Chinese Medicine Research Articles

Discursive Positioning in Practitioner-Parent-Child Communication in Traditional Chinese Medicine Consultations

ABSTRACT This study examines practitioner-parent-child communication in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) consultations. Employing the theoretical framework of positioning theory, this discourse study investigates the interactions among Chinese medicine practitioners, parents, and child patients. The data, recordings of 21 pediatric consultation sessions, were gathered from the Department of Chinese Medicine at a hospital in China. The findings reveal that parents position themselves as representatives of their child patients, who, conversely, play a passive role with limited participation in consultations. This phenomenon is consistent with previous studies on doctor-parent-patient communication in Western medicine settings. As caretakers, parents also position themselves as experts in their child’s health, articulating the child’s health conditions and demonstrating some familiarity with TCM. Emphasizing the importance of lifestyle changes for the child’s health and recovery, practitioners strategically position themselves as both medical professionals and parenting advisors and give direct advice to parents. This study argues that the positioning of parents may diminish child patients’ participation. The study enhances our understanding of doctor-parent-child communication in the context of TCM by elucidating the positioning of the participants. It concludes by discussing the significance of child patients’ engagement and the implementation of a patient-centered approach in TCM consultations.

Intestinal endogenous metabolites affect neuroinflammation in 5×FAD mice by mediating “gut-brain” axis and the intervention with Chinese Medicine

BackgroundEmerging evidence suggested the association between gut dysbiosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. However, it remained unclear how the gut microbiome and neuroinflammation in the brain mutually interact or how these interactions affect brain functioning and cognition. Here we hypothesized that “gut-brain” axis mediated by microbial derived metabolites was expected to novel breakthroughs in the fields of AD research and development.MethodsMultiple technologies, such as immunofluorescence, 16s rDNA sequencing, mass spectrometry-based metabolomics (LC-QQQ-MS and GC-MS), were used to reveal potential link between gut microbiota and the metabolism and cognition of the host.ResultsMicrobial depletion induced by the antibiotics mix (ABX) verified that “gut-brain” can transmit information bidirectionally. Short-chain fatty acid-producing (SCFAs-producing) bacteria and amino acid-producing bacteria fluctuated greatly in 5×FAD mice, especially the reduction sharply of the Bifidobacteriaceae and the increase of the Lachnospiraceae family. Concentrations of several Tryptophan-kynurenine intermediates, lactic acid, CD4+ cell, and CD8+ cells were higher in serum of 5×FAD mice, whilst TCA cycle intermediates and Th1/Th2 were lower. In addition, the levels of iso-butyric acid (IBA) in feces, serum, and brain of 5×FAD mice were increased compared with WT-M mice, especially in serum. And IBA in the brain was positively correlated with Aβ and proinflammatory factors.ConclusionTogether, our finding highlighted that the alternation in gut microbiota affected the effective communication between the “gut-brain” axis in 5×FAD mice by regulating the immune system, carbohydrate, and energy metabolism.

Chinese Herbal Medicines as Natural Alternative Products to Antibiotics in Weaned Piglets through Intestinal Microbiota Regulation.

During the growth process of weaned piglets, digestive problems such as gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea are common. Farmers usually use antibiotics to help piglets grow smoothly. However, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance issues. Therefore, this study chose to use plant extracts as feed additives to explore their potential as alternatives to antibiotics. Additionally, Tilmicosin was used as the antibiotic because it is widely used in treating respiratory infections in piglets. Since traditional Chinese medicine often uses natural products, we selected Guizhi Li-Zhong (GLZ) extract as an alternative to antibiotics. The experiment involved 126 piglets, each 4 weeks old, which were randomly assigned to one of four groups: the sham group (basal diet without supplements, 10.3 ± 0.4 kg, n = 31), the low-dose GLZ group (basal diet with 0.05% GLZ, 10.9 ± 0.4 kg, n = 32), the regular-dose GLZ group (basal diet with 0.2% GLZ, 10.6 ± 0.4 kg, n = 32), and the regular-dose Tilmicosin antibiotic group (basal diet with 0.2% Tilmicosin, 10.2 ± 0.3 kg, n = 31). We recorded and compared the survival rate, growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and diarrhea incidence among four groups of weaned piglets from the 4th to the 10th weeks of age. Then, we examined the oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in small intestine tissue (jejunum and ileum) through immunohistochemistry and Western blot and compared the gut microbiota in large intestine tissue (colon and rectum) through a next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Our results showed that weaned piglets supplemented with 0.05% and 0.2% GLZ had better survival rates, growth rates (p < 0.01), and feed conversion ratios (p < 0.01) compared to those receiving sham treatment. Even weaned piglets supplemented with 0.2% GLZ performed better than those supplemented with 0.2% Tilmicosin antibiotics (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of diarrhea and small intestine injury (indicated by oxidative stress-, inflammation-, and apoptosis-related proteins) in piglets supplemented with 0.05% and 0.2% GLZ was lower than in piglets receiving sham treatment (p < 0.05). Even piglets supplemented with 0.2% GLZ had less injury than those supplemented with 0.2% Tilmicosin antibiotics (p < 0.05). The NGS results further showed that GLZ treatment significantly improved beneficial bacteria in weaned piglets (p < 0.05), while antibiotic treatment reduced beneficial bacteria (p < 0.05). In summary, we recommend adding GLZ to the feed as an alternative to antibiotics. This not only effectively reduces intestinal damage but also improves the gut microbiota, thereby promoting the growth of weaning piglets.

