Abstract The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diet therapy in alleviating the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with cancer. Searches were conducted in seven databases for relevant studies published from 1, January 2000 to 1 March, 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TCM diet with ordinary diet of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and(or) radiotherapy were included. The study has been registered on the “PROSPERO” website with registration number of CRD42019131232. A total of sixteen RCTs included 2336 cases were included. TCM diet therapy is superior to ordinary diet in terms of reducing incidence of leukopenia [RR= 0.57; 95% CI (0.47, 0.69); P<0.0001], and nausea and vomiting [RR=0.54, 95% CI= (0.43, 0.70), P= 0.004], increasing hemoglobin [MD=10.04; 95% CI (7.66, 12.41); P<0.0001], improving Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) [RR= 1.28; 95% CI (1.15, 1.42); P<0.0001], and gaining weight [RR=1.53, 95%CI= (1.38, 1.68), P < 0.0001] in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and(or) radiotherapy. This meta-analysis demonstrated that TCM diet may reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy (and/or radiotherapy).

ABSTRACTIn this study, ten trace elements in Ziziphora clinopodioidesLam., Lamiaceae, from different regions, periods and parts in Xinjiang were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry following microwave-assisted acid digestion. The decreasing sequence of elements levels was K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Cu > Zn > Na > Mn > Cd > Pb. Chemometric approaches, such as correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to classify Z. clinopodioides according to its elements contents. Principal component analysis revealed 83.51% of the variance with the first four principal component variables. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated five groups from the eighteen regions, and the result of classification can correspond to the geographical distribution for the most regions. Variation in the elements exhibited a decreasing trend, but of different types in the studied periods. Elemental contents distributed in leaves were higher than those in flowers and stems. Therefore, chemometric approaches could be used to analyze data to accurately classify Z. clinopodioides according to origins. This study provided some elemental information on chemotaxonomy, diversity, changing pattern, distribution, and metabolism of Z. clinopodioides at spatial and temporal levels, and could be used as a reference of planting and quality standards.

Origanum vulgare L., Lamiaceae, from six different production areas of China and Pakistan were analyzed via gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and examined for their volatile constituents by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS). This procedure allowed the identification of 11 to 46 components among six production areas, representing 98.5% to 99.9% of the total oil extracted. The yields of the essential oil of the six production areas of O. vulgare ranged from 0.1 to 0.7%. The class of oxygenated monoterpenes was predominant in all the essential oils. However, samples S5 and S6 have high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (33.7 and 43.7%); while sample S6 is high on oxygenated sesquiterpene (32.9%). The principal component analysis of O. vulgare was employed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of essential oil components. The cluster analysis of O. vulgare was classified into three subsets, characterized according to the major essential oil components. The current study investigated the composition differences of essential oil among six production areas offering foundation for quality control, resource optimization, and clinical treatments.