Role of DOR-β-arrestin1-Bcl2 signal transduction pathway and intervention effects of oxymatrine in ulcerative colitis

Casuarina glauca branchlets' extract as a potential treatment for ulcerative colitis: chemical composition, in silico and in vivo studies

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that is often resistant to current treatment options, leading to a need for alternative therapies. Herbal products have shown promise in managing various conditions, including UC. However, the potential of Casuarina glauca branchlets ethanolic extract (CGBRE) in treating UC has not been explored. This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of CGBRE and evaluate its efficacy in UC treatment through in silico and in vivo experiments. LC-ESI-MS/MS was used to identify 86 compounds in CGBRE, with 21 potential bioactive compounds determined through pharmacokinetic analysis. Network pharmacology analysis revealed 171 potential UC targets for the bioactive compounds, including EGFR, LRRK2, and HSP90 as top targets, which were found to bind to key CGBRE compounds through molecular docking. Molecular docking findings suggested that CGBRE may be effective in the prevention or treatment of ulcerative colitis mediated by these proteins, where key CGBRE compounds exhibited good binding affinities through formation of numerous interactions. In vivo studies in rats with acetic acid-induced UC demonstrated that oral administration of 300 mg/kg CGBRE for 6 days reduced UC symptoms and colonic expression of EGFR, LRRK2, and HSP90. These findings supported the therapeutic potential of CGBRE in UC and suggested the need for further preclinical and clinical investigation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products: Potential Approaches for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a rare, recurrent, and intractable inflammation obstruction of the stomach tract, usually accompanied by inflammation of cell proliferation and inflammation of the colon and carries a particular cause of inflammation. The clinical use of drugs in western countries affects IBD treatment, but various adverse effects and high prices limit their application. For these reasons, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is more advantageous in treating IBD. This paper reviews the mechanism and research status of TCM and natural products in IBD treatment by analyzing the relevant literature to provide a scientific and theoretical basis for IBD treatment.

The Immune Change of the Lung and Bowel in an Ulcerative Colitis Rat Model and the Protective Effect of Sodium Houttuyfonate Combined With Matrine

Objective

To explore the immune change of lung injury of Ulcerative colitis (UC) by observing the changes of inherent immunity and adaptive immunity of the lung and bowel in UC rat models after the treatment of Sodium Houttuyfonate combined with Matrine.

Method

UC rat models were established with the mucous membrane of colon allergize combined with TNBS-alcohol enteroclysis for 1 week and 5 weeks. 1-week experimental rats were divided into normal group and model group, 5/each group. 5-weeks experimental rats were divided into normal group, model group, Sodium Houttuyfonate (2.9mg/ml) combined with Matrine (1.47mg/ml), and positive control sulfasalazine (10mg/ml), 5/each group. All rats were administered by gavage for 5 weeks. The histopathological and fibrotic changes in the lung and bowel were observed, and the expressions of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)- α, interleukin (IL)-8 in the lung, bowel, and serum were detected by radio-immunity and immunohistochemistry, and the mRNA expressions of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, nuclear factor kappa (NF-κB), Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), Mucosal addressing cell adhesion molecule-1 (MadCAM1) and Pulmonary surfactant protein-A (SP-A) in the lung and bowel were detected by Real time-PCR.

Result

Compared with the normal group, the model rats had significant histopathological and fibrotic changes both in the lung and bowel, and all treatment groups were improved. After treatment, TLR4, IL-8, MIF, and TNF-α in the lung decreased (P<0.05); NF-KB, IL-8, and MIF in the bowel increased (P<0.05); MadCAM1 both in lung and bowel decreased (P<0.05); SP-A decreased in bowel and increased in the lung (P<0.05).

Conclusion

The cause of lung injury in this model was found to be related to inherent immunity and adaptive immunity, while the cause of bowel injury in this model was found to be mainly related to adaptive immunity. Sodium Houttuyfonate combined with Matrine could improve bowel and lung injury.

Current overview of opioids in progression of inflammatory bowel disease; pharmacological and clinical considerations

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) belong to a subgroup of persistent, long-term, progressive, and relapsing inflammatory conditions. IBD may spontaneously develop in the colon, resulting in tumor lesions in inflamed regions of the intestine, such as invasive carcinoma. The benefit of opioids for IBD treatment is still questionable, thereby we investigated databases to provide an overview in this context. This review demonstrates the controversial role of opioids in IBD therapy, their physiological and pharmacological functions in attenuating the IBD symptoms, and in improving inflammatory, oxidative stress, and the quality of life factors in IBD subjects. Data were extracted from clinical, in vitro, and in vivo studies in English, between 1995 and 2019, from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Cochrane library. Based on recent reports, there are promising opportunities to target the opioid system and control the IBD symptoms. This study suggests a novel approach for future treatment of functional and inflammatory disorders such as IBD.

Differential Analysis of Serum Principal Components Treated with Compound Sophora Decoction and Related Compounds Based on High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)

OBJECTIVE

To compare the differences in the serum principal components in ulcerative colitis- (UC-) induced rats, treated with compound Sophora decoction, matrine, oxymatrine monomer mixture, and indirubin monomer, and to provide a modern scientific basis for elucidating the clinical efficacy of compound Sophora decoction for the treatment of UC.

METHODS

The serum samples of rats from each group were obtained after drug administration, and the serum principal components of each group were analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Agilent Eclipse XDB C18 chromatographic column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 m) was used for separation. The mobile phase was water (A) and methanol (B) (0.1% formic acid) gradient elution, 0-3 min (B: 20%-40%), 3-10 min (B: 40%-54%), 10-25 min (B: 54%), 25-35 min (B: 54%-70%), 35-45 min (B: 70%-80%), 45-50 min (B: 80%), 50-60 min (B: 80%-100%), 70-72 min (B: 100%-20%), and 72-77 min (B: 20%); flow rate, 300 μL/min; column temperature, 40°C; and injection volume, 10 μL. ESI source was selected and scanned in the positive and negative ion modes. The scanning range was 70-1500 m/z; ion-source gas 1 (GS1): 55 psi; ion-source gas 2 (GS2): 60 psi; CUR: 30 psi; ion-source temperature (TEM): 550°C; ion-source voltage (ISVF) : 5500 V/-4500 V; decluster voltage (DP): 100 V; collision energy (CE): 35 V/-35 V; collision energy gain (CES) : 15 V/-15 V; and data acquisition mode: IDA. After the data from each group were imported into MarkView 1.3, the molecular weights and retention times of different substances were obtained and qualitatively analyzed by ChemSpider and PeakView 2.0.

RESULTS

In the negative ion mode, 26 differential compounds were identified in the compound Sophora decoction group (FFKST) compared to the model group (M), and 18 differential compounds were identified in the matrine and oxymatrine group (KST) compared to the model group (M). In the positive ion mode, 11 and 7 differential compounds were identified in the compound Sophora decoction group (FFKST) and the matrine and oxymatrine group (KST) compared to the model group (M), respectively. The responses of all compounds in each group were compared with each other. As the different principal component substances in the indirubin group (DYH) displayed little correlation with other groups, the different components in this group were not researched thoroughly.

CONCLUSION

By comparing the differences in the serum principal components from each administration group, we found that the FFKST group exhibited enhanced synthesis of the serum principal components; however, the compound doses of matrine and oxymatrine monomers did not exhibit the same changes in the serum principal components of UC-induced rats. Finally, the traditional Chinese medicine compound is more advantageous than monomers.

Progress in active compounds effective on ulcerative colitis from Chinese medicines

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the colon, has a rising incidence worldwide. The known pathogenesis is multifactorial and involves genetic predisposition, epithelial barrier defects, dysregulated immune responses, and environmental factors. Nowadays, the drugs for UC include 5-aminosalicylic acid, steroids, and immunosuppressants. Long-term use of these drugs, however, may cause several side effects, such as hepatic and renal toxicity, drug resistance and allergic reactions. Moreover, the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of UC shows significantly positive effects, low recurrence rate, few side effects and other obvious advantages. This paper summarizes several kinds of active compounds used in the experimental research of anti-UC effects extracted from TCM, mainly including flavonoids, acids, terpenoids, phenols, alkaloids, quinones, and bile acids from some animal medicines. It is found that the anti-UC activities are mainly focused on targeting inflammation or oxidative stress, which is associated with increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-4, IL-10, SOD), suppressing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-23, NF-κB, NO), reducing the activity of MPO, MDA, IFN-γ, and iNOS. This review may offer valuable reference for UC-related studies on the compounds from natural medicines.

Potential Signaling Pathways Involved in the Clinical Application of Oxymatrine

Oxymatrine, an alkaloid component extracted from the roots of Sophora species, has been shown to have antiinflammatory, antifibrosis, and antitumor effects and the ability to protect against myocardial damage, etc. The potential signaling pathways involved in the clinical application of oxymatrine might include the TGF-β/Smad, toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, toll-like receptor9/TRAF6, Janus kinase/signal transduction and activator of transcription, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt, delta-opioid receptor-arrestinl-Bcl-2, CD40, epidermal growth factor receptor, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathways, and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase/asymmetric dimethylarginine metabolism pathway. In this review, we summarize the recent investigations of the signaling pathways related to oxymatrine to provide clues and references for further studies on its clinical application. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Oxymatrine attenuated hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats via improving antioxidant enzyme activities and inhibiting cell death

Oxymatrine (OMT), an active constituent of Chinese herb Sophora flavescens Ait, has been proved to possess anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities. Previous study has demonstrated that OMT had protective roles on multiple in vitro and in vivo brain injury models including regulation of apoptosis-related proteins caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. In this study, we investigated whether this protective effect could apply to neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with the left carotid artery ligation followed by exposure to 8% oxygen (balanced with nitrogen) for 2.5 h at 37 °C. In sham group rats, neither ligation nor hypoxia was performed. After two successive days intraperitoneal injection with OMT (30, 60 and 120 mg/kg), Nimodipine (1 mg/kg), and saline, brain infarct volume was estimated, histomorphology changes were performed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining as well as electron microscopy. In addition, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), as well as production of malondialdehyde (MDA) were assayed in ipsilateral hemisphere homogenates to evaluate the redox status after hypoxic-ischemic. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in brain were analyzed by western-blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Administration of OMT significantly decreased brain infarct volume and the percentage of injured cells, and ameliorated histopathology and morphological injury as well. Furthermore, OMT obviously increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC, and decreased MDA content. Western-blot analysis showed a marked decrease in Caspase-3 expression and increase in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax after OMT (120 mg/kg) post-treatment as compared with hypoxic-ischemic group. These results suggest that OMT exerts a neuroprotective effect against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats, which is likely to be mediated through increasing anti-oxidant enzyme activities and inhibiting cell death.