1.Effect and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine and Its Active Ingredients in Enhancing Antibacterial Activities of Antibiotics: A Review
Ling CHEN ; Xueqin JIANG ; Tao YUAN ; Sufang KUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):305-313
With the increasing severity of bacterial antibiotic resistance, finding new ways to overcome this global challenge has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine, with abundant resources, offers potential for discovering diverse bioactive ingredients to enhance antibiotic efficacy and alleviate the crisis of bacterial antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes bacterial resistance mechanisms, prevention strategies, and the roles and mechanisms of Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in enhancing the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Two major resistance mechanisms—bacterial obstruction of antibiotic uptake and weakening of intracellular antibiotic activity—are introduced, with corresponding prevention and control strategies outlined. Based on the regulatory effects of active ingredients from Chinese medicine on bacteria, their mechanisms for enhancing antibiotic efficacy are categorized into two types, including improving the bacterial uptake of antibiotics and reducing the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The former mainly enhances extracellular antibiotic uptake by regulating membrane permeability, biofilm formation, and metabolic pathways. The latter weakens intracellular antibiotic resistance by inhibiting efflux pumps and bacterial resistance targets. Furthermore, compound formulas of Chinese medicine, characterized by multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway interventions, exert similar antimicrobial effects and mechanisms with active ingredients, offering rich resources for developing antibiotic-enhancing applications. Finally, the review highlights the challenges such as insufficient structural research on active ingredients and potential druggability issues in their application for antibiotic enhancement. This will provide insights for advancing the research on Chinese active ingredients in antibiotic therapy and offers novel strategies to combat bacterial antibiotic resistance.
2.Effect and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine and Its Active Ingredients in Enhancing Antibacterial Activities of Antibiotics: A Review
Ling CHEN ; Xueqin JIANG ; Tao YUAN ; Sufang KUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):305-313
With the increasing severity of bacterial antibiotic resistance, finding new ways to overcome this global challenge has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine, with abundant resources, offers potential for discovering diverse bioactive ingredients to enhance antibiotic efficacy and alleviate the crisis of bacterial antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes bacterial resistance mechanisms, prevention strategies, and the roles and mechanisms of Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in enhancing the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Two major resistance mechanisms—bacterial obstruction of antibiotic uptake and weakening of intracellular antibiotic activity—are introduced, with corresponding prevention and control strategies outlined. Based on the regulatory effects of active ingredients from Chinese medicine on bacteria, their mechanisms for enhancing antibiotic efficacy are categorized into two types, including improving the bacterial uptake of antibiotics and reducing the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The former mainly enhances extracellular antibiotic uptake by regulating membrane permeability, biofilm formation, and metabolic pathways. The latter weakens intracellular antibiotic resistance by inhibiting efflux pumps and bacterial resistance targets. Furthermore, compound formulas of Chinese medicine, characterized by multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway interventions, exert similar antimicrobial effects and mechanisms with active ingredients, offering rich resources for developing antibiotic-enhancing applications. Finally, the review highlights the challenges such as insufficient structural research on active ingredients and potential druggability issues in their application for antibiotic enhancement. This will provide insights for advancing the research on Chinese active ingredients in antibiotic therapy and offers novel strategies to combat bacterial antibiotic resistance.
3.Exploration and Reflection on the Construction of Pre-admission Processes in Public Hospitals
Guojie ZHANG ; Hongmei ZHANG ; Qinghua BAI ; Liluan YOU ; Wei ZHANG ; Xueqin SUN ; Jinjin GAO ; Zheng CHEN ; Weiguo ZHU ; Qing CHANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1185-1192
Pre-admission is a critical initiative to optimize medical service processes and alleviate the challenge of "difficult access to healthcare. "However, there is currently a lack of standardized protocols for pre-admission procedures. This study aims to systematically analyze key nodes and risk factors in pre-admission process design and propose optimization strategies, providing a foundation for policy formulation and hospital practices. By constructing a "forward-reverse" dual-process model of pre-admission and identifying risk points based on stakeholder theory (patients, hospitals, healthcare administration, and insurance), the study reveals that while pre-admission can reduce the average length of stay, improve bed turnover rates, and enhance patient satisfaction, it also presents risks such as cross-period financial settlement, challenges in insurance policy adaptability, demands for information system integration, and the need for defining medical safety boundaries. To optimize the pre-admission process and mitigate these risks, this study explores framework improvements in areas including eligibility criteria, mode selection, cost settlement, transition between pre-admission and inpatient status, and cancellation of pre-admission, offering practical guidance for public hospitals. The authors argue that pre-admission requires tripartite collaboration among hospitals, insurers, and healthcare administrations: hospitals should establish top-level design, continuously refine processes, and implement dynamic risk assessment mechanisms; insurance providers should support cross-period settlement policies; and healthcare administrations should issue guiding policies or standardized protocols. Through multi-department coordination and collaborative efforts, the optimization and innovation of pre-admission processes can be advanced, ultimately delivering more efficient and convenient healthcare experiences for patients.
4.Epidemiological characteristics and control measures of dengue fever in Zhongshan City in 2024
Man WANG ; Le LUO ; Xueqin CHEN ; Wuyang SHI ; Chuying CHEN ; Yongqiang MAI
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(5):555-560
Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and control measures of dengue fever in Zhongshan City in 2024, so as to provide insights into optimization of dengue fever control strategies in the city. Methods Data pertaining to dengue fever cases in Zhongshan City in 2024 were collected from the Infectious Disease Reporting System of China Disease Prevention and Control Information System, and the epidemiological characteristics of the cases were analyzed using a descriptive statistical method. The density of Aedes albopictus mosquito was monitored across all 23 townships (subdistricts) using Breteau index (BI) and mosquito ovitrap index (MOI) at midmonth each month from March to December 2024. In addition, the climatic characteristics, case reporting patterns, and corresponding control measures were analyzed during different phases of dengue fever epidemics in Zhongshan in 2024. Furthermore, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was employed to serotype the dengue virus among local dengue fever cases with unknown sources of infections. The dengue virus envelope (E) gene was sequenced using Sanger sequencing among dengue fever cases without apparent epidemiological links. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the neighbor-joining method to infer major transmission chains during the dengue fever epi demics. Results A total of 952 dengue fever cases were reported in Zhongshan City in 2024, including 879 local cases, 57 domestically imported cases from other regions, and 16 overseas imported cases, representing the largest outbreak in nearly two decades. The first local dengue fever case was reported on July 5, and the last one was detected on December 19, with all townships and subdistricts affected. Mosquito monitoring data indicated that both MOI and BI rose rapidly from March to May, and then remained at high levels with fluctuations, and began to decline in October. The dengue fever epidemic was categorized into five distinct phases in Zhongshan, including non-epidemic, pre-epidemic, early-epidemic, peak, and receding stages. During the pre-epidemic and early-epidemic phases, key measures included enhancing sensitivity of case detection, implementing isolation and treatment of hospitalized cases, and carrying out standardized vector control measures in affected communities. In the peak phase, the strategy shifted towards targeted mosquito control in key communities and clinical rescue and treatment emphasized on “preventing severe cases and deaths”. Among 481 local cases with unknown sources of infections, RT-qPCR assay revealed that 68.8% (331/481) were infected with dengue virus type I and 31.2% (150/481) with type II among local dengue fever cases in Zhongshan City in 2024. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two major transmission chains: one originating from imported cases within Guangdong Province around Zhongshan City, and another from cases imported from Malaysia. Late detection of local dengue fever cases contributed to widespread community outbreaks. Conclusions The 2024 dengue fever epidemic in Zhongshan City was of considerable scale, which was primarily driven by imported cases from overseas and surrounding regions, leading to local community outbreaks. The epidemic began in early July, increased rapidly during August and September, peaked in October, and subsequently declined, with a trend consistent with the average pattern observed in previous high-incidence years. By implementing differentiated control measures tailored to each phase of the epidemic, the local transmission of dengue fever was successfully contained in Zhongshan City in 2024.
5.Myotubularin-related protein 6 promotes invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Xiao LIANG ; Hongyu CHEN ; Xueqin PENG
Journal of Army Medical University 2024;46(3):249-256
Objective To explore the effect of myotubularin-related protein 6(MTMR6)on the invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 and the potential molecular mechanism.Methods By analyzing the sequencing results of liver cancer tissues and adjacent tissues in Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,MTMR6 gene was screened out,and Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation of MTMR6 and pathway in the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.Finally,the interaction between MTMR6 and signaling pathway proteins was analyzed with Genemania database.Then the expression of MTMR6 in human normal liver cell line LO-2 and hepatoma cell lines Huh-7 and HepG2 were measured and compared among the cell lines.Then HepG2 cells was selected as the study object.After MTMR6 gene was knocked down or over-expressed in HepG2 cells,Transwell assay was employed to observe invasion ability,and Western blotting was adopted to detect the expression of MTMR6,PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,p-AKT,mTOR,p-mTOR MMP-2 and MMP-9.Results The expression of MTMR6 was significantly higher in the hepatocellular carcinoma tissues than the paracancer tissues,and it was in a positive linear correlation with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway(P<0.01),showing interaction with PI3K,AKT and mTOR.The expression level of MTMR6 was significantly higher in the HepG2 cells than the LO-2 and Huh-7 cells(P<0.01).Over-expression of MTMR6 obviously enhanced invasion ability(P<0.01),while its knockdown decreased the ability(P<0.01)in HepG2 cells.Knockdown of MTMR6 gene also resulted in decreased phosphorylation of PI3K,AKT and mTOR,and expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9(P<0.01),while over-expression of MTMR6 promoted the phosphorylation of PI3K,AKT and mTOR,and up-regulated the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9(P<0.01).In addition,LY294002(a specific PI3K inhibitor)treatment could block the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and down-regulate the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9(P<0.01),but had no effect on MTMR6 expression.Conclusion MTMR6 may promote the invasion of hepatoma cells through activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
6.Discussion on the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid on cough variant asthma mice by adjusting Th2 deviation based on molecular docking technique
Qiuling CHEN ; Huayu LIU ; Ailing ZHOU ; Yanling LI ; Hui LIN ; Meiqi WEN ; Xueqin SUN
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;46(2):191-195
Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on cough variant asthma (CVA) mice based on molecular docking technique; To explore the possibility of its treatment for cough variant asthma.Methods:The software of Autodock Vina was used for molecular docking. The mice were divided into control group, model group, prednisone acetate group, glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups according to the random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. Except for the blank control group, all other groups were induced by egg protein to establish cough variant asthma models. Glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups were orally administered glycyrrhetinic acid suspension at 20, 10, and 5 mg/kg, while the prednisone acetate group was orally administered prednisone acetate at 5 mg/kg. The blank control group and model group were orally administered equal volumes of physiological saline, once per day for 14 consecutive days. The animal asthma behavior was observed after drug administration. The secretion of bronchial mucus in lung tissue were observed by AB-PAS staining and the index of spleen were recorded. The protein expressions of Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue were determined by Western blot.Results:Molecular docking results showed that glycyrrhetinic acid had good binding ability to Th2-related factors Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13. Results of animal experiment showed that compared with the model group, the mucus secretion decreased in glycyrrhetinic acid groups, the index of the spleen of mice obviously decreased, protein expression levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue of mice in glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05), and Gata3 in glycyrrhetinic acid medium- and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Glycyrrhetinic acid can correct the shift of Th2 in the immune system of cough variant asthma mice and has a certain therapeutic effect.
7.The trend, problems discovered, and enlightenment to hospital management of medical insurance fund unannounced inspection
Chen XIE ; Yutong WANG ; Weiguo ZHU ; Xueqin SUN ; Rui DONG ; Ding HAN
Chinese Journal of Hospital Administration 2024;40(1):42-46
The rational use of medical insurance fund(MIF) plays an important role in promoting the high-quality development of public hospitals, and the supervision of MIF is in a trend of under the rule of law, normalization, professionalization and standardization, and unannounced inspection will become the norm. The authors systematically analyzed three main trends of MIF unannounced inspections, namely, gradually increasing intensity, constantly innovating methods, and increasingly serious consequences. The problems exposed in unannounced inspections were sorted out from five dimensions: form of results, severity, scope of attribution, subjective intention, and regulatory screening ideas. The enlightenment of MIF unannounced inspections to hospital management was explored from four aspects: compliance awareness, organizational system, fine management, and daily supervision. It was proposed that public hospitals should transform their roles and positions, improve the working mechanism of departmental collaboration, and achieve fine management in policy understanding, system formulation, process design, information support, data governance, regulatory implementation, personnel training, and performance matching. At the same time, internal simulated unannounced inspections in hospitals should be regarded as a routine work.
8.Effect of Xiaoxuming decoction on OGD/R-induced synaptic plasticity in HT22 cells
Manman WANG ; Rui LAN ; Yong ZHANG ; Xueqin FU ; Xuhuan ZOU ; Weiwei WANG ; Hongyu LI ; Chen TANG ; Shuang LIU
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2024;40(1):126-133
AIM:To explore the protective effect of Xiaoxuming decoction(XXMD)on synaptic plasticity in the context of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury following ischemic stroke.METHODS:An oxygen-glucose depriva-tion/reoxygenation(OGD/R)model was employed in vitro using mouse hippocampal neurons(HT22 cells)to simulate ischemia-reperfusion injury.Cell viability was assessed using a CCK-8 assay to determine the optimal XXMD concentra-tion.The HT22 cells were divided into two groups:control and model(OGD/R).Cellular morphological changes were ob-served using an inverted microscope.The levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α in the supernatant were quantified by ELISA.Ultrastructural changes were examined by transmission electron microscopy.Immunofluorescence staining was used to de-tect neuron markers NeuN and synaptic proteins NF200 and MAP2.The protein levels of NF200 and MAP2 were analyzed by Western blot.RESULTS:The highest cell survival rate occurred at an XXMD concentration of 100 mg/L(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the cells in model group exhibited round shape and shrinkage,mitochondrial swelling or vacuolization,and a marked decrease in survival rate.There were significant increases in IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α levels(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence intensity and protein levels of NeuN,NF200 and MAP2 were notably reduced(P<0.05).Treatment with XXMD improved cell morphology,ultrastructure and survival rate(P<0.05),and decreased in-flammatory factor levels(P<0.05).Compared with model group,the cells in OGD/R+XXMD group showed significantly increased immunofluorescence intensity and protein levels of NeuN,NF200 and MAP2(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Xiaoxuming decoction may mitigate OGD/R-induced injury,potentially by inhibiting inflammatory responses and enhanc-ing synaptic plasticity.
9.Factors Influencing Inpatient Costs for Patients Undergoing Surgery for Intrauterine Lesions under DRG Payment
Yutong WANG ; Weiguo ZHU ; Xueqin SUN ; Jiali TONG ; Jingya ZHOU ; Qing ZHAO ; Bocheng LI ; Wei ZHANG ; Xiaokun LIU ; Rui DONG ; Chen XIE ; Ding HAN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(5):1069-1076
To analyze the factors affecting the cost of hospitalization for patients and provide insights using the intrauterine lesion surgery group (DRG code NE19) as an example. This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study, with data from the first page of medical records of patients enrolled under NE19 at a comprehensive tertiary hospital in Beijing from March 15, 2022 to November 30, 2023. Influence factor selection and multifactorial linear regression analysis were conducted with hospitalization cost as the dependent variable, and patient's basic information, treatment information and key concern factors as independent variables. The profit and loss of medical records containing key factors and differences in indicators of hospitalization cost structure were analyzed in the context of clinical practice. A total of 2213 valid medical records (all female patients) were included, with patients predominantly young and middle-aged women under 45 years of age (72.12%), and with 931 day surgery medical records (42.07%). The diagnosis records included 334(15.09%) multiple uterine leiomyomas, and 246(11.12%) pelvic adhesions. A total of 150(6.78%) medical records involved ovary- and tubal-related surgeries or manipulations, with 160(7.23%) main operations being laparoscopic hysterectomy of diseased uterine lesions and 38(1.72%) mechanical rotational excision of abnormal uterine tissue using transhysteroscopy. Linear regression analysis showed that whether or not ovarian and tubal surgical operations were involved ( The NE19 group of hospitals in the study had a high loss rate, and factors such as the severity of the patient's condition and the use of new technologies affected hospitalization costs, suggesting that there is room for further optimization of the existing grouping scheme. Tiered payment standards can be set up for different tiers of healthcare institutions, and a sound and optimized exclusion mechanism can be used to promote the development of new technologies. The internal management of hospitals should encourage the development of daytime surgery to improve the efficiency of medical services.
10.Prostate cancer with BRCA2 pathogenic mutation: a clinicopathological analysis
Duohao WANG ; Wenlian YIN ; Xiuyi PAN ; Mengni ZHANG ; Ling NIE ; Xueqin CHEN ; Hao ZENG ; Qiao ZHOU ; Ni CHEN
Chinese Journal of Pathology 2024;53(8):789-796
Objective:To analyze the clinicopathological features of prostate cancers with BRCA2 pathogenic mutations, and the association between BRCA2 pathogenic mutation and clinicopathological characteristics. Patient survivals were also examined.Methods:Clinicopathological data of 249 prostate cancer patients who underwent genetic testing in West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China from June 2014 to August 2021 were collected. A retrospective analysis of histopathological morphology, clinicopathological characteristics, and patient survivals was conducted.Results:The genetic testing in the 249 prostate cancer patients showed a pathogenic mutation of DNA damage repair gene (DRG) in 73 cases (73/249, 29.3%), including 22 cases (8.8%) with BRCA2 pathogenic mutation and 51 cases with pathogenic mutations of other DRG. Among the 22 patients with BRCA2 pathogenic mutation, 14 patients (5.6%) harbored germline mutations and 8 patients (3.2%) somatic mutations. Their ages ranged from 48 to 91 years, with a median of 67 years. Seventeen patients (77.3%) had distant metastasis, including 16 cases with bone metastasis and 1 case with multiple metastases. Thirteen patients (59.1%) were castration-resistant prostate cancer. The histological type was mainly classical prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma, including 16 cases (72.7%) with intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P). Six cases (27.3%) showed focal neuroendocrine differentiation. Perineural/vascular invasion and extraprostatic extension were seen in 11 cases (50.0%) and 8 cases (36.4%), respectively. The Gleason scores of 19 patients (86.4%) were≥8. IDC-P was more commonly found in patients with BRCA2 germline pathogenic mutation than those with BRCA2 somatic pathogenic mutation, other DRG pathogenic mutation or no-DRG pathogenic mutation ( P=0.002). With a total follow-up time of 189 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 132.3 months. Patients with DRG pathogenic mutation had shorter OS than those with no-DRG pathogenic mutation ( P=0.040). The OS of patients with BRCA2 germline pathogenic mutation did not significantly differ from that of patients with BRCA2 somatic pathogenic mutation, other DRG pathogenic mutation or no-DRG pathogenic mutation ( P=0.216). Conclusions:The presence of BRCA2 gene pathogenic mutation is common in the prostate cancers with high Gleason grade, advanced clinical stage, and castration resistance. IDC-P is more commonly noted in cases with BRCA2 germline pathogenic mutation than those without. Patients with DRG pathogenic mutation have shorter OS than those with no-DRG pathogenic mutation, but there is no significant association between BRCA2 pathogenic mutations and OS.

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