Objective: To compare the differences in color, taste and odor of Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) from different producing areas, and provide a reference for the quality evaluation of Paeoniae Radix Alba. Methods The chromaticity, taste and odor of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins were determined by spectrophotometer; electronic tongue and electronic nose. The volatile components of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins were identified and relatively quantified by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS), and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out to search for the differential volatile components of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins; and a pearson correlation analysis was conducted on the differential volatile components of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins and the electronic nose to find the basis of its odor substance. Results Anhui Bozhou Paeoniae Radix Alba powder has the highest L^* value, Shandong Caoxian Paeoniae Radix Alba powder has the highest a^* and b^* values, and the chromaticity value of Paeoniae Radix Alba powder from different places of origin varies significantly; the samples of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different places of origin can be clearly differentiated by the electronic tongue, and the differences in their flavour are mainly in the richness, astringency and saltiness; the differences in the odor are mainly in the W5S, W1S, W1W, W2S, W2W, W3S sensors, and the odor of the Paeoniae Radix Alba from Bozhou, Anhui Province has a unique odor which is clearly different from that of Paeoniae Radix Alba from Linan, Zhejiang Province, and Caoxian, Shandong Province. A total of 53 volatile components were identified by HS-GC-MS, and 22, 29 and 22 differential volatile components were screened between the samples of Paeoniae Radix Alba from Bozhou, Anhui and Linan, Zhejiang, Bozhou, Anhui and Caoxian, Shandong, and Linan, Zhejiang and Caoxian, Shandong, respectively, with 2-methylbutyraldehyde, 2-ethyl-5-methyltetrahydrofuran and furfural being the common differential component of Paeoniae Radix Alba in the three origins. A total of 17 components that caused differences in the odor of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins were identified through pearson correlation analysis. Conclusion The experiment can better distinguish the Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins through the colourimeter, electronic nose and electronic tongue technology combined with HS-GC-MS, which can provide scientific basis for the identification and quality evaluation of Paeoniae Radix Alba from different origins.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a complex pathogenesis and a lack of effective clinical treatments. Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma) is the most commonly used single herb in clinical practice for the prevention and management of AD, recognized for its cognitive-enhancing and phlegm-resolving properties. By integrating advances in research on AD pathological mechanisms, this study synthesizes current knowledge regarding the active components of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma—including volatile components, alkaloids, organic acids, and terpenes—and their mechanisms of action in AD prevention and treatment. Evidence indicates that Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and its bioactive constituents exert anti-AD effects through multiple pathways, such as suppressing neuroinflammation, inhibiting oxidative stress, enhancing cholinergic function, and restoring blood-brain barrier integrity. These findings underscore its multi-component, multi-target therapeutic potential in AD intervention. This review provides a theoretical basis for the rational clinical application of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and offers new perspectives for elucidating its modern pharmacological mechanisms.

Objective To comprehensively analyze the research status and hotspots of Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) from the perspective of bibliometrics, so as to provide theoretical guidance for the clinical application and in-depth research of Cinnamomi Ramulus in the future. Methods The four databases, namely CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Web of Science (WOS), were searched with Cinnamomi Ramulus as the keyword. The retrieval time was set from January 1, 1990 to March 31, 2025. The literatures were imported into NoteExpress literature management software for duplicate checking and screening. Software such as Excel, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer were used to conduct visual analysis on domestic and foreign researches on Cinnamomi Ramulus from the dimensions of publication trends and national distribution, publication institutions, publication authors, keywords, etc. Results A total of 2 476 Chinese literatures and 591 English literatures met the inclusion criteria. In the field of Cinnamomi Ramulus research, the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences ranks first in the number of published papers in both Chinese and English. Wang Zhenzhong and Chen Lidian respectively hold the highest number of publications in Chinese and English in this field. Research on Cinnamomi Ramulus is currently in a sustained development phase with high overall research heat, showing an upward trend. China is the primary contributing country, with gradually increasing international attention in recent years. Core research teams in this field have initially formed, butcooperative effect among institutions has not yet been fully highlight, the cooperation model is more often manifested as internal collaboration between medical colleges and their affiliated hospitals, as well as among research institutions within the same region. Deeper cooperation across regions and disciplines still needs to be further expanded. In the field of Cinnamomi Ramulus research, both Chinese and English literatures have focused on aspects such as its active components and mechanisms of action. From the perspective of keyword analysis, Chinese studies have paid more attention to classic famous prescriptions related to Cinnamomi Ramulus, the inheritance of medical cases, and clinical disease applications, while English studies have emphasized the exploration of its modern compound compatibility, pharmacological mechanisms, and network regulatory pathways. Conclusion Research in the field of Cinnamomi Ramulus is continuously expanding and deepening, evolving from early focus on traditional Chinese medical therapies and classical formulas to multi-faceted investigations covering component research, clinical diseases, action mechanisms, and modern technological applications.

Skin photoaging is a type of skin damage caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation, clinically characterized mainly by wrinkle formation, pigmentation, reduced skin elasticity, and potential progression to precancerous lesions. In the treatment of skin photoaging, conventional pharmaceutical formulations often face challenges such as poor transdermal performance, weak targeting capability, and short drug retention time. In recent years, intelligent responsive hydrogels constructed based on various active ingredients such as phenolic acids, polysaccharides, and saponins have provided novel therapeutic strategies for the repair of skin photoaging. These hydrogels can not only load functional components with activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and collagen synthesis promotion but also autonomously respond to the microenvironment of photoaged skin, thereby achieving precise drug delivery. This paper systematically reviews the response mechanisms of intelligent responsive hydrogels and their research progress in the treatment of skin photoaging, aiming to provide new insights and theoretical references for the development of efficient and accurate topical formulations and to promote their application in this field.

Microwave processing technology has been under investigation for nearly 40 years, with research conducted for over 30 types of herbs. This technology offers advantages such as concentrated energy, efficient heating, energy savings, and cleanliness, gradually emerging as a promising alternative to traditional fire-processing and combined water-fire processing methods. With the widespread adoption and intelligent development of industrial microwave equipment, the conditions for industrializing microwave processing technology in traditional Chinese medicine have become increasingly favorable. However, its large-scale application still faces several bottlenecks. This paper systematically elaborates on the basic principles of microwave processing, analyzes factors affecting heating uniformity, and examines key challenges in the industrialization process. Based on these, it proposes solutions including deepening research into the interaction mechanisms between microwaves and medicinal materials, developing specialized microwave processing equipment and intelligent control systems, establishing process scale-up methods based on multi-physical field simulations, and constructing quality evaluation systems tailored to the characteristics of microwave processing. Furthermore, from the perspective of regulatory science for Chinese medicinal decoction pieces and aligned with national policy directions, it offers regulatory recommendations to improve relevant standards and normative systems. The aim is to promote the scientific and standardized application of microwave processing technology in traditional Chinese medicine processing, thereby facilitating the inheritance, innovation, and industrial transformation of this field.

The self-assembly of active components of traditional Chinese medicine has been confirmed to exist in decoctions, which ensures the effectiveness of active components of traditional decoctions, improves bioavailability, and has the effect of enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity. As an important pharmacodynamic component, essential oil is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions such as relieving exterior syndrome, resolving dampness, inducing resuscitation and regulating qi. Although essential oil has the characteristics of easy volatilization, it does not completely volatilize during the decoction process and continues to exert its efficacy. This phenomenon suggests that essential oil may form an “oil-active molecule” complex through self-assembly with other components in a complex decoction system to achieve the stabilization of essential oil molecules. Based on the theory of molecular self-assembly of traditional Chinese medicine, it is speculated that the stable state of “compatible combination” may be related to the structure of essential oil, the interaction of multiple components and the solution state. Based on the research status and challenges in the field of self-assembly of traditional Chinese medicine, this paper focuses on the “oil-active molecule” complexes existing in the decoction co-decoction system, aiming to clarify the active components, forces and regulatory strategies of self-assembly, and systematically explore the potential and progress of self-assembly technology applied to the stabilization of essential oil of traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective As key water-soluble components in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas, polysaccharides play a critical role in elucidating the mechanisms of these formulas. Clarifying their functions is a key breakthrough to decipher the mysteries of TCM formulas and advance its modernization. This study employs bibliometric methods to comprehensively analyze the current status, hotspots, and trends of research on polysaccharides from TCM formulas between 2005 and 2025, aiming to provide a reference for future development in this field. Methods Relevant Chinese and English literature were retrieved from the China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and Web of Science (WOS) databases, respectively. Bibliometric tools including CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed to analyze publication output, journals, authors/institutions, citation frequency, and keywords of both Chinese and English literature, respectively. Results Over the past two decades, a total of 227 literature that met the requirements were retrieved. The annual publication output showed a fluctuating upward trend, with Chinese literature (199 papers, 87.7%) dominating, underscoring the distinct characteristics and advantage of China in this field. The most prolific institutions were Shihezi University (40 articles) for Chinese publications and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (six articles) for English publications. Gu Xinli ranked first among Chinese authors with 40 publications, while Li Xiaobo and Peng Ying tied for the lead among English authors, each with six publications. Keyword analysis revealed that research evolution within the past 20 years can be divided into three main phases: establishment of basic technologies, expansion of activity studies, and the intervention of microecological functions. Hot topics included optimization of extraction processes, characterization of basic properties, investigations into classic formulas such as Sijunzi Tang and Yupingfeng San, along with studies on immunomodulation, antioxidant and antitumor effects, and gut microbiota-mediated mechanisms. Conclusion Research on polysaccharides in TCM formulas constitutes a relatively niche yet steadily evolving area, marked by distinctive Chinese characteristics and regional advantages. However, limitations remain, including insufficient research coverage, limited research depth, and inadequate exploration of synergistic mechanisms. Future breakthroughs will require interdisciplinary integration to tackle these core challenges, thereby potentially accelerating the modernization and internationalization of TCM formulas.

Objective To identify members of the R2R3-MYB gene family (named CiaMYB) in Chrysanthemum indicum var. aromaticum, a folk medicinal plant from Shennongjia, analyze their genetic evolutionary characteristics and expression patterns in response to UV-B stress, and explore the molecular mechanisms by which they regulate flavonoid synthesis. Methods Based on the whole-genome sequence of C. indicum var. aromaticum, bioinformatics analyses were performed to comprehensively identify CiaMYB members, and systematic analyses were conducted on their protein physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, gene structure, collinearity relationships, and composition of cis-acting elements. Combined with transcriptome sequencing and correlation analysis, CiaMYB genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were screened. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression patterns of key genes, and the functional localization of the proteins was analyzed. Results A total of 140 CiaMYB genes were identified, encoding hydrophilic proteins consisting of 206—868 amino acids, which are unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes. The promoter regions are enriched with cis-acting elements related to light response, abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) signaling pathways. UV-B irradiation significantly induces differential expression of CiaMYB genes and accumulation of total flavonoids in leaves. Among them, CiaMYB040 and CiaMYB066 are highly homologous to the S7 subfamily, which is critical for flavonol synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, and their expression levels show a strong positive correlation with total flavonoid content, suggesting that they play a key transcriptional regulatory role in the flavonoid synthesis pathway. Subcellular localization confirmed that CiaMYB040 and CiaMYB066 proteins are localized in the nucleus. Conclusion This study is the first to systematically reveal the evolutionary characteristics of R2R3-MYB family members in C. indicum var. aromaticum, and preliminarily screen CiaMYB genes that respond to UV-B stress and are involved in regulating flavonoid synthesis. It provides important candidate gene resources for elucidating the molecular mechanism of plant high-altitude stress adaptation, as well as for flavonoid metabolism regulation and stress-resistant genetic improvement in Asteraceae plants.

Huangqin (Scutellaria Radix) is a traditional Chinese medicine. Scutellaria extract and main active ingredient baicalin have become an indispensable and important raw material in modern Chinese medicine preparations. The preparation technology, quality standards, regulatory policies and application status of Scutellaria extract and baicalin in Chinese patent medicine were reviewed. Scutellaria extract is managed as a traditional Chinese medicine extract and can only be used for oral Chinese patent medicine; Baicalin is used as a chemical raw material for association review. Its application scope is wider. In addition to oral Chinese patent medicine, it can also be used in injection, eye drops and other dosage forms. Scutellaria extract and baicalin are mixtures with baicalin as the main component, but the quality standard is a single baicalin as the quality control index. Many Chinese patent medicines containing Scutellaria extract and baicalin have been included in the medical insurance catalog and the list of over-the-counter drugs, indicating the importance of baicalin as a raw material of Chinese patent medicines. In order to ensure the safety and effectiveness of drug use, especially for baicalin for injection, we should further strengthen the control of exogenous pollutants and establish a multi-component total quality control system in the future.

Objective To analyze the formulation patterns of health foods containing Sangshen (Mori Fructus) and investigate their potential mechanisms using data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking techniques. Methods Information on Mori Fructus-related health foods up to September 13, 2025, was collected from the Special Food Information Query Platform of the State Administration for Market Regulation and Yaozhi.com. Formulation patterns were analyzed using frequency statistics, cluster analysis, and association rule analysis. Active ingredients of Mori Fructus were retrieved from databases such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Potential targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction, while disease targets related to primary health functions were retrieved from databases like GeneCards database. Target gene names were standardized using the UniProt database. Potential targets were screened using Venny and STRING databases. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was then performed, and core targets were screened based on degree values. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted using the DAVID database. Finally, molecular docking was employed to validate the binding affinity between core targets and key components. Results A total of 243 Mori Fructus-containing health foods meeting the inclusion criteria were included, involving 177 traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, primarily heat-clearing drugs and tonifying deficiency drugs. The medicinal properties were mainly warm and neutral; the medicinal flavor was predominantly sweet; the meridians entered the lung, heart, and liver channels. The most common dosage form was capsules. The top two health functions were helping to enhance immunity and helping to alleviate physical fatigue. For immunity enhancement, 453 potential targets and 10 core targets were identified. For alleviating physical fatigue, 166 potential targets and 10 core targets were identified. Mori Fructus exerts its effects on enhancing immunity and alleviating physical fatigue through signaling pathways such as the TNF signaling pathway and the lipid and atherosclerosis pathway. Molecular docking results indicated that the key components of Mori Fructus could spontaneously and stably bind to the core targets. Conclusion This study, utilizing data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking, analyzed information related to Mori Fructus-containing health foods and preliminarily revealed the potential targets and mechanistic pathways associated with the main health functions of Mori Fructus, providing a theoretical basis for the subsequent development of Mori Fructus-based products.