OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of finerenone combined with standard treatment regimen in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy （DN）. METHODS From the perspective of healthcare service providers， a Markov model was established to simulate the dynamic changes of each stage in DN patients who received finerenone combined with the standard treatment regimen or the standard treatment regimen alone based on the phase Ⅲ clinical trial study of finerenone for DN. Markov model was used to perform the cost-effectiveness of long-term effects and the costs of the two therapies with a simulation cycle of 4 months， a simulation period of 15 years and an annual discount rate of 5%. At the same time， one-way sensitivity analysis and probability sensitivity analysis were performed， and the stability of the results was validated. RESULTS Accumulative cost of the standard treatment regimen was 579 329.54 yuan， and the accumulative utility was 8.052 4 quality-adjusted life year （QALYs）； the accumulative cost of finerenone combined with the standard treatment regimen was 332 520.61 yuan， and the accumulative utility was 8.187 4 QALYs. Finerenone combined with the standard treatment regimen was more cost-effective. The results of one-way sensitivity analysis showed that dialysis status utility value， DN stage 3 utility value and DN stage 4 utility value had a great influence on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio， but did not affect the robustness of the model. The results of probability sensitivity analysis showed that finerenone combined with the standard treatment regimen was more cost-effective with 100% probability. CONCLUSIONS For DN patients， finerenone combined with the standard treatment regimen is more cost-effective as an absolute advantage option.

The Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Qinbaohong Zhike Oral Liquid in Treatment of Acute Bronchitis and Acute Attack of Chronic Bronchitis （GS/CACM 337-2023） was released by the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 13^th， 2023. This expert consensus was developed by experts in methodology， pharmacy， and Chinese medicine in strict accordance with the development requirements of the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and based on the latest medical evidence and the clinical medication experience of well-known experts in the fields of respiratory medicine （pulmonary diseases） and pediatrics. This expert consensus defines the application of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid in the treatment of cough and excessive sputum caused by phlegm-heat obstructing lung， acute bronchitis， and acute attack of chronic bronchitis from the aspects of applicable populations， efficacy evaluation， usage， dosage， drug combination， and safety. It is expected to guide the rational drug use in medical and health institutions， give full play to the unique value of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid， and vigorously promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese patent medicines.

The Huangdi Neijing proposes the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory to guide clinical prescription and formulation of herbal remedies based on the physiological characteristics and functions of the five zang viscera, along with the properties and flavors of medicinal herbs. This study explored diabetic kidney disease pathogenesis and treatment based on the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory. Kidney dryness is a key pathological factor in diabetic kidney disease, and the disharmony of kidney dryness is an essential aspect of its pathogenesis. Strengthening is the primary therapeutic principle, and kidney dryness is a persistent factor throughout the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney disease. In the early stage, the pathogenesis involves heat-consuming qi and injuring yin, leading to kidney dryness. In the middle stage, the pathogenesis manifests as qi deficiency and blood stasis in the collaterals, resulting in turbidity owing to kidney dryness. In the late stage, the pathogenesis involves yin and yang deficiency, with kidney dryness and disharmony. This study proposes the staging-based treatment based on the " need for firmness" characteristic of the kidney. The aim is to provide new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine by rationally using pungent, bitter, and salty medicinal herbs to nourish and moisturize the kidney. This approach seeks to promote precise syndrome differentiation and personalized treatment for different stages of diabetic kidney disease, thereby enhancing clinical efficacy.

Serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type (SPINK) is a skin keratinizing protease inhibitor, which was initially found in animal serum and is widely present in plants, animals, bacteria, and viruses, and they act as key regulators of skin keratinizing proteases and are involved in the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation and inflammation, primarily through the inhibition of deregulated tissue kinin-releasing enzymes (KLKs) in skin response. This process plays a crucial role in alleviating various skin problems caused by hyperkeratinization and inflammation, and can greatly improve the overall condition of the skin. Specifically, the different members of the SPINK family, such as SPINK5, SPINK6, SPINK7, and SPINK9, each have unique biological functions and mechanisms of action. The existence of these members demonstrates the diversity and complexity of skin health and disease. First, SPINK5 mutations are closely associated with the development of various skin diseases, such as Netherton’s syndrome and atopic dermatitis, and SPINK5 is able to inhibit the activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby effectively preventing the metastasis of melanoma cells, which is important in preventing the invasion and migration of malignant tumors. Secondly, SPINK6 is mainly distributed in the epidermis and contains lysine and glutamate residues, which can act as a substrate for epidermal transglutaminase to maintain the normal structure and function of the skin. In addition, SPINK6 can activate the intracellular ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways through the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor and protease receptor-2 (EphA2), which can promote the migration of melanoma cells, and SPINK6 further deepens its role in stimulating the migration of malignant tumor cells by inhibiting the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway. This process further deepens its potential impact in stimulating tumor invasive migration. Furthermore, SPINK7 plays a role in the pathology of some inflammatory skin diseases, and is likely to be an important factor contributing to the exacerbation of skin diseases by promoting aberrant proliferation of keratinocytes and local inflammatory responses. Finally, SPINK9 can induce cell migration and promote skin wound healing by activating purinergic receptor 2 (P2R) to induce phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor and further activating the downstream ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In addition, SPINK9 also plays an antimicrobial role, preventing the interference of some pathogenic microorganisms. Taken as a whole, some members of the SPINK family may be potential targets for the treatment of dermatological disorders by regulating multiple biological processes such as keratinization metabolism and immuno-inflammatory processes in the skin. The development of drugs such as small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies has great potential for the treatment of dermatologic diseases, and future research on SPINK will help to gain a deeper understanding of the physiopathologic processes of the skin. Through its functions and regulatory mechanisms, the formation and maintenance of the skin barrier and the occurrence and development of inflammatory responses can be better understood, which will provide novel ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of skin diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases， a group of major non-infectious diseases， are characterized by high morbidity and mortality， significantly influencing patients' quality of life. Hence， it is imperative to discover a secure and efficacious treatment approach. As a form of programmed cell death， autophagy has been demonstrated to be associated with the pathogeneses of hypertension， diabetic cardiomyopathy， myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury， heart failure， atherosclerosis， and other cardiovascular disorders. It serves as one of the potential targets for the clinical intervention in cardiovascular diseases by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Autophagy exerts dual regulatory effects on the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases， and its specific effect predominantly depends on the extent of autophagy and the pathological stage of diseases. Recent studies have confirmed that TCM can prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases by directly regulating autophagy or interacting with oxidative stress， inflammation， and apoptosis under the regulation of autophagy， exhibiting the unique advantages of multiple targets， multiple components， and mild adverse reactions. This article reviews the experimental research progress in the role of autophagy and the intervention by active components and compound prescriptions of TCM and Chinese patent medicines in common cardiovascular diseases （such as diabetic cardiomyopathy， myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury， heart failure， and atherosclerosis） in recent years and summarizes the research shortcomings， providing a theoretical basis and strategies for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases， a group of major non-infectious diseases， are characterized by high morbidity and mortality， significantly influencing patients' quality of life. Hence， it is imperative to discover a secure and efficacious treatment approach. As a form of programmed cell death， autophagy has been demonstrated to be associated with the pathogeneses of hypertension， diabetic cardiomyopathy， myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury， heart failure， atherosclerosis， and other cardiovascular disorders. It serves as one of the potential targets for the clinical intervention in cardiovascular diseases by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Autophagy exerts dual regulatory effects on the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases， and its specific effect predominantly depends on the extent of autophagy and the pathological stage of diseases. Recent studies have confirmed that TCM can prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases by directly regulating autophagy or interacting with oxidative stress， inflammation， and apoptosis under the regulation of autophagy， exhibiting the unique advantages of multiple targets， multiple components， and mild adverse reactions. This article reviews the experimental research progress in the role of autophagy and the intervention by active components and compound prescriptions of TCM and Chinese patent medicines in common cardiovascular diseases （such as diabetic cardiomyopathy， myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury， heart failure， and atherosclerosis） in recent years and summarizes the research shortcomings， providing a theoretical basis and strategies for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Inflammatory diseases (IDs) are a general term of diseases characterized by chronic inflammation as the primary pathogenetic mechanism, which seriously affect the quality of patient′s life and cause significant social and medical burden. Current drugs for IDs include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, biologics, and antioxidants, but these drugs may cause gastrointestinal side effects, induce or worsen infections, and cause non-response or intolerance. Given the outstanding performance of metal polyphenol network (MPN) in the fields of drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and catalytic therapy, its application in the diagnosis and treatment of IDs has attracted much attention and significant progress has been made. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the types of IDs and their generating mechanisms, then sort out and summarize the different forms of MPN in recent years, and finally discuss in detail the characteristics of MPN and their latest research progress in the diagnosis and treatment of IDs. This research may provide useful references for scientific research and clinical practice in the related fields.

