ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Simiaowan on intestinal barrier function and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） expression in hyperuricemic （HUA） rats， and elucidate its therapeutic mechanisms. MethodsForty male Sprague Dawley （SD） rats were randomized into a normal group， a model group， low-dose （282.6 mg·kg^-1） and high-dose （565.2 mg·kg^-1） Simiaowan groups， and a Benzbromarone （4.7 mg·kg^-1） group. The HUA model was established via intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate （ip） combined with oral gavage of hypoxanthine （ig） for 14 days. Following modeling， treatments were administered for 14 days. Samples were collected and weighed 4 h after final dosing. Blood uric acid and hepatic function were analyzed. Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and Chiu's scoring was conducted. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） quantified tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， lipopolysaccharide （LPS）， diamine oxidase （DAO）， and D-lactic acid （D-LA） levels. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， Western blot， and immunohistochemistry assessed the expression of Claudin-1， Occludin， occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and ABCG2 mRNAs and proteins. 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing characterized ileal microbiota. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited epithelial shedding in the ileal villus， structural disruption， infiltration of extensive inflammatory cells， and significantly elevated Chiu's scores （P<0.01）. The DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum were markedly increased （P<0.01）， while mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion， were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Simiaowan groups at all doses showed improved epithelial damage in the ileal villus， significantly lowered Chiu's scores （P<0.01）， significantly reduced DAO， TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， LPS， and D-LA levels in the ileum （P<0.01）， and upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin 1， Occludin， ZO-1， and ABCG2， as well as positive staining area and proportion （P<0.01）. The 16S rDNA results showed that in the model group， the α-diversity index of the ileal microbiota was increased， and species diversity and richness were enhanced， with microbiota dysfunction observed. The community structure of the gut microbiota was significantly different from that of the normal microbiota. The abundance of probiotics was decreased， and the abundance of pathogenic bacteria was increased， with butyrate-producing bacteria showing a low abundance. In contrast， Simiaowan at all doses reduced species diversity and richness， regulated microbiota dysfunction， and promoted the shift of the structure of the gut microbiota community towards a normal one. This increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， decreased the abundance of harmful bacteria， and restored the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria. ConclusionSimiaowan enhances ileal uric acid excretion and further alleviates HUA by modulating the gut microbiota composition to improve the intestinal barrier and upregulate the expression of the urate transporter ABCG2 in HUA rats.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of amoxicillin combined with proton pump inhibitor （PPI） or potassium-competitive acid blocker （P-CAB） for Helicobacter pylori （Hp） eradication. METHODS Randomized controlled trial （RCTs） on amoxicillin combined with PPI or P-CAB for Hp eradication were retrieved from PubMed， Embase， the Cochrane Library， Web of Science， CNKI， Wanfang， and VIP data. The search time frame was from database inception to September 5， 2025. After literature screening， data extraction， and quality assessment， a network meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 software. RESULTS A total of 12 RCTs involving 5 515 patients were included， encompassing 8 therapeutic regimens： PPI combined with high-dose amoxicillin for 14 days （TR1）， PPI combined with low-dose amoxicillin for 14 days （TR2）， P-CAB combined with high-dose amoxicillin for 7 days （TR3）， P-CAB combined with high-dose amoxicillin for 14 days （TR4）， P-CAB combined with high-dose amoxicillin for 10 days （TR5）， P-CAB combined with low-dose amoxicillin for 7 days （TR6）， P-CAB combined with low-dose amoxicillin for 14 days （TR7）， and P-CAB combined with low-dose amoxicillin for 10 days （TR8）. The network meta-analysis results showed that， in terms of intention-to-treat Hp eradication rates， the eradication rates of TR5 and TR4 were significantly higher than those of TR3， TR8， TR6 and TR1 （ P ＜0.05）. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve （SUCRA） values from highest to lowest were： TR4 （89.7%）＞TR5 （82.3%）＞TR7 （71.5%）＞ TR2 （48.6%）＞TR1 （43.9%）＞TR8 （28.7%）＞TR3 （22.7%）＞TR6 （12.6%）. Regarding safety， the incidence of adverse reactions in TR3 and TR5 was significantly lower than that in TR1 （ P ＜0.05）. The SUCRA values from highest to lowest were： TR1 （91.3%）＞TR4 （79.8%）＞TR5 （55.0%）＞TR7 （50.9%）＞TR8 （41.3%）＞TR2 （36.4%）＞TR3 （27.6%） ＞TR6 （17.7%）. CONCLUSIONS Although the regimen of P-CAB combined with high-dose amoxicillin for 14 days demonstrates the best efficacy， the combination of P-CAB with high-dose amoxicillin for 10 days exhibits a better balanced profile in terms of both efficacy and safety.

BackgroundIndividuals with chronic multimorbidity exhibit a high prevalence of sleep disturbances， which impair their physical and psychological well-being and impede chronic disease management. Although sleep quality is closely influencing with psychological functioning， empirical evidence regarding the longitudinal trajectories of sleep quality and their influencing factors in this population remains insufficient. ObjectiveTo investigate the longitudinal trajectories of sleep quality and associated factors among patients with chronic multimorbidity from hospitalization through 6 months post-discharge， aiming to facilitate the early identification of high-risk individuals and the development of personalized sleep interventions. MethodsA total of 228 inpatients with chronic multimorbidity， primarily with cardiovascular and metabolic chronic conditions， were enrolled via random sampling at The Third People's Hospital of Fuyang from January 2023 to September 2024. Baseline assessments were conducted during hospitalization using the general socio-demographic questionnaire， the Sleep Dysfunction Rating Scale （SDRS）， the Ruminative Response Scale （RRS）， and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale （HADS）. Sleep quality was further evaluated using the SDRS at 1-， 3-， and 6-month post-discharge. Latent class growth model was employed to delineate trajectories of sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was subsequently performed to identify influencing factors of sleep quality. ResultsA total of 201 patients with chronic diseases were included.Based on four predefined assessment time points （baseline， 1 month， 3 months， 6 months post-discharge）， the latent class growth model identified three distinct trajectories of sleep quality： persistent high sleep disturbance （n=72， 35.82%）， moderate sleep disturbance-progression （n=73， 36.32%）， and low sleep disturbance （n=56， 27.86%）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that， compared with the low sleep disturbance group， multiple factors increased the odds of membership in the persistent high sleep disturbance group： per capita monthly household income of <3 000 yuan （β=13.131， P<0.01） or 3 000–5 000 yuan （β=5.913， P<0.05）， aged 45–65 years （β=9.536， P<0.05）， presence of 3 （β=7.792， P<0.05） or >3 comorbid chronic conditions （β=6.626， P<0.05）， as well as higher RRS （β=0.334， P<0.01） and HADS score （β=1.628， P<0.01）. Additionally， patients aged 45–65 years （β=2.777， P<0.05）， with 3 （β=3.802， P<0.01） or >3 comorbid chronic conditions （β=2.463， P<0.01）， and with higher RRS （β=0.111， P<0.01） and HDAS scores （β=0.350， P<0.05） also demonstrated significantly increased odds of belonging to the moderate sleep disturbance–progression group. ConclusionThere is significant population heterogeneity in sleep quality trajectories among patients with chronic multimorbidity， with age， per capita household monthly income， number of comorbidities， rumination， and anxiety/depression symptoms being identify as the primary influencing factors.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the research on NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The NLRP3 inflammasome is integral to the innate immune response, and its abnormal activation can lead to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine, consequently facilitating the progression of various pathological conditions. Therefore, investigating the pharmacological inhibition pathway of the NLRP3 inflammasome represents a promising strategy for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has not approved drugs targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for clinical use due to concerns regarding liver toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects associated with chemical small molecule inhibitors in clinical trials. Natural small molecule compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids are ubiquitously found in animals, plants, and other natural substances exhibiting pharmacological activities. Their abundant sources, intricate and diverse structures, high biocompatibility, minimal adverse reactions, and superior biochemical potency in comparison to synthetic compounds have attracted the attention of extensive scholars. Currently, certain natural small molecule compounds have been demonstrated to impede the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via various action mechanisms, so they are viewed as the innovative, feasible, and minimally toxic therapeutic agents for inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the treatment of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Hence, this study systematically examined the effects and potential mechanisms of natural small molecule compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes at their initiation, assembly, and activation stages. The objection is to furnish theoretical support and practical guidance for the effective clinical application of these natural small molecule inhibitors.
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Drug Discovery ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*

This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified＿f＿Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Lung/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Capsules ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Influenza A virus/physiology* ; Influenza, Human/virology*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of single-balloon and double-balloon enteroscopy in diagnosing pediatric small bowel diseases and assess the diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography enterography (CTE) for small bowel diseases using enteroscopy as the reference standard. METHODS: Clinical data from 576 children who underwent enteroscopy at Hunan Children's Hospital between January 2017 and December 2023 were retrospectively collected. The children were categorized based on enteroscopy type into the single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) group (n=457) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) group (n=119), and the clinical data were compared between the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity of CTE for diagnosing small bowel diseases were evaluated using enteroscopy results as the standard. RESULTS: Among the 576 children, small bowel lesions were detected by enteroscopy in 274 children (47.6%).There was no significant difference in lesion detection rates or complication rates between the SBE and DBE groups (P>0.05), but the DBE group had deeper insertion, longer procedure time, and higher complete small bowel examination rate (P<0.05). The complication rate during enteroscopy was 4.3% (25/576), with 18 cases (3.1%) of mild complications and 7 cases (1.2%) of severe complications, which improved with symptomatic treatment, surgical, or endoscopic intervention. Among the 412 children who underwent CTE, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing small bowel diseases were 44.4% and 71.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS SBE and DBE have similar diagnostic efficacy for pediatric small bowel diseases, but DBE is preferred for suspected deep small bowel lesions and comprehensive small bowel examination. Enteroscopy in children demonstrates relatively good overall safety. CTE demonstrates relatively low sensitivity but comparatively high specificity for diagnosing small bowel diseases.
Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy/statistics & numerical data* ; Single-Balloon Enteroscopy/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Operative Time ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/statistics & numerical data* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Intestine, Small/surgery* ; Intestinal Diseases/surgery*

OBJECTIVE To analyze the medication needs of parents of pediatric children in our hospital regarding drug instructions， and explore improvement strategies， thereby providing a basis for clinically guiding the rational use of drugs in pediatric patients. METHODS A self-designed questionnaire was used to randomly select the parents of pediatric patients in the pediatric outpatient and emergency departments of our hospital from July 1st to September 30th， 2024. A randomized face-to-face survey was conducted regarding their willingness to read drug instructions， their current understanding status， and their needs. The survey results were then statistically analyzed. RESULTS A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed in this survey， and 299 valid questionnaires were recovered， with an effective recovery rate of 99.7%. Before medication， the parents who “always” and “often” read the drug instructions in detail accounted for 39.1% （117 respondents） and 35.1% （105 respondents）， respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed in the willingness to read drug instructions among respondents with varying educational levels and occupations （P＜0.05）. Among the 299 respondents， only 48 people （16.1%）“ fully understood” the drug instructions， and the average understanding score of all the respondents was （3.77±0.83） points. The stronger the respondents’ willingness to read drug instructions， the higher their understanding scores of drug instructions （P＜0.05）. A total of 256 respondents thought that drug instructions were of great help to themselves， and the average helpfulness rating score of all the respondents was （4.28±0.78） points. Under the conditions of varying ages， educational levels， occupations， and willingness to read drug instructions， statistically significant differences were observed in the scores representing the degree of helpfulness of drug instructions to the respondents （P＜0.05）. Respondents paid the most attention to content in drug instructions such as “dosage and administration method”，“ adverse reactions”， and “indications and therapeutic categories”. The most difficult sections for them to understand included “chemical structure and properties”， “pharmacological and toxicological effects” ， and “pharmacokinetics”， etc. The demographic characteristics of the respondents were not significantly associated with the content areas of drug instructions they most desired to see improved （P＞0.05）. Most respondents （86.0%） hoped to improve the instructions mainly by “simplifying professional terms to make them more accessible”. Others included “highlighting key information” （60.5%） and “providing more detailed medication guidance” （49.2%）， etc. CONCLUSIONS Parents of pediatric patients in our hospital have a high demand for drug instructions but low comprehension. The pharmacy department should make targeted improvements to drug instructions based on parents’ actual needs， helping them accurately obtain medication knowledge and reduce potential medication safety risks.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Si Junzitang in treating liver injury in rats with spleen Qi deficiency syndrome based on transcriptomics and to experimentally verify its effects. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， low-dose Si Junzitang （6 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， medium-dose Si Junzitang group （12 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， high-dose Si Junzitang group （24 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and natural recovery group， with 10 rats in each group. A composite multifactorial modeling method （forced swimming + intragastric administration of Xiao Chengqitang + irregular diet） was used to establish a spleen Qi deficiency model. After 30 days of continuous intervention， body weight and 3-hour food intake were measured， and macroscopic symptom scores for spleen Qi deficiency syndrome were evaluated. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） in each group were detected， and hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe histopathological changes in liver tissue. Transcriptome sequencing （RNA-Seq） was used to identify differentially expressed genes （DEGs） among the blank， model， and high-dose Si Junzitang groups. Gene ontology（GO） and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genome（KEGG） enrichment analyses were performed on the DEGs. Immunofluorescence （IF） and Western blot were used to detect NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein （ASC）， Caspase-1， and the N-terminal domain of gasdermin D （GSDMD-N）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of downstream inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18）. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed significantly reduced body weight and 3-hour food intake， significantly increased macroscopic symptom scores， and elevated serum AST and ALT levels （P<0.01）， with mild inflammatory liver injury observed histologically. Compared with the model group， Si Junzitang at all doses significantly improved these parameters and alleviated liver injury in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05，P<0.01）. RNA-Seq analysis revealed 1 254 DEGs between the blank and model groups， and 842 DEGs between the model and high-dose Si Junzitang groups. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway was activated in liver injury associated with spleen Qi deficiency， suggesting that the NLRP3 inflammasome may be a key target. Results from IF， IHC， and Westernblot showed that compared with the blank group， the expression of NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1， GSDMD-N， and the downstream inflammatory cytokines IL-1β， IL-6， and IL-18 were significantly increased in the model group （P<0.01）， while these levels were markedly decreased in the high-dose Si Junzitang group （P<0.01）. ConclusionSi Junzitang effectively improves mild inflammatory liver injury in rats with spleen Qi deficiency syndrome in a dose-dependent manner. Its mechanism may be associated with inhibition of the NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 signaling pathway， downregulation of the pyroptosis executioner protein GSDMD-N， and reduction of pyroptosis-related inflammatory cytokine release.

OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis, a common chronic inflammatory skin condition with genetic underpinnings, is traditionally managed with cupping therapy. Although used historically, the precise mechanical effects and therapeutic mechanisms of cupping in psoriasis remain largely unexamined. This study aimed to evaluate cupping therapy's efficacy for psoriasis and investigate its role in modulating inflammatory responses and cellular metabolism. METHODS: Psoriasis was induced in mice using topical imiquimod (IMQ). The effects of cupping on psoriatic lesions were assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. polymerase chain reaction sequencing (RNA-seq) and Western blotting were conducted to examine changes in mRNA expression and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. RESULTS: Cupping therapy significantly reduced inflammation, epidermal thickness, and inflammatory cell infiltration in mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed lower expression of inflammatory markers and a shift in T-cell populations. RNA-seq and Western blotting indicated that cupping upregulated Piezo1 and activated the AMPK pathway, improving energy metabolism in psoriatic skin. CONCLUSION Cupping therapy reduces epidermal hyperproliferation and inflammation in psoriasis, rebalancing the local immune microenvironment. Mechanistically, cupping promotes calcium influx via Piezo1, activates AMPK signaling, and supports metabolic homeostasis, suggesting therapeutic potential for psoriasis. Please cite this article as: Xi RF, Liu X, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Yuan SJ, Guo DJ, Zhu JY, Li FL, Duan YJ. Mechanosensory activation of Piezo1 via cupping therapy: Harnessing neural networks to modulate AMPK pathway for metabolic restoration in a mouse model of psoriasis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):721-732.
Animals ; Psoriasis/chemically induced* ; Mice ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Cupping Therapy/methods* ; Signal Transduction ; Imiquimod ; Ion Channels/genetics* ; Male ; Mechanotransduction, Cellular