1.Advances in inflammatory response mechanism and anti-inflammatory treatment with dry eye disease
Pingping WANG ; Fan JIANG ; Simin LI ; Dongxia YAN ; Juan CHENG
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):440-445
In recent years, the incidence of dry eye disease(DED)is increasing, positioning it as one of the most prevalent diseases affecting the ocular surface. Inflammatory response is the pathological basis of DED, involving various inflammatory mediators and inflammatory signaling pathways. Consequently, anti-inflammatory treatment emerges as a fundamental strategy for preventing and managing DED. This review summarizes the classic inflammatory factors involved in the development and progression of DED, including interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, matrix metalloproteinases, chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules. It also discusses the relevant inflammatory signaling pathways: the MAPKs pathway, NF-κB pathway, Wnt pathway and TLR pathway. Additionally, this review addresses the mechanisms of action and alterations in relevant biomarkers associated with current first-line recommended anti-inflammatory therapies, including corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and traditional Chinese medicine approaches to inflammation management. This comprehensive overview aims to enhance understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms underlying DED while exploring future therapeutic prospects.
2.Advances in inflammatory response mechanism and anti-inflammatory treatment with dry eye disease
Pingping WANG ; Fan JIANG ; Simin LI ; Dongxia YAN ; Juan CHENG
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):440-445
In recent years, the incidence of dry eye disease(DED)is increasing, positioning it as one of the most prevalent diseases affecting the ocular surface. Inflammatory response is the pathological basis of DED, involving various inflammatory mediators and inflammatory signaling pathways. Consequently, anti-inflammatory treatment emerges as a fundamental strategy for preventing and managing DED. This review summarizes the classic inflammatory factors involved in the development and progression of DED, including interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, matrix metalloproteinases, chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules. It also discusses the relevant inflammatory signaling pathways: the MAPKs pathway, NF-κB pathway, Wnt pathway and TLR pathway. Additionally, this review addresses the mechanisms of action and alterations in relevant biomarkers associated with current first-line recommended anti-inflammatory therapies, including corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and traditional Chinese medicine approaches to inflammation management. This comprehensive overview aims to enhance understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms underlying DED while exploring future therapeutic prospects.
3.Effect Analysis of Different Interventions to Improve Neuroinflammation in The Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jiang-Hui SHAN ; Chao-Yang CHU ; Shi-Yu CHEN ; Zhi-Cheng LIN ; Yu-Yu ZHOU ; Tian-Yuan FANG ; Chu-Xia ZHANG ; Biao XIAO ; Kai XIE ; Qing-Juan WANG ; Zhi-Tao LIU ; Li-Ping LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):310-333
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.
4.Working practices in eliminating the public health crisis caused by viral hepatitis in Hainan Province of China
Weihua LI ; Changfu XIONG ; Taifan CHEN ; Bin HE ; Dapeng YIN ; Xuexia ZENG ; Feng LIN ; Biyu CHEN ; Xiaomei ZENG ; Biao WU ; Juan JIANG ; Lu ZHONG ; Yuhui ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):228-233
In 2022, Hainan provincial government launched the project for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis with the goals of a hepatitis B screening rate of 90%, a diagnostic rate of 90%, and a treatment rate of 80% among people aged 18 years and above by the year 2025, and the main intervention measures include population-based prevention, case screening, antiviral therapy, and health management. As of December 31, 2024, a total of 6.875 million individuals in the general population had been screened for hepatitis B, with a screening rate of 95.6%. A total of 184 710 individuals with positive HBsAg were identified, among whom 156 772 were diagnosed through serological reexamination, resulting in a diagnostic rate of 84.9%. A total of 50 742 patients with chronic hepatitis B were identified, among whom 42 921 had hepatitis B-specific health records established for health management, with a file establishment rate of 84.6%. A total of 31 553 individuals received antiviral therapy, with a treatment rate of 62.2%. A total of 2.503 million individuals at a high risk of hepatitis C were screened, among whom 4 870 tested positive for HCV antibody and 3 858 underwent HCV RNA testing, resulting in a diagnostic rate of 79.2%, and 1 824 individuals with positive HCV RNA were identified, among whom 1 194 received antiviral therapy, with a treatment rate of 65.5%. In addition, 159 301 individuals with negative HBsAg and anti-HBs and an age of 20 — 40 years were inoculated with hepatitis B vaccine free of charge. Through the implementation of the project for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis, a large number of hepatitis patients have been identified, treated, and managed in the province within a short period of time, which significantly accelerates the efforts to eliminate the crisis of viral hepatitis.
