A plant-based medicinal food inhibits the growth of human gastric carcinoma by reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

The phytochemical and pharmacological profile of dandelion

Dandelion (Taraxacum genus), a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family is widely distributed in hillside grasslands, roadsides, fields, and river beaches in middle and low-altitude areas. It has a long history of traditional Chinese medicine usage as a heat-clearing and detoxifying agent, often consumed as tea or vegetable. Multiple pharmacological studies have demonstrated the antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immune-regulating, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and other effects of the Taraxacum genus. Bioactive compounds associated with these effects include triterpenes and their saponins, phenolic acids, sterols and their glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, volatile oils, and saccharides.

Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis, precancerous lesions and gastric cancer

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC), and gastric cancer (GC), seriously threaten human health. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been employed in the treatment of chronic diseases for a long time and has shown remarkable efficacy.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Recently, there has been an increasing use of TCM in treating CAG, PLGC, and GC. The objective of this study is to compile a comprehensive overview of the existing research on the effects and molecular mechanisms of TCM, including formulas, single herbs, and active components.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To obtain a comprehensive understanding of traditional use of TCM in treating these diseases, we reviewed ancient books and Chinese literature. In addition, keywords such as "TCM", "CAG", "PLGC", "GC", and "active ingredients" were used to collect modern research on TCM published in databases such as CNKI, Web of Science, and Pubmed up to April 2024. All collected information was then summarized and analyzed.

RESULTS

This study analyzed 174 articles, which covered the research progress of 20 TCM formulas, 14 single herbs, and 50 active ingredients in treating CAG, PLGC, and GC. Sources, effects, and molecular mechanisms of the TCM were summarized.

CONCLUSIONS

This article reviews the progress of TCM in the management of CAG, PLGC, and GC, which will provide a foundation for the clinical application and further development of TCM.

Synergistic anti-tumorigenic effect of diosmetin in combination with 5-fluorouracil on human colon cancer xenografts in nude mice

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is frequently used to treat colorectal cancer (CRC), but its clinical application is limited by its toxicity. Natural compounds have been combined with chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce chemotherapy-related toxicity. Diosmetin, a natural flavonoid, has demonstrated anticancer effects against CRC. This study investigated diosmetin's potential in combination with 5-FU using a murine model of HCT-116 colon cancer xenografts in nu/nu nude mice. HCT-116 cells were injected into the right flanks of mice, and once tumors reached a size of 50 mm3, the mice were treated with diosmetin (100 mg/kg), 5-FU (30 mg/kg), or a combination of both at two dose levels (100 + 30 mg/kg and 50 + 15 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Blood and tumors were collected on the final day for further analysis. Mice treated with the higher combination dose exhibited the smallest tumor volume (330.91 ± 88.49 mm3). Biochemistry and histology analysis showed no toxicity or abnormalities in the liver, kidney, and heart with the combination therapy. Immunohistochemistry results revealed a notable reduction in the proliferation marker (Ki67) and inflammation marker (TLR4) in tumors from high-dose combination-treated mice. Moreover, immunofluorescence data indicated increased levels of apoptotic markers (Bax, Caspase-3, p53, p21) and downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) in the high-dose combination group. The findings suggest that 100 mg/kg of diosmetin combined with 30 mg/kg 5-FU significantly reduced tumor volume and had a less toxic effect on the heart compared to 5-FU monotherapy.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Hymexazol in Controlling Globisporangium spinosum, the Newly Identified Pathogen Causing Root Rot in Houttuynia cordata

Houttuynia cordata is a prevalent vegetable in several Asian countries and is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb for treating various diseases in China. Unfortunately, its yield and quality are adversely affected by root rot. However, the pathogen responsible for the losses remains unidentified, and effective fungicides for its management have not been thoroughly explored. In this work, we demonstrate the first report of Globisporangium spinosum as the causative agent causing root rot of H. cordata. Moreover, we evaluated the efficacy of hymexazol to manage the disease, which displayed remarkable inhibitory effects against mycelial growth of G. spinosum in vitro, with EC50 values as low as 1.336 μg/ml. Furthermore, hymexazol completely inhibited sporangia in G. spinosum at a concentration of 0.3125 μg/ml. Specifically, we observed that hymexazol was highly efficacious in reducing the incidence of H. cordata root rot caused by G. spinosum in a greenhouse setting. These findings offer a potential management tool for utilization of hymexazol in controlling H. cordata root rot in field production.

The Planar Cell Polarity Protein Fat1 in Sertoli Cell Function

Fat (FAT atypical cadherin) and Dchs (Dachsous cadherin-related protein) in adjacent Sertoli:Sertoli, Sertoli:spermatid, and spermatid:spermatid interfaces create an important intercellular bridge whose adhesive function is in turn supported by Fjx1, a nonreceptor Ser/Thr protein kinase. This concept is derived from earlier studies of Drosophila, which has been confirmed in this and earlier reports as well. Herein, we use the approach of knockdown of Fat1 by RNAi using primary cultures of Sertoli cells that mimicked the blood-testis barrier (BTB) in vivo, and a series of coherent experiments including functional assays to monitor the Sertoli cell tight junction (TJ) permeability barrier and a functional in vitro TJ integrity assay to assess the role of Fat1 in the testis. It was shown that planar cell polarity (PCP) protein Fat1 affected Sertoli cell function through its modulation of actin and microtubule cytoskeletal function, altering their polymerization activity through the Fat1/Fjx1 complex. Furthermore, Fat1 is intimately associated with β-catenin and α-N-catenin, as well as with Prickle 1 of the Vangl1/Prickle 1 complex, another PCP core protein to support intercellular interactions to confer PCP. In summary, these findings support the notion that the Fat:Dchs and the Vangl2:Fzd PCP intercellular bridges are tightly associated with basal ES/TJ structural proteins to stabilize PCP function at the Sertoli:Sertoli, Sertoli:spermatid, and spermatid:spermatid interface to sustain spermatogenesis.

Effects of plant-based medicinal food on postoperative recurrence and lung metastasis of gastric cancer regulated by Wnt/β-catenin-EMT signaling pathway and VEGF-C/D-VEGFR-3 cascade in a mouse model

Background

The plant-based medicinal food (PBMF) is a functional compound extracted from 6 medicinal and edible plants: Coix seed, L. edodes, A. officinalis L., H. cordata, Dandelion, and G. frondosa. Our previous studies have confirmed that the PBMF possesses anti-tumor properties in a subcutaneous xenograft model of nude mice. This study aims to further investigate the effects and potential molecular mechanisms of the PBMF on the recurrence and metastasis of gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

Postoperative recurrence and metastasis model of GC was successfully established in inbred 615 mice inoculated with mouse forestomach carcinoma (MFC) cells. After tumorectomy, 63 GC mice were randomly divided into five groups and respectively subject to different treatments for 15 days as below: model control group, 5-Fu group, and three doses of PBMF (43.22, 86.44, 172.88 g/kg PBMF in diet respectively). The inhibition rate (IR) of recurrence tumor weights and organ coefficients were calculated. Meanwhile, histopathological changes were examined and the metastasis IR in lungs and lymph node tissues was computed. The mRNA expressions related to the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lymphangiogenesis were detected by RT-qPCR in recurrence tumors and/or lung tissues. Protein expressions of β-catenin, p-β-catenin (Ser33/37/Thr41), GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β (Ser9), E-cadherin, and Vimentin in recurrence tumors were determined by Western Blot. LYVE-1, VEGF-C/D, and VEGFR-3 levels in recurrence tumors and/or lung tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry staining.

Results

The mRNA, as well as protein expression of GSK-3β were up-regulated and the mRNA expression of β-catenin was down-regulated after PBMF treatment. Meanwhile, the ratio of p-β-catenin (Ser33/37/Thr41) to β-catenin protein was increased significantly and the p-GSK-3β (Ser9) protein level was decreased. And PMBF could effectively decrease the mRNA and protein levels of Vimentin while increasing those of E-cadherin. Furthermore, PBMF markedly reduced lymphatic vessel density (LVD) (labeled by LYVE-1) in recurrence tumor tissues, and mRNA levels of VEGF-C/D, VEGFR-2/3 of recurrence tumors were all significantly lower in the high-dose group.

Conclusions

PBMF had a significant inhibitory effect on recurrence and lung metastasis of GC. The potential mechanism may involve reversing EMT by inhabiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Lymphatic metastasis was also inhibited by PBMF via down-regulating the activation of the VEGF-C/D-VEGFR-2/3 signaling cascade.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03703-0.

How Should the Worldwide Knowledge of Traditional Cancer Healing Be Integrated with Herbs and Mushrooms into Modern Molecular Pharmacology?

Traditional herbal medicine (THM) is a "core" from which modern medicine has evolved over time. Besides this, one third of people worldwide have no access to modern medicine and rely only on traditional medicine. To date, drugs of plant origin, or their derivates (paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vinorelbine, etoposide, camptothecin, topotecan, irinotecan, and omacetaxine), are very important in the therapy of malignancies and they are included in most chemotherapeutic regimes. To date, 391,000 plant and 14,000 mushroom species exist. Their medical and biochemical capabilities have not been studied in detail. In this review, we systematized the information about plants and mushrooms, as well as their active compounds with antitumor properties. Plants and mushrooms are divided based on the regions where they are used in ethnomedicine to treat malignancies. The majority of their active compounds with antineoplastic properties and mechanisms of action are described. Furthermore, on the basis of the available information, we divided them into two priority groups for research and for their potential of use in antitumor therapy. As there are many prerequisites and some examples how THM helps and strengthens modern medicine, finally, we discuss the positive points of THM and the management required to transform and integrate THM into the modern medicine practice.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb: An Ethnopharmacological Review

Houttuynia cordata Thunb (H. cordata; Saururaceae) is widely distributed in Asian regions. It plays an important role in traditional health care and disease treatment, as its aboveground stems and leaves have a long medicinal history in China and are used in the treatment of pneumonia and lung abscess. In clinical treatment, it can usually be combined with other drugs to treat dysentery, cold, fever, and mumps; additionally, H. cordata is an edible plant. This review summarizes detailed information on the phytochemistry and pharmacological effects of H. cordata. By searching the keywords “H. cordata and lung”, “H. cordata and heart”, “H. cordata and liver”, and “H. cordata and inflammation” in PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect, we screened out articles with high correlation in the past ten years, sorted out the research contents, disease models and research methods of the articles, and provided a new perspective on the therapeutic effects of H. cordata. A variety of its chemical constituents are characteristic of medicinal plants, the chemical constituents were isolated from H. cordata, including volatile oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Flavonoids and volatile oils are the main active components. In pharmacological studies, H. cordata showed organ protective activity, such as reducing the release of inflammatory factors to alleviate lung injury. Moreover, H. cordata regulates immunity, enhances the immune barriers of the vagina, oral cavity, and intestinal tract, and combined with the antibacterial and antiviral activity of its extract, effectively reduces pathogen infection. Furthermore, experiments in vivo and in vitro showed significant anti-inflammatory activity, and its chemical derivatives exert potential therapeutic activity against rheumatoid arthritis. Antitumour action is also an important pharmacological activity of H. cordata, and studies have shown that H. cordata has a notable effect on lung tumour, liver tumour, colon tumour, and breast tumour. This review categorizes the biological activities of H. cordata according to modern research papers, and provides insights into disease prevention and treatment of H. cordata.