1.Traditional Chinese Medicine Alleviates Dry Eye Disease by Regulating Tear Film Homeostasis: A Review
Sainan TIAN ; Bin'an WANG ; Yao CHEN ; Guicheng LIU ; Li TANG ; Pei LIU ; Genyan QIN ; Jun PENG ; Qinghua PENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):172-181
Dry eye (DE) is a prevalent multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, clinically characterized by tear film homeostasis imbalance accompanied by related ocular surface symptoms. Specifically, the tear film is a thin liquid layer of tears covering the cornea and conjunctiva through blinking, while tear film homeostasis serves as the foundation for maintaining normal ocular surface structure and function. Insufficient tear secretion and excessive tear film evaporation lead to tear hyperosmolarity and the production of inflammatory mediators, disrupting tear film homeostasis and subsequently forming DE. Additionally, cascade reactions are triggered, resulting in a "vicious cycle of DE" that exacerbates the disease severity and prolongs its duration. Therefore, for DE treatment, it is crucial to restore tear film homeostasis and terminate this vicious cycle. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which differentiates and treats DE based on systemic conditions, often achieves favorable therapeutic outcomes, offering additional treatment options for DE. Studies have demonstrated that TCM can alleviate DE by regulating tear film homeostasis and terminating the vicious cycle. This review systematically summarizes recent basic experimental research in China and abroad on TCM in alleviating DE by regulating tear film homeostasis, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment and an insight for research design.
2.Chufeng Yisuntang Ameliorates PM2.5-induced Dry Eye via ROS/p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway
Yuan ZHONG ; Pan ZHAO ; Shi TAN ; Yu TANG ; Dongdong LI ; Lihao CHEN ; Jun PENG ; Qinghua PENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):191-200
ObjectiveTo establish a mouse model of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5)-induced dry eye and investigate whether Chufeng Yisuntang can ameliorate the PM2.5-induced ocular surface damage by regulating the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway. MethodsSixty 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were used. Ten were randomly selected as the control group. The remaining 50 mice received topical instillation of 1 drop (0.1 mL) of 5 g·L-1 PM2.5 suspension in both eyes, four times daily. Successfully modeled mice were randomized into four groups (n=10): Model, p38 MAPK inhibitor, Chufeng Yisuntang, and combination (Chufeng Yisuntang at 7.3 g·kg-1 + p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 at 5 mg·kg-1). Chufeng Yisuntang was administered via gavage, and the inhibitor group via intraperitoneal injection. The control and model groups received equal volumes of distilled water by gavage. All treatments lasted for 4 weeks. General conditions were dynamically observed. Tear secretion, tear film break-up time, and corneal fluorescein staining were assessed. After intervention for 4 weeks, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to examine the histopathological changes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to measure serum levels of ROS, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) 1, and SOD2. Western blot and Real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and gene levels, respectively, of p38 MAPK, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 (Caspase-3) in the corneal tissue. ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group exhibited reduced tear secretion volume and tear film breakup time, along with increased corneal fluorescein staining scores (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the Chufeng Yisuntang group, p38 MAPK inhibitor group, and combination group demonstrated increased tear secretion volume and tear film breakup time, along with decreased corneal fluorescein staining scores (P<0.01). HE staining revealed that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited marked increases in corneal epithelial cell layers and epithelial thickness, along with reduced meibomian gland acini and intensely stained, densely packed nuclei around the acini. Compared with the model group, the Chufeng Yisuntang group, p38 MAPK inhibitor group, and combination group showed intact corneal structure, improved cell morphology, and reduced damage severity. ELISA revealed elevated ROS and MDA levels (P<0.01) and decreased SOD1 and SOD2 levels (P<0.01) in the model group compared with the control group. Compared with the model group, Chufeng Yisuntang, p38 MAPK inhibitor, and the combination lowered ROS and MDA levels (P<0.01), while raising SOD1 and SOD2 levels (P<0.05, P<0.01). Western blot revealed that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited increased protein levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01) and reduced protein level of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Chufeng Yisuntang, p38 MAPK inhibitor, and the combination down-regulated the protein levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01), while up-regulating the protein level of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Compared with the Chufeng Yisuntang group, the combination group exhibited decreased protein levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01) and increased protein level of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Real-time PCR revealed that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited upregulated mRNA levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01), and downregulated mRNA level of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Chufeng Yisuntang, p38 MAPK inhibitor, and the combination down-regulated the mRNA levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 (P<0.01), while up-regulating the mRNA level of Bcl-2 (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the Chufeng Yisuntang group, the combination group exhibited decreased mRNA levels of p38 MAPK, Bax, and Caspase-3 expression (P<0.05, P<0.01) and increased mRNA level of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). ConclusionChufeng Yisuntang may partially protect against PM2.5-induced corneal injury by inhibiting the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway, enhancing antioxidant defense, and reducing epithelial apoptosis.
