Exploring the chemopreventive properties and perspectives of baicalin and its aglycone baicalein in solid tumors

Baicalin and Baicalein Enhance Cytotoxicity, Proapoptotic Activity, and Genotoxicity of Doxorubicin and Docetaxel in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is a major health concern and the leading cause of death among women worldwide. Standard treatment often involves surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, but these come with side effects and limitations. Researchers are exploring natural compounds like baicalin and baicalein, derived from the Scutellaria baicalensis plant, as potential complementary therapies. This study investigated the effects of baicalin and baicalein on the cytotoxic, proapoptotic, and genotoxic activity of doxorubicin and docetaxel, commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs for breast cancer. The analysis included breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and human endothelial cells (HUVEC-ST), to assess potential effects on healthy tissues. We have found that baicalin and baicalein demonstrated cytotoxicity towards both cell lines, with more potent effects observed in baicalein. Both flavonoids, baicalin (167 µmol/L) and baicalein (95 µmol/L), synergistically enhanced the cytotoxic, proapoptotic, and genotoxic activity of doxorubicin and docetaxel in breast cancer cells. In comparison, their effects on endothelial cells were mixed and depended on concentration and time. The results suggest that baicalin and baicalein might be promising complementary agents to improve the efficacy of doxorubicin and docetaxel anticancer activity. However, further research is needed to validate their safety and efficacy in clinical trials.

Baicalein inhibits IL-1β-induced extracellular matrix degradation with decreased MCP-1 expression in primary rat chondrocytes

Baicalein is a flavonoid extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria lateriflora. This compound exerts various biochemical activities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The study aimed to investigate the effect of baicalein on articular cartilage cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism. In primary rat chondrocyte cultures, treatment with baicalein demonstrated a reduction in the loss of proteoglycan and extracellular matrix degradation induced by interleukin (IL)-1β. Baicalein suppressed IL-1β-induced catabolic responses, including the expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, MMP-3, and MMP-1. In addition, baicalein effectively reduced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production, and it downregulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in primary rat chondrocytes. Furthermore, baicalein downregulated IL-1β-induced inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, such as GM-CSF and MCP-1. These findings suggest that baicalein could potentially mitigate the catabolic responses of IL-1β in chondrocytes, making it a promising candidate for both the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-024-00225-4.

Energy metabolism and redox balance: How phytochemicals influence heart failure treatment

Heart Failure (HF) epitomizes a formidable global health quandary characterized by marked morbidity and mortality. It has been established that severe derangements in energy metabolism are central to the pathogenesis of HF, culminating in an inadequate cardiac energy milieu, which, in turn, precipitates cardiac pump dysfunction and systemic energy metabolic failure, thereby steering the trajectory and potential recuperation of HF. The conventional therapeutic paradigms for HF predominantly target amelioration of heart rate, and cardiac preload and afterload, proffering symptomatic palliation or decelerating the disease progression. However, the realm of therapeutics targeting the cardiac energy metabolism remains largely uncharted. This review delineates the quintessential characteristics of cardiac energy metabolism in healthy hearts, and the metabolic aberrations observed during HF, alongside the associated metabolic pathways and targets. Furthermore, we delve into the potential of phytochemicals in rectifying the redox disequilibrium and the perturbations in energy metabolism observed in HF. Through an exhaustive analysis of recent advancements, we underscore the promise of phytochemicals in modulating these pathways, thereby unfurling a novel vista on HF therapeutics. Given their potential in orchestrating cardiac energy metabolism, phytochemicals are emerging as a burgeoning frontier for HF treatment. The review accentuates the imperative for deeper exploration into how these phytochemicals specifically intervene in cardiac energy metabolism, and the subsequent translation of these findings into clinical applications, thereby broadening the horizon for HF treatment modalities.

Baicalin and baicalein in modulating tumor microenvironment for cancer treatment: A comprehensive review with future perspectives

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The burden of cancer incidence and mortality is increasing rapidly. New approaches to cancer prevention and treatment are urgently needed. Natural products are reliable and powerful sources for anticancer drug discovery. Baicalin and baicalein, two major flavones isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a multi-purpose traditional medicinal plant in China, exhibit anticancer activities against multiple cancers. Of note, these phytochemicals exhibit extremely low toxicity to normal cells. Besides their cytotoxic and cytostatic activities toward diverse tumor cells, recent studies demonstrated that baicalin and baicalein modulate a variety of tumor stromal cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which is essential for tumorigenesis, cancer progression and metastasis. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic potential and the mechanism of action of baicalin and baicalein in the regulation of tumor microenvironmental immune cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and ECM that reshape the TME and cancer signaling, leading to inhibition of tumor angiogenesis, progression, and metastasis. In addition, we discuss the biotransformation pathways of baicalin and baicalein, related therapeutic challenges and the future research directions to improve their bioavailability and clinical anticancer applications. Recent advances of baicalin and baicalein warrant their continued study as important natural ways for cancer interception and therapy.

Baicalin Antagonizes Prostate Cancer Stemness via Inhibiting Notch1/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of baicalin on prostate cancer (PCa) progression both in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

The in situ PCa stem cells (PCSCs)-injected xenograft tumor models were established in BALB/c nude mice. Tumor volume and weight were respectively checked after baicalin (100 mg/kg) treatment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the growth arrest and cell necrosis. mRNA expression levels of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), CD44, CD133 and Notch1 were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression levels of ALDH1, CD44, CD133, Notch1, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) P65 and NF-κB p-P65 were detected by Western blot. Expression and subcellular location of ALDH1, CD44, CD133, Notch1 and NF-κB p65 were detected by immunofluorescence analysis. In vitro, cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis of PC3 PCSCs was assessed by flow cytometry after baicalin (125 µmol/L) treatment. The migration and invasion abilities of PCSCs were assessed using Transwell assays. Transmission electron microscopy scanning was utilized to observe the structure and autophagosome formation of baicalin-treated PCSCs. In addition, PCSCs were infected with lentiviruses expressing human Notch1.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the tumor volume and weight were notably reduced in mice treated with 100 mg/kg baicalin (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Histopathological analysis showed that baicalin treatment significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Furthermore, baicalin treatment reduced mRNA and protein expression levels of CD44, CD133, ALDH1, and Notch1 as well as the protein expression of NF-κB p-P65 in the xenograft tumor (P<0.01). In vitro, the cell proliferation of PCSCs was significantly attenuated after treatment with 125 µmol/L baicalin for 72 h (P<0.01). The cell migration and invasion rates were decreased following treatment with baicalin for 48 and 72 h (P<0.01). Baicalin notably induced cell apoptosis and seriously damaged the structure of PCSCs. The mRNA and protein expressions of CD133, CD44, ALDH1 and Notch1 in PCSCs were significantly downregulated following baicalin treatment (P<0.01). Importantly, the inhibitory effects of baicalin on PCa progression and stemness were reversed by Notch1 overexpression (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Mechanistically, baicalin exhibited a potential therapeutic effect on PCa via inhibiting the Notch1/NF-κB signaling pathway and its mediated cancer stemness.

Targeted bacteria-mediated therapy of mouse colorectal cancer using baicalin, a natural glucuronide compound, and E. coli overexpressing β-glucuronidase

The side effects of common chemotherapeutic drugs that damage healthy tissues account for one of the most important problems in cancer research that needs careful addressing. Bacterial-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (BDEPT) is a promising strategy that uses bacteria to direct a converting enzyme to the tumor site and activate a systemically injected prodrug selectively within the tumor; so that the side effects of the therapy would significantly decrease. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of baicalin, a natural compound, as a glucuronide prodrug in association with an engineered strain of Escherichia coli DH5α harboring the pRSETB-lux/βG plasmid in a mouse model of colorectal cancer. E. coli DH5α-lux/βG was designed to emit luminescence and overexpress the β-glucuronidase. Unlike the non-engineered bacteria, E. coli DH5α-lux/βG showed the ability to activate baicalin, and the cytotoxic effects of baicalin on the C26 cell line were increased in the presence of E. coli DH5α-lux/βG. Analyzing the tissue homogenates of mice bearing C26 tumors inoculated with E. coli DH5α-lux/βG indicated the specific accumulation and multiplication of bacteria in the tumor tissues. While both baicalin and E. coli DH5α-lux/βG could inhibit tumor growth as monotherapy, an enhanced inhibition was observed when animals were subjected to combination therapy. Moreover, no significant side effects were observed after histological investigation. The results of this study indicate that baicalin has the capability of being used as a suitable prodrug in the BDEPT, however further research is required before it can be applied in the clinic.

