1.Mechanisms of Tripterygium wilfordii and Its Active Ingredients in Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Review
Peidong ZHAO ; Yanyan GUO ; Xiangge REN ; Jiawei ZHANG ; Wensheng ZHAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):352-362
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a common complication of diabetes mellitus, is a leading global cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Current therapeutic strategies primarily focus on symptomatic management but exhibit limited efficacy in halting disease progression to ESRD, and some drugs carry non-negligible toxic side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history in treating DKD, with single TCM and TCM compounds demonstrating unique advantages in multi-target, multi-pathway, and multi-effect therapeutic interventions. Tripterygium wilfordii (TW), known for its effects in promoting blood circulation, dredging collaterals, dispelling wind, removing dampness, reducing swelling, and alleviating pain, contains bioactive components such as Tripterygium glycosides (TWG), triptolide (TPL), tripdiolide (TPD), and celastrol (CEL). The active ingredients possess various functions, including regulating immune-inflammatory balance, ameliorating renal fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, combating oxidative stress, protecting podocytes, and improving glucose and lipid metabolism, all of which play a significant role in the treatment of DKD. This review summarized the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of T. wilfordii and its active ingredients on DKD, aiming to provide insights for clinical management and novel drug development of DKD.
2.Research progress on the mechanisms of Tripterygium wilfordii and its active components on immunoglobulin A nephropathy
Peidong ZHAO ; Yanyan GUO ; Xiangge REN ; Jiawei ZHANG ; Wensheng ZHAI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(21):2742-2746
Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a common primary glomerular disease and a frequent cause of chronic renal failure. Tripterygium wilfordii is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which possesses the effects of promoting blood circulation, relieving swelling and pain, and dispelling wind and dampness. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that T. wilfordii multiglucoside exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, inhibit mesangial cell proliferation, protect podocytes, ameliorate endothelial cell injury, and regulate gut microbiota disturbances. Triptolide also possesses anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, suppresses mesangial cell proliferation, and protects podocytes. Celastrol demonstrates anti- inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions as well as the ability to improve endothelial cell damage. Through these mechanisms, T. wilfordii and its active components can play a role in alleviating clinical symptoms and delaying disease progression in the treatment of IgAN. Future research should focus on in-depth analysis and mechanistic investigation of these active ingredients, promote high-quality clinical studies, systematically evaluate the synergistic effects among them, and emphasize strategies for reducing toxicity and enhancing efficacy, thereby providing more comprehensive and reliable evidence-based foundations for the clinical treatment of IgAN.
3.A thermo-sensitive hydrogel targeting macrophage reprogramming for sustained osteoarthritis pain relief.
Yue LIU ; Kai ZHOU ; Xinlong HE ; Kun SHI ; Danrong HU ; Chenli YANG ; Jinrong PENG ; Yuqi HE ; Guoyan ZHAO ; Yi KANG ; Yujun ZHANG ; Yue'e DAI ; Min ZENG ; Feier XIAN ; Wensheng ZHANG ; Zhiyong QIAN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(11):6034-6051
Osteoarthritis (OA) causes chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life, with current treatments often proving insufficient and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent research has identified the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and its resident macrophages as crucial mediators of chronic OA pain through neuroinflammation driven by macrophage polarization. We present a novel injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogel system, KAF@PLEL, designed to deliver an anti-inflammatory peptide (KAF) specifically to the DRG. This biodegradable hydrogel enables sustained KAF release, promoting the reprogramming of DRG macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, we evaluated the hydrogel's biocompatibility, effects on macrophage polarization, and therapeutic efficacy in chronic OA pain management. The system demonstrated significant capabilities in preserving macrophage mitochondrial function, suppressing neuroinflammation, alleviating chronic OA pain, reducing cartilage degradation, and improving motor function in OA rat models. The sustained-release properties of KAF@PLEL enabled prolonged therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. These findings suggest that KAF@PLEL represents a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes in OA patients through targeted, sustained treatment.
4.Consensus on informed consent for orthodontic treatment
Yang CAO ; Bing FANG ; Zuolin JIN ; Hong HE ; Yuxing BAI ; Lin WANG ; Haiping LU ; Zhihe ZHAO ; Tianmin XU ; Weiran LI ; Min HU ; Jinlin SONG ; Jun WANG ; Fang JIN ; Ding BAI ; Xianglong HAN ; Yuehua LIU ; Bin YAN ; Jie GUO ; Jiejun SHI ; Yongming LI ; Zhihua LI ; Xiuping WU ; Jiangtian HU ; Linyu XU ; Lin LIU ; Yi LIU ; Yanqin LU ; Wensheng MA ; Shuixue MO ; Liling REN ; Shuxia CUI ; Yongjie FAN ; Jianguang XU ; Lulu XU ; Zhijun ZHENG ; Peijun WANG ; Rui ZOU ; Chufeng LIU ; Lunguo XIA ; Li HU ; Weicai WANG ; Liping WU ; Xiaoxing KOU ; Jiali TAN ; Yuanbo LIU ; Bowen MENG ; Yuantao HAO ; Lili CHEN
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(12):1327-1336
This consensus was developed by the Orthodontic Society of the Chinese Stomatological Association to provide a systematic, scientific, and practical guideline for informed consent in orthodontic care. Orthodontic treatment is typically lengthy, highly individualized, and involves multiple factors such as growth and development, occlusal function, and facial esthetics. Rapid technological advances and diverse risk profiles make the traditional reliance on orthodontist experience or institutional templates insufficient to ensure patients′ full understanding and autonomous decision-making. To address this, the expert panel conducted extensive reviews of domestic and international guidelines, analyzed representative dispute cases, and performed multicenter patient-clinician surveys. Using a multi-round Delphi method, the group established a standardized informed consent framework covering the initial consultation, treatment, and retention phases. The consensus emphasizes that informed consent is not only a fundamental legal and ethical requirement but also a key step in building trust, improving patient compliance, and enhancing treatment satisfaction. Orthodontists should clearly and comprehensively explain treatment plans, potential risks, uncertainties, and associated costs, while respecting the autonomy of patients or guardians, and maintain continuous communication and dynamic evaluation throughout the treatment process. The release of this consensus provides unified and authoritative guidance for clinical orthodontics, helping to standardize informed consent, enhance its transparency, safeguard patient rights, reduce medical risks, and promote high-quality, sustainable development of orthodontic practice.
5.Analysis on Clinical Trial Registration Status of TCM for the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
Jiawei ZHANG ; Zhifen ZHAO ; Xiangge REN ; Peidong ZHAO ; Shoudao LI ; Tengfei SONG ; Wensheng ZHAI
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(10):73-79
Objective To analyze the current status of clinical trial registration in the TCM treatment of diabetic nephropathy(DN);To provide references for the registration and implementation of relevant clinical trials.Methods Clinical trials about TCM treatment for DN registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(ChiCTR)and the U.S.Clinical Trial Registry(ClinicalTrials.gov)from their inception to August 18,2024 were retrieved.The following information was analyzed:registration year,geographical distribution,funding sources,TCM syndrome patterns of participants,number of research centers,sample size,study type,study design,randomization method,blinding method,intervention measures,outcome indicators and safety indicators.Results A total of 88 clinical trials were included,comprising 79 interventional studies and 9 observational studies.The number of registrations has increased annually.The domestic registered trials were distributed across 17 provincial-level administrative regions in China,with Beijing and Shanghai having the highest number of registrations.The primary sources of funding were local and national government funds.The most common TCM syndrome pattern among participants was qi-yin deficiency with blood stasis.Most trials were single-center studies,with the majority having a sample size between 31 and 60.The predominant study type was interventional,mostly randomized controlled trials(RCTs),with simple randomization being the most frequently used method.31 trials reported blinding methods,with double-blinding being the most common.The intervention measures were mostly oral Chinese patent medicines or TCM compounds,and the outcome indicators were mainly efficacy indicators,with less safety indicators.Conclusion The number of registered clinical trials on TCM treatment for DN has increased annually;however,the overall number remains limited.There is uneven regional distribution and incomplete registration information for various factors such as randomization methods,blinding methods,number of research centers,intervention measures,and outcome indicators.
6.Gut microbiota and osteoporotic fractures
Wensheng ZHAO ; Xiaolin LI ; Changhua PENG ; Jia DENG ; Hao SHENG ; Hongwei CHEN ; Chaoju ZHANG ; Chuan HE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(6):1296-1304
BACKGROUND:Osteoporotic fracture is the most serious complication of osteoporosis.Previous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota has a regulatory effect on skeletal tissue and that gut microbiota has an important relationship with osteoporotic fracture,but the causal relationship between the two is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fractures using Mendelian randomization method. METHODS:The genome-wide association study(GWAS)datasets of gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS database and the Finnish database R9,respectively.Using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,Mendelian randomization analyses with random-effects inverse variance weighted,MR-Egger regression,weighted median,simple model,and weighted model methods were performed to assess whether there is a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the reliability and robustness of the results.Reverse Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to further validate the causal relationship identified in the forward Mendelian randomization analyses. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of this Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Elevated abundance of Actinomycetales[odds ratio(OR)=1.562,95%confidence interval(CI):1.027-2.375,P=0.037),Actinomycetaceae(OR=1.561,95%CI:1.027-2.374,P=0.037),Actinomyces(OR=1.544,95%CI:1.130-2.110,P=0.006),Butyricicoccus(OR=1.781,95%CI:1.194-2.657,P=0.005),Coprococcus 2(OR=1.550,95%CI:1.068-2.251,P=0.021),Family ⅩⅢ UCG-001(OR=1.473,95%CI:1.001-2.168,P=0.049),Methanobrevibacter(OR=1.274,95%CI:1.001-1.621,P=0.049),and Roseburia(OR=1.429,95%CI:1.015-2.013,P=0.041)would increase the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.Elevated abundance of Bacteroidia(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Bacteroidales(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Christensenellacea(OR=0.725,95%CI:0.529-0.995,P=0.047),Ruminococcaceae(OR=0.643,95%CI:0.443-0.933,P=0.020),Enterorhabdus(OR=0.558,95%CI:0.395-0.788,P=0.001),Eubacterium rectale group(OR=0.631,95%CI:0.435-0.916,P=0.016),Lachnospiraceae UCG008(OR=0.738,95%CI:0.546-0.998,P=0.048),and Ruminiclostridium 9(OR=0.492,95%CI:0.324-0.746,P=0.001)would reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.We identified 16 gut microbiota associated with osteoporotic fracture by the Mendelian randomization method.That is,using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,eight gut microbiota showed positive causal associations with osteoporotic fracture and another eight gut microbiota showed negative causal associations with osteoporotic fracture.The results of this study not only identify new biomarkers for the early prediction of osteoporotic fracture and potential therapeutic targets in clinical practice,but also provide an experimental basis and theoretical basis for the study of improving the occurrence and prognosis of osteoporotic fracture through gut microbiota in bone tissue engineering.
7.Expression levels of serum miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p in patients with glioma and their clinical significance
Wensheng LI ; Chunfei ZHAO ; Jieqin YAO ; Chengjie XU ; Jianqi XIAO ; Haiping JIANG ; Chunyu ZHANG ; Xiaoao LONG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(1):81-85
Objective To investigate the expression levels of serum miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p in patients with glioma and their clinical significance.Methods A total of 98 patients with glioma who were treated in this hospital from October 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the monitored group,and 101 healthy indi-viduals who underwent physical examinations a the same time were selected as the control group.Quantitative fluorescent PCR(qPCR)method was applied to detect the expression levels of miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p in serum,and multivariate COX regression was applied to analyze the prognostic factors of glioma patients.Re-ceiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and area under curve(AUC)were used to analyze the diagnostic value of serum miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p in glioma.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the re-lationship between serum miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p expression and prognosis of patients.Results The ex-pression level of serum miR-186-5p in monitored group was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05),and the expression level of miR-942-5p was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).The AUC of ser-um miR-186-5p and miR-942-5p in the diagnosis of glioma alone and in combination were 0.735,0.809 and 0.895,respectively.There were significant differences in the proportion of low miR-186-5p expression and high miR-942-5p expression in serum of patients with different preoperative Karnofsky performance status(KPS)scores,World Health Organization(WHO)grades and local infiltration(P<0.05).The 2-year surviv-al rate of patients with high expression of miR-186-5p was higher than that of patients with low expression of miR-186-5p(x2=6.455,P=0.011).The 2-year survival rate of patients with high miR-942-5p expression was lower than that of patients with low miR-942-5p expression(x2=9.858,P=0.002).miR-186-5p was a protective factor for mortality in glioma patients(P<0.05),while miR-942-5p was a risk factor(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum miR-186-5p expression level decreases and miR-942-5p expression level increases in glioma patients,both of which have certain diagnostic value for the occurrence of glioma.
8.Correlation between voice fatigue index and subjective and objective degrees of voice impairment
HaKyung KIM ; Xiaoxi KANG ; Wensheng ZHAO ; Xiaoyu WANG ; Bin YI ; Qingsu ZHANG
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2025;33(4):324-327
Objective To investigate the correlation between voice fatigue index(VFI)and the subjective and objective assessment results of voice impairment.Methods Fifty-one patients with voice disorders and 48 normal subjects were selected for VFI assessment and comparison of the differences in scores between the two groups.Sub-jective voice handicap index(VHI)and objective acoustic assessment were performed on the patients with voice dis-orders to analyze the correlation between VFI scores and the results of subjective and objective assessment of voice disorders.Results There was significant difference of the VFI scores between the voice disorder patients and the control group,with the total VFI score,part Ⅰ and part Ⅱ scores higher than those of control group,and the partⅢ score lower than those of the control group(P<0.05),and there was a strong correlation between the total and part VFI scores and the total and part VHI scores(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The VFI part Ⅰ and part Ⅱ scores were regatively correlated with the I-low(P<0.05),but there was not a significant correlation with the other acoustics parameters and the dysphonia severity index(DSI)(P>0.05).Conclusion Voice fatigue symptoms were more prominent in the voice-impaired population,and the VFI score was significantly correlated with the subjective voice disorder severity,but the correlation with the objective acoustic parameters was not significant.
9.Laryngeal diadochokinesis in children with functional articulation disorders
Tianyi HUANG ; Xiaoyu WANG ; Wensheng ZHAO ; Hakyung KIM ; Hengxin LIU
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2025;33(4):316-319
Objective To investigate the characteristics of laryngeal diadochokinesis(LDDK)in children with functional articulation disorder(FAD)using different corpus.Methods A total of 23 children with FAD and 21 typically developing(TD)children,aged 4-6,from Shanghai's general kindergartens were recruited.Five types of acoustic parameters were collected:average rate and jitter(%)of LDDK(/?a/,/ha/,/??/,/h?/),the diadochoki-nesis rate(/pataka/),the jitter and shimmer of the vowel/a/,maximum phonation time(MPT).Differences across different corpora of the LDDK were analyzed between the two groups.Results ① Between-group compari-son:the rate of/?a/was significantly lower in FAD children than in TD children(P<0.05).② Different corpora comparison:the LDDK speed of/?a/-/ha/was significantly different for both groups,/?a/-/??/was significantly different in TD children,and/ha/-/h?/was significantly different in FAD children.The LDDK jitter of/ha/-/h?/was significantly different among FAD children.Conclusion The LDDK of children with FAD is weaker than the TD children,and both groups exhibiting varying abilities across different corpora.
10.Characteristics of wh-question syntactic deficits in patients with Chinese non-fluent aphasia
Xiaoxi KANG ; Zongyun ZHANG ; Xiao LANG ; Wensheng ZHAO ; HaKyung KIM ; Yongli WANG ; Zhaoming HUANG
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2025;33(3):211-215
Objective To study the syntactic impairment characteristics of wh-question comprehension and expression in Chinese non-fluent aphasic patients.Methods The differences in comprehension and expression be-tween 25 non-fluent aphasic patients and 25 normal subjects were tested in the form of sentence-figure matching and elicitation-repetition to analyze syntactic impairment characteristics related to sentence patterns,question objects,and question words.Results The patients with non-fluent aphasia had impaired comprehension and expression of specific interrogative sentences,and the order of correct comprehension was:(active interrogative sentence,object pseudo-split interrogative sentence)>(subject pseudo-split interrogative sentence,passive interrogative sentence),and the order of correct expression was:active interrogative sentence>(pseudo-split interrogative sentence,pas-sive interrogative sentence).Conclusion The pattern of impaired comprehension and expression of wh-question was similar in patients with Chinese non-fluent aphasia.The main influences on syntactic structure included the object of questioning(subject-object)and the type of sentence.Obstacles were more pronounced in sentences with wh-move-ment and non-canonical order.

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