Clinical Efficacy of TCM Multi-channel Intervention Plus Antagonist Regimen on Ovarian Function，TCM Syndromes and Natural Conception in Poor Ovarian Responders Undergoing IVF-ET / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo objectively analyze the effects of traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） multi-channel intervention on the ovarian function，TCM syndromes and natural conception of poor ovarian responders（kidney-Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern） who planned to receive another in vitro fertilization embryo transfer（IVF-ET）antagonist regimen. MethodThe 128 low-prognosis patients （kidney Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern） who attended the West China Second University Hospital， Sichuan University and the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2020 to February 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were selected，and then divided into the treatment group and the control group according to the random number table，with 64 patients in each group. The control group was treated with oral dehydroepiandrosterone（DHEA），while the treatment group was treated with multi-channel TCM（oral TCM decoction + auricular point sticking + Bushen Huoxue prescription through retention enema）. After 3 menstrual cycles，the relevant indicators for ovarian function evaluation，TCM syndrome scores and natural conception were collected from both groups. ResultCompared with the situation before treatment，the basal follicle stimulating hormone（bFSH），bFSH/basal luteinizing hormone（bLH），basal estradiol（bE2），antral follicle count（AFC），the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization，the number of superior embryos and TCM syndrome scores in the treatment group were improved after treatment（P<0.05，P<0.01）. For the control group， the bFSH/bLH and TCM syndrome scores were increased after treatment（P<0.05）， while the bFSH，bFSH/bLH，bE2，AFC，the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization，and the number of superior embryos showed no significant difference after treatment. Compared with the control group after treatment，bFSH，bFSH/bLH，bE2，AFC，the number of normal fertilization，the number of superior embryos and TCM syndrome scores in the treatment group were better （P<0.05，P<0.01），while there was no significant difference in the number of oocytes obtained. After treatment，there were 3 cases of natural conception in the treatment group，while there were no natural conception in the control group. ConclusionFor patients with poor ovarian response and kidney Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern，multi-channel intervention of TCM plus the antagonist regimen can reduce bFSH，bFSH/bLH values，improve the levels of bE2，increase AFC，the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization and the number of superior embryos，improve ovarian function，menstruation and TCM syndromes，improve their quality of life，and even enable some patients to get pregnant naturally before re-progression and improve their pregnancy outcome.

Mechanism of Promoting Chronic Refractory Wound Repair by Polysaccharides in Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

A chronic refractory wound is caused by continuous skin damage. At the same time， it may be formed due to repeated infection， vascular insufficiency， diabetes， tumors， chronic osteomyelitis， and other reasons， resulting in wound repair interruption and recovery delay. Chronic refractory wound seriously affects the quality of life of patients and consumes a lot of medical resources. Polysaccharides in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） are the effective components of most TCM. Modern pharmacological studies have found that polysaccharides contained in TCM have anti-inflammatory， antioxidant， anti-radiation， hypoglycemic， antiviral， anti-tumor， hypolipidemic， and immunomodulatory effects. Through the summary and analysis of the literature， it was found that the mechanism of polysaccharides in TCM to promote chonic refractory wound repair was mainly realized from the following aspects： firstly， regulating inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） or regulating macrophage-related inflammatory proteins and chemotactic proteins like MIP-2， MCP-1， to shorten the inflammatory period. Secondly， activating growth factors like platelet-derived growth fator （PDGF）， basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF）， TGF-α， and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） to recruit endothelial cells and fibroblasts into tissue proliferation. Thirdly， activationg VEGF and its downstream receptor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 （VEGFR-1） and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 （VEGFR-2）-mediatated protein kinase C/extracellular regulated kinases （PKC/ERK） signaling pathway or promoting angiogenesie and improving wound blood flow through angiotensin （ANG）. Fourthly， promoting the ablility of collagen synthesis by enhancing the secretion of hydroxyproline and hyaluronic acid （HA） from fibroblasts （FB） and regulating relevant matrix metalloenzymes and their enzyme inhibitor to regulate the extracellular matrix. Fifthly， eliminating free radiccals to reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress to tissue. Sixthly， enhancing the phagocytic ability of macrophages， the activity of natural killer cells， and the proliferation of T cells to improve the defense ability of tissue. Polysaccharides in TCM can repair wounds in many ways at the same time. Its advantage lies in the multiple targets and multiple pathways. It is expected that the research will pay more attention to the mechanism of wound repair by polysaccharide components in TCM when improving the treatment of chronic refractory wounds.

Expert Consensus on Clinical Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine：Aural Vertigo / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Aural vertigo frequently encountered in the otolaryngology department of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） mainly involves peripheral vestibular diseases of Western medicine， such as Meniere's disease， benign paroxysmal positional vertigo， vestibular neuritis， and vestibular migraine， being a hot research topic in both TCM and Western medicine. Western medical therapies alone have unsatisfactory effects on recurrent aural vertigo， aural vertigo affecting the quality of life， aural vertigo not relieved after surgery， aural vertigo with complex causes， and children's aural vertigo. The literature records and clinical practice have proven that TCM demonstrates unique advantages in the treatment of aural vertigo. The China Association of Chinese medicine sponsored the "17th youth salon on the diseases responding specifically to TCM： Aural vertigo" and invited vertigo experts of TCM and Western medicine to discuss the difficulties and advantages of TCM diagnosis and treatment of aural vertigo. The experts deeply discussed the achievements and contributions of TCM and Western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of aural vertigo， the control and mitigation of the symptoms， and the solutions to disease recurrence. The discussion clarified the positioning and advantages of TCM treatment and provided guidance for clinical and basic research on aural vertigo.

Metal-organic Framework Immobilized Enzyme and Its Application in Screening of Enzyme Inhibitors of Traditional Chinese Medicine：A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Enzymes are widely used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries because of their advantages of high efficiency and specificity. However， the shortcomings of the free enzymes， such as poor stability and difficulty in recycling， limit their application. Therefore， the immobilization and application of enzymes have become one of the research hotspots. The selection of the immobilization carriers is a critical step in the process of enzyme immobilization. Metal-organic frameworks（MOFs）， a kind of porous materials， are formed by the coordination of metal ions or metal clusters with organic ligands. As an emerging immobilization carrier， its advantages such as high porosity， strong stability， and surface modifiability make it ideal for immobilized enzyme carriers. By immobilizing the free enzyme on MOFs， the above mentioned deficiencies of the free enzymes can be effectively solved， which greatly broaden the applicable condition. Ligand fishing is a method to find receptor-specific ligands from complex components， which has the advantages of high efficiency， simple sample pretreatment and high specificity. The MOF-enzyme complex formed by enzyme immobilization can act as a "fishing rod" for ligand fishing， which can screen out the targets from the complex system of components. The complex chemical composition and various active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） make the ligand fishing technology to play a big role in the screening of enzyme inhibitors from TCM. And the screened enzyme inhibitors are expected to be further developed into the lead compounds with good efficacy and low adverse effects， so the immobilized enzymes of MOFs have a wide application in the screening of active ingredients from TCM. Based on this， this paper summarized the methods of immobilized enzymes of MOFs in recent years， analyzed the characteristics， advantages and disadvantages of each method， and summarized the laws of preparation conditions and mechanisms. Meanwhile， the application and future development of immobilized enzymes of MOFs in the field of enzyme inhibitor screening from TCM were also summarized and prospected， with a view to providing a reference for the development of natural ingredients and the modernization of TCM.

Theoretical Exploration of Cancer-related Fatigue in Malignant Tumors Guided by Luobing Theory / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Patients with cancer-related fatigue are prone to symptoms and signs such as anorexia， weight loss， and abdominal distension， which seriously reduces the quality of life and becomes an independent risk factor affecting the survival rate of patients with malignant tumors. Therefore， it is urgent to find effective treatment strategies and drugs. In the past， the academic viewpoint of improving syndromes—a new strategy for tumor treatment was proposed based on the guidance of the Luobing theory. Based on this， this article proposes the pathogenesis of cancer-related fatigue is characterized by spleen and kidney deficiency， stasis and toxin internal obstruction， as well as the treatment method of strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney， resolving blood stasis and detoxification guided by the core theory of the Qiluo doctrine of Chengzhi Tiaoping. The representative drug Yangzheng Xiaoji capsules has been developed， not only has good therapeutic effect on solid tumors， but also shows good advantages in treating cancer-related fatigue， which can help to restore the homeostasis of tumor bearing survival in patients with malignant tumors and provide new drug choices for the clinical treatment of cancer-related fatigue.

Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Based on Mitochondrial Quality Control： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN） is a neurodegenerative disease of diabetes mellitus involving peripheral nervous system damage， which is characterized by axonal degenerative necrosis， Schwann cell apoptosis and demyelination of nerve myelin sheath as the main pathological features， this disease is highly prevalent and is a major cause of disability in diabetic patients. Currently， the pathogenesis of DPN may be related to oxidative stress， inflammatory response， metabolic abnormality， and microcirculation disorder. The treatment of DPN in modern medicine mainly starts from controlling blood glucose， nourishing nerves and improving microcirculation， which can only alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients， and it is difficult to fundamentally improve the pathological damage of peripheral nerves. Mitochondrial quality control refers to the physiological mechanisms that can maintain the morphology and functional homeostasis of mitochondria， including mitochondrial biogenesis， mitochondrial dynamics， mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondrial autophagy， and abnormal changes of which may cause damage to peripheral nerves. After reviewing the literature， it was found that traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） can improve the low level of mitochondrial biogenesis in DPN， maintain the balance of mitochondrial dynamics， inhibit mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondrial autophagy， and delay apoptosis of Schwann cells and neural axon damage， which has obvious effects on the treatment of DPN. With the deepening of research， mitochondrial quality control may become one of the potential targets for the research of new anti-DPN drugs， therefore， this paper summarized the research progress of TCM in treating DPN based on four aspects of mitochondrial quality control， with the aim of providing a theoretical research basis for the discovery of new drugs.

Pathogenesis and Treatment of Coronary Microvascular Disease in Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In recent years， coronary microvascular disease （CMVD）， a main type of ischemic heart disease with high incidence and low diagnosis rate， has become a new research hotspot and received much clinical attention. The etiology of CMVD is complex and the symptoms are various. Traditional Chinese and Western medicine have different opinions on its pathogenesis and treatment plan. Western medicine believes that CMVD is related to structural abnormalities （such as microvascular remodeling， vascular invasion， lumen obstruction， sparse vascular vessel and perivascular fibrosis） and functional abnormalities （such as endothelial dysfunction， smooth muscle cell dysfunction， microvascular constriction， microvascular spasm， inflammation and autonomic nervous dysfunction） of coronary microvascular vessels as well as the extravascular factors （such as heart rate and blood pressure）. In clinics， conventional western medicines are usually used for empirical treatment， but with undesirable effects. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） believes that CMVD belongs to the category of "chest impediment"， "heart pain" and "collateral disease"， and the common syndromes include Qi deficiency and blood stasis， Qi stagnation and blood stasis， Qi and Yin deficiency， congealing cold in heart vessel， heart and spleen deficiency， blood stasis obstructing collaterals， combined phlegm and blood stasis， and liver and kidney deficiency， with a variety of treatment methods. Specifically， Chinese patent medicines， self-designed prescriptions， modified classical prescriptions and TCM characteristic therapies have achieved certain effects. This review discussed the risk factors， pathological mechanism， TCM etiology and pathogenesis and traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment of CMVD， to provide reference for the study and treatment of CMVD.

Current status, trends, and challenges of continuous manufacturing technology for oral traditional Chinese medicine solid preparations / 中国中药杂志

In recent years, continuous manufacturing technology has attracted considerable attention in the pharmaceutical industry. This technology is highly sought after for its significant advantages in cost reduction, increased efficiency, and improved productivity, making it a growing trend in the future of the pharmaceutical industry. Compared to traditional batch production methods, continuous manufacturing technology features real-time control and environmentally friendly intelligence, enabling pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs more efficiently. However, the adoption of continuous manufacturing technology has been slow in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) pharmaceuticals. On the one hand, there is insufficient research on continuous manufacturing equipment and technology that align with the characteristics of TCM preparations. On the other hand, the scarcity of talent with diverse expertise hampers its development. Therefore, in order to promote the modernization and upgrading of the TCM pharmaceutical industry, this article combined the current development status of the TCM industry to outline the development status and regulatory requirements of continuous manufacturing technology. At the same time, it analyzed the problems with existing TCM manufacturing models and explored the prospects and challenges of applying continuous manufacturing technology in the field of TCM pharmaceuticals. The analysis focused on continuous manufacturing control strategies, technical tools, and pharmaceutical equipment, aiming to provide targeted recommendations to drive the development of the TCM pharmaceutical industry.

Relevant policies research on traditional Chinese medicine equipment / 数字中医药（英文）

@#Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) equipment is the industry representative possessing independent intellectual property rights and unique Chinese characteristics. By integrating TCM and information technology, TCM equipment is experiencing an unprecedented period of opportunity. Here, based on the practical significance, we reviewed the recent series of policies to promote the TCM equipment development. In accordance, we analyzed the current main problems and causes, and finally put forward some policy demand and suggestions to boost TCM equipment industry.

Top 10 Academic Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2022 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

BackgroundIn order to implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China， and the Opinions on Promoting the Inheritance， Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM）， to regularly summarize the research results of TCM， to present the academic progress of TCM dynamically， and to give full play to the academic leadership of academic groups， the China Association of Chinese Medicine had organized the selection of the top 10 academic progress of TCM in 2022. The selection work adhered to the four orientations， eliminated the four only， highlighted the solution of clinical problems， answered scientific questions， led the development of the industry， reflected the exploratory and forward-looking， innovative and breakthrough， focused on new laws， new discoveries， new methods， new products， new theories in the field of basic research and applied basic research in TCM. After dynamic collection， preliminary examination， review and final judgment， the top 10 academic progress of TCM in 2022 were determined.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Monomers in Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy by Regulating PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetes retinopathy （DR） is an important cause that threatens the visual health of adults. There are some treatment methods of western medicine with definite efficacy， such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and laser photocoagulation， but they have many adverse reactions such as intraocular infection and visual field damage. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） therapies are safe and effective， which can complement western medicine. Phosphatidylinositol3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway regulates a range of processes including glucose metabolism， cell proliferation， and cell transcription and apoptosis， which is closely related to the occurrence and development of DR. Numerous studies have shown that TCM monomers can participate in maintaining the integrity of blood-retinal barrier and inhibiting retinal neovascularization and neurodegeneration in many aspects such as inhibiting oxidative stress and alleviating inflammatory reaction by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway， so as to delay the progress of DR. Therefore， this study reviewed PI3K/Akt pathway and its relationship with DR， as well as the TCM monomers in interfering with DR based on PI3K/Akt pathway to provide some ideas for the prevention and treatment of DR in integrated TCM and western medicine.

Clinical Predominance Disease of Traditional Chinese Medicine： Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD） is a frequently and commonly occurring disease in clinic. In recent decades， with the development in pathophysiology and drug researches， modern medicine has achieved remarkable progress and results in diagnosis and treatment. However， the treatments for non-erosive reflux disease， refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease， proton pump inhibitor resistance， overlap of disease symptoms， and extraesophageal symptoms are limited and ineffective. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） was widely used in clinical practice， which has been proved effective in relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life. Sponsored by China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and undertaken by the Spleen and Stomach Disease Branch of CACM， "the 12th Youth Salon of Clinical Predominance Disease Series （GERD）" invited 18 authoritative digestive experts of TCM and western medicine to discuss "the difficulties of clinical diagnosis and treatment of GERD and TCM advantages". The focus issues such as modern medical diagnosis and treatment achievements and contributions， improvement and maintenance of symptoms， response to overlapping disease symptoms， reduction and withdrawal of acid suppressors， and treatment of extra-esophageal symptoms were discussed in depth. TCM and western medicine exchanged and complemented each other's strengths， combing the difficulties of modern medical diagnosis and treatment， which clarified the positioning and advantages of TCM and provided guidance for clinical and scientific research.

Mechanism of Shengjiangsan in Treatment of Subacute Thyroiditis Based on Theory of Excessive Qi Causing Fire / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Subacute thyroiditis， a common inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland， needs drug therapies due to fever， pain and other symptoms. Glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs （NSAIDs） are mainly used to treat this disease， while they may lead to severe side effects and high recurrence. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） demonstrates definite efficacy in alleviating the symptoms and shortening the disease course. The theory of excessive Qi causing fire holds that the excessive Qi of six excesses， seven emotions， or Yang hyperactivity in the Zangfu organs turns into fire and heat， resulting in pathological changes. According to this theory， this paper proposes the research on the pathogenesis and therapies of subacute thyroiditis can be started from the perspectives of Qi and fire. The disordered daily life causes internal injury of body and mind， predominant Yang Qi， or deficiency fire flaming upward， which leads to the invasion of six excesses and pathogenic toxins. Both the internal and external disorders induce the stagnation and the abnormal ascending and descending of Qi. The excessive Qi generates fire， the accumulation of which causes phlegm and stasis in front of the neck， eventually leading to the occurrence of subacute thyroiditis. The clinical and pathogenic characteristics of subacute thyroiditis indicate that the occurrence of this disease is associated with Qi and fire. Therefore， the treatment should focus on purging fire and detoxifying， regulating Qi movement， activating blood， resolving phlegm， and dissipating mass. Shengjiangsan has the effect of clearing heat and toxin， resolving phlegm， dredging collaterals， and dissipating mass， demonstrating definite therapeutic effect on subacute thyroiditis. This paper expounds the mechanism of Shengjiangsan in treating subacute thyroiditis from purging fire and regulating Qi. Furthermore， we preliminarily elaborate on the anti-viral， immunomodulatory， anti-inflammatory， and pain-relieving effects of Shengjiangsan from modern medicine. This paper provides new ideas for the syndrome differentiation and treatment of subacute thyroiditis from the perspectives of Qi and fire and basic ethical support for the clinical and basic research on the treatment of subacute thyroiditis by Shengjiangsan.

Conversion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into nanomedicine:application of theory of unification of medicines and excipients / 中国中药杂志

In recent years, the use of active substances as excipients or as substitutes for other excipients in the design of modern drug delivery systems has received widespread attention, which has promoted the development of the theory of unification of medicines and excipients in the design of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) preparations. Adopting the theory of unification of medicines and excipients to design drug delivery systems can reduce the use of excipients and thus the cost of preparations, reduce drug toxicity, increase drug solubility and biocompatibility, enhance synergistic effect, and realize targeted delivery and simultaneous delivery of multiple components. However, the research on the application of this theory in the modern drug delivery system of TCM preparations is still insufficient, with few relevant articles. In addition, the TCM active substances that can be used as the excipients remain to be catalogued. In this paper, we review the types and applications of the drug delivery systems with TCM active substances as excipients and describe their common construction methods and mechanisms, aiming to provide references for the in-depth research on the modern drug delivery systems for TCM preparations.

Relationship between pyroptosis and cardiovascular diseases and traditional Chinese medicine prevention and treatment research / 中国中药杂志

Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death initiated by the activation of caspases, which is involved in the development and progression of several cardiovascular diseases. The gasdermins, a protein family, are key executive proteins in the development of pyroptosis, which increase cell membrane permeability, mediate the release of inflammatory factors, and aggravate the inflammatory injury. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has shown unique therapeutic advantages in cardiovascular diseases with multi-component and multi-target characteristics. Currently, the effective prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases based on the theory of pyroptosis become a new research hotspot in this field. Based on the theories of TCM and modern medicine, this study summarized the role of pyroptosis in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, diabetic cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and myocarditis. The role of TCM, including active monomers, crude extracts, and compound preparations, in cardiovascular protection through the regulation of pyroptosis was also summarized, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases by TCM.

New outlook on safety of traditional Chinese medicine: concept and practice / 中国中药杂志

Profound changes have taken place in human disease spectrum, constitution spectrum, and drug use behavior, and the safety of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) faces new trends and problems. In particular, serious adverse reactions/events such as liver injury and kidney injury caused by non-toxic TCM have been frequently reported, overturning people's understanding of TCM safety, and even shaking the public's confidence in the development of TCM. In the new era of globalization, correctly understanding the situation and problems of TCM safety and addressing the dilemmas in safety evaluation and risk prevention of TCM are the key missions to be undertaken by TCM practitioners. This paper suggests that the situation and problems of TCM safety should be viewed objectively and dialectically, and the use standard of TCM should be advanced with the times. Furthermore, this paper puts forward the new conception and methodology of TCM safety(including one innovative understanding, two types of evaluation modes, tri-elements injury hypothesis; four-quadrant risk decision processes, and five-grade safety evidence body) for the first time, hoping to provide new theories, new strategies, new methods and successful examples for solving the safety problems of TCM.

Prevention and treatment of lung cancer by regulating tumor-associated macrophages with traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Lung cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in the world, and its incidence and mortality is increasing year by year. Interactions between tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment(TME) affect tumor proliferation, infiltration, and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs) are prominent components of TME, and they have dual regulation effects on malignant progression of lung cancer. The number, activity, and function of M2 macrophages are related to the poor prognosis of lung cancer, and M2 macrophages participate in tumor angiogenesis and immune escape. It has been proved that traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs) and their active ingredients can enhance the antitumor effects, reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and prolong the survival rates of patients with cancer. This paper summarized the role of TAMs in the lung cancer initiation and progression, explored the molecular mechanism of TCM in regulating the recruitment, polarization phenotype, activity, and expression of related factors and proteins of TAMs, and discussed related signal pathways in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer based on the TCM theory of "reinforcing healthy qi and eliminating pathogen". This paper is expected to provide new ideas for the immunotherapy of targeted TAMs.

Role of macrophages in heart failure and traditional Chinese medicine intervention / 中国中药杂志

As the disease with high morbidity and mortality in the world, heart failure affects the development of human society. Due to its complicated pathology and limited treatment options, it is urgent to discover new disease targets and develop new treatment strategies. As innate immune cells accompanied by the evolution of heart failure, macrophages play an important role in cardiac homeostasis and stress. In recent years, the role of macrophages in the heart has attracted more and more attention as a potential target for heart failure intervention, and the research on cardiac macrophages has made important progress. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has significant effects on regulating inflammatory response, treating heart failure, and maintaining homeostasis. In this article, researches on the functions of cardiac macrophages and application of TCM were reviewed from the source and classification of cardiac macrophages and the relationship of macrophages and cardiac inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, cardiac angiogenesis, and cardiac electrical conduction, which provided a basis for further basic research and clinical applications.

Efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration: A systematic review and network Meta-analysis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)combined with intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)or anti-VEGF medicines alone in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD).METHODS:A total of eight databases were searched for relevant literatures in English and Chinese, including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang, CQVIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase. Taking patients with wAMD as research objects, the Chinese and English clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs)published from the databases' inception to April 20, 2022, which compared TCM combined with anti-VEGF drugs with anti-VEGF drugs alone were selected. The outcome indicators were best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and central macular thickness(CMT). Traditional Meta and network Meta analysis were used to examine the data.RESULTS:There were 39 eligible studies among the 617 retrieved articles, involving 28 oral administration of Chinese herbal medicines and 2 757 participants. For BCVA improvement, results of TCM combination therapy were more favorable than anti-VEGF alone(MD=0.07, 95%CI: 0.05～0.09). Sheng Puhuang Decoction(SPD)ranked highest in 1 and 2mo after treatment, and Xuefu Zhuyu Capsule(XZC)ranked highest in 3mo after treatment. In terms of reducing CMT, TCM combination therapy were better(MD=-25.32 μm, 95%CI: -30.06～-20.57). Danggui Mingmu Decoction(DMD)ranked the highest in 1mo after treatment. Bushen Huoxue Decoction(BHD)ranked the highest in 2mo. Erchen Erhuang Decoction(EED)ranked the highest in 3mo.CONCLUSIONS: Compared with anti-VEGF treatment alone, TCM combination therapy led to improved BCVA and reduced CMT. However, most of the included literature is small-sample, single-center, single-blind RCTs with an overall low quality.

Role of podocyte injury signaling pathway in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and research progress in traditional Chinese medicine intervention / 中国中药杂志

As one of the main diseases leading to end-stage renal disease, steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome(SRNS) can cause serious complications such as infection. Without effective control, this disease can further lead to the malignant development of the renal function, bringing serious social and economic burdens. As previously reported, the formation of SRNS is mostly related to the podocyte injury in the body, i.e., the injury of glomerular visceral epithelial cells. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) signaling pathway, nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway, mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/adenosine monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK), transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1/Smads, and other signaling pathways are classical signaling pathways related to podocyte injury. By regulating the expression of signaling pathways, podocyte injury can be intervened to improve the adhesion between podocyte foot processes and glomerular basement membrane and promote the function of podocytes, thereby alleviating the clinical symptoms of SRNS. Through the literature review, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has unique advantages and an important role in intervening in podocyte injury. In the intervention in podocyte injury, TCM, by virtue of multi-target and multi-pathway role, can regulate and intervene in podocyte injury in many ways, alleviate the clinical symptoms of SRNS, and interfere with the progress of SRNS, reflecting the unique advantages of TCM. On the other hand, TCM can directly or indirectly inhibit podocyte injury by regulating the above signaling pathways, which can not only promote the effect of hormones and immunosuppressants and shorten the course of treatment, but also reduce the toxic and side effects caused by various hormones and immunosuppressants to exert the advantages of small side effects and low price of TCM. This article reviewed TCM in the treatment of SRNS by interfering with podocyte injury-related signaling pathways and is expected to provide a reference for the in-depth study of TCM in the treatment of SRNS, as well as a theoretical basis and a new direction for the clinical application of TCM to shorten the course of treatment of SRNS and delay the progression to end-stage renal disease.