Anti-inflammatory activity of caffeic acid derivatives from Ilex rotunda

The autophagy-lysosome pathway: a potential target in the chemical and gene therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease with movement disorders associated with the intracytoplasmic deposition of aggregate proteins such as α-synuclein in neurons. As one of the major intracellular degradation pathways, the autophagy-lysosome pathway plays an important role in eliminating these proteins. Accumulating evidence has shown that upregulation of the autophagy-lysosome pathway may contribute to the clearance of α-synuclein aggregates and protect against degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. Moreover, multiple genes associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease are intimately linked to alterations in the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Thus, this pathway appears to be a promising therapeutic target for treatment of Parkinson's disease. In this review, we briefly introduce the machinery of autophagy. Then, we provide a description of the effects of Parkinson's disease-related genes on the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Finally, we highlight the potential chemical and genetic therapeutic strategies targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway and their applications in Parkinson's disease.

Anti-inflammatory in vitro activities of eleven selected caffeic acid derivatives based on a combination of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine secretions and principal component analysis - A comprehensive evaluation

Eleven compounds including caffeic acid (CA), 4 kinds of caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) and 6 kinds of dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQA), were selected to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effectiveness using mouse primary peritoneal macrophages in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The optimal non-cytotoxic doses of each individual compound were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines secreted by treated macrophages were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cytokine secretion profiles of each individual test sample at optimal non-cytotoxic doses were further analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed that CA and all selected CQAs exhibited lower cytotoxicity (IC50: >50 μmol/l). Both CA and 5-CQA were found to have the most significant contributions for inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, but increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine secretions, evidencing that CA at 10 μmol/l and 5-CQA at 25 μmol/l can be qualified as potent anti-inflammatory agents for treating inflammation-related diseases.

The Hepatorenal Protective Potential of Caffeic Acid Consumption on the Arsenic-Exposed Syrian Mice

Arsenic can induce lethal hepatorenal insufficiency by inducing progressive cytotoxicity in the two main body's hemostatic regulators, the kidney and liver. In the current study, the hepatorenal protective impact of caffeic acid was investigated in arsenic-exposed Syrian mice. Twenty-four male Syrian mice (30 ± 8 g) were provided and randomly divided into 4 groups of 6 receiving nothing, arsenic, arsenic and caffeic, and caffeic acid. The mice passed the 21-day treatment program. The mice's blood was collected and analyzed by measuring the serum ALT/AST enzymes and creatinine/urea levels, respectively. Finally, the histopathological properties in both the kidney and liver organs of the mice were studied. Arsenic administration significantly increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), LDH, urea, and creatinine concentrations (p < 0.05). Simultaneous administration of caffeic acid with arsenic decreased the serum AST and creatinine (p < 0.05). Moreover, the renal glomerulus and liver regeneration in the mice receiving caffeic acid supplements exhibited the caffeic acid hepatorenal protective potential. The histopathological changes caused by arsenic in the mice's liver and kidney tissue including degeneration, necrosis, hyperemia, and tissue hypotrophy were shifted to normal conditions following the caffeic acid administration dose, which was verified by the mice blood biochemical analysis results.

Artificial aging conditions for Artemisia argyi leaves based on quality-inflammation-quality marker transformation

BACKGROUND

Appropriate conditions for storage of Artemisia argyi leaves reduce irritation during treatment and increase the active ingredient content. Naturally aged A. argyi leaves (≥1 year) are optimal for moxibustion; however, this process is time-consuming and costly. A comprehensive understanding of the conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves and the mechanism of quality-marker conversion are required to guarantee A. argyi quality and moxibustion efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the optimal conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves and clarify the mechanism of quality-marker conversion.

METHOD

Gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), colorimeter (CD), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were used to determine the chemical composition of A. argyi leaves before and after artificial and natural (1 year) aging and to determine the optimal artificial aging conditions. The effects of both artificially and naturally aged A. argyi leaves were then evaluated in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC). The main chemical components of aged A. argyi leaves were then analyzed to determine quality-markers and the transformation mechanism.

RESULTS

Comprehensive analysis of volatile and non-volatile components, color values, and characteristic near-infrared spectra revealed that the quality of artificially aged A. argyi leaves was similar to that of naturally aged A. argyi leaves. In the mouse model, artificially and naturally aged A. argyi leaves not only improved the symptoms of UC with the same therapeutic effects, but also safeguarded the barrier of the colonic mucosa and prevented the release of colitis-related substances. In addition, the content of caffeic acid converted from L-phenylalanine in A. argyi leaves increased during the aging process.

CONCLUSION

Conditions for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves were identified for the first time, and the equivalent efficacy of artificially aged A. argyi leaves and naturally aged A. argyi leaves for improving UC was confirmed. This method for artificial aging of A. argyi leaves not only reduces the time and cost associated with this process, but also provides technical support to ensure the quality and stability of artificially aged A. argyi leaves. In addition, caffeic acid was identified as a potential quality-marker for establishing standards and specifications for aging A. argyi leaves for the first time, and its possible transformation mechanism was preliminarily elucidated.

Effects of dietary traditional Chinese medicine residues on growth performance, intestinal health and gut microbiota compositions in weaned piglets

Weaning stress can induce diarrhea, intestinal damage and flora disorder of piglets, leading to slow growth and even death of piglets. Traditional Chinese medicine residue contains a variety of active ingredients and nutrients, and its resource utilization has always been a headache. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine residues (Xiasangju, composed of prunellae spica, mulberry leaves, and chrysanthemum indici flos) on growth performance, diarrhea, immune function, and intestinal health in weaned piglets. Forty-eight healthy Duroc× Landrace × Yorkshire castrated males weaned aged 21 days with similar body conditions were randomly divided into 6 groups with eight replicates of one piglet. The control group was fed a basal diet, the antibiotic control group was supplemented with 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline, and the residue treatment groups were supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0% Xiasangju residues. The results showed that dietary Xiasangju residues significantly reduced the average daily feed intake, but reduced the diarrhea score (P < 0.05). The 1.0% and 2.0% Xiasangju residues significantly increased the serum IgM content of piglets, and the 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0% Xiasangju residues significantly increased the serum IgG content, while the 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0% Xiasangju residues significantly increased the sIgA content of ileal contents (P < 0.05). Dietary Xiasangju residues significantly increased the villus height and the number of villus goblet cells in the jejunum and ileum, and significantly decreased the crypt depth (P<0.05). The relative mRNA expression of IL-10 in the ileum was significantly increased in the 1% and 2% Xiasangju residues supplemented groups (P < 0.05), while IL-1β in the ileum was downregulated (P < 0.05). Xiasangju residues improved the gut tight barrier, as evidenced by the enhanced expression of Occludin and ZO-1 in the jejunum and ileum. The diets with 1% Xiasangju residues significantly increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii, and 2% and 4% Xiasangju residues significantly increased the relative abundance of Weissella jogaeotgali (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 0.5%, 1.0%, 2% and 4% with Xiasangju residues significantly decreased the relative abundance of Escherichia coli and Treponema porcinum (P < 0.05). In summary, dietary supplementation with Xiasangju residues improves intestinal health and gut microbiota in weaned piglets.

Molecular Networking and Bioassay-Guided Preparation and Separation of Active Extract and Constituents from Vicia tenuifolia Roth

Molecular networking drove the selection of material from V. tenuifolia organs that targeted active flavonoid glycosides. To optimize the extraction process, the flowers of V. tenuifolia were used to produce an anti-inflammatory extract. The effects of variables-organic solvent ratio; extraction time; and temperature-were investigated by the response of anti-inflammatory activity. Bioactivities-guided experiments helped identify fractions with high total phenolic and flavonoid content as well as antioxidant potential. Furthermore, one new compound (1), 19 first isolated together, and two known compounds were obtained and identified from the active fraction of this plant. Among them, compounds (15 and 22) were first reported for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data from this study. All the isolates were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory capacity throughout, modulating nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-8 production. Active compounds were further investigated for their regulation and binding affinity to the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins by Western blot and in silico approaches, respectively. The findings of this study suggested that the developed extract method, active fraction, and pure components should be further investigated as promising candidates for treating inflammation and oxidation.