Wu Jun-Rong, Cheng Hao-Jie, Shi Jian-Pin, Yin Wei-Dong, Wang Jun, Ou Xuan-Qiao, Chen Jin-Li, Bernstein Ira, Levy Mark, Maddela Rolando, Sinnott Robert, Tian Jun-Qiang
Elegant and Olive Health Clinic, Markham, ON, L3R 5V6, Canada.
Research and Development Department, USANA Health Science, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, 84121, USA.
Chin J Integr Med. 2022 May;28(5):394-402. doi: 10.1007/s11655-021-3444-0. Epub 2021 May 8.
To test the hypothesis that β -glucan enhances protective qi (PQi), an important Chinese medicine (CM) concept which stipulates that a protective force circulates throughout the body surface and works as the first line of defense against "external pernicious influences".
A total of 138 participants with PQi deficiency (PQD) were randomized to receive β -glucan (200 mg daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. Participants' PQi status was assessed every 2 weeks via conventional diagnosis and a standardized protocol from which a PQD severity and risk score was derived. Indices of participants' immune and general health status were also monitored, including upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), saliva secretory IgA (sIgA), and self-reported measures of physical and mental health (PROMIS).
PQi status was not significantly different between the β -glucan and placebo treatment groups at baseline but improved significantly in the β -glucan (vs. placebo) group in a time-dependent manner. The intergroup differences [95% confidence interval (CI)] in severity score (scale: 1-5), risk score (scale: 0-1), and proportion of PQD participants (%) at finish line was 0.49 (0.35-0.62), 0.48 (0.35-0.61), and 0.36 (0.25-0.47), respectively. Additionally, β -glucan improved URTI symptom (scale: 1-9) and PROMIS physical (scale: 16.2-67.7) and mental (scale: 21.2-67.6) scores by a magnitude (95% CI) of 1.0 (0.21-1.86), 5.7 (2.33-9.07), and 3.0 (20.37-6.37), respectively, over placebo.
β -glucan ameliorates PQi in PQD individuals. By using stringent evidence-based methodologies, our study demonstrated that Western medicine-derived remedies, such as β -glucan, can be employed to advance CM therapeutics. (ClinicalTrial.Gov registry: NCT03782974).
检验β-葡聚糖增强卫气的假说，卫气是中医的一个重要概念，指一种保卫机体的气在体表循行，作为抵御“外邪”的第一道防线。
138名卫气虚弱的参与者被随机分为两组，分别接受β-葡聚糖（每日200毫克）或安慰剂，为期12周。每2周通过传统诊断和标准化方案评估参与者的卫气状态，从中得出卫气虚弱严重程度和风险评分。还监测了参与者的免疫和总体健康状况指标，包括上呼吸道感染（URTI）、唾液分泌型免疫球蛋白A（sIgA）以及自我报告的身心健康指标（PROMIS）。
β-葡聚糖组和安慰剂组在基线时的卫气状态无显著差异，但β-葡聚糖组（与安慰剂组相比）的卫气状态随时间显著改善。终点时，两组在严重程度评分（范围：1 - 5）、风险评分（范围：0 - 1）以及卫气虚弱参与者比例（%）方面的组间差异[95%置信区间（CI）]分别为0.49（0.35 - 0.62）、0.48（0.35 - 0.61）和0.36（0.25 - 0.47）。此外，与安慰剂相比，β-葡聚糖使上呼吸道感染症状评分（范围：1 - 9）、PROMIS身体评分（范围：16.2 - 67.7）和心理评分（范围：21.2 - 67.6）分别提高了一定幅度（95%CI），分别为1.0（0.21 - 1.86）、5.7（2.33 - 9.07）和3.0（0.37 - 6.37）。
β-葡聚糖可改善卫气虚弱个体的卫气状况。通过采用严格的循证方法，我们的研究表明，源自西医的药物，如β-葡聚糖，可用于推进中医治疗。（ClinicalTrial.Gov注册号：NCT03782974）
