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沈郁強(Shen, Yuh-Chiang)

Current position:Research Fellow/Chief, Division of Clinical Chinese Medicine沈郁強實驗組合照
E-mail:yuhcs@nricm.edu.tw

 
Education:Ph.D., Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University
 

Major Professional Experiences

1. Research Fellow, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine 
2. Associate Research Fellow, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine 
3. Assistant Research Fellow, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine 
4. Adjunct Professor, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science 
5. Post Doctoral Fellow, Basic and Clinic Research, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine 
6. Post Doctoral Fellow, Division of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institute 
7. Clinic Pharmacist, Department of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University Hospital 

 
Specialty
Elucidating anti-stroke drugs and mechanisms by traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), Leukocyte Cell and Molecular Biology, Inflammation Mechanism and Neuron Protection

 
Research Description

Dr. Shen received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from National Yang-Ming University in 1999. From 2000 to 2002, he conducted postdoctoral research at the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) and the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM). In 2003, he joined NRICM’s Division of Basic Research as an Assistant Research Fellow, was promoted to Research Fellow in 2012, and became a Full Professor in 2023. He has also been recognized as one of the world’s top 2% scientists by Stanford University in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

In recent years, Dr. Shen’s team has focused on developing innovative traditional Chinese medicine (iTCM), resulting in the creation of NRICM101 (Taiwan Chingguan No. 1) and NRICM102 (Taiwan Chingguan No. 2) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical studies demonstrated that NRICM101 effectively prevents mild cases from progressing to severe disease, while NRICM102 reduces mortality in severe cases by 74%. NRICM101 has been licensed to 14 pharmaceutical manufacturers and is sold in over 60 countries, with public demand exceeding 1.2 million applications.

The application of NRICM101 has progressed through three phases: initially, it alleviated public panic, preserved healthcare capacity, and mitigated the strain caused by vaccine and drug shortages. Later, it was successfully used to treat severe cases, and currently, it focuses on preventing and managing long-term COVID-19 complications such as brain fog. These achievements were published in Pharmacological Research (IF 10.334) in October 2022, alongside other foundational and clinical research articles (October 2022; 184:106412, 184:106424). The development and technology transfer of NRICM101 have generated over NT$10 billion in economic value.

In recognition of its impact, NRICM101 received the Future Technology Award, National Innovation Award, and Pharmaceutical Technology R&D Award in 2021. In 2022, NRICM101/102 was awarded the Gold Medal for Technology Transfer Collaboration at the Taipei Biotech Awards. In 2023, Dr. Shen’s team launched NRICM201 and NRICM301, targeting dementia prevention and ischemic stroke/post-stroke recovery, which are now ready for industrial application to benefit a broader population.

Dr. Shen is also exploring additional applications for NRICM102. Animal studies show that combining NRICM102 with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) effectively rescues multi-organ failure caused by Bongkrekic Acid (BKA), a toxin involved in a major food safety incident in Taipei. This combination also demonstrates significant efficacy in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal model without the side effects commonly associated with steroids. Under his leadership, the core research team continues to address pressing health challenges, including infectious diseases (e.g., dengue, RSV, HMPV) and prevalent conditions such as insomnia and dementia, by developing innovative TCM solutions.

 

Published Papers

NCBI PubMed :  Yuh-Chiang Shen (Please click!!)

