The study focuses on the concept of multifunctional traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas and aims to evaluate the efficacy of the classical formula Xiaoyao San (逍遥散). Study employs the integrated evidence chain (Eff-iEC) method to organize, integrate, and evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in treating different diseases with the same therapy, and to investigate the feasibility of using Eff-iEC to evaluate the multifunctionality of TCM formulas. The evaluation covered Xiaoyao San's therapeutic effects on depression, premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Concurrently, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used for evaluation, and authoritative medical documents were incorporated to corroborate the recognition of Xiaoyao San within the medical community. Depression and menopausal syndrome received higher ratings than other conditions in the Eff-iEC, GRADE, and Medical Community Recognition assessments. The Eff-iEC evidence grade for Xiaoyao San was rated as "High" or above for chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and menopausal syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome received a "Moderate ⁺" rating. The GRADE evidence level was "Low-〇〇⨁⨁" for depression, premenstrual syndrome, and chronic hepatitis; "Moderate-〇⨁⨁⨁" for dyspepsia and menopausal syndrome; and "Very Low-〇〇〇⨁" for irritable bowel syndrome. Depression and menopausal syndrome had the highest inclusion frequency, appearing in all 4 categories. Premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, and dyspepsia are not recommended in Western medical guidelines, but they are included in TCM guidelines, the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List, and the China National Essential Drug List. Irritable bowel syndrome appears only in the China National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List and China National Essential Drug List. The evaluation results obtained using the Eff-iEC method align with Medical Community Recognition, providing an objective and comprehensive assessment of Xiaoyao San's efficacy. The findings suggest that Xiaoyao San has strong evidence for treating depression and menopausal syndrome. However, further experimental and clinical trials are needed to assess its efficacy in treating premenstrual syndrome, chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and dyspepsia. These results support the clinical efficacy and rational use of Xiaoyao San, expand the application scope of the Eff-iEC method, and offer valuable insights and methodological references for the comparative evaluation of multifunctional TCM formulas.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Janus kinase （JAK） inhibitors combined with Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） in treating rheumatoid arthritis （RA）. MethodsClinical data from 169 RA patients were retrospectively collected. Among them， 71 cases received JAK inhibitors as the control group， while 98 cases received JAK inhibitors plus CHM as the observation group， both treated for 24 weeks. The rheumatoid factor （RF）， cyclic citic peptide antibody （anti-CCP）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， and white blood cell count （WBC） were recorded before and after treatment. Databases including CNKI， Wanfang， VIP， PubMed and Web of Science were searched from inception till August 31st， 2025 for randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on the combined use of JAK inhibitors and CHM for RA. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias assessment tool. Meta-analyses were performed for RF， anti-CCP， ESR， CRP， 28-joint disease activity score （DAS28）， overall clinical effective rate， and incidence of adverse events. Sensitivity analysis were also performed. ResultsThe retrospective study demonstrated that after treatment， ESR， CRP， and anti-CCP levels decreased in the observation group， while ESR and CRP levels decreased in the control group （P＜0.05）. Moreover， ESR and RF levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （P＜0.05）. A total of 9 RCTs involving 770 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that the JAK inhibitors plus CHM group was superior to the JAK inhibitors group in reducing RF （MD=-8.97， 95%CI -15.01 to -2.94， P=0.004）， CRP （MD=-3.34， 95%CI -3.82 to -2.86， P＜0.001）， ESR （MD=-5.33， 95%CI -7.98 to -2.69， P＜0.001）， and DAS28 score （MD=-0.54， 95%CI -0.74 to -0.34， P＜0.001）， as well as in improving the overall clinical effective rate （OR=4.53， 95%CI 2.55 to 8.03， P＜0.001）. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in anti-CCP levels （SMD=-2.08， 95%CI -4.41 to 0.24， P=0.080） or incidence of adverse events （OR=0.93， 95%CI 0.55 to 1.57， P=0.790）. ConclusionThe combination of JAK inhibitors and CHM demonstrates remarkable efficacy in treating RA， contributing to improved disease activity and reduced inflammatory markers with a favorable safety profile.

In this paper， by consulting the ancient and modern literature， the name， origin， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing， and others of the original animal and medicinal materials of Moschus were systematically sorted out and verified， in order to provide the basis for the development and utilization of the famous classical formulas containing Moschus. According to the textual research， musk deer was first recorded in Shanhaijing. Shennong Bencaojing was recorded as Moschus and all generations were used as the correct name， but there were also aliases such as Shefu， Xiangzhang and Xiangqizi. In ancient times， Moschus berezovskii， M. sifanicus and M. moschiferus were the main sources of Moschus， and the quality of Moschus produced in northwest China was better than that produced in the Yangtze River basin. In modern times， Moschus of M. moschiferus produced in northeast China， M. sifanicus produced in Gansu， Sichuan and other places， and M. berezovskii produced in Ningxia， Shaanxi and other places are regarded as genuine. In ancient times， gunshots， lassoes， arrow shots and other methods were generally used to hunt live musk deer， and the sachets were immediately cut off. Those with high quality were called Xiangshanhuo， and dried in the shade after harvesting， which was known as Maoke Shexiang. Cut open the sachet， remove the shell and dry preservation， commonly known as Moschus kernel. In modern times， the method of taking Moschus from the living body of cultured musk deer is adopted， that is， Moschus kernel is directly taken from its sachet， dried in the shade or dried in a closed dryer. This method realizes the sustainable utilization of Chinese herbal medicine resources， but attention should be paid to the frequency and quality of Moschus. The harvesting time is mostly after the autumnal equinox every year， and before the next summer， it is better to gather sachet in winter. In recent times， it is believed that the shell Moschus is dry， full， thin， elastic， loose inside， many particles， strong and persistent aroma for the best， while the Moschus kernel is particle purple-black， powder yellow-brown， soft and oily texture， strong and persistent aroma for the best. The ancient processing method of Moschus was extracting kernels from the shell. After removing impurities， it is ground and used as medicine. Because its composition is not suitable for heating， the processing method is most common in preparations such as grinding into powder and putting into pills or powders， which has the effect of opening up the orifices and refreshing the mind， and it has continued to this day. Based on the research conclusions， it is suggested that the development of famous classical formulas containing Moschus， M. sifanicus， M. moschiferus and M. berezovskii should be used as the origins. According to the processing requirements specified in the original formula， it should be processed and used as medicine， while those without processing requirements should be used as raw products.

Objective: To explore the potential category patterns of risk prevention and control behaviors of HIV infection among young students who have sex with men (MSM) and their impact on HIV infection and late detection, aiming to optimize intervention strategies. Methods: From September 2017 to December 2024, a total of 1 637 MSM young students in Tianjin were recruited through both online and offline channels. Latent class analysis was applied to classify 11 HIV risk prevention and control behaviors [condom use during the most recent anal sex in the past 6 months, consistent condom use, use of water based lubricants, abstinence from recreational drugs, regular on site professional testing, fixed sexual partners, partner testing, awareness of partner s HIV testing results, testing before sexual activity, nucleic acid testing, and use of pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)]. Multivariate Logistic regression analyzed associations between demographic characteristics/intervention services factors and latent classes. Differences in HIV infection and late detection across behavior patterns were compared. Results: HIV risk prevention and control behaviors among MSM students were classified into three latent classes:condom dependent group (38.42%), low prevention group (27.73%), and comprehensive prevention group (33.85%). Students who received condom promotion/testing services were more likely to belong to the comprehensive prevention group ( OR =5.58), while those who received peer education were less likely to the comprehensive prevention group ( OR =0.43) (both P <0.01). Among the MSM student population, the HIV infection rate was 4.83%, with 2.26% of cases detected late. The HIV infection rate (1.45%) and late detection proportion (0.82%) in the comprehensive prevention group were lower than those in the low prevention group (7.89% and 3.83%, respectively) ( χ 2=16.20, 7.31, both P <0.01). Conclusions HIV risk prevention and control behaviors among MSM young students exhibit significant heterogeneity. Comprehensive prevention strategies can effectively reduce HIV infection and late detection risks. It is necessary to optimize peer education content and improve the accessibility of diversified prevention measures such as PrEP/PEP to enhance HIV prevention and control.

This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name， origin， harvesting and processing， quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature， in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application， and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern， featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus， leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research， it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu， and throughout history， Baidu has been recognized as its official name， though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing， Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia， S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia）. Additionally， Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China， exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically， wild harvesting was predominant， but cultivation is now established. In ancient times， the harvesting time was mostly in the second， third， and eighth lunar months， when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays， it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation， the roots are washed， fibrous roots removed， briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains， and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times， the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting（stir-frying）， wine roasting， or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials， ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick， robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity， since the Song dynasty， it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin， reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history， including relieving coughs， eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix， the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas， and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.

This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name， origin， harvesting and processing， quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature， in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application， and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern， featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus， leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research， it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu， and throughout history， Baidu has been recognized as its official name， though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing， Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia， S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia）. Additionally， Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China， exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically， wild harvesting was predominant， but cultivation is now established. In ancient times， the harvesting time was mostly in the second， third， and eighth lunar months， when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays， it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation， the roots are washed， fibrous roots removed， briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains， and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times， the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting（stir-frying）， wine roasting， or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials， ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick， robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity， since the Song dynasty， it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin， reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history， including relieving coughs， eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix， the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas， and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.

By systematically combing ancient and modern literature， this paper examined Tribuli Fructus and Astragali Complanati Semen（ACS） used in the famous classical formulas from the aspects of name， origin， production area， harvesting and processing， clinical efficacy， so as to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing such medicinal materials. The results showed that the names of Tribuli Fructus in the past dynasties were mostly derived from its morphology， and there were nicknames such as Baijili， Cijili and Dujili. The name of ACS in the past dynasties were mostly originated from its production areas， and there were nicknames such as Baijili， Shayuan Jili and Tongjili. Because both of them had the name of Baijili， confusion began to appear in the Song dynasty. In ancient and modern times， the main origin of Tribuli Fructus were Tribulus terrestris， and ancient literature recorded the genuine producing areas of Tribuli Fructus was Dali in Shaanxi and Tianshui in Gansu， but today it is mainly cultivated in Anhui and Shandong. The fruit is the medicinal part， harvested in autumn throughout history. There is no description of the quality of Tribuli Fructus in ancient times， and the plump， firm texture， grayish-white color is the best in modern times. Traditional processing methods for Tribuli Fructus included stir-frying and wine processing， while modern commonly used is purified， fried and salt-processed. The ancient records of Tribuli Fructus were spicy， bitter， and warm in nature， with modern research adding that it is slightly toxic. The main effects of ancient and modern times include treating wind disorders， improving vision， promoting muscle growth， and treating vitiligo. The mainstream base of ACS used throughout history is Astragalus complanatus. Ancient texts indicated ACS primarily originated from Shaanxi province. Today， the finest varieties come from Tongguan and Dali in Shaanxi. The medicinal part is the seed， traditionally harvested in autumn. Modern harvesting occurs in late autumn or early winter， followed by sun-drying. Ancient texts valued seeds with a fragrant aroma as superior， while modern standards prioritize plump， uniform and free of impurities. Traditional processing methods for ACS included frying until blackened and wine-frying， while modern practice commonly employs purification methods. In terms of medicinal properties， the ancient and modern records are sweet and warm in nature. Due to originally classified under Tribuli Fructus， its effects were thus regarded as equivalent to those of Tribuli Fructus， serving as the medicine for treating wind disorders， additional functions included tonifying the kidneys and treating vitiligo. The present record of its efficacy is to tonify the kidney and promote Yang， solidify sperm and reduce urine， nourish the liver and brighten the eye， etc. Based on the textual research results， it is suggested that when developing the famous classical formulas of Tribuli Fructus medicinal materials， we should pay attention to the specific reference object of Baijili， T. terrestris and A. complanatus should be identified and selected， and the processing method should be in accordance with the requirements of the formulas.

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China, and a large amount of pharmaceutical residue generated during its processing and production is discarded as waste, which not only wastes resources but also pollutes the environment. Therefore, elucidating the chemical composition of the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and the differences between the residue and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix itself is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of the residue. This study, based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology combined with multivariate statistical methods, provides a thorough characterization, identification, and differential analysis of the overall components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue. Firstly, 61 compounds in Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were rapidly identified based on their precise molecular weight, fragment ions, and compound abundance, using a self-constructed compound database. Among them, 41 compounds were found in the residue, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Secondly, through principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), 15 key compounds differentiating Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from its residue were identified. These included highly polar alkaloids, such as oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine, which showed significantly reduced content in the residue, and less polar flavonoids, such as kurarinone and kuraridin, which were more abundant in the residue. In summary, this paper clarifies the overall composition, structure, and content differences between Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue, suggesting that the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix can be used as a raw material for the extraction of its high-activity components, with promising potential for development and application in cosmetics and daily care. This research provides a scientific basis for the future comprehensive utilization of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sophora/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/chemistry*

This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide extract PCP1 from Polygonatum cyrtonema in ameliorating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats through modulation of the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) signaling pathway. In vivo, SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, model group, PCP1 group, nimodipine(NMDP) group, and TLR4 signaling inhibitor(TAK-242) group. A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R) model was established, and neurological deficit scores and infarct size were evaluated 24 hours after reperfusion. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in ischemic brain tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) assessed ultrastructural damage in cortical neurons. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-18(IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-10(IL-10), and nitric oxide(NO) in serum. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins. In vitro, a BV2 microglial cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R) model was established, and cells were divided into the control, OGD/R, PCP1, TAK-242, and PCP1 + TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide(LPS) groups. The CCK-8 assay evaluated BV2 cell viability, and ELISA determined NO release. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of TLR4, NLRP3, and downstream pathway-related proteins. The results indicated that, compared with the model group, PCP1 significantly reduced neurological deficit scores, infarct size, ischemic tissue pathology, cortical cell damage, and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and NO(P<0.01). It also elevated IL-10 levels(P<0.01) and decreased the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins(P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, in vitro results showed that, compared with the OGD/R group, PCP1 significantly improved BV2 cell viability(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced cell NO levels induced by OGD/R(P<0.01), and inhibited the expression of TLR4-related inflammatory pathway proteins, including TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p-p65)/nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p65), NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18(P<0.05, P<0.01). The protective effects of PCP1 were reversed by LPS stimulation. In conclusion, PCP1 ameliorates cerebral I/R injury by modulating the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptotic effects.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/genetics* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Polysaccharides/isolation & purification* ; Polygonatum/chemistry* ; Brain Ischemia/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Humans