Organic anion transporter 1 and 3 contribute to traditional Chinese medicine-induced nephrotoxicity

A comprehensive review of Tripterygium wilfordii hook. f. in the treatment of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases: Bioactive compounds, mechanisms of action, and future directions

Rheumatic and autoimmune diseases are a group of immune system-related disorders wherein the immune system mistakenly attacks and damages the body's tissues and organs. This excessive immune response leads to inflammation, tissue damage, and functional impairment. Therapeutic approaches typically involve medications that regulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, alleviate symptoms, and target specific damaged organs. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f., a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, has been widely studied in recent years for its application in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis. Numerous studies have shown that preparations of Tripterygium wilfordii have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and immunosuppressive effects, which effectively improve the symptoms and quality of life of patients with autoimmune diseases, whereas the active metabolites of T. wilfordii have been demonstrated to inhibit immune cell activation, regulate the production of inflammatory factors, and modulate the immune system. However, although these effects contribute to reductions in inflammatory responses and the suppression of autoimmune reactions, as well as minimize tissue and organ damage, the underlying mechanisms of action require further investigation. Moreover, despite the efficacy of T. wilfordii in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, its toxicity and side effects, including its potential hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, warrant a thorough assessment. Furthermore, to maximize the therapeutic benefits of this plant in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and enable more patients to utilize these benefits, efforts should be made to strengthen the regulation and standardized use of T. wilfordii.

The Importance of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Intervention and Treatment of HIV while Considering its Safety and Efficacy

Natural products have been considered a potential resource for the development of novel therapeutic agents, since time immemorial. It is an opportunity to discover cost-effective and safe drugs at the earliest, with the goal to hit specific targets in the HIV life cycle. Natural products with inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus are terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, curcumin, proteins, such as lectins, laccases, bromotyrosines, and ribosome-inactivating proteins. Terpenes inhibit virus fusion, lectins and flavonoids have an inhibitory impact on viral binding, curcumin and flavonoids inhibit viral DNA integration. The most important medicinal plants which have been used in traditional Chinese medicinal sciences with anti-HIV properties are Convallaria majalis, Digitalis lanata, Cassia fistula, Croton macrostachyus, Dodonaea angustifolia, Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes versicolor, Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Morus alba, Scutellaria baicalensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Platycodon grandiflorus, Fritillaria thunbergii, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Trichosanthes kirilowii, Citrus reticulata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Rheum officinale, Poria cocos, Rheum palmatum, Astragalus membranaceus, Morinda citrifolia, Potentilla kleiniana, Artemisia capillaris, Sargassum fusiforme, Piperis longi fructus, Stellera chamaejasme, Curcumae rhizoma, Dalbergia odorifera lignum, Arisaematis Rhizoma preparatum, and Phellodendron amurense. The information provided is gathered from randomized control experiments, review articles, and analytical studies and observations, which are obtained from different literature sources, such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct from July 2000 to August 2023. The aim of this review article is to survey and introduce important medicinal plants and herbs that have been used for the treatment of HIV, especially the medicinal plants that are common in traditional Chinese medicine, as research to date is limited, and more evidence is required to confirm TCM,s efficacy.

Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Rational Application of Cinnabar, Realgar, and Their Formulations

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Mineral medicines are widely used traditional Chinese medicines with curative effects. These medicines are used for many refractory diseases. Aim of the Review. In this review, cinnabar (HgS) and realgar (As₂S₂) serve as examples of mineral medicines, and their pharmacology, therapeutic toxicity, use in traditional medicine mixtures, and research perspectives are discussed. Materials and Methods. A search was performed for the literature on cinnabar and realgar in PubMed, the Chinese Pharmacopeia, Google, and other sources. The search included studies using single herbs, traditional formulations, or novel dosage forms. Results. Cinnabar and cinnabar formulas exhibit good efficacy for sedation, sleep improvement, anxiety alleviation, and brain protection. However, previous studies on neurotransmitters have reached different conclusions, and detailed pharmacological mechanisms are lacking. Realgar and its formulas exert promising antitumor activity through regulation of cell cycle arrest, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, induction of differentiation, autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) signaling, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In addition, realgar can be used to treat a variety of refractory diseases by regulating immunity and exerting antibacterial, antiviral, and other effects. However, the existing pharmacological research on the use of realgar for epidemic prevention is insufficient, and animal experiments and research at the cellular level are lacking. Inappropriate applications of cinnabar and realgar can cause toxicity, including neurotoxicity, liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, and genotoxicity. The toxicological mechanism is complex, and molecular-level research is limited. For clinical applications, theory and clinical experience must be combined to guide scientific and rational drug use and to achieve reduced toxicity and increased efficacy through the use of modern preparation methods or combined drugs. Notably, when cinnabar and realgar are used to treat targeted diseases, these agents have a bidirectional effect of “treatment” and “toxicity” on the central nervous system in pathological and normal states. The pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms need to be elucidated in greater detail in the future. Overall, systematic research is needed to provide a basis for better promotion of the rational use of cinnabar and realgar in the clinic. Conclusion. Mineral medicines are multicomponent, multiactivity, and multitargeted substances. The pharmacology and mechanisms of the toxicity and action of realgar and cinnabar are extremely complex. A number of Chinese medicinal preparations of realgar and cinnabar have demonstrated unique efficacy in the treatment of refractory diseases.

Evaluation Analysis of the Nephrotoxicity of Tripterygium wilfordii Preparations with CONSORT Harms Statement Based on Deep Learning

In this paper, the safety of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TW) preparation was evaluated by combining literature research and evidence-based evaluation research, so as to provide evidence-based safety information of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside preparation (nephroptosis) for government decision making and clinical application. In this paper, we propose a network structure inspired by the LSTM gate mechanism. All the research methods of the included references are evaluated by internationally recognized evaluation tools or standards. Prevalence was analyzed according to the type of intervention (e.g., time of administration) and route of administration. The results of this experiment provide methods and suggestions for the evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine nephroptosis in the future.

Two New Aristolochic Acid Analogues from the Roots of Aristolochia contorta with Significant Cytotoxic Activity

Twelve compounds, including two new aristolochic acid analogues with a formyloxy moiety (9–10) and 10 known aristolochic acid derivates (1–8 and 11–12), were obtained from the roots of Aristolochiacontorta. Their structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic methods. Their cytotoxic activity in human proximal tubular cells HK-2 was evaluated by the MTT method, which has been widely used to assess cell viability. Among these molecules, compounds 3 and 9 were found to be more cytotoxic. Furthermore, molecular modeling was used to evaluate, for the first time, the interactions of compounds 3 and 9 with the target protein organic anionic transporter 1 (OAT1) that plays a key role in mediating aristolochic acid nephropathy. Structure–activity relationships are briefly discussed.