1.Pharmacodynamic Substances and Mechanisms of Xinglou Chengqi Tang in Treating Post-stroke Complications: A Review
Yujin ZHANG ; Xiangzhuo LIU ; Zhouyang CHEN ; Zihao SONG ; Xinyi LIU ; Yizhi YAN ; Chaoya LI ; Yingyan FANG ; Shasha YANG ; Xueqin CHENG ; Zhou XIE ; Sijie TAN ; Peng ZENG ; Yue ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(1):327-337
Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults in China, and its common complications include digestive system abnormalities, cognitive impairment, depression, stroke-associated pneumonia, and hemiplegia. The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has great potential in treating post-stroke complications. Xinglou Chengqitang (XLCQT) is a representative prescription of alleviating the disease in the upper part by treating the lower part. It has definite therapeutic effect and high safety. Clinically, XLCQT is often used to treat stroke and its complications. However, the quantity and quality of clinical trials of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications need to be improved. Additionally, since the basic research is weak, the material basis and multi-target mechanism for the efficacy of this prescription are unknown. This article reviews XLCQT in terms of the pharmacodynamic basis, medicinal properties, safety evaluation, and progress in clinical research and mechanisms in treating post-stroke complications. This article summarizes 22 key active ingredients of XLCQT in treating acute stroke complicated with syndrome of phlegm heat and fu-organ excess. Among these key active ingredients, resveratrol, kaempferol, luteolin, chrysoeriol, apigenin, (+)-catechin, and adenosine have good pharmacokinetic properties and high bioavailability. The mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications are complex, including inflammatory response, brain-gut axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, intestinal flora, neurotrophic factors, autophagy, oxidative stress, and free radical damage. This review helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of XLCQT against post-stroke complications and the development of drugs.
2.Study on the discrimination of roasting degree of Ziziphus jujuba based on the correlation of colorimetric values with component content
Yuan LI ; Yanmei LIU ; Cheng HUANG ; Tangyi PENG ; Yanquan HAN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(9):1148-1154
OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation of component content with colorimetric values during the roasting process of Ziziphus jujuba , and to provide criteria for discriminating the roasting degree of Z. jujuba . METHODS Samples were prepared by dry stir-frying for different roasting times. The eight main components in raw Z. jujuba and the samples stir-fried for different roasting times-namely adenosine, magnoflorine, jujuboside A, spinosin, 6-feruloylspinosin, betulinic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid-were quantitativel y analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The chromaticity values were determined using a UV spectrophotometer. The correlation and differences between the chromaticity values of Z. jujuba at different roasting times and their components content were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) , cluster heatmap analysis (CHA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to clarify the processing endpoint. RESULTS As the roasting time increased, the contents of linoleic acid and oleic acid decreased, while the contents of other components exhibited an increasing trend. Concurrently, the colorimetric value L* and E*ab were observed to decline, whereas the a* value demonstrated a gradual increase. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that L* and E*ab exhibited a significant negative correlation with the contents of adenosine, spinosin, 6-feruloylspinosin, jujuboside A, betulinic acid and magnoflorine ( P <0.05). The results of linear regression analysis indicate that the content of six components, including adenosine, in the medicinal material can be preliminarily predicted by analyzing the colorimetric values of Z. jujuba powder. PCA and CHA successfully classified raw and stir-fried samples. The PLS-DA results indicated that L*, E*ab, a*, linoleic acid content, and oleic acid content were the main parameters that differentiated the color and quality of Z. jujuba at different roasting times. After frying for 9 to 10 minutes, the colorimetric values L* and E*ab decreased to their minimum values and stabilized, while a* remained consistently high with little variation;simultaneously, the concentrations of the six major components, excluding linoleic acid and oleic acid, reached their peak levels. CONCLUSIONS A significant correlation between the colorimetric values of Z. jujuba and the contents of six components, including adenosine, is confirmed. The optimal roasting time range is determined to be 9-10 minutes. Furthermore, the colorimetric value-component content correlation analysis method established in this study proved to be practical and applicable for discriminating the roasting degree of Z. jujuba .
3.Activation of the Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)ergic Neural Circuit in Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus: the Inferior Colliculus to the Medial Geniculate Body
Xu-Yuan PENG ; Jiang WANG ; Ming-Yue GONG ; Li-Yuan ZHANG ; Min ZHANG ; Zhi-Bin CHEN ; Zheng-Quan TANG ; Lei CHENG
Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology 2026;19(1):55-69
Objectives:
. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory functions of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neural circuits from the inferior colliculus (IC) to the medial geniculate body (MGB) in salicylate-induced tinnitus.
