Pueraria lobata antioxidant extract ameliorates non-alcoholic fatty liver by altering hepatic fat accumulation and oxidative stress

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pueraria lobata is essential medicinal and edible homologous plants widely cultivated in Asian countries. Therefore, P. lobata is widely used in the food, health products and pharmaceutical industries and have significant domestic and international market potential and research value. P. lobata has remarkable biological activities in protecting liver, relieving alcoholism, antioxidation, anti-tumor and anti-inflammation in clinic. However, the potential mechanism of ethyl acetate extract of Pueraria lobata after 70% alcohol extraction (APL) ameliorating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been clarified.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect of P. lobata extract on human hepatoma cells and injury in rats, and to evaluate its therapeutic potential for ameliorating NAFLD.

METHODS

Firstly, the effective part of P. lobata extract was determined as APL by measuring its total substances and antioxidant activity. And then the in vitro and in vivo models of NAFLD were adopted., HepG2 cells were incubated with palmitic acid (PA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In order to evaluate the effect of APL, Simvastatin and Vitamin C (VC) were used as positive control. Various parameters related to lipogenesis and fatty acid β-oxidation were studied, such as intracellular lipid accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Western Blot, mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis, and the mechanism of APL improving NAFLD. The chemical components of APL were further determined by HPLC and UPLC-MS, and molecular docking was carried out with Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway related proteins.

RESULTS

APL significantly reduced lipid accumulation and levels of oxidative stress-related factors in vitro and in vivo. Immunohistochemical、Western Blot and PCR analysis showed that the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 were up-regulated in APL treatment. The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 can block the rescue by APL of cellular oxidative stress and lipid accumulation induced by H2O2 and PA, demonstrating its dependence on Nrf2. UPLC/MS analysis showed that there were 3'-hydroxyl puerarin, puerarin, 3'-methoxy puerarin, daidzein, genistin, ononin, daidzin and genistein.

CONCLUSION

This study further clarified the mechanism of P. lobata extract in improving NAFLD, which provided a scientific basis for developing new drugs to protect liver injury and laid a solid foundation for developing P. lobata Chinese herbal medicine resources.

Investigation of the Lipid-Lowering Activity and Mechanism of Three Extracts from Astragalus membranaceus, Hippophae rhamnoides L., and Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. Mazz Based on Network Pharmacology and In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments

Hyperlipidemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormal lipid metabolism, resulting in lipid accumulation in the plasma. According to reports, medicinal and edible plants can reduce the risk of metabolic diseases such as hyperlipidemia. This study investigates the effects and mechanisms of Astragalus membranaceus extract (AME), Hippophae rhamnoides L. extract (HRE), and Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. Mazz extract (TME) on hyperlipidemia. Active compounds and potential gene targets of AME, HRE, and TME were screened using LC-MS and TCMSP databases, and hyperlipidemia targets were detected from the OMIM and DisGeNet databases. A drug-target pathway disease network was constructed through protein interactions, GO enrichment, and KEGG pathway analysis. Finally, the lipid-lowering effects of three extracts were validated through in vitro HepG2 cell and in vivo animal experiments. The results show that LC-MS and network pharmacology methodologies identified 41 compounds and 140 targets. KEGG analysis indicated that the PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways significantly treat hyperlipidemia with AHT. In vitro experiments have shown that AHT is composed of a ratio of AME:HRE:TME = 3:1:2. HepG2 cell and animal experiments revealed that AHT exhibits strong lipid-lowering and antioxidant properties, significantly regulating the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). It is worth noting that AHT can effectively downregulate the protein expression levels of p-AKT/AKT and p-PI3K/PI3K and upregulate the protein expression levels of p-AMPK/AMPK and SIRT1, verifying the results predicted by network pharmacology. This study presents a novel approach to utilizing these natural plant extracts as safe and effective treatments for hyperlipidemia.

Attenuating effect of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. seed oil on progression of MAFLD

Introduction: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common chronic metabolic disease that seriously threatens human health. The pharmacological activity of unsaturated fatty acid-rich vegetable oil interventions in the treatment of MAFLD has been demonstrated. This study evaluated the pharmacological activity of Polygala tenuifolia Willd, which contains high levels of 2-acetyl-1,3-diacyl-sn-glycerols (sn-2-acTAGs). Methods: In this study, a mouse model was established by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD, 31% lard oil diet), and the treatment group was fed a P. tenuifolia seed oil (PWSO) treatment diet (17% lard oil and 14% PWSO diet). The pharmacological activity and mechanism of PWSO were investigated by total cho-lesterol (TC) measurement, triglyceride (TG) measurement and histopathological observation, and the sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP1), SREBP2 and NF-κB signaling pathways were evaluated by immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. Results: PWSO attenuated the increases in plasma TC and TG levels. Furthermore, PWSO reduced the hepatic levels of TC and TG, ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation. PWSO treatment effectively improves the level of hepatitic inflammation, such as reducing IL-6 levels and TNF-α level. Discussion: PWSO treatment inactivated SREBP1 and SREBP2, which are involved in lipogenesis, to attenuate hepatic lipid accumulation and mitigate the inflammatory response induced via the NF-κB signaling pathway. This study demonstrated that PWSO can be used as a relatively potent dietary supplement to inhibit the occurrence and development of MAFLD.

