Salvia miltiorrhiza is a perennial herb of the genus Salvia(Lamiaceae). As one of the earliest medicinal plants to undergo molecular biology research, it has gradually become a model plant for molecular biology of medicinal plants. With the gradual analysis of the genome of S. miltiorrhiza and the biosynthetic pathways of its main active components tanshinone and salvianolic acids, the transcriptional regulation mediated by transcription factors and related regulatory proteins has gradually become a new research focus. Due to the lack of scientific and unified naming of transcription factors and different research indexes in different literature, this paper systematically sorted out the transcription factors in different literature with the genomes of DSS3 from selfing for three generations and bh2-7 from selfing for six generations as reference. In total, 73 transcription factors and related regulatory proteins belonging to 13 gene families were identified. The effects of overexpression or gene silencing experiments on tanshinone and salvianolic acids were also analyzed. This study unified the identified transcription factors, which laid a foundation for further constructing the regulatory networks of secondary metabolites and insect or stress resistance and improving the quality of medicinal materials by using global transcriptional regulation engineering.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Abietanes/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

Objective To investigate the toxicokinetic differences of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine(MDMA)and its metabolite 4,5-methylene dioxy amphetamine(MDA)in rats af-ter single and continuous administration of MDMA,providing reference data for the forensic identifica-tion of MDMA.Methods A total of 24 rats in the single administration group were randomly divided into 5,10 and 20 mg/kg experimental groups and the control group,with 6 rats in each group.The ex-perimental group was given intraperitoneal injection of MDMA,and the control group was given intraperi-toneal injection of the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group.The amount of 0.5 mL blood was collected from the medial canthus 5 min,30 min,1 h,1.5 h,2 h,4 h,6 h,8 h,10 h,12 h after administration.In the continuous administration group,24 rats were randomly divided into the experi-mental group(18 rats)and the control group(6 rats).The experimental group was given MDMA 7 d by continuous intraperitoneal injection in increments of 5,7,9,11,13,15,17 mg/kg per day,respectively,while the control group was given the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group by in-traperitoneal injection.On the eighth day,the experimental rats were randomly divided into 5,10 and 20 mg/kg dose groups,with 6 rats in each group.MDMA was injected intraperitoneally,and the con-trol group was injected intraperitoneally with the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group.On the eighth day,0.5 mL of blood was taken from the medial canthus 5 min,30 min,1 h,1.5 h,2 h,4 h,6 h,8 h,10 h,12 h after administration.Liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect MDMA and MDA levels,and statistical software was employed for data analysis.Results In the single-administration group,peak concentrations of MDMA and MDA were reached at 5 min and 1 h after administration,respectively,with the largest detection time limit of 12 h.In the continuous administration group,peak concentrations were reached at 30 min and 1.5 h af-ter administration,respectively,with the largest detection time limit of 10 h.Nonlinear fitting equations for the concentration ratio of MDMA and MDA in plasma and administration time in the single-administration group and continuous administration group were as follows:T=10.362C-1.183,R2=0.974 6;T=7.397 3C-0.694,R2=0.961 5(T:injection time;C:concentration ratio of MDMA to MDA in plasma).Conclusions The toxicokinetic data of MDMA and its metabolite MDA in rats,obtained through single and continuous administration,including peak concentration,peak time,detection time limit,and the relationship between concentration ratio and administration time,provide a theoretical and data foundation for relevant forensic identification.

Purpose::Internal iliac artery ligation (IIAL) has been used as a damage control procedure to treat hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture for many years. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness and safety of this hemostatic method. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review to assess the efficacy and safety of IIAL for pelvic fracture hemostasis.Methods::Three major databases, PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar, were searched to screen eligible original studies published in English journals. Two reviewers independently read the titles, abstracts, and full texts of all literature. Articles were included if they reported the use and effects of IIAL.Results::A total of 171 articles were initially identified, with 22 fully meeting the inclusion criteria. Among the analyzed cases, up to 66.7% of patients had associated abdominal and pelvic organ injuries, with the urethra being the most frequently injured organ, followed by the bowel. The outcomes of IIAL for achieving hemostasis in pelvic fractures were found to be satisfactory, with an effective rate of 80%. Hemorrhagic shock was the leading cause of death, followed by craniocerebral injury. Notably, no reports of ischemic complications involving the pelvic organs due to IIAL were found.Conclusion::IIAL has a good effect in treating hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture without the risk of pelvic organ ischemia. This procedure should be considered a priority for hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture patients with abdominal organ injuries.

AIM To study the flavonoids from the leaves of Cinnamomum camphora(L.)Presl.and their antioxidant activities.METHODS The 95％ethanol extraction from the leaves of C.camphora was isolated and purified by liquid-liquid extraction,macroporous adsorption resin chromatography,HW-40C gel column chromatography,molecular exclusion chromatography and preparative HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH method.RESULT Ten flavonoids were isolated and identified as(2R,3S)-7-methoxy-5-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-afzelechin(1),quercetin-3-O-sambubioside(2),quercetin-3-O-β-D-apiosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucoside(3),quercetin-3-O-robibioside(4),kaempferol-3-O-β-D-rutinoside-7-O-β-D-glucoside(5),kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside-7-O-β-D-glucoside(6),5,3'-di-O-methyl-epicatechin(7)、cinchonain Ⅱb(8)、quercetin-3,4'-di-O-β-D-glucoside(9)、(-)-epicatechin(10).The IC50 value of compound 8 scavenging DPPH free radical was 4.8 μg/mL.CONCLUSION Compound 1 is a new compound,and compound 2-6 are obtained from Cinnamomum genus for the first time,compound 7-9 are first isolated from this plant.Compound 8 shows good antioxidant activities..

Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) is a common disease in middle-aged and elderly men, with lower urinary tract symptoms as the main manifestation, severely affecting the quality of life of patients. The pathogenesis of BPH is not yet fully understood, and there are still some challenges and limitations in western medicine treatment for BPH. Therefore, finding new and more effective treatment strategies is urgent. In recent years, many basic and clinical studies have confirmed the important role of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of BPH. This article reviews the progress of basic and clinical research in the treatment of BPH with traditional Chinese medicine, and believes that basic research mainly focuses on the active ingredients of Chinese medicine [regulating pathways such as NF-E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/antioxidant response element(ARE), nuclear factor κB(NF-κB), epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3), phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK)/forkhead box O subtype(FOXO3a), etc.], single Chinese herbs(regulating inflammatory factors, oxidative stress-related proteins, cell cycle-related proteins, and apoptotic factors, etc.), and Chinese herbal compounds and patent medicines [regulating extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK1/2), transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad, mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK), PI3K/Akt, Nrf2, trefoil factor 2(TFF2)/Wnt, interleukin-6(IL-6)/Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/STAT3, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor(VEGFR), etc.], and then play a therapeutic role by inhibiting BPH cell proliferation, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, promoting apoptosis, and inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Clinical studies mainly focus on internal treatment, external treatment, combined internal and external treatment, and integrated Chinese and western medicine treatment as the main methods, aiming to improve traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores, prostate symptom scores, residual urine volume, effective bladder volume, sexual quality of life, increase average urine flow rate, maximum urine flow rate, and promote balance of sex hormone secretion. Through this research, it is hoped to provide some reference ideas for clinical research and drug development for BPH.
Prostatic Hyperplasia/metabolism* ; Male ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics*

Cinnamomum camphora is an important economic tree species in China. According to the type and content of main components in the volatile oil of leaf, C. camphora were divided into five chemotypes, including borneol-type, camphor-type, linalool-type, cineole-type, and nerolidol-type. Terpene synthase(TPS) is the key enzyme for the formation of these compounds. Although several key enzyme genes have been identified, the biosynthetic pathway of(+)-borneol, which has the most economic value, has not been reported. In this study, nine terpenoid synthase genes CcTPS1-CcTPS9 were cloned through transcriptome analysis of four chemical-type leaves. After the recombinant protein was induced by Escherichia coli, geranyl pyrophosphate(GPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate(FPP) were used as substrates for enzymatic reaction, respectively. Both CcTPS1 and CcTPS9 could catalyze GPP to produce bornyl pyrophosphate, which could be hydrolyzed by phosphohydrolase to obtain(+)-borneol, and the product of(+)-borneol accounted for 0.4% and 89.3%, respectively. Both CcTPS3 and CcTPS6 could catalyze GPP to generate a single product linalool, and CcTPS6 could also react with FPP to generate nerolidol. CcTPS8 reacted with GPP to produce 1,8-cineol(30.71%). Nine terpene synthases produced 9 monoterpene and 6 sesquiterpenes. The study has identified the key enzyme genes responsible for borneol biosynthesis in C. camphora for the first time, laying a foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanism of chemical type formation and cultivating new varieties of borneol with high yield by using bioengineering technology.
Cinnamomum camphora/enzymology* ; Alkyl and Aryl Transferases/chemistry*

This study aimed to provide scientific evidence for predicting quality markers(Q-markers) of Elephantopus scaber by establishing UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber from different geographical origins and determining the content of 13 major components, as well as conducting in vitro anti-cancer activity investigation of the main components. The chromatographic column used was Waters CORTECS UPLC C_(18)(2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.6 μm), and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid solution(gradient elution). The column temperature was set at 30 ℃, and the flow rate was 0.2 mL·min~(-1). The injection volume was 1 μL, and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. The UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber was fitted using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2012 edition) to determine common peaks, evaluate similarity, identify and determine the content of major components. The CCK-8 assay was used to explore the inhibitory effect of the main components on the proliferation of lung cancer cells. The results showed that in the established UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber, 35 common peaks were identified. Thirteen major components, including neochlorogenic acid(peak 1), chlorogenic acid(peak 2), cryptochlorogenic acid(peak 3), caffeic acid(peak 4), schaftoside(peak 6), galuteolin(peak 9), isochlorogenic acid B(peak 10), isochlorogenic acid A(peak 12), isochlorogenic acid C(peak 18), deoxyelephantopin(peak 28), isodeoxyelephantopin(peak 29), isoscabertopin(peak 31), and scabertopin(peak 32) were identified and quantified, and a quantitative analysis method was established. The results of the in vitro anti-cancer activity study showed that deoxyelephantopin, isodeoxyelephantopin, isoscabertopin, and scabertopin in E. scaber exhibited inhibition rates of lung cancer cell proliferation exceeding 80% at a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), higher than the positive drug paclitaxel. These results indicate that the fingerprint of E. scaber is highly characteristic, and the quantitative analysis method is accurate and stable, providing references for the research on quality standards of E. scaber. Four sesquiterpene lactones in E. scaber show significant anti-cancer activity and can serve as Q-markers for E. scaber.
Humans ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Asteraceae/chemistry* ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy*

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*

Objective: To investigate the chronic respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of adult residents in 3 towns of Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, and to explore their risk factors. Methods: The investigation of chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function status of adult residents in Hongdong County is based on the regional population of the entire county in Hongdong County. The project was initiated by the Science and Technology Department of Linfen City and coordinated by the Hongdong County Government. The investigation will be conducted in 3 townships in Hongdong County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province from April to November 2021: Demographic characteristics, respiratory symptoms, smoking dust exposure and other personal history were collected through questionnaires. Physical examination, routine blood tests and lung function tests were also performed on each individual. SPSS 22.0 software was used to conduct t test, χ² test, ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test for statistical analysis of the collected information. Results: 10 945 subjects aged 18-102 years were included in the analysis, of whom 3 754 (34.3%) were male, 1 222 (11.2%) had a history of dust exposure, 7 164 (65.5%) had used straw and firewood as cooking fuel, and 3 296 (30.1%) had a history of smoking. Among the participants, 394 (3.6%), 339 (3.1%), and 1 543 (14.1%) had respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, sputum, and dyspnea. Statistics showed that the population with chronic respiratory symptoms was more elderly and had a smoking history, and the incidence of chronic respiratory symptoms was higher in those who smoked more than 40 packs a year (all P<0.05). Men with a history of dust exposure were more likely to suffer from chronic cough and expectoration, while emaciation and biofuel use for more than 40 years were more likely to suffer from chronic expectoration and dyspnea (all P<0.05). The median values of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC in 1 second were 2.19 L/s, 3.24 L and 69.16%, respectively. Among them, the lung function of 5 801 (53.0%) respondents was lower than the expected value. The median FEV1/FVC decreased with the increase of age. The FEV1/FVC of people over 40 years old with smoking history was lower, the dust exposure history of people with decreased lung function was more than that of people with normal lung function, and the incidence of chronic expectoration and dyspnea was higher in people with decreased lung function (all P<0.05). The absolute value and ratio of eosinophils in patients with decreased ventilation function over 60 years old were significantly higher than those with normal ventilation function, but the level of body mass index (BMI) was lower (all P<0.05). Conclusion: In Hongdong County, Shanxi Province, grassroots residents have poor medical awareness, low lung function examination rate, chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function decline are associated with more risk factors. Primary medical institutions need to formulate prevention strategies and carry out lung function detection according to the actual situation, focusing on monitoring and follow-up of high-risk groups to achieve early and timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Aged ; Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Cough/epidemiology* ; Lung ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lung Diseases ; Vital Capacity ; Dyspnea ; Dust/analysis* ; Forced Expiratory Volume