A scoping review was performed to systematically search and summarize the clinical research in the treatment of dysmenorrhea with oral Chinese patent medicines. The oral Chinese patent medicines for treating dysmenorrhea in three major drug lists, guidelines, and textbooks were screened, and the relevant clinical trials were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases. The key information of the included trials was extracted and visually analyzed. A total of 50 Chinese patent medicines were included, among which oral Chinese patent medicines for the dysmenorrhea patients with the syndrome of Qi stagnation and blood stasis accounted for the highest proportion, and the average daily cost varied greatly among Chinese patent medicines. A total of 150 articles were included, involving 22 Chinese patent medicines, among which Guizhi Fuling Capsules/Pills, Sanjie Zhentong Capsules, and Dan'e Fukang Soft Extract were the most frequently studied. These articles mainly reported randomized controlled trial(RCT), which mainly focused on the comparison of the intervention effect between Chinese patent medicines combined with western medicine and western medicine alone, and the sample size was generally 51-100 cases. The high-frequency outcome indicators belonged to nine domains such as effective rate, adverse reactions, and laboratory examinations. This study showed that oral Chinese patent medicines had advantages in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, and the annual number of related clinical trials showed an overall growing trend. However, there were still problems such as insufficient safety information and vague description of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes types in the instructions of Chinese patent medicines. The available clinical research had shortcomings such as uneven distribution of Chinese patent medicines, limited research scale, poor methodological rigor, and insufficient standardization of outcome indicators. In the future, it is necessary to deepen the development of high-quality clinical research and improve the contents of the instructions to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the clinical application of oral Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of dysmenorrhea.
Dysmenorrhea/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Female ; Administration, Oral ; Nonprescription Drugs/administration & dosage*

Three taraxerane nortriterpenoids were isolated from mastic by using various modern chromatographic separation techniques. They were identified as(5R,8R,9R,10S,11S,12R,13S,17R,18R)-28-norlupa-11,12-epoxy-14-taraxerene-3,16-dione(1),(5R,8R,9R,10S,11S,12R,13S,17S,18S)-17-hydroxy-28-norlupa-11,12-epoxy-14-taraxerene-3-one(2), and(5R,8R,9R,10R,11S,12R,13R,14S,17S,18S)-14,17-epoxy-28-norlupa-11,12-oxidotaraxerone(3) through the high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), infrared(IR), ultraviolet(UV), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques as well as comparison with literature data. Compounds 1-3 were C-28 nortriterpenoids and isolated from mastic for the first time, and compounds 1-2 were new ones. In the model for RAW264.7 cell anti-inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS), compound 1 demonstrates an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide(NO) [IC_(50)=(13.38±0.68) μmol·L~(-1)], comparable to the activity of the positive control dexamethasone [IC_(50)=(14.59±1.49) μmol·L~(-1)]. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibit weaker inhibitory effects, with IC_(50) values of(24.17±2.56) and(22.25±2.84) μmol·L~(-1), respectively.
Animals ; Mice ; Triterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Mastic Resin/chemistry* ; Nitric Oxide ; Molecular Structure ; Macrophages/immunology* ; RAW 264.7 Cells

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effects of two traditional mineral medicines (TMMs), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao, GF) and Terra Flava Usta (Zaoxintu, TFU), on gut-beneficial bacteria in mice, and preliminarily explore their mechanisms of action. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 per group): the control group (standard diet), the GF group (diet supplemented with 2% GF), and the TFU group (diet supplemented with 2% TFU). After 4-week intervention, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the changes in the gut microbiota (GM). Scanning electron microscopy, in combination with coumarin A tetramethyl rhodamine conjugate and Hoechst stainings, was used to observe the bacteria and biofilm formation. RESULTS: Principal coordinate analysis revealed that GF and TFU significantly altered the GM composition in mice. Further analysis revealed that GF and TFU affected different types of gut bacteria, suggesting that different TMMs may selectively modulate specific bacterial populations. For certain bacteria, such as Faecalibaculum and Ileibacterium, both GF and TFU exhibited growth-promoting effects, implying that they may be sensitive to TMMs and that different TMMs can increase their abundance through their respective mechanisms. Notably, Lactobacillus reuteri, a widely recognized and used probiotic, was significantly enriched in the GF group. Random forest analysis identified Ileibacterium valens as a potential indicator bacterium for TMMs' impact on GM. Further mechanistic studies showed that gut bacteria formed biofilm structures on the TFU surface. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insights into the interaction between TMMs and GM. As safe and effective natural clays, GF and TFU hold promise as potential candidates for prebiotic development.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Bacteria/growth & development* ; Mice ; Biofilms/drug effects* ; Male ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics*

