n-Butanol extract from Folium isatidis inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages and protects mice against lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock

Multi-omics analysis on the mechanism of the effect of Isatis leaf on the growth performance of fattening sheep

Introduction

This study evaluated the effects of Isatis Leaf (ISL) on the growth performance, gastrointestinal tissue morphology, rumen and intestinal microbiota, rumen, serum and urine metabolites, and rumen epithelial tissue transcriptome of fattening sheep.

Methods

Twelve 3.5-month-old healthy fattening sheep were randomly divided into two groups, each with 6 replicates, and fed with basal diet (CON) and basal diet supplemented with 80 g/kg ISL for 2.5 months. Gastrointestinal tract was collected for histological analysis, rumen fluid and feces were subjected to metagenomic analysis, rumen fluid, serum, and urine for metabolomics analysis, and rumen epithelial tissue for transcriptomics analysis.

Results

The results showed that in the ISL group, the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of fattening sheep were significantly lower than those of the CON group (P < 0.05), and the rumen ammonia nitrogen level was significantly higher than that of the CON group (P < 0.01). The thickness of the reticulum and abomasum muscle layer was significantly increased (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the addition of ISL modified the composition of rumen and fecal microorganisms, and the relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter and Centipeda was significantly upregulated in rumen microorganisms, The relative abundance of Butyrivibrio, Saccharofermentans, Mogibacterium, and Pirellula was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05). In fecal microorganisms, the relative abundance of Papillibacter, Pseudoflavonifractor, Butyricicoccus, Anaerovorax, and Methanocorpusculum was significantly upregulated, while the relative abundance of Roseburia, Coprococcus, Clostridium XVIII, Butyrivibrio, Parasutterella, Macellibacteroides, and Porphyromonas was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05). There were 164, 107, and 77 different metabolites in the rumen, serum, and urine between the ISL and CON groups (P < 0.05). The differential metabolic pathways mainly included thiamine metabolism, niacin and nicotinamide metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, taurine and taurine metabolism, beta-Alanine metabolism and riboflavin metabolism. These metabolic pathways were mainly involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and immune function in fattening sheep. Transcriptome sequencing showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in cellular physiological processes, development, and immune regulation.

Conclusion

In summary, the addition of ISL to the diet had the effect of increasing rumen ammonia nitrogen levels, regulating gastrointestinal microbiota, promoting body fat metabolism, and enhancing immunity in fattening sheep.

A Novel Isaindigotone Derivative Displays Better Anti-Proliferation Activities and Induces Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer Cells

Isaindigotone is an alkaloid containing a pyrrolo-[2,1-b]quinazoline moiety conjugated with a benzylidene group and isolated from the root of Isatis indigotca Fort. However, further anticancer activities of this alkaloid and its derivatives have not been fully explored. In this work, a novel isaindigotone derivative was synthesized and three different gastric cell lines and one human epithelial gastric cell line were used to study the anti-proliferation effects of the novel isaindigotone derivative BLG26. HGC27 cells and AGS cells were used to further explore the potential mechanisms. BLG26 exhibited better anti-proliferation activities in AGS cells with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.45 μM. BLG26 caused mitochondrial membrane potential loss and induced apoptosis in both HGC27 cells and AGS cells by suppressing mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis. Acute toxicity experiment showed that LD50 (median lethal dose) of BLG26 was above 1000.0 mg/kg. This research suggested that BLG26 can be a potential candidate for the treatment of gastric cancer.

A Systemic Review for Ethnopharmacological Studies on Isatis indigotica Fortune: Bioactive Compounds and their Therapeutic Insights

Isatis indigotica Fortune is a biennial Chinese woad of the Cruciferae family. It is primarily cultivated in China, where it was a staple in indigo dye manufacture till the end of the 17th century. Today, I. indigotica is used primarily as a therapeutic herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The medicinal use of the plant is separated into its leaves (Da-Qing-Ye) and roots (Ban-Lan-Gen), whereas its aerial components can be processed into a dried bluish-spruce powder (Qing-Dai), following dehydration for long-term preservation. Over the past several decades, I. indigotica has been generally utilized for its heat-clearing effects and bodily detoxification in TCM, attributed to the presence of several classes of bioactive compounds, including organic acids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids, as well as lignans, anthraquinones, glucosides, glucosinolates, sphingolipids, tetrapyrroles, and polysaccharides. This paper aims to delineate I. indigotica from its closely-related species (Isatis tinctoria and Isatis glauca) while highlighting the ethnomedicinal uses of I. indigotica from the perspectives of modern and traditional medicine. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, PMC, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was done for articles on all aspects of the plant, emphasizing those analyzing the bioactivity of constituents of the plant. The various key bioactive compounds of I. indigotica that have been found to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-allergic properties, along with the protective effects against neuronal injury and bone fracture, will be discussed. Collectively, the review hopes to draw attention to the therapeutic potential of I. indigotica not only as a TCM, but also as a potential source of bioactive compounds for disease management and treatment.

Isatidis Radix and Isatidis Folium: A systematic review on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Isatidis Radix (called Banlangen, BLG in Chinese) and Isatidis Folium (called Daqingye, DQY in Chinese) are common traditional edible-medicinal herbs in detoxifying for thousands of years, have been traditionally applied in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Both of them are bitter in taste, coolness in nature, acting on the heart and stomach channels. They are often used to treat influenza and other viral infectious diseases in clinic, as well as could treat fever, dizziness, and cough and sore throat caused by lung heat.

AIMS OF THE REVIEW

This review aimed at summarizing the latest and comprehensive information of BLG and DQY on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and clinical application to explore the therapeutic potential of them. In addition, outlooks and perspective for possible future researches that related are also discussed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Related information concerning BLG and DQY were gathered from the internet database of Google Scholar, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, GeenMedical, CNKI and Web of Science, as well as other relevant textbooks, reviews, and documents (e.g., Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Chinese herbal classic books and PhD and MSc thesis, etc.). Among of them with the keywords including "Isatis indigotica" "Isatidis Radix", "Isatidis Folium", "phytochemistry", "pharmacology", "toxicology", "clinical application" etc. and their combinations.

RESULTS

To date, 39 Chinese patent medicines containing BLG and/or DQY have been developed on basis of the data of NMPA. Besides, 304 and 142 compounds have been found in BLG and DQY, respectively. The main chemical differences between BLG and DQY were concentrated on alkaloids and lignans, such as indican, indirubin, (R, S)-epigoitrin, 4(3H)-quinazolinone, clemastanin B and isatindigotindolines A-D. In 2020 Edition ChP, (R, S)-goitrin and indirubin are now used as the official marker to monitor the quality of BLG and DQY, respectively. Modern pharmacology has mainly studied some monomer components such as 4(3H)-quinazolinone, clemastanin B, erucic acid and adenosine, etc., all of which have shown good effects. These active compounds can resist various viruses, such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, herpes simplex virus, etc.. By regulating the level of immunity and a variety of inflammatory factors, inhibit the growth and reproduction of the virus. At the same time, it is worth noting that different components of BLG and DQY lead to BLG is more powerful in antiviral and immunomodulatory activity than DQY, while DQY possesses a higher intensity than BLG in anti-oxidant activity.

CONCLUSION

By collecting and collating a large number of literature and various data websites, we concluded that the common compounds are mainly alkaloids. Recent findings regarding the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of BLG and DQY have confirmed their traditional uses in antiviral, antibacterial and treatment immune diseases. Without doubt, their significant differences on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology can be used as evidence of separate list of BLG and DQY. For shortcomings, some comprehensive studies should be well designed for further utilization of BLG and DQY.

Topical Application of Chinese Formula Yeliangen Promotes Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetic wound is one of the most severe complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Despite the associated risks of wound healing impairment in diabetes, treatment strategies remain limited. Yeliangen (YLG) is a Chinese formulation mainly composed of the rhizome of Coptis chinensis, the root of Isatis tinctoria, and the leaf of Isatis indigotica. We investigated the wound healing effects of YLG in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) rats, which were induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin after a high-fat diet for four weeks. 3 × 3 cm² full-thickness excisional wounds were created on the dorsal surface of rats and then divided to control (DC), negative (DPJ), positive (DPC), and YLG-treated (DYLG) groups. Rat's wounds were treated twice daily for 21 days. Wound area and wound contraction were detected on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21. Histopathological examinations were performed by H&E staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The biochemical parameters, mRNAs, and protein expressions were analyzed through enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA), qPCR, and western blot, respectively. Compared with other groups, the histological changes of wound tissue in the DYLG group were improved, and the expressions of CD31, eNOS, and PCNA were significantly upregulated. Besides, YLG significantly reduced the inflammatory factors' expressions of TNF-α, NF-κB, MMP-9, and IL-1B on days 7, 14, and 21 postwounding. Moreover, YLG induced angiogenesis and neovascularization by significantly increasing the levels of VEGF, TGF-β1, EGF, PDGF, and SDF-1α on days 3, 7, and 14. In conclusion, YLG improved wound healing by reducing inflammation and increasing angiogenesis which may provide an alternative and effective approach for diabetic wound therapy.

A Network Pharmacology-Based Investigation to the Pharmacodynamic Material Basis and Mechanisms of the Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Viral Effect of Isatis indigotica

Purpose

Isatis indigotica (Ii) is a cruciferous herb that is widely distributed in China, and its roots and leaves have been used in two renowned antipyretic detoxicate crude drugs in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Radix (R) and Folium (F) Isatidis. However, the pharmacodynamic material basis and underlying mechanisms of the herbal efficacy remained to be elucidated.

Methods

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was adopted for the chemical profiling of R and F Isatidis. The active ingredients were screened out through the prediction of gastrointestinal absorption and druglikeness analysis using SwissADME. A herb-ingredient-target network was constructed through target prediction of the herbal active ingredients and anti-inflammation or anti-viral properties, followed by protein-protein interaction analysis. Then, the potential relevant signaling pathways were predicted by pathway enrichment. Finally, for verification, RAW 264.7 cell line was adopted to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities of 6 representative ingredients in Ii.

Results

Seventy-three compounds have been identified from Ii through UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. A total of 17 potential active ingredients were screened through pharmacokinetics and drug-likeness evaluation using SwissADME. It was shown that key targets might include TNF, AKT1, SRC, IL2, CASP9, and CASP3 in our herb-ingredient-target network, and isovitexin, a flavonoid, tended to participate in the inflammatory response, indoles were more likely to affect the cell proliferation processes, and lignans might have a broader affinity to key targets than the other active ingredients, such as regulating immune system (targeting IL-2) and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In vitro, indigo and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside markedly reduced TNF-α expression in Poly (I: C)-incubated cells. Isovitexin significantly inhibited TNF-α expression, and isatin treatment markedly reduced IL-1β expression in LPS-incubated cells.

Conclusion

As the pharmacodynamics material basis of Ii, indoles, lignans, and flavonoids are believed to confer beneficial properties through various cellular aspects with multiple signaling pathways involved.

Evaluation of the Antiwrinkle Activity of Enriched Isatidis Folium Extract and an HPLC-UV Method for the Quality Control of Its Cream Products

Currently, many extracts from natural sources are added to cosmetic products for reducing facial aging and wrinkles. This study investigated the antiwrinkle activity of enriched extract of Isatidis Folium used for a novel antiwrinkle cream product. The result demonstrated that this enriched extract has excellent antiwrinkle activity by significantly inhibiting mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1, matrix metalloproteinase-3, and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and upregulating the mRNA expression of IL-4 and procollagen. Additionally, to implement effective quality control of the entire manufacturing process of antiwrinkle cream products based on the enriched extract of Isatidis Folium, the main chemical constituents of the enriched extract of Isatidis Folium was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS), five constituents were undisputedly confirmed. An HPLC-UV method in 15-min analysis time for quality assessment of the entire manufacturing process of antiwrinkle cream products was proposed and validated. The optimal conditions for extracting TMCA (3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid) from the developed antiwrinkle cream products were determined using response surface methodology based on central composite design. The established HPLC method and optimal extract condition are suitable for routinely analyzing this novel antiwrinkle cream product.

Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds during Inflammation Induced by TNF-α in Ventilated Rats

Systemic inflammation alters the composition of exhaled breath, possibly helping clinicians diagnose conditions such as sepsis. We therefore evaluated changes in exhaled breath of rats given tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 10 each) with intravenous injections of normal saline (control), 200 µg·kg⁻¹ bodyweight TNF-α (TNF-α-200), or 600 µg·kg⁻¹ bodyweight TNF-α (TNF-α-600), and were observed for 24 h or until death. Animals were ventilated with highly-purified synthetic air to analyze exhaled air by multicapillary column–ion mobility spectrometry. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified from a database. We recorded blood pressure and cardiac output, along with cytokine plasma concentrations. Control rats survived the 24 h observation period, whereas mean survival time decreased to 22 h for TNF-α-200 and 23 h for TNF-α-600 rats. Mean arterial pressure decreased in TNF-α groups, whereas IL-6 increased, consistent with mild to moderate inflammation. Hundreds of VOCs were detected in exhalome. P-cymol increased by a factor-of-two 4 h after injection of TNF-α-600 compared to the control and TNF-α-200. We found that 1-butanol and 1-pentanol increased in both TNF-α groups after 20 h compared to the control. As breath analysis distinguishes between two doses of TNF-α and none, we conclude that it might help clinicians identify systemic inflammation.

Efficacy and Safety of Jueyin Granules for Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Psoriasis Vulgaris: Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Introduction. The etiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis are complex. Blood-heat syndrome is the core pathogenesis of psoriasis. Based on theories of Chinese medicine (CM), heat-clearing and blood-cooling (HCBC) are the primary treatment. Very few studies have investigated the pharmacological mechanism of the CM HCBC method for treating psoriasis. This multicenter randomized controlled trial will focus on treating psoriasis blood-heat syndrome with the HCBC method using Jueyin granules (JYKL). This will be an objective and standardized evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and reproducibility of the HCBC method to obtain objective evidence meeting international standards that aim to establish a clinical standard suitable for the popular application of CM for treating psoriasis. Methods and Analysis. A five-center randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical design will be used in this study. At least 196 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either JYKL or placebo treatment approximately 30 minutes after meals in the morning and evening (one sachet per time, twice daily for 8 consecutive weeks). The study duration will be 17 weeks, including 1 week of screening, 8 weeks of intervention, and 8 weeks of follow-up. The patients will be evaluated every 2 weeks, and the measures will be compared with baseline values. The primary outcome measure will be the psoriasis lesion area severity index. We will also observe the recurrence rate, body surface area, physician global assessment, dermatology life quality index, quality of life index, visual analogue scale score, CM symptom score, combined drug use, and adverse events. This trial is registered with NCT03961230.

Acute and chronic toxicity of a polyherbal preparation - Jueyin granules

Background

The potential toxicity of Chinese herbal medicine has attracted more attention in recent years. Jueyin granules (JYG), a polyherbal formula, have been proven to be an effective agent for treating psoriasis in both animal models and clinical research. However, little is known about the possible acute and chronic toxicity of JYG. The objective of this study was to investigate the safety of JYG in ICR mice and Wistar rats.

Methods

To examine the acute toxicity of JYG, ICR mice were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each comprising 20 mice (10 male and 10 female). The experimental group was fed JYG solution at a dose of 21.5 g/kg, equivalent to 143 times the clinical human dosage, for 14 days, whereas control animals were fed distilled water. In the chronic toxicity test, Wistar rats were divided into four groups, each comprising 40 rats (20 male and 20 female). For 6 months, the experimental animals were given JYG at a dose of 7.5, 3.75 and 1.875 g/kg, whereas control animals were given distilled water. The animals’ body weight, food and water consumptions were monitored weekly. In addition, their biochemical and hematological parameters, histopathology, and body and organ weights were all measured at specific observation time points.

Results

According to the results of the acute toxicity test, no mortality was found and no abnormal pathological changes in major organs were observed in mice treated with JYG. In the chronic toxicity test, JYG did not cause significant abnormalities in the physiological parameters or pathological changes in the major organs of the rats.

Conclusion

The results indicated that JYG at the given doses did not induce any harmful effects in animals. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that JYG is safe at the studied dosage levels and causes no acute or chronic toxicity in animal models.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-018-2211-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

n-butanol extract from Folium isatidis inhibits the lipopolysaccharide-induced downregulation of CXCR1 and CXCR2 on human neutrophils

Neutrophils, immune cells crucial for protecting against invading pathogens, are important in sepsis. Neutrophil migration is regulated by chemokine receptors and their cognate ligands. Our previous study investigated the effect of n‑butanol extract from Folium isatidis on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced septic shock. The present study stimulated neutrophils with LPS to explore the influence of LPS on cell. Neutrophils were then pretreated with n‑butanol extract from Folium isatidis followed by LPS to examine the effect of this extract on neutrophil chemotaxis. The results showed that LPS decreased the expression levels of CXC‑chemokine receptor (CXCR)1, CXCR2 and L‑selectin (CD62L), and increased the expression of interleukin‑8 (IL‑8) by neutrophils. The addition of n‑butanol extract from Folium isatidis inhibited this LPS‑induced downregulation of CXCR1, CXCR2 and CD62L, and decreased the expression of IL‑8 on neutrophils. In addition, n‑butanol extract promoted myeloperoxidase activity in neutrophils. Taken together, LPS downregulated the expression of chemokine receptors, leading to the failure of neutrophils to migrate to sites of infection. The addition of n‑butanol extract, which promoted the ability of neutrophils to migrate, is a natural product and potential therapeutic agent with which to target neutrophil chemotaxis during LPS stimulation.