1.A Systematic Strategy for Discovering First-in-class Anti-fibrotic Drugs from Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wen HUANG ; Guang XIN ; Sanyin ZHANG ; Tao WANG ; Wei CHEN ; Zeliang WEI ; Qilong ZHOU ; Ke LI ; Dan SUN ; Kui YU ; Shilin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):296-307
Pulmonary fibrosis(PF) is a progressive and life-threatening disease with limited therapeutic options, highlighting the urgent need for innovative drug discovery strategies. To address this challenge, the authors propose the formula-originated rational intelligent screening&translation(FIRST), a systematic framework for developing anti-fibrotic monomers derived from classical traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The strategy integrates three key dimensions, including tissue-oriented intelligent screening of active compounds, structural optimization based on drug-target spatial interactions and plant biosynthetic pathways, and cross-scale validation of drug. We further highlight its applications in discovering tissue-oriented novel drugs from clinically validated TCM, the development and mechanistic elucidation of anti-fibrotic therapeutics, as well as the clinical translation and secondary development of candidate drugs. This strategy paves the way for first-in-class, formula-derived monomeric drugs with defined structures, clarified mechanisms, and proven safety, offering a transformative avenue to meet the urgent therapeutic needs of PF and setting a new paradigm for TCM-based drug innovation.
2.A Systematic Strategy for Discovering First-in-class Anti-fibrotic Drugs from Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wen HUANG ; Guang XIN ; Sanyin ZHANG ; Tao WANG ; Wei CHEN ; Zeliang WEI ; Qilong ZHOU ; Ke LI ; Dan SUN ; Kui YU ; Shilin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):296-307
Pulmonary fibrosis(PF) is a progressive and life-threatening disease with limited therapeutic options, highlighting the urgent need for innovative drug discovery strategies. To address this challenge, the authors propose the formula-originated rational intelligent screening&translation(FIRST), a systematic framework for developing anti-fibrotic monomers derived from classical traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The strategy integrates three key dimensions, including tissue-oriented intelligent screening of active compounds, structural optimization based on drug-target spatial interactions and plant biosynthetic pathways, and cross-scale validation of drug. We further highlight its applications in discovering tissue-oriented novel drugs from clinically validated TCM, the development and mechanistic elucidation of anti-fibrotic therapeutics, as well as the clinical translation and secondary development of candidate drugs. This strategy paves the way for first-in-class, formula-derived monomeric drugs with defined structures, clarified mechanisms, and proven safety, offering a transformative avenue to meet the urgent therapeutic needs of PF and setting a new paradigm for TCM-based drug innovation.
3.Preclinical anti-apoptotic properties of salidroside for hypoxic-ischemic cerebral damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis
WANG Xiaobo ; ZHANG Yating ; HOU Ya ; JIANG Hong ; ZHANG Yi ; ZHANG Sanyin ; MENG Xianli
Digital Chinese Medicine 2023;6(2):121-135
【Objective】 As the main active ingredient of Tibetan medicine Hongjingtian (Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma), salidroside (Sal) has a good anti-apoptotic potential. Currently, there are some conflicting results on the anti-apoptotic mechanisms of Sal. Here we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide the preclinical evidence of its anti-apoptotic properties in preventing and treating hypoxic-ischemic cerebral damage(HICD).
【Methods】 The literature on the anti-apoptotic potential of Sal in the treatment of HICD from
January 1, 1980 to November 9, 2021 was searched online using Chinese databases including
Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database, and English databases including PubMed and Web of Science. The quality of the included articles was evaluated by the Cochrane Collaboration network bias risk assessment criteria, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.
【Results】 A total of 40 articles were finally included. Among the 40 articles, 30 were about in vivo animal experiments and 17 about in vitro cell experiments, and 7 of them included both animal and cell experiments. After analysis, it was found that Sal had significant effects on disease-related indicators of HICD (P < 0.05), such as cerebral infarctsize and brain water content. As to in vivo studies, Sal mainly affects the expressions of apoptotic factors through antiinflammation, anti-oxidation, activation of complement pathway, and regulation of signal transduction and autophagy, thus exerting anti-apoptotic potential in treating HICD. While for in vitro studies, Sal plays the anti-apoptotic role in HICD models mainly through anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, reduction of Ca2+ overload, regulation of mitochondrial function, signal transduction, and C3 complement.
【Conclusion】 Sal can take anti-apoptotic effects to prevent and treat HICD through mechanisms such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, enhanced autophagy, complement and signal transduction, regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduction of Ca2 +
overload.
4.Emerging biotechnology applications in natural product and synthetic pharmaceutical analyses.
Shilin CHEN ; Zheng LI ; Sanyin ZHANG ; Yuxin ZHOU ; Xiaohe XIAO ; Pengdi CUI ; Binjie XU ; Qinghe ZHAO ; Shasha KONG ; Yuntao DAI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2022;12(11):4075-4097
Pharmaceutical analysis is a discipline based on chemical, physical, biological, and information technologies. At present, biotechnological analysis is a short branch in pharmaceutical analysis; however, bioanalysis is the basis and an important part of medicine. Biotechnological approaches can provide information on biological activity and even clinical efficacy and safety, which are important characteristics of drug quality. Because of their advantages in reflecting the overall biological effects or functions of drugs and providing visual and intuitive results, some biotechnological analysis methods have been gradually applied to pharmaceutical analysis from raw material to manufacturing and final product analysis, including DNA super-barcoding, DNA-based rapid detection, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, hyperspectral imaging combined with artificial intelligence, 3D biologically printed organoids, omics-based artificial intelligence, microfluidic chips, organ-on-a-chip, signal transduction pathway-related reporter gene assays, and the zebrafish thrombosis model. The applications of these emerging biotechniques in pharmaceutical analysis have been discussed in this review.

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