1
|
Song LJ, Han QX, Ding ZB, Liu K, Zhang XX, Guo MF, Ma D, Wang Q, Xiao BG, Ma CG. Icariin ameliorates the cuprizone-induced demyelination associated with antioxidation and anti-inflammation. Inflammopharmacology 2024; 32:809-823. [PMID: 38177566 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-023-01388-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The treatment of immunomodulation in multiple sclerosis (MS) can alleviate the severity and relapses. However, it cannot improve the neurological disability of patients due to a lack of myelin protection and regeneration. Therefore, remyelinating therapies may be one of the feasible strategies that can prevent axonal degeneration and restore neurological disability. Natural product icariin (ICA) is a flavonol compound extracted from epimedium flavonoids, which has neuroprotective effects in several models of neurological diseases. Here, we attempt to explore whether ICA has the potential to treat demyelination and its possible mechanisms of action using lipopolysaccharide-treated BV2 microglia, primary microglia, bone marrow-derived macrophages, and cuprizone-induced demyelination model. The indicators of oxidative stress and inflammatory response were evaluated using commercial kits. The results showed that ICA significantly reduced the levels of oxidative intermediates nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and increased the levels of antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β in vitro cell experiments. In vivo demyelination model, ICA significantly alleviated the behavioral abnormalities and enhanced the integrated optical density/mm2 of Black Gold II and myelin basic protein myelin staining, accompanied by the inhibition of oxidative stress/inflammatory response. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ICA significantly induced the expression of nuclear factor erythroid derived 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) and inhibited the expression of toll-like receptor 4/ nuclear factor kappa B (TLR4/NF-κB), which are two key signaling pathways in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory processes. Our results strongly suggest that ICA may be used as a potential agent to treat demyelination via regulating Nrf2/HO-1-mediated antioxidative stress and TLR4/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Song
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital, Datong, China
| | - Qing-Xian Han
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Ding
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Kexin Liu
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiao-Xu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital, Datong, China
| | - Min-Fang Guo
- Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | - Dong Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital, Datong, China
| | - Qing Wang
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Bao-Guo Xiao
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Cun-Gen Ma
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China.
- Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bangar A, Khan H, Kaur A, Dua K, Singh TG. Understanding mechanistic aspect of the therapeutic role of herbal agents on neuroplasticity in cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117153. [PMID: 37717842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability. The only FDA-approved therapy for treating stroke is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), exhibiting a short therapeutic window. Due to this reason, only a small number of patients can be benefitted in this critical period. In addition, the use of endovascular interventions may reverse vessel occlusion more effectively and thus help further improve outcomes in experimental stroke. During recovery of blood flow after ischemia, patients experience cognitive, behavioral, affective, emotional, and electrophysiological changes. Therefore, it became the need for an hour to discover a novel strategy for managing stroke. The drug discovery process has focused on developing herbal medicines with neuroprotective effects via modulating neuroplasticity. AIM OF THE STUDY We gather and highlight the most essential traditional understanding of therapeutic plants and their efficacy in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition, we provide a concise summary and explanation of herbal drugs and their role in improving neuroplasticity. We review the pharmacological activity of polyherbal formulations produced from some of the most frequently referenced botanicals for the treatment of cerebral ischemia damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic literature review of bentham, scopus, pubmed, medline, and embase (elsevier) databases was carried out with the help of the keywords like neuroplasticity, herbal drugs, neural progenitor cells, neuroprotection, stem cells. The review was conducted using the above keywords to understand the therapeutic and mechanistic role of herbal neuroprotective agents on neuroplasticity in cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury. RESULTS Neuroplasticity emerged as an alternative to improve recovery and management after cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury. Neuroplasticity is a physiological process throughout one's life in response to any stimuli and environment. Traditional herbal medicines have been established as an adjuvant to stroke therapy since they were used from ancient times and provided promising effects as an adjuvant to experimental stroke. The plants and phytochemicals such as Curcuma longa L., Moringa oliefera Lam, Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., and Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., etc., have shown promising effects in improving neuroplasticity after experimental stroke. Such effects occur by modulation of various molecular signalling pathways, including PI3K/Akt, BDNF/CREB, JAK/STAT, HIF-1α/VEGF, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we gave a perspective on plant species that have shown neuroprotective effects and can show promising results in promoting neuroplasticity with specific targets after cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury. In this review, we provide the complete detail of studies conducted on the role of herbal drugs in improving neuroplasticity and the signaling pathway involved in the recovery and management of experimental stroke.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annu Bangar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, 140401, India.
| | - Heena Khan
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, 140401, India.
| | - Amarjot Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, 140401, India.
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhao Z, Du JF, Wang QL, Qiu FN, Li P, Jiang Y, Li HJ. Natural Product Baohuoside I Impairs the Stability and Membrane Location of MRP2 Reciprocally Regulated by SUMOylation and Ubiquitination in Hepatocytes. Chem Res Toxicol 2024; 37:57-71. [PMID: 38177062 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.3c00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Epimedii Folium (EF) is a botanical dietary supplement to benefit immunity. Baohuoside I (BI), a prenylated flavonoid derived from EF, has exhibited the cholestatic risk before. Here, the mechanism of BI on the stability and membrane localization of liver MRP2, a bile acid exporter in the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes, was investigated. The fluorescent substrate of MRP2, CMFDA was accumulated in sandwich-cultured primary mouse hepatocytes (SCH) under BI stimulation, followed by reduced membrane MRP2 expression. BI triggered MRP2 endocytosis associated with oxidative stress via inhibition of the NRF2 signaling pathway. Meanwhile, BI promoted the degradation of MRP2 by reducing its SUMOylation and enhancing its ubiquitination level. Co-IP and fluorescence colocalization experiments all proved that MRP2 was a substrate protein for SUMOylation for SUMO proteins. CHX assays showed that SUMO1 prolonged the half-life of MRP2 and further increased its membrane expression, which could be reversed by UBC9 knockdown. Correspondingly, MRP2 accumulated in the cytoplasm by GP78 knockdown or under MG132 treatment. Additionally, the SUMOylation sites of MRP2 were predicted by the algorithm, and a conversion of lysines to arginines at positions 940 and 953 of human MRP2 caused its decreased stability and membrane location. K940 was further identified as the essential ubiquitination site for MRP2 by an in vitro ubiquitination assay. Moreover, the decreased ubiquitination of MRP2 enhanced the SUMOylation MRP2 and vice versa, and the crosstalk of these two modifiers could be disrupted by BI. Collectively, our findings indicated the process of MRP2 turnover from the membrane to cytoplasm at the post-translational level and further elucidated the novel toxicological mechanism of BI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jin-Fa Du
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qiao-Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Fang-Ning Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Hui-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wan M, Sun S, Di X, Zhao M, Lu F, Zhang Z, Li Y. Icariin improves learning and memory function in Aβ 1-42-induced AD mice through regulation of the BDNF-TrκB signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 318:117029. [PMID: 37579923 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117029] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Epimedium brevicornu Maxim. is a traditional medicinal Chinese herb that is enriched with flavonoids, which have remarkably high medicinal value. Icariin (ICA) is a marker compound isolated from the total flavonoids of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim. It has been shown to improve Neurodegenerative disease, therefore, ICA is probably a potential drug for treating AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS The 6-8-week-old SPF-class male ICR mice were randomly divided into 8 groups for modeling, and then the mice were administered orally with ICA for 21 days. The behavioral experiments were conducted to evaluate if learning and memory behavior were absent in mice, confirming that infusion of Amyloid β-protein (Aβ)1-42 caused significant memory impairment. The morphological changes and damage of neurons in the mice's brains were observed by HE and Nissl staining. The spinous protrusions (dendritic spines) on neuronal dendrites were investigated by Golgi-Cox staining. The molecular mechanism of ICA was examined by Western Blot. The protein docking of ICA and Donepezil with BDNF were analyzed to determine their interaction. RESULTS The behavioral experimental results showed that in Aβ1-42-induced AD mice, the learning and memory abilities were improved after using ICA. At the same time, the low, medium, and high doses of ICA could reduce the content of Aβ1-42 in the hippocampus of AD mice, repair neuronal damage, enhance synaptic plasticity, as well as increase the expression of BDNF, TrκB, CREB, Akt, GAP43, PSD95, and SYN proteins in the hippocampus of mice. However, the effect with high doses of ICA is more pronounced. The high-dose administration of ICA has the best therapeutic effect on AD mice. After administering the inhibitor k252a, the therapeutic effect of ICA was reversed. The macromolecular docking results of ICA and BDNF protein demonstrated a strong interaction of -7.8 kcal/mol, which indicates that ICA plays a therapeutic role in AD mice by regulating the BDNF-TrκB signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS The results confirm that ICA can repair neuronal damage, enhance synaptic plasticity, as well as ultimately improve learning and memory impairment through the regulation of the BDNF-TrκB signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meiyu Wan
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengqi Sun
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoke Di
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Minghui Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengjuan Lu
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifei Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qian HQ, Wu DC, Li CY, Liu XR, Han XK, Peng Y, Zhang H, Zhao BY, Zhao Y. A systematic review of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of Epimedium koreanum Nakai. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 318:116957. [PMID: 37544344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Epimedium koreanum Nakai (E. koreanum), a member of the genus Epimedium in the family Berberidaceae, is a well-known and well-liked traditional herb used as a "kidney tonic". For thousands of years, it has been utilized for renal yang deficiency, impotence, spermatorrhea, impotence, weakness of tendons and bones, rheumatic paralysis and discomfort, numbness, and constriction. AIM OF THE STUDY The paper aims to comprehensively in-depth, and methodically review the most recent research on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of E. koreanum. MATERIALS AND METHODS Scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Springer, ScienceDirect, Baidu Scholar, and CNKI and medicine books in China were searched for relevant information on E. koreanum. RESULTS In traditional uses, E. koreanum is frequently used to treat various diseases like erectile dysfunction, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, kidney-yang deficiency syndrome, etc. To date, more than 379 compounds have been discovered from various parts of E. koreanum, including flavonoids, lignans, organic acids, terpenoids, hydrocarbons, dihydrophenanthrene derivatives, alkaloids, and others. Research has revealed that the compounds and crude extracts have a wide range of pharmacological effects on the reproductive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, as well as anti-osteoporosis, anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and antiviral properties. Besides, the crude extracts show potential hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSION Based on recent domestic and international research investigations, E. koreanum contains a wealth of chemical components with pronounced pharmacological activities. Its traditional uses are numerous, and the majority of these traditional uses have been supported by contemporary pharmacological investigations. Crude extracts, on the other hand, can result in hepatotoxicity. Therefore, additional in vivo and in vitro experimental research on the pharmacology and toxicology of E. koreanum are required in the future to assess its safety and efficacy. This will give a firmer scientific foundation for its safe application and the development of new drugs in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Qin Qian
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Dou-Can Wu
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Chun-Yan Li
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Xin-Ran Liu
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Xin-Ke Han
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Yuan Peng
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Bing-Yan Zhao
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Yuan Zhao
- Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang X, Tang B, Wen S, Wang Y, Pan C, Qu L, Yin Y, Wei Y. Advancements in the Biotransformation and Biosynthesis of the Primary Active Flavonoids Derived from Epimedium. Molecules 2023; 28:7173. [PMID: 37894651 PMCID: PMC10609448 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epimedium is a classical Chinese herbal medicine, which has been used extensively to treat various diseases, such as sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and brain diseases. Flavonoids, such as icariin, baohuoside I, icaritin, and epimedin C, are the main active ingredients with diverse pharmacological activities. Currently, most Epimedium flavonoids are extracted from Epimedium plants, but this method cannot meet the increasing market demand. Biotransformation strategies promised huge potential for increasing the contents of high-value Epimedium flavonoids, which would promote the full use of the Epimedium herb. Complete biosynthesis of major Epimedium flavonoids by microbial cell factories would enable industrial-scale production of Epimedium flavonoids. This review summarizes the structures, pharmacological activities, and biosynthesis pathways in the Epimedium plant, as well as the extraction methods of major Epimedium flavonoids, and advancements in the biotransformation and complete microbial synthesis of Epimedium flavonoids, which would provide valuable insights for future studies on Epimedium herb usage and the production of Epimedium flavonoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Quick Testing and Smart Supervision Technology for State Market Regulation, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Bingling Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Sijie Wen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yitong Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Chengxue Pan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lingbo Qu
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yulong Yin
- Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Yongjun Wei
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Icariside II alleviates ischemic retinopathy by modulating microglia and promoting vessel integrity. J Funct Foods 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2023.105510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
|
8
|
Regulatory mechanism of icariin in cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 158:114156. [PMID: 36584431 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and neurological diseases are widespread diseases with substantial rates of morbidity and mortality around the world. For the past few years, the preventive effects of Chinese herbal medicine on CVDs and neurological diseases have attracted a great deal of attention. Icariin (ICA), the main constituent of Epimedii Herba, is a flavonoid. It has been shown to provide neuroprotection, anti-tumor, anti-osteoporosis, and cardiovascular protection. The endothelial protection, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, antioxidative stress, and anti-apoptosis properties of ICA can help stop the progression of CVDs and neurological diseases. Therefore, our review summarized the known mechanisms and related studies of ICA in the prevention and treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs), to better understand its therapeutic potential.
Collapse
|
9
|
Fu X, Ma B, Zhou M, Cheng Y, Liu L, Kan S, Liu C, Zhao X, Feng S, Zhu H, Hu W, Jiang Z, Zhu R. Network pharmacology integrated with experimental validation to explore the therapeutic role and potential mechanism of Epimedium for spinal cord injury. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1074703. [PMID: 36793356 PMCID: PMC9922722 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1074703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Epimedium (EPI) is a common Chinese herb with neuroprotective effects against a variety of central nervous system disorders, especially spinal cord injury (SCI). In this study, we performed network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses to reveal the mechanism underlying EPI treatment of SCI, then validated its efficacy using animal models. Methods The active ingredients and targets of EPI were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and their targets annotated on the UniProt platform. SCI-related targets were searched from OMIM, TTD, and GeneCards databases. We employed the STRING platform to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network then visualized the results using Cytoscape (3.8.2) software. We also subjected key EPI targets to ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, then docked the main active ingredients with the key targets. Finally, we established an SCI rat model to evaluate efficacy of EPI in treating SCI and validate the effects of different biofunctional modules predicted by network pharmacology. Results A total of 133 EPI targets were associated with SCI. GO terms and KEGG pathway enrichment results showed that EPI's effect in treating SCI was significantly associated with inflammatory response, oxidative stress and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Molecular docking results indicated that EPI's active ingredients have a high affinity for the key targets. Results from animal experiments revealed that EPI not only markedly improved Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores in SCI rats, but also significantly improved p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT ratio. Moreover, EPI treatment not only mediated a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) but also increased both superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH). However, this phenomenon was successfully reversed by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor. Conclusion EPI improves behavioral performance in SCI rats through anti-oxidative stress, which may be mediated by activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rusen Zhu
- Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Epimedin B exerts neuroprotective effect against MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease: GPER as a potential target. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113955. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
|
11
|
Zhang LB, Yan Y, He J, Wang PP, Chen X, Lan TY, Guo YX, Wang JP, Luo J, Yan ZR, Xu Y, Tao QW. Epimedii Herba: An ancient Chinese herbal medicine in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Front Chem 2022; 10:1023779. [PMID: 36465876 PMCID: PMC9712800 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1023779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory and systemic autoimmune disease resulting in severe joint destruction, lifelong suffering and considerable disability. Diverse prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) containing Epimedii Herba (EH) achieve greatly curative effects against RA. The present review aims to systemically summarize the therapeutic effect, pharmacological mechanism, bioavailability and safety assessment of EH to provide a novel insight for subsequent studies. The search terms included were "Epimedii Herba", "yinyanghuo", "arthritis, rheumatoid" and "Rheumatoid Arthritis", and relevant literatures were collected on the database such as Google Scholar, Pubmed, Web of Science and CNKI. In this review, 15 compounds from EH for the treatment of RA were summarized from the aspects of anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, cartilage and bone protective, antiangiogenic and antioxidant activities. Although EH has been frequently used to treat RA in clinical practice, studies on mechanisms of these activities are still scarce. Various compounds of EH have the multifunctional traits in the treatment of RA, so EH may be a great complementary medicine option and it is necessary to pay more attention to further research and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liu-Bo Zhang
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- China-Japan Friendship Clinical Medical College & School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Yan
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jun He
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Pei-Pei Wang
- China-Japan Friendship Clinical Medical College & School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tian-Yi Lan
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- China-Japan Friendship Clinical Medical College & School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Guo
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- China-Japan Friendship Clinical Medical College & School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Ping Wang
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ze-Ran Yan
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qing-Wen Tao
- Department of TCM Rheumatism, Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Long L, Wang X, Lei Y, Guo S, Wang C, Dai W, Lin B, Xie M, Xu H, Li S. Icariin: A Potential Alternative Against Osteoporosis. Nat Prod Commun 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x221134881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a metabolic skeletal disorder characterized by increased fragility and fracture risk as s result of reduced bone mineral density and microstructural destruction and caused a heavy burden on families and society. Current medicines, on the other hand, have some limitations, with side effects and doubts regarding long-term efficacy being highlighted. Studies seeking for natural constituents as potential treatment options therefore come into focus. Icariin is a phytochemical derived from a traditional Chinese medicine, Herba epimedium, that has been used to treat orthopedic disorders in ancient China for thousands of years, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and fracture. Icariin belongs to a category of prenylated flavonoids and has been shown to help reduce osteoporosis bone loss while having relatively low side effects. Icariin's anti-osteoporosis properties manifest in a variety of ways, like promoting osteogenesis, suppressing osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, regulating migration, proliferation, and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, enhancing angiogenesis, anti-inflammation, and antioxidation. These procedures entail a slew of critical signaling pathways, such as PPARγ, ERα/AKT/β-catenin, and MAPK. Therefore, icariin can be an applicable alternative to improve osteoporosis although the underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully understood. In this study, we searched using the terms “icariin” and “osteoporosis,” and included 64 articles meeting the inclusion criteria and reviewed the research of icariin in anti-osteoporosis over the last 10 years, and discussed new prospects for future study. Therefore, this review may provide some references for further studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Longhai Long
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Wang
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yang Lei
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Sheng Guo
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chenglong Wang
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Wenbin Dai
- Geriatric Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Birong Lin
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Mingzhong Xie
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Houping Xu
- Department of Preventive Treatment Center, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Sen Li
- Spinal Surgery Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Xu H, You M, Xiang X, Zhao J, Yuan P, Chu L, Xie C. Molecular Mechanism of Epimedium Extract against Ischemic Stroke Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:3858314. [PMID: 36338345 PMCID: PMC9633197 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3858314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke exhibits high morbidity, disability, and mortality, and treatments for ischemic stroke are limited despite intensive research. The potent neuroprotective benefits of Epimedium against ischemic stroke have gained lots of interest. Nevertheless, systematic research on the direct role and mechanisms of Epimedium in ischemic stroke is still lacking. Network pharmacology analysis coupled with experimental verification was utilized to systematically evaluate the potential pharmacological mechanism of Epimedium against ischemic stroke. The TCMSP database was used to mine the bioactive ingredients and Epimedium's targets. The DrugBank, OMIM, and GeneCards databases were employed to identify potential targets of ischemic stroke. GO and KEGG pathway analyses were also carried out. The interaction between active components and hub targets was confirmed via molecular docking. An experimental ischemic stroke model was used to evaluate the possible therapeutic mechanism of Epimedium. As a result, 23 bioactive compounds of Epimedium were selected, and 30 hub targets of Epimedium in its function against ischemic stroke were identified, and molecular docking results demonstrated good binding. The IL-17 signaling pathway was revealed as a potentially significant pathway, with the NF-κB and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways being involved. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that Epimedium treatment could improve neurological function and reduce infarct volume. Additionally, Epimedium reduced the activation of microglia and astrocytes in both the ischemic penumbra of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex following ischemic stroke. Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses demonstrated that Epimedium not only depressed the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-4 but also inhibited the NF-κB and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways. This study applied network pharmacology and in vivo experiment to explore possible mechanism of Epimedium's role against ischemic stroke, which provides insight into the treatment of ischemic stroke.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongbei Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Mingyao You
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Xiang Xiang
- Neurosurgery Department of Chongqing University, Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dazhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 635000, China
| | - Ping Yuan
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Lan Chu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Chenchen Xie
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital & Clinical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu 610081, China
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Xie C, Tang H, Liu G, Li C. Molecular mechanism of Epimedium in the treatment of vascular dementia based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:940166. [PMID: 36051307 PMCID: PMC9424771 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.940166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgroud: Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for an estimated 15% of cases. Recently, Epimedium has attracted great attention for its potential neuroprotective benefit. However, the direct role and mechanism of Epimedium on vascular dementia still lack systematic research. To systematically explore the possible pharmacological mechanism of Epimedium for the treatment of vascular dementia, network pharmacology, molecular docking, combined with experiment validation were conducted. Methods: The bioactive compounds and targets of Epimedium were obtained from the TCMSP database. The potential targets of vascular dementia were identified from the DrugBank, OMIM, Genecards, Therapeutic Target Database, and DisGeNET databases. GO and KEGG pathway analyses were performed. Molecular docking was applied to validate the interaction between active components and hub targets. The bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) method was used for construction of a vascular dementia model in mice. The effects of Epimedium on learning and memory ability were examined by behavioral tests. The mechanisms of the cerebral protective effects of Epimedium were evaluated by WB, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. Results: A total of 23 Epimedium active ingredients, and 71 intersecting targets of Epimedium against vascular dementia were obtained. The top five hub targets AKT1, TNF, IL1β, IL6, and MMP9 were identified, and molecular docking showed good binding. GO enrichment showed a total of 602 enrichment results, with 458 (80.56%) key targets mainly focused on biological processes (BP). The response to hypoxia, positive regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process, aging, inflammatory response, cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, negative regulation of apoptotic process were well ranked. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified the TNF signaling pathway as an important pathway, with the MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and NF-κB signaling pathways as the key pathways involved. Consistently, in vivo experiments showed that Epimedium treatment improved learning and memory functions in mice with vascular dementia. In addition, Epimedium attenuated the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampal region after BCCAO. RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis showed that Epimedium not only affected the expression of AKT, TNF, IL1β, IL6, and MMP9, but also suppressed the TNF signaling pathway. Conclusion: Epimedium may exert a protective effect against vascular dementia through the alleviation of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, BBB dysfunction, apoptosis through TNF signaling pathway. This study explored the mechanism of Epimedium on vascular dementia systematically through network pharmacological and in vivo experiment approach, which provides insight into the treatment of vascular dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Xie
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital & Clinical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changqing Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Changqing Li
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhao JQ, Zhao Z, Zhang C, Sun JX, Liu FJ, Yu T, Jiang Y, Li HJ. Long-term oral administration of Epimedii Folium induced cholestasis in mice by interfering with bile acid transport. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 293:115254. [PMID: 35381309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Epimedii Folium (EF) is a common traditional Chinese medicine that functions as a tonifying kidney yang to strengthen bones and muscles and dispel wind dampness (limb pain, lethargy, nausea, anorexia, and loose stools). Several studies have reported the potential risk of cholestatic liver damage from EF use; however, there have been few investigations of EF-induced cholestasis, particularly the underlying mechanisms. AIMS OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of EF-induced cholestasis in vivo and to explore the mechanisms of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS ICR mice were orally administered a water extract of EF (WEF) in doses of 6.5 and 19.5 g/kg/day for 14 weeks. Liver-to-body weight ratios, body weight, histopathological examination, and biochemical analyses were performed to assess WEF-induced cholestasis in the mice. Genes associated with bile acid (BA) metabolism and transport, including sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), cytochrome P450 8B1 (CYP8B1), bile-salt export pump (BSEP), multidrug resistance P-glycoproteins 1 (MDR1), and farnesoid X receptor (FXR), were measured at the transcript and protein levels to investigate the potential mechanisms through which cholestasis is aroused by EF. RESULTS After administration of WEF for 14 weeks, mice in the high-dose WEF group showed poor health with an increased liver-to-body weight ratio as well as higher serum aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, direct bilirubin, and total BA levels. Compared with the control group, mRNA expression of NTCP and cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) increased, and levels of BSEP, MDR1, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2, and multidrug resistance-associated protein 3 decreased in the WEF-treated group. NTCP, BSEP, MDR1, and CYP8B1 showed similar mRNA and protein expression trends. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that the long-term oral administration of WEF causes cholestatic liver injury in mice, which is consistent with reported clinical cases. Furthermore, we found that the destruction of BA metabolism and transport is involved in WEF-induced cholestasis. The fine-scale molecular mechanisms of WEF-induced cholestasis and the active compounds of EF need further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Quan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Cai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jia-Xing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Feng-Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ting Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.
| | - Hui-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mining Therapeutic Efficacy from Treasure Chest of Biodiversity and Chemodiversity: Pharmacophylogeny of Ranunculales Medicinal Plants. Chin J Integr Med 2022; 28:1111-1126. [PMID: 35809180 PMCID: PMC9282152 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-022-3576-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ranunculales, comprising of 7 families that are rich in medicinal species frequently utilized by traditional medicine and ethnomedicine, represents a treasure chest of biodiversity and chemodiversity. The phylogenetically related species often have similar chemical profile, which makes them often possess similar therapeutic spectrum. This has been validated by both ethnomedicinal experiences and pharmacological investigations. This paper summarizes molecular phylogeny, chemical constituents, and therapeutic applications of Ranunculales, i.e., a pharmacophylogeny study of this representative medicinal order. The phytochemistry/metabolome, ethnomedicine and bioactivity/pharmacology data are incorporated within the phylogenetic framework of Ranunculales. The most studied compounds of this order include benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, flavonoid, terpenoid, saponin and lignan, etc. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids are especially abundant in Berberidaceae and Menispermaceae. The most frequent ethnomedicinal uses are arthritis, heat-clearing and detoxification, carbuncle-abscess and sore-toxin. The most studied bioactivities are anticancer/cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities, etc. The pharmacophylogeny analysis, integrated with both traditional and modern medicinal uses, agrees with the molecular phylogeny based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences, in which Ranunculales is divided into Ranunculaceae, Berberidaceae, Menispermaceae, Lardizabalaceae, Circaeasteraceae, Papaveraceae, and Eupteleaceae families. Chemical constituents and therapeutic efficacy of each taxonomic group are reviewed and the underlying connection between phylogeny, chemodiversity and clinical uses is revealed, which facilitate the conservation and sustainable utilization of Ranunculales pharmaceutical resources, as well as developing novel plant-based pharmacotherapy.
Collapse
|
17
|
Wang S, Ma J, Zeng Y, Zhou G, Wang Y, Zhou W, Sun X, Wu M. Icariin, an Up-and-Coming Bioactive Compound Against Neurological Diseases: Network Pharmacology-Based Study and Literature Review. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2021; 15:3619-3641. [PMID: 34447243 PMCID: PMC8384151 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s310686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Icariin is a biologically active substance in Epimedii herba that is used for the treatment of neurologic disorders. However, a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms of icariin is lacking. In this review, we present a brief history of the use of icariin for medicinal purposes; describe the active chemical components of Epimedii herba; and examine the evidence from experimental studies that have uncovered molecular targets of icariin in different diseases. We also constructed a protein–protein interaction network and carried out Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment analyses to predict the therapeutic actions of icariin in nervous system diseases including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, ischemic stroke, depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma, and hereditary spastic paraplegias. The results of our analyses can guide future studies on the application of icariin to the treatment of neurologic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuangqiu Wang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiarui Ma
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Target and Drug for Degenerative Disease, School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqi Zeng
- First Clinical Medical School, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjuan Zhou
- First Clinical Medical School, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohe Sun
- First Clinical Medical School, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Minghua Wu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,First Clinical Medical School, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jia Z, Wang K, Zhang Y, Duan Y, Xiao K, Liu S, Ding X. Icariin Ameliorates Diabetic Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis by Restoring Autophagy via Regulation of the miR-192-5p/GLP-1R Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:720387. [PMID: 34349660 PMCID: PMC8326523 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.720387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is one of the most common pathological features of diabetic nephropathy. Autophagy, an intracellular mechanism to remove damaged or dysfunctional cell parts and maintain metabolic homeostasis, is inhibited in diabetic neuropathy. Icariin is a traditional Chinese medicine extract known for nourishing the kidney and reinforcing Yang. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanism of Icariin on renal function, autophagy, and fibrosis in type 2 diabetic nephropathic rats and in high-glucose-incubated human renal tubular epithelial cells and rat renal fibroblasts (in vitro). Icariin improved diabetes, renal function, restored autophagy, and alleviated fibrosis in type 2 diabetic neuropathic rats and in vitro. After we applied autophagy-related gene 5-small interfering RNA, we found that fibrosis improvement by Icariin was related to autophagy restoration. By detecting serum sex hormone levels, and using dihydrotestosterone, siRNA for androgen receptor, and the androgen receptor antagonist Apalutamide (ARN-509), we found that Icariin had an androgen-like effect and restored autophagy and reduced fibrosis by regulating the androgen receptor. In addition, miR-192-5p levels were increased under high glucose but reduced after dihydrotestosterone and Icariin treatment. Furthermore, dihydrotestosterone and Icariin inhibited miR-192-5p overexpression-induced fibrosis production and autophagy limitation. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) was downregulated by high glucose and overexpression of miR-192-5p and could be restored by dihydrotestosterone and Icariin. By using ARN-509, we found that Icariin increased GLP-1R expression by regulating the androgen receptor. GLP-1R-siRNA transfection weakened the effects of Icariin on autophagy and fibrosis. These findings indicate that Icariin alleviates tubulointerstitial fibrosis by restoring autophagy through the miR-192-5p/GLP-1R pathway and is a novel therapeutic option for diabetic fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhirong Jia
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kaiwei Wang
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yameng Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yalei Duan
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kang Xiao
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuo Liu
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuansheng Ding
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.,Precision Medicine Laboratory, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
An HM, Li MN, Yang H, Pang HQ, Qu C, Xu Y, Liu RZ, Peng C, Li P, Gao W. A validated UHPLC-MS/MS method for pharmacokinetic and brain distribution studies of twenty constituents in rat after oral administration of Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 202:114140. [PMID: 34015592 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
A rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ MS/MS) approach with high sensitivity and selectivity was developed for the quantification of twenty compounds, including 9 saponins, 8 flavonoids, 2 oligosaccharide esters and 1 phenolic acid, in rat plasma and brain, which was administrated intragastrically with Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin (JWQFY), Mass spectrometric detection was operated under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. All calibration curves possessed good linearity with correlation coefficients ( r2) higher than 0.9916 in their respective linear ranges. For intra- and inter-day precision, all the relative standard deviations (RSDs) at different levels were less than 14.68 %. Based on the UHPLC-QqQ MS/MS quantitative results, pharmacokinetic study and brain distribution of multiple components in JWQFY was then successfully performed. As a result, constituents with discrepancy structures showed diverse pharmacokinetic and distribution characteristics. For instance, ferulic acid (phenolic acid), 3, 6'-disinapoyl sucrose and tenuifoliside A (oligosaccharide esters) showed short Tmax (< 10 min), whereas the Tmax of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2 and Rc (ppd-type terpenoid saponins) were much longer (> 4 h). Besides, ferulic acid, epimedin C, icariin, glycyrrhizin, ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rg1 were considered as the potential effective ingredients of JWQFY because of their relatively high exposure to blood and brain. Our study would provide relevant information for discovery of pharmacodynamic ingredients, as well as further action mechanisms investigations of JWQFY.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Ming An
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Meng-Ning Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Han-Qing Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Cheng Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Beijing Zhongyan Tongrentang Pharmaceutical R&D co., Ltd, Beijing, 100079, China
| | - Run-Zhou Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Wen Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Xu X, Li T, Zhang K, Cao Y, Liu L, Zhang S, Tu P, Song Y, Zhao Y, Li J. Direct Flavonoid-Focused Chemical Comparison among Three Epimedium Plants by Online Liquid Extraction-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26061520. [PMID: 33802139 PMCID: PMC7998785 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is usually a tedious task to profile the chemical composition of a given herbal medicine (HM) using high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) due to the time-consuming sample preparation and laborious post-acquisition data processing procedures. Even worse, some labile compounds may face degradation risks when exposed to organic solvents for a relatively long period. As one of the most popular HMs, the promising therapeutic benefits of Epimedii Herba (Chinese name: Yinyanghuo) are well defined; however, the chemical profile, and in particular those flavonoids that have been claimed to be responsible for the efficacy, remains largely unknown. Attempts are devoted here to achieve direct LC–MS measurement and efficient post-acquisition data processing, and chemome comparison among three original sources of Epimedii Herba, such as Epimedium sagittatum (Esa), E. pubescens (Epu), and E. koreanum (Eko) was employed to illustrate the strategy utility. A home-made online liquid extraction (OLE) module was introduced at the front of the analytical column to comprehensively transfer the compounds from raw materials onto the LC–MS instrument. A mass defect filtering approach was programmed to efficiently mine the massive LC–MS dataset after which a miniature database was built involving all chemical information of flavonoids from the genus Epimedium to draw a pentagonal frame to rapidly capture potential quasi-molecular ions (mainly [M–H]−). A total of 99 flavonoids (66 in Esa, 84 in Eko, and 66 in Epu) were captured, and structurally annotated by summarizing the mass fragmentation pathways from the mass spectrometric data of authentic compounds and an in-house data library as well. Noteworthily, neutral loss of 144 Da was firstly assigned to the neutral cleavage of rhamnosyl residues. Significant species-differences didn’t occur among their chemical patterns. The current study proposed a robust strategy enabling rapid chemical profiling of, but not limited to, HMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Ting Li
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Ke Zhang
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yan Cao
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Li Liu
- Guizhou Hanfang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Guiyang 550014, China; (L.L.); (S.Z.)
| | - Shilin Zhang
- Guizhou Hanfang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Guiyang 550014, China; (L.L.); (S.Z.)
| | - Pengfei Tu
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yuelin Song
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yunfang Zhao
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (J.L.); Tel./Fax: +86-010-6428-6350 (Y.Z.)
| | - Jun Li
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China; (X.X.); (T.L.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (P.T.); (Y.S.)
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (J.L.); Tel./Fax: +86-010-6428-6350 (Y.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
WuLi W, Harn HJ, Chiou TW, Lin SZ. Chinese herbs and acupuncture to improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease. Tzu Chi Med J 2021; 33:122-127. [PMID: 33912408 PMCID: PMC8059467 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_51_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a variety of causes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which includes the two main approaches of acupuncture and herbal medication, views the human body as a self-controlled system network. Fundamental theories, including "qi," the five elements, and the theory of viscera, form the basis for classification. Diseases in humans are considered to be caused by an imbalance of "yang qi" and "yin qi" that lead to the nonhomeostasis of organs. Acupuncture is derived from 12 main meridians and 365 acupuncture points characterized by "blood and qi." Needling of different positions corresponds to specific disease treatments to increase qi. Treatment with Chinese herbal medicines is based on syndrome differentiation characterized as "Zheng" which differs from the cause orientation approach of Western medicine. In this article, we review basic and clinical research studies that describe TCM herbs and acupuncture for the treatment of AD. Moreover, we propose that these two approaches be integrated to improve the outcomes for AD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei WuLi
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Life Sicence, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Pathology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Sicence, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Comprehensive chemical profiling of Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin and its network pharmacology-based analysis on Alzheimer's disease. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2020; 189:113467. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
23
|
Lu Y, Yang J, Wang X, Ma Z, Li S, Liu Z, Fan X. Research progress in use of traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of spinal cord injury. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 127:110136. [PMID: 32335299 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious central nervous system disorder caused by trauma that has gradually become a major challenge in clinical medical research. As an important branch of worldwide medical research, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is rapidly moving towards a path of reform and innovation. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews research related to existing TCM treatments for SCI, with the aims of identifying deficits and shortcomings within the field, and proposing feasible alternative prospects. METHODS All data and conclusions in this paper were obtained from articles published by peers in relevant fields. PubMed, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and CNKI databases were searched for relevant articles. Results regarding TCM for SCI were identified and retrieved, then manually classified and selected for inclusion in this review. RESULTS The literature search identified a total of 652 articles regarding TCM for SCI. Twenty-eight treatments (16 active ingredients, nine herbs, and three compound prescriptions) were selected from these articles; the treatments have been used for the prevention and treatment of SCI. In general, these treatments involved antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and/or antiapoptotic effects of TCM compounds. CONCLUSIONS This paper showed that TCM treatments can serve as promising auxiliary therapies for functional recovery of patients with SCI. These findings will contribute to the development of diversified treatments for SCI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yubao Lu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Jingjing Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Xuexi Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China.
| | - Zhanjun Ma
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China.
| | - Sheng Li
- Lanzhou First People's Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Zhaoyang Liu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong, Shanxi 030600, China
| | - Xuegong Fan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sun YS, Thakur K, Hu F, Zhang JG, Wei ZJ. Icariside II inhibits tumorigenesis via inhibiting AKT/Cyclin E/ CDK 2 pathway and activating mitochondria-dependent pathway. Pharmacol Res 2019; 152:104616. [PMID: 31883767 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cervical cancer contributes largely in women cancer-related mortality. Herein, Icariside II, a flavonoid extracted from edible and pharmaceutical plant Epimedium brevicornum Maxim, exhibited significant anticancer activity on cervical cancer. At first, it was observed that Icariside II inhibited Hela cell proliferation at IC50 (9.2 μM) and the growth of Hela-originated xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. Next, we studied the underlying mechanisms of Icariside II from the aspects of cell growth and cell death. As for cell growth, Icariside II arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase through AKT/Cyclin E/CDK 2 from transcriptional and translational levels. As for cell death, Flow Cytometry and Immunofluorescence showed that Icariside II promoted cell death in a dose-dependet manner. And, Icariside II turned to activate the mitochondria-dependent pathway Caspase 9/Caspase 3 much more significantly than death receptor pathway Caspase 8/Caspase 3. Taken together, Icariside II presented anticancer effect on cervical cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Our study provides the evidence that Icariside II can be used as a suitable novel agent in cervical cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Sai Sun
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, PR China.
| | - Kiran Thakur
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, PR China.
| | - Fei Hu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, PR China.
| | - Jian-Guo Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, PR China.
| | - Zhao-Jun Wei
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wu X, Kong W, Qi X, Wang S, Chen Y, Zhao Z, Wang W, Lin X, Lai J, Yu Z, Lai G. Icariin induces apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma cells by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Life Sci 2019; 239:116879. [PMID: 31682849 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the largest cause of morbidity and mortality among tumor diseases. Traditional first-line chemotherapeutic drugs are frequently accompanied by serious side effects when used to treat tumors, thus, novel drugs with reduced toxic effects may improve a patients' quality of life. Icariin, an extract of herba epimedii, has been demonstrated to exhibit multiple antitumor effects with low toxicity. In the present study, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assays, DAPI staining, CCK8 assays, xenograft tumor models, mitochondrial membrane potential analysis, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR were performed to determine the molecular mechanism underlying icariin activity in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, A549 and H1975. The results showed that icariin reduced proliferation of A549 and H1975 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro to a greater degree than the control BEAS-2B cells, and this was associated with increased apoptosis, but not with cell cycle progression. In vivo experiments showed that icariin treatment significantly decreased proliferation of H1975 cells in a xenograft mouse model. Mechanistically, icariin activated the mitochondrial pathway by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway-associated kinase, Akt, resulting in the activation of members of the caspase family of proteins, and thus inducing apoptosis of A549 cells. Taken together, the results revealed that icariin has anti-cancer properties in lung cancer in vitro and in vivo without any noticeable toxic effects on normal lung epithelial cells. Icariin in combination with conventional anti-cancer agents may be an effective therapeutic strategy for treatment of lung carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Wencui Kong
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Xiaoyan Qi
- Department of Oncology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong Province, 255020, PR China
| | - Shuiliang Wang
- Department of Urology, 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Transplant Biology, Affiliated Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University School of Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Zhongquan Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Wenwu Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China
| | - Xiandong Lin
- Laboratory of Radiation Oncology and Radiobiology, Fujian Cancer Hospital and Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350014, PR China
| | - Jinhuo Lai
- Department of Oncology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, PR China
| | - Zongyang Yu
- Department of Medical Oncology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China; Fujian Medical University Affiliated Dongfang Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China; Xiamen University School of Medicine, Xiamen, Fujian Province, 361102, PR China; Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350122, PR China.
| | - Guoxiang Lai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team Support Force, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350025, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Liu X, Li L, Liu J, Qiao J, Zhao GR. Metabolic engineering Escherichia coli for efficient production of icariside D2. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:261. [PMID: 31709010 PMCID: PMC6833136 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1601-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Icariside D2 is a plant-derived natural glycoside with pharmacological activities of inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme and killing leukemia cancer cells. Production of icariside D2 by plant extraction and chemical synthesis is inefficient and environmentally unfriendly. Microbial cell factory offers an attractive route for economical production of icariside D2 from renewable and sustainable bioresources. RESULTS We metabolically constructed the biosynthetic pathway of icariside D2 in engineered Escherichia coli. We screened the uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) and obtained an active RrUGT3 that regio-specifically glycosylated tyrosol at phenolic position to exclusively synthesize icariside D2. We put heterologous genes in E. coli cell for the de novo biosynthesis of icariside D2. By fine-tuning promoter and copy number as well as balancing gene expression pattern to decrease metabolic burden, the BMD10 monoculture was constructed. Parallelly, for balancing pathway strength, we established the BMT23-BMD12 coculture by distributing the icariside D2 biosynthetic genes to two E. coli strains BMT23 and BMD12, responsible for biosynthesis of tyrosol from preferential xylose and icariside D2 from glucose, respectively. Under the optimal conditions in fed-batch shake-flask fermentation, the BMD10 monoculture produced 3.80 g/L of icariside D2 using glucose as sole carbon source, and the BMT23-BMD12 coculture produced 2.92 g/L of icariside D2 using glucose-xylose mixture. CONCLUSIONS We for the first time reported the engineered E. coli for the de novo efficient production of icariside D2 with gram titer. It would be potent and sustainable approach for microbial production of icariside D2 from renewable carbon sources. E. coli-E. coli coculture approach is not limited to glycoside production, but could also be applied to other bioproducts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Liu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
| | - Lingling Li
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
| | - Jincong Liu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
| | - Guang-Rong Zhao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350 China
| |
Collapse
|