Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a prevalent metabolic and endocrine disorder. Long-term hyperglycemia can lead to severe chronic complications, imposing substantial economic burdens on both society and patients. Despite the availability of various hypoglycemic agents for clinical use, these agents often fail to meet the therapeutic needs of T2DM and its complications. Consequently, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies and drugs. Lithocarpus litseifolius(L. litseifolius), commonly referred to as "cordyceps on trees", has a long history of use in traditional medicine and can be applied in tea, sugar, and medicine. Research indicates that L. litseifolius extracts are rich in dihydrochalcones, including trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin, which exhibit a range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. These properties suggest potential applications in the treatment of T2DM and its complications. This review systematically compiled and organized the relevant literature from the past decade on dihydrochalcones(trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin) from L. litseifolius extracts. It highlighted recent research progress regarding their role in treating T2DM and its complications through mechanisms such as reducing insulin resistance, regulating glucose transport, improving glucose and lipid metabolism, modulating enzyme activity, regulating gut microbiota, and alleviating inflammation and oxidative damage. The purpose of this review is to provide a reference and basis for future research on the prevention and treatment of T2DM and its complications using dihydrochalcones(trilobatin, phloridzin, and phloretin) from L. litseifolius extracts.
Chalcones/chemistry* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Humans ; Animals ; Elaeocarpaceae/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) on ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus by maintaining islet β -cell identity through regulating paracrine and endocrine glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in both islet and intestine. METHODS: The db/db mice were divided into the model (distilled water), low-dose HRD (LHRD, 3 g/kg), high-dose HRD (HHRD, 6 g/kg), and liraglutide (400 µ g/kg) groups using a random number table, 8 mice in each group. The db/m mice were used as the control group (n=8, distilled water). The entire treatment of mice lasted for 6 weeks. Blood insulin, glucose, and GLP-1 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The proliferation and apoptosis factors of islet cells were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Then, GLP-1, GLP-1R, prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3), PC2, v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homologue A (MafA), and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) were detected by Western blot, IHC, IF, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: HRD reduced the weight and blood glucose of the db/db mice, and improved insulin sensitivity at the same time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HRD also promoted mice to secrete more insulin and less glucagon (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, it also increased the number of islet β cell and decreased islet α cell mass (P<0.01). After HRD treatment, the levels of GLP-1, GLP-1R, PC1/3, PC2, MafA, and PDX1 in the pancreas and intestine significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION HRD can maintain the normal function and identity of islet β cell, and the underlying mechanism is related to promoting the paracrine and endocrine activation of GLP-1 in pancreas and intestine.
Animals ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor/metabolism* ; Insulin-Secreting Cells/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Insulin/blood* ; Mice ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Islets of Langerhans/pathology*

Objective:To introduce a surgical technique utilizing suture plate fixation for the treatment of elbow "terrible triad" injuries and to evaluate its clinical outcomes.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 patients (9 males and 2 females; mean age: 40.5±9.0 years, range: 26-53 years) with elbow terrible triad injuries who underwent treatment via a single lateral approach (Kaplan approach) combined with loop plate fixation at the Trauma Emergency Center of the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University between January 2018 and July 2022. During surgery, coronoid process fractures were stabilized using loop plates. Among the radial head fractures, 7 cases were fixed with headless compression screws, while 4 cases underwent radial head prosthetic replacement. Additionally, the lateral collateral ligament complex and common extensor tendon origin were repaired using one suture anchor in all cases. Postoperative evaluations included elbow range of motion (ROM), encompassing flexion-extension and forearm pronation-supination. Radiographic assessments were performed to evaluate the alignment of the humeroradial and humeroulnar joints, degenerative changes, and heterotopic ossification. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) during follow-up.Results:All surgeries were successfully completed without intraoperative complications such as neurovascular injuries. Primary wound healing was achieved in all cases, with no instances of infection or other early complications. The mean follow-up duration was 15.55±3.78 months (range, 12-24 months). At 2 weeks postoperatively, the mean flexion-extension ROM was 66.82°±6.69°, forearm rotation ROM was 132.55°±10.61°, and MEPS was 62.73±3.44 points. By 3 months postoperatively, these values improved to 99.27°±10.82°, 159.18°±9.18°, and 83.18±10.31 points, respectively. At the final follow-up, further improvements were observed, with flexion-extension ROM reaching 115.18°±4.29°, forearm rotation ROM 164.73°±8.71°, and MEPS 95.45±7.89 points. Statistical analysis revealed significant increases in flexion-extension ROM ( F=268.014, P<0.001), forearm rotation ROM ( F=67.621, P<0.001), and MEPS ( F= 63.100, P<0.001) over time. At the final follow-up, MEPS outcomes were rated as excellent in 9 cases and good in 2 cases, yielding an excellent-to-good rate of 100%. Radiographic evaluation confirmed satisfactory joint alignment and bony union in all patients, with no reports of significant pain, elbow instability, or neurological deficits. Mild heterotopic ossification was observed in 2 cases but did not impair daily activities or necessitate additional treatment. Conclusion:The suture plate technique significantly reduced operative time, minimized surgical trauma, and lowered the risks of elbow infection and stiffness, demonstrating favorable clinical outcomes.

Aim To explore the effect of the classical famous prescription Dahuang Zhechong pill(DHZCP)on relieving liver cirrhosis by regulating the stress fiber remodeling mediated by mechanistic signaling pathway and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods Mice were randomly divided into the control group,model group,DHZCP low-dose group,DHZCP high-dose group,and Colchicine-positive control group.The liver cirrhosis mouse model was constructed by intrap-eritoneal injection of olive oil-solubilized CCl4.HE staining and serologic markers were used to reflect liver injury.Masson staining was used to evaluate collagen deposition in liver tissue.ELISA was applied to detect vasoactive molecules and cancer indicators.Atomic force microscopy was employed to detect liver tissue stiffness.Color Doppler diagnostic instrument was used to assess portal blood flow velocity.Western blot was utilized to detect ROCK2 expression and phosphoryla-tion of YAP,Cofilin,and MLC.Results The liver tis-sues in the model group had obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition,accompanied by significant elevation of serum transaminases and fibrosis indexes.Similarly,vasoactive molecules and cancer in-dicators were elevated,and the mechanoregulatory pro-tein ROCK2 expression and phosphorylation of Cofilin and MLC were elevated,with YAP being strongly de-phosphorylated.Both low and high doses of DHZCP re-versed the pathological changes,serological indices,and inhibited the activation of the stress fiber(SF)re-modeling mechanistic signaling pathway.Conclusion DHZCP effectively ameliorates liver tissue lesions in mice with liver cirrhosis,and its mechanism may be re-lated to the inhibition of SF remodeling mechanistic signaling pathway.

Background and Aims:Surgical treatment is a cornerstone of breast cancer management;however,the physical trauma and psychological burden associated with surgery may adversely affect patients'quality of life(QoL).Based on data from a prospective cohort,this study was conducted to evaluate changes in postoperative QoL among breast cancer patients and to identify mediating factors influencing QoL,thereby providing evidence for perioperative rehabilitation strategies.Methods:Female breast cancer patients who underwent local surgical treatment at Suining Central Hospital between June 2024 and January 2025 were enrolled.The Constant-Murley Shoulder Score,EORTC QLQ-C30,and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used pre-and postoperatively to assess shoulder joint function,and QoL.Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in scores before and after surgery.A mediation model was applied to explore the indirect pathways through which surgery impacts QoL.Additionally,subgroup analyses were conducted to compare QoL changes across different surgical modalities.Results:A total of 148 patients were included,with median age of 54(46-60)years old Postoperative psychological health significantly improved,while shoulder function and overall QoL scores markedly declined(all P<0.001).According to QLQ-C30,functional domains such as physical and role functioning worsened,while symptom burden increased.The QLQ-BR23 revealed significantly higher scores for breast and upper limb symptoms postoperatively(both P<0.001).Subgroup analyses showed that patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection experienced greater declines in shoulder function and QoL compared to those receiving sentinel lymph node biopsy(both P<0.05).QoL deterioration was comparable between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery,although the former was associated with more prominent pain and breast symptoms.Mediation analysis indicated that shoulder function,breast symptoms,and physical functioning served as mediators in the impact of surgery on QoL,while better psychological health exerted a protective effect.Conclusion:Surgical treatment significantly affects postoperative QoL in breast cancer patients,with local functional impairment and symptom exacerbation serving as key mediators.Different surgical approaches have varying impacts on QoL.Enhancing postoperative shoulder rehabilitation,symptom management,and psychological support may improve patients'QoL.

As a cheap and effective antibiotic,sulfonamides are often used in animal husbandry.However,their residues in animal-derived foodstuffs will threaten human health.Consequently,a high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method integrated with supramolecular solvent microextraction was successfully established for simultaneous quantification of sulfonamide residues sulfachlorpyridazine,sulfamethoxazole,sulfamethoxypyridazine and sulfadimethoxine in milk matrices.This approach exhibited prominent characteristics of operational simplicity,environmental sustainability,and high extraction efficiency.The supramolecular solvents prepared by tributyl octylphosphine tetrafluoroborate and tetrahydrofuran were employed as extraction solvents.The analytes underwent isolation and concentration via dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction(DLLME)prior to quantitative determination using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The composition and microscopic morphology of the supramolecular solvent were characterized through a series of analytical techniques,including phase diagram,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and inverted fluorescence microscopy and so on.The density and pH value of supramolecular solvents were determined.The extraction conditions were optimized through the one-factor experiments.The experimental results demonstrated that under the optimal extraction conditions,the four kinds of sulfonamide antibiotics exhibited excellent linearity within respective detection range(R2 ≥ 0.9998)and the limits of detection(LOD)were 0.67-1.45 μg/L.Compared with literature methods,this approach offered some advantages such as simplicity of operation and less reagent consumption,and could be used for analysis and detection of sulfonamide antibiotic residues in milk samples.The present method provided technical support for food safety regulation and paved a new way for the application of supramolecular solvents in the field of extraction and separation.

Objective:To explore the protective effect of small ubiquitin-related moditier protein specific peptidase 2 (SENP2) on acute kidney injury in septic mice by regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation.Methods:Forty C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: namely the wild-type sham group (WT-Sham), wild-type cecal ligation and perforation group (WT-CLP), SENP2 gene knockout sham group (KO-Sham), and SENP2 gene knockout cecal ligation and perforation group (KO-CLP), with 10 mice in each group. It was observed the pathological damage of kidney tissue in each group of mice, used ELISA method to detect blood creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma neutrophil gelatinase related lipoprotein (pNGAL), and plasma kidney injury molecule 1 (pKIM-1) levels, and determined plasma TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4 and IL-10 levels. It was used immunohistochemical method to detect the expression of SENP2 protein in renal tissue, while used western-blotting to detect NLRP3, IL-1β, Caspase-1 and ASC protein expression in renal tissue.Results:Compared with the WT-Sham and KO-Sham groups, in the WT-CLP and KO-CLP groups, the pathological damage scores of the kidney tissue and the levels of SCr, BUN, pNGAL, pKIM-1, TNF-α and IL-1β in plasma were all significantly increased (all P<0.001), while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were all significantly reduced (all P<0.001), and the levels of NLRP3, IL-1β, Caspase-1 and ASC proteins were all significantly increased (all P<0.001). Moreover, compared with the WT-CLP group, the KO-CLP group showed a significant decrease in renal tissue injury scores in mice ( P?0.01), the levels of SCr, BUN, pNGAL, pKIM-1, TNF-α and IL-1β were all significantly reduced (all P<0.05), and the levels of NLRP3 [(0.71 ± 0.04) vs. (0.89 ± 0.01), P=0.011], IL-1β [(0.41 ± 0.02) vs. (0.57 ± 0.01), P=0.004], Caspase-1 [(0.41 ± 0.02) vs. (0.56 ± 0.02), P=0.009], and ASC [(0.27 ± 0.01) vs. (0.41 ± 0.02), P=0.009] were all significantly reduced. Conclusion:SENP2 participates in the occurrence and development of septic AKI by regulating the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a chronic liver disease closely related to metabolism， which is mainly characterized by abnormal lipid deposition in hepatocytes. In recent years， with the increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome， NAFLD has become one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and varied， involving the cross-regulation of multiple signaling pathways such as glucose-lipid metabolism， oxidative stress， and inflammation. The TLR4 signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD， and abnormal activation of this pathway accelerates the deterioration of NAFLD by promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines， inducing oxidative stress， and exacerbating insulin resistance. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） can regulate the TLR4 signaling pathway to alleviate the symptoms and pathological features of NAFLD. The present review summarizes the experimental research progress in the TCM regulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway in treating NAFLD in the past 5 years， covering a wide range of TCM active ingredients （such as polysaccharides， terpenoids， alkaloids， flavonoids） and compound prescriptions. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of TCM can effectively ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders， reduce insulin resistance， regulate intestinal flora， and inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the TLR4 signaling pathway via multiple targets and pathways， thus slowing down the progression of NAFLD. Through in-depth analysis of the pathological mechanisms of NAFLD and exploration of the potential of TLR4 signaling pathway as a therapeutic target， we can provide theoretical support for the application of TCM in the treatment of NAFLD， as well as new perspectives and directions for future clinical research and new drug development， thereby promoting the innovation and development of therapeutic strategies for NAFLD.

Renshen Pingfei San,formulated by Li Dongyuan,a physician of the Earth-Tonifying School during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties,is a classic prescription for invigorating qi and clearing the lungs,and was originally used to treat lung atrophy due to the punishment of the lung by heart fire.Later physicians have expanded its applications.By sorting out the origins and development of this prescription,comparing its formulation and compatibility characteristics with Xiebai San,and the evolved formulations and expanded application scope in later generations,support is provided for the clinical application of Renshen Pingfei San.