Gastric precancerous lesions， often presenting as decreased appetite， weight loss， fatigue， epigastric fullness， and upper abdominal pain， pose challenges to treatment and considerably affect patients' quality of life. Pathologically， these lesions are characterized by alterations in the gastric mucosa accompanied by intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia， which markedly elevate the risk of developing gastric cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） practitioners have explored various therapeutic approaches focusing on invigorating the spleen， resolving dampness， clearing heat， addressing phlegm accumulation， activating blood， and detoxifying. For contemporary populations suffering from gastric precancerous lesions， our team has innovatively proposed a core pathogenesis theory encompassing deficiency， stagnation， phlegm， stasis， and toxin. Furthermore， our team has developed a comprehensive prevention and treatment framework： Invigorating the spleen and harmonizing the stomach （foundational principles）， balancing and restoring Qi movement （primary objectives）， resolving phlegm and unblocking collaterals （routine practices）， detoxifying and dissipating nodules （critical interventions）， and comprehensive health management （supportive care）. This framework provides a robust theoretical foundation along with practical guidance for preventing and treating diseases related to the spleen-stomach axis. From a pathological perspective， key interventions for managing gastric precancerous lesions include restoring integrity of the gastric mucosae while regulating its microenvironmental conditions and enhancing mucosal circulation， which are integral throughout the entire treatment process. On this basis， a full-course chain of prevention and treatment has been established within clinical practice， encompassing functional gastrointestinal disorders-superficial gastritis-atrophic gastritis-gastric precancerous lesions-prevention and treatment post-endoscopic submucosal dissection. The guiding principles of this treatment approach involve invigorating the spleen， regulating Qi movement， resolving phlegm， unblocking collaterals， and detoxifying. TCM compound formulas such as Jianpi Tongluo Jiedu prescription and Hezhong Xiaopi granules， as well as Chinese patent medicines like Weifuchun and Moluodan， can be used for treating gastric precancerous lesions at different stages. Through medicinal regulation， the state of the gastric mucosa can be improved， and thus the development of gastric precancerous lesions can be curbed from the perspective of full-course prevention and treatment.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Hezhongxiaopi granules （HZXPG） on methylnitronitrosoguanidine （MNNG）-mediated gastric mucosal cell apoptosis and the regulatory effects on the Nicalin （Ncln）-C/EBP homologous protein （CHOP） axis and endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS）. MethodsThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to examine the inhibitory effect of MNNG on the proliferation of GES-1 cells， and the optimal effective dose of MNNG was selected. Human gastric mucosal GES-1 cells were allocated into the control， model （MNNG， 1.562 5 mmol·L^-1）， and low/high-dose HZXPG （5% and 10% HZXPG-containing serum） groups. Phalloidin staining was employed to detect MNNG-induced morphological changes in human gastric mucosal cells. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay was adopted to assess cell apoptosis. Annexin Ⅴ/propidium iodide （Annexin Ⅴ/PI） flow cytometry was utilized to measure the alterations in the apoptotic cycle of human gastric mucosal cells. Western blot was performed to determine the expression levels of proteins related to apoptosis， ERS， and the Ncln/CHOP axis. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited a reduction in the surface area of GES-1 cells， endoplasmic reticulum （ER） dilation， increased early and late apoptosis rates of gastric mucosal cells， upregulated protein levels of truncated Bid （tBid）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved-cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase （Caspase）-3， and cleaved-Caspase-8， and downregulated protein level of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） （P<0.01）. In addition， the expression levels of binding immunoglobulin protein （BiP）， Ncln， and CHOP were upregulated （P<0.01）， with enhanced Ncln expression in the ER and elevated CHOP expression in the nucleus. Compared with the model group， the high-dose HZXPG group showed a significant increase in the surface area of gastric mucosal cells. Both dose groups exhibited inhibited ER dilation and reduced early and late apoptosis rates of gastric mucosal cells （P<0.01）. Low-dose HZXPG decreased the expression of tBid and Bax （P<0.05， P<0.01） and promoted Bcl-2 expression （P<0.01）. High-dose HZXPG reduced the expression levels of tBid， Bax， cleaved-Caspase-3， and cleaved-Caspase-8 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and increased the Bcl-2 expression level （P<0.05）. Furthermore， high-dose HZXPG downregulated the expression levels of BiP， Ncln， and CHOP （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while decreasing the nuclear translocation of CHOP. ConclusionHZXPG alleviates MNNG-induced ERR-mediated apoptosis of gastric mucosal cells by inhibiting the Ncln-CHOP axis， thereby relieving gastric mucosal cell damage caused by precancerous gastric lesions.

Senile chronic atrophic gastritis （SCAG） is a condition characterized by high prevalence， prolonged duration， and difficulty in treatment， along with a significant risk of carcinogenesis. This severely impacts the quality of life among the elderly population in China. The prevention and management of SCAG represent one of the most urgent and prominent needs within the current health care and elderly care sectors. However， existing treatment options are limited， with insufficient mucosal repair following Helicobacter pylori eradication， as well as a lack of effective methods to reverse atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. The primary objectives in treating chronic gastritis in older adults are symptom relief and alleviation of mucosal histological abnormalities. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） offers unique advantages for managing patients with SCAG. Therefore， utilizing TCM methodologies underpinned by TCM theory to prevent and treat the progression of SCAG holds considerable clinical significance. Our research team has been dedicated to theoretical， clinical， and fundamental investigations into gastric precancerous lesions and SCAG for an extended period. This article systematically reviews the intricate causal relationship between the spleen-stomach system and aging while elucidating TCM pathogenesis of SCAG as internal deficiency coupled with excess in manifestations. It explores evolutionary patterns of dampness， stagnation， stasis， toxicity， and deficiency and proposes a progressive pathogenic evolution chain： Aging-deficiency of spleen and kidney-imbalance of Qi and blood-phlegm turbidity accompanied by Qi stagnation-accumulation of phlegm， stasis， and toxicity-weakness of stomach collaterals. The core treatment principle emphasizes simultaneous treatment targeting both spleen and kidney as its foundation while employing strategies such as promoting Qi movement to resolve dampness， alongside efforts aimed at removing stasis and detoxifying as primary approaches. Finally， this article summarizes current research achievements in TCM interventions for SCAG， aiming to provide new insights for clinical practice and scientific research in TCM interventions for SCAG.

Ulcerative colitis （UC）， a chronic nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by unclear etiology， complex contributing factors， and a refractory course with malignant transformation potential， imposes a substantial burden on both individual patients and healthcare systems. There is an urgent need to explore effective therapeutic strategies and pharmacological interventions. Professor LIU Zhen， based on years of clinical practice， proposed a dynamic pathogenesis chain of UC： Spleen deficiency with dampness excess as the foundation， dampness obstruction as the nexus， stasis-toxin interaction as the key， and stasis-toxin damaging intestinal collaterals as the terminal outcome. The treatment， following the progression of deficiency （depression）-dampness-toxin-stasis （toxin）， should focus on invigorating the spleen and resolving dampness. A stage-specific treatment approach is emphasized. During the susceptible stage， prevention is recommended， which relies on regulating the diet， maintaining a positive mental state， and adjusting daily routines to invigorate the spleen and replenish Qi. During the acute attack and remission stages， the treatment should be tailored according to clinical typing and disease severity， flexibly employing therapeutic strategies such as tonifying deficiency， resolving depression， eliminating dampness， clearing heat， detoxifying， arresting bleeding， and resolving stasis in order to interrupt disease progression. In the recovery stage， latent pathogenic factors should be addressed while the postnatal constitutional foundation be preserved to prevent recurrence. According to the TCM principle of treating disease before its onset， a whole-course management path of early protection-interception-stratified care-consolidation has been developed， covering all stages of UC， to inform its clinical prevention and treatment.

Objective: To determine the correlation between obesity related indicators and blood lipid levels among children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 5 812 participants were included. Height, weight, body composition, waist circumference, blood pressure were measured and fasting glucose and blood lipid levels were tested based on a cross sectional survey of children and adolescents 6-17 years in Beijing, 2022-2023. The body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), body roundness index (BRI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Linear and Logistic regression were used to analyze the associations between the four obesity indicators (BMI, FMI, BRI, and WHtR) and blood lipids in children and adolescents. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to evaluate differences in the associations between different obesity indicators with dyslipidemia. Results: Linear regression showed that BMI, FMI, BRI, and WHtR were positively correlated with triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non HDL-C) levels (boys: β 6-9 years =0.02-0.28, β 10-17 years =0.02-0.37; girls: β 6-9 years =0.02-0.28, β 10-17 years =0.03-0.25), and negatively correlated with the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in both genders across age subgroups (boys: β BMI = -0.03, β FMI = -0.04 , β BRI =-0.09, β WHtR =-0.17; girls: β BMI =-0.03, β FMI =-0.04, β BRI =-0.11, β WHtR =-0.20) (all P <0.01). The associations between total cholesterol (TC) and remnant cholesterol (RC) levels with obesity indicators differed significantly by gender and age. The TC level was positively associated with obesity indicators in boys of all ages ( β BMI =0.01, β FMI =0.03, β BRI = 0.08 , and β WHtR =0.16) but only with FMI, BRI, and WHtR in girls 6-9 years of age ( β FMI =0.02, β BRI =0.05, and β WHtR =0.08) (all P <0.05). The RC level had a negative correlation with BRI in boys 10-17 years of age ( β =-0.01) and a positive correlation with BMI in girls 6- 9 years of age ( β =0.00) (all P <0.05). Logistic regression indicated that elevated obesity indicators were significantly associated with higher risks of elevated TG, LDL-C, and non HDL-C levels and a decreased HDL-C level in all gender age stratas (all P <0.01). Only the BMI and FMI in girls 6-9 years of age were significantly related to a high RC ( OR =1.07, 1.07, both P <0.05). ROC analysis revealed that FMI, BRI, and WHtR were more predictive than BMI of elevated TG, LDL-C, and non HDL-C levels. The BMI was superior in predicting a decreased HDL-C level in boys, while no significant difference was detected among indicators in girls. Indeed, all obesity indicators had poor predictive performance for elevated TC, RC, and LDL-C levels in girls (all AUC<0.7). Conclusions Obesity indicators reflecting body fat content and fat distribution are shown to be closely associated with dyslipidemia in children and adolescents with obvious age and gender differences. The FMI, BRI, and WHtR have potential advantages in the early identification of dyslipidemia among children and adolescents compared to the BMI alone.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Danggui Shaoyaosan on ferroptosis in the rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） and explore the underlying mechanism based on the nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）/glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe sixty SD rats were randomly grouped as follows： control， model， Yishanfu （0.144 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.44， 4.88， and 9.76 g·kg^-1， respectively） Danggui Shaoyaosan. A high-fat diet was used to establish the rat model of NAFLD. After 12 weeks of modeling， rats were treated with corresponding agents for 4 weeks. Then， the body weight and liver weight were measured， and the liver index was calculated. At the same time， serum and liver samples were collected. The levels or activities of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and Fe²⁺ in the serum and TC， TG， free fatty acids （FFA）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidase （GPX）， and Fe²⁺ in the liver were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the reactive oxygen species （ROS） content in the liver. Mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， GPX4， transferrin receptor 1 （TFR1）， and divalent metal transporter 1 （DMT1） in the liver were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed increases in the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， and decreases in the activities of SOD， GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the liver tissue in the model group presented steatosis， iron deposition， mitochondrial shrinkage， and blurred or swollen mitochondrial cristae. Compared with the model group， all doses of Danggui Shaoyaosan reduced the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， while increasing the activities of SOD and GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.01）. Furthermore， Danggui Shaoyaosan alleviated steatosis， iron deposition， and mitochondrial damage in the liver. ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan may inhibit lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis by activating the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway to treat NAFLD.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) demonstrates distinctive advantages in disease prevention and treatment. However, analyzing its biological mechanisms through the modern medical research paradigm of "single drug, single target" presents significant challenges due to its holistic approach. Network pharmacology and its core theory of network targets connect drugs and diseases from a holistic and systematic perspective based on biological networks, overcoming the limitations of reductionist research models and showing considerable value in TCM research. Recent integration of network target computational and experimental methods with artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-modal multi-omics technologies has substantially enhanced network pharmacology methodology. The advancement in computational and experimental techniques provides complementary support for network target theory in decoding TCM principles. This review, centered on network targets, examines the progress of network target methods combined with AI in predicting disease molecular mechanisms and drug-target relationships, alongside the application of multi-modal multi-omics technologies in analyzing TCM formulae, syndromes, and toxicity. Looking forward, network target theory is expected to incorporate emerging technologies while developing novel approaches aligned with its unique characteristics, potentially leading to significant breakthroughs in TCM research and advancing scientific understanding and innovation in TCM.
Artificial Intelligence ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Humans ; Network Pharmacology/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Multiomics

Objective:To investigate the effects of ascites grading and the application of non-selective beta-blockers (NSBBs) on the 1-year prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).Methods:1 386 ascitic cases with ACLF were graded and followed up for one year. The 1-year prognostic effect of ascites grade and NSBBs was analyzed on ACLF by the Kaplan Meier Log-rank test, Cox stepwise regression, and multivariate regression.The t-test, Mann-Whitney U, or Kruskal-Wallis test were used for intergroup comparison of measurement data. The χ2 test was used for intergroup comparison of numerical data. Results:The incidence rate of ascites at admission was 77.56% in 1 386 ACLF cases. The Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) of the 1-year survival curve test for 1 386 ACLF patients with ascites grade was 21.384, P<0.01. Multivariate regression and Cox stepwise regression analysis showed that ascites grade, age, gastrointestinal bleeding, pulmonary infection, acute kidney injury, prothrombin activity (PTA), urea, MELD-Na score, and the use of NSBBs were closely related to the 1-year prognosis of ACLF. The log rank (Mantel-Cox) of NSBBs treatment in the grade 2/3 ascites group was 6.113, P=0.013, and the difference was statistically significant, suggesting that NSBBs treatment can help improve the 1-year survival rate in ACLF patients with grade 2 and 3 ascites. Conclusions:Ascites grading and the use of NSBBs affect the prognostic factor of ACLF at one year. NSBBs may be beneficial for the long-term prognosis of ACLF, and treatment can be continued in patients who have already received NSBBs prior to the onset of ACLF.

The research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drugs have progressively established a novel system founded on the integration of TCM theory, human experience, and clinical trials (termed the "Three Combinations"). However, considering TCM's distinctive features of "syndrome differentiation and treatment" and "multicomponent formulations and complex mechanisms", current TCM drug development faces challenges such as insufficient understanding of the material basis and the overall mechanism of action and an incomplete evidence chain system. Moreover, significant obstacles persist in gathering human experience data, evaluating clinical efficacy, and controlling the quality of active ingredients, which impede the innovation process in TCM drug development. Network pharmacology, centered on the "network targets" theory, transcends the limitations of the conventional "single target" reductionist research model. It emphasizes the comprehensive effects of disease or syndrome biological networks as targets to elucidate the overall regulatory mechanism of TCM prescriptions. This approach aligns with the holistic perspective of TCM, offering a novel method consistent with TCM's holistic view for investigating the complex mechanisms of TCM and developing new TCM drugs. It is internationally recognized as a "next-generation drug research model". To advance the research of new tools, methods, and standards for TCM evaluation and to overcome fundamental, critical, and cutting-edge technical challenges in TCM regulation, this consensus aims to explore the characteristics, progress, challenges, applicable pathways, and specific applications of network pharmacology as a new theory, method, and tool in TCM drug development. The goal is to enhance the quality of TCM drug research and development and accelerate the efficiency of developing new TCM products.
Humans ; Consensus ; Drug Development/standards* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Network Pharmacology/standards* ; Guidelines as Topic

Objective·To analyze the influencing factors of left ventricular mass index(LVMI)in patients with essential hypertension,and explore the relationship between aldosterone levels and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH).Methods·A total of 155 patients with essential hypertension,hospitalized in the Hypertension Department of the Northern Campus of Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from January 2013 to December 2019,and excluded from primary aldosteronism by saline load test(post-saline suppression plasma aldosterone<60 pg/mL),were enrolled.General clinical data(age,gender,smoking status,duration of hypertension,etc.),physical examination data(blood pressure and body mass index),blood biochemistry(renal function,electrolytes,fasting blood glucose,and lipids),urinary sodium,and relevant hormones(basal and activated aldosterone,basal and activated renin,urinary aldosterone,post-saline suppression aldosterone,etc.)were collected.LVMI was evaluated by echocardiography.Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the linear association between LVMI and each variable.Binary Logistic regression models were applied to screen independent risk factors for LVH.Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the impact of variables on LVMI.Results·The mean age of the 155 patients was(46.85±11.08)years,with 51.6%being male.Pearson correlation analysis showed that LVMI was significantly positively correlated with post-saline suppression aldosterone(r=0.334,P<0.001),age(r=0.184,P=0.032),duration of hypertension(r=0.241,P=0.005),systolic blood pressure(r=0.280,P=0.001),and pulse pressure(r=0.339,P<0.001).No significant correlations were found with diastolic blood pressure,body mass index,fasting blood glucose,total cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,urinary sodium,basal aldosterone,activated aldosterone,or urinary aldosterone.After adjusting for confounders,including gender,smoking history,age,duration of hypertension,body mass index,pulse pressure,systolic blood pressure,fasting blood glucose,and total cholesterol,binary Logistic regression showed that each 1 pg/mL increase in post-saline suppression aldosterone was associated with a 5.1%increased risk of LVH(OR=1.051,95%CI 1.016?1.088,P=0.004).Multiple linear regression identified suppressed aldosterone(β=0.359,P<0.001),duration of hypertension(β=0.168,P=0.046),and pulse pressure(β=0.226,P=0.008)as independent influencing factors for LVMI.Conclusion·Suppressed aldosterone is an independent influencing factor for LVH in patients with essential hypertension.