1.Regulation of Relevant Signaling Pathways by Traditional Chinese Medicine in Intervention of Pancreatic Cancer: A Review
Quanyou ZHAO ; Conghui ZHAO ; Yu ZHANG ; Yiping FU ; Yuting LIU ; Xiaoran WANG ; Zhanzhan LI ; Mingsan MIAO ; Li BAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):280-289
Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant solid tumor of the digestive system with extremely poor treatment prognosis. Although its incidence rate is low, its mortality rate is extremely high. In recent years, the number of diagnosed cases worldwide has continued to rise, making pancreatic cancer the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Currently, clinical treatment primarily relies on operation and chemotherapy to suppress tumors. However, these approaches face challenges such as suboptimal efficacy, high postoperative recurrence rates, and severe adverse reactions. Therefore, identifying safe and effective treatment modalities remains a pressing challenge for the medical community. In recent years, research on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) interventions for pancreatic cancer has increased significantly. Multiple studies have shown that single-herb TCM, TCM formulas, and their derived single compounds can regulate the levels of tumor cell signaling pathways through multiple action targets. They inhibit the development and progression of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, promoting cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, reducing cancer cell invasion and migration capabilities, regulating the cell cycle, and modulating the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, TCM has the advantages of significantly enhancing the anticancer efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and causing fewer adverse reactions. However, the specific action mechanisms by which TCM intervenes in pancreatic cancer remain unclear. Further extensive research is still needed to validate the role of regulating classical signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Wnt/β-catenin, nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), notch, and hedgehog in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, this paper reviewed Chinese and international studies on TCM intervention in pancreatic cancer through relevant signaling pathways in recent years, summarized the potential action mechanisms of TCM in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and provided references for related research in the future.
2.Research progress on the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine in lipid metabolism for obesity treatment via cAMP signaling pathway
Yu ZHANG ; Xiaoran WANG ; Yiping FU ; Yuting LIU ; Quanyou ZHAO ; Linna CUI ; Mingsan MIAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):522-527
Obesity, a global chronic disease, is associated with adipose tissue dysfunction, which is one of the contributing factors to obesity. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, a key regulator of lipid metabolism, plays a pivotal role in obesity development. Various of traditional Chinese medicine monomers, such as flavonoids, lignans, phenols, and terpenoids, as well as traditional Chinese medicine compound formulas like Xiaoyao powder, Shengmai powder, and Zexie decoction, can maintain energy homeostasis, balance adipose tissue function, regulate glucose metabolism, improve insulin resistance, and suppress inflammatory responses through cAMP signaling pathway regulation, thereby intervening in lipid metabolism for obesity treatment. Although a substantial amount of basic research has preliminarily elucidated the potential mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine intervenes in obesity through the cAMP signaling pathway, clinical translational research remains inadequate. There is an urgent need for large-sample, high-quality randomized controlled trials to validate these findings.
3.Data Mining of Professor Zhang Farong's Core Prescription for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Clinical Efficacy
Wei FANG ; Jie XU ; Huanping WANG ; Xiaoran ZHANG ; Hongxia ZHU ; Qiu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(22):174-182
ObjectiveTo explore the medication patterns of Professor Zhang Farong in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the clinical efficacy of his core prescription. MethodsClinical case records of T2DM treated by Professor Zhang Farong were collected to establish a prescription database. Frequency statistics, visual analysis, and factor analysis were employed to investigate the characteristics and principle of the prescriptions, and a core prescription was derived. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling 60 T2DM patients with the dampness-heat syndrome. The patients were allocated into an observation group (core prescription + metformin) and a control group (metformin alone), with both groups undergoing a 12-week treatment course. Changes in TCM symptom scores, glucose metabolism indicators [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 hPG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)], pancreatic function indicators [fasting C-peptide (FCP), 2-hour postprandial C-peptide (2 hCP), and area under the C-peptide curve (AUCcp)], and lipid profiles were measured before and after treatment. The adverse reactions were observed and recorded. ResultsA core prescription named modified Gegen Qinlian Decoction was formulated, comprising Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, Astragali Radix, Lycii Cortex, Mori Cortex, Jineijin Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Atractylodis Rhizoma, Polygonati Rhizoma, and Pogostemonis Herba. The clinical trial results showed that both groups had significantly decreased FPG, 2 hPG, and HbA1c (P0.05), and the observation group outperformed the control group in recovering the level of HbA1c (P0.05). After treatment, both groups had declined TCM symptoms scores (P0.05), and the declines in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (P0.05). After treatment, the TC and LDL-C levels declined in the observation group (P 0.05), while the lipid levels showed a decreasing trend with no statistically significant difference in the control group. After treatment, both groups showed increases in FCP and AUCcp (P0.05), and the 2 hCP in both groups presented a recovering trend with no statistically significant difference. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. ConclusionModified Gegen Qinlian Decoction embodies Professor Zhang Farong's academic philosophy of treating consumptive thirst by tonifying the spleen and kidney, replenishing Qi and Yin, clearing deficiency and heat, unblocking stasis in collaterals, and addressing both deficiency and stasis. The combination of the core prescription with metformin alleviates clinical symptoms in T2DM patients with the dampness-heat syndrome, demonstrating potential effects in restoring pancreatic islet function, regulating blood glucose, and improving lipid profiles. It serves as a therapeutic option for T2DM in the patients with the dampness-heat syndrome under syndrome differentiation, meriting broader clinical application.
4.Nanomedicine-driven tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
Chenwei JIANG ; Minglu TANG ; Yun SU ; Junjie XIE ; Qi SHANG ; Mingmei GUO ; Xiaoran AN ; Longfei LIN ; Ruibin WANG ; Qian HUANG ; Guangji ZHANG ; Hui LI ; Feihu WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):2845-2866
Tumors exhibit abnormal glucose metabolism, consuming excessive glucose and excreting lactate, which constructs a tumor microenvironment that facilitates cancer progression and disrupts immunotherapeutic efficacy. Currently, tumor glucose metabolic dysregulation to reshape the immunosuppressive microenvironment and enhance immunotherapy efficacy is emerging as an innovative therapeutic strategy. However, glucose metabolism modulators lack specificity and still face significant challenges in overcoming tumor delivery barriers, microenvironmental complexity, and metabolic heterogeneity, resulting in poor clinical benefit. Nanomedicines, with their ability to selectively target tumors or immune cells, respond to the tumor microenvironment, co-deliver multiple drugs, and facilitate combinatorial therapies, hold significant promise for enhancing immunotherapy through tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming. This review explores the complex interactions between tumor glucose metabolism-specifically metabolite transport, glycolysis processes, and lactate-and the immune microenvironment. We summarize how nanomedicine-mediated reprogramming of tumor glucose metabolism can enhance immunotherapy efficacy and outline the prospects and challenges in this field.
5.Analysis of Inpatient Mortality Cases in a Tertiary General Hospital in Beijing Based on Diagnosis-related Groups
Yufei ZHANG ; Jiong ZHOU ; Xiaojun MA ; Xiaoran WANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):697-702
To analyze inpatient mortality cases in a tertiary general hospital in Beijing based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG), with the aim of providing references for healthcare quality management. We retrospectively collected DRG data of hospitalized patients admitted to a tertiary general hospital in Beijing from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2023. Mortality cases were analyzed according to mortality risk stratification, with a focus on the temporal trends, departmental distribution, and DRG composition of low/medium-low mortality risk cases. Among 927 304 DRG-classified hospitalizations, 2346 cases resulted in death (stratified into 130 low-risk, 209 medium-low-risk, 411 medium-high-risk, and 1596 high-risk cases), yielding an overall mortality rate of 0.25%. The mortality rates were 0.02% (130/680 939) in the low-risk group and 0.16% (209/130 449) in the medium-low-risk group. From 2015 to 2023, the mortality rate showed a significant downward trend ( Critical care units accounted for the highest proportion of mortality cases, with surgical patients having complications/comorbidities representing the major DRG-related factors for low/medium-low-risk deaths. Hospitals should prioritize these findings by identifying areas for improvement, implementing multidisciplinary case reviews, and strengthening patient safety measures.
6.Efficacy of navel application of Jianpiwenyang Gel for chronic diarrhea of spleen and stomach weakness type:a randomized controlled trial and analysis of the mechanism
Yixin CUI ; Decai WANG ; Dongqing XIE ; Haiming WANG ; Ruixin XU ; Xiaoran TANG ; Yin ZHANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(2):217-225
Objective To investigate the efficacy of Jianpiwenyang Gel(SSWYG)for treating chronic diarrhea and explore its therapeutic mechanism.Methods Eighty patients with chronic diarrhea of spleen and stomach weakness type were randomized into two groups for interventions with lifestyle adjustment and treatment with bifid triple viable capsules(control group,n=40)or naval application with SSWYG(treatment group,n=40)for one week,after which symptoms of chronic diarrhea were evaluated.The Chinese medicine system pharmacology analysis platform(TCMSP),GeneCards,NCBI,OMIM database and GEO database(GSE14841)were used to obtain the active ingredients and target proteins of SSWYG and chronic diarrhea-related targets.The key targets were obtained by topological analysis for Gene Ontology(GO)and KEGG analyses.The affinity and binding characteristics of SSWYG for specific targets were verified by molecular docking using AutoDock software.Results In both groups,gastrointestinal symptom rating scale(GSRS),Bristol Scale and TCM syndrome scores significantly improved after the treatments(P<0.05),and better effects were observed in the treatment group(P<0.05).Sixty-eight targets of SSWYG in treating chronic diarrhea were obtained,and 33 most probable ones were screened out by topological analysis.GO and KEGG analyses identified several chronic diarrhea-related pathways including the TNF and IL-17 pathways.Molecular docking study showed good affinity of the core components of SSWYG for the key targets CASP3,JNK,IL1B,IL6,and AKT1.JUN and CASP3 had the lowest binding energy and the highest stable binding energy with multiple major active ingredients of SSWYG.Conclusion SSWYG can significantly improve clinical symptoms of chronic diarrhea possibly by regulating the TNF and IL-17 as well as other pathways via CASP3 and JUN,suggesting a complex therapeutic mechanism of SSWYG involving multiple ingredients and targets and coordinated regulation of multiple pathways.
7.Construction of core muscle strength training plan for patients with lumbar degenerative disease based on the concept of pre-rehabilitation
Man JIA ; Junjuan ZHANG ; Jiajia LI ; Zheng CHE ; Xiaoran LIU ; Min DING
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2024;40(14):1091-1097
Objective:To construct a core muscle strength training plan for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases based on the concept of pre-rehabilitation, and provide a theoretical basis for core muscle strength training for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.Methods:From January 2022 to June 2023 based on literature search and group discussion, develop a primary item pool for core muscle strength training plan for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases under the concept of pre-rehabilitation. Through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation, revise and establish the core muscle strength training plan for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases under the concept of pre-rehabilitation.Results:A total of 15 experts were consulted by letter, including 3 males and 12 females, aged 35-58 (41.38 ± 5.44) years old. The positive coefficients of two rounds of correspondence with experts were 1.00 and 0.93, the expert judgment coefficients were 0.78 and 0.90, the familiarity coefficients were 0.84 and 0.92, and the authority coefficients were 0.81 and 0.91. The Kendall coordination coefficients of two rounds of inquiry had statistical significance in terms of indicator rationality (0.378, 0.384), indicator importance (0.283, 0.291), and indicator operability (0.263, 0.375) (all P<0.05). The constructed perioperative nursing quality sensitive indicator system for minimally invasive spinal surgery patients included 3 primary indicators, 9 secondary indicators, and 17 tertiary indicators. Conclusions:The core muscle strength training plan for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases based on the concept of pre- rehabilitation is scientific, reliable, practical, and feasible, and can provide a theoretical basis for core muscle strength training for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.
