Human disorders associated with inflammation and the evolving role of natural products to overcome

Discovery of novel osthole derivatives exerting anti-inflammatory effect on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice

The modification based on natural products is a practical way to find anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, 26 osthole derivatives were synthesized, and their anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated. The preliminary activity study revealed that most osthole derivatives could effectively inhibit inflammatory cytokines IL-6 secretion in LPS stimulated mouse macrophages J774A.1. Compound 7m exhibited the most effective anti-inflammatory activity (RAW264.7 IL-6 IC50: 4.57 μM, 32 times more active than osthole) in vitro with no significant influence on cell proliferation. Additionally, the mechanistic analysis demonstrated that compound 7m could block MAPK signal transduction by inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK and p38, thereby inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, in vivo functional investigations revealed that 7m could substantially reduce DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury, with good therapeutic effects. The pharmacokinetics and acute toxicity experiments proved the safety and reliability of 7min vivo. Overall, Compound 7m could further be studied as potential anti-inflammatory candidate.

Umbelliferone and Its Synthetic Derivatives as Suitable Molecules for the Development of Agents with Biological Activities: A Review of Their Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential

Umbelliferone (UMB), known as 7-hydroxycoumarin, hydrangine, or skimmetine, is a naturally occurring coumarin in the plant kingdom, mainly from the Umbelliferae family that possesses a wide variety of pharmacological properties. In addition, the use of nanoparticles containing umbelliferone may improve anti-inflammatory or anticancer therapy. Also, its derivatives are endowed with great potential for therapeutic applications due to their broad spectrum of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, antipsychotic, antiepileptic, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiproliferative effects. Moreover, 7-hydroxycoumarin ligands have been implemented to develop 7-hydroxycoumarin-based metal complexes with improved pharmacological activity. Besides therapeutic applications, umbelliferone analogues have been designed as fluorescent probes for the detection of biologically important species, such as enzymes, lysosomes, and endosomes, or for monitoring cell processes and protein functions as well various diseases caused by an excess of hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, 7-hydroxy-based chemosensors may serve as a highly selective tool for Al3+ and Hg2+ detection in biological systems. This review is devoted to a summary of the research on umbelliferone and its synthetic derivatives in terms of biological and pharmaceutical properties, especially those reported in the literature during the period of 2017-2023. Future potential applications of umbelliferone and its synthetic derivatives are presented.

Improved Solubility and Activity of Natural Product in Nanohydrogel

With the development of technology, natural material components are widely used in various fields of science. Natural product components in phytochemical compounds are secondary metabolites produced by plants; they have been shown to have many pharmacological activities. Phytochemical compounds obtained from plants have an important role in herbal medicine. Herbal medicine is safer and cheaper than synthetic medicine. However, herbal medicines have weaknesses, such as low solubility, less stability, low bioavailability, and experiencing physical and chemical degradation, reducing their pharmacological activity. Recent herbal nano-delivery developments are mostly plant-based. A nanotechnology-based system was developed to deliver herbal therapies with better bioavailability, namely the nanohydrogel system. Nanohydrogel is a delivery system that can overcome the disadvantages of using herbal compounds because it can increase solubility, increase pharmacological activity and bioavailability, reduce toxicity, slow delivery, increase stability, improve biodistribution, and prevent physical or chemical degradation. This review article aimed to provide an overview of recent advances in developing nanohydrogel formulations derived from natural ingredients to increase solubility and pharmacological activity, as well as a summary of the challenges faced by delivery systems based on nanohydrogel derived from natural materials. A total of 25 phytochemicals derived from natural products that have been developed into nanohydrogel were proven to increase the activity and solubility of these chemical compounds.

Anti-Inflammatory Phomalones from the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Trichobotrys effuse FS522

Four new phomalones A-D (1-4), together with five known analogues (5-9) were isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Trichobotrys effuse FS522. Their structures of the new compounds established by analysis of their NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data, and the absolute configurations of 2 was determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. compounds 4, 6 and 8 substantially inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) with IC50 values of 4.64, 13.90, and 34.07 μM.

Ethanol Extracts from the Aerial Parts of Inula japonica and Potentilla chinensis Alleviate Airway Inflammation in Mice That Inhaled Particulate Matter 10 and Diesel Particulate Matter

Air pollution causes various airway diseases. However, many commonly used treatments can have high risks of side effects or are costly. To examine the anti-inflammatory properties of Inula japonica Thunb. and Potentilla chinensis Ser., a mouse model was generated via inhalation of both particulate matter 10 and diesel particulate matter, and 30% ethanol extracts of either I. japonica (IJ) or P. chinensis (PC) and a mixture of both ethanol extracts (IP) were orally administered to BALB/c mice for 12 days. IJ, PC, and IP inhibited immune cell numbers and their regulation in both the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lungs. These agents suppressed the levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)-1, and CXCL-2 in BALF, and also inhibited F4/80 and IL-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 in lungs. They reduced the gene expression of TNF-α, CXCL-1, inducible NOS, COX-2, Mucin 5AC, and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 in lungs. These extracts also reduced histopathological changes and inflammatory progression, manifested as decreased cell infiltration, collagen deposition, and respiratory epithelial cell thickness. I. japonica and P. chinensis show potential for development as pharmaceuticals that suppress inflammatory progression and alleviate airway inflammation diseases caused by air pollutants.

Natural anti-inflammatory products for osteoarthritis: From molecular mechanism to drug delivery systems and clinical trials

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions globally. The present nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatments have different side effects, leading researchers to focus on natural anti-inflammatory products (NAIPs). To review the effectiveness and mechanisms of NAIPs in the cellular microenvironment, examining their impact on OA cell phenotype and organelles levels. Additionally, we summarize relevant research on drug delivery systems and clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs), to promote clinical studies and explore natural product delivery options. English-language articles were searched on PubMed using the search terms "natural products," "OA," and so forth. We categorized search results based on PubChem and excluded "natural products" which are mix of ingredients or compounds without the structure message. Then further review was separately conducted for molecular mechanisms, drug delivery systems, and RCTs later. At present, it cannot be considered that NAIPs can thoroughly prevent or cure OA. Further high-quality studies on the anti-inflammatory mechanism and drug delivery systems of NAIPs are needed, to determine the appropriate drug types and regimens for clinical application, and to explore the combined effects of different NAIPs to prevent and treat OA.

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae) Root Extract and Its Triterpene Baccharis Oxide Display Topical Anti-Inflammatory Effects on Different Mice Ear Edema Models

B. dracunculifolia is popularly used to treat skin diseases. This work aimed to evaluate the topical anti-inflammatory properties of B. dracunculifolia root extract (BdR) and its major compound baccharis oxide (BOx) on mice ear edema models. BdR was analyzed by GC-MS, and BOx was isolated by chromatographic fractionation. Topical anti-inflammatory activities were determined by using the croton oil, capsaicin, histamine, and phenol-induced mouse ear edema models. N-acetyl-β-D- glucosaminidase (NAG) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, as well as NO dosage and histopathological analyses, were also evaluated. Phytochemical analysis of BdR showed BOx as one of the major constituents. BdR and BOx (both at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/ear) significantly reduced croton oil, histamine, and phenol-induced ear edema, while only BOx was effective in reducing capsaicin-induced edema. MPO and NAG activities, as well as NO production, were significantly inhibited by BdR and BOx. Histopathological analysis confirmed the topical anti-inflammatory properties of BdR and BOx. Our findings showed that BdR and BOx demonstrated significant topical anti-inflammatory effects in mouse ear edema induced by different agents, suggesting their possible application on skin inflammatory diseases.

Ring-fused 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-enes as novel neuroprotective agents with cholinesterase inhibitory properties

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is an intellectual disorder caused by organic brain damage and cerebral atrophy, characterized by the loss of memory, judgment, and abstract thinking followed by declining cognitive functions, language, and the ability to perform daily living activities. Many efforts have been made to decrease the effects of the disease but also to block the neurodegenerative process. Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are a group of medicines that act at the neurotransmission of acetylcholine, preventing its excessive breakdown and helping to improve cognitive functions in patients with AD. In this work, 16 chiral steroids, namely ring-fused 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-ene derivatives, their precursor and two 16-dehydroprogesterone-derived dioximes, were assessed as cholinesterase inhibitors and neuroprotective agents. The results demonstrated that some of the tested steroids are cholinesterase inhibitors and the majority selective for acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Albeit, one ring-fused 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-ene containing N-methylpiperidine ring (compound 2g) demonstrated to be a selective and potent inhibitor of the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme. (S)- 4,4a,5,6,7,8-(hexahydronaphthalen-2-one)-fused 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-ene (compound 6) showed high neuroprotective effect, high ability to restore the mitochondrial membrane potential from glutamate intoxication, and dramatic improvement in cell morphology. The described results provided relevant structure-activity relationship data.

Design and synthesis of functionalized 4-aryl-Catechol derivatives as new antiinflammtory agents with in vivo efficacy

Oxidative stress and inflammation are two conditions that coexist in many multifactorial diseases and the discovery of antioxidants is an attractive approach that can simultaneously tackle two or more therapeutic targets of the arachidonic acid cascade. We report that the simple structural variations on the 4-aryl-benzene-1,2-diol side-arm of the scaffold significantly influence the selectivity against 5-LOX vs 12- and 15-LOX. Derivatives 4 a-l were evaluated for their antioxidant activity, using the DPPH, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. Docking simulations proposed concrete binding of the catechol series to 5-LO. Selected active compound 4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)dibenzofuran (4l) was also tested in different in vivo mouse models of inflammation. 4l (0.1 mg/kg; i.p.) impaired (I) bronchoconstriction in ovalbumin-sensitized mice challenged with acetylcholine, (II) exudate formation in carrageenan-induced paw edema, and (III) zymosan-induced leukocyte infiltration in air pouches. These results pave the way for investigating the therapeutic potential of 4-aryl-benzene-1,2-diol, as novel multitarget therapeutic drugs, able to regulate the complex inflammatory cascade mechanisms.

Red Clover and the Importance of Extraction Processes—Ways in Which Extraction Techniques and Parameters Affect Trifolium pratense L. Extracts’ Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activities

The purpose of this study was to gain an insight into the manner in which several extraction processes (both classical as well as innovative) affected bioactive compound yield, and subsequently to assess several of their biological activities. Red clover extracts were obtained using maceration, Soxhlet extraction, turbo-extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and a combination of the last two. The resulting extracts were analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid content. The extracts presenting the best results were subjected to a phytochemical assessment by way of HPLC-MS analysis. After a final sorting based on the phytochemical profiles of the extracts, the samples were assessed for their antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and oxidative stress reduction potential, using animal inflammation models. The Soxhlet extraction yielded the most satisfactory results both qualitatively and quantitatively. The ultrasound-assisted extraction offered comparable yields. The extracts showed a high potential against gram-negative bacteria and induced a modest antioxidant effect on the experimental inflammation model in Wistar rats.

Discovery, total syntheses and potent anti-inflammatory activity of pyrrolinone-fused benzoazepine alkaloids Asperazepanones A and B from Aspergillus candidus

Natural products are well established as an important resource and play an important role in drug discovery. Here, two pyrrolinone-fused benzoazepine alkaloids, (+)-asperazepanones A (1) and B (2) with a 6/7/5 ring system, together with the artifact (-)-asperazepanone A (1), were isolated from the coral-derived Aspergillus candidus fungus. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculations. Furthermore, total syntheses of (±)-1 and (±)-2 have been achieved starting from the commercially L-aspartic acid diethyl ester hydrochloride and monoethyl malonate in 7 and 8 steps, respectively. The key step in the syntheses was an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction to build the unique tricyclic skeleton. Interestingly, (+)-2 not only showed obviously inhibitory activity against NO production, but also inhibited potent LPS-induced expression of TNF-α and IL-6 at the concentration of 0.1 μM. It thus represents a potentially promising lead for anti-inflammatory drug discovery.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Phthalide Analogs-1,2,4-Oxadiazole Hybrids as Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agents

A series of novel pathalide-1,2,4-oxadiazole analogs were synthesized for discovering novel anti-inflammatory agents. After the assessment of their cytotoxicity in vitro, all compounds had been screened for their anti-inflammatory activity by evaluating their inhibitory effect on LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. SARs had been concluded, and finally compound E13 was found to be the most potent compound. This compound could also significantly decrease the production of iNOS and COX-2. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that compound E13 could inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB and ERK/p38 signaling pathways. These findings indicate that E13 holds great potential to be a lead compound for discovering novel anti-inflammatory drugs.

InflamNat: web-based database and predictor of anti-inflammatory natural products

Natural products (NPs) are a valuable source for anti-inflammatory drug discovery. However, they are limited by the unpredictability of the structures and functions. Therefore, computational and data-driven pre-evaluation could enable more efficient NP-inspired drug development. Since NPs possess structural features that differ from synthetic compounds, models trained with synthetic compounds may not perform well with NPs. There is also an urgent demand for well-curated databases and user-friendly predictive tools. We presented a comprehensive online web platform (InflamNat, http://www.inflamnat.com/ or http://39.104.56.4/) for anti-inflammatory natural product research. InflamNat is a database containing the physicochemical properties, cellular anti-inflammatory bioactivities, and molecular targets of 1351 NPs that tested on their anti-inflammatory activities. InflamNat provides two machine learning-based predictive tools specifically designed for NPs that (a) predict the anti-inflammatory activity of NPs, and (b) predict the compound-target relationship for compounds and targets collected in the database but lacking existing relationship data. A novel multi-tokenization transformer model (MTT) was proposed as the sequential encoder for both predictive tools to obtain a high-quality representation of sequential data. The experimental results showed that the proposed predictive tools achieved an AUC value of 0.842 and 0.872 in the prediction of anti-inflammatory activity and compound-target interactions, respectively.

Modulation of Inflammation-Related Lipid Mediator Pathways by Celastrol During Human Macrophage Polarization

Background and Purpose

Celastrol (CS) is a major active ingredient of the Chinese/Asian herb Tripterygium wilfordii that is frequently used as phytomedicine to treat inflammation and autoimmune diseases. We showed before that short-term exposure to CS (1 µM) favorably impacts the biosynthesis of inflammation-related lipid mediators (LM) in human polarized macrophages by modulating the activities of different lipoxygenases (LOXs). However, whether CS regulates the expression of LOXs and other related LM-biosynthetic enzymes during macrophage polarization is unknown. Here, we investigated how CS affects LM-biosynthetic enzyme expression on the protein level and studied concomitant LM signature profiles during polarization of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) towards M1- and M2-like phenotypes.

Methods and Results

We used LM metabololipidomics to study the long-term effects of CS on LM profile signatures after manipulation of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) during polarization. Exposure of MDM to low concentrations of CS (ie, 0.2 µM) during polarization to an inflammatory M1 phenotype potently suppressed the formation of pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase (COX)- and 5-LOX-derived LM, especially prostaglandin (PG)E₂. Notably, gene and enzyme expression of COX-2 and microsomal PGE₂ synthase (mPGES)-1 as well as M1 markers were strongly decreased by CS during M1-MDM polarization, along with impaired activation of nuclear factor-κB and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. During IL-4-induced M2 polarization, CS decreased the capacity of the resulting M2-MDM to generate pro-inflammatory COX and 5-LOX products as well but it also reduced the formation of 12/15-LOX products and specialized pro-resolving mediators, without affecting the levels of liberated fatty acid substrates.

Conclusion

Depending on the timing and concentration, CS not only favorably affects LOX activities in macrophages but also the expression of LM-biosynthetic enzymes during macrophage polarization connected to changes of inflammation-related LM which might be of relevance for potential application of CS to treat inflammatory disorders.

Phenethoxy Derivatives with Anti-inflammatory Activities from the Betelnut Endophytic Trichoderma asperellum G10

Eight new phenethoxy derivatives, trichoasperellins A-H (1-8), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum G10 isolated from the medicinal plant Areca catechu L. The structures of these compounds were elucidated from spectroscopic data, J-based configurational analysis, and Mosher's methods. Compounds 1-4 and 6-8 bear one or two multioxidized C₇ moieties with the same carbon skeleton. The carbon skeletons of compounds 6-8 are new, all containing three moieties connected via two acetal carbons similar to those of disaccharide glycosides. Compound 4 inhibited nitric oxide production with an IC₅₀ value of 48.3 μM, comparable to that of the positive control indomethacin (IC₅₀, 42.3 μM).

Metabolic Reconfiguration Activates Stemness and Immunomodulation of PDLSCs

Periodontal ligament derived stem cells (PDLSC) are adult multipotent mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs) that can induce a promising immunomodulation to interact with immune cells for disease treatment. Metabolic reconfiguration has been shown to be involved in the immunomodulatory activity of MSCs. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown, and it remains a challenging to establish a therapeutic avenue to enhance immunomodulation of endogenous stem cells for disease management. In the present study, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis explores that curcumin significantly promotes PDLSC function through activation of MSC-related markers and metabolic pathways. In vitro stem cell characterization further confirms that self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capabilities are largely elevated in curcumin treated PDLSCs. Mechanistically, RNA-seq reveals that curcumin activates ERK and mTOR cascades through upregulating growth factor pathways for metabolic reconfiguration toward glycolysis. Interestingly, PDLSCs immunomodulation is significantly increased after curcumin treatment through activation of prostaglandin E2-Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (PGE2-IDO) signaling, whereas inhibition of glycolysis activity by 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) largely blocked immunomodulatory capacity of PDLSCs. Taken together, this study provides a novel pharmacological approach to activate endogenous stem cells through metabolic reprogramming for immunomodulation and tissue regeneration.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and acute oral toxicity profile of leaf and bark extracts of Albizia procera

Background

Pain and inflammation are associatory events in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis and other chronic diseases. Corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exert potential side effects on long term use. This study was aimed to investigate the acute oral toxicity, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of leaf and bark extracts of Albizia procera in experimental animal models.

Methods

Ethyl acetate, ethanol, and hydroalcoholic extracts of Albizia procera (leaf and bark) were subjected for acute oral toxicity, anti-inflammatory and analgesic screening. Carrageenan and cotton pellet granuloma models were used to assess acute and chronic anti-inflammatory effects, respectively. Intraplanar formalin test was used to assess the analgesic activity.

Results

All the extracts of Albizia procera were found to be well-tolerated up to 2000 mg/kg in female rats. Ethanolic leaf (ETLE) and bark (ETBE) of Albizia procera showed anti-inflammatory actions. But, only ETBE produced significant protection in chronic inflammation and analgesic activity.

Conclusion

In summary, Albizia procera possess significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. This study adds evidence on the traditional use of Albizia procera plant for treating painful inflammatory disorders.

Activation of Functional Somatic Stem Cells Promotes Endogenous Tissue Regeneration

Periodontal ligament derived stem cells (PDLSCs) are capable of differentiating into multiple cell types and inducing a promising immunomodulation for tissue regeneration and disease treatment. However, it is still challenging to develop a practical approach to activate endogenous stem cells for tissue self-healing and regeneration. In this study, transcriptome analysis reveals that resveratrol promotes PDLSC stemness through activation of stem cell, osteoprogenitor, and chondroprogenitor markers. Self-renewal and multipotent differentiation abilities are also improved in resveratrol-treated PDLSCs. In addition, immunomodulation of PDLSCs is dramatically increased after resveratrol treatment. Mechanistically, we show that resveratrol activates ERK/WNT crosstalk through elevation of olfactory and growth factor signaling pathways to upregulate the expression levels of RUNX2 and FASL for osteogenesis and immunomodulation, respectively. By using a periodontitis animal model, administration of resveratrol partially rescues bone loss through activation of endogenous somatic stem cells and inhibition of inflammatory T-cell infiltration. Taken together, our findings identify a novel pharmacological approach to achieve autotherapies for endogenous tissue regeneration.

Comparative evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity between n-butanol fraction, leaf and stem methanolic extract obtained from Olaxpsittacorum

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. traditionally used by the tribal communities of 'INDIA' to heal conditions such as pain, psoriasis, mouthulcer, anemia, constipation as well as diabetes followed by scientific evidences like antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer property too.

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

Solvent fractionation process by using chloroform, distilled water and n-butanol has been developed to get the precipitate as a fraction (encrypted as FrAE-ISO) of leaf methanolic extract (LME) and established GC-MS and antiinflammatory evaluation. The aim was to enumerate the potency against inflammation of FrAE-ISO comparing with LME, SME (Stem methanolic extract) and Diclofenac. TLC of LME extract has been developed too for separation & evaluation of the compounds appeared as bands obtained by scraping process. The motive of the experiment was to acquire an isolate from LME that can able to show an emense anti-inflammatory action compared to LME and SME.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Priliminary phytochemical screening upon LME, SME and FrAE-ISO preformed by the standard methods of literatures. Scrapped portions of developed TLC plate (G-254 graded silica) of LME (n-Hexane:Ethylacetate; 7.5:2.5) were introduced to GC-MS evaluation. FrAE-ISO has introduced at a minute quantity (5 and 10 mg/kg/bw) within Wister albino rats (per os) against inflammation (model: carrageenan-induced paw edema) to evaluate its potency as compared to LME (25 mg/kg/bw), SME (25 mg/kg/bw) and Diclofenac (100 mg/kg). GC-MS evaluation has been conducted in both FrAE-ISO and scrapped sections to evaluate the presence of compounds qualitatively.

RESULTS

LME and SME, qualitatively through different screening processes confirm the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, amino acids, tannins, and saponins respectively. According to the quantitative study of the extracts concerning total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, and saponin content equivalent to gallic acid, quercetin, tannic acid, and diosgenin respectively have shown less amount of phenolic, flavonoid, and saponin content in SME (30.95, 205.33 and 30.82 mg/g extract respectively) as compared to LME (95.68, 713.33 and 66.41 mg/g extract respectively). Quantitative estimation has shown the presence of 825.27 mg of saponin equivalent to diosgenin per gram of FrAE-ISO. The GC-MS study has revealed that every section of the leaf extract has " Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester " in common with other important compounds responsible for its potent contribution towards the anti-inflammatory property. The scrapped portions of the TLC plate having mixture of compounds but FrAE-ISO has shown a sharp peak in GC-MS (up to 34 min of run time) as well as few crystals like structures under the binocular microscope. Compact doses of FrAEISO (yield = 1.645%) i.e. 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight was able to compete with 100 mg/kg Diclofenac portraying 88%-95% inhibition respectively throughout all phases of inflammation with no-significant differences compared to standard evaluated by ANOVA (in SPSS).

CONCLUSION

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. could be a good choice to explore its importance within the pharmacognostic field of drug development and might be a better source of herbal-derived lead compounds which can help to treat other various activities like ulcer healing or anti-anemic property etc.

Medicinal Plants for Mitigating Pain and Inflammatory-Related Conditions: An Appraisal of Ethnobotanical Uses and Patterns in South Africa

In South Africa, traditional medicine remains the first point of call for a significant proportion of the population seeking primary healthcare needs. This is particularly important for treating common conditions including pain and inflammation which are often associated with many disease conditions. This review focuses on the analysis of the trend and pattern of plants used for mitigating pain and inflammatory-related conditions in South African folk medicine. An extensive search was conducted using various scientific databases and popular ethnobotanical literature focusing on South African ethnobotany. Based on the systematic analysis, 38 sources were selected to generate the inventory of 495 plants from 99 families that are considered as remedies for pain and inflammatory-related conditions (e.g., headache, toothache, backache, menstrual pain, and rheumatism) among different ethnic groups in South Africa. The majority (55%) of the 38 studies were recorded in three provinces, namely, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Western Cape. In terms of the number of mentions, the most popular plants used for pain and inflammatory-related conditions in South Africa were Ricinus communis L. (10), Aloe ferox Mill. (8), Pentanisia prunelloides subsp. latifolia (Hochst.) Verdc. (8), Dodonaea viscosa Jacq var. angustifolia (L.f) Benth. (8), (L.) W.T.Aiton. (7) Ruta graveolens L. (7), and Solanum aculeastrum Dunal. (7). The top five plant families represented were Asteraceae (13%), Fabaceae (8%), Apocynaceae (4.3%), Asparagaceae (4%), and Lamiaceae (4%). An estimated 54% of the recorded plants were woody (trees and shrubs) in nature, while the leaves (27%) and roots (25%) were the most dominant plant parts. The use of plants for alleviating pain and inflammatory-related conditions remains popular in South African folk medicine. The lagging ethnobotanical information from provinces such as North West, Gauteng, and Free State remains a gap that needs to be pursued meticulously in order to have a complete country-wide database.

Rhodomeroterpene alleviates macrophage infiltration and the inflammatory response in renal tissue to improve acute kidney injury

Inflammation is broadly recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI), but pharmacological approaches to alleviate inflammation in AKI have not been proved successful in clinical trials. Macrophage infiltration into renal tissue promotes inflammatory responses that contribute to the pathogenesis of AKI. Suppression of renal tissue inflammatory responses is postulated to improve renal injury of patients and animals. Rhodomeroterpene (RMT) is a novel meroterpenoid isolated from the Rhododendron genus that was shown to exert anti-inflammatory action in vivo or in vitro in this study. We investigated the treatment effects of RMT on LPS-induced sepsis and two different AKI models. The results showed that pretreatment with RMT (30 mg kg^-1  d^-1 , ip, for 3 days) significantly inhibited acute inflammatory responses in LPS-induced septic mice. In both renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) and sepsis-induced AKI models, RMT (30 mg kg^-1  d^-1 , ip, for 3 days) ameliorated renal function and injury and alleviated inflammation by reducing the infiltration of immune cells, including macrophages and neutrophils. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that RMT inhibits inflammatory responses in macrophages. The anti-inflammatory effects of RMT may be due to the inactivation of the IKK/NF-κB and PI3K/PDK1/Akt inflammatory signaling pathways in macrophages. Collectively, our findings indicate that RMT ameliorates renal injury and alleviates the renal inflammatory state in different AKI models, suggesting that RMT may be a potential agent for the treatment of AKI.

Synthesis and activities of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors can be divided into two categories: acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and butylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitors. Therefore, the development of selective inhibition of AChE and BuChE activities is the central content of ChE pharmacochemistry research. In order to clarify the progress of AChE inhibitor-based design, synthesis, and activity studies, we reviewed the pharmacochemical and pharmacological properties of selective AChE inhibitors over the past decade. We hope that this review will make it easier for readers to understand the development of new drug chemistry methods for AChE inhibitors in order to develop more effective and selective AChE inhibitors.

Zoology, chemical composition, pharmacology, quality control and future perspective of Musk (Moschus): a review

Musk, the dried secretion from the musk sac gland which is located between the navel and genitals of mature male musk deer, is utilized as oriental medicine in east Asia. It has been utilized to treat conditions such as stroke, coma, neurasthenia, convulsions, and heart diseases in China since ancient times. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of musk in zoology, chemical composition, pharmacology, clinical applications, and quality control according to the up-to-date literature. Studies found that musk mainly contains macrocyclic ketones, pyridine, steroids, fatty acids, amino acids, peptides, and proteins, whilst the main active ingredient is muscone. Modern pharmacological studies have proven that musk possesses potent anti-inflammatory effects, neuroprotective effects, anti-cancer effects, antioxidant effects, etc. Moreover, muscone, the main active ingredient, possesses anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and other pharmacological effects. In the quality control of musk, muscone is usually the main detection indicator, and the common analytical method is GC, and researchers have established novel and convenient methods such as HPLC-RI, RP-UPLC-ELSD, and Single-Sweep Polarography. In addition, quality evaluation methods based on steroids and the bioactivity of musk have been established. As for the identification of musk, due to various objective factors such as the availability of synthetic Muscone, it is not sufficient to rely on muscone alone as an identification index. To date, some novel technologies have also been introduced into the identification of musk, such as the electronic nose and DNA barcoding technology. In future research, more in vivo experiments and clinical studies are encouraged to fully explain the pharmacological effects and toxicity of musk, and more comprehensive methods are needed to evaluate and control the quality of musk.

Computer-Aided Drug Design Applied to Secondary Metabolites as Anticancer Agents

Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) techniques have garnered a great deal of attention in academia and industry because of their great versatility, low costs, possibilities of cost reduction in in vitro screening and in the development of synthetic steps; these techniques are compared with highthroughput screening, in particular for candidate drugs. The secondary metabolism of plants and other organisms provide substantial amounts of new chemical structures, many of which have numerous biological and pharmacological properties for virtually every existing disease, including cancer. In oncology, compounds such as vimblastine, vincristine, taxol, podophyllotoxin, captothecin and cytarabine are examples of how important natural products enhance the cancer-fighting therapeutic arsenal. In this context, this review presents an update of Ligand-Based Drug Design and Structure-Based Drug Design techniques applied to flavonoids, alkaloids and coumarins in the search of new compounds or fragments that can be used in oncology. A systematical search using various databases was performed. The search was limited to articles published in the last 10 years. The great diversity of chemical structures (coumarin, flavonoids and alkaloids) with cancer properties, associated with infinite synthetic possibilities for obtaining analogous compounds, creates a huge chemical environment with potential to be explored, and creates a major difficulty, for screening studies to select compounds with more promising activity for a selected target. CADD techniques appear to be the least expensive and most efficient alternatives to perform virtual screening studies, aiming to selected compounds with better activity profiles and better "drugability".

