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Lin CH, Yang XR, Lin MW, Chang HJ, Lee CH, Lin CS. Engineering a NanoBiT biosensor for detecting angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE2) interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and screening the inhibitors to block hACE2 and spike interaction. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 263:116630. [PMID: 39102773 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116630] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is facilitated by its trimeric surface spike protein, which binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. This critical interaction facilitates viral entry and is a primary target for therapeutic intervention against COVID-19. However, it is difficult to fully optimize viral infection using existing protein-protein interaction methods. Herein, we introduce a nano-luciferase binary technology (NanoBiT)-based pseudoviral sensor designed to stimulate the dynamics of viral infection in both living cells and animals. Infection progression can be dynamically visualized via a rapid increase in luminescence within 3 h using an in vivo imaging system (IVIS). Inhibition of viral infection by baicalein and baicalin was evaluated using a NanoBiT-based pseudoviral sensor. These results indicate that the inhibitory efficacy of baicalein was strengthened by targeting the spike protein, whereas baicalin targeted the hACE2 protein. Additionally, under optimized conditions, baicalein and baicalin provided a synergistic combination to inhibit pseudoviral infection. Live bioluminescence imaging was used to evaluate the in vivo effects of baicalein and baicalin treatment on LgBiT-hACE2 mice infected with the BA.2-SmBiT spike pseudovirus. This innovative bioluminescent system functions as a sensitive and early-stage quantitative viral transduction in vitro and in vivo. This platform provides novel opportunities for studying the molecular biology of animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Xin-Rui Yang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Wei Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ju Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsiung Lee
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Sheng Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan; Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDS(2)B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
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Li Q, Zhou X, Wang W, Xu Q, Wang Q, Li J. Structural basis of rosmarinic acid inhibitory mechanism on SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 724:150230. [PMID: 38865813 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150230] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is characterized by high mutation rates and significant infectivity, posing ongoing challenges for therapeutic intervention. To address potential challenges in the future, the continued development of effective drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 remains an important task for the scientific as well as the pharmaceutical community. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an ideal therapeutic target for COVID-19 drug development, leading to the introduction of various inhibitors, both covalent and non-covalent, each characterized by unique mechanisms of action and possessing inherent strengths and limitations. Natural products, being compounds naturally present in the environment, offer advantages such as low toxicity and diverse activities, presenting a viable source for antiviral drug development. Here, we identified a natural compound, rosmarinic acid, which exhibits significant inhibitory effects on the Mpro of the SARS-CoV-2. Through detailed structural biology analysis, we elucidated the precise crystal structure of the complex formed between rosmarinic acid and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, revealing the molecular basis of its inhibitory mechanism. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the antiviral action of rosmarinic acid, but also provide valuable structural information and mechanistic insights for the further development of therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuelan Zhou
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qisheng Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China; Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China.
| | - Jian Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
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Zhu S, Cui M, Zhao Q. Characterization of the 2ODD genes of DOXC subfamily and its members involved in flavonoids biosynthesis in Scutellaria baicalensis. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:804. [PMID: 39183318 PMCID: PMC11346219 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (2ODD) superfamily is the second largest enzyme family in the plant genome and plays diverse roles in secondary metabolic pathways. The medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi contains various flavonoids, which have the potential to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), such as baicalein and myricetin. Flavone synthase I (FNSI) and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) from the 2ODDs of DOXC subfamily have been reported to participate in flavonoids biosynthesis. It is certainly interesting to study the 2ODD members involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids in S. baicalensis. RESULTS We provided a genome-wide analysis of the 2ODDs of DOXC subfamily in S. baicalensis, a total of 88 2ODD genes were identified, 82 of which were grouped into 25 distinct clades based on phylogenetic analysis of At2ODDs. We then performed a functional analysis of Sb2ODDs involved in the biosynthesis of flavones and dihydroflavonols. Sb2ODD1 and Sb2ODD2 from DOXC38 clade exhibit the activity of FNSI (Flavone synthase I), which exclusively converts pinocembrin to chrysin. Sb2ODD1 has significantly higher transcription levels in the root. While Sb2ODD7 from DOXC28 clade exhibits high expression in flowers, it encodes a F3H (flavanone 3-hydroxylase). This enzyme is responsible for catalyzing the conversion of both naringenin and pinocembrin into dihydrokaempferol and pinobanksin, kinetic analysis showed that Sb2ODD7 exhibited high catalytic efficiency towards naringenin. CONCLUSIONS Our experiment suggests that Sb2ODD1 may serve as a supplementary factor to SbFNSII-2 and play a role in flavone biosynthesis specifically in the roots of S. baicalensis. Sb2ODD7 is mainly responsible for dihydrokaempferol biosynthesis in flowers, which can be further directed into the metabolic pathways of flavonols and anthocyanins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanming Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences Chenshan Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Mengying Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences Chenshan Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China.
| | - Qing Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences Chenshan Science Research Center, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Anton DB, de Lima JC, Dahmer BR, Camini AM, Goettert MI, Timmers LFSM. Taming the storm: potential anti-inflammatory compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2 MPro. Inflammopharmacology 2024:10.1007/s10787-024-01525-9. [PMID: 39048773 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-024-01525-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
In severe COVID-19 cases, an exacerbated inflammatory response triggers a cytokine storm that can worsen the prognosis. Compounds with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities show promise as candidates for COVID-19 therapy, as they potentially act against the SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of the disease stage. One of the most attractive drug targets among coronaviruses is the main protease (MPro). This enzyme is crucial for cleaving polyproteins into non-structural proteins required for viral replication. The aim of this review was to identify SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitors with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. The interactions of the compounds within the SARS-CoV-2 MPro binding site were analyzed through molecular docking when data from crystallographic structures were unavailable. 18 compounds were selected and classified into five different superclasses. Five of them exhibit high potency against MPro: GC-376, baicalein, naringenin, heparin, and carmofur, with IC50 values below 0.2 μM. The MPro inhibitors selected have the potential to alleviate lung edema and decrease cytokine release. These molecules mainly target three critical inflammatory pathways: NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and MAPK, all previously associated with COVID-19 pathogenesis. The structures of the compounds occupy the S1/S2 substrate binding subsite of the MPro. They interact with residues from the catalytic dyad (His41 and Cys145) and/or with the oxyanion hole (Gly143, Ser144, and Cys145), which are pivotal for substrate recognition. The MPro SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors with potential anti-inflammatory activities present here could be optimized for maximum efficacy and safety and be explored as potential treatment of both mild and severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Bublitz Anton
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil
| | - Jeferson Camargo de Lima
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil
| | - Bruno Rampanelli Dahmer
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil
| | - Ana Micaela Camini
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil
| | - Marcia Inês Goettert
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Luis Fernando Saraiva Macedo Timmers
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil.
- Medical Science Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (Univates), Lajeado, CEP 95914-014, Brazil.
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Nazir F, John Kombe Kombe A, Khalid Z, Bibi S, Zhang H, Wu S, Jin T. SARS-CoV-2 replication and drug discovery. Mol Cell Probes 2024; 77:101973. [PMID: 39025272 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2024.101973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed millions of people and continues to wreak havoc across the globe. This sudden and deadly pandemic emphasizes the necessity for anti-viral drug development that can be rapidly administered to reduce morbidity, mortality, and virus propagation. Thus, lacking efficient anti-COVID-19 treatment, and especially given the lengthy drug development process as well as the critical death tool that has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 since its outbreak, drug repurposing (or repositioning) constitutes so far, the ideal and ready-to-go best approach in mitigating viral spread, containing the infection, and reducing the COVID-19-associated death rate. Indeed, based on the molecular similarity approach of SARS-CoV-2 with previous coronaviruses (CoVs), repurposed drugs have been reported to hamper SARS-CoV-2 replication. Therefore, understanding the inhibition mechanisms of viral replication by repurposed anti-viral drugs and chemicals known to block CoV and SARS-CoV-2 multiplication is crucial, and it opens the way for particular treatment options and COVID-19 therapeutics. In this review, we highlighted molecular basics underlying drug-repurposing strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Notably, we discussed inhibition mechanisms of viral replication, involving and including inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 proteases (3C-like protease, 3CLpro or Papain-like protease, PLpro) by protease inhibitors such as Carmofur, Ebselen, and GRL017, polymerases (RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase, RdRp) by drugs like Suramin, Remdesivir, or Favipiravir, and proteins/peptides inhibiting virus-cell fusion and host cell replication pathways, such as Disulfiram, GC376, and Molnupiravir. When applicable, comparisons with SARS-CoV inhibitors approved for clinical use were made to provide further insights to understand molecular basics in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication and draw conclusions for future drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Nazir
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Arnaud John Kombe Kombe
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Zunera Khalid
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Shaheen Bibi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Hongliang Zhang
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Songquan Wu
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China.
