1.Combined Therapy of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Hepatitis B Virus Infection: A Review
Xuan WU ; Hui LI ; Jian HUANG ; Xikun YANG ; Yan ZENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):279-288
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the primary cause of viral hepatitis and represents a substantial disease burden in China. However, effective and safe agents capable of completely eliminating HBV DNA are still lacking. In modern medicine, anti-HBV strategies mainly target covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), among other mechanisms, and multiple novel drugs are currently under clinical investigation. Traditional medicine has been shown to exert anti-HBV effects through direct pathways, such as blocking viral entry, as well as indirect pathways, including the regulation of programmed cell death. Studies have confirmed that the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine in treating HBV infection and its related complications offers complementary advantages, particularly in enhancing HBV clearance rates, improving liver function, preventing various complications, and delaying the progression from hepatic fibrosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. This review focuses on advances in anti-HBV research involving TCM, Western medicine, and their integrated application, aiming to provide a basis for integrated HBV therapy and new drug development.
2.Clinical Efficacy of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Prescription in Treatment of Cathartic Colon and Analysis of Influencing Factors of Disease Severity
Youcheng HE ; Jingyi SHAN ; Fengru JIANG ; Yue WU ; Chunyu ZHOU ; Lu HANG ; Yan ZHOU ; Lian MO ; Shuyu CAI ; Keyi PAN ; Lifeng WEI ; Jianye YUAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):173-184
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue prescription (YYHP) in the treatment of cathartic colon (CC) and its effects on fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 98 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of both traditional Chinese and Western medicine for CC with the syndrome of Qi-Yin deficiency complicated by blood stasis were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group. The observation group received YYHP granules, while the control group received lactulose. Both medications were administered twice daily, one sachet each time, half an hour after breakfast and dinner, with a treatment course of 8 weeks. The primary constipation symptom score, Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) score, and TCM syndrome score were assessed before and after treatment and at the 8th week after the end of treatment. The overall clinical effective rate, as well as the efficacy attenuation index and degree, were evaluated. Fecal SCFA levels were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Spearman correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlations among CC severity indicators and between these indicators and patient history. ResultsThe overall clinical effective rate in the observation group (95.83%) was higher than that in the control group (78.72%) (P<0.05). After treatment, the total scores for primary constipation symptoms, PAC-QOL, and TCM syndromes decreased in both groups (P<0.05), with more significant reductions in the observation group (P<0.05). The severity of all primary constipation symptoms was alleviated in both groups (P<0.05). In terms of "excessive straining and difficult defecation", "anal heaviness, incomplete evacuation, and bloating sensation", "abdominal distension", and "defecation frequency", the observation group showed better efficacy than the control group (P<0.05). Scores of the four PAC-QOL dimensions and the scores and severity of primary and secondary TCM symptoms were reduced in both groups (P<0.05), with more significant reductions in the observation group (P<0.05). After treatment, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and total SCFAs in the observation group increased significantly (P<0.05). The efficacy attenuation index and degree in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group, and there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. Positive correlations of varying degrees were observed among the total scores of primary constipation symptoms, PAC-QOL, and TCM syndromes, as well as between these scores and the history of stimulant laxative use, disease duration, and age. ConclusionYYHP can effectively alleviate the primary constipation symptoms in CC patients, improve quality of life, and ameliorate TCM syndromes, with good safety. It also has the advantage of a lower rebound degree after drug withdrawal, and its mechanism may be related to increasing fecal SCFA levels. Long-term abuse of stimulant laxatives may aggravate the severity of CC and prolong the disease course.
3.The Role of Lysosomal Dysfunction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Pathogenesis to Targeted Therapies
Yue-Yan WU ; Xin CHEN ; Ce-Fan ZHOU ; Jing-Feng TANG ; Rui ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):609-622
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal cancer with high morbidity rates worldwide. It is a major threat to public health in China, due to the combination of known and new risk factors, such as endemic hepatitis B virus (HBV), dietary aflatoxin exposure, and the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Although many methods for surveillance and multimodal therapies, such as surgery, local ablation, transarterial therapy, and new systemic agents, have been available, the survival rates of HCC remains poor. They have very limited durable responses, long post-treatment recurrence rates, and high resistance to treatment. This reflects an imperfect picture of the biological cause of the disease and a need for new mechanistic or targeted techniques. A significant characteristic of HCC, in common with other aggressive cancers, is the presence of reprogrammed, hyperactive cell metabolism. Tumor cells hijack metabolic pathways to promote their uncontrolled growth, stress survival, invasion and metastasis. While classical mechanisms such as the Warburg effect, lipid metabolism and glutamine utilization have been understood, the lysosome, which was once viewed as a static “waste disposal unit” to remove old organelles and proteins, is instead a dynamic signaling and metabolic core. The lysosomes incorporate nutrients, energy and stress signals by master regulators such as mTORC1 (activated on its surface) that balance anabolic growth and catabolic recycling to the cellular demands. In HCC, lysosomes are not passive, but are highly active and dysregulated. HCC cells upregulate lysosomes, which scavenge intracellular components via enhanced autophagy and engulf extracellular proteins via macropinocytosis, crucial for survival in the nutrient-poor, hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In addition to metabolism, lysosomes exhibit pro-invasive functions by secreting hydrolases to remodel the extracellular matrix, promote angiogenesis, and suppress stromal immune cells to foster a pro-tumor microenvironment. In a clinical context, lysosomes play an important role in therapeutic resistance: they sequester and inactivate chemotherapeutics via lysosomal sequestration, and enhanced autophagic flux protects the cell from therapy-induced damage, contributing to relapse, as lysosomal dysfunction is a key cause of treatment failure. This makes lysosomes promising yet challenging therapeutic targets in HCC. Recent preclinical and early clinical studies investigate multiple strategies to exploit the susceptibility of lysosomes: lysosome-specific agents, alkalinizing the lysosome lumen or inducing membrane permeabilization and lysosome-dependent cell death; pharmacological inhibition of key lysosomal enzymes or autophagy to impair nutrient recycling and stress adaptation; smart nanotherapeutic agents or antibody-drug conjugates, specifically activated in the acidic lysosomal environment or utilizing lysosomal pathways for efficient intracellular drug release; and combination strategies of lysosome-targeting agents with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy to overcome resistance and achieve synergistic antitumor effects. In summary, our review systematically presents the role of lysosomes in HCC, from metabolic reprogramming and microenvironmental adaptation to therapeutic resistance. By synthesizing the latest mechanistic insights and preclinical advances, this review highlights the indispensable role of lysosomes in the complex HCC biological network, emphasizing that an in-depth understanding of this dynamic organelle holds great promise for developing innovative, targeted therapies, offering new hope for improving the poor prognosis of global HCC patients.
4.Attach great importance to the construction and improvement of the death determination system and work processes in medical institutions
Feng HUO ; Yan ZHANG ; Xiaomei ZHAI ; Hongtao ZHAO ; Xiaona WU
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(3):364-371
Clinical death refers to the permanent cessation of life functions. This article reviews the definition of clinical death and the various scenarios in which it occurs, classifies the process of clinical death, and discusses the criteria for determining uncontrollable cardiac death, controllable cardiac death and the criteria and workflow for determining brain death. It elaborates on the relationship between brain death and death, and proposes the areas to note when standardizing the medical documentation of death cases. Based on this, it introduces the content of the management system and workflow construction for death determination in medical institutions, including management structure, personnel qualifications, document norms, quality control system and training mechanism. Paying attention to the construction of the management system and workflow for death determination in medical institutions is of great significance for ensuring medical quality and safety, promoting the healthy development of organ donation, and maintaining the seriousness of legal and ethical practices.
5.Research progress on the intervention of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell in neurodegenerative disease
Hongcai XU ; Yumin XU ; Shiyu LIU ; Huayu YAN ; Yuan LIU ; Xin YANG ; Yabo WU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(3):395-400
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) as a cell-based therapeutic strategy have demonstrated significant application potential in the field of intervention for neurodegenerative disease (NDD) due to their advantages such as self-renewal, multi-directional differentiation, and low immunogenicity. hUC-MSC effectively intervenes in the pathological features and neurological functions of various disease models such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis primarily through multiple mechanisms such as homing and differentiation, mediating paracrine actions and releasing exosomes, as well as immune regulation and anti-inflammation. Some clinical studies have also preliminarily verified their safety and effectiveness. Currently, its research still faces challenges such as immune rejection reactions requiring further observation, long-term safety needing evaluation, mechanisms of action not being fully elucidated, and slow progress in clinical trials. Future research needs to establish pharmaceutical standards for hUC-MSC, deepen their pharmacological mechanisms and clinical trials, ultimately providing new and effective drug treatment options for patients with NDD.
6.DING Ying's Clinical Experience in Treating Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Based on Differentiation of Yin Fire,Latent Fire,and Fire Toxin
Hongji WU ; Min GAO ; Yan XU ; Xuejun LI ; Jiexin SU ;
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):365-369
This paper summarizes Professor DING Ying's clinical experience in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through differentiation of three states, yin fire, latent fire, and fire toxin. It is proposed that fire pathogenic factors constitute a key pathological element running throughout the entire disease course of SLE. The evolution of its pathogenesis centers on these three states, spleen-kidney deficiency with the initial emergence of yin fire as the onset of disease, damage to yin by medicinal toxicity with internal blazing of latent fire as the driver of disease progression, and the interlocking of blood stasis and heat with intense scorching by fire toxin as the critical factor leading to severe and life-threatening conditions. Corresponding to these three stages, targeted prescriptions are formulated, Jiuwei Yishen Formulation (九味益肾方) to tonify the spleen and kidney, raise yang, and disperse fire; Ziyin Xiehuo Decoction (滋阴泄火汤) to nourish yin and fluids while clearing latent fire; and Santeng Changluo Jiedu Decoction (三藤畅络解毒汤) to dispel blood stasis, unblock the collaterals, detoxify, and restrain fire. This staged and integrated therapeutic strategy aims to address both root and branch and to achieve overall regulation, providing valuable guidance for the clinical differentiation and treatment of SLE.
7.A Review of Methods for Establishing and Evaluating Animal Models of Stroke
Yunrong YANG ; Wenyu WU ; Yue TAN ; Guofeng YAN ; Yao LI ; Jin LU
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):94-106
Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide. Research into its mechanisms and the development of therapeutic strategies heavily rely on animal models that accurately replicate the pathological features of human disease. An ideal animal model for stroke should not only reproduce the neurological deficits and pathological changes observed in clinical patients but also demonstrate good reproducibility and translational value. This review focuses on the preparation and evaluation methods of ischemic stroke animal models. Firstly, it elaborates on the selection criteria, advantages, and disadvantages of experimental animals, including rodents (rats, mice) and non-rodents (non-human primates, miniature pigs, rabbits, zebrafish). Secondly, it provides a detailed overview of the modeling principles, key procedures, and application scopes for ischemic stroke models and hemorrhagic stroke models. Furthermore, the review summarizes advances in the applications of emerging technologies—including gene editing [e.g., clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene editing], multimodal imaging (e.g., two-photon microscopy, photoacoustic imaging), artificial intelligence, optogenetics, 3D bioprinting, organoid models, and multi-omics–in model optimization, precise assessment, and mechanistic investigation. Finally, based on a systematic analysis of relevant domestic and international literature from 2019 to 2024, this review discusses model selection strategies based on research objectives, a multidimensional evaluation system encompassing behavioral, imaging, and molecular pathological assessments, and envisions future directions involving technological integration to achieve model precision and individualization. This article aims to provide a comprehensive methodological reference to help researchers select appropriate animal models of stroke according to specific scientific questions.
8.Research on integrating the red doctor spirit into the training system of military medical cadets under the “five arts” concept
Xiaojuan WU ; Yan WU ; Changyong MA ; Qiuju ZHANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(2):263-267
The new synergistic education model integrating the “five arts” medical talent cultivation philosophy and the red doctor spirit could form a virtuous cycle of “spiritual guidance-technological breakthrough-spiritual reshaping” in the field of military medical education. Addressing the existing challenges in the process of military medical cadets’ training, such as mission awareness, humanistic care, battlefield rescue, and emergency response, this study proposed integrating the red doctor spirit, characterized by political steadfastness, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying, selfless devotion, relentless pursuit of excellence, and seeking truth and innovation, into the training system under the guidance of the “five arts” philosophy, including establishing a foundation through Daoist arts, forging the soul with benevolence, empowering through academia, tempering through technology, and nurturing the mind through artistry. A cultivation model was constructed featuring “moral education as the priority and cultivating through soul-forging; military spirit as the root and medical professionalism as the foundation and training for warfare; mastery in medicine for battlefield success and cultivating talent through rigorous scholarship.” Furthermore, through pathways including the optimization and implementation of the curriculum system, the enhancement and innovation of practical teaching, the development and training of the faculty team, and the improvement and innovation of the evaluation system, this model assisted in achieve the goal of cultivating compound talents with “the red medicine essence plus the five arts foundation.” These talents also built their foundation on the “five arts” philosophy, forge their spirit with the red doctor spirit, and was tempered with battlefield adaptability.
9.Comparison of clinical efficacy of evolocumab and probucol after PCI in patients with ultra-high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Yi YUAN ; Na LI ; Haiying SUN ; Jing SUN ; Yongqiang MA ; Yan WU ; Guohong YANG ; Junxiang LIU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):645-649
OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of evolocumab and probucol in patients with ultra-high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 156 ultra-high-risk ASCVD patients who underwent PCI in our institution between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. According to the lipid-lowering regimen, the patients were categorized into evolocumab group ( n =86) and probucol group ( n =70). Changes in lipid parameters [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprot ein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, lipoprotein (a), and lipid goal achievement rate ] , inflammatory markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) ] , and cardiac function indices (left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) were compared between two groups at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. The incidence of adverse clinical events during treatment, including acute myocardial infarction, in-stent restenosis, acute heart failure, cerebral hemorrhage, and stroke, was also evaluated. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups at baseline ( P >0.05). After 6 months of treatment, both groups demonstrated significant improvements in lipid profiles (except HDL-C) and inflammatory markers compared to those at baseline ( P <0.05). The evolocumab group exhibited greater reductions in TC, LDL-C, IL-6, and CRP, along with a higher lipid target achievement rate, compared with the probucol group ( P <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the cardiac function-related indicators before and after treatment between the two groups, nor in the incidence of adverse events during the treatment ( P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS For ultra-high-risk ASCVD patients after PCI, both of the above treatment options are associated with improvements in blood lipid and inflammatory response, with good safety during short-term follow-up. Evolocumab shows superior efficacy in TC, LDL-C and inflammatory markers reduction and lipid target achievement, compared to probucol.
10.Analysis of diagnosis and treatment of Epstein-Barr virus-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (GCB type) after kidney transplantation
Yan LI ; Xiaoyan ZHANG ; Xiang REN ; Tong XU ; Guohui WANG ; Ruochen QI ; Dongjuan WU ; Kepu LIU ; Weijun QIN ; Shuaijun MA
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(2):257-265
Objective To analyze the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the context of specific cases and literature. Methods A case of EBV-negative DLBCL (GCB type) after kidney transplantation is reported. The patient was a 45-year-old male who underwent living-related kidney transplantation in 2016 and has been receiving triple immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and methylprednisolone since then. In 2024, the patient presented with intermittent fever, night sweats and gastrointestinal symptoms. The diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic pathology, immunohistochemical staining and positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The R-CDOP regimen (rituximab + cyclophosphamide + liposomal doxorubicin + vincristine + dexamethasone) was used for treatment. Results The patient was diagnosed with EBV-negative DLBCL (GCB type, Ann Arbor stage Ⅳ B). After 4 cycles of R-CDOP chemotherapy, the efficacy assessment was partial remission, and the transplant kidney function remained stable. Conclusions For EBV-negative PTLD after kidney transplantation, it is necessary to break through the "virus-dependent" diagnostic thinking. In clinical practice, the focus should be on protecting the transplant kidney, and individualized treatment plans should be developed for patients.

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