This article systematically reviews the current research status as well as diagnosis and treatment strategies of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） for gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD）. Studies demonstrate that TCM， based on the "disease-syndrome combination" approach， exhibits multi-target advantages in alleviating symptoms of various GERD subtypes， promoting mucosal repair， regulating emotions， and facilitating the reduction of western medication. To address clinical challenges such as symptom overlap and limited therapeutic efficacy， strategies have been proposed including "treating different diseases with the same method" and integrated regulation based on viscera correlation. Future efforts should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of compound prescriptions， promoting TCM drug development under the "three-combination" evaluation framework that integrates TCM theory， human experience and clinical trial evidence， and optimizing integrated traditional and western medicine models to enhance GERD management.

This paper systematically reviews the core concepts and lines of theoretical inheritance of major spleen-stomach theories in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， including spleen deficiency theory， spleen-stomach damp-heat theory， and liver-spleen disharmony theory. It is found that these theories have all undergone a developmental trajectory characterized by classical foundation， refinement of therapeutic methods， systematization of pathogenesis， and modern innovation. The evolution of spleen-stomach theory has achieved a shift from a singular focus on tonifying the spleen to regulating dynamic middle-jiao （焦） balance， and from localized spleen-stomach regulation to the circular movement of qi involving all five zang organs. In terms of modern disease-syndrome integrative research， spleen deficiency syndrome is shown to be closely associated with impairment of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier， metabolic disorders， and gene polymorphisms related to Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric diseases. Spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome is closely linked to hyperactive energy metabolism， inflammatory cytokines， and abnormal expression of aquaporins. Liver-spleen disharmony syndrome is mainly associated with dysregulation of the brain-gut axis and microbiota-related metabolic disorders. It is proposed that future research on spleen-stomach diseases and syndromes should further elucidate their potential multidimensional differential biological characteristics， thereby promoting the modernization of the TCM discipline of spleen-stomach studies.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans on schizophrenia induced by dizocilpine maleate （MK-801） in mice and to clarify its mechanism. MethodsMale mice of 4-6 weeks old were randomized into blank， model， positive drug， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （40， 80， 160 mg·kg^-1， respectively） Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans groups. The blank group was administrated with distilled water， and the other groups were injected with 0.5 mg·kg^-1 MK-801 to induce schizophrenia symptoms. Meanwhile， risperidone was injected at 0.2 mg·kg^-1 in the positive drug group， and mice in the intervention groups were injected with corresponding drugs for 14 consecutive days. The behavioral changes of mice were observed by autonomous activity test， open field test， forced swimming test， and water maze test. The levels of dopamine （DA） and 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） in the brain and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） in peripheral blood were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The changes in the prefrontal lobe of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining， and the changes of the hippocampal tissue were observed by Nissl staining. The protein levels of silencing information regulatory factor 1 （SIRT1） and forkhead box protein O3a （FoxO3a） in the hippocampus of mice were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， low， medium， and high doses of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans reduced the total number of autonomous activities， total distance in the open field test， immobile time in the forced swimming test， and levels of TNF-α and NF-κB in peripheral blood （P<0.05）， while increasing the number of platform crossings in the water maze test and DA and 5-HT levels in the brain tissue （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， risperidone and low， medium， and high doses of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans improve the neural cell morphology in the CA1 region， with full cells in neatly dense arrangement and exhibiting clear membrane boundary. Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans inhibited the expression of SIRT 1 and FoxO3a in the hippocampus （P<0.05）. ConclusionTo sum up， Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus lignans may improve the behavior of schizophrenic mice by activating the SIRT1/FoxO3a signaling pathway to exert neuroprotective effects.

Organoid technology， a rapidly advancing three-dimensional （3D） cell culture platform， can closely mimic the microarchitecture and functions of human digestive organs， effectively overcoming the limitations of conventional two-dimensional cell models and animal experiments. By systematically summarizing the distinctive strengths of organoid technology in simulating digestive physiological and pathological states， constructing digestive system disease models， enabling high-throughput drug screening， and facilitating personalized treatment， this review explored the potential applications of organoids in identifying active components of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） formulas， evaluating in vitro pharmacokinetics and toxicological parameters， and investigating multi-target synergistic mechanisms. By integrating cutting-edge engineering technologies， organoids are expected to provide a more scientific research platform for TCM， accelerate the modernization of its mechanistic studies， and enhance its scientific value and global impact.

[Objective]To investigate a simple method for the rapid detection and precise analysis of trace triptolide(TP)in vitro.[Methods]Initially,4-carboxy-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine(Me-bpy-COOH)and cis-bis(2,2'-bipyridine)dichlororuthenium(Ⅱ)(cis-Ru(bpy)2CL2)were used as raw materials to synthesize tripyridine ruthenium monocarboxylic acid fluorescent reagent,namely bis(2,2'-bipyridyl)(4-methyl-4'-carboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(Ⅱ)bishexafluorophosphate[Ru(bpy)2(bpy-COOH)2PF6].Subsequently,the pre-column derivatization reaction conditions of Ru(bpy)2(bpy-COOH)2PF6 with TP was optimized through orthogonal test and a methodological evaluation of the high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection(HPLC-FLD)of triptolide-terpyridine ruthenium derivative(TTRD)was conducted.Taking commercially available Kunxian Capsules as object,the newly established evaluation method was adopted for detection.[Results]A fluorescent derivative of TP,TTRD was obtained and was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance(1H-NMR)and ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS).The optimized pre-column derivatization reaction conditions were a 4:1 molar ratio of Ru(bpy)2(bpy-COOH)2PF6 to TP,a reaction time of 2 hours and a reaction temperature of 45℃.This study presented a HPLC-FLD method for the pre-column derivatization of TP.The method demonstrated a good linear relationship within the range of 50 to 1 200 μg·L-1.The TP content in Kunxian Capsules was measured by using this method,yielding a result of 78.78 μg·g-1,which fell within the prescribed range of national drug standards.[Conclusion]The pre-column-derived HPLC-FLD method for TP exhibited good sensitivity,accuracy and reliability,expanding the HPLC detection range for TP.

OBJECTIVES: To detect prfA and hly toxin genes of Listeria monocytogenes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and colloidal gold technology. METHODS: L. monocytogenes DNA was extracted by boiling method. With prfA and hly of L. monocytogenes as the target genes, the 5' ends of upstream and downstream primers of prfA gene were labeled with 6-FAM and biotin, and the 5' ends of upstream and downstream primers of hly gene were labeled with digoxin and biotin, respectively, to establish the toxin gene detection method. Using cloning transformation, sequencing analysis, cloning of positive control products, the detection kid was developed and its specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility and stability were tested, followed by verification with sample testing. RESULTS: The concentration of L. monocytogenes DNA extracted by boiling method was 148.81±0.97 ng/μL, and the A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ ratio ranged from 1.8 to 2.0. The PCR products showed a 100% homology with the gene sequences in GenBank database after cloning, transformation and sequencing. The colloidal gold strip yielded positive results only for L. monocytogenes samples without cross-reactions with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or Bacillus cereus, and its minimum detection limit was 10^-2 ng/μL, demonstrating a 10-fold greater sensitivity of the test than agarose gel electrophoresis. The test also showed good reproducibility of the results when performed by different operators with good stability of the test strips after storage for 6 to 12 months. The test results showed that this kit could accurately and quickly detect L.monocytogenes in the test samples. CONCLUSIONS The detection kit developed in this study can simultaneously detect prfA and hly toxin genes of L. monocytogenes with good specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility and stability for use in food safety inspection.
Listeria monocytogenes/isolation & purification* ; Gold Colloid ; Bacterial Toxins/genetics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Hemolysin Proteins/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics* ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics* ; Food Microbiology ; Heat-Shock Proteins

Despite primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) being a leading cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, specific and sensitive biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of this condition are lacking. We evaluated the value of the combined detection of serum cystatin C (CYSC), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), and urine transferrin (TRF) for diagnosing early-stage PGN. From May 2021 to May 2023, we enrolled 105 patients in our hospital as the observation group and 50 healthy volunteers as the control group. Their serum expression levels of CYSC, β2-MG, and TRF were evaluated. We plotted separate ROC curves and calculated the area under the curve (AUC) values of CYSC, β2-MG, and TRF to assess their diagnostic performance in PGN. The levels of CYSC, β2-MG, and TRF were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the observation group than in the healthy control group. CYSC, β2-MG, and TRF were expressed at significantly higher levels in G2, G3a, and G3b of PGN than in G1. The combined use of CYSC, β2-MG, and TRF as biomarkers could significantly improve the early diagnosis and monitoring of PGN and may lead to better patient outcomes by facilitating earlier intervention and treatment strategies.

This study investigated the functions and regulatory mechanism of Portulacae Herba and its chemical components on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway in the colon tissue of mice with dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC). A total of 35 mice were randomly divided into groups, including a blank group, a model group, a mesalazine group(0. 5 g·kg~(-1)), and low, medium,and high dose alkaloids from Portulacae Herba groups(9, 18, 36 mg·kg~(-1)), and a combination treatment group, with 5 mice in each group. The blank group was given purified water, while the other groups were continuously given a 3% DSS solution for 7 days to induce the UC model. From day 8 onwards, the treatment group received oral gavage according to the prescribed doses for 14 days. The overall condition, body weight, stool characteristics, and presence of blood in the stool were recorded daily. After the experiment, the disease activity index(DAI) was assessed for each group, and colon length was measured. Histopathological changes in colon tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). The protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were measured using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR).Compared to the blank group, the model group showed a significant decrease in body weight, a notable increase in DAI scores, a significant shortening of colon length, and evident histopathological damage. The levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum were significantly elevated, and the protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were significantly up-regulated. In contrast, the alkaloids from Portulacae Herba treatment groups significantly improved symptoms and reduced body weight loss in mice, decreased DAI scores, alleviated colon shortening, lowered serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,significantly down-regulated the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB proteins and genes in colon tissue, as well as reduced histopathological damage. Therefore, the study suggests that alkaloids from Portulacae Herba can alleviate intestinal inflammation damage in DSS-induced UC mice, with its mechanism involving the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Alkaloids/administration & dosage* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Female ; Colon/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

The theory of "holism of five organs" highly encapsulates the understanding of TCM on the integrity, connectivity, and unity of the internal life functions and morphological structures of the human body. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) frequently overlap, and TCM has significant advantages in their prevention and treatment based on the theory of the holistic view and syndrome differentiation and treatment. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles whose secretory form and biological functions fully reflect the "holism of five organs", and they are of great value in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of overlap of symptoms of FGIDs. This article interpreted the relationship between exosomes and overlap of symptoms of FGIDs with the "holism of five organs", aiming to provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of overlap of symptoms of FGIDs, as well as partly explain the scientific connotation of the theory of "holism of five organs".