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Ciorîță A, Erhan SE, Soran ML, Lung I, Mot AC, Macavei SG, Pârvu M. Pharmacological Potential of Three Berberine-Containing Plant Extracts Obtained from Berberis vulgaris L., Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1339. [PMID: 38927546 PMCID: PMC11201499 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Three berberine-containing plant extracts were investigated for their pharmacological properties. The stems and leaves of Berberis vulgaris, Mahonia aquifolium, and Phellodendron amurense were characterized through scanning electron microscopy. The plant extracts obtained from fresh stem barks were further analyzed through high-performance liquid chromatography, revealing berberine concentrations, among berbamine and palmatine. The plant extracts were further tested for their anticancer potential against 2D and 3D human skin melanoma (A375) and lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines. The concentrations at which 50% of the cells are affected was determined by the viability assay and it was shown that B. vulgaris, the plant extract with the highest berberine concentration, is the most efficient inhibitor (0.4% extract concentration for the 2D model and 3.8% for the 3D model). The membrane integrity and nitrate/nitrite concentration assays were consistent with the viability results and showed effective anticancer potential. For further investigations, the B. vulgaris extract was used to obtain silver nanoparticles, which were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The formed nanoparticles have a uniform size distribution and are suited for future investigations in the field of biomedical applications, together with the B. vulgaris plant extract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Ciorîță
- Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Republicii, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
| | - Sabina-Emanuela Erhan
- Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Republicii, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
| | - Maria Loredana Soran
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
| | - Ildiko Lung
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
| | - Augustin Catalin Mot
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, 11 Arany János St., 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sergiu Gabriel Macavei
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.L.S.); (I.L.); (A.C.M.); (S.G.M.)
| | - Marcel Pârvu
- Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Republicii, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Marques C, Grenho L, Fernandes MH, Costa Lima SA. Improving the Antimicrobial Potency of Berberine for Endodontic Canal Irrigation Using Polymeric Nanoparticles. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:786. [PMID: 38931907 PMCID: PMC11207060 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
To address the challenges posed by biofilm presence and achieve a substantial reduction in bacterial load within root canals during endodontic treatment, various irrigants, including nanoparticle suspensions, have been recommended. Berberine (BBR), a natural alkaloid derived from various plants, has demonstrated potential applications in dentistry treatments due to its prominent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to produce and characterize a novel polymeric nanoparticle of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) loaded with berberine and evaluate its antimicrobial activity against relevant endodontic pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. Additionally, its cytocompatibility using gingival fibroblasts was assessed. The polymeric nanoparticle was prepared by the nanoprecipitation method. Physicochemical characterization revealed spheric nanoparticles around 140 nm with ca, -6 mV of surface charge, which was unaffected by the presence of BBR. The alkaloid was successfully incorporated at an encapsulation efficiency of 77% and the designed nanoparticles were stable upon 20 weeks of storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. Free BBR reduced planktonic growth at ≥125 μg/mL. Upon incorporation into PLGA nanoparticles, 20 μg/mL of [BBR]-loaded nanoparticles lead to a significant reduction, after 1 h of contact, of both planktonic bacteria and yeast. Sessile cells within biofilms were also considered. At 30 and 40 μg/mL, [BBR]-loaded PLGA nanoparticles reduced the viability of the sessile endodontic bacteria, upon 24 h of exposure. The cytotoxicity of BBR-loaded nanoparticles to oral fibroblasts was negligible. The novel berberine-loaded polymeric nanoparticles hold potential as a promising supplementary approach in the treatment of endodontic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Marques
- IUCS-CESPU, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), Advanced Polytechnic and University Cooperative (CESPU), CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal;
- LAQV, REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Liliana Grenho
- BoneLab—Laboratory for Bone Metabolism and Regeneration, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal; (L.G.); (M.H.F.)
| | - Maria Helena Fernandes
- BoneLab—Laboratory for Bone Metabolism and Regeneration, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal; (L.G.); (M.H.F.)
| | - Sofia A. Costa Lima
- LAQV, REQUIMTE, ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Wu S, Jia W, Lu Y, Jiang H, Huang C, Tang S, Du L. Mechanism and bioinformatics analysis of the effect of berberine-enhanced fluconazole against drug-resistant Candida albicans. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:196. [PMID: 38849761 PMCID: PMC11157861 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03334-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Biofilms produced by Candida albicans present a challenge in treatment with antifungal drug. Enhancing the sensitivity to fluconazole (FLC) is a reasonable method for treating FLC-resistant species. Moreover, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that berberine (BBR) can have antimicrobial effects. The aim of this study was to clarify the underlying mechanism of these effects. We conducted a comparative study of the inhibition of FLC-resistant strain growth by FLC treatment alone, BBR treatment alone, and the synergistic effect of combined FLC and BBR treatment. Twenty-four isolated strains showed distinct biofilm formation capabilities. The antifungal effect of combined FLC and BBR treatment in terms of the growth and biofilm formation of Candida albicans species was determined via checkerboard, time-kill, and fluorescence microscopy assays. The synergistic effect of BBR and FLC downregulated the expression of the efflux pump genes CDR1 and MDR, the hyphal gene HWP1, and the adhesion gene ALS3; however, the gene expression of the transcriptional repressor TUP1 was upregulated following treatment with this drug combination. Furthermore, the addition of BBR led to a marked reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity. To identify resistance-related genes and virulence factors through genome-wide sequencing analysis, we investigated the inhibition of related resistance gene expression by the combination of BBR and FLC, as well as the associated signaling pathways and metabolic pathways. The KEGG metabolic map showed that the metabolic genes in this strain are mainly involved in amino acid and carbon metabolism. The metabolic pathway map showed that several ergosterol (ERG) genes were involved in the synthesis of cell membrane sterols, which may be related to drug resistance. In this study, BBR + FLC combination treatment upregulated the expression of the ERG1, ERG3, ERG4, ERG5, ERG24, and ERG25 genes and downregulated the expression of the ERG6 and ERG9 genes compared with fluconazole treatment alone (p < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitong Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Clinical and Pathogenic Microbiology, The General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China
| | - Yu Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China
| | - Hongkun Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China
| | - Chunlan Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China
| | - Shifu Tang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China
| | - Le Du
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Viral Diseases, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liu Zhou, 545006, China.
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Argüelles JC, Sánchez-Fresneda R, Argüelles A, Solano F. Natural Substances as Valuable Alternative for Improving Conventional Antifungal Chemotherapy: Lights and Shadows. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:334. [PMID: 38786689 PMCID: PMC11122340 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with relatively few pathogenic members dangerous for humans, usually acting as opportunistic infections. In the last decades, several life-threatening fungal infections have risen mostly associated with the worldwide extension of chronic diseases and immunosuppression. The available antifungal therapies cannot combat this challenge because the arsenal of compounds is scarce and displays low selective action, significant adverse effects, and increasing resistance. A growing isolation of outbreaks triggered by fungal species formerly considered innocuous is being recorded. From ancient times, natural substances harvested from plants have been applied to folk medicine and some of them recently emerged as promising antifungals. The most used are briefly revised herein. Combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs with natural products to obtain more efficient and gentle treatments are also revised. Nevertheless, considerable research work is still necessary before their clinical use can be generally accepted. Many natural products have a highly complex chemical composition, with the active principles still partially unknown. Here, we survey the field underlying lights and shadows of both groups. More studies involving clinical strains are necessary, but we illustrate this matter by discussing the potential clinical applications of combined carnosic acid plus propolis formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Ruth Sánchez-Fresneda
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Alejandra Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Francisco Solano
- Departamento Bioquímica, Biología Molecular B & Inmunología, Facultad Medicina, University Murcia, Campus El Palmar, 30112 Murcia, Spain
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Dalabehera M, Rathore C, Rathee A, Lal UR. From plants to particles: herbal solutions and nanotechnology combating resistant vulvovaginal candidiasis. Ther Deliv 2024; 15:371-392. [PMID: 38651887 PMCID: PMC11221605 DOI: 10.4155/tde-2023-0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite having current advanced therapy, vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) remains a common yet debated healthcare-associated topic worldwide due to multi-drug resistance Candida species. In our review, we outlined and highlighted upcoming values with scope of existing and emerging information regarding the possibility of using various natural molecules combined with modern technology that shows promising anti-candida activity in VVC. Furthermore, in this review, we compiled herbal drug molecules and their nanocarriers approach for enhancing the efficacy and stability of herbal molecules. We have also summarized the patent literature available on herbal drug molecules and their nanoformulation techniques that could alternatively become a new innovative era to combat resistance VVC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Dalabehera
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Ajitgarh, Punjab, India
| | - Charul Rathore
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Ajitgarh, Punjab, India
| | - Ankit Rathee
- University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Ajitgarh, Punjab, India
| | - Uma Ranjan Lal
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Punjab 160062 Mohali, India
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Picheta N, Piekarz J, Burdan O, Satora M, Tarkowski R, Kułak K. Phytotherapy of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3796. [PMID: 38612606 PMCID: PMC11012191 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a real gynecological problem among women of reproductive age from 15 to 49. A recent analysis showed that 75% of women will have an occurrence at least once per year, while 5% are observed to have recurrent vaginal mycosis-these patients may become unwell four or more times a year. This pathology is caused in 85-90% of cases by fungi of the Candida albicans species. It represents an intractable medical problem for female patients due to pain and pruritus. Due to the observation of an increasing number of strains resistant to standard preparations and an increase in the recurrence of this pathology when using local or oral preferential therapy, such as fluconazole, an analysis was launched to develop alternative methods of treating VVC using herbs such as dill, turmeric, and berberine. An in-depth analysis of databases that include scientific articles from recent years made it possible to draw satisfactory conclusions supporting the validity of herbal therapy for the pathology in question. Although phytotherapy has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, it appears to be a promising therapeutic solution for strains that are resistant to existing treatments. There is research currently undergoing aimed at comparing classical pharmacotherapy and herbal therapy in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis for the purpose of increasing medical competence and knowledge for the care of the health and long-term comfort of gynecological patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Picheta
- Student’s Scientific Association at the I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland; (N.P.); (J.P.); (O.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Julia Piekarz
- Student’s Scientific Association at the I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland; (N.P.); (J.P.); (O.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Oliwia Burdan
- Student’s Scientific Association at the I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland; (N.P.); (J.P.); (O.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Małgorzata Satora
- Student’s Scientific Association at the I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland; (N.P.); (J.P.); (O.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Rafał Tarkowski
- I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Krzysztof Kułak
- I Chair and Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 Str., 20-081 Lublin, Poland;
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Simões Gobbi LP, Costa EHE, Fernandez CMM, Lorenzetti FB, Fonseca DP, Gomes AV, Baldoqui DC, Fernandes CDS, Ueda-Nakamura T, Nakamura CV, Lima MMDS, Filho BPD. Berberine-fluconazole microparticle-based combination therapy to treat candidiasis infections. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad291. [PMID: 38040656 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
AIM This study aims to incorporate alginate microparticles containing berberine and fluconazole into two different types of pharmaceutical formulations, to subsequently evaluate the antifungal activity against Candida albicans. METHODS AND RESULTS Alginate microparticles containing BBR (berberine) and FLU (fluconazole) were produced by the spray-drying technique, characterized and incorporated in two pharmaceutical formulations, a vaginal cream and artificial saliva. Broth microdilution, checkerboard, time-kill curve, and scanning electron microscopy were carried out to determine the antifungal effects of BBR and FLU against C. albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of free BBR were 125 μg ml-1. Synergism between BBR and FLU was demonstrated by a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) = 0.0762. The time-kill curve for the combination BBR + FLU showed a more pronounced decrease in fungal growth in comparison to free drugs, and an antibiofilm effect of BBR occurred in the formation and preformed biofilm. CONCLUSION Alginate microparticles containing BBR and FLU were obtained and incorporated in a vaginal cream and artificial saliva. Both formulations showed good stability, antifungal effects, and organoleptic characteristics, which suggest that BBR-FLU microparticles in formulations have potential as antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Pini Simões Gobbi
- Department of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Eliana Harue Endo Costa
- Department of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Carla Maria Mariano Fernandez
- Department of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Bruschi Lorenzetti
- Department of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Dyenefer Pereira Fonseca
- Department of Pharmacy, Post Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Anderson Valdiney Gomes
- Post graduate Program in Chemistry - PQU, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brasil
| | | | | | - Tânia Ueda-Nakamura
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brasil
| | | | | | - Benedito Prado Dias Filho
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Av. Colombo, 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, PR, Brazil
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Gupta P, Gupta H, Tripathi S, Poluri KM. Biochemical and metabolomic insights into antifungal mechanism of berberine against Candida glabrata. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6085-6102. [PMID: 37555948 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12714-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
An unprecedented expansion of antifungal therapy failure incidences in healthcare settings of Candida glabrata is the matter of global concern that needs to be addressed efficiently and effectively. In this pursuit, the present study has investigated the antifungal mechanism of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid berberine using biochemical, metabolic, and gene expression analysis, with the aim to delineate its therapeutic activity against C. glabrata and differentially fluconazole-responsive clinical isolates. Interestingly, the clinical isolates were found to be highly susceptible to berberine. Berberine was found to control the surface properties like hydrophobicity and charge of the cells. The cell membrane composition was altered by berberine, where the ergosterol and fatty acids were affected. The efflux pump activity was inhibited, and osmotic stress was generated in C. glabrata cells upon berberine exposure. The berberine has also generated oxidative stress and activated antioxidant system in C. glabrata cells. Furthermore, these observations were supported by the transcriptional expression study of C. glabrata cell genes (CDR1, RLM1, SLT2, SUR4, KRE1) and metabolomics analysis. Based on fold change analysis, the study identified 20 differential metabolites upon berberine treatment, which belong to central carbon, amino acids, and nucleotide pathways. The checkerboard analysis revealed the potentiation of some classically used antifungal drugs by berberine, thus suggesting it as a combinatorial nutraceutical adjuvant for the eradication of fungal infections. KEY POINTS: • Berberine exhibited better potency against azole-resistant clinical isolates • Berberine modulated metabolites of different pathways • Berberine generated oxidative stress and blocked efflux pump activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payal Gupta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee), Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era (Deemed To Be University), Dehradun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Hrishikesh Gupta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee), Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Shweta Tripathi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee), Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Krishna Mohan Poluri
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee), Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India.
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India.
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Qin Y, Wang J, Lv Q, Han B. Recent Progress in Research on Mitochondrion-Targeted Antifungal Drugs: a Review. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0000323. [PMID: 37195189 PMCID: PMC10269089 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00003-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections, which commonly occur in immunocompromised patients, can cause high morbidity and mortality. Antifungal agents act by disrupting the cell membrane, inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis and function, or inhibiting β-1,3-glucan synthase. Because the incidences of life-threatening fungal infections and antifungal drug resistance are continuously increasing, there is an urgent need for the development of new antifungal agents with novel mechanisms of action. Recent studies have focused on mitochondrial components as potential therapeutic drug targets, owing to their important roles in fungal viability and pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss novel antifungal drugs targeting mitochondrial components and highlight the unique fungal proteins involved in the electron transport chain, which is useful for investigating selective antifungal targets. Finally, we comprehensively summarize the efficacy and safety of lead compounds in clinical and preclinical development. Although fungus-specific proteins in the mitochondrion are involved in various processes, the majority of the antifungal agents target dysfunction of mitochondria, including mitochondrial respiration disturbance, increased intracellular ATP, reactive oxygen species generation, and others. Moreover, only a few drugs are under clinical trials, necessitating further exploration of possible targets and development of effective antifungal agents. The unique chemical structures and targets of these compounds will provide valuable hints for further exploiting new antifungals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Qin
- Department of Pharmacy, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Quanzhen Lv
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Han
- Department of Pharmacy, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Rodrigues DS, Cabral VPDF, Barbosa AD, Sá LGDAV, Moreira LEA, de Andrade Neto JB, da Silva CR, de Moraes MO, Silva J, Marinho ES, Dos Santos HS, da Costa ÉRM, Silveira MJCB, E Silva LH, Nobre Júnior HV. Sertraline has in vitro activity against both mature and forming biofilms of different Candida species. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 36762524 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida spp. infections are a serious health problem, especially in patients with risk factors. The acquisition of resistance, often associated with biofilm production, makes treatment more difficult due to the reduced effectiveness of available antifungals. Drug repurposing is a good alternative for the treatment of infections by Candida spp. biofilms. The present study evaluated the in vitro antibiofilm activity of sertraline in reducing the cell viability of forming and matured biofilms, in addition to elucidating whether effective concentrations are safe. Sertraline reduced biofilm cell viability by more than 80 % for all Candida species tested, acting at low and safe concentrations, both on mature biofilm and in preventing its formation, even the one with highest virulence. Its preventive mechanism seemed to be related to binding with ALS3. These data indicate that sertraline is a promising drug with anticandidal biofilm potential in safe doses. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the antibiofilm mechanism and possible application of pharmaceutical forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sampaio Rodrigues
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Vitória Pessoa de Farias Cabral
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Amanda Dias Barbosa
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Lívia Gurgel do Amaral Valente Sá
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Christus University Center (UNICHRISTUS), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Lara Elloyse Almeida Moreira
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - João Batista de Andrade Neto
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Christus University Center (UNICHRISTUS), Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Cecília Rocha da Silva
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Manoel Odorico de Moraes
- Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Jacilene Silva
- Department of Chemistry, Group of Theoretical Chemistry and Electrochemistry (GQTE), State University of Ceará, Limoeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel Silva Marinho
- Department of Chemistry, Group of Theoretical Chemistry and Electrochemistry (GQTE), State University of Ceará, Limoeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Helcio Silva Dos Santos
- Science and Technology Centre, Course of Chemistry, State University Vale do Acaraú, Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Érica Rayanne Mota da Costa
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Larissa Holanda E Silva
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Hélio Vitoriano Nobre Júnior
- School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection in Antimicrobial Molecules (LABIMAN), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.,Center of Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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11
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Pang C, Chen J, Liu S, Cao Y, Miao H. In vitro antifungal activity of Shikonin against Candida albicans by inducing cellular apoptosis and necrosis. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:1079-1087. [PMID: 36385666 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08093-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous studies showed that Shikonin (SK) had a strong anti-Candida albican (C. albicans) activity, especially against some fluconazole-resistant strains, which is probably due to the oxidative damage of SK to C. albicans. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we expanded the antifungal spectrum and evaluate the toxicity of SK. The results indicated that SK also exhibited potent invitro antifungal activities against other pathogenic fungi such as other Candida, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Dermatophytes, but did not display apparent toxicity to the mammalian cells, suggesting that SK is safe to be a potential antifungal drug. Furtherly, we analyze the exact mechanism of SK against C. albicans. We found that SK could induce a series of apoptosis characteristics, including phosphatidylserine externalization, chromatin condensation and fragmentation, decreased cytochrome c oxidase activity as well as caspase activation. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study highlighted the antifungal activity and mechanism of SK against C. albicans, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Pang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Jianshuang Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Shuangyan Liu
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Yingying Cao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hao Miao
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China.
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12
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Guo M, Yang K, Zhou Z, Chen Y, Zhou Z, Chen P, Huang R, Wang X. Inhibitory effects of Stevioside on Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans dual-species biofilm. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1128668. [PMID: 37089575 PMCID: PMC10113668 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1128668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Streptococcus mutans is the most prevalent biofilm-forming pathogen in dental caries, while Candida albicans is often detected in the presence of S. mutans. Methods We aimed to evaluate the anti-caries effect of stevioside in medium trypticase soy broth (TSB) with or without sucrose supplementation compared with the same sweetness sucrose and xylitol in a dual-species model of S. mutans and C. albicans, based on planktonic growth, crystal violet assay, acid production, biofilm structural imaging, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and RNA sequencing. Results Our results showed that compared with sucrose, stevioside significantly inhibited planktonic growth and acid production, changed the structure of the mixed biofilm, and reduced the viability of biofilm and the production of extracellular polysaccharides in dual-species biofilm. Through RNA-seq, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway impact analysis showed that stevioside decreased sucrose metabolism and increased galactose and intracellular polysaccharide metabolism in S. mutans, and decreased genes related to GPI-modified proteins and secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAP) family in C. albicans. In contrast to xylitol, stevioside also inhibited the transformation of fungal morphology of C. albicans, which did not form mycelia and thus had reduced pathogenicity. Stevioside revealed a superior suppression of dual-species biofilm formation compared to sucrose and a similar anti-caries effect with xylitol. However, sucrose supplementation diminished the suppression of stevioside on S. mutans and C. albicans. Conclusions Our study is the first to confirm that stevioside has anticariogenic effects on S. mutans and C. albicans in a dual-species biofilm. As a substitute for sucrose, it may help reduce the risk of developing dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Guo
- Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Kuan Yang
- Department of Orthodontics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhifei Zhou
- Department of Stomatology, General Hospital of Tibet Military Region, Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Lhasa, Tibet, China
| | - Yujiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ziye Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ruizhe Huang
- Department of Oral Prevention, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Ruizhe Huang,
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Xiaojing Wang,
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13
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Zhong H, Han L, Lu RY, Wang Y. Antifungal and Immunomodulatory Ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 12:antibiotics12010048. [PMID: 36671249 PMCID: PMC9855100 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections have become a growing public health challenge due to the clinical transmission of pathogenic fungi. The currently available antifungal drugs leave very limited choices for clinical physicians to deal with such situation, not to mention the long-standing problems of emerging drug resistance, side effects and heavy economic burdens imposed to patients. Therefore, new antifungal drugs are urgently needed. Screening drugs from natural products and using synthetic biology strategies are very promising for antifungal drug development. Chinese medicine is a vast library of natural products of biologically active molecules. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, preparations used to treat fungal diseases usually have antifungal and immunomodulatory functions. This suggests that if antifungal drugs are used in combination with immunomodulatory drugs, better results may be achieved. Studies have shown that the active components of TCM have strong antifungal or immunomodulatory effects and have broad application prospects. In this paper, the latest research progress of antifungal and immunomodulatory components of TCM is reviewed and discussed, hoping to provide inspiration for the design of novel antifungal compounds and to open up new horizons for antifungal treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhong
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Lei Han
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Ren-Yi Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Correspondence:
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14
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Conjugates of Chloramphenicol Amine and Berberine as Antimicrobial Agents. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 12:antibiotics12010015. [PMID: 36671216 PMCID: PMC9854996 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to obtain antimicrobial compounds with improved properties, new conjugates comprising two different biologically active agents within a single chimeric molecule based on chloramphenicol (CHL) and a hydrophobic cation were synthesized and studied. Chloramphenicol amine (CAM), derived from the ribosome-targeting antibiotic CHL, and the plant isoquinoline alkaloid berberine (BER) are connected by alkyl linkers of different lengths in structures of these conjugates. Using competition binding, double reporter system, and toeprinting assays, we showed that synthesized CAM-Cn-BER compounds bound to the bacterial ribosome and inhibited protein synthesis like the parent CHL. The mechanism of action of CAM-C5-BER and CAM-C8-BER on the process of bacterial translations was similar to CHL. Experiments with bacteria demonstrated that CAM-Cn-BERs suppressed the growth of laboratory strains of CHL and macrolides-resistant bacteria. CAM-C8-BER acted against mycobacteria and more selectively inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria than the parent CHL and the berberine derivative lacking the CAM moiety (CH3-C8-BER). Using a potential-sensitive fluorescent probe, we found that CAM-C8-BER significantly reduced the membrane potential in B. subtilis cells. Crystal violet assays were used to demonstrate the absence of induction of biofilm formation under the action of CAM-C8-BER on E. coli bacteria. Thus, we showed that CAM-C8-BER could act both on the ribosome and on the cell membrane of bacteria, with the alkylated berberine fragment of the compound making a significant contribution to the inhibitory effect on bacterial growth. Moreover, we showed that CAM-Cn-BERs did not inhibit eukaryotic translation in vitro and were non-toxic for eukaryotic cells.
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15
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Lee D, Lee M, Kwak H, Kim YS, Shim J, Jung JH, Park WS, Park JH, Lee S, Park Y. High-fidelity optical diffraction tomography of live organisms using iodixanol refractive index matching. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:6404-6415. [PMID: 36589574 PMCID: PMC9774853 DOI: 10.1364/boe.465066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) enables the three-dimensional (3D) refractive index (RI) reconstruction. However, when the RI difference between a sample and a medium increases, the effects of light scattering become significant, preventing the acquisition of high-quality and accurate RI reconstructions. Herein, we present a method for high-fidelity ODT by introducing non-toxic RI matching media. Optimally reducing the RI contrast enhances the fidelity and accuracy of 3D RI reconstruction, enabling visualization of the morphology and intra-organization of live biological samples without producing toxic effects. We validate our method using various biological organisms, including C. albicans and C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dohyeon Lee
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Moosung Lee
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Haechan Kwak
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Seo Kim
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehyu Shim
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jik Han Jung
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Wei-sun Park
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Ho Park
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sumin Lee
- Tomocube Inc., Daejeon 34109, Republic of Korea
| | - YongKeun Park
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Tomocube Inc., Daejeon 34109, Republic of Korea
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16
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Shailaja A, Bruce TF, Gerard P, Powell RR, Pettigrew CA, Kerrigan JL. Comparison of cell viability assessment and visualization of Aspergillus niger biofilm with two fluorescent probe staining methods. Biofilm 2022; 4:100090. [PMID: 36389263 PMCID: PMC9646680 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2022.100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are ubiquitous and frequent components of biofilms. A means to visualize them and quantify their viability is essential for understanding their development and disruption. However, quantifying filamentous fungal biofilms poses challenges because, unlike yeasts and bacteria, they are not composed of discrete cells of similar size. This research focused on filamentous fungal biofilms that are representative of those in the built environment. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid method to examine biofilm structure and quantify live (metabolically active/ membrane undamaged) and dead (inactive/ membrane damaged) cells in Aspergillus niger biofilms utilizing a fluorescent probe staining method and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). For this, we compared two commercially available probe staining kits that have been developed for bacterial and yeast systems. One method utilized the classic cell stain FUN 1 that exhibits orange-red fluorescent intravacuolar structures in metabolically active cells, while dead cells are fluoresced green. The second method utilized a combination of SYTO9 and propidium iodide (PI), and stains cells based on their membrane morphology. SYTO9 is a green fluorescent stain with the capacity to penetrate the living cell walls, and PI is a red fluorescent stain that can only penetrate dead or dying cells with damaged cell membranes. Following staining, the biofilms were imaged using CLSM and biofilm volumes and thickness were quantified using COMSTAT, a computer program that measures biofilm accumulation from digital image stacks. The results were compared to independent measurements of live-dead cell density, as well as a classic cell viability assay-XTT. The data showed that the combination of SYTO9 and PI is optimal for staining filamentous fungal biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy Shailaja
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Terri F. Bruce
- Clemson Light Imaging Facility, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Patrick Gerard
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Rhonda R. Powell
- Clemson Light Imaging Facility, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | | | - Julia L. Kerrigan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
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17
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Zhang Y, Wang Y, Zhao X, Liu L, Xing R, Song X, Zou Y, Li L, Wan H, Jia R, Yin L, Liang X, He C, Wei Q, Yin Z. Study on the anti-biofilm mechanism of 1,8-cineole against Fusarium solani species complex. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1010593. [PMID: 36330094 PMCID: PMC9624185 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1010593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal-infections are mostly due to fungi in an adhering, biofilm-mode of growth and not due to planktonically growing, suspended-fungi. 1, 8-cineole is a natural product, which has been shown to possess antifungal effect. However, the anti-biofilm effect and mechanism of 1,8-cineole against Fusarium solani species complex has not reported previously. In this study, we found that 1,8-cineole has a good antifungal activity against F. solani with an MIC value of 46.1 μg/ml. Notably, 1,8-cineole showed good anti-biofilm formation activity against F. solani via inhibiting cell adhesion, hypha formation and decreasing the secretion of extracellular matrix at the concentration of ≥5.76 μg/ml. In addition, transcriptome sequencing analysis results showed that F. solani species complex genes related to ECM, protein synthesis and energy metabolism were down-expressed in the biofilms formation process treated with 1,8-cineole. In conclusion, these results show that 1,8-cineole has good anti-biofilm formation activity against F. solani species complex, and it exerts its anti-biofilm formation activity by downregulating of ergosterol biosynthetic genes, inhibiting adhesion, hindering the synthesis of ECM and interfering mitochondrial activity. This study suggests that 1,8-cineole is a promising anti-biofilm agent against F. solani species complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiming Wang
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinghong Zhao
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Rui Xing
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Song
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuanfeng Zou
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lixia Li
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongping Wan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lizi Yin
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liang
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changliang He
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qin Wei
- Yibin university Sichuan Oil Cinnamon Engineering Technology Research Center, Yibin University, Yibin, China
- *Correspondence: Qin Wei, ; Zhongqiong Yin,
| | - Zhongqiong Yin
- Natural Medicine Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Qin Wei, ; Zhongqiong Yin,
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18
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Zhou Y, Yang CJ, Luo XF, Li AP, Zhang SY, An JX, Zhang ZJ, Ma Y, Zhang BQ, Liu YQ. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel berberine derivatives against phytopathogenic fungi. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:4361-4376. [PMID: 35758905 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The abuse of chemical fungicides not only leads to toxic residues and resistance in plant pathogenic fungi, but also causes environmental pollution and side effects on in humans and animals. Based on the antifungal activities of berberine, seven different types of berberine derivatives (A1-G1) were synthesized, and their antifungal activities against six plant pathogenic fungi were evaluated (Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium graminearum, Phytophthora capsici, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Magnaporthe oryzae). RESULTS The results for antifungal activities in vitro showed that berberine derivative E1 displayed good antifungal activity against R. solani with a median effective concentration (EC50 ) of 1.77 μg ml-1 , and berberine derivatives F1 and G1 demonstrated broad-spectrum antifungal activities with EC50 values ranging from 4.43 to 42.23 μg ml-1 against six plant pathogenic fungi. Berberine derivatives (E2-E29, F2-F18, and G2-G9) were further synthesized to investigate the structure-activity relationship (SAR), and compound E20 displayed significant antifungal activity against R. solani with an EC50 value of 0.065 μg ml-1 . Preliminary mechanism studies showed that E20 could cause mycelial shrinkage, cell membrane damage, mitochondrial abnormalities and the accumulation of harmful reactive oxygen species, resulting in cell death in R. solani. Moreover, in vivo experimental results showed that the protective effect of E20 was 97.31% at 5 μg ml-1 , which was better than that of the positive control thifluzamide (50.13% at 5 μg ml-1 ). CONCLUSION Berberine derivative E20 merits further development as a new drug candidate with selective and excellent antifungal activity against R. solani. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Jie Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiong-Fei Luo
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - An-Ping Li
- Gansu Institute for Drug Control, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shao-Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Life Science, Huzhou University, Huzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Xia An
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Bao-Qi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying-Qian Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Life Science, Huzhou University, Huzhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
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Chi Y, Wang Y, Ji M, Li Y, Zhu H, Yan Y, Fu D, Zou L, Ren B. Natural products from traditional medicine as promising agents targeting at different stages of oral biofilm development. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:955459. [PMID: 36033896 PMCID: PMC9411938 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.955459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral cavity is an ideal habitat for more than 1,000 species of microorganisms. The diverse oral microbes form biofilms over the hard and soft tissues in the oral cavity, affecting the oral ecological balance and the development of oral diseases, such as caries, apical periodontitis, and periodontitis. Currently, antibiotics are the primary agents against infectious diseases; however, the emergence of drug resistance and the disruption of oral microecology have challenged their applications. The discovery of new antibiotic-independent agents is a promising strategy against biofilm-induced infections. Natural products from traditional medicine have shown potential antibiofilm activities in the oral cavity with high safety, cost-effectiveness, and minimal adverse drug reactions. Aiming to highlight the importance and functions of natural products from traditional medicine against oral biofilms, here we summarized and discussed the antibiofilm effects of natural products targeting at different stages of the biofilm formation process, including adhesion, proliferation, maturation, and dispersion, and their effects on multi-species biofilms. The perspective of antibiofilm agents for oral infectious diseases to restore the balance of oral microecology is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengzhen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hualing Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujia Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Di Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zou,
| | - Biao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Biao Ren,
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Wu S, Yang K, Hong Y, Gong Y, Ni J, Yang N, Ding W. A New Perspective on the Antimicrobial Mechanism of Berberine Hydrochloride Against Staphylococcus aureus Revealed by Untargeted Metabolomic Studies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:917414. [PMID: 35910599 PMCID: PMC9328669 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.917414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Berberine hydrochloride (BBR) is a natural product widely used in clinical medicine and animal production. It has a variety of antimicrobial effects, but its complex antimicrobial mechanism has not been clarified. This study aimed to discover the metabolic markers and gain a new perspective on the antibacterial mechanism of BBR. The effects of different inhibitory concentrations of BBR on the survival and growth of standard strain Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 were analyzed by the bacteriostatic activity test. Differences in intracellular metabolites of S. aureus following 19 μg/ml BBR exposure for 1 h were investigated by combining non-targeted metabolomics techniques of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of BBR against S. aureus was 51 μg/ml. A total of 368 and 3,454 putative metabolites were identified by GC-MS and LC-MS analyses, respectively. Principal component analysis showed the separation of intracellular metabolite profiles between BBR-exposed samples and non-exposed controls. Pathway activity profiling analysis indicated a global inhibition of metabolisms by BBR exposure, while enhancement was also found in nucleic acid metabolism, amino sugar, and nucleotide sugar metabolism. Several metabolic markers were screened out mainly based on their variable importance of projection values. Two pyridine dicarboxylic acids were significantly downregulated, suggesting the reduction of stress resistance. The oxidized phospholipid (PHOOA-PE) was accumulated, while lipid antioxidant gamma-tocopherol was decreased, and farnesyl PP, the synthetic precursor of another antioxidant (staphyloxanthin), was decreased below the detection threshold. This evidence indicates that BBR reduced the antioxidant capacity of S. aureus. Accumulation of the precursors (UDP-GlcNAc, CDP-ribitol, and CDP-glycerol) and downregulation of the key metabolite D-Ala-D-Ala suggest the inhibition of cell wall synthesis, especially the peptidoglycan synthesis. Metabolites involved in the shikimate pathway (such as 3-dehydroshikimate) and downstream aromatic amino acid synthesis were disturbed. This study provides the first metabolomics information on the antibacterial mechanism of BBR against S. aureus. The key metabolic markers screened in this study suggest that the shikimate pathway, staphyloxanthin synthesis, and peptidoglycan biosynthesis are new directions for further study of BBR antibacterial mechanism in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Kun Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhang Hong
- Key Laboratory of Application of Ecology and Environmental Protection in Plateau Wetland of Sichuan, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Yanju Gong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiajia Ni
- Research and Development Center, Guangdong Meilikang Bio-Sciences Ltd., Dongguan, China
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Medical Bioactive Molecular Development and Translational Research, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Ni Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Weijun Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Weijun Ding
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21
