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.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting a substantial proportion of women of reproductive age. It is frequently associated with ovulatory dysfunction, infertility, and an increased risk of chronic metabolic diseases. A hallmark pathological feature of PCOS is the arrest of follicular development, closely linked to impaired intercellular communication between the oocyte and surrounding granulosa cells. Transzonal projections (TZPs) are specialized cytoplasmic extensions derived from granulosa cells that penetrate the zona pellucida to establish direct contact with the oocyte. These structures serve as essential conduits for the transfer of metabolites, signaling molecules (e.g., cAMP, cGMP), and regulatory factors (e.g., microRNAs, growth differentiation factors), thereby maintaining meiotic arrest, facilitating metabolic cooperation, and supporting gene expression regulation in the oocyte. The proper formation and maintenance of TZPs depend on the cytoskeletal integrity of granulosa cells and the regulated expression of key connexins, particularly CX37 and CX43. Recent studies have revealed that in PCOS, TZPs exhibit significant structural and functional abnormalities. Contributing factors—such as hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and dysregulation of critical signaling pathways (including PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β‑catenin, and MAPK/ERK)—collectively impair TZP integrity and reduce their formation. This disruption in granulosa-oocyte communication compromises oocyte quality and contributes to follicular arrest and anovulation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TZP biology, including their formation mechanisms, molecular composition, and stage-specific dynamics during folliculogenesis. We highlight the pathological alterations in TZPs observed in PCOS and elucidate how endocrine and metabolic disturbances—particularly androgen excess and hyperinsulinemia—downregulate CX43 expression and impair gap junction function, thereby exacerbating ovarian microenvironmental dysfunction. Furthermore, we explore emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving or restoring TZP integrity. Anti-androgen therapies (e.g., spironolactone, flutamide), insulin sensitizers (e.g., metformin), and GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide) have shown potential in modulating connexin expression and enhancing granulosa-oocyte communication. In addition, agents such as melatonin, AMPK activators, and GDF9/BMP15 analogs may promote TZP formation and improve oocyte competence. Advanced technologies, including ovarian organoid models and CRISPR-based gene editing, offer promising platforms for studying TZP regulation and developing targeted interventions. In summary, TZPs are indispensable for maintaining follicular homeostasis, and their disruption plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PCOS-related folliculogenesis failure. Targeting TZP integrity represents a promising therapeutic avenue in PCOS management and warrants further mechanistic and translational investigation.

Objective To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of aconitine,neoaconitine,hypaconitine,benzoyl aconitine,benzoyl mesaconine and benzoylhypacoitine in Xiaozhong ointment by UPLC-TQD-MS.Methods ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column(50 mm ×2.1 mm,1.7 μm),mobile phase 0.1％formic acid water(A)-acetonitrile(B),gradient elution,column temperature 40 ℃,flow rate 0.3 mL·min-1,injection volume 5 μL;electrospray ionization source(ESI+)and multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)were used for mass spectrometry analysis.Results The concentration of aconitine,new aconitine,hypaconitine,benzoyl aconitine,benzoyl new aconitine and benzoyl hypaconitine were 1.0-100.0 ng·mL-1,respectively,the average recovery were 98.62％-101.24％.The mass fractions of the six components were 0.18,0.33,0.38,0.43,0.28,0.06μg·g-1.Conclusion The method can be used to determine the content of 6 aconitine-type alkaloids in Xiaozhong ointment,and provide reference for the quality evaluation and clinical safe use of Xiaozhong ointment.

ObjectiveTo systematically explore the underlying mechanisms of Huashi Baidu prescription （HBP） against myocardial injury through a multidimensional network analysis of "transcriptome-putative target-phenotype gene". MethodPutative targets of compounds in HBP were predicted using the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine （ETCM 2.0，http：//www.tcmip.cn/ETCM2/front/） and the Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCMIP v2.0，http：//www.tcmip.cn/TCMIP/index.php/Home/Login/login.html）. Clinical predominant symptom phenotypes for HBP against coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19） were collected from CNKI and PubMed databases， while clinical side effects of doxorubicin were gathered from the CTD database. Phenotype-related genes were collected from the HPO database and SoFDA data platform （http：//www.tcmip.cn/Syndrome/front/#/）. An interaction network of "transcriptome-putative target-phenotype gene" was constructed. Key nodes were identified through topological feature calculations， and functional enrichment analysis was conducted to explain the underlying mechanism. Pharmacodynamic evaluation and mechanism verification were performed using a doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury mouse model. Sixty-five SPF-grade C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into a control group， a doxorubicin model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose HBP groups （HBP-L/M/H）， with 13 mice per group. Histopathological severity was assessed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson staining. Fibrosis markers were measured by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and protein expression was detected by Western blot. ResultA total of 1 044 putative targets for HBP were obtained from ETCM 2.0 and TCMIP v2.0. From the CTD， HPO， and SoFDA databases， 1 223 potential effect-related targets were identified. Cardiac transcriptome sequencing （RNA-seq） yielded 214 genes related to doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury and 58 genes associated with the effects of HBP， using criteria of P-value<0.05 and FC > 1.5/< 0.667. Analysis of the multidimensional molecular network revealed that the mechanisms of HBP on myocardial injury were mainly related to immune-inflammation imbalance， cellular metabolism， myocardial cell function and fibrosis， angiogenesis， contraction and platelet activation， DNA synthesis， metabolism and repair， as well as cell death and oxidative stress. HBP improved cardiovascular abnormalities such as reduced ejection fraction， myocardial fibrosis， myocarditis， hypertriglyceridemia， and arterial/venous thrombosis. Animal experiments demonstrated that HBP reduced the abnormal high expression of Nod-like receptor heat protein domain Protein 3 （NLRP3）， Caspase-1， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein （ASC）， and Gasdermin D （GSDMD） in myocardial tissue induced by doxorubicin （P<0.05）， and improved the elevated mRNA levels of fibrosis markers transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁）， Smad3， and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） （P<0.05）. ConclusionHBP can improve myocardial injury through multiple components， targets， and effects， with the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome activation pathway being a key pharmacodynamic mechanism. This study is expected to provide new insights for the development of targeted therapeutic drugs.

In this study, the effective substance group and molecular mechanism of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma-Persicae Semen combination (RRR-PS) in activating blood circulation and dispelling blood stasis were investigated by integrating efficacy experiments, network pharmacology and HPLC. The rat model of blood stasis syndrome was established, and the blood rheology index and coagulation four comprehensive evaluation were carried out. The results showed that compared with the model group, the whole blood viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and erythrocyte aggregation index of the rats in the RRR-PS group were significantly callback (P < 0.01). Network pharmacology found that RRR-PS combination exerted the effect of activating blood circulation and dispelling blood stasis by acting on calmodulin-1 (CALM1), nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS2), glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) and other targets, regulating platelet activation, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) and other signaling pathways, and found key components: sennoside B, (+)-catechin, emodin, physcion, rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, gallic acid. HPLC was used to explore the dissolution rate of key components. The results showed that the contents of catechin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion were significantly increased after RRR-PS combination (P < 0.01). In summary, RRR-PS has a significant effect on promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and its mechanism of action is related to promoting angiogenesis, anti-coagulation, anti-thrombosis and anti-inflammation. The efficacy is related to the change of solvent system and the large dissolution of catechin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion after the RRR-PS combination. The results of the study can further provide a reference for the follow-up study on the active substances and mechanism of the RRR-PS combination. Animal experiments have been approved by the Experimental Animal Committee of Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. SUCMDL20210309002).

From an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head (guitou), nine pairs of lignanoid enantiomers [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-9], including three pairs of new structures [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-3] and two pairs of chiral separated enantiomers for the first time [(+)-/(-)-4 and (+)-/(-)-5], were isolated and chirally separated by column chromatography over different types of resin, normal and reversed phase silica gels, together with HPLC techniques using reversed phase and chiral columns. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, theoretic calculation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The chiral separated new enantiomers named (+)-/(-)-angelignanins Q-T [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-4] and (+)-/(-)-daphneresinol [(+)-/(-)-5], respectively.

Background: Genetic defects in the human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) gene can cause congenital hypothyroidism (CH). However, the biological functions and comprehensive genotype–phenotype relationships for most TSHR variants associated with CH remain unexplored. We aimed to identify TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH, analyze the functions of the variants, and explore the relationships between TSHR genotypes and clinical phenotypes. Methods: In total, 367 patients with CH were recruited for TSHR variant screening using whole-exome sequencing. The effects of the variants were evaluated by in-silico programs such as SIFT and polyphen2. Furthermore, these variants were transfected into 293T cells to detect their Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling activity. Results: Among the 367 patients with CH, 17 TSHR variants, including three novel variants, were identified in 45 patients, and 18 patients carried biallelic TSHR variants. In vitro experiments showed that 10 variants were associated with Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling pathway impairment to varying degrees. Patients with TSHR biallelic variants had lower serum TSH levels and higher free triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels at diagnosis than those with DUOX2 biallelic variants. Conclusions We found a high frequency of TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH (12.3%), and 4.9% of cases were caused by TSHR biallelic variants. Ten variants were identified as loss-of-function variants. The data suggest that the clinical phenotype of CH patients caused by TSHR biallelic variants is relatively mild. Our study expands the TSHR variant spectrum and provides further evidence for the elucidation of the genetic etiology of CH.

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of the Yinmei Kuijie decoction combined with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in treating mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis (UC) under real-world conditions. Methods: This multicenter, prospective, non-randomized, observational study will be conducted in real-world settings. A total of 204 eligible patients will be consecutively enrolled in the study. Patients in the combination treatment group will receive Yinmei Kuijie decoction in combination with 5-ASA, whereas those in the control group will be treated with 5-ASA alone. The primary endpoint will be a clinical response at week 12, defined as a ≥3 point and ≥30% reduction from baseline in the Mayo total score with ≥1 reduction in rectal bleeding or rectal bleeding score = 0 or 1. Secondary efficacy endpoints at week 12 will include health-related quality of life, mucosal healing, and inflammation indicators. Conclusion The results of this study may provide evidence of the efficacy and safety of Yinmei Kuijie decoction combined with 5-ASA in treating patients with mildly to moderately active UC under real-world principles. The results will provide a basis for further confirmatory studies on the efficacy of Yinmei Kuijie decoction.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and behavioral impairment, and there is a lack of effective drugs to treat AD clinically. Existing medications for the treatment of AD, such as Tacrine, Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Aducanumab, only serve to delay symptoms and but not cure disease. To add insult to injury, these medications are associated with very serious adverse effects. Therefore, it is urgent to explore effective therapeutic drugs for AD. Recently, studies have shown that a variety of enzyme inhibitors, such as cholinesterase inhibitors, monoamine oxidase (MAO)inhibitors, secretase inhibitors, can ameliorate cholinergic system dysfunction, Aβ production and deposition, Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress damage, and the decline of synaptic plasticity, thereby improving AD symptoms and cognitive function. Some plant extracts from natural sources, such as Umbelliferone, Aaptamine, Medha Plus, have the ability to inhibit cholinesterase activity and act to improve learning and cognition. Isochromanone derivatives incorporating the donepezil pharmacophore bind to the catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) sites of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which can inhibit AChE activity and ameliorate cholinergic system disorders. A compound called Rosmarinic acid which is found in the Lamiaceae can inhibit monoamine oxidase, increase monoamine levels in the brain, and reduce Aβ deposition. Compounds obtained by hybridization of coumarin derivatives and hydroxypyridinones can inhibit MAO-B activity and attenuate oxidative stress damage. Quinoline derivatives which inhibit the activation of AChE and MAO-B can reduce Aβ burden and promote learning and memory of mice. The compound derived from the combination of propargyl and tacrine retains the inhibitory capacity of tacrine towards cholinesterase, and also inhibits the activity of MAO by binding to the FAD cofactor of monoamine oxidase. A series of hybrids, obtained by an amide linker of chromone in combine with the benzylpiperidine moieties of donepezil, have a favorable safety profile of both cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity. Single domain antibodies (such as AAV-VHH) targeted the inhibition of BACE1 can reduce Aβ production and deposition as well as the levels of inflammatory cells, which ultimately improve synaptic plasticity. 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid from the extract of Ligustrum lucidum can specifically inhibit the activity of γ-secretase, thereby rescuing the long-term potentiation and enhancing synaptic plasticity in APP/PS1 mice. Inhibiting γ-secretase activity which leads to the decline of inflammatory factors (such as IFN-γ, IL-8) not only directly improves the pathology of AD, but also reduces Aβ production. Melatonin reduces the transcriptional expression of GSK-3β mRNA, thereby decreasing the levels of GSK-3β and reducing the phosphorylation induced by GSK-3β. Hydrogen sulfide can inhibitGSK-3β activity via sulfhydration of the Cys218 site of GSK-3β, resulting in the suppression of Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, which ameliorate the motor deficits and cognitive impairment in mice with AD. This article reviews enzyme inhibitors and conformational optimization of enzyme inhibitors targeting the regulation of cholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, secretase, and GSK-3β. We are hoping to provide a comprehensive overview of drug development in the enzyme inhibitors, which may be useful in treating AD.

