The Effect of Shen Qi Wan Medicated Serum on NRK-52E Cells Proliferation and Migration by Targeting Aquaporin 1 (AQP1)

Mongolian medicine Sugemule-7 decoction prevents osteoporosis via Erk1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways according to network pharmacology analysis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a significant global public health concern that requires the development of safe and effective drugs for prevention and treatment. Sugemule-7 (SGML-7) decoction, a traditional Mongolian herbal prescription, has long been used for treating OP, but its components and mechanisms of action remain unclear. The study identified the main compounds of SGML-7 using UHPLC-Q Exactive MS and explored the multi-target mechanisms of SGML-7 in OP through network pharmacology and molecular docking. A retinoic acid (RA)-induced mouse OP model was utilized to confirm the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of SGML-7. Additionally, mouse pre-osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) cells treated with SGML-7 medicated serum were employed to delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms. The UHPLC-Q Exactive MS analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking suggested that the synergistic effect of multiple active compounds could be the main contributor to SGML-7 for its anti-OP activities. Moreover, MAPK1, JUN, ESR1, TP53, AKT1, NCOA1, FOS, and NR3C1 were identified as potential key targets, and the MAPK signaling pathway was among the signaling pathways possibly involved in the anti-OP activities of SGML-7. Consistent with these findings, experimental studies confirmed that SGML-7 prevented bone loss, enhanced bone quality in OP mice, and promoted osteoblastic activity and bone formation in MC3T3-E1 cells by modulating MAPK-associated targets. Taken together, SGML-7 shows promise as an effective and appealing anti-OP drug candidate.

Shen Qi Wan ameliorates nephritis in chronic kidney disease via AQP1 and DEFB1 regulation

Shen Qi Wan (SQW) has been proven to exert anti-inflammatory effects in the kidneys of CKD models accompanied by unclear therapeutic mechanisms. This study aims to evaluate the kidney-protective and anti-inflammatory effects of SQW and to elucidate its fundamental mechanisms for CKD treatment. Firstly, the main active components of SQW were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technique. Subsequently, we evaluated inflammatory factors, renal function and renal pathology changes following SQW treatment utilizing adenine-induced CKD mice and aquaporin 1 knockout (AQP1-/-) mice. Additionally, we conducted RNA-seq analysis and bioinformatics analysis to predict the SQW potential therapeutic targets and anti-nephritis pathways. Simultaneously, WGCNA analysis method and machine learning algorithms were used to perform a clinical prognostic analysis of potential biomarkers in CKD patients from the GEO database and validated through clinical samples. Lipopolysaccharide-induced HK-2 cells were further used to explore the mechanism. We found that renal collagen deposition was reduced, serum inflammatory cytokine levels decreased, and renal function was improved after SQW intervention. It can be inferred that β-defensin 1 (DEFB1) may be a pivotal target, as confirmed by serum and renal tissue samples from CKD patients. Furthermore, SQW assuages inflammatory responses by fostering AQP1-mediated DEFB1 expression was confirmed in in vitro and in vivo studies. Significantly, the renal-protective effect of SQW is to some extent attenuated after AQP1 gene knockout. SQW could reduce inflammatory responses by modulating AQP1 and DEFB1. These findings underscore the potential of SQW as a promising contender for novel prevention and treatment strategies within the ambit of CKD management.

Potential Therapeutic Properties of the Leaf of Cydonia Oblonga Mill. Based on Mineral and Organic Profiles

Leaf extract of Cydonia Oblonga Mill. is interesting for further exploration of the potential of its substrates for therapeutic supplements. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on samples of green (October), yellow (November), and brown (December) quince leaves collected in the region of Pinhel, Portugal. Mineral analysis determined the measurements of the levels of several macro- and micro-elements. Organic analysis assessed the moisture content, total phenolic content (TPC), vitamin E, and fatty acid (FA) profiles. Mineral analysis was based on ICP-MS techniques, while the profiles of vitamin E and FA relied on HPLC-DAD-FLD and GC-FID techniques, respectively. Moisture content was determined through infrared hygrometry and TPC was determined by spectrophotometric methods. Regarding the mineral content, calcium, magnesium, and iron were the most abundant minerals. Concerning organic analysis, all leaf samples showed similar moisture content, while the TPC of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and total vitamin E content, the most predominant of which was the α-tocopherol isomer, showed significant variations between green-brown and yellow leaves. FA composition in all leaf samples exhibited higher contents of SFA and PUFA than MUFA, with a predominance of palmitic and linolenic acids. Organic and inorganic analysis of quince leaves allow for the prediction of adequate physiological properties, mainly cardiovascular, pulmonary, and immunological defenses, which with our preliminary in silico studies suggest an excellent supplement to complementary therapy, including drastic pandemic situations.

Shen Qi Li Xin formula improves chronic heart failure through balancing mitochondrial fission and fusion via upregulation of PGC-1α

BACKGROUND

Our previous study proved that Shen Qi Li Xin formula (SQLXF) improved the heart function of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, while the action mechanism remains unclear.

METHODS

H&E staining and TUNEL staining were performed to measure myocardial damages. Western blot was used to examine the expression of proteins. Moreover, CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to measure cell viability and cell apoptosis, respectively. Concentrations of ATP and ROS in cells, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected to estimate oxidative stress.

RESULTS

In vivo, we found that SQLXF improved cardiac hemodynamic parameters, reduced LDH, CK-MB and BNP production, and attenuated myocardial damages in CHF rats. Besides, SQLXF promoted mitochondrial fusion-related proteins expression and inhibited fission-related proteins expression in CHF rats and oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced cardiac myocytes (CMs). In vitro, our data show that certain dose of SQLXF inhibited OGD/R-induced CMs apoptosis, cell viability decreasing and oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION

Overall, certain dose of SQLXF could effectively improve the cardiac function of CHF rats through inhibition of CMs apoptosis via balancing mitochondrial fission and fusion. Our data proved a novel action mechanism of SQLXF in CHF improvement, and provided a reference for clinical.