1.Active Ingredients of Bupleuri Radix in Treatment of Central Nervous System: A Review
Shuhuan YANG ; Xin JIANG ; Runda YUAN ; Fang LU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):325-334
Diseases of the central nervous system have become a growing global health concern. At present, there are many adverse reactions in the treatment with Western medicine. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine has shown unique efficacy and rich clinical practice accumulation in diseases of the central nervous system. As a traditional Chinese medicine, Bupleuri Radix has played an important role in the treatment of neurological diseases through multi-target regulation, multi-pathway intervention, and multi-pathway mechanism of action. In recent years, with the in-depth study of the pharmacological effects of Bupleuri Radix, it has been found that the active ingredients such as saikosaponin, baicalin, quercetin, and kaempferol in Bupleuri Radix can be used as the main material basis for the treatment of neurological diseases. The results of this study showed that in neurodegenerative diseases, active ingredients of Bupleuri Radix can inhibit β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and abnormal phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein (Tau protein) in Alzheimer's disease, regulate the nuclear factor-κB/nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (NF-κB/Nrf2) pathway to play the anti-inflammatory role, and alleviate α-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation and mitochondrial damage in Parkinson's disease. In epilepsy, depression, and cerebral ischemia, they can improve symptoms by regulating neurotransmitters, oxidative stress, and apoptosis pathways, and inhibit brain glioma proliferation. However, the mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated, and the complexity of compound components and poor blood-brain barrier penetration limit their clinical application. In the future, it is necessary to integrate multi-omics, network pharmacology, and nano-delivery technologies, focus on the optimization of active ingredient group compounds and the precise guidance of biomarkers, accelerate the development of innovative therapies for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other diseases for laying a solid theoretical foundation for further development and application and inspiring new research ideas.
2.Clinical rapid evaluation of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors for hypercholesterolemia
Xin YAO ; Fengjiao KANG ; Qinan YIN ; Lizhu HAN ; Yuan BIAN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):149-154
OBJECTIVE To conduct a clinical rapid evaluation of the marketed proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors in China, including evolocumab, tafolecimab, recaticimab, ebronucimab, ongericimab and inclisiran. METHODS Based on the Rapid Guide for Drug Evaluation and Selection in Chinese Medical Institutions (second edition), drug instructions, clinical diagnosis and treatment guidelines, and literature for six drugs were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and related official websites. The clinical rapid evaluation was conducted from five aspects: pharmaceutical characteristics, effectiveness, safety, economy, and other attributes. RESULTS The pharmaceutical characteristics, effectiveness, safety, economy, other attributes, and total score of evolocumab scored 24, 27, 15.7, 10, 5.3, and 82 points, respectively. Tafolecimab scored 23.5, 23, 11.5, 9.97, 4.6, and 72.57 points, respectively. Recaticimab scored 20.5, 22, 15.5, 6.37, 3.5, and 67.87 points. Ebronucimab scored 20, 23, 11, 6.48, 3.5, and 63.98 points. Ongericimab scored 20.5, 23, 8.5, 4.83, 3.5, and 60.33 points. Inclisiran scored 25.5, 24, 13, 6.48, 5, and 73.98 points. CONCLUSIONS Evolocumab is the optimal choice for treating hypercholesterolemia and is recommended as the first-line option. Tafolecimab is the second-line option, and recaticimab is suitable for patients who are sensitive to drug adverse reactions. Inclisiran is suitable for patients with poor compliance. Ebronucimab and ongericimab are weakly recommended due to their later market introduction. Clinicians should make individualized drug selections based on factors such as patient risk level and compliance requirements.
3.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.
4.Fibroblast growth factor 21 attenuates oxidative stress injury in retinal pigment epithelial cells under high glucose via FGFR1/PI3K/Akt signal pathway
Ye TIAN ; Guoheng ZHANG ; Tianhao YUAN ; Xin WANG ; Tianfang CHANG ; Yuan CHEN ; Guorui DOU
International Eye Science 2026;26(3):383-390
AIM:To investigate the effect of fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21)on high glucose-induced oxidative stress in retinal pigment epithelial(RPE)cells and to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODS:Single-cell sequencing data from the GEO database were analyzed to determine the expression profile of the FGF21 receptor FGFR1 in RPE cells. Human ARPE-19 cells were cultured and randomly assigned to control, high glucose(30 mmol/L), and high glucose+FGF21 analog treatment groups, with additional siFGFR1 and PI3K inhibitor groups. Cell viability in different treatment groups was assessed using CCK-8 assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels were quantified using DCFH-DA fluorescent probing combined with immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on cells from the high glucose group and high glucose+FGF21 group to analyze the enrichment level of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Western blotting was performed to detect phosphorylation levels of PI3K/Akt pathway components.RESULTS:Single-cell sequencing revealed specific expression of FGFR1 in RPE cells of retinal tissues from diabetic model mice. Under In vitro experiments, high glucose(30 mmol/L)exposure reduced ARPE-19 cell viability by 49.7% and increased ROS levels by approximately 2-fold. Whereas treatment with the FGF21 analog(60 ng/mL)restored cell viability and attenuated high glucose-induced ROS accumulation. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that FGFR1 knockdown inhibited the antioxidative stress of FGF21. Further validation of the molecular mechanism revealed that high glucose significantly suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway activation(the levels of p-Akt and p-PI3K were decreased by 33.9% and 36.6%, respectively), while FGF21 effectively reversed this inhibitory effect and restored the expression of p-Akt and p-PI3K. Treatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 inhibited the cytoprotective effect of FGF21 and significantly increased the ROS-positive cells, these findings confirm that PI3K/Akt signaling is indispensable downstream mechanism for FGF21 to exert its effects.CONCLUSION:FGF21 alleviates high glucose-induced oxidative stress and cellular injury in RPE cells by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway through its receptor FGFR1.
5.Correlation of the interaction between uric acid and inflammatory factors and hyperuricemia in overweight/obese patients
Zengyun YUAN ; Yuan LIU ; Xin LIU ; Guangquan LI ; Pei ZHONG ; Yuanting YING ; Xuezhi YANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):171-174
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the interaction of uric acid and inflammatory factors and hyperuricemia in overweight/obese patients. Methods The personnel with hyperuricemia who underwent physical examination in our hospital from September 2021 to September 2022 were selected as the study subjects, and they were divided into 100 cases of overweight group and 90 cases of obese group according to the BMI index; 120 cases of healthy and non-hyperuricemic personnel were randomly selected as the control group; venous blood of the three groups was collected in 5 mL after 8 h of fasting, and were tested respectively for serum uric acid, lipid indexes and inflammatory factors: IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10. Results Glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL were significantly higher in the obese group versus the overweight group (P<0.001), while HDL was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001), and these changes were more pronounced in the obese group (P<0.001).The Pearson correlation coefficient pointed out that the levels of serum uric acid in patients with hyperuricosuric acid were significantly associated with the pro-inflammatory factors IL- 6, IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were significantly positively correlated (P<0.001), whereas they were significantly negatively correlated with the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4, IL-10 (P<0.001). Conclusion High uric acid levels in overweight/obese patients can cause enhanced inflammatory responses and reduced expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors, and the interaction between uric acid and pro-inflammatory factors aggravates the condition of patients with hyperuricemia.
6.Influencing factors for calcium salt deposition in patients with alveolar echinococcosis
Zitong XIONG ; Zhiyi LIN ; Yanxin HUANG ; Fuzhong FANG ; Zhengzhan WU ; Zirui XIN ; Chunxia HU ; Jiayu ZHOU ; Yuan YAO ; Hongwei ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(2):372-379
ObjectiveTo investigate the imaging features of calcium salt deposition and serological markers in patients with alveolar echinococcosis through a retrospective analysis, as well as independent risk factors for the degree of calcium salt deposition in lesions, and to provide a basis for assessing disease process. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the imaging and clinical data of 107 patients with alveolar echinococcosis who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from December 2023 to June 2025, and according to the volume of calcium salt deposition, they were divided into non-deposition group with 16 patients, mild deposition group with 52 patients, moderate deposition group with 16 patients, and severe deposition group with 23 patients. A one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the χ2 test or Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The four groups were further combined into the low deposition group (no/mild deposition) and the high deposition group (moderate/severe deposition). A binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent influencing factors for calcium salt deposition, and a predictive model was established. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive performance of the model, and the Bootstrap method was used for internal validation. ResultsThere were significant differences between the four groups in sex distribution, involvement of other sites, white blood cell count, lymphocyte percentage, fibrinogen, uric acid, sodium ion, chloride ion, and calcium ion (all P<0.05). The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the four groups in sex, involvement of other sites, white blood cell count, lymphocyte percentage, fibrinogen, alanine aminotransferase, albumin, creatinine, uric acid, sodium ion, chloride ion, and calcium ion (all P<0.1). The multi-collinearity diagnosis showed that the VIF values for all continuous variables ranged from 1.104 to 1.760, suggesting that collinearity did not affect modeling. An ordinal logistic regression model was established based on sex, involvement of other sites, calcium ion, lymphocyte percentage, and uric acid. The multivariate analysis showed that lymphocyte percentage (odds ratio [OR]=1.106, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.041 — 1.174, P=0.001) and blood calcium level (OR=0.005, 95%CI: 0.000 —0.230, P=0.007) were independent influencing factors for the degree of calcium salt deposition. The regression equation was established as Logit(P)=8.231 + 0.100 × lymphocyte percentage -5.344 × calcium ion. The ROC curve analysis showed that the model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.716, with a Youden index of 0.353, a sensitivity of 1.000, and a specificity of 0.353. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model had poor calibration (χ2=20.688, P=0.008). The Bootstrap method with 1000 repeated samples showed that the estimated values of lymphocyte percentage (OR=1.106, 95%CI: 1.049 — 1.186, P=0.002) and calcium ion (OR=0.005, 95%CI: 0.000 — 0.214, P=0.010) were consistent with the original model, and the confidence intervals did not include 1, which further supported the reliability of the model. ConclusionBoth lymphocyte percentage and blood calcium level are independent influencing factors for calcium salt deposition in alveolar echinococcosis, and the degree of calcium salt deposition in alveolar echinococcosis lesions increases with the reduction in blood calcium level and the increase in lymphocyte percentage.
7.Expert consensus on the clinical application of parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors in special populations
Xin YAO ; Yuan BIAN ; Lizhu HAN ; Qinan YIN ; Yang LEI ; Zimeng WAN ; Luyao HUANG ; Danjie ZHAO ; Yu YAN ; Qin LI ; Baorong HU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(8):965-975
OBJECTIVE To form an expert consensus addressing clinical issues regarding the use of parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) in special populations. METHODS Led by the Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital(the Affiliated Hospital of UESTC), a multidisciplinary working group was formed comprising experts from multiple fields, including clinical pharmacy, cardiac surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics and evidence-based medicine. Through literature review and the Delphi method, clinical questions regarding the efficacy and safety of parenteral DTIs used in special populations were identified. A structured design was adopted using the “Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome” (PICO) framework;systematic searches were conducted in CJFD, PubMed, Embase and other databases. Relevant evidence from randomized controlled trials,cohort studies and systematic reviews were included and synthesized. Evidence quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, and recommendations were formulated through three rounds of Delphi surveys and expert consensus meetings. RESULTS &CONCLUSIONS Seven clinical questions were ultimately selected (with a consensus rate exceeding 90%), resulting in the formulation of seven recommendations on the use of parenteral DTIs in special populations, including children, pregnant women, patients with hepatic or renal impairment, patients with mesenteric venous thrombosis, and individuals with thrombophilia. These recommendations clarify the preferred agents, dosing ranges, monitoring parameters, and safety management strategies for parenteral DTIs in these special populations. This expert consensus, which is formulated based on the best available evidence, provides evidence-based guidance for standardized and individualized use of parenteral DTIs in special populations.
8.Simultaneous TAVI and McKeown for esophageal cancer with severe aortic regurgitation: A case report
Liang CHENG ; Lulu LIU ; Xin XIAO ; Lin LIN ; Mei YANG ; Jingxiu FAN ; Hai YU ; Longqi CHEN ; Yingqiang GUO ; Yong YUAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(02):277-280
A 71-year-old male presented with esophageal cancer and severe aortic valve regurgitation. Treatment strategies for such patients are controversial. Considering the risks of cardiopulmonary bypass and potential esophageal cancer metastasis, we successfully performed transcatheter aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive three-incision thoracolaparoscopy combined with radical resection of esophageal cancer (McKeown) simultaneously in the elderly patient who did not require neoadjuvant treatment. This dual minimally invasive procedure took 6 hours and the patient recovered smoothly without any surgical complications.
9.Bioinformatics Reveals Mechanism of Xiezhuo Jiedu Precription in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis by Regulating Autophagy
Xin KANG ; Chaodi SUN ; Jianping LIU ; Jie REN ; Mingmin DU ; Yuan ZHAO ; Xiaomeng LANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(1):166-173
ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription in regulating autophagy in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) by bioinformatics and animal experiments. MethodsThe differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the colonic mucosal tissue of UC patients was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and those overlapped with autophagy genes were obtained as the differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DEARGs). DEARGs were imported into Metascape and STRING, respectively, for gene ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomics (GO/KEGG) enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Finally, 15 key DEARGs were obtained. The core DEARGs were obtained by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. The CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm was used to analyze the immunoinfiltration of UC patients and the correlations between core DEARGs and immune cells. C57BL/6J mice were assigned into a normal group and a modeling group. The mouse model of UC was established by free drinking of 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium. The modeled mice were assigned into low-, medium-, and high-dose Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription and mesalazine groups according to the random number table method and administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 7 days. The colonic mucosal morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The protein and mRNA levels of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase 1 (Caspase-1), cathepsin B (CTSB), C-C motif chemokine-2 (CCL2), CXC motif receptor 4 (CXCR4), and hypoxia-inducing factor-1α (HIF-1α) in the colon tissue were determined by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. ResultsThe dataset GSE87466 was screened from GEO and interlaced with autophagy genes. After PPI analysis, LASSO regression, and ROC analysis, the core DEARGs (Caspase-1, CCL2, CTSB, and CXCR4) were obtained. The results of immunoinfiltration analysis showed that the counts of NK cells, M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, and dendritic cells in the colonic mucosal tissue of UC patients had significant differences, and core DEARGs had significant correlations with these immune cells. This result, combined with the prediction results of network pharmacology, suggested that the HIF-1α signaling pathway may play a key role in the regulation of UC by Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription. The animal experiments showed that Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription significantly alleviated colonic mucosal inflammation in UC mice. Compared with the normal group, the model group showed up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of caspase-1, CCL2, CTSB, CXCR4, and HIF-1α, which were down-regulated after treatment with Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription or mesalazine. ConclusionCaspase-1, CCL2, CTSB, and CXCR4 are autophagy genes that are closely related to the onset of UC. Xiezhuo Jiedu prescription can down-regulate the expression of core autophagy genes to alleviate the inflammation in the colonic mucosa of mice.
10.Controllability Analysis of Structural Brain Networks in Young Smokers
Jing-Jing DING ; Fang DONG ; Hong-De WANG ; Kai YUAN ; Yong-Xin CHENG ; Juan WANG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Ting XUE ; Da-Hua YU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):182-193
ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.


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