Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell （hUC-MSC） as a cell-based therapeutic strategy have demonstrated significant application potential in the field of intervention for neurodegenerative disease （NDD） due to their advantages such as self-renewal， multi-directional differentiation， and low immunogenicity. hUC-MSC effectively intervenes in the pathological features and neurological functions of various disease models such as Alzheimer disease， Parkinson’s disease， amyotrophic lateral sclerosis， and multiple sclerosis primarily through multiple mechanisms such as homing and differentiation， mediating paracrine actions and releasing exosomes， as well as immune regulation and anti-inflammation. Some clinical studies have also preliminarily verified their safety and effectiveness. Currently， its research still faces challenges such as immune rejection reactions requiring further observation， long-term safety needing evaluation， mechanisms of action not being fully elucidated， and slow progress in clinical trials. Future research needs to establish pharmaceutical standards for hUC-MSC， deepen their pharmacological mechanisms and clinical trials， ultimately providing new and effective drug treatment options for patients with NDD.

Cognitive impairment(CI)is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive decline in advanced cognitive functions such as memory,thinking,and judgment.Its etiology and pathogenesis are complex,and there is currently a lack of specific drug interventions.Metformin,as a first-line hypoglycemic drug for type 2 diabetes,not only lowers blood glucose levels but also improves CI.This article reviews and summarizes the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of metformin in improving Alzheimer's disease,diabetes cognitive impairment,cognitive impairment after chemotherapy,in order to provide novel insights and approaches for the treatment of CI-related diseases.Studies have shown that the mechanism by which MET intervenes in CI mainly includes regulating β-amyloid protein and tau protein metabolism,reducing insulin resistance,inhibiting neuroinflammation,improving synaptic plasticity,improving mitochondrial dysfunction,regulating gut microbiota and lipid metabolism,etc.Future research needs to be conducted through interdisciplinary collaboration,fully integrating multiple omics data,and combining advanced technologies to further reveal their mechanisms of effect.

Objective To evaluate pulmonary vascular remodeling,right ventricular function,intestinal barrier integrity,and inflammatory factor expression in rat models of pulmonary hypertension(PH)induced by normobaric hypoxia(NH)and hypobaric hypoxia(HH).We also aimed to compare modeling method and establish an experimental basis for understanding the pathogenesis of PH and for developing appropriate treatment strategies.Methods From June 2024 to December 2024,eighteen 6-week-old male SPF Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to three groups:normobaric normoxia(Control),NH,and HH groups.Mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP)was measured by right heart catheterization.Right ventricular function was assessed using echocardiography and right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI).Pulmonary vascular remodeling and intestinal mucosal barrier damage were evaluated via hematoxylin/eosin staining.Colon permeability was quantified by colon ligation followed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran injection.Expression levels of inflammatory factors in lung and colon tissues were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Results Right heart function assessment revealed that mPAP was significantly increased(P＜0.05),pulmonary artery acceleration time(PAAT)was shortened,and RVHI and right ventricular free wall thickness(RVFW)were significantly elevated(P＜0.05)in rats in NH and HH groups compared with Control group.Rats in NH group demonstrated a prolonged pulmonary ejection time(PET)and reduced PAAT/PET ratio compared with HH group,indicating more pronounced right heart dysfunction.Pulmonary vascular morphology demonstrated that percentage of medial area percentage(MA％)and percentage of wall thickness percentage(WT％)of pulmonary vessels were significantly higher in NH and HH groups compared with Control group(P＜0.05).Moreover,MA％was markedly increased in the NH group relative to the HH group(P＜0.05),suggesting more severe pulmonary vascular remodeling in NH group.Regarding intestinal injury,rats in NH and HH groups exhibited shorter colon length,increased mucosal damage,and significantly increased permeability compared with Control group(P＜0.05),while rats in HH group showed more prominent inflammatory cell infiltration compared with NH group,confirming intestinal mucosal barrier damage in both groups.In terms of inflammation,expression levels of interleukin(IL)6,IL1β,and IL 17a were significantly elevated in lung and colon tissues from rats in NH and HH groups compared with Control group(P＜0.05).Notably,expression levels of IL6 and IL1 β in lung tissue and IL17a in colon tissue were significantly higher in NH group compared with HH group(P＜0.05),while IL6 expression in colon tissue was relatively lower(P＜0.05),indicating local inflammation in lung and colon tissues in both groups.Conclusions There are phenotypic differences between PH rat models induced by NH and HH,with respect to pulmonary vascular remodeling,right heart function,intestinal mucosal barrier injury,and the expression of inflammatory factors in lung and intestinal tissues.These result demonstrate that air pressure contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of PH.Different air pressures may affect the development of PH via distinct mechanisms,thereby offering critical insights into the pathological changes of PH,potential therapeutic strategies to mitigate disease progression,and the elucidation of inflammatory mechanisms underlying PH based on the lung-intestine axis.

Objective To evaluate pulmonary vascular remodeling,right ventricular function,intestinal barrier integrity,and inflammatory factor expression in rat models of pulmonary hypertension(PH)induced by normobaric hypoxia(NH)and hypobaric hypoxia(HH).We also aimed to compare modeling method and establish an experimental basis for understanding the pathogenesis of PH and for developing appropriate treatment strategies.Methods From June 2024 to December 2024,eighteen 6-week-old male SPF Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to three groups:normobaric normoxia(Control),NH,and HH groups.Mean pulmonary artery pressure(mPAP)was measured by right heart catheterization.Right ventricular function was assessed using echocardiography and right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI).Pulmonary vascular remodeling and intestinal mucosal barrier damage were evaluated via hematoxylin/eosin staining.Colon permeability was quantified by colon ligation followed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran injection.Expression levels of inflammatory factors in lung and colon tissues were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Results Right heart function assessment revealed that mPAP was significantly increased(P＜0.05),pulmonary artery acceleration time(PAAT)was shortened,and RVHI and right ventricular free wall thickness(RVFW)were significantly elevated(P＜0.05)in rats in NH and HH groups compared with Control group.Rats in NH group demonstrated a prolonged pulmonary ejection time(PET)and reduced PAAT/PET ratio compared with HH group,indicating more pronounced right heart dysfunction.Pulmonary vascular morphology demonstrated that percentage of medial area percentage(MA％)and percentage of wall thickness percentage(WT％)of pulmonary vessels were significantly higher in NH and HH groups compared with Control group(P＜0.05).Moreover,MA％was markedly increased in the NH group relative to the HH group(P＜0.05),suggesting more severe pulmonary vascular remodeling in NH group.Regarding intestinal injury,rats in NH and HH groups exhibited shorter colon length,increased mucosal damage,and significantly increased permeability compared with Control group(P＜0.05),while rats in HH group showed more prominent inflammatory cell infiltration compared with NH group,confirming intestinal mucosal barrier damage in both groups.In terms of inflammation,expression levels of interleukin(IL)6,IL1β,and IL 17a were significantly elevated in lung and colon tissues from rats in NH and HH groups compared with Control group(P＜0.05).Notably,expression levels of IL6 and IL1 β in lung tissue and IL17a in colon tissue were significantly higher in NH group compared with HH group(P＜0.05),while IL6 expression in colon tissue was relatively lower(P＜0.05),indicating local inflammation in lung and colon tissues in both groups.Conclusions There are phenotypic differences between PH rat models induced by NH and HH,with respect to pulmonary vascular remodeling,right heart function,intestinal mucosal barrier injury,and the expression of inflammatory factors in lung and intestinal tissues.These result demonstrate that air pressure contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of PH.Different air pressures may affect the development of PH via distinct mechanisms,thereby offering critical insights into the pathological changes of PH,potential therapeutic strategies to mitigate disease progression,and the elucidation of inflammatory mechanisms underlying PH based on the lung-intestine axis.

