Explored the protective effects of two iridoid compounds, catalpol and rehmannioside A (ReA), from the traditional Chinese medicine Shengdiihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced injury of pancreatic β-cells in vitro, as well as their molecular mechanisms in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

By utilizing an H₂O₂-induced injury model of rat insulinoma cells (INS-1) and mouse pancreatic β-cells (MIN6), the effects of catalpol and ReA on cell viability and proliferation were evaluated. Additionally, flow cytometry, cellular immunofluorescence and protein immunoblotting were employed to detect autophagy, apoptosis and the expressions of related proteins.

Catalpol and ReA can significantly increase the survival rate of H₂O₂-induced INS-1 and MIN6 cells (P<0.01), markedly enhance the cell proliferation vitality (P<0.01), effectively reduce the apoptosis rate of cells (P<0.01), significantly increase the relative fluorescence intensity of Microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) protein in cells (P<0.01), up-regulate the expressions of Beclin 1, LC3B Ⅱ, Autophagy related 7 (ATG7), Autophagy related 5 (ATG5), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-9 (Caspase-9), Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (Caspase-3), Poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) proteins in cells (P<0.05, P<0.01) and down-regulate the expressions of Sequestosome 1 (P62) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) proteins in cells (P<0.05, P<0.01).

Catalpol and ReA exert their anti-T2DM effects by enhancing autophagic activity, reducing cell apoptosis caused by oxidative damage, and improving the viability and proliferation of pancreatic β-cells.

To investigate the clinical efficacy of combining Zhixue Mingmu Formula (止血明目方) with Conbercept Ophthalmic Injection and Calcium Dobesilate Capsules in treating the patients with stage V diabetic retinopathy (DR) accompanied by vitreous hemorrhage (VH).

From January 2022 to December 2024, 100 early-stage patients diagnosed with stage V DR and VH at Hebei Provincial Eye Hospital were recruited. They were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group (50 patients in each). The control group received Conbercept Ophthalmic Injection and Calcium Dobesilate Capsules, while the observation group additionally received Zhixue Mingmu Formula. All patients adhered to a low-salt, low-fat diabetic diet, engaged in moderate exercise, and maintained conventional hypoglycemic therapy. The treatment duration was 8 weeks. Relevant clinical parameters were recorded before and after treatment to evaluate the clinical effects of these two therapeutic regimens. The therapeutic effects, TCM syndrome scores, best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, vitreous hemorrhage absorption, fundus examination findings and changes in serum levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) between the two groups were compared.

The total effective rate of the observation group was 94.0% (47/50), which was much higher than 78.0% (39/50) of the control group, and the difference between the groups was significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the observation group showed better scores in TCM symptoms, decreased intraocular pressure, best corrected visual acuity of the affected eye, and better absorption of vitreous hemorrhage compared to the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the observation group had lower visual field gray values, vascular tumors, bleeding spots and macular thickness than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of HIF-1 and VEGF in both groups decreased, and the levels of these indicators in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05).

The combination regimen of Zhixue Mingmu Formula with anti-VEGF therapy effectively promotes visual rehabilitation and vitreous hemorrhage resolution, maintains the stability of intraocular pressure and downregulates the levels of HIF-1α and VEGF in the stage V DR patients.

To use severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus containing spike protein (S) particles and expressing Luciferase luciferase and GFP fluorescent proteins to infect K18-hACE2 transgenic mice, to explore the establishment and evaluation of a usable animal model, and to provide ideas for the subsequent screening of effective drug targets.

(1) Twelve K18-hACE2 transgenic mice were randomly divided into control and model groups. The mice in the model group were given 50 μL of 1×10⁹PFU/each viral solution by pipette drops, and those in the control group were given an equal amount of empty vector viral solution. (2) On the 3rd day after modeling, Luciferase in vivo fluorescence was observed and the samples were collected. The lung tissue GFP was observed under fluorescence microscopy. The lung tissue pathology was observed under light microscope. The lung tissue ultrastructure was observed under transmission electron microscope. S protein expression in lung tissue was detected by qPCR. The levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in serum were detected by ELISA. Western Blot assay was used for angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein expression in lung tissue.

(1) In vivo imaging revealed a large fluorescence area in the nasopharynx and both lungs of the model mice, a large amount of green fluorescence in frozen sections of lung tissue, and pathological changes in lung histopathological sections and ultramicroscopic findings, while no fluorescence expression or pathological changes were observed in the lungs of the control mice. (2) S protein mRNA expression was seen in the lungs of the model mice (P<0.01). (3) Compared with those of the control mice, the expression of IL-6 in the serum of the model mice was increased and the expression of IL-10 was decreased (P<0.01). IL-6 expression was increased and IL-10 expression was decreased in the serum of mice in the model group compared with those in the control group (P<0.01). (4)　ACE2 receptor content was decreased in lung tissues of the mice in the model group compared to that in the control group (P<0.01).

In this study, a model of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection in hACE2 transgenic mice was established and evaluated, and the optimization study of the model still needs to be followed up for further improvement.

To observe the effects of acupuncture treatment and nNOS-PSD-95 complex on abnormal infrared thermal imaging features in depression model rats using infrared thermography.

Fifty SPF grade SD rats were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups, including normal group, model group (intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 mg·kg^-1·d^-1of reserpine), acupuncture group, ZL006 group. There were 9 rats in the normal group and model group, and 8 rats in each of the remaining groups. The changes in body weight and anal temperature were observed. Open field test, sucrose preference test and forced swimming test were applied to observe depression like behaviors. The mechanical pain threshold measurement and head scratching frequency detection were used to observe thee pain behaviors. After intervention, infrared thermal imaging device was used to observe the characteristics of infrared thermal imaging of the rats. Enzyme linked ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in each group, nitrate reductase method was used to detect the expression levels of nitric oxide (NO), and Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) content.

There were no significant differences in body weight, anal temperature or behavior among the groups before intervention (P>0.05). After intervention, compared with those of the normal group, the weight of the remaining groups decreased (P<0.001), and the anal temperature of the model group and ZL006 group decreased (P<0.01, P<0.001). Compared with those in the model group, the anal temperature in the acupuncture group significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the acupuncture group and Zl006 group improved depressive like behavior (P<0.05, P<0.001) and pain behavior (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001), down-regulated the expression levels of NO in the hippocampal CA3 region (P<0.01), up-regulated BDNF expression levels（P<0.001）and up-regulated the expression level of 5-HT in the hippocampal CA3 region in the acupuncture group（P<0.01）. Infrared thermal imaging showed that after intervention，compared with those of the normal group，the mean head temperature，the mean trunk temperature and the minimum tail temperature of the model group decreased（P<0.05，P<0.01），the mean temperature difference（△T）between “Fengchi（GB20？）” and “Yangbai（GB14）” increased（P<0.01，P<0.001），and the △T of “Shenshu（BL23）” decreased（P<0.05）. Compared with those of the model group，the mean trunk temperature and the minimum tail temperature at the tail root of the acupuncture group and ZL006 group increased（P<0.05，P<0.01），the △T of Shaoyang，“Fengchi（GB20）” and “Yangbai（GB14）” decreased（P<0.01，P<0.001），and the △T of “Shenshu（BL23）” increased in the acupuncture group（P<0.01）.

Infrared thermal imaging of depression model rats shows the “cold phenomenon” of relatively low temperature at the overall and “Shenshu（BL23）” on the body surface，while the partial Shaoyang meridian points on the head are relatively high temperature. Acupuncture may regulate the “cold phenomenon” and participate in the antidepressant effects by regulating the Shaoyang pivot，and nNOS-PSD-95 complex may affect Shaoyang pivot function.