1.Treating diabetic kidney disease based on "using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory
Weimin JIANG ; Yaoxian WANG ; Shuwu WEI ; Jiale ZHANG ; Chenhui XIA ; Jie YANG ; Liqiao SUN ; Xinrong LI ; Weiwei SUN
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(1):1-7
The Huangdi Neijing proposes the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory to guide clinical prescription and formulation of herbal remedies based on the physiological characteristics and functions of the five zang viscera, along with the properties and flavors of medicinal herbs. This study explored diabetic kidney disease pathogenesis and treatment based on the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory. Kidney dryness is a key pathological factor in diabetic kidney disease, and the disharmony of kidney dryness is an essential aspect of its pathogenesis. Strengthening is the primary therapeutic principle, and kidney dryness is a persistent factor throughout the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney disease. In the early stage, the pathogenesis involves heat-consuming qi and injuring yin, leading to kidney dryness. In the middle stage, the pathogenesis manifests as qi deficiency and blood stasis in the collaterals, resulting in turbidity owing to kidney dryness. In the late stage, the pathogenesis involves yin and yang deficiency, with kidney dryness and disharmony. This study proposes the staging-based treatment based on the " need for firmness" characteristic of the kidney. The aim is to provide new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine by rationally using pungent, bitter, and salty medicinal herbs to nourish and moisturize the kidney. This approach seeks to promote precise syndrome differentiation and personalized treatment for different stages of diabetic kidney disease, thereby enhancing clinical efficacy.
2.Treatment of Parkinson's Disease with Traditional Chinese Medicine by Regulating BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway: A Review
Lulu JIA ; Ying LI ; Jiale YIN ; Nan JIA ; Xiaoxi LIU ; Li LING
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):315-322
Parkinson's disease(PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, which seriously affects the lives of patients. With the acceleration of aging process, the number of patients continues to rise. Its main pathological features are aggregation of α-synuclein and degenerative death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. However, the pathogenesis of PD is still unclear. According to reports, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor B(TrkB) signaling pathway is highly expressed and activated in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, which is closely related to neurophysiological processes such as neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. It plays an important role in the occurrence and development of PD. At present, the treatment methods of Western medicine for PD are mainly based on drugs such as levodopa and dopamine agonists to alleviate motor symptoms, but with the increase of dose, the adverse reactions are significantly enhanced. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has attracted people to explore its therapeutic effects on PD due to its characteristics of homology of medicine and food, economy, minor adverse reactions and multi-target action. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews the role of BNDF/TrkB pathway in the pathogenesis of PD and the mechanism of TCM formulas, extracts and monomers in the treatment of PD by regulating the BNDF/TrkB pathway according to retrieving the latest research reports at home and abroad, so as to provide a reference for the clinical application of related TCM and the development of new drugs for PD.
3.Ferrostatin-1 prevents transfusion-related acute lung injury in mice by inhibiting ferroptosis
Siwei LIU ; Ling XIAO ; Haixia XU ; Jiale CHENG ; Li TIAN ; Zhong LIU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(8):1008-1015
Objective: To investigate the role of ferroptosis in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and evaluate the efficacy of the specific inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), thereby to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of TRALI. Methods: This study utilized a ”2-hit” model to induce TRALI in mice. The mouse model of TRALI was validated through survival curve analysis, lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio (W/D), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and total protein concentration in lung tissue. Samples from the TRALI model group, LPS group, and control group (n=6) were collected. The occurrence of ferroptosis in TRALI was confirmed by measuring key ferroptosis indicators, including iron concentration in lung tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, lipid peroxidation products (LPO) level, and expression levels of related proteins (GPX4, ACSL4). Additionally, a Fer-1 intervention group was added to evaluate its preventive and therapeutic effects. The survival rates and clinical symptoms of the four groups (n=6) were dynamically monitored, and the degrees of lung injury were assessed. Ferroptosis-related indicators were also measured to elucidate the protective mechanism of Fer-1. Results: A mouse model of TRALI was successfully established. Compared to the control and LPS groups, the TRALI group showed significantly higher levels of ferrous iron [(18.32±1.11) nmol/well, MDA [(14.68±0.96) μmol/L], and LPO [(1.60±0.02) μmol/L] in lung tissue (all P<0.01), along with a downregulation of GPX4 and an upregulation of ACSL4. Fer-1 pretreatment significantly reversed these abnormalities: the W/D ratio decreased to 4.01±0.43, and MPO activity significantly decreased [Fer-1 group: (21 606±4 235) pg/mL vs TRALI group: (30 724±2 616) pg/mL], the total protein concentration in lung tissue of the Fer-1 group decreased by approximately 40.8% compared to the TRALI group (all P<0.01). These changes indicate that the lung injury in mice was alleviated after treatment. Following Fer-1 intervention, ferrous iron concentration [(7.46±1.83) nmol/well] was restored to a level close to that of the control group [(5.48±0.70) nmol/well]. Lipid peroxidation tests further revealed that Fer-1 intervention reduced MDA and LPO levels by 35.8% and 29.4%, respectively (P<0.001). Additionally, the expression levels of GPX4 and ACSL4 proteins returned to near-normal levels in the treated mice (both P>0.05). Conclusion: The progression of TRALI is closely related to the activation of ferroptosis, characterized by iron overload, lipid peroxidation accumulation, and the imbalance of GPX4/ACSL4. Ferrostatin-1 significantly alleviates pulmonary edema and inflammatory damage by inhibiting the ferroptosis pathway, suggesting that targeting ferroptosis may provide a new therapeutic strategy for TRALI.
4.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Metabolic Reprogramming Mechanism to Intervene in Inflammation-cancer Transformation of Gastric Mucosa
Xinyi LIANG ; Jiale MA ; Huizhen LI ; Shuangmei ZHAO ; Mengtong LENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):252-260
Gastric cancer (GC) has an insidious onset and is mostly diagnosed in the middle and late stages after clinical detection. It is one of the malignant tumors with high incidence and mortality rates in the world. At present, the treatment plans are optimized mainly in terms of surgery, radiotherapy, and intervention, while the endpoints of clinical trials, such as patients' overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival, are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, effectively delaying the dynamic inflammation-cancer transformation has become an urgent bottleneck in the prevention and treatment of GC. In 1920s, Professor Otto Warburg discovered the phenomenon that tumor cells can accelerate glycolysis. Since then, the abnormal metabolic network inside tumor cells has gradually entered into researchers' view, and the hot academic research topic of metabolic reprogramming has been proposed. Tumor cells can meet their own energy consumption and adapt to external changes by adjusting their metabolic pathways to achieve rapid proliferation. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is resolutely pursuing innovation in inheritance and the continuous refinement of research has led to the precision-oriented transition of TCM theories. Therefore, linking TCM with the treatment of tumors and precancerous diseases has certain research connotations. The searching and review of the publications in this field revealed that the number of publications in tumor-related metabolism increased dramatically, while there were only a few studies using TCM as a therapeutic solution. The research group has long been committed to the study of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) in Chinese and Western medicine. This article explained the dynamic process of inflammation-cancer transformation from the perspective of spleen deficiency-Qi stagnation-collateral stasis. The molecules of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, cancer-Myc (c-Myc), apolipoprotein E (APOE) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) were selected to reflect the biological connotation of inflammation-cancer transformation. The current achievements of TCM in regulating the metabolic reprogramming to intervene in inflammation-cancer transformation were summarized, with a view to providing more information for TCM to intervene in the inflammation-cancer transformation of gastric mucosa.
5.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Metabolic Reprogramming Mechanism to Intervene in Inflammation-cancer Transformation of Gastric Mucosa
Xinyi LIANG ; Jiale MA ; Huizhen LI ; Shuangmei ZHAO ; Mengtong LENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):252-260
Gastric cancer (GC) has an insidious onset and is mostly diagnosed in the middle and late stages after clinical detection. It is one of the malignant tumors with high incidence and mortality rates in the world. At present, the treatment plans are optimized mainly in terms of surgery, radiotherapy, and intervention, while the endpoints of clinical trials, such as patients' overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival, are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, effectively delaying the dynamic inflammation-cancer transformation has become an urgent bottleneck in the prevention and treatment of GC. In 1920s, Professor Otto Warburg discovered the phenomenon that tumor cells can accelerate glycolysis. Since then, the abnormal metabolic network inside tumor cells has gradually entered into researchers' view, and the hot academic research topic of metabolic reprogramming has been proposed. Tumor cells can meet their own energy consumption and adapt to external changes by adjusting their metabolic pathways to achieve rapid proliferation. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is resolutely pursuing innovation in inheritance and the continuous refinement of research has led to the precision-oriented transition of TCM theories. Therefore, linking TCM with the treatment of tumors and precancerous diseases has certain research connotations. The searching and review of the publications in this field revealed that the number of publications in tumor-related metabolism increased dramatically, while there were only a few studies using TCM as a therapeutic solution. The research group has long been committed to the study of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) in Chinese and Western medicine. This article explained the dynamic process of inflammation-cancer transformation from the perspective of spleen deficiency-Qi stagnation-collateral stasis. The molecules of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, cancer-Myc (c-Myc), apolipoprotein E (APOE) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) were selected to reflect the biological connotation of inflammation-cancer transformation. The current achievements of TCM in regulating the metabolic reprogramming to intervene in inflammation-cancer transformation were summarized, with a view to providing more information for TCM to intervene in the inflammation-cancer transformation of gastric mucosa.
6.Research progress on clinical and molecular mechanisms of Xianglian pills in the treatment of ulcerative colitis
Ying LI ; Zaoyu ZHANG ; Rong DENG ; Jiale CHEN ; Yanlong LI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(20):2609-2614
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic intestinal autoimmune disease, with clinical manifestations including abdominal pain, diarrhea, mucus and bloody stools, and its pathogenesis is complex. The classic prescription Xianglian pills (XLP) has been widely used in the clinical treatment of UC in recent years. It has few adverse reactions, good patient tolerance, and shows significant potential for clinical application. However, there is currently no comprehensive integration of evidence on its clinical research and molecular mechanisms. Through a systematic review of the clinical research and molecular mechanisms of XLP in the treatment of UC, it is found that XLP and its modified formulas, when used in combination with chemical drugs, can significantly improve the symptoms of UC patients and reduce intestinal inflammation, with superior efficacy compared to chemical drugs alone. Its mechanism of action involves regulating pan-apoptosis, immune response, signaling pathways (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, nuclear factor-κB, etc.), intestinal flora, and repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier. Its medicinal materials, monomers and active components can also prevent the differentiation of helper T cells 17 and restore the balance of M1/M2 cells through regulating multiple pathways such as Wnt/β -catenin and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, thereby reducing intestinal damage in UC.
7.The application and exploration of intelligent emergency assembly line in improving the efficiency and quality of emergency testing
Jiale TIAN ; Wenqiang QUAN ; Xiaoyi JI ; Dong LI
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;47(5):514-519
Objective:To explore the application value of intelligent assembly line in emergency examination.Methods:A retrospective study was carried out by collecting the data from emergency examination in Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji University from June 24 to 28, 2019, to July 24 to 28, 2023.The changes of sample size before and after intelligent pipeline application (with pneumatic transmission device), and the median and 90th percentile( P90) of pre-test turnaround time (TAT) were compared to collect and analyze the quality control related data of the same batch of quality control products before and after using intelligent assembly line automatic quality control; The median TAT and the 90th percentile in the laboratory were analyzed and compared before and after the application of the intelligent pipeline automatic audit rules Statistical enabling of intelligent pipeline-based real-time quality control (PBRTQC) function for patient samples and quality control-based indoor quality control mode for out-of-control detection efficacy. The normal distribution data were analyzed by two independent samples t-test, and the skew distribution data were analyzed by Mann-whitney U test. Results:After the operation of the intelligent assembly line pneumatic transmission device, TAT decreased from 27.1(18.0, 47.7) min to 24.3(15.2, 34.9) min, with a significant difference ( Z=-9.173, P<0.001); There was no significant difference in the indoor quality control results of potassium (K), sodium (NA), Alanine transaminase (Alt), glucose (Glu), total protein (TP) and UREA before and after the implementation of automatic quality control (P>0.05), the consumption of dry biochemical quality control products was reduced from 750 μl/time to 600 μl/time, and the use amount was reduced by 20%. The operation time of quality control was reduced from 30 min/time to 20 min/time, the time was saved by 33.3%, the number of quality control personnel and the walking distance of personnel were significantly reduced, and the detection rate of out-of-control was increased from 0.82% to 0.98% after the development of PBRTQC function. After using the intelligent pipeline automatic audit system, the TAT in the laboratory decreased from 37.1(21.3, 49.2) min to 34.4(16.5, 46.3) min before using the automatic audit function, with significant difference ( Z=-10.062, P<0.001); The median TOTAT and TAT decreased from 56.7.45.8, 102.5) min, 37.4(21.5, 49.6) min to 53.3(42.1, 98.3) min, 33.2.16.4, 47.9) min respectively, and the difference was significant ( Z=-7.176 and -8.245, P<0.001); The P90 of ToTAT and TAT decreased by 18.1% and 17.0%, respectively, and the percentage of sample timeout decreased by 65.5% and 92.1%, while the rate of timely notification of critical values increased from 82.5% to 99.3%. Conclusion:The application of an intelligent emergency pipeline can significantly shorten the test sample turnaround time, and effectively improve the quality and efficiency of emergency testing.
8.Research advances on the role of pyroptosis in diabetic wound healing
Jiale HE ; Hongfei DONG ; Xi HUANG ; Yanbiao ZHANG ; Xianhui LI
Chinese Journal of Burns 2024;40(8):785-791
Diabetic wound is a complication of diabetes, which is difficult to heal and easy to turn into chronic wound. Compared with ordinary wound healing, diabetic wounds stay in the inflammatory stage and can not enter the proliferative stage. This is because the proportion of pro-inflammatory cytokines increases, leading to the imbalance of inflammatory cells and the accumulation of a large number of inflammatory factors. The production and release of inflammatory factors is closely related to pyroptosis. Pyroptosis is a kind of programmed death mode of inflammatory cells. Mediated by inflammasome, pyroptosis is transduced through typical and atypical inflammasome signaling pathways, resulting in the formation of pores on the cell membrane and inducing cell death. In this process, a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines are released to maintain the inflammatory environment of wounds, hindering the development of diabetic wounds to the proliferative stage and remodeling stage, thus inhibiting the healing of diabetic wounds. This article reviews the mechanism of pyroptosis and its effect on diabetic wounds, the potential significance of inhibiting pyroptosis in the treatment of diabetic wounds, and the existing problems.
9.Research advances in the association of natriuretic peptides and cyclic guanosine monophosphate with acute isch-emic stroke
Jiaren LI ; Jiayu LIU ; Jiale ZHANG
Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases 2024;41(5):470-475
Natriuretic peptides(NPs)are closely associated with acute ischemic stroke(AIS),and previous studies have shown that NPs have the beneficial effects of promoting vasodilation and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis.The beneficial cardiovascular effects of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP)and brain natriuretic peptide(BNP)are associated with the natriuretic peptide receptor A/cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP)signaling pathway.With the discovery of C-type natriuretic peptide(CNP)and its dependent receptor natriuretic peptide receptor B in brain tissue,NPs provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of AIS.Recent studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of ANP,BNP,CNP,and their homologous receptors on neuronal damage induced by AIS;however,the specific mechanism of pathways mediated by NPs remains unknown.This article summarizes the studies on NPs,cGMP,and AIS,in order to provide a ref-erence for subsequent studies on NPs in AIS.
10.Potential efficacy and mechanism of eight mild-natured and bitter-flavored TCMs based on gut microbiota: A review.
Wenquan SU ; Yanan YANG ; Xiaohui ZHAO ; Jiale CHENG ; Yuan LI ; Shengxian WU ; Chongming WU
Chinese Herbal Medicines 2024;16(1):42-55
The mild-natured and bitter-flavored traditional Chinese medicines (MB-TCMs) are an important class of TCMs that have been widely used in clinical practice and recognized as safe long-term treatments for chronic diseases. However, as an important class of TCMs, the panorama of pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of MB-TCMs have not been systemically reviewed. Compelling studies have shown that gut microbiota can mediate the therapeutic activity of TCMs and help to elucidate the core principles of TCM medicinal theory. In this systematic review, we found that MB-TCMs commonly participated in the modulation of metabolic syndrome, intestinal inflammation, nervous system disease and cardiovascular system disease in association with promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria Bacteroides, Akkermansia, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Roseburia as well as inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria Helicobacter, Enterococcus, Desulfovibrio and Escherichia-Shigella. These alterations, correspondingly, enhance the generation of protective metabolites, mainly including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acid (BAs), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), indole and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and inhibit the generation of harmful metabolites, such as proinflammatory factors trimethylamine oxide (TAMO) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to further exert multiplicative effects for the maintenance of human health through several different signaling pathways. Altogether, this present review has attempted to comprehensively summarize the relationship between MB-TCMs and gut microbiota by establishing the TCMs-gut microbiota-metabolite-signaling pathway-diseases axis, which may provide new insight into the study of TCM medicinal theories and their clinical applications.


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