1.Treatment of Psoriasis from ''Fuyu'' Theory
Jiaqi LI ; Bobiao NING ; Ningxin ZHANG ; Bin YANG ; Ping SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(17):39-48
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a polygenic genetic background. Its etiology remains unclear, and its pathogenesis is complex and refractory, collectively posing significant challenges in its treatment and greatly affecting the physical and mental health of patients. With the advantages of multi-target and multi-pathway treatment, traditional Chinese medicine has shown unique efficacy and value in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis. Modern doctors have a lot of discussion on psoriasis, and most of them tend to treat the disease by solving disorders of the blood system. They think that the disease is closely related to the "heat in the blood". Combining the clinical characteristics and accompanying symptoms of psoriasis, this article traced the causes of "heat in the blood" in psoriasis and believed that multiple internal and external factors have prevented the smooth circulation of Qi. Yang Qi Fuyu (stagnation) and transformation into heat and toxicity is the source of "heat in the blood" in psoriasis. Furthermore, it was proposed that "Fuyu" is the core pathogenesis of psoriasis. The etiology of "Fuyu" is complex, such as external wind and cold pathogens, emotional injuries, internal accumulation of dampness, and deficiency of healthy Qi, all of which can disrupt the ascending and descending movement of Qi, impede the circulation of Qi and fluids, close the pores and skin texture, and subsequently lead to stagnation. Based on the above understanding, "resolving stagnation" is crucial for treating the disease. Many doctors have explored the treatment ideas of psoriasis from the perspectives of dispelling wind, warming cold, regulating Qi, eliminating dampness, tonifying deficiency, and external treatment, aiming to remove the causes, promote the circulation of Qi and fluids, and resolve stagnation and heat. Clinical studies have shown that the therapies can relieve clinical symptoms, reduce recurrence rate, and improve quality of life, which also have good safety in the treatment of psoriasis. This article discussed the treatment of psoriasis from the perspective of "Fuyu", enriching the understanding of TCM regarding the etiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis. It is aiming to serve as an effective supplement to the "treating by solving disorders of the blood system" approach and provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis.
2.Treatment of Psoriasis from ''Fuyu'' Theory
Jiaqi LI ; Bobiao NING ; Ningxin ZHANG ; Bin YANG ; Ping SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(17):39-48
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a polygenic genetic background. Its etiology remains unclear, and its pathogenesis is complex and refractory, collectively posing significant challenges in its treatment and greatly affecting the physical and mental health of patients. With the advantages of multi-target and multi-pathway treatment, traditional Chinese medicine has shown unique efficacy and value in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis. Modern doctors have a lot of discussion on psoriasis, and most of them tend to treat the disease by solving disorders of the blood system. They think that the disease is closely related to the "heat in the blood". Combining the clinical characteristics and accompanying symptoms of psoriasis, this article traced the causes of "heat in the blood" in psoriasis and believed that multiple internal and external factors have prevented the smooth circulation of Qi. Yang Qi Fuyu (stagnation) and transformation into heat and toxicity is the source of "heat in the blood" in psoriasis. Furthermore, it was proposed that "Fuyu" is the core pathogenesis of psoriasis. The etiology of "Fuyu" is complex, such as external wind and cold pathogens, emotional injuries, internal accumulation of dampness, and deficiency of healthy Qi, all of which can disrupt the ascending and descending movement of Qi, impede the circulation of Qi and fluids, close the pores and skin texture, and subsequently lead to stagnation. Based on the above understanding, "resolving stagnation" is crucial for treating the disease. Many doctors have explored the treatment ideas of psoriasis from the perspectives of dispelling wind, warming cold, regulating Qi, eliminating dampness, tonifying deficiency, and external treatment, aiming to remove the causes, promote the circulation of Qi and fluids, and resolve stagnation and heat. Clinical studies have shown that the therapies can relieve clinical symptoms, reduce recurrence rate, and improve quality of life, which also have good safety in the treatment of psoriasis. This article discussed the treatment of psoriasis from the perspective of "Fuyu", enriching the understanding of TCM regarding the etiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis. It is aiming to serve as an effective supplement to the "treating by solving disorders of the blood system" approach and provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis.
3.Mechanism of Mingshi Prescription in Regulating Opn4-dopamine Axis to Inhibit Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Delay Myopia Progression
Baohua LI ; Zefeng KANG ; Lulu WANG ; Xin YAN ; Jianquan WANG ; Xinyue HOU ; Bobiao NING ; Shanshan YE ; Mengyu LIU ; Yipeng SHI ; Danyu LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):58-67
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Mingshi prescription regulates the retinal melanopsin-dopamine (Opn4-DA) axis in myopic mice to inhibit endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the retina and sclera, thereby delaying axial elongation associated with myopia. MethodsSixty 4-week-old male SPF-grade C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a form-deprived myopia group (FDM group), an intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells ablation group (ipRGCs group), a Mingshi Prescription group (MSF group, 5.2 g·kg-1), and an ipRGCs + MSF group (5.2 g·kg-1). Except for the normal group, all other groups underwent FDM modeling. Additionally, the ipRGCs and ipRGCs + MSF groups received retinal ipRGC ablation. Three weeks after modeling, the MSF and ipRGCs + MSF groups were administered Mingshi prescription via continuous gavage for six weeks. After refraction and axial length were measured in all mice, eyeballs were collected along with retinal and scleral tissues. Pathological and morphological changes in the retina, choroid, and sclera were observed using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Western blot was employed to detect the relative protein expression levels of dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in the retina, and CHOP and GRP78 in the sclera. Real-time PCR was used to detect the relative mRNA expression of Opn4, CHOP, and GRP78 in the retina, and CHOP and GRP78 in the sclera. Immunofluorescence staining (IF) was performed to detect the expression of Opn4 and DRD1 in retinal tissues. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the FDM group showed a significant myopic shift in refraction (P<0.05) and a significant increase in axial length (P<0.05). The retinal layers were thinner, the number of ganglion cells was reduced, and collagen fibers in the sclera were loosely arranged with evident gaps. Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA expression in the retina were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA expression in both retinal and scleral tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the FDM group, the ipRGCs group exhibited further increases in myopic refraction and axial length (P<0.05), more pronounced thinning and looseness in the retinal, choroidal, and scleral layers, lower expression of Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA in the retina (P<0.05), and higher expression of CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA in the retina and sclera (P<0.05). Compared with the FDM group, the MSF group showed significantly reduced refractive error and axial length (P<0.05), with improved cellular number, arrangement, and thickness in ocular tissues, increased Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA expression in the retina (P<0.05), and reduced CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA expression in both retina and sclera (P<0.05). Similarly, the ipRGCs + MSF group showed significant improvements in terms of the above items compared with the ipRGCs group (P<0.05). ConclusionMingshi Prescription delays myopic axial elongation and refractive progression by regulating the Opn4-DA axis in the retina of myopic mice, thereby inhibiting ER stress in the retina and sclera. This intervention promotes Qi and blood nourishment of the eyes, softens the fascia, and restores ocular rhythm.