Terminalia chebula Fructus Inhibits Migration and Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Production of Inflammatory Mediators in RAW 264.7

The SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin attenuates atherosclerosis progression by inducing autophagy

Cardiovascular disease due to atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of death worldwide; however, the underlying mechanism has yet to be defined. The sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) empagliflozin is a new type of hypoglycemic drug. Recent studies have shown that empagliflozin not only reduces high glucose levels but also exerts cardiovascular-protective effects and slows the process of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which empagliflozin ameliorates atherosclerosis. Male apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice were fed a high-fat Western diet to establish an atherosclerosis model. The area and size of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice were then assessed by performing hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining after empagliflozin treatment. Concurrently, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) was used to mimic atherosclerosis in three different types of cells. Then, following empagliflozin treatment of macrophage cells (RAW264.7), human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), western blotting was applied to measure the levels of autophagy-related proteins and proinflammatory cytokines, and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-light chain 3 (LC3) puncta were detected using confocal microscopy to confirm autophagosome formation. Oil Red O staining was performed to detect the foaming of macrophages and HASMCs, and flow cytometry was used for the cell cycle analysis. 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), and scratch assays were also performed to examine the proliferation and migration of HASMCs. Empagliflozin suppressed the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice. Empagliflozin also induced autophagy in RAW246.7 cells, HASMCs, and HUVECs via the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, and it significantly increased the levels of the Beclin1 protein, the LC3B-II/I ratio, and p-AMPK protein. In addition, empagliflozin decreased the expression of P62 and the protein levels of inflammatory cytokines, and it inhibited the foaming of RAW246.7 cells and HASMCs, as well as the expression of inflammatory factors by inducing autophagy. Empagliflozin activated autophagy through the AMPK signaling pathway to delay the progression of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the results of flow cytometry, EdU assays, CCK-8 cell viability assays, and scratch assays indicated that empagliflozin blocked HASMCs proliferation and migration. Empagliflozin activates autophagy through the AMPK signaling pathway to delay the evolution of atherosclerosis, indicating that it may represent a new and effective drug for the clinical treatment of atherosclerosis.

Pharmacokinetics of active compounds of a Terminalia chebula Retz. Ethanolic extract after oral administration rats using UPLC-MS/MS

Terminalia chebula Retz. (TC) is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine and rich in chemical components with multiple pharmacological effects. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and used to determine the blood concentrations of nine active compounds (chebulic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, corilagin, chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloylglucose, ellagic acid and ethyl gallate) after oral administration of TC extracts in rats. Pretreatment of plasma samples with protein precipitate with methanol was carried out, and caffeic acid was used as the internal standard (IS). Compounds precisions of intra- and inter-day were less than 14.6%, and the accuracy ranged from -11.7% to 13.5%. The extraction recoveries of compounds were between 84.9% and 108.4%, while matrix effects occurred between 86.4% and 115.9%. Stability tests showed that all nine analytes had been stable under four storage conditions, and statistically significant the relative standard deviations were under 13.7%. The validated UPLC-MS/MS method was applied with great success to plasma pharmacokinetics analysis of the TC extracts, and the pharmacokinetic results showed that among the nine components, the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC_(0-tn), 231112.38 ± 64555.20 h ng/mL) and maximum concentration (C_max, 4,983.57 ± 1721.53 ng/mL) of chebulagic acid were relatively large, which indicated that it had a higher level of plasma exposure. The half-life of elimination (T_1/2) of chebulinic acid, corilagin and chebulagic acid were 43.30, 26.39 and 19.98 h, respectively, suggesting that these analytes showed prolonged retention and metabolize more slowly in vivo. This study would deliver a theoretical foundation for the further application of TC in clinical practice.

Phytantriol-Based Berberine-Loaded Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles Attenuate Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages

Inflammation and oxidative stress are interrelated processes that represent the underlying causes of several chronic inflammatory diseases that include asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Macrophages are key initiators of inflammatory processes in the body. When triggered by a stimulus such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), these cells secrete inflammatory cytokines namely TNF-α that orchestrate the cellular inflammatory process. Simultaneously, pro-inflammatory stimuli induce the upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which catalyzes the generation of high levels of nitric oxide (NO). This, together with high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by macrophages, mediate oxidative stress which, in turn, exacerbates inflammation in a feedback loop, resulting in the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases. Berberine is a phytochemical embedded with potent in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, whose therapeutic application is hindered by poor solubility and bioavailability. For this reason, large doses of berberine need to be administered to achieve the desired pharmacological effect, which may result in toxicity. Encapsulation of such a drug in liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) represents a viable strategy to overcome these limitations. We encapsulated berberine in phytantriol-based LCNs (BP-LCNs) and tested the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of BP-LCNs in vitro on LPS-induced mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. BP-LCNs showed potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, with significant reduction in the gene expressions of TNF-α and iNOS, followed by concomitant reduction of ROS and NO production at a concentration of 2.5 µM, which is lower than the concentration of free berberine concentration required to achieve similar effects as reported elsewhere. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the suitability for BP-LCNs both as an antioxidant and as an anti-inflammatory agent with potential application in the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases.

A comprehensive review on the diverse pharmacological perspectives of Terminalia chebula Retz

Terminalia chebula Retz, commonly known as 'Haritaki/Myrobalan,' has been utilised as a traditional medicine for a long time. It has been extensively exercised in various indigenous medicine practices like Unani, Tibb, Ayurveda, and Siddha to remedy human ailments such as bleeding, carminative, dysentery, liver tonic, digestive, antidiarrheal, analgesic, anthelmintic, antibacterial and helpful in skin disorders. Studies on the pharmacological effects of T. chebula and its phytoconstituents documented between January, 1996 and December, 2021 were explored using various electronic databases. During the time mentioned above, several laboratory approaches revealed the biological properties of T. chebula, including antioxidative, antiproliferative, anti-microbial, proapoptotic, anti-diabetic, anti-ageing, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antiepileptic. It is also beneficial in glucose and lipid metabolism and prevents atherogenesis and endothelial dysfunction. Different parts of T. chebula such as fruits, seeds, galls, barks extracted with various solvent systems (aqueous, ethanol, methanol, chloroform, ethyl-acetate) revealed major bioactive compounds like chebulic acid, chebulinic acid, and chebulaginic acid, which in turn proved to have valuable pharmacological properties through broad scientific investigations. There is a common link between chebulagic acid and chebulanin with its antioxidant property, antiaging activity, antiinflammatory, antidiabetic activity, and cardioprotective activity. The actions may be through neutralizing the free radicals responsible for producing tissue damage alongside interconnecting many other diseases. The current review summarises the scientifically documented literature on pharmacological potentials and chemical compositions of T. chebula, which is expected to investigate further studies on this subject.

Berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles inhibit non-small cell lung cancer proliferation and migration in vitro

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reported to have a high incidence rate and is one of the most prevalent types of cancer contributing towards 85% of all incidences of lung cancer. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid which offers a broad range of therapeutical and pharmacological actions against cancer. However, extremely low water solubility and poor oral bioavailability have largely restricted its therapeutic applications. To overcome these limitations, we formulated berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) and investigated their in vitro antiproliferative and antimigratory activity in human lung epithelial cancer cell line (A549). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), trypan blue staining, and colony forming assays were used to evaluate the anti-proliferative activity, while scratch wound healing assay and a modified Boyden chamber assay were carried out to determine the anti-migratory activity. We also investigated major proteins associated with lung cancer progression. The developed nanoparticles were found to have an average particle size of 181.3 nm with spherical shape, high entrapment efficiency (75.35%) and have shown sustained release behaviour. The most remarkable findings reported with berberine-loaded LCNs were significant suppression of proliferation, inhibition of colony formation, inhibition of invasion or migration via epithelial mesenchymal transition, and proliferation related proteins associated with cancer progression. Our findings suggest that anti-cancer compounds with the problem of poor solubility and bioavailability can be overcome by formulating them into nanotechnology-based delivery systems for better efficacy. Further in-depth investigations into anti-cancer mechanistic research will expand and strengthen the current findings of berberine-LCNs as a potential NSCLC treatment option.

Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity and Anti-Migratory Effect of Berberine–Phytantriol Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticle Formulation on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer In Vitro

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that is commercially available for use as a supplement for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, the therapeutic benefits of berberine are limited by its extremely low bioavailability and toxicity at higher doses. Increasing evidence suggests that the incorporation of drug compounds in liquid crystal nanoparticles provides a new platform for the safe, effective, stable, and controlled delivery of the drug molecules. This study aimed to formulate an optimized formulation of berberine–phytantriol-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (BP-LCNs) and to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activity in a human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. The BP-LCN formulation possessing optimal characteristics that was used in this study had a favorable particle size and entrapment efficiency rate (75.31%) and a superior drug release profile. The potential mechanism of action of the formulation was determined by measuring the mRNA levels of the tumor-associated genes PTEN, P53, and KRT18 and the protein expression levels with a human oncology protein array. BP-LCNs decreased the proliferation, migration, and colony-forming activity of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner by upregulating the mRNA expression of PTEN and P53 and downregulating the mRNA expression of KRT18. Similarly, BP-LCNs also decreased the expression of proteins related to cancer cell proliferation and migration. This study highlights the utility of phytantriol-based LCNs in incorporating drug molecules with low GI absorption and bioavailability to increase their pharmacological effectiveness and potency in NSCLC.

Microparticles-Mediated Vascular Inflammation and its Amelioration by Antioxidant Activity of Baicalin

Microparticles (MPs) are extracellular vesicles (0.1–1.0 μm in size), released in response to cell activation or apoptosis. Endothelial microparticles (EC-MP), vascular smooth muscle cell microparticles (VSMC-MP), and macrophage microparticles (MØ-MP) are key hallmarks of atherosclerosis progression. In our current study, we investigated the potent antioxidant activity of baicalin to ameliorate MP-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction and endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, as well as the production of inflammatory mediators in macrophage (RAW264.7). In our study, baicalin suppressed the apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, NO production, foam cell formation, protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in MØ-MP-induced RAW264.7. In addition, VSMC migration induced by VSMC-MP was dose-dependently inhibited by baicalin. Likewise, baicalin inhibits metalloproteinase-9 expression and suppresses VSMC-MP-induced VSMC proliferation by down-regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expressions. Baicalin also inhibited ROS production and apoptosis in VSMC. In EC, the marker of endothelial dysfunction (endothelial senescence, upregulation of ICAM, and ROS production) induced by EC-MP was halted by baicalin. Our results suggested that baicalin exerts potent biological activity to restore the function of EC and VSMC altered by their corresponding microparticles and inhibits the release of inflammation markers from activated macrophages.

Calorie Restriction Curbs Proinflammation That Accompanies Arterial Aging, Preserving a Youthful Phenotype

Background

Aging exponentially increases the incidence of morbidity and mortality of quintessential cardiovascular disease mainly due to arterial proinflammatory shifts at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels within the arterial wall. Calorie restriction (CR) in rats improves arterial function and extends both health span and life span. How CR affects the proinflammatory landscape of molecular, cellular, and tissue phenotypic shifts within the arterial wall in rats, however, remains to be elucidated.

Methods and Results

Aortae were harvested from young (6‐month‐old) and old (24‐month‐old) Fischer 344 rats, fed ad libitum and a second group maintained on a 40% CR beginning at 1 month of age. Histopathologic and morphometric analysis of the arterial wall demonstrated that CR markedly reduced age‐associated intimal medial thickening, collagen deposition, and elastin fractionation/degradation within the arterial walls. Immunostaining/blotting showed that CR effectively prevented an age‐associated increase in the density of platelet‐derived growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase type II activity, and transforming growth factor beta 1 and its downstream signaling molecules, phospho‐mothers against decapentaplegic homolog‐2/3 (p‐SMAD‐2/3) in the arterial wall. In early passage cultured vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from AL and CR rat aortae, CR alleviated the age‐associated vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic shifts, profibrogenic signaling, and migration/proliferation in response to platelet‐derived growth factor.

Conclusions

CR reduces matrix and cellular proinflammation associated with aging that occurs within the aortic wall and that are attributable to platelet‐derived growth factor signaling. Thus, CR reduces the platelet‐derived growth factor–associated signaling cascade, contributing to the postponement of biological aging and preservation of a more youthful aortic wall phenotype.

Phytochemical profile and biological activity of Juglans regia

Juglans regia Linn. (Juglandaceae), popularly known as English or Persian walnut, is a valuable medicinal plant with a potency to cure various diseases in traditional medicine. Since ancient time, different local ethnic groups have used various part of J. regia for a wide array of ailments including helminthiasis, diarrhea, sinusitis, stomach ache, arthritis, asthma, eczema, scrofula, skin disorders, diabetes mellitus, anorexia, thyroid dysfunction, cancer and infectious diseases. Biological activities of J. regia have been reported in several peer review journals and scientific attention is increasing. The present review attempts to provide comprehensive information on plant description, ethnobotanical use, toxicity, phytochemical profile, pharmacology, clinical studies and current research prospective of the J. regia. Currently, there is an immense interest on isolation/identification of active constituents from walnut and screening those active compounds for pharmacological activities. In addition, researchers are performing clinical trials as well as screening various solvent extracts or fractions of J. regia in several animal diseases models to identify promising therapeutic benefits. In the present work, we review the latest information based on published scientific investigations of J. regia.

Reactive Oxygen Species: A Key Hallmark of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been the prime cause of mortality worldwide for decades. However, the underlying mechanism of their pathogenesis is not fully clear yet. It has been already established that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a vital role in the progression of CVDs. ROS are chemically unstable reactive free radicals containing oxygen, normally produced by xanthine oxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, lipoxygenases, or mitochondria or due to the uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase in vascular cells. When the equilibrium between production of free radicals and antioxidant capacity of human physiology gets altered due to several pathophysiological conditions, oxidative stress is induced, which in turn leads to tissue injury. This review focuses on pathways behind the production of ROS, its involvement in various intracellular signaling cascades leading to several cardiovascular disorders (endothelial dysfunction, ischemia-reperfusion, and atherosclerosis), methods for its detection, and therapeutic strategies for treatment of CVDs targeting the sources of ROS. The information generated by this review aims to provide updated insights into the understanding of the mechanisms behind cardiovascular complications mediated by ROS.

Chungtaejeon, a Korean fermented tea, prevents the risk of atherosclerosis in rats fed a high-fat atherogenic diet

OBJECTIVE

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the well-established risk factors for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-atherogenic effect of Chungtaejeon (CTJ, a Korean fermented tea) aqueous extract on proliferation and migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

The authors used high-fat atherogenic diet (HFAD) to induce hyperlipidemia in Wistar rats in in vivo animal experiments and used HASMCs for in vitro cell experiments. For the in vitro cell experiment, the proliferation of HASMCs was evaluated using the MTT assay. Similarly, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in HASMCs was measured using gelatin zymography. Antimigratory activity of CTJ was revealed using the wound-healing model and Boyden 's chamber assay. In the in vivo experiment, CTJ was administered in three different doses for 20 d from the initiation of the HFAD. After 20 d, the serum lipid profile and total lipid contents in liver were measured.

RESULTS

Treatment with CTJ for 24 h dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation and migration of HASMCs and expression of MMP-2 in HASMCs. The oral administration of CTJ at concentrations of 200 and 400 mg/kg decreased the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total serum cholesterol and hepatic cholesterol of HFAD-fed rats.

CONCLUSION

CTJ possessed strong antiproliferative, antimigratory, as well as lipid-lowering activities. Thus, CTJ can be considered as a therapeutic option in the treatment of high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis.

Antiatherogenic Effect of Camellia japonica Fruit Extract in High Fat Diet-Fed Rats

Hypercholesterolemia is a well-known etiological factor for cardiovascular disease and a common symptom of most types of metabolic disorders. Camellia japonica is a traditional garden plant, and its flower and seed have been used as a base oil of traditional cosmetics in East Asia. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of C. japonica fruit extracts (CJF) in a high fat diet- (HFD-) induced hypercholesterolemic rat model. CJF was administered orally at three different doses: 100, 400, and 800 mg·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹ (CJF 100, 400, and 800, resp.). Our results showed that CJF possessed strong cholesterol-lowering potency as indicated by the decrease in serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), accompanied by an increase in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Furthermore, CJF reduced serum lipid peroxidation by suppressing the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. In addition, oil red O (ORO) staining of rat arteries showed decreased lipid-positive staining in the CJF-treated groups compared to the control HFD group. Taken together, these results suggest that CJF could be a potent herbal therapeutic option and source of a functional food for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and other diseases associated with hypercholesterolemia.

Circulating Endothelial Microparticles: A Key Hallmark of Atherosclerosis Progression

The levels of circulating microparticles (MPs) are raised in various cardiovascular diseases. Their increased level in plasma is regarded as a biomarker of alteration in vascular function. The prominent MPs present in blood are endothelial microparticles (EMPs) described as complex submicron (0.1 to 1.0 μm) vesicles like structure, released in response to endothelium cell activation or apoptosis. EMPs possess both physiological and pathological effects and may promote oxidative stress and vascular inflammation. EMPs release is triggered by inducer like angiotensin II, lipopolysaccharide, and hydrogen peroxide leading to the progression of atherosclerosis. However, there are multiple physiological pathways for EMPs generation like NADPH oxidase derived endothelial ROS formation, Rho kinase pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Endothelial dysfunction is a key initiating event in atherosclerotic plaque formation. Atheroemboli, resulting from ruptured carotid plaques, is a major cause of stroke. Increasing evidence suggests that EMPs play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, acting as a marker of damage, either exacerbating disease progression or triggering a repair response. In this regard, it has been suggested that EMPs have the potential to act as biomarkers of disease status. This review aims to provide updated information of EMPs in relation to atherosclerosis pathogenesis.

Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Nelumbo nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae) is a potential aquatic crop grown and consumed throughout Asia. All parts of N. nucifera have been used for various medicinal purposes in various systems of medicine including folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. Many chemical constituents have been isolated till the date. However, the bioactive constituents of lotus are mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Traditionally, the whole plant of lotus was used as astringent, emollient, and diuretic. It was used in the treatment of diarrhea, tissue inflammation, and homeostasis. The rhizome extract was used as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of asteroidal triterpenoid. Leaves were used as an effective drug for hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia. Flowers were used to treat diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia. In traditional medicine practice, seeds are used in the treatment of tissue inflammation, cancer and skin diseases, leprosy, and poison antidote. Embryo of lotus seeds is used in traditional Chinese medicine as Lian Zi Xin, which primarily helps to overcome nervous disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and arrhythmia). Nutritional value of lotus is as important as pharmaceutical value. These days' different parts of lotus have been consumed as functional foods. Thus, lotus can be regarded as a potential nutraceutical source.