To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications （DMC）， refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles， and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine， hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， was held in Beijing， 2024. Experts in TCM， Western medicine， and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis， diagnostic and treatment challenges， and mechanism research related to DMC， ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development， research prioritization， and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM， strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the syndrome improvement and negative antigen conversion rate of Qingxuan Daozhi formula in the treatment of influenza in children （heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome）. MethodsThrough a multi-center randomized controlled methodology design，confirmed influenza cases were collected from October 2022 to April 2023 in the pediatrics department of eight hospitals，such as Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. A total of 180 children with influenza and heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome conforming to the standard were recruited through the clinic. The sick children meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into groups by a block-randomized method. The children in the experimental group were treated with Qingxuan Daozhi formula for five days，and those in the control group were treated with Oseltamivir Phosphate Granules for five days. The primary efficacy indicator was the negative conversion rate of influenza antigen detection. Secondary efficacy indicators were the Canadian acute respiratory illness and flu scale （CARIFS） and the incidence of complications，severe cases， and critical cases. Follow-up observation was conducted on the day of enrollment，48 hours after medication，72 hours after medication， and （6+1） d after medication. ResultsOne hundred and eighty participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group （90 cases） or the control group （90 cases）. All participants were followed up during the study. Comparison of influenza antigen detection results in the primary efficacy indicators showed that the average time of negative influenza antigen conversion in the experimental group was （5.29±1.25） d，and that in the control group was （5.40±1.68） d，without a statistically significant difference. After five days of intervention，52 cases in the experimental group and 51 cases in the control group converted to negative，without a statistically significant difference. CARIFS score results in the secondary efficacy indicators showed that during 72 hours after intervention，there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in three dimensions， including headache，muscle soreness， and the need for extra care （P<0.05）. On the （6+1） days after the intervention，the differences in both the experimental group and the control group were statistically significant in 10 dimensions， including sore throat，bad sleep，uncomfortable feeling，poor spirit and fatigue，crying more than usual，the need for extra care，symptom，function，influence on parents，and total score （P<0.05）. The comparison results within the group in the dimensional scores of symptom， function， and influence on parents，as well as the CARIFS total score showed that with the delay of follow-up time，scores of both groups decreased significantly，with a statistically significant difference （P<0.01）. Inter-group comparison results showed that the mean score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group at the time of enrollment. With the progress of intervention，the score of the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group. At the end of follow-up，the mean score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group，with no statistically significant difference. In terms of the incidence of complications，severe cases， and critical cases， there were no complications，severe cases， and critical cases in the two groups，without a statistically significant difference. ConclusionThe symptom improvement effect and negative antigen conversion rate of Qingxuan Daozhi formula in the treatment of influenza in children （heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome） are not inferior to Oseltamivir Phosphate granules， and children's acceptance is better. It can be more widely used in clinical treatment of influenza in children （heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome）.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, Eab^*) and the contents of reducing sugars, total polysaccharides, total oligosaccharides, as well as four saccharides (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose) during the nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying processing of Polygonatum kingianum, and to preliminarily explore the optimal processing duration.
Methods: The color changes were objectively evaluated using a colorimeter. The anthrone-sulfuric acid method was employed to determine total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) colorimetric method was used to measure total reducing sugar content. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detection (HPLC-CAD) was applied for quantitative analysis of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose. Multivariate statistical analysis was conducted to assess samples from different processing stages.
Results: Significant variations in color and component contents were observed across processing stages. The herbal pieces progressively darkened with increased processing cycles: brightness (L^*) and total color difference (Eab^*) initially decreased then stabilized, while a^* (red-green) and b^* (yellow-blue) values first increased then declined. Total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides showed overall decreasing trends, whereas reducing sugars initially increased before stabilizing. Fructose and glucose levels rose continuously, while sucrose and kestose decreased progressively, becoming undetectable after five cycles.
Conclusion: The chromatic alteration and saccharide composition of P. kingianum showed significant correlation with processing duration. Both total color difference (Eab^*) and reducing sugar content stabilized after four processing cycles (12 hours), suggesting that four cycles of steaming and sun-drying may represent the optimal processing duration.

Objective To explore the incidence and risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods Non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients in Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences from October 2023 to October 2024 were enrolled and divided into the non-sarcopenia group and the sarcopenia group according to lean tissue index (LTI) and handgrip strength (HGS). Demographic data of patients were collected and biochemical indicators were detected. Serum advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were detected by competitive ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors of sarcopenia in these patients. The diagnostic efficacy of the risk factors was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results A total of 102 non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with (68.52±7.39) years, were enrolled, including 61 male (59.8%). Among them, 24 were diagnosed with sarcopenia (23.5%). Compared with patients in non-sarcopenia group, patients in sarcopenia group were older and had higher interleukin-6 (IL-6) and AGEs, lower body mass index (BMI) and lower serum albumin (sAlb; P＜0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that advanced age (OR＝1.153, 95%CI 1.045–1.273, P＝0.005), higher IL-6 (OR＝1.165, 95%CI 1.042–1.302, P＝0.007)、lower sAlb (OR＝0.675, 95%CI 0.542–0.840, P＝0.001), and higher serum AGEs (OR＝1.105, 95%CI 1.013–1.206, P＝0.024) were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis CKD 5 patients. The areas under the curve (AUC) for the age, IL-6, sAlb, and serum AGEs were 0.896, 0.643, 0.658, and 0.724, respectively. Conclusions Sarcopenia is common in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients, and the risk of sarcopenia is higher in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with advanced age, higher IL-6, lower sAlb, and higher serum AGEs.

ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Anzi Tiaochong decoction combined with aspirin and the effects of this therapy on the peripheral blood phospholipid antibody titers， coagulation function， and CD19⁺CD24^hiCD27⁺regulatory B （Breg） cells in patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome （OAPS） （pattern of kidney deficiency and blood stasis）. MethodsPatients who meet the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated into an observation group （50 patients， with 4 patients dropped out and 46 patients completed） and a control group （50 patients， with 2 patients dropped out， 1 patient excluded， and 47 patients completed） through a random number table method. The control group was treated with aspirin enteric-coated tablets， 75 mg/time， once a day， and the observation group with Anzi Tiaochong decoction， 1 bag/day on the basis of the therapy in the control group. The treatment course for both groups was 8 weeks， and the patients were followed up for 4 weeks. The traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom scores， titers of peripheral blood phospholipid antibodies ［anti-cardiolipin antibody IgM （ACA IgM）， anti-cardiolipin antibody IgG （ACA IgG）， anti-β₂-glycoprotein 1 antibody IgM （β₂GP1-IgM）， and anti-β₂-glycoprotein 1 antibody IgG （β₂GP1-IgG）］， D-dimer （D-D）， thromboelastography parameters ［clotting factor activity （R）， platelet function maximum amplitude （MA）， coagulation composite index （CI）， and clot strength （G）］， CD19⁺CD24^hiCD27⁺ Breg expression rate， and adverse drug reactions were recorded for the two groups before and after treatment. ResultsAfter treatment， both groups showed decreased ACA IgM， ACA IgG， β₂GP1-IgM， β₂GP1-IgG， D-D， MA， and G （P<0.05） and increased R （P<0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in CI. Compared with the control group， the observation group showed more significant decreases in TCM symptom scores and phospholipid antibody titers （P<0.05）. After treatment， the expression rate of Breg in the observation group was higher than that before treatment （P<0.05）.There was no significant difference in Breg expression rate before and after treatment in the control group. Neither group experienced significant adverse reactions. ConclusionAnzi Tiaochong decoction combined with aspirin can alleviate the symptoms， reduce the phospholipid antibody titers， and restore the coagulation status of patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome （pattern kidney deficiency and blood stasis）. It may exert the therapeutic effects by regulating Breg to maintain the patient's immune balance.

Polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS） is a common gynecological endocrine and reproductive disorder，with the main clinical manifestations including ovulation failure，insulin resistance，hyperandrogenism，and obesity. Its occurrence and development are closely related to cellular regulatory mechanisms such as apoptosis，autophagy，oxidative stress，and inflammatory response. Autophagy，as a clearance mechanism that maintains cellular homeostasis，plays a crucial role in maintaining the growth，development，and maturation of oocytes. Exploring the mechanism of autophagy during the occurrence and development of diseases can help develop treatment methods for PCOS by regulating autophagy. Studies have shown that autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PCOS，and it can affect the occurrence and development of PCOS through multiple pathways，levels，and targets. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） regulates autophagy in ovarian granulosa cells or endometrium of patients with PCOS by targeting the expression of autophagy signaling pathways，regulatory factors，and non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules，thereby alleviating inflammation，regulating metabolism disorders，and balancing hormone levels in PCOS. Accordingly，TCM can ameliorate pathological conditions such as insulin resistance，hyperandrogenism，and ovulation failure in PCOS. This article summarizes the TCM formulas and extracts for the treatment of PCOS，as well as the main autophagy pathways and regulatory factors involved，aiming to provide reference and suggestions for the future treatment of PCOS with TCM by regulating autophagy.

This paper summarizes Professor WANG Xiuxia's clinical experience in treating hyperprolactinemia using the liver soothing therapy. Professor WANG identifies liver qi stagnation and rebellious chong qi （冲气） as the core pathomechanisms of hyperprolactinemia. Furthermore， liver qi stagnation may transform into fire or lead to pathological changes such as spleen deficiency with phlegm obstruction or kidney deficiency with essence depletion. The treatment strategy centers on soothing the liver， with a modified version of Qinggan Jieyu Decoction （清肝解郁汤） as the base formula. Depending on different syndrome patterns such as liver stagnation transforming into fire， liver stagnation with spleen deficiency， or liver stagnation with kidney deficiency， heat clearing， spleen strengthening， or kidney tonifying herbs are added accordingly. In addition， three paired herb combinations are commonly used for symptom specific treatment， Danggui （Angelica sinensis） with Chuanxiong （Ligusticum chuanxiong）， Zelan （Lycopus lucidus） with Yimucao （Leonurus japonicus） ， and Jiegeng （Platycodon grandiflorus） with Zisu （Perilla frutescens）.

Self-face is a unique and highly distinctive stimulus, not shared with others, and serves as a reliable marker of self-awareness. Compared to other faces, self-face processing exhibits several advantages, including the self-face recognition advantage, self-face attention advantage, and self-face positive processing advantage. The self-face recognition advantage manifests as faster and more accurate identification across different orientations and spatial frequency components, supported by enhanced early event-related potential (ERP) components, such as N170. Attentional biases toward self-face are evident in target detection during spatial tasks and the attentional blink effect in temporal paradigms. However, measurement sensitivity, perceptual load, and task demands contribute to some mixed findings. Positive biases further characterize the self-face processing advantage, with individuals perceiving their faces as more attractive or trustworthy than objective representations. These biases even extend to self-similar others, influencing social behaviors such as trust and voting preferences. Self-face processing advantages have been observed at an unconscious level and are regulated by several factors, including self-esteem, cultural differences, and multisensory integration. Cultural and individual differences play a crucial role in shaping self-face advantages. Individuals from Western cultures, which emphasize independent self-construal, exhibit stronger self-face biases compared to those from East Asian collectivist contexts. Self-esteem also modulates self-face advantages: high-self-esteem individuals generally maintain their self-face recognition advantage despite interference, exhibit attentional prioritization of self-faces, and demonstrate enhanced positive associations with subliminal self-faces. In contrast, low-self-esteem individuals display recognition vulnerabilities to social cues, show context-dependent attentional divergence (prioritizing others’ faces in task-oriented settings while prioritizing self-face in free-viewing tasks), and exhibit reversed positive associations with subliminal self-faces. Multisensory integration, such as synchronized visual-tactile cues, enhances self-face advantages and induces perceptual plasticity. This phenomenon is exemplified by the enfacement illusion, in which synchronous visual and tactile inputs update the mental representation of the self-face, leading to assimilation with another face. Neuroanatomically, self-face processing is predominantly lateralized to the right hemisphere and involves a network of brain regions, including the occipital lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, insula, and cingulate gyrus. Disruptions in these networks are linked to self-face processing deficits in socio-cognitive disorders. For instance, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia are associated with attenuated self-face advantages and abnormal neural activity in regions such as the right inferior frontal gyrus, insula, and posterior cingulate cortex. These findings suggest that self-face processing could serve as a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis and intervention of such disorders. In recent years, researchers have proposed various theoretical explanations for self-face processing and its advantage effects. However, some studies have reported no significant behavioral or neural advantages of self-faces over familiar faces, leaving the specificity of self-face a subject of debate. Further elucidation of self-face specificity requires the adoption of a face association paradigm, which controls for facial familiarity and helps determine whether qualitative differences exist between self-faces and familiar faces. Given the close relationship between self-face processing advantages and socio-cognitive disorders (e.g., ASD, schizophrenia), a deeper understanding of self-face specificity has the potential to provide critical insights into the early identification, classification, and intervention of these disorders. This research holds both theoretical significance and substantial social value.