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BACKGROUND: Targeted therapy based on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway to explore neuroinflammation is increasingly worth exploring, and the advantages of Chinese medicine such as many targets, wide range, rich mechanisms, and few side effects have great potential in the treatment of various diseases. OBJECTIVE: Based on the nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway, this paper systematically expounded and summarized the research progress of kaempferol, safflower yellow, baicalin, and triptolide in the treatment of neuroinflammation after spinal cord injury. METHODS: Search terms “spinal cord injury, inflammation, anti-inflammatory, traditional Chinese medicine monomer, monomeric compound, NF-κB signaling pathway, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, esters, alkaloids” were searched in CNKI and PubMed databases. Totally 67 articles were finally included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The role of nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway in the nervous system is complex and diverse, which can regulate neutrophils, microglia, astrocytes, and macrophages, and mediate the occurrence and development of inflammation after injury. (2) The effects of traditional Chinese medicine monomers such as baicalin on the degradation of nuclear transcription factor kappa B inhibitory protein, the inhibition of phosphorylation process by safflowerin on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway, and the inhibition of kaempferol on nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway p65 nuclear translocation can reduce the impact of inflammatory response on the body, thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function. (3) The nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can promote inflammation and immune cell migration and activation in the early stage of injury, and can promote the repair of injury site and the occurrence of fibrosis in the middle and late stages of injury. Appropriate activation of the nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can promote the release of inflammatory factors, improve the antioxidant capacity of cells, and promote the activation of immune cells, but the over-activated nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway can easily lead to the occurrence and continuation of chronic inflammation and the inhibition of apoptosis. (4) Future research can further explore how to accurately regulate the activation level of nuclear transcription factor kappa B signaling pathway, how to achieve precise intervention for nervous system inflammation and injury, and can also focus on the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine monomers and the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine monomers on signaling pathways, in order to provide more effective treatment strategies for the rehabilitation and functional recovery of neurological diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: How to repair bone defect has been a clinical problem for a long time. The effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine have good biological activity and therapeutic effect, and the combination of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and tissue engineering materials has a broad prospect in the field of bone repair. The combination of different effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and scaffolds has similarities in their functional relationships. OBJECTIVE: To collect the cases of the combinations of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and scaffolds, then analogize tissue engineering scaffolds and effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine into two types of traditional Chinese medicine that generate compatibility relationships based on the inspiration of the compatibility of seven emotions and summarize the relationship between the two based on their functional relationships. METHODS: Relevant articles from January 1998 to January 2024 were searched in PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), using English search terms "traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine monomers, bone defect, bone repair, bone tissue engineering, tissue engineering, scaffold" and Chinese search terms "traditional Chinese medicine, effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine monomers, bone tissue engineering, bone tissue engineering scaffold, scaffold, tissue engineering, bone defect, bone repair." A total of 88 articles were included for review and analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Both tissue engineering scaffold materials and active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine have been widely used in the field of bone repair. Although they have obvious advantages in osteogenesis, there are still many shortcomings. Many studies are dedicated to preparing composite materials from the two, hoping to exert a detoxification and synergism through the interaction between the two. (2) Some drugs and materials can promote each other in osteogenesis, antibacterial, and promoting angiogenesis, enhancing their original effects. Inspired by the traditional concept of prescription compatibility, this article summarized it as a "Mutual promotion" relationship and provided examples to support it. (3) Some drugs can enhance the strength of materials, while some materials can achieve sustained release and controlled release effects, increase drug loading and stability, or achieve targeted delivery of drugs loaded on them. The article summarized this unilateral enhancement effect as a "Mutual assistance" relationship. (4) The combination of some traditional Chinese medicine and materials can reduce the toxic side effects of the other party. The article summarizes this detoxification relationship as "Mutual restraint and detoxification." (5) The article provided a new perspective on traditional Chinese medicine composite scaffolds, inspired by the seven emotions compatibility relationship and based on the classification of action relationships. It introduced traditional Chinese medicine concepts into the field of tissue engineering, providing new research ideas for subsequent researchers of composite scaffolds, and providing certain convenience in material selection and matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dan Lv,1 Yuling Liu,1 Ruying Tang,1 Sai Fu,1 Shasha Kong,1 Qian Liao,1 Hui Li,1,2 Longfei Lin1 1Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Industry, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hui Li; Longfei Lin, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanxiaojie 16, 8 Dongzhimennei Ave, Beijing, 100700, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-64032658, Email hli1967@icmm.ac; lflin@icmm.ac.cnAbstract: The potential anti-cancer effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers has been widely studied due to their advantages of well-defined structure, clear therapeutic effects, and easy quality control during the manufacturing process. However, clinical trial information on these monomers is scarce, resulting in a lack of knowledge regarding the research progress, efficacy, and adverse reactions at the clinical stage. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the clinical trials on the anti-cancer effect of TCM monomers registered in the Clinicaltrials.gov website before 2023.4.30, paying special attention to the trials on tumors, aiming to explore the research results and development prospects in this field. A total of 1982 trials were started using 69 of the 131 TCM monomers. The number of clinical trials performed each year showed an overall upward trend. However, only 26 monomers entered into 519 interventional anti-tumor trials, with vinblastine (194, 37.38%) and camptothecin (146, 28.13%) being the most used. A total of 45 tumors were studied in these 519 trials, with lymphoma (112, 21.58%) being the most frequently studied. Clinical trials are also unevenly distributed across locations and sponsors/collaborators. The location and the sponsor/collaborator with the highest number of performed trials were the United States (651,32.85%) and NIH (77). Therefore, China and its institutions still have large room for progress in promoting TCM monomers in anti-tumor clinical trials. In the next step, priority should be given to the improvement of the research and development ability of domestic enterprises, universities and other institutions, using modern scientific and technological means to solve the problems of poor water solubility and strong toxic and side effects of monomers, so as to promote the clinical research of TCM monomers.Keywords: traditional Chinese medicine monomers, anti-cancer, interventional clinical trials, research progress, adverse reactions

Yuyi Yuan,1,* Fang Wang,2,* Xingxing Liu,1,* Bo Shuai,1 Heng Fan1 1Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jingshan Union Hospital, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jingshan, Hubei, 431800, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bo Shuai; Heng Fan, Email bo_shuai@hust.edu.cn; fanheng009@aliyun.comAbstract: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation and ulcer formation of the intestinal mucosa. Due to its high recurrence rate, prolonged course, limited curative options, and significant impact on patients’ quality of life, along with a notable potential for malignant transformation, UC is designated as a refractory global health challenge by the World Health Organization (WHO). The elucidation of the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for UC requires further in-depth investigation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) serves as a central regulator of cellular energy metabolic homeostasis. Emerging evidence indicates that interventions involving traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) components, as well as other pharmacological measures, exert beneficial effects on the intestinal mucosal inflammation and epithelial barrier dysfunction in UC by modulating AMPK signaling, thereby influencing biological processes such as cellular autophagy, apoptosis, inflammatory responses, macrophage polarization, and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis. The role of AMPK in UC is of significant importance. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms through which AMPK is involved in UC, as well as a compilation of pharmacological agents capable of activating the AMPK signaling pathway within the context of UC. The primary objective is to facilitate a deeper comprehension of the pivotal role of AMPK in UC among researchers and clinical practitioners, thereby advancing the identification of novel therapeutic targets for interventions in UC.Keywords: ulcerative colitis, AMPK, colitis-associated biological processes, traditional Chinese medicine monomers

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a pathological process wherein reperfusion of an ischemic organ or tissue exacerbates the injury, posing a significant health threat and economic burden to patients and their families. I/R triggers a multitude of physiological and pathological events, such as inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, neuronal cell death, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Hence, the development of effective therapeutic strategies targeting the pathological processes resulting from I/R is crucial for the rehabilitation and long-term enhancement of the quality of life in patients with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers refer to bioactive compounds extracted from Chinese herbal medicine, possessing anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, and the ability to modulate programmed cell death (PCD). TCM monomers have emerged as promising candidates for the treatment of CIRI and its subsequent complications. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that TCM monomers can enhance the recovery of neurological function following CIRI by mitigating oxidative stress, suppressing inflammatory responses, reducing neuronal cell death and functional impairment, as well as minimizing cerebral infarction volume. The neuroprotective effects of TCM monomers on CIRI have been extensively investigated, and a comprehensive understanding of their mechanisms can pave the way for novel approaches to I/R treatment. This review aims to update and summarize evidence of the protective effects of TCMs in CIRI, with a focus on their role in modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, PCD, glutamate excitotoxicity, Ca2+ overload, as well as promoting blood-brain barrier repairment and angiogenesis. The main objective is to underscore the significant contribution of TCM monomers in alleviating CIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular remodeling (PVR), with high morbidity, disability, and mortality. The abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is the main pathological change causing PVR. At present, clinical treatment drugs for PH are limited, which can only improve symptoms and reduce hospitalization but cannot delay disease progression and reduce survival rate. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine monomers (TCMs) inhibit excessive proliferation of PASMCs resulting in alleviating PVR through multiple channels and multiple targets, which has attracted more and more attention in the treatment of PH. In this paper, the experimental evidence of inhibiting PASMCs proliferation by TCMs was summarized to provide some directions for the future development of these mentioned TCMs as anti-PH drugs in clinical.

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Stem cell therapy, which has become a potential regenerative medical treatment and a promising approach for treating brain injuries induced by different types of cerebrovascular disease, has various application methods. Activation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) can enable infarcted neuron replacement and promote neural networks’ regeneration without the technical and ethical issues associated with the transplantation of exogenous stem cells. Thus, NSC activation can be a feasible strategy to treat central nervous system (CNS) injury. The potential molecular mechanisms of drug therapy for the activation of endogenous NSCs have gradually been revealed by researchers. Traditional Chinese medicine monomers (TCMs) are active components extracted from Chinese herbs, and some of them have demonstrated the potential to activate proliferation and neurogenesis of NSCs in CNS diseases. Ginsenoside Rg1, astragaloside IV (AST), icariin (ICA), salvianolic acid B (Sal B), resveratrol (RES), curcumin, artesunate (ART), and ginkgolide B (GB) have positive effects on NSCs via different signaling pathways and molecules, such as the Wingless/integrated/β-catenin (Wnt/β-catenin) signaling pathway, the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). This article may provide further motivation for researchers to take advantage of TCMs in studies on CNS injury and stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy, which has become a potential regenerative medical treatment and a promising approach for treating brain injuries induced by different types of cerebrovascular disease, has various application methods. Activation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) can enable infarcted neuron replacement and promote neural networks' regeneration without the technical and ethical issues associated with the transplantation of exogenous stem cells. Thus, NSC activation can be a feasible strategy to treat central nervous system (CNS) injury. The potential molecular mechanisms of drug therapy for the activation of endogenous NSCs have gradually been revealed by researchers. Traditional Chinese medicine monomers (TCMs) are active components extracted from Chinese herbs, and some of them have demonstrated the potential to activate proliferation and neurogenesis of NSCs in CNS diseases. Ginsenoside Rg1, astragaloside IV (AST), icariin (ICA), salvianolic acid B (Sal B), resveratrol (RES), curcumin, artesunate (ART), and ginkgolide B (GB) have positive effects on NSCs via different signaling pathways and molecules, such as the Wingless/integrated/β-catenin (Wnt/β-catenin) signaling pathway, the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). This article may provide further motivation for researchers to take advantage of TCMs in studies on CNS injury and stem cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgrC, as an integral membrane receptor protein with histidine kinase activity, is an important component of the agr quorum‐sensing system of Staphylococcus aureus. AgrC acts as a sensor for the recognition of environmental signals and transduction of the signals into the cytoplasm. Therefore, AgrC is considered to be a compelling target for the development of novel quorum‐sensing inhibitors. Here, we constructed a proteoliposome‐based model for screening inhibitors targeting AgrC by incorporating AgrC into liposomes. We demonstrated that the dissolution state of the liposome was a critical factor in the reconstruction of the AgrC proteoliposome, in which AgrC maintained similar orientation and function as those in natural biological membranes. Two monomers, namely, rhein and aloeemodin, were successfully screened out as inhibitors targeting AgrC by the proteoliposome‐based model from 14 traditional Chinese medicine monomers. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on the growth of suspended bacteria was dose dependent, and subinhibitory concentrations of these compounds significantly reduced the expression of three virulence factors (hla, clfA, and clpP), that are regulated by the agr system. The results preliminarily indicated that rhein and aloeemodin can inhibit the agr signaling pathway and also indirectly confirmed the feasibility and effectiveness of the AgrC proteoliposome as a drug screening model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) lacks effective anti-metastasis drugs. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) monomers have shown anti-proliferation activity in HCC, but few of them are specifically anti-metastasis. Therefore, further clarifying the indicators of HCC metastasis and screening TCM monomers based on the indicators, will effectively guide the development of novel anti-HCC drugs. The perinucleolar compartment (PNC), existing in the nuclear of tumor cells, is closely correlated with metastasis of several tumors. In this study, we found positive correlation between higher PNC prevalence and metastasis in HCC tissue of patients. The PNC prevalence was also positively correlated with the malignancy of HCC cell lines. On this premise, we established a PNC-based screening system for anti-metastasis TCM monomers and obtained Camptothecin (CPT), Evodiamine and Isoglycyrrhizin, the three most effective TCM monomers from a TCM monomer library to reduce the PNC prevalence in Huh7 cells. The anti-metastasis effect of these TCM monomers was positively correlated with their PNC inhibitor effect. Our data further revealed that CPT reduced metastasis of Huh7 cells possibly by inhibiting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by upregulating the expression of ZO-1, E-cadherin and Claudin-1. The PNC-based screening system is effective and it may provide an effective technical platform for the development of anti-metastasis drugs., Competing Interests: None.