Citrus peel flavonoid nobiletin alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation by activating IL-6/STAT3/FOXO3a-mediated autophagy

Nobiletin, a polymethoxyflavone widely present in the peel of citrus fruits, has significant anti-inflammatory activity. Autophagy plays a critical role in maintaining cell homeostasis by promoting the degradation of intracellular structures in response to various stress. Recent research suggests the involvement of autophagy in the inflammatory process and therefore some inflammation-related diseases. However, the "cross-talk" between autophagy and nobiletin's anti-inflammation response remains not well elucidated. Therefore, this study was initiated with the aim of investigating the role of autophagy in nobiletin's protective effect against inflammation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Results showed that nobiletin significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the release of nitric oxide (NO) and decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, nobiletin significantly (P < 0.05) promoted autophagy as evidenced by the appearance of more autophagosomes, up-regulated LC3II protein, low-regulated p62 protein, and increased autophagy-related (Atg) genes' expression compared with the control treated with LPS alone. Addition of chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, alleviated nobiletin's anti-inflammatory effect, further supporting the requirement of an active autophagy process for the citrus peel flavonoid's biological activity. Mechanistically, we found that nobiletin treatment leads to activation of the IL-6/STAT3/FOXO3a signal pathway through the down-regulation of IL-6 and STAT3 phosphorylation and the upregulation of FOXO3a phosphorylation in the cell nucleus, which is responsible for induction of macrophage autophagy. Taken together, our study provides evidence that nobiletin suppresses inflammatory response through enhancing autophagy through activating the IL-6/STAT3/FOXO3a pathway in macrophage cells.

Metabolites of Marine Sediment-Derived Fungi: Actual Trends of Biological Activity Studies

Marine sediments are characterized by intense degradation of sedimenting organic matter in the water column and near surface sediments, combined with characteristically low temperatures and elevated pressures. Fungi are less represented in the microbial communities of sediments than bacteria and archaea and their relationships are competitive. This results in wide variety of secondary metabolites produced by marine sediment-derived fungi both for environmental adaptation and for interspecies interactions. Earlier marine fungal metabolites were investigated mainly for their antibacterial and antifungal activities, but now also as anticancer and cytoprotective drug candidates. This review aims to describe low-molecular-weight secondary metabolites of marine sediment-derived fungi in the context of their biological activity and covers research articles published between January 2016 and November 2020.

Anti-inflammatory potential of Portuguese thermal waters

In light of Medical Hydrology, thermal waters (TW) are all-natural mineral waters that emerge inside a thermal resort and have therapeutic applications. Their beneficial effect has been empirically recognized for centuries, being indicated for symptom alleviation and/or treatment of several diseases, almost all associated with inflammation. Indeed, an anti-inflammatory effect has been attributed to many different Portuguese TW but there is no scientific validation supporting this empiric knowledge. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of 14 TW pertaining to thermal centers located in the Central Region of Portugal, and grouped according to their ionic profile. Mouse macrophage cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist, were exposed to culture medium prepared in TW. Metabolism, nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression levels and the scavenging capacity of TW, were investigated in vitro. 11 out of 14 TW reduced NO production and/or iNOS expression, and/or scavenging activity, in macrophages exposed to LPS. The sulphated/calcic TW did not show any effect on at least one of the inflammatory parameters evaluated. Two sulphurous/bicarbonate/sodic TW and the sulphurous/chlorinated/sodic TW promoted an increase in NO production and/or iNOS expression. Our results validate, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory properties of Portuguese TW, supporting their therapeutic use in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases and promoting their putative application in cosmetic products and medical devices.

Cacalol Acetate, a Sesquiterpene from Psacalium decompositum, Exerts an Anti-inflammatory Effect through LPS/NF-KB Signaling in Raw 264.7 Macrophages

Inflammatory diseases remain critical health problems worldwide. The search for anti-inflammatory drugs is a primary activity in the pharmaceutical industry. Cacalol is a sesquiterpene with anti-inflammatory potential that is isolated from Psacalium decompositum, a medicinal plant with several scientific reports supporting its anti-inflammatory activity. Cacalol acetate (CA) is the most stable form. Nevertheless, the participation of CA in the main signaling pathway associated with inflammation is unknown. Our aim was to study the anti-inflammatory effect of CA and to determine its participation in NF-κB signaling. In TPA-induced edema in mice, CA produced 70.3% inhibition. To elucidate the influence of CA on the NF-κB pathway, RAW 264.7 macrophages were pretreated with CA and then stimulated with LPS, evaluating NF-ΚB activation, IKK phosphorylation, IΚB-α, p65, cytokine expression, and COX-2 release and activity. CA inhibited NF-κB activation and its upstream signaling, decreasing phosphorylation IKB-α and p65 levels. CA also reduced expression and secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Additionally, it decreased the activity and expression of COX-2 mRNA. These data support that CA regulates the NF-κB signaling pathway, which might explain, at least in part, its anti-inflammatory effect. CA is a bioactive molecule useful for the development of anti-inflammatory agents with innovative mechanisms of action.

So Uncommon and so Singular, but Underexplored: An Updated Overview on Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Sardinian Endemic Plants

The last decades have recorded an increase of plant-based drug discovery processes. Indeed, natural products possess a superior chemical diversity as compared to synthetic ones, leading to a renewal in searching for new therapeutic agents from the plant kingdom. In particular, since the structural variety of natural compounds reflects the biodiversity of their source organisms, regions of the world with high biodiversity and endemism deserve particular interest. In this context, Sardinia Island (Italy), with 290 endemic taxa (12% of the total flora), is expected to provide unique and structurally diverse phytochemicals for drug development. Several research groups built up a large program dedicated to the analysis of Sardinian endemic species, highlighting their peculiar features, both in respect of phytochemical and biological profiles. On this basis, the aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview on ethnobotanical uses, biological properties and phytoconstituents of Sardinian endemic plants in order to support their beneficial potential and to provide input for future investigations. We documented 152 articles published from 1965 to June 2020 in which a broad range of biological activities and the identification of previously undescribed compounds have been reported, supporting their great value as sources of therapeutic agents.

Synthesis of furocoumarin-stilbene hybrids as potential multifunctional drugs against multiple biochemical targets associated with Alzheimer's disease

A series of furocoumarin-stilbene hybrids has been synthesized and evaluated in vitro for inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinestarase (BChE), β-secretase, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and lipoxygenase-5 (LOX-5) activities including free radical-scavenging properties. Among these hybrids, 8-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-(3,5-dimethoxystyryl)furochromen-2-one 4h exhibited significant anticholinesterase activity and inhibitory effect against β-secretase, COX-2 and LOX-5 activities. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and an in vitro cell-based antioxidant activity assay involving lipopolysaccharide induced reactive oxygen species production revealed that 4h has capability of scavenging free radicals. Molecular docking into AChE, BChE, β-secretase, COX-2 and LOX-5 active sites has also been performed.

A Herbal Mixture from Propolis, Pomegranate, and Grape Pomace Endowed with Anti-Inflammatory Activity in an In Vivo Rheumatoid Arthritis Model

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by the production of inflammatory factors. In order to overcome the side effects of currently used anti-inflammatory drugs, several attempts have been made to identify natural products capable of relieving RA symptoms. In this work, a herbal preparation consisting of propolis, pomegranate peel, and Aglianico grape pomace (PPP) extracts (4:1:1) was designed and evaluated for its effect on a murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Firstly, the chemical contents of four different Italian propolis collected in the Campania region (Italy) were here reported for the first time. LC-MS analyses showed the presence of 38 constituents, identified in all propolis extracts, belonging to flavonoids and phenolic acids classes. The Pietradefusi extract was the richest one and thus was selected to design the PPP preparation for the in vivo assay. Our results highlight the impact of PPP on RA onset and progression. By using in vivo CIA models, the treatment with PPP resulted in a delayed onset of the disease and alleviated the severity of the clinical symptoms. Furthermore, we demonstrated that early PPP treatment was associated with a reduction in serum levels of IL-17, IL-1b, and IL-17–triggering cytokines.

Exploring Biological Activity of 4-Oxo-4H-furo[2,3-h]chromene Derivatives as Potential Multi-Target-Directed Ligands Inhibiting Cholinesterases, β-Secretase, Cyclooxygenase-2, and Lipoxygenase-5/15

A series of 5-oxo-5H-furo[3,2-g]chromene-6-carbaldehydes and their hydrazone derivatives were evaluated as potential multi-target-directed ligands in vitro against cholinesterases, β-secretase, cyclooxygenase-2, and lipoxygenase-15 (LOX-15), as well as for free radical-scavenging activities. The most active compounds against LOX-15 were also evaluated for activity against the human lipoxygenase-5 (LOX-5). Kinetic studies against AChE, BChE, and β-secretase (BACE-1) were performed on 2-(3-fluorophenyl)- (3b) and 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-[(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)hydrazonomethyl]furo[3,2-h]chromen-5-one (3e) complemented with molecular docking (in silico) to determine plausible protein-ligand interactions on a molecular level. The docking studies revealed hydrogen and/or halogen bonding interactions between the strong electron-withdrawing fluorine atoms of the trifluoromethyl group with several residues of the enzyme targets, which are probably responsible for the observed increased biological activity of these hydrazone derivatives. The two compounds were found to moderately inhibit COX-2 and lipoxygenases (LOX-5 and LOX-15). Compounds 3b and 3e were also evaluated for cytotoxicity against the breast cancer MCF-7 cell line and Hek293-T cells.