Search

Introduction: Zhou Tian Formula (ZTF) is an antidepressant traditional Chinese medicine utilized widely in clinical settings for the treatment of patients with depression. However, shortcomings persist in its extraction technology and quality control. Objective: This study aimed to propose a methodology for ZTF extraction technology based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)–criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method and to establish a quality control framework for the efficient transfer of index components. Method: Firstly, we analyzed the chemical components of ZTF and determined the optimal extraction technology. Secondly, we calculated the transfer efficiency of the index components during the conversion of water decoction to extract powder and subsequently to granules. Thirdly, we established HPLC fingerprints for 15 batches of ZTF water decoction, extract powder, and granules. We employed SIMCA software to analyze the chemicals responsible for variations in quality among different batches of ZTF granules. Results: We determined the optimal extraction process. The average transfer efficiency of ferulic acid, puerarin, mirificin, isoferulic acid, and calycosin during the conversion of water decoction to extract powder and subsequently to granules exceeded 41%. The HPLC fingerprints of ZTF exhibited a similarity exceeding 0.890. Variable importance in projection values indicated that calycosin, ferulic acid, and puerarin were the primary contributors to quality variations. Conclusions: The AHP‐CRITIC method, coupled with an orthogonal array design, could be used for exploring extraction technology. In addition, the rules governing the transfer of index components from water decoction to extract powder, and subsequently to granules, could be applied for the evaluation and quality assessment of ZTF. This study proposed a methodology for Zhou Tian Formula (ZTF) extraction technology based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)–criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method and established a quality control framework for the efficient transfer of index components. This method enables dynamic monitoring of the quality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) components, ensuring the appropriateness of the employed process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone and Joint tuberculosis (BJTB) constitutes about 10% of total extra-pulmonary TB cases. Since the BJTB is a paucibacillary condition, there has been no systematic study on the bacterial characterization, especially the epidemiological feature. Here we collected the mycobacterial clinical isolates, analyzed the clinical features and the bacteriological characteristics from 113 BJTB cases reported in China. The mean age of the cases was 40.33 years while most of the patients fell into the 20-29 year age group; local pain was the most common onset symptom of BJTB cases; mean time from symptom onset to BJTB diagnosis was 13.16 months. 31 isolates were defined as drug resistant, including 15 multidrug resistant (MDR) and 2 extensively drug resistant (XDR) isolates according to the drug susceptibility test outcomes; after spoligotyping, 87.6% (99/113) isolates were categorized as Beijing family. In contrast to the isolates from pulmonary tuberculosis patients, here the MIRU-VNTR assay did not find anything significant. A prolonged time span for BJTB diagnosis highlights the requirement of paying further attention to BJTB infection in China. This study provides essential insights into the demographic and microbial characteristics of BJTB cases in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]