OBJECTIVES: To investigate pharmacologically active components of Yiqi Zishen Formula (YZF) and their mechanisms for alleviating airway inflammation in mice with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry was employed to characterize the chemical components in YZF and YZF-medicated rat serum. A compound-disease target network was constructed based on serum components of YZF to screen the key pathways and targets using enrichment analysis. A mouse model of cigarette smoke-induced COPD was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of YZF and validate the expression of key proteins in network pharmacology-enriched pathways. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice were randomized equally into control group, COPD model group, high- and low-dose YZF treatment groups, and N-acetylcysteine treatment group. Pulmonary function of the mice was assessed using whole-body plethysmography, and lung histopathology, alveolar structure, and airway remodeling were analyzed using HE staining. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF‑α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined with ELISA, and pulmonary expressions of PI3K, Akt, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), p65, and phosphorylated p65 (p-p65) were detected using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We identified a total of 156 chemical components (including 26 flavonoids or flavonoid glycosides, 27 alkaloids, and 11 saponins) in YZF and 43 prototype components in medicated rat serum. Network pharmacology revealed 704 YZF-related targets and 1199 COPD-associated targets. Integrated analysis suggested that the anti-COPD effects of YZF were associated with the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In mouse models of COPD, YZF treatment significantly increased mean alveolar number and peak expiratory flow (P<0.05), reduced mean linear intercept, bronchial wall thickness, lung coefficient, and BALF cytokine levels, and suppressed the expressions of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, p65, and p-p65 in the lung tissues. CONCLUSIONS YZF alleviates COPD symptoms and airway inflammation in mice possibly by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/NF‑κB pathway through its multiple components that interact with multiple targets.
Animals ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Rats

Parkinson disease is a common neurodegenerative disease.At present,the main therapeutic drugs have problems such as adverse reactions,lack of targeting,and low bioavailability.The development of new drugs is an important direction for research related to Parkinson disease.TCM flavonoids have various pharmacological activities and are widely used in anti-tumor and cardiovascular disease treatment,but there is relatively little research on their intervention in neurological diseases.This article elaborated on the mechanism of intervention of TCM flavonoids in Parkinson disease and summarized treatment strategies from six categories:flavonoids,flavonols,isoflavones,flavonoid glycosides,dihydroflavonols,and others,with the purpose to provide reference for the research and clinical application of TCM flavonoids.

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Objective:To retrieve and obtain evidence related to postoperative rehabilitation training of patients with lumbar disc herniation and to summarize the best evidence.Methods:The computer was used to search domestic and foreign guideline networks, evidence-based databases, original research databases and orthopedic related websites for relevant evidence on rehabilitation training for patients with lumbar disc herniation after surgery, including evidence summary, guidelines, expert consensus, systematic review and Meta-analysis. The retrieval time limit was from the establishment of the database to April 30, 2021. The literature quality evaluation, evidence extraction, classification and integration were conducted independently by two researchers, and disagreements were discussed or adjudicated by a third party.Results:A total of 14 articles were included, including 3 evidence summaries, 1 guideline, 6 expert consensuses, and 4 systematic reviews. A total of 13 best evidences of rehabilitation training for patients with lumbar disc herniation after surgery were summarized in 8 categories, including rehabilitation assessment, rehabilitation principle, rehabilitation time, rehabilitation intensity, rehabilitation mode, patient education, rehabilitation psychotherapy and follow-up monitoring.Conclusions:This study can provide evidence-based basis for nursing staff to carry out postoperative rehabilitation guidance, but in clinical practice, physical, psychological and cultural background conditions of patients should be comprehensively assessed, and individualized rehabilitation programs should be formulated for patients based on local medical level and conditions.

Objective To analyze the etiological characteristics of human Brucella strains isolated, and to improve the precision in control and prevention of brucellosis. Methods In 2016, blood samples were collected from patients in Jingyuan County Gansu Province, and tested via the Rose-Bengal Plate Agglutination Test (RBPT) and the tube agglutination test methods,and serological positive blood samples were inoculated to bidirectional blood culture bottle for culturing, and further identified by traditional biological classification method and the Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis species-specific PCR (AMOS-PCR). Multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat sequence analysis (MLVA) -16 was used to detect molecular typing and do cluster analysis. Results The isolated strain was identified by the traditional biological classification method, bacteria could grow in thionine and reddened dye, A and M factors agglutination tests were positive, Bk2phage treatment of bacterial strain cracking, but Tb, Wb phages were not cracked. AMOS-PCR amplification result showed a 731 bp band, which was a strain of Brucella melitensis. The results of MLVA-16 showed that there was a difference in the number of repeats on some Variaable Number of Tandem Repeat(VNTR)sites of the isolated strain. Clustering analysis showed that, the isolated strain was clusted into the same clade with the clustering of Brucella melitensis type 3 from GS-201605 in Gansu. And the clustering was similar compared with that of Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian and Yunnan. Conclusion Human brucellosis is a inputting transmission in Gansu Province, there is a genetic variation of genotype 3 sheep Brucella between Gansu Province and other domestic provinces.

Objective To explore the potential relationship between the mast cells (MCs) in renal interstitium and the renal interstitial fibrosis in lupus nephritis (LN). Methods Renal biopsy specimens from patients with types Ⅲ,Ⅳand Vof LN (n=10, respectively), and with minimal change diseases (n=11,as control) were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry staining and immunofluorescence double-staining were used to detect the amount of MCs, the expression of proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), transforming growth factor-?1 (TGF-?1) and collagen type I (Col I ) in the renal tissues. Results The amount of MCs in renal interstitium, the positive areas of PAR-2 and TGF-?1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs), the amount of PAR-2-positive cells and TGF-?1-positive cells in renal interstitium, and the positive areas of Col I in the renal inter stitium were all higher in three LN groups compared with those in control. Furthermore, among the three LN groups, the above-mentioned parameters were the highest in type Ⅳ and second in type Ⅲ.There were significant positive correlations between the amount of MCs in renal interstitium and the positive areas of PAR-2, TGF-?1 in RTECs as well as the positive areas of Col I in renal interstitium (r=0.513, 0.508, 0.611, respectively, P

Objective To explore the potential relationship between tryplase-positive mast cells (MCs) infiltration and renal interstitial fibrosis in acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and chronic interstitial nephritis (CIN). Methods Renal biopsy specimens from patients with AIN (n=11) and CIN (n=16) were studied and 11 patients in minimal change diseases (MM)were as controls. Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry staining assay were applied to delect the expression of tryptase, proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), TGF-?1 and collagen type I (Col I )in the renal tissues. Immunofluo-rescence double-staining assay was used to assess the relationship among MCs, PAR-2-positive cells, and TGF-?1-positive cells in the renal interstitium respectively. Results MCs in AIN and CIN were significantly increased compared with those in controls and were mainly scattered in the fibrotic areas of renal interstitium. The relative immunostaining areas for PAR-2, TGF-?1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) and Col I were significantly larger in AIN and CIN than those in controls respectively (P