1.Study on the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep
Ming QIAO ; Yao ZHAO ; Yi ZHU ; Yexia CAO ; Limei WEN ; Yuehong GONG ; Xiang LI ; Juanchen WANG ; Tao WANG ; Jianhua YANG ; Junping HU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(1):24-29
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep. METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components of L. ruthenicum and their associated disease targets, followed by enrichment analysis. A caffeine‑induced zebrafish model of sleep deprivation was established , and the zebrafish were treated with L. ruthenicum Murr. extract (LRME) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively; 24 h later, behavioral changes of zebrafish and pathological alterations in brain neurons were subsequently observed. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT)], and neurotransmitters [5- hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE)] were measured. The protein expression levels of protein kinase B1 (AKT1), phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), sarcoma proto-oncogene,non-receptor tyrosine kinase (SRC), and heat shock protein 90α family class A member 1 (HSP90AA1) in the zebrafish were also determined. RESULTS A total of 12 active components and 176 intersecting disease targets were identified through network pharmacology analysis. Among these, apigenin, naringenin and others were recognized as core active compounds, while AKT1, EGFR and others served as key targets; EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway was identified as the critical pathway. The sleep improvement rates in zebrafish of LRME low-, medium-, and high-dose groups were 54.60%, 69.03% and 77.97%, 开发。E-mail:hjp_yft@163.com respectively, while the inhibition ratios of locomotor distance were 0.57, 0.83 and 0.95, respectively. Compared with the model group, the number of resting counts, resting time and resting distance were significantly increased/extended in LRME medium- and high-dose groups (P<0.05). Neuronal damage in the brain was alleviated. Additionally, the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, MDA, Glu, DA and NE, as well as the protein expression levels of AKT1, p-AKT1, EGFR, SRC and HSP90AA1, were markedly reduced (P<0.05), while the levels of IL-10, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, 5-HT and GABA, as well as Bcl-2 protein expression, were significantly elevated (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS L. ruthenicum Murr. demonstrates sleep-improving effects, and its specific mechanism may be related to the regulation of inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter balance, and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway.
2.Mechanisms of Qiaobai cold compress solution in improving acne vulgaris based on transcriptomics and experiment
Zhenjiang XIE ; Weina ZHU ; Liangliang CAO ; Fuqiong ZHOU ; Shupan ZHANG ; Bingwen ZHOU ; Yinsheng CHEN ; Wen LI ; Ying ZHAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):425-430
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism by which Qiaobai cold compress solution (QBCS) improves acne vulgaris (AV) based on transcriptomics and animal experiments. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into a blank control group ( n =6) and a modeling group ( n =30). AV models were established in the modeling group by topical application of oleic acid to the inner surface of both ears, combined with subcutaneous injection of Cutibacterium acnes suspension into the auricle. Successfully modeled rats were further divided into the model group, positive control group (Tretinoin cream, 0.045 g/kg), and QBCS low-, medium-, high-dose groups [3.55, 7.11, 14.22 g/kg (calculated by the amount of crude drug) ] , with 6 rats in each group. Rats in each d rug group were treated with the corresponding drugs once daily for 14 consecutive days. After the final administration, changes in the appearance of the ears and histopathological changes in the ear tissues were observed, and serum levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β, were measured. Auricular tissues from the blank control group, model group and QBCS medium-dose group were collected for transcriptome sequencing. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were screened and subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, followed by validation using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assay. RESULTS Compared with the model group, rats in all QBCS groups showed alleviated auricular acne symptoms, with reduced epidermal thickening, sebaceous gland hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Serum levels of TNF-α (except for the QBCS low-dose group), IL-6 (except for the QBCS low-dose group) and IL-1β were significantly decreased ( P <0.05). A total of 590 DEGs were identified (blank control group vs. model group), and 596 DEGs were identified (model group vs. QBCS medium-dose group). Above DEGs (blank control group vs. model group) were mainly enriched in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, etc. Validation experiments showed that, compared with model group, low-, medium- and high-dose of QBCS reduced, to varying degrees, the mRNA expression of TNF-α, TLR2, interferon-γ and CXC chemokine ligand 8 in the auricular tissues of AV rats, increased the mRNA expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma and tumor protein 53, and inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 protein as well as the expressions of TLR2 and myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88(MyD88) ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS QBCS can alleviate auricular inflammation and skin lesions in AV rats. This effect may be related to inhibition of the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby suppressing the expression of downstream inflammatory factors such as TNF-α.
3.Discriminating Tumor Deposits From Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: A Pilot Study Utilizing Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
Xue-han WU ; Yu-tao QUE ; Xin-yue YANG ; Zi-qiang WEN ; Yu-ru MA ; Zhi-wen ZHANG ; Quan-meng LIU ; Wen-jie FAN ; Li DING ; Yue-jiao LANG ; Yun-zhu WU ; Jian-peng YUAN ; Shen-ping YU ; Yi-yan LIU ; Yan CHEN
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):400-410
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs.
Results:
All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027).
Conclusion
The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.
4.Discriminating Tumor Deposits From Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: A Pilot Study Utilizing Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
Xue-han WU ; Yu-tao QUE ; Xin-yue YANG ; Zi-qiang WEN ; Yu-ru MA ; Zhi-wen ZHANG ; Quan-meng LIU ; Wen-jie FAN ; Li DING ; Yue-jiao LANG ; Yun-zhu WU ; Jian-peng YUAN ; Shen-ping YU ; Yi-yan LIU ; Yan CHEN
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):400-410
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs.
Results:
All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027).
Conclusion
The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.
5.Polysaccharide extract PCP1 from Polygonatum cyrtonema ameliorates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by inhibiting TLR4/NLRP3 pathway.
Xin ZHAN ; Zi-Xu LI ; Zhu YANG ; Jie YU ; Wen CAO ; Zhen-Dong WU ; Jiang-Ping WU ; Qiu-Yue LYU ; Hui CHE ; Guo-Dong WANG ; Jun HAN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2450-2460
This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide extract PCP1 from Polygonatum cyrtonema in ameliorating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats through modulation of the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) signaling pathway. In vivo, SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, model group, PCP1 group, nimodipine(NMDP) group, and TLR4 signaling inhibitor(TAK-242) group. A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R) model was established, and neurological deficit scores and infarct size were evaluated 24 hours after reperfusion. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in ischemic brain tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) assessed ultrastructural damage in cortical neurons. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-18(IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-10(IL-10), and nitric oxide(NO) in serum. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins. In vitro, a BV2 microglial cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R) model was established, and cells were divided into the control, OGD/R, PCP1, TAK-242, and PCP1 + TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide(LPS) groups. The CCK-8 assay evaluated BV2 cell viability, and ELISA determined NO release. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of TLR4, NLRP3, and downstream pathway-related proteins. The results indicated that, compared with the model group, PCP1 significantly reduced neurological deficit scores, infarct size, ischemic tissue pathology, cortical cell damage, and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and NO(P<0.01). It also elevated IL-10 levels(P<0.01) and decreased the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins(P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, in vitro results showed that, compared with the OGD/R group, PCP1 significantly improved BV2 cell viability(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced cell NO levels induced by OGD/R(P<0.01), and inhibited the expression of TLR4-related inflammatory pathway proteins, including TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p-p65)/nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p65), NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18(P<0.05, P<0.01). The protective effects of PCP1 were reversed by LPS stimulation. In conclusion, PCP1 ameliorates cerebral I/R injury by modulating the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptotic effects.
Animals
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Toll-Like Receptor 4/genetics*
;
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Rats
;
Reperfusion Injury/genetics*
;
Male
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Polysaccharides/isolation & purification*
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Polygonatum/chemistry*
;
Brain Ischemia/genetics*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Mice
;
Humans
6.Overall strategy for development and application of core outcome set of traditional Chinese medicine.
Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bo PANG ; Yu-Yun LI ; Hui-Zhong ZHU ; Feng-Wen YANG ; Bo-Li ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3506-3512
The scientific and standardized evaluation of clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the core requirement for promoting the high-quality development of TCM. Building a recognized evaluation outcome system that conforms to the clinical efficacy characteristics of TCM is a key fundamental issue in the production and transformation of clinical evidence in TCM. In response to the heterogeneity of evaluation outcomes and core issues such as "western law in the middle", the research on the core outcome set of TCM(COS-TCM) has undergone more than ten years of exploration and practice. Its methodological system has continued to deepen under the coordinated development of theoretical basis, technical methods, platform support, and talent team, achieving an important leap from early introduction to standardized system construction and entering a new stage of systematic development. However, the overall research scale, quality, and the translation and application of research results in COS-TCM are still insufficient. In response to the opportunities and challenges of the new development stage, this article systematically reviews the development history and research status of COS-TCM, clarifies the basic principles of "international standards + TCM characteristics" and the key tasks of "selection, improvement, and creation", and proposes a three-step development path of "exploration and research, standard development, and regulatory transformation" to promote the standardization, systematization, and scientific development of related research. To ensure the effective implementation of research results, key promotion strategies such as upgrading research platforms, strengthening support systems, and optimizing collaborative mechanisms have been planned to drive COS-TCM to better serve clinical research, evidence translation, and new drug review.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
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Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards*
7.Effects and mechanisms of Yuxuebi Tablets combined with ibuprofen in treating chronic musculoskeletal pain through "integrated regulation of inflammation and pain-related oxylipins".
Ao-Qing HUANG ; Wen-Li WANG ; Guo-Xin ZHANG ; Ying LIU ; Na LIN ; Chun-Yan ZHU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3763-3777
This study adopted a three-dimensional "effect-dose-mechanism" evaluation system to screen the optimal regimen of Yuxuebi Tablets(YXB) combined with ibuprofen(IBU) for chronic musculoskeletal pain(CMP) intervention and elucidate its pharmacological mechanism, so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of the regimen. The experiments were conducted using 8-week-old ICR mice, which were randomly divided into sham operation(sham) group, model(CFA) group, IBU group, YXB group, stasis paralysis tablets combined with ibuprofen low-dose group(IBU-L-YXB), stasis paralysis combined with ibuprofen high-dose group(IBU-H-YXB), stasis paralysis tablets combined with ibuprofen high-dose with ibuprofen discontinuation on the 10th day of administration(IBU-10-YXB), and stasis paralysis tablets combined with ibuprofen high-dose with ibuprofen halving on the 10th day of administration(IBU-1/2-YXB) group. An animal model was established using the CFA plantar injection method. On D0(the second day post-modeling), the success of model establishment was assessed, followed by continuous drug administration for 18 consecutive days from D1 to D18. During this period, mechanical pain threshold was measured by the Von Frey test; thermal hyperalgesia was detected by the hot plate test, and depression-like behavior was observed by the tail suspension test. After treatment, peripheral blood was collected from all groups for complete blood biochemical analysis, and the injected feet of the sham, CFA, IBU, YXB, IBU-YXB, and IBU-10-YXB groups were subjected to oxylipin metabolomics analysis. Immunofluorescence double staining was further performed to detect the co-expression of key oxylipin metabolic enzymes(COX2, LTA4H, and 5/12/15-LOX) and macrophage marker CD68 in the sham, CFA, IBU, and YXB-L/M/H groups. Subsequently, confirmatory analysis of positive indicators was conducted in the sham, CFA, IBU, YXB, IBU-YXB, and IBU-10-YXB groups. On D6(acute phase), mechanical pain sensitivity data showed that compared with the CFA group, only the three combination groups(IBU-YXB, IBU-10-YXB, and IBU-1/2-YXB) exhibited significantly increased paw withdrawal thresholds. On D17(chronic phase), only the IBU-10-YXB group showed a mechanical pain threshold significantly higher than all other monotherapy and combination groups. On D17, thermal pain data showed that compared with the CFA group, all groups except IBU-1/2-YXB had significantly prolonged paw withdrawal latency. On D18, tail suspension data showed that compared with the CFA group, the YXB, IBU-YXB, and IBU-10-YXB groups had significantly reduced immobility time. In summary, IBU-10-YXB stably improved the core symptoms of acute and chronic inflammatory pain. Complete blood count data showed that compared with the sham group, the CFA group had significantly increased mean platelet volume(MPV), while compared with the CFA group, the IBU-YXB and IBU-10-YXB groups had significantly reduced MPV. Moreover, the platelet distribution width(PDW) of the IBU-10-YXB group was further reduced compared with the CFA group. These data suggest that the IBU-10-YXB combination regimen has superior effects on inflammation and blood circulation improvement compared with other treatment groups. At the mechanistic level, each treatment group differentially regulated pro-inflammatory and pro-resolving oxylipin(SPM). Specifically, compared with the CFA group, the IBU and IBU-YXB groups significantly inhibited the synthesis of the prostaglandin family downstream of COX2, reducing pro-inflammatory oxylipins PGD2 and 6-keto-PGF1α but inhibiting PGE1 and PGE2, which played positive roles in peripheral circulation, vasodilation, and inflammation resolution. Compared with the CFA group, the YXB group tended to inhibit the pro-inflammatory oxylipin LTB4 downstream of LTA4H and increase SPMs such as LXA4. The IBU-10-YXB group bidirectionally regulated pro-inflammatory oxylipins and SPMs. Compared with IBU, IBU-10-YXB significantly inhibited the pro-inflammatory mediator 5-HETE. Meanwhile, IBU-10-YXB broadly upregulated SPMs, as evidenced by significant upregulation of LXA4 compared with the CFA group, significant upregulation of LXA5 compared with the IBU and IBU-YXB groups, significant upregulation of RvD1 compared with the CFA group and all other treatment groups, and significant upregulation of RvD5 compared with the sham group. Immunofluorescence double staining results were as follows: compared with the CFA group, the IBU group specifically inhibited the oxylipin metabolic enzyme COX2. In the YXB group, COX2, LTA4H, and 5/12-LOX were significantly inhibited. Within the optimal analgesic dose range, YXB's inhibitory effects on COX2 and LTA4H were dose-dependent, while its inhibitory effects on 5/12-LOX were inversely dose-dependent. The two combination groups(IBU-YXB and IBU-10-YXB) inhibited COX2 and LTA4H without significantly affecting 5-LOX, while IBU-10-YXB further significantly inhibited 12-LOX. These results suggest that the IBU-10-YXB combination regimen effectively maintains stable inhibition of COX2, LTA4H, and 12-LOX while enhancing 5-LOX expression. This combinatorial strategy effectively suppresses pro-inflammatory oxylipins and promotes SPM biosynthesis, overcoming IBU's analgesic ceiling effect and its blockade of pain resolution pathways while compensating for YXB's inability to effectively intervene in acute pain and inflammation. Therefore, it achieves more stable anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antidepressant effects.
Animals
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Ibuprofen/administration & dosage*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred ICR
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Male
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Musculoskeletal Pain/immunology*
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Tablets
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Humans
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Chronic Pain/metabolism*
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Drug Therapy, Combination
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Disease Models, Animal
8.Development of oral preparations of poorly soluble drugs based on polymer supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery technology.
Xu-Long CHEN ; Jiang-Wen SHEN ; Wei-Wei ZHA ; Jian-Yun YI ; Lin LI ; Zhang-Ting LAI ; Zheng-Gen LIAO ; Ye ZHU ; Yue-Er CHENG ; Cheng LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(16):4471-4482
Poor water solubility is the primary obstacle preventing the development of many pharmacologically active compounds into oral preparations. Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) have become a widely used strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs by inducing a supersaturated state, thereby improving their apparent solubility and dissolution rate. However, the supersaturated solutions formed in SNEDDS are thermodynamically unstable systems with solubility levels exceeding the crystalline equilibrium solubility, making them prone to drug precipitation in the gastrointestinal tract and ultimately hindering drug absorption. Therefore, maintaining a stable supersaturated state is crucial for the effective delivery of poorly soluble drugs. Incorporating polymers as precipitation inhibitors(PPIs) into the formulation of supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(S-SNEDDS) can inhibit drug aggregation and crystallization, thus maintaining a stable supersaturated state. This has emerged as a novel preparation strategy and a key focus in SNEDDS research. This review explores the preparation design of SNEDDS and the technical challenges involved, with a particular focus on polymer-based S-SNEDDS for enhancing the solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. It further elucidates the mechanisms by which polymers participate in transmembrane transport, summarizes the principles by which polymers sustain a supersaturated state, and discusses strategies for enhancing drug absorption. Altogether, this review provides a structured framework for the development of S-SNEDDS preparations with stable quality and reduced development risk, and offers a theoretical reference for the application of S-SNEDDS technology in improving the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Solubility
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Administration, Oral
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Polymers/chemistry*
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Drug Delivery Systems/methods*
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Humans
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Emulsions/chemistry*
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Biological Availability
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Animals
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Pharmaceutical Preparations/administration & dosage*
9.A multi-scale feature capturing and spatial position attention model for colorectal polyp image segmentation.
Wen GUO ; Xiangyang CHEN ; Jian WU ; Jiaqi LI ; Pengxue ZHU
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(5):910-918
Colorectal polyps are important early markers of colorectal cancer, and their early detection is crucial for cancer prevention. Although existing polyp segmentation models have achieved certain results, they still face challenges such as diverse polyp morphology, blurred boundaries, and insufficient feature extraction. To address these issues, this study proposes a parallel coordinate fusion network (PCFNet), aiming to improve the accuracy and robustness of polyp segmentation. PCFNet integrates parallel convolutional modules and a coordinate attention mechanism, enabling the preservation of global feature information while precisely capturing detailed features, thereby effectively segmenting polyps with complex boundaries. Experimental results on Kvasir-SEG and CVC-ClinicDB demonstrate the outstanding performance of PCFNet across multiple metrics. Specifically, on the Kvasir-SEG dataset, PCFNet achieved an F1-score of 0.897 4 and a mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 0.835 8; on the CVC-ClinicDB dataset, it attained an F1-score of 0.939 8 and an mIoU of 0.892 3. Compared with other methods, PCFNet shows significant improvements across all performance metrics, particularly in multi-scale feature fusion and spatial information capture, demonstrating its innovativeness. The proposed method provides a more reliable AI-assisted diagnostic tool for early colorectal cancer screening.
Humans
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Colonic Polyps/diagnostic imaging*
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Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging*
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Neural Networks, Computer
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Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods*
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Algorithms
;
Early Detection of Cancer
10.Molecular mechanism of magnesium alloy promoting macrophage M2 polarization through modulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway for tendon-bone healing in rotator cuff injury repair.
Xianhao SHENG ; Wen ZHANG ; Shoulong SONG ; Fei ZHANG ; Baoxiang ZHANG ; Xiaoying TIAN ; Wentao XIONG ; Yingguang ZHU ; Yuxin XIE ; Zi'ang LI ; Lili TAN ; Qiang ZHANG ; Yan WANG
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(2):174-186
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the effect of biodegradable magnesium alloy materials in promoting tendon-bone healing during rotator cuff tear repair and to investigate their potential underlying biological mechanisms.
METHODS:
Forty-eight 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were taken and randomly divided into groups A, B, and C. Rotator cuff tear models were created and repaired using magnesium alloy sutures in group A and Vicryl Plus 4-0 absorbable sutures in group B, while only subcutaneous incisions and sutures were performed in group C. Organ samples of groups A and B were taken for HE staining at 1 and 2 weeks after operation to evaluate the safety of magnesium alloy, and specimens from the supraspinatus tendon and proximal humerus were harvested at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after operation. The specimens were observed macroscopically at 4 and 12 weeks after operation. Biomechanical tests were performed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks to test the ultimate load and stiffness of the healing sites in groups A and B. At 2, 4, and 12 weeks, the specimens were subjected to the following tests: Micro-CT to evaluate the formation of bone tunnels in groups A and B, HE staining and Masson staining to observe the regeneration of fibrocartilage at the tendon-bone interface after decalcification and sectioning, and Goldner trichrome staining to evaluate the calcification. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expressions of angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), as well as osteogenic factors at the tendon-bone interface. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the expressions of Arginase 1 and Integrin beta-2 to assess M1 and M2 macrophage polarization at the tendon-bone interface. The role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway in tendon-bone healing was further analyzed using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.
RESULTS:
Analysis of visceral sections revealed that magnesium ions released during the degradation of magnesium alloys did not cause significant toxic effects on organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, indicating good biosafety. Histological analysis further demonstrated that fibrocartilage regeneration at the tendon-bone interface in group A occurred earlier, and the amount of fibrocartilage was significantly greater compared to group B, suggesting a positive effect of magnesium alloy material on tendon-bone interface repair. Additionally, Micro-CT analysis results revealed that bone tunnel formation occurred more rapidly in group A compared to group B, further supporting the beneficial effect of magnesium alloy on bone healing. Biomechanical testing showed that the ultimate load in group A was consistently higher than in group B, and the stiffness of group A was also greater than that of group B at 4 weeks, indicating stronger tissue-carrying capacity following tendon-bone interface repair and highlighting the potential of magnesium alloy in enhancing tendon-bone healing. Immunohistochemical staining results indicated that the expressions of VEGF and BMP-2 were significantly upregulated during the early stages of healing, suggesting that magnesium alloy effectively promoted angiogenesis and bone formation, thereby accelerating the tendon-bone healing process. Immunofluorescence staining further revealed that magnesium ions exerted significant anti-inflammatory effects by regulating macrophage polarization, promoting their shift toward the M2 phenotype. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results demonstrated that magnesium ions could facilitate tendon-bone healing by modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
CONCLUSION
Biodegradable magnesium alloy material accelerated fibrocartilage regeneration and calcification at the tendon-bone interface in rat rotator cuff tear repair by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby significantly enhancing tendon-bone healing.
Animals
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Rotator Cuff Injuries/metabolism*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Signal Transduction
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Wound Healing/drug effects*
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Alloys/pharmacology*
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Rats
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism*
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Rotator Cuff/metabolism*
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Macrophages/metabolism*
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Magnesium/pharmacology*
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Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism*
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*
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Male
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Biocompatible Materials
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/metabolism*

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