Chronic heart failure （CHF） is a complex clinical syndrome caused by ventricular dysfunction， with mitochondrial energy metabolism disorder being a critical factor in disease progression. Heart-Yang deficiency syndrome， as the core pathogenesis of CHF， persists throughout the disease course. Insufficiency of heart-Yang leads to weakened warming and propelling functions， resulting in the accumulation of phlegm-fluid， blood stasis， and dampness. This eventually causes Qi stagnation with phlegm obstruction and blood stasis with water retention， forming a vicious cycle that exacerbates disease progression. According to the theory of reinforcing Yang， the clinical experience of the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） master Tang Zuxuan in treating CHF with heart-Yang deficiency syndrome， and achievements from molecular biological studies， this study innovatively proposes an integrated research framework of "TCM syndrome differentiation and staging-mitochondrial metabolism mechanisms-intervention with Yang-reinforcing prescriptions" which is characterized by the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Heart-Yang deficiency syndrome is classified into mild （Stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ）， severe （Stage Ⅲ）， and critical （Stage Ⅳ） stages. The study elucidates the precise correlations between the pathogenesis of each stage and mitochondrial metabolism disorders from theoretical， pathophysiological， and therapeutic perspectives. The mild stage is characterized by impaired biogenesis and substrate-utilization imbalance， corresponding to heart-Yang deficiency and phlegm-fluid aggregation. Linggui Zhugantang and similar prescriptions can significantly improve the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator-1α（PGC-1α）/silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 （SIRT1） and ATPase activity. The severe stage centers on oxidative stress and structural damage， reflecting Yang deficiency with water overflow and phlegm-blood stasis intermingling. At this stage， Zhenwu Tang and Qiangxin Tang can effectively mitigate oxidative stress damage， increase adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content， and repair mitochondrial structure. The critical stage arises from calcium overload and mitochondrial disintegration， leading to the collapse of Yin-Yang equilibrium. At this stage， Yang-restoring and crisis-resolving prescriptions such as Fuling Sini Tang and Qili Qiangxin capsules can inhibit abnormal opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore （MPTP）， reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate， and protect mitochondrial function. By summarizing the characteristics of mitochondrial energy metabolism disorders at different stages of CHF， this study explores the application of the theory of reinforcing Yang in treating heart-Yang deficiency syndrome and provides new insights for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CHF.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of ventricular remodeling mediated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）/nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway in the rat model of chronic heart failure （CHF） with heart-blood stasis syndrome， as well as the intervention effect of Danhong injection. MethodsIn vivo experiment： SPF-grade male SD rats were assigned via the random number table method into 4 groups： Sham operation， model， captopril （8.8 mg·kg^-1）， and Danhong injection （6.0 mL·kg^-1）. The model of CHF with heart-blood stasis syndrome was established by abdominal aortic constriction， and the sham operation group only underwent laparotomy without constriction. All the groups were treated continuously for 15 days. The tongue color of rats was observed. Echocardiography， hemorheology， heart mass index （HMI）， and left ventricular mass index （LVMI） were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson staining were performed to observe the pathological and fibrotic changes of the myocardial tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to quantify the levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， angiotensin Ⅱ （AngⅡ）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and Creactive protein （CRP） in the serum， as well as the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in the myocardial tissue. Western blot was used to quantify the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 in the myocardial tissue. In vitro experiment： H9C2 cardiomyocytes were treated with 1×10^-6 mol·L^-1 AngⅡ to establish a model of myocardial hypertrophy. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were allocated into normal， model， inhibitor + Danhong injection， Danhong injection （20 mL·L^-1）， and inhibitor （SB203580， 5 μmol·L^-1） groups. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the viability of H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Rhodamine-labeled phalloidin staining was used to reveal the area of cardiomyocytes. Real-time PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of atrial natriuretic peptide （ANP） and brain natriuretic peptide （BNP）. Western blot was used to assess the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65. ResultsIn vivo experiment： Compared with the sham operation group， the model group showed purplish-dark tongue with decreased R， G， B values of the tongue surface （P<0.01）， increased whole blood viscosity （at low， medium， and high shear rates） （P<0.01）， decreased left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS） （P<0.01）， increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVIDd）， left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVIDs）， and left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole （LVPWd） （P<0.01）， raised LVMI and HMI （P<0.01）， and elevated levels of NT-proBNP， TNF-α， IL-6， and CRP in the serum and MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the myocardial tissue （P<0.01）. The HE and Masson staining of the myocardial tissue showed compensatory myocardial hypertrophy， fibrosis， and massive inflammatory cell infiltration in the model group. Additionally， the model group presented up-regulated protein levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 in the myocardial tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， each administration group showed increased R， G， B values of the tongue surface （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased whole blood viscosity （at low， medium， and high shear rates） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased LVEF and LVFS （P<0.01）， decreased LVIDd， LVIDs， and LVPWd （P<0.05， P<0.01）， declined LVMI and HMI （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lowered levels of NT-proBNP， TNF-α， IL-6， and CRP in the serum and MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the myocardial tissue （P<0.01）. HE and Masson staining showed alleviated compensatory myocardial hypertrophy， reduced fibrosis， and decreased expression of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 in the myocardial tissue （P<0.01）. In vitro experiment： When the concentration of Danhong injection reached 20 mL·L^-1， the survival rate of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was the highest （P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showed up-regulated mRNA levels of ANP and BNP （P<0.01）， increased relative cell surface area （P<0.01）， and raised protein levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， each administration group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of ANP and BNP （P<0.01）， reduced relative cell surface area （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated protein levels of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanhong injection can regulate ventricular remodeling through the p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway， thereby exerting a protective effect on the rat model of CHF with heart-blood stasis syndrome.

Renal fibrosis represents the core pathway through which chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal failure. Therapeutic strategies targeting renal fibrosis provide an important approach for clinically mitigating the transition from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease. Macrophages, owing to their high heterogeneity in origin and phenotype, play a significant role in various stages of acute inflammation, tissue repair, and fibrosis, thereby holding substantial promise for the treatment of renal fibrosis. This review summarizes the pivotal role of renal macrophages in the transition from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, with a focus on their temporal phenotypic reprogramming characteristics and the fibrotic microenvironment interaction network constituted by injured tubules, macrophages, and fibroblasts. On this basis, we systematically outline four core categories of macrophage-targeted intervention strategies: modulation of upstream signaling pathways, induction of macrophage phenotypic reprogramming, blockade of profibrotic factors and their downstream pathways, and selective depletion or engineered modification of profibrotic macrophage subsets. This review aims to provide new insights for future exploration of the timing, precision, and efficacy of macrophage-targeted therapies.

Intervertebral disc degeneration （IVDD） is the core cause of chronic low back pain， which severely impairs patients’ quality of life and imposes a heavy social and medical burden. The hypoxia-pyroptosis-inflammation cascade mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） is the core pathological mechanism driving the initiation and progression of IVDD. Natural active ingredients derived from traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） have become a research hotspot in the field of IVDD prevention and treatment due to their advantages of multi-target effects， favorable efficacy， and low toxicity. This paper systematically reviews the mechanism of HIF-1α-mediated hypoxia-pyroptosis-inflammation cascade in degenerative nucleus pulposus tissue and the intervention of related active ingredients. It is found that natural active ingredients such as baicalein， curcumin and resveratrol can intervene in the HIF-1α-mediated pathological cascade through four core links to delay IVDD progression： targeting the HIF-1α oxygen sensing pathway to block the initiation of pyroptosis cascade， inhibiting NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome activation to cut off the cascade amplification of inflammatory signals， intervening in the Gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis execution stage to protect cell membrane integrity， and regulating extracellular matrix metabolism to reconstruct intervertebral disc homeostasis.

ObjectiveTo compare the differences in color， odor， coumarin content and microbial community composition of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix（ADR） during different drying processes， and to explore the correlation between changes in microbial community composition and changes in quality indexes of ADR. MethodsThe fresh ADR was processed at three drying temperatures（50， 70， 100 ℃） by drying and steaming cutting， semi-fresh cutting and drying， fresh cutting and drying， and sulfur fumigation methods. The color values of samples were extracted by Adobe Photoshop 2022 software and subjected to principal component analysis（PCA）， electronic nose was used to identify the odor information of medicinal powders and subjected to loadings analysis， PCA， and linear discriminant analysis（LDA）， and high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was used to determine the contents of five coumarins（bergapten， oxypeucedanin， imperatorin， phellopterin， isoimperatorin）. The samples for microbial detection were taken from fresh dried samples， 50 ℃（dried and steamed cut， sulfur fumigated） samples， and 100 ℃（dried and steamed cut） samples when the water content was 50% and 14%， respectively. And the changes of microbial community composition during processing were determined by high-throughput sequencing method. The relationship between the changes of microbial community composition and the changes of odor， color and active component content of ADR during drying process was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. ResultsThe color quantification results showed that an increase in drying temperature led to the decrease of brightness value（L）， and the increases of red-green value（a） and yellow-blue value（b）， and the change of processing method had no obvious effect on the color of medicinal materials. The results of odor quantification showed that W1S， W2S， W5S， W2W and W1W sensor were sensitive to the odor changes of ADR and could be used to distinguish ADR decoction pieces from different processing methods. The results of HPLC showed that the coumarin content of ADR decreased with the increase of drying temperature and the delay of processing time， the optimal processing method was drying and steaming cutting method， and the optimal temperature was 50 ℃. High-throughput sequencing results showed that the dominant bacteria in ADR during processing were Achromobacter， Agrobacterium， Nocardioides， Mycobacterium and Enterobacter， the dominant fungi were Coprinopsis， Meyerozyma and Apiotrichum. The results of correlation analysis showed that the quality indexes of ADR were positively correlated with Agrobacterium， Mycobacterium in bacteria， Candida in fungi， and negatively correlated with Bacillus in bacteria. ConclusionThere are significant differences in the color， odor， coumarin content and microbial community composition of ADR in different drying processes， and the best drying method is drying and steaming cutting at 50 ℃. The relative abundance changes of 9 bacterial genera and 4 fungal genera are closely related to the quality formation of ADR during the drying process.

Shengyutang is a famous classical formula of tonic， which is made from Siwutang with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Astragali Radix. It is included in the Catalogue of Ancient Famous Classical Formulas（The First Batch）. Based on the Principles of Key Information Research of Ancient Famous Classical Formulas， this paper used bibliometrics to sort out and research the key information of Shengyutang in the aspects of history， composition， origin and processing， dosage， decocting method， efficacy and indications. After research， it has been found that this formula was first recorded in Lanshi Micang written by LI Dongyuan during the Jin dynasty， composed of Rehmanniae Radix， Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata， Chuanxiong Rhizoma， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis taproot. The name of the formula passed down through generations was relatively unified， with clear origins and veins. In later generations， this formula was the mainstream， and adjustments were made to the dosage and composition according to the indication. In the formula， Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus was selected as the origin of Astragali Radix， and the origins of other medicinal materials were consistent with the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Except for Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata， the other medicinal materials were made from raw products， and the dosage form was boiled powder. According to the measurement standard in the Jin dynasty， the recommended usage and dosage were 1.24 g of Rehmanniae Radix， Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata， Chuanxiong Rhizoma， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma each， 2.07 g of Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis taproot each， crushed into coarse particles that pass through the 4 mesh sieve but can't pass through the 10 mesh sieve， added 1 200 mL of water and boiled to 300 mL， and removed the residue. Shengyutang has the functions of tonifying Qi and blood， and blood intake， treating various sores， and restlessness and insomnia caused by excessive blood flow. In ancient times， this formula was widely used in the treatment of surgical sores， gynecological diseases， deficiency syndrome， etc. In modern clinical practice， it is mostly used to treat gynecological， neurological， musculoskeletal， hematological diseases caused by Qi and blood deficiency. In this paper， the key information of Shengyutang was researched by reviewing relevant ancient literature， in order to provide reference for the modern application and development of this formula.

BACKGROUND:How to repair bone defect has been a clinical problem for a long time.The effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine have good biological activity and therapeutic effect,and the combination of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and tissue engineering materials has a broad prospect in the field of bone repair.The combination of different effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and scaffolds has similarities in their functional relationships. OBJECTIVE:To collect the cases of the combinations of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and scaffolds,then analogize tissue engineering scaffolds and effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine into two types of traditional Chinese medicine that generate compatibility relationships based on the inspiration of the compatibility of seven emotions and summarize the relationship between the two based on their functional relationships. METHODS:Relevant articles from January 1998 to January 2024 were searched in PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),using English search terms"traditional Chinese medicine,Chinese medicine,traditional Chinese medicine monomers,bone defect,bone repair,bone tissue engineering,tissue engineering,scaffold"and Chinese search terms"traditional Chinese medicine,effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,traditional Chinese medicine monomers,bone tissue engineering,bone tissue engineering scaffold,scaffold,tissue engineering,bone defect,bone repair."A total of 88 articles were included for review and analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Both tissue engineering scaffold materials and active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine have been widely used in the field of bone repair.Although they have obvious advantages in osteogenesis,there are still many shortcomings.Many studies are dedicated to preparing composite materials from the two,hoping to exert a detoxification and synergism through the interaction between the two.(2)Some drugs and materials can promote each other in osteogenesis,antibacterial,and promoting angiogenesis,enhancing their original effects.Inspired by the traditional concept of prescription compatibility,this article summarized it as a"Mutual promotion"relationship and provided examples to support it.(3)Some drugs can enhance the strength of materials,while some materials can achieve sustained release and controlled release effects,increase drug loading and stability,or achieve targeted delivery of drugs loaded on them.The article summarized this unilateral enhancement effect as a"Mutual assistance"relationship.(4)The combination of some traditional Chinese medicine and materials can reduce the toxic side effects of the other party.The article summarizes this detoxification relationship as"Mutual restraint and detoxification."(5)The article provided a new perspective on traditional Chinese medicine composite scaffolds,inspired by the seven emotions compatibility relationship and based on the classification of action relationships.It introduced traditional Chinese medicine concepts into the field of tissue engineering,providing new research ideas for subsequent researchers of composite scaffolds,and providing certain convenience in material selection and matching.

BACKGROUND:As a common disease in middle-aged and elderly,osteoarthritis is difficult to cure,and the pathogenesis is not clear.Long non-coding RNA participates in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis through many ways,such as regulating translation,promoting or inhibiting mRNA,and adsorbing miRNAs. OBJECTIVE:To review the types of common long non-coding RNA in osteoarthritis,and the influence of multiple long non-coding RNAs on the pathological factors related to osteoarthritis,to analyze the future application of long non-coding RNAs in osteoarthritis. METHODS:Literature retrieval was conducted in CNKI,WanFang Data,VIP database,PubMed,Web of Science and Sciencedirect databases,using the search terms of"osteoarthritis,degenerative joint disease,degenerative arthritis,OA,LncRNA,long non-coding RNA,long noncoding RNA,long intergenic non-coding RNA"in Chinese and English.All relevant literature published from 1976 and May 2024 was retrieved.After literature screening,induction,analysis and summary,93 articles were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:This review collected 25 long non-coding RNAs that are well studied with osteoarthritis.Long non-coding RNAs,as a molecular sponge for miRNA,are competing endogenous RNAs to competitively adsorb miRNAs and then affect downstream targets.Long non-coding RNAs can regulate physiopathological processes such as chondrocyte apoptosis and proliferation,cartilage extracellular matrix degradation,and inflammatory responses.Long non-coding RNAs are expected to become a biomarker and potential therapeutic target for the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic prognosis of osteoarthritis,and it may become a new strategy for the clinical treatment of osteoarthritis in the future.

Objective: To investigate the effect of targeted silencing of DNA methyltransferase 3A(DNMT3A) on collagen deposition, proliferation and migration activity of mouse lung fibroblasts(PFs). Methods: In order to ensure the proliferation and migration activity of primary fibroblasts, the lung tissues of neonatal C57 suckling mice were taken, PFs were extracted after being sheared, and the morphology was observed and identified under the microscope. PFs cells were activated by 5 ng/ml TGF-β1for 24 h after cell attachment, and DNMT3A silencing model was constructed by small interfering RNA; The experiment was divided into control group, TGF-β1group, TGF-β1+ siRNA-NC group and TGF-β1+ siRNA-DNMT3A group. The protein expressions of DNMT3A, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) and Collagen Ⅰ were detected by Western blot; Real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression changes ofDNMT3A,α-SMAandCollagenⅠ. The proliferation ability of PFs was detected by CCK-8 and EdU staining; the migration ability of PFs was detected by scratch test and Transwell migration test. Results: Compared with the control group, TGF-β1induced the increase of DNMT3A in the activated PFs cell group(P<0.01), the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis and proliferation related indicators α-SMA and Collagen Ⅰ also increased(allP<0.05), and the proliferation and migration ability of PFs increased(allP<0.000 1). Compared with the siRNA-NC group, the protein expression levels of DNMT3A(P<0.000 1) and related indicators α-SMA(P<0.01) and Collagen Ⅰ(P<0.01) significantly decreased in the DNMT3A silencing group by Western blot, and the mRNA levels ofDNMT3A,α-SMAandCollagenⅠby RT-qPCR also decreased(allP<0.001), and the proliferation(P<0.01) and migration ability(P<0.05) of PFs cells decreased compared with the control group. Conclusion Silencing DNMT3A can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation of PFs. DNMT3A can promote the proliferation and migration of PFs, and then promote the activation of PFs and the development of pulmonary fibrosis. This process may be regulated by DNA methylation modification.

Liuhetang is one of the classic prescriptions included in the Catalogue of Ancient Classic Prescriptions （the Second Batch）. This study adopts the method of literature review to systematically sort out the ancient literature about Liuhetang and obtained a total of 127 effective data records， involving 82 ancient books （including 2 Japanese books）. The origin， medicinal composition， compatibility， original plants and their processing methods， dosage， decocting method， usage， and indications of Liuhetang were analyzed. Liuhetang is first recorded in the Formulary of the Bureau of Taiping People's Welfare Pharmacy in the Song Dynasty， consisting of Amomi Fructus， Pinelliae Rhizoma， Armeniacae Semen Amarum， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， red Poria， Pogostemonis Herba， Lablab Semen Album， Chaenomelis Fructus， Moslae Herba， Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex， Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and Jujubae Fructus. The original plants of these herbal medicines follow those in the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. The raw materials of Amomi Fructus， Armeniacae Semen Amarum， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， red Poria， Pogostemonis Herba， Chaenomelis Fructus， Moslae Herba， Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex， Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and Jujubae Fructus are used in this prescription. Pinelliae Rhizoma， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， Lablab Semen Album， and Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex are processed with alum， stir-fried， processed with Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and processed with Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， respectively. The recommended formula is composed of 0.79 g Amomi Fructus， 0.79 g Pinelliae Rhizoma， 0.79 g Armeniacae Semen Amarum， 0.79 g Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， 0.79 g Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， 1.57 g red Poria， 1.57 g Pogostemonis Herba， 1.57 g Lablab Semen Album， 1.57 g Chaenomelis Fructus， 3.15 g Moslae Herba， and 3.15 g Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex. The above medicines should be pulverized to reach 10 meshes， mixed with 450 mL water， 3 g Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and 3 g Jujubae Fructus， and decocted to reach a volume of 240 mL. The filtrate should be taken three times a day. In ancient times， Liuhetang was mainly used to treat cholera， vomiting， diarrhea， phlegm， dyspnea， cough， chest distension， dizziness and pain in the head， swelling in the limbs， lethargy， loss of appetite， difficult urination and dark urine caused by heat and dampness damage to the spleen and disharmony between spleen and stomach. In modern times， Liuhetang is mainly used to treat the digestive system diseases such as gastroenteritis， hepatitis， stomach pain， and diarrhea. The above research confirmed the key information of Liuhetang， providing a basis for the clinical application of this prescription.