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Zhao T, Zhang K, Shi G, Ma K, Wang B, Shao J, Wang T, Wang C. Berberine Inhibits the Adhesion of Candida albicans to Vaginal Epithelial Cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:814883. [PMID: 35295335 PMCID: PMC8918845 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.814883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an inflammatory disease of the vagina mainly caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans), which affects around three-quarters of all women during their reproductive age. Although some antifungal drugs such as azoles have been applied clinically for many years, their therapeutic value is very limited due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Previous studies have shown that the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells is essential for the pathogenesis of VVC. Therefore, preventing the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells may be one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of VVC. Berberine (BBR) is a biologically active herbal alkaloid that was used to treat VVC. However, so far, its mechanism has remained unclear. This study shows BBR significantly inhibits the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells by reducing the expressions of ICAM-1, mucin1, and mucin4 in vaginal epithelial cells, which play the most important role in modulating the adhesion of C. albicans to host cells, and balancing IL-2 and IL-4 expressions, which play a key effect on regulating the inflammatory response caused by C. albicans infection. Hence, our findings demonstrate that BBR may be a potential therapeutic agent for VVC by interfering with the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells and represents a new pathway for developing antifungal therapies agents from natural herbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Kang Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Gaoxiang Shi
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Kelong Ma
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Benfan Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Shao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Tianming Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Tianming Wang, ; Changzhong Wang,
| | - Changzhong Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Tianming Wang, ; Changzhong Wang,
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22
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Malkani N, Sohail MI, Ijaz F, Naeem A, Mumtaz S, Saeed Z. Berberis aristata reduces vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity by down-regulation of cell proliferation markers. J Herb Med 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2022.100540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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23
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Akbar M, Shabbir A, Rehman K, Akash MSH, Shah MA. Neuroprotective potential of berberine in modulating Alzheimer's disease via multiple signaling pathways. J Food Biochem 2021; 45:e13936. [PMID: 34523148 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Berberine is one of the most important quinoline alkaloids, which has shown numerous pharmacological activities. There are pieces of evidence that berberine serves as a promising substance for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, numerous studies on animal models have shown the neuroprotective role of berberine. AD is a complex disease having multiple pathological factors. Berberine restrains the deposition of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Substantial studies have demonstrated that berberine may also exhibit the protective effect against the risk factors associated with AD. This review illustrates the role of berberine in neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and its activity against acetylcholinesterase enzyme. It also focuses on the bioavailability and safety of berberine in AD. However, more investigations are required to explore the bioavailability and safety assessment of berberine and its new perspectives in limiting the AD-related pathogenesis and risk factors. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Current therapeutic measures only provide symptomatic relief against AD by slowing memory loss, resolving thinking problems and behavioral issues. In recent past years, many biological actions and potential therapeutic applications have been observed by berberine particularly in neurological diseases. Berberine has been investigated by various researchers for its activity against AD. This review demonstrates a variety of mechanisms by which berberine imparts its neuroprotective roles and provides the possible mechanism of action of berberine by which it prevents the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and disaggregation of amyloid beta plaques in AD. It also focuses that berberine limits the neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in AD. Pre-clinical aspects of berberine against AD are also discussed. Eventually, a prospect is formulated that berberine might be a therapeutically significant agent for treating and preventing AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moazzama Akbar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Anam Shabbir
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Kanwal Rehman
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Ajmal Shah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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24
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Rodríguez-Cerdeira C, Martínez-Herrera E, Carnero-Gregorio M, López-Barcenas A, Fabbrocini G, Fida M, El-Samahy M, González-Cespón JL. Pathogenesis and Clinical Relevance of Candida Biofilms in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:544480. [PMID: 33262741 PMCID: PMC7686049 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.544480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of Candida spp. to form biofilms is crucial for its pathogenicity, and thus, it should be considered an important virulence factor in vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC). Its ability to generate biofilms is multifactorial and is generally believed to depend on the site of infection, species and strain involved, and the microenvironment in which the infection develops. Therefore, both cell surface proteins, such as Hwp1, Als1, and Als2, and the cell wall-related protein, Sun41, play a critical role in the adhesion and virulence of the biofilm. Immunological and pharmacological approaches have identified the NLRP3 inflammasome as a crucial molecular factor contributing to host immunopathology. In this context, we have earlier shown that Candida albicans associated with hyphae-secreted aspartyl proteinases (specifically SAP4-6) contribute to the immunopathology of the disease. Transcriptome profiling has revealed that non-coding transcripts regulate protein synthesis post-transcriptionally, which is important for the growth of Candida spp. Other studies have employed RNA sequencing to identify differences in the 1,245 Candida genes involved in surface and invasive cellular metabolism regulation. In vitro systems allow the simultaneous processing of a large number of samples, making them an ideal screening technique for estimating various physicochemical parameters, testing the activity of antimicrobial agents, and analyzing genes involved in biofilm formation and regulation (in situ) in specific strains. Murine VVC models are used to study C. albicans infection, especially in trials of novel treatments and to understand the cause(s) for resistance to conventional therapeutics. This review on the clinical relevance of Candida biofilms in VVC focuses on important advances in its genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. Moreover, recent experiments on the influence of biofilm formation on VVC or RVVC pathogenesis in laboratory animals have been discussed. A clear elucidation of one of the pathogenesis mechanisms employed by Candida biofilms in vulvovaginal candidiasis and its applications in clinical practice represents the most significant contribution of this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Rodríguez-Cerdeira
- Efficiency, Quality, and Costs in Health Services Research Group (EFISALUD), Health Research Institute, SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain.,Department of Dermatology, Hospital do Meixoeiro and University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain.,European Women's Dermatologic and Venereologic Society, Tui, Spain.,Psychodermatology Task Force of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Erick Martínez-Herrera
- Psychodermatology Task Force of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, Ixtapaluca, Mexico
| | - Miguel Carnero-Gregorio
- Efficiency, Quality, and Costs in Health Services Research Group (EFISALUD), Health Research Institute, SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain.,Department of Molecular Diagnosis (Array & NGS Division), Institute of Cellular and Molecular Studies, Lugo, Spain
| | - Adriana López-Barcenas
- European Women's Dermatologic and Venereologic Society, Tui, Spain.,Psychodermatology Task Force of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Section of Mycology, Department of Dermatology, Manuel Gea González hospital, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gabriella Fabbrocini
- European Women's Dermatologic and Venereologic Society, Tui, Spain.,Department of Dermatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Monika Fida
- European Women's Dermatologic and Venereologic Society, Tui, Spain.,Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine, Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - May El-Samahy
- European Women's Dermatologic and Venereologic Society, Tui, Spain.,Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - José Luís González-Cespón
- Efficiency, Quality, and Costs in Health Services Research Group (EFISALUD), Health Research Institute, SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
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25
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Alagu Lakshmi S, Shafreen RMB, Priya A, Shunmugiah KP. Ethnomedicines of Indian origin for combating COVID-19 infection by hampering the viral replication: using structure-based drug discovery approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 39:4594-4609. [PMID: 32573351 PMCID: PMC7332876 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1778537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we have explored the interaction of the active components from 10 different medicinal plants of Indian origin that are commonly used for treating cold and respiratory-related disorders, through molecular docking analysis. In the current scenario, COVID-19 patients experience severe respiratory syndromes, hence it is envisaged from our study that these traditional medicines are very likely to provide a favourable effect on COVID-19 infections. The active ingredients identified from these natural products are previously reported for antiviral activities against large group of viruses. Totally 47 bioactives identified from the medicinal plants were investigated against the structural targets of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro and spike protein) and human ACE2 receptor. The top leads were identified based on interaction energies, number of hydrogen bond and other parameters that explain their potency to inhibit SARS-CoV-2. The bioactive ligands such as Cucurbitacin E, Orientin, Bis-andrographolide, Cucurbitacin B, Isocucurbitacin B, Vitexin, Berberine, Bryonolic acid, Piperine and Magnoflorine targeted the hotspot residues of SARS-CoV-2 main protease. In fact, this protease enzyme has an essential role in mediating the viral replication and therefore compounds targeting this key enzyme are expected to block the viral replication and transcription. The top scoring conformations identified through docking analysis were further demonstrated with molecular dynamics simulation. Besides, the stability of the conformation was studied in detail by investigating the binding free energy using MM-PBSA method. Overall, the study emphasized that the proposed hit Cucurbitacin E and orientin could serve as a promising scaffold for developing anti-COVID-19 drug. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Arumugam Priya
- Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
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26
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Inhibition of berberine hydrochloride on Candida albicans biofilm formation. Biotechnol Lett 2020; 42:2263-2269. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-02938-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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27
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Yanuck SF, Pizzorno J, Messier H, Fitzgerald KN. Evidence Supporting a Phased Immuno-physiological Approach to COVID-19 From Prevention Through Recovery. Integr Med (Encinitas) 2020; 19:8-35. [PMID: 32425712 PMCID: PMC7190003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents an evidence-based strategy for improving clinical outcomes in COVID-19. Recommendations are based on the phases of the disease, because optimal interventions for one phase may not be appropriate for a different phase. The four phases addressed are: Prevention, Infection, Inflammation and Recovery. Underlying this phased approach is recognition of emerging evidence for two different components of pathophysiology, early infection and late stage severe complications. These two aspects of the disease suggest two different patterns of clinical emphasis that seem on the surface to be not entirely concordant. We describe the application of therapeutic strategies and appropriate tactics that address four main stages of disease progression for COVID-19. Emerging evidence in COVID-19 suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may both evade the innate immune response and kill macrophages. Delayed innate immune response and a depleted population of macrophages can theoretically result in a blunted antigen presentation, delaying and diminishing activation of the adaptive immune response. Thus, one clinical strategy involves supporting patient innate and adaptive immune responses early in the time course of illness, with the goal of improving the timeliness, readiness, and robustness of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. At the other end of the disease pathology spectrum, risk of fatality in COVID-19 is driven by excessive and persistent upregulation of inflammatory mechanisms associated with cytokine storm. Thus, the second clinical strategy is to prevent or mitigate excessive inflammatory response to prevent the cytokine storm associated with high mortality risk. Clinical support for immune system pathogen clearance mechanisms involves obligate activation of immune response components that are inherently inflammatory. This puts the goals of the first clinical strategy (immune activation) potentially at odds with the goals of the second strategy(mitigation of proinflammatory effects). This creates a need for discernment about the time course of the illness and with that, understanding of which components of an overall strategy to apply at each phase of the time course of the illness. We review evidence from early observational studies and the existing literature on both outcomes and mechanisms of disease, to inform a phased approach to support the patient at risk for infection, with infection, with escalating inflammation during infection, and at risk of negative sequelae as they move into recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- SF Yanuck
- Program on Integrative Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Yanuck Center for Life & Health; Cogence Immunology; Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - J Pizzorno
- Editor-in-Chief, Integrative Medicine, A Clinicians Journal; Coauthor, Textbook of Natural Medicine; Chair, Board of Directors, Institute for Functional Medicine; Founding President, Bastyr University; Seattle, WA, USA
| | - H Messier
- Medical Director, Altum Medical; Chief Medical Officer, Medical Intelligence Learning Labs; San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - KN Fitzgerald
- Clinic Director, Sandy Hook Functional Medicine; Sandy Hook, CT, USA
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