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Background: Traditional Chinese medicine injections with invigorating blood circulation (TCMI-IBCs), which have been used as antithrombosis therapies, are widely employed by Chinese clinicians as adjuvant therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Objective: A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to contrast the effectiveness and safety of four TCMI-IBCs in AMI.Methods: Eight Databases were thoroughly searched before 31 December 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on the application of TCMI-IBCs combined with conventional treatments (CT) to treat AMI. All-cause mortality (ACM) was the major endpoint. Secondary outcomes included bleeding events, malignant arrhythmia (MA), recurrent myocardial infarction (RMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and adverse events. Stata17.0 and GeMTC software were employed for Bayesian network meta-analysis.Results: A total of 73 eligible RCTs involving 7,504 patients were enrolled. Puerarin injection (PI), Danhong injection (DI), sodium Tanshinone IIA Sulfonate injection (STSI), and Danshen Chuanxiongqin injection (DCI) combined with CT can significantly reduce the occurrence of ACM and improve LVEF in AMI (P < 0.05), while without significant impact on bleeding events or MA (P > 0.05). STSI + CT would be the optimal treatment strategy in lowering RMI and ACM. DI + CT was the most likely to be the optimal strategy in reducing MA occurrence and improving LVEF. CT was likely the most effective strategy in reducing bleeding events. However, DI + CT exhibited the least favorable safety.Conclusion: TCMI-IBCs + CT had potential benefits in the treatment of AMI. STSI + CT showed the most favorable performance in treating AMI, followed by DI combined with CT.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=384067, identifier CRD42022384067.

BackgroundsCurrent observational investigations hint at a potential linkage between ankylosing spondylitis and cardiovascular wellness. However, the nature of this causality remains to be elucidated. Consequently, this study is designed to evaluate the causal interconnection between ankylosing spondylitis and cardiovascular-related conditions utilizing a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) methodology.MethodsIn this study, we conducted Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. The fixed-effects inverse variance weighted (IVW) model was used as the primary analysis method, and MR-Egger regression and the weighted median method were employed as supplementary approaches. Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were evaluated using various statistical tests, including MR-PRESSO global test, MR-Egger intercept, and Cochran’s Q test.ResultsThe MR result demonstrated an increased risk of heart failure in individuals with ankylosing spondylitis (OR: 1.0132, 95% CI = 1.0043-1.0221, p = 0.003). The MR analysis results did not demonstrate a causal relationship between ankylosing spondylitis and other cardiovascular diseases, such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and valvular heart disease (all p > 0.05). No evidence of reverse causality was found between ankylosing spondylitis and mentioned cardiovascular diseases in reverse MR analyses. Sensitivity analysis verified the reliability of the results.ConclusionOur MR study indicates a relationship between ankylosing spondylitis and an increased risk of heart failure. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is the end stage of ischemic cardiovascular diseases; nonetheless, safe and effective therapeutic agents for HF are still lacking, and their discovery remains challenging. Our previous studies demonstrated that Shen-Yuan-Dan Capsule (SYDC), a hospital preparation of traditional Chinese herbal, effectively protected ischemic injury in cardiovascular diseases. However, its therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms on HF remain unclear.Methods: A zebrafish HF model treated with verapamil was developed to assess the therapeutic effect of SYDC on HF zebrafish. Zebrafish were administered with SYDC and digoxin (positive control) by direct soaking. After drug treatment, zebrafish were randomly assigned to the visual observation and image acquisition using a Zebralab Blood Flow System. The reactive oxygen species (ROS), MDA, and SOD levels were determined by fluorescence signal detection, TBA, and WST-8 methods. RT-PCR determined the mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, Caspase-1, Bcl-2, Bax, IL-1β, NF-κB, and TNF-α.Results: SYDC significantly inhibited the levels of heart dilatation and venous congestion and markedly increased the levels of cardiac output, blood flow dynamics, and heart rates in HF zebrafish (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001). Moreover, SYDC also significantly decreased the levels of MDA and ROS and increased the level of SOD in HF zebrafish. The RT-PCR results revealed that SYDC decreased the expression of Caspase-1, Caspase-3, Bax, IL-1β, NF-κB, and TNF-α but increased the expression of Bcl-2 in HF zebrafish (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001).Conclusions: SYDC improved the heart function in verapamil-induced HF zebrafish and alleviated inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the ROS-mediated NF-κB pathway.

Background and Aim: The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in autophagy and inflammation. Our previous studies demonstrated that Shen-Yuan-Dan Capsule (SYDC), a Chinese medicine used for treating angina pectoris, has anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. However, its effects on autophagy and the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of SYDC on autophagy and PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling in the apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE−/−) mouse model and in macrophage-derived foam cells to delineate the underlying mechanism.Methods: After 6 weeks of high-fat diet, ApoE–/– mice were randomly grouped into control, Lipitor, low-SYDC (SYDC-L), middle-SYDC (SYDC-M), and high-SYDC (SYDC-H) groups (n = 10). The mice were intragastrically administered the respective treatment for 6 weeks. Murine RAW264.7 cells were stimulated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) (80 µg/ml) for 24 h and then pretreated with SYDC freeze-dried powder for another 24 h. Cells treated with SYDC were co-cultured for 24 h with LY294002, tricirbine, and rapamycin to investigate the effects on the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway.Results: SYDC ameliorated blood lipid levels, reduced the atherosclerotic index and plaque areas in the aortic root in mice, and inhibited total cholesterol (TC) levels and cholinesterase (ChE)/TC ratios in ox-LDL stimulated macrophages. Moreover, SYDC up-regulated Beclin1 and LC3II/I proteins in mice and in the ox-LDL–stimulated macrophages. Moreover, SYDC inhibited AKT phosphorylation at Ser473 and mTOR phosphorylation at Ser2448 in mice and in ox-LDL–stimulated macrophages. Furthermore, SYDC’s inhibitory of ChE/TC ratios in ox-LDL–stimulated macrophages was not changed by selective inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 pathway.Conclusions: Our results highlight that SYDC treatment attenuates foam cell formation by promoting autophagy via inhibiting activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying SYDC’s therapeutic potential for treating atherosclerosis.