The iridoid glycosides from Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. alleviate heart failure by modulating the gut microbiota and influencing the production of two metabolites with potential antihypertrophic effects, HVA and 2OH-VA.Image 1.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with brucellosis.Methods:Medical records of confirmed brucellosis patients ( n = 101) were collected from January 2015 to December 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Patients were divided into acute phase group (≤3 months, n = 89) and non acute phase group (> 3 months, n = 12) according to the course of the disease. The epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory indicators, treatment plan and curative effect of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results:Data of a total of 101 cases of brucellosis were collected, including 72 males and 29 females. The disease occurred throughout the year, with summer (June to August) being the peak period (43.56%, 44/101); 72.28% (73/101) cases had a clear history of contact with animal. Ninety-two point zero eight percent (93/101) of the patients visited the Department of Infectious Diseases for the first time. Clinical manifestations included fever, accounting for 82.18% (83/101), chills accounting for 36.63% (37/101), backache accounting for 33.66% (34/101), night sweats accounting for 22.77% (23/101), and arthralgia accounting for 20.79% (21/101). The symptoms of backache (75.00%, 9/12) and arthralgia (41.67%, 5/12) were more common in patients in the non acute phase group than those of the acute phase group [28.09% (25/89), 17.98% (16/89), P < 0.05]. The most common laboratory test abnormal items were elevated C-reactive protein (CRP, 68.32%, 69/101), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, 61.39%, 62/101), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 58.42%, 59/101), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT, 48.51%, 49/101). Elevated ESR (66.29%, 59/89) was more common in patients in the acute phase group than that of the non acute phase group [25.00 (3/12), χ 2 = 7.48, P = 0.006]. All patients were treated with a combination therapy, with a recovery rate of 100.00% (101/101). Conclusions:Brucellosis patients are more common in males, with a higher incidence in summer and often accompanied by a history of contact with animal. The clinical manifestations are diverse and non-specific.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effect of different frequency of acupoint thread-embedding on weight loss in subjects with overweight/obesity of spleen deficiency and dampness retention. METHODS: A total of 126 subjects with overweight/obesity of spleen deficiency and dampness retention were randomized into a 2-week group(63 cases, 13 cases dropped out)and a 3-week group(63 cases, 11 cases dropped out, 1 case was eliminated). The two groups were treated with acupoint thread-embedding once every 2 weeks and once every 3 weeks respectively, Zhongwan(CV 12), Shuifen(CV 9), Qihai(CV 6), Guanyuan(CV 4) and bilateral Zhangmen(LR 13), Tianshu(ST 25), Liangmen(ST 21), Daheng(SP 15), Fujie(SP 14), Pishu(BL 20), Yinlingquan(SP 9)were selected. Four times were required in the two groups. Before and after treatment, follow-up after 2 months of treatment completion, the body mass index(BMI), body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, obesity degree, fat percentage(F%), skin fold thickness were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up, the BMI, body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, obesity degree, F%, skin fold thickness in the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01), the changes of BMI, body weight, obesity degree, F%, skin fold thickness in the 2-week group were larger than those in the 3-week group(P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The effect of acupoint thread-embedding once every 2 weeks on weight loss in subjects with overweight/obesity of spleen deficiency and dampness retention is superior to that once every 3 weeks.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Overweight/therapy* ; Spleen ; Obesity/therapy* ; Body Weight ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Weight Loss

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of fight/mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and UNIFI were employed to rapidly determine the content of the components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture. The targets of the active components and Henoch-Schönlein purpura(HSP) were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM), and GeneCards. A "component-target-disease" network and a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were constructed. Gene Ontology(GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for the targets by Omishare. The interactions between the potential active components and the core targets were verified by molecular docking. Furthermore, rats were randomly assigned into a normal group, a model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Liangxue Tuizi Mixture groups. Non-targeted metabolomics was employed to screen the differential metabolites in the serum, analyze possible metabolic pathways, and construct the "component-target-differential metabolite" network. A total of 45 components of Liangxue Tuizi Mixture were identified, and 145 potential targets for the treatment of HSP were predicted. The main signaling pathways enriched included resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K-AKT), and T cell receptor. The results of molecular docking showed that the active components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture had strong binding ability with the key target proteins. A total of 13 differential metabolites in the serum were screened out, which shared 27 common targets with active components. The progression of HSP was related to metabolic abnormalities of glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid. The results indicate that the components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture mainly treats HSP by regulating inflammation and immunity, providing a scientific basis for rational drug use in clinical practice.
Animals ; Rats ; IgA Vasculitis/drug therapy* ; Network Pharmacology ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Metabolomics

