ObjectiveTo explore the academic characteristics of contemporary renowned Chinese medicine masters in treating diabetic kidney disease （DKD） from the perspectives of principles， methods， formulas， and medications. MethodsIn strict accordance with the Systematic Review of Text and Opinion （SrTO） process developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute （JBI）， an Australian evidence-based healthcare center， the databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， VIP Database， Wanfang Data， and China Biomedical Literature Service System （SinoMed） were searched. Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria， text information extraction， quality evaluation， and text information synthesis were conducted sequentially. The data were analyzed and presented in the form of text and figures. ResultsA total of 215 articles related to 43 contemporary renowned experts in the fields of Chinese medicine nephrology and endocrinology were included. The study found that the academic thoughts of these masters in the treatment of DKD are extensive， involving multiple levels such as disease understanding， therapeutic strategies， formula application， and medication use. In terms of disease understanding， the primary pathogenesis is characterized by deficiency in the root and excess in the manifestation. It is emphasized that internal factors， such as congenital endowment deficiency， interact with external factors such as improper diet， emotional disturbances， invasion of exogenous pathogens， and delayed or inappropriate treatment， to jointly induce the disease. This further gives rise to various pathogenetic theories， including obstruction of renal collaterals by blood stasis， toxin-induced damage to renal collaterals， latent wind disturbing the kidney， and internal heat leading to mass formation. In terms of therapeutic strategies and medication use， the principal treatment method is to replenish Qi and nourish Yin. Stage-based and syndrome-differentiated treatments are advocated. Flexible use of insect-derived drugs and wind-dispelling drugs is emphasized， along with proficiency in applying classical formulas and drug pairs. Integrated internal and external treatments， as well as the combined application of multiple therapeutic approaches， are commonly employed for comprehensive management. Meanwhile， the concept of "preventive treatment of disease" is upheld， and individualized long-term management of patients is advocated. ConclusionThrough the SrTO process， the academic thoughts of contemporary renowned Chinese medicine masters in the treatment of DKD have been systematically and standardly synthesized， providing a scientific and standardized basis for future theoretical exploration.

ObjectiveTo explore the academic characteristics of contemporary renowned Chinese medicine masters in treating diabetic kidney disease （DKD） from the perspectives of principles， methods， formulas， and medications. MethodsIn strict accordance with the Systematic Review of Text and Opinion （SrTO） process developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute （JBI）， an Australian evidence-based healthcare center， the databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， VIP Database， Wanfang Data， and China Biomedical Literature Service System （SinoMed） were searched. Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria， text information extraction， quality evaluation， and text information synthesis were conducted sequentially. The data were analyzed and presented in the form of text and figures. ResultsA total of 215 articles related to 43 contemporary renowned experts in the fields of Chinese medicine nephrology and endocrinology were included. The study found that the academic thoughts of these masters in the treatment of DKD are extensive， involving multiple levels such as disease understanding， therapeutic strategies， formula application， and medication use. In terms of disease understanding， the primary pathogenesis is characterized by deficiency in the root and excess in the manifestation. It is emphasized that internal factors， such as congenital endowment deficiency， interact with external factors such as improper diet， emotional disturbances， invasion of exogenous pathogens， and delayed or inappropriate treatment， to jointly induce the disease. This further gives rise to various pathogenetic theories， including obstruction of renal collaterals by blood stasis， toxin-induced damage to renal collaterals， latent wind disturbing the kidney， and internal heat leading to mass formation. In terms of therapeutic strategies and medication use， the principal treatment method is to replenish Qi and nourish Yin. Stage-based and syndrome-differentiated treatments are advocated. Flexible use of insect-derived drugs and wind-dispelling drugs is emphasized， along with proficiency in applying classical formulas and drug pairs. Integrated internal and external treatments， as well as the combined application of multiple therapeutic approaches， are commonly employed for comprehensive management. Meanwhile， the concept of "preventive treatment of disease" is upheld， and individualized long-term management of patients is advocated. ConclusionThrough the SrTO process， the academic thoughts of contemporary renowned Chinese medicine masters in the treatment of DKD have been systematically and standardly synthesized， providing a scientific and standardized basis for future theoretical exploration.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of targeted silencing of Runt-related Transcription Factor 3 （RUNX3） on the proliferation and migration of Mouse Hepatic Stellate Cells （HSCs）， as well as subsequent collagen deposition. MethodsMouse hepatic stellate cell line （JS-1） was selected and then morphologically observed and identified under a microscope. After the cells had fully adhered， they were treated with 5 ng/mL of transforming growth factor beta 1 （TGF-β₁） for 24 hours to induce hepatic stellate cell activation. Furthermore， a RUNX3 silencing model was established using RUNX3 lentiviral infection. The experiment was divided into four groups： Control group， TGF-β₁ group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， and TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group. Protein expression changes of RUNX3， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and Alpha 1 type I collagen （Collagen I） were detected using Western blot method. Cellular immunofluorescence assays were employed to investigate the deposition changes of α-SMA and RUNX3 in hepatic stellate cells. RT-qPCR was utilized to examine the mRNA expression changes of RUNX3， α-SMA， and Collagen I. The proliferative capacity of hepatic stellate cells was assessed using Edu staining. The migratory ability of hepatic stellate cells was evaluated through wound healing assays and Transwell migration experiments. ResultsCompared with Control group， a significant elevation in RUNX3 was observed in the TGF-β₁-induced activated HSCs （P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis-related markers and α-SMA and Collagen I were significantly upregulated （P<0.001）. Additionally， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly enhanced （P<0.001）. In contrast， when compared to TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group exhibited a notable decrease in RUNX3 and other related indicators， such as the protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA and Collagen I （P<0.05）. Concurrently， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly inhibited in TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group （P<0.01）. ConclusionSilencing RUNX3 can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells. Conversely， RUNX3 promotes the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs， thereby facilitating the activation of HSC.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the equivalence of different decoction processes based on rat model of hypertension with liver-yang hyperactivity. METHODS Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS） was used to compare the dissolution differences of inorganic elements in the powder-directly-decocted decoction versus the pieces-decocted-first decoction of Ostreae Concha- Haliotidis Concha- Margaritifera Concha drug pair. Six SD rats were included in the normal group. The spontaneously hypertensive rats were given Aconite decoction for six weeks to induce the hypertension model with liver-yang hyperactivity. After successful modeling， 48 rats were randomly divided into the model group， the captopril group [positive control， 8 mL/（kg·d） ] ， as well as low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of pieces decocted first or directly powder decocted [2.02， 4.05， 8.10 mL/（kg·d） ] ， with 6 rats in each group. Each group received the corresponding drug or equal volume of pure water intragastrically， once a day， for two consecutive weeks. After the last administration， the degree of irritability， facial temperature， pressure pain threshold， blood pressure， and pathological changes of the thoracic aorta were observed in each group. Serum nitric oxide （NO） and plasma angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ）， renin， and aldosterone （ALD） levels were also measured. RESULTS ICP-MS analysis results showed statistically significant differences in the contents of macroelements Li， Na， Mg， Ca， Mn， Ga， Sr， Mo， Cd， Sn， and Sb， between the powder-directly-decocted decoction and the pieces-decocted-first decoction （ P ＜0.05） ，the elements P， Cr， Fe， Ni， Zn， Hg， Tl， and Pb were not detected in either decoction. Animal experiments showed that after two weeks of administration， compared with the model group， the facial temperature， and blood pressure decreased in all treatment groups， while the pressure pain threshold increased； plasma levels of Ang Ⅱ， renin and ALD， as well as the serum level of NO were all decreased， and thoracic aortic media thickness was significantly reduced， most of the differences in the above indicators were statistically significant （ P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 or P ＜0.001）. Pathological observation showed improvement in thoracic aortic pathological injury. CONCLUSIONS The powder-directly-decocted process for the Ostreae Concha- Haliotidis Concha- Margaritifera Concha drug pair significantly promotes the dissolution of key elements such as Ca， Mg， and Sr without increasing the dissolution of harmful elements. It is equivalent to the traditional pieces-decocted-first in alleviating liver-yang hyperactivity syndrome， lowering blood pressure， and protecting the vascular endothelium， and even shows better performance in some indicators.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Jincheng between 2015 and 2020. Methods Clinical data of 8,578 medical check-ups at Physical Examination Center of ou hospital from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively selected. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the last 5 years was recorded, and Logistic regression was utilized to identify the risk factors for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Results The overall prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Jincheng was 14.57% in 2015-2020. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was higher in men than in women (16.99% vs 10.98%) and highest in the 40-59 age group (18.76%). No statistical difference was reported in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) between groups (P>0.05), while statistical difference was found in diabetes, hypertension, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, weekly exercise frequency, daily vegetable intake, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and uric acid (UA) between two groups (P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis denoted that BMI (OR=2.794, 95% CI: 1.745-4.550), waist circumference (OR=2.586, 95% CI: 1.585-4.299), diabetes (OR=0.644, 95% CI: 1.425-2.781), hypertension (OR=1.479, 95% CI: 1.121-2.290), weekly exercise ≥6h (OR=0.617, 95% CI: 0.519-0.709), daily vegetable intake ≥300g (OR=0.590, 95% CI: 0.467-0.652), TG (OR=1.481, 95% CI: 1.122-1.996), TC (OR=1.562, 95% CI:1.143-2.135), LDL-C (OR=1.440, 95% CI: 1.139-2.048), HDL-C (OR=0.656 , 95% CI: 0.587-0.783) , ALT (OR=1.591, 95% CI: 1.056-2.183), and UA (OR=1.412, 95% CI: 1.009-1.887) were risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (P<0.05) . Conclusion The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Jincheng City from 2015 to 2020 is 14.57%, the prevalence of males is higher than that of females, and the prevalence rate is the highest in the 40-59 age group. Moreover , diabetes mellitus , hypertension , BMI , waist circumference , weekly exercise , daily vegetable intake , serum TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, ALT, and UA are all associated with the risk of the disease.

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy （IgAN） is the primary glomerulonephritis with the highest incidence rate in the world. It is also the main cause of end-stage renal disease （ESRD） in China， which has brought heavy economic burden to the society and patient families. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has certain advantages in treating IgAN. In TCM， IgAN is classified into consumptive disease， hematuria， and edema categories， with the location in the kidney and involving the lung， liver， and spleen. Professor Ren Jixue， a master of TCM， believes that kidney deficiency and spleen deficiency are the root causes of IgAN， and the throat is the source of the disease. He proposed the theory of throat-kidney correlation and used the method of tonifying kidney and invigorating spleen as well as detoxifying and relieving sore-throat to treat IgAN， achieving significant therapeutic effects. Studies have shown that IgAN is closely related to mucosal immune defense. IgAN patients often experience recurrent and gradually worsening symptoms due to mucosal infections， and polymeric Ig receptor （PIgR） is an important component of mucosal defense function. The lack of PIgR leads to the accumulation of IgA molecules in the mucosal lamina propria， and the molecules enter the bloodstream in large quantities and ultimately deposit in the kidneys， causing kidney damage. Complement regulatory protein complement receptor type 1 （CR1） exists on red blood cells and glomeruli and has the function of inhibiting the activation and differentiation of B cells， clearing immune complexes， and inhibiting excessive activation of the complement system. Therefore， regulating the immune defense function through the mucosal-renal axis mediated by PIgR-CR1 will be an important target for preventing and treating IgAN. Based on the theory of throat-kidney correlation， this article explores the effects and molecular mechanisms of tonifying kidney and invigorating spleen as well as detoxifying and relieving sore-throat in preventing and treating IgAN by regulating the mucosal-kidney axis mediated by PIgR-CR1. It provides effective theoretical support and a scientific basis for TCM prevention and treatment of IgAN based on the theory of throat-kidney correlation.

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy （IgAN） is the primary glomerulonephritis with the highest incidence rate in the world. It is also the main cause of end-stage renal disease （ESRD） in China， which has brought heavy economic burden to the society and patient families. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has certain advantages in treating IgAN. In TCM， IgAN is classified into consumptive disease， hematuria， and edema categories， with the location in the kidney and involving the lung， liver， and spleen. Professor Ren Jixue， a master of TCM， believes that kidney deficiency and spleen deficiency are the root causes of IgAN， and the throat is the source of the disease. He proposed the theory of throat-kidney correlation and used the method of tonifying kidney and invigorating spleen as well as detoxifying and relieving sore-throat to treat IgAN， achieving significant therapeutic effects. Studies have shown that IgAN is closely related to mucosal immune defense. IgAN patients often experience recurrent and gradually worsening symptoms due to mucosal infections， and polymeric Ig receptor （PIgR） is an important component of mucosal defense function. The lack of PIgR leads to the accumulation of IgA molecules in the mucosal lamina propria， and the molecules enter the bloodstream in large quantities and ultimately deposit in the kidneys， causing kidney damage. Complement regulatory protein complement receptor type 1 （CR1） exists on red blood cells and glomeruli and has the function of inhibiting the activation and differentiation of B cells， clearing immune complexes， and inhibiting excessive activation of the complement system. Therefore， regulating the immune defense function through the mucosal-renal axis mediated by PIgR-CR1 will be an important target for preventing and treating IgAN. Based on the theory of throat-kidney correlation， this article explores the effects and molecular mechanisms of tonifying kidney and invigorating spleen as well as detoxifying and relieving sore-throat in preventing and treating IgAN by regulating the mucosal-kidney axis mediated by PIgR-CR1. It provides effective theoretical support and a scientific basis for TCM prevention and treatment of IgAN based on the theory of throat-kidney correlation.

The Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Qinbaohong Zhike Oral Liquid in Treatment of Acute Bronchitis and Acute Attack of Chronic Bronchitis （GS/CACM 337-2023） was released by the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 13^th， 2023. This expert consensus was developed by experts in methodology， pharmacy， and Chinese medicine in strict accordance with the development requirements of the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and based on the latest medical evidence and the clinical medication experience of well-known experts in the fields of respiratory medicine （pulmonary diseases） and pediatrics. This expert consensus defines the application of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid in the treatment of cough and excessive sputum caused by phlegm-heat obstructing lung， acute bronchitis， and acute attack of chronic bronchitis from the aspects of applicable populations， efficacy evaluation， usage， dosage， drug combination， and safety. It is expected to guide the rational drug use in medical and health institutions， give full play to the unique value of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid， and vigorously promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese patent medicines.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture therapy provides a complementary and alternative approach to treating major depressive disorder (MDD), but its efficacy and safety have still not been comprehensively assessed. Recently published systematic reviews remain confusing and inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review evaluated the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy alone or combined with antidepressants for adult patients with mild and moderate MDD. SEARCH STRATEGY: Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from their inceptions to March 2025. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials that compared acupuncture therapy with antidepressants, or acupuncture therapy plus antidepressants with acupuncture therapy or antidepressants for adult patients with mild and moderate MDD were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Five reviewers independently extracted data from original literature using a standardized form, and the data were verified by two reviewers to ensure accuracy. Statistical meta-analyses, publication bias analyses, and subgroup analyses were performed by using Review Manager 5.3 software. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to assess the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: A total of 60 eligible studies including 4675 participants were included. Low-certainty evidence showed that compared with antidepressants, acupuncture therapy (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [-0.87, -0.27]; I² = 86%; P = 0.006) or acupuncture therapy plus antidepressants (SMD = -1.00; 95% CI = [-1.18, -0.81]; I² = 77%; P < 0.00001) may reduce the severity of depression at the end of treatment. Low-certainty evidence indicated that compared with acupuncture therapy alone, acupuncture therapy plus antidepressants slightly reduced the severity of depression at the end of treatment (SMD = -0.38; 95% CI = [-0.61, -0.14]; I² = 18%; P = 0.002). Similar results were also found for acupuncture's relief of insomnia. The reported adverse effects of acupuncture therapy were mild and transient. For most of the subgroup analyses, acupuncture type, scale type, and the course of treatment did not show a significant relative effect. CONCLUSION Acupuncture therapy may provide antidepressant effects and relieve insomnia with mild adverse effects for adult patients with mild and moderate MDD. But the certainty of evidence was very low. More high-quality, well designed, large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are needed in the future. Please cite this article as: Kuang HJ, Yang HS, Feng YX, Tang H, Fan Q, Xu YQ, Cui S, Musil R, Luxenburger H, Zhang YX, Zhao H, Zhang YQ. Efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapies for adult patients with mild and moderate major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):471-491.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Depressive Disorder, Major/therapy* ; Adult ; Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

As a medicinal and edible fungus, Inonotus obliquus has a long history of folk application in Russia, Japan, and Northeast China. It is rich in terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, phenols, alkaloids, etc, and exhibits pharmacological activities including anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering effects. Among these, lanostane-type tetracyclic triterpenes represent its characteristic constituents. This review systematically summarizes the research progress on the chemical components isolated and identified from I. obliquus and their pharmacological activities in recent years. The structures of terpenoids, steroids, and phenolic compounds are compiled and illustrated, with a particular focus on the skeletal types and structural characteristics of lanostane-type tetracyclic triterpenes. This work aims to provide some reference for the further investigation and comprehensive development and utilization of I. obliquus.