1.Progress in mechanistic research on traditional Chinese medicine interventions for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea based on omics technologies
Shanxue GAO ; Jiale MA ; Long PENG ; Jie CHEN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(3):401-406
Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), as a prototypical disorder involving the microbiota-gut-brain axis, remains poorly understood in terms of its pathogenesis, posing ongoing challenges for clinical diagnosis. Omics technologies, leveraging their high-throughput detection and systematic analysis advantages, has emerged as a critical tool for deciphering the complex mechanisms underlying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment of IBS-D. This systematic review summarizes the research progress of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, microbiomics, and multi-omics integration techniques in TCM interventions for IBS-D. In single-omics studies, transcriptomics using techniques like RNA-seq, reveals the regulatory mechanisms of TCM on IBS-related signaling pathways. Proteomics, leveraging quantitative technologies such as 2D-difference gel electrophoresis and tandem mass tag, identifies differentially expressed proteins and elucidates the action targets of TCM in treating IBS-D. Metabolomics, employing methods like UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and LC-MS/MS, discovers metabolic pathways regulated by TCM to improve metabolic disturbances in IBS-D. Microbiomics, based on 16S rRNA sequencing, confirms that TCM can reshape the gut microbiota structure and restore the intestinal microecological balance, thereby improving IBS-D. Multi-omics integration further overcomes the limitations of single-omics approaches by synthesizing information from transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics, enabling a more comprehensive and systematic elucidation of the complex mechanisms underlying TCM treatment for IBS-D. In the future, research related to IBS-D should be advanced from three aspects: stratified clinical research based on TCM syndrome types, multi-omics integration verification mechanisms, and emerging omics to explore new mechanisms, providing more innovative ideas for the precise diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
2.Current status of generalized pustular psoriasis: Findings from a multicenter hospital-based survey of 127 Chinese patients.
Haimeng WANG ; Jiaming XU ; Xiaoling YU ; Siyu HAO ; Xueqin CHEN ; Bin PENG ; Xiaona LI ; Ping WANG ; Chaoyang MIAO ; Jinzhu GUO ; Qingjie HU ; Zhonglan SU ; Sheng WANG ; Chen YU ; Qingmiao SUN ; Minkuo ZHANG ; Bin YANG ; Yuzhen LI ; Zhiqiang SONG ; Songmei GENG ; Aijun CHEN ; Zigang XU ; Chunlei ZHANG ; Qianjin LU ; Yan LU ; Xian JIANG ; Gang WANG ; Hong FANG ; Qing SUN ; Jie LIU ; Hongzhong JIN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(8):953-961
BACKGROUND:
Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare and recurrent autoinflammatory disease, imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. Awareness of GPP in China remains limited.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional survey, conducted between September 2021 and May 2023 across 14 hospitals in China, included GPP patients of all ages and disease phases. Data collected encompassed demographics, clinical characteristics, economic impact, disease severity, quality of life, and treatment-related complications. Risk factors for GPP recurrence were analyzed.
RESULTS:
Among 127 patients (female/male ratio = 1.35:1), the mean age of disease onset was 25 years (1st quartile [Q1]-3rd quartile [Q3]: 11-44 years); 29.2% had experienced GPP for more than 10 years. Recurrence occurred in 75.6% of patients, and nearly half reported no identifiable triggers. Younger age at disease onset ( P = 0.021) and transitioning to plaque psoriasis ( P = 0.022) were associated with higher recurrence rates. The median diagnostic delay was 8 months (Q1-Q3: 2-41 months), and 32.3% of patients reported misdiagnoses. Comorbidities were present in 53.5% of patients, whereas 51.1% experienced systemic complications during treatment. Depression and anxiety affected 84.5% and 95.6% of patients, respectively. During GPP flares, the median Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 19.0 (Q1-Q3: 13.0-23.5). This score showed significant differences between patients with and without systemic symptoms; it demonstrated correlations with both depression and anxiety scores. Treatment costs caused financial hardship in 55.9% of patients, underscoring the burden associated with GPP.
CONCLUSIONS
The substantial disease and economic burdens among Chinese GPP patients warrant increased attention. Patients with early onset disease and those transitioning to plaque psoriasis require targeted interventions to mitigate the high recurrence risk.
Humans
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Male
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Female
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Psoriasis/pathology*
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Adult
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Cross-Sectional Studies
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Adolescent
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Child
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Young Adult
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Quality of Life
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Middle Aged
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China/epidemiology*
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Recurrence
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Risk Factors
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Surveys and Questionnaires
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East Asian People
3.Identification of novel pathogenic variants in genes related to pancreatic β cell function: A multi-center study in Chinese with young-onset diabetes.
Fan YU ; Yinfang TU ; Yanfang ZHANG ; Tianwei GU ; Haoyong YU ; Xiangyu MENG ; Si CHEN ; Fengjing LIU ; Ke HUANG ; Tianhao BA ; Siqian GONG ; Danfeng PENG ; Dandan YAN ; Xiangnan FANG ; Tongyu WANG ; Yang HUA ; Xianghui CHEN ; Hongli CHEN ; Jie XU ; Rong ZHANG ; Linong JI ; Yan BI ; Xueyao HAN ; Hong ZHANG ; Cheng HU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(9):1129-1131
4.Exploration of pharmacodynamic substances and potential mechanisms of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in treatment of gouty arthritis based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology and network pharmacology.
Yan XIAO ; Ting ZHANG ; Ying-Jie ZHANG ; Bin HUANG ; Peng CHEN ; Xiao-Hua CHEN ; Ming-Qing HUANG ; Xue-Ting CHEN ; You-Xin SU ; Jie-Mei GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):444-488
Based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) technology and network pharmacology, this study explored the pharmacodynamic substances and potential mechanisms of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of gouty arthritis(GA). UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology was used to identify the components in Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction, and the qualitative analysis of its active ingredients was carried out, with a total of 184 active ingredients identified. A total of 897 active ingredient targets were screened through the PharmMapper database, and 491 GA-related disease targets were obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, CTD databases. After Venn analysis, 60 intersecting targets were obtained. The component target-GA target network was constructed through the Cytoscape platform, and the STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network, with 16 core targets screened. The core targets were subjected to Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. It was found that the main active ingredients of the formula for the treatment of GA were phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, and the key targets were SRC, MMP3, MMP9, REN, ALB, IGF1R, PPARG, MAPK1, HPRT1, and CASP1. Through GO analysis, it was found that the treatment of GA mainly involved biological processes such as lipid response, bacterial response, and biostimulus response. KEGG analysis showed that the pathways related to the treatment of GA included lipids and atherosclerosis, neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs), IL-17, and so on. In summary, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids may be the core pharmacodynamic substances of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of GA, and the pharmacodynamic mechanism may be related to SRC, MMP3, MMP9, and other targets, as well as lipids and atherosclerosis, NETs, IL-17, and other pathways.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Network Pharmacology
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Arthritis, Gouty/metabolism*
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Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods*
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Humans
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Mass Spectrometry/methods*
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Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
5.Research progress on biosynthesis of triterpenoids in Centella asiatica.
Pei-Na ZHOU ; Bin CHEN ; Cheng-Jie SHU ; Zhuo-Hang LI ; Peng CHEN ; Cheng-Hao FEI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):609-619
The triterpenoid saponins of Centella asiatica, including asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid, are pivotal bioactive compounds of the plant. These constituents exhibit a spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and antidepressant effects, promotion of wound healing, and enhancement of microcirculation. Owing to these therapeutic properties, C. asiatica is widely employed in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. However, the escalating global demand for its extracts has led to potential supply shortages, prompting researchers to use multiple strategies such as multi-omics, molecular biology, and synthetic biology to conduct extensive studies. These studies encompass the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoid saponins in C. asiatica, metabolic regulation, the hormonal induction of secondary metabolite synthesis, and the application of biotechnological strategies for natural product production to increase the yield of secondary metabolites in C. asiatica, or to produce active components via microbial chassis, thus satisfying market demands and promoting the sustainable exploitation of wild C. asiatica resources. This article first introduced the triterpenoid saponins of C. asiatica and their biological activities, then summarized the latest research advancements in their biosynthetic pathways, metabolic regulation, and heterologous biosynthesis, and provided an outlook on future development directions, with the aim of providing reference for comprehensive resource development and biotechnological synthesis of active components from C. asiatica.
Centella/genetics*
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Triterpenes/chemistry*
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Biosynthetic Pathways
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Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Plant Extracts
6."Kidney deficiency-vessel impairment" as core pathogenesis of panvascular diseases: theoretical and clinical perspectives.
Jie WANG ; Jun HU ; Jun LI ; Zhen-Peng ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Cong CHEN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3513-3521
Panvascular disease is a complex systemic disorder. Research by our team has established "kidney deficiency-vascular impairment" as its core pathogenesis. Consequently, we developed a three-tiered progressive prevention and treatment strategy: early prevention phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and reducing turbidity; mid-term control phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and stabilizing plaque; late recovery phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and unblocking collaterals. This targeted therapeutic protocol effectively alleviates clinical symptoms, improves biochemical markers, enhances treatment efficacy, and achieves comprehensive management throughout the disease course. This article systematically elaborates on the concept of "kidney deficiency-vascular impairment" in panvascular disease, summarizes the mechanisms of kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicines, aiming to provide a beneficial reference for the whole-course management of panvascular diseases.
Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Kidney/blood supply*
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Vascular Diseases/physiopathology*
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Animals
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Kidney Diseases/physiopathology*
7.Differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of Rubus multibracteatus extract in normal and inflammatory pain model rats by in-vitro everted intestine sac method.
Ming-Li BAO ; Qing ZHANG ; Yang JIN ; Yi CHEN ; Jian-Qing PENG ; Si-Ying CHEN ; Zhi-Jie MA ; Jian LIAO ; Jing HUANG ; Zi-Peng GONG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(16):4690-4704
This study compared the differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of eleven active components in Rubus multibracteatus(RM) extract(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, epicatechin, catechin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) between normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats using the in-vitro everted intestinal sac model. The RM extract was administered at absorption concentrations of 25.0, 50.0, and 100.0 mg·mL~(-1). The contents of the eleven components in intestinal absorption solution samples were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), and their cumulative absorption(Q) and absorption rate constant(K_a) were calculated to evaluate the absorption characteristics of these components in normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats. The results show that except for catechin, epicatechin, and caffeic acid, the cumulative absorption-time curves of the other eight components(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) exhibit an upward trend without saturation, with correlation coefficients(R~2) all > 0.9, indicating linear absorption. However, the overall absorption of all components is not dose-dependent with increasing concentration, suggesting that their absorption mechanisms are not solely passive diffusion. In both normal and model rats, the jejunum shows the highest absorption for all components except xanthotoxin. The overall absorption of seven components(excluding protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, apigenin-7-O-glucuronide, and luteoloside) in normal rats is better than that in model rats across all intestinal segments. These findings indicate that the pathological state of inflammatory pain alters the intestinal absorption of RM extract, and its mechanism needs further investigation.
Animals
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Rats
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Intestinal Absorption/drug effects*
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Male
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/metabolism*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Pain/metabolism*
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Intestines/drug effects*
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Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism*
8.The transcriptomic-based disease network reveals synergistic therapeutic effect of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Qian CHEN ; Shuying ZHANG ; Xuanxi JIANG ; Jie LIAO ; Xin SHAO ; Xin PENG ; Zheng WANG ; Xiaoyan LU ; Xiaohui FAN
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(8):997-1008
Coptis chinensis Franch. and Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. are traditional herbal medicines with millennia of documented use and broad therapeutic applications, including anti-diabetic properties. However, the synergistic effect of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. The research demonstrated that the optimal ratio of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng was 4∶1, exhibiting maximal efficacy in improving insulin resistance and gluconeogenesis in primary mouse hepatocytes. This combination demonstrated significant synergistic effects in improving glucose tolerance, reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG), the weight ratio of epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Subsequently, a T2DM liver-specific network was constructed based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments and public databases by integrating transcriptional properties of disease-associated proteins and protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The network recovery index (NRI) score of the combined treatment group with a 4∶1 ratio exceeded that of groups treated with individual components. The research identified that activated adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) signaling in the liver played a crucial role in the synergistic treatment of T2DM, as verified by western blot experiment in db/db mice. These findings demonstrate that the 4∶1 combination of total alkaloids from Coptis chinensis and total ginsenosides from Panax ginseng significantly improves insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice, surpassing the efficacy of individual treatments. The synergistic mechanism correlates with enhanced AMPK/ACC signaling pathway activity.
Animals
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Panax/chemistry*
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Ginsenosides/administration & dosage*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism*
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Mice
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Male
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Alkaloids/pharmacology*
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Coptis/chemistry*
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Drug Synergism
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Insulin Resistance
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Humans
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Transcriptome/drug effects*
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Blood Glucose/metabolism*
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Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Hepatocytes/metabolism*
9.Comparative Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Mechanism by Which Foam Macrophages Restrict Survival of Intracellular Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
Xiao PENG ; Yuan Yuan LIU ; Li Yao CHEN ; Hui YANG ; Yan CHANG ; Ye Ran YANG ; Xuan ZHANG ; An Na JIA ; Yong Bo YU ; Yong Li GUO ; Jie LU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(7):781-791
OBJECTIVES:
This study aimed to investigate the impact of foam macrophages (FMs) on the intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and identify the molecular mechanisms influencing MTB survival.
METHODS:
An in vitro FM model was established using oleic acid induction. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted to identify the key molecular pathways involved in FM-mediated MTB survival.
RESULTS:
Induced FMs effectively restricted MTB survival. Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling revealed distinct changes in gene and metabolite expression in FMs during MTB infection compared with normal macrophages. Integrated analyses identified significant alterations in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, indicating that its activation contributes to the FM-mediated restriction of MTB survival.
CONCLUSIONS
FMs inhibit MTB survival. The cAMP signaling pathway is a key contributor. These findings enhance the understanding of the role of FMs in tuberculosis progression, suggest potential targets for host-directed therapies, and offer new directions for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against tuberculosis.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/physiology*
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Transcriptome
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Metabolomics
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Foam Cells/microbiology*
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Humans
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Metabolome
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Tuberculosis/microbiology*
;
Gene Expression Profiling
10.Expert consensus on whole-process management of drug traceability codes in medical institutions of Sichuan province
Qianghong PU ; Yilan HUANG ; Yilong LIU ; Xiaosi LI ; Lin YUAN ; Jiangping YU ; Bo JIANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Qiang SU ; Liangming ZHANG ; Jie WAN ; Li CHEN ; Qian JIANG ; Jianhua FAN ; Yong YANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(24):3017-3022
OBJECTIVE To provide standardized whole-process guidance on drug traceability codes for medical institutions in Sichuan province, ensuring medication safety and compliance with medical insurance supervision requirements. METHODS Based on evidence-based principles and expert consensus, Expert Consensus on Whole-process Management of Drug Traceability Codes in Medical Institutions of Sichuan Province (hereinafter referred to as the Consensus) was formulated through systematic literature review, field investigations, establishment of a multidisciplinary expert committee and multiple rounds of questionnare consultation via the modified Delphi method, and finalized through consensus meetings. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS The Consensus clarifies key operating procedures for code verification, code assignment and code return, whole-process operational standards for drug warehouse acceptance and storage, drug warehouse outbound delivery and pharmacy acceptance check, drug distribution and dispensing in pharmacy and intravenous admixture center, medication administration in nursing units and examination departments, as well as drug return process. Key recommendations are proposed such as improving the core functions of the drug traceability system, unifying the hospital-wide traceability code database, strengthening the management of traceability codes for backup medications, establishing a management organization and institutional framework, and optimizing the architectural design and data governance requirements of the drug traceability system. The release of the Consensus will provide scientific, standardized and implementable practical guidelines for medical institutions of Sichuan province, helping to improve closed-loop management of the drug traceability system, strengthen medication safety and fulfil medical insurance fund supervision.

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