5.Research progress of natural bioactive products in resisting loss of skin collagen
Chu-juan HU ; Lu-lu WANG ; Jian-dong JIANG ; Rui LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):269-279
As the biggest tissue of human body, skin is the first barrier of resisting external aggression. Collagen is one of important parts of the skin, which could not only affect the aesthetics of skin, but also influence the health and normal function of skin. It is the great significance to find ways that could inhibit the loss of collagen. The mechanisms of the collagen degradation in skin are complex and multifaceted. Natural bioactive products have unique advantages in treating the loss of collagen, which have multi-targets and mechanisms. In this review, the mechanisms of skin collagen degradation are discussed, and the research progress of natural bioactive products in resisting skin aging through promoting collagen synthesis are reviewed, in order to provide references for futural research.
6.The effect of rutaecarpine on improving fatty liver and osteoporosis in MAFLD mice
Yu-hao ZHANG ; Yi-ning LI ; Xin-hai JIANG ; Wei-zhi WANG ; Shun-wang LI ; Ren SHENG ; Li-juan LEI ; Yu-yan ZHANG ; Jing-rui WANG ; Xin-wei WEI ; Yan-ni XU ; Yan LIN ; Lin TANG ; Shu-yi SI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):141-149
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D303)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.
7.Methodological Evaluation of Advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Sjögren's Syndrome
Wenjing LIU ; Shiya WU ; Ruihua LIU ; Xinyao ZHOU ; Juan JIAO ; Ying LIU ; Zeguang LI ; Zhenbin LI ; Huadong ZHANG ; Xiaopo TANG ; Quan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(1):192-197
Screening and evaluating the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will help to highlight the advantages of TCM treatment, and the evaluation method should be standardized with consideration to the unique characteristics of the diseases. The incidence of Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) is increasing year by year, while the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Modern therapies for this disease include biological agents and immunosuppressants, which generally have unsatisfactory efficacy. The TCM treatment of SS focuses on the harmony of the physical and mental health. The Rheumatology Branch of the China Association of Chinese Medicine organizes experts in TCM, Western medicine, and evidence-based medicine to form working groups. Delphi method and bibliometric method were used for analysis, and SS was selected as a disease responding specifically to TCM. Furthermore, the evaluation system was established for this disease, and the consensus regarding this disease was reached after seminar discussion. This paper summarized the whole process of the evaluation of the advantages of TCM treatment of SS. First, because TCM atomization is widely used in clinical practice and enriches TCM administration methods, this therapy is included after other non-drug therapies were taken as characteristic therapies. Second, the evaluation indicators of therapeutic effect should be determined with consideration to international acceptance and the current research status. Third, the expression method should be accurate, standardized, and objective, highlight the natural advantages of TCM, and avoid arbitrary extension. This paper provides a reference for clinicians to explore other diseases responding specifically to TCM.
8.Expert Consensus on Clinical Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine:Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Juan JIAO ; Jinyang TANG ; Xiujuan HOU ; Mengtao LI ; Dongfeng LIANG ; Yuhua WANG ; Weixia JING ; Guangtao LI ; Qin ZHANG ; Yongfeng ZHANG ; Guangyu LI ; Qian WANG ; Yang YANG ; Jin HUO ; Mei MO ; Jihua GUO ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Quan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(1):216-222
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a refractory, chronic non-articular rheumatic disease characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, for which there are no satisfactory therapeutic drugs or options. There are rich Chinese medical therapies, and some non-drug therapies, such as acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Ba-Duan-Jin, have shown satisfactory efficacy and safety and definite advantages of simultaneously adjusting mind and body. FMS is taken as a disease responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2018. In order to clarify the research progress in FMS and the clinical advantages of TCM/integrated Chinese and Western medicine, the China Academy of Chinese Medicine organized a seminar for nearly 20 experts in Chinese and Western medicine, including rheumatology, psychology, acupuncture and moxibustion, and encephalopathy, with the topic of difficulties in clinical diagnosis and treatment of FMS and advantages of TCM and Western medicine. The recommendations were reached on the difficulties in early diagnosis and solutions of FMS, mitigation of common non-specific symptoms, preferential analgesic therapy, TCM pathogenesis and treatment advantages, and direction of treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine. FMS is currently facing the triple dilemma of low early correct diagnosis, poor patient participation, and unsatisfactory benefit from pure Western medicine treatment. To solve the above problems, this paper suggests that rheumatologists should serve as the main diagnostic force of this disease, and they should improve patient participation in treatment decision-making, implement exercise therapy, and fully utilize the holistic and multidimensional features of TCM, which is effective in alleviating pain, improving mood, and decreasing adverse events. In addition, it is suggested that FMS treatment should rely on both TCM and Western medicine and adopt multidisciplinary joint treatment, which is expected to improve the standard of diagnosis and treatment of FMS in China.
9.Role of Ferroptosis in Bone Homeostasis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention: A Review
Bo WEI ; Juan LI ; Yiwei JIANG ; Yuying ZHOU ; Chunhui LUO ; Zhongchao YU ; Pei LIU ; Yunxiang HAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(3):249-257
Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic bone disease characterized by bone microstructure degeneration and bone mass loss, which has a high prevalence and disability rate. Effective prevention and treatment of OP is a major difficulty in the medical community. The nature of OP is that multiple pathological factors lead to the imbalance of human bone homeostasis maintained by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic cell death pathway, and its fundamental cause is cell damage caused by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown that ferroptosis is involved in and affects the occurrence and development of OP, which leads to OP by mediating the imbalance of bone homeostasis. Ferroptosis is an adjustable form of programmed cell death. The intervention of ferroptosis can regulate the damage degree and death process of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which is beneficial to maintain bone homeostasis, slow down the development process of OP, improve the clinical symptoms of patients, reduce the risk of disability, and improve their quality of life. However, there are few studies on ferroptosis in OP. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical treasure with unique characteristics and great application value in China. It has been widely used in China and has a long history. It has the multi-target and multi-pathway advantages in the treatment of OP, with high safety, few toxic and side effects, and low treatment cost, and has a significant effect in clinical application. The intervention of TCM in ferroptosis to regulate bone homeostasis may be a new direction for the prevention and treatment of OP in the future. This article summarized the regulatory mechanisms related to ferroptosis, discussed the role of ferroptosis in bone homeostasis, and reviewed the current status and progress of active ingredients in TCM compounds and monomers in the regulation of OP through ferroptosis, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the participation of TCM in the prevention and treatment of OP in the future.
10.Pathogenesis and Differentiated Treatment Strategies of Childhood Tic Disorders Based on WANG Xugao's “Thirty Methods of Treating the Liver”
Rui ZHAI ; Juan DUAN ; Yuan LI ; Yanlin JIANG ; Congxiao ZHOU ; Zhenhua YUAN ; Da LI ; Junhong WANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(2):149-153
Based on WANG Xugao's “thirty methods of treating the liver”, it is believed that the occurrence and development of childhood tic disorders follow the dynamic progression from liver qi disease to liver fire disease and then liver wind disease. The basic pathogenesis of three stages are characterized by binding constraint of liver qi, liver fire hyperactivity, and internal stirring of liver wind. Moreover, liver-blood deficiency and stagnation, and malnutrition of liver yin as the main point in terms of the imbalance of liver qi, blood, yin, and yang should be considered, as well as the imbalance relationship of the five zang organs such as the involvement of other organs and the gradually reach of the other organs. Guided by the principles of “thirty methods of treating the liver”, the treatment of tic disorders in liver qi stage should focus on soothing the liver and rectifying qi, soothing the liver and unblocking the collaterals, using Xiaochaihu Decoction (小柴胡汤) and Sini Powder (四逆散). The treatment of tic disorders in liver fire stage involves clearing, draining and resolving liver heat, using Longdan Xiegan Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤), Xieqing Pill (泻青丸), Danggui Longhui Pill (当归龙荟丸), and Huagan Decoction (化肝煎). The treatment of tic disorders in liver wind stage involves extinguishing wind and subduing yang, using Lingjiao Gouteng Decoction (羚角钩藤汤) and Liuwei Dihuang Pill (六味地黄丸). Throughout the treatment process, attention should be paid to harmonizing the liver's qi, blood, yin, and yang, as well as addressing the pathology of other organs.

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