Tanshinones: sources, pharmacokinetics and anti-cancer activities

WITHDRAWN: Metabolic engineering and biotechnological approaches for production of bioactive diterpene tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza

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Salvia miltiorrhiza: an ancient Chinese herbal medicine as a source for anti-osteoporotic drugs

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge), also known as Danshen in Chinese, has been used historically and is currently exploited in combination with other herbs to treat skeletal diseases in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). With the advance of modern analytical technology, a multitude of bone-targeting, pharmaceutically active, compounds has been isolated and characterized from various sources of TCM including those produced in Salvia miltiorrhiza root. The aim of the review is to provide a comprehensive overview about the historical TCM interpretation of the action of Salvia miltiorrhiza in osteoporosis, its use clinical trials, its main phytochemical constituents, and its action on bone-resorptive and bone formation-stimulating mechanisms in in vitro and in vivo studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature sources used were Pubmed, CNKI.net, Cqvip.com, PubChem, and the Web of Science. For the inquiry, keywords such as Salvia, danshen, osteoporosis, bone, osteoclast and osteoblast were used in various combinations. About 130 research papers and reviews were consulted.

RESULTS

In TCM, the anti-osteopororotic effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza is ascribed to its action on liver and blood stasis as main therapeutic targets defining osteoporosis. 36 clinical trials were identified which used Salvia miltiorrhiza in combination with other herbs and components to treat post-menopausal, senile, and secondary osteoporosis. On average the trials were characterized by high efficacy (>80%) and low toxicity problems. However, various limitations such as small patient samples, short treatment duration, frequent lack of detailed numerical data, and no clear endpoints must be taken into consideration. To date, more than 100 individual compounds have been isolated from this plant and tested in various animal models and biochemical assays. Compounds display anti-resorptive and bone formation-stimulating features targeting different pathways in the bone remodeling cycle. Pathways affected include the activation of osteoblasts, the modulation of osteoclastogenesis, and the inhibition of collagen degradation by cathepsin K.

CONCLUSIONS

The inclusion of Salvia miltiorrhiza in more than 30% of all herbal clinical trials successfully targeting osteoporosis has stimulated significant interest in the identification and characterization of individual constituents of this herb. The review highlights the anti-osteoporotic potential of Salvia miltiorrhiza in clinical applications and the potential of the herb to provide potent compounds targeting specific pathways in bone resorption and bone formation.

TPGS-g-PLGA/Pluronic F68 mixed micelles for tanshinone IIA delivery in cancer therapy

Tanshinone IIA (TAN) has few clinical applications for anti-cancer therapy mainly due to its high lipophicity, low cellular uptake, and poor bioavailability. To improve the anti-cancer effect and bioavailability of TAN, we developed a mixed micelle system constituted with D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate-graft-poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (TPGS-g-PLGA) copolymer and Pluronic F68. TAN was encapsulated in the TPGS-g-PLGA/Pluronic F68 mixed micelles by using the thin film hydration technology optimized by the central composite design/response surface method (CCD/RSM). TAN-loaded mixed micelles were highly stable in the presence or absence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and achieved sustained drug release in vitro. Compared with free TAN, TAN mixed micelles had higher cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic effects against human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The significant enhancement on pro-apoptosis by TAN micelles was evidenced by increased chromosome condensation, mitochondria membrane potential loss, cell apoptosis, and cleavages of caspase-3 and PARP. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic studies revealed that TAN mixed micelles significantly prolonged the circulation time and improved bioavailability of TAN in rats. These results demonstrated that TAN-loaded TPGS-g-PLGA/F68 mixed micelles are an effective strategy to deliver TAN for cancer therapy.

Identification of tanshinone IIA as a natural monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor by combined in silico and in vitro approach

Tanshinone IIA was identified as a novel natural MAGL inhibitor by an in silico approach combined with in vitro experimental analysis.

Cerebrospinal fluid pharmacology: an improved pharmacology approach for chinese herbal medicine research

Despite many successful applications of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the treatment and prevention of neurological diseases (ND), the fully scientific understanding of CHM's action mechanisms had been hampered for lack of appropriate methods to explore the combinatorial rules, the synergistic mechanisms, and the molecular basis of CHM. As an improved pharmacology approach, cerebrospinal fluid pharmacology (CSFP), based on the fact that cerebrospinal fluid plays an important role in the health maintenance of specific survival environment for neurons and glial cells, has been constructed and applied to CHM research for treating ND. In the present review, the concept and advantages of CSFP are briefly introduced. The approaches and key technologies of CSFP in CHM research are also collated and analyzed. Furthermore, the developing tendency of CSFP is summarized, and its framework in CHM research is also proposed. In summary, CSFP provides a new strategy not only to eliminate some barriers of CHM research for treating ND, but also to broaden the pharmacology research for bridging the gap between CHM and modern medicine. Moreover, the advancements in CSFP will bring about a conceptual move in active ingredients discovery of CHM and make a significant contribution to CHM modernization and globalization.

Effects of tanshinone on hyperandrogenism and the quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: protocol of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial

INTRODUCTION

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in reproductive-age women. Chinese herbal medicine has been used for the treatment of PCOS, but the evidence for its efficacy and safety is minimal. Tanshinones are a class of bioactive molecules isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, a commonly used herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of tanshinones on hyperandrogenism and quality of life in women with PCOS who do not attempt to conceive.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A total of 100 patients will be recruited and randomised into the tanshinone or placebo group. Tanshinone or placebo capsules will be taken orally for 12 weeks. The primary outcome parameter will be a change in plasma testosterone. Secondary end points will be changes in human chorionic gonadotropin-induced androgen response, insulin resistance, reproductive hormones, fasting lipid profiles, oral glucose tolerance test, quality of life and side effects.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Written informed consent will be obtained from each participant at the time of enrolling in the study. The trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine. Results will be disseminated through a publicly accessible website.

REGISTRATION DETAILS

The study has been registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR-TRC-12002973) and at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01452477).

Pharmacological tools for the development of traditional Chinese medicine

Pharmacology as a modern science was introduced in China approximately 150 years ago, and has been used since then to study traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Pharmacology has experienced its own development over this time and continues to provide new tools for the study of TCM. In the present review, three models for the pharmacological study of TCM are considered: (i) chemistry-focused study; (ii) target-directed study; and (iii) systems-biology-based study. These approaches correspond to recent developments in pharmacology, and in particular to new tools available to the field. Representative achievements and the pharmacological tools used to study TCM are reviewed. Pharmacology has played, and will continue to play, an indispensable role in elucidating the chemical basis, biological targets, and mechanisms of action of TCM medicines, and in developing a scientific basis for the theory of TCM.

The herbal compound cryptotanshinone restores sensitivity in cancer cells that are resistant to the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively induces apoptosis and kills cancer cells but not normal cells. However, TRAIL resistance due to low level of TRAIL receptor expression is widely found in cancer cells and hampers its development for cancer treatment. Thus, the agents that can sensitize the tumor cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis are urgently needed. We investigated whether tanshinones, the major bioactive compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen), can up-regulate TRAIL receptor expression. Among the major tanshinones being tested, cryptotanshinone (CT) showed the best ability to induce TRAIL receptor 2 (DR5) expression. We further showed that CT was capable of promoting TRAIL-induced cell death and apoptosis in A375 melanoma cells. CT-induced DR5 induction was not cell type-specific, as DR5 induction was observed in other cancer cell types. DR5 knockdown abolished the enhancing effect of CT on TRAIL responses. Mechanistically, induction of the DR5 by CT was found to be p53-independent but dependent on the induction of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP). Knockdown of CHOP abolished CT-induced DR5 expression and the associated potentiation of TRAIL-mediated cell death. In addition, CT-induced ROS production preceded up-regulation of CHOP and DR5 and consequent sensitization of cells to TRAIL. Interestingly, CT also converted TRAIL-resistant lung A549 cancer cells into TRAIL-sensitive cells. Taken together, our results indicate that CT can potentiate TRAIL-induced apoptosis through up-regulation of DR5.

Add-on effect of chinese herbal medicine bath to phototherapy for psoriasis vulgaris: a systematic review

Psoriasis vulgaris is the most common form of psoriasis. Phototherapy has been proven effective for psoriasis, but side effects have become a concern. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) bath combined with phototherapy has been used in clinical settings, but the additional benefit requires evaluation. This review aims to evaluate the additional benefit and safety of adding CHM bath to phototherapy for psoriasis vulgaris. Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and CQVIP were searched from their inceptions to 6 August 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CHM bath plus phototherapy to phototherapy alone for psoriasis vulgaris were included. Data was analyzed using Review Manager 5.1.0. Thirteen RCTs were included in the review, and eight were included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed higher efficacy of CHM bath plus phototherapy when compared with phototherapy alone in terms of PASI 60 (RR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18-1.32). Mild adverse events were reported in ten studies, but these could be alleviated by reducing UV dosage or applying emollient. In conclusion, CHM bath appears to be a beneficial and safe adjunctive therapy to phototherapy for psoriasis vulgaris. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the low methodological quality of the included studies.