Eucommiae Cortex, the dried bark of Eucommia ulmoides( Eucommiaceae), has both medicinal and edible values.Modern research has shown that Eucommiae Cortex contains various components such as flavonoids, lignans, iridoids, phenolic acids,terpenoids, and steroids, which have anti-osteoporosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood glucose-lowering, and gastrointestinal tract-protecting effects. Eucommiae Cortex has applications in multiple fields such as healthcare, industry, and animal husbandry,demonstrating broad development prospects. This article reviews the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, and quality control status of Eucommiae Cortex. Furthermore, according to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), this article predicts the Q-markers of Eucommiae Cortex from traditional medicinal properties, traditional medicinal effects, new medicinal effects, measurability of chemical components, compatibility, harvesting periods, and geographical origins. The components such as pinoresinol diglucoside,chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, baicalein, baicalin, olivil, coniferyl ferulate, and kaempferol can be used as Q-markers for Eucommiae Cortex, which provide reference for establishing a systematic quality control system for Eucommiae Cortex.
Eucommiaceae/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Quality Control ; Humans ; Animals

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex disease that is often accompanied by mental health disorders. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous clinical presentation of CP/CPPS remain uncertain. This study analyzed widely targeted metabolomic data of expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) and plasma to reveal the underlying pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS. A total of 24 CP/CPPS patients from The Second Nanning People's Hospital (Nanning, China), and 35 asymptomatic control individuals from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) were enrolled. The indicators related to CP/CPPS and psychiatric symptoms were recorded. Differential analysis, coexpression network analysis, and correlation analysis were performed to identify metabolites that were specifically altered in patients and associated with various phenotypes of CP/CPPS. The crucial links between EPS and plasma were further investigated. The metabolomic data of EPS from CP/CPPS patients were significantly different from those from control individuals. Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the citrate cycle in EPS. The tryptophan metabolic pathway was found to be the most significantly altered pathway associated with distinct CP/CPPS phenotypes. Moreover, the dysregulation of tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism and elevation of oxidative stress-related metabolites in plasma were found to effectively elucidate the development of depression in CP/CPPS. Overall, metabolomic alterations in the EPS and plasma of patients were primarily associated with oxidative damage, energy metabolism abnormalities, neurological impairment, and immune dysregulation. These alterations may be associated with chronic pain, voiding symptoms, reduced fertility, and depression in CP/CPPS. This study provides a local-global perspective for understanding the pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS and offers potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis/blood* ; Adult ; Pelvic Pain/blood* ; Metabolomics ; Prostate/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Chronic Pain/blood* ; Metabolome ; Case-Control Studies ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Depression/blood* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of interferon-λ1 (IFN-λ1) on glucocorticoid (GC) resistance in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) stimulated by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). METHODS: HBECs were divided into five groups: control, dexamethasone, IFN-λ1, RSV, and RSV+IFN-λ1. CCK-8 assay was used to measure the effect of different concentrations of IFN-λ1 on the viability of HBECs, and the sensitivity of HBECs to dexamethasone was measured in each group. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). Western blot was used to measure the protein expression level of GR in cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and the nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of GR was calculated. RESULTS: At 24 and 72 hours, the proliferation activity of HBECs increased with the increase in IFN-λ1 concentration in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P˂0.05). Compared with the RSV group, the RSV+IFN-λ1 group had significant reductions in the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of dexamethasone and the mRNA expression level of p38 MAPK (P<0.05), as well as significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of GR and MKP-1, the level of GR in cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and the nuclear/cytoplasmic GR ratio (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS IFN-λ1 can inhibit the p38 MAPK pathway by upregulating MKP-1, promote the nuclear translocation of GR, and thus ameliorate GC resistance in HBECs.
Humans ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Glucocorticoids/pharmacology* ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid/analysis* ; Dual Specificity Phosphatase 1/physiology* ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Drug Resistance/drug effects* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Interferons/pharmacology* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Epithelial Cells/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured

Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA⁺ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31⁺ Endomucin⁺ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA⁺ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA⁺ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology* ; Dental Sac/cytology* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Transcriptome ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Bone Regeneration ; Animals ; Dental Papilla/cytology* ; Periodontium/physiology* ; Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Regeneration ; Angiogenesis

Osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture (OPHF) is one of the common osteoporotic fractures in the aged, with an incidence only lower than vertebral compression fracture, hip fracture, and distal radius fracture. OPHF, secondary to osteoporosis and characterized by poor bone quality, comminuted fracture pattern, slow healing, and severely impaired shoulder joint function, poses a big challenge to the current clinical diagnosis and treatment. In the field of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of OPHF, traditional Chinese and Western medicine have accumulated rich experience and evidence from evidence-based medicine and achieved favorable outcomes. However, there is still a lack of guidance from a relevant consensus as to how to integrate the advantages of the two medical systems and achieve the integrated diagnosis and treatment. To promote the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, relevant experts from Orthopedic Expert Committee of Geriatric Branch of Chinese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Youth Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Surgeon Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and Osteoporosis Committee of Shanghai Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine have been organized to formulate Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine ( version 2024) by searching related literatures and based on the evidences from evidence-based medicine. This consensus consists of 13 recommendations about the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, aimed at standardizing, systematizing, and personalizing the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinse and Western medicine to improve the patients ′ function.

Objective To screen biomarkers for forensic identification of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by non-targeted metabolomic studies on changes of urine metabolites in rats with AMI.Methods The rat models of the sham surgery group,AMI group and hyperlipidemia+acute myocardial infarction (HAMI) group were established.Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to analyze the changes of urine metabolic spectrometry in AMI rats.Principal compo-nent analysis,partial least squares-discriminant analysis,and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were used to screen differential metabolites.The MetaboAnalyst database was used to analyze the metabolic pathway enrichment and access the predictive ability of differential metabolites.Results A total of 40 and 61 differential metabolites associated with AMI and HAMI were screened,respec-tively.Among them,22 metabolites were common in both rat models.These small metabolites were mainly concentrated in the niacin and nicotinamide metabolic pathways.Within the 95% confidence in-terval,the area under the curve (AUC) values of receiver operator characteristic curve for N8-acetyl-spermidine,3-methylhistamine,and thymine were greater than 0.95.Conclusion N8-acetylspermidine,3-methylhistamine,and thymine can be used as potential biomarkers for AMI diagnosis,and abnormal metabolism in niacin and nicotinamide may be the main causes of AMI.This study can provide reference for the mechanism and causes of AMI identification.

Coronary artery fistula(CAF)is defined as the direct connection between coronary artery and cardiac cavity,great vessel or other vascular structures.Most CAF are congenital and often present as persistent murmur in asymptomatic children.Although abnormal shunt of most coronary fistulas has little effect on hemodynamics,some larger fistulas can also lead to a series of complications,such as congestive heart failure.Therefore,closed CAF has been recommended to treat or prevent myocardial ischemia,congestive heart failure,endarteritis,arrhythmia,thromboembolism,aneurysm dilatation and rupture and other complications.CAF is a rare congenital heart disease,and bilateral CAF originating from two coronary arteries is even rarer.At present,there are rare systematic reports on bilateral CAF.Therefore,a case of huge bilateral CAF at the same site was reported,and systematically,this kind of case was summarized,so as to improve the clinical attention of diagnosis and treatment of this kind of CAF.Nowadays,some new interventional devices and technologies are emerging with the continuous progress of cardiovascular interventional technology,making the treatment more accurate,safe and effective.At the same time,there is also a clearer understanding of the indications and operating standards for interventional treatment,which is more operable and predictable during the treatment process.Therefore,interventional treatment of CAF may partially replace surgical treatment as the preferred treatment method.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of polydatin on intrauterine adhesions(IUA)in rats.Methods Eight rats were randomly selected as the sham operation group from 40 fertile female SD rats,and the remaining 32 rats were given intrauterine mechanical injury combined with lipopolysaccharide infection to induce IUA model.The 32 model rats were randomly divided into model group,low-,medium-and high-dose groups of polydatin,with 8 rats in each group,and the corresponding intervention lasted for 14 days.The morphological structure of endometrium was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,the thickness of endometrium was measured and the number of endometrial glands was counted.Masson staining was used to observe endometrial fibrosis;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6 in endometrial tissue.Western Blot was used to detect the ptotein expressions of key proteins of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway,including β-catenin,glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK-3β),phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3β(p-GSK-3β),Cyclin D1,and fibrosis-related proteins,including transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),type I collagen(ColⅠ)and type Ⅲ collagen(Col Ⅲ).Results Compared with the sham operation group,the endometrial tissue of rats in the model group and the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of polydatin showed different degrees of pathological damage,the thickness of the endometrium and the number of glands decreased,and there were obvious different degrees of collagen fiber deposition.The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,the relative protein expressions of β-catenin,Cyclin D1 and the activation level of GSK-3β protein,the relative protein expressions of TGF-β1,α-SMA,ColⅠ and Col Ⅲ in endometrial tissue were increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the pathological damage of endometrial tissue in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of polydatin was improved,the endometrial thickness and the number of glands were increased,and the endometrial fibrosis was alleviated.In addition,the levels of the above indicators in the endometrial tissue were decreased(P＜0.05)in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion Polydatin can promote endometrial repair and inhibit excessive endometrial fibrosis in rats with IUA,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation.

Objective To evaluate the surgical treatments of refractory sclerosing peritonitis related peritoneal dialysis.Methods Clinical data of 15 patients with refractory sclerosing peritonitis related to peritoneal dialysis treated in the General Surgery Department of the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People's Liberation Army from June 30,2014 to May 30,2018.Among them,5 cases underwent"open abdomen peritoneal catheter removal+intestinal adhesiolysis+abdominal infection flushing and drainage with catheter",4 cases underwent"laparoscopic peritoneal catheter removal+intestinal adhesiolysis+abdominal infection flushing and drainage with catheter",3 cases underwent"laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter removal+abdominal infection flushing and drainage with catheter",2 cases underwent"open abdomen peritoneal dialysis catheter removal+abdominal infection flushing and drainage with catheter",and 1 case underwent"laparoscopic examination combined with laparotomy exploration and removal of lower abdominal catheter+intestinal adhesiolysis+abdominal infection flushing and drainage with catheter".Age,gender,clinical symptoms,abdominal CT examination,peripheral blood routine,blood biochemistry,blood C-reactive protein(CRP),white blood cells,biochemistry,and aetiology of peritoneal dialysis fluid were collected and followed up,and the therapeutic effect was evaluated.Results 15 patients were transferred to the Department of Surgery after ineffective treatment in the Department of Internal Medicine.Preoperatively(after 5 days of antibiotic treatment)compared to before antibiotic treatment,there were no significant changes in blood WBC,blood NEUT％,CRP,and peritoneal fluid WBC(P＞0.05).Laparoscopic exploration or laparotomy exploration was performed,during which the peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed and the abdominal infection focus was cleared.A pelvic cavity washout drainage tube was left in place postoperatively.Fourteen patients had a good recovery after surgery,with effective control of peritonitis symptoms and no complications such as intestinal obstruction or enterocutaneous fistula.After the removal of the peritoneal dialysis catheter,all patients switched to hemodialysis.A comparison of inflammatory markers before and after surgery showed a significant decrease after surgery.Three days postoperatively compared to before surgery(after 5 days of antibiotic treatment),there were no significant changes in blood WBC,blood NEUT％,CRP,and peritoneal fluid WBC(P＞0.05).Seven days postoperatively compared to before surgery(after 5 days of antibiotic treatment),there was a significant decrease in blood WBC[(7.43±2.65)× 109/L VS(10.17±5.24)× 109/L],blood NEUT％[(88.23±9.02)％VS(85.07±11.57)％],and CRP[(152.88±113.01)mg/L VS(114.49±92.97)mg/L](P＜0.05);the peritoneal fluid WBC at 7 days postoperatively showed no significant change compared to before surgery(after 5 days of antibiotic treatment)(P＞0.05).The cases were followed up for at least 22 months,and 13 patients did not experience peritonitis or intestinal obstruction again.One patient died 39 days after surgery due to multiple organ failure,and one patient died from other causes after a 2-year follow-up.Conclusion For refractory sclerosing peritonitis related peritoneal dialysis that is ineffective in medical conservative treatment,On the basis of reasonable and effective antibiotics to control infection,surgical intervention should be actively carried out and surgical methods such as surgery should be used to control the progress of peritonitis,reduce mortality and improve the cure rate.