1.Pharmacodynamic Substances and Mechanisms of Xinglou Chengqi Tang in Treating Post-stroke Complications: A Review
Yujin ZHANG ; Xiangzhuo LIU ; Zhouyang CHEN ; Zihao SONG ; Xinyi LIU ; Yizhi YAN ; Chaoya LI ; Yingyan FANG ; Shasha YANG ; Xueqin CHENG ; Zhou XIE ; Sijie TAN ; Peng ZENG ; Yue ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(1):327-337
Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults in China, and its common complications include digestive system abnormalities, cognitive impairment, depression, stroke-associated pneumonia, and hemiplegia. The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has great potential in treating post-stroke complications. Xinglou Chengqitang (XLCQT) is a representative prescription of alleviating the disease in the upper part by treating the lower part. It has definite therapeutic effect and high safety. Clinically, XLCQT is often used to treat stroke and its complications. However, the quantity and quality of clinical trials of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications need to be improved. Additionally, since the basic research is weak, the material basis and multi-target mechanism for the efficacy of this prescription are unknown. This article reviews XLCQT in terms of the pharmacodynamic basis, medicinal properties, safety evaluation, and progress in clinical research and mechanisms in treating post-stroke complications. This article summarizes 22 key active ingredients of XLCQT in treating acute stroke complicated with syndrome of phlegm heat and fu-organ excess. Among these key active ingredients, resveratrol, kaempferol, luteolin, chrysoeriol, apigenin, (+)-catechin, and adenosine have good pharmacokinetic properties and high bioavailability. The mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications are complex, including inflammatory response, brain-gut axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, intestinal flora, neurotrophic factors, autophagy, oxidative stress, and free radical damage. This review helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of XLCQT against post-stroke complications and the development of drugs.
2.The prognostic value and immune regulatory role of BRF1 in pan-cancer, and its function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Jianxin XU ; Zihao LI ; Wang LÜ ; ; Zhiyang XU ; Yunfeng YI ; Songlin CHEN ; Jian HU ; Luming WANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(01):122-131
Objective To investigate the expression profile, prognostic value, gene co-expression network, and immunomodulatory role of BRF1 in a pan-cancer context, and to explore its biological functions and molecular regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods The pan-cancer dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to analyze the differential expression of BRF1 in tumor versus normal tissues, its association with patient survival, pathway enrichment for co-expressed genes, and immune features (including immune checkpoints, cytokines, and immune cell infiltration). The expression profile of BRF1 in ESCC was validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In vitro, BRF1 was knocked down in ESCC cells using siRNA. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of proliferation- and migration-related proteins were detected by Western blotting. The correlation between BRF1 and ferroptosis was analyzed using TCGA data. Results BRF1 was significantly upregulated in over 20 types of cancer, and its high expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma. BRF1 was found to positively regulate the T-cell-mediated cell death pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma and was associated with the circadian rhythm regulation pathway in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The correlation of BRF1 with immune checkpoints, cytokine networks, and immune cell infiltration was found to be cancer type-specific. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knocking down BRF1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells, accompanied by the downregulation of the proliferation marker PCNA. Cell migration was also significantly impaired, with decreased expression of Vimentin and MMPs and increased expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, the expression of BRF1 was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-antagonizing genes, such as GPX4, HSPA5, and SLC7A11. Conclusion BRF1 plays complex roles in pan-cancer, participating in the regulation of tumorigenesis, progression, and immune infiltration. BRF1 promotes the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells, a mechanism potentially associated with the regulation of ferroptosis resistance. These findings suggest that BRF1 could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.
3.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
4.The Research Progress and Development Strategies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis Empowered by Artificial Intelligence
Wenjun ZHU ; Manshi TANG ; Kaijie SHE ; Zihao TANG ; Minyi HUANG ; Naijun YUAN ; Qingyu MA ; Jiaxu CHEN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(14):1413-1418
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology provides new opportunities for the modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis. By analysing the foundation, research progress and difficulties of the combination of AI and TCM diagnosis, it is concluded that AI has made remarkable development in intelligence-driven modernization of TCM tongue diagnosis, pulse diagnosis, listening and smelling diagnosis and text processing, and there are useful explorations in the field of constructing data-driven TCM diagnostic model and multidisciplinary integration of TCM diagnostic models. However, the current integration of AI technology in TCM diagnosis still faces many challenges, such as the scarcity and uneven quality of clinical data, the limited ability of AI algorithms to express TCM thinking model of syndrome differentiation and empirical knowledge, and the possible existence of ethical and privacy issues. By systematically sorting out the current research status and development direction of AI-empowered TCM diagnostics, it is proposed to promote the application of AI technology in TCM diagnostics in four aspects, namely, strengthening the construction of TCM big data and talent cultivation, encouraging cross-disciplinary cooperation, improving the legal and ethical framework, and promoting the popularity of the technology in primary care, so as to enhance the modernisation of TCM diagnostics.
5.Shanxiangyuanye (Turpiniae Folium) for diabetic complications: chemical constituents and therapeutic potential
Ruiyao Xiong ; Shuang Chen ; Zihao Dai ; Limin Gong
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):413-424
Objective:
To analyze the chemical constituents of Shanxiangyuanye (Turpiniae Folium) through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, and to evaluate their anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-glycation activities related to diabetic complications.
Methods:
The supernatant of Shanxiangyuanye (Turpiniae Folium) (TFS), obtained following water extraction and alcohol precipitation, was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Antioxidant activity of TFS in vitro was evaluated using three experimental approaches: the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, the 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) radical cation decolorization assay, and the hydroxyl (·OH) radical scavenging assay. To comprehensively evaluate hypoglycemic potential, α-glucosidase inhibition was measured to analyze in vitro hypoglycemic activity. Subsequently, in vitro models were developed to examine anti-glycation activity through the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-fructose (Fru), BSA-methylglyoxal (MGO), BSA-glyoxal (GO), and D-arginine (Arg)-MGO systems, with particular attention to the inhibitory effects of TFS. Furthermore, the concentrations of fructosamine, protein carbonyls, sulfhydryl groups, and β-amyloid in the glycation solution were quantified using the BSA-Fru model following 7-d of incubation at 37 °C.
Results:
Using LC-MS/MS analysis in both positive and negative ion modes, we identified 750 chemical components in TFS, primarily including organic acids, amino acids, and their derivatives. In vitro activity studies demonstrated that TFS exhibited remarkable free radical scavenging capacity, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.47, 1.56, and 0.36 mg/mL against DPPH, ABTS+, and ·OH radicals, respectively. Regarding hypoglycemic activity, TFS dose-dependently inhibited α-glucosidase activity (IC50 = 0.21 mg/mL), displaying comparable efficacy to the clinical drug acarbose (IC50 = 0.23 mg/mL). Notably, TFS intervened in the glycation process: IC50 values were 0.22, 1.91 – 4.96, and 4.09 mg/mL in the BSA-Fru, BSA-MGO/GO, and Arg-MGO models, respectively, with the most prominent inhibitory effects observed in the BSA-Fru model. Furthermore, although TFS may not effectively preserve thiol groups in BSA or reduce thiol oxidation during glycation, it significantly reduces fructosamine levels (in a dose-dependent manner), decreases β-amyloid formation, and inhibits protein carbonylation (P < 0.000 1).
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that TFS exhibits a complex chemical composition with potent antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-glycation activities. These results provide compelling scientific evidence supporting TFS’s potential as a natural adjuvant for diabetes prevention and complication management, while laying a solid foundation for its applications in functional food development and adjunctive antidiabetic therapeutics.
6.Research Progress of Antibacterial Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Synergistic Antibacterial Drugs to Reverse Drug Resistance
Jiamin CHEN ; Xinyu ZHAO ; Shuhua YUE ; Zihao SHEN ; Chujiong CHEN ; Shenghua LU ; Zengyu ZHANG ; Jie REN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1157-1169
With the widespread use of antimicrobial agents, bacterial drug resistance has become an increasingly severe issue, posing significant challenges to global healthcare. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has emerged as a research focus in the field of bacterial resistance due to its broad sources, high safety profile, low toxicity, and antimicrobial mechanisms distinct from those of chemical drugs. Studies have shown that various TCM herbs, such as Scutellaria baicalensis, exert antibacterial effects through multiple pathways, including disrupting the integrity of bacterial cell walls and membranes, inhibiting nucleic acid and protein synthesis, and impairing energy production and metabolism. Additionally, certain TCM herbs, including Scutellaria baicalensis, Coptis chinensis, and Fritillaria thunbergii, can reverse antimicrobial resistance by eliminating resistant plasmids, inhibiting bacterial efflux pump function, and suppressing β-lactamase activity. TCM holds promising potential for antibacterial applications and synergistically reversing antimicrobial resistance, though systematic analyses remain limited. This review summarizes the mechanisms of antibacterial action of TCM and current research on its synergistic use with antimicrobial agents to reverse drug resistance, aiming to provide insights for developing novel TCM-based antimicrobials and addressing bacterial resistance.
7.Meteorological factor-driven prediction of high-use days of budesonide: construction and comparison of ensemble learning models
Qitao CHEN ; Yue ZHOU ; Xiaojun ZHANG ; Jingwen NI ; Guoqiang SUN ; Fenfei GAO ; Lizhen XIA ; Zihao LI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(21):2723-2726
OBJECTIVE To construct ensemble learning models for predicting high-use days of budesonide based on meteorological factors, thereby providing reference for hospital pharmacy management. METHODS Meteorological data for 2024 and outpatient budesonide usage data from the jurisdiction of Sanming Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were collected. High-use days were defined as the 75th percentile of outpatient budesonide usage, and a corresponding dataset was established. The prediction task was formulated as a classification problem, and three ensemble learning models were developed: Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Histogram-based Gradient Boosting Classifier. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and log-loss. Model interpretability was analyzed using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). RESULTS The Histogram-based Gradient Boosting Classifier achieved the best performance (accuracy=0.75, F1-score=0.48), followed by XGBoost (accuracy=0.74, F1-score=0.43) and Random Forest (accuracy=0.72, F1-score=0.22). SHAP results suggested that the prediction results of the last two models have the highest correction. CONCLUSIONS Ensemble learning models can effectively predict high-use days of budesonide, with the Histogram- based Gradient Boosting Classifier demonstrating the best predictive performance. Low temperature, high humidity, and low atmospheric pressure show significant positive impacts on the prediction of daily budesonide usage.
8.Application of cross bar technique in repair of pectus excavatum
Tianjun ZHOU ; Dan TIAN ; Ruiqing SHI ; Zihao ZHOU ; Jiming TANG ; Dongkun ZHANG ; Xiaosong BEN ; Guibin QIAO ; Gang CHEN ; Liang XIE
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(11):1572-1578
Objective To explore the indication, surgical technique, and clinical efficacy of the cross bar based on the Nuss procedure in pectus excavatum. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent cross bar based on the Nuss procedure from August 2023 to August 2024 in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 88 patients including 85 males and 3 females with a mean age of (17.56±5.20) years were enrolled. All operations were performed successfully without intraoperative cardiac injury, pericardial injury or diaphragmatic injury. The mean operation time was (147.65±47.75) min. The mean blood loss was (13.30±9.06) mL. The mean postoperative hospitalization stay was (4.81±1.55) days, without perioperative death. Six (6.82%) patients developed early postoperative complications, including 3 patients of pleural effusion, 1 patient of subcutaneous hematoma, 1 patient of suffocation and 1 patient of bar rotation. The postoperative outcomes were excellent in 71 (80.68%) patients, good in 16 (18.18%) patients and moderate in 1 (1.13%) patient. The excellent and good rate was 98.86%. Conclusion The cross bar technique is safe and convenient, with satisfactory results. It is worth promoting in clinical application.
9.Effect of TMEM61 expression on the prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma and the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells
Xiaohan YAO ; Mingchen YAO ; Zhiqing WANG ; Wanying ZHAO ; Zihao WANG ; Wanying CHEN ; Yan YAN ; Binghao WANG
Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery 2025;31(5):370-376
Objective:To analyze the expression of tumor-associated transmembrane protein 61 (TMEM61) in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and its influence on prognosis and immune infiltration, as well as the effect on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells.Methods:In the cholangiocarcinoma gene chip dataset (TCGA-CHOL), differentially expressed genes between cholangiocarcinoma tissues and normal bile duct tissues were screened, and the upregulated TMEM61 gene was selected for further analysis. Based on the TMEM61 expression, cholangiocarcinoma patients higher than the median value were classified as the high-expression group ( n=17), and those lower than the median value were classified as the low-expression group ( n=18). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted on differentially expressed genes related to TMEM61, and the correlations between TMEM61 expression and immune cells and immune molecules were respectively analyzed. The expression level of TMEM61 in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry; The effect of TMEM61 expression on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells was detected by Western blotting, CCK-8, clone formation assay, etc. Results:Compared with normal tissues, the expression of TMEM61 mRNA in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was significantly upregulated ( t=18.31, P<0.001). The overall survival rate of patients in the high-expression group of TMEM61 was significantly lower than that in the low-expression group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=7.23, P=0.007). The differentially expressed genes related to TMEM61 were involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle and DNA replication, etc. Compared with normal tissues, regulatory T cells ( t=10.21, P<0.001) and M0-type macrophages ( t=5.89, P=0.008) were significantly increased in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. Plasma cells ( t=7.34, P=0.002), γδT cells ( t=9.87, P<0.001), and M2-type macrophages ( t=11.53, P<0.001) were significantly decreased in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. The expression of TMEM61 was correlated with neurociliary protein 1, tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 15 and B7 homologous protein 3 (all P<0.05). The proportion of positive staining area of TMEM61 protein in normal tissues was (10.15±2.27) %, and that in cholangiocarcinoma tissues was (69.43±11.66) %. The difference was statistically significant ( t=14.97, P<0.001). Inhibition of TMEM61 expression led to a decrease in the number of cholangiocarcinoma cell clones and proliferation activity, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.01). Conclusion:The expression of TMEM61 is elevated in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and is associated with poor prognosis. The abnormally high expression of TMEM61 affects the infiltration of immune cells and promotes the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells. TMEM61 is expected to become a potential biomarker for the prognosis assessment of cholangiocarcinoma.
10.Regulatory role of flavonoids in the signaling pathway of ischemic brain injury
Junlin PENG ; Zihao SHEN ; Jiamin CHEN ; Zengyu ZHANG ; Lunhui DUAN ; Ensi HONG ; Suyou ZHU
International Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2025;33(1):59-66
In recent years, significant progress has been made in pharmacological research on the treatment of ischemic stroke with monomeric components of traditional Chinese medicine, among which flavonoids have shown good neuroprotective effects. This article reviews the regulatory role of flavonoids in the signaling pathway of ischemic brain injury.

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