Anti-allergic effects of cnidii monnieri fructus (dried fruits of Cnidium monnieri) and its major component, osthol

Anti-Melanogenic Effects of Cnidium monnieri Extract via p38 Signaling-Mediated Proteasomal Degradation of Tyrosinase

Cnidium monnieri fructus is widely used in traditional Oriental medicine for treating female genital disorders, male impotence, frigidity, and skin-related conditions in East Asia. However, the role of C. monnieri fructus extract (CMFE) in melanin synthesis is not well elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the anti-melanogenesis effect and mechanism of action of CMFE in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cells. Intracellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity were measured in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cells treated with various concentrations of CMFE (0.5-5 μg/mL). mRNA and protein levels of tyrosinase and MITF were evaluated using qRT-PCR and ting. CMFE's effect on the proteasomal degradation of tyrosinase was confirmed using a proteasomal degradation inhibitor, MG132. CMFE treatment activated p38, a protein associated with proteasomal degradation. Treatment with CMFE at up to 5 μg/mL showed no significant cytotoxicity. CMFE significantly reduced α-MSH-stimulated melanin production (43.29 ± 3.55% decrease, p < 0.05) and cellular tyrosinase activity (31.14 ± 3.15% decrease, p < 0.05). Although mRNA levels of MITF and tyrosinase increased, CMFE suppressed tyrosinase protein levels. The suppressive effect of CMFE on tyrosinase protein was blocked by MG132. CMFE inhibited melanogenesis by promoting the proteasome degradation of tyrosinase through p38 activation. These findings suggest that CMFE has the potential to be a natural whitening agent for inhibiting melanogenesis.

Comparative physiological and transcriptome analysis provide insights into the inhibitory effect of osthole on Penicillium choerospondiatis

Blue mold induced by Penicillium choerospondiatis is a primary cause of growth and postharvest losses in the fruit of Phyllanthus emblica. There is an urgent need to explore novel and safe fungicides to control this disease. Here, we demonstrated osthole, a natural coumarin compound isolated from Cnidium monnieri, exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on mycelia growth, conidial germination rate and germ tube length of P. choerospondiatis, and effectively suppressed the blue mold development in postharvest fruit of P. emblica. The median effective concentration of osthole was 9.86 mg/L. Osthole treatment resulted in cellular structural disruption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and induced autophagic vacuoles containing cytoplasmic components in fungal cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed that osthole treatment led to the differentially expressed genes mainly enriched in the cell wall synthesis, TCA cycle, glycolysis/ gluconeogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, osthole treatment led to increase genes expression involved in peroxisome, autophagy and endocytosis. Particularly, the autophagy pathway related genes (PcATG1, PcATG3, PcATG15, PcATG27, PcYPT7 and PcSEC18) were prominently up-regulated by osthole. Summarily, these results revealed the potential antifungal mechanism of osthole against P. choerospondiatis. Osthole has potentials to develop as a natural antifungal agent for controlling blue mold disease in postharvest fruits.

Extract of Sophorae flavescentis radix-Cnidii fructus couplet medicines treats vulvovaginal candidiasis by affecting the vaginal mucosal barrier

Aim: This study investigated the inhibition of extract of Sophorae flavescentis radix-Cnidii fructus couplet medicines (ESCC) on Candida albicans (C. albicans) in vitro and the effect of ESCC on the vaginal mucosal barrier in vivo. Materials & methods: Susceptibility testing was performed with C. albicans SC5314. A vulvovaginal candidiasis mouse model was successfully established. The plate method, Gram staining, hematoxylin and eosin staining and ELISA were used to detect relevant inflammatory indexes: IFN-γ, IL-1 and TNF-α. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were used to detect mucosal immune-related factors: MUC1, MUC4, DEFB1 and DEFB2. Results: ESCC was able to inhibit the proliferative activity of C. albicans, and it affected inflammation-related factors and indicators of vaginal mucosal immunity. Conclusion: ESCC showed potential value in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Nematicidal Coumarins from Cnidium monnieri Fruits and Angelica dahurica Roots and Their Physiological Effect on Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)

Pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a major pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD), which is a devastating disease affecting pine trees. Eco-friendly plant-derived nematicides against PWN have been considered as promising alternatives to control PWD. In this study, the ethyl acetate extracts of Cnidium monnieri fruits and Angelica dahurica roots were confirmed to have significant nematicidal activity against PWN. Through bioassay-guided fractionations, eight nematicidal coumarins against PWN were separately isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of C. monnieri fruits and A. dahurica roots, and they were identified to be osthol (Compound 1), xanthotoxin (Compound 2), cindimine (Compound 3), isopimpinellin (Compound 4), marmesin (Compound 5), isoimperatorin (Compound 6), imperatorin (Compound 7), and bergapten (Compound 8) by mass and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data analysis. Coumarins 1-8 were all determined to have inhibitory effects on the egg hatching, feeding ability, and reproduction of PWN. Moreover, all eight nematicidal coumarins could inhibit the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Ca²⁺ ATPase of PWN. Cindimine 3 from C. monnieri fruits showed the strongest nematicidal activity against PWN, with an LC₅₀ value of 64 μM at 72 h, and the highest inhibitory effect on PWN vitality. In addition, bioassays on PWN pathogenicity demonstrated that the eight nematicidal coumarins could effectively relieve the wilt symptoms of black pine seedlings infected by PWN. The research identified several potent botanical nematicidal coumarins for use against PWN, which could contribute to the development of greener nematicides for PWD control.

Osthole exhibits an antitumor effect in retinoblastoma through inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway via regulating the hsa_circ_0007534/miR-214-3p axis

CONTEXT

Osthole shows antitumor effects in various tumours. Studies describing the effect of osthole on retinoblastoma (RB) are rare.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the antitumor activity of osthole on RB.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RB cells were treated with different concentrations of osthole and then subjected to cell viability, colony formation, apoptosis, and western blot assays. The expression of hsa_circ_0007534 in RB tissues was determined by qRT-PCR. Hsa_circ_0007534 overexpression plasmid (oe-circ_0007534), miR-214-3p mimics and negative controls were transfected into RB cells to investigate cell viability. Athymic nude mice were injected with Y-79 cells to establish subcutaneous RB models. These mice were treated with osthole (0.5 mmol/kg) or corn oil for 36 days. Tumour tissues were collected for further analysis.

RESULTS

Osthole inhibited cell viability of RB cells with an IC₅₀ of 200 μM for 24 h treatment and 120 μM for 48 h treatment, respectively. Hsa_circ_0007534 was increased significantly in RB tissues as compared to the matched nontumor tissues (p < 0.001). Oe-circ_0007534 counteracted the inhibitory effect of osthole on cell viability and colony numbers of Y-79 cells (p < 0.01). In vivo experiments indicated osthole significantly decreased the expression of hsa_circ_0007534 (p < 0.01) and increased the level of miR-214-3p in vivo. Furthermore, as compared to the control, osthole decreased the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR (p < 0.01). However, hsa_circ_0007534 overexpression reversed the effect of osthole on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Osthole exhibited an antitumour effect in RB, providing a scientific basis for further research and clinical applications of osthole in RB treatment.

Promising Therapeutic Candidate for Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: What Are the Possible Mechanisms and Roles of Phytochemicals?

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the most effective reperfusion strategies for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) despite myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, causing one of the causes of most cardiomyocyte injuries and deaths. The pathological processes of myocardial I/R injury include apoptosis, autophagy, and irreversible cell death caused by calcium overload, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Eventually, myocardial I/R injury causes a spike of further cardiomyocyte injury that contributes to final infarct size (IS) and bound with hospitalization of heart failure as well as all-cause mortality within the following 12 months. Therefore, the addition of adjuvant intervention to improve myocardial salvage and cardiac function calls for further investigation. Phytochemicals are non-nutritive bioactive secondary compounds abundantly found in Chinese herbal medicine. Great effort has been put into phytochemicals because they are often in line with the expectations to improve myocardial I/R injury without compromising the clinical efficacy or to even produce synergy. We summarized the previous efforts, briefly outlined the mechanism of myocardial I/R injury, and focused on exploring the cardioprotective effects and potential mechanisms of all phytochemical types that have been investigated under myocardial I/R injury. Phytochemicals deserve to be utilized as promising therapeutic candidates for further development and research on combating myocardial I/R injury. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to provide a better understanding of the mechanism of myocardial I/R injury treatment using phytochemicals and possible side effects associated with this approach.

Pd-Catalyzed cross-coupling synthesis of 4-aryl-3-formylcoumarins

The threefold cross-coupling of triarylbismuth reagents with 4-chloro-3-formylcoumarins furnished the corresponding 4-aryl-3-formylcoumarins in a chemoselective manner with high yields under Pd-catalyzed conditions. This method was successfully applied to electronically different triarylbismuth reagents and 4-chloro-3-formylcoumarins preserving the 3-formyl group in the coumarin scaffold.

Osthole Blocks HMGB1 Release From the Nucleus and Confers Protective Effects Against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is one of the main causes of renal injury. In severe cases with serious consequences, IR-related renal damage progresses rapidly and can even lead to acute renal failure. Its clinical treatment is currently difficult. According to various studies at home and abroad, HMGB1 is released from the nucleus into the cytoplasm or extracellular space by damaged parenchymal cells during ischemia and hypoxia, and this plays an important role in the initiation of reperfusion injury as an early inflammatory factor and is closely related to the occurrence and development of renal diseases. In recent years, the protective effect of osthole on IR of tissues and organs has been a key topic among clinical researchers. Osthole can inhibit the inflammatory response, reduce cell apoptosis the progression, and improve the prognosis of IR, thus protecting the kidney. During the development of renal IR, finding a mechanism through which the osthole blocks the release of HMGB1 from the nucleus would be helpful in detecting targets for clinical treatment.

Coumarins and Gastrointestinal Cancer: A New Therapeutic Option?

Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are often life-threatening malignancies, which can be a severe burden to the health care system. Globally, the mortality rate from gastrointestinal tumors has been increasing due to the lack of adequate diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic measures to combat these tumors. Coumarin is a natural product with remarkable antitumor activity, and it is widely found in various natural plant sources. Researchers have explored coumarin and its related derivatives to investigate their antitumor activity, and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. These mechanisms include hormone antagonists, alkylating agents, inhibitors of angiogenesis, inhibitors of topoisomerase, inducers of apoptosis, agents with antimitotic activity, telomerase inhibitors, inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase, as well as other potential mechanisms. Consequently, drug design and discovery scientists and medicinal chemists have collaborated to identify new coumarin-related agents in order to produce more effective antitumor drugs against GI cancers. Herein, we summarize the therapeutic effects of coumarin and its derivatives against GI cancer.

Sarsasapogenin and fluticasone combination improves DNFB induced atopic dermatitis lesions in BALB/c mice

OBJECTIVE

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a pruritic, chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease. The research aims to study the effects of Sarsasapogenin and its combination with Fluticasone in 2, 4-Dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) induced atopic dermatitis in BALB/c mice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty male Balb/c mice were divided into 5 groups: (i) Normal control (NC), (ii) Disease control (DNFB), (iii) Sarsasapogenin (SG) (50 µg/mice), (iv) Fluticasone (FC) (50 µg/mice), (v) Sarsasapogenin + Fluticasone (SG + FC) combination (25 µg/mice). Dermatitis was induced by repeated application of DNFB in Balb/c mice. On topical application of SG, FC, and SG + FC combination on the ear and skin lesions, body weight, ear weight, ear thickness, erythema score, spleen weight, cytokines, immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, nitric oxide (NO) level, hematological parameters, and oxidative stress markers were evaluated. Histological analysis of the ear tissue was also done.

RESULTS

The results stated that SG and SG + FC treatment to mice considerably decrease the ear weight, ear thickness, spleen weight, serum IgE, cytokines, NO levels, and restoration of antioxidant stress markers with elevation in the hematological parameters. The observations were further confirmed by histopathological analysis of ear tissue.

CONCLUSION

These data specify that SG has been demonstrated as a probable therapy for the treatment of allergic skin diseases in combination with FC by decreasing its dose from 50 to 25 µg/mice to avoid the chronic side effects of FC. Hence, it can be concluded that SG and SG + FC combination significantly improved the AD-like symptoms in the DNFB sensitized mice through mitigating the production of proinflammatory mediators and restoration of oxidative stress markers.

