Anti-HBV Activities of Three Compounds Extracted and Purified from Herpetospermum Seeds

Progress based on a multi-omics research strategy in the biosynthesis and modernization of active ingredients of Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds

Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds also known as Herpetospermum caudigerum Wall. is the mature seed of the Herpetospermum pedunculosum(Ser.) C. B. Clarke,Cucurbitaceae. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that H. pedunculosum has hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-gout and antibacterial pharmacological activities. The biologically active chemical components include lignin compounds such as Herpetin, Herpetetrone, Herpetoriol and so on. The natural product displays considerable skeletal diversity and structural complexity, offering significant opportunities for novel drug discovery. Based on the multi-omics research strategy and the 'gene-protein-metabolite' research framework, the biosynthetic pathway of terpenoids and lignans in H. pedunculosum has has been elucidated at multiple levels. These approaches provide comprehensive genetic information for cloning and identification of pertinent enzyme genes. Furthermore, the application of multi-omics integrative approaches provides a scientific means to elucidate entire secondary metabolic pathways. We investigated the biosynthetic pathways of lignin and terpene components in H. pedunculosum and conducted bioinformatics analysis of the crucial enzyme genes involved in the biosynthetic process using genomic and transcriptomic data. We identified candidate genes for six key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway. This review reports on the current literature on pharmacological investigations of H. pedunculosum, proposing its potential as an antidiabetic agent. Moreover, we conclude, for the first time, the identification of key enzyme genes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of active compounds in H. pedunculosum. This review provides a scientific foundation for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents from natural sources.

Sesquilignans: Current research and potential prospective

Lignans are widely distributed in nature, primarily found in the xylem and resins of plants, with the constituent units C6-C3, and their dimers are the most common in plants. In recent years, the trimeric sesquilignans have also received increasing attention from scholars. More than 200 derivatives have been isolated and identified from nearly 50 families, most of which are different types (monoepoxy lignans, bisepoxy lignans, benzofuran lignans) connected with simple phenylpropanoids through ether bonds, C-C bonds, and oxygen-containing rings to constitute sesquilignans. Some of them also possess pharmacological properties, including antioxidants, hepatoprotectives, antitumors, anti-inflammatory properties, and other properties. In addition, the chemical structure of sesquilignans is closely related to the pharmacological activity, and chemical modification of methoxylation enhances the pharmacological activity. In contrast, phenolic hydroxyl and hydroxyl glycosides reduce the pharmacological activity. Therefore, the present review aims to summarize the chemical diversity, bioactivities, and constitutive relationships to provide a theoretical basis for the more profound development and utilization of sesquilignans.

Integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome provides insights into the mechanisms of lignan biosynthesis in Herpetospermum pedunculosum (Cucurbitaceae)

BACKGROUND

Herpetospermum pedunculosum (Ser.) C. B. Clarke is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that heavily relies on the lignans found in its dried ripe seeds (Herpetospermum caudigerum), which have antioxidant and hepatoprotective functions. However, little is known regarding the lignan biosynthesis in H. pedunculosum. In this study, we used metabolomic (non-targeted UHPLC-MS/MS) and transcriptome (RNA-Seq) analyses to identify key metabolites and genes (both structural and regulatory) associated with lignan production during the green mature (GM) and yellow mature (YM) stages of H. pedunculosum.

RESULTS

The contents of 26 lignan-related metabolites and the expression of 30 genes involved in the lignan pathway differed considerably between the GM and YM stages; most of them were more highly expressed in YM than in GM. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS confirmed that three Herpetospermum-specific lignans (including herpetrione, herpetotriol, and herpetin) were found in YM, but were not detected in GM. In addition, we proposed a lignan biosynthesis pathway for H. pedunculosum based on the fundamental principles of chemistry and biosynthesis. An integrated study of the transcriptome and metabolome identified several transcription factors, including HpGAF1, HpHSFB3, and HpWOX1, that were highly correlated with the metabolism of lignan compounds during seed ripening. Furthermore, functional validation assays revealed that the enzyme 4-Coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) catalyzes the synthesis of hydroxycinnamate CoA esters.

CONCLUSION

These results will deepen our understanding of seed lignan biosynthesis and establish a theoretical basis for molecular breeding of H. pedunculosum.

Total cucurbitacins from Herpetospermum pedunculosum pericarp do better than Hu-lu-su-pian (HLSP) in its safety and hepatoprotective efficacy

The pericarp of Herpetospermum pedunculosum (HPP) has traditionally been used for treating jaundice and hepatitis. However, the specific hepatoprotective components and their safety/efficacy profiles remain unclear. This study aimed to characterize the total cucurbitacins (TCs) extracted from HPP and evaluate their hepatoprotective potential. As a reference, Hu-lu-su-pian (HLSP), a known hepatoprotective drug containing cucurbitacins, was used for comparison of chemical composition, effects, and safety. Molecular networking based on UHPLC-MS/MS identified cucurbitacin B, isocucurbitacin B, and cucurbitacin E as the major components in TCs, comprising 70.3%, 26.1%, and 3.6% as determined by RP-HPLC, respectively. TCs treatment significantly reversed CCl4-induced metabolic changes associated with liver damage in a dose-dependent manner, impacting pathways including energy metabolism, oxidative stress and phenylalanine metabolism, and showed superior efficacy to HLSP. Safety evaluation also showed that TCs were safe, with higher LD50 and no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) values than HLSP. The median lethal dose (LD50) and NOAEL values of TCs were 36.21 and 15 mg/kg body weight (BW), respectively, while the LD50 of HLSP was 14 mg/kg BW. In summary, TCs extracted from HPP demonstrated promising potential as a natural hepatoprotective agent, warranting further investigation into synergistic effects of individual cucurbitacin components.

Herpetin Promotes Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Alleviate Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Herpetin, an active compound derived from the seeds of Herpetospermum caudigerum Wall., is a traditional Tibetan herbal medicine that is used for the treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stimulant effect of herpetin on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to improve acute liver injury (ALI). In vitro results showed that herpetin treatment enhanced expression of the liver-specific proteins alpha-fetoprotein, albumin, and cytokeratin 18; increased cytochrome P450 family 3 subfamily a member 4 activity; and increased the glycogen-storage capacity of BMSCs. Mice with ALI induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) were treated with a combination of BMSCs by tail-vein injection and herpetin by intraperitoneal injection. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and serum biochemical index detection showed that the liver function of ALI mice improved after administration of herpetin combined with BMSCs. Western blotting results suggested that the stromal cell-derived factor-1/C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 axis and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the liver tissue were activated after treatment with herpetin and BMSCs. Therefore, herpetin is a promising BMSC induction agent, and coadministration of herpetin and BMSCs may affect the treatment of ALI.

HPF Modulates the Differentiation of BMSCs into HLCs and Promotes the Recovery of Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) to alleviate acute liver injury (ALI). Herpetfluorenone (HPF), as an active ingredient in the dried, mature seeds Herpetospermum caudigerum Wall, used in Tibetan medicine, has been proven to effectively alleviate ALI. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether HPF can promote the differentiation of BMSCs into HLCs and promote ALI recovery. Mouse BMSCs were isolated, and the BMSCs’ differentiation into HLCs was induced by HPF and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Under the induction of HPF and HGF, the expression of hepatocellular specific markers and the accumulation of glycogen and lipids in the BMSCs increased, indicating that BMSCs successfully differentiated into HLCs. Then, the ALI mouse model was established, using carbon tetrachloride, followed by an intravenous injection of BMSCs. Then, only HPF was injected intraperitoneally, in order to verify the effect of HPF in vivo. In vivo imaging was used to detect the homing ability of HPF–BMSCs, and it was detected that HPF–BMSCs significantly increased the levels of serum AST, ALT and ALP in the liver of ALI mice, and alleviated liver cell necrosis, oxidative stress and liver pathology. In conclusion, HPF can promote the differentiation of BMSCs into HLCs and promote the recovery of ALI in mice.

Antiviral activities of Polygonum perfoliatum L. extract and related phenolic acid constituents against hepatitis B virus

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important public health problem. Polygonum perfoliatum L. is a traditional medicinal herb and has been reported to have pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral. In this study, the antiviral activities and mechanisms of Polygonum perfoliatum L. extract against HBV and the effective components were investigated. The results showed that the total extract of Polygonum perfoliatum L. reduced the levels of HBV e antigen (HBeAg) secretion and the viral covalently closed circular DNA (CCC DNA) formation, but had little or no negative effects on viral capsid assembly and pregenomic RNA packaging. Further fractionation showed that the water extract (WE) fraction exerted comparable anti-HBV activities with the total extract, especially in inhibiting the CCC DNA formation and HBeAg production, indicating that the effective antiviral components are mainly distributed in this fraction. Further study showed that the phenolic acids constituents, protocatechuic acid, and gallic acid, but not ethyl caffeate, which is reported enriched in the WE fraction, showed strong anti-HBV activities in inhibiting viral core DNA synthesis, CCC DNA formation, and HBeAg production. These results suggested that the Polygonum perfoliatum L. total extract and the related phenolic acids like protocatechuic acid and gallic acid could inhibit HBV replication and also indicated the potential utility of Polygonum perfoliatum L. and related constituents as sources of novel antivirals against HBV.

Anti-HBV Activities of Polysaccharides from Thais clavigera (Küster) by In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health problem. It is therefore imperative to develop drugs for anti-hepatitis B with high-efficiency and low toxicity. Attracted by the observations and evidence that the symptoms of some patients from the Southern Fujian, China, suffering from hepatitis B were alleviated after daily eating an edible marine mollusk, Thais clavigera (Küster 1860) (TCK). Water-soluble polysaccharide from TCK (TCKP1) was isolated and characterized. The anti-HBV activity of TCKP1 and its regulatory pathway were investigated on both HepG2.2.15 cell line and HBV transgenic mice. The data obtained from in vitro studies showed that TCKP1 significantly enhanced the production of IFN-α, and reduced the level of HBV antigens and HBV DNA in the supernatants of HepG2.2.15 cells in a dose-dependent manner with low cytotoxicity. The result of the study on the HBV transgenic mice further revealed that TCKP1 significantly decreased the level of transaminases, HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA in the serum, as well as HBsAg, HBeAg, HBV DNA, and HBV RNA in the liver of HBV transgenic (HBV-Tg) mice. Furthermore, TCKP1 exhibited equivalent inhibitory effect with the positive control tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) on the markers above except for HBV DNA even in low dosage in a mouse model. However, the TCKP1 high-dose group displayed stronger inhibition of transaminases and liver HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV RNA when compared with those of TAF. Meanwhile, inflammation of the liver was, by pathological observation, relieved in a dose-dependent manner after being treated with TCKP1. In addition, elevated levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon γ (IFN-γ), and reduced level of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the serum were observed, indicating that the anti-HBV effect of TCKP1 was achieved by potentiating immunocyte function and regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of herpetotriol in rats by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Herpetotriol, a typical lignan in Herpetospermum pedunculosum Wall's seeds that has long been used to treat icterhepatitis and indigestion and other related diseases in Tibet, is of potential hepatoprotection. This study aims to study the pharmacokinetics features of herpetotriol, including the blood drug concentration - time curve and tissue distribution. The ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was established to detect herpetotriol concentration in plasma and tissues, and the method showed good linearity from 10 to 2000 ng/mL (r ≥ 0.9972) and sensitivity (≥10 ng/mL). Our blood drug concentration - time curve indicated that herpetotriol was distributed quickly in rats with a T_max value at about 0.083 h and eliminated rapidly with a clearance rate at 98.13 ± 8.05 and 137.04 ± 9.48 L·h^-1·kg^-1 with doses of 5 and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. Although herpetotriol was detectable in all tested tissues, it has a higher concentration in liver than in heart, lung, spleen, and kidney, which is in line with its hepatoprotection. The pharmacokinetics features uncovered by the present study could provide more information for future pharmacological and toxicological study of herpetotriol.