OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of total flavonoids from Carthamus tinctorius L. （TFCTL） on hepatic stellate cell （HSC） activation based on the microRNA （miRNA）-204/NUAK family SNF1-like kinase 1 （NUAK1）/Hippo signaling axis， thereby elucidating the potential mechanism underlying their antifibrotic effects. METHODS The HSC-T6 cells were divided into control group， model group， TFCTL low-concentration group （20 μg/mL）， TFCTL medium-concentration group （40 μg/mL）， and TFCTL high-concentration group （60 μg/mL）. Except for control group， the remaining groups were treated with 5 ng/mL of transforming growth factor-β to induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells， followed by the addition of corresponding drug solutions/culture medium and incubation for 24 hours. Cell apoptosis was assessed， the expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， type Ⅰ collagen （Collagen Ⅰ） and proteins associated with the Hippo/Yes-associated protein （YAP） pathway [YAP， large tumor suppressor kinase 1 （LATS1）， and mammalian STE20-like kinase 1 （MST1）] were detected. Additionally， cell transfection was used to investigate the activity of the miRNA-204/NUAK1/Hippo signaling axis at both the genetic and protein levels. RESULTS After intervention with TFCTL， the apoptosis rate of HSC-T6 cells and the protein expressions of MST1 （except for the TFCTL high-concentration group） and LATS1 were significantly increased （P＜0.05）， while the protein expressions of α-SMA， CollagenⅠ， and YAP （except for the TFCTL medium-concentration group） were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Further results from cell transfection experiments revealed that after transfection with miRNA-204 mimics， the mRNA it’s protein expressions of α-SMA， CollagenⅠ， NUAK1， and YAP in HSC-T6 cells were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）， while the mRNA and protein expressions of LATS1 and the mRNA expression of MST1 were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Conversely， the results were opposite following transfection with miRNA-204 inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS TFCTL can exert anti-hepatic fibrosis effects by up-regulating the expression of miRNA-204， thereby down- regulating the expressions of NUAK1， inactivating the Hippo/YAP pathway， which in turn suppresses the activation of HSC and promotes their apoptosis.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the material basis of the anti-inflammatory efficacy and mechanism of action of Bushen Tongdu prescription （BSTDP）. MethodsThe chemical components of BSTDP and its blood-absorbed components in vivo were systematically identified by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap-electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-LIT-Orbitrap-MS）. Network pharmacology was employed to screen blood-absorbed bioactive components and potential targets of this formula. A protein-protein interaction （PPI） network of core targets was constructed to conduct enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was further utilized to verify the binding affinity between key components and targets. The inflammatory model was established and verified in vivo by using a transgenic zebrafish Tg （mpx： GFP）. At three days post-fertilization （3 dpf）， larvae of zebrafish were randomly assigned to blank group， model group， positive drug dexamethasone acetate group （75 μmol·L^-1）， and BSTDP groups with low， medium， and high doses （500， 1 000， and 2 000 mg·L^-1）. The distribution and quantity of neutrophils in the yolk sac region were observed under a fluorescence microscope. The mRNA expression levels of key genes in the toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） signaling pathway and inflammatory factors including interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsA total of 120 chemical components were identified in BSTDP， among which 26 original components were confirmed by using serum pharmacochemical methods. A total of 227 common targets linking rheumatoid arthritis （RA） and the blood-absorbed components were screened by network pharmacology. It is suggested that pseudobrucine， vomicine， sinapine， rehmannioside， cinnamyl alcohol glycoside， and methylephedrine exert anti-inflammatory effects by acting on core targets including protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， TLR4， mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 （MAPK14）， and phosphatidylinositol-4，5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α （PIK3CA）， thereby modulating multiple signaling pathways such as TLR4 and NF-κB. In vivo verification in zebrafish demonstrates that the maximum tolerable concentration of Bushen Tongdu Formula is 2 000 mg·L^-1. Compared to those in the blank group， zebrafish in the model group showed a significantly higher number of neutrophils in the yolk sac region （P<0.01） and rising mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β （P<0.01）. Compared to that in the model group， the number of neutrophils was significantly reduced in BSTDP groups with medium and high doses， as well as the dexamethasone acetate group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no statistically significant difference in the low dose group. The mRNA expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThis paper identifies the material basis of the efficacy of BSTDP， demonstrating that the formula can exert an anti-inflammatory effect through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. The results provide scientific experimental evidence for its further clinical application.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the material basis of the anti-inflammatory efficacy and mechanism of action of Bushen Tongdu prescription （BSTDP）. MethodsThe chemical components of BSTDP and its blood-absorbed components in vivo were systematically identified by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap-electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-LIT-Orbitrap-MS）. Network pharmacology was employed to screen blood-absorbed bioactive components and potential targets of this formula. A protein-protein interaction （PPI） network of core targets was constructed to conduct enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was further utilized to verify the binding affinity between key components and targets. The inflammatory model was established and verified in vivo by using a transgenic zebrafish Tg （mpx： GFP）. At three days post-fertilization （3 dpf）， larvae of zebrafish were randomly assigned to blank group， model group， positive drug dexamethasone acetate group （75 μmol·L^-1）， and BSTDP groups with low， medium， and high doses （500， 1 000， and 2 000 mg·L^-1）. The distribution and quantity of neutrophils in the yolk sac region were observed under a fluorescence microscope. The mRNA expression levels of key genes in the toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） signaling pathway and inflammatory factors including interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsA total of 120 chemical components were identified in BSTDP， among which 26 original components were confirmed by using serum pharmacochemical methods. A total of 227 common targets linking rheumatoid arthritis （RA） and the blood-absorbed components were screened by network pharmacology. It is suggested that pseudobrucine， vomicine， sinapine， rehmannioside， cinnamyl alcohol glycoside， and methylephedrine exert anti-inflammatory effects by acting on core targets including protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， TLR4， mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 （MAPK14）， and phosphatidylinositol-4，5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α （PIK3CA）， thereby modulating multiple signaling pathways such as TLR4 and NF-κB. In vivo verification in zebrafish demonstrates that the maximum tolerable concentration of Bushen Tongdu Formula is 2 000 mg·L^-1. Compared to those in the blank group， zebrafish in the model group showed a significantly higher number of neutrophils in the yolk sac region （P<0.01） and rising mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β （P<0.01）. Compared to that in the model group， the number of neutrophils was significantly reduced in BSTDP groups with medium and high doses， as well as the dexamethasone acetate group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no statistically significant difference in the low dose group. The mRNA expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThis paper identifies the material basis of the efficacy of BSTDP， demonstrating that the formula can exert an anti-inflammatory effect through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. The results provide scientific experimental evidence for its further clinical application.

[Objective] To analyze the prognostic value of prostate cancer (PCa) pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) using gene expression databases and to explore the regulatory mechanism of nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 1 (NLRP1) in the pyroptosis of PCa cells. [Methods] Fragments per kilobase of exon model per million reads mapped (FPKM) data and clinical information from PCa and adjacent tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were obtained. Differentially expressed PRGs between PCa and adjacent tissues, classified subtypes and plotted survival curves were analyzed. Univariate Cox regression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were conducted to screen prognosis-related PRGs, risk scores were calculated, and a prognostic risk model was constructed and validated. Patients were divided into high and low risk groups based on the median risk scores from the training and validation sets, and gene ontology (GO) enrichment and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted on differentially expressed PRGs. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression level of NLRP1 in PCa cell lines, and pyroptosis was induced in DU145 and LNCaP cells while morphological changes were observed. Western blot (WB) was performed to detect the expression of pyroptosis-related molecules. [Results] A total of 6 prognostic-related PRGs were obtained, including CHMP4C, CYCS, GPX4, GSDMB, NLRP1, and PLCG1. The risk score was positively correlated with the risk of recurrence but negatively correlated with the progression-free survival (P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) for the training set at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.769 (95%CI: 0.652-0.878), 0.804 (95%CI: 0.736-0.882), and 0.772 (95%CI: 0.631-0.905), respectively, while those for the validation set were 0.731 (95%CI: 0.647-0.826), 0.753 (95%CI: 0.674-0.818), and 0.763 (95%CI: 0.626-0.849), respectively. Differences in expression levels of the 6 PRGs were observed between the high and low risk groups in both the training and validation sets (P<0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that T stage, prostate specific antigen (PSA), Gleason grade, and risk score were independent predictors of PCa prognosis (P<0.05). Differences in risk scores were observed among patients of different ages, T stages, and Gleason grades (P<0.05). NLRP1 was found to be lowly expressed in PCa cell lines and was involved in the regulation of pyroptosis in DU145 and LNCaP cells. [Conclusion] The prognostic risk model constructed based on PRGs has a certain predictability for the prognosis of PCa patients, and NLRP1 may be involved in the regulation of pyroptosis in PCa cells.

It has been not been updated for nearly 5 years since the Pharmacoepidemiology Professional Committee of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association released the Guide on Methodological Standards in Pharmacoepidemiology in China(1st edition)in 2019,and an update is urgently needed.This study adopts a systematic review approach to comprehensively search for global pharmacoepidemiology methodological guidelines and analyze their development status.By extracting the frameworks and key elements of the guidelines,the China's guide was compared with other included guidelines,its shortcomings were analysed,and pragmatic and feasible suggestions for improvement in line with China's national conditions,were proposed in order to provide references for updating China's guide.A systematic search was conducted by searching PubMed,Embase,CNKI,WanFang Data and 17 official websites of international academic organizations for pharmacoepidemiology and regulatory agencies from countries or regions including Europe,the United States,Japan,and China,etc.,and relevant guidelines or standards were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria,resulting in the inclusion of 33 methodological guidelines or standards for pharmacoepidemiological studies.A qualitative synthesis approach was then employed to extract core elements from the guidelines through thematic categorization and content summarization,followed by a descriptive comparative analysis.The results indicate that the 1st edition of the China's guide provides relatively comprehensive guidance on adverse drug reaction reporting and publication of research findings.However,there are gaps in study protocol development,data analysis during study implementation,study reporting,and specific study scenarios.By integrating and drawing upon the latest international pharmacoepidemiology methodology guidelines while balancing comprehensiveness,practicality,and user-friendliness,this study provides recommendations for updating the China's guide.

AIM:To elucidate the pharmacody-namic and network pharmacological mechanisms of total flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.,to ex-plore their key targets and related pathways,and to clarify their mechanism of action against hepatic fibrosis.METHODS:The total flavonoids of Cartha-mus tinctorius L.were determined by LC-MS/MS and analysed for their compositions;the active in-gredients were screened by TCMSP database,SWISS ADME database and literature search;the targets related to total flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.were screened by Swiss Target Predic-tion database;and the targets related to hepatic fi-brosis were screened by GeneCards database;the anti-hepatic fibrosis targets of total flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.were obtained by taking the intersection of Venny.2.1.0;the protein interac-tions were analysed by STRING database;the visu-alization analysis was carried out by Cytoscape soft-ware;the GO function and KEGG pathway analysis was carried out by Metascape platform;and molec-ular docking was verified by using AutoDock soft-ware for the core targets and active ingredients.The mechanism of anti-hepatic fibrosis of total fla-vonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.was verified by animal model and in vitro cell experiments.RE-SULTS:A total of 41 flavonoid components were identified in Carthamus tinctorius L.Through the network pharmacological analysis,149 anti-hepatic fibrosis targets of total flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.were obtained,including 23 core tar-gets.The GO enrichment analyses involved a total of three aspects,namely,biological process(BP),cellular component(CC),and molecular function(MF).KEGG enrichment results showed that PI3K/Akt and MAPK are pathways involved in the devel-opment of hepatic fibrosis.Molecular docking veri-fied that the active ingredients Quercetin,Acacetin and Glabridin were tightly bound to Akt1 and HI-FIA,respectively.In animal model experiments,it was observed by HE and Masson staining that fibro-plasia was reduced,collagen deposition was re-duced,inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced,and fibrotic liver tissues were improved in total fla-vonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.administration group.In isolated cell experiments:Western blot-ting results suggested that total flavonoids of Car-thamus tinctorius L.could decrease the hepatic fi-brosis marker factor α-SMA,Collagen1(P＜0.01)and PI3K,Akt protein expression(P＜0.01).CONCLU-SION:Total flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius L.ex-erted anti-hepatic fibrosis effects through multi-components,multi-targets and multi-pathways,and their mechanism of action may be achieved by regulating the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

Pharmacoepidemiology is an interdisciplinary discipline that applies epidemiological research methods to evaluate the application and effect of drugs within population.Standardizing pharmacoepidemiological research methods is crucial for ensuring the quality of research and promoting the development of the discipline.The Pharmacoepidemiology Professional Committee of Chinese Pharmaceutical Association developed the Guide on Methodological Standards in Pharmacoepidemiology(1st edition),in 2019,but has not been updated in over five years.Other,countries/regions such as Europe,America,Japan and South Korea have made a lot of progress in developing and updating the guidelines.Therefore,the rapid development of pharmacoepidemiology in our country and the growing need to align with international standards make it essential to update the guidelines.The second edition of the guidelines was developed through a process that included systematic reviews,practical surveys,and multidisciplinary collaboration.Compared with the first edition,the updated version has made many important changes in research design,data sources,specific application scenarios and more,and added new contents such as the application of artificial intelligence.The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the necessity of updating the guidelines,selecting important changes and formulating interpretation plans.It aims to provide references for relevant professionals to comprehensively understand and apply the new guidelines,and to promote the standardized development and quality of pharmacoepidemiologic research in our country,further advancing the field.

Pharmacoepidemiology is a scientific discipline that applies epidemiological principles and methods to study the utilization and effects of pharmaceuticals in populations.It plays a crucial role in promoting rational drug use and improving public health outcomes.High-quality pharmacoepidemiological research relies on rigorous methodological frameworks.Chinese Pharmaceutical Association(CPA)has officially initiated the development/revision of the of the Guide on Methodological Standards in Pharmacoepidemiology in China(2nd edition)in 2024.This revision project was supported by the Pharmacoepidemiology Committee of CPA,and was led by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Peking University School of Public Health,which provided methodological guidance,in collaboration with multidisciplinary experts from across the country.Building on the experience of the 1st edition's development,the working group conducted a qualitative systematic review,to extract key information from global pharmacoepidemiology-related guidelines,laying the foundation for the development/revision proposals of the 2nd edition.Subsequently,through two rounds of Delphi method expert consultations and qualitative interviews,alongside extensive discussions within the working group,the draft revision of the guideline was created.Finally,through an expert consensus meeting using the Nominal Group Technique(NGT),a consensus was reached,resulting in a methodological guideline that integrates international perspectives with local applicability for pharmacoepidemiological research in China.The 2nd edition consists of 41 entries,including 8 primary entries,20 secondary entries,and 13 tertiary entries.It comprehensively covers key aspects such as study protocol development,study implementation,adverse event reporting,research report writing,and dissemination of study findings.Additionally,it addresses specific application scenarios and topics,as well as the application of artificial intelligence and real-world studies.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula on cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease mice.Methods Transgenic negative mice were designated as the normal group,while APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were randomly divided into six groups(ni=6 per group):model group,low-dose Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula group,medium-dose group,high-dose group,and positive drug group.The Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula low-,medium-,high-dose groups correspondingly received intragastric administration of 0.75,1.5,and 3 g·kg-1·d-1,respectively.The positive drug group received 2 mg·kg-1·d-1 donepezil hydrochloride tablets,while the model and normal groups received equal volumes of saline.All groups were treated once daily for 8 weeks.Behavioral tests were conducted using the Morris water maze and Y-maze.Hippocampal β-amyloid(Aβ)1-42 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons were observed hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,and Nissl bodies were examined Nissl staining.Protein expression levels of Aβ transporter low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1(LRP-1)and endoplasmic reticulum stress marker glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78)were detected by Western Blot analysis.Results(1)Compared with the normal group,the model group showed significantly prolonged escape latency(P＜0.000 1),reduced platform crossings,decreased movement distance and time around the platform of Morris water maze test(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),significantly lower spontaneous alternation percentage in Y-maze test(P＜0.05),and significantly elevated hippocampal Aβ1-42 level(P＜0.000 1).Compared with the model group,all Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula dose groups and the positive drug group exhibited significantly shortened escape latency of Morris water maze test(P＜0.000 1).The high-dose Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula group and positive drug group showed significantly increased platform crossings,movement distance and time around the platform of Morris water maze test(P＜0.05),significantly higher spontaneous alternation percentage in Y-maze test(P＜0.05).All Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula dose groups and the positive drug group showed significantly reduced hippocampal Aβ1-42 level(P＜0.000 1).(2)Compared with the normal group,the model group exhibited disordered and deformed hippocampal neurons and Nissl bodies.Compared with the model group,all Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula groups and positive drug group showed improved neuronal and Nissl body organization,with the improvement degree positively correlated with dosage.(3)Compared with the normal group,the model group showed decreased LRP1 level and increased GRP78 level,but there were no statistically significant differences(P＞0.05).Compared with the model group,the high-dose Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula group and positive drug group showed increased LRP1 level,while all Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula dose groups and positive drug group exhibited decreased GRP78 level,but there were no statistically significant differences(P＞0.05).Conclusion Yuyin Qianyang Tongluo Formula significantly improves cognitive and memory function in model mice in a dose-dependent manner,potentially through reducing Aβ aggregation in the brain via endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.

As a new type of model organism， zebrafish is gradually gaining prominence in the field of scientific research. The unique biological characteristics and advantages of zebrafish make them play an increasingly important role in the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. Compared with other common experimental animals， zebrafish have a fast reproductive and growth speed and high embryo transparency， making them an ideal model for evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. This provides a new perspective and method for research on traditional Chinese medicine. With the growing global interest in traditional Chinese medicine， it has become crucial to find scientific and accurate methods to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine. The introduction of the zebrafish model has brought new breakthroughs in the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. To further promote the application of zebrafish in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine， this article systematically searched and sorted out the previous studies related to the application of zebrafish for this purpose since 2023. The commonly used disease models and indicators of zebrafish in evaluating the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine， as well as the mechanism of zebrafish in exploring the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine， were primarily reviewed. The application of zebrafish in evaluating the safety of traditional Chinese medicine and the typical examples in ensuring the quality of traditional Chinese medicine were demonstrated. The limitations encountered by zebrafish models in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine were highlighted. The resolution of these problems will help further improve the accuracy and reliability of zebrafish in evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. The article discussed the evaluation of effectiveness， safety， and quality control of zebrafish applied in traditional Chinese medicine， so as to provide a reference for establishing standards for traditional Chinese medicine and promoting its modernization in the future.