Exploring the Potential Antidepressant Mechanisms of Pinellia by Using the Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Antidepressant-like Effects of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Based on In Vivo and Molecular Docking Studies

In this study, we examined the potential antidepressant-like effects of Chinese quince fruit extract (Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, CSFE) in an in vivo model induced by repeated injection of corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression. HPLC analysis determined that chlorogenic acid (CGA), neo-chlorogenic acid (neo-CGA), and rutin (RT) compounds were major constituents in CSFE. Male ICR mice (5 weeks old) were orally administered various doses (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) of CSFE and selegiline (10 mg/kg), a monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, as a positive control following daily intraperitoneal injections of CORT (40 mg/kg) for 21 days. In our results, mice treated with CSFE exhibited significant improvements in depressive-like behaviors induced by CORT. This was evidenced by reduced immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swim test, as well as increased step-through latency times in the passive avoidance test. Indeed, mice treated with CSFE also exhibited a significant decrease in anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the elevated plus maze test. Moreover, molecular docking analysis indicated that CGA and neo-CGA from CSFE had stronger binding to the active site of MAO-B. Our results indicate that CSFE has potential antidepressant effects in a mouse model of repeated injections of CORT-induced depression.

The therapeutic effects of saikosaponins on depression through the modulation of neuroplasticity: From molecular mechanisms to potential clinical applications

Depression is a major global health issue that urgently requires innovative and precise treatment options. In this context, saikosaponin has emerged as a promising candidate, offering a variety of therapeutic benefits that may be effective in combating depression. This review delves into the multifaceted potential of saikosaponins in alleviating depressive symptoms. We summarized the effects of saikosaponins on structural and functional neuroplasticity, elaborated the regulatory mechanism of saikosaponins in modulating key factors that affect neuroplasticity, such as inflammation, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, oxidative stress, and the brain-gut axis. Moreover, this paper highlights existing gaps in current researches and outlines directions for future studies. A detailed plan is provided for the future clinical application of saikosaponins, advocating for more targeted researches to speed up its transition from preclinical trials to clinical practice.

Exploring the Molecular Targets for the Antidepressant and Antisuicidal Effects of Ketamine Enantiomers by Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Ketamine, a racemic mixture of esketamine (S-ketamine) and arketamine (R-ketamine), has received particular attention for its rapid antidepressant and antisuicidal effects. NMDA receptor inhibition has been indicated as one of the main mechanisms of action of the racemic mixture, but other pharmacological targets have also been proposed. This study aimed to explore the possible multiple targets of ketamine enantiomers related to their antidepressant and antisuicidal effects. To this end, targets were predicted using Swiss Target Prediction software for each ketamine enantiomer. Targets related to depression and suicide were collected by the Gene Cards database. The intersections of targets were analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Network pharmacology analysis was performed using Gene Mania and Cytoscape software. Molecular docking was used to predict the main targets of the network. The results indicated that esketamine and arketamine share some biological targets, particularly NMDA receptor and phosphodiesterases 3A, 7A, and 5A but have specific molecular targets. While esketamine is predicted to interact with the GABAergic system, arketamine may interact with macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). Both ketamine enantiomers activate neuroplasticity-related signaling pathways and show addiction potential. Our results identified novel, poorly explored molecular targets that may be related to the beneficial effects of esketamine and arketamine against depression and suicide.

Pinellia genus: A systematic review of active ingredients, pharmacological effects and action mechanism, toxicological evaluation, and multi-omics application

The dried tuber of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit, Pinelliae Rhizoma (PR, also named 'Banxia' in Chinese), is widely used in traditional medicine. This review aims to provide detail summary of active ingredients, pharmacological effects, toxic ingredients, detoxification strategies, and omic researches, etc. Pharmacological ingredients from PR are mainly classified into six categories: alkaloids, amino acids, polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, essential oils, and glucocerebrosides. Diversity of chemical composition determines the broad-spectrum efficacy and gives a foundation for the comprehensive utilization of P. ternata germplasm resources. The pharmacological compounds are involved in inhibition of cancer cells by targeting various pathways, including activation of immune system, inhibition of proliferation and cycle, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of angiogenesis. The pharmacological components of PR act on nervous system by targeting neurotransmitters, activating immune system, decreasing apoptosis, and increasing redox system. Lectins, one major class of the toxic ingredients extracted from raw PR, possess significant toxic effects on human cells. Inflammatory factors, cytochrome P450 proteins (CYP) family enzymes, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling factors, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling factors, and nervous system, are considered to be the target sites of lectins. Recently, omic analysis is widely applied in Pinellia genus studies. Plastome genome-based molecular markers are deeply used for identifying and resolving phylogeny of Pinellia genus plants. Various omic works revealed and functional identified a series of environmental stress responsive factors and active component biosynthesis-related genes. Our review summarizes the recent progress in active and toxic ingredient evaluation, pharmacological effects, detoxification strategies, and functional gene identification and accelerates efficient utilization of this traditional herb.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine compound "Xiaochaihu Decoction" in the treatment of depression

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder under the category of depression syndrome in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. Meanwhile, Xiaochaihu Decoction is a classical TCM formulation regulating Qi, resolving and dissipating stagnation. Clinically, the formulation has long been adopted to treat Shaoyang stagnation syndrome for depression syndrome. In this review, potential targets of action and the corresponding pathways of Xiaochaihu Decoction are explored for depression treatment via network pharmacology. The article also systematically summarizes the active components and pharmacological mechanisms of seven Chinese herbal medicine components in Xiaochaihu Decoction and guides the future study direction of Xiaochaihu Decoction, which may serve a promising treatment for depression.

Research on the mechanisms of Shu Yu wan in the treatment of cervical cancer based on network pharmacology analyses and molecular docking technology

Combining network pharmacology with molecular docking, our study revealed the candidate targets and mechanisms of Shu Yu Wan (SYW) for treating cervical cancer (CC). The targets associated with CC and active compounds in SYW were identified through TCGA, GeneCards and TCMSP databases. Consequently, a total of 16 active compounds in SYW and 38 common targets related to CC were predicted. Genes TP53 and CDK2 are among the hub genes in the PPI network. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that SYW exerted pharmacological effects on CC by regulating cellular senescence, p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle, apoptosis, viral carcinogenesis and human papillomavirus infection (HPV) signaling pathway. Finally, molecular docking confirmed a strong binding affinity between the main active compounds of SYW with the core target proteins.

Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification to Unveil the Mechanism of N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid Rescue Humantenirine-Induced Excitotoxicity

Gelsemium is a medicinal plant that has been used to treat various diseases, but it is also well-known for its high toxicity. Complex alkaloids are considered the main poisonous components in Gelsemium. However, the toxic mechanism of Gelsemium remains ambiguous. In this work, network pharmacology and experimental verification were combined to systematically explore the specific mechanism of Gelsemium toxicity. The alkaloid compounds and candidate targets of Gelsemium, as well as related targets of excitotoxicity, were collected from public databases. The crucial targets were determined by constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to explore the bioprocesses and signaling pathways involved in the excitotoxicity corresponding to alkaloids in Gelsemium. Then, the binding affinity between the main poisonous alkaloids and key targets was verified by molecular docking. Finally, animal experiments were conducted to further evaluate the potential mechanisms of Gelsemium toxicity. A total of 85 alkaloids in Gelsemium associated with 214 excitotoxicity-related targets were predicted by network pharmacology. Functional analysis showed that the toxicity of Gelsemium was mainly related to the protein phosphorylation reaction and plasma membrane function. There were also 164 pathways involved in the toxic mechanism, such as the calcium signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that alkaloids have high affinity with core targets, including MAPK3, SRC, MAPK1, NMDAR_2B and NMDAR_2A. In addition, the difference of binding affinity may be the basis of toxicity differences among different alkaloids. Humantenirine showed significant sex differences, and the LD₅₀ values of female and male mice were 0.071 mg·kg^-1 and 0.149 mg·kg^-1, respectively. Furthermore, we found that N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA), a specific NMDA receptor agonist, could significantly increase the survival rate of acute humantenirine-poisoned mice. The results also show that humantenirine could upregulate the phosphorylation level of MAPK3/1 and decrease ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential in hippocampal tissue, while NMDA could rescue humantenirine-induced excitotoxicity by restoring the function of mitochondria. This study revealed the toxic components and potential toxic mechanism of Gelsemium. These findings provide a theoretical basis for further study of the toxic mechanism of Gelsemium and potential therapeutic strategies for Gelsemium poisoning.

Network pharmacological investigation into the mechanism of Kaixinsan powder for the treatment of depression

Kaixinsan powder (KXS), a classic prescription of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is widely used in the treatment of depression, but its mechanism remains unclear. The network pharmacology method was used to constructe the "herb-component-target" network, and elucidated KXS potential mechanisms of action in the treatment of depression. Moreover, molecular docking was applied to valid the important interactions between the ingredients and the target protein. The "herb-component-target" network indicated that the ingredients of Girinimbin, Gomisin B and Asarone, and the protein targets of ESR, AR and NR3C1 mostly contribute to the antidepressant effect of KXS. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted the most significant pathways associated with depression treatment, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, serotonergic synapse pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Go enrichment analysis indicated that the mechanism of KXS in treating depression was involved in the biological process of GPCR signal transduction, hormone metabolism and nerve cell apoptosis. Moreover, molecular docking results showed that Polygalaxanthone III, Girinimbine and Pachymic acid performed greater binding ability with key antidepressant target 5-HTR. In conclusion, this study preliminarily revealed key active components in KXS, including Gomisin B, Asarone, Ginsenoside Rg1, Polygalaxanthone III and Pachymic acid, could interact with multiple targets (5-HTR, DR, ADRA, AR, ESR, NR3C1) and modulate the activation of multiple pathways (Neuroactive ligand -receptor interaction pathway, serotonergic synapse pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway).

A comprehensive review on ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological evaluation, and quality control of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pinellia ternata tuber (PTT), the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit., has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine for drying dampness, resolving phlegm, down-bearing counterflow to check vomiting and dissipating masses. Modern pharmacology studies have revealed that PTT has diverse pharmacological effects such as antitussive and expectorant, anti-emetic, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effect, etc. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive evaluation on ethnopharmacological uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological and toxicological effects, analytical methods and quality control of PTT, which would provide scientific evidence for exploring future therapeutic, and formulating quality and safety criteria of PTT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pertinent information was systematically collected from several electronic scientific databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library and China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), as well as the classic Chinese medical books.

RESULTS

PTT is reported to be widely used traditionally for the treatment of cough, vomiting, infection, and inflammatory diseases in many southeast Asian countries. Phytochemical studies have revealed the presence of a total of 233 compounds belonging to alkaloids, nucleosides, organic acids, polysaccharides, volatile oils, amino acids, proteins, starches, etc. The extracts and components of PTT have possessed diverse pharmacological activities, such as antitussive, antiemetic, antitumor, antibacterial, and sedative-hypnotic activities. Raw P. ternata tuber (RPTT) with a pungent taste causes acrid irritation of the oral and laryngopharynx mucosa when taken by mistake, while its toxicity and side effects of RPTT can be dramatically reduced with proper processing. Three kinds of processed P. ternata tuber with different processing methods are available and traded in market, as well as applied in clinical treatments. Additionally, although raw or processed PTT have been recorded in several mainstream pharmacopoeias such as Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Japanese Pharmacopoeia, and Korean Pharmacopoeia, the quality items and requirements varies a lot. Therefore, a unified international standard of raw and processed PTT is urgent need to be done.

CONCLUSIONS

The ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological and quality evaluation of PTT were highlighted in this review, which provides potential reference information to future investigate and commercially explore for pharmaceutical applications. Nevertheless, an efficient method for chemical profiling is still unavailable to find potent bioactive markers for quality control, and then comprehensive pharmacological effects and mechanisms and toxicological evaluation of PTT require further detailed research to ensure their quality and safety.

Honokiol improves depression-like behaviors in rats by HIF-1α- VEGF signaling pathway activation

Increasing evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of depression is closely linked to impairments in neuronal synaptic plasticity. Honokiol, a biologically active substance extracted from Magnolia Officinalis, has been proven to exert significant antidepressant effects. However, the specific mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, PC12 cells and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model rats were used to explore the antidepressant effects and potential mechanisms of honokiol in vitro and in rats. In vitro experiment, a cell viability detection kit was used to screen the concentration and time of honokiol administration. PC12 cells were administered with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) blocker, 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) blocker, SU5416, to detect the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, synaptic protein 1 (SYN 1), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD 95) by western blotting. In effect, we investigated whether the synaptic plasticity action of honokiol was dependent on the HIF-1α-VEGF pathway. In vivo, behavioral tests were used to evaluate the reproducibility of the CUMS depression model and depression-like behaviors. Molecular biology techniques were used to examine mRNA and protein expression of the HIF-1α-VEGF signaling pathway and synaptic plasticity-related regulators. Additionally, molecular docking techniques were used to study the interaction between honokiol and target proteins, and predict their binding patterns and affinities. Experimental results showed that honokiol significantly reversed CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors. Mechanically, honokiol exerted a significant antidepressant effect by enhancing synaptic plasticity. At the molecular level, honokiol can activate the HIF-1α-VEGF signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo, as well as promote the protein expression levels of SYN 1 and PSD 95. Taken together, the results do not only provide an experimental basis for honokiol in the clinical treatment of depression but also suggest that the HIF-1α-VEGF pathway may be a potential target for the treatment of depression.