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This study focused on the application value of the newly prepared 129Xe nanoprobe-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in exploring the mechanism of the acupuncture treatment for intractable facial paralysis, expected to provide a theoretical reference for the mechanism of acupuncture for the treatment of facial paralysis. In this study, 30 patients with intractable peripheral facial paralysis (experimental group) and 30 healthy volunteers (control group) were selected. All patients were scanned by the newly prepared 129Xe nanoprobe-based fMRI technology, and then brain functional status data and rating data were collected. fMRI scanning results showed that multiple brain regions were activated in the experimental group before treatment, among which the central posterior brain, insula, and thalamus were positively activated, while the precuneus, superior frontal gyrus, and other parts showed signal reduction. After treatment, several brain regions also showed signal enhancement. Comparisons within the healthy control group also showed activation in multiple brain regions, including the lenticular nucleus, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus, while in the experimental group, no signal changes were detected in these brain regions. At the same time, comparison of fMRI images of patients with intractable peripheral facial paralysis before and after treatment showed that the cerebellar amygdala, superior frontal gyrus, cerebellar mountaintop, and other brain areas were activated, and all showed positive activation. After treatment, the average House–Brackmann (H-B) and Sunnybrook scores of the experimental group were 3.82 and 51, respectively, and the change was significant compared with that before treatment ( P < 0.05 ). In conclusion, the newly prepared 129Xe nanoprobe-based fMRI scan can reflect the functional changes of cerebral cortex after acupuncture. The acupuncture treatment may achieve its therapeutic effect by promoting the functional reorganization of the cerebral cortex in the treatment of intractable facial paralysis.

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age that still lacks effective treatment. Inflammation is one of the important features of PCOS. Asparagus (ASP) has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging pharmacological effects, and its anti-tumor effects have been demonstrated in a variety of tumors. However, the role and mechanism of ASP in PCOS remain unclear. Methods The active components of ASP and the key therapeutic targets for PCOS were obtained by network pharmacology. Molecular docking was used to simulate the binding of PRKCA to the active components of ASP. The effects of ASP on inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways in PCOS, and the regulation of PRKCA were examined by KGN, a human derived granulosa cell line. PCOS mouse model validated the results of in vivo experiments. Results Network pharmacology identified 9 major active ingredients of ASP with 73 therapeutic targets for PCOS. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment yielded 101 PCOS-related signaling pathways. The hub gene PRKCA was obtained after taking the gene intersection of the top 4 pathways. Molecular docking showed the binding of PRKCA to the 7 active components in ASP. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that ASP alleviated the course of PCOS through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects. ASP can partially restore the low expression of PRKCA in the PCOS models. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of ASP on PCOS is mainly achieved by targeting PRKCA through the 7 active components of ASP. Mechanistically, ASP alleviated the course of PCOS through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, and PRKCA was its potential target.