Objective To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule in the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI)by using network pharmacology methods and clinical trial validation.Methods A prospective trial was carried out in 90 cases of patients with PSCI admitted to Taihe Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from August 2022 to February 2024.The patients were randomly divided into the control group and the trial group by random number table method,with 45 cases in each group.The control group was treated with conventional treatment for PSCI,and the trial group was treated with Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule orally on the basis of treatment for the control group.The treatment course for the two groups covered 28 days.The changes of Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)score,Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score,and the serum levels of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in the patients of the two groups were observed before and after treatment.Moreover,the incidences of adverse events in the two groups were recorded,thus to evaluate the safety of the treatment regimens in the two groups.And then the network pharmacological research was performed.TCMSP and literature review were used to obtain the active ingredients of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule,GeneCards and other databases were used to obtain the PSCI disease targets,and the common targets were inputted into the STRING database to construct the PPI network.Cytoscape 3.9.0 was used to construct the network diagram of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule-PSCI-targets,DAVID was used to perform GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis,and then molecular docking was used to verify the binding activity.Results(1)The results of clinical trial showed that after 28 days of treatment,the MMSE and MoCA scores of patients in the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the increase of the scores in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the decrease in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).During the trial,both groups of patients did not show obvious adverse reactions,with high safety.(2)The network pharmacological research of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule yielded 92 active ingredients,803 targets,5 209 disease targets and 556 intersection targets.The core targets were AKT1,TNF,IL-6,TP53 and IL-1B,and the key compounds were deoxyharringtonine,senkyunone and genkwanin.The GO enrichment analysis obtained 1 812 GO entries,of which 154 entries were related with cellular component(CC),1 332 entries were related with biological process(BP),and 326 entries were related with molecular function(MF).The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis yielded 195 signaling pathways.The molecular docking results showed that the key compounds of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule had good binding activities with the core targets.Conclusion The clinical efficacy of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule in the treatment of PSCI is remarkable,and its therapeutic mechanism is probably related with multiple components through the signaling pathways such as AKT1,TNF,and IL-6.The results will provide reference for the in-depth study of Shen Wu Yizhi Capsule.

Natural arabinogalactan， an important polysaccharide， has a wide range of sources， a complex structure， various biological activities， and great application potential. Natural arabinogalactan is mainly rich in plants and microorganisms， and its structure varies due to different sources， including types Ⅰ， type Ⅱ， type Ⅱ-related types， and new configurations. Natural arabinogalactan has shown a variety of biological activities， such as anti-tumor， anti-oxidation， anti-coagulation， anti-aging， blood glucose-lowering， intestinal health-maintaining， anti-inflammatory， and immunomodulatory activities. In addition， natural arabinogalactan shows good biocompatibility and low toxicity， serving as a potential material in the biomedical field. Natural arabinogalactan has been designed as a carrier in the drug delivery system to effectively improve drug stability and targeting. Natural arabinogalactan is often added to skin care products to help delay skin aging and enhance skin barrier function because of their moisturizing and antioxidant properties. Additionally， natural arabinogalactan acts as a thickener， stabilizer， and emulsifier to improve the texture and taste while enhancing the nutritional value of food products. The review of latest research reports is helpful to further understand the relationship between the structure， biological activity， and functional application of natural arabinogalactan and provides an important reference for future research and development.

ObjectiveThis study aims to identify cuproptosis-related gene biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease（AD） using bioinformatics and machine learning methods， validate them at the clinical specimen level， and predict potential traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）. MethodsDifferentially expressed genes in the AD group and normal group were obtained using the Gene Expression Omnibus （GEO） database， and intersections were taken with reported cuproptosis-related genes to obtain differentially expressed cuproptosis-related genes. Machine learning methods were applied to identify core differential genes of cuproptosis in AD. Peripheral blood's single nucleated cells from clinical AD patients were collected， and the relative gene expression was clinically verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. Potential TCM regulating cuproptosis for AD were predicted by COREMINE database. ResultsA total of 12 cuproptosis-related genes were obtained， mainly involved in pathways of tricarboxylic acid cycle， 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism， and carbon metabolism. Five core cuproptosis-related genes， dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase （DLD）， glutaminase （GLS）， pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit beta （PDHB）， full name nuclear factor （erythroid-derived 2）-related factor 2 （NFE2L2）， and dihydrolipoamide branched-chain transacylase E2 （DBT） were finally screened using four machine methods. Thirty cases each of normal and AD patients were collected clinically. Compared with those in the normal group， minimum mental state examination （MMSE） and Montreal cognitive assessment （MoCA） were significantly decreased in the AD group （P<0.01）， Homocysteine（Hcy）， interleukin（IL）-6， C-reactive protein（CRP） ， and β amyloid protein（Aβ） indexes were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and malondialdehyde（MDA） indexes were decreased （P<0.05）. Superoxide dismutase（SOD） levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA relative expressions of NFE2L2 and DBT were up-regulated （P<0.05）， and those of DLD， GLS， and PDHB were significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）. The TCM regulating cuproptosis-related genes for the treatment of AD were mainly based on the four Qi such as warmth， calmness， and cold， and the five flavors including bitterness， sweetness， and pungency， and it was attributed to the meridians of the liver， spleen， stomach， and kidney， with the efficacy of tonifying Qi， activating blood， eliminating phlegm， and resoling dampness. ConclusionDLD， GLS， NFE2L2， PDHB， and DBT can be used as novel diagnostic molecular markers for AD cuproptosis-related genes， and the corresponding potential therapeutic TCM can provide new ideas for the treatment of AD by TCM.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of Gandou Fumu Decoction (GDFMD) for improving Wilson's disease (WD) in tx-J mice. METHODS: With 6 syngeneic wild-type mice as the control group, 30 tx-J mice were randomized into WD model group, low-, medium- and high-dose GDFMD treatment groups, and Fer-1 treatment group. Saline (in control and model groups) and GDFMD (3.48, 6.96 or 13.92 g/kg) were administered by gavage, and Fer-1 was injected intraperitoneally once daily for 14 days. Oil red and HE staining were used to observe lipid deposition and pathological conditions in the liver tissue; ALT, AST, albumin, AKP levels were determined to assess liver function of the mice. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect hepatic protein and mRNA expressions of GPX4, ACSL4, ALOX15, FTH1, FLT, TFR1, FAS, SCD1, and ACOX1, and Fe²⁺, MDA, ROS, SOD, GSH and 4-HNE levels were analyzed to assess oxidative stress. RESULTS: The mouse models of WD showed obvious fatty degeneration in the liver tissue significantly increased serum levels of ALT, AST and AKP, decreased albumin level, increased Fe²⁺, MDA, ROS, 4-HNE levels, decreased SOD and GSH levels (P<0.05), lowered protein expressions of ACOX1, GPX4, FTH1, FLT, FAS, and SCD1, and increased protein contents of TFR1, ACSL4 and ALOX15 in the liver. Treatment with GDFMD and Fer-1 improved liver histopathology and liver function of the mouse models, decreased the levels of Fe²⁺, MDA and ROS, increased SOD and GSH levels, and reversed the changes in hepatic protein expressions. CONCLUSIONS GDFMD improves liver steatosis in mouse models of WD possibly by inhibiting hepatocyte ferroptosis through the GPX4/ACSL4/ALOX15 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration/drug therapy* ; Hepatocytes/metabolism* ; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase ; Fatty Liver/metabolism* ; Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase/metabolism* ; Coenzyme A Ligases/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Male

Objective To investigate the effects of Gandou Fumu Decoction on liver fibrosis,iron metabolism,and ferroptosis in patients with hepatolenticular degeneration(Wilson disease,WD).Methods Seventy-eight hospitalized patients with WD characterized by kidney and liver deficiency,with phlegm and blood stasis,from the Department of Neurology,the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine,were randomly assigned to two groups using a random number table method.The control group(n=39)received sodium dimercaptosulfonate in combination with a low-copper and high-protein diet.The observation group(n=39)received the same treatment as the control group,with the addition of Gandou Fumu Decoction(one dose per day,taken twice daily,in the morning and evening).Both groups underwent six treatment cycles,each lasting eight days.Ultrasonographic parameters,including portal vein main trunk diameter(PVMD),portal vein velocity(PVV),shear wave velocity(SWV),liver stiffness measurement(LSM),serum liver fibrosis markers(hyaluronic acid[HA],laminin[LN],procollagen typeⅢN-terminal peptide[PⅢNP],collagen type Ⅳ[CⅣ],aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index[APRI],fibrosis-4 index[FIB-4]),and iron metabolism indicators(serum iron[SI],ferritin[FT])were compared before and after treatment.The relationship between baseline iron metabolism markers and ultrasonographic parameters,as well as serum liver fibrosis markers,was analyzed.Clinical efficacy,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,and adverse reactions were also compared between the groups.Additionally,bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify potential targets of Gandou Fumu Decoction for WD treatment.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from a normal group of 20 healthy individuals,as well as from both the control and observation groups before and after treatment.Real time fluorogenic quantitative PCR was performed to validate the expression changes of these targets across the groups.Results Compared with pre-treatment values,no significant changes were observed in PVMD levels in either group after treatment.No significant change in PVV was observed in the control group,whereas a significant decrease was noted in the observation group(P＜0.01).SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,FIB-4,and FT levels were significantly reduced compared to pre-treatment levels(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),whereas SI remained unchanged.Compared with the control group,the observation group had no significant difference in PVMD but had significantly lower PVV,SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,FIB-4,and FT levels(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),whereas SI remained unchanged.The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Both groups showed a significant reduction in TCM syndrome scores after treatment(P＜0.01),with a significantly greater reduction observed in the observation group(P＜0.01).No significant adverse reactions were reported during treatment.Before treatment,there was no significant correlation between the SI of both groups and PVMD,PVV,SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4.In the observation group,FT showed a positive correlation with SWV,LSM,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while in the control group,FT showed a positive correlation with HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4(P＜0.01).After treatment,in the control group,SI showed a positive correlation with APRI and FIB-4(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but there was no significant correlation between SI in the observation group and FT in both groups with the above-mentioned indicators.Bioinformatics analysis identified four potential targets of Gandou Fumu Decoction for treating WD,namely heme oxygenase 1(HMOX1),peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα),small heat shock protein B1(HSPB1),and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3(MAPK3).Compared to the normal group,both the control and observation groups had significantly lower PPARαand HSPB1 expression and significantly higher HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression before treatment(P＜0.01).Compared to before treatment within the same group,both groups showed significantly increased PPARα and HSPB1 expression and significantly decreased HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression after treatment(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After treatment,the observation group had significantly higher PPARα and HSPB1 expression and lower HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression than the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Gandou Fumu Decoction demonstrates remarkable advantages in improving clinical efficacy,Chinese medicine syndrome scores,iron metabolism,liver fibrosis progression,ultrasound imaging parameters,and ferroptosis-related biomarkers expression in patients with WD,with a favorable safety profile.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Gandou Fumu Decoction(GDFMD)for improving Wilson's disease(WD)in tx-J mice.Methods With 6 syngeneic wild-type mice as the control group,30 tx-J mice were randomized into WD model group,low-,medium-and high-dose GDFMD treatment groups,and Fer-1 treatment group.Saline(in control and model groups)and GDFMD(3.48,6.96 or 13.92 g/kg)were administered by gavage,and Fer-1 was injected intraperitoneally once daily for 14 days.Oil red and HE staining were used to observe lipid deposition and pathological conditions in the liver tissue;ALT,AST,albumin,AKP levels were determined to assess liver function of the mice.Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect hepatic protein and mRNA expressions of GPX4,ACSL4,ALOX15,FTH1,FLT,TFR1,FAS,SCD1,and ACOX1,and Fe2+,MDA,ROS,SOD,GSH and 4-HNE levels were analyzed to assess oxidative stress.Results The mouse models of WD showed obvious fatty degeneration in the liver tissue significantly increased serum levels of ALT,AST and AKP,decreased albumin level,increased Fe2+,MDA,ROS,4-HNE levels,decreased SOD and GSH levels(P<0.05),lowered protein expressions of ACOX1,GPX4,FTH1,FLT,FAS,and SCD1,and increased protein contents of TFR1,ACSL4 and ALOX15 in the liver.Treatment with GDFMD and Fer-1 improved liver histopathology and liver function of the mouse models,decreased the levels of Fe2+,MDA and ROS,increased SOD and GSH levels,and reversed the changes in hepatic protein expressions.Conclusion GDFMD improves liver steatosis in mouse models of WD possibly by inhibiting hepatocyte ferroptosis through the GPX4/ACSL4/ALOX15 signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between nutritional parameters and the risk of venous thromboembolicism(VTE)in patients with tuberculosis so as to identify the risk factors and predictors of thrombosis and assist in the early identification of high-risk factors for VTE in patients with the pulmonary tuberculosis.Methods A total of 323 patients diagnosed with the pulmonary tuberculosis and hospitalized in Kunming Third People's Hospital from August 2021 to August 2023 were collected.According to the VTE risk assessment of non-operative patients,they were divided into the high-risk group and the low-risk group respectively with 116 and 207 in each group.The nutritional indicators with statistically significant differences between the two groups were screened by Lasso regression.Multivariate Logistic regression was used to screen the independent risk factors for high VTE risk in pulmonary tuberculosis patients,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.The prediction model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC),calibration curve,decision curve,and influence curve.Results Patients in the high-risk group were significantly older than those in the low-risk group(59 vs.41,P<0.001),hypertension,gender,and Type 2 diabetes did not differ significantly(P values were 0.084,0.724 and 0.488,respectively).9 variables were selected from the inter-group comparison and Lasso regression,including ALB,HCT,NRS2002 scores,HBDH,RDW-SD,RDW-CV,TG,CONUT scores,and NEFA.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that ALB,NRS2002 scores,RDW-SD,and CONUT scores were independent influencing factors for the high risk of VTE scores in patients with tuberculosis(P<0.005).Area under the ROC curve showed that the AUC(0.892)for high-risk VTE scores in patients with the pulmonary tuberculosis was greater than that of ALB(0.803),NRS2002 score(0.735),RDW-SD(0.685),and CONUT score(0.774).Fitting prediction model:Logit(P):Y=0.433×NRS-0.136×ALB+0.411×CONUT score+0.072×RDW-SD-1.770,P=1/(1+e-Y)(Y:prediction index,P:prediction probability).Calibration curve showed that the model prediction tended to be consistent with the actual results(U:>0.05),and the decision curve and influence curve showed that the model can bring clinical benefits.Conclusion ALB,NRS2002 scores,RDW-SD,and CONUT scores are independent influencing factors for the high risk of VTE scores in patients with tuberculosis.They can guide the clinical practice,improve these indicators as soon as possible,reduce VTE scores,and reduce the thrombosis risk.At the same time,the prediction model performs well in the verification cohort,with its discrimination ability,calibration accuracy and clinical utility(decision curve analysis)all reaching a satisfactory level.

Objective To investigate the effects of Gandou Fumu Decoction on liver fibrosis,iron metabolism,and ferroptosis in patients with hepatolenticular degeneration(Wilson disease,WD).Methods Seventy-eight hospitalized patients with WD characterized by kidney and liver deficiency,with phlegm and blood stasis,from the Department of Neurology,the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine,were randomly assigned to two groups using a random number table method.The control group(n=39)received sodium dimercaptosulfonate in combination with a low-copper and high-protein diet.The observation group(n=39)received the same treatment as the control group,with the addition of Gandou Fumu Decoction(one dose per day,taken twice daily,in the morning and evening).Both groups underwent six treatment cycles,each lasting eight days.Ultrasonographic parameters,including portal vein main trunk diameter(PVMD),portal vein velocity(PVV),shear wave velocity(SWV),liver stiffness measurement(LSM),serum liver fibrosis markers(hyaluronic acid[HA],laminin[LN],procollagen typeⅢN-terminal peptide[PⅢNP],collagen type Ⅳ[CⅣ],aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index[APRI],fibrosis-4 index[FIB-4]),and iron metabolism indicators(serum iron[SI],ferritin[FT])were compared before and after treatment.The relationship between baseline iron metabolism markers and ultrasonographic parameters,as well as serum liver fibrosis markers,was analyzed.Clinical efficacy,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,and adverse reactions were also compared between the groups.Additionally,bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify potential targets of Gandou Fumu Decoction for WD treatment.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from a normal group of 20 healthy individuals,as well as from both the control and observation groups before and after treatment.Real time fluorogenic quantitative PCR was performed to validate the expression changes of these targets across the groups.Results Compared with pre-treatment values,no significant changes were observed in PVMD levels in either group after treatment.No significant change in PVV was observed in the control group,whereas a significant decrease was noted in the observation group(P＜0.01).SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,FIB-4,and FT levels were significantly reduced compared to pre-treatment levels(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),whereas SI remained unchanged.Compared with the control group,the observation group had no significant difference in PVMD but had significantly lower PVV,SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,FIB-4,and FT levels(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),whereas SI remained unchanged.The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Both groups showed a significant reduction in TCM syndrome scores after treatment(P＜0.01),with a significantly greater reduction observed in the observation group(P＜0.01).No significant adverse reactions were reported during treatment.Before treatment,there was no significant correlation between the SI of both groups and PVMD,PVV,SWV,LSM,HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4.In the observation group,FT showed a positive correlation with SWV,LSM,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while in the control group,FT showed a positive correlation with HA,LN,PⅢNP,CⅣ,APRI,and FIB-4(P＜0.01).After treatment,in the control group,SI showed a positive correlation with APRI and FIB-4(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but there was no significant correlation between SI in the observation group and FT in both groups with the above-mentioned indicators.Bioinformatics analysis identified four potential targets of Gandou Fumu Decoction for treating WD,namely heme oxygenase 1(HMOX1),peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα),small heat shock protein B1(HSPB1),and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3(MAPK3).Compared to the normal group,both the control and observation groups had significantly lower PPARαand HSPB1 expression and significantly higher HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression before treatment(P＜0.01).Compared to before treatment within the same group,both groups showed significantly increased PPARα and HSPB1 expression and significantly decreased HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression after treatment(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After treatment,the observation group had significantly higher PPARα and HSPB1 expression and lower HMOX1 and MAPK3 expression than the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Gandou Fumu Decoction demonstrates remarkable advantages in improving clinical efficacy,Chinese medicine syndrome scores,iron metabolism,liver fibrosis progression,ultrasound imaging parameters,and ferroptosis-related biomarkers expression in patients with WD,with a favorable safety profile.

OBJECTIVE To construct a risk prediction model for non-compliance with inhaled medication in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 365 COPD patients admitted to the cough and wheeze pharmaceutical care clinic of the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from October 2021 to October 2023. The patients admitted from October 2021 to June 2023 were selected as the model group （n＝303）， and the patients admitted from July to October 2023 were selected as the validation group （n＝62）. The model group was divided into compliance subgroup （n＝126） and non-compliance subgroup （n＝177）. Univariate analysis combined with multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors for non-compliance with inhaled formulations in patients； the risk prediction model was established through regression analysis， and the accuracy of the model prediction was evaluated based on the validation group of patients. RESULTS Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that simultaneous use of 2 inhaled formulations （OR＝3.730， 95%CI 1.996-6.971， P＜0.001）， the number of acute exacerbations within one year ≥2 （OR＝2.509， 95%CI 1.509-4.173， P＜0.001）， smoking （OR＝2.167， 95%CI 1.309-3.588， P＝0.003）， complicated with anxiety/depression （OR＝2.112， 95%CI 1.257-3.499， P＝0.004） and mMRC grading≥2 levels （OR＝1.701， 95%CI 1.014-2.853， P＝0.044） were risk factors for non-compliance with inhaled preparations. Based on this， a risk prediction model was established and the ROC curve was drawn. The areas under the curve of the model group and validation group were 0.836 and 0.928， and the overall accuracy of the model’s prediction was 88.71%. CONCLUSIONS The predictive model based on the simultaneous use of 2 inhaled formulations， the number of acute exacerbations within one year ≥2， smoking， complicated with anxiety/depression， mMRC grading ≥2 levels has certain predictive value for the risk of non-compliance with inhaled formulations for COPD patients.