Chemical constituents and pharmacologic actions of Cynomorium plants

Phytochemicals: Alternative for Infertility Treatment and Associated Conditions

Infertility and obstetric complications have become global health issues in the past few years. Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive even after twelve months or more of regular and unprotected intercourse. According to WHO data published in the year 2020, 186 million people have infertility globally. Factors leading to infertility are variable in both males and females. But some common factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and stress. Various synthetic drugs and treatment options are available that are effective in treating infertility, but their prolonged usage produces various unwanted adverse effects like hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, and weight gain. In extreme cases, these may also lead to the development of anxiety and depression. Herbal remedies have gained a lot of popularity over the years, and people's inclination toward them has increased all over the world. The prime reason is that these show significant therapeutic efficacy and have fewer side effects. The therapeutic efficacy of plants can be attributed to the presence of diverse phytochemical classes of constituents like alkaloids, flavonoids, and volatile oils. These secondary metabolites, or phytomolecules, can be used to develop herbal formulations. The review highlights the applications and mechanisms of action of various phytochemicals for treating infertility. Also, it focuses on the various future prospects associated with it.

Antidiabetic effects of Brugmansia aurea leaf extract by modulating the glucose levels, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress mechanism

Background

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Brugmansia, a genus of the Solanaceae family, has historically been utilized in many different parts of the world as an anti-inflammatory for treating skin infections, wounds, and bodily aches and pains. The current study aimed to investigate the potential benefits of a methanolic extract of Brugmansia aurea in the management of diabetes and underlying complications in alloxanized-induced diabetic rats.

Materials and methods

Animals were divided into nine groups (n = 6). Four groups received different standard oral hypoglycemic agents; three groups received 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of B. aurea leaf extract for six consecutive weeks, and the remaining two were normal and disease control groups. All groups received alloxan (150 mg/kg) except for the normal control. Only those animals whose glucose levels were raised to 200 mg/dl were selected for the study. After a 6-week dosage period, various biochemical parameters, as well as HbA1c, antioxidant profile, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin sensitivity, histopathology, and insulin resistance, were measured and compared with the untreated diabetic group.

Results

Brugmansia aurea leaf extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg showed potent antidiabetic activity by reducing blood glucose levels (p < 0.001) after 6 weeks of treatment. OGTT data showed that B. aurea exhibited significant (p < 0.001) glucose tolerance by significantly reducing blood glucose levels in just 2 h post-treatment. Other tests showed that plant extract significantly increased (p < 0.001) insulin sensitivity and decreased (p < 0.001) insulin resistance. The biochemical profile showed reduced triglyceride and cholesterol, while the antioxidant profile showed restoration of antioxidant enzymes in the pancreas, kidney, and liver tissues of treated rats.

Conclusion

The present study indicated that crude extracts of B. aurea increase insulin sensitivity and reduce hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats, which rationalizes the traditional medicinal use of this plant as an antidiabetic agent.

Middle East Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Diabetes: A Review

Diabetes is a global health problem, and the number of diabetic patients is in continuous rise. Conventional antidiabetic therapies are associated with high costs and limited efficiency. The use of traditional medicine and plant extracts to treat diabetes is gaining high popularity in many countries. Countries in the Middle East region have a long history of using herbal medicine to treat different diseases, including diabetes. In this review, we compiled and summarized all the in vivo and in vitro studies conducted for plants with potential antidiabetic activity in the Middle East region. Plants of the Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families are the most investigated. It is hoped that this review will contribute scientifically to evidence the ethnobotanical use of medicinal plants as antidiabetic agents. Work has to be done to define tagetes, mechanism of action and the compound responsible for activity. In addition, safety and pharmacokinetic parameters should be investigated.

Identification and characterization of chemical components in the bioactive fractions of Cynomorium coccineum that possess anticancer activity

Cynomorium coccineum has long been used as the health and medicinal plant known to induce cancer cell death. However, the bioactive compounds of C. coccineum and the underlying mechanism of their regulator in cell autophagy and cell apoptosis remain unexplored. In our previous study, we found that the ethanol extract had antitumor activity through inducing cancer cell death. In this study, by detecting the anti-tumor effect of sequence extracts from Cynomorium coccineum, the active constituents were collected in solvent ethyl acetate. A strategy based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS) was first utilized to analyze the chemical constituents of active fraction (ethyl acetate fraction, CS3). A total of 29 compounds including 8 triterpenoids, 6 flavonoids, 4 fatty acids, 8 phenolic acids, 1 anthraquinones, 1 nucleoside and 1 sterol were detected and identified or tentatively identified for the first time in Cynomorium coccineum. We found that CS3 induces cancer cell death accompanied with a great number of vacuoles in the cytoplasm. CS3-induced autophagosome formation was found and confirmed by electron microscopy and the high expression levels of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3-II (LC3II), a marker protein of autophagy. We additionally demonstrated that CS3 activated and increased the pro-apoptotic mitochondrial proteins, BNIP3 and BNIP3L, in mRNA and protein levels. The constituents of CS3 down-regulated anti-apoptotic BCL2, and then releases autophagic protein Beclin-1. These finding for the first time systematically not only explore and identify the active constituents of CS3 in Cynomorium coccineum, but also examined the mechanism associated with CS3-induced cell death via cell autophagy. This active component may serve as a potential source to obtain new autophagy inducer and anti-cancer compounds for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Simultaneous Determination of Phenolic Acids, Anthraquinones, Flavonoids, and Triterpenes of Cynomorii Herba in Different Harvest Times by LC-MS/MS

A sensitive and accurate method was developed for the simultaneous determination of twelve components including phenolic acids (gallic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid), flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, rutin, luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside, and epicatechin gallate), anthraquinones (emodin), and triterpenes (ursolic acid) in Cynomorii herba in different harvest times by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The chromatographic separation was achieved on an Eclipse plus C₁₈ (3.0 mm × 50 mm, 1.8 μm) column at 40°C. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.05% formic acid with a gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL·min ^-1. Under the optimized conditions, there was good linear relation (r ≥ 0.9944) and satisfactory precision (RSD values less than 5.65%). The recoveries of the twelve components were in the range of 93.5-105%. Moreover, the limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.003 to 21 ng mL^-1 for the twelve analytes. In conclusion, the validated method was successfully applied to analyze the change regularity of the twelve components of Cynomorii herba in different harvest times. It provides a theoretical basis for choosing the suitable harvesting time of Cynomorii herba.

The Modern Use of an Ancient Plant: Exploring the Antioxidant and Nutraceutical Potential of the Maltese Mushroom (Cynomorium Coccineum L.)

In the continuous scientific search for new safe and effective drugs, there has recently been a rediscovery of natural substances as a potential reservoir of innovative therapeutic solutions for human health, with the prospect of integrating with and sometimes replacing conventional drugs. Cynomorium coccineum subsp. coccineum is a holoparasitic plant well known in ethnopharmacology, although its current use as a curative remedy is reported only in some ethnic groups of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Often known as ‘Maltese mushroom’ due to its unique appearance and the absence of chlorophyll, C. coccineum is present in almost all of the Mediterranean Basin. It is only recently that a few research groups have begun to look for confirmation of some of its traditional uses to highlight previously unknown biological activities. Here, we review the recent scientific findings on the plant’s phytochemistry and the most significant descriptions of some of its antioxidant and biological activities (antimicrobial, anticancer, pro-erectile, and anti-tyrosinase enzyme) both in vivo and in vitro. Some of these may be promising from the perspective of food and cosmetic formulations. The purpose of this review is to provide an initial impetus to those who, in the foreseeable future, will want to increase the knowledge and possible applications of this plant full of history, charm, and mystery.

Cynomorium songaricum Extract Alleviates Memory Impairment through Increasing CREB/BDNF via Suppression of p38MAPK/ERK Pathway in Ovariectomized Rats

Cynomorium songaricum Rupr is a very important traditional Chinese medicine for tonifying the kidney, which has a significant effect on improving estrogen level on the long term. In many studies, it can improve the learning and memory function of ovariectomized (OVX) model animals. 10 of the 50 rats received only bilateral back surgery and were harvested with the same amount of fat as the ovaries without removing the ovaries as sham group; remains underwent bilateral ovariectomy and equally randomized into five groups: sham group, with OVX as model group, estradiol valerate (EV, 0.2 mg/kg) as positive control, with 3.3 and 33 mg/kg body weight/day of ethyl acetate extract of Cynomorium songaricum extract (CSE) as low and high dosage groups, respectively. The orally administered CSE to ovariectomized rats exerted an ameliorative effect on learning and memory in the Morris water maze tests. All rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks of treatment, and tissue was analyzed using histopathology and electron microscopy. To comprehensively examine the mechanism, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38MAPK), extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), p-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK), and p-cAMP-response element binding protein (p-CREB) were detected by Western blotting. Using histopathology and electron microscopy, it was clearly observed that the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA1 area were reduced in the OVX groups, indicating that CSE could attenuate the loss of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 and revert the synaptic morphological variations produced by ovariectomy. Mechanistically, the expressions of p-p38MAPK and p-ERK levels were significantly downregulated by CSE intervention, whereas the BDNF and p-CREB were significantly upregulated by CSE as compared to the control. Concisely, Cynomorium songaricum Rupr exhibited potential therapeutic effect on Neuroprotection of ovariectomized rats, and its effect was possibly exerted by p-CREB/BDNF mediated down regulation of ERK/p38MAPK.

Discrimination and Geographical Origin Prediction of Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. from Different Growing Areas in China by an Electronic Tongue

Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. is a well-known and widespread plant in China. It has very high medicinal values in many aspects. The study aimed at discriminating and predicting C. songaricum from major growing areas in China. An electronic tongue was used to analyze C. songaricum based on flavor. Discrimination was achieved by principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Moreover, a prediction model was established, and C. songaricum was classified by geographical origins with 100% degree of accuracy. Therefore, the identification method presented will be helpful for further study of C. songaricum.

Articular Cartilage Aging-Potential Regenerative Capacities of Cell Manipulation and Stem Cell Therapy

Changes in articular cartilage during the aging process are a stage of natural changes in the human body. Old age is the major risk factor for osteoarthritis but the disease does not have to be an inevitable consequence of aging. Chondrocytes are particularly prone to developing age-related changes. Changes in articular cartilage that take place in the course of aging include the acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype by chondrocytes, a decrease in the sensitivity of chondrocytes to growth factors, a destructive effect of chronic production of reactive oxygen species and the accumulation of the glycation end products. All of these factors affect the mechanical properties of articular cartilage. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in the process of articular cartilage aging may help to create new therapies aimed at slowing or inhibiting age-related modifications of articular cartilage. This paper presents the causes and consequences of cellular aging of chondrocytes and the biological therapeutic outlook for the regeneration of age-related changes of articular cartilage.

Two phenolic antioxidants in Suoyang enhance viability of •OH-damaged mesenchymal stem cells: comparison and mechanistic chemistry

Background

Suoyang originates from a psammophyte named Cynomorium songaricum Rupr and has been known as a phenolic-antioxidant-enriched traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The present study attempted to investigate the protective effect of phenolic antioxidants in Suoyang towards •OH-mediated MSCs and then further discusses the chemical mechanisms.

Methods

The lyophilized aqueous extract of Suoyang (LAS) was prepared and characterized using HPLC. Then, two phenolic antioxidant references, epicatechin and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, along with LAS, were investigated for their effects on the viability of •OH-treated MSCs using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl (MTT) assay. The comparison and mechanistic chemistry of epicatechin and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside were further explored using various antioxidant assays, including PTIO•-scavenging, FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power), ABTS⁺•-scavenging, and DPPH•-scavenging. Their Fe²⁺-binding capacities were also compared using ultraviolet (UV) spectra.

Results

The HPLC analysis indicated that there are 8 phenolic antioxidants in LAS, including epicatechin, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, isoquercitrin, phlorizin, and naringenin. The MTT assay revealed that epicatechin could more effectively increase the survival of •OH-treated MSCs than luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside. Similarly, epicatechin exhibited higher antioxidant abilities than luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside in the DPPH•-scavenging, ABTS⁺•-scavenging, FRAP, and PTIO•-scavenging assays. In the Fe²⁺-binding assay, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside gave a stronger UV peak at 600 nm, with ε = 2.62 × 10⁶ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹, while epicatechin produced two peaks at 450 nm (ε = 8.47 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹) and 750 nm (ε = 9.68 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹).

Conclusion

As two reference antioxidants in Suoyang, epicatechin and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside can enhance the viability of •OH-damaged MSCs. Such a beneficial effect may be from their antioxidant effects, including direct-antioxidant and indirect-antioxidant (i.e., Fe²⁺-binding) processes. In the direct-antioxidant process, proton (H⁺), one electron (e), or even hydrogen-atom (•H) transfer may occur to fulfill radical-scavenging (especially •OH-scavenging); in this aspect, epicatechin is superior to luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside due to the presence of more phenolic –OHs. The additional –OHs can also be responsible for the better cytoprotective effect. In terms of indirect-antioxidant potential, however, epicatechin is inferior to luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside due to the absence of a hydroxyl-keto moiety. These findings will provide new information about medicinal psammophytes for MSC transplantation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13065-017-0313-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effect of Cynomorium total flavone on depression model of perimenopausal rat

Purpose

To observe the effect of cynomorium total flavone on the depression model of perimenopausal rat and to analyze the action characteristics of cynomorium total flavone on depression of rat with perimenopausal syndrome.

Method

Duplicate the model of rat with perimenopausal depression based on the combined method of incomplete castration and chronic stimulation, and keep drug administration for 35d. And then measure related behavior indicators and the change of biochemical index level in serum and brains; measure the estrogen/androgen receptor (ER/AR) in related tissues and the ERmRNA expression in hypothalamus.

Result

It can be seen that cynomorium total flavone can significantly improve the behavior indicators of rat with perimenopausal depression; obviously or significantly change the level of related biomedical indexes in serum and brains of perimenopausal depressed rat; obviously or significantly increase the expression of ER/AR in related tissues of perimenopausal depressed rat; obviously or significantly increase the ERmRNA expression in hypothalamus.

Conclusion

Cynomorium total flavone can adjust hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by increasing E2, and make related biomedical indexes and hormone receptors tend to be normal, so as to relieve perimenopausal syndrome and perimenopausal syndrome with depression.

Ursolic Acid-enriched herba cynomorii extract induces mitochondrial uncoupling and glutathione redox cycling through mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation: protection against menadione cytotoxicity in h9c2 cells

Herba Cynomorii (Cynomorium songaricum Rupr., Cynomoriaceae) is one of the most commonly used 'Yang-invigorating' tonic herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). An earlier study in our laboratory has demonstrated that HCY2, an ursolic acid-enriched fraction derived from Herba Cynomorii, increased mitochondrial ATP generation capacity (ATP-GC) and induced mitochondrial uncoupling as well as a cellular glutathione response, thereby protecting against oxidant injury in H9c2 cells. In this study, we demonstrated that pre-incubation of H9c2 cells with HCY2 increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in these cells, which is likely an event secondary to the stimulation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The suppression of mitochondrial ROS by the antioxidant dimethylthiourea abrogated the HCY2-induced enhancement of mitochondrial uncoupling and glutathione reductase (GR)-mediated glutathione redox cycling, and also protected against menadione-induced cytotoxicity. Studies using specific inhibitors of uncoupling protein and GR suggested that the HCY2-induced mitochondrial uncoupling and glutathione redox cycling play a determining role in the cytoprotection against menadione-induced oxidant injury in H9c2 cells. Experimental evidence obtained thus far supports the causal role of HCY2-induced mitochondrial ROS production in eliciting mitochondrial uncoupling and glutathione antioxidant responses, which offer cytoprotection against oxidant injury in H9c2 cells.