Forsythiaside Protects Against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in PC12 Cell

Tannic acid protects neuroblastoma cells against hydrogen peroxide - triggered oxidative stress by suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis

Recent investigations indicate that tannic acid is associated with a decrease in oxidative damage. Growing evidence supports the protective effects of tannic acid on the central nervous system (CNS). However, uncertainties persist regarding its influence on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-triggered oxidative impairment in nerve cells and its interaction with apoptosis. Hence, the objective of this work was to examine the neuroprotective impact of tannic acid on SH-SY5Y cell impairment following H2O2-induced oxidative stress, particularly concerning apoptotic pathways. The control group received no treatment, while the H2O2 group underwent treatment with 0.5 mM H2O2 for a duration of 24 h. The tannic acid group received treatment with different concentrations of tannic acid for a duration of 24 h. Meanwhile, the tannic acid + H2O2 group underwent pre-treatment with tannic acid for one hour and was subsequently subjected to 0.5 mM H2O2 for one day. Within the tannic acid + H2O2 group, the cell viability in SH-SY5Y cells was notably enhanced by tannic acid at concentrations of 2.5, 5, and 10 μM. It also resulted in a considerable rise in TAS (Total Antioxidant Status) levels and a concurrent decline in TOS (Total Oxidant Status) levels, serving as indicators of reduced oxidative stress. Additionally, tannic acid treatment resulted in decreased levels of apoptotic markers (Bax, cleaved PARP, and cleaved caspase 3) and oxidative DNA damage marker (8-oxo-dG), while increasing the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. The findings from flow cytometry also revealed a significant reduction in the apoptosis rate following pretreatment with tannic acid. In summary, tannic acid demonstrates protective effects on SH-SY5Y cells in the face of H2O2-triggered oxidative damage by suppressing both oxidative stress and apoptosis. Nevertheless, additional research is warranted to assess the neuroprotective potential of tannic acid.

The phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, quality control, and toxicity of Forsythiae Fructus: An updated systematic review

Forsythiae Fructus (FF), the dried fruit of F. suspensa, is commonly used to treat fever, inflammation, etc in China or other Asian countries. FF is usually used as the core herb in traditional Chinese medicine preparations for the treatment of influenza, such as Shuang-huang-lian oral liquid and Yin-qiao powder, etc. Since the wide application and core role of FF, its research progress was summarized in terms of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, quality control, and toxicity. Meanwhile, the anti-influenza substances and mechanism of FF were emphasized. Till now, a total of 290 chemical components are identified in F. suspensa, and among them, 248 components were isolated and identified from FF, including 42 phenylethanoid glycosides, 48 lignans, 59 terpenoids, 14 flavonoids, 3 steroids, 24 cyclohexyl ethanol derivatives, 14 alkaloids, 26 organic acids, and 18 other types. FF and their pure compounds have the pharmacological activities of anti-virus, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, anti-bacteria, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. Inhibition of TLR7, RIG-I, MAVS, NF-κB, MyD88 signaling pathway were the reported anti-influenza mechanisms of FF and phenylethanoid glycosides and lignans are the main active groups. However, the bioavailability of phenylethanoid glycosides and lignans of FF in vivo was low, which needed to be improved. Simultaneously, the un-elucidated compounds and anti-influenza substances of FF strongly needed to be explored. The current quality control of FF was only about forsythoside A and phillyrin, more active components should be taken into consideration. Moreover, there are no reports of toxicity of FF yet, but the toxicity of FF should be not neglected in clinical applications.

Liquid-Phase Adsorption Behavior of β-D-Glucooligosaccharides When Using Activated Carbon for Separation, and the Antioxidant Stress Activity of Purified Fractions

The adsorption characteristics of β-glucooligosaccharides on activated carbon and the purification were systematically investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of activated carbon reached 0.419 g/g in the optimal conditions. The adsorption behavior was described to be monolayer, spontaneous, and exothermic based on several models' fitting results. Five fractions with different degrees of polymerization (DPs) and structures of β-glucooligosaccharides were obtained by gradient ethanol elution. 10E mainly contained disaccharides with dp2a (G1→6G) and dp2b (G1→3G). 20E possessed trisaccharides with dp3a (G1→6G1→3G) and dp3b (G1→3G1→3G). 30E mainly consisted of dp3a and dp4a (G1→3G1→3(G1→6)G), dp4b (G1→6G1→3G1→3G), and dp4c (G1→3G1→3G1→3G). In addition to tetrasaccharides, 40E and 50E also contained pentasaccharides and hexasaccharides with β-(1→3)-linked or β-(1→6)-linked glucose residues. All fractions could inhibit the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H2O2-induced Caco-2 cells, and they could improve oxidative stress damage by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH), which were related to their DPs and structures. 50E with high DPs showed better anti-oxidative stress activity.

Forsythiaside A suppresses renal fibrosis and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting THBS1 through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Renal fibrosis is a key feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, whereas no proven effective anti-fibrotic treatments. Forsythiaside A (FTA), derived from Forsythia suspense, has been found to possess nephroprotective properties. However, there is limited research on its anti-fibrotic effects, and its mechanism of action remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the suppressive effects of FTA on renal fibrosis and explore the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, we established a HK2 cell model induced by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and in vivo, we used a mice model induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). CCK-8 assay, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, histological staining, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL assay, RNA transcriptome sequencing, and molecular docking were performed. The results showed that FTA (40 μM or 80 μM) treatment improved cell viability and suppressed TGF-β1-induced fibrotic changes and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, FTA treatment reversed the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and THBS1 was identified as the target gene. We found that THBS1 knockdown suppressed the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and reduced the fibrosis and partial EMT-related protein level. Conversely, THBS1 overexpression activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and exacerbated renal fibrosis and partial EMT. In vivo, mice were administered FTA (30 or 60 mg/kg) for 2 weeks, and the results demonstrated that FTA administration significantly mitigated tubular injury, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, partial EMT, and apoptosis. In conclusion, FTA inhibited renal fibrosis and partial EMT by targeting THBS1 and inhibiting activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

TMT-based quantitative proteomics analysis of neuroprotective effects of Forsythoside A on the MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characteristized by the presence of dyskinesia and the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Although certain drugs can mitigate the symptoms of PD, they are unable to delay the disease progression, and their prolonged use may result in complications. Therefore, there exists an urgent necessity to identify potential agents that can effectively delay PD progression with fewer side effects. Recent research has unveiled that several traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) exhibit neuroprotective properties in various models pertinent to PD. Forsythoside A (FSA), the primary bioactive compound derived from TCM Lianqiao, has undergone extensive research in animal models of Alzheimer's disease and cerebral ischemia. However, the investigation into the impact of FSA on PD is limited in existing research. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of FSA on MPTP-induced PD mouse model. FSA demonstrated significant improvements in the behavioral and neuropathological changes triggered by MPTP in mice. Furthermore, it exerted a suppressive effect on the activations of astrocyte and microglia. Meanwhile, Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics of striatal tissue and bioinformatics analysis were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of FSA on PD mouse model. Proteomics demonstrated a total of 68 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between HFSA and MPTP groups including 26 upregulated and 42 downregulated. Systematic bioinformatics analysis of the 68 DEPs illustrated that they were predominantly related to estrogen signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway. The related DEPs (PLCβ4, Grm2, HPAC and Cox4i1) expression levels were verified by Western blot. FSA effectively restored the altered expression of the four DEPs induced by MPTP. Summarily, FSA exerted remarkable neuroprotective effects in MPTP-induced mice. Further, our research may provide proteomics insights that contribute to the further exploration of FSA as a potential treatment for PD.

Folic acid alleviated oxidative stress-induced telomere attrition and inhibited apoptosis of neurocytes in old rats

PURPOSE

Oxidative stress has been reported to cause telomere attrition, which triggers cell apoptosis. Apoptosis of neurocytes may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. This study hypothesized that folic acid (FA) supplementation decreased neurocyte apoptosis by alleviating oxidative stress-induced telomere attrition in 25-month-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

METHODS

Three-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into four diet groups by different concentrations of folic acid in equal numbers, with intervention for 22 months. Folate, homocysteine (Hcy), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant activities, and telomere length in the brain tissues were tested at 11, 18, and 22 months of intervention, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels, neurocyte apoptosis and telomere length in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal regions were tested during the 22-month intervention. An automated chemiluminescence system, auto-chemistry analyzer, Q-FISH, qPCR, and TUNEL assay were used in this study.

RESULTS

The rats had lower folate concentrations and higher Hcy, ROS, and 8-OHdG concentrations in brain tissue with aging. However, FA supplementation increased folate concentrations and antioxidant activities while decreasing Hcy, ROS, and 8-OHdG levels in rat brain tissue after 11, 18, and 22 months of intervention. Furthermore, FA supplementation alleviated telomere length shortening and inhibited neurocyte apoptosis during the 22-month intervention.

CONCLUSION

FA supplementation alleviated oxidative stress-induced telomere attrition and inhibited apoptosis of neurocytes in 25-month-old rats.

Review of the therapeutic potential of Forsythiae Fructus on the central nervous system: Active ingredients and mechanisms of action

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional Chinese medicine has gained significant attention in recent years owing to its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway advantages in treating various diseases. Forsythiae Fructus, derived from the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, is one such traditional Chinese medicine with numerous in vivo and ex vivo therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Forsythiae Fructus contains more than 200 chemical constituents, with forsythiaside, forsythiaside A, forsythiaside B, isoforsythiaside, forsythin, and phillyrin being the most active ingredients. Forsythiae Fructus exerts neuroprotective effects by modulating various pathways, including oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, NF-κB signaling, 2-AG, Nrf2 signaling, acetylcholinesterase, PI3K-Akt signaling, ferroptosis, gut-brain axis, TLR4 signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and PPARγ signaling pathway.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review aims to highlight the potential therapeutic effects of Forsythiae Fructus on the central nervous system and summarize the current knowledge on the active ingredients of Forsythiae Fructus and their effects on different pathways involved in neuroprotection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this review, we conducted a comprehensive search of databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, China Knowledge Resource Integrated, local dissertations and books) up until June 2023 using key terms such as Forsythia suspensa, Forsythiae Fructus, forsythiaside, isoforsythiaside, forsythin, phillyrin, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, aging, and herpes simplex virus encephalitis.

RESULTS

Our findings indicate that Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients own therapeutic effects on the central nervous system by modulating various pathways, including oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, NF-κB signaling, 2-AG, Nrf2 signaling, acetylcholinesterase, PI3K-Akt signaling, ferroptosis, the gut-brain axis, TLR4 signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and PPARγ signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients have demonstrated promising neuroprotective properties. Future in vivo and clinical studies of Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients should be conducted to establish precise dosage and standard guidelines for a more effective application in the treatment of neurological disorders.

Aluminum-maltol induced oxidative stress and reduced AMPK activity via BCK-related energy supply failure in C6 cell

Aluminum (Al) exposure significantly interferes with the energy supply in astrocytes, which may be a potential mechanism of Al-induced neurotoxicity. This study was designed to explore the mechanisms of Al-induced energy supply impairment in rat C6 astroglioma cell line. Aluminum-maltolate (Al(mal)3) (0.1 mM, 24 h) exposure significantly decreased brain-type creatine kinase (BCK) co-localization with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and resulted in mitochondrial dysfunctions, accompanied by a decrease in AMPK phosphorylation. The results of molecular docking showed that Al(mal)3 increased BCK's hydrophobicity and hindered the localization movement of BCK between subcells·H2O2 co-administration was found to exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction, Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, and apoptosis. After treated with Al(mal)3, additional oxidative stress contributed to BCK activity inhibition but did not promote a further decrease in AMPK phosphorylation. The activation of p-AMPK by its agonist can partially restore mitochondrial function, BCK activity, and ER-localized-BCK levels in Al(mal)3-treated astrocytes. In summary, Al exposure resulted in a sustained depletion of the mitochondrial and antioxidant systems, which was associated with reduced p-AMPK activity and decreased ER-localized-BCK levels in astrocytes. This study provides a theoretical basis for exploring the mechanisms of neurotoxicity induced by Al exposure.

An integrated approach for studying the metabolic profiling of herbal medicine in mice using high-resolution mass spectrometry and metabolomics data processing tools

Analysis of exposure to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in vivo based on mass spectrometry is helpful for the screening of effective ingredients of TCM and the development of new drugs. The method of screening biomarkers through metabolomics technology is a nontargeted research method to explore the differential components between two sets of biological samples. By taking this advantage, this study aims to takes Forsythia suspensa, which is a TCM also known as Lian Qiao (LQ), as the research object and to study its in vivo exposure by using metabolomics technology. By comparing the significant differences between biological samples before and after administration, it could be focused on the components that were significantly upregulated, where a complete set of analysis strategies for nontargeted TCM in vivo exposure mass spectrometry was established. Furthermore, the threshold parameters for peak extraction, parameter selection during statistical data analysis, and sample concentration multiples in this method have also been optimized. More interestingly, by using the established analysis strategy, we found 393 LQ-related chemical components in mice after administration, including 102 prototypes and 291 LQ-related metabolites, and plotted their metabolic profiles in vivo. In short, this study has obtained a complete mass spectrum of LQ exposure in mice in vivo for the first time, which provides a reference for research on the active ingredients of LQ in vivo. More importantly, compared with other methods, the analysis strategy of nontargeted exposure of TCM in vivo-based mass spectrometry, constructed by using this research method, has good universality and does not require self-developed postprocessing software. It is worth mentioning that, for the identification and characterization of trace amounts of metabolites in vivo, this analysis strategy has no discrimination and has a detection capability similar to that of highly exposed components.

Transcriptomic profiling of lipopolysaccharide-challenged bovine mammary epithelial cells treated with forsythoside A

Mastitis is usually caused by a variety of pathogenic bacteria that seriously impact the health and milk-production ability of dairy cows, with consequent, economically detrimental effects on the dairy industry. Forsythoside A (FTA), isolated from the fruit and leaves of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Oleaceae), has been reported to have significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. However, it is not clear whether FTA exerts a protective effect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bovine mastitis and its potential gene signature. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was performed to analyze the differences between the mRNA and enrichment pathway of bovine mammary epithelial cells of the control, LPS, and LPS + FTA groups. The results showed that there were 139 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p-value < 0.05, |log2FoldChange| > 1, FPKM > 1) in the LPS group compared with the control group, including 121 up-regulated genes and 18 down-regulated genes, which were mainly enriched in the cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, cytokine activity, protein binding, and IL-17 signaling pathway based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, respectively. Compared with the control group and LPS + FTA group, there were 349 DEGs, including 322 up-regulated genes and 27 down-regulated genes. They were mainly enriched in protein localization to organelles, centrosomes, binding, and the IL-17 signaling pathway, based on GO and KEGG analysis. Compared to the LPS group, the LPS + FTA group had 272 DEGs, including 259 up-regulated genes and 13 down-regulated genes, which were mainly enriched in RNA processing, IL-6 receptor binding, and the lysosome pathway, based on GO and KEGG analyses. It can be seen that LPS stimulation induced the expression of inflammation-related genes, IL-17 and IL-6, whereas FTA treatment promoted the expression of the spliceosome-, lysosome-, and oxidative stress-related genes HSP70, HSPA8, and PARP2. The study utilized RNA-sequencing analysis of FTA against LPS-challenged bovine mammary epithelial cells to explore key mRNA findings that may be strongly associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, and provides a theoretical reference for further elucidation of molecular mechanisms of bovine mastitis and therapeutic effects of FTA against bovine mastitis.

Forsythoside A regulates autophagy and apoptosis through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway and alleviates inflammatory damage in MAC-T cells

Dairy cow mastitis is the most common disease encountered in dairy farming. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), among the major virulence-related factors produced by Escherichia coli, stimulate mammary gland inflammation and cause its damage, thereby affecting milk yield and quality. Forsythoside A (FTA) is among the main active components of forsythia. Recent pharmacological studies have demonstrated that FTA possesses anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, and other biological activities. This study investigated the effects of the FTA-activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway on LPS-induced autophagy, apoptosis, and inflammatory damage in bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells. Cell activity was measured using the Cell Counting Kit 8. Moreover, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were used to detect expression levels of autophagic, apoptotic, and inflammatory factors, as well as those of oxidative stress-related genes and proteins. The annexin-FITC/PI assay and immunofluorescence assay were used to detect the apoptosis rate and LC3B expression, respectively. We found that FTA attenuated LPS-induced inhibition of MAC-T cell proliferation, reduced mRNA expression of related inflammatory factors, relieved oxidative stress, and exerted protective effects on MAC-T cells. Additionally, FTA activated autophagy, attenuated inhibition of autophagy flow, and inhibited apoptosis. Autophagy and apoptosis were mainly regulated through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway. The aforementioned FTA-induced effects were inhibited by the administration of Compound C (CC; an AMPK inhibitor). Taken together, these results indicate that FTA can alleviate LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in MAC-T cells, attenuate impairments in autophagy, and inhibit apoptosis. However, these effects were blocked by CC, which suggests that FTA inhibits LPS-induced autophagy, apoptosis, and inflammatory damage in MAC-T cells by activating the AMPK pathway.

Cellular mechanism of action of forsythiaside for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) becomes the leading cause of death for end-stage renal disease, whereas the potential mechanism is unclear and effective therapy is still rare. Our study was designed to investigate the cellular mechanism of Forsythiaside against DKD. Materials and Methods: The targets of Forsythiaside and the DKD-related targets were obtained from databases. The overlapping targets in these two sets were regarded as potential targets for alleviation of DKD by Forsythiaside. The targets of diabetic podocytopathy and tubulopathy were also detected to clarify the mechanism of Forsythiaside ameliorating DKD from the cellular level. Results: Our results explored that PRKCA and RHOA were regarded as key therapeutic targets of Forsythiaside with excellent binding affinity for treating DKD podocytopathy. Enrichment analysis suggested the underlying mechanism was mainly focused on the oxidative stress and mTOR signaling pathway. The alleviated effects of Forsythiaside on the reactive oxidative species accumulation and PRKCA and RHOA proteins upregulation in podocytes were also confirmed. Conclusion: The present study elucidates that Forsythiaside exerts potential treatment against DKD which may act directly RHOA and PRKCA target by suppressing the oxidative stress pathway in podocytes. And Forsythiaside could be regarded as one of the candidate drugs dealing with DKD in future experimental or clinical researches.

Maternal Dietary Forsythia suspensa Extract Supplementation Induces Changes in Offspring Antioxidant Status, Inflammatory Responses, Intestinal Development, and Microbial Community of Sows

This experiment aims to investigate the effect of maternal diet supplemented with Forsythia suspensa extract (FSE) on the performance, antioxidant status, inflammatory responses, intestinal development, and microbial community of sows. A total of 24 gestating sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were assigned to 2 treatments with 12 sows per treatment. From d 107 of gestation to d 21 of lactation, sows were supplemented with a basal diet as control (CON) or an FSE diet (basal diet + 100 mg/kg FSE). Compared with CON, sows fed FSE showed lower (P &lt; 0.05) wean-to-estrus interval, body weight loss, and higher (P &lt; 0.05) average daily gain of suckling piglet. Sows fed FSE had reduced (P &lt; 0.05) serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content and enhanced (P &lt; 0.05) catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) contents at farrowing and weaning compared with CON. The suckling piglets of FSE-fed sows had increased (P &lt; 0.05) mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1 in the liver, and lower (P &lt; 0.05) serum MDA content on d 0, 7, and 14 of lactation. Sows fed FSE had lower (P &lt; 0.05) serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) contents at farrowing and reduced (P &lt; 0.05) serum IL-6 and IL-8 contents at weaning compared with CON. Piglets from FSE-fed sows had enhanced (P ≤ 0.05) villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the jejunum, and higher (P &lt; 0.05) protein expression of Occludin in jejunal mucosa compared with CON. Sows fed FSE tended to have higher (P = 0.09) relative abundance of Lactobacillus at genus level in feces at weaning compared with CON. Our results showed maternal diet supplemented with FSE in lactating sows could effectively induce improvement of performance, antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory function, intestinal morphology, barrier function, and microbial community.

Forsythiaside A alleviated carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis by modulating gut microbiota composition to increase short-chain fatty acids and restoring bile acids metabolism disorder

Liver fibrosis is a chronic and progressive disease with complex pathogenesis related to bile acids (BAs) and gut microbiota. Forsythiaside A (FTA), isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Forsythiae Fructus (Lian Qiao), is a natural hepatoprotective agent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of FTA on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Liver fibrosis was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection of 2 mL/kg CCl₄ three times a week for 4 weeks. FTA attenuated CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in mice, which was proved by the results of Masson and Sirius red staining, liver hydroxyproline, hyaluronic acid, laminin, type III procollagen, and type IV collagen assays. FTA inhibited hepatic stellate cell activation, and reduced hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress in mice treated with CCl₄. What's more, FTA ameliorated CCl₄-induced gut dysbiosis, maintained intestinal barrier function, increased the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and improved endotoxemia, as manifested by decreased serum lipopolysaccharide levels and increased expression of ileal tight junction proteins. Besides, FTA can modulate the genes related to bile acid metabolism to alter the distribution of fecal BAs in fibrotic mice. In a word, FTA can improve liver fibrosis by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress, regulating gut microbiota and BA metabolism, and increasing the content of SCFAs. The results of this study provided an important reference for the study on the mechanisms by which natural products prevent liver fibrosis.

Metabolome analysis of genus Forsythia related constituents in Forsythia suspensa leaves and fruits using UPLC-ESI-QQQ-MS/MS technique

Forsythia suspensa is a traditional Chinese herb. Its numerous metabolites have important roles, as they possessed a wide range of biological activities. This study explored the accumulations of F. suspensa metabolites by performing widely targeted metabolomic analysis. The metabolites were studied at four stages of fruit development. Metabolites in the fruits and leaves of F. suspensa during fruit development included phenolic acids, flavonoids, lipids, lignans and coumarins, amino acids and their derivatives, terpenes, organic acids, nucleotides and their derivatives, alkaloids, quinones, steroids, and tannins. Fourteen Forsythia related metabolites were detected. Their contents varied among the developmental stages. Statistically significant correlations were found between the levels of forsythoside B and 11-methyl-forsythide, and forsythialan B and phillygenin, in both leaves and fruits. According to the correlation analysis between metabolites, Forsythia related metabolites were divided into two classes and five subclasses. In total, 33 compounds presented significant correlations in both fruits and leaves, which indicated the potential relationship in the synthesis of Forsythia related metabolites. Forsythialan B and phillygenin were both negatively correlated with L-valine, while Z-6,7-epoxyligustilid was positively correlated with both compounds. The quality control compounds forsythiaside A and phillyrin were positively and negatively correlated with uracil, respectively. These metabolomics results may facilitate the biosynthesis of Forsythia related metabolites.

Effects of dietary Forsythia suspensa extract supplementation to lactating sows and nursery pigs on post-weaning performance, antioxidant capacity, nutrient digestibility, immunoglobulins, and intestinal health

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dietary Forsythia suspensa extract (FSE) supplementation to lactating sows and nursery pigs on post-weaning performance, antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulins, and intestinal health. Based on backfat, body weight (BW), and parity, 24 gestating sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) with average parity of 3.38 ± 0.61 and BW of 234 ± 6.81 kg were allotted into two dietary treatments (control vs. 100 mg/kg FSE) with 12 sows per treatment from day 107 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. After weaning, based on the initial BW and source litter, 192 nursery pigs (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire], average BW of 6.98 ± 0.32 kg, weaned at day 21) were allotted into four dietary treatments with eight replicate pens per treatment, six pigs per pen for a 4-wk study. The treatments included the following: 1) CC (sows and their piglets both fed control diet); 2) CF (sows fed control diet and their piglets fed FSE diet [containing 100 mg/kg FSE]); 3) FC (sows fed FSE diet and their piglets fed control diet); and 4) FF (sows and their piglets both fed FSE diet). The MIXED procedures of SAS for a split-plot arrangement with sow diet as the whole plot and nursery diet as split plot were used to analyze the data. After weaning, piglets from FSE-fed sows had improved (P < 0.05) average daily gain and feed efficiency, and lower (P < 0.05) diarrhea rate in overall (day 1 to 28) compared with those from sows fed control diet. Piglets from FSE-fed sows also had higher (P < 0.05) contents of immunoglobulin G (IgG), growth hormone, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity in serum, villus height in ileum, and villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum, as well as lower (P < 0.05) content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and crypt depth in ileum compared with those from sows fed control diet. Piglets fed FSE during nursery had increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of IgG, SOD, and catalase, and decreased (P < 0.05) MDA and tumor nuclear factor-α levels in serum compared with those fed control diet during nursery. Piglets from FC group had increased (P < 0.05) protein expression of occludin in jejunal mucosa and relative abundance of Lactobacillus on genus level in colon compared with those from CC group. In conclusion, for the performance and intestinal health, diets supplemented with FSE during lactation phase seemed more efficient to alleviate weaning stress than the nursery phase. In terms of the antioxidant status and immunoglobulins, FSE supplemented in both phases were efficient for nursery pigs.

A review of pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of Forsythiaside A

Traditional Chinese medicine plays a significant role in the treatment of various diseases and has attracted increasing attention for clinical applications. Forsythiae Fructus, the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, is a widely used Chinese medicinal herb in clinic for its extensive pharmacological activities. Forsythiaside A is the main active index component isolated from Forsythiae Fructus and possesses prominent bioactivities. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that Forsythiaside A exhibits significant activities in treating various diseases, including inflammation, virus infection, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, liver injury, and bacterial infection. In this review, the pharmacological activities of Forsythiaside A have been comprehensively reviewed and summarized. According to the data, Forsythiaside A shows remarkable anti-inflammation, antivirus, neuroprotection, antioxidant, hepatoprotection, and antibacterial activities through regulating multiple signaling transduction pathways such as NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT, Nrf2, RLRs, TRAF, TLR7, and ER stress. In addition, the toxicity and pharmacokinetic properties of Forsythiaside A are also discussed in this review, thus providing a solid foundation and evidence for further studies to explore novel effective drugs from Chinese medicine monomers.

Neuroprotective effects of allocryptopine-rich alkaloid extracts against oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress is a significant feature in the pathomechanism of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the search for an effective and safe novel antioxidant agent with neuroprotective properties has increased the interest in medicinal plant products as a bioactive phytochemical source. However, little is known about the potential effects of the medically important Glaucium corniculatum as a natural antioxidant.

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, it was aimed to investigate the anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and cell cycle regulatory mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of alkaloid extracts (chloroform, methanol, and water) from G. corniculatum, which was profiled for major alkaloid/alkaloids, against H₂O₂-induced neuronal damage in differentiated PC12 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The profiles of the alkaloid extracts were analyzed by GC-MS. The effects of the alkaloid extracts on intracellular ROS production, level of apoptotic cells, and cell cycle dysregulation were analyzed by flow cytometry; the effects on mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes were also analyzed by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The same alkaloid components, allocryptopine, tetrahydropalmatine, and tetrahydroberberine N-oxide were obtained in all three solvents, but the ratios of the components differed according to the solvents. Allocryptopine was determined to be the major alkaloid ingredient in the alkaloid extracts, with the highest amount of allocryptopine (497 μg/mg) being found in the chloroform alkaloid extract (CAE) (*p < 0.05). The best results were obtained from CAE, which has the highest amount of allocryptopine among alkaloid extracts in all studies. CAE suppressed intracellular ROS production (5.7-fold), percentage of apoptotic cells (3.0-fold), and cells in the sub G1 phase (6.8-fold); additionally, it increased cells in the G1 phase (1.5-fold) (**p < 0.01). CAE remarkably reduced the expressions of Bax, Caspase-9/-3 mRNA (2.4-3.5-fold) while increasing the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA (3.0-fold) (*p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that alkaloid extracts from G. corniculatum, which contain allocryptopine, tetrahydropalmatine, and tetrahydroberberine N-oxide suppressed oxidative stress-induced neuronal apoptosis, possibly by suppressing the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and regulating the cell cycle. These results are the first report that related alkaloids have played a neuroprotective role by regulating multiple mechanisms. Thus, our study indicated that these alkaloids especially allocryptopine could offer an efficient and novel strategy to explore novel drugs for neuroprotection and cognitive improvement.

Hepatoprotective effect of forsythiaside a against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in zebrafish: Coupling network pharmacology with biochemical pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Forsythiae Fructus, the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine and possesses various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant and liver protection.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Although acetaminophen (APAP) has been frequently used for its antipyretic and analgesic effects, it leads to liver injury at an overdose or long-term medication. Forsythiaside A (FA), the principal active component of Forsythiae Fructus, exerts prominent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. However, the protective property and underlying mechanism of FA against APAP challenge have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to explore the hepatoprotective effect and action mechanism of FA against APAP-induced liver injury in zebrafish.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, liver-specific transgenic zebrafish larvae (lfabp: EGFP) were used to investigate the protective effect of FA against overdose APAP exposure. The liver phenotype, morphological and biochemical assessments were carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of FA. Network pharmacology and molecular docking study were conducted to analyze the potential targets of FA in the treatment of APAP-induced liver injury. Finally, the mechanism of action was verified by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

The liver phenotype, morphological and biochemical assessments indicated that FA could mitigate APAP-triggered liver injury. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis indicated that the protective effect of FA might be related to the regulation of targets tumor necrosis factor (TNF), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). PCR results confirmed that FA could reverse the progressive alterations of genes involving in extracellular matrix remolding and PI3K/AKT-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that FA could mitigate APAP-induced liver injury through modulating the remolding of extracellular matrix and PI3K/AKT-mediated apoptosis.

Study on Medication Rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine against Antineoplastic Drug-Induced Cardiotoxicity Based on Network Pharmacology and Data Mining

Methods

The targets of antineoplastic drugs with cardiotoxicity were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) database, and Swiss Target Prediction platform. Then, the cardiotoxicity-related targets were derived from the Gene Cards, Disgenet, OMIM, and DrugBank databases, as well as the drug of current clinical guidelines. The targets both in these two sets were regarded as potential targets to alleviate ADIC. Then, candidate compounds and herbs were matched via Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) platform. Cytoscape3.7.1 was used to set up the target-compound-herb network. Molecular docking between core targets and compounds was performed with AutodockVina1.1.2. The rules of herbs were summarized by analyzing their property, flavor, and channel tropism.

Results

Twenty-one potential targets, 332 candidate compounds, and 400 kinds of herbs were obtained. Five core targets including potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily H member 2 (KCNH2), cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), mitogen-activated protein kinase1 (MAPK1), and tumor protein p53 (TP53) and 29 core compounds (beta-sitosterol, quercetin, kaempferol, etc.) were collected. Five core herbs (Yanhusuo, Gouteng, Huangbai, Lianqiao, and Gancao) were identified. Also, the TCM against ADIC were mainly bitter and acrid in taste, warm in property, and distributed to the liver and lung meridians.

Conclusion

TCM against ADIC has great potential. Our study provides a new method and ideas for clinical applications of integrated Chinese and western medicine in treating ADIC.

Elevation of gene expression of Btg2, Gadd 153, and antioxidant markers in RONS-induced PC12 cells

Background

Free radicals generated in the biological system bring about modifications in biological molecules causing damage to their structure and function. Identifying the damage caused by ROS and RNS is important to predict the pathway of apoptosis due to stress in PC12 cells. The first defense mechanisms against them are antioxidants which act in various pathways through important cellular organelles like the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Specific biomarkers like Gadd153 which is a marker for endoplasmic reticulum stress, Nrf2 which responds to the redox changes and translocates the antioxidant response elements, and Btg2 which is an antioxidant regulator have not been addressed in different stress conditions previously in PC12 cells. Therefore, the study was conducted to analyze the gene expression pattern (SOD, Catalase, Btg2, Gadd153, and Nrf2) and the protein expression pattern (iNOS and MnSOD) of the antioxidant stress markers in differential stress-induced PC12 cells. Peroxynitrite (1 μM), rotenone (1 μM), H2O2(100 mM), and high glucose (33 mM) were used to induce oxidative and nitrosative stress in PC12 cells.

Results

The results obtained suggested that rotenone-induced PC12 cells showed a significant increase in the expression of catalase, Btg2, and Gadd153 compared to the control. Peroxynitrite-induced PC12 cells showed higher expression of Btg2 compared to the control. H2O2 and high glucose showed lesser expression compared to the control in all stress marker genes. In contrast, the Nrf2 gene expression is downregulated in all the stress-induced PC12 cells compared to the control. Further, MnSOD and iNOS protein expression studies suggest that PC12 cells exhibit a selective downregulation. Lower protein expression of MnSOD and iNOS may be resulted due to the mitochondrial dysfunction in peroxynitrite-, high glucose-, and H2O2-treated cells, whereas rotenone-induced cells showed lower expression, which could be the result of a dysfunction of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Conclusion

Different stress inducers like rotenone, peroxynitrite, H2O2, and high glucose increase the NO and ROS. Btg2 and Gadd153 genes were upregulated in the stress-induced cells, whereas the Nrf2 was significantly downregulated in differential stress-induced PC12 cells. Further, antioxidant marker genes were differentially expressed with different stress inducers.

Antidepressant functions of Jie Yu Chu Fan capsule in promoting hippocampal nerve cell neurogenesis in a mouse model of chronic unpredictable mild stress

Background

Depression is a major public health challenge that imposes a great societal burden. Depression has been attributed to the decreased level of neurotransmitters and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Chinese herbal medicine Jie Yu Chu Fan (JYCF) capsule has been shown to be effective in the management of depression. However, the mechanism has yet to be determined. This study aimed to explore the activity of JYCF against depression by establishing a mouse model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) with fluoxetine as the positive control drug.

Methods

The open field test, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, and tail suspension test were carried out to observe the behavioral changes of animals. The levels of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and 5-hydroxytryptamine, as well as their respective metabolic products 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the mouse hippocampi were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cell proliferation and apoptosis, and early and mature nerve cells in the hippocampi were observed by immunofluorescence. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to identify BDNF expression in the hippocampi.

Results

After 5 weeks of unpredictable stimulation, a CUMS mouse model was successfully obtained, as indicated by sharply decreased sucrose preference and locomotor activity, as well as an increased immobility time in the forced swim test. Our results demonstrated that treatment with JYCF (1 and 5 g/kg) and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) dramatically reversed the behavioral abnormalities in CUMS mice. At 1 g/kg, JYCF significantly increased NE, DA, and HVA levels in the hippocampi of CUMS mice. JYCF up-regulated the mRNA expression of BDNF and promoted cell proliferation in hippocampi of CUMS mice.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that JYCF exhibits antidepressant activity comparable to that of fluoxetine in CUMS mice. Moreover, the antidepressant-like activity of JYCF was shown to be mediated by enhancing hippocampal nerve cell neurogenesis through increasing the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and BDNF expression.

Calycosin inhibited autophagy and oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating AMPK/SKP2/CARM1 signalling pathway

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and serious complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Oxidative stress and autophagy are the primary molecular mechanisms involved in muscle atrophy. Calycosin, a major component of Radix astragali, exerts anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidative stress and anti‐autophagy effects. We investigated the effects and mechanisms of calycosin on skeletal muscle atrophy in vivo and in vitro. 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6 Nx) rats were used as a model of CKD. We evaluated bodyweight and levels of serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum albumin (Alb). H&E staining, cell apoptosis, oxidative stress biomarkers, autophagosome and LC3A/B levels were performed and evaluated in skeletal muscle of CKD rat. Calycosin treatment improved bodyweight and renal function, alleviated muscle atrophy (decreased the levels of MuRF1 and MAFbx), increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activity and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in skeletal muscle of CKD rats. Importantly, calycosin reduced autophagosome formation, down‐regulated the expression of LC3A/B and ATG7 through inhibition of AMPK and FOXO3a, and increased SKP2, which resulted in decreased expression of CARM1, H3R17me2a. Similar results were observed in C2C12 cells treated with TNF‐α and calycosin. Our findings showed that calycosin inhibited oxidative stress and autophagy in CKD induced skeletal muscle atrophy and in TNF‐α‐induced C2C12 myotube atrophy, partially by regulating the AMPK/SKP2/CARM1 signalling pathway.

Distribution Patterns for Bioactive Constituents in Pericarp, Stalk and Seed of Forsythiae Fructus

Forsythiae Fructus (FF) is a widely used folk medicine in China, Japan, and Korea. The distribution of bioactive constituents throughout the fruit segments has rarely been addressed, although mounting evidence suggests that plant secondary metabolites are synthesized and distributed regularly. The phytochemical profiles of three segments of FF (pericarp, stalk and seed) were firstly revealed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based quantitative analysis of twenty-one bioactive constituents, including three phenylethanoid glycosides, five lignans, eight flavonoids, and five phenolic acids to explore the spatial distribution of bioactive constituents. Furthermore, the hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) were conducted to visualize and verify the distribution regularity of twenty-one analytes among three segments. The results showed that phytochemical profiles of the three segments were similar, i.e., phenylethanoid glycosides covering the most part were the predominant compounds, followed by lignans, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Nevertheless, the abundance of twenty-one bioactive constituents among three segments was different. Specifically, phenylethanoid glycosides were highly expressed in the seed; lignans were primarily enriched in the stalk; flavonoids were largely concentrated in the pericarp, while the contents of phenolic acids showed no much difference among various segments. The research improves our understanding of distribution patterns for bioactive constituents in FF, and also complements some scientific data for further exploring the quality formation mechanism of FF.

Protective effects of organic extracts of Alpinia oxyphylla against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

Alpinia oxyphylla, a traditional herb, is widely used for its neuroprotective, antioxidant and memory-improving effects. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms of action of its active ingredients are unclear. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of various organic extracts of Alpinia oxyphylla on PC12 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative injury in vitro. Alpinia oxyphylla was extracted three times with 95% ethanol (representing extracts 1–3). The third 95% ethanol extract was dried and resuspended in water, and then extracted successively with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol (representing extracts 4–6). The cell counting kit-8 assay and microscopy were used to evaluate cell viability and observe the morphology of PC12 cells. The protective effect of the three ethanol extracts (at tested concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 µg/mL) against cytotoxicity to PC12 cells increased in a concentration-dependent manner. The ethyl acetate, petroleum ether and n-butanol extracts (each tested at 100, 150 and 200 μg/mL) had neuroprotective effects as well. The optimum effective concentration ranged from 50–200 μg/mL, and the protective effect of the ethyl acetate extract was comparatively robust. These results demonstrate that organic extracts of Alpinia oxyphylla protect PC12 cells against apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide. Our findings should help identify the bioactive neuroprotective components in Alpinia oxyphylla.

Ameliorative effects of aqueous extract of Forsythiae suspensa fruits on oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo

Background

The dried fruits of Forsythia suspensa has generally been used to clear heat and detoxify in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine. Oxaliplatin is a first-line treatment chemotherapeutic agent for advanced colorectal cancer, but it induces peripheral neuropathy as an adverse side effect affecting the treatment regimen and the patient’s quality of life. The present study was conducted to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of an aqueous extract of F. suspensa fruits (EFSF) on oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Methods

The chemical components from EFSF were characterized and quantified using the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector system. The cytotoxicities of anticancer drugs in cancer cells and PC12 cells were assessed by the Ez-Cytox viability assay. To measure the in vitro neurotoxicity, the neurite outgrowth was analyzed in the primary dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, and neural PC12 cells that were differentiated with nerve growth factor. To evaluate the in vivo neuroprotective activity, the von Frey test was performed in six-week-old male mice (C57BL/6) receiving EFSF (60–600 mg/kg) in the presence of 20–30 mg/kg cumulative doses of oxaliplatin. Thereafter, the mice were euthanized for immunohistochemical staining analysis with an antibody against PGP9.5.

Results

EFSF attenuated the cytotoxic activities of the various anticancer drugs in neural PC12 cells, but did not affect the anticancer activity of oxaliplatin in human cancer cells. Oxaliplatin remarkably induced neurotoxicities including cytotoxicity and the inhibited neurite outgrowth of DRG and neural PC12 cells. However, the co-treatment of EFSF (100 μg/ml) with oxaliplatin completely reversed the oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity. Forsythoside A, the major component of EFSF, also exerted remarkable neuroprotective effects against the oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, EFSF (60–200 mg/kg) significantly alleviated the oxaliplatin-induced mechanical allodynia and loss of intra-epidermal nerve fiber to the levels of the vehicle control in the mouse peripheral neuropathy model.

Conclusions

EFSF could be considered a useful herbal medicine for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with oxaliplatin.

Pioglitazone Protects Compression-Mediated Apoptosis in Nucleus Pulposus Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Suppressing Oxidative Stress

Excessive compression, the main cause of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, affected endogenous repair of the intervertebral disc. Pioglitazone (PGZ) is the agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, which has been widely used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The present study aim at investigating whether pioglitazone has protective effects on compression-mediated cell apoptosis in nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells (NP-MSCs) and further exploring the possible underlying mechanism. Our results indicated that the isolated cells satisfied the criteria of MSC stated by the International Society for Cellular Therapy. Besides, our research revealed that pioglitazone could protect cell viability, cell proliferation of NP-MSCs and alleviated the toxic effects caused by compression. The actin stress fibers was suppressed obviously under compression, and pioglitazone alleviated the adverse outcomes. Pioglitazone exerted protective effects on compression-induced NP-MSCs apoptosis according to annexin V/PI double-staining and TUNEL assays. Pioglitazone suppressed compression-induced NP-MSCs oxidative stress, including decreasing compression-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and alleviated compression-induced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decrease. Ultrastructure collapse of the mitochondria exhibited a notable improvement by pioglitazone in compression-induced NP-MSCs according to transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, the molecular results showed that pioglitazone significantly decreased the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins, including cyto.cytochrome c, Bax, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3, and promoted Bcl-2 expression. These results indicated that pioglitazone alleviated compression-induced NP-MSCs apoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress and the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which may be a valuable candidate for the treatment of IVD degeneration.

Forsythiaside A protects against focal cerebral ischemic injury by mediating the activation of the Nrf2 and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways

Ischemic stroke is a common type of stroke with a high mortality and morbidity rate. Preventing and controlling cerebral ischemic injury is particularly important. Forsythiaside A (FA) has been reported to have anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of FA on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)‑induced cerebral ischemic injury in rats. The results indicated that FA markedly increased the percent survival and decreased the neurological deficit score in rats with cerebral ischemic injury. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was significantly inhibited by FA administration, which was accompanied by decreased caspase‑3 and caspase‑9 expression. A marked increase in the expression levels of nuclear factor‑erythroid 2‑related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 and glutathione‑s‑transferase was detected in FA‑treated rats. In addition, treatment with FA reduced malonaldehyde expression, and enhanced the expression of superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was vastly alleviated by FA treatment, as evidenced by the increased expression of B‑cell lymphoma 2, apoptosis regulator and the downregulated expression of phosphorylated (phospho)‑protein kinase RNA‑like ER kinase (PERK)/PERK, phospho‑inositol‑requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1α)/IRE1α and CCAAT‑enhancer‑binding proteins homologous protein. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that FA attenuated cerebral ischemic damage via mediation of the activation of Nrf2 and ER stress pathways. These data may provide ideas for novel treatment strategies of cerebral ischemic damage.

Dietary supplementation with ketoacids protects against CKD-induced oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle of 5/6 nephrectomised rats

Background

A low-protein diet supplemented with ketoacids (LPD + KA) maintains the nutritional status of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction associated with the upregulation of p66SHC and FoxO3a have been shown to contribute to muscle atrophy. This study aimed to determine whether LPD + KA improves muscle atrophy and attenuates the oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage observed in CKD rats.

Methods

5/6 nephrectomy rats were randomly divided into three groups and fed with either 22% protein (normal-protein diet; NPD), 6% protein (low-protein diets; LPD) or 5% protein plus 1% ketoacids (LPD + KA) for 24 weeks. Sham-operated rats with NPD intake were used as the control.

Results

KA supplementation improved muscle atrophy and function in CKD + LPD rats. It also reduced the upregulation of genes related to the ubiquitin-proteasome system and 26S proteasome activity, as well as protein and mitochondrial oxidative damage in the muscles of CKD + LPD rats. Moreover, KA supplementation prevented the drastic decrease in activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes, mitochondrial respiration, and content in the muscles of CKD + LPD rats. Furthermore, KA supplementation reversed the elevation in p66Shc and FoxO3a expression in the muscles of CKD + LPD rats.

Conclusions

Our results showed that KA supplementation to be beneficial to muscle atrophy in CKD + LPD, which might be associated with improvement of oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction through suppression of p66Shc and FoxO3a.

CsA attenuates compression-induced nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells apoptosis via alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress

AIMS

This study aims to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of cyclosporine A (CsA), which efficiently inhibits mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, on compression-induced apoptosis of human nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells (NP-MSCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human NP-MSCs were subjected to various periods of 1.0 MPa compression. Cell viability was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The cellular ultrastructure and ATP level were analyzed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ATP detection kit respectively. The apoptosis ratio was determined using Annexin V/PI dual staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays. The levels of apoptosis-associated molecules (cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2) were analyzed by western blot and qRT-PCR. Additionally, MPTP opening, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the levels of oxidative stress-related indicators (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were monitored.

KEY FINDINGS

Annexin V/PI dual staining and detection of apoptosis-associated molecules demonstrated that compression significantly up-regulated apoptosis level of NP-MSCs in a time-dependent manner. CsA greatly down-regulated compression-mediated NP-MSC apoptosis and the cell death ratio. Compression also notably exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction, ATP depletion and oxidative stress in NP-MSCs, all of which were rescued by CsA.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results demonstrated that CsA efficiently inhibited compression-induced NP-MSCs apoptosis by alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. These findings provide new insights into intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD), and suggest CsA treatment as a potential strategy for delaying or even preventing IVDD.

Forsythoside A Modulates Zymosan-Induced Peritonitis in Mice

Acute inflammation is a protective response of the host to physical injury and invading infection. Timely treatment of acute inflammatory reactions is essential to prevent damage to organisms that can eventually lead to chronic inflammation. Forsythoside A (FTA), an active constituent of Forsythia suspensa, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Despite increasing knowledge of its anti-inflammatory effects, the mechanism and the effects on acute inflammation are poorly understood. This study is aimed at exploring the pro-resolving effects of FTA on zymosan-induced acute peritonitis. FTA significantly alleviated peritonitis as evidenced by the decreased number of neutrophils and levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the peritoneal cavity, without interfering with interleukin-10 (IL-10). FTA showed marked regulation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokine levels in zymosan-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, FTA could suppress the activation of NF-κB. In conclusion, FTA alleviated zymosan-induced acute peritonitis through inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Downregulation of microRNA-181a attenuates hydrogen peroxide-induced human lens epithelial cell apoptosis in vitro

Apoptosis of human lens epithelial (HLE) cells is a process closely associated with cataract formation. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of microRNA (miR)‑181a against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis in HLE cells in vitro. The recombinant lentiviral plasmid pLKO. 1‑puro‑miR‑181a was constructed and used to transfect human HLE‑B3 cells with the short hairpin (sh)RNA to silence the expression of miR‑181a. The apoptotic rate of both HLE‑B3 cells in which miR‑181a expression was stably silenced and in untransfected HLE‑B3 cells was assessed in the presence of H2O2 using flow cytometry. The mRNA expression levels of the apoptosis‑related genes caspase-3 (CASP3) and B‑cell lymphoma‑2‑associated X protein (BAX), and of the potential target genes for miR‑181a, c‑MET, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‑2) and snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2) were measured using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR). Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels were assessed using ELISA. RT‑qPCR analysis revealed that miR‑181a expression was downregulated in HLE‑B3 cells following transfection with miR‑181a‑shRNA. Treatment with H2O2 significantly reduced the viability of HLE‑B3 cells, whereas miR‑181a knockdown was revealed to attenuate the effects on cell viability following H2O2 treatment. In addition, the downregulation of miR‑181a expression significantly decreased H2O2‑induced cell apoptosis, which was accompanied by a downregulation in CASP3 and BAX and COX‑2 expression. Furthermore, the levels of MDA were decreased, whereas the levels of SOD and CAT were increased following miR‑181a silencing. The present findings suggested that miR‑181a knockdown may protect HLE‑B3 cells against H2O2‑induced apoptosis in vitro. The molecular mechanisms involved in the protective effects of miR‑181a silencing may involve the suppression of CASP3, BAX and COX‑2 expression, and the inhibition of MDA generation.

Phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and future research of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Forsythiae Fructus (called Lianqiao in Chinese), the fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, is utilized as a common traditional medicine in China, Japan and Korea. It is traditionally used to treat pyrexia, inflammation, gonorrhea, carbuncle and erysipelas. Depending on the different harvest time, Forsythiae Fructus can be classified into two forms, namely Qingqiao and Laoqiao. The greenish fruits that start to ripen are collected as Qingqiao, while the yellow fruits that are fully ripe are collected as Laoqiao. Both are applied to medical use. This review aims to provide a systematic summary of F. suspensa (Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl) and to reveal the correlation between the traditional uses and pharmacological activities so as to offer inspiration for future research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All corresponding information about F. suspensa was searched by Scifinder and obtained from scientific databases including Springer, Science Direct, Wiley, Pubmed and China Knowledge Resource Integrated (CNKI). Local dissertations and books were searched as well.

RESULTS

According to classical Chinese herbal texts and Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Forsythiae Fructus dominantly displays heat-clearing and detoxifying effects in TCM prescriptions. In modern research, more than 230 compounds were separated and identified from F. suspensa. 211 Of them were isolated from fruits. Lignans and phenylethanoid glycosides are considered as the characteristic and active constituents of this herb, such as forsythiaside, phillyrin, rutin and phillygenin. They exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-virus, anti-cancer and anti-allergy effects, etc. Currently, there is no report on the toxicity of Forsythiae Fructus, despite slight toxicity of forsythiaside reported in local publications. Compared to Laoqiao, Qingqiao contains higher levels of forsythiaside, forsythoside C, cornoside, rutin, phillyrin, gallic acid and chlorogenic acid and lower levels of rengyol, β-glucose and S-suspensaside methyl ether.

CONCLUSION

Heat-clearing actions of Forsythiae Fructus are based on the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of lignans and phenylethanoid glycosides. Detoxifying effects attribute to the antibacterial, antiviral and anti-cancer activities of Forsythiae Fructus. And traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) characteristics of Forsythiae Fructus (bitter flavor, slightly cold nature and lung meridian) supported its strong anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities of Forsythiae Fructus contribute to its anti-cancer and neuroprotective activities. The higher proportion of lignans and phenylethanoid glycosides in Qingqiao than Laoqiao might explain the better antioxidant ability of Qingqiao and more frequent uses of Qingqiao in TCM prescriptions. For future research, more in vivo experiments and clinical studies are encouraged to further clarify the relation between traditional uses and modern applications. Regarding to Qingqiao and Laoqiao, they remain to be differentiated by all-round quality control methods, and the chemical compositions and clinical effects between them should be compared.

Neuroprotective Effects of 1,2-Diarylpropane Type Phenylpropanoid Enantiomers from Red Raspberry against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells

Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is an edible fruit-producing species belonging to the Rosaceae family. In our search for the health-promoting constituents from this fruit, four pairs of enantiomeric phenylpropanoids (1a/1b-4a/4b), including three new compounds (1a and 2a/2b), were isolated from red raspberry. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of the extensive NMR spectroscopic data analyses, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and comparison between the experimental measurements of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and calculated ECD spectra by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). In addition, their neuroprotective effects against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were investigated, and the results showed enantioselectivity, in which that 3a exhibited noticeable neuroprotective activity, while its enatiomer 3b exhibited no obvious protective effect. Further study demonstrated that 3a could selectively inhibit the apoptosis induction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation by enhancing the activity of catalase (CAT) in H₂O₂-treated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. These findings shed much light on a better understanding of the neuroprotective effects of these enantiomers and provide new insights into developing better treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the future.

Protective effect of forsythiaside A on OVA-induced asthma in mice

Forsythiaside A (FSA), an active constituent isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Forsythia suspensa, has been known to have anti-inflammatory effect. However, the effect of FSA on allergic airway inflammation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of FSA on OVA-induced asthma in mice. Mice model of asthma was induced by OVA. OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and inflammatory cells in BALF were detected. The production of IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IFN-γ, and IL-13 were detected by ELISA. The effects of FSA on Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathways were detected by western blot analysis. The results showed that treatment of FSA significantly attenuated OVA-induced lung histopathological changes. FSA inhibited OVA-induced AHR and inflammatory cells in BALF. OVA-induced IgE, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 production were also inhibited by FSA. Western blot analysis showed that treatment of FSA inhibited OVA-induced NF-κB activation. Treatment of FSA dose-dependently up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. In addition, we found that FSA up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 both in A549 cells and MS-H cells. Taken together, FSA suppressed inflammatory responses in OVA-induced asthma through activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. FSA may be a promising potential preventive agent for asthma treatment.

Effects of Bu Shen Yi sui capsule on NogoA/NgR and its signaling pathways RhoA/ROCK in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Background

Axon growth inhibitory factors NogoA/Nogo receptor (NgR) and its signaling pathways RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) play a critical role in the repair of nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). Bu Shen Yi Sui Capsule (BSYSC) is an effective Chinese formula utilized to treat MS in clinical setting and noted for its potent neuroprotective effects. In this study, we focus on the effects of BSYSC on promoting nerve repair and the underlying mechanisms in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS.

Methods

The EAE mouse model was induced by injecting subcutaneously with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) _35–55 supplemented with pertussis toxin. BSYSC was orally administrated at dose of 3.0 g/kg once a day for 40 days. The levels of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5, p-Tau, growth associated protein (GAP) -43, KI67 and Nestin in the brain or spinal cord on 20 and 40 day post-induction (dpi) were detected via immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, NogoA/NgR and RhoA/ROCK signaling molecules were studied by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis.

Results

Twenty or 40 days of treatment with BSYSC increased markedly PGP9.5 and GAP-43 levels, reduced p-Tau in the brain or spinal cord of mice with EAE. In addition, BSYSC elevated significantly the expression of KI67 and Nestin in the spinal cord 40 dpi. Further study showed that the activation of NogoA/NgR and RhoA/ROCK were suppressed by the presence of BSYSC.

Conclusions

BSYSC could attenuate axonal injury and promote repair of axonal damage in EAE mice in part through the down-regulation of NogoA/NgR and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathways.

Protective effect of medicinal fungus Xylaria nigripes mycelia extracts against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

Xylaria nigripes (XN) is a medicinal fungus that was used traditionally as a diuretic, nerve tonic, and for treating insomnia and trauma. In this study, we elucidated possible mechanisms of neuroprotective effects of XN mycelia extracts. XN mycelia were produced by fermentation. Hot water extract and 70% ethanol extract of XN mycelia were evaluated on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis in PC12, a rat pheochromocytoma cell line. Both XN extracts effectively protected PC12 cells against H₂O₂-induced cell damage by inhibiting release of lactate dehydrogenase, decreasing DNA damage, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, and arresting abnormal apoptosis through upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of Bax and caspase 3. Compared to water extract, ethanol extract showed not only greater neuroprotective effects but also a higher antioxidant activity by scavenging DPPH radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and reducing power. High phenolic content and antioxidant activity may provide the neuroprotective properties of XN ethanol extract.

Four new phenylethanoid and flavonoid glycoside dimers from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa and their neuroprotective activities

Four new phenylethanoid and flavonoid glycoside dimers from the fruits ofForsythia suspensaand their neuroprotective activities.

Forsythoside A Inhibits BVDV Replication via TRAF2-Dependent CD28-4-1BB Signaling in Bovine PBMCs

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), the causative agent of bovine viral diarrhea/mucosal disease (BVD/MD), is an important pathogen of cattle and other wild animals throughout the world. BVDV infection typically leads to an impaired immune response in cattle. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Forsythoside A (FTA) on BVDV infection of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We found that Forsythoside A could not only promote proliferation of PBMCs and T cells activation but also inhibit the replication of BVDV as well as apoptosis induced by BVDV. FTA treatment could counteract the BVDV-induced overproduction of IFN-γ to maintain the immune homeostasis in bovine PBMCs. At same time, FTA can enhance the secretion of IL-2. What's more, BVDV promotes the expression of CD28, 4-1BB and TRAF-2, which can be modulated by FTA. Our data suggest that FTA protects PBMCs from BVDV infection possibly via TRAF2-dependent CD28-4-1BB signaling, which may activate PBMCs in response to BVDV infection. Therefore, this aids in the development of an effective adjuvant for vaccines against BVDV and other specific FTA-based therapies for preventing BVDV infection.

Lycopene protects human SH‑SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against hydrogen peroxide‑induced death via inhibition of oxidative stress and mitochondria‑associated apoptotic pathways

Oxidative stress, which is characterized by excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is a common pathway that results in neuronal injury or death due to various types of pathological stress. Although lycopene has been identified as a potent antioxidant, its effect on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced neuronal damage remains unclear. In the present study, pretreatment with lycopene was observed to protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against H₂O₂-induced death via inhibition of apoptosis resulting from activation of caspase-3 and translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) to the nucleus. Furthermore, the over-produced ROS, as well as the reduced activities of anti-oxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, were demonstrated to be alleviated by lycopene. Additionally, lycopene counteracted H₂O₂-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, which was evidenced by suppression of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, attenuation of the decline of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the increase of Bax and decrease of Bcl-2 levels within the mitochondria. The release of cytochrome c and AIF from the mitochondria was also reduced. These results indicate that lycopene is a potent neuroprotectant against apoptosis, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, and could be administered to prevent neuronal injury or death.

Forsythiaside A Exhibits Anti-inflammatory Effects in LPS-Stimulated BV2 Microglia Cells Through Activation of Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway

Inflammation and oxidative stress have been reported to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Forsythiaside A, a phenylethanoside product isolated from air-dried fruits of Forsythia suspensa, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of forsythiaside A on LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia cells and primary microglia cells were investigated. The production of inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, NO and PGE2 were detected in this study. NF-κB, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression were detected by western blot analysis. Our results showed that forsythiaside A significantly inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, NO and PGE2 production. LPS-induced NF-κB activation was suppressed by forsythiaside A. Furthermore, forsythiaside A was found to up-regulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that forsythiaside A inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses in BV2 microglia cells and primary microglia cells through inhibition of NF-κB activation and activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Cocktail of Four Active Components Derived from Sheng Mai San Inhibits Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced PC12 Cell Apoptosis Linked with the Caspase-3/ROCK1/MLC Pathway

SMXZF, a combination of four active components including ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rg1, schizandrin, and DT-13 (6:9:5:4) that is derived from Sheng Mai San, has previously been shown to exhibit a neuroprotective effect against focal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Due to the key role of oxidative stress-induced neuronal apoptosis in the pathogenesis of stroke, we examined the effect of SMXZF in oxidative stress responses and related signaling pathways in differentiated pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Our results showed that incubation with 100 μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 12 hr could reduce cell viability and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity with an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In contrast, SMXZF alleviated oxidative stress by reducing the over-production of ROS and MDA in parallel to concentration dependently increasing SOD activity. In addition, SMXZF significantly attenuated H2O2-induced caspase-3 cleavage, Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase-1 (ROCK1) activation, and myosin light-chain (MLC) phosphorylation. Inhibiting either caspase-3 or ROCK1 mimicked the effect. Consequently, our results suggest that SMXZF inhibits H2O2-induced neuronal apoptosis linked with the caspase-3/ROCK1/MLC pathway, which has also been confirmed to be a positive feedback loop in oxidative stress-injured PC12 cells. These findings support the pharmacological potential of SMXZF for neurodegenerative diseases and stroke.

Forsythiaside inhibits cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation by activation of Nrf2 and inhibition of NF-κB

Cigarette smoke has been reported to be the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It causes persistent inflammation by regulating the redox-sensitive pathways. Forsythiaside, an active constituent isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Forsythia suspensa, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. Thus, in this study, we investigated the protective effects of forsythiaside against cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation in mice. COPD mice model was established by cigarette smoke. Forsythiaside was given 2h before cigarette smoke exposure for five consecutive days. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissues were collected to assess pathological changes, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory cytokine production, Nrf-2, and NF-κB expression. Our results showed that forsythiaside attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells, NO and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production, and reversed the CS-induced decrease of glutathione/glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) ratio. Western blot analysis showed that forsythiaside inhibited cigarette smoke-induced NF-κB activation. In addition, forsythiaside dose-dependently up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. In conclusion, forsythiaside protected against cigarette smoke-induced lung injury through activating Nrf2 and inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway.