Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Ku Shen) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat damp-heat syndrome-related diseases, such as dysentery, jaundice, rhinitis, and skin inflammation. Recent studies have revealed the potential pharmacological value of its active alkaloid components, matrine (MAT) and oxymatrine (OMT), in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). To develop a thermosensitive in-situ gel containing MAT and OMT for the intranasal treatment of AR, a thermosensitive matrix composed of Pluronic F127/ F68 was optimized using the Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology. The biosafety of the formulation was evaluated using a palatal ciliary movement model. A guinea pig model of AR induced by ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide was established. Pharmacodynamic effects were comprehensively assessed through behavioral scoring, histopathological analysis (hematoxylin and eosin) of nasal mucosa, and serum immunological markers (IgE, IL-4, and IFN-γ). The MAT-OMT in-situ gel showed no toxicity during ciliary movement in the toad palatal ciliary motility model. The MAT-OMT combination significantly alleviated nasal itching, sneezing, and rhinorrhea in guinea pigs with AR, mitigated mucosal edema and epithelial damage, and improved inflammatory cytokine levels, suggesting its efficacy in correcting Th1/Th2 immune imbalance. The comprehensive therapeutic effect of MAT-OMT was significantly superior to that of MAT or OMT alone and comparable to that of the positive control, budesonide.

In order to reveal the multi-target pharmacological mechanism of Zedoary turmeric oil combined with docetaxel in the treatment of breast cancer, we used network pharmacology and molecular docking. The targets of docetaxel were retrieved from the Swiss Target Prediction database. The active components of Curcuma Zedoary turmeric were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), with criteria set as oral bioavailability OB ≥ 30% and drug-likeness DL ≥ 0.1. Potential targets of these components were subsequently predicted. Breast cancer-related targets were retrieved from the OMIM and GeneCards databases. The Venny tool was used to identify 177 overlapping targets between docetaxel, Zedoary turmeric oil, and breast cancer, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Metascape database. A drug-breast cancer-KEGG pathway target network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.0. Molecular docking was employed to verify the binding ability between drugs and core targets. Results showed that the combined treatment may exert anti-breast cancer effects through key targets such as MAPK1, PIK3CA, and HSP90AA1, primarily implicating the biological process of protein phosphorylation and engaging the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. This study successfully predicted the key targets and enriched pathways of Zedoary turmeric oil combined with docetaxel for breast cancer treatment, providing new insights for further research and development.

Angelica sinensis (A. sinensis), as a kind of Chinese medicine, has the effects of tonifying blood, promoting blood circulation, regulating menstrual flow, relieving pain, moistening bowel and so on. By consulting Sciencedirect database and Web of Science database, 163 related articles were found, of which 36 were related to chemical composition and pharmacological activities of A. sinensis. In this paper, the chemical structures and different derivatives were systematically summarized by reviewing relevant literatures, and the pharmacological effects were also summarized.

Hepatoma, one of the most common fatal malignant tumors, exhibits a rising global incidence, especially in developing countries. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has played an increasingly significant role in hepatoma treatment. Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis), a perennial herb in the legume family, is also known as G. uralensis, sweet root, sweet grass, and ancient Chinese grass. Its roots and rhizomes are used medicinally for their properties to nourish Qi, detoxify, and harmonized the effects of various compounds. This study selected “Glycyrrhiza”, “hepatoma”, and “pharmacological effect” as key search terms. From PubMed, a total of 2,947 articles were retrieved containing these keywords in either the abstract or title, among which 12 were relevant to Glycyrrhiza and hepatoma. Additionally, from the Wanfang database, 19,632 papers were retrieved with “Glycyrrhiza” in the abstract or title, among which 197 were related to Glycyrrhiza and hepatoma. This review focuses on the anti-hepatoma properties of Glycyrrhiza, providing a comprehensive overview of its common extracts, such as flavonoids, triterpenoids, and polysaccharides, and elaborating on their chemical structures, anti-hepatoma cancer mechanisms, and other pharmacological effects.