Integrating traditional Chinese medicine and modern technology: A new approach to understanding Changmaxifeng granules for tic disorders

Table 1 Some bioactive compounds of Changmaxifeng granules and their potential therapeutic targets

Compound	Source herb	Key targets	Main pharmacological activities	Ref.
Paeoniflorin	Paeoniae Radix Alba	TNF, IL-6, NLRP3	Anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, inhibits microglial activation	[9,16,17]
Gastrodin	Gastrodiae Rhizoma	FOS, VEGFA, BDNF	Antioxidant, neuroregulation, improves synaptic plasticity	[7,14]
Tenuifolin	Polygalae Radix	ESR1, FOS, ACHE	Anti-neuroinflammatory, cognitive enhancement, cholinesterase inhibition	[8,15,22]
Gallic acid	Multiple herbs1	TNF, IL-6, COX-2	Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, apoptosis regulation	[8,14,23]
Ferulic acid2	Metabolite of onjisaponin F	NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β	Anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, blood-brain barrier protection	[8,15,24]
Albiflorin	Paeoniae Radix Alba	5-HT, GABA	Anxiolytic, antidepressant, neuro-modulatory	[25,26]
Tatarinan A/B	Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma	DA, Glu receptors	Dopaminergic and glutamatergic modulation, improves synaptic transmission	[6,21]

¹Gallic acid is widely distributed in multiple herbal components.

²Ferulic acid is a key metabolite identified through in vivo biotransformation of onjisaponin F.

TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; IL: Interleukin; NLRP3: NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3; FOS: Fos proto-oncogene; VEGFA: Vascular endothelial growth factor A; BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; ESR1: Estrogen receptor 1; ACHE: Acetylcholinesterase; COX-2: Cyclooxygenase-2; NF-κB: Nuclear factor kappa B; 5-HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin); GABA: Gamma-aminobutyric acid; DA: Dopamine; Glu: Glutamate.