Therapeutic Potential and Effective Components of the Chinese Herb Gardeniae Fructus in the Treatment of Senile Disease

Integrated Network Pharmacology and in vivo Experimental Validation Approach to Explore the Potential Antioxidant Effects of Annao Pingchong Decoction in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Rats

Background

Annao Pingchong decoction (ANPCD) is a traditional Chinese decoction which has definite effects on treating intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) validated through clinical and experimental studies. However, the impact of ANPCD on oxidative stress (OS) after ICH remains unclear and is worth further investigating.

Aim

To investigate whether the therapeutic effects of ANPCD on ICH are related to alleviating OS damage and seek potential targets for its antioxidant effects.

Materials and Methods

The therapeutic candidate genes of ANPCD on ICH were identified through a comparison of the target genes of ANPCD, target genes of ICH and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and functional enrichment analysis were combined with targets-related literature to select suitable antioxidant targets. The affinity between ANPCD and the selected target was verified using macromolecular docking. Subsequently, the effects of ANPCD on OS and the selected target were further investigated through in vivo experiments.

Results

Forty-eight candidate genes were screened, in which silent information regulator sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is one of the core genes that has antioxidant effects and ICH significantly affected its expression. The good affinity between 6 compounds of ANPCD and SIRT1 was also demonstrated by macromolecular docking. The results of in vivo experiments demonstrated that ANPCD significantly decreased modified neurological severity scoring (mNSS) scores and serum MDA and 8-OHdG content in ICH rats, while significantly increasing serum SOD and CAT activity, complicated with the up-regulation of ANPCD on SIRT1, FOXO1, PGC-1α and Nrf2. Furthermore, ANPCD significantly decreased the apoptosis rate and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (P53, cytochrome c and caspase-3).

Conclusion

ANPCD alleviates OS damage and apoptosis after ICH in rats. As a potential therapeutic target, SIRT1 can be effectively regulated by ANPCD, as are its downstream proteins.

Geniposide alleviated bile acid-associated NLRP3 inflammasome activation by regulating SIRT1/FXR signaling in bile duct ligation-induced liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Geniposide (GE), the active compound derived from Gardeniae Fructus, possesses valuable bioactivity for liver diseases, but GE effects on bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced cholestasis remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the influence of GE on BDL-induced liver fibrosis and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

GE (25 or 50 mg/kg) were intragastrical administered to C57BL/6 J mice for two weeks to characterize the hepatoprotective effect of GE on BDL-induced liver fibrosis. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was detected in vivo, and BMDMs were isolated to explore whether GE directly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Serum bile acid (BA) profiles were assessed utilizing UPLC-MS/MS, and the involvement of SIRT1/FXR pathways was identified to elucidate the role of SIRT1/FXR in the hepaprotective effect of GE. The veritable impact of SIRT1/FXR signaling was further confirmed by administering the SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 (10 mg/kg) to BDL mice treated with GE.

RESULTS

GE treatment protected mice from BDL-induced liver fibrosis, with NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition. However, development in vitro experiments revealed that GE could not directly inhibit NLRP3 activation under ATP, monosodium urate, and nigericin stimulation. Further mechanistic data showed that GE activated SIRT1, which subsequently deacetylated FXR and restored CDCA, TUDCA, and TCDCA levels, thereby contributing to the observed hepaprotective effect of GE. Notably, EX527 treatment diminished the hepaprotective effect of GE on BDL-induced liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

This study first proved the hepaprotective effect of GE on liver fibrosis in BDL mice, which was closely associated with the restoration of BA homeostasis and NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition. The activation of SIRT1 and the subsequent FXR deacetylation restored the BA profiles, especially CDCA, TUDCA, and TCDCA contents, which was the main contributor to NLRP3 inhibition and the hepaprotective effect of GE. Overall, our work provides novel insights that GE as well as Gardeniae Fructus might be the potential attractive candidate for ameliorating BDL-induced liver fibrosis.

Annao Pingchong decoction alleviate the neurological impairment by attenuating neuroinflammation and apoptosis in intracerebral hemorrhage rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a central nervous system disease that causes severe disability or death. Even though Annao Pingchong decoction (ANPCD), a traditional Chinese decoction, has been used clinically to treat ICH in China, its molecular mechanism remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To study whether the neuroprotective effect of ANPCD on ICH rats is achieved by alleviating neuroinflammation. This paper mainly explored whether inflammation-related signaling pathways (HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB P65) plays a role in ANPCD treatment of ICH rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical composition of ANPCD. ICH models were established by injecting autologous whole blood into the left caudate nucleus of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Modified neurological severity scoring (mNSS) was used to assess the neurological deficits. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pathological changes in the rat brains were observed using hematoxylin-eosin, Nissl, and TUNEL staining. The protein levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were measured by western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis.