Yao-Shan of traditional Chinese medicine: an old story for metabolic health

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs), hyperuricemia and gout, and metabolic-related sexual dysfunction are metabolic diseases that affect human health in modern society. Scientists have made great efforts to investigate metabolic diseases using cell models in vitro or animal models in the past. However, the findings from cells or animals are difficult to translate into clinical applications due to factors such as the in vitro and in vivo differences; the differences in anatomy, physiology, and genetics between humans and animals; and the differences in microbiome-host interaction. The Chinese have extensively used the medicated diet of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (also named as Yao-Shan of TCM, Chinese Yao-Shan et al.) to maintain or improve cardiometabolic health for more than 2,200 years. These ancient classic diets of TCM are essential summaries of long-term life and clinical practices. Over the past 5 years, our group has made every effort to collect and sort out the classic Yao-Shan of TCM from the ancient TCM literature since Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, especially these are involved in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, NAFLD, CCVDs, hyperuricemia and gout, and sexual dysfunction. Here, we summarized and discussed the classic Yao-Shan of TCM for metabolic diseases according to the time recorded in the ancient literature, and revised the Latin names of the raw materials in these Yao-Shan of TCM. Moreover, the modern medicine evidences of some Yao-Shan of TCM on metabolic diseases have also been summarized and emphasized in here. However, the exact composition (in terms of ratios), preparation process, and dosage of many Yao-Shan are not standardized, and their main active ingredients are vague. Uncovering the mystery of Yao-Shan of TCM through modern biological and chemical strategies will help us open a door, which is ancient but now looks new, to modulate metabolic homeostasis and diseases.

Therapeutic mechanisms of the medicine and food homology formula Xiao-Ke-Yin on glucolipid metabolic dysfunction revealed by transcriptomics, metabolomics and microbiomics in mice

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, the prevalence of metabolic diseases, particularly diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has increased dramatically, causing great public health and economic burdens worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) serves as an effective therapeutic choice. Xiao-Ke-Yin (XKY) is a medicine and food homology TCM formula consisting of nine "medicine and food homology" herbs and is used to ameliorate metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and NAFLD. However, despite its therapeutic potential in metabolic disorders, the underlying mechanisms of this TCM remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of XKY on glucolipid metabolism dysfunction and explore the potential mechanisms in db/db mice.

METHODS

To verify the effects of XKY, db/db mice were treated with different concentrations of XKY (5.2, 2.6 and 1.3 g/kg/d) and metformin (0.2 g/kg/d, a hypoglycemic positive control) for 6 weeks, respectively. During this study, we detected the body weight (BW) and fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT), daily food intake and water intake. At the end of the animal experiment, blood samples, feces, liver and intestinal tissue of mice in all groups were collected. The potential mechanisms were investigated by using hepatic RNA sequencing, 16 S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiota and metabolomics analysis.

RESULTS

XKY efficiently mitigated hyperglycemia, IR, hyperlipidemia, inflammation and hepatic pathological injury in a dose dependent manner. Mechanistically, hepatic transcriptomic analysis showed that XKY treatment significantly reversed the upregulated cholesterol biosynthesis which was further confirmed by RT-qPCR. Additionally, XKY administration maintained intestinal epithelial homeostasis, modulated gut microbiota dysbiosis, and regulated its metabolites. In particular, XKY decreased secondary bile acid producing bacteria (Clostridia and Lachnospircaeae) and lowered fecal secondary bile acid (lithocholic acid (LCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA)) levels to promote hepatic bile acid synthesis by inhibiting the LCA/DCA-FXR-FGF15 signalling pathway. Furthermore, XKY regulated amino acid metabolism including arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, and tryptophan metabolism likely by increasing Bacilli, Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus, and decreasing Clostridia, Lachnospircaeae, Tannerellaceae and Parabacteroides abundances.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our findings demonstrate that XKY is a promising "medicine food homology" formula for ameliorating glucolipid metabolism and reveal that the therapeutic effects of XKY may due to its downregulation of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and modulation of the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and metabolites.

Health-Promoting Activities and Associated Mechanisms of Polygonati Rhizoma Polysaccharides

Polygonati Rhizoma, a typical homology of medicine and food, possesses remarkable anti-fatigue, anti-aging, metabolic regulatory, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-diabetes, and anti-cancer effects. Among bioactive phytochemicals in Polygonati Rhizoma, polysaccharides play important roles in the health-promoting activities through the mechanisms mentioned above and potential synergistic effects with other bioactives. In this review, we briefly introduce the updated biosynthesis of polysaccharides, the purification method, the structure characterization, and food applications, and discuss in detail the biological activities of Polygonati Rhizoma polysaccharides and associated mechanisms, aiming at broadening the usage of Polygonati Rhizoma as functional food and medicine.

Puerarin attenuates isoproterenol‑induced myocardial hypertrophy via inhibition of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Myocardial hypertrophy (MH) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which in turn lead to arrhythmia or heart failure. Therefore, attention must be paid to formulation of therapeutic strategies for MH. Puerarin is a key bioactive ingredient isolated from Pueraria genera of plants that is beneficial for the treatment of MH. However, its molecular mechanism of action has not been fully determined. In the present study, 40 µM puerarin was demonstrated to be a safe dose for human AC16 cells using Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay. The protective effects of puerarin against MH were demonstrated in AC16 cells stimulated with isoproterenol (ISO). These effects were characterized by a significant decrease in surface area of cells (assessed using fluorescence staining) and mRNA and protein expression levels of MH‑associated biomarkers, including atrial and brain natriuretic peptide, assessed using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting, as well as β‑myosin heavy chain mRNA expression levels. Mechanistically, western blotting demonstrated that puerarin inhibited activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Puerarin also significantly decreased phosphorylation of p65; this was mediated via crosstalk between the Wnt and NF‑κB signaling pathways. An inhibitor (Dickkopf‑1) and activator (IM‑12) of the Wnt signaling pathway were used to demonstrate that puerarin‑mediated effects alleviated ISO‑induced MH via the Wnt signaling pathway. The results of the present study demonstrated that puerarin pre‑treatment may be a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing ISO‑induced MH and managing MH in the future.

Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn): a review

OBJECTIVES

Crataegus pinnatifida (C. pinnatifida), including C. pinnatifida Bge. and its variant C. pinnatifida Bge. var. major N, E. Br., has traditionally been used as a homologous plant for traditional medicine and food in ethnic medical systems in China. Crataegus pinnatifida, especially its fruit, has been used for more than 2000 years to treat indigestion, stagnation of meat, hyperlipidemia, blood stasis, heart tingling, sores, etc. This review aimed to provide a systematic summary on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and clinical applications of C. pinnatifida.

KEY FINDINGS

This plant contains flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, organic acids, saccharides and essential oils. Experimental studies showed that it has hypolipidemic, antimyocardial, anti-ischemia, antithrombotic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic neuroprotective activity, etc. Importantly, it has good effects in treating diseases of the digestive system and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.

SUMMARY

There is convincing evidence from both in vitro and in vivo studies supporting the traditional uses of C. pinnatifida. However, multitarget network pharmacology and molecular docking technology should be used to study the interaction between the active ingredients and targets of C. pinnatifida. Furthermore, exploring the synergy of C. pinnatifida with other Chinese medicines to provide new understanding of complex diseases may be a promising strategy.

Molecular Mechanism of Puerarin Against Diabetes and its Complications

Puerarin is a predominant component of Radix Puerarin. Despite its anti-tumor and anti-virus effects and efficacy in improving cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases and preventing osteoporosis, it has been shown to protect against diabetes and its complications. This review summarizes the current knowledge on Puerarin in diabetes and related complications, aiming to provide an overview of antidiabetic mechanisms of Puerarin and new targets for treatment.

Molecular Mechanisms of Hawthorn Extracts in Multiple Organs Disorders in Underlying of Diabetes: A Review

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most important metabolic disorders associated with chronic hyperglycemia and occurs when the body cannot manage insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells and insulin resistance are the major pathophysiological factors of types 1 and 2 of DM, respectively. Prolonged hyperglycemia leads to multiple organs dysfunctions, including nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiomyopathy, gastropathy, and micro- and macrovascular disorders. The basis of the metabolic abnormalities in carbohydrate, fat, and protein in diabetes is insufficient action of insulin on various target tissues. Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive chemical compounds with therapeutic effects. The beneficial effects of leaves, fruits, and flowers extracts of Crataegus oxyacantha, commonly called hawthorn, belonging to the Rosaceae family, are widely used as hawthorn-derived medicines. Data in this review have been collected from the scientific articles published in databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scientific Information Database from 2000 to 2021. Based on this review, hawthorn extracts appear both therapeutic and protective effects against diabetic-related complications in various organs through molecular mechanisms, such as decreasing triglyceride, cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein and increasing the antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity, decreasing malondialdehyde level, and attenuating tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 and sirtuin 1/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway and increasing the phosphorylation of glucose transporter 4, insulin receptor substrate 1, AKT and phosphoinositide 3-kinases, and attenuating blood sugar and regulation of insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and improvement of histopathological changes in pancreatic beta cells. Collectively, hawthorn can be considered as one new target for the research and development of innovative drugs for the prevention or treatment of DM and related problems.

YiQi YangYin Decoction Attenuates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Rats

Background

YiQi YangYin Decoction (YQ) is a modern Chinese formula composed by the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory, which consists of nine traditional Chinese medicines and is applied to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with nonalcoholic fatty liver in clinic in China for more than a decade. This study aims to evaluate the antidiabetes and lipid-lowering effect of YQ and explore the possible mechanisms of this action.

Methods

T2DM rat models were established and given YQ at three different doses for three weeks. Tissues, including pancreas islet and liver, and blood serum were collected. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (Fins), lipid index, such as total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and hepatic function index such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum were measured. Pancreas islet damage and liver damage were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The glycogen content and lipid accumulation in liver were determined by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and Oil Red O staining. The expression levels of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-associated p85alpha (PI3K p85α), AKT, and Glucose Transporter 2 (Glut4) in pancreas islet and AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) in liver were determined by western blotting. The relative expressions of ACC1, fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), carnitine palmityl transferase-1 (CPT-1), and SREBP-1 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR.

Results

After administering YiQi for three weeks, the levels of fast blood glucose, fasting insulin, TC, TG, LDL, ALT, AST, and ALP were significantly decreased, while HDL significantly increased compared with the model group. YQ could obviously attenuate pancreatic damage and improve islet α- and ß-cell survival compared with the model group. Furthermore, YQ could attenuate hepatic damage caused by lipid accumulation, decrease the content of lipid, and increase the hepatic glycogen content, compared with the model group. In addition, YQ remarkably elevated the proteins expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, and GLUT4 in pancreas islet and elevated the proteins expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, GLUT4, p-AMPK, SREBP1, and PPARα and inhibited the expression of p-ACC1 in liver. Besides, YQ reduced the relative expression of ACC1, FAS, SERBP-1c, and SCD mRNA along with the decreased production of CPT-1 mRNA.

Conclusions

YQ could attenuate type 2 diabetes mellitus by improving islet α- and ß-cells via IRS-2/AKT/GLUT4 pathway and nonalcoholic fatty liver by ameliorating lipid accumulation via AMPK/PPARα/SREBP1/ACC1 pathway.

Maca extracts regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells via the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

This work focused on the separation of the active ingredients of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers) and evaluated the antioxidative capability of these components with effects on improving glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. DPPH free radical scavenging and reducing power assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of maca extracts. An insulin-resistant HepG2 cell model induced by glucose, fructose, oleic acid, and palmitic acid was adopted to investigate the effects of maca extracts on regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in this study. LC-MS/MS was then used for determination of the maca n-butanol (NBT) subfraction. The results showed that maca ethanol extract and subfractions of this extract exhibited certain antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the NBT subfraction reversed the disorders in glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and significantly increased the mRNA expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) and AKT in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the LC-MS/MS results showed that the NBT subfraction contained many active ingredients. Overall, this study suggests that the NBT subfraction of the ethanol extract rich in glucosinolates modulates insulin resistance via PI3K/AKT activation in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and might exert potentially beneficial effects in improving or treating glucose and lipid metabolic disorders.

The protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The hydrogen-rich water (HW) has been reported to possess a beneficial role in patients with diabetes. However, a systemic evaluation with an appropriate animal model is necessary to reveal its mechanisms and efficacy. Herein, the protective effects of drinking HW on lipid and glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats were investigated. The well-modeled T2DM rats (induced by high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection) were divided into two groups (n ≥ 15 of each): fed a high-fat diet and drinking distilled water or HW at a constant concentration above 1.0 ppm; normal rats were used as control group (n ≥ 10): fed a regular diet and drinking distilled water. Several biomarkers of lipid and glucose metabolism, oxidative stress ,and inflammation were evaluated after drinking distilled water or HW for 3 weeks. The effect of HW on liver, kidney, and spleen of T2DM rats was also analyzed by HE and Oil Red O staining. The results showed that drinking HW suppressed the increase in glucose, total cholesterol, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Moreover, HW also ameliorates hyperglycemia-induced liver, kidney, and spleen dysfunction. Overall, this study indicates that patients with T2DM may be able to improve their condition by supplementing HW as daily drinking water.

Drying methods and structure-activity relationships of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in Idesia polycarpa Maxim. Leaves

Idesia polycarpa Maxim. leaves are an excellent source of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and have drawn special attention due to their various biological activities. However, the effects of post-harvest treatment on the structure-activity relationships of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in leaves of I. polycarpa are still unknown. In the current study, we compared the contents of unstable compounds in leaves with four drying methods, namely sun-drying, freeze-drying, shade-drying, and oven-drying. We found that the four hydroxycinnamic acid derivative isomers of leaves were significantly affected after drying processing with four different drying methods. Consequently, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the variation of these compounds during the drying processes have been well elucidated: UV lighting induced the isomerization of 1-[(6'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (1) and 1-[(4'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (3) into 1-[(6'-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (2) and 1-[(4'-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (4). Also, heat (exceeding 20 °C) led to the rearrangement of the (E/Z)-p-coumaric acid moiety of compounds 3 and 4, of which the 4-O-acylglucoses changed into the 6-O-acylglucoses to generate compounds 1 and 2, respectively. Interestingly, the hepatocyte-free fatty acid accumulation in OA-induced steatosis-conditioned HepG2 cells decreased by 65.00%, 10.69%, and 47.00%, respectively, following treatment with compounds 2, 3 and 4, and compound 1 presented no lipid-lowering activity. In addition, the bioactivities of compounds 2 and 4 were substantially enhanced by 58.42% and 25.33% with the sun-drying method compared to the freeze-dying methods. Our study suggests that sun-drying processing is the best method among the four drying processing methods of I. polycarpa Maxim. leaves.

Identify Molecular Mechanisms of Jiangzhi Decoction on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation

Background

Jiangzhi Decoction (JZD), a traditional herb mixture, has shown significant clinical efficacy against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, its multicomponent and multitarget characteristics bring difficulty in deciphering its pharmacological mechanisms. Our study is aimed at identifying the core molecular mechanisms of JZD against NAFLD.

Methods

The active ingredients were searched from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database and Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID). The targets of those ingredients were identified using ChemMapper database based on 3D structure similarity. NAFLD-related genes were searched from DisGeNET database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, we performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and constructed pathway networks of “herbs-active ingredients-candidate targets” and identified the core molecular mechanisms and key active ingredients in the network. Also, molecular docking was carried out to predict the ligands of candidate targets using SwissDock. Finally, the human hepatic L02 cell line was used to establish the NAFLD model in vitro. The effect and key molecules were validated by Oil Red O staining, biochemical assays, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results

We found 147 active ingredients in JZD, 1285 targets of active ingredients, 401 NAFLD-related genes, and 59 overlapped candidate targets of JZD against NAFLD. 22 core targets were obtained by PPI analysis. Finally, nuclear receptor transcription and lipid metabolism regulation were found as the core molecular mechanisms of JZD against NAFLD by functional enrichment analysis. The candidate targets PPARα and LXRα were both docked with hyperin as the most favorable interaction, and HNF4α was docked with linolenic acid ethyl ester. According to in vitro experiments, it was found that JZD had an inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation and regulatory effects on cholesterol and triglycerides. Compared with OA group, the mRNA expression levels of PPARα and HNF4α were significantly upregulated in JZD group (P < 0.05), and LXRα was significantly downregulated (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

JZD might alleviate hepatocyte steatosis by regulating some key molecules related to nuclear receptor transcription and lipid metabolism, such as PPARα, LXRα, and HNF4α. Our study will provide the scientific evidences of the clinical efficacy of JZD against NAFLD.

Vitexin protects against ethanol-induced liver injury through Sirt1/p53 signaling pathway

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of Vitexin on inhibiting ethanol-induced liver damage and explore the underling mechanism. In vitro, the injury was induced in LO2 cell by 100 mM ethanol. Cell viability, AST, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis rate, and related gene and protein expressions were assessed. Alcoholic liver injury model was made by intragastric infusion of alcohol for 4 weeks on male KM mice. Liver index, AST, ALT, TC, TG, TP, TBIL in serum and liver pathology were evaluated. Meanwhile, the level of SOD, MDA and TNF-α also were detected by Kits. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis the Sirt1/p53 pathway related gene and protein expressions. In vitro, Vitexin restored cytoactive and inhibited the releasing of AST induced by ethanol in LO2 cell. Vitexin treatment significantly suppressed the elevation of aminotransferase, blood lipid, UA in mice. Vitexin ameliorated liver pathological changes induced by ethanol. Vitexin supplement restored the decrease of Sirt1/Bcl-2 expression, restrained the elevation of caspase3, cleaved caspse-3, p53 and ac-p53 expression in vivo and in vitro. Vitexin has a protective effect against ethanol-induced liver damage, and the underlying mechanism is probably through Sirt1/p53 mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Ameliorative Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei NL41 on Insulin Sensitivity, Oxidative Stress, and Beta-Cell Function in a Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model

SCOPE

The present study aims to assess the antidiabetic effect of Lactobacillus paracasei strain NL41 and its potential mechanisms in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induced by a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin administration (HFD/STZ).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Eighteen Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats are randomly assigned to three groups: one control, one HFD/STZ model, and one HFD/STZ-Lactobacillus protection group with administration of strain NL41 for 12 weeks. Blood is collected for biochemical parameters analysis and tissue samples for histological analysis. Treatment with strain NL41 results in excellent blood glucose regulation and significantly decreases insulin resistance, and HbA1c, glucagon, and leptin levels, accompanied by remarkable improvement of dyslipidemia and oxidative stress status in the animals. Islets of Langerhans, liver, and kidney are significantly protected in the NL41-treated rats compared to the HFD/STZ-T2DM model rats. Histochemistry shows that strain NL41 inhibits beta-cell loss and alpha-cell expansion, indicating pancreatic islets as the targeted tissues for the primary ameliorative effect of the probiotic strain on HFD/STZ-T2DM rats. Crosstalk between the gut-liver and liver-pancreas endocrine axes is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Probiotic strain NL41 prevents HFD/STZ-T2DM by decreasing insulin resistance and oxidative stress status, and protecting beta-cell function.

Stability of a type 2 diabetes rat model induced by high-fat diet feeding with low-dose streptozotocin injection

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims at determining the stability of a popular type 2 diabetes rat model induced by a high-fat diet combined with a low-dose streptozotocin injection.

METHODS

Wistar rats were fed with a high-fat diet for 8 weeks followed by a one-time injection of 25 or 35 mg/kg streptozotocin to induce type 2 diabetes. Then the diabetic rats were fed with regular diet/high-fat diet for 4 weeks. Changes in biochemical parameters were monitored during the 4 weeks.

RESULTS

All the rats developed more severe dyslipidemia and hepatic dysfunction after streptozotocin injection. The features of 35 mg/kg streptozotocin rats more resembled type 1 diabetes with decreased body weight and blood insulin. Rats with 25 mg/kg streptozotocin followed by normal diet feeding showed normalized blood glucose level and pancreatic structure, indicating that normal diet might help recovery from certain symptoms of type 2 diabetes. In comparison, diabetic rats fed with high-fat diet presented decreased but relatively stable blood glucose level, and this was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This model easily recovers with normal diet feeding. A high-fat diet is suggested as the background diet in future pharmacological studies using this model.

Syringaresinol‑di‑O‑β‑D‑glucoside, a phenolic compound from Polygonatum sibiricum, exhibits an antidiabetic and antioxidative effect on a streptozotocin‑induced mouse model of diabetes

Syringaresinol-di-O-β-D-glucoside (SOG) is a phenolic compound extracted from Polygonatum sibiricum. The present study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effect of SOG on streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and determine the potential underlying mechanisms. In the present study, fasting blood glucose and organ indexes of mice were analyzed. Body weight, water intake and food intake were also recorded. Furthermore, serum fasting insulin, pancreatic insulin and pancreatic interleukin-6 levels of mice were determined using ELISA kits to investigate the effect of SOG on the levels of insulin. Levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA) in the serum of mice, and levels of TC, TG and total protein in the kidney, were also determined to investigate the effects of SOG on lipid and protein metabolism in mice. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, as well as total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), in the kidneys of mice were determined to investigate the effect of SOG on oxidative stress. Western blotting was also performed to determine the expression of proteins associated with oxidative stress. The results demonstrated that SOG (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg) induced a significant antidiabetic effect in mice. Treatment with SOG promoted insulin secretion and decreased TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, FFA, MDA, SOD, CAT, AST, ALT and ALP levels in the kidneys of mice, as well as kidney TC and TG levels, but increased the levels of kidney total protein and the T-AOC in kidneys. Furthermore, SOG treatment could significantly downregulate the expressions of nitrotyrosine and transforming growth factor-β1 in diabetic mice. Therefore, the present study indicated that SOG may exert an antidiabetic effect on STZ-induced diabetic mice and that the mechanism of SOG may be associated with its antioxidative activity.

Methyl ferulic acid attenuates ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis by regulating AMPK and FoxO1 Pathways in Rats and L-02 cells

Methyl ferulic acid (MFA) is a biologically active monomer extracted and purified from the Chinese herbal medicine Securidaca inappendiculata hasskarl. The previously studies showed that MFA improved acute liver injury induced by ethanol. However, the effect of MFA on ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) still remains unclear. The current study was aimed at elucidating the effect of MFA on alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis and the underlying mechanisms. Human hepatocyte L-02 cells exposed to 200 mM ethanol for 24 h to simulate alcoholic steatosis in vitro. SD rats were fed a Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% (w/v) alcohol for 16 weeks to induce alcoholic liver disease in vivo. We examined the effect of MFA on ethanol-induced lipid deposition in L-02 cells and SD rats. The results showed that MFA reduced the accumulation of lipid in L-02 cells, improved alcoholic liver injury in rats, alleviated hepatic pathological lesions, and reduced lipid deposition in rat serum and liver. Further studies suggest that MFA reduces lipid synthesis by activating AMPK-ACC/MAPK-FoxO1 pathway. In addition, MFA also promotes lipid oxidation by up-regulating the expression of SIRT1, PPAR-α, and CPT-1α. Taken together, MFA ameliorates ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis by activating AMPK-ACC/MAPK-FoxO1 pathway and up-regulating the expression levels of SIRT1, PPAR-α, and CPT-1α.

High fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome: Pathophysiological mechanism and treatment by traditional Chinese medicine

Fructose is a natural monosaccharide broadly used in modern society. Over the past few decades, epidemiological studies have demonstrated that high fructose intake is an etiological factor of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This review highlights research advances on fructose-induced MetS, especially the underlying pathophysiological mechanism as well as pharmacotherapy by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), using the PubMed, Web of science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal and Wanfang Data. This review focuses on de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and uric acid (UA) production, two unique features of fructolysis different from glucose glycolysis. High level of DNL and UA production can result in insulin resistance, the key pathological event in developing MetS, mostly through oxidative stress and inflammation. Some other pathologies like the disturbance in brain and gut microbiota in the development of fructose-induced MetS in the past years, are also discussed. In management of MetS, TCM is an excellent representative in alternative and complementary medicine with a complete theory system and substantial herbal remedies. TCMs against MetS or MetS components, including Chinese patent medicines, TCM compound formulas, single TCM herbs and active compounds of TCM herbs, are reviewed on their effects and molecular mechanisms. TCMs with hypouricemic activity, which specially target fructose-induced MetS, are highlighted. And new technologies and strategies (such as high-throughput assay and systems biology) in this field are further discussed. In summary, fructose-induced MetS is a multifactorial disorder with the underlying complex mechanisms. Current clinical and pre-clinical evidence supports the potential of TCMs in management of MetS. Additionally, TCMs may show some advantages against complex MetS as their holistic feature through multiple target actions. However, further work is needed to confirm the effectivity and safety of TCMs by high-standard clinical trials, clarify the molecular mechanisms, and develop new anti-MetS drugs by development and application of optimized and feasible strategies and methods.

Effect of cortex mori on pharmacokinetic profiles of main isoflavonoids from pueraria lobata in rat plasma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Radix pueraria (the root of pueraria lobata (Wild.) Ohwi.), which contains a class of isoflavonoids as the main active components, as well as cortex mori (the root bark of Morus alba L), which contains abundant active alkaloids, have been employed for the treatment of diabetes in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. In previous studies, pharmacodynamic synergistic reactions have been observed in compatible application of pueraria lobata isoflavonoids extracts (PLF) and cortex mori alkaloids extracts (CME) for inhibiting α-glycosidase activity. It has also been demonstrated that PLF can effectively slow down the absorption of active alkaloid from CME, so as to produce a higher effective concentration in small intestine for depressing the elevation of postprandial blood glucose through inhibiting α-glycosidase activity.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, the hypoglycemic effect of PLF, CME or CME-PLF mixture (the mixture of CME and PLF at a ratio of 1:6.3) was further evaluated through in vivo glucose tolerance studies. And the effect of CME on pharmacokinetic profiles of main isoflavonoids from PLF in rat plasma was investigated to further underlie compatibility mechanism of the two herbs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four groups of rats received an oral dose of starch solution alone or simultaneously with drugs by gavage feeding. The blood samples were collected to determine glucose concentrations by glucose oxidase method. In addition, another two groups of rats were orally administered with PLF or CME-PLF. The plasma samples were collected and assayed using an LC/MS/MS method for comparatively pharmacokinetic studies of five main isoflavonoids.

RESULTS

For starch loading, co-administration of CME-PLF resulted in more potent inhibition effects on glucose responses compared to those by CME or PLF in rat. The isoflavonoids from PLF were rapidly absorbed, presenting similarly low concentrations in plasma. When CME was added, the C_max and AUC of all the five isoflavonoids were increased. A phenomenon of double peaks was found for all analysts. The elimination rates of all the detected isoflavonoids were also slowed down with extension of t_1/2. CONCLUSIONS: CME has been found to increase the absorption and delay the elimination of main isoflavonoids from PLF, which might result in higher concentrations of circulating active compounds for anti diabetes.

Dietary fructose as a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Glucose is a major energy source for the entire body, while fructose metabolism occurs mainly in the liver. Fructose consumption has increased over the last decade globally and is suspected to contribute to the increased incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a manifestation of metabolic syndrome affecting about one-third of the population worldwide and has progressive pathological potential for liver cirrhosis and cancer through non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Here we have reviewed the possible contribution of fructose to the pathophysiology of NAFLD. We critically summarize the current findings about several regulators, and their potential mechanisms, that have been studied in humans and animal models in response to fructose exposure. A novel hypothesis on fructose-dependent perturbation of liver regeneration and metabolism is advanced. Fructose intake could affect inflammatory and metabolic processes, liver function, gut microbiota, and portal endotoxin influx. The role of the brain in controlling fructose ingestion and the subsequent development of NAFLD is highlighted. Although the importance for fructose (over)consumption for NAFLD in humans is still debated and comprehensive intervention studies are invited, understanding of how fructose intake can favor these pathological processes is crucial for the development of appropriate noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to detect and treat these metabolic effects. Still, lifestyle modification, to lessen the consumption of fructose-containing products, and physical exercise are major measures against NAFLD. Finally, promising drugs against fructose-induced insulin resistance and hepatic dysfunction that are emerging from studies in rodents are reviewed, but need further validation in human patients.

Rapid Determination of Puerarin by Near-infrared Spectroscopy During Percolation and Concentration Process of Puerariae Lobatae Radix

BACKGROUND

Gegen (Puerariae Labatae Radix) is one of the important medicines in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The studies showed that Gegen and its preparation had effective actions for atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE

Near-infrared (NIR) was used to develop a method for rapid determination of puerarin during percolation and concentration process of Gegen.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

About ten batches of samples were collected with high-performance liquid chromatography analysis values as reference, calibration models are generated by partial least-squares (PLS) regression as linear regression, and artificial neural networks (ANN) as nonlinear regression.

RESULTS

The root mean square error of prediction for the PLS and ANN model was 0.0396 and 0.0365 and correlation coefficients (r (2)) was 97.79% and 98.47%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The NIR model for the rapid analysis of puerarin can be used for on-line quality control in the percolation and concentration process.

SUMMARY

Near-infrared was used to develop a method for on-line quality control in the percolation and concentration process of GegenCalibration models are generated by partial least-squares (PLS) regression as linear regression and artificial neural networks (ANN) as non-linear regressionThe root mean square error of prediction for the PLS and ANN model was 0.0396 and 0.0365 and correlation coefficients (r (2)) was 97.79% and 98.47%, respectively. Abbreviations used: NIR: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy; Gegen: Puerariae Loabatae Radix; TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine; PLS: Partial least-squares; ANN: Artificial neural networks; RMSEP: Root mean square error of validation; R2: Correlation coefficients; PAT: Process analytical technology; FDA: The Food and Drug Administration; Rcal: Calibration set; RMSECV: Root mean square errors of cross-validation; RPD: Residual predictive deviation; SLS: Straight Line Subtraction; MLP: Multi-Layer Perceptron; MSE: Mean square error.

Preclinical Models for Investigation of Herbal Medicines in Liver Diseases: Update and Perspective

Liver disease results from a dynamic pathological process associated with cellular and genetic alterations, which may progress stepwise to liver dysfunction. Commonly, liver disease begins with hepatocyte injury, followed by persistent episodes of cellular regeneration, inflammation, and hepatocyte death that may ultimately lead to nonreversible liver failure. For centuries, herbal remedies have been used for a variety of liver diseases and recent studies have identified the active compounds that may interact with liver disease-associated targets. Further study on the herbal remedies may lead to the formulation of next generation medicines with hepatoprotective, antifibrotic, and anticancer properties. Still, the pharmacological actions of vast majority of herbal remedies remain unknown; thus, extensive preclinical studies are important. In this review, we summarize progress made over the last five years of the most commonly used preclinical models of liver diseases that are used to screen for curative herbal medicines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, and liver. We also summarize the proposed mechanisms associated with the observed liver-protective, antifibrotic, and anticancer actions of several promising herbal medicines and discuss the challenges faced in this research field.

Effect of white wheat bread and white wheat bread added with bioactive compounds on hypercholesterolemic and steatotic mice fed a high-fat diet

BACKGROUND

The effects of white wheat bread and white wheat bread added with a bioactive compound mixture (Cyclanthera pedata, Glycine max, Monascus-fermented red mold rice, Cynara scolymus and Medicago sativa) were examined on hypercholesterolemic and steatotic mice, divided into four groups: control diet (CTR), high-fat diet (HFD), high-fat diet with white wheat bread added with 1.5 g kg(-1) of mixture (HFD+AB) and high-fat diet with white wheat bread (HFD+B).

RESULTS

Total serum cholesterol in the HFD+AB and HFD+B groups and hepatic triglycerides in the HFD+AB group decreased compared with the HFD group. Liver histology confirmed lower lipid drop accumulation in the HFD+AB group than in the HFD and HFD+B groups. HFD+AB caused a 7.0-fold increase and a 3.5-fold reduction in CYP7A1 and SREBP-1c gene expression respectively compared with the HFD group. Moreover, the HFD+B group showed a 2.2-, 8.4- and 1.5-fold increase in HMG CoA reductase, CYP7A1 and LDLr gene expression respectively compared with the HFD group.

CONCLUSION

Both the white wheat bread and the added white wheat bread induced cholesterol reduction by increasing CYP7A1. Moreover, the added white wheat bread improved steatosis by decreasing SREBP-1c gene expression.

Effects of ferulic acid and γ-oryzanol on high-fat and high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

BACKGROUND

The high morbidity of metabolic dysfunction diseases has heightened interest in seeking natural and safe compounds to maintain optimal health. γ-Oryzanol (OZ), the ferulic acid (FA) ester with phytosterols, mainly present in rice bran has been shown to improve markers of metabolic syndrome. This study investigates the effects of FA and OZ on alleviating high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD)-induced metabolic syndrome parameters.

METHODS

Male SD rats were fed with a regular rodent diet, HFFD, or HFFD supplemented with 0.05% FA or 0.16% OZ (equimolar concentrations) for 13 weeks. Food intake, organ indices, serum lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance (IR) index and cytokine levels were analyzed. The mechanisms were further investigated in oleic acid-stimulated HepG2 cells by analyzing triglyceride (TG) content and lipogenesis-related gene expressions.

RESULTS

In the in vivo study, FA and OZ exhibited similar effects in alleviating HFFD-induced obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and IR. However, only OZ treatment significantly decreased liver index and hepatic TG content, lowered serum levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6, and increased serum concentration of adiponectin. In the in vitro assay, only OZ administration significantly inhibited intracellular TG accumulation and down-regulated expression of stearoyl coenzyme-A desaturase-1, which might facilitate OZ to enhance its hepatoprotective effect.

CONCLUSION

OZ is more effective than FA in inhibiting hepatic fat accumulation and inflammation. Thus, FA and OZ could be used as dietary supplements to alleviate the deleterious effects of HFFD.

Dietary Lycium barbarum polysaccharide induces Nrf2/ARE pathway and ameliorates insulin resistance induced by high-fat via activation of PI3K/AKT signaling

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP), an antioxidant from wolfberry, displays the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on experimental models of insulin resistance in vivo. However, the effective mechanism of LBP on high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance is still unknown. The objective of the study was to investigate the mechanism involved in LBP-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/Nrf2 axis against high-fat-induced insulin resistance. HepG2 cells were incubated with LBP for 12 hrs in the presence of palmitate. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with LBP for 24 weeks. We analyzed the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) involved in insulin signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. First, LBP significantly induced phosphorylation of Nrf2 through PI3K/AKT signaling. Second, LBP obviously increased detoxification and antioxidant enzymes expression and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels via PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 axis. Third, LBP also regulated phosphorylation levels of GSK3β and JNK through PI3K/AKT signaling. Finally, LBP significantly reversed glycolytic and gluconeogenic genes expression via the activation of Nrf2-mediated cytoprotective effects. In summary, LBP is novel antioxidant against insulin resistance induced by high-fat diet via activation of PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway.