Chinese Herbal Medicines最新文献

{"title":"Integrated network pharmacology, transcriptomics and experimental validation to explore mechanisms of Wenyang Jiedu Granule on IAV-induced pneumonia","authors":"Shengle Qin , Taoyu Chen , Yutao Wang , Hongxia Ke , Jingyan Xin , Wenlong He , Yi Guo , Zemiao Niu , Qiaoli Hua , Zifeng Yang , Yuntao Liu , Zhongde Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Wenyang Jiedu Granule (WYJD) is an effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation that has been generally applied for treating respiratory infectious diseases. Clinical observations involving thousands of cases have demonstrated that WYJD could alleviate disease progression and improve symptoms in treating respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus. However, the chemical basis and underlying mechanisms of WYJD against influenza A virus (IAV)-induced pneumonia remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanisms of WYJD in treating IAV-induced pneumonia by a combined strategy of network pharmacology, transcriptomics and experimental validation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The pneumonia model was established in BALB/c mice via infection with H1N1 IAV to evaluate the therapeutic effects of WYJD on IAV-induced pneumonia. Firstly, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer/tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap-MS/MS) was employed to analyze the main chemical components in WYJD-containing serum. Subsequently, the effects of WYJD on IAV-induced pneumonia were assessed through pathological observation, plaque forming assay, biochemical analysis, Evans blue staining assay, and immunofluorescence assay. Mechanistically, an integrated approach of network pharmacology and transcriptomics was applied to explore the potential active components, targets and related pathways of WYJD against IAV-induced pneumonia. Fluorescence TUNEL assay, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were utilized for experimental validation and mechanistic studies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Using UPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap-MS/MS, a total of 25 prototypes and 15 metabolites were identified in the serum of mice after WYJD administration. WYJD treatment showed protective effects on IAV-induced pneumonia by inhibiting inflammation and lung barrier damage in the IAV-induced pneumonia mice model. Network pharmacology combined with transcriptomics analysis indicated that WYJD exerted therapeutic effects against IAV-induced pneumonia mainly through the synergistic effects of 11 active components, which regulated ten critical signaling pathways via 86 targets. Further experimental validation demonstrated that WYJD could alleviate IAV-induced pneumonia via the IL-17 signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor 7‌ (TLR7)/Myeloid differentiation primary response dene 88 (MyD88)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs)/activator protein 1 (AP-1) signaling pathway and apoptosis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study revealed the main active components and mechanisms of WYJD against IAV-induced pneumonia through the IL-17 signaling pathway, TLR7/MyD88/MAPKs/AP-1 signaling pathway and apoptosis, which provides novel insights into the clinical application of WYJD in treating influenza and its complications.<","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 241-261"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel step-by-step strategy for evaluating treatment of traditional Chinese medicine injections for community-acquired pneumonia in adults","authors":"Tiantian Zhao ,&nbsp;Qi Liu ,&nbsp;Xiangjia Song ,&nbsp;Fei Liao ,&nbsp;Yeqing Zhang ,&nbsp;Ningning Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of death from infectious diseases in adults worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) are often used as complementary therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCMIs for the treatment of CAP.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A step-by-step strategy was first designed including data collection, systematic review, Bayesian network <em>meta</em>-analysis (NMA), and assessment of the NMA. Eight databases were searched for relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from their inception to December 31, 2022. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality and the risk of bias of the included RCTs. Bayesian NMA was performed by WinBUGS 14.0 and STATA 15.0. Finally, the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence for each outcome.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 35 RCTs involving 4 291 participants were included. For clinical effectiveness rate, the Reduning Injection (RDN) combined with Western medicine (WM) was the most likely to be the best treatment (SUCRA = 0.919). And the top three TCMIs interventions were RDN + WM, Xiyanping Injection (XYP) + WM, Tanreqing injection (TRQ) + WM. For defervescence time, disappearance time of cough, and the disappearance time of lung rales, the XYP with WM was probably the best treatment (SUCRA = 0.822, 0.838, 0.816). Moreover, adverse drug reactions have been reported in 14 RCTs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The TCMIs can effectively relieve clinical symptoms and improve clinical efficiency than that of WM alone for adults with non-severe CAP. Step-by-step results firstly indicated that XYP with WM was superior treatment regimen to reduce defervescence time, disappearance time of cough and disappearance time of lung rales. For safety, the mild adverse drug reactions occurred during the entire course of therapy and were self-limiting, further confirming the favorable safety profile of the TCMIs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 470-480"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herbal remedies for hepatic diseases: A review of medicinal herbs in the treatment of liver disorders","authors":"Istuti Saraswat,&nbsp;Anjana Goel,&nbsp;Jyoti Gupta","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Medicinal plants have been integral to human healthcare for centuries, offering a vast repository of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. This comprehensive review underscores the significance of medicinal herbs in maintaining hepatic homeostasis and addresses their efficacy in treating liver disorders, including cancer, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. The exploration begins with an examination of the historical importance of medicinal plants in diverse traditional healing practices, emphasizing their contributions to human well-being. Subsequently, the review delves into the specific hepatoprotective properties of herbs, unravelling their potential to mitigate liver disorders, their versatile anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer attributes, along with their immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects, set the stage for understanding their roles in managing hepatitis and other liver disorders. Furthermore, the review discusses anti-fibrotic and hepatoprotective qualities, antioxidant-rich composition guarding against hepatotoxicity, and their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous actions relevant to liver disorders. Many medicinal plants, known for their hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, are explored for their potential therapeutic benefits in liver failure. Understanding the pivotal role of medicinal plants in liver health enriches our appreciation for traditional healing practices and lays the groundwork for developing novel therapeutic approaches for both human and veterinary liver health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 329-342"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated network pharmacology and metabolomics to analyze the mechanism of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction in treatment of dysmenorrhea of cold coagulation and blood stasis","authors":"Yilu Luo ,&nbsp;Zengguang Wu ,&nbsp;Ruifeng Ji ,&nbsp;Lingling Shen ,&nbsp;Xin He","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;To study the mechanism of Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction (SFZYD) in treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD) with cold coagulation and blood stasis based on metabonomics and network pharmacology.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The disease model of primary dysmenorrhea in rats with cold coagulation and blood stasis was established according to the previous research methods. The model of cold coagulation and blood stasis was built with ice water bath, and the model of PD was built with estradiol and oxytocin injection.The success of modeling was judged according to the physiological condition of rats, the change of body weight, the number of twisting and the change of uterine blood flow. UPLC-Q/TOF MS technique was used to identify the components and their main components in plasma in the Wenjing group (WJ, means warming channel), Huoxue group (HX, means activating blood), and Quanfang group (QF, means complete prescription) group, and a “compound-target-pathway” network was constructed by network pharmacology. Untargeted metabolomics studies were applied to screen out endogenous differential metabolites and analyze their related metabolic pathways. The analgesic effect, pathological morphology and inflammatory mediators were evaluated, and the pathway targets were verified.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A total of 93 chemical components and 22 components in plasma were identified. A total of 52 potential targets of SFZYD for primary dysmenorrhea were identified by network pharmacological analysis, and 12 endogenous differential metabolites and four related metabolic pathways were screened out by metabonomics. The possible targets and pathways of action of the components of SFZYD into blood were analyzed by network pharmacology, and the results showed that it can widely act on the proteins and pathways related to thrombosis, new angiogenesis, vasodilation, inflammatory immune response and central sedation. Body torsion test showed that drug administration could reduce the frequency of body twisting in dysmorrhea rats, ELISAs showed that SFZYD could inhibit the release of inflammatory factors TNF-&lt;em&gt;α&lt;/em&gt; and IL-6. Western blotting showed that SFZYD could reduced the protein expression of COX-2, p-ERK&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; in uterine tissue, inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory factor expression. By down-regulating the expression of p-MLC protein in uterine tissue, the strong contraction of smooth muscle was inhibited, thus relieving dysmenorrhea.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Based on the research idea of “disease-syndrome-prescription-medicine”combination, this study discussed the internal relationship of SFZYD’s drug property, functional taste and efficacy. The substance basis of “warm property and pungent taste” in the WJ group reflects pungent taste is dispersive and propulsive, the warm property can dispel cold, to help &lt;em&gt;Yang&lt;/em&gt; promoting circulation of &lt;em&gt;qi&lt;/em&gt; and dispersing accumula","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 420-438"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diverse alkaloids with anti-inflammatory activity discovered from Thalictrum baicalense","authors":"Jinyuan Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaojing Chen ,&nbsp;Jingjing Xue ,&nbsp;Yikun Ren ,&nbsp;Zhanlin Li ,&nbsp;Dahong Li ,&nbsp;Yating Sun ,&nbsp;Huiming Hua","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 487-490"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical composition, antitumor properties and underlying mechanism of Sophora flavescens flavonoids: A review","authors":"Zhongyuan Guo ,&nbsp;Gaoyue Dong ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Liu ,&nbsp;Huimin Gao ,&nbsp;Liangmian Chen ,&nbsp;Hong Yang ,&nbsp;Zhimin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Sophora flavescens</em> is a widely used medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine, particularly known for its rich flavonoid content. Historically used in traditional medicine, this herb has been documented in the <em>Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica</em> (Shennong Bencao Jing) for its effects in clearing heat, eliminating dampness, and serving as an anthelmintic and diuretic, for treating various conditions, including dysentery, jaundice, and skin diseases. Recent research on <em>S. flavescens</em> has expanded, particularly concerning its flavonoid compounds, which exhibit significant pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, and antitumor effects. This review systematically summarizes the chemical constituents of <em>S. flavescens</em>, identifying over 130 flavonoid compounds, primarily isoprenylflavonoids, with a specific focus on their antitumor activities. Studies have shown that representative compounds, such as kurarinone and kushenol G, selectively exhibit cytotoxic effects against various cancer cell lines (e.g., HepG2, A549, MCF-7) while sparing normal cells. The antitumor mechanisms are primarily attributed to apoptosis induction, modulation of oxidative stress, and regulation of multiple signaling pathways, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway. Furthermore, safety assessments indicate that while the overall toxicity of flavonoids from <em>S. flavescens</em> is relatively low, certain compounds may pose hepatotoxic risks at high doses, warranting further attention in clinical applications. This review aims to provide an in-depth analysis and discussion of the chemical diversity, antitumor efficacy, and mechanisms of action of <em>S. flavescens</em> flavonoids, establishing a theoretical foundation and research direction for the development of novel anticancer drugs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 391-404"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isoquinoline alkaloids in Coptis chinensis to treat Alzheimer’s disease through promoting growth of Bifidobacterium breve inhibiting abnormal autophagy using a novel AI high-content intelligent imaging system","authors":"Siqi Gu ,&nbsp;Wei Yin ,&nbsp;Minzhen Xie ,&nbsp;Chengbing He ,&nbsp;Yuntong Bian ,&nbsp;Lin Li ,&nbsp;Wanying Lu ,&nbsp;Qi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div><em>Coptis chinensis</em> has been shown to increase beneficial intestinal bacteria and treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD). <em>Bifidobacterium breve</em> can effectively treat AD through the gut-brain axis. Therefore, this study aimed to study the joint effects of <em>C. chinensis</em> and <em>B. breve</em> in the treatment of AD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>16S rRNA was used to test the abundance of bacterial flora in APP<em>swe</em>/PS1ΔE9 mice after <em>C. chinensis</em> administration. To determine the efficacy of <em>C. chinensis</em> combined with <em>B. breve</em> on AD, pathological section staining, Barnes maze, Western blotting and ELISA were utilized to confirm the improvement of cognitive dysfunction in AD mice after administration. In order to elucidate the pharmacodynamic components of monomers in <em>C. chinensis</em>, network pharmacology was used to screen the components related to autophagy and confirm the pharmacodynamic effects by artificial intelligence (AI) high-content intelligent imaging.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that <em>C. chinensis</em> could modulate the abundance of <em>B. breve</em> in AD mice. Pathological assessments, Barnes maze testing, and additional experiments have shown that <em>C. chinensis</em> combined with <em>B. breve</em> can improve the memory and learning ability of AD mice by reducing neuronal apoptosis and amyloid-<em>β</em> (A<em>β</em>) peptide deposition. Network pharmacology combined with AI high-content intelligent imaging technology and Western blotting experiments demonstrated that magnoflorine, 13-methylberberine and palmatrubine in <em>C. chinensis</em> could exert neuroprotective effects in AD mice by up-regulating p62 protein expression while down-regulating Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II (LC3II) protein levels, thereby modulating autophagy-related pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div><em>C. chinensis</em> can enhance the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut and ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in AD mice by interacting with <em>B. breve</em>. Moreover, magnoflorine, 13-methylberberine, and palmatrubine within <em>C. chinensis</em> can also mitigate excessive autophagy and oxidative stress in nerve cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 405-419"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retrospective cohort study on Shufeng Jiedu granules for SARS-CoV-2 infection: Real-world evidence from multicenter outpatient clinics in a predominantly caucasian population","authors":"Thomas Friedemann ,&nbsp;Uta Knierim ,&nbsp;Zhang Wei ,&nbsp;Sven Schröder","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2026.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Due to the lack of clinical evidence on the effectiveness and safety of Shufeng Jiedu (SFJD) Granules in Europe, it is unclear if SFJD can effectively and safely be used as an adjunct treatment for mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in a predominantly Caucasian outpatient population in Germany. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety of SFJD compared to standard symptomatic care<em>.</em></div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective cohort study included adult patients (≥ 18 years) with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms treated between October 2021 and March 2023 across four outpatient clinics in Hamburg, Germany. Patients were allocated to either the SFJD group or a control group receiving standard symptomatic care. Clinical data, including symptom duration, intensity [measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)], and adverse events, were analyzed. The primary endpoint was the time to total symptom alleviation (TTSA), defined as the first 24–hour period with all index symptoms rated VAS ≤ 1 and no temperature ≥ 37.0 °C. Secondary outcomes included symptom-specific duration and intensity. Data were verified by propensity score matching (PSM).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 81 patients met inclusion criteria, with 38 patients assigned to the SFJD group and 43 patients assigned to the control group. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. The SFJD group showed a statistically significant different Time to Total Symptom Alleviation (TTSA) compared to controls [(5.76 ± 3.74) d and (11.50 ± 7.45) d, difference of 5.74 d, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001]. Symptom-specific improvement was most pronounced for rhinorrhea, fatigue, fever, and shortness of breath. Intensity scores were also lower in the SFJD group for multiple symptoms. No severe adverse events were observed. Gastrointestinal symptoms were equally distributed and not clearly attributable to treatment. 1:1 Nearest-neighbor PSM confirmed the TTSA results.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>SFJD Granules demonstrated beneficial effects in reducing the duration and intensity of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms in a real-world outpatient setting, without significant safety concerns. These findings support the potential of SFJD as an adjunctive therapy for early-stage COVID-19, especially in populations outside of East Asia. Prospective randomized trials are warranted to confirm these results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 272-281"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancement of Astragali Radix in anti-tumor: Active components and combination therapy","authors":"Jiaxin Jiang ,&nbsp;Min Li ,&nbsp;Qiwen Lu ,&nbsp;Gongjian Dai ,&nbsp;Qichen Zhan ,&nbsp;Jing Chen ,&nbsp;Xuan Han","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural products continue to serve as indispensable sources for anti-tumor drug discovery, accounting for approximately 40% of United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) FDA-approved anti-tumor agents despite advancements in biologic therapies. Among these natural products, <em>Astragali Radix</em> (AR, Huangqi in Chinese) has emerged as a particularly promising candidate for tumor treatment due to its well-documented anti-tumor properties. Contemporary research has identified three principal bioactive compounds responsible for these therapeutic effects: <em>Astragalus</em> polysaccharides, total <em>Astragalus</em> flavonoids, and astragalosides. These compounds demonstrate multimodal anti-tumor activity against five major malignancies, including lung, breast, liver, colorectal, and cervical cancers, through coordinated modulation of critical cellular processes including apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and metastasis suppression. Critical studies have revealed that AR-based combination therapies can synergistically enhance conventional treatments (chemotherapy/radiotherapy). This is achieved by simultaneously addressing two critical challenges in tumor treatment: Reducing treatment-related toxicity and overcoming multidrug resistance through chemosensitization effects <em>in vivo</em>. This review synthesizes current knowledge on AR’s anti-tumor components, their molecular mechanisms, and therapeutic targets. It emphasizes the synergistic benefits of integrating AR with existing tumor treatments and proposes future research directions to advance its clinical translation. By bridging traditional herbal knowledge with modern scientific rigor, this work aims to accelerate the development of AR-based therapies as safer, more effective options for cancer patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 312-328"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of imperatorin extraction from Qianliexin Capsules using deep eutectic solvent","authors":"Cejia Liu ,&nbsp;Hezheng Bai ,&nbsp;Jianxiang Liu ,&nbsp;Xunyong Zhou ,&nbsp;Ning Liang ,&nbsp;Tao Shen ,&nbsp;Longshan Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.03.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>As a novel drug, Qianliexin Capsules (QLX) have promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of prostate diseases. The drug has a demonstrated efficacy on improving urinary disorders caused by diseases such as enlarged prostate, prostatitis and prostate cancer. The primary bioactive constituent in QLX is imperatorin (IMP). The objective of this study was to establish an environmentally friendly extraction process for the efficient extraction of IMP from QLX.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Nine deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were systematically designed for efficient extraction of IMP from QLX. The extraction efficiency of IMP was quantitatively determined via HPLC. A sequential optimization strategy combining single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to identify the optimal extraction conditions. The <em>in vitro</em> antioxidant capacity of the DES extract of QLX was comprehensively evaluated using a battery of <em>in vitro</em> antioxidant assays. FT-IR, ¹H-NMR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to verify the mechanism of DES.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Under optimal conditions, the extraction yield of IMP reached 534.19 mg/g, which proves the high efficiency of DES. The <em>in vitro</em> antioxidant assays demonstrated that the DES extract of QLX exhibited notable antioxidant activity. The structural properties of DES were thoroughly examined via FT-IR and ¹H-NMR, confirming the successful synthesis of DES through spectral analysis. SEM analysis revealed that DES treatment effectively disrupted the physical structure of QLX powder and facilitated the release of IMP from the QLX matrix.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In this study, an environmentally friendly and efficient extraction process was established and successfully applied to the extraction of IMP from QLX. The experimental results show that this method shows remarkable application potential and provides a new research idea for the extraction of QLX active ingredients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"18 2","pages":"Pages 452-460"},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147333708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}