1.Rho/ROCK:key Mediator of Pulmonary Fibrosis and New Target of TCM for IPF Prevention and Treatment
Yuanyuan WU ; Kangchen LI ; Mingyan LI ; Xiling PENG ; Feifan ZHANG ; Han LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):256-265
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease characterized by dyspnea and progressive deterioration of lung function, which significantly impacts patients' quality of life and imposes a major burden on society. Although modern medicine has increasingly enriched the treatment options for pulmonary fibrosis, unfavorable factors such as high costs and significant side effects contribute to the persistently low survival rate of patients. Studies have shown that the occurrence and development of pulmonary fibrosis are closely related to abnormalities in multiple pathways. Among these, Rho/Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK) plays a key role in the disease progression of IPF by regulating the cytoskeleton. This pathway not only transmits biochemical molecular signals that promote the progress of fibrosis but also responds to the biomechanical environment, such as the increased lung tissue stiffness caused by the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) during the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, research on this pathway is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of IPF. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown remarkable effects in preventing and treating IPF. Many TCM compounds and active components can reduce the production of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CollagenⅠ (ColⅠ), ColⅢ, and inflammatory factors in lung tissue by regulating the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway. These compounds inhibit the transformation of fibroblasts (FBs) into myofibroblasts (MyoFBs), intervening in the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Based on this, the article briefly reviews relevant research from recent years, discusses the key role of the Rho/ROCK pathway in pulmonary fibrosis from an interdisciplinary perspective, and summarizes the mechanisms through which TCM regulates Rho/ROCK to prevent and treat IPF, based on resources from PubMed, CNKI, and other databases, in order to provide important references for the broader clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of IPF.
2.Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Stroke by Regulating Ferroptosis: A Review
Mingyan WEI ; Shanze LI ; Rui HAN ; Qingbi LI ; Xingyi SUN ; Han ZHANG ; Lin LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):313-321
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, ranking as the second leading cause of mortality globally and the primary cause of adult disability. Its pathological process involves complex cascade mechanisms, with high incidence and disability rates, posing a major threat to human health. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, more than 13 million new cases of stroke occur globally each year, resulting in direct medical costs and socioeconomic burdens amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars. In recent years, breakthroughs in the study of programmed cell death mechanisms have provided new insights into stroke treatment. Among them, ferroptosis, a novel form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has attracted widespread attention in the pathological process of stroke. Ferroptosis is closely associated with iron metabolism disorders, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation, and exhibits unique regulatory effects in key pathological processes of stroke, such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and neuronal apoptosis. It plays an important role in post-stroke neurological damage. Chinese medicine, as an essential component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated advantages in modulating ferroptosis and exerting neuroprotective effects. This review systematically summarizes current research on the neuroprotective mechanisms of Chinese medicine compound formulas and monomers through the regulation of ferroptosis pathways in post-stroke conditions, aiming to provide a basis for optimizing clinical treatment strategies and exploring new therapeutic approaches, and to offer new strategies and approaches for stroke treatment.
3.Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Stroke by Regulating Ferroptosis: A Review
Mingyan WEI ; Shanze LI ; Rui HAN ; Qingbi LI ; Xingyi SUN ; Han ZHANG ; Lin LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):313-321
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, ranking as the second leading cause of mortality globally and the primary cause of adult disability. Its pathological process involves complex cascade mechanisms, with high incidence and disability rates, posing a major threat to human health. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, more than 13 million new cases of stroke occur globally each year, resulting in direct medical costs and socioeconomic burdens amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars. In recent years, breakthroughs in the study of programmed cell death mechanisms have provided new insights into stroke treatment. Among them, ferroptosis, a novel form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has attracted widespread attention in the pathological process of stroke. Ferroptosis is closely associated with iron metabolism disorders, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation, and exhibits unique regulatory effects in key pathological processes of stroke, such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and neuronal apoptosis. It plays an important role in post-stroke neurological damage. Chinese medicine, as an essential component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated advantages in modulating ferroptosis and exerting neuroprotective effects. This review systematically summarizes current research on the neuroprotective mechanisms of Chinese medicine compound formulas and monomers through the regulation of ferroptosis pathways in post-stroke conditions, aiming to provide a basis for optimizing clinical treatment strategies and exploring new therapeutic approaches, and to offer new strategies and approaches for stroke treatment.
4.Development of a Core Outcome Set for Clinical Evaluation of Chronic Pulmonary Heart Disease Treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy
Baihan NIU ; Mingyan ZHANG ; Zhaochen JI ; Bo PANG ; Haiyin HU ; Junhua ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(12):1227-1232
ObjectiveTo construct an outcome set for clinical evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for chronic pulmonary heart disease, and to provide consensus outcomes for the evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of TCM for chronic pulmonary heart disease. MethodsWe searched randomised controlled trials of TCM for chronic pulmonary heart disease on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform (WF), VIP Chinese Science Journals Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Service Database (SinoMed), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase. We also searched Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Platform and the U.S. Clinical Trial Registry database to obtain the outcome indicators reported in the clinical research protocols of TCM for chronic pulmonary heart disease. The outcome indicators were also collected through semi-structured interviews of clinicians and patients. Then integrated the outcome indicators collected by the above methods to construct the indicator pool. Through two rounds of Delphi surveys and a consensus conference, the core outcome set for clinical evaluation of TCM for chronic pulmonary heart disease was determined. ResultsAfter screening, there were 1313 literature meeting the criteria, and 595 outcome indicators were extracted, then combined with the outcomes from semi-structured interviews which clinicians and patients concerned, finally an indicator item pool containing 369 outcome indicators were formed. After the initial screening of indicators in the pool by the steering committee, 58 indicators were established into the initial list of indicator entries. In the first round of Delphi survey, the expert coordination coefficient for the results was 0.401, and the Cronbach coefficient was 0.989. A total of 35 indicators that did not meet the criteria [<70% of the participants rated the outcome as 7~9 (critical) and the mean of the expert ratings <7] were deleted, and 23 were retained, with 7 new indicators added that were open to supplementation by the experts, resulting in a total of 30 indicators that were included in the second round of Delphi survey. In the second round of Delphi survey, the expert coordination coefficient was 0.303, and the Cronbach coefficient was 0.974, with a total of 7 indicators that did not meet the criteria being deleted, and 21 indicators being retained for the consensus conference. After the consensus meeting, the core outcome set for clinical evaluation of chronic pulmonary heart disease in two major categories, acute exacerbation stage and stable stage, was finally determined, in which there were four indicators in acute exacerbation stage: N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP), blood qi analysis, all-cause mortality rate, and complication rate; and there were eight indicators in the stable stage: pulmonary function index, six-minute walk test distance, New York cardiac function classification, all-cause mortality rate, re-hospitalisation rate, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT) score, Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and TCM syndrome score. ConclusionThe core outcome sets of TCM clinical evaluation in the acute exacerbation stage and stable stage are constructed, which is helpful to improve the practicability, comparability and transparency of TCM clinical research results in pulmonary heart disease.
5.Study on core genes and potential immunological and metabolic mechanisms associated with Tongmai yangxin pills in the treatment of coronary heart disease
Junchi GUO ; Mingyan ZHANG ; Yingqiang ZHAO ; Meijuan LU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(17):2148-2153
OBJECTIVE To identify core genes associated with the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) with Tongmai yangxin pills, and predict their potential immunological and metabolic mechanisms. METHODS Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted using protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) data from the UK Biobank and Icelandic,and data from genome- wide association study to screen core genes related to Tongmai yangxin pills in the treatment of CHD. Gene expression changes were further validated using transcriptomic sequencing data. Mediation analyses of immune cells and plasma metabolites were subsequently performed to explore the downstream regulatory networks of these core genes. RESULTS A total of 62 positive pQTL genes showed significant causal associations with CHD. MR analysis combined with transcriptomic sequencing validation identified three core genes FAM3D,OXT, and ENPP5-associated with Tongmai yangxin pills in the treatment of CHD. The transcriptomic sequencing results showed that after treatment with Tongmai yangxin pills, the expression levels of FAM3D and OXT were significantly reduced (P<0.01), while the expression level of ENPP5 was significantly increased (P<0.05). Mediation analyses between immune cells and plasma metabolites indicated that these genes may positively or negatively regulate CHD through immune pathways involving regulatory T cells and myeloid dendritic cells expressing CD11c and CD62L, as well as through metabolic pathways related to lipid and fatty acid metabolism, cholesterol metabolism, and bile acid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS This study identified FAM3D,OXT, and ENPP5 as core genes associated with the treatment of CHD by Tongmai yangxin pills, which may exert therapeutic effects via modulation of immune cells and plasma metabolic pathways involving fatty acids and bile acids.
6.Small-molecule probes based on natural products: Elucidation of drug-target mechanisms in stroke.
Xingyue JIN ; Suyi LIU ; Shujing CHEN ; Rui HAN ; Xingyi SUN ; Mingyan WEI ; Yanxu CHANG ; Lin LI ; Han ZHANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(11):101290-101290
Natural products (NPs) are an important source of new drugs for the treatment of stroke. Identifying cellular targets for bioactive molecules is a major challenge and critical issue in the development of new drugs for stroke. Small-molecule probes play a unique role in target discovery. However, drawbacks to these probes include non-specificity, unstable activity, and difficulty in synthesis. Small-molecule probes based on NPs at least partially compensate for these shortcomings. NPs feature rich chemical and structural diversity, biocompatibility, and unique biological activities. These features could be exploited to provide new ideas and tools for target discovery. Small-molecule probes based on NPs provide a precise and direct search for interacting protein targets of NPs-active small molecules. This review explores the properties of small-molecule probes based on NPs and their applications in mechanistic studies of stroke and other diseases. We hope that this review will bring new perspectives to the mechanistic study of NPs-active small molecules and accelerate the translation of these ingredients into drug candidates for the treatment of stroke.
7.Mechanism traditional Chinese medicine extract preventing and treating hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathway
Shuo ZENG ; Suqin HU ; Yang HU ; Lei LUO ; Mingyan LI ; Qinsheng ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(10):2161-2167
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide, which brings a huge burden to the physical and mental health and socio-economic life of patients. The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway serves as the regulatory center of cellular energy metabolism and is closely associated with the biological activities of HCC cells, including autophagy, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, and it has become a hot topic in current cancer research. Traditional Chinese medicine drugs are abundant in natural components such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenols and have the characteristics of multiple targets, pathways, components, and hierarchies. By targeting the AMPK signaling pathway, these components can be used alone or in combination with conventional antitumor therapies to exert an anti-tumor effect on HCC from various aspects. This article reviews and summarizes the extracts of traditional Chinese medicine that target the AMPK signaling pathway for the prevention and treatment of HCC, in order to provide a theoretical basis and a reference for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of HCC and the development of related drugs.
8.Evaluation of efficacy and tolerability of TCIC-001 for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy: an exploratory randomized controlled clinical trial
Baohui SONG ; Xiaolong ZHUANG ; BAHETINUER JIASHAER ; Xiaoyue XU ; Jiaxin XU ; Danfeng ZHANG ; Yunshi ZHONG ; Pinghong ZHOU ; Mingyan CAI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(5):743-747
Objective To compare the efficacy and tolerability of the novel bowel-cleansing agent TCIC-001 and the traditional polyethylene glycol (PEG) regimen for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy. Methods Prospective inclusion of 62 patients who were scheduled to undergo colonoscopy at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from July 2021 to July 2022. They were randomly divided into TCIC-001 group (n=31) and PEG group (n=31) using a random number table method. The TCIC-001 group took TCIC-001 orally, drinking water in stages, with a total liquid intake of 1 500 mL; the PEG group took PEG orally, taking it in 4 doses, with a total liquid intake of 3 000 mL. The primary endpoint indicator is the quality of intestinal hygiene evaluated by the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the secondary endpoint indicators were medication adherence, medication duration, frequency of bowel movements, duration of bowel movements, and incidence of adverse events between two groups. Results No significant differences were observed in sex, age, or defecation frequency between the two groups. For efficacy, both groups achieved equivalent bowel cleanliness, with a “good preparation” rate of 93.55% and comparable BBPS score of each intestinal segment and total scores. For tolerability, the TCIC-001 group had a shorter medication duration compared to the PEG group ([48.8±25.9] min vs [82.8±28.4] min, P<0.001), a longer defecation duration ([288.6±74.0] min vs [236.5±74.3] min, P<0.001), and a lower incidence of first defecation before medication completion (9.68% vs 41.94%, P=0.004). Regarding safety, no significant differences were observed between the TCIC-001 group and the PEG group in incidences of chloride disturbances (0% vs 9.68%) and calcium disturbances (3.23% vs 6.45%), and no other adverse events. Conclusions TCIC-001 demonstrated comparable bowel-cleansing efficacy to PEG while significantly improving tolerability (reduced medication time and lower risk of premature defecation) and maintaining favorable safety.
9.Application of quantitative grip strength training in postoperative patients with autogenous arteriovenous internal fistula
Siyi LI ; Yao LU ; Jing LIU ; Meibin ZHANG ; Huijin GONG ; Mingyan LI ; Yanqiong OUYANG
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(11):1675-1678
Objective To formulate the quantitative grip strength training program for application in the postoperative patients with autogenous arteriovenous internal fistula,and to evaluate its effect on the mat-uration and initial use of autogenous arteriovenous internal fistula.Methods A total of 98 patients with ce-phalic venous radial arterial anastomosis internal fistula formation surgery in Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University from September 2021 to November 2022 were selected as the study subjects by the conven-ience sampling method.According to the follow-up time,they were divided into the observation group (n=41) and control group (n=42).The observation group adopted the quantitative grip strength training for function-al exercise of the limb on the side of internal fistula,while the control group adopted the conventional grip training for functional exercise of the limb on the side of internal fistula.In postoperative 8 weeks,the matura-tion rate of internal fistula,natural blood flow amount of internal fistula,internal diameter of cephalic vein,pre-pump pressure used in the initial stage of internal fistula and the incidence rate of internal fistula complica-tions were evaluated in the two groups.Results Compared with the control group,the maturation rate of in-ternal fistula in the observation group was higher (97.6% vs. 83.3%).The inner diameter of cephalic vein and natural blood flow amount of internal fistula in the observation group were larger than those in the control group[(5.24±0.66)mm vs. (4.63±0.59)mm;(1215.38±562.99)mL/min vs. (955.75±341.94)mL/min],the pre-pump pressure used at the initial stage of internal fistula in the observation group was lower than that in the control group[(119.20±19.83)mmHg vs. (135.74±17.07)mmHg],and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion The quantitative grip strength training could increase the postoperative maturity rate of patients's internal fistula,and is beneficial to the use in the initial stage of internal fistula.
10.Genetic analysis of two families with abnormal findings upon prenatal diagnosis
Wenjing WANG ; Chenchun REN ; Weiwei YANG ; Mingyan JU ; Haixia ZHANG ; Deming LI ; Yuexiang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(6):753-757
Objective:To carry out genetic analysis on two families with carriers of small terminal translocations using karyotyping analysis and genomic copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq).Methods:Two couples undergoing prenatal diagnosis at the Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology respectively on April 12, 2020 and December 17, 2021 were selected as the study subjects. With informed consent, amniotic fluid and peripheral blood samples were collected and subjected to conventional karyotyping and CNV-seq analysis for the detection of chromosomal microdeletion/duplications.Results:Both couples had given births to children with chromosomal aberrations previously, and both fetuses were found to have abnormal karyotypes. CNV-seq showed that they had harbored microdeletion/duplications, and their mothers had both carried balanced translocations involving terminal fragments of chromosomes.Conclusion:For fetuses with small chromosomal segmental abnormalities, their parental origin should be traced, and the diagnosis should be confirmed with combined genetic techniques.

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