Intramammary inoculation of Panax ginseng plays an immunoprotective role in Staphylococcus aureus infection in a murine model

Effect and mechanism of Prunella vulgaris L. extract on alleviating lipopolysaccharide-induced acute mastitis in protecting the blood-milk barrier and reducing inflammation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

According to ancient literature, Prunella vulgaris L. (P vulgaris) alleviates mastitis and has been used in China for many years; however, there are no relevant reports that confirm this or the mechanism of its efficacy.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the anti-acute mastitis effect and potential mechanism of P vulgaris extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, the active ingredients and targets of P vulgaris against mastitis were predicted using network pharmacology. Next, the relevant active ingredients were enriched using macroporous resins and verified using UV and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Lastly, a mouse model of acute mastitis was established by injecting lipopolysaccharides into the mammary gland and administering P vulgaris extract by oral gavage. The pathological changes in mammary tissue were observed by HE staining. Serum and tissue inflammatory factors were measured by ELISA method. MPO activity in mammary tissue was measured using colorimetry and MPO expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-3, and occludin) in mammary tissue was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. iNOS and COX-2 in mammary tissue were detected by Western blot. MAPK pathway and NF-κB pathway related proteins were also detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology predicted that phenolic acids and flavonoids in P vulgaris had anti-mastitis effects. The contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in P vulgaris extract were 64.5% and 29.4%, respectively. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS confirmed that P vulgaris extract contained phenolic acids and flavonoids. The results of animal experiments showed that P vulgaris extract reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, and interstitial congestion of mammary tissue. It also reduced the levels of serum and tissue inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and inhibited the activation of MPO. Furthermore, it downregulated the expression of MAPK and NF-κB pathway-related proteins. The expressions of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-3 in mammary gland tissues were upregulated.

CONCLUSIONS

P vulgaris extract can maintain the integrity of mammary connective tissue and reduce its inflammatory response to prevent acute mastitis. Its mechanism probably involves regulating NF-κB and MAPK pathways.

In vitro evaluation of ginsenoside Rg1 immunostimulating effect in bovine mononuclear cells

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on mammary secretion and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MSMC and PBMC, respectively). The mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR4 and selected cytokines were evaluated on MSMC after Rg1 treatment. Also, TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression was evaluated on MSMC and PBMC after Rg1 treatment. Phagocytic activity and capacity, ROS production and MHC-II expression were evaluated on MSMC and PBMC after Rg1 treatment and co-culture with Staphylococcus aureus strain 5011. Rg1 induced mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR4, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 in groups treated with different concentrations and at different times in MSMC, and induced TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression in MSMC and PBMC. Rg1 increased phagocytic capacity and ROS production in MSMC and PBMC. Rg1 increased MHC-II expression by PBMC. However, Rg1 pre-treatment had no effect on cells co-cultured with S. aureus. In conclusion, Rg1 was able to stimulate several sensing and effector activities in these immune cells.

In-vitro evaluation of immunomodulatory activity of sulphation-modified total ginsenosides derivative-3

Background

Ginseng has been used in biomedicine to prevent and treat decreased physical and mental capacities. Total ginsenosides (TG) from ginseng root which have antitumor and immune-enhancing properties, are the principal active components of Panax ginseng, while the sulphation-modified TG derivative-3 (SMTG-d3) was expected to enhance the anticancer activity in conventional medicinal treatments.

Methods

The chlorosulphonic acid-pyridine technique, used for the sulfation modification of TG to improve their biological activity, and the infrared spectroscopic characteristics of TG and SMTG-d3 were investigated, and the effects of SMTG-d3 on immunocytes and cytokines relevant to tumor treatment were assessed. The MTT assay was used to assess the effect of TG and SMTG-d3 on the cytotoxicity and T-lymphocytic proliferation against mouse splenocytes. The LDH method was employed to evaluate NK activity induced by TG or SMTG-d3. The production levels of splenocytes-secreted IL-2 and IFN-γ and peritoneal macrophages-secreted TNF-α were determined using mouse ELISA kits.

Results and discussion

It showed that the ideal conditions for the sulfation modification of TG: the volume ratio of chlorosulfonic acid to pyridine lower than 1:2.5; controlled amount of chlorosulfonic acid; and a yield of 51.5% SMTG-d3 (2 h, < 45°C). SMTG-d3 showed two characteristic absorption peaks at 1,230 cm^-1 and 810 cm^-1, indicating the formation of sulfuric acid esters and the presence of sulfuric acid groups. SMTG-d3 exhibited higher antitumor immunological activity than TG by promoting the proliferation of T lymphocytes and the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α, thus enhancing NK cell activity, and reducing cytotoxicity. The findings imply sulfated modification represents an effective method of enhancing the immunomodulatory activities of TG and could be used as the basis for developing new drug target compounds; SMTG-d3 can serve as an antitumor immunomodulator and can be considered an effective and prospective herbal formulation in clinical applications.

Anti-inflammatory effects of chlorogenic acid from Taraxacum officinale on LTA-stimulated bovine mammary epithelial cells via the TLR2/NF-κB pathway

Mastitis is an inflammatory disease caused by microbial infection. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), one of the major phenolic acids in Taraxacum officinale, has natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in various cell types; however, the effects of CGA on Lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-induced bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) have not been investigated. In this study, the CGA content in T. officinale was determined by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). BMECs were infected with LTA to induce the mastitis model. Different concentrations of CGA were administered after establishing the LTA infection. The results showed that the T. officinale contained CGA 1.36 mg/g. CGA significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory gene and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. In addition, CGA downregulated the NO, TLR2, and NF-κB signaling pathways in LTA-infected bovine mammary epithelial cells. Our results indicate that CGA reduced the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and TLR2 by inhibiting the phosphorylation of proteins in the NF-κB signaling pathways in a dose-dependent manner. This finding suggests that CGA may be a potential agent for the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows.

Pharmacological Efficacy of Ginseng against Respiratory Tract Infections

Respiratory tract infections are underestimated, as they are mild and generally not incapacitating. In clinical medicine, however, these infections are considered a prevalent problem. By 2030, the third most comprehensive reason for death worldwide will be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the World Health Organization. The current arsenal of anti-inflammatory drugs shows little or no benefits against COPD. For thousands of years, herbal drugs have been used to cure numerous illnesses; they exhibit promising results and enhance physical performance. Ginseng is one such herbal medicine, known to alleviate pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) formed by macrophages and epithelial cells. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of ginsenoside are still not fully understood. Various clinical trials of ginseng have exhibited a reduction of repeated colds and the flu. In this review, ginseng’s structural features, the pathogenicity of microbial infections, and the immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anti-bacterial effects of ginseng were discussed. The focus was on the latest animal studies and human clinical trials that corroborate ginseng’s role as a therapy for treating respiratory tract infections. The article concluded with future directions and significant challenges. This review would be a valuable addition to the knowledge base for researchers in understanding the promising role of ginseng in treating respiratory tract infections. Further analysis needs to be re-focused on clinical trials to study ginseng’s efficacy and safety in treating pathogenic infections and in determining ginseng-drug interactions.

Taraxacum mongolicum protects against Staphylococcus aureus-infected mastitis by exerting anti-inflammatory role via TLR2-NF-κB/MAPKs pathways in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Taraxacum mongolicum has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of inflammatory and infectious diseases, and also clinically used as a remedy for mastitis. However, the scientific rationale and mechanism behind its use on mastitis in vivo are still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz. (T. mongolicum) on mastitis infected by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Female ICR mice were given intragastrically 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg of T. mongolicum extract twice per day for 6 consecutive days, and infected with S. aureus via teat canal to induce mastitis. Pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels were determined by ELISA. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and distribution were measured by reagent kit and immunohistochemistry. Histopathological changes of mammary gland tissues were observed by H&E staining. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression, phosphorylations of related proteins in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways were detected by western blot.

