Anti-Inflammatory Compounds from Atractylodes macrocephala

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Focus on Selenium and Antioxidant Phytochemicals

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is not only the most frequent autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), but it also has a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and it has been variably associated with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Even though its pathogenesis is still incompletely understood, oxidative stress is believed to play an important role. Hypothyroidism related to later stages of HT can be treated with levothyroxine substitution therapy; various approaches such as selenium supplementation and iodine-restricted diets have been proposed as disease-modifying treatments for earlier stages, and even thyroidectomy has been suggested for refractory cases of painful HT. Nevertheless, many patients still report suboptimal HRQoL, highlighting an unmet medical need in this area. The concepts and approaches of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating HT are not broadly known in the West. Here, we provide an overview of TCM for HT, including combinations of TCM with selenium. We encompass evidence from clinical trials and other studies related to complex TCM prescriptions, single herbs used in TCM, and phytochemicals; wherever possible, we delineate the probable underlying molecular mechanisms. The findings show that the main active components of TCM for HT have commonly known or presumed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which may account for their potential utility in HT. Further exploring the practices of TCM for HT and combining them with evidence- and mechanism-based approaches according to Western standards may help to identify new strategies to alter the clinical course of the disease and/or to treat patients' symptoms better and improve their HRQoL.

Potential therapeutic target for polysaccharide inhibition of colon cancer progression

In recent years, colon cancer has become one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, posing a great threat to human health. Studies have shown that natural polysaccharides have rich biological activities and medicinal value, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidation, and immune-enhancing effects, especially with potential anti-colon cancer mechanisms. Natural polysaccharides can not only protect and enhance the homeostasis of the intestinal environment but also exert a direct inhibition effect on cancer cells, making it a promising strategy for treating colon cancer. Preliminary clinical experiments have demonstrated that oral administration of low and high doses of citrus pectin polysaccharides can reduce tumor volume in mice by 38% (p < 0.02) and 70% (p < 0.001), respectively. These results are encouraging. However, there are relatively few clinical studies on the effectiveness of polysaccharide therapy for colon cancer, and ensuring the effective bioavailability of polysaccharides in the body remains a challenge. In this article, we elucidate the impact of the physicochemical factors of polysaccharides on their anticancer effects and then reveal the anti-tumor effects and mechanisms of natural polysaccharides on colon cancer. Finally, we emphasize the challenges of using polysaccharides in the treatment of colon cancer and discuss future applications.

Atractylenolide II ameliorates myocardial fibrosis and oxidative stress in spontaneous hypertension rats

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a well-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular, which is also a critical factor in causing myocardial fibrosis (MF).

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to explore the effect of Atractylenolide II (ATL-II) on MF and oxidative stress in spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR).

METHODS

The body weight of rats after injection of ATL-II was quantitatively analyzed. The left ventricular function of SHR was evaluated by Echocardiographic. HE staining, Masson trichrome staining, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and immunofluorescence was applied to investigate the effects of ATL-II on MF. RT qPCR was used to detect the Collagen I, α-SMA, Fibronectin, and Vimentin mRNA expression levels in myocardial slices. The effect ATL-II on cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining and western blot. An immunohistochemistry assay was conducted to detect α-SMA protein and TGF-β1 protein. The contents of H2O2, GSH-PX, SOD, and MDA were measured by colorimetry.

RESULTS

ATL-II could dose-dependently improve the BW of SHRs (P< 0.05) and enhance myocardial function. Moreover, ATL-II effectively reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in SHRs. Alternatively, ATL-II could inhibit the Collagen I, α-SMA, Fibronectin, and Vimentin mRNA and protein expression levels in SHRs. ATL-II could ameliorate oxidative stress by improving the activities of SOD and GSH-PX and lowering the contents of H2O2 and MDA in ATL-II-treated SHRs, which reach about 80%.

CONCLUSION

ATL-II could exert an inhibiting effect on MF and oxidative stress in SHRs. Hence, ATL-II may hold promise for the treatment of MF and oxidative stress in Spontaneous Hypertension.

Unlocking Prognostic Genes and Multi-Targeted Therapeutic Bioactives from Herbal Medicines to Combat Cancer-Associated Cachexia: A Transcriptomics and Network Pharmacology Approach

Cachexia is a devastating fat tissue and muscle wasting syndrome associated with every major chronic illness, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, AIDS, and heart failure. Despite two decades of intense research, cachexia remains under-recognized by oncologists. While numerous drug candidates have been proposed for cachexia treatment, none have achieved clinical success. Only a few drugs are approved by the FDA for cachexia therapy, but a very low success rate is observed among patients. Currently, the identification of drugs from herbal medicines is a frontier research area for many diseases. In this milieu, network pharmacology, transcriptomics, cheminformatics, and molecular docking approaches were used to identify potential bioactive compounds from herbal medicines for the treatment of cancer-related cachexia. The network pharmacology approach is used to select the 32 unique genes from 238 genes involved in cachexia-related pathways, which are targeted by 34 phytocompounds identified from 12 different herbal medicines used for the treatment of muscle wasting in many countries. Gene expression profiling and functional enrichment analysis are applied to decipher the role of unique genes in cancer-associated cachexia pathways. In addition, the pharmacological properties and molecular interactions of the phytocompounds were analyzed to find the target compounds for cachexia therapy. Altogether, combined omics and network pharmacology approaches were used in the current study to untangle the complex prognostic genes involved in cachexia and phytocompounds with anti-cachectic efficacy. However, further functional and experimental validations are required to confirm the efficacy of these phytocompounds as commercial drug candidates for cancer-associated cachexia.

Isolation, structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides from Atractylodes macrocephala: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polysaccharides from Atractylodes macrocephala are important components isolated and extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine named Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. Traditionally, A. macrocephala has been used to strengthen the spleen, benefit qi, dry dampness and promote water circulation, and prevent miscarriage. As the main components, polysaccharides from A. macrocephala have a variety of related pharmacological activities, such as the ability to regulate the gastrointestinal tract, protect the liver and so on.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to compile the extraction and purification methods, structural characteristics and pharmacological activities of polysaccharides from A. macrocephala and the mechanisms of actions to explore the future application potential of polysaccharides from A. macrocephala.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Valid and comprehensive relevant information was collected from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science, Pubmed and so on.

RESULTS

More than 20 polysaccharides have been extracted from A. macrocephala, different extraction and purification methods have been described, and the composition structures and pharmacological activities of polysaccharides from A. macrocephala have been reviewed. Polysaccharides, as important components of A. macrocephala, were mainly extracted by four methods such as water decoction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, complex enzyme method and microwave-assisted extraction, and then were obtained through decolorization, deproteinization and separation and purification by various chromatographic columns. The chemical compositions and structures of polysaccharides from A. macrocephala show diversification, and three structural formulae have been confirmed at this stage. Polysaccharides from A. macrocephala have a variety of pharmacological activities, such as immunomodulation, antitumor, antioxidant, hepatoprotection, gastrointestinal mucosa protection, neuroprotection, hypoglycemia, growth promotion and so on.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a diversity in the compositional structures of polysaccharides from A. macrocephal, which have multiple biological activities and promising applications. Therefore, further understanding of the relationship between structures and functions of polysaccharides from A. macrocephaly, and potential synergistic effects with other substances is especially important for its development and utilization.

Polyacetylenes from the roots of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense

Eight previously undescribed polyacetylenes, cirussurynes A-H, were isolated from the methanolic extract of the roots of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS spectrometry data. The configuration of triols in cirussurynes A, B, and E-G was deduced by the J-value based configuration analysis together with specific rotation values. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production against LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, and exhibited IC₅₀ values ranging from 5.5 to 68.7 μM.

Effects of PAMK on lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles of thymic epithelial cells

Polysaccharides from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAMK) can promote the proliferation of thymocytes and improve the body's immunity. However, the effect of PAMK on thymic epithelial cells has not been reported. Studies have shown that miRNAs and lncRNAs are key factors in regulating cell proliferation. In this study, we found that PAMK could promote the proliferation of mouse medullary thymic epithelial cell line 1 (MTEC1) cells through CCK-8 and EdU experiments. To further explore its mechanism, we detected the effect of PAMK on the expression profiles of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in MTEC1 cells. The results showed that PAMK significantly affected the expression of 225 lncRNAs, 29 miRNAs, and 800 mRNAs. Functional analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in cell cycle, cell division, NF-kappaB signaling, apoptotic process, and MAPK signaling pathway. Finally, we used Cytoscape to visualize lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA(14 lncRNAs, 17 miRNAs, 171 mRNAs) networks based on ceRNA theory. These results suggest that lncRNAs and miRNAs may be involved in the effect of PAMK on the proliferation of MTEC1 cells, providing a new research direction for exploring the molecular mechanism of PAMK promoting the proliferation of thymic epithelial cells.

Polyacetylenes in herbal medicine: A comprehensive review of its occurrence, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacokinetics (2014-2021)

Polyacetylenes are a kind of small active compounds with carbon-carbon triple bond with vast occurrence in plants. Polyacetylenes have attracted considerable attention owing to their diverse biofunctions like tumor suppression, immunity regulation, depression resistance and neural protection. The present review intends to reconstruct data concerning the occurrence, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacokinetics of polyacetylenes from herbal medicine in a systematic and integrated way, with a view to backing up their curative potential and healthcare properties (2014-2021). The natural polyacetylene-related data were all acquired from the scientific search engines and databases that are globally recognized, such as PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, SciFinderⁿ and CNKI. A total of 183 polyacetylenes were summarized in this paper. Modern pharmacological studies indicated that polyacetylenes possess multiple biological activities including antitumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-depression, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, hepatoprotective and renoprotective activities. As important bioactive components of herbal medicine, the pharmacological curative potential of polyacetylenes has been described against carcinomas, inflammatory responses, central nervous system, endocrine disorders and microbial infection in this review. While, further in-depth studies on the aspects of polyacetylenes for toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and molecular mechanisms are still limited, thereby intensive research and assessments should be performed.

Polysaccharides from Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae: A Review on Their Extraction, Purification, Structure, and Bioactivities

Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide (RAMP), the main bioactive compound extracted from Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephala (RAM), exhibits various biological activities in in vivo and in vitro methods, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective effects, and other functions. This review systematically summarizes the recent research progress on the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, and biological activities of RAMP. We hope to provide a theoretical basis for further research on the application of RAMP in the fields of biomedicine and food.

Inhibition of the Akt/NF-κB pathway is involved in the anti-gastritis effects of an ethanolic extract of the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gastritis can lead to ulcers and the development of gastric cancer. The rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (Asteraceae), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is prescribed for the treatment of gastric disorders, hepatitis and rheumatism. Its bio-active compounds are considered to be particularly effective in this regard. However, the molecular processes of the herb's anti-inflammatory activity remain obscure. This study elucidates a mechanism upon which an ethanolic extract of this herb (Am-EE) exerts anti-inflammation effects in RAW264.7 macrophage cells (RAW cells) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and HCl Ethanol-stimulated gastritis rats.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the anti-gastritis activities of Am-EE and explore the mode of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethanol (95%) was used to prepare Am-EE. The quality of the extract was monitored by HPLC analysis. The in vivo effects of this extract were examined in an HCl Ethanol-stimulated gastritis rat model, while LPS-stimulated RAW cells were used for in vitro assays. Cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) production were observed by MTT and Griess assays. Real-time PCR was used to examine mRNA expression. The PGE₂ ELISA kit was employed to detect prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). Enzyme activities and protein contents were examined by immunoblotting. Luciferase reporter gene assays (LRA) were employed to observe nuclear transcription factor (NF)-κB activity. The SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States) application was used for statistical examination.

RESULTS

HPLC analysis indicates that Am-EE contains atractylenolide-1 (AT-1, 1.33%, w/w) and atractylenolide-2 (AT-2, 1.25%, w/w) (Additional Figure. A1). Gastric tissue damage (induced by HCl Ethanol) was significantly decreased in SD rats following intra-gastric application of 35 mg/kg Am-EE. Indistinguishable to the anti-inflammation effects of 35 mg/kg ranitidine (gastric medication). Am-EE treatment also reduced LPS-mediated nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production. The mRNA and protein synthesis of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and NO synthase (iNOS) was down-regulated following treatment in RAW cells. Am-EE decreased NF-κB (p50) nuclear protein levels and inhibited NF-κB-stimulated LRA activity in RAW cells. Lastly, Am-EE decreased the up-regulated levels of phosphorylated IκBα and Akt proteins in rat stomach lysates and in LPS challenged RAW cell samples.

CONCLUSION

Our study illustrates that Am-EE suppresses the Akt/IκBα/NF-κB pathway and exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. These novel conclusions provide a pharmacological basis for the clinical use of the A. macrocephala rhizome in the treatment and prevention of gastritis and gastric cancer.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Chinese Herbal Medicines: Links between Traditional Characters and the Skin Lipoperoxidation “Western” Model

The relationship between lipid peroxidation and inflammation has been accepted as a paradigm in the field of topical inflammation. The underlying biochemical mechanisms may be summarised as unspecific oxidative damage followed by specific oxidative processes as the physio pathological response in skin tissues. In this experimental review we hypothesise that the characteristics attributed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to herbal drugs can be linked to their biomolecular activities within the framework of the above paradigm. To this end, we review and collect experimental data from several TCM herbal drugs to create 2D-3D pharmacological and biochemical spaces that are further reduced to a bidimensional combined space. When multivariate analysis is applied to the latter, it unveils a series of links between TCM herbal characters and the skin lipoperoxidation “Western” model. With the help of these patterns and a focused review on their chemical, pharmacological and antioxidant properties we show that cleansing herbs of bitter and cold nature acting through removal of toxins—including P. amurense, Coptis chinensis, S. baicalensis and F. suspensa—are highly correlated with strong inhibition of both lipid peroxidation and eicosanoids production. Sweet drugs—such as A. membranaceus, A. sinensis and P. cocos—act through a specific inhibition of the eicosanoids production. The therapeutic value of the remaining drugs—with low antioxidant or anti-inflammatory activity—seems to be based on their actions on the Qi with the exception of furanocoumarin containing herbs—A. dahurica and A. pubescens—which “expel wind”. A further observation from our results is that the drugs present in the highly active “Cleansing herbs” cluster are commonly used and may be interchangeable. Our work may pave the way to a translation between two medical systems with radically different philosophies and help the prioritisation of active ingredients with specific biomolecular activities of interest for the treatment of skin conditions.

Geographical origin traceability of traditional Chinese medicine Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. by using multi-way fluorescence fingerprint and chemometric methods

Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (AM) is an important plant of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and its status can be comparable with ginseng in China. The efficacy and quality of AM are closely related to the place of origin. Hence, we proposed a simple and fast strategy to classify AM from different geographical origins by using multi-way fluorescence fingerprint combined with chemometric methods. AM samples with different dilution levels have different fluorescence characteristics, resulting from different content of fluorescence components and chemical microenvironment. Therefore, AM samples were diluted 5-fold, 10-fold, and 20-fold with 40% ethanol aqueous solution to obtain excitation-emission matrix data, and multi-way (three-way and four-way) data arrays were constructed. And then, the fluorescence fingerprints of AM samples were characterized by three-way and four-way parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). In addition, four pattern recognition methods were used to classify AM from different provinces. The results show that the four-way data array can provide more abundant information than three-way data arrays, so it is more conducive to sample classification. According to the results obtained from the analysis of four-way data array, the correct classification rate (CCR) of the cross-validation and prediction set obtained by partial least squares-discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) were 90.5% and 100%, respectively. To sum up, the proposed method can be regarded as a powerful, feasible, convenient, reliable, and universal classification tool for the classification of AM samples from different provinces and can be used as a promising method to realize the geographical origin traceability of other TCMs.

Atractylenolide I alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury by preserving mitochondrial function and inhibiting caspase-3 activity

OBJECTIVE

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury causes various severe heart diseases, including myocardial infarction. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of atractylenolide I (ATR-I), which is an active ingredient isolated from Atractylodes macrocephala, on myocardial I/R injury.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to the five following groups (nine rats/group): control, I/R, and I/R + ATR-I preconditioning (10, 50, and 250 µg). The effects of ATR-I on rats with I/R injury were verified in cardiomyocytes with hypoxia/reoxygenation. Production of reactive oxygen species was determined. The proliferative ability of cardiomyocytes was detected using the bromodeoxyuridine assay. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured using flow cytometry. Cellular apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry and the terminal dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling assay.

RESULTS

I/R and hypoxia/reoxygenation injury increased mitochondrial dysfunction and activated caspase-3 and Bax/B cell lymphoma 2 expression in vitro and in vivo. ATR-I pretreatment dose-dependently significantly attenuated myocardial apoptosis and suppressed oxidative stress as reflected by increased mitochondrial DNA copy number and superoxide dismutase activity, and decreased reactive oxygen species and Ca²⁺ content.

CONCLUSION

ATR-I protects against I/R injury by protecting mitochondrial function and inhibiting activation of caspase-3.

Chrysoeriol ameliorates COX-2 expression through NF-κB, AP-1 and MAPK regulation via the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages

Chrysoeriol is a flavonoid that has diverse biological properties, including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, chemoprevention and immunomodulation. Despite its reported anti-inflammatory activity, the exact underlying molecular mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In the current study, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of chrysoeriol involving lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and its upstream signaling molecules was investigated in RAW 264.7 cells. The mechanism was evaluated via ELISA and western blotting assays. Chrysoeriol significantly inhibited LPS-induced prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production and COX-2 expression without cytotoxicity. Activated transcription factors that further induced the inflammation response, including nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein-1 (AP-1), were significantly attenuated by chrysoeriol treatment. Furthermore, LPS-induced phosphorylation levels of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were abolished by chrysoeriol treatment, which was confirmed by selective inhibitors. Additionally, chrysoeriol significantly inhibited the LPS-induced activation of adaptor molecules in RAW 264.7 cells, including toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation primary response 88. Therefore, the results suggested that chrysoeriol ameliorates TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-κB and AP-1 activation as well as suppressing PI3K/Akt and MAPK phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

Shenling Baizhu Powder Inhibits RV-SA11-Induced Inflammation and Rotavirus Enteritis via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Rotavirus enteritis (RVE) is a common acute intestinal infectious disease caused by rotavirus infection. It is an important cause of death in children younger than 5 years worldwide. Shenling baizhu powder (SBP), a classic traditional Chinese formulation, is one of the most popularly prescribed medicines for digestive diseases. Clinical studies have revealed the protective effects of SBP on RVE. However, the potential mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-rotavirus effect of SBP and its mechanism, focusing on the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. Our results demonstrated that, based on the inhibition of the virus-induced cytopathic effect in Caco-2 cells, the concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) and selectivity index (SI) of SBP for RV-SA11 in the serum were 5.911% and 11.63, respectively. A total of 219 active compounds with oral bioavailability ≥30% and drug-likeness ≥ 0.18 were selected from the 10 ingredients present in the formulation of SBP, which acted on 471 potential targets. A total of 226 target genes of RVE were obtained from the GeneCards database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network showed that there was a close interaction between 44 common targets of SBP and RVE. The results of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that SBP acted on RVE through various inflammatory pathways and the intestinal immune network. Subsequently, we investigated the effect of SBP on TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro. After infection with RV- SA11, the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB mRNA and protein increased significantly, which could be abolished by SBP treatment. In addition, the IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IFN-β levels increased markedly in Caco-2 cells infected with RV-SV11. Treatment with SBP partly reversed the changes of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, while further increased the level of IFN-β. In conclusion, our study revealed that SBP can significantly inhibit rotavirus replication and proliferation in vitro. The antiviral effect may be related to the regulation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, followed by the down regulation of inflammatory cytokines and up regulation of IFN-β induced by rotavirus.

Atractylenolides, essential components of Atractylodes-based traditional herbal medicines: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties

The rhizome of the plant Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz is the major constituent of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Baizhu, frequently used to treat gastro-intestinal diseases. Many traditional medicine prescriptions based on Baizhu and the similar preparation Cangzhu are used in China, Korea and Japan as Qi-booster. These preparations contain atractylenolides, a small group of sesquiterpenoids endowed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Atractylenolides I, II and III also display significant anticancer properties, reviewed here. The capacity of AT-I/II/IIII to inhibit cell proliferation and to induce cancer cell death have been analyzed, together with their effects of angiogenesis, metastasis, cell differentiation and stemness. The immune-modulatory properties of ATs are discussed. AT-I has been tested clinically for the treatment of cancer-induced cachexia with encouraging results. ATs, alone or combined with cytotoxic drugs, could be useful to treat cancers or to reduce side effects of radio and chemotherapy. Several signaling pathways have been implicated in their multi-targeted mechanisms of action, in particular those involving the central regulators TLR4, NFκB and Nrf2. A drug-induced reduction of inflammatory cytokines production (TNFα, IL-6) also characterizes these molecules which are generally weakly cytotoxic and well tolerated in vivo. Inhibition of Janus kinases (notably JAK2 and JAK3 targeted by AT-I and AT-III, respectively) has been postulated. Information about their metabolism and toxicity are limited but the long-established traditional use of the Atractylodes and the diversity of anticancer effects reported with AT-I and AT-III should encourage further studies with these molecules and structurally related natural products.

Chinese Herbal Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Text-Mining the Classical Literature for Potentially Effective Natural Products

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multijoint swelling, pain, and destruction of the synovial joints. Treatments are available but new therapies are still required. One source of new therapies is natural products, including herbs used in traditional medicines. In China and neighbouring countries, natural products have been used throughout recorded history and are still in use for RA and its symptoms. This study used text-mining of a database of classical Chinese medical books to identify candidates for future clinical and experimental investigations of therapeutics for RA.

Methods

The database Encyclopaedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhong Hua Yi Dian) includes the full texts of over 1,150 classical books. Eight traditional terms were searched. All citations were assessed for relevance to RA. Results and Conclusions. After removal of duplications, 3,174 citations were considered. After applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria, 548 citations of traditional formulas were included. These derived from 138 books written from 206 CE to 1948. These formulas included 5,018 ingredients (mean, 9 ingredients/formula) comprising 243 different natural products. When these text-mining results were compared to the 18 formulas recommended in a modern Chinese Medicine clinical practice guideline, 44% of the herbal formulas were the same. This suggests considerable continuity in the clinical application of these herbs between classical and modern Chinese medicine practice. Of the 15 herbs most frequently used as ingredients of the classical formulas, all have received research attention, and all have been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. Two of these 15 herbs have already been developed into new anti-RA therapeutics—sinomenine from Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehd. & Wils and total glucosides of peony from Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Nevertheless, there remains considerable scope for further research. This text-mining approach was effective in identifying multiple natural product candidates for future research.

Bioadhesive Polymeric Films Based on Red Onion Skins Extract for Wound Treatment: An Innovative and Eco-Friendly Formulation

The onion non-edible outside layers represent a widely available waste material deriving from its processing and consumption. As onion is a vegetable showing many beneficial properties for human health, a study aiming to evaluate the use of extract deriving from the non-edible outside layers was planned. An eco-friendly extraction method was optimized using a hydroalcoholic solution as solvent. The obtained extract was deeply characterized by in vitro methods and then formulated in autoadhesive, biocompatible and pain-free hydrogel polymeric films. The extract, very soluble in water, showed antioxidant, radical scavenging, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, suggesting a potential dermal application for wounds treatment. In vitro studies showed a sustained release of the extract from the hydrogel polymeric film suitable to reach concentrations necessary for both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. Test performed on human keratinocytes showed that the formulation is safe suggesting that the projected formulation could be a valuable tool for wound treatment.