In today's society， depression is a kind of highly prevalent chronic mental illness. It leads to a high disability rate and a heavy economic burden. Depression is defined by fundamental symptoms of low mood and diminished pleasure. Its causes and mechanisms remain unclear， and it presents a broad spectrum of symptoms and a persistent nature that significantly impacts both physical and mental well-being. Treatment in Western medicine primarily focuses on alleviating symptoms， yet it entails numerous adverse effects and contraindications. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment is based on resolving depression， which is often accompanied by soothing liver， and the key medicine is Bupleuri Radix. Bupleuri Radix associated prescriptions refer to a class of prescriptions using Bupleuri Radix as the sovereign medicinal or having a high dose of Bupleuri Radix， which are widely used in the field of anti-depression. Previous studies from animal experiments， clinical research， and modern pharmacological research have confirmed that Bupleuri Radix associated prescriptions have precise anti-depression efficacy in multiple ways and at multiple levels， but lack a comprehensive and systematic summarization. This paper summarized and analyzed the literature related to the clinical application and mechanism of action of Bupleuri Radix associated prescriptions in anti-depression treatment. The results showed that the anti-depression mechanism of the Bupleuri Radix associated prescriptions （such as Xiaochaihu Tang， Xiaoyao San， Sini San， Chaihu Shugan San， and Chaihu jia Longgu Muli San） was associated with the effects of regulating monoamine neurotransmitters， the brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， intestinal flora， and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis， inhibiting inflammatory responses， and modulating related signaling pathways. Applying them in clinical practice can effectively alleviate patient symptoms， lower the TCM syndrome score and the severity of depression， and also reduce adverse reactions. This underscores advantages of TCM in depression treatment， which offers patients a secure， effective， and more individualized alternative treatment regimen. On this basis， the shortcomings of current studies and the future trend were analyzed. This study aimed to provide an evidence-based medicine basis for the research and development of novel antidepressant medications.

ObjectiveTo develop a scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） that combines disease and syndrome and has the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn item pool was established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） with reference to the guideline for developing international scales. A clinical survey was conducted among the outpatients and inpatients who were diagnosed with NAFLD and had the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in Department of Hepatology and Spleen-Stomach， The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine， from June to August， 2023， and the items were screened based on the classical test theory and the item response theory. An expert questionnaire was developed， and expert discussions were conducted using the Delphi method to identify the items for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD. Finally， the scale was given scientific scores. ResultsA preliminary item pool was established， with 16 primary items and 22 secondary items， and it was divided into the two dimensions of disease and syndrome type. Clinical pre-survey suggested to retain 9 primary items and 14 secondary items， while the Delphi expert questionnaire recommended to retain 11 primary items and 15 secondary items， and tongue manifestation and pulse manifestation were no longer used for assessing the severity of syndrome. After hierarchical analysis and scientific assignment of scores， the scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD had a total score of 123 points and 9 important items， i.e.， discomfort in the hypochondrium， abdominal fullness and distension， obesity， heaviness of the head and body， loose stool， anorexia， coughing up phlegm， nausea with a tendency to vomit， and lethargy. ConclusionA preliminary scale is established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD， which fills the gap in this research field and provides a basis for further clinical application.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of third lumbar skeletal muscle mass index （L3-SMI） in predicting the long-term prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF）， and to provide a useful tool for prognostic scoring of ACLF patients. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the data of 126 patients who underwent abdominal computed tomography （CT） scanning and were diagnosed with ACLF in Shanxi Bethune Hospital from December 2017 to December 2021， including clinical indicators， biochemical parameters， and model for end-stage liver disease （MELD） score， and L3-SMI was calculated. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the diagnostic value of L3-SMI and other variables （MELD score and Child-Pugh score）， and the DeLong test was used for comparison of the area under the ROC curve （AUC）. ResultsAmong the 126 patients enrolled， 44 （35%） died within 2 years and 82 （65%） survived. Compared with the survival group， the death group had significantly higher age， incidence rate of ascites， international normalized ratio， MELD score， and Child-Pugh score （all P<0.05） and a significantly lower value of L3-SMI ［38.40 （35.95‍ ‍—‍ ‍46.29） cm²/m² vs 44.19 （40.20‍ ‍—‍ ‍48.58） cm²/m²， Z=-2.855， P=0.004］. L3-SMI had an AUC of 0.720 in predicting 2-year mortality in ACLF patients， with a sensitivity of 63.6% and a specificity of 80.5%， and a combination of L3-SMI， MELD score， and Child-Pugh score had a significantly better AUC than a combination of MELD score and Child-Pugh score in predicting 2-year mortality （0.809 vs 0.757， Z=2.015， P<0.05）. ConclusionL3-SMI has a high predictive value for the prognosis of ACLF patients， and the combination of L3-SMI、MELD score and Child-Pugh score has a higher predictive value for ACLF patients， and the inclusion of L3-SMI or sarcopenia in the conventional prognostic scores of ACLF patients may increase the ability to predict disease progression.

The classic formula Fangji Fulingtang is from ZHANG Zhongjing's Synopsis of the Golden Chamber in the Eastern Han dynasty. It is composed of Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix， Astragali Radix， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Poria， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， with the effects of reinforcing Qi and invigorating spleen， warming Yang and promoting urination. By a review of ancient medical books， this paper summarizes the composition， original plants， processing， dosage， decocting methods， indications and other key information of Fangji Fulingtang， aiming to provide a literature basis for the research， development， and clinical application of preparations based on this formula. Synonyms of Fangji Fulingtang exist in ancient medical books， while the formula composition in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber is more widespread and far-reaching. In this formula， Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix， Astragali Radix， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Poria， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are the dried root of Stephania tetrandra， the dried root of Astragalus embranaceus var. mongholicus， the dried shoot of Cinnamomum cassia， the dried sclerotium of Poria cocos， and the dried root and rhizome of Glycyrrhiza uralensis， respectively. Fangji Fulingtang is mainly produced into powder， with the dosage and decocting method used in the past dynasties basically following the original formula. Each bag is composed of Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix 13.80 g， Astragali Radix 13.80 g， Cinnamomi Ramulus 13.80 g， Poria 27.60 g， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma 9.20 g. The raw materials are purified， decocted in water from 1 200 mL to 400 mL， and the decoction should be taken warm， 3 times a day. Fangji Fulingtang was originally designed for treating skin edema， and then it was used to treat impediment in the Qing dynasty. In modern times， it is mostly used to treat musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases and circulatory system diseases， demonstrating definite effects on various types of edema and heart failure. This paper clarifies the inheritance of Fangji Fulingtang and reveals its key information （attached to the end of this paper）， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development of preparations based on this formula.

The classic formula Fangji Fulingtang is from ZHANG Zhongjing's Synopsis of the Golden Chamber in the Eastern Han dynasty. It is composed of Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix， Astragali Radix， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Poria， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， with the effects of reinforcing Qi and invigorating spleen， warming Yang and promoting urination. By a review of ancient medical books， this paper summarizes the composition， original plants， processing， dosage， decocting methods， indications and other key information of Fangji Fulingtang， aiming to provide a literature basis for the research， development， and clinical application of preparations based on this formula. Synonyms of Fangji Fulingtang exist in ancient medical books， while the formula composition in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber is more widespread and far-reaching. In this formula， Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix， Astragali Radix， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Poria， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are the dried root of Stephania tetrandra， the dried root of Astragalus embranaceus var. mongholicus， the dried shoot of Cinnamomum cassia， the dried sclerotium of Poria cocos， and the dried root and rhizome of Glycyrrhiza uralensis， respectively. Fangji Fulingtang is mainly produced into powder， with the dosage and decocting method used in the past dynasties basically following the original formula. Each bag is composed of Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix 13.80 g， Astragali Radix 13.80 g， Cinnamomi Ramulus 13.80 g， Poria 27.60 g， and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma 9.20 g. The raw materials are purified， decocted in water from 1 200 mL to 400 mL， and the decoction should be taken warm， 3 times a day. Fangji Fulingtang was originally designed for treating skin edema， and then it was used to treat impediment in the Qing dynasty. In modern times， it is mostly used to treat musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases and circulatory system diseases， demonstrating definite effects on various types of edema and heart failure. This paper clarifies the inheritance of Fangji Fulingtang and reveals its key information （attached to the end of this paper）， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development of preparations based on this formula.

Linxian County in Henan Province, Northern China is known as the region with the highest incidence and mortality rate of esophageal cancer worldwide. Since 1959, the Henan medical team has conducted field work on esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian. Through three generations of effort exerted by oncologists over 65 years of research on esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian, the incidence rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in this area has dropped by nearly 50%, and the 5-year survival rate has increased to 40%, reaching the international leading level. This article aims to summarize the history, present opportunities and new challenges, and explore the experience of esophageal cancer prevention and treatment in Linxian (referred to as the “Linxian experience”), providing reference and guidance to cancer prevention and treatment research in China.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Xiaozhi Hugan capsules in treating patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome and its effects on serum interleukin-6 （IL-6） and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1）. MethodsA total of 124 patients with NASH combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome who were admitted to the Department of Spleen， Stomach， and Hepatobiliary Diseases， the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from July 2020 to December 2022 were selected. According to the random number table method， patients were randomly divided into an observation group （62 cases） and a control group （62 cases）. The treatment duration was 6 months. The observation group received Xiaozhi Hugan capsules orally， while the control group received polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules. The efficacy indicators included alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， controlled attenuation parameter （CAP）， liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores （discomfort/dull pain/distending pain in liver region， fatigue， etc.）， body mass index （BMI）， waist-to-height ratio （WHtR）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） ［including fasting blood glucose （FBG） and fasting insulin level （INS）］， free fatty acids （FFA）， IL-6， and MCP-1. Adverse drug reactions were recorded. ResultsAfter treatment， the total effective rate in the observation group was 92.3% （48/52）， while that in the control group was 75.5% （39/49）. The total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group （χ²=5.339， P<0.05）. After treatment， the TCM syndrome scores in both groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the post-treatment scores in the observation group were better than those in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， the levels of ALT， AST， TC， FFA， fasting insulin （FINS）， HOMA-IR， MCP-1， IL-6， CAP， LSM， BMI， and WHtR were decreased （P<0.05） significantly in both groups， and the observation group showed superior improvement in the above indicators compared to the control group （P<0.05）. The observation group exhibited significant reductions in TG and FBG （P<0.05） and an increase in HDL-C （P<0.05）， while no significant changes were observed in the control group. The observation group was superior to the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group during the treatment. ConclusionXiaozhi Hugan capsules have significant clinical efficacy in treating patients with NASH combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome. It reduces hepatic steatosis， lowers liver stiffness， inhibits the expression of serum inflammatory factors， and alleviates liver inflammation. No obvious adverse reactions occur， suggesting it is suitable for clinical application.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Xiaozhi Hugan capsules in treating patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome and its effects on serum interleukin-6 （IL-6） and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1）. MethodsA total of 124 patients with NASH combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome who were admitted to the Department of Spleen， Stomach， and Hepatobiliary Diseases， the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from July 2020 to December 2022 were selected. According to the random number table method， patients were randomly divided into an observation group （62 cases） and a control group （62 cases）. The treatment duration was 6 months. The observation group received Xiaozhi Hugan capsules orally， while the control group received polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules. The efficacy indicators included alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， controlled attenuation parameter （CAP）， liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores （discomfort/dull pain/distending pain in liver region， fatigue， etc.）， body mass index （BMI）， waist-to-height ratio （WHtR）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） ［including fasting blood glucose （FBG） and fasting insulin level （INS）］， free fatty acids （FFA）， IL-6， and MCP-1. Adverse drug reactions were recorded. ResultsAfter treatment， the total effective rate in the observation group was 92.3% （48/52）， while that in the control group was 75.5% （39/49）. The total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group （χ²=5.339， P<0.05）. After treatment， the TCM syndrome scores in both groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05）， and the post-treatment scores in the observation group were better than those in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， the levels of ALT， AST， TC， FFA， fasting insulin （FINS）， HOMA-IR， MCP-1， IL-6， CAP， LSM， BMI， and WHtR were decreased （P<0.05） significantly in both groups， and the observation group showed superior improvement in the above indicators compared to the control group （P<0.05）. The observation group exhibited significant reductions in TG and FBG （P<0.05） and an increase in HDL-C （P<0.05）， while no significant changes were observed in the control group. The observation group was superior to the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group during the treatment. ConclusionXiaozhi Hugan capsules have significant clinical efficacy in treating patients with NASH combined with phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndrome. It reduces hepatic steatosis， lowers liver stiffness， inhibits the expression of serum inflammatory factors， and alleviates liver inflammation. No obvious adverse reactions occur， suggesting it is suitable for clinical application.

To analyze the disease burden of hypertension in the elderly population from 1990 to 2021 and to predict future trends in China and globally, thereby providing insights for public health decision-making regarding older adults with hypertension in China.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of action of Lifei Xiaoji Pill （理肺消积丸， LXP） in the treatment of non small cell lung cancer based on the Warburg effect and the USP47/BACH1 pathway. MethodsFifty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups， model group， LXP group， inhibitor group， LXP + inhibitor group， and cisplatin group， with 10 mice in each group. A lung cancer mouse model was established by subcutaneously injecting Lewis cells. On the next day， the model group mice were given 0.2 ml of saline by gavage daily， the LXP group given 240 mg/（kg·d） of LXP solution once a day by gavage， the inhibitor group intraperitoneally injected with P22077 at a dose of 10 mg/（kg·d） every day， the LXP + inhibitor group given both LXP by gavage and P22077 by intraperitoneal injection once a day， and the cisplatin group received 0.5 mg/（kg·d） cisplatin intraperitoneally every other day. All treatments lasted for 14 days. On the day after the last dose， tumor weight and volume were measured， tumor histopathology was examined by HE staining， apoptosis in tumor tissues was detected by TUNEL staining， and proliferation cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） protein levels were detected by immunohistochemistry. Warburg effect indicators， including glucose concentration， lactate content， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） production in tumor tissues， were measured. Western Blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of USP47， BACH1， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase （GAPDH）. ResultsCompared with the model group， all drug intervention groups showed reduced tumor weight and volume， improved tumor pathology， decreased PCNA positive rate， increased apoptosis rate， and reduced expression levels of USP47， BACH1， and HK2 proteins and mRNA （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Except for lactate content in the cisplatin group， the glucose concentration in tumor tissues of other drug intervention groups increased， while lactate content and ATP production decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the LXP group， the LXP + inhibitor group showed more significant improvements in these indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the cisplatin group， the LXP + inhibitor group had lower mRNA expression of HK2 and GAPDH， and lower protein levels of USP47 and HK2 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the inhibitor group， the cisplatin group had higher HK2 protein levels， while the LXP + inhibitor group showed lower mRNA expression of BACH1， HK2， and GAPDH （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionLXP significantly inhibits tumor growth in lung cancer mice， and its mechanism of action may be related to inhibiting the Warburg effect via the USP47/BACH1 pathway.