1.From Golgi Stress to Golgiphagy—a New Regulatory Model Involved in Glucose and Lipid Metabolism
Hai-Jun WEI ; He-Ming WANG ; Shu-Jing CHEN ; Shu-Zhi WANG ; Lin-Xi CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):275-292
The Golgi body, a core organelle in eukaryotic cells, plays a critical role in protein modification, sorting, vesicular transport, and serves as a key site for lipid synthesis and glycosylation. Glucose and lipid metabolism are central processes for cellular energy maintenance and biosynthesis, and are closely linked to Golgi function. Recent studies have revealed the extensive involvement of the Golgi body in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, where maintaining its structural and functional homeostasis is crucial for normal physiological activity. Under various stress conditions such as acidosis, hypoxia, and nutrient deficiency, the Golgi body undergoes structural and functional disruption, leading to Golgi stress. This in turn activates specific signaling pathways, such as those mediated by the cAMP-responsive element binding protein 3 (CREB3) and proteoglycans, to alleviate Golgi stress and enhance Golgi function. Golgi stress contributes to glucose and lipid metabolic disorders by affecting the activity of insulin receptors, glucose transporters, and lipid metabolism-related enzymes. For example, Golgi stress triggers the cleavage and release of the active fragment of CREB3, which enters the nucleus and upregulates the transcription of ADP-ribosylation factor 4 (ARF4) and key gluconeogenic enzymes, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). ARF4 promotes vesicle retrograde transport between the Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum, maintains secretory capacity, and enhances hepatic glucose output. This pathway is particularly active under high-fat or lipotoxic stress, leading to fasting hyperglycemia. When damaged Golgi components accumulate beyond a tolerable threshold, the cell initiates an autophagic response, selectively encapsulating the damaged Golgi into autophagosomes, which then fuse with lysosomes to form autolysosomes, leading to Golgiphagy. This process results in the degradation and clearance of damaged Golgi, thereby regulating Golgi quantity, quality, and function. Golgiphagy also plays a significant role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. For instance, under high-glucose conditions, autophagic flux may be suppressed, impairing the timely clearance and renewal of damaged Golgi, compromising its normal function, and further exacerbating glucose metabolism disorders. Additionally, Golgiphagy may participate in lipid degradation and influence lipid synthesis and transport. Research indicates that Golgi stress and Golgiphagy play important roles in glucose and lipid metabolism-related diseases. For example, the leucine zipper protein (LZIP) under Golgi stress conditions can promote hepatic steatosis. In mouse primary cells and human tissues, LZIP induces the expression of apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA4), which increases peripheral free fatty acid uptake, resulting in lipid accumulation in the liver and contributing to the development of fatty liver disease. This review systematically outlines the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of Golgi stress and Golgiphagy, and their synergistic roles. It further elaborates on how Golgi stress and Golgiphagy participate in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, discusses their clinical significance in related diseases such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, and obesity, and highlights potential novel therapeutic strategies from the perspective of Golgi-targeted medicine
2.From Golgi Stress to Golgiphagy—a New Regulatory Model Involved in Glucose and Lipid Metabolism
Hai-Jun WEI ; He-Ming WANG ; Shu-Jing CHEN ; Shu-Zhi WANG ; Lin-Xi CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):275-292
The Golgi body, a core organelle in eukaryotic cells, plays a critical role in protein modification, sorting, vesicular transport, and serves as a key site for lipid synthesis and glycosylation. Glucose and lipid metabolism are central processes for cellular energy maintenance and biosynthesis, and are closely linked to Golgi function. Recent studies have revealed the extensive involvement of the Golgi body in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, where maintaining its structural and functional homeostasis is crucial for normal physiological activity. Under various stress conditions such as acidosis, hypoxia, and nutrient deficiency, the Golgi body undergoes structural and functional disruption, leading to Golgi stress. This in turn activates specific signaling pathways, such as those mediated by the cAMP-responsive element binding protein 3 (CREB3) and proteoglycans, to alleviate Golgi stress and enhance Golgi function. Golgi stress contributes to glucose and lipid metabolic disorders by affecting the activity of insulin receptors, glucose transporters, and lipid metabolism-related enzymes. For example, Golgi stress triggers the cleavage and release of the active fragment of CREB3, which enters the nucleus and upregulates the transcription of ADP-ribosylation factor 4 (ARF4) and key gluconeogenic enzymes, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). ARF4 promotes vesicle retrograde transport between the Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum, maintains secretory capacity, and enhances hepatic glucose output. This pathway is particularly active under high-fat or lipotoxic stress, leading to fasting hyperglycemia. When damaged Golgi components accumulate beyond a tolerable threshold, the cell initiates an autophagic response, selectively encapsulating the damaged Golgi into autophagosomes, which then fuse with lysosomes to form autolysosomes, leading to Golgiphagy. This process results in the degradation and clearance of damaged Golgi, thereby regulating Golgi quantity, quality, and function. Golgiphagy also plays a significant role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. For instance, under high-glucose conditions, autophagic flux may be suppressed, impairing the timely clearance and renewal of damaged Golgi, compromising its normal function, and further exacerbating glucose metabolism disorders. Additionally, Golgiphagy may participate in lipid degradation and influence lipid synthesis and transport. Research indicates that Golgi stress and Golgiphagy play important roles in glucose and lipid metabolism-related diseases. For example, the leucine zipper protein (LZIP) under Golgi stress conditions can promote hepatic steatosis. In mouse primary cells and human tissues, LZIP induces the expression of apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA4), which increases peripheral free fatty acid uptake, resulting in lipid accumulation in the liver and contributing to the development of fatty liver disease. This review systematically outlines the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of Golgi stress and Golgiphagy, and their synergistic roles. It further elaborates on how Golgi stress and Golgiphagy participate in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, discusses their clinical significance in related diseases such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, and obesity, and highlights potential novel therapeutic strategies from the perspective of Golgi-targeted medicine
3.Evaluation system for standardized surgery in elderly patients with lung cancer
Xingqi MI ; Nan CHEN ; Jiandong MEI ; Hecheng LI ; Shuguang ZHANG ; Huanwen CHEN ; Peng JIAO ; Jun WANG ; Chunfang ZHANG ; Guangjian ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Qiang PU ; Peng LIN ; Lunxu LIU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):866-873
To address the growing challenge of an increasing number of elderly lung cancer patients amidst China's aging population and to fill the gap in quality control standards for surgical treatment in this special population, this study aimed to develop a standardized surgical evaluation system for elderly lung cancer patients tailored to China's national conditions. The system was established through a literature review, integrated the pathophysiological characteristics of elderly patients, and was constructed following review, feedback, and revision by experts from multiple thoracic surgery centers. Employing a 100-point scoring system, it comprises three primary domains: physical infrastructure and geriatric adaptability foundational conditions (10 points); management level and perioperative care models (20 points); and technical proficiency and clinical outcomes (70 points). The system places a strong emphasis on geriatric adaptability, proposing specific, quantifiable indicators for age-friendly facility modifications, control of elderly-specific complications, multidisciplinary collaboration, and standardized perioperative management. It provides a convenient and measurable assessment tool for quality control in the surgical treatment of elderly lung cancer in China, which is expected to promote the standardization and homogenization of diagnosis and treatment.
