Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.

Oral solid dosage forms require processes such as disintegration and dissolution to release the drug before it can be absorbed and utilized by the body. In this manuscript, imaging technology was used to continuously visualize and characterize the in vitro static drug release process of gliclazide modified release tablets from 15 manufacturers, combined with the traditional method of in vitro dissolution testing, to determine the release profile of gliclazide modified release tablets, to evaluate the similarity of the release profiles by using the similarity factor (f₂) method and based on the analysis of the release profiles fitted with a variety of mathematical models. The results indicate that the gliclazide modified release tablets produced by 14 companies are hydrophilic gel matrix tablets. Compared to the reference listed drug, the release profiles of formulations from 11 companies show high similarity (f₂ > 50) to the reference. Among these, formulations with visual characteristics similar to the reference exhibit similar release curves. This study provides an alternative method for the in vitro consistency evaluation of gliclazide modified release tablets, aiming to assess the in vitro release behaviour of generic formulations more accurately and comprehensively.

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effects and mechanisms of the flavonoid hyperoside （Hyp） on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced inflammation in the zebrafish model. MethodsZebrafish larvae were either microinjected with 0.5 g·L^-1 LPS or immersed in 1 g·L^-1 LPS for the modeling of inflammation. The larvae were then treated with Hyp at 25， 50， and 100 mg·L^-1 through immersion for four consecutive days. The inflammatory phenotypes were assessed by analyzing the mortality rate， malformation rate， body length， and yolk sac area ratio. Behavioral tests were conducted to evaluate the inflammatory stress responses， and macrophage migration was observed by fluorescence microscopy. Additionally， the mRNA levels of inflammation-related genes， including interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 （CCL2）， chemokine C-X3-C motif receptor 1 （CX3CR1）， chemokine C-C motif receptor 2 （CCR2）， and genes associated with the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway， were measured by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. ResultsCompared with the pure water injection group， the model group exhibited increased mortality， malformation rates and yolk sac area ratio （P0.01）， reduced body length （P0.01）， increased total swimming distance and high-speed swimming duration （P0.01）， and up-regulated mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， IL-1β， IL-6， CCL2， CX3CR1， and CCR2 （P0.01）. Hyp at low， medium and high doses， as well as aspirin， reduced the mortality and malformation rates （P0.05，P0.01）， increased the body length （P0.05，P0.01）， decreased the yolk sac area ratio （P0.01）， reduced the high-speed swimming duration （P0.01）， and down-regulated the mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， IL-1β， IL-6， CCL2， CX3CR1， and CCR2 （P0.05，P0.01） compared with the model group. ConclusionHyp may modulate the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway to ameliorate inflammatory phenotypes and alleviate stress conditions in zebrafish， thereby exerting the anti-inflammatory effect.

BACKGROUND: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare and recurrent autoinflammatory disease, imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. Awareness of GPP in China remains limited. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey, conducted between September 2021 and May 2023 across 14 hospitals in China, included GPP patients of all ages and disease phases. Data collected encompassed demographics, clinical characteristics, economic impact, disease severity, quality of life, and treatment-related complications. Risk factors for GPP recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 127 patients (female/male ratio = 1.35:1), the mean age of disease onset was 25 years (1st quartile [Q1]-3rd quartile [Q3]: 11-44 years); 29.2% had experienced GPP for more than 10 years. Recurrence occurred in 75.6% of patients, and nearly half reported no identifiable triggers. Younger age at disease onset ( P  = 0.021) and transitioning to plaque psoriasis ( P  = 0.022) were associated with higher recurrence rates. The median diagnostic delay was 8 months (Q1-Q3: 2-41 months), and 32.3% of patients reported misdiagnoses. Comorbidities were present in 53.5% of patients, whereas 51.1% experienced systemic complications during treatment. Depression and anxiety affected 84.5% and 95.6% of patients, respectively. During GPP flares, the median Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 19.0 (Q1-Q3: 13.0-23.5). This score showed significant differences between patients with and without systemic symptoms; it demonstrated correlations with both depression and anxiety scores. Treatment costs caused financial hardship in 55.9% of patients, underscoring the burden associated with GPP. CONCLUSIONS The substantial disease and economic burdens among Chinese GPP patients warrant increased attention. Patients with early onset disease and those transitioning to plaque psoriasis require targeted interventions to mitigate the high recurrence risk.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Psoriasis/pathology* ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adolescent ; Child ; Young Adult ; Quality of Life ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; East Asian People

Alcoholic liver disease(ALD), a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, poses a serious threat to human health. Despite the availability of various drugs for treating ALD, their efficacy is often uncertain, necessitating the search for new therapeutic approaches. Traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides have garnered increasing attention in recent years due to their versatility, high efficiency, and low side effects, and they have demonstrated significant potential in preventing and treating ALD. Emerging studies have suggested that these polysaccharides exert their therapeutic effects through multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of oxidative stress and the regulation of lipid metabolism, gut microbiota, and programmed cell death. This review summarizes the recent research progress in the pharmacological effects and regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in treating ALD, aiming to provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for their application in the prevention and treatment of ALD.
Humans ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic/metabolism* ; Polysaccharides/administration & dosage* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects*

Under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with 15 national ministries and commissions, has formulated the Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System, and it is urgent for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) pharmaceutical enterprises to carry out research on carbon footprint accounting methods of related products. Based on the life cycle assessment(LCA) theory, taking mulberry leaf extract produced by a certain enterprise as an example, this study analyzed the carbon footprint of TCM extracts during the life cycle. The results show that for every 1 kg of product produced, the carbon emissions from the stages of raw material acquisition, transportation, and extract production are-20.569, 1.205, and 173.577 kgCO_2eq(CO_2 equivalent), respectively. The carbon footprint of the product is 154.213 kgCO_2eq·kg~(-1). In addition, the carbon emission is the highest in the production stage, in which the consumption of ethanol solvents makes the greatest contribution to the carbon footprint, accounting for 25.71%, more than one-fourth of the total carbon footprint. The second contribution was from the treatment process of TCM residues, accounting for 19.67%, closely followed by wastewater treatment(17.71%), the consumption of hot steam(17.43%), and drinking water(16.90%). The consumption of electric power and packaging materials has a smaller carbon emission of 2.58%. In particular, the carbon emission caused by the consumption of packaging materials is only 0.04%, which is negligible. The results of the study are expected to provide a reference for TCM enterprises to carry out research on the carbon footprint of products, offer ideas for collaborative innovation in reducing pollution and carbon emissions throughout the entire industry chain of TCM, and develop new quality productivity of modern TCM industry based on green and low-carbon manufacturing.
Morus/chemistry* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Carbon Footprint ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/analysis* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Astragalus membranaceus(A. membranaceus), a traditional tonic, contains flavonoids as one of its main bioactive components and key indicators for quality standard detection. These compounds predominantly exist in glycosylated forms after glycosylation modification within the plant. The catalytic products of flavonoid glycosyltransferases in A. membranaceus have been reported to be mostly monoglycosides, and only AmUGT28 catalyzes luteolin to form diglycosides. In this study, we cloned a glycosyltransferase gene, AmGT90, from A. membranaceus, with an ORF length of 1 335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids, and the protein had a relative molecular mass of 50.5 kDa. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that AmGT90 belongs to the UGT74 family. In vitro enzymatic reaction showed that AmGT90 had broad substrate specificity and could catalyze the glycosylation of various flavonoids, including isoflavones, flavones, flavanones, and chalcones. AmGT90 not only catalyzed the formation of monoglycosides but also diglycosides. In addition, the mechanism of AmGT90 catalyzing the formation of diglycosides from luteolin was preliminarily explored. The experimental results showed that AmGT90 may preferentially recognize C4'-OH of luteolin and then recognize C7-OH to form diglycosides. This study reported a glycosyltransferase from A. membranaceus capable of converting flavonoids into monoglycosides and diglycosides. This finding not only enhances our understanding of the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoid glycosides in A. membranaceus but also introduces a new component for glycoside production through synthetic biology.
Glycosyltransferases/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Astragalus propinquus/classification* ; Phylogeny ; Glycosylation ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Substrate Specificity ; Cloning, Molecular ; Amino Acid Sequence

This study aims to systematically characterize the targeted effects of Quanduzhong Capsules on cartilage lesions in knee osteoarthritis by integrating spatial transcriptomics data mining and animal experiments validation, thereby elucidating the related molecular mechanisms. A knee osteoarthritis model was established using Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats, via a modified Hulth method. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining was employed to detect knee osteoarthritis-associated pathological changes in knee cartilage. Candidate targets of Quanduzhong Capsules were collected from the HIT 2.0 database, followed by bioinformatics analysis of spatial transcriptomics datasets(GSE254844) from cartilage tissues in clinical knee osteoarthritis patients to identify spatially specific disease genes. Furthermore, a "formula candidate targets-spatially specific genes in cartilage lesions" interaction network was constructed to explore the effects and major mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules in distinct cartilage regions. Experimental validation was conducted through immunohistochemistry using animal-derived biospecimens. The results indicated that Quanduzhong Capsules effectively inhibited the degenerative changes in the cartilage of affected joints in rats, which was associated with the regulation of Quanduzhong Capsules on the thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)-bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2(BMPR2)-fibronectin 1(FN1)-matrix metallopeptidase 2(MMP2) signal axis in the articular cartilage surface and superficial zones, subsequently inhibiting cartilage matrix degradation leading to oxidative stress and inflammatory diffusion. In summary, this study clarifies the spatially specific targeted effects and protective mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules within pathological cartilage regions in knee osteoarthritis, providing theoretical and experimental support for the clinical application of this drug in the targeted therapy on the inflamed cartilage.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Male ; Humans ; Capsules ; Female ; Disease Models, Animal

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) manual, sperm concentration should be measured using an improved Neubauer hemocytometer, while sperm motility should be measured by manual assessment. However, in China, thousands of laboratories do not use the improved Neubauer hemocytometer or method; instead, the Makler counting chamber is one of the most widely used chambers. To study sources of error that could impact the measurement of the apparent concentration and motility of sperm using the Makler counting chamber and to verify its accuracy for clinical application, 67 semen samples from patients attending the Department of Andrology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) between 13 September 2023 and 27 September 2023, were included. Compared with applying the cover glass immediately, delaying the application of the cover glass for 5 s, 10 s, and 30 s resulted in average increases in the sperm concentration of 30.3%, 74.1%, and 107.5%, respectively (all P < 0.0001) and in the progressive motility (PR) of 17.7%, 30.8%, and 39.6%, respectively (all P < 0.0001). However, when the semen specimens were fixed with formaldehyde, a delay in the application of the cover glass for 5 s, 10 s, and 30 s resulted in an average increase in the sperm concentration of 6.7%, 10.8%, and 14.6%, respectively, compared with immediate application of the cover glass. The accumulation of motile sperm due to delays in the application of the cover glass is a significant source of error with the Makler counting chamber and should be avoided.
Humans ; Male ; Sperm Motility/physiology* ; Sperm Count ; Semen Analysis/methods* ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) alleviate white matter damage (WMD) in neonatal rats by targeting the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). METHODS: Three-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Sham, hypoxia-ischemia (HI), MSC-Exo, and MCC950 (NLRP3 inhibitor) (n=24 per group). The WMD model was established by unilateral common carotid artery ligation combined with hypoxia. Exosomes (1×10⁸ particles/μL) were transplanted into the lateral ventricle using stereotaxic guidance. Fourteen days after modeling, hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe pathological changes in brain tissue, and transmission electron microscopy was used to assess myelinated axons. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP), NLRP3, caspase-1, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Immunohistochemistry was used to measure NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β expression. Twenty-eight days post-modeling, behavioral changes were evaluated using the Morris water maze. RESULTS: In the HI group, marked inflammatory cell infiltration, extensive vacuolation, and decreased numbers of myelinated axons were observed compared to the Sham group. The MSC-Exo group showed reduced inflammatory infiltration, fewer vacuoles, and increased myelinated axons compared to the HI group, while the MCC950 group showed nearly normal cell morphology. Compared to the Sham group, the HI group exhibited decreased MBP expression, fewer platform crossings, shorter time in the target quadrant, increased expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β, and longer escape latency (all P<0.05). Compared to the HI group, the MSC-Exo and MCC950 groups showed increased MBP expression, more platform crossings, longer target quadrant stay, and reduced NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β expression, as well as shorter escape latency (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS MSC-Exo may attenuate white matter damage in neonatal rats by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome and promoting oligodendrocyte maturation.
Animals ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; White Matter/pathology* ; Inflammasomes/physiology* ; Rats ; Animals, Newborn ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Interleukin-1beta/analysis* ; Male ; Caspase 1/analysis* ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/therapy* ; Myelin Basic Protein/analysis*