Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40937411›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2025

Exploration of the active components and mechanisms of Epimedium for the treatment of Undescended Testis.

Zhonglei Deng, Sirui Zhang, Haiyang Zhao, Shijia Xu, Miao Qi, Tianle Pu, Hui Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Zhonglei Deng *Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Sirui Zhang *State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Haiyang ZhaoChinese Medicine Research Institute, Engineering Research Center of Modern Preparation Technology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Shijia XuState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Miao QiThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Tianle PuThe Second School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Hui WangState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Undescended Testis, the most common congenital male reproductive disorder in children, demonstrates complex pathogenesis with genetic predisposition. While early surgical intervention (before 18 months) remains standard care, pharmacological options are limited. Purpose: Explore the therapeutic potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Undescended Testis. Study design: This study employs multiple bioinformatics approaches to search for potential Traditional Chinese Medicines for Undescended Testis treatment and investigate their therapeutic mechanisms. Methods: This study integrated medication regularity analysis, network pharmacology, Mendelian randomization, and molecular docking, with exploration conducted through cellular and animal models. Results: Our analysis identified 27 bioactive Epimedium compounds, with Quercetin, Kaempferol, and Icariin showing particular promise. Protein interaction networks revealed AKT1, PARP1, and PGR as key targets. Functional enrichment analysis primarily focused on biological processes including response to stress-induced damage (such as reactive oxygen species, chemical toxins, and other stressors), steroid signaling and receptor activation, transmembrane signal transduction, as well as cellular proliferation and apoptosis regulation. Molecular docking demonstrated Yinyanghuo B's strong binding affinity with PARP1 (-7.2 kcal/mol). Mendelian randomization confirmed PARP1 reduction's causal relationship with lower Undescended Testis risk. We constructed animal and cellular heat stress models to simulate Undescended Testis, and subsequent experiments observed significant DNA damage. Thermally stressed TM4 cells showed significant PARP1 upregulation, suggesting its critical role in testicular heat stress response by accelerating DNA damage repair. Conclusion: These findings potentially provide mechanistic evidence supporting Epimedium's traditional use while advancing Traditional Chinese Medicine modernization through contemporary pharmacological validation.

Indexed as

CryptorchidismDrugs, Chinese HerbalEpimediumAnimalsHumansMaleMedicine, Chinese TraditionalMiceMolecular Docking SimulationPoly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1Drugs, Chinese HerbalPoly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1EpimediumMendelian randomizationnetwork pharmacologyTraditional Chinese MedicineUndescended Testis

Identifiers

PMID40937411
PMCPMC12420229

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.