By investigating the contamination status and predicting the exposure risk of mycotoxin in Coicis Semen, we aim to provide guidance for the safety supervision of Chinese medicinal materials and the formulation(revision) of mycotoxin limit standards. The content of 14 mycotoxins in the 100 Coicis Semen samples collected from five major markets of Chinese medicinal materials in China was determined by UPLC-MS/MS. The probability evaluation model based on Monte Carlo simulation method was established after Chi-square test and One-way ANOVA of the sample contamination data. Health risk assessment was performed on the basis of margin of exposure(MOE) and margin of safety(MOS). The results showed that zearalenone(ZEN), aflatoxin B_1(AFB_1), deoxynivalenol(DON), sterigmatocystin(ST), and aflatoxin B_2(AFB_2) in the Coicis Semen samples had the detection rates of 84%, 75%, 36%, 19%, and 18%, and the mean contamination levels of 117.42, 4.78, 61.16, 6.61, and 2.13 μg·kg~(-1), respectively. According to the limit standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition), AFB_1, AFs and ZEN exceeded the standards to certain extents, with the over-standard rates of 12.0%, 9.0%, and 6.0%, respectively. The exposure risks of Coicis Semen to AFB_1, AFB2, ST, DON, and ZEN were low, while 86% of the samples were contaminated with two or more toxins, which needs more attention. It is suggested that the research on the combined toxicity of different mycotoxins should be strengthened to accelerate the cumulative exposure assessment of mixed contaminations and the formulation(revision) of toxin limit standards.
Humans ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Coix ; Aflatoxin B1/analysis* ; Chromatography, Liquid/methods* ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*

This study aimed to establish a method for synchronous detection of 14 mycotoxins in Pseudostellariae Radix and investigate its contamination with mycotoxins, so as to provide technical guidance for monitoring the quality of Chinese medicinal materials and medication safety. The sample was extracted with 80% acetonitrile in an oscillator for 1 h, purified using the modified QuEChERS purifying agent(0.1 g PSA + 0.3 g C_(18) + 0.3 g MgSO_4), and separated on a Waters HSS T3 chromatographic column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm). The gradient elution was carried out with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile, followed by the scanning in the multi-reaction monitoring(MRM) mode and the analysis of mycotoxin contamination in 26 Pseudostellariae Radix samples. The recovery rates of the established method were within the range of 82.17%-113.6%, with the RSD values less than 7% and the limits of quantification(LOQ) being 0.019-0.976 μg·kg~(-1). The detection rate of 14 mycotoxins in 26 batches of medicinal materials was 53.85%. The detection rate of sterigmatocystin(ST) was the highest, followed by those of zearalenone(ZEN), aflatoxin G_2(AFG_2), fumonisin B_1(FB_1), HT-2 toxin, and nivalenol(NIV). Their respective detection rates were 38.46%, 26.92%, 23.08%, 11.54%, 11.54%, and 7.69%, with the pollution ranges being 1.48-69.65, 0.11-31.05, 0.11-0.66, 0.28-0.83, 20.86-42.56, and 0.46-1.84 μg·kg~(-1), respectively. The established method for the detection of 14 mycotoxins is accurate, fast and reliable. The research results have very important practical significance for guiding the monitoring and prevention and control of exogenous fungal contamination of Chinese medicinal materials.
Aflatoxins/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drug Contamination ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect of Tongdu Xingshen (promoting the governor vessel and regaining consciousness) acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cognitive training and the simple cognitive training for post-stroke mild cognitive impairment (PSMCI). METHODS: Eighty-four patients with PSMCI were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 42 cases in each group (3 cases in the observation group and 2 cases in the control group dropped off). The observation group was treated by Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cognitive training, acupuncture was given at Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenting (GV 24), etc., and moxibustion was given at Shenting (GV 24) , Baihui (GV 20), Shendao (GV 11), Fengfu (GV 16) and Xinshu (BL 15). The control group was only given cognitive training. All the above treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week, for 4 consecutive weeks. The scores of Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), activity of daily living (ADL) and stroke-specific quality of life (SS-QOL) were compared between the two groups before treatment, after treatment, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment, the MoCA, MMSE and SS-QOL scores of the two groups were all higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the ADL scores were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). In the observation group, the MoCA and MMSE scores were higher than those of the control group after treatment, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment (P<0.05), and the SS-QOL score was higher than that of the control group 12 weeks after treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Both Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cognitive training and simple cognitive training can improve cognitive function, daily living ability and quality of life in patients with PSMCI, and the combined therapy is superior to simple cognitive training in improving cognitive function and long-term quality of life in patients with PSMCI.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cognition ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Stroke/psychology* ; Treatment Outcome

Cerebrovascular diseases have the characteristics of high morbidity, high disability, high mortality and high recurrence rate, which seriously harm human health and increase the national health economic burden. 3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP) is a new drug commonly used in clinical treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, and it is also one of the main active components in traditional Chinese medicine such as Angelica sinensis and Chuanxiong. In this review, the pharmacological effects of NBP were systematically summarized. Studies have shown that NBP has pharmacological effects such as antiplatelet aggregation, anti-thrombosis, inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, anti-oxidation, anti-cerebral ischemia, anti-brain injury, and anti-vascular dementia. In clinical practice, it is often combined with edaravone, alteplase, fasudil, Xingnaojing injection, and compound Danshen injection to treat cerebral vascular diseases such as stroke, vascular dementia, and cerebral vasospasm, and plays a good synergistic effect. This summary could provide support for the rational clinical application of NBP, and also provide basis for the in-depth study of the interaction of its drug combination.

Aim To study the effect of drug-containing serum of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus and compatible with Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma -on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and explore the related mechanism. Methods SD rats were given Schisandra Chinensis Fructus (SF, 3.9 g • kg"1), Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (SG, 1 : 1, 1 '• 1. 5, the extract 3. 9 g • kg"1 in crud of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), once per day, the drug-containing serum was prepared after seven days of continuous administration. Conventional cultivation of human normal hepatocytes (L02 cells) in vitro, cells were divided into blank control group, SF group, and SG(1 : 1 and 1 : 1.5) group. After 48 hours' treatment , lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) release was detected by the kit, the levels of intracellular triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were detected by biochemical method. The mRNA expression levels of PPAR-a, PPAR-7, Fabpl/2, SREBPlc, ACCa and FAS were detected by the real-time reverse tran scrip- tion polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR ). Results The biochemical results showed that compared with the blank group, the content of TG and TC in SF group increased significantly (P < 0. 05 ) , the mRNA expres sion of PPAR-a and PPAR-7 in SF group was significantly reduced, and the mRNA expression of SREBPlc and ACCa markedly increased ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01). When compared with SF group, the levels of TG and TC in SG (1 : 1) group were significantly reduced (P <0. 05) , the mRNA expressions of Fabpl/2 and FAS in SG (1 : 1) group were significantly reduced, while the mRNA expression of SREBPlc significantly increased ( P < 0. 05, P < 0. 01 ). TC content in SG (1 : 1.5) group significantly decreased (P < 0.05 ) and the mRNA expression of PPAR-7, SREBP1 c in SG (1 : 1.5) significantly increased, but the Fabpl/2 and FAS markedly decreased (P <0. 05, P < 0. 01). Conclusions SF containing serum can significantly increase the content of TG and TC in hepatocytes , and the SG containing serum can significantly improve the elevated TG and TC contents and reduce lipid accumulation. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of mRNA expression of PPAR-a, PPAR- 7, Fabpl/2, SREBPlc, ACCa and FAS.

Aim To explore the regulatory effect of Danggui-chuanxiong herb pair (GX) on JAK-STAT signaling pathway in rats with cerebral ischemia/reper-fusion injury (I/R). Methods The I/R injury rat model was constructed by modified suture occlusion method. After 24 hours of perfusion, Zea Longa scoring method was used to score the neurological function, TTC staining to detect the cerebral infarct volume of rats, HE staining to observe the pathological changes of brain tissues, the biochemical method to determine the MDA, SOD, GSH-Px expression, ELISA to detect the expression of NF-κB, VEGF, ICAM-1 and PAH in brain tissues, and immunohistochemical method to detect JAK2, p-STAT3, AKT And ERK1/2 expression of the brain tissue ischemic penumbra area. Results Compared with sham group, model rats had severe neurological damage, larger cerebral infarction, necrosis, edema, inflammation, disorder of nerve cell arrangement, abnormal cell enlargement, vacuole-like changes, neuron reduction and other pathologies in brain tissues. The expression JeveJs of MDA, NF-κB, VEGF, PAI-1 and ICAM-1 in brain tissues of model group significantly increased, and the expression levels of GSH-Px and SOD were significantly reduced. Compared with model group, the neurological scores of rats in GX