1.Evaluation of the effect of integrated interventions on comorbidity of myopia and obesity among primary and secondary school students in Tongzhou District in Beijing
YANG Gang, YANG Dongmei, SONG Yi, LI Jing, WEN Han, CHE Jingyue, DONG Yanhui
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(1):39-44
Objective:
To evaluate the intervention effectiveness of co-occurrence and prevention for myopia and obesity among primary and secondary school students, so as to provide a scientific basis for the development of comprehensive intervention measures in myopia and obesity.
Methods:
From September 2022 to September 2023, a cluster random sampling method was used to select 6 primary schools and 6 junior high schools from Tongzhou District, Beijing. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (914 before intervention and 754 after intervention) and a control group (868 before intervention and 652 after intervention), with an expected duration of one academic year. Based on the RE-AIM framework, integrate resources from families, schools, communities, and medical institutions to develop a school-based intervention technology packagefor the co-occurrence and prevention of myopia and obesity in children. The intervention group received intervention according to the comprehensive intervention technology package, while the control group did not receive any intervention measures. Relevant health indicators during the baseline period and after intervention were measured and collected, and groups were compared by Chi quest test, t-test and Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Results:
After intervention, the uncorrected visual acuity of primary and secondary school students in the intervention group (4.79±0.30) and the control group (4.77±0.33) both decreased compared to those before intervention (4.80±0.30, 4.90±0.32) ( t =-7.00,-5.24); the decrease in uncorrected visual acuity in the intervention group was smaller than that in the control group( t =5.33)( P <0.01). After intervention, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body fat percentage of primary and secondary school students in the intervention group decreased compared to those before intervention. However, the changes in these indicators were not statistically significant ( t/Z =-0.03, - 0.36,- 0.30,- 0.01, P >0.05); the above indicators in the control group increased compared to those before intervention, but only hip circumference and body fat percentage showed statistically significant changes ( t/Z =2.17, 2.62, P <0.05). After intervention, both the intervention group and the control group showed increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to those before intervention(intervention group: t =2.16,5.29; control group: t =6.84,5.07); the intervention group had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure than the control group( t = -5.27 , -2.08)( P <0.05). After intervention, the intervention and the control groups had statistically significant differences in cognitive accuracy(92.48%, 69.33%) in terms of "outdoor exercise can prevent myopia" and "having 5 servings of adult fist sized vegetables and fruits every day" ( χ 2=6.30, 7.86, P <0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of primary and secondary school students in the intervention group (40.98%) and the control group (35.43%) for "who did not drink sugary drinks for every day in the past 7 days" ( χ 2=4.32, P <0.05). After intervention, the intervention group and the control group showed increases in "school outdoor activity duration on school days" and "outdoor activity duration on rest days" compared to those before intervention ( t/Z =-13.32,-9.71;- 2.59,-2.69);the behavior rate of "visual acuity measurement frequency at least once every 3 months" in the intervention group (46.68%) and the control group (52.76%) increased compared to those before intervention (36.43%, 44.01%), and the increases in the intervention group were greater than that in the control group ( χ 2=17.52,11.08) ( P <0.05).
Conclusions
Comprehensive intervention measures have significant intervention effects on controlling the occurrence and development of comorbidity of myopia and obesity in children. It could actively promote collaboration and cooperation among families, schools, communities and medical institutions to reduce the occurrence of myopia and obesity among primary and secondary school students.
2.Protective effect of Shenfu injection against neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury by inhibiting the ferroptosis
Xiaotong Zhang ; Meng Zhang ; Gang Li ; Yang Hu ; Yajing Xun ; Hui Ding ; Donglin Shen ; Ming Wu
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(1):31-40
Objective :
To observe the brain tissue injury during hypoxia-ischemia, as well as the pathological changes and the expression of ferroptosis-related factors after the use of Shenfu injection(SFI), and to explore the protective effect of SFI on hypoxic-ischemic brain injury(HIBD) by inhibiting ferroptosis.
Methods :
An animal model of HIBD in SD rats was constructed and intervened with SFI. Pathologic changes in brain tissue were observed by HE staining methods. Nissen staining was used to observe neuron survival. Glutathione Peroxidase 4(GPX4) and Divalent Metal Transporter 1(DMT1) expression were detected in brain tissue by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Reduced Glutathione(GSH), Lactate Dehydrogenase(LDH), Malondialdehyde(MDA), Superoxide Dismutase(SOD) and tissue iron content were determined with the kits. BV-2 microglial cell line(BV2) cells were culturedin vitroand divided into control group(Ctrl group), oxygen-glucose deprivation group(OGD group), iron ferroptosis-inducing group(Erastin group), iron ferroptosis-inhibiting group(Fer-1 group), Shenfu injection group(SFI group), and Erastin+Shenfu injection group(Erastin+SFI group). 2′,7′-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA) reactive oxygen species(ROS) fluorescent probe was used to detect the ROS release level; Immunofluorescence was used to observe intracellular GPX4, DMT1 expression.
Results :
Compared with the Sham group, rats in the HIBD group showed significant neuronal cell damage in brain tissue, decreased GPX4 expression(P<0.01), increased DMT1 expression(P<0.01), decreased GSH and SOD levels(P<0.01), and increased LDH, MDA and tissue iron levels(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.01). In contrast, after the intervention of SFI, GPX4 expression was elevated(P<0.01), DMT1 expression decreased(P<0.01), GSH and SOD levels were elevated(P<0.01), and LDH, MDA, and tissue iron levels decreased(P<0.05,P<0.05,P<0.01). The cells experiments showed that compared with the Ctrl group, the OGD group had a significantly higher ROS content and a decrease in the expression of GPX4 fluorescence intensity, and an increase in the fluorescence intensity of DMT1(P<0.01), compared with the OGD group, the ROS content was reduced in the SFI group, while the expression of GPX4 was elevated and the expression of DMT1 was reduced(P<0.01).
Conclusion
Hippocampal and cortical regions are severely damaged after HIBD in neonatal rats, and their brain tissues show decreased expression of GPX4 and increased expression of DMT1. The above suggests that ferroptosis is involved in HIBD brain injury in neonatal rats. In contrast, Shenfu injection has a protective effect on HIBD experimental animal model and BV2 cell injury model by reducing iron aggregation and ROS production.
3.Intelligent handheld ultrasound improving the ability of non-expert general practitioners in carotid examinations for community populations: a prospective and parallel controlled trial
Pei SUN ; Hong HAN ; Yi-Kang SUN ; Xi WANG ; Xiao-Chuan LIU ; Bo-Yang ZHOU ; Li-Fan WANG ; Ya-Qin ZHANG ; Zhi-Gang PAN ; Bei-Jian HUANG ; Hui-Xiong XU ; Chong-Ke ZHAO
Ultrasonography 2025;44(2):112-123
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations.
Methods:
This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits.
Results:
Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01).
Conclusion
Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.
4.Analysis and prediction of global burden due to cystic echinococcosis from 1990 to 2035
Zhen LAI ; Gang LIU ; Haili ZHAO ; Miaomiao QIU ; Jian CHEN ; En LUO ; Junguo XIN ; Xiaohong YANG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(3):255-267
Objective To investigate the trends in the global burden due to cystic echinococcosis from 1990 to 2021, and to predict the global burden of cystic echinococcosis from 2022 to 2035, so as to provide insights into formulation of the cystic echinococcosis control strategy. Methods The global age-standardized prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates and their 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) of cystic echinococcosis from 1990 to 2021 were captured from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) database, and the trends in the global burden of cystic echinococcosis from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed using the Joinpoint regression model. The associations between the global burden of cystic echinococcosis and socio-demographic index (SDI) were examined using a smoothing spline model and frontier analysis, and the global burden of cystic echinococcosis was projected from 2022 to 2035 using the Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model. Results The global agestandardized prevalence, mortality and DALYs rates of cystic echinococcosis were 7.69/105 [95% UI: (6.27/105, 9.51/105)], 0.02/105 [95% UI: (0.01/105, 0.02/105)], and 1.32/105 [95% UI: (0.99/105, 1.69/105)] in 2021. The global age-standardized prevalence of cystic echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a rise by 0.14% per year from 1990 to 2021, and the global age-standardized mortality and DALYs rates of cystic echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a decline by 4.68% and 4.01% per year from 1990 to 2021, respectively. Joinpoint regression analysis showed that global age-standardized prevalence of cystic echinococcosis appeared a tendency towards a decline from 1990 to 2000 [annual percent change (APC) = −0.66%, 95% confidence interval (CI): (−0.70%, −0.61%)] and from 2005 to 2015 [APC = −0.88%, 95% CI: (−0.93%, −0.82%)], and towards a rise from 2000 to 2005 [APC = 3.68%, 95% CI: (3.49%, 3.87%)] and from 2015 to 2021 [APC=0.30%, 95%CI: (0.19%, 0.40%)].Theagestandardized prevalence (r = −0.17, P < 0.05), mortality (r = −0.67, P < 0.05) and DALYs rates of cystic echinococcosis (r = −0.60, P < 0.05) all correlated negatively with SDI across 21 geographical regions from 1990 to 2021, and the age-standardized mortality (r = −0.61, P < 0.05) and DALYs rates (r = −0.44, P < 0.05) both correlated negatively with SDI across 204 countries and territories in 2021. Frontier analysis revealed that the age-standardized DALYs rate of cystic echinococcosis was still not in line with the frontier in some high-SDI countries or territories. In addition, the global age-standardized prevalence was projected with the BAPC model to appear a tendency towards a rise among both men [estimated annual percent change (EAPC) = 0.18%, 95% CI: (0.13%, 0.23%)] and women [EAPC = 0.29%, 95% CI: (0.24%, 0.34%)] from 2022 to 2035, and the global age-standardized mortality [men: EAPC = −4.71%, 95% CI: (−4.71%, −4.37%); women: EAPC = −4.74%, 95% CI: (−4.74%, −4.74%)] and DALYs rates [men: EAPC = −3.35%, 95% CI: (−3.36%, −3.34%); women: EAPC = −3.17%, 95% CI: (−3.18%, −3.16%)] were projected to appear a tendency towards a decline among both men and women. Conclusions The global burden of cystic echinococcosis appeared an overall tendency towards a decline from 1990 to 2021; however, the global prevalence of cystic echinococcosis is projected to appear a tendency towards a rise from 2022 to 2035. Intensified cystic echinococcosis control programmes are recommended.
5.Prediction of Protein Thermodynamic Stability Based on Artificial Intelligence
Lin-Jie TAO ; Fan-Ding XU ; Yu GUO ; Jian-Gang LONG ; Zhuo-Yang LU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):1972-1985
In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of biology has witnessed remarkable advancements. Among these, the most notable achievements have emerged in the domain of protein structure prediction and design, with AlphaFold and related innovations earning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. These breakthroughs have transformed our ability to understand protein folding and molecular interactions, marking a pivotal milestone in computational biology. Looking ahead, it is foreseeable that the accurate prediction of various physicochemical properties of proteins—beyond static structure—will become the next critical frontier in this rapidly evolving field. One of the most important protein properties is thermodynamic stability, which refers to a protein’s ability to maintain its native conformation under physiological or stress conditions. Accurate prediction of protein stability, especially upon single-point mutations, plays a vital role in numerous scientific and industrial domains. These include understanding the molecular basis of disease, rational drug design, development of therapeutic proteins, design of more robust industrial enzymes, and engineering of biosensors. Consequently, the ability to reliably forecast the stability changes caused by mutations has broad and transformative implications across biomedical and biotechnological applications. Historically, protein stability was assessed via experimental methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and circular dichroism (CD), which, while precise, are time-consuming and resource-intensive. This prompted the development of computational approaches, including empirical energy functions and physics-based simulations. However, these traditional models often fall short in capturing the complex, high-dimensional nature of protein conformational landscapes and mutational effects. Recent advances in machine learning (ML) have significantly improved predictive performance in this area. Early ML models used handcrafted features derived from sequence and structure, whereas modern deep learning models leverage massive datasets and learn representations directly from data. Deep neural networks (DNNs), graph neural networks (GNNs), and attention-based architectures such as transformers have shown particular promise. GNNs, in particular, excel at modeling spatial and topological relationships in molecular structures, making them well-suited for protein modeling tasks. Furthermore, attention mechanisms enable models to dynamically weigh the contribution of specific residues or regions, capturing long-range interactions and allosteric effects. Nevertheless, several key challenges remain. These include the imbalance and scarcity of high-quality experimental datasets, particularly for rare or functionally significant mutations, which can lead to biased or overfitted models. Additionally, the inherently dynamic nature of proteins—their conformational flexibility and context-dependent behavior—is difficult to encode in static structural representations. Current models often rely on a single structure or average conformation, which may overlook important aspects of stability modulation. Efforts are ongoing to incorporate multi-conformational ensembles, molecular dynamics simulations, and physics-informed learning frameworks into predictive models. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the evolution of protein thermodynamic stability prediction techniques, with emphasis on the recent progress enabled by machine learning. It highlights representative datasets, modeling strategies, evaluation benchmarks, and the integration of structural and biochemical features. The aim is to provide researchers with a structured and up-to-date reference, guiding the development of more robust, generalizable, and interpretable models for predicting protein stability changes upon mutation. As the field moves forward, the synergy between data-driven AI methods and domain-specific biological knowledge will be key to unlocking deeper understanding and broader applications of protein engineering.
6.Analysis of syncopal DRVR in blood donors: multicenter hemovigilance data (2020—2023)
Junhong YANG ; Qing XU ; Wenqin ZHU ; Fei TANG ; Ruru HE ; Zhenping LU ; Zhujiang YE ; Fade ZHONG ; Gang WU ; Guoqiang FENG ; Xiaojie GUO ; Jia ZENG ; Xia HUANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(8):1071-1076
Objective: Data on syncopal donation-related vasovagal reaction (DRVR) collected from 74 blood centers between 2020 and 2023 was statistically analyzed to provide a reference for developing preventive strategies against syncopal DRVR. Methods: Data on blood donation adverse reactions and basic information of donors from 2020 to 2023 were collected through the information management system at monitoring sentinel sites. Statistical analysis was performed on the following aspects of syncopal DRVR: characteristics of donors who experienced syncope, reported incidence, triggers, duration, presence and occurrence time of syncope-related trauma, clinical management including outpatient and inpatient treatment, and severity grading. Results: From 2020 to 2023, 45 966 donation-related adverse reactions were recorded. Of these, 1 665 (3.72%) cases were syncopal DRVR. The incidence of syncopal DRVR decreased with age, being the highest in the 18-22 age group. Incidence was significantly higher in female donors than male donors, in first-time donors than repeat donors, and in university and individual donors than group donors (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among different blood donation locations (P>0.05). The top three triggers were tension, fatigue, and needle phobia or fear of blood. Among syncopal DRVR cases, 60.36% occurred during blood collection, 87.63% lasted for less than 60 seconds, and 5.05% were accompanied by trauma. Notably, 57.14% of these traumas occurred after donor had left the blood collection site. Syncope severity was graded based on required treatment: grade 1 (fully recovered without treatment, 95.50%); grade 2 (recovered after outpatient treatment, 4.02%); and grade 3 (recovered after inpatient treatment, 0.48%). Conclusion: By analyzing the data of syncopal DRVR cases, it is possible to provide a reference for formulating blood donor safety policies.
7.Efficacy and safety of proximal gastrectomy versus total gastrectomy for Siewert type Ⅱ and Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Yingjie LU ; Ziqiang HONG ; Hongchao LI ; Gang JIN ; Wenhao WANG ; Yi YANG ; Bin LIU ; Zijiang ZHU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(05):693-699
Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of proximal gastrectomy (PG) versus total gastrectomy (TG) for the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ/Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). Methods PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMbase, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases were searched for literature comparing the efficacy and safety of PG and TG for the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ/Ⅲ AEG. The search period was from database inception to March 2023. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. Results A total of 23 articles were included, including 16 retrospective cohort studies, 5 prospective cohort studies, and 2 randomized controlled trials. The total sample size was 2 826 patients, with 1 389 patients undergoing PG and 1 437 patients undergoing TG. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with TG, PG had less intraoperative blood loss [MD=−19.85, 95%CI (−37.20, −2.51), P=0.02] and shorter postoperative hospital stay [MD=−1.23, 95%CI (−2.38, −0.08), P=0.04]. TG had a greater number of lymph nodes dissected [MD=−6.20, 95%CI (−7.68, −4.71), P<0.001] and a lower incidence of reflux esophagitis [MD=3.02, 95%CI (1.24, 7.34), P=0.01]. There were no statistically significant differences between the two surgical approaches in terms of operative time, postoperative survival rate (1-year, 3-year, 5-year), and postoperative overall complications (P>0.05). Conclusion PG has advantages in terms of intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay, while TG has advantages in terms of the number of lymph nodes dissected and the incidence of reflux esophagitis. There is no significant difference in long-term survival between the two surgical approaches.
8.Evaluation of postoperative recurrence and treatment efficacy of glioma using 3.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging
Yang SHI ; Cuixia XU ; Junming WEI ; Gang CUI
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(4):553-558
Objective To investigate the clinical value of 3.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating postoperative recurrence and treatment efficacy of glioma. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the general clinical data of 67 patients who underwent glioma surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xingtai Medical University. All patients received chemotherapy for more than one month post-surgery. Recurrence of glioma was diagnosed based on secondary surgery or pathological biopsy results as the gold standard. From 3 to 6 months post-surgery, computerized tomography was used to measure cerebral blood volume (CBV), three-dimensional arterial spin labeling was used to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and relative CBF (rCBF), and diffusion-weighted imaging with and without contrast enhancement was used to measure apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software, and the t test or χ2 test was used for inter-group comparisons based on data type. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate the value of CBV, rCBF, and ADC in assessing postoperative recurrence and treatment efficacy of glioma. Results Patients with high-grade gliomas showed significantly higher CBV and rCBF and significantly lower ADC compared to those with low-grade gliomas (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CBV, rCBF, and ADC in combination for grading glioma was 0.960, which was higher than those of individual indicators (0.790, 0.955, and 0.795, P < 0.05). The recurrence group had significantly higher CBV and rCBF and lower ADC compared to the non-recurrence group (P < 0.05). The AUC of CBV, rCBF, and ADC in combination for predicting postoperative glioma recurrence was 0.965, which was significantly higher than those of individual indicators (0.729, 0.929, and 0.941, P < 0.05). CBV and rCBF were lower and ADC was higher in the effective treatment group than in the ineffective treatment group (P < 0.05). The AUC of CBV, rCBF, and ADC in combination for evaluating glioma treatment efficacy was 0.985, which was higher than those of individual indicators (0.842, 0.898, and 0.961, P < 0.05). Conclusion The CBV, rCBF, and ADC in combination has shown high diagnostic accuracy and predictive efficacy in the evaluation of postoperative recurrence and treatment efficacy of glioma, which has important clinical application value.
9.Herbal Textual Research on Stemonae Radix in Famous Classical Formulas
Gang XU ; Li AN ; Xiaomei WANG ; Erhuan WANG ; Yichen YANG ; Cunde MA ; Yang YANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):241-251
This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name, origin, harvesting and processing, quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature, in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application, and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern, featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus, leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research, it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu, and throughout history, Baidu has been recognized as its official name, though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing, Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia, S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China(hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia). Additionally, Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China, exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically, wild harvesting was predominant, but cultivation is now established. In ancient times, the harvesting time was mostly in the second, third, and eighth lunar months, when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays, it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation, the roots are washed, fibrous roots removed, briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains, and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times, the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting(stir-frying), wine roasting, or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials, ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick, robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity, since the Song dynasty, it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin, reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history, including relieving coughs, eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results, it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix, the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas, and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.
10.Herbal Textual Research on Stemonae Radix in Famous Classical Formulas
Gang XU ; Li AN ; Xiaomei WANG ; Erhuan WANG ; Yichen YANG ; Cunde MA ; Yang YANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):241-251
This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name, origin, harvesting and processing, quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature, in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application, and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern, featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus, leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research, it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu, and throughout history, Baidu has been recognized as its official name, though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing, Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia, S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China(hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia). Additionally, Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China, exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically, wild harvesting was predominant, but cultivation is now established. In ancient times, the harvesting time was mostly in the second, third, and eighth lunar months, when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays, it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation, the roots are washed, fibrous roots removed, briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains, and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times, the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting(stir-frying), wine roasting, or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials, ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick, robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity, since the Song dynasty, it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin, reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history, including relieving coughs, eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results, it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix, the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas, and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.


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