Five saponins were isolated from the kernels of Momordica cochinchinensis, by macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS column chromatography, and semi preparative HPLC. Based on MS and NMR analysis, combining with alkaline hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis, their structures were identified as: gypsogenin-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (1), quillaic acid-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (2), gypsogenin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (3), quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (4), 18α-quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside (5). Compounds 1-5 were new compounds, and named as mubezhisides A, B, C, D, E, respectively. They all could obviously inhibited the growth of Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis.

Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KXA) on perioperative coronary microcirculation in patients with unstable angina (UA) suffering from elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: From February 2021 to July 2023, UA inpatients who underwent PCI alone in the left anterior descending (LAD) branch were included. Random numbers were generated to divide patients into the trial group and the control group at a ratio of 1:1. The index of coronary microcirculation resistance (IMR) was measured before PCI, and the trial group was given two sprays of KXA, while the control group was not given. IMR was measured again after PCI, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB) were detected before and 24 h after surgery, and major cardiovascular adverse events (MACEs) were recorded for 30 days. The data statistics and analysis personnel were blinded. RESULTS: Totally 859 patients were screened, and 62 of them were involved into this study. Finally, 1 patient in the trial group failed to complete the post-PCI IMR and was excluded, 30 patients were included for data analysis, while 31 patients in the control group were enrolled in data analysis. There was no significant difference in baseline data (age, gender, risk factors, previous history, biochemical index, and drug therapy, etc.) between the two groups. In addition, differences in IMR, cTnI and CK-MB were not statistically significant between the two groups before surgery. After PCI, the IMR level of the trial group was significantly lower than that of the control group (19.56 ± 14.37 vs. 27.15 ± 15.03, P=0.048). Besides, the incidence of perioperative myocardial injury (PMI) was lower in the trial group, but the difference was not statistically significant (6.67% vs. 16.13%, P=0.425). No MACEs were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS KXA has the potential of improving coronary microvascular dysfunction. This study provides reference for the application of KXA in UA patients undergoing elective PCI. (Registration No. ChiCTR2300069831).
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Male ; Microcirculation/drug effects* ; Female ; Angina, Unstable/physiopathology* ; Pilot Projects ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Aerosols ; Troponin I/blood* ; Coronary Circulation/drug effects* ; Elective Surgical Procedures

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether adding Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji (FZJDXJ) therapy improves survival in advanced hepatitis B virus-related HCC (HBV-HCC) patients. METHODS: This prospective, randomized controlled study was performed at a major academic medical center in Beijing, China from October 2020 to October 2022. Eligible patients with advanced HBV-HCC were randomly divided equally (1:1) to receive either the combination of FZJDXJ and conventional Western medical therapy (63 cases, FZJDXJ group) or solely Western medicine (66 cases, control group). The study endpoints consisted of overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome, with progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs) as secondary measures. RESULTS: The median OS was significantly prolonged in the FZJDXJ group at 8.9 months (95% CI: 6.0-11.9) vs. 4.4 months (95% CI: 3.2-7.3) in the control group (P<0.05). The hazard ratio for mortality in the FZJDXJ group was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.40-0.89), suggesting a 41% lower risk of death compared to the control group. The results revealed that patients receiving FZJDXJ therapy achieved a PFS of 5.1 months (95% CI: 4.1 to 7.2 months), compared to only 2.9 months (95% CI: 2.0 to 4.6 months) in the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, DCR was significantly elevated in the FZJDXJ group (20.6%) compared to the control group (10.6%, P<0.05). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that FZJDXJ significantly improved OS in patients with alpha-fetoprotein levels <400 ng/mL, age <60 years, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C, and compensated liver function (Child-Pugh A and B, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that FZJDXJ therapy acted as an independent factor protecting against mortality within 1 year. Gastrointestinal symptoms are rare side effects, and no fatalities associated with the treatment were reported. CONCLUSION This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that FZJDXJ combined Western conventional therapy significantly improves OS and PFS in patients with advanced HBV-HCC. (registration No. ChiCTR2000033941).
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Liver Neoplasms/virology* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Hepatitis B virus ; Adult ; Aged ; Hepatitis B/drug therapy*

The ventral anterior (VA) nucleus of the thalamus is a major target of the basal ganglia and is closely associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Notably, the VA receives direct innervation from the hypothalamic histaminergic system. However, its role in PD remains unknown. Here, we assessed the contribution of histamine to VA neuronal activity and PD motor deficits. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed reduced VA activity in PD patients. Optogenetic activation of VA neurons or histaminergic afferents significantly alleviated motor deficits in 6-OHDA-induced PD rats. Furthermore, histamine excited VA neurons via H1 and H2 receptors and their coupled hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, inward-rectifier K⁺ channels, or Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels. These results demonstrate that histaminergic afferents actively compensate for Parkinsonian motor deficits by biasing VA activity. These findings suggest that targeting VA histamine receptors and downstream ion channels may be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD motor dysfunction.
Animals ; Histamine/metabolism* ; Male ; Oxidopamine/toxicity* ; Rats ; Ventral Thalamic Nuclei/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Disease Models, Animal ; Parkinson Disease/metabolism* ; Neurons/physiology* ; Humans ; Optogenetics

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Astragalus (AST) on osteoporosis (OP) and the downstream mechanisms. METHODS: Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were induced to differentiate into osteogenic cells. After transfection with relevant plasmids, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis were assessed. Alizarin red staining was used to detect calcium nodules in the cells, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was used to detect ALP activity in the cells, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine RUNX2 and Osterix expression levels. An OP rat model was established using ovariectomy and micro-computed tomography scanning. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining were used to evaluate the pathological conditions of bone tissues, while immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect RUNX2 in bone tissues. RESULTS: AST promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, reduced miR-181d-5p expression levels, and increased SOX11 expression levels. Restoring miR-181d-5p expression or reducing SOX11 expression levels reversed the effects of AST on the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. miR-181d-5p was found to target SOX11 in hBMSCs. AST improved OP in rats, and miR-181d-5p overexpression or SOX11 inhibition reversed the therapeutic effects of AST on OP in rats. CONCLUSION AST promoted the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs and alleviated OP by targeting SOX11 via miR-181d-5p.
Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Animals ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

Objective:To evaluate the perioperative application effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) clinical pathway in percutaneous vertebro plasty (PVP).Methods:The clinical data of 274 patients who underwent PVP treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2023 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different numbers of surgical segments: the single-segment group ( n=211) and the multisegment group ( n=63). Patients in the single-segment group underwent single-segment surgery, while patients in the multisegment group underwent surgery on ≥2 segments. The core points of the ERAS clinical pathway adopted in this study include perioperative education, pain management, early mobilization, application of "outfast", and joint guidance from the departments of nutrition and rehabilitation. Comparison was made between the two groups of patients in terms of visual analog scale (VAS) scores for low back pain at preoperative, 2 h, 6 h, 24 h postoperatively, and on the day of discharge; Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores preoperatively and on the day of discharge; time to first ambulation postoperatively, total length of hospital stay, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and perioperative application of Opioid consumption. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and the independent sample t-test was used for comparison between groups; count data were expressed as cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. The VAS pain scores at each stage of the perioperative period were evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance or generalized estimating equations. Results:Compared with that before the operation [(6.17±0.93) points, (6.29±0.83) points], the VAS scores of low back pain of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group at 2 hours after surgery [(3.09±0.82) points, (3.27±0.65) points], 6 hours after surgery [(2.60±0.79) points, (2.62±0.55) points], and 24 hours after surgery [(1.89±0.77) points, (1.97±0.72) points] and on the day of discharge [(1.72±0.71) points, (1.81±0.64) points] were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the same stage, the VAS scores of low back pain in both groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The ODI scores of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group on the day of discharge [(24.21±2.35) points, (24.63±3.31) points] were significantly lower than those before the operation [(64.50±4.81) points, (65.52±4.08) points], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in perioperative complications and the proportion of Opioid drug application between the two groups of patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:For patients with single-segment or multisegment OVCF, PVP surgical treatment under ERAS clinical pathway management can achieve immediate pain relief, early ambulation exercise, and satisfactory perioperative efficacy.

Objective To investigate the improvement effects of homogeneous fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)on chemotherapy-induced diarrhea(CID)in mice.Methods Fifteen C57BL/6N mice were divided into control group,CID model group and CID+FMT group according to the random number distribution and remainder grouping method,with 5 mice per group.Control group received no intervention,and their feces were used to prepare fecal bacteria suspension.CID model group was injected intraperitoneally with fluorouracil(65 mg/kg)for 5 consecutive days to construct the CID mouse model,followed by gavage with 0.1 ml of saline on alternate days.CID+FMT group was given 0.1 ml fecal bacteria suspension gavage on alternate days for one week,followed by intraperitoneal injection of fluorouracil(65 mg/kg)for 5 consecutive days to construct the CID mouse model,with the experiment ending on the 14th day.During the experiment,the mice's food intake and body weight were recorded.At the end of the experiment,the mice were euthanized with deep carbon dioxide anesthesia,and the mice colonic specimens from cecum to anus were collected for hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining and histopathological examination.Fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Shannon index,Simpson index and Chao1 algorithm were used to analyze the α-diversity species of the intestinal flora in each group of mice.Similarity analysis(Anosim)was used to perform non-parametric on the inter-group differences of intestinal flora among the mice.Linear discriminate analysis size effect(LEfSe)and nonmetric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)were employed to analyze the intestinal dominant flora and the similarity classification relationships in each group of mice.Results The colonic specimen's length from cecum to anus in CID model group was significantly shorter than that in control group(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference between CID+FMT group and CID model group(P>0.05).The weight of mice in CID model group decreased by 42.04%,while control group mice gained 10.24%,with a significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05).The weight of mice in CID+FMT group decreased by 8.12%,which was significantly improved compared to CID model group(P<0.05).HE staining results revealed the intestinal mucosal structure in CID model group was severely damaged,with atrophy and deformation,accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration,and the pathological score was higher than that of control group(P<0.05).Compared with CID model group,the intestinal mucosal integrity and crypt cells in the CID+FMT group were improved,with less damage,and the pathological score was lower than that of CID model group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).The α-diversity analysis showed that there were significant differences in the Shannon,Simpson and Chao1 indices among the three groups(P<0.05).ANOSIM and NMDS analysis revealed that the intestinal flora in CID+FMT group was closer to the normal intestinal flora compared to CID model group.LEfSe analysis showed that the intestinal flora in CID model group was enriched in famliy_Bacteroidaceae,and the intestinal flora in CID+FMT group was similar to that of control group,with an enrichenment of familiy_Enterobacteriaceae.Conclusion Homogeneous FMT can improve the abundance of intestinal flora in CID mice,making it more similar to normal intestinal flora,thereby protecting intestinal mucosa,reducing damage and alleviating the severity of CID.