ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Sanren Runchang formula in treating constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-C） by regulating the brain-gut axis and the effects of the formula on serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and substance P （SP）. MethodsA randomized controlled design was adopted， and 72 IBS-C patients meeting Rome Ⅳ criteria were randomized into observation and control groups （36 cases）.The observation group received Sanren Runchang formula granules twice daily， and the control group received lactulose oral solution daily for 4 weeks. IBS Symptom Severity Scale （IBS-SSS）， IBS Quality of Life Scale （IBS-QOL）， and Bristol Stool Form Scale （BSFS） were used to assess clinical symptoms， and bowel movement frequency was recorded. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS） and Self-Rating Depression Scale （SDS） were employed to evaluate psychological status. ELISA was employed to measure the serum levels of 5-HT， VIP， and SP. ResultsThe total response rate in the observation group was 91.67% （33/36）， which was higher than that （77.78%， 28/36） in the control group （χ²=4.50， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed increased defecation frequency and BSFS scores， decreased IBS-SSS total score， abdominal pain and bloating scores， IBS-QOL health anxiety， anxiety， food avoidance， and behavioral disorders scores， SAS and SDS scores， serum 5-HT and VIP levels， and increased SP levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group showed more significant changes in the indicators above than the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The SP level showed no significant difference between the two groups. During the 4-week follow-up， the recurrence rate was 5.88% in the observation group and 31.25% in the control group. No adverse events occurred in observation group， and 2 cases of mild diarrhea occurred in the control group. ConclusionSanren Runchang formula demonstrated definitive efficacy in alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms and improving the psychological status and quality of life in IBS-C patients， with a low recurrence rate. The formula can regulate serum levels of neurotransmitters such as 5-HT and VIP， suggesting its potential regulatory effect on the brain-gut axis through modulating neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. However， its complete mechanism of action requires further investigation through detection of additional brain-gut axis-related biomarkers.

The clinical manifestations of colorectal polyps are consistent with the characteristics of dampness, stickiness and heaviness. The TCM constitutions in the prone population are mostly related to dampness. The pathological changes of intestinal flora imbalance, intestinal micro inflammation, neuroendocrine immune network and abnormal aquaporin in colorectal polyps are consistent with the research results of modern mechanism of dampness pathogen. This article believed that the TCM pathogenesis of colorectal polyps caused by damp pathogen is the accumulation of spleen deficiency and dampness caused by improper diet, poor emotion and other factors, and the interweaving of various diseases and pathogens to form tangible foreign bodies. According to the pathogenic characteristics of damp pathogen and the pathogenic factors of colorectal polyps, the influence of damp pathogen on the pathogenesis of colorectal polyps was discussed, in order to provide an effective TCM theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal polyps in clinic.

Based on the theory of "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi" in Huangdi Neijing（《黄帝内经》）， this study explored the pathogenesis of spleen and stomach diseases and the therapeutic effects of Banxia Xiexintang on them. It suggested that "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi" represents a pathological state of Yin and Yang disturbance and imbalance in Qi circulation due to the mixture of clear and turbid Qi， which can elucidate the pathogenesis of spleen and stomach diseases. According to this theory， the pathogenesis of spleen and stomach diseases was summarized as Qi disorder in spleen and stomach， disharmony between Ying Qi and Wei Qi， and conflict between cold and heat. Banxia Xiexintang， as a crucial prescription for treating spleen and stomach diseases， achieves its therapeutic effects by dispersing stagnation with pungent flavor， descending adverse Qi with bitterness， regulating Ying Qi and Wei Qi， and harmonizing cold and heat. By regulating Qi circulation， balancing internal and external factors， and addressing deficiency and excess， it can rectify the pathological state of "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi" of spleen and stomach diseases. Modern research reveals that Banxia Xiexintang can modulate gastrointestinal motility， restore mucosal immune barrier function of the digestive system， and exhibit optimal therapeutic effects when combined with both cold-cool and warm-hot medicines， aligning with its therapeutic role under the theory of "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi". By delving into the essence of the "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi" theory and exploring the pathogenesis of spleen and stomach diseases and the therapeutic effects of Banxia Xiexintang based on this theory， this study further elucidated the inherent connection between spleen and stomach diseases and the "mutual interference of clear and turbid Qi" theory， offering insights and theoretical references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of spleen and stomach diseases.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription on mice with ulcerative colitis （UC） based on the change of the intestinal mucosal barrier function. MethodSix of thirty-six C57BL/6 mice were randomly selected as the normal group. The remaining mice were free to drink 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） solution for 7 days to prepare UC model mice. After modeling， they were randomly divided into model group， mesalazine group， and Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription high-， medium- and low-dose groups， 6 in each group. Mesalazine group was given 0.52 g·kg^-1·d^-1 suspension （ig）. Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription high-， medium- and low-dose groups were given 3.38， 1.69， 0.845 g·kg^-1·d^-1 suspension， respectively （ig）. The normal group and the model group were treated with an equal volume of purified water for 10 days （ig）. After intervention， the general condition， body weight， disease activity index （DAI） score， and colon length of the 6 groups of mice were compared. The colon tissue was stained with hematoxylin and eosin （HE） for pathological analysis， and the expression of Ki67 in colon tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， cleaved cysteine aspartate-specific protease-3 （Caspase-3） and Caspase-3 in colon tissue. ResultCompared with the model group， the mesalazine group and the Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription high- and medium-dose groups alleviated the diarrhea， blood in the stool， weight loss， and other symptoms in UC mice， reduced the DAI score （P<0.05）， and restored the colon shape （P<0.05）. The colonic mucosal defect and inflammatory cell infiltration were improved in the mesalazine group and the Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription high- and medium-dose groups，and there were more intact crypt stem cells. Western blot showed that the protein expression of MMP-9 and cleaved Caspase-3 in the mesalazine group and the Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription high-dose group was lower than that in the model group （P<0.05）， and there was no significant difference between the groups. The expression of Caspase-3 in the Qingre Huashi Tiaoshu high-dose prescription group was decreased compared with the condition in the model group （P<0.05）. ConclusionQingre Huashi Tiaoshu prescription could effectively relieve DSS-induced UC， and its mechanism of action might be related to regulating the expression of MMP-9， cleaved Caspase-3， and Caspase-3， and promoting the repair of intestinal mucosal barrier.