Ginkgetin: A natural biflavone with versatile pharmacological activities

Antibacterial potential of Euphorbia canariensis against Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria causing respiratory tract infections

The widespread dissemination of bacterial resistance has led to great attention being paid to finding substitutes for traditionally used antibiotics. Plants are rich in various phytochemicals that could be used as antibacterial therapies. Here, we elucidate the phytochemical profile of Euphorbia canariensis ethanol extract (EMEE) and then elucidate the antibacterial potential of ECEE against Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. ECEE showed minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 128 to 512 µg/mL. The impact of ECEE on the biofilm-forming ability of the tested isolates was elucidated using crystal violet assay and qRT-PCR to study its effect on the gene expression level. ECEE exhibited antibiofilm potential, which resulted in a downregulation of the expression of the biofilm genes (algD, pelF, and pslD) in 39.13% of the tested isolates. The antibacterial potential of ECEE was studied in vivo using a lung infection model in mice. A remarkable improvement was observed in the ECEE-treated group, as revealed by the histological and immunohistochemical studies. Also, ELISA showed a noticeable decrease in the oxidative stress markers (nitric oxide and malondialdehyde). The gene expression of the proinflammatory marker (interleukin-6) was downregulated, while the anti-inflammatory biomarker was upregulated (interleukin-10). Thus, clinical trials should be performed soon to explore the potential antibacterial activity of ECEE, which could help in our battle against resistant pathogenic bacteria.

Optimization of α-L-arabinofuranosidase CcABF on clarification and beneficial active substances in fermented ginkgo kernel juice by artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

This study aimed at using α-L-arabinofuranosidase CcABF to improve the clarity and active substances in fermented ginkgo kernel juice by artificial neural network (ANN) modeling and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. A credible three-layer feedforward ANN model was established to predict the optimal parameters for CcABF clarification. The experiments proved the highest transmittance of 89.40% for fermented ginkgo kernel juice with this understanding, which exhibited a 25.56% increase over the unclarified group. With the clarification of CcABF, the antioxidant capacity in juice was enhanced with the increase of total phenolic and flavone contents, and the maximum DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates were increased by 89.71% and 26.65%, respectively. The contents of toxic ginkgolic acids declined markedly, while the active ingredients of ginkgetin and ginkgolide B showed a modest increase. Moreover, changes in free amino acids and volatile compounds improved the nutritive value and flavor of clarified fermented ginkgo kernel juice.

Inducing ferroptosis by traditional medicines: a novel approach to reverse chemoresistance in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of global cancer-related deaths. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the first-line treatment for the most common type of lung cancer, i.e., non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its therapeutic efficiency is limited by chemotherapeutic resistance. Therefore, it is vital to develop effective therapeutic modalities that bypass the common molecular mechanisms associated with chemotherapeutic resistance. Ferroptosis is a form of non-apoptotic regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (LPO). Ferroptosis is crucial for the proper therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer-associated chemotherapies. If targeted as a novel therapeutic mechanism, ferroptosis modulators present new opportunities for increasing the therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer chemotherapy. Emerging studies have revealed that the pharmacological induction of ferroptosis using natural compounds boosts the efficacy of chemotherapy in lung cancer or drug-resistant cancer. In this review, we first discuss chemotherapeutic resistance (or chemoresistance) in lung cancer and introduce the core mechanisms behind ferroptosis. Then, we comprehensively summarize the small-molecule compounds sourced from traditional medicines that may boost the anti-tumor activity of current chemotherapeutic agents and overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in NSCLC. Cumulatively, we suggest that traditional medicines with ferroptosis-related anticancer activity could serve as a starting point to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in NSCLC by inducing ferroptosis, highlighting new potential therapeutic regimens used to overcome chemoresistance in NSCLC.

Recent advances in flavonoid compounds for the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a malignant epithelial tumor of the prostate gland and is the most common malignant tumor of the male genitourinary system. Pharmacological therapies, including chemotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy, play a key role in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, drug resistance and side effects limit the use of these drugs and so there is a need for new drug therapies for prostate cancer patients. Flavonoids, with their wide range of sources and diverse biological activities, have attracted much attention in the field of anti-tumor drug screening. In 2016, at least 58 flavonoids were reported to have anti-prostate cancer activity. In recent years, six additional flavonoid compounds have been found to have anti-prostate cancer potential. In this review, we have collected a large amount of evidence on the anti-prostate cancer effects of these six flavonoids, including a large number of cellular experiments and a small number of preclinical animal experiments. In addition, we predicted their drug-forming properties using Schrödinger's QikProp software and ADMETlab due to the lack of in vivo pharmacokinetic data for the six compounds. In conclusion, this review has fully confirmed the anti-prostate cancer effects of these six flavonoids, summarized their mechanisms of action and predicted their druggability. It provides a reference for the further development of these compounds into anti-prostate cancer drugs.

Emerging trends of phytochemicals as ferroptosis modulators in cancer therapy

Ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by dependence on iron and lipid peroxidation, has been implicated in a wide range of clinical conditions including neurological diseases, cardiovascular disorders, acute kidney failure, and various types of cancer. Therefore, it is critical to suppress cancer progression and proliferation. Ferroptosis can be triggered in cancer cells and some normal cells by synthetic substances, such as erastin, Ras-selective lethal small molecule-3, or clinical pharmaceuticals. Natural bioactive compounds are traditional drug discovery tools, and some have been therapeutically used as dietary additives or pharmaceutical agents against various malignancies. The fact that natural products have multiple targets and minimal side effects has led to notable advances in anticancer research. Research has indicated that ferroptosis can also be induced by natural compounds during cancer treatment. In this review, we focused on the most recent developments in emerging molecular processes and the significance of ferroptosis in cancer. To provide new perspectives on the future development of ferroptosis-related anticancer medications, we also provide a summary of the implications of natural phytochemicals in triggering ferroptosis through ROS production and ferritinophagy induction in a variety of malignancies.

Induction of ferroptosis by natural phenols: A promising strategy for cancer therapy

In recent years, heightened interest surrounds the exploration of natural phenols as potential agents for cancer therapy, specifically by inducing ferroptosis, a unique form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. This review delves into the roles of key natural phenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, curcumin, and stilbenes, in modulating ferroptosis and their underlying mechanisms. Emphasizing the significance of amino acid, lipid, and iron metabolism, the study elucidates the diverse pathways through which these phenols regulate ferroptosis. Notably, curcumin, a well-known polyphenol, exhibits multifaceted interactions with cellular components involved in ferroptosis regulation, providing a distinctive therapeutic avenue. Stilbenes, another phenolic class, demonstrate promising potential in influencing lipid metabolism and iron-dependent processes, contributing to ferroptotic cell death. Understanding the intricate interplay between these natural phenols and ferroptosis not only illuminates complex cellular regulatory networks but also unveils potential avenues for novel cancer therapies. Exploring these compounds as inducers of ferroptosis presents a promising strategy for targeted cancer treatment, capitalizing on the delicate balance between cellular metabolism and regulated cell death mechanisms. This article synthesizes current knowledge, aiming to stimulate further research into the therapeutic potential of natural phenols in the context of ferroptosis-mediated cancer therapy.

Ginkgetin exhibits antifibrotic effects by inducing hepatic stellate cell apoptosis via STAT1 activation

Liver fibrosis affects approximately 800 million patients worldwide, with over 2 million deaths each year. Nevertheless, there are no approved medications for treating liver fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the impacts of ginkgetin on liver fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms. The impacts of ginkgetin on liver fibrosis were assessed in mouse models induced by thioacetamide or bile duct ligation. Experiments on human LX-2 cells and primary mouse hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms, which were also validated in the mouse models. Ginkgetin significantly decreased hepatic extracellular matrix deposition and HSC activation in the fibrotic models induced by thioacetamide (TAA) and bile duct ligation (BDL). Beneficial effects also existed in inhibiting hepatic inflammation and improving liver function. In vitro experiments showed that ginkgetin markedly inhibited HSC viability and induced HSC apoptosis dose-dependently. Mechanistic studies revealed that the antifibrotic effects of ginkgetin depend on STAT1 activation, as the effects were abolished in vitro after STAT1 silencing and in vivo after inhibiting STAT1 activation by fludarabine. Moreover, we observed a meaningful cross-talk between HSCs and hepatocytes, in which IL-6, released by ginkgetin-induced apoptotic HSCs, enhanced hepatocyte proliferation by activating STAT3 signaling. Ginkgetin exhibits antifibrotic effects by inducing HSC apoptosis via STAT1 activation and enhances hepatocyte proliferation secondary to HSC apoptosis via the IL-6/STAT3 pathway.

Novel insight into the therapeutical potential of flavonoids from traditional Chinese medicine against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a major contributor to poor prognosis of ischemic stroke. Flavonoids are a broad family of plant polyphenols which are abundant in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and have beneficial effects on several diseases including ischemic stroke. Accumulating studies have indicated that flavonoids derived from herbal TCM are effective in alleviating CIRI after ischemic stroke in vitro or in vivo, and exhibit favourable therapeutical potential. Herein, we systematically review the classification, metabolic absorption, neuroprotective efficacy, and mechanisms of TCM flavonoids against CIRI. The literature suggest that flavonoids exert potential medicinal functions including suppressing excitotoxicity, Ca2+ overloading, oxidative stress, inflammation, thrombin's cellular toxicity, different types of programmed cell deaths, and protecting the blood-brain barrier, as well as promoting neurogenesis in the recovery stage following ischemic stroke. Furthermore, we identified certain matters that should be taken into account in future research, as well as proposed difficulties and opportunities in transforming TCM-derived flavonoids into medications or functional foods for the treatment or prevention of CIRI. Overall, in this review we aim to provide novel ideas for the identification of new prospective medication candidates for the therapeutic strategy against ischemic stroke.

Ginkgetin effectively mitigates collagen and AA-induced platelet activation via PLCγ2 but not cyclic nucleotide-dependent pathway in human

Platelets assume a pivotal role in the cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Thus, targeting platelet activation is imperative for mitigating CVDs. Ginkgetin (GK), from Ginkgo biloba L, renowned for its anticancer and neuroprotective properties, remains unexplored concerning its impact on platelet activation, particularly in humans. In this investigation, we delved into the intricate mechanisms through which GK influences human platelets. At low concentrations (0.5-1 μM), GK exhibited robust inhibition of collagen and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation. Intriguingly, thrombin and U46619 remained impervious to GK's influence. GK's modulatory effect extended to ATP release, P-selectin expression, intracellular calcium ([Ca2+ ]i) levels and thromboxane A2 formation. It significantly curtailed the activation of various signaling cascades, encompassing phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2)/protein kinase C (PKC), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β and mitogen-activated protein kinases. GK's antiplatelet effect was not reversed by SQ22536 (an adenylate cyclase inhibitor) or ODQ (a guanylate cyclase inhibitor), and GK had no effect on the phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoproteinSer157 or Ser239 . Moreover, neither cyclic AMP nor cyclic GMP levels were significantly increased after GK treatment. In mouse studies, GK notably extended occlusion time in mesenteric vessels, while sparing bleeding time. In conclusion, GK's profound impact on platelet activation, achieved through inhibiting PLCγ2-PKC cascade, culminates in the suppression of downstream signaling and, ultimately, the inhibition of platelet aggregation. These findings underscore the promising therapeutic potential of GK in the CVDs.

Sulforaphane ameliorate Arsenic induced cardiotoxicity in rats: Role of PI3k/Akt mediated Nrf2 signaling pathway

Arsenic (As) toxicity can generate reactive free radicals, which play an important role in the evolution of cardiomyopathy. The aim of this research is to see if sulforaphane (SFN) protects against As-induced heart damage, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial complex dysfunction via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. The rats were placed into four groups, each with eight rats. Group 1: Normal rats (control group); Group 2: Treatment group (5 mg/kg body weight); Group 3: SFN+As-treatment group (80 mg/kg body weight + 5 mg/kg body weight); Group 4: SFN group only (80 mg/kg body weight). The swot will last 4 weeks. At the end of the intermission (28 days), all of the rats starved overnight and killed with cervical decapitation. As administration considerably (p < 0.05) inflated the extent of free radicals (O2-, OH-), lipoid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal), lipoid profile (low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C), total cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipids), cardiac Troponin (cTnT&I), and Mitochondrial complex III. A noteworthy (p < 0.05) diminish the level of HDL-C, Mitochondrial complex I and II, enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase), and nonenzymatic antioxidant (glutathione and total sulfhydryl groups) and PI3k, Akt, and Nrf2 sequence in As treated rats. The western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, flowcytometric, and histology studies all corroborated the biochemical findings which revealed significant heart damage in rats. Pretreatment with SFN significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the invitro free radicals, lipid oxidative indicators, mitochondrial complex, lipid profiles, and increased phase II antioxidants in the heart. This result shows that dietary supplementation of SFN protects against As-induced cardiotoxicity via PI3k/Akt/Nrf2 pathway in rats.

Novel Insights on Ferroptosis Modulation as Potential Strategy for Cancer Treatment: When Nature Kills

Significance: The multifactorial nature of the mechanisms implicated in cancer development still represents a major issue for the success of established antitumor therapies. The discovery of ferroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis, along with the identification of the molecular pathways activated during its execution, has led to the uncovering of novel molecules characterized by ferroptosis-inducing properties. Recent advances: As of today, the ferroptosis-inducing properties of compounds derived from natural sources have been investigated and interesting findings have been reported both in vitro and in vivo. Critical Issues: Despite the efforts made so far, only a limited number of synthetic compounds have been identified as ferroptosis inducers, and their utilization is still limited to basic research. In this review, we analyzed the most important biochemical pathways involved in ferroptosis execution, with particular attention to the newest literature findings on canonical and non-canonical hallmarks, together with mechanisms of action of natural compounds identified as novel ferroptosis inducers. Compounds have been classified based on their chemical structure, and modulation of ferroptosis-related biochemical pathways has been reported. Future Directions: The outcomes herein collected represent a fascinating starting point from which to take hints for future drug discovery studies aimed at identifying ferroptosis-inducing natural compounds for anticancer therapies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 40, 40-85.

A review for cancer treatment with mushroom metabolites through targeting mitochondrial signaling pathway: In vitro and in vivo evaluations, clinical studies and future prospects for mycomedicine

Resistance to apoptosis stands as a roadblock to the successful pharmacological execution of anticancer drug effect. A comprehensive insight into apoptotic signaling pathways and an understanding of the mechanisms of apoptosis resistance are crucial to unveil new drug targets. At this juncture, researchers are heading towards natural sources in particular, mushroom as their potential drugs leads to being the reliable source of potent bioactive compounds. Given the continuous increase in cancer cases, the potent anticancer efficacy of mushrooms has inevitably become a fascinating object to researchers due to their higher safety margin and multitarget. This review aimed to collect and summarize all the available scientific data on mushrooms from their extracts to bioactive molecules in order to suggest their anticancer attributes via a mitochondrion -mediated intrinsic signaling mechanism. Compiled data revealed that bioactive components of mushrooms including polysaccharides, sterols and terpenoids as well as extracts prepared using 15 different solvents from 53 species could be effective in the supportive treatment of 20 various cancers. The underlying therapeutic mechanisms of the studied mushrooms are explored in this review through diverse and complementary investigations: in vitro assays, pre-clinical studies and clinical randomized controlled trials. The processes mainly involved were ROS production, mitochondrial membrane dysfunction, and action of caspase 3, caspase 9, XIAP, cIAP, p53, Bax, and Bcl-2. In summary, the study provides facts pertaining to the potential beneficial effect of mushroom extracts and their active compounds against various types of cancer and is shedding light on the underlying targeted signaling pathways.

Protective effects of baicalin on diethyl nitrosamine-induced liver cirrhosis by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation

Baicalin (BA) is a natural product extract with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties. Given that the exact underlying mechanisms responsible for the impact of BA on liver cirrhosis remain ambiguous, a detailed investigation is sorely needed. Accordingly, a rat liver cirrhosis model was established via the intraperitoneal injection of diethyl nitrosamine (DEN, 100 mg/kg). Following the modeling, these rats were given BA (100 mg/kg) or N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 150 mg/kg) alone or in combination. The pathological morphology of rat liver tissues in each group was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining. The expression of fibrosis-related proteins was evaluated by Western blot, and the levels of liver function-related biochemical indexes, oxidative stress-related indexes, and inflammatory factors in the serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species was measured by flow cytometry. The results depicted that in the rat model of DEN-induced liver cirrhosis, BA reduced the expression of fibrosis-related proteins (collagen type I alpha 1, α-smooth muscle actin, and transforming growth factor-β1), thereby alleviating the structural fibrosis of liver tissue. Furthermore, BA could diminish the level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, and the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), while promoting albumin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels. Notably, all these effects of BA above were strengthened following the combined treatment of BA and NAC. On the whole, BA suppresses liver fibrosis by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby exerting a hepatoprotective effect.

Modular Approach for the Synthesis and Bioactivity Profiling of 8,8'-Biflavones

In this work, we report the scalable and modular synthesis of a library of 55 monomeric and dimeric flavonoids including 14 8,8'-biflavones. The sterically demanding tetra-ortho-substituted axis of an acetophenone dimer key intermediate was constructed in a regioselective manner using Fe-mediated oxidative coupling. This step was systematically optimized and performed on up to multigram scale. The biological activities of this compound library were evaluated, including cytotoxicity against healthy and malignant human cell lines, antimicrobial activity against the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, and antioxidant capacity. A marked increase in activity for the 8,8'-dimeric structures compared to that of their monomeric counterparts was observed. Several biflavones were identified with high selectivity indices (low cytotoxicity and high antiprotozoal activity), showing that this class of natural products may serve as lead structures for further investigations.

Beneficial effects of ginkgetin on improving nonalcoholic steatohepatitis characterized by bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis

Background and aims: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become one of the major causes of cirrhosis and liver failure. However, there are currently no approved medications for managing NASH. Our study was designed to assess the effects of ginkgetin on NASH and the involved mechanisms. Methods: We constructed a mouse model of NASH by high-fat diet for 24 weeks. The effects of ginkgetin on NASH were evaluated by histological study, Western blot, and biochemical analysis. RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis was used to investigate the alteration in gene expression and signaling pathways at bulk and single-cell levels. Results: Administration of ginkgetin resulted in a marked improvement in hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis in the NASH model. And these results were supported by bulk RNA-Seq analysis, in which the related signaling pathways and gene expression were markedly downregulated. Furthermore, single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) analysis revealed that the effects of ginkgetin on NASH were associated with the reprogramming of macrophages, hepatic stellate cells, and endothelial cells. Especially, ginkgetin induced a marked decrease in macrophages and a shift from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotype in NASH mice. And the NASH-associated macrophages (NAMs), which emerge during NASH, were also significantly downregulated by ginkgetin. Conclusion: Ginkgetin exhibits beneficial effects on improving NASH, supported by bulk and single-cell RNA-Seq. Our study may promote pharmacological therapy for NASH and raise the existent understanding of NASH.

Omics data analysis reveals common molecular basis of small cell lung cancer and COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 infection on individuals with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) poses a serious threat. Unfortunately, the molecular basis of this severe comorbidity has yet to be elucidated. The present study addresses this gap utilizing publicly available omics data of COVID-19 and SCLC to explore the key molecules and associated pathways involved in the convergence of these diseases. Findings revealed 402 genes, that exhibited differential expression patterns in SCLC patients and also play a pivotal role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Subsequent functional enrichment analyses identified relevant ontologies and pathways that are significantly associated with these genes, revealing important insights into their potential biological, molecular and cellular functions. The protein-protein interaction network, constructed under four combinatorial topological assessments, highlighted SMAD3, CAV1, PIK3R1, and FN1 as the primary components to this comorbidity. Our results suggest that these components significantly regulate this cross-talk triggering the PI3K-AKT and TGF-β signaling pathways. Lastly, this study made a multi-step computational attempt and identified corylifol A and ginkgetin from natural sources that can potentially inhibit these components. Therefore, the outcomes of this study offer novel perspectives on the common molecular mechanisms underlying SCLC and COVID-19 and present future opportunities for drug development.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The potential beneficial role of Ginkgetin in doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity: Elucidating the underlying claim

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for various tumors treatment; apart from its chemotherapeutic activity, the traditional usage of DOX has been limited by its adverse effects on multiple organs, mainly hepatotoxicity. The molecular mechanisms underlying DOX hepatotoxicity are mainly due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inducing oxidative stress, diminishing antioxidant enzymes, apoptosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a therapy that minimizes DOX hepatotoxicity and widens its use in various types of cancers without fear of its serious hepatotoxicity. Ginkgetin (GINK), a natural biflavonoid, exhibits diverse actions, including promising free radical scavenging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. So, this study's objectives were to determine whether GINK could mitigate DOX's hepatotoxic effects and look into a putative hepatoprotective molecular pathway. Mice were divided into five groups: Normal control, control GINK 100, Untreated DOX group, and DOX groups treated with GINK (50 and 100 mg/kg) intraperitoneally daily for four days before DOX administration and an additional three days afterward. GINK 100 pretreatment showed marked protection from DOX hepatotoxicity and also attenuation of histopathological structural alterations. These outcomes were corroborated biochemically by a considerable decrease in alanine aminotransferases, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase levels. GINK significantly augmented silent information regulator 1 and nuclear translocation of NF-E2-related factor 2 and repressed the expression and protein levels of forkhead box protein O1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and P53 relative to DOX group. GINK alleviated oxidative stress and induced significant anti-inflammatory effects via suppression of interleukin-6, nuclear factor Kabba B, and iNOS respectively. This study is the first to investigate GINK's potentially beneficial effects in acute DOX hepatotoxicity, possibly exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects by modulation of Sirt1/FOXO-1/NF-κB Signal.

The cross-talk between LncRNAs and JAK-STAT signaling pathway in cancer

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that were transcribed from the human genome and have become important regulators in a number of cellular activities, mostly via controlling gene expression. A growing body of evidence shows that lncRNAs regulate various factors to impact various biological activities that are related to tumorigenesis, including the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway. lncRNAs influence the JAK-STAT signaling pathway either by directly targeting or via indirectly modulating other upstream or downstream pathways' components like members of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, and other genes that regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, lncRNAs can act as downstream effectors of the JAK-STAT pathway and mediates tumorigenesis. The relationship between JAK-STAT signaling and lncRNAs differs among various types of cancers. Besides, lncRNAs, as biological molecules, have been shown to play a dual role in either tumorigenesis or tumor suppression in various cancers. In this review, we focus on the reciprocated regulation and functions of lncRNAs and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in cancer, as well as narrate the latest research progress on this association. A deeper understanding of this correlation may simplify the recognition of potential targets for clinical therapeutics.

Discovery of senolytics using machine learning

Cellular senescence is a stress response involved in ageing and diverse disease processes including cancer, type-2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and viral infection. Despite growing interest in targeted elimination of senescent cells, only few senolytics are known due to the lack of well-characterised molecular targets. Here, we report the discovery of three senolytics using cost-effective machine learning algorithms trained solely on published data. We computationally screened various chemical libraries and validated the senolytic action of ginkgetin, periplocin and oleandrin in human cell lines under various modalities of senescence. The compounds have potency comparable to known senolytics, and we show that oleandrin has improved potency over its target as compared to best-in-class alternatives. Our approach led to several hundred-fold reduction in drug screening costs and demonstrates that artificial intelligence can take maximum advantage of small and heterogeneous drug screening data, paving the way for new open science approaches to early-stage drug discovery.

In-silico study for the identification of potential destabilizers between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and human ACE-2

The emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, has generated a pandemic that has plunged the world into a health crisis. The infection process is triggered by the direct binding of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of the host cell. In the present study, virtual screening techniques such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, calculation of free energy using the GBSA method, prediction of drug similarity, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties of various ligands interacting with the RBD-ACE2 complex were applied. The ligands radotinib, hinokiflavone, and ginkgetin were identified as potential destabilizers of the RBD-ACE2 interaction, which could produce their pharmacological effect by interacting at an allosteric site of ACE2, with affinity energy values of -10.2 ± 0.1, -9.8 ± 0.0, and -9.4 ± 0.0 kcal/mol, indicating strong receptor affinity. The complex with hinokiflavone showed the highest conformational stability and rigidity of the dynamic simulation and also obtained the best binding free energy of the three molecules, with an energy of -215.86 kcal/mol.

The Potential of Ginkgo biloba as a Source of Biologically Active Compounds-A Review of the Recent Literature and Patents

Ginkgo biloba is a relict tree species showing high resistance to adverse biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Its fruits and leaves have high medicinal value due to the presence of flavonoids, terpene trilactones and phenolic compounds. However, ginkgo seeds contain toxic and allergenic alkylphenols. The publication revises the latest research results (mainly from 2018-2022) regarding the chemical composition of extracts obtained from this plant and provides information on the use of extracts or their selected ingredients in medicine and food production. A very important section of the publication is the part in which the results of the review of patents concerning the use of Ginkgo biloba and its selected ingredients in food production are presented. Despite the constantly growing number of studies on its toxicity and interactions with synthetic drugs, its health-promoting properties are the reason for the interest of scientists and motivation to create new food products.

Ginkgetin Alleviates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Inhibiting Apoptosis, Inflammation, and Disturbance of Extracellular Matrix Synthesis and Catabolism via Inactivation of NLRP3 Inflammasome

BACKGROUND

Apoptosis, inflammation, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and catabolism are compromised with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Ginkgetin (GK) has been demonstrated to alleviate several diseases; however, its effect on IDD remains unknown.

METHODS

The nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) were stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β to construct the IDD models in vitro. Rats were used for the construction of the IDD models in vivo via the fibrous ring puncture method. The effect and mechanism of GK on IDD were determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, western blot, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and safranine O staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays, respectively.

RESULTS

GK increased the cell viability and upregulated the expressions of anti-apoptosis and ECM synthesis markers in NPCs treated with IL-1β. GK also decreased apoptosis rate, and downregulated the expressions of proteins related to pro-apoptosis, ECM catabolism, and inflammation in vitro. Mechanically, GK reduced the expression of nucleotide binding oligomeric domain like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related proteins. Overexpression of NLRP3 reversed the effect of GK on the proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and ECM degradation in IL-1β-induced NPCs. Moreover, GK attenuated the pathological manifestations, inflammation, ECM degradation, and NLRP3 inflammasome expression in IDD rats.

CONCLUSION

GK suppressed apoptosis, inflammation, and ECM degradation to alleviate IDD via the inactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Ginkgetin suppresses ovarian cancer growth through inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 and MAPKs signaling pathways

BACKGROUND

Ginkgo biloba L., a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, is always used to treat various diseases. Ginkgetin is an active biflavonoid isolated from leaves of Ginkgo biloba L., which exhibits diverse biological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-microbial, anti-cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there are few reports on the effects of ginkgetin on ovarian cancer (OC).

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

OC is one of the most common cancers with high mortality in women. The purpose of this study was to find out how ginkgetin inhibited OC and which signal transduction pathways was involved to suppress OC.

METHODS

The OC cell lines, A2780, SK-OV-3 and CP70, were used for in vitro experiments. MTT assay, colony formation, apoptosis assay, scratch wound assay and cell invasion assay were used to determine the inhibitory effect of ginkgetin. BALB/c nude female mice were injected with A2780 cells subcutaneously, then treated with ginkgetin by intragastric administration. Western blot experiment was used to verify the inhibitory mechanism of OC in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We found that ginkgetin inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis in OC cells. In addition, ginkgetin reduced migration and invasion of OC cells. In vivo study showed that ginkgetin significantly reduced tumor volume in the xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, the anti-tumor effects of ginkgetin were associated with a down regulation of p-STAT3, p-ERK and SIRT1 both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that ginkgetin exhibits anti-tumor activity in OC cells via inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 and MAPK pathways and SIRT1 protein. Ginkgetin could be a potential candidate for the treatment of OC.

Comparative Inhibitory Effects of Natural Biflavones from Ginkgo against Human CYP1B1 in Recombinant Enzymes and MCF-7 Cells

Human cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) is an extrahepatic enzyme overexpressed in many tumors and associated with angiogenesis. Ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, sciadopitysin, and amentoflavone, the primary biflavones found in Ginkgo biloba, have excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, the effect of biflavones on CYP1B1 activities remains unknown. In this study, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) was used to characterize the activities of CYP1 families. The impacts of four ginkgo biflavones on CYP1B1 activity and the cellular protein expression of CYP1B1 were systematically investigated. The results showed that amentoflavone with six hydroxyl substituents exhibited the most potent selective inhibitory effect on CYP1B1 activity with IC₅₀ of 0.054 µM in four biflavones. Sciadopitysin, with three hydroxyl and three methoxy substituents, had the weakest inhibitory activity against CYP1B1. Ginkgetin and isoginkgetin, both with four hydroxyl and two methoxy substituents, showed similar inhibitory intensity towards CYP1B1 with IC₅₀ values of 0.289 and 0.211 µM, respectively. Kinetic analysis showed that ginkgetin and amentoflavone inhibited CYP1B1 in a non-competitive mode, whereas sciadopitysin and isoginkgetin induced competitive or mixed types of inhibition. Notably, four ginkgo biflavones were also confirmed to suppress the protein expressions of CYP1B1 and AhR in MCF-7. Furthermore, molecular docking studies indicated more hydrogen bonds formed between amentoflavone and CYP1B1, which might explain the strongest inhibitory action towards CYP1B1. In summary, these findings suggested that biflavones remarkably inhibited both the activity and protein expression of CYP1B1 and the inhibitory activities enhanced with the increasing hydroxyl substitution, providing new insights into the anti-tumor potentials of biflavones.

Ferroptosis in lung cancer: a novel pathway regulating cell death and a promising target for drug therapy

Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor that occurs in the human body and poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life. The existing treatment methods mainly include surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, due to the strong metastatic characteristics of lung cancer and the emergence of related drug resistance and radiation resistance, the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients is not ideal. There is an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies or new effective drugs to treat lung cancer. Ferroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is different from the traditional cell death pathways such as apoptosis, necrosis, pyroptosis and so on. It is caused by the increase of iron-dependent reactive oxygen species due to intracellular iron overload, which leads to the accumulation of lipid peroxides, thus inducing cell membrane oxidative damage, affecting the normal life process of cells, and finally promoting the process of ferroptosis. The regulation of ferroptosis is closely related to the normal physiological process of cells, and it involves iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the balance between oxygen-free radical reaction and lipid peroxidation. A large number of studies have confirmed that ferroptosis is a result of the combined action of the cellular oxidation/antioxidant system and cell membrane damage/repair, which has great potential application in tumor therapy. Therefore, this review aims to explore potential therapeutic targets for ferroptosis in lung cancer by clarifying the regulatory pathway of ferroptosis. Based on the study of ferroptosis, the regulation mechanism of ferroptosis in lung cancer was understood and the existing chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis in lung cancer were summarized, with the aim of providing new ideas for the treatment of lung cancer. In addition, it also provides the basis for the discovery and clinical application of chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis to effectively treat lung cancer.

Neuroprotective Potential of Biflavone Ginkgetin: A Review

Neurological disorders are becoming more common, and there is an intense search for molecules that can help treat them. Several natural components, especially those from the flavonoid group, have shown promising results. Ginkgetin is the first known biflavonoid, a flavonoid dimer isolated from ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.). Later, its occurrence was discovered in more than 20 different plant species, most of which are known for their use in traditional medicine. Herein we have summarized the data on the neuroprotective potential of ginkgetin. There is evidence of protection against neuronal damage caused by ischemic strokes, neurotumors, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). Beneficial effects in ischemic strokes have been demonstrated in animal studies in which injection of ginkgetin before or after onset of the stoke showed protection from neuronal damage. AD protection has been the most studied to date. Possible mechanisms include inhibition of reactive oxygen species, inhibition of β-secretase, inhibition of Aβ fibril formation, amelioration of inflammation, and antimicrobial activity. Ginkgetin has also shown positive effects on the relief of PD symptoms in animal studies. Most of the available data are from in vitro or in vivo animal studies, where ginkgetin showed promising results, and further clinical studies should be conducted.

Theaflavin-3,3'-Digallate Ameliorates Collagen-Induced Arthritis Through Regulation of Autophagy and Macrophage Polarization

Purpose

Previous studies have presented that theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TFDG), one of natural flavonoids, have protective effects on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Besides, it was reported that TFDG could affect inflammatory signaling pathways, like NF-κB, JNK, and so on, to ameliorate inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms mentioned above are common to natural flavonoid products including TFDG. Therefore, this study aimed to further investigate the other mechanisms of TFDG against CIA.

Methods

DBA/1 mice (8-10 weeks) were intravenously injected Freund's Adjuvant (100μL) at the base of tail and intraperitoneally injected PBS or different dosage of TFDG (1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg). Then the paw and knee tissues were collected to assess the severity of joint destruction. In vitro experiments, bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) were exposed to TNF-α (10ng/mL) with or without different concentrations of TFDG (0.1μmol/L or 1.0μmol/L). Besides, the targets of TFDG were predicted with docking software and were verified through experiment.

Results

TFDG treatment could reduce M1 macrophage (pro-inflammatory) and inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1, IL- 6 and TNF-α, both in vitro and in vivo. At the same time, the M2 macrophage (alternatively activated) polarization was promoted by TFDG. Animal experiments showed TFDG ameliorated joint destructions. For investigating the mechanisms, the targets of TFDG were predicted by bioinformatics tools. According to predictions, we hypothesized that TFDG could act with BCL-2 to weaken the interaction between BCL-2 and Beclin1. Beclin1 plays a central role in autophagy, and we found that the autophagy level of BMMs was recovered by TFDG. Besides, 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor, could attenuate the therapeutic effect of TFDG.

Conclusion

TFDG protected against collagen-induced arthritis by attenuating the inflammation and promoting anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization through controlling autophagy.

Computational investigation of natural compounds as potential main protease (Mpro) inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 virus

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is significantly impacting human lives, overburdening the healthcare system and weakening global economies. Plant-derived natural compounds are being largely tested for their efficacy against COVID-19 targets to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 Main protease (M^pro) is considered an appealing target because of its role in replication in host cells. We curated a set of 7809 natural compounds by combining the collections of five databases viz Dr Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database, IMPPAT, PhytoHub, AromaDb and Zinc. We applied a rigorous computational approach to identify lead molecules from our curated compound set using docking, dynamic simulations, the free energy of binding and DFT calculations. Theaflavin and ginkgetin have emerged as better molecules with a similar inhibition profile in both SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron variants.

Momordica charantia polysaccharide ameliorates D-galactose-induced aging through the Nrf2/β-Catenin signaling pathway

Aging is widely thought to be associated with oxidative stress. Momordica charantia (MC) is a classic vegetable and traditional herbal medicine widely consumed in Asia, and M. charantia polysaccharide (MCP) is the main bioactive ingredient of MC. We previously reported an antioxidative and neuroprotective effect of MCP in models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and hemorrhage injury. However, the role played by MCP in neurodegenerative diseases, especially during aging, remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of MCP against oxidative stress and brain damage in a D-galactose-induced aging model (DGAM). The Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the spatial memory function of model rats. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured and telomerase activity was determined. The results showed that MCP treatment attenuated spatial memory dysfunction induced by D-galactose. In addition, MCP increased antioxidant capacity by decreasing MDA and increasing SOD and GSH levels. MCP treatment also improved telomerase activity in aging rats. Mechanistically, MCP promoted the entry of both Nrf2 and β-Catenin into the nucleus, which is the hallmark of antioxidation signaling pathway activation. This study highlights a role played by MCP in ameliorating aging-induced oxidative stress injury and reversing the decline in learning and memory capacity. Our work provides evidence that MCP administration might be a potential antiaging strategy.

Identification of CB1 Ligands among Drugs, Phytochemicals and Natural-Like Compounds: Virtual Screening and In Vitro Verification

Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) is an important modulator of many key physiological functions and thus a compelling molecular target. However, safe CB1 targeting is a non-trivial task. In recent years, there has been a surge of data indicating that drugs successfully used in the clinic for years (e.g. paracetamol) show CB1 activity. Moreover, there is a lot of promise in finding CB1 ligands in plants other than Cannabis sativa. In this study, we searched for possible CB1 activity among already existing drugs, their metabolites, phytochemicals, and natural-like molecules. We conducted two iterations of virtual screening, verifying the results with in vitro binding and functional assays. The in silico procedure consisted of a wide range of structure- and ligand-based methods, including docking, molecular dynamics, and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR). As a result, we identified travoprost and ginkgetin as CB1 ligands, which provides a starting point for future research on the impact of their metabolites or preparations on the endocannabinoid system. Moreover, we found five natural-like compounds with submicromolar or low micromolar affinity to CB1, including one mixed partial agonist/antagonist viable for hit-to-lead phase. Finally, the computational procedure established in this work will be of use for future screening campaigns for novel CB1 ligands.

Analysis of Phenolic and Flavonoid Content, α-Amylase Inhibitory and Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Some Medicinal Plants

In Nepal, about 700 plant species have been reported to be used for the primary care of different diseases. However, many of them have not been studied yet for their scientific evidence. The main aim of this study is the quantitative analysis of flavonoids and phenolic content, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of the extracts of four different medicinal plants, namely, Pogostemon benghalensis, Aleuritopteris bicolor, Crateva unilocularis, and Rungia pectinata growing in Nepal. The methanol extracts of plant samples were prepared by the hot percolation method using the Soxhlet apparatus. The phytochemicals of the plant extracts were analysed by colour differentiation methods using different analytical reagents. The phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu's phenol reagent and the flavonoid was estimated by the aluminium chloride colorimetric method. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant potential. The α-amylase enzyme inhibition activity was performed to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of plant extracts. The amount of total phenolics and flavonoids content was found to be the highest in Pogostemon benghalensis (169.43 ± 3.58 mg GAE/g and 65.2 ± 2.0 mg QE/g), respectively, which also showed the most potent free radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 35.92 ± 0.65 μg/mL). The extract of Aleuritopteris bicolor showed the highest α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ 651.58 ± 10.32 μg/mL) whereas Crateva unilocularis and Pogostemon benghalensis exhibited moderate activity. The extract of Rungia pectinata showed the least activity towards α-amylase inhibition. Some of the medicinal plants selected in this study showed high TPC and TFC values with potent biological activities. To the best of our knowledge, these medicinal plants have the least exposure to their biological activities, and the results provide scientific evidence for the traditional uses of these plants against diabetes and infectious diseases. However, a detailed study can be performed in these plants to isolate the active chemical compounds and to evaluate in vivo pharmacological activities to know the active drug candidates for the future drug development process.

Determination of chiral bioactive molecules in Justicia adhatoda leaves by GC-MS

Chiral compounds find importance as drugs and therapeutic targets. Enantiomers of chiral drugs have been found to show different biological properties like pharmacokinetics, toxicology, pharmacology, metabolism, and so forth. In this study, we have identified the chiral compounds present in the medicinal plant Adhatoda vasica Nees (Justicia adhatoda Linn). Phytochemical investigation on the leaves of Justicia adhatoda resulted in the identification of 27 chiral compounds. We report diverse compounds identified in the crude methanolic extract of Justicia adhatoda leaves by GC-MS analysis exhibiting diverse biological activities. Quantitative analysis of anticancer compound dihydroxycolchicine from the methanolic extract of J. adhatoda leaves was done by external standard method, and the amount of anticancer compound dihydroxycolchicine was found to be 87.823 mg/l indicative of moderate production in the leaves. Therefore, the extract of leaves of Justicia adhatoda can be used as a potential source of chiral bioactive molecules of pharmacological importance for drug synthesis.

Novel Antibiofilm Inhibitor Ginkgetin as an Antibacterial Synergist against Escherichia coli

As an opportunistic pathogen, Escherichia coli (E. coli) forms biofilm that increases the virulence of bacteria and antibiotic resistance, posing a serious threat to human and animal health. Recently, ginkgetin (Gin) has been discovered to have antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. In the present study, we evaluated the antibiofilm and antibacterial synergist of Gin against E. coli. Additionally, Alamar Blue assay combined with confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and crystal violet (CV) staining was used to evaluate the effect of antibiofilm and antibacterial synergist against E. coli. Results showed that Gin reduces biofilm formation, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, and motility against E. coli without limiting its growth and metabolic activity. Furthermore, we identified the inhibitory effect of Gin on AI-2 signaling molecule production, which showed apparent anti-quorum sensing (QS) properties. The qRT-PCR also indicated that Gin reduced the transcription of curli-related genes (csgA, csgD), flagella-formation genes (flhC, flhD, fliC, fliM), and QS-related genes (luxS, lsrB, lsrK, lsrR). Moreover, Gin showed obvious antibacterial synergism to overcome antibiotic resistance in E. coli with marketed antibiotics, including gentamicin, colistin B, and colistin E. These results suggested the potent antibiofilm and novel antibacterial synergist effect of Gin for treating E. coli infections.

Anti-Biofilm and Antibacterial Activities of Cycas media R. Br Secondary Metabolites: In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Approaches

Enterococcus species possess many virulence factors that have an essential role in exacerbating the infections caused by them. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of the secondary metabolites ginkgetin (GINK) and sotetsuflavone (SOTE), isolated from Cycas media R. Br dichloromethane fraction, on Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) isolates for the first time. The antibacterial and antivirulence activities of the isolated compounds were investigated using docking studies and in vitro by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Additionally, flow cytometry and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were utilized to assess the effect of SOTE on the tested bacteria. Moreover, crystal violet assay and qRT-PCR were used to test the effect of SOTE on the biofilm-forming ability of E. faecalis isolates. In addition, a systemic infection model was utilized in vivo to investigate the antibacterial activity of SOTE. We found that both GINK and SOTE showed a good affinity for the five proteins enrolled in the virulence of E. faecalis, with SOTE being the highest, suggesting the possible mechanisms for the antivirulence activity of both ligands. In addition, SOTE exhibited a higher antibacterial activity than GINK, as the values of the MICs of SOTE were lower than those of GINK. Thus, we performed the in vitro and in vivo assays on SOTE. However, they did not exhibit any significant variations (p > 0.05) in the membrane depolarization of E. faecalis isolates. Moreover, as evaluated by SEM, SOTE caused distortion and deformation in the treated cells. Regarding its impact on the biofilm formation, it inhibited the biofilm-forming ability of the tested isolates, as determined by crystal violet assay and qRT-PCR. The in vivo experiment revealed that SOTE resulted in a reduction of the inflammation of the liver and spleen with an increase in the survival rate. SOTE also improved the liver-function tests and decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha using immunostaining and the inflammation markers, interleukins (IL-1β and IL-6), using ELISA. Thus, we can conclude that SOTE could be a promising compound that should be investigated in future preclinical and clinical studies.

Biflavonoids from Ginkgo biloba leaves as a novel anti-atherosclerotic candidate: Inhibition potency and mechanistic analysis

BACKGROUND

Ginkgo biloba L. is one of the oldest trees on earth, and its leaves have been used since ages as herbal medicine to treat cerebrovascular disorders. It is worth noting that in addition to the widely concerned flavonoids and terpenoids, it also contains various thus far neglected biflavonoids. In fact, biflavonoids are flavonoids consisting of apigenin or its derivatives as monomeric scaffold, and are linked via C-C or C-O-C bond.

PURPOSE

Based on the structural similarity of flavonoids, we hypothesized that biflavonoids may play a potential role in the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. Here, we describe the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis (AS) by biflavonoids.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Four main biflavonoids in Ginkgo biloba leaves were screened by oleic acid-induced lipid production in HepG2 cells. The non-covalent effects of biflavonoids on the potential targets of atherosclerosis were screened by reverse targeting and molecular dynamics simulation. The interactions between biflavonoids and potential targets were evaluated by an exogenous cell model, which verified the consistency of the simulation results.

CONCLUSION

Among all four biflavonoids, ginkgetin significantly inhibited oleic acid-induced lipid production in HepG2 cells and reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The interaction of ginkgetin with CDK2 through π-alkyl and hydrogen bonds increased the binding of molecules and proteins. Ginkgetin arrested the cells in the G1-S phase, which significantly inhibited abnormal cell growth which closely related to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis. Biflavonoids could be a promising natural medicine for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Biflavonoids: Important Contributions to the Health Benefits of Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) is one of the most distinctive plants, characterized by excellent resistance to various environmental conditions. It is used as an ornamental plant and is recognized as a medicinal plant in both traditional and Western medicine. Its bioactive potential is associated with the presence of flavonoids and terpene trilactones, but many other compounds may also have synergistic effects. Flavonoid dimers-biflavonoids-are important constituents of ginkgophytopharmaceuticals. Currently, the presence of 13 biflavonoids has been reported in ginkgo, of which amentoflavone, bilobetin, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin and isoginkgetin are the most common. Their role in plants remains unknown, but their bioactivity and potential role in the management of human health are better investigated. In this review, we have provided an overview of the chemistry, diversity and biological factors that influence the presence of biflavonoids in ginkgo, as well as their bioactive and health-related properties. We have focused on their antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities as well as their potential role in the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. We also highlighted their potential toxicity and pointed out further research directions.

Ginkgetin Promotes M2 Polarization of Microglia and Exert Neuroprotection in Ischemic Stroke via Modulation of PPARγ Pathway

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiological process of acute cerebral infarction, which may aggravate brain injury and hinder neuro-repair. Microglia are innate immune cells in the brain. Ginkgetin has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to explore the regulatory effects of ginkgetin on microglia polarization in brain ischemia. Oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) cellular model and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) animal model was used in this study. We first observed the dynamic process of microglia polarization in ischemic stroke, and then investigated the effect of ginkgetin treatment on microglia polarization. Finally, we studied the role of PPARγ signaling pathway and the blocking effect of PPARγ antagonist GW9662 in this process. OGD and cerebral ischemia polarized microglia mainly to M1 type. However, ginkgetin treatment converted microglia from M1 type to M2 type, inhibited neuroinflammation, and exerted neuronal protective effects. PPARγ signaling pathway was activated during this process. The above effects could be blocked by GW9662. Ginkgetin can promote M2 polarization of microglia through PPARγ signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting neuroinflammation and promoting recovery of neurological functions in ischemic stroke.

A scientific pharmacognosy on Gaucher's disease: an in silico analysis

From ancient times, studies on herbal medicine and pharmacognosy have increased gradually worldwide, due to the increased side effects, adverse drug reactions, and charge lines of modern medicines. Plants are well known for their medicinal effects and nutritional values. They contain bioactive compounds which display a wide spectrum of therapeutic effects. Gaucher's disease (GD) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited metabolic disorder caused due to the defect in Glucosylceramidase beta gene coding for the enzyme acid-β-glucosidase in humans. We revealed the profound binding efficiency of five selected bioactive compounds from different plants against the main enzyme acid-β-glucosidase responsible for GD through molecular docking. An in silico approach along with the ADMET profiles of phytocompounds was done using the Schrodinger software. The preventive measure of GD leads to side effects, inaccessible and unaffordable which put forth the emergence of phytocompounds which have fewer toxic effects, and one such compound is β-D-Glucopyranose with the best docking score (-10.28 kcal/mol) and an excellent binding affinity than other ligands, which could be further analyzed for stability using molecular dynamics study and in vitro. Being a dietary supplement, these compounds could be prepared in any form of formulation as a drug.

Computer aided identification of potential SARS CoV-2 main protease inhibitors from diterpenoids and biflavonoids of Torreya nucifera leaves

SARS CoV-2 is the causative agent of the pandemic disease COVID-19. There is an urgent need for effective drugs or vaccines which can effectively combat this outbreak. The main protease (Mpro), a key component for the SARS CoV-2 replication, is considered to be one of the important drug targets for developing anti-COVID-19 drugs. This SARS CoV-2 Mpro/cysteine protease has high sequence similarity with the same protease from SARS CoV-1. Previously, it has been shown experimentally that eight diterpenoids and four biflavonoids derived from the leaf of Torreya nucifera show inhibitory effect on the cleavage/catalytic activity of the SARS CoV-1 Mpro. But whether these phytochemicals exhibit any inhibitory effect on SARS CoV-2 Mpro is unclear. To understand this fact, here, we have adopted various in-silico approaches. Diterpenoids and biflavonoids those qualified pharmacological test (hinokiol, amentoflavone, bilobetin and ginkgetin) and two well-known Mpro inhibitors (N3 and lopinavir) were subjected for molecular docking studies. Only three biflavonoids (amentoflavone, bilobetin and ginkgetin) were selected by comparing their binding affinities with N3 and lopinavir. They interacted with two most important catalytic residues of Mpro (His41 and Cys145). Molecular dynamics studies further revealed that these three Mpro-biflavonoid complexes are highly stable and share a similar degree of compactness. Besides, these complexes experience less conformational fluctuations and more expansion than Mpro-N3 and/or Mpro-lopinavir complex. MM-GBSA and H-bond analysis further corroborated these findings. Altogether, our study suggested that these three biflavonoids could possibly inhibit the proteolytic/catalytic activity of SARS CoV-2 Mpro and might be useful for COVID-19 treatment.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Tea and coffee polyphenols and their biological properties based on the latest in vitro investigations

Tea and coffee contain numerous polyphenolic compounds that exhibit health-promoting properties for humans, including antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, and can also take part in the treatment of covid-19 and improve fertility. This review, presents the activity of polyphenols found in different types of tea and coffee and describes the effects of tea fermentation and coffee roasting on their polyphenol composition and antioxidant properties. Polyphenol oxidase activity is reduced in the fermentation process; therefore black tea contains significantly less polyphenolic compounds compared to green and white tea. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate - a polyphenol from tea - effectively has been shown to inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV-2 as it blocked binding of coronavirus 2 to human angiotensin converting enzyme 2, decreased the expression of inflammatory factors in the blood, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, and significantly increased the overall fertilization efficiency in animals. Coffee roasting process influences both the content of polyphenols and the oxidative activity. The lowest levels of active compounds such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid and coffee acids are identified in roasted coffee beans. On the other hand, light coffee and green coffee show the strongest cytotoxic potential and antioxidant properties, and thus the greatest ability to decrease apoptosis by stopping the cell cycle in the S phase. Proteins, such as components of milk, can strongly bind/interact with phenolic compounds (especially, the CGAs) contain in coffee, which may explain the negative influence of milk on its antioxidant properties. Coffee polyphenols have also antiproliferative and antiesterase activities, which may be important in prevention of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, respectively. In this review, biological properties of tea and coffee polyphenols, observed mainly in in vitro studies have been described. Based on these findings, future directions of the research works on these compounds have been suggested.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ruthenium polypyridine complexes with 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid as antibacterial agents against Staphylococcus aureus

Four new ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes bearing 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives, [Ru(bpy)₂L](PF₆)₂ (Ru1), [Ru(dmb)₂L](PF₆)₂ (Ru2), [Ru(dtb)₂L](PF₆)₂ (Ru3) and [Ru(phen)₂L](PF₆)₂ (Ru4) (bpy = 2,2-bipyridine, dmb = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, dtb = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and L is the GA modified new ligand) were designed and synthesized. Their antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were evaluated and all complexes showed an obvious inhibitory effect, especially, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of Ru2 was 3.9 μg mL^-1. Moreover, Ru2 was found to significantly inhibit the formation of biofilms. The membrane-compromising action mode was suggested to be their potential antibactericidal mechanism. In hemolysis experiments, Ru2 hardly showed cytotoxicity to mammalian erythrocytes. Furthermore, the synergism between Ru2 and common antibiotics, such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines and ofloxacin, against S. aureus was also detected using the checkerboard method. Finally, a mouse skin infection model was established to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Ru2in vivo, and the results showed that Ru2 could effectively promote wound healing in mice infected with S. aureus. Moreover, the results of histopathological research were consistent with the results of the hemolysis test, indicating that the Ru2 complex was almost non-toxic. Thus, it was demonstrated that the polypyridine ruthenium complexes modified with glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) are a promising strategy for developing interesting antibacterial agents.

Screening of Promising Chemotherapeutic Candidates from Plants against Human Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (VII): Active Principles from Thuja occidentalis L

During the screening of novel chemotherapeutic candidates from plants against adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, we identified that the extracts of Thuja occidentalis (Cupressaceae) showed potent anti-proliferative activity in MT-1 and MT-2 cells. Therefore, we attempted to isolate the active components from this plant. We isolated and identified 32 compounds (1-32; eight lignans, 18 terpenoids, and six flavonoids) from the extracts of the leaves and cones. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis. Several of the isolated compounds inhibited the growth of both cell lines. Lignans showed more potent activity than other classes of compounds. A comparison of the activities of compounds 1-8 revealed that the presence of a trans-lactone (linkage of C-6 to C-7) correlated with increased activity. Diterpenes showed moderate activity, and the presence of a ketone moiety at the C-7 position correlated with increased activity in compounds 12-21. In addition, biflavones showed moderate activity, and the presence of methoxy functions appeared to influence the activity of these compounds. Several lignans were lead compound of anti-cancer reagent (etoposide). In conclusion, not only lignans, but also diterpenes and/or biflavones, may be promising candidates for the treatment of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Bioactivity of Chitosan-Based Particles Loaded with Plant-Derived Extracts for Biomedical Applications: Emphasis on Antimicrobial Fiber-Based Systems

Marine-derived chitosan (CS) is a cationic polysaccharide widely studied for its bioactivity, which is mostly attached to its primary amine groups. CS is able to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the microenvironments in which it is integrated, consequently reducing cell-induced oxidative stress. It also acts as a bacterial peripheral layer hindering nutrient intake and interacting with negatively charged outer cellular components, which lead to an increase in the cell permeability or to its lysis. Its biocompatibility, biodegradability, ease of processability (particularly in mild conditions), and chemical versatility has fueled CS study as a valuable matrix component of bioactive small-scaled organic drug-delivery systems, with current research also showcasing CS’s potential within tridimensional sponges, hydrogels and sutures, blended films, nanofiber sheets and fabric coatings. On the other hand, renewable plant-derived extracts are here emphasized, given their potential as eco-friendly radical scavengers, microbicidal agents, or alternatives to antibiotics, considering that most of the latter have induced bacterial resistance because of excessive and/or inappropriate use. Loading them into small-scaled particles potentiates a strong and sustained bioactivity, and a controlled release, using lower doses of bioactive compounds. A pH-triggered release, dependent on CS’s protonation/deprotonation of its amine groups, has been the most explored stimulus for that control. However, the use of CS derivatives, crosslinking agents, and/or additional stabilization processes is enabling slower release rates, following extract diffusion from the particle matrix, which can find major applicability in fiber-based systems within ROS-enriched microenvironments and/or spiked with microbes. Research on this is still in its infancy. Yet, the few published studies have already revealed that the composition, along with an adequate drug release rate, has an important role in controlling an existing infection, forming new tissue, and successfully closing a wound. A bioactive finishing of textiles has also been promoting high particle infiltration, superior washing durability, and biological response.

Ginkgetin alleviates high glucose-evoked mesangial cell oxidative stress injury, inflammation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in an AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy axis

Diabetic nephropathy constitutes the leading cause for end-stage kidney disease. Ginkgetin is a common natural non-toxic biflavone and fulfills pleiotropic pharmacological characterizations, such as anti-inflammation and kidney injury. Nevertheless, its efficacy in diabetic nephropathy remains elusive. Here, ginkgetin exhibited little cytotoxicity in glomerular mesangial cells. Of note, ginkgetin restrained high glucose (HG)-induced mesangial cell proliferation and oxidative stress by inhibiting ROS and malonaldehyde levels, but enhancing antioxidant SOD activity. Additionally, ginkgetin suppressed HG-evoked transcript and release of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Concomitantly, the increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in HG-treated glomerular mesangial cells was attenuated by ginkgetin via decreasing expression of collagen IV, fibronectin, and laminin. Intriguingly, ginkgetin-restored HG-impaired autophagy; whereas blocking autophagy by its inhibitor 3-MA overturned ginkgetin function against HG-evoked mesangial cell dysfunction. Mechanistically, ginkgetin-mediated AMPK/mTOR axis accounted for HG-impaired autophagy. Importantly, blockage of AMPK signaling reversed ginkgetin-restored autophagy and its protective efficacy against HG-induced dysfunction in mesangial cells. Thus, these findings highlight that ginkgetin may attenuate HG-evoked mesangial cell hyperplasia, oxidative stress, inflammation, and ECM accumulation by activating AMPk/mTOR-mediated autophagy pathway. Therefore, ginkgetin may alleviate the progression of diabetic nephropathy by regulating glomerular mesangial cell dysfunction, supporting a promising therapeutic agent against diabetic nephropathy.

Natural biflavonoids as potential therapeutic agents against microbial diseases

Microbes broadly constitute several organisms like viruses, protozoa, bacteria, and fungi present in our biosphere. Fast-paced environmental changes have influenced contact of human populations with newly identified microbes resulting in diseases that can spread quickly. These microbes can cause infections like HIV, SARS-CoV2, malaria, nosocomial Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), or Candida infection for which there are no available vaccines/drugs or are less efficient to prevent or treat these infections. In the pursuit to find potential safe agents for therapy of microbial infections, natural biflavonoids like amentoflavone, tetrahydroamentoflavone, ginkgetin, bilobetin, morelloflavone, agathisflavone, hinokiflavone, Garcinia biflavones 1 (GB1), Garcinia biflavones 2 (GB2), robustaflavone, strychnobiflavone, ochnaflavone, dulcisbiflavonoid C, tetramethoxy-6,6″-bigenkwanin and other derivatives isolated from several species of plants can provide effective starting points and become a source of future drugs. These biflavonoids show activity against influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), dengue, HIV-AIDS, coxsackieviral, hepatitis, HSV, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), protozoal (Leishmaniasis, Malaria) infections, bacterial and fungal infections. Some of the biflavonoids can provide antiviral and protozoal activity by inhibition of neuraminidase, chymotrypsin-like protease, DV-NS5 RNA dependant RNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase (RT), fatty acid synthase, DNA polymerase, UL54 gene expression, Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation, recombinant cysteine protease type 2.8 (r-CPB2.8), Plasmodium falciparum enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase or cause depolarization of parasitic mitochondrial membranes. They may also provide anti-inflammatory therapeutic activity against the infection-induced cytokine storm. Considering the varied bioactivity of these biflavonoids against these organisms, their structure-activity relationships are derived and wherever possible compared with monoflavones. Overall, this review aims to highlight these natural biflavonoids and briefly discuss their sources, reported mechanism of action, pharmacological uses, and comment on resistance mechanism, flavopiridol repurposing and the bioavailability aspects to provide a starting point for anti-microbial research in this area.

Cardamonin inhibits the progression of oesophageal cancer by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

Background: Oesophageal cancer is the most common malignant tumour with a poor prognosis, and the current treatment methods are limited. Therefore, identifying effective treatment methods has become a research hotspot. Cardamonin (CAR) is a natural chalcone compound and has been reported to play an anticancer role in several cancers. However, its function in oesophageal cancer and the possible underlying mechanism are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the anticancer effect of CAR on oesophageal cancer in vivo and in vitro and to explore the underlying mechanism.

Materials and Methods: MTT, crystal violet, and colony formation assays were used to detect oesophageal cancer cell proliferation. The effects of CAR on oesophageal cancer cell migration and invasion were detected by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry were used to detect cell apoptosis. Protein expression levels were detected by Western blot. A tumour xenograft model was established to further test the effect of CAR on the growth of oesophageal cancer in vivo.

Results: The results showed that CAR inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of oesophageal cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the Western blot assay showed that CAR could suppress metastasis by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as indicated by downregulated expression of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin, the EMT transcription factor Snail, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and upregulated expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin. CAR was associated with upregulation of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bad and downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and triggered the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which in turn promoted caspase-3 activation and subsequent cleavage of PARP; however, the mitochondria-related apoptotic effects induced by CAR were blocked by caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK pretreatment, which prevented programmed cell death triggered by CAR. In addition, CAR reduced the phosphorylation level of downstream effector molecules of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) in a dose-dependent manner, and treatment with the PI3K agonist 740Y-P could partially reverse the anticancer effect of CAR, demonstrating that CAR played an antitumour role by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in oesophageal cancer cells. Moreover, the EC9706 xenograft model further confirmed that CAR can significantly inhibit tumour growth in vivo.

Conclusion: In summary, CAR exhibited a strong anticancer effect on human oesophageal cancer cells and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, suggesting that CAR can be used as new strategy for oesophageal cancer treatment.

Repurposing of anticancer phytochemicals for identifying potential fusion inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations

The viral particle, SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for causing the epidemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To combat this situation, numerous strategies are being thought for either creating its antidote, vaccine, or agents that can prevent its infection. For enabling research on these strategies, several target proteins are identified where, Spike (S) protein is of great potential. S-protein interacts with human angiotensin-converting-enzyme-2 (ACE2) for entering the cell. S-protein is a large protein and a portion of it designated as a receptor-binding domain (RBD) is the key region that interacts with ACE2, following to which the viral membrane fuses with the alveolar membrane to enter the human cell. The hypothesis is to identify molecules from the pool of anticancer phytochemicals as a lead possessing the ability to interact and mask the amino acids of RBD, making them unavailable to form associations with ACE2. Such a molecule is termed as 'fusion inhibitor'. We hypothesized to identify fusion inhibitors from the NPACT library of anticancer phytochemicals. For this, all the molecules from the NPACT were screened using molecular docking, the five top hits (Theaflavin, Ginkgetin, Ursolic acid, Silymarin and Spirosolane) were analyzed for essential Pharmacophore features and their ADMET profiles were studied following to which the best two hits were further analyzed for their interaction with RBD using Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. Binding free energy calculations were performed using MM/GBSA, proving these phytochemicals containing anticancer properties to serve as fusion inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Dual relationship between long non-coding RNAs and STAT3 signaling in different cancers: New insight to proliferation and metastasis

Uncontrolled growth and metastasis of cancer cells is an increasing challenge for overcoming cancer, and improving survival of patients. Complicated signaling networks account for proliferation and invasion of cancer cells that need to be elucidated for providing effective cancer therapy, and minimizing their malignancy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA molecules with a length of more than 200 nucleotides. They participate in cellular events, and their dysregulation in a common phenomenon in different cancers. Noteworthy, lncRNAs can regulate different molecular pathways, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is one of them. STAT3 is a tumor-promoting factors in cancers due to its role in cancer proliferation (cell cycle progression and apoptosis inhibition) and metastasis (EMT induction). LncRNAs can function as upstream mediators of STAT3 pathway, reducing/enhancing its expression. This dual relationship is of importance in affecting proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. The response of cancer cells to therapy such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy is regulated by lncRNA/STAT3 axis. Tumor-promoting lncRNAs including NEAT1, SNHG3 and H19 induces STAT3 expression, while tumor-suppressing lncRNAs such as MEG3, PTCSC3 and NKILA down-regulate STAT3 expression. Noteworthy, upstream mediators of STAT3 such as microRNAs can be regulated by lncRNAs. These complicated signaling networks are mechanistically described in the current review.