1.Effect of Different Degrees of Blood Stasis on Cognitive Function and Plasma Differential Metabolites in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease
Shihan XU ; Yanfei LIU ; Fenglan LIU ; Qing WANG ; Fengqin XU ; Yue LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):167-176
ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between the blood stasis score of coronary heart disease(CAD) and mild cognitive impairment(MCI), as well as the changes in plasma metabolic profile of blood stasis in patients with CAD combined with MCI(CADMCI) through a cross-sectional study, and further explore the impact of different degrees of blood stasis on the plasma metabolite profile of CADMCI patients. MethodsAccording to the diagnostic criteria of CAD and CAD blood stasis, patients hospitalized in Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from October 2022 to October 2023 were continuously included. According to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA) scale score, the enrolled patients were divided into CADMCI blood stasis group and CAD blood stasis group. The association between blood stasis score and MCI was analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression model. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was drawn, and the area under the curve(AUC) was calculated to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the model. According to the blood stasis score, the first 30 patients in the CADMCI blood stasis group and CAD blood stasis group were divided into mild blood stasis and severe blood stasis. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was used to detect plasma metabolites in each group of patients. The differential metabolites were screened according to variable importance in the projection(VIP) value≥1, fold change(FC)<0.67 or >1.5, and P<0.05. ROC curve analysis was further used to evaluate the discriminatory efficiency of the screened differential metabolites for each group of samples. ResultsA total of 266 CAD patients were included in this study. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the CAD blood stasis score was significantly correlated with MCI[odds ratio(OR)=1.619, 95% confidence interval(CI) 1.223-2.142, P<0.001, ROC curve AUC was 0.615(95% CI 0.547-0.683, P=0.001)], indicating that the CAD blood stasis score has a certain predictive value for MCI. Plasma non-targeted metabolomics analysis showed that the main differential metabolites between CAD blood stasis and CADMCI blood stasis were lipid metabolites, among which phosphatidylcholine[20∶4(5Z, 8Z, 11Z, 14Z)/P-18∶1(11Z)] had the best discriminatory efficiency(ROC curve AUC=0.867, 95% CI 0.754-0.942). Further analysis of the differential metabolites between mild and severe blood stasis showed that lipid metabolites were also the main differential metabolites between mild and severe blood stasis. Among them, 1α,25-dihydroxy-2β-(2-hydroxyethoxy) vitamin D3 had the best efficacy in distinguishing mild and severe CAD blood stasis(AUC=0.813, 95% CI 0.649-0.951), and phosphatidylcholine 34∶2 had the best efficacy in distinguishing mild and severe CADMCI blood stasis(AUC=0.819, 95% CI 0.640-0.941). ConclusionThere is a significant correlation between CAD blood stasis score and MCI. Phosphatidylcholine metabolites play an important role in the pathogenesis of CADMCI blood stasis and severe blood stasis. The CAD blood stasis score combined with the detection of phosphatidylcholine metabolites can provide a reference for the development of early and efficient identification strategies for CADMCI.
2.Spatial Distribution Patterns and Environmental Influencing Factors of Flavonoid Glycosides in Epimedium sagittatum
Mengxue LI ; Wenmin ZENG ; Yiting WEI ; Fengqin LI ; Shengfu HU ; Xinyi WANG ; Zhangjian SHAN ; Yanqin XU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(15):217-226
ObjectiveTo explore the spatial distribution patterns of flavonoid glycosides in Epimedium sagittatum and the influences of environmental factors on the accumulation of these components. MethodsThe spatial statistical analysis and GeoDetector model were used to analyze the distribution patterns of epimedin A,epimedin B,epimedin C,icariin,and total flavonoid glycosides in E. sagittatum samples from 92 different production areas in 36 cities of 13 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions of China,as well as the effects of 28 environmental factors on the accumulation of each component. ResultsThe average content of flavonoid glycosides 64 (69.56%) producing areas and 30 (83.33%) cities met the quality standard of no less than 1.50% of total flavonoid glycosides in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.Epimedin A,epimedin B,epimedin C,icariin,and their sum showed significantly high accumulation.The hot spots regions of epimedin A and epimedin B were similar with each other,mainly located in western Hunan,eastern Hubei,eastern Guizhou,and northern Guangxi.The common hot spot areas of epimedin C and total flavonoid glycosides were in western and southwestern Hunan,southern Henan,northern Anhui,eastern Guizhou,and southern Chongqing.The hot spots areas of icariin were in southern Chongqing,western Hunan,and eastern and northeastern Guizhou.The interactions between environmental factors had stronger explanatory power for the accumulation of components than single factors.The strongest single factor and interactive factor affecting the accumulation of epimedin C were precipitation of wettest quarter (q=0.16) and its interaction with temperature seasonality (q=0.35),respectively.The strongest single factor influencing both the accumulation of icariin and total flavonoid glycosides was the precipitation of coldest quarter (q equals 0.15 and 0.22,respectively).The strongest interactions were observed between precipitation of coldest quarter and gravel content (q=0.34),as well as between precipitation of coldest quarter and aspect (q=0.35). ConclusionThirteen cities,including Zhumadian and Nanyang in Henan,Huaihua,Shaoyang,and Zhangjiajie in Hunan,and Zunyi,Qiandongnan,and Tongren in Guizhou,were hot spots of total flavonoid glycosides in E.sagittatum.Precipitation,gravel content,temperature seasonality,and aspect significantly influence the accumulation of flavonoid glycosides in E.sagittatum.This study provides reference for the utilization and production zoning of E.sagittatum.
3.Study on the clinical features and medication analysis of the elderly cognitive impairment population based on real-world data
Yueying ZHANG ; Zhongwen QI ; Tong LI ; Jiaqi HUI ; Wenxin ZOU ; Fengqin XU
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(12):1744-1751
Objective:To conduct a multi-center cross-sectional study of elderly patients with cognitive impairment based on real-world data; To analyze the clinical characteristics and core medication law of the disease population.Methods:The medical records of elderly patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2024 were retrieved from Chinese Evidence-based TCM Database. Excel 2010 software was used to collect general information, TCM syndrome elements and syndrome types, use frequency of Chinese materia medica, property, taste, meridian tropism, efficacy classification and other information, using PivotTable to establish Chinese materia medica matrix. IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used to display the frequency of co-occurrence among high-frequency Chinese materia medica, and the association rules were analyzed based on the Apriori algorithm. R language 4.4.1 was used for clustering analysis on Chinese materia medica and the cluster pedigree and correlation heat map were drawn.Results:A total of 1 194 elderly patients with cognitive impairment were enrolled, with a mean age of (79.51±7.65) years, and the highest frequency of comorbidities was hypertension (891 cases, 74.62%); AD was the most frequent diagnosis of cognitive impairment (367 times, 30.74%). The proportion of mild cognitive impairment in the low value group of Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII) was relatively high, and the high value group of SII was mainly vascular dementia and AD. Wind-phlegm blocking syndrome (106 times, 13.73%) topped the list; phlegm was the most frequent element of pathogenicity (353 times, 45.73%), and meridians and collaterals (194 times, 25.13%). Totally 328 prescriptions were included, involving 308 kinds of Chinese materia medica. The total recorded frequency of Chinese materia medica was 5 665, with tonifying herbs constituting the most frequently used category, accounting for 1 633 times; the medicinal property of drugs for treating elderly patients with cognitive disorders was mostly warm (103 times, 33.44%), the taste was mostly bitter (141 times, 45.78%), and attributed to the liver meridian (145 times, 47.08%); among the two and three association rules, the drug pairs with the highest confidence were Gastrodiae Rhizoma→Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis (97.22%) and Hyperici Perforati Herba→Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis+Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus (97.06%); five medicinal combinations were obtained by high frequency drug clustering analysis.Conclusions:Elderly patients with cognitive impairment are mainly diagnosed with AD. There may be a potential correlation between SII level and the progression of cognitive impairment. The drugs are used to tonify the kidney and replenish essence, detoxify and unblock collaterals, replenish qi and activate blood circulation, and awaken the brain and open the orifices. Shengmai Decoction, Renshen Yangrong Decoction and other TCM classic prescriptions can be used in clinic.
4.Tea polyphenols ameliorates acute lung injury in septic mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasomes
Xuguang LING ; Wenwen XU ; Guanlai PANG ; Xuxing HONG ; Fengqin LIU ; Yang LI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(2):381-386
Objective To investigate the mechanism of tea polyphenols(TP)for regulating NLRP3 inflammasomes and alleviating acute lung injury in septic mice.Methods Sixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into sham-operated,cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)and CLP+TP treatment groups,and survival of the mice was recorded after modeling in each group.The lung wet/dry weight ratio and myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity were determined,and lung injury of the mice was evaluated using HE staining and acute lung injury score.The expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,IL-6,NLRP3,caspase-1 p10,ASC,MPO,and caspase-8 in the lung tissue were detected using ELISA,Western blotting,or immunohistochemical staining.MDA and H2O2 levels in the lungs were detected to evaluate the level of oxidative stress.Immunofluorescence assay was used to investigate the co-localization of NLRP3 and NOX4.Results The postoperative mortality rate at 72 h,lung wet/dry weight ratio,MPO level and acute lung injury scores were significantly lower in CLP+TP group than in CLP group(P<0.05).Treatment with TP significantly reduced the expressions of NLRP3-related inflammatory factors(P<0.05)and lowered MDA and H2O2 levels in the lung tissue of the septic mice(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence co-staining showed a lower level of NOX4 and NLRP3 co-localization in CLP+TP group than in CLP group.Conclusion TP inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome-associated inflammation to alleviate CLP-induced acute lung injury in mice through a regulatory mechanism that inhibits NOX4 expression and reduces oxidative stress in the lung tissue.
5.Tea polyphenols ameliorates acute lung injury in septic mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasomes
Xuguang LING ; Wenwen XU ; Guanlai PANG ; Xuxing HONG ; Fengqin LIU ; Yang LI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(2):381-386
Objective To investigate the mechanism of tea polyphenols(TP)for regulating NLRP3 inflammasomes and alleviating acute lung injury in septic mice.Methods Sixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into sham-operated,cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)and CLP+TP treatment groups,and survival of the mice was recorded after modeling in each group.The lung wet/dry weight ratio and myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity were determined,and lung injury of the mice was evaluated using HE staining and acute lung injury score.The expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,IL-6,NLRP3,caspase-1 p10,ASC,MPO,and caspase-8 in the lung tissue were detected using ELISA,Western blotting,or immunohistochemical staining.MDA and H2O2 levels in the lungs were detected to evaluate the level of oxidative stress.Immunofluorescence assay was used to investigate the co-localization of NLRP3 and NOX4.Results The postoperative mortality rate at 72 h,lung wet/dry weight ratio,MPO level and acute lung injury scores were significantly lower in CLP+TP group than in CLP group(P<0.05).Treatment with TP significantly reduced the expressions of NLRP3-related inflammatory factors(P<0.05)and lowered MDA and H2O2 levels in the lung tissue of the septic mice(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence co-staining showed a lower level of NOX4 and NLRP3 co-localization in CLP+TP group than in CLP group.Conclusion TP inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome-associated inflammation to alleviate CLP-induced acute lung injury in mice through a regulatory mechanism that inhibits NOX4 expression and reduces oxidative stress in the lung tissue.
6.Exploring the Spatiotemporal Discrimination Thinking and Application for Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Coronary Heart Disease
Jiaqi HUI ; Zhongwen QI ; Yueying ZHANG ; Tong LI ; Fengqin XU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(23):2419-2426
With increasing aging, cognitive impairment in elderly coronary heart disease is a "disease group" with high morbidity and mortality in the senior population, which seriously affects the health and quality of life of the elderly. This paper takes the "cardio-cerebral circuit" as the basis of co-morbidity, and under the guidance of the cardio-cerebral homoeopathy, based on the temporal sequential characteristics of the evolution of the disease mechanism of cognitive impairment in elderly coronary heart disease, we construct a “disease-syndrome-phase” prevention and treatment strategy based on the time-sequential characteristics of the pathogenesis of the disease mechanism of "deficiency-blood stasis-toxicity", from the perspective of pathogenicity of the disease mechanism in time-phase and the spatial multidimensionality of cardio-cerebral homoeopathy. The prevention and treatment strategy of the "disease-syndrome-phase" is constructed from the perspective of the temporal phase of the disease mechanism and the multidimensionality of the space of cardio-cerebral homoeopathy. In the earlier stage, "kidney deficiency and brain emptiness are the foundation", in the attack stage, "turbid stasis and brain injury are the key", and in the progression stage, "toxicity and brain damage are the changes". It is emphasized that replenishing the deficiency and benefiting the kidneys to restore the smooth flow of collaterals, eliminating blood stasis and removing turbidity to promote the enrichment of blood, and detoxifying and clearing the heart to tranquilize the spirit and benefit the brain, the spatiotemporal thinking of cognitive impairment of coronary heart disease in the elderly is initially constructed with the spatial dimension to identify the location of the disease, and the temporal dimension to determine the stage of the disease, which will provide a theoretical basis for the spatiotemporal diagnostic and treatments for the heart and brain co-morbidities of TCM.
7.Comparison of Chinese version Braden-QD scale and Braden-Q scale in assessing the risk assessment of pressure injury for patients in pediatric intensive care unit
Weiwei JIANG ; Fengqin XU ; Yue LI ; Suyun SUN
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2024;33(9):849-854
Objective:To compare the application value of the Braden-QD scale and the Braden-Q scale in assessing the risk of pressure injuries in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients.Methods:A convenient sampling method was used to select 205 pediatric patients admitted to the First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang from December 2021 to September 2022 as the research subjects.The Braden-QD scale and the Braden-Q scale were used to evaluate the risk of pressure injuries.SPSS 25.0 and Python 2.7 softwares were used for statistical analysis. Inter-rater reliability of the scales was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's α, and the predictive power was compared using receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC), positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC).Results:(1) A total of 24 (11.7%) out of 205 patients had pressure injury, predominantly in stage 1 (20 cases, 83.3%). (2)The ICC of Braden-QD scale and Braden-Q scale were 0.890 and 0.862, while the Cronbach's α were 0.891 and 0.710.(3) The AUC of the Braden-QD scale was 0.936. The optimal diagnostic cutoff value was 9.5, with a Youden index, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 0.765, 0.875, 0.890, 0.512, 0.982, respectively.The AUC of the Braden-Q scale was 0.881. The optimal diagnostic cutoff value was 18.5, with a Youden index, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 0.626, 0.792, 0.834, 0.388, 0.968, respectively.Conclusion:Compared with the Braden-Q scale, the Braden-QD scale is more suitable for assessing the risk of pressure injuries in PICU children.
8.Strengthening research on prevention and treatment of chronic skin diseases — population medicine research program
Yan HAN ; Peng XU ; Zhi XIANG ; Tingting JIANG ; Fengqin GE ; Yueping YIN ; Xiangsheng CHEN
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2024;57(6):567-569
Chronic skin diseases have complex pathogeneses and prolonged courses, and have long adverse impacts on the physical and mental health, as well as the normal life of patients. It is necessary to develop evidence-based strategies and measures for effective prevention and control of chronic skin diseases. However, related studies are limited in China. This article proposes a population medicine research plan for health promotion and equity, and disease prevention, diagnosis, control, treatment, and rehabilitation to establish a collaborative platform for strengthening research on the prevention and treatment of chronic skin diseases in China.
9.Molecular Mechanism of Essential Oil from Chimonanthus nitens Leaves Against Acute Lung Injury
Jie XU ; Xiaofei ZHANG ; Fengqin LI ; Qiaohong LIN ; Zuwen YE ; Qingyao CHEN ; Jiale LI ; Fang WANG ; Ming YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(1):123-132
ObjectiveBased on network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques, the mechanism of essential oil from Chimonanthus nitens leaves (CLO) in the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI) was predicted, and a rat model of ALI was established to verify the mechanism of CLO. MethodThe composition of CLO was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The component targets were obtained from PharmMapper and SwissTargetPrediction databases, ALI-related targets were obtained from GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and DisGeNET, cross-over analysis with differential expressed genes (DEGs) of ALI obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) on the Venny 2.1.0 platform yielded potential anti-ALI targets of CLO. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of potential targets was carried out by STRING 11.5. The tissue expression profiles of potential targets were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the target tissue distribution maps were constructed. Potential targets were analyzed for Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment by RStudio 4.0.0 software. Composition-target-pathway network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, and key components and pathways were screened out and verified by molecular docking. ALI model was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction, levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum of rats were measured, the expression levels of IL-17 protein in the lung tissue of ALI rats were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. ResultA total of 19 components of CLO were identified by GC-MS, and 18 potential targets were obtained by target screening. After PPI analysis, 15 target proteins with interaction relationship were obtained, further analysis showed that they were highly expressed in lung and thymus. The network diagram of component-target-pathway was analyzed to obtain the key components, including bornyl acetate, linalool, elemol, geranyl isobutyrate, and the core targets of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13), S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), as well as the main signaling pathways, such as IL-17 and TNF. The results of molecular docking showed that the key components were stably bound to MMP13 and S100A9 of IL-17 signaling pathway. The results of pharmacological experiment confirmed that CLO could significantly inhibit the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum of ALI rats, and decrease the expression of IL-17 protein in lung tissue of ALI rats. ConclusionCLO can achieve the therapeutic effect on ALI and protect lung tissue, the mechanism may be related to the decrease of the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and the inhibition of the activation of IL-17 signaling pathway in lung tissue of ALI rats.
10.Role of Imbalance of "Metabolic Flexibility" in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Based on Theory of “Blood-Qi Disharmony”
Hongqin WANG ; Fengqin XU ; Qingbing ZHOU ; Xiaolin LIU ; Li LIU ; Ying ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(1):194-201
Diabetic cardiomyopathy refers to dysfunction of cardiac muscle in patients with diabetes that cannot be directly ascribed to hypertension, coronary heart disease or other defined cardiac abnormalities. Imbalance in metabolic flexibility is the underlying cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy, which is manifested as distorted nutrient sensing, slow substrate switching, and impaired energy homeostasis. In the case of diabetes/insulin resistance, cardiac fatty acid oxidation increases while glucose oxidation decreases, resulting in the imbalance in cardiac metabolic flexibility. Thus, the heart fails to switch substrates depending on the changes (taking food/fasting, rest/exercise) and the energy production in cardiomyocytes reduced, causing cardiac dysfunction. Moreover, the excessive cardiac fatty acid fails to be degraded by the mitochondrial β oxidation, triggering cardiac lipid accumulation and reduction in glucose oxidation. Therefore, the glucose in the pentose phosphate (PPP) and the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) increases and the production of advanced glycation end products rises, inducing glycolipotoxicity. The intermediates of abnormal substrate metabolism cause oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and further result in impaired myocardial function. Qi and blood are the main functional substances for the normal functioning of the body. Qi and blood harmonize and work together to defend against external pathogen, while disharmony of blood and Qi will induce the production of various pathological products that lead to the occurrence of diseases. The function and regulation of Qi-Blood movement are similar to those of metabolism. Qi deficiency and blood stasis, Qi stagnation and blood stasis, and other "blood-Qi disharmony" types run through the whole process of diabetic cardiomyopathy, and "blood-Qi disharmony" will affect systemic substrate metabolism and lead to impaired energy metabolism. By systematically explaining the relationship between "blood-Qi disharmony" and "metabolic flexibility" in diabetic cardiomyopathy, we provide scientific research and clinical formulation ideas for targeting "metabolic flexibility" in the prevention of diabetic cardiomyopathy with Qi-replenishing and Blood-activating medicinals.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail