Exploring the chemical components of Kuanchang-Shu granule and its protective effects of postoperative ileus in rats by regulating AKT/HSP90AA1/eNOS pathway.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common obstruction of intestinal content passage caused by almost all abdominal operations that seriously strokes the quality of life of patients. Kuanchang-Shu granule (KCSG), a classic modified prescription based on "Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction", has obtained satisfactory efficacy in the clinical therapeutics of POI. However, its material basis and holistic molecular mechanism against POI have not been revealed. METHODS: The chemical ingredients of KCSG were first characterized by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS). Subsequently, an integration strategy of the network pharmacology and molecular docking based on above identified ingredients was performed to unveil the potential targets involved in the treatment of KCSG on POI. Finally, intestinal manipulation induced rat POI model was constructed to verify the efficacy and predicted mechanism of KCSG against POI. RESULTS: In total, 246 ingredients mainly including organic acids, flavonoids, quinones, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids and phenols were identified. 41 essential ingredients, 24 crucial targets as well as 15 relevant signaling pathways were acquired based on network pharmacology analysis. Pharmacodynamic research showed that KCSG treatment could protect intestinal histological damage, promote the recovery of measurement of gastrointestinal transit disorder and inhibit the secretion of myeloperoxidase in the distal ileum tissues. The up-regulated expression of p-AKT and down-regulated expression of p-eNOS and HSP9OAA1 predicted by molecular docking and validated by western blotting showed that AKT/eNOS/HSP90AA1 pathway may be one of the crucial mechanisms that mediates the protective effect of KCSG.

3D Microfluidic System for Evaluating Inhibitory Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Oldenlandia diffusa on Human Malignant Glioma Invasion Combined with Network Pharmacology Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-invasion efficacy of the ethanol extract of Oldenlandia diffusa Will. (EEOD) on a three-dimensional (3D) human malignant glioma (MG) cell invasion and perfusion model based on microfluidic chip culture and the possible mechanism of action of Oldenlandia diffusa Will. (OD). METHODS: The comprehensive pharmacodynamic analysis method in this study was based on microfluidic chip 3D cell perfusion culture technology, and the action mechanism of Chinese medicine (CM) on human MG cells was investigated through network pharmacology analysis. First, the components of EEOD were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Then, cell viability and apoptosis were assessed to determine the optimum concentration of EEOD for invasion experiments, and two-dimensional (2D) migration and invasion abilities of U87 and U251 MG cells were evaluated using scratch wound and Transwell assays. The possible mechanism underlying the effects of EEOD on glioma was analyzed through a network pharmacology approach. RESULTS: Thirty-five compounds of EEOD were detected by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. EEOD suppressed the viability of MG cells, promoted their apoptosis, and inhibited their migratory and invasive potentials (all P<0.05). Network pharmacology analysis showed that OD inhibited the invasion of MG cells by directly regulating MAPK and Wnt pathways through MAPK, EGFR, MYC, GSK3B, and other targets. The anti-invasion effect of OD was also found to be related to the indirect regulation of microtubule cytoskeleton organization. CONCLUSIONS: ]EEOD could inhibit the invasion of human MG cells, and the anti-invasion mechanism of OD might be regulating MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways and microtubule cytoskeleton organization.

Artificial intelligence: Emerging player in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive disease.

Given the breakthroughs in key technologies, such as image recognition, deep learning and neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be increasingly developed, leading to closer and deeper integration with an increasingly data-, knowledge- and brain labor-intensive medical industry. As society continues to advance and individuals become more aware of their health needs, the problems associated with the aging of the population are receiving increasing attention, and there is an urgent demand for improving medical technology, prolonging human life and enhancing health. Digestive system diseases are the most common clinical diseases and are characterized by complex clinical manifestations and a general lack of obvious symptoms in the early stage. Such diseases are very difficult to diagnose and treat. In recent years, the incidence of diseases of the digestive system has increased. As AI applications in the field of health care continue to be developed, AI has begun playing an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system. In this paper, the application of AI in assisted diagnosis and the application and prospects of AI in malignant and benign digestive system diseases are reviewed.

Qing-Yi Decoction in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis: An Integrated Approach Based on Chemical Profile, Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Experimental Evaluation.

Background: Qing-Yi Decoction (QYD) is a classic precompounded prescription with satisfactory clinical efficacy on acute pancreatitis (AP). However, the chemical profile and overall molecular mechanism of QYD in treating AP have not been clarified. Methods: In the present study, a rapid, simple, sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS)-based chemical profile was first established. An integration strategy of network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking based identified ingredients was further performed to screen out the potential targets and pathways involved in the treatment of QYD on AP. Finally, SD rats with acute pancreatitis were constructed to verify the predicted results through a western blot experiment. Results: A total of 110 compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, monoterpenes, iridoids, triterpenes, phenylethanoid glycosides, anthraquinones and other miscellaneous compounds were identified, respectively. Eleven important components, 47 key targets and 15 related pathways based on network pharmacology analysis were obtained. Molecular docking simulation indicated that ERK1/2, c-Fos and p65 might play an essential role in QYD against AP. Finally, the western blot experiments showed that QYD could up-regulate the expression level of ERK1/2 and c-Fos, while down-regulate the expression level of p65. Conclusion: This study predicted and validated that QYD may treat AP by inhibiting inflammation and promoting apoptosis, which provides directions for further experimental studies.

Evaluating the Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Clearing Heat and Removing Dampness Method of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Comparison with Western Medicine in Patients with Gout.

Objective. In China, the method of clearing heat and removing dampness medicine of Chinese traditional medicine has been widely used on gout. However, the clinical effects are various and not summarized systematically. Methods. In this study, a large number of randomized controlled clinical trials were reviewed and analyzed and the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of traditional Chinese medicine with clearing heat and removing dampness effects for the treatment of gout were systematically evaluated. A comprehensive search of databases including pubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed was performed. Results. There are 69 randomized controlled trials with 5915 sample sizes meeting the criteria in the study. The results of the meta-analysis indicate that the effects of clearing heat and removing dampness medicine were slightly better than western medicine in the treatment of gout based on the following parameters: serum uric acid (standardized mean difference (SMD):-62.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): -78.12 to-46.15), C reactive protein (SMD: -4.21, 95% CI: -6.19 to -2.23), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (SMD: -6.23, 95% CI: -8.39 to-4.06), and overall clinical response (relative risk (RR): 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.15) and, in the profile of adverse drug reactions, the clearing heat and removing dampness medicine showed less adverse reactions than traditional Western medicine (RR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.32). Conclusions. Through a systemic evaluation of the clinical efficacy of the clearing heat and removing dampness medicine of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine on gout, the clearing heat and removing dampness medicine and western medicine possessed similar clinical efficacy, but traditional Chinese medicine treatments are superior to western medicine in controlling adverse reactions.

Two new phenolic acids from the fruits of Forsythia suspense.

Two new phenolic acids forsythiayanoside C (1) and forsythiayanoside D (2), were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspense (Thunb.) Vahl. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR analyses, HRESIMS and CD spectrometry. The cytotoxic and antioxidant activities testing showed that compound 2 exhibited free radical scavenging activity.

Comparative evaluation of cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis and antiallergic assay.

A multicomponent quantification fingerprint based on HPLC coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) technique has been established for the analysis of phenolic compounds in 12 samples originated from 5 different cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers in China. Four caffeoylquinic acids and 15 flavonoids in the capitulum were identified by comparing the retention times and ultraviolet spectra as well as the mass spectrum and/or matching the empirical molecular formula with that of reference compounds, and the contents of these compounds have been determined simultaneously. The samples from three medicinal cultivars significantly differed in the quality and quantity of flavonoid aglycones and glycosides compared with those from two edible cultivars, which allows the possibility of showing the chemical distinctness of these cultivars and may be useful in their standardization. Moreover, the antiallergic effects of these cultivars were comparatively assayed for the first time. A representative medicinal cultivar, 'huaiju', showed potential activity on the inhibition of antigen-induced degranulation from RBL-2H3 cells and compound 48/80-induced scratching in mice, whereas the in vitro and in vivo antiallergic activities of two edible cultivars were weak. The results suggested that the quality and quantity of some active flavonoid aglycones should be responsible for the pharmacological profiles of these cultivars.