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He Q, Meneely J, Grant IR, Chin J, Fanning S, Situ C. Phytotherapeutic potential against MRSA: mechanisms, synergy, and therapeutic prospects. Chin Med 2024; 19:89. [PMID: 38909250 PMCID: PMC11193263 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-024-00960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rising resistance to antimicrobials, particularly in the case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), represents a formidable global health challenge. Consequently, it is imperative to develop new antimicrobial solutions. This study evaluated 68 Chinese medicinal plants renowned for their historical applications in treating infectious diseases. METHODS The antimicrobial efficacy of medicinal plants were evaluated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against MRSA. Safety profiles were assessed on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Mechanistic insights were obtained through fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (FM and TEM). Synergistic effects with vancomycin were investigated using the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI). RESULTS Rheum palmatum L., Arctium lappa L. and Paeonia suffructicosaas Andr. have emerged as potential candidates with potent anti-MRSA properties, with an impressive low MIC of 7.8 µg/mL, comparable to the 2 µg/mL MIC of vancomycin served as the antibiotic control. Crucially, these candidates demonstrated significant safety profiles when evaluated on Caco-2 and HepG2 cells. Even at 16 times the MIC, the cell viability ranged from 83.3% to 95.7%, highlighting their potential safety. FM and TEM revealed a diverse array of actions against MRSA, such as disrupting the cell wall and membrane, interference with nucleoids, and inducing morphological alterations resembling pseudo-multicellular structures in MRSA. Additionally, the synergy between vancomycin and these three plant extracts was evident against MRSA (FICI < 0.5). Notably, aqueous extract of R. palmatum at 1/4 MIC significantly reduced the vancomycin MIC from 2 µg/mL to 0.03 µg/mL, making a remarkable 67-fold decrease. CONCLUSIONS This study unveil new insights into the mechanistic actions and pleiotropic antibacterial effectiveness of these medicinal plants against resistant bacteria, providing robust evidence for their potential use as standalone or in conjunction with antibiotics, to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance, particularly against MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi He
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Julie Meneely
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Irene R Grant
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Jason Chin
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Séamus Fanning
- University College Dublin Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Chen Situ
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK.
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Kumar D, Rahman Sarkar A, Iqbal Andrabi N, Assim Haq S, Ahmed M, Kumar Shukla S, Ahmed Z, Rai R. Synthesis, characterization, and anti-inflammatory activity of tetrahydropiperine, piperic acid, and tetrahydropiperic acid via down regulation of NF-κB pathway. Cytokine 2024; 178:156578. [PMID: 38484621 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2024.156578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The present study describes the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of tetrahydropiperine (THP), piperic acid (PA), and tetrahydropiperic acid (THPA) as anti-inflammatory agents. THPA demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity among all the compounds. The anti-inflammatory potential was investigated in both in-vitro and in-vivo experimental models. Our findings demonstrated that THPA effectively suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) in both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, THPA attenuated the expression of i-NOS and COX-2 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The oral administration of THPA significantly reduced carrageenan induced paw edema thickness and alleviated liver, lung, and kidney injury induced by LPS. THPA also reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells, prevented the occurrence of significant lesions, and mitigated tissue damage. Moreover, THPA significantly improved the survival rate of mice challenged with LPS. Our western blot studies also found that LPS induced NF-κB activation was downregulated by treatment with THPA in an in vivo system. These results collectively illustrated the potential of THPA as a therapeutic agent for treating inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diljeet Kumar
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Aminur Rahman Sarkar
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Natural Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Nusrit Iqbal Andrabi
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Syed Assim Haq
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Manzoor Ahmed
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sanket Kumar Shukla
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Zabeer Ahmed
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Rajkishor Rai
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Natural Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-Tawi, Jammu 180001, India.
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Gao P, Wang K, Qi C, Chen K, Xiang W, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Shu C. A New Method for Discovering Plant Biostimulants. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:56. [PMID: 38202363 PMCID: PMC10780382 DOI: 10.3390/plants13010056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Structurally well-defined compounds have advantages for quality control in plant biostimulant production and application processes. Humic acid (HA) is a biostimulant that significantly affects plant growth, and soil-dwelling Protaetia brevitarsis larva (PBLs) can rapidly convert agricultural waste into HA. In this study, we use PBLs as a model to investigate HA formation and screen for structurally well-defined HA-related plant biostimulant compounds. Dephasing magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (13C DD-MAS NMR) analysis indicated HA structural changes during PBL digestion; metabolic profiling detected seven HA-related aromatic ring-containing compounds. A total of six compounds that significantly stimulate plant growth were identified through plant experiments, and all six compounds demonstrate the ability to enhance seed germination. It is noteworthy that piperic acid exhibits a remarkable promotion of root growth in plants, a finding reported for the first time in this study. Thus, this study not only provides insights into the insect-mediated transformation of HA but also illustrates a new method for discovering structurally well-defined plant biostimulant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Kui Wang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China;
| | - Chang Qi
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Keming Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Wensheng Xiang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, HarBin 150030, China;
| | - Yue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Entomology, Cangzhou Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Changlong Shu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (P.G.); (C.Q.); (K.C.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
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Ur Rahim J, Ahmad SM, Amin T, Chowdhary R, Goswami A, Rai R. Synthesis, conformation and cytotoxic activity of short hybrid peptides containing conformationally constrained 1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid and gabapentin. Peptides 2022; 158:170897. [PMID: 36279986 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The present work describes the synthesis,conformation and cytotoxic activities of short β/γ hybrid peptides, Boc-β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn-NHMe, BG1; Boc-(β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn)2-OMe, BG2; Boc-(β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn)3-OMe, BG3; H-β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn-NHMe, BG4; H-(β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn)2-OMe, BG5; H-(β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn)3-OMe, BG6, Boc-β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn-OMe, BG7 and H-β2,2-Ac6c-Gpn-OMe, BG8. Mixed C6/C7 conformations were observed for β/γ hybrid peptides. Further, BG1-BG8 were screened against MCF-7 (Breast cancer), A549 (Lung Cancer), PC-3 (Prostate cancer), HCT-116 (Colon cancer), and MDA-MB-231 (Breast cancer) cell lines. Among all, BG6 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against all cancer cell lines with IC50 ranging from 1.6 μM to 6.3 μM with relatively low cytotoxicity against normal epithelial breast cell line fR-2 and human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293. Minimal hemolytic activity was observed for BG6 against human erythrocytes. Peptide BG6 displayed anti-migratory and anti-invasive potentials showing strong interactions with intrinsic apoptotic markers Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved-PARP, as well as the induction of the mitochondria maladjustment mediated apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaid Ur Rahim
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division (NPMC), CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Syed Mudabir Ahmad
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Tanzeeba Amin
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Rubina Chowdhary
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division (NPMC), CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Anindya Goswami
- Pharmacology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Rajkishor Rai
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division (NPMC), CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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An Overview of Biofilm Formation-Combating Strategies and Mechanisms of Action of Antibiofilm Agents. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12081110. [PMID: 35892912 PMCID: PMC9394423 DOI: 10.3390/life12081110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Biofilm formation on surfaces via microbial colonization causes infections and has become a major health issue globally. The biofilm lifestyle provides resistance to environmental stresses and antimicrobial therapies. Biofilms can cause several chronic conditions, and effective treatment has become a challenge due to increased antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotics available for treating biofilm-associated infections are generally not very effective and require high doses that may cause toxicity in the host. Therefore, it is essential to study and develop efficient anti-biofilm strategies that can significantly reduce the rate of biofilm-associated healthcare problems. In this context, some effective combating strategies with potential anti-biofilm agents, including plant extracts, peptides, enzymes, lantibiotics, chelating agents, biosurfactants, polysaccharides, organic, inorganic, and metal nanoparticles, etc., have been reviewed to overcome biofilm-associated healthcare problems. From their extensive literature survey, it can be concluded that these molecules with considerable structural alterations might be applied to the treatment of biofilm-associated infections, by evaluating their significant delivery to the target site of the host. To design effective anti-biofilm molecules, it must be assured that the minimum inhibitory concentrations of these anti-biofilm compounds can eradicate biofilm-associated infections without causing toxic effects at a significant rate.
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