1.The technology of fecal microbiota transplantation and its application progress
Shuo YUAN ; Yi-fan ZHANG ; Peng GAO ; Jun LEI ; Ying-yuan LU ; Peng-fei TU ; Yong JIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):82-95
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) technology originated in China during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and has rapidly developed over the past two decades, becoming a primary method for studying the causal relationship between gut microbiota and the occurrence and progression of diseases. At the same time, the therapeutic effects of FMT in the field of gastrointestinal diseases have gained widespread recognition and are gradually expanding into other disease areas. The FMT procedure is relatively complex, and there is currently no standardized method; its success is influenced by various factors, including the donor, recipient, processing of the fecal material, and the method of implantation. Given the increasingly recognized relationship between gut microbiota and various diseases, FMT has become a research hotspot in both scientific studies and clinical applications, achieving a series of significant advancements. To help researchers better understand this technology, this paper will outline the development history of FMT, summarize common operational methods in research and clinical settings, review its application progress, and look forward to future development directions.
2.The Mechanisms of Neurotransmitters and Their Receptors in Exercise Central Fatigue
Lu-Lu GUAN ; Bo-Te QI ; Du-Shuo FENG ; Jing-Wang TAN ; Meng CAO ; Yu ZOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1321-1336
Exercise fatigue is a complex physiological and psychological phenomenon that includes peripheral fatigue in the muscles and central fatigue in the brain. Peripheral fatigue refers to the loss of force caused at the distal end of the neuromuscular junction, whereas central fatigue involves decreased motor output from the primary motor cortex, which is associated with modulations at anatomical sites proximal to nerves that innervate skeletal muscle. The central regulatory failure reflects a progressive decline in the central nervous system’s capacity to recruit motor units during sustained physical activity. Emerging evidence highlights the critical involvement of central neurochemical regulation in fatigue development, particularly through neurotransmitter-mediated modulation. Alterations in neurotransmitter release and receptor activity could influence excitatory and inhibitory signal pathways, thus modulating the perception of fatigue and exercise performance. Increased serotonin (5-HT) could increase perception of effort and lethargy, reduce motor drive to continue exercising, and contribute to exercise fatigue. Decreased dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NE) neurotransmission can negatively impact arousal, mood, motivation, and reward mechanisms and impair exercise performance. Furthermore, the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems interact with each other; a low 5-HT/DA ratio enhances motor motivation and improves performance, and a high 5-HT/DA ratio heightens fatigue perception and leads to decreased performance. The expression and activity of neurotransmitter receptors would be changed during prolonged exercise to fatigue, affecting the transmission of nerve signals. Prolonged high-intensity exercise causes excess 5-HT to overflow from the synaptic cleft to the axonal initial segment and activates the 5-HT1A receptor, thereby inhibiting the action potential of motor neurons and affecting the recruitment of motor units. During exercise to fatigue, the DA secretion is decreased, which blocks the binding of DA to D1 receptor in the caudate putamen and inhibits the activation of the direct pathway of the basal ganglia to suppress movement, meanwhile the binding of DA to D2 receptor is restrained in the caudate putamen, which activates the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia to influence motivation. Furthermore, other neurotransmitters and their receptors, such as adenosine (ADO), glutamic acid (Glu), and γ‑aminobutyric acid (GABA) also play important roles in regulating neurotransmitter balance and fatigue. The occurrence of central fatigue is not the result of the action of a single neurotransmitter system, but a comprehensive manifestation of the interaction between multiple neurotransmitters. This review explores the important role of neurotransmitters and their receptors in central motor fatigue, reveals the dynamic changes of different neurotransmitters such as 5-HT, DA, NE, and ADO during exercise, and summarizes the mechanisms by which these neurotransmitters and their receptors regulate fatigue perception and exercise performance through complex interactions. Besides, this study presents pharmacological evidence that drugs such as agonists, antagonists, and reuptake inhibitors could affect exercise performance by regulating the metabolic changes of neurotransmitters. Recently, emerging interventions such as dietary bioactive components intake and transcranial electrical stimulation may provide new ideas and strategies for the prevention and alleviation of exercise fatigue by regulating neurotransmitter levels and receptor activity. Overall, this work offers new theoretical insights into the understanding of exercise central fatigue, and future research should further investigate the relationship between neurotransmitters and their receptors and exercise fatigue.
3.Exploring Common Principles and Characteristic Differences in Stir-frying Through Varied Processing Techniques
Hong LIU ; Lingyun ZHONG ; Yanwen DENG ; Xingmei LU ; Shuo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(22):282-290
As the core technology of processing, the stir-frying method of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) realizes the regulation of efficacy of medicinal substances through the coordination of fire gradient and excipients. This study aims to systematically analyze the influence of different stir-frying degrees(stir-frying until yellow, stir-frying to brown, stir-frying to charcoal) and excipient types(solid excipients such as rice, wheat bran, soil, liquid excipients such as rice wine, vinegar, honey) on the physicochemical properties, efficacy and toxicity of TCM, summarizing their common regulatory mechanisms and characteristics. Then, the three-dimensional regulatory common mechanisms and five-dimensional regulatory specificity mechanisms of different stir-frying processes were obtained. The three-dimensional regulatory common mechanisms are as follows:①Thermal effects break down inherent barriers of medicinal materials and improve the dissolution of components. ②Inducing Maillard reaction, carbonization and other reactions of medicinal materials to promote the transformation of components. ③Combining the catalytic and harmonizing effects of excipients to achieve targeted enrichment of efficacious substances and precise control of toxic components. The five-dimensional regulatory specificity mechanisms manifest as:①The efficacy gradient pattern where stir-frying until yellow strengthens the spleen, stir-frying to brown aids digestion, and stir-frying to charcoal stops bleeding. ②According to the polarity difference and intrinsic properties, the liquid excipients form a directional synergistic mechanism of wine processing enhances ascending nature, ginger processing to warm and disperse, salt processing directs effects to the kidneys, vinegar processing targets the liver, honey processing imparts sweetness and moderation. ③Through porous structure and interfacial properties, solid excipients give the synergistic effect of rice processing for diarrhea relief, bran processing for stomach tonification, soil processing for warming the middle warmer, and clam powder/talcum powder/sand processing for texture optimization. ④Thermal effects induce decomposition/oxidation/polymerization and other reactions to reshape the material basis, directing changes in the efficacy. ⑤The targeted distribution of efficacy is regulated by component enrichment and meridian-guiding effect, and the meridian tropism is changed. The system, driven by thermal effect, excipient synergy and physicochemical reconstruction, integrates five-dimensional regulation of fire, solvent, interface, composition and distribution. It systematically explains the inherent law of efficacy-substance-process of traditional stir-frying, and provides theoretical basis and practical guidance for standardizing TCM processing and enhancing the efficacy.
4.Discussion of the methodology and implementation steps for assessing the causality of adverse event
Hong FANG ; Shuo-Peng JIA ; Hai-Xue WANG ; Xiao-Jing PEI ; Min LIU ; An-Qi YU ; Ling-Yun ZHOU ; Fang-Fang SHI ; Shu-Jie LU ; Shu-Hang WANG ; Yue YU ; Dan-Dan CUI ; Yu TANG ; Ning LI ; Ze-Huai WEN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(2):299-304
The assessment of adverse drug events is an important basis for clinical safety evaluation and post-marketing risk control of drugs,and its causality assessment is gaining increasing attention.The existing methods for assessing the causal relationship between drugs and the occurrence of adverse reactions can be broadly classified into three categories:global introspective methods,standardized methods,and probabilistic methods.At present,there is no systematic introduction of the operational details of the various methods in the domestic literature.This paper compares representative causality assessment methods in terms of definition and concept,methodological steps,industry evaluation and advantages and disadvantages,clarifies the basic process of determining the causality of adverse drug reactions,and discusses how to further improve the adverse drug reaction monitoring and evaluation system,with a view to providing a reference for drug development and pharmacovigilance work in China.
5.Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of Tripterygium wilfordii Multiglycoside in Mouse Models of Psoriasis Keratinocytes.
Shuo ZHANG ; Hong-Jin LI ; Chun-Mei YANG ; Liu LIU ; Xiao-Ying SUN ; Jiao WANG ; Si-Ting CHEN ; Yi LU ; Man-Qi HU ; Ge YAN ; Ya-Qiong ZHOU ; Xiao MIAO ; Xin LI ; Bin LI
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2024;30(3):222-229
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the role of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside (TGW) in the treatment of psoriatic dermatitis from a cellular immunological perspective.
METHODS:
Mouse models of psoriatic dermatitis were established by imiquimod (IMQ). Twelve male BALB/c mice were assigned to IMQ or IMQ+TGW groups according to a random number table. Histopathological changes in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ratios of immune cells and cytokines in mice, as well as PAM212 cell proliferation in vitro were assessed by flow cytometry. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS:
TGW significantly ameliorated the severity of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse skin lesions and restrained the activation of CD45+ cells, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (all P<0.01). Moreover, TGW significantly attenuated keratinocytes (KCs) proliferation and downregulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor α, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of γ δ T17 cells in skin lesion of mice and draining lymph nodes (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
TGW improved psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting KCs proliferation, as well as the associated immune cells and cytokine expression. It inhibited IL-17 secretion from γ δ T cells, which improved the immune-inflammatory microenvironment of psoriasis.
Male
;
Animals
;
Mice
;
Tripterygium
;
Psoriasis/drug therapy*
;
Keratinocytes
;
Skin Diseases/metabolism*
;
Cytokines/metabolism*
;
Imiquimod/metabolism*
;
Dermatitis/pathology*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Skin/metabolism*
6.Polysaccharides from Chinese herbal medicine: a review on the hepatoprotective and molecular mechanism.
Jifeng LI ; Haolin GUO ; Ying DONG ; Shuo YUAN ; Xiaotong WEI ; Yuxin ZHANG ; Lu DONG ; Fei WANG ; Ting BAI ; Yong YANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2024;22(1):4-14
Polysaccharides, predominantly extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Lycium barbarum, Angelica sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Dendrobium officinale, Ganoderma lucidum, and Poria cocos, represent principal bioactive constituents extensively utilized in Chinese medicine. These compounds have demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory capabilities, especially anti-liver injury activities, while exhibiting minimal adverse effects. This review summarized recent studies to elucidate the hepatoprotective efficacy and underlying molecular mechanisms of these herbal polysaccharides. It underscored the role of these polysaccharides in regulating hepatic function, enhancing immunological responses, and improving antioxidant capacities, thus contributing to the attenuation of hepatocyte apoptosis and liver protection. Analyses of molecular pathways in these studies revealed the intricate and indispensable functions of traditional Chinese herbal polysaccharides in liver injury management. Therefore, this review provides a thorough examination of the hepatoprotective attributes and molecular mechanisms of these medicinal polysaccharides, thereby offering valuable insights for the advancement of polysaccharide-based therapeutic research and their potential clinical applications in liver disease treatment.
Humans
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Liver Diseases/drug therapy*
;
Antioxidants
;
Polysaccharides/therapeutic use*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
7.Association between frailty and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a Mendelian randomization study
CUI Yanze ; ZHANG Ling ; JIANG Lu ; LI Huimin ; WANG Shuo
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(9):786-789
Objective:
To investigate the association between frailty and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, so as to provide the evidence for the prevention and control of frailty and T2DM.
Methods:
Frailty status was assessed using the Fried Frailty Score (FFS), with aggregated data sourced from 386 565 European samples in the UK Biobank. The T2DM data were obtained from the summary results of genome-wide analysis published by the Diabetes Genetics Replication and Meta-analysis Consortium, excluding the UK Biobank data, including 455 313 European samples. Eligible single nucleotide polymorphism site were selected from the FFS and T2DM summary data as instrumental variables. The bidirectional MR analysis was performed using the inverse-variance weighted method. The heterogeneity was assessed using the modified Cochran Q test. The horizontal pleiotropy of instrumental variables was examined using MR-Egger regression. The robustness of the results was evaluated using the leave-one-out method. The bias was tested using funnel plot.
Results:
The forward MR analysis revealed a statistically significant association between increased FFS and an increased risk of T2DM (OR=2.280, 95%CI: 1.169-4.447). The reverse MR analysis showed a statistically significant association between T2DM and increased FFS (β=0.026, 95%CI: 0.012-0.041). Both bidirectional MR results were robust, with no horizontal pleiotropy of the instrumental variables was found (all P>0.5); and the funnel plots did not show significant basis.
Conclusion
The study found a bidirectional causal association between frailty and T2DM.
8.MEI Guoqiang's Experience in Treating Lung Cancer with Modified Xiaoxianxiong Decoction (小陷胸汤)
Shuo HUANG ; Songlin LIU ; Xian ZHOU ; Lesi XU ; Kaizheng ZHAO ; Youlan KE ; Huiyi LU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(17):1753-1756
This article summarized the clinical experience of MEI Guoqiang in treating lung cancer of phlegm-heat obstructed in the lung syndrome with modified Xiaoxianxiong Decoction (小陷胸汤). It is believed that the key pathogenesis of lung cancer with phlegm-heat obstructed in the lung syndrome is the phlegm-heat toxin accumulation. According to the different pathogenic effects of qi stagnation, blood stasis, pathogenic toxin, phlegm-damp, qi deficiency, yin deficiency in the occurrence and development of the disease, it is advocated to clear heat and resolve phlegm, and additionally the methods of diffusing the lung and relieving cough, resolving toxins and dissipating masses, rectifying qi and activating blood, dispelling dampness, supplementing and boosting qi and yin are used if necessary. Multiple methods are used together and flexibly matched. In clinical practice, Xiaoxian-xiong Decoction with the function of clearing heat and relieving phlegm is recommended as the basic formula for further modification. For patients with mild lung symptoms, modified Xiaoxianxiong Decoction is commonly used, while for those with obvious symptoms, self-made Maxing Xianxiong Decoction(麻杏陷胸汤) in modifications is suggested. For patients with Shaoyang (少阳) diseases, modified Chaihu Xianxiong Decoction (柴胡陷胸汤) is often used.
9.Determination of 31 Kinds of Sunscreen Agents Including Cinoxate in Sunscreen Cosmetics by HPLC
Duanping LU ; Shanshan GUO ; Jiahua CHENG ; Lirong ZHANG ; Kangyin HAN ; Shuo CHEN
Chinese Journal of Modern Applied Pharmacy 2024;41(12):1699-1708
OBJECTIVE
To establish a method for determination cinoxate and other 30 kinds of sunscreen agents in sunscreen cosmetics by HPLC.
METHODS
Twenty-one fat-soluble sunscreen agents(1#−21#) were ultrasonically extracted by the mixed solution of methanol-tetrahydrofuran(1∶1), 10 kinds of water-soluble sunscreen agents(22#−31#) were ultrasonically extracted by the mixed solution of methanol-tetrahydrofuran-water(2∶3∶5) from the samples. Agilent Zorbax SB C18(4.6 mm× 250 mm, 5 μm) column was used to separate cinoxate and other fat-soluble sunscreen agents(1#−20#), Agilent Zorbax SB C18(2.1 mm× 100 mm, 3.5 μm) column was used to separate polysiloxane-15(21 #) , Waters Symmetry C18(4.6 mm× 250 mm, 5 μm) column was used to separate 10 water-soluble sunscreen agents. Methanol-isopropanol-water, isopropanol-tetrahydrofuran-water, and methanol-acetonitrile-0.02 mol·L−1 ammonium acetate solution(add phosphoric acid to adjust pH to 5.0) were used as mobile phase in gradient elution respectively. The flow rates were 1.2, 0.5, 1.0 mL·min−1. The detection wavelengths were 358nm(7 #, 11 #) , 295 nm(23#−25#, 27#−31#), 311 nm(other components). The injection volumes were 5 µL(polysiloxane-15) and 10 µL(other component), the column temperature was set at 30℃.
RESULTS
The linear relationships(r>0.9999) of 31 sunscreen agents were good in corresponding concentration range. The limit of detection were in the range of 0.002%−0.02%. The recoveries of two substrates at three different supplemental levels ranged from 92.4% to 110.3%, with the RSDs of 0.02%−4.5%. Forty batches of domestic and imported sunscreen cosmetics were determined by this method, 17 kinds of approved sunscreen agents were detected, of which polysiloxane-15 were detected in 10 batches of samples. By comparing with the current method in Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics(2015 edition) , it was found that the extraction efficiency of fat-soluble sunscreen agents was superior to the current method, the stability of drometrizole trisiloxan was improved, cinoxate, polysiloxane-15 and other 7 kinds of sunscreens were added.
CONCLUSION
This method is accurate, sensitive and reliable, which can be used for the detection and analysis of sunscreen in sunscreen cosmetics.
10.Application of the CRISPR/Cas system in gene editing and nucleic acid detection of parasitic diseases: a review
Shuning YAN ; Shuo YANG ; Hanyin YANG ; Yi XIN ; Bin XU ; Wei HU ; Yan LU ; Bin ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2024;36(3):314-320
CRISPR/Cas system, an adaptive immune system with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, may interfere with exogenous nucleic acids and protect prokaryotes from external damages, is an effective gene editing and nucleic acid detection tools. The CRISPR/Cas system has been widely applied in virology and bacteriology; however, there is relatively less knowledge about the application of the CRISPR/Cas system in parasitic diseases. The review summarizes the mechanisms of action of the CRISPR/Cas system and provides a comprehensive overview of their application in gene editing and nucleic acid detection of parasitic diseases, so as to provide insights into future studies on parasitic diseases.


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