ObjectiveTo explore the mechanisms of Qingchang Wenzhong Decoction （清肠温中方， QWD） in treating ulcerative colitis （UC）. MethodsA total of 100 male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to a pseudo-germ-free group （n=45） and a conventional group （n=55） using a random number table. Pseudo-germ-free model was established by giving antibiotic treatment and subsequently subjected to acute UC induction. After the model was successfully established， the 45 pseudo-germ-free acute UC mice were randomly allocated to a pseudo-germ-free model group， a pseudo-germ-free QWD group， and a pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group， with 15 mice in each group. The 55 conventional mice were randomly divided into a normal control group （n=10）， as well as a conventional model group， a conventional QWD group， and a conventional mesalazine group， with 15 mice in each group. Except for the normal control group， acute UC models were established in all other groups. Mice in the control group received no intervention. From day 32 of the experiment， mice in the pseudo-germ-free QWD group and the conventional QWD group were administered with QWD granules at a dose of 9.71 g/（kg·d） by gavage with deionized water， while those in the pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group and the conventional mesalazine group were given mesalazine enteric-coated tablets at a dose of 151.67 mg/（kg·d） by gavage. Mice in the remaining groups received an equal volume of deionized water once daily for 7 consecutive days. On day 25 of the experiment， six mice were randomly selected from both the pseudo-germ-free group and the conventional group to measure body weight， and fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing to compare differences in gut microbiota， including operational taxonomic units （OTUs）， Shannon index， Observed_species index， and phylogenetic diversity （PD whole tree）. On day 39， body weight was measured in all groups， and the disease activity index （DAI） was evaluated. Colon length and colon wet weight were recorded. Histopathological changes in colonic tissues were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， and histological injury scores were determined. In addition， the expression levels of mucopolysaccharides and mucin 2 （MUC2） in colonic tissues were measured. ResultsOn day 25， there was no significant difference in body weight between the pseudo-germ-free group and the conventional microbiota group （P＞0.05）. Compared to the conventional microbiota group， the pseudo-germ-free group showed significantly reduced OTUs， Shannon index， Observed_species index， and PD whole tree （P＜0.01）. On day 39， compared to the normal control group， mice in the conventional model group showed a significant decrease in the body weight and an increase in DAI， along with increased colon wet weight， shortened colon length， markedly elevated histopathological scores， and reduced expression of mucopolysaccharides and MUC2 （P＜0.01）. In contrast， no significant differences were observed in these parameters in the pseudo-germ-free model group （P＞0.05）. Compared to the conventional model group， the conventional QWD group showed significant improvement in all measured parameters， whereas the conventional mesalazine group showed reductions only in DAI scores and colon wet weight （P＜0.01）. No statistically significant differences were observed among the pseudo-germ-free model group， the pseudo-germ-free QWD group， and the pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group （P＞0.05）. ConclusionQWD may promote the reconstruction of the intestinal mucus barrier by regulating the intestinal flora， thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on acute UC.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanisms of Qingchang Wenzhong Decoction （清肠温中方， QWD） in treating ulcerative colitis （UC）. MethodsA total of 100 male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to a pseudo-germ-free group （n=45） and a conventional group （n=55） using a random number table. Pseudo-germ-free model was established by giving antibiotic treatment and subsequently subjected to acute UC induction. After the model was successfully established， the 45 pseudo-germ-free acute UC mice were randomly allocated to a pseudo-germ-free model group， a pseudo-germ-free QWD group， and a pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group， with 15 mice in each group. The 55 conventional mice were randomly divided into a normal control group （n=10）， as well as a conventional model group， a conventional QWD group， and a conventional mesalazine group， with 15 mice in each group. Except for the normal control group， acute UC models were established in all other groups. Mice in the control group received no intervention. From day 32 of the experiment， mice in the pseudo-germ-free QWD group and the conventional QWD group were administered with QWD granules at a dose of 9.71 g/（kg·d） by gavage with deionized water， while those in the pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group and the conventional mesalazine group were given mesalazine enteric-coated tablets at a dose of 151.67 mg/（kg·d） by gavage. Mice in the remaining groups received an equal volume of deionized water once daily for 7 consecutive days. On day 25 of the experiment， six mice were randomly selected from both the pseudo-germ-free group and the conventional group to measure body weight， and fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing to compare differences in gut microbiota， including operational taxonomic units （OTUs）， Shannon index， Observed_species index， and phylogenetic diversity （PD whole tree）. On day 39， body weight was measured in all groups， and the disease activity index （DAI） was evaluated. Colon length and colon wet weight were recorded. Histopathological changes in colonic tissues were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， and histological injury scores were determined. In addition， the expression levels of mucopolysaccharides and mucin 2 （MUC2） in colonic tissues were measured. ResultsOn day 25， there was no significant difference in body weight between the pseudo-germ-free group and the conventional microbiota group （P＞0.05）. Compared to the conventional microbiota group， the pseudo-germ-free group showed significantly reduced OTUs， Shannon index， Observed_species index， and PD whole tree （P＜0.01）. On day 39， compared to the normal control group， mice in the conventional model group showed a significant decrease in the body weight and an increase in DAI， along with increased colon wet weight， shortened colon length， markedly elevated histopathological scores， and reduced expression of mucopolysaccharides and MUC2 （P＜0.01）. In contrast， no significant differences were observed in these parameters in the pseudo-germ-free model group （P＞0.05）. Compared to the conventional model group， the conventional QWD group showed significant improvement in all measured parameters， whereas the conventional mesalazine group showed reductions only in DAI scores and colon wet weight （P＜0.01）. No statistically significant differences were observed among the pseudo-germ-free model group， the pseudo-germ-free QWD group， and the pseudo-germ-free mesalazine group （P＞0.05）. ConclusionQWD may promote the reconstruction of the intestinal mucus barrier by regulating the intestinal flora， thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on acute UC.

ObjectiveTo explore the association between the concentration of maternal serum biomarkers， including free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin （fβ-hCG）， alpha fetoprotein （AFP）， unconjugated estriol （uE3）， and inhibin A （INH A） during the second trimester pregnancy and the risk of fetal presenting with copy number variation （CNV）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the diagnostic results of pregnant women who were identified as high risk in the second trimester quadruple serological screening. These pregnant women underwent the interventional prenatal diagnosis and performed amniotic fluid karyotype analysis and comparative genomic hybridization array （aCGH） or CNV sequencing （CNV-seq） simultaneously.The detection rates of different diagnostic methods were calculated. The concentration of serum biomarkers， fβ-hCG， AFP， uE3， and INH A were divided into three levels： abnormally low， normal， and abnormally high. The prevalence of these serum biomarkers concentration in pregnant women with aberrant aCGH/CNV-seq results compared to normal controls was statistically calculated. ResultsAmong the 1 516 cases with high-risk quadruple serological screening in the second trimester， 59 chromosomal abnormalities were revealed by karyotype analysis， while 87 abnormalities were detected by aCGH/CNV-seq， indicating a significant statistical difference in detection rate. In comparison to the result of karyotype analysis， aCGH/CNV-seq identified an additional 46 cases of fetal CNV abnormalities， whereas it failed to detect 18 cases of chromosomal structural abnormalities. Among the 1 457 cases with normal karyotype results， the most frequent abnormality was observed in the concentration of fβ-hCG， followed by abnormalities in INH A and uE3 concentrations， yet the least common abnormality was noted in AFP concentration. When the maternal serum uE3 concentration was less than 0.5 multiples of median （MoM）， there was a significant difference in the risk of fetal CNV compared to the CNV results corresponding to normal concentration of uE3. No significant differences were found in the levels of fβ-hCG， AFP， and INH A between the two groups. ConclusionLow serum uE3 concentration （<0.5 MoM） is associated with an increased risk of fetal presenting with aberrant CNV.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the changes in the mandibular canal following the treatment of large odontogenic keratocysts through decompression and curettage, providing a theoretical basis for sequential treatment. METHODS: Twenty patients were selected for each decompression and curettage treatment of large odontogenic keratocysts in the mandible. Postoperative follow-up with was conducted every three months, during which cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were performed. Then, the data were imported into MIMICS software to observe 3D changes in the position and structure of the mandibular nerve canal, followed by a comparative analysis. RESULTS: The total displacement of the mandibular canal was (1.89±0.21) mm on the decompression side and (0.80±0.19) mm on the curettage side. Vertically, the displacement range of the mandibular canal on the decompression side (M=1.03, SD=0.17) was larger than on the curettage side (M=0.52, SD=0.010) within nine months post-operation. In the buccal-lingual direction, the ratio of the thickness of the buccal plate to the lingual plate gradually increased with time. The amount of bone reconstruction at the part of the mandibular nerve canal closest to the cyst was (1.75±0.15) mm on the decompression side and (1.45±0.09) mm on the curettage side after nine months. CONCLUSIONS The mandibular nerve canal showed varying degrees of recovery and "relocation" after two surgical procedures. Osteogenesis around the mandibular nerve canal was more remarkable after decompression than after curettage. Therefore, for large odontogenic keratocyst, decompression is recommended as the initial treatment, followed by secondary curettage nine months later.
Humans ; Odontogenic Cysts/diagnostic imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Decompression, Surgical/methods* ; Mandibular Nerve/surgery* ; Mandible/innervation* ; Curettage ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged

Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases in elderly men, the incidence of which gradually increases with age and leads to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are widely used for the treatment of BPH in China and some other countries. To explore the molecular mechanisms of CHMs for BPH, we conducted a review based on peer-reviewed English-language publications in PubMed and Web of Science databases from inception to December 31, 2023. This article primarily reviewed 32 papers on the use of CHMs and its active compounds in the treatment of BPH, covering animal and cell experiments, and identified relevant mechanisms of action. The results suggest that the mechanisms of action of CHMs in treating BPH may involve the regulation of sex hormones, downregulation of cell growth factors, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, inhibition of cell proliferation, and promotion of apoptosis. CHMs also exhibit α-blocker-like effects, with the potential to relax urethral smooth muscle and alleviate LUTS. Additionally, we also reviewed 4 clinical trials and meta-analyses of CHMs for the treatment of BPH patients, which provided initial evidence of the safety and effectiveness of CHMs treatment. CHMs treatment for BPH shows advantages as a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway therapy, which can mitigate the severity of the disease, improve LUTS, and may become a reliable treatment option in the future.
Prostatic Hyperplasia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) on ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus by maintaining islet β -cell identity through regulating paracrine and endocrine glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in both islet and intestine. METHODS: The db/db mice were divided into the model (distilled water), low-dose HRD (LHRD, 3 g/kg), high-dose HRD (HHRD, 6 g/kg), and liraglutide (400 µ g/kg) groups using a random number table, 8 mice in each group. The db/m mice were used as the control group (n=8, distilled water). The entire treatment of mice lasted for 6 weeks. Blood insulin, glucose, and GLP-1 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The proliferation and apoptosis factors of islet cells were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Then, GLP-1, GLP-1R, prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3), PC2, v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homologue A (MafA), and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) were detected by Western blot, IHC, IF, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: HRD reduced the weight and blood glucose of the db/db mice, and improved insulin sensitivity at the same time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HRD also promoted mice to secrete more insulin and less glucagon (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, it also increased the number of islet β cell and decreased islet α cell mass (P<0.01). After HRD treatment, the levels of GLP-1, GLP-1R, PC1/3, PC2, MafA, and PDX1 in the pancreas and intestine significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION HRD can maintain the normal function and identity of islet β cell, and the underlying mechanism is related to promoting the paracrine and endocrine activation of GLP-1 in pancreas and intestine.
Animals ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor/metabolism* ; Insulin-Secreting Cells/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Insulin/blood* ; Mice ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Islets of Langerhans/pathology*

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

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies