Synergistic hepatoprotective effects of CGplus on CCl4-induced acute injury

Integrated network analysis and metabolomics reveal the molecular mechanism of Yinchen Sini decoction in CCl4-induced acute liver injury

Objective: Yinchen Sini decoction (YCSND), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, plays a crucial role in the treatment of liver disease. However, the bioactive constituents and pharmacological mechanisms of action remain unclear. The present study aimed to reveal the molecular mechanism of YCSND in the treatment of acute liver injury (ALI) using integrated network analysis and metabolomics. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q-Exactive focus mass spectrum (UHPLC-QE-MS) was utilized to identify metabolites in YCSND, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to evaluate the quality of four botanical drugs in YCSND. Cell damage and ALI models in mice were established using CCl4. 1H-NMR metabolomics approach, along with histopathological observation using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), biochemical measurements, and reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), was applied to evaluate the effect of YCSND on CCl4- induced ALI. Network analysis was conducted to predict the potential targets of YCSND in ALI. Result: Our results showed that 89 metabolites in YCSND were identified using UHPLC-QE-MS. YCSND protected against ALI by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and increasing those of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) both in vivo and in vitro. The 1H-NMRmetabolic pattern revealed that YCSND reversed CCl4-induced metabolic abnormalities in the liver. Additionally, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis identified five pathways related to liver injury, including the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1, apoptosis, and TNF signaling pathways. Moreover, RT-qPCR showed YCSND regulated the inflammatory response (Tlr4, Il6, Tnfα, Nfκb1, Ptgs2, and Mmp9) and apoptosis (Bcl2, Caspase3, Bax, and Mapk3), and inhibited PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (Pi3k and Akt1). Combined network analysis and metabolomics showed a link between the key targets (Tlr4, Ptgs2, and Mmp9) and vital metabolites (choline, xanthine, lactate, and 3-hydroxybutyric acid) of YCSND in ALI. Conclusion: Overall, the results contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic effects of YCSND on ALI, and indicate that the integrated network analysis and metabolomics could be a powerful strategy to reveal the pharmacological effects of TCM.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Heracleum candicans Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Rats

Purpose:

To determine the hepatoprotective mechanisms of Heracleum candicans in rats with acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄).

Methods:

Rats were intragastrically administered H candicans twice a day for 14 consecutive days and were intraperitoneally challenged with CCl₄. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were measured to indicate liver injury. Malondialdehyde antioxidant enzyme activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 secretion were measured as liver injury indicators. Histopathological tests were conducted to determine whether H candicans ameliorated liver injury.

Results:

CCl₄-induced liver injury led to significant increases in liver injury biochemical indicators transaminase and malondialdehyde activities. H candicans pretreatments inhibited these increases. Pathological sections in pretreated samples exhibited reduced vacuole formation, neutrophil infiltration, and necrosis.

Conclusion:

H candicans increases the antioxidant capacity of the liver and maintains hepatocyte function in the face of CCl₄-induced injury.

A standardized herbal combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Paeonia japonica, protects against muscle atrophy in a C26 colon cancer cachexia mouse model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) and Bunge and Paeonia japonica (Makino)Miyabe & H.Takeda have been traditionally used to improve the poor quality of life such as weakness, lack of appetite, fatigue, and malaise which is considered with cachexia condition.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We investigated anti-cachectic effects of a herbal formula composed of Astragalus membranaceus and Paeonia japonica (APX) and the molecular mechanisms of APX in C26 cancer-induced cachexia mice and TNF-a-treated C2C12 myotubes. Additionally synergistic anti-cachectic effects of APX were compared to those of individual herbal extracts and megestrol acetate.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The forty-two BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal (nontreatment), control (C26 injection), AM (C26 injection with Astragalus membranaceus), PJ (C26 injection with Paeonia japonica), APX (C26 injection with combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Paeonia japonica and MA (C26 injection with megestrol acetate). All mice were orally administered DW (normal and control groups) or 100 mg/kg AM, PJ, APX or MA for 10 days. In the animal model, several tissues were weighed, and muscle tissue and blood were used to measure pro-inflammatory cytokines. C2C12 myotubes were exposed to 100 ng/mL TNF- α with or without 10 μg/mL of AM, PJ, APX or MA for 48 h. The cells were used to immunofluorescence staining and western blot analyses.

RESULTS

C26 injection induced notable body and muscle weight loss while APX administration significantly attenuated these alterations and the decrease of muscle weights and strength. APX also significantly attenuated the abnormal elevations in the concentration of three muscle atrophy-inducible cytokines; serum and muscle TNF-α,muscle TWEAK and IL-6 in C26 tumor-bearing mice. In the TNF-α-treated C2C12 myotube model, TNF-α treatment notably decreased MyH but activated atrophic proteins (MuRF and Fbx32) along with p38 and NFκB while these molecular alterations were significantly ameliorated by APX treatment. These pharmacological actions of APX were supported by the results of immunofluorescence staining to MyH expression and the translocation of NFκB into the nucleus in C2C12 myotubes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate the potential of an herbal formula, APX as an anti-cachexia agent; the effect of APX was superior to that of megestrol acetate overall especially for muscle atrophy. The underlying mechanisms of this herbal formula may involve the modulation of muscle atrophy-promoting molecules including p38, NFκB, TNF-α and TWEAK.

An Herbal Formula CGplus Ameliorates Stress-Induced Hepatic Injury in a BALB/c Mouse Model

Introduction

Stress is a well-known factor for inflammation in diverse organs/tissues. Stress also leads to liver injury, which was supported by clinical observations and animal studies. We herein investigated the hepatoprotective property of an herbal formula (called as CG^plus) consisting of Artemisia gmelinii Weber ex Stechm. (syn, Artemisia iwayomogi Kitamura), Wurfbainia villosa var. xanthioides (Wall. ex Baker) Skornick. & A.D.Poulsen (syn, Amomum xanthioides Wallich), and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge against stress-induced hepatic damage.

Methods

Male BALB/c mice were orally administered water extract of CG^plus (0, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) daily for 5 days, and then subjected to immobilization stress for 6 h on the 5^th day.

Results

Acute immobilization stress elevated remarkably serum concentrations of stress hormones (corticosterone and adrenaline) and two hepatic injury parameters (ALT and AST), while these alterations were significantly attenuated by the administration of CG^plus. The increases of oxidative parameters (ROS, NO, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl) and deviation of IL-1β and IL-10 in opposite directions in hepatic tissues were significantly normalized by CG^plus. Pre-treatment with CG^plus also notably ameliorated the abnormal activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), CD14, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LPB) as well as infiltration of neutrophils in hepatic tissues.

Conclusion

These results suggest that an herbal formula (CG^plus) derived from traditional pharmaceutical theory has a potent protective effect against stress-induced hepatic injury via regulation of pro- (IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines.