Dioscin: A review on pharmacological properties and therapeutic values

Pyroptosis mediates osteoporosis via the inflammation immune microenvironment

Osteoporosis represents a systemic imbalance in bone metabolism, augmenting the susceptibility to fractures among patients and emerging as a notable mortality determinant in the elderly population. It has evolved into a worldwide concern impacting the physical well-being of the elderly, imposing a substantial burden on both human society and the economy. Presently, the precise pathogenesis of osteoporosis remains inadequately characterized and necessitates further exploration. The advancement of osteoporosis is typically linked to the initiation of an inflammatory response. Cells in an inflammatory environment can cause inflammatory death including pyroptosis. Pyroptosis is a recently identified form of programmed cell death with inflammatory properties, mediated by the caspase and gasdermin families. It is regarded as the most inflammatory form of cell death in contemporary medical research. Under the influence of diverse cytokines, macrophages, and other immune cells may undergo pyroptosis, releasing inflammatory factors, such as IL-1β and IL-18. Numerous lines of evidence highlight the pivotal role of pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including cancer, intestinal disorders, hepatic conditions, and cutaneous ailments. Osteoporosis progression is frequently associated with inflammation; hence, pyroptosis may also play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis to a certain extent, making it a potential target for treatment. This paper has provided a comprehensive summary of pertinent research concerning pyroptosis and its impact on osteoporosis. The notion proposing that pyroptosis mediates osteoporosis via the inflammatory immune microenvironment is advanced, and we subsequently investigate potential targets for treating osteoporosis through the modulation of pyroptosis.

Modulation of atherosclerosis-related signaling pathways by Chinese herbal extracts: Recent evidence and perspectives

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains a preeminent cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The onset of atherosclerosis underpins the emergence of ischemic cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD). Its pathogenesis entails multiple factors such as inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, vascular endothelial damage, foam cell formation, and platelet activation. Furthermore, it triggers the activation of diverse signaling pathways including Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), NF-E2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE), the Notch signaling pathway, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), nucleotide oligo-structural domain-like receptor thermoprotein structural domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3), silencing information regulator 2-associated enzyme 1 (Sirt1), nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), Circular RNA (Circ RNA), MicroRNA (mi RNA), Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT). Over recent decades, therapeutic approaches for atherosclerosis have been dominated by the utilization of high-intensity statins to reduce lipid levels, despite significant adverse effects. Consequently, there is a growing interest in the development of safer and more efficacious drugs and therapeutic modalities. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers a vital strategy for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Numerous studies have detailed the mechanisms through which TCM active ingredients modulate signaling molecules and influence the atherosclerotic process. This article reviews the signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and the advancements in research on TCM extracts for prevention and treatment, drawing on original articles from various databases including Google Scholar, Medline, CNKI, Scopus, and Pubmed. The objective is to furnish a reference for the clinical management of cardiovascular diseases.

Protective Role of Dioscin against Doxorubicin-Induced Chronic Cardiotoxicity: Insights from Nrf2-GPX4 Axis-Mediated Cardiac Ferroptosis

Recent evidence suggests that ferroptosis, an iron-facilitated cell death with excessive lipid peroxidation, is a critical mechanism underlying doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). Although dioscin has been reported to improve acute DIC, direct evidence is lacking to clarify the role of dioscin in chronic DIC and its potential mechanism in cardiac ferroptosis. In this study, we used chronic DIC rat models and H9c2 cells to investigate the potential of dioscin to mitigate DIC by inhibiting ferroptosis. Our results suggest that dioscin significantly improves chronic DIC-induced cardiac dysfunction. Meanwhile, it significantly inhibited DOX-induced ferroptosis by reducing Fe2+ and lipid peroxidation accumulation, maintaining mitochondrial integrity, increasing glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, and decreasing acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family 4 (ACSL4) expression. Through transcriptomic analysis and subsequent validation, we found that the anti-ferroptotic effects of dioscin are achieved by regulating the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/GPX4 axis and Nrf2 downstream iron metabolism genes. Dioscin further downregulates nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) and upregulates expression of frataxin (FXN) and ATP-binding cassette B8 (ABCB8) to limit mitochondrial Fe2+ and lipid peroxide accumulation. However, Nrf2 inhibition diminishes the anti-ferroptotic effects of dioscin, leading to decreased GPX4 expression and increased lipid peroxidation. This study is a compelling demonstration that dioscin can effectively reduce DIC by inhibiting ferroptosis, which is dependent on the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway modulation.

Diosgenin alters LPS-induced macrophage polarization by activating PPARγ/NF-κB signaling pathway

Diosgenin (DG) is a steroidal saponin derived from plants, and it exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we employed an in vitro model of P.g.-LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of DG under the condition of altered polarization of macrophages. The RAW264.7 cells were subjected to pre-treatment with DG with or without P.g.-LPS. In cultured macrophages, DG inhibited P.g.-LPS-induced pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages, and increased anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Notably, DG reduced the expression of phosphorylation levels of NF-κB p65 and IκB while increasing the expression of PPARγ. Further studies revealed that PPARγ inhibitor GW9662 or PPARγ siRNA reversed the inhibitory effect of DG on M1 phenotype. Collectively, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of DG is related to altering macrophage polarization by activating PPARγ and inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathways.

Dioscin: Therapeutic potential for diabetes and complications

Diabetes mellitus is a widespread metabolic disorder with increasing incidence worldwide, posing a considerable threat to human health because of its complications. Therefore, cost-effective antidiabetic drugs with minimal side effects are urgently needed. Dioscin, a naturally occurring compound, helps to reduce the complications of diabetes mellitus by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, protecting islet β cells, improving insulin resistance, and inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Plant-derived dioscin reduces the risk of toxicity and side effects associated with chemically synthesized drugs. It is a promising option for treating diabetes mellitus because of its preventive and therapeutic effects, which may be attributed to a variety of underlying mechanisms. However, data compiled by current studies are preliminary. Information about the molecular mechanism of dioscin remains limited, and no high-quality human experiments and clinical trials for testing its safety and efficacy have been conducted. As a resource for research in this area, this review is expected to provide a systematic framework for the application of dioscin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Protective effects of dioscin against Parkinson's disease via regulating bile acid metabolism through remodeling gut microbiome/GLP-1 signaling

It is necessary to explore potent therapeutic agents via regulating gut microbiota and metabolism to combat Parkinson's disease (PD). Dioscin, a bioactive steroidal saponin, shows various activities. However, its effects and mechanisms against PD are limited. In this study, dioscin dramatically alleviated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, and restored the disorders of mice induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). 16 S rDNA sequencing assay demonstrated that dioscin reversed MPTP-induced gut dysbiosis to decrease Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and the abundances of Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bacteroides and Lactobacillus genera, which further inhibited bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity and blocked bile acid (BA) deconjugation. Fecal microbiome transplantation test showed that the anti-PD effect of dioscin was gut microbiota-dependent. In addition, non-targeted fecal metabolomics assays revealed many differential metabolites in adjusting steroid biosynthesis and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Moreover, targeted bile acid metabolomics assay indicated that dioscin increased the levels of ursodeoxycholic acid, tauroursodeoxycholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid and β-muricholic acid in feces and serum. In addition, ursodeoxycholic acid administration markedly improved the protective effects of dioscin against PD in mice. Mechanistic test indicated that dioscin significantly up-regulated the levels of takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), GLP-1, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and down-regulated NADPH oxidases 2 (NOX2) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) levels. Our data indicated that dioscin ameliorated PD phenotype by restoring gut dysbiosis and regulating bile acid-mediated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation via targeting GLP-1 signal in MPTP-induced PD mice, suggesting that the compound should be considered as a prebiotic agent to treat PD in the future.

Unveiling the therapeutic potential of natural-based anticancer compounds inducing non-canonical cell death mechanisms

In the Mid-19th century, Rudolf Virchow considered necrosis to be a prominent form of cell death; since then, pathologists have recognized necrosis as both a cause and a consequence of disease. About a century later, the mechanism of apoptosis, another form of cell death, was discovered, and we now know that this process is regulated by several molecular mechanisms that "programme" the cell to die. However, discoveries on cell death mechanisms are not limited to these, and recent studies have allowed the identification of novel cell death pathways that can be molecularly distinguished from necrotic and apoptotic cell death mechanisms. Moreover, the main goal of current cancer therapy is to discover and develop drugs that target apoptosis. However, resistance to chemotherapeutic agents targeting apoptosis is mainly responsible for the failure of clinical therapy and adverse side effects of the chemotherapeutic agents currently in use pose a major threat to the well-being and lives of patients. Therefore, the development of natural-based anticancer drugs with low cellular and organismal side effects is of great interest. In this comprehensive review, we thoroughly examine and discuss natural anticancer compounds that specifically target non-canonical cell death mechanisms.

Cancer chemotherapy and beyond: Current status, drug candidates, associated risks and progress in targeted therapeutics

Cancer is an abnormal state of cells where they undergo uncontrolled proliferation and produce aggressive malignancies that causes millions of deaths every year. With the new understanding of the molecular mechanism(s) of disease progression, our knowledge about the disease is snowballing, leading to the evolution of many new therapeutic regimes and their successive trials. In the past few decades, various combinations of therapies have been proposed and are presently employed in the treatment of diverse cancers. Targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy, and personalized medicines are now largely being employed, which were not common a few years back. The field of cancer discoveries and therapeutics are evolving fast as cancer type-specific biomarkers are progressively being identified and several types of cancers are nowadays undergoing systematic therapies, extending patients' disease-free survival thereafter. Although growing evidence shows that a systematic and targeted approach could be the future of cancer medicine, chemotherapy remains a largely opted therapeutic option despite its known side effects on the patient's physical and psychological health. Chemotherapeutic agents/pharmaceuticals served a great purpose over the past few decades and have remained the frontline choice for advanced-stage malignancies where surgery and/or radiation therapy cannot be prescribed due to specific reasons. The present report succinctly reviews the existing and contemporary advancements in chemotherapy and assesses the status of the enrolled drugs/pharmaceuticals; it also comprehensively discusses the emerging role of specific/targeted therapeutic strategies that are presently being employed to achieve better clinical success/survival rate in cancer patients.

Anticancer Activity of Diosgenin and Its Molecular Mechanism

Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin, obtained from Trigonella foenum-graecum, Dioscorea, and Rhizoma polgonati, has shown high potential and interest in the treatment of various cancers such as oral squamous cell carcinoma, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, glioma, and leukemia. This article aims to provide an overview of the in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies reporting the diosgenin's anticancer effects. Preclinical studies have shown promising effects of diosgenin on inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and growth, promoting apoptosis, inducing differentiation and autophagy, inhibiting tumor cell metastasis and invasion, blocking cell cycle, regulating immunity and improving gut microbiome. Clinical investigations have revealed clinical dosage and safety property of diosgenin. Furthermore, in order to improve the biological activity and bioavailability of diosgenin, this review focuses on the development of diosgenin nano drug carriers, combined drugs and the diosgenin derivatives. However, further designed trials are needed to unravel the diosgenin's deficiencies in clinical application.

Integrated miRNA and mRNA omics reveal dioscin suppresses migration and invasion via MEK/ERK and JNK signaling pathways in human endometrial carcinoma in vivo and in vitro

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polygonatum sibiricum Redouté (PS, also called Huangjing in traditional Chinese medicine), is a perennial herb as homology of medicine and food. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory "Special Records of Famous Doctors", its functions include invigorating qi and nourishing yin, tonifying spleen and kidney. Traditionally, qi and blood therapy has been believed as most applicable to the treatment of uterine disease. The current research has focused on the effect and mechanism of dioscin, the main active component of PS, on Endometrial carcinoma (EC).

AIM OF THE STUDY

To study the efficacy of dioscin on proliferation and migration of Endometrial carcinoma cell line, we conducted experiments by using xenograft model and Ishikawa cells, and explored the potential molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

mRNA and miRNA omics techniques were employed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of dioscin on EC Ishikawa cells. Based on in vivo and in vitro experiments, cell clone formation, cell scratching, Transwell, H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, q-PCR, and Western blot techniques were used to determine the molecular effects and mechanisms of dioscin on cell migration.

RESULTS

Integrated miRNA and mRNA omics data showed that 513 significantly different genes marked enrichment in MAPK signaling pathway. The in vivo data showed that dioscin (24 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth. The in vitro proliferation and invasiveness of dioscin on Ishikawa cells showed that dioscin could significantly decrease the colony numbers, and suppress the Ishikawa cell wound healing, migration and invasion. Molecular data revealed that dioscin decreased the MMP2 and MMP9 expression in vitro and in vivo. The p-MEK, p-ERK, and p-JNK expression levels were also confirmed to be significantly reduced. Key regulators in the MAPK signaling pathway were further validated in xenograft tumors.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicated that dioscin inhibited Ishikawa cell migration and invasion mediated through MEK/ERK and JNK signaling. More importantly, screened hub miRNAs and genes can be regarded as potential molecular targets for future EC treatment.

Nano-biotechnology in tumour and cancerous disease: A perspective review

In recent years, drug manufacturers and researchers have begun to consider the nanobiotechnology approach to improve the drug delivery system for tumour and cancer diseases. In this article, we review current strategies to improve tumour and cancer drug delivery, which mainly focuses on sustaining biocompatibility, biodistribution, and active targeting. The conventional therapy using cornerstone drugs such as fludarabine, cisplatin etoposide, and paclitaxel has its own challenges especially not being able to discriminate between tumour versus normal cells which eventually led to toxicity and side effects in the patients. In contrast to the conventional approach, nanoparticle-based drug delivery provides target-specific delivery and controlled release of the drug, which provides a better therapeutic window for treatment options by focusing on the eradication of diseased cells via active targeting and sparing normal cells via passive targeting. Additionally, treatment of tumours associated with the brain is hampered by the impermeability of the blood-brain barriers to the drugs, which eventually led to poor survival in the patients. Nanoparticle-based therapy offers superior delivery of drugs to the target by breaching the blood-brain barriers. Herein, we provide an overview of the properties of nanoparticles that are crucial for nanotechnology applications. We address the potential future applications of nanobiotechnology targeting specific or desired areas. In particular, the use of nanomaterials, biostructures, and drug delivery methods for the targeted treatment of tumours and cancer are explored.

Barbaloin: an amazing chemical from the 'wonder plant' with multidimensional pharmacological attributes

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. is nicknamed the 'Miracle plant' or sometimes as the 'Wonder plant'. It is a plant that has been used since ancient times for the innumerable health benefits associated with it. It is one of the important plants that has its use in conventional medicinal treatments. It is a perennial succulent, drought-tolerant member of the family Asphodelaceae. There are scores of properties associated with the plant that help in curing various forms of human ailments. Extracts and gels obtained from plants have been shown to be wonderful healers of different conditions, mainly various skin problems. Also, this plant is popular in the cosmetics industry. The underlying properties of the plant are now mainly associated with the natural phytochemicals present in the plant. Diverse groups of phytoingredients are found in the plant, including various phenolics, amino acids, sugars, vitamins, and different other organic compounds, too. One of the primary ingredients found in the plant is the aloin molecule. It is an anthraquinone derivative and exists as an isomer of Aloin A and Aloin B. Barbaloin belonging to the first group is a glucoside of the aloe-emodin anthrone molecule. Various types of pharmacological properties exhibited by the plant can be attributed to this chemical. Few significant ones are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-viral, along with their different immunity-boosting actions. Recently, molecular coupling studies have also found the role of these molecules as a potential cure against the ongoing COVID-19 disease. This study comprehensively focuses on the numerous pharmacological actions of the primary compound barbaloin obtained from the Aloe vera plant along with the mechanism of action and the potent application of these natural molecules under various conditions.

Translational aspect in peptide drug discovery and development: An emerging therapeutic candidate

In the last two decades, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) have been used as the main target for drug development. However, with larger or superficial binding sites, it has been extremely difficult to disrupt PPIs with small molecules. On the other hand, intracellular PPIs cannot be targeted by antibodies that cannot penetrate the cell membrane. Peptides that have a combination of conformational rigidity and flexibility can be used to target difficult binding interfaces with appropriate binding affinity and specificity. Since the introduction of insulin nearly a century ago, more than 80 peptide drugs have been approved to treat a variety of diseases. These include deadly diseases such as cancer and human immunodeficiency virus infection. It is also useful against diabetes, chronic pain, and osteoporosis. Today, more research is being done on these drugs as lessons learned from earlier approaches, which are still valid today, complement newer approaches such as peptide display libraries. At the same time, integrated genomics and peptide display libraries are new strategies that open new avenues for peptide drug discovery. The purpose of this review is to examine the problems in elucidating the peptide-protein recognition mechanism. This is important to develop peptide-based interventions that interfere with endogenous protein interactions. New approaches are being developed to improve the binding affinity and specificity of existing approaches and to develop peptide agents as potentially useful drugs. We also highlight the key challenges that must be overcome in peptide drug development to realize their potential and provide an overview of recent trends in peptide drug development. In addition, we take an in-depth look at early efforts in human hormone discovery, smart medicinal chemistry and design, natural peptide drugs, and breakthrough advances in molecular biology and peptide chemistry.

Medicinal pteridophytes: ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and clinical attributes

Background

Almost from the very beginning of human existence, man has been interacting with plants. Throughout human history, plants have provided humans with basic needs such as sustenance, firewood, livestock feed, and wood. The world has approximately 3 million vascular plants. The treatment of primary health problems is provided primarily by traditional medicines by around 80% of the world's population. Compared to other vascular plants, pteridophytes remain underexplored in ethnobotanical aspects, despite being regarded as a valuable component of healthcare for centuries. As an alternative medicine, pteridophytes are being investigated for their pharmacological activity. Almost 2000 years ago, humans were exploring and using plant species from this lineage because of its beneficial properties since pteridophytes were the first vascular plants.

Main body of the abstract

All popular search engines such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched to retrieve the relevant literature using various search strings relevant to the topic. Pteridophytes belonging to thirty different families have been documented as medicinal plants. For instance, Selaginella sp. has been demonstrated to have numerous therapeutic properties, including antioxidative, inflammation-reducing, anti-carcinogenic, diabetes-fighting, virucidal, antibacterial, and anti-senile dementia effects. In addition, clinical trials and studies performed on pteridophytes and derived compounds are also discussed in details.

Short conclusion

This review offers a compilation of therapeutically valuable pteridophytes utilized by local ethnic groups, as well as the public.

Graphical Abstract

Dioscin ameliorates cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity by mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation

Cisplatin is the most widely prescribed drug in chemotherapy, but its gastrointestinal toxicity reduces therapeutic efficacy. Oxidative stress and inflammation are considered to be the main pathogenesis of cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity. Dioscin is a steroidal saponin with potential anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we established a rat model of intestinal injury by tail vein injection of cisplatin, and intragastrically administered dioscin to evaluate its effect on intestinal injury. Biochemical markers, western blotting, qRT-PCR and histopathological staining were used to analyze intestinal injury according to various molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that dioscin significantly inhibited cisplatin-induced intestinal mucosal damage and decreased DAO levels in rats. Furthermore, dioscin activated the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to increase the level of antioxidant enzymes and reduce the levels of MDA and H₂O₂. In addition, dioscin pretreatment significantly reduced ileum epithelial NLRP3 inflammasome formation and decreased the levels of inflammatory factors compared with the cisplatin group. In parallel, Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 blocked the therapeutic effect of dioscin in rat with cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity. In terms of mechanisms, dioscin reversed cisplatin-induced up-regulation of MAPKs and up-regulated p-PI3K and p-AKT levels. Meanwhile, dioscin potently promoted Wnt3A/β-catenin signaling to relieve cisplatin-induced proliferation inhibition. In conclusion, our study suggests that dioscin could ameliorate the cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Cellular landscaping of cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the largest causes of malignancies in women worldwide. Cisplatin is one of the widely used drugs for the treatment of CC is rendered ineffective owing to drug resistance. This review highlights the cause of resistance and the mechanism of cisplatin resistance cells in CC to develop therapeutic ventures and strategies that could be utilized to overcome the aforementioned issue. These strategies would include the application of nanocarries, miRNA, CRIPSR/Cas system, and chemotherapeutics in synergy with cisplatin to not only overcome the issues of drug resistance but also enhance its anti-cancer efficiency. Moreover, we have also discussed the signaling network of cisplatin resistance cells in CC that would provide insights to develop therapeutic target sites and inhibitors. Furthermore, we have discussed the role of CC metabolism on cisplatin resistance cells and the physical and biological factors affecting the tumor microenvironments.

Unravelling the Therapeutic Potential of Botanicals Against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Molecular Insights and Future Perspectives

Background: COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious health problem worldwide. Present treatments are insufficient and have severe side effects. There is a critical shortage of possible alternative treatments. Medicinal herbs are the most traditional and widely used therapy for treating a wide range of human illnesses around the world. In several countries, different plants are used to treat COPD. Purpose: In this review, we have discussed several known cellular and molecular components implicated in COPD and how plant-derived chemicals might modulate them. Methods: We have discussed how COVID-19 is associated with COPD mortality and severity along with the phytochemical roles of a few plants in the treatment of COPD. In addition, two tables have been included; the first summarizes different plants used for the treatment of COPD, and the second table consists of different kinds of phytochemicals extracted from plants, which are used to inhibit inflammation in the lungs. Conclusion: Various plants have been found to have medicinal properties against COPD. Many plant extracts and components may be used as novel disease-modifying drugs for lung inflammatory diseases.

Study of Saponin Components after Biotransformation of Dioscorea nipponica by Endophytic Fungi C39

This study conducted the solid fermentation process of Dioscorea nipponica using endophytic fungi C39 to determine the changes in the diosgenin concentration. The results revealed that endophytic fungi C39 could effectively biotransform the saponin components in D. nipponica. Moreover, the maximum increase in the diosgenin concentration reached 62.67% in 15 days of solid fermentation. MTT assay results demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of the fermentation drugs on four types of cancer cells (liver cancer cells (HepG2), stomach cancer cells (BGC823), cervical cancer cells (HeLa), and lung cancer cells (A549)) were better than those of the crude drugs obtained from D. nipponica. The chemical composition of the samples obtained before and after the biotransformation of D. nipponica was analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. A total of 32 compounds were identified, 21 of which have been reported in Dioscorea saponins and the ChemSpider database and 11 compounds were identified for the first time in D. nipponica. The biotransformation process was inferred based on the variation trend of saponins, which included transformation pathways pertaining to glycolytic metabolism, ring closure reaction, dehydrogenation, and carbonylation. The cumulative findings provide the basis for the rapid qualitative analysis of the saponin components of D. nipponica before and after biotransformation. The 11 metabolites obtained from biotransformation are potential active ingredients obtained from D. nipponica, which can be used to further identify pharmacodynamically active substances.

Dioscin Ameliorates Hyperuricemia-Induced Atherosclerosis by Modulating of Cholesterol Metabolism through FXR-Signaling Pathway

Hyperuricemia is one of the independent risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Herein, we investigate the association between uric acid and cholesterol metabolism and the effect of dioscin on the prevention of hyperuricemia-induced atherosclerosis. In the potassium oxonate-treated ApoE^-/--/- mice, atherosclerosis was accelerated along with elevated serum cholesterol levels in the hyperuricemic state, which can be ameliorated by dioscin. Together with the in vitro assays, we found that the effect of dioscin was at least partially through the regulation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) -small heterodimer partner (SHP) -7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) signaling pathway in the liver. Tigogenin (a metabolite of dioscin) suppressed FXR activation and increased CYP7A1, resulting in an increased conversion rate of cholesterols into bile acids. Further clinical study revealed that treatment with a dioscin-enriched preparation decreased serum cholesterol levels in individuals with hyperuricemia. In summary, this study demonstrated a slowdown effect of dioscin on the progression of hyperuricemia-induced atherosclerosis.

Dioscin Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Mucositis in Rats by Modulating Gut Microbiota, Enhancing Intestinal Barrier Function and Attenuating TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Cascade

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy causes intestinal mucositis, which causes patients immense suffering and hinders the process of cancer treatment. Dioscin is a natural steroid saponin that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Herein, we investigate the protective effect of dioscin on cisplatin induced mucositis in rats from the perspective of gut microbiota and intestinal barrier. We established a rat model of intestinal mucositis by tail vein injection of cisplatin, and concurrently treated with dioscin oral administration. Parameters, such as body weight, diarrheal incidence, and D-Lactate levels, were assessed in order to evaluate the effects of dioscin on intestinal mucositis in rats. Furthermore, biological samples were collected for microscopic gut microbiota, intestinal integrity, and immune inflammation analyses to elucidate the protective mechanisms of dioscin on intestinal mucositis. The results revealed that administration of dioscin significantly attenuated clinical manifestations, histological injury and inflammation in mucositis rats. Besides this, dioscin markedly inhibited the gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by cisplatin. Meanwhile, dioscin partially alleviated junctions between ileum epithelial cells and increased mucus secretion. Moreover, dioscin effectively inhibited the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signal transduction pathway and reduced the secretion of subsequent inflammatory mediators. These results suggested that dioscin effectively attenuated cisplatin-induced mucositis in part by modulating the gut microflora profile, maintaining ileum integrity and inhibiting the inflammatory response through the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway.

Anticancer Applications and Pharmacological Properties of Piperidine and Piperine: A Comprehensive Review on Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Piperine and piperidine are the two major alkaloids extracted from black pepper (Piper nigrum); piperidine is a heterocyclic moiety that has the molecular formula (CH₂)₅NH. Over the years, many therapeutic properties including anticancer potential of these two compounds have been observed. Piperine has therapeutic potential against cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, gliomal cancer, lung cancer, oral squamous, chronic pancreatitis, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia. Whereas, piperidine acts as a potential clinical agent against cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer, when treated alone or in combination with some novel drugs. Several crucial signalling pathways essential for the establishment of cancers such as STAT-3, NF-κB, PI3k/Aκt, JNK/p38-MAPK, TGF-ß/SMAD, Smac/DIABLO, p-IκB etc., are regulated by these two phytochemicals. Both of these phytochemicals lead to inhibition of cell migration and help in cell cycle arrest to inhibit survivability of cancer cells. The current review highlights the pharmaceutical relevance of both piperine and piperidine against different types of cancers.