1.Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasomes to Ameliorate Cognitive Impairment in Epilepsy
Xingdan ZHU ; Yinhua KAI ; Rong TIAN ; Xin YANG ; Jiayi HE ; Xiangxin GUO ; Yadong MU ; Cui JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(14):308-316
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism through which Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang ameliorates cognitive impairment in epileptic rats induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine by regulating the neuroinflammatory reaction mediated by NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly allocated into blank, model, carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1), Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1), and carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1) + Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1) groups (n=12). After the modeling of epilepsy, rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 12 weeks. At the 6th and 12th week of the intervention, the rats’ hyper-excited behavior was evaluated by the stylus experiment, and at the 12th week of intervention, the cognitive function was evaluated by Barnes maze. At the same time, the seizure frequency and severity grade (Racine score) were recorded. The serum and hippocampus tissue samples were collected after anesthesia for the following tests. Nissl staining was used to evaluate the degree of neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 area. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampus was determined by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemical method was adopted to detect the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a card (ASC) in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze the protein levels of NLRP3, cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. ResultsThe model group showed increased stylus scores at the 6th and 12th week after modeling, a decreased Barnes maze strategy score at the 12th week, a prolonged incubation period (P<0.05), elevated serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), decreased neurons with scattered arrangement and large gaps in the hippocampus, increased content of MDA in the hippocampus (P<0.05), an increased positive expression of ASC, and up-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the intervention with Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang for 12 weeks was accompanied by a decreased stylus score, epileptic seizures with a decreased score, a decreased number, and shortened duration, an increased Barnes maze strategy score, shortened escape latency (P<0.01), declined serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), regular morphology of hippocampal neurons, reduced MDA content in the hippocampus (P<0.05), a decreased positive expression of ASC, and down-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, compared with the carbamazepine group, Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang + carbamazepine showed improved performance in controlling the seizure, improved the cognitive behavior score and morphology of hippocampal neurons, alleviated the oxidative stress products, lowered the levels of inflammatory factors, reduced the positive expression of ASC in the hippocampus, and down-regulated the expression of Caspase-1, NLRP3 and BDNF, with no significant differences. ConclusionBanxia Baizhu Tianmatang may reduce neuroinflammation, control epileptic seizures, and ameliorate cognitive impairment by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
2.Exploring Mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the Treatment of Epilepsy Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Xin YANG ; Jin FU ; Cui JIANG ; Yinhua KAI ; Jiayi HE ; Xiangxin GUO ; Rong TIAN
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(3):776-791
Objective To analyze the target,signal pathway and potential mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the treatment of epilepsy based on network pharmacology,and to verify it by molecular docking technology and animal experiments.Methods The active ingredients and drug targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction were screened by BATMAN and other databases.The targets of epilepsy-related diseases were obtained by GeneCards and other databases,and the intersection targets were taken.Constructing'drug-ingredient-target-disease'network and PPI network to screen the core targets.The core active ingredients were screened according to GO,KEGG functional enrichment analysis and'pathway-target-active ingredient'network.Molecular docking was used to verify the core targets and core active ingredients.In the animal experiment,the rat model of epilepsy was induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine,and 40 Wistar rats were divided into normal control group,model control group,carbamazepine group and Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction group.The seizures were observed by behavior.Nissl staining was used to observe neuronal damage in hippocampus.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of BAX,BCL-2 and Caspase-3 protein.Results A total of 1072 targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction were screened,1046 disease targets of epilepsy were screened,and 220 intersection targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the treatment of epilepsy were screened.The core targets AKT1,ALB,ACTB,INS and TNF of PPI network were obtained.KEGG pathway mainly involves TNF signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,cAMP signaling pathway,pathways of neurodegeneration-multiple diseases,serotonergic synapse and Dopaminergic synapse.The core active ingredients with the highest correlation in the'pathway-target-active component'network were Betulin,Ephedrine,Ergotamine and Thymol.Results of molecular docking indicated that the core target had satisfactory affinity with those active ingredients.Animal experiments showed that Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction could effectively reduce epileptic seizures in rats,improve hippocampal neuronal damage in rats,significantly reduce the percentage of neuronal apoptosis,significantly down-regulate the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins BAX and Caspase-3,and up-regulate the expression of anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2.Conclusion Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction has the characteristics of multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway in the treatment of epilepsy.Inhibiting neuronal apoptosis and reducing hippocampal neuronal damage may be one of the important mechanisms for its treatment of epilepsy.
3.Exploring Mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the Treatment of Epilepsy Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Xin YANG ; Jin FU ; Cui JIANG ; Yinhua KAI ; Jiayi HE ; Xiangxin GUO ; Rong TIAN
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(3):776-791
Objective To analyze the target,signal pathway and potential mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the treatment of epilepsy based on network pharmacology,and to verify it by molecular docking technology and animal experiments.Methods The active ingredients and drug targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction were screened by BATMAN and other databases.The targets of epilepsy-related diseases were obtained by GeneCards and other databases,and the intersection targets were taken.Constructing'drug-ingredient-target-disease'network and PPI network to screen the core targets.The core active ingredients were screened according to GO,KEGG functional enrichment analysis and'pathway-target-active ingredient'network.Molecular docking was used to verify the core targets and core active ingredients.In the animal experiment,the rat model of epilepsy was induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine,and 40 Wistar rats were divided into normal control group,model control group,carbamazepine group and Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction group.The seizures were observed by behavior.Nissl staining was used to observe neuronal damage in hippocampus.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of BAX,BCL-2 and Caspase-3 protein.Results A total of 1072 targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction were screened,1046 disease targets of epilepsy were screened,and 220 intersection targets of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in the treatment of epilepsy were screened.The core targets AKT1,ALB,ACTB,INS and TNF of PPI network were obtained.KEGG pathway mainly involves TNF signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,cAMP signaling pathway,pathways of neurodegeneration-multiple diseases,serotonergic synapse and Dopaminergic synapse.The core active ingredients with the highest correlation in the'pathway-target-active component'network were Betulin,Ephedrine,Ergotamine and Thymol.Results of molecular docking indicated that the core target had satisfactory affinity with those active ingredients.Animal experiments showed that Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction could effectively reduce epileptic seizures in rats,improve hippocampal neuronal damage in rats,significantly reduce the percentage of neuronal apoptosis,significantly down-regulate the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins BAX and Caspase-3,and up-regulate the expression of anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2.Conclusion Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction has the characteristics of multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway in the treatment of epilepsy.Inhibiting neuronal apoptosis and reducing hippocampal neuronal damage may be one of the important mechanisms for its treatment of epilepsy.
4.Research on the clinical medical humanities teaching system from the perspective of medical-literature integration
Yinhua ZHOU ; Yu CHENG ; Changjie CUI ; Xiaohui TIAN ; Longwen FU ; Chan FANG ; Xiaoxing LIAO ; Qikun CHEN
Chinese Medical Ethics 2024;37(7):860-866
Aiming at the current situation of insufficient integration of medical humanities teaching and clinical practice,as well as the need for further research and improvement in the teaching system,guided by the concept of medicine and humanistic literacy integration advocated by the new medical science,this paper deeply discussed the construction of clinical medical humanities teaching system from four aspects,including the selection of clinical medical humanities teachers and team building;the teaching path that combines theoretical education,narrative medicine,and clinical skill training infused with medical humanities content;curriculum ideological and political construction with the goal of establishing the core concept and value orientation of"patient-centered";the teaching assessment and evaluation method characterized by formative evaluation.The clinical medical humanities teaching system emphasizes the practicality,experiential,and emotional aspects of medical humanities teaching,deeply integrating medical humanities with clinical practice teaching content throughout the clinical internship period of medical education,with a view to enhancing the humanistic practice ability and literacy of medical students.
5.Effect of long-term alcohol intake on field potential of cerebellar granule layer in mice and its mechanism
Yanji JIN ; Guanglin JIN ; Min ZHENG ; Yinhua XU ; Songbiao CUI
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2021;30(3):193-199
Objective:To investigate the effect of long-term alcohol intake on sensory information synaptic transmission of mossy fiber-granular cells in the cerebellar cortex of mice.Methods:Twenty healthy male ICR mice aged 6 to 8 weeks were divided into normal saline group(control group) and alcohol intake group(alcohol group) according to random number table, with 10 mice in each group. The mice in alcohol group were injected intraperitoneally with 20% alcohol and the mice in control group were injected with the same amount of saline for 28 days.After the injection, the scalp, muscle tissue and skull were removed in turn, and the dura mater was removed to fully expose the crus II area of cerebellum. The mice were stimulated by air blowing at 30 mm of the ipsilateral tentacle pad with a gas jet device.When the the maximal response site was determined, the NMDA receptor antagonist (D-APV), metabolic glutamate receptor 1 antagonist (JNJ16259685) and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) were perfused on the brain surface of mice. Each drug was perfused for 20 minutes and ACSF was used between the two drugs until the waveform was recovered. Patch clamp amplifier was used to record the changes of potential waveform in mouse cerebellar granule layer. The data were analyzed by the softwares of Clampfit 10.3 and SPSS 22.0.Results:After exposure to wind stimulation, the latency of field potential response in granular layer of mice in alcohol group (11.8±0.7)ms was significantly longer than that in the control group (10.1±0.2)ms ( t=-8.041, P<0.05), and the amplitude of N1 (1.2±0.1) MV was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.6±0.1) MV ( t=-12.728, P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the rise time of P1 waveform((4.4±0.2)ms, (3.2±0.2)ms), duration ((12.1±0.5)ms, (10.3±0.2)ms), extinction time((7.8±0.2)ms, (6.9± 0.2)ms), volume under waveform ((7.3±0.2)ms, (4.3±0.2)ms) were significantly increased in the alcohol group ( t=16.100, - 11.840, -11.673, -35.576, all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the amplitude, half width, rise time and decay time of Roff wave between the two groups ( t=-1.909, -0.910, -0.789, 1.462, all P>0.05). When JNJ16259685 was perfused on the brain surface of mice in alcohol group, the amplitude of field potential evoked by five blowing stimuli had no significant difference compared with that before administration (all P>0.05). When D-APV was perfused into the brain surface of mice in the alcohol group, the amplitude of P1 ((42.3±1.5) Mv)was significantly lower than that before administration ((101.1±0.9)mV) and after elution ((100.1±2.2) mV) ( t=106.762, - 69.605, both P<0.05), and the area under waveform of P1 ((42.6±1.3)%) was also significantly lower than that before administration ((100.6±1.6)%) and after elution ((97.6±2.2)%) ( t=88.862, -67.791, both P<0.05).The ratio of N2 / N1 (0.3±0.1) was significantly lower than that before administration (0.4±0.1) and after elution (0.3±0.1) ( t=2.242, 2.121, both P<0.05). When NMDA was perfused on the brain surface of mice in the control group, compared with before administration and after elution, the amplitude of P1 ((110.7±3.2) mV, (100.1±0.9) mV, (102.0±1.7) mV, t=-10.173, 7.669, both P<0.05), the area under the waveform of P1 ((127.9±3.5)%, (100.0±3.1)%, (115.0±5.3)%, t=-18.698, 6.447, both P<0.05), the ratio of N2 / N1 ((0.5±0.1), (0.3±0.1), (0.3±0.1), t=-5.669, 5.669, both P<0.05) were all significantly increased. When D-APV was perfused on the brain surface of mice in control group, the field potential evoked by blowing stimuli had no significant difference compared with that before administration and after elution (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Long-term alcohol intake significantly suppresses the synaptic transmission of excitatory glutamate in MF-GC, and enhances the inhibitory response mediated by GABAA receptor in cerebellar cortex. The inhibitory component is enhanced by NMDA receptor, but not by type 1 metabolic glutamate receptor.
6.Analysis of proliferative lesions of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue in the female productive tract
Dingbao CHEN ; Huan ZHANG ; Yinhua ZHANG ; Ying WANG ; Qiujing SONG ; Shenmiao YANG ; Heng CUI ; Yun ZHAO ; Xinzhi FANG ; Danhua SHEN
Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2018;53(4):263-269
Objective To study the clinicopathologic features,diagnosis and differential diagnosis of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue in the female productive tract. Methods Eleven cases of myeloid sarcoma and leukemia, 9 of non Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL),13 of cervical lymphoma-like lesions were selected from Peking University People′s Hospital from January 2006 to August 2017. According to WHO classification of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues(2008)and updated classification(2016),the cases were studied by microscopy,immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.Results In 20 cases of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue,the mean and median age was 48.5 and 56 years old(range:16-77 years old).In cases of lymphoma-like lesion of uterine cervix,the mean and median age was 45.9 and 48 years old(range:23-62 years old).The patients with neoplasm present as fever,fatigue, hypogastralgia, colporrhagia and mass etc. Eight cases had history of acute myeloid leukemia, and 3 had myeloid leukemia while pregnancy. One case of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma(CLL/SLL)had history of ovary small cell carcinoma and high grade serous carcinoma resected with chemotherapy.One case of diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL)had history of renal transplantation. Lactic dehydrogenase(LDH)was elevated in 9 cases(9/18).The cases of lymphoma-like lesion present as contact bleeding in most cases and all located in cervix. Four cases of neoplasm located in vulva, 1 in vagina,4 in cervix, 4 in uterine corpus, 8 in ovary and 2 in placenta.Clinical staging of NHL: 4 case was stageⅠ,1 case of stageⅢ,and 4 cases of stageⅣ.Pathological morphology:9 cases were myeloid sarcoma, 2 cases were placenta invaded by myeloid leukemia. Six cases were DLBCL, and 1 case was CLL/SLL, 1 case was mucosa associated lymphoid tissuse lymphoma(MALToma), and 1 case was anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Resected mass, chemotherapy was performed in tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue. Five cases of myeloid sarcoma and 2 of NHL died. In 13 cases of lymphoma-like lesion of uterine cervix, the general condition was good as following up. Conclusions The clinical history, pathological morphology and immunohistochemistry are very important for diagnosing tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue in the female productive tract.Resection with chemotherapy is recommended in treatment. The prognosis of lymphoma-like lesion of uterine cervix is good,and should be differentiated from lymphoma.
7.Briefly Analyzing to the Production of QinShao Tablets
Yinhua CUI ; Huijin WU ; Shuqin YANG ; Guijiang DAI
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2009;31(3):223-
Objective To observe the influence of different extraction technologies on baicalin content in QinShao tablet. Methods Determine the changes of baicalin content in two different decocting methods: 1 to decoct Baical Skullcap Root together with other Chinese medicines, and 2 to decoct Baical Skullcap Root after other medicines. Results The result showed the later decocting method (decoct baical skullcap root later) can increase the content of baicalin by 5.2mg/g. Conclusion To decoct Baical Skullcap Root after other medicines in QinShao tablet can increase the content of baicalin and thus enhance its clinical therapeutic effects.

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