Integrating Network Pharmacology and Component Analysis Study on Anti-Atherosclerotic Mechanisms of Total Flavonoids of Engelhardia roxburghiana Leaves in Mice

A Review on the Pharmacological Aspects of Engeletin as Natural Compound

Background

Engeletin (ENG) is a natural flavonoid compound known for its diverse physiological and pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. It has garnered significant attention as a promising candidate for drug development.

Objective

This article aims to comprehensively review the clinical application, pharmacological action, and potential mechanisms of ENG, while exploring its prospects in clinical pharmacology.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and MEDLINE for a thorough review of high-quality articles on the source, extraction, and application of ENG, or the primary active ingredient for improving bodily injuries.

Results

ENG exhibits significant potential in treating a variety of diseases across different systems, attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and metabolic regulatory activities. These effects are linked to direct or indirect interactions with multiple pathways involving key molecules upstream and downstream.

Conclusion

While ENG shows promise, its development requires further exploration. Future studies should focus on elucidating its mechanisms of action, identifying targets through clinical studies, and optimizing compounds for drug development. These research directions are crucial for advancing the development and application of flavonoids. This review underscores the significant research potential of ENG, paving the way for its application in diverse clinical settings.

Evaluation of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) phytochemicals as multi-disease modulators, a multidimensional in silico strategy with the combinations of network pharmacology, pharmacophore analysis, statistics and molecular docking

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is considered as to be one of the most consumed beverages globally and a reservoir of phytochemicals with immense health benefits. Despite numerous advantages, tea compounds lack a robust multi-disease target study. In this work, we presented a unique in silico approach consisting of molecular docking, multivariate statistics, pharmacophore analysis, and network pharmacology approaches. Eight tea phytochemicals were identified through literature mining, namely gallic acid, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate (ECG), quercetin, kaempferol, and ellagic acid, based on their richness in tea leaves. Further, exploration of databases revealed 30 target proteins related to the pharmacological properties of tea compounds and multiple associated diseases. Molecular docking experiment with eight tea compounds and all 30 proteins revealed that except gallic acid all other seven phytochemicals had potential inhibitory activities against these targets. The docking experiment was validated by comparing the binding affinities (Kcal mol^-1) of the compounds with known drug molecules for the respective proteins. Further, with the aid of the application of statistical tools (principal component analysis and clustering), we identified two major clusters of phytochemicals based on their chemical properties and docking scores (Kcal mol^-1). Pharmacophore analysis of these clusters revealed the functional descriptors of phytochemicals, related to the ligand-protein docking interactions. Tripartite network was constructed based on the docking scores, and it consisted of seven tea phytochemicals (gallic acid was excluded) targeting five proteins and ten associated diseases. Epicatechin gallate (ECG)-hepatocyte growth factor receptor (PDB id 1FYR) complex was found to be highest in docking performance (10 kcal mol^-1). Finally, molecular dynamic simulation showed that ECG-1FYR could make a stable complex in the near-native physiological condition.

Quercetin targets VCAM1 to prevent diabetic cerebrovascular endothelial cell injury

Introduction

Endothelial cells play important roles in neurodegenerative diseases caused by diabetes, therefore, we aimed at investigating the mechanisms through which endothelial cells are involved in diabetes development.

Methods

Single cell analysis was performed to identify the major endothelial cell subtypes in cardiovascular tissues that are involved in diabetes development. A cell-cell communication approach was then used to identify ligand-receptor interaction pairs between these cell types. Differential expression analysis between the two experimental groups [standard chow diet group and diabetogenic diet with cholesterol (DDC) group] was used to identify diabetes-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The upregulated genes were used to identify candidate ligands or receptors, as well as the corresponding cell types. Cell trajectory inference was performed to identify the stage of cell development and changes in expression of candidate ligands or receptors during cell development. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to investigate the biological functions of genes of purpose. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) were used to predict potential drugs with the ability to target the proteins of purpose.

Results

Seven cell types, including five endothelial cell subtypes (EC_1, EC_2, EC_3, EC_4, and EC_EndMT), were identified from endothelial cell-enriched single cell samples from the heart and aorta of mice. Cell-cell communication analysis revealed the potential ligand-receptor interactions between these cell types while five important ligand-receptor-associated genes, including Fn1, Vcam1, Fbn1, Col4a1, and Col4a2, were established by differential expression analysis. Among them, Vcam1 is mainly expressed in EC_EndMT and is involved in interactions between EC_EndMT and other cells. Cell trajectory extrapolation analysis revealed a shift from EC_2/EC_4 to EC_EndMT and a shift from EC_EndMT to EC_3/EC_1 during the progression of diabetes. GSEA analysis revealed that upregulation of VCAM1 may have inhibitory effects on cell growth and energy metabolism.

Conclusion

EC_EndMT subtypes have a complex role in neurodegenerative diseases caused by diabetes. Through mechanisms involved in cell-cell communication, Vcam1 may play an important role in dysregulation of biological functions of EC_ EndMT. Molecular docking results of the quercetin-VCAM1 complex suggest that quercetin may be an effective drug for targeting this protein.

Total Flavonoids of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. Leaves Alleviated Foam Cells Formation through AKT/mTOR-Mediated Autophagy in the Progression of Atherosclerosis

Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treating cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study has implicated potential effects of total flavonoids of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. (TFER) against hyperlipidemia. The aim of the study is to uncover the effects and underlying mechanisms of TFER on foam cells formation after atherosclerosis. We used high fat diet (HFD) induced Apoe-/- mice and oxidized density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) induced THP-1 cells to mimic process of atherosclerosis in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Lipid accumulation, inflammation response, autophagosomes formation and expressions of autophagy related target genes were assessed. Our present study demonstrated TFER (500 mg/kg) alleviated macrophage infiltration and lipid accumulation in thoracic aortas of HFD-treated mice. In ox-LDL-treated THP-1 cells, MDC staining and Western blot analysis all indicated that the TFER (200 μg/ml) reduced foam cells formation and IL-1β releasing, activated autophagy through suppressing AKT/mTOR signaling, significantly regulating expressions of AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR, Beclin 1, LC3-II, p62. It is suggested that TFER alleviated atherosclerosis progression in vivo and in vitro through reducing foam cells formation and inflammatory responses, and the possible mechanism may be due to the activation of macrophage autophagy by inhibiting AKT and mTOR phosphorylation.

Potential Benefits of Flavonoids on the Progression of Atherosclerosis by Their Effect on Vascular Smooth Muscle Excitability

Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites derived from plant-based foods, and they offer many health benefits in different stages of several diseases. This review will focus on their effects on ion channels expressed in vascular smooth muscle during atherosclerosis. Since ion channels can be regulated by redox potential, it is expected that during the onset of oxidative stress-related diseases, ion channels present changes in their conductive activity, impacting the progression of the disease. A typical oxidative stress-related condition is atherosclerosis, which involves the dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle. We aim to present the state of the art on how redox potential affects vascular smooth muscle ion channel function and summarize if the benefits observed in this disease by using flavonoids involve restoring the ion channel activity.

The Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Uses of Metagentiana Rhodantha (Franch.) T.N.Ho and S.W.Liu, an Ethnomedicine in Southwest China

Background: Metagentiana rhodantha (Franch.) T.N.Ho and S.W.Liu (MR) belongs to Gentianales, and it is often called Hong-hua-long-dan in Chinese. Traditionally, it has been used to cure acute icteric hepatitis, sore throat, dysentery, acute gastritis, carbuncle, and furuncle based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) concepts. Aim of Study: This review manages to provide a critical and comprehensive analysis on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical uses of MR and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of this plant. Methods: Relevant data mainly literatures on MR were selected from available database. All the papers reviewed provided evidence that the source herbs were reliably identified. Results: The heat-clearing and removing the phlegm, and purging fire and removing toxicity of MR contribute to its dispelling jaundice, and clearing lung heat and cough. The compounds isolated from this plant include iridoids and secoiridoids, phenolic acids, ketones, triterpenoids, flavonoids, benzophenone glycosides, and others. Mangiferin (MAF) is a characteristic substance from this plant. The pharmacological studies show that some extracts and compounds from MR exhibit anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and other effects which are associated with the traditional uses of this plant. The toxicological studies suggest that MAF is less toxic in mice and dogs. Nowadays, Chinese patent drugs such as Feilike Jiaonang and Kangfuling Jiaonang containing MR have been used to cure cough, asthma, chronic bronchitis, dysmenorrhea, and appendagitis. Conclusion: Although the current studies provide related research information of MR, it is still necessary to systemically evaluate the chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and safety of the extracts or compounds from this plant before clinical trials in the future. In addition, except for lung infection-related diseases, analgesia, anti-tumor, and hypertriglycemia may be new and prior therapeutic scopes of this ethnomedicine in the future.

Hypoxia-Induced miR-137 Inhibition Increased Glioblastoma Multiforme Growth and Chemoresistance Through LRP6

Purpose

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest tumors, which is involved in numerous dysregulated microRNAs including miR-137. However, the mechanism of how miR-137 suppression associated with cancer progression and chemoresistance still remains to be elucidated.

Methods

Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR (qRT-PCR), DNA methylation analysis, cell proliferation assay, flow cytometric analysis, invasion assay, in situ tumor formation experiment were performed to test the expression levels and functions of miR-137 in GBM. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry assay were used to identify and verify the target of miR-137.

Results

We found that miR-137 was downregulated in primary and recurrent GBM compared with normal brain tissues. Overexpression of miR-137 inhibited cell invasion and enhanced cell chemosensitivity to temozolomide (TMZ) by directly targeting low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) in GBM. Forced expression of LRP6 cDNA without its 3’-UTR region partly restored the effects of miR-137 in vitro and in vivo. Hypoxia-induced miR-137 methylation was responsible for the miR-137 suppression, leading to the cell chemoresistance and poor prognosis of GBM.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrated the detailed molecular mechanism of miR-137 in regulating GBM growth and chemoresistance in hypoxia microenvironment, suggesting the potentiality of miR-137 as a therapeutic target for GBM.

Ten New Dammarane-Type Saponins with Hypolipidemia Activity from a Functional Herbal Tea-Gynostemma pentaphyllum

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (thumb.) Makino is a functional herbal tea commonly used in Asian countries and regions to reduce blood lipid levels. G. pentaphyllum saponin is the main component, but there are still a large number of components with lipid-lowering activity that have not been found. In this study, 10 novel dammarane-type saponins, (1-10) and a known one (11) were isolated from G. pentaphyllum. Ten new compounds were identified and named as yunnangypenosides A-J (1-10), and another known one (11) was also obtained. Their chemical structures were determined by MS, NMR spectroscopic analyses. Moreover, the cytotoxicities on human HepG-2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells of these isolates were evaluated, and the results showed that compounds 1-11 had no obvious cytotoxicity. Finally, all these compounds were evaluated for their lipid-lowering effect by means of the oil red O staining method. Ten compounds could significantly reduce lipid levels except of 2, especially 8 exhibite the strongest hypolipidemia activity.

Blood Targets of Adjuvant Drugs Against COVID19

While waiting for the vaccine and/or the best treatment for COVID19, several drugs have been identified as potential adjuvant drugs to counteract the viral action. Several drugs, in fact, have been suggested for their ancillary antiviral role. Viral proteases and peptidases, may interact with well-known drugs such as anticoagulants, antihypertensives, antiserotoninergics and immunomodulants. We here report a basic list of these drugs that include bioflavonoids, heparinoids, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, antiserotoninergics, and monoclonal antibodies against cytokines that may interact with the viral cycle.