ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and cognitive dysfunction, and its mediating role between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cognitive dysfunction. MethodsA case-control study was conducted from May 2019 to April 2021 at the Shanghai Yangpu District Central Hospital, China. A total of 193 subjects were recruited and divided into two groups based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): normal control (NC) group (n=95) and cognitive impairment group (n=98). The prevalence of T2DM was determined on the basis of medical history, while mtDNAcn in peripheral blood samples was quantified using realtime fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. ResultsUnivariate analyses revealed that the mean mtDNAcn in the cognitive impairment group was 0.76±0.37, significantly lower than that in the NC group (1.06±0.45) (P<0.05). Logistic regression analyses showed that higher mtDNAcn was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment (OR=0.315, 95%CI: 0.125‒0.795). Additionaly, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between mtDNAcn and the total MoCA score (r=0.381, P<0.01). Morever, T2DM history (OR=2.741, 95%CI: 1.002‒7.497) and elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (OR=1.796, 95%CI: 1.190‒2.711) were identified as risk factors for cognitive impairment. Mediation analyses indicated that mtDNAcn served as a mediator between T2DM/HbA1c and the risk of cognitive impairment, with proportions of mediating effect of 9.04% and 9.18%, respectively. ConclusionPatients with mild and moderate cognitive impairment have significantly lower mtDNAcn than those with normal cognitive function. Reduced mtDNAcn is an influencing factor for cognitive dysfunction and may play a mediating role in the association between T2DM and mild to moderate cognitive impairment.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and changing trends of non suicidal self injury (NSSI) behaviors among middle school students in Jiading District of Shanghai, from 2015 to 2023, so as to provide a basis for the development of NSSI prevention and control measures among students. Methods: Using a stratified cluster random sampling method, a total of five times for Shanghai Adolescent Health Risk Behavior Surveys were conducted for every two years in Jiading District of Shanghai from 2015 to 2023. A total of 5 231 middle school students from junior high schools and senior high schools were selected for questionnaire surveys. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the x 2 test or the χ 2 trend test, and the JointPoint 5.0 software was used to analyze the changing trends, with the annual percent change (APC) used for evaluation. A binary Logistic regression model was employed to analyze the related factors of NSSI behavior among middle school students. Results: In 2023, the reported NSSI rate among middle school students in Jiading District was 14.2%. The rate was significantly higher among junior high school students (17.1%) than that among senior high school students (11.1%), and higher among females (19.2%) than that among males (10.0%) ( χ 2=10.04, 23.21, both P <0.01). From 2015 to 2023, the overall reported NSSI rate showed an increasing trend, rising from 8.6% in 2015 to 14.2% in 2023 ( χ 2 trend =22.25), with an APC of 6.64% ( t =3.49), and the APC for girls was 9.79 % ( t =3.20) (all P <0.05). Among students reporting NSSI, the proportion experiencing ≥6 episodes increased from 10.8% in 2015 to 19.2% in 2023 ( χ 2 trend =6.57, P <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that girls, junior high school students, those with insomnia, depressive emotion and drinkers had higher risks of NSSI, compared to boys, senior high school students, those without insomnia, non depressive emotion students and non drinkers ( OR =1.71, 1.96, 3.44, 4.76, 1.77, all P < 0.05 ). Conclusions The reported rate of NSSI among middle school students in Jiading District of Shanghai, increased annually from 2015 to 2023, and the proportion of repeated NSSI also showed an upward trend. Early intervention measures targeting middle school students, especially junior high school students and females, should be implemented to prevent and control its occurrence and development.

BACKGROUND:Preliminary clinical observations found that Jiawei Chunze Decoction is an effective formula for clinical treatment of urinary retention after spinal cord injury.Animal experiments have found that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway is closely related to the degree of bladder dysfunction. OBJECTIVE:To further investigate the effects of Jiawei Chunze Decoction on bladder function and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in rats with urinary retention. METHODS:Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,Jiawei Chunze Decoction low-dose group,Jiawei Chunze Decoction high-dose group and agonist group.In the sham operation group,the spinal cord was exposed but not transected.In the other groups,the modified Hassan Shaker spinal cord transection method was used to prepare the model of sacral medullary injury.At 24 hours after modeling,the sham operation group and model group were intragastrically given equal volume of normal saline,Jiawei Chunze Decoction low-dose and high-dose groups were given Jiawei Chunze Decoction granules containing 14.4 and 28.8 g/kg,respectively,via intragastric administration for 4 weeks,and the agonist group was treated with an intraperitoneal injection of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway agonist 740Y-P at a dose of 0.02 mg/kg.After 4 weeks of treatment,the maximum bladder capacity,leakage point pressure and bladder compliance of rats in each group were detected by urine flow dynamics.The minimum bladder contraction tension and frequency of rats in each group were detected by detrusor pull test.The pathological changes of the rat bladder in each group were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The concentrations of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 in serum were detected by ELISA,and the mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K,Akt,GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 in bladder tissues were detected by RT-PCR and western blot,respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham operation group,the maximum bladder volume,bladder compliance and minimum systolic tension of rats in the model group were increased(P<0.05),and the leakage point pressure and bladder contraction frequency were decreased(P<0.05);serum GRP78,CHOP,and Caspase-12 levels were also increased(P<0.05).The arrangement of bladder epithelial cells in the model group was disordered,and there was monocyte infiltration between cells,tissue edema,and detrusor tract atrophy.The mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K and Akt in bladder tissues were significantly decreased in the model group compared with the sham operation group,while those of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the maximum bladder volume,bladder compliance and minimum systolic tension of rats were decreased in the Jiawei Chunze Decoction low-dose,high-dose and agonist groups after 4 weeks of intervention(P<0.05),while the leakage point pressure and bladder contraction frequency were increased(P<0.05);serum GRP78,CHOP,Caspase-12 levels were decreased(P<0.05).The bladder epithelial cells in the three intervention groups were distributed evenly,arranged neatly,with less inflammatory cell infiltration and fuller detrusor muscle bundle.Compared with the model group,the mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K and Akt were increased in the three intervention groups,while those of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 were decreased(P<0.05).The Jiawei Chunze Decoction high-dose group was better than the Jiawei Chunze Decoction low-dose group and shared the similar results with the agonist group.To conclude,Jiawei Chunze Decoction can improve the bladder function of rats with urinary retention after spinal cord injury,and the mechanism may be related to reducing the occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum stress in bladder tissue through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,and then alleviating apoptosis.

BACKGROUND:Targeted therapy based on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway to explore neuroinflammation is increasingly worth exploring,and the advantages of Chinese medicine such as many targets,wide range,rich mechanisms,and few side effects have great potential in the treatment of various diseases. OBJECTIVE:Based on the nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway,this paper systematically expounded and summarized the research progress of kaempferol,safflower yellow,baicalin,and triptolide in the treatment of neuroinflammation after spinal cord injury. METHODS:Search terms"spinal cord injury,inflammation,anti-inflammatory,traditional Chinese medicine monomer,monomeric compound,NF-κB signaling pathway,flavonoids,glycosides,phenols,esters,alkaloids"were searched in CNKI and PubMed databases.Totally 67 articles were finally included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The role of nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway in the nervous system is complex and diverse,which can regulate neutrophils,microglia,astrocytes,and macrophages,and mediate the occurrence and development of inflammation after injury.(2)The effects of traditional Chinese medicine monomers such as baicalin on the degradation of nuclear transcription factor kappa B inhibitory protein,the inhibition of phosphorylation process by safflowerin on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway,and the inhibition of kaempferol on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway p65 nuclear translocation can reduce the impact of inflammatory response on the body,thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function.(3)The nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can promote inflammation and immune cell migration and activation in the early stage of injury,and can promote the repair of injury site and the occurrence of fibrosis in the middle and late stages of injury.Appropriate activation of the nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can promote the release of inflammatory factors,improve the antioxidant capacity of cells,and promote the activation of immune cells,but the over-activated nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can easily lead to the occurrence and continuation of chronic inflammation and the inhibition of apoptosis.(4)Future research can further explore how to accurately regulate the activation level of nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway,how to achieve precise intervention for nervous system inflammation and injury,and can also focus on the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine monomers and the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine monomers on signaling pathways,in order to provide more effective treatment strategies for the rehabilitation and functional recovery of neurological diseases.

BACKGROUND:The repair process of myocardial injury involves complex cellular and molecular mechanisms,especially mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has shown significant clinical efficacy in improving myocardial injury,but its mechanism of action needs to be thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis-mediated macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways in myocardial injury,and to summarize the progress of TCM in this field. METHODS:A computerized search was performed for relevant literature from the database inception to March 2024 in the Web of Science,PubMed and CNKI.The search terms were"mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,macrophage autophagy,macrophage pyroptosis,traditional Chinese medicine,myocardial injury,myocardial injury reperfusion"in Chinese and English.Through literature review,we analyzed the relationship between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis,explored the mechanism of their roles in myocardial injury,and summarized the pathways of multi-targeted,multi-pathway effects of TCM. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The maintenance of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis has been found to be closely related to the normal function of cardiomyocytes.Macrophages can participate in the repair process of myocardial injury through autophagy and pyroptosis pathways.Autophagy contributes to cell clearance and regulation of inflammatory response,while pyroptosis affects myocardial repair by releasing inflammatory factors.TCM regulates mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage function through multiple mechanisms.For example,astragalosid regulates calcium homeostasis by lowering mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibiting cytochrome C,and epimedium glycoside plays a role in reducing β-amyloid deposition.In addition,herbal compounds and single drugs promote myocardial repair by activating or inhibiting specific signaling pathways,such as PI3K/AKT and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways.Future studies should focus on the interactions between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,autophagy and pyroptosis pathways,as well as how TCM can exert therapeutic effects through these pathways to provide new strategies and drugs for the treatment of myocardial injury.

BACKGROUND:Primary osteoporosis has a high incidence,but the pathogenesis is not fully understood.Currently,there is a lack of effective early screening indicators and treatment programs. OBJECTIVE:To further explore the mechanism of primary osteoporosis through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. METHODS:The primary osteoporosis data were obtained from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)database,and the differentially expressed genes were screened for Gene Ontology(GO)function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis.In addition,the differentially expressed genes were subjected to protein-protein interaction network to determine the core genes related to primary osteoporosis,and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm was used to identify and verify the primary osteoporosis-related biomarkers.Immune cell correlation analysis,gene enrichment analysis and drug target network analysis were performed.Finally,the biomarkers were validated using qPCR assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 126 differentially expressed genes and 5 biomarkers including prostaglandins,epidermal growth factor receptor,mitogen-activated protein kinase 3,transforming growth factor B1,and retinoblastoma gene 1 were obtained in this study.GO analysis showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in the cellular response to oxidative stress and the regulation of autophagy.KEGG analysis showed that autophagy and senescence pathways were mainly involved.Immunoassay of biomarkers showed that prostaglandins,retinoblastoma gene 1,and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 were closely related to immune cells.Gene enrichment analysis showed that biomarkers were associated with immune-related pathways.Drug target network analysis showed that the five biomarkers were associated with primary osteoporosis drugs.The results of qPCR showed that the expression of prostaglandins,epidermal growth factor receptor,mitogen-activated protein kinase 3,and transforming growth factor B1 in the primary osteoporosis sample was significantly increased compared with the control sample(P<0.001),while the expression of retinoblastoma gene 1 in the primary osteoporosis sample was significantly decreased compared with the control sample(P<0.001).Overall,the study screened and validated five potential biomarkers of primary osteoporosis,providing a reference basis for further in-depth investigation of the pathogenesis,early screening and diagnosis,and targeted treatment of primary osteoporosis.

ObjectiveTo screen and evaluate the antidepressant compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma， and explore its mechanism of regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2（Nrf2）/glutathione（GSH） peroxidase 4（GPX4）/GSH pathway from an antioxidant perspective. MethodsThe antioxidant activities in vitro of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma， including curcumol， curgerenone， curdione， curzerene， curcumenol， curcumenone， dehydrocurdione， isocurcumenol， furanodienone， furanodiene and zederone， were detected using 1，1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） and 2，2'-azinobis-（3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid） diammonium salt（ABTS） radical scavenging assays. The depression in Drosophila melanogaster was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS）， and W1118 wild-type male D. melanogaster were randomly divided into blank group， model group， curcumol group， curgerenone group， curdione group， curzerene group， curcumenol group，curcumenone group， dehydrocurdione group， isocurcumenol group， furanodienone group， furanodiene group， zederone group and fluoxetine group（10 μmol·L^-1）. The treatment groups received a dose of 0.1 g·L^-1 of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma， while the blank and model groups were administered equivalent volumes of solvent. The sucrose preference test， climbing test and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the behavioral indicators of depression in D. melanogaster. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry（LC-MS） was used to detect the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine（5-HT） and dopamine（DA） in the brain of D. melanogaster， and the entropy weight method was used to comprehensively evaluate neurobehavioral and neurotransmitter indicators， resulting in the identification of the antidepressant active components of Curcumae Rhizoma. In addition， a mouse depression model was established by CUMS， and C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， low and high dose groups of curzerene（0.5， 1 mg·kg^-1）， and fluoxetine group（10 mg·kg^-1） to confirm the antidepressant effect of the optimal active ingredient by behavioral analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species（ROS） in the hippocampus of mice from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the contents of adenosine triphosphate（ATP）， superoxide dismutase（SOD）， catalase（CAT） and GSH. Transmission electron microscope（TEM） was used to observe the effect of curzerene on the ultrastructure of mitochondria in hippocampal tissue. Western blot was performed to determine the level of Nrf2 protein， and Nrf2 inhibitor（ML385） was used to verify the relationship between the antidepressant effect of curzerene and regulation of Nrf2. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was employed to detect the effect of curzerene on the mRNA expression level of GPX. ResultsIn vitro antioxidant experiments showed that curzerene and curgerenone exhibited the most significant ability to scavenge free radicals， and comprehensive evaluation results of entropy weight method indicated that curzerene stood out as the most promising active component. Compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited a significant decrease in sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center（P<0.01）， as well as a significant increase in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests（P<0.01）， and the ROS content in hippocampus significantly elevated（P<0.01）， while the ATP content significantly reduced（P<0.01）. In the hippocampal neurons of the model group， mitochondrial cristae were disordered， with vacuolation of the inner membrane and severe damage. Nrf2 protein expression level in the model group was significantly decreased（P<0.05）， and the antioxidant enzymes SOD， CAT and GSH contents were also significantly reduced（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the gene expression levels of GPX1， GPX4 and GPX7 were significantly decreased（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose group of curzerene showed a significant increase in the sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center（P<0.05）， as well as a significant decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The ROS content in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly reduced（P<0.01）， while the ATP content was significantly increased（P<0.05）. The neuronal mitochondrial damage in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was alleviated， and the expression level of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased（P<0.05）. The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the improvement of curzerene on depressive behaviors in CUMS mice. The GSH content in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased（P<0.01）， while there were no significant differences in SOD and CAT contents. The expression level of GPX4 gene in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased（P<0.05）， while there were no significant differences in other GPX genes. ConclusionCurzerene is the best component with antidepressant activity in Curcumae Rhizoma. It may improve mitochondrial dysfunction to exert its antidepressant effect by regulating Nrf2 and its downstream GPX4/GSH pathway rather than CAT or SOD pathways.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum alcohol extract in improving glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice through transcriptomics and gut microbiota analysis. MethodsEighteen db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model（DM） group， metformin（MET） group， and G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract（GP） group， with six mice in each group， based on stratification of fasting blood glucose and body weight. An additional six db/m mice were selected as the normal control（NC） group. Mice in the NC and DM groups were administered deionized water （10 mL·kg^-1） daily. The MET group received metformin （0.195 g·kg^-1） by gavage. The GP group was treated with G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract （3.9 g·kg^-1） by gavage for six weeks. Fasting blood glucose was measured every two weeks. After six weeks of intervention， serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， creatinine （CREA）， and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were assessed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure insulin （FINS）， adiponectin （ADP）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe liver histomorphology， periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining was employed to assess hepatic glycogen synthesis， and Oil Red O staining was used to detect hepatic lipid deposition. Liver transcriptomic data were used to identify differentially expressed genes in the liver and conduct enrichment analysis. Real-time PCR was employed to verify the expression levels of adiponectin gene （Adipoq）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）， glucokinase （GCK）， forkhead box （Fox）O1， FoxO3， phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase （PEPCK）， and glucose-6-phosphatase （G6PC）. Metagenomic sequencing was conducted to analyze changes in gut microbiota composition. ResultsCompared with the NC group， the DM group exhibited significantly elevated fasting blood glucose （P<0.01）， serum AST， ALT， TC， TG， LDL-C， and HDL-C （P<0.01）. FINS， homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， and the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while ADP was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Histological analysis confirmed severe hepatic steatosis and excessive lipid accumulation in the DM group， along with markedly reduced glycogen synthesis. Compared with the DM group， the GP group showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose （P<0.01）， reduced serum TC， LDL-C， and HDL-C levels （P<0.05）， significantly decreased serum TG and AST levels （P<0.01）， significantly reduced FINS， HOMA-IR， and TNF-α levels （P<0.01）， and significantly increased ADP （P<0.01）. Hepatic steatosis and lipid deposition were significantly alleviated， while glycogen synthesis was markedly enhanced. Transcriptomic differential and enrichment analyses suggested that the mechanisms by which G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract improved hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice may involve regulation of the AMPK and FoxO signaling pathways. Real-time PCR results confirmed that expression of PGC-1α， PEPCK， G6PC， FoxO1， and FoxO3 was significantly downregulated following treatment with G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas mRNA expression of Adipoq， PPARα， GCK， and AMPK was significantly upregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Metagenomic analysis showed that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus， Alistipes， and Akkermansia species was higher in the GP group than in the DM group. ConclusionG. pentaphyllum alcohol extract may improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice by regulating the hepatic AMPK/PPARα pathway to suppress lipid deposition and alleviate hepatic steatosis， by inhibiting gluconeogenesis through the AMPK/PGC-1α and FoxO pathways to lower fasting blood glucose， and by increasing the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus， Alistipes， and Akkermansia to restore gut microbiota balance.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus， in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure， and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2（ITS2） high-throughput sequencing， combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis， were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7， 14， 21 d（numbered Y1-Y3 for the former， and numbered F1-F3 for the latter）， respectively. At the same time， the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and compound retention time， parent ions， characteristic fragment ions and other information， the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method， while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method， there was a significant difference with the fermentation process， and at the genus level， the dominant genus of samples Y1， Y2， Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus， while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable， and the microbial community structure was more stable， which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis， including 70 flavonoids， 38 coumarins， 10 alkaloids， 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation， two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition， multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods， mainly including flavonoids， organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively， the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable， the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high， which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation， the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds， and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus， as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum alcohol extract in improving glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice through transcriptomics and gut microbiota analysis. MethodsEighteen db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model（DM） group， metformin（MET） group， and G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract（GP） group， with six mice in each group， based on stratification of fasting blood glucose and body weight. An additional six db/m mice were selected as the normal control（NC） group. Mice in the NC and DM groups were administered deionized water （10 mL·kg^-1） daily. The MET group received metformin （0.195 g·kg^-1） by gavage. The GP group was treated with G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract （3.9 g·kg^-1） by gavage for six weeks. Fasting blood glucose was measured every two weeks. After six weeks of intervention， serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， creatinine （CREA）， and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were assessed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure insulin （FINS）， adiponectin （ADP）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe liver histomorphology， periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining was employed to assess hepatic glycogen synthesis， and Oil Red O staining was used to detect hepatic lipid deposition. Liver transcriptomic data were used to identify differentially expressed genes in the liver and conduct enrichment analysis. Real-time PCR was employed to verify the expression levels of adiponectin gene （Adipoq）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）， glucokinase （GCK）， forkhead box （Fox）O1， FoxO3， phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase （PEPCK）， and glucose-6-phosphatase （G6PC）. Metagenomic sequencing was conducted to analyze changes in gut microbiota composition. ResultsCompared with the NC group， the DM group exhibited significantly elevated fasting blood glucose （P<0.01）， serum AST， ALT， TC， TG， LDL-C， and HDL-C （P<0.01）. FINS， homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， and the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while ADP was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Histological analysis confirmed severe hepatic steatosis and excessive lipid accumulation in the DM group， along with markedly reduced glycogen synthesis. Compared with the DM group， the GP group showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose （P<0.01）， reduced serum TC， LDL-C， and HDL-C levels （P<0.05）， significantly decreased serum TG and AST levels （P<0.01）， significantly reduced FINS， HOMA-IR， and TNF-α levels （P<0.01）， and significantly increased ADP （P<0.01）. Hepatic steatosis and lipid deposition were significantly alleviated， while glycogen synthesis was markedly enhanced. Transcriptomic differential and enrichment analyses suggested that the mechanisms by which G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract improved hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice may involve regulation of the AMPK and FoxO signaling pathways. Real-time PCR results confirmed that expression of PGC-1α， PEPCK， G6PC， FoxO1， and FoxO3 was significantly downregulated following treatment with G. pentaphyllum alcohol extract （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas mRNA expression of Adipoq， PPARα， GCK， and AMPK was significantly upregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Metagenomic analysis showed that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus， Alistipes， and Akkermansia species was higher in the GP group than in the DM group. ConclusionG. pentaphyllum alcohol extract may improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice by regulating the hepatic AMPK/PPARα pathway to suppress lipid deposition and alleviate hepatic steatosis， by inhibiting gluconeogenesis through the AMPK/PGC-1α and FoxO pathways to lower fasting blood glucose， and by increasing the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus， Alistipes， and Akkermansia to restore gut microbiota balance.