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Xuefu Zhuyutang Ameliorates Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease via AMPK Signaling Pathway Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyutang （XFZYT） for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） through integrated network pharmacology and animal experiments.MethodsNetwork pharmacology was utilized to predict the core components， key therapeutic targets， and signaling pathways of XFZYT in the treatment of MAFLD. For animal experiments， a rat model of MAFLD was established by feeding a high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks. Intervention was then administered with low-dose （2 g·kg-1） and high-dose （4 g·kg-1） XFZYT for 2 weeks. Biochemical assays were performed to measure the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， and low-density lipoprotein （LDL）. In addition， the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and catalase （CAT） and levels of malondialdehyde （MDA） and glutathione （GSH） in the serum were measured. The same way was adopted to measure the levels of TC and TG in the liver tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to quantify the serum levels of interleukin （IL）-6， IL-1β， and tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）. Histopathological evaluations included hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining for liver tissue morphology， Oil Red O staining for lipid deposition， and dihydroethidium （DHE） probe staining for reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels. Western blot analysis was conducted to assess the protein levels of AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， phosphorylated （p）-AMPK， nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）， nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB）， and p-NF-κB in the liver tissue. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of the serum was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS）.ResultsNetwork pharmacology analysis predicted 155 potential targets of XFZYT for MAFLD treatment， with core targets including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， TNF， and IL-6. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment primarily implicated the AMPK signaling pathway. Animal experiments demonstrated that compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited dyslipidemia， hepatic function impairment， pronounced hepatic lipid deposition， and inflammatory manifestations， with elevated serum levels of AST， ALT， TC， TG， LDL， and MDA （P<0.05）， reduced HDL and GSH levels plus decreased SOD and CAT activities （P<0.05）， downregulated protein levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and p-AMPK （P<0.05）， and upregulated protein level of p-NF-κB （P<0.05） in the liver tissue. Compared with the model group， XFZYT intervention groups showed significant amelioration of dyslipidemia and hepatic function impairment， markedly reduced hepatic lipid deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration， decreased serum levels of AST， ALT， TC， TG， LDL， and MDA （P<0.05）， increased HDL and GSH levels plus enhanced SOD and CAT activities （P<0.05）， upregulated protein levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and p-AMPK （P<0.05）， and downregulated protein level of p-NF-κB （P<0.05）. Serum metabolomics revealed 511 differentially expressed metabolites （231 upregulated and 280 downregulated） between normal and model groups， while XFZYT groups versus model group showed 94 differential metabolites （51 upregulated and 43 downregulated）. Among them， 11 metabolites displayed the most significant alterations， with enriched pathways including glycerolipid metabolism， cholesterol metabolism， and insulin resistance， multiple of which demonstrated AMPK association.ConclusionXFZYT alleviates MAFLD by regulating the AMPK signaling pathway and associated metabolic networks.Keywords：Xuefu Zhuyutang;metabolic-associated fatty liver disease;network pharmacology;metabolomics;AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK） signaling pathway320|176|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Based on 16S rDNA Technology and TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway， Molecular Mechanism of Shenling Baizhusan Resistance to Diarrhea Irritable Bowel Syndrome Rats Was Investigated Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveBased on 16S rDNA technology and molecular biology methods， the molecular mechanism of Shenling Baizhusan in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-D） was investigated.MethodsThe 42 SD rats with SPF were randomly divided into no control group， SLBZS-H， medium （SLBZS-M）， low （SLBZS-L） dose group， positive control group and model group， with 7 rats in each group. The rat model of IBS-D was prepared by ice-cold senna （0.45 g∙mL-1） gavage （10 mL∙kg-1） combined with restraint stress for 14 consecutive days. After successful modeling， the corresponding drugs were given to each group with a gavage volume of 10 mL∙kg-1： The positive group was administered with 2.36 ， 1.18， 0.59 g∙mL-1 of Shenling Baizhusan in the Positive group and the Model group with the same volume of normal saline for 14 d. The general condition of the rats： Weight， feces， mental state and death were observed and recorded. The body weight， abdominal wall retraction reflex score （AWR） and loose stool rate of rats in each group were measured before （the first day）， after the model （day 14） and after treatment （day 28）. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological characteristics of colon tissues of experimental animals. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitatively analyze the concentration of inflammatory mediators in the peripheral blood of experimental animals. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of key proteins of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， Toll-like receptor 2 （TLR2）， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88） and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway in rat colon tissue. 16S rDNA technology was used to detect the structural changes of intestinal microbiota in rats.ResultsCompared with Control， the colon of the Model group showed partial mucosal epithelial shedding and inflammatory cell infiltration. The contents of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6 and 5-HT in serum increased （P<0.05）， the protein expressions of TLR2， TLR4， MyD88 and NF-κB in colon tissue increased （P<0.05）， the diversity indices of Richness， Chao1， abundance-based coverage estimator（ACE） and Shannon decreased （P<0.05）， and the phylum Firmicutes， Actinobacteria， The relative richness of Bacteroides-H， Lactobacillus and Ligilactobacillus decreased （P<0.05）， while the relative richness of Bacteroidetes， Proteobacteria and Prevotella increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the colonic structure and organization of the SLBZS-H group， SLBZS-M group， SLBZS-L group and Positive group were clearer， and only a small number of inflammatory cells were present in some areas， and the serum contents of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6 and 5-HT were decreased （P<0.05）， TLR2， TLR4， The protein expressions of MyD88 and NF-κB decreased （P<0.05）， and compared with the model group， the diversity indices of Richness， Chao1， ACE and Shannon in the SLBZS-H， SLBZS-M and SLBZS-L groups increased （P<0.05）， and the richness of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria increased （P<0.05）. The richness of Proteobacteria and Prevotella decreased （P<0.05）， and the abundance of Prevotella decreased （P<0.05）， Bacteroides-H， Muribaculum， Lactobacillus and salivarius in the Positive group salivarius （P<0.05）.ConclusionShenling Baizhusan can effectively treat IBS-D， and its molecular mechanism may be to play a therapeutic role by improving intestinal flora and inhibiting the TLRS/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway to reduce inflammatory response.Keywords：Shenling Baizhusan;diarrhoeal irritable bowel syndrome;intestinal flora;immune inflammation;toll-like receptors/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-κB（TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB）198|119|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Textual Research on Key Information of Classic Famous Formula Dabuyuanjian Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Dabuyuanjian is one of the classic famous formulas in the Catalog of Ancient Classic Famous Formulas （Second Batch）-Medicine of Han Ethnic Group. It consists of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Dioscoreae Rhizoma， Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata， Eucommiae Cortex， Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Corni Fructus， Lycii Fructus， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle， and is used to treat the symptoms of men and women who have a great loss of Qi and blood and a critical and dramatic loss of spiritual guardianship. This study reviewed the ancient and modern literature， and used literature tracing and bibliometrics methods to mine the key information of the historical origin， formula name， drug composition， compatibility， drug dosage， original plants and processing of drugs， decocting method， and clinical application of Dabuyuanjian. The results showed that Dabuyuanjian was first recorded in the Jing Yue's Collected Works （Jing Yue Quan Shu）， with the dosage mainly following the original formula. According to the dosage in the Ming and Qing dynasties， the formula is composed of 5.60 g （for mild cases）/39.17 g （for severe cases） Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， 7.46 g Dioscoreae Rhizoma， 9.32 g （for mild cases）/ 93.25 g （for severe cases） Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata， 7.46 g Eucommiae Cortex， 9.32 g Angelicae Sinensis Radix， 3.73 g Corni Fructus， 9.32 g Lycii Fructus， and 5.60 g Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle. Regarding the original plants of drugs， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma is produced from the dried roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng， Dioscoreae Rhizoma from stir-fried dried rhizomes of Dioscorea opposita， Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata from steamed dried roots of Rehmannia glutinosa， Eucommiae Cortex from the dried bark of Eucommia ulmoides， Angelicae Sinensis Radix from the dried roots of Angelica sinensis， Corni Fructus from the dried mature fruit flesh of Cornus officinalis， Lycii Fructus from the dried mature fruits of Lycium barbarum， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle from the honey-processed dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis. These medicinal materials are decocted in 400 mL water to reach a volume of 140 mL， and the decoction should be taken 1 h after meals， 2-3 doses per day. Dabuyuanjian has a wide range of clinical applications， including gynecological and obstetrical diseases， deficiency， baffling and panic， consumptive thirst， and blood， ear， nose， and throat diseases. In modern clinical practice， it is mainly used for diseases of the nervous system， gynecology， urinary system， cardiovascular system， digestive system， musculoskeletal system， connective tissue， immune system， blood， and men. Through the review of ancient and modern literature， this study sorted out the historical evolution and mined the key information of Dabuyuanjian， aiming to provide a theoretical reference for safe and effective clinical application and subsequent research and development of this formula.Keywords：classic famous formula;Dabuyuanjian;ancient books of traditional Chinese medicine;modern application;textual research503|283|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of modified Buyang Huanwu Tang on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury （CI/RI） in mice via the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1/E3 ubiquitin ligase （PINK1/Parkin） signaling pathway-mediated mitophagy， and to explore the underlying mechanism by which modified Buyang Huanwu Tang improves CI/RI.MethodsSeventy-two male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups （n = 12 per group）： Sham-operated group， middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion （MCAO/R） model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Buyang Huanwu Tang groups （8.84， 17.68， 35.36 g·kg-1·d-1）， and an aspirin group （13.00 mg·kg-1·d-1）. Neurological deficit scores were assessed using the Zea-Longa method. Cerebral infarct volume ratio was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Histopathological changes and neuronal injury in brain tissues were observed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Mitochondrial ultrastructure in brain tissue was observed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. Serum levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B， LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ）， and p62 in brain tissues were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively.ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the MCAO/R model group showed significantly increased neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct volume ratios （P<0.01）. Severe cortical injury on the infarct side was observed， characterized by decreased neuronal density， cytoplasmic vacuolation， nuclear pyknosis， a marked reduction in Nissl bodies， dissolution of Nissl bodies in the cytoplasm of some pyramidal neurons， and blurred cellular boundaries. The number of TUNEL-positive cells increased significantly （P<0.01）. Mitochondria exhibited cristae membrane rupture and matrix vacuolation， with rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane and formation of autophagosomes， the number of which increased significantly. Serum SOD activity decreased significantly （P<0.01）， while MDA content increased significantly （P<0.01）. In infarcted brain tissues of model mice， the relative mRNA expression and protein levels of PINK1， Parkin and LC3B were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas p62 mRNA and protein expression were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， showing statistical significance. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed significantly decreased neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct volume ratios （P<0.01）. Neuronal density increased significantly， cytoplasmic vacuolation was alleviated， nuclear morphology tended to be more regular and clearer， Nissl body density increased significantly with reduced dissolution and improved contour clarity. The mitochondrial cristae structure was partially restored， with some mitochondria showing autophagosome encapsulation， and the degree of mitochondrial damage was alleviated. Serum SOD activity increased significantly （P<0.01）， while MDA content decreased significantly. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while p62 mRNA and protein expression in the low- and medium-dose modified Buyang Huanwu Tang groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， showing statistical significance.ConclusionModified Buyang Huanwu Tang can upregulate the protein expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and downregulate p62 protein expression， suggesting that it may improve CI/RI by regulating the expression of proteins related to the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway. Regulation of the mitophagy pathway may be one of the mechanisms by which modified Buyang Huanwu Tang alleviates CI/RI in mice.Keywords：modified Buyang Huanwu Tang;Guiqi Tongmai mixture;cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury;autophagy;PTEN-induced putative kinase 1/E3 ubiquitin ligase （PINK1/Parkin） signaling pathway218|161|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Mechanisms of Huanglian Jiedutang and Its Major Active Constituents in Inhibiting LPS-induced M1 Polarisation of BV2 Microglia Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJD） and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， and berberine） can inhibit the inflammatory response of BV2 cells under lipopolysaccharide （LPS） stimulation via the high-mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1）/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and to explore differences in therapeutic efficacy among the three monomers， their combined formula， and HLJD under equal content ratios.MethodsBV2 microglial cells were used as the primary experimental model. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method to examine the effects of different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO， 0.8%， 0.4%， 0.2%， 0.1%， and 0.05%） on cell viability. IncuCyte was employed to monitor the growth of cells under different concentrations of HLJD （200， 100， 50， 25， 12.5， 6.25 mg·L-1）. Nitric oxide （NO） assay was used to screen the optimal HLJD concentration. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） determined the content of geniposide， baicalin， and berberine in HLJD， and experimental groups were subsequently established according to the relative proportions of these constituents. CCK-8 assay evaluated cell viability under different treatments. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） measured levels of inflammatory factors （TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， IL-10） in the supernatant. Flow cytometry assessed the effects of treatments on M1-type polarization of BV2 cells. Western blot determined the expression levels of HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins.ResultsCompared with the blank group， DMSO at concentrations ≤0.2% did not affect cell viability within 48 h. BV2 cell growth plateaued at 24 h after treatment with 200 mg·L-1 HLJD. Under stimulation with 2 mg·L-1 LPS， this concentration of HLJD effectively reduced NO release， and 6 h pre-treatment had a stronger inhibitory effect on NO than direct administration. HPLC results showed that 1 mg of HLJD freeze-dried powder contained approximately 24 μg of geniposide， 15 μg of baicalin， and 30 μg of berberine. Based on these ratios， experimental groups were blank， LPS （2 mg·L-1）， HLJD （200 mg·L-1）， monomer combination， geniposide （4.8 mg·L-1）， baicalin （3 mg·L-1）， and berberine （6 mg·L-1）. The monomer combination group consisted of all three active constituents dissolved together. LPS and HLJD or its active constituents did not affect cell viability compared with the blank group. LPS significantly increased TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and IL-10 in the supernatant （P<0.01）. HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01） while upregulating anti-inflammatory IL-10 （P<0.01）， with the monomer combination showing the strongest effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS significantly increased the proportion of CD80⁺CD86⁺ （M1-type） BV2 cells （P<0.01）. HLJD and its constituents partially inhibited M1 polarization （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination exhibiting the most pronounced effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS upregulated HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins （P<0.01）， whereas HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced their expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination having the strongest regulatory effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）.ConclusionHLJD and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， berberine） can inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory responses in BV2 cells. The combination of the three active constituents demonstrates the most potent anti-inflammatory effect， significantly attenuating M1-type polarization of BV2 cells via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.Keywords：Huanglian Jiedutang;high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） detection;BV2 microglia cells;M1-type polarization;high-mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1）/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway153|137|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Heat-clearing and Toxin-removing Method Reduces Ischemic Stroke Injury by Protecting Endothelial-pericyte and Inhibiting Macrophage Migration Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effects of Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJDT） on immune cell migration， blood-brain barrier protection， and cellular functional recovery in a model of ischemic stroke.MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion （tMCAO） model was established in mice to induce ischemic stroke. Cerebral blood flow and neurological function were evaluated using laser speckle imaging and neurological deficit scoring. Histopathological damage in brain tissues was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Nissl staining. Mice were divided into a sham group， a model group， an HLJDT group， and a Ginkgo biloba extract （GBE） group. After one week of acclimatization， intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline， the HLJDT group received HLJDT at 1.82 g·kg-¹， and the GBE group received GBE at 0.432 g·kg-¹. Administration was continued for 5 consecutive days， and the tMCAO model was established after the final dose on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on brain tissues and peripheral immune cells. UMAP and odds ratio （OR） indices were used to analyze cell distribution. Differential expression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of HLJDT on endothelial cells， pericytes， and macrophages， combined with CellChat and decoupler to analyze cell-cell communication and transcription factor regulation. Finally， PCR and ELISA were used to validate the mRNA and protein expression of relevant genes.ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed significantly increased neurological deficit scores （P<0.01） and significantly decreased cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， accompanied by cortical structural disorder， aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group， both the HLJDT and GBE groups exhibited significantly reduced neurological deficit scores （P<0.01） and markedly improved cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， along with amelioration of cortical structural disorder， alleviated cytoplasmic vacuolization， and reduced numbers of Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that HLJDT protected endothelial cells and pericytes by preventing their reduction， restored the expression of functional genes in these cells （e.g.， PECAM1 and NOS3）， and downregulated the expression of chemokines and adhesion-related factors （e.g.， CCL2 and CXCL2）. In macrophages， HLJDT reduced their recruitment to the central nervous system and downregulated the expression of chemokine receptors and inflammatory factors （e.g.， IL-6， CCR2， and CXCR2）. Cell-cell communication analysis further indicated that HLJDT， through the above mechanisms， alleviated damage to pericytes and endothelial cells， reduced their recruitment of macrophages， and decreased ligand-receptor interactions in chemokine signaling pathways （including CCL， CXCL， and CSF3） between pericytes/endothelial cells and macrophages， thereby preventing secondary injury. Compared with the sham group， the model group showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 （P<0.01）， while mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte function-related genes （RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3） were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. In contrast， compared with the model group， the HLJDT and GBE groups exhibited significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 （P<0.01）， and significantly increased expression of RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3 （P<0.01）. At the protein level， compared with the sham group， the model group showed significantly increased expression of IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α （P<0.01）， whereas these protein levels were significantly reduced in the HLJDT and GBE groups compared with the model group （P<0.01）.ConclusionHLJDT reduces neuronal damage in ischemic stroke by protecting endothelial cells and pericytes， while inhibiting their interaction with macrophages， thereby mitigating secondary injury in the central nervous system.Keywords：Huanglian Jiedutang;ischemic stroke;single-cell transcriptomics;central-peripheral interaction155|93|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Huanglian Jiedutang Improves Cognitive Impairment after Schemic Stroke by Regulating Neuron via NF-κB Signaling Pathway Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJDT） on cognitive function in mice with ischemic stroke （IS） and to elucidate whether its neuroprotective effects are mediated by inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway and subsequent suppression of NF-κB-regulated neuronal apoptosis.MethodsAn IS model was established using middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）. Sixty C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to five groups （n =12 per group）， i.e.， sham operation， model， HLJDT low-dose （3.9 g·kg-1·d-1）， HLJDT high-dose （7.8 g·kg-1·d-1）， and Ginkgo biloba extract （GBE， 31.2 mg·kg-1·d-1）. Post-operatively， neurological deficit scores （Longa score）， cerebral infarct volume assessed by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining， and brain water content were evaluated. Learning and memory were assessed using new object recognition （NOR） and fear conditioning （FC） tests. Hippocampal pathology was examined via hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining. Immunofluorescence detected expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP， astrocyte marker）， cellular oncogene Fos （c-Fos， neuronal activation marker）， and glutamate decarboxylase 65 （GAD65）. Western blot measured nuclear factor-κB inhibitor protein α （IκBα）， phosphorylated IκBα （p-IκBα）， NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65）， ionic calcium binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba-1）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin （IL）-1β， and apoptosis-related proteins， such as cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3 （Caspase-3）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. Real-time quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR） was used to assess mRNA levels of Iba-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， NF-κB p65， cleaved Caspase-3， Bax， and Bcl-2.ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group exhibited significantly increased neurological deficit scores， brain water content， and cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）. Hippocampal CA1 neurons were disorganized， showing nuclear pyknosis and karyolysis. NOR exploration time and FC freezing time were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. GFAP and c-Fos expression were increased， while GAD65 expression was decreased （P<0.01）. Cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax were upregulated， Bcl-2 was downregulated， and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was elevated （P<0.01）. Expression levels of p-IκBα， p-NF-κB p65， IL-1β， TNF-α， and Iba-1 were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， HLJDT high-dose， low-dose， and GBE groups showed significant improvements in all parameters （P<0.01）. Among them， the HLJDT high-dose group showed the most pronounced neuronal structural recovery and superior performance in NOR and FC tests （P<0.01）. In this group， GFAP and c-Fos decreased， GAD65 increased （P<0.01）， apoptosis-related protein expression was reversed， and NF-κB signaling and related inflammatory factor expression were suppressed （P<0.01）.ConclusionHLJDT ameliorates cognitive dysfunction in mice after IS， potentially by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， thereby reducing neuroinflammation and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.Keywords：Huanglian Jiedutang;ischemic stroke;nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway;neuroinflammation;apoptosis;cognitive impairment;hippocampus164|91|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJDT）， as a classical formula for clearing heat and removing toxins， has been widely applied in the treatment of various clinical diseases in recent years， particularly during the fire-heat stage of stroke， where it has attracted considerable attention. Based on previous studies， this paper systematically elaborates on the research progress on the active components of HLJDT， its clinical application in ischemic stroke， and advances in studies on its mechanisms of action. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that HLJDT contains multiple active components， including baicalin， geniposide， and berberine. In the treatment of ischemic stroke， these components exert therapeutic effects through multi-target， multi-pathway， and multi-level mechanisms. Clinical studies have shown that HLJDT can increase cerebral blood flow， reduce cerebral infarct volume， and improve post-stroke physical dysfunction in patients with ischemic stroke. Experimental studies have indicated that HLJDT can improve neurological function scores and increase cerebral perfusion in experimental stroke models. In addition， the mechanisms underlying the anti-ischemic stroke effects of HLJDT may be related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities， promotion of angiogenesis， and regulation of amino acid and energy metabolism. Although existing studies have confirmed that HLJDT exhibits multi-target and multi-pathway synergistic therapeutic characteristics， further large-sample randomized controlled trials are still needed to verify its long-term efficacy and to further elucidate the dynamic interaction network among components， targets， and pathways. Combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses， this study further clarifies the synergistic targets of the core components （berberine， baicalin， and geniposide）， providing a theoretical basis for in-depth research and clinical translation of HLJDT in the treatment of ischemic stroke.Keywords：Huanglian Jiedutang;ischemic stroke;active ingredient;clinical application;experimental research;multi-target regulation177|91|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
- Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanism by which the Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription exerts a renal protective effect in mice with diabetic kidney disease （DKD） by regulating the cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） signaling pathway.MethodsThirty specific pathogen-free （SPF） male db/db mice were adaptively fed for three weeks. Mice with a random tail vein blood glucose level ≥ 11.1 mmol·L-1 and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio （ACR） ≥ 30 mg·g-1 were considered successfully modeled. The successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into five groups with six mice in each group： the model group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription groups （administered at doses of 7， 14， 28 g·kg-1·d-1 respectively）， and the positive drug irbesartan group （administered at a dose of 20 mg·kg-1·d-1）. Additionally， six db/m mice were selected as the blank group. Mice in each group were given intragastric administration of the Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription at the corresponding concentrations， irbesartan， or an equal volume of pure water， and the intervention lasted for 12 weeks. During the experiment， the general conditions， body weight changes， and renal function indicators of the mice were dynamically monitored. After the intervention， a blood glucose meter was used to measure the fasting blood glucose （FBG） of the mice. An automatic biochemical analyzer was employed to detect the levels of serum creatinine （SCr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urinary microalbumin （uALB）， ACR， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， leptin （LEP）， glycosylated serum protein （GSP）， and insulin （INS） in the mice. Renal tissues were collected for hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining， and Masson's trichrome staining to observe the histopathological changes. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expressions of protein kinase A （PKA） and cAMP response element-binding protein （CREB） in the mice. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression levels of PKA， phosphorylated protein kinase A （p-PKA）， CREB， phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein （p-CREB）， and B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） proteins in the renal tissues of the mice. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of PKA， CREB， and Bcl-2 in the renal tissues of the mice.ResultsCompared with the blank group， the mice in the model group showed listlessness， decreased activity， and a significant increase in body weight （P<0.01）. Biochemical indicators revealed that the levels of BUN， uALB， ACR， AST， ALT， TC， TG， FBG， LEP， GSP， and INS were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while SCr showed an increasing trend with no statistically significant difference. Compared with the model group， the mice in the Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription intervention groups had improved general conditions and a decreasing trend in body weight. Biochemical indicators showed that the levels of BUN， uALB， ACR， TC， GSP， and INS were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while SCr， AST， ALT， TG， and LEP showed a decreasing trend with no statistically significant difference. Renal histopathological analysis showed that the model group exhibited typical DKD pathological features such as thickening of the glomerular basement membrane， expansion of the mesangial matrix， and deposition of collagen fibers in the renal tubulointerstitium， and all treatment groups could alleviate the above pathological damages. The IHC results showed that compared with the blank group， the expression levels of p-PKA and p-CREB in the renal tissues of the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression level of p-PKA in the medium-dose Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， while the expression level of p-CREB showed an increasing trend with no statistically significant difference. Western blot results showed that compared with the blank group， the expression levels of p-PKA/PKA， p-CREB/CREB， and Bcl-2 in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of these proteins in the medium-dose Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the blank group， the mRNA expressions of PKA， CREB， and Bcl-2 in the model group were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the mRNA expressions of these genes in the medium-dose Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription group were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）.ConclusionThe Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription can improve the liver and kidney functions of db/db mice， correct lipid metabolism disorders and glucose metabolism imbalance. Its renal protective effect is associated with up-regulating the cAMP signaling pathway to improve renal fibrosis and reduce the level of oxidative stress， thereby protecting renal function.Keywords：diabetic kidney disease （DKD）;Bushen Kaixuan Tongluo prescription;cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） signaling pathway;traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）206|127|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
- Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng prescription （JPYZXZ） treats poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma （PC-GC） through regulation of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 51 （USP51）.MethodsIn vitro experiments： Cell viability and proliferation of PC-GC cell lines （MKN-45 and HGC-27） treated with different concentrations of JPYZXZ （2， 4， 6 g·L-1） were assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 （CCK-8） and colony formation assays. Cell migration was evaluated by wound healing （scratch） and Transwell assays. The mRNA and protein expression levels of USP51， zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 （ZEB1）， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT）-related markers （e.g.， E-cadherin） were detected by quantitative real-time PCR （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. Subsequently， stable MKN-45 and HGC-27 cell lines with USP51 knockdown （sh-USP51） and overexpression （oe-USP51） were constructed. Their migration ability and EMT-related protein expression were further evaluated by scratch assay， Transwell assay， and Western blot. In vivo experiments： A subcutaneous xenograft model of MKN-45 human gastric cancer was established in BALB/c nude mice. Thirty mice were randomly divided into six groups （NC， NC + JPYZXZ， sh-USP51， sh-USP51 + JPYZXZ， oe-USP51， and oe-USP51 + JPYZXZ）， with five mice in each group. After successful modeling， mice in the treatment groups were administered JPYZXZ （30 g·kg-1） by gavage for 28 days. Body weight and tumor volume were monitored during the experiment. The expression levels of USP51 and EMT-related proteins in tumor tissues were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry （IHC）.ResultsCompared with the blank group， the colony formation rate， wound healing rate， and number of migrated cells in MKN-45 and HGC-27 cells were significantly reduced in all JPYZXZ groups and the 5-fluorouracil （5-FU） group （P<0.05）. The mRNA and protein expression levels of USP51 were decreased （P<0.05）. The expression of ZEB1 and mesenchymal phenotype proteins （e.g.， N-cadherin and vimentin） was reduced （P<0.05）， whereas the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin was increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， USP51 expression was decreased in the sh-USP51 group and increased in the oe-USP51 group （P<0.05）. Compared with the NC group， USP51 knockdown significantly reduced the migration and proliferation of gastric cancer cells （P<0.01）， decreased the expression of ZEB1 and EMT-related proteins， and increased E-cadherin expression （P<0.05）. In vivo results showed that JPYZXZ significantly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice （P<0.05） and markedly reversed the abnormal expression of EMT-related proteins in tumor tissues （P<0.05）.ConclusionThe therapeutic mechanisms of JPYZXZ in PC-GC may be associated with inhibition of the EMT process via regulation of the USP51-ZEB1 signaling pathway.Keywords：Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng prescription;poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma;ubiquitin-specific peptidase 51 （USP51）;zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 （ZEB1）;epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT）142|196|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
- Abstract：ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether Bushen Tongluo prescription inhibits macrophage polarization by regulating the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway， thereby reducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and excessive extracellular matrix deposition， in order to elucidate the anti-pulmonary fibrosis mechanisms of Bushen Tongluo prescription and provide a new theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.MethodsFifty male Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a blank group， model group， pirfenidone group， and high- and low-dose Bushen Tongluo prescription groups. Except for the blank group， the pulmonary fibrosis model was established by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Intervention was initiated on day 28 after modeling. The high- and low-dose Bushen Tongluo prescription groups were administered Bushen Tongluo prescription at doses of 30.88， 15.44 g·kg-1， respectively， by intragastric gavage. The pirfenidone group was administered pirfenidone capsules at 110 mg·kg-1 by intragastric gavage. The blank and model groups were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage， once daily for 90 days. After treatment， the level of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Morphological changes in lung tissue and the collagen volume fraction were compared. The protein distribution and expression of E-cadherin， cytokeratin 19， α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， vimentin， collagen type Ⅰ （Col Ⅰ）， and collagen type Ⅲ （Col Ⅲ） in lung tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. The protein distribution and expression of CD68， arginase-1 （Arg-1）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， Wnt3a， and β-catenin in lung tissue were detected by immunofluorescence. The protein expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in lung tissue was detected by Western blot， and the mRNA expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin was detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）.ResultsCompared with the blank group， a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated the airway walls， alveolar spaces， and interstitial tissue in the model group， with obvious fibrous tissue hyperplasia. The level of TGF-β1 in BALF was significantly increased. The protein expression of E-cadherin and cytokeratin 19 in lung tissue was decreased， whereas the protein expression of α-SMA， Vimentin， Wnt3a， β-catenin， Col Ⅰ， and Col Ⅲ was increased. The fluorescence-positive area ratios of CD68， Arg-1， iNOS， Wnt3a， and β-catenin in lung tissue were increased. The protein and mRNA expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin in lung tissue were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed varying degrees of improvement in inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous tissue hyperplasia in the airway walls， alveolar spaces， and interstitial tissue， decreased TGF-β1 levels in BALF， increased protein expression of E-cadherin and cytokeratin 19 in lung tissue， decreased protein expression of α-SMA， Vimentin， Col Ⅰ， and Col Ⅲ， decreased fluorescence-positive area ratios of CD68， Arg-1， iNOS， Wnt3a， and β-catenin in lung tissue， and decreased protein and mRNA expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin in lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）.ConclusionBushen Tongluo prescription can improve bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and reducing excessive extracellular matrix deposition. The mechanism may be related to inhibition of the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway and the macrophage polarization mediated by this pathway.Keywords：Bushen Tongluo prescription;pulmonary fibrosis;macrophage polarization;Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway148|104|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Integrating Transcriptomics and 3D Organoids to Investigate Mechanism of Periplaneta americana Extract Against Lung Adenocarcinoma Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo evaluate the antitumor activity of Periplaneta americana extract（PAE） against human-derived lung adenocarcinoma organoids（LUAD-PDOs） and to elucidate its potential mechanism based on transcriptomics.MethodsFresh tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with LUAD were collected to construct LUAD-PDOs and normal lung organoid（Nor-PDOs） models using 3D organoid culture technology. The effective intervention concentration of PAE was determined using the cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） assay. Experimental groups included the model group（LUAD-PDOs）， normal group， model administration group（LUAD-PDOs+PAE）， and normal administration group（Nor-PDOs+PAE）. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological structures of PDOs， immunohistochemistry（IHC） was performed to detect the expressions of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and lung adenocarcinoma differentiation markers cytokeratin-7（CK-7） and Napsin A， TUNEL staining was applied to detect cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing（RNA-Seq） was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes（DEGs）， followed by Gene Ontology（GO）， Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG）， and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis（GSEA）， alongside protein-protein interaction（PPI） network analysis to screen core mechanisms. Finally， key targets were validated by integrating external database analysis with immunofluorescence（IF）.ResultsNor-PDOs and LUAD-PDOs that highly recapitulated the pathological characteristics of the primary tissues were successfully established. The CCK-8 assay determined that the effective intervention concentration of PAE was 16 g·L-1. Morphological observation showed that Nor-PDOs exhibited lumen-forming structures， whereas LUAD-PDOs displayed dense， solid structures. CCK-8 and TUNEL assays revealed that， compared with the model group， PAE intervention inhibited the proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promoted apoptosis in LUAD cells， while showing no significant effect on the viability of Nor-PDOs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 719 DEGs that were significantly reversed after PAE intervention（347 up-regulated and 372 down-regulated）（P<0.05）. GO enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in the model administration group were significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell cycle regulation compared to the model group. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PAE affected pathways related to proliferation and metabolism， including pathways in cancer and the p53 signaling pathway. GSEA further confirmed that PAE significantly enhanced the activity of the p53 signaling pathway（P<0.05）. PPI network analysis indicated that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein（BRCA1） and checkpoint kinase 1（CHEK1） were the core down-regulated targets in the p53 pathway. IF verified the high expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 in LUAD-PDOs and their significant downregulation after PAE intervention（P<0.05）. Furthermore， survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas（TCGA） database indicated that low expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 was significantly associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with LUAD（P<0.05）.ConclusionPAE effectively inhibits proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promotes their apoptosis， its anti-tumor mechanism is potentially associated with the activation of the p53 signaling pathway， with BRCA1 and CHEK1 genes likely serving as key downstream targets for the effects of PAE.Keywords：organoids;lung adenocarcinoma;Periplaneta americana;transcriptome sequencing;p53 signaling pathway;breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein（BRCA1）;checkpoint kinase 1（CHEK1）151|90|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Wendan Ningxin granules （WNG） on susceptibility to atrial fibrillation （AF） in mice with inflammatory injury.Methods100 C57BL/6 mice were divided into a blank control group， a model group， a low-dose WNG group （2.34 g·kg-1·d-1）， a high-dose WNG group （4.68 g·kg-1·d-1）， and an amiodarone positive control group （0.091 g·kg-1·d-1）， with 20 mice in each group. Except for the blank control group， mice in other groups received intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide （LPS） to establish an inflammatory injury model. Treatment groups received continuous intragastric administration of their respective interventions for four weeks. During the fourth week， the treatment groups received LPS injections concurrently with their treatments. The blank control and model groups received distilled water （10 mL·kg-1·d-1） by gavage， with a gavage volume of 10 mL·kg-1 for all groups， once daily. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe atrial tissue morphology and fibrosis degree. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in mouse atrial tissue. Electrophysiological detection was performed using a multi-channel electrophysiology mapping system to measure AF inducibility， AF duration， and atrial effective refractory period （AERP）. High-resolution optical mapping was used to measure action potential duration （APD） dispersion， conduction heterogeneity index， and calcium transient （CaT） dispersion. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA expression of proteins related to diastolic calcium leakage in mouse atria： Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ（CaMKⅡ）， ryanodine receptor 2（RyR2）， sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase （SERCA）， and sodium-calcium exchanger （NCX）. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of CaMKII， RyR2， SERCA， and NCX proteins in myocardial tissue from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure serum levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）.ResultsPathological staining results showed that compared with the blank control group， the model group exhibited disrupted atrial tissue structure， inflammatory cell infiltration， atrial fibrosis， and diffuse infiltration of numerous brown α-SMA positive cells in the atrial interstitium （P<0.01）. AF could be induced by electrical stimulation with a longer duration. AERP was shortened， while APD dispersion， conduction heterogeneity index， and CaT dispersion were increased （P<0.01）. The expression of proteins associated with diastolic calcium leakage， including CaMKⅡ， RyR2， and NCX1， showed elevated mRNA and protein levels， whereas SERCA2a mRNA and protein expression decreased （P<0.05）. Serum levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， intervention with WNG alleviated cardiac structural damage， reduced inflammatory cell infiltration， improved atrial fibrosis， and reduced the diffuse infiltration of α-SMA positive cells （P<0.01）. AF inducibility and AF duration upon electrical stimulation were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， AERP was prolonged （P<0.05）， mRNA and protein expression of CaMKⅡ， RyR2， and NCX1-proteins associated with diastolic calcium leakage-were reduced， whilst mRNA and protein expression of SERCA2a increased （P<0.05）， and serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were decreased （P<0.01）.ConclusionBoth low‑ and high‑dose WNG can effectively reduce susceptibility to inflammation-related AF. The mechanism by which WNG reduce AF susceptibility may be related to regulating proteins involved in sarcoplasmic reticulum diastolic calcium leak， thereby improving cardiac electrical remodeling， and alleviating inflammation-induced myocardial fibrosis， thus improving cardiac structural remodeling.Keywords：Wendan Ningxin granules;Shiwei Wendan decoction;Wendan Tang;atrial fibrillation;inflammation;atrial fibrillation susceptibility;calcium;electrophysiology97|79|1<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Exploring Mechanism of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang in Depressive-like Rats via AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB/NLRP3 Signaling Pathway Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang（CJLM） on depression-like behaviors and neuroinflammation in rats subjected to social isolation combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS）， and to explore the potential underlying mechanisms.MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose CJLM groups（2.89， 5.78， 11.56 g·kg-1）， as well as a fluoxetine group（10 mg·kg-1）. Except for the normal group， all other groups were subjected to social isolation combined with CUMS for 63 d. During the first 35 d， depression models were established only， and from day 36 onward， modeling and drug administration were conducted simultaneously for a total intervention period of 28 d. Depression-like behaviors were evaluated using the sucrose preference test， open-field test， and forced swimming test. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was performed to observe hippocampal histomorphology. Immunohistochemistry（IHC） was used to detect the expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1（Iba1） and gasdermin D（GSDMD） proteins in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was employed to determine the protein expression levels of adenosine 5′-monophosphate（AMP）-activated protein kinase（AMPK） and phosphorylated（p）-AMPK， silent information regulator 1（SIRT1）， nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB） and p-NF-κB， NOD-like receptor protein 3（NLRP3）， and Caspase-1 in the hippocampus. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）， interleukin（IL）-6， and IL-1β in the hippocampus.ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a decreased sucrose preference rate（P<0.01）， reduced total movement distance（P<0.01）， prolonged immobility time（P<0.01）， and decreased central zone residence time（P<0.01） in the open-field test， and increased immobility time in the forced swimming test（P<0.01）. Hippocampal neuronal structure was damaged. The contents of Iba1 and GSDMD in the hippocampus were significantly increased（P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of p-AMPK and SIRT1 in the hippocampus were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， whereas the protein expression levels of p-NF-κB， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 were significantly increased（P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α in the hippocampus were significantly upregulated（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the low-， medium-， and high-dose CJLM groups and the fluoxetine group all were able to reverse depression-like behavioral changes， as evidenced by increased sucrose preference rate， increased total movement distance with shortened immobility time in the open-field test， prolonged central zone residence time， and reduced immobility time in the forced swimming test（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， hippocampal neuronal structural damage was alleviated. In the hippocampus， the expression levels of Iba1 and GSDMD were downregulated， the expression levels of p-AMPK and SIRT1 were upregulated， and the abnormal elevations of p-NF-κB， NLRP3， Caspase-1， as well as IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α mRNA were suppressed（P<0.05， P<0.01）.ConclusionCJLM can ameliorate depression-like behaviors in rats subjected to social isolation combined with CUMS and attenuate hippocampal neuroinflammation and pyroptosis， suggesting that its effects may be associated with the regulation of AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.Keywords：depression;Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang;social isolation combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress;neuroinflammation;pyroptosis;adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase/silent information regulator 1/nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3（AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB/NLRP3） signaling pathway117|92|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Metabolomics Reveals Mechanism of Abelmoschi Corolla Total Flavonoids in Regulating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in IgA Nephropathy Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo elucidate the mechanism by which total flavonoids of Abelmoschi Corolla （TFA） treat immunoglobulin A （IgA） nephropathy （IgAN） through serum metabolomics analysis.MethodsSPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned into six groups （n=10）： blank， model， low-dose TFA （TFA-L， 27 mg·kg-1）， medium-dose TFA （TFA-M， 54 mg·kg-1）， high-dose TFA （TFA-H， 108 mg·kg-1）， and losartan potassium （LST， 4.5 mg·kg-1） groups. The remaining five groups， excluding the blank group， were modeled with bovine serum albumin （BSA）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， and carbon tetrachloride （CCl4）. Specifically， from weeks 1 to 10， BSA was administered via gavage every other day， and a mixture of castor oil and CCl4 was injected subcutaneously once a week， with LPS injected into the tail vein at weeks 6 and 8. After successful modeling， each intervention group was administrated with the medication prepared with distilled water once daily by gavage for a continuous period of 4 weeks. The levels of 24-hour urinary total protein （24 h UP） and serum creatinine （SCr） were quantified by kits， and the serum IgA level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Renal pathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining. Renal IgA deposition was assessed by immunofluorescence （IF）. Endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Western blot and immunohistochemistry （IHC） were employed to detect the expression of ER stress-related factors. Non-targeted metabolomics was used to screen differential metabolites for analysis， and key metabolites arachidonic acid （AA）， prostaglandin E2 （PGE2）， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） were validated.ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased 24-hour urine protein （24 h UP） and serum creatinine （SCr） levels （P<0.01）， obvious renal pathological damage， elevated serum IgA level （P<0.01）， increased renal AA and PGE2 levels （P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein levels of COX-2， glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）， phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α （P-EIF2α）， activating transcription factor 4 （ATF4）， inositol-requiring enzyme 1α （IRE1α）， and spliced X-box binding protein 1 （XBP1s） in the renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the intervention groups showed reductions in 24 h UP and SCr levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， alleviated renal pathological injury， decreased serum IgA level （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced renal AA and PGE2 levels （P<0.01）. Western blot and IHC results showed that TFA reduced the levels of COX-2， GRP78， P-EIF2α， ATF4， IRE1α， and XBP1s in the renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Metabolomics results indicated that 51 commonly differential metabolites were found among the normal， model， and TFA-M groups. TFA ameliorated IgAN by affecting metabolic pathways related to the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid and arginine through L-aspartic acid， prostaglandin 2α， leukotriene B4， leukotriene D4， among others.ConclusionTFA can regulate the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway， thereby modulating ER stress， reducing renal damage， and ameliorating IgA nephropathy.Keywords：Abelmoschi Corolla total flavonoids;immunoglobulin A （IgA） nephropathy;arachidonic acid metabolism pathway;metabolomics;endoplasmic reticulum stress148|177|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30From Cathartic Colon to Cathartic-dependent Constipation： Diagnostic-therapeutic Strategies from Integrative Medicine Perspective Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Both cathartic colon （CC） and cathartic-dependent constipation （CDC） are caused by the abuse of stimulant laxatives， while their concepts are not completely the same.Starting from the disease name of CC， this article traced the origin and evolution of the concept of CC， summarizes and compared the similarities and differences between CC， CDC， and slow transit constipation （STC）， and called for strict differentiation among the three.Furthermore， this article explored the specific contents of Western medicine clinical subtypes and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation of CDC and delved into the TCM pathogenesis of CDC according to both literature and clinical practice.The relationship between clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes was established， and the syndrome characteristics of CDC of different clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes were summarized.The recommended prescriptions for corresponding syndromes were listed.A systematic CDC diagnosis and treatment approach of "clinical subtypes-syndrome differentiation-syndrome characteristics-recommended prescriptions" was thus formed.Additionally， the paper provides an overview of current research on CDC in both Western medicine and TCM contexts， identifies future research directions， and suggests research pathways for refining and advancing CDC studies.Keywords：cathartic colon;cathartic-dependent constipation;clinical subtype;syndrome differentiation191|108|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Clinical Efficacy of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Prescription in Treatment of Cathartic Colon and Analysis of Influencing Factors of Disease Severity Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue prescription （YYHP） in the treatment of cathartic colon （CC） and its effects on fecal short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）， and to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history.MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria， 98 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of both traditional Chinese and Western medicine for CC with the syndrome of Qi-Yin deficiency complicated by blood stasis were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group. The observation group received YYHP granules， while the control group received lactulose. Both medications were administered twice daily， one sachet each time， half an hour after breakfast and dinner， with a treatment course of 8 weeks. The primary constipation symptom score， Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life （PAC-QOL） score， and TCM syndrome score were assessed before and after treatment and at the 8th week after the end of treatment. The overall clinical effective rate， as well as the efficacy attenuation index and degree， were evaluated. Fecal SCFA levels were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history.ResultsThe overall clinical effective rate in the observation group （95.83%） was higher than that in the control group （78.72%） （P<0.05）. After treatment， the total scores for primary constipation symptoms， PAC-QOL， and TCM syndromes decreased in both groups （P<0.05）， with more significant reductions in the observation group （P<0.05）. The severity of all primary constipation symptoms was alleviated in both groups （P<0.05）. In terms of "excessive straining and difficult defecation"， "anal heaviness， incomplete evacuation， and bloating sensation"， "abdominal distension"， and "defecation frequency"， the observation group showed better efficacy than the control group （P<0.05）. Scores of the four PAC-QOL dimensions and the scores and severity of primary and secondary TCM symptoms were reduced in both groups （P<0.05）， with more significant reductions in the observation group （P<0.05）. After treatment， acetic acid， propionic acid， butyric acid， and total SCFAs in the observation group increased significantly （P<0.05）. The efficacy attenuation index and degree in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.05）. No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group， and there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. Positive correlations of varying degrees were observed among the total scores of primary constipation symptoms， PAC-QOL， and TCM syndromes， as well as between these scores and the history of stimulant laxative use， disease duration， and age.ConclusionYYHP can effectively alleviate the primary constipation symptoms in CC patients， improve quality of life， and ameliorate TCM syndromes， with good safety. It also has the advantage of a lower rebound degree after drug withdrawal， and its mechanism may be related to increasing fecal SCFA levels. Long-term abuse of stimulant laxatives may aggravate the severity of CC and prolong the disease course.Keywords：cathartic colon;constipation;Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue prescription;short-chain fatty acids;correlation analysis141|102|1<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：ObjectiveTo evaluate and analyze the syndrome characteristics of Qi and Yin deficiency accompanied by Qi stagnation and blood stasis in a rhein-induced cathartic colon （CC） rat model.MethodsTwenty-four rats were divided into a normal group and a model group （CC group）. The rats were administered equal volumes of physiological saline or 2% rhein suspension by gavage to establish the model over three cycles （approximately 118 days）. The first cycle lasted 46 days， with a dosage of 12 mL·kg-1·d-1， administered every other day. The second cycle lasted 37 days， with a dosage of 12 mL·kg-1·d-1， administered for 5 consecutive days followed by 2 days of cessation. The third cycle lasted 35 days， with a dosage of 16 mL·kg-1·d-1， also administered for 5 consecutive days followed by 2 days of cessation. Each cycle ended when 80% of the rats no longer exhibited loose stools. Body mass， 24 h food intake， coat condition， and coat red （R）， green （G）， and blue （B） values were recorded. The open field test （OFT） was used to measure the total distance traveled to evaluate Qi deficiency. The body mass coefficient and 24 h water intake were recorded to assess Yin deficiency. The sucrose preference test （SPT） was used to determine the sucrose preference rate （SPR）， and the average speed in OFT was measured to evaluate depressive status （liver depression and Qi stagnation）. Tongue images and their R， G， and B values were recorded. Whole blood viscosity （WBV） and plasma viscosity （PV） were measured using an automatic hemorheological analyzer to evaluate blood stasis. A carbon ink propulsion test was performed to determine the intestinal transit rate （ITR） for disease model evaluation. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe histopathological changes in the colon. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 （TRPA1） and tryptophan hydroxylase 1 （TPH1） in colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of TRPA1 and TPH1.ResultsIn terms of syndrome indicators， compared with the normal group， the body mass of the CC group decreased （P<0.05）， while 24 h food intake increased （P<0.01）. The coats of the CC group appeared withered， disheveled， and dull， and the R， G， and B values of the coat decreased （P<0.01）. The total distance traveled in OFT decreased （P<0.01）. The body mass coefficient decreased （P<0.01）， while 24 h water intake increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The SPR decreased （P<0.01）， and the average speed in OFT slowed （P<0.01）. The tongue appeared dark red， and the R， G， and B values of tongue images decreased （P<0.01）. WBV and PV increased （P<0.01）. Regarding disease indicators， compared with the normal group， the ITR decreased in the CC group （P<0.01）. Pathologically， HE staining showed necrosis and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells， disruption of mucosal continuity， and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria in the CC group. Semi-quantitative analysis showed increased HAI scores （P<0.05） and increased inflammatory cell counts and area proportion （P<0.05）. In terms of molecular biological indicators， compared with the normal group， the mRNA and protein expression levels of TRPA1 and TPH1 in colon tissue decreased in the CC group （P<0.05， P<0.01）.ConclusionThe rhein-induced CC rat model conforms to the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome characteristics of Qi and Yin deficiency accompanied by Qi stagnation and blood stasis.Keywords：cathartic colon;animal model;syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine;deficiency of Qi and Yin;Qi stagnation and blood stasis122|91|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Animal Models of Functional Constipation： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Functional constipation （FC） is a clinically common functional bowel disorder characterized by a protracted course and associations with various chronic disorders and psychological abnormalities. Although not life-threatening， FC significantly impairs patients' quality of life. FC subtypes include slow-transit constipation （STC）， defecatory disorder （DD）， and normal-transit constipation （NTC）. The pathological mechanisms underlying FC have not been fully elucidated， and overall clinical efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Animal models of FC serve as essential tools for the study of disease mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutics. This article systematically reviews the current state of research on the animal models of FC and identifies that rodents， particularly rats and mice， are the most commonly used species. Dogs and pigs are also employed in complex intervention studies due to their physiological similarities to humans， though their use is limited by housing challenges and ethical considerations. Induction methods vary across different FC subtypes. STC models are primarily established with chemical agents such as loperamide or compound diphenoxylate. DD modeling often involves low-fiber diets combined with methylene blue injection or rectal narrowing. NTC modeling mainly relies on low-fiber dietary interventions. In addition， disease-syndrome combination models based on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） theory have been developed， encompassing excess patterns such as heat accumulation， cold accumulation， and Qi stagnation， as well as deficiency patterns including Qi deficiency， blood deficiency， Yin deficiency， and Yang deficiency. These are achieved through an approach of disease model + syndrome induction， enabling the integration of mechanisms from both Western and TCM perspectives. Models are evaluated from two aspects： disease and syndrome manifestations （e.g.， colonic transit， secretory function， and TCM syndrome indicators such as mental state and body weight） and disease mechanisms （e.g.， enteric nervous system， interstitial cells of Cajal， smooth muscle cells， gut microbiota， and metabolites）. However， current research still faces challenges such as poor consistency in some models， non-specific interference in mechanism interpretation， insufficient studies on NTC， and lack of TCM tongue and pulse diagnosis in evaluation. Future efforts should focus on optimizing model stability and specificity to provide a more reliable experimental basis for investigating the pathological mechanisms of FC and developing therapeutic agents.Keywords：functional constipation;animal models;slow-transit constipation;defecatory disorder;normal-transit constipation;disease-syndrome combination model198|112|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Clinical Efficacy of Shenqi Yangxin Decoction in Treatment of Patients with Ischemic Cardiomyopathy and Its Effect on Serum H2S and Ca2+ Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Shenqi Yangxin decoction in the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy （ICM） with Qi and Yin deficiency and blood stasis syndrome and its effect on serum hydrogen sulfide （H2S） and calcium ion （Ca2+）.MethodsA total of 64 ICM patients with Qi and Yin deficiency and blood stasis syndrome who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group （n=32） and a treatment group （n=32）. All patients received conventional Western medicine treatment. The treatment group was additionally given Shenqi Yangxin decoction. The TCM syndrome score， Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire （MLHFQ） score， left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP）， 6-minute walk test （6MWT）， New York Heart Association （NYHA） cardiac function classification， and serum H2S and Ca2+ levels were compared between the two groups pre- and post-treatment.ResultsTwo cases dropped out from each group during the study. Finally， 30 patients in each group were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in age， gender， course of coronary heart disease， underlying diseases， and laboratory tests between the two groups. Compared with baseline， the TCM syndrome score， MLHFQ score， and NT-proBNP in both treatment group and control group decreased significantly （P<0.01）， LVEF， 6MWT， and H2S increased significantly （P<0.01）， and serum Ca2+ increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the MLHFQ score and NT-proBNP in the treatment group decreased （P<0.05）， the TCM syndrome score decreased significantly （P<0.01）， LVEF， 6MWT， and serum Ca2+ increased （P<0.05）， and H2S increased significantly （P<0.01）. The improvement degree of the NYHA cardiac function classification in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group， but there was no significant difference.ConclusionShenqi Yangxin decoction is effective in treating ICM patients with Qi and Yin deficiency and blood stasis， which could significantly improve cardiac function and quality of life， and its therapeutic effect may be related to the regulation of serum H2S and Ca2+ levels.Keywords：Shenqi Yangxin decoction;ischemic cardiomyopathy;left ventricular ejection fraction;H2S;Ca2+114|88|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Jianpi Qinghua granules on blood glucose fluctuations in patients with newly diagnosed overweight/obese type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） and Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome from the perspective of skeletal muscle mass and function， while providing new insights for the treatment of diabetes.MethodsThis study employed a randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled design. A total of 110 newly diagnosed overweight/obese T2DM patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） group （54 cases） or the control group （56 cases）. Patients in the TCM group received Jianpi Qinghua Granules， while those in the control group received a placebo. Both groups underwent dietary and exercise guidance. After 12 weeks of intervention， blood glucose fluctuations were assessed using the following parameters： time in the target blood glucose range （TIR）， mean daily blood glucose （MBG）， standard deviation of mean daily blood glucose （SDBG）， mean amplitude of glycemic excursions （MAGE）， coefficient of variation of blood glucose （CV）， glycated hemoglobin （HbA1c） achievement rate， fasting plasma glucose （FPG）， and 2 hour postprandial glucose （2 hPG）. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry （DXA）， while skeletal muscle function was evaluated using a handheld dynamometer for distal muscle strength and a 5-time sit-to-stand test for lower limb function. Additionally， pancreatic islet function and TCM syndrome scores were analyzed.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in baseline data between the two groups before intervention， ensuring comparability. After treatment， compared to the control group， the TCM group showed a significant increase in TIR （P<0.01）. While the SDBG and CV decreased， and MBG and MAGE increased in the TCM group， these differences were not statistically significant. Notably， the TCM group exhibited significant reductions in 2 hPG （P<0.01） and HbA1c （P<0.05）， though the decrease in FPG was not statistically significant. The HbA1c achievement rate in the TCM group was significantly higher than that in the control group （χ2=45.498， P<0.01）. In terms of skeletal muscle mass and function， the TCM group demonstrated a significant increase in handgrip strength （P<0.01） and a significant reduction in the 5-time sit-to-stand duration （P<0.05）. However， although body fat percentage increased， leading to a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and the ratio of skeletal muscle to fat， these changes were not statistically significant. For pancreatic islet function， the TCM group showed significant reductions in fasting insulin （FINS） and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） （P<0.01）. Additionally， the TCM syndrome score in the TCM group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）.ConclusionJianpi Qinghua granules may reduce blood glucose fluctuations in newly diagnosed overweight/obese T2DM patients with Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome by enhancing skeletal muscle function， improving pancreatic islet function， and ameliorating related TCM syndromes.Keywords：type 2 diabetes;blood glucose fluctuation;skeletal muscle;insulin resistance;traditional Chinese medicine172|90|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Development of a Diagnostic Scale for Qi-Yin Deficiency with Blood Stasis Syndrome in Diabetic Macrovascular Disease Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo construct a standardized diagnostic scale for Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease.MethodsLiterature related to Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease was retrieved from CNKI， VIP， and Wanfang databases. Diagnostic information from four diagnostic methods was extracted and standardized， with items having a frequency of ≥15 included in the item pool. A three-round Delphi expert consultation was conducted， screening items using support degree， mean score， rank sum， and coefficient of variation. Item weights were determined using analytic hierarchy process （AHP）， gactor analysis （FA）， and combined weighting method （CWM）. The optimal weighting method was selected by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve （AUC）. The Youden index was calculated to establish the diagnostic cutoff value， which was proportionally scaled.ResultsA total of 102 studies were included. Thirty-five items were incorporated into the item pool. The authority coefficients for the three Delphi rounds were 0.82， 0.85， and 0.86， with coordination coefficients of 0.648， 0.538， and 0.506， respectively. Fifteen items were retained after screening. ROC curve analysis showed the AUC ranking as FA > CWM > AHP. The maximum Youden index was 0.814， corresponding to a diagnostic cutoff of 8.361 （scaled to 40 points）. The final scale adopted a structured diagnostic framework： the symptom dimension requires at least 2 items， and the tongue or pulse dimension requires at least 1 category.ConclusionThis study developed a standardized diagnostic scale for Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease. Core items were screened via the Delphi method， with factor analysis identified as the optimal weighting method through AUC comparison. The diagnostic threshold （40 points） and structured diagnostic framework provide a quantitatively clear， clinically practical tool.Keywords：diabetic macrovascular disease;Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome;Delphi method;analytic hierarchy process;Factor analysis;Combined weighting method110|90|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Construction of Syndrome Diagnosis Scale for Chronic Atrophic Gastritis with Turbid Toxin and Stomach Accumulation Based on Delphi Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo construct a scale for the diagnosis of chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） with turbid toxin accumulating in the stomach.MethodsFirst， a research group was established to construct the scale framework. Relevant literature of CAG with syndrome of turbid toxin accumulating in the stomach was searched in CNKI， Wanfang Database （WF）， and VIP Database （CQVIP） from April 1， 2003 to April 1， 2023， and items were preliminarily selected after standardization of terms. Through clinical investigation， the discrete trend method， correlation coefficient method， Cronbach's coefficient method， and factor analysis method were used to screen symptom items， and the frequency method was used to screen signs， tongue coating， and pulse conditions. Three rounds of Delphi expert consultation were conducted to determine the items of the scale. The weight of each item was obtained by the analytic hierarchy process.ResultsA total of 49 articles were included， and 45 items were obtained after primary screening， including 28 symptoms， 2 signs， 10 tongue coatings， and 5 pulse conditions. After clinical investigation， 15 symptoms were retained， and 8 signs and pulse conditions of tongue coating were retained. The positive coefficients of experts in three rounds of Delphi expert consultation were 100%， 96.67%， and 100%， respectively. The expert authority coefficients were 0.86， 0.87， and 0.87， respectively， and the coordination coefficients were 0.18， 0.25， and 0.30. After core group discussion， Delphi method investigation， and AHP weight assignment， the diagnostic scale items of CAG with turbid toxin accumulating in stomach syndrome were finally established， namely， dark red or purplish tongue proper with yellow greasy （or dry） coating （30 points）， epigastric stuffiness and fullness or pain （15 points）， sticky and unsmooth defecation （10 points）， taste disturbance （sticky mouth， fetid breath， bitter taste， 7 points）， heartburn or acid regurgitation （6 points）， dizziness and clouding （5 points）， general heaviness and fatigue （5 points）， slippery， string‑slippery， or slippery‑rapid pulse （5 points）， dysuria （or yellow or deep yellow urine， 4 points）， poor appetite （4 points）， dull complexion （3 points）， sticky， greasy， and fetid secretions （3 points）， and poor sleep （3 points）.ConclusionBased on the establishment， screening， confirmation， and weighting of an item pool， combined with subjective and objective approaches as well as qualitative and quantitative methods， a diagnostic scale for CAG with the syndrome of turbid toxin accumulating in the stomach was successfully constructed.Keywords：chronic atrophic gastritis;syndrome of turbid toxin accumulating in stomach;diagnostic scale;Delphi method;analytic hierarchy process120|94|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Application Characteristics and Patterns of Marketed Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines for Treating Abortion Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveThis paper aims to analyze the variety characteristics and prescription patterns of marketed traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating abortion and provide references for new medicine development and clinical application.MethodsRelevant information of traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating abortion was systematically retrieved and collected. Microsoft Excel 2021 software was used to sort and statistically analyze the medicine syndrome types， quantity， market situation， and status of package inserts. Based on the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform （V2.3.9）， the medicine properties， flavors， meridian tropism， and medication characteristics of standardized prescriptions were analyzed.ResultsA total of 39 marketed traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating abortion in China were included. According to disease type， these medicines were categorized as therapeutic medicines for threatened abortion and recurrent spontaneous abortion. According to clinical function， they were categorized into three groups： fetus stabilization， blood nourishment， and adjunctive conditioning. They were also categorized into pre-pregnancy conditioning and post-pregnancy fetal maintenance by clinical intervention stage. Post-marketing research showed that only three products had undergone safety evaluations and one involved pharmacoeconomic research， indicating a general lack of standardized evidence-based data. Dosage forms were mainly pills and granules. Package insert analysis revealed that 15 products listed "contraindications"， while 28 included "precautions". Based on prescription inclusion and exclusion criteria， 25 products were selected for further analysis. Their therapeutic effects were mainly concentrated on "tonifying the kidney and spleen， replenishing Qi， and nourishing blood"， with core medicines including Paeoniae Radix Alba， Angelicae Sinensis Radix， and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma. Most medicines were warm or neutral in nature， predominantly sweet and pungent in flavor， and mainly entered the spleen， liver， and kidney meridians.ConclusionTraditional Chinese patent medicines for treating abortion demonstrate clear clinical value. However， shortcomings remain， including insufficient post-marketing research， prescription homogeneity， and incomplete package inserts. Future efforts should establish a clinically value-oriented modern development pathway， strengthen safety surveillance and evidence evaluation， improve package inserts， and promote precision use to further enhance clinical value.Keywords：Abortion;traditional Chinese patent medicine;data mining;prescription analysis105|105|2<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Analysis of Variety Characteristics and Patterns of Marketed Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines for Treating Chronic Gastritis Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveThis study aims to systematically review the marketed traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating chronic gastritis （CG） in China. By analyzing their variety characteristics and prescription patterns， it seeks to provide references for clinical syndrome differentiation-based drug selection， treatment method optimization， and the design of high-quality clinical research.MethodsInformation on marketed traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating CG was collected. Microsoft Excel software was used to collate and statistically analyze representative drugs for each pathological stage， market status， syndrome types， and other contents. The Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform （V2.3.9） was employed to analyze the formula composition patterns of standardized prescriptions.ResultsA total of 141 marketed traditional Chinese patent medicines for treating CG in China were included. Based on the disease's pathological progression， they can be classified into drugs for non-atrophic gastritis， atrophic gastritis， and precancerous lesions. Post-marketing research reveals that relevant evaluation is only conducted on 17 drugs， of which 2 involve pharmacoeconomic studies and 14 possess standardized evidence-based evidence. The primary dosage forms were capsules， granules， and tablets. From the 100 prescriptions screened according to inclusion/exclusion criteria， the varieties indicated for the stomach collateral stasis syndrome in atrophic gastritis accounted for the highest proportion. The main efficacy distributions were clearing heat， detoxifying， and relieving pain by promoting Qi circulation. Core drugs included Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome， Paeoniae Radix Alba， and Aucklandiae Radix. Medicinal properties were predominantly warm and neutral. Flavors were mainly bitter， pungent， and sweet. The drugs primarily entered the spleen and stomach meridians. Analysis of the package inserts reveals that 67 products list "contraindications"， 110 include "precautions"， and 23 explicitly state "adverse reactions".ConclusionTraditional Chinese patent medicines for treating CG hold unique value in clinical practice. However， currently there are challenges such as insufficient clarity in syndrome type descriptions within package inserts and a relative lack of high-level evidence-based medical evidence， as well as pharmacoeconomic evaluations. Future efforts should focus on addressing these shortcomings by advancing research on syndrome characteristics and medication patterns based on syndrome differentiation， systematically conducting pharmacoeconomic evaluations， strengthening the accumulation of high-level evidence-based evidence， and， on this basis， improving patient medication adherence. This will comprehensively enhance the clinical application value and scientific connotation of this category of drugs.Keywords：chronic gastritis;traditional Chinese patent medicine;data mining;prescription analysis185|111|2<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Analysis on Characteristics and Prescriptions of Chinese Patent Medicines for Functional Diarrhea on Market Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveThis study focused on the marketed Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of Functional Diarrhea （FDr） in China and their prescription characteristics， in order to provide support for the clinical application and research and development of anti-FDr Chinese patent medicines.MethodsCollect the information of Chinese patent medicines that have been marketed to treat FDr， use Microsoft Excel 2021 software to conduct preliminary data collation and statistical analysis， and use the ancient and modern medical record cloud platform （V2.3.9） to analyze the standardized Chinese patent medicine prescriptions from the aspects of drug nature and taste， medication characteristics and prescription rules.Results147 kinds of FDr Chinese patent medicines were included in this study. There are a total of 40 varieties of FDr Chinese patent medicines suitable for children； The distribution of dosage forms is mainly pills， tablets， and capsules. 110 prescriptions were screened， among which the proportion of Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of spleen deficiency syndrome was the highest； The top three drug use frequency were licorice， Atractylodes macrocephala， and Poria cocos； The medicinal properties are mainly warm and flat， and the medicinal taste is mostly pungent， sweet and bitter， and most of them belong to the two meridians of the spleen and stomach； The association rules analysis obtains 20 strong association pairing sets； Three drug combinations were obtained by cluster analysis.ConclusionFDr Chinese patent medicine shows unique value in clinical application， especially in the field of children. However， there are still problems such as strong professionalism in the indication expression of drug instructions， limited coverage of the medical insurance catalog， and lack of high-level evidence-based medicine and pharmacoeconomic evidence. To this end， in the future， efforts should be made to build a multi-level evidence-based evidence system， improve medication compliance， and deepen research on syndrome-based medication laws， so as to enhance the clinical application value and scientific connotation of FDr Chinese patent medicines.Keywords：functional diarrhea;Chinese patent medicine;data mining;prescription analysis;children's medicines111|96|2<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Characteristics and Prescription Analysis of Marketed Chinese Patent Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis Enhanced Publication
Abstract：ObjectiveTo study the marketed products and prescription characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for rheumatoid arthritis （RA） in China， thus providing support for clinical application and innovative research and development of Chinese patent medicines for RA.MethodsInformation on marketed Chinese patent medicines for RA treatment was collected. Preliminary data organization and statistical analysis were performed in Microsoft Excel 2021. Subsequently， the standardized prescriptions were analyzed via the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform （V2.3.9） across dimensions including medicinal properties， flavors， channel tropisms， usage characteristics， and formulation patterns.ResultsThis study ultimately included 311 marketed Chinese patent medicines for RA in China. Their initial market launch dates were mostly concentrated from the 1990s to the early 21st century. The National Basic Medical Insurance， Work-Related Injury Insurance， and Maternity Insurance Drug Directory included 89 Chinese patent medicines for RA. The primary dosage forms were tablets， capsules， medicated wines， and pills. After screening， 237 prescriptions were obtained， and the research on their origins was lagging. Among them， the Chinese patent medicines for treating wind-cold-dampness obstruction syndrome accounted for the highest proportion. The top three most frequently used medicinals were Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix， and Saposhnikoviae Radix. Medicinal properties were primarily warm and plain， and flavors were mostly pungent， sweet， and bitter. The medicinals predominantly exhibited the liver and spleen channel tropism. Association rule analysis revealed that the herb pairs with the highest confidence were Chuanxiong-Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Myrrha-Olibanum. Cluster analysis yielded three medicinal combinations.ConclusionAlthough Chinese patent medicines for RA have application advantages， issues such as narrow syndrome coverage and insufficient innovation in dosage forms exist. Future development should focus on constructing an evidence-based system， strengthening the textual research on prescription origins and the exploration of classical famous formulas， and promoting dosage form innovation and precise medication to enhance their clinical value.Keywords：rheumatoid arthritis;Chinese patent medicine;data mining;prescription analysis;new drug research and development167|168|3<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Regulating Angiogenesis： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Angiogenesis， as a core mechanism for maintaining tissue perfusion and repairing ischemic injury， plays a crucial role in ischemic diseases such as coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease. Traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）， with its advantages of multi-target and synergistic regulation， provides a unique perspective for therapeutic angiogenesis. Based on this， this article intends to delve into the synergistic effects of key signaling pathways， including vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF）/VEGF receptor（VEGFR）， Notch， phosphoinositide 3-kinase/ protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin（PI3K/Akt/mTOR）， and angiopoietin/endothelial TEK tyrosine kinase（Ang/Tie2）， and elucidate the driving mechanisms of endothelial cell metabolic reprogramming and exosome-mediated intercellular communication within this process. Based on existing literature， it summarizes the microenvironment-dependent and bidirectional regulatory characteristics of natural active components of TCM（such as terpenes， tanshinones， and flavonoids） on angiogenesis. Furthermore， it systematically discusses how classical TCM formulas achieve blood vessel formation and functional maturation by protecting the neurovascular units， recruiting pericytes， and remodeling the microenvironment. Current evidence highlights the advantages of multi-target synergy and temporal regulation in TCM， but also reveals challenges such as high heterogeneity and a lack of functional evaluations and high-quality clinical trials. Future efforts should integrate multi-omics to decipher network mechanisms， optimize formula compatibility， and conduct multicenter studies to promote the development of innovative preparations. This review highlights the academic value of TCM in angiogenesis， provides an evidence base for treating ischemic diseases， and supports multidisciplinary integration and innovation.Keywords：angiogenesis;bidirectional regulation;ischemic diseases;signaling pathways;traditional Chinese medicine;multi-channel collaboration253|117|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Pathogenesis of Diabetic Nephropathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention Based on Signaling Pathways： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Diabetic nephropathy （DN） is one of the most common and severe microvascular complications of diabetes， with a complex pathogenesis involving immune inflammatory responses， oxidative stress， apoptosis， glomerulosclerosis， renal interstitial fibrosis， and other pathological processes. In recent years， numerous animal or cell model experiments have revealed that the transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog （Smad）， phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/ protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase （JAK）/signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT）， neurogenic locus notch homolog protein （Notch）， nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， secretory glycoprotein （Wnt）/β-catenin， and other classical signaling pathways play important roles in the occurrence and development of DN. Traditional Chinese medicines， as natural drugs， possess characteristics such as multiple components， multiple targets， and few adverse reactions， demonstrating unique advantages in regulating the aforementioned signaling pathways and improving renal pathological changes. This review summarized recent research progress on the intervention of DN through the regulation of the aforementioned signaling pathways by single compounds and formulas of traditional Chinese medicine， focusing on their mechanisms of action in regulating immune inflammatory responses， inhibiting renal fibrosis， oxidative stress， improving metabolic disorders， and other aspects. The aim is to provide theoretical references for a deeper understanding of the modern pharmacological basis and clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of DN.Keywords：traditional Chinese medicine;pathogenesis;diabetic nephropathy;signaling pathway132|95|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：Diabetic kidney disease （DKD） is a microvascular complication of diabetes， with a complex pathogenesis， in which mitochondrial dysfunction is considered to be the core of DKD development. Taking mitochondria as a target to regulate mitochondrial energy metabolism， mitochondrial oxidative stress， mitophagy， and mitochondrial dynamic function represents a promising strategy for the DKD prevention and treatment， with good prospects in clinical application. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has great potential to mediate mitochondrial dysfunction in the DKD prevention and treatment. This article deeply explores the intrinsic relationship between various forms of mitochondrial dysfunction and DKD， and summarizes the current research status of various Chinese herbal compounds and Chinese herbal formulas in targeting mitochondrial dysfunction for the DKD prevention and treatment. This article aims to provide new targets and strategies for the DKD prevention and treatment， and the research and development of TCM.Keywords：mitochondrial dysfunction;diabetic kidney disease;energy metabolism;oxidative stress;traditional Chinese medicine136|84|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
- Abstract：Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（COPD）， characterized primarily by persistent airflow limitation and chronic airway inflammation， is a major chronic respiratory disease with persistently high morbidity and mortality. In recent years， macrophage pyroptosis， as an inflammatory form of programmed cell death， has been recognized as playing a key role in amplifying inflammatory responses and promoting tissue damage. According to traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） theory， spleen failing to disperse essence constitutes an important pathological basis for various chronic diseases， clinically manifesting as impaired transportation and transformation， internal generation of phlegm-dampness， and accumulation of turbid toxins. Based on a review of classical TCM pathogenesis and modern molecular biological research， this study proposes that there may be a correlation between spleen failing to disperse essence and macrophage pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of COPD. Specifically， metabolic and immune disturbances such as glucotoxicity， lipotoxicity， and enterotoxicity may trigger macrophage pyroptosis through the advanced glycation end products（AGEs）/AGEs receptor（RAGE）/reactive oxygen species（ROS）， fatty acids/Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4）， and lipopolysaccharide（LPS）/nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor protein 3（NLRP3） signaling pathways. Excessive pyroptosis， in turn， exacerbates metabolic dysregulation and inflammatory responses， forming a vicious cycle. Furthermore， TCM interventions such as strengthening the spleen and tonifying Qi， as well as resolving dampness and detoxifying， have demonstrated potential in modulating pyroptosis-related signaling pathways， including NF-κB， the NLRP3 inflammasome， and autophagy. In summary， this article explores the role of spleen failing to disperse essence-macrophage pyroptosis mechanism in COPD and highlights possible therapeutic strategies of TCM， providing new insights for integrated Chinese and western medical research and clinical practice.Keywords：chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;spleen failing to disperse essence;macrophage pyroptosis;traditional Chinese medicine;inflammatory mechanisms;nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）;Nod-like receptor protein 3（NLRP3）145|135|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Regulatory Mechanisms of miRNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Current Status of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）， as one of the common malignant tumours， has seen a continuous rise in incidence and mortality worldwide， posing a serious threat to human health. However， traditional treatments have certain limitations， therefore， the exploration of new therapeutic strategies is particularly urgent. In recent years， with in-depth research on the regulatory mechanisms of microRNA（miRNA） in tumour occurrence and development， it has become new targets for HCC diagnosis and treatment. As a traditional treatment method， Chinese medicine， due to its multi-component， multi-pathway， and multi-target overall regulatory characteristics， shows broad prospects in treating HCC by regulating miRNAs. Accordingly， this paper reviews recent studies on the role of miRNAs in HCC and research advances in traditional Chinese medicine interventions， finding that various miRNAs play key roles in HCC cell cycle regulation， proliferation and apoptosis， invasion and metastasis， immune microenvironment， and drug resistance. It summarises how active ingredients， extracts， medicinal pairs， and formulas of Chinese medicine act on specific miRNAs to regulate their downstream target gene expression， affecting the malignant behaviour of HCC cells and exerting anti-cancer effects. This study aims to provide a theoretical basis for miRNAs as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC， as well as to offer new ideas for developing miRNA-based targeted Chinese medicine therapies.Keywords：hepatocellular carcinoma;microRNA;traditional Chinese medicine;active constituents;medicinal pairs;formulas;biomarkers143|116|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：Parkinson's disease （PD） is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments， with its pathological mechanisms involving multiple processes such as the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the abnormal aggregation of α-synuclein. Current Western medical treatments face challenges including diminished long-term efficacy and motor complications. In recent years， Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） has demonstrated advantages in the prevention and treatment of PD through its systematic regulatory capabilities， featuring multi-component， multi-target， and multi-pathway approaches.This article systematically reviews the roles of seven key signaling pathways-NF-κB， AMPK/mTOR， PI3K/Akt， MAPKs， Nrf2/ARE， Wnt/β-catenin， and BDNF/TrkB-in the pathological process of PD and the regulatory mechanisms of TCM. Research indicates that active ingredients of Chinese herbs and compound formulations can synergistically modulate these pathways， exerting comprehensive effects in inhibiting neuroinflammation， alleviating oxidative stress， promoting autophagy to clear abnormal proteins， and enhancing neurotrophic support. These signaling pathways form a complex regulatory network through crosstalk among key nodal molecules， constituting an intricate regulatory system in PD pathology. The multi-target intervention characteristics of TCM align well with this network-based regulatory requirement， achieving integrated anti-inflammatory， antioxidant， autophagy-regulating， and neurorestorative effects through synergistic multi-pathway modulation. This article systematically outlines the mechanisms of TCM in the coordinated regulation of multiple pathways， providing a theoretical basis for elucidating the pathological process of PD and the intervention mechanisms of TCM， while also offering new perspectives and directions for modern research on TCM in the prevention and treatment of PD.Keywords：Parkinson's disease;traditional Chinese medicine;signal pathways;mechanism of action;research progress153|143|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
Danggui Niantongtang in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Rheumatoid arthritis （RA） is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by symmetrical polyarthritis， which may lead to joint deformity and loss of joint function in the long term， severely impairing patients' quality of life. Danggui Niantongtang， originated from Medical Revelations by Zhang Yuansu in the Jin Dynasty， has the effects of clearing heat and draining dampness， dispelling wind and alleviating pain， and serves as a classic formula for treating RA damp-heat stagnation syndrome. By searching CNKI， Wanfang， PubMed and other databases， the author systematically reviewed the clinical efficacy and experimental research of Danggui Niantongtang in the treatment of RA， and elucidated its mechanisms of action， so as to provide a valuable reference for future clinical and basic research of Danggui Niantongtang in the field of RA. Clinical studies demonstrated that Danggui Niantongtang can improve core symptoms in RA patients with the damp-heat stagnation syndrome， including joint swelling and pain， morning stiffness and limited joint mobility， decrease inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein （CRP） and erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and facilitate postoperative rehabilitation in RA patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty （TKA）. When combined with Western medicines such as methotrexate， it can enhance the anti-inflammatory efficacy and mitigate adverse reactions， including gastrointestinal discomfort and hepatic injury. Experimental studies revealed that this formula can modulate the inflammatory cytokine network， promote synoviocyte apoptosis， inhibit abnormal synoviocyte autophagy， suppress synovial angiogenesis， and maintain intestinal flora homeostasis. However， several limitations exist in current research， such as insufficient clinical quality， unclear interaction between mechanisms and networks， and insufficient research on dosage form optimization. In the future， high-quality clinical research， multi-omics mechanistic studies， and dosage form improvement are needed to provide scientific basis for its clinical promotion and in-depth research.Keywords：Danggui Niantongtang;rheumatoid arthritis;damp-heat stagnation syndrome;clinical efficacy;experimental research272|132|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Prevention andTreatment of MIRI Based on PINK1/Parkin-mediated Mitophagy： A Review Enhanced Publication
Abstract：Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury （MIRI） is a key complication of reperfusion therapy for ischemic heart disease. Due to its complex pathological mechanism， there is still a lack of targeted drugs and effective interventions in clinical practice. As the core organelle of cell energy metabolism， mitochondria not only undertake the key function of adenosine triphosphate （ATP） synthesis， but also maintain the homeostasis of intracellular environment by regulating ion dynamic balance， oxidative stress response and apoptosis. Mitophagy is an important mechanism to regulate mitochondrial homeostasis. Phosphatase and tensin homolog （PTEN）-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/Parkin signaling pathway， as one of its core pathways， has been proved to have important physiological functions. Mitophagy mediated by PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway can synergistically act on the pathological process of MIRI through the multi-level regulatory mechanism of oxidative stress， calcium homeostasis imbalance and ferroptosis， so as to achieve the prevention and treatment of MIRI by reducing mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting programmed cell death. Studies have shown that modern drugs， such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 （PCSK9） inhibitors， DL-3-n-butylphenylpeptide， and dapagliflozin， active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine such as phenols， saponins， flavonoids， and anthraquinones， as well as traditional Chinese medicine compounds and preparations such as Tongxinluo capsules， Shuangshen Ningxin capsules， and Qili Qiangxin capsules， can exert myocardial protection by regulating mitophagy mediated by this pathway and multiple targets. This study focuses on the PINK1/Parkin pathway， aiming to provide new ideas and directions for the prevention and treatment of MIRI from the perspective of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.Keywords：myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury （MIRI）;PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/Parkin signaling pathway;mitophagy;research progress;Chinese and Western medicine213|129|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30- Abstract：Zhigancao Tang， derived from the Treatise on Cold Damage，is a classic and renowned formula for treating "intermittent and irregular pulse， and palpitations of the heart". It has an exquisite formulation. By replenishing Qi， nourishing Yin， activating Yang， and restoring the pulse， it achieves the dual supplementation of Yin and Yang， and the simultaneous treatment of Qi and blood. With the practical expansion by practitioners over successive dynasties， the application scope of this formula has been continuously expanding， extending from traditional cardiovascular diseases to diseases of multiple systems， fully reflecting the theoretical characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） of "treating different diseases with the same method". Modern research shows that Zhigancao Tang not only has a remarkable curative effect on cardiovascular diseases but is also widely applied to diseases of the respiratory， nervous， digestive， endocrine， oncologic， gynecologic， and otorhinolaryngologic systems， demonstrating its interdisciplinary clinical application value. At the same time， research on the mechanism of action of Zhigancao Tang is also continuously deepening. The mechanisms by which it treats diseases involve multiple aspects， including anti-arrhythmic effects， myocardial protection， anti-fibrosis， antioxidative stress and anti‑inflammatory effects， regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism， enhancing hematopoietic function， and improving hemorheology. These mechanisms work synergistically to jointly regulate the physiological functions of the body and play a role in treating diseases. However， there are still some deficiencies in current research. For example， the sample size of some clinical trials is small， most of the mechanism studies are based on animal models or in vitro experiments， there is insufficient high-quality evidence from clinical trials， the composition of the compound formula is complex， and the pharmacodynamic material basis and the rules of compatibility still need to be deeply analyzed. By consulting relevant literature， this article systematically summarizes the modern clinical application and action mechanism of Zhigancao Tang， aiming to provide new ideas for its subsequent in-depth research and clinical application， promote the integrated development of classic TCM formulas and modern medicine， and further explore its great potential in clinical treatment.Keywords：Zhigancao Tang;clinical application;mechanism of action;research progress;traditional Chinese medicine187|116|0<HTML><H-PDF> <L-PDF>Updated：2026-04-30
