The model of safety monitoring and risk management of TCM drugs is still under exploration. Indeed, the characteristics and risk factors associated with these drugs require both proper understanding and control of the risk by strengthening standardization of clinical applications, basic science research, quality control in manufacturing, exploration of the actives monitoring methodology and enhancement of international communication and cooperation.

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The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), is a quarantine pest of global significance impacting pome fruits and walnuts. It has evolved resistance to many commonly used insecticides including λ-cyhalothrin. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes playing a crucial role in the detoxification of insecticides in insects. However, the role of specific GST gene in λ-cyhalothrin resistance in C. pomonella is unclear. In this study, we identified three sigma-class genes (CpGSTs1, CpGSTs2, and CpGSTs3). These genes were ubiquitously expressed at all developmental stages, and of these, the expression level of CpGSTs2 in the larval stage was significantly higher than in the egg, pupal, and adult stages. Moreover, CpGSTs2 was predominantly expressed in the fat body while lower levels in the cuticle. In addition to exposure of larvae to LD 10 of λ-cyhalothrin elevating the expression level of CpGSTs2, mRNA levels of CpGSTs2 in a field population (ZW_R) from northeast China, which has developed moderate level resistance to λ-cyhalothrin, was significantly higher than that of susceptible strains. In vitro inhibition assays demonstrated that λcyhalothrin inhibited the conjugating activities of recombinant CpGSTs2, and metabolic assays indicated that λ-cyhalothrin could be depleted by recombinant CpGSTs2. These results bring evidence for the involvement of CpGSTs2 in C. pomonella in resistance to λcyhalothrin.

Summary This study investigated the impact of the improvement of insomnia on the blood pressure levels of hypertensive patients. A total of 402 patients with a diagnosis of insomnia and hypertension were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (202 cases) received standard anti‐hypertensive treatment with Estazolam, and the control group (200 cases) received standard anti‐hypertensive treatment with placebo. The sedentary diastolic and systolic blood pressures were measured before the treatment and every 7 days during the experiment. To assess the sleep quality and anxiety and depression levels of patients, the scores of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale‐17 were reported at the same time points. At the conclusion of the experiment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale‐17 scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.001). The insomnia treatment efficacy of Estazolam in the treatment group was 67.3%, significantly higher than that (14.0%) of the control (P < 0.001). The blood pressure of the treatment group showed significant improvement throughout the experiment. By Day 28, the decrease of sedentary diastolic and systolic blood pressures in the treatment group was significantly greater than that of the control (sedentary systolic blood pressure: 10.5 ± 3.9 versus 3.4 ± 2.5 mmHg; sedentary diastolic blood pressure: 8.1 ± 3.6 versus 2.7 ± 2.1 mmHg, P < 0.001), and the compliance rate of goal blood pressure (< 140/90 mmHg) was 74.8% with Estazolam, compared with 50.5% with placebo (P < 0.001). Thus, the current findings indicated that the improvement of insomnia can significantly help lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Molecular targets play important roles in agrochemical discovery. Numerous pesticides target the key proteins in pathogens, insect, or plants. Investigating ligand-binding pockets and/or active sites in the proteins’ structures is usually the first step in designing new green pesticides. Thus, molecular target structures are extremely important for the discovery and development of such pesticides. In this manuscript, we present a review of the molecular target structures, including those of antiviral, fungicidal, bactericidal, insecticidal, herbicidal, and plant growth-regulator targets, currently used in agrochemical research. The data will be helpful in pesticide design and the discovery of new green pesticides.