A Chinese classical prescription Guizhi-Fuling Wan in treatment of ovarian cancer: An overview

Exploring the mechanisms of Guizhifuling pills in the treatment of coronary spastic angina based on network pharmacology combined with molecular docking

Coronary spastic angina (CSA) is common, and treatment options for refractory vasospastic angina are sometimes limited. Guizhifuling pills (GFP) have demonstrated efficacy in reducing CSA episodes, but their pharmacological mechanism remains unclear. To explore the mechanism of action of GFP in preventing and treating CSA, we employed network pharmacology and molecular docking to predict targets and analyze networks. We searched GFP chemical composition information and related targets from databases. The drug-target and drug-target pathway networks were constructed using Cytoscape. Then the protein-protein interaction was analyzed using the STRING database. Gene Ontology biological functions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were performed by the Metascape database, and molecular docking validation of vital active ingredients and action targets of GFP was performed using AutoDock Vina software. The 51 active components in GFP are expected to influence CSA by controlling 279 target genes and 151 signaling pathways. Among them, 6 core components, such as quercetin, β-sitosterol, and baicalein, may regulate CSA by affecting 10 key target genes such as STAT3, IL-6, TP53, AKT1, and EGFR. In addition, they are involved in various critical signaling pathways such as apelin, calcium, advanced glycation end product-receptor for advanced glycation end product, and necroptosis. Molecular docking analysis confirms favorable binding interactions between the active components of GFP and the selected target proteins. The effects of GFP in treating CSA involve multiple components, targets, and pathways, offering a theoretical basis for its clinical use and enhancing our understanding of how it works.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of tonic Chinese herbal medicine for gynecological disorders: An updated review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gynecological disorders have the characteristics of high incidence and recurrence rate, which sorely affects female's health. Since ancient times, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially tonic medicine (TM), has been used to deal with gynecological disorders and has unique advantages in effectiveness and safety.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

In this article, we aim to summarize the research progress of TMs in-vivo and in-vitro, including their formulas, single herbs, and compounds, for gynecological disorders treatment in recent years, and to offer a reference for further research on the treatment of gynecological disorders and their clinical application in the treatment of TMs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant information on the therapeutic potential of TMs against gynecological disorders was collected from several scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar and other literature sources.

RESULTS

So far, there are 46 different formulas, 3 single herbs, and 24 compounds used in the treatment of various gynecological disorders such as premature ovarian failure, endometriosis breast cancer, and so on. Many experimental results have shown that TMs can regulate apoptosis, invasion, migration, oxidative stress, and the immune system. In addition, the effect of TMs in gynecological disorders treatment may be due to the regulation of VEGF, PI3K-AKT, MAPK, NF-κB, and other signaling pathways. Apparently, TMs play an active role in the treatment of gynecological disorders by regulating these signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

TMs have a curative effect on the prevention and treatment of gynecological disorders. It could relieve and treat gynecological disorders through a variety of pathways. Therefore, the appropriate TM treatment program makes it more possible to treat gynecological disorders.

Pharmacological mechanisms of puerarin in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: An overview

Puerarin, a monomer of traditional Chinese medicine, is a key component of Pueraria radix. Both clinical and experimental researches demonstrated that puerarin has therapeutic effects on Parkinson's disease (PD). Puerarin's pharmacological mechanisms include: 1) Anti-apoptosis. Puerarin inhibits cell apoptosis through the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Puerarin also exerts a hormone-like effect against cell apoptosis; 2) Anti-oxidative stress injury. Puerarin inhibits the Nrf2 nuclear exclusion through the GSK-3β/Fyn pathway to promote the Nrf2 accumulation in the nucleus, and then promotes the antioxidant synthesis through the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway to protect against oxidative stress; 3) Neuroprotective effects by intervening in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP). Puerarin significantly enhances the activity of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), which downregulates the expression of α-synuclein, reduces its accumulation, and thus improves the function of damaged neurons. Additionally, puerarin increases proteasome activity and decreases ubiquitin-binding proteins, thereby preventing toxic accumulation of intracellular proteins; 4) Alleviating inflammatory response. Puerarin inhibits the conversion of microglia to the M1 phenotype while inducing the transition of microglia to the M2 phenotype. Furthermore, puerarin promotes the secretion of anti-inflammatory factor and inhibits the expression of pro-inflammatory factors; 5) Increasing the levels of dopamine and its metabolites. Puerarin could increase the levels of dopamine, homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the striatum; 6) Promoting neurotrophic factor expression and neuronal repair. Puerarin increases the expression of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), thereby exerting a neuroprotective effect. Moreover, the regulation of the gut microbiota by puerarin may be a potential mechanism for the treatment of PD. The current review discusses the molecular mechanisms of puerarin, which may provide insight into the active components of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of PD.

Insights into the inhibition of stomach cancer MKN45 cell growth by Poria cocos ethanol-soluble extract based on MAPK/PI3K signaling pathways and components cell fishing

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Poria cocos F.A. Wolf is an edible fungus with forming sclerotia, which has the effects of promoting diuresis, exuding dampness, invigorating the spleen, and regulating the stomach. P. cocos has a high application in the clinic of traditional Chinese medicine, and some studies have indicated that P. cocos has a good effect on tumor diseases. According to ancient records and modern studies, P. cocos wine offers beneficial effects in terms of strengthening tendons and bones and anti-tumor effects.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To understand the substance composition of P. cocos ethanol-soluble extract (PESE) and then further study the effect and potential mechanism of PESE components on gastric cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to detect the cell activity and apoptotic condition. Differential expression analysis and pathway enrichment were performed based on transcriptomics and were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The mice of the stomach cancer tumor model were randomly categorized into three groups. The weight and tumor volume of the mice were measured, and the pathological characteristics of tumor tissue and immunohistochemical changes were determined. Then, the main active components of PESE were detected by MKN45 cell fishing.

RESULTS

In vitro experiments showed that PESE inhibited the proliferation of MKN45 cells, but it did not induce apoptosis. Based on the transcriptome and western blotting results, the inhibition of MKN45 proliferation by PESE may be influenced by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathways. In vivo experiments showed that PESE inhibited tumor growth in mice and caused partial necrosis of tumor cells but had no toxic effect on mice. Cell fishing identified nine triterpenoids of P. cocos as the major active components of PESE.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that PESE has a significant inhibitory effect on stomach cancer, and its mechanism probably commonly affects the MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, which could be due to the triterpenoid components.

Study of the curative effect of Zhang's Xibi formula and its underlying mechanism involving inhibition of inflammatory responses and delay of knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

To verify the clinical efficacy of Zhang's Xibi formula (ZSXBF) and explain the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effect.

METHODS

Preliminary elucidation of the clinical efficacy of ZSXBF in treating KOA in self-control studies, exploration of its mechanism of action with network pharmacology methods, and validation in animal experiments.

RESULTS

In clinical studies, ZSXBF administration effectively improved patient quality of life and reduce pain. Network pharmacology was used to explore the possible mechanisms underlying its treatment effect, and after verification in clinical experience and animal experiments, it was found that ZSXBF regulated the expression of immune-related proteins such as IL-17, ERK1, and TP53 in mouse knee joints.

CONCLUSION

ZSXBF, which is a traditional Chinese medicine compound that is used to clear heat and detoxify, can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of KOA patients, and its underlying mechanism includes the regulation of human immune-related proteins.

Advance in vasculogenic mimicry in ovarian cancer (Review)

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common and highly prevalent malignant tumor in women, associated with a high mortality rate, easy recurrence and easy metastasis, which is predominantly at an advanced stage when detected in patients. This renders the cancer more difficult to treat, and consequently it is also associated with a low survival rate, being the malignancy with the highest mortality rate among the various gynecological tumors. As an important factor affecting the development and metastasis of OC, understanding the underlying mechanism(s) through which it is formed and developed is crucial in terms of its treatment. At present, the therapeutic methods of angiogenic mimicry for OC remain in the preliminary stages of exploration and have not been applied in actual clinical practice. In the present review, various signaling pathways and factors affecting angiogenic mimicry in OC were described, and the chemical synthetic drugs, natural compound extracts, small-molecule protein antibodies and their associated targets, and so on, that target angiogenic mimicry in the treatment of OC, were discussed. The purpose of this review was to provide new research ideas and potential theoretical support for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for OC that may be applied in the clinic, with the aim of effectively reducing its metastasis and recurrence rates.