Extract from the leaf of nucifera reduced the development of atherosclerosis via inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration

Biological characteristics of foam cell formation in smooth muscle cells derived from bone marrow stem cells

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) can differentiate into diverse cell types, including adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic and myogenic lineages. There are lots of BMSC accumulated in atherosclerosis vessels and differentiate into VSMC. However, it is unclear whether VSMC originated from BMSC (BMSC-SMC) could remodel the vessel in new tunica intima or promote the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study, BMSC were differentiated into VSMC in response to the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and shown to express a number of VSMC markers, such as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain1 (SM-MHC1). BMSC-SMC became foam cells after treatment with 80 mg/L ox-LDL for 72 hours. Ox-LDL could upregulate scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) but downregulate the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and caveolin-1 protein expression, suggesting that modulating relative protein activity contributes to smooth muscle foam cell formation in BMSC-SMC. Furthermore, we found that BMSC-SMC have some biological characteristics that are similar to VSMC, such as the ability of proliferation and secretion of extracellular matrix, but, at the same time, retain some biological characteristics of BMSC, such as a high level of migration. These results suggest that BMSC-SMC could be induced to foam cells and be involved in the development of atherosclerosis.

Protective effect of neferine on endothelial cell nitric oxide production induced by lysophosphatidylcholine: the role of the DDAH–ADMA pathway

Neferine, extracted from the seed embryo of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., has multiple cardiovascular pharmacological effects. The dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) – asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) system is a novel pathway for modulating nitric oxide (NO) production. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the protective effect of neferine on endothelial NO production was related to the DDAH–ADMA pathway. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were first exposed to neferine (0.1, 1.0, or 10.0 μmol/L) for 1 h, and then incubated with lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC; 10 μg/mL) in the presence of neferine for 24 h. The medium was collected for measuring the levels of NO, maleic dialdehyde (MDA), as well as ADMA. The endothelial cells were collected for measuring DDAH activity and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). LPC significantly decreased NO concentration and DDAH activity and increased the levels of ADMA, ROS, and MDA. Neferine could partially counteract the changes induced by LPC. These findings suggested that neferine could modulate the DDAH–ADMA pathway via its antioxidant properties, which was involved in its beneficial effect on endothelial NO production.

Characterization of nuciferine metabolism by P450 enzymes and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases in liver microsomes from humans and animals

AIM

to characterize the metabolism of nuciferine by P450 enzymes and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) in liver microsomes from humans and several other animals including rats, mice, dogs, rabbits and monkeys.

METHODS

nuciferine was incubated with both human and animal liver microsomal fractions containing P450 or UGT reaction components. Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used to separate and identify nuciferine metabolites. Chemical inhibition was used to identify the involved isozymes. Species difference of nuciferine metabolism in human and various animals were investigated in the liver microsomal incubation system.

RESULTS

among the nuciferine metabolites detected and identified, seven were catalyzed by P450 and one by UGT. Ketoconazole inhibited the formation of M292, M294 and M312. Furafylline, 8-methoxypsoralen and quercetin inhibited the formation of M282. Hecogenin showed a significant inhibitory effect on nuciferine glucuronidation. While the P450-catalyzed metabolites showed no species differences, the glucuronidation product was only detected in microsomes from humans and rabbits.

CONCLUSION

the isozymes UGT 1A4, CYP 3A4, 1A2, 2A6 and 2C8 participated in the hepatic metabolism of nuciferine. Based on the observed species-specific hepatic metabolism of nuciferine, rats, mice, dogs and even monkeys are not suitable models for the pharmacokinetics of nuciferine in humans.

Whole body radioprotective activity of an acetone-water extract from the seedpod of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. seedpod

Procyanidins extracted with acetone-water from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seedpod (LSPCs) were evaluated for in vivo radioprotective activity against whole body gamma irradiation in Swiss albino mice. Pretreated with LSPCs 200 mg/kg by intragastric (i.g.) for 15 days was found to be the most effective dose in preventing radiation sickness, reducing radiation-induced mortality, increasing mean survival time and elevating radiation median lethal dose (LD(50)) from 8.9 to 10.5 Gy, indicating a dose modifying factor (DMF) of 1.18. Further, administered LSPCs at a dose of 200 mg/kg could effectively maintain spleen index close to normal, stimulate endogenous spleen colony forming units, promote the levels of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets and hemoglobin in peripheral blood, and prevent spleen and skin damage in irradiated mice, reduce the level of radiation-induced micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in bone marrow, maintain the polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) and normochromatic erythrocytes (NCE) ratio (P/N ratio) and significantly decrease bone marrow chromosomal damage. Alternatively, pretreated with LSPCs (200 mg/kg) significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, and elevated the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes in liver after irradiation. Thus LSPCs possess a strong whole body radioprotective activity, and it may be used as a radioprotector.

Improvement in high-fat diet-induced obesity and body fat accumulation by a Nelumbo nucifera leaf flavonoid-rich extract in mice

Diets high in fat lead to excessive lipid accumulation in adipose tissue, which is a crucial factor in the development of obesity, hepatitis, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity effect of a flavonoid-enriched extract from Nelumbo nucifera leaf (NLFE) in vivo. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity. NLFE reduced the body weight, body lipid accumulation, and activities of fatty acid synthase (FAS), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase. NLFE also suppressed the expression of FAS, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and HMGCoA reductase and increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase in the liver. Taken together, we demonstrated that NLFE targets lipid-regulated enzymes and may be effective in attenuating body lipid accumulation and preventing obesity.