Potential Mechanisms Responsible for the Antinephrolithic Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Fructus Aurantii

The Effect of Citrus aurantium on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Research Based on Network and Experimental Pharmacology

Purpose

To screen the main active components of Citrus aurantium through a network pharmacology approach, construct a component-disease target network, explore its molecular mechanism for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and validate it experimentally.

Methods

The active ingredients in Citrus aurantium and the targets of Citrus aurantium and NSCLC were collected through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), GeneCards, and OMIM databases. The protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database, and the component-disease relationship network graph was analyzed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. The Metascape database can be used for GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. The Kaplan-Meier plotter was applied for overall survival analysis of key targets of Citrus aurantium in the treatment of NSCLC. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein levels of key targets of Citrus aurantium for the treatment of NSCLC.

Results

Five active ingredients of Citrus aurantium were screened, and 54 potential targets for the treatment of NSCLC were found, of which the key ingredient was nobiletin and the key targets are TP53, CXCL8, ESR1, PPAR-α, and MMP9. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the mechanism of nobiletin in treating NSCLC may be related to the regulation of cancer signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway, and neurodegenerative signaling pathway. The experimental results showed that nobiletin could inhibit the proliferation of NSCLC cells and upregulate the levels of P53 and PPAR-α and suppress the expression of MMP9 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Citrus aurantium can participate in the treatment of NSCLC through multiple targets and pathways.

Antioxidant and Anti-Urolithiatic Activity of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts from Saussurea costus (Falc) Lispich Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

The plant Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch has many biological activities and a strong curative and preventive power against a variety of diseases including cancer, diabetes, and hemorrhoids. In the current study, phytochemical screening was carried out as well as an investigation of the antilithiatic and antioxidant activities of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of this plant. The results showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts were effective in reducing cystine stone mass and that the aqueous extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch had the highest percentage of dissolution (6.756 ± 1.024) (p < 0.05). A turbidimetric method and a crystallization test were used to evaluate the antilithiatic activity of an aqueous and ethanolic extract of this plant on calcium oxalate crystallization. The results of these methods revealed that the ethanolic extract of this plant has a significant inhibitory effect on calcium oxalate crystallization, with a percentage inhibition of (91.017 ± 0.299) (p < 0.05) for a concentration of 2 mg mL−1. The DPPH method revealed that the ethanolic extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch with a concentration of (IC50 = 0.12325 mg mL−1) had the highest IC50, whereas the FRAP method revealed that the aqueous extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch with a concentration of 300 µg mL−1 has the most significant reducing power with (OD = 0.56 ± 0.05). These findings indicate that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch had a significant effect on whewellite and weddellite and a greater free radical scavenging effect but had no effect on cystine dissolution.

Metabolic Profile of C-Prenyl Coumarins Using Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics

C-prenyl coumarins (C-PYCs) are compounds with similar structures and various bioactivities, which are widely distributed in medicinal plants. Until now, the metabolic characterizations of C-PYCs and the relationship between metabolism and bioactivities remain unclear. In this study, ultra-performance chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) was firstly used to determine the metabolic characterizations of three C-PYCs, including meranzin hydrate (MH), isomeranzin (ISM), and meranzin (MER). In total, 52 metabolites were identified, and all of them were found to be novel metabolites. Among these metabolites, 10 were from MH, 22 were from ISM, and 20 were from MER. The major metabolic pathways of these C-PYCs were hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, demethylation, and conjugation with cysteine, N-acetylcysteine, and glucuronide. The metabolic rate of MH was much lower than ISM and MER, which was only 27.1% in MLM and 8.7% in HLM, respectively. Additionally, recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) screening showed that CYP1A1, 2B6, 3A4, and 3A5 were the major metabolic enzymes involved in the formation of metabolites. Further bioactivity assays indicated that all of these three C-PYCs exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, but the effects of ISM and MER were slightly higher than MH, accompanied by a significant decrease in inflammatory cytokines transcription induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in macrophages RAW 264.7. Taken together, the metabolic characterizations of the three C-PYCs suggested that the side chain of the prenyl group may impact the metabolism and biological activity of C-PYCs.

Systematically Deciphering the Pharmacological Mechanism of Fructus Aurantii via Network Pharmacology

Fructus Aurantii (FA) is a traditional herbal medicine that has been widely used for thousands of years in China and possesses a variety of pharmacological effects. However, the active ingredients in FA and the potential mechanisms of its therapeutic effects have not been fully explored. Here, we applied a network pharmacology approach to explore the potential mechanisms of FA. We identified 5 active compounds from FA and a total of 209 potential targets to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), cell division protein kinase 6 (CDK6), caspase 3 (CASP3), apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 (Bcl-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) were identified as key targets of FA in the treatment of multiple diseases. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment demonstrated that FA was highly related to transcription initiation from RNA polymerase II promoter, DNA-templated transcription, positive regulation of transcription, regulation of apoptosis process, and regulation of cell proliferation. Various signaling pathways involved in the treatment of FA were identified, including pathways in cancer and pathways specifically related to prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, and non-small-cell lung cancer. TP53, AKT1, caspase 3, MAPK3, PTGS2, and BAX/BCL2 were related key targets in the identified enriched pathways and the PPI network. In addition, our molecular docking results showed that the bioactive compounds in FA can tightly bind to most target proteins. This article reveals via network pharmacology research the possible mechanism(s) by which FA exerts its activities in the treatment of various diseases and lays a foundation for further experiments and the development of a rational clinical application of FA.

Nephroprotective Effect of Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus Extracts and Carvedilol on Ethylene Glycol-Induced Urolithiasis: Roles of NF-κB, p53, Bcl-2, Bax and Bak

This study was designed to assess the nephroprotective effects of Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus aqueous extracts and carvedilol on hyperoxaluria-induced urolithiasis and to scrutinize the possible roles of NF-κB, p53, Bcl-2, Bax and Bak. Phytochemical screening and GC-MS analysis of mushrooms’ aqueous extracts were also performed and revealed the presence of multiple antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. Hyperoxaluria was induced in Wistar rats through the addition of 0.75% (v/v) ethylene glycol in drinking water for nine weeks. The ethylene glycol-administered rats were orally treated with Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus aqueous extracts (100 mg/kg) and carvedilol (30 mg/kg) daily during the last seven weeks. The study showed that Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus bisporus and carvedilol all successfully inhibited ethylene glycol-induced histological perturbations and the elevation of serum creatinine, serum urea, serum and urinary uric acid, serum, urinary and kidney oxalate, urine specific gravity, kidney calcium, kidney NF-κB, NF-κB p65, NF-κB p50, p53, Bax and Bak expressions as well as serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels. Moreover, the treatment decreased the reduction in urinary creatinine, urinary urea, ratios of urinary creatinine to serum creatinine and urinary urea to serum urea, Fex Urea and Bcl-2 expression in kidney. In conclusion, although Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus extracts and carvedilol all significantly inhibited the progression of nephrolithiasis and showed nephroprotective effects against ethylene glycol-induced kidney dysfunction, Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus seemed to be more effective than carvedilol. Moreover, the nephroprotective effects may be mediated via affecting NF-κB activation, extrinsic apoptosis and intrinsic apoptosis pathways.

Dietary Plants for the Prevention and Management of Kidney Stones: Preclinical and Clinical Evidence and Molecular Mechanisms

Kidney stones are one of the oldest known and common diseases in the urinary tract system. Various human studies have suggested that diets with a higher intake of vegetables and fruits play a role in the prevention of kidney stones. In this review, we have provided an overview of these dietary plants, their main chemical constituents, and their possible mechanisms of action. Camellia sinensis (green tea), Rubus idaeus (raspberry), Rubia cordifolia (common madder), Petroselinum crispum (parsley), Punica granatum (pomegranate), Pistacia lentiscus (mastic), Solanum xanthocarpum (yellow-fruit nightshade), Urtica dioica (stinging nettle), Dolichos biflorus (horse gram), Ammi visnaga (khella), Nigella sativa (black-cumin), Hibiscus sabdariffa (roselle), and Origanum vulgare (oregano) have received considerable interest based on scientific evidence. Beside these dietary plants, phytochemicals—such as catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, diosmin, rutin, quercetin, hyperoside, and curcumin—as antioxidant dietary phyto-phenols were found to be effective for the prevention of urolithiasis (the process of stone formation in the urinary tract). The main underlying mechanisms of these dietary plants and their isolated phytonutrients in the management of urolithiasis include diuretic, antispasmodic, and antioxidant activity, as well as an inhibitory effect on crystallization, nucleation, and aggregation of crystals. The results as presented in this review demonstrate the promising role of dietary plants and phytophenols in the prevention and management of kidney stones. Further investigations are required to confirm the safety and efficacy of these compounds.

Antiurolithiatic and antioxidant efficacy of Musa paradisiaca pseudostem on ethylene glycol-induced nephrolithiasis in rat

OBJECTIVE

Musa paradisiaca has been used in the treatment of urolithiasis by the rural people in South India. Therefore, we plan to evaluate its efficacy and possible mechanism of antiurolithiatic effect to rationalize its medicinal use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Urolithiasis was induced in hyperoxaluric rat model by giving 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) for 28 days along with 1% ammonium chloride (AC) for the first 14 days. Antiurolithiatic effect of aqueous-ethanol extract of M. paradisiaca pseudostem (MUSA) was evaluated based on urine and serum biochemistry, microscopy of urine, oxidative/nitrosative indices, kidney calcium content, and histopathology.

RESULTS

Administration of EG and AC resulted in increased crystalluria and oxaluria, hypercalciuria, polyuria, crystal deposition in urine, raised serum urea, and creatinine as well as nitric oxide concentration and erythrocytic lipid peroxidation in lithiatic group. However, MUSA treatment significantly restored the impairment in above kidney function test as that of standard treatment, cystone in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings demonstrate the efficacy of MUSA in EG-induced urolithiasis, which might be mediated through inhibiting various pathways involved in renal calcium oxalate formation, antioxidant effect, and potential to inhibit biochemical markers of renal impairment.

Inhibitory effect of an aqueous extract of Radix Paeoniae Alba on calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in a rat model

Objective: To examine the effect of an aqueous extract of Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) on the formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones and the potential mechanism underlying the effect.

Materials and methods: An in vitro assay was used to determine whether the RPA extract prevents the formation of CaOx or promotes CaOx dissolution. We also investigated the efficacy of the extract in vivo as a preventive and therapeutic agent for experimentally induced CaOx nephrolithiasis in rats. Various biochemical, molecular, and histological parameters were assessed in kidney tissue and urine at the end of the in vivo experiment.

Results: Significant dissolution of formed crystals (8.99 ± 1.43) and inhibition of crystal formation (2.55 ± 0.21) were observed in vitro after treatment with 64 mg/mL of the RPA extract compared with a control treatment (55.10 ± 4.98 and 54.57 ± 5.84, respectively) (p < .05). In preventive protocols, the RPA extract significantly reduced urinary and renal oxalate levels and increased urinary calcium and citrate levels compared to the control. In addition, the RPA preventive protocol significantly decreased osteopontin expression, renal crystallization, and pathological changes compared to the control. These changes were not observed in rats on the therapeutic protocol.

Conclusions: RPA is a useful agent that prevents the formation of CaOx kidney stones.

Antioxidant Pre-Treatment Reduces the Toxic Effects of Oxalate on Renal Epithelial Cells in a Cell Culture Model of Urolithiasis

Urolithiasis is characterized by the formation and retention of solid crystals within the urinary tract. Kidney stones are mostly composed of calcium oxalate, which predominantly generates free radicals that are toxic to renal tubular cells. The aim of the study is to explore possible effects of antioxidant pre-treatment on inhibition of oxidative stress. Three cell lines were used as in vitro model of urolithiasis: MDCK I, MDCK II and LLC-PK1. Oxidative stress was induced by exposure of cells to sodium oxalate in concentration of 8 mM. In order to prevent oxidative stress, cells were pre-treated with three different concentrations of l-arginine and vitamin E. Oxidative stress was evaluated by determining the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), osteopontin (OPN), and by the concentration of glutathione (GSH). In all three cell lines, pre-treatment of antioxidants increased cell survival. Positive correlation of SOD and OPN expression as well as GSH concentration was observed in all groups of cells. Our results indicate that an antioxidant pre-treatment with l-arginine and vitamin E is able to hamper oxalate-induced oxidative stress in kidney epithelial cells and as such could play a role in prevention of urolithiasis.