1.Tailoring a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for complex diseases:A novel multi-targets-directed gradient weighting strategy
Zhe YU ; Teng LI ; Zhi ZHENG ; Xiya YANG ; Xin GUO ; Xindi ZHANG ; Haoying JIANG ; Lin ZHU ; Bo YANG ; Yang WANG ; Jiekun LUO ; Xueping YANG ; Tao TANG ; En HU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):804-816
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)exerts integrative effects on complex diseases owing to the char-acteristics of multiple components with multiple targets.However,the syndrome-based system of diagnosis and treatment in TCM can easily lead to bias because of varying medication preferences among physicians,which has been a major challenge in the global acceptance and application of TCM.Therefore,a standardized TCM prescription system needs to be explored to promote its clinical application.In this study,we first developed a gradient weighted disease-target-herbal ingredient-herb network to aid TCM formulation.We tested its efficacy against intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH).First,the top 100 ICH targets in the GeneCards database were screened according to their relevance scores.Then,SymMap and Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology(TCMSP)databases were applied to find out the target-related ingredients and ingredient-containing herbs,respectively.The relevance of the resulting ingredients and herbs to ICH was determined by adding the relevance scores of the corresponding targets.The top five ICH therapeutic herbs were combined to form a tailored TCM prescriptions.The absorbed components in the serum were detected.In a mouse model of ICH,the new prescription exerted multifaceted effects,including improved neurological function,as well as attenuated neuronal damage,cell apoptosis,vascular leakage,and neuroinflammation.These effects matched well with the core pathological changes in ICH.The multi-targets-directed gradient-weighting strategy presents a promising avenue for tailoring precise,multipronged,unbiased,and standardized TCM prescriptions for complex diseases.This study provides a paradigm for advanced achievements-driven modern innovation in TCM concepts.
2.Real-world efficacy and safety of azvudine in hospitalized older patients with COVID-19 during the omicron wave in China: A retrospective cohort study.
Yuanchao ZHU ; Fei ZHAO ; Yubing ZHU ; Xingang LI ; Deshi DONG ; Bolin ZHU ; Jianchun LI ; Xin HU ; Zinan ZHAO ; Wenfeng XU ; Yang JV ; Dandan WANG ; Yingming ZHENG ; Yiwen DONG ; Lu LI ; Shilei YANG ; Zhiyuan TENG ; Ling LU ; Jingwei ZHU ; Linzhe DU ; Yunxin LIU ; Lechuan JIA ; Qiujv ZHANG ; Hui MA ; Ana ZHAO ; Hongliu JIANG ; Xin XU ; Jinli WANG ; Xuping QIAN ; Wei ZHANG ; Tingting ZHENG ; Chunxia YANG ; Xuguang CHEN ; Kun LIU ; Huanhuan JIANG ; Dongxiang QU ; Jia SONG ; Hua CHENG ; Wenfang SUN ; Hanqiu ZHAN ; Xiao LI ; Yafeng WANG ; Aixia WANG ; Li LIU ; Lihua YANG ; Nan ZHANG ; Shumin CHEN ; Jingjing MA ; Wei LIU ; Xiaoxiang DU ; Meiqin ZHENG ; Liyan WAN ; Guangqing DU ; Hangmei LIU ; Pengfei JIN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):123-132
Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T NANC), time to symptom improvement (T SI), and time of hospital stay (T HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.
3.A preclinical and first-in-human study of superstable homogeneous radiolipiodol for revolutionizing interventional diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hu CHEN ; Yongfu XIONG ; Minglei TENG ; Yesen LI ; Deliang ZHANG ; Yongjun REN ; Zheng LI ; Hui LIU ; Xiaofei WEN ; Zhenjie LI ; Yang ZHANG ; Syed Faheem ASKARI RIZVI ; Rongqiang ZHUANG ; Jinxiong HUANG ; Suping LI ; Jingsong MAO ; Hongwei CHENG ; Gang LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5022-5035
Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a widely utilized therapeutic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the clinical implementation is constrained by the stringent preparation conditions of radioembolization agents. Herein, we incorporated the superstable homogeneous iodinated formulation technology (SHIFT), simultaneously utilizing an enhanced solvent form in a carbon dioxide supercritical fluid environment, to encapsulate radionuclides (such as 131I,177Lu, or 18F) with lipiodol for the preparation of radiolipiodol. The resulting radiolipiodol exhibited exceptional stability and ultra-high labeling efficiency (≥99%) and displayed notable intratumoral radionuclide retention and in vivo stability more than 2 weeks following locoregional injection in subcutaneous tumors in mice and orthotopic liver tumors in rats and rabbits. Given these encouraging findings, 18F was authorized as a radiotracer in radiolipiodol for clinical trials in HCC patients, and showed a favorable tumor accumulation, with a tumor-to-liver uptake ratio of ≥50 and minimal radionuclide leakage, confirming the feasibility of SHIFT for TARE applications. In the context of transforming from preclinical to clinical screening, the preparation of radiolipiodol by SHIFT represents an innovative physical strategy for radionuclide encapsulation. Hence, this work offers a reliable and efficient approach for TARE in HCC, showing considerable promise for clinical application (ChiCTR2400087731).
4.Tailoring a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for complex diseases: A novel multi-targets-directed gradient weighting strategy.
Zhe YU ; Teng LI ; Zhi ZHENG ; Xiya YANG ; Xin GUO ; Xindi ZHANG ; Haoying JIANG ; Lin ZHU ; Bo YANG ; Yang WANG ; Jiekun LUO ; Xueping YANG ; Tao TANG ; En HU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):101199-101199
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exerts integrative effects on complex diseases owing to the characteristics of multiple components with multiple targets. However, the syndrome-based system of diagnosis and treatment in TCM can easily lead to bias because of varying medication preferences among physicians, which has been a major challenge in the global acceptance and application of TCM. Therefore, a standardized TCM prescription system needs to be explored to promote its clinical application. In this study, we first developed a gradient weighted disease-target-herbal ingredient-herb network to aid TCM formulation. We tested its efficacy against intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). First, the top 100 ICH targets in the GeneCards database were screened according to their relevance scores. Then, SymMap and Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) databases were applied to find out the target-related ingredients and ingredient-containing herbs, respectively. The relevance of the resulting ingredients and herbs to ICH was determined by adding the relevance scores of the corresponding targets. The top five ICH therapeutic herbs were combined to form a tailored TCM prescriptions. The absorbed components in the serum were detected. In a mouse model of ICH, the new prescription exerted multifaceted effects, including improved neurological function, as well as attenuated neuronal damage, cell apoptosis, vascular leakage, and neuroinflammation. These effects matched well with the core pathological changes in ICH. The multi-targets-directed gradient-weighting strategy presents a promising avenue for tailoring precise, multipronged, unbiased, and standardized TCM prescriptions for complex diseases. This study provides a paradigm for advanced achievements-driven modern innovation in TCM concepts.
5.Corrigendum to "Hydralazine represses Fpn ubiquitination to rescue injured neurons via competitive binding to UBA52" J. Pharm. Anal. 14 (2024) 86-99.
Shengyou LI ; Xue GAO ; Yi ZHENG ; Yujie YANG ; Jianbo GAO ; Dan GENG ; Lingli GUO ; Teng MA ; Yiming HAO ; Bin WEI ; Liangliang HUANG ; Yitao WEI ; Bing XIA ; Zhuojing LUO ; Jinghui HUANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):101324-101324
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.006.].
6.Trajectories of executive function development and its neural mechanisms in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Ruilin JIN ; Jiaqi ZHOU ; Teng ZHU ; Jiayun YU ; Wanying ZHENG ; Hanlin LI ; Mengjie ZHANG ; Xiaolei CEN ; Chuang YANG
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(3):277-282
Executive function(EF) is an advanced cognitive function of the central nervous system, and is closely related to an individual's capacity for daily living and adaptation. Patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically exhibit significant executive dysfunction. While most existing studies on the executive function of individuals with ADHD are cross-sectional, and little is known about the longitudinal maturation process of related brain structures and functional connectivity patterns. The findings indicate that ADHD patients exhibit differential developmental trajectories in brain structural and functional connectivity compared with typically developing group.Furthermore, there is a lifespan association between abnormal brain network development and ADHD symptoms. This article aims to elucidate the characteristics of executive function deficits in ADHD patients across different developmental stages, examining their relationship with the nervous system’s development from a development perspective.
7.Trajectories of executive function development and its neural mechanisms in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Ruilin JIN ; Jiaqi ZHOU ; Teng ZHU ; Jiayun YU ; Wanying ZHENG ; Hanlin LI ; Mengjie ZHANG ; Xiaolei CEN ; Chuang YANG
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(3):277-282
Executive function(EF) is an advanced cognitive function of the central nervous system, and is closely related to an individual's capacity for daily living and adaptation. Patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically exhibit significant executive dysfunction. While most existing studies on the executive function of individuals with ADHD are cross-sectional, and little is known about the longitudinal maturation process of related brain structures and functional connectivity patterns. The findings indicate that ADHD patients exhibit differential developmental trajectories in brain structural and functional connectivity compared with typically developing group.Furthermore, there is a lifespan association between abnormal brain network development and ADHD symptoms. This article aims to elucidate the characteristics of executive function deficits in ADHD patients across different developmental stages, examining their relationship with the nervous system’s development from a development perspective.
8.Study on the correlation between blood glucose fluctuations and type 2 diabetic foot based on flash glucose monitoring technology
Xiuli FENG ; Zhichen ZHENG ; Tongyu ZHANG ; Li ZHOU ; Ning XU ; Renhao ZHAO ; Teng YANG ; Na WANG ; Guofeng WANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(4):569-574
Objective To investigate the correlation between glycemic variability metrics and the risk of diabetic foot(DF)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)utilizing flash glucose monitoring(FGM)tech-nology.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 233 hospitalized patients with T2DM,with or without DF,who were treated in the Department of Endocrinology at Lianyungang First People's Hospital from January 2021 to May 2022 and monitored using FGM.Patients were categorized into a non-DF group(n=147)and a DF group(n=86)based on the presence of DF.The study compared general clinical characteristics,biochemical parameters,and glycemic variability metrics between the two groups and performed subgroup analyses.Binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with the risk of DF,while receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were utilized to assess the predictive value of glycemic variability metrics for DF.Results Compared with the non-DF group,patients in the DF group exhibited significantly longer disease duration,higher body mass index(BMI),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio(UACR),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),serum uric acid(SUA),mean amplitude of glycemic excursions(MAGE),coefficient of variation(CV),mean of daily differences(MODD),and mean blood glucose(MBG),but lower fasting C-peptide(FCP),fasting insulin(FINS),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and time in range(TIR),with statistically signifi-cant differences(P<0.05).Subgroup analysis revealed that TIR was associated with the incidence of DF and diabetic retinopathy(DR).Binary logistic regression analysis identified HbA1c,MAGE,MODD,and MBG as risk factors for DF,while TIR was a protective factor(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve(AUC)for predicting DF using HbA1c,TIR,MAGE,MODD,MBG,and their combination were 0.646,0.850,0.868,0.764,0.619,and 0.967,respectively,indicating superior performance of the combined prediction model.Conclusions HbA1c,TIR,MAGE,MODD,and MBG are critical factors associated with the development of DF in patients with T2DM.Targeted early interventions aimed at optimizing these glycemic variability indicators may effectively reduce the incidence of DF.
9.Study on the correlation between blood glucose fluctuations and type 2 diabetic foot based on flash glucose monitoring technology
Xiuli FENG ; Zhichen ZHENG ; Tongyu ZHANG ; Li ZHOU ; Ning XU ; Renhao ZHAO ; Teng YANG ; Na WANG ; Guofeng WANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(4):569-574
Objective To investigate the correlation between glycemic variability metrics and the risk of diabetic foot(DF)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)utilizing flash glucose monitoring(FGM)tech-nology.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 233 hospitalized patients with T2DM,with or without DF,who were treated in the Department of Endocrinology at Lianyungang First People's Hospital from January 2021 to May 2022 and monitored using FGM.Patients were categorized into a non-DF group(n=147)and a DF group(n=86)based on the presence of DF.The study compared general clinical characteristics,biochemical parameters,and glycemic variability metrics between the two groups and performed subgroup analyses.Binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with the risk of DF,while receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were utilized to assess the predictive value of glycemic variability metrics for DF.Results Compared with the non-DF group,patients in the DF group exhibited significantly longer disease duration,higher body mass index(BMI),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio(UACR),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),serum uric acid(SUA),mean amplitude of glycemic excursions(MAGE),coefficient of variation(CV),mean of daily differences(MODD),and mean blood glucose(MBG),but lower fasting C-peptide(FCP),fasting insulin(FINS),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and time in range(TIR),with statistically signifi-cant differences(P<0.05).Subgroup analysis revealed that TIR was associated with the incidence of DF and diabetic retinopathy(DR).Binary logistic regression analysis identified HbA1c,MAGE,MODD,and MBG as risk factors for DF,while TIR was a protective factor(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve(AUC)for predicting DF using HbA1c,TIR,MAGE,MODD,MBG,and their combination were 0.646,0.850,0.868,0.764,0.619,and 0.967,respectively,indicating superior performance of the combined prediction model.Conclusions HbA1c,TIR,MAGE,MODD,and MBG are critical factors associated with the development of DF in patients with T2DM.Targeted early interventions aimed at optimizing these glycemic variability indicators may effectively reduce the incidence of DF.
10.Effects of Zhuangyao Shuanglu Tongnao Formula on neuronal apoptosis of rats with ischemia-reperfusion induced injury
Yang ZHAI ; Xue-Ni MO ; Hong-Li TENG ; Yue-Qiang HU ; Guang-Shan ZHENG ; Wei MA ; Peng YANG ; Xiao-Ping MEI ; Min ZOU ; Kai-Hua WANG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2024;46(3):795-802
AIM To investigate the effects of Zhuangyao Shuanglu Tongnao Formula on neuronal apoptosis in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury based on the study of oxidative stress and inflammatory response.METHODS The rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group,the model group,the edaravone group(3.0 mg/kg),the low,medium and high dose groups(9.0,18.0,36.0 g/kg)of Zhuangyao Shuanglu Tongnao Formula,with 18 rats in each group.The middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion was conducted by thread embolism method to simulate cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats followed by 6 days corresponding drugs administration.Subsequently,the rats had their neurological function deficit scored by Zeal Longa scoring method;their sizes of cerebral infarction areas measured by TTC staining;their pathological damage and apoptosis of neurons in hippocampal CA1 area of ischemic penumbra of the brain tissue detected by HE staining and TUNEL staining;their SOD activity and levels of GSH,MDA,IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α in brain tissue detected by kits;and their protein expressions of Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,cleaved-capase-3,TLR4,NF-κB p65,Nrf2,HO-1 in rat brain tissue determined by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the groups intervened with edaravone,medium and high dose of Zhuangyao Shuanglu Tongnao Formula displayed improvements in the scores of nerve function defects,the rate of cerebral infarction,the rate of neuronal apoptosis,the levels of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α and MDA in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues,the protein expressions of Bax and TLR4,the ratio of cleaved-capase-3/caspase-3 and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.05),the levels of GSH,the activity of SOD and the protein expressions of Bcl-2,Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Being an inhibitor of oxidative stress and inflammatory response,Zhuangyao Shuanglu Tongnao Formula can alleviate brain injury in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury through the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and improvement of neural function mediated by the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway and activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway.

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