group in RCTs were divided into three components, including the natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (controlled for no-treatment group), the placebo effect, and the specific effect of acupuncture. The first two constituted the contextual effect of acupuncture, which is mimicked by a sham acupuncture treatment group. The proportion of acupuncture total effect size was considered to be 1. The proportion of natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (PNE) and proportional contextual effect (PCE) of included RCTs were pooled using meta-analyses with a random-effect model. The proportion of acupuncture placebo effect was the difference between PCE and PNE in RCTs with non-inserted sham acupuncture. The proportion of insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture (PIES) was obtained by subtracting the proportion of acupuncture placebo effect and PNE from PCE in RCTs with inserted sham acupuncture. The impact of PIES on the estimation of acupuncture’s treatment effect was evaluated by quantifying the percentage of RCTs that the effect of outcome changed from no statistical difference to statistical difference after removing PIES in the included studies, and the impact of PIES was externally validated in other acupuncture RCTs with an inserted sham acupuncture group that were not used to calculate PIES.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This analysis included 32 studies with 5492 patients. The overall PNE was 0.335 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.255–0.415) and the PCE of acupuncture was 0.639 (95% CI, 0.567–0.710) of acupuncture’s total effect. The proportional contribution of the placebo effect to acupuncture’s total effect was 0.191, and the PIES was 0.189. When we modeled the exclusion of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, the acupuncture treatment effect changed from no difference to a significant difference in 45.45% of the included RCTs, and in 40.91% of the external validated RCTs.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture in RCTs represents 18.90% of acupuncture’s total eff","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 630-640"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144838309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A protocol for developing, disseminating and implementing a core outcome set for clinical trials of integrative Chinese and Western medicine for ulcerative colitis","authors":"Xuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Juan Wang ,&nbsp;Chung Tai Lau ,&nbsp;Nana Wang ,&nbsp;Xuanqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Ping Wang ,&nbsp;Ji Li ,&nbsp;Fei Han ,&nbsp;Zhaoxiang Bian","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.07.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To improve the consistency of outcome documentation and address the potential for outcome reporting bias in clinical trials involving integrative Chinese and Western medicine (ICWM) for ulcerative colitis (UC), we aim to develop a customized core outcome set (COS) that incorporates input from various stakeholders. The study design of this COS has been informed by the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative Handbook, with adherence to the guidelines from the Core Outcome Set—STAndards for Reporting statement and Core Outcome Set—STAndardised Protocol Items recommendations. Five groups of stakeholders will be invited to participate in the development of COS for clinical trials with ICWM for UC, including healthcare professionals, patients, COS developers, COS users, and methodologists. The process will involve five stages: (1) conducting a systematic review of outcomes reported in clinical trials and protocols to develop a list of potential outcome domains; (2) conducting semi-structured interviews to obtain important outcomes; (3) choosing the most important outcomes by conducting three-round Delphi surveys; (4) achieving a consensus in a face-to-face meeting to discuss the final COS; and (5) publication, dissemination and implementation of COS. Consequently, this specialized COS will be applicable to clinical trials involving both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ICWM interventions.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Zhang X, Zhang L, Wang J, Lau CT, Wang N, Zhang X, Wang P, Li J, Han F, Bian Z. A protocol for developing, disseminating and implementing a core outcome set for clinical trials of integrative Chinese and Western medicine for ulcerative colitis. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):654–659.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 654-659"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144838308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Meng-qi Li ,&nbsp;Yan Li ,&nbsp;Winsome Lam ,&nbsp;Wing Fai Yeung ,&nbsp;Yuen Shan Ho ,&nbsp;Jia-ying Li ,&nbsp;Tsz Ching Sun ,&nbsp;Sam Yuen ,&nbsp;Yu-le Hu ,&nbsp;Jannelle Yorke","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors often experience constipation, which contributes to a reduced sense of well-being and a lower quality of life. Acupressure offers a non-pharmacological and non-invasive alternative therapy for treating constipation.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examined the effects of home-based acupressure on constipation and subjective well-being among SCI survivors.</div></div><div><h3>Design, setting, participants and interventions</h3><div>This randomized controlled trial randomly assigned 80 adults from Hong Kong with SCI to two study groups. Using a video demonstration filmed by a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, the intervention group performed home-based acupressure (self-administered or caregiver-assisted) twice daily, 15 min/session, for 10 consecutive days. The control group performed manual light touching of the abdomen with the same frequency and duration as the intervention group. Both groups received defecation education through a structured booklet.</div></div><div><h3>Main outcomes measures</h3><div>The primary outcome was constipation severity. Secondary outcomes included bowel habits, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Focus group interviews were conducted after the intervention to collect subjective feedback from participants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant group-by-time interaction effects on constipation severity (<em>P</em> = 0.005) and quality of life (<em>P</em> = 0.001) revealed that home-based acupressure produced better results than the control. These treatment effects persisted at the one-month follow-up and continued to have a large effect size (Cohen’s <em>d</em> &gt; 0.8). Compared to the control group, the acupressure group also had improvements in anxiety (Cohen’s <em>d</em> = 0.69) and depression (Cohen’s <em>d</em> = 0.72) at the end of the intervention period. Three qualitative categories were identified from the focus group interviews: improvements in bowel function and management; reduced psychological distress following relief from constipation; and acceptability of home-based acupressure.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acupressure effectively relieves constipation, enhances psychological well-being, and improves quality of life in people with SCI. These data provide novel evidence supporting the use of home-based acupressure as an acceptable and effective therapy for treating constipation after SCI.</div><div><em>Trial registration:</em> <span><span>ClinicalTrials.gov</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> (NCT05558657).</div><div><br> Please cite this article as: Li MQ, Li Y, Lam W, Yeung WF, Ho YS, Li JY, Sun TC, Yuen S, Hu YL, Yorke J. Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2025; 23(6):660–669.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"23 6","pages":"Pages 660-669"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}