Chinese herbal medicines for prostate cancer therapy: From experimental research to clinical practice

Xanthoceras sorbifolium leaves alleviate hyperuricemic nephropathy by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to regulate uric acid transport

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In China, Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge was first documented as "Wen Guan Hua" in the "Jiu Huang Ben Cao" in 1406 A.D. According to the "National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine," X. sorbifolium leaves are sweet and flat in nature and can dispel wind and dampness, suggesting that their extract can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. X. sorbifolium Bunge has also been used to treat arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, chronic hepatitis, and rheumatism, complications associated with hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN), a condition characterized by kidney damage resulting from high levels of uric acid (UA) in the blood.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of a 70% ethanol extract from X. sorbifolium leaves (EX) in alleviating HN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A mouse model of hyperuricemia was established to initially evaluate the hypouricemic effects and determine the effective dose of EX. Phytochemical analyses were conducted using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The potential key pathways of EX in the alleviation of HN were inferred using network pharmacology and bioinformatics. An HN rat model was then established, and experiments including biomarker detection, western blotting, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical and Masson's trichrome staining, and transmission electron microscopy were conducted to evaluate the effect of EX on UA transporter expression in vitro.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology and bioinformatics analyses revealed that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway was the key pathway for the alleviation of HN progression by EX. EX treatment reduced serum biomarkers in HN rats, downregulated the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), urate transporter 1 (URAT1), Collagen I, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and MMP-9, and upregulated the expression of ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) to improve renal interstitial fibrosis in HN rats. A high content of both quercitrin and cynaroside were identified in EX; their administration inhibited the increased expression of GLUT9 and URAT1 in damaged HK-2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides evidence that EX alleviates HN. The potential mechanism underlying this effect may be the regulation of UA transporters, such as GLUT9 and URAT1, by limiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to improve renal injury.

Exploring the mechanism of action of Sparganii Rhizoma-Curcumae Rhizoma for in treating castration-resistant prostate cancer: a network-based pharmacology and experimental validation study

Sparganii Rhizoma-Curcumae Rhizoma (SR-CR) is a classic drug pair for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), but its mechanism has not been clarified. The study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism of SR-CR in the management of CRPC. The present study employed the TCMSP as well as the SwissTargetPrediction platform to retrieve the chemical composition and targets of SR-CR. The therapeutic targets of CRPC were identified through screening the GeneCards, Disgenet, and OMIM databases. Subsequently, the Venny online platform was utilized to identify the shared targets between the SR-CR and CRPC. The shared targets were enrichment analysis using the Bioconductor and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) databases. The active ingredients and core targets were verified through molecular docking and were validated using PC3 cells in the experimental validation phase. A total of 7 active ingredients and 1126 disease targets were screened from SR-CR, leading to a total of 59 shared targets. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis resulted in 1309 GO entries. KEGG pathways analysis yielded 121 pathways, primarily involving cancer-related signaling pathways. The results from molecular docking revealed stable binding interactions between the core ingredients and the core targets. In vitro cellular assays further demonstrated that SR-CR effectively suppressed the activation of the Prostate cancer signaling pathway in PC3 cells, leading to the inhibition of cell proliferation and promotion of apoptosis. The SR-CR exert therapeutic effects on CRPC by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis through the Prostate cancer signaling pathway.