3.Multi-label fundus disease classification using dual-branch deep learning: an intelligent diagnosis framework inspired by traditional Chinese medicine Five Wheels theory
Xin HE ; Xiaohui LI ; Jun PENG ; Lei LEI ; Dan SHU ; Li XIAO ; Qinghua PENG ; Xiaoxia XIAO
Digital Chinese Medicine 2026;9(1):80-90
Objective:
To develop a dual-branch deep learning framework for accurate multi-label classification of fundus diseases, addressing the key limitations of insufficient complementary feature extraction and inadequate cross-modal feature fusion in existing automated diagnostic methods.
Methods:
The fundus multi-label classification dataset with 12 disease categories (FMLC-12) dataset was constructed by integrating complementary samples from Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) and Retinal Fundus Multi-Disease Image Dataset (RFMiD), yielding 6 936 fundus images across 12 retinal pathology categories, and the framework was validated on both FMLC-12 and ODIR. Inspired by the holistic multi-regional assessment principle of the Five Wheels theory in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ophthalmology, the dual-branch multi-label network (DBMNet) was developed as a novel framework integrating complementary visual feature extraction with pathological correlation modeling. The architecture employed a TransNeXt backbone within a dual-branch design: one branch processed red-green-blue (RGB) images to capture color-dependent features, such as vascular patterns and lesion morphology, while the other processed grayscale-converted images to enhance subtle textural details and contrast variations. A feature interaction module (FIM) effectively integrated the multi-scale features from both branches. Comprehensive ablation studies were conducted to evaluate the contributions of the dual-branch architecture and the FIM. The performance of DBMNet was compared against four state-of-the-art methods, including EfficientNet Ensemble, transfer learning-based convolutional neural network (CNN), BFENet, and EyeDeep-Net, using mean average precision (mAP), F1-score, and Cohen's kappa coefficient.
Results:
The dual-branch architecture improved mAP by 15.44 percentage points over the single-branch TransNeXt baseline, increasing from 34.41% to 44.24%, and the addition of FIM further boosted mAP to 49.85%. On FMLC-12, DBMNet achieved an mAP of 49.85%, a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 62.14%, and an F1-score of 70.21%. Compared with BFENet (mAP: 45.42%, kappa: 46.64%, F1-score: 71.34%), DBMNet outperformed it by 4.43 percentage points in mAP and 15.50 percentage points in kappa, while BFENet achieved a marginally higher F1-score. On ODIR, DBMNet achieved an F1-score of 85.50%, comparable to state-of-the-art methods.
Conclusion
DBMNet effectively integrates RGB and grayscale visual modalities through a dual-branch architecture, significantly improving multi-label fundus disease classification. The framework not only addresses the issue of insufficient feature fusion in existing methods but also demonstrates outstanding performance in balancing detection across both common and rare diseases, providing a promising and clinically applicable pathway for standardized, intelligent fundus disease classification.
4.Safety of endoscopic variceal ligation and endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection in treatment of esophagogastric varices in patients with liver cirrhosis and influencing factors for postoperative bleeding
Luyao JIA ; Baoying CAO ; Chunming HUANG ; Biao XIE ; Hongbo GAO ; Chuo LI ; Qinghua HUANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(2):356-361
ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) or endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection (ECI) for the treatment of esophagogastric varices in patients with liver cirrhosis, as well as the safety of EVL/ECI in patients with thrombocytopenia. MethodsA total of 489 patients with liver cirrhosis and esophagogastric varices who underwent EVL/ECI in Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, from January 2018 to December 2023 were enrolled as subjects, and according to the presence or absence of bleeding after surgery, they were divided into bleeding group and non-bleeding group. The risk factors for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after surgery were analyzed. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the chi-square test or the continuity-corrected chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the cut-off value of MELD score; a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for postoperative bleeding. ResultsThere were no significant differences in the bleeding rates within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI between the 386 patients with a platelet count of ≥50×109/L and the 103 patients with a platelet count of (25 — 49)×109/L (5 days: 1.94% vs 2.85%, P=0.870; 2 weeks: 2.91% vs 4.92%, P=0.544). The overall bleeding rate was 2.66% (13/489) and 4.50% (22/489), respectively, within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MELD score was an independent risk factor for bleeding within 5 days (odds ratio [OR]=3.726, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.214 — 11.429, P=0.021) and 2 weeks (OR=5.760, 95%CI: 1.779 — 18.651, P=0.003) after EVL/ECI, while hemoglobin (Hb) was a protective factor against bleeding within 5 days (OR=0.972, 95%CI: 0.948 — 0.996, P=0.025) and 2 weeks (OR=0.976, 95%CI: 0.957 — 0.995, P=0.016) after surgery; portal vein tumor thrombus (OR=2.667, 95%CI: 1.000 — 7.117, P=0.050) was an independent risk factor for bleeding within 2 weeks after surgery, while platelet count [(25 — 49)×10⁹/L] was not a risk factor for postoperative bleeding (P>0.05). ConclusionBoth EVL and ECI have good safety in patients with liver diseases and grade 3 thrombocytopenia. MELD score is an independent risk factor for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI, while Hb is a protective factor; portal vein tumor thrombus is an independent risk factor for bleeding within 2 weeks after surgery.
5.Construction and application of a graded early mobility path for critically ill adult patients
Bing LI ; Sheng TANG ; Yanlan MA ; Lingyu SHEN ; Qinghua ZHAO ; Ping LUO ; Mengjie BI
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(17):2102-2110
Objective To develop a graded early mobility implementation pathway for critically ill adult patients in tertiary hospitals in Beijing and to preliminarily validate its feasibility and effectiveness.Methods Based on the"goal-directed"early mobility concept,a graded early mobility implementation pathway for critically ill patients was developed through evidence synthesis and the Delphi method,consisting of 3 components:patient inclusion,mobility implementation,and mobility evaluation.Using convenience sampling,patients meeting inclusion criteria in the general ICU of a tertiary hospital in Beijing from October 2024 to January 2025 were selected as participants.Among them,25 patients admitted from December 2024 to January 2025 were assigned to an experimental group and received early mobility interventions following the developed pathway.25 patients admitted from October to November 2024 served as a control group and received routine ICU mobility care.Outcomes including diaphragm excursion,muscle strength,ICU length of stay,and adverse events were compared between the 2 groups.Results The graded early mobility pathway achieved an implementation rate of 70.05%in the experimental group,significantly higher than it in the control group(P<0.001),without increasing adverse events.Post-intervention diaphragm excursion in the experimental group was significantly greater than that in the control group(P=0.018).Conclusion The developed graded early mobility implementation pathway for ICU patients demonstrates scientific rigor and clinical practicality.It provides a reference for the widespread and effective implementation of early mobility in ICUs,standardizing its clinical application.
6.Urban drinking water quality in Anhui Province in 2014-2022
Yanlong XU ; Lei MA ; Xiaoliang FENG ; Zhiqiang WANG ; Xinmiao SUI ; Fei LI ; Li ZHENG ; Qinghua XU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;36(2):35-38
Objective To analyze the urban drinking water quality and its influencing factors in Anhui Province from 2014 to 2022, and to provide a scientific basis for water quality improvement and protection. Methods The data were collected, saved and monitored according to the Standard Test Method for Drinking Water (GB/T5750-2006) and evaluated according to the Hygienic Standard for Drinking Water (GB 5749-2006). Results A total of 20 941 samples were collected, and the overall qualified rate was 84.26%. The qualified rate of urban drinking water increased from 76.9% in 2014 to 93.3% in 2022, and the qualified rate of water quality was on the rise (χ2=544.43, P<0.01). From 2014 to 2022, the qualified rate of water quality in dry season was higher than that in wet season (χ2=35.98, P<0.001), the qualified rate of surface water was higher than that of ground water (χ2=4440.8, P<0.001), and the qualified rate of peripheral tap water was higher than that of factory water (χ2=145.1, P<0.001). Among all kinds of disinfection methods, chlorination disinfection had the highest qualified rate (χ2=1483.8, P<0.001). The qualified rate of water quality increased with the increase of the scale of water plant. Among the inspected indicators, the main unqualified indicators were chlorine dioxide (7.72%), fluoride (7.41%), free residual chlorine (3.90%), and total bacterial count (2.13%). Conclusion The passing rate of urban drinking water quality in Anhui Province is on an upward trend, and the quality of urban drinking water has improved. However, it is still important to pay attention to the problem of excessive microorganism and fluoride in water, and the quality of drinking water varies from place to place.
7.Early clinical efficacy of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction on ischemic cerebrovascular disease after interventional therapy
Qinghua WANG ; Gesheng WANG ; Ruiping LI ; Can ZHENG ; Wenjing LI ; Jiaqi CHEN ; Kaihang GUO ; Xiaobo DONG ; Wenxin WANG ; Rongjuan GUO ; Le WANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(1):108-121
Objective:
To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction in the intervention of early traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes after ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) intervention.
Methods:
From October 2020 to July 2023, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to include 60 patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis, and phlegm obstruction syndrome after ICVD interventional therapy. They were assigned to the Yiqi Tongluo Decoction treatment group (30 cases) and the TCM placebo routine treatment control group (30 cases) according to the randomized block design. Both groups received routine standardized treatment of Western medicine, including dual antiplatelet, lipid regulation, and control of risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. The treatment group was treated with Yiqi Tongluo Decoction based on the control group. The course of treatment was 60 days and follow-up was carried out 2 and 6 months after the operation. The improvement of qi deficiency syndrome, blood stasis syndrome, phlegm syndrome score and TCM syndrome score, modified Rankin score (mRS), Barthel index (BI) score, Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) level, incidence of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke (IS) and incidence of adverse reactions, Head and neck CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination were collected. The clinical efficacy of the patients 2 months after the operation was taken as the main outcome index to preliminarily evaluate the early and long-term efficacy of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction after the ICVD intervention. The early and long-term clinical efficacy and safety of Western medicine standardized treatment combined with TCM Yiqi Tongluo Decoction on patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm obstruction syndrome after ICVD intervention were evaluated. The safety of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction in the treatment of patients after ICVD intervention with white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (FIB), plasminogen time (PT), recurrence of cerebral ischaemia and restenosis in patients at 2 and 6 months after treatment were evaluated.
Results:
Compared to the control group, the TCM syndrome scores for qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm syndrome in the treatment group reduced significantly, the clinical efficacy improved significantly, the mRS score and FABP4 were reduced, and the BI score was increased. Adverse events such as cerebral ischaemia were fewer in the treatment group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant; levels of CRP, WBC and PT were reduced, and levels of FIB were reduced at 6 months post-treatment, all P<0.01, and images were intuitively compared. The treatment group was superior to the control group.
Conclusion
Yiqi Tongluo Decoction combined with Western medicine standard treatment can improve the early clinical efficacy of ICVD patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm obstruction syndrome after interventional surgery, improve neurological impairment and daily living ability, reduce the state of qi deficiency syndrome, blood stasis syndrome and phlegm syndrome after interventional surgery, and improve the clinical efficacy of TCM. At the same time, it can reduce the level of FABP4, the target of atherosclerosis and restenosis after interventional surgery, reduce the level of inflammation after interventional surgery in patients with ICVD, regulate coagulation function, and reduce the incidence of long-term recurrence of cerebral ischemia after interventional surgery, with good safety.
8.Effect of refractive status before small incision lenticule extraction surgery on postoperative accommodative function
Meiluo ZHANG ; Chunyu TIAN ; Qinghua YANG ; Liexi JIA ; Hongtao ZHANG ; Manmei LI ; Zhengqing DU ; Zhuo ZENG ; Xue WANG ; Wei ZHANG
International Eye Science 2025;25(2):323-327
AIM: To investigate the abnormal conditions and change patterns of accommodative facility in patients with different refractive states before and after small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE)surgery.METHODS:A prospective clinical cohort study was conducted. A total of 59 patients(118 eyes)who underwent SMILE surgery and had visual function files established in our hospital from June to December 2023 were randomly selected, including 37 males and 22 females, aged 18-35 years(with an average age of 25.19±5.65 years). According to the preoperative spherical equivalent(SE), they were divided into two groups: the low-to-moderate myopia group(SE≥-6.00 DS)with 40 patients(80 eyes), and the high myopia group(SE<-6.00 DS)with 19 patients(38 eyes). The monocular and binocular accommodative facility before surgery and at 1 wk and 1 mo after surgery were compared, and the changes in accommodative facility before and after SMILE surgery in the two groups of patients were analyzed.RESULTS:All surgeries were completed successfully. In the low-to-moderate myopia group, 33 cases(66 eyes)completed the 1-month follow-up after surgery, with a loss to follow-up rate of 17.5%(7/40). In the high myopia group, 15 patients(30 eyes)completed the 1-month follow-up after surgery, with a loss to follow-up rate of 21.1%(4/19). After SMILE surgery, the uncorrected visual acuity and SE of both low-to-moderate myopia and high myopia were significantly improved(all P<0.05). The accommodative facility of the right eyes in all the patients at 1 mo after surgery was better than that before surgery and at 1 wk after surgery(P=0.002, 0.006), the accommodative facility of the left eyes was significantly increased at 1 mo after surgery than that at 1 wk after surgery(P=0.005), and the binocular accommodative facility at 1 mo after surgery was significantly increased compared with that before surgery(P<0.017). Furthermore, there were statistical significance in accommodative facility of the right eyes in the low-to-moderate group at 1 mo compared with that before surgery and at 1 wk after surgery(P=0.011, 0.004); it was significantly increased in the left eyes at 1 mo after surgery compared with that at 1 wk after surgery(P=0.001), and binocular accommodative facility at 1 mo after surgery was significantly better than that before surgery(P<0.001). Furthermore, there was no statistical significance in the right, left and binocular accommodative facility of patients in the high myopia group(all P>0.017).CONCLUSION: After SMILE surgery, the monocular accommodative facility shows a transient decrease and then exceeds the preoperative level at 1 mo after surgery, and the binocular accommodative facility gradually improves after surgery. SMILE surgery has a positive impact on the monocular and binocular accommodative facility in patients with low-to-moderate myopia, but has no significant impact on the accommodative facility in patients with high myopia. It is of clinical significance to strengthen the detection of monocular and binocular accommodative facility before and after SMILE surgery.
9.Gray correlation analysis of factors affecting per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou province
Yijuan LV ; Hua SHI ; Li YE ; Ke ZHANG ; Xu SU ; Cong WANG ; Qinghua WANG ; Wanju TAO
Modern Hospital 2025;25(1):79-82
Objective This study aims to analyze the factors influencing per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou Province from 2016 to 2022 using the gray correlation analysis method.Methods Based on the"SHA2011"accounting results of current health expenditure in Guizhou Province,as well as data from the"Guizhou Statistical Yearbook"and"Guizhou Health Statistical Yearbook",the gray correlation analysis method was used to analyze the factors influencing per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou Province from 2016 to 2022.Results The factors with the highest correlation to per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou Province were health expenditure(0.829),followed by the number of health technical personnel per thousand people(0.715),the number of practicing(assistant)physicians per thousand people(0.705),and per capita GDP(0.704).The factor with the lowest correlation was the proportion of the tertiary industry to GDP(0.543).Conclusion Health expenditure investment has the strongest correlation with per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou Province.Health re-source investment and health service capacity are the main influencing factors of per capita current health expenditure in Guizhou Province.At the same time,the impact of economic and social factors on current health expenditure should be fully recognized.
10.Mechanism of protection of motor neurons in spinal cord anterior horn of SNI rats by acellular nerve allografts via the Bcl-2/Cyt-C/Apaf-1 signalling pathway
Mengyuan Zheng ; Zitong Hao ; Qinghua Zhu ; Zhuangzhuang Tian ; Xingda Guo ; Yuhe Zheng ; Cheng Li ; Xiumei Fu
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(11):2035-2042
Objective:
To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of acellular nerve allografts (ANA) on motor neurons in the spinal cord anterior horn of sciatic nerve injury ( SNI) rats .
Methods:
SPF grade male SD rats were randomly divided into normal , model , ANA-bridged (bridge group) , and autologous nerve transplantation groups (autograft group) , with 6 rats in each group . The SNI rat model was established using the right sciatic nerve clamp method for 10 mm . In the bridge group , the ANA was bridged to the two severed ends of the injured sciatic nerve , and in the autograft group , the autologous nerves were flipped head to tail and then bridged to the two se- vered ends . A spectrophotometer was applied to determine the DNA content in normal nerves and ANA . The foot- print test was used to determine the sciatic nerve function index (SFI) of the rats in each group , the wet weight ra- tio of the anterior tibialis muscle was calculated . The morphology and structure of the anterior horn motor neurons of the spinal cord of each group were observed by HE staining. The immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to detect Apaf-1 , Caspase-3 , Bcl-2 , Bax , and Cyt-C proteins expression in the L4-6 segment of the spinal cord .
Results:
The DNA content in the ANA prepared in this study was significantly lower than that in normal nerves (P < 0. 05) . Compared with the normal group , the SFI and wet weight ratio of the anterior tibialis muscle were re- duced in the model group (P < 0. 001) ; compared with the model group , both SFI and wet weight ratio of the ante- rior tibialis muscle significantly increased in the bridge group and the autografts group ( P < 0. 05 , P < 0. 001) , and the SFI and wet weight ratio of the anterior tibialis muscle in the autograft group were higher than those in the bridge group (P < 0. 001 , P < 0. 01) . The results of HE staining showed that the motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord of the normal group were structurally intact and had clear cytosolic boundaries; the neurons in the model group were lysed and necrotic , with blurred cytosolic boundaries; the neurons in the bridge group were less lysed and necrotic , but the nuclear translocation phenomenon could still be seen; the neurons in the autograft group were morphologically and structurally intact with clear cytosolic boundaries . Compared with the normal group , the expression of Apaf-1 , Caspase-3 , Bax and Cyt-C proteins significantly increased in the model group (P < 0. 001 , P < 0. 01 , P < 0. 01 , P < 0. 05) . Compared with the model group , the expression of Apaf-1 , Caspase- 3 , Bax , and Cyt-C proteins significantly decreased (P < 0. 001 , P < 0. 05 , P < 0. 05 , P < 0. 05) ; but the expres- sion of Bcl-2 protein significantly increased in the bridge group and the autograft group (P < 0. 05) . The expression of Apaf-1 , Caspase-3 , Bax and Cyt-C proteins in the autografts group was lower than that in the bridge group (P < 0. 001 , P < 0. 05 , P < 0. 05 , P < 0. 05) .
Conclusion
ANA can exert a protective effect on motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord of SNI rats by improving the morphology and structure of neurons , increasing the ex- pression of Bcl-2 protein , but decreasing the expression of Cyt-C , Bax , Caspase-3 , and Apaf-1 proteins in the spi- nal cord . The mechanism of ANA may be related to the Bcl-2/Cyt-C/Apaf-1-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis sig- naling pathway .


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