RESULTS

Ninety-three ANPCD compounds were identified, including 48 active plasma components. Treatment with ANPCD effectively improved the outcome, as observed by the neurological function scores analysis and brain histopathology. Our results showed that ANPCD exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by significantly downregulating the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. ANPCD also exerted anti-apoptotic effects by significantly decreasing the apoptosis rate and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

CONCLUSION

We found that ANPCD had neuroprotective effect in clinical work. Here, we also found that the action mechanism of ANPCD might be related to attenuate neuroinflammation and apoptosis. These effects were achieved by inhibiting the expression of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB p65.

The Beneficial Effects of Geniposide on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism: A Review

Geniposide is a naturally sourced active ingredient that has diverse pharmacological effects and great potential in improving or treating different kinds of diseases. In recent years, more and more studies have confirmed that geniposide can improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, which is an increasingly prevalent health problem causing various metabolic diseases globally. Our review aims to summarize basic information on the pharmacological effects of geniposide on glucolipid metabolism. Geniposide increases glucose utilization and insulin production, protects pancreatic islet β cells, inhibits insulin resistance and hepatic glucose production, and suppresses gluconeogenesis. While in the aspect of lipid metabolism, geniposide can promote lipolysis, inhibit lipogenesis, and regulate lipid transport. Geniposide ameliorates lipid and glucose metabolic disorders, improving the entire glycolipid metabolism network in a three-dimensional manner at the level of molecular mechanism. Growing evidence revealed that geniposide may serve as an effective drug to combat metabolic diseases for the time to come.

Medicinal and edible plants in the treatment of dyslipidemia: advances and prospects

Dyslipidemia is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which lead to the high mortality, disability, and medical expenses in the worldwide. Based on the previous researches, the improvement of dyslipidemia could efficiently prevent the occurrence and progress of cardiovascular diseases. Medicinal and edible plants (MEPs) are the characteristics of Chinese medicine, and could be employed for the disease treatment and health care mostly due to their homology of medicine and food. Compared to the lipid-lowering drugs with many adverse effects, such as rhabdomyolysis and impaired liver function, MEPs exhibit the great potential in the treatment of dyslipidemia with high efficiency, good tolerance and commercial value. In this review, we would like to introduce 20 kinds of MEPs with lipid-lowering effect in the following aspects, including the source, function, active component, target and underlying mechanism, which may provide inspiration for the development of new prescription, functional food and complementary therapy for dyslipidemia.

Rapid screening of antioxidant from natural products by AAPH-Incubating HPLC-DAD-HR MS/MS method: A case study of Gardenia jasminoides fruit

A new AAPH-Incubating HPLC-DAD-HR MS/MS method was developed for the rapid and high-throughput screening of antioxidants directly in natural products and applied to Gardenia jasminoides fruit. This method was assumed that the peak areas of compounds with potential antioxidant activity in HPLC chromatograms would be significantly reduced or disappeared after incubating with the AAPH which can release ROO at physiological conditions (37 °C, pH 7.4). Additionally, the activity of antioxidants can be evaluated by comparing the peak reduction rates and the screened components can be further identified by HRMS/MS. Then, 17 potential natural antioxidants from the crude extract of GJF was screened. Among them, three major components including crocin I, crocin II and crocetin showed excellent ROO scavenging activity, which were further validated by the ORAC assay. In conclusion, our study provided a simple and effective strategy to rapidly screen antioxidants in natural products.

Gardeniae Fructus Extract Alleviates Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Muscle atrophy (MA) is a case in which protein degeneration occurs excessively due to an imbalance between protein synthesis and breakdown, and is characterized by decreased muscle mass and weakened muscle strength. Despite mounting concern about MA, the number of patients with MA is increasing every year. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of Gardeniae Fructus (GF) hot water extract on dexamethasone (DEX)-induced MA in mice. C57BL/6N mice were grouped (n = 8) as follows: Normal mice (Normal), MA mice were treated with distilled water (Control), MA mice were treated with GF 100 mg/kg (GF100), MA mice were treated with GF 200 mg/kg (GF200). For 10 days, DEX (25 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) injection was used to induce MA, and GF was administered. GF treatment restored the muscle weight decreased due to MA, and in particular, the weights of EDL+TA and Sol were significantly increased in the GF200 group. Also, it was confirmed that the swimming time was improved in the GF200 group. In addition, the expression of NADPH oxidase related to oxidative stress was significantly reduced, and protective (insulin-like growth factor I/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway) and catabolic (AMP-activated kinase [AMPK]/sirtuin 1 [SIRT1]/proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α)-forkhead box O (FOXO) pathway) pathways were significantly modulated. These results demonstrate that GF regulates muscle protein synthesis and catabolic pathways, and in particular, it is judged to improve MA by regulating the proteolytic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α-FOXO pathway.

A review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Fructus Gardeniae (Zhi-zi)

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is the dried fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (GjE), which belongs to the family Rubiaceae. FG has a long history of use as a herb, and was originally recorded in Sheng Nong's herbal classic. FG has also been widely used as both medicine and food.

AIM OF STUDY

This review aimed to provide a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the current research progress of FG in terms of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity, to provide new insights and extensive field of view for subsequent studies.

METHODS

Scientific databases, including CNKI, VIP (Chinese literature), PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier and Google Scholar (English literatures) were searched to gather data about FG and its main active ingredients such as geniposide and genipin (only regarding toxicity).

RESULTS

Many chemical constituents have been identified from the fruit of GjE, including iridoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, organic acids, volatile oils and others. The constituents of different parts of FG and processed FG are different from those of whole FG. FG extract and its main active constituents have been reported to have pharmacological properties such as hepatoprotective, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-apoptotic and antitumor activities. However, an increasing number of studies have shown that FG induces multiple organ injury, especially causing hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, which could increase the risk during clinical use. The available literature shows that geniposide, a major active component of FG and a critical marker for its quality, is associated with the pharmacology and toxicity of FG.

CONCLUSION

Although a large number of studies examining FG have been published, issues remain. In the aspect of FG's pharmacology, the traditional efficacy and modern pharmacological effects of FG should be combined, which to broadens clinical application prospects. In addition, few studies have assessed the toxicity of FG. Toxicity assessment of FG should tackle various aspects, including compatibility, processing and the symptom-based prescription theory, in addition to over-dosage or long-term use, for a reasonable clinical use.

Kamikihito rescued depressive-like behaviors and hippocampus neurogenesis in chronic restraint stress rats

Background and aim

Substantial evidence suggests the effectiveness of plant-based medicine in stress-related diseases. Kamikihito (KKT), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine (Kampo), has been used for anemia, insomnia, and anxiety. Recent studies revealed its ameliorating effect on cognitive and memory dysfunction in several animal models. We, therefore, determined whether daily supplementation of KKT has an antidepressant-like effect on the stress-induced behavioral and neurological changes in rats.

Experimental procedure

The effect of KKT against the stress-induced changes in anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and hippocampal neurogenesis were determined using a rat model of chronic restraint stress (CRS). KKT was orally administered daily at 300 or 1000 mg/kg during 21 consecutive days of CRS (6 h/day). The effect of CRS and KKT on physiological parameters, including body weight gain, food/water consumptions, plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels, and percentage of adrenal gland weight to body weight, were firstly measured. Anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in rats were assessed in the open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), and forced swimming test (FST). Hippocampal neurogenesis was determined by immunohistochemistry.

Results and conclusion

CRS for 21 days caused a significant decrease in body weight gain and increase in plasma CORT levels and percentage of adrenal gland weight to body weight, which were rescued by KKT treatment. KKT also suppressed the CRS-induced anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis. These results suggest that daily treatment of KKT has a protective effect against physiological, neurological, and behavioral changes in a rat model of depression.

Novel Findings regarding the Bioactivity of the Natural Blue Pigment Genipin in Human Diseases

Genipin is an important monoterpene iridoid compound isolated from Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis fruits and from Genipa americana fruits, or genipap. It is a precursor of a blue pigment which may be attractive alternative to existing food dyes and it possesses various potential therapeutic properties such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and hepatoprotective activity. Biomedical studies also show that genipin may act as a neuroprotective drug. This review describes new aspects of the bioactivity of genipin against various diseases, as well as its toxicity and industrial applications, and presents its potential mechanism of action.

Mitochondrial-Respiration-Improving Effects of Three Different Gardeniae Fructus Preparations and Their Components

The processing method for Chinese traditional herbal medicine is "Pao Zhi" in Chinese. This study examined the efficacy of the Pao Zhi on the preparations of Gardeniae Fructus (GF) on a mitochondrial respiratory function in rats. To determine the efficacy of Pao Zhi, we investigated the effects of GF heat processing on mitochondrial respiratory function. To test the GF components, the rats were randomly divided into a geniposide-alone group, crocin-alone group, and combination groups and treated with geniposide and crocin at different ratios. The results showed that a high dose, raw GF was more effective in improving the neurological function, mitochondrial respiratory function, and activities of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase than the preparations that underwent heating. Moreover, mitochondrial ROS production was the lowest in the raw GF-treated group. In addition, treatments with crocin and GC3 were more effective than geniposide in improving the functional deficit in MCAO rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that raw GF is the most suitable preparation for the treatment of cerebral ischemia, and its underlying mechanisms may be associated with the improvement of mitochondrial respiratory function, increased activities of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase, and reduced oxidative stress in mitochondria. Our findings suggest that raw GF, especially crocin, could be an ideal therapeutic agent for ischemic stroke.

GC-MS Based Metabolomics Reveals the Synergistic Mechanism of Gardeniae Fructus-Forsythiae Fructus Herb Pair in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury Mouse Model

Compatibility remains among the crucial and significant characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines. The Gardeniae Fructus (FG)-Forsythiae Fructus (FF) herb pair, an epitome of formulations for heat-clearing and detoxification, is extensively used to treat bacterial pneumonia in clinical settings. However, there are few reports on their synergistic effects. This study thus investigated their compatibility by GC-MS based metabolomics using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. Differential metabolites were identified by both variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 1 in orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) mode and P < 0.05. Results of biochemistry and histopathology indicated that FG-FF herb pair exerted more promising lung protective effect than its individual decoction against the LPS-induced ALI model. From the metabolomics study, 32 differential metabolites in vehicle vs. model groups, 21 differential metabolites in FF vs. model groups, 21 differential metabolites in FG vs. model groups, and 20 differential metabolites in FG-FF herb pair vs. model groups were found. Among them, the levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, alanine, isophthalic acid, and terephthalic acid were restored significantly in the FF group, while silanol and cholesterol were restored significantly in the FG group. For FG-FF treatment, the amount of behenic acid, a metabolite with anti-inflammatory properties, was increased, while palmitic acid, a proinflammatory metabolite, was decreased. Meanwhile, the two biomarkers were restored more significantly than that by FG or FF treatment, which indicated that the synergistic effects by FF coupled with FG might be attributed to restoring fatty acids metabolic pathway.

Genipin-cross-linked hydrogels based on biomaterials for drug delivery: a review

Genipin is a naturally occurring nontoxic cross-linker, which has been widely used for drug delivery due to its excellent biocompatibility, admirable biodegradability and stable cross-linked attributes. These advantages led to its extensive application in the fabrication of hydrogels for drug delivery. This review describes the physicochemical characteristics and pharmacological activities of genipin and attempts to elucidate the detailed mechanisms of the cross-linking reaction between genipin and biomaterials. The current article entails a general review of the different biomaterials cross-linked by genipin: chitosan and its derivatives, collagen, gelatin, etc. The genipin-cross-linked hydrogels for various pharmaceutical applications, including ocular drug delivery, buccal drug delivery, oral drug delivery, anti-inflammatory drug delivery, and antibiotic and antifungal drug delivery, are reported. Finally, the future research directions and challenges of genipin-cross-linked hydrogels for pharmaceutical applications are also discussed in this review.

Two new iridoid glycosides from Gardeniae Fructus

Two new iridoid glycosides, genipin 1,10-di-O-α-l-rhamnoside (1) and genipin 1,10-di-O-β-d-xylopyranoside (2), along with thirteen known compounds (3-15) were isolated from Gardeniae Fructus. Their structures were elucidated by physical data analyses such as NMR, UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, as well as chemical hydrolysis. All compounds were tested for their tyrosinase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. At a concentration of 25 μM, compound 13 showed obvious mushroom tyrosinase inhibition activity with % inhibition value of 36.52 ± 1.98%, with kojic acid used as the positive control (46.09 ± 1.29%). At a concentration of 1 mM, compounds 8 and 9 exhibited considerable DPPH radical scavenging activities, with radical scavenging rates of 48.54 ± 0.47%, 58.59 ± 0.39%, respectively, with l-ascorbic acid used as the positive control (59.02 ± 0.77%).

Efficacy and safety of TCM combined with chemotherapy for SCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), but chemotherapy resistance and adverse reactions remain major problems. Although Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is wildly applied for patients with SCLC in China, the evidence of TCM in the treatment for SCLC is limited.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM combined with chemotherapy for patients with SCLC.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the VIP Information Database, and the Wanfang Database for randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) that are relevant. The included studies were reviewed by two investigators, with relevant data extracted independently. The effect estimate of interest was the relative risk (RR) or mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

22 RCTs involving 1887 patients were included in this study. Compared with patients treated with chemotherapy© alone, those with Chinese herbal medicine and chemotherapy (TCM-C) had better therapeutic effects (RR = 1.295, 95% CI 1.205-1.391, P < 0.001), KPS scores (RR = 1.310, 95% CI 1.210-1.418, P < 0.001), 1-year survival rate (RR = 1.282, 95% CI 1.129-1.456, P < 0.001), 3-year survival rate (RR = 2.109, 95% CI 1.514-2.939, P < 0.001), and 5-year survival rate (RR = 2.373, 95% CI 1.227-4.587, P = 0.01). The incidence of gastrointestinal reaction (RR of = 0.786, 95% CI 0.709-0.870, P < 0.000) and bone marrow depression (RR = 0.837, 95% CI 0.726-0.965, P = 0.014) in TCM-C group were lower than that in the C group.

CONCLUSION

The systematic review indicated that TCM combined with chemotherapy may improve therapeutic effect, quality of life, and prolong survival time. More large-scale and higher quality RCTs are warranted to support our findings.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42016038016.

Antioxidant Effects and Cytoprotective Potentials of Herbal Tea against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage by Activating Heme Oxygenase1 Pathway

Herbal tea with antioxidant ingredients has gained increasing attention in the field of functional foods due to their amelioration potential in aging-related diseases. Wanglaoji herbal tea (WHT) is a kind of traditional beverage made from herbal materials. This study was performed to investigate its antioxidant activity and identify its protective effect on a H₂O₂-induced cell damage model. In this study, we identified six kinds of phenolic acids with antioxidant activity in WHT, among which rosmarinic acid had the highest content and the highest contribution ratio to the antioxidant activity of WHT. Moreover, compared with the H₂O₂-induced damage group, the WHT treatment group can significantly increase the viability of cells and decrease the ratio of senescence-associated β-galactosidase-positive cells, intracellular malondialdehyde levels, and the percentage of G1 phase. Furthermore, enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that heme oxygenase1 (HMOX1) was a key gene for protective effect of WHT on oxidative stress-induced cell damage. Thus, WHT exerted protective effects not only by scavenging reactive oxygen species but also by inducing the expression of cytoprotective genes by activating the HMOX1 pathway, which showed that WHT had a potential of promoting health by reducing oxidative stress-induced cell damage.

Therapeutic potential of genipin in various acute liver injury, fulminant hepatitis, NAFLD and other non-cancer liver diseases: More friend than foe

Genipin is an aglycone derived from the geniposide, the most abundant iridoid glucoside constituent of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. For decades, genipin is the focus of studies as a versatile compound in the treatment of various pathogenic conditions. In particularly, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of liver disease. Mounting experimental data has proved genipin possesses therapeutic potential for cholestatic, septic, ischemia/reperfusion-triggered acute liver injury, fulminant hepatitis and NAFLD. This critical review is a reflection on the valuable lessons from decades of research regarding pharmacological activities of genipin. Of note, genipin represents choleretic effect by potentiating bilirubin disposal and enhancement of genes in charge of the efflux of a number of organic anions. The anti-inflammatory capability of genipin is mediated by suppression of the production and function of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammasome. Moreover, genipin modulates various transcription factor and signal transduction pathway. Genipin appears to trigger the upregulation of several key genes encoding antioxidant and xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. Furthermore, the medicinal impact of genipin extends to modulation of regulated cell death, including autophagic cell death, apoptosis, necroptosis and pyroptosis, and modulation of quality of cellular organelle. Another crucial effect of genipin appears to be linked to dual role in targeting uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). As a typical UCP2-inhibiting compound, genipin could inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase or NF-κB in circumstance. On the contrary, reactive oxygen species production and cellular lipid deposits mediated by genipin through the upregulation of UCP2 is observed in liver steatosis, suggesting the precise role of genipin is disease-specific. Collectively, we comprehensively summarize the mechanisms and pathways associated with the hepatoprotective activity of genipin and discuss potential toxic impact. Notably, our focus is the direct medicinal effect of genipin itself, whereas its utility as a crosslinking agent in tissue engineering is out of scope for the current review. Further studies are therefore required to disentangle these complicated pharmacological properties to confer this natural agent a far greater potency.

Regeneration of skeletal system with genipin crosslinked biomaterials

Natural biomaterials, such as collagen, gelatin, and chitosan, are considered as promising candidates for use in tissue regeneration treatment, given their similarity to natural tissues regarding components and structure. Nevertheless, only receiving a crosslinking process can these biomaterials exhibit sufficient strength to bear high tensile loads for use in skeletal system regeneration. Recently, genipin, a natural chemical compound extracted from gardenia fruits, has shown great potential as a reliable crosslinking reagent, which can reconcile the crosslinking effect and biosafety profile simultaneously. In this review, we briefly summarize the genipin extraction process, biosafety, and crosslinking mechanism. Subsequently, the applications of genipin regarding aiding skeletal system regeneration are discussed in detail, including the advances and technological strategies for reconstructing cartilage, bone, intervertebral disc, tendon, and skeletal muscle tissues. Finally, based on the specific pharmacological functions of genipin, its potential applications, such as its use in bioprinting and serving as an antioxidant and anti-tumor agent, and the challenges of genipin in the clinical applications in skeletal system regeneration are also presented.

Genipin Ameliorates Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury in Mice via the Concomitant Inhibition of Inflammation and Induction of Autophagy

Genipin, as the most effective ingredient of various traditional medications, encompasses antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial capacities. More recently, it is suggested that genipin protects against septic liver damage by restoring autophagy. The purpose of the current study was to explore the protective effect of genipin against carbon tetrachloride- (CCl₄-) induced acute liver injury (ALI) and its underlying molecular machinery. Our results indicated that treatment with genipin significantly reduced CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity by ameliorating histological liver changes, decreasing the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase levels, alleviating the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, and promoting autophagic flux. Moreover, genipin effectively induced the conversion of LC3 and inhibition of p62 accumulation. The liver expressions of ATG5, ATG7, and ATG12 were significantly increased by genipin pretreatment in the ALI mice model. This protective effect may be mediated by the inhibition of mTOR and the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Meanwhile, genipin attenuated CCl₄-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting the NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathway. In addition, pretreatment with autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) or inhibition of p38 MAPK by SB203580 abolished the hepatoprotective effect of genipin. Taken together, our study implicates that genipin has a protective potential against CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity, which might be strongly associated with the induction of autophagy and the attenuation of inflammatory response.

Jia-Wei-Kai-Xin-San, an Herbal Medicine Formula, Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits via Modulating Metabolism of Beta Amyloid Protein and Neurotrophic Factors in Hippocampus of Aβ1-42 Induced Cognitive Deficit Mice

Jia-Wei-Kai-Xin-San (JWKXS) is a Chinese medicine formula applied for treating morbid forgetfulness in ancient China. Today, this formula is frequently applied for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (VD) in clinic. Here, we developed it as granules and aimed to evaluate its anti-AD effect on β amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ1-42) induced cognitive deficit mice and reveal the possible molecular mechanisms. Firstly, daily intra-gastric administration of chemically standardized of JWKXS granules for 7 days significantly ameliorated the cognitive deficit symptoms and inhibited cell apoptosis in hippocampus on Aβ1-42 injection mice. JWKXS granules significantly decreased Aβ level, increased superoxide dismutase activity and decreased malondialdehyde level in hippocampus of model mice. It also restored acetylcholine amounts, inhibited acetylcholinesterase activities and increased choline acetyltransferase activities. In addition, JWKXS granules enabled the transformation of precursors of NGF and BDNF into mature forms. Furthermore, JWKXS granules could regulate gene expressions related to Aβ production, transportation, degradation and neurotrophic factor transformation, which led to down-regulation of Aβ and up-regulation of NGF and BDNF. These findings suggested that JWKXS granules ameliorated cognitive deficit via decreasing Aβ levels, protecting neuron from oxidation damages and nourishing neuron, which could serve as alternative medicine for patients suffering from AD.