Aromatherapy refers to the method of using the aromatic components of plants in appropriate forms to act on the entire body or a specific area to prevent and treat diseases. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aromatic molecules， such as limonene， linalool， linalool acetate， geraniol， and citronellol. These chemicals have been extensively studied and shown to have a variety of functions， including reducing anxiety， relieving depression， promoting sleep， and providing pain relief. Terpenoids are a class of organic molecules with relatively low lipid solubility. After being inhaled， they can pass through the nasal mucosa for transfer or penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream upon local application. Some of these substances also have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier， thereby exerting effects on the central nervous system. Currently， the academic community generally agrees that products such as essential oils and aromatherapy from aromatic plants have certain health benefits. However， the process of extracting a single component from it and successfully developing it into a drug still faces many challenges. Its safety and efficacy still need to be further verified through more rigorous and systematic experiments. This article systematically elaborated on the efficacy of aromatic substances， including plant extracts and natural small molecule compounds， in antibacterial and antiviral fields and the regulation of nervous system activity. As a result， a deeper understanding of aromatherapy was achieved. At the same time， the potential of these aromatic substances for drug development was thoroughly explored， providing important references and insights for possible future drug research and application.

Treatment based on meridian differentiation is a characteristic method in clinical acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. Accurately defining and explaining its main content and core concepts is essential for effective clinical guidance. This paper reviews the historical and contemporary understanding, concepts, and primary content of treatment based on meridian differentiation. It proposes a four-step process for clinical application: meridian examination, treatment based on meridian differentiation, acupoint selection, and appropriate treatment methods, with TCM syndrome differentiation applied throughout. Constructing a diagnostic and treatment system which is based on meridian differentiation and suited to clinical acupuncture is significant for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and maximizing the benefits of acupuncture in disease treatment.
Humans ; Meridians ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Acupuncture Points ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of lung zinc ions to pathogenesis of lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, lung I/R group (I/R group), lung I/R + low-dose zinc chloride group (LZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + high-dose ZnCl₂ group (HZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + medium-dose ZnCl₂ group (MZnCl₂+I/R group) and TPEN+MZnCl₂+I/R group (n = 8 in each group). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the concentration of zinc ions in lung tissue. The degree of lung tissue injury was analyzed by observing HE staining, alveolar damage index, lung wet/dry weight ratio and lung tissue gross changes. TUNEL staining was used to detect cellular apoptosis in lung tissue. Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to determine the protein expression levels of caspase-3 and ZIP8, as well as the mRNA expression levels of zinc transporters (ZIP, ZNT) in lung tissue. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of lung tissue was detected by JC-1 MMP detection kit. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the lung tissue damage, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index were significantly increased in the I/R group. And in the lung tissue, the concentration of Zn²⁺ was markedly decreased, while the cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio and apoptotic levels were significantly increased. The expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein were down-regulated significantly, while the mRNA expression of other zinc transporters remained unchanged. There was also a significant decrease in MMP. Compared with the I/R group, both MZnCl₂+I/R group and HZnCl₂+I/R group exhibited significantly reduced lung tissue injury, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index, increased Zn²⁺ concentration, decreased ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 and apoptosis, and up-regulated expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein. In addition, the MMP was significantly increased in the lung tissue. Zn²⁺ chelating agent TPEN reversed the above-mentioned protective effects of medium-dose ZnCl₂ on the lung tissue in the I/R group. The aforementioned results suggest that exogenous administration of ZnCl₂ can improve lung I/R injury in rats.
Animals ; Reperfusion Injury/pathology* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Chlorides/administration & dosage* ; Lung/pathology* ; Zinc Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism*

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China, and a large amount of pharmaceutical residue generated during its processing and production is discarded as waste, which not only wastes resources but also pollutes the environment. Therefore, elucidating the chemical composition of the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and the differences between the residue and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix itself is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of the residue. This study, based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology combined with multivariate statistical methods, provides a thorough characterization, identification, and differential analysis of the overall components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue. Firstly, 61 compounds in Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were rapidly identified based on their precise molecular weight, fragment ions, and compound abundance, using a self-constructed compound database. Among them, 41 compounds were found in the residue, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Secondly, through principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), 15 key compounds differentiating Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from its residue were identified. These included highly polar alkaloids, such as oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine, which showed significantly reduced content in the residue, and less polar flavonoids, such as kurarinone and kuraridin, which were more abundant in the residue. In summary, this paper clarifies the overall composition, structure, and content differences between Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue, suggesting that the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix can be used as a raw material for the extraction of its high-activity components, with promising potential for development and application in cosmetics and daily care. This research provides a scientific basis for the future comprehensive utilization of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sophora/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/chemistry*

Aconitum kusnezoffii is a perennial herbaceous medicinal plant of the family Ranunculaceae, with unique medicinal value. Damping off is one of the most important seedling diseases affecting A. kusnezoffii, occurring widely and often causing large-scale seedling death in the field. To clarify the species of the pathogen causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii and to formulate an effective control strategy, this study conducted pathogen identification, research on biological characteristics, and evaluation of fungicide inhibitory activity. Through morphological characteristics, cultural traits, and phylogenetic tree analysis, the pathogen causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii was identified as Rhizoctonia solani, belonging to the AG5 anastomosis group. The optimal temperature for mycelial growth of the pathogen was 25-30 ℃, with OA medium as the most suitable medium, pH 8 as the optimal pH, and sucrose and yeast as the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The effect of light on mycelial growth was not significant. In evaluating the inhibitory activity of 45 chemical fungicides, including 30% hymexazol, and 4 biogenic fungicides, including 0.3% eugenol, it was found that 30% thifluzamide and 50% fludioxonil had significantly better inhibitory effects on R. solani than other tested agents, with EC_(50) values of 0.129 6,0.220 6 μg·mL~(-1), respectively. Among the biogenic fungicides, 0.3% eugenol also showed an ideal inhibitory effect on the pathogen, with an EC_(50) of 1.668 9 μg·mL~(-1). To prevent the development of resistance in the pathogen and to reduce the use of chemical fungicides, it is recommended that the three fungicides above be used in rotation during production. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the accurate diagnosis and effective control strategy for R. solani causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii.
Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology* ; Plant Diseases/microbiology* ; Rhizoctonia/growth & development* ; Aconitum/microbiology* ; Phylogeny ; Mycelium/growth & development*

Objective Recombinase-aided polymerase chain reaction(RAP)is a sensitive,single-tube,two-stage nucleic acid amplification method.This study aimed to develop an assay that can be used for the early diagnosis of three types of bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus(SA),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(PA),and Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)in the bloodstream based on recombinant human mannan-binding lectin protein(M1 protein)-conjugated magnetic bead(M1 bead)enrichment of pathogens combined with RAP. Methods Recombinant plasmids were used to evaluate the assay sensitivity.Common blood influenza bacteria were used for the specific detection.Simulated and clinical plasma samples were enriched with M1 beads and then subjected to multiple recombinase-aided PCR(M-RAP)and quantitative PCR(qPCR)assays.Kappa analysis was used to evaluate the consistency between the two assays. Results The M-RAP method had sensitivity rates of 1,10,and 1 copies/μL for the detection of SA,PA,and AB plasmids,respectively,without cross-reaction to other bacterial species.The M-RAP assay obtained results for<10 CFU/mL pathogens in the blood within 4 h,with higher sensitivity than qPCR.M-RAP and qPCR for SA,PA,and AB yielded Kappa values of 0.839,0.815,and 0.856,respectively(P<0.05). Conclusion An M-RAP assay for SA,PA,and AB in blood samples utilizing M1 bead enrichment has been developed and can be potentially used for the early detection of bacteremia.

Objective:To investigate the effect of mitochondrial division of GABAergic neurons in substantia nigra pars reticulata(SNr)on motor dysfunction in mice with acute hepatic encephalopathy(AHE).Methods:AHE mice model was established by intraperitoneal injection of thioacetamide(TAA).The changes of liver lobules in AHE mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.The changes of serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and blood ammonia in AHE mice were detected by biochemical detection kit.Then,the motor function of AHE mice was observed by rod fatigue test,elevated cross maze test and open field test.Furthermore,the changes of mitochondrial area,perimeter,roundness and other morphological indicators in SNr of AHE mice were ob-served and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy.The expression of mitochondrial division and fusion related molecules in SNr of AHE mice was observed by Western Blot.Then,the expression of mitochondrial dynamic related protein 1(DRP1)in SNr of AHE mice was targeted by AAV virus.The mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),ATP and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in SNr were detected by fluorescence enzyme marker,and the changes of motor function of mice were observed.Results:Compared with the control group,the motor function of AHE mice was signifi-cantly decreased,the mitochondrial division of SNr was significantly enhanced,and the expression of mitochondrial divi-sion related proteins was significantly increased.The MMP in SNr of AHE mice was significantly decreased,the ATP of cells was decreased,and the ROS was increased.After targeted inhibition of DRP1 expression in SNr of AHE mice,the movement was improved;further observation found that after the mitochondrial division in SNr of AHE mice was inhibi-ted,the MMP was significantly increased,the ATP of cells was increased,and the ROS was decreased,which demon-strated that the mitochondrial function was significantly improved.Conclusion:Targeted inhibition of mitochondrial di-vision of GABAergic neurons in SNr of AHE mice can improve mitochondrial morphology and function,thus alleviating their movement disorders.

Objective:To establish a highly sensitive and quantitative detection method for ABL1 kinase region mutations,provide strong support for the early diagnosis and treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia(CML).Methods:Sampele from 35 CML patients who were initially tested negative for ABL1 kinase region mutations by Sanger sequencing were collected.The ABL1 kinase region mutation was detected by the fluorescence quantitative detection kit of Shanghai Yuanqi Biopharmaceutical Technology Co.,Ltd.The mutation rate was analyzed byΔΔCt value method.The relative mutation rate of the final ABL1 kinase region was determined by dividing the mutation rate by the expression level of the fusion gene.Results:Among the 35 CML patients initially tested negative for ABL1 mutations by the Sanger sequencing method,7 cases of T315I mutation,2 cases of T315A mutation,2 cases of Y253H mutation,and 1 cases of E255K mutation after detection of the new method.The relative mutation rates range from 0.1％to 19.42％,which could not be detected by Sanger sequencing method.Subsequently,this method was used to detect the ABL1 mutation in 126 CML patients,and the positive rate exceeded that of the Sanger sequencing method.The BCR-ABL1 gene expression significantly reduced or negative after adjusting treatment strategy based on the mutation situation.Conclusion:Compared with Sanger sequencing,fluorescence quantitative PCR has higher sensitivity and can screen for low-frequency ABL1 kinase mutations in the early stage.Moreover,it can also perform relative quantitative analysis,so the method has good clinical application prospects for detecting ABL1 mutation.

Objective:To investigate the effects of continuous blood purification (CBP) on mitochondrial function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and clinical prognosis of patients with traumatic sepsis.Methods:A prospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 90 patients with traumatic sepsis admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Shaoxing People′s Hospital from January 2023 to June 2024. Based on standard operating procedures (SOP), patients were divided into CBP group and non-CBP group according to whether they received CBP treatment. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex V, levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 in the mononuclear cells on ICU admission and at 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment were compared between the two groups. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on ICU admission and at 48 hours after treatment were detected in the two groups. The length of ICU stay, total length of hospital stay and 28-day mortality after ICU admission were compared between the two groups.Results:A total of 90 patients with traumatic sepsis were included, comprising 56 males and 34 females, aged 18-82 years [51.3(38.7, 70.6)years], with injury severity score (ISS) of 16-54 points [36.2(17.0, 53.6)points]. There were 52 patients in the CBP group and 38 in the non-CBP group. All the patients were followed up for 7-14 days [10.0(8.0, 12.0)days]. On ICU admission, the mtDNA copy number was 638.5±124.0 in the CBP group and 634.7±122.1 in the non-CBP group ( P>0.05). At 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment, the mtDNA copy number in the CBP group was 564.2±105.6, 415.7±83.5 and 303.7±77.0 respectively, significantly lower than 622.9±120.2, 581.5±113.6, 530.7±97.8 in the non-CBP group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). At 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment, the mtDNA copy number in both groups continued to decrease compared with that on ICU admission ( P<0.05). On ICU admission, the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅴ was (74.0±26.0)pg/ml in the CBP group and (72.8±25.3)pg/ml in the non-CBP group ( P>0.05); at 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment, it was (69.4±24.2)pg/ml, (78.3±26.8)pg/ml and (91.5±33.5)pg/ml respectively in the CBP group, significantly higher than (65.3±23.6)pg/ml, (60.7±19.4)pg/ml and (53.8±16.9)pg/ml in the non-CBP group ( P<0.05 or 0.01); at 12 hours after treatment, it was decreased in both groups compared with that on ICU admission ( P<0.05); at 24 and 48 hours after treatment, it was gradually increased in the CBP group compared with those on ICU admission and at 12 hours after treatment ( P<0.05), while in the non-CBP group, it continued to decrease ( P<0.05). The levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 on ICU admission were (51.6±17.1)pg/ml, (174.1±57.3)pg/ml and (67.6±16.2)pg/ml respectively in the CBP group and (49.5±16.7)pg/ml, (177.8±58.7)pg/ml and (65.7±16.6)pg/ml respectively in the non-CBP group ( P>0.05). At 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment, the levels of TNF-α in the CBP group were (43.6±15.6)pg/ml, (29.4±12.5)pg/ml and (26.2±10.6)pg/ml respectively, the IL-6 levels were (122.4±41.7)pg/ml, (90.6±33.1)pg/ml, (75.6±24.7)pg/ml respectively and the IL-10 levels were (72.6±18.1)pg/ml, (80.7±20.6)pg/ml, (86.2±22.9)pg/ml respectively, which were significantly lower than (48.8±16.2)pg/ml, (46.5±15.5)pg/ml, (40.0±14.2)pg/ml at 12 hours after treatment, (168.4±51.6)pg/ml, (131.5±42.7)pg/ml, (112.7±35.8)pg/ml at 24 hours after treatment, and (78.6±19.3)pg/ml, (91.1±23.8)pg/ml, (99.4±26.6)pg/ml at 48 hours after treatment in the non-CBP group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). At 12, 24 and 48 hours after treatment, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in both groups continued to decrease, while the levels of IL-10 continued to increase compared with those on ICU admission ( P<0.05). On ICU admission, the APACHE Ⅱ and SOFA scores were (20.6±10.5)points and (6.2±1.9)points in the CBP group and (21.2±11.2)points and (6.7±2.1)points in the non-CBP group ( P>0.05). At 48 hours after treatment, the APACHE Ⅱ and SOFA scores were (13.5±6.6)points and (2.7±0.6)points in the CBP group, which were significantly lower than (18.3±9.3)points and (5.3±1.5)points in the non-CBP group ( P<0.01). At 48 hours after treatment, the APACHE II and SOFA scores in both groups were significantly decreased compared with those on ICU admission ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The length of ICU stay, total length of hospital stay and 28-day mortality after ICU admission were (13.0±5.7)days, (20.4±8.6)days and 19.2% (10/52) respectively, which were significantly shorter and smaller than (17.6±6.6)days, (26.5±9.4)days and 31.6% (12/38) in the non-CBP group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusions:CBP treatment may reduce the release of mtDNA by alleviating the mitochondrial damage of the mononuclear cells in patients with traumatic sepsis so that the release of inflammatory factors and cellular apoptosis is reduced, and improve the state of cell energy metabolism and cellular immune function by increasing the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex V in the mononuclear cells, and participate in the reconstruction of immune homeostasis of the body so the inflammatory state and clinical prognosis of the patients are improved.

Objective:To analyze the clinical, genetic, and bioinformatic characteristics of 3 children diagnosed with GM1 gangliosidosis type Ⅰ, and to conduct a literature review.Methods:From January 2020 through December 2022, a detailed examination, encompassing whole-exon sequencing and the evaluation of β-galactosidase enzymatic function, was undertaken for 3 pediatric inpatients at Xi′an Children′s Hospital. Each child presented with distinct clinical features: recurrent seizures, developmental delays, and hypotonia. Concurrently, computational tools MutaBind2 and PyMOL were employed to prognosticate the potential impact of identified genetic mutations.Results:All 3 children experienced severe developmental delay or regression in infancy, accompanied by epilepsy. Serum alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly increased. Furthermore, the serum β-galactosidase activity was 1.59%, 3.47%, 1.96%,respectively. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed poor myelination and X-ray examinations demonstrated beak-like changes in the anterior edge of the lumbar spine. All 3 children carried compound heterozygous variants in the GLB1 gene. The c.148T>C variant had not been previously reported, while the c.785G>T, c.1438A>G and c.304C>G variants were only present in 1 case. It was predicted that the mutated protein exhibited reduced binding affinity, with an interrupted hydrogen bond or the formation of a significant steric hindrance with the neighboring residues. Combined with the literature evidence, it was hypothesized that the mutations could potentially impact the overall structure and stability of the GLB protein, leading to a decrease in enzyme activity. Conclusions:The diagnosis and classification of GM1 ganglioside storage disease need to integrate the clinical features, exome sequencing and β-galactosidase activity assay. Bioinformatics analysis is helpful to predict the effect of mutations on protein structure and function.