4.Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Primary Somatosensory Cortex Evokes Hand Tactile Perception: The Effect of Sonication Duration
Xu-Xu CHEN ; Huan-Jun XI ; Zhen LIANG ; Bo WANG ; Xu-Dong ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1942-1952
ObjectiveTranscranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a promising noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable of modulating neural activity with high spatial specificity. However, whether tFUS stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) can reliably evoke conscious tactile perception without external peripheral sensory input remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the feasibility of inducing hand-related tactile perception through targeted S1 stimulation and further investigated how sonication duration (SD), a key temporal parameter, influences the consistency of this perceptual response. The findings may provide empirical evidence for optimizing tFUS parameters in human somatosensory modulation. MethodsForty-eight healthy adults participated in the study and were assigned to two experiments. Experiment 1 included 24 participants and was designed to preliminarily examine whether S1-targeted tFUS could evoke hand-related tactile sensations. This experiment comprised two sub-experiments, Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b, with 12 participants in each. Specifically, Experiment 1a used a randomized active stimulation protocol targeting the bilateral S1 to assess the initial feasibility of inducing contralateral tactile perception, whereas Experiment 1b employed an alternating hemispheric design incorporating both active and sham stimulation to verify the specificity of the tFUS-induced sensations. Experiment 2 enrolled another 24 participants and used a real-sham dual-probe design to control for spatial tactile cues that might arise from probe-scalp contact. Five SD levels, including 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1 000 ms, were systematically tested to evaluate how stimulation duration influenced the behavioral response. The primary behavioral outcome was the perceptual consistency rate, quantified according to the accuracy of contralateral tactile localization. ResultsIn Experiment 1, 91.7% of participants reported reliable hand-related tactile sensations during active tFUS stimulation, including numbness, tingling, or similar sensory experiences. Contralateral localization accuracy under active stimulation was significantly higher than the0.50 chance level (P<0.05). In contrast, localization performance under sham stimulation did not differ from chance, suggesting that the observed tactile responses were mainly induced by active S1-targeted tFUS stimulation rather than nonspecific stimulation cues. In Experiment 2, perceptual consistency rates significantly exceeded the chance level under the 400 and 1 000 ms SD conditions(P<0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed at 200, 600, or 800 ms. Pairwise comparisons further showed that the 400 and 1 000 ms conditions produced significantly higher perceptual consistency rates than the 200 ms condition (P<0.05). ConclusiontFUS stimulation of S1 can elicit distinct hand-related tactile sensations without peripheral sensory input, demonstrating the feasibility of using targeted cortical ultrasound stimulation to induce conscious somatosensory perception. The reliability of this perceptual effect was modulated by sonication duration, indicating that temporal stimulation parameters play an important role in shaping both the occurrence and consistency of behavioral responses. Among the tested conditions, 400 ms appeared to provide a favorable temporal window for generating stable tactile perception, whereas excessively short stimulation may be insufficient to produce consistent responses. These findings highlight the sensitivity of somatosensory networks to ultrasonic modulation and provide useful parameter guidance for the application of tFUS in noninvasive sensory enhancement and cortical functional mapping.
5.Association between unhealthy lifestyle and risk of heart disease and diabetes in the elderly in Xi'an
Ning CUI ; Jun LIU ; Rui WANG ; Nini MA ; Man ZHANG ; Aiping SUN ; Xiaomin RAN ; Aiqing PAN
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;36(5):163-167
Objective To investigate the association between lifestyle and risk of heart disease and diabetes in the elderly population in Xi'an City. Methods From January 2021 to January 2024, a staged cluster sampling method was used to investigate the lifestyle and the occurrence of heart disease and diabetes in elderly population aged 60 years and above in the communities of Xi'an. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between lifestyle and the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Results A total of 413 elderly people were investigated, of which 31.96% had heart disease, 27.12% had diabetes, and 10.90% had diabetes with heart disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, family history, sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for diabetes in the elderly population (P<0.05). Age, BMI, family history, history of diabetes, preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for heart disease in the elderly population (P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence rates of heart disease and diabetes are high in the elderly population in Xi'an City. The risk of diabetes is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time, while heart disease is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time.
6.Safety and effectiveness of lecanemab in Chinese patients with early Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from a multidimensional real-world study.
Wenyan KANG ; Chao GAO ; Xiaoyan LI ; Xiaoxue WANG ; Huizhu ZHONG ; Qiao WEI ; Yonghua TANG ; Peijian HUANG ; Ruinan SHEN ; Lingyun CHEN ; Jing ZHANG ; Rong FANG ; Wei WEI ; Fengjuan ZHANG ; Gaiyan ZHOU ; Weihong YUAN ; Xi CHEN ; Zhao YANG ; Ying WU ; Wenli XU ; Shuo ZHU ; Liwen ZHANG ; Naying HE ; Weihuan FANG ; Miao ZHANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Huijun JU ; Yaya BAI ; Jun LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(22):2907-2916
INTRODUCTION:
Lecanemab has shown promise in treating early Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its safety and efficacy in Chinese populations remain unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and 6-month clinical outcomes of lecanemab in Chinese patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD.
METHODS:
In this single-arm, real-world study, participants with MCI due to AD or mild AD received biweekly intravenous lecanemab (10 mg/kg). The study was conducted at Hainan Branch, Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Patient enrollment and baseline assessments commenced in November 2023. Safety assessments included monitoring for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and other adverse events. Clinical and biomarker changes from baseline to 6 months were evaluated using cognitive scales (mini-mental state examination [MMSE], montreal cognitive assessment [MoCA], clinical dementia rating-sum of boxes [CDR-SB]), plasma biomarker analysis, and advanced neuroimaging.
RESULTS:
A total of 64 patients were enrolled in this ongoing real-world study. Safety analysis revealed predominantly mild adverse events, with infusion-related reactions (20.3%, 13/64) being the most common. Of these, 69.2% (9/13) occurred during the initial infusion and 84.6% (11/13) did not recur. ARIA-H (microhemorrhages/superficial siderosis) and ARIA-E (edema/effusion) were observed in 9.4% (6/64) and 3.1% (2/64) of participants, respectively, with only two symptomatic cases (one ARIA-E presenting with headache and one ARIA-H with visual disturbances). After 6 months of treatment, cognitive scores remained stable compared to baseline (MMSE: 22.33 ± 5.58 vs . 21.27 ± 4.30, P = 0.733; MoCA: 16.38 ± 6.67 vs . 15.90 ± 4.78, P = 0.785; CDR-SB: 2.30 ± 1.65 vs . 3.16 ± 1.72, P = 0.357), while significantly increasing plasma amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) (+21.42%) and Aβ40 (+23.53%) levels compared to baseline.
CONCLUSIONS:
Lecanemab demonstrated a favorable safety profile in Chinese patients with early AD. Cognitive stability and biomarker changes over 6 months suggest potential efficacy, though high dropout rates and absence of a control group warrant cautious interpretation. These findings provide preliminary real-world evidence for lecanemab's use in China, supporting further investigation in larger controlled studies.
REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT07034222.
Humans
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Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy*
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Male
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Female
;
Aged
;
Middle Aged
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Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy*
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Aged, 80 and over
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Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism*
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Biomarkers
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East Asian People
7.The immunomodulatory effect of berbamine on mice with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Hui-Lian WANG ; Jun-Ping ZHAN ; Xi-Yun MIAO ; Qing-Liang MENG ; Jun-Fu MA
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(3):432-440
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease accompanied by various complications, and the exact etiology remains unclear. Treatments for SLE encompass hormone therapy, plasma exchange and immunoadsorption, and targeted biological therapies. Berbamine (BBM), a cellular immunopotentiator with diverse biological functions, has not been reported to have immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects on SLE. The mice were divided into control group, model group, positive control group, low, medium and high BBM groups. In control group, C57BL/6J wild mice received intraperitoneal injection of saline. In model group, MRL/lpr lupus mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection of saline. In positive control group, MRL/lpr lupus mice received intragastric administration of hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets [Plaquenil, 150 mg/(kg·d)]. In BBM groups, MRL/lpr lupus mice received intragastric administration of different concentration of BBM respectively [20 mg/(kg·d), 50 mg/(kg·d), 100 mg/(kg·d)]. After 8 weeks of treatment, blood was collected from the retro-orbital venous plexus, and ELISA was used to detect the levels of anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and anti-small nuclear ribonucleoprotein/Sm (snRNP/Sm) antibodies. Spleen tissues were collected for analysis of Th1/Th2 ratio by flow cytometry. The RNA and protein of spleen were extracted, and the levels of T-box transcription factor T-bet and GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) mRNA and protein were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The proliferation of white blood cells in the blood was tested by blood routine test. The histopathological changes of kidneys of each group were detected by HE staining. Compared with the model group, the levels of ANA, anti-dsDNA, and anti-snRNP/Sm antibodies were significantly reduced in the BBM-treated groups. The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased in the model group, but reversed by BBM. Compared with the control group, T-bet expression was significantly downregulated, while GATA3 expression was significantly upregulated in the model group. After BBM intervention, T-bet expression significantly increased, while GATA3 expression decreased compared with the model group. The number of white blood cells significantly decreased in the model group, and increased in the BBM-treated groups. In the model group, the glomerular mesangial and endothelial cells showed significant hyperplasia, clear thrombus was observed in the dilated capillaries, and inflammatory cells infiltrated in the renal interstitium. In medium and high BBM groups, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and capillary thrombosis were significantly decreased. In conclusion, BBM exhibits certain immunomodulatory effects on SLE and promotes the proliferation of white blood cells.
Animals
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/immunology*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Inbred MRL lpr
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Female
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Benzylisoquinolines/pharmacology*
8.Research progress in chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla and prediction of its quality markers.
Shi-Han GUAN ; Chang LIU ; Xiao-Tong YAN ; Jin-Wei HAN ; Feng-Ting YIN ; Hui SUN ; Guang-Li YAN ; Ling KONG ; Ying HAN ; Xi-Jun WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(4):908-921
Abelmoschi Corolla, the dried corolla of Abelmoschus manihot, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis activities. Its chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids, organic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. This study reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla in recent 20 years. According to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), the Q-markers of Abelmoschi Corolla were predicted from plant phylogeny, chemical constituent specificity, traditional efficacy, chemical constituent measurability, and absorbed constituents. The primary Q-markers for Abelmoschi Corolla were anticipated to include quercetin-3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, gossypetin-8-O-β-D-glucuronide, isoquercetin, myricetin,quercetin, and hyperoside, with the aim of providing reference data for improving the quality evaluation system of Abelmoschi Corolla.
Abelmoschus/chemistry*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
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Flowers/chemistry*
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Humans
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Animals
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Quality Control
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Flavonoids/chemistry*
9.Research advances in mechanism of salvianolic acid B in treating coronary heart disease.
Hong-Ming CAO ; Hui SUN ; Chang LIU ; Guang-Li YAN ; Ling KONG ; Ying HAN ; Xi-Jun WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1449-1457
Coronary heart disease is a cardiovascular disease that affects coronary arteries. It presents high incidence and high mortality worldwide, bringing a serious threat to human health and quality of life. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease. Salvianolic acid B is an active component in Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma extracts, and studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, apoptosis-and autophagy-regulating, anti-fibrosis, and metabolism-modulating effects. This article reviews the research progress regarding the therapeutic effect of salvianolic acid B on coronary heart disease in the recent decade. It elaborates on the role and mechanism of salvianolic acid B in treating coronary heart disease from multiple perspectives, such as the inhibition of thrombosis, improvement of blood circulation, reduction of myocardial cell injury, and inhibition of cardiac remodeling. This article provides a theoretical basis for the application of Chinese medicinal materials and TCM prescriptions containing salvianolic acid B in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
Humans
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Benzofurans/administration & dosage*
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Coronary Disease/genetics*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry*
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Animals
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Depsides
10.Research progress on interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms.
Er-Jun WANG ; Ya-Long ZHANG ; Xiao-Hui MA ; Hua-Qian GONG ; Shao-Yang XI ; Gao-Sen ZHANG ; Ling JIN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3267-3280
The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism*
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Bacteria/genetics*
;
Symbiosis


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