ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of compound Xishu granules （CXG） in inhibiting the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating ferroptosis. MethodsThe transplanted tumor model of human Huh7 was established with nude mice and the successfully modeled mice were randomized into model， Fufang Banmao （0.21 g·kg^-1）， low-dose （1.87 g·kg^-1） CXG， medium-dose （3.74 g·kg^-1） CXG， and high-dose （7.49 g·kg^-1） CXG groups. Mice were administrated with drinking water or CXG for 28 days， and the body weight and tumor volume were measured every 4 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the histopathological changes of tumors. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） was used to examine the survival rate of Huh7 cells treated with different concentrations （0， 31.25， 62.5， 125， 250， 500， 1 000 mg·L^-1） of CXG for 24 h and 48 h. CA-AM， DCFH-DA， and C11-BODIPY^581/591 fluorescent probes were used to determine the intracellular levels of ferrous ion （Fe²⁺）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， and lipid peroxide （LPO）， respectively. The colorimetric method was employed to measure the levels of glutathione （GSH） and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， transferrin receptor 1 （TFR1）， and ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， respectively. ResultsIn the animal experiment， compared with the model group， the drug treatment groups showed reductions in the tumor volume from day 12 （P<0.01）. After treatment， the Fufang Banmao and low-， medium-， and high-dose CXG groups had lower tumor volume， relative tumor volume， and tumor weight than the model group （P<0.05）， with tumor inhibition rates of 48.99%， 79.93%， 91.38%， and 97.36%， respectively. Moreover， the CXG groups had lower tumor volume and relative tumor volume （P<0.05 in all the three dose groups） and lower tumor weight （P<0.05 in medium-dose and high-dose groups） than the Fufang Banmao group. Compared with the model group， the drug treatment groups showed reduced number of tumor cells， necrotic foci with karyopyknosis， nuclear fragmentation， and nucleolysis， and the high-dose CXG group showed an increase in the proportion of interstitial fibroblasts. In the cell experiment， compared with the blank group， CXG reduced the survival rate of Huh7 cells in a dose-dependent manner after incubation for 24 h and 48 h （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the RSL3 group and the low-， medium-， and high-dose CXG groups showed a decrease in the relative fluorescence intensity of CA-AM and increases in the fluorescence intensity of DCFH-DA and fluorescence ratio of C11-BODIPY^581/591， which indicated elevations in the levels of Fe²⁺ （P<0.01）， ROS （P<0.05）， and LPO （P<0.01）， respectively. Compared with the blank group， the RSL3 and low-， medium-， and high-dose CXG groups showed lowered levels of GSH and SOD （P<0.05）. In addition， the RSL3 group and the medium- and high-dose CXG groups showed down-regulated expression of GPX4 and FTH1 （P<0.05）， and the low- and high-dose CXG groups presented up-regulated expression of TFR1 （P<0.05）. ConclusionCXG suppresses the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing ferroptosis via downregulating the GSH-GPX4 signaling axis and increasing intracellular Fe²⁺and LPO levels.

The Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Qinbaohong Zhike Oral Liquid in Treatment of Acute Bronchitis and Acute Attack of Chronic Bronchitis （GS/CACM 337-2023） was released by the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 13^th， 2023. This expert consensus was developed by experts in methodology， pharmacy， and Chinese medicine in strict accordance with the development requirements of the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and based on the latest medical evidence and the clinical medication experience of well-known experts in the fields of respiratory medicine （pulmonary diseases） and pediatrics. This expert consensus defines the application of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid in the treatment of cough and excessive sputum caused by phlegm-heat obstructing lung， acute bronchitis， and acute attack of chronic bronchitis from the aspects of applicable populations， efficacy evaluation， usage， dosage， drug combination， and safety. It is expected to guide the rational drug use in medical and health institutions， give full play to the unique value of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid， and vigorously promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese patent medicines.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Shuanghua drink in treating primary dysmenorrhea in the rat model and explore its mechanism of action. MethodsAn oxytocin-induced writhing mouse model was established to evaluate the analgesic effect of Shuanghua drink. Forty-eight non-pregnant female institute of cancer research （ICR） mice were randomly divided into six groups， including a blank group， a model group， an ibuprofen group （85.00 mg·kg^-1）， a low-dose group of Shuanghua drink （7.14 mL·kg^-1）， a medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink （14.28 mL·kg^-1）， and a high-dose group of Shuanghua drink （28.57 mL·kg^-1）. Each group consisted of eight mice. All treatment groups received daily intragastric administration at corresponding doses for 10 consecutive days. One hour after the final administration， 2 U of oxytocin was intraperitoneally injected per mouse. The writhing latency and number of writhing within 20 minutes were recorded. A primary dysmenorrhea rat model was established by using estradiol benzoate and oxytocin to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Shuanghua drink on the contraction of uterine smooth muscle. Forty-eight non-pregnant female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were divided into six groups， including a blank group， a model group， an ibuprofen group （51.00 mg·kg^-1）， a low-dose group of Shuanghua drink （4.28 mL·kg^-1）， a medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink （8.57 mL·kg^-1）， and a high-dose group of Shuanghua drink （17.10 mL·kg^-1）. Each group consisted of eight rats. Rats received subcutaneous injections of estradiol benzoate for 10 consecutive days to enhance uterine sensitivity. On the eleventh day， oxytocin （2 U/rat） was intraperitoneally administered to induce abnormal uterine contractions for establishing the primary dysmenorrhea model. All treatment groups received daily intragastric administration from the second day of modeling for 10 days. The effects of Shuanghua drink were evaluated by using parameters including uterine motility and the variation rate of uterine motility. The mechanism of action was investigated in rats with primary dysmenorrhea. The content of prostaglandin F_2α （PGF_2α）， prostaglandin E₂ （PGE₂）， thromboxane B₂ （TXB₂）， prostacyclin metabolite （6-keto-PGF_1α）， and β-endorphin （β-EP） in uterine tissue of rats was detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The changes in the content of nitric oxide （NO） and inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） were analyzed via colorimetric assay. Western blot was performed to determine the content of phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B kinase beta （p-IKKβ）/IKKβ， phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B alpha （p-IκBα）， IκBα， phosphorylated p65 （p-p65）， p65， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） proteins in uterine tissue of rats. ResultsIn the oxytocin-induced writhing mouse model， the model group exhibited significantly shortened writhing latency and increased writhing frequency compared to the control group （P<0.01）. Both the ibuprofen group and the high-dose group of Shuanghua drink displayed prolonged writhing latency （P<0.05）， while the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink exhibited reduced writhing frequency （P<0.01）. In the primary dysmenorrhea rat model， the uterine motility and its variation rate in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group （P<0.01）. These parameters were markedly suppressed by ibuprofen and Shuanghua drink at all tested doses （P<0.01）. For the mechanism of action， the model group showed significantly increased PGF_2α/PGE₂， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α， NO， and iNOS in uterine tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01） and significantly decreased β-EP （P<0.01）. These parameters were significantly attenuated in the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink. The PGF_2α/PGE₂ （P<0.01）， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α （P<0.01）， NO （medium-dose group P<0.05）， and iNOS （P<0.01） were reduced， and the β-EP （medium-dose group P<0.05） was up-regulated. Compared to the model group， the ibuprofen group and medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink showed significantly increased content of β-EP in the serum of rats （P<0.05）. Compared to the blank group， the model group showed significantly elevated expressions of COX-2， p-IKKβ/IKKβ， p-IκBα/IκBα， and p-p65/p65 proteins （P<0.01） and significantly reduced anti-inflammatory protein IκBα （P<0.05）. Compared to the model group， the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink showed significantly reduced expressions of COX-2 （P<0.01）， p-IKKβ/IKKβ （P<0.01）， p-IκBα/IκBα （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and p-p65/p65（P<0.01） and up-regulated expression of IκBα protein （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionShuanghua drink effectively alleviates primary dysmenorrhea through analgesia and suppression of abnormal contractions of uterine smooth muscle. Its mechanism may be mediated by reduced levels of PGF_2α/PGE₂， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α， iNOS， and NO， elevated β-EP level， and inhibited COX-2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Shuanghua drink in treating primary dysmenorrhea in the rat model and explore its mechanism of action. MethodsAn oxytocin-induced writhing mouse model was established to evaluate the analgesic effect of Shuanghua drink. Forty-eight non-pregnant female institute of cancer research （ICR） mice were randomly divided into six groups， including a blank group， a model group， an ibuprofen group （85.00 mg·kg^-1）， a low-dose group of Shuanghua drink （7.14 mL·kg^-1）， a medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink （14.28 mL·kg^-1）， and a high-dose group of Shuanghua drink （28.57 mL·kg^-1）. Each group consisted of eight mice. All treatment groups received daily intragastric administration at corresponding doses for 10 consecutive days. One hour after the final administration， 2 U of oxytocin was intraperitoneally injected per mouse. The writhing latency and number of writhing within 20 minutes were recorded. A primary dysmenorrhea rat model was established by using estradiol benzoate and oxytocin to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Shuanghua drink on the contraction of uterine smooth muscle. Forty-eight non-pregnant female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were divided into six groups， including a blank group， a model group， an ibuprofen group （51.00 mg·kg^-1）， a low-dose group of Shuanghua drink （4.28 mL·kg^-1）， a medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink （8.57 mL·kg^-1）， and a high-dose group of Shuanghua drink （17.10 mL·kg^-1）. Each group consisted of eight rats. Rats received subcutaneous injections of estradiol benzoate for 10 consecutive days to enhance uterine sensitivity. On the eleventh day， oxytocin （2 U/rat） was intraperitoneally administered to induce abnormal uterine contractions for establishing the primary dysmenorrhea model. All treatment groups received daily intragastric administration from the second day of modeling for 10 days. The effects of Shuanghua drink were evaluated by using parameters including uterine motility and the variation rate of uterine motility. The mechanism of action was investigated in rats with primary dysmenorrhea. The content of prostaglandin F_2α （PGF_2α）， prostaglandin E₂ （PGE₂）， thromboxane B₂ （TXB₂）， prostacyclin metabolite （6-keto-PGF_1α）， and β-endorphin （β-EP） in uterine tissue of rats was detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The changes in the content of nitric oxide （NO） and inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） were analyzed via colorimetric assay. Western blot was performed to determine the content of phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B kinase beta （p-IKKβ）/IKKβ， phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B alpha （p-IκBα）， IκBα， phosphorylated p65 （p-p65）， p65， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） proteins in uterine tissue of rats. ResultsIn the oxytocin-induced writhing mouse model， the model group exhibited significantly shortened writhing latency and increased writhing frequency compared to the control group （P<0.01）. Both the ibuprofen group and the high-dose group of Shuanghua drink displayed prolonged writhing latency （P<0.05）， while the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink exhibited reduced writhing frequency （P<0.01）. In the primary dysmenorrhea rat model， the uterine motility and its variation rate in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group （P<0.01）. These parameters were markedly suppressed by ibuprofen and Shuanghua drink at all tested doses （P<0.01）. For the mechanism of action， the model group showed significantly increased PGF_2α/PGE₂， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α， NO， and iNOS in uterine tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01） and significantly decreased β-EP （P<0.01）. These parameters were significantly attenuated in the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink. The PGF_2α/PGE₂ （P<0.01）， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α （P<0.01）， NO （medium-dose group P<0.05）， and iNOS （P<0.01） were reduced， and the β-EP （medium-dose group P<0.05） was up-regulated. Compared to the model group， the ibuprofen group and medium-dose group of Shuanghua drink showed significantly increased content of β-EP in the serum of rats （P<0.05）. Compared to the blank group， the model group showed significantly elevated expressions of COX-2， p-IKKβ/IKKβ， p-IκBα/IκBα， and p-p65/p65 proteins （P<0.01） and significantly reduced anti-inflammatory protein IκBα （P<0.05）. Compared to the model group， the ibuprofen group and the low-dose， medium-dose， and high-dose groups of Shuanghua drink showed significantly reduced expressions of COX-2 （P<0.01）， p-IKKβ/IKKβ （P<0.01）， p-IκBα/IκBα （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and p-p65/p65（P<0.01） and up-regulated expression of IκBα protein （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionShuanghua drink effectively alleviates primary dysmenorrhea through analgesia and suppression of abnormal contractions of uterine smooth muscle. Its mechanism may be mediated by reduced levels of PGF_2α/PGE₂， TXB₂/6-keto-PGF_1α， iNOS， and NO， elevated β-EP level， and inhibited COX-2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective: To confirm the therapeutic efficacy of the ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 on ischemic stroke and elucidate its underlying mechanism. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham, model, and EGb761 (ginkgo biloba extract). Ischemic stroke was then simulated in rats via embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery, with the extract administered half an hour before surgery. Neurological deficit scores, infarct volume, cerebral edema rate, and inflammatory factors served as the primary metrics for drug efficacy. Serum metabolites were analyzed using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance to elucidate the operative mechanism. Results: Treatment with the ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 significantly ameliorated the neurological deficit scores (P = .0343), diminished the cerebral infarct volume (P = .0001) and cerebral edema rate (P = .0030), and alleviated neuroinflammation (all P < .05) in middle cerebral artery occlusion rats. In addition, it significantly altered the contents of various metabolites, such as 2-hydroxybutyrate, isoleucine, isopropanol, isobutyric acid, N6-acetyllysine, glutamate, glutamine, methionine, and N,N-dimethylglycine (all P < .05). Enrichment analysis of the differential metabolites indicated that EGb761 may be involved in the regulation of amino acid metabolism, betaine metabolism, glucose-alanine cycle, Warburg effect, and urea cycle. Conclusion The ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 demonstrates anti-ischemic stroke effect on ischemic stroke model rats by regulating amino acids and amino acid derivatives, such as isoleucine, N6-acetyllysine, glutamate, methionine, and N,N-dimethylglycine.

Gambogic acid(GA), a caged xanthone derivative isolated from Garcinia Hanburyi, exhibits significant antitumor activity and has advanced to phase Ⅱ clinical trials for lung cancer treatment in China. However, the clinical application of GA is severely hindered by its inherent limitations, including poor water solubility, a lack of targeting specificity, and significant side effects. Novel drug delivery systems not only overcome these pharmacological deficiencies but also integrate multiple therapeutic modalities, transcending the limitations of monotherapeutic approaches. In this study, we designed a multifunctional nanodelivery platform(PDA-PEG-Fe(Ⅲ)-GOx-GA) using polydopamine(PDA) as the core material. After the modification of PDA with polyethylene glycol(PEG), Fe(Ⅲ) ions, glucose oxidase(GOx), and GA were sequentially loaded via coordination interactions, electrostatic adsorption, and hydrophobic interactions, respectively. This system demonstrated excellent physiological stability, hemocompatibility, and photothermal conversion efficiency. Notably, under dual stimuli of pH and near-infrared(NIR) irradiation, PDA-PEG-Fe(Ⅲ)-GOx-GA achieved controlled GA release, with a cumulative release rate of 58.3% at 12 h, 3.6-fold higher than that under non-stimulated conditions. Under NIR irradiation, the synergistic effects of PDA-mediated photothermal therapy, Fe(Ⅲ)-induced chemodynamic therapy, GOx-generated starvation therapy, and GA-mediated chemotherapy resulted in effective inhibition of tumor cell proliferation(91.5% inhibition rate) and induction of apoptosis(83.3% apoptosis rate). This multi-modal approach realized a comprehensive treatment strategy for lung cancer, integrating various therapeutic pathways.
Xanthones/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Polymers/chemistry* ; Glucose Oxidase/pharmacology* ; Indoles/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Cell Line, Tumor

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS) method was established for simultaneous determination of seven characteristic components from the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in rat plasma, including galangin, kaempferol, kaempferide, pinocembrin, 1,7-diphenyl-4-en-3-heptanone, 5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone(DHPA), and 7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-4-en-3-heptanone(DPHB). The new developed HPLC-MS/MS method was applied to study the pharmacokinetics of the 7 characteristic components in rats with Helicobacter pylori gastritis. A Waters Sunfire C_(18) column(2.1 mm×150 mm, 3.5 μm) was used. The acetonitrile-aqueous solution(containing 0.1% formic acid) was adopted as the mobile phase for gradient elution. Seven components and internal standard(chlorogenic acid) were separated within 12 min. Mass spectrometric detection was performed in multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode using electrospray ionization(ESI) source with fast switching between positive and negative ions. The method was verified by specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect, and stability and met the requirements of pharmacokinetic study on the 7 components in rat plasma. Pharmacokinetic results showed that the average peak time(T_(max)) of the 7 components was 0.31-2.19 h, their elimination half-life(t_(1/2)) was 5.26-16.65 h, and the average residence time(MRT) was 6.29-31.03 h after the oral administration of the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma to rats with H. pylori gastritis. The plasma exposure levels of galangin and DHPA were higher than those of the other components. The concentration-time curves of four detected flavonoids showed obvious double peaks. This study elucidated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 7 characteristic components from the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in rats with H. pylori gastritis, providing a scientific basis for the identification of the pharmacodynamic substances of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma for treatment of H. pylori gastritis and the clinical application of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in the prevention and treatment of H. pylori gastritis.
Animals ; Rats ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Helicobacter pylori/drug effects* ; Alpinia/chemistry* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastritis/metabolism* ; Helicobacter Infections/metabolism* ; Flavonoids/blood* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study aims to explore the scientific connotation of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality and compare the quality between floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole electrostatic field Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was employed to detect the chemical components in floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. The fingerprint of fresh Rehmanniae Radix was established by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and four index components were determined simultaneously. The cluster analysis, principal component analysis(PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were conducted to compare the quality of floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples. An evaporative light-scattering detector was used to compare the content of five sugars. The extract yield and drying rate were determined, and the quality connotation of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality was explained by multiple indicators. A total of 41 components were preliminarily identified from fresh Rehmanniae Radix by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, including 7 iridoid glycosides, 9 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 amino acids, 4 sugars, 3 phenolic acids, 5 nucleosides, 3 organic acids, 1 ionone, 1 furan, 1 coumarin, and 1 phenylpropanoid. The results showed that the main chemical components were consistent between floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix. Nine common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 15 batches of floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples, and the similarity of fingerprints was greater than 0.9. The cluster analysis, PCA, and OPLS-DA classified floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix sasmples into two categories, indicating differences in the quality between them. The total content of catalpol, rehmannioside D, ajugol, and verbascoside in sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples was higher than that in floating samples of the same batch and specification, and the main differential component was catalpol. The total content of fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose in sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples was higher than that in floating samples of the same batch and specification, and the main differential component was stachyose. The extract yield and drying rate of the sinking samples were higher than those of floating samples. This study preliminarily showed that floating and sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples had the same components but great differences in the content of medicinal substance basis. The total content of four glycosides and five sugars, extract yield, and drying rate of sinking fresh Rehmanniae Radix samples is higher than that of floating samples of the same batch and specification. These findings, to a certain extent, explains the scientificity of sinking Rehmanniae Radix has the best quality recorded in ancient books and provide a reference for the quality control and clinical application of fresh Rehmanniae Radix.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rehmannia/chemistry* ; Chemometrics ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Quality Control ; Principal Component Analysis ; Plant Extracts

PURPOSE: Lateral patellar compression syndrome (LPCS) is characterized by a persistent abnormally high stress exerted on the lateral articular surface of the patella due to lateral patellar tilt without dislocation and lateral retinaculum contracture, leading to anterior knee pain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and prognosis of lateral retinaculum release (LRR) combined with chondroplasty in the treatment of LPCS. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 40 patients who underwent LRR combined with chondroplasty for LPCS between 2020 and 2021. The assessment included improvement in postoperative tenderness and knee joint function. Patients were evaluated using the Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee 2000 scoring systems, as well as the visual analog scale, both preoperatively and postoperatively, with the paired comparisons analyzed using a t-test. Additionally, intraoperative observations were made regarding knee joint lesions, including cartilage damage and osteophyte formation, with analysis by the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The visual analog scale score for tenderness showed a significant decrease after surgery (p < 0.001). Evaluation of knee joint function also indicated significant improvements, as demonstrated by increased Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee 2000 scores postoperatively (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, all LPCS patients included in the study presented with cartilage injuries and osteophyte formation. Significant differences were noted in the incidence of cartilage damage and osteophyte formation at different locations within the knee among patients with LPCS. CONCLUSION LRR combined with chondroplasty is an effective surgical approach for treating patients with LPCS, with satisfactory recovery observed at the 1-year follow-up. Additionally, the incidence of cartilage damage and osteophyte formation in LPCS patients varies significantly depending on the specific location within the knee joint.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Patella/surgery* ; Knee Joint/physiopathology* ; Recovery of Function ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Cartilage, Articular/surgery* ; Adolescent