Lactate, with a chemical formula of C₃H₆O₃, is an intermediate product of glucose metabolism in the body and a raw material for hepatic gluconeogenesis. Under physiological resting conditions, the body mainly relies on aerobic oxidation of sugar and fat for energy supply, so the blood lactate concentration is lower. However, during exercise, the enhanced glycolysis in skeletal muscles leads to the significant release of lactate into the bloodstream, causing a marked increase in blood lactate concentration. Traditionally, lactate has been regarded as a metabolic waste product of glycolysis and a contributor to exercise-induced fatigue. Nevertheless, recent studies have revealed that, in humans, lactate is a major vehicle for carbohydrate carbon distribution and metabolism, serving not only as an energy substance alongside glucose but also as a vital component in various biological pathways involved in cardiac energetics, muscle adaptation, brain function, growth and development, and inflammation therapy. Two primary pathways can elevate lactate levels in neurons during exercise. One is peripheral skeletal muscle-derived lactate, which can enter the bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain with the assistance of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) from the solute carrier family 16 (SLC16). The other is the central brain-derived pathway. During exercise, neuronal activity is enhanced, promoting the secretion of neuroactive substances such as glutamate, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain. This activates astrocytes to break down glycogen into lactate and stimulates glutamate from the presynaptic terminal into the synaptic cleft. It upregulates the glucose transport protein-1 (GLUT-1) expression, allowing astrocytes to convert glucose into lactate through glycolysis. The lactate is produced via peripheral pathways and central pathways during exercise are transported by astrocyte membrane monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4 to the extracellular space, where neurons take it up through neuronal cell membrane MCT2. The lactate in neurons can serve as an alternative energy source of glucose for neuronal functional activities, meeting the increased energy demands of synaptic activity during exercise, and maintaining energy balance and normal physiological function in the brain. Additionally, acting as a signaling molecule lactate can enhance synaptic plasticity through the SIRT1/PGC-1α/FNDC5 and ERK1/2 signaling pathways, lactate can promote angiogenesis by upregulating VEGF-A expression through the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways, stimulate neurogenesis via the Akt/PKB signaling pathway, and reduce neuroinflammation through activation of the “lactate timer”. Overall, lactate contributes to the protection of neurons, the promotion of learning and memory, the enhancement of synaptic plasticity, and the reduction of neuroinflammation in the nervous system. While lactate may serve as a potential mediator for information exchange between the peripheral and central nervous systems during exercise, further experimental research is needed to elucidate its action mechanisms in the nervous system. In addition, future studies should utilize advanced neurophysiological and molecular biology techniques to uncover the importance of lactate in maintaining brain function and preventing neurological diseases. Accordingly, this article first reviews the historical research on lactate, then summarizes the metabolic characteristics and neuronal sources of lactate, and finally explores the role and mechanisms of exercise-induced lactate in the nervous system, aiming to provide new perspectives and targets for understanding the mechanisms underlying exercise promotion of brain health.

The Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China 2025 edition is to be issued in March 2025. Chinese Pharmacopoeia is the basic requirements on the drug manufacture, drug testing, drug use and drug administration. The new edition Chinese Pharmacopoeia will be dramatically improved on the pharmacopoeia monographs included, establishing the standards system, standards conversion and application of drug quality control for the new technology, new method & new tool, drug control on the safety and effectiveness as well as the drug standard international harmonization. It will take important role on improving the drug quality, ensuring the safety of drugs for public use, strengthen technical support for drug administration, promoting the high-quality development of China’s medical and pharmaceutical industry. This paper introduces the development and revision of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition,aim at helping the industries well understanding and implantation the new edition Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Objective: Introduce and briefly describe the status, characteristics, and writing ideas of general notice in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 edition, providing reference and suggestions for better understanding and implementation of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 edition.
Methods:This article elaborates on the content and revision of general notice in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 edition from the perspective of frame structure and main contents.
Results:Compared with other pharmacopoeias of various countries, Chinese Pharmacopoeia includes standards for traditional Chinese medicine, chemical drugs, biological products and excipients, pharmaceutical packaging materials, etc. Each section of Chinese Pharmacopoeia has its own general notice, with 34 to 48 items arranged in 11 to 12 chapters. Depending on the type of products included and the development history, the general notice in each section present differences in format and content. Given the importance and significance of the standards in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, it is necessary for the industry to coordinate and unify the general notice in various parts of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. With the introduction and revision of regulations, changes in the content of pharmacopoeias, and the application of new technologies, methods, and concepts in drug quality control, considering the unique characteristics of various drugs in quality control and supervision, Chinese Pharmacopoeia has comprehensively standardized relevant requirements. While taking into account the characteristics of the first, second, third, and fourth parts of the pharmacopoeia, it retains the characteristics of relative uniformity and the content of each part, achieving the unified standardization of the general rules of each general notice in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 edition and the coordination and consistency of common content.
Conclusion: The current version of Chinese Pharmacopoeia has undergone significant changes and improvements in both form and content. By introducing the overall situation and revised content of general notice in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 edition, pharmacopoeia users can have a deeper understanding of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and use it correctly.

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia is the legal technical standard which should be followed during the research, production, use, and administration of drugs. At present, the new edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is planned to be promulgated and implemented. This article summarizes and analyzes the main characteristics and the content of updates and amendments of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition(Volume Ⅰ), to provide a reference for the correct understanding and accurate implementation the new edition of the pharmacopoeia.

Metastasis serves as an indicator of malignancy and is a biological characteristic of carcinomas. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in the promotion of tumor invasion and metastasis and in the enhancement of tumor cell aggressiveness. Prostaglandin E synthase 3 (p23) is a cochaperone for heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). Our previous study showed that p23 is an HSP90-independent transcription factor in cancer-associated inflammation. The effect and mechanism of action of p23 on lung cancer metastasis are tested in this study. By utilizing cell models in vitro and mouse tail vein metastasis models in vivo, the results provide solid evidence that p23 is critical for promoting lung cancer metastases by regulating downstream CXCL1 expression. Rather than acting independently, p23 forms a complex with RNA-binding motif protein 14 (RBM14) to facilitate EMT progression in lung cancer. Therefore, our study provides evidence for the potential role of the RBM14-p23-CXCL1-EMT axis in the metastasis of lung cancer.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

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BACKGROUND: China is seeing a growing demand for rehabilitation treatments for post-stroke upper limb spastic paresis (PSSP-UL). Although acupuncture is known to be effective for PSSP-UL, there is room to enhance its efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study explored a semi-personalized acupuncture approach for PSSP-UL that used three-dimensional kinematic analysis (3DKA) results to select additional acupoints, and investigated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of this approach. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This single-blind, single-center, randomized, controlled trial involved 74 participants who experienced a first-ever ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with spastic upper limb paresis. The participants were then randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups received conventional treatments and acupuncture treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The main acupoints in both groups were the same, while participants in the intervention group received additional acupoints selected on the basis of 3DKA results. Follow-up assessments were conducted for 8 weeks after the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) response rate (≥ 6-point change) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included changes in motor function (FMA-UE), Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS), manual muscle test (MMT), spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale, MAS), and activities of daily life (Modified Barthel Index, MBI) at week 4 and week 12. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants completed the trial and underwent analyses. Compared with control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly higher FMA-UE response rate at week 4 (χ² = 5.479, P = 0.019) and greater improvements in FMA-UE at both week 4 and week 12 (both P < 0.001). The intervention group also showed bigger improvements from baseline in the MMT grades for shoulder adduction and elbow flexion at weeks 4 and 12 as well as thumb adduction at week 4 (P = 0.007, P = 0.049, P = 0.019, P = 0.008, P = 0.029, respectively). The intervention group showed a better change in the MBI at both week 4 and week 12 (P = 0.004 and P = 0.010, respectively). Although the intervention group had a higher BRS for the hand at week 12 (P = 0.041), no intergroup differences were observed at week 4 (all P > 0.05). The two groups showed no differences in MAS grades as well as in BRS for the arm at weeks 4 and 12 (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Semi-personalized acupuncture prescription based on 3DKA results significantly improved motor function, muscle strength, and activities of daily living in patients with PSSP-UL. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056216. Please cite this article as: Huang XY, Liao OP, Jiang SY, Tao JM, Li Y, Lu XY, Li YY, Wang C, Li J, Ma XP. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis can improve the efficacy of acupoint selection for post-stroke patients with upper limb spastic paresis: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 15-24.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Upper Extremity/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Single-Blind Method ; Aged ; Stroke/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Stroke Rehabilitation/methods* ; Adult ; Muscle Spasticity/therapy* ; Paresis/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome