Artificial aging conditions for Artemisia argyi leaves based on quality-inflammation-quality marker transformation

BACKGROUND

Appropriate conditions for storage of Artemisia argyi leaves reduce irritation during treatment and increase the active ingredient content. Naturally aged A. argyi leaves (≥1 year) are optimal for moxibustion; however, this process is time-consuming and costly. A comprehensive understanding of the conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves and the mechanism of quality-marker conversion are required to guarantee A. argyi quality and moxibustion efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the optimal conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves and clarify the mechanism of quality-marker conversion.

METHOD

Gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), colorimeter (CD), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were used to determine the chemical composition of A. argyi leaves before and after artificial and natural (1 year) aging and to determine the optimal artificial aging conditions. The effects of both artificially and naturally aged A. argyi leaves were then evaluated in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC). The main chemical components of aged A. argyi leaves were then analyzed to determine quality-markers and the transformation mechanism.

RESULTS

Comprehensive analysis of volatile and non-volatile components, color values, and characteristic near-infrared spectra revealed that the quality of artificially aged A. argyi leaves was similar to that of naturally aged A. argyi leaves. In the mouse model, artificially and naturally aged A. argyi leaves not only improved the symptoms of UC with the same therapeutic effects, but also safeguarded the barrier of the colonic mucosa and prevented the release of colitis-related substances. In addition, the content of caffeic acid converted from L-phenylalanine in A. argyi leaves increased during the aging process.

CONCLUSION

Conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves were identified for the first time, and the equivalent efficacy of artificially aged A. argyi leaves and naturally aged A. argyi leaves for improving UC was confirmed. This method for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves not only reduces the time and cost associated with this process, but also provides technical support to ensure the quality and stability of artificially aged A. argyi leaves. In addition, caffeic acid was identified as a potential quality-marker for establishing standards and specifications for aging A. argyi leaves for the first time, and its possible transformation mechanism was preliminarily elucidated.

Numerical studies of indoor particulate and gaseous micropollutant transport and its impact on human health in densely-occupied spaces

Micropollutants (MPs) have increasingly become a matter of concern owing to potential health risks associated with human inhalation exposure, particularly in densely-occupied indoor environments. This study employed numerical simulations in a traditional built indoor workspace and a public transport cabin to elucidate the transport dynamics and health impacts of particulate and gaseous type of indoor MPs on varying groups of occupants. The risk of infection from pathogen-bearing MPs was evaluated in the workspace using the integrated Eulerian-Lagrangian and modified Wells-Riley model. In the cabin environment, the health impact of inhaled TVOC within the human nasal system was assessed via the integrated nasal-involved manikin model and cancer/non-cancer risk model. The results demonstrated that when ventilation layout was in favour of restricting particulate MPs spread, considerably high health risks (up to 17.22% infection possibility) were generally found in near-fields of emission source (< 2.25 m). Conversely, if the ventilated flow interacts robustly with emission source, every occupant has a minimum 5% infection risk. Incorporating the nasal cavity in the human model offers a nuanced understanding of gaseous MP distributions post-inhalation. Notably, the olfactory and sinus regions displayed heightened vulnerability to TVOC exposure, with a 62.5%-108% concentration increase compared to other nasal areas. Cancer risk assessment plausibly explained the rising occurrence of brain and central nervous system cancer for aircrew members. Non-cancer risk was found acceptable. This study was expected to advance the understanding of environmental pollution and the health risks tied to indoor MPs in densely-populated environments.

Integrated analysis of metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling reveals the effect of Atractylodes oil on Spleen Yang Deficiency Syndrome in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Spleen Yang Deficiency Syndrome (SYDS), which is a syndrome commonly treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), manifests as overall metabolic dysfunction caused mainly by digestive system disorders. Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. (AL) is a widely used traditional herb with the efficacy of eliminate dampness and strengthen the spleen, Atractylodes oil (AO) is a medicinal component of AL and can be used to treat various gastrointestinal disorders. However, its effects on SYDS and underlying mechanisms have not been clarified to date.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of AO in the improvement of the symptoms of SYDS in rat and the underlying mechanism by integrating transcriptomics, and metabolomics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The SYDS rats induced by reserpine were treated with AO. The protective effect of AO on SYDS rats was evaluated by serum biochemical detection, histopathological analyses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), colorimetric assay and immunofluorescence (IF) were performed to determine the levels of relevant indicators of mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in the liver. Liver metabolites and transcript levels were assessed by non-targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics to analyze potential molecular mechanisms and targets. The expression of the corresponding proteins was verified using Western blotting.

RESULTS

AO not only regulated the digestion, absorption function and oxidative stress status of SYDS rats, but also improved mitochondrial function and alleviated energy metabolism disorders in SYDS rats. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that AO regulation is mainly exerted in amino acid metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid metabolism, TCA cycle as well as PPAR and AMPK signaling pathways. In addition, The AMPK signaling pathway was verified and AO promoted AMPK phosphorylation and the expression of SIRT1, PGC-1α, and PPARα in SYDS rats.

CONCLUSIONS

The therapeutic effect of AO on SYDS is potentially attributable to activation of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway, which enhances transport and regulation of energy metabolism.

Atractylodes lancea Rhizome Polysaccharide Alleviates Immunosuppression and Intestinal Mucosal Injury in Mice Treated with Cyclophosphamide

Plant-derived polysaccharides, such as Atractylodes lancea rhizome polysaccharide (ALP), are good immune regulators. However, the immune regulatory mechanism of the ALP is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ALP on the intestinal mucosal barrier and intestinal mucosal immunity of immunosuppressed mice. We also compared the activity of raw Atractylodes lancea rhizome polysaccharide (SALP) with wheat bran processed bran-fried Atractylodes lancea rhizome polysaccharide (FALP; both at 1.2 g/kg/d for mice). Our results showed that ALP effectively increased the immune organ index and blood cell count, stimulated the secretion of cytokines, and promoted the expression of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). ALP also promoted the expression of T cells and the secretion of sIgA. Furthermore, ALP alleviated the gut microbiota disorder in Cy-treated mice and increased the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Faecalibaculum. ALP reversed the decrease in the level of SCFAs and promoted the expression of G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43). To our knowledge, this study was the first to explore how the ALP protects the intestinal mucosal barrier and enhances intestinal mucosal immunity by alleviating the gut microbiota imbalance and metabolic disorders of SCFAs. FALP was more therapeutic than SALP, suggesting that FALP could be developed as a promising functional food component.

Semi-surrogate modelling of droplets evaporation process via XGBoost integrated CFD simulations

The applications of machine learning (ML) based approach are emerging as possible tools to accelerate CFD simulations. This study proposed a semi-surrogate model for CFD with integration of the cutting-edge ML algorithm, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), which enlightened a possible pathway to effectively and efficiently solve and predict those costly but highly repetitive fluid dynamics-related problems. Droplet evaporation, a complex but essential phenomenon in respiratory droplets transport, was studied as the practical case using the proposed model. Droplets evaporation and dynamic size distributions were firstly tracked under various combinations of indoor humidity and temperature using traditional Eulerian-Lagrangian CFD framework, followed by generating several datasets for XGB training. The trained XGB was then used to interpret the evaporated droplets size over time under new combinations of indoor conditions. Outcomes revealed that well-trained XGB-base semi-surrogate model was capable of interpreting complex non-linear relationships between droplets dynamic parameters (diameter and time) and indoor parameters (humidity and temperature). For each specific parameter, the predictive error of well-trained XGB could retain below 5 % and its prediction speed was found nearly 1 million times faster than that of new CFD simulations. Successful applications of XGB in conjunction with CFD demonstrated its great potential on providing rapid and more efficient predictions of complex, costly and repetitive fluid dynamics-related phenomenons (e.g. droplets evaporation). Also, the XGB predicted droplets evaporation data from this study could be further applied as initial conditions into new simulations via the User-defined function (UDF).

Total and regional microfiber transport characterization in a 15th - Generation human respiratory airway

Fiber transport and deposition in the complete respiratory airway is of great significance for human health risk assessment. Thus far, the literature has mainly focused on limited branches of the upper airway and assumes spherical particles by neglecting fiber anisotropy. To fill the gap, this paper utilized an extended realistic respiratory airway from the nasal cavity to the distal bronchial tracts, up to the 15th generation. Fibers with aerodynamic diameters from 2 to 12 μm and aspect ratios of 1, 10, and 50 were released at the inlet of the respiratory airway model, and the coupled translational and rotational motion were computed. Overall and regional fiber deposition fractions, including the nasal cavities, laryngeal airway, and lungs were predicted and compared with earlier numerical results. The study also investigated: 1) secondary flow and distributions of the fibers at the lower respiratory airway entrance; 2) upstream conditions toward fiber deposition efficiencies; 3) fiber deposition patterns and detailed deposition fractions in the five lobes. Utilizing the realistic fiber transport model, the current study found that the upstream airway geometry and the flow condition have a significant impact on the fiber transport and deposition in the downstream airway regions. The fiber depositions in the lower and middle lobes are sensitive to the fiber aerodynamic diameter, but insensitive in the upper lobes. This study expects to generate innovative knowledge on the unique fiber motion characteristics toward potential inhalation health risks.

[Clinical presentation and prognosis in children over 10-year-old with primary nephrotic syndrome]

Objective: To summary the clinical presentation and prognosis of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) in teenagers. Methods: The clinical data, renal pathological types and prognosis of 118 children over 10-year-old with PNS treated in the Department of Nephrology of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2010 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, with 408 children ≤10-year-old as control group synchronously. Chi-square test was used to compare the difference of clinical types, pathologic types, response to steroids and tubulointerstitial changes between the groups. The teenagers with steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) were divided into initial non-responder group and late non-responder group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the difference of persistent proteinuria, and Fisher's exact test for the histological types. Results: There were 118 children >10-year-old, including 74 males and 44 females, with the onset age of 12.1 (10.8, 13.4) years; and 408 children ≤10-year-old with the onset age of 4.5 (3.2, 6.8) years. The proportion of SRNS was significantly higher in patients >10-year-old than those ≤10-year-old (24.6% (29/118) vs. 15.9% (65/408), χ²=4.66, P=0.031). There was no statistical difference in the pathological types between >10-year-old and ≤10-year-old (P>0.05), with minimal change disease the most common type (56.0% (14/25) vs. 60.5% (26/43)). The percentage of cases with renal tubulointerstitial lesions was significantly higher in children >10-year-old compared to those ≤10-year-old (60.0% (15/25) vs. 23.3% (10/43), χ²=9.18, P=0.002). There were 29 cases presented with SRNS in PNS over 10-year-old, including 19 initial non-responders and 10 late non-responders. Analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve, it was shown that the percentage of persistent proteinuria after 6 months of immunosuppressive treatments was significantly higher in initial non-responders than those of the late non-responders ((22±10)% vs. 0, χ²=14.68, P<0.001); the percentage of minimal change disease was significantly higher in patients of late non-responders than those of the initial non-responders (5/6 vs. 3/13, P=0.041). Of the 63 >10-year-old with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome followed up more than one year, 38 cases (60.3%) had relapse, and 14 cases (22.2%) were frequent relapse nephrotic syndrome and steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome. Among the 45 patients followed up over 18-year-old, 22 cases (48.9%) had recurrent proteinuria continued to adulthood, 3 cases of SRNS progressed to kidney insufficiency, and one of them developed into end stage kidney disease and was administrated with hemodialysis. Conclusions: Cases over 10-year-old with PNS tend to present with SRNS and renal tubulointerstitial lesions. They have a favorable prognosis, but are liable to relapse in adulthood.

Atractylenolide III Ameliorates Bile Duct Ligation-Induced Liver Fibrosis by Inhibiting the PI3K/AKT Pathway and Regulating Glutamine Metabolism

Liver fibrosis is one of the leading causes of hepatic sclerosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. However, the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of liver fibrosis are unknown, and no specific drugs are available to treat liver fibrosis. Atractylenolide III (ATL III) is a natural compound isolated from the plant Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. that possesses antioxidant properties and the ability to inhibit inflammatory responses. In this study, cholestatic hepatic fibrosis was induced in mice using a bile duct ligation (BDL) model and treated with 10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg of ATL III via gavage for 14 days. ATL III significantly reduced the liver index, lowered serum ALT and AST levels, and reduced liver injury in bile-duct-ligated mice. In addition, ATL III significantly attenuated histopathological changes and reduced collagen deposition. ATL III reduced the expression of fibrosis-related genes α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Collagen I (col1a1), Collagen IV (col4a2), and fibrosis-related proteins α-SMA and col1a1 in liver tissue. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to screen molecular targets and pathways, ATL III was found to affect the PI3K/AKT singling pathway by inhibiting the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, thereby ameliorating BDL-induced liver fibrosis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to evaluate the effect of ATL III on liver metabolites in BDL mice. ATL III further affected glutamine metabolism by down-regulating the activity of glutamine (GLS1) and glutamine metabolism. ATL III further affected glutamine metabolism by down-regulating the activity of glutaminase (GLS1), as well as glutamine metabolism. Therefore, we conclude that ATL III attenuates liver fibrosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway and glutamine metabolism, suggesting that ATL III is a potential drug candidate for treating liver fibrosis.

[Clinicopathological and gene mutation characteristics of uterine carcinosarcoma]

To explore the clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotype, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), and to explore the gene mutation characteristics and tumor mutation burden (TMB) of UCS. The clinical imaging, pathomorphological data and immunohistochemical expression of 4 cases of UCS, which were archived in the Department of Pathology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All exon groups of 4 cases of UCS were sequenced. All the 4 patients were female, aged 47-81 years. The maximum diameter of the tumor was 4.0-13.0 cm, and the boundary was unclear. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of malignant epithelium and sarcoma. Immunohistochemistry showed that the epithelial components of 4 patients expressed broad-spectrum cytokeratin (AE1/E3), the sarcoma components expressed Vimentin, PAX8, ER, PR were expressed to varying degrees, and Ki-67 positive index was high (60%-90%). There were 3 p53 missense mutations, 1 nonsense mutation, 4 MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, MSH6 were positive and PD-L1 was negative. The sequencing results of the whole exon group of 4 UCS patients showed that TP53, BCL9L, BRD4, CLTCLI, PSMD1I, PLEC genes showed a high mutation ratio, which was 3/4, 2/4, 2/4, 2/4, 2/4, 2/4, respectively. TMB analysis showed that the TMB of 4 cases of UCS was<5 mut/Mb. UCS is a rare and highly malignant endometrial tumor. The sequencing results of the whole exon group suggested that TP53, BCL9L, BRD4 and other genes had high mutation rates, suggesting that the occurrence and development of UCS may be closely related to Wnt signaling pathway. Molecular typing indicated that 3 cases of UCS were of high copy number type/p53 mutation type, and 1 case had POLD1 mutation. Microsatellite stability, low PD-L1 expression and TMB results suggested that UCS patients have no obvious advantage in immunotherapy.

Scutellaria baicalensis Pith-decayed Root Inhibits Macrophage-related Inflammation Through the NF-κB/NLRP3 Pathway to Alleviate LPS-induced Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is one of the representative "lung heat syndromes" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Scutellaria baicalensis is an herbal medicine used in TCM for treating lung diseases, due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. When used in TCM, S. baicalensis root is divided into two categories: S. baicalensis pith-not-decayed root (SN) and S. baicalensis pith-decayed root (SD). Compared to SN, SD has a better effect on lung diseases. We constructed a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model to study the pharmacodynamic mechanism of SD. The ethanolic extract of Scutellaria baicalensis pith-decayed root (EESD) significantly affected LPS-induced ALI by reducing alveolar interstitial thickening, pulmonary edema, and other pathological symptoms, decreasing the infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially macrophages, and inhibiting IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 transcription and translation. Furthermore, in the THP-1 macrophage model induced by LPS, EESD inhibited the expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor inhibitory protein alpha (p-IκBα), phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB P65 (p-p65), cleaved-caspase-1, cleaved-IL-1β protein, and the release of inflammatory factors in the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, inhibiting macrophage function. In vivo experiments yielded similar results. Therefore, the present study clarified the potential of EESD in the treatment of ALI and revealed its potential pharmacodynamic mechanism by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and suppressing the pro-inflammatory phenotype activation of lung tissue macrophages.

Atractylenolide-1 affects glycolysis/gluconeogenesis by downregulating the expression of TPI1 and GPI to inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human triple-negative breast cancer cells

Atractylenolide-1 (AT-1) is a major octanol alkaloid isolated from Atractylodes Rhizoma and is widely used to treat various diseases. However, few reports have addressed the anticancer potential of AT-1, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of its anticancer effects are unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of AT-1 on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell proliferation and migration and explore its potential molecular mechanisms. Cell invasion assays confirmed that the number of migrating cells decreased after AT-1 treatment. Colony formation assays showed that AT-1 treatment impaired the ability of MDA-MB-231 cells to form colonies. AT-1 inhibited the expression of p-p38, p-ERK, and p-AKT in MDA-MB-231 cells, significantly downregulated the proliferation of anti-apoptosis-related proteins CDK1, CCND1, and Bcl2, and up-regulated pro-apoptotic proteins Bak, caspase 3, and caspase 9. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy results showed that AT-1 downregulated the metabolism-related genes TPI1 and GPI through the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. AT-1 affected glycolysis/gluconeogenesis by downregulating the expression of TPI1 and GPI, inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cells and suppressing tumor growth in vivo.

A spatiotemporal assessment of occupants' infection risks in a multi-occupants space using modified Wells-Riley model

Escalating demands of assessing airborne disease infection risks had been awakened from ongoing pandemics. An inhalation index linked to biomedical characteristics of pathogens (e.g. TCID 50 for coronavirus delta variant) was proposed to quantify human uptake dose. A modified Wells-Riley risk-assessment framework was then developed with enhanced capability of integrating biological and spatiotemporal features of infectious pathogens into assessment. The instantaneous transport characteristics of pathogens were traced by Eulerian-Lagrangian method. Droplets released via speaking and coughing in a conference room with three ventilation strategies were studied to assess occupants' infection risks using this framework. Outcomes revealed that speaking droplets could travel with less distance (0.5 m) than coughing droplets (1 m) due to the frequent interaction between speaking flow and thermal plume. Quantified analysis of inhalation index revealed a higher inhalation possibility of droplets with nuclei size smaller than 5 μ m , and this cut-off size was found sensitive to ventilation. With only 60-second exposure, occupants in the near-field of host started to have considerable infection risks (approximately 20%). This risk was found minimising over distance exponentially. This modified framework demonstrated the systematic analysis of airborne transmission, from quantifying particle inhalation possibility, targeting specific disease's TCID 50 , to ultimate evaluation of infection risks.

Effect of Multicomponent Intervention on Functional Decline in Chinese Older Adults: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES

To confirm whether multicomponent exercise following vivifrail recommendations was an effective method for improving physical ability, cognitive function, gait, balance, and muscle strength in Chinese older adults.

METHODS

This was a multicenter and randomized clinical trial conducted in Jiangsu, China, from April 2021 to April 2022. Intervention lasted for 12 weeks and 104 older adults with functional declines were enrolled. All participants were randomly assigned to a control (usual care plus health education) or exercise group (usual care plus health education plus exercise). Primary outcomes were the change score of Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and activities of daily living (ADL). The secondary outcomes included instrumental activities of daily living, Tinetti scores, Frailty score, short-form Mini Nutritional Assessment, Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, the 12-item Short Form Survey, 4-meter gait speed test, 6-min walking distance, grip strength, and body composition analysis.

RESULTS

Among the participants, the average age was 85 (82, 88) years. After 12 weeks of follow-up, the exercise group showed a significant improvement in SPPB, with a change of 2 points (95% confidence interval [0, 3.5], P<0.001) compared to control. In contrast, SPPB remained stable in the control group. Compared to the control group, ADL improved in the exercise group, as did instrumental activities of daily living, Tinetti, Frailty, Short Form Survey, 4-meter gait speed test, and 6-min walking distance. Although there was no significant difference between groups in body composition analysis after post-intervention, the exercise group still improved in soft lean mass (P=0.002), fat-free mass (P=0.002), skeletal muscle mass index (P<0.001), fat-free mass index (P=0.004), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (P<0.001), and leg muscle mass (P<0.001), while the control group had no significant increase. No difference was observed in adverse events during trial period.

CONCLUSIONS

The multicomponent exercise intervention following vivifrail recommendations is an effective method for older adults with functional decline and can reverse the functional decline and improve gait, balance, and muscle strength. Additionally, the 12-week multicomponent exercise method provides guidance for Chinese medical professionals working in the field of geriatrics and is a promising method to improve physical function in the general population.

Numerical modelling of micron particle inhalation in a realistic nasal airway with pediatric adenoid hypertrophy: A virtual comparison between pre- and postoperative models

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is an obstructive condition due to enlarged adenoids, causing mouth breathing, nasal blockage, snoring and/or restless sleep. While reliable diagnostic techniques, such as lateral soft tissue x-ray imaging or flexible nasopharyngoscopy, have been widely adopted in general practice, the actual impact of airway obstruction on nasal airflow and inhalation exposure to drug aerosols remains largely unknown. In this study, the effects of adenoid hypertrophy on airflow and micron particle inhalation exposure characteristics were analysed by virtually comparing pre- and postoperative models based on a realistic 3-year-old nasal airway with AH. More specifically, detailed comparison focused on anatomical shape variations, overall airflow and olfactory ventilation, associated particle deposition in overall and local regions were conducted. Our results indicate that the enlarged adenoid tissue can significantly alter the airflow fields. By virtually removing the enlarged tissue and restoring the airway, peak velocity and wall shear stress were restored, and olfactory ventilation was considerably improved (with a 16∼63% improvement in terms of local ventilation speed). Furthermore, particle deposition results revealed that nasal airway with AH exhibits higher particle filtration tendency with densely packed deposition hot spots being observed along the floor region and enlarged adenoid tissue area. While for the postoperative model, the deposition curve was shifted to the right. The local deposition efficiency results demonstrated that more particles with larger inertia can be delivered to the targeted affected area following Adenoidectomy (Adenoid Removal). Research findings are expected to provide scientific evidence for adenoidectomy planning and aerosol therapy following Adenoidectomy, which can substantially improve present clinical treatment outcomes.

Therapeutic effects and mechanism of Atractylodis rhizoma in acute lung injury: Investigation based on an Integrated approach

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by an excessive inflammatory response. Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. is a traditional chinese medicine with good anti-inflammatory activity that is commonly used clinically for the treatment of lung diseases in China; however, its mechanism of against ALI is unclear. We clarified the therapeutic effects of ethanol extract of Atractylodis rhizoma (EEAR) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI by evaluation of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stained sections, the lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, and levels of inflammatory factors as indicators. We then characterized the chemical composition of EEAR by ultra-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and screened the components and targets by network pharmacology to clarify the signaling pathways involved in the therapeutic effects of EEAR on ALI, and the results were validated by molecular docking simulation and Western blot (WB) analysis. Finally, we examined the metabolites in rat lung tissues by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that EEAR significantly reduced the W/D ratio, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the lungs of ALI model rats. Nineteen components of EEAR were identified and shown to act synergetically by regulating shared pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathways. Ferulic acid, 4-methylumbelliferone, acetylatractylodinol, atractylenolide I, and atractylenolide III were predicted to bind well to PI3K, AKT and MAPK1, respectively, with binding energies < -5 kcal/mol, although only atractylenolide II bound with high affinity to MAPK1. EEAR significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, p38, and ERK1/2, thus reducing protein expression. EEAR significantly modulated the expression of metabolites such as D-Galactose, D-Glucose, serine and D-Mannose. These metabolites were mainly concentrated in the galactose and amino acid metabolism pathways. In conclusion, EEAR alleviates ALI by inhibiting activation of the PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathways and regulating galactose metabolism, providing a new direction for the development of drugs to treat ALI.

Detailed comparative analysis of environmental microparticle deposition characteristics between human and monkey nasal cavities using a surface mapping technique

Inhaled particulate matter is associated with nasal diseases such as allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis and neural disorders. Its health risks on humans are usually evaluated by measurements on monkeys as they share close phylogenetic relationship. However, the reliability of cross-species toxicological extrapolation is in doubt due to physiological and anatomical variations, which greatly undermine the reliability of these expensive human surrogate models. This study numerically investigated in-depth microparticle transport and deposition characteristics on human and monkey (Macaca fuscata) nasal cavities that were reconstructed from CT-images. Deposition characteristics of 1-30μm particles were investigated under resting and active breathing conditions. Similar trends were observed for total deposition efficiencies and a single correlation using Stokes Number was fitted for both species and both breathing conditions, which is convenient for monkey-human extrapolation. Regional deposition patterns were carefully compared using the surface mapping technique. Deposition patterns of low, medium and high inertial particles, classified based on their total deposition efficiencies, were further analyzed in the 3D view and the mapped 2D view, which allows locating particle depositions on specific nasal regions. According to the particle intensity contours and regional deposition profiles, the major differences were observed at the vestibule and the floor of the nasal cavity, where higher deposition intensities of medium and high inertial particles were shown in the monkey case than the human case. Comparisons of airflow streamlines indicated that the cross-species variations of microparticle deposition patterns are mainly contributed by two factors. First, the more oblique directions of monkey nostrils result in a sharper airflow turn in the vestibule region. Second, the monkey's relatively narrower nasal valves lead to higher impaction of medium and high inertial particles on the nasal cavity floor. The methods and findings in this study would contribute to an improved cross-species toxicological extrapolation between human and monkey nasal cavities.

Ganfule capsule alleviates bile duct ligation-induced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting glutamine metabolism

Background: Liver fibrosis is a pathological outcome of a variety of liver diseases, and it can also progress into liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Specific liver antifibrotic drugs have not been clinically approved yet. Studies have demonstrated the protective effects of Ganfule capsule (GFL) on the liver and its therapeutic potential in hepatic cancer. However, the mechanism of GFL is not clear in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Objective: This article aims to study the protective effect of GFL on liver fibrosis and its possible mechanism.

Methods: The cholestatic liver fibrosis model was prepared by subjecting C57BL/6 mice to bile duct ligation (BDL). The GFL groups were treated with different concentrations of GFL for 14 days. Pathological analysis, serum biochemical index detection, metabonomic analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and real-time PCR were carried out.

Results: GFL could alleviate liver injury and liver fibrosis caused by BDL in mice. Metabonomic analysis of mice serum showed postoperative metabolic disorder, which could be alleviated by GFL through glutamine metabolism; valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; and other metabolic pathways. GFL affected glutamine metabolism by inhibiting the activity of glutaminase 1 (GLS1). The activation of GLS1 is regulated by the NF-κB pathway, and experiments showed that GFL could inhibit IκB-α and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation.

Conclusion: This study confirms the protective effect of GFL on liver injury and shows that GFL inhibits glutamine metabolism, which was correlated with the NF-κB pathway, and eventually alleviates liver fibrosis. These results are conducive to the development of new therapeutic drugs for liver fibrosis.

[Application and Inspiration of Information System used in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of America]

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of America has been running for more than 60 years and has achieved many significant achievements with international influence. The application of modern information technologies in NHANES provides a supplementary tool for the project's high quality and refined implementation. This paper introduces the information system of NHANES from seven aspects: project management, survey participant interview, physical examination, laboratory examination, field follow-up, data sharing, and social services. The construction and application prospects of the China National Health Survey Information System, suitable for China's native conditions, are also discussed in this article.

Preventive effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma extract on DSS-induced acute ulcerative colitis through the regulation of the MAPK/NF-κB signals in vivo and in vitro

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. is traditionally used as a folk medicine for treating gastrointestinal diseases in China. Nevertheless, the effect and mechanisms of its anti-inflammatory activity on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) have not yet been fully investigated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of Ethanolic Extract of Atractylodis Rhizoma (EEAR) on DSS-induced UC mice and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The EEAR was obtained and then analyzed by HPLC analysis. The protective effect of EEAR on DSS-induced UC was evaluated by weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) score, spleen index, goblet cell loss, colon length shortening, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and pathological changes. The level of inflammatory cytokines were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-PCR analysis. The expressions of the tight junction (TJ, such as ZO-1, Occludin) proteins and the target proteins in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) were determined by western blotting analysis.

RESULTS

EEAR significantly attenuated the symptoms of UC, suppressed the colon MPO activity, and increased the goblet cell loss. In addition, EEAR could significantly increase the expression of TJs in UC mice. Meanwhile, EEAR treatment could reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines and inhibit the phosphorylation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways in UC mice and in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that EEAR ameliorated DSS-induced UC by inhibiting the inflammatory response and maintaining the intestinal barrier function via modulation of MAPK/NF-κB pathways, thus, EEAR might be a promising therapeutic candidate for UC therapy.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Exosomal miRNA with PMO- Graphene Quantum Dots Functionalized Field Effect Transistor Biosensor

Compared with the conventional DNA probe immobilization on the planar surface, nanoparticles-based DNA probes enable more RNA molecules to be anchored to the sensor surface, thereby improving the detection sensitivity. In this work, we report phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMO)-graphene quantum dots (GQDs)-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (RGO) field effect transistor (FET) biosensors for ultrasensitive detection of exosomal microRNAs. After the RGO FET sensor was fabricated, polylysine (PLL) film was deposited onto the RGO surface. GQDs-PMO hybrid was prepared and covalently bound to PLL surface, enabling detection of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs). The method achieved a detection limit as low as 85 aM and high specificity. Furthermore, the FET sensor was able to detect exosomal miRNAs in plasma samples and distinguish breast cancer samples from healthy samples. Compared with other methods, we use GQDs to further improve the sensitivity of FET, making it a potential tool for early diagnosis of breast cancer.

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Exosomal miRNAs are detected by GQDs-PMO-functionalized G-FET sensor

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The sensor can specifically detect 85 aM exosomal miRNA

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The results are in agreement with those of qRT-PCR

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This method can also distinguish breast cancer patients from healthy people

An improved numerical model for epidemic transmission and infection risks assessment in indoor environment

Social distance will remain the key measure to contain COVID-19 before the global widespread vaccination coverage expected in 2024. Containing the virus outbreak in the office is prioritised to relieve socio-economic burdens caused by COVID-19 and potential pandemics in the future. However, "what is the transmissible distance of SARS-CoV-2" and "what are the appropriate ventilation rates in the office" have been under debate. Without quantitative evaluation of the infection risk, some studies challenged the current social distance policies of 1-2 m adopted by most countries and suggested that longer social distance rule is required as the maximum transmission distance of cough ejected droplets could reach 3-10 m. With the emergence of virus variants such as the Delta variant, the applicability of previous social distance rules are also in doubt. To address the above problem, this study conducted transient Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to evaluate the infection risks under calm and wind scenarios. The calculated Social Distance Index (SDI) indicates that lower humidity leads to a higher infection risk due to weaker evaporation. The infection risk in office was found more sensitive to social distance than ventilation rate. In standard ventilation conditions, social distance of 1.7 m-1.8 m is sufficient distances to reach low probability of infection (PI) target in a calm scenario when coughing is the dominant transmission route. However in the wind scenario (0.25 m/s indoor wind), distance of 2.8 m is required to contain the wild virus type and 3 m is insufficient to contain the spread of the Delta variant. The numerical methods developed in this study provide a framework to evaluate the COVID-19 infection risk in indoor environment. The predicted PI will be beneficial for governments and regulators to make appropriate social-distance and ventilation rules in the office.

Numerical comparison of inspiratory airflow patterns in human nasal cavities with distinct age differences

As a primary determinant of nasal physiological functions, the nasal morphology and its effects on the airflow dynamics have been extensively studied in literature. However, gross flow features reported in literature are mostly obtained from subjects at similar ages, while studies focusing on nasal subjects with distinct age differences are significantly less. To advance current understandings of nasal airflow dynamics in the context of age diversity, this study employed three anatomically accurate nasal cavity models with distinct age features (5-, 24- and 77-year-old models) and numerically compared the physiological nasal airflow fields within these nasal cavity models. To demonstrate the validity of the present numerical models, in vivo rhinomanometry measurement was conducted on the 24-year-old female nasal model, and key anatomical features and pressure-flow curves of all three models were compared with models with similar age features in literature work. Apart from results comparison based on conventional velocity flow fields and wall shear stress distributions, a method for quantifying flow partitions in confined airway spaces was developed to reveal the proportions of fractional flow that enters the olfactory region. Our results revealed dramatic intersubject discrepancies between considered nasal cavity models, especially for the fractional flow that enters the olfactory region. Specifically, the 5-year-old girl nasal model received the highest proportion of fractional flow, which accounts for 13.3% ~ 15% of overall inhalation flow rates under different activity levels. For the 24-year-old female model, on the contrary, the olfactory fractional flow was dramatically reduced (with a local to overall percentage around 4.3%-7.7%). Finally, for the elderly subject-77-year-old male model, minimum level of olfactory flux was observed with a local to overall percentage ranging between 3.1% and 4.9% for considered wide range of inhalation flow rates. Therefore, the local flow intersubject variation can reach nearly fourfold. The vast local flow difference is mainly due to the inherent anatomical features (e.g., immature nasal turbinate structure in the child model, the partial narrowing superior nasal valve in the elder model). The results may further lead to discrepant health effects associated with inhalation exposure to airborne particles.

Detailed comparison of anatomy and airflow dynamics in human and cynomolgus monkey nasal cavity

Nonhuman primates are occasionally used as laboratory models for sophisticated medical research as they bear the closest resemblance to humans in morphometry and physiological functions. A range of nonhuman primate species have been employed in the inhalation toxicity, nasal drug delivery and respiratory viral infection studies, and they provided valuable insight to disease pathogenesis while other laboratory animals such as rodents cannot recapitulate due to the lesser degree of similarity in metabolism, anatomy and cellular response to that of humans. It is anticipated that nonhuman primate models of respiratory diseases will continue to be instrumental for translating biomedical research for improvement of human health, and the confidence in laboratory data extrapolation between species will play a pivotal role. From the morphometry and flow dynamics point of view, this study performed a detailed comparative analysis between human and a cynomolgus monkey nasal airway, with intention to provide high-fidelity qualitative and quantitative linkage between the two species for more effective laboratory data extrapolation. The study revealed that cynomolgus monkey could be a good human surrogate in nasal inhalation studies; however, care should be given for interspecies data extrapolation as subtle differences in anatomy and airflow dynamics were present between the two species.

Uniqueness of inspiratory airflow patterns in a realistic rat nasal cavity

In this study, we present a detailed flow analysis using an anatomically accurate rat nasal cavity model, in which the anatomy and physiology of the nasal airway was thoroughly examined. Special efforts were given to the swirling flow structures in the nasal vestibule (anterior section of the nose, lined by squamous epithelium), fractional flow patterns in the olfactory (posterior superior section of the rat nose, lined by olfactory epithelium), and a designated method to precisely quantify flow apportionment in the olfactory region was developed. Results revealed distinct inspiratory flow patterns in the anterior vestibule region, where the accelerated airflow undergoes two sharp turns as traveling through the tortuous airway, making a route in a shape of 8. Besides this, exceptionally large flow apportionment was observed at the interface of the olfactory recess, which can be as much as 15 times greater than that in the human nose. The thorough understanding of the airflow dynamics in the rat nasal cavity is necessary to avoid potential misinterpretation of rat-derived inhalation toxicity results. Research findings are expected to play a fundamental role in developing unbiased rat to human interspecies data extrapolation schemes.

Identification of different bran-fried Atractylodis Rhizoma and prediction of atractylodin content based on multivariate data mining combined with intelligent color recognition and near-infrared spectroscopy

Unclear established standard of bran-fried Atractylodis Rhizoma (BFAR), a commonly used drug in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), compromised its clinical efficacy. In this study, we explored the correlation between color and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) feature with content of atractylodin, then established a rapid recognition model for the optimal degree of processing for BFAR preparation. The results of the Pearson analysis indicated that the color values were significantly and positively correlated with atractylodin content. The back propagation artificial neural network algorithm and cluster analysis revealed the color of different BFAR could be accurately divided into three categories; subsequently, the color range for the optimal degrees of stir-frying was established as follows: R[red value (105.79-127.25)], G[green value(75.84-89.64)], B[blue value(33.33-42.73)], L[Lightness (81.26-95.09)].Using NIR, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and cluster analysis, three types of BFAR were accurately identified. The prediction model of atractylodin content was established using partial least squares regression analysis. The R² of the validation set was 0.9717 and the root mean square error was 0.026. In the color judgment model, the processing degree of 8 batches of BFAR from the market is inferior. According to the NIR judgment model, the processing degree of all samples from the market is inferior. In conclusion, the best fire degree of BFAR can be identified quickly and accurately based on our established model. It is a potential method for quality evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica processing.

Atractylodes oil alleviates diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by regulating intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier via SCF/c-kit and MLCK/MLC2 pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. is a widely used traditional herb that is well known for treating spleen deficiency and diarrhea. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is caused by cold and dampness, resulting in diarrhea and abdominal pain. Nevertheless, the effect and mechanism of Atractylodes on IBS-D are still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was designed to confirm the therapeutic effect of Atractylodes lanceolata oil (AO) in a rat model of IBS-D, and to determine the mechanisms by which AO protects against the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chemical components in AO were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and surfactant protein (SP) in serum and colon tissue were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to elucidate the mechanism of action of AO toward inflammation and the intestinal barrier in a rat model of IBS-D.

RESULTS

The 15 chemical substances of the highest concentration in AO were identified using GC-MS. AO was effective against IBS-D in the rat model, in terms of increased body weight, diarrhea grade score, levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and aquaporin 8 (AQP8), and reduced fecal moisture content, levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), 5-HT, VIP, and SP, while also reducing intestinal injury, as observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. In addition, the results indicated that AO increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and c-kit and enhanced the levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin, as well as decreased the levels of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and inhibited the phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2 (p-MLC2).

CONCLUSIONS

AO was found to be efficacious in the rat model of IBS-D. AO inhibited the SCF/c-kit pathway, thereby reducing inflammation and protecting against intestinal barrier damage via the MLCK/MLC2 pathway.

Deposition features of inhaled viral droplets may lead to rapid secondary transmission of COVID-19

Inhaled viral droplets may immediately be expelled and cause an escalating re-transmission. Differences in the deposition location of inhaled viral droplets may have a direct impact on the probability of virus expelling. This study develops a numerical model to estimate the region-specific deposition fractions for inhalable droplets (1-50 μ m) in respiratory airways. The results identified a higher deposition fraction in the upper airways than the lower airways. Particularly for droplets larger than 10 μ m, the relatively high deposition fraction in the oral/laryngeal combined region warns of its easy transmission through casual talking/coughing. Moreover, considering droplet sizes' effect on virus loading capacity, we built a correlation model to quantify the potential of virus expelling hazards, which suggests an amplified cascade effect on virus transmission on top of the existing transmission mechanism. It therefore highlights the importance of considering the instant expelling possibilities from inhaled droplets, and also implies potentials in restricting a rapid secondary transmission by measures that can lower down droplet deposition in the upper airways.

Evaluation of the probiotic and functional potential of Lactobacillus agilis 32 isolated from pig manure

Escherichia coli is a symbiotic bacterium in humans and animals and an important pathogen of humans and animals. Prevention and suppression of E. coli infection is of great concern. In this study, we isolated a strain of Lactobacillus agilis 32 from pig manure and evaluated its biological characteristics, and found that its bacterial survival rate was 25% after 4 h of treatment at pH 2, and under the condition of 0·5% bile concentration, its survival rate exceeds 30%. In addition, L. agilis 32 has a cell surface hydrophobicity of 77·8%, and exhibits 67·1% auto-aggregation and 63·2% aggregation with Enterotoxigenic E. coli 10 (ETEC 10). FITC fluorescence labelling showed that the fluorescence intensity of cecum was significantly higher than that of duodenum, jejunum or colon (P < 0·05), but no significant difference from ileum. Lactobacillus agilis 32 bacterial culture and CFS showed average inhibition zone diameters of 14·2 and 15·4 mm respectively. Lactobacillus agilis 32 CFS treatment can significantly reduce the pathogenicity of ETEC 10. These results show that L. agilis 32 is an active and potential probiotic, and it has a good antibacterial effect on ETEC10, which provides basic research for probiotics to prevent and treat intestinal diarrhoea pathogen infection.

Quantification of long-term accumulation of inhaled ultrafine particles via human olfactory-brain pathway due to environmental emissions - a pilot study

Olfactory pathway as a viable route for brain uptake of environmental pollutants has been hypothesized in past decade. In such a hypothesis, subclinical low-dose exposure and chronic brain accumulation of exogenous airborne agents are critical to define neurodegenerations, however the information is extremely lacking. Advances in granular measurement of air pollutants, real-time personal exposure monitoring and big data analytics have opened-up an unprecedented opportunity to enable researchers conduct longitudinal investigation and potentially link the external environment condition to risks of human developing neurodegenerative diseases in a foreseeable future. Detailed case studies are provided in this work that illustrate the quantification of human brain accumulation of ultrafine particles (UFPs) from exposure, surface deposition, and pathway penetration via the transport route of nasal olfactory in prolonged timespans. The study links the individual components along the olfactory pathway, showcases the available research capacity, and pinpoints the critical areas of research need in environmental, toxicological and epidemiological studies, significant to a joint effort to bring together an interdisciplinary solution to uncover the insight of time course and dose dependency between environmental exposure and risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases in a foreseeable future. It should be noted that current study assumes that nanoparticle penetration along the olfactory pathway is unidirectional and follows the rate observed in the rodent study. Tissue responses in determining the penetration and retention corresponding to size and composition of the inhaled nanoparticles are not considered.

Improving the Solubility of Aripiprazole by Multicomponent Crystallization

Aripiprazole (ARI) is a third-generation antipsychotic with few side effects but a poor solubility. Salt formation, as one common form of multicomponent crystals, is an effective strategy to improve pharmacokinetic profiles. In this work, a new ARI salt with adipic acid (ADI) and its acetone hemisolvate were obtained successfully, along with a known ARI salt with salicylic acid (SAL). Their comprehensive characterizations were conducted using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The crystal structures of the ARI-ADI salt acetone hemisolvate and ARI-SAL salt were elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction for the first time, demonstrating the proton transfer from a carboxyl group of acid to ARI piperazine. Theoretical calculations were also performed on weak interactions. Moreover, comparative studies on pharmaceutical properties, including powder hygroscopicity, stability, solubility, and the intrinsic dissolution rate, were carried out. The results indicated that the solubility and intrinsic dissolution rate of the ARI-ADI salt and its acetone hemisolvate significantly improved, clearly outperforming that of the ARI-SAL salt and the untreated ARI. The study presented one potential alternative salt of aripiprazole and provided a potential strategy to increase the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Treatment of Spleen-Deficiency Syndrome With Atractyloside A From Bran-Processed Atractylodes lancea by Protection of the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. (AL) is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of spleen-deficiency syndrome (SDS). Bran-processed Atractylodes lancea (BAL) has been found to be more effective than unprocessed AL. However, the compound in BAL active against SDS remains unclear. The pharmacological efficacy of BAL and its mechanism of action against SDS were investigated by HPLC-ELSD. Candidate compound AA (atractyloside A) in AL and BAL extracts was identified by HPLC-MS analysis. AA was tested in a rat model of SDS in which body weight, gastric residual rate, and intestinal propulsion were measured, and motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS), and c-Kit were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Potential targets and associated pathways were identified based on network pharmacology analysis. mRNA expression levels were measured by qRT-PCR and protein expression levels were measured by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. AA increased body weight, intestinal propulsion, MTL, GAS, and c-Kit levels, while decreasing gastric residual volume and intestinal tissue damage, as same as Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen levels. Seventy-one potential pharmacologic targets were identified. Analysis of protein interaction, Gene Ontology (GO) functional analysis, pathway enrichment analysis, and docking and molecular interactions highlighted MAPK signaling as the potential signal transduction pathway. Validation experiments indicated that treatment with AA increased MTL, GAS, ZO-1, and OCLN levels, while reducing AQP1, AQP3, and FGF2 levels. In addition, phosphorylation of p38 and myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) expression were inhibited. AA improved gastrointestinal function by protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier via inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway. The results have clinical implications for the therapy of SDS.