By systematically combing ancient and modern literature， this paper examined Tribuli Fructus and Astragali Complanati Semen（ACS） used in the famous classical formulas from the aspects of name， origin， production area， harvesting and processing， clinical efficacy， so as to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing such medicinal materials. The results showed that the names of Tribuli Fructus in the past dynasties were mostly derived from its morphology， and there were nicknames such as Baijili， Cijili and Dujili. The name of ACS in the past dynasties were mostly originated from its production areas， and there were nicknames such as Baijili， Shayuan Jili and Tongjili. Because both of them had the name of Baijili， confusion began to appear in the Song dynasty. In ancient and modern times， the main origin of Tribuli Fructus were Tribulus terrestris， and ancient literature recorded the genuine producing areas of Tribuli Fructus was Dali in Shaanxi and Tianshui in Gansu， but today it is mainly cultivated in Anhui and Shandong. The fruit is the medicinal part， harvested in autumn throughout history. There is no description of the quality of Tribuli Fructus in ancient times， and the plump， firm texture， grayish-white color is the best in modern times. Traditional processing methods for Tribuli Fructus included stir-frying and wine processing， while modern commonly used is purified， fried and salt-processed. The ancient records of Tribuli Fructus were spicy， bitter， and warm in nature， with modern research adding that it is slightly toxic. The main effects of ancient and modern times include treating wind disorders， improving vision， promoting muscle growth， and treating vitiligo. The mainstream base of ACS used throughout history is Astragalus complanatus. Ancient texts indicated ACS primarily originated from Shaanxi province. Today， the finest varieties come from Tongguan and Dali in Shaanxi. The medicinal part is the seed， traditionally harvested in autumn. Modern harvesting occurs in late autumn or early winter， followed by sun-drying. Ancient texts valued seeds with a fragrant aroma as superior， while modern standards prioritize plump， uniform and free of impurities. Traditional processing methods for ACS included frying until blackened and wine-frying， while modern practice commonly employs purification methods. In terms of medicinal properties， the ancient and modern records are sweet and warm in nature. Due to originally classified under Tribuli Fructus， its effects were thus regarded as equivalent to those of Tribuli Fructus， serving as the medicine for treating wind disorders， additional functions included tonifying the kidneys and treating vitiligo. The present record of its efficacy is to tonify the kidney and promote Yang， solidify sperm and reduce urine， nourish the liver and brighten the eye， etc. Based on the textual research results， it is suggested that when developing the famous classical formulas of Tribuli Fructus medicinal materials， we should pay attention to the specific reference object of Baijili， T. terrestris and A. complanatus should be identified and selected， and the processing method should be in accordance with the requirements of the formulas.

A method for simultaneous determination of 21 kinds of Aconitum alkaloids(ATS)in biological specimens and infused liquor using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)was developed.The biological samples were pretreated with methanol-acetonitrile(1∶2,V/V)for protein precipitation,while infused liquors were diluted 100-fold with acetonitrile,followed by centrifugation,and filtration by a 0.22-μm membrane.Chromatographic separation was carried out on an EC-C18 column using gradient elution with the mixture of 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate and 0.2%formic acid as mobile phase A and acetonitrile as mobile phase B.With this method,all the analytes were separated within 9.5 min.The samples were detected in positive ESI mode with dynamic multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)and quantified via external standard calibration.The results showed that the concentrations of the analytes in the range of 2-1000 ng/mL had excellent linearity(R2>0.9992)with the peak area.The developed method was successfully used for detection of 21 kinds of aconitum alkaloids,with limits of detection of 0.5-2 ng/mL,quantification limits of 2-6 ng/mL,intra/inter-day precision≤6.0%,spiked recoveries of 89.4%-100.9%,extraction recoveries of 74.2%-104.4%,and matrix effects ranging from-11.1%to 9.2%in blood/urine.The method was applied to detection of 12 samples from 4 fatal aconite poisoning cases,and all 21 kinds of ATS with total alkaloid concentrations of 0.04-4.18 μg/mL in blood and 154.96-422.83 μg/mL in medicinal liquors were detected.Tissue distribution revealed that the order of concentrations from highest to lowest is as follows:urine(157.22 μg/mL)>gastric contents(51.37 μg/mL)>kidney(21.6 μg/g)>whole blood(4.18 μg/mL)>liver(0.03 μg/g).This method showed many advantages such as simple pretreatment,low detection limits,accurate quantification,broad analyte coverage,and superior anti-interference capability in complex matrices,proving ideal for forensic and toxicological analysis of aconitum alkaloids.

AIM To explore the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on mitochondrial oxidative damage and PKCε-Nampt pathway in rats following cerebral ischemia reperfusion(I/R).METHODS The rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group,the model group,Buyang Huanwu Decoction group(14.3 g/kg)and edaravone group(3 mg/kg).Except those of the sham operation group,SD rats of other groups were induced into models of brain I/R injury by MCAO method,followed by corresponding drug administration 24 hours after operation.After 7 days of administration,the rats had their neurological deficit evaluated by neurological function scoring;thier expression of neuron marker MAP-2 detected by immunofluorescence staining;their neuron damage observed and the oxidative damage evaluated through assessment of their ROS levels and MDA and SOD activities;their changes of mitochondrial membrane potential detected by fluorescent probe JC-1;their ratio of NAD+/NADH detected using modified enzyme circulation method;their expressions of PKCε,p-PKCε and Nampt proteins detected with Western blot;and their positive expressions of p-PKCε and Nampt proteins detected with immunohistochemistry method.RESULTS Compared with the model group,Buyang Huanwu Decoction group shared decreased cerebral infarction volume and neurological function score(P<0.05);increased cerebral fluorescence intensity of MAP-2(P<0.05);reduced neuronal damage,decreased cerebral levels of ROS and MDA(P<0.05);increased SOD activity,mitochondrial membrane potential and NAD+/NADH ratio(P<0.05);and increased protein expressions of p-PKCε and Nampt(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Buyang Huanwu Decoction can improve mitochondrial function and reduce brain I/R injury in rats by activating their PKCε-Nampt signaling pathway.

There are huge differences between tumor cells and normal cells in material metabolism, and tumor cells mainly show increased anabolism, decreased catabolism, and imbalance in substance metabolism. These differences provide the necessary material basis for the growth and reproduction of tumor cells, and also provide important targets for the treatment of tumors. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by an imbalance of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and lipid membrane antioxidant systems in cells, resulting in excessive accumulation of lipid peroxide, causing damage to lipid membrane structure and loss of function, and ultimately cell death. The regulation of ferroptosis involves a variety of metabolic pathways, including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism and iron metabolism. In order for tumor cells to grow rapidly, their metabolic needs are more vigorous than those of normal cells. Tumor cells are metabolically reprogrammed to meet their rapidly proliferating material and energy needs. Metabolic reprogramming is mainly manifested in glycolysis and enhancement of pentose phosphate pathway, enhanced glutamine metabolism, increased nucleic acid synthesis, and iron metabolism tends to retain more intracellular iron. Metabolic reprogramming is accompanied by the production of reactive oxygen species and the activation of the antioxidant system. The state of high oxidative stress makes tumor cells more susceptible to redox imbalances, causing intracellular lipid peroxidation, which ultimately leads to ferroptosis. Therefore, in-depth study of the molecular mechanism and metabolic basis of ferroptosis is conducive to the development of new therapies to induce ferroptosis in cancer treatment. Ferroptosis, as a regulated form of cell death, can induce ferroptosis in tumor cells by pharmacologically or genetically targeting the metabolism of substances in tumor cells, which has great potential value in tumor treatment. This article summarizes the effects of cellular metabolism on ferroptosis in order to find new targets for tumor treatment and provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

AIM:To observe the effect of curcumin on a C57BL/6J mouse liver cancer model induced by N-ni-trosodiethylamine(DEN)combined with carbon tetrachloride(CCl4),and to explore its mechanism.METHODS:Forty young male C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEN(25 mg/kg)14 d after birth and randomly divided in-to the following 4 groups at the 4th week(10 in each group):model control group and curcumin(100,200 and 400 mg/kg)groups.Ten male mice of the same age were used as normal control group.The mice in model group and curcumin groups were gavaged with 10%CCl4(5 mL/kg)twice a week from the 8th week on.At the same time,the mice in curcumin groups were gavaged with curcumin,and the mice in normal control group were gavaged with the same volume of distilled water once a day for 14 weeks.After administration,the mice were sacrificed,the liver surface was observed,and the number of tumor nodules was compared.The activity of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)in serum was detected by an automatic biochemical instrument.The pathological changes of liver tissues were ob-served by HE staining.The mRNA expression levels of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)and NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1)were detected by RT-qPCR,and the protein expression levels of HO-1,NQO1 and Ki67 were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:Compared with normal control group,the body weight of the mice in model group was decreased significantly(P＜0.01),the liver index was increased significantly(P＜0.01),and the se-rum levels of ALT and AST were increased obviously(P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the mRNA expres-sion levels of HO-1 and NQO1(P＞0.05),the protein levels of HO-1 and NQO1 were increased distinctly(P＜0.05),and the positive expression rate of Ki67 was increased significantly(P＜0.05).After curcumin treatment,the body weight of the mice was significantly increased(P＜0.01),the liver index was not changed(P＞0.05),and the number of tumor nodules in the liver was decreased significantly(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The serum level of AST was decreased significantly(P＜0.01),the mRNA and protein expression levels of HO-1 and NQO1 were decreased significantly(P＜0.05),and the posi-tive expression rate of Ki67 was decreased significantly(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Curcumin significantly protects against liver cancer in a C57BL/6J mouse model induced by DEN combined with CCl4,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of HO-1 and NQO1 expression.

Objective:To evaluate the risk factors for the complexity and surgical prognosis in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).Methods:A historical cohort study of the CONCEPT trial, including 97 patients (97 eyes) who were diagnosed with PDR and requiring three-channel 23-gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) from June 2017 to January 2018 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.All patients received preoperative intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg conbercpet.Based on the PDR complexity score, patients were divided into >3 group or ≤3 group, and the systematic risk factors were compared between the two groups.The influence of sex, age, hypertension, renal insufficiency, duration of diabetes mellitus, and hemoglobin A1c level on the PDR complexity score was evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.Based on age, patients were divided into <45 years group, 45-<60 years group, and ≥60 years group, and the differences in mean operative time, incidence of intraoperative hemorrhage, surgically induced lacrimation and silicone oil filling, and incidence of hemorrhage on color fundus photos and macular edema by optical coherence tomography at postoperative months 1 and 6 were analyzed among different age groups.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (No.2017-SR-283).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:The age of patients with PDR complexity score >3 was 46.5(36.0, 51.8) years, which was less than 54.0(45.5, 61.5) years for PDR complexity score ≤3, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=1.835, P=0.002).Among the factors predicting PDR complexity score >3, logistic regression analysis indicated that only age was statistically significant ( P=0.005).For each 1-year increase in age, the risk of PDR complexity score >3 would increase by 7.4%( OR: 0.929, 95% CI: 0.883-0.977).Among the systemic factors, there were significant differences in age, history of diabetes, proportion of patients with hypertension and renal insufficiency among the three age groups (all at P<0.05).Among the ocular factors, there were significant differences in the proportion of patients with history of retinal laser treatment, fibrovascular membrane and complexity score >3 among the three groups (all at P<0.05).The proportion of patients with fibrovascular membrane and complexity score >3 in the <45 years group was significantly higher than that in the 45-<60 and ≥60 years groups (all at P<0.05).There were significant differences in the proportion of patients with intraoperative bleeding and silicone oil filling in the three age groups (all at P<0.017).The proportion of intraoperative bleeding and silicone oil filling in <45 years group was significantly higher than that in 45-<60 and ≥60 years groups (all at P<0.05).The macular edema on postoperative month 1 in the <45 years old group was significantly higher than that in the 45-<60 and ≥60 years groups (both at P<0.05). Conclusions:Among systemic factors, age has a significant impact on the increased PDR complexity and contributes to the poor prognosis of patients.There is a higher percentage of intraoperative complications and early postoperative macular edema in patients in the younger age group compared to the older age group.

In recent years, great progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic tumors. In terms of diagnosis, three-dimensional CT reconstruction, PET-CT scan, endoscopic ultrasound with needle biopsy are used to evaluate the benign or malignant stage and biological characteristics of the tumor, to make treatment decisions more scientific and reasonable. In terms of treatment, new technologies, such as arterial priority arterial sheath dissection and radical resection of the retroperitoneal lipo-lymphatic layer, have continuously emerged to improve radical curability of tumors. For benign or low-grade malignant pancreatic tumors, function-preserving surgery is adopted to avoid long-term complications. Minimally invasive pancreatic surgery has advanced in leaps and bounds. Both standard radical surgery and function-preserve surgery can be performed under a laparoscope or robot. Non-surgical treatment has developed quickly with each passing day; for locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, neoadjuvant therapy is expected to be down-staged or transformed into surgery. These advances in diagnosis and treatment technology have led to multidisciplinary teamwork. Based on accurate assessment, giving full play to the advantages of laparoscopic and robotic systems in diagnosis and treatment, attaching importance to comprehensive nonsurgical treatment and doctor-patient communication with care throughout the process, these are keys to improve the clinical efficacy of pancreatic tumors in the era of minimally invasive surgery.

Objective:To summarize the experience of robot-assisted enucleation of tumors located in uncinate process of pancreas.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. The clinical data of patients with robot-assisted enucleation of tumors located in the uncinate process of pancreas at the Department of Gastroenterology and Pancreatic Surgery,Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital from June 2019 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 16 cases were enrolled,including 10 males and 6 females,with an age( M(IQR)) of 56(21)years (range: 28 to 77 years),and body mass index of 22.4(2.3)kg/m 2 (range:19.8 to 25.6 kg/m 2). Follow-up was asked every 6 to 12 months after the first 3-month postoperative follow-up through out-patient service or via telephone. Results:In total 16 cases,there were 11 cases with pancreatic enucleation,and 5 cases with resection of the uninate process. The operation time was 70(60) minutes (range: 40 to 165 minutes),and the blood loss was 30(13)ml (range: 10 to 80 ml). The rate of pancreatic fistula was 5/16. The length of stay was 8(6)days (range: 5 to 33 days). The pathological finding included non-functional neuroendocrine tumor( n=3),insulinoma( n=2),introductal papillary mucinous neoplasm ( n=5),solid pseudopapillary neoplasm ( n=2),mucinous cystadenoma ( n=1),serous cystadenoma ( n=2),pseudocyst ( n=1). Follow-up as of March 12, 2024, the follow-up time was 16(12)months (range: 3 to 41 months). All patients had no new onset diabetes and no dyspepsia. Conclusion:Robot-assisted surgical system can be used for local resection of uncinate process tumors of pancreas,and the quality of life of patients can be improved.

In recent years, great progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic tumors. In terms of diagnosis, three-dimensional CT reconstruction, PET-CT scan, endoscopic ultrasound with needle biopsy are used to evaluate the benign or malignant stage and biological characteristics of the tumor, to make treatment decisions more scientific and reasonable. In terms of treatment, new technologies, such as arterial priority arterial sheath dissection and radical resection of the retroperitoneal lipo-lymphatic layer, have continuously emerged to improve radical curability of tumors. For benign or low-grade malignant pancreatic tumors, function-preserving surgery is adopted to avoid long-term complications. Minimally invasive pancreatic surgery has advanced in leaps and bounds. Both standard radical surgery and function-preserve surgery can be performed under a laparoscope or robot. Non-surgical treatment has developed quickly with each passing day; for locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, neoadjuvant therapy is expected to be down-staged or transformed into surgery. These advances in diagnosis and treatment technology have led to multidisciplinary teamwork. Based on accurate assessment, giving full play to the advantages of laparoscopic and robotic systems in diagnosis and treatment, attaching importance to comprehensive nonsurgical treatment and doctor-patient communication with care throughout the process, these are keys to improve the clinical efficacy of pancreatic tumors in the era of minimally invasive surgery.

Objective:To summarize the experience of robot-assisted enucleation of tumors located in uncinate process of pancreas.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. The clinical data of patients with robot-assisted enucleation of tumors located in the uncinate process of pancreas at the Department of Gastroenterology and Pancreatic Surgery,Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital from June 2019 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 16 cases were enrolled,including 10 males and 6 females,with an age( M(IQR)) of 56(21)years (range: 28 to 77 years),and body mass index of 22.4(2.3)kg/m 2 (range:19.8 to 25.6 kg/m 2). Follow-up was asked every 6 to 12 months after the first 3-month postoperative follow-up through out-patient service or via telephone. Results:In total 16 cases,there were 11 cases with pancreatic enucleation,and 5 cases with resection of the uninate process. The operation time was 70(60) minutes (range: 40 to 165 minutes),and the blood loss was 30(13)ml (range: 10 to 80 ml). The rate of pancreatic fistula was 5/16. The length of stay was 8(6)days (range: 5 to 33 days). The pathological finding included non-functional neuroendocrine tumor( n=3),insulinoma( n=2),introductal papillary mucinous neoplasm ( n=5),solid pseudopapillary neoplasm ( n=2),mucinous cystadenoma ( n=1),serous cystadenoma ( n=2),pseudocyst ( n=1). Follow-up as of March 12, 2024, the follow-up time was 16(12)months (range: 3 to 41 months). All patients had no new onset diabetes and no dyspepsia. Conclusion:Robot-assisted surgical system can be used for local resection of uncinate process tumors of pancreas,and the quality of life of patients can be improved.