Following the release of the Technical Requirements on Quality Control and Standard Establishment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granules by the National Medical Products Administration in 2021, Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission has promulgated 296 national drug standards so far, and most provinces have started the work of establishing provincial standards as supplements. The promulgation of standards fostered high-quality development of the industry. Since the implementation of national and provincial standards for more than three years, enterprises have gained deep understanding and hands-on experiences on the characteristics, technical requirements, production process, and quality control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula granules. Meanwhile, challenges have emerged restricting the high-quality development of this industry, including how to formulate quality control strategies for medicinal materials and decoction pieces, how to reduce manufacturing costs, and how to improve the pass rate and product stability under high standards. Based on the work experiences from standard management and process research, this article analyzed the distribution of sources, processing methods, dry extract rate ranges, process requirements for volatile oil-containing decoction pieces, control measures of safety indices, characteristics and trends of setting characteristic chromatograms or fingerprints, characteristics and trends of setting content ranges, and main differences between national standards and provincial standards. On the one hand, this article aims to present main characteristics for deeply understanding different indicators in standards and provide basic ideas for establishing quality and process control systems. On the other hand, from the perspective of industrial practice, suggestions are put forward on the important aspects that need to be focused on in the quality and process control of TCM formula granules.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; China ; Drug Industry/standards*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tongmai Hypoglycemic Capsule (THC) on myocardium injury in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) rats. METHODS: A total of 24 Sprague Dawley rats were fed for 4 weeks with high-fat and high-sugar food and then injected with streptozotocin intraperitoneally for the establishment of the DCM model. In addition, 6 rats with normal diets were used as the control group. After modeling, 24 DCM rats were randomly divided into the model, L-THC, M-THC, and H-THC groups by computer generated random numbers, and 0, 0.16, 0.32, 0.64 g/kg of THC were adopted respectively by gavage, with 6 rats in each group. After 12 weeks of THC administration, echocardiography, histopathological staining, biochemical analysis, and Western blot were used to detect the changes in myocardial structure, oxidative stress (OS), biochemical indexes, protein expressions of myocardial fibrosis, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related faactor 2 (Nrf2) element, respectively. RESULTS: Treatment with THC significantly decreased cardiac markers such as creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase-MB, etc., (P<0.01); enhanced cardiac function indicators including heart rate, ejection fraction, cardiac output, interventricular septal thickness at diastole, and others (P<0.05 or P<0.01); decreased levels of biochemical indicators such as fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, aspartate transaminase, (P<0.05 or P<0.01); and decreased the levels of myocardial fibrosis markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen I (Col-1) protein (P<0.01), improved myocardial morphology and the status of myocardial interstitial fibrosis. THC significantly reduced malondialdehyde levels in model rats (P<0.01), increased levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione (P<0.01), and significantly increased the expression of Nrf2, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, heme oxygenase-1, and superoxide dismutase 2 proteins in the left ventricle of rats (P<0.01). CONCLUSION THC activates the Nrf2 signaling pathway and plays a protective role in reducing OS injury and cardiac fibrosis in DCM rats.
Animals ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies/physiopathology* ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Fibrosis ; Male ; Capsules ; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Rats ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy*

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

A prokaryotic expression vector for the mutant diphtheria toxin CRM197 was constructed and expressed in Esch-erichia coli cells.Anti-CRM197 antibody concentrations were detected in serum samples of healthy volunteers.The crm 197 gene was codon-optimized in E.coli and cloned into the plasmid pET28a(+)under optimized expression conditions.CRM197 was purified using Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography,and confirmed by western blot analysis.The puri-fied CRM197 was used to detect specific anti-CRM197 antibody levels in serum samples of different age groups.The results showed that soluble codon-optimized CRM197 was successfully expressed under optimized expression conditions.The purity of CRM197 was more than 95％,as determined with Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography,consistent with the single specific bands obtained by western blot analysis and detection of serum levels of the anti-CRM197 antibody.Collec-tively,these results confirmed that the proposed expression strategy achieved high-yield production of soluble CRM197,al-though high levels in human serum may affect evaluation of immune interactions with glycan-CRM197 conjugates for applica-tion as a diagnostic antigen.The diphtheria mutant toxin CRM197 is used in many conjugate vaccines.The synthetic crm 197 gene with codon optimization in pET28a was transformed into E.coli Origami B(DE3)cells.CRM197 was induced by isopro-pyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside and high level accumulation of soluble CRM197 was purified using Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography.The purity of the final prepara-tion reached 95％.CRM197 was used to detect the concentra-tions of the anti-CRM197 antibody in serum samples of healthy volunteers of different ages.The proposed expression strategy yielded high production of CRM197,which could interfere with evaluations of induced immune interactions by glycan-CRM197 conjugates and prohibit application as a diagnostic antigen.

This study was aimed at investigating the pathogenic and molecular characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae(KP)in fecal samples of diarrhea cases in a district of Beijing.Fecal samples from diarrhea cases in an outpatient department in a district of Beijing from 2018 to 2021 were collected,and used for isolation and culture of KP.The KP strains isolated strains were subjected to drug resistance phenotype testing and whole-genome sequencing.Multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome phyletic evolution analysis were performed on the sequencing results.The cases'epidemiological and clinical characteristics were analyzed.From 2018 to 2021,1 103 fecal samples were collected and detected.The total detection rate of KP was 10.43％(115/1 103),and the infection rate of KP mixed with other diarrhea-causing pathogens was 42.61％(49/115).The positivity rate was slightly high(12.47％,61/489)a-mong females and was highest in young adults 16-45 years of age.Small peaks were observed in January,April to May,and August to September.The gastrointestinal symptoms in cases were mainly nausea and watery stool,and the suspicious food was unknown.Ampicillin,tetracycline,and sulfafurazole were the top three antibiotics to which these 115 KP strains showed resistance,and 29 strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics.The strains were divided into 72 sequence types,among which ST23 was dominant.According to the phylogenetic tree,the strains were divided into four main branches,among which 14 ST23 strains had a very close genetic relationship with the highly virulent NTUH-K2044 reference strain.KP infection persisted in fecal samples from diarrhea cases in the district of Beijing.Women and young adults were particularly susceptible.The drug resistance of KP strains in this region was very serious,and the ST types were diverse.Moreover,the ST23 pathogenic strains were closely related to high virulence strains.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of hypertension inducing erectile dysfunction(ED)using transcriptomics and network pharmacology.Methods:We randomly divided 12 male rats with spontaneous hypertension(SHT)into an L-arginine(LA)group(n=6)and an SHT model control(MC)group(n=6),took another 6 Wistar Kyoto male rats as normal controls(NC),and treated the animals in the LA group by intraperitoneal injection of LA at 400 mg/kg and those in the latter two groups with physio-logical saline,once a day,all for 7 days.Then we observed the blood pressure and penile erection of the rats,and determined the ex-pressions of the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway-related proteins and mRNAs in different groups using ELISA,Western blot and RT-qPCR.Results:Transcriptomics combined with network pharmacology showed that the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway played a key role in hypertension-induced ED.In vivo animal experiments revealed a significantly lower frequency of penile erections in the MC than in the NC group(1.33±0.52 vs 2.67±0.51,P＜0.05).The protein expressions of eNOS,PKG and sGC were markedly de-creased in the model controls compared with those the normal controls(P＜0.05),but remarkably upregulated in the LA group com-pared with those in the MC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Hypertension decreases the expressions of eNOS,NO,sGC,cGMP and PKG proteins and the level of testosterone by inhibiting the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway,which consequently suppresses the relaxa-tion of the penile vascular smooth muscle and reduces erectile function.

Professor HAN Wei 's clinical experience of acupuncture and moxibustion with Tongyang Xingshen (promoting yang and regaining consciousness) for adolescent depressive disorder is introduced. It is believed that the internal causes of adolescent depressive disorder are mostly emotional and physical factors, while the external causes are mainly social factors, and yang-qi stagnation and emotional disorder are the key pathogenesis. The key of acupuncture and moxibustion with Tongyang Xingshen is warming and regulating the governor vessel. The governor vessel acupoints at head, neck and back are selected. At head, Baihui (GV 20) and Yintang (GV 24⁺) are selected; at neck, Fengfu (GV 16) and Dazhui (GV 14) are selected; at back, Taodao (GV 13), Shenzhu (GV 12), Shendao (GV 11), Zhiyang (GV 9) and Jinsuo (GV 8) are selected. The combination of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation should be highly valued, and the moxibustion with Tongyang and acupuncture with Xingshen should be used simultaneously, and the strong stimulation is suggested.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Physical Examination ; Depressive Disorder

OBJECTIVE: Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 is commonly used as a standard strain for flagellar biosynthesis research. In this report, two distinguished phenotypic isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain, lawn; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain, normal colony) appeared during laboratory passages for NCTC11168. METHODS: Phenotypic assessments, including motility plates, transmission electron microscopy, biofilm formation assay, autoagglutination assay, and genome re-sequencing for these two isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain) were carried out in this study. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the flagellum was lost in CJ1Z. Phenotypic assessments and genome sequencing of the two isolates were performed in this study. The capacity for biofilm formation, colony auto-agglutination, and isolate motility was reduced in the mutant CJ1Z. Comparative genomic analysis indicated a unique native nucleotide insertion in flhA (nt, 2154) that caused the I719Y and I720Y mutations and early truncation in flhA. CONCLUSION FlhA has been found to influence the expression of flagella in C. jejuni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the function of the C-terminal of this protein.
Campylobacter jejuni/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Biological Variation, Population

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors related to renal impairment in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) from the perspective of integrated Chinese and Western medicine. METHODS: Totally 492 patients with DKD in 8 Chinese hospitals from October 2017 to July 2019 were included. According to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) staging guidelines, patients were divided into a chronic kidney disease (CKD) 1-3 group and a CKD 4-5 group. Clinical data were collected, and logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to different CKD stages in DKD patients. RESULTS: Demographically, male was a factor related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD (OR=3.100, P=0.002). In clinical characteristics, course of diabetes >60 months (OR=3.562, P=0.010), anemia (OR=4.176, P<0.001), hyperuricemia (OR=3.352, P<0.001), massive albuminuria (OR=4.058, P=0.002), atherosclerosis (OR=2.153, P=0.007) and blood deficiency syndrome (OR=1.945, P=0.020) were factors related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD. CONCLUSIONS Male, course of diabetes >60 months, anemia, hyperuricemia, massive proteinuria, atherosclerosis, and blood deficiency syndrome might indicate more severe degree of renal function damage in patients with DKD. (Registration No. NCT03865914).
Humans ; Male ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Hyperuricemia ; Kidney ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications*

Humans ; Treatment Outcome ; Antibodies, Bispecific/adverse effects* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy* ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma