Tripterygium wilfordii is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a long history of therapeutic use but remains controversial in modern medicine because of its potent toxicity. Among its diverse chemical constituents, the diterpenoid triptolide and the triterpenoid celastrol have emerged as prominent compounds due to their remarkable pharmacological activities, including antitumor, immunosuppressive, anti-obesity, and neuroprotective effects. However, their clinical translation is limited by toxicity concerns and restricted natural availability. This review summarizes the medicinal history and chemical constituents of T. wilfordii, with particular emphasis on the pharmacological mechanisms, structural modification strategies, and recent advances in the biosynthesis of triptolide and celastrol. In addition, we discuss perspectives on toxicity mitigation and lead compound development, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and valuable references for modern drug development and the green manufacturing of T. wilfordii-derived resources.

Serotonin syndrome (SS), also known as serotonin toxicity, is a rare but life-threatening drug reaction syndrome. This case involves a 17-year-old female patient who developed tremors, fatigue, and tachycardia after taking fluoxetine combined with bupropion and tandospirone for five days. SS was highly suspected, and her symptoms improved following treatment targeted at serotonin syndrome. This case is reported to raise awareness among clinicians about the potential adverse reactions of drug combinations, the importance of early identification of SS symptoms, and precautions when prescribing combined medications to avoid serious consequences.

Serotonin syndrome (SS), also known as serotonin toxicity, is a rare but life-threatening drug reaction syndrome. This case involves a 17-year-old female patient who developed tremors, fatigue, and tachycardia after taking fluoxetine combined with bupropion and tandospirone for five days. SS was highly suspected, and her symptoms improved following treatment targeted at serotonin syndrome. This case is reported to raise awareness among clinicians about the potential adverse reactions of drug combinations, the importance of early identification of SS symptoms, and precautions when prescribing combined medications to avoid serious consequences.

Objective:To explore the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)on brain functional remodeling and function of core muscle group in patients with stroke.Methods:A total of 104 patients with stroke who admitted to Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2022 to June 2023 were prospectively selected,and they were randomly divided into a control group(52 cases,received conventional rehabilitation treatment)and a study group(52 cases,received conventional rehabilitation+high-frequency rTMS treatment).The differences in clinical efficacy,brain functional remodeling(LI value),and postural assessment scale for stroke(PASS)of the function of core muscle group and manual muscle test(MMT)scores of core muscle group between two groups were analyzed.Results:The total effective rate of clinical treatment in study group was 92.31％,which was significantly higher than that in the control group(73.08％),and the difference was significant(x2=6.718,P＜0.05).There were no significant difference in the scores of PASS and MMT between the two groups before treatment(P＞0.05).The scores of PASS and MMT of two groups after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment(t=21.017,13.359,P＜0.05),respectively.After treatment,the PASS and MMT scores of study group were respectively(31.15±1.78)points and(11.88±2.03)points,which were significantly higher than those[(28.33±1.82)points and(9.41±2.27)points]of control group(t=7.988,5.849,P＜0.05),respectively.After treatment,the brain activation areas of study group mainly distributed in the precentral gyrus,precuneus,somatosensory area,cerebellum and ipsilateral supplementary motor area,which appeared a trend of centralization.The distribution of brain activation areas of control group after treatment still showed the characteristics of bilateral extensive activation,which did not appear significant changes than those before treatment.There was no significant difference in LI value between the two groups before treatment(P＞0.05).After treatment,the LI values of two groups were significantly improved,and the LI value of study group was significantly higher than that of control group(t=17.199,P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis was performed on the LI values and the scores of PASS and MMT when the hemiplegic side of the patients of two groups conducted chunking motion.The results showed that the LI values appeared significantly positive correlation with PASS score and MMT score(r=0.863,0.847,P＜0.05),respectively.Both two groups did not occur serious abnormal reactions during the treatment.Two patients of study group reported they occurred mild dizziness and headache,which were relieved by themselves after rest.Conclusion:High-frequency rTMS can effectively improve the treatment effect for patients with stroke,and promote the recovery of the motor function area of brain and the function of core muscle group of patients.