1.Metabolomics Reveals Mechanism of Abelmoschi Corolla Total Flavonoids in Regulating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in IgA Nephropathy
Shuying SONG ; Changqing WEN ; Luwan XING ; Yan ZHANG ; Haitao GE ; Fujiang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):153-161
ObjectiveTo elucidate the mechanism by which total flavonoids of Abelmoschi Corolla (TFA) treat immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) through serum metabolomics analysis. MethodsSPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned into six groups (n=10): blank, model, low-dose TFA (TFA-L, 27 mg·kg-1), medium-dose TFA (TFA-M, 54 mg·kg-1), high-dose TFA (TFA-H, 108 mg·kg-1), and losartan potassium (LST, 4.5 mg·kg-1) groups. The remaining five groups, excluding the blank group, were modeled with bovine serum albumin (BSA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Specifically, from weeks 1 to 10, BSA was administered via gavage every other day, and a mixture of castor oil and CCl4 was injected subcutaneously once a week, with LPS injected into the tail vein at weeks 6 and 8. After successful modeling, each intervention group was administrated with the medication prepared with distilled water once daily by gavage for a continuous period of 4 weeks. The levels of 24-hour urinary total protein (24 h UP) and serum creatinine (SCr) were quantified by kits, and the serum IgA level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Renal pathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Renal IgA deposition was assessed by immunofluorescence (IF). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed to detect the expression of ER stress-related factors. Non-targeted metabolomics was used to screen differential metabolites for analysis, and key metabolites arachidonic acid (AA), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were validated. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group showed increased 24-hour urine protein (24 h UP) and serum creatinine (SCr) levels (P<0.01), obvious renal pathological damage, elevated serum IgA level (P<0.01), increased renal AA and PGE2 levels (P<0.01), and up-regulated protein levels of COX-2, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (P-EIF2α), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), and spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s) in the renal tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the intervention groups showed reductions in 24 h UP and SCr levels (P<0.05, P<0.01), alleviated renal pathological injury, decreased serum IgA level (P<0.05, P<0.01), and reduced renal AA and PGE2 levels (P<0.01). Western blot and IHC results showed that TFA reduced the levels of COX-2, GRP78, P-EIF2α, ATF4, IRE1α, and XBP1s in the renal tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). Metabolomics results indicated that 51 commonly differential metabolites were found among the normal, model, and TFA-M groups. TFA ameliorated IgAN by affecting metabolic pathways related to the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid and arginine through L-aspartic acid, prostaglandin 2α, leukotriene B4, leukotriene D4, among others. ConclusionTFA can regulate the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, thereby modulating ER stress, reducing renal damage, and ameliorating IgA nephropathy.
2.Research progress on influencing factors of prognosis in elderly patients with breast cancer
Ming SU ; Shuying ZHAO ; Xiaoling WANG ; Xiaorong YANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):146-149
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the glandular epithelium of the breast, and it is one of the most common tumors that seriously affect the physical and mental health of women. With the aggravation of population aging, the incidence of breast cancer in the elderly has increased year by year in recent years. Elderly patients with breast cancer often have a variety of underlying diseases, and their prognosis is usually related to many factors such as cancer staging, cancer classification, treatment status and health status, with a significant difference in survival rate among patients. Due to the unique clinical and pathological characteristics of elderly patients with breast cancer compared to young and middle-aged patients, there are many studies on the treatment of elderly breast cancer patients in the past, and there are few reviews on the influencing factors of prognosis in elderly patients. This paper reviews the research progress of influencing factors of prognosis in elderly patients with breast cancer from the aspects of clinicopathological factors, treatment options and prognosis factors, in order to provide a reference for clinical determination of treatment options for elderly patients with breast cancer in the future.
3.Mechanisms of Tongmai Yangxin Pills and Tongxinluo Capsules in Treating Myocardial No-reflow Based on Treating Same Disease with Different Methods
Siqi LIU ; Wenqing YANG ; Ting CHEN ; Yan TANG ; Ju WANG ; Yaxuan PENG ; Haoxue QIN ; Lanyue DENG ; Jialu GONG ; Ning XU ; Shuying ZHANG ; Wei ZHANG ; Ting CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(17):125-133
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms of Tongmai Yangxin pills (TMYX) and Tongxinluo capsules (TXL) in treating no-reflow (NR) after myocardial ischemia and reperfusion following the concept of treating the same disease with different methods, based on integrative pharmacology and experimental validation. MethodsEighty 8-week-old SPF-grade SD rats were randomly assigned into four groups (n=20): sham operation, NR, TMYX (4 g·kg-1), and TXL (2 mg·kg-1). A rat model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion no-reflow was established by in-situ ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Gastric gavage was first performed 4 h after the operation, and samples were collected on day 7. Thioflavin S staining was used to observe the NR area in rat myocardium. Echocardiography was performed to examine the cardiac function. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was conducted to observe the pathological changes of the myocardial tissue. An automatic biochemical analyzer was adopted to measure myocardial enzyme activity. Then, integrated pharmacology was applied for Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Finally, Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of key targets in the myocardial tissue, including soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)/dependent protein kinase (PKG), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). ResultsCompared with the sham operation group, the NR group showed increased NR area of myocardium, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular fractional shortening (FS), left ventricular outflow tract peak velocity (LVOT Peak), and left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) (P<0.01), fractured and disordered myocardial fibers as well as inflammatory cell infiltration in the myocardial tissue, enhanced activities of creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the myocardial tissue (P<0.01), and downregulated protein levels of sGC, PKG, phosphorylated (p)-PI3K (Tyr458), and p-Akt (Tyr315) in the myocardial tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression level of HIF-1α protein showed a downward trend. Compared with the NR group, the TMYX group and TXL group exhibited a decreasing trend in myocardial NR area, EF, FS, and LVOT Peak significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), LVSV showed an upward trend, ameliorated myocardial pathological morphology and inflammatory infiltration, reductions in CK, CK-MB, and LDH activities (P<0.05, P<0.01), and upregulated protein levels of sGC, PKG, p-PI3K (Tyr458) in myocardial tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), the protein expressions of p-Akt (Tyr315) and HIF-1α showed an upward trend. A comparison of the therapeutic effects between the two compound prescriptions showed that TMYX tended to exert a better effect in restoring cardiac function and protecting cardiac structure in NR rats, whereas TXL was more effective in reducing myocardial NR area and lowering myocardial enzyme activities in NR rats. Integrative pharmacology analysis combined with experimental verification demonstrated that both TMYX and TXL could alleviate NR through the following mechanisms: activating the cyclic cGMP/PKG signaling pathway to regulate vascular tone, activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to dilate blood vessels, and activating the HIF-1 signaling pathway to inhibit oxidative stress. However, TMYX had an advantage in activating the cGMP/PKG pathway, while TXL was superior in activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. The two compound prescriptions exerted comparable effects on the HIF-1 signaling pathway, which might serve as their common therapeutic pathway. ConclusionBoth TMYX and TXL could alleviate NR damage. TMYX exerts its protective effect against NR mainly by activating the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway, while TXL exerts its effect mainly through the PI3K/Akt pathway. The HIF-1α signaling pathway may be a common pathway for the two compound prescriptions to exert their protective effects against NR. This study reveals the similarities and differences between TMYX and TXL in the treatment effect and mechanism for NR, providing an experimental basis and a theoretical basis for better clinical application of the two compound prescriptions.
4.Development of a nomogram for predicting cognitive impairment risk among older adults with heart disease
Xiaolei WANG ; Xiaoqing ZHAO ; Shuying CHEN ; Minghao ZHANG ; Xiaoyu ZHOU ; Haiyan LI ; Jianhua ZHANG ; Qi JING ; Zhiwei DONG
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2026;32(9):993-1002
ObjectiveTo develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the risk of concurrent cognitive impairment in older adults with heart disease. MethodsSelf-reported data from 2 673 respondents in the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were analyzed. The participants were randomly divided into a training set (n = 1 871) and a validation set (n = 802). Heart disease status was determined using a self-report questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors, and a nomogram for predicting the risk of concurrent cognitive impairment in older adults with heart disease was developed using R software. Bootstrap resampling was used for internal validation, and model performance was further evaluated in the randomly split validation set. The predictive performance of the model was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curves.. ResultsA total of 2 673 older adults with heart disease were included, out of whom 315 participants in the training set had cognitive impairment. Lasso regression analysis identified age, education level, place of residence, instrumental activities of daily living and depression as predictors of concurrent cognitive impairment. A prediction model incorporating these five variables was constructed. The AUC were 0.827 (95%CI 0.804 to 0.850) in the training set and 0.847 (95%CI 0.812 to 0.882) in the validation set. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded P = 0.154 and P = 0.716 in the training and validation sets, respectively. Calibration curves showed good agreement between predicted and observed probabilities. Decision curve analysis indicated that the model provided favorable net benefit and predictive performance. ConclusionThe nomogram may provide a useful reference for risk screening and early intervention for cognitive impairment in older adults with heart disease.
5.Diagnostic value of lung ultrasound score,CT combined with serum CXCL8 and sB7-H3 for severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children
Tengfei WANG ; Shuying LIU ; Ping WANG ; Yezhu WANG ; Qinghua LIU ; Zhizheng LI ; Yeying WANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(7):856-860
Objective To explore the diagnostic value of lung ultrasound(LUS)score,computed tomo-graphy(CT)combined with serum CXC chemokine ligand 8(CXCL8)and soluble co stimulatory molecule B7-H3(sB7-H3)for severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)in children.Methods From April 2022 to April 2024,a total of 210 children with MPP who visited Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Zhan-gqiu District were included as research subjects,and they were separated into severe MPP group and non se-vere MPP group according to the severity of the disease.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to detect serum levels of CXCL8 and sB7-H3.LUS score and CT diagnosis were conducted.The value of LUS score,CT and serum CXCL8,sB7-H3 in the diagnosis of severe MPP was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curve.Results There were no statistically significant differences in height,age,fever days,weight,hospital stay,and gender between the severe MPP group and the non severe MPP group(P>0.05).Compared with the non severe MPP group,the serum levels of CXCL8,sB7-H3,and LUS score were all in-creased in the severe MPP group(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of LUS score,serum CXCL8,and sB7-H3 for diagnosing severe MPP was 0.865,0.785,and 0.750,respectively.The CT diagnosis results showed 35 false positives and 22 false negatives,with Kappa value of 0.459 compared to clinical examination results(P<0.05).The diagnostic results of LUS score,CT combined with serum CXCL8 and sB7-H3 showed 3 false positives and 15 false negatives,with Kappa vale of 0.828 compared to clinical examination results(P<0.05).The diagnosis of LUS score,CT combined with serum CXCL8,and sB7-H3 had higher specificity and accuracy than those of single detection of the four(P<0.05),and the sensitivity of the combined diagno-sis of the four was increased(P<0.05)and the missed diagnosis rate was reduced compared to the single de-tection of CXCL8 and sB7-H3(P<0.05).Conclusion The serum levels of CXCL8,sB7-H3,and LUS score in children with MPP increase.The specificity and accuracy of LUS score,CT combined with serum CXCL8,sB7-H3 in diagnosing severe MPP increase.
6.Role of different cell-derived exosomal miRNAs in progression,diagnosis,and prognosis of gastric cancer
Lei WANG ; Baiyan WANG ; Chunguang ZHOU ; Xiaoyun REN ; Yueyou DAI ; Shuying FENG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(25):5434-5442
BACKGROUND:Tumor microenvironment can participate in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer and promote chemotherapy resistance in various ways.Among them,the tumor microenvironment crosstalk mediated by exosomal miRNAs can induce matrix reprogramming,participate in tumor heterogeneity,and form a microenvironment conducive to tumor proliferation,migration,invasion,immune escape,and chemotherapy resistance.OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanism of action of exosomal miRNAs in the microenvironment of gastric cancer and its application in the diagnosis and prognosis assessment of gastric cancer in recent years.METHODS:"Exosomal miRNAs,gastric cancer,angiogenesis,apoptosis,proliferation,migration,autophagy,invasion,immune response,chemotherapy resistance,biomarker"for English search terms and"exosomal miRNAs,gastric cancer"for Chinese search terms were searched in PubMed and CNKI databases.The search period was from 2017 to 2024.After preliminary screening by reading the title and abstract,the articles with poor correlation and repeated content were excluded,and 77 articles were finally included for induction and discussion.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Exosomes,as important carriers of intercellular information exchange,can carry a variety of information substances such as miRNA,and realize intercellular signal transmission through three ways:activation of cell surface receptors on target cells,fusion with the plasma membrane of recipient cells,and endocytosis.(2)Exosomal miRNAs play an important role in the progression of gastric cancer by regulating the proliferation,apoptosis,autophagy,angiogenesis,invasion and metastasis,immune response,and the formation of drug resistance of gastric cancer cells.(3)The interaction between miRNAs and target mRNA and its regulatory network are widely found in tumorigenesis and human cancer development.Different types of exosomal miRNAs have different effects on the regulation of apoptosis of gastric cancer cells,and the effects of different exosomal miRNAs on apoptosis related proteins and pathways of gastric cancer cells are screened.Rational use of its inducers or inhibitors can regulate the apoptosis level of gastric cancer cells.(4)Exosomal miRNAs of different cell origin play an important role in the establishment of tumor microenvironment,angiogenesis,immune response,and chemotherapy resistance by inducing M1-polarized macrophages to M2 type.(5)Exosomal miRNAs exist extensively and stably in blood and other body fluids,and their differential expression in patients with gastric cancer can be used as a basis for diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment of patients with gastric cancer.Currently,exosomal miRNAs widely studied as biomarkers include miR-379-5p,miR-590-5p,miR-29s,miR-21,etc.Among them,the sensitivity and specificity of miR-590-5p are 63.7%and 86%,respectively.The expression level of miR-590-5p is closely related to the overall survival rate and the depth of invasion of gastric cancer patients.(6)The design of exosomal miRNAs mimics or inhibitors and their targeted delivery to the tumor site using nano-delivery vectors(such as exosomes and liposomes)to restore the normal level of miRNAs may be a new strategy for the treatment of gastric cancer.(7)Although exosomal miRNAs have great application prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer patients,there are still some problems to be solved.For example,the potential targets and mechanisms of exosomal miRNAs have not been fully explored,and their effectiveness and safety need to be further confirmed.The extraction and purification of exosomes lack standardized large-scale preparation processes.
7.Anti-tumor effects of engineered exosomes for targeted drug delivery
Yueyou DAI ; Dandan GUO ; Qianqian WANG ; Baiyan WANG ; Shuying FENG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(31):6753-6764
BACKGROUND:At present,chemotherapeutic drugs are mainly used for the treatment of tumors,but there are problems such as drug resistance and adverse reactions.The exosome drug delivery system not only avoids the toxicity of synthetic nanoparticles,but also increases the bioavailability and biocompatibility of the drugs.It can be modified by biological,physical,and chemical methods to form a new type of nano-drug delivery platform.OBJECTIVE:To review the construction strategy of exosome drug delivery system,the application status of exosome drug delivery system in tumor diseases and the current challenges.METHODS:PubMed and CNKI were searched with"exosomal,tumor,microvesicle,extracellular vesicles,engineered,therapeutics,characterization,isolation,drug delivery,targeting,modification strategies,physics,chemistry,biology"as English search terms and"exosomes,drug delivery,tumor"as Chinese search terms.A total of 132 articles were included for in-depth induction and discussion.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The technical methods of exosome extraction,including ultracentrifugation,filtration,and kit extraction,can efficiently isolate exosomes,but the process is complicated and time-consuming,and large-scale extraction of exosomes cannot be achieved.(2)Engineered exosomes can be divided into four categories:gene editing engineering,which improves function through genetic modification;endogenous engineering,using inflammatory factors and other pretreatment to enhance drug delivery;exogenously engineered to encapsulate drugs directly in exosomes;hybrid engineering,combining exosomes with lipid nanoparticles to form new particles.Some have entered clinical trials for cancer treatment,but most are at an early stage.In contrast,genetically engineered exosomes are considered as an important direction for future drug delivery due to their high targeting and customization potential.(3)There are still many limitations to realize the clinical transformation of engineered exosomes.At the technical level,large-scale production,purification,and drug loading efficiency are urgent to be solved.In production,high cost and batch stability affect its popularity.In terms of safety,immunogenicity and potential toxicity need to be comprehensively evaluated.Furthermore,the imperfect regulatory policies and the complexity of the approval process also constitute obstacles to its clinical translation.(4)In the future,it is necessary to promote the clinical translation process through technical innovation,cost control,safety improvement,and policy improvement.
8.Design and Application of Five Elements Music Software Based on Emotion Classification in Malignant Tumor Population
Nan ZHAO ; Shanshan GU ; Jingtao ZHAO ; Hongmei XIE ; Wenjun WANG ; Mirui HE ; Guiju REN ; Shuying CHEN ; Guangmin LI ; Juan LIAO
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(7):1990-1999
Objective To design a Five-Elements Music Software based on Traditional Chinese Medicine's(TCM)theory of five elements music therapy and music emotion classification.The software is intended to provide appropriate music selections tailored to the negative emotional states of cancer patients and evaluate its effectiveness in psychological rehabilitation.Methods ①Music screening and classification:Qualitative analysis was used by six experts in TCM,psychology,nursing,and musicology to screen five elements music and classify corresponding emotional categories.②Software design and development:Based on screening and classification of music materials,design and develop a"Five Elements Music Software Based on Emotion Classification".③Software application evaluation:Recruit 50 cancer patients from the"Beijing Anti Cancer Paradise"as participants to have a trial listening experience with music software,and fill out a satisfaction questionnaire to evaluate its application effect.Results This study established a music database containing 150 pieces of five-elements musical tunes and completed the classification of emotional categories.Among the included subjects,80%of the recruited objects were satisfied with the experience of the five elements music software,of which the application experience of female patients was significantly better than that of male patients,and breast cancer patients were better than other cancer patients,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).The five elements music Software in clinic showed comparing with other two groups after four weeks,there was a significant difference for HAMD when comparing five elements music software group and the other two groups(P<0.05).Conclusion The five-element music software designed based on emotion classification effectively meets the psychological rehabilitation needs of cancer patients.It provides appropriate music selections and convenient listening method to regulate cancer-related negative emotions,extending psychological rehabilitation from the hospital to the home.
9.Expression of serum miR-15a,miR-195-5p,miR-33 in patients with gestational diabetes and their relationship with maternal and infant outcomes
Haihong WANG ; Cui ZHAO ; Yishan LI ; Shuying CHEN
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(16):2533-2540
Objective To investigate the expression levels of serum microRNA-15a(miR-15a),microRNA-195-5p(miR-195-5p),and microRNA-33(miR-33)in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)and to explore their associations with maternal and neonatal outcomes.Methods The research subjects were selected from 208 patients with GDM who completed delivery at our hospital between September 2021 and October 2024.Based on maternal pregnancy outcomes,the subjects were categorized into either the poor maternal outcome group or the good maternal outcome group.Similarly,they were classified into the poor perinatal outcome group and the good perinatal outcome group according to perinatal outcomes.Clinical data and serum levels of fasting plasma glucose(FPG),miR-15a,miR-195-5p,and miR-33 were collected and compared between groups with different maternal and perinatal outcomes.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes among GDM patients.Additionally,the predictive value of these biomarkers for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Results Among 208 patients with GDM,81 experienced adverse maternal pregnancy outcomes(38.94%).Of the 192 newborns,51 cases were associated with adverse perinatal outcomes,resulting in an incidence rate of 26.56%.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a high insulin resistance index(OR=2.197),poor glycemic control(OR=2.482),a history of adverse pregnancy or childbirth(OR=2.838),elevated FPG levels(OR=1.910),increased serum expression of miR-15a(OR=1.988),miR-195-5p(OR=2.273),and miR-33(OR=2.479)were independent risk factors for adverse maternal pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients(P<0.05).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)for the combined detection of miR-15a,miR-195-5p,and miR-33 was higher than that of FPG alone in predicting maternal pregnancy outcomes,with the combined detection showing the highest AUC(P<0.05).Similarly,multivariate logistic regression results also indicated that elevated levels of the aforementioned biomarkers—insulin resistance index(OR=2.155),poor glycemic control(OR=2.408),history of adverse pregnancy or childbirth(OR=2.838),FPG(OR=2.018),miR-15a(OR=2.197),miR-195-5p(OR=2.246),and miR-33(OR=3.043)—were independent risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes in GDM patients(P<0.05).The AUC for combined detection of miR-15a,miR-195-5p,and miR-33 was significantly higher than that of FPG alone in predicting perinatal outcomes,with the combination yielding the highest predictive accuracy(P<0.05).Conclusions Patients with GDM are at increased risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.Elevated insulin resistance index,poor glycemic control,a history of adverse pregnancy or childbirth,and increased serum levels of miR-15a,miR-195-5p,and miR-33 were identified as independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in individuals with gestational diabetes.The individual measurement of miR-15a,miR-195-5p,and miR-33,as well as their combined detection,demonstrated greater predictive value for pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients compared to FPG alone,with the combined detection showing the highest predictive accuracy.
10.The transcriptomic-based disease network reveals synergistic therapeutic effect of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Qian CHEN ; Shuying ZHANG ; Xuanxi JIANG ; Jie LIAO ; Xin SHAO ; Xin PENG ; Zheng WANG ; Xiaoyan LU ; Xiaohui FAN
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(8):997-1008
Coptis chinensis Franch. and Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. are traditional herbal medicines with millennia of documented use and broad therapeutic applications, including anti-diabetic properties. However, the synergistic effect of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. The research demonstrated that the optimal ratio of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng was 4∶1, exhibiting maximal efficacy in improving insulin resistance and gluconeogenesis in primary mouse hepatocytes. This combination demonstrated significant synergistic effects in improving glucose tolerance, reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG), the weight ratio of epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Subsequently, a T2DM liver-specific network was constructed based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments and public databases by integrating transcriptional properties of disease-associated proteins and protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The network recovery index (NRI) score of the combined treatment group with a 4∶1 ratio exceeded that of groups treated with individual components. The research identified that activated adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) signaling in the liver played a crucial role in the synergistic treatment of T2DM, as verified by western blot experiment in db/db mice. These findings demonstrate that the 4∶1 combination of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng significantly improves insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice, surpassing the efficacy of individual treatments. The synergistic mechanism correlates with enhanced AMPK/ACC signaling pathway activity.
Animals
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Panax/chemistry*
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Ginsenosides/administration & dosage*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism*
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Mice
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Male
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Alkaloids/pharmacology*
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Coptis/chemistry*
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Drug Synergism
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Insulin Resistance
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Humans
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Transcriptome/drug effects*
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Blood Glucose/metabolism*
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Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Hepatocytes/metabolism*


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