Pectolinarin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and suppresses inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes by inactivating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B pathway

Advances in pharmacological effects and mechanism of action of cinnamaldehyde

Cinnamaldehyde is extracted from Cinnamomum cassia and other species, providing diverse sources for varying chemical properties and therapeutic effects. Besides natural extraction, synthetic production and biotechnological methods like microbial fermentation offer scalable and sustainable alternatives. Cinnamaldehyd demonstrates a broad pharmacological range, impacting various diseases through detailed mechanisms. This review aims to encapsulate the diverse therapeutic effects of cinnamaldehyde, its molecular interactions, and its potential in clinical applications. Drawing on recent scientific studies and databases like Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, this review outlines cinnamaldehyde's efficacy in treating inflammatory conditions, bacterial infections, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and kidney diseases. It primarily operates by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and modulating pro-inflammatory mediators, alongside disrupting bacterial cells and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. The compound enhances metabolic health by improving glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity and offers cardiovascular protection through its anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects. Additionally, it promotes autophagy in kidney disease management. Preclinical and clinical research supports its therapeutic potential, underscoring the need for further investigation into its mechanisms and safety to develop new drugs based on cinnamaldehyde.

Preliminary investigation of a combined herbal extract of Aruncus dioicus, Cirsium nipponicum, and Ocimum basilicum for halitosis

BACKGROUND

Halitosis, the unpleasant odor in the oral cavity, has garnered increased attention and concern due to the growing significance of social interaction. SGE-107, a blend of 3 botanical drugs-Korean goat's beard, Cirsium tanakae, and Basil-with caffeic acid as its indicator component. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of SGE-107 in treating halitosis in patients with mild gastrointestinal symptoms.

METHODS

We enrolled 25 participants with oral malodor and dyspeptic symptoms. We assessed the severity of halitosis using the visual analog scale. Throughout a 4-week period of administering SGE-107, we evaluated both objective and subjective parameters, including the halitosis-associated life-quality test, the Korean gastrointestinal symptom rating scale, levels of volatile sulfur compounds, salivary flow rate, oral moisture, tongue index, Winkel tongue coating index, and tongue temperature.

RESULTS

After the intervention period, both the visual analog scale (5.88 ± 1.03 vs 2.38 ± 0.93, P < .001) and the scores of the halitosis-associated life-quality test (31.21 ± 11.78 vs 13.83 ± 6.38, P < .001) showed significant reductions. The proportion of participants with abnormal levels of methyl mercaptan (a volatile sulfur compound) also significantly decreased (17, 70.8% vs 9, 37.5%, P = .039). Furthermore, there were significant improvements in reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and the total scores on the Korean gastrointestinal symptom rating scale. Throughout the study period, only 2 participants experienced mild adverse events.

CONCLUSION

SGE-107 appears to be a safe and effective treatment for halitosis-associated with gastrointestinal symptoms; nevertheless, the limited sample size necessitates further large-scale randomized, controlled studies to confirm our findings.

Temperature-sensitive hydrogel releasing pectolinarin facilitate scarless wound healing

The dressing that promotes scarless healing is essential for both normal function and aesthetics after a wound. With a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in scar formation during the wound healing process, the ideal dressing becomes clearer and more promising. For instance, the yes-associated transcriptional regulator (YAP) has been extensively studied as a key gene involved in regulating scar formation. However, there has been limited attention given to pectolinarin, a natural flavonoid that may exhibit strong binding affinity to YAP, in the context of scarless healing. In this study, we successfully developed a temperature-sensitive Pluronic@F-127 hydrogel as a platform for delivering pectolinarin to promote scarless wound healing. The bioactive pectolinarin was released from the hydrogel, effectively enhancing endothelial cell migration, proliferation and the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. Additionally, a concentration of 20 μg/mL of pectolinarin demonstrated remarkable antioxidant ability, capable of counteracting the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our results from rat wound healing models demonstrated that the hydrogel accelerated wound healing, promoting re-epithelialization and facilitating skin appendage regeneration. Furthermore, we discovered that a concentration of 50 μg/mL of pectolinarin incorporated to the hydrogel exhibited the most favourable outcomes in terms of promoting wound healing and minimizing scar formation. Overall, our study highlights that the significant potential of locally released pectolinarin might substantially inhibit YAP and promoting scarless wound healing.

Plant-Based Approaches for Rheumatoid Arthritis Regulation: Mechanistic Insights on Pathogenesis, Molecular Pathways, and Delivery Systems

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is classified as a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder, associated with a varied range of immunological changes, synovial hyperplasia, cartilage destructions, as well as bone erosion. The infiltration of immune-modulatory cells and excessive release of proinflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors into the inflamed regions are key molecules involved in the progression of RA. Even though many conventional drugs are suggested by a medical practitioner such as DMARDs, NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, etc., to treat RA, but have allied with various side effects. Thus, alternative therapeutics in the form of herbal therapy or phytomedicine has been increasingly explored for this inflammatory disorder of joints. Herbal interventions contribute substantial therapeutic benefits including accessibility, less or no toxicity and affordability. But the major challenge with these natural actives is the need of a tailored approach for treating inflamed tissues by delivering these bioactive agentsat an appropriate dose within the treatment regimen for an extended periodof time. Drug incorporated with wide range of delivery systems such as liposomes, nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, and other nano-vehicles have been developed to achieve this goal. Thus, inclinations of modern treatment are persuaded on the way to herbal therapy or phytomedicines in combination with novel carriers is an alternative approach with less adverse effects. The present review further summarizes the significanceof use of phytocompounds, their target molecules/pathways and, toxicity and challenges associated with phytomolecule-based nanoformulations.

CT2-3 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes through regulating PI3K/AKT pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a kind of chronic autoimmune disease. The existing therapies encountered several challenges. Therefore, continued novel anti-RA drug discovery remains necessary for RA therapy. Recently, our group reported a novel compound named CT2-3, which could be realized as a hybrid of the natural product magnolol and phthalimide and exhibited anti-lung cancer activity. However, the effect of CT2-3 on RA is unclear. Here, we aim to explore the effect and potential mechanism of CT2-3 on the abnormal functions of RA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs). In this study, we identified the important role of the dysregulated cell cycle and apoptosis of RA-FLSs in RA progression. Interestingly, we found that CT2-3 inhibited the proliferation and DNA replication of primary RA-FLSs and immortalized RA-FLSs namely MH7A. In addition, CT2-3 downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), cyclin A2, and cyclin B1, resulting in cell cycle arrest of primary RA-FLSs and MH7A cells. Also, CT2-3 downregulated the level of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and increased the level of Bcl-2 associated X (Bax), contributing to apoptosis of primary RA-FLSs and MH7A cells. Furthermore, differential analyses of RNA-sequencing, Western blot, and network pharmacological analysis confirmed that CT2-3 inhibited phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway of primary RA-FLSs and MH7A cells. In conclusion, CT2-3 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in RA-FLSs through modulating PI3K/AKT pathway, which may serve as a potential lead compound for further novel small molecule anti-RA drug development.

Aβ dissociation by pectolinarin may counteract against Aβ-induced synaptic dysfunction and memory impairment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterised by various neurological symptoms, including memory impairment and mood disorders, associated with the abnormal accumulation of amyloid b(Aβ) and tau proteins in the brain. There is still no definitive treatment available for AD, and the Aβ antibody drugs, which are expected to be approved by the FDA, have many limitations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop low-molecular-weight therapeutic agents for the management of AD. In this study, we investigated whether pectolinarin, a flavonoid, regulates Aβ aggregation and Aβ-induced toxicity. Pectolinarin demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of Aβ aggregation and had the ability to break down pre-formed Aβ aggregates, thereby reducing their neurotoxicity. Furthermore, pectolinarin suppressed Aβ aggregates-induced reduction in long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Oral administration of pectolinarin in experimental animals inhibited memory impairment and LTP deficits induced by Aβ injection in the hippocampus. These results indicate that pectolinarin may reduce toxic Aβ species and Aβ-induced memory impairments and synaptic dysfunction.

Pectolinarigenin Suppresses LPS-Induced Inflammatory Response in Macrophages and Attenuates DSS-Induced Colitis by Modulating the NF-κB/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

Pectolinarigenin (PEC), a natural flavonoid present in cirsium chanroenicum and citrus fruits, has possess the distinct pharmacological activities. However, its molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects on intestinal illness have not been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the potential beneficial effects of pectolinarigenin (PEC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage cells and the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Our findings showed that PEC pretreatment inhibits the LPS-induced nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation by interfering with the degradation of IκB-α. Further, increased Nrf2 protein expression was reported on PEC treated RAW 264.7 and THP1 cell lines. In addition, we revealed that PEC mediated the NF-κB/Nrf2 pathway regulation, which in turn inhibits the synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on RAW 264.7 and THP1 cells. Furthermore, PEC dose-dependently reduced the DSS-induced inflammation in the colon by regulating NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling pathway and enhancing the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and redox regulators such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation byproduct malondialdehyde (MDA) in DSS-induced inflamed colon. Similarly, we reported the minimal pathological damages in the PEC-treated mice colon, as well as increase goblet cell population and mucin-2 production. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PEC reduces the DSS-induced colitis in mice by regulating the NF-κB/Nrf2 pathway. Thus, PEC might be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

The role of flavonoids in inhibiting IL-6 and inflammatory arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the synovial joints. RA has well-known clinical manifestations and can cause progressive disability and premature death along with socioeconomic burdens. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in the pathology of RA where it can stimulate pannus formation, osteoclastogenesis, and oxidative stress. Flavonoids are plant metabolites with beneficial pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, and others. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in a variety of plants, vegetables, and fruits. Many flavonoids have demonstrated anti-arthritic activity mediated mainly through the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This review thoroughly discusses the accumulate data on the role of flavonoids on IL-6 in RA.

Anticoronavirus and Immunomodulatory Phenolic Compounds: Opportunities and Pharmacotherapeutic Perspectives

In 2019, COVID-19 emerged as a severe respiratory disease that is caused by the novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease has been associated with high mortality rate, especially in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. This could be attributed to dysregulated immune responses and severe systemic inflammation in COVID-19 patients. The use of effective antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 and modulation of the immune responses could be a potential therapeutic strategy for COVID-19. Studies have shown that natural phenolic compounds have several pharmacological properties, including anticoronavirus and immunomodulatory activities. Therefore, this review discusses the dual action of these natural products from the perspective of applicability at COVID-19.

Cinnamaldehyde Attenuates the Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis through Down-Regulation of PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Cinnamaldehyde (CA), as an active compound isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, has been reported to possess the anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anti-oxidant properties. However, the possible effects and underlying mechanisms of CA on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not been revealed yet. In the present study, we found that CA obviously improved the type II collagen-induced RA in rats, accompanied with decreasing pro-inflammatory factors, proliferation and metastasis. In addition, CA decreased the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in RA-FLSs. Besides, CA remarkably inhibited the proliferation, downregulated the EdU-positive cells, and promoted apoptosis of RA-FLSs by CCK-8, EdU and flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, the results of wound healing, transwell migration and invasion assays showed that CA inhibited the migration and invasion of RA-FLSs. Further, western blot experiment showed CA inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in RA-FLSs. Finally, 740Y-P, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activator, could reverse the effects of CA on the proliferation and metastasis in RA-FLSs. In conclusion, we confirmed that CA exhibited potential therapeutic properties against RA via suppressing proliferation and metastasis of RA-FLSs by blockage of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Therefore, our study provides evidence that CA may emerge as a therapeutic option for RA treatment.

Thesium chinense Turcz.: An ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Thesium chinense Turcz. has been used to treat mastitis, pulmonitis, tonsillitis, iaryngopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infections in the indigenous medicine of China for a long history. Presently, several pharmaceutics prepared by this medical herb have been clinically used for the therapy of infectious diseases.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to comprehensively summarize the current researches on the ethnomedical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of T. chinense, and discuss their possible opportunities for the future research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Extensive database searches, including Web of Science, SciFinder, Google Scholar and China Knowledge Resource Integrated, were performed using keywords such as 'Thesium chinense', 'Bai Rui Cao', and their chemical constituents. In addition, local classic herbal literature on ethnopharmacology and relevant textbooks were consulted to provide a comprehensive survey of this ethnomedicine.

RESULTS

Thirty four chemical constituents, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, have been identified from T. chinense. Of which, flavonoids are the predominant and characteristic constituents. The crude extracts, the purified constituents, and commercial available pharmaceutics have displayed diverse in vitro and in vivo pharmacological functions (e.g. anti-inflammation, antimicrobial activity, analgesic effect, hepaprotection), and are particularly useful as a potential therapeutic agent against inflammation-related diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

T. chinense is an important ethnomedical medicine and possesses a satisfying effect for treating inflammation, microbial infection, and upper respiratory diseases. It has received plenty of researches on its phytochemical and pharmacological aspects since 1970s. These findings definitely establish the link between chemical composition and pharmacological application, and support the ethnomedical use of T. chinense in the indigenous medicine of China. However, chemical composition of this plant and the molecular mechanisms of purified constituents have not been comprehensively investigated, and thus the trace constituents and the therapeutic targets of bioactive constituents deserve a further exploration. Collectively, the researchers should pay more attention to a better understanding and application of this ethnomedical plant.

