1.Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on AMPK Signaling Pathway: A Review
Keqiu YAN ; Xiaoyu ZHANG ; Yifan CAI ; Wenjie XIAO ; Xinkun BAO ; Guangjun SUN ; Aizhen LIN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):341-351
Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease, involves multifaceted pathological mechanisms such as intestinal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress. Current therapeutic strategies remain limited in efficacy and safety. In recent years, the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway has emerged as a pivotal therapeutic target for UC due to its central role in energy metabolism, inflammatory regulation, and intestinal homeostasis. This article systematically reviewed the mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prevented and treated UC through the regulation of the AMPK signaling pathway, with a focus on elucidating AMPK's multidimensional regulatory network in inflammatory signaling crosstalk, alleviating oxidative stress, restoring intestinal immune balance, repairing the intestinal barrier, and modulating gut microbiota. Leveraging its unique advantages of multi-target engagement and low toxicity, TCM demonstrates promising potential in UC treatment and has become a focal area of research. By systematically summarizing and synthesizing the existing literature on TCM-mediated AMPK pathway modulation in UC, this review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for advancing mechanistic research and clinical interventions in UC.
2.Endoscopic full-thickness resection for the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Bao-Hui SONG ; Jiashaer BAHETINUER ; Yun-Shi ZHONG ; Hon Chi YIP ; Ping-Hong ZHOU ; Ming-Yan CAI
Clinical Endoscopy 2026;59(1):9-20
Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is a minimally invasive technique that is increasingly used for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) originating from the muscularis propria. Despite its advantages over conventional surgery, such as complete tumor resection and faster recovery, EFTR faces challenges related to its efficacy, safety, and feasibility, particularly in gastric GISTs. By summarizing the literature published over the past decade, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical outcomes of EFTR and the evolution of defect closure devices.
3.Attitudes and factors influencing insulin use among community-based patients with type 2 diabetes
Yuexing LIU ; Jiahe TIAN ; Chun CAI ; Pingping BAO ; Weiping JIA
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(10):971-976
Objective:To assess the attitudes toward and factors influencing starting insulin use among community-based patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).Methods:A cross- sectional study. This secondary analysis used baseline data from patients with T2D recruited through convenience sampling from a community-based peer support intervention study implemented in nine community health service centers in Shanghai since 2017. Attitudes toward insulin use were assessed using the Chinese Attitudes to Starting Insulin Questionnaire (Ch-ASIQ); the higher the score, the more negative the attitude toward starting insulin use. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the factors influencing attitudes toward starting insulin use.Results:A total of 336 patients with T2D were included in the survey. The patients had a mean age of (67.7±7.9) years, mean disease duration of (13.62±7.73) years, relatively low levels of depression [Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8): 2 (0, 5)] and diabetes distress [Diabetes Distress Scale 4 (DDS-4): 1.97±0.95], and suboptimal target achieving rates of risk factors including body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid levels. The total score on the Ch-ASIQ among all patients was 1.84±0.55. Multivariate analyses showed that refusing insulin use was positively significantly associated with higher scores on the Ch-ASIQ and the three sub-dimensions of "Factors promoting self-efficacy," "Fear of pain or needles," and "Time and family support" [ β (95% CI): 0.515 (0.355-0.674), 0.728 (0.470-0.986), 0.273 (0.030-0.515), 0.909 (0.606-1.213), all P<0.05]. In addition, disease duration [ β (95% CI):-0.011 (-0.019 to -0.004)] was independently negatively associated with the Ch-ASIQ score. In comparison, age [ β (95% CI): 0.011 (0.003-0.018)], DDS-4 [0.129 (0.069-0.190)], and PHQ-8 [0.015 (0.000-0.029)] were independently positively associated with the Ch-ASIQ score (all P<0.05). There were slight differences in the factors influencing the four sub-dimensions of the Ch-ASIQ scale. Conclusions:Community-based patients with T2D had moderate negative attitudes toward starting insulin treatment. Refusing insulin use, shorter diabetes duration, older age, higher diabetes distress, and higher levels of depression were associated with higher negative attitudes towards starting insulin use.
4.Expression of heat shock factor binding protein 1 in endometrial carcinoma based on bioinformatics analysis and its clinical significance
Mengjie WU ; Yanbin JIN ; Wei WANG ; Qiao WEN ; Junhong CAI ; Shan BAO
Cancer Research and Clinic 2025;37(7):498-504
Objective:To investigate the expression of heat shock factor binding protein 1 (HSPB1) in endometrial carcinoma and its clinical significance.Methods:The pan-cancer dataset after standardization and unification was downloaded from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Genome database (updated to December 6, 2019), and the expression of HSPB1 in pan-cancer was analyzed. The transcriptome data of endometrial carcinoma of the uterus from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were downloaded (updated to July 21, 2016), including 552 cases of endometrial carcinoma and 35 cases of corresponding adjacent tissue samples. The clinical data of 543 patients with endometrial cancer were obtained. The differences in the expression levels of HSPB1 in patients with different clinicopathological features were compared. R 4.3.1 software maxstat was used to calculate the optimal critical value (>46.30) of HSPB1 expression, and the patients were divided into HSPB1 low expression group (<46.30) and HSPB1 high expression group (≥46.30). Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the difference in prognosis between the 2 groups, and log-rank test was performed. The top 50 genes with positive and negative correlation with HSPB1 were screened by LinkedOmics database. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed on HSPB1. The interaction network of HSPB1 protein was analyzed by STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. The correlation between HSPB1 expression and various immune cell infiltration levels was analyzed by using the TIMER2.0 database.Results:The expression of HSPB1 in 27 kinds of tumor tissues was higher than that in paracancerous tissues, and the expression of HSPB1 in 2 kinds of tumor tissues was lower than that in paracancerous tissues (all P < 0.05). In the transcriptome data of 552 cases of endometrial cancer and 35 cases of corresponding paracancerous tissues in the TCGA database, the relative expression level of HSPB1 in endometrial cancer tissues was higher than that in corresponding paracancerous tissues ( t = -2.90, P = 0.005). The result of the comparison of relative expression level of HSPB1 in endometrial cancer patients with different clinicopathological features showed that patients aged < 65 years had higher expression level compared to those aged ≥ 65 years, patients at clinical stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ had higher expression level compared to those at stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, patients with Grade grading G 1-G 2 had higher expression level compared to those with G 3, and patients with pathological type I had higher expression level compared to those with type Ⅱ (all P < 0.05). Of the 543 patients, 2 were lost to follow-up, and the overall survival of the remaining 541 patients with high HSPB1 expression was better than that of those with the low expression ( HR = 0.532, 95% CI: 0.333-0.849, P = 0.008). HSPB1 and its related genes were mainly involved in estrogen signaling, p53 signaling and other pathways; HSPB1 was involved in cysteine-type endopeptidase inhibitor activity and calcium-dependent protein binding. The top 10 genes with the strongest correlation with HSPB1 in protein-protein interaction analysis were DSG3, EVPL, PKP1, DSC3, PKP3, PPL, KRT5, IVL, TGM1 and CSTA. The expression of HSPB1 was negatively correlated with tumor purity ( r = -0.025, P < 0.01), and positively correlated with CD4 + T cells ( r = 0.204, P < 0.01), CD8 + T cells ( r = 0.225, P < 0.01), B cells ( r = 0.285, P < 0.01), NK cells ( r = 0.269, P < 0.01), macrophages ( r = 0.234, P < 0.01) and dendritic cells ( r = 0.354, P < 0.01). Conclusions:The high expression of HSPB1 is associated with clinicopathological features, prognosis and immune infiltration in patients with endometrial carcinoma. It may be one of the reference indexes for predicting the prognosis of patients with endometrial cancer.
5.Attitudes and factors influencing insulin use among community-based patients with type 2 diabetes
Yuexing LIU ; Jiahe TIAN ; Chun CAI ; Pingping BAO ; Weiping JIA
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(10):971-976
Objective:To assess the attitudes toward and factors influencing starting insulin use among community-based patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).Methods:A cross- sectional study. This secondary analysis used baseline data from patients with T2D recruited through convenience sampling from a community-based peer support intervention study implemented in nine community health service centers in Shanghai since 2017. Attitudes toward insulin use were assessed using the Chinese Attitudes to Starting Insulin Questionnaire (Ch-ASIQ); the higher the score, the more negative the attitude toward starting insulin use. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the factors influencing attitudes toward starting insulin use.Results:A total of 336 patients with T2D were included in the survey. The patients had a mean age of (67.7±7.9) years, mean disease duration of (13.62±7.73) years, relatively low levels of depression [Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8): 2 (0, 5)] and diabetes distress [Diabetes Distress Scale 4 (DDS-4): 1.97±0.95], and suboptimal target achieving rates of risk factors including body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid levels. The total score on the Ch-ASIQ among all patients was 1.84±0.55. Multivariate analyses showed that refusing insulin use was positively significantly associated with higher scores on the Ch-ASIQ and the three sub-dimensions of "Factors promoting self-efficacy," "Fear of pain or needles," and "Time and family support" [ β (95% CI): 0.515 (0.355-0.674), 0.728 (0.470-0.986), 0.273 (0.030-0.515), 0.909 (0.606-1.213), all P<0.05]. In addition, disease duration [ β (95% CI):-0.011 (-0.019 to -0.004)] was independently negatively associated with the Ch-ASIQ score. In comparison, age [ β (95% CI): 0.011 (0.003-0.018)], DDS-4 [0.129 (0.069-0.190)], and PHQ-8 [0.015 (0.000-0.029)] were independently positively associated with the Ch-ASIQ score (all P<0.05). There were slight differences in the factors influencing the four sub-dimensions of the Ch-ASIQ scale. Conclusions:Community-based patients with T2D had moderate negative attitudes toward starting insulin treatment. Refusing insulin use, shorter diabetes duration, older age, higher diabetes distress, and higher levels of depression were associated with higher negative attitudes towards starting insulin use.
6.A retrospective comparative study of the effects of soft tissue precise reduction on the treatment of intra-capsular condylar fractures
Jianzhen SHE ; Jianghui XIE ; Le WANG ; Feng CAO ; Han BAO ; Luying YANG ; Xiaoying XU ; Lei TIAN ; Liang KONG ; Bolei CAI
Journal of Practical Stomatology 2025;41(1):46-51
Objective:To evaluate the improvement in the outcome of intracapsular condylar fractures(ICFs)treatment with pre-cise soft tissue reduction in combination with open reduction and internal fixation(PSTR-ORIF)by comparson with traditional open reduction and internal fixation(T-ORIF).Methods:40 patients with ICFs were treated by T-ORIF and PSTR-ORIF(n=20)re-spectively.Preoperative and 6-month postoperative whole-mouth panoramic tomography,CT and MRI imaging data were analyzed,the repositioning of the soft and hard tissues of temporomandibular joints(TMJs),the Helkimo index,clinical symptoms and subjec-tive symptoms were compared between the 2 groups.Results:In PSTR-ORIF(26 sides)and T-ORIF(27 sides)groups,the rate of complete anatomical restoration of fractured segments at 6 months after surgery was 96.15%and 81.48%,and the overall effective rate of ICF articular disc restoration was 96.15%and 74.07%respectively,the height of the ascending mandibular branch was bet-ter restored in patients with B-type fracture after surgery(P<0.05).At 6 months postoperatively,patients in the PSTR-ORIF group showed significant improvement in mouth opening,mandibular anterior extension distance,and lateral movement compared with the T-ORIF group(P<0.05).The Helkimo index showed that the PSTR-ORIF group got a significant improvement in the complaint symptom index score and the clinical symptom index score compared with the T-ORIF group(P<0.05).Conclusion:PSTR-ORIF is more effective than T-ORIF in the treatment of ICFs for the healing of condylar fractures,restore postoperative TMJ mobility and reduce the postoperative joint discomfort through good repositioning of soft tissues.
7.Research Progress of Active Components of Chinese Materia Medica Intervening Ferroptosis for the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
Xinyu CHEN ; Xinyu MENG ; Yiting HE ; Weiwei CAI ; Bao HOU ; Liying QIU ; Haijian SUN ; Xuexue ZHU
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(3):192-196,后插1
Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death,which plays a crucial driving role in the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Ferroptosis is closely related to the damage of renal intrinsic cells in patients with diabetes.Chinese materia medica can improve DN by regulating the ferroptosis of renal intrinsic cells,with a good research and application prospect.This article reviewed the key regulatory factors and regulatory pathways of ferroptosis in DN,explained the"imbalance between yin and yang"of ferroptosis in DN based on TCM theories,and combed the research status of targeted inhibition of ferroptosis by active components of Chinese materia medica.The regulation of active components of Chinese materia medica on ferroptosis in DN has the characteristics of multiple targets,multiple links and integrity,which can provide a reference for the mechanism research and drug development of Chinese materia medica in treating DN.
8.Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture modulates Glu/GABA-Gln metabolic loop abnormalities in insomniac rats
Jiarong XU ; Ao HUANG ; Zhikai DING ; Yu BAO ; Canghuan ZHAO ; Wenzhi CAI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(8):1616-1624
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture in a rat model of insomnia and its regulatory effect on the glutamic acid(Glu)/γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)-glutamine(Gln)metabolic loop.Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly assigned to control group,model group,Najia group and Nazi group(n=10).In the latter 3 groups,rat models of insomnia were established by intraperitoneal injections of p-chlorophenylalanine and verified using a sodium pentobarbital-induced sleep test.After modeling,the rats in Najia and Nazi groups received acupuncture for 7 days at specifically chosen sets of acupoints based on the Ziwuliuzhu rationale in traditional Chinese medicine.Pathological changes in the hypothalamic tissue of the rats were examined with HE staining,and the levels of Glu and GABA in the hypothalamus were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)-mass spectrometry(MS)/MS.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of GABAA receptors(GABAARs)in the hypothalamus,and the expression levels of glutamate decarboxylase(GAD65/67)and glutamine synthetase(GS)were determined with Western blotting.Results Compared with the model group,the rats in Najia and Nazi groups exhibited decreased Glu levels and GABAA receptor expression and increased GABA levels with a decreased Glu/GABA ratio in the hypothalamus.Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture significantly increased the protein expressions of GAD65 and GAD67 and lowered the expression of GS in the hypothalamus in the rat models of insomnia.Conclusion Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture produces sedative and hypnotic effects in rat models of insomnia possibly by regulating Glu and GABA-Gln metabolism to restore the excitatory/inhibitory balance between Glu and GABA.
9.Research Progress of Active Components of Chinese Materia Medica Intervening Ferroptosis for the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
Xinyu CHEN ; Xinyu MENG ; Yiting HE ; Weiwei CAI ; Bao HOU ; Liying QIU ; Haijian SUN ; Xuexue ZHU
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(3):192-196,后插1
Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death,which plays a crucial driving role in the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Ferroptosis is closely related to the damage of renal intrinsic cells in patients with diabetes.Chinese materia medica can improve DN by regulating the ferroptosis of renal intrinsic cells,with a good research and application prospect.This article reviewed the key regulatory factors and regulatory pathways of ferroptosis in DN,explained the"imbalance between yin and yang"of ferroptosis in DN based on TCM theories,and combed the research status of targeted inhibition of ferroptosis by active components of Chinese materia medica.The regulation of active components of Chinese materia medica on ferroptosis in DN has the characteristics of multiple targets,multiple links and integrity,which can provide a reference for the mechanism research and drug development of Chinese materia medica in treating DN.
10.Clinical Application and Pharmacological Mechanism of Sishenwan in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: A Review
Keqiu YAN ; Xiaoyu ZHANG ; Sifeng JIA ; Yuyu DUAN ; Zixing QIAN ; Yifan CAI ; Junyi SHEN ; Wenjie XIAO ; Xinkun BAO ; Guangjun SUN ; Aizhen LIN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):261-270
Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic, non-specific inflammatory bowel disease with typical symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools, demonstrates a high relapse rate and difficulty in curing. Sishenwan, first recorded in Internal Medicine Abstract (Nei Ke Zhai Yao), are a classic prescription for treating diarrhea caused by deficiency of the spleen and kidney Yang. The core therapeutic principle of Sishenwan is warming and tonifying the spleen and kidney, and astringing the intestine and stopping diarrhea. In recent years, Sishenwan have demonstrated distinct advantages in the clinical treatment of UC. The pathogenesis of UC involves multiple factors, including immune dysregulation and gut microbiota imbalance. Although Western medicine is effective in the short term, its side effects, high relapse rate, and resistance associated with long-term use pose substantial challenges. Sishenwan have shown excellent clinical outcomes in the treatment of UC due to deficiency of the spleen and kidney Yang. Modern clinical studies indicate that Sishenwan, used alone or in combination with Western medicine or other Chinese medicine compound prescriptions, significantly improve the clinical efficacy in treating UC due to deficiency of the spleen and kidney Yang. Sishenwan effectively alleviate core symptoms such as mucus, pus, and blood in stools, and persistent abdominal pain, reduce Mayo scores and the relapse rate, and improve patients' quality of life. Research on the material basis reveals that Sishenwan contain multiple active ingredients such as psoralen, isopsoralen, and evodiamine. Mechanism studies indicate that Sishenwan inhibit the inflammatory cascade reactions by regulating the signal network through multiple targets. Sishenwan regulate cellular immunity and restore intestinal immune homeostasis. At the microecological level, Sishenwan promote the intestinal barrier repair through the "microbiota-metabolism-immunity" axis. The current research still needs to be deepened in aspects such as the mining of specific biomarkers for syndromes and the exploration of the collaborative mechanism of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. In the future, a full-chain system covering syndrome differentiation, targeting, and monitoring needs to be constructed for promoting the paradigm transformation of Sishenwan into precision drugs. This review systematically explains the treatment mechanism of Sishenwan regarding the combination of disease and syndrome and its multi-target regulatory characteristics, providing a theoretical basis and transformation direction for the treatment of UC with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

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