1.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases (abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol) in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine, while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups, including cough resolution rate, sputum resolution rate (assessed by volume, color, and consistency), incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP), incidence of abnormal white blood cell (WBC) count, and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, gender, smoking status, history of hypertension, and pneumonia severity score (CURB-65), and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure, evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group, the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough, sputum volume, color, and consistency, as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group, while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume, color, and consistency were 1.37, 2.09, and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group, respectively (P<0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension (P<0.05). Specifically, among females, patients aged ≥18 and <65 years, non-smokers, those without hypertension, and those with a CURB-65 score of 0, the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). From an economic perspective, total hospitalization cost, length of stay, antibiotic cost, and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups (P<0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group, while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that, compared with the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY, the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine, the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms, reduce inflammatory markers, promote clinical recovery, and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.
2.Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方)in the Treatment of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lung Syndrome:A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Yeqing JI ; Ye MA ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):975-984
ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方, WQF) in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia (CAP) with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter, real-world retrospective cohort study, clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group (those who received oral WQF) and a non‑exposure group (those who did not). The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough, expectoration (sputum volume, color, consistency), and chest pain, levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC), and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age, gender, smoking status, presence of hypertension, and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CURB‑65) score, comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate, chest pain remission rate, and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation, cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio (CER) and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio (ICER). Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay, gender, marital status, smoking history, bronchoscopy history, and comorbidities between the groups (P>0.05), but age, CURB-65 score, and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression, the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC, and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT (P>0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years, smokers, hypertensive patients, those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics, and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 (P<0.05). Among smokers, the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender, age, hypertension status, or antibiotic type (P>0.05). In terms of economic evaluation, CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution, indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis, confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome, and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.
3.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases (abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol) in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine, while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups, including cough resolution rate, sputum resolution rate (assessed by volume, color, and consistency), incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP), incidence of abnormal white blood cell (WBC) count, and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, gender, smoking status, history of hypertension, and pneumonia severity score (CURB-65), and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure, evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group, the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough, sputum volume, color, and consistency, as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group, while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume, color, and consistency were 1.37, 2.09, and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group, respectively (P<0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension (P<0.05). Specifically, among females, patients aged ≥18 and <65 years, non-smokers, those without hypertension, and those with a CURB-65 score of 0, the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). From an economic perspective, total hospitalization cost, length of stay, antibiotic cost, and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups (P<0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group, while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that, compared with the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY, the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine, the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms, reduce inflammatory markers, promote clinical recovery, and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.
4.Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方)in the Treatment of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lung Syndrome:A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Yeqing JI ; Ye MA ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):975-984
ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方, WQF) in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia (CAP) with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter, real-world retrospective cohort study, clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group (those who received oral WQF) and a non‑exposure group (those who did not). The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough, expectoration (sputum volume, color, consistency), and chest pain, levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC), and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age, gender, smoking status, presence of hypertension, and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CURB‑65) score, comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate, chest pain remission rate, and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation, cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio (CER) and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio (ICER). Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay, gender, marital status, smoking history, bronchoscopy history, and comorbidities between the groups (P>0.05), but age, CURB-65 score, and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression, the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC, and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT (P>0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years, smokers, hypertensive patients, those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics, and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 (P<0.05). Among smokers, the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender, age, hypertension status, or antibiotic type (P>0.05). In terms of economic evaluation, CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution, indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis, confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome, and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.
5.Serological characteristics of individuals with hepatitis C virus/hepatitis B virus overlapping infection
Yanfei CUI ; Xia HUANG ; Chao ZHANG ; Yingjie JI ; Song QING ; Yuanjie FU ; Jing ZHANG ; Li LIU ; Yongqian CHENG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(1):74-79
ObjectiveTo investigate the status of overlapping hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the serological characteristics of such patients. MethodsA total of 8 637 patients with HCV infection who were hospitalized from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020 and had complete data of HBV serological markers were enrolled, and the composition ratio of patients with overlapping HBV serological markers was analyzed among the patients with HCV infection. The patients were divided into groups based on age and year of birth, and serological characteristics were analyzed, and the distribution of HBV-related serological characteristics were analyzed across different HCV genotypes. ResultsThe patients with HCV/HBV overlapping infection accounted for 5.85%, and the patients with previous HBV infection accounted for 48.10%; the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 14.67%, while the patients with a lack of protective immunity against HBV accounted for 31.39%. The patients were divided into groups based on age: in the 0 — 17 years group, the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 61.41% (304 patients); the 18 — 44 years group was mainly composed of patients with previous HBV infection (698 patients, 37.31%), the 45 — 59 years group was predominantly composed of patients with previous HBV infection (1 945 patients, 50.38%), and the ≥60 years group was also predominantly composed of patients with previous HBV infection (1 486 patients, 61.66%). The patients were divided into groups based on the year of birth: in the pre-1992 group, the patients with previous HBV infection accounted for 51.63% (4 112 patients); in the 1992 — 2005 group, the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 54.72% (168 patients); in the post-2005 group, the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 64.38% (235 patients). In this study, 6 301 patients underwent HCV genotype testing: the patients with genotype 1b accounted for the highest proportion of 51.71% (3 258 patients), followed by those with genotype 2a (1 769 patients, 28.07%), genotype 3b (63 patients, 1.00%), genotype 3a (10 patients, 0.16%), genotype 4 (21 patients, 0.33%), and genotype 6a (5 patients, 0.08%). ConclusionWith the implementation of hepatitis B planned vaccination program in China, there has been a significant reduction in the proportion of patients with previous HBV infection among the patients with HCV/HBV overlapping infection, but there is still a relatively high proportion of patients with a lack of protective immunity against HBV.
6.Effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mice and Its Impact on Oligodendrocyte-related Gene Expression
Zijin SUN ; Kai WANG ; Haojia ZHANG ; Linjing SONG ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Jing JI ; Yonglin SHAN ; Qianqian SHI ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Qingguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):54-63
ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on cerebral infarction injury in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to explore its mechanism of action on oligodendrocytes, particularly its potential in myelin repair. MethodsMultiple experimental approaches were used to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the effects of drug intervention. Laser speckle imaging was used to detect changes in cerebral blood flow, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure infarct volume, and neurological function was scored according to the Zea-Longa criteria. Brain tissues were routinely embedded in paraffin and subjected to HE and Nissl staining to observe tissue structure and neuronal damage. Animals were divided into a sham group (n=24), model group (n=24), Huanglian Jiedutang group (n=24), and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group (n=18). After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 g·L-1 solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 0.2 mL·(10 g)-¹·d-¹. The MCAO model was established after the final administration on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze brain tissue cellular composition and changes in oligodendrocyte subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations were identified by Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering, and marker gene expression was analyzed. Pathway enrichment and causal inference were further performed using IPA. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify mRNA expression changes of myelin-related genes. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), significantly impaired blood flow (P<0.01), significantly enlarged cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and pathological changes including disordered cortical structural arrangement, aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), markedly restored blood flow levels (P<0.01), significantly reduced cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and improvement in cortical structural disorder, alleviation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. Single-cell data showed that a myelin-associated oligodendrocyte (Mye-OL) subpopulation existed among oligodendrocytes, which was closely related to myelin generation. Compared with the sham group, the number of Mye-OL cells decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of Mye-OL cells increased in the Huanglian Jiedutang group. This subpopulation promoted the expression of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, via transcription factors such as OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10, thereby regulating myelin generation, restoring cognition, and exerting therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction. Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 were significantly downregulated in the model group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, were also significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 (P<0.01), and significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction by regulating the OLIG1/2-NKX2-2-SOX10 signaling pathway to promote myelin generation by Mye-OL cells.
7.Regulatory Role of Huanglian Jiedutang in Microglial Metabolic Reprogramming to Suppress Neuroinflammatory Damage Based on Single-cell Transcriptomics
Zijin SUN ; Haojia ZHANG ; Kai WANG ; Linjing SONG ; Chuanzun WANG ; Wen WANG ; Jing JI ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Qingguo WANG ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):64-73
ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of metabolic reprogramming during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using single-cell transcriptome sequencing, analyze the heterogeneity of microglial populations, and evaluate the interventional effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on metabolic abnormalities and neuroinflammation. MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model was used to establish ischemic stroke in mice. Local cerebral blood flow changes were monitored by laser speckle imaging. Neurological impairment was evaluated using the Zea-Longa score, and histopathological damage in brain tissue was observed by HE and Nissl staining. Animals were divided into a sham group, model group, Huanglian Jiedutang group, and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group. After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 mg/mL solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days (0.2 mL/10 g/day), and the tMCAO model was established on day 6 after the final administration. At the molecular level, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on ischemic hemisphere tissue. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) was used to cluster microglial subpopulations, combined with differential expression analysis, metabolic reprogramming assessment, and inflammatory factor correlation analysis to elucidate their functional characteristics in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Transcription factor enrichment analysis was further conducted to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally, PCR was used to detect mRNA expression changes of relevant genes to validate the single-cell sequencing results. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), decreased blood flow levels (P<0.01), disordered cortical structure, increased cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), increased blood flow levels (P<0.01), alleviated cortical structural disorder, reduced cytoplasmic vacuolization, and decreased Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that microglia could be divided into five subpopulations. Among them, clusters 3 and 5 exhibited significant pro-inflammatory phenotypes, with marked activation of hypoxia and NF-κB signaling pathways, and were identified as pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Clusters 1 and 2 were enriched in Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β signaling pathways and exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory and reparative characteristics. Meanwhile, glycolysis-related genes, such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA, were significantly upregulated in the pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of inflammatory molecules were positively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, whereas the expression levels of reparative and anti-inflammatory molecules were negatively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, indicating that microglia rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy acquisition under ischemic conditions. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedutang effectively downregulated key genes driving metabolic reprogramming (such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA), significantly reduced the proportion of microglial subpopulations accompanied by glycolytic reprogramming, and inhibited their transformation toward a damage phenotype, thereby reducing inflammatory injury. Meanwhile, compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 were significantly upregulated (P<0.01) in the model group, whereas the mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3, were significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 (P<0.01), and significantly increased mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3 (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating the metabolic reprogramming state of microglia and modulating their inflammatory levels, thereby inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury.
8.Treatment of Liver Cancer by Intervening TGF-β Signaling Pathway with Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Hao CHENG ; Haohao GUO ; Jun SUN ; Juan XUE ; Chunyan JI ; Shiyi LI ; Yuxue DING ; Huaqiang YUE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):318-326
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system and ranks sixth among newly diagnosed malignant tumors worldwide. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and other physiological and pathological mechanisms and exerts cancer-suppressive and pro-cancerous dual effects in the process of tumor development. In recent years, with the continuous exploration of the mechanism of liver cancer, it has been found that the conversion of the cancer-suppressive effect into a pro-cancerous effect of this pathway plays a key role in the development of liver cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a unique perspective for the classification, diagnosis, and treatment of liver cancer with its comprehensive regulatory effects of multi-components, multi-targets, and multi-pathways. This paper summarized that the cancer-suppressive mechanisms of the TGF-β signaling pathway included promoting cancer cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, et al, while the pro-cancerous mechanisms included promoting cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, et al. The TCM compounds intervening this pathway were sorted out, including Jianpi Huayu compound, Fuyang Baoyuan compound, Yipi Yanggan compound, Fuzheng Jiedu compound, compound Astragalus and Salvia, Biejia Jianwan, Dahuang Zhechong pill, and Qingxiang powder. The single TCMs mainly included Schizocapsa plantaginea, Dendrobii Caulis, Gleditsia sinensis, and Dracaena cochinchinensis. The active ingredients of TCM are mainly concentrated on flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, phenolics, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and other kinds of compounds. At the same time, it summarized that the liver cancer inhibition mechanism of TCM by regulating this pathway mainly included promoting apoptosis of liver cancer cells, blocking the cell cycle, and inhibiting liver cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, immune escape, etc. The mechanism aims to give full play to the advantages of TCM and precisely regulate the TGF-β signal, thereby exerting positive anti-tumor effects, opening up a new direction for the precise targeted treatment of liver cancer, and providing a scientific basis and a new strategy for the application of TCM in the treatment of liver cancer.
9.Effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mice and Its Impact on Oligodendrocyte-related Gene Expression
Zijin SUN ; Kai WANG ; Haojia ZHANG ; Linjing SONG ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Jing JI ; Yonglin SHAN ; Qianqian SHI ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Qingguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):54-63
ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on cerebral infarction injury in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to explore its mechanism of action on oligodendrocytes, particularly its potential in myelin repair. MethodsMultiple experimental approaches were used to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the effects of drug intervention. Laser speckle imaging was used to detect changes in cerebral blood flow, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure infarct volume, and neurological function was scored according to the Zea-Longa criteria. Brain tissues were routinely embedded in paraffin and subjected to HE and Nissl staining to observe tissue structure and neuronal damage. Animals were divided into a sham group (n=24), model group (n=24), Huanglian Jiedutang group (n=24), and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group (n=18). After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 g·L-1 solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 0.2 mL·(10 g)-¹·d-¹. The MCAO model was established after the final administration on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze brain tissue cellular composition and changes in oligodendrocyte subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations were identified by Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering, and marker gene expression was analyzed. Pathway enrichment and causal inference were further performed using IPA. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify mRNA expression changes of myelin-related genes. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), significantly impaired blood flow (P<0.01), significantly enlarged cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and pathological changes including disordered cortical structural arrangement, aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), markedly restored blood flow levels (P<0.01), significantly reduced cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and improvement in cortical structural disorder, alleviation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. Single-cell data showed that a myelin-associated oligodendrocyte (Mye-OL) subpopulation existed among oligodendrocytes, which was closely related to myelin generation. Compared with the sham group, the number of Mye-OL cells decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of Mye-OL cells increased in the Huanglian Jiedutang group. This subpopulation promoted the expression of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, via transcription factors such as OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10, thereby regulating myelin generation, restoring cognition, and exerting therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction. Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 were significantly downregulated in the model group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, were also significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 (P<0.01), and significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction by regulating the OLIG1/2-NKX2-2-SOX10 signaling pathway to promote myelin generation by Mye-OL cells.
10.Regulatory Role of Huanglian Jiedutang in Microglial Metabolic Reprogramming to Suppress Neuroinflammatory Damage Based on Single-cell Transcriptomics
Zijin SUN ; Haojia ZHANG ; Kai WANG ; Linjing SONG ; Chuanzun WANG ; Wen WANG ; Jing JI ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Qingguo WANG ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):64-73
ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of metabolic reprogramming during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using single-cell transcriptome sequencing, analyze the heterogeneity of microglial populations, and evaluate the interventional effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on metabolic abnormalities and neuroinflammation. MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model was used to establish ischemic stroke in mice. Local cerebral blood flow changes were monitored by laser speckle imaging. Neurological impairment was evaluated using the Zea-Longa score, and histopathological damage in brain tissue was observed by HE and Nissl staining. Animals were divided into a sham group, model group, Huanglian Jiedutang group, and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group. After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 mg/mL solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days (0.2 mL/10 g/day), and the tMCAO model was established on day 6 after the final administration. At the molecular level, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on ischemic hemisphere tissue. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) was used to cluster microglial subpopulations, combined with differential expression analysis, metabolic reprogramming assessment, and inflammatory factor correlation analysis to elucidate their functional characteristics in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Transcription factor enrichment analysis was further conducted to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally, PCR was used to detect mRNA expression changes of relevant genes to validate the single-cell sequencing results. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), decreased blood flow levels (P<0.01), disordered cortical structure, increased cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), increased blood flow levels (P<0.01), alleviated cortical structural disorder, reduced cytoplasmic vacuolization, and decreased Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that microglia could be divided into five subpopulations. Among them, clusters 3 and 5 exhibited significant pro-inflammatory phenotypes, with marked activation of hypoxia and NF-κB signaling pathways, and were identified as pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Clusters 1 and 2 were enriched in Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β signaling pathways and exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory and reparative characteristics. Meanwhile, glycolysis-related genes, such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA, were significantly upregulated in the pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of inflammatory molecules were positively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, whereas the expression levels of reparative and anti-inflammatory molecules were negatively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels, indicating that microglia rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy acquisition under ischemic conditions. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedutang effectively downregulated key genes driving metabolic reprogramming (such as HK2, PFKP, and LDHA), significantly reduced the proportion of microglial subpopulations accompanied by glycolytic reprogramming, and inhibited their transformation toward a damage phenotype, thereby reducing inflammatory injury. Meanwhile, compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 were significantly upregulated (P<0.01) in the model group, whereas the mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3, were significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2, CXCL2, and CSF3 (P<0.01), and significantly increased mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes, including RGS5, PECAM1, VEGFB, and NOS3 (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating the metabolic reprogramming state of microglia and modulating their inflammatory levels, thereby inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury.

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