To establish a method for determining 26 inorganic elements in earthworm polypeptide and determine the elemental content in different batches of earthworm polypeptide, microwave digestion method was used to pre-treat the samples, and ICP-MS method was used to determine the content of 26 elements in different batches of earthworm polypeptide. The linear relationships of 26 elements were good in the range of 0-1 000 μg·L^-1, with R² greater than 0.999, precision RSD 0.21%-2.71%, repeatability RSD 0.19%-4.69%, stability RSD 0.11%-4.24%, and recovery rates of 82.41%-116.16%. The data was plotted using Origin 2022 software to characterize the distribution of elements content. SPSS 27.0 was used for principal component analysis, and SIMCA 14.1 software was used for OPLS-DA analysis. The results showed that among the 26 elements, the higher content of earthworm polypeptide was K, Na, and Ca, followed by Zn, Fe, Al, B and other trace elements, In, Sc, Co, Pb, Bi and other elements had little or no detectable content, and there were differences in the content of polypeptide in different batches. This study provides a theoretical basis for the production quality control, quality evaluation and drug efficacy application of earthworm polypeptide through the determination and analysis of the elements and content of earthworm polypeptide.

Human viral respiratory disease is a kind of widely prevalent infectious disease. The incidence rate of respiratory virus infection occupies a major position in the overall structure of global incidence rate of residents, and is one of the main causes of acute and fatal human diseases. Natural products have diverse structures and novel mechanisms of action, which can regulate body immunity and resist respiratory viruses, and have unique advantages in the treatment of respiratory viral diseases. This article summarizes the current research progress of natural drugs in the prevention and treatment of respiratory viruses, classifies the action mechanism of the active components of natural drugs against respiratory viruses, to provide reference basis for clinical treatment and drug discovery of respiratory diseases in the future.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 1 (USP1) is one of the deubiquitinating enzymes which has received increasing attention in cancer research. USP1 is overexpressed in many types of cancer cells, and has been found to control tumorigenesis and progression by regulating various proteins associated with tumors, such as SIK2, GSK-3β, and Bcl-2. Knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of USP1 can effectively suppress tumors and is also expected to address the issues of cisplatin and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor resistance. This review describes the structure and function of USP1 and the relationship between USP1 targets and tumors and systematically summarizes the structure-activity relationships of small molecule USP1 inhibitors disclosed from 2013 to 2023. Finally, this review discusses the challenges and opportunities in developing small molecule USP1 inhibitors.

In the study, to explore the anti-tumor effects and mechanisms of chlorpromazine (CPZ) and perphenazine (PPZ) combined with temozolomide (TMZ) on human glioma cell lines, we performed MTT assays to determine the growth inhibitory rate of CPZ, PPZ and TMZ in mono and combined treatments. The anti-tumor effects of CPZ and PPZ alone or in combination with TMZ were determined by colony formation, cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) detection (JC-1). The expression level of p53 was detected by immunofluorescence assay. Furthermore, autophagy under different administrations was detected by flow cytometry and confocal imaging to explore the anti-tumor mechanism of CPZ and TMZ. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) and proto-oncogene protein (c-Myc) were detected by immunofluorescence assay, tumor stem cell markers (CD44, CD133) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) were detected by flow cytometry to explore the anti-tumor mechanism of PPZ and TMZ. The results showed that after 72 h treatments of combinations, the values of half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of TMZ on U87 and U251 cells were reduced, and the ability of TMZ to induce apoptosis and cycle arrest was improved. In addition, the combination of CPZ and TMZ could induce an increased effect of autophagy via activating the relevant pathway of p53 gene in glioma cells. The combination of PPZ and TMZ increased the sensitivity of glioma cells to TMZ, and the underlying mechanism might be related to the inhibition of CIP2A/PP2A/c-Myc signaling pathway. In conclusion, CPZ and PPZ combined with TMZ, showed the significant synergistic effects in cancer treatment, which are the novel and potential therapeutic regimens providing a new treatment strategy for human glioma.

Based on the genomic information of Emericella sp. 1454, in conjunction with literature analysis of its secondary metabolite emestrin, this study identified the biosynthetic precursors of emestrin and enhanced its production by supplementing the culture medium with these precursors. In this study, it was found for the first time that the addition of biosynthetic precursor, reduced glutathione, to the culture medium significantly increased emestrin yield. By incorporating 1.5 g of reduced glutathione into 50 g of rice culture medium and fermenting for 15 days, a yield of 30.82 mg of emestrin was obtained, which marked an 11.71-fold increase compared to the original fermentation approach. The method is both simple and cost-effective, establishing a solid foundation for the efficient synthesis of emestrin and similar compounds. Additionally, it serves as an important reference for enhancing the production of other epipolythiodioxopiperazine compounds.

3ʹ-Hydroxy-4ʹ-methoxy-2-hydroxy-5-bromochalcone (hereinafter referred to as C13) is a novel chalcone derivative obtained in the process of structural modification of DHMMF, the antitumor active compound of Resina Draconis, in our laboratory. In this study, we investigated the effects of C13 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer HGC-27 and AGS cells and its potential mechanism of action. Firstly, through methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), colony formation assay, and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, we found that C13 inhibited the proliferation ability of human gastric cancer HGC-27 and AGS cells. Using flow cytometry and Western blot, it was found that C13 induced apoptosis in human gastric cancer HGC-27 and AGS cells, and up-regulated the protein level of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (cleaved-PARP). The results of RNA sequencing analysis showed that the Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4/phosphoinositide 3-kinases/AKT (ErbB4/PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway may be involved in anti-gastric cancer activity of C13. Finally, the results of immunoblotting assay showed that C13 treatment down-regulated the protein levels of ErbB4 and phospho-ErbB4, as well as down-regulated the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT in human gastric cancer HGC-27 and AGS cells, which verified the results from RNA-seq analysis. In conclusion, C13 inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells, which may be related to the down-regulation of ErbB4/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study may provide a candidate drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.

As the predominant toxic constituent within the Aconitum genus, Aconitum alkaloids (ATs) exhibit both significant pharmaceutical value and substantial toxicity, have been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and the realm of contemporary clinical medicine. However, owing to their high toxicity, inappropriate employment of ATs in pharmaceuticals, edibles, and the environment will pose serious threats to human health, inciting a series of toxic incidents. Consequently, it is very important to develop effective analytical methods. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the advancements in research pertaining to the pretreatment and detection methods in common substrates, including high performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and rapid detection methods. To explore the specific sources of ATs in actual poisoning cases, the comprehensive traceability strategy based on plant morphology, chemical fingerprint analysis and DNA barcoding technology was discussed, proposing a comprehensive prospect for the development of ATs analysis and traceability, in order to provide guidance for related research within the forensic science domain.

In this study, the pharmacodynamic substance basis of the therapeutic activity of different origin sources of the Tibetan medicinal herb Zha xun was evaluated, and the protective effect of the Zha xun, from Habahe county of Altay region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Gilgit region, Pakistan; Lhozhag county of Lhozhag city, Tibet Autonomous Region; Lhorong county of Chamdo city, Tibet Autonomous Region; and Jiulong county of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, on 0.2% carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute liver injury in ICR mice was evaluated. The results showed that different sources of Zha xun significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the CCl₄-induced acute oxidative liver injury model, improved liver histopathological damage. Among them, Zha xun from Habahe County, Altay Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Gilgit Region, Pakistan; and Lhorong County, Chamdo City, Tibet Autonomous Region significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver tissues (P < 0.05), increased the glutathione (GSH) content (P < 0.01), improved the oxidative stress in liver tissues. The preliminary evaluation of the hepatoprotective activity of Zha xun from different origins was carried out using the model of HepG2 cell injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP). The results showed that Zha xun from different origins could significantly inhibit APAP-induced hepatocellular injury and improve the survival rate of hepatocytes. The present study demonstrated that the different origins of Zha xun had definite hepatoprotective activities in vivo and ex vivo, among which, Zha xun from Lhorong County, Chamdo City, Tibet Autonomous Region, had stronger hepatoprotective activities. The animals used in this experiment and the related dispositions were in accordance with the requirements of animal welfare, and the experiment was approved by the Committee of Laboratory Animal Management and Use of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval No. 00004024) before the experiment was carried out.

At present, there is no cure for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) due to HIV-1 latent reservoirs. Therefore, it urgently requires novel HIV-1 latency-regulating agents with high potency, low toxicity and favorable drug-like properties to achieve a functional cure for AIDS. Herein, we reviewed the advances in HIV-1 latency-regulating agents since 2019, including the drug discovery strategies, bioactivities, and mechanisms of these compounds. It is of great guiding significance in the development of latency-regulating agents with clinical value.

The study established a mouse itch model induced by acute opioid and non-opioid pruritogens. The effects and mechanism of partial opioid agonist thienorphine on acute scratching behavior caused by opioid and non-opioid pruritogens was demonstrated. The noninvasive scratching behavior analysis system was established to test scratching behavior induced by morphine, bombesin, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or chloroquine in C57 BL/6J mice. The effect of thienorphine (0.75, 1.5, 3 mg·kg^-1) on acute itch caused by above pruritogens were studied. The expression of protein kinase C δ (PKC δ) in mouse spinal cord was detected by Western blot after pruritogens addition with or without thienorphine pretreatment. All operations in the experiment were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences (IACUC-2021-017W). The scratching behavior increased significantly under morphine (1 nmol, i.t), bombesin (0.3 nmol, i.t), 5-HT (5 nmol, i.d) or chloroquine (20 nmol, i.d) treatment, respectively. Thienorphine (1.5 mg·kg^-1) significantly inhibited the scratching behavior induced by the morphine, bombesin, 5-HT and chloroquine. Thienorphine significantly reversed the changes in PKC δ protein expression induced by morphine or 5-HT. In conclusion, the partial opioid agonist thienorphine could inhibit scratching behavior induced by opioid and non-opioid pruritogens. It might reverse PKC δ through different pathways to inhibit opioids and non-opioids induced scratching behavior, which provided a new idea for exploring and treating itch.