Anticancer potential of rosmarinic acid and its improved production through biotechnological interventions and functional genomics

Recent advancements in deciphering the therapeutic properties of plant secondary metabolites: phenolics, terpenes, and alkaloids

Plants produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites that serve as defense compounds against a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, their potential curative attributes in addressing various human diseases render them valuable in the development of pharmaceutical drugs. Different secondary metabolites including phenolics, terpenes, and alkaloids have been investigated for their antioxidant and therapeutic potential. A vast number of studies evaluated the specific compounds that possess crucial medicinal properties (such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancerous, and antibacterial), their mechanisms of action, and potential applications in pharmacology and medicine. Therefore, an attempt has been made to characterize the secondary metabolites studied in medicinal plants, a brief overview of their biosynthetic pathways and mechanisms of action along with their signaling pathways by which they regulate various oxidative stress-related diseases in humans. Additionally, the biotechnological approaches employed to enhance their production have also been discussed. The outcome of the present review will lead to the development of novel and effective phytomedicines in the treatment of various ailments.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) based nano-delivery systems for anticancer therapeutics

BACKGROUND

The ancient Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), plays the important role in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Furthermore, Danshen could also be used for curing carcinogenesis. Up to now, the anti-tumor effects of the main active constituents of Danshen have made great progress. However, the bioavailability of the active constituents of Danshen were restricted by their unique physical characteristics, like low oral bioavailability, rapid degradation in vivo and so on.

PURPOSE

With the leap development of nano-delivery systems, the shortcomings of the active constituents of Danshen have been greatly ameliorated. This review tried to summarize the recent progress of the active constituents of Danshen based delivery systems used for anti-tumor therapeutics.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using 5 databases (Embase, Google scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases) for the identification of relevant data published before September 2023. The words "Danshen", "Salvia miltiorrhiza", "Tanshinone", "Salvianolic acid", "Rosmarinic acid", "tumor", "delivery", "nanomedicine" and other active ingredients contained in Danshen were searched in the above databases to gather information about pharmaceutical decoration for the active constituents of Danshen used for anti-tumor therapeutics.

RESULTS

The main extracts of Danshen could inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells effectively and a great deal of studies were conducted to design drug delivery systems to ameliorate the anti-tumor effect of the active contents of Danshen through different ways, like improving bioavailability, increasing tumor targeting ability, enhancing biological barrier permeability and co-delivering with other active agents.

CONCLUSION

This review systematically represented recent progress of pharmaceutical decorations for the active constituents of Danshen used for anti-tumor therapeutics, revealing the diversity of nano-decoration skills and trying to inspire more designs of Danshen based nanodelivery systems, with the hope that bringing the nanomedicine of the active constituents of Danshen for anti-tumor therapeutics from bench to bedside in the near future.

Discovery of a novel class of rosmarinic acid derivatives as antibacterial agents: Synthesis, structure-activity relationship and mechanism of action

Twenty-seven rosmarinic acid derivatives were synthesized, among which compound RA-N8 exhibited the most potent antibacterial ability. The minimum inhibition concentration of RA-N8 against both S. aureus (ATCC 29213) and MRSA (ATCC BAA41 and ATCC 43300) was found to be 6 μg/mL, and RA-N8 killed E. coli (ATCC 25922) at 3 μg/mL in the presence of polymyxin B nonapeptide (PMBN) which increased the permeability of E. coli. RA-N8 exhibited a weak hemolytic effect at the minimum inhibitory concentration. SYTOX Green assay, SEM, and LIVE/DEAD fluorescence staining assay proved that the mode of action of RA-N8 is targeting bacterial cell membranes. Furthermore, no resistance in wildtype S. aureus developed after incubation with RA-N8 for 20 passages. Cytotoxicity studies further demonstrated that RA-N8 is non-toxic to the human normal cell line (HFF1). RA-N8 also exerted potent inhibitory ability against biofilm formation of S. aureus and even collapsed the shaped biofilm.

Protective Effect of Perilla Seed Meal and Perilla Seed Extract against Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis through Suppressing Inflammatory Cytokines in Mice

An excessive inflammatory response of the gastrointestinal tract is recognized as one of the major contributors to ulcerative colitis (UC). Despite this, effective preventive approaches for UC remain limited. Rosmarinic acid (RA), an enriched fraction from Perilla frutescens, has been shown to exert beneficial effects on disease-related inflammatory disorders. However, RA-enriched perilla seed meal (RAPSM) and perilla seed (RAPS) extracts have not been investigated in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice. RAPSM and RAPS were extracted using the solvent-partitioning method and analyzed with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Mice with UC induced using 2.5% DSS for 7 days were pretreated with RAPSM and RAPS (50, 250, 500 mg/kg). Then, the clinical manifestation, colonic histopathology, and serum proinflammatory cytokines were determined. Indeed, DSS-induced UC mice exhibited colonic pathological defects including an impaired colon structure, colon length shortening, and increased serum proinflammatory cytokines. However, RAPSM and RAPS had a protective effect at all doses by attenuating colonic pathology in DSS-induced UC mice, potentially through the suppression of proinflammatory cytokines. Concentrations of 50 mg/kg of RAPSM and RAPS were sufficient to achieve a beneficial effect in UC mice. This suggests that RAPSM and RAPS have a preventive effect against DSS-induced UC, potentially through alleviating inflammatory responses and relieving severe inflammation in the colon.

Anti-Tumor Effects and Toxicity Reduction Mechanisms of Prunella vulgaris: A Comprehensive Review

PURPOSE

To investigate and systematically describe the mechanism of action of Prunella vulgaris (P. vulgaris) against digestive system tumors and related toxicity reduction.

METHODS

This study briefly describes the history of medicinal food and the pharmacological effects of P. vulgaris, focusing on the review of the anti-digestive tumor effects of the active ingredients of P. vulgaris and the mechanism of its toxicity reduction.

RESULTS

The active ingredients of P. vulgaris may exert anti-tumor effects by inducing the apoptosis of cancer cells, inhibiting angiogenesis, inhibiting the migration and invasion of tumor cells, and inhibiting autophagy. In addition, P. vulgaris active ingredients inhibit the release of inflammatory factors and macrophages and increase the level of indicators of oxidative stress through the modulation of target genes in the pathway to achieve the effect of toxicity reduction.

CONCLUSION

The active ingredients in the medicine food homology plant P. vulgaris not only treat digestive system tumors through different mechanisms but also reduce the toxic effects. P. vulgaris is worthy of being explored more deeply.

Utilising UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to determine the phytochemical profile and in vitro cytotoxic potential of Ziziphora capitata L. with molecular docking simulation

Ziziphora capitata (Lamiaceae family) aerial parts extract contains 57 metabolites, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and coumarins, as assessed by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Successive extracts (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol 95%, and water) were tested in vitro cytotoxic activity against HepG-2, MCF-7, HCT-116, A549, and PC3 cell lines. The results revealed that hexane extract exhibited the most potent cytotoxic activity among PC3 and A549 cell lines, IC50 = 47.1 ± 1.75 and 49.2 ± 1.08 µg/mL compared to Vinblastine IC50 = 42.47 ± 1.95 and 24.64 ± 1.18 µg/mL, respectively, and had a moderate impact on the remaining cell lines. Moreover, the chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited moderate affinity among all tested cell lines. Furthermore, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed. The molecular docking simulation was performed inside the effective sites of VEGFR-2 and TS as anticancer targets for the top ten phytochemicals. The results showed higher binding energy values for VEGFR-2 than for TS compared to vinblastine and co-crystallized ligands.

Therapeutic Potential and Mechanisms of Rosmarinic Acid and the Extracts of Lamiaceae Plants for the Treatment of Fibrosis of Various Organs

Fibrosis, which causes structural hardening and functional degeneration in various organs, is characterized by the excessive production and accumulation of connective tissue containing collagen, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), etc. In traditional medicine, extracts of medicinal plants or herbal prescriptions have been used to treat various fibrotic diseases. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the antifibrotic effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) and plant extracts that contain RA, as observed in various experimental models. RA, as well as the extracts of Glechoma hederacea, Melissa officinalis, Elsholtzia ciliata, Lycopus lucidus, Ocimum basilicum, Prunella vulgaris, Salvia rosmarinus (Rosmarinus officinalis), Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Perilla frutescens, have been shown to attenuate fibrosis of the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, and abdomen in experimental animal models. Their antifibrotic effects were associated with the attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, cell activation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and fibrogenic gene expression. RA treatment activated peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) while suppressing the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and Wnt signaling pathways. Interestingly, most plants that are reported to contain RA and exhibit antifibrotic activity belong to the family Lamiaceae. This suggests that RA is an active ingredient for the antifibrotic effect of Lamiaceae plants and that these plants are a useful source of RA. In conclusion, accumulating scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of RA and Lamiaceae plant extracts in alleviating fibrosis and maintaining the structural architecture and normal functions of various organs under pathological conditions.

Molecular Pathways of Rosmarinic Acid Anticancer Activity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells: A Literature Review

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women. Oncogenic transcription factors promote the overproduction of cellular adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokines during cancer development. Cancer cells exhibit significant upregulation of antiapoptotic proteins, resulting in increased cell survival, tumor growth, and metastasis. Research on the cell cycle-mediated apoptosis pathway for drug discovery and therapy has shown promising results. In fact, dietary phytoconstituents have been extensively researched for anticancer activity, providing indirect protection by activating endogenous defense systems. The role of polyphenols in key cancer signaling pathways could shed light on the underlying mechanisms of action. For instance, Rosmarinic Acid, a polyphenol constituent of many culinary herbs, has shown potent chemoprotective properties. In this review, we present recent progress in the investigation of natural products as potent anticancer agents, with a focus on the effect of Rosmarinic Acid on triple-negative BC cell lines resistant to hormone therapy. We highlight a variety of integrated chemical biology approaches aimed at utilizing relevant mechanisms of action that could lead to significant clinical advances in BC treatment.

Functionalized nanomaterials targeting NLRP3 inflammasome driven immunomodulation: Friend or Foe

The advancement in drug delivery systems in recent times has significantly enhanced therapeutic effects by enabling site-specific targeting through nanocarriers. These nanocarriers serve as invaluable tools for pharmacotherapeutic advancements against various disorders that enhance the effectiveness of encapsulated drugs by reducing their toxicity and increasing the efficacy of less potent drugs, thereby improving the therapeutic index. Inflammasomes, protein complexes located in the activated immune cell cytoplasm, regulate the activation of caspases involved in inflammation. However, aberrant activation of inflammasomes can result in uncontrolled tissue responses, contributing to the development of various diseases. Therefore, achieving a precise balance between inflammasome inhibition and activation is crucial for effectively treating inflammatory disorders through targeted functionalized nanocarriers. Despite the wealth of available data on the relevance of functionalized nanocarriers in inflammatory disorders, the nanotechnological potential to modulate inflammasomes has not been adequately explored. In this comprehensive review, we highlight the latest research on the modulation of the inflammasome cascade, both upregulating and downregulating its function, using nanocarriers in the context of inflammatory disorders. The utilization of nanocarriers as a therapeutic strategy holds immense potential for researchers aiming to effectively target and modulate inflammasomes in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, thus improving disease severity outcomes.

A Comprehensive Review of the Key Characteristics of the Genus Mentha, Natural Compounds and Biotechnological Approaches for the Production of Secondary Metabolites

Context

The genus Mentha is one of the most aromatic and well-known members of the Lamiaceae family. A wide range of bioactive compounds has been reported in mints. Regarding the high economic importance of Mentha plants due to the presence of valuable metabolites, the demand for their products is growing exponentially. Therefore, to supply such demand, new strategies should be adopted to improve the yield and medicinal quality of the products.

Evidence Acquisition

The current review is written based on scientific literature obtained from online databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science regarding the characteristic features of some species of the genus Mentha, their distribution and cultivation, main uses and benefits, phytochemical composition, biotechnological approaches for the production of secondary metabolites, and strategies for enhanced production of mints secondary metabolites.

Results

In this article, we offer an overview of the key characteristics, natural compounds, biological properties, and medicinal uses of the genus Mentha. Current research describes biotechnological techniques such as in vitro culture methods for the production of high-value secondary metabolites. This review also highlights the strategies such as elicitation, genetic, and metabolic engineering to improve the secondary compounds production level in mint plants. Overall, it can be concluded that identifying the biosynthetic pathways, leading to the accumulation of pharmaceutically important bioactive compounds, has paved the way for developing highly productive mint plants with improved phytochemical profiles.

The Effect of Rosmarinus Officinalis as a Potential Root Canal Medication on the Viability of Dental Pulp Stem Cells

AIM

The objective of the current study was to assess and compare the impact of triple antibiotic paste (TAP) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) with rosmarinic acid (RA) on the viability of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dental pulp stem cells were isolated and characterized using flow cytometry. The cells were treated with (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 mg/mL) concentrations for TAP and Ca(OH)2 and (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 µM) concentrations for RA. Cell viability was evaluated after 3 days, with cell proliferation further analyzed over 3, 5, and 7 days utilizing the MTT assay. The optical density (OD) was quantified at 570 nm, subsequently enabling the determination of corrected OD and cell viability. ANOVA followed by the post hoc Tuckey test evaluated the statistical significance at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Following the cell viability test, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL of TAP and Ca(OH)2 showed no significant difference for DPSCs compared to the control group. While dosages of 1 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL, and 5 mg/mL significantly reduced cell viability (p < 0.05). However, 6.25 µM and 12.5 µM concentrations of RA showed a significant increase in cell viability compared to untreated cells, 25 µM and 50 µM concentrations showed no significant difference compared to untreated cells while 100 µM concentration showed a decrease in cell viability (p < 0.05). Moreover, RA at a concentration of 12.5 µM exhibited a significant enhancement in cell proliferation rates after 5 and 7 days.

CONCLUSION

Rosmarinic acid showed a significant increase in cell viability when used at 6.25 and 12.5 µM concentrations compared to TAP and CA(OH)2.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The assessment of cytotoxicity associated with bioactive compounds like RA, which processes antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, holds importance. This evaluation could pave the way for novel intracanal medicaments that enhance the regenerative potential of DPSCs.

The Role and Mechanism of Perilla frutescens in Cancer Treatment

Perilla frutescens is an annual herb of the Labiatae family and is widely grown in several countries in Asia. Perilla frutescens is a plant that is used medicinally in its entirety, as seen in its subdivision into perilla seeds, perilla stalks, and perilla leaves, which vary more markedly in their chemical composition. Several studies have shown that Perilla frutescens has a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, detoxifying, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective. In the absence of a review of Perilla frutescens for the treatment of cancer. This review provides an overview of the chemical composition and molecular mechanisms of Perilla frutescens for cancer treatment. It was found that the main active components of Perilla frutescens producing cancer therapeutic effects were perilla aldehyde (PAH), rosmarinic acid (Ros A), lignan, and isoestrogen (IK). In addition to these, extracts of the leaves and fruits of Perilla frutescens are also included. Among these, perilla seed oil (PSO) has a preventive effect against colorectal cancer due to the presence of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This review also provides new ideas and thoughts for scientific innovation and clinical applications related to Perilla frutescens.

Rindera graeca (A. DC.) Boiss. & Heldr. (Boraginaceae) In Vitro Cultures Targeting Lithospermic Acid B and Rosmarinic Acid Production

The in vitro cultures of Rindera graeca, a rare endemic plant, were developed as a sustainable source of phenolic acids. Various shoot and root cultures were established and scaled up in a sprinkle bioreactor. A multiplication rate of 7.2 shoots per explant was achieved. HPLC-PDA-ESI-HRMS analysis revealed the presence of rosmarinic acid (RA) and lithospermic acid B (LAB) as the main secondary metabolites in both the shoot and root cultures. The maximum RA (30.0 ± 3.2 mg/g DW) and LAB (49.3 ± 15.5 mg/g DW) yields were determined in root-regenerated shoots. The strongest free radical scavenging activity (87.4 ± 1.1%), according to 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate assay, was noted for roots cultivated in a DCR medium. The highest reducing power (2.3 µM ± 0.4 TE/g DW), determined by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay, was noted for shoots cultivated on an SH medium containing 0.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. A genetic analysis performed using random amplified polymorphic DNA and start codon targeted markers revealed genetic variation of 62.8% to 96.5% among the investigated shoots and roots. This variability reflects the capacity of cultivated shoots and roots to produce phenolic compounds.

Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives: Current insights on anticancer potential and other biomedical applications

Cancer is still the leading cause of death worldwide, burdening the global medical system. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is among the first secondary metabolites discovered and it is a bioactive compound identified in plants such as Boraginaceae and Nepetoideae subfamilies of the Lamiaceae family, including Thymus masticmasti chinaythia koreana, Ocimum sanctum, and Hyptis pectinate. This updated review is to highlight the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects of RA and its derivatives, thus providing valuable clues for the potential development of some complementary drugs in the treatment of cancers. Relevant information about RA's chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects and its derivatives were collected from electronic scientific databases, such as PubMed/Medline, Scopus, TRIP database, Web of Science, and Science Direct. The results of the studies showed numerous significant biological effects such as antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, antioxidant and antiangiogenic effects. Most of the studies on the anticancer potential with the corresponding mechanisms are still in the experimental preclinical stage and are missing evidence from clinical trials to support the research. To open new anticancer therapeutic perspectives of RA and its derivatives, future clinical studies must elucidate the molecular mechanisms and targets of action in more detail, the human toxic potential and adverse effects.

Hairy Root Cultures as a Source of Phenolic Antioxidants: Simple Phenolics, Phenolic Acids, Phenylethanoids, and Hydroxycinnamates

Plant-derived antioxidants are intrinsic components of human diet and factors implicated in tolerance mechanisms against environmental stresses in both plants and humans. They are being used as food preservatives and additives or ingredients of cosmetics. For nearly forty years, Rhizobium rhizogenes-transformed roots (hairy roots) have been studied in respect to their usability as producers of plant specialized metabolites of different, primarily medical applications. Moreover, the hairy root cultures have proven their value as a tool in crop plant improvement and in plant secondary metabolism investigations. Though cultivated plants remain a major source of plant polyphenolics of economic importance, the decline in biodiversity caused by climate changes and overexploitation of natural resources may increase the interest in hairy roots as a productive and renewable source of biologically active compounds. The present review examines hairy roots as efficient producers of simple phenolics, phenylethanoids, and hydroxycinnamates of plant origin and summarizes efforts to maximize the product yield. Attempts to use Rhizobium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation for inducing enhanced production of the plant phenolics/polyphenolics in crop plants are also mentioned.

Switching of newly synthesized linker-based derivatives of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs toward anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity

A new series of linker-based derivatives of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were designed and synthesized. All the compounds were well characterized with the help of various spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and HRMS. The main emphasis of this paper is to understand the switching of the most promising compounds 8 and 10 towards anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity in terms of in-silico and in-vitro studies in detail. During the molecular docking study, compounds 8 and 10 demonstrated the importance of hetero atoms as well as the perfect alignment of a compound in the binding pocket of a target site, which may affect their bioactivity. Here, the presence of 1,3‑dicarbonyl interactions with ASN 351 in compound 8 (not found in compound 10) may be responsible for its better inhibitory activity against the COX-2 target site. On the other hand, a slight increase in the potency of compound 10 towards anticancer activity may be due to the instantaneous participation of the OH group and carbonyl group to give conventional hydrogen bonds towards THR 149 amino acid residue, which was missing in compound 8. Molecular dynamics simulation was also performed for compounds 10 and 8 toward COX-2 and HER-2 protein sites. Further, compounds 8 and 10 were subjected to in-vitro COX-2 inhibition and cytotoxicity assay and the results obtained were in accordance with the in-silico study. Thus, compound 8 become more potent towards COX-2 inhibition with IC₅₀ value of 48.51 µg/ml and compound 10 showed good bioactivity toward cytotoxic activity with IC₅₀ value of 93.03 µg/ml.

Applications of Perilla frutescens Extracts in Clinical Practice

(1) Background: Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. is an important pharmaceutical crop that remains a focus point for researchers worldwide due to its complex phytochemical constituents, medicinal effects, and nutraceutical properties. The literature data are based on animal and cell culture studies, so the clinical evidence for the therapeutic effects is poorly outlined. The aim of this review was to provide an updated and thorough understanding of Perilla frutescens applications in clinical practice using data derived from human studies, and to outline the potential directions and perspectives for further studies on this crop. (2) Methods: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were used to find relevant studies. All interventional studies that evaluated the effect of Perilla frutescens in human subjects were assessed. (3) Results: The main perspectives that can be contoured from the presented literature evaluation are an important clinical effect of Perilla frutescens extracts on allergic rhinoconjuctivitis, especially in young populations, a potent hypolipemiant effect that, in conjunction with increased serum biological antioxidant potential, determines significant improvements in cognitive function and a wide variety of miscellaneous clinical effects that need further exploration. (4) Conclusions: Supplementary research is needed in order to demonstrate the therapeutic effects of Perilla frutescens in controlled clinical settings.

Biosynthesis of anticancer phytochemical compounds and their chemistry

Cancer is a severe health issue, and cancer cases are rising yearly. New anticancer drugs have been developed as our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind diverse solid tumors, and metastatic malignancies have increased. Plant-derived phytochemical compounds target different oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, protein channels, immune cells, protein channels, and pumps, which have attracted much attention for treating cancer in preclinical studies. Despite the anticancer capabilities of these phytochemical compounds, systemic toxicity, medication resistance, and limited absorption remain more significant obstacles in clinical trials. Therefore, drug combinations of new phytochemical compounds, phytonanomedicine, semi-synthetic, and synthetic analogs should be considered to supplement the existing cancer therapies. It is also crucial to consider different strategies for increased production of phytochemical bioactive substances. The primary goal of this review is to highlight several bioactive anticancer phytochemical compounds found in plants, preclinical research, their synthetic and semi-synthetic analogs, and clinical trials. Additionally, biotechnological and metabolic engineering strategies are explored to enhance the production of bioactive phytochemical compounds. Ligands and their interactions with their putative targets are also explored through molecular docking studies. Therefore, emphasis is given to gathering comprehensive data regarding modern biotechnology, metabolic engineering, molecular biology, and in silico tools.

Salt-Tolerant Plants, Halophytes, as Renewable Natural Resources for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Roles of Phenolics and Flavonoids in Immunomodulation and Suppression of Oxidative Stress towards Cancer Management

Halophytes and xerophytes, plants with adequate tolerance to high salinity with strong ability to survive in drought ecosystem, have been recognized for their nutritional and medicinal values owing to their comparatively higher productions of secondary metabolites, primarily the phenolics, and the flavonoids, as compared to the normal vegetation in other climatic regions. Given the consistent increases in desertification around the world, which are associated with increasing salinity, high temperature, and water scarcity, the survival of halophytes due to their secondary metabolic contents has prioritized these plant species, which have now become increasingly important for environmental protection, land reclamation, and food and animal-feed security, with their primary utility in traditional societies as sources of drugs. On the medicinal herbs front, because the fight against cancer is still ongoing, there is an urgent need for development of more efficient, safe, and novel chemotherapeutic agents, than those currently available. The current review describes these plants and their secondary-metabolite-based chemical products as promising candidates for developing newer cancer therapeutics. It further discusses the prophylactic roles of these plants, and their constituents in prevention and management of cancers, through an exploration of their phytochemical and pharmacological properties, with a view on immunomodulation. The important roles of various phenolics and structurally diverse flavonoids as major constituents of the halophytes in suppressing oxidative stress, immunomodulation, and anti-cancer effects are the subject matter of this review and these aspects are outlined in details.

Encapsulation of phenolic acids into cyclodextrins: A global statistical analysis of the effects of pH, temperature and concentrations on binding constants measured by ACE methods

Affinity capillary electrophoresis was used for the simultaneous measurement of the pK_a values and of the binding constants relative to the encapsulation of naturally occurring phenolic acids (rosmarinic and caffeic acids) with cyclodextrins. A thorough study as a function of pH and temperature was coupled to a detailed statistical analysis of the resulting experimental data. A step-by-step curve fitting process was sufficient for obtaining individual binding constant for each experimental condition, but the influence of temperature remained unclear. A quantitative and qualitative gain was then obtained by supplementing this initial analysis with global multiparameter optimization. This leads to the estimation of both entropy and enthalpy of reaction and to the full description of the binding reactions as a function of pH and temperature. The encapsulation was shown to be very sensitive to pH and temperature, with optimal complexation occurring at low pH and low temperature, gaining up to a factor of 3 by cooling from 36 to 15°C, and up to a factor of 10 by lowering the pH from 7 to 2.

Kidney-Targeted Nanoparticles Loaded with the Natural Antioxidant Rosmarinic Acid for Acute Kidney Injury Treatment

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical disease with high morbidity and mortality, and with a lack of effective drugs for treatment. Oxidative stress is very important in the occurrence and progression of AKI, and antioxidants use is one of the promising treatments. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a ubiquitous natural polyphenol with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Due to its inherent characteristic with poor water solubility and inferior bioavailability, its clinical application is impeded. Hence, the authors design a nanoparticle for effectively delivering RA, which is a chemical complex of RA and fourth-generation poly-amidoamine-based amphiphilic polymer (G4-PAMAM). The nanoparticle is modified with l-serine due to the specific interaction between kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) and serine, which eventually generates a promising AKI kidney-targeting nanoparticle (S-G-R). The S-G-R is rapidly cumulated and long-term retained in ischemia-reperfusion-induced AKI kidneys, especially in the damaged renal tubular cells. The S-G-R exhibits more excellent antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects in vitro and has a more outstanding ability to improve the renal function, repair damaged renal tissue, and decrease oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis of tubular cells in vivo. Overall, this study might develop a safe and effective targeting strategy for the therapy of AKI.

Ethyl lauroyl arginate-based hydrophobic ion pair complex in lipid nanocapsules: A novel oral delivery approach of rosmarinic acid for enhanced permeability and bioavailability

Limited oral bioavailability due to high hydrophilicity restricts the beneficial use of Rosmaranic acid (RM) that is characterized by many biological and pharmacological effects. The present work was addressed to extract RM from Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and then increase its lipophilicity and permeability through the application of hydrophobic ion pair (HIP) approach using ethyl lauroyl arginate (ELA) as a novel counter-ion. Different RM:ELA ratios were screened to optimize HIP formation process. The encapsulation of the optimized HIP into lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) was then achieved to facilitate oral administration. The results of % transmittance, % complexation efficiency (87.32 ± 0.19%) and partition coefficient revealed the successful formation of the HIP complex occurred at RM:ELA molar ratio of 1:2. The formed HIP was successfully loaded into spherical small sized (39.32 ± 0.18 nm) LNCs. The ex vivo permeability studies across porcine intestine showed that the cumulative RM amount permeated/area after 6 h from HIP and LNCs were 3.79 ± 0.57 and 5.71 ± 0.32 µg/cm², respectively. Pharmacokinetic study results showed that the maximum RM concentrations in plasma (C_max) can be arranged in a descending manner as follows; 61.33 ± 8.89 < 42.13 ± 11.22 < 20.96 ± 3.12 ng/ml attained after 4.80, 8.00 and 10.40 h in case of LNC, HIP and solution, respectively. Moreover, the HIP and LNC formulae showed higher total drug amounts in plasma reaching 1.46 and 1.88-fold relative to RM solution, respectively. In conclusion, the HIP complex and HIP loaded LNCs prosper in enhancing the permeability and absorption of the low permeable drugs.

Journey of Rosmarinic Acid as Biomedicine to Nano-Biomedicine for Treating Cancer: Current Strategies and Future Perspectives

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a polyphenolic metabolite found in various culinary, dietary sources, and medicinal plants like Coleus scutellarioides (Linn) Benth., Lavandula angustifolia Linn., Mellisa officinalis Linn., Origanum vulgare Linn., Rosmarinus officinalis Linn., Zataria multiflora Boiss. and Zhumeria majdae Rech. F. Apart from its dietary and therapeutic values, RA is an important anticancer phytochemical owing to its multi-targeting anticancer mechanism. These properties provide a scope for RA's therapeutic uses beyond its traditional use as a dietary source. However, its oral bioavailability is limited due to its poor solubility and permeability. This impedes its efficacy in treating cancer. Indeed, in recent years, tremendous efforts have been put towards the development of nanoformulations of RA for treating cancer. However, this research is in its initial stage as bringing a nanoparticle into the market itself is associated with many issues such as stability, toxicity, and scale-up issues. Considering these pitfalls during formulation development and overcoming them would surely provide a new face to RA as a nanomedicine to treat cancer. A literature search was conducted to systematically review the various biological sources, extraction techniques, and anticancer mechanisms through which RA showed multiple therapeutic effects. Various nanocarriers of RA pertaining to its anticancer activity are also discussed in this review.

The role of inflammation in cadmium nephrotoxicity: NF-κB comes into view

Kidney diseases are major health problem and understanding the underlined mechanisms that lead to kidney diseases are critical research points with a marked potential impact on health. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that occurs naturally and can be found in contaminated food. Kidneys are the most susceptible organ to heavy metal intoxication as it is the main route of waste excretion. The harmful effects of Cd were previously well proved. Cd induces inflammatory responses, oxidative injury, mitochondrial dysfunction and disturbs Ca²⁺ homeostasis. The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a cellular transcription factor that regulates inflammation and controls the expression of many inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, great therapeutic benefits can be attained from NF-κB inhibition. In this review we focused on certain compounds including cytochalasin D, mangiferin, N-acetylcysteine, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, roflumilast, rosmarinic acid, sildenafil, sinapic acid, telmisartan and wogonin and certain plants as Astragalus Polysaccharide, Ginkgo Biloba and Thymus serrulatus that potently inhibit NF-κB and effectively counteracted Cd-associated renal intoxication. In conclusion, the proposed NF-κB involvement in Cd-renal intoxication clarified the underlined inflammation associated with Cd-nephropathy and the beneficial effects of NF-κB inhibitors that make them the potential to substantially optimize treatment protocols for Cd-renal intoxication.

Hybrid molecules based on caffeic acid as potential therapeutics: A focused review

Caffeic acid-based compounds possess a high degree of structural diversity and show a variety of pharmacological properties, providing a useful framework for the discovery of new therapeutic agents. They are well-known analogues of antioxidants found in many natural products and synthetic compounds. The present review surveys the recent developments in structure-activity relationships (SAR) and mechanism of action (MOA) of various caffeic acid-containing compounds that play important roles in the design and synthesis of new bioactive molecules with antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and other properties. This review should provide inspiration to scientists in the research fields of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry related to the development of new antioxidants with versatile therapeutic potential.

The Effects of Methanol Extracts of Hyssopus officinalis on Model of Induced Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) in Rats

Given the complexity of pathophysiological processes of brain tumors, ineffective therapies, and high mortality rate, new therapeutic options with less toxicity are necessary. Hyssopus officinalis (hyssop) is an aromatic plant with important biological activities. The aim of this study is to assess the anti-cancer effect of hyssop extract on damages of glioblastoma multiforme. In this study, total flavonoids, phenolic content, and quantification of phenolic compound of hyssop extracts were analyzed. In vitro antioxidant properties of hyssop extract were also examined. In addition, cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were evaluated in C6 glioma cell culture. In vivo, the rats were divided randomly into four main groups: intact, control, vehicle, and treatment groups. 1 × 106 C6 rat glioma cells were implanted into the right caudate nucleus of the rat's brain. The treatment group received the methanol extract of hyssop (100 mg/kg) for 7 days. Evolution of locomotor activity, tumor volume, survival rate, activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, TUNEL-positive cells, p53 and p21 mRNA expression, and histological alterations were performed. The results showed that the methanol extract of hyssop increased the apoptosis and reduced the cell division of C6 glioma cells in cell culture. Moreover, methanol extract decreased the tumor volume and prolonged survival. Also, the activity of SOD and CAT enzymes was reduced in tumor tissue and enhanced in surrounding tissue. TUNEL-positive cells were increased in methanol extract of hyssop group. The expression of p53 and p21 mRNA was upregulated in the treatment group. Moreover, the histological analysis indicated a considerable decrease in invasion of tumor cells and inflammation in the hyssop-treated rats. According to the achieved results, it can be stated that hyssop has sufficient potential to inhibit damage of brain tumors, at least in part, by affecting the oxidative stress and cell proliferation pathways.

Determination of the Phenolic Profile, and Evaluation of Biological Activities of Hydroethanolic Extract from Aerial Parts of Origanum compactum from Morocco

Origanum compactum belonging to the family Lamiaceae is widely used in food and pharmaceutical fields due to its biologically active substances. We aimed to investigate the total phenol and flavonoid contents and the phenolic composition, and to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of hydroethanolic extract from of Origanum compactum. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were evaluated using gallic acid and quercetin as standards, respectively, and the phenolic profile was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a photodiode array and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS). The antioxidant activity was determined by two methods: ferric reducing power (FRAP) assay and the phosphomolybdate method. The antibacterial effect was evaluated against four bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) using the broth microdilution method. The findings show that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 107.789 ± 5.39 mg GAE/g dm and 14,977 ± 0.79 mg QE/g dm, respectively. A total of sixteen phenolic compounds belonging to phenolic acids and flavonoids were detected. Furthermore, the extract showed strong antioxidant activity, and displayed a bacteriostatic effect against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimuriumn, and a bactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Therefore, this study reveals that Origanum compactum extracts display potential as antibacterial and natural antioxidant agents for fighting against pathogenic bacteria and preventing oxidative stress.

In Vitro Strategy for the Enhancement of the Production of Bioactive Polyphenols in Transformed Roots of Salvia bulleyana

The underground parts of Salvia bulleyana, a rare Chinese plant species, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. The Rhizobium rhizogenes-transformed root culture obtained from this plant might be a promising novel source of valuable phenolics, including rosmarinic acid. The present study identifies for the first time, the optimal growth conditions of S. bulleyana hairy roots regarding production efficiency. The comprehensive optimization comprised cultivation in different basal media (B5, SH, MS, and WP) with full- and half-strength macro- and microelements, different vitamin contents (full, half, one-quarter part, and without) and sucrose concentrations (2, 3, 4, 5%), and under different light conditions: in dark, under blue LED (λ = 430 nm), red LED (λ = 670 nm), mixed blue and red LED (30%:70%), and white LED (390–670 nm). Hairy root growth and bioactive compound accumulation were also detailed every five days over the 50-day culture cycle. The optimal conditions were determined using a technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS). The most efficient combination for root growth and polyphenol content was found to be ½SH liquid medium with half vitamin concentration and 3% sucrose when grown in the dark. The biomass yield during the growth cycle was 6.1 g (fresh weight—FW) and 0.92 g (dry weight—DW) on one Erlenmeyer flask: a 14.3-fold increase in FW and 16.1-fold increase in DW in relation to the inoculum. The highest mean total phenolic content was 93.6 mg/g DW including about 70 mg/g DW rosmarinic acid, reached on day 40 of culture; compared to roots of two-year-old plants grown under field conditions, the total phenolic acid content was four times higher and rosmarinic acid eight times higher. The obtained results place the investigated culture among the best hair root cultures for rosmarinic acid production.

Modulatory Impact of Lamiaceae Metabolites on Apoptosis of Human Leukemia Cells

Lamiaceae species are rich sources of biologically active compounds which have been applied in medicine since ancient times. Especially their antineoplastic properties have been thoroughly studied with respect to their putative application in chemoprevention and adjuvant therapy of cancer. However, the most known biological effects of Lamiaceae have been ascribed to their essential oil fractions, whereas their (poly)phenolic metabolites being also abundant in these plants, are much less recognized, nevertheless contributing to their beneficial properties, such as anti-cancer actions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of dried aqueous extracts from common thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) (ExTv), wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) (ExTs), sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) (ExOm), and peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) (ExMp), as well as (poly)phenolic compounds: caffeic acid (CA), rosmarinic acid (RA), lithospermic acid (LA), luteolin-7-O-β-glucuronide (Lgr), luteolin-7-O-rutinoside (Lr), eriodictyol-7-O-rutinoside (Er), and arbutin (Ab), on unstimulated Jurkat cells, in comparison with their effect on staurosporine-stimulated Jurkat cells. Jurkat T cells were incubated with different concentrations of ExTv, ExTs, ExOm, ExMp, Lgr, LA, Er, Lr, RA, CA, or Ab. Subsequently, staurosporine was added to half of the samples and flow cytometry combined with fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis was conducted, which allowed for the selection of early and late apoptotic cells. Both ExTs and ExOm stimulated apoptosis of Jurkat cells and enhanced the proapoptotic effect of staurosporine. Conversely, ExTv and ExMp demonstrated no clear effect on apoptosis. CA and RA raised the staurosporine-induced apoptotic effect. The impact of Er and Lgr on Jurkat cells showed fluctuations depending on the compound concentration. Neither Er nor Ab altered staurosporine-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells, whereas Lgr seemed to weaken the proapoptotic action of staurosporine. The most evident observation in this study was the pro-apoptotic action of ExTs and ExOm observed both in staurosporine-unstimulated and stimulated Jurkat cells. Additionally, an enhancement of staurosporine-induced apoptosis by caffeic and rosmarinic acids was reported. Therefore, it might be concluded that these are the mixtures of biologically active polyphenols which often exert more pronounced beneficial effects than purified molecules.

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C18H16O8) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.

Rosmarinic acid alleviates diabetic osteoporosis by suppressing the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in rats

BACKGROUND

Diabetic osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disorder characterized by bone loss in diabetic patients, which causes an enormous social burden due to the unsatisfactory outcome of current therapeutic strategy.

METHODS

Based on the importance of inflammasome activation in diabetic osteoporosis, we evaluated the protective effect of an antioxidant, rosmarinic acid (RA) in diabetic osteoporosis. Bone marrow-derived monocytes isolated from rats were treated with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony stimulating factor to differentiate into mature osteoclasts (OCs). Next OCs were stimulated with RA under high glucose condition to evaluate bone resorption. Next, streptozotocin (STZ)-injected rats were orally treated with 50 mg kg-1 RA to analyze its effect on diabetic osteoporosis.

RESULTS

RA inhibited high glucose-stimulated inflammation and inflammasome activation in OCs. Bone resorption was also reduced after RA treatment as shown by the resorption pits assay. Moreover, RA significantly reduced bone resorption, alleviated bone weight loss and increased bone mineral density by inhibiting the activation of NACHT-LRR-PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in STZ-induced diabetic rats, leading to the improvement of diabetic osteoporosis.

CONCLUSION

RA effectively ameliorates diabetic osteoporosis in STZ-induced rats by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in OCs, which suggests that RA might serve as a potential candidate drug for treating diabetic osteoporosis.

The Role of Rosmarinic Acid on the Bioproduction of Gold Nanoparticles as Part of a Photothermal Approach for Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer is a high-burden malignancy for society, whose impact boosts a continuous search for novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Among the recent therapeutic approaches, photothermal therapy (PTT), which causes tumor cell death by hyperthermia after being irradiated with a light source, represents a high-potential strategy. Furthermore, the effectiveness of PTT can be improved by combining near infrared (NIR) irradiation with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as photothermal enhancers. Herein, an alternative synthetic method using rosmarinic acid (RA) for synthesizing AuNPs is reported. The RA concentration was varied and its impact on the AuNPs physicochemical and optical features was assessed. Results showed that RA concentration plays an active role on AuNPs features, allowing the optimization of mean size and maximum absorbance peak. Moreover, the synthetic method explored here allowed us to obtain negatively charged AuNPs with sizes favoring the local particle accumulation at tumor site and maximum absorbance peaks within the NIR region. In addition, AuNPs were safe both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, the synthesized AuNPs present favorable properties to be applied as part of a PTT system combining AuNPs with a NIR laser for the treatment of breast cancer.

Rosmarinic acid inhibits proliferation and migration, promotes apoptosis and enhances cisplatin sensitivity of melanoma cells through inhibiting ADAM17/EGFR/AKT/GSK3β axis

Rosmarinic acid (RA), a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound, exerts multiple biological properties including anti-cancer. The metalloprotease, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17), can activate ligands of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and contribute to tumor progression. We aimed to investigate whether RA could exhibit anti-cancer effects in melanoma cells through down-regulating ADAM17. The human melanoma A375 cells were exposed to RA, then cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, melanin content and the expression of ADAM17/EGFR/AKT/GSK3β were evaluated. The viability of cells exposed to RA in the presence of cisplatin (Cis) was measured by CCK-8. Cells were overexpressed with ADAM17 in the absence or presence of RA and ADAM17 inhibitor (TACE prodomain; TPD) co-treatment, then the above cellular processes were also observed. Results showed that A375 cells treated with RA showed significant lower cell viability, proliferation, migrative and invasive abilities, melanin content and expression of related proteins including MMP2 and MMP9, compared with normal cells. RA enhanced the ratio of TUINEL-positive cells, the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, but reduced Bcl-2 expression. RA co-treatment increased the inhibitory effect of Cis on cell viability. RA inhibited the expression of ADAM17/EGFR/AKT/GSK3β, which was further suppressed by TPD. Moreover, ADAM17 overexpression blocked all the effects of RA whereas TPD treatment generated an opposite function. In conclusion, RA exerted obvious inhibitory effect on melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion, but promotive effect on cells apoptosis. Addition, the showing of this characteristic of RA may rely on inhibiting the expression of ADAM17/EGFR/AKT/GSK3β axis.

Utilization of Rosmarinic and Ascorbic Acids for Maturation Culture Media in Order to Increase Sow Oocyte Quality Prior to IVF

The beneficial effect of antioxidant supplementation in maturation culture media of sow oocytes was evaluated by the expression quantification of apoptotic genes and the genes that ensure stability of germ cells during fertilization. The oocytes were cultivated for 44 h in conventional medium (C) or in medium supplemented with 105 µM rosmarinic acid (R) and 0.5 mM ascorbic acid (A) and classified into three quality classes by morphological observation from which the total RNA was isolated. The gene expression of Ptx3 and the apoptotic regulator p53, Bax and BCL-2 were evaluated by quantitative PCR technique. The decreased expression of the Bax gene in the A and R groups, compared to the control, indicates a protective role of antioxidants in the cells. Cell homeostasis was maintained, as reflected in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in class I COCs (cumulus-oocyte complex) regardless of the experimental group, indicating minimum cellular stress. The expression of p53 genes was higher in all class III COC, but in A1 and R1 the expression was lower than in C1, and a similar Ptx-3 gene decreased significantly in groups A1, A2, A3 and R1 compared with control groups. Antioxidant supplementation showed beneficial effects on all morphological classes of pig COCs.

Investigation of the long-term stability of various tinctures belonging to the lamiaceae family by HPLC and spectrophotometry method

The aim of the current study was to analyze the stability of rosmarinic acid in ethanolic tinctures of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), peppermint (Mentha x piperita), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD) was employed to monitor the concentration of the marker compound over a six month period. Furthermore, the tinctures were also evaluated for caffeic acid, total phenolic content, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. We observed that the concentration of rosmarinic acid in tincture stored in closed amber glasses at ambient temperature decreased significantly during 6-month storage. Furthermore, our study squarely confirms the fact that a part of rosmarinic acid is converted to caffeic acid. The tested tinctures can be listed in the following order according to the greatest stability of the marker compound: rosemary > peppermint > oregano > lemon balm > thyme > sage. The results of the study indicated a linear relationship between DPPH values and total phenolic (R2 = 0.92) or rosmarinic acid (R2 = 0.85) contents.

Crosstalk of Multi-Omics Platforms with Plants of Therapeutic Importance

From time immemorial, humans have exploited plants as a source of food and medicines. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 21,000 plants with medicinal value out of 300,000 species available worldwide. The promising modern "multi-omics" platforms and tools have been proven as functional platforms able to endow us with comprehensive knowledge of the proteome, genome, transcriptome, and metabolome of medicinal plant systems so as to reveal the novel connected genetic (gene) pathways, proteins, regulator sequences and secondary metabolite (molecule) biosynthetic pathways of various drug and protein molecules from a variety of plants with therapeutic significance. This review paper endeavors to abridge the contemporary advancements in research areas of multi-omics and the information involved in decoding its prospective relevance to the utilization of plants with medicinal value in the present global scenario. The crosstalk of medicinal plants with genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches will be discussed.

Elucidating direct kinase targets of compound Danshen dropping pills employing archived data and prediction models

Research on direct targets of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the key to study the mechanism and material basis of it, but there is still no effective methods at present. We took Compound Danshen dropping pills (CDDP) as a study case to establish a strategy to identify significant direct targets of TCM. As a result, thirty potential active kinase targets of CDDP were identified. Nine of them had potential dose-dependent effects. In addition, the direct inhibitory effect of CDDP on three kinases, AURKB, MET and PIM1 were observed both on biochemical level and cellular level, which could not only shed light on the mechanisms of action involved in CDDP, but also suggesting the potency of drug repositioning of CDDP. Our results indicated that the research strategy including both in silico models and experimental validation that we built, were relatively efficient and reliable for direct targets identification for TCM prescription, which will help elucidating the mechanisms of TCM and promoting the modernization of TCM.

Extracts of Thai Perilla frutescens nutlets attenuate tumour necrosis factor-α-activated generation of microparticles, ICAM-1 and IL-6 in human endothelial cells

Elevation of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) play an important role in the progression of inflammation-related vascular diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Thai perilla (Perilla frutescens) nutlets are rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids that exert potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We found that the ethyl acetate (EA) and ethanol (Eth) extracts of Thai perilla nutlets contain phenolic compounds such as luteolin, apigenin, chryseoriol and their glycosides, which exhibit antioxidant activity. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of the extracts on endothelial activation and EMPs generation in tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced EA.hy926 cells. We found that TNF-α (10 ng/ml) activated EA.hy926 cells and subsequently generated EMPs. Pre-treatment with the extracts significantly attenuated endothelial activation by decreasing the expression of the intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in a dose-dependent manner. Only the Eth extract showed protective effects against overproduction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the activated cells. Furthermore, the extracts significantly reduced TNF-α-enhanced EMPs generation in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, Thai perilla nutlet extracts, especially the Eth extract, may have potential to protect endothelium against vascular inflammation through the inhibition of endothelial activation and the generation of endothelial microparticles (EMPs).

Determining the amount of potentially bioavailable phenolic compounds and bioelements in edible mushroom mycelia of Agaricus bisporus, Cantharellus cibarius, and Lentinula edodes

Release of bioelements and phenolic compounds from edible mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus, Cantharellus cibarius, and Lentinula edodes) enriched with zinc, selenium, l-phenylalanine, alone and as a mixture was examined using a simulated human gastrointestinal digestion method. Due to the extensive amount of data obtained, in order to interpret them more precisely in the work, the methods of chemometric analysis (Cluster Analysis-CA and Principal Compenent Analysis-PCA) were additionally applied. The results showed mycelium of L. edodes has the best health-promoting properties and addition of mixture to the media increased significantly the synthesis of p-hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acid (267 and 16.3 mg/100 g d.w.). After extraction into artificial digestive juices, 97.4 mg/100 g d.w. p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 15.6 mg/100 g d.w. of protocatechuic acid were released. The greatest amounts of Se and Zn were extracted from enriched A. bisporus mycelium (32.3 and 342 mg/100 g d.w., respectively). This study confirmed that mycelium might prevent nutritional deficiencies in the diet through use of functional foods.

Radiation-Induced Bystander Effect: Loss of Radioprotective Capacity of Rosmarinic Acid In Vivo and In Vitro

In radiation oncology, the modulation of the bystander effect is a target both for the destruction of tumor cells and to protect healthy cells. With this objective, we determine whether the radioprotective capacity of rosmarinic acid (RA) can affect the intensity of these effects. Genoprotective capacity was obtained by determining the micronuclei frequencies in in vivo and in vitro assays and the cell survival was determined by the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay) (MTT) assay in three cell lines (PNT2, TRAMPC1 and B16F10), both in direct exposure to X-rays and after the production of radiation-induced bystander effect. The administration of RA in irradiated cells produced a decrease in the frequency of micronuclei both in vivo and in vitro, and an increase in cell survival, as expression of its radioprotective effect (p < 0.001) attributable to its ability to scavenge radio-induced free radicals (ROS). However, RA does not achieve any modification in the animals receiving serum or in the cultures treated with the irradiated medium, which expresses an absence of radioprotective capacity. The results suggest that ROS participates in the formation of signals in directly irradiated cells, but only certain subtypes of ROS, the cytotoxic products of lipid peroxidation, participate in the creation of lesions in recipient cells.

Rapid determination of rosmarinic acid and its two bioactive metabolites in the plasma of rats by LC-MS/MS and application to a pharmacokinetics study

Rosmarinic acid (RA), an ester compound of caffeic acid (CA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllacic acid, is widely distributed in the herbs of the Lamiaceae family and has shown a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. CA and FA (ferulic acid) are two bioactive metabolites in vivo after oral administration of RA; however, a rapid and robust analytical approach that can enable the quantitative assay of RA and two bioactive metabolites is still lacking. A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method was established that was capable of the quantitative determination of RA, CA and FA by negative-mode multiple reaction monitoring within 7 min using a Zorbax SB-C18 column and an isocratic elution. This assay method was validated as linear over the investigated ranges with correlation coefficients (r) > 0.9950. The intra- and inter-day precision was <10.65%, and the accuracies (relative error, %) <-6.41%. The validated approach was applied to a pharmacokinetics study of RA and its two metabolites in rats after oral and intravenous administration. RA was rapidly metabolized in both administration modes, whilst the metabolites CA and FA were only detectable by oral administration. The absolute availability of RA was calculated to be 4.13%.

Toxicological Evaluation and Hepatoprotective Efficacy of Rosmarinic Acid-Rich Extract from Ocimum basilicum L

Exposure to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induces acute and chronic liver injuries as well as oxidative stress in rats. The present study was designed to evaluate the in vivo toxicity of rosmarinic acid-rich extract from Ocimum basilicum (RAE). The acute and subchronic oral toxicity of RAE was evaluated in Albinos mice. Hepatotoxicity was induced by the administration of CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats. The hepatoprotective effect of RAE on aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, plasmatic glucose, urea, creatinine, and malondialdehyde was determined in CCl4-intoxicated rat. The extract did not produce treatment-related signs of toxicity or mortality in any of the animals tested during acute as well as subchronic toxicity studies. The administration of CCl4 resulted in marked increase in plasma hepatic enzymes (p < 0.001) and significant decrease of total protein (p < 0.001) and albumin (p < 0.001) when compared to normal. The RAE at 200 mg/kg body weight lowered significantly (p < 0.001) plasma enzyme activities of liver, which is designation of hepatoprotective action of extract. The phenolic extract exerts a significant increase in total protein (p < 0.001), and albumin (p < 0.001), accompanied with a marked reduction in the levels of malondialdehyde (p < 0.001), as compared to CCl4-treated group. Our study suggests that RAE may be used as a hepatoprotective agent against toxic effects caused by CCl4 and other chemical agents in the liver.

The influence of yeast extract and jasmonic acid on phenolic acids content of in vitro hairy root cultures of Orthosiphon aristatus

Phenolic acids represent a big group of plant secondary metabolites that can be used as food additives, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. Obtaining phenolic acids from the plant in vitro cultures provide an attractive alternative to produce high-value plant-derived products. The impact of yeast extract and jasmonic acid on the induction of defense responses and consequently the production of phenolic acids in vitro hairy root cultures of  O. aristatus have been investigated.  Treatment of O. aristatus cultures with jasmonic acid caused accumulation of 12.98 mg.g-1 DW of phenolic acids, elicitation with yeast extract resulted in the highest amount of phenolic acids, particularly in 17.99 mg.g-1 DW as compared to 4.03 mg.g-1 DW for the non-treated cultures. Individual phenolic acids showed a different response to elicitation. Particularly rosmarinic acid content on the control plot reached 2.89 mg.g-1 DW, while after the treatment with jasmonic acid is increased to 10.84 mg.g-1 DW and after yeast application, it was 14.31 mg.g-1 DW. Also, caffeic acid content increased until 0.75 and 2.01 mg.g-1 DW after application of jasmonic acid and yeast extract, while at the control plot its concentration was 0.58 mg.g-1 DW. Application of yeast extract influenced synthesis of phenolic acids in vitro cultures of O. aristatus stronger as jasmonic acid treatment.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Rosmarinic Acid-Loaded Nanovesicles in Acute Colitis through Modulation of NLRP3 Inflammasome

Ulcerative colitis (UC), one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease, has no effective treatment. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a polyphenol that, when administered orally, is metabolised in the small intestine, compromising its beneficial effects. We used chitosan/nutriose-coated niosomes loaded with RA to protect RA from gastric degradation and target the colon and evaluated their effect on acute colitis induced by 4% dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) for seven days in mice. RA-loaded nanovesicles (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) or free RA (20 mg/kg) were orally administered from three days prior to colitis induction and during days 1, 3, 5 and 7 of DSS administration. RA-loaded nanovesicles improved body weight loss and disease activity index as well as increased mucus production and decreased myeloperoxidase activity and TNF-α production. Moreover, RA-loaded nanovesicles downregulated protein expression of inflammasome components such as NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), adaptor protein (ASC) and caspase-1, and the consequent reduction of IL-1β levels. Furthermore, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein expression increased after the RA-loaded nanovesicles treatment However, these mechanistic changes were not detected with the RA-free treatment. Our findings suggest that the use of chitosan/nutriose-coated niosomes to increase RA local bioavailability could be a promising nutraceutical strategy for oral colon-targeted UC therapy.

Effect of Rosmarinic Acid and Ionizing Radiation on Glutathione in Melanoma B16F10 Cells: A Translational Opportunity

To explain a paradoxical radiosensitizing effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) on the melanoma B16F10 cells, we analyzed the glutathione (GSH) intracellular production on this cell (traditionally considered radioresistant) in comparison with human prostate epithelial cells (PNT2) (considered to be radiosensitive). In PNT2 cells, the administration of RA increased the total GSH content during the first 3 h (p < 0.01) as well as increased the GSH/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio in all irradiated cultures during all periods studied (1h and 3h) (p < 0.001), portraying an increase in the radioprotective capacity. However, in B16F10 cells, administration of RA had no effect on the total intracellular GSH levels, decreasing the GSH/GSSG ratio (p < 0.01); in addition, it caused a significant reduction in the GSH/GSSG ratio in irradiated cells (p < 0.001), an expression of radioinduced cell damage. In B16F10 cells, the administration of RA possibly activates the metabolic pathway of eumelanin synthesis that would consume intracellular GSH, thereby reducing its possible use as a protector against oxidative stress. The administration of this type of substance during radiotherapy could potentially protect healthy cells for which RA is a powerful radioprotector, and at the same time, cause significant damage to melanoma cells for which it could act as a radiosensitive agent.

Melissa officinalis Extract Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Migration in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. Lifestyle-related factors, such as diet, are associated with the development of CRC. Cumulating evidence indicates noticeable chemopreventive effects of phytochemicals on CRC, suggesting that drinking herbal tea potentially reduces the risk of distal colon cancer via its antiproliferative and anti-angiogenic activities. We examine the antitumor effects of nine components frequently found in herbal tea and uncover the underlying molecular mechanism. Among them, the hot water extract of Melissa officinalis (MO) exhibited the highest anticancer activity on CRC cells. We revealed that MO reduced cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest at the G₂/M phase, triggered caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death, and inhibited cell migration ability by modulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HCT116 CRC cells. To examine the metabolite composition in the MO hot water extract, we applied mass spectrometry-based analysis and identified 67 compounds. Among them, the phenolic compounds, including lignans, phenylpropanoids, and polyketides, are widely found in natural products and possess various bioactivities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, and anticancer effects. The results indicate that herbal tea consumption benefits CRC prevention and management.

The influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the Perilla frutescens leaf extract: Changes in the active compounds and bioactivities

In this study, the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the Perilla frutescens leaf extract (PFLE) were measured. Results revealed that total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were significantly decreased after simulated digestion (ca. 53% of phenolics and 40% of flavonoids). The IC₅₀ value of DPPH· scavenging activity and ABTS⁺ scavenging ability increased by 23% and 56%, respectively, while ferric reducing antioxidant power reduced by 53%. For the inhibition ability on α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and MCF-7 cell proliferation, their IC₅₀ values increased by 360%, 197%, and 25%, respectively. Three phenolic acids and one flavonoid in PFLE were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Overall, although significant losses of the active components and biological activities occurred during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, it still showed the potential as an oral agent for treatment and prevention of oxidative stress, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As an important annual herbaceous plant with rich biochemical compounds and many biological functions, Perilla frutescens leave is widely used in the food and traditional Chinese medicine. However, the dynamic changes of its active compounds and activities during the digestion process are unclear. In this study, the digestion results in significant loss of the active ingredients and biological activities of P. frutescens leaf extract (PFLE), particularly in the gastric digestion. In addition, PFLE remains to show certain antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory ability, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory ability, and MCF-7 cell proliferation inhibitory ability after digestion. Therefore, this research might facilitate further research and development of P. frutescens.

Melatonin and calcium modulate the production of rosmarinic acid, luteolin, and apigenin in Dracocephalum kotschyi under salinity stress

Melatonin (Mel) and calcium (Ca2+) have a regulatory role in the induction of specialized metabolites production and defensive responses against stresses. Therefore, in this study, the effects of Mel and Ca2+ and the possible relationship between them in the increase of the production of phenolic compounds in Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. under both control and salinity stress conditions were investigated. The results showed that 75 mM NaCl reduced shoot dry biomass but elevated H2O2 content, electrolyte leakage (EL) level, total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC), and DPPH scavenging capacity. Salinity stress also upregulated gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and rosmarinic acid synthase (RAS), as well as the activities of PAL and tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL) enzymes. Pre-treatment of the plants with CaCl2 and Mel affected these attributes in a dose-dependent manner. Application of 5 mM Ca2+ and 100 μM Mel improved shoot dry biomass and reduced the level of EL and H2O2 content but enhanced TPC and TFC, DPPH scavenging capacity, PAL and TAL activities, PAL and RAS transcripts, and content of rosmarinic acid (RA), luteolin flavone (LF) and apigenin flavone (AF) under salinity stress. Pre-treatment of D. kotschyi with lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) as a plasma membrane channel blocker, ethylene glycol tetra-acetic acid (EGTA) as a Ca2+ chelator and trifluoperazine (TFP) as a calmodulin (CaM) antagonist, impaired Mel effects on the above attributes under salinity stress. In contrast, pre-treatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA), as an inhibitor of Mel biosynthesis, did not impair the impacts of Ca2+ on the production of phenolic compounds in salt-exposed plants. These results suggested that the effect of Mel on the induction of phenolic compounds production requires the influx of extracellular Ca2+ into the cells and is dependent on Ca2+/CaM signaling.

Novel Perspective on Alzheimer's Disease Treatment: Rosmarinic Acid Molecular Interplay with Copper(II) and Amyloid β

Alzheimer's disease is a severe disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a very debilitating disease with no cure at the moment. The necessity of finding an effective treatment is very demanding, and the entire scientific community is putting in a lot of effort to address this issue. The major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the presence of toxic aggregated species in the brain, impaired metal homeostasis, and high levels of oxidative stress. Rosmarinic acid is a well-known potent antioxidant molecule, the efficacy of which has been proved both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigated the possible role played by rosmarinic acid as a mediator of the copper(II)-induced neurotoxicity. Several spectroscopic techniques and biological assays were applied to characterize the metal complexes and to evaluate the cytotoxicity and the mutagenicity of rosmarinic acid and its Cu(II) complex. Our data indicate that rosmarinic acid is able to interfere with the interaction between amyloid β and Cu(II) by forming an original ternary association.