1.Pharmacological Effect and Preparation Development of Geniposide: A Review
Yongmei GUAN ; Yidan LIU ; Hua ZHANG ; Haiyan ZHANG ; Zhenzhong ZANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(1):317-326
Geniposide, the primary active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Gardeniae Fructus, is a water-soluble iridoid glycoside. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that geniposide exhibits various biological activities, including hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, neuroprotective, antidepressant effects, and inhibitory activity against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Recent research has revealed its promising potential in preventing and treating diseases such as atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, indicating broad application prospects. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of geniposide are primarily associated with the inhibition of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, improvement of lipid metabolism, and regulation of apoptosis. However, due to its high water solubility and rapid metabolism in vivo, geniposide suffers from low oral bioavailability, which limits its therapeutic efficacy and clinical application. In recent years, various formulations, such as creams, cubic liquid crystals, hydrogels, and liposomes, have been developed to address its bioavailability issues. This article reviewed the latest research progress on the pharmacological activities and formulation development of geniposide by analyzing domestic and international literature from the past decade, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for further research, development, and utilization of geniposide and its formulations.
2.In Vitro and In Vivo Chemical Composition Analysis of Reference Sample of Jinshui Liujunjian Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS
Xinyue YANG ; Huiyu LI ; Yaqi LOU ; Xingxing WANG ; Guifang YU ; Chenfeng ZHANG ; Zhenzhong WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):166-173
ObjectiveTo elucidate the chemical composition of the reference sample of Jinshui Liujunjian and its distribution characteristics in blood and tissues of rats. MethodsUltra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was used to detect the reference sample solution, plasma, and tissue samples of Jinshui Liujunjian under positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Qualitative Analysis 10.0 software and a self-constructed database were employed for primary mass spectrum matching.Compound identification was further validated by comparing retention times, secondary mass spectral fragments, reference standards, and literature data to deduce fragmentation pathways. ResultsA total of 122 compounds were identified in the reference sample of Jinshui Liujunjian, including 47 flavonoids, 5 amino acids, 13 iridoids, 16 triterpenoid saponins, etc., of which 42 compounds were confirmed by comparison with reference substances. A total of 21 prototype components were identified in blood components; 50 prototype components were identified in different tissues, among which 13, 10, 7, 21, 11, 6, 14, and 40 prototype components were identified in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, large intestine, and stomach, respectively. Among them, 7 compounds such as ferulic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, and nobiletin were exposed in the target organs of lung and kidney. ConclusionThis study elucidates the material basis of the reference samples of Jinshui Liujunjian, primarily composed of flavonoids and triterpenoid saponins, along with their in vivo distribution characteristics. These findings provide a scientific basis for establishing quality evaluation indicators and offer references for subsequent pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic investigations.
3.In Vitro and In Vivo Chemical Composition Analysis of Reference Sample of Jinshui Liujunjian Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS
Xinyue YANG ; Huiyu LI ; Yaqi LOU ; Xingxing WANG ; Guifang YU ; Chenfeng ZHANG ; Zhenzhong WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):166-173
ObjectiveTo elucidate the chemical composition of the reference sample of Jinshui Liujunjian and its distribution characteristics in blood and tissues of rats. MethodsUltra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was used to detect the reference sample solution, plasma, and tissue samples of Jinshui Liujunjian under positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Qualitative Analysis 10.0 software and a self-constructed database were employed for primary mass spectrum matching.Compound identification was further validated by comparing retention times, secondary mass spectral fragments, reference standards, and literature data to deduce fragmentation pathways. ResultsA total of 122 compounds were identified in the reference sample of Jinshui Liujunjian, including 47 flavonoids, 5 amino acids, 13 iridoids, 16 triterpenoid saponins, etc., of which 42 compounds were confirmed by comparison with reference substances. A total of 21 prototype components were identified in blood components; 50 prototype components were identified in different tissues, among which 13, 10, 7, 21, 11, 6, 14, and 40 prototype components were identified in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, large intestine, and stomach, respectively. Among them, 7 compounds such as ferulic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, and nobiletin were exposed in the target organs of lung and kidney. ConclusionThis study elucidates the material basis of the reference samples of Jinshui Liujunjian, primarily composed of flavonoids and triterpenoid saponins, along with their in vivo distribution characteristics. These findings provide a scientific basis for establishing quality evaluation indicators and offer references for subsequent pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic investigations.
4.Investigation on Pharmacodynamic Material Basis of Linggui Zhugan Granules for Metabolic Associated Steatohepatitis Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS
Chiyan YAO ; Liang LI ; Ming YAN ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Chenfeng ZHANG ; Ming LI ; Xue XIE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(17):228-238
ObjectiveTo systematically identify the main chemical components of Linggui Zhugan granules (LGZGG), and to explore the pharmacodynamic substance basis for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). MethodsThe chemical components of LGZGG were systematically analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and "compound prescription-disease-component-target" network were constructed by network target analysis to predict the potential pharmacodynamic substances and core targets of LGZGG in the treatment of MASH. The potential pharmacodynamic substances were enriched by macroporous adsorption resin, and the chemical composition of the LGZGG-50% ethanol elution fraction (LGZGG-50) was analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The mouse model of MASH was established by feeding a high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-fructose diet for 12 weeks. Mice were randomly allocated into normal, model, positive drug (MGL-3196, 1 mg·kg-1), LGZGG (crude drug, 34 g·kg-1·d-1), LGZGG-50 (crude drug, 34 g·kg-1·d-1) groups. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the serum were measured, and the pathological changes in the liver tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Sirius red staining. The in vivo efficacy of LGZGG and LGZGG-50 in the treatment of MASH was evaluated on the basis of the findings. The expression levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK), silent information regulator 2-related enzyme 1 (SIRT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) in the liver tissue were determined by Western blot to verify the regulatory effects of core targets. ResultsA total of 83 chemical components were identified from LGZGG, including 20 flavonoids, 13 terpenoids, 17 organic acids, 7 amino acids, 11 glycosides, 3 nucleosides, 3 aromatics, 3 alkaloids, 2 phenylpropanoids, 2 sugars, 1 nucleic acid, and 1 steroid. A total of 134 common targets were obtained by network target analysis. The core targets included SIRT1, PPARα, nuclear factor-kappa B subunit 1 (NF-κB1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that the targets were mainly enriched in the AMPK, PPAR and other signaling pathways. The topological analysis of the "compound prescription-disease-component-target" network showed that the potential pharmacodynamic substances of LGZGG against MASH were flavonoids and terpenoids. The relative content of flavonoids and terpenes in LGZGG-50 were 74.00% and 62.41% in positive and negative ion modes, respectively, indicating that LGZGG-50 effectively enriched total flavonoids and total terpenoids. The results of in vivo efficacy showed that compared with the model group, LGZGG and LGZGG-50 reducef the body weight, liver weight, serum TG, GLU, and ALT levels of MASH mice (P<0.05,P<0.01), and LGZGG additionally increased the HDL-C level (P<0.01). Both groups alleviated the pathological damage in the liver tissue. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the model group, the protein levels of p-AMPK/AMPK, SIRT1, PPARα, and CPT1A were up-regulated in the LGZGG group (P<0.05,P<0.01), and those of p-AMPK/AMPK and CPT1A were up-regulated in the LGZGG-50 group (P<0.01). ConclusionLGZGG ameliorates MASH, with the main pharmacodynamic substances being flavonoids and terpenoids. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of AMPK/SIRT1/PPARα signaling pathway, improvement of lipid metabolism, and alleviation of pathological damage in the liver tissue.
5.A novel anti-ischemic stroke candidate drug AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement.
Jianbing WU ; Duorui JI ; Weijie JIAO ; Jian JIA ; Jiayi ZHU ; Taijun HANG ; Xijing CHEN ; Yang DING ; Yuwen XU ; Xinglong CHANG ; Liang LI ; Qiu LIU ; Yumei CAO ; Yan ZHONG ; Xia SUN ; Qingming GUO ; Tuanjie WANG ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Ya LING ; Wei XIAO ; Zhangjian HUANG ; Yihua ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):1070-1083
Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.
6.Locally producing antibacterial peptide to deplete intratumoral pathogen for preventing metastatic breast cancer.
Shizhen GENG ; Tingting XIANG ; Yaru SHI ; Mengnian CAO ; Danyu WANG ; Jing WANG ; Xinling LI ; Haiwei SONG ; Zhenzhong ZHANG ; Jinjin SHI ; Junjie LIU ; Airong LI ; Ke SUN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):1084-1097
Metastatic dissemination is the major cause of death from breast-cancer (BC). Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n) is widely enriched in BC and has recently been identified as one of the high-risk factors for promoting BC metastasis. Here, with an experimental model, we demonstrated that intratumoral F.n induced BC aggressiveness by transcriptionally activating Epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated genes. Therefore, the F.n may be a potential target to prevent metastasis. Given the fact that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in BC and located near blood vessels, we report an optogenetic system that drives CAF to in situ produce human antibacterial peptide LL37, with the characteristics of biosafety and freely intercellular trafficking, for depleting intratumoral F.n, leading to a 72.1% reduction in lung metastatic nodules number without affecting the balance of the systemic flora. Notably, mild photothermal treatment was found that could normalize CAF, contributing to synergistically inhibiting BC metastasis. In addition, the system can also simultaneously encode a gene of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand to suppress the primary tumor. Together, our study highlights the potential of local elimination of tumor pathogenic bacteria to prevent BC metastasis.
7.Integrating explainable deep learning with multi-omics for screening progressive diagnostic biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma covering the "inflammation-cancer" transformation.
Saiyu LI ; Yiwen ZHANG ; Lifang GUAN ; Yijing DONG ; Mingzhe ZHANG ; Qian ZHANG ; Huarong XU ; Wei XIAO ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Yan CUI ; Qing LI
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(9):101253-101253
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8.Overall Design and Implementation of National Technical Specification of Medical Service Items(Version 2023)
Lihua YU ; Qin JIANG ; Zhenzhong ZHANG
Chinese Health Economics 2025;44(7):1-3,9
In September 2023,the issues of National Technical Specification of Medical Service Items(Version 2023)and Financial Classification of Medical Service Items provide national-level standards and guidance for regulating healthcare facilities'charging practices and economic operation management.It highlights the overarching design principles,structural frameworks,and practical implementation approaches of National Technical Specification of Medical Service Items(Version 2023),in order to provide comprehensive support and directional guidance for fee regulation,cost accounting,performance evaluation,and other critical areas.
9.Optimization of the Molding Process of Classical Prescription Xiebai Granules Based on Box-Behnken Design-Response Sur-face Method and BP Neural Network Method
Jingjing WANG ; Zhongkun XU ; Juan FU ; Weili LIU ; Zhaodong HU ; Chenfeng ZHANG ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Wei XIAO
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(10):1333-1343
OBJECTIVE To optimize the molding process of Xiebai Granules(XG)using the Box-Behnken design-response surface method combined with the BP neural network method,and to evaluate the consistency of particle quality between different bat-ches by establishing physical fingerprint.METHODS Dry paste powder was used as the main drug,dry granulation was adopted,and the forming rate,dissolution rate,moisture absorption rate and angle of repose of the granules were used as evaluation indexes,the ex-cipients dextrin,maltodextrin and lactose of the particles,were screened by single factor test combined with simplex-lattice design and entropy weight method,and the optimal excipient ratio was selected.The entropy weight method combined with the Box-Behnken de-sign-response surface method and the BP neural network algorithm were used to optimize the process parameters,and the process veri-fication was carried out.The physical fingerprint was used to comprehensively characterize the bulk density(Da),hygroscopicity(H),moisture(HR),tap density(Dc),angle of repose(α),Hausner ratio(IH),relative uniformity index(Iθ),Carr index(IC),and in-terparticle pore number(Ie),and the consistency of particle quality in different batches was evaluated.RESULTS The optimal ratio of excipients was dextrin 15%,maltodextrin 48%,and lactose 37%.The optimal process parameters were conveying speed 95 r·min-1,pressure wheel speed 4 r·min-1 and hydraulic pressure 7 MPa.The similarity of the physical fingerprints of the five bat-ches of XG was greater than 0.98.CONCLUSION The optimized molding process of XG is stable and feasible,and the quality of different batches of XG is stable,which can provide a reference for the development and industrial scale-up production of XG.
10.Long-term outcomes of totally endoscopic minimally invasive mitral valve repair for Barlow’s disease: A retrospective cohort study
Lishan ZHONG ; Yanying HUANG ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Shuo XIAO ; Yuxin LI ; Dou FANG ; Qiuji WANG ; Chaolong ZHANG ; Huanlei HUANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(01):114-120
Objective To examine the safety, efficacy and durability of totally endoscopic minimally invasive (TEMI) mitral valve repair in Barlow’s disease (BD). Methods A retrospective study was performed on patients who underwent mitral valve repair for BD from January 2010 to June 2021 in the Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital. The patients were divided into a MS group and a TEMI group according to the surgery approaches. A comparison of the clinical data between the two groups was conducted. Results A total of 196 patients were enrolled, including 133 males and 63 females aged (43.8±14.9) years. There were 103 patients in the MS group and 93 patients in the TEMI group. No hospital death was observed. There was a higher percentage of artificial chordae implantation in the TEMI group compared to the MS group (P=0.020), but there was no statistical difference between the two groups in the other repair techniques (P>0.05). Although the total operation time between the two groups was not statistically different (P=0.265), the TEMI group had longer cardiopulmonary bypass time (P<0.001) and aortic clamp time (P<0.001), and shorter mechanical ventilation time (P<0.001) and postoperative hospitalization time (P<0.001). No statistical difference between the two groups in the adverse perioperative complications (P>0.05). The follow-up rate was 94.2% (180/191) with a mean time of 0.2-12.4 (4.0±2.4) years. Two patients in the MS group died with non-cardiac reasons during the follow-up period. The 3-year, 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates of all patients were 100.0%, 99.2%, 99.2%, respectively. Compared with the MS group, there was no statistical difference in the survival rate, recurrence rate of mitral regurgitation, reoperation rate of mitral valve or adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in the TEMI group (P>0.05). Conclusion TEMI approach is a safe, feasible and effective approach for BD with a satisfying long-term efficacy.

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