Therapeutic Mechanism and Key Alkaloids of Uncaria rhynchophylla in Alzheimer’s Disease From the Perspective of Pathophysiological Processes

Herbal nanoparticles: a targeted approach for neurodegenerative disorder treatment

Nanotechnology has significantly impacted human life, particularly in overcoming the limitations associated with neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Various nanostructures and vehicle systems, such as polymer nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanoliposomes, nano-micelles, lipid nanoparticles, lactoferrin, polybutylcyanoacrylate, and poly lactic-co-glycolic acid, have been shown to enhance drug efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve pharmacokinetics. NDs affect millions worldwide and are challenging to treat due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which hinders drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS). Research suggests that natural ingredients can be formulated into nanoparticles, offering a promising approach for ND treatment. This review examines the advantages and disadvantages of herbal-based nanoformulations, highlighting their potential effectiveness when used alone or in combination with other medications. Herbal nanoparticles provide benefits over synthetic ones due to their biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, and potential for synergistic effects. The study's findings can be applied to develop more efficient drug delivery systems, improving the treatment of NDs by enhancing drug penetration across the BBB and targeting affected CNS areas more precisely.

Advanced researches of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of medical Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Medical Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis consists of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil, Uncaria macrophylla Wall, Uncaria sinensis (Oliv.) Havil, Uncaria hirsuta Havil, and Uncaria sessilifructus Roxb, which belongs to the species widely used in the genus Uncaria. These species resource widely distributed in China and abroad, and the hook-bearing stem is the primary constituent enrichment site. There are many different forms and architectures of chemicals, depending on the extraction site. Traditional remedies employing URCU had been used widely in antiquity and were first compiled in renowned ancient masterpiece 'Mingyi Bielu ()' written by Hongjing Tao. In modern pharmacological studies, both the total extracts and the phytoconstituents isolated from URCU have been shown to have neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and autophagy-enhancer properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review concentrates on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and nanomaterials studies of URCU, with a perspective to assist with further research and advance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The Chinese and English literature studies of this review are based on these database searches including Science Direct, CNKI, Wiley online library, Spring Link, Web of Science, PubMed, Medalink, Google scholar, Elsevier, ACS Publications, iPlant, Missouri Botanical Garden, Plant of the World Online. The pertinent data on URCU was gathered.

RESULTS

Based on the examination of the genus Uncaria, 107 newly marked chemical compositions have been identified from URCU from 2015 to present, including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, and others. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that URCU has a variety of benefits in diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and migraine, due to its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. According to metabolic and toxicological studies, the dosage, frequency, and interactions of the drugs that occur in vivo are of great significance for determining whether the organic bodies can perform efficacy or produce toxicity. The research on URCU-mediated nanomaterials is expanding and increasing in order to address the inadequacies of conventional Chinese medicine. The alkaloids in URCU have the capability to self-assemble with other classes of components in addition to being biologically active.

CONCLUSION

URCU plants are widely distributed, abundant in chemical constituents, and widely used in both traditional and modern medicine for a variety of pharmacological effects. The utilization of herbal medicines can be raised by assessing the pharmacological distinctions among several species within the same genus and may accelerate the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Controlling the concentration of drug administration, monitoring metabolic markers, and inventing novel nanotechnologies are effective strategies for synergistic influence and detoxification to alleviate the main obstacles that toxicity, low bioavailability, and poor permeability. This review can assist further research and advances.

Clarifying the mechanism of apigenin against blood-brain barrier disruption in ischemic stroke using systems pharmacology

Currently, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is an effective therapy for ischemic stroke (IS). However, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is a serious side effect of rtPA therapy and may lead to patients' death. The natural polyphenol apigenin has a good therapeutic effect on IS. Apigenin has potential BBB protection, but the mechanism by which it protects the BBB integrity is not clear. In this study, we used network pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to reveal the mechanisms by which apigenin protects the BBB. Among the 146 targets of apigenin for the treatment of IS, 20 proteins were identified as core targets (e.g., MMP-9, TLR4, STAT3). Apigenin protects BBB integrity by inhibiting the activity of MMPs through anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress. These mechanisms included JAK/STAT, the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and Nitrogen metabolism signaling pathways. The findings of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of apigenin in the treatment of BBB disruption and provide ideas for the development of drugs to treat IS.

Neuropharmacological insights into Gardenia jasminoides Ellis: Harnessing therapeutic potential for central nervous system disorders

BACKGROUND

In China, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (GJE) has a longstanding history of application. The Ministry of Health has listed it as one of the first pharmaceutical or food resources. In ethnic, traditional, and folk medicine, GJE has been used to treat fever and cold and relieve nervous anxiety. Recent studies have confirmed the significant efficacy of GJE for treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and major depressive disorder; however, GJE has not been systematically evaluated.

PURPOSE

This research systematically summarizes global studies on the use of GJE for treating CNS disorders and explores the potential applications and underlying mechanisms via intestinal flora analysis and network pharmacology, aiming to establish a scientific basis for innovative CNS disorder treatment with GJE.

METHODS

The PRISMA guidelines were used, and electronic databases such as the Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched using the following search terms: "Gardenia jasminoides Ellis" with "central nervous system disease," "neuroprotection," "Alzheimer's disease," "Parkinson's disease," "ischemic stroke," "Epilepsy," and "major depressive disorder." The published literature up to September 2023 was searched to obtain relevant information on the application of GJE for treating CNS disorders.

RESULTS

There has been an increase in research on the material formulation and mechanisms of action of GJE for treating CNS disorders, with marked effects on CNS disorder treatment in different countries and regions. We summarized the research results related to the role of GJE in vitro and in vivo via multitargeted interventions in response to the complex mechanisms of action of CNS disorders.

CONCLUSION

We systematically reviewed the research progress on traditional treatment for GJE and preclinical mechanisms of CNS disorders and explored the potential of optimizing network pharmacology strategies and intestinal flora analysis to elucidate the mechanisms of action of GJE. The remarkable therapeutic efficacy of GJE, an important resource in traditional medicine, has been well documented in the literature, highlighting its significant medicinal potential.

Identification of Uncaria rhynchophylla in the Potential Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Integrating Virtual Screening and In Vitro Validation

Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gouteng in Chinese, GT) is the main medicine in many traditional recipes in China. It is commonly used to alleviate central nervous system (CNS) disorders, although its mechanism in Alzheimer's disease is still unknown. This study was designed to predict and validate the underlying mechanism in AD treatment, thus illustrating the biological mechanisms of GT in treating AD. In this study, a PPI network was constructed, KEGG analysis and GO analysis were performed, and an "active ingredient-target-pathway" network for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease was constructed. The active ingredients of GT were screened out, and the key targets were performed by molecular docking. UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS was used to screen the main active ingredients and was compared with the network pharmacology results, which verified that GT did contain the above ingredients. A total of targets were found to be significantly bound up with tau, Aβ, or Aβ and tau through the network pharmacology study. Three SH-SY5Y cell models induced by okadaic acid (OA), Na2S2O4, and H2O2 were established for in vitro validation. We first found that GT can reverse the increase in the hyperphosphorylation of tau induced by OA to some extent, protecting against ROS damage. Moreover, the results also indicated that GT has significant neuroprotective effects. This study provides a basis for studying the potential mechanisms of GT in the treatment of AD.

Network pharmacology‒based analysis of marine cyanobacteria derived bioactive compounds for application to Alzheimer's disease

In recent years, the Alzheimer's disease (AD) epidemic has become one of the largest global healthcare crises. Besides, the available systemic therapies for AD are still inadequate. Due to the insufficient therapeutic options, new treatment strategies are urgently needed to achieve a satisfactory therapeutic effect. Marine bio-resources have been accepted as one of the most economically viable and sustainable sources with potential applications for drug discovery and development. In this study, a marine cyanobacteria-Synechococcus sp. XM-24 was selected as the object of research, to systematically investigate its therapeutic potential mechanisms for AD. The major active compounds derived from the Synechococcus sp. biomass were identified via pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 22 compounds were identified in this strain. The most abundant chemical compounds was (E)-octadec-11-enoic acid, with the peak area of 30.6%. Follow by tridecanoic acid, 12-methyl- and hexadecanoic acid, with a peak area of 23.26% and 18.23%, respectively. GC-MS analysis also identified indolizine, isoquinoline, 3,4-dihydro- and Phthalazine, 1-methyl-, as well as alkene and alkane from the strain. After the chemical toxicity test, 10 compounds were finally collected to do the further analysis. Then, network pharmacology and molecular docking were adopted to systematically study the potential anti-AD mechanism of these compounds. Based on the analysis, the 10 Synechococcus-derived active compounds could interact with 128 related anti-AD targets. Among them, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) were the major targets. Furthermore, the compounds N-capric acid isopropyl ester, (E)-octadec-11-enoic acid, and 2H-Pyran-2,4(3H)-dione, dihydro-6-methyl- obtained higher degrees in the compounds-intersection targets network analysis, indicating these compounds may play more important role in the process of anti-AD. In addition, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that these active compounds exert the anti-AD effects mainly through PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and ras signaling pathway. Our study identified Synechococcus-derived bioactive compounds have the potential for application to AD by targeting multiple targets and related pathways, which will provide a foundation for future research on applications of marine cyanobacteria in the functional drug industry.

Resveratrol: a potential medication for the prevention and treatment of varicella zoster virus-induced ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Infection rate of varicella zoster virus (VZV) is 95% in humans, and VZV infection is strongly associated with ischemic stroke (IS). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of VZV-induced IS are still unclear, and there are no effective agents to treat and prevent VZV-induced IS.

OBJECTIVE

By integrating bioinformatics, this study explored the interactions between VZV and IS and potential medication to treat and prevent VZV-induced IS.

METHODS

In this study, the VZV and IS datasets from the GEO database were used to specify the common genes. Then, bioinformatics analysis including Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes Genomes and Protein-Protein Interaction network analysis was performed. Further, the hub genes, transcription factor (TF) gene interactions, TF-miRNA co-regulatory network and potential drug were obtained. Finally, validation was performed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

RESULTS

The potential molecular mechanisms of VZV-induced IS were studied using multiple bioinformatics tools. Ten hub genes were COL1A2, DCN, PDGFRB, ACTA2, etc. TF genes and miRNAs included JUN, FOS, CREB, BRCA1, PPARG, STAT3, miR-29, etc. A series of mechanism may be involved, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier disruption, foam cell generation and among others. Finally, we proposed resveratrol as a potential therapeutic medicine for the prevention and treatment of VZV-induced IS. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics results showed that resveratrol and hub genes exhibited strong binding score.

CONCLUSIONS

Resveratrol could be an alternative for the prevention and treatment of VZV-IS. More in vivo and in vitro studies are needed in the future to fully explore the molecular mechanisms between VZV and IS and for medication development.

Identification of image genetic biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease by orthogonal structured sparse canonical correlation analysis based on a diagnostic information fusion

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease, and its incidence increases yearly. Because AD patients will have cognitive impairment and personality changes, it has caused a heavy burden on the family and society. Image genetics takes the structure and function of the brain as a phenotype and studies the influence of genetic variation on the structure and function of the brain. Based on the structural magnetic resonance imaging data and transcriptome data of AD and healthy control samples in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Disease database, this paper proposed the use of an orthogonal structured sparse canonical correlation analysis for diagnostic information fusion algorithm. The algorithm added structural constraints to the region of interest (ROI) of the brain. Integrating the diagnostic information of samples can improve the correlation performance between samples. The results showed that the algorithm could extract the correlation between the two modal data and discovered the brain regions most affected by multiple risk genes and their biological significance. In addition, we also verified the diagnostic significance of risk ROIs and risk genes for AD. The code of the proposed algorithm is available at https://github.com/Wanguangyu111/OSSCCA-DIF.

A Study Based on Network Pharmacology Decoding the Multi-Target Mechanism of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction for the Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) poses a grim public health impact. Duhuo Jisheng Decoction (DJD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has recently received significant attention for its efficacy and safety in treating IDD. However, the pathological processes of IDD in which DJD interferes and molecular mechanism involved are poorly understood, which brings difficulties to the clinical practice of DJD for the treatment of IDD. This study systematically investigated the underlying mechanism of DJD treatment of IDD. Network pharmacology approaches were employed, integrating molecular docking and random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm, to identify key compounds and targets for DJD in the treatment of IDD. Bioinformatics approaches were used to further explore the biological insights in DJD treatment of IDD. The analysis identifies AKT1, PIK3R1, CHUK, ALB, TP53, MYC, NR3C1, IL1B, ERBB2, CAV1, CTNNB1, AR, IGF2, and ESR1 as key targets. Responses to mechanical stress, oxidative stress, cellular inflammatory responses, autophagy, and apoptosis are identified as the critical biological processes involved in DJD treatment of IDD. The regulation of DJD targets in extracellular matrix components, ion channel regulation, transcriptional regulation, synthesis and metabolic regulation of reactive oxygen products in the respiratory chain and mitochondria, fatty acid oxidation, the metabolism of Arachidonic acid, and regulation of Rho and Ras protein activation are found to be potential mechanisms in disc tissue response to mechanical stress and oxidative stress. MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB signaling pathways are identified as vital signaling pathways for DJD to treat IDD. Quercetin and Kaempferol are assigned a central position in the treatment of IDD. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of DJD in treating IDD. It provides a reference for applying natural products to delay the pathological process of IDD.

Key ingredients in Verbena officinalis and determination of their anti-atherosclerotic effect using a computer-aided drug design approach

Lipid metabolism disorders may considerably contribute to the formation and development of atherosclerosis (AS). Traditional Chinese medicine has received considerable attention in recent years owing to its ability to treat lipid metabolism disorders using multiple components and targets. Verbena officinalis (VO), a Chinese herbal medicine, exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. Evidence suggests that VO regulates lipid metabolism; however, its role in AS remains unclear. In the present study, an integrated network pharmacology approach, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) were applied to examine the mechanism of VO against AS. Analysis revealed 209 potential targets for the 11 main ingredients in VO. Further, 2698 mechanistic targets for AS were identified, including 147 intersection targets between VO and AS. Quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol were considered key ingredients for the treatment of AS based on a potential ingredient target-AS target network. GO analysis revealed that biological processes were primarily associated with responses to xenobiotic stimuli, cellular responses to lipids, and responses to hormones. Cell components were predominantly focused on the membrane microdomain, membrane raft, and caveola nucleus. Molecular functions were mainly focused on DNA-binding transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding, and transcription factor binding. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified pathways in cancer, fluid shear stress, and atherosclerosis, with lipid and atherosclerosis being the most significantly enriched pathways. Molecular docking revealed that three key ingredients in VO (i.e., quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol) strongly interacted with three potential targets (i.e., AKT1, IL-6, and TNF-α). Further, MDS revealed that quercetin had a stronger binding affinity for AKT1. These findings suggest that VO has beneficial effects on AS via these potential targets that are closely related to the lipid and atherosclerosis pathways. Our study utilized a new computer-aided drug design to identify key ingredients, potential targets, various biological processes, and multiple pathways associated with the clinical roles of VO in AS, which provides a comprehensive and systemic pharmacological explanation for the anti-atherosclerotic activity of VO.

Targets and mechanisms of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel fruits in treating neurodegenerative dementia

The dried and ripe fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla and ripe fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel (AO) have the effects of tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence and thus have been widely used in treating dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a typical form of neurodegenerative dementia with kidney-essence deficiency in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). So far, there is a lack of systematic studies on the biological basis of tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence and the corresponding phytochemicals. In this study, we investigated the targets of AO in tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence based on the key pathophysiological processes of neurodegenerative dementia. According to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry data and Lipinski's rule of five, 49 bioactive phytochemicals from AO were identified, and 26 of them were found to target 168 key molecules in the treatment of neurodegenerative dementia. Nine phytochemicals of AO were shown to target acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), and 19 phytochemicals were shown to target butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE). A database of neurodegenerative dementia with kidney-essence deficiency involving 731 genes was constructed. Furthermore, yakuchinone B, 5-hydroxy-1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) heptan-3-one (5-HYD), oxyhylladiketone, oxyphyllacinol, butyl-β-D-fructopyranoside, dibutyl phthalate, chrysin, yakuchinone A, rhamnetin, and rhamnocitrin were identified as the key phytochemicals from AO that regulate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative dementia in a multitargeted manner. The approach of studying the pharmacological mechanism underlying the effects of medicinal plants and the biological basis of TCM syndrome may be helpful in studying the translation of TCM.

Pharmacological mechanism and therapeutic efficacy of Icariside II in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review and network pharmacological analysis

Background and objective

Epimedii has long been used as a traditional medicine in Asia for the treatment of various common diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, erectile dysfunction, and stroke. Studies have reported the ameliorative effects of Icariside II (ICS II), a major metabolite of Epimedii, on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in animal models. Based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects and neuroprotective mechanisms of ICS II on AIS.

Methods

First, we have searched 6 databases using studies with ICS II treatment on AIS animal models to explore the efficacy of ICS II on AIS in preclinical studies. The literature retrieval time ended on March 8, 2022 (Systematic Review Registration ID: CRD42022306291). There were no restrictions on the language of the search strategy. Systematic review follows the Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) methodology and framework. SYCLE's RoB tool was used to evaluate the the risk of bias. In network pharmacology, AIS-related genes were identified and the target-pathway network was constructed. Then, these targets were used in the enrichments of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and gene ontology (GO). Molecular docking and MD simulation were finally employed between ICS II and the potential target genes.

Results

Twelve publications were included describing outcomes of 1993 animals. The literature details, animal strains, induction models, doses administered, duration of administration, and outcome measures were extracted from the 12 included studies. ICS II has a good protective effect against AIS. Most of the studies in this systematic review had the appropriate methodological quality, but some did not clearly state the controlling for bias of potential study. Network pharmacology identified 246 targets with SRC, CTNNB1, HSP90AA1, MAPK1, and RELA as the core target proteins. Besides, 215 potential pathways of ICS II were identified, such as PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. GO enrichment analysis showed that ICS II was significantly enriched in subsequent regulation such as MAPK cascade. Molecular docking and MD simulations showed that ICS II can closely bind with important targets.

Conclusions

ICS II is a promising drug in the treatment of AIS. However, this systematic review reveals key knowledge gaps (i.e., the protective role of ICS II in women) that ICS II must address before it can be used for the treatment of human AIS. Our study shows that ICS II plays a protective role in AIS through multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics, providing ideas for the development of drugs for the treatment of AIS.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03732-9.