1.From Cathartic Colon to Cathartic-dependent Constipation: Diagnostic-therapeutic Strategies from Integrative Medicine Perspective
Youcheng HE ; Fengru JIANG ; Yanru WANG ; Minghan HUANG ; Yue WU ; Chunyu ZHOU ; Lian MO ; Lifeng WEI ; Keyi PAN ; Shuyu CAI ; Jianye YUAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):162-172
Both cathartic colon (CC) and cathartic-dependent constipation (CDC) are caused by the abuse of stimulant laxatives, while their concepts are not completely the same.Starting from the disease name of CC, this article traced the origin and evolution of the concept of CC, summarizes and compared the similarities and differences between CC, CDC, and slow transit constipation (STC), and called for strict differentiation among the three.Furthermore, this article explored the specific contents of Western medicine clinical subtypes and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation of CDC and delved into the TCM pathogenesis of CDC according to both literature and clinical practice.The relationship between clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes was established, and the syndrome characteristics of CDC of different clinical subtypes and TCM syndromes were summarized.The recommended prescriptions for corresponding syndromes were listed.A systematic CDC diagnosis and treatment approach of "clinical subtypes-syndrome differentiation-syndrome characteristics-recommended prescriptions" was thus formed.Additionally, the paper provides an overview of current research on CDC in both Western medicine and TCM contexts, identifies future research directions, and suggests research pathways for refining and advancing CDC studies.
2.Animal Models of Functional Constipation: A Review
Youcheng HE ; Shijin LIN ; Fengru JIANG ; Sihan LI ; Xiao KE ; Wenrong WANG ; Jianye YUAN ; Minghan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):196-209
Functional constipation (FC) is a clinically common functional bowel disorder characterized by a protracted course and associations with various chronic disorders and psychological abnormalities. Although not life-threatening, FC significantly impairs patients' quality of life. FC subtypes include slow-transit constipation (STC), defecatory disorder (DD), and normal-transit constipation (NTC). The pathological mechanisms underlying FC have not been fully elucidated, and overall clinical efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Animal models of FC serve as essential tools for the study of disease mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutics. This article systematically reviews the current state of research on the animal models of FC and identifies that rodents, particularly rats and mice, are the most commonly used species. Dogs and pigs are also employed in complex intervention studies due to their physiological similarities to humans, though their use is limited by housing challenges and ethical considerations. Induction methods vary across different FC subtypes. STC models are primarily established with chemical agents such as loperamide or compound diphenoxylate. DD modeling often involves low-fiber diets combined with methylene blue injection or rectal narrowing. NTC modeling mainly relies on low-fiber dietary interventions. In addition, disease-syndrome combination models based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory have been developed, encompassing excess patterns such as heat accumulation, cold accumulation, and Qi stagnation, as well as deficiency patterns including Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency. These are achieved through an approach of disease model + syndrome induction, enabling the integration of mechanisms from both Western and TCM perspectives. Models are evaluated from two aspects: disease and syndrome manifestations (e.g., colonic transit, secretory function, and TCM syndrome indicators such as mental state and body weight) and disease mechanisms (e.g., enteric nervous system, interstitial cells of Cajal, smooth muscle cells, gut microbiota, and metabolites). However, current research still faces challenges such as poor consistency in some models, non-specific interference in mechanism interpretation, insufficient studies on NTC, and lack of TCM tongue and pulse diagnosis in evaluation. Future efforts should focus on optimizing model stability and specificity to provide a more reliable experimental basis for investigating the pathological mechanisms of FC and developing therapeutic agents.
3.Anti-tumor Mechanism and Clinical Application of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Mannose-Sensitive Hemagglutinin
Hangzhi WEI ; Fahong WU ; Mancai WANG ; Guohui XIAO ; Yinliang BAI ; Youcheng ZHANG
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(4):588-595
The application of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin(PA-MSHA)in the field of an-titumors has been increasing.PA-MSHA has been found to promote tumor cell apoptosis,inhibit tumor cell invasion and migration,differentiation,and change drug resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation(EMT)by inhibiting the EGFR pathway.Meanwhile,PA-MSHA also enhances the immune killing and inhibition of macrophages and T cells to tumor cells through toll-like receptors(TLRs).In this paper,we reviewed the reported anti-tumor mechanism and clinical application of PA-MSHA,suggesting that PA-MSHA may alter the glycosylation of EGFR and TLR proteins by acting on the regulatory process of the cellular mannosy-lation process.PA-MSHA can act on cell membrane proteins,including more receptors with high-mannosylation of signaling path-ways.Elucidating the deep relationship between PA-MSHA and mannosylation is of great significance for the mechanism research and clinical application of PA-MSHA.
4.Role of Akkermansia muciniphila in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Liting ZHENG ; Zhe WANG ; Yuchun CHEN ; Shanshan LIU ; Youcheng XIE ; Chuyi LI ; Xiaohui YU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(3):594-599
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in the world, and it is also one of the main causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, so it is particularly important to curb the development and progression of NAFLD in a timely manner. However, due to its complex pathogeneses, there are currently no effective methods for radical treatment. As a new generation of probiotics, Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk bacteria) can improve metabolic disorders of the body, and more and more studies have shown that Akk bacteria have a potential therapeutic effect on metabolic diseases, especially NAFLD. Therefore, this article briefly reviews the mechanism of action of Akk bacteria in NAFLD, in order to provide new ideas for improving the treatment of NAFLD and creating new therapies.
5.Clinical effects of flaps or myocutaneous flaps transplantation after titanium mesh-retaining debridement in repairing the wounds with exposed titanium mesh after cranioplasty
Lin HE ; Rui WANG ; Chan ZHU ; Xueyuan YU ; Youcheng HE ; Lin ZHOU ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Maoguo SHU
Chinese Journal of Burns 2024;40(3):273-280
Objective:To explore the clinical effects of flaps or myocutaneous flaps transplantation after debridement to repair the wounds with exposed titanium mesh after cranioplasty on the premise of retaining the titanium mesh.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From February 2017 to October 2022, 22 patients with titanium mesh exposure after cranioplasty who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic & Maxillofacial Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, including 15 males and 7 females, aged from 19 to 68 years. After admission, treatments such as bacterial culture of wound exudate sample, anti-infection, and dressing change were carried out. Thorough surgical debridement was performed when the wound improved, and the wound area was 3.0 cm×2.0 cm to 11.0 cm×8.0 cm after debridement. The wound was repaired with local flaps, expanded flaps, or free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps according to the size, location, severity of infection, and surrounding tissue condition of the wounds, and the areas of flaps or myocutaneous flaps were 5.5 cm×4.0 cm to 18.0 cm×15.0 cm. The donor areas of flaps were sutured directly or repaired by split-thickness skin grafts from head. The wound repair method was recorded. The survivals of flaps or myocutaneous flaps after surgery and wound healing in 2 weeks after surgery were recorded. During postoperative follow-up, recurrence of infection or titanium mesh exposure in the implanted area of titanium mesh was observed; the head shapes of patients, scar formation of the operative incision, and baldness were observed. At the last follow-up, the satisfaction of patients with the treatment effect (dividing into three levels: satisfied, basically satisfied, and dissatisfied) was evaluated. The total treatment costs of patients during their hospitalization were calculated.Results:The wounds in 11 cases were repaired with local flaps, the wounds in 5 cases were repaired with expanded flaps, and the wounds in 6 cases were repaired with free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps. All flaps or myocutaneous flaps survived completely after surgery, and all wounds healed well in 2 weeks after surgery. Follow up for 6 to 48 months after operation, only one patient with local flap grafting experienced a recurrence of infection in the titanium mesh implanted area at more than one month after surgery, and the titanium mesh was removed because of ineffective treatment. Except for one patient who had a local depression in the head after removing the titanium mesh, the rest of the patients had a full head shape. Except for myocutaneous flap grafting areas in 6 cases and skin grafting area in 1 case with local flaps grafting had no hair growth, the other patients had no baldness. All the scars in surgical incision were concealed. At the last follow-up, 19 cases were satisfied with the treatment effects, 2 cases were basically satisfied, and 1 case was dissatisfied. The total treatment cost for patients in this group during hospitalization was 11 764-36 452 (22 304±6 955) yuan.Conclusions:For patients with titanium mesh exposure after cranioplasty, on the premise of adequate preoperative preparation and thorough debridement, the wound can be repaired with appropriate flaps or myocutaneous flaps according to the wound condition. The surgery can preserve all or part of the titanium mesh. The postoperative wound healing is good and the recurrence of infection or titanium mesh exposure in the titanium mesh implanted area is reduced, leading to good head shape, reduced surgical frequency, and decreased treatment costs.
6.Clinical study of the efficacies of ruxolitinib plus low-dose PTCY for acute GVHD prevention after haploidentical transplantation in malignant hematological diseases
Xiaoping LI ; Yu LI ; Lin LIU ; Zhongtao YUAN ; Youcheng WANG ; Yancheng DONG ; Dingsong ZHANG ; Jing FENG ; Yingnian CHEN ; Sanbin WANG
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2024;45(2):128-133
Objective:To investigate and verify a novel acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) prevention protocol in the context of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) .Methods:Patients who underwent haplo-HSCT in our center between January 2022 and December 2022 were included. All patients received reduced doses of cyclophosphamide, Rabbit anti-human tymoglobulin, ruxolitinib, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and MMF to prevent aGVHD. The transplantation outcomes, complications, and survival rate of all patients were investigated.Results:A total of 52 patients with haplo-HSCT were enrolled, 29 (55.8%) male and 23 (44.2%) female, with a median age of 28 (5-59) years. There were 25 cases of acute myeloid leukemia, 17 cases of acute lymphocyte leukemia, 6 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome, 2 cases of chronic myeloid leukemia and 2 cases of myeloproliferative neoplasms. 98.1% of patients had successful engraftment. The incidence of Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD and Ⅲ-Ⅳ aGVHD was 19.2% (95% CI 8.2% -30.3% ) and 7.7% (95% CI 0.2% -15.2% ), respectively. No patients experienced severe gastrointestinal mucositis. The Epstein-Barr virus and CMV reactivation rates were 40.4% and 21.3%, respectively. 9.6% of patients relapsed during followup, with 1-year overall survival, progression-free survival, and non-relapse mortality rates of 86.5% (95% CI 76.9% -96.1% ), 78.8% (95% CI 67.4% -90.3% ) and 11.5% (95% CI 2.6% –20.5% ), respectively. Conclusion:Ruxolitinib combined with a low dose of PTCY is a safe and effective first-line aGVHD prevention strategy.
7.Progress of research into mitochondrial mass control system's role in the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy
Youcheng XIE ; Shufang XIAO ; Xuemei LIN ; Shun CHEN ; Jin XU ; Fei WANG
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2024;34(6):106-112
Septic cardiomyopathy(SIC)is an organ dysfunction frequently observed in sepsis and characterized by high mortality and poor prognosis.Understanding the complex pathogenesis of SIC and developing effective therapeutic tools are critical issues that require attention.Previous studies have demonstrated the significant role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of SIC.In the presence of SIC,and the mitochondrial dysfunction that result,the aberrant regulation of the mitochondrial quality control system(MQC)can exacerbate cardiomyocyte injury.Recent studies have demonstrated that the MQC maintains the dynamics of mitochondrial homeostasis through its regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis,fusion/fission,and autophagy.This article provides an overview of the role of MQC in SIC pathogenesis,reviews the latest studies in the field,and analyzes MQC's potential as a therapeutic target.
8.Andrographolide regulates SLC7A11/GPX4 axis in ferroptosis to attenuate intestinal injury in sepsis
Ming HUANG ; Yixin ZHANG ; Guodong CAO ; Youcheng ZENG ; Liang LIN ; Xiaoyue WANG ; Qinghong CHENG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2023;58(12):2094-2100
Objective To investigate whether Andrographolide(AG)can alleviate intestinal injury in sepsis by ac-tivating the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis in ferroptosis.Methods Forty rats were randomly divided into sham group(sham group),sepsis group(CLP group),AG low,medium and high dose groups(5,10 and 20 mg/kg).HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of Intestinal tract.ELISA method was used to determine Inter-leukin 6(IL-6),tumour necrosis factor α(TNF-α),intestinal fatty acid binding protein(I-FABP),D-lactate content.The mechanism of ferroptosis was explored with AG high dose group(AG20 group),forty rats were ran-domly divided into sham group,CLP group,ferroptosis inhibitor(Fer-1)group,AG20+Fer-1 group.HE staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the pathological changes of Intestinal tract.The kits were used to determine oxidative stress MDA,GSH levels and Fe3+content.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),and ferritin heavy poly-peptide 1(FTH-1).Results Compared with the sham group,the CLP group showed severe morphological damage to the small intestine,with significantly higher levels of inflammation,I-FABP and D-lactate(all P<0.05),the AG group reversed these changes in a concentration-dependent manner(all P<0.05).Compared with the CLP group,the AG20 and Fer-1 groups showed improved pathological damage to the small intestine,with lower levels of MDA and Fe3+and higher levels of GSH,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH-1 protein expression increased(all P<0.05),and pathological injury and oxidative stress were reduced in the AG20+Fer-1 group,and SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH-1 protein expression increased more significantly(all P<0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which AG attenuates intestinal injury in sepsis may be related to SLC7A11/GPX4 axis activation in ferroptosis.
9.Association between immune checkpoint inhibitor antitumor therapy and hepatitis B virus reactivation
Shun CHEN ; Youcheng XIE ; Junke WANG ; Baoyin ZHAO ; Jiucong ZHANG ; Pan WANG ; Xiaohui YU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2023;39(6):1424-1430
In recent years, monotherapy and combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have achieved good efficacy in a variety of malignancies from solid tumors to lymphomas and have become a standardized and systematic treatment modality for many cancers. However, there is still a lack of studies on the safety of ICIs in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients with malignancies, and early studies have reported HBV reactivation due to ICI antitumor therapy in clinical practice. With reference to related literature, this article reviews the recent clinical trials and application of ICIs in cancer patients with chronic viral infection and clarifies the efficacy and safety of ICIs in this special population, in order to provide a reference for clinical medication.
10.Overexpression of Nei endonuclease VIII-like protein 3 in hepatocellular carcinoma indicates increased levels of immune infiltration and an unfavorable prognosis
Gennian WANG ; Yaping ZHANG ; Mancai WANG ; Wei HAN ; Youcheng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2023;31(9):986-995
Objective:To evaluate the role and molecular mechanism of Nei endonuclease VIII-like protein 3 (NEIL3) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through The Cancer Genome Atlas database.Methods:RNA sequencing of HCC samples was the first step in determining the level of gene NEIL3 expression in normal tissues and tumors. Then, NEIL3 was used for the Gene Ontology, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, gene enrichment analysis, immune cell infiltration analysis. The samples were divided into high and low expression groups according to the median expression level of NEIL3 in liver cancer tissues. Logistic regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and a nomogram prognostic model were used to explore the clinical and prognostic significance of NEIL3 in HCC.Results:Compared with normal samples, NEIL3 was highly expressed in most malignant tumors, including HCC ( P < 0.05). High expression of NEIL3 was related to cell cycle, DNA replication, and cell receptor pathways. In addition, the high expression of NEIL3 was significantly positively correlated with T-helper 2 lymphocytes and infiltration levels ( R = 0.670, P < 0.001). Compared with the NEIL3 low expression group, the NEIL3 high expression group had a higher level of Th2 cell infiltration in tumor tissues ( P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that NEIL3 overexpression was associated with high T stage, high pathological stage, high tissue grade, AFP > 400 μg/L and vascular invasion of HCC. The Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that overall survival [hazard ratio ( HR) = 2.53, P < 0.001)], disease-specific survival ( HR = 2.52, P < 0.001), and progression-free interval ( HR = 1.82, P < 0.001) in patients with HCC with high NEIL3 expression were unfavorable. Cox regression analysis results showed that high NEIL3 expression was an independent risk factor for an unfavorable prognosis in HCC patients ( P = 0.002). The nomogram and calibration chart further demonstrated that high NEIL3 expression was one of the risk factors for an unfavorable prognosis in HCC patients. Conclusion:Elevated expression of NEIL3 is associated with an unfavorable prognosis and an increased proportion of immune cells in HCC, and it is likely to be used as a potential biomarker for evaluating the prognosis and immune infiltration level.

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