The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Berberis/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Molecular Structure ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*

Based on copper death, this study investigates the effect and mechanism of Shenmai Injection on isoproterenol(ISO)-induced myocardial fibrosis(MF) in rats. SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, model group, captopril(5 mg·kg~(-1)) positive control group, and Shenmai Injection low(6 mL·kg~(-1)), medium(9 mL·kg~(-1)), and high(12 mL·kg~(-1)) dose groups. Except for the normal group, the rats in the other groups were subcutaneously injected with ISO(5 mg·kg~(-1)) once a day for 10 consecutive days to establish an MF model. Starting from the second day after successful modeling, intraperitoneal injections of the respective treatments were administered for 28 consecutive days. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Masson staining were used to observe pathological changes and fibrosis levels in the myocardial tissue. Colorimetry was employed to detect serum Cu~(2+) concentration in rats. The levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-18(IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), as well as mitochondrial energy metabolites adenosine triphosphate(ATP), adenosine diphosphate(ADP), and adenosine monophosphate(AMP) in serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Western blot was performed to detect the expression of collagen Ⅰ(Col-Ⅰ), collagen Ⅲ(Col-Ⅲ), and copper death-related proteins dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase(DLAT), ferredoxin 1(FDX1), lipoic acid synthetase(LIAS), and heat shock protein 70(HSP70) in myocardial tissue. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of DLAT, FDX1, and HSP70, while immunohistochemistry was conducted to examine the expressions of DLAT, FDX1, LIAS, and HSP70. The results showed that, compared to the model group, the myocardial structure disorder and collagen fiber deposition in the drug treatment groups were significantly improved, the cardiac index level was reduced, serum Cu~(2+), IL-6, IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, ADP, and AMP levels were significantly decreased, ATP levels were significantly increased, and the expressions of Col-Ⅰ, Col-Ⅲ, and HSP70 proteins in myocardial tissue were significantly reduced, while the expressions of DLAT, FDX1, and LIAS proteins were significantly elevated. In conclusion, Shenmai Injection effectively alleviates myocardial structure disorder and interstitial collagen fiber deposition in ISO-induced MF rats, promotes copper excretion, and reduces copper death in the ISO-induced rat MF model.
Animals ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Drug Combinations ; Fibrosis/metabolism* ; Copper/blood* ; Cardiomyopathies/genetics* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: To construct a Z-score regression model for coronary artery diameter based on echocardiographic data from children in Sichuan Province and to establish a Z-score calculation formula. METHODS: A total of 744 healthy children who underwent physical examinations at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the modeling group, while 251 children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at the same hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were selected as the validation group. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the relationships between coronary artery diameter values and age, height, weight, and body surface area. A regression model was constructed using function transformation to identify the optimal regression model and establish the Z-score calculation formula, which was then validated. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficients for the diameters of the left main coronary artery, left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery with body surface area were 0.815, 0.793, 0.704, and 0.802, respectively (P<0.05). Among the constructed regression models, the power function regression model demonstrated the best performance and was therefore chosen as the optimal model for establishing the Z-score calculation formula. Based on this Z-score calculation formula, the detection rate of coronary artery lesions was found to be 21.5% (54/251), which was higher than the detection rate based on absolute values of coronary artery diameter. Notably, in the left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries, the detection rate of coronary artery lesions using this Z-score calculation formula was higher than that of previous classic Z-score calculation formulas. CONCLUSIONS The Z-score calculation formula established based on the power function regression model has a higher detection rate for coronary artery lesions, providing a strong reference for clinicians, particularly in assessing coronary artery lesions in children with Kawasaki disease.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Infant ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Regression Analysis ; Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging* ; Echocardiography ; Adolescent

Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca²⁺ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals ; Laminin/genetics* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Male ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Integrin beta1/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction

BACKGROUND: There is a gap in understanding the effects of different acupoints and treatment methods (acupuncture and moxibustion) on microcirculatory changes in the lumbar region. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the thermal effects of acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40), with acupuncture at Chize (LU5) and moxibustion at both acupoints as control interventions. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In this randomized controlled trial, 140 healthy participants were equally divided into four groups: acupuncture at BL40 (Acu-BL40), acupuncture at LU5 (Acu-LU5), moxibustion at BL40 (Mox-BL40) and moxibustion at LU5 (Mox-LU5). Participants underwent a 30-minute session of their assigned treatment. Infrared thermal imaging was used to collect temperature data on the areas of interest for analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary measure was the change in average temperature of the observed area after the intervention. The secondary measures included periodic temperature changes every 5 min and the temperature changes of the Governor Vessel and Bladder Meridian in the observed area after the intervention. RESULTS: Significant interactions were observed between treatments and acupoints affecting temperature (P < 0.001). The Acu-BL40 group showed a notably higher increase in mean temperature after 30 min compared to the Acu-LU5 and Mox-BL40 groups, with increases of 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.17 to 0.41) and 0.24 (95% CI = 0.08 to 0.41) °C, respectively. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at BL40 acupoint can significantly increase the mean temperature in the observed area, highlighting the specific thermal effect of acupuncture compared to moxibustion in the lumbar area. This suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of acupuncture at BL40 for managing lumbar conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05665426). Please cite this article as: Zheng SY, Wang XY, Lin LN, Liu S, Huang XX, Liu YY, Yu XS, Pan W, Fang JQ, Liang Y. Lumbar temperature change after acupuncture or moxibustion at Weizhong (BL40) or Chize (LU5) in healthy adults: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 145-151.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Body Temperature ; Healthy Volunteers ; Lumbosacral Region/physiology* ; Moxibustion ; Adolescent

Triterpenoids in cosmetic raw materials have attracted much attention due to their various skin-care effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and moisturizing properties, showing broad application prospects. However, the conventional methods such as chemical synthesis and plant extraction for obtaining triterpenoid have problems like poor sustainability, which limit their application in large-scale production. In recent years, with the development of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, yeast synthesis of compounds has provided a green and sustainable alternative for the production of triterpenoids. This article reviews the research progress in the synthesis of triterpenoids and their derivatives in the cosmetic field and elaborates on the two main synthesis pathways (mevalonate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways) and their advantages and limitations in different microbial hosts. In addition, this article introduces the current status of the synthesis of triterpenoids and their derivatives in yeast, discusses the current strategies for increasing the yield, and looks ahead to the future development directions, aiming to promote the applications of triterpenoids in the cosmetic field.
Triterpenes/metabolism* ; Cosmetics/chemistry* ; Metabolic Engineering/methods* ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics* ; Synthetic Biology

ObjectiveTo elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Cyperi Rhizoma by structure-activity omics. MethodOn the basis of the previous in vitro efficacy study by our research group， this study explored the in vivo efficacy of the flavonoids in Cyperi Rhizoma. The flavonoids in Cyperi Rhizoma and their targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， PharmMapper， Swiss TargetPrediction， and available articles. The targets of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects were collected from DisGeNET and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）. The common targets shared by flavonoids and the effects were selected as the direct targets of flavonoids endowing Cyperi Rhizoma with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects， and protein-protein interaction （PPI） network of the core targets was constructed. The method of structure-activity omics was employed to correlate the structure and efficacy of one or more classes of chemical components in Cyperi Rhizoma with the targets as a bridge. The components were classified according to structure. Molecular docking of components to core targets was carried out via SYBYL-X 2.1.1， PyMol， and Discovery Studio 4.5 visualizer. Two targets with the highest binding affinity were selected to explore the relationship between compound structures and targets. ResultThe flavonoids in Cyperi Rhizoma exerted anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on the mouse model of pain induced by formaldehyde. Eighteen components and 115 direct targets were screened out， and the core targets with high activities were protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， cellular tumor antigen p53 （TP53）， prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2）， and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）. According to the structures， the flavonoids in Cyperi Rhizoma were classified into bioflavonoids， flavonols， flavones， and flavanes. The molecular docking results showed that flavonoids of Cyperi Rhizoma had the highest binding affinity to TP53 and PTGS2. The results of structure-activity omics showed that bioflavonoids represented the best binding structure to the targets， while their polyhydroxyl etherification resulted in a significant decrease in the binding affinity to PTGS2. Glycosides had higher binding affinity to PTGS2. The introduction of the long-chain hydrocarbon group to the A ring of flavonols facilitated the binding to TP53， while the change of B ring substituents was not the main factor affecting the binding affinity. The 3，4-dihydroxyl flavane outperformed 3-hydroxyl flavane in the binding to TP53， while the two compounds showed similar binding affinity to PTGS2. ConclusionThe method of structure-activity omics was used to analyze the material basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of flavonoids in Cyperi Rhizoma. Structure-activity omics provides new ideas for revealing the pharmacodynamic substances of traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo reveal the pharmacodynamic substances for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma by structure-activity omics. MethodOn the basis of the previous study about the screening of active components in vitro， this study explored the effects of flavonoids in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma in vivo. The flavonoids in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and their direct targets for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， PharmMapper， Swiss TargetPrediction， DisGeNET， and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）. STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2 were employed to establish the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network of key targets. Molecular docking was performed to simulate the binding of five targets with high degrees to flavonoids in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， on the basis of which the key core targets were selected. The targets were used as a bridge to correlate the structures and effects of one or more classes of chemical components in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. According to the binding affinity between flavonoids with different structures in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and targets， the relationships between compound structures and core targets were discussed. ResultThe flavonoids in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma reduced the content of prostaglandin E₂ （PGE₂） in the rat model of pain induced by formalin， demonstrating definite anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Sixty active compounds （flavonoids） with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma were obtained. With the total score as the standard， prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2） and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 （MAPK3） were selected as the key core targets of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Except that flavones showed selectivity of binding to MAPK3， the other flavonoids of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma showed strong binding to PTGS2 and MAPK3， and the structures containing glycoside fragments showed stronger binding affinity to the targets. The introduction of chain olefins in the ring of chalcones facilitated the binding to the targets. The isopentenyl fragment in flavonols may cause the difference in binding affinity. The parallel combination of a ring into pyran ring in flavanes was not conducive to the binding to the target. The electric charge， liposolubility， and steric hindrance of the substituent group on the B ring of isoflavones directly affected the binding affinity. ConclusionThis study adopts structure-activity omics to analyze the material basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. Structure-activity omics provides new ideas and methods for predicting the pharmacodynamic substances of traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the active compounds for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Paeoniae Radix Alba from structure-activity omics. MethodOn the basis of the previous in vitro efficacy study by our research group， a mouse model of foot swelling was induced by methyl aldehyde and used to study the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of total glycosides of Paeoniae Radix Alba in vivo. The core targets of the active compounds for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Paeoniae Radix Alba were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， and Search Tool for Recurring Instances of Neighbouring Genes （STRING）. Molecular docking was conducted for the total glucosides of Paeoniae Radix Alba with the core targets， and the key core targets with high binding affinity were screened out according to the comprehensive score of each target and active structure. The structure-activity relationship was analyzed with targets as a bridge through the combination of compound structures and pharmacological effects. ResultThe total glucosides of Paeoniae Radix Alba had good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in vivo. The core targets of 23 active components of Paeoniae Radix Alba were epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， cellular tumor antigen p53 （TP53）， and proto-oncogene transcription factor （JUN）. According to the structure of the parent nucleus， there were 16 pinane monoterpene glycosides， 4 pinene monoterpene glycosides， 2 monoterpene lactone glycosides， and 1 monoterpene ketone. The key core targets screened out by molecular docking were EGFR and STAT3. The structure-activity analysis of the active compound structures and the key core targets showed that the introduction of ketone group and benzene ring group on the parent nucleus affected the binding activity. ConclusionThis study analyzed the material basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of total glycosides of Paeoniae Radix Alba from structure-activity omics， providing new ideas and methods for revealing the pharmacodynamic substances in traditional Chinese medicine.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for the clinical outcome of patients with drug-induced liver injury （DILI）， and to establish a nomogram prediction model for validation. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the general information and laboratory data of 188 patients with DILI who were admitted to Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Harbin Institute of Technology from January 2017 to December 2022， and according to their clinical outcome， they were divided into good outcome group with 146 patients and poor outcome group with 42 patients. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the independent influencing factors for the clinical outcome of DILI patients. R Studio 4.1.2 software was used to establish a nomogram model， and calibration curve， receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve， and decision curve analysis （DCA） were used to perform internal validation. ResultsThe univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that liver biopsy for the diagnosis of DILI， platelet count， cholinesterase， albumin， prothrombin time activity， IgM， and IgG were associated with adverse outcomes in patients with DILI. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that liver biopsy for the diagnosis of DILI （odds ratio ［OR］=0.072， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.022‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.213， P<0.001）， clinical classification （OR=0.463， 95%CI： 0.213‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.926， P=0.039）， alanine aminotransferase （OR=0.999， 95%CI： 0.998‍ ‍—‍ ‍1.000， P=0.025）， prothrombin time activity （OR=0.973， 95%CI： 0.952‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.993， P=0.011）， and IgM （OR=1.456， 95%CI： 1.082‍ ‍—‍ ‍2.021， P=0.015） were independent influencing factors for clinical outcome in patients with DILI. The nomogram prediction model was established， and after validation， the calibration curve was close to the reference curve. The area under the ROC curve was 0.829， and the DCA curve showed that the model had good net clinical benefit. ConclusionThe nomogram prediction model established in this study has good clinical calibration， discriminative ability， and application value in evaluating the clinical outcome of patients with DILI.