8.Effects of monocular deprivation during critical period of visual development on astrocytes in different regions of the mouse brain
Yifan SUN ; Xiao WANG ; Shiqiao YANG ; Kailei WANG ; Xuechun WANG ; Yamin CHEN ; Xiaoran ZHANG ; Panpan LÜ ; Rui HAO
Recent Advances in Ophthalmology 2024;44(7):517-521
Objective To explore the effects of monocular deprivation(MD)on the expression of astrocytes in the superior colliculus,hippocampus,and visual cortex in mice during the critical period of visual development.Methods Eighteen C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the normal control group(CON group)and the MD group,with 9 mice in each group.Mice were bred under the 12 h/12 h dark/light conditions.Mice in the CON group received no treat-ment,while mice in the MD group underwent MD of the right eye on postnatal day 27,and the tissue was removed after 7 days.The mRNA and protein expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in the superior colliculus,hippo-campus and visual cortex of mice in the two groups were detected using the real-time reverse transcription quantitative pol-ymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western blot,respectively.The number of astrocytes labeled by GFAP and central nervous system specific protein β(S100β)in the superior colliculus,hippocampus and visual cortex of mice in the two groups was detected using the immunofluorescence staining.Results RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that compared with the CON group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GFAP in the superior colliculus,hippocampus(CA1,CA3 and dentate gyrus)and visual cortex of mice in the MD group decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The immunofluorescence staining results showed that compared with the CON group,the number of GFAP and S1OOβ co-labeled astrocytes in the superior colliculus,hippocampus(CA1,CA3 and dentate gyrus)and visual cortex of mice in the MD group decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion MD of mice during the critical period of visual development can result in a decrease in the number of astrocytes in the supe-rior colliculus,hippocampus and visual cortex.
9.Cerebrospinal Fluid Seeding Versus Inflammation in Setting of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt as a Potential Cause for Distant Recurrence of Glioblastoma
Zachary C. GERSEY ; Tritan PLUTE ; Emade JAMAN ; Xiaoran ZHANG ; Rida MITHA ; Pascal O. ZINN ; Thomas M. PEARCE ; Nduka M. AMANKULOR
Brain Tumor Research and Treatment 2024;12(3):181-185
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults with a median survival of approximately 15 months, despite treatment, with most patients experiencing recurrence within 9 months of resection. The propensity of recurrence in GBM exemplifies the fatal course of the disease and remains an underlying area of study as novel instances of recurrence are encountered. The authors present a unique case of a 31-year-old male patient with a history of cerebellomedullary junction astrocytoma who later developed a supratentorial GBM followed by recurrence centered around a preexisting ventriculoperitoneal catheter and located in the hemisphere contralateral to his first GBM.Each of these lesions was initially thought to represent de novo glial neoplasms because of the absence of intervening T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal change between each lesion. However, next-generation sequencing using the GlioSeq™ platform revealed similar mutational profiles in both GBMs, suggesting an alternative method of migration of tumor cells to the shunt catheter site, and a local inflammatory environment likely triggering recurrence. This study concludes that in rare instances, in the presence of dormant glioma cells, intracranial foreign bodies may promote an inflammatory microenvironment that may activate tumorigenesis.
10.Trastuzumab Biosimilar (HLX02), Pertuzumab Plus Chemotherapy in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer after Progression of Trastuzumab: A Prospective, Phase II Study
Ruyan ZHANG ; Xiaoran LIU ; Guohong SONG ; Yan ZHANG ; Huiping LI
Cancer Research and Treatment 2024;56(3):795-801
Purpose:
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab biosimilar (HLX02) in combination with pertuzumab and chemotherapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) after progression of trastuzumab.
Materials and Methods:
In this prospective, single-arm, phase II study, patients with HER2-positive MBC after progression of trastuzumab received pertuzuamb, HLX02, and chemotherapy in Beijing Cancer Hospital from March 2020 to December 2022. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and safety. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05188495).
Results:
A total of 45 patients were included in this study. Twelve patients (26.7%) were treated in second-line and 33 patients (73.3%) were in third-line and later setting. Eighty percent and 15.5% patients had previously received pyrotinib/lapatinib and T-DM1, respectively. With a median follow-up of 24.4 months (range, 1.2 to 43.9 months), the median PFS was 7.6 months (95% confidence interval, 4.3 to 10.9), OS was not reached, the ORR was 31.1%, and DCR was 91.1%. The treatment was well tolerated.
Conclusion
The combination of trastuzumab biosimilar HLX02, pertuzumab, and chemotherapy exhibited promising efficacy and a favorable safety profile as second- and beyond-line treatment in HER2-positive MBC.

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