1.Multi-component Quality Consistency Evaluation of Leonuri Herba Granules Based on HPLC-DAD-CAD Multi-detector Technique and Chemometrics
Shuangyan LI ; Jun ZHANG ; Cong GUO ; Siyuan LI ; Jipeng DI ; Jiangmin SU ; An LIU ; Xiaodi KOU ; Yan LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):174-181
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the content differences of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules, reveal the quality fluctuation patterns of products from the same and different manufacturers, providing scientific basis for the optimization of production process and quality control. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-charged aerosol detector(HPLC-DAD-CAD) was employed to determine the contents of 4 components(syringic acid, leonurine hydrochloride, ferulic acid, and stachydrine hydrochloride) in samples from 19 manufacturers(53 batches, 159 boxes). Additionally, fingerprint profiles were constructed, and the fingerprint dissimilarity(PS) and relative standard deviation(RSD) of different samples from the same manufacturer were calculated. A principal component analysis(PCA) model was established with PS and the RSD values of the 4 components as variables to classify the manufacturers. Finally, samples from 5 manufacturers(M1-M5) covering three consistency groups were selected to calculate three quality consistency parameters, namely intra-batch consistency(PA), inter-batch consistency(PB), and PS. Then, PCA was performed with PA, PB, and PS of these 5 manufacturers as variables. ResultsThe average total content of the 4 index components per bag across the 19 manufacturers ranged from 41.10 mg to 97.54 mg. Among them, the content of stachydrine hydrochloride(a pharmacopoeial quality control component) was 32.46-72.70 mg per bag, all meeting the requirements of the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, with RSD of 1.7%-17.1%. The content ranges of the other 3 components were as follows:syringic acid of 1.43-41.92 mg per bag, leonurine hydrochloride of 0.67-11.85 mg per bag, and ferulic acid of 0.11-3.81 mg per bag. Notably, leonurine hydrochloride exhibited the most significant content fluctuation among samples from the same manufacturer(RSD of 4.8%-59.2%). PCA results showed that the 19 manufacturers could be classified into 3 categories. Samples from 8 manufacturers(M2, M6, M7, M8, M10, M15, M17, M18) demonstrated relatively high consistency, five manufacturers(M3, M9, M12, M13, M14) showed moderate consistency, six manufacturers(M1, M4, M5, M11, M16, M19) exhibited low consistency. The two methods yielded consistent classification results for the 5 representative manufacturers, verifying the reliability of the proposed method. Among these, manufacturer M2 showed the best quality consistency and the highest total content of indicator components among M1-M5. ConclusionThe HPLC-DAD-CAD multi-detector hyphenation technology established in this study enables the accurate detection of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules. Significant differences in the total content of these four components are observed among products from 19 manufacturers. The application of 2 consistency evaluation methods combined with PCA can effectively classify their consistency into 3 categories, and the classification results of the 2 methods are highly consistent. This study provides scientific basis for the process optimization and quality standard improvement of Leonuri Herba granules.
2.Multi-component Quality Consistency Evaluation of Leonuri Herba Granules Based on HPLC-DAD-CAD Multi-detector Technique and Chemometrics
Shuangyan LI ; Jun ZHANG ; Cong GUO ; Siyuan LI ; Jipeng DI ; Jiangmin SU ; An LIU ; Xiaodi KOU ; Yan LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):174-181
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the content differences of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules, reveal the quality fluctuation patterns of products from the same and different manufacturers, providing scientific basis for the optimization of production process and quality control. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-charged aerosol detector(HPLC-DAD-CAD) was employed to determine the contents of 4 components(syringic acid, leonurine hydrochloride, ferulic acid, and stachydrine hydrochloride) in samples from 19 manufacturers(53 batches, 159 boxes). Additionally, fingerprint profiles were constructed, and the fingerprint dissimilarity(PS) and relative standard deviation(RSD) of different samples from the same manufacturer were calculated. A principal component analysis(PCA) model was established with PS and the RSD values of the 4 components as variables to classify the manufacturers. Finally, samples from 5 manufacturers(M1-M5) covering three consistency groups were selected to calculate three quality consistency parameters, namely intra-batch consistency(PA), inter-batch consistency(PB), and PS. Then, PCA was performed with PA, PB, and PS of these 5 manufacturers as variables. ResultsThe average total content of the 4 index components per bag across the 19 manufacturers ranged from 41.10 mg to 97.54 mg. Among them, the content of stachydrine hydrochloride(a pharmacopoeial quality control component) was 32.46-72.70 mg per bag, all meeting the requirements of the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, with RSD of 1.7%-17.1%. The content ranges of the other 3 components were as follows:syringic acid of 1.43-41.92 mg per bag, leonurine hydrochloride of 0.67-11.85 mg per bag, and ferulic acid of 0.11-3.81 mg per bag. Notably, leonurine hydrochloride exhibited the most significant content fluctuation among samples from the same manufacturer(RSD of 4.8%-59.2%). PCA results showed that the 19 manufacturers could be classified into 3 categories. Samples from 8 manufacturers(M2, M6, M7, M8, M10, M15, M17, M18) demonstrated relatively high consistency, five manufacturers(M3, M9, M12, M13, M14) showed moderate consistency, six manufacturers(M1, M4, M5, M11, M16, M19) exhibited low consistency. The two methods yielded consistent classification results for the 5 representative manufacturers, verifying the reliability of the proposed method. Among these, manufacturer M2 showed the best quality consistency and the highest total content of indicator components among M1-M5. ConclusionThe HPLC-DAD-CAD multi-detector hyphenation technology established in this study enables the accurate detection of 4 components in Leonuri Herba granules. Significant differences in the total content of these four components are observed among products from 19 manufacturers. The application of 2 consistency evaluation methods combined with PCA can effectively classify their consistency into 3 categories, and the classification results of the 2 methods are highly consistent. This study provides scientific basis for the process optimization and quality standard improvement of Leonuri Herba granules.
3.Analysis of Quality Uniformity of Hengzhi Kechuan Capsules Based on HPLC-DAD-CAD
Qian MA ; An LIU ; Qingxia XU ; Cong GUO ; Jun ZHANG ; Maoqing WANG ; Xiaodi KOU ; Yan LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):168-174
ObjectiveTo establish the fingerprints of 15 batches of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules, to quantitatively analyze 10 index components, and to evaluate the quality uniformity of samples from different batches. MethodsThe fingerprints and quantitative analysis of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules were established by a combination method of high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector and charged aerosol detector(HPLC-DAD-CAD), adenosine, guanosine, vanillic acid, safflomin A, agarotetrol, naringin, hesperidin, militarine, ginsenoside Rb1, and glycyrrhizic acid were selected as quality attribute indexes. A total of 15 batches of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules from 2022 to 2024(3 boxes per batch) were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, and the quality uniformity level of the manufacturers was characterized by parameters of intra-batch consistency(PA) and inter-batch consistency(PB). The homogeneity and difference of quality attribute indexes of samples from different years were analyzed by heatmap clustering analysis. ResultsHPLC fingerprints and quantitative method of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules were established, and the methods could be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of this preparation, which was found to be stable and reliable by method validation. The similarity of fingerprints of 15 batches of samples was 0.887-0.975, a total of 13 common peaks were calibrated, and 10 common peaks were designated, all of which were quality attribute index components. The results of quantitative analysis showed that the contents of the above 10 ingredients in the samples were 0.038-0.078, 0.115-0.251, 0.007-0.018, 0.291-0.673, 0.122-0.257, 0.887-1.905, 1.841-3.364, 1.412-2.450, 2.207-3.112, 0.650-1.161, respectively. And the contents of ginsenoside Rb1 and glycyrrhizic acid met the limit requirements in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. For the samples from 15 batches, the PA values of the 10 index components were all <10%, indicating good intra-batch homogeneity, and the PB values ranged from 33.86% to 92.97%, suggesting that the inter-batch homogeneity was poor. Heatmap clustering analysis showed that the samples from different years were clustered into separate categories, and adenosine, guanosine, safflomin A, naringin, hesperidin and agarotetrol were the main differential components. ConclusionThe intra-annual quality uniformity of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules is good and the inter-annual quality uniformity is insufficient, which may be related to the quality difference of Pinellinae Rhizoma Praeparatum, Carthami Flos, Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum, Citri Fructus, etc. In this study, the fingerprint and multi-indicator determination method of Hengzhi Kechuan capsules was established, which can be used for more accurate and efficient quality control and standardization enhancement.
4.Ethical examination of artificial intelligence application in Alzheimer’s disease imaging diagnosis
Chinese Medical Ethics 2025;38(2):179-186
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, fatal, and neurodegenerative disease, clinically characterized by gradually developed cognitive and memory function decline, language and visuospatial disorders, and other aspects. It remains incurable and irreversible to date. In clinical settings, Alzheimer’s disease usually faces the possibility of untimely diagnosis, causing difficulties in the early intervention of the disease. Thus, it is essential to improve diagnostic efficiency and help patients diagnose Alzheimer’s disease as early as possible. With the continuous development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, its application in Alzheimer’s disease imaging diagnosis has shown great potential. Meanwhile, it is also accompanied by many ethical issues. By exploring the ethical challenges brought by AI in the research and application of Alzheimer’s disease imaging diagnosis, such as data security, interpretability, algorithmic discrimination, and disclosure of incidental findings, the paper proposed the corresponding countermeasures, with a view to providing certain ethical guidance for the AI application in medical imaging diagnosis, protecting the rights and interests of subjects/patients, and promoting the healthy development of technology.
5.Segmented Time Study and Optimization Strategy for Clinical Application of Ethos Online Adaptive Radiotherapy.
Dandan ZHANG ; Yuhan KOU ; Shilong ZHU ; Xiaoyu LIU ; Meng NING ; Peichao BAN ; Jinyuan WANG ; Changxin YAN ; Zhongjian JU
Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation 2025;49(2):134-140
OBJECTIVE:
To analyze the time characteristics of the Ethos online adaptive radiotherapy (OART) process in clinical practice and provide guidance for the comprehensive optimization of each stage of adaptive radiotherapy.
METHODS:
The study involved 61 patients with cervical, rectal, gastric, lung, esophageal, and breast cancers who underwent Ethos OART. The mean ± standard deviation of segmental time, total time, and target volume for these patients were tracked. The time characteristics for different cancer types were evaluated, and the average time for target and organ at risk (OAR) modifications was compared with the average target volume for each cancer type.
RESULTS:
Cervical cancer born the longest total treatment time, while breast cancer had the shortest. For all cancer types except breast cancer, the modification time for target and OAR was the most time-consuming segment. The average time for target and OAR modifications aligned with the trend of the average target volume.
CONCLUSION
The total treatment time for various cancers ranges from 15 to 35 minutes, indicating room for improvement.
Humans
;
Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methods*
;
Neoplasms/radiotherapy*
;
Female
6.Associations between Pesticide Metabolites and Decreased Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Among Solar Greenhouse Workers: A Specialized Farmer Group.
Teng Long YAN ; Xin SONG ; Xiao Dong LIU ; Wu LIU ; Yong Lan CHEN ; Xiao Mei ZHANG ; Xiang Juan MENG ; Bin Shuo HU ; Zhen Xia KOU ; Tian CHEN ; Xiao Jun ZHU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(2):265-269
7.Epidemiological features of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023
Chengyun YANG ; Dan WANG ; Deling LU ; Zhiquan HE ; Penghui JI ; Dan QIAN ; Ying LIU ; Yuanjing KOU ; Suhua LI ; Ruimin ZHOU ; Yan DENG ; Hongwei ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2024;36(4):393-398
Objective To analyze the characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the visceral leishmaniasis control srtrategy. Methods All epidemiological data of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemiological features and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis cases were descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 93 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023, with a male to female ratio of 2.58∶1, and including 2 imported cases from other provinces and 91 local cases. The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases peaked during the period between March and May, and between July and October. The reported visceral leishmaniasis cases had ages of 7 months to 74 years, with the largest number of cases found at ages of 0 to 9 years (26 cases, 27.96%), followed by at ages of 60 to 70 years (24 cases, 25.81%). Farmer (47 cases, 50.54%) and diaspora children (19 cases, 20.43%) were predominant occupations, and 91 local visceral leishmaniasis cases were found in 6 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Hebi, Sanmenxia and Xuchang. The median duration from onset of visceral leishmaniasis to diagnosis was 20 days, and there were 25.81% (24/93) cases with 10 days and less duration from onset to diagnosis, 38.71% (36/93) cases receiving diagnosis at 11 to 30 days following onset, and 35.48% (33/93) cases receiving diagnosis for more than 30 days following onset. All cases were predominantly diagnosed in province- (60.00%) and city-level (28.89%) medical institutions. Conclusions The number of visceral leishmaniasis is on the rise in Henan Province, with a gradually expanding coverage. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis cases, dogs, and vectors, dog management, sandflies control and improved individual protection are recommended to prevent the spread of visceral leishmaniasis.
8.The Exquisite Intrinsic Mechanisms of Adverse Health Effects Caused by Overtraining
Shuai-Wei QIAN ; Xian-Juan KOU ; Chun-Yan LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(8):1750-1770
Overtraining is a condition characterized by various functional disorders or pathological states caused by continuous fatigue, which occurs after a persisting imbalance between training-related load and physical function and recovery. Generally speaking, it’s a state of imbalance between training and recovery, exercise and exercise performance, and stress and stress tolerance. Overtraining can cause various phenotypic changes or pathological remodeling, such as decreased skeletal muscle strength and exhaustive exercise endurance, skeletal muscle fatigue damage and dysfunction, skeletal muscle atrophy and loss, skeletal muscle glycogen depletion, skeletal muscle soreness and stiffness, skeletal muscle glucose intolerance, inattention, memory decline, anxiety, depression, abnormal emotions and behaviors, sleep disorders, cognitive function impairment, poor appetite, weight loss, liver/heart fat deposition, compensatory increase of liver/heart insulin signaling and glycogen storage, cardiac pathological hypertrophy, exercise-induced arrhythmias, myocardial fibrosis, ectopic and visceral fat deposition, and increased risk of injury. Unfortunately, its underlying mechanism is largely unclear. Recently, the enrichment of molecular and cellular signal pathway theory offers us a new explanatory paradigm for revealing its internal mechanisms. Based on the traditional explanation mechanisms and molecular and cellular signal pathway theory, we thoroughly analyzed the key mechanisms of health damage caused by overtraining from the perspective of oxidative stress, mitochondrial quality control disorder, inflammatory response, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cell apoptosis, and so forth. Specifically, overtraining-induced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to serious oxidative stress damage in organisms at least via depressing Kelch like ECH associated protein 1(Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) antioxidant pathway and activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway. Overtraining induces mitochondrial quality control disorder and mitochondrial dysfunction, and thus triggers health impairment through inhibiting mitochondrial biogenesis and fusion, stimulating mitochondrial fission, and over-activating autophagy/mitophagy. Overtraining can also produce muscle, skeletal and joint trauma, then circulating monocytes are abundantly activated by injury-related cytokines, and in turn generate large quantities of proinflammatory IL-1β, IL-6, TNF‑α, causing systemic inflammation and inflammatory health injury. Overtraining induces excessive pathological endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and severe health damage via PERK-eIF2α, IRE1α-XBP1 and ATF6 pathways which activated by proinflammatory signals. Overtraining also induces excessive apoptosis and harmful health consequences via Bax/Bcl2-Caspase 3-mediated mitoptosis which activated by oxidative stress and inflammation or even CHOP and Caspase 12-dependent ERS apoptosis. Nonetheless, it should be importantly emphasized that oxidative stress and inflammation are the central and pre-emptive mechanisms of overtraining and its health damage. Although the efficient strategies for preventing and controlling overtraining are scientifically and reasonably arranging and planning training intensity, training volume, and recovery period, as well as accurately assessing and monitoring physical function status in the early stage, yet various anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, or anti-aging drugs such as curcumin, astaxanthin, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, silibinin, hibiscus sabdariffa, dasatinib, quercetin, hydroxytyrosol, complex probiotics, astragalus polysaccharides, semaglutide and fasudil also have an irreplaceable positive effect on preventing overtraining and its relevant health damage via depressing oxidative stress, mitochondrial quality control disorder, proinflammatory signals, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis and so on. We hope that this review can help us further grasp the features, mechanisms and regularity of overtraining, and provide an important reference for athletes and sports fan to conduct scientific training, improve training effectiveness, extend exercise lifespan, and promote physical and mental health.
9.Discrete element modeling and breakage behavior analysis of oral solid dosage form particles
Lin-xiu LUO ; Tian-bing GUAN ; An-qi LUO ; Zeng LIU ; Yu-ting WANG ; Yan-ling JIANG ; Zheng LU ; Jing-cao TANG ; Shuang-kou CHEN ; Hui-min SUN ; Chuan-yun DAI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(4):1057-1066
The breakage pattern of unit particles during the production of oral solid dosage forms (OSD) is closely related to the quality of intermediate or final products. To accurately characterize the particles and study the evolution law of particle breakage, the Bonding model of the discrete element method (DEM) was used to investigate the breakage patterns of model parameters, particle shape and process conditions (loading mode and loading rate) on the dynamic breakage, force-time curve, breakage rate, maximum breakage size ratio and fracture strength of particles. The results showed that the particle breakage force was positively correlated with normal strength and bonded disk scale, negatively correlated with normal stiffness per unit area and tangential stiffness per unit area, and weakly correlated with tangential strength. The particle breakage rate was negatively correlated with the aspect ratio of the particles, and the maximum breakage size ratio was positively correlated with the aspect ratio of the particles; among the three loading modes, the breakage rate of compression breakage model was the largest, the breakage rate of shear breakage model was the second largest, and the breakage rate of wear breakage model was the smallest; the maximum breakage size ratio was positively correlated with the loading rate, the loading mode and the loading rate had no mutual influence on particle breakage rate, but had mutual influence on the maximum breakage size ratio. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for the shift of OSD from batch manufacturing to advanced manufacturing.
10.Mechanism and Current Situation of Decorporation Agents for Radionuclide Contamination in vivo
Bing-Yan KOU ; Yu-Feng GUO ; Xu-Hong DANG ; Xiao-Ming LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(11):2960-2970
Radioactive contamination can occur during nuclear accidents, loss of radioactive sources and the use of radiation for photography, disinfection and detection. When the human body is accidentally contaminated by radionuclides, radionuclides can cause harm to the human body through inhalation, ingestion, direct transdermal absorption and contaminated wounds into body tissues and organs. In the treatment of radionuclide contamination in vivo, the main way is decorporation therapy, which mainly uses specific decorporation agents to selectively bind radionuclides to form stable non-toxic complexes, thereby preventing their deposition in the body, accelerating excretion, and reducing the total accumulation of radionuclides in human tissues. At present, internal radionuclide decorporation agents promote the release of radionuclides from the body mainly by stopping the entry of radionuclides into the body, ion exchange, chelation, and binding of exportants to carriers. But recent studies have found that lysosomal exocytosis, the natural clearing function of activated cells, also has a significant exportation effect. In this paper, we first introduced and analyzed the mechanism and research status of radionuclide decorporation agents that have been used in clinical practice, such as the blocking effect of potassium iodide, the ion exchange effect of Prussian blue, the chelation effect of DTPA, and the urine alkalinization effect of sodium bicarbonate. The second part introduces the mechanism and research status of promising radionuclide decorporation agents. Among them, 3,4,3-LI (1,2-HOPO) and 5-LIO (Me-3,2-HOPO) are the most promising ones and have been approved for phase I clinical trials. Others such as catecholamines, polyethyleneimine and fullerenes are also being studied with great potential. Polyethyleneimine, as a biological macromolecular chelator, has more chelating sites and stronger targeting effects than small molecule chelators, and has achieved a real breakthrough in decorporation. Fullerenes are known as “free radical sponges” with good free radical scavenging ability and antioxidant properties. In recent years, biomaterials have been widely used in the field of radionuclide decorporation, which has greatly improved the decorporation efficiency. Chitosan and pectin have shown great advantages in promoting radionuclide decorporation, chitosan can adsorb metal ions through electrostatic interaction and chelation, and can also react with free radicals to remove free radicals generated after radionuclides enter the body. Pectin can promote uranium efflux, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. Liposomes and nanomaterials as carriers enhance the intracellular drug delivery, prolong the retention time of drugs in the body, reduce adverse reactions, and make the traditional efflux enhancers glow with new vitality and have good development prospects. The last part summarizes and looks forward to the future research direction of radionuclide decorporation agents. At present, the research on decorporation agents at home and abroad is mostly stuck in the stage of drug development and drug synthesis, and few have actually entered the clinical trial stage. Therefore, the optimization of existing decorporation agents and the development of new ligands are critical. The targeting, biological safety, oral availability, and treatment needs of large-scale contamination scenarios are still the focus of attention. In addition, from the point of view of the mechanism itself, it is a new idea to promote the emission of radionuclides by activating potential channels, which can be continuously explored.

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