1.Pathogenic Mechanisms of Spleen Deficiency-Phlegm Dampness in Obesity and Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment Strategies:from the Perspective of Immune Inflammation
Yumei LI ; Peng XU ; Xiaowan WANG ; Shudong CHEN ; Le YANG ; Lihua HUANG ; Chuang LI ; Qinchi HE ; Xiangxi ZENG ; Juanjuan WANG ; Wei MAO ; Ruimin TIAN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(1):31-37
Based on spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness as the core pathogenesis of obesity, and integrating recent advances in modern medicine regarding the key role of immune inflammation in obesity, this paper proposes a multidimensional pathogenic network of "obesity-spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness-immune imbalance". Various traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs that strengthen the spleen, regulate qi, and resolve phlegm and dampness can treat obesity by improving spleen-stomach transport and transformation, promoting water-damp metabolism, and regulating immune homeostasis. This highlights immune inflammation as an important entry point to elucidate the TCM concepts of "spleen deficiency-phlegm dampness" and the therapeutic principle of "strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness to treat obesity". By systematically analyzing the intrinsic connection between "spleen deficiency generating dampness, internal accumulation of phlegm dampness" and immune dysregulation in obesity, this paper aims to provide theoretical support for TCM treatment of obesity based on dampness.
2.Treatment Principles and Paradigm of Diabetic Microvascular Complications Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine
Anzhu WANG ; Xing HANG ; Lili ZHANG ; Xiaorong ZHU ; Dantao PENG ; Ying FAN ; Min ZHANG ; Wenliang LYU ; Guoliang ZHANG ; Xiai WU ; Jia MI ; Jiaxing TIAN ; Wei ZHANG ; Han WANG ; Yuan XU ; .LI PINGPING ; Zhenyu WANG ; Ying ZHANG ; Dongmei SUN ; Yi HE ; Mei MO ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Linhua ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):272-279
To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications (DMC), refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles, and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine, hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine, was held in Beijing, 2024. Experts in TCM, Western medicine, and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis, diagnostic and treatment challenges, and mechanism research related to DMC, ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development, research prioritization, and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM, strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.
3.Advances in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment by Traditional Chinese Medicine Based on Cellular Senescence: A Review
Qixian MA ; Shiyu HAN ; Hui HUANG ; Jing TIAN ; Xu HAN ; Qingguang CHEN ; Hao LU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):322-330
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common and harmful complications of type 2 diabetes. DPN's pathogenesis include high blood sugar-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These factors are combined to damage nerve fibers, leading to sensory issues, pain, and numbness. Through a coordinated effect, these factors trigger nerve fiber damage and lead to sensory abnormalities, pain and numbness in limbs, and other symptoms, seriously restricting patients' activities of daily living and mobility. Recent research highlights that cellular senescence plays a critical role in DPN. Cellular senescence is manifested by the loss of cell proliferation ability, and further aggravates nerve damage via oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy impairment, inflammatory reaction, and other mechanisms, accelerating DPN occurrence and progression. In terms of medical treatment, current methods focus on blood sugar control, pain relief medicine, and microcirculation improvement, while no therapy has been developed based on cellular senescence. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shows a unique advantage in DPN prevention and treatment via cellular senescence modulation. TCM emphasizes a holistic approach, as well as syndrome differentiation and treatment, effective in anti-aging and nerve damage repair. Recent studies show that TCM active ingredients, including puerarin, ginsenosides, and berberine, can reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis via signaling pathway regulation, thereby slowing cellular senescence to alleviate nerve damage. Furthermore, TCM compounds such as Buyang Huanwutang, Taohong Siwutang, and Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang exert synergistic effects on cellular senescence-related pathways to improve nerve health and reduce DPN clinical symptoms. Therefore, this paper reviews the literature related to the interaction between cellular senescence and DPN from the perspective of cellular senescence, summarizing the mechanism of DPN and TCM intervention strategies.
