OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects and mechanism of Achyranthes bidentata total saponins （ABS） extract on vascular endothelial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rat （SHR） based on cytochrome P450 4A （CYP4A）/20-hydroxyeicosatetetraenoic acid （20-HETE）/G protein-coupled receptor 75 （GPR75） axis. METHODS Ten Wistar- Kyoto rats were taken as the normal control group. Forty SHR were first stratified by systolic blood pressure and then， within each stratum， randomly assigned using a random-number table to the model group （MOD group）， captopril positive control group （CAP group， 10 mg/kg）， ABS low- and high-dose extract groups （ABS-L group， ABS-H group， 60 and 120 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Animals in each group were given the corresponding drug or equal volume of pure water by gavage， once a day， for 28 consecutive days. After the last administration， systolic blood pressure of rats was measured. The levels of vasoactive substances， inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indicators in serum were measured. The pathological changes of rat thoracic aorta were observed. The level of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in aortic tissue was analyzed. The expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS）， CYP4A， GPR75， nuclear factor-κB p65 （NF-κB p65）， phosphorylated NF-κB p65， p22phox， and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4（NOX4） in thoracic aorta tissue were detected. RESULTS After 28 d of treatment， compared with MOD group， the systolic blood pressure of rats in the ABS-L and ABS-H groups decreased significantly. The levels of 20-HETE， angiotensin Ⅱ， interleukin-1β， interleukin-6， tumor necrosis factor-α， intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and malondialdehyde in serum were significantly reduced （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， while the levels of nitric oxide， superoxide dismutase， glutathione peroxidase and catalase were significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Intimal damage of thoracic aorta was reduced， and endothelial cell morphology was improved. The expressions of ROS， CYP4A， GPR75， p22phox， NOX4 and the phosphorylation level of NF-κB p65 protein in thoracic aorta were down-regulated or reduced （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， while the expression of eNOS was up-regulated （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS ABS extract may alleviate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in SHR effectively by down-regulating the expression of CYP4A， reducing the production of 20-HETE， inhibiting the activation of GPR75， and subsequently suppressing the activation of downstream NF-κB and NOX4， thereby improving hypertension-related vascular endothelial dysfunction.

Panax ginseng, a perennial herbaceous plant and a representative of the Panax genus, is renowned for its exceptional medicinal value and economic benefits, often referred to as the “King of Herbs.” With the increasing market demand and the limited availability of suitable cultivation land, the issue of continuous cropping obstacles for P. ginseng has become increasingly prominent, directly hindering the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. This article summarizes the concept and hazards of continuous cropping obstacles and, drawing on the latest research, provides an in-depth analysis of the causes and response mechanisms. This work aims to establish a solid foundation for future research into the mechanisms of continuous cropping obstacles in P. ginseng.

Panax ginseng, a perennial herbaceous plant and a representative of the Panax genus, is renowned for its exceptional medicinal value and economic benefits, often referred to as the “King of Herbs.” With the increasing market demand and the limited availability of suitable cultivation land, the issue of continuous cropping obstacles for P. ginseng has become increasingly prominent, directly hindering the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. This article summarizes the concept and hazards of continuous cropping obstacles and, drawing on the latest research, provides an in-depth analysis of the causes and response mechanisms. This work aims to establish a solid foundation for future research into the mechanisms of continuous cropping obstacles in P. ginseng.

Panax ginseng, a perennial herbaceous plant and a representative of the Panax genus, is renowned for its exceptional medicinal value and economic benefits, often referred to as the “King of Herbs.” With the increasing market demand and the limited availability of suitable cultivation land, the issue of continuous cropping obstacles for P. ginseng has become increasingly prominent, directly hindering the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. This article summarizes the concept and hazards of continuous cropping obstacles and, drawing on the latest research, provides an in-depth analysis of the causes and response mechanisms. This work aims to establish a solid foundation for future research into the mechanisms of continuous cropping obstacles in P. ginseng.

OBJECTIVE To explore the improvement effect and mechanism of petroleum ether extract of Saposhnikovia divaricata on rheumatoid arthritis （RA） rats by regulating neutrophil extracellular traps （NETs）. METHODS Establishment of rat RA model using bovine type Ⅱ collagen and Freund’s complete adjuvant. The model rats were randomly divided into model group and low-dose， middle-dose and high-dose groups （55， 110， 220 mg/kg） of petroleum ether extract of S. divaricata； the normal group without modeling was also established， with 10 rats in each group. Each group was given corresponding drugs or constant volume of 2% Tween-80 solution intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 28 days. The toe swelling degree in rats was observed， and the arthritis index （AI） was scored. The serum levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-10， IL-17， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25（OH）D3]， myeloperoxidase （MPO）， neutrophil elastase （NE） and NETs in rats were detected. The histopathological changes in ankle joint were observed. The expression of citrullinated histone H3 （CitH3） in ankle joint as well as the expressions of cytochrome P450 24A1 （CYP24A1）， cytochrome P450 27B1 （CYP27B1），vitamin D receptor （VDR） and peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 疾病。E-mail：zhongyao626@126.com （PAD4） in synovium were all determined. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the toe swelling degree and AI score in the middle-dose and high-dose groups of petroleum ether extract of S. divaricata decreased significantly from day 14 to day 28 after administration （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The serum levels of IL-1β， IL-17， TNF-α， MPO， NE and NETs decreased significantly， while the levels of IL-10 and 25（OH）D3 increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The widened ankle joint space and the improved structure were found； the expression of CitH3 in ankle joint， and the expressions of CYP24A1 and PAD4 in synovium were down-regulated significantly， while the expressions of CYP27B1 and VDR were up-regulated significantly in synovium （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The petroleum ether extract of S. divaricata may inhibit the production of NETs and improve the symptoms of RA by regulating the vitamin D system.

ObjectiveTo investigate the different effects of Yunvjian with or without Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix on glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammatory response in diabetic rats with the syndrome of Yin deficiency and internal heat. MethodThe rat model of diabetes due to Yin deficiency and internal heat was established by feeding with a high-sugar and high-fat diet and injection of thyroxine and streptozotocin. The successfully modeled rats were randomized into model control， Yunvjian without Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix （11.8 g·kg^-1）， Yunvjian with Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix （12.8 g·kg^-1）， and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix （1.0 g·kg^-1） groups （n=10）， and another 10 rats were taken as the normal control group. Each group was administrated with corresponding drugs or saline by gavage for 28 days. The fasting blood glucose （FBG）， fasting insulin （FINS）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） in rats were measured. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP）， cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP）， triiodothyronine （T₃）， thyroxine （T₄）， interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， and C-reactive protein （CRP） in the serum. The histopathological changes of the liver were observed. The expression of lipoxygenase-2 （COX-2） was detected by immunofluorescence. The mRNA levels of nuclear transcription factors-κB （NF-κB）， monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）， and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1） were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）.Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of NF-κB in hibitory protein（IκB） kinase β （IKKβ）， IκBα， and phosphorylated IκBα （p-IκBα） in the liver and the protein levels of NF-κB in the cytoplasm and nucleus. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed elevated levels of FBG， FINS， insulin resistance index， TC， TG， LDL-C， cAMP， T₃， T₄， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， and CRP， up-regulated mRNA levels of NF-κB， MCP-1， and ICAM-1， and up-regulated protein levels of COX-2， p-IκBα， and nuclear NF-κB （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Yunvjian without Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix lowered the levels of FBG， FINS， insulin resistance index， TC， TG， LDL-C， cAMP， T₃， T₄， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， and CRP， down-regulated the mRNA levels of NF-κB， MCP-1， and ICAM-1， and down-regulated the protein levels of COX-2， p-IκBα and nuclear NF-κB （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the Yunvjian without Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix， Yunvjian with Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix showed lowered levels of FBG， FINS， insulin resistance index， and inflammatory cytokines， down-regulated mRNA levels of NF-κB， MCP-1， and ICAM-1， and down-regulated protein levels of p-IκBα and nuclear NF-κB （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionAchyranthis Bidentatae Radix can enhance the performance of Yunvjian in reducing blood glucose and inhibiting inflammation in diabetic rats with the syndrome of yin deficiency and internal heat by down-regulating the IKK/IκB/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the effects of helicobacter pylori(Hp)on pathological changes and mucin5AC(MUC5AC)ex-pression in lung tissue of rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Thirty-three Wistar rats were randomly di-vided into blank group(n=9),COPD group(n=9),Hp group(n=9),COPD+Hp group(n=6).Cigarette smoking combined with intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide was used in COPD group and COPD+Hp group,and Hp intragastric administration was used in Hp group and COPD+Hp group.The establishment of the model after one month,the lung tissues of rats were collected,the pathology of lung tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,the proliferation of airway goblet cells was observed by Alcian blue pe-riodic acid-Schiff(AB-PAS)staining,the expression level of MUC5AC protein was detected by immunohistochemistry,and the ex-pression level of MUC5AC mRNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR).Results Compared with the blank group,the goblet cell count per unit length of airway,the expression of MUC5AC protein and mRNA in lung tis-sue in COPD group,Hp group and COPD+Hp group were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Compared with COPD+Hp group,the goblet cell count per unit length of airway,the expression of MUC5AC protein and mRNA in lung tissue in COPD group and Hp group were lower,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Hp infection aggravates the inflammatory reaction and the proliferation of goblet cells in the airway of COPD,increases the airway secretion and the expression of MUC5AC,and promotes the progression of COPD.

Objective To study the dynamic changes and potential impacts on the voice in postoperative pa-tients with different types of thyroid operation.Methods A total of 48 cases thyroidectomy,34 with thyroid isth-mus and lobectomy and 4 with total thyroidectomy,and 19 cases neck operation were included in this study for the examinations of electric laryngoscope,and acoustic voice analysis preoperative and postoperative,respectively.The characteristics of the acoustic parameters were analyzed.Results Vocal cord paralysis and cricothyroid joint disloca-tion in all the patients before and after operation were not observed.For male patients in the experimental group, postoperative parameter values of F0TD were higher than the day before surgery and 30 days after thyroidectomy. The difference was statistically significant (P <0.05 ).In female patients,postoperative parameter values of F0 were lower than the day before surgery and 2nd,7th,and30th day after thyroidectomy.Postoperative parameter values of Jitter for 30th day were lower than 1st day after the operation.The postoperative parameter values of F0TD for 1st,2nd,3rd,and 7th day were higher than the day before thyroidectomy.The parameter value of F0TD was lower than 1st day after surgery,and the postoperative parameter value of HNR for 30th day was lower than 3rd day after the thyroidectomy.The difference was statistically significant (P <0.05 ).Compared to the control group,there were no significantly differences in male patients of experimental group before and after the surgery(P >0.05).The parameter values of F0 in famale patients before the thyroidectomy,the 1st,2nd,3rd,7th day after the surgery and the parameter value of Jitter,Shimmer,HNR for 1st day after the operation were significantly dif-ferent(P <0.05).There were no significant differences in all parameter value of 30 days after thyoidectomy(P >0. 05).Conclusion Voice parameter values alter in a way after thyroid surgery without apparent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury,especially in the female patients.The improvement of voice acoustic parameters can be observed on the 30th day after operation.

Objective To investigate the level of serum free fatty acid (FFA )after improving the life style in patients with coronary heart disease complicated metabolic syndrome and the effect of therapeutic life style on traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease.Methods A total of 395 patients with coronary heart disease complicated metabolic syndrome were recruited.Pa-tients were divided into intervention group (group A,conventional drug therapy+ intensive life style intervention,n=97)and non-intervention group (group B,conventional drug therapy,n=38)according to the scores of life style.Serum free fatty acid (FFA) was determined by ELASA.The scores of life style was obtained bylife style questionnaire.Results (1)The serum FFA of pa-tients with coronary heart disease complicated metabolic syndrome were positively related to waist circumference and waist-high-ra-tio.(2)Waist circumference,BMI and FFA of group A were significantly lower than those in group B after therapeutic life style in-tervention(P <0.05).(3)Compared with the baseline,the constitution index and FFA in group A were significantly lower after 6-months therapeutic life style intervention(P <0.05).Conclusion Therapeutic life style can reduce the level of FFA and constitution index of the patients with coronary heart disease complicated metabolic syndrome.