Mechanism deconvolution of Qing Fei Pai Du decoction for treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by label-free integrative pharmacology assays

N-desmethyldauricine from Menispermum dauricum DC suppresses triple-negative breast cancer growth in 2D and 3D models by downregulating the NF-κB signaling pathway

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, for which targeted therapy regimens are lacking. The traditional Chinese medicine Menispermum dauricum DC (M. dauricum) and its compounds have been reported to have antitumor activity against various cancers; however, their anti-TNBC activity is unknown. In this work, dauricine and N-desmethyldauricine from M. dauricum were separated and identified to have anti-TNBC via a multi-component bioactivity and structure-guided method. The cell counting kit 8 assay showed that dauricine and N-desmethyldauricine inhibited the proliferation of four tested TNBC cell lines, with half maximal inhibitory concentration values ranging from 5.01 μM to 13.16 μM. Further research suggested that N-desmethyldauricine induced cell apoptosis, arrested cell cycle progression in the G0/G1 phase, and inhibited cell migration. Western blot analysis revealed that the proapoptotic protein cleaved-poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 was upregulated, and the G0/G1 phase-related proteins cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin D1 and the migration-related protein matrix metallopeptidase 9 were downregulated. Furthermore, N-desmethyldauricine decreased the protein expression of p65, an important subunit of nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-κB). Moreover, an antiproliferation assay of three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroids showed that N-desmethyldauricine diminished cell‒cell adhesion and suppressed the growth of TNBC 3D spheroids. Taken together, these findings indicate that N-desmethyldauricine inhibited the proliferation of TNBC cells and decreased the expression of p65 in the NF-κB pathway.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of natural compounds modulating the endocannabinoid system in various diseases and disorders: review

Cannabinoid receptors, endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), and the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of the endocannabinoids make up the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The components of the ECS are proven to modulate a vast bulk of various physiological and pathological processes due to their abundance throughout the human body. Such discoveries have attracted the researchers' attention and emerged as a potential therapeutical target for the treatment of various diseases. In the present article, we reviewed the discoveries of natural compounds, herbs, herbs formula, and their therapeutic properties in various diseases and disorders by modulating the ECS. We also summarize the molecular mechanisms through which these compounds elicit their properties by interacting with the ECS based on the existing findings. Our study provides the insight into the use of natural compounds that modulate ECS in various diseases and disorders, which in turn may facilitate future studies exploiting natural lead compounds as novel frameworks for designing more effective and safer therapeutics.

Profiling CCR3 target pathways for discovering novel antagonists from natural products using label-free cell phenotypic assays

CC chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) plays important roles in atopic dermatitis (AD) and other related allergic diseases. Activation of CCR3 receptor signaling pathways regulates the recruitment of eosinophils to related tissues, releasing inflammatory mediators and causing inflammatory responses. However, none of the known CCR3 antagonists exhibit promising efficacy in clinical trials. In this work, we sought new natural CCR3 antagonists for drug development. To construct a high-throughput screening model, we established a stably transfected CHO-K1-Gα15-CCR3 cell line, and receptor expression was demonstrated by real-time quantitative PCR, confocal detection and flow cytometry analysis. Then, we applied a label-free cell phenotyping technique to profile and deconvolute CCR3 target pathways in CHO-K1-Gα15-CCR3 cells and found that activation of CCR3 triggered the Gq-PLC-Ca2+ and MAPK-P38-ERK pathways. By in vitro and in silico experiments, we discovered a novel CCR3 antagonist emodin, with an IC50 value of 27.28 ± 1.71 μM out of 266 compounds that were identified in 15 traditional Chinese medicines used in the clinical treatment of skin diseases. Molecular docking graphically presented the binding mode of emodin on CCR3. This work reports a new approach for CCR3 antagonist screening and pathway detection and identifies a new antagonist that would benefit future drug development.

A mathematic equation derived from host-pathogen interactions elucidates the significance of integrating modern medicine with traditional Chinese medicine to treat infectious diseases

The prognosis of infectious diseases is determined by host-pathogen interactions. Control of pathogens has been the central dogma of treating infectious diseases in modern medicine, but the pathogen-directed medicine is facing significant challenges, including a lack of effective antimicrobials for newly emerging pathogens, pathogen drug resistance, and drug side effects. Here, a mathematic equation (termed equation of host-pathogen interactions, HPI-Equation) is developed to dissect the key variables of host-pathogen interactions. It shows that control of pathogens does not necessarily lead to host recovery. Instead, a combination of promoting a host's power of self-healing and balancing immune responses provides the best benefit for host. Moreover, the HPI-Equation elucidates the scientific basis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a host-based medicine that treats infectious diseases by promoting self-healing power and balancing immune responses. The importance of self-healing power elucidated in the HPI-Equation is confirmed by recent studies that the tolerance mechanism, which is discovered in plants and animals and conceptually similar to self-healing power, improves host survival without directly attacking pathogens. In summary, the HPI-Equation describes host-pathogen interactions with mathematical logic and precision; it translates the ancient wisdoms of TCM into apprehensible modern sciences and opens a new venue for integrating TCM and modern medicine for a future medicine.

Rapid simultaneous determination of thirteen aristolochic acids analogs in Aristolochiaceae plants by Ultra-High-Performance liquid Chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry in dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode

Asarum and Aristolochia are two large genera of Aristolochiaceae plants containing typical toxicant aristolochic acid analogs(AAAs), AAAs can be deemed as toxicity markers of Aristolochiaceae plants. Based on the least AAAs in dry roots and rhizomes of Asarum heterotropoides, Asarum sieboldii Miq and Asarum sieboldii var, all of which are enrolled in the Chinese pharmacopeia up to now. AAAs distribution in Aristolochiaceae plants, especially Asarum L. plants, is still obscure and controversial due to few AAAs measured, unverified species of Asarum, and complicated pretreatment in analytical samples making the results more challenging to reproduce. In the present study, a simple ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method in dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode for simultaneous determination of thirteen AAAs was developed for evaluating the distribution of toxicity phytochemicals in Aristolochiaceae plants. The sample was prepared by extracting Asarum and Aristolochia powder with methanol, and the supernatant was analyzed using the Agilent 6410 system on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS PFP column with gradient elution of water and acetonitrile, containing 1% v/v formic acid (FA) each, at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The chromatographic condition provided good peak shape and resolution. The method was linear over the specific ranges with the coefficient of determination (R²) > 0.990. Satisfactory intra- and inter-day precisions were achieved with RSD less than 9.79%, and the average recovery factors obtained were in the range of 88.50%～105.49%%. The proposed method was successfully applied for simultaneous quantification of the 13 AAAs in 19 samples from 5 Aristolochiaceae species, especially three Asarum L. species enrolled in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Except Asarum heterotropoides, the results supported that the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition) adopting the root with rhizome as medicinal parts of Herba Asari instead of the whole herb for drug safety by providing scientific data.

Promoting self‐healing power and balancing immune response: a holistic, effective strategy of traditional Chinese medicine in treating COVID‐19

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious challenge to human medicines. Modern medicine (MM) has been excellent in identifying the virus, sequencing its mutants, and monitoring the pandemic progress. However, due to lack of effective antivirals in the first two years of the pandemic, MM treated COVID-19 mainly by conventional supportive care with limited efficacy. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been actively participating the control of COVID-19, and the combination of TCM and conventional supportive care has shown better efficacies than the conventional care alone. Purpose: Clinical studies have shown that TCM treats COVID-19 through a holistic action, such as repairing organ injuries, anti-inflammation, immunoregulation and antiviral activities, etc. However, it is not clear how TCM is able to achieve these effects, and the scientific interpretation of TCM theories is lacking. This review aims to elucidate the scientific basis underlying TCM theories in the context of host-pathogen interaction and provide a working model for TCM in treating infectious diseases. Procedure: This review focuses on the essential components of host-pathogen interaction and performs an in-depth analysis of current literatures, including TCM theories and clinical studies as well as the most recent findings of tolerance (self-healing) mechanism in biomedical sciences. Conclusion: TCM treats COVID-19 through a holistic regulation of host responses, particularly by promoting patients’ self-healing power and balancing immune responses. Compared to the pathogen-centered MM, the host-centered TCM doesn't require specific antivirals and has less side-effects and drug resistance. This review provides a scientific insight into the mechanism of TCM and sheds a light on the prospective integration of TCM and MM for future challenges.

Identification of phytochemicals in Qingfei Paidu decoction for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 by targeting the virus-host interactome

Qingfei Paidu decoction (QFPDD) has been clinically proven to be effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the bioactive components and therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the effective components and underlying mechanisms of QFPDD in the treatment of COVID-19 by targeting the virus-host interactome and verifying the antiviral activities of its active components in vitro. Key active components and targets were identified by analysing the topological features of a compound-target-pathway-disease regulatory network of QFPDD for the treatment of COVID-19. The antiviral activity of the active components was determined by a live virus infection assay, and possible mechanisms were analysed by pseudotyped virus infection and molecular docking assays. The inhibitory effects of the components tested on the virus-induced release of IL-6, IL-1β and CXCL-10 were detected by ELISA. Three components of QFPDD, oroxylin A, hesperetin and scutellarin, exhibited potent antiviral activities against live SARS-CoV-2 virus and HCoV-OC43 virus with IC₅₀ values ranging from 18.68 to 63.27 μM. Oroxylin A inhibited the entry of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus into target cells and inhibited SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion by binding with the ACE2 receptor. The active components of QFPDD obviously inhibited the IL-6, IL-1β and CXCL-10 release induced by the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. This study supports the clinical application of QFPDD and provides an effective analysis method for the in-depth study of the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Therapeutic effects of herbal-medicine combined therapy for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background/Aim: Since 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a devastating disease affecting global health to a great extent. Some countries have added on herbal medicines as a complementary treatment for combating COVID-19 due to the urgency of stopping the spread of this viral disease. However, whether these herbal medicines are effective is uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of herbal medicine combined therapy in the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: A literature search was performed following the PRISMA Statement and without language restrictions. Seven databases were searched from inception through December 2021. All selected studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Comparing the effects of herbal medicine combined therapy with conventional western medicine, including improvement of clinical symptoms, chest CT images, viral conversion rate, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6. Cochrane criteria were applied to examine the methodological quality of the enrolled trials; and meta-analysis software (RevMan 5.4.1) was used for data analysis. Results: In total, the data of 5,417 participants from 40 trials were included in this systematic review; and 28 trials were qualified for meta-analysis. The trials had medium-to-high quality based on GRADE system. Meta-analysis showed that combining herbal medicine vs conventional treatment in 1) coughing (1.43 95% CI:1.21, 1.71, p = 0.0001), 2) fever (1.09 95% CI:1.00, 1.19, p = 0.06), 3) fatigue (1.21 95% CI:1.10, 1.33, p = 0.0001); 4) CT images (1.26 95% CI:1.19, 1.34, P ≤ 0.00001), 5) viral conversion rates (1.22 95% CI:1.06, 1.40, p = 0.005) and 6) viral conversion times (-3.72 95% CI: -6.05, -1.40, p = 0.002), 7) IL6 change (1.97 95% CI: -0.72, 4.66, p = 0.15) and 8) CRP change (-7.92 95% CI: -11.30, -4.53, P ≤ 0.00001). Conclusion: Herbal medicine combined therapy significantly reduces COVID-19 clinical symptoms, improving CT images and viral conversion rates. Reported adverse events are mild. However, for certain biases in the included studies, and the need for further study on effective components of herbal medicine. Further large trials with better randomized design are warranted to definite a more definite role of herbal medicine.

The potential role of ischaemia-reperfusion injury in chronic, relapsing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Long COVID, and ME/CFS: evidence, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications

Ischaemia–reperfusion (I–R) injury, initiated via bursts of reactive oxygen species produced during the reoxygenation phase following hypoxia, is well known in a variety of acute circumstances. We argue here that I–R injury also underpins elements of the pathology of a variety of chronic, inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ME/CFS and, our chief focus and most proximally, Long COVID. Ischaemia may be initiated via fibrin amyloid microclot blockage of capillaries, for instance as exercise is started; reperfusion is a necessary corollary when it finishes. We rehearse the mechanistic evidence for these occurrences here, in terms of their manifestation as oxidative stress, hyperinflammation, mast cell activation, the production of marker metabolites and related activities. Such microclot-based phenomena can explain both the breathlessness/fatigue and the post-exertional malaise that may be observed in these conditions, as well as many other observables. The recognition of these processes implies, mechanistically, that therapeutic benefit is potentially to be had from antioxidants, from anti-inflammatories, from iron chelators, and via suitable, safe fibrinolytics, and/or anti-clotting agents. We review the considerable existing evidence that is consistent with this, and with the biochemical mechanisms involved.

Pharmacological Properties and Molecular Targets of Alisol Triterpenoids from Alismatis Rhizoma

More than 100 protostane triterpenoids have been isolated from the dried rhizomes of Alisma species, designated Alismatis rhizoma (AR), commonly used in Asian traditional medicine to treat inflammatory and vascular diseases. The main products are the alisols, with the lead compounds alisol-A/-B and their acetate derivatives being the most abundant products in the plant and the best-known bioactive products. The pharmacological effects of Ali-A, Ali-A 24-acetate, Ali-B, Ali-B 23-acetate, and derivatives have been analyzed to provide an overview of the medicinal properties, signaling pathways, and molecular targets at the origin of those activities. Diverse protein targets have been proposed for these natural products, including the farnesoid X receptor, soluble epoxide hydrolase, and other enzymes (AMPK, HCE-2) and functional proteins (YAP, LXR) at the origin of the anti-atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, and anti-proliferative activities. Activities were classified in two groups. The lipid-lowering and anti-atherosclerosis effects benefit from robust in vitro and in vivo data (group 1). The anticancer effects of alisols have been largely reported, but, essentially, studies using tumor cell lines and solid in vivo data are lacking (group 2). The survey shed light on the pharmacological properties of alisol triterpenoids frequently found in traditional phytomedicines.

Exploring the mechanism of action of Xuanfei Baidu granule (XFBD) in the treatment of COVID-19 based on molecular docking and molecular dynamics

Purpose

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a challenge of world. The latest research has proved that Xuanfei Baidu granule (XFBD) significantly improved patient’s clinical symptoms, the compound drug improves immunity by increasing the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes, and exerts anti-inflammatory effects. However, the analysis of the effective monomer components of XFBD and its mechanism of action in the treatment of COVID-19 is currently lacking. Therefore, this study used computer simulation to study the effective monomer components of XFBD and its therapeutic mechanism.

Methods

We screened out the key active ingredients in XFBD through TCMSP database. Besides GeneCards database was used to search disease gene targets and screen intersection gene targets. The intersection gene targets were analyzed by GO and KEGG. The disease-core gene target-drug network was analyzed and molecular docking was used for verification. Molecular dynamics simulation verification was carried out to combine the active ingredient and the target with a stable combination. The supercomputer platform was used to measure and analyze the number of hydrogen bonds, the binding free energy, the stability of protein target at the residue level, the solvent accessible surface area, and the radius of gyration.

Results

XFBD had 1308 gene targets, COVID-19 had 4600 gene targets, the intersection gene targets were 548. GO and KEGG analysis showed that XFBD played a vital role by the signaling pathways of immune response and inflammation. Molecular docking showed that I-SPD, Pachypodol and Vestitol in XFBD played a role in treating COVID-19 by acting on NLRP3, CSF2, and relieve the clinical symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Molecular dynamics was used to prove the binding stability of active ingredients and protein targets, CSF2/I-SPD combination has the strongest binding energy.

Conclusion

For the first time, it was found that the important active chemical components in XFBD, such as I-SPD, Pachypodol and Vestitol, reduce inflammatory response and apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3, and reduce the production of inflammatory factors and chemotaxis of inflammatory cells by inhibiting the activation of CSF2. Therefore, XFBD can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 through NLRP3 and CSF2.

Future Directions for the Discovery of Natural Product-Derived Immunomodulating Drugs

Drug discovery from natural sources is going through a renaissance, having spent many decades in the shadow of synthetic molecule drug discovery, despite the fact that natural product-derived compounds occupy a much greater chemical space than those created through synthetic chemistry methods. With this new era comes new possibilities, not least the novel targets that have emerged in recent times and the development of state-of-the-art technologies that can be applied to drug discovery from natural sources. Although progress has been made with some immunomodulating drugs, there remains a pressing need for new agents that can be used to treat the wide variety of conditions that arise from disruption, or over-activation, of the immune system; natural products may therefore be key in filling this gap. Recognising that, at present, there is no authoritative article that details the current state-of-the-art of the immunomodulatory activity of natural products, this in-depth review has arisen from a joint effort between the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Natural Products and Immunopharmacology, with contributions from a Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation number of world-leading researchers in the field of natural product drug discovery, to provide a "position statement" on what natural products has to offer in the search for new immunomodulatory argents. To this end, we provide a historical look at previous discoveries of naturally occurring immunomodulators, present a picture of the current status of the field and provide insight into the future opportunities and challenges for the discovery of new drugs to treat immune-related diseases.