Baicalin-Current Trends in Detection Methods and Health-Promoting Properties

Baicalin (7-D-glucuronic acid-5,6-dihydroxyflavone) belongs to natural flavonoids extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis, the plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been proven that baicalin has various pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-apoptotic ones. However, it is essential not only to determine the medical usefulness of baicalin, but also to find and develop the most effective methods for its extraction and detection. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize the current methods of detection and identification of baicalin and to present the medical applications of baicalin and the underlying mechanisms of its action. Based on the review of the latest literature, it can be concluded that liquid chromatography alone or together with mass spectrometry is the most commonly used method for the determination of baicalin. Recently, also new electrochemical methods have been established, e.g., biosensors with fluorescence, which have better detection limits, sensitivity, and selectivity.

Baicalein as Promising Anticancer Agent: A Comprehensive Analysis on Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Despite significant therapeutic advancements for cancer, an atrocious global burden (for example, health and economic) and radio- and chemo-resistance limit their effectiveness and result in unfavorable health consequences. Natural compounds are generally considered safer than synthetic drugs, and their use in cancer treatment alone, or in combination with conventional therapies, is increasingly becoming accepted. Interesting outcomes from pre-clinical trials using Baicalein in combination with conventional medicines have been reported, and some of them have also undergone clinical trials in later stages. As a result, we investigated the prospects of Baicalein, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the stems of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Oroxylum indicum Kurz, which targets a wide range of molecular changes that are involved in cancer development. In other words, this review is primarily driven by the findings from studies of Baicalein therapy in several cancer cell populations based on promising pre-clinical research. The modifications of numerous signal transduction mechanisms and transcriptional agents have been highlighted as the major players for Baicalein’s anti-malignant properties at the micro level. These include AKT serine/threonine protein kinase B (AKT) as well as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, matrix metalloproteinases-2 & 9 (MMP-2 & 9), Wnt/-catenin, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB, Caspase-3/8/9, Smad4, Notch 1/Hes, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Keap 1), Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Src/Id1, ROS signaling, miR 183/ezrin, and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling cascades. The promise of Baicalein as an anti-inflammatory to anti-apoptotic/anti-angiogenic/anti-metastatic medicinal element for treating various malignancies and its capability to inhibit malignant stem cells, evidence of synergistic effects, and design of nanomedicine-based drugs are altogether well supported by the data presented in this review study.

Baicalein suppresses HER2-mediated malignant transformation of HER2-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells by downregulating HER2 gene expression

The upregulation of the HER2 oncogene is associated with a variety of human cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Baicalein is reported to have anti-tumor activity, but the molecular mechanism of this effect in HER2-positive cancer cells has not been studied. In this study, our data showed that baicalein can inhibit the proliferation and transformation potential of ovarian cancer cells overexpressing HER2. Baicalein treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of HER2 gene expression at the transcriptional level. Baicalein acted on ovarian cancer cells overexpressing HER2 to downregulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway downstream of HER2 and inhibit the expression or activity of downstream targets, such as VEGF and cyclin D1 and MMP2. Oral administration of baicalein supplemented with a pharmaceutical excipient significantly inhibited the growth of HER2-overexpressing ovarian SKOV-3 cancer xenografts in mice. These results suggest that downregulation of HER2 gene expression by baicalein at the transcriptional level contributes to inhibit the in vitro and in vivo proliferation and HER2-mediated malignant transformation of HER2-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells.

Autophagy Induction by Scutellaria Flavones in Cancer: Recent Advances

In parallel with a steady rise in cancer incidence worldwide, the scientific community is increasingly focused on finding novel, safer and more efficient modalities for managing this disease. Over the past decades, natural products have been described as a significant source of new structural leads for novel drug candidates. Scutellaria root is one of the most studied natural products because of its anticancer potential. Besides just describing the cytotoxic properties of plant constituents, their molecular mechanisms of action in different cancer types are equally important. Therefore, this review article focuses on the role of the Scutellaria flavones wogonin, baicalein, baicalin, scutellarein and scutellarin in regulating the autophagic machinery in diverse cancer models, highlighting these molecules as potential lead compounds for the fight against malignant neoplasms. The knowledge that autophagy can function as a dual-edged sword, acting in both a pro- and antitumorigenic manner, further complicates the issue, revealing an amazing property of flavonoids that behave either as anti- or proautophagic agents.

Identification and high-throughput quantification of baicalein and its metabolites in plasma and urine

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. contains varieties of function compounds, and it has been used as traditional drug for centuries. Baicalein is the highest amount of flavonoid found in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi., which exerts various pharmacological activities and might be a promising drug to treat COVID-19.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present work aims to investigate the metabolism of baicalein in humans after oral administration, and study the pharmacokinetics of BA and its seven metabolites in plasma and urine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The metabolism profiling and the identification of baicalein metabolites were performed on HPLC-Q-TOF. Then a column-switching method named MPX™-2 system was applied for the high-throughput quantificationof BA and seven metabolites.

RESULTS

Seven metabolites were identified using HPLC-Q-TOF, including sulfate, glucuronide, glucoside, and methyl-conjugated metabolites. Pharmacokinetic study found that BA was extensively metabolized in vivo, and only 5.65% of the drug remained intact in the circulatory system after single dosing. Baicalein-7-O-sulfate and baicalein-6-O-glucuronide-7-O-glucuronide were the most abundant metabolites. About 7.2% of the drug was excreted through urine and mostly was metabolites.

CONCLUSION

Seven conjugated metabolites were identified in our assay. A high-throughput HPLC-MS/MS method using column switch was established for quantifying BA and its metabolites. The method has good sensitivity and reproducibility, and successfully applied for the clinical pharmacokinetic study of baicalein and identified metabolites. We expect that our results will provide a metabolic and pharmacokinetic foundation for the potential application of baicalein in medicine.

In vitro evaluation of NA1-115-7-loaded nanoemulsions, an MCL-1-specific inhibitor of natural origin, intended to treat B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders after oral administration

MCL-1, an anti-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 protein family, is overexpressed in many types of cancer and contributes to chemotherapy resistance. The drimane derivative NA1-115-7 is a natural compound isolated from Zygogynum pancheri that can be considered as a very promising lead for treating MCL-1-dependent hematological malignancies. As this drug suffers from low stability in acidic conditions and poor aqueous solubility, we evaluated the potential oral use of NA1-115-7 by encapsulating it in lipid nanoemulsions (NA-NEs) prepared by spontaneous emulsification. NA-NEs showed a particle size of 41.9 ± 2.2 nm, PDI of 0.131 ± 0.016, zeta potential of -5.8 ± 3.4 mV, encapsulation efficiency of approximately 100 % at a concentration of 24 mM. The stability of NA-1-115-7 was sixfold higher than that of the unencapsulated drug in simulated gastric fluid. NA-NEs significantly restored apoptosis and halved the effective doses of NA1-115-7 on BL2, a Burkitt lymphoma cell line, without toxicity in normal cells. Such a drug-delivery system appears to be particularly interesting for the oral administration of NA1-115-7, as it improves its solubility and stability, as well as efficacy, by reducing the therapeutic dose, making it possible to further consider in-vivo studies of this promising drug in BL2 xenografted mice.

Protective effect and mechanism of baicalin on lung inflammatory injury in BALB/cJ mice induced by PM2.5

The public health harms caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have become a global focus, with PM2.5 exposure recognized as a critical risk factor for global morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation is the common pathophysiological feature of respiratory diseases induced by PM2.5 and is the most critical cause of all these diseases. However, presently there is a lack of effective preventive and therapeutic approaches for inflammatory lung injuries caused by PM2.5 exposure. Baicalin is a herb-derived effective flavonoid compound with multiple health benefits. This study established a murine lung inflammatory injury model via inhalation of PM2.5 aerosols. The data showed that after baicalin intervention, lung injury pathological score of baicalin (4.16 ± 0.54, 3.33 ± 0.76, 4.00 ± 0.45) and claricid (3.00 ± 0.78) treatments were markedly lower than PM2.5-treated mice (6.17 ± 0.31), and pathological damage was alleviated. Compared to the PM2.5 group, the spleen and lung indexes in the baicalin and claricid groups were significantly reduced. The inflammatory cytokines of TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-1β in serum, alveolar lavage fluid, and lung tissue were significantly decreased in the baicalin and claricid groups. The expressions of inflammatory pathway-related genes and proteins HMGB1, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were up-regulated in the PM2.5 group. The expressions of these genes and proteins were significantly decreased following baicalin treatment. The lung function indicators showed that the MV (65.94 ± 8.19 mL), sRaw (1.79 ± 0.08 cm H2O^.s), and FRC (0.52 ± 0.01 mL) in the PM2.5 group were higher than in the control and baicalin groups, and respiratory function was improved by baicalin. PM2.5 exposure markedly altered the bacterial composition at the genus level. The dominant flora relative abundances of uncultured_bacterium_f_Muribaculaceae, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus, were decreased from the control group (9.20%, 8.53%, 6.21%) to PM2.5 group (6.26%, 5.49%, 4.77%), respectively. Following baicalin intervention, the relative abundances were 9.72%, 6.65%, and 3.57%, respectively. Therefore, baicalin could potentially prevent and improve mice lung inflammatory injury induced by PM2.5 exposure. Baicalin might provide a protective role by balancing oropharyngeal microbiota and affecting the expression of the HMGB1/Caspase1 pathway.

Crosstalk between xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibiting and cancer chemotherapeutic properties of comestible flavonoids- a comprehensive update

Gout is an inflammatory disease caused by metabolic disorder or genetic inheritance. People throughout the world are strongly dependent on ethnomedicine for the treatment of gout and some receive satisfactory curative treatment. The natural remedies as well as established drugs derived from natural sources or synthetically made exert their action by mechanisms that are closely associated with anticancer treatment mechanisms regarding inhibition of xanthine oxidase, feedback inhibition of de novo purine synthesis, depolymerization and disappearance of microtubule, inhibition of NF-ĸB activation, induction of TRAIL, promotion of apoptosis, and caspase activation and proteasome inhibition. Some anti-gout and anticancer novel compounds interact with same receptors for their action, e.g., colchicine and colchicine analogues. Dietary flavonoids, i.e., chrysin, kaempferol, quercetin, fisetin, pelargonidin, apigenin, luteolin, myricetin, isorhamnetin, phloretinetc etc. have comparable IC₅₀ values with established anti-gout drug and effective against both cancer and gout. Moreover, a noticeable number of newer anticancer compounds have already been isolated from plants that have been using by local traditional healers and herbal practitioners to treat gout. Therefore, the anti-gout plants might have greater potentiality to become selective candidates for screening of newer anticancer leads.

Comparative Evaluation of the Antiglycation and Anti-α-Glucosidase Activities of Baicalein, Baicalin (Baicalein 7-O-Glucuronide) and the Antidiabetic Drug Metformin

The discovery of new oral antidiabetic drugs remains a priority in medicine. This research aimed to evaluate the activity of the flavonoid baicalein and its natural glucuronide baicalin, compared to the antidiabetic drug metformin, as potential antiglycation, anti–radical, and anti-α–glucosidase agents, in order to assess their potential role in counteracting hyperglycemia-induced tissue damage. The study considered: (i) the BSA assay, to detect the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), (ii) the GK peptide–ribose assay, which evaluates the cross–linking between the peptide and ribose, and (iii) the carbonyl content assay to detect the total carbonyl content, as a biomarker of tissue damage. In addition, to obtain a reliable picture of the antiglycation capacity of the investigated compounds, DPPH scavenging and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays were performed. Furthermore, the anti–α–glucosidase activity of baicalein and baicalin was detected. Furthermore, to estimate cell permeability, preliminarily, the cytotoxicity of baicalein and baicalin was evaluated in HT–29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells using the MTT assay. Successively, the ability of the compounds to pass through the cytoplasmic membranes of HT–29 cells was detected as a permeability screen to predict in vivo absorption, showing that baicalein passes into cells even if it is quickly modified in various metabolites, being its main derivative baicalin. Otherwise, baicalin per se did not pass through cell membranes. Data show that baicalein is the most active compound in reducing glycation, α-glucosidase activity, and free radicals, while baicalin exhibited similar activities, but did not inhibit the enzyme α–glucosidase.

Effects of Origanum vulgare and Scutellaria baicalensis on the Physiological Activity and Biochemical Parameters of the Blood in Rats on a High-Fat Diet

The pharmacological effects of medicinal plants play a primary role in the mild correction of body weight in humans and animals, reducing the accumulation of fat in their bodies during a state of obesity. Origanum vulgare L. and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi are widely used as food additives and medicinal plants, but their comprehensive physiological evaluation in model animals in a state of obesity has not been carried out. In a 30-day laboratory experiment on male rats which had developed obesity through a hypercaloric diet, the effects of adding the dry crushed grass O. vulgare or dry crushed roots of S. baicalensis to their feed was evaluated. During the experiment, the rats fed with O. vulgare increased in body weight to only 105.5% of their initial weight, while the body weight of the control group increased to 111.5%, and that of animals fed on S. baicalensis increased to 124.0% of their initial body weight. The average daily increase in the rats’ body weight when O. vulgare was added to their diet decreased to 205 mg/day, and when S. baicalensis was added, on the contrary, it increased to 1417 mg/day, compared to 700 mg/day among the control group. Under the influence of O. vulgare, the lipid metabolism of the rats normalized: the atherogenic index decreased to 33.7%, compared with the values of the control group, due to an increase in the concentration of high-density lipoproteins from cholesterol. The concentration of triglycerides decreased, and the concentration of glucose decreased. The roots of S. baicalensis being added into the diet of rats increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and decreased the concentration of urea. The atherogenic index also decreased (by up to 35.5% in the control group) and the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased, while the concentrations of triglycerides and glucose decreased. The physical activity of the rats showed a slight tendency to decrease when both O. vulgare and S. baicalensis were added to their diet. Both plant species contributed to a decrease in the emotional status of animals, which was most pronounced when the O. vulgare grass was added to the feed. The results of the study demonstrate the potential of the use of O. vulgare and S. baicalensis as herbal supplementations for the correction of hyperlipidemia and type-2 diabetes mellitus in overweight patients.

Activating caspase-8/Bid/ROS signaling to promote apoptosis of breast cancer cells by folate-modified albumin baicalin-loaded nanoparticles

Abnormal apoptosis can lead to uncontrolled cell growth, aberrant homeostasis or the accumulation of mutations. Therapeutic agents that re-establish the normal functions of apoptotic signaling pathways offer an attractive strategy for the treatment of breast cancer. Baicalin (BA) is one of the natural compounds with anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis activities against numerous tumor cells. However, low bioavailability restricts the clinical application of BA. In order to improve its therapeutic efficacy and study the mechanism of actions, active targeting delivery systems were developed for targeting tumor environment and selective cell killing effects. It emphasized on the construction of folate-conjugated albumin nanoparticles loaded with baicalin (FA-BSANPs/BA) and mechanisms of which on the promotion of breast cancer apoptosis. The physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of FA-BSANPs/BA were investigated. Cell experiments were carried out to study the targeted anti-breast cancer effects of FA-BSANPs/BA and its mechanism. The results showed that FA-BSANPs/BA was successfully constructed with stable structural characteristics and sustained release effects. Cellular uptake and MTT showed that it increased targeted uptake efficiency and cytotoxicity. Flow cytometry and western blot confirmed that it promoted apoptosis by increasing the expression of caspase-8 and ROS, and decreasing the level of Bid. It is suggested that the pro-apoptotic mechanism of FA-BSANPs/BA is related to regulation of key proteins in extrinsic apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, FA-BSANPs/BA is a good delivery carrier and significantly inhibits the breast cancer growth compared with free BA. The mechanism of FA-BSANPs/BA promoting apoptosis of breast cancer may be due to its action on the caspase-8/Bid/ROS pathway.

Regulation of Cell Signaling Pathways and Non-Coding RNAs by Baicalein in Different Cancers

Landmark discoveries in molecular oncology have provided a wide-angle overview of the heterogenous and therapeutically challenging nature of cancer. The power of modern ‘omics’ technologies has enabled researchers to deeply and comprehensively characterize molecular mechanisms underlying cellular functions. Interestingly, high-throughput technologies have opened new horizons for the design and scientific fool-proof evaluation of the pharmacological properties of targeted chemical compounds to tactfully control the activities of the oncogenic protein networks. Groundbreaking discoveries have galvanized the expansion of the repertoire of available pharmacopoeia to therapeutically target a myriad of deregulated oncogenic pathways. Natural product research has undergone substantial broadening, and many of the drugs which constitute the backbone of modern pharmaceuticals have been derived from the natural cornucopia. Baicalein has gradually gained attention because of its unique ability to target different oncogenic signal transduction cascades in various cancers. We have partitioned this review into different sub-sections to provide a broader snapshot of the oncogenic pathways regulated by baicalein. In this review, we summarize baicalein-mediated targeting of WNT/β-catenin, AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, MAPK, and NOTCH pathways. We also critically analyze how baicalein regulates non-coding RNAs (microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs) in different cancers. Finally, we conceptually interpret baicalein-mediated inhibition of primary and secondary growths in xenografted mice.

Discrimination of Black and White Sesame Seeds Based on Targeted and Non-Targeted Platforms with Chemometrics: From Profiling towards Identification of Chemical Markers

The present study was conducted to clarify the differences in the multi-element, volatile organic compound, fatty acid, and metabolite fingerprints between black and white sesame seeds. A total of 53 chemical elements, 32 volatile flavor compounds, 40 fatty acids, and 283 metabolites were identified and evaluated in the two groups of sesame seeds. Univariate and multivariate statistics indicated a distinct separation between the two groups of sesame seeds. A panel of 16 chemical elements, 3 volatile compounds, 8 individual fatty acids, and 54 metabolites with p value < 0.05 and variable importance in projection score > 1 were selected as the most important discriminants for the two types of sesame seeds. Overall, these data reveal the influence of genotype on the chemical composition of sesame seeds. Our findings also demonstrate that the hybrid model of instrumental analysis and chemometrics is feasible for the discrimination of black and white sesame seeds.

The Phytochemical Potential for Brain Disease Therapy and the Possible Nanodelivery Solutions for Brain Access

Plant-derived phytochemicals have gifted humans with vast therapeutic potentials. Yet, the unique features of the blood–brain barrier significantly limit their accession to the target tissue and thus clinical translation in brain disease treatment. Herein, we explore the medicinal outcomes of both the rare examples of phytochemicals that can easily translocate across the blood–brain barrier and most of the phytochemicals that were reported with brain therapeutic effects, but a bizarre amount of dosage is required due to their chemical nature. Lastly, we offer the nanodelivery platform that is capable of optimizing the targeted delivery and application of the non-permeable phytochemicals as well as utilizing the permeable phytochemicals for boosting novel applications of nanodelivery toward brain therapies.

The Role of m6A RNA Methylation in Cancer: Implication for Nature Products Anti-Cancer Research

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is identified as the most common, abundant and reversible RNA epigenetic modification in messenger RNA (mRNA) and non-coding RNA, especially within eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs), which post-transcriptionally directs many important processes of RNA. It has also been demonstrated that m6A modification plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of tumors by regulating RNA splicing, localization, translation, stabilization and decay. Growing number of studies have indicated that natural products have outstanding anti-cancer effects of their unique advantages of high efficiency and minimal side effects. However, at present, there are very few research articles to study and explore the relationship between natural products and m6A RNA modification in tumorigenesis. m6A is dynamically deposited, removed, and recognized by m6A methyltransferases (METTL3/14, METTL16, WTAP, RBM15/15B, VIRMA, CBLL1, and ZC3H13, called as “writers”), demethylases (FTO and ALKBH5, called as “erasers”), and m6A-specific binding proteins (YTHDF1/2/3, YTHDC1/2, IGH2BP1/2/3, hnRNPs, eIF3, and FMR1, called as “readers”), respectively. In this review, we summarize the biological function of m6A modification, the role of m6A and the related signaling pathway in cancer, such as AKT, NF-kB, MAPK, ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, STAT, p53, Notch signaling pathway, and so on. Furthermore, we reviewed the current research on nature products in anti-tumor, and further to get a better understanding of the anti-tumor mechanism, thus provide an implication for nature products with anti-cancer research by regulating m6A modification in the future.

Bioactive components of Banxia Xiexin Decoction for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases based on flavor-oriented analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXD) was first recorded in a Chinese medical classic, Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases, which was written in the Eastern Han dynasty of China. This ancient prescription consists of seven kinds of Chinese herbal medicine, namely, Pinellia ternata, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix scutellariae, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Ginseng, Jujube, and Radix Glycyrrhizaepreparata. In clinic practice, its original application in China mainly has focused on the treatment of chronic gastritis for several hundred years. BXD is also effective in treating other gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) in modern medical application. Despite available literature support and clinical experience, the treatment mechanisms or their relationships with the bioactive compounds in BXD responsible for its pharmacological actions, still need further explorations in more diversified channels. According to the analysis based on the five-flavor theory of TCM, BXD is traditionally viewed as the most representative prescription for pungent-dispersion, bitter-purgation and sweet-tonification. Consequently, based on the flavor-oriented analysis, the compositive herbs in BXD can be divided into three flavor groups, namely, the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups, each of which has specific active ingredients that are possibly relevant to GID treatment.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper summarized recent literatures on BXD and its bioactive components used in GID treatment, and provided the pharmacological or chemical basis for the further exploration of the ancient prescription and the relative components.

METHOD

ology: Relevant literature was collected from various electronic databases such as Pubmed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Citations were based on peer-reviewed articles published in English or Chinese during the last decade.

RESULTS

Multiple components were found in the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups in BXD. The corresponding bioactive components include gingerol, shogaol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in the pungent group; berberine, palmatine, coptisine, baicalein, and baicalin in the bitter group; and ginsenosides, polysaccharides, liquiritin, and glycyrrhetinic acid in the sweet group. These components have been found directly or indirectly responsible for the remarkable effects of BXD on GID.

CONCLUSION

This review provided some valuable reference to further clarify BXD treatment for GID and their possible material basis, based on the perspective of the flavor-oriented analysis.

Baicalin induces apoptosis and autophagy in human osteosarcoma cells by increasing ROS to inhibit PI3K/Akt/mTOR, ERK1/2 and β-catenin signaling pathways

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Baicalin causes apoptosis and autophagy through accumulating ROS to suppress PI3K/Akt/mTOR, ERK1/2 and β-catenin pathways in OS cells.

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Baicalin-induced autophagosome further triggers apoptosis.

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Baicalin-induced ROS and Ca²⁺ interactions induce apoptosis.

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Baicalin molecule targets PI3Kγ, inhibiting downstream effectors AKT and mTOR.

Baicalin, a flavonoid derivative, exerts antitumor activity in a variety of neoplasms. However, whether baicalin exerts antitumor effects on osteosarcoma cells remains to be elucidated. In this study, treatment with baicalin reduced the proliferation and invasive potential of osteosarcoma cells and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, which eventually caused mitochondrial apoptosis. In addition, baicalin increased intercellular Ca²⁺ and ROS concentrations. Baicalin-induced apoptosis was confirmed by enhanced Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved PARP levels and decreased Bcl-2 levels. The increase in LC3-II and p62 suggested that baicalin induced autophagosome formation but ultimately inhibited downstream autophagy. Moreover, apoptosis induced by baicalin was attenuated by the addition of 3-MA. Furthermore, we found that baicalin inhibited the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, ERK1/2 and β-catenin signaling pathways. Chelation of free Ca²⁺ by BAPTA-AM also inhibited both apoptosis induction and ROS concentration changes. Finally, NAC pretreatment reversed baicalin treatment outcomes, including the increase in Ca²⁺ concentration, induction of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of the pathways. Molecular docking results indicated that baicalin might interact with the structural domain of PI3Kγ. Thus, baicalin may be considered a potential candidate for osteosarcoma treatment.

Folic Acid Decorated Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF-8) Loaded with Baicalin as a Nano-Drug Delivery System for Breast Cancer Therapy

Background

Baicalin (BAN) has attracted widespread attention due to its low-toxicity and efficient antitumor activity, but its poor water solubility and low bioavailability severely limit its clinical application. Development of a targeted drug delivery system is a good strategy to improve the antitumor activity of baicalin.

Methods

We prepared a BAN nano-drug delivery system PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN with a zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) as a carrier, which can achieve the response of folate receptor (FR). We characterized this system in terms of morphology, particle size, zeta-potential, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunel-Emmett-Teller (BET), and examined the in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake properties of PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN using MCF-7 cells. Lastly, we established a 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model and evaluated its in vivo anti-mammary cancer activity.

Results

The PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN nano-delivery system had good dispersion with a BAN loading efficiency of 41.45 ± 1.43%, hydrated particle size of 176 ± 8.1 nm, Zeta-potential of −23.83 ± 1.1 mV, and slow and massive drug release in an acidic environment (pH 5.0), whereas release was 11.03% in a neutral environment (pH 7.4). In vitro studies showed that PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN could significantly enhance the killing effect of BAN on MCF-7 cells, and the folic acid-mediated targeting could lead to better uptake of nanoparticles by tumor cells and thus better killing of cancer cells. In vivo studies also showed that PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN significantly increased the inhibition of the proliferation of solid breast cancer tumors (p < 0.01 or p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The PEG-FA@ZIF-8@BAN nano-drug delivery system significantly enhanced the anti-breast cancer effect of baicalin both in vivo and in vitro, providing a more promising drug delivery system for the clinical applications and tumor management.

San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang Exerts Antitumor Effects Associated With Decreased Cell Proliferation and Metastasis by Targeting ERK and the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Pathway in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive cancer whose 5-year survival rate remains poor. San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang (SZKJT), a Chinese herbal formula, has long been used in clinical practice as adjuvant therapy in cancers. However, its therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms in OSCC remain unclear.

METHODS

We investigated the potential therapeutic effects and molecular mechanism of SZKJT in OSCC in tumor cell lines and in tumor xenograft mice and evaluated combined SZKJT and cisplatin treatment efficacy. In vitro-cultured OSCC cells were administered SZKJT at different doses or SZKJT plus cisplatin, and cell proliferation, colony formation assays, and cell cycle analysis were used to assess the effects on cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. We also analyzed the effects of SZKJT on oral cancer cell line migration, the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. The antitumor effects of SZKJT plus cisplatin were also tested in vivo using a tumor-bearing NOD/SCID mice model.

RESULTS

The results showed that SZKJT effectively inhibited OSCC cell proliferation, induced cell cycle S phase arrest, and induced cell apoptosis. SZKJT also inhibited cell migration by modulating the MAPK signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Further exploration suggested that SZKJT affects OSCC by modulating ERK pathway; downregulating vimentin, fibronectin, and Oct-4; and upregulating E-cadherin. In vivo, SZKJT significantly inhibited tumor growth, and SZKJT and cisplatin exerted synergistic antitumor effects in model animals.

CONCLUSIONS

SZKJT exerts antitumor effects in OSCC cells. Additionally, SZKJT and cisplatin exhibit synergy in OSCC treatment. These findings support the clinical usage of Chinese herbal formulas as adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy in cancer treatment.

An overview of pharmacological activities of baicalin and its aglycone baicalein: New insights into molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways

The flavonoids, baicalin, and its aglycone baicalein possess multi-fold therapeutic properties and are mainly found in the roots of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. These flavonoids have been reported to possess various pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, anticonvulsant, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. The pharmacological properties of baicalin and baicalein are due to their abilities to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interaction with various signaling molecules associated with apoptosis, inflammation, autophagy, cell cycle, mitochondrial dynamics, and cytoprotection. In this review, we summarized the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic applications of baicalin and baicalein in the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. In addition, the preventive effects of baicalin and baicalein on mitochondrial dynamics and functions were highlighted with a particular emphasis on their anti-oxidative and cytoprotective properties. The current review highlights could be useful for future prospective studies to further improve the pharmacological applications of baicalein and baicalin. These studies should define the threshold for optimal drug exposure, dose optimization and focus on therapeutic drug monitoring, objective disease markers, and baicalin/baicalein drug levels.

Baicalin suppresses the progression of Type 2 diabetes-induced liver tumor through regulating METTL3/m6A/HKDC1 axis and downstream p-JAK2/STAT1/clevaged Capase3 pathway

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that diabetes increases the risk of liver cancer. Although the co-occurrence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and liver cancer is becoming more frequent, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Even though baicalin, extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can control T2D and inhibit liver cancer separately, minimal research is available regarding its possible effect on T2D-induced liver cancer. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of baicalin in T2D-induced hepatocellular cancer, and for the first time, we particularly emphasized the regulation of baicalin in genes RNA m⁶A in hepatocellular cancer.

METHODS

Here, we constructed a cell culture model under a high concentration of glucose and a T2D-induced liver tumor model to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo role of baicalin in T2D-induced liver cancer progression. After confirming the suppressive effect of baicalin and the HKDC1 antibody on T2D-induced liver tumors, the epigenetic alterations (DNA 5mC and RNA m⁶A) of the baicalin-regulated HKDC1 gene were detected using MS and q-PCR. Next, the METTL3 gene-regulated m⁶A (2854 site) was investigated using SELECT PCR. Finally, the impact of the other three baicalin analogs (baicalein, wogonoside, and wogonin) on tumor inhibition was tested in vivo while verifying the related RNA m⁶A mechanism.

RESULTS

The results showed that baicalin and the HKDC1 antibody suppressed T2D-induced liver tumor progression in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, baicalin significantly inhibited the epigenetic modification (DNA 5mC and RNA m⁶A) of HKDC1 in HepG2 tumors, mainly targeting the RNA m⁶A site (2854). The m⁶A-related gene, METTL3, regulated the RNA m⁶A site (2854) of HKDC1, which was also restricted by baicalin. Moreover, the study verified that baicalin regulated the METTL3/HKDC1/JAK2/STAT1/caspase-3 pathway in liver cancer cells when exposed to a high glucose concentration. In addition, the three baicalin analogs were proven to regulate the m⁶A (2854 site) of HKDC1 and suppress T2D-induced liver tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study revealed that baicalin suppressed T2D-induced liver tumor progression by regulating the METTL3/m⁶A/HKDC1 axis, which might support its potential application for preventing and treating T2D-induced liver cancer.

Chiral Flavonoids as Antitumor Agents

Flavonoids are a group of natural products with a great structural diversity, widely distributed in plant kingdom. They play an important role in plant growth, development and defense against aggressors. Flavonoids show a huge variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, antimicrobial and antitumor, being able to modulate a large diversity of cellular enzymatic activities. Among natural flavonoids, some classes comprise chiral molecules including flavanones, flavan-3-ols, isoflavanones, and rotenoids, which have one or more stereogenic centers. Interestingly, in some cases, individual compounds of enantiomeric pairs have shown different antitumor activity. In nature, these compounds are mainly biosynthesized as pure enantiomers. Nevertheless, they are often isolated as racemates, being necessary to carry out their chiral separation to perform enantioselectivity studies. Synthetic chiral flavonoids with promising antitumor activity have also been obtained using diverse synthetic approaches. In fact, several new chiral bioactive flavonoids have been synthesized by enantioselective synthesis. Particularly, flavopiridol was the first cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor which entered clinical trials. The chiral pool approaches using amino acid as chiral building blocks have also been reported to achieve small libraries of chrysin derivatives with more potent in vitro growth inhibitory effect than chrysin, reinforcing the importance of the introduction of chiral moieties to improve antitumor activity. In this work, a literature review of natural and synthetic chiral flavonoids with antitumor activity is reported for the first time.

Sulfur-doped carbon dots@polydopamine-functionalized magnetic silver nanocubes for dual-modality detection of norovirus

Synergistic dual-mode optical platforms are up-and-coming detection tools in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Here, novel dual-modality fluorescence (FL) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques have been integrated into a single probe for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of norovirus (NoV). The developed FL-SER-based biosensor relies on the dual-signal enhancements of newly synthesized sulfur-doped agar-derived carbon dots (S-agCDs). The antigen-antibody immunoreaction results in forming a core-satellite immunocomplex between anti-NoV antibody-conjugated S-agCDs and polydopamine-functionalized magnetic silver nanocubes [poly (dop)-MNPs-Ag NCs]. By deploying an immunomagnetic enrichment protocol and performing the SERS modality on a single-layer graphene substrate, norovirus-like particles (NoV-LPs) were detected across a wide range of 1 fg mL^-1 - 10 ng mL^-1 with an excellent limit of detection of 0.1 fg mL^-1. The combined advantage of the dual-signaling properties of the biosensor was demonstrated using FL confocal imaging for "hotspots" tracking prior to SERS detection of clinical NoV in fecal specimen down to ⁓10 RNA copies mL^-1. The proposed dual-modality biosensor's performance increases the prospect of a rapid and low-cost sensitive NoV detection and surveillance option for public health.

Borcalein: a Carborane-Based Analogue of Baicalein with 12-Lipoxygenase-Independent Toxicity

12-Lipoxygenase is crucial for tumour angiogenesis. 5,6,7-Trihydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (baicalein) is a suitable inhibitor for this enzyme but is rapidly metabolised in vivo. Thus, an improvement of the metabolic stability is necessary to enhance the therapeutic efficiency. An emerging approach to enhance metabolic stability of carbon-based pharmaceuticals is the use of metabolically stable, non-toxic boron clusters, such as dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(12)s (carboranes) as phenyl mimetics. Therefore, the unsubstituted phenyl ring of baicalein was replaced by meta-carborane, resulting in borcalein, the carborane analogue of baicalein. This substitution resulted in a decreased inhibitory activity toward 12-lipoxygenase, but led to increased toxicity in melanoma (A375, B16, B16F10) and colon cancer cell lines (SW480, HCT116, CT26CL25) with decreased tumour selectivity in comparison to baicalein. Surprisingly, borcalein displays a different mechanism of cytotoxicity with increased intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and nitric oxide (NO).

Baicalein pre-treatment alleviates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice by regulating the Nrf2/ARE pathway

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is caused by blood flow recovery following ischemia. Baicalein (BAI), a natural antioxidant used in traditional Chinese medicine, eliminates excessive free radicals and protects the structure of the cell membrane. However, its protective mechanism against HIRI is still unclear. The present study investigated underlying mechanism using a mouse HIRI model. Liver injury was evaluated using serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to evaluate the pathological changes in liver tissue. Apoptosis of hepatocytes was detected by TUNEL staining. The expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver were detected to evaluate oxidative stress. Western blotting was performed to assess expression levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response elements (ARE) pathway proteins in liver tissue. BAI pre-treatment significantly decreased elevation of serum aminotransferase levels induced by IR and alleviated histological damage to the liver. BAI decreased production of ROS and MDA in liver tissue induced by IR and increased the activity of SOD. At the same time, BAI inhibited apoptosis of liver cells induced by oxidative stress. Furthermore, BAI promoted the translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus and increased the expression of total heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone-1. The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the protective effect of BAI on HIRI. These results indicated that BAI served a protective effect in HIRI by regulating the Nrf2/ARE pathway.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles of baicalin against Mycoplasma gallisepticum in an in vivo infection model

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (M. gallisepticum), a devastating avian pathogen that commonly causes chronic respiratory disease in chicken, is responsible for tremendous economic losses to the poultry industry. Baicalin is the main constituent of Scutellaria baicalensis that shows potential therapeutic effects against M. gallisepticum. However, the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) profiles of baicalin against M. gallisepticum are not well understood. The main objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between the PK/PD index and efficacy of baicalin in the M. gallisepticum infection model in chickens. The experiments were carried out on 10-day-old chickens that were challenged with M. gallisepticum in the bilateral air sacs. While, baicalin was orally administrated once in a day for 3 consecutive days, started from d 3 postinfection. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was used to evaluate the PK parameters of baicalin at doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg in M. gallisepticum-infected chickens. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was used for the quantitative detection of M. gallisepticum in lungs. The PK and PD data were fitted to WinNonlin software to evaluate the PK/PD profiles of baicalin against M. gallisepticum. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of baicalin against M. gallisepticum strain R_low was 31.25 µg/mL. The in vivo data suggested that baicalin concentration in the lung tissues was higher than plasma (1.21–1.73 times higher). The ratios of AUC_24h/MIC of baicalin against bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and eradication were 0.62, 1.33, and 1.49 h, respectively. In conclusion, these results provided potential reference for future clinical dose selection of baicalin and evaluation of susceptibility breakpoints.

Synthesis and anti-proliferative activities of 5,6,7-trimethoxyflavones and their derivatives

A series of 5,6,7-trimethoxyflavones 1a-1g and their derivatives 2a-2g, 3a-3d, 4 and 5, including the natural products 5,6,7-trimethoxy-4'-hydroxyflavone (1a), 5,6,7,3',4' -pentamethoxyflavone (sinensetin, 1 b), 5,6,7-trimethoxy-3',4'-methyl enedioxy flavone (1c), 5,6,7,3'-tetramethoxy-4,5'-methylenedioxyflavone (1e), 5,6,7, 3',4',5'-hextamethoxyflavone (1 g), 5-hydroxy-3,4,2',3',4'-pentamethoxy chal-cone (2 b), 5,4'-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy flavone (cirsimaritin, 3a) and 5-hydroxy-6,7,3', 4'-tetramethoxyflavone (5-demethylsinensetin, 3 b), 3,5,6,7,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone (3-methoxysinensetin, 4) and 5'-hydroxy-3,6,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (5) were synthesized. Their anti-proliferative activity in vitro was evaluated against a panel of four human cancer cell lines (Aspc-1, HCT-116, HepG-2 and SUN-5) by the CTG assay. The results showed that most of the synthetic compounds exhibited moderate to high anti-proliferative activities. In particular, compound 3c possess IC₅₀ (5.30 μM) values below 10 μM against Aspc-1 cells and are worthy of further investigation.

Baicalin Promotes Mammary Gland Development via Steroid-Like Activities

Baicalin, the main flavonoid component extracted from Scutellaria roots, has a variety of biological activities and is therefore used in the treatment of many kinds of diseases. However, whether baicalin affects the normal development of tissues and organs is still unclear. Here, using a mouse mammary gland model, we investigated the effects of baicalin on the expansion of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and mammary development, as well as breast cancer progression. Interestingly, we found that baicalin administration significantly accelerates duct elongation at puberty, and promotes alveolar development and facilitates milk secretion during pregnancy. Furthermore, self-renewal of MaSCs was significantly promoted in the presence of baicalin. Moreover, in a tumor xenograft model, baicalin promoted tumor growth of the MDA-MB-231 cell line, but suppressed tumor growth of the ZR-751 cell line. Mechanistically, baicalin can induce expression of the protein C receptor, while inhibiting the expression of the estrogen receptor. Transcriptome analysis revealed that baicalin is involved in signaling pathways related to mammary gland development, immune response, and cell cycle control. Taken together, our results from comprehensive investigation of the biological activity of baicalin provide a theoretical basis for its rational clinical application.

Baicalein, Baicalin, and Wogonin: Protective Effects against Ischemia-Induced Neurodegeneration in the Brain and Retina

Ischemia is a common pathological condition present in many neurodegenerative diseases, including ischemic stroke, retinal vascular occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, threatening the sight and lives of millions of people globally. Ischemia can trigger excessive oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction, leading to the disruption of tissue homeostasis and, ultimately, cell death. Current therapies are very limited and have a narrow time window for effective treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutic options for ischemia-induced neural injuries. With emerging reports on the pharmacological properties of natural flavonoids, these compounds present potent antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic agents for the treatment of ischemic insults. Three major active flavonoids, baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin, have been extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (S. baicalensis); all of which are reported to have low cytotoxicity. They have been demonstrated to exert promising pharmacological capabilities in preventing cell and tissue damage. This review focuses on the therapeutic potentials of these flavonoids against ischemia-induced neurotoxicity and damage in the brain and retina. The bioactivity and bioavailability of baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin are also discussed. It is with hope that the therapeutic potential of these flavonoids can be utilized and developed as natural treatments for ischemia-induced injuries of the central nervous system (CNS).

Baicalin Magnesium Salt Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Inhibiting of TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Baicalin (BA) magnesium salt (BA-Mg) is a good water-soluble ingredient extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. This study is aimed at investigating whether BA-Mg could exert a better protective effect on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and illuminate the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Mice were intraperitoneally administrated with equimolar BA-Mg, BA, and MgSO₄ before LPS inducing ALI. Lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected for lung wet/dry ratio, histological examinations, cell counts, and biochemical analyses at 48 h post-LPS exposure. Meanwhile, the protein expressions of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and proinflammatory cytokines in lung tissues and lung bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were detected. The results showed BA-Mg pronouncedly ameliorated LPS-induced inflammatory response and histopathological damages, elevated antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD), and downregulated myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels through the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activation. Moreover, the effect of BA-Mg was significantly better than that of BA and MgSO₄ in ameliorating symptoms. Overall, BA-Mg can effectively relieve inflammatory response and oxidative stress triggered by LPS, indicating it may be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating ALI.

Multiple Myeloma Inhibitory Activity of Plant Natural Products

A literature search on plant natural products with antimyeloma activity until the end of 2020 resulted in 92 compounds with effects on at least one human myeloma cell line. Compounds were divided in different compound classes and both their structure-activity-relationships as well as eventual correlations with the pathways described for Multiple Myeloma were discussed. Each of the major compound classes in this review (alkaloids, phenolics, terpenes) revealed interesting candidates, such as dioncophyllines, a group of naphtylisoquinoline alkaloids, which showed pronounced and selective induction of apoptosis when substituted in position 7 of the isoquinoline moiety. Interestingly, out of the phenolic compound class, two of the most noteworthy constituents belong to the relatively small subclass of xanthones, rendering this group a good starting point for possible further drug development. The class of terpenoids also provides noteworthy constituents, such as the highly oxygenated diterpenoid oridonin, which exhibited antiproliferative effects equal to those of bortezomib on RPMI8226 cells. Moreover, triterpenoids containing a lactone ring and/or quinone-like substructures, e.g., bruceantin, whitaferin A, withanolide F, celastrol, and pristimerin, displayed remarkable activity, with the latter two compounds acting as inhibitors of both NF-κB and proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity.

Baicalein inhibits inflammatory response and promotes osteogenic activity in periodontal ligament cells challenged with lipopolysaccharides

Background

Periodontitis is a chronic infection initiated by oral bacterial and their virulence factors, yet the severity of periodontitis is largely determined by the dysregulated host immuno-inflammatory response. Baicalein is a flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis with promising anti-inflammatory properties. This study aims to clarify the anti-inflammatory and osteogenic effects of baicalein in periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS).

Methods

Human PDLCs were incubated with baicalein (0–100 μM) for 2 h prior to LPS challenge for 24 h. MTT analysis was adopted to assess the cytoxicity of baicalein. The mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory and osteogenic markers were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as appropriate. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red S (ARS) staining were performed to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation of PDLCs. The expression of Wnt/β-catenin and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling related proteins was assessed by western blot.

Results

MTT results showed that baicalein up to 100 μM had no cytotoxicity on PDLCs. Baicalein significantly attenuated the inflammatory factors induced by LPS, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), matrix metalloprotein-1 (MMP-1), MMP-2 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) at both mRNA and protein level. Moreover, MAPK signaling (ERK, JNK and p38) was significantly inhibited by baicalein, which may account for the mitigated inflammatory response. Next, we found that baicalein effectively restored the osteogenic differentiation of LPS-treated PDLCs, as shown by the increased ALP and ARS staining. Accordingly, the protein and gene expression of osteogenic markers, namely runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), collagen-I, and osterix were markedly upregulated. Importantly, baicalein could function as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator, which may lead to the increased osteoblastic differentiation of PDLCs.

Conclusions

With the limitation of the study, we provide in vitro evidence that baicalein ameliorates inflammatory response and restores osteogenesis in PDLCs challenged with LPS, indicating its potential use as the host response modulator for the management of periodontitis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-021-03213-5.

A Triple Role for a Bilayer: Using Nanoliposomes to Cross and Protect Cellular Membranes

Thanks in large part to the seminal work of Steve White and his colleagues, we appreciate the "ordered complexity" of the lipid bilayer and how it impacts the incorporation of integral membrane proteins as well as more peripherally associated proteins. Steve's work also provides a vital foundation to tackle another challenge: cytotoxic oligomeric complexes which accumulate in various neurodegenerative diseases. These oligomers have a relatively fluid structure and interact with many different proteins in the cell, but their main target is thought to be the phospholipid membrane, either the plasma membrane or internal organelles such as the mitochondria. This fascinating encounter between two essentially fluid phases generates a more disordered membrane, and presumably promotes uncontrolled transport of small metal ions across the membrane barrier. Happily, this unwanted interaction may be suppressed by mobilizing the phospholipid bilayer into its own defense. Extruded nanolipoparticles (NLPs) consisting of DPPC lipids, cholesterol and PEG2000 are excellent vehicles to take up small "oligomer-bashing" hydrophobic molecules such as baicalein and transport them with increased half-life in the plasma and with markedly more efficient crossing of the blood-brain barrier. Thus the bilayer has a triple role in this account: a safe space for a reactive hydrophobic small molecule, a barrier to cross to deliver a drug payload and a target to protect against oligomer attacks. NLPs containing small hydrophobic molecules show great promise in combating neurodegenerative diseases in animal models and may serve as an example of the White approach: applying robust physical-chemical principles to deal with biological problems involving phospholipid membranes.

Baicalin mediated regulation of key signaling pathways in cancer

Baicalin has been widely investigated against different types of malignancies both at the cellular and molecular levels over the past few years. Due to its remarkable anti-proliferative potential in numerous cancer cell lines, it has created immense interest as a potential chemotherapeutic modality compared to other flavonoids. Thus, this review focuses on the recent accomplishments of baicalin and its limitations in cancer prevention and treatment. Further, combination studies and nanoformulations using baicalin to treat cancer along with the metabolism, bioavailability, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics have been discussed. The present review explains biological source, and anti-proliferative potential of baicalin against cancers including breast, colon, hepatic, leukemia, lung, and skin, as well as the relevant mechanism of action to modulate diverse signaling pathways including apoptosis, cell cycle, invasion, and migration, angiogenesis, and autophagy. The anticancer mechanism of baicalin in orthotropic and xenograft mice models have been deliberated. The combination studies of baicalin in novel therapies as chemotherapeutic adjuvants have also been summarized. The low bioavailability, fast metabolism, and poor solubility, and other significant factors that limit the clinical use of baicalin have been examined as a challenge. The improvement in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of baicalin with newer approaches and the gaps are highlighted, which could establish baicalin as an effective and safe compound for cancer treatment as well as help to translate its potential from bench to bedside.

Important Flavonoids and Their Role as a Therapeutic Agent

Flavonoids are phytochemical compounds present in many plants, fruits, vegetables, and leaves, with potential applications in medicinal chemistry. Flavonoids possess a number of medicinal benefits, including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. They also have neuroprotective and cardio-protective effects. These biological activities depend upon the type of flavonoid, its (possible) mode of action, and its bioavailability. These cost-effective medicinal components have significant biological activities, and their effectiveness has been proved for a variety of diseases. The most recent work is focused on their isolation, synthesis of their analogs, and their effects on human health using a variety of techniques and animal models. Thousands of flavonoids have been successfully isolated, and this number increases steadily. We have therefore made an effort to summarize the isolated flavonoids with useful activities in order to gain a better understanding of their effects on human health.

Baicalin encapsulating lipid-surfactant conjugate based nanomicelles: Preparation, characterization and anticancer activity

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors and emerged as one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Surgical resection can be a curative treatment for early stage but the most of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage when the pulmonary tumor has been invaded beyond the respiratory system. Therefore, chemotherapy is suitable for curing metastasized tumor. Baicalin (BL) is a flavonoid which has been studied in the treatment of several types of cancer including lung cancer. However, its low solubility in water and non-specificity impede its practical utilization. Hence, we have reported a stearic acid and pluronic F68 conjugated nanomicelles (PF68-SA) system to improve therapeutic efficacy of BL. Solvent evaporation method was used to prepare the BL-loaded PF68-SA nanomicelles (BLNM). The designed BLNM were characterized for the particle size, surface charge, critical micelle concentration, colloidal stability, morphology, and total drug content. BLNM formulation showed improved toxicity of BL against A549 human lung cancer cells in cytotoxicity assay. Further, apoptosis study also depicted BLNM-induced cell death in A549 cells. Therefore, the synthesized fatty acid-modified polymeric nanomicellar system could be useful in overcoming the stability and low therapeutic efficacy issues of hydrophobic anticancer drugs like BL and delivering them to the cancer cells.

Baicalein and Baicalin Promote Melanoma Apoptosis and Senescence via Metabolic Inhibition

Malignant melanoma is one of the most common and dangerous skin cancers with a high rate of death every year. Furthermore, N-RAS and B-RAF mutations in melanoma cells increase the difficulties for clinical treatment in patients. Therefore, development of effective and universal drugs against melanoma is urgently needed. Here we demonstrate that baicalein and baicalin, the active components of the Chinese traditional medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, can significantly inhibit melanoma cell growth and proliferation, suppress tumor cell colony formation and migration, as well as induce apoptosis and senescence in melanoma cells. The anti-tumor effects mediated by baicalein and baicalin are independent of N-RAS and B-RAF mutation statuses in melanoma cells. Mechanistically, we identify that the suppression of baicalein and baicalin on melanoma cells is due to inhibition of tumor cell glucose uptake and metabolism by affecting the mTOR-HIF-1α signaling pathway. In addition, we demonstrated that baicalein and baicalin can suppress tumorigenesis and tumor growth in vivo in the melanoma model. These studies clearly indicate that baicalein and baicalin can control tumor growth and development metabolically and have great potential as novel and universal drugs for melanoma therapy.

Flavones as a Privileged Scaffold in Drug Discovery: Current Developments

BACKGROUND

Flavones are one of the main subclasses of flavonoids with diverse pharmacological properties. They have been reported to possess antimalarial, antimicrobial, anti-tuberculosis, anti-allergic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, among others.

OBJECTIVE

The present review summarizes the recent information on the pharmacological properties of naturally occurring and synthetic flavones.

METHODS

Scientific publications referring to natural and synthetic flavones in relation to their biological activities were hand-searched in databases such as SciFinder, PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Science Direct, Wiley, ACS, SciELO, Springer, among others.

RESULTS

As per the literature, seventy-five natural flavones were predicted as active compounds with reference to their IC50 (<20 µg/mL) in in vitro studies. Also, synthetic flavones were found active against several diseases.

CONCLUSION

As per the literature, flavones are important sources for the potential treatment of multifactorial diseases. However, efforts toward the development of flavone-based therapeutic agents are still needed. The appearance of new catalysts and chemical transformations is expected to provide avenues for the synthesis of unexplored flavones, leading to the discovery of flavones with new properties and biological activities.

Baicalin Attenuates YAP Activity to Suppress Ovarian Cancer Stemness

Purpose

This study aims to reveal the mechanism underlying baicalin-suppressing ovarian cancer stemness.

Methods

OVCAR-3 and the primary ovarian cancer cells were used for cell model. The ovarian cancer stem cells were isolated by suspension culture. Cell viability and clonogenicity were examined by CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay. The self-renewal of the cells was evaluated by the determination of sphere-forming capacity and the frequency of in vitro sphere-forming and in vivo tumor-initiating cells. The mRNA and protein levels were relatively quantified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The transcription regulation of target genes was tested by luciferase reporter assay and a modified nuclear rn-on qRT-PCR assay.

Results

Treatment with a non-toxic dose of baicalin significantly inhibited the spherogenicity of ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, a non-toxic dose of baicalin treatment suppressed the frequency of sphere-forming and tumor-initiating ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, the expression of ovarian cancer stem cell markers (CD133 and ALDH1A1) was inhibited by a non-toxic dose of baicalin treatment. Baicalin inhibits YAP activity and suppresses RASSF6, a positive regulator of YAP, at the transcriptional level. Overexpression of both YAP and RASSF6 abolished the inhibitory effect of baicalin on the proliferation and stemness of ovarian cancer cells.

Conclusion

The results in this study demonstrated that baicalin suppresses the stemness of ovarian cancer cells by attenuating YAP activity via inhibiting RASSF6 at the transcriptional level. This finding revealed baicalin as a novel YAP inhibitor that could serve as an anti-cancer drug for eradicating ovarian cancer stem cells.

Baicalin regulates Treg/Th17 cell imbalance by inhibiting autophagy in allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND

Baicalin has many biological properties such as anti-oxidation and anti-allergy. The current study aimed to explore the effect of Baicalin on allergic rhinitis (AR) and its potential mechanism of action.

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. Expression levels of Th17 and Treg cells-related proteins in nasal mucosa and peripheral blood cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR, flow cytometry and Western blot. The mice were randomly divided into Control, ovalbumin (OVA), l-Baicalin, H-Baicalin, DSGC, 3-MA, and H-Baicalin + Rapa groups. Changes of allergic rhinitis conditions and eosinophil infiltration of the mice were detected and scored by Diff-Quik staining, and histological changes were observed by Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining and Periodate Schiff (PAS) staining. Serological changes, expression levels of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), interleukin-10 (IL-10), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and anti-OVA-specific antibodies were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Clinical case analysis found that AR patients had a Th17/Treg imbalance and activated autophagy, however, Baicalin restored Th17/Treg cell balance and inhibited autophagy in vitro. in vivo experiments demonstrated that Baicalin inhibited OVA-induced allergic nasal symptoms and the activation of autophagy pathway, which was the same as the regulation of 3-MA, while Rapa could weaken the effects of H-baicalin. Moreover, Baicalin reduced the infiltration of different inflammatory cells of the nasal lavage fluid, prevented the damages to epithelial cells, and improved nasal mucosal thickness and mucus secretion. In addition, Baicalin regulated the balance of mouse anti-OVA-specific antibody levels and expressions of Th17/Treg-associated cytokines.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that Baicalin can be used to treat AR, and the effect is realized through inhibiting autophagy to regulate Th17/Treg cell differentiation.