1.Mechanism and Clinical Research Progress of Puerarin in Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure
Wenjie LU ; Siqi ZHONG ; Lu ZHANG ; Wenting LIN ; Zhijun ZENG ; Shaohua WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):327-336
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is an end-stage cardiac syndrome driven by multiple factors. Its pathological process involves interactions of multiple pathways such as energy metabolism dysfunction, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and myocardial fibrosis. Although current clinical medicine can alleviate symptoms through single-target approaches, significant limitations in reversing cardiac remodeling and disease progression remain. Puerarin, a major bioactive isoflavone constituent derived from Pueraria lobata, exhibits multidimensional pharmacological effects, such as vasodilatory effects, regulation of neuroendocrine balance, enhancement of metabolic homeostasis, and suppression of myocardial apoptosis. This review systematically integrated puerarin's multi-target regulatory network, elucidating its mechanisms such as improving energy metabolism by AMP-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) pathway, inhibiting fibrosis mediated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad signals, and attenuating oxidative-inflammatory cascades by regulating nuclear factor erythroid 2 (E2)-related factor 2/nuclear transcription factor-κB(Nrf2/NF-κB) axis. Clinical research data was used to validate its efficacy in improving the left ventricular ejection function and reducing the therapeutic potential of cardiovascular events' risks. The study proposed that puerarin's "systemic regulation" characteristic breaks through the limitations of traditional single-target drugs and prospected its clinical translation pathway based on metabolomics and nano-delivery technology, offering an integrative perspective from molecular mechanisms to precise therapy for the research on modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.
2.Mechanism and Clinical Research Progress of Puerarin in Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure
Wenjie LU ; Siqi ZHONG ; Lu ZHANG ; Wenting LIN ; Zhijun ZENG ; Shaohua WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):327-336
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is an end-stage cardiac syndrome driven by multiple factors. Its pathological process involves interactions of multiple pathways such as energy metabolism dysfunction, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and myocardial fibrosis. Although current clinical medicine can alleviate symptoms through single-target approaches, significant limitations in reversing cardiac remodeling and disease progression remain. Puerarin, a major bioactive isoflavone constituent derived from Pueraria lobata, exhibits multidimensional pharmacological effects, such as vasodilatory effects, regulation of neuroendocrine balance, enhancement of metabolic homeostasis, and suppression of myocardial apoptosis. This review systematically integrated puerarin's multi-target regulatory network, elucidating its mechanisms such as improving energy metabolism by AMP-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) pathway, inhibiting fibrosis mediated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad signals, and attenuating oxidative-inflammatory cascades by regulating nuclear factor erythroid 2 (E2)-related factor 2/nuclear transcription factor-κB(Nrf2/NF-κB) axis. Clinical research data was used to validate its efficacy in improving the left ventricular ejection function and reducing the therapeutic potential of cardiovascular events' risks. The study proposed that puerarin's "systemic regulation" characteristic breaks through the limitations of traditional single-target drugs and prospected its clinical translation pathway based on metabolomics and nano-delivery technology, offering an integrative perspective from molecular mechanisms to precise therapy for the research on modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.
3.Correlation of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy with short video addiction in college students
WANG Wenting, ZHANG Zhonglou, SONG Jinqiu, XU Haipeng, RUAN Jie
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(4):548-552
Objective:
To explore the relationship of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy with short video addiction among college students, so as to provide reference for alleviating social anxiety, improving the level of emotion regulation and preventing short video addiction.
Methods:
From May to June 2024, 2 172 college students from a university in Guangzhou were selected by multistage random cluster sampling method. The Interaction Anxiousness Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and Short Video Addiction Scale were used as the measurement tools. The potential profile was used to analyze the potential categories of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy. The Chi square test was used to analyze the characteristics of the distribution of potential profile categories of college students with different demographic characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between social anxiety, emotion regulation strategy and short video addiction.
Results:
The potential categories of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy in college students were divided into adaptive regulation type (784 cases, 36.10 %), low anxiety-expression type (623 cases, 28.68%), inhibition-anxiety type (478 cases, 22.01%), high anxiety-disorder type (287 cases, 13.21%). There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of various potential categories of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy among cadres of different gender, family residence, class cadres or not ( χ 2=42.55, 17.86 , 39.05, all P <0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that after controlling the confounding factors such as demographic variables, the potential categories of social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy of college students (low anxiety-expression type, inhibition-anxiety type, high anxiety-disorder type) were the important related factors of short video addiction ( β =0.15,0.25,0.35, all P <0.05).
Conclusions
Social anxiety and emotion regulation strategy of college students exhibit distinct categorical characteristics, and its varying latent categories are associated with short video addiction. Schools should implement targeted intervention measures for different categories of college students to promote their comprehensive mental health development.
4.Dihuang Yinzi Improves Cognitive Function of Mouse Model of Learning and Memory Impairments by Regulating Synaptic Plasticity via SIRT2
Wenting WANG ; Yangjing HAO ; Wenna SU ; Qinqing LI ; Shifeng CHU ; Junlong ZHANG ; Wenbin HE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(6):9-17
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Dihuang Yinzi on the cognitive function in the mouse model of learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine (SCOP) and explore the treatment mechanism. MethodsA mouse model of learning and memory impairment was induced by intraperitoneal injection of SCOP. Sixty male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into six groups: control (0.9% NaCl, n=10), model (SCOP 1 mg·kg-1·d-1, n=10), low-, medium-, and high-dose Dihuang Yinzi (SCOP 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 + Dihuang Yinzi 5.5, 11.0, and 22.0 g·kg-1·d-1, n=10), and donepezil (SCOP 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 + donepezil 0.84 mg·kg-1·d-1, n=10). Mice were administrated with corresponding drugs for 6 weeks. Modeling started in the 4th week, and mice in other groups except the control group were injected with SCOP intraperitoneally 40 min after daily gavage. Behavioral testing began in the 5th week, 30 min after modeling each day. The Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests were carried out to evaluate the spatial learning and memory function of mice. Nissl staining was employed to observe the survival of neurons and Nissl bodies in the hippocampal CA1 region. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of silent information regulator 2 (SIRT2), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor 1 (GluA1), protein kinase A (PKA), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated-CREB (p-CREB), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), and synaptophysin (SYN) in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of doublecortin (DCX) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) region. ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group showed impaired learning and memory (P<0.01), obvious neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 region, a reduction in neuron survival (P<0.01), a decrease in DCX expression in the hippocampal DG region (P<0.01), down-regulated proteins levels of GluA1, PKA, p-CREB/CREB, PSD95, SYN, and GAP-43 in the hippocampal tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), and an up-regulated protein level of SIRT2 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the medium- and high-dose Dihuang Yinzi groups and the donepezil group showed improvements in learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the low-, medium-, and high-dose Dihuang Yinzi groups and the donepezil group had increased neuron survival (P<0.05, P<0.01). The medium-dose Dihuang Yinzi group and the donepezil group showed increased DCX expression (P<0.05, P<0.01). The medium- and high-dose Dihuang Yinzi groups and the donepezil group showed up-regulation in the protein levels of GluA1, PKA, p-CREB/CREB, PSD95, SYN, and GAP-43 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and down-regulation in the protein level of SIRT2 (P<0.01). ConclusionDihuang Yinzi can improve the cognitive function in the mouse model of learning and memory impairments induced by SCOP by inhibiting the upregulation of SIRT2, activating the PKA/CREB signaling pathway, improving synaptic plasticity, and reducing hippocampal neuronal damage.
5.Rapid enrichment and SERS differentiation of various bacteria in skin interstitial fluid by 4-MPBA-AuNPs-functionalized hydrogel microneedles
Ying YANG ; Xingyu WANG ; Yexin HU ; Zhongyao LIU ; Xiao MA ; Feng FENG ; Feng ZHENG ; Xinlin GUO ; Wenyuan LIU ; Wenting LIAO ; Lingfei HAN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(3):564-576
Bacterial infection is a major threat to global public health,and can cause serious diseases such as bacterial skin infection and foodborne diseases.It is essential to develop a new method to rapidly di-agnose clinical multiple bacterial infections and monitor food microbial contamination in production sites in real-time.In this work,we developed a 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid gold nanoparticles(4-MPBA-AuNPs)-functionalized hydrogel microneedle(MPBA-H-MN)for bacteria detection in skin inter-stitial fluid.MPBA-H-MN could conveniently capture and enrich a variety of bacteria within 5 min.Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS)detection was then performed and combined with ma-chine learning technology to distinguish and identify a variety of bacteria.Overall,the capture efficiency of this method exceeded 50%.In the concentration range of 1 × 10 7 to 1 × 10 10 colony-forming units/mL(CFU/mL),the corresponding SERS intensity showed a certain linear relationship with the bacterial concentration.Using random forest(RF)-based machine learning,bacteria were effectively distinguished with an accuracy of 97.87%.In addition,the harmless disposal of used MNs by photothermal ablation was convenient,environmentally friendly,and inexpensive.This technique provided a potential method for rapid and real-time diagnosis of multiple clinical bacterial infections and for monitoring microbial contamination of food in production sites.
6.Clinicopathological analysis of 15 cases of primary cardiac tumors in children
Wenting WANG ; Zhi LI ; Lian CHEN ; Bin ZHANG ; Jing JIN
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(6):765-770
Purpose To explore the clinical and pathological characteristics of primary benign,borderline,and malignant cardiac tumors in children.Methods 15 cases of primary cardiac tumors in children were collected,and their clinical manifestations,pathological morphology,and immunophenotypes were analyzed.Relevant literature was also reviewed.Results The age of 15 patients ranged from 0.3 to 12 years old,with an average age of about 5 years and a median age of 2 years.9 cases were males and 6 cases were females.4 cases were found to have heart masses during physical examination,3 cases were treated for symptoms of cerebral infarction,1 case was treated for limb weak-ness,1 case was treated for systemic edema,1 case was treated for accelerated heartbeat,1 case was treated for cough,1 case was treated for pneumonia,1 case was treated for abdominal pain,1 case was treated for vomiting,and 1 case was treated for fever and shortness of breath.Echocardiography showed 8 cases occurring in the left heart system(6 in the left atrium and 2 in the left ventricle),4 cases occurring in the right heart system(2 in the right atrium and 2 in the right ventricle),2 cases occurring in the pericardium,and 1 case occurring in the interventricular septum.Ac-cording to pathological diagnosis,13 cases were benign tumors(8 cases of mucinous tumors,4 cases of rhabdomyo-mas,and 1 case of fibroma),1 case was a malignant tumor(embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma),and 1 case was a border-line tumor(NTRK rearranged spindle cell tumor).Conclusion Primary cardiac tumors in children are relatively rare,and borderline and malignant tumors are even rarer.The types of common tumors are different from those in a-dults,and they are prone to misdiagnosis due to non-specific clinical symptoms.For specific cardiac tumors,it is rec-ommended to conduct genetic testing when necessary based on clinical manifestations to further investigate the possibili-ty of related syndromes.
7.Efficacy and safety of Lutai Danshen Baishao granules for treating female melasma: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Meiyu Lyu ; Yi Yang ; Jinlian Liu ; Wenting Fei ; Min Fu ; Yunting Hong ; Hongguo Rong ; Chun Wang ; Linyuan Wang ; Jianjun Zhang
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences 2025;2025(1):71-78
Objective:
To investigate the potential efficacy and safety of Lutai Danshen Baishao granules (LDBG) for treating female melasma associated with kidney deficiency and blood stasis patterns.
Methods:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at the Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, China from March to December 2023. A total of 110 female patients with melasma linked to kidney deficiency and blood stasis were enrolled and treated with either LDBG or a placebo twice daily for 60 days. Efficacy was assessed through measures such as the total melasma area, reduced melasma area, reduction rate of melasma area, melasma color score, Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) score, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score scale. Safety assessments included routine blood and biochemical tests.
Results:
Participants in both groups were aged 52–63 years, with no significant differences. After the 2-month intervention, the total melasma area decreased in both groups; however, a greater reduction was observed in the test group [462.50 mm2 (12.81%) vs. 100.00 mm2 (3.11%), P < .001]. Moreover, LDBG treatment significantly reduced the MASI and melasma color scores in the test group (P < .05). The total TCM symptom evaluation score significantly decreased (test group: 6.00 vs. placebo group: 7.00, P = .001), with significant relief in symptoms such as improvement in dark lips, nails, and waist soreness in the test group, compared with that in the placebo group (P < .05). Within-group comparisons revealed that TCM syndrome was significantly alleviated in the test group (P < .05).
Conclusion
LDBG intervention shows promising effectiveness in reducing female melasma and alleviating TCM syndromes.
8.Pharmacodynamic substances and mechanism of action of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction in the treatment of gouty arthritis:a study based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS,network pharmacology,and molecular docking simulation
Wenting WANG ; Jinhui FENG ; Ke YANG ; Sha LI ; Bin WANG ; Jiping LIU ; Hao WEI ; Yongheng SHI ; Chuan WANG ; Guoquan WANG
Journal of Chongqing Medical University 2025;50(7):860-869
Objective:To identify the main components of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction(HLJDD)using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS),and to explore the potential mechanism of action of HLJDD in the treatment of gouty arthritis(GA)using network pharmacology and molecular docking methods.Methods:We identi-fied the chemical components of HLJDD by combining UPLC-Q-TOF-MS data acquired in both positive and negative ion modes with reference standards,relevant literature,and database searches.We analyzed the potential therapeutic mechanism of HLJDD for GA by using network pharmacology to determine the intersection targets between the active ingredients of HLJDD and GA for further enrich-ment analysis and visual network mapping.The binding affinity of the active ingredients with the intersection targets was validated through molecular docking.Results:A total of 47 components were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS;54 key components of HLJDD for GA treatment and 37 intersection targets were determined by net-work pharmacology;and the top 10 key targets by Degree value were obtained by protein-protein interaction analysis.The Gene On-tology functional enrichment analysis revealed 20 biological pro-cesses,7 cellular components,and 8 molecular functions.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated 96 GA-related intervention pathways,in which inflammatory signaling pathways such as interleukin-17(IL-17)and tu-mor necrosis factor(TNF)were involved.Molecular docking verified that the key components of HLJDD had high binding affinity with the core targets.Conclusion:The identified key components in HLJDD,such as phellodendrine,coptisine,wogonin,and β-sitosterol,may alleviate GA by regulating multiple core targets in the IL-17 and TNF pathways,such as PTSG2,which provides a theoretical ba-sis for future investigation into the mechanism of action of HLJDD.
9.Relationship between serum ABCA1 and FABP4 levels and insulin resistance and pregnancy outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus
Wenting LI ; Zhangxia CUI ; Mei LI ; Min WANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(10):1158-1162
Objective To investigate the relationship between serum ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1(ABCA1)and fatty acid binding protein 4(FABP4)levels and insulin resistance(IR)and pregnan-cy outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods A total of 121 patients with GDM admitted to the hospital from October 2019 to October 2023(GDM group)and 65 healthy pregnant women during the same period(control group)were selected,and the patients with GDM were divided into a poor group(50 cases)and a good group(71 cases)according to the pregnancy outcome.Serum ABCA1 and FABP4 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the correlation between the two and the IR index(MOMA-IR)assessed by steady state model.With pregnancy outcome in GDM patients as the dependent variable,multivariate Logistic regression was used to determine its influencing factors,and receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of serum ABCA1 and FABP4 levels.Results Serum ABCA1 level in the GDM group was lower than those in the control group,and FABP4 level and HOMA-IR were higher than those in the control group(t=12.818,P<0.001,t=17.219,P<0.001,t=17.543,P<0.001).In the GDM patients,HOMA-IR was nega-tively correlated with serum ABCA1 levels and positively correlated with serum FABP4 levels(r=-0.739,t=0.724,both P<0.001).The independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients were HOMA-IR(OR=1.449,95%CI:1.161-1.810)and FABP4(OR=1.024,95%CI:1.011-1.037),and the independent protective factor was ABCA1(OR=0.302,95%CI:0.163-0.559).The area under the curve of serum ABCA1 combined with FABP4 level to predict pregnancy outcome in GDM patients was 0.877(95%CI:0.805-0.930),which was greater than that of serum ABCA1 and FABP4 levels alone,which were predic-ted by 0.786(95%CI:0.702-0.855),0.787(95%CI:0.703-0.856).Conclusion Reduced serum ABCA1 levels and elevated FABP4 levels are associated with IR and adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with GDM,and the combination of the two has high predictive efficacy.
10.Effect and mechanism of miR-486-5P on hypoxia/reoxygenation induced ferroptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes
Guangmei LI ; Wenting XU ; Jiaye ZHAO ; Zeyu ZHOU ; Siming WANG ; Qiyu SUN
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(18):2212-2218
Objective To investigate the effect of miR-486-5P on ferroptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes after hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R),and to analyze its mechanism.Methods Using H9c2 cardiomyocytes as the research object,a H/R injury model was established using cobalt chloride(CoCl2)and fresh culture medium.The cells were divided into control group,H/R group,H/R+miR-486-5P mimic NC group,H/R+miR-486-5P mimic group,H/R+miR-486-5P inhibitor NC group and H/R+miR-486-5P inhibitor group.The relative expression level of miR-486-5P was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 method.The activities or levels of lactate dehydrogen-ase(LDH),glutathione(GSH),Fe2+and malondialdehyde(MDA)were detected by colorimetric method.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)were detected by DCFH-DA fluorescent probe and JC-1 assay,respectively.Western blot was used to detect the levels of AkT/mTOR signaling pathway proteins and ferroptosis related protein solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)and acyl-coa synthetase long chain family member 4(ACSL4).Results Compared with the control group,the level of miR-486-5P and cell viability in the H/R group de-creased significantly(P<0.05),while LDH activity,MDA,Fe2+level,ROS level and ACSL4 protein level in-creased significantly(P<0.05).The GSH,MMP,SLC7A11 and GPX4 levels and p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios were significantly decreased(P<0.05).After H/R treatment,compared with the H/R+miR-486-5P mimic NC group,the cell viability of the H/R+miR-486-5P mimic group was significantly increased(P<0.05).The LDH activity,MDA,Fe2+level,ROS level and ACSL4 protein level were significantly de-creased(P<0.05),while GSH,MMP,SLC7A11 and GPX4 levels and p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with the H/R+miR-486-5P inhibitor NC group,the trend of the above indicators in the H/R+miR-486-5P inhibitor group was opposite.Conclusion miR-486-5P allevi-ates hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced ferroptosis in H9c2 cells by regulating Akt/mTOR signaling pathway,and thus alleviates hypoxia/reoxygenation induced cardiomyocyte injury.


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