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China; Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China; Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China; Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
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6
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Amtaghri S, Slaoui M, Eddouks M. Phytomedical compounds as promising therapeutic agents for COVID-19 targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2: a review. J Pharm Pharmacol 2024:rgae101. [PMID: 39018169 DOI: 10.1093/jpp/rgae101] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of the present review was to highlight natural product investigations in silico and in vitro to find plants and chemicals that inhibit or stimulate angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). BACKGROUND The global reduction of incidents and fatalities attributable to infections with SARS-CoV-2 is one of the most public health problems. In the absence of specific therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), phytocompounds generated from plant extracts may be a promising strategy worth further investigation, motivating researchers to evaluate the safety and anti-SARS-CoV-2 effectiveness of these ingredients. OBJECTIVE To review phytochemicals in silico for anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and to assess their safety and effectiveness in vitro and in vivo. METHODS The present review was conducted using various scientific databases and studies on anti-SARS-CoV-2 phytochemicals were analyzed and summarized. The results obtained from the in silico screening were subjected to extraction, isolation, and purification. The in vitro studies on anti-SarcoV-2 were also included in this review. In addition, the results of this research were interpreted, analyzed, and documented on the basis of the bibliographic information obtained. RESULTS This review discusses recent research on using natural remedies to cure or prevent COVID-19 infection. The literature analysis shows that the various herbal preparations (extracts) and purified compounds can block the replication or entrance of the virus directly to carry out their anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects. It is interesting to note that certain items can prevent SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells by blocking the ACE-2 receptor or the serine protease TMPRRS2. Moreover, natural substances have been demonstrated to block proteins involved in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, such as papain- or chymotrypsin-like proteases. CONCLUSION The natural products may have the potential for use singly or in combination as alternative drugs to treat/prevent COVID-19 infection, including blocking or stimulating ACE-2. In addition, their structures may provide indications for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smail Amtaghri
- Team of Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, BP 509, Boutalamine, Errachidia 52000, Morocco
- Energy, Materials and Sustainable Development (EMDD) Team-Higher School of Technology-SALE, Center for Water, Natural Resources Environment and Sustainable Development (CERNE2D), Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Miloudia Slaoui
- Energy, Materials and Sustainable Development (EMDD) Team-Higher School of Technology-SALE, Center for Water, Natural Resources Environment and Sustainable Development (CERNE2D), Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Eddouks
- Team of Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, BP 509, Boutalamine, Errachidia 52000, Morocco
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7
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Zhang Y, Tian Y, Yan A. A SAR and QSAR study on 3CLpro inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 using machine learning methods. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 35:531-563. [PMID: 39077983 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2024.2375513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
The 3C-like Proteinase (3CLpro) of novel coronaviruses is intricately linked to viral replication, making it a crucial target for antiviral agents. In this study, we employed two fingerprint descriptors (ECFP_4 and MACCS) to comprehensively characterize 889 compounds in our dataset. We constructed 24 classification models using machine learning algorithms, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Deep Neural Networks (DNN). Among these models, the DNN- and ECFP_4-based Model 1D_2 achieved the most promising results, with a remarkable Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) value of 0.796 in the 5-fold cross-validation and 0.722 on the test set. The application domains of the models were analysed using dSTD-PRO calculations. The collected 889 compounds were clustered by K-means algorithm, and the relationships between structural fragments and inhibitory activities of the highly active compounds were analysed for the 10 obtained subsets. In addition, based on 464 3CLpro inhibitors, 27 QSAR models were constructed using three machine learning algorithms with a minimum root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.509 on the test set. The applicability domains of the models and the structure-activity relationships responded from the descriptors were also analysed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Y Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - A Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
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Altomare A, Baron G, Cambiaghi G, Ferrario G, Zoanni B, Della Vedova L, Fumagalli GM, D’Alessandro S, Parapini S, Vittorio S, Vistoli G, Riso P, Carini M, Delbue S, Aldini G. Screening of M pro Protease (SARS-CoV-2) Covalent Inhibitors from an Anthocyanin-Rich Blueberry Extract Using an HRMS-Based Analytical Platform. Molecules 2024; 29:2702. [PMID: 38893578 PMCID: PMC11173886 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The viral main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 has been recently proposed as a key target to inhibit virus replication in the host. Therefore, molecules that can bind the catalytic site of Mpro could be considered as potential drug candidates in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Here we proposed the application of a state-of-the-art analytical platform which combines metabolomics and protein structure analysis to fish-out potential active compounds deriving from a natural matrix, i.e., a blueberry extract. METHODS The experiments focus on finding MS covalent inhibitors of Mpro that contain in their structure a catechol/pyrogallol moiety capable of binding to the nucleophilic amino acids of the enzyme's catalytic site. RESULTS Among the potential candidates identified, the delphinidin-3-glucoside showed the most promising results. Its antiviral activity has been confirmed in vitro on Vero E6 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2, showing a dose-dependent inhibitory effect almost comparable to the known Mpro inhibitor baicalin. The interaction of delphinidin-3-glucoside with the Mpro pocket observed was also evaluated by computational studies. CONCLUSIONS The HRMS analytical platform described proved to be effective in identifying compounds that covalently bind Mpro and are active in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication, such as delphinidin-3-glucoside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Altomare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giovanna Baron
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giulia Cambiaghi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giulio Ferrario
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Beatrice Zoanni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Larissa Della Vedova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | | | - Sarah D’Alessandro
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Carlo Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Silvia Parapini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Carlo Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Serena Vittorio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giulio Vistoli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Patrizia Riso
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Marina Carini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Serena Delbue
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Carlo Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giancarlo Aldini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.B.); (G.C.); (G.F.); (B.Z.); (L.D.V.); (S.V.); (G.V.); (M.C.); (G.A.)
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9
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Mattioli LB, Frosini M, Corazza I, Fiorino S, Zippi M, Micucci M, Budriesi R. Long COVID-19 gastrointestinal related disorders and traditional Chinese medicine: A network target-based approach. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2323-2346. [PMID: 38421118 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8163] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The significant number of individuals impacted by the pandemic makes prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 a matter of considerable concern. These are numerous and affect multiple organ systems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), prolonged gastrointestinal issues are a crucial part of post-COVID-19 syndrome. The resulting disruption of homeostasis underscores the need for a therapeutic approach based on compounds that can simultaneously affect more than one target/node. The present review aimed to check for nutraceuticals possessing multiple molecular mechanisms helpful in relieving Long COVID-19-specific gastrointestinal symptoms. Specific plants used in Keywords Chinese Medicine (TCM) expected to be included in the WHO Global Medical Compendium were selected based on the following criteria: (1) they are widely used in the Western world as natural remedies and complementary medicine adjuvants; (2) their import and trade are regulated by specific laws that ensure quality and safety (3) have the potential to be beneficial in alleviating intestinal issues associated with Long COVID-19. Searches were performed in PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and ResearchGate up to 2023. Cinnamomum cassia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Magnolia officinalis, Poria cocos, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Zingiber officinalis were identified as the most promising for their potential impact on inflammation and oxidative stress. Based on the molecular mechanisms of the phytocomplexes and isolated compounds of the considered plants, their clinical use may lead to benefits in gastrointestinal diseases associated with Long COVID-19, thanks to a multiorgan and multitarget approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Beatrice Mattioli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry and Nutraceutical Lab, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Frosini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ivan Corazza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sirio Fiorino
- Internal Medicine Unit, Azienda USL, Budrio Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maddalena Zippi
- Unit of Gastroenterology & Digestive Endoscopy, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Micucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, Italy
| | - Roberta Budriesi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry and Nutraceutical Lab, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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10
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Lin CH, Chang HJ, Lin MW, Yang XR, Lee CH, Lin CS. Inhibitory Efficacy of Main Components of Scutellaria baicalensis on the Interaction between Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 and Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2935. [PMID: 38474182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Blocking the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2) protein serves as a therapeutic strategy for treating COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments containing bioactive products could alleviate the symptoms of severe COVID-19. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has complicated the process of developing broad-spectrum drugs. As such, the aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of TCM treatments against SARS-CoV-2 variants through targeting the interaction of the viral spike protein with the hACE2 receptor. Antiviral activity was systematically evaluated using a pseudovirus system. Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) was found to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it mediated the interaction between the viral spike protein and the hACE2 protein. Moreover, the active molecules of S. baicalensis were identified and analyzed. Baicalein and baicalin, a flavone and a flavone glycoside found in S. baicalensis, respectively, exhibited strong inhibitory activities targeting the viral spike protein and the hACE2 protein, respectively. Under optimized conditions, virus infection was inhibited by 98% via baicalein-treated pseudovirus and baicalin-treated hACE2. In summary, we identified the potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors from S. baicalensis that mediate the interaction between the Omicron spike protein and the hACE2 receptor. Future studies on the therapeutic application of baicalein and baicalin against SARS-CoV-2 variants are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ju Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Wei Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Xin-Rui Yang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsiung Lee
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Sheng Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
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11
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Yang X, Zheng S, Wang X, Wang J, Ali Shah SB, Wang Y, Gao R, Xu Z. Advances in pharmacology, biosynthesis, and metabolic engineering of Scutellaria-specialized metabolites. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024; 44:302-318. [PMID: 36581326 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2149386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Scutellaria Linn., which belongs to the family Lamiaceae, is a commonly used medicinal plant for heat clearing and detoxification. In particular, the roots of S. baicalensis and the entire herb of S. barbata have been widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. The main active components of Scutellaria, including: baicalein, wogonin, norwogonin, scutellarein, and their glycosides have potential or existing drug usage. However, the wild resources of Scutellaria plants have been overexploited, and degenerated germplasm resources cannot fulfill the requirements of chemical extraction and clinical usage. Metabolic engineering and green production via microorganisms provide alternative strategies for greater efficiency in the production of natural products. Here, we review the progress of: pharmacological investigations, multi-omics, biosynthetic pathways, and metabolic engineering of various Scutellaria species and their active compounds. In addition, based on multi-omics data, we systematically analyze the phylogenetic relationships of Scutellaria and predict candidate transcription factors related to the regulation of active flavonoids. Finally, we propose the prospects of directed evolution of core enzymes and genome-assisted breeding to alleviate the shortage of plant resources of Scutellaria. This review provides important insights into the sustainable utilization and development of Scutellaria resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Yang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Sihao Zheng
- China National Traditional Chinese Medicine Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Syed Basit Ali Shah
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ranran Gao
- The Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration (Northeast Forestry University), Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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12
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Liu L, Kapralov M, Ashton M. Plant-derived compounds as potential leads for new drug development targeting COVID-19. Phytother Res 2024; 38:1522-1554. [PMID: 38281731 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19, which was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, is a respiratory illness caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although some patients infected with COVID-19 can remain asymptomatic, most experience a range of symptoms that can be mild to severe. Common symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of taste or smell and muscle aches. In severe cases, complications can arise including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure and even death, particularly in older adults or individuals with underlying health conditions. Treatments for COVID-19 include remdesivir, which has been authorised for emergency use in some countries, and dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation in severe cases. Biological drugs including monoclonal antibodies, such as casirivimab and imdevimab, have also been authorised for emergency use in certain situations. While these treatments have improved the outcome for many patients, there is still an urgent need for new treatments. Medicinal plants have long served as a valuable source of new drug leads and may serve as a valuable resource in the development of COVID-19 treatments due to their broad-spectrum antiviral activity. To date, various medicinal plant extracts have been studied for their cellular and molecular interactions, with some demonstrating anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vitro. This review explores the evaluation and potential therapeutic applications of these plants against SARS-CoV-2. This review summarises the latest evidence on the activity of different plant extracts and their isolated bioactive compounds against SARS-CoV-2, with a focus on the application of plant-derived compounds in animal models and in human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingxiu Liu
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Maxim Kapralov
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Mark Ashton
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
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13
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Alipour Z, Zarezadeh S, Ghotbi-Ravandi AA. The Potential of Anti-coronavirus Plant Secondary Metabolites in COVID-19 Drug Discovery as an Alternative to Repurposed Drugs: A Review. PLANTA MEDICA 2024; 90:172-203. [PMID: 37956978 DOI: 10.1055/a-2209-6357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
In early 2020, a global pandemic was announced due to the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), known to cause COVID-19. Despite worldwide efforts, there are only limited options regarding antiviral drug treatments for COVID-19. Although vaccines are now available, issues such as declining efficacy against different SARS-CoV-2 variants and the aging of vaccine-induced immunity highlight the importance of finding more antiviral drugs as a second line of defense against the disease. Drug repurposing has been used to rapidly find COVID-19 therapeutic options. Due to the lack of clinical evidence for the therapeutic benefits and certain serious side effects of repurposed antivirals, the search for an antiviral drug against SARS-CoV-2 with fewer side effects continues. In recent years, numerous studies have included antiviral chemicals from a variety of plant species. A better knowledge of the possible antiviral natural products and their mechanism against SARS-CoV-2 will help to develop stronger and more targeted direct-acting antiviral agents. The aim of the present study was to compile the current data on potential plant metabolites that can be investigated in COVID-19 drug discovery and development. This review represents a collection of plant secondary metabolites and their mode of action against SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Alipour
- Department of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Zarezadeh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Ghotbi-Ravandi
- Department of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Hao Z, Liu Y, Guan W, Pan J, Li M, Wu J, Liu Y, Kuang H, Yang B. Syringa reticulata potently inhibits the activity of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 37:101626. [PMID: 38371528 PMCID: PMC10873874 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101626] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) still urgently requires effective treatments. The 3C-like (3CL) protease of SARS-CoV-2 is a highly conserved cysteine protease that plays an important role in the viral life cycle and host inflammation, providing an ideal target for developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. Herein, we describe the discovery of a large number of herbs mainly produced in Heilongjiang Province, China, that exhibited different inhibitory activities against SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease. We confirmed that Syringa reticulata, which is used for clinical treatment of chronic bronchitis and asthma, is a specific and potent inhibitor of 3CL protease. A 70 % ethanol extract of S. reticulata dose-dependently inhibited the cleavage activity of 3CL protease in a fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay with an IC50 value of 0.0018 mg/mL, but had minimal effect in pseudovirus-based cell entry and luciferase-based RNA-dependent RNA polymerase assays. These results suggest that S. reticulata will be a potential leading candidate for COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Hao
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Wei Guan
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Juan Pan
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - MengMeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Jiatong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Haixue Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
| | - Bingyou Yang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 24 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin, 150040, PR China
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15
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Zhang R, Yan H, Zhou J, Yan G, Liu X, Shang C, Chen Y. Improved fluorescence-based assay for rapid screening and evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29498. [PMID: 38436148 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global threat to human health. In parallel with vaccines, efficacious antivirals are urgently needed. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is an attractive drug target for antiviral development owing to its key roles in virus replication and host immune evasion. Due to the limitations of currently available methods, the development of novel high-throughput screening assays is of the highest importance for the discovery of Mpro inhibitors. In this study, we first developed an improved fluorescence-based assay for rapid screening of Mpro inhibitors from an anti-infection compound library using a versatile dimerization-dependent red fluorescent protein (ddRFP) biosensor. Utilizing this assay, we identified MG-101 as a competitive Mpro inhibitor in vitro. Moreover, our results revealed that ensitrelvir is a potent Mpro inhibitor, but baicalein, chloroquine, ebselen, echinatin, and silibinin are not. Therefore, this robust ddRFP assay provides a faithful avenue for rapid screening and evaluation of Mpro inhibitors to fight against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Haohao Yan
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Jiahao Zhou
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Gangan Yan
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Chao Shang
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yunyu Chen
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
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16
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Yan H, Zhang R, Yan G, Liu X, Li N, Chen Y. Validation of baicalein and oridonin as nonspecific SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. Phytother Res 2024; 38:1161-1164. [PMID: 37042347 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Haohao Yan
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Gangan Yan
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Ni Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yunyu Chen
- Institute for Drug Screening and Evaluation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, China
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17
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Wu JW, Zhao ZY, Hu RC, Huang YF. Genome-wide identification, stress- and hormone-responsive expression characteristics, and regulatory pattern analysis of Scutellaria baicalensis SbSPLs. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 114:20. [PMID: 38363403 PMCID: PMC10873456 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-023-01410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKEs (SPLs) encode plant-specific transcription factors that regulate plant growth and development, stress response, and metabolite accumulation. However, there is limited information on Scutellaria baicalensis SPLs. In this study, 14 SbSPLs were identified and divided into 8 groups based on phylogenetic relationships. SbSPLs in the same group had similar structures. Abscisic acid-responsive (ABRE) and MYB binding site (MBS) cis-acting elements were found in the promoters of 8 and 6 SbSPLs. Segmental duplications and transposable duplications were the main causes of SbSPL expansion. Expression analysis based on transcriptional profiling showed that SbSPL1, SbSPL10, and SbSPL13 were highly expressed in roots, stems, and flowers, respectively. Expression analysis based on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR) showed that most SbSPLs responded to low temperature, drought, abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA), among which the expression levels of SbSPL7/9/10/12 were significantly upregulated in response to abiotic stress. These results indicate that SbSPLs are involved in the growth, development and stress response of S. baicalensis. In addition, 8 Sba-miR156/157 s were identified, and SbSPL1-5 was a potential target of Sba-miR156/157 s. The results of target gene prediction and coexpression analysis together indicated that SbSPLs may be involved in the regulation of L-phenylalanine (L-Phe), lignin and jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis. In summary, the identification and characterization of the SbSPL gene family lays the foundation for functional research and provides a reference for improved breeding of S. baicalensis stress resistance and quality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Wen Wu
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150000, China
| | - Zi-Yi Zhao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Quality Standards, Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, Nanning, 530022, China
| | - Ren-Chuan Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Quality Standards, Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, Nanning, 530022, China
| | - Yun-Feng Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Quality Standards, Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, Nanning, 530022, China.
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18
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Khamto N, Utama K, Boontawee P, Janthong A, Tatieng S, Arthan S, Choommongkol V, Sangthong P, Yenjai C, Suree N, Meepowpan P. Inhibitory Activity of Flavonoid Scaffolds on SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro: Insights from the Computational and Experimental Investigations. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:874-891. [PMID: 38277124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of the COVID-19 situation has become a global issue due to the lack of effective antiviral drugs for treatment. Flavonoids are a class of plant secondary metabolites that have antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 through inhibition of the main protease (3CLpro). In this study, 22 flavonoids obtained from natural sources and semisynthetic approaches were investigated for their inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, along with cytotoxicity on Vero cells. The protein-ligand interactions were examined using molecular dynamics simulation. Moreover, QSAR analysis was conducted to clarify the structural effects on bioactivity. Accordingly, the in vitro investigation demonstrated that four flavonoids, namely, tectochrysin (7), 6″,6″-dimethylchromeno-[2″,3″:7,8]-flavone (9), panduratin A (19), and genistein (20), showed higher protease inhibitory activity compared to the standard flavonoid baicalein. Finally, our finding suggests that genistein (20), an isoflavone discovered in Millettia brandisiana, has potential for further development as a SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nopawit Khamto
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary School, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Kraikrit Utama
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Panida Boontawee
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary School, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Atchara Janthong
- Program in Biotechnology, Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary School, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Suriya Tatieng
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Supakorn Arthan
- Program of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, Sakon Nakhon47000, Thailand
| | - Vachira Choommongkol
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, 63 Nong Han, Chiang Mai 50290, Thailand
| | - Padchanee Sangthong
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Chavi Yenjai
- Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, 123, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Nuttee Suree
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Puttinan Meepowpan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
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19
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Gao B, Zhu H, Liu Z, He X, Sun J, Li Y, Wu X, Pehrsson P, Zhang Y, Yu L. Chemical Compositions of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. (Huangqin) Extracts and Their Effects on ACE2 Binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein, ACE2 Activity, and Free Radicals. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2045. [PMID: 38396723 PMCID: PMC10888547 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The water and ethanol extracts of huangqin, the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. with potential antiviral properties and antioxidant activities, were investigated for their chemical profiles and their abilities to interfere with the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, inhibiting ACE2 activity and scavenging free radicals. A total of 76 compounds were tentatively identified from the extracts. The water extract showed a greater inhibition on the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, but less inhibition on ACE2 activity than that of the ethanol extract on a per botanical weight concentration basis. The total phenolic content was 65.27 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry botanical and the scavenging capacities against HO●, DPPH●, and ABTS●+ were 1369.39, 334.37, and 533.66 µmol trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry botanical for the water extract, respectively. These values were greater than those of the ethanol extract, with a TPC of 20.34 mg GAE/g, and 217.17, 10.93, and 50.21 µmol TE/g against HO●, DPPH●, and ABTS●+, respectively. The results suggested the potential use of huangqin as a functional food ingredient in preventing COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Gao
- Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; (B.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Hanshu Zhu
- Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; (B.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA (P.P.)
| | - Xiaohua He
- Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Jianghao Sun
- Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA (P.P.)
| | - Yanfang Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xianli Wu
- Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA (P.P.)
| | - Pamela Pehrsson
- Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA (P.P.)
| | - Yaqiong Zhang
- Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; (B.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Liangli Yu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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20
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Tasneem A, Sultan A, Singh P, Bairagya HR, Almasoudi HH, Alhazmi AYM, Binshaya AS, Hakami MA, Alotaibi BS, Abdulaziz Eisa A, Alolaiqy ASI, Hasan MR, Dev K, Dohare R. Identification of potential therapeutic targets for COVID-19 through a structural-based similarity approach between SARS-CoV-2 and its human host proteins. Front Genet 2024; 15:1292280. [PMID: 38370514 PMCID: PMC10869566 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1292280] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to millions of deaths worldwide, and vaccination efficacy has been decreasing with each lineage, necessitating the need for alternative antiviral therapies. Predicting host-virus protein-protein interactions (HV-PPIs) is essential for identifying potential host-targeting drug targets against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Objective: This study aims to identify therapeutic target proteins in humans that could act as virus-host-targeting drug targets against SARS-CoV-2 and study their interaction against antiviral inhibitors. Methods: A structure-based similarity approach was used to predict human proteins similar to SARS-CoV-2 ("hCoV-2"), followed by identifying PPIs between hCoV-2 and its target human proteins. Overlapping genes were identified between the protein-coding genes of the target and COVID-19-infected patient's mRNA expression data. Pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) term analyses, the construction of PPI networks, and the detection of hub gene modules were performed. Structure-based virtual screening with antiviral compounds was performed to identify potential hits against target gene-encoded protein. Results: This study predicted 19,051 unique target human proteins that interact with hCoV-2, and compared to the microarray dataset, 1,120 target and infected group differentially expressed genes (TIG-DEGs) were identified. The significant pathway and GO enrichment analyses revealed the involvement of these genes in several biological processes and molecular functions. PPI network analysis identified a significant hub gene with maximum neighboring partners. Virtual screening analysis identified three potential antiviral compounds against the target gene-encoded protein. Conclusion: This study provides potential targets for host-targeting drug development against SARS-CoV-2 infection, and further experimental validation of the target protein is required for pharmaceutical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvea Tasneem
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Armiya Sultan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Prithvi Singh
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Hridoy R. Bairagya
- Department of Bioinformatics, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Haringhata, West Bengal, India
| | - Hassan Hussain Almasoudi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdulkarim S. Binshaya
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ageeli Hakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader S. Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Abdulaziz Eisa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammad Raghibul Hasan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kapil Dev
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Ravins Dohare
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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21
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Wasilewicz A, Bojkova D, Beniddir MA, Cinatl J, Rabenau HF, Grienke U, Rollinger JM, Kirchweger B. Molecular networking unveils anti-SARS-CoV-2 constituents from traditionally used remedies. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117206. [PMID: 37783406 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Plants and fungi have a long tradition in ethnopharmacology for the treatment of infectious diseases including viruses. Many of these natural products have also been used to combat SARS-CoV-2 infections or symptoms of the post- and long-COVID form, owing to the scarcity of clinically approved therapeutics. AIM OF THE STUDY The ongoing threat posed by SARS-CoV-2, along with the rapidly evolving new variants, requires the development of new antiviral compounds. The aim of this study was to identify anti-SARS-CoV-2 herbal and fungal extracts used in traditional medicine against acute respiratory infection, inflammation, and related symptoms. Additionally, we sought to characterize their bioactive constituents. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antiviral activity and cell cytotoxicity of 179 herbal and fungal extracts were evaluated using two SARS-CoV-2 infection assays in Caco-2 cells. 19 plant extracts with and without anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity underwent detailed dereplication using molecular networking. RESULTS Extracts from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels roots, Annona squamosa L. seeds, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. fruits, Buddleja officinalis Maxim. flowers, Burkea africana Hook. bark and Clinopodium menthifolium (Host) Stace aerial parts showed a potent anti SARS-CoV-2 activity (IC50 < 5 μg/ml) with only moderate cytotoxicity (CC50 > 60 μg/ml, Caco-2). By performing the dereplication with a bioactivity-featured molecular network (MN) on the extract library level, rather than on the level of individual extracts, we could pinpoint compounds characteristic for active extracts. Thus, a straight-forward identification of potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 natural compounds was achieved prior to any fractionation or isolation efforts. CONCLUSIONS A sophisticated hyphenation of empirical knowledge with MS-based bioinformatics and automated compound annotation was applied to decipher the chemical space of the investigated extracts. The correlation with experimentally assessed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities helped in predicting compound classes and structural elements relevant for the antiviral activities. Consequently, this accelerated the identification of constituents from the investigated mixtures with inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Wasilewicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, and Sport Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Denisa Bojkova
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Mehdi A Beniddir
- Équipe Chimie des Substances Naturelles, BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 17 Avenue des Sciences, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | - Jindrich Cinatl
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Holger F Rabenau
- Institute of Medical Virology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Straβe 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Ulrike Grienke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Judith M Rollinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Benjamin Kirchweger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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22
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Sabry K, Jamshidi Z, Emami SA, Sahebka A. Potential therapeutic effects of baicalin and baicalein. AVICENNA JOURNAL OF PHYTOMEDICINE 2024; 14:23-49. [PMID: 38948180 PMCID: PMC11210699 DOI: 10.22038/ajp.2023.22307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Objective Baicalin and baicalein are natural flavonoids reported for the first time from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Recently, attention has been paid to these valuable flavonoids due to their promising effects. This paper aims to have a comprehensive review of their pharmacological effects. Materials and Methods An extensive search through scientific databases including Scopus, PubMed, and ISI Web of Science was established. Results According to literature, these compounds have been mainly effective in the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, hepatic and cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndrome, and cancers through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways. Induction of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of migration and metastasis are the main mechanisms for their cytotoxic and antitumor activities. Decreasing inflammation, reducing oxidative stress, regulating the metabolism of lipids, and decreasing fibrosis, apoptosis, and steatosis are their main hepatoprotective mechanisms. Inhibiting the development of cardiac fibrosis and reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are also the mechanisms suggested for cardioprotective activities. Decreasing the accumulation of inflammatory mediators and improving cognitive function and depressive-like behaviours are the main mechanisms for neurological and neurodegenerative activities. Conclusion The findings suggest the therapeutic potential of baicalin and baicalein. However, complementary research in different in vitro and in vivo models to investigate their mechanisms of action as well as clinical trials to evaluate their efficacy and safety are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamyar Sabry
- Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zahra Jamshidi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Ahmad Emami
- Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Sahebka
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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23
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Guo F, Guan R, Sun X, Zhang C, Shan C, Liu M, Cui N, Wang P, Lin H. Integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses of anthocyanin biosynthesis reveal key candidate genes involved in colour variation of Scutellaria baicalensis flowers. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:643. [PMID: 38097929 PMCID: PMC10722828 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04591-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bright flower colour assists plants attract insects to complete pollination and provides distinct ornamental values. In some medicinal plants, diverse flower colour variations usually imply differences in active ingredients. Compared to the common bluish purple of Scutellaria baicalensis flower (SB), the natural variants present rose red (SR) and white (SW) flowers were screened out under the same growing conditions in the genuine producing area Shandong Province, China. However, the mechanism of flower colour variation in S. baicalensis was remain unclear. In the present study, we conducted integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses to uncover the metabolic difference and regulation mechanism in three S. baicalensis flowers. RESULTS The results showed that 9 anthocyanins were identified. Among which, 4 delphinidin-based anthocyanins were only detected in SB, 4 cyanidin-based anthocyanins (without cyanidin-3-O-glucoside) mainly accumulated in SR, and no anthocyanin but high level of flavanone, naringenin, was detected in SW. The gene expression profile indicated that the key structural genes in the flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway differentially expressed in flowers with different colours. Compared to SB, the down-regulated expression of F3'5'H, ANS, and 3GT gene in SR might influence the anthocyanin composition. Especially the InDel site with deletion of 7 nucleotides (AATAGAG) in F3'5'H in SR might be the determinant for lack of delphinidin-based anthocyanins in rose red flowers. In SW, the lower expression levels of DFR and two F3H genes might reduce the anthocyanin accumulation. Notably the SNP site of G > A mutation in the splicing site of DFR in SW might block anthocyanin biosynthesis from flavanones and thus cause white flowers. In addition, several key transcription factors, including MYB, bHLH, and NAC, which highly correlated with structural gene expression and anthocyanin contents were also identified. CONCLUSIONS These results provide clues to uncover the molecular regulatory mechanism of flower colour variation in S. baicalensis and promote novel insights into understanding the anthocyanin biosynthesis and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengdan Guo
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China
| | - Renwei Guan
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China
| | - Xinru Sun
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China
| | - Cuicui Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China
| | - Chenggang Shan
- Institute of Industrial Crops, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, PR China
| | - Mengyu Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, PR China
| | - Ning Cui
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China
| | - Ping Wang
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China.
| | - Huibin Lin
- Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, No.7, Yanzishan West Road, Jinan, 250014, PR China.
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24
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Wang Y, Shen M, Li Y, Shao J, Zhang F, Guo M, Zhang Z, Zheng S. COVID-19-associated liver injury: Adding fuel to the flame. Cell Biochem Funct 2023; 41:1076-1092. [PMID: 37947373 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is mainly characterized by respiratory disorders and progresses to multiple organ involvement in severe cases. With expansion of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 research, correlative liver injury has been revealed. It is speculated that COVID-19 patients exhibited abnormal liver function, as previously observed in the SARS and MERS pandemics. Furthermore, patients with underlying diseases such as chronic liver disease are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and indicate a poor prognosis accompanied by respiratory symptoms, systemic inflammation, or metabolic diseases. Therefore, COVID-19 has the potential to impair liver function, while individuals with preexisting liver disease suffer from much worse infected conditions. COVID-19 related liver injury may be owing to direct cytopathic effect, immune dysfunction, gut-liver axis interaction, and inappropriate medication use. However, discussions on these issues are infancy. Expanding research have revealed that angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression mediated the combination of virus and target cells, iron metabolism participated in the virus life cycle and the fate of target cells, and amino acid metabolism regulated immune response in the host cells, which are all closely related to liver health. Further exploration holds great significance in elucidating the pathogenesis, facilitating drug development, and advancing clinical treatment of COVID-19-related liver injury. This article provides a review of the clinical and laboratory hepatic characteristics in COVID-19 patients, describes the etiology and impact of liver injury, and discusses potential pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqian Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Shen
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yujia Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mei Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zili Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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25
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Wu Y, Li K, Li M, Pu X, Guo Y. Attention Mechanism-Based Graph Neural Network Model for Effective Activity Prediction of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors: Application to Drug Repurposing as Potential COVID-19 Therapy. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7011-7031. [PMID: 37960886 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Compared to de novo drug discovery, drug repurposing provides a time-efficient way to treat coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) has been proved to be an attractive drug target due to its pivotal involvement in viral replication and transcription. Here, we present a graph neural network-based deep-learning (DL) strategy to prioritize the existing drugs for their potential therapeutic effects against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Mpro inhibitors were represented as molecular graphs ready for graph attention network (GAT) and graph isomorphism network (GIN) modeling for predicting the inhibitory activities. The result shows that the GAT model outperforms the GIN and other competitive models and yields satisfactory predictions for unseen Mpro inhibitors, confirming its robustness and generalization. The attention mechanism of GAT enables to capture the dominant substructures and thus to realize the interpretability of the model. Finally, we applied the optimal GAT model in conjunction with molecular docking simulations to screen the Drug Repurposing Hub (DRH) database. As a result, 18 drug hits with best consensus prediction scores and binding affinity values were identified as the potential therapeutics against COVID-19. Both the extensive literature searching and evaluations on adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) illustrate the premium drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties of the drug candidates. Overall, our work not only provides an effective GAT-based DL prediction tool for inhibitory activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors but also provides theoretical guidelines for drug discovery in the COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Wu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Kun Li
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Menglong Li
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yanzhi Guo
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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26
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Wilczańska A, Sparzak-Stefanowska B, Kokotkiewicz A, Jesionek A, Królicka A, Łuczkiewicz M, Krauze-Baranowska M. Biotechnological strategies for controlled accumulation of flavones in hairy root culture of Scutellaria lateriflora L. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20422. [PMID: 37990031 PMCID: PMC10663461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47757-7] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of medicinally important flavones and acteoside was evaluated in Scutellaria lateriflora hairy root cultures subjected to different experimental strategies - feeding with precursors of phenolics biosynthesis (phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, and sodium cinnamate), addition of elicitors (chitosan, jasmonic acid) and Amberlite XAD-4 and XAD-7 resins and permeabilization with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methanol. The production profile of S. lateriflora cultures changed under the influence of the applied strategies. Hairy roots of S. lateriflora were found to be a rich source of wogonoside or wogonin, depending on the treatment used. The addition of sodium cinnamate (1.0 mg/L) was the most effective approach to provide high production of flavonoids, especially wogonoside (4.41% dry weight /DW/; 566.78 mg/L). Permeabilization with DMSO (2 µg/ml for 12 h) or methanol (30% for 12 h) resulted in high biosynthesis of wogonin (299.77 mg/L and 274.03 mg/L, respectively). The obtained results provide new insight into the selection of the optimal growth conditions for the production of in vitro biomass with a significant level of flavone accumulation. The data may be valuable for designing large-scale cultivation systems of hairy roots of S. lateriflora with high productivity of bioactive compounds - wogonin or wogonoside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Wilczańska
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Barbara Sparzak-Stefanowska
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Kokotkiewicz
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Jesionek
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Królicka
- Laboratory of Biologically Active Compounds, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, University of Gdańsk, A. Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Maria Łuczkiewicz
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Mirosława Krauze-Baranowska
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University of Gdańsk, Al. Gen J. Hallera 107, 80-416, Gdańsk, Poland.
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27
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Li X, Song Y. Structure and function of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 main proteases and their inhibition: A comprehensive review. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115772. [PMID: 37659195 PMCID: PMC10529944 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) identified in 2003 infected ∼8000 people in 26 countries with 800 deaths, which was soon contained and eradicated by syndromic surveillance and enhanced quarantine. A closely related coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 identified in 2019, has been dramatically more contagious and catastrophic. It has infected and caused various flu-like symptoms of billions of people in >200 countries, including >6 million people died of or with the virus. Despite the availability of several vaccines and antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2, finding new therapeutics is needed because of viral evolution and a possible emerging coronavirus in the future. The main protease (Mpro) of these coronaviruses plays important roles in their life cycle and is essential for the viral replication. This article represents a comprehensive review of the function, structure and inhibition of SARS-CoV and -CoV-2 Mpro, including structure-activity relationships, protein-inhibitor interactions and clinical trial status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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28
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Zhang FM, Huang T, Wang F, Zhang GS, Liu D, Dai J, Zhang JW, Li QH, Lin GQ, Gao D, Zhao J, Tian P. Discovery of highly potent covalent SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro inhibitors bearing 2-sulfoxyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffold for combating COVID-19. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115721. [PMID: 37598484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as a major public health crisis, posing a significant threat to human well-being. Despite the availability of vaccines, COVID-19 continues to spread owing to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants. This highlights the urgent need for the discovery of more effective drugs to combat COVID-19. As an important target for COVID-19 treatment, 3C-like protease (3CLpro) plays a crucial role in the replication of SARS-CoV-2. In our previous research, we demonstrated the potent inhibitory activities of compound A1, which contains a 2-sulfonyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffold, against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Herein, we present a detailed investigation of structural optimization of A1 and conduct a study on the structure-activity relationship. Among the various compounds tested, sulfoxide D6 demonstrates a potent irreversible inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.030 μM) against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, as well as a favorable selectivity towards host cysteine proteases such as cathepsin B and cathepsin L. Utilizing mass spectrometry-based peptide profiling, we found that D6 covalently binds to Cys145 of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Some representative compounds, namely C11, D9 and D10 also demonstrates antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells. Overall, the investigation of the 2-sulfoxyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffold as a novel cysteine reactive warhead would provide valuable insights into the design of potent covalent 3CLpro inhibitors for COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Mao Zhang
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ting Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Feng Wang
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Gui-Shan Zhang
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Donglan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Jun Dai
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, 510700, China
| | - Jian-Wei Zhang
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qing-Hua Li
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Lin
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dingding Gao
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Jincun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China.
| | - Ping Tian
- The Research Center of Chiral Drugs, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center for TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Zou Q, Chen Y, Qin H, Tang R, Han T, Guo Z, Zhao J, Xu D. The role and mechanism of TCM in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1286364. [PMID: 38033575 PMCID: PMC10682724 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1286364] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The constant presence of infectious diseases poses an everlasting threat to the entire world. In recent years, there has been an increased attention toward the application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of emerging infectious diseases, as it has played a significant role. The aim of this article is to provide a concise overview of the roles and mechanisms of TCM in treating infectious diseases. TCM possesses the ability to modulate relevant factors, impede signaling pathways, and inhibit microbial growth, thereby exhibiting potent antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects that demonstrate remarkable efficacy against viral and bacterial infections. This article concludes that the comprehensive regulatory features of Chinese herbal medicines, with their various components, targets, and pathways, result in synergistic effects. The significance of Chinese herbal medicines in the context of infectious diseases should not be underestimated; however, it is crucial to also acknowledge their underutilization. This paper presents constructive suggestions regarding the challenges and opportunities faced by Chinese medicines. Particularly, it emphasizes the effectiveness and characteristics of Chinese medicines in the treatment of infectious diseases, specifying how these medicines' active substances can be utilized to target infectious diseases. This perspective is advantageous in facilitating researchers' pharmacological studies on Chinese medicines, focusing on the specific points of action. The mechanism of action of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of infectious diseases is comprehensively elucidated in this paper, providing compelling evidence for the superior treatment of infectious diseases through Chinese medicine. This information is favorable for advancing the development of TCM and its potential applications in the field of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qifei Zou
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yitong Chen
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Huanxin Qin
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Rui Tang
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Taojian Han
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Ziyi Guo
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Delin Xu
- Department of Medical Instrumental Analysis, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
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Liu M, Wang Q, Xu W, Wu J, Xu X, Yang H, Li X. Natural products for treating cytokine storm-related diseases: Therapeutic effects and mechanisms. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115555. [PMID: 37776639 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A cytokine storm (CS) is a rapidly occurring, complex, and highly lethal systemic acute inflammatory response induced by pathogens and other factors. Currently, no clinical therapeutic drugs are available with a significant effect and minimal side effects. Given the pathogenesis of CS, natural products have become important resources for bioactive agents in the discovery of anti-CS drugs. PURPOSE This study aimed to provide guidance for preventing and treating CS-related diseases by reviewing the natural products identified to inhibit CS in recent years. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was conducted on CS and natural products, utilizing databases such as PubMed and Web of Science. The quality of the studies was evaluated and summarized for further analysis. RESULTS This study summarized more than 30 types of natural products, including 9 classes of flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids, among others. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that these natural products could effectively inhibit CS via nuclear factor kappa-B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. Moreover, the enzyme inhibition assays revealed that more than 20 chemical components had the potential to inhibit ACE2, 3CL-protease, and papain-like protease activity. The experimental results were obtained using advanced technologies such as biochips and omics. CONCLUSIONS Various natural compounds in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts could directly or indirectly inhibit CS occurrence, potentially serving as effective drugs for treating CS-related diseases. This study may guide further exploration of the therapeutic effects and biochemical mechanisms of natural products on CS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Qing Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wanai Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Jingyu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Xingyue Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Hongjun Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Xianyu Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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Song JB, Zhao LQ, Wen HP, Li YP. Herbal combinations against COVID-19: A network pharmacology, molecular docking and dynamics study. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2023; 21:593-604. [PMID: 37805293 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to identify molecules from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with potential activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants. METHODS We applied the Apriori algorithm to identify important combinations of herbs in the TCM prescriptions for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Then, we explored the active components and core targets using network pharmacology. In addition, the molecular docking approach was performed to investigate the interaction of these components with the main structural and non-structural proteins, as well as the mutants. Furthermore, their stability in the binding pockets was further evaluated with the molecular dynamics approach. RESULTS A combination of Amygdalus Communis Vas., Ephedra Herba and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi was selected as the important herbal combination, and 11 main components and 20 core targets against COVID-19 were obtained. These components, including luteolin, naringenin, stigmasterol, baicalein, and so on, were the potentially active compounds against COVID-19. The binding affinity of these compounds with the potential targets was as high as the positive controls. Among them, baicalein could interfere with multiple targets simultaneously, and it also interfered with the interaction between spike protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. Additionally, almost all the systems reached stability during dynamics simulation. CONCLUSION The combination of A. communis, Ephedra Herba and S. baicalensis was the most important herbal combination for the treatment of COVID-19. Baicalein may be a potential candidate against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Please cite this article as: Song JB, Zhao LQ, Wen HP, Li YP. Herbal combinations against COVID-19: A network pharmacology, molecular docking and dynamics study. J Integr Med. 2023;21(6):593-604.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Bo Song
- Department of Pharmacy, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital), Taiyuan 030012, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Li-Qin Zhao
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030012, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Hong-Ping Wen
- Department of Pharmacy, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital), Taiyuan 030012, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Yuan-Ping Li
- Department of Pharmacy, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital), Taiyuan 030012, Shanxi Province, China.
