Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a chalcone compound isolated from licorice, known for its anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Our previous study has demonstrated that ISL effectively lowers blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice and improves disturbances in glucolipid and energy metabolism induced by T2DM. This study aims to further investigate the effects of ISL on alleviating abnormal endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) caused by T2DM and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms. In vivo experiments were conducted using 8-week-old SPF male C57BL/6J mice. The T2DM animal model was established by high-fat and high-sugar diet combined with intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ), in compliance with the ethical guidelines set by the Animal Welfare Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (approval number: BUCM-2022021503-1134). In vitro experiments employed human liver cancer HepG2 cells, which were induced with tunicamycin (TM) to establish the ERS cell model. Transcriptomic sequencing was used to analyze changes in gene expression in the liver samples of T2DM mice following ISL treatment. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to assess the regulatory effects of ISL on key ERS genes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence techniques were used to evaluate ISL's effects on ERS-related proteins. Results indicate that ISL significantly downregulates the expression of ERS-related genes, reduces the level of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), and inhibits the phosphorylation of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), thereby alleviating abnormal ERS induced by T2DM. Additionally, ISL increases the protein levels of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) 1 and IRS2 and enhances the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt), thereby improving insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, ISL is able to alleviate T2DM associated symptoms by improving abnormal ERS and enhancing insulin sensitivity.

Guided by the theory of "mutual dependence of ascending and descending"， recurrent pediatric cough and asthma are considered to result from the imbalance of the ascending and descending of zang-fu organ qi， which is closely associated with deficiency， phlegm， and blood stasis. In clinical practice， the disease is treated based on differentiation during the initial stage， progression stage， and stable stage. In the initial stage， the pathogenesis is attributed to lung deficiency complicated by external pathogens and liver qi rising to attack the lung； the treatment should focus on restraining the lung and calming the liver， using the self-formulated Longchai Yuchuan Fomulation （龙柴愈喘方）. During the progression stage， the disorder is due to the spleen failing to ascend clear qi and the kidney failing to grasp qi， leading to phlegm formation from deficiency； treatment should focus on tonifying spleen yang， supplementing kidney qi， and resolving phlegm and fluid retention， using a modified combination of Linggui Zhugan Decoction （苓桂术甘汤） and Jinkui Shenqi Pill （金匮肾气丸）. In the stable stage， qi deficiency leads to poor consolidation， with phlegm turbidity and blood stasis； the treatment should aim at tonifying qi， transforming phlegm， and dispelling blood stasis， using a modified version of Guizhi Fuling Pill （桂枝茯苓丸）.

Objective To explore the application of plasma 7 microRNA (miR7) testing in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods This study is a multicenter real-world study. Patients with single hepatic lesion (maximum diameter≤2 cm) who underwent plasma miR7 testing at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital, and Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into very early-stage HCC group and non-HCC group, and the clinical pathological characteristics of the two groups were compared. The value of plasma miR7 levels, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage HCC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). In patients with both negative AFP and DCP (AFP＜20 ng/mL, DCP＜40 mAU/mL), the diagnostic value of plasma miR7 for very early-stage HCC was analyzed. Results A total of 64 528 patients from 4 hospitals underwent miR7 testing, and 1 682 were finally included, of which 1 073 were diagnosed with very early-stage HCC and 609 were diagnosed with non-HCC. The positive rate of miR7 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in non-HCC patients (67.9% vs 24.3%, P＜0.001). ROC curves showed that the AUCs for miR7, AFP, and DCP in distinguishing HCC patients from the non-HCC individuals were 0.718, 0.682, and 0.642, respectively. The sensitivities were 67.85%, 43.71%, and 44.45%, and the specificities were 75.70%, 92.78%, and 83.91%, respectively. The pairwise comparison of AUCs showed that the diagnostic efficacy of plasma miR7 detection was significantly better than that of AFP or DCP (P＜0.05). Although its specificity was slightly lower than AFP and DCP, the sensitivity was significantly higher. Among patients negative for both AFP and DCP, miR7 maintained an AUC of 0.728 for diagnosing very early-stage HCC, with 67.82% sensitivity and 77.73% specificity. Conclusions Plasma miR7 testing is a potential molecular marker with high sensitivity and specificity for the differential diagnosis of small hepatic nodules. In patients with very early-stage HCC lacking effective molecular markers (negative for both AFP and DCP), miR7 can serve as a novel and effective molecular marker to assist diagnosis.

This paper summarizes Professor WANG Xiuxia's clinical experience in treating hyperprolactinemia using the liver soothing therapy. Professor WANG identifies liver qi stagnation and rebellious chong qi （冲气） as the core pathomechanisms of hyperprolactinemia. Furthermore， liver qi stagnation may transform into fire or lead to pathological changes such as spleen deficiency with phlegm obstruction or kidney deficiency with essence depletion. The treatment strategy centers on soothing the liver， with a modified version of Qinggan Jieyu Decoction （清肝解郁汤） as the base formula. Depending on different syndrome patterns such as liver stagnation transforming into fire， liver stagnation with spleen deficiency， or liver stagnation with kidney deficiency， heat clearing， spleen strengthening， or kidney tonifying herbs are added accordingly. In addition， three paired herb combinations are commonly used for symptom specific treatment， Danggui （Angelica sinensis） with Chuanxiong （Ligusticum chuanxiong）， Zelan （Lycopus lucidus） with Yimucao （Leonurus japonicus） ， and Jiegeng （Platycodon grandiflorus） with Zisu （Perilla frutescens）.

Based on the "sweat pore-qi and liquid-collaterals" theory， it is considered that the core pathogenesis of pediatric infectious mononucleosis lies in the obstruction of sweat pores， the failure of qi and liquid to disperse， and damage to the collaterals due to pathogenic toxins. Accordingly， the treatment principles proposed include unblocking the sweat pores， regulating qi and liquid， and smoothing the collaterals. In clinical practice， treatment is differentiated according to stages： initial， acute， and late stages. In the initial stage， invasion of warm pathogenic toxins into the lung defense leads to obstruction of the sweat pores， which should be treated by unblocking the sweat pores and expelling pathogens outward. In the acute stage， the obstruction of the sweat pores worsens， leading to the failure of qi and liquid dispersal， resulting in intense heat toxins with accumulation of dampness， phlegm， and blood stasis， which should be treated by promoting qi movement， resolving dampness and phlegm， clearing heat， detoxifying， and dispersing stasis to regulate qi and liquid. In the late stage， residual pathogens remain， with qi and yin deficiency and unsmooth collaterals， which should be treated by unblocking the collaterals， dissipating nodules， tonifying qi， and nourishing yin to smooth the collaterals. This approach may provide new insights for the clinical treatment of pediatric infectious mononucleosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of empagliflozin combined with donafenib or lenvatinib on the pharmacokinetic parameters of each drug， and to provide a reference for combined medication in clinical practice. MethodsA total of 48 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 8 groups： empagliflozin group 1 and 2， donafenib group， lenvatinib group， donafenib pretreatment+empagliflozin group， lenvatinib pretreatment + empagliflozin group， empagliflozin pretreatment+donafenib group， and empagliflozin pretreatment+lenvatinib group， with 6 rats in each group. The doses of empagliflozin， donafenib， and lenvatinib were 2.5 mg/kg， 40 mg/kg， and 1.2 mg/kg， respectively. The rats in the empagliflozin group， donafenib group， and lenvatinib group were given a blank solvent by gavage for 7 consecutive days， followed by a single dose of empagliflozin， donafenib， or lenvatinib on day 7 after the administration of the blank solvent； the rats in the pretreatment groups were given the pretreatment drug by gavage for 7 consecutive days， followed by a single dose of drug combination on day 7 after administration of the pretreatment drug. Blood samples were collected at different time points， and plasma was separated to measure the concentration of each drug. A validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was used to measure the plasma concentrations of donafenib， lenvatinib， and empagliflozin， and a non-compartmental model was used to calculate the main pharmacokinetic parameters of each drug （area under the plasma concentration-time curve ［AUC］， time to peak ［T_max］， peak concentration ［C_max］， and half-life time ［t_1/2］）. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. ResultsCompared with the empagliflozin group， the donafenib pretreatment+empagliflozin group had significant increases in the AUC_0-t and AUC_0-∞ of empagliflozin （P=0.011 and 0.008）， while the lenvatinib pretreatment+empagliflozin group had no significant change in the AUC of empagliflozin， with a slightly shorter T_max （P=0.019）. Compared with the donafenib group， the empagliflozin pretreatment+donafenib group had significant increases in the AUC_0-t and AUC_0-∞ of donafenib （P=0.027 and 0.025）， as well as a significant increase in C_max （P=0.015） and significant reductions in CLz/F and Vz/F （P=0.005 and 0.004）； compared with the lenvatinib group， the empagliflozin pretreatment+lenvatinib group had a reduction in the t_1/2 of lenvatinib by approximately 5 hours （P=0.002）， with a trend of reduction in AUC_0-t （P0.05）. ConclusionEmpagliflozin combined with donafenib may alter the pharmacokinetic parameters of both drugs， leading to a significant increase in the exposure levels of both drugs， and efficacy and adverse reactions should be monitored during co-administration. There are no significant changes in the exposure levels of empagliflozin and lenvatinib during co-administration.

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the material basis of toad visceral oil(hereafter referred to as toad oil), and explore the pharmacological effect of toad oil on atopic dermatitis(AD). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) were employed to comprehensively identify the chemical components in toad oil. The animal model of AD was prepared by the hapten stimulation method. The modeled animals were respectively administrated with positive drug(0.1% hydrocortisone butyrate cream) and low-and high-doses(1%, 10%) of toad oil by gavage. The effect of toad oil on AD was evaluated with the AD score, ear swelling rate, spleen index, and pathological section results as indicators. A total of 99 components were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS, including 14 bufadienolides, 7 fatty acids, 6 alkaloids, 10 ketones, 18 amides, and other compounds. After methylation of toad oil samples, a total of 20 compounds were identified by GC-MS. Compared with the model group, the low-and high-dose toad oil groups showed declined AD score, ear swelling rate, and spleen index, alleviated skin lesions, and reduced infiltrating mast cells. This study comprehensively analyzes the chemical composition and clarifies the material basis of toad oil. Meanwhile, this study proves that toad oil has a good therapeutic effect on AD and is a reserve resource of traditional Chinese medicine for external use in the treatment of AD.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Male ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Bufonidae ; Oils/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

In order to compare the differences in growth and secondary metabolite accumulation of Panax quinquefolius between understory and field planting, growth indexes, photosynthetic characteristics, soil enzyme activities, secondary metabolite contents, and antioxidant activities of P. quinquefolius under different planting modes were examined and compared, and One-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) and correlation analyses were carried out by using the software SPSS 25.0 and GraphPad Prism 9.5. The Origin 2021 software was used for plotting. The results showed that compared with those under field planting, the plant height, leaf length, leaf width, photosynthetic rate, and chlorophyll content of P. quinquefolius under understory planting were significantly reduced, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) infestation rate and infestation intensity, ginsenoside content, and antioxidant activity were significantly increased. The activities of inter-root soil urease, sucrase, and catalase increased, while the activities of non-inter-root soil urease and alkaline phosphatase increased. Correlation analyses showed that the plant height and leaf length of P. quinquefolius plant were significantly positively correlated with net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, chlorophyll content, and electron transfer rate(P<0.05), while ginsenoside content was significantly negatively correlated with net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, and electron transfer rate(P<0.05) and significantly positively correlated with AMF infestation rate and infestation intensity(P<0.05). In addition, ginsenoside content was significantly positively correlated with the activities of inter-root soil sucrase, urease, and catalase(P<0.05). This study provides basic data for revealing the mechanism of secondary metabolite accumulation in P. quinquefolius under understory planting and for exploring and practicing the ecological mode of P. quinquefolius under understory planting.
Panax/microbiology* ; China ; Secondary Metabolism ; Soil/chemistry* ; Photosynthesis ; Plant Leaves/metabolism* ; Chlorophyll/metabolism* ; Mycorrhizae

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms and molecular targets of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot(TFA) plus empagliflozin(EM) in attenuating diabetic tubulopathy(DT) by targeting mitochondrial homeostasis and pyroptosis-apoptosis-necroptosis(PANoptosis). In the in vivo study, the authors established the DT rat models through a combination of uninephrectomy, administration of streptozotocin via intraperitoneal injections, and exposure to a high-fat diet. Following modeling successfully, the DT rat models received either TFA, EM, TFA+EM, or saline(as a vehicle) by gavage for eight weeks, respectively. In the in vitro study, the authors subjected the NRK52E cells with or without knock-down Z-DNA binding protein 1(ZBP1) to a high-glucose(HG) environment and various treatments including TFA, EM, and TFA+EM. In the in vivo and in vitro studies, The authors investigated the relative characteristics of renal tubular injury and renal tubular epithelial cells damage induced by reactive oxygen species(ROS), analyzed the relative characteristics of renal tubular PANoptosis and ZBP1-mediatted PANoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells, and compared the relative characteristics of the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission in the kidneys and mitochondrial homeostasis in renal tubular epithelial cells, respectively. Furthermore, in the network pharmacology study, the authors predicted and screened targets of TFA and EM using HERB and SwissTargetPrediction databases; The screened chemical constituents and targets of TFA and EM were constructed the relative network using Cytoscape 3.7.2 network graphics software; The relative targets of DT were integrated using OMIM and GeneCards databases; The intersecting targets of TFA, EM, and DT were enriched and analyzed signaling pathways by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) software using DAVID database. In vivo study results showed that TFA+EM could improve renal tubular injury, the protein expression levels and characteristics of key signaling molecules in PANoptosis pathway in the kidneys, and the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission in the kidneys. And that, the ameliorative effects in vivo of TFA+EM were both superior to TFA or EM. Network pharmacology study results showed that TFA+EM treated DT by regulating the PANoptosis signaling pathway. In vitro study results showed that TFA+EM could improve ROS-induced cell injury, ZBP1-mediatted PANoptosis, and mitochondrial homeostasis in renal tubular epithelial cells under a state of HG, including the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial ultrastructure, and membrane potential level. And that, the ameliorative effects in vitro of TFA+EM were both superior to TFA or EM. More importantly, using the NRK52E cells with knock-down ZBP1, the authors found that, indeed, ZBP1 was mediated PANoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells as an upstream factor. In addition, TFA+EM could regulate the protein expression levels of marked signaling molecules of PANoptosis by targeting ZBP1. In summary, this study clarified that TFA+EM, different from TFA or EM, could attenuate DT with multiple targets by ameliorating mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibiting ZBP1-mediated PANoptosis. These findings provide the clear pharmacological evidence for the clinical treatment of DT with a novel strategy of TFA+EM, which is named "coordinated traditional Chinese and western medicine".
Animals ; Rats ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Benzhydryl Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Glucosides/administration & dosage* ; Abelmoschus/chemistry* ; Male ; Homeostasis/drug effects* ; Flavones/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Diabetic Nephropathies/physiopathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects*