1.Allogeneic lung transplantation in miniature pigs and postoperative monitoring
Yaobo ZHAO ; Ullah SALMAN ; Kaiyan BAO ; Hua KUI ; Taiyun WEI ; Hongfang ZHAO ; Xiaoting TAO ; Xinzhong NING ; Yong LIU ; Guimei ZHANG ; He XIAO ; Jiaoxiang WANG ; Chang YANG ; Feiyan ZHU ; Kaixiang XU ; Kun QIAO ; Hongjiang WEI
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):95-105
Objective To explore the feasibility and reference value of allogeneic lung transplantation and postoperative monitoring in miniature pigs for lung transplantation research. Methods Two miniature pigs (R1 and R2) underwent left lung allogeneic transplantation. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity tests and blood cross-matching were performed before surgery. The main operative times and partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) after opening the pulmonary artery were recorded during surgery. Postoperatively, routine blood tests, biochemical blood indicators and inflammatory factors were detected, and pathological examinations of multiple organs were conducted. Results The complement-dependent cytotoxicity test showed that the survival rate of lymphocytes between donors and recipients was 42.5%-47.3%, and no agglutination reaction occurred in the cross-matching. The first warm ischemia times of D1 and D2 were 17 min and 10 min, respectively, and the cold ischemia times were 246 min and 216 min, respectively. Ultimately, R1 and R2 survived for 1.5 h and 104 h, respectively. Postoperatively, in R1, albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLB) decreased, and alanine aminotransferase increased; in R2, ALB, GLB and aspartate aminotransferase all increased. Urea nitrogen and serum creatinine increased in both recipients. Pathological results showed that in R1, the transplanted lung had partial consolidation with inflammatory cell infiltration, and multiple organs were congested and damaged. In R2, the transplanted lung had severe necrosis with fibrosis, and multiple organs had mild to moderate damage. The expression levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 increased in the transplanted lungs. Conclusions The allogeneic lung transplantation model in miniature pigs may systematically evaluate immunological compatibility, intraoperative function and postoperative organ damage. The data obtained may provide technical references for subsequent lung transplantation research.
2.Study on mechanism of naringin in alleviating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury based on DRP1/LRRK2/MCU axis.
Kai-Mei TAN ; Hong-Yu ZENG ; Feng QIU ; Yun XIANG ; Zi-Yang ZHOU ; Da-Hua WU ; Chang LEI ; Hong-Qing ZHAO ; Yu-Hong WANG ; Xiu-Li ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2484-2494
This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism by which naringin alleviates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(CI/R) injury through DRP1/LRRK2/MCU signaling axis. A total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, the model group, the sodium Danshensu group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose(50, 100, and 200 mg·kg~(-1)) naringin groups, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the sham group, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(tMCAO/R) model was established in SD rats using the suture method. Longa 5-point scale was used to assess neurological deficits. 2,3,5-Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining was used to detect the volume percentage of cerebral infarction in rats. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Nissl staining were employed to assess neuronal structural alterations and the number of Nissl bodies in cortex, respectively. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 gene(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cleaved cysteine-aspartate protease-3(cleaved caspase-3), mitochondrial calcium uniporter(MCU), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3), and P62. Mitochondrial structure and autophagy in cortical neurons were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence assay was used to quantify the fluorescence intensities of MCU and mitochondrial calcium ion, as well as the co-localization of dynamin-related protein 1(DRP1) with leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2) and translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20(TOMM20) with LC3 in cortical mitochondria. The results showed that compared with the model group, naringin significantly decreased the volume percentage of cerebral infarction and neurological deficit score in tMCAO/R rats, alleviated the structural damage and Nissl body loss of cortical neurons in tMCAO/R rats, inhibited autophagosomes in cortical neurons, and increased the average diameter of cortical mitochondria. The Western blot results showed that compared to the sham group, the model group exhibited increased levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, MCU, and the LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio in the cortex and reduced protein levels of Bcl-2 and P62. However, naringin down-regulated the protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, MCU and the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and P62 proteins in cortical area. In addition, immunofluorescence analysis showed that compared with the model group, naringin and positive drug treatments significantly decreased the fluorescence intensities of MCU and mitochondrial calcium ion. Meanwhile, the co-localization of DRP1 with LRRK2 and TOMM20 with LC3 in cortical mitochondria was also decreased significantly after the intervention. These findings suggest that naringin can alleviate cortical neuronal damage in tMCAO/R rats by inhibiting DRP1/LRRK2/MCU-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation and the resultant excessive mitophagy.
Animals
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Reperfusion Injury/genetics*
;
Flavanones/administration & dosage*
;
Rats
;
Dynamins/genetics*
;
Male
;
Brain Ischemia/genetics*
;
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
Humans
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
3.The correlation between thyroid hormone sensitivity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in patients with normal thyroid function
Bing’er XU ; Ziping BAI ; Linshan ZHANG ; Xinxia CHANG ; Hua BIAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(5):804-811
Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid hormone (TH) sensitivity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in euthyroid patients. Methods The euthyroid patients hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from January 2016 to December 2020 were enrolled. All patients were evaluated for free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The FT3/FT4 ratio, thyroid-stimulating hormone index (TSHI), FT3 feedback quantile index (TFQIFT3), and FT4 feedback quantile index (TFIQFT4) were calculated. Hepatic controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were assessed by FibroScan. Results A total of 4 869 participants were enrolled, 3 485 (71.58%) were diagnosed with MASLD. Compared with non-MASLD group of patients, MASLD group had significantly higher levels of serum FT3 and thyroid sensitivity-related parameters, including FT3/FT4, TSHI, TFQIFT3, and TFIQFT4 (P<0.05). After multivariate adjustment for potential confounders, serum FT3, FT3/FT4, TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI remained positively correlated with the risk of MASLD (P<0.05). Further analysis revealed that, after adjustment for confounders, FT3, FT3/FT4, TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI were positively correlated with CAP, and TFQIFT4, TFQIFT3, and TSHI were also positively correlated with LSM (P<0.05). Conclusions Reduced thyroid hormone sensitivity are independently associated with MASLD. Moreover, higher levels of FT3 and decreased thyroid hormone sensitivity are correlated with the progression of MASLD.
4.Application of genome tagging technology in elucidating the function of sperm-specific protein 411 (Ssp411).
Xue-Hai ZHOU ; Min-Min HUA ; Jia-Nan TANG ; Bang-Guo WU ; Xue-Mei WANG ; Chang-Gen SHI ; Yang YANG ; Jun WU ; Bin WU ; Bao-Li ZHANG ; Yi-Si SUN ; Tian-Cheng ZHANG ; Hui-Juan SHI
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(1):120-128
The genome tagging project (GTP) plays a pivotal role in addressing a critical gap in the understanding of protein functions. Within this framework, we successfully generated a human influenza hemagglutinin-tagged sperm-specific protein 411 (HA-tagged Ssp411) mouse model. This model is instrumental in probing the expression and function of Ssp411. Our research revealed that Ssp411 is expressed in the round spermatids, elongating spermatids, elongated spermatids, and epididymal spermatozoa. The comprehensive examination of the distribution of Ssp411 in these germ cells offers new perspectives on its involvement in spermiogenesis. Nevertheless, rigorous further inquiry is imperative to elucidate the precise mechanistic underpinnings of these functions. Ssp411 is not detectable in metaphase II (MII) oocytes, zygotes, or 2-cell stage embryos, highlighting its intricate role in early embryonic development. These findings not only advance our understanding of the role of Ssp411 in reproductive physiology but also significantly contribute to the overarching goals of the GTP, fostering groundbreaking advancements in the fields of spermiogenesis and reproductive biology.
Animals
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Mice
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Spermatids/metabolism*
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Spermatogenesis/physiology*
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Spermatozoa/metabolism*
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Thioredoxins/genetics*
5.FGF19 alleviates inflammatory injury in vascular endothelial cells by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
Yan-Jun ZHANG ; Fei-Fei XIAO ; Xiao-Hua LI ; Shen-Hua TANG ; Yi SANG ; Chao-Yue LIU ; Jian-Chang LI
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(5):601-608
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the role and mechanism of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 19 in inflammation-induced injury of vascular endothelial cells caused by high glucose (HG).
METHODS:
Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were randomly divided into four groups: control, HG, FGF19, and HG+FGF19 (n=3 each). The effect of different concentrations of glucose and/or FGF19 on HUVEC viability was assessed using the CCK8 assay. Flow cytometry was utilized to examine the impact of FGF19 on HUVEC apoptosis. Levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by ELISA. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Cells were further divided into control, siRNA-Nrf2 (siNrf2), HG, HG+FGF19, HG+FGF19+negative control, and HG+FGF19+siNrf2 groups (n=3 each) to observe the effect of FGF19 on oxidative stress injury in HUVECs induced by high glucose after silencing the Nrf2 gene.
RESULTS:
Compared to the control group, the HG group exhibited increased apoptosis rate, increased IL-6, iNOS and MDA levels, and increased VEGF mRNA and protein expression, along with decreased T-SOD activity and decreased mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P<0.05). Compared to the HG group, the HG+FGF19 group showed reduced apoptosis rate, decreased IL-6, iNOS and MDA levels, and decreased VEGF mRNA and protein expression, with increased T-SOD activity and increased Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA and protein expression (P<0.05). Compared to the HG+FGF19+negative control group, the HG+FGF19+siNrf2 group had decreased T-SOD activity and increased MDA levels (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
FGF19 can alleviate inflammation-induced injury in vascular endothelial cells caused by HG, potentially through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
Humans
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NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics*
;
Signal Transduction
;
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/drug effects*
;
Fibroblast Growth Factors/pharmacology*
;
Heme Oxygenase-1/physiology*
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
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Glucose
;
Inflammation
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Interleukin-6/analysis*
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics*
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/analysis*
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Cells, Cultured
6.Granulomatous primary central nervous system vasculitis in a child.
Ya-Nan ZHANG ; Chang-Hong DING ; Shu-Hong REN ; Wei-Hua ZHANG ; Fang LIU ; Nan ZHANG ; Yu-Juan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(9):1140-1142
A 14-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital due to a single episode of afebrile seizure and four hours of impaired consciousness. Three months prior to admission, he had a history of bilateral uveitis. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a mild elevation in white blood cell count. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced scans showed multiple abnormal signals in both cerebral hemispheres, with punctate and nodular enhancement. Susceptibility-weighted imaging revealed multiple punctate hemorrhages within lesions in the bilateral frontal and left parietal lobes, suggestive of vasculitis. Brain biopsy demonstrated inflammatory granulomatous lesions. No secondary causes were identified, and the final diagnosis was granulomatous primary central nervous system vasculitis. The patient's condition improved after treatment with methylprednisolone sodium succinate and mycophenolate mofetil. This report describes a rare case of granulomatous central nervous system vasculitis in a child and provides valuable insights for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Humans
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Male
;
Vasculitis, Central Nervous System/diagnosis*
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Adolescent
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Granuloma/diagnosis*
7.Clinical Features, Prognostic Analysis and Predictive Model Construction of Central Nervous System Invasion in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma.
Ya-Ting MA ; Yan-Fang CHEN ; Zhi-Yuan ZHOU ; Lei ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Xin-Hua WANG ; Xiao-Rui FU ; Zhen-Chang SUN ; Yu CHANG ; Fei-Fei NAN ; Ling LI ; Ming-Zhi ZHANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(3):760-768
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) invasion in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and construct a risk prediction model for CNS invasion.
METHODS:
Clinical data of 395 patients with PTCL diagnosed and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.
RESULTS:
The median follow-up time of 395 PTCL patients was 24(1-143) months. There were 13 patients diagnosed CNS invasion, and the incidence was 3.3%. The risk of CNS invasion varied according to pathological subtype. The incidence of CNS invasion in patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was significantly higher than in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (P <0.05). The median overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with CNS invasion than in those without CNS involvement, with a median survival time of 2.4(0.6-127) months after diagnosis of CNS invasion. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that more than 1 extranodal involvement (HR=4.486, 95%CI : 1.166-17.264, P =0.029), ALCL subtype (HR=9.022, 95%CI : 2.289-35.557, P =0.002) and ECOG PS >1 (HR=15.890, 95%CI : 4.409-57.262, P <0.001) were independent risk factors for CNS invasion in PTCL patients. Each of these risk factors was assigned a value of 1 point and a new prediction model was constructed. It could stratify the patients into three distinct groups: low-risk group (0-1 point), intermediate-risk group (2 points) and high-risk group (3 points). The 1-year cumulative incidence of CNS invasion in the high-risk group was as high as 50.0%. Further evaluation of the model showed good discrimination and accuracy, and the consistency index was 0.913 (95%CI : 0.843-0.984).
CONCLUSION
The new model shows a precise risk assessment for CNS invasion prediction, while its specificity and sensitivity need further data validation.
Humans
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Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/pathology*
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Prognosis
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Retrospective Studies
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Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology*
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Neoplasm Invasiveness
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Male
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Female
;
Central Nervous System/pathology*
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Middle Aged
;
Adult
8.Prognostic value of quantitative flow ratio measured immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion.
Zheng QIAO ; Zhang-Yu LIN ; Qian-Qian LIU ; Rui ZHANG ; Chang-Dong GUAN ; Sheng YUAN ; Tong-Qiang ZOU ; Xiao-Hui BIAN ; Li-Hua XIE ; Cheng-Gang ZHU ; Hao-Yu WANG ; Guo-Feng GAO ; Ke-Fei DOU
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology 2025;22(4):433-442
BACKGROUND:
The clinical impact of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in patients treated with PCI for chronic total occlusion (CTO) was still undetermined.
METHODS:
All CTO vessels treated with successful anatomical PCI in patients from PANDA III trial were retrospectively measured for post-PCI QFR. The primary outcome was 2-year vessel-oriented composite endpoints (VOCEs, composite of target vessel-related cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was conducted to identify optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting the 2-year VOCEs, and all vessels were stratified by this optimal cutoff value. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI.
RESULTS:
Among 428 CTO vessels treated with PCI, 353 vessels (82.5%) were analyzable for post-PCI QFR. 31 VOCEs (8.7%) occurred at 2 years. Mean value of post-PCI QFR was 0.92 ± 0.13. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis shown the optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting 2-year VOCEs was 0.91. The incidence of 2-year VOCEs in the vessel with post-PCI QFR < 0.91 (n = 91) was significantly higher compared with the vessels with post-PCI QFR ≥ 0.91 (n = 262) (22.0% vs. 4.2%, HR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.32-10.70).
CONCLUSIONS
Higher post-PCI QFR values were associated with improved prognosis in the PCI practice for coronary CTO. Achieving functionally optimal PCI results (post-PCI QFR value ≥ 0.91) tends to get better prognosis for patients with CTO lesions.
9.Artificial intelligence in traditional Chinese medicine: from systems biological mechanism discovery, real-world clinical evidence inference to personalized clinical decision support.
Dengying YAN ; Qiguang ZHENG ; Kai CHANG ; Rui HUA ; Yiming LIU ; Jingyan XUE ; Zixin SHU ; Yunhui HU ; Pengcheng YANG ; Yu WEI ; Jidong LANG ; Haibin YU ; Xiaodong LI ; Runshun ZHANG ; Wenjia WANG ; Baoyan LIU ; Xuezhong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(11):1310-1328
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a paradigmatic approach to personalized medicine, developed through the systematic accumulation and refinement of clinical empirical data over more than 2000 years, and now encompasses large-scale electronic medical records (EMR) and experimental molecular data. Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its utility in medicine through the development of various expert systems (e.g., MYCIN) since the 1970s. With the emergence of deep learning and large language models (LLMs), AI's potential in medicine shows considerable promise. Consequently, the integration of AI and TCM from both clinical and scientific perspectives presents a fundamental and promising research direction. This survey provides an insightful overview of TCM AI research, summarizing related research tasks from three perspectives: systems-level biological mechanism elucidation, real-world clinical evidence inference, and personalized clinical decision support. The review highlights representative AI methodologies alongside their applications in both TCM scientific inquiry and clinical practice. To critically assess the current state of the field, this work identifies major challenges and opportunities that constrain the development of robust research capabilities-particularly in the mechanistic understanding of TCM syndromes and herbal formulations, novel drug discovery, and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered clinical care. The findings underscore that future advancements in AI-driven TCM research will rely on the development of high-quality, large-scale data repositories; the construction of comprehensive and domain-specific knowledge graphs (KGs); deeper insights into the biological mechanisms underpinning clinical efficacy; rigorous causal inference frameworks; and intelligent, personalized decision support systems.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
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Artificial Intelligence
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Humans
;
Precision Medicine
;
Decision Support Systems, Clinical
10.Effects of Tongxinluo capsules on pharmacokinetics of rivaroxaban in rats
Guosheng FU ; Jie SHEN ; Jiekai HUA ; Yupeng SHAO ; Wenna MA ; Wei LIU ; Jianwei ZHANG ; Xinnan CHANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(23):2930-2934
OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of Tongxinluo capsules on the pharmacokinetics of rivaroxaban in rats. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into rivaroxaban alone group (2.70 mg/kg), low-dose Tongxinluo capsules combined with rivaroxaban group (Tongxinluo capsules 0.28 g/kg+rivaroxaban 2.70 mg/kg), and high-dose Tongxinluo capsules combined with rivaroxaban group (Tongxinluo capsules 0.84 g/kg+rivaroxaban 2.70 mg/kg), with five rats in each group. Following seven consecutive days of gavage with normal saline or the corresponding doses of Tongxinluo capsules, the rats were subjected to a final gavage administration of rivaroxaban. Blood samples were collected at 0 h prior to the final administration and at 0.16, 0.33, 0.50, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post-final administration. The plasma concentration of rivaroxaban in rats was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetic parameters [peak concentration (cmax), half-life (t1/2), area under the drug concentration time curve (AUC), mean residence time (MRT), clearance (CL), apparent volume of distribution (Vd) and peak time (tmax)] of each group were calculated using a non-compartmental model of MonolixSuite 2023R1 pharmacokinetic software. RESULTS Compared with rivaroxaban alone group, AUC₀₋ₜ and AUC0-∞ of rivaroxaban in rats were increased significantly in high-dose Tongxinluo capsules+rivaroxaban group (P<0.05), while CL was decreased significantly (P<0.05); t1/2 and MRT were shortened, tmax was extended, cmax was increased, while Vd was decreased, but there was no statistical significance (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Rivaroxaban combined with Tongxinluo capsules significantly increases the plasma exposure of rivaroxaban in rats. Potential drug-drug interactions should be considered in clinical practice based on the co-administration conditions.

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