Protective effect of isoorientin-2″-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl isolated from Gypsophila elegans on alcohol induced hepatic fibrosis in rats

Molecular networking-assisted flavonoid profile of Gypsophila glomerata extract in relation to its protective effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatorenal damage in rats

The aim of the study was to provide an in-depth characterization of the methanol-aqueous extract from the aerial parts of Gypsophila glomerata Pall. Ex Adams (Caryophyllaceae) (EGG) and to assess its protective potential on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver and kidney damage in male Wistar rats. Twenty-two flavonoid C-, O- and C,O--glycosides in EGG were annotated by mass spectrometry--based molecular networking; nine of them are reported in this species for the first time. Fourteen-day oral administration of EGG at a dose 200 mg kg^-1 bm prevented significantly CCl₄-induced liver injury, discerned by an amelioration of the markers of oxidative stress (GSH and MDA) and transaminase activity. EGG decreased the serum level of urea and creatinine as well. The observed improvement of biochemical parameters was supported by histopathological observations. The protective hepatorenal effects of EGG, rich in 2"-О-pentosyl-6-С-hexosyl-apigenin/luteolin/ methylluteolin and their acetyl- and methoxycinnamoyl-derivatives, were comparable with the effects of the positive control silymarin.

In vitro production of flavonoids in cultures of Gypsophila glomerata

Effects of increased concentration of calcium chloride on growth and production of flavonoids in newly established shoot and callus Gypsophila glomerata cultures were studied. The highest impact of CaCl2 on the growth index was determined in callus cultures (GI = 0.92), while in shoot cultures calcium treatment reduced the amount of biomass (GI = 0.38). Total flavonoids in shoot cultures grown on MS medium and MS medium supplemented with double amount of CaCl2 were 0.36 mg/g d. w. In both callus cultures, 2 mg/g d. w. total flavonoids were quantified. Shoots and callus grown on non-modified media accumulated 0.02 mg/g d. w. quercetin derivatives. Unlike these, both shoots and callus grown on calcium-enriched media accumulated 0.03 and 0.05 mg/g d. w. of isorhamnetin derivatives. In vitro shoot cultures grown on MS medium enriched in twice the amount of CaCl2 accumulated the highest amount of saponarin (0.138 mg/mg d. w.).

Network-based modeling of herb combinations in traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years for treating human diseases. In comparison to modern medicine, one of the advantages of TCM is the principle of herb compatibility, known as TCM formulae. A TCM formula usually consists of multiple herbs to achieve the maximum treatment effects, where their interactions are believed to elicit the therapeutic effects. Despite being a fundamental component of TCM, the rationale of combining specific herb combinations remains unclear. In this study, we proposed a network-based method to quantify the interactions in herb pairs. We constructed a protein–protein interaction network for a given herb pair by retrieving the associated ingredients and protein targets, and determined multiple network-based distances including the closest, shortest, center, kernel, and separation, both at the ingredient and at the target levels. We found that the frequently used herb pairs tend to have shorter distances compared to random herb pairs, suggesting that a therapeutic herb pair is more likely to affect neighboring proteins in the human interactome. Furthermore, we found that the center distance determined at the ingredient level improves the discrimination of top-frequent herb pairs from random herb pairs, suggesting the rationale of considering the topologically important ingredients for inferring the mechanisms of action of TCM. Taken together, we have provided a network pharmacology framework to quantify the degree of herb interactions, which shall help explore the space of herb combinations more effectively to identify the synergistic compound interactions based on network topology.

Effect of nicotinamide riboside on lipid metabolism and gut microflora-bile acid axis in alcohol-exposed mice

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most common complication of alcohol abuse, while we lack safe and effective treatment for ALD. This study aimed to explore the effects of nicotinamide riboside (NR) on lipid metabolism and gut microflora-bile acid axis in alcohol-exposed mice. NR significantly improved liver histopathological damage and abnormal liver function. NR as a provider of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) increased the NAD+/NADH ratio. Meanwhile, NR inhibited the activation of the protein phosphatase 1 signaling pathway, decreased the liver triglyceride and total bile acid levels, and reduced lipid accumulation. According to the results of gut microflora species analysis, NR intervention changed the microbial community structure at the phylum, family and genus levels, and the species abundances returned to a level similar to these of the normal control group. Besides, the results of high-performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry showed that NR intervention resulted in fecal bile acid levels tending to be normal with decreased chenodeoxycholic acid level and increased deoxycholic acid and hyocholic acid levels. Spearman's correlation analysis showed a correlation between gut microflora and bile acids. Therefore, NR supplementation has the potential to prevent ALD, and its mechanism may be related to regulating lipid metabolism disorders and the gut microflora-bile acid axis.

Metabolomic Elucidation of the Effect of Sucrose on the Secondary Metabolite Profiles in Melissa officinalis by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Sucrose induces flavonoid accumulation in plants as a defense mechanism against various stresses. However, the relationship between the biosynthesis of flavonoids as secondary metabolites and sucrose levels remains unknown. To understand the change in flavonoid biosynthesis by sucrose, we conducted secondary metabolite profiling in Melissa officinalis treated with different levels of sucrose using ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The partial least squares-discriminant and hierarchical clustering analyses showed significant differences in secondary metabolite profiles in M. officinalis at 50, 150, and 300 mM sucrose levels. The levels of 3 flavonoids such as quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucoside, 6-methoxyaromadendrin 3-O-acetate, and 3-hydroxycoumarin and 19 flavonoids including 6-methoxyaromadendrin 3-O-acetate, aureusidin, iridin, flavonol 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-β-d-glucoside) quercetin 3-O-glucoside, and rutin increased at 150 and 300 mM sucrose, respectively, compared to 50 mM sucrose, indicating that the flavonoids were accumulated in M. officinalis by a higher concentration of sucrose. This is the first investigation of the change in individual flavonoids as secondary metabolites in M. officinalis by varying sucrose levels, and the results demonstrate that the sucrose causes the accumulation of certain flavonoids as a defense mechanism against osmotic stress.

Protective Effects of Fucoxanthin against Alcoholic Liver Injury by Activation of Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Defense and Inhibition of TLR4-Mediated Inflammation

Fucoxanthin (Fx) is a natural extract from marine seaweed that has strong antioxidant activity and a variety of other bioactive effects. This study elucidated the protective mechanism of Fx on alcoholic liver injury. Administration of Fx was associated with lower pathological effects in liver tissue and lower serum marker concentrations for liver damage induced by alcohol. Fx also alleviated oxidative stress, and lowered the level of oxides and inflammation in liver tissue. Results indicate that Fx attenuated alcohol-induced oxidative lesions and inflammatory responses by activating the nuclear factor erythrocyte-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated signaling pathway and down-regulating the expression of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, respectively. Our findings suggest that Fx can be developed as a potential nutraceutical for preventing alcohol-induced liver injury in the future.

Methyl helicterilate ameliorates alcohol-induced hepatic fibrosis by modulating TGF-β1/Smads pathway and mitochondria-dependent pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of Methyl helicterilate from Helicteres angustifolia (MHHA) on alcohol-induced hepatic fibrosis. The results showed that MHHA treatment markedly alleviated alcohol-induced liver injury and notably reduced collagen deposition in liver tissue. It significantly enhanced the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Moreover, MHHA treatment markedly decreased the content of inflammatory cytokines, alleviated collagen accumulation, and inhibited the expression of TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 in liver tissue. The experiments in cells showed that MHHA significantly inhibited HSC activation by blocking TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. Additionally, it notably induced HSC apoptosis by modulating the mitochondria-dependent pathway. The present study demonstrates that MHHA treatment significantly ameliorates alcoholic hepatic fibrosis and the underlying mechanism may be ascribed to the inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smads pathway and regulation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway.

Preliminary phytochemical analysis and evaluation of in vitro antioxidant, antiproliferative, antidiabetic, and anticholinergics effects of endemic Gypsophila taxa from Turkey

The phenolic contents and antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anticholinergic potentials of four endemic Gysophila taxa (G. pallida, G. arrosti, G. tuberculosa, and G. eriocalyx) were investigated. The HPLC analysis showed that methanol extracts of all the tested species were richer in phenolics than water extracts. 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin, syringic acid, and p-coumaric acid were detected in all extracts. In parallel to the phenolic contents, methanol extracts displayed comparatively higher antioxidant activity than water extracts. Additionally, all extracts exhibited dose-dependent antiproliferative activity on the cancer cell lines with lower IC₅₀ values changing from 0.170 to 1.805 mg/ml. Moreover, the extracts impressively inhibited the acetylcholinesterase (0.63-26.04), butyrylcholinesterase (3.66-10.73), and α-glycosidase (98.52-235.55) enzymes with very low IC₅₀ (mg/ml) values. Together, the present results indicate that Gysophila taxa have various biological activities together with higher phenolic contents. Hence, these species hold good potential for use in the pharmaceutical industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Gypsophila taxa having numerous biological activities have been used for different purpose in folk medicine as well as their use in the food industry. The obtained results of the current study indicated that the extracts of Gypsophila taxa are rich in phenolics and flavonoids with powerful antioxidant and antiproliferative activity against different type of cancer cell lines. In addition, the extracts obtained from these taxa showed notable antidiabetic and anticholinergics effects. Gypsophila taxa could be used as a natural material to develop anticancer, antidiabetic, and anticholinergic drugs.

Methyl helicterte ameliorates liver fibrosis by regulating miR-21-mediated ERK and TGF-β1/Smads pathways

Methyl helicterate (MH) has been reported to have protective effects against CCl₄-induced hepatic injury and fibrosis in rats, but its protective mechanism, especially on hepatic stallete cells (HSCs), remains unclear. Recently, our pilot experiment showed that MH could inhibit miR-21 expression in HSC-T6 cells, suggesting that miR-21 may be one of the targets of MH to intervene liver fibrosis. To verify the hypothesis, the present study would focus on the regulatory effect of MH on the miR-21-mediated ERK and TGF-β1/Smads pathways. Briefly, rats were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 ml porcine serum (PS) twice a week for 24 weeks to induce liver fibrosis, and meanwhile, the rats were treated with MH from weeks 16 to 24. In vitro experiment, miR-21 expression in HSC-T6 cells was up- or down-regulated using lentiviral transfection assay. Collagen accumulation, inflammatory cytokines, cell apoptosis, miR-21 expression, and activation of the ERK and TGF-β1/smad2/3 pathways were then assessed. The results showed that MH treatment markedly alleviated PS-induced liver injury, as evidenced by the attenuation of histopathological changes and the decrease in serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases activity. MH significantly decreased the content of inflammatory cytokines and recruited the anti-oxidative defense system. Moreover, MH treatment significantly decreased miR-21 expression and inhibited the activation of the ERK and TGF-β1/smad2/3 pathways in liver tissues. In vitro experiments showed that MH strongly inhibited HSC-T6 cell activation and reduced collagen accumulation. Interestingly, miR-21 overexpression significantly promoted HSC-T6 cell proliferation, reduced HSC apoptosis, and increased collagenation, while these abnormal changes induced by miR-21overexpression were significantly reversed by MH treatment. Furthermore, miR-21 overexpression notably activated the ERK and TGF-β1/Smads pathways via repressing SPRY2 and Smad7 expression respectively, however, these effects were largely abolished by MH treatment. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that MH significantly alleviates PS-induced liver injury and fibrosis by inhibiting miR-21-mediated ERK and TGF-β1/Smads pathways.

Shanxi Aged Vinegar Protects against Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury via Activating Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant and Inhibiting TLR4-Induced Inflammatory Response

Shanxi aged vinegar (SAV) is a typical fermented and antioxidant food, which has various health-promoting effects. This work aimed to explore the effects of SAV on alcohol-induced liver injury. A mice model of alcoholic liver injury was established to illuminate its potential mechanisms. All mice pretreated with SAV and then received an ethanol solution (50% w/v, 4.8 g/kg b.w.). The results showed that SAV ameliorated alcohol-induced histological changes and elevation of liver enzymes. SAV attenuated alcohol-induced oxidative stress by declining levels of hepatic oxidants, and restoring depletion of antioxidant enzyme activities in mice livers. Moreover, SAV alleviated alcohol-induced oxidative damage by activating nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated signal pathway. In addition, SAV prevented alcohol-induced inflammation by suppressing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level and activities of pro-inflammatory enzymes, and regulating inflammatory cytokines. SAV inhibited alcohol-induced inflammation through down-regulating the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated inflammatory response. The findings provide crucial evidence for elucidating the hepatoprotective mechanisms of SAV and encourage the future application of SAV as a functional food for liver protection.

Chemical characterization with in vitro biological activities of Gypsophila species

Methanol-aqueous extracts from the aerial parts of Gypsophila glomerata (GGE), G. trichotoma (GTE) and G. perfoliata (GPE) were investigated for antioxidant potential using different in vitro models, as well as for phenolic and flavonoid contents. The possible anti-cholinesterase, anti-tyrosinase, anti-amylase and anti-glucosidase activities were also tested. The flavonoid variability was analyzed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Eleven C-glycosyl flavones and 4 O-glycosyl flavonoids, including 2"-O-pentosyl-6-C-hexosyl-apigenin/methylluteolin, as well as their mono(di)-acetyl derivatives were found in GGE. Both GGE and GTE shared 2"-pentosyl-6-C-hexosyl-luteolin together with the common saponarin, homoorientin, orientin, isovitexin and vitexin, while di C-glycosyl flavones were evidenced only in GPE. The highest radical scavenging in both ABTS and DPPH assays was noted in GPE, as well as ferric and cupric reducing abilities. However, GTE had the strongest metal chelating activity (17.44 ± 0.51 mg EDTAE/g extract). GPE and GGE were more potent as acetylcholinesterases inhibitors witnessed by 2.09 ± 0.02 mg GALAE/g extract and 1.59 ± 0.09 mgGALAE/g extract, respectively. All flavonoids were found in G. glomerata for the first time. Therefore, further isolation and structural elucidation of newly described acetylated flavonoids are needed in order to determine their relevance in the beneficial properties of the plant.

Gypsophila elegans isoorientin-2″-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl ameliorates porcine serum-induced immune liver fibrosis by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway and suppressing HSC activation

The present study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Gypsophila elegans isoorientin-2″-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl (GEI) on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), to reveal the underlying mechanism of GEI against hepatic fibrosis. Our study showed that GEI significantly alleviated liver injury induced by porcine serum (PS) in rats; it notably alleviated collagen accumulation as evidenced by a significant decrease in the levels of collagen biomarkers including hyaluronic acid, laminin, hydroxyproline and procollagen III N-terminal peptide. Moreover, GEI treatment markedly decreased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and significantly inhibited the generation of excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) components by restoring the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Additionally, the cell experiments in vitro showed that GEI strongly inhibited HSC proliferation, migration and clonogenicity and markedly induced HSC apoptosis. Moreover, GEI caused cell cycle arrest at G2 phase. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that GEI significantly alleviates PS-induced hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, restoring the balance between MMPs and TIMPs, and suppressing HSC activation.

Plants Producing Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins in Traditional Medicine

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are enzymes that deadenylate nucleic acids and are broadly distributed in the plant kingdom. Many plants that contain RIPs are listed in the pharmacopoeias of folk medicine all over the world, mostly because of their toxicity. This review analyses the position occupied in traditional medicine by plants from which RIPs have been isolated. The overview starts from the antique age of the Mediterranean area with ancient Egypt, followed by the Greek and Roman classic period. Then, the ancient oriental civilizations of China and India are evaluated. More recently, Unani medicine and European folk medicine are examined. Finally, the African and American folk medicines are taken into consideration. In conclusion, a list of RIP-expressing plants, which have been used in folk medicine, is provided with the geographical distribution and the prescriptions that are recommended by traditional healers. Some final considerations are provided on the present utilization of such herbal treatments, both in developing and developed countries, often in the absence of scientific validation. The most promising prospect for the medicinal use of RIP-expressing plants is the conjugation of purified RIPs to antibodies that recognise tumour antigens for cancer therapy.

Isoorientin from Gypsophila elegans induces apoptosis in liver cancer cells via mitochondrial-mediated pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gypsophila elegans has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for treating immune disorders and chronic liver diseases in China. The aim of this study is to isolate an active ingredient from this herb and investigate its anti-tumor activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An active ingredient was isolated from the ethanol extract using bioassay-guided screening. And its anti-tumor activity was analyzed by testing the cytotoxicity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, clonogenecity and migration in HepG2 cells. To investigate its potential mechanism, cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytochrome c, mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and caspase level were determined in liver cancer cell line HepG2.

RESULTS

A flavonoid glycoside, i.e., G. elegans isoorientin (GEI), was isolated from this herb and identified as Isoorientin-2″-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl. Our results showed that GEI significantly inhibited the viability and proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and its cytotoxic effect was also confirmed by the elevated level of LDH. GEI treatment could markedly inhibit the clonogenicity and migration of HepG2 cells. Moreover, GEI induced remarkable apoptotic death of HepG2 cells through cell cycle arrest at G1 phase via the regulation of cell cycle-related genes, such as cyclin D, cyclin E and CDK2. Further study showed that GEI treatment significantly elevated ROS formation, followed by attenuation of MMP via up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2, accompanied by cytochrome c release to the cytosol. In addition, GEI treatment resulted in a significant dose-dependent increase in caspase-3 and -9 proteolytic activities.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that the ability of GEI to induce apoptosis against HepG2 cells mediated by mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

Protective effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on alcohol-induced liver injury in rats

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), the main active natural constituent extracted from Carthamus tinctorius L., has been widely used for the treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of HSYA on alcohol-induced liver injury and the underlying mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish the liver injury model induced by alcohol. HSYA treatment ameliorated serum biochemical indicators by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hyaluronan (HA), laminin (LN), and type III precollagen (III-C) in rats. HSYA efficiently increased the activity and messenger RNA (mRNA) of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in rat liver tissue compared with those of model group, which was obviously reduced by alcohol. HSYA also apparently decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat liver tissue compared with those of model group, which was obviously enhanced by alcohol. Histological studies demonstrated that HSYA substantially reduced the number of macro- and micro-vesicular steatosis, suppressed hepatic fibrogenesis and shrunk ballooning degeneration areas, ameliorated the severity of liver damage induced by long-term drinking, and finally improved the liver architecture. In addition, immunohistochemistry study indicated that the activation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) stimulated by alcohol in rat liver tissue was significantly blocked by HSYA. Collectively, these data demonstrated that HSYA can effectively protect the liver of rats from long-term alcohol injury, which relates with the enhanced antioxidant capacity of liver tissues and inhibition of TGF-β1 expression.

Urinary metabolic profiling of rat models revealed protective function of scoparone against alcohol induced hepatotoxicity

Alcohol-induced liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of non-accident-related deaths in the world. Identification of an early specific signature of ALD would aid in therapeutic intervention. Scoparone is an important constituent of Yinchenhao, and displayed bright prospects in hepatoprotective effect. However, its precise molecular mechanism has not been well explored. The present study was designed to assess the effects and possible mechanisms of scoparone against alcohol-induced liver injury. UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF/MS combined with pattern recognition approaches including PCA, and PLS-DA were integrated to get differentiating metabolites for the pathways and clarify mechanisms of disease, highlight insights into drug discovery. The results indicated four ions in the positive mode were characterized as potential differentiating metabolites which can be regulated by scoparone treatment, and suggested that therapeutic effect of scoparone could regulated the dysfunctions of citrate cycle, sphingolipid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine.

Analysis of flavone C-glycosides in the leaves of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau by HPTLC and HPLC-UV/DAD

Clinacanthus nutans (family Acanthaceae) has been used for the treatment of inflammation and herpes viral infection. Currently, there has not been any report on the qualitative and quantitative determination of the chemical markers in the leaves of C. nutans. The C-glycosidic flavones such as shaftoside, isoorientin, orientin, isovitexin, and vitexin have been found to be major flavonoids in the leaves of this plant. Therefore, we had developed a two-step method using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the rapid identification and quantification of the flavones C-glycosides in C. nutans leaves. The TLC separation of the chemical markers was achieved on silica gel 60 plate using ethyl acetate : formic acid : acetic acid : water (100 : 11 : 11 : 27 v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. HPLC method was optimized and validated for the quantification of shaftoside, orientin, isovitexin, and vitexin and was shown to be linear in concentration range tested (0.4–200 μg/mL, r² ≥ 0.996), precise (RSD ≤ 4.54%), and accurate (95–105%). The concentration of shaftoside, orientin, vitexin, and isovitexin in C. nutans leave samples was 2.55–17.43, 0.00–0.86, 0.00–2.01, and 0.00–0.91 mmol/g, respectively.