Osthole activates glucose uptake but blocks full activation in L929 fibroblast cells, and inhibits uptake in HCLE cells

A Review of Coumarins and Coumarin-Related Compounds for Their Potential Antidiabetic Effect

Background and aims:

Worldwide, type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for a considerable burden of disease, with an estimated global cost of >800 billion USD annually. For this reason, the search for more effective and efficient therapeutic anti-diabetic agents is continuing. Coumarins are naturally derived and synthetic molecules with a wide variety of biological actions. The most common application of these molecules in medicine is for their thrombostatic activity. This study aims to give an overview of the current knowledge about the applicability of these chemical products in the therapeutic strategy against diabetes and its complications.

Methods:

For this purpose, we searched internet databases for publications and abstracts in English that investigated the effects of coumarins or coumarin-like agents with potential anti-diabetic activity.

Results:

The result is that a variety of these agents have proven in in vitro, in silico, and simple animal models to possess properties that may reduce the glucose absorption rate in the intestines, increase the level of insulin, increase the cellular uptake of glucose or reduce the gluconeogenesis. In addition, some of these agents also reduced the level of glycation of peptides in diabetic animal models and showed antioxidant properties.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can summarize that coumarins and their related derivatives may be potential antidiabetic agents. Useful formulations with appropriate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties must be developed and tested for their efficacy and toxicity in comprehensive animal models before they can enter clinical trials.

Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson (CMC) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely grown and used in Asia. It is also known as "She chuang zi" in China (Chinese: ), "Jashoshi" in Japan, "Sasangia" in Korea, and "Xa sang tu" in Vietnam. This study aimed to provide an up-to-date review of its phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology. All available information on CMC was collected from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and China Network Knowledge Infrastructure. The updated chemical structures of the compounds are those ones without chemical ID numbers or references from the previous review. A total of 429 chemical constituents have been elucidated and 56 chemical structures have been firstly identified in CMC with traceable evidence. They can be categorized as coumarins, volatile constituents, liposoluble compounds, chromones, monoterpenoid glucosides, terpenoids, glycosides, glucides, and other compounds. CMC has demonstrated impressive potential for the management of various diseases in extensive preclinical research. Since most of the studies are overly concentrated on osthole, more research is needed to investigate other chemical constituents.

Osthole inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in BV-2 microglia cells in kainic acid-induced epilepsy via modulating PI3K/AKt/mTOR signalling way

CONTEXT

Osthole is a natural coumarin compound most frequently extracted from plants of the Apiaceae family such as Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, Angelica pubescens Maxin.f., and Peucedanum ostruthium (L.). Osthole is considered to have potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of diseases including epilepsy. However, the mechanism of osthole induced-apoptosis in BV-2 microglia cells is not yet clear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of osthole on PI3K/AKt/mTOR expression in kainic acid (KA)-activated BV-2 microglia cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Optimal culture concentration and time of osthole were investigated by MTT assay. The concentration of osthole was tested from 10 to 400 μM and the culture time was tested from 2 to 72 h. Ultrastructure difference among control, KA and osthole group was analyzed under transmission electron microscope. The mRNA expression of PI3K/AKt/mTOR was investigated using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and the protein expression was investigated using western blotting and immunofluorescence assay. Apoptosis rate of BV-2 cells between each group was measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

IC₅₀ for cell viability of BV-2 cells by osthole was 157.7 µM. Treated with osthole (140 µM) for 24 h significantly increased the inhibition rate. Pretreatment with osthole inhibited the KA-induced PI3K/AKt/mTOR mRNA and protein expression. The results of flow cytometry analysis showed that the apoptotic rate of osthole group was obviously higher than KA group.

CONCLUSIONS

Date showed that osthole may be useful in the treatment of epilepsy and other neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by over expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR.

Neurotoxicity of fragrance compounds: A review

Fragrance compounds are chemicals belonging to one of several families, which are used frequently and globally in cosmetics, household products, foods and beverages. A complete list of such compounds is rarely found on the ingredients-list of such products, as "fragrance mixtures" are defined as "trade secrets" and thus protected by law. While some information regarding the general toxicity of some of these compounds is available, their neurotoxicity is known to a lesser extent. Here, we discuss the prevalence and neurotoxicity of fragrance compounds belonging to the three most common groups: phthalates, synthetic musks and chemical sensitizers.

Osthole Promotes Bone Fracture Healing through Activation of BMP Signaling in Chondrocytes

Osthole is a bioactive coumarin derivative and has been reported to be able to enhance bone formation and improve fracture healing. However, the molecular mechanism of Osthole in bone fracture healing has not been fully defined. In this study we determined if Osthole enhances bone fracture healing through activation of BMP2 signaling in mice. We performed unilateral open transverse tibial fracture procedure in 10-week-old C57BL/6 mice which were treated with or without Osthole. Our previous studies demonstrated that chondrocyte BMP signaling is required for bone fracture healing, in this study we also performed tibial fracture procedure in Cre-negative and Col2-Cre;Bmp2^flox/flox conditional knockout (KO) mice (Bmp2^Col2Cre) to determine if Osthole enhances fracture healing in a BMP2-dependent manner. Fracture callus tissues were collected and analyzed by X-ray, micro-CT (μCT), histology, histomorphometry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), biomechanical testing and quantitative gene expression analysis. In addition, mouse chondrogenic ATDC5 cells were cultured with or without Osthole and the expression levels of chondrogenic marker genes were examined. The results demonstrated that Osthole promotes bone fracture healing in wild-type (WT) or Cre^- control mice. In contrast, Osthole failed to promote bone fracture healing in Bmp2^Col2Creconditional KO mice. In the mice receiving Osthole treatment, expression of cartilage marker genes was significantly increased. We conclude that Osthole could promote bone strength and enhance fracture healing by activation of BMP2 signaling. Osthole may be used as an alternative approach in the orthopaedic clinic for the treatment of fracture healing.