4.Current Status,Strategies and Prospects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Yandong WEN ; Zhi YANG ; Shaogang HUANG ; Zhongyu LI ; Xiangxue MA ; Qing XU ; Liqing DU ; Bochao YUAN ; Yibing TIAN ; Wentong GE ; Xiaofan ZHAO ; Chang LIU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):404-409
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized primarily by abdominal pain and altered defecation habits. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made progress in multiple aspects of IBS research and treatment, including syndrome distribution, development of TCM formulas, clinical efficacy evaluation, external therapies, and psychosocial regulation. However, it still faces challenges such as over-reliance on symptomatic manifestations rather than biomarkers for diagnostic criteria, and the lack of high-quality evidence-based data supporting the efficacy of TCM formulas in treating IBS. This paper proposed that TCM diagnosis and treatment of IBS should adhere to the strategy of integrating the holistic concept with syndrome differentiation and treatment, combining TCM external therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion and acupoint application), and emphasizing individualized diagnosis and treatment for psychosomatic abnormalities. Future research should integrate multi-omics technologies, artificial intelligence and other methods to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBS and the mechanisms of TCM formulas, so as to promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of IBS.
5.Current Status and Prospects of Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment for Gastric Precancerous Lesions
Haiyan BAI ; Tai ZHANG ; Ping WANG ; Lin LIU ; Weichao XU ; Yaxin TIAN ; Lanshuo HU ; Qian YANG ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):410-415
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), through its multi-target and systematic regulatory effects, has demonstrated unique advantages in the treatment of gastric precancerous lesions (GPL). At present, TCM theoretical research on GPL is mainly reflected in three aspects, the integration of macroscopic syndrome differentiation, the inflammation-carcinoma transformation mechanism, as well as the systematization and scientization of theoretical inheritance from famous TCM practitioners. High-quality evidence-based research findings serve as the foundation for clinical practice guidelines on GPL, and TCM has gained international academic recognition in the field of GPL prevention and treatment. Research on TCM mechanisms has yielded a series of important outcomes in the aspects of signaling pathways, gene expression regulation, cellular epigenetics, histone modification, and intestinal microecology. It is proposed that future research on GPL should focus on four key directions, establishing multi-omics data, exploring targeted intervention strategies on key regulatory nodes, advancing the standardization process of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine prevention and treatment technologies, and constructing stratified screening and intervention platforms. The in-depth integration of TCM microcosmic mechanism of action with its macroscopic syndrome differentiation and treatment system, coupled with interdisciplinary research, will provide valuable references for the clinical treatment and scientific research of GPL.
6.Standardization Challenges in Outcome Evaluation Systems of Animal Experiments and Considerations for Core Outcome Set Construction Strategies
Qingyong ZHENG ; Yongjia ZHOU ; Tengfei LI ; Jianguo XU ; Chen TIAN ; Hui LIU ; Min TIAN ; Ziyu ZHOU ; Caihua XU ; Yating CUI ; Junfei WANG ; Jinhui TIAN
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):138-148
Animal experimentation constitutes a critical link between basic research and clinical application, making its research quality and translational efficiency paramount. Although considerable progress has been made in standardizing operational procedures and ethical guidelines, the standardization of outcome evaluation systems has significantly lagged, creating a key bottleneck that constrains the quality of biomedical research and evidence synthesis. This deficiency is manifested by pronounced heterogeneity in outcome selection across similar studies, incomplete methodological reporting, and disparate criteria for result interpretation, which severely impairs the comparability of findings and the evidence integration. To cope with this challenge, this paper systematically introduces a mature methodological tool from clinical research–the core outcome set (COS)–and explores its construction strategies and application potential in the field of animal experimentation. Given the extensive diversity of animal experiments, a pragmatic strategy of "focusing on key areas, implementing phased pilots, and promoting gradual expansion" should be adopted. This approach prioritizes the development of domain-specific COS for disease areas characterized by high research volume, urgent translational needs, and well-established animal models. A multi-source integration pathway for COS development is detailed, comprising systematic literature searches, methodological appraisals, and expert consensus, with the feasibility of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency also being examined. The development and promotion of such COS are not intended to restrict scientific exploration; rather, they aim to establish a new, tiered evaluation paradigm consisting of "core outcomes" (mandatory), "recommended outcomes" (encouraged), and "exploratory outcomes" (optional). This framework is expected not only to enhance research quality through standardization and to adhere to the "3R" principles but also to accelerate the accumulation of high-quality evidence. This, in turn, provides a solid foundation for higher-level evidence synthesis, ultimately facilitating the effective translation of basic research findings into clinical practice and providing an essential methodological framework for scientific advancement in relevant disciplines.
7.Mechanism of action of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction against atherosclerosis based on macrophage polarization
Huaping ZHONG ; Qicheng ZHU ; Zhengwei ZOU ; Zhengyi HE ; Heping XIE ; Xu CHEN ; Zhisheng DUAN ; Tian XIAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):438-443
OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of action of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction against atherosclerosis (AS)based on macrophage polarization. METHODS Using atorvastatin served as the positive control, the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction was prepared to treat RAW264.7 macrophages. Macrophage viability, apoptosis rate, and the fluorescence intensities of CD86 and CD206 were measured, along with the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Apolipoprotei n E-deficient (ApoE -/- ) mice (AS model mice) fed with a high-fat diet were randomly assigned to model group, atorvastatin group (2.6 mg/kg), and low-, medium- and high-dose groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction (90, 180, 360 mg/kg), respectively. C57BL/6J mice fed with a standard diet served as the normal control group, with 10 mice per group. The treatment group mice were administered the corresponding drugs intragastrically, once daily, for 8 consecutive weeks. Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were measured in all groups. Lipid deposition in the aorta (assessed by the percentage of plaque in the entire aorta and aortic root) and morphological changes in the aortic root were observed. Expression levels of CD86 and CD206 in aortic tissue, as well as the protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), arginase-1 (Arg-1), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) in aortic tissues were all detected. RESULTS Cell experiment results showed that, at concentrations of 5-100 μg/mL, the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction significantly increased RAW264.7 cell viability ( P <0.05). The drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 μg/mL, along with atorvastatin, significantly reduced apoptosis rates, CD86 fluorescence intensity, and TNF-α and IL-1β levels in RAW264.7 cells, while markedly enhancing CD206 fluorescence intensity ( P <0.05). Animal experiment results showed that, compared with the model group, all dosage groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction and the atorvastatin group showed significantly reduced/down-regulated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum, along with decreased aortic total and root plaque percentages, CD86 expression, and iNOS protein expression. CD206 expression and Arg-1, p-AMPK/AMPK, PPAR-γ protein expression were significantly up-regulated ( P <0.05). Pathological morphology of the aorta showed varying degrees of improvement. CONCLUSIONS The formula of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction exerts its anti-AS effects by regulating macrophage polarization, increasing the proportion of M2 macrophages, thereby effectively inhibiting AS plaque formation and reducing inflammatory responses.
8.Analysis of X-ray diagnostic equipment allocation and diagnosis frequency in radiological diagnosis and treatment institutions in Shaanxi Province, China
Yanpeng TIAN ; Yi XU ; Zhigang JI
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2026;35(1):83-90
Objective To conduct a comprehensive survey of the resource allocation and radiological diagnosis frequency in radiological diagnosis and treatment institutions in Shaanxi Province, and provide scientific evidence for optimizing regional medical resource allocation and formulating radiation protection strategies. Methods In 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on
9.Compound Xishu Granules Inhibit Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating Ferroptosis
Yuan TIAN ; Yuxi WANG ; Zhen LIU ; Yuncheng MA ; Hongyu ZHU ; Xiaozhu WANG ; Qian LI ; Jian GAO ; Weiling WANG ; Wenhui XU ; Ting WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):37-45
ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of compound Xishu granules (CXG) in inhibiting the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating ferroptosis. MethodsThe transplanted tumor model of human Huh7 was established with nude mice and the successfully modeled mice were randomized into model, Fufang Banmao (0.21 g·kg-1), low-dose (1.87 g·kg-1) CXG, medium-dose (3.74 g·kg-1) CXG, and high-dose (7.49 g·kg-1) CXG groups. Mice were administrated with drinking water or CXG for 28 days, and the body weight and tumor volume were measured every 4 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the histopathological changes of tumors. The cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to examine the survival rate of Huh7 cells treated with different concentrations (0, 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, 1 000 mg·L-1) of CXG for 24 h and 48 h. CA-AM, DCFH-DA, and C11-BODIPY581/591 fluorescent probes were used to determine the intracellular levels of ferrous ion (Fe2+), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxide (LPO), respectively. The colorimetric method was employed to measure the levels of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1), and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), respectively. ResultsIn the animal experiment, compared with the model group, the drug treatment groups showed reductions in the tumor volume from day 12 (P<0.01). After treatment, the Fufang Banmao and low-, medium-, and high-dose CXG groups had lower tumor volume, relative tumor volume, and tumor weight than the model group (P<0.05), with tumor inhibition rates of 48.99%, 79.93%, 91.38%, and 97.36%, respectively. Moreover, the CXG groups had lower tumor volume and relative tumor volume (P<0.05 in all the three dose groups) and lower tumor weight (P<0.05 in medium-dose and high-dose groups) than the Fufang Banmao group. Compared with the model group, the drug treatment groups showed reduced number of tumor cells, necrotic foci with karyopyknosis, nuclear fragmentation, and nucleolysis, and the high-dose CXG group showed an increase in the proportion of interstitial fibroblasts. In the cell experiment, compared with the blank group, CXG reduced the survival rate of Huh7 cells in a dose-dependent manner after incubation for 24 h and 48 h (P<0.05). Compared with the blank group, the RSL3 group and the low-, medium-, and high-dose CXG groups showed a decrease in the relative fluorescence intensity of CA-AM and increases in the fluorescence intensity of DCFH-DA and fluorescence ratio of C11-BODIPY581/591, which indicated elevations in the levels of Fe2+ (P<0.01), ROS (P<0.05), and LPO (P<0.01), respectively. Compared with the blank group, the RSL3 and low-, medium-, and high-dose CXG groups showed lowered levels of GSH and SOD (P<0.05). In addition, the RSL3 group and the medium- and high-dose CXG groups showed down-regulated expression of GPX4 and FTH1 (P<0.05), and the low- and high-dose CXG groups presented up-regulated expression of TFR1 (P<0.05). ConclusionCXG suppresses the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing ferroptosis via downregulating the GSH-GPX4 signaling axis and increasing intracellular Fe2+and LPO levels.
10.Risk factors for concurrent hepatic hydrothorax before intervention in primary liver cancer and construction of a nomogram prediction model
Yuanzhen WANG ; Renhai TIAN ; Yingyuan ZHANG ; Danqing XU ; Lixian CHANG ; Chunyun LIU ; Li LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(1):75-83
ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for hepatic hydrothorax (HH) before intervention for primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC), and to construct and assess the nomogram risk prediction model. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 353 hospitalized patients who attended the Third People’s Hospital of Kunming for the first time from October 2012 to October 2021 and there diagnosed with PHC, and according to the presence or absence of HH, they were divided into HH group with 153 patients and non-HH group with 200 patients. General data and the data of initial clinical testing after admission were collected from all PHC patients. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. After the multicollinearity test was performed for the variables with statistical significance determined by the univariate analysis, the multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent influencing factors. The “rms” software package was used to construct a nomogram risk prediction model, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the risk prediction model; the “Calibration Curves” software package was used to plot the calibration curve, and the “rmda” software package was used to plot the clinical decision curve and the clinical impact curve. ResultsAmong the 353 patients with PHC, there were 153 patients with HH, with a prevalence rate of 43.34%. Child-Pugh class B (odds ratio [OR]=2.652, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.050 — 6.698, P=0.039), Child-Pugh class C (OR=7.963, 95%CI: 1.046 — 60.632, P=0.045), total protein (OR=0.947, 95%CI: 0.914 — 0.981, P=0.003), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR=1.007, 95%CI: 1.001 — 1.014, P=0.025), and interleukin-2 (OR=0.801, 95%CI: 0.653 — 0.981, P=0.032) were independent influencing factors for HH before PHC intervention, and a nomogram risk prediction model was established based on these factors. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model had a good degree of fitting (χ2=5.006, P=0.757), with an area under the ROC curve of 0.752 (95%CI: 0.701 — 0.803), a sensitivity of 78.40%, and a specificity of 63.50%. The calibration curve showed that the model had good consistency in predicting HH before PHC intervention, and the clinical decision curve and the clinical impact curve showed that the model had good clinical practicability within a certain threshold range. ConclusionChild-Pugh class, total protein, interleukin-2, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein are independent influencing factors for developing HH before PHC intervention, and the nomogram model established based on these factors can effectively predict the risk of developing HH.

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