Exploring the Mechanism of Centipeda minima in Treating Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Based on Network Pharmacology.

Centipeda minima (CM) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for the treatment of sinusitis and rhinitis, and it possesses anti-cancer properties. However, the mechanism of CM in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of CM in the treatment of NPC using a network pharmacology approach. The active components and targets of CM and NPC were screened using TCMSP, SwissTarget, and GeneCards database. The association between CM components and NPC targets or pathways was analyzed using String, Cytoscape 3.9.1, David 6.7, and AutoDock Vina. The Sangerbox platform was used to conduct differential expression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of core genes. We identified 17 active compounds of CM and 146 corresponding targeted proteins in NPC. These targets may modulate pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, prolactin, relaxin, and TNF signaling. The top 5 core genes of the PPI network were found to be AKT1, STAT3, CASP3, EGFR, and SRC, which may be the main targets of CM in treating NPC. Molecular docking confirmed the binding energies of quercetin with CASP3, 8-Hydroxy-9,10-diisobutyryloxythymol with AKT1, and plenolin with AKT1, which were particularly low, suggesting robust and stable interactions. The expression levels of AKT1, CASP3, EGFR, SRC, MMP9, CCND1, and PTGS2 were significantly higher in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) samples compared to normal samples. In addition, the hub genes could predict the prognosis of HNSC as the Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that patients with lower expressions of AKT1, STAT3, CASP3, EGFR, MMP9, ESR1, PTGS2, and PPARG had better overall survival. By conducting a network pharmacology approach, we revealed the main ingredients, key targets, and regulatory pathways of Centipeda minima in the treatment of NPC.

Q-Marker Prediction of Astragali Complanati Semen Based on Fingerprint and Network Pharmacology.

Astragali Complanati, known in Chinese as Shayuanzi, is a common medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine, mainly used for tonifying the kidney, supporting yang, consolidating essence, reducing urine and other diseases. The UPLC fingerprint of Astragali Complanati Semen (ACS) was established, and the Q-markers of ACS were analyzed by network pharmacology. First, the UPLC fingerprint detection method was established for ACS, and the common peaks were identified by UPLC-MS/MS. The "component-target-pathway" network relationships of characteristic components of ACS were constructed by network pharmacology, and the potential Q-markers were predicted. A total of 24 common peaks were identified from the UPLC fingerprint of ACS, and 12 chromatographic peaks were identified by UPLC-MS/MS. A total of 12 Q-markers candidate components were screened out. Through network pharmacological analysis, it is predicted that myricetin 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, myricetin 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl(1-2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, myricetin 3-β-D-glucopyranoside, cannabiscitrin, laricitrin-3-O-glucoside, leucoside, complanatoside B, complanatuside, complanatuside 6''-malonate, clycosin, rhamnocitrin 3-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside and 3-O-[5'''-O-feruloyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1'''->2'')-beta-D-glucopyranosyl] rhamnocitrin are the Q-markers of ACS. The method established in this study was accurate, reliable, simple and practical and could be used as a reference method for ACS quality detection. Twelve Q-markers selected by network pharmacology could provide support and references for ACS quality control.

The Comprehensive Profiling of the Chemical Components in the Raw and Processed Roots of Scrophularia ningpoensis by Combining UPLC-Q-TOF-MS Coupled with MS/MS-Based Molecular Networking

Scrophulariae Radix (SR), the dried root of Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl (S. ningpoensis), has been extensively used as traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. However, since the mid-20th century, the traditional processing technology of S. ningpoensis has been interrupted. Therefore, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry technology, together with a Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) method, was applied to comprehensively analyze the characteristic changes and mutual transformation of chemical constituents in the differently processed roots of S. ningpoensis, as well as to scientifically elucidate the processing mechanism of differently processed SR. As a result, a total of 149 components were identified. Notably, with the help of the GNPS data platform and MS2 fragment ions, the possible structures of four new compounds (47, 48, 50, and 73) were deduced in differently processed SR samples, in which 47, 48, and 50 are iridoid glycosides, and 73 is a phenylpropanoid glycoside. Five cyclopeptides (78, 86, 97, 99, and 104) derived from leucine (isoleucine) were identified in SR for the first time. The heatmaps analysis results indicated that leucine or isoleucine may be converted to cyclopeptides under the prolonged high-temperature conditions. Moreover, it is found that short-time steaming can effectively prevent the degradation of glycosides by inactivating enzymes. This study provides a new and efficient technical strategy for systematically identifying the chemical components, rapidly discovering the components, and preliminarily clarifying the processing mechanism of S. ningpoensis, as well as also providing a scientific basis for the improvement of the quality standards and field processing of S. ningpoensis.

TCM-Centric Innovations in WHO's International Standard Terminologies: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is increasingly recognized worldwide as a valuable complementary and alternative medicine. To facilitate global research and collaboration in this field, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine on March 3, 2022. This international terminology translation standard, IST 2022, goes beyond conventional translation by embracing three innovative features: 1) It reflects TCM's foundational philosophy of unity and opposition, emphasizing the interconnectedness among TCM terms during translation. This approach transcends individual term translations to explore the interrelationships among them. 2) It meticulously preserves the integrity of TCM theory. It achieves this by retaining transliterations for unique TCM terms that possess distinct features, thus upholding the essence of TCM. 3) It employs innovative Xiang (Image) cognition, a concept rooted in traditional Chinese thought by helping readers grasp visual and mental imagery associated with each term. This study presents a qualitative analysis based on interviews with 11 TCM translation experts, examining their perspectives on these features and their translational preferences across IST 2007 and 2022 versions. The findings contribute to the standardization and global harmonization of TCM terminology, advocating for clarity, precision, and the advancement of TCM in the international healthcare arena.

Ontology construction of traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment for myopia

Objective: To keep up with the progress of treatment for myopia in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through literature research, so as to determine data source of TCM diagnosis and treatment for myopia, from which entities are extracted for integration of relevant knowledge, and further formal expression and visualization of knowledge. Methods: Literature research and comparative analysis were used to determine the data source, and the seven-step method of constructing ontology was referred to for extraction of TCM diagnosis and treatment entities, which then was terminalized for development of classes and class hierarchy, and class properties, as well as creation of instances before consistency test of the ontology. Results: The ontology of TCM diagnosis and treatment for myopia includes 26 classes and 124 instances, 9 object properties and 1 data property. Conclusion: The combination of ontology technology and TCM diagnosis and treatment knowledge of myopia contributes to the construction of knowledge base of TCM diagnosis and treatment ontology for myopia, which realizes formal expression and visualization of relevant TCM knowledge, lays a foundation for the construction of TCM top-level ontology and ophthalmology ontology, and facilitates knowledge reusing and sharing.

Genome Survey of Male Rana dybowskii to Further Understand the Sex Determination Mechanism.

Rana dybowskii is one of the important aquaculture species in Northeast China. The fallopian tubes of female R. dybowskii are used to prepare oviductus ranae (an important traditional Chinese medicine). Therefore, R. dybowskii females have higher economical value than males. An increasing female R. dybowskii population can increase the benefits from R. dybowskii culture. However, the genome of amphibians is complex, making it difficult to investigate their sex determination mechanism. In this study, we analyzed the genome of male R. dybowskii using next-generation sequencing technology. A total of 200,046,452,400 bp of clean data were obtained, and the K-mer analysis indicated that the depth was 50×. The genome size of R. dybowskii was approximately 3585.05 M, with a heterozygosity rate, repeat sequence ratio, and genome GC content of 1.15%, 68.96%, and approximately 43.0%, respectively. In total, 270,785 contigs and 498 scaffolds were generated. The size of the contigs and scaffolds was 3,748,543,415 and 3,765,862,278 bp, respectively, with the N50 length of 31,988 and 336,385,783. The longest contig and scaffold were of the size 137,967,485 and 1,808,367,828 bp, respectively. The number of contigs and scaffolds > 10K nt was 99,620 and 451, respectively. Through annotation, 40,913 genes were obtained, including 156,609 CDS (i.e., 3.83 CDS per gene). Sequence alignment was performed with the assembled scaffolding genome in this study. Two and one fragment had high homology with two male-specific DNA molecular markers of R. dybowskii discovered previously (namely, MSM-222 and MSM-261, respectively). In addition, the Dmrt1 gene of R. dybowskii was obtained with a length of 18,893 bp by comparison and splicing. The forward primers amplifying MSM-222 and MSM-261 were located at 322-343 and 14,501-14,526 bp of Dmrt1, respectively. However, sequence alignment revealed that MSM-222 and MSM-261 were not located on Dmrt1, and only some homologous parts were observed. This indicated that in addition to Dmrt1, other important genes may play a crucial role in the sex determination mechanism of R. dybowskii. Our study provided a foundation for the subsequent high-quality genome construction and provided important genomic resources for future studies on R. dybowskii.

Physiological and biochemical responses in a cadmium accumulator of traditional Chinese medicine Ligusticum sinense cv. Chuanxiong under cadmium condition

Ligusticum sinense cv. Chuanxiong (L. Chuanxiong), one of the widely used traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), is currently facing the problem of excessive cadmium (Cd) content. This problem has significantly affected the quality and safety of L. Chuanxiong and become a vital factor restricting its clinical application and international trade development. Currently, to solve the problem of excessive Cd, it is essential to research the response mechanisms of L. Chuanxiong to Cd stress. However, there are few reports on its physiological and biochemical responses under Cd stress. In this study, we conducted the hydroponic experiment under 25 μM Cd stress, based on the Cd content of the genuine producing areas soil. The results showed that 25 μM Cd stress not only had no significant inhibitory effect on the growth of L. Chuanxiong seedlings but also significantly increased the chlorophyll a content (11.79%) and root activity (51.82%) compared with that of the control, which might be a hormesis effect. Further results showed that the absorption and assimilation of NH4+ increased in seedlings under 25 μM Cd stress, which was associated with high photosynthetic pigments. Here, we initially hypothesized and confirmed that Cd exceedance in the root system of L. Chuanxiong was due to the thickening of the root cell wall, changes in the content of the cell wall components, and chelation of Cd by GSH. There was an increase in cell wall thickness (57.64 %) and a significant increase in cellulose (25.48%) content of roots under 25 μM Cd stress. In addition, L. Chuanxiong reduced oxidative stress caused by 25 μM Cd stress mainly through the GSH/GSSG cycle. Among them, GSH-Px (48.26%) and GR (42.64%) activities were significantly increased, thereby maintaining a high GSH/GSSG ratio. This study preliminarily reveals the response of L. Chuanxiong to Cd stress and the mechanism of Cd enrichment. It provides a theoretical basis for solving the problem of Cd excessive in L. Chuanxiong.Graphical Physiological and biochemical mechanisms of L. Chuanxiong seedlings under Cd stress.

A Comparison of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Multiple Conventional Therapy in Treating Oral Lichen Planus: A Network Meta-analysis.

To evaluate and compare the efficacy of seven conventional treatments and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined therapies for oral lichen planus. This study employs PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Cnki to collect studies. After evaluating the quality and bias risk, RevMan 5.4.1 and R Gemtc package was utilised with a visual analogue scale and side effects as outcomes, to compare the efficacy of the seven treatments. This study included 20 studies, with a sample size of 1669. Our results suggest that photodynamic therapy and TCM demonstrate the most significant decrease in visual analogue scale and the rank is as follows: photodynamic therapy > TCM > TCM combined with non-hormonal immunosuppressive drugs > TCM combined with glucocorticoids > chloroquine combined with glucocorticoids > non-hormonal immunosuppressive drugs > glucocorticoids. Among them, compared to glucocorticoids, photodynamic therapy (-1.55, 95% CI: (-3.09, -0.02)), TCM (-1.25, 95% CI: (-2.46, -0.06)) significantly outperform in statistics. Moreover, no side effects were reported by the photodynamic therapy treatment. In the comparison with non-hormonal immunosuppressive drugs, the result indicates TCM (-4.17, 95% CI (-8.24, -0.34)), glucocorticoids (-2.78, 95% CI (-5.69, -0.17)) and their combination (-2.83, 95% CI (-5.93, -0.05)) have a significantly lower probability of the appearance of side effects. This study indicates that TCM, from the perspectives of efficacy and the likelihood of side effects, outperforms all other common therapies, besides photodynamic therapy, in treating oral lichen planus.

Comprehensive analysis of Hibisci mutabilis Folium extract's mechanisms in alleviating UV-induced skin photoaging through enhanced network pharmacology and experimental validation.

Skin photoaging induced by ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation manifests as skin roughness, desquamation, pigmentation, and wrinkle formation. Current treatments, such as sunscreen, hormones, and antioxidants, have limitations and side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine Hibisci Mutabilis Folium (HMF), or Mu-Fu-Rong-Ye in Chinese name, refers to the dried leaves of the plant Hibiscus mutabilis L., which belongs to the Malvaceae family. It has been used traditionally to treat acute mastitis, parotitis, neurodermatitis, burns. The reported activities of HMF include anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. However, the therapeutic potential of HMF in preventing and treating UV-induced skin photoaging remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of HMF extract (EHMF) against UV-induced skin photoaging and the underlying mechanisms of action, by using network pharmacology and experimental verification. Network pharmacology was employed to identify the effective chemical components of EHMF. Potential targets were identified via PPI network analysis. Representative compounds were characterized using UPLC-MS/MS. In vitro validation involved assessing HaCaT cell viability, observing live/dead cell staining through fluorescence microscopy, and measuring inflammatory factors using ELISA. For in vivo validation, a UV-induced skin photoaging mice model was treated transdermally with EHMF or Methotrexate daily for 7 days. Dermatitis severity, skin morphology, and collagen fiber pathology were evaluated. Inflammatory cytokine and protein expression in dorsal skin lesions was confirmed using Elisa Kits, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. A total of 22 active ingredients of EHMF were identified. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses revealed a focus on inflammatory signaling pathways. In vitro experiments showed that EHMF significantly reduced UV-induced inflammatory factors in HaCaT cells and improved cell survival rates. In vivo, EHMF alleviated back skin lesions in UV-exposed mice, reducing epidermal and dermal thickening and pathological inflammatory cell infiltration. It also decreased abnormal MMP-9 expression and collagen fiber proliferation, along with levels of inflammatory factors like TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and EGFR. Western blot and immunohistochemistry results indicated that the over-activation of the AKT-STAT3 signaling pathway was inhibited. EHMF effectively reduced UV-induced skin damage, inflammation, and wrinkles, providing strong support for its clinical application as a dermatological agent.

Characterization of Differences in Chemical Profiles and Antioxidant Activities of Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera Based on Multi-Technique Data Fusion

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis) and Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils (S. sphenanthera) are called “Wuweizi” in traditional Chinese medicine, and they have distinct clinical applications. To systematically compare the differential characteristics of S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera, this study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to construct chemical profiles of these two species from different regions. In total, 31 non-volatiles and 37 volatiles were identified in S. chinensis, whereas 40 non-volatiles and 34 volatiles were detected in S. sphenanthera. A multivariate statistical analysis showed that the non-volatiles tigloygomisin P, schisandrol A, schisantherin C, and 6-O-benzoylgomisin O and the volatiles ylangene, γ-muurolene, and β-pinene distinguish these species. Additionally, the metabolism of oxygen free radicals can contribute to the development of various diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, antioxidant activities were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) scavenging assays. The results showed that S. sphenanthera exhibited significantly higher antioxidant potential. A gray relational analysis indicated that the key contributors to the antioxidant activity of S. chinensis were schisandrol A, gomisin G, schisantherin C, pregomisin, gomisin J, and schisantherin B. For S. sphenanthera, the key contributors included gomisin K2, schisantherin B, gomisin J, pregomisin, schisantherin C, schisandrin, gomisin G, schisantherin A, schisanhenol, and α-pinene. The identification of the differential chemical markers and the evaluation of the antioxidant activities provide a foundation for further research into the therapeutic applications of these species. This innovative study provides a robust framework for the quality control and therapeutic application of S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera, offering new insights into their medicinal potential.

Comparison and Optimization of Three Extraction Methods for Epimedium polysaccharides

Epimedium is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Epimedium polysaccharides have a variety of physiological properties. This study compared three different processes for the extraction of polysaccharides from Epimedium spp., including ultrasonic, aqueous enzymatic, and microwave extraction, to optimize the extraction conditions and determine the optimal extraction method. The optimal parameters for each method were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal process for ultrasonic extraction was an ultrasonic power of 250 W, an extraction time of 60 min, a temperature of 50 °C, and a solid–liquid ratio of 1:35. The optimal conditions for the aqueous enzymatic method were a papain concentration of 70 U/mL, extraction time of 70 min, a temperature of 50 °C, and a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:30, while those for microwave extraction were a microwave power of 650 W, an extraction time of 50 min, a temperature of 40 °C, and a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:25. The polysaccharide yields were 4.85%, 4.72%, and 3.98% for the three methods, respectively, indicating that ultrasonic extraction resulted in the highest yield of polysaccharides from Epimedium brevicornum. After purification with DEAE-cellulose, the polysaccharide yields were 4.13%, 3.67%, and 3.12%, respectively. A comprehensive comparison demonstrated the superiority of the ultrasonic extraction method in terms of both extraction yield and purification efficiency. Characterization of the extracted Epimedium polysaccharides showed the presence of five monosaccharides, i.e., glucose, galactose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and rhamnose, and a number average molecular weight Mn of 1.65 × 105 Da and weight average molecular weight Mw of 6.61 × 105 Da. These results provide a scientific basis for the in-depth study and application of Epimedium polysaccharides.

Assessment of Chinese Medicinal Herbal Wastes Compost Inoculated with Antagonistic Fungi: Nitrogen Retention and Microbial Community in Phytopathogenic Soil

Assessment of Chinese Medicinal Herbal Wastes Compost Inoculated with Antagonistic Fungi: Nitrogen Retention and Microbial Community in Phytopathogenic Soil

Effective Components and Molecular Mechanism of Biejiaruangan Capsule Against Liver Fibrosis: High-resolution Mass Spectrometry, Network Pharmacological Analysis and Experimental Verification.

Biejiaruangan capsule (BJRGC) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine preparation for treating oftreating liver fibrosis (LF), but its specific molecular mechanism is unclear. This study used mass spectrometry, network pharmacology and experimental verification to explore the mechanism of BJRGC against LF. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive-orbitrap-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS) and network pharmacology were employed to identify and screen the potential components, targets, and signaling pathways of BJRGC against LF. The interaction between the active ingredients and targets was validated using molecular docking. Finally, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EDU) staining, western blotting (WB), and flow cytometry (FCM) were utilized to further verify the mechanism of BJRGC against LF. A total of 9 prototype components of BJRGC were identified in serum, most derived from iridoid glycosides and triterpenes in Gardenia jasminoides Ellis and Artemisia scoparia Waldst.et Kit. Network pharmacology predicts that medicine prototype components in serum mostly influence targets such as CDK2, CDK6, and PIK3CG, with the key route being the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that the major components have good binding properties with key target proteins. The experimental results showed that BJRGC could inhibit the proliferation of HSCs, induce cell cycle arrest and reduce the protein expression of CDK2, CDK6 and PIK3CG. BJRGC can inhibit the proliferation of HSCs by targeting the protein expression of CDK2, CDK6, and PIK3CG in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through its prototype components, such as hyperoside, tumulosic acid, and hederagenin, thereby alleviating LF disease.

Urban-rural differences in preferences for traditional Chinese medicine services among chronic disease patients: a discrete choice experiment

BackgroundWith the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for medical services from chronic disease patients has become diversified and personalized. The advantages and role of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases gradually emerging. The preferences and willingness to pay for traditional Chinese medicine services (TCMS) among patients with chronic diseases, as well as any disparities between urban and rural patients, have not been examined in past studies.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the preferences of chronic disease patients for TCMS, explore the value/importance that patients place on different treatment attributes, and evaluate whether there are urban-rural differences in their preferences and willingness to pay for TCMS.MethodsA total of 317 patients from Jiangsu Province, China participated in a discrete choice experiment that elicited the preferences for TCMS. The choice questions were constructed by six attributes: out-of-pocket (OOP) cost, institution, medical provider, treatment method, treatment duration, treatment efficacy. Mixed logit models were used to estimate the stated preference and marginal willingness to pay for each attribute.ResultsThe choice preferences of chronic disease patients for TCMS in this study were influenced by the four attributes: institution, treatment method, and treatment efficacy, and OOP cost. Improvements in treatment efficacy were the most concerning, followed by being treated in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital. Patients were willing to pay more to get better treatment outcomes. Compared with primary care institutions, patients were willing to pay more for treatment in TCM hospitals. The preferences for economic attribute (OOP cost) varied between urban and rural areas, and rural patients tended to favor scenarios that imposed a lower economic burden on them.ConclusionThe chronic disease patients’ preferences for TCMS were determined mainly by treatment efficacy but also by institution, treatment method and OOP cost. The urban-rural difference in preference identified in this study highlights that effective policy interventions should consider the characteristics of patients’ demand in different regions.

Identification of the Hypoglycemic Active Components of Lonicera japonica Thunb. and Lonicera hypoglauca Miq. by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS

Lonicera japonica Thunb. and Lonicera hypoglauca are famous Chinese medicines used for hyperglycemia; however, the specific compounds that contributed to the hypoglycemic activity and mechanism are still unknown. In this study, the antidiabetic activity of L. japonica buds and L. hypoglauca buds, roots, stems, and leaves extracts was primarily evaluated, and the L. japonica buds and L. hypoglauca buds, roots, and stems extracts displayed significant hypoglycemic activity, especially for the buds of L. hypoglauca. A total of 72 high-level compounds, including 9 iridoid glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 34 organic acids, and 17 saponins, were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with the fragmentation pathways of standards from different parts of L. japonica and L. hypoglauca extracts. Among them, 19 metabolites, including 13 saponins, were reported for the first time from both medicines. Seven high-content compounds identified from L. hypoglauca buds extract were further evaluated for hypoglycemic activity. The result indicated that neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B, and isochlorogenic acid C displayed significant antidiabetic activity, especially for isochlorogenic acid A and isochlorogenic acid C, which demonstrated that the five chlorogenic-acid-type compounds were the active ingredients of hypoglycemic activity for L. japonica and L. hypoglauca. The potential mechanism of hypoglycemic activity for isochlorogenic acid A and isochlorogenic acid C was inhibiting the intestinal α-glucosidase activity to block the supply of glucose. This study was the first to clarify the hypoglycemic active ingredients and potential mechanism of L. japonica and L. hypoglauca, providing new insights for the comprehensive utilization of both resources and the development of hypoglycemic drugs.

Research on the Action and Mechanism of Pharmacological Components of Omphalia lapidescens

Omphalia lapidescens is a macrofungus that is used in traditional Chinese medicine for its insecticidal and stagnation-relieving properties. The active ingredients of this fungus including proteins, polysaccharides and sterols have been demonstrated to exhibit antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. Omphalia has been used in clinical cancer treatment. Many studies on Omphalia have concentrated on its cytotoxicity and anticancer effects. However, the investigation of its natural metabolites remains a significant area for further research. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the research progress concerning the pharmacological components of Omphalia. The aim of this discussion is to provide a reference for further in-depth study of Omphalia, with the objective of exploring its potential value. Therefore, the focus of this review was on the classification of metabolites in Omphalia and their mechanisms of action.

CHENG Dan'an's collection of books and his philosophy on traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture education

The medical books that CHENG Dan'an once studied and collected are the significant physical evidence of his educational experiences of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture. Some of these books are stored in Jiangsu Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Through systematic collation, it is found that the collection of books is closely related to his experiences in education, teaching and medicine communication. Aimed to the research and education, these books serve for the clinical effects of acupuncture, cover the knowledge in both Chinese and western medicine. CHENG Dan'an's collection of books is of diversity and global. It reflects that CHENG Dan'an emphasizes the classics, places the the equal importance on Chinese and western medicine and assimilates new knowledge of the philosophy on traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture education. It enriches the biographical information of CHENG Dan'an and has great significance for the today's education of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture by learning from the past.