ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Bupi Qingfei prescription （BPQF） in treating stable bronchiectasis in the patients with syndromes of lung-spleen Qi deficiency and phlegm-heat accumulation in the lungs. MethodsA randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients were randomized into BPQF and placebo control （PC） groups. On the basis of conventional Western medicine treatment， the BPQF granules and placebo were respectively administered at 10 g each time， twice a day， for a course of 24 weeks. The TCM symptom scores， Quality of Life Questionnaire for Bronchiectasis （QOL-B） scores， lung function indicators， T lymphocyte subsets， level of inflammatory factors in the sputum， level of neutrophil elastase （NE） in the sputum， and occurrence of adverse reactions were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. ResultsA total of 64 patients completed the study， encompassing 32 in the BPQF group and 32 in the PC group. After treatment， the BPQF group showed decreased TCM symptom scores （P<0.01）， increased QOL-B scores （P<0.01）， and declined levels of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α and NE （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The PC group showed decreased TCM symptom （except spleen deficiency） scores （P<0.01）， increased the QOL-B health cognition and respiratory symptom domain scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and a declined TNF-α level （P<0.01）. Moreover， the BPQF group had lower TCM symptom （except chest tightness） scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， higher QOL-B （except treatment burden） scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower levels of interleukin-6 and TNF-α （P<0.05） than the PC group. Neither group showed serious adverse reactions during the treatment process. ConclusionBPQF can ameliorate the clinical symptoms of stable bronchiectasis patients who have lung-spleen Qi deficiency or phlegm-heat accumulation in the lungs by regulating the immune balance and inhibiting airway inflammatory responses.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical effectiveness of triptorelin combined with Biejiajian pill in the treatment of adenomyosis （AM）. METHODS Totally 186 patients with AM admitted to Nanyang First People’s Hospital from January 2022 to October 2024 were selected as subjects and randomized into control group （n＝93） and observation group （n＝93） using the random number table method. Patients in the control group received subcutaneous injections of triptorelin acetate around the umbilicus. In addition to the treatment of control group， patients in the observation group orally administered Biejiajian pill. Both groups underwent treatment for 12 weeks and were followed up for 6 months post-treatment. The clinical efficacy， recurrence and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms， endometrial receptivity indicators （endometrial thickness， uterine volume， endometrial resistance index and vascular index）， laboratory indexes （serum luteinizing hormone， follicle stimulating hormone， estradiol， carbohydrate antigen 125， insulin-like growth factor-1， and matrix metalloproteinase 9） were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS A total of 164 patients completed the treatment and follow-up， among whom 80 cases were in control group and 84 cases in the observation group. The overall effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group， while the incidence of low estrogen levels and recurrence rate were significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group （P＜0.05）. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of nausea or abnormal liver and kidney function between the two groups （P＞0.05）. After treatment， the pain Visual Analogue Scale scores， Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart， TCM symptoms scores， endometrial thickness， uterine volume， endometrial resistance index， and laboratory indicators in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment within the same group （P＜0.05）. Moreover， these values were significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group （except for follicle stimulating hormone） （P＜0.05）. The endometrial vascular index of the two groups was significantly higher than that in the same group before treatment， and the observation group was significantly higher than the control group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Triptorelin combined with Biejiajian pill has a definite therapeutic effect on AM， which can effectively improve the degree of dysmenorrhea and menstrual flow， improve endometrial receptivity， lower the recurrence rate in patients， and demonstrate good safety.

ObjectiveIn order to provide a reference for the optimization of preparation process of stir-fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma（sf-GRR）， the quality changes during the processing was studied. MethodsGlycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma was processed by stir-frying for 17 min， and samples were collected every 1 min during the processing. The appearance color of the samples was determined by visual analysis technology， the moisture and extract of the process samples were detected by the drying method and the hot extraction method of alcohol-soluble extract in the general rules of the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia（part Ⅳ）， and the contents of liquiritin apioside， liquiritin， isoliquiritin apioside， isoliquiritin， licoricesaponin G₂ and glycyrrhizic acid in the process samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC）. Then principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and Spearman correlation analysis were used for clustering， discrimination and correlation analysis of the appearance color， moisture， extract and the contents of six internal components. Based on artificial neural network and random forest algorithm， the prediction model of processing degree of sf-GRR was established. On this basis， based on the five principles of quality marker（Q-Maker）， explore the monitoring Q-Maker of sf-GRR. ResultsThe color of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma deepened after stir-frying， and the appearance color of the sample changed from light yellow to dark yellow during processing. During the stir-frying process， the moisture content showed a decreasing trend with the extension of processing time， while the extract content showed an increasing trend with the extension of processing time. After stir-frying， the contents of liquiritin apioside， liquiritin and licoricesaponin G₂ showed an overall decreasing trend， while the contents of isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin increased， and the content of glycyrrhizic acid increased slightly. The correlation analysis showed that moisture was positively correlated with brightness（L^*） and red/green value（a^*）， and negatively correlated with yellow/blue value（b^*） and total color difference（E^*ab）. Isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin had negative correlation with L^* and a^*， and positive correlation with b^* and E^*ab. The processing process of sf-GRR could be divided into two stages of the early stage（0-14 min） and the late stage（15-17 min）， and could be divided into three stages of the early stage（0-6 min）， the middle stage（7-14 min） and the late stage（15-17 min） by combining the moisture， extract， the contents of 6 components and color values. Based on artificial neural network analysis and random forest algorithm， isoliquiritin apioside， isoliquiritin， liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were selected as monitoring markers for sf-GRR. ConclusionBased on the analysis of the exterior-interior indicators of process samples of sf-GRR， this paper ultimately identifies four processing monitoring markers， which can provide a basis for optimizing the processing technology of sf-GRR.

OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy， safety and recurrence of Kuntai capsules combined with Estradiol tablets/Estradiol dydrogesterone tablets in the treatment of diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） as well as their effects on ovarian reserve function， sex hormones， and lymphocyte subsets. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 165 DOR patients in Nanyang First People’s Hospital. Among them， 80 patients who received Estradiol tablets/Estradiol dydrogesterone tablets （take one tablet per day according to the medication sequence on the instruction） were included in the control group， while 85 patients who additionally took Kuntai capsules （2.0 g per dose， three times daily） were included in the observation group. The treatment duration for both groups was three months. Clinical efficacy， the incidence of adverse drug reaction （ADR）， recurrence rate， and changes in Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， ovarian reserve function indicators [anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）， inhibin B （INHB）， antral follicle count （AFC）， endometrial thickness， and ovarian volume]， sex hormones [follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， and estradiol （E2）]， and T lymphocyte subsets （CD3 +， CD4 +， CD8 +， and CD4 +/CD8 +） were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS The cure and significant improvement rate in the observation group was significantly higher than in the control group （82.35% vs. 65.00%， P＜0.05）. Compared to baseline levels， both groups showed significant reductions in TCM syndrome scores， FSH， LH， CD3+ and CD8+ levels after treatment， while AMH， INHB， E2， CD4 +， CD4 +/CD8 +， AFC， endometrial thickness， and ovarian volume significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The degree of improvement in these indicators was significantly greater in the observation group than in the control group （P＜0.05）. There was no significant difference in the total incidence of ADR between the two groups（P＞ 0.05）. However， the recurrence rate within six months post-treatment was significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group （5.88% vs. 21.25%， P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Kuntai capsules combined with Estradiol tablets/ Estradiol dydrogesterone tablets have a significant therapeutic effect on DOR， which can improve ovarian reserve function of the patient， regulate sex hormone levels and T lymphocyte subsets， and reduce recurrence rates， with a high safety profile.

Astragalus membranaceus(A. membranaceus), a traditional tonic, contains flavonoids as one of its main bioactive components and key indicators for quality standard detection. These compounds predominantly exist in glycosylated forms after glycosylation modification within the plant. The catalytic products of flavonoid glycosyltransferases in A. membranaceus have been reported to be mostly monoglycosides, and only AmUGT28 catalyzes luteolin to form diglycosides. In this study, we cloned a glycosyltransferase gene, AmGT90, from A. membranaceus, with an ORF length of 1 335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids, and the protein had a relative molecular mass of 50.5 kDa. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that AmGT90 belongs to the UGT74 family. In vitro enzymatic reaction showed that AmGT90 had broad substrate specificity and could catalyze the glycosylation of various flavonoids, including isoflavones, flavones, flavanones, and chalcones. AmGT90 not only catalyzed the formation of monoglycosides but also diglycosides. In addition, the mechanism of AmGT90 catalyzing the formation of diglycosides from luteolin was preliminarily explored. The experimental results showed that AmGT90 may preferentially recognize C4'-OH of luteolin and then recognize C7-OH to form diglycosides. This study reported a glycosyltransferase from A. membranaceus capable of converting flavonoids into monoglycosides and diglycosides. This finding not only enhances our understanding of the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoid glycosides in A. membranaceus but also introduces a new component for glycoside production through synthetic biology.
Glycosyltransferases/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Astragalus propinquus/classification* ; Phylogeny ; Glycosylation ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Substrate Specificity ; Cloning, Molecular ; Amino Acid Sequence

Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between changes in intestinal toxicity and compositional alterations of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix(commonly known as Langdu) before and after milk processing, and to explore the detoxification mechanism of milk processing. Mice were intragastrically administered the 95% ethanol extract of raw Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, milk-decocted(milk-processed), and water-decocted(water-processed) Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Fecal morphology, fecal water content, and the release levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in different intestinal segments were used as indicators to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on the cathartic effect and intestinal inflammatory toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. LC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the small-molecule components in the raw product, the 95% ethanol extract of the milk-processed product, and the milky waste(precipitate) formed during milk processing, to assess the impact of milk processing on the chemical composition of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. The results showed that compared with the blank group, both the raw and water-processed Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix significantly increased the fecal morphology score, fecal water content, and the release levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in various intestinal segments(P<0.05). Compared with the raw group, all indicators in the milk-processed group significantly decreased(P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in the water-processed group, indicating that milk, as an adjuvant in processing, plays a key role in reducing the intestinal toxicity of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix. Mass spectrometry results revealed that 29 components were identified in the raw product, including 28 terpenoids and 1 acetophenone. The content of these components decreased to varying extents after milk processing. A total of 28 components derived from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix were identified in the milky precipitate, of which 27 were terpenoids, suggesting that milk processing promotes the transfer of toxic components from Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix into milk. To further investigate the effect of milk adjuvant processing on the toxic terpenoid components of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was used to observe the morphology of self-assembled casein micelles(the main protein in milk) in the milky precipitate. The micelles formed in casein-terpenoid solutions were characterized using particle size analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy. TEM observations confirmed the presence of casein micelles in the milky precipitate. Characterization results showed that with increasing concentrations of toxic terpenoids, the average particle size of casein micelles increased, fluorescence intensity of the solution decreased, the maximum absorption wavelength in the UV spectrum shifted, and significant changes occurred in the infrared spectrum, indicating that interactions occurred between casein micelles and toxic terpenoid components. These findings indicate that the cathartic effect of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix becomes milder and its intestinal inflammatory toxicity is reduced after milk processing. The detoxification mechanism is that terpenoid components in Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix reassemble with casein in milk to form micelles, promoting the transfer of some terpenoids into the milky precipitate.
Animals ; Mice ; Milk/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/immunology* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Female

This paper aimed to explore the intestinal toxicity of Euphoriae Ebracteolata Radix(EER) before and after being processed with Mongolian medicine Hezi Decoction(HZD) and the toxicity-reducing mechanism of this processing method. The intestinal toxicity in rats treated with unprocessed EER and HZD-processed EER extracts via 95% ethanol was compared. The comparison was based on several indicators, including fecal volume, serum diamine oxidase(DAO) and D-lactate(D-LA) levels, the water content of various intestinal segments and their contents, and inflammatory factor levels in intestinal segments. Tandem mass tag(TMT) quantitative proteomics technology was employed to analyze the key proteins associated with changes in intestinal toxicity between unprocessed EER and HZD-processed EER. The results indicated that compared with the blank group, unprocessed EER significantly increased the fecal volume, serum DAO and D-LA levels, water content of the ileal segment and its contents, as well as the release levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β) in the ileal segment of rats(P<0.05), indicating that EER can cause diarrhea, increase intestinal permeability, and induce intestinal inflammation. Compared with those in the unprocessed EER group, all indicators in the HZD-processed EER group were significantly reduced(P<0.05). The TMT quantitative proteomics analysis revealed that a total of 6 487 proteins were identified in the rat ileum tissue. Compared to the blank group, 182 proteins exhibited significant changes in the unprocessed EER group, while 907 proteins in the HZD-processed EER group showed significant changes. The intersection of the differential proteins between the two groups identified 38 common proteins. Among them, the protein levels of intestinal barrier tight junction protein claudin3, squalene monooxidase(Sqle), clusterin, Na~+/H~+ exchange regulatory cofactor NHE-RF3(Pdzk1), and Y+L amino acid transporter 1(Slc7a7) exhibited significant changes before and after processing, and these changes were closely related to intestinal barrier function. Compared with the blank group, the expression of claudin3, Pdzk1, and Slc7a7 in the raw product group was significantly down-regulated(P<0.05),while the expression of Sqle and clusterin was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05).Compared with the raw product group, the expression of claudin3, Pdzk1, and Slc7a7 in the processed product group of HZD was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05), while the expression of Sqle and clusterin was significantly down-regulated(P<0.05). Western blot was used to detect the expression level of claudin 3 in the ileum of rats in each group. The results show that compared to that in the blank group, the expression level of claudin 3 in the unprocessed EER group was significantly reduced(P<0.01); compared to that in the unprocessed EER group, the expression level of claudin 3 in the HZD-processed EER group was significantly increased(P<0.01). This finding aligned with the proteomic outcomes, indicating that claudin 3 protein levels could serve as a crucial indicator for intestinal damage caused by EER. In summary, HZD-processed EER can reduce EER's intestinal toxicity, and the primary mechanism for its alleviation of intestinal barrier damage is the regulation of the intestinal barrier tight junction protein claudin 3 and other intestinal-related proteins.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Proteomics ; Rats ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Intestines/drug effects* ; Intestinal Mucosa/drug effects* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

This study aims to explore the effects and mechanisms of 4'-O-methylbavachalcone(MeBavaC), an active compound from Psoraleae Fructus, in regulating white matter neuroinflammation to improve vascular cognitive impairment. Male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, model group, high-dose MeBavaC group(14 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-dose MeBavaC group(7 mg·kg~(-1)). The rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion(CCH) was established using bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. The Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of the rats. Luxol fast blue staining, Nissl staining, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to observe the morphology and ultrastructure of the white matter myelin sheaths, axon integrity, the morphology and number of hippocampal neurons, and the loss and activation of glial cells in the white matter. Transcriptome analysis was performed to explore the potential mechanisms of white matter injury induced by CCH. Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) assays were conducted to measure the expression levels of NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3), absent in melanoma 2(AIM2), gasdermin D(GSDMD), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1(caspase-1), interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), erythropoietin(EPO), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) in the white matter of rats. The results showed that compared with the model group, MeBavaC significantly improved the learning and memory abilities of rats with CCH, improved the damage of white matter myelin sheath, maintained axonal integrity, reduced the loss of hippocampal neurons and oligodendrocytes in the white matter, inhibited the activation of microglia and the proliferation of astrocytes in the white matter, and suppressed the NLRP3/AIM2/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly reduced, while EPO expression and the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway were notably elevated. In conclusion, MeBavaC can alleviate cognitive impairment in rats with CCH and suppress neuroinflammation in cerebral white matter. The mechanism of action may involve activation of EPO activity, promotion of endogenous antioxidant pathways, and inhibition of neuroinflammation in the white matter. This study suggests that MeBavaC exhibits antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory effects, showing potential application in improving cognitive dysfunction.
Animals ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; Rats ; Chalcones/administration & dosage* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/drug therapy* ; Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism* ; Humans ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/genetics*

Osteoporotic fractures(OPF) refer to the fractures caused by minor violence in the state of osteoporosis, seriously threatening the life and health of elderly patients. Drug and surgical therapies have limitations such as single targets, diverse adverse reactions, and poor prognosis. Kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has good potential in the treatment of OPF. TCM can promote the healing of OPF by promoting angiogenesis in the early stage of bone healing, promoting osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the stage of bone repair, maintaining the balance of osteogenic and osteoclastic system in the stage of bone remodeling, and regulating the oxidative stress responses throughout the process of OPF healing. TCM can alleviate the pathological state of osteoporosis and promote fracture healing in OPF patients via multiple pathways and targets, demonstrating the advantages and potential of biphasic regulation.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/metabolism* ; Animals ; Fracture Healing/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects*