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Xia N, Xu L, Huang M, Xu D, Li Y, Wu H, Mei Z, Yu Z. Neuroprotection of macamide in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease involves Nrf2 signaling pathway and gut microbiota. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 975:176638. [PMID: 38734297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176638] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms of macamide's neuroprotective effects in Alzheimer's disease (AD) were investigated in the paper. Macamides are considered as unique ingredients in maca. Improvement effects and mechanisms of macamide on cognitive impairment have not been revealed. In this study, Vina 1.1.2 was used for docking to evaluate the binding abilities of 12 main macamides to acetylcholinesterase (AChE). N-benzyl-(9Z,12Z)-octadecadienamide (M 18:2) was selected to study the following experiments because it can stably bind to AChE with a strong binding energy. The animal experiments showed that M 18:2 prevented the scopolamine (SCP)-induced cognitive impairment and neurotransmitter disorders, increased the positive rates of Nrf2 and HO-1 in hippocampal CA1, improved the synaptic plasticity by maintaining synaptic morphology and increasing the synapse density. Moreover, the contents of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the hippocampus, serum, and colon were reduced by M 18:2. Furthermore, M 18:2 promoted colonic epithelial integrity and partially restored the composition of the gut microbiota to normal, including decreased genera Clostridiales_unclassified and Lachnospiraceae_unclassified, as well as increased genera Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Muribaculum, Alistipes, and Bacteroides, which may be the possible biomarkers of cognitive aging. In summary, M 18:2 exerted neuroprotective effects on SCP-induced AD mice possibly via activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and modulating the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nengyin Xia
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Lingyun Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Mengyuan Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Dengrui Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Zhinan Mei
- College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Zejun Yu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China.
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Ulloa del Carpio N, Alvarado-Corella D, Quiñones-Laveriano DM, Araya-Sibaja A, Vega-Baudrit J, Monagas-Juan M, Navarro-Hoyos M, Villar-López M. Exploring the chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: a comprehensive review of the effects of maca. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1360422. [PMID: 38440178 PMCID: PMC10910417 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1360422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Maca (Lepidium meyenii), a biennial herbaceous plant indigenous to the Andes Mountains, has a rich history of traditional use for its purported health benefits. Maca's chemical composition varies due to ecotypes, growth conditions, and post-harvest processing, contributing to its intricate phytochemical profile, including, macamides, macaenes, and glucosinolates, among other components. This review provides an in-depth revision and analysis of Maca's diverse bioactive metabolites, focusing on the pharmacological properties registered in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Maca is generally safe, with rare adverse effects, supported by preclinical studies revealing low toxicity and good human tolerance. Preclinical investigations highlight the benefits attributed to Maca compounds, including neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory properties, immunoregulation, and antioxidant effects. Maca has also shown potential for enhancing fertility, combating fatigue, and exhibiting potential antitumor properties. Maca's versatility extends to metabolic regulation, gastrointestinal health, cardio protection, antihypertensive activity, photoprotection, muscle growth, hepatoprotection, proangiogenic effects, antithrombotic properties, and antiallergic activity. Clinical studies, primarily focused on sexual health, indicate improved sexual desire, erectile function, and subjective wellbeing in men. Maca also shows promise in alleviating menopausal symptoms in women and enhancing physical performance. Further research is essential to uncover the mechanisms and clinical applications of Maca's unique bioactive metabolites, solidifying its place as a subject of growing scientific interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norka Ulloa del Carpio
- Centro de Investigación Clínica de Medicina Complementaria—CICMEC, Gerencia de Medicina Complementaria, Seguro Social de Salud-EsSalud, Lima, Peru
| | - Diego Alvarado-Corella
- Bioactivity and Sustainable Development (BIODESS) Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Costa Rica (UCR), San Jose, Costa Rica
| | | | - Andrea Araya-Sibaja
- Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología, LANOTEC-CeNAT-CONARE, San José, Costa Rica
| | - José Vega-Baudrit
- Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología, LANOTEC-CeNAT-CONARE, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Maria Monagas-Juan
- United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Mirtha Navarro-Hoyos
- Bioactivity and Sustainable Development (BIODESS) Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Costa Rica (UCR), San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Martha Villar-López
- Centro de Investigación Clínica de Medicina Complementaria—CICMEC, Gerencia de Medicina Complementaria, Seguro Social de Salud-EsSalud, Lima, Peru
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
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Liu T, Peng Z, Lai W, Shao Y, Gao Q, He M, Zhou W, Guo L, Kang J, Jin X, Yin H. The Efficient Synthesis and Anti-Fatigue Activity Evaluation of Macamides: The Unique Bioactive Compounds in Maca. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093943. [PMID: 37175353 PMCID: PMC10180231 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Macamides are a class of amide alkaloids that are only found in maca and are widely considered to be its bioactive marker compounds. More than thirty macamide monomers have been identified in recent years; however, it is difficult to obtain a single macamide monomer from the maca plant because of their similar structures and characteristics. We used the carbodiimide condensation method (CCM) to efficiently synthesize five typical macamides, including N-benzyl-hexadecanamide (NBH), N-benzyl-9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecenamide, N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-9Z,12Z-octadecenamide, N-benzyl-9Z,12Z-octadecenamide, and N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecadienamide. All the synthesized macamides were purified by a one-step HPLC with a purity of more than 95%. NBH is the most abundant macamide monomer in natural maca, and it was selected to evaluate the anti-fatigue effects of macamides. The results indicated that NBH could enhance the endurance capacity of mice by increasing liver glycogen levels and decreasing blood urea nitrogen, lactate dehydrogenase, blood ammonia, and blood lactic acid levels. Macamides might be the active substances that give maca its anti-fatigue active function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ziyan Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wei Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yan Shao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qing Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Miaoxin He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wan Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lirong Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiyao Kang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Xiaobao Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hui Yin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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A Protein from Dioscorea polystachya (Chinese Yam) Improves Hydrocortisone-Induced Testicular Dysfunction by Alleviating Leydig Cell Injury via Upregulation of the Nrf2 Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:3575016. [PMID: 34887997 PMCID: PMC8651383 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3575016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Leydig cell injury has been described as a primary driver of testicular dysfunction and is affected by oxidative stress. Dioscorea polystachya (Chinese yam) is used to improve testicular dysfunction in clinical and pharmacological research via its antioxidative activity, but the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of Chinese yam on testicular dysfunction and its suppression of Leydig cell oxidative damage remain unclear. In this study, we obtained a Chinese yam protein (DP1) and explored its effectiveness and possible mechanism in improving testicular dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. We established a testicular dysfunction model in rats using hydrocortisone (HCT). DP1 increased body weight and organ index, improved the deterioration in testicular morphology (including increasing the diameter of seminiferous tubules and thickness of germinal cell layers, inhibiting testicular cell apoptosis by increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and impeding collagen leakage by downregulating TGF-β1 and p-SMAD2/3 expression), and restored the testosterone content. In addition, DP1 enhanced the number of Leydig cells in rats and H2O2-induced TM3 Leydig cells, and the effect of DP1 on the apoptosis, fibrosis, and testosterone content of TM3 cells was similar to that observed in vivo. These changes were dependent on the regulation of oxidative stress, including significantly reduced intracellular 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine levels, enhanced superoxide dismutase activities, and decreased superoxide anion levels, which were confirmed via a superoxide overexpression system. Furthermore, we observed that DP1 promoted Nrf2 nuclear import and upregulated antioxidant factor expression in vivo and in vitro. However, Nrf2 silencing eliminated the ability of DP1 to increase the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, reduce the expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-SMAD2/3, and increase testosterone contents in H2O2-induced TM3 cells. In conclusion, DP1 reversed the HCT-induced testicular apoptosis and fibrosis and decreased testosterone contents by alleviating Leydig cell oxidative damage via upregulation of the Nrf2 pathway.
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Yu Z, Li D, Zhai S, Xu H, Liu H, Ao M, Zhao C, Jin W, Yu L. Neuroprotective effects of macamide from maca ( Lepidium meyenii Walp.) on corticosterone-induced hippocampal impairments through its anti-inflammatory, neurotrophic, and synaptic protection properties. Food Funct 2021; 12:9211-9228. [PMID: 34606547 DOI: 10.1039/d1fo01720a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the protective effects of N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-(9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadecatrienamide (M 18:3) on corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity. A neurotoxic model was established by subcutaneous injection of corticosterone (40 mg per kg bw) for 21 days. Depressive behaviors (the percentage of sucrose consumption, the immobility time in the forced swimming test, and the total distance in the open field test) were observed. The levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, and the numbers of positive cells of doublecortin and bromodeoxyuridine in the hippocampus were measured. The density of hippocampal neurons was calculated. The morphological changes of hippocampal neurons (the density of dendritic spines, the dendritic length, and the area and volume of dendritic cell bodies) were observed. The expression levels of synaptophysin, synapsin I, and postsynaptic density protein 95 were measured. Behavioral experiments showed that M 18:3 (5 and 25 mg per kg bw) could remarkably improve the depressive behaviors. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that M 18:3 could considerably reduce hippocampal neuroinflammation and increase hippocampal neurotrophy. Nissl staining showed that M 18:3 could remarkably improve the corticosterone-induced decrease in the hippocampal neuron density. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that M 18:3 could considerably promote hippocampal neurogenesis. Golgi staining showed that M 18:3 could remarkably improve the corticosterone-induced changes in the hippocampal dendritic structure. Western blotting showed that M 18:3 could considerably increase the expression levels of synaptic-structure-related proteins in the hippocampus. In conclusion, the protective effects of M 18:3 may be attributed to the anti-inflammatory, neurotrophic, and synaptic protection properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejun Yu
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Ezhou Industrial Technology Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ezhou, 436060, China
| | - Dong Li
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Ezhou Industrial Technology Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ezhou, 436060, China
| | - Shengbing Zhai
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Ezhou Industrial Technology Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ezhou, 436060, China
| | - Hang Xu
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Ezhou Industrial Technology Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ezhou, 436060, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Ezhou Industrial Technology Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ezhou, 436060, China
| | - Mingzhang Ao
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Chunfang Zhao
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Wenwen Jin
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Longjiang Yu
- Institute of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China. .,Hubei Engineering Research Center for both Edible and Medicinal Resources, Wuhan, 430074, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China
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