Objective Recombinase-aided polymerase chain reaction(RAP)is a sensitive,single-tube,two-stage nucleic acid amplification method.This study aimed to develop an assay that can be used for the early diagnosis of three types of bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus(SA),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(PA),and Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)in the bloodstream based on recombinant human mannan-binding lectin protein(M1 protein)-conjugated magnetic bead(M1 bead)enrichment of pathogens combined with RAP. Methods Recombinant plasmids were used to evaluate the assay sensitivity.Common blood influenza bacteria were used for the specific detection.Simulated and clinical plasma samples were enriched with M1 beads and then subjected to multiple recombinase-aided PCR(M-RAP)and quantitative PCR(qPCR)assays.Kappa analysis was used to evaluate the consistency between the two assays. Results The M-RAP method had sensitivity rates of 1,10,and 1 copies/μL for the detection of SA,PA,and AB plasmids,respectively,without cross-reaction to other bacterial species.The M-RAP assay obtained results for<10 CFU/mL pathogens in the blood within 4 h,with higher sensitivity than qPCR.M-RAP and qPCR for SA,PA,and AB yielded Kappa values of 0.839,0.815,and 0.856,respectively(P<0.05). Conclusion An M-RAP assay for SA,PA,and AB in blood samples utilizing M1 bead enrichment has been developed and can be potentially used for the early detection of bacteremia.

Objective To investigate the effects of Shugan Bushen Decoction combined with laparoscopic surgery on ovarian volume,serum homeobox gene A10(HOXA10)expression and pregnancy rate in patients with refractory polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods A total of 80 patients with refractory PCOS of liver stagnation and kidney deficiency type were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 40 cases in each group.The control group was given conventional laparoscopic surgery and conventional medicine treatment.The observation group was treated with Shugan Bushen Decoction on the basis of treatment for the control group.One menstrual cycle constituted one course of treatment,and 3 continuous courses of treatment were given.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,ovarian volume,follicular diameter,serum HOXA10 expression and levels of sex hormones of luteinizing hormone(LH),estradiol(E2),progesterone(P),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and testosterone in the two groups before and after treatment were observed.Moreover,the pregnancy outcomes of the two groups during the follow-up for half a year were monitored.Results(1)After treatment,the ovarian volume in the two groups was decreased to different degrees(P＜0.05),and the follicular diameter was increased to different degrees(P＜0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the decrease of ovarian volume and the increase of follicular diameter in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.01).(2)After treatment,the levels of LH,FSH and testosterone in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the levels of HOXA10,E2 and P were significantly higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of LH,FSH and testosterone levels and the increase of HOXA10,E2 and P levels in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the overall TCM syndrome scores and the scores of the syndrome manifestations of abnormal menstrual volume,abnormal menstrual cycle,soreness and weakness of waist and knees,darkish red tongue,deep and unsmooth pulse in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease of overall TCM syndrome scores and the scores of each of the syndrome manifestations in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.01).(4)The pregnancy rate of the observation group was 55.00%(22/40),which was significantly higher than that of 32.50%(13/40)in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion For the treatment of refractory PCOS of liver depression and kidney deficiency type,Shugan Bushen Decoction combined with laparoscopic surgery can effectively improve the ovarian function of the patients,promote the recovery of sex hormone levels,increase the expression level of HOXA10,improve the endometrial receptivity,and enhance the pregnancy rate of the patients.

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition(EndMT)is a process in which endothelial cells lose their endothelial pheno-type and function and gain mesenchymal phenotype and func-tion.During the embryonic period,EndMT is an essential mech-anism for the development of heart valves,pulmonary arteries and aorta.In recent years,numerous studies have shown that EndMT is also involved in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis,cardiac fibrosis,pulmonary hypertension,and cerebrovascular malformation.In addition,EndMT is also an important mechanism of other organ fibrosis and tumors.Non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs)refer to RNAs that are transcribed from the genome but do not translate into proteins.Studies have shown that the abnormal expression of ncRNAs can participate in various diseases by regulating End-MT.Such ncRNAs with regulatory functions mainly include mi-croRNA(miRNA),long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)and cir-cular RNA(circRNA).This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which ncRNAs regulate EndMT in various disea-ses,looking forward to the application prospects of ncRNAs in the treatment of EndMT-related diseases.

Objective:To investigate the psychological status of the outpatients in the andrology clinic and the effect of risk warning combined with multidisciplinary team(MDT)intervention on their satisfaction.Methods:Using convenience sampling,we enrolled 600 outpatients seeking medical attention in the Department of Andrology of our hospital from July to October 2022.We ran-domized the patients into a control(n=300)and an observation group(n=300),obtained their basic information,evaluated their psychological status with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),and assessed their satisfaction with the Xijing Hospital Outpatients'Satisfaction Questionnaire(HOSQ).The controls followed the routine procedure of treatment,while the patients in the ob-servation group received early warning before intervention based on their HADS scores.We provided normal medical care for those with HADS scores≤7,employed empathetic communication for those with HADS scores of 8-10,and conducted MDT intervention for those with HADS scores≥1l,followed by comparison of the patients'satisfaction with the outpatient service between the two groups.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in general conditions between the groups of patients(P＞0.05).The mean prevalence rate of anxiety and depression was 47.83％among the male subjects,lower in the control than in the observation group(47.00％vs 48.67％,P＞0.05),but higher in the patients with the education of junior high school or below(60.99％)than in those with that of senior high school(22.34％)and university or above(16.67％),and also higher in those aged 18-40 years(67.38％)than in those aged 41-60 years(51.82％)and over 60 years old(38.33％).A significantly higher rate of satisfaction with the outpatient service was found in the observation group than in the controls(97.18％vs 90.39％,P＜0.05).Conclusion:Anxie-ty and depression are prevalent among the outpatients in the andrology clinic,with a higher prevalence rate in those with lower educa-tion and at a younger age.Early risk warning combined with MDT intervention can improve the satisfaction of the patients.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of Isodon terricolous-medicated serum on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced hepatic stellate cell(HSC) activation. LPS-induced HSCs were divided into a blank control group, an LPS model group, a colchicine-medicated serum group, an LPS + blank serum group, an I. terricolous-medicated serum group, a Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) blocker group, and a TLR4 blocker + I. terricolous-medicated serum group. HSC proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure type Ⅰ collagen(COL Ⅰ), COL Ⅲ, transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1(caspase-1), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1). Real-time PCR(RT-PCR) was used to detect mRNA expression of TLR4, IκBα, and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3), nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) p65, gasdermin D(GSDMD), and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC) in HSCs. Western blot(WB) was used to detect the protein levels of TLR4, p-IκBα, NF-κB p65, NLRP3, ASC, and GSDMD in HSCs. The results showed that I. terricolous-medicated serum could inhibit the proliferation activity of HSCs and inhibit the secretion of COL Ⅰ, COL Ⅲ, α-SMA, TGF-β1, caspase-1, MCP-1, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 in HSCs. Compared with the LPS model group, the I. terricolous-medicated serum group, the colchicine-medicated serum group, and the TLR4 blocker group showed down-regulated expression of p-IκBα, NLRP3, NF-κB p65, GSDMD, and ASC, and up-regulated expression of IκBα. Compared with the TLR4 blocker group, the TLR4 blocker + I. terricolous-medicated serum group showed decreased expression of TLR4, p-IκBα, NLRP3, NF-κB p65, GSDMD, and ASC, and increased expression of IκBα. In conclusion, I. terricolous-medicated serum down-regulates HSC activation by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.
NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha/metabolism* ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolism* ; Isodon ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction ; Colchicine/pharmacology* ; Caspases

As an important model animal, fruit fly is characterized by outstanding genetic characteristics, relatively perfect nervous system, rapid reproduction, and low cost. Thus, it has been applied in the research on neuropsychiatric disorders in recent years, showing great potential in life science. The incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders has been on the rise, and the disorders have high disability rate and low case fatality rate. The global drug demand for such diseases is second only to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. At the moment, the demand of the drugs for the diseases have been rising, and it is an urgent task to develop related drugs. However, the research and development of the drugs are time-intensive and have a high failure rate. A suitable animal model can help shorten the time for drug screening and development, thereby reducing the cost and failure rate. This study reviews the application of fruit flies in several common neuropsychiatric disorders, which is expected to provide new ideas for the research and application of the model animals in traditional Chinese medicine.
Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Models, Animal ; Cerebrovascular Disorders