Agnuside mitigates OVA-LPS induced perturbed lung homeostasis via modulating inflammatory, autophagy, apoptosis-fibrosis response and myeloid lineages in mice model of allergic asthma

Exploring the Formation of Chemical Markers in Chaste Honey by Comparative Metabolomics: From Nectar to Mature Honey

Identification of chemical markers is important to ensure the authenticity of monofloral honey; however, the formation of chemical markers in honey has received little attention. Herein, using comparative metabolomics, we first identified chemical markers in chaste honey and then explored their formation and accumulation from nectar to mature honey. We identified agnuside and p-hydroxybenzoic acid glucosides as chemical markers for chaste honey. Besides, we developed an UHPLC-MS/MS method for quantifying these markers and found that their levels varied significantly across sample sources. We compared the presence of these compounds in chaste nectar and mature honey. The outcomes underscore that these characteristic compounds are not simply delivered from nectar to mature honey, and activities of honeybees (collecting and processing) play a pivotal role in their formation and accumulation. These observations shed light on how mature honey can form its unique qualities with a rich assortment of natural bioactive compounds, potentially supporting health benefits.

Leupeptin maintains redox homeostasis via targeting ROS-autophagy-inflammatory axis in LPS-stimulated macrophages and cytokines dichotomy in Con-A challenged lymphocyte

Information regarding cellular anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory attributes of leupeptin with respect to modulation of perturbed macrophage function and lymphocytes has not yet been delineated, particularly in the context of ROS-cytokines-autophagy-inflammatory signalling cascades. Therefore, the present study identified the attributes and mechanisms of leupeptin, from actinomycetes, in relation to excessive oxidative stress mediated disrupted immune homeostasis and inflammatory mechanism in activated macrophages and lymphocytes. Results revealed that leupeptin treatment showed noticeable inhibition in the production of NO, ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential and phagocytosis activity in LPS-stimulated macrophages. These findings were accompanied by reduction in TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio, endopeptidases, oxidative effectors (Cox-2, IL-5, IL-15, IL-17, COX-2), iNOS with concomitant increase in Arg 1, Msr 1 and Mrc - 1exprssion in leupeptin treatment. Additionally, compared to LPS-challenged cells, marked alleviation in MDC, lysotracker staining, beclin-1, LC3B expression, and enhanced p62 levels in leupeptin exposed cells indicate the reversal of impaired autophagy flux. Subsequently, oxi-inflammatory signalling analysis demonstrated p-PTEN, p-NF-κB, p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-p38, and ERK1/2 upregulation decisively thwarted by leupeptin administration. In silico analysis further implied its target selectivity to these cascades. Furthermore, decreased proliferation index and Th1, Th2/IL-10 cytokines ratio in mitogen-challenged splenic lymphocytes confers its role in mitigating unwarranted inflammation mediated by disrupted regulation of adaptive immune cells. Together, these findings signify the attributes of leupeptin as an alternative anti-inflammatory strategy and affirm it as a promising natural entity to modulate immune-mediated response during inflammatory disorder.

Protective Effects of Herba Houttuyniae Aqueous Extract against OVA-Induced Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Inflammation in Asthmatic Mice

Herba Houttuyniae is the well-knownfood-medicine herb with the special taste and smell. It is also widely used in south China for prevention of various chronic pulmonary inflammatory diseases including asthma. However, the active ingredients and therapeutic mechanism of this herb remain obscure. In this study, network pharmacology technology was employed to investigate the effects of Herba Houttuyniae aqueous extract (HHAE) on OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. The results showed that six compounds (isoramanone, kaempferol, 1-methyl-2-nonacosyl-4-quinolone, C09747, spinasterol, and quercetin) were found to be mainly responsible for the therapeutic effects of the herb, which totally regulated the expressions of 168 asthma-related proteins. All those targets involved in the signal transduction of the prolactin signaling pathway, central carbon metabolism in cancer, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, endocrine resistance, and VEGF signaling pathway. The in vivo experiment also revealed that orally administrated with HHAE alleviated airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in OVA-induced asthmatic mice. It significantly decreased the counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes as well as the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-13 in BALF of asthmatic mice. Mechanically, HHAE downregulated both the mRNA and protein expressions of p38 MAPK, PI3K, AKT, and VEGF in the lung tissues of asthmatic mice. Therefore, HHAE improved OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in mice and could be a potential supplement for asthma treatment.