Tongqiao Huoxue decoction alleviates neurological impairment following ischemic stroke via the PTGS2/NF-kappa B axis

Traditional Chinese medicine has emerged as promising targets for ischemic stroke (IS) therapy, yet the mechanism remains elusive. The current study was performed with an aim to investigate the action and mechanism of Tongqiao Huoxue decoction (TQHXD) affecting the neurological impairment secondary to IS based on network pharmacology. Based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, target genes and pathways involved in the treatment of TQHXD against IS were predicted. Serum containing TQHXD was prepared through blood collection from C57BL/6 mice after intragastric administration of TQHXD. The main results exhibited that Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) exhibited an abundance in IS and enrichment in the NF-kappa B signaling pathway, holding the potential as targets related to TQHXD treatment for IS. TQHXD was found to rescue cell viability, inhibit apoptosis, and alleviate inflammation under oxygen and glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) exposure. Furthermore, our in vivo experiment validated the protective function of TQHXD in ischemic brain damage stimulated by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). This protective action of TQHXD could be attenuated by overexpressing nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B, which was dependent on PTGS2. Collectively, TQHXD was demonstrated to ameliorate IS-induced neurological impairment by blocking the NF-kappa B signaling pathway and down-regulating PTGS2.

The mechanism of intestinal microbiota regulating immunity and inflammation in ischemic stroke and the role of natural botanical active ingredients in regulating intestinal microbiota: A review

Intestinal microbiota is a unique ecosystem, known as the "second genome" of human beings. With the widespread application of next generation sequencing (NGS), especially 16 S rRNA and shotgun sequencing, numerous studies have shown that dysregulation of intestinal microbiota is associated with many central nervous system diseases. Ischemic stroke (IS) is a cerebrovascular disease with high morbidity and mortality. Brain damage in IS affects intestinal function, and intestinal dysfunction further aggravates brain damage, forming a vicious circle of mutual interference in pathology. The microbiota-gut-brain axis study based on the intestinal microbiota has opened up broader ideas for exploring its pathogenesis and risk factors, and also provided more possibilities for the selection of therapeutic targets for this type of drug. This review discussed the application of NGS technology in the study of intestinal microbiota and the research progress of microbiota-gut-brain axis in recent years, and systematically sorts out the literature on the relationship between ischemic stroke and intestinal microbiota. It starts with the characteristics of microbiota-gut-brain axis' bidirectional regulation, respectively discusses the high risk factors of IS under intestinal microbiota imbalance and the physiological and pathological changes of intestinal microbiota after IS, and summarizes the related targets, in order to provide reliable reference for the treatment of IS from intestinal microbiota. In addition, natural botanical active ingredients have achieved good results in the treatment of IS based on regulating the homeostasis of gut microbiota, providing new evidence for studying the potential targets and therapies of IS based on the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Tong-Qiao-Huo-Xue decoction activates PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to reduce BMECs autophagy after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tong-Qiao-Huo-Xue Decoction (TQHXD) is a traditional classic Chinese Medicinal Formula (CMF) used for clinical treatment of ischemic stroke. TQHXD leads to improvement in the symptoms of the acute period of cerebral infarction and recovery period after stroke. Our previous studies also showed that TQHXD produced a significant protective effect on the brain after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. It is reported that autophagy is closely related to ischemic brain injury; however, the functional contribution of TQHXD to brain microvascular endothelial cell (BMEC) autophagy and its underlying mechanism remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanism of TQHXD in inhibiting cerebral ischemia-induced endothelial autophagy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of the chemical constituents from TQHXD was established for the quality control, and the Longa method was used to evaluate the efficacy of TQHXD in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The expression of LC3 was determined by immunofluorescence double staining. To evaluate the protective effects of TQHXD-containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on BMECs injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion, cell survival rate was determined using the CCK-8 assay and cell apoptosis was determined by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Annexin V/PI. Autophagy was detected using transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS

The results showed that TQHXD-CSF significantly ameliorated oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced injury in BMECs. Confocal microscopy and Western blot results showed that TQHXD-CSF reduced autophagy-related protein expression and autophagosome number. The results of the western blotting indicated that TQHXD-CSF caused a marked increase in the phosphorylation of protein kinase B and phosphoinsotide-3 kinase (Akt/p-Akt and PI3K/p-PI3K, respectively) and their expression levels were down-regulated after treatment with pathway inhibitor, ZSTK474. Furthermore, in a MCAO model in rats, TQHXD markedly increased p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR, whereas the autophagy related proteins decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these findings demonstrate that TQHXD protects against ischemic insult by inhibiting autophagy through the regulation of the PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and that TQHXD may have therapeutic value for protecting BMECs from cerebral ischemia.

Study on the mechanism of Tong-Qiao-Huo-Xue decoction regulating apoptosis via ASK1/MKK4/JNK pathway in MCAO/R rats

BACKGROUND

Activation of blood stasis is a crucial aspect of stroke treatment, and the Tong-Qiao-Huo-Xue-Decoction (TQHXD) formula is commonly utilized for this purpose. However, the mechanism underlying the protective effects of TQHXD against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is unclear.

PURPOSE

Identification of the TQHXD components responsible for its protective effects and determination of their mode of action against cerebral I/R injury.

METHODS

Gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were carried out to determine the active aspects of TQHXD. The active components and targets of TQHXD were looked up in the TCMSP and HERB databases; the Genecards, OMIM, TTD, and DrugBank databases were used to identify targets related to cerebral infarction; and the intersecting targets were obtained. The drug-ingredient-target-disease network and PPI network were subsequently built using Cytoscape 3.7.1 and STRING websites. Autodock VINA was used to perform molecular docking between the core target ASK1 and the active components of TQHXD detected by HPLC and GC. After successfully creating a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the therapeutic effect of TQHXD was observed using triphenyltetrazolium and hematoxylin-eosin staining. We used Tunel-NeuN staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to quantify hippocampal apoptosis. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect protein and mRNA expression, respectively.

RESULTS

HPLC and GC identified six active ingredients. Network pharmacology analyses were performed to test 66 intersection targets, including ASK1, MKK4, and JNK. Ferulic acid, HSYA, ligustilide, paeoniflorin, and muscone all displayed high binding affinity with ASK1 in molecular docking studies. The neuroprotective effects of TQHXD in I/R rats were demonstrated in the experimental models. In comparison with the model group, TQHXD decreased the apoptosis rate and reduced the protein levels of p-ASK1, caspase 3, p-MKK4, CytC, p-c-Jun, Bax/Bcl-2, and p-JNK, while considerably increasing the mRNA levels of Bcl-2 and decreasing those of Bax.

CONCLUSION

By controlling the ASK1/MKK4/JNK pathway, TQHXD protects neurons from I/R damage and prevents apoptosis. Thus, TQHXD may be effective for the treatment of ischemic stroke. And the mechanism behind these therapeutic actions of TQHXD is supported by this research.

Identification of Active Ingredients of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction for Promoting Nerve Function Recovery After Ischemic Stroke Using HT22 Live-Cell-Based Affinity Chromatography Combined with HPLC-MS/MS

Objective

The Chinese medicine Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD) has been reported to improve the clinical symptoms and restore nerve function after ischemic stroke; however, its active ingredients are not well-determined. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the bioactive compounds of HGWD and explore the possible mechanism of action.

Methods

The methods, including live HT22 cells, solid-phase extraction, and HPLC-MS/MS were utilized. The potential ingredients were identified through comparisons with literature and monomer compounds. Then, oxygen-glucose deprivation reperfusion (OGD/R)-treated HT22 cells were utilized to investigate the effect of HGWD components with specific binding affinities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and Tunel staining were used as testing indexes to analyze the protective effects of potential active ingredients on OGD/R-induced damage.

Results

Eleven compounds with specific binding affinities were identified as calycosin-7-O-glucoside, calycosin, formononetin, cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic acid, betaine, dl-2-phenylpropionic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, 6-methylcoumarin, wogonin, and paeoniflorin. Among them, six compounds had a protective effect on OGD/R-treated HT22 cells. Furthermore, calycosin-7-O-glucoside, calycosin, paeoniflorin, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, wogonin, and formononetin could regulate oxidative stress and apoptosis to attenuate the cell damage caused by OGD/R.

Conclusion

The mechanism of action of HGWD to promote neurological recovery after ischemic stroke was related to the regulation of oxidative stress and apoptosis. This study suggested that cell membrane affinity chromatography combined with HPLC-MS/MS could be applied to screen potential active components in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM).

Muscone Ameliorates Synaptic Dysfunction and Cognitive Deficits in APP/PS1 Mice

BACKGROUND

Dysfunction of synaptic plasticity leads to memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Muscone (Mus) has shown neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemic models. However, little is known of Mus effects on AD.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of Mus on memory functions and synaptic plasticity in 6-month-old APP/PS1 double-transgenic mice and explore the potential mechanisms.

METHODS

Mus was intraperitoneally injected into APP/PS1 or wild-type mice, and cognitive function was assessed by Novel object recognition and Morris water maze tests. The levels of amyloid-β (Aβ) were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and ELISA. Synaptic morphology and plasticity were evaluated by Golgi staining and long-term potentiation. Cell viability was examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The protein levels of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) were accessed by western blotting and Immunofluorescence staining. The protein levels of microtubule associated protein 2 and synaptophysin were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. The ubiquitination of HDAC2 was examined by co-immunoprecipitation. The interaction of Mus with HDAC2 was predicted by molecular docking analysis.

RESULTS

Mus treatment attenuated memory dysfunction, reduced Aβ level, and enhanced synaptic plasticity in APP/PS1 mice. In addition, Mus treatment decreased the level of HDAC2 in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice and Aβ1-42-induced primary neurons, which might be associated with increased HDAC2 ubiquitination induced by HDAC2 and Mus interaction.

CONCLUSION

Mus protected against synaptic plasticity and memory impairment in APP/PS1 mice, and enhanced HDAC2 degradation via ubiquitination, indicating that Mus was a potential drug for AD treatment.

Network Pharmacology Reveals the Mechanism of Activity of Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction Extract Against Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion-Induced Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Several clinical therapies such as tissue repair by replacing injured tissues with functional ones have been reported; however, there is great potential for exploring traditional herbal-induced regeneration with good safety. Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction (TQHXD), a well-known classical traditional Chinese medicinal formula, has been widely used for clinical treatment of stroke. However, biological activity and mechanisms of action of its constituents toward conferring protection against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury remain unclear. In this present study, we evaluated TQHXD quality using HPLC; then, it was screened for its potential active ingredients using a series of indices, such as their drug-likeness and oral bioavailability. Subsequently, we analyzed the potential mechanisms of TQHXD anti-I/R using gene ontology functional enrichment analyses. The network pharmacological approach enabled us to screen 265 common targets associated with I/R, indicating that TQHXD had remarkable protective effects on infarction volume, neurological function scores, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) injury. In addition, TQHXD significantly promoted the recovery of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) 7 days after reperfusion compared to rats in the vehicle group. Immunofluorescence results revealed a significantly higher CD34 expression in TQHXD-treated rats 7 days after reperfusion. TQHXD is not merely effective but eventually develops a secretory profile composed of VEGF and cerebral blood flow, a typical signature termed the angiogenesis-associated phenotype. Mechanistically, our data revealed that TQHXD (6 g/kg) treatment resulted in a marked increase in expression of p-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and p-Paxillin proteins. However, Ki8751-mediated inhibition of VEGFR2 activity repealed its angiogenesis and protective effects and decreased both p-FAK and p-Paxillin protein levels. Taken together, these findings affirmed the potential of TQHXD as a drug for the management of stroke, which might be exerted by increasing the angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway. Therefore, these results provide proof-of-concept evidence that angiogenesis is a major contributor to TQHXD-treated I/R and that TQHXD is a promising traditional ethnic medicine for the management of this condition.

Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of muscone

Musk, the dried secretion from the preputial follicles of the male musk deer (genus Moschus), possesses various pharmacological activities and has been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Muscone is the main active ingredient of musk and exerts pharmacological effects similar to those of musk. Although muscone was notably used to treat various disorders and diseases, such as neurological disorders, chronic inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury, most of the mechanisms of the pharmacological action of muscone remain unclear because of slow progress in research before the 21st century. In recent years, the pharmacological activities and mechanisms of muscone have been clarified. The present article summarizes the pharmacological and biological studies on cerebrovascular disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological effects, cancer and others and the associated mechanisms of the action of muscone to date.