1.Research progress on the intervention of energy metabolism disorders in chronic heart failure by active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine through regulating circadian rhythms
Ruiqi GUO ; Sutong WANG ; Zhaohui LYU ; Yan LI ; Renwei GUAN ; Xiao LI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):670-675
The onset and progression of chronic heart failure (CHF) are closely associated with myocardial energy metabolism disorders, and this pathological process significantly affects patient prognosis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), grounded in time-based medical theories such as the correspondence between humans and nature and the theory of circadian flow of meridians (Ziwu Liuzhu), exhibits intrinsic consistency with modern circadian rhythm theory, providing a unique theoretical framework for understanding and intervening in CHF from a temporal perspective. This article systematically explores the impact of circadian rhythms on energy metabolism and the potential mechanisms by which TCM active ingredients intervene in CHF through a review of relevant literature. It is found that various TCM active ingredients, including flavonoids (such as nobiletin), alkaloids (such as berberine), and polyphenols (such as resveratrol), can improve mitochondrial function, promote fatty acid oxidation, enhance glucose uptake and utilization efficiency, maintain metabolic balance, and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in myocardial cells by regulating the expression and rhythms of core circadian clock genes such as CLOCK, BMAL1, PER, and CRY. These actions thereby correct energy metabolism disorders and improve cardiac function. Further exploration of the interaction mechanisms between these components and the circadian rhythms holds promise for providing novel theoretical foundations and potential intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of CHF.
2.Microbial community mediated by microbial agents improves the quality of Epimedium pubescens Maxim.
Kunyang LAI ; Xiufu WAN ; Jiancai XIAO ; Hongyang WANG ; Shangxuan SHI ; Binbin YAN ; Chaogeng LYU ; Chengcai ZHANG ; Yufei ZHANG ; Feng YUAN ; Zhe ZHAO ; Shoudong ZHU ; Chuanzhi KANG ; Yan ZHANG
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;3(3):270-281
Background: Optimizing cultivation techniques for traditional Chinese medicine has become a crucial means to improve the quality of medicinal materials. Microbial agents, as environmentally friendly and efficient plant growth promoters and soil conditioners, have increasingly attracted attention in eco-agriculture research. Objective: Our understanding remains limited regarding how the application of microbial agents, alone or in combination, affects changes in the rhizosphere microbiome and its association with the bioactive components of medicinal materials. Methods: In this study, Epimedium pubescens Maxim. was employed as a model plant to examine the effects of 2 microbial agents(Paenibacillus mucilaginosus and Bacillus subtilis) applied individually and in combination on plant growth and the accumulation of bioactive components. Additionally, this study explored the relationship between the rhizosphere microbiome and plant development. Results: The application of microbial agents increased the yield of E. pubescens leaves by 20.30% to 33.66% and enhanced the total flavonol glycosides content by 11.40% to 29.94%. Meanwhile, microbial treatments reshaped the rhizosphere microbiome, promoted the enrichment of beneficial microorganisms (e.g., Frankia and Paenibacillus), suppressed phytopathogenic fungi such as Didymella and Scytalidium, and enhanced the stability of the soil microbial co-occurrence network. The partial least squares path model suggested that microbial agents not only directly impact the quality of medicinal herbs but also indirectly alter the accumulation of bioactive components by modulating the soil microbiome. Conclusion: These findings deepen our understanding of the relationship between medicinal plant quality and rhizosphere microbiomes as mediated by microbial agents. They also provide a basis for designing and manipulating synthetic microbial communities to promote sustainable development in eco-agriculture.
3.Spatial epidemiological characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii in dogs in China from 1987 to 2023
Ya-jing SU ; Xue LIN ; Xiao-yan LIANG ; Chen ZHANG ; Di XUE
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(2):121-128
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan pathogen with a global distribution,and dogs are considered a potential risk factor for human toxoplasmosis.This study was aimed at systematically analyzing the epidemiological characteris-tics of canine T.gondii infection in China from 1987 to 2023,to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of T.gondii in the country.Epidemiological data on canine T.gondii infections in China from 1987 to 2023 were retrieved from PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang Database,and Baidu Scholar.A database was established with Excel,and the data were visualized with ArcGIS 10.2 software.Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 26.0 software,and group differences were analyzed with the X2 test.A P-value of<0.05 was considered statistically significant.From 1987 to 2023,the overall seroprevalence of T.gondii antibodies in dogs in China remained stable,and the overall sero-prevalence rate was 13.97%.Yunnan Province had the highest seroprevalence,at 27.65%,whereas Shaanxi Province had the lowest seroprevalence,at 0.56%.Significant differences were observed among provinces(P<0.05).Epidemiological data on canine T.gondii infections were not available for some regions.The seroprevalence in southwestern China was significantly higher than that in other regions(P<0.05).A comparison of the seroprevalence between 1987-2004 and 2005-2023 revealed significant differences(P<0.05).Canine T.gondii infection is widespread in China and shows a stable epidemic cycle.Appro-priate prevention and control measures should be implemented,along with strengthened surveillance of T.gondii outbreaks.Public education on the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis should be enhanced to decrease transmission risk and safeguard public health.
4.CDK8/19 Enhances the Anti-tumor Efficacy of Gastric Cancer by Regulating PARP Inhibitor Sensitivity
Jun-Di WANG ; Wan-Chang LIU ; Jian-Song LIU ; Tian-Run LI ; Yan TIAN ; Dan-Tong SUN ; Ze-Nan FAN ; Xiao-Man LI ; Jia-Dong WANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(9):1280-1297
Gastric cancer remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies of the digestive tract worldwide,underscoring the urgent need for more effective targeted therapeutic strategies.Poly(ADP-ri-bose)polymerase(PARP)inhibitors have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in tumors with homologous recombination repair(HRR)deficiency;however,their clinical application in gastric cancer remains limited.Clinical evidence suggests that patients harboring Helicobacter pylori infection in combination with HRR gene mutations exhibit a significantly elevated risk of developing gastric cancer,thereby supporting the potential benefit of PARP inhibition in this setting.In this study,a kinase inhibitor library was screened in combination with the PARP inhibitor olaparib in gastric cancer cells.And we identify the cy-clin-dependent kinase 8/19(CDK8/19)inhibitor Senexin A as a compound that synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effect of PARP inhibition(P<0.05).Phenotypic validation using CCK-8 and colony for-mation assays demonstrated that the combination treatment significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and clonogenic potential compared to either monotherapy(P<0.0001).Mechanistically,alkaline comet assays revealed a significant increase in DNA damage in the combination treatment group relative to either single-agent group(P<0.0001),suggesting that the synergistic effect results from the exacerbation of DNA damage via impaired DNA repair mechanisms.In addition,treatment with CDK8/19 inhibitors a-lone markedly increased the formation of γH2AX and 53BP1 foci in irradiated gastric cancer cells(P<0.0001),indicating inhibition of DNA damage repair pathways.Transcriptome sequencing further re-vealed that CDK8/19 inhibition impacts critical cellular pathways,including DNA repair,cell cycle reg-ulation,and RNA splicing.Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity significantly reduces the phosphorylation level of PARP1,suggesting a potential regulatory inter-action.Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from gastric cancer pa-tients demonstrated that CDK8 is significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues,supporting its potential as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target.Collectively,this study elucidates a mechanistic ba-sis by which CDK8/19 inhibition enhances the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to PARP inhibitors.These findings provide a strong rationale for the combined use of CDK8/19 and PARP inhibitors as a tar-geted therapeutic strategy and offer promising translational implications for advancing personalized medi-cine in gastric cancer treatment.
5.Microbial community mediated by microbial agents improves the quality of Epimedium pubescens Maxim.
Lai KUNYANG ; Wan XIUFU ; Xiao JIANCAI ; Wang HONGYANG ; Shi SHANGXUAN ; Yan BINBIN ; Lyu CHAOGENG ; Zhang CHENGCAI ; Zhang YUFEI ; Yuan FENG ; Zhao ZHE ; Zhu SHOUDONG ; Kang CHUANZHI ; Zhang YAN
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;3(3):270-281
Background:Optimizing cultivation techniques for traditional Chinese medicine has become a crucial means to improve the quality of medicinal materials.Microbial agents,as environmentally friendly and efficient plant growth promoters and soil conditioners,have increasingly attracted attention in eco-agriculture research.Objective:Our understanding remains limited regarding how the application of microbial agents,alone or in combination,affects changes in the rhizosphere microbiome and its association with the bioactive components of medicinal materials.Methods:In this study,Epimedium pubescens Maxim.was employed as a model plant to examine the effects of 2 microbial agents(Paenibacillus mucilaginosus and Bacillus subtilis)applied individually and in combination on plant growth and the accumulation of bioactive components.Additionally,this study explored the relationship between the rhizosphere microbiome and plant development.Results:The application of microbial agents increased the yield of E.pubescens leaves by 20.30%to 33.66%and enhanced the total flavonol glycosides content by 11.40%to 29.94%.Meanwhile,microbial treatments reshaped the rhizosphere microbiome,promoted the enrichment of beneficial microorganisms(e.g.,Frankia and Paenibacillus),suppressed phytopathogenic fungi such as Didymella and Scytalidium,and enhanced the stability of the soil microbial co-occurrence network.The partial least squares path model suggested that microbial agents not only directly impact the quality of medicinal herbs but also indirectly alter the accumula-tion of bioactive components by modulating the soil microbiome.Conclusion:These findings deepen our understanding of the relationship between medicinal plant quality and rhizosphere micro-biomes as mediated by microbial agents.They also provide a basis for designing and manipulating synthetic microbial communities to promote sustainable development in eco-agriculture.
6.Correlation between atherogenic index of plasma and metabolism-associated steatotic liver disease
Ying LI ; Xiyu GAO ; Bao'e YAN ; Di BAI ; Gen LIU ; Jing XIAO ; Qian WANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Tuo HAN ; Chunyan ZHANG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(6):966-973
Objective To investigate the association between plasma atherogenic index of plasma(AIP)and metabolism-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD),and to evaluate the potential value of AIP as a predictive marker for MASLD risk.Methods We enrolled a total of 4 850 health check-up participants from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between June 2021 and May 2023.The participants were divided into quartiles(Q1-Q4)according to their AIP level.Biochemical indicators and MASLD prevalence were compared across groups.Logistic regression,subgroup analysis,and restricted cubic splines(RCS)were used to explore the relationship between AIP and MASLD.Results Among the 4 850 participants,the prevalence of MASLD was 26.08%(1 265/4 850).MASLD prevalence increased across AIP quartiles:4.0%,13.8%,30.8%,and 55.6%in Q1-Q4,respectively(P<0.001).Compared with Q1,Q2-Q4 groups showed higher proportions of males,BMI,smokers,overweight/obesity,central obesity,prediabetes,hypertension,serum uric acid,and fatty liver index(FLI)(all P<0.001).Lipid profiles worsened with increased AIP:total cholesterol,triglycerides,and LDL-C increased,while HDL-C decreased(P<0.001).RCS analysis demonstrated a significant linear relationship between AIP and MASLD risk.After adjusting for confounders,the participants in Q4 had an 8.71-fold higher risk of MASLD than those in Q1(OR:8.71,95%CI:6.20-12.23,P<0.001).A composite model incorporating AIP,BMI,and FLI showed superior discriminative performance(AUC:0.883,95%CI:0.873-0.892).Interaction analysis suggested that AIP had significant interactions with BMI,hypertension,and prediabetes(P<0.05).In individuals without these metabolic abnormalities,the association between AIP and MASLD was more pronounced.Conclusion Elevated AIP was significantly associated with an increased risk of MASLD,with a stronger association observed in individuals with normal BMI,blood pressure,and blood glucose levels,suggesting that AIP may serve as a potential indicator for early screening of MASLD.
7.Correlation between Serum Ferritin Levels and the Efficacy of Platelet Transfusion in Patients with Malignant Hematological Diseases
Yi-Yao LI ; Xiao-Yun GAO ; Hang GUAN ; Yu BAI ; Jun-Hui JIA ; Wei BAI ; Yan-Hui DI ; Hua TIAN ; Li-Duo KOU ; Xin-Hua WANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(6):1779-1783
Objective:To explore the correlation between serum ferritin(SF)levels and the efficacy of platelet transfusion in patients with malignant hematological diseases.Methods:Patients with malignant hematological diseases who received repeated transfusions of apheresis platelets in Department of Hematology of Aerospace Center Hospital in 2023 were selected.The platelet corrected count increment(CCI)was used to evaluate the efficacy of platelet transfusion.The correlations between sex,age,disease type,transplantation history,red blood cell transfusion history,and SF level and the efficacy of platelet transfusion were analyzed.Results:A total of 87 patients were included,with a cumulative 326 person-times platelet transfusions.As suggested by one-way analysis of variance,compared with the patients in the age groups of 24-45 years old and 46-66 years old,the patients in the age group of 2-23 years old had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.004,P=0.004).There was no significant difference in the efficacy of platelet transfusion between the patients in the age group of 24-45 years old and those in the age group of 46-66 years old(P=0.876).Compared with the patients who had a history of red blood cell transfusion within 3 days,the patients without a history of red blood cell transfusion within 3 days had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P<0.001).Compared with the groups with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L and>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels<1.44 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.028,P<0.001).Compared with the group with SF levels>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.001).After adjusting for age and the history of red blood cell transfusion,the transfusion efficacy of the group with SF levels<1.44 ng/L was better than that of the groups with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L and>2.78 ng/L(P=0.021,P<0.001);Compared with the group with SF levels>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.001).Both univariate and multivariate linear regression models showed that SF levels were negatively correlated with the efficacy of platelet transfusion(P<0.001).Conclusion:There is a negative correlation between SF levels and the efficacy of platelet transfusion in patients with malignant hematological diseases.Detection of SF levels may provide guidance for predicting the efficacy of platelet transfusion.
8.Evaluation of effectiveness of reagent burstbead applied to field blood transfusion compatibility testing
Yi ZHANG ; Xiao-di LIU ; Yi-man ZHAO ; Jing-yan ZHOU ; Shu-mei YANG ; Hao YAN ; Yin-tu MA
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(2):39-42
Objective To explore the reliability of the reagent burstbead for field blood transfusion compatibility testing by applying it to bloodtype detection,antibody screening and cross matching tests and conduting parallel contrast with the existing arrays.Methods A field treatment shelter was used as the testing site to simulate the scene of emergency blood transfusion for the wounded under the conditions of field blood station,and 1 358 pieces of blood samples sent to some hospital for examination before transfusion were considered as the objects.Parallel contrast tests were carried out between the reagent burstbead method and the tube method for bloodtype detection and between the reagent burstbead method and the manual polybrene method for antibody screening and cross matching.The reagent burstbead method was compared with other methods in terms of the coin-cidence rate of the bloodtype detection results,the detection rate of positive samples for antibody screening and crossmatch incompatibility.Results The reagent burstbead method and the tube method had high consistency when used for bloodtype detection,with the coincidence rate being 100%.During antibody screening and cross matching tests,the reagent burstbead method found 5 cases of antibody-positive samples leading to major crossmatch incompatibility(positive rate being 0.37%),the manual polybrene method detected 2 cases of irregular antibody-positive samples(positive rate being 0.15%),and the two methods both identified 3 cases of minor crossmatch incompatibility.Conclusion The reagent burstbead has high accuracy and reliability when applied to bloodtype detection,antibody screening and cross matching tests,and thus can be used for blood transfusion compatibility testing in field conditions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):39-42]
9.Correlation between Serum Ferritin Levels and the Efficacy of Platelet Transfusion in Patients with Malignant Hematological Diseases
Yi-Yao LI ; Xiao-Yun GAO ; Hang GUAN ; Yu BAI ; Jun-Hui JIA ; Wei BAI ; Yan-Hui DI ; Hua TIAN ; Li-Duo KOU ; Xin-Hua WANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(6):1779-1783
Objective:To explore the correlation between serum ferritin(SF)levels and the efficacy of platelet transfusion in patients with malignant hematological diseases.Methods:Patients with malignant hematological diseases who received repeated transfusions of apheresis platelets in Department of Hematology of Aerospace Center Hospital in 2023 were selected.The platelet corrected count increment(CCI)was used to evaluate the efficacy of platelet transfusion.The correlations between sex,age,disease type,transplantation history,red blood cell transfusion history,and SF level and the efficacy of platelet transfusion were analyzed.Results:A total of 87 patients were included,with a cumulative 326 person-times platelet transfusions.As suggested by one-way analysis of variance,compared with the patients in the age groups of 24-45 years old and 46-66 years old,the patients in the age group of 2-23 years old had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.004,P=0.004).There was no significant difference in the efficacy of platelet transfusion between the patients in the age group of 24-45 years old and those in the age group of 46-66 years old(P=0.876).Compared with the patients who had a history of red blood cell transfusion within 3 days,the patients without a history of red blood cell transfusion within 3 days had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P<0.001).Compared with the groups with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L and>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels<1.44 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.028,P<0.001).Compared with the group with SF levels>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.001).After adjusting for age and the history of red blood cell transfusion,the transfusion efficacy of the group with SF levels<1.44 ng/L was better than that of the groups with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L and>2.78 ng/L(P=0.021,P<0.001);Compared with the group with SF levels>2.78 ng/L,the group with SF levels of 1.44-2.78 ng/L had a better efficacy of platelet transfusion(P=0.001).Both univariate and multivariate linear regression models showed that SF levels were negatively correlated with the efficacy of platelet transfusion(P<0.001).Conclusion:There is a negative correlation between SF levels and the efficacy of platelet transfusion in patients with malignant hematological diseases.Detection of SF levels may provide guidance for predicting the efficacy of platelet transfusion.
10.Comparison on odor components before and after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum based on electronic nose, HS-GC-MS, and odor activity value.
Xiao-Yu YAO ; Ke SHEN ; Di WU ; Xiao-Fei SUN ; Chun-Qin MAO ; Li FU ; Xiao-Yan WANG ; Hui XIE ; Tu-Lin LU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):421-431
Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis*
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Electronic Nose
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Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods*
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Animals
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Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis*
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Deer
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

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