Integrated serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacological analysis used to explore possible anti-rheumatoid arthritis mechanisms of the Shentong-Zhuyu decoction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Shentong-Zhuyu decoction (STZYD) has been recognized by the Chinese National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a classic TCM formula. Use of STZYD has shown a satisfactory clinical therapeutic outcome for rheumatoid arthritis (RA); despite this, its bioactive chemical composition and relevant mechanism(s) of this action have not been clearly elucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the bioactive chemical composition of STZYD used for RA treatment and its possible mechanism(s) of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum pharmacochemistry mediated by the UPLC-Q-Exactive MS/MS method was employed to identify the absorbed phytochemical compounds in serum derived from STZYD, which were commonly considered as the potential bioactive compounds. And then, these components were used to construct a compound-target network for RA using a network pharmacology approach, to predict the possible biological targets of STZYD along with potential signaling pathways. Afterwards, we established a Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced RA rat model, and observed the anti-RA effect of STZYD by a series of indexes, including foot swelling, ankle diameter, arthritis score, morphological and radiographic analysis, serum inflammatory factors, and histopathological analysis of synovial tissues. Particularly, the predicted pathway by the combination of serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology was further validated using RT-qPCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses in animal experiment.

RESULTS

Totally, 38 compounds derived from STZYD have been identified by serum sample analysis. Based on it, 387 genes related to these identified compounds in STZYD and 3807 genes related to RA were collected by network pharmacology. Critically, KEGG analysis indicated that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was recommended as one of the main pathway related to anti-RA effect of STZYD. Experimentally, STZYD significantly alleviated CFA-induced arthritis without any visible side-effects. Compared to the RA model group without any treatment, the treatment of STZYD significantly reduced the expression of both mRNA and protein targets in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, this result was also corroborated by immunohistochemistry analysis. All these studies could effectively corroborate the predicted result as above, suggested that the feasibility of this integrated strategy.

CONCLUSION

This study provided a useful strategy to identify bioactive compounds and the potential mechanisms for TCM formula by integrating serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology.

The Therapeutic Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Inflammatory Diseases Caused by Virus, Especially on Those Caused by COVID-19

Inflammasomes are large multimolecular complexes best recognized because of their ability to control activation of caspase-1, which in turn regulates the maturation of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1β). IL-1β was originally identified as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, capable of inducing local and systemic inflammation as well as a fever response reaction in response to infection or injury. Excessive production of IL-1β is related to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Both coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are characterized by excessive inflammatory response. For SARS, there is no correlation between viral load and worsening symptoms. However, there is no specific medicine which is available to treat the disease. As an important part of medical practice, TCM showed an obvious therapeutic effect in SARS-CoV-infected patients. In this article, we summarize the current applications of TCM in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Herein, we also offer an insight into the underlying mechanisms of the therapeutic effects of TCM, as well as introduce new naturally occurring compounds with anti-coronavirus activity, in order to provide a new and potential drug development strategy for the treatment of COVID-19.

Amelioration effects of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii extract/fractions on amyloid beta25-35-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and identification of the main bioactive compound

Amyloid beta (Aβ) is a neurotoxic peptide, and the accumulation of Aβ in the brain is the major characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, the beneficial effects of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJM) on brain health has attracted much attention. In the present study, we investigated the ability and protective mechanisms of CJM to attenuate neuronal toxicity caused by Aβ using SH-SY5Y cells. Aβ25-35 treatment decreased cell viability, whereas CJM extract/fractions increased cell viability in Aβ25-35-treated cells. We found that CJM treatment prevented the accumulation of reactive oxygen species observed in Aβ25-35-treated control cells. Furthermore, Aβ25-35-mediated production of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β was significantly suppressed by CJM. In addition, apoptotic factors were modulated in CJM-treated cells by downregulating B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein and upregulating B-cell lymphoma-2 protein expression. The assays showed that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of CJM has greater neuroprotective bioactivities compared with the other extract/fractions. The main neuroprotective active compound from the EtOAc fraction of CJM was identified as pectolinarin using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. Collectively, this study not only describes the neuroprotective effect of CJM against Aβ25-35via the regulation of oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic signaling pathways, but also provides useful information for future studies on the mechanism of novel medicinal sources based on pectolinarin isolated from CJM.

MLL3 Inhibits Apoptosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes and Promotes Secretion of Inflammatory Factors by Activating CCL2 and the NF-κB Pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains the most common inflammatory arthritis and a major cause of disability. This study investigated the mechanism of MLL3 in fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) apoptosis and inflammatory factor secretion in RA. Expression of MLL3 in synovial tissue of RA patients and patients with bone trauma was detected. FLS was isolated and identified by flow cytometry. Expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 and apoptosis were measured by MTT, flow cytometry, and ELISA. Western blot and qRT-PCR were performed to detect MLL3 and CCL2 expressions, H3K4me3 level, and NF-κB pathway-related proteins in rat joints. MLL3 was highly expressed in the synovial tissue of RA patients, and silencing MLL3 in FLS-RA promoted apoptosis, inhibited pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 secretion, and promoted anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 secretion. Inhibition of MLL3 suppressed intracellular H3K4me3 and CCL2 expressions. CCL2 activated the NF-κB pathway to promote pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, inhibit anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, and inhibit apoptosis in FLS-RA. Inhibition of MLL3 expression in RA rats reduced joint redness, swelling, and intra-articular inflammation, but increasing H3K4me3 level reversed the ameliorative effects of sh-MLL3 on RA rats. Collectively, MLL3 activated the NF-κB pathway by increasing H3K4me3 modification in the CCL2 promoter region in FLS-RA, thereby inhibiting apoptosis and promoting pro-inflammatory factors of FLS-RA.

Acetazolamide ameliorates the severity of collagen-induced arthritis in rats: Involvement of inducing synovial apoptosis and inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway

We previously revealed that the overexpression of synovial aquaporin 1 (AQP1) aggravated collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats via regulating β-catenin signaling. This study was to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of acetazolamide (AZ, an AQP1 inhibitor) on rat CIA and explored its underlying mechanisms. Paw swelling, arthritis index, pathological assessments, and serum levels of collagen type II (Col II) antibody, IL-1β and TNF-α were measured to evaluate the anti-arthritic effect of AZ on rat CIA. Ki67 immunohistochemistry and TUNEL assay were performed to reveal the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of AZ on synovial cells in vivo. The protein levels of apoptosis-related genes and Wnt/β-catenin pathway key members were detected by western blot. We found that AZ treatment on CIA rats could inhibit paw swelling, reduce arthritis index, alleviate the pathologic changes of ankle joint and decrease the serum levels of Col II antibody, TNF-α and IL-1β. AZ could reduce Ki67 expression and increase apoptosis index in CIA synovial tissues by reducing Bcl-2 protein level, increasing Bax and caspase 3 protein levels and normalizing Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Moreover, AZ could reduce the protein levels of Wnt1, β-catenin, p-GSK-3β (Ser9), c-myc, cyclin D1 and MMP9, while increase GSK-3β protein level in CIA synovial tissues. Importantly, these mentioned effects of AZ (60 mg/kg) on CIA rats could be reversed by the combined use of lithium chloride (LiCl), an activator of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In short, AZ exerted potent anti-arthritic effects on CIA rats by inducing synovial apoptosis and inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Thymoquinone in autoimmune diseases: Therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms

Autoimmune diseases (AUDs) are a multifactorial disease, among which rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis are more prevalent. Several anti-inflammatory, biologics, and AUD-modifying drugs are found effective against them, but their repeated use are associated with various adverse effects. In this review article, we have focused on the regulation of inflammatory molecules, molecular signaling pathways, immune cells, and epigenetics by natural product thymoquinone on AUDs. Studies indicate that thymoquinone can regulate inflammatory molecules including interferons, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), oxidative stress, regulatory T cells, and various signaling pathways such as nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κβ), janus kinase/signal transduction and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) at the molecular level and epigenetic alteration. As these molecules and signaling pathways with defective immune function play an important role in AUD development, controlling these molecules and deregulated molecular mechanism is a significant feature of AUD therapeutics. Interestingly thymoquinone is reported to possess all these potential. This article reviewed the deregulated mechanism of AUDs, and the action of thymoquinone on inflammatory molecules, immune cells, signaling pathways, and epigenetic machinery. Thymoquinone can be regarded as a potential drug candidate for AUD treatment.

Isolation and Biological Properties of the Natural Flavonoids Pectolinarin and Pectolinarigenin-A Review

Flavonoids are metabolites widely distributed in plants and commonly present in foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Pectolinarin, which belongs to the flavone subclass, has attracted considerable attention due to its presence in many medicinal plants. It has turned out to be a good biological agent especially due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antitumor activities, evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Its aglycone, the metabolite pectolinarigenin, is also known for a series of biological properties including anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects. In the first overview on the two metabolites here presented, their collection, isolation and the results of their biological evaluation are reported.

Rhodojaponin II inhibits TNF-α-induced inflammatory cytokine secretion in MH7A human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes

Rhodojaponin II (R-II) has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity. Herein, we aimed to explore the effect of R-II on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammation in MH7A rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs). We found that R-II treatment at high concentration suppressed the viability of MH7A cells. R-II suppressed the levels of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2, and inhibited messenger RNA expression and concentrations of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 in TNF-α-stimulated RA-FLSs. Additionally, R-II repressed TNF-α-induced activation of the Akt, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/MyD88 pathways in MH7A cells. Inhibition of the Akt, NF-κB, and TLR4/MyD88 pathways by the corresponding inhibitors reinforced the inhibitory effect of R-II on TNF-α-induced inflammatory cytokine secretion in MH7A cells. R-II ameliorated the severity of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by inhibiting inflammation. In conclusion, R-II repressed TNF-α-induced inflammatory response in MH7A cells by inactivating the Akt, NF-κB, and TLR4/MyD88 pathways.

Gypenoside Inhibits Endothelial Cell Apoptosis in Atherosclerosis by Modulating Mitochondria through PI3K/Akt/Bad Pathway

Atherosclerosis remains the most common cause of deaths worldwide. Endothelial cell apoptosis is an important process in the progress of atherosclerosis, as it can cause the endothelium to lose their capability in regulating the lipid homeostasis, inflammation, and immunity. Endothelial cell injury can disrupt the integrity and barrier function of an endothelium and facilitate lipid deposition, leading to atherogenesis. Chinese medicine techniques for preventing and treating atherosclerosis are gaining attention, especially natural products. In this study, we demonstrated that gypenoside could decrease the levels of serum lipid, alleviate the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, and lessen aortic intima thickening. Gypenoside potentially activates the PI3K/Akt/Bad signal pathway to modulate the apoptosis-related protein expression in the aorta. Moreover, gypenoside downregulated mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins, mitochondrial energy-related proteins in the mouse aorta. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a new function of gypenoside in endothelial apoptosis and suggested a therapeutic potential of gypenoside in atherosclerosis associated with apoptosis by modulating mitochondrial function through the PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway.

Apoptosis Induction of Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Is an Important Molecular-Mechanism for Herbal Medicine along with its Active Components in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a known chronic autoimmune disease can cause joint deformity and even loss of joint function. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), one of the main cell types in synovial tissues of RA patients, are key effector cells in the development of RA and are considered as promising therapeutic targets for treating RA. Herbal medicines are precious resources for finding novel agents for treating various diseases including RA. It is reported that induction of apoptosis in FLS is an important mechanism for the herbal medicines to treat RA. Consequently, this paper reviewed the current available references on pro-apoptotic effects of herbal medicines on FLS and summarized the related possible signal pathways. Taken together, the main related signal pathways are concluded as death receptors mediated apoptotic pathway, mitochondrial dependent apoptotic pathway, NF-κB mediated apoptotic pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mediated apoptotic pathway, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) mediated apoptotic pathway, PI3K-Akt mediated apoptotic pathway, and other reported pathways such as janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) signal pathway. Understanding the apoptosis induction pathways in FLS of these herbal medicines will not only help clear molecular mechanisms of herbal medicines for treating RA but also be beneficial for finding novel candidate therapeutic drugs from natural herbal medicines. Thus, we expect the present review will highlight the importance of herbal medicines and its components for treating RA via induction of apoptosis in FLS, and provide some directions for the future development of these mentioned herbal medicines as anti-RA drugs in clinical.