1.Effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mice and Its Impact on Oligodendrocyte-related Gene Expression
Zijin SUN ; Kai WANG ; Haojia ZHANG ; Linjing SONG ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Jing JI ; Yonglin SHAN ; Qianqian SHI ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Qingguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):54-63
ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on cerebral infarction injury in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to explore its mechanism of action on oligodendrocytes, particularly its potential in myelin repair. MethodsMultiple experimental approaches were used to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the effects of drug intervention. Laser speckle imaging was used to detect changes in cerebral blood flow, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure infarct volume, and neurological function was scored according to the Zea-Longa criteria. Brain tissues were routinely embedded in paraffin and subjected to HE and Nissl staining to observe tissue structure and neuronal damage. Animals were divided into a sham group (n=24), model group (n=24), Huanglian Jiedutang group (n=24), and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group (n=18). After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 g·L-1 solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 0.2 mL·(10 g)-¹·d-¹. The MCAO model was established after the final administration on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze brain tissue cellular composition and changes in oligodendrocyte subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations were identified by Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering, and marker gene expression was analyzed. Pathway enrichment and causal inference were further performed using IPA. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify mRNA expression changes of myelin-related genes. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), significantly impaired blood flow (P<0.01), significantly enlarged cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and pathological changes including disordered cortical structural arrangement, aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), markedly restored blood flow levels (P<0.01), significantly reduced cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and improvement in cortical structural disorder, alleviation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. Single-cell data showed that a myelin-associated oligodendrocyte (Mye-OL) subpopulation existed among oligodendrocytes, which was closely related to myelin generation. Compared with the sham group, the number of Mye-OL cells decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of Mye-OL cells increased in the Huanglian Jiedutang group. This subpopulation promoted the expression of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, via transcription factors such as OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10, thereby regulating myelin generation, restoring cognition, and exerting therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction. Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 were significantly downregulated in the model group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, were also significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 (P<0.01), and significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction by regulating the OLIG1/2-NKX2-2-SOX10 signaling pathway to promote myelin generation by Mye-OL cells.
2.Effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Mice and Its Impact on Oligodendrocyte-related Gene Expression
Zijin SUN ; Kai WANG ; Haojia ZHANG ; Linjing SONG ; Zhaoyi WANG ; Wenxiu XU ; Jing JI ; Yonglin SHAN ; Qianqian SHI ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Qingguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):54-63
ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on cerebral infarction injury in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to explore its mechanism of action on oligodendrocytes, particularly its potential in myelin repair. MethodsMultiple experimental approaches were used to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the effects of drug intervention. Laser speckle imaging was used to detect changes in cerebral blood flow, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure infarct volume, and neurological function was scored according to the Zea-Longa criteria. Brain tissues were routinely embedded in paraffin and subjected to HE and Nissl staining to observe tissue structure and neuronal damage. Animals were divided into a sham group (n=24), model group (n=24), Huanglian Jiedutang group (n=24), and Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) group (n=18). After 1 week of acclimatization, intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline, the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg-1, and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg-1 after preparation as a 2.16 g·L-1 solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 0.2 mL·(10 g)-¹·d-¹. The MCAO model was established after the final administration on day 6. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze brain tissue cellular composition and changes in oligodendrocyte subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations were identified by Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering, and marker gene expression was analyzed. Pathway enrichment and causal inference were further performed using IPA. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify mRNA expression changes of myelin-related genes. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores (P<0.01), significantly impaired blood flow (P<0.01), significantly enlarged cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and pathological changes including disordered cortical structural arrangement, aggravated cytoplasmic vacuolization, and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased neurological function scores (P<0.01), markedly restored blood flow levels (P<0.01), significantly reduced cerebral infarct area (P<0.01), and improvement in cortical structural disorder, alleviation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. Single-cell data showed that a myelin-associated oligodendrocyte (Mye-OL) subpopulation existed among oligodendrocytes, which was closely related to myelin generation. Compared with the sham group, the number of Mye-OL cells decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of Mye-OL cells increased in the Huanglian Jiedutang group. This subpopulation promoted the expression of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, via transcription factors such as OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10, thereby regulating myelin generation, restoring cognition, and exerting therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction. Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 were significantly downregulated in the model group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG, were also significantly downregulated (P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of OLIG1, OLIG2, NKX2-2, and SOX10 (P<0.01), and significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of myelin-related genes, including MOG, MBP, and MAG (P<0.01). ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts therapeutic effects on acute cerebral infarction by regulating the OLIG1/2-NKX2-2-SOX10 signaling pathway to promote myelin generation by Mye-OL cells.
3.Current Status and Optimization Strategies for Investigator Initiated Trial on Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Malignant Tumors Conducted by Western Medicine Institutions
Xuechen GENG ; Yanmei LIU ; Qianqian BU ; Qinchang ZHANG ; Dong ZHANG ; Yuquan TAO ; Liu LI ; Ling LI ; Haibo CHENG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(9):878-882
Investigator initiated trial (IIT) represents a primary format for clinical research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As key implementation sites for TCM-based IIT targeting malignant tumors, western medicine institutions often face unique challenges in conducting such studies, which limit their feasibility and standardization. This paper reviews the registration status of TCM-based IIT for malignancies conducted in western medical institutions and analyzes key difficulties, including complex project initiation and management processes, limited TCM knowledge and skills among western medicine physicians, and relatively low patient acceptance of TCM. From a practical perspective, the study proposes several optimization strategies. These include improving the review and management mechanisms of TCM-related IIT within western medical institutions, establishing multidisciplinary clinical research teams that integrate TCM and western medicine, and enhancing investigators' training in TCM theory and clinical skills. Additionally, the study suggests standardizing IIT operational procedures, objectifying the collection of TCM diagnostic information, refining subject recruitment methods, and increasing TCM involvement in patient follow-up and management. These investigator-oriented, TCM-featured, and operable strategies aim to promote the high-quality development of TCM-based IIT in western medicine institutions and enhance the clinical application of TCM.
4.Discussion on the Core Pathogenesis and Prevention and Treatment Strategy for Postoperative Recurrence of Colorectal Cancer from the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Cancer Toxin Theory
Xuechen GENG ; Liu LI ; Qinchang ZHANG ; Qianqian BU ; Haibo CHENG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(15):1538-1542
According to the theory of cancer toxin pathogenesis, tumors are complex syndromes centered on cancer toxin, characterized by multiple time points and locations, interwoven pathogenic toxins, and a combination of deficiency and excess. Postoperative recurrence of colorectal cancer is a dynamic spatiotemporal process. In this paper, the core pathogenesis of postoperative recurrence of colorectal cancer, namely "deficiency of spleen qi, with damp-heat stasis toxin", has been discussed based on spatiotemporal evolution of cancer toxin. It is suggested that spleen qi depletion leading to the proliferation of cancer toxin represents the temporal characteristic of postoperative recurrence, while the stasis of damp-heat facilitating the aggregation and spread of cancer toxin refelct its spatial pattern. This paper has constructed a holistic spatiotemporal prevention and treatment strategy according to different stages before and after recurrence. Before recurrence, the focus is on prevention, and it is suggested to rectify the healthy qi and fortify spleen, clear heat and resolve dampness, unblock collaterals and remove toxin. After recurrence, the focus should be on treatment, and the strategy is combating cancer and removing toxin, breaking the blood to eliminate disease, regulating and tonifying the zang-fu (脏腑) organs.
5.Acupuncture at "pelvic floor six needles" combined with Kegel exercise for mild to moderate female stress urinary incontinence: a randomized controlled trial.
Qianqian LI ; Xianghong HUANG ; Jiali ZHANG ; Zhonghui ZHAO ; Jianping CHENG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(3):317-321
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the effect of acupuncture at "pelvic floor six needles" for mild to moderate female stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
METHODS:
A total of 60 patients with mild to moderate female SUI were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases each group. The control group received Kegel exercise. The observation group received acupuncture at "pelvic floor six needles" on the basis of the treatment as the control group, bilateral Zhongliao (BL33), Zhibian (BL54), Huiyang (BL35), Shuidao (ST28), Dahe (KI12) and Guanyuan (CV4) were selected, once every other day, 3 times a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, a total of 2 courses were required. Before treatment and after 4, 8 weeks of treatment, urine leakage in 1 hour, International Consultation on Incontinence questionnaire short form (ICI-Q-SF) score, and incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL) score were observed in the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.
RESULTS:
After 8 weeks of treatment, urine leakage in 1 hour and ICI-Q-SF scores in both groups were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and urine leakage in 1 hour and ICI-Q-SF score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After 4, 8 weeks of treatment, I-QOL scores were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and the I-QOL scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.001). The total effective rate of the observation group was 93.3% (28/30), which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the control group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture at "pelvic floor six needles" could improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with mild to moderate female SUI to a certain degree.
Humans
;
Female
;
Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation*
;
Urinary Incontinence, Stress/physiopathology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Exercise Therapy
;
Acupuncture Points
;
Pelvic Floor/physiopathology*
;
Aged
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Quality of Life
6.Effect of acupuncture at Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) on labor stage in primiparas.
Zixiao CHENG ; Ziyun SONG ; Xiaoli FENG ; Xiaoli CAO ; Yanlong XU ; Zhirong DAI ; Qianqian ZHANG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(7):927-931
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the effects of acupuncture at Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) on pain, anxiety, intrapartum blood loss, labor stage, and neonatal outcomes in primiparas.
METHODS:
One hundred primiparas were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (50 cases, 1 case was eliminated) and a control group (50 cases). The conventional obstetrical nursing was given in the control group. On the basis of the intervention in the control group, acupuncture was applied at bilateral Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) in the acupuncture group. The delivery mode and labor stage, the scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) for uterine contraction pain and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after acupuncture, the intrapartum/postpartum blood loss and massive hemorrhage, as well as the neonatal Apgar score after 1, 5, and 10 min of birth, were compared in the two groups.
RESULTS:
The cesarean section rate was 4.1% (2/49) in the acupuncture group, which was superior to 10.0% (5/50) in the control group (P<0.05). In the acupuncture group, the time of latent phase of 2-cm cervical dilation, active phase, first and second stages of labor, and total labor stage was shorter than that in the control group (P<0.001), the intrapartum blood loss and massive hemorrhage rate were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001, P<0.05). After acupuncture, the VAS and HAMA scores were decreased compared with those before acupuncture in the acupuncture group (P<0.001), the VAS and HAMA scores were increased compared with those before acupuncture in the control group (P<0.001). In the acupuncture group, the VAS and HAMA scores after acupuncture were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001), the changes of the VAS and HAMA scores before and after acupuncture were larger than those in the control group (P<0.001). There were no statistical differences in neonatal Apgar scores between the two groups (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture at Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) can effectively alleviate the pain and anxiety, shorten the labor stage, reduce the intrapartum blood loss and incidence rate of massive hemorrhage, and promote spontaneous delivery, thereby enhancing maternal comfort and safety in primiparas.
Humans
;
Female
;
Pregnancy
;
Acupuncture Points
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Adult
;
Young Adult
;
Labor, Obstetric
;
Parity
7.Osteopontin and ischemic stroke
Minghui CHENG ; Daojing LI ; Qianqian WANG ; Ziyou QI
International Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2025;33(3):213-216
Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein that exists in body fluids and mediates multiple biological functions. The expression of OPN is particularly critical and active after ischemic stroke, and has dual significance for the body. The rapid increase of OPN has certain protective effects on the body, such as anti-inflammatory and promoting wound healing; if the rate of increase is relatively slower, it will have adverse effects on the body, such as promoting thrombosis and inducing inflammatory reactions. This article reviews the research progress of OPN in ischemic stroke.
8.Analysis on current status of registered clinical trials of TCM prevention and treatment for malignant tumors
Qianqian BU ; Xuechen GENG ; Changshun ZHOU ; Guannan ZHANG ; Liu LI ; Yanmei LIU ; Ling LI ; Haibo CHENG
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(7):985-991
Objective:To analyze the current status of clinical research registration on TCM prevention and treatment of malignant tumors in the Chinese Clinical Trail Registry (ChiCTR); To summarize its characteristics and shortcomings.Methods:Clinical studies on the TCM prevention and treatment for malignant tumors registered from the establishment of ChiCTR database to July 15, 2024 were retrieved. Excel 2019 software was used to sort out the data, including basic research information (registration time, registration number status, registration title, test organizer, research implementation location, etc.), design scheme (disease type, research type, intervention measures, sample size, blind method, etc.), research funding or material sources, as well as other information such as human specimen collection and recruitment of research objects. SPSS 27.0 software was used for frequency statistics.Results:A total of 891 registered studies were included, including 783 interventional studies and 108 observational studies; the areas with a large number of registrations were mainly Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong Province, etc. ; the research funds mainly came from local finance; a total of 46 tumor diseases were involved in the study, with the largest number of lung cancer (209 items), followed by tumor-related syndromes (155 items), colorectal cancer (148 items), and breast cancer (136 items); the type of research design was mainly random parallel control; the main intervention measures were TCM decoction or herbal decoction pieces (373 items), and the dosage form was mostly decoction (216 items), followed by granules (94 items); single-blind or double-blind design was used in 217 registered trials; 663 registration trials involved the collection of human samples.Conclusions:The number of clinical research registrations on the TCM prevention and treatment for malignant tumors is increasing day by day. The shortcomings such as insufficient standardization of research design and lack of research transparency still exists. In the future, TCM researchers need to strengthen cooperation with international traditional medicine clinical trial registry, giving full play to the leading role of standardization of TCM trials, and using registration as a starting point to improve the quality of clinical research.
9.Mediating effect of burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia between affiliated stigma and quality of life
Qianqian CHENG ; Qing KANG ; Qingfang KONG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(12):110-114
Objective To explore the mediating effect of the burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia between affiliated stigma and quality of life.Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select 220 primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia as study subjects.A general information questionnaire,the Zarit Burden Interview(ZBI),the Perceived De-valuation-Discrimination Scale(PDD),and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF(WHOQOL-BREF)were employed for the survey.Pearson correlation analysis was used for correla-tion analysis,and Amos 26.0 software was used to construct a structural equation model.The media-ting effect was tested using the Bootstrap method.Results The score for the burden on primary care-givers of patients with schizophrenia was(38.68±14.80),indicating a moderate level.The score for affiliated stigma was(32.20±8.23),suggesting the presence of affiliated stigma.The score for quality of life was(76.92±20.72),also at a moderate level.Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between caregiver burden and affiliated stigma(r=0.311,P<0.01),a negative correlation between caregiver burden and quality of life(r=-0.349,P<0.01),and a negative correlation between affiliated stigma and quality of life(r=-0.249,P<0.01).Caregiver burden acted as a mediating variable between affiliated stigma and quality of life,with a total effect value of-0.317,a direct effect value of-0.269,and a mediating effect value of-0.048.The mediating effect accounted for 15.14%of the total effect.Conclusion The burden on primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia plays a partial mediating role between affiliated stigma and quality of life.Medical staff should implement effective intervention measures to reduce caregivers' affiliated stigma and caregiving burden,thereby improving their quality of life.
10.Effect of Dendrobium officinale Polysaccharides in Reversing Hepatic Fibrosis in Rats via Notch Signaling Pathway and Ultrasound Evaluation
Ying XU ; Jina LUO ; Liuqing YANG ; Qianqian TIAN ; Jiamao CHENG ; Haiyan CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(21):70-77
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DOP) in reversing carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis (HF) in rats via the Notch signaling pathway and evaluate the therapeutic effect of DOP by ultrasound elastography. MethodFifty-six male SD rats were randomized into normal, model, colchicine (1×10-4 g·kg-1), Fuzheng Huayu powder (0.45 g·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 g·kg-1) DOP groups (n=8). The rats in the model group and each treatment group were injected subcutaneously with a mixture of CCl4-olive oil (2∶3) once every 3 days for 10 weeks. After 6 weeks of modelling, the rats were administrated with corresponding drugs once a day for 4 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were employed to observe the pathomorphological changes of the liver tissue. An automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bile acids (TBA). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure the serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), type Ⅲ precollagen (PC-Ⅲ), and type Ⅳ collagen (Col-Ⅳ). The mRNA and protein levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 in the liver tissue were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The Young's modulus (YM) of the rat liver was measured by acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography before and after treatment. Then, the correlations of YM with the serum levels of HA, LN, PC-Ⅲ, and Col-Ⅳ and the protein levels of α-SMA and Notch1 signaling pathway-related factors in the liver tissue were analyzed. ResultCompared with the normal group, the model group showed disordered arrangement of liver cell cords, obvious infiltration of inflammatory cells, appearance of a large number of fat vacuoles, and fibrous proliferation, elevated levels of ALT, AST, TBA, ALP, HA, LN, PC-Ⅲ, and Col-Ⅳ in the serum, and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 in the liver tissue (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, drug interventions alleviated the pseudolobule formation and the collagen deposition in confluent areas. Except that the serum level of ALT in the low-dose DOP group had no significant changes, drug interventions, especially high-dose DOP, lowered the levels of ALT, AST, TBA, ALP, HA, LN, PC-Ⅲ, and Col-Ⅳ in the serum and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 in the liver tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). The results of ARFI and correlation analysis showed that the YM of the liver tissue was increased in the model group (P<0.01) compared with that in the normal group, Compared with the model group, drug interventions decreased YM (P<0.01). YM was positively correlated with the expression levels of HA, LN, PC-Ⅲ, α-SMA, Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1s (r=0.754, 0.734, 0.801, 0.885, 0.896, 0.757, and 0.800, respectively, P<0.01), and it had a moderate correlation with Col-Ⅳ (r=0.688, P<0.01). ConclusionDOP can reverse HF by down-regulating the Notch1/Jagged1/Hes1 signaling pathway. YM can be used as an indicator in the assessment of the efficacy of DOP against HF.

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