1.Variations of Chemical Components in Gardeniae Fructus Before and After Being Charred Analyzed by UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS
Lan LI ; Jie HONG ; Yanan SONG ; Yilan LI ; Yun WANG ; Cun ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(4):175-182
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in chemical components of Gardeniae Fructus(GF) before and after being charred, providing data support for research on the material basis of GF Carbonisata(GFC). MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS) was used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the chemical components in GF and GFC under positive and negative ion modes with Compound Discoverer 3.3 software and online database. Then, principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis in SIMCA14.1 software were used to analyze the MS data of each sample. Based on the principle of variable importance in the projection(VIP) value>1, differential secondary and primary metabolites before and after carbonization were screened. In addition, MetaboAnalyst website was used for pathway enrichment of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG), so as to provide a reference for clarifying the processing mechanism. ResultsA total of 185 components were identified, including 96 secondary metabolites and 89 primary metabolites. These components were classified into nine categories, primarily including iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, and terpenoids, their fragmentation pathways were also analyzed. Simultaneously, multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the secondary and primary metabolites, identifying 70 and 59 differential metabolites, respectively. The secondary metabolites were enriched in two metabolic pathways, including C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism and flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis, while the primary differential metabolites were enriched in seven pathways such as linoleic acid metabolism and tyrosine metabolism. ConclusionThe chemical components of GF change significantly after carbonization, with a significant decrease in the contents of iridoid glycosides and terpenoids such as hydroxyisogeniposide, crocin Ⅱ, crocetin, and jasminoside B. while the contents of 4-hydroxycoumarin, geniposidic acid, gentiopicroside, and gardenoside methyl ester increase significantly. This change is presumed to be associated with the enhanced cooling and hemostatic effects of the processed products. The identified key components provide a basis for elucidating the material basis underlying the efficacy changes before and after carbonization.
2.Research progress on the tumor microenvironment of liver cancer
Tianhao SONG ; Weiheng XU ; Yan WANG ; Li CHEN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(2):65-70
Liver cancer, one of the most common primary malignancies in humans, is a malignant tumor characterized by multifactorial induction, polygenic involvement, and intricate molecular mechanisms. This disease is characterized by its treatment challenges and poor prognosis, which are closely related to its unique tumor microenvironment composition. The tumor microenvironment of liver cancer is a dynamic ecosystem composed of heterogeneous cellular populations, soluble cytokines, and remodeled extracellular matrix. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of the tumor microenvironment of liver cancer, revealed an important role in the occurrence, development, and treatment of liver cancer. The key regulatory elements of the tumor microenvironment in liver cancer were systematically summarized, such as activation of hepatic stellate cells, dysfunction of immune cells, abnormalities of platelet, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix, which provided theoretical foundations for prevention and treatment strategies against liver cancer.
3.History and prospects of the military hospital preparation rooms
Jianping WANG ; Zhihui YANG ; Bo DAI ; Qing SONG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(2):108-112
Military hospital preparation rooms are an important part of military medical institutions and have played an important role in military pharmacy support in history. However, with the development of science and technology, the improvement of domestic pharmaceutical production and innovation capabilities, and the adjustment of the military establishment and system, the establishment structure, functional tasks, and business forms of military medical institutions have undergone significant changes. The historical evolution of military preparation rooms were reviewed, the current situation were analyzed and the development challenges faced were identified. It was also explored how military hospital preparation rooms, as an important link in military pharmaceutical support, can face new situations and adapt to new forms of warfare. By enhancing the military efficiency of preparation rooms, it could play a greater role in improving medical support capabilities and enhancing the combat effectiveness of troops.
4.Analysis of the changes in intestinal microbiota of patients with moderate to severe acne based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology
Shichao JIANG ; Xiaomeng WANG ; Zheng CHEN ; Song QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Birong GUO
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(1):98-103
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between acne vulgaris and gut microbiota. MethodsA total of 29 clinical cases diagnosed with moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris and 26 healthy individuals as control subjects were recruited. Fecal specimens were collected from all participants, and further analysis of gut microbial communities was performed by leveraging high-throughput sequencing techniques that target the hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA genes. ResultsAssociations between acne vulgaris and alterations in gut microbiota were identified. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota exhibited a statistically significant elevation in the acne vulgaris cohort when compared with the healthy control group (P<0.01), while Cyanobacteria was significantly lower in the acne group (P<0.01). At the genus level, the top five different bacterial taxa in both groups were Bacteroides, Escherichia⁃Shigella, Klebsiella, Roseburia, and Parabacteroides. Among them, Bacteroides, Roseburia, and Parabacteroides were more abundant in acne patients. Linear discriminant analysis identified five biomarkers all belonging to the Bacteroidota phylum in the acne and control groups. These biomarkers belong to the phylum Bacteroidetes. ConclusionThere are significant differences in the composition of intestinal microbiota between acne patients and healthy people. Changes in the richness of specific bacterial genera may become new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of acne.
5.Mechanistic study of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside in improving nephrotic syndrome via regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 pathway
Yifan TAO ; Chundong SONG ; Xu WANG ; Chong ZHANG ; Ying SU ; Xidong JIA ; Haoran JIANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):602-606
OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside (TWM) on nephrotic syndrome in rats. METHODS The nephrotic syndrome model was established by intravenous injection of adriamycin via the tail vein. The modeling rats were randomly divided into the model group (distilled water), prednisone group (10 mg/kg), and TWM high- and low-dose groups (10 and 5 mg/kg, respectively). Additionally, blank group (distilled water) without model induction was established. Each group consisted of 9 rats. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or distilled water by gavage, once a day, for 6 consecutive weeks. The histopathological morphology of kidney tissues in rats was observed; the levels of 24-hour urinary protein (24 h-UTP) and serum biochemical indicators [albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), cholesterol (CHOL), and triglyceride (TG)] in rats were determined; the levels of oxidative stress indicators [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)] in kidney tissue of rats were determined; expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/microRNA-155-5p (miR-155-5p)/nuclear factor erythriod 2- related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway-related mRNA and protein in the renal tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited disordered renal tissue structure, with a small amount of glomerular necrosis and edema of the renal tubular epithelial cells. 24 h-UTP, serum levels of SCr, BUN, CHOL and TG, MDA content, mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α and Keap1 as well as the expression of miR-155-5p in renal tissues were increased significantly ( P <0.05). Serum level of ALB, SOD level in renal tissue as well as mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 were decreased significantly ( P <0.05). Compared with the model group, TWM high-dose and low-dose groups exhibited significant improvements in renal injury, with notable reversals in the levels of the above quantitative indicators ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS TWM can alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and thereby improve nephrotic syndrome in rats by regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
6.Optimization of drug dispensing and pickup process in traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy based on data-intelligence-driven
Qi WANG ; Panke ZENG ; Haoxin SONG ; Yonggang FENG ; Lili SUN ; Jingting FENG ; Weiqing NIU ; Haiyan DONG ; Feng WANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):660-664
OBJECTIVE To explore the transformation of the dispensing and drug pickup process in traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy (TCM Pharmacy) in our hospital based on data-intelligence-driven, aiming to improve pharmacists’ work efficiency and patients’ drug pickup experience. METHODS Value stream mapping and journey mapping were used to systematically identify non-value-added links in pharmacists’ dispensing process and key pain points in patients’ drug pickup under the traditional process. An intelligent dispensing and drug pickup system for the TCM Pharmacy was developed based on the C# and Android television platforms, and a machine-learning model was adopted to predict patients’ drug pickup waiting time. A comprehensive evaluation was performed from three perspectives: system performance, prediction accuracy, and satisfaction of pharmacists and patients. RESULTS The system successfully streamlined non-value-added links such as “waiting for writing on the board” and “searching for drugs”, and realized multimodal dynamic prompts of dispensing status through auditory (number calling) and visual (television terminal) channels. The constructed model for predicting drug pickup waiting time exhibited good fitting degree and generalization ability (mean absolute error=4.28 min, R 2 =0.882). The comprehensive satisfaction scores of pharmacists and patients in the traditional mode were significantly increased from (70.99±1.74) and (73.58±1.98) to (90.02±1.30) and (88.61±2.08) in the new system, respectively ( P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS The transformation of the intelligent drug dispensing and pickup system for TCM pharmacy based on data-intelligence-driven effectively improves the efficiency of pharmacists’ dispensing work, realizes process transparency and waiting time predictability, and significantly enhances patients’ drug pickup experience.
7.Effect of Shixiaosan on Neurological Function and Ferroptosis in Rats with Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Based on Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 Signaling Pathway
Ying WEI ; Lixia WANG ; Junjun YIN ; Xiaohong CHEN ; Lijuan SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):22-31
ObjectiveTo investigate whether Shixiaosan can improve neurological function and inhibit ferroptosis in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) by regulating the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway. MethodsA rat model of CIRI was established using the intraluminal filament method. Briefly, cervical blood vessels were separated, branches of the external carotid artery were ligated, and the common carotid artery and internal carotid artery were clamped. A nylon filament was inserted through the opening of the external carotid artery to the origin of the middle cerebral artery to block blood flow and induce cerebral ischemia. After 60-120 min of ischemia, the filament was withdrawn to restore blood flow, and the external carotid artery incision was ligated. The rats were divided into a CIRI group, a Shixiaosan low-dose (-L) group (intragastric administration of 1.26 g·kg-1 Shixiaosan), a Shixiaosan high-dose (-H) group (intragastric administration of 2.52 g·kg-1 Shixiaosan), a donepezil hydrochloride tablet (DON) group (intragastric administration of 0.45 mg·kg-1 DON), and a Shixiaosan -H + Nrf2 inhibitor (ML385) group (intragastric administration of 2.52 g·kg-1 Shixiaosan combined with intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg·kg-1 ML385). An additional 12 rats underwent cervical artery separation followed by incision suturing and served as the control group. Equal volumes of double-distilled water were administered to the CIRI and control groups. Neurological function impairment was assessed using the modified Garcia JH score. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the cerebral infarct volume ratio. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Prussian blue staining were performed to observe neuronal injury and iron accumulation in the ischemic penumbra, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the ultrastructure of neuronal mitochondria in the ischemic penumbra. Commercial kits were used to measure ferrous iron (Fe2+), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity in the ischemic penumbra. The BODIPY (581/591) C11 fluorescent probe was used to detect intracellular lipid peroxidation levels. Western blot was performed to detect protein expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, GPX4, transferrin receptor 1 (TFRC), ferritin heavy chain (FHC), and ferritin light chain (FLC) in the ischemic penumbra. ResultsCompared with the control group, the CIRI group exhibited neuronal injury in the ischemic penumbra, characterized by reduced neuron numbers, nucleolar shrinkage, and interstitial edema. Marked iron accumulation was observed in the tissue. Neuronal mitochondria showed atrophy and rupture, with reduced mitochondrial cristae and increased membrane density. The cerebral infarct volume ratio, Fe2+ content, MDA content, ROS activity, and lipid peroxidation levels were increased, whereas the modified Garcia JH score, GSH content, and protein expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, GPX4, FHC, and FLC were decreased, and TFRC protein expression was increased (P<0.05). Compared with the CIRI group, the Shixiaosan -L group, Shixiaosan -H group, and DON group showed attenuated neuronal injury in the ischemic penumbra, reduced iron accumulation, alleviated mitochondrial damage, decreased cerebral infarct volume ratio, Fe2+ and MDA contents, ROS activity, and lipid peroxidation levels, as well as increased modified Garcia JH scores, GSH content, and protein expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, GPX4, FHC, and FLC, while TFRC protein expression was decreased (P<0.05). The magnitude of changes in all indicators was greater in the Shixiaosan -H group than in the Shixiaosan -L group (P<0.05). Compared with the Shixiaosan -H group, all measured indicators in the Shixiaosan -H + ML385 group showed opposite trends (P<0.05). ConclusionShixiaosan may inhibit ferroptosis and restore neurological function in rats with CIRI by activating the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway.
8.Effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mice and Its Impact on Oligodendrocyte-related Gene Expression
Zijin SUN ; Kai WANG ; Haojia ZHANG ; Linjing SONG ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Jing JI ; Yonglin SHAN ; Qianqian SHI ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Qingguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):54-63
ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on cerebral infarction injury in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to explore its mechanism of action on oligodendrocytes, particularly its potential in myelin repair. MethodsMultiple experimental approaches were used to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the effects of drug intervention. Laser speckle imaging was used to detect changes in cerebral blood flow, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure infarct volume, and neurological function was scored according to the Zea-Longa criteria. Brain tissues were routinely embedded in paraffin and subjected to HE and Nissl staining to observe tissue structure and neuronal damage. Animals were divided into a sham group (n=24), model group (n=24), Huanglian Jiedutang group (n=24), and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group (n=18). After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 g·L-1 solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 0.2 mL·(10 g)-¹·d-¹. The MCAO model was established after the final administration on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze brain tissue cellular composition and changes in oligodendrocyte subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations were identified by Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering, and marker gene expression was analyzed. Pathway enrichment and causal inference were further performed using IPA. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify mRNA expression changes of myelin-related genes. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), significantly impaired blood flow (P<0.01), significantly enlarged cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and pathological changes including disordered cortical structural arrangement, aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), markedly restored blood flow levels (P<0.01), significantly reduced cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and improvement in cortical structural disorder, alleviation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. Single-cell data showed that a myelin-associated oligodendrocyte (Mye-OL) subpopulation existed among oligodendrocytes, which was closely related to myelin generation. Compared with the sham group, the number of Mye-OL cells decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of Mye-OL cells increased in the Huanglian Jiedutang group. This subpopulation promoted the expression of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, via transcription factors such as OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10, thereby regulating myelin generation, restoring cognition, and exerting therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction. Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 were significantly downregulated in the model group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, were also significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 (P<0.01), and significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction by regulating the OLIG1/2-NKX2-2-SOX10 signaling pathway to promote myelin generation by Mye-OL cells.
9.Regulatory Role of Huanglian Jiedutang in Microglial Metabolic Reprogramming to Suppress Neuroinflammatory Damage Based on Single-cell Transcriptomics
Zijin SUN ; Haojia ZHANG ; Kai WANG ; Linjing SONG ; Chuanzun WANG ; Wen WANG ; Jing JI ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Qingguo WANG ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):64-73
ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of metabolic reprogramming during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using single-cell transcriptome sequencing, analyze the heterogeneity of microglial populations, and evaluate the interventional effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on metabolic abnormalities and neuroinflammation. MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model was used to establish ischemic stroke in mice. Local cerebral blood flow changes were monitored by laser speckle imaging. Neurological impairment was evaluated using the Zea-Longa score, and histopathological damage in brain tissue was observed by HE and Nissl staining. Animals were divided into a sham group, model group, Huanglian Jiedutang group, and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group. After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 mg/mL solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days (0.2 mL/10 g/day), and the tMCAO model was established on day 6 after the final administration. At the molecular level, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on ischemic hemisphere tissue. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) was used to cluster microglial subpopulations, combined with differential expression analysis, metabolic reprogramming assessment, and inflammatory factor correlation analysis to elucidate their functional characteristics in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Transcription factor enrichment analysis was further conducted to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally, PCR was used to detect mRNA expression changes of relevant genes to validate the single-cell sequencing results. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), decreased blood flow levels (P<0.01), disordered cortical structure, increased cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), increased blood flow levels (P<0.01), alleviated cortical structural disorder, reduced cytoplasmic vacuolization, and decreased Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that microglia could be divided into five subpopulations. Among them, clusters 3 and 5 exhibited significant pro-inflammatory phenotypes, with marked activation of hypoxia and NF-κB signaling pathways, and were identified as pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Clusters 1 and 2 were enriched in Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β signaling pathways and exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory and reparative characteristics. Meanwhile, glycolysis-related genes, such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA, were significantly upregulated in the pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of inflammatory molecules were positively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, whereas the expression levels of reparative and anti-inflammatory molecules were negatively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, indicating that microglia rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy acquisition under ischemic conditions. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedutang effectively downregulated key genes driving metabolic reprogramming (such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA), significantly reduced the proportion of microglial subpopulations accompanied by glycolytic reprogramming, and inhibited their transformation toward a damage phenotype, thereby reducing inflammatory injury. Meanwhile, compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 were significantly upregulated (P<0.01) in the model group, whereas the mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3, were significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 (P<0.01), and significantly increased mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3 (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating the metabolic reprogramming state of microglia and modulating their inflammatory levels, thereby inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury.
10.Secular trends in energy and macronutrient intake across different occupational groups in nine provinces of China, 1989–2018
Yu WU ; Jiguo ZHANG ; Liusen WANG ; Lixin HAO ; Chang QU ; Yumeng SONG ; Zhihong WANG ; Huijun WANG ; Bing ZHANG ; Hongru JIANG ; Gangqiang DING
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(2):145-152
Background With China's socio-economic development, the dietary structure of Chinese residents has gradually shifted from a traditional Eastern pattern characterized by high carbohydrate intake to a relatively high-fat Western dietary model, alongside a growing burden of chronic diseases. However, dietary changes may vary across different occupational groups. Objective To analyze the long-term trends in dietary energy and three major macronutrient intake among various occupational groups aged 18-59 years in nine provinces of China from 1989 to 2018, providing a scientific basis for developing occupation-specific dietary intervention strategies. Methods Based on 11 waves of data (1989–2018) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS),

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