Cognitive impairment is a major public health challenge facing global aging societies， and currently lacks effective treatment measures. Herb pair， characterized by their rigorous compatibility and synergistic effects， demonstrate unique advantages in clinical practice. Acorus tatarinowii-Polygala tenuifolia is a classic herbal pair for treating cognitive impairment， widely utilized in various traditional Chinese medicine formulations， such as Kaixin san， Shenghui tang， and Yuanzhi san. This article summarizes the pharmacological mechanisms of A. tatarinowii， P. tenuifolia and their compatible compound prescriptions in ameliorating cognitive impairment. It is found that they can exert effects in ameliorating cognitive impairment through mechanisms such as reducing amyloid β-protein deposition and inhibiting excessive phosphorylation of Tau protein， suppressing inflammatory responses， alleviating oxidative stress， protecting neurons and regulating neurotransmitters， modulating the structure and function of the blood- brain barrier， and regulating autophagy. Subsequently， in-depth analysis can be conducted on the active ingredients of A. tatarinowii- P. tenuifolia herb pair that ameliorate cognitive impairment， along with the addition of relevant clinical trials for verification. This will provide theoretical foundations and research approaches for the treatment of cognitive impairment using traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective:To explore the characteristics and evolution trend of renal disease spectrum in Ningxia.Methods:The demographic, clinical manifestations and renal pathological examination results of patients who underwent renal biopsies in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from August 1, 2008 to December 31, 2019 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. According to the time period of receiving renal biopsy, the patients were divided into 2008—2013 group and 2014—2019 group. The age and sex constituent, clinical manifestation, renal disease type, pathological types of primary and secondary glomerular disease and the main clinical manifestations of patients with diabetic nephropathy were compared between the two groups. The changing trend of renal disease spectrum in Ningxia from 2008 to 2019 was analyzed.Results:A total of 3 867 patients who underwent renal biopsies were enrolled in this study, with more males (53.71%, 2 077/3 867), and age of (39.59±14.05) years old. The most common clinical manifestation of patients receiving renal biopsies was nephrotic syndrome (36.33%, 1 405/3 867). Among them, primary glomerular diseases accounted for 78.79% (3047/3 867), followed by secondary glomerular diseases (18.57%, 718/3 867), renal tubulointerstitial diseases (1.45%, 56/3 867) and hereditary nephropathy (1.19%, 46/3 867). The most common primary glomerular disease was IgA nephropathy (44.60%, 1 359/3 047), followed by membranous nephropathy (30.75%, 937/3 047). The most common secondary glomerular disease was Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura nephritis (27.44%, 197/718), followed by lupus nephritis (25.07%, 180/718). Compared with the 2008—2013 group, the proportion of membranous nephropathy increased, the proportion of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (non-IgA deposition) decreased (both P<0.001), the proportions of diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive renal damage increased, and the proportions of Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura nephritis and hepatitis B virus-associated glomerulonephritis decreased in 2014—2019 group (all P<0.01). Compared with the 2008—2013 group, the proportions of acute kidney injury, chronic renal failure, simple hematuria and urinary protein≤1.0 g/24 h increased in kidney biopsy patients in 2014—2019 group, while the proportion of nephrotic syndrome decreased (all P<0.05). Compared with the 2008—2013 group, the proportion of chronic renal failure in diabetic nephropathy patients increased during renal biopsy, and the proportion of albuminuria with hematuria decreased in 2014—2019 group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Primary glomerular disease is the most common kidney disease in Ningxia. IgA nephropathy is the most common cause, and the proportion of membranous nephropathy is increasing year by year. Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura nephritis is the most common secondary glomerular disease, and the proportions of diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive renal damage are increasing year by year, suggesting that the screening of renal complications of metabolic diseases in Ningxia should be strengthened and pay more attention to the patients with mild abnormal urine test.

In this experiment,the gradation analysis method was used to evaluate the quality of different pieces of Gardeniae Fructus through the extraction rate difference and the difference analysis of the main components in the extract. In this experiment cold-dip and hot-dip methods were used to compare the yield of Gardeniae Fructus extract and the content of chemical constituents with water,25%,50%,75% and 95% ethanol fractions. By weighted calculation,the optimal extraction method of Gardeniae Fructus was determined,and this was verified by practical application. RESULTS:: showed that for the water-soluble extract,cold dip method was better than the hot dip method; and for alcohol-soluble extract,75% ethanol under cold dip method was best. The verification results showed that water-soluble extracts under cold dip methods could be used to significantly distinguish the raw Gardeniae Fructus( GF) and processed( stir-baked) GF( GFP) collected from the market. Meanwhile,this method could be also used to distinguish the same batch of GF,GFP and carbonized GF( GFC) with significant differences,respectively( P<0. 05). Ethanol-soluble extract can be used to clearly distinguish GFP and GFC pieces in the same batch( P<0. 05). The results of content determination showed that the variation coefficient of components in GF processed products was higher than that in extracts,and the content of hydroxygeniposide was the most significant component between GF and its processed products. It is suggested that the method of water-soluble extract of GF and the determination of the content of gardoside should be combined together to evaluate the quality of GF and its heat processed products.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis

Totally 21 batches of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces from various habitats with different appearance characteristics were analyzed. Five active components( gastrodin,4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol,parishin B,parishin C,and parishin A) were determined by UPLC. Polysaccharide content was determined by phenol sulfuric acid method. And the content of alcohol extracts was determined. The correlation between appearance characteristics and active components,polysaccharide content and amount of alcohol extracts of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces was statistically analyzed by SPSS 19. 0 software. And the five active components in the 21 Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces were clustered by using the Ward' s method in SPSS 19. 0 software. The study found that inconspicuous keratinous Gastrodiae Rhizoma had a low content of each component,and the degree of keratin was positively correlated with the content of each component and the extract,with no significant correlation with the polysaccharide content. In the cluster analysis,the 21 batches were divided into three groups,except the second group whose gastrodin content was significantly higher than the special conditions of other groups. According to the content of the five active components,19 batches of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces were classified into two groups with obvious keratin and no obvious keratin. In terms of color,with the deepening of brown color,the content of each component showed a downward trend. The grading of decoction pieces of Gastrodiae Rhizoma shall give full consideration to the color and texture. And the combination of chemical composition and appearance characteristics is an indicator to evaluate the product specification standards.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Gastrodia ; Rhizome

An analysis method was established by UPLC fingerprint and then applied to simultaneous determination of multiple compounds in Gardeniae Fructus from different areas in China. Samples were separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈( 2. 1 mm×50 mm,1. 7 μm) column with 0. 1% formic acid-water and acetonitrile solution as gradient mobile phase at a flow rate of 0. 4 m L·min-1 at various wavelengths. The similarity of samples was over 0. 95 with ″Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine( 2012 edition) ″. The UPLC common fingerprints for 32 batches were established with 19 common peaks identified. The samples were divided into 3 groups analyzed by HCA and PCA. Five components were identified as the main compositions which caused the differences of chemical constituents in the samples from different areas with partial least squares discriminant analysis( PLS-DA). The content of the total components in each area was Zhejiang > Fujian > Jiangxi > Sichuan. This method was accurate and viable,could be used to evaluate the quality of Gardeniae Fructus.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Gardenia/chemistry* ; Phytochemicals/analysis*

To optimize the technology of Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice,establish fingerprints and simultaneously determine seven compounds( geniposidic acid,chlorogenic acid,genipin-1-β-D-gentiobioside,geniposide,rutin,crocin Ⅰ,and crocin Ⅱ) by using ultra high performance liquid chromatography( UPLC). Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18( 2. 1 mm×50 mm,1. 7μm) column was used with acetonitrile and 0. 1% formic acid solution as mobile phase for gradient elution at the flow rate of 0. 4 m L·min-1. The data was comprehensively processed and analyzed with similarity evaluation,principal component analysis( PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis( PLS-DA) methods. Twenty common peaks were identified in this study,and the similarity of samples was over 0. 97. The results of PCA and PLS-DA showed that there were differences in chemical compositions and contents between the raw Gardeniae Fructus and those processed with ginger juice,with 9 potential differentiated chromatographic peaks. After being processed with ginger juice,the contents of chlorogenic acid,crocin Ⅰ and crocin Ⅱ were less than before and the contents of other four compositions were higher than before. The optimized preparation for Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice was stable and feasible. The methods of UPLC fingerprints and simultaneous determination of seven components can be effectively carried out to distinguish Gardeniae Fructus and Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice.
Carotenoids/analysis* ; Chlorogenic Acid/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Gardenia/chemistry* ; Zingiber officinale ; Technology, Pharmaceutical/methods*