1.Rehmanniae Radix Iridoid Glycosides Protect Kidneys of Diabetic Mice by Regulating TGF-β1/Smads Signaling Pathway
Hongwei ZHANG ; Ming LIU ; Huisen WANG ; Wenjing GE ; Xuexia ZHANG ; Qian ZHOU ; Huani LI ; Suqin TANG ; Gengsheng LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):56-66
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Rehmanniae Radix iridoid glycosides (RIG) on the kidney tissue of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and explore the underlying mechanism. MethodsTwelve of 72 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly selected as the normal group, and the remaining 60 mice were fed with a high-fat diet for six weeks combined with injection of 60 mg·kg-1 STZ for 4 days to model type 2 diabetes mellitus. The successfully modeled mice were randomized into model, metformin (250 mg·kg-1), catalpol (100 mg·kg-1), low-dose RIG (RIG-L, 200 mg·kg-1) and high-dose RIG (RIG-H, 400 mg·kg-1) groups (n=11). Mice in each group were administrated with corresponding drugs, while those in the normal group and model group were administrated with the same dose of distilled water by gavage once a day. After 8 weeks of intervention, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. After mice were sacrificed, both kidneys were collected. The body weight, kidney weight, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were measured. Biochemical assays were performed to measure the serum levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), serum creatinine (SCr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to determine the serum level of fasting insulin (FINS), and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. The pathological changes in kidneys of mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining. The immunohistochemical method (IHC) was employed to assess the expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and collagen-3 (ColⅢ) in the kidney tissue. The protein levels of TGF-β1, cell signal transduction molecule 3 (Smad3), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and ColⅢ in kidneys of mice were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showcased decreased body weight and ISI (P<0.01), increased kidney weight, FBG, AUC, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, SCr, and BUN (P<0.01), glomerular hypertrophy, capsular space narrowing, and collagen deposition in the kidney, up-regulated protein levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β1, ColⅢ, and Smad3 (P<0.01), and down-regulated protein level of MMP-9 (P<0.01) in the kidney tissue. Compared with the model group, the treatment groups had no significant difference in the body weight and decreased kidney weight (P<0.05, P<0.01). The FBG level declined in the RIG-H group after treatment for 4-8 weeks and in the metformin, catalpol, and RIG-L groups after treatment for 6-8 weeks (P<0.01). The AUC in the RIG-L, RIG-H, and metformin groups decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The levels of TC, SCr, and BUN in the serum of mice in each treatment group became lowered (P<0.05, P<0.01). The level of TG declined in the RIG-L, RIG-H, and metformin groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The serum level of FINS declined in the catalpol, RIG-L, and metformin groups (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the treatment groups showed decreased HOMA-IR (P<0.01), increased ISI (P<0.01), alleviated pathological changes in the kidney tissue, and down-regulated expression of IL-1 and TGF-β1. In addition, the protein levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and ColⅢ in the RIG-H and metformin groups and IL-6 and TNF-α in the RIG-L group were down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the protein levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and ColⅢ in the catalpol group and ColⅢ in the RIG-L group showed a decreasing trend without statistical difference. The protein levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, and ColⅢ in the RIG-H and metformin groups were down-regulated (P<0.01). Compared with that in the model group, the protein level of MMP-9 was up-regulated in each treatment group (P<0.01). ConclusionRIG can improve the renal structure and function of diabetic mice by regulating the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.
2.Mechanism of in Vitro and in vivo Models of Osteoporosis Regulation by Active Ingredients of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Ming YANG ; Jinji WANG ; Xuefeng ZHUANG ; Xiaolei FANG ; Zhijie ZHU ; Huiwei BAO ; Lijing LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):281-289
Osteoporosis is a common bone disease, whose incidence is still on the rise, posing great challenges to patients and society. This review mainly studies the pathogenesis of osteoporosis from the aspects of oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and glucolipotoxicity-induced injury and clarifies the efficacy and mechanism of some active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine against osteoporosis through the integration of in vitro and in vivo experiments. The experimental results suggest that some active ingredients can improve bone resorption markers and maintain bone homeostasis by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, etc. These active ingredients regulate osteoporosis through the receptor activator of nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL) pathway, osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, NF-κB pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and oxidative stress pathway. This review provides ideas for the progress of the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis with the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, aiming to provide new potential lead compounds and reference for the development of innovative drugs and clinical therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis.
3.Effect of Icariin on Steroid-induced Ferroptosis in Rat Bone Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Jiancheng TANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Ruichen JIANG ; Zhengrong YUE ; Ming LI ; Yaqi ZHANG ; Zetao YIN ; Weiguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):131-140
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of icariin (ICA) on steroid-induced ferroptosis in bone microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). MethodsRat BMECs were selected and treated with 500 mg·L-1 hydrocortisone for 1.5 h to establish a ferroptosis model of BMECs. The experimental cells were divided into a blank group, hormone group (500 mg·L-1 hydrocortisone), ICA group (500 mg·L-1 hydrocortisone + 34 mg·L-1 ICA), and ferroptosis agonist group (500 mg·L-1 hydrocortisone + 34 mg·L-1 ICA + 2.7 mg·L-1 erastin). Cell viability was detected by CCK-8. The levels of ferrous ion, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by related kit species. The ferroptosis-related proteins, such as glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), ferritin light chain (FTL), and transferrin receptor protein1 (sTfR) were detected by Western blot, as well as autophagy-related proteins including microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B), Beclin1, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and Caspase-3. Results500 mg·L-1 hydrocortisone intervention for 1.5 h could effectively induce ferroptosis in BMECs, and ferroptosis levels could reach a peak as the intervention continued. In terms of cellular antioxidant capacity, compared with those in the blank group, the cell vitality, GSH in the hormone group decreased significantly, and the levels of ROS, SOD, MDA, and ferrous ions were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with those in the hormone group, the cell viability, GSH were significantly increased, and the levels of ROS, SOD, MDA, and ferrous ions were decreased in the ICA group (P<0.01). Compared with those in the ICA group, the cell vitality, GSH in the ferroptosis agonist group decreased significantly, and the levels of ROS, SOD, MDA, and ferrous ions increased significantly (P<0.01). In terms of the relationship between ferroptosis and autophagy, compared with the blank group, the hormone group had significantly increased expression levels of LC3B, sTfR, Beclin1, and FTL and significantly decreased expression levels of GPX4 (P<0.01). Compared with the hormone group, The ICA group had significantly decreased expression levels of LC3B, sTfR, and FTL and significantly increased expression levels of Beclin 1 and GPX4 (P<0.01). Compared with those in the ICA group, the expression levels of LC3B, sTfR, and FTL increased in the rapamycin group, and those of Beclin 1 and GPX4 decreased (P<0.01). In terms of cell ferroptosis and apoptosis,compared with the blank group, the hormone group had significantly increased expression levels of FTL, sTfR and Caspase-3 and significantly decreased expression levels of GPX4, and Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Compared with the hormone group, the ICA group had significantly decreased expression levels of FTL, sTfR and Caspase-3 and significantly increased expression levels of GPX4, and Bcl-2 (P<0.01). Compared with those in the ICA group, the expression levels of FTL, sTfR and Caspase-3 in the ferroptosis agonist group were increased, and the expression levels of GPX4, and Bcl-2 were decreased (P<0.01). In terms of cell function,compared with that in the blank group, the ability of cell migration and tube formation was significantly decreased in the hormone group (P<0.01). Compared with that in the hormone group, the cell migration and tube formation ability in the ICA group were significantly increased (P<0.01). ConclusionFerroptosis is involved in steroid-induced damage in BMECs. ICA can inhibit steroid-induced ferroptosis in BMECs, and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of ferroptosis by regulating autophagy.
4.Application and development of pulsed electric field ablation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation
Zhen WANG ; Ming LIANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Jingyang SUN ; Yaling HAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(02):270-276
With the continuous development of China's aging society and the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, the incidence of cardiovascular disease in China has been increasing in recent years. Among them, atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia disease. In recent years, pulsed field ablation (PFA) has been continuously applied to AF treatment as a novel treatment. This paper first introduces the principle of PFA applied to AF treatment, and introduces the research progress of PFA in different directions, such as the comparison of different ablation methods, the study of physical parameters, the study of ablation area, the study of tissue specificity and clinical research. Then, the clinical prior research of PFA is discussed, including the use of simulation software to obtain the simulation effect of different parameters, the evaluation of ablation effect during animal research, and finally the current AF treatment. Various prior studies and clinical studies are summarized, and suggestions are made for the shortcomings found in the study of AF treatment and the future research direction is prospected.
5.Research advances in liver venous deprivation
Bensong HE ; Ming XIAO ; Qijia ZHANG ; Canhong XIANG ; Yanxiong WANG ; Yingbo LI ; Zhishuo WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(1):183-188
Portal vein embolization (PVE) can induce atrophy of the embolized lobe and compensatory regeneration of the non-embolized lobe. However, due to inadequate regeneration of future liver remnant (FLR) after PVE, some patients remain unsuitable for hepatectomy after PVE. In recent years, liver venous deprivation (LVD), which combines PVE with hepatic vein embolization (HVE), has induced enhanced FLR regeneration. Compared with associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), LVD triggers faster and more robust FLR regeneration, with lower incidence rate of postoperative complications and mortality rate. By reviewing related articles on LVD, this article introduces the effectiveness of LVD and analyzes the differences and safety of various technical paths, and it is believed that LVD is a safe and effective preoperative pretreatment method.
6.Mechanism of HIF-1α in Diabetic Nephropathy and Improvement Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Jiarun XIE ; Haoyu LIN ; Xi CHEN ; Jia SUN ; Ming WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(8):287-293
In recent years, diabetic nephropathy (DN) has become an increasingly serious health challenge worldwide, and its morbidity and mortality rates are rapidly increasing. The patients suffering from the disease tend to be younger. DN is not only accompanied by a wide range of renal pathological changes, such as renal hypertrophy, inflammatory cell infiltration, expansion of the tethered membrane stroma, and thickening of the basement membrane but is also the main cause of end-stage renal disease and death in patients with diabetes mellitus. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to explore new strategies for the prevention and treatment of DN. The pathogenesis of DN is intricate and complex, with current research focusing on multifactorial interactions between metabolic and hemodynamic factors, such as hypoxia, inflammatory responses, and fibrotic processes. Notably, hypoxia plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of DN. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), as a key regulatory protein commonly found in hypoxic cells, has a profound impact on various physiological and pathological processes, such as cell metabolism, vascular neogenesis, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. With its unique theoretical system and therapeutic approach, traditional Chinese medicine has demonstrated significant advantages in coping with hypoxic diseases and can slow down the progression of DN by regulating the expression level of HIF-1α and its downstream signaling molecules and exerting anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifibrotic effects, which has positive clinical significance for drug development and early prevention and treatment of DN.
7.Progress on antisense oligonucleotide in the field of antibacterial therapy
Jia LI ; Xiao-lu HAN ; Shi-yu SONG ; Jin-tao LIN ; Zhi-qiang TANG ; Zeng-ming WANG ; Liang XU ; Ai-ping ZHENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):337-347
With the widespread use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacterial infections have become a significant threat to human health. Finding new antibacterial strategies that can effectively control drug-resistant bacterial infections has become an urgent task. Unlike small molecule drugs that target bacterial proteins, antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) can target genes related to bacterial resistance, pathogenesis, growth, reproduction and biofilm formation. By regulating the expression of these genes, ASO can inhibit or kill bacteria, providing a novel approach for the development of antibacterial drugs. To overcome the challenge of delivering antisense oligonucleotide into bacterial cells, various drug delivery systems have been applied in this field, including cell-penetrating peptides, lipid nanoparticles and inorganic nanoparticles, which have injected new momentum into the development of antisense oligonucleotide in the antibacterial realm. This review summarizes the current development of small nucleic acid drugs, the antibacterial mechanisms, targets, sequences and delivery vectors of antisense oligonucleotide, providing a reference for the research and development of antisense oligonucleotide in the treatment of bacterial infections.
8.Determination of biological activity of teduglutide by a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence method
Xiao-ming ZHANG ; Ran MA ; Li-jing LÜ ; Lü-yin WANG ; Ping LÜ ; Cheng-gang LIANG ; Jing LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):211-217
In this study, we constructed a GLP-2R-HEK293 cell line and established a method for the determination of the
9.Design, synthesis and evaluation of oxadiazoles as novel XO inhibitors
Hong-zhan WANG ; Ya-jun YANG ; Ying YANG ; Fei YE ; Jin-ying TIAN ; Chuan-ming ZHANG ; Zhi-yan XIAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):164-171
Xanthine oxidase (XO) is an important therapeutic target for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. Based on the previously identified potent XO inhibitor
10.Pharmacokinetic study of 3 blood-absorbed components of Xiangshao sanjie oral liquid in rats with hyperplasia of mammary gland
Yu ZHANG ; Jiaming LI ; Dan PENG ; Ruoqiu FU ; Yue MING ; Zhengbi LIU ; Jingjing WANG ; Shiqi CHENG ; Hongjun XIE ; Yao LIU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(6):680-685
OBJECTIVE To explore the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 3 blood-absorbed components of Xiangshao sanjie oral liquid in rats with hyperplasia of mammary gland (HMG). METHODS Female SD rats were divided into control group and HMG group according to body weight, with 6 rats in each group. The HMG group was given estrogen+progesterone to construct HMG model. After modeling, two groups were given 1.485 g/kg of Xiangshao sanjie oral liquid (calculated by crude drug) intragastrically, once a day, for 7 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected before the first administration (0 h), and at 5, 15, 30 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours after the last administration, respectively. Using chlorzoxazone as the internal standard, the plasma concentrations of ferulic acid, paeoniflorin and rosmarinic acid in rats were detected by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters [area under the drug time curve (AUC0-24 h, AUC0-∞), mean residence time (MRT0-∞), half-life (t1/2), peak time (tmax), peak concentration (cmax)] were calculated by the non-atrioventricular model using Phoenix WinNonlin 8.1 software. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the AUC0-24 h, AUC0-∞ and cmax of ferulic acid in the HMG group were significantly increased (P<0.05); the AUC0-24 h, AUC0-∞ , MRT0-∞ , t1/2 and cmax of paeoniflorin increased, but there was no significant difference between 2 groups (P>0.05); the AUC0-24 h and MRT0-∞ of rosmarinic acid were significantly increased or prolonged (P<0.05). C ONCLUSIONS In HMG model rats, the exposure of ferulic acid, paeoniflorin and rosmarinic acid in Xiangshao sanjie oral liquid all increase, and the retention time of rosmarinic acid is significantly prolonged.

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