Methods:
. Mice were treated with salicylate to induce tinnitus, and tinnitus-like behaviors were evaluated via gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle. Using combined viral tracing methodologies, we identified and mapped the pathways and connections from the IC to the MGB. Furthermore, we employed Gq-coupled human M3 designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) and Gi-coupled human M4 DREADDs to achieve targeted excitation or suppression of GABAergic neurons in the IC and MGB. Following the administration of clozapine N-oxide, which binds to these receptors, we modulated these neural circuits to assess their impact on tinnitus severity in a mouse model.
Results:
. Our findings demonstrated that mice exposed to salicylate exhibited tinnitus-like behaviors. GABAergic neurons projecting retrogradely from the MGB to the IC were primarily concentrated in the external nucleus of the IC. After clozapine N-oxide administration, chemogenetic activation of IC-MGB GABAergic neurons aggravated salicylate-induced tinnitus. Additionally, activation of GABAergic neurons between the IC and MGB induced the perception of tinnitus even without salicylate. However, chemogenetic inhibition of the IC-MGB GABAergic circuit did not reverse salicylate-induced tinnitus.
Conclusion
. These findings suggest that activation of the IC-MGB GABAergic neural circuit may contribute to tinnitus generation through a mechanism distinct from that of salicylate-induced tinnitus. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying tinnitus.
4.Risk factors for acute pancreatitis after minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy and a prognostic analysis based on the 2022 International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery criteria
Qian LI ; Peng CAO ; Cheng LIU ; Bibo ZHAO ; Yunpeng LIN ; Guodong CHEN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(6):1358-1366
ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for postpancreatectomy acute pancreatitis (PPAP) after minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) and their association with major complications, to improve the understanding of PPAP and postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), and to reduce the incidence rates of PPAP and POPF. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 114 patients who underwent MIPD in Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, from March 2015 to December 2023, and the definition of PPAP and its diagnostic criteria provided by the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery were used to determine the presence or absence of PPAP. The independent samples t-test or the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the Dunn-test was used for further comparison between two groups.; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups., and the Bonferroni-test was used for further comparison between two groups. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for PPAP after MIPD. ResultsOf all 114 patients undergoing MIPD, 27 (23.7%) experienced PPAP. The multivariate analysis showed that main pancreatic duct diameter ≤3 mm (odds ratio [OR]=5.083, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.703 — 15.172, P=0.004), soft pancreatic texture (OR=5.925, 95%CI: 1.986 — 17.677, P=0.001), and C-reactive protein ≥180 mg/L on day 1 after surgery (OR=5.419, 95%CI: 1.586 — 18.513, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for the onset of PPAP after MIPD. Clinical analyses showed that the patients with PPAP tended to have significantly higher incidence rates of POPF, peritoneal infection, Clavien-Dindo grade 3/4 complications, discharge with tube, and 90-day postoperative death (χ2=5.676, 5.460, 9.863, 5.439, and 4.207, all P<0.05). ConclusionMain pancreatic duct diameter, pancreatic texture, and C-reactive protein on day 1 after surgery are closely associated with the onset of PPAP after MIPD, and PPAP can lead to other postoperative complications and even death.
5.Preventive Effect and Safety Evaluation of Xiaozhen Formula (消疹方) on Skin Toxicity Induced by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in the Treatment of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer:A Multicenter,Randomized,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Trial
Ling LUO ; Xintian WANG ; Cheng CHENG ; Zitong HAN ; Chunru WANG ; Guoli WEI ; Jianyue LI ; Li WANG ; Jirong WANG ; Peng SHU ; Liang LI ; Fenglin LIU ; Ran SONG ; Jing BAI ; Haiyan XING
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(18):1987-1994
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Xiaozhen Formula (消疹方) in preventing skin toxicity induced by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) in patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsA randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical study was conducted. A total of 120 patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC from seven centers were enrolled and randomly assigned to a treatment group (60 cases) or a control group (60 cases). On the basis of EGFRI-targeted therapy, patients in the treatment group received Xiaozhen Formula granules, whereas those in the control group received Xiaozhen Formula placebo granules, both at 10 g twice daily for 4 consecutive weeks. The primary outcomes were the grading of skin toxicity evaluated using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) version 5.0 and the incidence of rash. Secondary outcomes included the time to onset and time to resolution of the highest-grade rash, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores, and disease control rate, together with safety assessments. ResultsBased on the full analysis set (FAS), the incidence of skin toxicity in the treatment group was 18.33% (11/60), significantly lower than 45.00% (27/60) in the control group (P<0.01), with the highest severity of skin toxicity in both groups was grade 2. Among patients who developed rash, the resolution rate in the treatment group was 90.91% (10/11), higher than that 33.33% (9/27) in the control group. The median time to resolution was 15 days (95%CI: 8-17 days) in the treatment group and it was not reached in the control group; the distribution of time to resolution differed significantly between groups (P<0.001). After treatment, the treatment group had higher EORTC QLQ-C30 functional scale and global health status/quality-of-life scores, and lower symptom scale, single-item scores, as well as HADS-A, and HADS-D scores than the control group (P<0.05). In the FAS analysis, the disease control rate (DCR) was 85.0% (51/60) in the treatment group, lower than 100.0% (60/60) in the control group (P=0.003), whereas no significant between-group difference was observed in the per-protocol set (PPS) analysis (P=0.464). The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups (P>0.05), and no definite safety signals related to the investigational drug were observed. ConclusionXiaozhen Formula can reduce the incidence of EGFRI-induced skin toxicity, and improve the outcome of rash regression, the patients' quality of life and psychological status in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients.
