Activity-guided isolation of NF-κB inhibitors and PPARγ agonists from the root bark of Lycium chinense Miller

Lignanamides: A comprehensive review of chemical constituents, biological activities, extraction methods and synthetic pathway

Lignanamides are a class of compounds containing amide functional groups in lignans. These compounds have excellent anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective, which have shown great potential in terms of food additives, medicine and health supplement. We summarized the recent progress of lignanamides, including chemical constituents, extraction methods, biological activities, and synthetic pathways. The structures were classified according to an updated nomenclature system, can be classified into sixteen types and have certain roles in many respects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidative, which may be important source of materials for functional food. The potential and limitations of different extraction method, chromatographic packing, and synthetic pathway are analyzed. Notably, this review provides an overview of synthesis pathways and applications of lignanamides, further research is needed to improve extraction efficiency and synthesis method, especially in a greener way for better application.

Cornulacin: a new isoflavone from Cornulaca monacantha and its isolation, structure elucidation and cytotoxicity through EGFR-mediated apoptosis

Chemical investigation of the methanolic extract of Cornulaca monacantha (Amaranthaceae), an annual wild herb collected from North Sinai, Egypt, yielded a new isoflavone cornulacin 1 and five known compounds: N-trans-feruloyltyramine 2, N-trans-feruloyl-3'-methoxytyramine 3, N-trans-caffeoyl tyramine 4, Cannabisin F 5 and (2aS, 3aS) lyciumamide D 6. Using MTT assay, the isolated compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against pancreatic (Panc1) and ovarian (A2780) cancer cell lines. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against the tested cells, among which compound 1 (IC50 of 2.1 ± 0.21 μM) was the most active one against A2780 cells, whereas compound 2 (IC50 of 3.4 ± 0.11 μM) was the most effective compound against Panc1 cells. Accordingly, compound 1 was further investigated for its apoptotic induction in A2780 cancer cells using Annexin V/PI staining. Compound 1 significantly stimulated apoptotic ovarian A2780 cancer cells by 45.9-fold and arrested cell proliferation in the S-phase. Such activity was mediated through the upregulation of proapoptotic genes Bax; P53; and caspase 3, 8, and 9 besides the downregulation of the Bcl-2 gene, the anti-apoptotic one. Furthermore, molecular docking investigation demonstrated the strong binding affinity of compound 1 with EGFR active sites, which validated its experimental EGFR enzyme inhibition activity.

Chemical Constituents from the Heartwood of Solanum Verbascifolium L. And Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities Combined Network Pharmacology

Phytochemical studies on 95 % ethanol extract of the heartwood of Solanum verbascifolium L. resulted in the isolation of one new amide derivative (1), and 21 known phenylpropanoids compounds. The structures were characterized by spectral analysis and high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis. The anti-inflammatory activity of amide compounds 1-4 and 6-9 by investigating their impact on the release of nitric oxide (NO) in MH-S cells. Our findings unveiled significant inhibitory effects on NO secretion. Compound 1 exhibited robust dose-dependent suppression, with pronounced inhibition observed at both 20 μM (P<0.01) and 40 μM (P<0.01). Furthermore, compound 9 demonstrated noteworthy inhibitory effects at 40 μM (P<0.01). Similarly, compounds 3 and 4 displayed substantial inhibition of NO secretion at the same concentration, although the significance level was slightly lower (P<0.05). It is expected that there is a substantial association between the anti-inflammatory activities of amides and their targets, specifically PTGS2, by combining network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. This discovery emphasizes amides' potential as an interesting subject for additional study in the realm of anti-inflammatory medications.

Potential of Lycii Radicis Cortex as an Ameliorative Agent for Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC) is a traditional medicine in East Asia with various beneficial effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-diabetic, and anti-depressant properties. However, its potential effects on skeletal muscle atrophy have not been studied. In this study, the protective effects of LRC extract (LRCE) on dexamethasone (DEX)-induced muscle atrophy were investigated in C2C12 myotubes and mice. We evaluated the effect of LRCE on improving muscle atrophy using a variety of methods, including immunofluorescence staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot, measurements of oxidative stress, apoptosis, ATP levels, and muscle tissue analysis. The results showed that LRCE improved myotube diameter, fusion index, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, mitochondrial content, ATP levels, expression of myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MHC), and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotubes. LRCE also enhanced protein synthesis and reduced protein degradation in the myotubes. In mice treated with DEX, LRCE restored calf thickness, decreased mRNA levels of muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 (MuRF1) and atrogin-1, and increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) mRNA level. Moreover, LRCE also repaired gastrocnemius muscle atrophy caused by DEX. Although human studies are not available, various preclinical studies have identified potential protective effects of LRCE against muscle atrophy, suggesting that it could be utilized in the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy.

Novel Derivatives of Eugenol as a New Class of PPARγ Agonists in Treating Inflammation: Design, Synthesis, SAR Analysis and In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity

The main objective of this research was to develop novel compounds from readily accessed natural products especially eugenol with potential biological activity. Eugenol, the principal chemical constituent of clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) from the family Myrtaceae is renowned for its pharmacological properties, which include analgesic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. According to reports, PPARγ regulates inflammatory reactions. The synthesized compounds were structurally analyzed using FT-IR, ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, and mass spectroscopy techniques. Molecular docking was performed to analyze binding free energy and important amino acids involved in the interaction between synthesized derivatives and the target protein. The development of the structure-activity relationship is based on computational studies. Additionally, the stability of the best-docked protein-ligand complexes was assessed using molecular dynamic modeling. The in-vitro PPARγ competitive binding Lanthascreen TR-FRET assay was used to confirm the affinity of compounds to the target protein. All the synthesized derivatives were evaluated for an in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using an albumin denaturation assay and HRBC membrane stabilization at varying concentrations from 6.25 to 400 µM. In this background, with the aid of computational research, we were able to design six novel derivatives of eugenol synthesized, analyzed, and utilized TR-FRET competitive binding assay to screen them for their ability to bind PPARγ. Anti-inflammatory activity evaluation through in vitro albumin denaturation and HRBC method revealed that 1f exhibits maximum inhibition of heat-induced albumin denaturation at 50% and 85% protection against HRBC lysis at 200 and 400 µM, respectively. Overall, we found novel derivatives of eugenol that could potentially reduce inflammation by PPARγ agonism.

A comprehensive review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of the genus Lycium in China

The Lycium genus, perennial herbs of the Solanaceae family, has been an important source of medicines and nutrient supplements for thousands of years in China, where seven species and three varieties are cultivated. Among these, Lycium barbarum L. and Lycium chinense Mill., two "superfoods", together with Lycium ruthenicum Murr, have been extensively commercialized and studied for their health-related properties. The dried ripe fruits of the genus Lycium are well recognized as functional foods for the management of various ailments including waist and knee pain, tinnitus, impotence, spermatorrhea, blood deficiency and weak eyes since ancient times. Phytochemical studies have reported numerous chemical components in the Lycium genus, categorized as polysaccharides, carotenoids, polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids and fatty acids, and its therapeutic roles in antioxidation, immunomodulation, antitumor treatment, hepatoprotection and neuroprotection have been further confirmed by modern pharmacological studies. As a multi-functional food, the quality control of Lycium fruits has also attracted attention internationally. Despite its popularity in research, limited systematic and comprehensive information has been provided on the Lycium genus. Therefore, herein, we provide an up-to-date review of the distribution, botanical features, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of the Lycium genus in China, which will provide evidence for further in-depth exploration and comprehensive utilization of Lycium, especially its fruits and active ingredients in the healthcare field.

A New Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method for the Quantification of Vitamin C in Fresh and Dried Goji Berries (Lycium barbarum L.) Cultivated in Turkey

BACKGROUND

The potential background of the study is related to comprehensive detection of the content of vitamin C with an actual chromatographic method.

OBJECTIVE

Vitamin C is of vital importance in terms of human life and health due to its polyfunctional activity such as antioxidant activity and antiviral effect with other biological functions. In this regard, it may be necessary to update analytical methods or develop up-to-date analytical methods to accurately estimate the amount of vitamin C in natural samples. In this study, a new ultra-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (UPLC-PDA) method has been developed for the determination of vitamin C content in fresh and dried goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.), which are cultivated in Turkey.

METHOD

The chromatographic elution of vitamin C in natural fruit samples was achieved on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (1.7 µm, 2.1 mm × 100 mm) column using methanol and 0.1 M H3PO4 pH 2.15 (20:80, v/v), which are mobile phase. UPLC determination was done at the 242.8 nm. Flow rate was 0.20 mL/min at a column temperature of 30°C. Linearity range of the calibration graph was found to be at 5-30 µg/mL. The validity of the newly developed UPLC method was tested by analyzing individual test samples and added samples.

RESULTS

Applicability of the validated UPLC method was verified by the quantitative analysis of vitamin C content in both fresh and dried goji berries.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that the newly developed and validated UPLC method would be a useful and promising approach for simple quantitative analysis of goji berry samples for vitamin C.

HIGHLIGHTS

In previous studies, no UPLC-PDA method was reported for the analysis of vitamin C in goji berries. The method provided a good repeatability for the analysis of real samples.

Characterization and Bioactive Potential of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from Piper sarmentosum Roxb

Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant in South-East Asian countries. The chemical investigation of leaves from this species resulted in the isolation of three previously not described compounds, namely 4″-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaroyl)-2″-β-D-glucopyranosyl vitexin (1), kadukoside (2), and 6-O-trans-p-coumaroyl-D-glucono-1,4-lactone (3), together with 31 known compounds. Of these known compounds, 21 compounds were isolated for the first time from P. sarmentosum. The structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HR-ESI-MS analyses. The compounds were evaluated for their anthelmintic (Caenorhabditis elegans), antifungal (Botrytis cinerea, Septoria tritici and Phytophthora infestans), antibacterial (Aliivibrio fischeri) and cytotoxic (PC-3 and HT-29 human cancer cells lines) activities. Methyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propionate (8), isoasarone (12), and trans-asarone (15) demonstrated anthelmintic activity with IC₅₀ values between 0.9 and 2.04 mM. Kadukoside (2) was most active against S. tritici with IC₅₀ at 5.0 µM and also induced 94% inhibition of P. infestans growth at 125 µM. Trans-asarone (15), piperolactam A (23), and dehydroformouregine (24) displayed a dose-dependent effect against B. cinerea from 1.5 to 125 µM up to more than 80% inhibition. Paprazine (19), cepharadione A (21) and piperolactam A (23) inhibited bacterial growth by more than 85% at 100 µM. Only mild cytotoxic effects were observed.

Kukoamine B from Lycii Radicis Cortex Protects Human Keratinocyte HaCaT Cells through Covalent Modification by Trans-2-Nonenal

The unsaturated aldehyde trans-2-nonenal is known to be generated by lipid peroxidation at the surface of the skin in an aging-related manner and has harmful effects on keratinocytes in the skin. In this study, the protective effect of a Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC) extract against trans-2-nonenal-induced cell damage on human keratinocyte cell lines (HaCaT) was investigated. Notably, treatment with the LRC extract resulted in an increase in cell survival, while trans-2-nonenal decreased the viability of HaCaT cells. For identification of interaction between the LRC extract and trans-2-nonenal, this mixture was incubated in simulated physiological conditions, showing a strong decrease in the amount of trans-2-nonenal by the LRC extract. Subsequent LC-ESI-MS analysis revealed that kukoamine B (KB) formed Schiff base-derived pyridinium adducts with trans-2-nonenal. Thus, these results suggest that KB could be a potential agent that may protect HaCaT cells by forming new products with trans-2-nonenal.

Alkaloids from Dendrobium and their biosynthetic pathway, biological activity and total synthesis

BACKGROUND

Dendrobium Sw. has been used for thousands of years in China as a precious traditional Chinese medicine. It is derived from stems of various Dendrobium plants and has the functions of nourishing Yin and clearing heat, activating water and nourishing the stomach, moistening the lung and relieving cough. Modern phytochemical studies show that the main components of Dendrobium include alkaloids, polysaccharides, terpenoids, diphenylbenzene, and phenanthrene. Alkaloids are natural products with obvious biological activity and are important effective components of the medicinal activity or toxicity of plants. At present, dozens of alkaloids with various structures have been isolated from Dendrobium plants, and the alkaloid contents in Dendrobium plants of different species are quite different. From the perspective of food safety, the type, molecular structure, content and potential physiological activity or toxicity of alkaloids are important bases for evaluating the safety of edible plants. Studies have shown that the alkaloids isolated from Dendrobium have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities, showing that these alkaloids with potential medicinal activity are important sources of lead compounds in innovative drug development.

PURPOSE

To summarize the research progress on alkaloids in Dendrobium and provide a reference for research on the food safety and medicinal development of Dendrobium.

METHOD

Information about alkaloids from Dendrobium was collected from the scientific databases Web of Science, PubChem and PubMed. We discuss the biosynthetic pathway, biological activities and total synthesis of alkaloids from Dendrobium from 1964 to 2020 and summarize the knowledge of alkaloids from Dendrobium, the biosynthetic pathway, biological activities and total synthesis. We chose publications on their chemistry, drug effects, pharmacology, metabolism and biosynthesis, physiology and toxicity. Alkaloids, Dendrobium, biosynthetic pathway and biological activities were used as keywords to extract the relevant literature.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, the structural classification, biological activity, target and toxicology and synthesis of the alkaloids in Dendrobium were systematically reviewed, which will provide a reference for the safety, development and application of Dendrobium.

Study on the mechanism of Cortex Lycii on lung cancer based on network pharmacology combined with experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Xie Bai San is a Chinese medicine prescription that has been used to treat lung cancer in China for a long time. It has been proven to alleviate the symptoms and extend the survival time of lung cancer patients. Xie Bai San comprises Cortex Lycii, Cortex Mori, and Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata. The effects and mechanisms of Cortex Mori and Glycyrrhizae on lung cancer have been reported, whereas the underlying mechanism of Cortex Lycii remains unknown.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Network pharmacology was used to explore the unknown mechanisms underlying the effect of Cortex Lycii on lung cancer. Molecular docking was used to predict the binding of a compound to the protein. The fingerprint of Cortex Lycii was obtained by HPLC. Cell counting Kit-8 assay was used to determine the appropriate concentration of Cortex Lycii extract for human lung adenocarcinoma cells, A549 and H1299. Wound healing assay and Matrigel invasion assay were used to detect the influence of Cortex Lycii extract on the migration and invasion ability of A549 and H1299. The protein expression level was detected by western blot and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Using network pharmacology, 38 components of Cortex Lycii and 79 possible lung cancer-related target genes of Cortex Lycii were obtained. The targets were assigned to 35 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway contained the most targets and had the second-lowest P-value. The molecular docking showed the components of Cortex Lycii bound to HSP90AB1. Among them, 6 components bound to HSP90AB1 in which HSP90AB1 binds to and phosphorylates AKT. The functional experiments showed that Cortex Lycii suppressed the migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Cortex Lycii up-regulated E-Cadherin and down-regulated N-Cadherin, Vimentin, and MMP2. Furthermore, Cortex Lycii made no change in the total AKT and mTOR protein levels, but caused the down-regulation of p-AKT and p-mTOR in human lung cancer cells, which was reversed by Terazosin, an agonist of HSP90. Moreover, acacetin and apigenin, two components of Cortex Lycii, reduced the protein level of p-AKT and p-mTOR, and the reduction was also inhibited by Terazosin.

CONCLUSION

Cortex Lycii suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung cancer cells through the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, possibly by targeting HSP90AB1 and inhibiting HSP90AB1-AKT binding.

Natural Bioactive Cinnamoyltyramine Alkylamides and Co-Metabolites

Natural products are a vital source for agriculture, medicine, cosmetic and other fields. Among them alkylamides are a broad and expanding group found in at least 33 plant families. Frequently, they possess a simple carbon skeleton architecture but show broad structural variability and important properties such as immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, larvicidal, insecticidal and antioxidant properties, amongst others. Despite to these several and promising biological activities, up to today, only two reviews have been published on natural alkylamides. One focuses on their potential pharmacology application and their distribution in the plant kingdom and the other one on the bioactive alkylamides specifically found in Annona spp. The present review is focused on the plant bioactive cinnamoyltyramine alkylamides, which are subject of several works reported in the literature. Furthermore, the co-metabolites isolated from the same natural sources and their biological activities are also reported.

Hydroxycinnamic Acid Amide Dimers from Goji Berry and Their Potential Anti-AD Activity

Three undescribed hydroxycinnamic acid amide dimers 1-3 were isolated and identified from an extract of Goji berry. Their molecular structures were elucidated based on NMR, MS, and IR spectra analysis. Compounds 1-3 were hydroxycinnamic acid amide dimers, which possess a cyclic butane moiety formed by head-to-head connection. These compounds at 25 μM showed the disaggregation potency on the copper-mediated Aβ_1-42 aggregation ranging from 27.3±3.2 to 31.0±2.9 %. This study provides new information on the antiaging traditional usage of goji berry.

Dynamic metabolic and transcriptomic profiling reveals the biosynthetic characteristics of hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) in sunflower pollen

Sunflower pollen is a natural nutritious food with a long history and multiple functions, however, the main chemical components apart from flavonoids and their biosynthesis processes have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, seven hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) (1-7) abundant in sunflower pollen were isolated and identified as one type of the pollen's main chemicals. For a comprehensive understanding of HCAA biosynthesis in Helianthus annuus flowers, RNA-seq, metabolomics, and key genes related to biosynthesis in the sunflower were studied. A large number of compounds at different sunflower growth stages (the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days) and high expression levels of related genes in the transcriptome were detected. A molecular network was constructed to clarify the synthetic pathway of HCAAs, which revealed high transcriptional levels of spermidine hydroxycinnamoyl transferase genes (HaSHT2795 and HaSHT2436) in 14-21-days-old flowers. HaSHT2795 enzymes catalyze tri-coumaroylspermidine formation, and virus-induced gene silencing to inhibit HaSHT2795 and HaSHT2436 could significantly reduce the synthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid amides in sunflower pollen. HCAAs were inferred to be related to the formation of pollen walls and the health effects of pollen. Analyzing HCAA biosynthesis and accumulation in H. annuus pollen will be helpful to understand the functions of HCAAs in the development of pollen and its nutritional value.

Lycii radicis cortex inhibits glucocorticoid‑induced bone loss by downregulating Runx2 and BMP‑2 expression

Lycii radicis cortex (LRC) has been used to regulate high blood pressure, body temperature, pain and bone disorders in East Asia. Glucocorticoids (GCs), also known as steroids, are potent immunity regulators widely used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, despite their effectiveness, GC usage is strictly controlled due to severe side‑effects, such as osteoporosis. However, further research is required as to date, at least to the best of our knowledge, there is no appropriate model to overcome secondary osteoporosis as a side‑effect of GC use. Thus, the aim of the present study was to establish an experimental model of osteoporosis induced by GC. Furthermore, the present study aimed to establish the research methodology for medical evaluations of the effectiveness and side‑effects of GCs. A secondary osteoporosis animal model was established, and the animals were divided into two groups as follows: The allergic contact dermatitis (ACD)‑induced group and the non‑ACD‑induced group. In the ACD‑induced group, a GC topical application group was compared with a GC subcutaneous injection group. The results revealed that the presence of ACD affected the induction of GC‑mediated osteoporosis. Therefore, the group exhibiting induced ACD that was treated with a topical application of GC was selected for examining the side‑effects of GCs. The effects of LRC on secondary osteoporosis were confirmed in vivo and in vitro. The results indicated that LRC regulated dexamethasone‑induced osteoblast apoptotic markers, including caspase‑6, caspase‑9, X‑linked inhibitor of apoptosis, apoptosis inhibitor 1 and apoptosis inhibitor 2, and increased the expression of osteoblast differentiation‑related genes, such as Runt‑related transcription factor 2 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 in the MC3T3E‑1 cell line. LRC also significantly reduced GC‑induced osteoporosis and exerted anti‑inflammatory effects in vivo. In addition, LRC inhibited the reduction of calbindin‑D28k in the kidney. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that the use of LRC alleviates GC‑induced secondary osteoporosis.

Exploring Phytotherapeutic Alternatives for Obesity, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes Mellitus

At present, the pathologic spectrum of obesity-insulin resistance (IR)-diabetes mellitus (DM) represents not only a pressing matter in public health but also a paramount object of study in biomedical research, as they constitute major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). Phytotherapy, the use of medicinal herbs (MH) with treatment purposes, offers a wide array of opportunities for innovation in the management of these disorders; mainly as pharmacological research on small molecules accumulates. Several MH has displayed varied mechanisms of action relevant to the pathogenesis of obesity, IR and DM, including immunological and endocrine modulation, reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress (OS), regulation of appetite, thermogenesis and energy homeostasis, sensitisation to insulin function and potentiation of insulin release, among many others. However, the clinical correlates of these molecular phenomena remain relatively uncertain, with only a handful of MH boasting convincing clinical evidence in this regard. This review comprises an exploration of currently available preclinical and clinical research on the role of MH in the management of obesity, IR, and DM.

Barbaram, a bicyclic neolactam from the root and stem of Lycium barbarum

Barbaram (1), a neolactam together with other five known compunds (2-6) was isolated from the EtOAc-soluble fraction of an EtOH extract of the root and stem of Lycium barbarum by using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and semi-preparative RP-C₁₈ HPLC. Based on HR-TOF-MS, NMR spectral data, quantum chemistry ECD calculations and referencing to the data reported earlier, the structures of these compounds (1-6) were determined, specially including the absolute configuration of the neolactam (1). Compounds 2 and 4 showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with the IC₅₀ values of 8.98 ± 0.57 μM, 6.68 ± 0.77 μM.

Tyramine-derived hydroxycinnamic acid amides in plant foods: sources, synthesis, health effects and potential applications in food industry

Tyramine-derived hydroxycinnamic acid amines (HCAAT) are naturally occurring group of secondary metabolites present in various plant genera, such as Allium, Cannabis, Lycium, Polyganotum and Solanum. It belongs to the neutral, water-insoluble compounds and plays a role in plant growth, development and defence mechanism. The past two decades have seen a shift in the study of HCAAT from its role in plants to its potent biological activities. This review highlights the sources, roles in plants, biosynthetic pathways, metabolic engineering and chemical synthesis of HCAAT. The biological properties of HCAAT remain the focus in this paper, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-melanogenesis and neuroprotective properties. The effects of food processing and technology on HCAAT are also discussed. Given the current research gap, this review proposes future directions on the study of HCAAT, as well as its potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industry.

Phenolamides: Plant specialized metabolites with a wide range of promising pharmacological and health-promoting interests

Phenolamides constitute a family of metabolites, widely represented in the plant kingdom, that can be found in all plant organs with a predominance in flowers and pollen grains. They represent a large and structurally diverse family, resulting from the association of phenolic acids with aliphatic or aromatic amines. Initially revealed as active compounds in several medicinal plant extracts, phenolamides have been extensively studied for their health-promoting and pharmacological properties. Indeed, phenolamides have been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties, but also protective effects against metabolic syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarise this large body of literature, including in vitro and in vivo studies, by describing the diversity of their biological properties and our actual knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind them. With regard to their considerable pharmacological interest, the question of industrial production is also tackled through chemical and biological syntheses in engineered microorganisms. The diversity of biological activities already described, together with the active discovery of the broad structural diversity of this metabolite family, make phenolamides a promising source of new active compounds on which future studies should be focused.

The Chemistry and Health Benefits of Dietary Phenolamides

Phenolamides, also known as hydroxycinnamic acid amides or phenylamides, have been reported throughout the plant kingdom, while a few of these amine-conjugated hydroxycinnamic acids are unique in foods. The current knowledge of their specific functions in plant development and defense is readily available as is their biosynthesis; however, their functionality in humans is still largely unknown. Of the currently known phenolamides, the most common are avenanthramides, which are unique in oats and similar to the well-known drug Tranilast, which possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-itch, and antiatherogenic activities. While recent data have brought to light more information regarding the other known phenolamides, such as hordatines, dimers of agmatine conjugated to hydroxycinnamic acid, and kukoamines, spermine-derived phenolamides, the information is still severely limited, leaving their potential health benefits to speculation. Herein, to highlight the importance of dietary phenolamides to human health, we review and summarize the four major subgroups of phenolamides, including their chemical structures, dietary sources, and reported health benefits. We believe that the studies on phenolamides are still in the infancy stage and additional health benefits of these phenolamides may yet be identified.

Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Kukoamine A From the Root Bark of Lycium chinense Miller

Kukoamine A (Kuk A) is a naturally occurring bioactive spermine alkaloid found in the root bark of Lycium chinense, and it exerts various therapeutic effects including antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic effects. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of Kuk A against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. Pretreatment of cells with Kuk A significantly inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, cyclooxygenase-2 activity, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 in LPS-treated cells. In addition, pretreatment of rats with Kuk A significantly decreased inflammatory response to carrageenan-induced paw edema by alleviating proinflammatory cytokines in the serum, malondialdehyde levels in the liver and increasing the activities of liver antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) of carrageenan-treated rats. These results suggest the protective role of Kuk A in acute inflammatory reaction and could be useful in the treatment of inflammatory-related disorders.

Kukoamine B Ameliorate Insulin Resistance, Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Other Metabolic Abnormalities in High-Fat/High-Fructose-Fed Rats

BACKGROUND

Obesity is characterized by excessive body fat, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, which increases the chances of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, some types of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Kukoamine B (Kuk B) is a spermine alkaloid obtained from Lycium chinense, and it has been shown to possess antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of Kuk B on high-fat diet/high-fructose (HFDFr)-induced insulin resistance and obesity in experimental rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats were fed with either normal rat diet or HFDFr for 10 consecutive weeks. The groups that were fed with HFDFr received Kuk B (25 and 50 mg/kg) from the beginning of the 6th week to the 10th week. After treatment, the effect of Kuk B on body weight, food, water intake, insulin, blood glucose, serum biochemical parameters, hepatic oxidative stress (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)) levels was determined. Histopathological analysis of the liver tissues was also performed.

RESULTS

HFDFr-fed rats showed a significant increase in body weight, fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipid accumulation and liver function enzymes. In addition, HFDFr diet increased hepatic MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and decreased hepatic SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities. On the other hand, Kuk B significantly attenuated body weight, insulin resistance, lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and inflammation.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that Kuk B showed protective effect against HFDFr-induced metabolic disorders by downregulating lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and inflammatory factors.

Apoptotic Pathway as the Therapeutic Target for Anticancer Traditional Chinese Medicines

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death and it plays a vital role in human development and tissue homeostasis. Mounting evidence indicates that apoptosis is closely related to the survival of cancer and it has emerged as a key target for the discovery and development of novel anticancer drugs. Various studies indicate that targeting the apoptotic signaling pathway by anticancer drugs is an important mechanism in cancer therapy. Therefore, numerous novel anticancer agents have been discovered and developed from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by targeting the cellular apoptotic pathway of cancer cells and shown clinically beneficial effects in cancer therapy. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion for the role, pharmacology, related biology, and possible mechanism(s) of a number of important anticancer TCMs and their derivatives mainly targeting the cellular apoptotic pathway. It may have important clinical implications in cancer therapy.

Lyciyunin, a new dimer of feruloyltyramine and five bioactive tyramines from the root of Lycium yunnanense Kuang

Lyciyunin, a new dimer of feruloyltyramine (1), together with five known tyramines (2-6), was isolated from the water-soluble fraction of an EtOH extract of the root of L. yunnanense. Based on HR-TOF-MS, NMR spectral data and quantum chemistry ECD calculations, the structure of this new compound was determined, including its absolute configuration. Compounds (1-6) were tested for their antioxidant activity using in vitro DPPH radical scavenging assay, and 1-6 showed the moderate antioxidant activities with IC₅₀ values of 12.44 ± 0.39, 21.29 ± 0.75, 24.44 ± 1.63, 21.15 ± 0.66, 21.15 ± 0.66 and 45.15 ± 0.56 μM, respectively. Compounds (5-6) showed anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with the IC₅₀ values of 43.95 ± 6.11 and 33.50 ± 2.04 μM, respectively.

Use of UHPLC-TripleQ with synthetic standards to profile anti-inflammatory hydroxycinnamic acid amides in root barks and leaves of Lycium barbarum

Hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAA) are the secondary metabolites ubiquitously exist in flowering plants, formed by condensation between hydroxycinnamates and mono or polyamines. HCAA species not only serve multiple functions in plant growth and development, but also exert significant positive effects on human health. In this study, we combined organic synthesis and UPHLC-TripleQ-MS/MS specifically targeting at HCAA species. The method was fully validated with respect to specificity, linearity, intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and reproducibility. We applied this method to identify and quantify HCAAs from the root barks and leaves of Lycium barbarum. HCAA species were reported in leaves for the first time, and 10 new HCAA species were further identified in root barks in addition to the ones reported in the literature. We also examine anti-inflammatory properties of identified HCAAs species. Seven HCAA compounds had a potent NO inhibitory effect with IC₅₀ as low as 2.381 μM (trans-N-caffeoyl phenethylamine). Our developed method largely improved analytical sensitivity of HCAAs species that potentially contributes to plant metabolomics studies.

A New Lignanamide from the Root of Lycium yunnanense Kuang and Its Antioxidant Activity

A new lignanamide (1), lyciumamide K, together with four known analogues (2–5), was isolated from the root of Lycium yunnanense Kuang. Based on HR-ESI-MS, NMR spectral data and quantum chemistry ECD calculations, the structure of this new compound was confirmed, including its absolute configuration. Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of compounds 1–5 in the oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay showed that they all exhibited significant antioxidant activities. Particularly, compound 1 showed the best activity with ORAC values (U/mol) of 7.90 ± 0.52. Thus, the new lignanamide may be a good source of bioavtive and protective compounds.

Lignanamides with potent antihyperlipidemic activities from the root bark of Lycium chinense

Seven new lignanamides, lyciumamides D-J (1-4 and 9-11), together with nine known analogues (5-8 and 12-16), were isolated from the root bark of Lycium chinense. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. All isolated compounds were evaluated for antihyperlipidemic activities in HepG2 cells. The primary structure-activity relationships were discussed.

Neuroprotective effect of trans-N-caffeoyltyramine from Lycium chinense against H2O2 induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells by attenuating oxidative stress

Natural products play a critical role in the promotion of good health as regards the prevention and management of oxidative stress related and neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative stress has been implicated in several apoptotic pathways associated with cell damages in neuronal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect of trans-N-caffeoyltyramine (TNC) isolated from Cortex lycii against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) induced cell damages in PC12 cells as well as its mechanism of action. The results obtained indicated that pretreatment with TNC before the exposure of cells to H₂O₂ toxicity lead to a significant increase in the cell viability and the antioxidant enzyme activities catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and reduced the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, TNC attenuated the influx of Ca²⁺, ROS formation and restored the impaired mitochondria membrane potential (MMP). Thus TNC may be used as an alternative therapy for the prevention and treatment of neuronal disorders elicited by oxidative stress.

Systematic Review of Chemical Constituents in the Genus Lycium (Solanaceae)

The Lycium genus is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine and functional food. Many of the chemical constituents of the genus Lycium were reported previously. In this review, in addition to the polysaccharides, we have enumerated 355 chemical constituents and nutrients, including 22 glycerogalactolipids, 29 phenylpropanoids, 10 coumarins, 13 lignans, 32 flavonoids, 37 amides, 72 alkaloids, four anthraquinones, 32 organic acids, 39 terpenoids, 57 sterols, steroids, and their derivatives, five peptides and three other constituents. This comprehensive study could lay the foundation for further research on the Lycium genus.

Lycium chinense Improves Post-Menopausal Obesity via Regulation of PPAR-γ and Estrogen Receptor-α/β Expressions

The fruit of Lycium chinense Miller (Solanaceae) is used as a functional food and a medicinal herb for treating many specific health concerns. Weight gain induced by estrogen deficiency is a problem for post-menopausal women around the globe. The present study investigates the effects of aqueous extract of L. chinense (LC) on post-menopausal obesity. Female C57BL/6 mice were ovariectomized and fed on high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce post-menopausal obesity. LC extract (1[Formula: see text]mg/kg and 10[Formula: see text]mg/kg) was orally administrated for 6 weeks with continuous HFD feeding. Ovarian adipose tissues and uterus were weighed. Serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and fasting glucose levels were analyzed. The expressions of adipocyte-specific factors and estrogen receptors (ERs) were investigated. Additionally, lipid accumulation was confirmed in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Increased body weight due to post-menopausal obesity was ameliorated about 14.7% and 17.76% by treatment of 1[Formula: see text]mg/kg and 10[Formula: see text]mg/kg LC, respectively. LC treatment reduced both of serum lipid and fasting blood glucose levels. Adipocyte hypertrophy and fatty liver were ameliorated in LC-treated groups. In LC-treated adipocyte cells, lipid accumulation was significantly inhibited. The expression of perilipin in adipose tissues was decreased by LC. In addition, expression of PPAR-[Formula: see text] protein was down-regulated in adipose tissues and differentiated adipocytes, while GLUT4 expression was increased in adipose tissues by LC treatment. Moreover, LC treatment up-regulated the expressions of ER-[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] accompanied with increased uterine weight. These results showed the ameliorative effects of LC on overweight after menopause. Post-menopausal obesity may be improved by LC treatment.

Identification and Quantification of Potential Anti-inflammatory Hydroxycinnamic Acid Amides from Wolfberry

Wolfberry or Goji berry, the fruit of Lycium barbarum, exhibits health-promoting properties that leads to an extensive study of their active components. We synthesized a set of hydroxycinnamic acid amide (HCCA) compounds, including trans-caffeic acid, trans-ferulic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, with extended phenolic amine components as standards to identify and quantify the corresponding compounds from wolfberry and to investigate anti-inflammatory properties of these compounds using in vitro model. With optimized LC-MS/MS and NMR analysis, nine amide compounds were identified from the fruits. Seven of these compounds were identified in this plant for the first time. The amide compounds with a tyramine moiety were the most abundant. In vitro studies indicated that five HCCA compounds showed inhibitory effect on NO production inuded by lipopolysaccharides with IC₅₀ less than 15.08 μM (trans-N-feruloyl dopamine). These findings suggested that wolfberries demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.

Nine new compounds from the root bark of Lycium chinense and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity

Lycium chinense Mill. is a deciduous shrub in the Solanaceae family that is known for its fruits (Lycii fructus) and root bark (Lycii cortex).

Antioxidants and α-glucosidase inhibitors from Ipomoea batatas leaves identified by bioassay-guided approach and structure-activity relationships

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaf (SPL) is an underused commercial vegetable with considerable bio-activities. By means of DPPH scavenging ability and α-glucosidase inhibitory oriented isolation, 9 and 7 compounds were isolated and identified, respectively. Among them, trans-N-(p-coumaroyl)tyramine (1), trans-N-feruloyltyramine (2), cis-N-feruloyltyramine (3), 4,5-feruloylcourmaoylquinic acid (8), caffeic acid ethyl ester (10), 7-hydroxy-5-methoxycoumarin (11), 7,3'-dimethylquercetin (13) and indole-3-carboxaldehyde (15), were firstly identified from SPL, and four of them (1, 2, 3 and 10) were firstly identified from genus Ipomoea. Phenethyl cinnamides and 3,4,5-triCQA exhibited the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition, while 3,4,5-triCQA and diCQAs were the dominant antioxidants. Structure-activity relationship revealed that higher caffeoylation of quinic acid and lower methoxylation of flavonols resulted in stronger antioxidant activity, and methylation and cis-configuration structure of phenethyl cinnamides weaken the α-glucosidase inhibition. Aforementioned results could help to explain the antioxidant activity and anti-diabetic activity of SPL, and provide theoretical basis for its further application.

A New Antibacterial Tetrahydronaphthalene Lignanamide, Foveolatamide, from the Stems of Ficusfoveolata

An antibacterial assay-guided isolation of the crude ethyl acetate extract from Ficus foveolata stems afforded four compounds, including a tetrahydronaphthalene lignanamide, foveolatamide (1), together with two known lignanamides, flavifloramide B (2) and N-trans-grossamide (3), and a known phenolic amide, N-trans-feruloyltyramine (4). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and MS techniques. Among the isolated compounds, only 1 showed satisfactory antibacterial activities against Streptococcus pyogenes, with an MIC and MBC value of 45 µM. This is the first report of these four compounds from the stems of F. foveolata.

Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review

Medicinal plants have historically proven their value as a source of molecules with therapeutic potential, and nowadays still represent an important pool for the identification of novel drug leads. In the past decades, pharmaceutical industry focused mainly on libraries of synthetic compounds as drug discovery source. They are comparably easy to produce and resupply, and demonstrate good compatibility with established high throughput screening (HTS) platforms. However, at the same time there has been a declining trend in the number of new drugs reaching the market, raising renewed scientific interest in drug discovery from natural sources, despite of its known challenges. In this survey, a brief outline of historical development is provided together with a comprehensive overview of used approaches and recent developments relevant to plant-derived natural product drug discovery. Associated challenges and major strengths of natural product-based drug discovery are critically discussed. A snapshot of the advanced plant-derived natural products that are currently in actively recruiting clinical trials is also presented. Importantly, the transition of a natural compound from a "screening hit" through a "drug lead" to a "marketed drug" is associated with increasingly challenging demands for compound amount, which often cannot be met by re-isolation from the respective plant sources. In this regard, existing alternatives for resupply are also discussed, including different biotechnology approaches and total organic synthesis. While the intrinsic complexity of natural product-based drug discovery necessitates highly integrated interdisciplinary approaches, the reviewed scientific developments, recent technological advances, and research trends clearly indicate that natural products will be among the most important sources of new drugs also in the future.

Antitumor effects of traditional Chinese medicine targeting the cellular apoptotic pathway

Defects in apoptosis are common phenomena in many types of cancer and are also a critical step in tumorigenesis. Targeting the apoptotic pathway has been considered an intriguing strategy for cancer therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in the People’s Republic of China for thousands of years, and many of the medicines have been confirmed to be effective in the treatment of a number of tumors. With increasing cancer rates worldwide, the antitumor effects of TCMs have attracted more and more attention globally. Many of the TCMs have been shown to have antitumor activity through multiple targets, and apoptosis pathway-related targets have been extensively studied and defined to be promising. This review focuses on several antitumor TCMs, especially those with clinical efficacy, based on their effects on the apoptotic signaling pathway. The problems with and prospects of development of TCMs as anticancer agents are also presented.

Three New Dimers and Two Monomers of Phenolic Amides from the Fruits of Lycium barbarum and Their Antioxidant Activities

The aims of this study were to complement the current knowledge on the antioxidative composition of alcohol extracts from the fruits of Lycium barbarum and to evaluate their antioxidant activities. Three new dimers of phenolic amides, named lyciumamides A (3), B (4), and C (5), together with two monomers, N-E-coumaroyl tyramine (1) and N-E-feruloyl tyramine (2), were isolated from the fruits for the first time with the help of activity-guided chromatography. Compounds 1-5 were evaluated for their antioxidant activities in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical and inhibiting lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by ascorbate/Fe²⁺, cumine hydroperoxide, or CCl₄/reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and the results showed that all of them exhibited strong activities, whereas compounds 1 and 2 were more potent than the reference tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole.