Objective:To investigate the effects of paeonol on aortic nuclear factor-kappaB ( NF-κB) activity and blood lipid levels in the rats with atherosclerosis ( AS) . Methods:The AS rat model was established by administration of high-fat diet and vitamin D3 ( i. p. ). The rats were divided into 5 groups (n=8) randomly, namely the normal group, model group, positive control group(simvasta-tin, 10 mg·kg-1 ) and paeonol groups with the dose of 20 and 10 mg·kg-1 , respectively. After the 4-week treatment, the serum of rats was collected to determine the lipid levels. The aortic pathologic changes of AS rats were observed under a microscope, and then graded, and aortic NF-κB activity was detected by an immunohistochemistry method. Results:Administration of paeonol improved the severity of aortic pathology in AS rats. The pathologic grade in the paeonol group (20 mg·kg-1 ) showed a significant difference com-pared with that in the model group (P<0. 05). Paeonol (20 and 10 mg·kg-1) markedly decreased the TG, TC and LDL-C levels in the serum of AS rats (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Meanwhile, paeonol significantly inhibited the aortic NF-κB activity(IOD value) with (1. 96 ± 0. 55) and (2. 50 ± 0. 80) in 20 and 10 mg·kg-1 group, respectively, which showed significant differences compared with that in the model group (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusion:Paeonol shows certain therapeutic effect in AS rats, and the mechanisms may be related with the regulation of lipid mobilization and the inhibition of aortic NF-κB activity.

The movement of wei qi （defensive qi） follows the circadian rhythm of "circulating on the yang during the day， and on the yin at night" and serves a defensive function to "protect the body". Guided by the theory of wei qi， it is believed that time rhythms and the immune system play significant roles in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis （UC）. Dysfunction in wei qi circulation， particularly when "yang fails to enter yin，" can lead to the onset of UC； the cyclical nature of wei qi's movement results in disease patterns characterized by "morning relief， daytime stability， evening aggravation， and nighttime worsening"， which align with the rhythmic characteristics of immune responses. The defensive function of wei qi is crucial in maintaining intestinal immunity of patients with UC， and the spleen and stomach， which are the sources of wei qi， are key to sustaining intestinal mucosal immune homeostasis； additionally， obstruction in the ascending and descending movements of wei qi， internal disruption， and latent pathogen in the intestines lead to the development of UC. Based on the theory of wei qi， treatment approaches for UC are proposed， including time-based dietary adjustments and chronotherapy to harmonize human activities with natural rhythms； these approaches emphasize protecting the spleen and stomach while also considering the lungs and kidneys， balancing sanjiao， and harmonizing ying qi and wei qi， so as to improve the clinical effectiveness of UC treatment.