To study the clinical effect of Shugan Jianpi Recipe (疏肝健脾方) in the treatment of postpartum hypogalactia with liver depression and spleen deficiency.

A total of 62 postpartum hypogalactia parturients with liver depression and spleen deficiency were randomly two groups. The control group received routine postpartum care, and the observation group took Shugan Jianpi Recipe combined routine postpartum care. The effects of breastfeeding, TCM symptoms and the improvement of postpartum anxiety and depression were compared between the two groups. The levels of serum corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum cortisol (COR) and serum PRL were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Compared with the control group, the observation group could improve the feeding effect of postpartum hypogalactia parturients, reduce the amount of supplementary milk, increase the maternal breast filling, improve TCM symptoms and postpartum depression (P<0.05). The levels of serum COR, CRH and ACTH in the observation group decreased significantly (P<0.05), while the serum PRL level increased (P<0.05).

Shugan Jianpi Recipe has a good clinical effect on postpartum hypogalactia with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome, which can promote milk secretion and relieve postpartum anxiety and depression, and it is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

To investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGFC)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR3) pathway on the regulation of lymphangiogenesis on the occurrence of atherosclerosis (AS), and to reveal the intervention mechanism of Linggui Zhugan Decoction (苓桂术甘汤).

ApoE^-/-mice fed with high-fat diet were fed to construct an AS model, and C57BL/6J mice were used as the blank groups, which were blank control group, model group, Linggui Zhugan Decoction low, medium and high dose groups. The blood lipid levels of mice in each group were checked by automatic bioanalyzer, and the pathological changes of the mouse aorta were observed by HE staining, and the mRNA and protein levels of lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor-1 (LYVE-1), VEGFR3, vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGFD), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2), podoplanin (PDPN), protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and VEGFC were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot.

Compared with those of the control group, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), the structure of the aorta was abnormal, the large atheroma plaques were seen. The expressions of genes and proteins of LYVE-1, VEGFD, VEGFR2, PDPN, VEGFR3 and VEGFC in the aorta were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the protein expressions of AKT and ERK1/2 were significantly decreased (P<0.01). After the intervention of Linggui Zhugan Decoction, dyslipidemia was improved, the structure of the aortic wall was reduced, the atheroma plaque was reduced, the expressions of genes and proteins of LYVE-1, VEGFD, VEGFR2 and VEGFC in arteries were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the protein expressions of AKT and ERK1/2 in the aorta were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01) and the protein expressions of PDPN and VEGFR3 genes in the aortic of Linggui Zhugan Decoction medium and high dose groups were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Among them, the improvement of Linggui Zhugan Decoction high dose group was more obvious.

Linggui Zhugan Decoction may promote lymphangiogenesis by affecting the VEGFC/VEGF3 pathway and participate in the regulation of the occurrence and development of AS.

To study the effect of Taohong Siwu Decoction (桃红四物汤) combined with acupuncture on the improvement of velocity systolic (Vs), velocitymean (Vm), pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) of vertebrobasilar artery in the patients with cervical spondylosis.

A total of 102 patients with cervical spondylosis diagnosed and treated in the hospital from January 2023 to August 2024 were selected as the research objects. The random number table method was divided into two groups, 51 cases in each group. The control group was treated with acupuncture and moxibustion, and the observation group was treated with Taohong Siwu Decoction on the basis of the control group. After 4 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate, TCM syndrome scores, vertebral basilar artery hemodynamics indexes Vs, Vm, PI and cervical function recovery were compared between the two groups.

The total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of head and neck pain, stiffness and numbness, dizziness, insomnia and dreaminess in the two groups decreased significantly (P<0.05), and these scores in the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the values of Vs and Vm of the vertebrobasilar artery in the two groups increased, the values of RI and PI decreased (P<0.05), and the values of Vs and Vm in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, the values of RI and PI were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the neck disability index (NDI) of the two groups decreased significantly (P<0.001), and the result of the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05).

Taohong Siwu Decoction combined with acupuncture is effective in treating the patients with cervical spondylosis. It can improve the hemodynamic indexes of the vertebrobasilar artery, significantly relieve the symptoms and enhance the cervical spine function and has positive therapeutic value.

To analyze the effect of acupuncture combined with Brunnstrom rehabilitation training on the recovery of neurological function and motor function in patients with cerebral infarction.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 86 patients with cerebral infarction admitted to the Rehabilitation Department of the hospital between January 2023 and September 2024, who met the inclusion criteria of this study. The patients were equally divided into two groups based on their treatment plan: 43 patients in the control group received conventional treatment and Brunnstrom rehabilitation training, while the other 43 patients in the observation group received acupuncture combined with Brunnstrom rehabilitation training. The therapeutic effects, traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, neurological function, motor function and changes in intracranial hemodynamics were compared between the two groups.

In terms of the therapeutic effect, the effective rate of the observation group was 95.35% (41/43), while that of the control group was 74.42% (32/43). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of four traditional Chinese medicine symptoms such as limb numbness, deviation of mouth and eyes, sensory disturbance, dizziness and headache in the observation group were lower than those in the control group. In terms of Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Motor Function (FMA) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores, both groups improved after treatment, but the improvement in the observation group was more significant. In terms of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, the decrease in the observation group was greater than that in the control group, and the difference between the groups was significant (P<0.05). In terms of hemodynamics, compared with the control group, the peak systolic velocity (PSV) and mean flow velocity (MFV) in the observation group were higher, and the resistance index (RI) was lower, with significant differences between the groups (P<0.05).

Acupuncture combined with Brunnstrom rehabilitation training for the patients with cerebral infarction is beneficial to improve symptoms such as sensory disturbance and limb numbness, promote the recovery of limb function of the upper and lower extremities, improve balance ability and intracranial hemodynamics, and reduce the degree of neurological deficit in patients, which has positive significance for the improvement of prognosis of the patients.

To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of sequential intermittent air pressure therapy with Naoxintong Capsules (脑心通胶囊) in the patients with lower limb dysfunction after stroke.

A total of 189 patients with lower limb dysfunction after stroke were enrolled in the rehabilitation department of the hospital from April 2020 to April 2025 and randomly divided into a control rehabilitation group (63 cases), a Chinese medicine group (63 cases) and a combined treatment group (63 cases). All groups received conventional treatment. The control rehabilitation group received conventional treatment placebo and real intermittent air pressure therapy (basic drugs + rehabilitation training). The Chinese medicine group received Naoxintong Capsules and sham intermittent air pressure therapy. The combined treatment group received Naoxintong Capsules and real intermittent air pressure therapy. The treatment course of the three groups was 8 weeks. The clinical efficacy and safety of sequential intermittent pneumatic compression therapy of Naoxintong Capsules in the patients with lower limb dysfunction after stroke were evaluated by observing the differences in Fugl-meyer assessment lower extremity (FMA-LE), Modified ashworth scale (MAS), Modified rankin scale (mRS), 10-Minute walk time (10MWT), 6-Minute walk distance (6MWD) and adverse events among the three groups before treatment, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment.

In terms of motor function, after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, the FMA-LE scores of the three groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), among which the patients in the combined group had the most significant improvement [(25.17±4.18) points at 8 weeks vs (23.22±3.44) points in the Chinese medicine group and (21.44±3.76) points in the rehabilitation group, P<0.001]. The MAS score showed that the muscle tension of the combined treatment group and the Chinese medicine group was better than that of the control group [(1.25±1.09) points in the combined group vs (1.88±1.40) points in the rehabilitation group at 8 weeks, P=0.008]. In terms of walking ability, the 10MWT [(16.33±5.66) s at 8 weeks] and 6MWD [(254.95±46.55) m at 8 weeks] of the combined group were the most significantly improved (P<0.001). The mRS score showed that all three groups had improvement, but there was no statistically significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). Safety analysis showed that the total incidence of adverse events was 15.9% (30/189), with no significant difference between the groups (P=0.852). The incidence of skin pressure injury in the combined treatment group was slightly higher (7 cases vs.4 cases in the rehabilitation group and 3 cases in the Chinese medicine group), but the risk of deep vein thrombosis was not increased (only 1 case), and mild allergic events were concentrated in the Chinese medicine group (7/9 cases).

On the basis of conventional treatment, sequential intermittent air pressure therapy with Naoxintong Capsules can effectively improve the lower limb motor function, lower limb spasticity and lower limb exercise endurance in the patients with lower limb dysfunction after stroke, and improve the quality of life of the patients.

To observe the effect and mechanism of Celastrol extract on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathway mediated by phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) model mice.

C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups with an average of 10 mice in each group, including normal group, model group, celastrol (1 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) group and pirfenidone (50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) group. The IPF mouse model was established by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM). After successful modeling, each observation group was orally administered (ig), while the normal group was orally administered an equal amount of physiological saline for 28 consecutive days. The samples were taken out on the second day after the last administration. The pathological changes in lung tissue were observed through routine HE staining and collagen deposition in mouse lung interstitium and peribronchial tissue were observed through Masson special staining. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) method was used to detect the in situ expressions of PTEN and type I collagen in lung tissue, while quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR)) was used to detect the mRNA expressions of PTEN, PI3K, PKB and interleukin (IL)-17β in lung tissue.

Compared with that of the normal group, the expression of type I collagen in the lung interstitium was significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05). The expressions of PI3K, PKB and IL-17β mRNA in lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the expression of PTEN mRNA was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the celastrol and pirfenidone groups had a significant reduction in the expression of type I collagen in the lung tissue (P<0.05) and the expression of PTEN protein was significantly enhanced (P<0.05). The expressions of PI3K, PKB and IL-17β mRNA in lung tissue were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the expression of PTEN mRNA was significantly increased (P<0.05).

Celastrol extract can effectively inhibit the structural damage of lung interstitium and alleviate pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanism may be achieved by activating PTEN and coordinating the inhibition of PI3K/PKB expression, reducing inflammatory response and preventing the deposition of pulmonary interstitial collagen.

To explore the mechanism of Danhong Injection (丹红注射液) in the treatment of the patients with acute cerebral infarction through the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) signaling pathway.

A total of 104 patients with acute cerebral infarction admitted to Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital from March 2024 to March 2025 were selected. A single-center randomized double-blind controlled trial design was adopted, and they were divided into the control group and the observation group by the random number table method, with 52 cases in each group. The control group was given alteplase, and the observation group was treated with Danhong Injection on the basis of the treatment of the control group. Both groups were given symptomatic treatment for one 10 consecutive days. After 10 days of treatment, the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathways and modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores of the two groups before and after treatment were compared, and the therapeutic effects and adverse reactions of the two groups were recorded.

The total effective rate of the observation group was 98.08%, which was higher than that (86.54%) of the control group (P<0.05). Before treatment, the levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the two groups were not significant (P>0.05). After the treatment, the levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Before treatment, the mRS scores of the two groups were not significant (P>0.05). After the treatment, the mRS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05).

Danhong Injection can exert its therapeutic effect on acute cerebral infarction through the SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathway, with obvious curative effect and worthy of clinical promotion and application.

This study aims to observe the rehabilitation effects and neurological impact of acupuncture on the Du meridian combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on post-stroke hemiplegia patients based on the theory that “primary treatment of brain lesions should target the Du meridian”.

Ninety post-stroke hemiplegia patients treated in Jingmen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Hubei University of Chinese Medicine from June 2022 to June 2024 were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, each consisting of 45 patients. The control group received conventional rehabilitation treatment, while the observation group additionally underwent acupuncture on the Du meridian and rTMS for an 8-week treatment period. The differences in neurological deficit scores (NIHSS), motor function recovery, daily living ability, quality of life, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and clinical efficacy before and after treatment were observed between the two groups.

After treatment, both groups showed reduced NIHSS scores, with the observation group having significantly lower scores (P<0.05). Fugl-Meyer motor scores, Barthel Index scores and stroke-specific quality of life scale (SS-QOL) scores increased in both groups after treatment, with the observation group showing significantly higher improvements (P<0.05). Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores decreased in both groups, with the observation group exhibiting significantly lower scores (P<0.05). The overall effective rate in the observation group was 93.33% (42/45), which was significantly higher than that (73.33%, 33/45) in the control group (P<0.05).

Guided by the theory of “primary treatment of brain lesions via the Du meridian”, acupuncture on the Du meridian combined with rTMS can significantly promote the neurological recovery, improve the motor function and self-care abilities in post-stroke hemiplegia patients, demonstrating substantial clinical efficacy.

This study aimed to explore the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Banxia Xiexin Decoction (半夏泻心汤) in treating delayed-onset diarrhea induced by CPT-11 chemotherapy in the patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The primary focus was to evaluate its potential antidiarrheal mechanisms through gut microbiota modulation, providing scientific evidence for integrating traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western medicine in the treatment of chemotherapy-related diarrhea.

A total of 103 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who developed cold-heat mixed type delayedonset diarrhea following CPT-11 chemotherapy were recruited from the Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University School of Medicine (Jiangyin People's Hospital) between July 2022 and June 2024. The patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (51 patients, treated with Banxia Xiexin Decoction combined with Montmorillonite Powder) or the control group (52 patients, treated with Montmorillonite Powder alone). Both groups received treatment for 2 weeks, and the use of antibiotics, probiotics or other medications that could affect gut microbiota was prohibited. The primary outcome measures included the severity of diarrhea (assessed using the NCI CTCAE 5.0 grading system), TCM symptom scores, gut microbiota composition (analyzed using 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing), quality of life [Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS) score and inflammatory cytokine levels [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6)]. Secondary outcomes included clinical efficacy (response rate and total effective rate) and safety of the treatment. Adverse events were recorded and evaluated.

After treatment, the severity of diarrhea (NCI CTCAE grading) and TCM symptom scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The response rate and total effective rate in the experimental group were 54.9% (28/51) and 94.1% (48/51), respectively, significantly higher than those [26.9% (14/52) and 73.1% (38/52)] in the control group (P<0.05). 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that the gut microbiota diversity in the experimental group was significantly increased (P<0.05), with a higher proportion of Firmicutes and a significant decrease in the proportion of pathogenic bacteria such as Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria (P<0.05) compared to those in the control group. The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly lower in the experimental group (P<0.05), with a greater reduction compared to those in the control group. KPS scores indicated a significant improvement in the quality of life of the patients in the experimental group (P<0.05). In terms of safety, no serious adverse reactions occurred in either group. A few patients experienced mild nausea or dry mouth, which did not require special treatment.

Banxia Xiexin Decoction significantly improves delayed-onset diarrhea induced by CPT-11 chemotherapy in the patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The potential mechanism may involve the modulation of gut microbiota, reduction in pathogenic bacteria and restoration of gut microbial balance. Furthermore, Banxia Xiexin Decoction enhances patients' quality of life and demonstrates good safety. This study provided new evidence for the clinical application and mechanistic research of traditional Chinese medicine in chemotherapy-related diarrhea.