6.Predictive screening,activity evaluation and quantitative analysis of hepatoprotective constituents from Thesium chinense Turcz.
Li LI ; Xuechun CHENG ; Xiuping ZHUANG ; Peng ZHOU ; Baoqing ZHANG ; Xin WANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(19):2522-2528
OBJECTIVE To provide an experimental basis for quality control, clinical application and development of hepatoprotective drugs derived from Thesium chinense Turcz.METHODS Network pharmacology was adopted to predict and screen potential hepatoprotective constituents and their action targets of T. chinense Turcz. A liver-injured model of transgenic zebrafish Tg ( fabp10a : dsRed ) with fluorescent-labeled liver was induced by 4 mmol/L isoniazid. The relative liver fluorescence area and relative fluorescence intensity of zebrafish larvae, as well as the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutathione (GSH) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were taken as indexes to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of potential active constituents. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the contents of hepatoprotective active constituents in 17 batches of T. chinense Turcz. medicinal materials from different producing areas.RESULTS Four potential hepatoprotective constituents including kaempferol-3- O -glucorhamnoside (KOG), kaempferol-3,7-di- O -glucoside (KDG), buddleoside (BUD) and apigenin-5- O -neohesperidoside (AON) were screened out via network pharmacology, and their core targets involved mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, nuclear factor-κB subunit 1, etc. Pharmacodynamic verification results showed that 25 μmol/L KOG, BUD, AON and 50 μmol/L KDG could significantly increase the relative liver fluorescence area and relative fluorescence intensity of liver-injured model larvae ( P <0.05), reduce the levels of AST, ALT and IL-6 ( P <0.05), and elevate the GSH level ( P <0.05). Content determination results indicated that KOG could be detected in all 17 batches of T. chinense Turcz. medicinal materials, with contents ranging from 0.097 0 to 8.082 0 mg/g;KDG, AON and BUD were not detected in partial batches of samples, and their contents in detectable batches were 0.019 3-0.123 2 mg/g, 0.018 4-0.109 1 mg/g and 0.385 1-1.189 3 mg/g, respectively.CONCLUSIONS KOG, KDG, AON and BUD in T.chinense Turcz. may be its potential hepatoprotective active constituents. Among them, KOG can be detected in T.chinense Turcz. medicinal materials from different producing areas with relatively high content, which can be used as the main marker constituent for evaluating the hepatoprotective effect of T.chinense Turcz.
7.Analyzing the heart-oriented view of the treatment of mental illness in Synopsis of Golden Chamber based on the theory of five-spirit-viscera
ZOU Peng ; Kai CHENG ; Minlong XIA ; Menghan LI ; Shuxian WANG ; Hui KONG ; Yan ZHAO ; Changming ZHAI ; Fang LU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(4):495-500
Mental state is an important part of the normal life activities of the human body, and it is also the most external expression and the most easily obtained information of the physical condition. The normal activities of the mind depend on the normal operation of the viscera, qi, and blood, and are a unified whole that prospers together and suffers together. The theory of the five-spirit-viscera in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic revealed that the normal mental activities of the human body were dominated by the five internal organs, that is, the five internal organs were the body and the five spirits were the function. And it highlighted the viewpoint that the five internal organs store the spirits and are actually one. The heart governs the spirit and belongs to the four internal organs. On this basis, Synopsis of Golden Chamber used the internal organs to diagnose and treat mental diseases, integrating the theory of the five spirits into it, forming a unique method of diagnosis and treatment with the heart as the leading factor and regulating the qi and blood of the four internal organs. It identified the pathogenesis of diseases such as pathogenic crying, lily disease, and hysteria from five levels: heart deficiency and weak qi, heart-lung disharmony, heart-liver disharmony, the heart of the loss of the spleen nourishment, and disharmony between heart and kidney. The treatment was mainly to replenish the deficiency of the viscera and eliminate the pathogens, reflecting the characteristics of regulating the mind and calming the four internal organs. This unique view on diagnosis and treatment has profoundly influenced the diagnosis and treatment theories of mental illnesses by later doctors, and is of great significance to the current clinical treatment of such illnesses.
8.Burden of alopecia areata in China, 1990-2021: Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
Xiangqian LI ; Huixin LIU ; Wenhui REN ; Qijiong ZHU ; Peng YIN ; Lijun WANG ; Jianzhong ZHANG ; Jinlei QI ; Cheng ZHOU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(3):318-324
BACKGROUND:
Research has indicated that the disease burden of alopecia areata (AA) in China exceeds the global average. Therefore, accurate and updated epidemiological information is crucial for policymakers. In this study, we aimed to comprehensively assess the disease burden of AA in China.
METHODS:
The following four key indicators were utilized: the prevalence of cases; disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs); the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR); and the age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) of AA according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021. We analyzed the epidemiological burden of AA in China during 2021, examined changes between 1990 and 2021, and performed a Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis to predict trends over the course of the next decade (2022-2030). Additionally, a Gaussian process regression model was applied to estimate the relationship between the gross domestic product (GDP) and the ASPR and ASDR of AA at the provincial level between 1992 and 2021.
RESULTS:
In 2021, the estimated number of patients with AA in China was approximately 3.49 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 3.37-3.62 million); of these patients, 1.20 million (95% UI, 1.16-1.25 million) were male and 2.29 million (95% UI, 2.20-2.37 million) were female. This large number of patients with AA resulted in a total of 114,431.25 DALYs (95% UI, 74,780.27-160,318.96 DALYs). Additionally, the ASPR and ASDR were 224.61 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 216.73-232.65 per 100,000 population) and 7.41 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 4.85-10.44 per 100,000 population), respectively; both of these rates were higher than the global averages. The most affected demographic groups were young and female individuals 25-39 years of age. Slight regional disparities were observed, with the northern and central regions of China bearing comparatively higher burdens. Between 1990 and 2021, the health loss and disease burden caused by AA in China remained relatively stable. The ASPR and ASDR of AA increased with the GDP when the annual GDP was less than 2 trillion Chinese yuan; however, a downward trend was observed as the GDP surpassed 2 trillion Chinese yuan. A slight upward trend in the disease burden of AA in China is predicted to occur over the next decade.
CONCLUSIONS
AA continues to be a public health concern in China that shows no signs of declining. Targeted efforts for young individuals and females are necessary because they experience a disproportionately high burden of AA.
Humans
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China/epidemiology*
;
Alopecia Areata/epidemiology*
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Global Burden of Disease
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Female
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Male
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Adult
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Disability-Adjusted Life Years
;
Middle Aged
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Prevalence
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Adolescent
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Young Adult
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Bayes Theorem
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Child
;
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
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Child, Preschool
9.Advances in nanocarrier-mediated cancer therapy: Progress in immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
Yue PENG ; Min YU ; Bozhao LI ; Siyu ZHANG ; Jin CHENG ; Feifan WU ; Shuailun DU ; Jinbai MIAO ; Bin HU ; Igor A OLKHOVSKY ; Suping LI
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(16):1927-1944
Cancer represents a major worldwide disease burden marked by escalating incidence and mortality. While therapeutic advances persist, developing safer and precisely targeted modalities remains imperative. Nanomedicines emerges as a transformative paradigm leveraging distinctive physicochemical properties to achieve tumor-specific drug delivery, controlled release, and tumor microenvironment modulation. By synergizing passive enhanced permeation and retention effect-driven accumulation and active ligand-mediated targeting, nanoplatforms enhance pharmacokinetics, promote tumor microenvironment enrichment, and improve cellular internalization while mitigating systemic toxicity. Despite revolutionizing cancer therapy through enhanced treatment efficacy and reduced adverse effects, translational challenges persist in manufacturing scalability, longterm biosafety, and cost-efficiency. This review systematically analyzes cutting-edge nanoplatforms, including polymeric, lipidic, biomimetic, albumin-based, peptide engineered, DNA origami, and inorganic nanocarriers, while evaluating their strategic advantages and technical limitations across three therapeutic domains: immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. By assessing structure-function correlations and clinical translation barriers, this work establishes mechanistic and translational references to advance oncological nanomedicine development.
Humans
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Neoplasms/radiotherapy*
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Immunotherapy/methods*
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Nanoparticles/chemistry*
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Animals
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Nanomedicine/methods*
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Drug Delivery Systems/methods*
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Drug Carriers/chemistry*
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Radiotherapy/methods*
10.Lower vs. standard starting dose oral roxadustat for treating anemia in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis: A prospective, randomized clinical trial.
Yan TU ; Yan XU ; Li YAO ; Beiru ZHANG ; Tiekun YAN ; Aiping YIN ; Xinzhou ZHANG ; Min YANG ; Jun LIU ; Caili WANG ; Xiaomei PENG ; Jianqin WANG ; Wei NIU ; Wenqing JIANG ; Bi-Cheng LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(19):2520-2522


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