ObjectiveAt present, the matching reagents of commercially available rapid DNA instruments based on microfluidics chip technology are autosome short tandem repeat (STR) individual identification reagents. The non-recombining part of the human Y chromosome is widely used in forensic DNA analysis, particularly in cases where standard autosomal DNA profile is uninformative. Y-STR loci are useful markers to identify males and male lineages in forensic practice. In order to achieve rapid and fully integrated detection ofY-STR loci, this study constructed the RTyper Y27 microfluidic chip rapid detection system and validated the performance of this system. MethodsThe system was verified and evaluated by sensitivity, success rate, typing accuracy, peak height balance, sizing precision and accuracy, mock case sample tests, mixture detection ability, and inhibition tolerance. ResultsComplete Y-STR profiles can be obtained when the template amount of DNA standard 9948 was ≥8 ng, the number of blood cards was ≥3 pieces, and the number of oral swab scrapings was≥7 times. The success rate of fully integrated detection was 91.52%, and the concordance rates was 99.74% for 165 testing samples. The success rate of 115 blood spots in these samples was 90.43%, with a typing accuracy of 99.65%, the success rate of 50 buccal swabs was 94%, with a typing accuracy of 99.92%. There was no significant difference in typing accuracy between blood spots and buccal swab samples. The peak height ratio between different fluorescence channels was 89.81%. The standard deviation of allelic ladder for 10 runs was within 0.5 bp. The size differences between allele and corresponding allele in allelic ladder was within 0.5 bp. The maximum precision CV values within and between batches were 0.48% and 0.68%, respectively, which were lower than 15%. These data indicate that the system has good accuracy and precision. The system was capable of accurately typing oral swabs, blood cards, saliva cards, cigarette butts, blood swabs and seminal stains. Complete Y-STR profiles can be obtained and distinguish at the 1∶3 ratio of minor and major contributors in artificial male DNA mixtures. Complete Y-STR genotyping can be obtained under the interference of inhibitors, such as different concentrations of humic acid (50-400 mg/L), indigotin (20-100 nmol/L) and hemoglobin (100-500 μmol/L). ConclusionIn this study, the RTyper Y27 microfluidic chip rapid amplification system is combined with the Quick TargSeq 1.0 integrated system, and the Y-STR profile can be obtained in approximately 2 h. Through a series of verification experiments, the results show that the system has good repeatability, accuracy and stability, can meet the on-site Y-STR detection requirements, and can be used in forensic practice.