Medical uses of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower): a comprehensive review from Traditional Medicine to Modern Medicine

Absorption enhancement of peach kernel oil on hydroxysafflor yellow A in safflower extracts and its mechanisms

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) is extensively used as a functional food and herbal medicine, with its application closely associated with hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA). However, the low oral bioavailability of HSYA in safflower extract (SFE) limits its health benefits and application. Our study found that co-administration of 250, 330, and 400 mg/kg peach kernel oil (PKO) increased the oral bioavailability of HSYA in SFE by 1.99-, 2.11-, and 2.49-fold, respectively. The enhanced bioavailability is attributed to improved lipid solubility and intestinal permeability of HSYA in SFE due to PKO. PKO is believed to modify membrane fluidity and tight junctions, increase paracellular penetration, and inhibit the expression and function of P-glycoprotein, enhancing the transcellular transport of substrates. These mechanisms suggest that PKO is an effective absorption enhancer. Our findings provide valuable insights for developing functional foods with improved bioavailability.

Carthamus tinctorius L. inhibits hepatic fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell activation by targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is a process that occurs during the progression of several chronic liver diseases, for which there is a lack of effective treatment options. Carthamus tinctorius L. (CTL) is often used in Chinese or Mongolian medicine to treat liver diseases. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. In the present study, CTL was used to treat rats with CCl4‑induced HF. The histopathological, biochemical and HF markers of the livers of the rats were analyzed, and CTL‑infused serum was used to treat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in order to detect the relevant markers of HSC activation. Protein expression pathways were detected both in vitro and in vivo. Histopathological results showed that CTL significantly improved CCl4‑induced liver injury, reduced aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, promoted E‑cadherin expression, and decreased α‑smooth muscle actin (SMA), SOX9, collagen I and hydroxyproline expression. Moreover, CTL‑infused serum was found to decrease α‑SMA and collagen I expression in HSCs. Further studies showed that CTL inhibited the activity of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in the rat livers. Following the administration of the PI3K agonist 740Y‑P to HSCs, the inhibitory effect of CTL on the PI3K/Akt//mTOR pathway was blocked. These results suggested that CTL can inhibit HF and HSC activation by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Safflower Improves Memory, Learning, and Behavior in Rats Subjected to Sleep Deprivation

BACKGROUND

Sleep is a physiological process that provides the body with a window for recovery and restoration. Intriguingly, even short-term sleep deprivation can impair brain memory, emotional capacity, information processing, and attention. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) has been shown to attenuate memory loss and improve anxiety and depression.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to study the possible therapeutic effect of safflower on sleep deprivation-dependent effects on memory and behavior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty young male Wistar albino rats were acclimatized, trained, and then assigned to three random groups: control (C), sleep-deprived (SD), and sleep-deprived Safflower-treated (SD+Sf) groups. Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) tests were used to study spatial memory and learning and anxiety-related behavior, respectively, in the study groups.

RESULTS

There was a significant deterioration in learning and memory, as tested by the MWM in the SD group, compared to the C group. This included prolonged test duration, reduced average speed, and longer travel distance. Treatment with safflower significantly improved MWM test performance in the SD+Sf group when compared to the SD group. When compared to the C group, rats in the SD group demonstrated altered EPM test parameters suggestive of anxiety-like behavior. These included spending more time in the closed arms, spending less time in the open arms, and having fewer entries in the open arms. Rats in the SD+Sf group showed improved EPM test parameters when compared to the SD group.

CONCLUSION

Safflower significantly ameliorated sleep deprivation induced by memory loss and altered behavior. Safflower supplementation may provide potential memory-enhancing and preserving, anxiolytic, and antidepressant therapeutic roles.

Response of photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system in the leaves of safflower to NaCl and NaHCO3

KEY MESSAGE

Compared with NaCl, NaHCO3 caused more serious oxidative damage and photosynthesis inhibition in safflower by down-regulating the expression of related genes. Salt-alkali stress is one of the important factors that limit plant growth. NaCl and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) are neutral and alkaline salts, respectively. This study investigated the physiological characteristics and molecular responses of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) leaves treated with 200 mmol L-1 of NaCl or NaHCO3. The plants treated with NaCl treatment were less effective at inhibiting the growth of safflower, but increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in leaves. Meanwhile, safflower alleviated stress damage by increasing proline (Pro), soluble protein (SP), and soluble sugar (SS). Both fresh weight and dry weight of safflower was severely decreased when it was subjected to NaHCO3 stress, and there was a significant increase in the permeability of cell membranes and the contents of osmotic regulatory substances. An enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes identified significant enrichment of photosynthesis and pathways related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that the darkgreen module had the highest correlation with photosynthesis and oxidative stress traits. Large numbers of transcription factors, primarily from the MYB, GRAS, WRKY, and C2H2 families, were predicted from the genes within the darkgreen module. An analysis of physiological indicators and DEGs, it was found that under saline-alkali stress, genes related to chlorophyll synthesis enzymes were downregulated, while those related to degradation were upregulated, resulting in inhibited chlorophyll biosynthesis and decreased chlorophyll content. Additionally, NaCl and NaHCO3 stress downregulated the expression of genes related to the Calvin cycle, photosynthetic antenna proteins, and the activity of photosynthetic reaction centers to varying degrees, hindering the photosynthetic electron transfer process, suppressing photosynthesis, with NaHCO3 stress causing more pronounced adverse effects. In terms of oxidative stress, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) did not change significantly under the NaCl treatment, but the contents of hydrogen peroxide and the rate of production of superoxide anions increased significantly under NaHCO3 stress. In addition, treatment with NaCl upregulated the levels of expression of the key genes for superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), the ascorbate-glutathione cycle, and the thioredoxin-peroxiredoxin pathway, and increased the activity of these enzymes, thus, reducing oxidative damage. Similarly, NaHCO3 stress increased the activities of SOD, CAT, and POD and the content of ascorbic acid and initiated the glutathione-S-transferase pathway to remove excess ROS but suppressed the regeneration of glutathione and the activity of peroxiredoxin. Overall, both neutral and alkaline salts inhibited the photosynthetic process of safflower, although alkaline salt caused a higher level of stress than neutral salt. Safflower alleviated the oxidative damage induced by stress by regulating its antioxidant system.

Genetic diversity, clinical uses, and phytochemical and pharmacological properties of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.): an important medicinal plant

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a member of the Asteraceae family, is widely used in traditional herbal medicine. This review summarized agronomic conditions, genetic diversity, clinical application, and phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of safflower. The genetic diversity of the plant is rich. Abundant in secondary metabolites like flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, polysaccharides, fatty acids, polyacetylene, and other bioactive components, the medicinal plant is effective for treating cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and respiratory diseases. Especially, Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYSA) has a variety of pharmacological effects. In terms of treatment and prevention of some space sickness in space travel, safflower could be a potential therapeutic agent. Further studies are still required to support the development of safflower in medicine. Our review indicates that safflower is an important medicinal plant and research prospects regarding safflower are very broad and worthy of further investigation.

Safflower Yellow Inhibits Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Modulating Immunological Tolerance via FAK Pathway

OBJECTIVE

To explore the anti-tumor effect of safflower yellow (SY) against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying potential mechanism.

METHODS

An in vitro model was established by mixing Luc-Hepa1-6 cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells, followed by adding programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody (Anti-mPD-1) with or without SY. The apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and the level of inflammatory cytokines was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein levels of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), chemokine ligand (CCL5), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) were measured by Western blot. An in situ animal model was established in mice followed by treatment with anti-mPD-1 with or without SY. Bioluminescence imaging was monitored with an AniView 100 imaging system. To establish the FAK-overexpressed Luc-Hepa1-6 cells, cells were transfected with adenovirus containing pcDNA3.1-FAK for 48 h.

RESULTS

The fluorescence intensity, apoptotic rate, release of inflammatory cytokines, and CCL5/CXCL10 secretion were dramatically facilitated by anti-mPD-1 (P<0.01), accompanied by an inactivation of PD-1/PD-L1 axis, which were extremely further enhanced by SY (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Increased fluorescence intensity, elevated percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cells, facilitated release of inflammatory cytokines, inactivated PD-1/PD-L1 axis, and increased CCL5/CXCL10 secretion were observed in Anti-mPD-1 treated mice (P<0.01), which were markedly enhanced by SY (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, the enhanced effects of SY on inhibiting tumor cell growth, facilitating apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine releasing, suppressing the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, and inducing the CCL5/CXCL10 secretion in Anti-mPD-1 treated mixture of Luc-Hepa1-6 cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells were abolished by FAK overexpression (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

SY inhibited the progression of HCC by mediating immunological tolerance through inhibiting FAK.

Highly Promiscuous Flavonoid Di-O-glycosyltransferases from Carthamus tinctorius L

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) has been recognized for its medicinal value, but there have been limited studies on the glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoid glycosides from safflower. In this research, we identified two highly efficient flavonoid O-glycosyltransferases, CtOGT1 and CtOGT2, from safflower performing local BLAST alignment. By constructing a prokaryotic expression vector, we conducted in vitro enzymatic reactions and discovered that these enzymes were capable of catalyzing two-step O-glycosylation using substrates such as kaempferol, quercetin, and eriodictyol. Moreover, they exhibited efficient catalytic activity towards various compounds, including flavones (apigenin, scutellarein), dihydrochalcone (phloretin), isoflavones (genistein, daidzein), flavanones (naringenin, glycyrrhizin), and flavanonols (dihydrokaempferol), leading to the formation of O-glycosides. The broad substrate specificity of these enzymes is noteworthy. This study provides valuable insights into the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoid glycosides in safflower. The discovery of CtOGT1 and CtOGT2 enhances our understanding of the enzymatic processes involved in synthesizing flavonoid glycosides in safflower, contributing to the overall comprehension of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in this plant species.

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration mitigates salt damages to safflower: Evidence from physiological and biochemical examinations

The physiological and biochemical responses of salt-stressed safflower to elevated CO2 remain inadequately known. This study investigated the interactive effects of high CO2 concentration (700 ± 50 vs. 400 ± 50 μmol mol-1) and salinity stress levels (0.4, 6, and 12 dS m-1, NaCl) on growth and physiological properties of four safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) genotypes, under open chamber conditions. Results showed that the effects of CO2 on biomass of shoot and grains depend on salt stress and plant genotype. Elevated CO2 conditions increased shoot dry weight under moderate salinity stress and decreased it under severe stress. The increased CO2 concentration also increased the safflower genotypes' relative water content and their K+/Na + concentrations. Also enriched CO2 increased total carotenoid levels in safflower genotypes and improved membrane stability index by reducing H2O2 levels. In addition, increased CO2 level led to an increase in seed oil content, under both saline and non-saline conditions. This effect was particularly pronounced under severe saline conditions. Under conditions of high CO2 and salinity, the Koseh genotype exhibited higher grain weight and seed oil content than other genotypes. This advantage is due to the higher relative water content, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and K+/Na+, as well as the lower Na+ and H2O2 concentrations. Results indicate that the high CO2 level mitigated the destructive effect of salinity on safflower growth by reducing Na + uptake and increasing the Fv/Fm, total soluble carbohydrates, and membrane stability index. This finding can be used in safflower breeding programs to develop cultivars that can thrive in arid regions with changing climatic conditions.

Anticancer, Immunomodulatory, and Phytochemical Screening of Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb Growing in the North of Iraq

Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb is a promising repository of active phytochemicals. These bioactive compounds work synergistically to promote the plant's antioxidant, anticancer, and immunomodulatory capabilities. The present study aimed to discover the potential immunomodulatory and cytotoxicity of different extracts of Carthamus oxycantha roots. Aqueous ethanol (70%), aqueous methanol (90%), ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts were tested against five cell lines (T47D, MDA-MB231, Caco-2, EMT6/P, and Vero). Among these extracts, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts showed significant activity in inhibiting the proliferation of cancerous cells because of the presence of several phytochemical compounds, including flavonoids, phenolics, and alkaloids. The n-hexane extract was the most potent extract against T47D and Caco-2 cell lines and had IC50 values of 0.067 mg/mL and 0.067 mg/mL, respectively. In comparison, ethyl acetate extract was active against T47D and MDAMB231, and IC50 values were 0.0179 mg/mL and 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. Both n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts reduced tumor size (by 49.981% and 51.028%, respectively). Remarkably, Carthamus oxyacantha extracts decreased the average weight of the tumor cells in the in vivo model. The plant induced significant apoptotic activity by the activation of caspase-3, immunomodulation of macrophages, and triggering of pinocytosis. The implications of these intriguing findings demand additional research to broaden the scope of the understanding of this field, opening the doors to the possibilities of using Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb as an effective cancer treatment adjuvant in the future.

Identification and Characterization of CtUGT3 as the Key Player of Astragalin Biosynthesis in Carthamus tinctorius L

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a multipurpose economic crop that is distributed worldwide. Flavonoid glycosides are the main bioactive components in safflower, but only a few UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT) have been identified. Three differentially expressed UGT genes related with the accumulation of 9 flavonoid O-glycosides were screened from metabolomics and transcriptome analysis. Safflower corolla protoplasts were used to confirm the glycosylation ability of UGT candidates in vivo for the first time. The astragalin content was significantly increased only when CtUGT3 was overexpressed. CtUGT3 also showed flavonoid 3-OH and 7-OH glycosylation activities in vitro. Molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that G15, T136, S276, and E384 were critical catalytic residues for the glycosylation ability of CtUGT3. These results demonstrate that CtUGT3 has a flavonoid 3-OH glycosylation function and is involved in the biosynthesis of astragalin in safflower. This study provides a reference for flavonoid biosynthesis genes research in nonmodel plants.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius Linn.) Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptotic in Breast Cancer Cell Lines T47D

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i> Linn.) is one of the medicinal plants that contain secondary metabolites that have the potential to as anti-cancer by inducing apoptosis. This study aims to determine the content of secondary metabolite compounds and the induction activity of apoptosis from ethanol extract of safflower in the T47D breast cancer cell line. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Safflower was extracted using 96% ethanol and assayed for phytochemical screening, cytotoxic tests by cell counting kit-8 to determine inhibitory concentration and apoptosis induction activity by flow cytometry to determine the ability of samples induce the programmed cell cancer in death. The data collected was analyzed with the PRISM GraphPad version. <b>Results:</b> The ethanol extract of safflower contains flavonoid compounds, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. The results of the anticancer activity test showed an IC₅₀ value of 479 μg mL¹ and the best percentage of apoptosis at a concentration of 200 μg mL¹ was 16.61% at the beginning of apoptosis and 10.52% at the end of apoptosis. <b>Conclusion:</b> The safflower can be developed as a breast anticancer agent that works through the induction of apoptosis to improve the effectiveness of breast cancer treatment.

The mechanism of action of safflower total flavonoids in the treatment of endometritis caused by incomplete abortion based on network pharmacology and 16S rDNA sequencing

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Safflower is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treating gynaecological diseases. However, its material basis and mechanism of action in the treatment of endometritis induced by incomplete abortion are still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to reveal the material basis and mechanism of action of safflower in the treatment of endometritis induced by incomplete abortion through comprehensive methods, including network pharmacology and 16S rDNA sequencing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used to screen the main active components and potential mechanisms of action of safflower in the treatment of endometritis induced by incomplete abortion in rats. A rat model of endometrial inflammation by incomplete abortion was established. The rats were treated with safflower total flavonoids (STF) based on forecasting results, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were analysed, and immunohistochemistry, Western blots, and 16S rDNA sequencing were performed to investigate the effects of the active ingredient and the treatment mechanism.

RESULTS

The network pharmacology prediction results showed 20 active components with 260 targets in safflower, 1007 targets related to endometritis caused by incomplete abortion, and 114 drug-disease intersecting targets, including TNF, IL6, TP53, AKT1, JUN, VEGFA, CASP3 and other core targets, PI3K/AKT, MAPK and other signalling pathways may be closely related to incomplete abortion leading to endometritis. The animal experiment results showed that STF could significantly repair uterine damage and reduce the amount of bleeding. Compared with the model group, STF significantly down-regulated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β, NO, TNF-α) and the expression of JNK, ASK1, Bax, caspase3, and caspase11 proteins. At the same time, the levels of anti-inflammatory factors (TGF-β and PGE2) and the protein expression of ERα, PI3K, AKT, and Bcl2 were up-regulated. Significant differences in the intestinal flora were seen between the normal group and the model group, and the intestinal flora of the rats was closer to the normal group after the administration of STF.

CONCLUSIONS

The characteristics of STF used in the treatment of endometritis induced by incomplete abortion were multi-targeted and involved multiple pathways. The mechanism may be related to the activation of the ERα/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway by regulating the composition and ratio of the gut microbiota.

Effect of Jiawei Tongqiao Huoxue decoction in basilar artery dolichoectasia mice through yes-associated protein/transcriptional Co-activator with PDZ-binding motif pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Jiawei Tongqiao Huoxue decoction (JTHD), composed of Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser, Paeonia lactiflora Pall., Conioselinum anthriscoides 'Chuanxiong', Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Carthamus tinctorius L., Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S.M.Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Leiurus quinquestriatus, and Moschus berezovskii Flerov, was developed based on Tongqiao Huoxue decoction in Wang Qingren's "Yilin Gaicuo" in the Qing Dynasty. It has the effect of improving not only the blood flow velocity of vertebral and basilar arteries but also the blood flow parameters and wall shear stress. Especially in recent years, the potential efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of basilar artery dolichoectasia (BAD) has attracted great attention as there are still no specific remedies for this disease. However, its molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. To identify the potential mechanisms of JTHD will help to intervene BAD and provide a reference for its clinical application.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aims to establish a mouse model of BAD and explore the mechanism of JTHD regulating yes-associated protein/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ) pathway for attenuating BAD mice development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty post-modeling C57/BL6 female mice were randomly divided into sham-operated, model, atorvastatin calcium tablet, low-dose JTHD, and high-dose JTHD groups. After 14 days of modeling, the pharmacological intervention was given for 2 months. Then, JTHD was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). ELISA was utilized to detect the changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and lipoprotein a (Lp-a) in serum. EVG staining was conducted to observe the pathological changes of blood vessels. TUNEL method was employed to detect the apoptosis rate of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Micro-CT and ImagePro Plus software were used to observe and calculate the tortuosity index, lengthening index, percentage increase in vessel diameter, and tortuosity of the basilar artery vessels in mice. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of YAP and TAZ proteins in the vascular tissues of mice.

RESULTS

Many effective compounds such as choline, tryptophan, and leucine with anti-inflammation and vascular remodeling were identified in the Chinese medicine formula by LC-MS analysis. The serum levels of VEGF in the model mice decreased significantly while the levels of Lp-a increased obviously compared with those in the sham-operated group. The intima-media of the basilar artery wall showed severe disruption of the internal elastic layer, atrophy of the muscular layer, and hyaline changes of the connective tissue. Apoptosis of VSMCs added. Dilatation, elongation, and tortuosity of the basilar artery became notable, and tortuosity index, lengthening index, percentage increase in vessel diameter, and bending angle remarkably improved. The expression levels of YAP and TAZ protein in blood vessels elevated conspicuously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). JTHD group markedly reduced the lengthening, bending angle, percentage increase in vessel diameter, and tortuosity index of basilar artery compared with the model group after 2 months of pharmacological intervention. The group also decreased the secretion of Lp-a and increased the content of VEGF. It inhibited the destruction of the internal elastic layer, muscular atrophy, and hyaline degeneration of connective tissue in basilar artery wall. The apoptosis of VSMCs was decreased, and the expression levels of YAP and TAZ proteins were abated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The mechanism of inhibition of basilar artery elongation, dilation, and tortuosity by JTHD, which has various anti-BAD effective compound components, may be related to the reduction in VSMCs apoptosis and downregulation of YAP/TAZ pathway expression.

The mechanism of peach kernel and safflower herb-pair for the treatment of liver fibrosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology: A review

Peach kernel and safflower herb-pair (PKSH) are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Therefore, network pharmacology was performed to explore potential therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanisms of PKSH. The active components of PKSH from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform database and potential targets of liver fibrosis from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base, GeneCards, and DrugBank Database were identified. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed using Cytoscape (v3.8.0). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed for the treatment of liver fibrosis, and molecular docking was carried out to verify the results of network pharmacology analysis. After screening disease-related genes, 179 intersection genes overlapped between 196 target proteins of the active compound and 9189 potential disease targets. Furthermore, we obtained 15 hub nodes and 146 edges to establish a related network diagram using CytoNCA. 2559 Gene Ontology biological processes underlying PKSH have been explored for the treatment of liver fibrosis, in which the response to oxidative stress plays a vital role. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that PKSH might play a role in inhibiting liver fibrosis, mainly through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. PKSH can regulate the response to oxidative stress through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway for the treatment of liver fibrosis. The main bioactive components in PKSH, including quercetin and luteolin, can activate the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway by binding with the hub targets of the disease, which may provide insights into drug development for liver fibrosis.

High interspecific competitiveness of the invasive plant Xanthium italicum Moretti severely reduces the yield and quality of Carthamus tinctorius L

Safflower is an annual herb of Compositae, which has great economic value. To explore the impact of invasive weed Xanthium italicum Moretti on the economic crop safflower, field experiments were conducted, the growth-related characters and the relative intensity of competition between the two species was explored. The results showed that under monoculture conditions, the stem height, crown width, stem diameter and the biomass of X. italicum root, stem and leaves were 1.14, 1.96, 1.82, 4.42, 4.21 and 3.99 times as high as those of safflower, respectively. When the two species coexisted, the growth related characters of X. italicum were further significantly improved, while the growth related characters of safflower were significantly decreased. When coexisted with X. italicum, the corolla biomass, hydroxysafflor yellow A content of corolla, seed yields, 100-seed weight, and seed oil content of safflower in the interplanted treatment 90.04%, 33.11%, 63.89%, 40.58%, and 25.61% lower than those in the monocultured treatment, respectively. Relative yield (RY) and Competitive balance index (CB) of X. italicum and safflower showed that the interspecific competitiveness of X. italicum was significantly higher than that of safflower. Under the competitive inhibition of X. italicum, not only the vegetative growth, but also the reproductive growth, yield, and quality of the economic organs of safflower were significantly negatively impacted. Together, our findings provide important scientific basis for evaluating the invasion risks and consequences of safflower's cropland ecosystem by X. italicum.

Modeling DNA Methylation Profiles and Epigenetic Analysis of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Seedlings Exposed to Copper Heavy Metal

Heavy metals are chemical elements with high density that can be toxic or poisonous even at low concentrations. They are widely distributed in the environment due to industrial activities, mining, pesticide use, automotive emissions and domestic wastes. This study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of copper (Cu) heavy metal on safflower plants in terms of genetic and epigenetic parameters. Safflower seeds were exposed to different concentrations of Cu heavy metal solution (20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280 mg L^-1) for three weeks, and changes in the genomic template stability (GTS) and methylation pattern in the root tissues were analyzed using PCR and coupled restriction enzyme digestion-random amplification (CRED-RA) techniques. The results indicated that high doses of Cu have genotoxic effects on the genome of safflower plants. Epigenetic analysis revealed four different methylation patterns, with the highest total methylation rate of 95.40% observed at a 20 mg L^-1 concentration, and the lowest rate of 92.30% observed at 160 mg L^-1. Additionally, the maximum percentage of non-methylation was detected at 80 mg L^-1. These results suggest that changes in the methylation patterns can serve as an important mechanism of protection against Cu toxicity. Furthermore, safflower can be used as a biomarker to determine the pollution in soils contaminated with Cu heavy metal.

Integrating Network Pharmacology and Transcriptomic Strategies to Explore the Pharmacological Mechanism of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A in Delaying Liver Aging

Aging affects the structure and function of the liver. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) effectively improves liver aging (LA) in mice, but the potential mechanisms require further exploration. In this study, an integrated approach combining network pharmacology and transcriptomics was used to elucidate the potential mechanisms of HSYA delay of LA. The targets of HSYA were predicted using the PharmMapper, SwissTargetPrediction, and CTD databases, and the targets of LA were collected from the GeneCards database. An ontology (GO) analysis and a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation of genes related to HSYA delay of LA were performed using the DAVID database, and Cytoscape software was used to construct an HSYA target pathway network. The BMKCloud platform was used to sequence mRNA from mouse liver tissue, screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were altered by HSYA, and enrich their biological functions and signaling pathways through the OmicShare database. The results of the network pharmacology and transcriptomic analyses were combined. Then, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot experiments were used to further verify the prediction results. Finally, the interactions between HSYA and key targets were assessed by molecular docking. The results showed that 199 potentially targeted genes according to network pharmacology and 480 DEGs according to transcriptomics were involved in the effects of HSYA against LA. An integrated analysis revealed that four key targets, including HSP90AA1, ATP2A1, NOS1 and CRAT, as well as their three related pathways (the calcium signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway), were closely related to the therapeutic effects of HSYA. A gene and protein expression analysis revealed that HSYA significantly inhibited the expressions of HSP90AA1, ATP2A1 and NOS1 in the liver tissue of aging mice. The molecular docking results showed that HSYA had high affinities with the HSP90AA1, ATP2A1 and NOS1 targets. Our data demonstrate that HSYA may delay LA in mice by inhibiting the expressions of HSP90AA1, ATP2A1 and NOS1 and regulating the calcium signaling pathway, the estrogen signaling pathway, and the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway.

Plant Therapeutics

Plants for therapeutics and the phytotherapy for disorders are the same thing in practice [...].

Clinical effectiveness of Qilong capsule in patients with ischemic stroke: A prospective, multicenter, non-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The Qilong capsule (QLC) is a Chinese patented medicine characterized by an equal emphasis on replenishing Qi and activating blood circulation. In 2000, China's FDA approved the use of QLC for ischemic stroke (IS). However, there is not yet much high-quality evidence of the clinical effectiveness of QLC combined with conventional treatment (CT) for IS with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.

PURPOSE

In this study, we conducted a prospective, multicenter, non-randomized controlled trial at 7 hospitals in China to investigate the clinical effectiveness of QLC combined with CT for IS with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.

METHODS

Participants aged 35 to 80 years old diagnosed as IS with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in TCM were recruited. Participants were treated with QLC (intervention group) or non-QLC (control group). The intervention course of QLC was 12 weeks. All participants in two groups received standard treatment. All participants returned for in-person follow-up visits at the 12th week and 24th week. Primary outcome measures included a modified Rankin Scale (mRS), the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the Barthel Index (BI). Secondary outcome measures included TCM syndromes (Qi deficiency syndrome score, blood stasis syndrome score), psychological index (self-rating depression scale, SDS; self-rating anxiety scale, SAS), blood lipid index, blood coagulation index, homocysteine, and favorable functional outcome (mRS 0 - 3). Multiple imputations were used for any missing data. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to deal with any confounding factors (age, gender, scale score, etc.). Rank alignment transformation variance analysis (ART ANOVA) and generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) were introduced to improve the scientific and accuracy of repeated measurement data. All statistical calculations were carried out with R 3.6.1 statistical analysis software.

RESULTS

A total of 2468 participants were screened from November 2016 to January 2019. Finally, 2302 eligible participants were included in the analysis. There were 1260 participants in the intervention group (QLC group) and 1042 participants in the control group (non-QLC group). After PSM matching, sub-samples of 300 participants in the QLC group and 300 participants in the non-QLC group were finally formed. The final results of clinical effectiveness are the same results shared by the total samples and sub-samples after PSM. In the 24th week after treatment, QLC combined with CT proved to be significantly better than CT alone in reducing the scores of mRS (p < 0.05), NIHSS (p < 0.001), Qi deficiency syndrome (p < 0.01), and blood stasis syndrome (p < 0.001), SAS (p < 0.05), as well as in improving BI score (p < 0.05). The favourable functional outcome (mRS score of 0 to 3 at week 12) was statistically different between QLC and non-QLC group in the sub-samples (p < 0.01, 97% vs 91.7%). The results of the ART ANOVA showed that the improvement of mRS (p < 0.01), BI (p < 0.05) and NIHSS (p < 0.001) in QLC group was better than non-QLC group when the interaction effect was considered. The results of GLMM showed that the reduction of mRS and NIHSS scores of patients in the QLC group were better than those of the non-QLC group (p < 0.001). The BI score of the QLC group in the sub-samples after PSM increased more than the non-QLC group (p < 0.001). There was no evidence showing that QLC can cause serious adverse reactions (ADRs) in treating patients with IS.

CONCLUSION

QLC combined with CT was better than CT alone in reducing mRS score, NIHSS score, Qi deficiency syndrome score, blood stasis syndrome score, and SAS score, as well as improving BI score after treatment. Further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the positive results. The study protocol was embedded in a registry study that registered in the Clinical Trials USA Registry (registration No. NCT03174535).

The endophyte Stenotrophomonas maltophilia EPS modulates endogenous antioxidant defense in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) under cadmium stress

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in agricultural soils induces oxidative stress in plants that in turn is the foremost limiting factor for agricultural productivity. In past few decades, plant-metal-microbe interaction is of great interest as an emerging environmentally friendly technology that can be exploited to alleviate metal stress in plants. Considering these, in the present study an endophytic bacterium strain EPS has been isolated from the roots of common bean. The present strain was identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The strain showed Cd tolerance and Cd-adsorption potentials. The inoculation of strain EPS in safflower seeds significantly enhanced the antioxidant defense of plants under Cd-stress conditions through increasing the levels of antioxidant molecules like phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids as well as improving the activities of the antioxidative enzymes including guaiacol peroxidase (POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The output of this study is that strain EPS inoculation mitigates Cd-induced oxidative stress and consequently it may be beneficial, especially in Cd-contaminated crop fields.

Hydroxy-safflower yellow A composites: An effective strategy to enhance anti-myocardial ischemia by improving intestinal permeability

Hydroxy-safflower yellow A (HSYA) is the chief component of safflower against myocardial ischemia (MI), and belongs to biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) III drugs. Its structure contains multiple hydroxyl groups, contributing to its high polarity and poor oral bioavailability. The main objective of this study was to probe the potential of oral penetration enhancer n-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl) amino] sodium octanoate (SNAC) and cationic copolymer Eudragit®EPO (EPO) to promote absorption of HSYA. HSYA composites (SNAC-HSYA-EPO) were formed by hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force. SNAC-HSYA-EPO has biocompatibility, and can improve the membrane fluidity, uptake, transport, and penetration of Caco-2 cells. The mechanism of promoting of SNAC-HSYA-EPO may be related to energy and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) when compared with the inhibitor NaN₃ and verapamil group. In the pharmacokinetic (PK) results, SNAC-HSYA-EPO significantly improved oral bioavailability. Pharmacodynamics (PD) results determined that SNAC-HSYA-EPO could improve the symptoms of MI. The mechanism of the SNAC-HSYA-EPO anti-MI is related to alleviating inflammation and anti-apoptosis to protect the heart. In summary, SNAC-HSYA-EPO prepared in this study possessed a complete appearance, high recombination rate and excellent oral permeability promoting ability. SNAC-HSYA-EPO has the potential to improve oral bioavailability and further enhance the anti-MI effect of HSYA.

ICP-MS determination of elemental abundance in traditional medicinal plants commonly used in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Medicinal plants are widely used in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to treat various ailments in the form of folk medicine. Forty four such medicinal plant samples were collected from local markets and evaluated for the presence of 14 elements (Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Al, Pb, Ba, Zn, Ag, Hg, Bi, Cd). Microwave-assisted digestion with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to determine the elemental composition in these medicinal plants. Widespread occurrence of these elements was observed in all plant samples, except for Bi and Co where the lowest mean values of 0.03 ± 0.04 and 0.03 ± 0.15 were observed, respectively. The descending order for mean (μg/g) elemental occurrence observed was as follows: Ba > Al > Zn > Ni > Mn > Ba > Hg > Mo > Cu > Cr > Ag > Cd > Co > Bi, whereas the range for these elements in the 44-medicinal plants was as follows: Pb > Al > Zn > Ni > Mn > Cu > Mo > Ag > Ba > Hg > Co > Cd > Cr > Bi. Pb, Hg and Cd were found beyond the maximum limits in these medicinal plants, while the remaining elements were found well within the range of maximum limits. A number of medicinal plants showed high amounts of these elements. Some plants contained more than one element, such as Foeniculum vulgare Mill (Pb, Hg, Cd), Ricinus communis (Pb, Cd), Vigna radiata (Pb, Cd) and Sesamum indicum (Pb, Hg). The data matrix was validated through the statistical tools of principal component analysis (X² = 160.44, P = .00), Pearson's correlation (P = .01 and 0.05), and K-mean cluster analysis (F = 104.55, P = .00). The findings of the study provide baseline data for the comparative analysis of these medicinal plants, which may help select safe medicinal plants in terms of consumer-based use and its utilisation for the treatment of various ailments.

Antidepressant-Like Effect of Traditional Medicinal Plant Carthamus Tinctorius in Mice Model through Neuro-Behavioral Tests and Transcriptomic Approach

Major depression disorder (MDD) has become a common life-threatening disorder. Despite the number of studies and the introduced antidepressants, MDD remains a major global health issue. Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) is traditionally used for food and medical purposes. This study investigated the chemical profile and the antidepressant-like effect of the Carthamus tincto-rius hot water extract in male mice and its mechanism using a transcriptomic analysis. The antidepressant effect of hot water extract (50 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg) was investigated in mice versus the untreated group (saline) and positive control group (fluoxetine 10 mg/kg). Hippocampus transcriptome changes were investigated to understand the Carthamus tinctorius mechanism of action. The GC-MS analysis of Carthamus tinctorius showed that hot water extract yielded the highest amount of oleamide as the most active ingredient. Neuro-behavioral tests demonstrated that the safflower treatment significantly reduced immobility time in TST and FST and improved performance in the YMSAT compared to the control group. RNA-seq analysis revealed a significant differential gene expression pattern in several genes such as Ube2j2, Ncor1, Tuba1c, Grik1, Msmo1, and Casp9 related to MDD regulation in 50 mg/kg safflower treatment as compared to untreated and fluoxetine-treated groups. Our findings demonstrated the antidepressant-like effect of safflower hot water extract and its bioactive ingredient oleamide on mice, validated by a significantly shortened immobility time in TST and FST and an increase in the percentage of spontaneous alternation.

Study of Component Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Ophthalmic Emulsion Based on the Safflower Flowers (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

The use of medicinal plants has increased significantly in recent years. More than 80% of the world’s population uses medicinal plants to treat themselves. Many antibacterial and anti-inflammatory synthetic drugs are available in medical practice. However, recent tendency of increasing capability of resistance of bacteria to usage of antibacterial drugs of different groups is taking place. Considering the wide range of pharmacological and antimicrobial activity of safflower flower extracts and available vitamins in their composition, it was decided to create a preparation based on the CO2 extract of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in the form of an ophthalmic emulsion. The aim of this research is to study the composition and antimicrobial activity of the extract and ophthalmic emulsion drops against test strains of microorganisms. The subject of this study is the ophthalmic emulsions from flowers of Kazakhstan species of “Akmai” safflower, collected in the flowering stage in southern Kazakhstan in August 2021. The component composition was determined using gas chromatography with the Agilent 7890A/5975C mass spectrometry technique. A study of the antimicrobial activity of the ophthalmic emulsion drop extracts was performed with two strains of Gram-positive bacteria, one strain of Gram-negative bacteria, and one culture of fungi. The following biologically active substances were determined from the GC-MS results: tridecane 94%, tricosane 93%, hexacosane 93%, dodecanoic acid 92%, pentacosane 91%, and linoleic acid 63.7%. The investigated emulsion-type eye drop shows bactericidal activity against S. aureus ATCC 6538-P, where the zone of growth suppression under the ophthalmic emulsion action corresponded to 9.0 ± 0.0 mm. The tested ophthalmic emulsion drops show the presumed biological activity against conditionally pathogenic bacteria. The results of chromatographic analysis and antimicrobial activity of the tested samples indicate the prospects for their further study for use as anti-infectious (anti-inflammatory) agents in medicine.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Alleviates Ischemic Stroke in Rats via HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3, and Notch1-Mediated Inhibition of Autophagy

Stroke has become a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The cellular recycling pathway autophagy has been implicated in ischemia-induced neuronal changes, but whether autophagy plays a beneficial or detrimental role is controversial. Hydroxysafflor Yellow A (HSYA), a popular herbal medicine, is an extract of Carthamus tinctorius and is used to treat ischemic stroke (IS) in China. HSYA has been shown to prevent cardiovascular and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in animal models. However, the specific active ingredients and molecular mechanisms of HSYA in IS remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of HSYA treatment on autophagy in a rat model of IS. IS was induced in rats by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Rats were treated once daily for 3 days with saline, HYSA, or the neuroprotective agent Edaravone. Neurobehavioral testing was performed on days 1, 2, and 3 post-surgery. Brains were removed on day 3 post-surgery for histological evaluation of infarct area, morphology, and for qRT-PCR and western blot analysis of the expression of the autophagy factor LC3 and the signaling molecules HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3, and Notch1. Molecular docking studies were performed in silico to predict potential interactions between HSYA and LC3, HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3, and Notch1 proteins. The result showed that HSYA treatment markedly alleviated IS-induced neurobehavioral deficits and reduced brain infarct area and tissue damage. HSYA also significantly reduced hippocampal expression levels of LC3, HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3, and Notch1. The beneficial effect of HSYA was generally superior to that of Edaravone. Molecular modeling suggested that HSYA may bind strongly to HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3, and Notch1 but weakly to LC3. In conclusion, HSYA inhibits post-IS autophagy induction in the brain, possibly by suppressing HIF-1[Formula: see text], BNIP3 and Notch1. HSYA may have utility as a post-IS neuroprotective agent.

The Use of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) in Treating Depression and Anxiety

Objective

In the era of evidence-based medicine, research in the area of herbal psychopharmacology has increased dramatically in recent decades. To date, however, there is no comprehensive review of safflower as an herbal antidepressant and anxiolytic with details on its psychopharmacology and applications in depression and anxiety.

Methods

This research is a review and qualitative research through an electronic survey among the Saudi population, thus assessing their knowledge about using safflower in treating depression and anxiety. The survey was distributed in Saudi Arabia in December 2021 and the results were finalized in January 2022.

Results

A total of 1074 Saudi participants were included in the study; 1002 (93.3%) participants reported knowing safflower very well while 72 (6.7%) had never heard of it. Some participants had used safflower infusions to treat anxiety and depression; 446 (44.4%) participants had never used it, but the remaining 558 (55.6%) had used it to varying degrees to treat anxiety and depression. Among the 752 participants who previously tried safflower, 279 (37.1%) reported that safflower was very effective, 389 (51.73%) reported some improvement, and 93 (12.36%) reported no improvement.

Conclusion

Emerging medical evidence is guiding herbal treatments. This research illustrates that more than 75% of the Saudi population are using Safflower to treat psychological stress. It elaborates that more than half of the population are already using safflower off the label to treat depression and anxiety and that they find it useful. A well-constructed clinical trial is thus critical to prove the evidence-based benefits of safflower in treating depression and anxiety. More studies on possible side effects are required to guarantee its safety. Nature has previously provided remarkable remedies, and more work will illustrate the value of safflower.

Daphnoretin from Carthamus tinctorius as a Potential Inflammatory Inhibitor in COVID-19 by Binding to Toll-like Receptor-4: An in silico Molecular Docking Study

BACKGROUND: Cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients has contributed to many morbidities and mortalities in patients. Studies have found that toll-like receptors (TLRs) and some Fc receptors play essential roles in the hyperactivation of the immune system. Up to date, researchers are still in progress to discover effective and safe drugs to alleviate the hyperinflammatory state in COVID-19. The previous studies had shown that Carthamus tinctorius and its bioactive compounds might have anti-inflammatory activities in animal models. AIM: We aimed to investigate the possible interactions of several flavonoids from C. tinctorius with several immune system components using a biocomputational approach. METHODS: Molecular docking was done using the AutoDock program based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) COVID-19 pathway. The most suitable receptors found were studied to study the interactions with several flavonoids from C. tinctorius. RESULTS: TLR4, TLR8, and FcγRIIa were found to bind with SARS CoV2 inflammatory pathway and further selected as macromolecules for potential interactions study with 22 flavonoids from C. tinctorius. Of the 22 flavonoids studied, daphnoretin showed the best binding affinity with TLR4 and Rutin was shown to attach best with FcγRIIa. Unlike its excellent binding to TLR4, daphnoretin showed weak binding to TLR8. CONCLUSION: Daphnoretin showed an excellent affinity with TLR4 and might be a good candidate as an inhibitor in hyperinflammatory reactions in COVID-19 DTLR8.

The Repression of the HMGB1-TLR4-NF-κB Signaling Pathway by Safflower Yellow May Improve Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in abnormal sensory and motor functions. Current interventions for SCI in the clinical setting are not effective partly due to the complexity concerning its pathophysiological mechanism. In the wake of SCI, considerable inflammatory cells assemble around the injured area that induces a series of inflammatory reactions and aggravates tissue lesions, thereby affecting the recovery of the damaged nerve tissue. Therefore, the inhibition of inflammatory responses can improve the repair of the injured spinal cord tissue. Safflower Yellow (SY) is the main active ingredient of Carthamus tinctorius. SY has anti-inflammatory effect, as it can inhibit IκBα phosphorylation to impede the NF-κB signaling pathway and p53 nuclear translocation. Besides, SY can limit the release of pro-inflammatory factors, which in turn may alleviate secondary SCI and prevent further complications. In this report, we analyze the pathophysiological mechanism of SCI, the role of inflammatory responses, and how SY interferes with the HMGB1-TLR-4-NF-κB signaling pathway to attenuate inflammatory responses in SCI.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil could improve abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) has been widely recommended to treat metabolic disorders in traditional herbal medicine in Persia, China, Korea, Japan, and other East-Asian countries. The anti-hypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of this plant have been well documented, but its protective effects against Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) have not been fully illustrated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of safflower oil on MetS risk factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients with MetS were administered either divided 8 g safflower oil or placebo daily for 12 weeks. All patients were advised to follow their previous diets and physical activities.

RESULTS

Safflower oil resulted in a significant reduction in waist circumference (-2.42 ± 3.24 vs. 0.97 ± 2.53, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (-8.80 ± 9.77 vs. -2.26 ± 8.56, p = 0.021), diastolic blood pressure (-3.53 ± 7.52 vs. -0.70 ± 6.21, p = 0.041), fasting blood sugar (-5.03 ± 10.62 vs. 2.94 ± 7.57, p = 0.003), and insulin resistance (-0.59 ± 1.43 vs. 0.50 ± 1, p = 0.012), but an increase in adiponectin level (0.38 ± 0.99 vs. -0.09 ± 0.81, p = 0.042) in the treatment group in comparison to the placebo group. The results revealed a direct relationship between leptin level and Body Mass Index (BMI) in both groups (p<0.001). In addition, increase in BMI resulted in a non-significant decrease in adiponectin level in both groups. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding lipid profiles, leptin serum level, serum creatinine concentration, and other outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Safflower oil without lifestyle modification improved abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with MetS.

Chemical characterization of flavonoids and alkaloids in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) by comprehensive two-dimensional hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with hybrid linear ion trap Orbitrap mass spectrometry

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a famous food additive and herbal medicine in China. In the present research, an online comprehensive two-dimensional hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and a hybrid linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HILIC × HILIC-DAD-ESI/HRMS/MS ⁿ ) platform was developed to analyze the flavonoids and alkaloids in safflower. By combining with an XBridge Amide column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) and an Ultimate amide column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), the system orthogonality reached 88% and a total of 231 peaks were detected. Altogether 93 compounds, including 75 flavonoids and their glycosides and 10 alkaloids were unambiguously or tentatively identified in both negative and positive ion modes, using accurate mass and MS fragment data. Among them, 5 compounds were discovered and reported from safflower for the first time. The established HILIC × HILIC platform should be a powerful tool for the separation and characterization of complicated matrices in natural herbs.

The Modulation of Nrf-2/HO-1 Signaling Axis by Carthamus tinctorius L. Alleviates Vascular Inflammation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Carthamus tinctorius L., known as safflower, has been used in traditional treatment for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and diabetic vascular complications. We proposed to investigate how the ethanol extract of Carthamus tinctorius L. (ECT) can be used ethnopharmacologically and alleviate vascular inflammatory processes under cytokine stimulation in human vascular endothelial cells. Using the optimized HPLC method, six markers were simultaneously analyzed for quality control of ECT. Pretreatment with ECT (10–100 μg/mL) significantly reduced the increase of leukocyte adhesion to HUVEC by TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial cell selectin (E-selectin) are decreased by ECT. In addition, ECT significantly suppressed TNF-α-induced oxidative stress referring to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. p65 NF-κB nuclear translocation and its activation were inhibited by ECT. Furthermore, pretreatment of ECT increased the HO-1 expression, and nuclear translocation of Nrf-2. These data suggest the potential role of ECT as a beneficial therapeutic herb in vascular inflammation via ROS/NF-kB pathway and the regulation of Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling axis is involved in its vascular protection. Thus, further study will be needed to clarify which compound is dominant for protection of vascular diseases.

Modulation of Hair Growth Promoting Effect by Natural Products

A large number of people suffer from alopecia or hair loss worldwide. Drug-based therapies using minoxidil and finasteride for the treatment of alopecia are available, but they have shown various side effects in patients. Thus, the use of new therapeutic approaches using bioactive products to reduce the risk of anti-hair-loss medications has been emphasized. Natural products have been used since ancient times and have been proven safe, with few side effects. Several studies have demonstrated the use of plants and their extracts to promote hair growth. Moreover, commercial products based on these natural ingredients have been developed for the treatment of alopecia. Several clinical, animal, and cell-based studies have been conducted to determine the anti-alopecia effects of plant-derived biochemicals. This review is a collective study of phytochemicals with anti-alopecia effects, focusing mainly on the mechanisms underlying their hair-growth-promoting effects.

A review on importance of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants in treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (special emphasis on isoquinoline alkaloids)

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal lung disease of unknown cause which disrupts the normal lung architecture and functions by deregulating immune responses and ultimately leads to the death of the individual. A number of factors can lead to its development and currently there is no cure for this disease.

Main text

There are synthetic drugs available to relieve the symptoms and decelerate its development by targeting pathways involved in the development of IPF, but there had also been various side effects detected by their usage. It is known since decades that medicinal plants and their compounds have been used all over the world in natural medicines to cure various diseases. This review article is focused on the effects of various natural bioactive compounds of 26 plant extracts that show prophylactic and therapeutic properties against the disease and so can be used in treating IPF replacing synthetic drugs and reducing the side effects.

Short conclusion

This review includes different mechanisms that cause pulmonary fibrosis along with compounds that can induce fibrosis, drugs used for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, diagnosis, the biochemical tests used for the experimental study to determine the pathogenesis of disease with a special note on Isoquinoline alkaloids and their role in reducing various factors leading to IPF thus providing promising therapeutic approach.

Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsule alleviates vascular cognitive impairment in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats by promoting white matter repair, reducing neuronal loss, and inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory factors

BACKGROUND

While the number of cases of vascular cognitive impairment caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) has been increasing every year, there are currently no clinically effective treatment methods. At present, Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsule is predominantly used in patients with acute cerebral ischemia; however, its protective effect on CCH has rarely been reported.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the underlying mechanisms by which Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsule alleviates cognitive impairment caused by CCH.

METHODS

A model of CCH was established in specific-pathogen-free (SPF)-grade male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsules were intragastrically administered for 42 days after the BCCAO surgery. We then assessed for changes in cognitive function, expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors, and coagulation function as well as for the presence of white matter lesions and neuronal loss. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's test were used to analyze the experimental data.

RESULTS

The rats showed significant cognitive dysfunction after the BCCAO surgery along with white matter lesions, a loss of neurons, and elevated levels of inflammatory factors, all of which were significantly reversed after intervention with Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsules.

CONCLUSION

Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsules can ameliorate vascular cognitive impairment in CCH rats by preventing damage of white matter, reducing neuronal loss, and inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory factors. Our study provides a new reference for the clinical treatment of chronic cerebral ischemia with Xi-Xian-Tong-Shuan capsules.

Extraction, Structures, Bioactivities and Structure-Function Analysis of the Polysaccharides From Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a herbal plant with a long history of clinical application worldwide, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea. It is also extensively used as an important oilseed plant for hundreds of years in some countries, like China, India, Mexico and the United States. Therefore, safflower is believed as a crop with dual values of medicine and economy as well. Safflower polysaccharides (SPS), from the plant, are believed as one of the most important biologically active components with multiple pharmacological properties, including anti-tumor, immune regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury effects. The polysaccharides, from bee pollen of safflower, named PBPC, also attract the attention of researchers because of their particular origin and bioactivities. Although the extraction, purification, structure and biological activities of SPS and PBPC have been studied for decades, there is not any available review both concerning SPS and PBPC. In this condition, this paper aims to systematically review the research progress in extraction, purification, structural characteristics, and bioactivities of SPS and PBPC, and provide basis for the in-depth study about their structure-bioactivity relationship. It will serve as a methodological outline for further research in fields of new drug discovery and clinical application of SPS or PBPC, and simultaneously remind us of unresolved problems noted in the polysaccharide research.

Myricetin exhibit selective anti-lymphoma activity by targeting BTK and is effective via oral administration in vivo

BACKGROUND

Myricetin (MYR) is a polyhydroxy flavone originally isolated from Myrica rubra, and is widely distributed in a variety of medicinal plants and delicious food. MYR has been proven to have inhibitory effects against various types of cancer. However, the exact role of MYR in lymphoma development is still unclear.

METHODS

In vitro, the MTT assay was performed to evaluate the activity of human diffuse large B lymphoma cell TMD-8 and other tumor cells. Homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) and molecular docking were used to detect the target of MYR inhibiting TMD-8 cells. In addition, flow cytometry, Annexin V-FITC/PI assays, Hoechst 33258, and mondansylcadaverine (MDC) fluorescent standing were used to detect the cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy, respectively. Moreover, Western blot analysis was conducted to analyze related signaling pathways. In TMD-8 cell xenotransplanted mice, immunohistochemistry, histopathology, and blood biochemical tests were used to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral administration of MYR.

RESULTS

Here, we found that MYR is more sensitive to TMD-8 cells than other tumor cells by targeting bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK). BTK is an attractive target for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. The HTRF assay showed that MYR inhibited BTK kinase with an IC₅₀ of 1.82 μM. Furthermore, the HTRF assay and Western blot analysis demonstrated that MYR could bind to key residues (Ala478, Leu408, Thr474) in the BTK active pocket, inhibit the autophosphorylation on tyrosine 223, and block BTK/ERK and BTK/AKT signal transduction cascades (including downstream substrates GSK-3β, IKK, STAT3, and NF-κb). The results of cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy showed that MYR could induce G1/G0 cycle arrest by regulating cyclinB1/D1 expression, induce apoptosis by increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and trigger autophagy by inhibiting mTOR activation. In vivo, oral administration of MYR significantly inhibited the growth of TMD-8 xenograft tumora without toxic side effects. Furthermore, Ki67 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analysis showed that MYR could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of tissue lymphoma cells.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, MYR is an oral available natural BTK inhibitor that effectively inhibits the growth of lymphoma TMD-8 cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, our findings support that the use of MYR is a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of lymphoma.

Biomedical Applications of Chinese Herb-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles by Phytonanotechnology

Recent advances in nanotechnology have opened up new avenues for the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Chinese herbal medicine is a natural gift to humanity, and it has long been used as an antibacterial and anticancer agent. This study will highlight recent developments in the phytonanotechnological synthesis of Chinese herbal medicines to utilize their bioactive components in biomedical and therapeutic applications. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as a promising alternative to chemical and physical approaches for various biomedical applications. The comprehensive rationale of combinational or synergistic effects of Chinese herb-based AgNPs synthesis was investigated with superior physicochemical and biological properties, and their biomedical applications, including antimicrobial and anticancer activity and wound healing properties. AgNPs can damage the cell ultrastructure by triggering apoptosis, which includes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA disintegration, protein inactivation, and the regulation of various signaling pathways. However, the anticancer mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine-based AgNPs is more complicated due to the potential toxicity of AgNPs. Further in-depth studies are required to address Chinese herbs' various bioactive components and AgNPs as a synergistic approach to combat antimicrobial resistance, therapeutic efficiency of drug delivery, and control and prevention of newly emerged diseases.

Optimized separation of anhydrosafflor yellow B from safflower by high-speed counter-current chromatography and evaluation of its cardio-protective effect

Anhydrosafflor yellow B (AHSYB) is a major active water-soluble pigment in Safflower, but it has not received enough attention yet. In this study, high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was used to prepare AHSYB from safflower. The parameters of the separation process were optimized by response surface methodology for the first time. The entropy weight method (EWM) was applied to calculate the information entropy and the weight of five indexes, and then figure out a comprehensive index of the HSCCC separation effect. Under the optimized separation conditions, a HSCCC apparatus speed of 850 rpm, a flow rate of 2 mL min^-1 for the mobile phase and a separation temperature of 40 °C for AHSYB were achieved with a purity of 98%. Furthermore, AHSYB was found to have cardio-protective effects by inhibiting apoptosis via the mitochondrial-mediated pathway in oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced H9c2 cells. This research provides good method guides for the rapid and efficient separation of active compounds from food-grade Chinese herb medicines.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A, a natural compound from Carthamus tinctorius L with good effect of alleviating atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular inflammatory disease with complex pathogenesis. Its serious consequence is insufficient blood supply to heart and brain, which eventually leads to myocardial ischemia, infarction and stroke. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a single chalcone glycoside compound with a variety of pharmacological effects, which has shown a potential biological activity for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

PURPOSE

The main purpose of this review is to comprehensively elucidate the mechanism of HSYA on atherosclerosis and its risk factors (hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus).

METHOD

The literatures on HSYA in the treatment of atherosclerosis and its risk factors were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, including in vitro (cell), in vivo (animal) and clinical (human) studies, and summarized reasonably.

RESULTS

HSYA is a promising natural product for treating atherosclerosis. It can suppress foam cell formation, vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and platelet activation. The mechanisms are achieved by regulating the reverse cholesterol transport process, fatty acid synthesis, oxidative stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NLRP3 inflammasome, TNFR1/NF-κB, NO-cGMP, Bax/Bcl-2, MAPKs, CDK/CyclinD and TLR4/Rac1/Akt signaling pathways. Besides, HSYA is devoted to lowering blood lipids, regulating ion channels, reducing vascular inflammation, and protecting pancreatic beta cells, which is conducive to reducing the harm of independent risk factors of atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSIONS

HSYA exhibits the preventive and therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis and its risk factors in vivo and in vitro, which is relevant to multiple mechanisms. The clinical trials of HSYA need to be further investigated to provide a solid foundation for its clinical application.

High-throughput phenotyping to dissect genotypic differences in safflower for drought tolerance

Drought is one of the most severe and unpredictable abiotic stresses, occurring at any growth stage and affecting crop yields worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to develop drought tolerant varieties to ensure sustainable crop production in an ever-changing climate. High-throughput digital phenotyping technologies in tandem with robust screening methods enable precise and faster selection of genotypes for breeding. To investigate the use of digital imaging to reliably phenotype for drought tolerance, a genetically diverse safflower population was screened under different drought stresses at Agriculture Victoria’s high-throughput, automated phenotyping platform, Plant Phenomics Victoria, Horsham. In the first experiment, four treatments, control (90% field capacity; FC), 40% FC at initial branching, 40% FC at flowering and 50% FC at initial branching and flowering, were applied to assess the performance of four safflower genotypes. Based on these results, drought stress using 50% FC at initial branching and flowering stages was chosen to further screen 200 diverse safflower genotypes. Measured plant traits and dry biomass showed high correlations with derived digital traits including estimated shoot biomass, convex hull area, caliper length and minimum area rectangle, indicating the viability of using digital traits as proxy measures for plant growth. Estimated shoot biomass showed close association having moderately high correlation with drought indices yield index, stress tolerance index, geometric mean productivity, and mean productivity. Diverse genotypes were classified into four clusters of drought tolerance based on their performance (seed yield and digitally estimated shoot biomass) under stress. Overall, results show that rapid and precise image-based, high-throughput phenotyping in controlled environments can be used to effectively differentiate response to drought stress in a large numbers of safflower genotypes.

Herb-drug interactions and toxicity: Underscoring potential mechanisms and forecasting clinically relevant interactions induced by common phytoconstituents via data mining and computational approaches

Herbals in the form of medicine are employed extensively around the world. Herbal and conventional medicine combination is a potentially dangerous practice mainly in comorbid, hepato insufficient and frail patients leading to perilous herb-drug interactions (HDI) and toxicity. This study features potential HDI of 15 globally famous plant species through data mining and computational methods. Several plant species were found to mimic warfarin. Phytochemicals from M. charantia induced hypoglycemica. M. chamomila and G. biloba possessed anticoagulant activities. S. hispanica reduces postprandial glycemia. R. officinalis has been reported to inhibit the efflux of anticancer substrates while A. sativum can boost the clearance of anticancer agents. P. ginseng can alter blood coagulation. A cross link of the biological and in silico data revealed that a plethora of herbal metabolites such as ursolic and rosmarinic acid among others are possible/probable inhibitors of specific CYP450 enzymes. Consequently, plant species/metabolites with a given pharmacological property/metabolizing enzyme should not be mixed with drugs having the same pharmacological property/metabolizing enzyme. Even if combined with drugs, herbal medicines must be used at low doses for a short period of time and under the supervision of a healthcare professional to avoid potential adverse and toxic effects.

Role of Herbal Teas in Regulating Cellular Homeostasis and Autophagy and Their Implications in Regulating Overall Health

Tea is one of the most popular and widely consumed beverages worldwide, and possesses numerous potential health benefits. Herbal teas are well-known to contain an abundance of polyphenol antioxidants and other ingredients, thereby implicating protection and treatment against various ailments, and maintaining overall health in humans, although their mechanisms of action have not yet been fully identified. Autophagy is a conserved mechanism present in organisms that maintains basal cellular homeostasis and is essential in mediating the pathogenesis of several diseases, including cancer, type II diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease. The increasing prevalence of these diseases, which could be attributed to the imbalance in the level of autophagy, presents a considerable challenge in the healthcare industry. Natural medicine stands as an effective, safe, and economical alternative in balancing autophagy and maintaining homeostasis. Tea is a part of the diet for many people, and it could mediate autophagy as well. Here, we aim to provide an updated overview of popular herbal teas’ health-promoting and disease healing properties and in-depth information on their relation to autophagy and its related signaling molecules. The present review sheds more light on the significance of herbal teas in regulating autophagy, thereby improving overall health.

Safflower Extract Inhibits ADP-Induced Human Platelet Aggregation

Safflower extract is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. The antioxidant and anticancer properties of safflower extracts have been extensively studied, but their antiaggregative effects have been less analyzed. We found that safflower extract inhibited human platelet aggregation induced by ADP. In addition, we further analyzed several safflower extract compounds, such as hydroxysafflor yellow A, safflower yellow A, and luteolin, which have the same antiaggregative effect. In addition to analyzing the active components of the safflower extract, we also analyzed their roles in the ADP signaling pathways. Safflower extract can affect the activation of downstream conductors of ADP receptors (such as the production of calcium ions and cAMP), thereby affecting the expression of activated glycoproteins on the platelet membrane and inhibiting platelet aggregation. According to the results of this study, the effect of safflower extract on promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis may be related to its direct inhibition of platelet activation.

Bioactive Substances in Safflower Flowers and Their Applicability in Medicine and Health-Promoting Foods

Safflower flowers (Carthamus tinctorius) contain many natural substances with a wide range of economic uses. The most famous dye isolated from flower petals is hydroxysafflor A (HSYA), which has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This review is aimed at updating the state of knowledge about their applicability in oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, gynecology, dermatology, gastrology, immunology, and suitability in the treatment of obesity and diabetes and its consequences with information published mainly in 2018-2020. They were also effective in treating obesity and diabetes and its consequences. The issues related to the possibilities of using HSYA in the production of health-promoting food were also analyzed.

Pharmacokinetic characteristics of hydroxysafflor yellow A in normal and diabetic cardiomyopathy mice

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a major active water-soluble component in Carthamus tinctorius L., is considered a potential antioxidant with protective effects against myocardial injury. However, its pharmacokinetic characteristics in normal and diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) mice remain unknown. This study was designed to investigate the differences in the pharmacokinetics of HSYA between normal and streptozotocin-induced DCM mice. HSYA in the mouse plasma was quantified using LC-MS/MS. Compared with the normal group, the DCM group showed a significantly higher area under the curve (AUC_(0-t) , AUC_(0-∞) ) value and peak plasma concentration, suggesting a higher uptake of HSYA in the DCM mice, and a significantly lower plasma clearance and apparent volume of distribution, suggesting slower elimination of HSYA in the DCM mice. The levels of serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly higher, and malondialdehyde content was significantly lower in DCM mice than in normal mice, indicating the antioxidative stress effect of HSYA. Furthermore, the correlation analysis revealed that the serum HSYA content in the DCM mice significantly positively correlated with antioxidant enzyme levels. These results showed that the pharmacokinetics of HSYA changed significantly in the DCM mice, and this may improve the antioxidative stress effect of the drug.

Role of the Hippo signaling pathway in safflower yellow pigment treatment of paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which safflower yellow (SY) mediates therapeutic effects in rats with paraquat intoxication-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

METHODS

Rats received combinations of paraquat, SY, and SB431542, a transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 receptor antagonist. Survival over 28 days was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Rat tissue and serum samples were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's Trichrome staining, immunoblotting, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Survival rates were higher in SY and SB431542 groups (treatment and paraquat) than in the exposure group (paraquat alone). In the exposure group, serum TGF-β1 levels increased between days 3 and 14; mammalian STE20-like (MST) levels increased between days 3 and 7; TGF-β1 and Smad3 levels increased between days 3 and 14; and Yap and connective tissue growth factor levels increased between days 3 and 28. TGF-β1 levels were lower in SY and SB431542 groups than in the exposure group. Pathology scores were higher in exposure, SY, and SB431542 groups than in the control group throughout the experiment.

CONCLUSIONS

In rats with paraquat intoxication-induced pulmonary fibrosis, Hippo signaling could be activated by the MST-Yap pathway; SY and SB431542 could alleviate pulmonary fibrosis via Hippo signaling.