Isoegomaketone Alleviates the Development of Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis in Male Balb/c Mice

Isoegomaketone alleviates inflammatory response and oxidative stress in sepsis lung injury

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by acute organ dysfunction, which frequently leads to acute lung injury (ALI) in approximately 40% of cases. Isoegomaketone (IK) is a constituent of essential oil found in P. frutescens, known for its diverse biological properties, including anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. However, the regulatory impact of IK on ALI in the context of sepsis remains poorly understood.

METHODS

Pathological alterations in lung tissues were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Enumeration of total leukocytes and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was performed using a hematocytometer, while the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-17 in BALF were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent serological assay. In addition, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) in lung tissues were assessed using respective commercial kits; cell apoptosis was evaluated using the terminal deoxynucleotide transferase--mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay, and protein expressions were determined through Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) treatment in mice induced severe lung injury, characterized by increased lung injury scores, significant bleeding, neutrophil infiltration, and alveolar edema. However, treatment with IK at a dose of 10 mg/kg ameliorated CLP-induced lung injury, while IK dose of 5 mg/kg showed no significant effect. Additionally, IK treatment at 10 mg/kg reduced CLP-induced inflammation by decreasing levels of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-17. Furthermore, IK at 10 mg/kg attenuated CLP-induced oxidative stress by modulating levels of MDA, MPO, SOD, and GSH. Moreover, IK treatment with a dose of 10 mg/kg activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2-HO-1) pathway by enhancing the protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that IK could mitigate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress associated with sepsis-induced ALI, supporting IK as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of sepsis-associated ALI.

Efficacy of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. frutescens extract on mild knee joint pain: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of PE extracts developed for the purpose of relieving pain and improving knee joint function on semi-healthy people with mild knee joint pain.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, two-arm, single-center, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Individuals with knee joint pain and a visual analogue scale (VAS) score < 50 mm were included in the study, and participants with radiological arthritis were excluded. Participants were administered either PFE or a placebo capsule (700 mg, twice a day) orally for eight weeks. The comparisons of the changed VAS score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) scores between the PFE and placebo groups were primary outcomes, while the five inflammation-related laboratory tests including cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, cyclooxygenase-2, neutrophil and lymphocyte ratio, high sensitive C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were secondary outcomes. Also, a safety assessment was done.

Results: Eighty participants (mean age, 38.4 ± 14.0, male: female, 28:52) were enrolled; 75 completed the trial (PFE 36 and placebo 39). After eight weeks, both VAS and WOMAC scores were reduced in the PFE and placebo groups. The changed scores were significantly higher in the PFE group compared to the placebo group: 19.6 ± 10.9 vs. 6.8 ± 10.5; VAS scores (p < 0.001), and 20.5 ± 14.7 vs. 9.3 ± 16.5; total WOMAC scores (p < 0.01) including the sub-scores for pain, stiffness, and functions. No significant changes were reported in the five inflammation-related laboratory parameters. All adverse events were considered minor and unlikely to result from the intervention.

Conclusion: Eight weeks of PFE intake was more effective than placebo in reducing knee joint pain and improving knee joint function in sub-healthy people with mild knee joint pain, and there were no major safety concerns.

Clinical Trial Registration:https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search_lang=E&focus=reset_12&search_page=M&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=23101&status=5&seq_group=19745, identifier CRIS: KCT0007219

Defining the Potential Targets for Biological Activity of Isoegomaketone Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Methods

Isoegomaketone is a water-soluble natural ketone compound that is commonly present in Rabdosia angustifolia and Perilla frutescens. At present, it is known that isoegomaketone has a wide range of pharmacological activity, but there has been no thorough investigation of its potential targets. As a result, we examined the potential targets of isoegomaketone using the network pharmacology approach. In our study, the TCM Database@Taiwan was utilized to search for the chemical formula. The pharmacological characteristics of isoegomaketone were then evaluated in silico using the Swiss Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (Swiss ADME) and Deep Learning-Acute Oral Toxicity (DL-AOT) methods, and the potential isoegomaketone target genes were identified using a literature study. Additionally, using the clusterProfiler R package 3.8.1, the Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of target genes were performed. In order to obtain the protein interaction network, we simultaneously submitted the targets to the STRING database. After this, we performed molecular docking with respect to targets and isoegomaketone. Finally, we created visual networks of protein-protein interactions (PPI) and examined these networks. Our results showed that isoegomaketone had good drug-likeness, bioavailability, medicinal chemistry friendliness, and acceptable toxicity. Subsequently, through the literature analysis, 48 target genes were selected. The bioinformatics analysis and network analysis found that these target genes were closely related to the biological processes of isoegomaketone, such as atherosclerotic formation, inflammation, tumor formation, cytotoxicity, bacterial infection, virus infection, and parasite infection. These findings show that isoegomaketone may interact with a wide range of proteins and biochemical processes to form a systematic pharmacological network, which has good value for the creation and use of drugs.

Epimedii Herba: An ancient Chinese herbal medicine in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory and systemic autoimmune disease resulting in severe joint destruction, lifelong suffering and considerable disability. Diverse prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) containing Epimedii Herba (EH) achieve greatly curative effects against RA. The present review aims to systemically summarize the therapeutic effect, pharmacological mechanism, bioavailability and safety assessment of EH to provide a novel insight for subsequent studies. The search terms included were "Epimedii Herba", "yinyanghuo", "arthritis, rheumatoid" and "Rheumatoid Arthritis", and relevant literatures were collected on the database such as Google Scholar, Pubmed, Web of Science and CNKI. In this review, 15 compounds from EH for the treatment of RA were summarized from the aspects of anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, cartilage and bone protective, antiangiogenic and antioxidant activities. Although EH has been frequently used to treat RA in clinical practice, studies on mechanisms of these activities are still scarce. Various compounds of EH have the multifunctional traits in the treatment of RA, so EH may be a great complementary medicine option and it is necessary to pay more attention to further research and development.

Isoegomaketone from Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt Stimulates MAPK/ERK Pathway in Human Keratinocyte to Promote Skin Wound Healing

Skin wound healing is essential for recovery from injury, and delayed or impaired wound healing is a severe therapeutic challenge. Keratinocytes, a major component of the epidermis, play crucial roles in reepithelialization during wound healing including cell proliferation. Recent studies have shown that compounds from natural products have candidates for healing skin injury. Isoegomaketone (IK), isolated from leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa (Lamiaceae), has various bioactivities. However, the effect of IK on cutaneous wound healing processes has not been studied yet. In this study, we demonstrated that IK exhibits therapeutic wound healing effects using the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Notably, IK promoted cell proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, and treatment with 10 μM IK upregulated these processes by approximately 1.5-fold after 24 h compared with the control. IK induced the activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway and cell cycle progression to the S and G2/M phases. Thus, this study demonstrates IK as a potential candidate to upregulate wound healing that may provide therapeutic benefits to patients with delayed wound healing.

9‑Hydroxy‑isoegomaketone inhibits LPS‑induced NO and inflammatory cytokine production in RAW264.7 cells

Isoegomaketone (IK) is a known component of Perilla frutescens that reportedly exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-allergic properties. A novel compound known as 9-HIK has been isolated from the extract of a radiation mutant P. frutescens var. crispa using supercritical carbon dioxide. In the present study, 9-HIK induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA expression in RAW264.7 cells, with maximal levels observed 4 h after 9-HIK treatment. In addition, 9-HIK inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-6 and interferon-β, as well as the production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a reactive oxygen species scavenger, inhibited NO production and HO-1 mRNA expression levels through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway. Overall, 9-HIK displayed anti-inflammatory properties in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells via direct suppression of inflammatory mediators and HO-1 induction.

Anti-Arthritic Activities of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extract Derived from Radiation Mutant Perilla Frutescens Var. Crispa in Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis

We investigated the anti-arthritic effects of the radiation mutant Perilla frutescens var. crispa leaf extract (SFE-M) and wild type leaf extract (SFE-W), both prepared by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction, on collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) in Balb/c mice. Animals were randomly divided into four groups: control, CAIA, CAIA + SFE-M (100 mg/kg/day), and CAIA + SFE-W (100 mg/kg/day). The mice were subjected to the respective treatments via oral gavage once daily for 4 days. Mice treated with SFE-M developed less severe arthritis than the CAIA mice. They showed significantly improved arthritic score, paw volume, and paw thickness compared to the CAIA mice from days 3 through 7. Furthermore, histopathological analysis of ankle for inflammation showed that SFE-M treatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and edema formation. Similarly, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the whole blood was 37% lower in mice treated with SFE-M compared with the CAIA mice. However, treatment with SFE-W did not result in any significant difference compared with the CAIA group. In conclusion, SFE-M treatment delays the onset of arthritis and alleviates its clinical manifestations in CAIA mice.

GDF11 antagonizes TNF-α-induced inflammation and protects against the development of inflammatory arthritis in mice

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), a key member of the TGF-β superfamily, plays critical roles in various medical conditions. Recently, GDF11 was found to suppress the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway and protect against inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role of GDF11 in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We demonstrated that GDF11 treatment antagonized TNF-α-induced inflammation in macrophages. Moreover, GDF11 inhibited the development of arthritis in the collagen-induced arthritis and collagen antibody-induced arthritis models. Local gene transfer of GDF11 via adeno-associated virus exerted therapeutic effects, while local knockdown of GDF11 exaggerated inflammation in our collagen-induced arthritis model, as detected by expression levels of inflammatory biomarkers and the destruction of joint structures. Additionally, the results from both in vitro experiments and luciferase reporter gene mouse experiments implied that the NF-κB pathway might play a critical role in the therapeutic effect of GDF11 in RA. This study presents GDF11 as a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis, including RA.-Li, W., Wang, W., Liu, L., Qu, R., Chen, X., Qiu, C., Li, J., Hayball, J., Liu, L., Chen, J., Wang, X., Pan, X., Zhao, Y. GDF11 antagonizes TNF-α-induced inflammation and protects against the development of inflammatory arthritis in mice.

Preparative Separation of Three Monoterpenes from Perilla frutescens var. crispa Using Centrifugal Partition Chromatography

Three monoterpenes, namely, 9-hydroxy isoegomaketone (1), isoegomaketone (2), and perilla ketone (3), were successfully separated from the supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) extract of the leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa (cv. Antisperill; Lamiaceae) by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC). To obtain large quantities of these materials required for studies on their mechanism of action and in vivo effectiveness in inflammation, we used CPC because of its high loading capacity and reproducibility to purify the three compounds. Compound 1 (2.60 mg, 96.7% purity at 254 nm) was purified from 500 mg of the SC-CO₂ extract of P. frutescens var. crispa (cv. Antisperill), using a two-phase solvent system comprising n-hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol/water (5:5:5:5 v/v) in a descending mode. As compounds 2 (56.1 mg, 97.6% purity at 254 nm) and 3 (78.6 mg, 96.1% purity at 254 nm) are highly volatile and difficult to recover from an aqueous mobile phase after purification during the drying process, they were obtained from the same amount of the processed extract in an ascending mode using the upper organic phase as the mobile phase (n-hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol/water, 8:2:8:2 v/v). The structures of compounds 1–3 were confirmed by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR analysis. Thus, based on our findings, we recommend centrifugal partition chromatography as a powerful technique for purifying the active principal compounds 1 and 2 from the leaves of P. frutescens var. crispa.