Effects of Yuanhu- Zhitong tablets on alcohol-induced conditioned place preference in mice

Effects of fisetin on ethanol-induced rewarding properties in mice

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive drinking of alcohol. Natural flavonoid fisetin affects a variety of transmitter systems relevant to AUD, such as aminobutyric acid, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and dopamine, as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors.Objectives: This study investigated fisetin's impact on the motivational properties of ethanol using conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice (n = 50).Methods: Mice were conditioned with ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p.) or saline on alternating days for 8 consecutive days and were given intragastric (i.g.) fisetin (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg, i.g.), 45 min before ethanol conditioning. During extinction, physiological saline was injected to the control and ethanol groups, and fisetin was administered to the fisetin groups. To evaluate the effect of fisetin on the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP, fisetin was given 45 min before a priming dose of ethanol (0.4 g/kg, i.p.; reinstatement test day).Results: Fisetin decreased the acquisition of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05) and accelerated extinction (20 and 30 mg/kg, p < .05). Furthermore, fisetin attenuated reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05).Conclusions: Fisetin appears to diminish the rewarding properties of ethanol, as indicated by its inhibitory effect and facilitation of extinction in ethanol-induced CPP. These findings imply a potential therapeutic application of fisetin in preventing ethanol-seeking behavior, promoting extinction, and reducing the risk of relapse.

The composition, pharmacological effects, related mechanisms and drug delivery of alkaloids from Corydalis yanhusuo

Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang, also known as yanhusuo, yuanhu, yanhu and xuanhu, is one of the herb components of many Chinese Traditional Medicine prescriptions such as Jin Ling Zi San and Yuanhu-Zhitong priscription. C. yanhusuo was traditionally used to relieve pain and motivate blood and Qi circulation. Now there has been growing interest in pharmacological effects of alkaloids, the main bioactive components of C. yanhusuo. Eighty-four alkaloids isolated from C. yanhusuo are its important bioactive components and can be characterized into protoberberine alkaloids, aporphine alkaloids, opiate alkaloids and others and proper extraction or co-administration methods modulate their contents and efficacy. Alkaloids from C. yanhusuo have various pharmacological effects on the nervous system, cardiovascular system, cancer and others through multiple molecular mechanisms such as modulating neurotransmitters, ion channels, gut microbiota, HPA axis and signaling pathways and are potential treatments for many diseases. Plenty of novel drug delivery methods such as autologous red blood cells, self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems, nanoparticles and others have also been investigated to better exert the effects of alkaloids from C. yanhusuo. This review summarized the alkaloid components of C. yanhusuo, their pharmacological effects and mechanisms, and methods of drug delivery to lay a foundation for future investigations.

Morphine Withdrawal-Induced Hyperalgesia in Models of Acute and Extended Withdrawal Is Attenuated by l-Tetrahydropalmatine

Effective pain control is an underappreciated aspect of managing opioid withdrawal, and its absence presents a significant barrier to successful opioid detoxification. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for effective non-opioid treatments to facilitate opioid detoxification. l-Tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) possesses powerful analgesic properties and is an active ingredient in botanical formulations used in Vietnam for the treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome. In this study, rats receiving morphine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) for 5 days per week displayed a progressive increase in pain thresholds during acute 23 h withdrawal as assessed by an automated Von Frey test. A single dose of l-THP (5 or 7.5 mg/kg, p.o.) administered during the 4th and 5th weeks of morphine treatment significantly improves pain tolerance scores. A 7-day course of l-THP treatment in animals experiencing extended withdrawal significantly attenuates hyperalgesia and reduces the number of days to recovery to baseline pain thresholds by 61% when compared to vehicle-treated controls. This indicates that the efficacy of l-THP on pain perception extends beyond its half-life. As a non-opioid treatment for reversing a significant hyperalgesic state during withdrawal, l-THP may be a valuable addition to the currently limited arsenal of opioid detoxification treatments.

Identification of kaempferol as an OSX upregulator by network pharmacology-based analysis of qianggu Capsule for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disease of skeleton with reduced bone density and weaker bone. Qianggu Capsule as a traditional chinese medicine has been widely used to treat osteoporosis. The potential pharmacological mechanism of its active ingredient Gusuibu is not well understood. The purpose of this work is to analyze the anti-osteoporosis function of Gusuibu based on network pharmacology, and further explore the potential mechanism of Qianggu Capsule. The active compounds and their corresponding targets of Gusuibu were obtained from TCMSP, TCMID, and BATMAN-TCM databases. Potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis were obtained through DisGeNET, TTD, GeneCards, MalaCards, CTD, and OMIM databases. The overlapping targets of Gusuibu and osteoporosis were obtained. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed. The “Gusuibu-active compounds-target genes-osteoporosis” network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed, and the top hub genes were screened by using the plug-in CytoHubba. Molecular docking was used to verify the binding activity of hub genes and key compounds. We identified 21 active compounds and 140 potential therapeutic targets that may be related to Gusuibu and 10 hub genes (AKT1, IL6, JUN, TNF, MAPK3, VEGFA, EGFR, MAPK1, CASP3, PTGS2). Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that four key active small molecules in Gusuibu (including Luteolin, Naringenin, Kaempferol, and Beta-sitosterol) have excellent binding affinity to the target proteins encoded by the top 10 hub genes. Our new findings indicated that one key active compound kaempferol activated the expression of osteoblast specific transcription factor OSX through JNK kinase pathway.

A Comprehensive Review on the Chemical Properties, Plant Sources, Pharmacological Activities, Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Characteristics of Tetrahydropalmatine

Tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a tetrahydroproberine isoquinoline alkaloid, is widely present in some botanical drugs, such as Stephania epigaea H.S. Lo (Menispermaceae; Radix stephaniae epigaeae), Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H.Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T. Wang ex Z.Y. Su and C.Y. Wu (Papaveraceae; Corydalis rhizoma), and Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid (Berberidaceae; Phellodendri chinensis cortex). THP has attracted considerable attention because of its diverse pharmacological activities. In this review, the chemical properties, plant sources, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic and toxicological characteristics of THP were systematically summarized for the first time. The results indicated that THP mainly existed in Papaveraceae and Menispermaceae families. Its pharmacological activities include anti-addiction, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, neuroprotective, and antitumor effects. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that THP was inadequately absorbed in the intestine and had rapid clearance and low bioavailability in vivo, as well as self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems, which could increase the absorption level and absorption rate of THP and improve its bioavailability. In addition, THP may have potential cardiac and neurological toxicity, but toxicity studies of THP are limited, especially its long-duration and acute toxicity tests. In summary, THP, as a natural alkaloid, has application prospects and potential development value, which is promising to be a novel drug for the treatment of pain, inflammation, and other related diseases. Further research on its potential target, molecular mechanism, toxicity, and oral utilization should need to be strengthened in the future.

Underlying Mechanism and Active Ingredients of Tianma Gouteng Acting on Cerebral Infarction as Determined via Network Pharmacology Analysis Combined With Experimental Validation

Cerebral infarction (CI), a common cerebrovascular disease worldwide, is caused by unknown factors common to many diseases, including hypokalemia, respiratory diseases, and lower extremity venous thrombosis. Tianma Gouteng (TMGT), a traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription, has been used for the clinical treatment of CI. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint analysis was used to detect and identify major chemical constituents of TMGT. TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM databases were used to screen for active TMGT constituent compounds, while the GeneCards database was used to screen for protein targets associated with CI. Next, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of these core nodes were performed to determine the identities of key associated biological processes and signal pathways. Meanwhile, a total of six possible gene targets of TMGT, including NFKBIA, PPARG, IL6, IL1B, CXCL8, and HIF1A, were selected for further study using two cellular models of CI. For one model, PC12 cells were treated under oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions to generate an OGD cellular model of CI, while for the other model, BV2 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to generate a cellular model of CI-associated inflammation. Ultimately TMGT treatment increased PPARγ expression and downregulated the expression of p-P65, p-IκBα, and HIF-1α in both OGD-induced and LPS-induced cell models of CI. In addition, molecular docking analysis showed that one TMGT chemical constituent, quercetin, may be a bioactive TMGT compound with activity that may be associated with the alleviation of neuronal damage and neuroinflammation triggered by CI. Moreover, additional data obtained in this work revealed that TMGT could inhibit neuroinflammation and protect brain cells from OGD-induced and LPS-induced damage by altering HIF-1α/PPARγ/NF-κB pathway functions. Thus, targeting this pathway through TMGT administration to CI patients may be a strategy for alleviating nerve injury and neuroinflammation triggered by CI.

Acute cannabidiol treatment attenuates ethanol-induced place preference and reduces aggressivity in group-housed male rats

Alcohol abuse is a widespread cause of aggressive and impulsive behaviors that impact the users as well as their entourage. However, only a few medications are effective. Recently, cannabidiol has been reported to improve mood disorders and recovery from substance abuse, yet the psychopharmacologic effects of cannabidiol in ethanol-induced drug reward and aggressivity remain unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cannabidiol on ethanol-induced place preference and aggressivity in individually and group-housed male rats using the conditioned place preference test, and intruder evoc aggression test, respectively. The obtained results showed that ethanol significantly increased locomotor activity, induced conditioned place preference in all animals, and, specifically, increased aggressivity in individually housed rats. These behavioural impairments induced by ethanol were associated with decreased glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors transcription in the prefrontal cortex. Notwithstanding, cannabidiol at a dose of 10 mg/kg significantly inhibited Et-OH-induced place preference in group-housed, but not in individually housed rats, and markedly inhibited the aggressive behaviour. These findings suggest that ethanol-induced behavioural impairments are dependent on the housing condition that may affect corticosterone receptors expression and subsequently the animal responsivity to cannabidiol treatment.

Drugs of Abuse Differentially Alter the Neuronal Excitability of Prefrontal Layer V Pyramidal Cell Subtypes

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays an important role in regulating executive functions including reward seeking, task flexibility, and compulsivity. Studies in humans have demonstrated that drugs of abuse, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol, alter prefrontal function resulting in the consequential loss of inhibitory control and increased compulsive behaviors, including drug seeking. Within the mPFC, layer V pyramidal cells, which are delineated into two major subtypes (type I and type II, which project to subcortical or commissurally to other cortical regions, respectively), serve as the major output cells which integrate information from other cortical and subcortical regions and mediate executive control. Preclinical studies examining changes in cellular physiology in the mPFC in response to drugs of abuse, especially in regard to layer V pyramidal subtypes, are relatively sparse. In the present study, we aimed to explore how heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ethanol, and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) alter the baseline cellular physiology and excitability properties of layer V pyramidal cell subtypes. Specifically, animals were exposed to experimenter delivered [intraperitoneal (i.p.)] heroin, cocaine, the cocaine-like synthetic cathinone MDPV, methamphetamine, ethanol, or saline as a control once daily for five consecutive days. On the fifth day, whole-cell physiology recordings were conducted from type I and type II layer V pyramidal cells in the mPFC. Changes in cellular excitability, including rheobase (i.e., the amount of injected current required to elicit action potentials), changes in input/output curves, as well as spiking characteristics induced by each substance, were assessed. We found that heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDPV decreased the excitability of type II cells, whereas ethanol increased the excitability of type I pyramidal cells. Together, these results suggest that heroin, cocaine, MDPV, and methamphetamine reduce mPFC commissural output by reducing type II excitability, while ethanol increases the excitability of type I cells targeting subcortical structures. Thus, separate classes of abused drugs differentially affect layer V pyramidal subtypes in the mPFC, which may ultimately give rise to compulsivity and inappropriate synaptic plasticity underlying substance use disorders.

Deciphering Pharmacological Mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for Spinal Cord Injury by Network Pharmacology Approach

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of the Chinese herbal formula Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD), which is commonly used to treat nerve injuries, in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) using a network pharmacology method.

Methods

BYHWD-related targets were obtained by mining the TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM databases, and SCI-related targets were obtained by mining the DisGeNET, TTD, CTD, GeneCards, and MalaCards databases. The overlapping targets of the abovementioned targets may be potential therapeutic targets for BYHWD anti-SCI. Subsequently, we performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, screened the hub genes using Cytoscape software, performed Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, and finally achieved molecular docking between the hub proteins and key active compounds.

Results

The 189 potential therapeutic targets for BYHWD anti-SCI were overlapping targets of 744 BYHWD-related targets and 923 SCI-related targets. The top 10 genes obtained subsequently included AKT1, IL6, MAPK1, TNF, TP53, VEGFA, CASP3, ALB, MAPK8, and JUN. Fifteen signaling pathways were also screened out after enrichment analysis and literature search. The results of molecular docking of key active compounds and hub target proteins showed a good binding affinity for both.

Conclusion

This study shows that BYHWD anti-SCI is characterized by a multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway synergy and provides new insights to explore the specific mechanisms of BYHWD against SCI.

Exploring the Pharmacological Mechanism of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in Treating Osteoporosis Based on Network Pharmacology

Objective

The purpose of this work is to study the mechanism of action of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction (DHJSD) in the treatment of osteoporosis based on the methods of bioinformatics and network pharmacology.

Methods

In this study, the active compounds of each medicinal ingredient of DHJSD and their corresponding targets were obtained from TCMSP database. Osteoporosis was treated as search query in GeneCards, MalaCards, DisGeNET, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and OMIM databases to obtain disease-related genes. The overlapping targets of DHJSD and osteoporosis were identified, and then GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed. Cytoscape was employed to construct DHJSD-compounds-target genes-osteoporosis network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. CytoHubba was utilized to select the hub genes. The activities of binding of hub genes and key components were confirmed by molecular docking.

Results

174 active compounds and their 205 related potential targets were identified in DHJSD for the treatment of osteoporosis, including 10 hub genes (AKT1, ALB, IL6, MAPK3, VEGFA, JUN, CASP3, EGFR, MYC, and EGF). Pathway enrichment analysis of target proteins indicated that osteoclast differentiation, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, Wnt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway were the specifically major pathways regulated by DHJSD against osteoporosis. Further verification based on molecular docking results showed that the small molecule compounds (Quercetin, Kaempferol, Beta-sitosterol, Beta-carotene, and Formononetin) contained in DHJSD generally have excellent binding affinity to the macromolecular target proteins encoded by the top 10 genes.

Conclusion

This study reveals the characteristics of multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway of DHJSD against osteoporosis and provides novel insights for verifying the mechanism of DHJSD in the treatment of osteoporosis.