AIM:To clarify the molecular mechanism by which astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ)suppresses oxida-tive stress and alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI)via the PTEN-induced kinase 1(PINK1)/parkin mi-tophagy-associated pathway.METHODS:A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model was estab-lished in Sprague-Dawley rats.The animals were allocated to sham,MCAO/R,AS-Ⅳ,and mitochondrial division inhibi-tor-1(Mdivi-1)treatment groups.The rats in AS-Ⅳ and Mdivi-1 groups were intraperitoneally injected once daily with AS-Ⅳ(20 mg/kg)for 7 d,while those in Midivi-1 group also received intraperitoneal injection of Mdivi-1(1.2 mg·kg-1·d-1).The rats in sham and MCAO/R groups were given equivalent volume of distilled water.Neurological deficits were as-sessed using Zea Longa scoring,infarcted area volumes were measured using TTC staining,and brain tissue pathology was examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining.The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were assessed by ELISA,while those of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were measured using flow cytometry.The expres-sion levels of PINK1,parkin and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)were quantified using Western blot and RT-qPCR.RESULTS:AS-Ⅳ administration significantly alleviated neuronal and mitochondrial damage in MCAO/R model rat brains(P＜0.05),together with significant reductions in the cerebral infarct volume and neurological dysfunc-tion(P＜0.05).Significant increases in PINK1,parkin and LC3 protein and mRNA levels were observed in response to AS-Ⅳ(P＜0.05),SOD activity rose,and ROS and MDA levels declined significantly(P＜0.05).The co-administration of Mdivi-1 abrogated the protective benefits of AS-Ⅳ,inhibited activation of the PINK1/parkin pathway,down-regulated LC3 at the mRNA and protein levels,and significantly increased mitochondrial damage.Mdivi-1 also markedly reduced autophagosome formation and SOD activity level,but increased both ROS and MDA levels,cerebral infarct volume,and the severity of neurological deficits(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Astragaloside Ⅳ activates the PINK/parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway,inhibits oxidative stress and alleviates CIRI in rats.

Objective To optimized the extraction process of the"Honghuangbai"gel and to establish the content determination method of the gel.Methods The contents of salidroside,berberine hydrochloride and 1,4-bis[4-(glucose-oxy)benzyl]-2-isobutyl malate in"honghuangbai"extract were determined by HPLC with gradient elution;the content of total polysaccharide was determined by anthrone-sulfuric acid method.AHP-CRITIC composite weighting method was used to calculate the weight coefficient of 4 indicators,and the comprehensive score was taken as the evaluation index.Combined with L9(34)orthogonal experiment design,the effects of solid-liquid ratio,extraction time and times on the extraction process of"honghuangbai"gel were investigated,and the optimal extraction process was selected and verified.The method for the determination of 4 index components in the gel was established and the methodology was investigated.Results The optimal solid-liquid ratio was 1∶45,the optimal extraction time was 2 h and the optimal extraction times was twice.The linear relationships of the four indexes were good in their respective linear ranges,with R2＞0.999 0.The average recoveries were 98.67％～102.09％,and RSD was 0.77％～3.17％.Good precision,repeatability and stability,RSD≤2.28％.Conclusion The optimal extraction process of"honghuangbai"gel optimized by AHP-CRITIC combined with orthogonal test is stable and economical.The method of the gel content determination is feasible and the result is reliable,which provides experimental basis for the establishment of the quality standard of the gel.

AIM:To clarify the molecular mechanism by which astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ)suppresses oxida-tive stress and alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI)via the PTEN-induced kinase 1(PINK1)/parkin mi-tophagy-associated pathway.METHODS:A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model was estab-lished in Sprague-Dawley rats.The animals were allocated to sham,MCAO/R,AS-Ⅳ,and mitochondrial division inhibi-tor-1(Mdivi-1)treatment groups.The rats in AS-Ⅳ and Mdivi-1 groups were intraperitoneally injected once daily with AS-Ⅳ(20 mg/kg)for 7 d,while those in Midivi-1 group also received intraperitoneal injection of Mdivi-1(1.2 mg·kg-1·d-1).The rats in sham and MCAO/R groups were given equivalent volume of distilled water.Neurological deficits were as-sessed using Zea Longa scoring,infarcted area volumes were measured using TTC staining,and brain tissue pathology was examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining.The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were assessed by ELISA,while those of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were measured using flow cytometry.The expres-sion levels of PINK1,parkin and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)were quantified using Western blot and RT-qPCR.RESULTS:AS-Ⅳ administration significantly alleviated neuronal and mitochondrial damage in MCAO/R model rat brains(P＜0.05),together with significant reductions in the cerebral infarct volume and neurological dysfunc-tion(P＜0.05).Significant increases in PINK1,parkin and LC3 protein and mRNA levels were observed in response to AS-Ⅳ(P＜0.05),SOD activity rose,and ROS and MDA levels declined significantly(P＜0.05).The co-administration of Mdivi-1 abrogated the protective benefits of AS-Ⅳ,inhibited activation of the PINK1/parkin pathway,down-regulated LC3 at the mRNA and protein levels,and significantly increased mitochondrial damage.Mdivi-1 also markedly reduced autophagosome formation and SOD activity level,but increased both ROS and MDA levels,cerebral infarct volume,and the severity of neurological deficits(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Astragaloside Ⅳ activates the PINK/parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway,inhibits oxidative stress and alleviates CIRI in rats.

Objective To optimized the extraction process of the"Honghuangbai"gel and to establish the content determination method of the gel.Methods The contents of salidroside,berberine hydrochloride and 1,4-bis[4-(glucose-oxy)benzyl]-2-isobutyl malate in"honghuangbai"extract were determined by HPLC with gradient elution;the content of total polysaccharide was determined by anthrone-sulfuric acid method.AHP-CRITIC composite weighting method was used to calculate the weight coefficient of 4 indicators,and the comprehensive score was taken as the evaluation index.Combined with L9(34)orthogonal experiment design,the effects of solid-liquid ratio,extraction time and times on the extraction process of"honghuangbai"gel were investigated,and the optimal extraction process was selected and verified.The method for the determination of 4 index components in the gel was established and the methodology was investigated.Results The optimal solid-liquid ratio was 1∶45,the optimal extraction time was 2 h and the optimal extraction times was twice.The linear relationships of the four indexes were good in their respective linear ranges,with R2＞0.999 0.The average recoveries were 98.67％～102.09％,and RSD was 0.77％～3.17％.Good precision,repeatability and stability,RSD≤2.28％.Conclusion The optimal extraction process of"honghuangbai"gel optimized by AHP-CRITIC combined with orthogonal test is stable and economical.The method of the gel content determination is feasible and the result is reliable,which provides experimental basis for the establishment of the quality standard of the gel.

AIM:To comprehend the mechanism by which ginsenoside Rc protects against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI),with a particular emphasis on pyroptosis.METHODS:The C57BL/6 mice were randomly di-vided into 6 groups:sham group,middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)group,ginsenoside Rc+MCAO/R group(Rc group),AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)agonist acadesine/5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside(AICAR)+MCAO/R group(agonist group),and ginsenoside Rc+MCAO/R+AMPK inhibitor Compound C group(Rc+inhibitor group).The mice in agonist group were given 500 mg/kg of AICAR intraperitoneally,while those in Rc+inhibitor group were given 20 mg/kg of Compound C intraperitoneally.Ginsenoside Rc was gavaged into the mice in Rc and Rc+inhibitor groups at a dose of 40 mg/kg once per day for 7 d after modeling,while the mice in sham and MCAO/R groups got the same volume of purified water.With the use of the Zea-Longa score,we determined which mice had neu-rological abnormalities.TTC staining was employed for assessing the cerebral infarct amount in mice,and the dry wet weight technique was utilized for determining the degree of cerebral edema.Moreover,HE staining was used to observe pathological alterations in the brain,and Western blot and RT-qPCR were applied for detecting the expression of AMPK,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),caspase-1 and gasdermin-D(GSDMD)in the brains of mice.Lastly,ELISA was employed for measuring the levels of inflammatory factors,interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18.RESULTS:Brain edema,infarct volume and neurological impairments were all diminished in agonist and Rc groups.Additionally,they demonstrated neuronal damage inhibition.The ratio of p-AMPK/AMPK and AMPK mRNA ex-pression in mouse brain tissues was elevated in both Rc and agonist groups.They showed decreased mRNA and protein levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD,as well as the levels of IL-1β and IL-18.Compared with Rc group,there were remarkable decreases in p-AMPK/AMPK ratio and AMPK mRNA expression in the brain tissue of mice in Rc+inhibitor group(P<0.05).The mRNA and protein levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and GSDMD,and the IL-1β and IL-18 expression levels were significantly increased(P<0.05).Moreover,the neurological deficiency scores and infarct volume were in-creased,and the degrees of cerebral edema and neuronal pathological damage were enhanced(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Ginsenoside Rc may inhibit NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis by activating AMPK pathway,thereby reducing CIRI in mice.

Objective:To analyze the general chapter for lotions 0127 of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 Vol-ume Ⅳ,and discuss how to improve the general technical requirements of lotions 0127 in the Chinese Pharma-copoeia.Methods:By comparing the general chapter for lotions in domestic and international pharmacopoe-ias,the definition,classification,process,storage and corresponding inspection requirements were analyzed.Results and Conclusions:The general chapter for lotions 0127 of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be revised,including improvement of the definition,increasement of forms of preparations,and expansion of included varieties,so as to promote scientific regulation for drugs and exhibit a guiding role of the Chinese pharmacopoeia in drug control.

Objective: To propose updates and amendments for the nitroglycerin tablets quality in the Chinese pharmacopoeia 2020 due to the failure of effective separation of 4 known impurities and nonseparation of free nitrate ion and excipients.
Methods: Related substances were analyzed using gradient elution by HPLC, and free nitrate ion was determined on SAX column by different HPLC method.
Results: Using the improved method to test the related substances and free nitrate ion of nitroglycerin tablets,the content of the maximum individual impurity were not more than 0.5%, the total content was not more than 2.4% and the content of free nitrate ion was not more than 6.3%.
Conclusion: The improved method is accurate and feasible. It provided a reference for the updates and amendments of the quality standard of nitroglycerin tablets in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020.

Objective To evaluate correlations between levels of neurofilament light(NfL)and peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1)in the serum of Wilson's disease(WD)patients and their neurological and cognitive function.Methods In total,this study included 120 WD patients who were admitted to our hospital between April 2022 and April 2024.WD patient classification was performed based on analyses of neurological function(Modified Young Scale)and cognitive function(MMSE scales).As normal control subjects,30 healthy volunteers who completed health examinations at our hospital over this same time period were enrolled as normal control group.Serum NfL and PRDX1 levels were detected via ELISA,and Pearson correlation analyses were used to assess correlations between the serum levels of these proteins and WD patient neurological and cognitive function.Results Significantly increased serum NfL and PRDX1 levels were observed in WD patients relative to normal control group(all P＜0.05),and the levels of serum NfL and PRDX1 in the serum of WD patients exhibiting high neurological function scores were significantly higher than those in WD patients exhibiting low neurological function scores(all P＜0.05).Positive correlations were observed between these WD patient neurological function scores and serum levels of both NfL and PRDX1(all P＜0.05).Moreover,WD patients with cognitive impairment exhibited significantly elevated serum NfL and PRDX1 levels as compared to normal control group(all P＜0.05),and the serum levels of NfL and PRDX1 in WD patients with lower cognitive function scores were significantly higher than those with higher cognitive function scores(all P＜0.05).A negative correlation was detected between WD patient cognitive function scores and serum levels of both NfL and PRDX1(all P＜0.05).Conclusion NfL and PRDX1 serum levels are closely related to the severity of neurological and cognitive impairment in WD patients,and they may offer utility as auxiliary biomarkers for the assessment of cognitive and neurological impairment in patients with WD.

Objective To evaluate correlations between levels of neurofilament light(NfL)and peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1)in the serum of Wilson's disease(WD)patients and their neurological and cognitive function.Methods In total,this study included 120 WD patients who were admitted to our hospital between April 2022 and April 2024.WD patient classification was performed based on analyses of neurological function(Modified Young Scale)and cognitive function(MMSE scales).As normal control subjects,30 healthy volunteers who completed health examinations at our hospital over this same time period were enrolled as normal control group.Serum NfL and PRDX1 levels were detected via ELISA,and Pearson correlation analyses were used to assess correlations between the serum levels of these proteins and WD patient neurological and cognitive function.Results Significantly increased serum NfL and PRDX1 levels were observed in WD patients relative to normal control group(all P＜0.05),and the levels of serum NfL and PRDX1 in the serum of WD patients exhibiting high neurological function scores were significantly higher than those in WD patients exhibiting low neurological function scores(all P＜0.05).Positive correlations were observed between these WD patient neurological function scores and serum levels of both NfL and PRDX1(all P＜0.05).Moreover,WD patients with cognitive impairment exhibited significantly elevated serum NfL and PRDX1 levels as compared to normal control group(all P＜0.05),and the serum levels of NfL and PRDX1 in WD patients with lower cognitive function scores were significantly higher than those with higher cognitive function scores(all P＜0.05).A negative correlation was detected between WD patient cognitive function scores and serum levels of both NfL and PRDX1(all P＜0.05).Conclusion NfL and PRDX1 serum levels are closely related to the severity of neurological and cognitive impairment in WD patients,and they may offer utility as auxiliary biomarkers for the assessment of cognitive and neurological impairment in patients with WD.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is the mainstay of treatment for periampullary space-occupying disease. The occurrence of pancreatic fistula after PD is still an unsolved clinical problem, which seriously affects the safety of surgery. Various methods have been reported in clinical practice to reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula, such as improving pancreaticoenteric anastomosis, using biological sealants, applying somatostatin analogs, and continuous peritoneal irrigation, etc., but the incidence of pancreatic fistula remains at 5%-30%. There are many risk factors related to pancreatic fistula after PD, in which reasonable selection of suture materials is an important factor and also an important factor affecting the curative effect of surgery. The authors analyze the characteristics and shortcomings of various sutures used in PD, in order to provide help to improve the safety of surgery and reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula after PD.