Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40520173›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in pharmacology2025

Modified ZhuJing pill protects retinal pigment epithelium against oxidative stress-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition through Nrf2-mediated Akt/GSK3β pathway.

Ning Yang, Caijian Xiong, Siqi Feng, Mengqi Gao, Siqi Zhou, Qinyi Hui, Xin Zhou, Qingzi Jin, Yan Shao, Xinrong Xu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ning YangDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Caijian XiongDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Siqi FengDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Mengqi GaoDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Siqi ZhouDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Qinyi HuiDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Xin ZhouDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Qingzi JinDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Yan ShaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Liyang Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Liyang, China.
Xinrong XuDepartment of Opthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The modified ZhuJing pill (mZJP) has been widely used in China as a classical prescription for treating retinal diseases for years. Our preliminary experiment showed that mZJP exerted an antioxidant effect in treating dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Nevertheless, the specific mechanism underpinning the impact of mZJP on dry AMD remains obscure. Methods: The chemical metabolites of mZJP were qualitatively analyzed using LC-Q-TOF-MS. Dry AMD model mice were used to assess the efficacy of mZJP through optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and immunofluorescence. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OxLDL-induced ARPE-19 cells was evaluated by monitoring cellular integrity and quantifying EMT-related markers. Cell migration capacity was determined Results: A total of 113 major metabolites were identified in mZJP. Our findings revealed that mZJP alleviated retinal pathological alterations and inhibited EMT progression. Furthermore, mZJP upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 expression levels while downregulating Akt and GSK-3β phosphorylation levels. Notably, the EMT-suppressing effect of mZJP was significantly attenuated upon Nrf2 silencing, as evidenced by enhanced cell migration, decreased epithelial marker expression (E-cadherin), increased mesenchymal marker expression (vimentin and α-SMA), suppression of the Nrf2 pathway, and activation of the Akt/GSK3β pathway. Conclusion: Our study suggested that RPE protection by mZJP against oxidative stress induced EMT through Nrf2 activation and inhibition of the Akt/GSK3β pathway. MZJP could be a potential candidate drug for the treatment of dry AMD.

Indexed as

age-related macular degenerationAkt/GSK3β pathwayepithelial–mesenchymal transitionmodified ZhuJing pillNrf2 pathway

Identifiers

PMID40520173
PMCPMC12162958

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