To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

Objective To investigate the impact of vestibular dysfunction on various domains of cognitive function, providing a basis for developing comprehensive vestibular-cognitive intervention strategies. Methods A total of 33 patients with confirmed unilateral vestibular dysfunction treated at Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University between June 2024 and December 2024. Vestibular function was assessed using vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP), caloric testing, video head impulse test (vHIT), and sensory organization test (SOT). Cognitive function was evaluated using mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), Stroop color-word test, trail making test (TMT), and auditory verbal learning test (AVLT). Subjective symptoms were assessed using dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Results In the vestibular function assessment of patients, abnormalities in caloric testing, utricle VEMP and saccule VEMP results were most common, with rates of 87.9%, 57.6%, and 66.7%, respectively; SOT abnormality primarily characterized by impaired vestibular function (21.2%). Spearman correlation analysis showed age, years of education, hearing ability, and emotional state were associated with overall or specific domains of cognitive function in patients. Greater vestibular dysfunction severity was associated with longer TMT-A time (r＝0.443，P＝0.010), most severe damage of short-term (r＝－0.405，P＝0.019) and long-term delayed recalls (r＝－0.537，P＝0.001). Patients with 31-60 of DHI scores showed longer TMT-A time than patients with 0-30 of DHI scores (P＝0.033). Conclusions Patients with vestibular dysfunction exhibit significant impairment in low-frequency semicircular canal and utricle function, which affects attention allocation, information processing speed, and memory performance in cognitive tasks.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and potential mechanism of combined tongue three-needle acupuncture and acupoint application on Lianquan （CV 23） for patients with dysphagia after ischemic stroke. MethodsA prospective study was conducted on 160 patients with post-stroke dysphagia， who were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group， with 80 cases in each group. The control group received conventional rehabilitation training， while the treatment group received tongue three-needle acupuncture combined with acupoint application on Lianquan （CV 23） on the basis of conventional rehabilitation training， for 4 weeks in both groups. We compared the clinical effectivenss of both groups after treatment， and assessed the swallowing function including videofluoroscopic swallowing study （VFSS）， standardized swallowing assessment （SSA） and functional oral intake scale （FIOS）， swallowing contrast test including hyoid maximum displacement （HmaxD）， pharyngeal transit time （PTT）， and upper esophageal sphincter （UES） opening， surface electromyography （sEMG） test including maximum amplitude and swallowing duration as well as swallowing quality of life questionnaire （SWAL-QOL） score of the patients in both groups before treatment， after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment， respectively. ResultsThe total effective rate in treatment group was 82.50% （66/80）， significantly higher than 66.25% （53/80） in control group （P＜0.05）. The VFSS， and FOIS scores， UES opening rate and HmaxD， sEMG maximal amplitude values， and SWAL-QOL scores were increased in both groups after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment compared with the values before treatment （P＜0.05）， while SSA scores， PTT， and swallowing duration were decreased compared within group before treatment （P＜0.05）. VFSS and FOIS scores， UES opening rate and HmaxD， sEMG maximal amplitude values， and SWAL-QOL scores after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment in the treatment group were higher （P＜0.05）， while SSA scores， PTT， and swallowing duration were lower （P＜0.05） than those in the control group at the same time. ConclusionCombined tongue three-needle acupuncture and acupoint application on Lianquan （CV 23） for patients with dysphagia after ischemic stroke can significantly improve swallowing activities， and its mechanism of action may be related to the improvement of the contraction ability and coordination of swallowing-related muscle groups.

OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that the gut may be a primary site of metformin action. However, studies on the effects of metformin on gut microbiota remain limited, and its impact on gut microbial metabolites such as short-/medium-chain fatty acids is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of metformin on gut microbiota, short-/medium-chain fatty acids, and associated metabolic benefits in high-fat diet rats. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: 1) Normal diet group (ND group), fed standard chow; 2) high-fat diet group (HFD group), fed a high-fat diet; 3) high-fat diet + metformin treatment group (HFD+Met group), fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks, followed by daily intragastric administration of metformin solution (150 mg/kg body weight) starting in week 9. At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed, and serum, liver, and colonic contents were collected for assessment of glucose and lipid metabolism, liver pathology, gut microbiota composition, and the concentrations of short-/medium-chain fatty acids. RESULTS: Metformin significantly improved HFD-induced glucose and lipid metabolic disorders and liver injury. Compared with the HFD group, the HFD+Met group showed reduced abundance of Blautia, Romboutsia, Bilophila, and Bacteroides, while Lactobacillus abundance significantly increased (all P<0.05). Colonic contents of butyric acid, 2-methyl butyric acid, valeric acid, octanoic acid, and lauric acid were significantly elevated (all P<0.05), whereas acetic acid, isoheptanoic acid, and nonanoic acid levels were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus abundance was negatively correlated with body weight gain and insulin resistance, while butyrate and valerate levels were negatively correlated with insulin resistance and liver injury (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Metformin significantly increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and promotes the production of short-/medium-chain fatty acids including butyric, valeric, and lauric acid in the colonic contents of HFD rats, suggesting that metformin may regulate host metabolism through modulation of the gut microbiota.
Animals ; Metformin/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Rats ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Fatty Acids/metabolism*

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

(+)-Strebloside, a significant bioactive compound isolated from the roots of Streblus asper Lour., demonstrates inhibitory effects against multiple malignancies. However, its specific function and underlying mechanistic pathways in Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remain unexplored. This investigation sought to elucidate the role and potential mechanisms of (+)-strebloside-induced NHL cell death. The results demonstrated that (+)-strebloside significantly induced apoptosis and ferroptosis in NHL cells, including those from Raji cell-derived xenograft models. Mechanistic analyses revealed that (+)-strebloside enhanced six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 3 (STEAP3)-induced ferroptosis in NHL, and STEAP3 inhibition reduced the proliferation-inhibitory effects of (+)-strebloside. Furthermore, (+)-strebloside suppressed NHL proliferation through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibition diminished the proliferation-inhibitory activity induced by (+)-strebloside. These findings indicate that (+)-strebloside presents promising therapeutic potential for NHL treatment.
Humans ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/physiopathology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects* ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Mice ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Male ; Mice, Nude

Objective To observe the effect of abdominal acupuncture in treating allergic rhinitis(AR).Methods Twenty-seven AR patients who attended Fangshan Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from August to October 2022 were selected.They were divided into treatment group(15 cases)and control group(12 cases)according to randomized numerical table method.The treatment group received abdominal acupuncture.The control group at the same point was used one-time sterile cannula acupuncture to simulate acupuncture,but no needle was inserted into the acupoint.Two groups were treated,3 times a week for 4 weeks.The visual analogue scale(VAS),rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire(RQLQ),Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)scores,and the histamine(HIS),leukotriene D4(LTD4),immunoglobulin E(IgE)levels were compared between two groups before and after treatment.Results At each time point after treatment,the VAS,RQLQ,PSQI scores and HIS,LTD4,IgE levels of patients in treatment group were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in VAS,RQLQ,and PSQI scores,the HIS,LTD4,and IgE levels after 2-week treatment in both groups(P>0.05).After 4-week treatment and follow-up 4-week,the VAS,RQLQ,and PSQI scores,the HIS,and LTD4 levels in treatment group were significantly lower than those in control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Abdominal acupuncture has good therapeutic effect on AR and significantly improves life quality of the patients,which can reduce the levels of HIS,LTD4 and IgE.The therapy is worthy of clinical application.

Objective To investigate the acute toxicity,irritation,and other effects of Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment on hemorrhoid-phased model rats by examining the TLR4/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.Methods Sixteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into an intact skin Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment group,intact skin control group,broken skin Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment group,and broken skin control group,with four rabbits in each group.In the experimental group,20 g of Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment(1 g/mL)was evenly applied to an area on the rabbits depleted of hair,and an equal volume of solvent(mixture of glycerol,lanolin,and water)was evenly applied to the area on the backs of the rabbits in the control group once a day for 14 days.Another 40 rats were taken and randomly divided into a normal group,model group,Maillard group,and hemorrhoid cream group,with 10 animals in each group.The cream was applied once a day for 14 days.The acute toxicity of the cream in the intact and broken skin of rabbits was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and other method after treatment.In situ photographs were taken of the perianal tissues of rats with hemorrhoids to observe the efficacy of Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment,and the length and width of the ulcers were measured with vernier calipers to calculate the area.Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of TLR4,p38 MAPK,and NF-κB mRNA in the perianal tissues of the rats.Results Compared with rabbits in the control groups with intact or broken skin,rabbits in the administered group showed no significant difference in body mass.The mean values for the irritation evaluation points for Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment on rabbits with broken skin for 1 h,24 h,48 h,and 72 h were 1.5,1,0.5,and 0.25,respectively,showing there was no obvious skin irritation.In the hemorrhoidal rats,Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment treatment significantly reduced hemorrhoid symptoms after 14 days administration;the ulcer area was significantly smaller(P＜0.05)and TLR4,p38 MAPK,and NF-κB mRNA levels were significantly lower compared with the findings in the model group(P＜0.05).Conclusions Shexiang Anhe hemorrhoid ointment is a safe topical treatment with minimal acute toxicity and irritation to the skin and achieved good efficacy in the treatment of hemorrhoidal rats.Its mechanism of action may be related to the inhibition of the TLR4/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of early glucose metabolism abnormality on skeletal muscle content of young men.Methods 88 males who underwent physical examinations in our hospital from September 2020 to September 2021 were divided into normal blood glucose group(NGT,n=47)and IGR group(n=41),according to their FPG and 2 hPG levels.FPG,FIns and visceral fat area(VFA)were measured.HOMA-IR,HOMA-β,skeletal muscle index(SMI)and body fat ratio(BFR)were calculated.Results Compared with NGT group,the males in IGR group showed elevated BMI,WC,FPG,2 hPG,HOMA-IR and VFA(P＜0.05),but decreased HDL-C and SMI(P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that SMI was negatively correlated with BMI,WC,FPG,2 hPG,HOMA-IR,VFA and BFR in young men(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI was the influencing factor of FPG,while SMI was the influencing factor of 2 hPG.Conclusions In young men with abnormal glucose metabolism,the postprandial blood glucose significantly increase with the decrease of skeletal muscle content,and fasting blood glucose is mainly affected by BMI.

Objective:To establish HPLC fingerprints of Aristolochia contorta and honey-processed Aristolochia contorta; To analyze the changes of chemical components before and after honey processing with multivariate statistics; To provide a reference for the study on the toxicity reduction of Aristolochia contorta.Methods:The fingerprints of 11 batches of Aristolochia contorta and honey-processed Aristolochia contorta were established through HPLC. Clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and independent sample t-test were used to compare the changes of chemical components of Aristolochia contorta before and after honey processing.Results:The results showed that there were 14 common peaks in the fingerprints of Aristolochia contorta and Aristolochia contorta. 7 common peaks were identified. Both HCA and PCA could clearly distinguish the samples of Aristolochia contorta before and after honey processing. OPLS-DA found and screened 7 differential markers, and the order of difference significance was peak 3 > peak 7 (7-hydroxy aristolochic acid A) > peak 5 (aristolochic acid C)> peak 8 (aristolochic acid D) > peak 6 > peak 2 (Magnolia alkaloid) > peak 14 (aristolochic acid Ⅰ). After honey processing, the content of chemical components represented by peaks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 14 decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:This method is simple and specific, which can be used for the fingerprint analysis of Aristolochia contorta and honey-processed Aristolochia contorta, and can effectively distinguish Aristolochia contorta and honey-processed Aristolochia contorta, and provide a reference for the processing research of toxicity reduction of Aristolochia contorta honey processing.