Jiegeng decoction is a classic prescription composed of two Chinese medicinal herbs： Platycodon grandiflorum and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It has the efficacy of diffusing lung qi， resolving phlegm， relieving sore throat and discharging pus， and is commonly used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as cough and pharyngodynia. This article reviews the chemical components， pharmacological mechanisms and clinical applications of Jiegeng decoction. It was found that Jiegeng decoction contains triterpenoid saponins， flavonoids， glycosides， acids， and other components， with platycodin D， platycodin D2， glycyrrhizic acid， glycyrrhetinic acid， liquiritin， etc.， serving as the main active pharmaceutical ingredients. Jiegeng decoction and its chemical constituents exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-κB and mitogen- activated protein kinases， and demonstrate anti-tumor activities through mechanisms like modulating the tumor immune microenvironment and promoting cancer cell apoptosis. Additionally， it exhibits various pharmacological actions including antibacterial， antiviral， and antioxidant effects. Clinically， Jiegeng decoction， its modified prescription and compound combinations are widely used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as cough， pneumonia， and pharyngitis， as well as digestive system disorders like constipation.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is primarily transmitted through the respiratory tract, and remains one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate of single-pathogen infections globally. The cell wall polysaccharides of M. tuberculosis are critical for maintaining bacterial structure, mediating pathogenesis, and enabling immune evasion. Lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a key polysaccharide component, has revolutionized non-invasive diagnostic technologies as a TB biomarker, while polysaccharide-based vaccines have emerged as innovative strategies for TB prevention. This review systematically examines the composition, subcellular distribution, and functional roles of M. tuberculosis cell wall polysaccharides in bacterial metabolism, drug resistance, and immune regulation. A particular emphasis is placed on recent advancements in LAM-based diagnostics and vaccine development. Future studies should utilize advanced technologies to precisely characterize the structural features of TB polysaccharides and explore their biological functions, providing a foundation for targeted diagnostic and therapeutic innovations. This article aims to provide reference for advancing both basic research and clinical applications related to M. tuberculosis.

Sleep deprivation (SD) has emerged as a significant modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with mounting evidence demonstrating its multifaceted role in accelerating AD pathogenesis through diverse molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms. SD is refined within the broader spectrum of sleep-wake and circadian disruption, emphasizing that both acute total sleep loss and chronic sleep restriction destabilize the homeostatic and circadian processes governing glymphatic clearance of neurotoxic proteins. During normal sleep, concentrations of interstitial Aβ and tau fall as cerebrospinal fluid oscillations flush extracellular waste; SD abolishes this rhythm, causing overnight rises in soluble Aβ and tau species in rodent hippocampus and human CSF. Orexinergic neurons sustain arousal, and become hyperactive under SD, further delaying sleep onset and amplifying Aβ production. At the molecular level, SD disrupts Aβ homeostasis through multiple converging pathways, including enhanced production via beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) upregulation, coupled with impaired clearance mechanisms involving the glymphatic system dysfunction and reduced Aβ-degrading enzymes (neprilysin and insulin-degrading enzyme). Cellular and histological analyses revealed that these proteinopathies are significantly exacerbated by SD-induced neuroinflammatory cascades characterized by microglial overactivation, astrocyte reactivity, and sustained elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) through NF‑κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of neurotoxicity. The synaptic and neuronal consequences of chronic SD are particularly profound and potentially irreversible, featuring reduced expression of critical synaptic markers (PSD95, synaptophysin), impaired long-term potentiation (LTP), dendritic spine loss, and diminished neurotrophic support, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) depletion, which collectively contribute to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits. Mechanistic investigations identify three core pathways through which SD exerts its neurodegenerative effects: circadian rhythm disruption via BMAL1 suppression, orexin system hyperactivity leading to sustained wakefulness and metabolic stress, and oxidative stress accumulation through mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species overproduction. The review critically evaluates promising therapeutic interventions including pharmacological approaches (melatonin, dual orexin receptor antagonists), metabolic strategies (ketogenic diets, and Mediterranean diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids), lifestyle modifications (targeted exercise regimens, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia), and emerging technologies (non-invasive photobiomodulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation). Current research limitations include insufficient understanding of dose-response relationships between SD duration/intensity and AD pathology progression, lack of long-term longitudinal clinical data in genetically vulnerable populations (particularly APOE ε4 carriers and those with familial AD mutations), the absence of standardized SD protocols across experimental models that accurately mimic human chronic sleep restriction patterns, and limited investigation of sex differences in SD-induced AD risk. The accumulated evidence underscores the importance of addressing sleep disturbances as part of multimodal AD prevention strategies and highlights the urgent need for clinical trials evaluating sleep-focused interventions in at-risk populations. The review proposes future directions focused on translating mechanistic insights into precision medicine approaches, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to identify SD-vulnerable individuals, chronotherapeutic strategies aligned with circadian biology, and multi-omics integration across sleep, proteostasis and immune profiles may delineate precision-medicine strategies for at-risk populations. By systematically examining these critical connections, this analysis positions sleep quality optimization as a viable strategy for AD prevention and early intervention while providing a comprehensive roadmap for future mechanistic and interventional research in this rapidly evolving field.

Eucommiae Cortex, the dried bark of Eucommia ulmoides( Eucommiaceae), has both medicinal and edible values.Modern research has shown that Eucommiae Cortex contains various components such as flavonoids, lignans, iridoids, phenolic acids,terpenoids, and steroids, which have anti-osteoporosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood glucose-lowering, and gastrointestinal tract-protecting effects. Eucommiae Cortex has applications in multiple fields such as healthcare, industry, and animal husbandry,demonstrating broad development prospects. This article reviews the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, and quality control status of Eucommiae Cortex. Furthermore, according to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), this article predicts the Q-markers of Eucommiae Cortex from traditional medicinal properties, traditional medicinal effects, new medicinal effects, measurability of chemical components, compatibility, harvesting periods, and geographical origins. The components such as pinoresinol diglucoside,chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, baicalein, baicalin, olivil, coniferyl ferulate, and kaempferol can be used as Q-markers for Eucommiae Cortex, which provide reference for establishing a systematic quality control system for Eucommiae Cortex.
Eucommiaceae/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Quality Control ; Humans ; Animals

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of Colquhounia Root Tablets(CRT) in treating diabetic kidney disease(DKD) by integrating biomolecular network mining with animal model verification. By analyzing clinical transcriptomics data, an interaction network was constructed between candidate targets of CRT and DKD-related genes. Based on the topological eigenvalues of network nodes, 101 core network targets of CRT against DKD were identified. These targets were found to be closely related to multiple pathways associated with type 2 diabetes, immune response, and metabolic reprogramming. Given that immune-inflammatory imbalance driven by metabolic reprogramming is one of the key pathogenic mechanisms of DKD, and that many core network targets of CRT are involved in this pathological process, receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE)-reactive oxygen species(ROS)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(AKT)-nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) signaling axis was selected as a candidate target for in-depth research. Further, a rat model of DKD induced by a high-sugar, high-fat diet and streptozotocin was established to evaluate the pharmacological effects of CRT and verify the expression of related targets. The experimental results showed that CRT could effectively correct metabolic disturbances in DKD, restore immune-inflammatory balance, and improve renal function and its pathological changes by inhibiting the activation of the RAGE-ROS-PI3K-AKT-NF-κB-NLRP3 signaling axis. In conclusion, this study reveals that CRT alleviates the progression of DKD through dual regulation of metabolic reprogramming and immune-inflammatory responses, providing strong experimental evidence for its clinical application in DKD.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism* ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products/genetics* ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Humans ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tablets/administration & dosage*

Wumei Pills, a classic traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula, are widely used in the treatment of biliary ascariasis and diarrhea. In recent years, studies have shown that Wumei Pills have advantages in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), while there are no relevant reports that systematically evaluate the efficacy of Wumei Pills in the treatment of T2DM. This study addresses this issue by systematically evaluating the efficacy and safety of Wumei Pills, aiming to provide an evidence-based basis for clinical practice. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were researched for the randomized controlled trial(RCT) involving Wumei Pills for the treatment of T2DM that were published from inception to September 2024. RevMan 5.3 was used for the Meta-analysis of the data. A total of 18 RCTs were included, with a total of 1 437 patients. Meta-analysis produced the following results.(1)Treatment group outperformed control group in terms of overall response rate(RR=1.28, 95%CI[1.14, 1.43], P<0.000 1), fasting blood glucose(FPG)(WMD=-0.69, 95%CI[-0.93,-0.46], P<0.000 01), two-hour postprandial plasma glucose(2hPG)(WMD=-0.74, 95%CI[-1.17,-0.31], P<0.000 7), glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)(WMD=-0.39, 95%CI[-0.60,-0.18], P=0.000 3), high-density lipoprotein(HDL)(WMD=0.38, 95%CI[0.28, 0.48], P<0.000 01), and body mass index(BMI)(WMD=-1.41, 95%CI[-2.40,-0.42], P=0.005).(2)The two groups had comparable effects regarding total cholesterol(TC)(WMD=-0.53, 95%CI[-1.13, 0.08], P=0.09) and low-density lipoprotein(LDL)(WMD=-0.25, 95%CI[-0.56, 0.06], P=0.12).(3)Triglycerides(TG)(WMD=-0.28,95%CI [-0.59,0.03],P=0.08), sensitivity analysis showed potential reduction effect(WMD=-0.20,95%CI[-0.36,-0.04],P=0.01). Occurrence of adverse drug reaction(RR=0.43,95%CI [0.23,0.80],P=0.007), sensitivity analysis showed significant disappearance(RR=0.56,95%CI[0.26,1.22],P=0.14), suggesting that the efficacy of treatment group was not better than that of control group. The results indicate that the treatment of T2DM with Wumei Pills is greatly related to the improvement of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and clinical efficacy. The findings provide a basis for clinical application of Wumei Pills in treating T2DM, while the conclusion remains to be verified by clinical studies with higher quality.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism* ; Female

Following the core outcome set standards for development(COS-STAD), this study aims to construct core outcome set(COS) for clinical research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of simple obesity. Firstly, a comprehensive review was conducted on the randomized controlled trial(RCT) and systematic review(SR) about TCM treatment of simple obesity that were published in Chinese and English databases to collect reported outcomes. Additional outcomes were obtained through semi-structured interviews with patients and open-ended questionnaire surveys for clinicians. All the collected outcomes were then merged and organized as an initial outcome pool, and then a preliminary list of outcomes was formed after discussion by the working group. Subsequently, two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with clinicians, methodology experts, and patients to score the importance of outcomes in the list. Finally, a consensus meeting was held to establish the COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. A total of 221 RCTs and 12 SRs were included, and after integration of supplementary outcomes, an initial outcome pool of 141 outcomes were formed. Following discussions in the steering advisory group meeting, a preliminary list of 33 outcomes was finalized, encompassing 9 domains. Through two rounds of Delphi surveys and a consensus meeting, the final COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity was determined to include 8 outcomes: TCM symptom scores, body mass index(BMI), waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, visceral fat index, body fat rate, quality of life, and safety, which were classified into 4 domains: TCM-related outcomes, anthropometric measurements, quality of life, and safety. This study has preliminarily established a COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. It helps reduce the heterogeneity in the selection and reporting of outcomes in similar clinical studies, thereby improving the comparability of research results and the feasibility of meta-analysis and providing higher-level evidence support for clinical practice.
Humans ; Obesity/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*