Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs

Quality evaluation of Cassiae Semen from different origins based on fingerprint and multi-indicator component content determination combined with chemometrics

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6085-6095.

Objective To establish a fingerprint and multi-indicator component content determination method for Juemingzi (Cassiae Semen), and combine it with chemometrics to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen from different origins. Methods Waters HSS T3 C₁₈ (150 mm × 3.0 mm, 1.8 μm) was used as the chromatographic column, acetonitrile-methanol (3∶1) was used as mobile phase A, 0.1% phosphoric acid solution was used as mobile phase B, and gradient elution was performed. The flow rate was 0.40 mL/min, the column temperature was 40 ℃, the detection wavelength was 285 nm, and the injection volume was 2 μL. Traditional Chinese medicine fingerprint similarity evaluation software was used for similarity evaluation, chemometrics was applied to analyze Cassiae Semen from different origins, and the content of 11 indicator components in Cassiae Semen was determined. Results The established fingerprint identified a total of 26 common peaks, and 13 components were identified through reference standards. Through cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), different Cassiae Semen samples can be clustered into 4 categories, and through the application of orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) method with VIP > 1 as the criterion, peaks 3 (emodin-1-O-β-D-glucoside), 6 (cassiaside), 7 (rubrofusarin-6-O-β-gentiobioside), 8 (aurantio-obtusin-6-O-D-glucoside), 9 (cassiaside C), 10, 17 (aurantio-obtusin), 21, and 23 (rubrofusarin) were selected as differential markers for distinguishing Cassiae Semen from different origins. The content ranges of isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, cassiaflavone B2, cassiaflavone, isorhamnetin-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, chrysin-6-O-glucoside, cassiaflavone C, cassiaflavone B, chrysin, chrysin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin, and chrysophanol in 18 batches of Cassiae Semen were 0.425-1.315, 4.129-8.790, 0.453-1.849, 2.617-4.739, 0.792-2.372, 1.424-3.533, 0.496-1.439, 0.630-1.359, 0.483-2.298, 2.130-9.516, and 2.006-3.841 mg/g, respectively. According to the methodology, each component exhibited a good linear relationship. Conclusion The established fingerprint of Cassiae Semen, combined with the chemical pattern recognition, can effectively distinguish Cassiae Semen from different origins. The multi-component content determination method is stable and reliable, providing a reference for the quality evaluation and control of Cassiae Semen.

Problems existing in process of spectrum-effect research on traditional Chinese medicine

JIANG Yumei, GOU Xinyue, LIAO Qinghui, LIU Tao, LI Zhengwen

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6096-6107.

Spectrum-effect relationship research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) serves as a crucial technical bridge between traditional therapeutic efficacy and modern scientific research. By elucidating the intrinsic correlations between the chemical spectra of TCM and their pharmacological activities, this approach enables accurate identification of pharmacodynamically active substances and elucidation of their mechanisms of action. It thereby provides an innovative foundation for scientific quality control of TCM. However, inherent characteristics of TCM and current research limitations present significant challenges in this field. Centered on framework of “spectrum-efficacy, spectrum-effect relationships and achievement transformation”, this review systematically summarizes the key challenges facing spectrum-effect research in TCM, analyzes their underlying causes, and offers recommendations for standardizing future studies and industrializing research outcomes. This work aims to advance spectrum-effect research toward greater scientific rigor, systematicity, and practical value.

Research progress on microorganisms associated with medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6108-6121.

Plant-associated microorganisms, as important components of the plant holobiont, affect the health and survival of plants and thus have attracted much attention. The growth and development of medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza, the accumulation of active ingredients, and the process of disease control are closely related to the interaction with root microorganisms. Previous studies have shown that rhizosphere and endophytic microorganisms can promote the synthesis of phenolic acids and tanshinones, secondary metabolites, by regulating plant hormone levels, signal pathways, and the activity of key metabolic enzymes, and enhance the plant stress resistance and medicinal material quality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, plant growth-promoting bacteria, and antagonistic fungi play significant roles in alleviating continuous cropping obstacles, inhibiting soil-borne pathogens, and maintaining rhizosphere ecological balance. Based on a systematic review of relevant research literature, this article focuses on summarizing the composition types, functional roles, and interaction mechanisms between S. miltiorrhiza and root microorganisms, and discusses their application potential of these microbes in S. miltiorrhiza cultivation. Finally, this paper discusses the existing problems in the current research and the future development directions, aiming to provide references for the microecological regulation of S. miltiorrhiza cultivation and the development and utilization of functional microorganisms of S. miltiorrhiza.

Research progress on “efficacy-toxicity” balance and material basis of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix based on immune-inflammatory regulation

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6122-6136.

This paper reviews the traditional application basis and modern research progress of Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix), and performs a comprehensive analysis focusing on its chemical constituents, shared common pharmacological mechanisms, and safety profiles, thereby providing a scientific reference for its research and standardized application. Using keywords such as Sophorae Flavescentis Radix, alkaloids, total flavonoids, immune-inflammatory regulation, and safety evaluation, this review collected relevant domestic and foreign relevant literature published in the past decade was retrieved from databases including Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and Web of Science. The retrieved studies were systematically analyzed to summarize the traditional medical understanding and modern pharmacological research, with special emphasis on the pharmacodynamic material basis and clinical application mechanisms of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix. Sophorae Flavescentis Radix contains multiple classes of chemical components, predominantly alkaloids, while flavonoids, polysaccharides, and other constituents also contribute to its holistic efficacy. Modern pharmacological studies have revealed that Sophorae Flavescentis Radix exerts its overall effects through immune-inflammatory regulation as the core mechanism, specifically by targeting desmoglein-2 for barrier repair and bidirectionally modulating immune polarization (M1/M2). Its material basis exhibits clear structure-synergy patterns, non-alkaloid components can regulate the toxicity threshold of alkaloids by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 pathway, demonstrating a significant “efficacy-toxicity” balance feature. Meanwhile, adverse reactions related to Sophorae Flavescentis Radix are closely associated with its alkaloid components, dosage, and administration routes, suggesting that the safety risks are manageable to a certain extent. Modern research on Sophorae Flavescentis Radix has, to some extent, validated its traditional efficacy basis. However, critical issues remain, such as unclear relationships among components, insufficient integration of mechanisms, and limited systematic safety evaluations. Future research should strengthen studies on multi-component synergistic mechanisms and safety risk control to promote the rational development and standardized clinical application of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix.

Research progress on processing technology and quality evaluation of honey- roasted Astragali Radix

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6137-6150.

Honey-roasted Huangqi (Astragali Radix) is a widely used processed product of Astragali Radix in clinical practice. After honey-roasting, the effect of tonifying qi and invigorating spleen is significantly enhanced. Its processing technology and quality evaluation system are very important to ensure clinical efficacy and promote modernization process of traditional Chinese medicine processing. Therefore, this paper systematically summarized the historical evolution of processing of honey-roasting Astragali Radix, as well as the differences between national and local processing standards, by consulting the ancient herbal monographs, processing standards at all levels and modern research results at home and abroad. The effects of pretreatment, honey selection and refining, honey content, honey-water ratio and other key process links on quality of finished products and the status of process optimization were described. The changes of polysaccharides, saponins and flavonoids during honey roasting and the potential mechanism of processing synergistic efficiency were discussed. The development of multidimensional quality evaluation indices and analysis technologies is summarized. On this basis, the key problems such as inconsistent process standards, unclear processing mechanisms and imperfect quality evaluation system were analyzed, and the corresponding countermeasures were put forward, aiming to provide a scientific evidence for process standardization and quality evaluation of honey-roasting Astragali Radix.

Research progress on application of transfer learning effects and mechanisms of antidepressants

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6151-6159.

With the booming development of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning and transfer learning have gained growing applications in healthcare, bringing new perspectives and strategies to antidepressant research. Existing antidepressants present slow onset, low efficacy and marked inter-individual variability, with their underlying mechanisms yet to be fully clarified. Traditional research is hampered by small sample sizes, substantial data heterogeneity and poor cross-modal integration capacity. As a pivotal AI technology, transfer learning realizes cross-domain, cross-task and cross-modal knowledge transfer, and mitigates issues such as small-sample modeling, data distribution discrepancy and the curse of dimensionality. This review systematically elaborates the current status and future trends of transfer learning in antidepressant efficacy evaluation and the exploration of their action mechanisms. We analyze the characteristics and performance of transfer learning models construction strategies and application paradigms, and discuss the challenges, technical limitations and clinical translation barriers in practical application. This study provides novel ideas for exploring depression pathogenesis and optimizing clinical antidepressant use, and further promotes the innovative and standardized application of AI in clinical medicine.

Identification strategies and research advancements of genuine medicinal materials

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6160-6171.

Genuine medicinal materials (Dao-di medicines) are renowned for their superior quality and proven efficacy, and serve as a core marker for assessing and ensuring the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. However, due to the combined effects of the widespread adoption of modern cultivation techniques and market demand, the boundaries of traditional Dao-di producing regions are becoming increasingly blurred. Consequently, the accurate identification of Dao-di medicines is becoming ever more important. Significant progress has been made in the identification research of Dao-di medicines. Building upon traditional empirical identification methods, research in this field is now exhibiting a trend towards diversification. Through strategies such as assessment of characteristic morphological features, analysis of key constituents, molecular marker identification, multi-indicator combined analysis, and digital and intelligent recognition, Dao-di medicines have been comprehensively identified from various dimensions. In this article, we systematically reviewed various identification strategies and research progress regarding Dao-di medicines, including macroscopic morphological identification, microscopic identification, physicochemical identification, molecular identification, and digital and intelligent identification, thereby providing foundational reference materials for research into the identification of Dao-di medicines.

Pharmacological research and application of aromatic orifice-opening drugs in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6172-6182.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline. Its pathological mechanisms are complex, involving multiple key links such as beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) deposition, excessive phosphorylation of Tau protein, neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) categorizes AD under conditions like “dementia” and “forgetfulness”, with the core pathogenesis being “deficiency at the root and excess at the surface”, where kidney essence deficiency is the root cause and phlegm turbidity and blood stasis obscuring the orifices are the surface manifestations. As a distinctive TCM therapy, aromatic orifice-opening drugs, with their pungent, fragrant and penetrating nature that can reach and regulate meridians, follow the principle of “awakening the orifices and refreshing the mind, resolving phlegm and dispelling foulness”, demonstrating unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of AD. Representative drugs include Shichɑngpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix), Shexiang (Moschus), Bingpiɑn (Borneolum Syntheticum), etc. Modern pharmacological research has revealed their multi-target intervention potential, including inhibiting Aβ generation and aggregation, reducing Tau protein phosphorylation, anti-neuroinflammation, anti-oxidative stress, and regulating neurotransmitters and promoting neurogenesis. Commonly used TCM formulas with the effect of aromatic orifice-opening such as Angong Niuhuang Pill (安宫牛黄丸), Suhexiang Pill (苏合香丸) and Changpu Yujin Decoction (菖蒲郁金汤) have shown good efficacy in improving patients’ cognitive function, memory, and daily living abilities through compatibility and synergy. This review systematically summarizes the research and application status of aromatic orifice-opening drugs in the prevention and treatment of AD, providing theoretical basis and practical references for the intervention of AD by aromatic orifice-opening TCMs.

Advances in pharmacological action and mechanism of berberine

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6183-6200.

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from traditional medicinal plants such as Coptis chinensis and Phellodendron amurense, with a long history of clinical application. Recent studies have demonstrated that BBR exhibits multifaceted pharmacological activities, including blood glucose lowering, lipid regulation, anti-tumor effects, cardiovascular protection, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotection. However, existing research findings are relatively scattered and lack systematic integration. This article aims to systematically review the main pharmacological effects of BBR and its related molecular mechanisms, intending to elucidate the common regulatory network underlying its multifaceted effects and provide important theoretical support for its clinical translation and the development of innovative drugs. The results indicated that the multifaceted pharmacological effects of BBR are mainly achieved through the coordination of three key pathways: inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways to block inflammatory cascade reactions; activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) pathway to enhance antioxidant defenses; and suppressing the assembly of the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome to reduce cell pyroptosis. This study not only provides a clear molecular map for an in-depth understanding of the systemic pharmacological mechanisms of BBR, but also lays a scientific foundation for the development of drug targets and multi-pathway synergistic treatment strategies for diseases related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and programmed cell death, possessing significant theoretical value and translational prospects.

Reflections on institutional logic and implementation pathways based on “Special Provisions for the Supervision and Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Production”

Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. 2026, 57(15): 6201-6208.

The “Special Provisions for the Supervision and Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Production” is China’s first regulatory document specifically designed to systematically regulate the oversight of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) production. It signifies a deepening shift from general requirements to a specialized system that reflects the unique characteristics of TCM manufacturing. This development helps to enhance the standardization of TCM production and the stability of its quality, modernize regulatory approaches, and provide institutional support for building a drug regulation system tailored to TCM’s features, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the TCM industry. Grounded in the inherent characteristics of TCM-such as the natural origin of its raw materials, long quality formation chains, and complex influencing factors-the provisions establish a regulatory framework covering the entire TCM production lifecycle. This framework addresses key areas including source control of Chinese medicinal materials, production process management, testing and release, traceability systems, pharmacovigilance, and regulatory oversight. The institutional design emphasizes adherence to TCM principles, strengthens the subject responsibility of the marketing authorization holder, highlights source control, rigorous process management, and risk-based classification supervision. Furthermore, it provides detailed requirements for critical issues such as raw material homogenization, extract yield management, contract manufacturing, production resumption, and the oversight of TCM injections. By analyzing the background of its issuance, institutional logic, main content, key innovations, and implementation pathways, this paper aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of the significance of implementing these Special Provisions among the industry.