1.Association of family food environment with dietary and nutrition literacy among junior and senior high school students
YANG Ge, FENG Supeng, JIANG Hua, ZHU Wenli, WANG Mengying
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(6):789-794
Objective:
To assess the association of family food environment with dietary and nutrition literacy among junior and senior high school students, providing a basis for nutritional health education and adolescent nutritional improvement.
Methods:
From January 9 to February 10, 2025, a total of 1 473 junior and senior high school students aged 12-20 were recruited by using a cluster random sampling method combined with convenient sampling from 15 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) across China. Data on basic demographic characteristics, home food environment, and dietary and nutrition literacy were collected by using the Food and Nutritional Literacy Questionnaire for Chinese School age Children. Multiple linear regression and Logistic regression models were employed to analyze the association of the home food environment on adolescent dietary and nutrition literacy.
Results:
The total score of dietary and nutrition literacy among junior and senior high school students was (65.28±9.03). The score in the cognitive domain (67.59±10.56) was higher than that in the skill domain (60.74±9.15), and the score for food preparation skills (56.60±14.28) was the lowest. Students aged 16-20, senior high school students, those for only children, non boarding students, those with urban household registration, those from wealthier families, those whose primary caregivers were parents with higher education levels, and those who previously received nutrition and health education had significantly higher dietary and nutrition literacy scores compared to their respective counterpart groups ( t/F =-8.32, -8.14, 4.76, -2.70, 7.15, 18.29, 10.68, 11.66 , all P <0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that family food environment was associated with dietary and nutrition literacy, and the model was statistically significant ( R 2=0.20, F=20.54, P <0.05). Lower availability of fruits at home in the past month and lower frequency of family communication regarding dietary and nutrition were associated with lower dietary nutrition literacy scores among junior and senior high school students ( β =-1.35, -1.67, both P <0.01). Among junior and senior high school students, lower frequency of dining out with the family, watching videos during family meals, and being urged by parents to eat more food in the past month were associated with higher scores on dietary nutrition literacy ( β =1.35, 1.13, 0.71, all P <0.01). Logistic regression model results indicated that watching videos during family meals ( OR =1.70) and family communication regarding dietary and nutrition ( OR =0.51) were significantly associated with dietary and nutrition literacy levels (both P <0.05).
Conclusions
The score of dietary and nutrition literacy among junior and senior high school students is relatively low, and the family food environment is a key factor. It is recommended that nutrition education and improvement initiatives for junior and senior high school students prioritize attention on children and adolescents from households with less favorable food environments.
2.Expert consensus on a stepwise strategy for the surgical management of empyema based on pathological staging (2026 edition)
Jichen QU ; Yunjiu GOU ; Guangyu CHEN ; Yongfu ZHAI ; Tinglong MA ; Xiaogang ZENG ; Feng JIN ; Yanzheng SONG ; Boxiong XIE ; Minjie MA ; Bin LI ; Jiang FAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(07):988-998
The surgical management of empyema (excluding those caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria) is rapidly evolving towards minimally invasive, precise, and stepwise approaches. The traditional three-stage classification (exudative, fibrinopurulent, and organizing) has limitations in guiding dynamic clinical decision-making. For the first time, this consensus explicitly identifies two critical junctures in the pathological progression of empyema: "early transformation" (stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ) and "late transformation" (stage Ⅱ to Ⅲ), and thereby constructs a corresponding "identification-early warning-intervention" stepwise therapeutic framework. The consensus emphasizes that proactive debridement via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery should be performed during the early transformation phase to halt disease progression. Conversely, during the late transformation phase, therapeutic goals should be rationally adjusted to prioritize adequate drainage, avoiding futile pleural decortication. Moreover, the consensus underscores the pivotal role of precise perioperative etiological diagnosis (e.g. metagenomic nest-generation sequencing) and standardized anti-infective therapy. Integrating practical experiences from multiple thoracic surgery centers in China and relevant evidence-based literature, this consensus formulates recommendations on the precise definitions of staging, surgical indications for each phase, key technical points, perioperative management, and training systems. It aims to promote the standardized and individualized surgical management of empyema, ultimately optimizing patient prognosis.
3.Study on the reversal effect of Qingfei huayu jiedu formula on drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cells
Shuailong CHEN ; Huihui LIU ; Feng SANG ; Lifeng JIANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(12):1553-1558
OBJECTIVE To investigate the reversal effect of Qingfei huayu jiedu formula (QFHYJDF) on drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells based on the microRNA-641 (miR-641)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. METHODS The human parental NSCLC cell line A549 was used to establish gefitinib-resistant cells A549/GR by combining concentration gradient increment with high-concentration pulse strategy. After screening for optimal intervention concentration and duration, the resistant cells were divided into a control serum group (treated with 20% blank serum for 48 h), QFHYJDF-containing serum group (treated with 20% QFHYJDF-containing serum for 48 h), and the normally cultured group (normally cultured for 48 h). The cell relative viability, total apoptosis rate, as well as the expression levels of miR-641, neurofibromin 1 (NF1), ERK1/2, and phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2), were assessed in each group. RESULTS Compared with the normally cultured group and the control serum group, the QFHYJDF-containing serum group exhibited significantly decreased cell relative viability and significantly increased total apoptosis rate ( P <0.05). Moreover, the expression of NF1 protein was significantly up-regulated, while the expression levels of miR-641 and p-ERK1, p-ERK2 proteins were significantly down-regulated in the QFHYJDF-containing serum group ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS QFHYJDF can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of gefitinib-resistant lung cancer cells, which may be associated with up-regulating NF1 protein expression, down-regulating miR-641 expression, and inhibiting the activity of the ERK signaling pathway.
4.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
5.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
6.Staged Efficacy of Qijia Rougan Prescription Combined with Entecavir for Chronic Hepatitis B-related Hepatic Fibrosis with Qi Deficiency and Collateral Stasis Syndrome Based on "Zhu Ke Jiao" Theory
Baixue LI ; Xin WANG ; Jibin LIU ; Li WEN ; Cen JIANG ; Wenjun WU ; Dong WANG ; Shuwan LIU ; Huabao LIU ; Yongli ZHENG ; Liang HUANG ; Yue SU ; Song ZHANG ; Yanan SHANG ; Hang ZHOU ; Quansheng FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(9):180-188
ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory, Qijia Rougan prescription, combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted, and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis (CHB-HF) who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group (Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir) and a control group (entecavir). The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM), fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4), portal vein diameter, hepatitis B serology, biochemical indicators, hepatic fibrosis markers in serum [hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), procollagen Ⅲ peptide (PⅢP), and type Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C)], and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis, with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment, the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 (P<0.01), as well as notable improvements in LN, Ⅳ-C, and various TCM syndrome scores (P<0.05, P<0.01). When compared to the control group after treatment, the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM, FIB-4, and various TCM syndrome score indicators (P<0.05, P<0.01), indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment, the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 (P<0.05). When compared to the control group after treatment, the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 (P<0.05). No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone, the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3, which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.
7.Quantitative Molecular Detection of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Its Processed Products Based on Herb-Q Method
Mingyu ZHANG ; Wenjun JIANG ; Baoyu JI ; Yue WANG ; Haitao ZHANG ; Haobo ZHANG ; Xue FENG ; Xiwen LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):192-200
ObjectiveAngelicae Sinensis Radix, a commonly used medicinal herb with both medicinal and edible properties, is frequently adulterated in the market, severely affecting the clinical efficacy of preparations. While qualitative identification techniques for adulterants and counterfeits are now relatively mature, quantitative detection methods for adulterated processed products remain unexplored. Quantitative detection research of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its primary closely related adulterant, "Tu Danggui" (Angelica gigas), was conducted to establish a herbal quantitative molecular detection (Herb-Q) method for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products, providing a model for the establishment of quantitative detection technologies for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and related health products. MethodsThe specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelica gigas Nakai were screened based on the complete chloroplast genome sequence. The specific SNP loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were selected for quantitative methodological investigations (linearity, limit of quantification, limit of detection, and reproducibility) by mixing the powder of the herbs with different adulteration ratios. Huoxue Zhitong powder with three distinct adulteration ratios (15%, 25%, and 35%) was utilized to ascertain the precision of the Herb-Q method for the quantitative detection of Chinese patent medicines containing Angelicae Sinensis Radix. ResultsBy comparing the 123 chloroplast genome sequences of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, based on the principles of intraspecies conservation, interspecies specificity, and meeting the requirements of pyrophosphate high-throughput sequencing, it was determined that 9 674th locus (A/G) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_042826.1 and 38 592nd locus (T/C) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_029393.1 could be the exclusive molecular identification loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelica gigas Nakai, respectively. The linear relationship R2 of the Herb-Q method established by selecting the specific 9 674th locus (A/G) of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was 0.997 4 (R2>0.99), indicating an excellent linear relationship. The limits of quantification and detection were established at 2.0%, exhibiting excellent reproducibility [relative standard deviation(RSD)<2.0%]. The established quantitative system based on the Herb-Q method detected the adulteration amount of counterfeit A. gigas in the Huoxue Zhitong powder, with an average deviation of 1.3% for three molecular quantitative replicates. ConclusionThis research demonstrates that the Herb-Q quantitative detection method established based on the 9 674th locus (A/G) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_042826.1 of Angelicae Sinensis Radix has good applicability, objectivity, and accuracy for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and A. gigas, and its processed products. This method has the capacity to provide technical support for the quantitative detection of commercially available Angelicae Sinensis Radix derivatives, including traditional Chinese medicinal preparations, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals.
8.Quantitative Molecular Detection of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Its Processed Products Based on Herb-Q Method
Mingyu ZHANG ; Wenjun JIANG ; Baoyu JI ; Yue WANG ; Haitao ZHANG ; Haobo ZHANG ; Xue FENG ; Xiwen LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):192-200
ObjectiveAngelicae Sinensis Radix, a commonly used medicinal herb with both medicinal and edible properties, is frequently adulterated in the market, severely affecting the clinical efficacy of preparations. While qualitative identification techniques for adulterants and counterfeits are now relatively mature, quantitative detection methods for adulterated processed products remain unexplored. Quantitative detection research of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its primary closely related adulterant, "Tu Danggui" (Angelica gigas), was conducted to establish a herbal quantitative molecular detection (Herb-Q) method for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products, providing a model for the establishment of quantitative detection technologies for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and related health products. MethodsThe specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelica gigas Nakai were screened based on the complete chloroplast genome sequence. The specific SNP loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were selected for quantitative methodological investigations (linearity, limit of quantification, limit of detection, and reproducibility) by mixing the powder of the herbs with different adulteration ratios. Huoxue Zhitong powder with three distinct adulteration ratios (15%, 25%, and 35%) was utilized to ascertain the precision of the Herb-Q method for the quantitative detection of Chinese patent medicines containing Angelicae Sinensis Radix. ResultsBy comparing the 123 chloroplast genome sequences of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, based on the principles of intraspecies conservation, interspecies specificity, and meeting the requirements of pyrophosphate high-throughput sequencing, it was determined that 9 674th locus (A/G) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_042826.1 and 38 592nd locus (T/C) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_029393.1 could be the exclusive molecular identification loci of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelica gigas Nakai, respectively. The linear relationship R2 of the Herb-Q method established by selecting the specific 9 674th locus (A/G) of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was 0.997 4 (R2>0.99), indicating an excellent linear relationship. The limits of quantification and detection were established at 2.0%, exhibiting excellent reproducibility [relative standard deviation(RSD)<2.0%]. The established quantitative system based on the Herb-Q method detected the adulteration amount of counterfeit A. gigas in the Huoxue Zhitong powder, with an average deviation of 1.3% for three molecular quantitative replicates. ConclusionThis research demonstrates that the Herb-Q quantitative detection method established based on the 9 674th locus (A/G) in the chloroplast genome sequence NC_042826.1 of Angelicae Sinensis Radix has good applicability, objectivity, and accuracy for Angelicae Sinensis Radix and A. gigas, and its processed products. This method has the capacity to provide technical support for the quantitative detection of commercially available Angelicae Sinensis Radix derivatives, including traditional Chinese medicinal preparations, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals.
9.Epidemiological analysis of a cluster outbreak of pulmonary tuberculosis among grade 12 students from a boaring high school in Chongqing
LEI Rongrong, FENG Xinyu, XIA Siyue, JIANG Chuan, ZHANG Ting, WU Chengguo
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(1):113-116
Objective:
To analyze the process of handling a pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) outbreak among senior high school students in a boarding school in Chongqing, as well as to investigate the underlying causes of the outbreak, so as to provide evidence to inform TB prevention and control strategies in school settings.
Methods:
From November 2023 to April 2024, an epidemiological investigation was conducted into the TB outbreak in a grade 12 class from a boarding high school. Suspected cases were screened using symptom screening, tuberculin skin test (TST), and chest X-ray examinations. Confirmed cases underwent individual epidemiological interviews and sputum culture; Cultured positive mycobacterial strains were subjected to whole genome sequencing after identification as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Results:
A total of 10 active pulmonary TB cases were identified, all from the same class, yielding a student attack rate of 16.67%. Three isolates were culture positive, as well as all strains were of L2 type,and the WGS analysis of the strains suggested a common transmission chain. Excluding the index case, four additional cases were detected through symptom driven health care visits. Notably, 70% of patients presented with "chest tightness and chest pain" symptoms, and 50% had "cough" symptoms,but none were detected during morning health checks or tracking of absences due to illness. A total of 326 contacts were identified and underwent three rounds of screening and one follow up examination. In the initial screening, 35 close contacts from the same class showed strong TST positivity, corresponding to a strong positivity rate of 55.56%, significantly higher than the 20.76% observed among casual contacts ( χ 2=29.80, P <0.01). Among the 35 strongly TST positivvity close contacts and five individuals with moderate TST positivity whose induration had increased by ≥10 mm over two years, none received timely preventive treatment initially; five of them were subsequently diagnosed with active TB within three months. Following this, 25 individuals initiated preventive therapy, resulting in a preventive treatment initiation rate of 62.50%. Among TST negative classmates who converted to strong positivity on repeat TST testing at three months, 75.00% started preventive treatment, but only 22.22% completed the full course.
Conclusion
Inadequate implementation of morning health checks and cause tracking for absenteeism due to illness, poorly standardized screening procedures, and delayed preventive treatment may have been key factors contributing to the spread of the outbreak.
10.Potential Mechanism of Zuojinwan in Improving Liver Fibrosis Based on Hepatic Tissue Metabolomics
Yiting JIANG ; Kexin LIU ; Yixi QIAN ; Rui ZHANG ; Feng ZHANG ; Hongyan WU ; Li CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(6):54-61
ObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism of Zuojinwan in improving liver fibrosis through hepatic tissue metabolomics analysis. MethodsTwenty-four mice were randomly allocated into normal group, model group , positive drug group (silymarin, 100 mg·kg-1), and Zuojinwan group (Zuojinwan solution, 2.5 g·kg-1), with per group six mice. Liver fibrosis model was induced via intraperitoneal injection of olive oil solution with 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (0.5 μL·g-1, three times weekly for 8 weeks) in all groups except the normal group. During the final 4 weeks, the silymarin group received silymarin (100 mg·kg-1) by gavage thrice weekly, while the Zuojinwan group was administered Zuojinwan solution (2.5 g·kg-1) under the same regimen. After the last administration, the levels of liver fibrosis indicators and liver injury markers in serum were detected. The pathological morphological changes of the liver tissues were observed. The levels of liver fibrosis markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Collagen Ⅰ(ColⅠ) were detected. Metabolomics was analyzed on mice's liver tissues. The mice's serum was collected for metabolomics analysis. ResultsCompared with the model group, Zuojinwan significantly improved indicators related to liver fibrosis and liver injury. Compared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly elevated levels of fibrosis markers such as laminin (LN), hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen typeⅢ (PC-Ⅲ), and type Ⅳ Collagen (Ⅳ-C), while liver injury indicators such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total bilirubin (TBIL), exhibited a marked upward trend (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the silymarin group showed a significant decrease in the aforementioned indicators (P<0.05). Notably, compared with the model group, the Zuojinwan group exhibited a significant reduction in all these indicators (P<0.05), with efficacy comparable to that of the silymarin group. Zuojinwan reduced mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA and ColⅠ in the liver tissue. Metabolomics results revealed that compared with the model group, Zuojiinwan significantly reduced levels of glucose metabolism-related metabolites such as D-fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), sodium beta-D-fructose 6-phosphate (F6P), dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), fumaric acid, and D-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) (P<0.05). Serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect glucose metabolism indicators and further validate the regulatory effect of Zuojinwan on glucose metabolism. ConclusionThese results suggest that Zuojinwan may improve liver fibrosis by regulating the dysregulated levels of glucose metabolism during the progression of liver fibrosis.


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