Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42553344›Full record

Observational studyFrontiers in immunology2026

The "two flowers therapy": clinical efficacy and mechanisms of a total glucosides of paeony -colchicine dual-drugs for Behçet's disease derived from Chinese physicians' medication experience.

Can Liu, Lei Li, Qinlong Sun, Yixuan Zhang, Siyao Li, Jian-Long Guan, Jianfei Cai

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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.

Can Liu *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Lei Li *Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Qinlong SunDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Yixuan ZhangDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Siyao LiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jian-Long GuanDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jianfei CaiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: To elucidate the synergistic mechanism of "Two flowers therapy" - a Behçet's disease (BD) treatment regimen used in China for more than 30 years, namely Total Glucosides of Paeony (TGP)-colchicine - and its efficacy, safety in BD with mucocutaneous involvement. Methods: A retrospective clinical cohort study integrated with computational biology was performed. Five bioactive components were chosen, among which four were from TGP and one was colchicine; 31 overlapping BD-related targets were identified via multi-omics, finally 6 core genes confirmed. 355 BD patients were divided into combination group (CG, n=231) and monotherapy group (MG, n=124). Results: Four active components of TGP (oxypaeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoyl paeoniflorin, paeoniflorin) and colchicine constituted five bioactive compounds. A total of 837 BD-related targets were retrieved from GeneCards, with 31 overlapping targets between the five compounds and BD. A PPI network (31 nodes, 197 edges) was constructed, and core targets (MMP9, ICAM1, FGF2, TLR4, EGFR, NOS3) were identified. Molecular docking confirmed their high affinity: colchicine formed hydrogen bonds with EGFR, ICAM1, NOS3 (2.2-3.4 Å) and hydrophobic interactions with TLR4; TGP components formed 2-4 hydrogen bonds with EGFR, FGF2, MMP9 (2.2-3.9 Å). GO analysis involved inflammation- and immune-related biological processes; KEGG identified 10 enriched pathways (including Lipid and atherosclerosis, AGE-RAGE) regulating inflammation, immunity and vascular function. Clinically, CG had superior early (M1-M2) efficacy: oral ulcer prevalence was 0.0% vs. 21.0% (M1) and 0.0% vs. 100.0% (M2), genital ulcer prevalence 0.9% vs. 6.5% (M1) (all p<0.05). Both groups achieved complete ulcer resolution from M3. ESR in CG was significantly lower at M2 (p<0.001), with no CRP difference. CG had transient diarrhea; no drug-associated cytopenia was reported in either group. Conclusion: TGP combined with colchicine, a regimen used in China for more than 30 years, exerts therapeutic effects on BD by regulating core targets and inflammatory pathways. Clinically, this regimen more effectively controls early mucocutaneous lesion recurrence in BD patients, with good long-term efficacy and safety.

Indexed as

Behcet SyndromeColchicineDrugs, Chinese HerbalGlucosidesPaeoniaAdultDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleGlycosidesHumansMaleMolecular Docking SimulationMonoterpenesRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeColchicineDrugs, Chinese HerbalGlucosidesGlycosidesMonoterpenespeoniflorinBehçet’s diseasecolchicinenetwork pharmacologytotal glucosides of paeonytraditional Chinese medicine

Identifiers

PMID42553344
PMCPMC13433808

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.