  1. Liu SH, Huang HT, Lo IW, Lin YC, Liao GY, Chao CH, Huang HC, Chang FR, Li TL, Shen YC*, Liaw CC. Potential natural product 3,4-seco-schitriterpenoids from Kadsura japonica L. as anti-neuroinflammatory agents. Bioorg Chem. 2023 Sep 6;141:106843. doi: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106843. Epub ahead of print. PMID:37696148.
  2. Lin SY, Chang CL, Liou KT, Kao YK, Wang YH, Chang CC, Kuo TBJ, Huang HT, Yang CCH, Liaw CC, Shen YC*. The protective role of Achyranthes aspera extract against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by alleviating oxidative stress, inflammation, and PANoptosis. J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Aug 28;319(Pt 1):117097. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117097. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37648176.
  3. Chang SS, Huang HT, Wei WC, Lo IW, Lin YC, Chao CH, Liao GY, Shen YC, Chen JJ, Li TL, Lin LT, Tai CJ, Kuo YH, Liaw CC. Anti-inflammatory effect of euphane-and tirucallane-type triterpenes isolated from the traditional herb <i>Euphorbia neriifolia</i> L. Front Chem. 2023 Jun 23;11:1223335. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1223335. PMID: 37426336; PMCID: PMC10326319.
  4. Wei WC, Tsai KC, Liaw CC, Chiou CT, Tseng YH, Liao GY, Lin YC, Chiou WF, Liou KT, Yu IS, Shen YC*, Su YC. NRICM101 ameliorates SARS-CoV-2-S1-induced pulmonary injury in K18-hACE2 mice model. Front Pharmacol. 2023 Jun 21;14:1125414. doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1125414. PMID: 37416063; PMCID: PMC10320700.
  5. Huang HT, Lo IW, Liao GY, Lin YC, Shen YC, Huang HC, Li TL, Lee KT, Kuo YH, Liaw CC. Anti-inflammatory sesquiterpene and triterpene acids from <i>Mesona procumbens</i> Hemsley. Front Chem. 2022 Sep 15;10:1003356. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1003356. PMID: 36186589; PMCID: PMC9520569.
  6. Wei WC, Liaw CC, Tsai KC, Chiou CT, Tseng YH, Chiou WF, Lin YC, Tsai CI, Lin CS, Lin CS, Liou KT, Yu IS, Shen YC*, Su YC. Targeting spike protein-induced TLR/NET axis by COVID-19 therapeutic NRICM102 ameliorates pulmonary embolism and fibrosis. Pharmacol Res. 2022 Oct;184:106424. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106424. Epub 2022 Sep 5. PMID: 36064077; PMCID: PMC9443660.
  7. Tseng YH, Lin SJ, Hou SM, Wang CH, Cheng SP, Tseng KY, Lee MY, Lee SM, Huang YC, Lin CJ, Lin CK, Tsai TL, Lin CS, Cheng MH, Fong TS, Tsai CI, Lu YW, Lin JC, Huang YW, Hsu WC, Kuo HH, Wang LH, Liaw CC, Wei WC, Tsai KC, Shen YC, Chiou WF, Lin JG, Su YC. Curbing COVID-19 progression and mortality with traditional Chinese medicine among hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A propensity score-matched analysis. Pharmacol Res. 2022 Oct;184:106412. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106412. Epub 2022 Aug 23. PMID: 36007774; PMCID: PMC9395232.
  8. Chern CM, Lu CK, Liou KT, Wang YH, Tsai KC, Chang CL, Chang CC, Shen YC*. Medicarpin isolated from Radix Hedysari ameliorates brain injury in a murine model of cerebral ischemia. J Food Drug Anal. 2021 Dec 15;29(4):581-605. doi: 10.38212/2224-6614.3377. PMID: 35649147; PMCID: PMC9931010.
  9. Chen LL, Lee MH, Chang CL, Liou KT, Liu SH, Chern CM, Chen HI, Shen YC*, Wang YH. Suppression of Inflammatory and Fibrotic Signals by Cinnamon (<i>Cinnamomum cassia</i>) and Cinnamaldehyde in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Overactive Bladder in Mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Dec 22;2021:5205759. doi:10.1155/2021/5205759. PMID: 34976095; PMCID: PMC8716214.
  10. Kung YY, Kuo TBJ, Lai CT, Shen YC, Su YC, Yang CCH. Disclosure of suboptimalhealth status through traditional Chinese medicine-based body constitution and pulse patterns. Complement Ther Med. 2021 Jan;56:102607. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102607. Epub 2020 Nov 19. PMID: 33220452.
  11. Chen LL, Shen YC, Ke CC, Imtiyaz Z, Chen HI, Chang CH, Lee MH. Efficacy of cinnamon patch treatment for alleviating symptoms of overactive bladder: A,double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2021 Jan; 80:153380. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153380. Epub 2020 Oct 12. PMID: 33091856.
  12. Chern CM, Zhou H, Wang YH, Chang CL, Chiou WF, Chang WT, Yao CH, Liou KT, Shen YC*. Osthole ameliorates cartilage degradation by downregulation of NF-κB and HIF-2α pathways in an osteoarthritis murine model. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020 Jan15;867:172799. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172799. Epub 2019 Nov 22. PMID:31765607.
  13. Wang YH , Chern CM , Liou KT , Kuo YH , Shen YC* . Ergostatrien-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol from Antrodia camphorata ameliorates ischemic stroke brain injury via downregulation of p65NF-κ-B and caspase 3, and activation of Akt/GSK3/catenin-associated neurogenesis. Food Funct. 2019 Aug1;10(8):4725-4738. doi: 10.1039/c9fo00908f. Epub 2019 Jul 15. PMID: 31304955.
  14. Hsu WH, Shen YC, Shiao YJ, Kuo CH, Lu CK, Lin TY, Ku WC, Lin YL. Combined proteomic and metabolomic analyses of cerebrospinal fluid from mice with ischemic stroke reveals the effects of a Buyang Huanwu decoction in neurodegenerative disease. PLoS One. 2019 Jan 15;14(1):e0209184. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209184. PMID: 30645580; PMCID: PMC6333407.
  15. Wang YH, Liou KT, Tsai KC, Liu HK, Yang LM, Chern CM, Shen YC*. GSK-3 inhibition through GLP-1R allosteric activation mediates the neurogenesis promoting effect of P7C3 after cerebral ischemic/reperfusional injury in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 15;357:88-105. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.08.023. Epub 2018 Sep 4. PMID: 30189238.
  16. Shen YC, Juan CW, Lin CS, Chen CC, Chang CL. NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF <i>TERMINALIA CHEBULA</i> EXTRACTS AND ELLAGIC ACID IN PC12 CELLS. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2017 Jun 5;14(4):22-30. doi: 10.21010/ajtcam.v14i4.3. PMID: 28638863; PMCID: PMC5471469.
  17. Huang YL, Shen CC, Shen YC, Chiou WF, Chen CC. Anti-inflammatory and Antiosteoporosis Flavonoids from the Rhizomes of Helminthostachys zeylanica. J  Nat Prod. 2017 Feb 24;80(2):246-253. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b01164. Epub 2017 Feb 7. PMID: 28169537.
  18. Chien MY, Chuang CH, Chern CM, Liou KT, Liu DZ, Hou YC, Shen YC*. Salvianolic acid A alleviates ischemic brain injury through the inhibition of inflammation  and apoptosis and the promotion of neurogenesis in mice. Free Radic Biol Med. 2016 Oct;99:508-519. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.09.006. Epub 2016 Sep 5. PMID: 27609227.
  19. Chen HJ, Shen YC*, Shiao YJ, Liou KT, Hsu WH, Hsieh PH, Lee CY, Chen YR, Lin YL. Multiplex Brain Proteomic Analysis Revealed the Molecular Therapeutic Effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on Cerebral Ischemic Stroke Mice. PLoS One. 2015 Oct 22;10(10):e0140823. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140823. PMID: 26492191; PMCID: PMC4619651.
  20. Shen YC, Lu CK, Liou KT, Hou YC, Lin YL, Wang YH, Sun HJ, Liao KH, Wang HW. Common and unique mechanisms of Chinese herbal remedies on ischemic stroke mice revealed by transcriptome analyses. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Sep 15;173:370-82. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.07.018. Epub 2015 Jul 31. PMID: 26239152.
  21. Wong YK, Chou MK, Shen YC, Wang YH, Yen JC, Chen CF, Lin SK, Liao JF. Preventive effect of baicalein on methamphetamine-induced amnesia in the passive avoidance test in mice. Pharmacology. 2014;93(5-6):278-85. doi: 10.1159/000365008. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PMID: 25170749.
  22. Hou YC, Lu CK, Wang YH, Chern CM, Liou KT, Wang HW, Shen YC*. Unique mechanisms of sheng yu decoction ( shèng yù tang) on ischemic stroke mice revealed by an integrated neurofunctional and transcriptome analysis. J Tradit Complement Med. 2013 Oct;3(4):240-9. doi: 10.4103/2225-4110.119703. PMID: 24716184; PMCID: PMC3925003.
  23. Chern CM, Wang YH, Liou KT, Hou YC, Chen CC, Shen YC*. 2-Methoxystypandrone ameliorates brain function through preserving BBB integrity and promoting neurogenesis in mice with acute ischemic stroke. Biochem Pharmacol. 2014 Feb 1;87(3):502-14. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.11.018. Epub 2013 Dec 14. PMID: 24342702.
  24. Shen YC, Yen JC, Liou KT. Ameliorative effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on an eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury by down-regulating NF-κb mediated inflammation. Pharmacology. 2013;91(3-4):219-28. doi: 10.1159/000348412. Epub 2013 Apr 3. PMID: 23571777.
  25. Pan MY, Shen YC, Lu CH, Yang SY, Ho TF, Peng YT, Chang CC. Prodigiosin activates endoplasmic reticulum stress cell death pathway in human breast carcinoma cell lines. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2012 Dec 15;265(3):325-34. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2012.08.034. Epub 2012 Sep 12. PMID: 22982536.
  26. Liao YR, Kuo PC, Liang JW, Shen YC, Wu TS. An efficient total synthesis of a potent anti-inflammatory agent, benzocamphorin F, and its anti-inflammatory activity. Int J Mol Sci. 2012;13(8):10432-10440. doi: 10.3390/ijms130810432. Epub 2012 Aug 21. PMID: 22949872; PMCID: PMC3431870.
  27. Lai JK, Wu HC, Shen YC, Hsieh HY, Yang SY, Chang CC. Krüppel-like factor 4 is involved in cell scattering induced by hepatocyte growth factor. J Cell Sci. 2012 Oct 15;125(Pt 20):4853-64. doi: 10.1242/jcs.108910. Epub 2012 Aug 1. PMID: 22854048.
  28. Chern CM, Liao JF, Wang YH, Shen YC*. Melatonin ameliorates neural function by promoting endogenous neurogenesis through the MT2 melatonin receptor in ischemic-stroke mice. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 May 1;52(9):1634-47. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2012.01.030. Epub 2012 Feb 10. PMID: 22330064.
  29. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy M, Shen YC, Ohkoshi E, Bastow KF, Qian K, Lee KH, Wu TS. Bis-chalcone analogues as potent NO production inhibitors and as cytotoxic agents. Eur J Med Chem. 2012 Jan;47(1):97-103. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2011.10.026. Epub 2011 Oct 20. PMID: 22115618.
  30. Hsu JW, Wang SJ, Lin CL, Hsieh WC, Lirng JF, Shen YC, Liao MH, Chou YH. Short term vs. long term test-retest reproducibility of ¹²³I-ADAM for the binding of serotonin transporters in the human brain. Psychiatry Res. 2011 Dec 30;194(3):224-229. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.04.011. Epub 2011 Nov 10.PMID: 22079655.
  31. Chang CC, Wang YH, Chern CM, Liou KT, Hou YC, Peng YT, Shen YC*. Prodigiosin inhibits gp91(phox) and iNOS expression to protect mice against the oxidative/nitrosative brain injury induced by hypoxia-ischemia. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2011 Nov 15;257(1):137-47. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2011.08.027. Epub 2011Sep 7. PMID: 21925195.
  32. Wang HW, Liou KT, Wang YH, Lu CK, Lin YL, Lee IJ, Huang ST, Tsai YH, Cheng YC, Lin HJ, Shen YC*. Deciphering the neuroprotective mechanisms of Bu-yang Huan-wu decoction by an integrative neurofunctional and genomic approach in ischemic stroke mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Oct 31;138(1):22-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.06.033. Epub 2011 Jul 8. PMID: 21784143.
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