1.Pathogenesis Evolution and Stage-based Treatment of Gout: An Exploration Based on Theory of ''Endogenous Dampness Leading to Bi Syndrome''
Yingjie ZHANG ; Fan YANG ; Ruifang YANG ; Zhuoming ZHENG ; Siwei PENG ; Yan XIAO ; Peng CHEN ; Youxin SU ; Jiemei GUO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):74-83
Gout is a crystal-associated arthropathy caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals and is closely related to purine metabolic disorders and impaired uric acid excretion. It is clinically characterized by hyperuricemia, recurrent joint swelling and pain, and tophus formation. The disease course is divided into three stages: The hyperuricemia stage, acute attack stage, and chronic gouty arthritis stage. Modern medicine has reached a consensus on its pathology, but traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lacks a systematic stage-specific understanding of gout pathogenesis and its underlying mechanisms, making it difficult to guide precise syndrome differentiation and treatment. By integrating classical TCM theory, clinical practice, and modern medical understanding, and drawing upon descriptions of Bi syndrome caused by endogenous dampness and turbidity in classical texts such as Huangdi Neijing·Ling Shu and Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, our team proposes the pathogenic concept of gout as ''endogenous dampness leading to Bi syndrome'' and the core pathogenesis of ''spleen deficiency with internal retention of dampness-turbidity''. We systematically elucidate the evolution of pathogenesis across different stages and corresponding therapeutic strategies. This study posits that metabolic byproducts such as urate fall under the category of ''endogenous pathogenic dampness-turbidity''. When genetic or dietary factors lead to metabolic abnormalities, it manifests as ''spleen deficiency with impaired transport and transformation'', resulting in ''internal retention of pathogenic dampness-turbidity''. When damp-turbidity stagnates in the blood vessels, serum uric acid levels rise. When it stagnates in the viscera and limbs, monosodium urate crystals deposit in the joints. Triggered by precipitating factors, this leads to gout attacks—the core pathological process of ''endogenous dampness leading to Bi syndrome''. Based on this theory, the stage-specific pathogenic characteristics of gout are proposed: The hyperuricemia stage is characterized by ''spleen deficiency with impaired transport and transformation, internal retention of pathogenic dampness-turbidity'', the acute attack stage is primarily marked by ''dampness-turbidity and static heat obstructing the limbs and joints'', while the chronic stage is defined by ''spleen deficiency with internal retention of pathogenic dampness-turbidity, intermingled with phlegm-stasis binding''. The treatment principle centers on ''strengthening the spleen and draining dampness'' throughout all stages. During the hyperuricemia stage, treatment focuses on ''strengthening the spleen, draining dampness, and eliminating turbidity''. In the acute attack stage, the treatment should "strengthen the spleen, drain dampness, clear heat, eliminate turbidity, alleviate swelling, and relieve pain''. In the chronic stage, the treatments emphasizes to ''strengthen the spleen, drain dampness, transform turbidity, clear heat, resolve phlegm, and activate blood circulation''. This approach has yielded favorable therapeutic outcomes in clinical practice. This theoretical system clarifies the nature of gout as ''spleen deficiency being the root, dampness-turbidity being the secondary manifestation'' and systematically analyzes its pathogenesis evolution process and characteristics. The constructed stage-based treatment protocol has been validated through clinical and basic research, providing systematic theoretical guidance and a practical framework for the precise TCM management of gout, thereby promoting the modernization of TCM pathogenesis theory related to gout.
2.Effect and Action Mechanism of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Prescription on Gouty Bone Erosion Model Rats Based on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Zhuoming ZHENG ; Jun LIU ; Meiling WANG ; Xiaohua CHEN ; Yuwan LI ; Siwei PENG ; Yingjie ZHANG ; Ruifang YANG ; Youxin SU ; Yan XIAO ; Jiemei GUO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):105-117
ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the effect of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi prescription (HSCD) on the gouty bone erosion model rats and investigate its action mechanism. MethodsThirty-six two-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group with nine rats and the modeling group with 27 rats. The rats in the modeling group were administered hypoxanthine solution at 300 mg·kg-1·d-1 and potassium oxonate solution at 250 mg·kg-1·d-1, combined with intra-articular injection of 200 μL monosodium urate (MSU) crystal suspension at 25 g·L-1 into the right ankle joint (joint injection once every three days), so as to induce the gouty bone erosion model. After four weeks of modeling, three rats were selected from these two groups to validate the model. The modeled 24 rats were randomly divided into the model group, HSCD group (10.35 g·kg-1·d-1), allopurinol group (20 mg·kg-1·d-1), and inhibitor group (LY294002, 10 mg·kg-1·d-1), with six rats per group. Except for the blank group, rats in all other groups continued to receive hypoxanthine solution at 300 mg·kg-1 and potassium oxonate solution at 250 mg·kg-1 via gavage concurrently with administration to maintain modeling intervention. The rats in the HSCD group and allopurinol group received administration by gavage at the above doses. The rats in the inhibitor group received an intraperitoneal injection at the above dose. The rats in the blank group and model group received saline (10.35 g·kg-1·d-1) by gavage for four consecutive weeks. After administration, ankle joint swelling of the rats in all groups was observed, and the diameters were measured. Bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and bone surface area to bone volume (BS/BV) were observed and quantitatively analyzed by Micro-CT. Histopathological changes in the ankle joint were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and safranin O-fast green staining. The uric acid in the rats' serum was determined by enzyme colorimetry. The levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The protein expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and phosphorylated (p)-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) in ankle joint tissues of rats were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA levels of the proteins related to the bone erosion, including RANKL, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
3.Discussion on "Five Views" Treatment Principles in Traditional Chinese Medicine Orthopedic Rehabilitation
Mingxing SU ; Junning LIU ; Ruifang YANG ; Zhuoming ZHENG ; Yan XIAO ; Peng CHEN ; Youxin SU ; Jiemei GUO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1125-1129
The key to the onset and progression of the functional impairments of orthopedic diseases is imba-lance of deficiency and excess, disharmony of movement and stillness, dislocation of sinews and bones, imbalance of rigidity and flexibility, and disharmony of body and spirit. Based on this, the "five views" treatment principle has been proposed for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) orthopedic rehabilitation, which include the view of balancing deficiency and excess, combining movement and stillness, focusing on both sinews and bones, integrating rigidity and flexibility, and harmonizing body and spirit. Correspondingly, the "five views" collaborative rehabilitation clinical model is established, providing a reference for enhancing the systematization and targeting of TCM orthopedic rehabilitation.
4.Protection efficacy of mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 variant vaccine in non-human primates.
Dongrong YI ; Yongxin ZHANG ; Jing WANG ; Qian LIU ; Ling MA ; Quanjie LI ; Saisai GUO ; Ruifang ZHENG ; Xiaoyu LI ; Xingong LI ; Yijie DONG ; Shuaiyao LU ; Weiguo ZHANG ; Xiaozhong PENG ; Shan CEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):934-946
The rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that evade immunity elicited by vaccination has posed a global challenge to the control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, developing countermeasures that broadly protect against SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses is essential. Herein, we have developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) encoding the full-length Spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (termed RG001), which confers complete protection in a non-human primate model. Intramuscular immunization of two doses of RG001 in Rhesus monkey elicited robust neutralizing antibodies and cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 variants, resulting in significantly protected SARS-CoV-2-infected animals from acute lung lesions and complete inhibition of viral replication in all animals immunized with low or high doses of RG001. More importantly, the third dose of RG001 vaccination elicited effective neutralizing antibodies against current epidemic XBB and JN.1 strains and similar cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants (BA.1, XBB.1.16, and JN.1) were observed in immunized mice. All these results together strongly support the great potential of RG001 in preventing the infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).
5.Exploration on the Medication Law of Zheng Qizhong in Treating Pediatric Henoch-Sch?nlein Purpura Based on Data Mining
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(6):52-57
Objective To summarize the medication law and prescription ideas of Professor Zheng Qizhong in treating pediatric Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura(HSP).Methods Effective outpatient cases of pediatric HSP treated by Professor Zheng Qizhong from January 2018 to December 2023 were selected.The TCM Inheritance Support System 3.5 was utilized,integrating its statistical analysis module and prescription analysis module,to perform quantitative analyses of medication usage frequency,properties-tastes-meridian tropism and therapeutic efficacy.Association rules and clustering analysis were applied to explore latent law in herbal combinations,visualized through network visualization techniques.Combined with interviews,this study further elucidated Professor Zheng Qizhong's fundamental principles and prescription ideas for treating pediatric HSP.Results Totally 280 prescriptions and 189 kinds of Chinese materia medica were screened.The most frequently used herbs included Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Astragali Radix and Chuanxiong Rhizoma.The primary properties-tastes were cold,warm,neutral,sweet,bitter and pungent,mainly associated with the liver meridians,spleen meridians,lung meridians and heart meridians.Therapeutic effects focused on heat-clearing,deficiency-tonifying,blood-activating and stasis-resolving,exterior-releasing and hemostasis.Association rule analysis identified 20 medicinal pairs,with the top five high-frequency combinations being Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix.Clustering analysis yielded four clusters:Cluster I(Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Cynanchi Paniculati Radix et Rhizoma Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Gardeniae Fructus,Forsythiae Fructus);Cluster Ⅱ(Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Astragali Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma);Cluster Ⅲ(Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Poria,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Astragali Radix);Cluster Ⅳ(Astragali Radix,Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Coptidis Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix).Conclusion Professor Zheng Qizhong's treatment for pediatric HSP integrates cold and warm properties,harmonizes the liver and spleen,and adheres to the principle of tonifying qi and activating blood circulation,strengthening the body's healthy qi and eliminating pathogens,emphasizing medicinal pair compatibility and staged treatment based on disease progression.
6.Exploration on the Medication Law of Zheng Qizhong in Treating Pediatric Henoch-Sch?nlein Purpura Based on Data Mining
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(6):52-57
Objective To summarize the medication law and prescription ideas of Professor Zheng Qizhong in treating pediatric Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura(HSP).Methods Effective outpatient cases of pediatric HSP treated by Professor Zheng Qizhong from January 2018 to December 2023 were selected.The TCM Inheritance Support System 3.5 was utilized,integrating its statistical analysis module and prescription analysis module,to perform quantitative analyses of medication usage frequency,properties-tastes-meridian tropism and therapeutic efficacy.Association rules and clustering analysis were applied to explore latent law in herbal combinations,visualized through network visualization techniques.Combined with interviews,this study further elucidated Professor Zheng Qizhong's fundamental principles and prescription ideas for treating pediatric HSP.Results Totally 280 prescriptions and 189 kinds of Chinese materia medica were screened.The most frequently used herbs included Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Astragali Radix and Chuanxiong Rhizoma.The primary properties-tastes were cold,warm,neutral,sweet,bitter and pungent,mainly associated with the liver meridians,spleen meridians,lung meridians and heart meridians.Therapeutic effects focused on heat-clearing,deficiency-tonifying,blood-activating and stasis-resolving,exterior-releasing and hemostasis.Association rule analysis identified 20 medicinal pairs,with the top five high-frequency combinations being Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Radix Paeoniae Rubra-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix.Clustering analysis yielded four clusters:Cluster I(Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Cynanchi Paniculati Radix et Rhizoma Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Gardeniae Fructus,Forsythiae Fructus);Cluster Ⅱ(Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Astragali Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma);Cluster Ⅲ(Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Poria,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Astragali Radix);Cluster Ⅳ(Astragali Radix,Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Coptidis Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix).Conclusion Professor Zheng Qizhong's treatment for pediatric HSP integrates cold and warm properties,harmonizes the liver and spleen,and adheres to the principle of tonifying qi and activating blood circulation,strengthening the body's healthy qi and eliminating pathogens,emphasizing medicinal pair compatibility and staged treatment based on disease progression.
7.Investigation of Efficacy and Mechanism of Zukamu Granules on Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension
Ruiqi LIU ; Tianyi YUAN ; Ranran WANG ; Ruifang ZHENG ; Difei GONG ; Shoubao WANG ; Jianguo XING ; Guanhua DU ; Lianhua FANG
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(4):550-560
Objective To explore and verify the protective and therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms of Zukamu granules on hypoxia alone and hypoxia+Su5416-induced hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPH)in mice.Methods Multiple databases and related literature were used to collect the active ingredients data in Zukamu granules and the HPH-related targets were predicted and obtained.The network construction and enrichment analysis were performed.The HPH mouse models were es-tablished by two-week hypoxia and four-week hypoxia+Su5416 induction,and the relevant indicators and the main pharmacodyna-mic indexes such as right ventricular pressure were tested.Masson staining was used to observe the pathological changes in lung tissues,and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of bax,bcl-2,PI3K,p-PI3K,eNOS,and HIF-1α in lung tis-sues.Results A total of 167 active ingredients of Zukamu granules were screened,with 179 intersecting targets with HPH,in-cluding targets like PIK3CA and HIF-1.The validation experimental results showed that Zukamu granules could significantly re-duce right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy in HPH mice,and down-regulate the expression of bcl-2 and HIF-1α and up-regulate the expression of bax,PI3K,p-PI3K and eNOS in mice lung tissues.Conclusion Zukamu gran-ules may act against HPH by modulating bax/bcl and PI3K-eNOS/HIF-1α signaling pathways.
8.Simultaneous Determination of 10 Effective Components in the Active Parts of Uygur Medicine Dracocephalum Moldavica L.by HPLC
Mei'e TAN ; Chenghui HE ; Hermity PAYMAN ; Ruifang ZHENG ; Ning YU ; Jianguo XING
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(4):567-571
Objective To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of 10 components in the active parts of Uygur medicine Dracocephalum Moldavica L.Methods The determination was performed on a Shim-pack ODS(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 um)column with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile(A)-0.5%formic acid(B)in aqueous solution in a gradient elution mode(0-30 min,17%A;30-60 min,17%→ 28%A;60-78 min,28%A)at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1.The temperature of the chromatographic column was 35℃and the detection was monitored by a UV detector at 330 nm.Results Cof-feic acid,p-coumalic acid,cynaroside,luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide,apigenin 7-O-glucuronide,rosmarinic acid,diosmetin7-O-β-D-glucuronide,salvianolic acid A,tilianin,apigenin were well separated under this chromatographic condition,and the linear relation-ship were good in the concentration range examined(r>0.999 2).The overall recoveries ranged from 91.83%to 106.43%with the RSD ranging from 0.38%to 2.22%.Conclusion The established content determination method is highly accurate and reproduci-ble,and suitable for the analysis and quality control of the active parts of Dracocephalum Moldavica L.
9.QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/ carboplatin in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer:an open-label, single-arm, phase II trial
Cheng FANG ; Yun ZHOU ; Yanling FENG ; Liping HE ; Jinjin YU ; Yuzhi LI ; Mei FENG ; Mei PAN ; Lina ZHAO ; Dihong TANG ; Xiumin LI ; Buzhen TAN ; Ruifang AN ; Xiaohui ZHENG ; Meimei SI ; Baihui ZHANG ; Lingyan LI ; Xiaoyan KANG ; Qi ZHOU ; Jihong LIU
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2024;35(6):e77-
Objective:
QL1604 is a highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the efficacy and safety of QL1604 plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer.
Methods:
This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with advanced cervical cancer and not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy were enrolled to receive QL1604 plus paclitaxel and cisplatin/carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, followed by QL1604 maintenance treatment.
Results:
Forty-six patients were enrolled and the median follow-up duration was 16.5 months. An 84.8% of patients had recurrent disease and 13.0% had stage IVB disease. The objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Advanced Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 was 58.7% (27/46). The immune ORR per immune RECIST was 60.9% (28/46).The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.5–not estimable). The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% CI=5.7–14.0). Fortyfive (97.8%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common grade≥3 TRAEs (>30%) were neutrophil count decrease (50.0%), anemia (32.6%), and white blood cell count decrease (30.4%).
Conclusion
QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin showed promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy may be a potential treatment option for the patient population who have contraindications or can’t tolerate bevacizumab, which needs to be further verified in phase III confirmatory study.
10.QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/ carboplatin in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer:an open-label, single-arm, phase II trial
Cheng FANG ; Yun ZHOU ; Yanling FENG ; Liping HE ; Jinjin YU ; Yuzhi LI ; Mei FENG ; Mei PAN ; Lina ZHAO ; Dihong TANG ; Xiumin LI ; Buzhen TAN ; Ruifang AN ; Xiaohui ZHENG ; Meimei SI ; Baihui ZHANG ; Lingyan LI ; Xiaoyan KANG ; Qi ZHOU ; Jihong LIU
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2024;35(6):e77-
Objective:
QL1604 is a highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the efficacy and safety of QL1604 plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer.
Methods:
This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with advanced cervical cancer and not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy were enrolled to receive QL1604 plus paclitaxel and cisplatin/carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, followed by QL1604 maintenance treatment.
Results:
Forty-six patients were enrolled and the median follow-up duration was 16.5 months. An 84.8% of patients had recurrent disease and 13.0% had stage IVB disease. The objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Advanced Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 was 58.7% (27/46). The immune ORR per immune RECIST was 60.9% (28/46).The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.5–not estimable). The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% CI=5.7–14.0). Fortyfive (97.8%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common grade≥3 TRAEs (>30%) were neutrophil count decrease (50.0%), anemia (32.6%), and white blood cell count decrease (30.4%).
Conclusion
QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin showed promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy may be a potential treatment option for the patient population who have contraindications or can’t tolerate bevacizumab, which needs to be further verified in phase III confirmatory study.

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