Application of patch-clamp technique in traditional Chinese medicine: a visual analysis of relevant literature

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the interdisciplinary application potential of patch-clamp technique in traditional Chinese medicine research has gradually emerged, but a systematic summary of its applications in this field has not yet been conducted. OBJECTIVE: To visualize the application of patch-clamp technology in traditional Chinese medicine field through CiteSpace knowledge map analysis, and to reveal the progress and trends of this technology in the modernization research of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: The literature sources included CNKI, VIP, WanFang, PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection database. The computer-assisted literature search was conducted to build a database of patch-clamp technology applications in traditional Chinese medicine field from database inception to September 2024. The authors, institutions, and keywords were subjected to visual analysis and knowledge map drawing using CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software and bibliometric methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) A total of 819 articles were included, with 968 authors. The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine was the institution with the most publications in the Chinese database, while Harbin Medical University was the institution with the most publications in the English database. (2) The research directions, keyword clustering, and emergence analysis of each institution showed that the application of patch-clamp technique in traditional Chinese medicine mainly focused on cardiovascular electrophysiology, pharmacology of Chinese materia medica, and nervous system electrophysiology. (3) The development of patch-clamp technique in traditional Chinese medicine generally presented an evolutionary path of 'basic mechanism → target deepening → clinical translation', reflecting a transformation from a single technical tool to a multidisciplinary intersection platform. (4) It is suggested that the core influence of authors needs further improvement, and cross-regional cooperation among research institutions is insufficient, so cross-regional cooperation should be strengthened. Current research techniques are single and research content is thin; future research should integrate multiple technologies, cross disciplines, enrich research content, and expand research directions, providing evidence support for in-depth exploration of the internal mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine.

1. Introduction

The patch-clamp technique is a microelectrode technique that records ion channel electrical activity on biological membranes by forming a tight seal between a glass microelectrode and the cell membrane, using voltage-clamp or current-clamp methods [1]. In 1976, German scientists Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann first recorded acetylcholine-activated single-channel ionic currents in frog muscle cells while clamping the membrane potential with two electrodes, and for their outstanding contributions in this field, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1991 [2]. In 2010, the Patapoutian team used the patch-clamp technique to record cellular currents and identified novel mechanically sensitive ion channels, Piezo1 and Piezo2, leading to the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2021 for the discovery of touch receptors [3].

The patch-clamp technique has opened the door to cellular electrophysiology, enabling the study of ion channel electrophysiological properties, molecular structures, cellular signal transduction, and drug mechanisms at the microscopic level. In recent years, the interdisciplinary potential of the patch-clamp technique has demonstrated its unique value in traditional Chinese medicine research. Studies have shown that tanshinone IIA mediates vasodilation through transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 on vascular endothelial cells [4]. Suxiao Jiuxin Pills can inhibit CaV1.2 currents in atrial fibrillation mice, shorten action potential duration, and convert electrocardiographic signals to sinus rhythm [5]. Electroacupuncture can improve the excitation/inhibition imbalance of pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex of depression-like mice, increasing the frequency and capacitance of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents and decreasing the frequency and capacitance of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents, thereby ameliorating depression-like behavior [6]. The application of patch-clamp technique in traditional Chinese medicine research has shown promising results, but a systematic summary is lacking.