BACKGROUND:Type 2 diabetes mellitus impairs renal function,and studies have shown that exercise interventions can protect the kidneys.Irisin can protect renal function in diabetic nephropathy patients by restoring autophagy through inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling pathway. OBJECTIVE:To explore whether exercise can restore autophagy and ameliorate renal injury by inhibiting over-activation of the renal PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway,as well as to analyze the differences in the effects of different modalities of exercise. METHODS:Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank control group(normal rats)and a diabetic group,and then the diabetic group was randomly divided into a diabetic model group,a moderate-intensity continuous exercise group,and a high-intensity intermittent exercise group after successful modeling using high-fat,high-sugar feeding plus intraperitoneal administration of low-dose 1%streptozotocin(30 mg/kg).The two exercise groups were subjected to 8 weeks of exercise intervention with different exercise intensities.The fasting blood glucose concentration was detected by glucose oxidase method,glycated hemoglobin levels was measured using a kit,serum insulin concentration was detected by Elisa method,and insulin resistance index was calculated.Gene expression of PI3K,AKT,mTOR,Beclin-1,podocin,and nephrin was detected by RT-PCR.Protein expression of mTOR and autophagy marker proteins LC3-1,LC3-2,and Beclin-1 was detected by western blot RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were highly significantly increased,insulin resistance levels were significantly increased,and insulin levels were significantly decreased in type 2 diabetic rats.Both exercises resulted in highly significant decreases in fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels,significant decreases in insulin resistance levels and significant increases in insulin levels in type 2 diabetic rats.Insulin levels were significantly higher in the high-intensity intermittent exercise group compared with the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group.The expression of podocin and nephrind genes was significantly reduced in type 2 diabetic rats and two different forms of exercise significantly the gene expression.There was a further trend toward an increase in gene expression of podocyte-associated proteins in the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group compared with the high-intensity intermittent exercise group,but there was no significant difference.The mRNA and protein expression of PI3K,AKT and mTORC1 in kidney tissues of type 2 diabetic rats were significantly increased,and the expression of autophagy marker proteins Beclin-1 and LC3-2 and LC3-2/LC3-1 were significantly decreased.Both different forms of exercise significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression of PI3K,AKT,and mTORC1,and significantly increased the autophagy marker proteins Beclin-1,LC3-2,and LC3-2/LC3-1 in renal tissues.Compared with the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group,there was a trend toward further decreases in mRNA expression of PI3K,AKT,and mTORC1 and protein expression of mTOR,and a trend toward further elevation of Beclin-1,LC3-2,and LC3-2/LC3-1 in the high-intensity intermittent exercise group,but only Beclin-1 showed a significant difference between groups.In summary,renal podocyte injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus with suppressed autophagy is closely related to aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 signaling pathway.Both moderate-intensity continuous exercise and high-intensity intermittent exercise can protect the diabetic kidney,reduce podocyte damage,and restore renal podocyte autophagy,which may be achieved by inhibiting the excessive activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.High-intensity intermittent exercise shows a trend toward more favorable restoration of autophagy compared with moderate-intensity continuous exercise,but with a slight decrease in podocyte protein expression.

This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of Danggui Shaoyao San(DSS) in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD) through transcriptomics and metabolomics, combined with animal experiments. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice, aged seven weeks, were randomly divided into the following five groups: control, model, positive drug, low-dose DSS, and high-dose DSS groups. After the intervention, the Morris water maze was used to assess learning and memory abilities of mice, and Nissl staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were performed to observe pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were employed to sequence brain tissue and identify differential metabolites, analyzing key genes and metabolites related to disease progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was employed to validate the expression of key genes. The Morris water maze results indicated that DSS significantly improved learning and cognitive function in scopolamine(SCOP)-induced model mice, with the high-dose DSS group showing the best results. Pathological staining showed that DSS effectively reduced hippocampal neuronal damage, increased Nissl body numbers, and reduced nuclear pyknosis and neuronal loss. Transcriptomics identified seven key genes, including neurexin 1(Nrxn1) and sodium voltage-gated channel α subunit 1(Scn1a), and metabolomics revealed 113 differential metabolites, all of which were closely associated with synaptic function, oxidative stress, and metabolic regulation. RT-qPCR experiments confirmed that the expression of these seven key genes was consistent with the transcriptomics results. This study suggests that DSS significantly improves learning and memory in SCOP model mice and alleviates hippocampal neuronal pathological damage. The mechanisms likely involve the modulation of synaptic function, reduction of oxidative stress, and metabolic balance, with these seven key genes serving as important targets for DSS in the treatment of AD.
Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/genetics* ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Metabolomics ; Transcriptome/drug effects* ; Maze Learning/drug effects* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Memory/drug effects*

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires