The Chinese herbal formula Fuzheng Quxie Decoction attenuates cognitive impairment and protects cerebrovascular function in SAMP8 mice

Network Pharmacology Analysis of Liquid-Cultured Armillaria ostoyae Mycelial Metabolites and Their Molecular Mechanism of Action against Gastric Cancer

Armillaria sp. are traditional edible medicinal mushrooms with various health functions; however, the relationship between their composition and efficacy has not yet been determined. Here, the ethanol extract of liquid-cultured Armillaria ostoyae mycelia (AOME), a pure wild Armillaria sp. strain, was analyzed using UHPLC-QTOF/MS, network pharmacology, and molecular docking techniques. The obtained extract affects various metabolic pathways, such as JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT. The extract also contains important compounds such as 4-(dimethylamino)-N-[7-(hydroxyamino)-7-oxoheptyl] benzamide, isoliquiritigenin, and 7-hydroxycoumarin. Moreover, the extract targets key proteins, including EGFR, SCR, and IL6, to suppress the progression of gastric cancer, thereby synergistically inhibiting cancer development. The molecular docking analyses indicated that the main compounds stably bind to the target proteins. The final cell culture experimental data showed that the ethanol extract inhibited MGC-803 gastric cancer cells. In summary, our research revealed the beneficial components of AOME for treating gastric cancer and its associated molecular pathways. However, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety in gastric cancer patients.

Mechanisms of JinHong Formula on treating sepsis explored by randomized controlled trial combined with network pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

JinHong Formula (JHF) was derived from the famous Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction which was prescribed for appendicitis. It was originally recorded in the classic of "Jingui Yaolve" written by Zhang Zhongjing. It is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, widely used in the treatment of inflammation. However, the clinical effect of JHF for sepsis and its comprehensive mechanism in sepsis remained largely unknown.

RESEARCH PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical effect of JHF in the treatment of sepsis, and to explore its mechanism from the perspective of network pharmacology.

RESEARCH METHODS

The single-center randomized clinical trial was conducted to assess the effect of JHF in the treatment of sepsis. Additionally, we used the Chinese herbal medicine pharmacology database and analysis platform to identify the active components and therapeutic target of JHF. Numerous well-known disease target databases have been used to screen therapeutic target proteins for sepsis. Furthermore, we have established a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and carried out Gene Onotology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (GO/KEGG) enrichment analysis. In order to conclude which active compounds from JHF may be responsible for signaling pathway, we performed network analysis.

RESEARCH RESULTS

The study included 114 patients. By comparing participants with and without JHF, the results suggested that JHF significantly reduced all-cause mortality on 28 and 60 days after intervention, and improved Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) on 7th day after intervention as well as. JHF had an effect of anti-inflammatories and antioxidants (SOD). By using network pharmacological analysis, we identified 72 active components and 426 target genes of JHF, and successfully constructed a "JHF-compound target-sepsis" network. 116 mentioned targets revealed by GO/KEGG enrichment analysis played a significant role in the inflammatory reaction and immunoregulation via interleukin-17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway. Moreover, the analysis of "pathway target-active component" revealed that Sennidin A, Rheidin A, Rheidin B, Rheidin C, (E)-4-Phenyl-3-Buten-2-One, Osmanthuside H, Esculetin, and Caffeicacid were responsible for IL-17, TNF signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

JHF contains potential active substance of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. These active compounds may come into play through IL-17 and TNF signaling pathways. For sepsis, JHF may be a promising and effective treatment strategy.

Medicine-Food Herbs against Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of Their Traditional Functional Features, Substance Basis, Clinical Practices and Mechanisms of Action

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that currently has reached epidemic proportions among elderly populations around the world. In China, available traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) that organically combine functional foods with medicinal values are named “Medicine Food Homology (MFH)”. In this review, we focused on MFH varieties for their traditional functional features, substance bases, clinical uses, and mechanisms of action (MOAs) for AD prevention and treatment. We consider the antiAD active constituents from MFH species, their effects on in vitro/in vivo AD models, and their drug targets and signal pathways by summing up the literature via a systematic electronic search (SciFinder, PubMed, and Web of Science). In this paper, several MFH plant sources are discussed in detail from in vitro/in vivo models and methods, to MOAs. We found that most of the MFH varieties exert neuroprotective effects and ameliorate cognitive impairments by inhibiting neuropathological signs (Aβ-induced toxicity, amyloid precursor protein, and phosphorylated Tau immunoreactivity), including anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, antiautophagy, and antiapoptosis, etc. Indeed, some MFH substances and their related phytochemicals have a broad spectrum of activities, so they are superior to simple single-target drugs in treating chronic diseases. This review can provide significant guidance for people’s healthy lifestyles and drug development for AD prevention and treatment.

Yishen Huazhuo Decoction Induces Autophagy to Promote the Clearance of Aβ_1-42 in SAMP8 Mice: Mechanism Research of a Traditional Chinese Formula Against Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Studies have found that autophagy could promote the clearance of Aβ. To promote and maintain the occurrence of autophagy in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) might be a potential way to reduce neuronal loss and improve the learning and memory of AD.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible mechanisms of Yishen Huazhuo Decoction (YHD) against AD model.

METHODS

Forty 7-month-old male SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into model (P8) group and YHD group, 20 in each group, with 20 SAMR1 mice as control (R1) group. All mice were intragastrically administered for 4 weeks, YHD at the dosage of 6.24g/kg for YHD group, and distilled water for P8 group and R1 group. Morris Water Maze (MWM) test, Nissl's staining, TEM, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence double staining, and western blot analysis were applied to learning and memory, structure and ultrastructure of neurons, autophagosome, apoptosis index, Aβ, LAMP1, and autophagy related proteins.

RESULTS

The escape latency time of YHD group was significantly shorter on the 4th and 5th day during MWM test than those in P8 group (P=0.011, 0.008<0.05), and the number of crossing platform in YHD group increased significantly (P=0.02<0.05). Nissl's staining showed that the number of neurons in YHD group increased significantly (P<0.0001). TEM showed in YHD group that the nucleus of neurons was slightly irregular, with slightly reduced organelles, partially fused and blurred cristae and membrane of mitochondria. The apoptosis index of YHD group showed a decreasing trend, without statistically significant difference (P=0.093>0.05), while Caspase3 expression in YHD group was significantly lower (P=0.044<0.05). YHD could promote the clearance of Aβ1-42 protein, improve the expression of Beclin-1 and p-Bcl2 proteins, reduce mTOR and p62 proteins.

CONCLUSION

YHD could induce autophagy initiation, increase the formation of autophagosomes and autolysosome, promote the degradation of autophagy substrates, thereby regulating autophagy, and promoting the clearance of Aβ1-42 to improve memory impairment in SAMP8 mice.

Identifying the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Yizhiqingxin Formula on Alzheimer's Disease: Coupling Network Pharmacology with GEO Database

Background

Yizhiqingxin formula (YZQX) is a promising formula for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with significant clinical effects. Here, we coupled a network pharmacology approach with the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to illustrate comprehensive mechanisms and screen for molecular targets of YZQX for AD treatment.

Methods

First, active ingredients of YZQX were screened for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database with the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) parameters. Subsequently, putative targets of active ingredients were predicted using the DrugBank database. AD-related targets were retrieved by analyzing published microarray data (accession number GSE5281). Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks of YZQX putative targets and AD-related targets were constructed visually and merged to identify candidate targets for YZQX against AD using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. We performed gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis to further clarify the biological functions of the candidate targets. The gene-pathway network was established to filter for key target genes.

Results

Forty-three active ingredients were identified, and 193 putative target genes were predicted. Seven hundred and ten targets related to AD were screened with |log2 FC| > 1 and P < 0.05. Based on the PPI network, 110 target genes of YZQX against AD were identified. Moreover, 32 related pathways including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, apoptosis and the NF-kappa B signaling pathway were significantly enriched. In the gene-pathway network, MAPK1, AKT1, TP53, MDM2, EGFR, RELA, SRC, GRB2, CUL1, and MYC targets are putative core genes for YZQX in AD treatment.

Conclusion

YZQX against AD may exert its neuroprotective effect via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. YZQX may be a promising drug that can be used in the treatment of AD.

Yizhi Qingxin Formula Extract Ameliorates Cognitive Decline in Aged Rats via the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B Pathway

Cognitive impairment and decline in old age are primarily driven by the accumulation of age-related neuropathologies, and old age is thus the primary risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Here, we investigated the effects of Yizhi Qingxin formula (YQF) extract on cognitive impairment in aged rats and determine the role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) pathway underlying the neuroprotective effects of the YQF extract. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control group, Model group, Donepezil group, and YQF extract groups (treatment with YQF extract at two different doses). After treatment with YQF extract for 8 weeks, learning and cognitive abilities were assessed using the Morris water maze. Morphological changes in the hippocampus were observed using hematoxylin-eosin. Activated microglia and astrocytes were assessed using immunohistochemistry. Expressions of proteins and genes were examined using western blotting and real-time PCR. The results revealed that oral treatment with YQF extract dramatically improved spatial learning and memory ability and ameliorated histopathological and morphological characteristics in aged rats. YQF extract significantly increased acetylcholine and interleukin (IL)-10 levels but markedly decreased amyloid-β peptide, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), IL-2, and IL-6 levels. In addition, it inhibited the excessive activation of microglia and astrocytes, downregulated the expressions of TNFα and IL-2, and upregulated nerve growth factor, BDNF, and TrkB expressions. Furthermore, hippocampal extracellular signal-related kinase (Erk) and protein kinase B (Akt), the upstream signaling of BDNF/TrkB, were also activated by treatment with YQF extract. Our findings indicate that YQF extract activates the BDNF/TrkB pathway through the upregulation of Erk and Akt signaling, and the activated signaling pathway might contribute to the protective effects of YQF extract on cognitive impairment in aged rats.

Yizhiqingxin Formula Alleviates Cognitive Deficits and Enhances Autophagy via mTOR Signaling Pathway Modulation in Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease Mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia worldwide. The deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) is one of the most important pathological changes in AD. Autophagy, which mediates degradation of toxic proteins and maintains normal neuronal function, is dysfunctional in AD; dysfunctional autophagy is believed to be a critical pathological feature of AD. Here, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of a traditional Chinese medicinal formula called Yizhiqingxin formula (YQF) on autophagy. We determined that treatment with a high dose of YQF improved spatial memory and decreased the hippocampal Aβ burden in APP/PS1 mice, an early onset AD model. Transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemical data revealed that YQF enhanced autophagosome formation and also increased the levels of LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1. Further, we found that YQF treatment promoted autophagic activity by inhibiting the phosphorylation of the Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) at the Ser2448 site. Moreover, the level of 4EBP1 increased after YQF intervention, indicating a suppression of mTOR signaling. YQF was also found to promote autophagosome degradation, as indicated by the decreased p62 levels and increased cathepsin D and V-ATPase levels. Taken together, YQF could improve spatial learning in APP/PS1 mice and ameliorate the accumulation of Aβ while promoting autophagy via mTOR pathway modulation.