1.Pharmacokinetic study of the antidepressant active components from Jiaotai pills in healthy subjects
Yujie CHEN ; Yiran WANG ; Zhipeng LIAO ; Xinfang BIAN ; Yanjun WANG ; Wenzheng JU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(3):366-370
OBJECTIVE To study the pharmacokinetic characteristics of antidepressant active components from Jiaotai pills in healthy subjects. METHODS Eight healthy subjects (3 males and 5 females) were recruited and given a single oral dose of 8.55 g of Jiaotai pills. Venous blood samples were collected before administration (0 h) and at intervals from 0.25 to 36.0 hours post- administration. After treating the plasma samples with protein precipitation, the blood concentrations of the antidepressant active ingredients (coptisine, berberine, magnoflorine, and palmatine) in Jiaotai pills were determined using liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. DAS 2.0 software was employed to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters of healthy subjects [half-life (t1/2), peak concentration (cmax), time to peak concentration (tmax), area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), and mean residence time (MRT)] using a non-compartmental model. RESULTS After healthy subjects took Jiaotai pills, the drug-time curve of the four antidepressant active ingredients conforms to a two-compartment model and tmax values were similar, with all reaching peak blood concentrations within 2.00 to 4.00 hours post-administration. However, the t1/2 and MRT of coptisine and berberine were significantly longer than that of magnoflorine and palmatine. There were also significant differences in the AUC and cmax among the four antidepressant active ingredients, with magnoflorine exhibiting markedly higher AUC0-t and cmax compared to the other three components. CONCLUSIONS In this study,LC-MS/MS is used to analyze the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the antidepressant active ingredients from Jiaotai pills in healthy subjects, can provide valuable references for the clinical application of Jiaotai pills.
2.Intervention of Bronchial Asthma by Regulating JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway with Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Ruiyi CHEN ; Weike LI ; Ju YANG ; Zhiwan WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):321-330
Bronchial asthma (abbreviated as asthma) is one of the common inflammatory diseases in the chronic airway of the respiratory system. Recurrent wheezing,shortness of breath,chest tightness, and cough are the main symptoms,which are easy to repeat,protracted and difficult to cure,and seriously affect the patients' life quality. The Janus kinases (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of cellular inflammatory response,oxidative stress,apoptosis, and other biological processes. It plays a key role in the occurrence and development of asthma. Traditional Chinese medicine intervenes in asthma based on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in multiple stages and targets. The specific mechanism is related to inhibiting airway inflammation and anti-oxidative stress,alleviating airway remodeling,affecting airway mucus hypersecretion,inhibiting high airway response, and regulating immune response,which demonstrates the characteristics and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in treating asthma. Based on this,by referring to relevant literature,this paper systematically sorted out the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and its action mechanism in the occurrence and development of asthma. It also systematically summarized the efficacy and specific mechanism of monomers, compounds, and compound formulas of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the external treatment methods by regulating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway to intervene in asthma. It aims to effectively prevent and control the occurrence and development of asthma in clinic, providing a reference for the methods of prevention and treatment of asthma with traditional Chinese medicine.
3.Effect and mechanism of beta-caryophyllene in mice with osteoarthritis
Ju CHEN ; Jinchang ZHENG ; Zhen LIANG ; Chengshuo HUANG ; Hao LIN ; Li ZENG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1341-1347
BACKGROUND:β-Caryophyllene has a variety of pharmacological activities such as antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic,which may have a better therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of β-caryophyllene on mouse osteoarthritis.METHODS:Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham group,model group,low-dose β-caryophyllene group and high-dose β-caryophyllene group,with 10 mice in each group.Hulth method was used to construct an osteoarthritis model in the latter three groups.Four weeks after modeling,70 and 140 mg/kg/d β-caryophyllene was intragastrically given in the low-and high-dose β-caryophyllene groups,respectively,and normal saline was given by gavage in the sham group and the model group,once a day,for 4 weeks.After administration,knee joint morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining,serum levels of inflammatory factors(tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and interleukin-10)were detected by ELISA,and oxidative stress indexes(glutathione peroxidase,superoxide dismutase,and malondialdehyde)were detected by chemiluminescence.The expression levels of key proteins in the Sonic hedgehog(Shh)/glioma associated oncogene homolog 1(Gli1)signaling pathway were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the sham group,a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the knee joint of mice in the model group,cartilage tissue was seriously damaged,serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,interleukin-10 and malondialdehyde were significantly increased(P<0.01),the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the relative expression levels of Shh and Gli1 in the knee joint were significantly increased(P<0.01).(2)Compared with the model group,in the low-and high-dose β-caryophyllene groups,inflammatory cell infiltration in the mouse knee joint was decreased,cartilage tissue injury was alleviated,serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1 β,interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde were significantly decreased(P<0.05),the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Shh and Gli1 in the knee joint were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The above-mentioned improvements were more significant in the high-dose β-caryophyllene group than the low-dose β-caryophyllene group.To conclude,β-caryophyllene can improve osteoarthritis,and its mechanism may be related to reducing inflammation and oxidative stress damage by regulating the Shh/Gli1 signaling pathway.
4.Effect and mechanism of beta-caryophyllene in mice with osteoarthritis
Ju CHEN ; Jinchang ZHENG ; Zhen LIANG ; Chengshuo HUANG ; Hao LIN ; Li ZENG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1341-1347
BACKGROUND:β-Caryophyllene has a variety of pharmacological activities such as antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic,which may have a better therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of β-caryophyllene on mouse osteoarthritis.METHODS:Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham group,model group,low-dose β-caryophyllene group and high-dose β-caryophyllene group,with 10 mice in each group.Hulth method was used to construct an osteoarthritis model in the latter three groups.Four weeks after modeling,70 and 140 mg/kg/d β-caryophyllene was intragastrically given in the low-and high-dose β-caryophyllene groups,respectively,and normal saline was given by gavage in the sham group and the model group,once a day,for 4 weeks.After administration,knee joint morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining,serum levels of inflammatory factors(tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and interleukin-10)were detected by ELISA,and oxidative stress indexes(glutathione peroxidase,superoxide dismutase,and malondialdehyde)were detected by chemiluminescence.The expression levels of key proteins in the Sonic hedgehog(Shh)/glioma associated oncogene homolog 1(Gli1)signaling pathway were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the sham group,a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the knee joint of mice in the model group,cartilage tissue was seriously damaged,serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,interleukin-10 and malondialdehyde were significantly increased(P<0.01),the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the relative expression levels of Shh and Gli1 in the knee joint were significantly increased(P<0.01).(2)Compared with the model group,in the low-and high-dose β-caryophyllene groups,inflammatory cell infiltration in the mouse knee joint was decreased,cartilage tissue injury was alleviated,serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-1 β,interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde were significantly decreased(P<0.05),the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Shh and Gli1 in the knee joint were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The above-mentioned improvements were more significant in the high-dose β-caryophyllene group than the low-dose β-caryophyllene group.To conclude,β-caryophyllene can improve osteoarthritis,and its mechanism may be related to reducing inflammation and oxidative stress damage by regulating the Shh/Gli1 signaling pathway.
5.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Gut Microbiota to Intervene in Digestive System Malignant Tumors: A Review
Yu ZHU ; Ju HUANG ; Nianzhi CHEN ; Cheng LUO ; Xianbo WU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):261-270
Digestive system malignant tumors (DT) are one of the leading causes of death globally and carry a heavy economic burden. Gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining host health, including providing nutrition, defending against pathogens, and promoting immune development. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that dysbiosis of gut microbiota is closely associated with DT such as gastric cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer. Therefore, targeted regulation of gut microbiota plays a potential role in inhibiting the growth and metastasis of DT, while its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. As the studies about the anti-tumor effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially the basic and clinical studies on the regulation of gut microbiota by TCM in tumor treatment, have been growing, the therapeutic effects of TCM on DT have attracted much attention. This paper provides a systematic review of the relationship between gut microbiota and DT, as well as the related studies on the modulation of gut microbiota by TCM against DT, with the aim of providing a foundation and direction for future basic and clinical studies on DT. The literature review shows that gut microbiota influence the occurrence and development of DT through multiple pathways. These pathways include triggering chronic inflammation, producing oncogenic metabolites, inducing genomic instability, regulating the immune system, and altering the tumor microenvironment. TCM can exert anti-DT effects by regulating the composition of gut microbiota, modulating gut microbiota metabolites, repairing intestinal barrier function, and influencing immune functions. Therefore, understanding the relationship between gut microbiota and DT and the regulatory mechanisms of TCM may provide new strategies for future prevention and treatment of DT.
6.Comparative analysis of diagnostic criteria for occupational radiation diseases between China and the International Labour Organization
Ru XUE ; Jingyi LI ; Jinxin JU ; Erdong CHEN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):651-655
The diagnosis of occupational radiation diseases, with the diagnostic criteria as main technical basis, has always been one of the emphases of China's occupational health work. This study compared the diagnostic standards for occupational radiation diseases between China and the International Labour Organization (ILO) across three aspects—types, classifications/grades, and diagnostic dose requirements—categorizing the diseases into tissue reactions and stochastic effects. ① For tissue reactions, 8 types are included both in China and ILO standards, 13 unique to China's standards, and 4 unique to the ILO standards; significant differences exist in classifaton/grading; China's standards are either consistent with or stricter (i.e., requiring higher diagnostic dose values) than the ILO standards. ② For stochastic effects (radiation-induced cancer), 12 types were included in both standards; China's standards provide more comprehensive coverage for certain malignancies (e.g., bone cancer); while 5 types were unique to the ILO standards have, some (e.g. salivary gland cancer) are primarily observed in non-occupational populations. Overall, China’s standards include more disease types and maintain more stringent diagnostic dose requirements. However, specific discrepancies require further deliberation during future revisions. Finally, based on these results, recommendations were provided for basic research and the evaluation of Chinese diagnostic criteria.
7.Comparative analysis of diagnostic criteria for occupational radiation diseases between China and the International Labour Organization
Ru XUE ; Jingyi LI ; Jinxin JU ; Erdong CHEN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):651-655
The diagnosis of occupational radiation diseases, with the diagnostic criteria as main technical basis, has always been one of the emphases of China's occupational health work. This study compared the diagnostic standards for occupational radiation diseases between China and the International Labour Organization (ILO) across three aspects—types, classifications/grades, and diagnostic dose requirements—categorizing the diseases into tissue reactions and stochastic effects. ① For tissue reactions, 8 types are included both in China and ILO standards, 13 unique to China's standards, and 4 unique to the ILO standards; significant differences exist in classifaton/grading; China's standards are either consistent with or stricter (i.e., requiring higher diagnostic dose values) than the ILO standards. ② For stochastic effects (radiation-induced cancer), 12 types were included in both standards; China's standards provide more comprehensive coverage for certain malignancies (e.g., bone cancer); while 5 types were unique to the ILO standards have, some (e.g. salivary gland cancer) are primarily observed in non-occupational populations. Overall, China’s standards include more disease types and maintain more stringent diagnostic dose requirements. However, specific discrepancies require further deliberation during future revisions. Finally, based on these results, recommendations were provided for basic research and the evaluation of Chinese diagnostic criteria.
8.Discussion on Construction of a Multi-Agent "Cross-scale" Collective Decision-making Model for Superior Disease Entities in Sichuan-style Traditional Chinese Medicine
Qiuping CHEN ; Hang ZHOU ; Dan ZHENG ; Baixue LI ; Chenhao LIU ; Ju CHEN ; Jibin LIU ; Quansheng FENG ; JIANGYUMING ; Cen JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(14):1-13
At present, the systematic excavation of the clinical experience and academic thought of the Sichuan school of Chinese medicine vis-à-vis its dominant disease entities remains fragmentary, and replicable paradigms are scarce. Confronted with empirical fragmentation, data heterogeneity and decision-making subjectivity, the standardised distillation, inheritance and clinical translation of these distinctive experiences has become a critical bottleneck constraining the development of the Sichuan school. The integration of artificial-intelligence technologies in data processing, pattern recognition and intelligent decision-making has rendered deep mining of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) clinical knowledge and patterns imperative. Constructing an intelligent modern TCM diagnostic-therapeutic-evaluative system is now the obligatory route for inheritance and innovation in Chinese medicine, and simultaneously provides a technological breakthrough for intelligent decision paradigms in the dominant diseases of the Sichuan school. Accordingly, this study adopts the regional academic school as its point of entry, focuses on the dominant diseases of the Sichuan school, and proposes an innovative pathway of "four-dimensional data-multi-modal fusion-multi-agent decision-making". Specifically, four data dimensions are defined and instantiated: (Ⅰ) knowledge from classical medical literature and historical case records. (Ⅱ) objective four-diagnosis phenotypic data. (Ⅲ) master physicians' prescribing regularities. (Ⅳ) characteristic mechanisms of renowned formulae. Leveraging multi-modal data fusion and generative artificial intelligence, the entire causal chain of Famous Physicians and Renowned Formulas is explicated to reconstruct the diagnostic-therapeutic cognitive logic of the regional school. Finally, a multi-agent collective-decision model is established and refined for the dominant diseases of the Sichuan school, capable of generating precise, individualised treatment regimens and thereby advancing an intelligent diagnostic-therapeutic paradigm that delivers more efficient and accurate clinical decision support.
9.Predictive Factors Associated With Dysphagia in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury
Shu-Mei YANG ; Ting-Ju LAI ; Ya-Chu HSU ; Yu-Lin LU ; Hsing-Yu CHEN ; Hsiao-Ting TSAI ; Sheng-Hao CHENG ; Ming-Yen HSIAO ; Meng-Ting LIN
Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine 2026;50(2):117-128
Objective:
To identify early clinical predictors associated with dysphagia and delayed swallowing recovery in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Methods:
In this retrospective study, we enrolled adult TBI patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit of a tertiary medical center between June 2019 and June 2023. Data on baseline characteristics, neurological status, imaging findings, and rehabilitation-related variables were collected. Swallowing function was assessed using two indicators: (1) nasogastric (NG) tube retention and (2) the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores at 1, 4, and 12 weeks post-injury. Regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors associated with dysphagia and swallowing recovery.
Results:
A total of 160 patients were included. At 1 week post-injury, longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay, poor initial sitting balance and use of sedative medication in ICU were associated with NG tube retention. At 4 weeks, lower initial Rancho Los Amigos Scale (RLAS) scores, immobility-related complications, longer hospitalization, and temporal lobe hematomas were associated with persistent NG tube dependence. By 12 weeks, older age, delayed ability to follow commands, and poor initial sitting balance remained associated with NG tube retention. FOIS outcomes were also associated with older age, delayed time to follow commands, impaired initial sitting balance, prolonged ICU stay, temporal lobe hematomas, lower initial RLAS scores, immobility-related complications, prolonged endotracheal tube placement and extended hospital stays.
Conclusion
Impaired cognitive status, poor physical function, immobility-related complications, and temporal lobe hematomas were key factors associated with dysphagia and delayed oral intake in individuals with TBI.
10.Licochalcone E Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Mice by Activating the Sirt1/AMPK Pathway and Reducing Hepatic Lipid Accumulation
Wen-Chung HUANG ; Shu-Ju WU ; Xuan-Min LIU ; Shu-Chen CHENG ; Po-Ting LIN ; Chun-Ling KUO ; Chian-Jiun LIOU
Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2026;34(3):676-688
Licochalcone E is a chalcone isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. inflata Batal. This study explored the effect of licochalcone E on improving hepatic steatosis in obese mice and evaluated the role of licochalcone E in regulating lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. In vitro, oleic acid–induced hepatocytes were treated with licochalcone E to investigate its effect on lipid metabolic pathways. In animal experiments, male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) and treated with licochalcone E by intraperitoneal injection for 12 weeks to assess its effects on biochemical indexes and hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, mice were fed a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet and administered licochalcone E, followed by evaluation of liver fibrosis. Licochalcone E effectively reduced body weight, epididymal and inguinal fat weight, and adipocyte size in HFD-induced obese mice. Licochalcone E treatment of obese mice also reduced hepatic lipid accumulation and improved hepatocyte steatosis. Licochalcone E regulated the expression of lipogenesis- and lipolysis-related genes in the livers of obese mice and increased AMPK phosphorylation and Sirt1 expression in the liver. Licochalcone E also attenuated hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress in obese mice. Furthermore, treatment of MCD-induced mice with licochalcone E reduced the number of lipid vacuoles and the extent of fibrosis and inhibited liver inflammation. In FL83B hepatocytes, licochalcone E could regulate lipogenesis and lipolysis, and increase the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC. These findings provide new insights into the role of licochalcone E in regulating lipid metabolism and preventing hepatic steatosis.

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