Protective functions of salvianolic acid B in PC-12 cells against hydrogen peroxide-triggered damage by mediation of microRNA-26a

Salvianolic Acid B: A Review of Pharmacological Effects, Safety, Combination Therapy, New Dosage Forms, and Novel Drug Delivery Routes

Salvianolic acid B is extracted from the roots and rhizomes of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., family Labiatae). It is a water-soluble, weakly acidic drug that has demonstrated antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects on various organs and tissues such as the lung, heart, kidney, intestine, bone, liver, and skin and protective effects in diseases such as depression and spinal cord injury. The mechanisms underlying the protective effects of salvianolic acid B are mainly related to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti- or pro-apoptotic, anti- or pro-autophagy, anti-fibrotic, and metabolism-regulating functions. Salvianolic acid B can regulate various signaling pathways, cells, and molecules to achieve maximum therapeutic effects. This review summarizes the safety profile, combination therapy potential, and new dosage forms and delivery routes of salvianolic acid B. Although significant research progress has been made, more in-depth pharmacological studies are warranted to identify the mechanism of action, related signaling pathways, more suitable combination drugs, more effective dosage forms, and novel routes of administration of salvianolic acid B.

The PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in inflammation, cell death and glial scar formation after traumatic spinal cord injury: Mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

Objects

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) causes neurological dysfunction below the injured segment of the spinal cord, which significantly impacts the quality of life in affected patients. The phosphoinositide 3kinase/serine‐threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway offers a potential therapeutic target for the inhibition of secondary TSCI. This review summarizes updates concerning the role of the PI3K/AKT pathway in TSCI.

Materials and Methods

By searching articles related to the TSCI field and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, we summarized the mechanisms of secondary TSCI and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway; we also discuss current and potential future treatment methods for TSCI based on the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Results

Early apoptosis and autophagy after TSCI protect the body against injury; a prolonged inflammatory response leads to the accumulation of pro‐inflammatory factors and excessive apoptosis, as well as excessive autophagy in the surrounding normal nerve cells, thus aggravating TSCI in the subacute stage of secondary injury. Initial glial scar formation in the subacute phase is a protective mechanism for TSCI, which limits the spread of damage and inflammation. However, mature scar tissue in the chronic phase hinders axon regeneration and prevents the recovery of nerve function. Activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway can inhibit the inflammatory response and apoptosis in the subacute phase after secondary TSCI; inhibiting this pathway in the chronic phase can reduce the formation of glial scar.

Conclusion

The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway has an important role in the recovery of spinal cord function after secondary injury. Inducing the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the subacute phase of secondary injury and inhibiting this pathway in the chronic phase may be one of the potential strategies for the treatment of TSCI.

Extracts from Chinese herbs with anti-amyloid and neuroprotective activities

Many Chinese herbs are well known for their neuroprotective and anti-oxidant properties. Extracts of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Anemarrhenae asphodeloides, tanshinone IIA (tanIIA), salvianolic acid B (Sal B) and sarsasapogenin (ML-1), were selected to study their dissociation potential towards Aβ₄₂ peptide fibrils and neuroprotective effect on cells. Moreover, derivatives of sarsasapogenin (ML-2, ML-3 and ML-4) have been prepared by the addition of modified carbamate moiety. TanIIA and Sal B have shown to possess a strong ability to dissociate Aβ₄₂ fibrils. The dissociation potential of ML-1 increased upon the introduction of carbamate moiety with N-heterocycles. In silico data revealed that derivatives ML-4 and Sal B interact with Aβ₄₂ regions responsible for fibril stabilization through hydrogen bonds. Contrary, tanIIA binds close to a central hydrophobic region, which may lead to destabilization of fibrils. Sarsasapogenin derivative ML-2 decreased nitride oxide production, and derivative ML-4 enhanced the growth of neurites. The reported data highlight the possibility of using active compounds to design novel treatment agents for Alzheimer's disease.

Shenxiong Glucose Injection Protects H9c2 Cells From CoCl2-Induced Oxidative Damage via Antioxidant and Antiapoptotic Pathways

Cardiovascular disease has become one of the main diseases that endanger humans, and oxidative damage plays an important role in this. Shenxiong glucose injection (SGI) is a common clinical treatment in China for the treatment of this condition. To understand further the protective effects and related mechanisms of SGI on cardiovascular diseases, H9c2 cells were treated with SGI at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 2% [v/v]) before hypoxic damage was induced by treatment with CoCl2). In CoCl2-induced H9c2 cells, SGI treatment increased cell viability and the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, elevated mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreased the rate of cellular apoptosis, lactic dehydrogenase release, and the content of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, while also upregulating Bcl-2 expression and downregulating Bax, Cyt-c, and cleaved caspase-3 expression. Together, these results suggested that SGI has a protective effect on CoCl2-induced damage, and its mechanism may be related to increased antioxidant and antiapoptosis capacity in H9c2 cells. This study provides the basis for further research and potential practical applications of SGI.

Chinese medicine Di-Huang-Yi-Zhi protects PC12 cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis by regulating ROS-ASK1-JNK/p38 MAPK signaling

Background

Oxidative stress mediates the nerve injury during the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Protecting against oxidative stress damage is an important strategy to prevent and treat AD. Di-Huang-Yi-Zhi (DHYZ) is a Chinese medicine used for the treatment of AD, but its mechanism remains unknown. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of DHYZ on H₂O₂ induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells.

Methods

PC12 cells were treated with H₂O₂ and DHYZ. Cell proliferation was detected by Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cytotoxicity of H₂O₂ was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Apoptosis were identified by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Caspase 3 activity was detected by commercial kit. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was detected by JC-1 staining. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was 2′, 7′-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining. Protein expression and phosphorylation was identified by western blot.

Results

The results showed that DHYZ antagonized H₂O₂-mediated cytotoxicity and proliferation inhibition. DHYZ reduced ROS production, stabilize mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibit Caspase-3 activity and apoptosis induced by H₂O₂. In addition, DHYZ inhibited the phosphorylation of ASK1, JNK1/2/3 and p38 MAPK which were up-regulated by H₂O₂.

Conclusions

The present study suggested that DHYZ protected PC12 cells from H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress damage and was related to inhibition of ROS production and ASK1-JNK/p38 MAPK signaling. The present study provides experimental evidence for the application of DHYZ for the management of oxidative stress damage and AD.