ObjectiveBased on the established characteristic profiles， quantitative analysis of multiple components， and chemometric analysis of Taraxacum mongolicum， the quality of different T. mongolicum germplasms was evaluated at the chemical level， thereby providing a reference for the screening of high-quality germplasms and the rational utilization of wild resources. MethodsAn ultra-performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） was employed to establish characteristic profiles. Principal component analysis （PCA） and partial least squares-discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） were then adopted to screen and comprehensively rank marker compounds. ResultsThe UPLC fingerprint of T. mongolicum germplasm identified 13 chromatographic peaks corresponding to gallic acid， coumaric acid， neochlorogenic acid， monocaffeoyltartaric acid， chlorogenic acid， cryptochlorogenic acid， caffeic acid， p-coumaric acid， cichoric acid， luteoloside， isochlorogenic acid B， isochlorogenic acid A， and isochlorogenic acid C. Combined with chemometric analysis such as PCA and PLS-DA， eight core markers （cichoric acid， luteoloside， cryptochlorogenic acid， isochlorogenic acid B， chlorogenic acid， caffeic acid， isochlorogenic acid C， and isochlorogenic acid A） were screened for distinguishing wild and cultivated germplasms. Additionally， eight core markers （cichoric acid， caffeic acid， luteoloside， chlorogenic acid， cryptochlorogenic acid， isochlorogenic acid A， monocaffeoyltartaric acid， and neochlorogenic acid） were selected for the evaluation and screening of different T. mongolicum germplasms. ConclusionThis study establishes a UPLC analysis method capable of simultaneously determining 13 characteristic components in T. mongolicum， such as cichoric acid and chlorogenic acid， as well as their precursor compound contents in the biosynthetic pathway. Based on the above methods， three T. mongolicum germplasms （PGY-004， PGY-009， and PGY-010） with promising medicinal potential are selected for subsequent research on variety breeding. The present study provides a reference for quality control of Taraxacum mongolicum， germplasm screening， and the rational development and utilization of wild resources.

This article systematically reviews and examines the historical evolution of Bambusae Succus as a medicinal material， covering aspects such as nomenclature， origin， geographical distribution， harvesting and processing methods， quality assessment， therapeutic effects and indications， by consulting ancient herbal texts， medical compendia， and modern literature. The aim is to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. Research indicated that Bambusae Succus was first documented in the Shennong Bencaojing during the Han dynasty， with Zhuli being the standard name used throughout history， alongside aliases like Zhuzhi， Zhuyou and Huoquan. Historically， the primary source of Bambusae Succus has been Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis（Danzhu）， although other species such as Pleioblastus amarus and Bambusa emeiensis have also been used medicinally. Ancient records predominantly noted its origin in Yizhou（present-day Chengdu and surrounding areas in Sichuan） and the Wuling region（between present-day Hunan， Guangdong， Guangxi and Jiangxi provinces）， while contemporary sources are mainly from regions south of the Yangtze River and southwestern China. Traditionally， Bambusae Succus was harvested from bamboo that had grown for exactly one year， today， it can be collected year-round without strict age requirements. Ancient preparation methods included direct fire roasting or dry distillation， whereas modern industrial production employs dry distillation， reflux extraction， and percolation. In terms of quality evaluation， ancient texts considered a sweet taste to be superior， while today， clarity and transparency are prioritized. Historically， Bambusae Succus was characterized as sweet and cold nature， targeting the lung and stomach meridians， with uses evolving from clearing heat and resolving phlegm to nourishing Yin， moistening dryness， and relaxing tendons and unblocking meridians. Modern descriptions classify it as sweet， bitter， and cold in nature， affecting the heart， liver， and lung meridians， with functions including clearing heat， resolving phlegm， and facilitating orifices. It is indicated for conditions such as stroke with phlegm confusion， lung heat with phlegm congestion， convulsions， epilepsy， excessive phlegm in febrile diseases， high fever with thirst， irritability during pregnancy， and tetanus， with more clearly defined applications. Based on the results of the research， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Bambusae Succus， the one-year-old Phyllostachys nigra var. Henonis， which has been highly praised throughout history， should be selected as the source material. Industrial production should adopt the dry distillation method. Furthermore， in-depth research should be conducted on the modern technological characterization of the traditional quality control indicator of sweet taste， and reasonable modern quality control standards should be established.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Shenqi Wenfei prescription （SQWF） on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. MethodsA rat model of COPD with lung Qi deficiency was established using lipopolysaccharide （LPS） combined with cigarette smoke. Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose SQWF groups （2.835， 5.67， 11.34 g·kg^-1）， and a Yupingfeng group （1.35 g·kg^-1）. Drug administration began on day 29 after modeling and continued for 2 weeks. The general condition of the rats was observed， and the lung function in each group was assessed. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue. The proportion of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） was measured. Apoptosis in lung tissue was examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling （TUNEL） staining. The release level of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） in BALF was detected by a microplate assay. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels in lung tissue were detected using fluorescent probes. The levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， total superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and reduced glutathione （GSH） in BALF were measured by biochemical methods. Ultrastructural changes in lung cells were observed via transmission electron microscopy. Double immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of thioredoxin-interacting protein （TXNIP） and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） in lung tissue. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression of TXNIP， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1 （Caspase-1）， Caspase-1 p20， gasdermin D （GSDMD）， GSDMD N-terminal active fragment （GSDMD-N）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and IL-18 in lung tissue. Serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels were measured by ELISA. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed lassitude， fatigue， tachypnea， and audible phlegm sounds， and lung function significantly declined （P0.01）. Pulmonary emphysema and inflammatory cell infiltration were obvious. The level of inflammatory cells in BALF increased significantly （P0.05）. The number of TUNEL-positive cells increased （P0.01）. Levels of LDH， ROS， and MDA in BALF increased significantly （P0.01）， while GSH and SOD activities decreased significantly （P0.01）. Lung tissue cells showed irregular morphology， swollen mitochondria， disrupted cell membranes， and abundant vesicles， i.e.， pyroptotic bodies. Protein levels of TXNIP， NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， Caspase-1 p20， GSDMD， GSDMD-N， IL-1β， and IL-18 in lung tissue were significantly elevated （P0.01）， and serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels also increased significantly （P0.01）. Compared with the model group， each medication group showed alleviation of qi deficiency symptoms and improved lung function （P0.01）. Pulmonary emphysema and inflammatory cell infiltration were reduced. Inflammatory cell levels decreased （P0.05）. The number of TUNEL-positive cells decreased significantly （P0.01）. Levels of LDH， ROS， and MDA decreased significantly （P0.05）， while GSH and SOD activities significantly increased （P0.01）. Morphological and structural damage in lung tissue was improved to varying degrees. Protein levels of TXNIP， NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， Caspase-1 p20， GSDMD， GSDMD-N， IL-1β， and IL-18 in lung tissue significantly decreased （P0.01）， and serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels also decreased significantly （P0.05）. ConclusionSQWF can improve lung function and alleviate inflammatory responses in COPD rats. Its mechanism may be related to regulating the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway and inhibiting pyroptosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Shenqi Wenfei prescription （SQWF） on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. MethodsA rat model of COPD with lung Qi deficiency was established using lipopolysaccharide （LPS） combined with cigarette smoke. Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose SQWF groups （2.835， 5.67， 11.34 g·kg^-1）， and a Yupingfeng group （1.35 g·kg^-1）. Drug administration began on day 29 after modeling and continued for 2 weeks. The general condition of the rats was observed， and the lung function in each group was assessed. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue. The proportion of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） was measured. Apoptosis in lung tissue was examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling （TUNEL） staining. The release level of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） in BALF was detected by a microplate assay. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels in lung tissue were detected using fluorescent probes. The levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， total superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and reduced glutathione （GSH） in BALF were measured by biochemical methods. Ultrastructural changes in lung cells were observed via transmission electron microscopy. Double immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of thioredoxin-interacting protein （TXNIP） and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） in lung tissue. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression of TXNIP， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-1 （Caspase-1）， Caspase-1 p20， gasdermin D （GSDMD）， GSDMD N-terminal active fragment （GSDMD-N）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and IL-18 in lung tissue. Serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels were measured by ELISA. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed lassitude， fatigue， tachypnea， and audible phlegm sounds， and lung function significantly declined （P0.01）. Pulmonary emphysema and inflammatory cell infiltration were obvious. The level of inflammatory cells in BALF increased significantly （P0.05）. The number of TUNEL-positive cells increased （P0.01）. Levels of LDH， ROS， and MDA in BALF increased significantly （P0.01）， while GSH and SOD activities decreased significantly （P0.01）. Lung tissue cells showed irregular morphology， swollen mitochondria， disrupted cell membranes， and abundant vesicles， i.e.， pyroptotic bodies. Protein levels of TXNIP， NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， Caspase-1 p20， GSDMD， GSDMD-N， IL-1β， and IL-18 in lung tissue were significantly elevated （P0.01）， and serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels also increased significantly （P0.01）. Compared with the model group， each medication group showed alleviation of qi deficiency symptoms and improved lung function （P0.01）. Pulmonary emphysema and inflammatory cell infiltration were reduced. Inflammatory cell levels decreased （P0.05）. The number of TUNEL-positive cells decreased significantly （P0.01）. Levels of LDH， ROS， and MDA decreased significantly （P0.05）， while GSH and SOD activities significantly increased （P0.01）. Morphological and structural damage in lung tissue was improved to varying degrees. Protein levels of TXNIP， NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， Caspase-1 p20， GSDMD， GSDMD-N， IL-1β， and IL-18 in lung tissue significantly decreased （P0.01）， and serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels also decreased significantly （P0.05）. ConclusionSQWF can improve lung function and alleviate inflammatory responses in COPD rats. Its mechanism may be related to regulating the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway and inhibiting pyroptosis.

ObjectiveTo characterize the quality differences among different germplasm and introduced varieties of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium roots（BSR）， and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms， providing a basis for high-quality production and quality control. MethodsWild BSR from Yulin（YLW） served as the quality reference， we conducted comparative analysis among YLW， locally domesticated wild germplasm in Yulin（YLC3）， Daqing germplasm introduced and cultivated in Yulin（YLDQC3）， and locally cultivated germplasm in Daqing（DQC3）. A combination of traditional pharmacognostic methods and modern multi-omics analyses was employed， including macroscopic traits（appearance， odor）， microscopic features（proportions of cork， phloem， xylem）， cell wall component contents（hemicellulose， cellulose， lignin）， carbohydrate contents（starch， water-soluble polysaccharides）， marker compound contents（ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， liposoluble extracts， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D）， metabolomics， and transcriptomics， in order to systematically characterize quality differences and investigate molecular mechanisms among these samples. ResultsMacroscopically， Yulin-produced BSR（YLW， YLC3， YLDQC3） exhibited significantly greater weight， length， and upper and middle diameters than Daqing-produced BSR（DQC3）. Odor-wise， YLW and YLC3 had a a fragrance taste， YLDQC3 had a rancid oil odor， and DQC3 had a sweet and fragrant taste. Microscopically， Yulin germplasm（YLW， YLC3） and Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3， DQC3） shared similar structural features， respectively. However， Yulin germplasm showed significantly higher proportions of cork and phloem， as well as stronger xylem vessel staining intensity compared to Daqing germplasm. Regarding various component contents， Yulin germplasm contained significantly higher levels of ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D， while Daqing germplasm had significantly higher levels of hemicellulose， starch， and liposoluble extracts. After introduction to Yulin， the Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3） showed increased starch， water-soluble polysaccharides and liposoluble extracts contents， decreased cell wall component content， but no significant difference in other component contents. Metabolomics revealed that saponins and terpenes accumulated significantly in Yulin germplasm， while alcohols and aldehydes accumulated predominantly in Daqing germplasm. Transcriptomics indicated similar gene expression patterns within the same germplasm but specificity between different germplasms. Integrative metabolomic-transcriptomic analysis identified 145 potential key genes associated with the saikosaponin biosynthesis pathway， including one acetyl-coenzyme A（CoA） acetyltransferase gene（ACAT）， one 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase gene（HMGS）， two hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA（HMG-CoA） reductase genes（HMG）， one phosphomevalonate kinase gene（PMK）， one 1-deoxy-D-xylose-5-phosphate synthase gene（CLA）， one hydroxymethylbuten-1-aldol synthase gene（HDR）， two farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase genes（FPPS）， one squalene synthase gene（SQS）， one β-amyrin synthase gene（BAS）， 102 cytochrome P450（CYP450） gene family members， and 32 uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase（UGT） gene family members. ConclusionAmong the three cultivated types， YLC3 most closely resembles YLW in appearance， microscopic features， contents of major bioactive constituents， metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles. Yulin germplasm exhibits superior saponin synthesis capability compared to Daqing germplasm， and Yulin region is more suitable for the growth of B. scorzonerifolium. Based on these findings， it is recommended that artificial cultivation in northern Shaanxi and similar regions utilize the local Yulin germplasm source cultivated for at least three years.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

The major components of Olaflur raw material were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF/MS).The results revealed that cetyl amine fluoride(C16-AmF),octadecene amine fluoride(C18:1-AmF),and octadecyl amine fluoride(Olaflur)were the main components.The contents of C16-AmF,C18:1-AmF,and Olaflur in oral care products were determined via ultra performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detector coupled with solid-phase extraction(SPE-UPLC-CAD).The oral care sample was dispersed evenly with a 50%ethanol aqueous solution,and then vortexed with ethanol.The supernatant was collected by centrifugation,concentrated to near dryness,and redissolved with ultrapure water.The re-dissolved sample was loaded onto a Poly-Sery HLB Pro SPE column for purification and elution.The acetonitrile eluate was collected and concentrated to 1.0 mL.Finally,a prepared test solution was separated on a Thermo Acclaim Surfactant Plus chromatographic column(2.1 mm×150 mm,3 μm).Acetonitrile and 100 mmol/L acetic acid-ammonium acetate aqueous solution(pH=4.8)were used as the mobile phases for gradient elution.The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min and cloumn temperature was maintained at 40℃.The sample was detected using a charged aerosol detector,and quantified using an external standard method.The experimental results indicated that the three organic fluorinated amines showed good linear relationship in their respective concentration ranges.The correlation coefficients(r)were greater than 0.99.The limit of detection(LOD)and the limit of quantification(LOQ)of C16-AmF were 2.0 and 8.0 μg/mL,respectively.The LOD and LOQ of C18:1-AmF were 2.0 and 8.0 μg/mL,respectively.The LOD and LOQ of Olaflur were 3.0 μg/mL and 10.0 μg/mL,respectively.The spiked recoveries of the three organic fluorinated amines were 84.3%-104.2%,with relative standard deviations(RSDs)of 4.93%-5.82%.The 28 batches of commercial oral care samples were detected by this method and the results indicated that three organic fluorinated amines were detected in 18 samples and the total content were 22.2-11477.8 μg/g.This method had high sensitivity and good reproducibility.It was suitable for verifying the authenticity of the claims of oral care products promoted with Olaflur as the main efficacy ingredient and selling point,and provided a valuable reference for establishing and improving the standard analytical method for Olaflur.

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats

Based on the interleukin-17(IL-17) signaling pathway, this study explores the effect and mechanism of Bufei Decoction on Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in rats. SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, Bufei Decoction low-dose group(6.68 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), Bufei Decoction high-dose group(13.36 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and dexamethasone group(1.04 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with 10 rats in each group. A pneumonia model was established by tracheal drip injection of K. pneumoniae. After successful model establishment, the improvement in lung tissue damage was observed following drug administration. Core targets and signaling pathways were screened using transcriptomics techniques. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of core targets interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and chemokine CXC ligand 6(CXCL6). Western blot was used to assess key proteins in the IL-17 signaling pathway, including interleukin-17A(IL-17A), nuclear transcription factor-κB activator 1(Act1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), and downstream phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65). Apoptosis of lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL). The results showed that, compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, as well as the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly increased, and the number of apoptotic cells was notably higher, indicating successful model establishment. Compared with the model group, both low-and high-dose groups of Bufei Decoction showed reduced pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, and the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly decreased, with a significant reduction in apoptotic cells in the high-dose group. In conclusion, Bufei Decoction can effectively improve lung tissue damage and reduce inflammation in rats with K. pneumoniae. The mechanism may involve the regulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and the reduction of apoptosis.
Animals ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/physiology* ; Klebsiella Infections/immunology* ; Humans ; Lung/drug effects*