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Yu X, Wang Y, Wu Z, Jia M, Xu Y, Qu H, Zhao X, Wang S, Jing L, Lou Y, Fan G, Gui Y. Multi-technology integrated network pharmacology-based study on phytochemicals, active metabolites, and molecular mechanism of Psoraleae Fructus to promote melanogenesis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 325:117755. [PMID: 38218502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE According to the Compendium of Materia Medica (Shizhen Li, Ming dynasty) and Welfare Pharmacy (Song dynasty), Psoraleae Fructus (PF), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a bitter taste and warm nature, which has the effect of treating spleen and kidney deficiency and skin disease. Although PF has been widely used since ancient times and has shown satisfactory efficacy in treating vitiligo, the active substances and the mechanism of PF in promoting melanogenesis remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To explore the active substances and action mechanisms of PF in promoting melanogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, UPLC-UV-Q-TOF/MS was used to characterize the components in PF extract and identify the absorption components and metabolites of PF after oral administration at usual doses in rats. Secondly, the active substances and related targets and pathways were predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Finally, pharmacodynamic and molecular biology experiments were used to verify the prediction results. RESULTS The experimental results showed that 15 compounds were identified in PF extract, and 44 compounds, consisting of 8 prototype components and 36 metabolites (including isomers) were identified in rats' plasma. Promising action targets (MAPK1, MAPK8, MAPK14) and signaling pathways (MAPK signaling pathway) were screened and refined to elucidate the mechanism of PF against vitiligo based on network pharmacology. Bergaptol and xanthotol (the main metabolites of PF), psoralen (prototype drug), and PF extract significantly increased melanin production in zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, bergaptol could promote the pigmentation of zebrafish embryos more than psoralen and PF extract. Bergaptol significantly increased the protein expression levels of p-P38 and decreased ERK phosphorylation in B16F10 cells, which was also supported by the corresponding inhibitor/activator combination study. Moreover, bergaptol increased the mRNA expression levels of the downstream microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase in B16F10 cells. Our data elucidate that bergaptol may promote melanogenesis by regulating the p-P38 and p-ERK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS This study will lay a foundation for discovering potential new drugs for treating vitiligo and provide feasible ideas for exploring the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemei Yu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China; Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
| | - Zhenghua Wu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Building 6-312, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Mengqi Jia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
| | - Han Qu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Building 6-312, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200434, PR China.
| | - Shuowen Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
| | - Lili Jing
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Building 6-312, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Yuefen Lou
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200434, PR China.
| | - Guorong Fan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Building 6-312, Shanghai, 200240, PR China.
| | - Yaxing Gui
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, PR China.
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Wang J, Jia Z, Pan W, Hu J. Crotonis Fructus-induced gut microbiota and serum metabolic disorders in rats. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6949-6962. [PMID: 37713114 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12763-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Crotonis Fructus (CF), a poisonous traditional laxative, has been used to treat constipation, edema, ascites, and inflammation for more than 2000 years. However, CF possesses toxicity and its toxic mechanism is still unclear. Thus, this research explored the deleterious impacts and underlying mechanisms of CF by evaluating alterations in gut microbiota composition and metabolites. High-throughput sequencing was employed on the 16S rDNA gene to explore the intestinal flora. The untargeted metabolomics method was utilized for evaluating serum metabolomics analysis. The results showed that CF could induce obvious hepatic and gastrointestinal damage by histopathologic morphology of the liver, stomach, duodenum, and colon. According to 16S rDNA sequencing, CF can cause gut microbiota disturbance in rats, and the abundance of opportunistic pathogens such as Clostridia_UCG_014_unclassified increased significantly, while the levels of beneficial bacterial Lactobacillus remarkably declined after CF treatment. Additionally, metabolomics analysis demonstrated that CF may induce toxicity by disrupting the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway and metabolites such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Moreover, a correlation study revealed the link between intestinal flora, serum metabolites, and toxicity-related biochemical markers. The results provide a new idea for the research and clinical application of toxic traditional medicine. KEY POINTS: • Crotonis Fructus could affect the gut flora and serum metabolic disruption in SD rats. • Crotonis Fructus could promote the proliferation of harmful bacteria and inhibit beneficial bacteria. • Glycerophospholipid metabolism was disturbed by Crotonis Fructus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Zefei Jia
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Wen Pan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Jing Hu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditonal Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
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Ren S, Zhang Z, Song Q, Ren Z, Xiao J, Li L, Zhang Q. Metabolic exploration of the developmental abnormalities and neurotoxicity of Esculentoside B, the main toxic factor in Phytolaccae radix. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 176:113777. [PMID: 37080526 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
P: radix is a perennial herb, and its extracts have various biological properties that make it a potential candidate for the treatment of tumors, edema, and lymphatic stasis. However, the main factor contributing to its toxicity are not clear. Here, we used a zebrafish toxicological model to study the main toxicity factor of P. radix and explore the potential mechanisms involved. The results revealed that Esculentoside B was the major toxic factor of P. radix. Exposure of zebrafish larvae to Esculentoside B caused developmental abnormalities, neurotoxicity and altered locomotor behavior. The combination of AChE activity and the expression levels of genes relevant to CNS development demonstrated that Esculentoside B is neurotoxic to zebrafish larvae, impairs their CNS development, and that AChE may be a toxic target of Esculentoside B. Metabolomic analysis has revealed that Esculentoside B exposure can disrupt D-Amino acid metabolism, protein export, autophagy, and mTOR signaling pathways in zebrafish larvae. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying EsB-induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish, which can facilitate further research and development of P. radix for safe consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sipei Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhichao Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China
| | - Qinyang Song
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhaoyang Ren
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji, 721013, China.
| | - Luqi Li
- Life Science Research Core Services, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shanxi, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji, 721013, China.
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Chen L, Chen S, Sun P, Liu X, Zhan Z, Wang J. Psoralea corylifolia L.: a comprehensive review of its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, quality control and pharmacokinetics. Chin Med 2023; 18:4. [PMID: 36627680 PMCID: PMC9830135 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-022-00704-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Psoralea corylifolia L. (PCL), referred to as "Bu-gu-zhi" in Chinese, has great medicinal values since ancient times. PCL is the dried ripe fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L., which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency, enuresis and urinary frequency, chills and pain of the waist and knees, dawn diarrhea and vitiligo. In this paper, a systematic of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, quality control and pharmacokinetics of PCL was presented, along with future research directions. According to the results, PCL contains approximately 163 chemical components, including coumarins, flavonoids, monoterpene phenols, benzofurans, glycosides, lipids, fatty acids, and volatile oils. PCL and its active ingredients have a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor, antiosteoporosis, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory. Further study of quality control standards and potential mechanisms of PCL is also needed. In addition, more toxicological studies will also contribute to the progress of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Chen
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
| | - Shuguang Chen
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
| | - Peng Sun
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
| | - Xinyue Liu
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
| | - Zhaoshuang Zhan
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
| | - Jiafeng Wang
- grid.464402.00000 0000 9459 9325College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655 Daxue Road, Jinan, 250355 China
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Duan Y, Su YT, Ren J, Zhou Q, Tang M, Li J, Li SX. Kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine: Potential implications for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Front Pharmacol 2023; 13:1063899. [PMID: 36699069 PMCID: PMC9868177 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1063899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The aging global population is increasingly affected by osteoporosis (OP), which is one of the most significant threats to the elderly. Moreover, its prevention and treatment situations have become increasingly severe. Therefore, it is imperative to develop alternatives or complementary drugs for preventing and treating osteoporosis. Kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine (KTTCM) has been used for the treatment of osteoporosis for a long time. Pharmacological studies have shown that kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine can promote osteoblasts, inhibit osteoclasts, and regulate the level of estrogen and plays vital roles in stimulating osteogenesis, restraining adipogenesis of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), regulating the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, and inhibiting oxidative stress. These effects are mediated by OPG/RANKL/RANK, BMP/Smads, MAPKs, and Wnt/β-catenin systems. To develop a safe, synergistic, effective, and homogenized TCM formula with robust scientific evidence to provide faster and more economical alternatives, the anti-osteoporosis ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms of kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine are recapitulated from the perspective of molecular and cell biology, and the safety and toxicity of kidney tonifying traditional Chinese medicine have also been reviewed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Duan
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Yu-Ting Su
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Qun Zhou
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Min Tang
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Juan Li
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Shun-Xiang Li
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center for Bioactive Substance Discovery of Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China,Hunan Province Sino-US International Joint Research Center for Therapeutic Drugs of Senile Degenerative Diseases, Changsha, China,*Correspondence: Shun-Xiang Li,
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Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Mechanisms of Hepatotoxicity Induced by Aflatoxin M1 and Ochratoxin A. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14020141. [PMID: 35202168 PMCID: PMC8880135 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the only toxin with the maximum residue limit in milk, and ochratoxin A (OTA) represents a common toxin in cereals foods. It is common to find the co-occurrence of these two toxins in the environment. However, the interactive effect of these toxins on hepatoxicity and underlying mechanisms is still unclear. The liver and serum metabolomics in mice exposed to individual AFM1 at 3.5 mg/kg b.w., OTA at 3.5 mg/kg b.w., and their combination for 35 days were conducted based on the UPLC-MS method in the present study. Subsequent metabolome on human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (Hep G2) cells was conducted to narrow down the key metabolites. The phenotypic results on liver weight and serum indicators, such as total bilirubin and glutamyltransferase, showed that the combined toxins had more serious adverse effects than an individual one, indicating that the combined AFM1 and OTA displayed synergistic effects on liver damage. Through the metabolic analysis in liver and serum, we found that (i) a synergistic effect was exerted in the combined toxins, because the number of differentially expressed metabolites on combination treatment was higher than the individual toxins, (ii) OTA played a dominant role in the hepatoxicity induced by the combination of AFM1, and OTA and (iii) lysophosphatidylcholines (LysoPCs), more especially, LysoPC (16:1), were identified as the metabolites most affected by AFM1 and OTA. These findings provided a new insight for identifying the potential biomarkers for the hepatoxicity of AFM1 and OTA.
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UPLC-MS/MS-Based Rat Serum Metabolomics Reveals the Detoxification Mechanism of Psoraleae Fructus during Salt Processing. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5597233. [PMID: 34567215 PMCID: PMC8457953 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5597233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Psoraleae Fructus (PF) is a botanical medicine widely used in Asian countries, of which salt products have higher safety and efficacy. However, the biological mechanism of the detoxification of salt-processing Psoraleae Fructus (SPF) has not yet been revealed. In this study, UPLC-MS/MS technology was used to explore the metabolic differences between SPF and PF in normal rats and reveal the mechanism of salt processing. The histopathological results of rat liver and kidney showed that the degree of liver and kidney injure in the SPF group was less than that in the PF group. The results of metabolomics showed that the detoxification mechanism of PF by salt processing might be related to glycerophospholipid metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism. PF-induced inflammation could be reduced by regulating the expression of metabolites to achieve the purpose of salt processing and detoxification. It included reducing the production of metabolites such as 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, tyrosine, arginine, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and phenylacetylglycine/hippuric acid ratio and upregulating the expression of metabolites such as creatine.
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