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Takayama S, Namiki T, Arita R, Ono R, Kikuchi A, Ohsawa M, Saito N, Suzuki S, Nakae H, Kobayashi S, Yoshino T, Ishigami T, Tanaka K, Takagi A, Yamaguchi T, Ishii T, Hisanaga A, Mitani K, Ito T. Contribution of traditional Japanese Kampo medicines, kakkonto with shosaikotokakikyosekko, in treating patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019: Further analysis of a multicenter, randomized controlled trial. J Infect Chemother 2023; 29:1054-1060. [PMID: 37507087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2023.07.013] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
We previously reported the finding of symptom relief in a randomized controlled trial with the combined use of kakkonto and shosaikotokakikyosekko added to conventional treatment in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For further evaluation, we performed post hoc analysis focused on symptom disappearance without recurrence, to determine a clearer effect of Kampo medicine. Patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 were randomly allocated to a control group receiving symptomatic therapy or a Kampo group receiving kakkonto (2.5 g) with shosaikotokakikyosekko (2.5 g) three times daily in addition to symptomatic therapy. The data of 161 patients (Kampo group, n = 81; control group, n = 80) were analyzed post hoc for the time to symptom disappearance. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard estimates of disappearance of symptoms showed that all and each symptom targeted in this study disappeared faster in the Kampo group than in the control group, although not statistically significant (all symptomatic cases; hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-29.98, log-rank p = 0.1763). In a supplemental assessment using covariate adjustment and competing risk analysis, fever disappeared faster in the Kampo group than in the control group (all symptomatic cases, HR 1.62, 95% CI 0.99-2.64, p = 0.0557; unvaccinated cases, HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.00-2.83, p = 0.0498) and shortness of breath disappeared significantly faster in Kampo group than in control group (all symptomatic cases, HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.07-3.42, p = 0.0278; unvaccinated cases, HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.17-3.96, p = 0.0141). These results demonstrate the advantages of Kampo treatment for acute COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Takayama
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
| | - Takao Namiki
- Department of Japanese-Oriental (Kampo) Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Arita
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Rie Ono
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Akiko Kikuchi
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Minoru Ohsawa
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Natsumi Saito
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Satoko Suzuki
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Hajime Nakae
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1, Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Seiichi Kobayashi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital, Nishimichishita-71, Hebita, Ishinomaki, 986-8522, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Yoshino
- Center for Kampo Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35, Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Ishigami
- Department of Cardiology, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9, Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Koichiro Tanaka
- Department of Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, 6-11-1, Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan
| | - Airi Takagi
- Clinical Research Data Center, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Takuhiro Yamaguchi
- Division of Biostatistics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ishii
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine (General and Kampo Medicine), Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | | | - Kazuo Mitani
- Medical Corporation Mitani Family Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takashi Ito
- Akashi Clinic Kanda, 3-8, Ogawacho, Kanda, Chiyodaku, Tokyo, 101-0052, Japan
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Srivastava R, Singh N, Kanda T, Yadav S, Yadav S, Choudhary P, Atri N. Promising role of Vitamin D and plant metabolites against COVID-19: Clinical trials review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21205. [PMID: 37920525 PMCID: PMC10618788 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D possesses immunomodulatory qualities and is protective against respiratory infections. Additionally, it strengthens adaptive and cellular immunity and boosts the expression of genes involved in oxidation. Experts suggested taking vitamin D supplements to avoid and treat viral infection and also COVID-19, on the other hand, since the beginning of time, the use of plants as medicines have been vital to human wellbeing. The WHO estimates that 80 % of people worldwide use plants or herbs for therapeutic purposes. Secondary metabolites from medicinal plants are thought to be useful in lowering infections from pathogenic microorganisms due to their ability to inhibit viral protein and enzyme activity by binding with them. As a result, this manuscript seeks to describe the role of vitamin D and probable plant metabolites that have antiviral activities and may be complementary to the alternative strategy against COVID-19 in a single manuscript through reviewing various case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nidhi Singh
- Department of Botany, M.M.V., Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Tripti Kanda
- Department of Botany, M.M.V., Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Sadhana Yadav
- Department of Botany, M.M.V., Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Shivam Yadav
- Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | | | - Neelam Atri
- Department of Botany, M.M.V., Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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Farias SADS, Rocha KML, Nascimento ÉCM, de Jesus RDCC, Neres PR, Martins JBL. Docking and Electronic Structure of Rutin, Myricetin, and Baicalein Targeting 3CLpro. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15113. [PMID: 37894797 PMCID: PMC10606270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015113] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the role of 3CLpro protease for SARS-CoV-2 replication and knowing the potential of flavonoid molecules like rutin, myricetin, and baicalein against 3CLpro justify an investigation into their inhibition. This study investigates possible bonds and reactivity descriptors of rutin, myricetin, and baicalein through conformational and electronic properties. Density functional theory was used to determine possible interactions. Analyses were carried out through the molecular electrostatic potential, electron localization function, Fukui function descriptors based on frontier orbitals, and non-covalent interactions. A docking study was performed using a resolution of 1.55 Å for 3CLpro to analyze the interactions of rutin, myricetin, and baicalein. Scores of structures showed that rutin is the best ligand, followed by myricetin and baicalein. Docking studies showed that baicalein and rutin can establish effective interactions with residues of the catalytic dyad (Cys145 and His41), but just rutin forms a hydrogen bond. Myricetin, in turn, could not establish an effective interaction with Cys145. Baicalein interaction arose with active residues such as Arg188, Val186, Gln189, and Gln192. Interactions of rutin and myricetin with Arg188 and Gln189 were also found. A critical interaction was observed only for rutin with the hydroxyls of ring A with His41, and also for Cys145 with rings B and C, which is probably related to the highest score of rutin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A de S Farias
- Laboratory of Computational Simulations (LabIn02), Institute of Educational Sciences, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil
| | - Kelvyn M L Rocha
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Érica C M Nascimento
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Rafael do C C de Jesus
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Paulo R Neres
- Laboratory of Computational Simulations (LabIn02), Institute of Educational Sciences, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Pará, Brazil
| | - João B L Martins
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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Duan L, Tang B, Luo S, Xiong D, Wang Q, Xu X, Zhang JZH. Entropy driven cooperativity effect in multi-site drug optimization targeting SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:313. [PMID: 37796323 PMCID: PMC11072831 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04985-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Papain-like protease (PLpro), a non-structural protein encoded by SARS-CoV-2, is an important therapeutic target. Regions 1 and 5 of an existing drug, GRL0617, can be optimized to produce cooperativity with PLpro binding, resulting in stronger binding affinity. This work investigated the origin of the cooperativity using molecular dynamics simulations combined with the interaction entropy (IE) method. The regions' improvement exhibits cooperativity by calculating the binding free energies between the complex of PLpro-inhibitor. The thermodynamic integration method further verified the cooperativity generated in the drug improvement. To further determine the specific source of cooperativity, enthalpy and entropy in the complexes were calculated using molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area and IE. The results show that the entropic change is an important contributor to the cooperativity. Our study also identified residues P248, Q269, and T301 that play a significant role in cooperativity. The optimization of the inhibitor stabilizes these residues and minimizes the entropic loss, and the cooperativity observed in the binding free energy can be attributed to the change in the entropic contribution of these residues. Based on our research, the application of cooperativity can facilitate drug optimization, and provide theoretical ideas for drug development that leverage cooperativity by reducing the contribution of entropy through multi-locus binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Duan
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China.
| | - Bolin Tang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Song Luo
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Danyang Xiong
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Qihang Wang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xiaole Xu
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - John Z H Zhang
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology and Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, 200062, China.
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
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Zhou Y, Zhang A, Fang C, Yuan L, Shao A, Xu Y, Zhou D. Oxidative stress in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: Affecting the tumor microenvironment and becoming a new target for pituitary neuroendocrine tumor therapy. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023; 29:2744-2759. [PMID: 37341156 PMCID: PMC10493678 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14315] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenomas (PAs), or pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), are commonly found in the anterior pituitary gland. Although the majority of PitNETs are benign and stable, several tumors have malignant characteristics. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the process of tumorigenesis and is composed of several types of cells. Various cells in the TME are significantly affected by oxidative stress. It has been reported that immunotherapeutic strategies have good effects in several cancers. However, the clinical potential of immunotherapies in PitNETs has not yet been fully discussed. Oxidative stress can regulate PitNET cells and immune cells in the TME, thus affecting the immune status of the TME of PitNETs. Therefore, modulation of oxidative stress-regulated immune cells using a combination of several agents and the immune system to suppress PitNETs is a promising therapeutic direction. In this review, we systematically analyzed the oxidative stress process within PitNET cells and various immune cells to elucidate the potential value of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Zhou
- The First Clinical Medical CollegeHeilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
- Health Management CenterTongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
| | - Anke Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Chaoyou Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Ling Yuan
- School of Public Health, School of MedicineShanghai Jiaotong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Anwen Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Yuanzhi Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, School of MedicineFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Danyang Zhou
- Health Management CenterTongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
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Lin L, Chen DY, Scartelli C, Xie H, Merrill-Skoloff G, Yang M, Sun L, Saeed M, Flaumenhaft R. Plant flavonoid inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease and viral replication. iScience 2023; 26:107602. [PMID: 37664626 PMCID: PMC10470319 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant-based flavonoids have been evaluated as inhibitors of β-coronavirus replication and as therapies for COVID-19 on the basis of their safety profile and widespread availability. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) has been implicated as a target for flavonoids in silico. Yet no comprehensive in vitro testing of flavonoid activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro has heretofore been performed. We screened 1,019 diverse flavonoids for their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Multiple structure-activity relationships were identified among active compounds such as enrichment of galloylated flavonoids and biflavones, including multiple biflavone analogs of apigenin. In a cell-based SARS-CoV-2 replication assay, the most potent inhibitors were apigenin and the galloylated pinocembrin analog, pinocembrin 7-O-(3''-galloyl-4'',6''-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl)-beta-D-glucose (PGHG). Molecular dynamic simulations predicted that PGHG occludes the S1 binding site via a galloyl group and induces a conformational change in Mpro. These studies will advance the development of plant-based flavonoids-including widely available natural products-to target β-coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lin
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Fuzhou, China
| | - Da-Yuan Chen
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christina Scartelli
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Huanzhang Xie
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, Fuzhou, China
| | - Glenn Merrill-Skoloff
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Moua Yang
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Lijun Sun
- Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mohsan Saeed
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert Flaumenhaft
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Yimam M, Horm T, O’Neal A, Jiao P, Hong M, Brownell L, Jia Q, Lin M, Gauthier A, Wu J, Venkat Mateti K, Yang X, Dial K, Zefi S, Mantell LL. A Standardized Botanical Composition Mitigated Acute Inflammatory Lung Injury and Reduced Mortality through Extracellular HMGB1 Reduction. Molecules 2023; 28:6560. [PMID: 37764336 PMCID: PMC10538186 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186560] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
HMGB1 is a key late inflammatory mediator upregulated during air-pollution-induced oxidative stress. Extracellular HMGB1 accumulation in the airways and lungs plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory lung injury. Decreasing extracellular HMBG1 levels may restore innate immune cell functions to protect the lungs from harmful injuries. Current therapies for air-pollution-induced respiratory problems are inadequate. Dietary antioxidants from natural sources could serve as a frontline defense against air-pollution-induced oxidative stress and lung damage. Here, a standardized botanical antioxidant composition from Scutellaria baicalensis and Acacia catechu was evaluated for its efficacy in attenuating acute inflammatory lung injury and sepsis. Murine models of disorders, including hyperoxia-exposed, bacterial-challenged acute lung injury, LPS-induced sepsis, and LPS-induced acute inflammatory lung injury models were utilized. The effect of the botanical composition on phagocytic activity and HMGB1 release was assessed using hyperoxia-stressed cultured macrophages. Analyses, such as hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining for lung tissue damage evaluation, ELISA for inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, Western blot analysis for proteins, including extracellular HMGB1, and bacterial counts in the lungs and airways, were performed. Statistically significant decreases in mortality (50%), proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and chemokines (CINC-3) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and increased bacterial clearance from airways and lungs; reduced airway total protein, and decreased extracellular HMGB1 were observed in in vivo studies. A statistically significant 75.9% reduction in the level of extracellular HMGB1 and an increase in phagocytosis were observed in cultured macrophages. The compilations of data in this report strongly suggest that the botanical composition could be indicated for oxidative-stress-induced lung damage protection, possibly through attenuation of increased extracellular HMGB1 accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesfin Yimam
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Teresa Horm
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Alexandria O’Neal
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Ping Jiao
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Mei Hong
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Lidia Brownell
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Qi Jia
- Unigen Inc., 2121 South State Street, Suite #400, Tacoma, WA 98405, USA; (T.H.); (A.O.); (P.J.); (M.H.); (L.B.); (Q.J.)
| | - Mosi Lin
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Alex Gauthier
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Kranti Venkat Mateti
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Xiaojian Yang
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Katelyn Dial
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Sidorela Zefi
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
| | - Lin L. Mantell
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; (M.L.); (A.G.); (J.W.); (K.V.M.); (X.Y.); (K.D.); (S.Z.); (L.L.M.)
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Ma J, Wei J, Chen G, Yan X, Sun H, Li N. Extracts of Thesium chinense inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and inflammation in vitro. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2023; 61:1446-1453. [PMID: 37675874 PMCID: PMC10486283 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2023.2253841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still spreading rapidly. Relevant research based on the antiviral effects of Thesium chinense Turcz (Santalaceae) was not found. OBJECTIVE To investigate the antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts of T. chinense. MATERIALS AND METHODS To investigate the anti-entry and replication effect of the ethanol extract of T. chinense (drug concentration 80, 160, 320, 640, 960 μg/mL) against the SARS-CoV-2. Remdesivir (20.74 μM) was used as positive control, and Vero cells were used as host cells to detect the expression level of nucleocapsid protein (NP) in the virus by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RAW264.7 cells were used as an anti-inflammatory experimental model under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction, and the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS The ethanol extract of T. chinense significantly inhibited the replication (half maximal effective concentration, EC50: 259.3 μg/mL) and entry (EC50: 359.1 μg/mL) of SARS-CoV-2 into Vero cells, and significantly reduced the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α produced by LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Petroleum ether (EC50: 163.6 μg/mL), ethyl acetate (EC50: 22.92 μg/mL) and n-butanol (EC50: 56.8 μg/mL) extracts showed weak inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero cells, and reduced the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α produced by LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. CONCLUSION T. chinense can be a potential candidate to fight SARS-CoV-2, and is becoming a traditional Chinese medicine candidate for treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juncheng Ma
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juanru Wei
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaowei Yan
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hechun Sun
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ning Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Wang Z, Yang L. The Therapeutic Potential of Natural Dietary Flavonoids against SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Nutrients 2023; 15:3443. [PMID: 37571380 PMCID: PMC10421531 DOI: 10.3390/nu15153443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The exploration of non-toxic and cost-effective dietary components, such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate and myricetin, for health improvement and disease treatment has recently attracted substantial research attention. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity for the investigation and identification of dietary components capable of treating viral infections, as well as gathering the evidence needed to address the major challenges presented by public health emergencies. Dietary components hold great potential as a starting point for further drug development for the treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection owing to their good safety, broad-spectrum antiviral activities, and multi-organ protective capacity. Here, we review current knowledge of the characteristics-chemical composition, bioactive properties, and putative mechanisms of action-of natural bioactive dietary flavonoids with the potential for targeting SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Notably, we present promising strategies (combination therapy, lead optimization, and drug delivery) to overcome the inherent deficiencies of natural dietary flavonoids, such as limited bioavailability and poor stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus, Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Liyan Yang
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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Huang Q, Wang M, Wang M, Lu Y, Wang X, Chen X, Yang X, Guo H, He R, Luo Z. Scutellaria baicalensis: a promising natural source of antiviral compounds for the treatment of viral diseases. Chin J Nat Med 2023; 21:563-575. [PMID: 37611975 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(23)60401-7] [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: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Viruses, the smallest microorganisms, continue to present an escalating threat to human health, being the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Over the decades, although significant progress has been made in the development of therapies and vaccines against viral diseases, the need for effective antiviral interventions remains urgent. This urgency stems from the lack of effective vaccines, the severe side effects associated with current drugs, and the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains. Natural plants, particularly traditionally-used herbs, are often considered an excellent source of medicinal drugs with potent antiviral efficacy, as well as a substantial safety profile. Scutellaria baicalensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, has garnered considerable attention due to its extensive investigation across diverse therapeutic areas and its demonstrated efficacy in both preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we mainly focused on the potential antiviral activities of ingredients in Scutellaria baicalensis, shedding light on their underlying mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications in the treatment of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuju Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Muyang Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education & Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Min Wang
- Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Department of Pharmacy, Haikou 570311, China
| | - Yuhui Lu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine & Disease Susceptibility, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 612505, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education & Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Hongwei Guo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education & Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China.
| | - Rongrong He
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine & Disease Susceptibility, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 612505, China.
| | - Zhuo Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China.
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42
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Hu T, Li L, Ma Q. Research Progress of Immunomodulation on Anti-COVID-19 and the Effective Components from Traditional Chinese Medicine. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2023; 51:1337-1360. [PMID: 37465964 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x23500611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has posed a threat to the health of people around the world because of its strong transmission and high virulence. Currently, there is no specific medicine for the treatment of COVID-19. However, for a wide variety of medicines used to treat COVID-19, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a major role. In this paper, the effective treatment of COVID-19 using TCM was consulted first, and several Chinese medicines that were frequently used apart from their huge role in treating it were found. Then, when exploring the active ingredients of these herbs, it was discovered that most of them contained flavonoids. Therefore, the structure and function of the potential active substances of flavonoids, including flavonols, flavonoids, and flavanes, respectively, are discussed in this paper. According to the screening data, these flavonoids can bind to the key proteins of SARS-CoV-2, 3CLpro, PLpro, and RdRp, respectively, or block the interface between the viral spike protein and ACE2 receptor, which could inhibit the proliferation of coronavirus and prevent the virus from entering human cells. Besides, the effects of flavonoids on the human body systems are expounded on in this paper, including the respiratory system, digestive system, and immune system, respectively. Normally, flavonoids boost the body's immune system. However, they can suppress the immune system when over immunized. Ultimately, this study hopes to provide a reference for the clinical drug treatment of COVID-19 patients, and more TCM can be put into the market accordingly, which is expected to promote the development of TCM on the international stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Hu
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China
| | - Qin Ma
- Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/ Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou 510610, P. R. China
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Geng D, Wang R, Zhang Y, Lu H, Dong H, Liu W, Guo L, Wang X. A 13-LOX participates in the biosynthesis of JAs and is related to the accumulation of baicalein and wogonin in Scutellaria baicalensis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1204616. [PMID: 37521913 PMCID: PMC10373884 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1204616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Although baicalein and wogonin contents in Scutellaria baicalensis, a traditional Chinese herb, are known to be regulated by jasmonic acid, the exact mechanism by which jasmonic acid regulates the accumulation of baicalein and wogonin remains unclear. In this study, we discovered SbLOX3, a gene encoding 13-lipoxygenase from the roots of S. baicalensis, which plays an important role in the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid. The contents of methyl jasmonate, baicalin, wogonin, and three metabolic intermediates of methyl jasmonate, 13-HPOT, OPDA, and OPC-8, were downregulated in the hair roots of the SbLOX3 RNAi lines. We confirmed that SbLOX3 was induced by drought stress simulated by PEG and Fusarium oxysporum, which subsequently led to changes in the content of MeJA, baicalin, and wogonin. Taken together, our results indicate that a 13-LOX is involved in the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid, and regulates the accumulation of baicalein and wogonin in S. baicalensis roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dali Geng
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Rongyu Wang
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Hongjitang Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jinan, China
| | - Heng Lu
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Hongjing Dong
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Lanping Guo
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
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Dinda B, Dinda M, Dinda S, De UC. An overview of anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory potential of baicalein and its metabolite baicalin: Insights into molecular mechanisms. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115629. [PMID: 37437351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is highly contagious infection that breaks the healthcare systems of several countries worldwide. Till to date, no effective antiviral drugs against COVID-19 infection have reached the market, and some repurposed drugs and vaccines are prescribed for the treatment and prevention of this disease. The currently prescribed COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against the newly emergent variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 due to several mutations in viral spike protein and obviously there is an urgency to develop new antiviral drugs against this disease. In this review article, we systematically discussed the anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory efficacy of two flavonoids, baicalein and its 7-O-glucuronide, baicalin, isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, Oroxylum indicum, and other plants as well as their pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability, for development of safe and effective drugs for COVID-19 treatment. Both baicalein and baicalin target the activities of viral S-, 3CL-, PL-, RdRp- and nsp13-proteins, and host mitochondrial OXPHOS for suppression of viral infection. Moreover, these compounds prevent sepsis-related inflammation and organ injury by modulation of host innate immune responses. Several nanoformulated and inclusion complexes of baicalein and baicalin have been reported to increase oral bioavailability, but their safety and efficacy in SARS-CoV-2-infected transgenic animals are not yet evaluated. Future studies on these compounds are required for use in clinical trials of COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswanath Dinda
- Department of Chemistry, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Agartala, Tripura, India.
| | - Manikarna Dinda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Subhajit Dinda
- Department of Chemistry, Government Degree College, Kamalpur, Dhalai, Tripura, India
| | - Utpal Chandra De
- Department of Chemistry, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Agartala, Tripura, India
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Guo X, Lin Y, He F, Jin Y, Chen S, Li T, Wu C, Zhang L, Chen X. Identification of active compounds of traditional chinese medicine derived from maxing shigan decoction for COVID-19 treatment: a meta-analysis and in silico study. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2023; 21:871-889. [PMID: 37481738 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2238899] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) poses a serious threat to human health. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mainly based on the Maxing Shigan decoction (MXSGD), is used in conjunction with western medicine to treat COVID-19. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a network meta-analysis to investigate whether MXSGD-related TCM combined with western medicine is more effective in treating COVID-19 compared to western medicine alone. Additionally, using network pharmacology, cross-docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to explore the potential active compounds and possible targets underlying the therapeutic effects of MXSGD-related TCM. RESULTS MXSGD-related TCM combined with western medicine was better for treating COVID-19 compared to western medicine alone. Network pharmacological analysis identified 43 shared ingredients in the MXSGD-related TCM prescriptions and 599 common target genes. Cross-docking of the 43 compounds with 154 proteins that matched these genes led to the identification of 60 proteins. Pathway profiling revealed that the active ingredients participated in multiple signaling pathways that contribute to their efficacy. Molecular docking and MD simulation demonstrated that MOL007214, the most promising molecule, could stably bind to the active site of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the important role of MXSGD-related TCM in the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Guo
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research and State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yihua Lin
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Fengming He
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research and State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying Jin
- Department of Cardiology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Xiamen Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Simian Chen
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research and State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ting Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research and State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Caisheng Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research and State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xueqin Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Ruatta SM, Prada Gori DN, Fló Díaz M, Lorenzelli F, Perelmuter K, Alberca LN, Bellera CL, Medeiros A, López GV, Ingold M, Porcal W, Dibello E, Ihnatenko I, Kunick C, Incerti M, Luzardo M, Colobbio M, Ramos JC, Manta E, Minini L, Lavaggi ML, Hernández P, Šarlauskas J, Huerta García CS, Castillo R, Hernández-Campos A, Ribaudo G, Zagotto G, Carlucci R, Medrán NS, Labadie GR, Martinez-Amezaga M, Delpiccolo CML, Mata EG, Scarone L, Posada L, Serra G, Calogeropoulou T, Prousis K, Detsi A, Cabrera M, Alvarez G, Aicardo A, Araújo V, Chavarría C, Mašič LP, Gantner ME, Llanos MA, Rodríguez S, Gavernet L, Park S, Heo J, Lee H, Paul Park KH, Bollati-Fogolín M, Pritsch O, Shum D, Talevi A, Comini MA. Garbage in, garbage out: how reliable training data improved a virtual screening approach against SARS-CoV-2 MPro. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1193282. [PMID: 37426813 PMCID: PMC10323144 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1193282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The identification of chemical compounds that interfere with SARS-CoV-2 replication continues to be a priority in several academic and pharmaceutical laboratories. Computational tools and approaches have the power to integrate, process and analyze multiple data in a short time. However, these initiatives may yield unrealistic results if the applied models are not inferred from reliable data and the resulting predictions are not confirmed by experimental evidence. Methods: We undertook a drug discovery campaign against the essential major protease (MPro) from SARS-CoV-2, which relied on an in silico search strategy -performed in a large and diverse chemolibrary- complemented by experimental validation. The computational method comprises a recently reported ligand-based approach developed upon refinement/learning cycles, and structure-based approximations. Search models were applied to both retrospective (in silico) and prospective (experimentally confirmed) screening. Results: The first generation of ligand-based models were fed by data, which to a great extent, had not been published in peer-reviewed articles. The first screening campaign performed with 188 compounds (46 in silico hits and 100 analogues, and 40 unrelated compounds: flavonols and pyrazoles) yielded three hits against MPro (IC50 ≤ 25 μM): two analogues of in silico hits (one glycoside and one benzo-thiazol) and one flavonol. A second generation of ligand-based models was developed based on this negative information and newly published peer-reviewed data for MPro inhibitors. This led to 43 new hit candidates belonging to different chemical families. From 45 compounds (28 in silico hits and 17 related analogues) tested in the second screening campaign, eight inhibited MPro with IC50 = 0.12-20 μM and five of them also impaired the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells (EC50 7-45 μM). Discussion: Our study provides an example of a virtuous loop between computational and experimental approaches applied to target-focused drug discovery against a major and global pathogen, reaffirming the well-known "garbage in, garbage out" machine learning principle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago M. Ruatta
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Denis N. Prada Gori
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martín Fló Díaz
- Laboratory of Immunovirology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Inmunobiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Franca Lorenzelli
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Karen Perelmuter
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucas N. Alberca
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina L. Bellera
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gloria V. López
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Vascular Biology and Drug Discovery Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mariana Ingold
- Vascular Biology and Drug Discovery Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Williams Porcal
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Vascular Biology and Drug Discovery Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estefanía Dibello
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Irina Ihnatenko
- PVZ—Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Conrad Kunick
- PVZ—Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marcelo Incerti
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Martín Luzardo
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Maximiliano Colobbio
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Química Fina, Facultad de Química, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Juan Carlos Ramos
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Química Fina, Facultad de Química, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Eduardo Manta
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Química Fina, Facultad de Química, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Minini
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María Laura Lavaggi
- Laboratorio de Química Biológica Ambiental, Sede Rivera, Centro Universitario Regional Noreste, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Paola Hernández
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Jonas Šarlauskas
- Life Sciences Centre, Department of Xenobiotic Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Rafael Castillo
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Alicia Hernández-Campos
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Giovanni Ribaudo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Zagotto
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Renzo Carlucci
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Noelia S. Medrán
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Guillermo R. Labadie
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Maitena Martinez-Amezaga
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carina M. L. Delpiccolo
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Ernesto G. Mata
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Instituto de Química Rosario (IQUIR) UNR, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Laura Scarone
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Laura Posada
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gloria Serra
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Kyriakos Prousis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Detsi
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mauricio Cabrera
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Bioactivas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Uruguay
| | - Guzmán Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Bioactivas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Uruguay
| | - Adrián Aicardo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Nutrición Clínica, Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Verena Araújo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Alimentos, Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cecilia Chavarría
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Melisa E. Gantner
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Manuel A. Llanos
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Gavernet
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Soonju Park
- Screening Discovery Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyeong Heo
- Screening Discovery Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Honggun Lee
- Screening Discovery Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Ho Paul Park
- Screening Discovery Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Otto Pritsch
- Laboratory of Immunovirology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Inmunobiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - David Shum
- Screening Discovery Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Alan Talevi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo A. Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Rafiq A, Jabeen T, Aslam S, Ahmad M, Ashfaq UA, Mohsin NUA, Zaki MEA, Al-Hussain SA. A Comprehensive Update of Various Attempts by Medicinal Chemists to Combat COVID-19 through Natural Products. Molecules 2023; 28:4860. [PMID: 37375415 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global panic because of its continual evolution and recurring spikes. This serious malignancy is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the outbreak, millions of people have been affected from December 2019 till now, which has led to a great surge in finding treatments. Despite trying to handle the pandemic with the repurposing of some drugs, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir, ivermectin, etc., against COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues its out-of-control spread. There is a dire need to identify a new regimen of natural products to combat the deadly viral disease. This article deals with the literature reports to date of natural products showing inhibitory activity towards SARS-CoV-2 through different approaches, such as in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies. Natural compounds targeting the proteins of SARS-CoV-2-the main protease (Mpro), papain-like protease (PLpro), spike proteins, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), endoribonuclease, exoribonuclease, helicase, nucleocapsid, methyltransferase, adeno diphosphate (ADP) phosphatase, other nonstructural proteins, and envelope proteins-were extracted mainly from plants, and some were isolated from bacteria, algae, fungi, and a few marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Rafiq
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Tooba Jabeen
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Matloob Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Noor Ul Amin Mohsin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
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Ye L, Fan S, Zhao P, Wu C, Liu M, Hu S, Wang P, Wang H, Bi H. Potential herb‒drug interactions between anti-COVID-19 drugs and traditional Chinese medicine. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023:S2211-3835(23)00203-4. [PMID: 37360014 PMCID: PMC10239737 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide. Effective treatments against COVID-19 remain urgently in need although vaccination significantly reduces the incidence, hospitalization, and mortality. At present, antiviral drugs including Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (PaxlovidTM), Remdesivir, and Molnupiravir have been authorized to treat COVID-19 and become more globally available. On the other hand, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for the treatment of epidemic diseases for a long history. Currently, various TCM formulae against COVID-19 such as Qingfei Paidu decoction, Xuanfei Baidu granule, Huashi Baidu granule, Jinhua Qinggan granule, Lianhua Qingwen capsule, and Xuebijing injection have been widely used in clinical practice in China, which may cause potential herb-drug interactions (HDIs) in patients under treatment with antiviral drugs and affect the efficacy and safety of medicines. However, information on potential HDIs between the above anti-COVID-19 drugs and TCM formulae is lacking, and thus this work seeks to summarize and highlight potential HDIs between antiviral drugs and TCM formulae against COVID-19, and especially pharmacokinetic HDIs mediated by metabolizing enzymes and/or transporters. These well-characterized HDIs could provide useful information on clinical concomitant medicine use to maximize clinical outcomes and minimize adverse and toxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ye
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Shicheng Fan
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou 510006,China
| | - Chenghua Wu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Menghua Liu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Shuang Hu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Peng Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Hongyu Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
| | - Huichang Bi
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Southern Medical University,Guangzhou 510515,China
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Tsai PW, Mailem RC, Tayo LL, Hsueh CC, Tseng CC, Chen BY. Interactive network pharmacology and electrochemical analysis reveals electron transport-mediating characteristics of Chinese medicine formula Jing Guan Fang. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 2023; 147:104898. [PMID: 37193294 PMCID: PMC10166072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2023.104898] [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: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Jing Guan Fang (JGF) is an anti-COVID-19 Chinese Medicine decoction comprised of five medicinal herbs to possess anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties for treatment. This study aims to electrochemically decipher the anti-coronavirus activity of JGF and show that microbial fuel cells may serve as a platform for screening efficacious herbal medicines and providing scientific bases for the mechanism of action (MOA) of TCMs. Methods Electrochemical techniques (e.g., cyclic voltammetry) and MFCs were adopted as the bioenergy-based platforms to assess the bioenergy-stimulating characteristics of JGF. Phytochemical analysis correlated polyphenolic and flavonoid content with antioxidant activity and bioenergy-stimulating properties. Network pharmacology on the active compounds was employed to identify anti-inflammatory and anti-COVID-19 protein targets, and molecular docking validated in silico results. Significant findings This first-attempt results show that JGF possesses significant reversible bioenergy-stimulation (amplification 2.02 ± 0.04) properties suggesting that its antiviral efficacy is both bioenergy-steered and electron mediated. Major flavonoids and flavone glycosides identified by HPLC (e.g., baicalein and baicalin, respectively) possess electron-shuttling (ES) characteristics that allow herbal medicines to treat COVID-19 via (1) reversible scavenging of ROS to lessen inflammation; (2) inhibition of viral proteins; and (3) targeting of immunomodulatory pathways to stimulate the immune response according to network pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Wei Tsai
- Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
| | - Ryan Christian Mailem
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences, Mapúa University, Manila 1002, Philippines
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mapúa University, Makati 1200, Philippines
| | - Lemmuel L Tayo
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences, Mapúa University, Manila 1002, Philippines
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mapúa University, Makati 1200, Philippines
| | - Chung-Chuan Hsueh
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National I-Lan University, I-Lan 260, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Chun Tseng
- Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
| | - Bor-Yann Chen
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National I-Lan University, I-Lan 260, Taiwan
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Xue Y, Mei H, Chen Y, Griffin JD, Liu Q, Weisberg E, Yang J. Repurposing clinically available drugs and therapies for pathogenic targets to combat SARS-CoV-2. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e254. [PMID: 37193304 PMCID: PMC10183156 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected a large portion of the global population, both physically and mentally. Current evidence suggests that the rapidly evolving coronavirus subvariants risk rendering vaccines and antibodies ineffective due to their potential to evade existing immunity, with enhanced transmission activity and higher reinfection rates that could lead to new outbreaks across the globe. The goal of viral management is to disrupt the viral life cycle as well as to relieve severe symptoms such as lung damage, cytokine storm, and organ failure. In the fight against viruses, the combination of viral genome sequencing, elucidation of the structure of viral proteins, and identifying proteins that are highly conserved across multiple coronaviruses has revealed many potential molecular targets. In addition, the time- and cost-effective repurposing of preexisting antiviral drugs or approved/clinical drugs for these targets offers considerable clinical advantages for COVID-19 patients. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various identified pathogenic targets and pathways as well as corresponding repurposed approved/clinical drugs and their potential against COVID-19. These findings provide new insight into the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies that could be applied to the control of disease symptoms emanating from evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiying Xue
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Husheng Mei
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesHefeiChina
- University of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
| | - Yisa Chen
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - James D. Griffin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana‐Farber Cancer InstituteBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Qingsong Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesHefeiChina
- University of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
- Hefei Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Ellen Weisberg
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana‐Farber Cancer InstituteBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesHefeiChina
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