Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen, also known as Tinglizi, originates from Brassicaceae plants Descurainia sophia or Lepidium apetalum. The former is commonly referred to as "Southern Tinglizi(Descurainiae Semen)", while the latter is known as "Northern Tinglizi(Lepidii Semen)". To scientifically and accurately identify the origin of Tinglizi medicinal materials and traditional Chinese medicine products, this study developed a specific DNA mini-barcode based on chloroplast genome sequences. By combining the DNA mini-barcode with DNA metabarcoding technology, a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of Tinglizi medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines was established. In this study, chloroplast genomes of Southern Tinglizi and Northern Tinglizi and seven commonly encountered counterfeit products were downloaded from the GenBank database. Suitable polymorphic regions were identified to differentiate these species, enabling the development of the DNA mini-barcode. Using DNA metabarcoding technology, medicinal material mixtures of Southern and Northern Tinglizi, as well as the most common counterfeit product, Capsella bursa-pastoris seeds, were analyzed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of the mini-barcode and determine its minimum detection limit. Additionally, the mini-barcode was applied to Chinese patent medicines containing Tinglizi to authenticate their botanical origin. The results showed that the developed mini-barcode(psbB) exhibited high accuracy and specificity, effectively distinguishing between the two authentic origins of Tinglizi and commonly encountered counterfeit products. The analysis of mixtures demonstrated that the mini-barcode had excellent qualitative and quantitative capabilities, accurately identifying the composition of Chinese medicinal materials in mixed samples with varying proportions. Furthermore, the analysis of Chinese patent medicines revealed the presence of the adulterant species(Capsella bursa-pastoris) in addition to the authentic species(Southern and Northern Tinglizi), indicating the occurrence of adulteration in commercially available Tinglizi-containing products. This study developed a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials and related products, providing a model for research on other multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Contamination ; Genome, Chloroplast ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

This study investigates the material basis and mechanism of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) using animal experiments, component analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. A mouse model of COPD was constructed by cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Blood gas analysis was performed to measure the pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PCO_2) in the blood of the mice. Lung tissue sections were analyzed using HE staining, and the effects of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract on inflammatory factors(TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the lung tissue of COPD model mice were studied by qPCR and Western blot. The composition of the Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract was analyzed using UPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS. The SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict the targets of the chemical components in Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum. GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, PharmGKB and DrugBank disease databases were used to screen for COPD targets, and the potential targets of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum in treating COPD were identified. A protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of intersection targets was constructed and analyzed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0, and core genes were screened. GO functional analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed using R language, and molecular docking verification was conducted using AutoDock Vina software. The results of the animal experiments showed that Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract improved pulmonary ventilation function in COPD model mice, reduced lung inflammatory cells, decreased alveolar cavities, and improved lung tissue condition. The levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased, and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT were inhibited. Fifty-two chemical components were identified from Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum, and 440 intersection targets related to COPD were found. Nine key components were screened, including hydroxyphenylethylamine, L-tyrosine, L-tyrosyl-L-alanine, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, methyl azelate, zingerone, 6-gingerol, linoleamide, and linoleoyl ethanolamine. Five core targets were identified, including AKT1, TNF, STAT3, ESR1, and IL1B. The PI3K/AKT pathway was identified as the key pathway for the treatment of COPD with Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum. Molecular docking results showed that 75% of the binding energies of key components and core targets were less than-5 kcal·mol~(-1), indicating good binding affinity. In conclusion, Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum may improve pulmonary ventilation function, enhance lung pathological morphology, and reduce pulmonary inflammation in COPD model mice by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and downregulating TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β inflammatory factors. The material basis may be associated with L-tyrosyl-L-alanine, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, zingerone and 6-gingerol, and AKT1 and TNF may be the primary targets.
Animals ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism* ; Network Pharmacology ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Disease Models, Animal ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Lung/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/immunology*

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction on atherosclerosis(AS) injury in ApoE~(-/-) mice by regulating the ferroptosis pathway. Seventy-five ApoE~(-/-) mice were randomly divided into model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction groups, and evolocumab group(n=15), and 15 C57BL/6J mice were selected as the blank group. Mice in the blank group were fed with a normal diet, and those in the other groups were fed with a high-fat diet to induce AS. From the 9th week, mice in Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction groups were administrated with Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction at corresponding doses by gavage, and those in the blank group and the model group were given an equal volume of distilled water. Mice in the evolocumab group were treated with evolocumab 18.2 mg·kg~(-1 )by subcutaneous injection every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks of continuous intervention, oil red O staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were employed to observe the lipid deposition and plaque formation in the aortic root. Masson staining was used to evaluate the collagen content in the aortic root. The serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) were determined by biochemical kits. The levels of Fe~(2+), superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), and glutathione(GSH) in the aorta were measured by colorimetry. The protein and mRNA levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11), and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4(ACSL4) in the aorta were detected by Western blot and RT-qPCR, respectively. The expression of Nrf2, GPX4, and SLC7A11 was localized by immunofluorescence. The results showed that low-, medium-, and high-dose Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction reduced the plaque formation of aortic root and increased the collagen content in AS mice. At the same time, Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction improved the lipid metabolism by lowering the levels of TC, LDL-C, and TG and elevating the level of HDL-C in the serum. Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction enhanced the antioxidant capacity by elevating the levels of GSH and SOD and lowering the level of MDA in the aorta and inhibiting the accumulation of Fe~(2+) in the aorta. In addition, Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of Nrf2, GPX4, and SLC7A11, while down-regulating the protein and mRNA levels of ACSL4. In summary, Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction can effectively alleviate AS lesions in ApoE~(-/-) mice by activating the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway, reducing lipid peroxidation, and inhibiting ferroptosis.
Animals ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Atherosclerosis/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Apolipoproteins E/metabolism* ; Male ; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Humans ; Mice, Knockout

Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a recurrent, chronic, nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease. The longer the course of the disease, the higher the risk of cancerization. In recent years, the incidence and mortality rates of colon cancer in China have been increasing year by year, seriously threatening the life and health of patients. Therefore, studying the mechanism of "inflammation cancer transformation" in UC and conducting early intervention is crucial. The "Kenang" theory is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory of phlegm and blood stasis. It is based on the coexistence of phlegm and blood stasis in the body and deeply explores the pathogenic syndromes and characteristics of phlegm and blood stasis. Kenang is a pathological product formed when long-term Qi stagnation leads to the internal formation of phlegm and blood stasis, which is hidden deep within the body. It is characterized by being hidden, progressive, and difficult to treat. The etiology and pathogenesis of "inflammation cancer transformation" in UC are consistent with the connotation of the "Kenang" theory. The internal condition for the development of UC "inflammation cancer transformation" is the deficiency of healthy Qi, with Qi stagnation being the key pathological mechanism. Phlegm and blood stasis are the main pathogenic factors. Phlegm and blood stasis accumulate in the body over time and can produce cancer toxins. Due to the depletion of healthy Qi and a weakened constitution, the body is unable to limit the proliferation and invasion of cancer toxins, eventually leading to cancer transformation in UC. In clinical treatment, the focus should be on removing phlegm and blood stasis, with syndrome differentiation and treatment based on three basic principles: supporting healthy Qi to strengthen the body's foundation, resolving phlegm and blood stasis to break up the Kenang, and regulating Qi and blood to smooth the flow of energy and resolve stagnation. This approach helps to dismantle the Kenang, delay, block, or even reverse the cancerization process of UC, reduce the risk of "inflammation cancer transformation", improve the patient's quality of life, and provide new perspectives and strategies for early intervention in the development of colon cancer.
Humans ; Colitis, Ulcerative/immunology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic

By organizing and studying on the original works of LI Wenrong， this paper aimed to explore his theories and methods for treating liver diseases. LI Wenrong believes that the liver is easily prone to physiological disturbances， difficult to pacify， and can be compared to a “chariot” that moves horizontally and vertically， acting as a “general” for both civil and military affairs. Pathologically， liver diseases tend to spread to other organs， resulting in ever-changing pathological changes， often affecting emotional health. In terms of therapeutic methods， LI Wenrong proposes ten methods including draining fire to calm the liver， nourishing water to moisten wood， clearing metal to calm the liver， calming gallbladder and harmonizing liver， subduing yang with shell-drug， treating liver diseases by supplementing spleen， soothing the liver with sweetness， astringing the liver with sourness， relieving the liver with spiciness， and draining the liver with excess-fire. These methods have great guidance and reference value for contemporary clinical practice in traditional Chinese medicine.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death among residents in China and significantly impact patients' quality of life.The pathogenesis of CVD is complex,with chronic low-grade inflammation as a predominant feature.The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pro-tein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a key regulator of inflammatory responses and plays a crucial role in in-nate immune responses.Its abnormal activation leads to excessive inflammation and pyroptosis,which is closely associated with the development of atherosclerosis,myocardial infarction,diabetic cardiomyopa-thy,and other CVDs.Recent studies suggest that exercise,as a safe and effective non-pharmacological intervention,can mitigate cardiovascular inflammation and pyroptosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation,thereby playing a positive role in CVD prevention and treatment.However,the theories and mechanisms of exercise-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome intervention in CVD remain underexplored.Therefore,this review summarizes the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome and CVD,explores the effects of different types,intensities,and durations of exercise on NLRP3 inflammasome activation,and provides a comprehensive analysis of the signaling pathways involved in exercise interventions targe-ting the NLRP3 inflammasome for the prevention and treatment of CVD.The aim is to provide new in-sights and references for exercise-based prevention and management of CVD.

Aim To explore the protective effects of Xiyanping injection against lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury(ALI)in mice,and investi-gate the underlying mechanism.Methods In the LPS-induced ALI mouse model,the protective effect of Xiyanping injection against ALI was evaluated by ob-serving the pathological indicators of lung tissue.Net-work pharmacology and molecular docking were used to explore its mechanism.Western blot method was used to validate the predicted target proteins.Results Xiy-anping injection significantly improved the pathological injury and alleviated inflammatory reactions in lungs of ALI mice.Four active ingredients were identified in Xiyanping injection,namely,14-deoxy-11-oxo-an-drographolide,14-deoxyandrographolide,14-deoxy-12-methoxyandrographolide,and andrographolide-19-β-D-glucoside.A total of 288 corresponding drug targets and 4 960 ALI-related targets were obtained,with 192 genes overlapping.The ten core targets associated with Xiyanping injection were identified as STAT3,EGFR,PIK3R1,MAPK1,PIK3CA,NFKB1,ESR1,MAPK8,JAK2,and FYN.GO enrichment analysis re-vealed 310 biological processes(BP),65 cellular components(CC),and 80 molecular functions(MF)associated with the overlapping genes.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified 141 pathways related to ALI,with the top 20 pathways including MAPK,TNF-α,VEGF,cAMP,mTOR,AMPK,NOD,JAK-STAT,IL-17,and NF-κB.Molecular docking results demonstrated strong binding affinity between core tar-gets(MAPK1,MAPK8,NFKB1)and active ingredi-ents(14-deoxy-12-methoxyandrographolide and 14-de-oxyandrographolide).Western blotting showed that medium and high doses of Xiyanping injection signifi-cantly downregulated p38,JNK,ERKl/2,NF-κB p65 protein expression in lung tissue of ALI mice(P＜0.01).Conclusions Xiyanping injection has a cer-tain protective effect against ALI,and the mechanism is related to regulating MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Objective To compare the clinical effects of total hip arthroplasty(THA)with and without femoral osteotomy in Crowe Ⅳ developmental hip dislocation(DDH).Methods The data on 46 patients who underwent THA for unilateral Crowe ⅣDDH between 2012 and 2017 were analyzed retrospectively.They were divided into two groups according to the different surgical methods.There were 24 patients in the osteotomy group,3 males and 21 females,with an average age of(47.3±9.0)years old ranged from 34 to 57 years old;and 22 patients in the non-osteotomy group,2 males and 20 females,with an average age of(51.6±8.3)years old ranged from 40 to 61 years old.The operative time,bleed loss,postoperative drainage volume,postoperative com-plications,ROM of hip,Harris hip score,limb length discrepancy(LLD),and radiological data were recorded.The femoral dislo-cation height and the implantation depth of sleeve were measured.Results All patients were followed up.The mean follow-up time was(3.8±1.2)years ranged from 2 to 6 years in the osteotomy group and(3.2±0.9)years ranged from 1 to 5 years in the non-os-teotomy group.The operative time(136.8±18.9)min,bleed loss(709.8±89.4)ml,postoperative drainage volume(308.8±98.2)ml of osteotomy group were all significantly greater than those of non-osteotomy group(100.7±15.8)min,(516.5±103.3)ml,(245.3±79.3)ml(P＜0.05).The Harris score at the latest follow up was significantly increased compared with preoperative score in two groups(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between two groups(P＞0.05).The LLD at last follow up was sig-nificantly increased compared with preoperative LLD in two groups,the LLD in non-osteotomy group(0.7±0.2)cm showed signif-cant smaller than the two osteotomy group(1.2±0.4)cm.Between osteotomy and non-osteotomy groups,the preoperative range of motion of hip joint[(89.5±19.7)°vs(102.5±16.8)°],the preoperative height of dislocation of femoral head[(4.56±0.61)cm vs(3.10±0.73)cm],the proximal implant depth of S-ROM[(0.93±0.36)cm vs(1.67±0.28)cm]was significantly different(P＜0.05).Eleven patients in the osteotomy group still had claudication,and 4 patients in the non-osteotomy group had mild claudica-tion(P＜0.05).In non-osteotomy group,3 patients developed nerve injury(1 patient of sciatic nerve,2 patients of femoral nerve)and 1 case developed periprosthetic fracture.In osteotomy group,2 case of dislocation and 2 cases of periprosthetic fractures.Conclusion Whether osteotomy or not can achieve satisfactory results for treating Crowe type Ⅳ DDH and significantly improve LLD.However,osteotomy is more complex and time-consuming,limb length difference is greater,and the incidence of claudica-tion is higher.Furthermore,patients with smaller preoperative hip mobility,higher femoral dislocation,limb lengthening≥4 cm and severely narrow femoral proximal canals are prone to be peformed with subtrochanteric osteotomy.