RESULTS

T. mongolicum decreased TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β levels, and reduced MPO activity and distribution in sera and mammary glands with S. aureus-infected mastitis. In addition, T. mongolicum effectively attenuated histopathological damages and cell necrosis of mammary gland tissues infected by S. aureus. Moreover, T. mongolicum inhibited the expression of TLR2, and the phosphorylations of inhibitor κBα (IκBα), p65, p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) proteins in mammary glands with S. aureus-infected mastitis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that T. mongolicum protects against S. aureus-infected mastitis by exerting anti-inflammatory role, which is attributed to the inhibition of TLR2-NF-κB/MAPKs pathways.

Efficacy of Panax ginseng extract combined with cephalexin as a dry cow therapy

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of intramammary administration, at drying-off, of a Panax ginseng extract (PGe) combined with cephalexin (Ceph) on the post-calving bacteriological cure rate of pre-existing intramammary infections (IMI) and on the occurrence of new IMI during the dry period. In addition, milk yield and somatic cell count (SCC) in the post-treatment lactation were evaluated. One hundred and eight late-lactation cows were randomly divided into two experimental groups and were treated at drying-off with Ceph alone or PGe combined with Ceph.Cure rates for IMI present at drying-off were similar for both treatments (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.33-2.74). Cure rates for Staphylococcus aureus were lower (OR = 15.4, 95% CI = 1.66-142.52) in quarters treated with PGe + Ceph than in those treated with Ceph alone. Intramammary infusion of PGe + Ceph at drying-off had no effect on preventing new dry period IMI (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.38-1.51), compared with infusion of Ceph alone. Milk production and SCC in the ensuing lactation were not affected by PGe + Ceph treatment. In conclusion, addition of PGe to dry cow therapy did not show any advantage over the use of dry cow therapy alone.

Characterization of an Enterococcus faecium strain in a murine mastitis model

AIM

The aim of the study was to characterize phenotypically and genotypically Enterococcus faecium strains collected from bovine mastitis milk and to evaluate one of them for its virulence in a murine mastitis model.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of five E. faecium isolates were collected from cows with subclinical mastitis. EF-7A showed resistance to antibiotics tested, it presented alpha haemolysin and did not present gelatinase activity. It yielded cyA, efafm and gelE1 genes and it could be characterized as a moderate biofilm producer. It was able to internalize in MAC-T cells and 1×10⁸ colony forming unit ml^-1 was able to establish an intramammary infection in mice. The strain could be recovered from liver, kidney and blood samples. RAPD profiles showed different bands with respect to the inoculated strain. Histopathology analyses showed different grades of polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltration in mammary glands.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report that studied E. faecium strain in a lactating mouse model of mastitis and showed that the experimental inoculation was able to stimulate an inflammatory response resulting in mastitis. Results contribute to a better understanding of intramammary infections caused by E. faecium.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This investigation shows that mice represent a valuable model for the study of the mastitis pathogenesis caused by E. faecium considering the high costs of using cows for mastitis research.

Pharmacological effects of ginseng on infectious diseases

Ginseng has been traditionally used as an herbal nutritional supplement in Asian countries, including Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam for several millennia. Most studies have focused on the role of ginseng on anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Recently, modulator activities of ginseng on the immune responses during pathogenic bacterial and viral infections and beneficial effects of ginseng in infectious diseases have been elucidated. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed the potential of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides Rg1, Rg3, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, compound K, Re, Rd, Rh2 for treatment of several infectious diseases. The molecular mechanisms of these effects mainly involve inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-10), apoptotic pathway (bcl-2, bcl-xL), PI3K/Akt pathway, MAPKs pathway, JAK2/STAT5, NF-κB pathway, and the inflammasome. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the effects of ginseng in the immune responses during the infections and its bioactivities on the prevention of infectious diseases as well as its underlying mechanisms. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of ginseng as an anti-bacterial and anti-viral medication and vaccine adjuvant will be discussed as well.

Taurine Attenuates Streptococcus uberis-Induced Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells Inflammation via Phosphoinositides/Ca2+ Signaling

Taurine may alleviate the inflammatory injury induced by Streptococcus uberis (S. uberis) infection by regulating intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Infection leads to subversion of phosphoinositides (PIs) which are closely related to Ca²⁺ signaling. In order to investigate whether taurine regulates inflammation by means of PIs/ Ca²⁺ systems, competitive inhibitors of taurine (β-alanine) siTauT, siPAT1, siPLC, siCaN, siPKC, and inhibitors of PLC (U73122), PKC (RO31-8220), and CaN (FK 506) were used. The results indicate that taurine transfers the extracellular nutrient signal for intercellular innate immunity to phosphoinositides without a need to enter the cytoplasm while regulating intracellular Ca²⁺ levels during inflammation. Both the Ca²⁺-PKCα-NF-κB, and Ca²⁺-CaM-CaN-NFAT signaling pathways of S. uberis infection and the regulatory roles of taurine follow activation of PIs/Ca²⁺ systems. These data increase our understanding on the mechanisms of multifunctional nutrient, taurine attenuated inflammatory responses caused by S. uberis infection, and provide theoretical support for the prevention of this disease.

The G115 standardized ginseng extract: an example for safety, efficacy, and quality of an herbal medicine

Ginseng products on the market show high variability in their composition and overall quality. This becomes a challenge for both consumers and health-care professionals who are in search of high-quality, reliable ginseng products that have a proven safety and efficacy profile. The botanical extract standardization is of crucial importance in this context as it determines the reproducibility of the quality of the product that is essential for the evaluation of effectiveness and safety. This review focuses on the well-characterized and standardized ginseng extract, G115, which represents an excellent example of an herbal drug preparation with constant safety and efficacy within the herbal medicinal products. Over the many decades, extensive preclinical and clinical research has been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of G115. In vitro and in vivo studies of G115 have shown pharmacological effects on physical performance, cognitive function, metabolism, and the immune system. Furthermore, a significant number of G115 clinical studies, most of them double-blind placebo-controlled, have reinforced the findings of preclinical evidence and proved the efficacy of this extract on blood glucose and lipid regulation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, energy, physical performance, and immune and cognitive functions. Clinical trials and 50 years of presence on the market are proof of a good safety profile of G115.

The Multivariate Regression Statistics Strategy to Investigate Content-Effect Correlation of Multiple Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine Based on a Partial Least Squares Method

Amultivariate regression statisticstrategy was developed to clarify multi-components content-effect correlation ofpanaxginseng saponins extract and predict the pharmacological effect by components content. In example 1, firstly, we compared pharmacological effects between panax ginseng saponins extract and individual saponin combinations. Secondly, we examined the anti-platelet aggregation effect in seven different saponin combinations of ginsenoside Rb1, Rg1, Rh, Rd, Ra3 and notoginsenoside R1. Finally, the correlation between anti-platelet aggregation and the content of multiple components was analyzed by a partial least squares algorithm. In example 2, firstly, 18 common peaks were identified in ten different batches of panax ginseng saponins extracts from different origins. Then, we investigated the anti-myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury effects of the ten different panax ginseng saponins extracts. Finally, the correlation between the fingerprints and the cardioprotective effects was analyzed by a partial least squares algorithm. Both in example 1 and 2, the relationship between the components content and pharmacological effect was modeled well by the partial least squares regression equations. Importantly, the predicted effect curve was close to the observed data of dot marked on the partial least squares regression model. This study has given evidences that themulti-component content is a promising information for predicting the pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicine.