Metastasis in gastric cancer is a key factor contributing to poor prognosis. Its pathogenesis is complex， characterized by a combination of underlying deficiency and superficial excess， cold and heat in complexity， and stagnation in collateral Conventional aggressive treatment methods tend to exacerbate the depletion of healthy Qi and Zang-Fu organ dysfunctions. The harmonizing method in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） emphasizes holistic regulation and reinforcing healthy Qi while expelling pathogenic factors. The blood harmonizing method is grounded in the core TCM theory of blood vessel transmission and Zang-Fu organ accumulation of cancerous toxins. It closely addresses the essence of metastasis-where cancerous toxins spread through the bloodstream and accumulate in the collaterals-thereby providing a unique and feasible diagnostic and therapeutic approach for clinical intervention in gastric cancer metastasis. This paper systematically reviews relevant TCM theories such as transmission and Zang-Fu organ accumulation of cancerous toxins and accumulation-gathering and provides an in-depth explanation of the core pathogenesis of gastric cancer metastasis. Specifically， cancerous toxins circulate throughout the body via the blood vessels and accumulate in the collaterals of target organs such as the liver， peritoneum， lymph nodes， and lungs. The occurrence and development of this process are consistently centered on the key mechanism of disharmony in blood-related syndromes. On this basis， the paper explicitly proposes three major therapeutic approaches centered on harmonizing the blood. The first is harmonizing the blood to restore ascending and descending functions， thereby invigorating the spleen and regulating the middle energizer to restore the mediating function of the middle energizer and block the generation of phlegm and blood stasis at the root. The second is harmonizing the blood to balance cold and heat， using pungent herbs to open and bitter herbs to descend to harmonize the Yin-Yang balance and improve the homeostasis of the tumor microenvironment. The third is harmonizing the blood to unblock collaterals and resolve stasis， thereby gradually dissipating stasis and nodules， gently clearing obstructions in the collaterals， and breaking the critical link of collateral stagnation forming masses caused by metastasis. The article further summarizes modern pharmacological research findings on representative formulas such as Banxia Xiexintang， Weichang'an， Yangzheng Sanjie decoction， and Sijunzitang， confirming that they can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of gastric cancer cells， as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition， through multiple targets and pathways， to regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis， modulate the immune microenvironment， and induce tumor cell apoptosis and ferroptosis， thereby blocking the metastasis process at multiple levels. This paper discusses the theoretical basis， pathogenetic mechanisms， therapeutic systems， and modern mechanisms of the blood harmonizing method for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer metastasis. It fully embodies the TCM principles of targeting balance， reinforcing healthy Qi without aiding the pathogen， and eliminating the pathogen without harming the healthy Qi， providing a solid theoretical foundation and practical pharmacological references for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer metastasis with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo investigate the synergistic promotion of malignant phenotypes in gastric cancer cells by tumor-associated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （TA-BMSCs） and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells （PMN-MDSCs） through crosstalk， and the intervention mechanism of the intestinal absorption solution containing Banxia Xiexintang （BXT）. MethodsGastric cancer MFC cells were treated with conditioned medium （co-culture-CM） prepared from a co-culture system of TA-BMSCs and PMN-MDSCs. Groups included control， co-culture-CM model， stromal cell-derived factor 1 （SDF1） inhibitor （LY2510924）， α₄β₁ inhibitor （BIO5192）， dual inhibitor combination， and different concentrations （55%， 70%， 85%） of BXT-containing intestinal absorption solutions. MFC cell proliferation， migration， invasion， and apoptosis were assessed via cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay， wound-healing assay， Transwell assay， and flow cytometry. The SDF-1， α₄β₁， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） levels in culture supernatants， along with the protein levels of intracellular macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF）， chemokine （C-X-C motif） receptor 4 （CXCR4）， CD106， MMP-9， and VEGFA in MFC cells， were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot， respectively. ResultsCompared with the control group， co-culture-CM promoted the proliferation， migration， and invasion of MFC cells （P<0.01）， elevated the levels of SDF-1， α₄β₁， MMP-9， and VEGFA （P<0.01）， and upregulated the protein levels of MIF （P<0.05）， MMP-9 （P<0.01）， and VEGFA （P<0.01）. Compared with co-culture-CM， BXT-containing intestinal absorption solutions at various concentrations significantly reversed the phenotypic effects on cells， inhibited malignant phenotypes， lowered the levels of MMP-9 and SDF1， and reduced the expression of proteins in the crosstalk axis. Compared with the SDF1+α₄β₁ inhibitor group， the SDF1 inhibitor group and the α₄β₁ inhibitor group showed no differences in the inhibition of proliferation， scratch healing， and cytokine levels. The SDF1 inhibitor increased the apoptosis rate and downregulated the protein levels of MIF and CD106， while the α₄β₁ inhibitor increased the number of migrated cells and the expression of various proteins. Compared with the SDF1 inhibitor group， the α₄β₁ inhibitor group showed reduced inhibitory effect on proliferation， decreased apoptosis rate， increased number of invasive cells， decreased α₄β₁ content， and increased expression of various proteins （P<0.01）. The 55%， 70%， and 85% intestinal absorption solutions increased the inhibitory effect on proliferation， decreased the number of invasive cells， and increased the apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. The 55% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution group showed increased wound healing rate and upregulated protein levels of VEGFA， CD106， and MMP-9 （P<0.05）. The 70% intestinal absorption solution group showed upregulated protein level of MIF （P<0.05）， and the 85% intestinal absorption solution group showed upregulated protein level of VEGFA （P<0.01） and downregulated the protein level of CXCR4 （P<0.01）. ConclusionTA-BMSCs and PMN-MDSCs synergistically activate the MIF/SDF-1/CXCR4 and MMP-9/α₄β₁/CD106 axes through crosstalk， significantly enhancing gastric cancer cell invasion and migration. BXT-containing intestinal absorption fluid effectively inhibits the malignant progression of gastric cancer cells by multi-targeted intervention in this crosstalk process.

ObjectiveTo explore whether the intestinal absorption solution containing Banxia Xiexintang （BXT） can inhibit the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells by interfering with the stromal cell-derived factor 1 （SDF1）-CXC chemokine receptor 4 （CXCR4） axis in tumor-associated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （TA-BMSCs）. MethodsThe intestinal absorption solution containing BXT was prepared， and the optimal intervention concentration and duration for MFC cells were determined through the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. A co-culture system was established comprising TA-BMSCs conditioned medium （TA-BMSCs-CM） and gastric cancer MFC cells. The experiment was conducted with a blank control group， a TA-BMSCs-CM group， an SDF1 inhibitor （LY2510924） group， and intervention groups with varying concentrations （55%， 70%， 85%） of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT. Cell proliferation was assessed by the CCK-8 assay. Horizontal and vertical cell migration were evaluated via scratch and Transwell assays， respectively. Cell invasion was examined by a Transwell assay with Matrigel. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The levels of factors such as SDF1， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， as well as the protein levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF）， CXCR4， VEGFA， and MMP-9， were quantified by ELISA and Western blot， respectively. ResultsThe CCK-8 assay results indicated that compared with the 24 h intervention， the 48 h interventions with all concentrations of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT increased the inhibition rate on MFC cells （P<0.01）. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT at the time point of 48 h was 68.51%， and subsequent intervention concentrations were selected as 55%， 70%， and 85%. Compared with the TA-BMSCs-CM group， the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT （particularly at concentrations of 70% 85%） suppressed the proliferation， migration， and invasion of MFC cells， promoted the cell apoptosis （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased the levels of SDF1， MMP-9， and VEGFA， and downregulated the protein levels of MIF， CXCR4， VEGFA， and MMP-9 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The inhibitory effects of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT were comparable to or superior to those of the SDF1 inhibitor （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe intestinal absorption solution containing BXT can inhibit the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells by interfering with the SDF1-CXCR4 axis in TA-BMSCs. The underlying mechanism may involve the regulation of the MIF/SDF1/CXCR4 signaling pathway and its downstream effector molecules.

Metastasis in gastric cancer is a key factor contributing to poor prognosis. Its pathogenesis is complex， characterized by a combination of underlying deficiency and superficial excess， cold and heat in complexity， and stagnation in collateral Conventional aggressive treatment methods tend to exacerbate the depletion of healthy Qi and Zang-Fu organ dysfunctions. The harmonizing method in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） emphasizes holistic regulation and reinforcing healthy Qi while expelling pathogenic factors. The blood harmonizing method is grounded in the core TCM theory of blood vessel transmission and Zang-Fu organ accumulation of cancerous toxins. It closely addresses the essence of metastasis-where cancerous toxins spread through the bloodstream and accumulate in the collaterals-thereby providing a unique and feasible diagnostic and therapeutic approach for clinical intervention in gastric cancer metastasis. This paper systematically reviews relevant TCM theories such as transmission and Zang-Fu organ accumulation of cancerous toxins and accumulation-gathering and provides an in-depth explanation of the core pathogenesis of gastric cancer metastasis. Specifically， cancerous toxins circulate throughout the body via the blood vessels and accumulate in the collaterals of target organs such as the liver， peritoneum， lymph nodes， and lungs. The occurrence and development of this process are consistently centered on the key mechanism of disharmony in blood-related syndromes. On this basis， the paper explicitly proposes three major therapeutic approaches centered on harmonizing the blood. The first is harmonizing the blood to restore ascending and descending functions， thereby invigorating the spleen and regulating the middle energizer to restore the mediating function of the middle energizer and block the generation of phlegm and blood stasis at the root. The second is harmonizing the blood to balance cold and heat， using pungent herbs to open and bitter herbs to descend to harmonize the Yin-Yang balance and improve the homeostasis of the tumor microenvironment. The third is harmonizing the blood to unblock collaterals and resolve stasis， thereby gradually dissipating stasis and nodules， gently clearing obstructions in the collaterals， and breaking the critical link of collateral stagnation forming masses caused by metastasis. The article further summarizes modern pharmacological research findings on representative formulas such as Banxia Xiexintang， Weichang'an， Yangzheng Sanjie decoction， and Sijunzitang， confirming that they can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， and metastasis of gastric cancer cells， as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition， through multiple targets and pathways， to regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis， modulate the immune microenvironment， and induce tumor cell apoptosis and ferroptosis， thereby blocking the metastasis process at multiple levels. This paper discusses the theoretical basis， pathogenetic mechanisms， therapeutic systems， and modern mechanisms of the blood harmonizing method for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer metastasis. It fully embodies the TCM principles of targeting balance， reinforcing healthy Qi without aiding the pathogen， and eliminating the pathogen without harming the healthy Qi， providing a solid theoretical foundation and practical pharmacological references for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer metastasis with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo investigate the synergistic promotion of malignant phenotypes in gastric cancer cells by tumor-associated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （TA-BMSCs） and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells （PMN-MDSCs） through crosstalk， and the intervention mechanism of the intestinal absorption solution containing Banxia Xiexintang （BXT）. MethodsGastric cancer MFC cells were treated with conditioned medium （co-culture-CM） prepared from a co-culture system of TA-BMSCs and PMN-MDSCs. Groups included control， co-culture-CM model， stromal cell-derived factor 1 （SDF1） inhibitor （LY2510924）， α₄β₁ inhibitor （BIO5192）， dual inhibitor combination， and different concentrations （55%， 70%， 85%） of BXT-containing intestinal absorption solutions. MFC cell proliferation， migration， invasion， and apoptosis were assessed via cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay， wound-healing assay， Transwell assay， and flow cytometry. The SDF-1， α₄β₁， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） levels in culture supernatants， along with the protein levels of intracellular macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF）， chemokine （C-X-C motif） receptor 4 （CXCR4）， CD106， MMP-9， and VEGFA in MFC cells， were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot， respectively. ResultsCompared with the control group， co-culture-CM promoted the proliferation， migration， and invasion of MFC cells （P<0.01）， elevated the levels of SDF-1， α₄β₁， MMP-9， and VEGFA （P<0.01）， and upregulated the protein levels of MIF （P<0.05）， MMP-9 （P<0.01）， and VEGFA （P<0.01）. Compared with co-culture-CM， BXT-containing intestinal absorption solutions at various concentrations significantly reversed the phenotypic effects on cells， inhibited malignant phenotypes， lowered the levels of MMP-9 and SDF1， and reduced the expression of proteins in the crosstalk axis. Compared with the SDF1+α₄β₁ inhibitor group， the SDF1 inhibitor group and the α₄β₁ inhibitor group showed no differences in the inhibition of proliferation， scratch healing， and cytokine levels. The SDF1 inhibitor increased the apoptosis rate and downregulated the protein levels of MIF and CD106， while the α₄β₁ inhibitor increased the number of migrated cells and the expression of various proteins. Compared with the SDF1 inhibitor group， the α₄β₁ inhibitor group showed reduced inhibitory effect on proliferation， decreased apoptosis rate， increased number of invasive cells， decreased α₄β₁ content， and increased expression of various proteins （P<0.01）. The 55%， 70%， and 85% intestinal absorption solutions increased the inhibitory effect on proliferation， decreased the number of invasive cells， and increased the apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. The 55% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution group showed increased wound healing rate and upregulated protein levels of VEGFA， CD106， and MMP-9 （P<0.05）. The 70% intestinal absorption solution group showed upregulated protein level of MIF （P<0.05）， and the 85% intestinal absorption solution group showed upregulated protein level of VEGFA （P<0.01） and downregulated the protein level of CXCR4 （P<0.01）. ConclusionTA-BMSCs and PMN-MDSCs synergistically activate the MIF/SDF-1/CXCR4 and MMP-9/α₄β₁/CD106 axes through crosstalk， significantly enhancing gastric cancer cell invasion and migration. BXT-containing intestinal absorption fluid effectively inhibits the malignant progression of gastric cancer cells by multi-targeted intervention in this crosstalk process.

ObjectiveTo explore whether the intestinal absorption solution containing Banxia Xiexintang （BXT） can inhibit the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells by interfering with the stromal cell-derived factor 1 （SDF1）-CXC chemokine receptor 4 （CXCR4） axis in tumor-associated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （TA-BMSCs）. MethodsThe intestinal absorption solution containing BXT was prepared， and the optimal intervention concentration and duration for MFC cells were determined through the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. A co-culture system was established comprising TA-BMSCs conditioned medium （TA-BMSCs-CM） and gastric cancer MFC cells. The experiment was conducted with a blank control group， a TA-BMSCs-CM group， an SDF1 inhibitor （LY2510924） group， and intervention groups with varying concentrations （55%， 70%， 85%） of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT. Cell proliferation was assessed by the CCK-8 assay. Horizontal and vertical cell migration were evaluated via scratch and Transwell assays， respectively. Cell invasion was examined by a Transwell assay with Matrigel. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The levels of factors such as SDF1， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， as well as the protein levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF）， CXCR4， VEGFA， and MMP-9， were quantified by ELISA and Western blot， respectively. ResultsThe CCK-8 assay results indicated that compared with the 24 h intervention， the 48 h interventions with all concentrations of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT increased the inhibition rate on MFC cells （P<0.01）. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT at the time point of 48 h was 68.51%， and subsequent intervention concentrations were selected as 55%， 70%， and 85%. Compared with the TA-BMSCs-CM group， the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT （particularly at concentrations of 70% 85%） suppressed the proliferation， migration， and invasion of MFC cells， promoted the cell apoptosis （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased the levels of SDF1， MMP-9， and VEGFA， and downregulated the protein levels of MIF， CXCR4， VEGFA， and MMP-9 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The inhibitory effects of the intestinal absorption solution containing BXT were comparable to or superior to those of the SDF1 inhibitor （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe intestinal absorption solution containing BXT can inhibit the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells by interfering with the SDF1-CXCR4 axis in TA-BMSCs. The underlying mechanism may involve the regulation of the MIF/SDF1/CXCR4 signaling pathway and its downstream effector molecules.

Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a common malignancy of the digestive system,with increasing morbidity and mortality worldwide.The standard treatment for CRC has,in the past,been surgery,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy.However,these treatments have significant side effects and are particularly challenging for patients with advanced metastatic CRC(mCRC).Therefore,it is crucial to explore alternative and more effective treatments.In recent years,with the development of molecular technology,numerous biomarkers have been identified,and targeted therapy and immunotherapy have achieved surprisingly positive results in the treatment of mCRC.Patients receiving targeted ther-apy and immunotherapy have an improved prognosis and quality of life.On this basis,this article reviews the latest research progress in tar-geted therapy and immunotherapy for mCRC,providing a reference for precision treatment of mCRC.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) on gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with constipation. METHODS: A total of 80 PD patients with constipation were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. Additionally, 40 healthy individuals were recruited as a healthy control group. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment for PD combined with polyethylene glycol (PEG), once daily for eight weeks. The observation group received additional ACE treatment at bilateral Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), and Shangjuxu (ST37), once every two weeks for eight weeks. The healthy control group received no intervention. The spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) per week and patient assessment of constipation quality of life (PAC-QOL) scores were assessed at baseline and after treatment in the two groups. Fecal samples were collected at the end of treatment for the observation and the control groups and at baseline for the healthy control group. Gut microbiota composition and diversity were analyzed using 16S rRNA method, and SCFA levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the observation group showed a significant increase in SBMs (P<0.01), and PAC-QOL scores including physical discomfort, psychosocial discomfort, worry and concern, and total score were significantly reduced (P<0.01) after treatment; the control group also showed a reduction in PAC-QOL total score after treatment (P<0.01). After treatment, the observation group had significantly more SBMs (P<0.01), and lower PAC-QOL physical discomfort, psychosocial discomfort, worry and concern scores, and total score (P<0.01), and higher PAC-QOL satisfaction score (P<0.01) than the control group. Compared with the healthy control group, the control group showed decreased Chao1 and Ace indices (P<0.01). Compared with the healthy control group, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Roseburia was increased (P<0.05), while that of Enterobacter and Ruminococcus torques (six species in total) was decreased (P<0.05) in the control group. Compared with the control group, the observation group had increased relative abundance of Dialister, Parabacteroides, and Ruminococcus torques (P<0.05), and decreased relative abundance of Prevotella and Eubacterium ruminantium (P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the control group had increased fecal SCFA levels (P<0.05); compared with the control group, the observation group had reduced fecal SCFA levels (P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid levels were elevated in the control group (P<0.05); compared with the control group, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid levels were decreased in the observation group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION ACE could increase spontaneous bowel movements and improve the quality of life in PD patients with constipation, which may be related to the regulation of gut microbiota composition and SCFA levels.
Humans ; Constipation/metabolism* ; Male ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease/complications* ; Aged ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Catgut ; Feces/microbiology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Quality of Life ; Adult

Combined with elastic network model (ENM), the perturbation response scanning (PRS) has emerged as a robust technique for pinpointing allosteric interactions within proteins. Here, we proposed the PRS analysis of drug-target networks (DTNs), which could provide a promising avenue in network medicine. We demonstrated the utility of the method by introducing a deep learning and network perturbation-based framework, for drug repurposing of multiple sclerosis (MS). First, the MS comorbidity network was constructed by performing a random walk with restart algorithm based on shared genes between MS and other diseases as seed nodes. Then, based on topological analysis and functional annotation, the neurotransmission module was identified as the "therapeutic module" of MS. Further, perturbation scores of drugs on the module were calculated by constructing the DTN and introducing the PRS analysis, giving a list of repurposable drugs for MS. Mechanism of action analysis both at pathway and structural levels screened dihydroergocristine as a candidate drug of MS by targeting a serotonin receptor of serotonin 2B receptor (HTR2B). Finally, we established a cuprizone-induced chronic mouse model to evaluate the alteration of HTR2B in mouse brain regions and observed that HTR2B was significantly reduced in the cuprizone-induced mouse cortex. These findings proved that the network perturbation modeling is a promising avenue for drug repurposing of MS. As a useful systematic method, our approach can also be used to discover the new molecular mechanism and provide effective candidate drugs for other complex diseases.

The focus of green analytical chemistry (GAC) is to minimize the negative impacts of analytical procedures on human safety, human health, and the environment. Several factors, such as the reagents used, sample collection, sample processing, instruments, energy consumed, and the quantities of hazardous materials and waste generated during analytical procedures, need to be considered in the evaluation of the greenness of analytical assays. In this study, we propose a greenness evaluation metric for analytical methods (GEMAM). The new greenness metric is simple, flexible, and comprehensive. The evaluation criteria are based on both the 12 principles of GAC (SIGNIFICANCE) and the 10 factors of sample preparation, and the results are presented on a 0-10 scale. The GEMAM calculation process is easy to perform, and its results are easy to interpret. The output of GEMAM is a pictogram that can provide both qualitative and quantitative information based on color and number.