Bioactive compounds from Cudrania tricuspidata: A natural anticancer source

Screening and evaluation of quality markers of Radix Cudramiae for liver disease based on an integrated strategy of in vivo pharmacokinetics and in vitro HPLC fingerprint

Radix Cudramiae, the dried root of Cudrania cochinchinensis (Lour.) Kudo et Masam., is a valuable ethnomedicine with outstanding antihepatitis activity. However, the lack of reports on quality markers (Q-markers) hindered its quality evaluation and standardization, as a result restricted its clinical application. This paper aimed to discover the Q-markers of Radix Cudramiae with a comprehensive strategy based on in vivo pharmacokinetics and in vitro HPLC fingerprint. A rapid and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analytical method was firstly developed and validated for simultaneous determination of six potential active ingredients (eriodictyol, dihydrokaempferol, dihydromorin, kaempferol, naringenin and morin) of Radix Cudramiae in rat plasma and tissues, which was successfully applied to the holistic comparison of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution between normal and acute liver injury rats. On the other hand, a representative HPLC fingerprint of Radix Cudramiae was also established to elucidate the chemical profile for overall quality evaluation. Dihydrokaempferol-7-O-β-D-glucoside (the naturally existed chemical formation of dihydrokaempferol) and kaempferol screened out with high exposure levels in vivo and high resolution in HPLC fingerprint were finally selected as Q-markers of Radix Cudramiae. To the best of our knowledge, it was the first time for people to discover in vivo properties and pharmacokinetic parameters of components in Radix Cudramiae, as well as the first report on its representative HPLC fingerprint. Also, the integrated strategy could offer an effective way for TCMs Q-markers screening.

Optimizing the Fermentation Conditions of Cudrania tricuspidata Fruit Using Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for Anti-Inflammatory Activity and GC-MS-Based Volatile Component Characteristics

The aim of this study is to optimize the performance conditions used for maximum anti-inflammatory activity and to clarify in vitroanti-inflammatory properties of fermented C. tricuspidata fruit. Based on the single-factor experiment and Box-Behnken design, the optimized fermentation conditions of C. tricuspidata fruit for maximum anti-inflammatory activity were 3.8 d fermentation period, 8.4% (v/w) inoculation concentration, and 29.2°C fermentation temperature. Under optimal conditions, anti-inflammatory activity-based nitric oxide of fermented C. tricuspidata fruit reached 93.9%. Moreover, this study provides a theoretical basis and experimental data containing β-hexosaminidase and reactive oxygen species for the medical use and industrialization of C. tricuspidata fruit fermentation. Interestingly, the results of GC-MS analysis confirmed that fermented C. tricuspidata fruits detect volatile components different from unfermented C. tricuspidata fruits. We suggested that this volatile component may have been involved in the anti-inflammatory reaction, but scientific verification of this is needed later. Therefore, an in-depth study of volatile components detected from fermented C. tricuspidata fruits will need to be conducted later.

Systemic Review of Clot Retraction Modulators

Through a process termed clot retraction, platelets cause thrombi to shrink and become more stable. After platelets are activated via inside-out signaling, glycoprotein αIIbβIII binds to fibrinogen and initiates a cascade of intracellular signaling that ends in actin remodeling, which causes the platelet to change its shape. Clot retraction is also important for wound healing. Although the detailed molecular biology of clot retraction is only partially understood, various substances and physiological conditions modulate clot retraction. In this review, we describe some of the current literature pertaining to clot retraction modulators. In addition, we discuss compounds from Cudrania trucuspidata, Arctium lappa, and Panax ginseng that diminish clot retraction and have numerous other health benefits. Caffeic acid and diindolylmethane, both common in plants and vegetables, likewise reduce clot retraction, as do all-trans retinoic acid (a vitamin A derivative), two MAP4K inhibitors, and the chemotherapeutic drug Dasatinib. Conversely, the endogenous anticoagulant Protein S (PS) and the matricellular protein secreted modular calcium-binding protein 1 (SMOC1) both enhance clot retraction. Most studies aiming to identify mechanisms of clot retraction modulators have focused on the increased phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor I and the decreased phosphorylation of various phospholipases (e.g., phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and (PI3Ks). One study focused on the decreased phosphorylation of Sarcoma Family Kinases (SFK), and others have focused on increased cAMP levels and the downregulation of inflammatory markers such as thromboxanes, including thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2); prostaglandin A2 (PGE2); reactive oxygen species (ROS); and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme activity. Additionally, pregnancy, fibrinolysis, and the autoimmune condition systemic lupus erythematosus all seem to affect, or at least have some relation with, clot retraction. All the clot retraction modulators need in-depth study to explain these effects.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using three different fruit extracts: Characterization, formation mechanism and estrogen removal

Plant-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is a green and economically viable method, which can offer numerous benefits over traditional chemical and physical methods. In this paper, three fruit extracts (tomato, orange, and grapefruit) served simultaneously as stabilizing and reducing agents during the biosynthesis of Ag NPs. The formation of Ag NPs, were monitored using the UV-visible absorption spectra of Ag NPs which exhibited three distinct bands centered at 439, 413, and 410 nm. SEM and TEM analysis indicated that these bands corresponded to three distinct spherical-shaped Ag NPs having average particle sizes of 73, 24, and 31 nm, respectively. XRD and EDS spectral analyses were used to verify the degree of crystallinity, nanostructure, and presence of Ag NPs. Advanced analysis using XPS, FTIR, and GC-MS indicated that the Ag NPs were coated with a variety of organic compounds including acids, aldehydes, esters, and ketones, indicating that fruit derived phytochemicals had a significant role in synthesis, and subsequently a mechanism of Ag NPs formation was proposed. The fabricated nanoparticles were also successfully used in Fenton-like oxidation for the environmental remediation of estrone and estriol, with removal efficiencies of 52.1 and 35.9%, respectively.

Computational Investigations on the Natural Small Molecule as an Inhibitor of Programmed Death Ligand 1 for Cancer Immunotherapy

Several therapeutic monoclonal antibodies approved by the FDA are available against the PD-1/PD-L1 (programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1) immune checkpoint axis, which has been an unprecedented success in cancer treatment. However, existing therapeutics against PD-L1, including small molecule inhibitors, have certain drawbacks such as high cost and drug resistance that challenge the currently available anti-PD-L1 therapy. Therefore, this study presents the screening of 32,552 compounds from the Natural Product Atlas database against PD-L1, including three steps of structure-based virtual screening followed by binding free energy to refine the ideal conformation of potent PD-L1 inhibitors. Subsequently, five natural compounds, i.e., Neoenactin B1, Actinofuranone I, Cosmosporin, Ganocapenoid A, and 3-[3-hydroxy-4-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)phenyl]-5-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-methyldihydrofuran-2(3H)-one, were collected based on the ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) profiling and binding free energy (>−60 kcal/mol) for further computational investigation in comparison to co-crystallized ligand, i.e., JQT inhibitor. Based on interaction mapping, explicit 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation, and end-point binding free energy calculations, the selected natural compounds were marked for substantial stability with PD-L1 via intermolecular interactions (hydrogen and hydrophobic) with essential residues in comparison to the JQT inhibitor. Collectively, the calculated results advocate the selected natural compounds as the putative potent inhibitors of PD-L1 and, therefore, can be considered for further development of PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy.

Genesis and Mechanism of Some Cancer Types and an Overview on the Role of Diet and Nutrition in Cancer Prevention

Cancer is a major disease with a high mortality rate worldwide. In many countries, cancer is considered to be the second most common cause of death after cardiovascular disease. The clinical management of cancer continues to be a challenge as conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, have limitations due to their toxicity profiles. Unhealthy lifestyle and poor dietary habits are the key risk factors for cancer; having a healthy diet and lifestyle may minimize the risk. Epidemiological studies have shown that a high fruit and vegetable intake in our regular diet can effectively reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers due to the high contents of antioxidants and phytochemicals. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that phytochemicals exert significant anticancer effects due to their free radical scavenging capacity potential. There has been extensive research on the protective effects of phytochemicals in different types of cancers. This review attempts to give an overview of the etiology of different types of cancers and assesses the role of phytonutrients in the prevention of cancers, which makes the present review distinct from the others available.

Warangalone Induces Apoptosis in HeLa Cells via Mitochondria-Mediated Endogenous Pathway

Cervical cancer as one of the major malignant tumors seriously threatens women's health. More than 270,000 women die of cervical cancer each year. Warangalone is an isoflavone compound isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata with excellent antitumor activity. In this research, we investigated the molecular mechanism of warangalone-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. The results show that warangalone can selectively and effectively inhibit HeLa cells proliferation. Warangalone can effectively inhibit the invasion and migration of HeLa cells. Furthermore, warangalone was confirmed to activate p53 and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family signaling pathways to cause apoptosis. In this case, the expression of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family is regulated, and caspase-3 is eventually cleaved, finally triggering the mitochondrial apoptosis. In conclusion, warangalone can induce HeLa cells apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated endogenous pathway, which represented the potential therapeutic effect of warangalone on cervical cancer.

Anti-α-glucosidase and anti-oxidative isoflavonoids from the immature fruits of Maclura tricuspidata

The composition of a plant, together with its efficacy, vary depending on its maturity and plant parts. In this study, the chemical constituents of immature fruits of Maclura tricuspidata (Moraceae) were investigated together with their anti-diabetic and antioxidant effects. A total of 34 compounds were isolated from the immature fruits of M. tricuspidata using various chromatographic methods. Structure elucidation using extensive spectroscopic analysis led to the characterization of isolated compounds as isoflavonoids with prenyl substituents. Among them, macluraisoflavones A-O were first isolated from nature. The anti-diabetic and antioxidant activity of the isolated compounds were also suggested by α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and DPPH radical scavenging activity, respectively. In particular, macluraisoflavone I, an isoflavonoid with 2,2-dimethylpyran and 2-hydroperoxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl moieties, showed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Further molecular docking analysis suggested hydrogen bond and alkyl interactions between α-glucosidase and macluraisoflavone I. Therefore, the immature fruits of M. tricuspidata can be used as an important natural product with antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties.

Efficacy and Safety of the Cudrania tricuspidata Extract on Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Study

Cudrania tricuspidata is a folk remedy used to treat inflammation in patients with tumors or liver damage. This study investigated the efficacy of Cudrania tricuspidata extract (CTE) for relieving the symptoms of functional dyspepsia. In an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 100 adults with any condition featured in the Rome IV criteria and a Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (GIS) score ≥4 were randomly allocated to take either a placebo (maltodextrin) or a 50 mg CTE tablet, which equally included celluloses, magnesium stearate, and silicon dioxide, twice daily, 20 January 2020, and 3 August 2020. Among the 83 participants finally analyzed, the CTE group was associated with a significant reduction in the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (day 0: 8.0 ± 5.2, day 28: 4.7 ± 3.9, and day 56: 2.3 ± 2.4, p < 0.001, respectively) in comparison with the control group (day 0: 8.1 ± 4.7, day 28: 7.8 ± 5.7, and day 56: 7.5 ± 6.6, p > 0.05) after adjusting for smoking, drinking, eating habits, stress levels, and caffeine intake. The CTE group resulted in significant improvements of GIS, Nepean Dyspepsia Index (Korean version), and functional dyspepsia-related quality of life over time. There were no different adverse events (p = 0.523). These findings suggest that CTE is safe and efficacious for alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Novel natural scaffold as hURAT1 inhibitor identified by 3D-shape-based, docking-based virtual screening approach and biological evaluation

As a promising therapeutic target for gout, hURAT1 has attracted increasing attention. In this work, we identified a novel scaffold of hURAT1 inhibitors from a personal natural product database of verified herb-treated gout. First, we constructed more than 800 natural compounds from Chinese medicine that were verified to treat gout. Following the application of both shape-based and docking-based virtual screening (VS) methods, taking into account the shape similarity and flexibility of the target, we identified isopentenyl dihydroflavones that might inhibit hURAT1. Specifically, 9 compounds with commercial availability were tested with biochemical assays for the inhibition of ¹⁴C-uric acid uptake in high-expression hURAT1 cells (HEK293-hURAT1), and their structure-activity relationship was evaluated. As a result, 8-isopentenyl dihydroflavone was identified as a novel scaffold of hURAT1 inhibitors since isobavachin (DHF3) inhibited hURAT1 with an IC₅₀ value of 0.39 ± 0.17 μM, which was comparable to verinurad with an IC₅₀ value of 0.32 ± 0.23 μM. Remarkably, isobavachin also displayed an eminent effect in the decline of serum uric acid in vivo experiments. Taken together, isobavachin is a promising candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

Formulation Optimization of Sucrose-Free Hard Candy Fortified with Cudrania tricuspidata Extract

The aim of the study is to define the optimal formulation of sucrose-free hard candy using D-optimal mixture design as the base for the incorporation of Cudrania tricupidata fruit. Hard candy was produced using three different polyols: isomalt, maltitol syrup, and xylitol. This study examined the effects of polyol mixtures as sucrose and corn syrup substitutes on physicochemical (moisture, color, soluble solid (SSC)), hardness, and sensory features of hard candies. These three polyols had notable effects on quality characteristics in addition to their effects on L* value. Xylitol had an undesirable effect on moisture content and hardness, resulting in decreased texture acceptability, but improved color and clarity. Given the results of our experiments and optimization of variables, we determined that 90.21% isomalt, 8.63% maltitol syrup, and 1.16% xylitol produced a sugar-free candy with high desirability (0.894).

Review On Documented Medicinal Plants Used For The Treatment Of Cancer

Background:

Cancer is a frightful disease and it is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Naturally derived compounds are gaining interest of research workers as they have less toxic side effects as compared to currently used treatments such as chemotherapy. Plants are the pool of chemical compounds which provides a promising future for research on cancer.

Objective:

This review paper provides updated information gathered on medicinal plants and isolated phytoconstituents used as anticancer agents and summarises the plant extracts and their isolated chemical constituents exhibiting anticancer potential on clinical trials.

Methods:

An extensive bibliographic investigation was carried out by analysing worldwide established scientific databases like SCOPUS, PUBMED, SCIELO, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Web of Science, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar etc. In next few decades, herbal medicine may become a new epoch of medical system.

Results:

Many researches are going on medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer but it is a time to increase further experimental studies on plant extracts and their chemical constituents to find out their mechanism of action at molecular level.

Conclusion:

The article may help many researchers to start off further experimentation that might lead to the drugs for the cancer treatment.

Advances in the application of nanotechnology in reducing cardiotoxicity induced by cancer chemotherapy

Advances in the development of anti-tumour drugs and related technologies have resulted in a significant increase in the number of cancer survivors. However, the incidence of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity (CIC) has been rising continuously, threatening their long-term survival. The integration of nanotechnology and biomedicine has brought about an unprecedented technological revolution and has promoted the progress of anti-tumour therapy. In this review, we summarised the possible mechanisms of CIC, evaluated the role of nanoparticles (including liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, and hydrogels) as drug carriers in preventing cardiotoxicity and proposed five advantages of nanotechnology in reducing cardiotoxicity: Liposomes cannot easily penetrate the heart's endothelial barrier; optimized delivery strategies reduce distribution in important organs, such as the heart; targeting the tumour microenvironment and niche; stimulus-responsive polymer nano-drug carriers rapidly iterate; better economic benefits were obtained. Nanoparticles can effectively deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to tumour tissues, while reducing the toxicity to heart tissues, and break through the dilemma of existing chemotherapy to a certain extent. It is important to explore the interactions between the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and optimize the highly specific tumour targeting strategy in the future.

Cudraxanthone L inhibits gastric cancer by regulating the MAPK signalling and promoting FAS-mediated pathway

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and has the second highest lethal rate in the world; thus, finding new medicines with high potency and low toxicity is urgent. Cudrania tricuspidata (Carr.) Bur. ex Lavallee (Moraceae) is a traditional medicinal herb that is considered to have antitumour efficacy. We extracted and isolated cudraxanthone L (CXL) from Cudrania tricuspidata and evaluated its anti-cancer efficacy. CXL treatment inhibited angiogenesis of chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and repressed the cell viability of various human cancer cells, indicating it presented the antitumour potential. Among them, CXL presented the best inhibitory effects on MGC803 cells. In addition, the invasion, migration and clonogenicity were significantly repressed, S phase of the cell cycle was arrested, and apoptosis was induced when MGC803 cells were treated with CXL. The results of RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR and western blotting verified that CXL regulated the MAPK signalling pathway and induced apoptosis by FAS-mediated pathway. The in vivo data revealed that CXL arrested tumour growth without toxic effects and upregulated the protein levels in FAS-mediated pathway in MGC803 gastric cancer-bearing mice. In summary, we demonstrate CXL presents impactful anti-GC efficacy by regulating the MAPK signalling pathway and promoting the FAS-mediated pathway.

