ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of topical treatment of allergic contact dermatitis （ACD） mice with Portulacae Herba based on the nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 70 6-week-old specific pathogen free （SPF） female Kunming mice were adaptively fed for 1 week and randomly divided into blank group， model group， compound dexamethasone acetate cream group （2.075×10^-2 g·g^-1）， blank matrix cream group， low-dose Portulacae Herba cream group （0.1 g·g^-1）， high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group （0.2 g·g^-1）， and Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group （0.2 g·g^-1 + 30 mg·kg^-1 ML385）， with 10 mice in each group. One day before the experiment， the mice were shaved on the neck and back. Except for the blank group， the mice in the other groups were treated with 2，4-dinitrochlorobenzene （DNCB） to establish an ACD model. After respective administration， the skin lesion of the mice was scored， and the histopathological changes of the skin were stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity， and malondialdehyde （MDA） in serum of mice. The expression of Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins in mouse skin tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， Western blot， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the mice in the model group had an increased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， severe pathological damage to skin tissue， increased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in their serum （P<0.01）， and decreased content of SOD （P<0.01）. In addition， the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α （IκBα） in skin tissue were up-regulated （P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of phosphorylated （p）-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group and the blank matrix cream group， the mice treated with Portulacae Herba had a decreased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， reduced pathological damage to skin tissue， decreased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in their serum （P<0.01）， and increased content of SOD （P<0.01）. Additionally， the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and IκBα in skin tissue were down-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were up-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group， the high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group had a decreased skin lesion score （P<0.01）， alleviated pathological damage to skin tissue， decreased content of IL-1β， IL-6， ROS， and MDA in the serum of mice （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and increased content of SOD （P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， and IκBα and the mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in skin tissue were up-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated （P<0.05）. ConclusionPortulacae Herba can improve DNCB-induced ACD skin damage in mice by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

This article combined the pathogenic characteristics of "latent wind" with the theory of collateral diseases to clarify the pathological features of tumor blood vessels， including their active proliferation， high permeabi-lity， and promotion of metastasis. The theory framework of "latent wind in collaterals" as the tumor mechanism was proposed， which suggests that at the site of tumor lesions， the collaterals inherit the nature of latent wind to grow excessively， adopt an open and discharge nature to leak essence， and tumor toxins， characterized by their rapid movement and frequent changes， spread and metastasize， driving the progression of malignant tumors. Focusing on the fundamental pathogenesis of "latent wind in collaterals"， specific clinical treatment principles and methods centered on treating wind are proposed， including regulating qi and dispelling wind， clearing heat and extinguishing wind， unblocking collaterals and expelling wind， and reinforcing healthy qi to calm wind， so as to provide references for enhancing the precision of traditional Chinese medicine in treating malignant tumors.

BACKGROUND:Carboxylesterase 1 and inflammatory factors play a crucial role in regulating lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis.However,the effects of different exercise intensity interventions on carboxylesterase 1 and inflammatory factors in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats remain to be revealed. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of different exercise intensity interventions on carboxylesterase 1 and inflammatory factors in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats. METHODS:Thirty-two 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group(n=12)and modeling group(n=20)after 1 week of adaptive feeding.Rat models of type 2 diabetes mellitus were prepared by high-fat diet and single injection of streptozotocin.After successful modeling,the rats were randomly divided into diabetic control group(n=6),moderate-intensity exercise group(n=6)and high-intensity intermittent exercise group(n=6).The latter two groups were subjected to treadmill training at corresponding intensities,once a day,50 minutes each,and 5 days per week.Exercise intervention in each group was carried out for 6 weeks.After the intervention,ELISA was used to detect blood glucose and blood lipids of rats.The morphological changes of skeletal muscle were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The mRNA expression levels of carboxylesterase 1 and inflammatory cytokines were detected by real-time quantitative PCR.The protein expression levels of carboxylesterase 1 and inflammatory cytokines were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the normal control group,fasting blood glucose,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,insulin resistance index in the diabetic control group were significantly increased(P<0.01),insulin activity was decreased(P<0.05),and the mRNA and protein levels of carboxylesterase 1,never in mitosis gene A related kinase 7(NEK7)and interleukin 18 in skeletal muscle tissue were upregulated(P<0.05).Compared with the diabetic control group,fasting blood glucose,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,and insulin resistance index in the moderate-intensity exercise group and high-intensity intermittent exercise group were down-regulated(P<0.05),and insulin activity was increased(P<0.05).Moreover,compared with the diabetic control group,the mRNA level of NEK7 and the protein levels of carboxylesterase 1,NEK7 and interleukin 18 in skeletal muscle were decreased in the moderate-intensity exercise group(P<0.05),while the mRNA levels of carboxylesterase 1,NEK7,NOD-like receptor heat protein domain associated protein 3 and interleukin 18 and the protein levels of carboxylesterase 1 and interleukin 18 in skeletal muscle were downregulated in the high-intensity intermittent exercise group(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that compared with the diabetic control group,the cavities of myofibers in the moderate-intensity exercise group became smaller,the number of internal cavities was reduced,and the cellular structure tended to be more intact;the myocytes of rats in the high-intensity intermittent exercise group were loosely arranged,with irregular tissue shape and increased cavities in myofibers.To conclude,both moderate-intensity exercise and high-intensity intermittent exercise can reduce blood glucose,lipid,insulin resistance and carboxylesterase 1 levels in type 2 diabetic rats.Moderate-intensity exercise can significantly reduce the expression level of NEK7 protein in skeletal muscle,while high-intensity intermittent exercise can significantly reduce the expression level of interleukin 18 protein in skeletal muscle.In addition,the level of carboxylesterase 1 is closely related to the levels of NEK7 and interleukin 18.

BACKGROUND:Pyroptosis participate in the degradation of the extracellular matrix of chondrocytes,synovial inflammation and pain,and plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis.In addition,exercise can inhibit the occurrence of pyroptosis to regulate the progression of osteoarthritis,which has become a research hot spot in the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the regulatory role of pyroptosis in osteoarthritis and the mechanism of exercise-mediated pyroptosis in osteoarthritis. METHODS:PubMed and CNKI databases were searched during 1992 to 2024 with the keywords"pyroptosis,osteoarthritis,chondrocyte pyroptosis,synovial cell pyroptosis,exercise"in English and Chinese,respectively.Finally,71 relevant articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage extracellular matrix,synovial inflammation,and subchondral bone remodeling.This condition often leads to organic lesions,bone pain,and functional impairment.(2)Pyroptosis,a distinct programmed cell death mechanism,involves cell lysis and the release of inflammatory cytokines,triggering a robust inflammatory response,and is closely related to the development of osteoarthritis.Pyroptosis can result in the release of numerous inflammatory factors,thereby activate the nuclear factor kappa-B transcription and increase pyroptosis protein production,and in turn exacerbate the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis.Therefore,pyroptosis can be a new direction for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis.(3)Exercise has been shown to down-regulate the pyroptosis protein signaling pathway and inhibit the expression of related inflammatory factors,thereby playing a pivotal role in osteoarthritis prevention and treatment.Aerobic and anaerobic exercises can delay the pathological process of osteoarthritis by inhibiting the occurrence of pyroptosis.Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is most effective in improving osteoarthritis by inhibiting pyroptosis signaling pathways,while anaerobic exercise can have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis by improving muscle mass.

Reasonable and standardised placebo setting for acupoint application pastes is a key factor for clinical trials to verify the safety and effectiveness of acupoint application. By sorting out the current design status of placebo in the allocation concealment and blind design， paste components， paste location， paste duration in the current clinical trials of acupoint application pastes， it is proposed that there are problems such as low application rate of blinding and non-standardised reporting， insufficient standardisation of placebo settings and lack of systematic research， and lack of uniform standards of the placebo evaluation method. Based on the action mechanism of acupoint application， the idea of setting placebo for acupoint application paste is proposed in terms of replacing the application material， controlling the physicochemical effect produced by transdermal absorption of drugs， and setting the permeability of placebo， in order to enrich the methodological content of the placebo setting for acupoint application， and providing more scientific and reliable clinical evidence of acupoint application.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of phases on the pharmacokinetic behavior of seven components from Banxia Xiexintang（BXT） in normal rats by investigating and comparing their pharmacokinetic profiles in different phase samples. MethodsThe phase separation of BXT was carried out by centrifugation-dialysis method， and three phase samples were obtained， including the precipitated phase（PP）， colloidal phase（CP） and true solution phase（TP）. A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into BXT， PP， CP and TP groups（n=6）. The BXT group was gavaged at a dose of 24.1 g·kg^-1（calculated by the dosage of raw materials）. After proper treatments， PP， CP and TP groups were administrated at the same dose as that of BXT group， respectively. Blood was collected from each group at set time points after gavage of BXT and the phase samples. The contents of 7 components（baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin， berberine， palmatine， ammonium glycyrrhizinate and isoliquiritin） in rat plasma were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry（UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS）， and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were analyzed by DAS 2.0. ResultsThe peak concentration of baicalin was the highest among the blood-entered components in each group， followed by wogonoside. The results of the concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic parameters of the 7 components showed that the area under the concentration-time curve（AUC） of isoliquiritin in the BXT group was the highest， followed by that in the CP group. AUC values of baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin and ammonium glycyrrhizinate in the BXT group were similar to those of the CP group， and AUC of palmatine in the BXT group was similar to that of the PP group. The elimination half-life（t_1/2） values of baicalin and wogonoside in the BXT group was the longest， the t_1/2 values of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and berberine were similar to those of the CP group， and the t_1/2 of palmatine was similar to that of the PP group. The t_1/2 of wogonin was the longest in the PP group， and the t_1/2 of isoliquiritin was the longest in the TP group was the longest， which was similar to that in the PP group. Except for isoliquiritin， the other 6 components showed double peaks in the concentration-time curve of the PP group， indicating that the above components might be reabsorbed through the enterohepatic circulation in vivo， which resulted in the maintenance of high plasma concentrations for a long time， and consequently exhibited sustained-release properties. ConclusionThe pharmacokinetic characteristics of the components in different phases were different， and the CP phase may be the effective phase from the perspective of the pharmacological action of BXT. Compared with the BXT group， the in vivo action times of some components in the CP and PP groups were prolonged. The study explores the phase differences of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） compound decoction in the aspect of pharmacokinetics， and verifies that the phase states from TCM compound decoction will affect the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the active components， which may consequently lead to the difference in in vivo effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effect of paeonol on acute alcohol-induced hepatic inflammation in mice via the regulation of the short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）-specific receptor GPR43/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway. MethodsC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups： blank control group， model group， low-dose paeonol group （120 mg·kg^-1）， high-dose paeonol group （480 mg·kg^-1）， and silybin group （36.8 mg·kg^-1）. A mouse model of alcohol-induced liver disease （ALD） was established by ad libitum administration of a Lieber-DeCarli alcohol liquid diet. Serum lipid levels， liver function， inflammatory cytokines， and oxidative stress markers were measured. Liver hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Oil Red O staining were performed to validate successful modeling. Western blot analysis was used to assess the expression levels of zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， Claudin-1， and proteins related to the GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway in the colonic tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the protein expression of GPR43， ZO-1， and Claudin-1 in the colon. Then 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to analyze differences in intestinal flora between the model group and the high-dose paeonol group. Additionally， fecal microbiota transplantation （FMT） experiments were conducted to validate the regulatory effect of paeonol on ALD via modulation of intestinal flora. ResultsCompared with the blank control group， the model group showed significantly elevated serum lipid levels， oxidative stress， and inflammatory cytokine expression （P<0.01）. Liver histology revealed increased inflammatory infiltration and lipid droplet accumulation. Colonic mucosal injury and impaired intestinal barrier function were observed. Levels of MAPK pathway-related proteins in the colonic tissue were upregulated （P<0.01）， while GPR43， ZO-1， and Claudin-1 protein expression levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The composition and abundance of the intestinal flora were markedly altered， with a reduced Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio and decreased relative abundances of Eubacterium， Parabacteroides， Erysipelothrix， and Adlercreutzia， alongside increased abundances of Clostridium butyricum， Enterococcus， and Helicobacter pylori in the model group. Compared with the model group， paeonol significantly reduced serum lipid levels， oxidative stress responses， and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ALD mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. It also attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation， restored intestinal barrier function， and repaired the structural integrity of liver and colonic tissues. The protein expression levels of ZO-1， Claudin-1， and GPR43 in the colonic tissue were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while those of MAPK pathway-related proteins were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The intestinal flora dysbiosis was effectively alleviated， rendering its composition closer to that of normal mice. The efficacy of paeonol in modulating ALD was further confirmed by FMT experiments， supporting its mechanistic involvement in the SCFAs-GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway. ConclusionPaeonol exerts a protective effect against ALD in mice， which may be mediated through regulation of the SCFAs-GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway， thereby achieving anti-inflammatory effects and improving intestinal barrier function.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of phases on the pharmacokinetic behavior of seven components from Banxia Xiexintang（BXT） in normal rats by investigating and comparing their pharmacokinetic profiles in different phase samples. MethodsThe phase separation of BXT was carried out by centrifugation-dialysis method， and three phase samples were obtained， including the precipitated phase（PP）， colloidal phase（CP） and true solution phase（TP）. A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into BXT， PP， CP and TP groups（n=6）. The BXT group was gavaged at a dose of 24.1 g·kg^-1（calculated by the dosage of raw materials）. After proper treatments， PP， CP and TP groups were administrated at the same dose as that of BXT group， respectively. Blood was collected from each group at set time points after gavage of BXT and the phase samples. The contents of 7 components（baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin， berberine， palmatine， ammonium glycyrrhizinate and isoliquiritin） in rat plasma were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry（UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS）， and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were analyzed by DAS 2.0. ResultsThe peak concentration of baicalin was the highest among the blood-entered components in each group， followed by wogonoside. The results of the concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic parameters of the 7 components showed that the area under the concentration-time curve（AUC） of isoliquiritin in the BXT group was the highest， followed by that in the CP group. AUC values of baicalin， wogonoside， wogonin and ammonium glycyrrhizinate in the BXT group were similar to those of the CP group， and AUC of palmatine in the BXT group was similar to that of the PP group. The elimination half-life（t_1/2） values of baicalin and wogonoside in the BXT group was the longest， the t_1/2 values of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and berberine were similar to those of the CP group， and the t_1/2 of palmatine was similar to that of the PP group. The t_1/2 of wogonin was the longest in the PP group， and the t_1/2 of isoliquiritin was the longest in the TP group was the longest， which was similar to that in the PP group. Except for isoliquiritin， the other 6 components showed double peaks in the concentration-time curve of the PP group， indicating that the above components might be reabsorbed through the enterohepatic circulation in vivo， which resulted in the maintenance of high plasma concentrations for a long time， and consequently exhibited sustained-release properties. ConclusionThe pharmacokinetic characteristics of the components in different phases were different， and the CP phase may be the effective phase from the perspective of the pharmacological action of BXT. Compared with the BXT group， the in vivo action times of some components in the CP and PP groups were prolonged. The study explores the phase differences of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） compound decoction in the aspect of pharmacokinetics， and verifies that the phase states from TCM compound decoction will affect the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the active components， which may consequently lead to the difference in in vivo effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effect of paeonol on acute alcohol-induced hepatic inflammation in mice via the regulation of the short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）-specific receptor GPR43/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway. MethodsC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups： blank control group， model group， low-dose paeonol group （120 mg·kg^-1）， high-dose paeonol group （480 mg·kg^-1）， and silybin group （36.8 mg·kg^-1）. A mouse model of alcohol-induced liver disease （ALD） was established by ad libitum administration of a Lieber-DeCarli alcohol liquid diet. Serum lipid levels， liver function， inflammatory cytokines， and oxidative stress markers were measured. Liver hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Oil Red O staining were performed to validate successful modeling. Western blot analysis was used to assess the expression levels of zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， Claudin-1， and proteins related to the GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway in the colonic tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the protein expression of GPR43， ZO-1， and Claudin-1 in the colon. Then 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to analyze differences in intestinal flora between the model group and the high-dose paeonol group. Additionally， fecal microbiota transplantation （FMT） experiments were conducted to validate the regulatory effect of paeonol on ALD via modulation of intestinal flora. ResultsCompared with the blank control group， the model group showed significantly elevated serum lipid levels， oxidative stress， and inflammatory cytokine expression （P<0.01）. Liver histology revealed increased inflammatory infiltration and lipid droplet accumulation. Colonic mucosal injury and impaired intestinal barrier function were observed. Levels of MAPK pathway-related proteins in the colonic tissue were upregulated （P<0.01）， while GPR43， ZO-1， and Claudin-1 protein expression levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The composition and abundance of the intestinal flora were markedly altered， with a reduced Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio and decreased relative abundances of Eubacterium， Parabacteroides， Erysipelothrix， and Adlercreutzia， alongside increased abundances of Clostridium butyricum， Enterococcus， and Helicobacter pylori in the model group. Compared with the model group， paeonol significantly reduced serum lipid levels， oxidative stress responses， and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ALD mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. It also attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation， restored intestinal barrier function， and repaired the structural integrity of liver and colonic tissues. The protein expression levels of ZO-1， Claudin-1， and GPR43 in the colonic tissue were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while those of MAPK pathway-related proteins were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The intestinal flora dysbiosis was effectively alleviated， rendering its composition closer to that of normal mice. The efficacy of paeonol in modulating ALD was further confirmed by FMT experiments， supporting its mechanistic involvement in the SCFAs-GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway. ConclusionPaeonol exerts a protective effect against ALD in mice， which may be mediated through regulation of the SCFAs-GPR43/MAPK signaling pathway， thereby achieving anti-inflammatory effects and improving intestinal barrier function.

OBJECTIVE To study the effects and mechanism of Portulaca oleracea cream on skin pruritus and barrier function in allergic contact dermatitis （ACD） mice. METHODS Low-concentration and high-concentration P. oleracea creams were prepared， with the P. oleracea extract solution （1 g/mL， calculated by crude drug） concentrations of 10% and 20%. Sixty BALB/c mice were randomly allocated into blank group， model group， Mometasone furoate cream group （positive control）， blank matrix cream group， P. oleracea low-concentration and high-concentration cream groups. Except for blank group， ACD model was induced in each group using 2，4-dinitrochlorobenzene solution. The blank group and model groups received normal saline， while the remaining groups were treated with their respective creams， once a day， at a dose of approximately 0.5 g per application， continuously for 14 days. At 24 h post-final administration， skin lesions of mice were observed and scored； pathological changes of skin tissue were observed； serum levels of immunoglobulin E（IgE） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were quantified. mRNA expression of MAS-related G protein-coupled receptors （including MrgprA3， MrgprC11， and MrgprD） in dorsal root ganglion （DRG） was assessed； while protein expressions of skin barrier function-related proteins Claudin-1 and Occludin in skin tissues were determined. RESULTS Compared with blank group， mice in the model group exhibited severe skin damage， characterized by loss of epidermal architecture， hyperkeratosis of the skin tissue， and the infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells. The skin injury scores， as well as the serum levels of IgE and TNF-α， and the mRNA expression levels of MrgprA3， MrgprC11， and MrgprD in DRG， were all significantly elevated compared to the blank group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； in contrast， the protein expression levels of Claudin-1 and Occludin in the skin tissue were markedly reduced （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， mice in P. oleracea low-concentration and high- concentration cream groups demonstrated significant alleviation of skin damage， as evidenced by reduced epidermal hyperplasia， mitigated spongiosis in the dermis， and decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells； these quantitative indicators were almost significantly reversed （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. No significant differences were observed in the aforementioned skin injuries， pathological alterations， or quantitative indicators between the blank matrix cream group and the model group. CONCLUSIONS P. oleracea may ameliorate skin lesions and restore skin barrier function of ACD mice， the mechanism of which may be associated with downregulating mRNA expressions of MrgprA3， MrgprC11 and MrgprD in DRG， and up-regulating the protein expressions of Claudin-1 and Occludin in skin tissue.