Anti-thrombotic and pro-angiogenic effects of Rubia cordifolia extract in zebrafish

Lagopsis supina ameliorates myocardial ischemia injury by regulating angiogenesis, thrombosis, inflammation, and energy metabolism through VEGF, ROS and HMGB1 signaling pathways in rats

BACKGROUND

Lagopsis supina (Steph. ex. Willd.) Ikonn.-Gal. is an important traditional Chinese medicine used to treat various ailments. However, its impact on myocardial ischemia (MI) injury remains unknown.

PURPOSE

This research aimed to reveal the therapeutic effect, potential mechanism, and metabolomics of L. supina against MI injury in rats.

METHODS

The therapeutic effects of the ethanolic extract of L. supina (LS) and its four fractions (LSA∼D) on a left anterior descending (LAD) artery occlusion-induced MI model rat were explored. The pharmacodynamics including myocardial infraction area, myocardial tissue pathology and apoptosis, and serum biochemical parameters (CK, CK-MB, CTn-T, SOD, ET-1, NO, eNOS, VEGF, TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1α, TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP) were evaluated. The 24 related protein expressions were detected using western blotting assay. Simultaneously, the qualitative and quantitative analyses of microporous adsorption resin with 30% (LSC) and 60% (LSD) aqueous ethanol fractions were performed using UHPLC-MS and HPLC. Moreover, the serum metabolomics analysis of rats was profiled using UHPLC-MS.

RESULTS

LS exerted remarkable alleviating effect on MI in rats. Importantly, LSC and LSD, two effective fractions of LS, significantly reduced myocardial infraction area, alleviated myocardial tissue pathology and apoptosis, regulated serum biochemical parameters. Furthermore, LSC and LSD markedly up-regulated the levels of VEGF-A, VEGFR-2, PKC, Bcl-2, Nrf2, HO-1, and thrombin, as well as prominently down-regulated the protein expression of Notch 1, p-PI3K, p-PI3K/PI3K, p-Akt, p-Akt/Akt, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3, vWF, p-Erk, p-Erk/Erk, HMGB1, p-p38, p-p38/p38, p-p65, and p-p65/p65. A total of 26 candidate biomarkers were significantly regulated by LSC and LSD and they are mainly involved in amino acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. Finally, phenylethanols and flavonoids may be major bio-constituents of LSC and LSD against MI.

CONCLUSIONS

This work, for the first time, demonstrated that L. supina had a significant therapeutic effect on MI in rats. Additionally, LSC and LSD, two bio-fractions from L. supina, exerted their potential to ameliorate MI injury by promoting angiogenesis, inhibiting thrombosis, blocking inflammation, and facilitating energy metabolism through promotion of VEGF pathway, as well as suppression of ROS and HMGB1 pathways in rats. These findings suggest that LSC and LSD hold promise as potential therapeutic agents for MI injury in clinical application.

Topical Application of Baicalin Combined with Echinacoside Ameliorates Psoriatic Skin Lesions by Suppressing the Inflammation-Related TNF Signaling Pathway and the Angiogenesis-Related VEGF Signaling Pathway

Baicalin (BAI), the main active component of Scutellaria baicalensis, has significant anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Echinacoside (ECH), an active component from Echinacea purpurea, has significant antiangiogenesis and antioxidant effects. In previous studies, BAI or ECH has been used for some skin inflammation problems by topical treatment. Psoriasis (PSO) is a common inflammatory skin disease with typical features such as excessive inflammatory response and vascular proliferation in skin lesions. Because of the anti-inflammatory effect of BAI and the antiangiogenic activity of ECH, it is proposed that the combination of BAI and ECH can ameliorate psoriatic skin lesions better than a single component. This study aims to explore the effects and potential mechanisms of BAI combined with ECH on imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic skin lesions by topical treatment. Transcriptome analysis first showed that the TNF signaling pathway and the VEGF signaling pathway were significantly enriched in IMQ-induced psoriatic skin lesions. Topical application of BAI combined with ECH could ameliorate IMQ-induced skin lesions in mice, especially the better effects of B2-E1 (BAI/ECH = 2:1). Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking indicated that BAI-treated PSO on the skin by regulating the TNF signaling pathway, and ECH treated PSO on the skin by regulating the VEGF signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the ELISA test and the qPCR assay showed that BAI combined with ECH could inhibit the expression of key cytokines and genes related to the TNF signaling pathway and the VEGF signaling pathway. Zebrafish experiments demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic effects of BAI combined with ECH and revealed the potential mechanisms associated with regulating the inflammation-related TNF signaling pathway and the angiogenesis-related VEGF signaling pathway. This suggested that BAI combined with ECH may be a promising topical agent to ameliorate psoriatic skin lesions in the future.

Thrombosis Models: An Overview of Common In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Thrombosis

Occlusions in the blood vessels caused by blood clots, referred to as thrombosis, and the subsequent outcomes are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In vitro and in vivo models of thrombosis have advanced our understanding of the complex pathways involved in its development and allowed the evaluation of different therapeutic approaches for its management. This review summarizes different commonly used approaches to induce thrombosis in vivo and in vitro, without detailing the protocols for each technique or the mechanism of thrombus development. For ease of flow, a schematic illustration of the models mentioned in the review is shown below. Considering the number of available approaches, we emphasize the importance of standardizing thrombosis models in research per study aim and application, as different pathophysiological mechanisms are involved in each model, and they exert varying responses to the same carried tests. For the time being, the selection of the appropriate model depends on several factors, including the available settings and research facilities, the aim of the research and its application, and the researchers' experience and ability to perform surgical interventions if needed.

A comprehensive review of Rubia cordifolia L.: Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and clinical applications

Rubia cordifolia (family: Rubiaceae) L (R. cordifolia) is a perennial botanical drug climbing vine. As the main part of the traditional Chinese medicine, the rhizome has a long history. A great number of literary studies have reported that it can be used for the improvement of blood circulation, hemostasis, activation of collaterals, etc. When it comes to the wide application of R. cordifolia in traditional medicine, we systematically review its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological effects. Literatures were systematically searched using several scientific databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Baidu Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and other professional websites. Kew Botanical Garden and the iPlant were used for obtaining the scientific names and plant images of R. cordifolia. In addition, other information was also gathered from books including traditional Chinese herbal medicine, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and Chinese Materia Medica. So far, many prescriptions containing R. cordifolia have been widely used in the clinical treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, primary dysmenorrhea and other gynecological diseases, allergic purpura, renal hemorrhage and other diseases. The phytochemistry studies have reported that more than 100 compounds are found in R. cordifolia, such as bicyclic peptides, terpenes, polysaccharides, trace elements, flavonoids, and quinones. Among them, quinones and peptides are the types of components with the highest contents in R. cordifolia. The modern pharmacological studies have revealed that R. cordifolia and its derived components have anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, anti-platelet aggregation, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, most studies are preclinical. The pharmacological mechanism of R. cordifolia has not been thoroughly studied. In addition, there are few pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies of R. cordifolia, therefore the clinical safety data for R. cordifolia is lacking. To sum up, this review for the first time summarizes a systemic and integrated traditional uses, chemical compositions, pharmacological actions and clinical applications of R. cordifolia, which provides the novel and full-scale insight for the drug development, medicinal value, and application of R. cordifolia in the future.

Discovering a Multi-Component Combination against Vascular Dementia from Danshen-Honghua Herbal Pair by Spectrum-Effect Relationship Analysis

The Danshen-Honghua (DH) herbal pair exhibits a synergistic effect in protecting the cerebrovascular system from ischemia/reperfusion injury, but the therapeutic effect on vascular dementia (VaD) has not been clarified, and the main active ingredient group has not been clarified. In this work, the chemical constituents in DH herbal pair extract were characterized by UHPLC-QTOF MS, and a total of 72 compounds were identified. Moreover, the DH herbal pair alleviated phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced thrombosis and improved bisphenol F (BPF)- and ponatinib-induced brain injury in zebrafish. Furthermore, the spectrum-effect relationship between the fingerprint of the DH herbal pair and the antithrombotic and neuroprotective efficacy was analyzed, and 11 chemical components were screened out as the multi-component combination (MCC) against VaD. Among them, the two compounds with the highest content were salvianolic acid B (17.31 ± 0.20 mg/g) and hydroxysafflor yellow A (15.85 ± 0.19 mg/g). Finally, we combined these 11 candidate compounds as the MCC and found that it could improve thrombosis and neuronal injury in three zebrafish models and rat bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) model, which had similar efficacy compared to the DH herbal pair. This study provides research ideas for the treatment of VaD and the clinical application of the DH herbal pair.

Discovery of processing-associated Q-marker of carbonized traditional Chinese medicine: An integrated strategy of metabolomics, systems pharmacology and in vivo high-throughput screening model

BACKGROUND

Carbonized traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a kind of distinctive traditional medicine, which has been widely used to cure various bleeding syndromes in clinic for over 2000 years. However, there are no effective quality control methods developed on carbonized TCM so far.

PURPOSE

This study aimed at developing a processing-associated quality marker (Q-marker) discovery strategy, which would enable to promote the quality control study of carbonized TCM.

METHODS

Carbonized Typhae Pollen (CTP), a typical carbonized TCM with fantastic efficacy of stanching bleeding and removing blood stasis, was used as an example. First, a ultraperformance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) method was established to characterize four types of CTP in different processing degrees. Second, chemometric method was applied to screen candidate Q-markers. Third, peak area changes and A_ratio changes of each candidate markers in 57 batches samples were described (Traceability and Transitivity). Fourth, systems pharmacology and two high-throughput zebrafish models: cerebral hemorrhage model and thrombus model were used to furtherly screen Q-markers (Effectiveness). Finally, a ultraperformance liquid chromatographic coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-MS) method was established and applied to quantify Q-markers in additional 10 batches of CTP samples (Measurability).

RESULTS

The chemical profiles of Typhae Pollen during the carbonized process were investigated. Then, 12 candidate compounds were screened in chemometric part. Six Q-markers (isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-neohesperidoside, naringenin, quercetin and isorhamnetin) were subsequently screened out using three principles of Q-markers combined with content changes and two in vivo zebrafish models. Their average contents in additional 10 batches of CTP were 316.8 μg/g, 13.7 μg/g, 6.1 μg/g, 197.8 μg/g, 12.9 μg/g and 199.3 μg/g, respectively. Their content proportion was about 25: 1: 0.5: 15: 1: 15.

CONCLUSION

A processing-associated Q-marker discovery strategy was developed for carbonized TCM. It might provide a novel insight to solve the problem of 'Chao Tan Cun Xing' in carbonized process.

Phytochemical Characterization, Antioxidant and Anti-Proliferative Properties of Rubia cordifolia L. Extracts Prepared with Improved Extraction Conditions

Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiaceae) is an important plant in Indian and Chinese medical systems. Extracts prepared from the root, stem and leaf have been used traditionally for the management of various diseases. Some of the known effects are anti-inflammation, neuroprotection, anti-proliferation, immunomodulation and anti-tumor. A comparative account of the extracts derived from different organs that lead to the identification of the most suitable solvent is lacking. We explored the presence of phytochemicals, antioxidant activity and anti-proliferative properties of a variety of solvent-based extracts of root, and methanol extracts of stem and leaf of R. cordifolia L. The antioxidant potential was determined by DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and total antioxidant assays. The anti-proliferative nature was evaluated by MTT assay on HeLa, ME-180 and HepG2 cells. The composition of the extracts was determined by UPLC-UV-MS. We found that the root extracts had the presence of higher amounts of antioxidants over the stem and leaf extracts. The root extracts prepared in methanol exhibited the highest cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. The main compounds identified through UPLC-UV-MS of the methanol extract give credibility to the previous results. Our comprehensive study corroborates the preference given to the root over the stem and leaf for extract preparation. In conclusion, we identified the methanol extract of the root to be the most suited to have bioactivity with anti-cancer potential.

Rheum officinale Baill. Treats zebrafish embryo thrombosis by regulating NOS3 expression in the arginine biosynthesis pathway

BACKGROUND

Rheum officinale Baill. (ROB), as one of the traditional Chinese medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, has a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as cardiovascular protection, and has become a common drug in the clinical care of thrombosis.

OBJECTIVE

Although there are some pharmacological studies on ROB in the treatment of thrombotic diseases, the mechanism and material basis are still unclear. Based on the arginine biosynthesis signalling pathway, this research explored the target proteins and metabolites related to the intervention of ROB in thrombosis and expounded on the antithrombotic mechanism of ROB from the comprehensive perspectives of target prediction, intermediate metabolites and potential metabolic pathways.

METHODS

In this research, ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology was used to qualitatively detect the chemical compounds of ROB, and the antithrombotic activity of ROB was evaluated by establishing a zebrafish model. The target function was predicted by network pharmacology, and differential metabolites were screened by metabolomics and multivariate statistical analysis methods. Correlation analysis of network pharmacology and metabolomics screening results was conducted to identify the potential pathway of ROB intervention in thrombosis, and the prediction results were further verified.

RESULTS

ROB significantly reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) staining intensity in zebrafish induced by phenylhydrazine (PHZ) and improved the inhibition rate of thrombosis. By constructing the "herb-disease-component-target" network, it was concluded that the active ingredients of ROB in treating thrombosis involved emodin, aloe-emodin and physcion, and the key targets included nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) and nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3). A total of 341 differential metabolites in zebrafish with thrombosis were screened by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments and targeted metabolomics verification showed that ROB was mainly involved in improving thrombosis by upregulating the expression of NOS3 mRNA and regulating the levels of arginine, glutamate and glutamine in the arginine biosynthesis pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

ROB improved thrombosis by regulating the expression of NOS3 mRNA and the contents of arginine, glutamate and glutamine in the arginine biosynthesis signalling pathway.

Study on chemical constituents of Folium Artemisiae argyi Carbonisatum, toxicity evaluation on zebrafish and intestinal hemostasis

Folium Artemisiae argyi Carbonisatum (FAAC) is a traditional medicine widely used in clinic. It has the effect of hemostasis by warming meridians. In order to further explore the chemical composition and biological activity of FAAC, the methanol extract of FAAC was isolated and purified by open column and high- performance liquid chromatography. and the complete structure was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and LREI-MS for the first time, namely rutin, quercetin and octacosanol respectively. Initially the toxic effect of methanol extract of FAAC on zebrafish was evaluated by observing the phenotypic characteristics, spontaneous twitch times, heart rate, hatching rate, the distance of SV-BA and cardiomyocyte apoptosis of zebrafish. The results showed that FAAC has embryonic development toxicity and cardiotoxicity when it was higher than 62.5 μg/mL. Meanwhile, the hemostatic effect of methanol extract of FAAC was compared with FAA (Folium Artemisia argyi) by zebrafish intestinal bleeding model originally. The results showed that the hemostatic effect of the medium and high concentration dose groups (3.0 and 30.0 μg/mL) was enhanced for both FAAC and FAA. This study provided an experimental basis for the clinical application of FAAC.

Blockage of citrate export prevents TCA cycle fragmentation via Irg1 inactivation

The metabolism of activated macrophages relies on aerobic glycolysis, while mitochondrial oxidation is disrupted. In lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages, the citrate carrier (CIC) exports citrate from mitochondria to enhance glycolytic genes through histone acetylation. CIC inhibition or Slc25a1 knockdown reduces the occupancy of H3K9ac to hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) binding sites in promoters of glycolytic genes to restrain glycolysis. HIF-1α also transcriptionally upregulates immune-responsive gene 1 for itaconate production, which is inhibited by CIC blocking. Isotopic tracing of [U-13C6] glucose shows that CIC blockage prevents citrate accumulation and itaconate production by reducing glycolytic flux and facilitating metabolic flux in the TCA cycle. Isotopic tracing of [U-13C5] glutamine reveals that CIC inhibition reduces succinate accumulation from glutaminolysis and the gamma-aminobutyric acid shunt by enhancing mitochondrial oxidation. By restraining glycolysis, CIC inhibition increases NAD+ content to ensure mitochondrial biogenesis for oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, blockage of citrate export reduces cerebral thrombosis by inactivation of peripheral macrophages.

Elaborate the Mechanism of Ancient Classic Prescriptions (Erzhi Formula) in Reversing GIOP by Network Pharmacology Coupled with Zebrafish Verification

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease that endangers human health. At present, chemical drugs used for osteoporosis have serious side effects. Therefore, it is valuable to search herbs with high safety and good curative effect in antiosteoporosis. Erzhi formula (EZF), an ancient classic compound, has been reported to have a beneficial effect in antiosteoporosis, but its mechanism is unclear. In this paper, the active compounds of EZF were found in Systems Pharmacology Database, and gene targets related to osteoporosis were obtained in GeneCards. The GO functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed by Metascape. The network of “components-targets-signal pathway” was constructed by Cytoscape. Next, molecular docking between the active components and hub genes related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was conducted by Autodock. In the verification experiment, the zebrafish induced by prednisolone (PNSL) was used to reproduce glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) model, and then the reversal effects of EZF were systematically evaluated according to the behavior, skull staining area, bone mineralization area (BMA), average optical density (AOD), and cumulative optical density (COD). Finally, it was shown that 24 components in EZF could regulate 39 common gene targets to exert antiosteoporosis effect. Besides, the main regulatory mechanisms of EZF were 4 signaling pathways: PI3K-Akt, JAK-STAT, AGE-RAGE, and cancer pathway. In PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, wedelolactone, dimethyl wedelolactone, specnuezhenide, ursolic acid, acacetin, beta-sitosterol, apigenin, and kaempferol can bind tightly with EGF, IL-2, and IL-4 genes. Compared with the model group, the moving distance, swimming speed, and cumulative swimming time of zebrafish in EZF group were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the BMA and COD of zebrafish were significantly improved after the intervention of EZF (P < 0.05). In summary, the 24 components of EZF exert their antiosteoporosis effects by regulating 39 related gene targets, among which the PI3K signaling pathway is crucial. EZF can promote bone formation and reversed GIOP through “multicomponent/multitarget/multipathway” and the medium dose of EZF may be the most suitable concentration for the treatment of GIOP in zebrafish model.

Network pharmacology-based approach to understand the effect and mechanism of Danshen against anemia

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Danshen, the dried rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., is widely used to treat cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in China. However, its role in nourishing blood, which has been detailed in historical literature for thousands of years, is perpetually disputed in the academic field. Moreover, there is no systematic research on Danshen in treating anemia. This research aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Danshen on anemia in a zebrafish model based on the results of a network pharmacology study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The network pharmacology study was based on the screening of chemical components and related targets from TCMSP and SwissADME database. The genes associated with anemia were obtained from DisgeNet database, and the genes with the intersection of Danshen target genes were screened out. The Cytoscape 3.7.2 software package was used to construct the "ingredient-target-pathway" network. The exploration of target interaction by String system and the enrichment analysis by Metascape system, was used to discover the possible anti-anemia action mechanism of Danshen. Then, a zebrafish anemia model was induced by vinorelbine followed by the administration of aqueous/ethanol extract of Danshen in contrast to SiWu Decoction (SWD), which is generally acknowledged as a positive drug for tonifying blood. Afterward, the red blood cell signal, cardiac output, and blood flow velocity were detected to evaluate their blood-enriching effects. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to analyze the mRNA levels of hematopoietic-related factors, which were predicted in network pharmacology.

RESULTS

Compounds and target screening hinted that 115 chemical targets from Danshen were related to anemia, KEGG pathway enrichment results suggested that the mechanism of Danshen in treating anemia was significantly related to the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. Pharmacodynamic results showed that aqueous extract of Danshen (DSAE) and ethanol extract of Danshen (DSEE) markedly enhanced the number of red blood cells, cardiac output, and blood flow velocity. Compared with DSAE, DSEE exerted anti-anemia effects at a lower dose; however, along with higher toxicity. PCR data demonstrated that DSAE and DSEE treatment both upregulated the mRNA expression of erythroid hematopoiesis-related factors in the Epo-JAK-STAT signaling pathway, such as Gata-1, Epo, EpoR, Jak2, STAT3, and STAT5. In general, DSAE exhibited higher activation of this signaling than DSEE.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that DSAE and DSEE both possess blood-enriching functions related with their ability to promote Jak-STAT signaling. DSAE exerted lower toxicity and attenuated anemia over a wider dose range than DSEE, which suggests that DSAE may be more suitable for the treatment for anemia. These results presented experimental evidence for the clinical use of Danshen as an intervention for anemia, especially in chemotherapy-induced anemia.

Screening of Potential Anti-Thrombotic Ingredients from Salvia miltiorrhiza in Zebrafish and by Molecular Docking

Background: Danshen (DS), the dry root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for many years to promote blood circulation and to inhibit thrombosis. However, the active ingredients responsible for the anti-thrombotic effect and the underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. Methods: Molecular docking was used to predict the active ingredients in DS and their potential targets by calculating the scores of docking between DS ingredients and thrombosis-related proteins. Then, a chemical-induced zebrafish thrombosis model was applied to confirm their anti-thrombotic effects. Result: The molecular docking results indicated that compared to the control ligand, higher docking scores were observed for several compounds in DS, among which salvianolic acid B (SAB), lithospermic acid (LA), rosmarinic acid (MA), and luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucoside (LG) could attenuate zebrafish caudal vein thrombosis and recover the decrease in heart red blood cells (RBCs) in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: Our study showed that it is possible to screen the potential active components in natural products by combining the molecular docking method and zebrafish in vivo model.

Application and advantages of zebrafish model in the study of neurovascular unit

The concept of "Neurovascular Unit" (NVU) was put forward, so that the research goal of Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases gradually transitioned from a single neuron to the structural and functional integrity of the NVU. Zebrafish has the advantages of high homology with human genes, strong reproductive capacity and visualization of neural circuits, so it has become an emerging model organism for NVU research and has been applied to a variety of CNS diseases. Based on CNKI (https://www.cnki.net/) and PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/) databases, the author of this article sorted out the relevant literature, analyzed the construction of a zebrafish model of various CNS diseases，and the use of diagrams showed the application of zebrafish in the NVU, revealed its relationship, which would provide new methods and references for the treatment and research of CNS diseases.

Discovery and identification of quality markers of Sparganii Rhizoma based on zebrafish thrombosis model

Objective

The aim of the present study was to determine the quality marker (Q-Markers) of Sparganii Rhizoma against thrombus through an integration of investigations on its antithrombotic effect, content determination and spectrum-effect correlation analysis.

Methods

Based on the concept of Q-Marker, Sparganii Rhizoma was investigated for the identification of chemical component. The pharmacological effects on arachidonic acid-induced thrombosis in zebrafish were also investigated. The material basis in ethanol extract was determined by HPLC-UV. Furthermore, the potential Q-Markers were analyzed and predicted according to the effect-chemical correlation analysis. Finally, the anti-thrombotic Q-Markers were verified through the anti-thrombotic test of monomer components.

Results

The model of thrombosis zebrafish was established with larvae exposed to 100 µmol/L arachidonic acid for 1 h. Nine ingredients in Sparganii Rhizoma were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid and isoferulic acid. According to the determination effect of zebrafish thrombosis model and HPLC content analysis results, all the other contents present positive correlation except 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and the P values of three representative potential Q-Markers (ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-coumaric acid) were 0.002, 0.001 and 0.026, respectively.

Conclusion

Sparganii Rhizoma showed a dose-dependent effect on the recovery of reducing cardiac red blood cell on zebrafish model. Three phenolic acids (ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-coumaric acid) were proved to possess the anti-thrombotic effects which could be regarded as the potential Q-Markers for quality assessment of Sparganii Rhizoma.

Recent development in zebrafish model for bioactivity and safety evaluation of natural products

The zebrafish is a species of freshwater fish, popular in aquariums and laboratories. Several advantageous features have facilitated zebrafish to be extensively utilized as a valuable vertebrate model in the lab. It has been well-recognized that natural products possess multiple health benefits for humans. With the increasing demand for natural products in the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and natural cosmetics, the zebrafish has emerged as an unprecedented tool for rapidly and economically screening and identifying safe and effective substances from natural products. This review first summarized the key factors for the management of zebrafish in the laboratory, followed by highlighting the current progress on the establishment and applications of zebrafish models in the bioactivity evaluation of natural products. In addition, the zebrafish models used for assessing the potential toxicity or health risks of natural products were involved as well. Overall, this review indicates that zebrafish are promising animal models for the bioactivity and safety evaluation of natural products, and zebrafish models can accelerate the discovery of novel natural products with potential health functions.

Curcumin Derivative Cur20 Attenuated Cerebral Ischemic Injury by Antioxidant Effect and HIF-1α/VEGF/TFEB-Activated Angiogenesis

In this paper, a curcumin derivative Cur20 was synthesized for better hydrolytic stability, which showed a higher angiogenic effect on zebrafish model than curcumin. In order to reveal the potential effects on neuroprotection, a mouse model of vascular dementia (VaD) induced by permanent right common carotid artery occlusion (rUCCAO) was established. After two weeks of curcumin administration, the cognitive function of mice was detected by Morris water maze and Y maze. The alteration on oxidative injuries and morphological damage were also analyzed by reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, GSH, malondialdehyde tests, and Nissl stain on cortex/hippocampus. The angiogenesis and related signal factors were evaluated as well. The results showed that Cur20 significantly attenuated the cognitive dysfunction and histopathological changes of the VaD mice with enhanced antioxidant system and angiogenesis. In addition, primary rat brain microvessel endothelial cells (rBMECs) with oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) were applied to further verify the possible mechanisms of Cur20-induced angiogenesis. The results demonstrated that the proliferation effect and the activation of pro-angiogenesis factors such as HIF-1α, VEGF, and TFEB might contribute to the protection of ischemic injury. Based on the above, our conclusion is that Cur20 can be considered as a promising therapeutic strategy for VaD.

The toxicity mechanism of toxic compounds from Euphorbiae pekinensis Radix on zebrafish embryos

Euphorbiae pekinensis Radix (EP) is effective in treating various diseases, but it's toxicity is a major obstacle in use in clinical. Although EP was processed with vinegar to reduce it's toxicity, the detailed mechanism of toxicity in EP have not been clearly delineated. This study investigate the toxicity attenuation-mechanism of Euphorbiae pekinensis after being processed with vinegar (VEP) and the toxic mechanism of four compounds from EP on zebrafish embryos. The contents of four compounds decreased obviously in VEP. Correspondingly, slower development on embryos can be seen as some symptoms like reduction of heart rate, liver area and gastrointestinal peristalsis after exposed to the compounds. Some obvious pathological signals such as pericardial edema and yolk sac edema were observed. Furthermore, the compounds could increase the contents of MDA and GSH-PX and induce oxidative damage by inhibiting the activity of SOD. Also, four compounds could provoke apoptosis by up-regulating the expression level of p53, MDM2, Bax, Bcl-2 and activating the activity of caspase-3, caspase-9. In conclusion, the four compounds play an important role in the toxicity attenuation effects of VEP, which may be related to the apoptosis induction and oxidative damage. This would contribute to the clinical application and further toxicity-reduction mechanism research.

Evaluation of VEGF mediated pro-angiogenic and hemostatic effects and chemical marker investigation for Typhae Pollen and its processed product

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Typhae Pollen (TP) is a well-known Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to remove blood stasis. Carbonized Typhae Pollen (CTP), a processed product of TP after being stir-fried, has been widely applied to clinical practice with its capability of hemostasis. However, the underlying mechanism of TP and CTP are still not fully elucidated and discrimination against TP and CTP remains a challenge.

AIM OF STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate whether TP could remove blood stasis by promoting angiogenesis and the process of carbonizing it could enhance hemostatic effect. Meanwhile, some chemical markers for quality control of CTP had better to be found.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The changes of constituents between TP and CTP were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. We investigated pro-angiogenic and hemostatic effects of TP and CTP in two zebrafish models: VRI-induced ISV insufficiency model and Ator-induced cerebral hemorrhage model. Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was applied to investigate the mechanism of pharmacological effects. Finally, chemometric method was applied to find chemical markers.

RESULTS

A total of 19 compounds were identified in qualitative analysis. The loss rate of each compound was calculated and compared. Two compounds (huaicarbon A/B) could only be detected in CTP and the content of flavonoid glycosides in CTP was significantly decreased compared with TP. The average content of the three identified flavonoid aglycones (quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol) was increased about 30 percent in CTP. TP promoted pro-angiogenesis by up-regulating the expression of VEGFA, flt1 and kdr. After heating process, the pro-angiogenic activity was reduced and hemostatic activity was enhanced in CTP. Then qRT-PCR analysis found that CTP could significantly up-regulate the expression of VEGFA and vWF. In the discovery of markers, 6 chemical markers for discrimination of TP and CTP were obtained by chemometric method.

CONCLUSION

Our research indicated that the pro-angiogenic activity of TP was involved in VEGF signaling pathway. After processing, hemostatic activity of CTP has been enhanced by up-regulating the expression of VEGFA and vWF. A chemical marker database was established to provide a scientific evidence for quality control, mechanism and the clinical application of TP and CTP.

Traditional Chinese medicine formulas, extracts, and compounds promote angiogenesis

Ischemic diseases, such as ischemic heart diseases and ischemic stroke, are the leading cause of death worldwide. Angiogenic therapy is a wide-ranging approach to fighting ischemic diseases. However, compared with anti-angiogenesis therapy for tumors, less attention has been paid to therapeutic angiogenesis. Recently, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered increasing interest for its definite curative effect and low toxicity. A growing number of studies have reported that TCM formulas, extracts, and compounds from herbal medicines exert pro-angiogenic activity, which has been confirmed in a few clinical trials. For comprehensive analysis of relevant literature, global and local databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched using keywords such as "angiogenesis," "neovascularization," "traditional Chinese medicine," "formula," "extract," and "compound." Articles were chosen that are closely and directly related to pro-angiogenesis. This review summarizes the pro-angiogenic activity and the mechanism of TCM formulas, extracts, and compounds; it delivers an in-depth understanding of the relationship between TCM and pro-angiogenesis and will provide new ideas for clinical practice.

Network pharmacology approach to elucidate possible action mechanisms of Sinomenii Caulis for treating osteoporosis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sinomenii Caulis (SC) is a well-konwn traditional Chinese medicine used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), dermatophytosis and paralysis. Patients with RA are usually secondary to osteoporosis, but the potential protective effect of SC on osteoporosis (OP) is seldom reported and its possible action mechanism is little known.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the anti-osteoporosis effects of SC extract and alkaloids in prednisolone (Pre)-induced OP of zebrafish, and then to explore the potential mechanism of SC on system level by network pharmacology.

METHODS

Firstly, zebrafish OP model was established to investigate the anti-osteoporosis effect of SC. Secondly, the targets of SC and OP from multiple databases were collected, and Compound-Target-Pathway network based on protein-protein interaction (PPI) was constructed. Moreover, gene enrichment and annotation were performed via the DAVID server. Finally, the reliability of the network pharmacology prediction results in Pre-induced OP of zebrafish was verified by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The results indicated that SC extract and alkaloids have remarkable ability to promote bone formation of cranial bones and reduce TRAP contents in Pre-induced OP of zebrafish. 32 OP-related ingredients in SC and 77 OP-related targets were screened from multiple databases, and 15 OP-related pathways were enriched by the KEGG database. Further experimental validation indicated that SC extract and alkaloids could regulate the expression of MAPK14, CASP3, CXCL8, IL-1β, IL6, PTGS2, TNF-α, ESR1, and MMP9 for treatment of OP.

CONCLUSION

In summary, we conducted an integrative analysis to provide convincing evidence that SC may partially alleviate OP by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and regulating of RANK/RANKL/OPG system.

Integrated network pharmacology and zebrafish model to investigate dual-effects components of Cistanche tubulosa for treating both Osteoporosis and Alzheimer's Disease

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Osteoporosis (OP) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are common geriatric concurrent diseases, and many studies indicate the connection of their pathogenesis. Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight (CT) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine and has been extensively applied to treat OP and AD, respectively. However, the active ingredients for both concurrent diseases simultaneously and underlying mechanisms are limited.

AIM OF STUDY

This work aimed at establishing an effective and reliable network screening method to find dual-effects compounds in CT that can protect AD and OP concurrently. And it will provide new perspectives of the link between OP and AD on molecular mechanisms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The dual-effects of CT were systematically analyzed with integrating multiple databases and extensive analysis at a network pharmacology level. Classified drug-target interaction network was constructed to reveal differences in effects between different types of compounds. To prove the effectiveness of this network, some compounds were selected to verify in Pre-induced OP model and AlCl₃-induced AD model of zebrafish according to the topological parameters.

RESULTS

22 dual-effects active ingredients in CT were initially screened out via network pharmacology with a closely connection with 81 OP and AD-related targets. Classified network analysis found the better bioactivities of phenylethanoid glycosides and flavonoids. The dual-effects of four selected compounds demonstrated that the network is reasonable and effective, suggesting the dual-effects of the remaining 18 compounds. Moreover, we identified 9 putative targets and two pathways that were significantly related to OP and AD.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully identified 22 dual-effects active components in CT. This systematic screening strategy provided a new protocol to objectively discover multi-effects compounds of traditional Chinese medicine, and even a macroscopic perspective that will improve our understanding of the link between OP and AD on molecular mechanisms.

Development of an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-Orbitrap mass spectrometry method for determination of xanthopurpurin in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic study

A rapid and sensitive method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of xanthopurpurin (XPP) in rat plasma using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. XPP inhibits IgE production and prevents peanut-induced anaphylaxis. The XPP and emodin (internal standard) were determined in negative ion mode with m/z 239.0350 → 211.0400 and 269.0455 → 241.0507, respectively. The separation process was achieved using an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T₃ column with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water (85:15). The linear range was 0.5-100 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficient (r² ) was > 0.993. The inter-day and intra-day precision was within an acceptable range of 15%. The extraction recovery and matrix effect were 78.9-87.2% and 94.3-98.5%, respectively. Under different conditions, the XPP was stable in the range of 5.6-10.6%. This method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of XPP with an oral dose of 10.0 mg/kg and intravenous dose of 2.0 mg/kg in rats. The absolute oral bioavailability of XPP was 4.6%.

Platycodon grandiflorus Root Ethanol Extract Induces Lipid Excretion, Lipolysis, and Thermogenesis in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Adipocytes regulate lipid metabolism according to physiological energy requirements. A dysfunctional lipid metabolism can lead to obesity and its complications such as hepatic steatosis, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. In our study, the impact of Platycodon grandiflorus root ethanol extract (PGH) on lipid excretion and thermogenesis-related markers in diet-induced obesity mice was analyzed. Our data show that PGH elevated fatty acid uptake in epididymal adipose tissue by increasing Cd36, Slc27a1, Ffar2, and Ffar4 expression, which led to decreased blood free fatty acid concentrations. Moreover, PGH normalized body weight and fat mass in diet-induced obese mice by increasing lipolysis (Plin1, Atgl, and Hsl) and fatty acid oxidation. Changes in the levels of browning-related genes, enzyme activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase, and the overall transcriptome (Bmp4, Cidec, Ucp3, Sirt3, and Cox4i1) led to promote brown adipose tissue-like features (browning) in epididymal white adipose tissue and enhanced energy expenditure. Our results suggest that PGH promotes lipid excretion and thermogenic function in high-fat diet-induced obese mice, which are mediated by regulation of fat metabolism.

Protective Effect and Mechanisms of New Gelatin on Chemotherapy-Induced Hematopoietic Injury Zebrafish Model

The aim of the study is to explore the protective effect of new gelatin (NG, Xin'ejiao in China) on hematopoietic injury caused by chemotherapy. Zebrafish, at 48 hours post fertilization (hpf), was treated with different chemotherapeutic drugs to establish the zebrafish hematopoietic damage model with reduced thrombocytes and erythrocytes. The protecting effects of NG on the thrombocytes and erythrocytes were observed, respectively, on zebrafish models. Then, the RT-PCR method was used to detect the change of mRNA level of the hematopoiesis-related cytokines scl1, c-myb, pu.1, GATA1, and runx1 genes. The results showed that 50 μg·mL⁻¹ and 100 μg·mL⁻¹ NG rescued and increased the thrombocytes numbers induced by vinorelbine (NVB) and chloramphenicol (CHL) and the erythrocytes numbers induced by methotrexate (MTX), doxorubicin (ADM), and mechlorethamine hydrochloride (MH) in zebrafish models. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of scl1, c-myb, and GATA1 genes in the NG treatment group was raised compared with the MTX treatment group. Also, the mRNA expression of pu.1 and Runx1 in the NG treatment group was reduced compared with the MTX treatment group. In consequence, traditional Chinese medicine NG showed a certain degree protective effect on hematopoiesis injury induced by chemotherapy in this study, which may depend on the promotion of erythrocytes proliferation and the regulation of the hematopoietic genes level.

The Comprehensive Evaluation of Safflowers in Different Producing Areas by Combined Analysis of Color, Chemical Compounds, and Biological Activity

In the present study, a new strategy including the combination of external appearance, chemical detection, and biological analysis was proposed for the comprehensive evaluation of safflowers in different producing areas. Firstly, 40 batches of safflower samples were classified into class I and II based on color measurements and K-means clustering analysis. Secondly, a rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed for simultaneous quantification of 16 chromaticity-related characteristic components (including characteristic components hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B, safflomin C, and another 13 flavonoid glycosides) in safflowers by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTRAP^®/MS²). The results of the quantification indicate that hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B, kaempferol, quercetin, and safflomin C had significant differences between the two types of safflower, and class I of safflower had a higher content of hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B, and safflomin C as the main anti-thrombotic components in safflower. Thirdly, chemometrics methods were employed to illustrate the relationship in multivariate data of color measurements and chromaticity-related characteristic components. As a result, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-β-d-glucoside were strongly associated with the color indicators. Finally, anti-thrombotic analysis was used to evaluate activity and verify the suitability of the classification basis of safflower based on the color measurements. It was shown that brighter, redder, yellower, more orange–yellow, and more vivid safflowers divided into class I had a higher content of characteristic components and better anti-thrombotic activity. In summary, the presented strategy has potential for quality evaluation of other flower medicinal materials.

Effects of miR-181a-5p abnormal expression on zebrafish (Danio rerio) vascular development following triclosan exposure

Triclosan (TCS), one of the important bactericides, is widely used in personal care products, and its chronic exposure leads to severe toxic effects on the growth and development of blood vessels in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Herein, we screened out three differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-181a-5p, miR-132-3p and miR-128-3p) by sequencing and qRT-PCR analyses of 4-96-hpf TCS-exposed zebrafish, among which miR-181a-5p was found to regulate many signaling pathways involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and phosphatidylimositol signaling systems. By O-dianisidine staining, TCS-exposure resulted in decreased distribution of red blood cells and induced blood hypercoagulable state and thrombotic effects. Defective subintestinal veins (SIVs), and decreased branching and curvature of blood vessels were observed with increasing TCS-exposure concentrations. After microinjection of miR-181a-5p mimic and inhibitor, zebrafish malformation type and percentage were prominently increased such as distorted SIV vessels along with reduced venation and abnormal branches by ALP staining. Overexpressed miR-181a-5p had a greater effect on development and branching patterns of arteries and veins than its knockdown. By laser confocal microscopy observation, the 72-hpf Tg (flk1: mCherry) zebrafish obviously displayed vascular proliferation and ablation in the miR-181a-5p mimic group. Microinjection of miR-181a-5p mimics and inhibitors led to abnormal expressions (20-50%) of two key target genes (pax2a and vash2) by WISH, and increased malformation percentages (18-45%) by IOD analysis. Overexpression of vash2 led to the inhibitory or promoting effects on the expression of PI3K signaling pathway-related genes, proving that the effect of vash2 on development of blood vessels could be realized by inhibiting PI3K signaling pathway. These observations lay theoretical foundation for deep insight into the molecular mechanisms on TCS-induced cardiovascular diseases.

An ethnobotanical survey and inhibitory effects on NLRP3 inflammasomes/Caspase-1 of herbal recipes' extracts traditionally used in Rwanda for asthma treatment

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Respiratory diseases and asthma, in particular, are nowadays a global health problem. In Rwanda, some traditional healers claim to treat asthma with plant-based recipes, though there is no scientific proof so far.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our study aimed at evaluating the toxicity and the anti-inflammatory effect of plant recipes used in Rwanda against asthma in order to select potential candidates for further characterization of the active compounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Water (aqueous) and methanol-dichloromethane (organic) extracts from selected folkloric recipes were submitted for toxicity test on THP-1 derived macrophages using CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability Assay. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect of the plant extracts was carried out using the Caspase-Glo 1 Inflammasome assay on THP-1 -derived macrophages.

RESULTS

Most of both organic and aqueous extract showed more than 95% of cell viability up to 200 µg/ml, except for R03Cn organic extract that inhibited 25% of the cell viability. Plant extracts inhibited caspase-1 activation in THP-1 derived macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Four extracts (R03Cn and R07Kn aqueous extracts, R10MK and R19Sz organic extracts) strongly downregulated the activation of caspase-1 (more than 70% at 50 µg/ml). In general, organic extracts exhibited better caspase-1 inhibitory effects than their aqueous counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

The inhibition of inflammasome/caspase-1 is one of key mechanisms of action in asthma. Some traditional recipes are active on this mechanism and are thus strong candidates for the treatment of asthma and other inflammasome-mediated diseases. Further investigations are needed to characterize active molecules.