Total Synthesis of the Neuroprotective Agent Cudraisoflavone J

Cudraisoflavone J (1), isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata, is a potent neuroprotective compound with a chiral center. Herein, we report the first total synthesis of racemic cudraisoflavone J (1) using a Claisen rearrangement and a Suzuki coupling reaction as the key steps. Racemic secondary alcohol was kinetically resolved to give (+)- and (-)-cudraisoflavone J with up to 97 and 88% enantiomeric excess, respectively. The modified Mosher's method was used to elucidate the absolute configuration of naturally occurring cudraisoflavone J.

Changes in biologically active substances of stone fruits under the influence of low temperatures

Sufficient consumption of natural biologically active substances (BAS) – vitamins, dietary fiber, mineral compounds – reduces the risk of developing diseases associated with negative external factors. A large number of BAS are contained in the cherry plum fruits. Cherry plum is characterized by storage short term, during which quality changes are possible. Studies have been conducted on the low temperatures effect the change of BAS in cherry plum fruits. Studied objects were five cherry plum varieties grown in the Russian southern regions – Dinnaya, Zhemchuzhina, Obilnaya, Puteshestvennitsa, Neberdzhayskaya ranyaya. It was found that during storage, the physical and chemical parameters change slightly, the dry substances content decreases (within 1.3-3.2 %), sugars (5.5-7.0 %), the total acids content increases (2.8 3.3 %). The BAS content slight decrease during storage does not significantly affect the nutritional value of cherry plum fruits. The ascorbic acid reduction is 9.8-17.3 %, the anthocyanins content decreases on average from 16.9 to 19.7 %, the beta-carotene content decreases by 8.7-14.8 %, the reduction level of pectin substances is 15.75-22.2 %. Thus, the freezing method application allows to preserve valuable BAS in cherry plum fruits and use them in the future as a basis for the production of functional food products.

Neuroprotective Effect of Cudrania tricuspidata Fruit Extracts on Scopolamine-Induced Learning and Memory Impairment

Cudrania tricuspidata has diverse biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. This study investigated the protective effects of C. tricuspidata fruit extracts (CTFE) against scopolamine (SCO)-induced neuron impairment. The neuroprotective effects of CTFE on SCO-induced memory dysfunction were confirmed in mice using the Barnes maze test. The results showed that co-treatment of SCO and CTFE increased the stay time in the target zone compared with SCO treatment alone. Similarly, the results obtained by the fear conditioning test revealed that SCO-CTFE co-treatment induced the freezing action time under both the contextual fear condition and the cued fear condition compared with SCO treatment alone. Moreover, we showed that CTFE reduced the SCO-induced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, thereby increasing the acetylcholine concentration in mice hippocampal tissues. Consistent with the improvement of memory and recognition function in vivo, our in vitro results showed that CTFE induced cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activity in PC12 cells and reduced SCO-induced AChE activity. In addition, the microarray results of the hippocampal tissue support our data showing that CTFE affects gene expressions associated with neurogenesis and neuronal cell differentiation markers such as spp1 and klk6. Overall, CTFE exerts a neuroprotective effect via regulation of the CREB and ERK1/2 signaling pathways and could be a therapeutic candidate for neurodegenerative diseases.

The Antimutagenic and Antioxidant Activity of Fermented Milk Supplemented with Cudrania tricuspidata Powder

In this study, Cudrania tricuspidata (CT) containing abundant phytochemicals, such as xanthones and flavonoids, was evaluated as an additive to fortify the functionality and organoleptic quality of fermented milk. The physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties of fermented milk supplemented with different concentrations of CT powder were investigated. Increasing amounts of CT powder elevated the malic acid concentration, increasing the total acidity and decreasing the pH of fermented milk supplemented with CT powder. The viable cell count and free sugar contents of fermented milk indicated that supplementing with CT powder improved lactic acid fermentation slightly. The color of fermented milk supplemented with CT powder was darker, redder, yellower, and more pleasing than the control fermented milk. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of fermented milk supplemented with CT powder rose as the concentration of supplemented CT powder increased, resulting in enhanced antioxidant and antimutagenic activities. The CT powder improved the functionality of the fermented milk; still, at 2% or more, it had some unfavorable sensory properties, such as sourness, taste, and texture, which reduced the overall consumer preference. Therefore, a CT powder concentration of 0.5% or 1% may be acceptable to consumers.

Physicochemical characteristics and consumer acceptance of puddings fortified with Cudrania tricuspidata and Aronia melanocarpa extracts

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of puddings fortified with 0.01% mandarin melon berry (Cudrania tricuspidata) and 0%-1.0% aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) extracts and to assess the effects of the fortification on consumer acceptance. The soluble solid content of pudding significantly increased as aronia concentration increased, whereas pH levels significantly decreased in a similar concentration-dependent manner. The texture profiles of hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness increased significantly in the pudding fortified with 0.01% mandarin melon berry extract compared to those of the control pudding, and these profiles decreased with increasing aronia concentration. One hundred consumers evaluated ten puddings, both with and without acid treatments, in two sessions. Overall acceptance, taste acceptance, and texture acceptance showed no significant differences until 0.1% aronia concentration was reached. However, these differences decreased significantly in the pudding fortified with 0.5% and 1.0% aronia extract. The results demonstrate that the potential application of mandarin melon berry and aronia extract fortification in pudding products should be limited to 0.01% mandarin melon berry and 0.1% aronia concentrations.

Inhibitory Effect of Cudratrixanthone U on RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation and Function in Macrophages and BMM Cells

Cudratrixanthone U (CTU) is a prenylated xanthone compound isolated from Maclura tricuspidata Bureau (Moraceae). Prenylated xanthones have been reported to exhibit a variety of biological activities. However, the effects of prenylated xanthone on osteoclast differentiation and function are still unclear. Excessive bone resorption by osteoclasts is considered a major cause of diseases such as osteoporosis. Accordingly, suppression of excessive osteoclast formation and function is one of strategies for treating osteoclast related bone diseases. In this study, CTU inhibited osteoclast differentiation and function in RAW264.7 macrophages and BMM cells induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). CTU regulated the formation of TRAF6-TAK1 complex in RANKL-induced RAW264.7 macrophages and BMM cells. Osteoclast-specific genes including those encoding matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), dendritic cell-specific transmembrane proteins (DC-STAMP), cathepsin K (CTSK) and chemokine CC motif ligand 4 (CCL4) play an important role in bone resorption and migration, and were effectively regulated by CTU. These results suggest that CTU is a potential therapeutic agent in osteoporosis.

The impact of ultrasonic treatment on blueberry wine anthocyanin color and its In-vitro anti-oxidant capacity

Ultrasound (US) has been recognized as a non-thermal technology for accelerating blueberry wine aging for flavor development. However, influence of US on anthocyanin and color characteristics is uncertain. In this study, US was applied to new blueberry wine, and changes in color characteristics, anthocyanin content and anti-oxidant capacity were evaluated at early stage of aging period. Low-frequency power US resulted in an improvement in color characteristics and lower chromatic aberration as compared to untreated samples, specially at condition of 180 W, 20 min and 2 cycles. Furthermore, this contribution was attributed to unattenuated anthocyanins protected from US stress. Importantly, the structural polarity dependence was mediated by the impact of US on anthocyanins. Additionally, anti-oxidant activity of blueberry wine was not adversely affected under a moderate US condition. US treatment of blueberry wine was therefore considered to significantly enhance the color presentation, hinting at the possibility of promoting blueberry wine aging.

Treatment with Gold Nanoparticles Using Cudrania tricuspidata Root Extract Induced Downregulation of MMP-2/-9 and PLD1 and Inhibited the Invasiveness of Human U87 Glioblastoma Cells

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the anti-invasive effects of Cudrania tricuspidata root-gold nanoparticles (CTR-GNPs) using glioblastoma cells. We demonstrated the rapid synthesis of CTR-GNPs using UV-vis spectra. The surface morphology, crystallinity, reduction, capsulation, and stabilization of CTR-GNPs were analyzed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Furthermore, CTR-GNPs displayed excellent photocatalytic activity as shown by the photo-degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B. Cell migration and invasion assays with human glioblastoma cells were performed to investigate the anti-invasive effect of CTR-GNPs on U87 cells that were treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The results show that CTR-GNPs can significantly inhibit both basal and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced migration and invasion ability. Importantly, treatment with CTR-GNPs significantly decreased the levels of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/-9 and phospholipase D1 (PLD1) and protein but not PLD2, which is involved in the modulation of migration and the invasion of glioblastoma cells. These results present a novel mechanism showing that CTR-GNPs can attenuate the migration and invasion of glioblastoma cells induced by PMA through transcriptional and translational regulation of MMP-2/-9 and PLD1. Taken together, our results suggest that CTR-GNPs might be an excellent therapeutic alternative for wide range of glioblastomas.