1.Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis from Impediment
Siyu CHEN ; Zhenghua CAO ; Rong XU ; Qingrong LI ; Yanze BI ; Boyi SHANG ; Shaodan HU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(6):254-264
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and fibrotic lethal interstitial lung disease with poor prognosis. It is mainly treated by organ transplantation and administration of chemical drugs, which have poor efficacy and induce side effects, failing to meet the clinical needs. Therefore, it is urgent to develop more safe and effective drugs to treat IPF. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered increasing attention in recent years in the treatment of IPF due to its unique advantages. Increasing studies have shown that TCM has remarkable therapeutic effects on IPF and thus demonstrate broad application prospects. Modern medical research shows that the pathogenesis of IPF can be discussed from inflammation (macrophage polarization), oxidative stress, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy inhibition and other related signaling pathways, while few studies systematically explain the relationship between the signaling pathways and TCM theory. According to the theory of TCM, lung collateral obstruction is the basic pathogenesis of IPF. Therefore, according to the principle of dredging and replenishing lung collaterals, IPF can be treated with the methods of reinforcing healthy qi and eliminating pathogen, replenishing qi and activating blood, and detoxifying and dredging collaterals, which demonstrate definite curative effect and can effectively relieve clinical symptoms, restore the lung function and blood oxygen partial pressure, improve the quality of life of patients, and reduce adverse reactions. Experimental studies have found that dredging and replenishing lung collaterals have significant effects on IPF inflammation (macrophage polarization), oxidative stress, EMT, autophagy inhibition and other signaling pathways. Therefore, from the perspective of impediment, this article reviews pathogenesis of IPF, the research progress in TCM treatment of IPF, and the treatment of IPF from active components, single herbs, and compound prescriptions of TCM, with the aim of revealing the scientific connotation of the treatment of IPF from impediment and providing a new theoretical basis for enriching the TCM methods of treating IPF.
2.The common causal relationship between gut microbiota and respiratory diseases based on the theory of "lung and large intestine being interior-exterior related"
Zhenghua CAO ; Shaodan HU ; Feng SUN ; Guolu JIANG ; Li SHI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(08):1282-1289
Objective To comprehensively evaluate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and 9 respiratory diseases, explore whether there are common mechanisms among these 9 respiratory diseases, and delves into the potential commonalities of pre-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (pre-COPD) by focusing on COPD, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. Methods Mendelian randomization was used to explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and 9 respiratory diseases, sensitivity analysis was conducted, and robustness was verified. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of common gut microbiota were mapped to genes to explore their common mechanisms. Results Mendelian randomization studies found that 66 gut microbiota had a causal relationship with 9 respiratory diseases, and 15 gut microbiota might be potential common mechanisms for these 9 respiratory diseases, with a total of 85 potential genes. GO functional enrichment analysis found that these genes were mainly enriched in biological functions such as synaptic transmission, synaptic membrane, cytokine activity, and growth factor binding. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly enriched in glutamatergic synapses, relaxin signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Allisonella and Prevotellaceae might be protective factors for pre-COPD, while Howardella might be a risk factor. Ten protective genes and six risk genes for the pre-COPD were identified. Conclusion This study further confirms the correlation between the lung-gut axis and the lung-colon connection, explores the potential common mechanisms of 9 respiratory diseases, investigates the potential mechanisms of pre-COPD based on the common gut microbiota of COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, and provides some ideas for the early prevention and treatment of COPD, and diagnosis of pre-COPD from the perspective of gut microbiota.
3.Characteristics of the Five Tones of Parkinson's Disease Patients Based on the Theory of "Five-Viscera Phonology":A Case-Control Study
Wenxue YANG ; Xuelin WANG ; Min LI ; Shaodan LI ; Minghui YANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(2):165-169
ObjectiveTo study the characteristics of the five tones of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients based on the theory of "five-viscera phonology", and provide references for the syndrome differentiation and treatment of PD. MethodsA total of 272 cases of PD patients were collected as the PD group, and 240 individuals, including patient family members and hospital staff, were recruited as the control group. The 25-tone analyzer was used to collect the five-tone characteristics of both PD patients and control group participants. The participants were then stratified into three age groups, 41~55, 56~70, and 71~85 years old, and categorized by gender (male and female) for analysis. The frequency and composition ratio of the five tones were analyzed for both groups across the different age ranges and genders. Additionally, the average voice frequency of each participant was calculated to compare differences between groups, stratified by age range and gender. ResultsIn the 41~55 and 56~70 age groups, male participants in the PD group and the control group exhibited the highest frequency of Yu (羽) tone, with the PD group showing a significantly higher composition ratio of Yu tone compared to the control group (P<0.05); for males in the 56~70 age group, the composition ratios of Shang (商) and Zhi (徵) tone in the PD group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). For males in the 71~85 age group, both the PD group and the control group had the highest frequency of Yu tone, but there was no statistically significant difference in the composition ratios of the five tones between groups (P>0.05). For female participants in the PD group across all age groups, Yu tone was the most frequent, whereas for the control group, Jue (角) tone was the most frequent in all age groups, and the composition ratio of Yu tone in the PD group was significantly higher than that in the control group across all age groups (P<0.05); in the 56~70 age group, the composition ratio of Jue tone was lower in the PD group compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). Regarding voice frequency, males in the PD group aged 41~55 and 56~70 had higher voice frequency than those in the control group of the same age range, and similarly, females in the PD group aged 56~70 and 71~85 had higher voice frequency than their counterparts in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionPD patients have a voice with a higher frequency and an increased proportion of Yu tone in their five-tone distribution. According to the theory of five-viscera phonology, PD patients may have disease mechanism of kidney essence deficiency.
4.Effect of Bushen Huoxue Granules (补肾活血颗粒) on the Nrf2/NLRP3 Inflammasome Axis in the Brain Substantia Nigra of Parkinson's Disease Model Mice
Qi CHEN ; Peng WANG ; Yingfan CHEN ; Shaodan LI ; Minghui YANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(4):390-398
ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of action of Bushen Huoxue Granules (补肾活血颗粒, BHG) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) through the Nrf2/NLRP3 inflammasome axis. MethodsA total of 84 male C57/BL 6 mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, Madopar group, dimethyl fumarate group, and low-, medium, and high-dose BHG group, with 12 mice in each group. Except for the blank group, all groups were induced into PD models by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) at a concentration of 30 mg/ml for 7 consecutive days. The blank group received an equal volume of saline. After model establishment, the low-, medium, and high-dose BHG groups were treated with 1.5, 3, and 6 g/(kg·d) of the BHG by gavage, respectively. The Madopar group was given 0.113 g/(kg·d) of Madopar tablets by gavage, and the dimethyl fumarate group was given 50 mg/(kg·d) of dimethyl fumarate solution. The blank group and the model group were given 10 ml/(kg·d) of distilled water by gavage. Gavage was administered once daily for 14 days. Behavioral changes were evaluated using the open field test (total distance, central area distance, and average speed), rotarod test (time on the rod), and climbing pole test (climbing time). Serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the brain substantia nigra. Immunofluorescence was used to detect α-synuclein (α-syn) expression. Western Blot was used to detect Nrf2, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and α-syn protein levels in the brain substantia nigra. RT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, NLRP3, and Caspase-1 in the brain substantia nigra. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group showed decreased total distance, central area distance, and average speed, reduced time on the rotarod, prolonged climbing time, reduced TH expression, increased α-syn expression, decreased Nrf2 protein and mRNA expression, increased NLRP3 and Caspase-1 protein and mRNA expression, and elevated serum IL-1β, IL-18, and MPO levels (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, all drug interventions significantly improved the above indicators (P<0.05). There was no significant differences in all indicators between the high-dose BHG group and the Madopar group (P>0.05). Compared with the dimethyl fumarate group, the medium and high-dose BHG groups showed increased Nrf2 mRNA expression in the brain substantia nigra (P<0.05). Compared with the high-dose BHG group, the low-dose group showed decreased total distance, central area distance, and average speed, reduced serum IL-18 levels, decreased α-syn, Nrf2, NLRP3, and Caspase-1 protein levels, and lower Nrf2 mRNA expression (P<0.05). ConclusionThe mechanism by which BHG treat PD may involve activating the Nrf2/NLRP3 inflammasome axis in the brain substantia nigra, thereby reducing neuroinflammation and α-syn aggregation. The high-dose group showed the best effects.
5.Validity and Reliability Analysis of Evaluation Scale of Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome in Parkinson Disease
Xiuzhong QI ; Min LI ; Shaodan LI ; Minghui YANG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(9):149-153
Objective To evaluate the reliability,validity and response of evaluation scale of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in Parkinson disease(PD).Methods A total of 225 patients with PD and 30 healthy people of the same age were evaluated with the PD kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome evaluation scale with 18 syndrome items constructed in the previous study.Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the structural validity of the scale;Cronbach's α coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency reliability of the scale;correlation coefficient analysis was used to evaluate the retest reliability and content validity of the scale;t test was used to evaluate the response of the scale.Results The cumulative variance contribution rate of five common factors extracted by exploratory factor analysis was 61.162%,and the factor load coefficients of each item were greater than 0.450;the overall Cronbach's α value of the scale was 0.863;the total score of the scale and the correlation coefficient of the scores of each dimension were greater than 0.6(P<0.01);there were significant differences in the scores of each dimension item between PD patients before and after treatment and healthy peers(P<0.01).Conclusion Evaluation scale for PD kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome has good reliability,validity and response,which can be applied to the quantitative scoring of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome of PD and the efficacy evaluation of TCM treatment for PD patients.
6.Anti-diabetic Effects of Different Components of Hibiseu Manihot L.Fructus
Yongchen PAN ; Liping CHEN ; Shaodan LIN ; Xiubi XIONG ; Guangying LI ; Jiewei WU ; Jie YUAN
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;42(7):1765-1772
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Hibiseu Manihot L.fructus on type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)mice.Methods T2DM mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,positive drug group,Hibiseu Manihot L.fructus total extract group,water-solube part group,and Hibiseu Manihot L.fructus ethyl acetate fraction group,with 10 mice in each group.After 4 weeks of treatment,anti-diabetic effects were evaluated by monitoring body mass,fasting blood glucose(FBG),oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT),fasting insulin(FINS),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),and area under the blood glucose curve(AUC).Liver tissue status was assessed through liver index and hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.Results Compared with the model group,the water-solube part and total extract group showed significant improvements in mental status,food intake,body mass,excretion,and the FBG elevation was effectively suppressed,OGTT,FINS,AUC,HOMA-IR and liver index were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the histopathological analysis revealed improved liver tissue morphology.Regarding channel protein expression,compared with the model group,the water-solube part group exhibited significantly upregulated phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B(AKT)and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)in mouse liver tissue(P<0.05),furthermore,the positive drug group,total extract group,and water-solube part group all demonstrated markedly increased phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)in hepatic tissues(P<0.05).Conclusion The water-solube part of fructus of Hibiseu Manihot L fructus.effectively alleviates T2DM symptoms(polyphagia,polydipsia,polyuria,weight loss)and glucose metabolism disorders,with hepatoprotective effects potentially mediated through PI3K/AKT pathway activation and enhanced p-AMPK expression.
7.Effect of Bushen Huoxue Granule (补肾活血颗粒) on Dopamine Homeostasis and ERK/CREB/VMAT2 Signaling Pathways in the Striatum in Parkinson's Disease Model Mice
Hehao SUN ; Yingfan CHEN ; Peng WANG ; Xiaohan GENG ; Yuzhi ZHANG ; Qian ZHANG ; Min LI ; Shaodan LI ; Minghui YANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(23):2484-2493
ObjectiveTo investigate the possible mechanism of Bushen Huoxue Granule (补肾活血颗粒, BHG) in treating Parkinson's disease (PD) from the perspecitve of dopamine (DA) homeostasis. MethodsSeventy-two mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, madopar group and BHG low-, medium- and high-dose groups, with 12 mice in each group. Except for the blank group, all mice were administered intraperitoneal injections of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) for 7 consecutive days to induce a PD model. On the day following the injection, BHG low-, medium- and high-dose groups were administered BHG at doses of 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/(g·d) by oral gavage, respectively, while the madopar group received madopar tablets at dose of 0.093 8 mg/(g·d) by oral gavage. The blank group and the model group were given 0.2 ml/10 g of distilled water by gavage. All treatments were given once daily for 14 days. Open field test, pole climbing test and grip test were used to evaluate the behavior of mice in each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in striatum. Nissl staining was used to detect the activity of striatal neurons. The contents of DA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in striatum were detected by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The number and volume of synaptic vesicles were observed by transmission electron microscope. The expression of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) in striatum was detected by immunofluorescence. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB) and VMAT2 in striatum. ResultsCompared to the blank group, mice in the model group showed a significant decline in total distance and average speed in the open field test, along with an increase in total resting time; in the pole test, both the time required for the mice to turn completely downward (T-turn) and the total time taken to reach the bottom of the pole (T-total) were prolonged; forelimb grip strength was reduced; in the striatum, the mean optical density of TH, the average fluorescence intensity of VMAT2 protein, and DA content all decreased, while the number of striatal neurons was reduced, and the DOPAC/DA ratio was elevated; the levels of p-ERK/ERK, p-CREB/CREB, and VMAT2 in the striatum significantly decreased (P<0.01); transmission electron microscopy revealed that both the number and volume of synaptic vesicles in striatal neurons were markedly reduced. Compared to the model group, mice in the madopar group and BHG low-, medium- and high-dose groups showed significant improvements in all the above indicators (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to madopar group, the BHG high-dose group exhibited increased DA content and elevated p-CREB/CREB ratio in the striatum (P<0.05). Compared to the BHG low-dose group, the BHG high-dose group showed increased total distance and mean velocity, decreased total resting time, T-turn, and T-total, as well as enhanced forelimb grip strength; moreover, the average fluorescence intensity of VMAT2 protein, DA content, p-ERK/ERK, p-CREB/CREB, and VMAT2 levels in the striatum were all significantly elevated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionBHG may restore DA homeostasis and alleviate the damage of dopaminergic neurons by regulating ERK/CREB/VMAT2 signaling pathway.
8.Validity and Reliability Analysis of Evaluation Scale of Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome in Parkinson Disease
Xiuzhong QI ; Min LI ; Shaodan LI ; Minghui YANG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(9):149-153
Objective To evaluate the reliability,validity and response of evaluation scale of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in Parkinson disease(PD).Methods A total of 225 patients with PD and 30 healthy people of the same age were evaluated with the PD kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome evaluation scale with 18 syndrome items constructed in the previous study.Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the structural validity of the scale;Cronbach's α coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency reliability of the scale;correlation coefficient analysis was used to evaluate the retest reliability and content validity of the scale;t test was used to evaluate the response of the scale.Results The cumulative variance contribution rate of five common factors extracted by exploratory factor analysis was 61.162%,and the factor load coefficients of each item were greater than 0.450;the overall Cronbach's α value of the scale was 0.863;the total score of the scale and the correlation coefficient of the scores of each dimension were greater than 0.6(P<0.01);there were significant differences in the scores of each dimension item between PD patients before and after treatment and healthy peers(P<0.01).Conclusion Evaluation scale for PD kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome has good reliability,validity and response,which can be applied to the quantitative scoring of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome of PD and the efficacy evaluation of TCM treatment for PD patients.
9.Protective Effect of Polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus on Acute Lung Injury in Mice Based on Gut Microbiota and Metabolomics
Li YU ; Miaoyun YE ; Shaodan CHEN ; Guangjian BAI ; Huinan ZHANG ; Ming YANG ; Yaqi WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(13):86-94
ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect of polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus (IOP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. MethodA total of 40 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, dexamethasone group, and high-dose and low-dose IOP groups, with eight mice in each group. The high-dose and low-dose IOP groups were administered intragastrically with IOP at 20 and 10 mg·kg-1, respectively. The normal group and the model group were intragastrically administered with normal saline in equal volumes, and the dexamethasone group was intraperitoneally injected with dexamethasone phosphate injection of 30 mg·kg-1 for 21 days. An ALI mouse model induced by LPS was constructed, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining, and blood routine were used to detect pathological damage of lung tissue and blood cell content. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) were used to detect the expression levels of various inflammatory factors. Changes in gut microbiota and plasma differential metabolites in mice were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). ResultCompared with the model group, the lung tissue lesions of ALI mice were significantly improved after IOP administration, and the spleen and thymus index were dramatically increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The ratio of wet-to-dry weight of lung tissue was sensibly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the number of lymphocytes was substantially increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The number of neutrophils was markedly decreased (P<0.01). The expression level of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB), and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) decreased prominently (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the expression level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) increased memorably (P<0.01). The 16S rRNA sequencing results show that IOP can regulate and improve intestinal microbial disorders. The UPLC-Q-TOF-MS results indicate that the treatment of ALI mice with IOP may involve pathways related to mitochondrial, sugar, and amino acid metabolism, such as nucleotide sugar metabolism, histidine metabolism, ubiquinone, and other terpenoid compound-quinone biosynthesis, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism. ConclusionThe improvement of lung tissue lesions and inflammatory response by IOP in ALI mice may be related to maintaining intestinal microbiota balance, regulating mitochondrial electron oxidation respiratory chain, as well as sugar and amino acid metabolism pathways, and affecting the production of related microbial metabolites and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites.
10.Construction of a hierarchical comprehensive training system for glaucoma microsurgery
Shaodan ZHANG ; Guoxing LI ; Rongrong LE ; Qi ZHANG ; Yuanbo LIANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(10):1331-1336
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The coverage rate and treatment outcome of glaucoma surgery are crucial for the prevention and treatment of glaucoma-related visual function impairment. This article analyzes the problems and challenges for glaucoma microsurgery training in China and introduces the current status of glaucoma surgery training in China and globally, and based on the experience of cataract surgery training platform in Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, this article also elaborates on the feasibility of constructing a structured hierarchical comprehensive training system for glaucoma microsurgery, including multimedia theoretical training, Dry-lab, surgical simulator, and a combination of Wet-lab laboratory microsurgery practice and clinical practice, in order to provide a reference for the training of glaucoma sturgeons in China.

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