Effect of Anticancer Quinones on Reactive Oxygen Production by Adult Rat Heart Myocytes

Prospecting Pharmacologically Active Biocompounds from the Amazon Rainforest: In Vitro Approaches, Mechanisms of Action Based on Chemical Structure, and Perspectives on Human Therapeutic Use

The Amazon rainforest is an important reservoir of biodiversity, offering vast potential for the discovery of new bioactive compounds from plants. In vitro studies allow for the investigation of biological processes and interventions in a controlled manner, making them fundamental for pharmacological and biotechnological research. These approaches are faster and less costly than in vivo studies, providing standardized conditions that enhance the reproducibility and precision of data. However, in vitro methods have limitations, including the inability to fully replicate the complexity of a living organism and the absence of a complete physiological context. Translating results to in vivo models is not always straightforward, due to differences in pharmacokinetics and biological interactions. In this context, the aim of this literature review is to assess the advantages and disadvantages of in vitro approaches in the search for new drugs from the Amazon, identifying the challenges and limitations associated with these methods and comparing them with in vivo testing. Thus, bioprospecting in the Amazon involves evaluating plant extracts through bioassays to investigate pharmacological, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Phenolic compounds and terpenes are frequently identified as the main bioactive agents, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic activities. Chemical characterization, molecular modifications, and the development of delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, are highlighted to improve therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the Amazon rainforest offers great potential for the discovery of new drugs; however, significant challenges, such as the standardization of extraction methods and the need for in vivo studies and clinical trials, must be overcome for these compounds to become viable medications.

Apigenin alleviates doxorubicin-induced myocardial pyroptosis by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3β in vitro and in vivo

Apigenin, a natural flavonoid compound found in chamomile (Matricaia chamomilla L.) from the Asteraceae family, has been shown in our previous study to possess antimyocardial hypertrophy and anti-cardiac fibrosis effects. However, its effects and mechanisms on the pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes induced by doxorubicin (DOX) are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of GSK-3β and the effects of apigenin in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. H9c2 cells stimulated with DOX were treated with SB216763 and apigenin. Additionally, a mouse model of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity was prepared and further treated with apigenin and SB216763 for 30 days. The findings revealed that treatment with SB216763 or apigenin resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of pyroptosis-related factors. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of GSK-3β was enhanced while the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kB (NF-κB) p65 was reduced following treatment with either SB216763 or apigenin. Conversely, the effects of apigenin treatment were nullified in siRNA-GSK-3β-transfected cells. Results from computer simulation and molecular docking analysis supported that apigenin could directly target the regulation of GSK-3β. Therefore, our study confirmed that the inhibition of GSK-3β and treatment with apigenin effectively suppressed the pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes in both DOX-stimulated H9c2 cells and mice. These benefits may be attributed in part to the decrease in GSK-3β expression and subsequent reduction in NF-κB p65 activation. Overall, our findings revealed that the pharmacological targeting of GSK-3β may offer a promising therapeutic approach for alleviating DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Associations between antibiotic exposure and abnormal cardiac enzyme profiles in older Chinese adults

Biomonitoring methods can be used to measure exposure to antibiotics in the general population; however, epidemiological data on the associations between urinary antibiotic levels and the cardiac profiles of enzymes lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase isoenzyme in older adults remain sparse. We investigated these associations in 990 individuals from the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors. Antibiotic residues in urine samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Urinary levels of 34 antibiotics were measured. The participants' cardiac enzyme profiles were influenced by sex, age, marital status, education level, cohabitation status, physical activity, dietary structure, body mass index, depression presence and salt, sugar, and oil consumption (P < 0.05). Oxytetracycline, tetracycline, doxycycline, sulfaclozine, and, florfenicol concentrations were negatively associated with the risk of having an abnormal cardiac enzyme profile. Older adults exposed to higher concentrations of norfloxacin had a higher risk of LDH anomalies. After antibiotics were classified, we identified associations between exposure to chloramphenicols, sulfonamides, or veterinary antibiotics and a lower risk of having an abnormal cardiac enzyme profile. Obtaining an accurate epidemiological profile of antibiotic exposure is indispensable for the prevention and detection of cardiac enzyme profile abnormalities in older adults.

Ginseng volatile oil prolongs the lifespan and healthspan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Ginseng volatile oil (GVO) is one of the main components of ginseng and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied to characterize GVO chemical composition, and 73 volatile components were detected from GVO. Caenorhabditis elegans was used as animal model to further elucidate the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of GVO in vivo. The results suggested that GVO significantly prolonged the lifespan of C. elegans and promoted its health without damaging its reproductive capacity. In addition, GVO increased the antioxidant capacity and survival rate of nematodes after heat shock. Transcriptional sequencing showed that autophagy-related genes atg-4.2, atg-7, lgg-2, and cyd-1 were up-regulated, and superoxide dismutase 1 (sod-1) expression was increased after GVO pretreatment. Considering the role of autophagy and antioxidant in aging, the expression of autophagy substrate P62 protein in BC12921 strain was analyzed and found to decrease by more than 50.00% after treatment with GVO. In addition, the lifespan of SOD-1 mutant nematodes was not significantly different from that of the control group. SOD activity and autophagy were activated, which is a clear expression of hormesis. All these results suggest that GVO prolongs the lifespan and healthspan of C. elegans, and its biological functions may be related to hormesis.

Promising Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents Based on Thiolated Vitamin K3 Analogs: Synthesis, Bioevaluation, Molecular Docking

In the present study, we designed and synthesized thiolated VK3 analogs (VK3a-g) along with an extensive antimicrobial study. After the evaluation of the antibacterial and antifungal activity against various bacterial and fungal strains, we presented an initial structure-activity relationship study on these VK3 analogs. In particular, four thiolated VK3 analogs exhibited superior biological potency against some Gram-positive bacterial strains, including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC® 29213) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC® 29212). Next, all thiolated VK3 analogs were evaluated for their potential of cell growth inhibition on the NCI-60 cancer cell lines panel. This screening underlined that the thiolated VK3 analogs have no visible cytotoxicity on different cancer cell lines. The selected two thiolated VK3 analogs (VK3a and VK3b), having minimal hemolytic activity, which also have the lowest MIC values on S. aureus and E. faecalis, were further evaluated for their inhibition capacities on biofilm formation after evaluating their potential in vitro antimicrobial activity against each of the 20 clinically obtained resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. VK3b showed excellent antimicrobial activity against clinically resistant S. aureus isolates. Furthermore, the tested molecules showed nearly two log10 reduction in the viable cell count at six hours according to the time kill curve studies. Although these molecules decreased biofilm attachment about 50%, when sub-MIC concentrations were used these molecules increased the percentage of biofilm formation. The molecular docking of VK3a and VK3b in S. aureus thymidylate kinase was conducted in order to predict their molecular interactions. VK3a and VK3b exhibited excellent lead-likeness properties and pharmacokinetic profiles that qualify them for further optimization and development. In conclusion, since investigating efficient novel antimicrobial molecules is quite difficult, these studies are of high importance, especially in the present era of antimicrobial resistance.

Prescription Drugs and Mitochondrial Metabolism

Mitochondria are central to the physiology and survival of nearly all eukaryotic cells and house diverse metabolic processes including oxidative phosphorylation, reactive oxygen species buffering, metabolite synthesis/exchange, and Ca2+ sequestration. Mitochondria are phenotypically heterogeneous and this variation is essential to the complexity of physiological function among cells, tissues, and organ systems. As a consequence of mitochondrial integration with so many physiological processes, small molecules that modulate mitochondrial metabolism induce complex systemic effects. In the case of many common prescribed drugs, these interactions may contribute to drug therapeutic mechanisms, induce adverse drug reactions, or both. The purpose of this article is to review historical and recent advances in the understanding of the effects of prescription drugs on mitochondrial metabolism. Specific 'modes' of xenobiotic-mitochondria interactions are discussed to provide a set of qualitative models that aid in conceptualizing how the mitochondrial energy transduction system may be affected. Findings of recent in vitro high-throughput screening studies are reviewed, and a few candidate drug classes are chosen for additional brief discussion (i.e. antihyperglycemics, antidepressants, antibiotics, and antihyperlipidemics). Finally, recent improvements in pharmacokinetic models that aid in quantifying systemic effects of drug-mitochondria interactions are briefly considered.