Bioactivity-directed isolation, identification of diuretic compounds from Polyporus umbellatus

Terpenoids and steroids from the whole plants of Euphorbia wallichii and their protective effects on STZ-induced damage in INS-1 cells

The research on the whole plant of Euphorbia wallichii led to the identification of two undescribed compounds, (1R,4S,5S,10S)-10-hydroxyacorenone B and (5R,9R,18S,20S,25R,26S,27S,28R)-D:C-friedolupane-3-oxo-7-ene, together with 32 known compounds. Their chemical structures were determined through detailed spectroscopic data analyses and electronic circular dichroism measurements. The terpenoids and steroids found in Euphorbia wallichii have been identified to exhibit a diverse array of biological activities. However, their underlying antidiabetic effects have not yet been examined. In this study, the effects of terpenoid and steroid compounds on promoting the proliferation of INS-1 cells and protecting STZ-induced pancreatic β-cell damage were evaluated. Bioassays have demonstrated that compounds 32 and 33 exhibited a noteworthy protective effect on INS-1 cells against STZ-induced injury, as well as promoted the proliferation of INS-1 cells. As a whole, compounds 32 and 33 might be potentially beneficial for the treatment of diabetes.

Different Symbiotic Species of Armillaria Affect the Yield and Active Compound Contents of Polyporus umbellatus

Polyporus umbellatus is a medicinal fungus primarily used for diuresis, with its sclerotium serving as the medicinal component. The growth and development of sclerotia are reliant on a symbiotic relationship with Armillaria. However, the impact of different Armillaria species on the yield and quality of sclerotia remains unclear. In this study, three Armillaria strains, A35, A541, and A19, were identified through TEF-1α sequence analysis and phylogenetic classification. These strains were classified into three distinct species: A35 as A. ostoyae, A541 as A. gallica, while the taxonomic status of A19 remains unresolved. After four years of co-cultivation with these Armillaria strains, three groups of P. umbellatus sclerotia were harvested and labeled as A35-P, A541-P, and A19-P, respectively. The yields of A35-P, A541-P, and A19-P exhibited significant variations, with A541-P achieving the highest yield (1221 ± 258 g·nest-1), followed by A35-P (979 ± 201 g·nest-1), and A19-P yielding the least (591 ± 54 g·nest-1). HPLC revealed significant differences in the levels of polyporusterone A and polyporusterone B among the groups. The total polysaccharide content, determined via the phenol-sulfuric acid method, also varied significantly, with A541-P recording the highest content (0.897 ± 0.042%), followed by A19-P (0.686 ± 0.058%), and A35-P showing the lowest value (0.511 ± 0.083%). PCA based on these data indicated clear distinctions among A35-P, A541-P, and A19-P, with the three groups forming separate clusters. This study, for the first time, demonstrates the effects of three different Armillaria species on the yield and active compound content of P. umbellatus. These findings provide valuable insights for selecting high-quality Armillaria strains and offer guidance for the artificial cultivation of P. umbellatus.

Polyporus umbellatus, A Precious Rare Fungus With Good Pharmaceutical and Food Value

Polyporus umbellatus is a rare porous fungus that exhibits notable pharmacological activities. Particularly, due to its diuretic properties, it is considered an important source of targeted drugs for the treatment of kidney disease. Extensive research has been conducted on this fungus, focusing not only on its challenging cultivation techniques but also on its diverse array of medicinal ingredients, including polysaccharides and steroids. These active compounds demonstrate considerable variability and exhibit a wide range of medicinal properties. As a result, extracting, separating, and purifying these active compounds has become a subject of interest. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the types, structures, and physicochemical properties of these active compounds. Additionally, the medicinal effects of P. umbellatus are thoroughly examined, offering valuable insights into the utilization of its resources and the rational development of medical fungi.

The nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway is a master regulator of renal fibrosis

Renal fibrosis is increasingly recognized as a global public health problem. Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) both result in renal fibrosis. Oxidative stress and inflammation play central roles in progressive renal fibrosis. Oxidative stress and inflammation are closely linked and form a vicious cycle in which oxidative stress induces inflammation through various molecular mechanisms. Ample evidence has indicated that a hyperactive nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ƙB) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in renal fibrosis. Hyperactive NF-ƙB causes the activation and recruitment of immune cells. Inflammation, in turn, triggers oxidative stress through the production of reactive oxygen species and nitrogen species by activating leukocytes and resident cells. These events mediate organ injury through apoptosis, necrosis, and fibrosis. Therefore, developing a strategy to target the NF-ƙB signaling pathway is important for the effective treatment of renal fibrosis. This Review summarizes the effect of the NF-ƙB signaling pathway on renal fibrosis in the context of AKI and CKD (immunoglobulin A nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, and kidney transplantation). Therapies targeting the NF-ƙB signaling pathway, including natural products, are also discussed. In addition, NF-ƙB-dependent non-coding RNAs are involved in renal inflammation and fibrosis and are crucial targets in the development of effective treatments for kidney disease. This Review provides a clear pathophysiological rationale and specific concept-driven therapeutic strategy for the treatment of renal fibrosis by targeting the NF-ƙB signaling pathway.

Macrofungi as Medicinal Resources in Uzbekistan: Biodiversity, Ethnomycology, and Ethnomedicinal Practices

Interest in edible and medicinal macrofungi is millennial in terms of their uses in health and food products in Central Asia, while interest in inedible and medicinal macrofungi has grown in popularity in recent years. Edible and inedible medicinal basidiomycetes were collected during field surveys from different regions of Uzbekistan. The morphological characters and similarity assessment of rDNA-Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence data were used to measure diversity and habitat associations. A number of 17 species of medicinal macrofungi of ethnomycological and medicinal interest was found associated with 23 species of trees and shrubs belonging to 11 families and 14 genera. Polyporaceae and Hymenochaetaceae were represented by the highest number of species followed by Ganodermataceae, Fomitopsidaceae, Auriculariaceae, Cerrenaceae, Grifolaceae, Phanerochaetaceae, Laetiporaceae, Schizophyllaceae, and Stereaceae. The highest number of medicinal basidiomycete species was reported in the following host genera: Acer, Betula, Celtis, Crataegus, Juglans, Juniperus, Lonicera, Malus, Morus, Platanus, Populus, Prunus, Quercus, and Salix. An updated list of edible and inedible medicinal mushrooms identified in Uzbekistan, their morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic placement are given for the first time. Information is provided on their uses in traditional and modern medicine. Their bioactive compounds and extracts can be applied as medicines, as well as food and cosmetic ingredients.

Simultaneous determination of deuterium-labeled ergosterol and brassicasterol in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

A previous study has shown that brassicasterol-d₁ was detected in the serum of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats after oral administration of ergosterol-d₁. To quantitatively evaluate the serum concentration of brassicasterol-d₁, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous determination of picolinyl ester-derivatized ergosterol-d₁ and brassicasterol-d₁. The separation was performed on an ODS column (Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water containing 0.1% acetic acid (95/5, v/v). Linear calibration curves in the presence of the serum were obtained in a concentration range of 0.04-8 μg mL^-1. Recovery rates of 95.6-119% were obtained with an RSD (n = 6) of less than 7.5%. The method was applied to the determination of time-concentration curves of ergosterol-d₁ and brassicasterol-d₁ in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats, showing a pharmacokinetic profile of ergosterol-d₁ where the peak serum concentration of brassicasterol-d₁ was 3-fold higher than that of ergosterol-d₁.

Discrimination of Zicao Samples Based on DNA Barcoding and HPTLC Fingerprints, and Identification of (22E)-Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one As a Marker Compound

The unambiguous identification of plant material is a prerequisite of rational phytotherapy. Misidentification can even cause serious health problems, as in the case of the Chinese medicinal herb Zicao. Commercial material labelled "Zicao" may be derived from the roots of Arnebia euchroma (ruan zicao), Lithospermum erythrorhizon (ying zicao), or Onosma paniculata (dian zicao). All of these roots contain shikonin derivatives as main bioactive constituents, but ying zicao and dian zicao contain also hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in high amounts. Therefore, the use of A. euchroma with a very low pyrrolizidine alkaloid content is desirable. Confusions of the species occur quite often, indicating an urgent need for an unambiguous identification method. Discrimination of 23 zicao samples has been achieved by analyses of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer ITS2 and trnL-F intergenic spacer of the chloroplast DNA. Data were analyzed using Bioedit, ClustalX, Mega 11 and BLAST. Results indicate that ITS2 barcoding can accurately distinguish Arnebia euchroma from their adulterants. Subsequently, an HPTLC method has been developed allowing a chemical discrimination of the most widely used species. (22E)-Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one has been identified as characteristic marker compound, allowing an unambiguous discrimination of A. euchroma and L. erythrorhizon.

Clinical application and pharmacological mechanism of Wuling powder in the treatment of ascites: A systematic review and network pharmacological analysis

Ascites is one of the common complications in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Wuling powder (WLP) is a classic prescription for the treatment of water retention caused by bladder gasification. It is also widely used in the treatment of ascites. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of WLP and determine its effective chemical components based on a large number of related pieces of literature. The pharmacological effects and chemical constituents of WLP were summarized. Besides, the clinical research status of WLP in the treatment of ascites caused by liver cancer and cirrhosis was analyzed. The key targets and pathways of WLP in the treatment of ascites based on network pharmacology analysis were also discussed. Furthermore, the core components and core targets of WLP in the treatment of ascites using molecular docking were verified and the interaction sites were predicted, to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for the clinical application of WLP.

Targeting the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy in Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays important roles in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Wnt signaling is induced, and β-catenin is activated, associated with the development and progression of renal fibrosis. Wnt/β-catenin controls the expression of various downstream mediators such as snail1, twist, matrix metalloproteinase-7, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, transient receptor potential canonical 6, and renin-angiotensin system components in epithelial cells, fibroblast, and macrophages. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin is usually intertwined with other signaling pathways to promote renal interstitial fibrosis. Actually, given the crucial of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in renal fibrogenesis, blocking this signaling may benefit renal interstitial fibrosis. There are several antagonists of Wnt signaling that negatively control Wnt activation, and these include soluble Fzd-related proteins, the family of Dickkopf 1 proteins, Klotho and Wnt inhibitory factor-1. Furthermore, numerous emerging small-molecule β-catenin inhibitors cannot be ignored to prevent and treat renal fibrosis. Moreover, we reviewed the knowledge focusing on anti-fibrotic effects of natural products commonly used in kidney disease by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, in this review, we summarize recent advances in the regulation, downstream targets, role, and mechanisms of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in renal fibrosis pathogenesis. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway to treat renal fibrosis; this may shed new insights into effective treatment strategies to prevent and treat renal fibrosis.

The Dysregulation of Eicosanoids and Bile Acids Correlates with Impaired Kidney Function and Renal Fibrosis in Chronic Renal Failure

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is an irreversible deterioration of the renal functions that characterized by fluid electrolyte unbalance and metabolic-endocrine dysfunctions. Increasing evidence demonstrated that metabolic disturbances, especially dyslipidemia and profound changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism were involved in CRF. Identification of lipids associated with impaired kidney functions may play important roles in the understanding of biochemical mechanism and CRF treatment. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-definition mass spectrometry-based lipidomics was performed to identify important differential lipids in adenine-induced CRF rats and investigate the undergoing anti-fibrotic mechanism of Polyporus umbellatus (PPU) and ergone (ERG). Linear correlation analysis was performed between lipid species intensities and creatinine levels in serum. Adenine-induced rats exhibited declining kidney function and renal fibrosis. Compared with control rats, a panel of lipid species was identified in the serum of CRF rats. Our further study demonstrated that eight lipids, including leukotrienes and bile acids, presented a strong linear correlation with serum creatinine levels. In addition, receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that eight lipids exhibited excellent area under the curve for differentiating CRF from control rats, with high sensitivity and specificity. The aberrant changes of clinical biochemistry data and dysregulation of eight lipids could be significantly improved by the administration of PPU and ergone. In conclusion, CRF might be associated with the disturbance of leukotriene metabolism, bile acid metabolism and lysophospholipid metabolism. The levels of eicosanoids and bile acids could be used for indicating kidney function impairment in CRF. PPU could improve renal functions and either fully or partially reversed the levels of eicosanoids and bile acids.

Polyporus Umbellatus Protects Against Renal Fibrosis by Regulating Intrarenal Fatty Acyl Metabolites

Background: Chronic renal failure (CRF) results in significant dyslipidemia and profound changes in lipid metabolism. Polyporus umbellatus (PPU) has been shown to prevent kidney injury and subsequent kidney fibrosis. Methods: Lipidomic analysis was performed to explore the intrarenal profile of lipid metabolites and further investigate the effect of PPU and its main bioactive component, ergone, on disorders of lipid metabolism in rats induced by adenine. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed for choosing intrarenal differential lipid species in CRF rats and the intervening effect of n-hexane extract of PPU and ergone on CRF rats. Results: Compared with control group, decreased creatinine clearance rate indicated declining kidney function in CRF group. Based on the lipidomics, we identified 65 lipid species that showed significant differences between CRF and control groups. The levels of 12 lipid species, especially fatty acyl lipids including docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid (22n-3), 10,11-Dihydro-12R-hydroxy-leukotriene C4, 3-hydroxydodecanoyl carnitine, eicosapentaenoic acid, hypogeic acid and 3-hydroxypentadecanoic acid had a strong linear correlation with creatinine clearance rate, which indicated these lipid species were associated with impaired renal function. In addition, receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that 12 lipid species had high area under the curve values with high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating CRF group from control group. These changes are related to the perturbation of fatty acyl metabolism. Treatment with PPU and ergone improved the impaired kidney function and mitigated renal fibrosis. Both chemometrics and cluster analyses showed that rats treated by PPU and ergone could be separated from CRF rats by using 12 lipid species. Intriguingly, PPU treatment could restore the levels of 12 lipid species, while treatment with ergone could only reverse the changes of six fatty acids in CRF rats. Conclusion: Altered intrarenal fatty acyl metabolites were implicated in pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. PPU and ergone administration alleviated renal fibrosis and partially improved fatty acyl metabolism. These findings suggest that PPU exerted its renoprotective effect by regulating fatty acyl metabolism as a potential biochemical mechanism. Therefore, these findings indicated that fatty acyl metabolism played an important role in renal fibrosis and could be considered as an effective therapeutic avenue against renal fibrosis.

Diuretic Effect and Metabolomics Analysis of Crude and Salt-Processed Plantaginis Semen

Plantaginis Semen (PS) is well recognized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and health products. Crude PS (CPS) and salt-processed CPS (SPS) are the two most commonly used decoction pieces of PS, and are included in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Although they all have multiple effects, the mechanisms for treating diseases are different and remain unclear, the processing mechanism of SPS is also indeterminate, which hinders their clinical application to a certain extent. In order to solve these problems and further develop PS in the clinical application. Here, we used saline-loaded model rats for experiments, and utilized an integrated approach consisting of pharmacological methods and metabolomics, which could assess the diuretic impact of CPS and SPS ethanol extracts on saline-loaded rats and elucidate the underlying mechanism. The results showed that CPS and SPS both produced increased urine volume excretion and urine electrolyte excretion, but the levels of aldosterone (ALD) and aquaporin 2 (AQP2) were decreased. And 30 differential metabolites such as linoleic acid, lysoPC(O-18:0), sphingosine-1-phosphate, lysoPC(18:0) were found, mainly involving three metabolic pathways. In conclusion, CPS and SPS both have a diuretic effect, and that of SPS is better. This work investigated the possible diuretic mechanisms of CPS and SPS which may also be the mechanism of PS for anti-hypertension. In addition, a holistic approach provided novel and helpful insights into the underlying processing mechanisms of TCM.

The structural composition of components contributes to the superiority of the geoherb Alisma orientale for "diuresis and diffusing dampness"

The purpose of this study is to explore the intrinsic reasons for the superiority of the salt-made geoherb Alisma orientale via comparing the content of various components of the salt-made geoherb Alisma orientale. The effects of "diuresis and diffusing dampness" using salt-made Alisma orientale from seven different origins were investigated through pharmacodynamic experiments in vivo and in vitro. The results indicated that salt-made Alisma orientale from different origins had diuretic efficacy; this was demonstrated by the significant increase in the volume of rat urine, the concentration of Na+, K+, and Cl- in the urine, and the significant decrease in the levels of AQP-2 in rat renal medulla and HK-2 cells. It was also revealed that the diuretic effect of salt-made Alisma orientale from Fujian Province is stronger than those from other provinces. Moreover, the main components and their proportions in the salt-made Alisma orientale samples were further analyzed via principal component analysis. The results showed that alisol A 24-acetate, alisol B, and 23-acetyl alisol B are the main components of salt-made Alisma orientale, and the optimal structural ratio of alisol A 24-acetate, alisol B, and 23-acetyl alisol B was found to be 5.38 : 14.34 : 11.31 via optimizing the ratios of the three main components. It is worth noting that the optimal ratio of the three main components after optimization is the closest to the ratio of the three main components in salt-made Alisma orientale from Fujian Province. This paper reveals the "mystery" of the content ratio of the main active components and its effect on the efficacy, and showed that the proportional relationship between the content of multiple components is the key to their interactions. Therefore, this method of evaluating the quality of salt-made Alisma orientale is obviously reliable, and this study lays the foundations for quality evaluation of salt-made Alisma orientale and other herb slices.

Small molecule inhibitors of epithelial-mesenchymal transition for the treatment of cancer and fibrosis

Tissue fibrosis and cancer both lead to high morbidity and mortality worldwide; thus, effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Because drug resistance has been widely reported in fibrotic tissue and cancer, developing a strategy to discover novel targets for targeted drug intervention is necessary for the effective treatment of fibrosis and cancer. Although many factors lead to fibrosis and cancer, pathophysiological analysis has demonstrated that tissue fibrosis and cancer share a common process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is associated with many mediators, including transcription factors (Snail, zinc-finger E-box-binding protein and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), signaling pathways (transforming growth factor-β1, RAC-α serine/threonine-protein kinase, Wnt, nuclear factor-kappa B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, Notch, and RAS), RNA-binding proteins (ESRP1 and ESRP2) and microRNAs. Therefore, drugs targeting EMT may be a promising therapy against both fibrosis and tumors. A large number of compounds that are synthesized or derived from natural products and their derivatives suppress the EMT by targeting these mediators in fibrosis and cancer. By targeting EMT, these compounds exhibited anticancer effects in multiple cancer types, and some of them also showed antifibrotic effects. Therefore, drugs targeting EMT not only have both antifibrotic and anticancer effects but also exert effective therapeutic effects on multiorgan fibrosis and cancer, which provides effective therapy against fibrosis and cancer. Taken together, the results highlighted in this review provide new concepts for discovering new antifibrotic and antitumor drugs.

A systems pharmacology approach to investigate the mechanism of Oryeong-san formula for the treatment of hypertension

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Oryeong-san (ORS) is a traditional formula that has long been used for the treatment of dysfunctions of body fluids and electrolyte homeostasis in Korea, China and Japan. Recent reports have shown that ORS may suppress hypertension by controlling the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the kidney, but its action mechanism has not been well defined.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to decipher the ORS mechanisms in the treatment of hypertension using a systems pharmacology approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The compounds of ORS were obtained from the TM-MC (database of medicinal materials and chemical compounds in Northeast Asian traditional medicine), and the drug-likeness (DL) and oral bioavailability (OB) of the compounds were evaluated. The potential targets of the compounds were identified using various pharmacology databases. To analyze the mechanisms of the ORS for hypertension, a Compound-Target-Disease (C-T-D) network was established with respect to the genes related to hypertension.

RESULTS

A screening evaluation of the DL and OB of the ORS compounds identified a list of 232 active compounds. The pharmacological activity of the targets was investigated by exploring the interaction network between the compounds and the targets. Analysis of the interactions between the compounds and the hypertension-related targets revealed that 14 ORS compounds regulate the RAAS and vasoconstrictors in the kidney.

CONCLUSIONS

This study used the systems pharmacology approach to decipher the mechanisms of action of ORS for the treatment of hypertension. When hypertension drugs and ORS are used in combination for treatment, possible side effects should be considered because most hypertension drugs are related to the RAAS. The results of this study may provide clues to not only analyze the pharmacological activity of ORS for the treatment of hypertension but other diseases as well.

Unilateral ureteral obstruction causes gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome disorders contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the risk and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have revealed marked changes in the composition of the microbiome and the metabolome and their potential influence in renal disease and CVD via the accumulation of microbial-derived uremic toxins. However, the effect of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) on the gut microbiome and circulating metabolites is unknown. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to UUO and sham-operated control groups. Renal histology, colonic microbiota, and plasma metabolites were examined two weeks later. We employed 16S rRNA sequence and untargeted metabolomic analyses to explore the changes in colonic microbiota and plasma metabolites and their relationship with tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF). The UUO rats exhibited tubular atrophy and dilatation, interstitial fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the obstructed kidney. UUO rats showed significant colonic enrichment and depletion of genera. Significant differences were identified in 219 plasma metabolites involved in lipid, amino acid, and bile acid metabolism, which were consistent with gut microbiota-related metabolism. Interestingly, tryptophan and its metabolites kynurenine, 5-hydroxytryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels, which were linked with TIF, correlated with nine specific genera. Plasma tryptophan level was positively correlated with Clostridium IV, Turicibacter, Pseudomonas and Lactobacillales, and negatively correlated with Oscillibacter, Blautia, and Intestinimonas, which possess the genes encoding tryptophan synthase (K16187), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (K00463) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (K00453) and their corresponding enzymes (EC:1.13.11.52 and EC:1.13.11.11) that exacerbate TIF. In conclusion, UUO results in profound changes in the gut microbiome and circulating metabolites, events that contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammation and TIF.

Natural products for the prevention and treatment of kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the common causes resulting in a high morbidity and mortality. Renal fibrosis is the main pathological features of CKD. Natural products have begun to gain widely popularity worldwide for promoting healthcare and preventing CKD, and have been used as a conventional or complementary therapy for CKD treatment.

PURPOSE

The present paper reviewed the therapeutic effects of natural products on CKD and revealed the molecular mechanisms of their anti-fibrosis.

METHODS

All the available information on natural products against renal fibrosis was collected via a library and electronic search (using Web of Science, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Splinker, etc.).

RESULTS

Accumulated evidence demonstrated that natural products exhibited the beneficial effects for CKD treatment and against renal fibrosis. This review presents an overview of the molecular mechanism of CKD and natural products against renal fibrosis, followed by an in-depth discussion of their molecular mechanism of natural products including isolated compounds and crude extracts against renal fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. A number of isolated compounds have been confirmed to retard renal fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

The review provides comprehensive insights into pathophysiological mechanisms of CKD and natural products against renal fibrosis. Particular challenges are presented and placed within the context of future applications of natural products against renal fibrosis.

Chemical composition and bioactive properties of the wild mushroom Polyporus squamosus (Huds.) Fr: a study with samples from Romania

In Eastern Europe, wild mushrooms are widely collected in mountain areas and used for their medicinal properties or as healthy foods. This study aimed at determining the chemical composition (nutritional value, free sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids and tocopherols) and bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiquorum sensing) of wild Polyporus squamosus (Huds.) Fr from Romania. The results indicate that the fruiting bodies of P. squamosus are rich in carbohydrates (74.22 g per 100 g dw) and proteins (18.7 g per 100 g dw). Trehalose was the main free sugar, while malic acid was the organic acid detected in the highest amount (2.21 g per 100 g dw), and p-hydroxybenzoic acid was the main phenolic compound. Among tocopherols, β-tocopherol was the most abundant form (114.7 μg per 100 g dw). Additionally, regarding the fatty acids' pattern, polyunsaturated acids represent more than 57% of all fatty acids, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (24.96%). The highest measured antioxidant effect of P. squamosus extract was found using the TBARS inhibition assay (EC₅₀ = 0.22 mg mL^-1), followed by the β-carotene/linoleate assay (EC₅₀ = 1.41 mg mL^-1). A minimal inhibitory concentration of the tested extracts was obtained between 0.61-20.4 mg mL^-1, while the bactericidal effect was achieved between 1.2-40.8 mg mL^-1. Antibiofilm potential was obtained at all tested concentrations, and subinhibitory concentrations of the extract exhibited an antiquorum effect and reduced the formation of P. aeruginosa pili, which all together influenced the virulence of this bacterium. Due to the investigated bioactivities and compounds of P. squamosus and its well-balanced nutritional profile, this mushroom can be further used as a medicinal ingredient based on its antioxidative and antimicrobial potential.

Targeting cancer initiating cells by promoting cell differentiation and restoring chemosensitivity via dual inactivation of STAT3 and src activity using an active component of antrodia cinnamomea mycelia

Cancer initiating cells (CICs) represent a subpopulation of cancer cells, which are responsible for tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy. Herein, we first used a cell-based aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity assay to identify that YMGKI-2 (also named as Ergone), an active component purified from Antrodia cinnamomea Mycelia extract (ACME), effectively abrogated the ALDH activity and abolished the CICs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells (HNSCCs). Consequently, YMGKI-2 treatment suppressed self-renewal ability and expression of stemness signature genes (Oct-4 and Nanog) of sphere cells with enriched CICs. Moreover, YMGKI-2 treated sphere cells displayed reduction of CICs properties and promotion of cell differentiation, but not significant cytotoxicity. YMGKI-2 treatment also attenuated the tumorigenicity of HNSCC cells in vivo. Mechanistically, treatment of YMGKI-2 resulted in inactivation of STAT3 and Src. Lastly, combinatorial treatments with YMGKI-2 and standard chemotherapeutic drugs (cisplatin or Fluorouracil) restored the chemosensivity on sphere cells and cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cells. Together, we demonstrate that YMGKI-2 treatment effectively induces differentiation and reduces tumorigenicity of CICs. Further, combined treatment of YMGKI-2 and conventional chemotherapy can overcome chemoresistance. These results suggest that YMGKI-2 treatment may be used to improve future clinical responses in head and neck cancer treatment through targeting CICs.

Evaluation of bioactivities and phenolic contents of wild edible mushrooms from northeastern Thailand

Twenty-five wild edible mushrooms from Northeastern Thailand were analyzed for their antioxidant activities, proteins, sugars, β-glucan, and phenolic profiles. Results showed that T. clypeatus and V. volvacea exhibited the greatest scavenging activity (83.07 and 86.60%) and reductive power (9.79 and 8.42 g Fe(II)/kg, respectively). T. clypeatus recorded the highest content of (+)-catechin and naringenin (13.40 and 0.74 g/kg dw), with V. volvacea the highest amount of quercetin and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (1.82 and 1.16 g/kg dw, respectively). Both T. clypeatus and V. volvacea also exhibited the greatest amounts of β-glucan (125.23 and 344.43 g/kg dw) and protein (343.30 and 452.20 g/kg dw, respectively) among the mushroom species evaluated. Results suggested that both T. clypeatus and V. volvacea were a good source of healthy compounds, namely β-glucan and flavonoids, and could be used to mitigate diseases involving free radicals.

Role of RAS/Wnt/β-catenin axis activation in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury and tubulo-interstitial nephropathy

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recent studies have demonstrated activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway by RAS in CKD. However, the underlying mechanisms of RAS and Wnt/β-catenin signaling interaction and their contribution to the pathogenesis of CKD have not been fully elucidated. Present study is designed to investigate the role of RAS/Wnt/β-catenin axis activation in tubulo-interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis by the cultured HK-2 and podocytes. HK-2 cells and podocytes are treated by angiotensin II (Ang II). Ang II up-regulates expression of various Wnt mRNA and active β-catenin protein in HK-2 cells and podocytes in the time- and dose-dependent manners. In addition, Ang II induces injury, oxidative stress and inflammation and impaired Nrf2 activation in HK-2 cells and podocytes. This was accompanied by up-regulations of RAS components as well as Wnt1, activated β-catenin and its target proteins. RAS/Wnt/β-catenin axis activation results in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in HK-2 cells and injuries podocytes. The effect of Ang II is inhibited by losartan and ICG-001, a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor. We further found that treatment with natural products, ergone, alisol B 23-acetate and pachymic acid B inhibit extracellular matrix accumulation in HK-2 cells and attenuated podocyte injury, in part, by inhibiting Ang II induced RAS/Wnt/β-catenin axis activation. In summary, activation of RAS/Wnt/β-catenin axis results in podocytes and tubular epithelial cell, injury and up-regulations of oxidative, inflammatory and fibrotic pathways. These adverse effects are ameliorated by ergone, alisol B 23-acetate and pachymic acid B. Therefore, these natural products could be considered as novel Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitors and anti-fibrotic agents.

Metabolomics highlights pharmacological bioactivity and biochemical mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted increasing interest throughout the world because of its potential complementary therapy and an abundant source for new drug discovery. TCM possesses the significant bioactivity of the use of multi-component drugs and can act multiple targets by multiple components. Metabolomics is a holistic investigation of numerous metabolite responses of complex biology systems to pathological stimuli and drug treatments based on the global metabolic profiles in complex biological matrixes. It provides variation of systematic metabolic networks for characterizing pathological states in animal models and clinical studies. In agreement with the holistic thinking of TCM, metabolomics has shown potential in bioactivity evaluation and action mechanism of TCM as well as pharmaceutical research and development. Recently, different metabolomic technologies have been applied to the modernization of TCM and treatments of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease and metabolic disease. Based on the reported literature, this paper introduced the application of metabolomics in efficacy evaluation of TCM and its biochemical action mechanism.

Chemical composition and diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic effects of extracts of Mimosa bimucronata (DC.) Kuntze leaves and its majority constituent methyl gallate in rats

Objectives

Some species of the genus Mimosa showed promising results in previous investigations, which include diuretic effect; however, no chemical analyses or animal model has been conducted so far to evaluate the biological properties of M. bimucronata.

Methods

Male Wistar rats received the oral treatment with vehicle; hydrochlorothiazide; methanolic extract from M. bimucronata (MEMB), dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate (EA) fractions or methyl gallate (MG). The cumulative urine volume, electrolytes excretion, pH and osmolality were determined at the end of the experiment.

Key findings

The chemical studies demonstrated that the phenolic compounds are the majorities in the plant, with the MG being the main substance identified. We showed that MEMB and EA fraction, but not DCM, exhibited diuretic and saluretic effects. Similarly, the MG also revealed diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic properties to both normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, fully prevented MG-induced diuresis and saluresis. In addition, MG did not alter the viability of A7r5 and L929 cell lines and neither stimulated nitric oxide generation.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that M. bimucronata extracts and its majority compound MG present diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic properties, which was dependent on the activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor.

Diuretic and antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract of leaves of Vepris heterophylla (Engl.) R. Let (Rutaceae) in rats

Background

Vepris heterophylla (Rutaceae) is a medicinal plant used empirically in African traditional medicine for many clinical conditions including edematous disorders and hypertension. V. heterophylla aqueous extract has been used in northern part of Cameroon by traditional healers for the treatment of arterial hypertension. The study aim was to assess the putative diuretic and antioxidant properties of V. heterophylla leaves aqueous extract.

Methods

Adult rats were administered with V. heterophylla leaves aqueous extract acutely (24 h) at doses 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/kg (per os). The two positive control groups received the diuretic drugs furosemide (5 mg/kg) and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, 10 mg/kg), while negative control group received only an equivalent volume of distilled water. Urinary elimination of electrolytes in response to treatments was evaluated, together with changes in concentrations of creatinine, urea, aldosterone, glucose and albumin in urine and plasma. Various urinary indicators of kidney function and plasmatic markers of oxidative stress were also assessed.

Results

The findings indicated that the aqueous extract of V. heterophylla at doses ranging from 150 to 250 mg/kg caused a significant and dose-dependent increase of urinary water and electrolytes excretion in normal rats. The aqueous extract of the leaves of V. heterophylla accelerated the elimination of overloaded fluid. At the maximum of diuretic response, urinary osmolarity decreased significantly when compared with controls. Oral administration of aqueous extract at different doses produced a significant diuresis and slight increase in electrolytes (Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻) excretion. The results obtained were compared with standard drug-furosemide (5 mg/kg) and hydrochlorothiazide (10 mg/kg). These effects were observed predominantly at 250 mg/kg dose.

Conclusions

Our findings strongly suggest that V. heterophylla aqueous extract has diuretic and antioxidant activities, and deserves further studies considering the potential for the treatment of hypertension.

A pharmaco-metabonomic study on chronic kidney disease and therapeutic effect of ergone by UPLC-QTOF/HDMS

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important public health problem. Ergone has been proved to prevent the progression of CKD. UPLC-QTOF/HDMS was employed for metabolic profiling of adenine-induced CKD and to investigate the nephroprotective effects of ergone. Pharmacology parameters including blood biochemistry, histopathological evaluation and Western blot analysis were performed concurrently. The UPLC-MS data were analyzed by partial least squares-discriminate analysis, correlation analysis, heatmap analysis and mapped to KEGG pathways. Blood and serum biochemistry were observed to be significantly different in the CKD group than in the control group. In conjunction with biochemistry, histopathology and protein expression results, identified metabolites indicated perturbations in fatty acid metabolism, purine metabolism and amino acid metabolism as changes associated with adenine-induced CKD and the interventions of ergone. Upregulated expression of TGF-β1, ED-1, CTGF, bFGF and collagen I was observed in the CKD group. However, downregulated expression of these proteins was observed after oral administration of ergone. These results suggest that expression changes in these proteins had implications for fatty acid metabolism, purine metabolism and amino acid metabolism in the development of CKD and that ergone treatment could delay the development of CKD by normalizing or blocking abnormal changes in biomarker metabolites and protein expression in the CKD group.

Diuretic and anti-diuretic activities of fractions of Alismatis rhizoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Alismatis rhizoma or Alisma orientale (Zexie in Chinese), the dried rhizome of Alisma orientale Juzepzuk (Alismataceae), is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and is used as an agent for diuresis and for excreting dampness in China and Japan. In this paper, we report the diuretic activities of the petroleum ether fraction, the ethyl acetate fraction, the n-buthanol fraction, and the remaining fraction, of the ethanol extract of Alismatis rhizoma (AR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The single dose of the petroleum ether fraction, the ethyl acetate fraction, the n-buthanol fraction, and the remaining fraction, of the ethanol extract of AR were orally administered to rats. Urinary excretion rate, pH and electrolyte excretion were measured in the urine of saline-loaded rats.

RESULTS

In this study, the 100 and 400mg/kg doses of the ethyl acetate fraction and the 12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg doses of the n-butanol fraction all produced an increase in urine volume excretion, and all produced a remarkable increase in urine electrolyte excretion. Although the 800mg/kg doses of the ethyl acetate fraction, the 75 and 100mg/kg doses of the n-butanol fraction and the 12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg doses of the remaining fraction significantly decreased the urine output in 6h, the urine Na(+) and Cl(-) excretion were markedly decreased with the n-butanol fraction (75 and 100mg/kg doses) and the remaining fraction (12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg doses) while the ethyl acetate fraction at 800mg/kg doses had slight effect on urine electrolyte excretion. The petroleum ether fraction did not show remarkable diuretic activity in comparison with control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our present study determined that the ethyl acetate fraction and the n-butanol fraction present notable diuretic effects, and we found a dual effect on renal function showed by AR, including promoting diuretic activity and inhibiting diuretic activity. The components with strong polarities in AR may have anti-diuretic activities, which might be an effect of promoting the sodium-chloride co-transporter in the distal tubule.

ESTs analysis of putative genes engaged in Polyporus umbellatus sclerotial development

Polyporus umbellatus is one of the most widely used and precious medicinal fungi and the underground sclerotia are known to be with great medicinal value. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in sclerotial development are poorly understood. In the present study, we constructed a forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library of Polyporus umbellatus to identify genes expressing differently between mycelium and sclerotia. In this library, a total of 1202 clones were sequenced, assembled into 222 contigs and 524 singletons which were further searched against the NCBI nonredundant (NR) protein database (E-value cutoff, 10⁻⁵). Based on sequence similarity with known proteins, 378 sequences between mycelium and sclerotial were identified and classified into different functional categories through Gene Ontology (GO), Clusters of orthologous Groups of proteins (COGs). We have finally identified a majority of differentially expressed genes (constituting 5.6% of the present library) between the two different periods. An expression level of 32 selected expressed sequence tags (ESTs) generated from the above SSH cDNA library was studied through RT-PCR. This study provides the first global overview of genes putatively involved in Polyporus umbellatus sclerotial development and provides a preliminary basis for further functional research in terms of regulated gene expression in sclerotial production.

Diuretic and anti-diuretic activities of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of Alismatis rhizoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Alismatis rhizoma or Alisma orientale (Zexie in Chinese), the dried rhizome of Alisma orientale Juzepzuk (Alismataceae), is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and is used as an agent for diuresis and for excreting dampness in Asia and Europe. In this paper, we report the diuretic activities of the ethanol extract (EE) and the aqueous extract (AE) of A. rhizoma (AR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The EE and AE were orally administered to rats. The urinary excretion rate and pH, and electrolyte excretion were measured in the urine of saline-loaded rats.

RESULTS

The results showed that EE could increase the urine output at 2.5, 5 and 10mg/kg doses but decrease the urine output at 20, 40 and 80mg/kg doses compared with the control group. The 5 and 10mg/kg doses of EE increased the urine electrolyte excretion, but the effects on Na(+)/K(+) values were too weak to reach statistical significance. The Na(+) excretion and Cl(-) excretion were markedly decreased with the 20, 40 and 80mg/kg doses of EE, but the effect on K(+) excretion was notably slight. All of the tested doses of AE produced an increase in urinary excretion, but the increase did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified that EE but not AE presents a notable diuretic effect, and EE had diuretic and anti-diuretic effects, which appears to be related to the sodium-chloride co-transporter in the renal distal convoluting tubule. This study demonstrated for the first time that the EE of AR has a dual effect on renal function, including promotion of diuretic activity at lower doses and inhibiting diuretic activity at higher doses, and the AR dose should be given more attention in clinical applications. This study will play a critical and guiding role in the dosing of AR as a diuretic drug in clinical applications.

Diuretic activity of some fractions of the epidermis of Poria cocos

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Poria cocos Wolf (Polyporaceae) is a well-known medicinal fungus, the epidermis ("Fu-Ling-Pi" in Chinese) of the sclerotia is used as a diuretic for treating oedema and promoting the diuretic process. In this paper we report on the diuretic activity in rats of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and the remaining fractions of the ethanol extract from the epidermis of Poria cocos.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and the remaining fractions of the ethanol extract of Fu-Ling-Pi were orally administered to rats. The urinary excretion rate and the pH and electrolyte excretion were measured in the urine of saline-loaded rats.

RESULTS

In this study, all the tested fractions of Fu-Ling-Pi increased the urinary excretion rate. The three doses of the ethyl acetate fraction all produced remarkable urinary output in 6h, and all produced a remarkable increase in Na(+) excretion and Cl(-) excretion. The Na(+)/K(+) value in the experimental group was significantly enhanced compared with that of the control group, but the three doses of the ethyl acetate fraction had no effect on the K(+) excretion. The 25-mg/kg and 50-mg/kg doses of the n-butanol fraction showed notable urinary output and produced a remarkable increase of Na(+) excretion and Cl(-) excretion, but the two doses did not produce a remarkable effect on the Na(+)/K(+) value. The petroleum ether and remaining fractions did not show remarkable diuretic activities compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed that the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions present a remarkable diuretic effect, showing that they are the diuretic bioactive fractions of Fu-Ling-Pi. This finding appears to indicate at least two mechanisms for the observed diuretic activity, and the K(+)-saving diuretic effect may be related to the triterpenoid components of intermediate polarity contained in this fungus, particularly the lanostanes tetracyclic triterpenoids.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and quality control of Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fries: a review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fries (Polyporaceae, Zhuling ) has been commonly used in medicine for a wide range of ailments related to the edema, scanty urine, vaginal discharge, urinary dysfunction, as well as jaundice and diarrhea.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

The present paper reviewed the traditional uses, propagation, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and quality control of Polyporus umbellatus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All the available information on Polyporus umbellatus was collected via a library and electronic search (using Web of Science, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Splinker, Google Scholar, etc.).

RESULTS

Phytochemical studies showed the presence of many valuable secondary metabolites such as steroids, polysaccharides, anthraquinones and nucleosides. Crude extracts and isolated compounds showed a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities including diuretic, nephroprotective, anti-cancer, immuno-enhancing, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities. The pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that the ergosterol and ergone had a high distribution and absorption in the plasma and the two main components of Polyporus umbellatus were mainly excreted by faeces. The determination of multiple chemical components was successfully applied to the quality control of Polyporus umbellatus.

CONCLUSIONS

Modern phytochemical, pharmacological and metabonomic investigations showed that the crude extracts and isolated compounds from Polyporus umbellatus possess many kinds of biological functions, especially in the diuretic activities and the treatment of kidney diseases as well as anti-cancer, immuno-enhancing and hepatoprotective activities. The pathways of the distribution, absorption, metabolism and excretion of main steroidal compounds were clarified by pharmacokinetic studies. Most of the pharmacological studies were conducted using crude and poorly characterized extracts of Polyporus umbellatus in animals especially in case of diuretic activities and the treatment of kidney diseases. Thus, more bioactive components especially diuretic compounds should be identified using bioactivity-guided isolation strategies and the possible mechanism of action as well as potential synergistic or antagonistic effects of multi-component mixtures derived from Polyporus umbellatus need to be evaluated integrating pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, bioavailability-centered and physiological approaches. In addition, more experiments including in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies should be encouraged to identify any side effects or toxicity. These achievements will further expand the existing therapeutic potential of Polyporus umbellatus and provide a beneficial support to its future further clinical use in modern medicine.

Renal metabolic profiling of early renal injury and renoprotective effects of Poria cocos epidermis using UPLC Q-TOF/HSMS/MSE

Poria cocos epidermis is one of ancient traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), which is usually used for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for thousands of years in China. A metabonomic approach based on ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight high-sensitivity mass spectrometry (UPLC Q-TOF/HSMS) and a mass spectrometry(Elevated Energy) (MS(E)) data collection technique was developed to obtained a systematic view of the development and progression of CKD and biochemistry mechanism of therapeutic effects of P. cocos epidermis (Fu-Ling-Pi, FLP). By partial least squares-discriminate analysis, 19 metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers of CKD. Among the 19 biomarkers, 10 biomarkers including eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, lysoPC(20:4), lysoPC(18:2), lysoPC(15:0), lysoPE(20:0/0:0), indoxyl sulfate, hippuric acid, p-cresol sulfate and allantoin were reversed to the control level in FLP-treated groups. The study indicates that FLP treatment can ameliorate CKD by intervening in some dominating metabolic pathways, such as fatty acid metabolism, phospholipid metabolism, purine metabolism and tryptophan metabolism. This work was for the first time to investigate the FLP therapeutic effect based on metabonomics technology, which is a potentially powerful tool to study the TCMs.

Cloud-point extraction combined with liquid chromatography for the determination of ergosterol, a natural product with diuretic activity, in rat plasma, urine, and faeces

Ergosterol from many medicinal fungi has been demonstrated to possess a variety of pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro. A new method based on cloud-point extraction has been developed, optimized and validated for the determination of ergosterol in rat plasma, urine and faeces by liquid chromatography. The non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 was chosen as the extract solvent. The chromatographic separation was performed on an Inertsil ODS-3 analytical column with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (98 : 2, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The methodology was validated completely. The results indicated good performance in terms of specificity, linearity, detection and quantification limits, precision and accuracy. The method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic studies of ergosterol in rats. The results indicate that the ergosterol levels in feces are much higher than those in plasma and urine of the rat.

Genetic diversity and evolution of Chinese traditional medicinal fungus Polyporus umbellatus (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

BACKGROUND

Polyporus umbellatus is an important medicinal fungus distributed throughout most area of China. Its wide distribution may have resulted in substantial intraspecific genetic diversity for the fungus, potentially creating variation in its medical value. To date, we know little about the intraspecific genetic diversity of P. umbellatus.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The objective of this research was to assess genetic differences of P. umbellatus from geographically diverse regions of China based on nrDNA ITS and 28S rRNA (LSU, large subunit) sequences. Significant sequence variations in the ITS and LSU sequences were detected. All sclerotial samples were clustered into four clades based on phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU and a combined data set of both regions. Heterogeneity of ITS and LSU sequences was detected in 5 and 7 samples respectively. All clone sequences clustered into the same clade except for one LSU clone sequences (from Henan province) which clustered into two clades (Clade I and Clade II). Significant genetic divergence in P. umbellatus was observed and the genetic diversification was greater among sclerotial samples from Shaanxi, Henan and Gansu provinces than among other provinces. Polymorphism of ITS and LSU sequences indicated that in China, P. umbellatus may spread from a center (Shaanxi, Henan and Gansu province) to other regions.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

We found sclerotial samples of P. umbellatus contained levels of intraspecific genetic diversity. These findings suggested that P. umbellatus populations in Shaanxi, Henan and Gansu are important resources of genetic diversity and should be conserved accordingly.

UPLC-Q-TOF/HSMS/MS(E)-based metabonomics for adenine-induced changes in metabolic profiles of rat faeces and intervention effects of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone), isolated from the medicinal fungus Polyporus umbellatus, has been proven to prevent the progression of renal injury and the subsequent renal fibrosis. Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight high-sensitivity mass spectrometry and a novel mass spectrometry(Elevated Energy) (MS(E)) data collection technique was employed to investigate metabonomic characters of chronic renal failure (CRF) induced adenine and the protective effects of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone). Coupled with blood biochemistry and kidney histopathology results, the significant difference in metabolic profiling between adenine-induced CRF group and ergone-treated CRF group by using pattern recognition analysis indicated that changes in global faecal metabolites were occurred. Seven endogenous metabolites were identified by using metabonomic method combined with multivariate data analysis, the accurate mass, isotopic pattern, MS(E) fragments information and MassLynx i-FIT algorithm. These biochemical changes in faecal metabolites are related to the perturbations of bile acid metabolism and phospholipid metabolism, which may be helpful to further understand the CRF and therapeutic mechanisms of ergone. This research proved that MS(E) can simultaneous acquire precursor ion information and fragment ion data at high and low collision energy in one analytical run, which facilitated the fast structural characterization of metabolites.

A sensitive spectrofluorometric method for determination of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one in rat plasma, feces, and urine for application to pharmacokinetic studies using cerium(III) as a probe

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) isolated from Polyporus umbellatus possesses a variety of pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro, including cytotoxic, diuretic, and immunosuppressive effect. The interaction of cerium ions (Ce(3+)) with ergone was studied by fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy. Spectra data revealed that Ce(3+) ions exhibited emission maxima around 350 nm when the excitation wavelength was fixed at 255 or 290 nm, and the fluorescence of Ce(3+) ions was quenched by the addition of ergone, indicating that a Ce(3+)-ergone complex was formed. According to the modified Benesi-Hildebrand equation, the binding constant of interaction of Ce(3+) ions with ergone was obtained at room temperature. Based on this, a sensitive spectrofluorometric method using Ce(3+) ions as a probe was applied for the identification and quantification of ergone in rat plasma, feces, and urine. The linear ranges of the calibration curves were 1.31 to 4.50 μM for plasma, 1.12-9.87 μM for feces, and 1.28-3.42 μM for urine, and the ergone recoveries were found to be 97.1 ± 0.9%, 98.2 ± 0.7% and 96.5 ± 1.4% for plasma, feces, and urine, respectively. The intraday and inter-day relative standard deviations were less than 9.7%. The proposed spectrofluorometric method is simple and rapid for the quantitative determination of ergone in rat plasma, feces, and urine, and it is affordable for most laboratories because it has few requirements and uses low cost, easy to operate equipment.

Diuretic activity of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of the surface layer of Poria cocos in rat

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Poria cocos Wolf (Polyporaceae) is a well-known traditional East-Asian medicinal fungus. the epidermis ("Fu-Ling-Pi" in Chinese) of the sclerotia is used as a diuretic. This study was conducted to evaluate of ethanol extract (EE) and aqueous extract (AE) of the diuretic activity of Fu-Ling-Pi in saline-loaded rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The EE and AE were orally administered to rats. Urinary excretion rate, pH and electrolyte excretion were measured in the urine of saline-loaded rats.

RESULTS

Urinary excretion rates were significantly increased by the EE. The three doses of AE only produced a slight increase urinary output. The EE had little or no effect on K(+) excretion, but did indeed induce a notable excretion of Na(+), that was in agreement with the urinary excretion. The three doses of AE produced an increase Na(+) and K(+) excretion, but did not arrive at statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirmed that the not aqueous but ethanol extracts of the epidermis of Poria cocos presents a remarkable diuretic effect.

Effect of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) on adenine-induced chronic renal failure rat: a serum metabonomic study based on ultra performance liquid chromatography/high-sensitivity mass spectrometry coupled with MassLynx i-FIT algorithm

BACKGROUND

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) has been proven to prevent the progression of renal injury and the subsequent renal fibrosis. We investigated the therapeutic effects and mechanism of ergone on a chronic renal failure model of rats induced by adenine.

METHODS

A serum metabonomic method based on the UPLC Q-TOF/MS was undertaken to explore the excretion pattern of low molecular mass metabolites.

RESULTS

Coupled with blood biochemistry and kidney histopathology results, the significant difference in metabolic profiling between adenine-induced chronic renal failure group and the ergone treated group by using pattern recognition analysis indicated that changes in global serum metabolites occurred. Some significantly changed metabolites like lysophosphatidylcholines, adenine, dopamine, creatinine, aspartic acid and phenylalanine have been found and identified. These biochemical changes in serum metabolites are related to the perturbations of amino acid metabolism and lecithin metabolism, which may be helpful to further understand the chronic renal failure and therapeutic mechanisms of ergone.

CONCLUSION

The work shows that the metabonomic method is a valuable tool for studying the essence of chronic kidney disease and therapeutic effect mechanism of preclinical or clinical drug.

Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (ESCi)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with novel mass spectrometry(Elevated Energy) (MS(E)) data collection technique: determination and pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and biliary excretion study of ergone in rat

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) has been proved to have novel antitumor effects on HepG2 cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and biliary excretion of ergone in rats following a single oral administration (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg). The levels of ergone in plasma, tissues, and bile were measured by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (ESCi)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with novel mass spectrometry(Elevated Energy) (MS(E)) data collection technique method. The results show ergone was distributed and eliminated from rat plasma and in non-linear pharmacokinetics from a dose range of 5-20 mg/kg. The ergone was found to distribute widely in the internal organs, with tissue concentrations in order of lungs, spleen, liver, intestine, kidneys, heart, stomach, parorchis, teasticles, and brain. At 12 h after dosing, the tissue concentrations in the organs were markedly decreased. The lungs, spleen, and liver were the dominant organs with high tissue concentrations that might be the primary sites for metabolism and elimination of ergone. Total recoveries of ergone within 24 h in bile were 34.14%.

Interaction of ergosterol with bovine serum albumin and human serum albumin by spectroscopic analysis

This study was designed to examine the interactions of ergosterol with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) under physiological conditions with the drug concentrations in the range of 2.99-105.88 μM and the concentration of proteins was fixed at 5.0 μM. The analysis of emission spectra quenching at different temperatures revealed that the quenching mechanism of HSA/BSA by ergosterol was the static quenching. The number of binding sites n and the binding constants K were obtained at various temperatures. The distance r between ergosterol and HSA/BSA was evaluated according to Föster non-radioactive energy transfer theory. The results of synchronous fluorescence, 3D fluorescence, FT-IR, CD and UV-Vis absorption spectra showed that the conformations of HSA/BSA altered in the presence of ergosterol. The thermodynamic parameters, free energy change (ΔG), enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS) for BSA-ergosterol and HSA-ergosterol systems were calculated by the van't Hoff equation and discussed. Besides, with the aid of three site markers (for example, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen and digitoxin), we have reported that ergosterol primarily binds to the tryptophan residues of BSA/HSA within site I (subdomain II A).

Oryeongsan (Wulingsan), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, induces natriuresis and diuresis along with an inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Oryeongsan (ORS, Wulingsan), a formula composed of five herbal medicines, has long been used for the treatment of impairments of the regulation of body fluid homeostasis in China, Japan and Korea.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the present study was to test the effects of ORS on the renal function and the mechanisms involved in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Experiments were performed in rats caged individually. Renal function and plasma levels of renin activity and aldosterone concentration were measured.

RESULTS

Treatment of ORS resulted in increases in urinary volume, excretion of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-), and glomerular filtration rate, and decreases in urinary osmolality and Na(+) balance. Further, ORS decreased plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration. An increase in urinay excretion of Na(+) was a function of glomerular filtration rate, while the increase in the day-time period was related with the increase in the ratio of urinary Na(+)/K(+).

CONCLUSION

Therefore, the present results suggest that ORS induces diuresis and natriuresis via inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in rats.