1.Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway regulates the development of osteoarthritis:guiding targeted therapy with traditional Chinese medicine
Hao LI ; Hongcheng TAO ; Ping ZENG ; Jinfu LIU ; Qiang DING ; Chicheng NIU ; Kai HUANG ; Hongyu KANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1476-1485
BACKGROUND:Osteoarthritis is pathologically characterized by progressive degeneration of the articular cartilage and abnormal deformation of the subchondral bone.In recent years,with the deepening of medical research,it has been found that the mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPK)signaling pathway has a regulatory role in inflammatory cell infiltration,inflammatory factor release,and chondrocyte proliferation,which is particularly important for the treatment of osteoarthritis.OBJECTIVE:To briefly review the main research progress in the mechanism of MAPK signaling pathway regulating osteoarthritis in recent years,aiming to provide new ideas for the treatment of osteoarthritis.METHODS:CNKI,WanFang and PubMed databases were searched for relevant literature using the search terms of"mitogen-activated protein kinases,osteoarthritis,extracellular signal-regulated MAP kinases,p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases,JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase"in Chinese and English.Relevant literature published from January 2019 to November 2024 was searched,and 108 articles were finally included for summary analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Various stimuli inside and outside the cells activate the MAPK signaling pathway,regulate gene transcription and protein synthesis,and promote the release of inflammatory factors,such as tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,and interleukin-6.The release of these inflammatory factors aggravates the progression of osteoarthritis.(2)The active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,mainly saponins and flavonoids,as well as Chinese herbal formulas and preparations with the main effects of activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis,tonifying the liver and kidney,can play a therapeutic role in osteoarthritis by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway,regulating the release of matrix metalloproteinases,balancing the homeostatic state of osteogenesis and osteoblastogenesis,attenuating the synovial inflammation,decreasing the release of inflammatory factors and inflammatory vesicles,decreasing cellular pyroptosis,promoting autophagy,and ameliorating oxidative stress.(3)Although traditional Chinese medicine has become popular in the treatment of osteoarthritis by virtue of its own advantages of multi-components,multi-targets,multi-pathways,and low side effects,the use of MAPK signaling pathway to guide the treatment of individual osteoarthritis is the difficulty of the technology,which needs to be continuously researched and explored.(4)Therefore,further development of relevant herbal inhibitors that can modulate the MAPK signaling pathway may be a potential drug strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the future.
2.Endoscopic lumbar canal decompression for upper lumbar spinal stenosis:a comparison of biomechanical stability of three surgical models
Jingbo MA ; Guangnan YANG ; Jiang LIU ; Qiang JIANG ; Hanshuo ZHANG ; Jiaheng HAN ; Yu DING
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(3):577-585
BACKGROUND:Upper lumbar spinal stenosis is a multifactorial degenerative disorder of the spine.For narrowing of the spinal canal in the upper lumbar region(L1-L4),surgical decision-making is particularly complex.Existing minimally invasive surgeries each have their own advantages and limitations.Currently,there are few reports on biomechanical comparison and finite element analysis of different surgical methods for the treatment of high lumbar spinal stenosis.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the biomechanical impact of endoscopic unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression,transforaminal endoscopic lumbar decompression,and cross-overtop decompression in the treatment of upper lumbar spinal stenosis using endoscopy,and to verify the reliability and effectiveness of these three surgical techniques in treating upper lumbar spinal stenosis,providing a biomechanical basis for clinical decision-making.METHODS:The CT images of the lumbar spine of a healthy volunteer were selected,and the finite element model M0 of the normal lumbar L1-L5 segments was established using Mimics,Geomagic,Solid works,and Ansys software.The L2-L3 segment,representing upper lumbar characteristics,was chosen.Based on this model,the surgical models for endoscopic unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression(M1),transforaminal endoscopic lumbar decompression(M2),and cross-overtop decompression(M3)were established.Using software,the changes in the range of motion of the entire lumbar segment and the maximum Von Mises stress of the intervertebral discs were simulated and evaluated for each group of models under six loading conditions:flexion,extension,left lateral bending,right lateral bending,left rotation,and right rotation.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with model MO,the range of motion in M1,M2,and M3 increased under all six conditions,with M1 showing a greater increase.(2)M1 and M2 demonstrated significant increases in range of motion under forward bending,extension,and right rotation,while the increase under other conditions remained below 7%.(3)Compared with model M3,model M1 exhibited slightly increased overall joint range of motion during extension and left bending,while no significant changes were observed in other aspects,and the L1-L5 lumbar segments did not reach an unstable state.(4)In model M1,the maximum Von Mises stress of the intervertebral discs increased most significantly under flexion and extension loading conditions.However,under left lateral bending,right lateral bending,left rotation,and right rotation loading conditions,the increase did not exceed 5%.(5)These findings suggest that due to the sagittal anatomical characteristics of the facet joints,the unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression technique,while decompressing,involves resection of more facet joints,which impacts overall segmental stability.The transforaminal endoscopic lumbar decompression technique is suitable for patients with foraminal stenosis but cannot achieve complete decompression for those with severe ventral central stenosis.The Cross-Overtop technique effectively enlarges the volume of the central canal and lateral recess,optimizing decompression,and shows unique advantages in treating upper lumbar spinal stenosis.
3.Current Status and Strategies of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Xuezhi ZHANG ; Xia DING ; Zhen LIU ; Hui YE ; Xiaofen JIA ; Hong CHENG ; Zhenyu WU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(1):111-116
This paper systematically reviews the current status of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, as well as recent progress in clinical and basic research both in China and internationally. It summarizes the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Hp infection management, including improving Hp eradication rates, enhancing antibiotic sensitivity, reducing antimicrobial resistance, decreasing drug-related adverse effects, and ameliorating gastric mucosal lesions. These advantages are particularly evident in patients who are intolerant to bismuth-containing regimens, those with refractory Hp infection, and individuals with precancerous gastric lesions. An integrated, whole-process management approach and individualized, staged comprehensive treatment strategies combining TCM and western medicine are proposed for Hp infection. Future prevention and control of Hp infection should adopt an integrative Chinese-western medical strategy, emphasizing prevention, strengthening primary care, implementing proactive long-term monitoring, optimizing screening strategies, and advancing the development of novel technologies and mechanistic studies of Chinese herbal interventions. These efforts aim to provide a theoretical basis and practical pathways for the establishment and improvement of Hp infection prevention and control systems.
4.Study on the new workflow of PIVAS based on intelligent auxiliary devices
Haiwen DING ; Sheng LIU ; Zhaolin CHEN ; Liqin TANG ; Tong TONG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(1):99-104
OBJECTIVE To build a new workflow of pharmacy intravenous admixture services (PIVAS), effectively connect intelligent equipment, and promote the intelligent development of PIVAS. METHODS Based on intelligent auxiliary equipment, PIVAS workflow was optimized, and a process-oriented model was established. This model integrated intelligent prescription review (automatic prescription review+manual intervention mode), intelligent labeling, intelligent allocation, intelligent sorting, and finished infusion quality inspection system. Furthermore, an assessment was conducted to examine unreasonable medical order rate of intelligent prescription review, the working efficiency and error rate of intelligent labeling machine and intelligent sorting machine, and the dispensing efficiency and accuracy of intelligent dispensing robot. RESULTS Under the intelligent prescription review mode, the rate of unreasonable medical orders decreased from 0.157% to 0.050% (P<0.05); automatic labeling efficiency reached 21.7 sheets/min, surpassing the manual labeling efficiency of 13.8 sheets/min (P<0.05), and the daily labeling error rate decreased from 6.1‰ to 2.5‰ (P<0.05). Simultaneously operating two dispensing robots significantly improved the efficiency of batch dispensing and reduced the residual amount of liquid medicine (P<0.05); additionally, a quality testing system for finished infusion was established, involving appearance, Tyndall effect, insoluble particles, turbidity, absorbance, pH and osmotic pressure, to ensure the quality of finished infusion and reduce the risk of infusion. CONCLUSIONS The new process of PIVAS connected with intelligent devices in our hospital can improve work efficiency, reduce dispensing errors, ensure the quality of finished infusion, and improve the level of pharmaceutical care.
5.Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats Esophageal Cancer via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway: A Review
Wei GUO ; Chen PENG ; Yikun WANG ; Zixuan YU ; Jintao LIU ; Jing DING ; Yijing LI ; Hongxin SUN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):302-311
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly prevalent malignant tumor in China. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, as one of the key oncogenic pathways, can promote the cell cycle progression, proliferation, migration, and invasion, induce chemoresistance, and inhibit apoptosis and autophagy of EC cells. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the advantages of targeting multiple points with multiple components to delay cancer progression, can target the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway for EC treatment. This article preliminarily discusses the molecular mechanism and role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and elaborates on the specific targets and efficacy of TCM in treating EC through intervention in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the past five years. TCM materials and extracts inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC include Borneolum, spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum without spore coat, extract of Celastrus orbiculatus, root extract of Taraxacum, and Bruceae Fructus oil emulsion. TCM active ingredients exerting the effect include flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phenols, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and other compounds. TCM compound prescriptions with such effect include Qige San, Huqi San, Xuanfu Daizhetang, Tongyoutang and its decomposed prescriptions, Liujunzi Tang, and Xishenzhi Formula. In addition, TCM injections such as Compound Kushen Injection and Kang'ai injection also inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC. This paper summarizes the role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and the TCM interventions, aiming to provide reference for the research and clinical application of new drugs for EC.
6.Effect of Shenqi Jianxin Formula(参芪健心方)on Mitochondrial Autophagy and the PINK1/Parkin Signaling Pathway in Cardiac Tissues in Chronic Heart Failure
Peichi XIE ; Pan LIU ; Zitong DING ; Jingyi BAI ; Deqi PANG ; Xiaohua DAI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):447-455
ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Shenqi Jianxin Formula (参芪健心方) in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) from the perspective of regulating mitochondrial autophagy via the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/E3 ubiquitin ligase (Parkin) pathway. MethodsMale SD rats were subjected to abdominal aortic constriction to establish the CHF model. Twenty-four successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, sacubitril/valsartan group, and low- and high-dose Shenqi Jianxin Formula groups, with 6 rats in each group. Six other rats were set as the sham surgery group, which were only separated the abdominal aorta and then closed the abdomen. Rats in the low-dose and high-dose Shenqi Jianxin Formula groups were given intragastric administration of Shenqi Jianxin Formula suspension at doses of 4.41 g/(kg·d) and 17.64 g/(kg·d), respectively; the sacubitril/valsartan group received intragastric administration of sacubitril/valsartan sodium tablet suspension at 10 mg/(kg·d); the sham surgery group and the model group were given normal saline at 10 ml/(kg·d) via intragastric gavage. The intervention lasted for 4 consecutive weeks. Cardiac function indices including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were detected, and serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) content was measured. HE staining and Masson staining were used to observe myocardial histopathological changes. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine the ultrastructure of cardiac tissues. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Rt-qPCR) was performed to determine the mRNA expressions of PINK1/Parkin pathway-related factors and autophagy-associated proteins including Beclin-1, p62, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) in myocardial tissues. ResultsCompared with the sham surgery group, the model group showed significant decreases in LVEF and LVFS levels, an increase in serum BNP content, down-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of PINK1, Parkin and Beclin-1 in cardiac tissues, up-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of p62, as well as significant reductions in LC3B mRNA expression, phosphorylated PTEN-induced kinase 1 (p-PINK1) and phosphorylated E3 ubiquitin ligase (p-Parkin) protein levels, and the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-Ⅱ to microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-Ⅰ (LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ) (P<0.05). Pathological results revealed obvious myocardial cell edema, necrosis and degeneration, increased disorder of myocardial fiber arrangement, extensive inflammatory cell infiltration, moderate to severe mitochondrial swelling, a few mitochondrial vacuolar changes, and no obvious autophagy in the field of vision in the model group. Compared with the model group, all the above indicators were significantly improved in the high-dose Shenqi Jianxin Formula group and the sacubitril/valsartan group (P<0.05). Moreover, the improvement of each index in the high-dose Shenqi Jianxin Formula group was superior to that in the low-dose group (P<0.05). In the high-dose Shenqi Jianxin Formula group, myocardial myofibrils were arranged regularly with orderly orientation, the striated structure was clear, and necrotic cells significantly reduced. ConclusionShenqi Jianxin Formula can activate the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway in myocardial tissues, enhance mitochondrial autophagy, and clear dysfunctional mitochondria, thereby improving cardiac function and delaying the progression of CHF.
7.QingNangTCM: a parameter-efficient fine-tuning large language model for traditional Chinese medicine
Xuming TONG ; Liyan LIU ; Yanhong YUAN ; Xiaozheng DING ; Huiru JIA ; Xu YANG ; Sio Kei IM ; Mini Han WANG ; Zhang XIONH ; Yapeng WANG
Digital Chinese Medicine 2026;9(1):1-12
Objective:
To develop QingNangTCM, a specialized large language model (LLM) tailored for expert-level traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) question-answering and clinical reasoning, addressing the scarcity of domain-specific corpora and specialized alignment.
Methods:
We constructed QnTCM_Dataset, a corpus of 100 000 entries, by integrating data from ShenNong_TCM_Dataset and SymMap v2.0, and synthesizing additional samples via retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and persona-driven generation. The dataset comprehensively covers diagnostic inquiries, prescriptions, and herbal knowledge. Utilizing P-Tuning v2, we fine-tuned the GLM-4-9B-Chat backbone to develop QingNangTCM. A multi-dimensional evaluation framework, assessing accuracy, coverage, consistency, safety, professionalism, and fluency, was established using metrics such as bilingual evaluation understudy (BLEU), recall-oriented understudy for gisting evaluation (ROUGE), metric for evaluation of translation with explicit ordering (METEOR), and LLM-as-a-Judge with expert review. Qualitative analysis was conducted across four simulated clinical scenarios: symptom analysis, disease treatment, herb inquiry, and failure cases. Baseline models included GLM-4-9B-Chat, DeepSeek-V2, HuatuoGPT-II (7B), and GLM-4-9B-Chat (freeze-tuning).
Results:
QingNangTCM achieved the highest scores in BLEU-1/2/3/4 (0.425/0.298/0.137/0.064), ROUGE-1/2 (0.368/0.157), and METEOR (0.218), demonstrating a balanced and superior normalized performance profile of 0.900 across the dimensions of accuracy, coverage, and consistency. Although its ROUGE-L score (0.299) was lower than that of HuatuoGPT-II (7B) (0.351), it significantly outperformed domain-specific models in expert-validated win rates for professionalism (86%) and safety (73%). Qualitative analysis confirmed that the model strictly adheres to the “symptom-syndrome-pathogenesis-treatment” reasoning chain, though occasional misclassifications and hallucinations persisted when dealing with rare medicinal materials and uncommon syndromes.
Conclusion
Combining domain-specific corpus construction with parameter-efficient prompt tuning enhances the reasoning behavior and domain adaptation of LLMs for TCM-related tasks. This work provides a technical framework for the digital organization and intelligent utilization of TCM knowledge, with potential value for supporting diagnostic reasoning and medical education.
8.Impact of rapid antiviral therapy on HIV/AIDS mortality outcomes in Wuhan
Jie DING ; Xuejiao HU ; Han YAN ; Rong HU ; Pulin LIU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(2):94-98
Objective To analyze the situation of rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) and death of HIV/AIDS in Wuhan from 1994 to 2023, and to provide a scientific basis for further rapid initiation of ART and reduction of mortality rate. Methods According to the case follow-up and treatment database of China AIDS Prevention and Control Information System, data were obtained from all the cases reported from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2023 with the current address in Wuhan City and the review status of the final review card. The data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Results The total mortality rate of HIV/AIDS in Wuhan from 1994 to 2023 was 12.76%. The proportion of receiving antiretroviral therapy within 30 days increased year by year, and the mortality rate decreased year by year. After adjusting for sex, age, occupation, ethnicity, education level, mobile population, history of STD, route of infection, source of sample, and first CD4 value, receiving antiretroviral therapy within 30 days (HR=0.08, 95%CI: 0.07-0.10) was a protective factor for HIV/AIDS mortality. Conclusion Rapid antiretroviral therapy can significantly reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS death. A sustainable model of rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy should be further established to increase the proportion of rapid antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS in Wuhan.
9.Analysis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Periodontitis Multimorbidity from Perspective of Abnormal Collateral Theory
Xiaojing GUO ; Jiuli DING ; Hongyuan SUN ; Lei ZHANG ; Min LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):280-287
The multimorbidity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis (PD) has drawn increasing attention, as both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and progressive bone destruction. Modern research confirms that PD is a significant risk factor for RA development, and their coexistence mutually exacerbates disease progression. However, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) currently lacks a systematic theoretical explanation for this complex multimorbid relationship. This study, based on the TCM theory of abnormal collateral, thoroughly examines the intrinsic connection between RA and PD multimorbidity, proposing "abnormal collateral as the pivot, with accumulated toxins eroding bone" as the core TCM pathogenesis. The research elucidates PD as the "origin of abnormal collateral", where its pathogens act as toxic factors that invade the joints through collaterals, triggering RA via mechanisms such as molecular mimicry. The dynamic pathological progression of RA-PD multimorbidity can be described as follows: the displacement of Ying and Wei at the microscopic level manifests as immune hyperactivation, leading to collateral malnutrition; heat-toxins traversing collaterals induce collateral hyperactivity, resulting in pathological angiogenesis; ultimately, toxin accumulation at the pivotal abnormal collateral site erodes bone, activating the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK) signaling pathway-driven osteoclast differentiation. This theoretical framework innovatively integrates modern findings in oral microbiology, immune-inflammation, and bone metabolism, offering a holistic and dynamic perspective to understand the complexity of multimorbidity. Given the limited efficacy of current periodontal treatments for RA and the scarcity of reported TCM compound interventions for multimorbidity, the abnormal collateral theory proposes a systematic intervention strategy centered on "governing diseases through collaterals and regulating collaterals with herbs", along with TCM therapeutic principles such as "unblocking, clearing, and nourishing collaterals". Potential herbal treatments for multimorbidity are also highlighted. Future research should focus on refining TCM syndrome patterns in multimorbid patients and leveraging omics technologies for deeper exploration, thereby providing a theoretical foundation and research direction for TCM in addressing complex multimorbid conditions.
10.Analysis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Periodontitis Multimorbidity from Perspective of Abnormal Collateral Theory
Xiaojing GUO ; Jiuli DING ; Hongyuan SUN ; Lei ZHANG ; Min LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):280-287
The multimorbidity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis (PD) has drawn increasing attention, as both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and progressive bone destruction. Modern research confirms that PD is a significant risk factor for RA development, and their coexistence mutually exacerbates disease progression. However, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) currently lacks a systematic theoretical explanation for this complex multimorbid relationship. This study, based on the TCM theory of abnormal collateral, thoroughly examines the intrinsic connection between RA and PD multimorbidity, proposing "abnormal collateral as the pivot, with accumulated toxins eroding bone" as the core TCM pathogenesis. The research elucidates PD as the "origin of abnormal collateral", where its pathogens act as toxic factors that invade the joints through collaterals, triggering RA via mechanisms such as molecular mimicry. The dynamic pathological progression of RA-PD multimorbidity can be described as follows: the displacement of Ying and Wei at the microscopic level manifests as immune hyperactivation, leading to collateral malnutrition; heat-toxins traversing collaterals induce collateral hyperactivity, resulting in pathological angiogenesis; ultimately, toxin accumulation at the pivotal abnormal collateral site erodes bone, activating the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK) signaling pathway-driven osteoclast differentiation. This theoretical framework innovatively integrates modern findings in oral microbiology, immune-inflammation, and bone metabolism, offering a holistic and dynamic perspective to understand the complexity of multimorbidity. Given the limited efficacy of current periodontal treatments for RA and the scarcity of reported TCM compound interventions for multimorbidity, the abnormal collateral theory proposes a systematic intervention strategy centered on "governing diseases through collaterals and regulating collaterals with herbs", along with TCM therapeutic principles such as "unblocking, clearing, and nourishing collaterals". Potential herbal treatments for multimorbidity are also highlighted. Future research should focus on refining TCM syndrome patterns in multimorbid patients and leveraging omics technologies for deeper exploration, thereby providing a theoretical foundation and research direction for TCM in addressing complex multimorbid conditions.


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