Preliminary Study on Antifungal Mechanism of Aqueous Extract of Cnidium monnieri Against Trichophyton rubrum

Trichoderma rubrum (T. rubrum) is one of the important pathogens because it is the cause of most dermatomycosis. The treatment of Trichophyton rubrum infection is time-consuming and very expensive; it is easy for the infections to reoccur, leading to therapeutic failures, persistence, and chronic infection. These issues have inspired researchers to study natural alternative therapies instead. Cnidium monnieri (L.), as a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, has a variety of pharmacological activities and a wide range of applications, so it has a high potential for researching and economic value. We detected the effect of aqueous extract of C. monnieri (L.) on the activity of T. rubrum by Cell Count Kit-8 assay (CCK-8), and we found that 128 and 256 μg/ml of aqueous extracts of C. monnieri (L.) co-cultured with T. rubrum for 24 h showed the inhibitory effect on T. rubrum. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that aqueous extract of C. monnieri (L.) damaged the T. rubrum. At the same time, mass spectrometry screening with T. rubrum before and after the treatment of 256 μg/ml of aqueous extracts of C. monnieri (L.) showed that 966 differentially expressed proteins were detected, including 524 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 442 downregulated DEGs. The most significantly downregulated protein was chitin synthase (CHS); and the results of qRT-PCR and Western blotting demonstrated that the expression level of CHS was downregulated in the 256 μg/ml group compared with the control group. The study showed that the aqueous extract of C. monnieri (L.) could destroy the morphology of mycelia and the internal structure of T. rubrum, and it could inhibit the growth of T. rubrum. The antifungal effect of aqueous extract of C. monnieri (L.) may be related to the downregulation of the expression of CHS in T. rubrum, and CHS may be one of the potential targets of its antifungal mechanism. We concluded that aqueous extract from C. monnieri (L.) may be a potential candidate for antifungal agents.

Inhibitory Effect of Osthole from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson on Fusarium oxysporum, a Common Fungal Pathogen of Potato

Fusarium wilt of potato is one of the most common diseases of potato in China, and is becoming a serious threat in potato production. It has been reported that osthole from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson can inhibit plant pathogens. Here, we test the anti-fungal activity of C. monnieri osthole against Fusarium oxysporum in potatoes. The results showed that at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, osthole was able to obviously inhibit mycelial growth of F. oxysporum. We found that osthole caused changes of mycelial morphology, notably hyphal swelling and darkening. Osthole significantly reduced the spore germination of Fusarium by 57.40%. In addition, osthole also inhibited the growth of other pathogens such as Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld, Thanatephorus cucumeris Donk, and Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl, but not Alternaria solani Jonesetgrout and Valsa mali Miyabe and G. Yamada. Our results suggest that osthole has considerable potential as an agent for the prevention and treatment of potato Fusarium wilt.

Ameliorative effects of total coumarins from the fructus of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss. on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis in rats

Atopic dermatitis (AD), which is characterized by intense pruritus and serious inflammation, is a chronic skin disease. Modern studies have testified that the total coumarins from the fructus of Cnidium monnieri (TCFC) possess evident biological activities based on their coumarin compounds. The purpose of this manuscript is to investigate the effects of topical use of TCFC on immune response, inflammation, and skin barrier function in rats with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD. Results indicated that the skin lesion scores of rats were obviously reduced after the management of TCFC, and the spleen and thymus indices also were markedly repressed. TCFC significantly inhibited the overproduction of TNF-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and immunoglobulin E; the epidermal thickness and number of mast cells were notably decreased. The western blot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of TCFC on the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway. Results indicated that phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases, p38, and c-Jun amino-terminal kinases was significantly blocked by TCFC. In addition, TCFC could upregulate the expression of filaggrin in dorsal skin, which means that TCFC showed a protective effect on skin barrier disruption. Furthermore, TCFC downregulated the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-31, and TSLP mRNA and upregulated the expression of filaggrin mRNA in the dorsal skin of rats. Our research demonstrated the ameliorative effects of TCFC on AD-like rats by inhibiting immune response and inflammation and recovering skin barrier function.

Evaluation of the Physicochemical Properties, Pharmacokinetics, and In Vitro Anticancer Effects of Docetaxel and Osthol Encapsulated in Methoxy Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-Poly(caprolactone) Polymeric Micelles

Docetaxel (DTX), a taxane-based anticancer drug, and osthol (OTH), a coumarin-derivative compound, have shown anticancer effects against different types of cancers through various mechanisms. However, these drugs have low solubility in water and low oral bioavailability, and thus their clinical application is difficult. To overcome these problems, we encapsulated DTX and OTH in methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(caprolactone) (mPEG-b-PCL) and conducted studies in vitro and in vivo. We selected a 1:4 ratio as the optimal ratio of DTX and OTH, through combination index analysis in A549 cancer cells, and prepared micelles to evaluate the encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, particle size, and zeta potential. The in vitro drug-release profile showed that DTX/OTH-loaded mPEG-b-PCL micelles could slowly release DTX and OTH. In the clonogenic assay, DTX/OTH-loaded mPEG-b-PCL micelles showed 3.7 times higher inhibitory effect than the DTX/OTH solution. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that micelles in combination with DTX and OTH exhibited increased area under curve and decreased clearance values, as compared with single micelles.

Osthole attenuates ovalbumin‑induced lung inflammation via the inhibition of IL‑33/ST2 signaling in asthmatic mice

Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory airway disease. Recent studies have reported that interleukin (IL)-33 is a potential link between the airway epithelium and Th2-type inflammatory responses, which are closely related to the progression of asthma. The IL-33 receptor, ST2, is highly expressed in group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), Th2 cells, mast cells, eosinophils and natural killer (NK) cells. Cnidii Fructus is a Chinese herb with a long history of use in the treatment of asthma in China. Osthole is one of the major components of Cnidii Fructus. The present study examined the anti-asthmatic effects of osthole in mice and aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving the IL-33/ST2 pathway. BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin and then treated with an intraperitoneal injection of osthole (25 and 50 mg/kg). Subsequently, the airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and inflammation of the lungs were evaluated. The amounts of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-33 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured by Luminex assay and their mRNA levels in the lungs were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The histopathology of the lungs was performed with H&E, PAS and Masson's staining. The expression of ST2 in the lungs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The data demonstrated that osthole markedly reduced AHR and decreased the number of eosinophils and lymphocytes in BALF. It was also observed that osthole significantly inhibited the release of Th2-type cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) and upregulated the IFN-γ level in BALF. Moreover, osthole significantly attenuated the IL-33 and ST2 expression in the lungs of asthmatic mice. On the whole, osthole attenuated ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation through the inhibition of IL-33/ST2 signaling in an asthmatic mouse model. These results suggest that osthole is a promising target for the development of an asthma medication.

The Grapefruit Effect: Interaction between Cytochrome P450 and Coumarin Food Components, Bergamottin, Fraxidin and Osthole. X-ray Crystal Structure and DFT Studies

Coumarins are plant-derived secondary metabolites. The crystal structure of three coumarins—bergamottin, osthole and fraxidin—are described and we analyze intermolecular interactions and their role in crystal formation. Bergamottin is a furanocoumarin found in citrus plants, which is a strong inhibitor of the principal human metabolizing enzyme, cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). The crystal structure determinations of three coumarins give us the geometrical parameters and reveal the parallel-displaced π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding intermolecular interactions used for molecular assembly in the crystal structure. A quite strong (less than 3.4 Å) stacking interaction of bergamottin appears to be a determining feature that distinguishes it from other coumarins studied in this work. Our DFT computational studies on the three natural products of the same coumarin family docked into the active site of CYP3A4 (PDB 4D78) show different behavior for these coumarins at the active site. When the substrate is bergamottin, the importance of π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding, which can anchor the substrate in place, appears fundamental. In contrast, fraxidin and osthole show carbonyl coordination to iron. Our docking calculations show that the bergamottin tendency towards π–π stacking is important and likely influences its interactions with the heme group of CYP3A4.

Antipruritic Effect of Ethyl Acetate Extract from Fructus cnidii in Mice with 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense pruritus and skin lesions. The exact cause of AD is not yet known and the available therapeutic strategies for AD are limited. Fructus cnidii is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine as an herb for treating chronic itch. However, the mechanism underlying the antipruritic effects of Fructus cnidii is not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the antipruritic effect of locally administered ethyl acetate extract from Fructus cnidii (EAEFC) to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene- (DNFB-) induced AD in a mouse model. The scratching behavior, skin thickness, dermatitis score, weight, blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, and itch-related cytokine levels were subsequently monitored and evaluated. Results showed that EAEFC treatment attenuated the DNFB-induced AD-like symptoms by alleviating the skin lesions and decreasing the dermatitis score. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and toluidine blue (TB) staining analyses demonstrated that EAEFC mitigated the DNFB-induced increase in skin thickness and prevented the infiltration of mast cells. Behavioral tests showed that EAEFC decreased the DNFB-induced acute and chronic scratching behaviors. Furthermore, EAEFC reduced the levels of itch-related cytokines, such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin- (IL-) 17, IL-33, and IL-31, and the DNFB-induced boost in serum IgE. Collectively, these results suggest that EAEFC is a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic itch in AD.

Osthole, a Natural Plant Derivative Inhibits MRGPRX2 Induced Mast Cell Responses

Mast cells are tissue-resident innate immune cells known for their prominent role in mediating allergic reactions. MAS-related G-protein coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2) is a promiscuous G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed on mast cells that is activated by several ligands that share cationic and amphipathic properties. Interestingly, MRGPRX2 ligands include certain FDA-approved drugs, antimicrobial peptides, and neuropeptides. Consequently, this receptor has been implicated in causing mast cell-dependent pseudo-allergic reactions to these drugs and chronic inflammation associated with asthma, urticaria and rosacea in humans. In the current study we examined the role of osthole, a natural plant coumarin, in regulating mast cell responses when activated by the MRGPRX2 ligands, including compound 48/80, the neuropeptide substance P, and the cathelicidin LL-37. We demonstrate that osthole attenuates both the early (Ca2+ mobilization and degranulation) and delayed events (chemokine/cytokine production) of mast cell activation via MRGPRX2 in vitro. Osthole also inhibits MrgprB2- (mouse ortholog of human MRGPRX2) dependent inflammation in in vivo mouse models of pseudo-allergy. Molecular docking analysis suggests that osthole does not compete with the MRGPRX2 ligands for interaction with the receptor, but rather regulates MRGPRX2 activation via allosteric modifications. Furthermore, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy experiments reveal that osthole reduces both surface and intracellular expression levels of MRGPRX2 in mast cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate that osthole inhibits MRGPRX2/MrgprB2-induced mast cell responses and provides a rationale for the use of this natural compound as a safer alternative treatment for pseudo-allergic reactions in humans.

Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson (CMC) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely grown and used in Asia. It is also known as "She chuang zi" in China (Chinese: ), "Jashoshi" in Japan, "Sasangia" in Korea, and "Xa sang tu" in Vietnam. This study aimed to provide an up-to-date review of its phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology. All available information on CMC was collected from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and China Network Knowledge Infrastructure. The updated chemical structures of the compounds are those ones without chemical ID numbers or references from the previous review. A total of 429 chemical constituents have been elucidated and 56 chemical structures have been firstly identified in CMC with traceable evidence. They can be categorized as coumarins, volatile constituents, liposoluble compounds, chromones, monoterpenoid glucosides, terpenoids, glycosides, glucides, and other compounds. CMC has demonstrated impressive potential for the management of various diseases in extensive preclinical research. Since most of the studies are overly concentrated on osthole, more research is needed to investigate other chemical constituents.

Inhibitory Effect of Osthole from Cnidium monnieri on Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) Infection in Nicotiana glutinosa

The coumarin compound of osthole was extracted from Cnidium monnieri and identified by LC-MS and 1H- and 13C-NMR. Osthole was tested for anti-virus activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) using the half-leaf method. The results showed that stronger antiviral activity on TMV infection appeared in Nicotiana glutinosa than that of eugenol and ningnanmycin, with inhibitory, protective, and curative effects of 72.57%, 70.26%, and 61.97%, respectively. Through observation of the TMV particles, we found that osthole could directly affect the viral particles. Correspondingly, the level of coat protein detected by Western blot was significantly reduced when the concentrations of osthole increased in tested plants compared to that of the control. These results suggest that osthole has anti-TMV activity and may be used as a biological reagent to control the plant virus in the half-leaf method.

Osthole induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common lethal tumors with a high recurrence rate and low survival rate. Therefore, an urgent need exists for novel and effective treatment strategies for HNSCC patients.

METHODS

Osthole, a natural ingredient extracted from Cnidium monnieri (L.) 'Cusson', has multiple pharmacological effects including antineoplastic activity. Regrettably, the antineoplastic effect of osthole in HNSCC cells remains undefined. We utilize in vitro assays to assess the anti-proliferative effects of osthole in HNSCC cells and tumorigenesis assays using FaDu cells in murine HNSCC models to assess in vivo function. Moreover, the possible molecular mechanisms of Osthole on HNSCC cells was also investigated.

RESULTS

Our findings show that the anti-proliferation effect of osthole might function through induction of cell cycle arrest (G2/M phase) and apoptosis in HNSCC. Osthole could also down-regulating the protein level of cell cycle and apoptosis related proteins, such as Bcl-2, PARP1, Survivin, CyclinB1 and Cdc2, while up-regulating expression of Cleaved Caspase3/9, Cleaved PARP1 and Bax. Similarly, osthole suppressed the in vivo growth of FaDu cells in a subcutaneous tumor model. In terms of mechanism, our data show that osthole can suppress the PI3K/AKT pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, our in vitro and in vivo assay showed the suppressive effect of Osthole on HNSCC cells through induce cell cycle arrest (G2/M phase) and apoptosis. Moreover, the action mechanisms of Osthole on proliferation related signaling pathways was disclosed. Our present study suggests that osthole might be used as an effective therapeutic agent for patients with HNSCC.

Inhibitory Effects of Osthole on Human Breast Cancer Cell Progression via Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and ER Stress

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Although, recently, the number of pathological studies of breast cancer have increased, it is necessary to identify a novel compound that targets multiple signaling pathways involved in breast cancer.

METHODS

The effects of osthole on cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins of BT-474 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines were investigated. Signal transduction pathways in both cells in response to osthole were determined by western blot analyses.

RESULTS

Here, we demonstrated that osthole inhibited cellular proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest through modulation of cell cycle regulatory genes in BT-474 and MCF-7 cells. Additionally, osthole induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular calcium imbalance, and ER stress. Moreover, osthole induced apoptosis by activating the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax, in both cell lines. Osthole regulated phosphorylation of signaling proteins such as Akt and ERK1/2 in human breast cancer cells. Furthermore, osthole-induced activation of JNK protein-mediated apoptosis in both cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, the results of the present study indicated that osthole may ameliorate breast cancer and can be a promising therapeutic agent for treatment of breast cancer.

Osthole improves therapy for osteoporosis through increasing autophagy of mesenchymal stem cells

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder resulting in elevated fracture risk. Improvement of osteogenic differentiation is thought to be the top priority in osteoporosis treatment projects. Significant characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), especially attractive ability to differentiate into osteoblasts, have made them alternatives for osteoporosis treatment. However, therapeutic effect with BMMSCs remains to be improved. Here, osthole, a bioactive simple coumarin derivative extracted from many medicinal plants, was introduced to pre-stimulate BMMSCs and then applied in osteoporosis therapy. The results showed that osthole-treated-BMMSCs (OBMMSCs) brought a better outcome than BMMSCs alone in estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis model. And elevated autophagy level was suggested to be the underlying mechanism of the ability of osthole to promote osteoblast differentiation, which is indicated by the upregulation of protein and mRNA expression level of autophagy-associated genes, Beclin1 and LC3. We concluded from these experiments that OBMMSCs are more effective than BMMSCs in osteoporosis treatment maybe through upregulation level of autophagy level induced by osthole.

Downregulation of miRNA-30a enhanced autophagy in osthole-alleviated myocardium ischemia/reperfusion injury

Osthole could alleviate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we explored whether microRNA (miR)-30a and its target autophagy marker Beclin-1 involved in the osthole protective role in the rat and cells myocardial I/R injury models. The myocardial damages including increases in myocardial collagen content and cell apoptosis in I/R injury model were observed by Masson's Trichrome Staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Osthole significantly inhibited the myocardial damages. Osthole inhibited the induction of miR-30a expression by I/R in rat and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) in myocardial cells. After knockdown, the expression of miR-30a by miR-30a inhibitor, H/R induced cell apoptosis was significantly inhibited. The level of Beclin-1 expression and ratio of LC3BII/LC3BI were inhibited by I/R in rat and H/R in myocardial cells, whereas osthole significantly increased them. Knockdown of miR-30a significantly upregulated the Beclin-1 expression and ratio of LC3BII/LC3BI. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA significantly reversed the protective role of osthole in H/R myocardial cell. Therefore, we concluded that the mechanism by which osthole alleviate myocardial I/R injury may be achieved by enhancing the autophagy partially via inhibiting the expression of miR-30a.

Osthole inhibits triple negative breast cancer cells by suppressing STAT3

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subgroup of human breast cancer. Patients with TNBC have poor clinical outcome as they are non-responsive to current targeted therapies. There is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic targets and develop more effective treatment options for TNBC patients. Osthole, a natural product from C. monnieri, has been shown to inhibit certain cancer cells. However, the mechanisms of action as well as its effect on TNBC cells are not currently known.

METHODS

We investigated the effect of osthole in cultured TNBC cells as well as in a xenograft model of TNBC growth. We also used a high-throughput proteomics platform to identify the direct binding protein of osthole.

RESULTS

We found that osthole inhibited the growth of a panel of TNBC cells and induced apoptosis in both cultured cells and TNBC xenografts. We used a high-throughput proteomics platform and identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as a potential binding protein of osthole. We further show that osthole suppressed STAT3 in TNBC cells to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis. Overexpressing STAT3 in TNBC reduced the effectiveness of osthole treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide support for osthole as a potential new therapeutic agent for the management of TNBC. Moreover, our results indicate that STAT3 may be targeted for the development of novel anti-TNBC drugs.

Effects of Osthol Isolated from Cnidium monnieri Fruit on Urate Transporter 1

(1) Background: Crude drugs used in traditional Japanese Kampo medicine or folk medicine are major sources of new chemical entities for drug discovery. We screened the inhibitory potential of these crude drugs against urate transporter 1 (URAT1) to discover new drugs for hyperuricemia. (2) Methods: We prepared the MeOH extracts of 107 different crude drugs, and screened their inhibitory effects on URAT1 by measuring the uptake of uric acid by HEK293/PDZK1 cells transiently transfected with URAT1. (3) Results: We found that the extract of the dried mature fruit of Cnidium monnieri inhibited urate uptake via URAT1. We isolated and identified osthol as the active ingredient from this extract. Osthol noncompetitively inhibited URAT1 with an IC₅₀ of 78.8 µM. We evaluated the effects of other coumarins and found that the prenyl group, which binds at the 8-position of coumarins, plays an important role in the inhibition of URAT1. (4) Conclusions: Cnidium monnieri fruit may be useful for the treatment of hyperuricemia or gout in traditional medicine, and its active ingredient, osthol, is expected to be a leading compound for the development of new drugs for hyperuricemia.

Antifungal activity of osthol in vitro and enhancement in vivo through Eudragit S100 nanocarriers

In vitro interaction of osthol (Ost) and fluconazole (FLC) was investigated against 11 fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates of Candida albicans. Synergistic activities were determined using the checkerboard microdilution assay. The results of agar diffusion test confirmed the synergistic interaction. We used an enteric material Eudragit S100 for preparation of Ost nanoparticle (Ost-NP) to improve the oral bioavailability, biological activity of Ost. The physicochemical characteristics of Ost-S100-NP revealed Ost-S100-NP with mean particle size of 55.4±0.4 nm, encapsulation efficiency of 98.95±0.06%, drug loading efficiency of 23.89±0.25%, yield of 98.5±0.1% and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.165. As the Ost concentration-time curve showed, Ost-S100-NP can increase the plasma concentration and relative bioavailability of Ost compared with Ost-suspension by oral administration. In vivo, Ost-S100-NP enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of Ost against FLC-resistant C. albicans in immunosuppressed candidiasis mice model. The available information strongly suggests that Ost-S100-NP may be used as a promising compound against drug-resistant fungi.

Antipruritic Effect of Natural Coumarin Osthole through Selective Inhibition of Thermosensitive TRPV3 Channel in the Skin

Coumarin osthole is a dominant bioactive ingredient of the natural Cnidium monnieri plant commonly used for traditional Chinese herbal medicines for therapies and treatments including antipruritus and antidermatitis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the action of osthole remains unclear. In this study, we report that osthole exerts an antipruritic effect through selective inhibition of Ca²⁺-permeable and thermosensitive transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) cation channels that are primarily expressed in the keratinocytes of the skin. Coumarin osthole was identified as an inhibitor of TRPV3 channels transiently expressed in HEK293 cells in a calcium fluorescent assay. Inhibition of the TRPV3 current by osthole and its selectivity were further confirmed by whole-cell patch clamp recordings of TRPV3-expressing HEK293 cells and mouse primary cultured keratinocytes. Behavioral evaluation demonstrated that inhibition of TRPV3 by osthole or silencing by knockout of the TRPV3 gene significantly reduced the scratching induced by either acetone-ether-water or histamine in localized rostral neck skin in mice. Taken together, our findings provide a molecular basis for use of natural coumarin osthole from the C. monnieri plant in antipruritic or skin care therapy, thus establishing a significant role of the TRPV3 channel in chronic itch signaling or acute histamine-dependent itch sensation.

Effect of oral administration of β-glucans derived from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 in model mice and rat with atopic dermatitis-like phenotypes

In this study, we investigated the anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) activity of β-glucans derived from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 (βGdAP). βGdAP was orally administered to AD animal models such as vasodilation, allergic pruritus and contact dermatitis. Administration of βGdAP attenuated the amount of Evans blue solution on vasodilation rat. Scratching behaviors, secretion of histamine and ear thickness were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in the βGdAP-treated mouse groups. Interestingly, transcriptional expression of T-bet, a transcription factor for Th1 reactions, was increased, but that of GATA-3, a transcription factor for Th2 reactions, was attenuated in the βGdAP-treated groups (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that reduced transcriptional expression of forkhead box P3 and galectin-9, regulators of regulatory T cells, was recovered in the βGdAP-treated groups (p < 0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that administration of βGdAP could effectively attenuate AD-like phenotypes via regulation of Th1/Th2 transcriptional activity and Treg activation.

Synergic Anti-Pruritus Mechanisms of Action for the Radix Sophorae Flavescentis and Fructus Cnidii Herbal Pair

Radix Sophorae Flavescentis (RSF) and Fructus Cnidii (FC) compose a typical herbal synergic pair in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for pruritus symptom treatments. The mechanisms of action for the synergy are not understood. This paper aims at predicting the anti-pruritus targets and the main active ingredients for the RSF and FC herbal pair. We demonstrate that the RSF-FC herbal pair can be elucidated by mining the chemical structures of compounds derived from RSF and FC. Based on chemical structure data, the putative targets for RSF and FC were predicted. Additional putative targets that interact with the anti-pruritus targets were derived by mapping the putative targets onto a PPI network. By examining the annotations of these proteins, we conclude that (1) RSF's active compounds are mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. The representative putative targets of the alkaloids are inflammation-related proteins (MAPK14, PTGS2, PTGS2, and F2) and pruritus-related proteins (HRH1, TRPA1, HTR3A, and HTR6). The representative putative targets of the flavonoids are inflammation-related proteins (TNF, NF-κB, F2, PTGS2, and PTGS2) and pruritus-related proteins (NR3C1 and IL2). (2) FC's active compounds are mainly coumarins. Their representative putative targets are CNS-related proteins (AChE and OPRK1) and inflammation-related proteins (PDE4D, TLR9, and NF-κB). (3) Both RSF and FC display anti-inflammatory effects, though they exhibit their anti-pruritus effects in different ways. Their synergy shows that RSF regulates inflammation-related pruritus and FC regulates CNS-related pruritus.

Osthole treatment ameliorates Th2-mediated allergic asthma and exerts immunomodulatory effects on dendritic cell maturation and function

Osthole, an active component of Chinese herbal medicines, reportedly possesses various pharmacological properties and has potential therapeutic applications. This study explored the anti-allergic effects of osthole in asthmatic mice and investigated the immunomodulatory actions of osthole on dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells. Herein, we show that oral administration of osthole to BALB/c mice after ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization ameliorated all of the cardinal features of T helper 2 (Th2)-mediated allergic asthma; namely, the production of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E, airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation and the production of Th2-type cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13. Surprisingly, IL-10 production was not inhibited and was even enhanced by osthole treatment. We observed a significant increase in the percentages of IL-10-producing DCs and forkhead box P3-positive regulatory T (Treg) cells in osthole-treated asthmatic mice. Additionally, in vitro analyses revealed that osthole-treated bone-marrow-derived DCs had a partial maturation phenotype, secreting large amounts of IL-10 and low levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-12, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, and displaying reduced levels of MHC class II surface molecules. These DCs displayed immunosuppressive capacity by directly inhibiting effector T-cell responses or inducing Treg cells. In addition, osthole directly inhibited the activated CD4+ T-cell proliferation and Th1/Th2-type cytokine production in this system. Collectively, these results suggest that DCs and T cells are potential target cells responsible for the action of osthole against allergic asthma.Cellular &Molecular Immunology advance online publication, 7 August 2017; doi:10.1038/cmi.2017.71.

Osthole pretreatment alleviates TNBS-induced colitis in mice via both cAMP/PKA-dependent and independent pathways

Osthole, a natural coumarin found in traditional Chinese medicinal plants, has shown multiple biological activities. In the present study, we investigated the preventive effects of osthole on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Colitis was induced in mice by infusing TNBS into the colonic lumen. Before TNBS treatment, the mice received osthole (100 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, ip) for 3 d. Pretreatment with osthole significantly ameliorated the clinical scores, colon length shortening, colonic histopathological changes and the expression of inflammatory mediators in TNBS-induced colitis. Pretreatment with osthole elevated serum cAMP levels; but treatment with the PKA inhibitor H89 (10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, ip) did not abolish the beneficial effects of osthole on TNBS-induced colitis. In mouse peritoneal macrophages, pretreatment with osthole (50 μmol/L) significantly attenuated the LPS-induced elevation of cytokines at the mRNA level; inhibition of PKA completely reversed the inhibitory effects of osthole on IL-1β, IL-6, COX2, and MCP-1 but not on TNFα. In Raw264.7 cells, the p38 inhibitor SB203580 markedly suppressed LPS-induced upregulation of the cytokines, whereas the PKA inhibitors H89 or KT5720 did not abolish the inhibitory effects of SB203580. Moreover, in LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages, SB203580 strongly inhibited the restored expression of IL-1β, IL-6, COX2, and MCP-1, which was achieved by abolishing the suppressive effects of osthole with the PKA inhibitors. Western blot analysis showed that osthole significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of p38, which was induced by TNBS in mice or by LPS in Raw264.7 cells. Inhibition of PKA partially reversed the suppressive effects of osthole on p38 phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated cells. Collectively, our results suggest that osthole is effective in the prevention of TNBS-induced colitis by reducing the expression of inflammatory mediators and attenuating p38 phosphorylation via both cAMP/PKA-dependent and independent pathways, among which the cAMP/PKA-independent pathway plays a major role.

Osthole inhibits bone metastasis of breast cancer

Bone is one of the most common sites for breast cancer metastasis, which greatly contributes to patient morbidity and mortality. Osthole, a major extract from Cnidium monnieri (L.), exhibits many biological and pharmacological activities, however, its potential as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of breast cancer bone metastases remain poorly understood. In this study, we set out to investigate whether osthole could inhibit breast cancer metastasis to bone in mice and clarified the potential mechanism of this inhibition. In the murine model of breast cancer osseous metastasis, mice that received osthole developed significantly less bone metastases and displayed decreased tumor burden when compared with mice in the control group. Osthole inhibited breast cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion, and induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Additionally, it also regulated OPG/RANKL signals in the interactions between bone cells (osteoblasts and osteoclasts) and cancer cells. Besides, it also inhibited TGF-β/Smads signaling in breast cancer metastasis to bone in MDA-231BO cells. The results of this study suggest that osthole has real potential as a therapeutic candidate in the treatment of breast cancer patients with bone metastases.

Anti-asthmatic activity of osthole in an ovalbumin-induced asthma murine model

Osthole, an active coumarin extracted from the dried fruits of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, is known to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. In the present study, we investigated and illuminated the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of osthole in an experimental model of allergic asthma. Our results show that osthole treatment significantly reduced the OVA-induced increase in serum IgE and inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and decreased the recruitment of inflammatory cells in BALF and the lung. It also effectively attenuated goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction in lung tissue. In addition, western blot analysis demonstrated that osthole blocked NF-κB activation, which may be associated with a reduction in inflammatory cytokine production. These data suggest that osthole attenuated OVA-induced allergic asthma inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB activation. The present study identified the molecular mechanisms of action of osthole, which support the potential pharmaceutical application of osthole treatment for asthma and other airway inflammation disorders.

Influence of Temperature on Transdermal Penetration Enhancing Mechanism of Borneol: A Multi-Scale Study

The influence of temperature on the transdermal permeation enhancing mechanism of borneol (BO) was investigated using a multi-scale method, containing a coarse-grained molecular dynamic (CG-MD) simulation, an in vitro permeation experiment, and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) study. The results showed that BO has the potential to be used as a transdermal penetration enhancer to help osthole (OST) penetrate into the bilayer. With the increasing temperature, the stratum corneum (SC) becomes more flexible, proving to be synergistic with the permeation enhancement of BO, and the lag time (T_Lag) of BO and OST are shortened. However, when the temperature increased too much, with the effect of BO, the structure of SC was destroyed; for example, a water pore was formed and the micelle reversed. Though there were a number of drugs coming into the SC, the normal bilayer structure was absent. In addition, through comparing the simulation, in vitro experiment, and TEM study, we concluded that the computer simulation provided some visually detailed information, and the method plays an important role in related studies of permeation.

Potential of the Cnidium monnieri fruits as an immune enhancer in Escherichia coli infection model

OBJECTIVES

The Cnidium monnieri fruits (CMF) were studied how they act on immune system as a novel immunostimulator against the infectious disease.

METHODS

Macrophages were treated with CMF, and nitric oxide (NO) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured, and phagocytosis of macrophages was detected using FITC-labelled Escherichia coli. The protective effect of CMF against E. coli infection in mice was examined. The survival rate was monitored daily for up to 5 days. And then the viable bacteria count of serum and the immunological mediator (NO, TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-6) of serum, splenocyte and peritoneal macrophages were analysed.

KEY FINDINGS

The CMF significantly enhanced the concentrations of NO and TNF-α and the phagocytosis activity in macrophages. The oral administration of CMF for five consecutive days before infection prolonged the survival rate. Treatment with CMF significantly stimulated the phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages and induced the immunological mediator of serum, splenocyte and peritoneal macrophages against the E. coli infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The host-protective effects of CMF might be archived by improving immune response, and CMF could act to prevent pathogenic microbial infections with immunomodulation.

Osthole induces lung cancer cell apoptosis through inhibition of inhibitor of apoptosis family proteins

In the present study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of Osthole on the apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and its synergistic effect with Embelin. Our results revealed that treatment with both Osthole and Embelin inhibited cell proliferation. Notably, combination treatment of Osthole and Embelin inhibited cell proliferation more significantly compared with monotherapy. In addition, morphological analysis and Annexin V/propidium iodide analysis revealed that the combination of Osthole and Embelin enhanced their effect on cell apoptosis. We further examined the effect of Osthole on the expression of inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family proteins. That treatment of A549 lung cancer cells with various concentrations of Osthole was observed to decrease the protein expression of X-chromosome-encoded IAP, c-IAP1, c-IAP2 and Survivin, and increase Smac expression in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was noted that Osthole or Embelin alone increased the expression of BAX, caspase-3, caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9, and decreased Bcl-2 levels following treatment. Osthole and Embelin combination treatment had a synergistic effect on the regulation of these proteins. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that Osthole inhibited proliferation and induced the apoptosis of lung cancer cells via IAP family proteins in a dose-dependent manner. Osthole enhances the antitumor effect of Embelin, indicating that combination of Osthole and Embelin has potential clinical significance in the treatment of NSCLC.

Efficacy of osthole for Echinococcus granulosus in vitro and Echinococcus multilocularis in vivo

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection caused by cestode species of the genus Echinococcus; in addition, this zoonosis has long been neglected as a parasitic disease and has limited treatment options. Clinical drugs such as benzimidazole derivatives have limited treatment efficacy. The current study evaluated a novel drug, osthole, with low toxicity and high activity against Echinococcus in vitro and in vivo. The results in vitro indicated that the viability of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces in the group treated with osthole (120μM) decreased by 100% within 3days. In vivo experiments were conducted using parasite-infected mice. For this purpose, three groups of infected mice were treated daily for 6 weeks with albendazole (ABZ, 100mg/kg, positive control group), osthole (100mg/kg, experimental group), or honey/PBS (100mg/kg, negative control group), respectively. The osthole- and ABZ-treated groups presented a significant reduction in wet weight of metacestodes, increase in the level of interleukin (IL)-4 and the percentage of eosinophils compared with the control group. Osthole exhibited a high activity against echinococcosis in vivo. In addition, the toxicity of osthole was evaluated via an in vitro 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay, as well as via morphological observation and calculation of liver and kidney function indexes in vivo. No obvious toxic effects of osthole were observed in our study. Therefore, this novel drug may be a promising alternative to benzimidazole in anti-echinococcosis chemotherapy.

Osthole inhibits histamine-dependent itch via modulating TRPV1 activity

Osthole, an active coumarin isolated from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, has long been used in China as an antipruritic herbal medicine; however, the antipruitic mechanism of osthole is unknown. We studied the molecular mechanism of osthole in histamine-dependent itch by behavioral test, Ca(2+) imaging, and electrophysiological experiments. First, osthole clearly remitted the scratching behaviors of mice induced with histamine, HTMT, and VUF8430. Second, in cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, osthole showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect to histamine. On the same neurons, osthole also decreased the response to capsaicin and histamine. In further tests, the capsaicin-induced inward currents were inhibited by osthole. These results revealed that osthole inhibited histamine-dependent itch by modulating TRPV1 activity. This study will be helpful in understanding how osthole exerts anti-pruritus effects and suggests that osthole may be a useful treatment medicine for histamine-dependent itch.

A Herbal Formula, Atofreellage, Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in an NC/Nga Mouse Model

We evaluated the anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) effect of Atofreellage (AF), a herbal formula composed of 10 medicinal plants. AD was induced on the dorsal skin areas of NC/Nga mice (male, seven weeks old) by daily application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) for five weeks. After three weeks of DNCB application, 200 μL of AF (0, 25, 50 or 100 mg/mL) was applied to the skin lesions. Histological findings, blood cell populations, serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), histamine, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory signaling in the skin tissue, and T-helper cell type 2 (Th₂)-related cytokines in splenocytes were analyzed. Histopathological findings showed AF treatment notably attenuated the thickness of dorsal skin, and eosinophil infiltration. AF treatment (especially 100 mg/mL) also demonstrably ameliorated the blood cell population abnormalities, as the notable elevation of serum concentrations of IgE, histamine, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were remarkably normalized by AF treatment. Western blot analysis evidenced the apparent normalization of inflammatory signals (ERK, p38 MAP kinase, JNK, and NF-κB) in the skin tissue. Additionally, AF treatment notably attenuated the activation of Th₂-dominant cytokines (IL-13, IL-4, and IL-5) in Con A-treated splenocytes in an ex vivo assay. In conclusion, this study provides experimental evidence for the clinical relevance of Atofreellage.

Coumarin heterocyclic derivatives: chemical synthesis and biological activity

This review highlights the broad range of science that has arisen from the synthesis of coumarin-linked and fused heterocycle derivatives. Specific topics include their synthesis and biological activity.

Cnidium monnieri: A Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Properties

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss., an annual plant of the Umbelliferae species is one of the most widely used traditional herbal medicines and its fruits have been used to treat a variety of diseases in China, Vietnam, and Japan. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and contraindication of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss. and to provide future directions of research on this plant. To date, 350 compounds have been isolated and identified from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss., including the main active constituent, coumarins. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that osthole and other coumarin compounds possess wide range of pharmacological properties for the treatment of female genitals, male impotence, frigidity, skin-related diseases, and exhibit strong antipruritic, anti-allergic, antidermatophytic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-osteoporotic effects. Although coumarins have been identified as the main active constituents responsible for the observed pharmacological effects, the molecular mechanisms of their actions are still unknown. Therefore, further studies are still required to reveal the structure-activity relationship of these active constituents. In addition, toxicological and clinical studies are also required to provide further data for pharmaceutical use.