ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of targeted silencing of Runt-related Transcription Factor 3 （RUNX3） on the proliferation and migration of Mouse Hepatic Stellate Cells （HSCs）， as well as subsequent collagen deposition. MethodsMouse hepatic stellate cell line （JS-1） was selected and then morphologically observed and identified under a microscope. After the cells had fully adhered， they were treated with 5 ng/mL of transforming growth factor beta 1 （TGF-β₁） for 24 hours to induce hepatic stellate cell activation. Furthermore， a RUNX3 silencing model was established using RUNX3 lentiviral infection. The experiment was divided into four groups： Control group， TGF-β₁ group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， and TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group. Protein expression changes of RUNX3， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and Alpha 1 type I collagen （Collagen I） were detected using Western blot method. Cellular immunofluorescence assays were employed to investigate the deposition changes of α-SMA and RUNX3 in hepatic stellate cells. RT-qPCR was utilized to examine the mRNA expression changes of RUNX3， α-SMA， and Collagen I. The proliferative capacity of hepatic stellate cells was assessed using Edu staining. The migratory ability of hepatic stellate cells was evaluated through wound healing assays and Transwell migration experiments. ResultsCompared with Control group， a significant elevation in RUNX3 was observed in the TGF-β₁-induced activated HSCs （P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis-related markers and α-SMA and Collagen I were significantly upregulated （P<0.001）. Additionally， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly enhanced （P<0.001）. In contrast， when compared to TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group exhibited a notable decrease in RUNX3 and other related indicators， such as the protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA and Collagen I （P<0.05）. Concurrently， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly inhibited in TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group （P<0.01）. ConclusionSilencing RUNX3 can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells. Conversely， RUNX3 promotes the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs， thereby facilitating the activation of HSC.

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease, manifests a variety of motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, postural balance disorder, and also presents non-motor symptoms, including cognitive decline, depression, constipation, and sleep disorders. Currently, treatment for PD primarily encompasses pharmacological interventions, with levodopa being the first-line therapy, and non-pharmacological approaches such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). However, both approaches exhibit therapeutic limitations, with potential adverse reactions emerging from long-term use. Levodopa is associated with dyskinesia, while DBS may lead to mental confusion, cognitive decline, and depression. Exercise, as an effective adjuvant strategy for drug treatment of PD, can significantly improve PD motor disorders. Recently, studies have found that the mechanisms of exercise improving PD motor symptoms are associated with exerkines. Exerkine refers to signalling moieties secreted in response to acute and/or chronic exercise. This review mainly summarizes the improvement of PD motor disorders by various exerkines and the underlying mechanisms. Firstly, exercise can trigger the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the substantia nigra (SN) and the striatum, potentially improving PD. Recent evidence has suggested that both BDNF and GDNF could improve motor symptoms of PD via restoring the number of dopaminergic neurons in the SN and striatum, increasing striatal dopamine contents, and reducing α-synuclein (α-syn) accumulation in the SN. In addition, BDNF also alleviates motor symptoms of PD by enhancing long-term potentiation and increasing the spine density of spiny projection neurons in the striatum, while GDNF by inhibiting neuroinflammation in the SN via suppressing the activation of microglia, reducing interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expressions, reducing the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa Bα (IκBα), and increasing the anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Secondly, exercise, a main trigger for irisin secretion from skeletal muscle, can improve PD motor symptoms by stimulating the irisin/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) pathway. Specifically, irisin alleviates motor symptoms in PD through multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting excessive mitochondrial fission by reducing the expressions of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and mitochondrial fission protein 1 (Fis1), alleviating the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons by increasing B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression and reducing Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and caspase 3 expressions, and restoring the number of dopaminergic neurons. Thirdly, new biomarkers of PD (cathepsin B and Fetuin-A) also play roles in PD development. Cathepsin B can promote the clearance of pathogenic α-syn in PD by enhancing the function of lysosomes, including strengthening the lysosomal degradation capacity, elevating the transport rate, and increasing the activity of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GCase). Fetuin-A has been demonstrated to improve PD by restoring the number and the morphology of Purkinje cells, which are the only efferent neurons in the cerebellar cortex and play an important role in maintaining motor coordination. This review aims to facilitate a deep understanding of the mechanism by which exercise improves PD motor symptoms and provide a theoretical basis for promotion of exercise in PD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the modifiable areal unit problem （MAUP） in the spatial pattern of Pseudostellaria heterophylla production regions and reveal the impact of statistical scales on the spatial distribution characteristics of this medicinal plant species. MethodsUsing multi-source data （literature records， field surveys， and statistical data）， we systematically analyzed the spatial patterns across three administrative levels （provincial， prefectural， and county scales）. Spatial autocorrelation （Moran's I） analysis， high-low clustering （Getis-Ord General G）， and hot/cold spot analysis （Getis-Ord Gi*） were employed. ResultsThe literature-based analysis showed that the production regions of P. heterophylla presented random distribution on the provincial scale and significant aggregation on the prefectural scale. The field survey data showed that the production regions displayed random distribution on the provincial scale but significant aggregation on both prefectural and county scales. The statistical data revealed that the production regions lacked spatial autocorrelation on the provincial scale but demonstrated significant aggregation on prefectural and county scales. ConclusionMAUP effects have substantive implications for understanding and decision-making in the arrangement of medicinal plant production regions. The county scale proves to be the most sensitive and explanatory level for analyzing the spatial pattern of P. heterophylla production regions， providing a critical foundation for habitat modeling， suitability evaluation， and ecological cultivation planning of medicinal plants.

ObjectiveIn nature, objects cast shadows due to illumination, forming the basis for stereoscopic perception. Birds need to adapt to changes in lighting (meaning they can recognize stereoscopic shapes even when shadows look different) to accurately perceive different three-dimensional forms. However, how neurons in the key visual brain area in birds handle these lighting changes remains largely unreported. In this study, pigeons (Columba livia) were used as subjects to investigate how neurons in pigeon’s ventrolateral mesopallium (MVL) represent stereoscopic shapes consistently, regardless of changes in lighting. MethodsVisual cognitive training combined with neuronal recording was employed. Pigeons were first trained to discriminate different stereoscopic shapes (concave/convex). We then tested whether and how light luminance angle and surface appearance of the stereoscopic shapes affect their recognition accuracy, and further verify whether the results rely on specify luminance color. Simultaneously, neuronal firing activity of neurons was recorded with multiple electrode array implanted from the MVL during the presentation of difference shapes. The response was finally analyzed how selectively they responded to different stereoscopic shapes and whether their selectivity was affected by the changes of luminance condition (like lighting angle) or surface look. Support vector machine (SVM) models were trained on neuronal population responses recorded under one condition (light luminance angle of 45°) and used to decode responses under other conditions (light luminance angle of 135°, 225°, 315°) to verify the invariance of responses to different luminance conditions. ResultsBehavioral results from 6 pigeons consistently showed that the pigeons could reliably identify the core 3D shape (over 80% accuracy), and this ability wasn’t affected by changes in light angle or surface appearance. Statistical analysis of 88 recorded neurons from 6 pigeons revealed that 83% (73/88) showed strong selectivity for specific 3D shapes (selectivity index>0.3), and responses to convex shapes were consistently stronger than to concave shapes. These shape-selective responses remained stable across changes in light angle and surface appearance. Neural patterns were consistent under both blue and orange lighting. The decoding accuracy achieves above 70%, suggesting stable responses under different conditions (e.g., different lighting angles or surface appearance). ConclusionNeurons in the pigeon MVL maintain a consistent neural encoding pattern for different stereoscopic shapes, unaffected by illumination or surface appearance. This ensures stable object recognition by pigeons in changing visual environments. Our findings provide new physiological evidence for understanding how birds achieve stable perception (“invariant neural representations”) while coping with variations in the visual field.

Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis* ; Electronic Nose ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Animals ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

Based on the pharmacokinetics theory, this study investigated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, wogonoside, and wogonin in normal and febrile rats and summarized absorption and elimination rules of Dayuanyin in them to provide reference for further development and clinical application of Dayuanyin. Blood samples were taken from the fundus venous plexus of normal and model rats after intragastric administration of Dayuanyin at different time points. The concentration of each substance in blood was determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) technique at different time points. DAS 2.0, a piece of pharmacokinetics software, was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component. The results show that the 4 components had good linear relationship in their respective ranges, and the results of methodological investigation met the requirements. The pharmacokinetic parameters of C_(max), T_(max), t_(1/2), AUC_(0-t), AUC_(0-∞), and MRT_(0-t) were calculated by the DAS 2.0 non-compartmental model. Compared with those in the normal group, C_(max) and AUC_(0-t) of the 4 components in the model group were significantly increased. There were significant differences in the pharmacokinetic characteristics between the normal and model groups, suggesting that the absorption and elimination of Dayuanyin may be affected by the changes of internal environment of the body in different physiological states.
Animals ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Fever/metabolism* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Glucosides/pharmacokinetics* ; Monoterpenes

In this study, the pharmacokinetic characteristics and tissue distribution of cannabidiol(CBD)/γ-polyglutamic acid-g-cholesterol(γ-PGA-g-CHOL) nanomicelles [CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs] were investigated by pharmacokinetic experiments, and the effect of CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs on the lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammatory damage of cells was evaluated by cell experiments. CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs were prepared by dialysis. The CBD concentrations in the plasma samples of male SD rats treated with CBD and CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs were investigated, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and compared. UPLC-MS/MS was employed to determine the concentration of CBD in tissue samples. The heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and muscle samples were collected at different time points to explore the tissue distribution of CBD and CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs. The Caco-2 cell model of LPS-induced inflammation was established, and the cell viability, transepithelial electrical resistance(TEER), and secretion levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined to compare the anti-inflammatory activity between the two groups. The results showed that CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs had the average particle size of(163.1±2.3)nm, drug loading of 8.78%±0.28%, and encapsulation rate of 84.46%±0.35%. Compared with CBD, CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs showed increased peak concentration(C_(max)) and prolonged peak time(t_(max)) and mean residence time(MRT_(0-t)). Within 24 h, the tissue distribution concentration of CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs was higher than that of CBD. In addition, both CBD and CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs significantly enhanced Caco-2 cell viability and TEER, lowered the secretion levels of inflammatory cytokines, and alleviated inflammation. Moreover, CBD/(γ-PGA-g-CHOL)NMs demonstrated stronger anti-inflammatory effect. It can be inferred that γ-PGA-g-CHOL blank nanomicelles are good carriers of CBD, being capable of prolonging the circulation time of CBD in the blood, improving the bioavailability and tissue distribution concentration of CBD, and protecting against LPS-induced inflammatory injury. The findings can provide an experimental basis for the development and clinical application of oral CBD preparations.
Animals ; Cannabidiol/administration & dosage* ; Polyglutamic Acid/analogs & derivatives* ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage* ; Micelles ; Caco-2 Cells ; Cholesterol/pharmacokinetics* ; Tissue Distribution ; Nanoparticles/chemistry*

This paper aims to contribute to guaranteeing the stable development and enhancing the understanding of ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica so that the national strategy and industrial demand can be better served. It first introduces current traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)policy and industrial development status from five aspects, including policy guarantee, theoretical support, technological innovation, standardization system, and brand influence. Then, the paper analyzes the development dilemma of TCM agriculture in production and quality increase and ecological environment protection. It also proposes the development goals of ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica that meet the current industrial development demand, which are reducing chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and carbon emissions, improving quality, increasing efficiency, and protecting ecological environment. In addition, the new development goals are interpreted through case studies. Finally, this paper proposes four development strategies for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica: conducting research on the pattern and spatial and temporal variations of nationwide TCM production areas; studying the internal and external ecological memories of medicinal plant growth from the perspectives of genetic variations and environmental adaptation variations and elucidating their contributions to the formation of quality; carrying out selection and breeding of stress-resistant varieties for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica, the optimization of key technologies for soil improvement and restoration and green prevention and control against diseases and pests, and the improvement of quality; carrying out research on the quality assurance and value realization of ecological products made from TCM. This research can provide guidance for policy formulation, theoretical development of the discipline, and the enhancement of industrial technology for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica.
Agriculture/methods* ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; Ecosystem ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Abelmoschi Corolla, the dried corolla of Abelmoschus manihot, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis activities. Its chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids, organic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. This study reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla in recent 20 years. According to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), the Q-markers of Abelmoschi Corolla were predicted from plant phylogeny, chemical constituent specificity, traditional efficacy, chemical constituent measurability, and absorbed constituents. The primary Q-markers for Abelmoschi Corolla were anticipated to include quercetin-3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, gossypetin-8-O-β-D-glucuronide, isoquercetin, myricetin,quercetin, and hyperoside, with the aim of providing reference data for improving the quality evaluation system of Abelmoschi Corolla.
Abelmoschus/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Quality Control ; Flavonoids/chemistry*

Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen, also known as Tinglizi, originates from Brassicaceae plants Descurainia sophia or Lepidium apetalum. The former is commonly referred to as "Southern Tinglizi(Descurainiae Semen)", while the latter is known as "Northern Tinglizi(Lepidii Semen)". To scientifically and accurately identify the origin of Tinglizi medicinal materials and traditional Chinese medicine products, this study developed a specific DNA mini-barcode based on chloroplast genome sequences. By combining the DNA mini-barcode with DNA metabarcoding technology, a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of Tinglizi medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines was established. In this study, chloroplast genomes of Southern Tinglizi and Northern Tinglizi and seven commonly encountered counterfeit products were downloaded from the GenBank database. Suitable polymorphic regions were identified to differentiate these species, enabling the development of the DNA mini-barcode. Using DNA metabarcoding technology, medicinal material mixtures of Southern and Northern Tinglizi, as well as the most common counterfeit product, Capsella bursa-pastoris seeds, were analyzed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of the mini-barcode and determine its minimum detection limit. Additionally, the mini-barcode was applied to Chinese patent medicines containing Tinglizi to authenticate their botanical origin. The results showed that the developed mini-barcode(psbB) exhibited high accuracy and specificity, effectively distinguishing between the two authentic origins of Tinglizi and commonly encountered counterfeit products. The analysis of mixtures demonstrated that the mini-barcode had excellent qualitative and quantitative capabilities, accurately identifying the composition of Chinese medicinal materials in mixed samples with varying proportions. Furthermore, the analysis of Chinese patent medicines revealed the presence of the adulterant species(Capsella bursa-pastoris) in addition to the authentic species(Southern and Northern Tinglizi), indicating the occurrence of adulteration in commercially available Tinglizi-containing products. This study developed a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials and related products, providing a model for research on other multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Contamination ; Genome, Chloroplast ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional