δ-Amyrone inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokines and protects against endotoxic shock in mice

The Protective Effect of SLNP on Hepatic Fibrosis Induced by Thioacetamide in Rats

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased in recent years. Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is an important step in the progression of NAFLD to cirrhosis and even carcinoma and is also recognized as a possible reversal phase.

AIMS

We previously found that the aqueous extract of Sedum Lineare Thunb. has hepatoprotective effects. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect and mechanism of the Sedum Lineare Thunb. n-butanol phase (SLNP) on HF in rats.

METHODS

Animals were intraperitoneally injected with thioacetamide solution twice a week for 8 weeks to prepare an HF model and were administered the corresponding drugs or an equal volume of normal saline by intragastric administration once a day for 8 weeks. Liver function, hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), Na+-K+-ATPase, and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase were analyzed using colorimetric methods. Moreover, mRNA expression and protein levels in the liver tissue were detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

The results showed that SLNP could effectively improve the liver function of rats with HF and significantly reduce the content of hydroxyproline; the mRNA expression and protein levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, III, and IV, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), Smad2/3, and Smad4 were also significantly reduced. Simultaneously, SLNP significantly increased the activities of SOD, Na+-K+- ATPase, and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase in the rat liver tissues, whereas it reduced the levels of MDA and SOD in the serum and liver tissues.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that SLNP elicits an anti-fibrotic effect by inhibiting oxidative stress and stellate cell activation, thereby reducing the formation and deposition of the extracellular matrix. The TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway may be involved in this process.

Tectoridin alleviates lipopolysaccharide -induced inflammaion via inhibiting TLR4-NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUD

Tectoridin, widely extracted and separated from the rhizome of Iris tectorum Maxium, is extensively reported to have affluent bioactivity, but rarely reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we aim to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and the underlying mechanisms of tectoridin.

METHODS

Here, RAW264.7 macrophages were stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for the inflammation model in vitro. Experimental animals received tectoridin and Dexamethasone (DEX) before LPS injection for endotoxic shock mouse model in vivo. The pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines in the cell supernatant and serum were detected by ELISA kits. The tissue damages were assessed by biochemical indexes and H&E staining. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed for the detection of proteins.

RESULTS

Our data showed that tectoridin attenuated the LPS-up-regulated nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6, (IL-6) and interleukin-18, (IL-18) from macrophages and tumor necrosis factor-α, (TNF-α); (IL-6) and (IL-1β) in the serum levels. Besides, our histopathological study showed that the damages caused by LPS in the lung, liver and kidney tissues were decreased. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that tectoridin inhibited the activation of TLR4-NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling proved by immunohistochemistry assay and Western blot.

CONCLUSION

Taken all together, tectoridin might have the potential ability of anti-inflammatory effects and the possible mechanism may be relevant to its inhibition of TLR4-NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling.

Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of 2-oxo-2H-chromenyl and 2H-chromenyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylates

Cycloaddition reaction of 4-chloro-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehydes (3a-g) and 4-chloro-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehydes (7a-h) with activated alkynes (4a-b) provided the 2-oxo-2H-chromenyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylates (5a-n) and 2H-chromenyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylates (8a-p). All the prepared compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity data demonstrated that the compounds 5g, 5i, 5k-l and 8f are effective among the tested compounds against TNF-α (1.108 ± 0.002, 0.423 ± 0.022, 0.047 ± 0.001, 0.070 ± 0.002 and 0.142 ± 0.001 µM) in comparison with standard compound Prednisolone (0.033 ± 0.002 µM). Based on in vitro results, three compounds (5i, 5k and 8f) have been selected for in vivo experiments and these compounds are identified as better compounds with respect to anti-inflammatory activity in LPS induced mice model. Compound 5i was identified as potent and showed significant reduction in TNF-α and IL-6.

Fraxin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokines and protects against endotoxic shock in mice

Fraxin, the effective component isolated from Cortex Fraxini, has been reported to have anti-inflammation effects. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of fraxin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock in mice. We used Kunming male mice to establish the model, and we found that fraxin could improve the survival rate of the LPS-induced mice. Histopathological study showed that fraxin could mitigate the injuries in LPS-induced lung and liver tissues. The levels of tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 both in serum and lung, liver tissues, and the productions of nitric oxide (NO), aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase in serum were decreased by fraxin. Western blot assay demonstrated that the pretreatment with fraxin could downregulate LPS-induced protein expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle signalling pathways. Overall, fraxin had protective effects on LPS-induced endotoxic shock mice and the possible mechanisms might activate through NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle signalling pathways.

The Modulatory Effect of Lead Drug Candidates on Inflammatory Gene Expression in Sepsis: A Mini-Review

Sepsis is a debilitating clinical syndrome of systemic inflammation in response to microorganisms especially Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A minority of sepsis cases could be due to non-pathogenic insult such as trauma. Much of the tissue and organ injury observed among septic patients is a consequence of the inflammatory response. The search for effective treatments of sepsis has led to several studies by different research groups across the globe. Although many targets and molecules have been identified, there is still no effective treatment for sepsis. The aim of this report is to review the literature on drugs and drug candidates against sepsis and how they modulate the expression of inflammatory genes. Many compounds have been identified to regulate inflammatory gene expression by interacting with targets such as topoisomerase 1 and nuclear factor kappa B, which regulate the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Even though these compounds appear promising as potential drugs against sepsis, no effective therapies have been discovered to date and thus the fight against sepsis continues.

Synthesis, pharmacological activities and molecular docking studies of pyrazolyltriazoles as anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agents

A series of novel pyrazolyl alcohols (5a-h), pyrazolyl azides (6a-h), and pyrazolyltriazoles (8a-h, 10a-p and 12a-l) were prepared and evaluated for their bioactivity (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory) profile. The compound 5c displayed the potent anti-bacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (MIC 3.9 and MBC 7.81µg/mL). In vitro anti-inflammatory activity data denoted that compound 8b is effective among the tested compounds against IL-6 (IC₅₀ 6.23μM). Docking analysis of compounds 5f, 8a-b, 8e-f and 8h displayed high binding energies for the compounds 8a-b and 8h towards TNF-α dimer (2AZ5 protein) and IL-6 (1ALU protein). In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 8b and 8h with respect to LPS induced mice model indicated that compound 8h showed significant reduction in TNF-α.

Protective Effects of Li-Fei-Xiao-Yan Prescription on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and the TLR4/NF-κB Pathway

Li-Fei-Xiao-Yan prescription (LFXY) has been clinically used in China to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases including inflammatory lung diseases. The present study was aimed at evaluating the potential therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of LFXY in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI). In this study, the mice were orally pretreated with LFXY or dexamethasone (positive drug) before the intratracheal instillation of LPS. Our data indicated that pretreatment with LFXY enhanced the survival rate of ALI mice, reversed pulmonary edema and permeability, improved LPS-induced lung histopathology impairment, suppressed the excessive inflammatory responses via decreasing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and chemokine (MIP-2) and inhibiting inflammatory cells migration, and repressed oxidative stress through the inhibition of MPO and MDA contents and the upregulation of antioxidants (SOD and GSH) activities. Mechanistically, treatment with LFXY significantly prevented LPS-induced TLR4 expression and NF-κB (p65) phosphorylation. Overall, the present study suggests that LFXY protected mice from acute lung injury induced by LPS via inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB p65 activation and upregulation of antioxidative enzymes and it may be a potential preventive and therapeutic agent for ALI in the clinical setting.