Pharmacological potential of the combination of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and Carthamus tinctorius (Honghua) for diabetes mellitus and its cardiovascular complications

Two undescribed constituents from Salvia castanea Diels and evaluation of their cytotoxic activity

One previously undescribed abietane diterpene alkaloid containing an oxazole ring (1), one unreported abietane diterpene (2), and nine known abietane diterpenes (3-11) were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Salvia castanea Diels. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by a combination of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, and ECD. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against several human cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, H460, MCF7, PC3, and Hela). The results showed that 1 exhibited a moderate cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells (IC50: 14.22 ± 1.05 μM) and was able to inhibit the cell growth of MCF7 and Hela cells by 35.08% and 47.26% respectively, at a concentration of 20 μM, while other compounds showed low cytotoxic activity.

Compound Danshen Dripping Pill effectively alleviates cGAS-STING-triggered diseases by disrupting STING-TBK1 interaction

BACKGROUND

The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) pathway is critical in the innate immune system and can be mobilized by cytosolic DNA. The various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases progression is highly correlated with aberrant cGAS-STING pathway activation. While some cGAS-STING pathway inhibitor were identified, there are no drugs that can be applied to the clinic. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) has been successfully used in clinic around the world, but the most common application is limited to cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether CDDP inhibits the cGAS-STING pathway and could be used as a therapeutic agent for multiple cGAS-STING-triggered diseases.

METHODS

BMDMs, THP1 cells or Trex1-/- BMDMs were stimulated with various cGAS-STING-agonists after pretreatment with CDDP to detect the function of CDDP on IFN-β and ISGs productionn. Next, we detect the influence on IRF3 and P65 nuclear translocation, STING oligomerization and STING-TBK1-IRF3 complex formation of CDDP. Additionally, the DMXAA-mediated activation mice model of cGAS-STING pathway was used to study the effects of CDDP. Trex1-/- mice model and HFD-mediated obesity model were established to clarify the efficacy of CDDP on inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

RESULTS

CDDP efficacy suppressed the IRF3 phosphorylation or the generation of IFN-β, ISGs, IL-6 and TNF-α. Mechanistically, CDDP did not influence the STING oligomerization and IRF3-TBK1 and STING-IRF3 interaction, but remarkably eliminated the STING-TBK1 interaction, ultimately blocking the downstream responses. In addition, we also clarified that CDDP could suppress cGAS-STING pathway activation triggered by DMXAA, in vivo. Consistently, CDDP could alleviate multi-organ inflammatory responses in Trex1-/- mice model and attenuate the inflammatory disorders, incleding obesity-induced insulin resistance.

CONCLUSION

CDDP is a specifically cGAS-STING pathway inhibitor. Furthermore, we provide novel mechanism for CDDP and discovered a clinical agent for the therapy of cGAS-STING-triggered inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Safety classification of herbal medicine use among hypertensive patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The use of herbal medicines (HMs) for the treatment of hypertension (HTN) is increasing globally, but research on the potential adverse effects and safety of HMs in HTN patients is limited. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the global prevalence of HM usage among HTN patients and assess the safety of identified herbs based on current scientific evidence.

Methods

The PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE (Ovid), and Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were searched for cross-sectional studies on the use of HM among HTN patients. Our review includes studies published in English up to the year 2023. After extracting and appraising the data from the studies, a meta-analysis was conducted using the Stata version 16.0 to estimate the pooled prevalence of HM use in patients with HTN (PROSPERO: CRD42023405537). The safety classification of the identified HM was done based on the existing scientific literature.

Results

This study analyzed 37 cross-sectional studies from 21 countries and found that 37.8% of HTN patients used HM to manage their health. The prevalence of HM use varied significantly based on publication year and geographical region. Among the 71 identified herbs, Allium sativum L., Hibiscus sabdariffa L., and Olea europaea L. were the most commonly used. However, four herbs were identified as contraindicated, 50 herbs required caution, and only 11 herbs were considered safe for use.

Conclusion

The study highlights the potential risks of toxicities and adverse effects associated with HM use in the treatment of HTN. Ensuring patient safety involves using safe HMs in appropriate doses and avoiding contraindicated HMs. Future research should focus on identifying commonly used herbs, especially in resource-limited countries with poor HTN management, and additional clinical research is required to assess the toxicity and safety of commonly used HMs.

SALVIANOLIC ACID A ATTENUATES ANGIOTENSIN II-INDUCED CARDIAC FIBROSIS THROUGH REGULATING THE TXNIP SIGNALING PATHWAY

ABSTRACT

Cardiac fibrosis, characterized by excessive collagen accumulation in heart tissues, poses a significant clinical challenge in various heart diseases and complications. Although salvianolic acid A (Sal A) from Danshen ( Salvia miltiorrhiza ) has shown promise in the treatment of ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerosis, its effects on cardiac fibrosis remain unexplored. Our study investigated the efficacy of Sal A in reducing cardiac fibrosis and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanisms. We observed that Sal A demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects against Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiac remodeling and fibrosis, showing a dose-dependent reduction in fibrosis in mice and suppression of cardiac fibroblast proliferation and fibrotic protein expression in vitro . RNA sequencing revealed that Sal A counteracted Ang II-induced upregulation of Txnip, and subsequent experiments indicated that it acts through the inflammasome and ROS pathways. These findings establish the antifibrotic effects of Sal A, notably attenuated by Txnip overexpression, and highlight its significant role in modulating inflammation and oxidative stress pathways. This underscores the importance of further research on Sal A and similar compounds, especially regarding their effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key factors in various cardiovascular diseases.

Role and molecular mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza associated with chemical compounds in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its complications: A review

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, greatly impacting patients' quality of life. This article reviews the progress in Salvia miltiorrhiza, an ancient Chinese plant, for the treatment of DM and its associated complications. Extensive studies have been conducted on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of S miltiorrhiza, including its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. It has demonstrated potential in preventing and treating diabetes and its consequences by improving peripheral nerve function and increasing retinal thickness in diabetic individuals. Moreover, S miltiorrhiza has shown effectiveness when used in conjunction with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and statins. The safety and tolerability of S miltiorrhiza have also been thoroughly investigated. Despite the established benefits of managing DM and its complications, further research is needed to determine appropriate usage, dosage, long-term health benefits, and safety.

Effects of Salvia mirzayanii extract administration on hyperglycemia improvement in diabetic rats: The role of GLUT4, PEPCK and G6Pase genes

Diabetes is a dangerous metabolic disorder by increasing incidence in human societies worldwide. Recently, much attention has been focused on the development of hypoglycemic agents, particularly the derivatives of herbal drugs, in the treatment of diabetes. This research aimed to study the anti-diabetic effect of Salvia mirzayanii in the diabetic rat models. First, the plant material was extracted from the leaves, and orally administered to the rats. After treating the animals with the aqueous extract of S. mirzayanii at a dose of 600 mg/kg, animal body weight for 12 weeks, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and body weight changes were examined. To analyze the anti-diabetic function of S. mirzayanii, we measured the expression of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) genes in healthy and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. The expression levels of the genes of interest in muscle and liver tissues were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). There were no significant differences in fasting blood glucose and OGTT between normal control (NC) group and the diabetic control (DC) group treated with S. mirzayanii. In contrast, there was a significant difference with the untreated DC (P < 0.05). The treatment of diabetic rats with S. mirzayanii significantly increased the expression of GLUT4 in the muscle and decreased the expression levels of PEPCK and G6Pase in the liver compared to the DC group (P < 0.05). These findings clearly show that S. mirzayanii can improve hyperglycemia by increasing the GLUT4 expression, and inhibiting the gluconeogenesis pathway in the liver. In general, the obtained results provided a new insight into the efficacy of S. mirzayanii aqueous extract as an anti-diabetic herbal medicine.

Uncovering Mechanism and Efficacy of Salvia Miltiorrhiza-Safflower in Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Cerebral ischemia (CI) is the main cause of stroke morbidity and disability. This study aims to identify the early molecular regulation responsible for the therapeutic effectiveness of the Herb pair Danshen-Honghua (DH) for CI. The major targets of DH were identified by searching the public database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In addition, GeneCards, Disgenet, and GeneMap databases in OMIM were used to determine the disease targets of CI. A total of 88 common targets of DH and CI were selected, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established by Cytoscape, and 19 core targets were screened. These genes were primarily enriched in biological processes including wound healing, reaction to oxidative stress, and response to peptides, lipid and atherosclerosis, Age-rage signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway by KEGG and GO enrichments. The effective components of DH had stable binding to these key targets by molecular docking. Finally, it was verified that the mechanism of DH on CI treatment may be related to the activation of the TNF-α/JNK signaling pathway by establishing the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.

Metagenomic sequencing revealed the regulative effect of Danshen and Honghua herb pair on the gut microbiota in rats with myocardial ischemia injury

In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that the disorder of gut microbiota (GM) is closely correlated with myocardial ischemia (MI). Even though the Danshen and Honghua herb pair (DHHP) is widely used in treating cardiovascular disease in China and exhibits obvious clinical efficacy on MI, the anti-MI mechanism of DHHP remains and needs to be explored in depth. Thus, in this study, we investigated whether the amelioration effect and molecular mechanism of DHHP on MI were related to regulating GM through pharmacodynamics evaluation and metagenomic sequencing. Histopathological testing results showed that DHHP treatment could alleviate the pathological changes of myocardial tissue in the acute MI (AMI) rats induced by isoproterenol (ISO), especially structural disorder, irregular distribution, and enlargement of the myocardial space. These pathological changes were all alleviated to some extent by DHHP treatment. Biochemical analysis results suggested that compared with the control group, the serum levels of AST, CTn-I, CK-MB, and TNF-α in model group rats were notably decreased, and the CAT and SOD levels in serum were markedly increased. These abnormal trends were significantly reversed by DHHP treatment. Furthermore, metagenomic sequencing analysis results indicated that DHHP could improve disorders in the composition and function of GM in AMI rats, mainly reflected in increasing diversity and richness, and obviously enhancing the abundance of Bacteroides fluxus, B. uniformis, B. stercoris, Roseburia hominis, Schaedlerella arabinosiphila, and R. intestinalis, and reducing the abundance of Enterococcus avium and E. canintestini, which were associated with purine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, cyanoamino acid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. In conclusion, DHHP may attenuate ISO-induced MI by regulating the structure, composition, and function of GM, thus contributing to further our understanding of the anti-MI mechanisms of DHHP and providing new therapeutic ideas and diagnostic targets for the clinical studies of MI.

Screening of rosmarinic acid from Salvia miltiorrhizae acting on the novel target TRPC1 based on the 'homology modelling-virtual screening-molecular docking-affinity assay-activity evaluation' method

CONTEXT

Salvia miltiorrhizae Bunge (Lamiaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of 'thoracic obstruction'. Transient receptor potential canonical channel 1 (TRPC1) is a important target for myocardial injury treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This work screens the active component acting on TRPC1 from Salvia miltiorrhizae.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TCM Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used to retrieve Salvia miltiorrhiza compounds for preliminary screening by referring to Lipinski's rule of five. Then, the compound group was comprehensively scored by AutoDock Vina based on TRPC1 protein. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to determine the affinity of the optimal compound to TRPC1 protein. Western blot assay was carried out to observe the effect of the optimal compound on TRPC1 protein expression in HL-1 cells, and Fura-2/AM detection was carried out to observe the effect of the optimal compound on calcium influx in HEK293 cells.

RESULTS

Twenty compounds with relatively good characteristic parameters were determined from 202 compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Rosmarinic acid (RosA) was obtained based on the molecular docking scoring function. RosA had a high binding affinity to TRPC1 protein (KD value = 1.27 µM). RosA (50 μM) could reduce the protein levels (417.1%) of TRPC1 after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) in HL-1 cells and it could inhibit TRPC1-mediated Ca²⁺ influx injury (0.07 ΔRatio340/380) in HEK293 cells.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We obtained the potential active component RosA acting on TRPC1 from Salvia miltiorrhizae, and we speculate that RosA may be a promising clinical candidate for myocardial injury therapy.

Salviamilthone A-O, diterpenoid quinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza

Fifteen undescribed diterpenoid quinones salviamilthone A-O (1-15), together with three known diterpenoid quinones (16-18), were isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Their structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR data, while the relative and absolute configurations were confirmed by NOESY correlations and comparison between experimental and calculated ECD spectra. In the evaluation of bioactivities, salviamilthone J (10), salviamone (18) (10 μM) significantly increased cell viability and decreased the expression of IL-1β in lipopolysaccharide-induced BEAS-2B cells. These data provide the molecular justification for the usage of Salvia miltiorrhiza in treating acute lung injury.

Tanshinone I attenuates gastric precancerous lesions by inhibiting epithelial mesenchymal transition through the p38/STAT3 pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs) are omens for gastric cancer (GC), which developing with a series of pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric mucosa is the main approach to restrain GPLs from evolving into cancer. Tanshinone I (Tan-I), the active ingredients of traditional Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, has exhibited anticancer effect.

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect and mechanism of Tan-I in intervening GPLs, and provide a new therapeutic strategy for prevention of GC.

METHODS

Gastric mucosal epithelial cells were treated with the N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) to construct MNNG-induced cell (MC cell) of gastric mucosa that undergoing EMT process. Then, this study explored the effect and mechanism of Tan-I in vitro. Subsequently, this study constructed GPL mice to clarify the exact efficacy and mechanism of Tan-I on GPLs.

RESULTS

Tan-I inhibited MC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Simultaneously, the aberrant expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin were reversed. Tan-I attenuated inflammation by reducing the release of nitric oxide, TNFα and IL-1β. Tan-I reversed the EMT and inflammatory processes by regulating p38 and STAT3.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that Tan-I inhibited the progression of GPLs by reversing the EMT process and reducing inflammation by restraining the p38/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Mercapto-based palygorskite modified soil micro-biology and reduced the uptake of heavy metals by Salvia miltiorrhiza in cadmium and lead co-contaminated soil

Salvia miltiorrhiza is an important traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant that can easily accumulate excessive cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from contaminated soils. The soil contaminated with heavy metals severely threatened the quality of S. miltiorrhiza products. In this study, we investigated the effects of mercapto-based palygorskite (MPAL), a new passivation amendment, on restraining the uptake of Cd and Pb by S. miltiorrhiza, and the impact on soil micro-ecology. Results showed that the application of MPAL prominently enhanced the biomass and antioxidant enzyme activities of S. miltiorrhiza. With the treatment of 4% MPAL, the Cd and Pb contents in the roots were significantly decreased by 81.42% and 69.09%, respectively. The active ingredients of S. miltiorrhiza, including Danshensu, Cryptotanshinone, Tanshinone I and Tanshinone II were remarkedly increased by 1899.46%, 5838.64%, 54.23% and 200.78%, respectively. In addition, MPAL decreased the bio-availability of Cd and Pb by speciation transformation, which simultaneously boosted the activities of cellulase and sucrase. The application of MPAL also improved the bacterial community composition. These findings revealed that the application of MPAL regulated the soil micro-ecology, positively modified the growth and obstructed the Cd and Pb accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza.

Drugs for treating myocardial fibrosis

Myocardial fibrosis, which is a common pathological manifestation of many cardiovascular diseases, is characterized by excessive proliferation, collagen deposition and abnormal distribution of extracellular matrix fibroblasts. In clinical practice, modern medicines, such as diuretic and β receptor blockers, and traditional Chinese medicines, such as salvia miltiorrhiza and safflower extract, have certain therapeutic effects on myocardial fibrosis. We reviewed some representative modern medicines and traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and their related molecular mechanisms for the treatment of myocardial fibrosis. These drugs alleviate myocardial fibrosis by affecting related signaling pathways and inhibiting myocardial fibrosis-related protein synthesis. This review will provide more references and help for the research and treatment of myocardial fibrosis.

Clinical effects of a traditional Chinese medicine nursing programme to intervene in gastric pain of the spleen and stomach with Qi deficiency

BACKGROUND

Gastroparesis is a common digestive disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and poor appetite. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis. TCM theory suggests that spleen and stomach qi deficiency syndrome is one of the main pathogenic factors in gastroparesis. Nursing care plays an important role in the treatment of gastroparesis, and TCM nursing interventions have shown promising results in improving patient outcomes. However, there is limited research on the clinical effectiveness of TCM nursing interventions for gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of TCM nursing intervention in the treatment of gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome and to compare it with routine nursing interventions.

AIM

To analyze the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing intervention in the treatment of gastric paraplegia with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome.

METHODS

From January 2020 to July 2021, 80 patients with gastroparesis of spleen stomach qi deficiency type diagnosed in our hospital were selected for the study. The 80 patients were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 40 cases in each group. During the treatment period, the control group received routine nursing interventions, while the experimental group received traditional Chinese medicine nursing procedures. Compare the nursing effects of the two groups and observe the changes in traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, pain levels, and sleep quality before and after treatment.

RESULTS

After treatment, comparing the treatment effects of the two groups, the total effective rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the TCM symptom score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, the TCM syndrome scores, VAS scores, and PSQI scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In the clinical nursing intervention of patients with mild gastroparesis due to spleen and stomach qi deficiency, the traditional Chinese medicine nursing plan has good clinical application value and nursing effect, and has a good effect on improving patients' pain and sleep quality.

Development of Solid Lipid Nanoparticle-Loaded Polymeric Hydrogels Containing Antioxidant and Photoprotective Bioactive Compounds of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) for Improved Skin Delivery

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a potent natural antioxidant because of active compounds such as quercetin (QU) and luteolin (LU). These components prevent damage to the skin caused by free radicals from UV rays. However, due to the poor solubility and transdermal permeation, the effectiveness of the compounds in showing their activity was limited. In this study, we develop solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN)-based hydrogel formulations to enhance the solubility and penetration of two bioactive compounds found in safflower petals extract (SPE). The hot emulsification-ultrasonication method was used to produce SLNs, and to obtain high antioxidant activity, 100% v/v ethanol was used in the extraction procedure. The results showed that this approach could encapsulate >80% of both QU and LU. Moreover, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) spectra indicated that most of the QU and LU were trapped in a lipid matrix and dispersed homogeneously at the molecular level, increasing the solubility. Additionally, SLN-hydrogel composites are able to release two lipophilic bioactive compounds for 24 h, which also demonstrated increased skin retention and penetrability of the QU and LU up to 19-fold. In vitro blood biocompatibility showed that no hemolytic toxicity was observed below 500 μg/mL. Accordingly, the formulation was considered safe for use. Sun protective factor (SPF) test shows a value above 15, showing an excellent promising application as the photoprotective agent to prevent symptoms associated with photoinduced skin aging.

Chinese herbal injection for cardio-cerebrovascular disease: Overview and challenges

Cardio-cerebrovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and there is currently no optimal treatment plan. Chinese herbal medicine injection (CHI) is obtained by combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and modern production technology. It retains some characteristics of TCM while adding injection characteristics. CHI has played an important role in the treatment of critical diseases, especially cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and has shown unique therapeutic advantages. TCMs that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, such as Salvia miltiorrhiza, Carthami flos, Panax notoginseng, and Chuanxiong rhizoma, account for a large proportion of CHIs of cardio-cerebrovascular disease. CHI is used to treat cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and has potential pharmacological activities such as anti-platelet aggregation, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrosis, and anti-apoptosis. However, CHIs have changed the traditional method of administering TCMs, and the drugs directly enter the bloodstream, which may produce new pharmacological effects or adverse reactions. This article summarizes the clinical application, pharmacological effects, and mechanism of action of different varieties of CHIs commonly used in the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, analyzes the causes of adverse reactions, and proposes suggestions for rational drug use and pharmaceutical care methods to provide a reference for the rational application of CHIs for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.

Epigenetic compounds targeting pharmacological target lysine specific demethylase 1 and its impact on immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for treatment of tumor recurrence and resistance

It has been proven that metastatic recurrence and therapeutic resistance are linked. Due to the variability of individuals and tumors, as well as the tumor's versatility in avoiding therapies, therapy resistance is more difficult to treat. Therapy resistance has significantly restricted the clinical feasibility and efficacy of tumor therapy, despite the discovery of novel compounds and therapy combinations with increasing efficacy. In several tumors, lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) has been associated to metastatic recurrence and therapeutic resistance. For researchers to better comprehend how LSD1-mediated tumor therapy resistance occurs and how to overcome it in various tumors, this study focused on the role of LSD1 in tumor recurrence and therapeutic resistance. The importance of therapeutically targeted LSD1 was also discussed. Most gene pathway signatures are related to LSD1 inhibitor sensitivity. However, some gene pathway signatures, especially in AML, negatively correlate with LSD1 inhibitor sensitivity, but targeting LSD1 makes the therapy-resistant tumor sensitive to physiological doses of conventional therapy. We propose that combining LSD1 inhibitor with traditional tumor therapy can help patients attain a complete response and prevent cancer relapse.

Integrative quantitative and qualitative analysis for the quality evaluation and monitoring of Danshen medicines from different sources using HPLC-DAD and NIR combined with chemometrics

The root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen in short) is a well-known herbal medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases in the world. In China, the roots and rhizomes of several other Salvia species (Non-Danshen in short) are also used as this medicine in traditional folk medicine by local herbalists. Differences have been reported in these medicines originating from different sources, and their quality variation needs to be clearly investigated for effective clinical application. This study presented a comprehensive quality evaluation and monitoring for Danshen from 27 sampling sites and Non-Danshen from other 5 Salvia species based on a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and near-infrared (NIR), with the combination of chemometric models. The results showed that cryptotanshinone, tanshinone IIA, tanshinone I, salvianolic acid B, salvianic acid A sodium, dihydrotanshinone I, and rosmarinic acid in these medicines from different sources exhibited great variations. Referring to the standards in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP), European Pharmacopeia (EP), and United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Non-Danshen from S. brachyloma, S. castanea, S. trijuga, S. bowleyana, and S. przewalskii were assessed as unqualified, and Danshen in the Shandong Province had the best quality due to the high qualified rate. Based on random forest (RF) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), NIR technique could successfully monitor the quality of these medicines by discriminating the species and regions with the accuracies of 100.00 and 99.60%, respectively. Additionally, modified partial least-squares regression (MPLSR) models were successfully constructed to investigate the feasibility of NIR fingerprints for the prediction of the quality indicators in these medicines. The optimized models obtained the best results for the total of tanshinone IIA, tanshinone I, and cryptotanshinone (TTC), tanshinone IIA, and salvianolic acid B, with the relative prediction deviation (RPD) of 4.08, 3.92, and 2.46, respectively. In summary, this study demonstrated that HPLC-DAD and NIR techniques can complement each other and could be simultaneously applied for evaluating and monitoring the quality of Danshen medicines.

Preparation and sustained-release properties of poly(lactic acid)/graphene oxide porous biomimetic composite scaffolds loaded with salvianolic acid B

Biomimetic scaffolds loaded with drugs can improve the osteogenesis and neovascularisation of scaffolds. A series of PLA/GO/Sal-B drug-loaded scaffolds was prepared by thermally induced phase separation. The addition of Sal-B increased the diameter of the fibres, but the scaffold showed a porous nanofibrous structure after drug release. X-ray diffraction results showed that the addition of Sal-B did not affect the formation of the nanofibre biomimetic structure of the scaffold. FTIR results indicated a certain interaction between Sal-B and PLA/GO. Water absorption and porosity test results revealed that the scaffolds had good hydrophilicity and appropriate porosity. The addition of Sal-B was also conducive to the formation of sediments possibly due to the good water solubility of Sal-B itself. The prepared scaffolds had good blood compatibility and cytocompatibility, and a small additional amount of Sal-B could significantly promote cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. Their sustained release performance indicated that the biomimetic scaffolds had controlled the release of Sal-B. The kinetic model showed that the PLA/GO/Sal-B drug-loaded biomimetic scaffolds followed the diffusion mechanism.

The mechanism of ferroptosis regulating oxidative stress in ischemic stroke and the regulation mechanism of natural pharmacological active components

Cerebrovascular diseases, such as ischemic stroke, pose serious medical challenges worldwide due to their high morbidity and mortality and limitations in clinical treatment strategies. Studies have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated inflammation, excitotoxicity, and programmed cell death of each neurovascular unit during post-stroke hypoxia and reperfusion play an important role in the pathological cascade. Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death characterized by iron-regulated accumulation of lipid peroxidation, is caused by abnormal metabolism of lipids, glutathione (GSH), and iron, and can accelerate acute central nervous system injury. Recent studies have gradually uncovered the pathological process of ferroptosis in the neurovascular unit of acute stroke. Some drugs such as iron chelators, ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1) can protect nerves after neurovascular unit injury in acute stroke by inhibiting ferroptosis. In addition, combined with our previous studies on ferroptosis mediated by natural compounds in ischemic stroke, this review summarized the progress in the regulation mechanism of natural chemical components and herbal chemical components on ferroptosis in recent years, in order to provide reference information for future research on ferroptosis and lead compounds for the development of ferroptosis inhibitors.

An Ethnopharmaceutical Study on the Hypolipidemic Formulae in Taiwan Issued by Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacies

Globally, approximately one-third of ischemic heart diseases are due to hyperlipidemia, which has been shown to cause various metabolic disorders. This study was aimed to disassemble and analyze hypolipidemic formulae sold by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies. Using commonly used statistical parameters in ethnopharmacology, we identified the core drug combination of the hypolipidemic formulae, thereby exploring the strategy by which the Taiwanese people select hypolipidemic drugs. Most important of all, we preserved the inherited knowledge of TCM. We visited 116 TCM pharmacies in Taiwan and collected 91 TCM formulae. The formulae were mainly disassembled by macroscopical identification, and the medicinal materials with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) >0.2 were defined as commonly used medicinal materials. Subsequently, we sorted the information of medicinal materials recorded in the Pharmacopeia, searched for modern pharmacological research on commonly used medicinal materials using PubMed database, and visualized data based on the statistical results. Finally, the core hypolipidemic medicinal materials used in folk medicine were obtained. Of the 91 TCM formulae collected in this study, 80 traditional Chinese medicinal materials were used, belonging to 43 families, predominantly Lamiaceae. Roots were the most commonly used part as a medicinal material. There were 17 commonly used medicinal materials. Based on medicinal records in Pharmacopeia, most flavors and properties were warm and pungent, the majority traditional effects were “tonifying and replenishing” and “blood-regulating.” Besides, the targeted diseases searching from modern pharmacological studies were diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. The core medicinal materials consisted of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge and Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, and the core formulae were Bu-Yang-Huan-Wu-Tang and Xie-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang. In addition, 7 groups of folk misused medicinal materials were found. Although these TCMs have been used for a long period of time, their hypolipidemic mechanisms remain unclear, and further studies are needed to validate their safety and efficacy.

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.

Potential therapeutic applications of infusions and hydroalcoholic extracts of Romanian glutinous sage (Salvia glutinosa L.)

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Salvia glutinosa, also known as the glutinous sage, has been used in Romanian folk medicine in the treatment of inflammation, injuries, and mild infections. However, there is no direct scientific evidence to demonstrate these activities. Aim of the Study: The present research was based on evaluating antioxidant, antiproliferative, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of S. glutinosa extracts, as well as the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity. Materials and Methods: Infusions and 70% (v:v) ethanol solution extracts of S. glutinosa stems and leaves, collected from two different locations in Romania, were prepared. Ten phenolic compounds were identified and quantified using the LC-DAD-ESI/MSn method, and total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as in vitro antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays), antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined. A rat model of induced inflammation with turpentine oil was used for the examination of in vivo effects of the extracts, using diclofenac as an anti-inflammatory control. Results: The highest inhibitory α-glucosidase activity was determined to be IC50 = 0.546 mg/ml for the hydroalcoholic extract made with plant material collected on the road to Sighișoara. The highest cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cell line was determined to be GI50 = 131.68 ± 5.03 μg/ml, for the hydroalcoholic extract made with plant material from Sighișoara. In vivo administration of extract (200 mg lyophilized powder/ml) showed a significant reduction of NO production. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that S. glutinosa extracts exhibit antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, as well as a modest cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cell line. By in vivo administration, the extracts show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, which correlates with the traditional use of the species. The environmental conditions seemed to induce important changes in the chemical composition and the bioactivity of the herbal preparations derived from S. glutinosa.

Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with Plant Phytochemicals: A Review

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world's leading killers, accounting for 30% deaths. According to the WHO report, CVDs kill 17.9 million people per year, and there will be 22.2 million deaths from CVD in 2030. The death rates rise as people get older. Regarding gender, the death rate of women by CVD (51%) is higher than that of men (42%). To decrease and prevent CVD, most people rely on traditional medicine originating from the plant (phytochemicals) in addition to or in preference to commercially available drugs to recover from their illness. The CVD therapy efficacy of 92 plants, including 15 terrestrial plants, is examined. Some medicinal plants well known to treat CVD are, Daucus carota, Nerium oleander, Amaranthus Viridis, Ginkgo biloba, Terminalia arjuna, Picrorhiza kurroa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Tinospora cordifolia, Mucuna pruriens, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Bombax ceiba, and Andrographis paniculate. The active phytochemicals found in these plants are flavonoids, polyphenols, plant sterol, plant sulphur compounds, and terpenoids. A general flavonoid mechanism of action is to prevent low-density lipoprotein oxidation, which promotes vasodilatation. Plant sterols prevent CVD by decreasing cholesterol absorption in the blood. Plant sulphur compound also prevent CVD by activation of nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. Quinone decreases the risk of CVD by increasing ATP production in mitochondria while terpenoids by decreasing atherosclerotic lesion in the aortic valve. Although several physiologically active compounds with recognized biological effects have been found in various plants because of the increased prevalence of CVD, appropriate CVD prevention and treatment measures are required. More research is needed to understand the mechanism and specific plants' phytochemicals responsible for treating CVD.

A Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Buyang Huanwu Decoction for the Treatment of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is often referred to as “collaterals disease” in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and commonly includes ischemic and hemorrhagic CSVD. TCM has a long history of treating CSVD and has demonstrated unique efficacy. Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) is a classical TCM formula that has been used for the prevention and treatment of stroke for hundreds of years. BHD exerts its therapeutic effects on CSVD through a variety of mechanisms. In this review, the clinical and animal studies on BHD and CSVD were systematically introduced. In addition, the pharmacological mechanisms, active components, and clinical applications of BHD in the treatment of CSVD were reviewed. We believe that an in-depth understanding of BHD, its pharmacological mechanism, disease-drug interaction, and other aspects will help in laying the foundation for its development as a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CSVD.

Pharmacological Activities of Safflower Yellow and Its Clinical Applications

Background. Safflower is an annual herb used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It consists of the dried flowers of the Compositae plant safflower. It is found in the central inland areas of Asia and is widely cultivated throughout the country. Its resistance to cold weather and droughts and its tolerance and adaptability to salts and alkalis are strong. Safflower has the effect of activating blood circulation, dispersing blood stasis, and relieving pain. A natural pigment named safflower yellow (SY) can be extracted from safflower petals. Chemically, SY is a water-soluble flavonoid and the main active ingredient of safflower. The main chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and clinical applications of SY are reviewed in this paper, thereby providing a reference for the use of safflower in preventing and treating human diseases. Methods. The literature published in recent years was reviewed, and the main chemical components of SY were identified based on chemical formula and structure. The pharmacological properties of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), SYA, SYB, and anhydrosafflor yellow B (AHSYB) were reviewed. Results. The main chemical constituents of SY included HSYA, SYA, SYB, and AHSYB. These ingredients have a wide range of pharmacological activities. SY has protective effects on the heart, kidneys, liver, nerves, lungs, and brain. Moreover, its effects include, but are not limited to, improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, abirritation, regulating lipids, and treating cancer and diabetic complications. HSYA is widely recognised as an effective ingredient to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Conclusion. SY has a wide range of pharmacological activities, among which improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the most significant.

Danhong injection combined with tPA protects the BBB through Notch-VEGF signaling pathway on long-term outcomes of thrombolytic therapy

Current therapy for ischemic stroke primarily relies on tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), but it is limited by narrow treatment time window, bleeding complications and neurotoxicity. The preliminary study of tPA plus Danhong injection (DHI) shows that it can significantly reduce the side effects of tPA and improve its thrombolytic effect, but the mechanism of this action has not been further studied. In this study, the rats were randomly divided into sham group, vehicle group, DHI group (4 mL/kg), tPA group (5 mg/kg) and DHI+tPA group (4 mL/kg+ 2.5 mg/kg), administered intravenously 4.5 h since focal embolic stroke modeling. After 3 days and 7 days of cerebral ischemia, the neurological function of each treatment group was significantly improved compared with the vehicle group. The combination of DHI and tPA significantly reduced Evans blue (EB) penetration as well as the expressions of the proteins MMP-9, PAI-1 and P-selectin, while upregulating the expressions of claudin-5, occludin, and ZO-1 mRNA. Furthermore, the effect of continuous 7-day treatment was more conspicuous than 3-day treatment. Then, it significantly reduced the expressions of the proteins DLL-4 and VEGFR-2, increased the expressions of Notch-1, HIF-1α and HES-1 mRNA, and promoted the expressions of VEGF/HIF-1α-positive cells at 14 days following stroke. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also showed that it improved pathological changes of ischemic brain tissue and the cerebral cortex micro-structure. These indicate that DHI combined with tPA may significantly ameliorate blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption by activating Notch-VEGF signaling pathway to promote angiogenesis for long-term outcomes.

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacy Prescriptions for Dysmenorrhea

Chinese herbal medicines have long been used for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. The treatment experiences of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies passed down through generations have contributed to a wealth of prescriptions for dysmenorrhea that have achieved significant therapeutic effects in countless Taiwanese women. Therefore, surveying and analyzing these prescriptions may enable us to elucidate the core medication combinations used in TCM prescriptions for dysmenorrhea. In the present study, a field investigation was conducted on various TCM pharmacies in Taiwan. A total of 96 TCM pharmacies were sampled, and 99 prescriptions for dysmenorrhea containing 77 different medicinal materials were collected. Compositae (8%) was the most common botanical source of the medicinal materials, and the predominant TCM property and flavor of the materials were warm (45%) and sweet (73%), respectively. The blood-activating and stasis-dispelling effect (23%) and the qi-tonifying effect (23%) were the most prevalent traditional effects, and the modern pharmacological effects most commonly found in the materials were anti-inflammatory (73%), antitumor (59%), and analgesic (12%) effects. Network analysis of the 77 medicinal materials used in the prescriptions, which was performed using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System, yielded seven core medicinal materials and the corresponding network diagram. The seven core medicinal materials ranked in order of relative frequency of citation (RFC) were Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Dang Gui), Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (Chuan Qiong), Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch (Di Huang), Paeonia lactiflora Pall (Bai Shao), Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz (Hong Qi), Lycium chinense Mill (Gou Qi Zi), and Cinnamomum cassia (L.). J. Presl (Gui Zhi). A total of 58 combinations, each consisting of two to five of the seven medicinal materials and 107 association rules among the materials, were identified. This study provides a record of valuable knowledge on TCM pharmacy prescriptions for dysmenorrhea. The rich medicinal knowledge of TCM pharmacies in Taiwan is worthy of further exploration, and the results of this study can serve as a basis for future pharmacological research and the development of naturally derived medications for dysmenorrhea.

Differential action of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic components of Danhong injection in ischemic vascular disease or tumor models

OBJECTIVE

We investigate the chemical basis and mechanism of angiogenesis regulation by a multicomponent Chinese medicine Danhong injection (DHI).

METHODS

DHI was fractionated and screened for angiogenesis activities by in vitro tube formation and migration assays. The composition of DHI components was determined by UPLC. The effects of the main active monomers on angiogenesis-related gene and protein expression in endothelial cells were determined by qPCR and Western blotting analyses. Mouse hind limb ischemia and tumor implant models were used to verify the angiogenesis effects in vivo by Laser Doppler and bioluminescent imaging, respectively.

RESULTS

Two distinct chemical components, one promoting (pro-angiogenic, PAC) and the other inhibiting (anti-angiogenic, AAC) angiogenesis, were identified in DHI. PAC enhanced angiogenesis and improved recovery of ischemic limb perfusion while AAC reduced Lewis lung carcinoma growth in vivo in VEGFR-2-Luc mice. Among the PAC or AAC monomers, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid upregulated TSP1 expression and downregulated KDR and PECAM expression. Caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid significantly decreased while protocatechuic aldehyde increased CXCR4 expression, which are consistent with their differential effects on EC migration.

CONCLUSIONS

DHI is capable of bi-directional regulation of angiogenesis in disease-specific manner. The pro-angiogenesis activity of DHI promotes the repair of ischemic vascular injury, whereas the anti-angiogenesis activity inhibits tumor growth. The active pro- and anti-angiogenesis activities are composed of unique chemical combinations that differentially regulate angiogenesis-related gene networks.

Evolving Roles of Natural Terpenoids From Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic skeletal disease which can lead to reduction in bone mass and increased risk of bone fracture due to the microstructural degradation. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been applied in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis for a long time. Terpenoids, a class of natural products that are rich in TCM, have been widely studied for their therapeutic efficacy on bone resorption, osteogenesis, and concomitant inflammation. Terpenoids can be classified in four categories by structures, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, and triterpenoids. In this review, we comprehensively summarize all the currently known TCM-derived terpenoids in the treatment of OP. In addition, we discuss the possible mechanistic-of-actions of all four category terpenoids in anti-OP and assess their therapeutic potential for OP treatment.

Bioactive Compounds and Nanodelivery Perspectives for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Bioactive compounds are comprised of small quantities of extra nutritional constituents providing both health benefits and enhanced nutritional value, based on their ability to modulate one or more metabolic processes. Plant-based diets are being thoroughly researched for their cardiovascular properties and effectiveness against cancer. Flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids are some of the bioactive compounds that aim to work in prevention and treating the cardiovascular disease in a systemic manner, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are the most important characteristics that make them favorable candidates for CVDs treatment. However, their low water solubility and stability results in low bioavailability, limited accessibility, and poor absorption. The oral delivery of bioactive compounds is constrained due to physiological barriers such as the pH, mucus layer, gastrointestinal enzymes, epithelium, etc. The present review aims to revise the main bioactive compounds with a significant role in CVDs in terms of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment measures. The advantages of nanoformulations and novel multifunctional nanomaterials development are described in order to overcome multiple obstacles, including the physiological ones, by summarizing the most recent preclinical data and clinical trials reported in the literature. Nanotechnologies will open a new window in the area of CVDs with the opportunity to achieve effective treatment, better prognosis, and less adverse effects on non-target tissues.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Protects Endothelial Dysfunction against Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress

Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) is a common traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathology of cardiovascular diseases. Endothelial dysfunction may induce inflammation and change vascular tone and permeability. The main pathological mechanism of endothelial dysfunction is the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondria are the main source of energy and can also produce large amounts of ROS. Recent studies have shown that extracts of SM have antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombus properties. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of oxidative stress in the mitochondria, endothelial dysfunction, and the role of SM in these oxidative events.

Danhong injection enhances the therapeutic effect of mannitol on hemispheric ischemic stroke by ameliorating blood-brain barrier disruption

Mannitol, a representative of hyperosmolar therapy, is indispensable for the treatment of malignant cerebral infarction, but its therapeutic effect is limited by its exacerbation of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. This study was to explore whether Danhong injection (DHI), a standardized product extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Carthamus tinctorius L., inhibits the destructive effect of mannitol on BBB and thus enhancing the treatment of hemispheric ischemic stroke. SD rats were subjected to pMCAO followed by intravenous bolus injections of mannitol with/without DHI intervention. Neurological deficit score, brain edema, infarct volume at 24 h after MCAO and histopathology, microvascular ultrastructure, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining of endothelial cell junctions, energy metabolism in the ischemic penumbra were assessed. Intravenous mannitol after MCAO resulted in a decrease in 24 h mortality and cerebral edema, whereas no significant benefit on neurological deficits, infarct volume and microvascular ultrastructure. Moreover, mannitol led to the loss of endothelial integrity, manifested by the decreased expression of occludin, junctional adhesion molecule-1 (JAM-1) and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) and the discontinuity of occludin staining around the periphery of endothelial cells. Meanwhile, after mannitol treatment, energy-dependent vimentin and F-actin, ATP content, and ATP5D expression were down-regulated, while MMP2 and MMP9 expression increased in the ischemic penumbra. All the insults after mannitol treatment were attenuated by addition of intravenous DHI. The results suggest DHI as a potential remedy to attenuate mannitol-related BBB disruption, and the potential of DHI to upregulate energy metabolism and inhibit the activity of MMPs is likely attributable to its effects observed.

Polyacetylene glucosides from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius and their anti-inflammatory activity

Five previously undescribed polyacetylene glucosides, namely, four C₁₀- and one C₁₄-acetylenes, together with three known analogues, were isolated from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius L. The structures of these novel compounds were elucidated to be (5R)-5-acetoxy-8,10,12-tetradecatriyne-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, (2Z)-decaene-4,6,8-triyne-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, (8Z)-1-[(3-O-β-D-glucosyl)-isovaleroyloxy]-8-decaene-4,6-diyne, (8Z)-decaene-1-isovaleroyloxy-4,6-diyne-10-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and (2E,8E)-decadiene-4,6-diyne-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside via spectroscopic and chemical methods. All of the isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, antibacterial activity, and inhibitory effects on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production. The results showed that (5R)-5-acetoxy-8,10,12-tetradecatriyne-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Mechanism by which salt stress induces physiological responses and regulates tanshinone synthesis

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with tanshinone as one of the main bioactive components and has antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties, as well as other physiological functions. Tanshinone, as a secondary metabolite, is synthesized under salt stress or other environmental stresses. Oxidative stress is an important physiological response of plants to salt stress. Transcription factors (TFs) are believed to play regulatory roles in this process, and AP2/ERF TFs have significant effects on defense against the adversity of plants. However, investigations on the regulation of AP2/ERF TFs in tanshinone synthesis under salt stress are limited. In this research, the tanshinone content, related gene expression and activities of enzymes, and the markers of oxidative stress were determined. The results showed that SmAP1, SmAP2 and SmERF2 were AP2/ERF TFs with AP conserved sequences, whose relative expression levels increased and were positively correlated with the contents of tanshinone I (T-I), tanshinone IIA (T-IIA) and cryptotanshinone (CT) in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) increased in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza. The expression levels of genes encoding enzymes and the activities of key enzymes in the tanshinone biosynthesis pathway increased accordingly. The results showed that AP2/ERF TFs could positively regulate the biosynthesis of tanshinone in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza under salt stress.

Safflower Seed Extract Attenuates the Development of Osteoarthritis by Blocking NF-κB Signaling

Although safflower seed extract exhibits pharmacological activity against various diseases, the effects of its individual compounds on osteoarthritis (OA) have not been elucidated. Here, we evaluated the effects of these extracts and their single compounds on OA. N-(p-Coumaroyl) serotonin and N-feruloyl serotonin, main components of safflower seed extract, were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Under in vitro OA mimic conditions, the expression of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP3/13 and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) ADAMTS5 were reduced in mouse chondrocytes treated with safflower seed extract. Furthermore, the oral administration of safflower seed extract attenuated cartilage destruction in a mouse OA model induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus. N-(p-Coumaroyl) serotonin and N-feruloyl serotonin, but not serotonin, reduced MMP3, MMP13, and ADAMTS5 expression in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Additionally, they significantly blocked the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway by inhibiting IκB degradation and p65 phosphorylation. Our results suggest that safflower seed extract and its single compounds can attenuate cartilage destruction by suppressing MMP and ADMATS5 expression. The anti-arthritic effects are mediated by NF-κB signaling and involve the inhibition of IκB degradation and p65 phosphorylation. These results indicate that safflower seed extract may serve as a novel therapeutic agent against OA.

Annual review of LSD1/KDM1A inhibitors in 2020

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A) has emerged as a promising target for the discovery of specific inhibitors as antitumor drugs. Based on the source of compounds, all LSD1 inhibitors in this review are divided into two categories: natural LSD1 inhibitors and synthetic LSD1 inhibitors. This review highlights the research progress of LSD1 inhibitors with the potential to treat cancer covering articles published in 2020. Design strategies, structure-activity relationships, co-crystal structure analysis and action mechanisms are also highlighted.

Selected Aspects Related to Medicinal and Aromatic Plants as Alternative Sources of Bioactive Compounds

Natural compounds obtained from different medicinal and aromatic plants have gained respect as alternative treatments to synthetic drugs, as well as raw materials for different applications (cosmetic, food and feed industries, environment protection, and many others). Based on a literature survey on dedicated databases, the aim of the present work is to be a critical discussion of aspects regarding classical extraction versus modern extraction techniques; possibilities to scale up (advantages and disadvantages of different extraction methods usually applied and the influence of extraction parameters); and different medicinal and aromatic plants' different applications (medical and industrial applications, as well as the potential use in nanotechnology). As nowadays, research studies are directed toward the development of modern, innovative applications of the medicinal and aromatic plants, aspects regarding future perspectives are also discussed.

Targeting autophagy by natural product Ursolic acid for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

With the growth of the aging population, osteoporosis is becoming a global health problem. Ursolic acid (UA) is an active ingredient existed in a variety of foods and nature plants and owns plenty of pharmacological effects especially in treating metabolic disease. Our predication from network pharmacology hinted that UA has potential for ameliorating osteoporosis. Firstly through in vivo experiment, we confirmed that UA administration obviously protected against ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in rats by improving microarchitectural deterioration of trabecular bone (P < 0.001), decreasing numbers of TRAP positive osteoclast in vertebra (P < 0.001), as well as decreasing serum osteoclast-specific cytokines release (P < 0.001). Besides, UA ameliorated kidney damage secondary to OVX-induced osteoporosis by ameliorating glomerular atrophy, decreasing BUN and creatinine levels in OVX rats. In vitro, UA noticeably decreased osteoclastic-special marker proteins c-Fos and NFATc1 expressions (P < 0.001) in response to RANKL stimulation in macrophagy. Importantly, autophagy pathway was activated in the process of osteoclast differentiation and blocked by UA pretreatment. Furthermore, autophagy inhibitors suppressed osteoclast differentiation (P < 0.001). Collectively, UA may ameliorate osteoporosis by suppressing osteoclast differentiation mediated by autophagy. Our research provides scientific support for UA treating osteoporosis and offers an optimal dose for daily intake of UA safely to prevent bone diseases.

The Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an Auxiliary Treatment for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with no specific and widely accepted effective drug or vaccine. However, studies have shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may play a significant role as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of TCM as an auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 through a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Four English and three Chinese language databases were searched from December 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. RCTs comparing TCM in combination with Western medicine (WM) with the same WM therapies alone for confirmed COVID-19 patients were included. The outcome measures were cure rate, lowering of body temperature, cough relief, improvement in chest computed tomography (CT) images, deterioration of condition, and adverse effects. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. A series of meta-analyses were conducted for selected outcomes using RevMan 5.3 software. The quality of evidence was appraised using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) recommendations. Results: Ten RCTs with a total of 1,285 patients were included. Compared with WM alone in treating COVID-19, WM with auxiliary treatment by TCM appears to have increased the cure rate (risk ratio [RR] 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.26]), relieved cough (RR 1.32 [95% CI 1.15-1.52]), improved chest CT images (RR 1.23 [95% CI 1.11-1.37]), and reduced the number of cases transitioning from a moderate to severe condition (RR 0.58 [95% CI 0.43-0.77]). The authors are uncertain whether TCM combined WM has effects on fever normalization (RR 1.10 [95% CI 0.94-1.29]) or adverse effects (RR 0.81 (95% CI 0.42-1.57]). Although they evaluated the certainty of evidence for lowering body temperature and adverse effects as very low, and low for cure rate, certainty was evaluated as moderate for improvement in chest CT images, cough relief, and deterioration of condition. Conclusion: TCM may be an effective auxiliary treatment for COVID-19 patients, which is likely to help improve the main symptoms and reduce disease progression. However, due to the limited number of studies and apparent heterogeneity among them, a more definitive conclusion on the effect of TCM on lowering body temperature and adverse effects cannot be drawn at this time.

Protective Effects of Two Safflower Derived Compounds, Kaempferol and Hydroxysafflor Yellow A, on Hyperglycaemic Stress-Induced Podocyte Apoptosis via Modulating of Macrophage M1/M2 Polarization

Objective

The primary initiating mechanism in diabetes nephropathy (DN) is hyperglycemia-induced inflammation in which macrophage and podocyte play important roles. The present research is aimed at exploring the effects of kaempferol (Ka) and hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on classically activated (M1)/alternatively activated (M2) macrophage polarization and podocyte apoptosis under hyperglycaemic conditions in vitro.

Methods

(1) RAW264.7 cells were treated with 11.1 mM glucose (NG), 33.3 mM glucose (HG), Ka 4-8 μM, and HSYA 100-200 μM separately. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, mannose receptor (CD206), and arginase- (Arg-) 1 were quantified by Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR. The collected supernatants from macrophage were named as (NG) MS, (HG) MS, (Ka) MS, and (HSYA) MS. (2) The podocyte survival rate was assessed by Bromodeoxyuridine assay, while TNF-α and interleukin- (IL-) 1β levels were evaluated by Elisa.

Results

(1) Compared to the HG group, the Ka and HSYA 100 μM groups decreased iNOS and TNF-α levels and increased Arg-1 and CD206 expressions significantly (protein and mRNA: p < 0.05, respectively). (2) The podocyte survival rate of Ka 8 μM was higher than that of HG, and the rates of (Ka) MS and (HSYA 100 μM) MS were higher than that of (HG) MS significantly (all: p < 0.05). (3) TNF-α and IL-1β levels of Ka and HSYA 100 μM were significantly lower than those of the HG group, and both levels in the (Ka) MS and (HSYA) MS were lower than those in the (HG) MS group significantly (p < 0.05, respectively).

Conclusion

The protective effects of Ka and HSYA on podocyte apoptosis under hyperglycemic stress are related to their modulation on M1/M2 polarization and the lowering effects on TNF-α and IL-1β levels.

Comparative Efficacy of Danshen Class Injections for Treating Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Multidimensional Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

Acute coronary syndrome, that is a common and serious cardiovascular disease, imposes a huge economic burden on global public health. And Danshen class injections are commonly used in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome in China. Thus, the Bayesian network meta-analysis was devised to investigate the efficacy of different Danshen class injections against acute coronary syndrome.

Methods

Eligible inclusion and exclusion criteria were established in advance. Then, a systematic literature search was performed in several databases from inception to February 2020. Further, the included randomized controlled trials data were adopted to calculation, prepare graphs and multidimensional cluster analysis by WinBUGS 1.4.3, Stata V.13.0 and R 3.6.1 software, respectively.

Results

A total of 53 eligible randomized controlled trial studies with 6401 patients were obtained that evaluated the clinical effectiveness rate, the level of hypersensitive C-reactive protein, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, and adverse reactions after the application of Danshen class injections plus western medicine. Compared with western medicine alone, Danshen class injections combined with western medicine therapy were associated with significantly improved the therapeutic effect. In addition, the results of the multidimensional cluster analysis demonstrated that Danhong injection + western medicine and Danshen injection + western medicine had better therapeutic effects. However, since most eligible randomized controlled trial studies did not focus on the monitoring of adverse reactions, the safety of these Chinese herbal injections needs to be further explored.

Conclusion

Based on this Bayesian network meta-analysis results, Danhong injection + western medicine and Danshen injection + western medicine might have a better impact on acute coronary syndrome patients. Nevertheless, more large samples, high-quality clinical and multicenter randomized controlled trial studies should be tested and verified in the future.

The synergistic mechanism of total saponins and flavonoids in Notoginseng-Safflower pair against myocardial ischemia uncovered by an integrated metabolomics strategy

The Notoginseng-Safflower pair composed of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen and Carthamus tinctorius L. has remarkable clinical efficacy for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases in China. Notoginseng total saponins (NS) and Safflower total flavonoids (SF) are the major effective ingredients in Notoginseng and Safflower, respectively. Though our previous study showed that the combination of NS and SF (NS-SF) exhibits significant cardioprotective effects for myocardial ischemia (MI), there might be difference in their action mechanisms. However, the anti-MI characteristics of individual NS and SF remains unclear. Herein, an integrated metabolomics strategy coupled with multiple biological methods were employed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of NS and SF alone or in combination against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI and to further explore the synergistic relationship between NS and SF. Our results demonstrated that pretreatments with NS, SF, and NS-SF all showed cardioprotective effects against MI injury and NS-SF exhibited to be the best. Interestingly, the results demonstrated that NS and SF exhibited differentiated metabolic targets and mediators in the glycerophospholipid metabolism. Furthermore, administration of NS alone exhibited greater effects on reversing the elevated the proinflammatory metabolites and mediators in MI rats compared to SF alone. However, individual SF showed greater amelioration of MI-disturbed antioxidant and prooxidative metabolites and better inhibition of the oxidative stress than NS alone. Collectively, our study demonstrated that the capability of NS-SF to regulate both metabolic targets of NS and SF might be the basis of NS-SF to produce a cooperative effect greater than their individual effects that enhance the anti-MI efficacy and provided valuable information for the clinical application of Notoginseng-Safflower pair.

In Vitro Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Polyphenolic-Rich Extracts from Anchusa officinalis and Melilotus officinalis

This study was focused on the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Anchusa officinalis and Melilotus officinalis polyphenolic-rich extracts obtained by nanofiltration. The high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid were the main phenolic acids in both extracts. The main flavonoid compound from A. officinalis extracts is luteolin, whereas rutin and isoquercitrin are the main flavonoids in M. officinalis. M. officinalis polyphenolic-rich extract had the highest α-amylase (from hog pancreas) inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 1.30 ± 0.06 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 92.18 ± 1.92 μg/mL). However, both extracts presented a significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Furthermore, the hyaluronidase inhibition of polyphenolic-rich extracts also proved to be stronger (IC₅₀ = 11.8 ± 0.1 μg/mL for M. officinalis and 36.5 ± 0.2 μg/mL for A. officinalis), but there was moderate or low lipoxygenase inhibition. The studies on the fibroblast cell line demonstrated that both A. officinalis and M. officinalis polyphenolic-rich extracts possess the cytotoxic effect at a concentration higher than 500 μg/mL. The experimental data suggest that both extracts are promising candidates for the development of natural antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory food supplements.