1.Necroptosis in Exercise-induced Skeletal Muscle Damage: Roles and Regulatory Mechanisms
Zhi-Fei KE ; Wen-Jing SONG ; Yun-Feng DONG ; Hua-Yu SHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1884-1895
Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is a frequent form of skeletal muscle microdamage that occurs after high-intensity, prolonged, or unaccustomed exercise, especially exercise dominated by eccentric contractions. It is commonly characterized by delayed-onset muscle soreness, transient loss of muscle strength, local inflammation, structural disruption of myofibers, and delayed functional recovery. Although mild EIMD may serve as a stimulus for training adaptation, excessive or insufficiently recovered muscle damage can impair exercise performance, disturb training continuity, and reduce participation in physical activity. Therefore, clarifying the molecular mechanisms that underlie the initiation, amplification, and resolution of EIMD is important for optimizing athletic training, improving post-exercise recovery, and guiding evidence-based public fitness practice. Necroptosis is a regulated form of programmed cell death mediated primarily by the receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK) 1/RIPK3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) signaling axis. Recent studies have shown that necroptosis is closely involved in tissue injury, sterile inflammation, and repair remodeling. However, whether necroptosis acts as an initiating driver, a secondary damage amplifier, or an adaptive signal required for repair after EIMD remains unclear. This review aimed to summarize the potential role of necroptosis in EIMD and to establish a mechanistic framework linking regulated cell death, inflammatory amplification, immune regulation, and skeletal muscle repair. Relevant studies concerning EIMD, necroptosis, RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), inflammatory responses, immune cell recruitment, extracellular matrix remodeling, and muscle regeneration were reviewed and integrated. On this basis, the possible temporal and functional involvement of necroptosis in different phases of EIMD was analyzed. The main evidence summarized in this review suggests that EIMD is not merely a consequence of primary mechanical disruption. Instead, it develops through a dynamic sequence that includes sarcolemmal instability, calcium overload, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammatory mediator production, immune cell infiltration, necrotic tissue clearance, and regeneration-associated remodeling. Necroptosis may participate in this process through at least two interconnected mechanisms. First, in the early or progressive phase of EIMD, activation of the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling axis may promote MLKL phosphorylation and plasma membrane permeabilization, leading to the release of DAMPs such as high-mobility group box 1, ATP, mitochondrial DNA, and other intracellular components. These signals may activate innate immune pathways, amplify inflammatory cytokine production, and enhance the recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, thereby aggravating secondary inflammation and extending muscle fiber injury. Second, during the resolution and repair phases, necroptosis-related signaling may also contribute indirectly to the formation of a regenerative microenvironment. By influencing the clearance of necrotic debris, the recruitment and phenotypic transition of immune cells, and the remodeling of extracellular matrix components, necroptosis may affect satellite cell activation, myogenic repair, and the eventual structural and functional recovery of injured skeletal muscle. Thus, the biological effect of necroptosis in EIMD may be context dependent rather than uniformly harmful. Its outcome may depend on exercise intensity, the extent of tissue damage, the timing of pathway activation, the involved cell types, inflammatory status, training background, age, and metabolic condition. In conclusion, necroptosis may represent an important molecular link between skeletal muscle injury, sterile inflammation, and tissue repair after damaging exercise. It may exert a dual role in EIMD by amplifying secondary damage while also contributing to repair coordination under appropriate temporal and microenvironmental conditions. Future studies should determine the activation pattern of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling after different exercise protocols, identify the major cell populations undergoing necroptosis in injured skeletal muscle, and examine whether targeted modulation of necroptosis can reduce excessive inflammation without impairing necessary regenerative responses. This review provides a theoretical basis for understanding the pathogenesis of EIMD and for developing targeted strategies to improve skeletal muscle recovery after exercise-induced injury.
2.Identification of GSK3 family and regulatory effects of brassinolide on growth and development of Nardostachys jatamansi.
Yu-Yan LEI ; Zheng MA ; Jing WEI ; Wen-Bing LI ; Ying LI ; Zheng-Ming YANG ; Shao-Shan ZHANG ; Jing-Qiu FENG ; Hua-Chun SHENG ; Yuan LIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):395-403
This study identified 8 members including NjBIN2 of the GSK3 family in Nardostachys jatamansi by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree revealed that the GKS3 family members of N. jatamansi had a close relationship with those of Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR results showed that NjBIN2 presented a tissue-specific expression pattern with the highest expression in roots, suggesting that NjBIN2 played a role in root growth and development. In addition, the application of epibrassinolide or the brassinosteroid(BR) synthesis inhibitor(brassinazole) altered the expression pattern of NjBIN2 and influenced the photomorphogenesis(cotyledon opening) and root development of N. jatamansi, which provided direct evidence about the functions of NjBIN2. In conclusion, this study highlights the roles of BIN2 in regulating the growth and development of N. jatamansi by analyzing the expression pattern and biological function of NjBIN2. It not only enriches the understanding about the regulatory mechanism of the growth and development of N. jatamansi but also provides a theoretical basis and potential gene targets for molecular breeding of N. jatamansi with improved quality in the future.
Brassinosteroids/metabolism*
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Steroids, Heterocyclic/metabolism*
;
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects*
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Plant Proteins/metabolism*
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Phylogeny
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Nardostachys/metabolism*
;
Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology*
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Plant Roots/drug effects*
3."Component-effect" correlations in traditional Chinese medicine from holistic view: taking discovery of gintonin from ginseng as an example.
Xin-Ming YU ; Chen-Yu YU ; Hua-Ying WANG ; Wei-Sheng YUE ; Zhu-Bin ZHANG ; Wei WU ; Xiao-Bin JIA ; Bing YANG ; Liang FENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):2001-2012
The holistic view is the key in the study of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The component structure theory is based on the holistic view to investigate the correlation between material basis and efficiency, which enriches the holistic "component-effect" research of TCM. Gintonin is a newly isolated non-saponin component of ginseng. Compared to ginsenosides, gintonin has many different pharmacological activities, and it provides new knowledge for the holistic research of ginseng. Thus, taking the discovery of gintonin from ginseng as an example, this paper explored the linkage between ginsenosides and gintonin from the perspective of "component-effect" correlations and systematically sorted out the similarities and differences between them in terms of structural characteristics, modes of action, and pharmacological activities. Starting from the collaborative interaction of TCM compounds, the study discussed the application and value of the holistic view in TCM "component-effect" research in the light of the component structure theory to provide new thoughts for the development of modern TCM research.
Panax/chemistry*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Humans
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Ginsenosides/pharmacology*
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Animals
4.Digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum based on HPLC-QTOF-MS~E and Adaboost.
Xiao-Han GUO ; Xian-Rui WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Ming-Hua LI ; Wen-Guang JING ; Xian-Long CHENG ; Feng WEI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(5):1172-1178
Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum is a precious animal-derived Chinese medicinal material, while there are often adulterants derived from animals not specified in the Chinese Pharmacopeia in the market, which disturbs the safety of medication. This study was conducted with the aim of strengthening the quality control of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum and standardizing the medication. To achieve digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum from different sources, a digital identification model was constructed based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E) combined with an adaptive boosting algorithm(Adaboost). The young furred antlers of sika deer, red deer, elk, and reindeer were processed and then subjected to polypeptide analysis by UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E. Then, the mass spectral data reflecting the polypeptide information were obtained by digital quantification. Next, the key data were obtained by feature screening based on Gini index, and the digital identification model was constructed by Adaboost. The model was evaluated based on the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy. Finally, the results of identification based on the constructed digital identification model were validated. The results showed that when the Gini index was used to screen the data of top 100 characteristic polypeptides, the digital identification model based on Adaboost had the best performance, with the recall rate, F_1 composite score, and accuracy not less than 0.953. The validation analysis showed that the accuracy of the identification of the 10 batches of samples was as high as 100.0%. Therefore, based on UHPLC-QTOF-MS~E and Adaboost algorithm, the digital identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum can be realized efficiently and accurately, which can provide reference for the quality control and original animal identification of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Animals
;
Algorithms
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Antlers/chemistry*
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Boosting Machine Learning Algorithms
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Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods*
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Deer
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
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Mass Spectrometry/methods*
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Quality Control
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Reindeer
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Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*
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Tissue Extracts/analysis*
5.Metabolomics and pharmacokinetics of Corni Fructus in ameliorating myocardial ischemic injury.
Xiang-Feng LIU ; Yu WU ; Chao-Yan YANG ; Hua-Wei LIAO ; Yan-Fen CHEN ; Xin HE ; Ying-Fang WANG ; Jin-Ru LIANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(5):1363-1376
This study aims to investigate the ameliorating effect of Corni Fructus(CF) on the myocardial ischemic injury and the pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components of CF. The mouse model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia was established and administrated with the aqueous extract of CF. The general efficacy of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury was evaluated based on the cardiac histopathology and the levels of myocardial injury markers: creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I(cTn-I). The metabolomics analysis was carried out for the heart and serum samples of mice to screen the biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury and then the predicted biomarkers were submitted to metabolic pathway enrichment. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed for morroniside, loganin, and cornuside Ⅰ in mouse heart and serum samples to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters of these components. The pharmacokinetic parameters were then integrated on the basis of self-defined weighting coefficients to simulate an integrated pharmacokinetic profile of CF iridoid glycosides in the heart and serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia. The results indicated that CF reduced the pathological damage to cardiac cells and tissue(hematoxylin-eosin staining) and lowered the levels of CK-MB and cTn-I in the serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia(P<0.01). Metabolomics analysis screed out 31 endogenous metabolites in the heart and 35 in the serum as biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury. These biomarkers were altered by modeling and restored by CF. Six metabolic pathways in the heart and 5 in the serum were enriched based on these metabolic markers. The main integrated pharmacokinetic parameters of CF iridoid glycosides were T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.52±0.05) h in the heart and T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.56±0.50) h in the serum. Both concentration-time curves showed a double-peak phenomenon. In conclusion, CF demonstrated the cardioprotective effect by regulating metabolic pathways such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and pantothenic acid and coenzyme A biosynthesis. The integrated pharmacokinetics reflect the general pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components in CF.
Animals
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Cornus/chemistry*
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Mice
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Metabolomics
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Male
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Myocardial Ischemia/metabolism*
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Humans
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Troponin I/metabolism*
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Myocardium/pathology*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Biomarkers/metabolism*
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Creatine Kinase, MB Form/metabolism*
6.Study on mechanism of naringin in alleviating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury based on DRP1/LRRK2/MCU axis.
Kai-Mei TAN ; Hong-Yu ZENG ; Feng QIU ; Yun XIANG ; Zi-Yang ZHOU ; Da-Hua WU ; Chang LEI ; Hong-Qing ZHAO ; Yu-Hong WANG ; Xiu-Li ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2484-2494
This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism by which naringin alleviates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(CI/R) injury through DRP1/LRRK2/MCU signaling axis. A total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, the model group, the sodium Danshensu group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose(50, 100, and 200 mg·kg~(-1)) naringin groups, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the sham group, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(tMCAO/R) model was established in SD rats using the suture method. Longa 5-point scale was used to assess neurological deficits. 2,3,5-Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining was used to detect the volume percentage of cerebral infarction in rats. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Nissl staining were employed to assess neuronal structural alterations and the number of Nissl bodies in cortex, respectively. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 gene(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cleaved cysteine-aspartate protease-3(cleaved caspase-3), mitochondrial calcium uniporter(MCU), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3), and P62. Mitochondrial structure and autophagy in cortical neurons were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence assay was used to quantify the fluorescence intensities of MCU and mitochondrial calcium ion, as well as the co-localization of dynamin-related protein 1(DRP1) with leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2) and translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20(TOMM20) with LC3 in cortical mitochondria. The results showed that compared with the model group, naringin significantly decreased the volume percentage of cerebral infarction and neurological deficit score in tMCAO/R rats, alleviated the structural damage and Nissl body loss of cortical neurons in tMCAO/R rats, inhibited autophagosomes in cortical neurons, and increased the average diameter of cortical mitochondria. The Western blot results showed that compared to the sham group, the model group exhibited increased levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, MCU, and the LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio in the cortex and reduced protein levels of Bcl-2 and P62. However, naringin down-regulated the protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, MCU and the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and P62 proteins in cortical area. In addition, immunofluorescence analysis showed that compared with the model group, naringin and positive drug treatments significantly decreased the fluorescence intensities of MCU and mitochondrial calcium ion. Meanwhile, the co-localization of DRP1 with LRRK2 and TOMM20 with LC3 in cortical mitochondria was also decreased significantly after the intervention. These findings suggest that naringin can alleviate cortical neuronal damage in tMCAO/R rats by inhibiting DRP1/LRRK2/MCU-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation and the resultant excessive mitophagy.
Animals
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Reperfusion Injury/genetics*
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Flavanones/administration & dosage*
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Rats
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Dynamins/genetics*
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Male
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Brain Ischemia/genetics*
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
7.Tanreqing Capsules protect lung and gut of mice infected with influenza virus via "lung-gut axis".
Nai-Fan DUAN ; Yuan-Yuan YU ; Yu-Rong HE ; Feng CHEN ; Lin-Qiong ZHOU ; Ya-Lan LI ; Shi-Qi SUN ; Yan XUE ; Xing ZHANG ; Gui-Hua XU ; Yue-Juan ZHENG ; Wei ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2270-2281
This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Mice
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Lung/metabolism*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Capsules
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Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology*
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Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
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Male
;
Humans
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Female
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Influenza A virus/physiology*
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Influenza, Human/virology*
8.Expert consensus on evaluation index system construction for new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) from TCM clinical practice in medical institutions.
Li LIU ; Lei ZHANG ; Wei-An YUAN ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bao-He WANG ; Si-Yuan HU ; Zu-Guang YE ; Ling HAN ; Yue-Hua ZHOU ; Zi-Feng YANG ; Rui GAO ; Ming YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jie-Lai XIA ; Shi-Shan YU ; Xiao-Hui FAN ; Hua HUA ; Jia HE ; Yin LU ; Zhong WANG ; Jin-Hui DOU ; Geng LI ; Yu DONG ; Hao YU ; Li-Ping QU ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3474-3482
Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards*
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Humans
;
Consensus
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Surveys and Questionnaires
9.Tracing origin of "Qinggong Maidong" production area based on analysis of literature and historical materials and identification of characteristics of Qinggong medicinal materials and cultural relics.
Ao-Yu REN ; Ting YAO ; Feng-Yuan LI ; Hua-Sheng PENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):2931-2937
Maidong products are categorized into "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong". Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, "Hang Maidong" has been regarded as having superior quality, but currently, it remains in name only in the market. This article reviewed historical materia medica and local chronicles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and analyzed the historical evolution of Maidong production areas. The history of Maidong production in Zhejiang can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and cultivation had already developed by at least the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was consistently used as a tribute. Ming Dynasty chronicles record "Chuan Maidong", which had already been cultivated on a large scale by the Qing Dynasty. "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong" share the same origin, with the former identifiable by the "gourd waist" shape of its tuberous root. Based on this, it can be inferred that the "Maimendong" herb illustrated in the Origins of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Yuan Shi) and the Maidong stored in the Qing Palace Imperial Pharmacy were both "Hang Maidong". The protection and development of the authentic "Hang Maidong" medicinal herb are urgently needed.
China
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history*
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History, 17th Century
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History, Ancient
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*
;
History, Medieval
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History, 16th Century
;
History, 18th Century
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History, 15th Century
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
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History, 19th Century
;
History, 20th Century
;
Humans
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Materia Medica/history*
;
History, 21st Century
10.Overall strategy for development and application of core outcome set of traditional Chinese medicine.
Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bo PANG ; Yu-Yun LI ; Hui-Zhong ZHU ; Feng-Wen YANG ; Bo-Li ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3506-3512
The scientific and standardized evaluation of clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the core requirement for promoting the high-quality development of TCM. Building a recognized evaluation outcome system that conforms to the clinical efficacy characteristics of TCM is a key fundamental issue in the production and transformation of clinical evidence in TCM. In response to the heterogeneity of evaluation outcomes and core issues such as "western law in the middle", the research on the core outcome set of TCM(COS-TCM) has undergone more than ten years of exploration and practice. Its methodological system has continued to deepen under the coordinated development of theoretical basis, technical methods, platform support, and talent team, achieving an important leap from early introduction to standardized system construction and entering a new stage of systematic development. However, the overall research scale, quality, and the translation and application of research results in COS-TCM are still insufficient. In response to the opportunities and challenges of the new development stage, this article systematically reviews the development history and research status of COS-TCM, clarifies the basic principles of "international standards + TCM characteristics" and the key tasks of "selection, improvement, and creation", and proposes a three-step development path of "exploration and research, standard development, and regulatory transformation" to promote the standardization, systematization, and scientific development of related research. To ensure the effective implementation of research results, key promotion strategies such as upgrading research platforms, strengthening support systems, and optimizing collaborative mechanisms have been planned to drive COS-TCM to better serve clinical research, evidence translation, and new drug review.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
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Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards*

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