Geniposide， the primary active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Gardeniae Fructus， is a water-soluble iridoid glycoside. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that geniposide exhibits various biological activities， including hepatoprotective， anti-inflammatory， analgesic， neuroprotective， antidepressant effects， and inhibitory activity against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Recent research has revealed its promising potential in preventing and treating diseases such as atherosclerosis and osteoporosis， indicating broad application prospects. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of geniposide are primarily associated with the inhibition of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress， improvement of lipid metabolism， and regulation of apoptosis. However， due to its high water solubility and rapid metabolism in vivo， geniposide suffers from low oral bioavailability， which limits its therapeutic efficacy and clinical application. In recent years， various formulations， such as creams， cubic liquid crystals， hydrogels， and liposomes， have been developed to address its bioavailability issues. This article reviewed the latest research progress on the pharmacological activities and formulation development of geniposide by analyzing domestic and international literature from the past decade， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for further research， development， and utilization of geniposide and its formulations.

ObjectiveTo prepare triptolide-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract ethanol transfersomes（TP-CX@TESs）， conduct its quality evaluation， and investigate its in vitro anti-inflammatory efficacy and the underlying mechanisms. MethodsTP-CX@TESs was prepared via the ultrasonic injection method. With encapsulation efficiency and particle size as evaluation indicators， Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology（BBD-RSM） was employed to optimize the formulation process. The TP-CX@TESs prepared under the optimal process was characterized and evaluated for in vitro transdermal performance. A lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established. After 24 h of drug intervention， the levels of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide（NO）， interleukin-6（IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） in the cell supernatant were detected. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of Janus kinase 2（JAK2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3）， and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor（α7nAChR）， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of JAK2， STAT3， the encoding gene of α7nAChR（CHRNA7）， and nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）. ResultsResults of BBD-RSM showed that the optimal formulation for preparing TP-CX@TESs was as follows：egg yolk lecithin content of 2.3%， ethanol volume fraction of 30%， and ratio of polysorbate-80 to egg yolk lecithin of 2∶5. Microscopic characterization revealed that TP-CX@TESs exhibited a spherical-like structure with a particle size of （105.60±3.85） nm， a polydispersity index of 0.19±0.03， and a Zeta potential of （-15.89±0.98） mV. The encapsulation efficiencies of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide were （76.88±4.40）%， （78.84±4.40）%， and （65.88±0.06）%， respectively. Both in vitro release and transdermal penetration of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide in TP-CX@TESs all followed the first-order kinetic model， showing a certain sustained-release property. Experimental results in RAW264.7 cells indicated that TP-CX@TESs significantly inhibited the release of NO， TNF-α， and IL-6（P<0.01）， remarkably upregulated the protein expression levels of STAT3 and α7nAChR（P<0.01）， increased the mRNA expression level of CHRNA7， and significantly downregulated the mRNA expression level of NF-κB（P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe optimized formulation process of TP-CX@TESs is simple and feasible， along with favorable in vitro release property， good transdermal permeability， and excellent in vitro anti-inflammatory activity， the mechanism is related to the inhibition of NF-κB.

ObjectiveTo prepare triptolide-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract ethanol transfersomes（TP-CX@TESs）， conduct its quality evaluation， and investigate its in vitro anti-inflammatory efficacy and the underlying mechanisms. MethodsTP-CX@TESs was prepared via the ultrasonic injection method. With encapsulation efficiency and particle size as evaluation indicators， Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology（BBD-RSM） was employed to optimize the formulation process. The TP-CX@TESs prepared under the optimal process was characterized and evaluated for in vitro transdermal performance. A lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established. After 24 h of drug intervention， the levels of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide（NO）， interleukin-6（IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） in the cell supernatant were detected. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of Janus kinase 2（JAK2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3）， and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor（α7nAChR）， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of JAK2， STAT3， the encoding gene of α7nAChR（CHRNA7）， and nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）. ResultsResults of BBD-RSM showed that the optimal formulation for preparing TP-CX@TESs was as follows：egg yolk lecithin content of 2.3%， ethanol volume fraction of 30%， and ratio of polysorbate-80 to egg yolk lecithin of 2∶5. Microscopic characterization revealed that TP-CX@TESs exhibited a spherical-like structure with a particle size of （105.60±3.85） nm， a polydispersity index of 0.19±0.03， and a Zeta potential of （-15.89±0.98） mV. The encapsulation efficiencies of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide were （76.88±4.40）%， （78.84±4.40）%， and （65.88±0.06）%， respectively. Both in vitro release and transdermal penetration of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide in TP-CX@TESs all followed the first-order kinetic model， showing a certain sustained-release property. Experimental results in RAW264.7 cells indicated that TP-CX@TESs significantly inhibited the release of NO， TNF-α， and IL-6（P<0.01）， remarkably upregulated the protein expression levels of STAT3 and α7nAChR（P<0.01）， increased the mRNA expression level of CHRNA7， and significantly downregulated the mRNA expression level of NF-κB（P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe optimized formulation process of TP-CX@TESs is simple and feasible， along with favorable in vitro release property， good transdermal permeability， and excellent in vitro anti-inflammatory activity， the mechanism is related to the inhibition of NF-κB.

Objective:To evaluate the predictive value of an aMAP score for the occurrence risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) receiving antiviral therapy.Methods:The medical records of 508 CHB patients who started receiving antiviral treatment in the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University and the Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang from January 2001 to November 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups according to the aMAP, AASL-HCC, PAGE-B, mPAGE-B, and CAMD scoring criteria. At the end of follow-up, they were divided into HCC (33 cases) and non-HCC group (475 cases) according to whether HCC occurred. The occurrence risk factors for HCC were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The cumulative incidence of HCC at different time points was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank method. The HCC prediction performance of the aMAP score was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and compared with other scores. The Mann-Whitney U test, or Fisher test, was used to compare the non-normally distributed quantitative data between groups. The χ2 test was used to compare the count data between groups. Results:A total of 33 cases (6.5%) developed HCC during the median follow-up period of 8.7 (6.8-8.9) years. Multivariate analysis showed that age＞50 years ( HR=2.804, 95% CI 1.332-5.902; P=0.007) and liver cirrhosis ( HR=11.808, 95% CI 4.360-31.976; P<0.001) were independent risk factors for HCC occurrence. The cumulative incidence of HCC defined by the aMAP score at 3 and 5 years was significantly lower in the low-risk group (0, 0) than that in the intermediate-risk group (4.4%, 5.4%) and the high-risk group (10.8%, 18.5%), P<0.001. The aMAP score performed similarly to the AASL-HCC score, mPAGE-B score, and CAMD score [area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.863, 0.900, 0.851, and 0.886, respectively], with P＞0.05 in terms of the 3-year HCC prediction performance; and was equally superior with the PAGE-B score (AUC was 0.732), with P<0.05. The aMAP score was not worse than the AASL-HCC score and CAMD score (AUC was 0.890, 0.894, and 0.882, respectively), with P＞0.05 in terms of the 5-year HCC prediction performance; however, it was significantly superior to the PAGE-B score and mPAGE-B score (AUC was 0.795 and 0.875, respectively), with P<0.05. In addition, the AUC of the aMAP score for predicting HCC occurrence at baseline, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years of antiviral treatment was＞0.9. Conclusions:The aMAP score can accurately assess the risk of HCC in CHB patients receiving antiviral therapy.

Hypericum attenuatum Choisy.is dry whole grass of the genus Hypericum L.,is a kind of commonly used folk medicinal herbs more than 2400 years.And it is often used to treat heart disease,hemostasis,scald.Based on a review of domestic and international literature,the main chemical components of Hypericum attenuatum Choisy.include PPAPs,flavonoids,and volatile oil,of which PPAPs and xanthone have received the attention of a large number of scholars because of their complex and novel structures and unique pharmacological effects.Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Hypericum attenuatum Choisy.exerts various pharmacological activities,including anti-arrhythmia,reducing blood sugar,anti-tumor,anti-virus,anti-inflammation,as well as the treatment of depression.As a valuable folk medicine,there is relatively little related traditional Chinese medicine products,this review focus on its phytochemistry,and pharmacology,providing a comprehensive perspective and novel ideas for exploring its current and potential applications.

OBJECTIVE The non-volatile and volatile chemical components in Yin-Qiao-Qing-Re Tablets were analyzed sepa-rately using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS)and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry(GC-MS).METHODS The non-volatile components were analyzed using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.7 μm),with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1％formic acid aqueous solution(A)and acetonitrile(B)for gradient elution,a flow rate of 0.35 mL·min-1,an injection volume of 5 μL,and a column temperature of 30 ℃;the volatile components were analyzed using an Agilent SH-I-5MS column(5％Phenyl Methyl Silox,30 m×250 μm,0.25 μm);the procedure was temperature-programmed,with an injection volume of 1 μL,a split ratio of 10∶1,a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1,and an inlet temperature of 200 ℃.RESULTS A total of 134 non-volatile chemical components and 23 volatile components were analyzed and identified from Yin-Qiao-Qing-Re Tablets,among which 49 compounds were confirmed through comparison with reference stand-ards.The non-volatile components mainly include 27 flavonoids,21 organic acids,15 lignans,14 iridoids,12 phenylethanoid glyco-sides,11 saponins,10 alkaloids,5 terpenes,4 amino acids,3 phenylpropanoids,3 nucleosides,3 xanthones,3 phenolic glycosides,2 chromones and 1 carbohydrate.The volatile components mainly include 11 monoterpenes,5 alcohols and phenols,3 alkenes,2 ke-tones,1 ester,and 1 hydrocarbon.CONCLUSION This study rapidly identifies the chemical components of Yin-Qiao-Qing-Re Tablets,laying a preliminary foundation for research on the pharmacodynamic substances of Yin-Qiao-Qing-Re Tablets and the im-provement of quality control standards.

OBJECTIVE To optimize the molding process of Xiebai Granules(XG)using the Box-Behnken design-response surface method combined with the BP neural network method,and to evaluate the consistency of particle quality between different bat-ches by establishing physical fingerprint.METHODS Dry paste powder was used as the main drug,dry granulation was adopted,and the forming rate,dissolution rate,moisture absorption rate and angle of repose of the granules were used as evaluation indexes,the ex-cipients dextrin,maltodextrin and lactose of the particles,were screened by single factor test combined with simplex-lattice design and entropy weight method,and the optimal excipient ratio was selected.The entropy weight method combined with the Box-Behnken de-sign-response surface method and the BP neural network algorithm were used to optimize the process parameters,and the process veri-fication was carried out.The physical fingerprint was used to comprehensively characterize the bulk density(Da),hygroscopicity(H),moisture(HR),tap density(Dc),angle of repose(α),Hausner ratio(IH),relative uniformity index(Iθ),Carr index(IC),and in-terparticle pore number(Ie),and the consistency of particle quality in different batches was evaluated.RESULTS The optimal ratio of excipients was dextrin 15%,maltodextrin 48%,and lactose 37%.The optimal process parameters were conveying speed 95 r·min-1,pressure wheel speed 4 r·min-1 and hydraulic pressure 7 MPa.The similarity of the physical fingerprints of the five bat-ches of XG was greater than 0.98.CONCLUSION The optimized molding process of XG is stable and feasible,and the quality of different batches of XG is stable,which can provide a reference for the development and industrial scale-up production of XG.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.

Metastatic dissemination is the major cause of death from breast-cancer (BC). Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n) is widely enriched in BC and has recently been identified as one of the high-risk factors for promoting BC metastasis. Here, with an experimental model, we demonstrated that intratumoral F.n induced BC aggressiveness by transcriptionally activating Epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated genes. Therefore, the F.n may be a potential target to prevent metastasis. Given the fact that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in BC and located near blood vessels, we report an optogenetic system that drives CAF to in situ produce human antibacterial peptide LL37, with the characteristics of biosafety and freely intercellular trafficking, for depleting intratumoral F.n, leading to a 72.1% reduction in lung metastatic nodules number without affecting the balance of the systemic flora. Notably, mild photothermal treatment was found that could normalize CAF, contributing to synergistically inhibiting BC metastasis. In addition, the system can also simultaneously encode a gene of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand to suppress the primary tumor. Together, our study highlights the potential of local elimination of tumor pathogenic bacteria to prevent BC metastasis.

Objective To investigate the effect of large artery atherosclerosis(LAA)and non-LAA subtypes on the efficacy of Ginkgo Diterpene Lactone Meglumine(GDLM)in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods This was a post-hoc analysis of multicenter,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,and parallel-group trial.A total of 3 448 patients who had acute ischemic stroke were randomly assigned in a 1∶1 ratio to receive the injection of GDLM or the placebo once day within 48 h after symptoms and continued for 14 d.The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a modified Rankin Scale(mRS)of 0 or 1 on day 90 after randomization.Results A total of 3 448 patients were enrolled,with 1 604(46.52% )patients with non-LAA and 1 844(53.48% )with LAA.Compared to the placebo treatment.GDLM injection effectively improve the functional prognosis,with a higher proportion of mRS score of 0-1 in both non-LAA(OR=1.24,95% CI:1.02-1.51;P=0.03)and LAA(OR=1.37,95% CI:1.14-1.65;P<0.001)group.There was no significant interaction between LAA subtypes with treatment(P=0.48 for interaction).Conclusion Among patients with acute ischemic stroke in this randomized clinical trial,GDLM might improve the favorable clinical outcomes at 90 d compared with placebo,regardless of LAA subtypes.Nevertheless,it is necessary to confirm the findings in the future.