1.Research progress on the mechanism of action and clinical application of Shenqi dihuang decoction in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy
Jiajie LI ; Jiaqi WANG ; Jie ZHAO ; Zezhu LI ; Yaping WANG ; Guirong ZHANG ; Heguo YAN ; Jiabao LIAO ; Weibo WEN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(8):1085-1091
Diabetic nephropathy(DN) is a common and severe microvascular complication of diabetes. In recent years, the classical herbal formula Shenqi dihuang decoction has demonstrated unique advantages in the clinical treatment of DN. This article conducts a systematic review of the mechanisms of action and clinical applications of Shenqi dihuang decoction in the treatment of DN. It reveals that the mechanism by which this formula improves DN involves multi-target synergistic regulation. For instance, Shenqi dihuang decoction exerts multiple pharmacological effects by regulating signaling pathways including phosphatidy linostiol 3-kinase/protein kinase B, AMP-activated protein kinase/silent information regulator 1/forkhead box O1, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 pathways.These effects include regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, inhibiting oxidative stress, reducing inflammation, improving insulin resistance, modulating cell death (apoptosis/autophagy/ferroptosis/pyroptosis), and preventing renal fibrosis. Existing clinical studies indicate that Shenqi dihuang decoction and its modified formulas, alone or in combination with other therapeutic methods, can significantly improve glucose and lipid metabolism, reduce proteinuria, and delay renal function decline in patients with DN. These effects are superior to those of Western medicines such as irbesartan, valsartan, and empagliflozin, and the treatment demonstrates good safety. Future research should leverage systems biology and artificial intelligence technologies to further elucidate the integrated mechanisms in the treatment of DN by Shenqi dihuang decoction, thereby advancing the precision and standardization of its clinical application.
2.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.
3.Mechanisms of Qiaobai cold compress solution in improving acne vulgaris based on transcriptomics and experiment
Zhenjiang XIE ; Weina ZHU ; Liangliang CAO ; Fuqiong ZHOU ; Shupan ZHANG ; Bingwen ZHOU ; Yinsheng CHEN ; Wen LI ; Ying ZHAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):425-430
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism by which Qiaobai cold compress solution (QBCS) improves acne vulgaris (AV) based on transcriptomics and animal experiments. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into a blank control group ( n =6) and a modeling group ( n =30). AV models were established in the modeling group by topical application of oleic acid to the inner surface of both ears, combined with subcutaneous injection of Cutibacterium acnes suspension into the auricle. Successfully modeled rats were further divided into the model group, positive control group (Tretinoin cream, 0.045 g/kg), and QBCS low-, medium-, high-dose groups [3.55, 7.11, 14.22 g/kg (calculated by the amount of crude drug) ] , with 6 rats in each group. Rats in each d rug group were treated with the corresponding drugs once daily for 14 consecutive days. After the final administration, changes in the appearance of the ears and histopathological changes in the ear tissues were observed, and serum levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β, were measured. Auricular tissues from the blank control group, model group and QBCS medium-dose group were collected for transcriptome sequencing. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were screened and subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, followed by validation using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assay. RESULTS Compared with the model group, rats in all QBCS groups showed alleviated auricular acne symptoms, with reduced epidermal thickening, sebaceous gland hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Serum levels of TNF-α (except for the QBCS low-dose group), IL-6 (except for the QBCS low-dose group) and IL-1β were significantly decreased ( P <0.05). A total of 590 DEGs were identified (blank control group vs. model group), and 596 DEGs were identified (model group vs. QBCS medium-dose group). Above DEGs (blank control group vs. model group) were mainly enriched in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, etc. Validation experiments showed that, compared with model group, low-, medium- and high-dose of QBCS reduced, to varying degrees, the mRNA expression of TNF-α, TLR2, interferon-γ and CXC chemokine ligand 8 in the auricular tissues of AV rats, increased the mRNA expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma and tumor protein 53, and inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 protein as well as the expressions of TLR2 and myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88(MyD88) ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS QBCS can alleviate auricular inflammation and skin lesions in AV rats. This effect may be related to inhibition of the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby suppressing the expression of downstream inflammatory factors such as TNF-α.
4.Analysis of risk factors and construction of risk prediction model for batroxobin-related severe hypofibrinogenemia
Le CAI ; Yuqing ZHAO ; Jiazhu CUI ; Xiao WEN ; Daihong GUO ; Man ZHU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):462-467
OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for batroxobin-related severe hypofibrinogenemia (HFIB) and construct a risk prediction model. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on inpatients treated with batroxobin in the First Medical Center of a tertiary hospital from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2024. Patients were categorized into non-severe HFIB group and severe HFIB group based on the severity of HFIB. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent influencing factors for batroxobin-related severe HFIB. A nomogram was developed using the “rms” package in R 4.5 software. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Calibration was assessed via the Bootstrap resampling method, and goodness-of-fit was evaluated with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS A total of 1 472 patients were included in this study. Of these, 1 445 developed HFIB, yi elding an incidence of 98.17%. Furthermore, 895 were classified as severe HFIB, accounting for 60.80% of the cohort. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that increased age, high initial dose per 10 kg body weight, use of maintenance dose, and concomitant glucocorticoid use were independent risk factors for batroxobin-related severe HFIB, while high baseline fibrinogen (FIB) level was identified as a protective factor. The model demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.760 (95% CI: 0.735-0.785). The mean absolute error of the calibration curve was 0.006. The P value of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 0.609. CONCLUSIONS Batroxobin can rapidly and significantly reduce FIB levels and carries a risk of inducing severe HFIB. Patients with advanced age, high initial dose per 10 kg body weight, use of maintenance dose and concomitant glucocorticoid use had a higher risk of batroxobin-related severe HFIB, while high baseline FIB level had a lower risk of batroxobin-related severe HFIB. The risk prediction model developed based on these factors can be used to predict the likelihood of batroxobin-related severe HFIB.
5.Risk factors associated with lymph node metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma with a diameter≤3 cm
Shaowei XIN ; Xiangbing XIN ; Yabo ZHAO ; Miaomiao WEN ; Suxin JIANG ; Yanlu XIONG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(02):255-260
Objective To explore the correlation between lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological features of lung adenocarcinoma with diameter≤3 cm. Methods The clinicopathologic data of the patients with lung adenocarcinoma≤3 cm in diameter were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between lymph node metastasis and age, gender, smoking history, pathological subtype, tumor diameter, pleural invasion, vascular invasion and other factors was analyzed. The risk factors of lymph node metastasis were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results Finally 1 718 patients were collected, including 697 males and 1 021 females with an average age of (58.89±9.85) years. The total lymph node metastasis rate was 12.9%, among whom 452 patients of adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma did not have lymph node metastasis, and the lymph node metastasis rate of invasive lung adenocarcinoma was 17.5%. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor diameter, micropapillary subtype, solid subtype, micropapillary component, solid component, vascular invasion and pleural invasion were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis of invasive lung adenocarcinoma with diameter≤3 cm (P<0.05). While age, lepidic subtype and lepidic component were independent protective factors for lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Conclusion Clinicopathological features can help predict lymph node metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma with diameter≤3 cm.
6.Isotemporal substitution analysis of 24 hour activity behaviors on fine motor development among preschool children
ZHANG Chu an, WEN Lei, FU Jinmei, ZHANG Zhiyu, ZHANG Shuna, WEN Xinghui, ZHAO Guanggao
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(3):413-416
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between 24 hour activity behaviors and fine motor development in preschool children, and to simulate the effects of reallocating time among different activity behaviors on fine motor development using isotemporal substitution analysis.
Methods:
From March to July 2022, a stratified cluster random sampling method was used to recruit 447 preschool children aged 3-6 years (254 boys and 193 girls) from Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province. The 24 hour activity behaviors in preschool children were measured using ActiGraph wGT3-BT accelerometers and subjective sleep reports. Fine motor development was assessed using the Gesell Developmental Schedules. A component linear regression model was employed to analyze the impact of 24 hour activity behaviors on the development of fine motor activities, and the potential effects of adjusting activity behaviors were simulated through an isochoric substitution model.
Results:
The daily durations of sedentary behavior (SB) was ( 572.92 ±102.96) min (accounting for 39.79% of 24 h), the duration of light physical activity (LPA) was (131.21± 38.11 ) min ( 9.11% ), the duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was (65.61±22.21) min (4.56%), and sleep duration was (670.65±57.58) min (46.82%). Sleep composition was positively associated with fine motor development ( β =2.74), while MVPA ( β =-0.84) and SB ( β =-1.93) compositions were negatively associated with fine motor development (all P <0.01). Isochoric substitution analysis showed that sleep had positive effects on the development of fine motor skills when replacing other activity behaviors (all P < 0.05), with the substitution effect for MVPA being the most significant and gradually increasing with the duration of substitution (60 min: β =28.66); sleep replacement of SB and LPA also showed positive effects (60 min: β =4.25, 2.00) (all P < 0.05). On the contrary, the substitution of sleep with MVPA showed negative effects (60 min: β =-7.86), and the substitution of LPA and SB with MVPA also showed negative effects (60 min: β =-5.65, -3.40) (all P <0.05).
Conclusions
The overall composition of 24 hour activity behaviors is associated with fine motor development in preschool children, with sleep playing a crucial role. Ensuring adequate sleep and optimizing the structure of activity behaviors may effectively promote the development of fine motor skills in preschool children.
7.Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Analysis of Extracranial Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor in Children
Shihan ZHANG ; Wen ZHAO ; Mei JIN ; Hongjun FAN ; Xisi WANG ; Libing FU ; Tong YU ; Yan SU
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2026;5(1):34-42
To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumor (eMRT) in children, and to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of this disease. A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of children with newly diagnosed eMRT who were admitted and treated in the Department of Pediatric Oncology, Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, from March 2009 to December 2024. The clinical characteristics were summarized, and survival analysis and prognostic risk factor analysis were conducted. A total of 43 children with eMRT were included in this study, the median age at diagnosis of all patients was 20 months (range: 2-138 months). Among them, 24 cases were malignant renal rhabdoid tumors and 19 cases were extracranial, extrarenal rhabdoid tumors. Of the 43 children, 23 cases (53.5%) were complicated with distant metastasis. Twenty-nine (67.4%) underwent primary tumor resection. Among the children, 24 (55.8%) underwent gross total resection (GTR), 5 (11.6%) partial resection, and 14 (32.6%) biopsy only. Their 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 40.8%, 35.3%, and 33.3%, respectively ( Children with eMRT have an overall poor prognosis. A diagnostic age < 12 months is an independent risk factor for higher mortality in these children. Further large-scale, long-term follow-up studies are needed to explore the prognostic factors of this disease.
8.The Structure and Function of The YopJ Family Effectors in The Bacterial Type III Secretion System
Ao-Ning LI ; Wen-Bo LI ; Yu-Ying LU ; Min-Hui ZHU ; Yu-Long QIN ; Yong ZHAO ; Zhao-Huan ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):516-533
The Type III Secretion System (T3SS) serves as a pivotal virulence apparatus for numerous Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, enabling them to infect both animal and plant hosts. Functioning as a molecular syringe, the T3SS directly translocates bacterial effector proteins from the bacterial cytoplasm into the interior of eukaryotic host cells. These effectors are central weapons that precisely manipulate a wide spectrum of host cellular physiological processes, ranging from cytoskeletal dynamics to immune signaling, to establish a favorable niche for bacterial survival and proliferation. Among the diverse arsenal of T3SS effectors, the YopJ family constitutes a critical group of virulence factors. Members of this family are characterized by a conserved catalytic triad structure—a hallmark of the CE clan of cysteine proteases that has been evolutionarily repurposed to confer acetyltransferase activity. A defining and intriguing feature of these enzymes is their stringent dependence on a host-derived eukaryotic cofactor, inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), for allosteric activation. This requirement acts as a sophisticated molecular safeguard, ensuring enzymatic activity only within the appropriate host environment, thereby preventing detrimental effects on the bacterium itself. While seminal studies on individual members such as Yersinia’s YopJ and Salmonella’s AvrA have provided deep mechanistic insights, a systematic and integrative understanding of the structure-function relationships across the entire family remains fragmented. Key questions persist regarding how a conserved catalytic core has diverged to recognize distinct host substrates in different kingdoms of life. To address this gap, this article provides a systematic review of the YopJ family, focusing on three interconnected aspects: their structural features, their catalytic mechanism, and their divergent immunosuppressive strategies in animal versus plant hosts. By conducting a comparative analysis of the sequences and resolved three-dimensional structures of three representative members (e.g., HopZ1a, PopP2, AvrA), we elucidate regions of significant variation embedded within the conserved core catalytic architecture. These variable regions, often involving surface loops and substrate-binding interfaces, are crucial determinants of target specificity and functional specialization. The functional divergence of this effector family is most apparent when comparing their modes of action in different hosts. In animal hosts, YopJ-family effectors primarily sabotage innate immune signaling pathways. They achieve this by acetylating key serine and threonine residues within the activation loops of critical kinases in the MAPK and NF‑κB pathways. This post-translational modification blocks the phosphorylation and subsequent activation of these kinases, leading to potent suppression of inflammatory cytokine production. Conversely, in plant hosts, the strategy broadens to dismantle the two-tiered plant immune system. YopJ homologs target a more diverse set of substrates, including immune-associated receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs), microtubule networks via tubulin acetylation (which disrupts cellular trafficking and signaling), and transcription factors central to defense gene regulation. This multi-target approach effectively suppresses both Pattern-Triggered Immunity (PTI) and Effector-Triggered Immunity (ETI). In conclusion, this synthesis aims to deepen the mechanistic understanding of YopJ family-mediated pathogenesis by integrating structural biology with cellular function across host kingdoms. Elucidating the precise molecular basis for substrate selection—how conserved platforms achieve target diversity—is a major frontier. Furthermore, this knowledge provides a vital theoretical foundation for developing novel anti-virulence strategies. Targeting the conserved IP6-binding pocket or the catalytic acetyltransferase activity itself represents a promising avenue for designing broad-spectrum inhibitors that could disarm this critical family of bacterial effectors, potentially offering new therapeutic approaches against a range of pathogenic bacteria.
9.Research on The Genealogical Inference Efficiency of High-density SNPs
Jing LI ; Yi-Jie SUN ; Wen-Ting ZHAO ; Zi-Chen TANG ; Jing LIU ; Cai-Xia LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):740-753
ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the potential of different orders of magnitude single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) locus combinations for predicting distant kinship relationships. A high-density SNP locus set was constructed, and a comprehensive assessment of its inference capability was conducted. MethodsFirstly, we selected three commercial chip panels, CGA (Chinese genotyping array, Illumina), GSA (Global screening array, Illumina), Affy (23MF_V2 high-density SNP array, Affymetrix) and merged them after quality control, forming a high-density SNP locus panel(1 180 k). Secondly, we selected 161 samples and collected their peripheral blood samples by using whole-genome sequencing technology. Within this sample population, the levels of kinship relationships fully covered the range from level 1 to level 9, and the number of kinship pairs at each level was consistently maintained at over 50 pairs. From 161 samples data of whole-genome sequencing, the 1 180 k locus set was extracted, which is referred to as the high-density SNP locus set in the following text. The kinship inference was conducted using the identity-by-descent (IBD) algorithm with the selected optimal parameters. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of the high-density SNP locus set in kinship inference, we compared it with the three commercial chip panels, the intersection of these three chip loci, and the control sets constructed by randomly reducing the number of the high-density SNP locus set. Based on the changes in the IBD lengths, as well as the dynamic trends in prediction accuracy, we conducted a scientific assessment of the kinship inference capability of the high-density SNP locus set. ResultsAfter screening, a set of 1 184 334 autosomal SNPs was obtained. During the process of screening the optimal IBD length threshold, the result revealed that 0 cM, 1 cM, and 2 cM all demonstrated good applicability. However, to avoid the issue of a large amount of redundant information caused by setting a too low IBD length threshold, this study ultimately selected 2 cM as the optimal threshold. Compared with the average results of three chip panels, the high-density SNP locus set increased the total IBD length and the average IBD length across levels 1-9; the accuracy of the confidence interval for level 8 was 70.97%, which represented a 3.50% improvement; the average confidence interval accuracy for levels 1-8 was 91.39%, representing a 1.00% increase; and the false negative rates at levels 8 and 9 were reduced by 2.42% and 6.76%, respectively. The system efficacy of the high-density SNP locus set for kinship inference of first to eighth degree relationships reached 98.91%. Through random reduction of the high-density SNP locus set results, it is found that increasing the number of SNPs with the panel, the detection efficiency of IBD length showed a significant upward trend. At the same time, the overall trend in the accuracy of kinship relationship prediction as well as the confidence interval accuracy also indicated that both metrics steadily increased with the addition of more loci. ConclusionThe results show that the high-density SNPs panel significantly enhances the efficacy of distant kinship inference, accurately covering kinship degrees, with the average confidence interval accuracy for first to eighth degree relationships stably above 90%. The study finds that increasing the number of SNPs panel can improve the ability to predict distant kinship.
10.Study on the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep
Ming QIAO ; Yao ZHAO ; Yi ZHU ; Yexia CAO ; Limei WEN ; Yuehong GONG ; Xiang LI ; Juanchen WANG ; Tao WANG ; Jianhua YANG ; Junping HU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(1):24-29
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep. METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components of L. ruthenicum and their associated disease targets, followed by enrichment analysis. A caffeine‑induced zebrafish model of sleep deprivation was established , and the zebrafish were treated with L. ruthenicum Murr. extract (LRME) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively; 24 h later, behavioral changes of zebrafish and pathological alterations in brain neurons were subsequently observed. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT)], and neurotransmitters [5- hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE)] were measured. The protein expression levels of protein kinase B1 (AKT1), phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), sarcoma proto-oncogene,non-receptor tyrosine kinase (SRC), and heat shock protein 90α family class A member 1 (HSP90AA1) in the zebrafish were also determined. RESULTS A total of 12 active components and 176 intersecting disease targets were identified through network pharmacology analysis. Among these, apigenin, naringenin and others were recognized as core active compounds, while AKT1, EGFR and others served as key targets; EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway was identified as the critical pathway. The sleep improvement rates in zebrafish of LRME low-, medium-, and high-dose groups were 54.60%, 69.03% and 77.97%, 开发。E-mail:hjp_yft@163.com respectively, while the inhibition ratios of locomotor distance were 0.57, 0.83 and 0.95, respectively. Compared with the model group, the number of resting counts, resting time and resting distance were significantly increased/extended in LRME medium- and high-dose groups (P<0.05). Neuronal damage in the brain was alleviated. Additionally, the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, MDA, Glu, DA and NE, as well as the protein expression levels of AKT1, p-AKT1, EGFR, SRC and HSP90AA1, were markedly reduced (P<0.05), while the levels of IL-10, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, 5-HT and GABA, as well as Bcl-2 protein expression, were significantly elevated (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS L. ruthenicum Murr. demonstrates sleep-improving effects, and its specific mechanism may be related to the regulation of inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter balance, and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail