p-Methoxycinnamic Acid Diesters Lower Dyslipidemia, Liver Oxidative Stress and Toxicity in High-Fat Diet Fed Mice and Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Molecular Docking-Based Strategy to Discover the Potential Pharmacological Mechanism of Wen-Yu-Jin against Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Mouse Model

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a devastating lung disease, resulting in gas exchange dysfunction until death. The two drugs approved by the FDA, pirfenidone and nintedanib, have obvious side effects. Wen-yu-jin (WYJ), one of the commonly used herbs in China, can treat respiratory diseases. The potential effects and the underlying mechanism of WYJ against PF are unclear.

PURPOSE

Employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the potential effects and underlying mechanisms of WYJ in the treatment of PF.

METHODS

Ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography combined with linear ion trap-orbital tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-orbital trap) was used to identify compounds of WYJ. We got PF-related targets and WYJ compounds-related targets from public databases and further completed critical targets exploration, network construction, and pathway analysis by network pharmacology. Molecular docking predicted binding activity of WYJ compounds and critical targets. Based on the above results, in vivo and in vitro experiments validated the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF.

RESULTS

23 major compositions of WYJ were identified based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap. According to the results of network pharmacology, STAT3, SRC, IL6, MAPK1, AKT1, EGFR, MAPK8, MAPK14, and IL1B are critical therapeutic targets. Molecular docking results showed that most of the compounds have good binding activities with critical targets. The results of in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that WYJ alleviated the process of fibrosis by targeting MAPK and STAT3 pathways.

CONCLUSION

Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments showed the potential effects and mechanisms of WYJ against PF, which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of WYJ with PF.

Association between Health-Related Physical Fitness and Risk of Dyslipidemia in University Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study and a ROC Curve Analysis

Background: This study aimed to assess the relationship between dyslipidemia (DL) risk and health-related physical fitness (HPF) and evaluated the prognostic value of HPF for risk of DL. Methods: A total of 776 university staff members were recruited, of which 407 were females, and 369 males. Blood samples and HPF tests were collected from all participants after 12 h fasting. Results: The prevalence of DL was 41.77% and 51.49% in female and male university staff members, respectively, and there was no significant difference between genders (χ2 = 2.687, p = 0.101). According to the logistic regression analysis, age, male sex, GLU, hypertension, BMI, BF, WHtR, and LAP were significant risk factors for DL (p < 0.05), VCI and, SAR were significant protective factors for DL (p < 0.05), and SMI, GS, and VG were not significantly associated with the risk of DL. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) analysis indicated that, LAP (AUC: 0.730, 95CI%: 0.697–0.762), WHtR (AUC: 0.626, 95CI%: 0.590–0.660), and BMI (AUC: 0.599, 95CI%: 0.563–0.634) are valid predictors of DL, and LAP and WHtR perform better than BMI (Z = 8.074, p < 0.001) in predicting DL in male and female university staff members. Conclusion: The risk of DL is significantly related to body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and flexibility. LAP and WHtR perform better than BMI in predicting risk of DL in male and female university staff members.

Cinnamic acid ameliorate gentamicin-induced liver dysfunctions and nephrotoxicity in rats through induction of antioxidant activities

This study was the first to evaluate the possible protective effects of cinnamic acid (CA) against Gentamicin (GM) induced liver and kidney dysfunctions in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 equal groups (n = 8): Control group (saline, 0.5 ml/day), CA group (CA, 50 mg/kg/day), GM group (GM, 100 mg/kg/day), and GM + CA group (100 & 50 mg/kg/day). Following 12 days of treatments, blood and 24 h urine samples were collected and kidneys were taken out for biochemical, histopathological, and molecular studies. Following CA treatment, renal function markers and transaminases activities including serum urea (59.92%) and creatinine (50.41%), protein excretion rate (43.67%), and serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (54.34%) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (47.26%) significantly reduced in the treated group as compared with the GM group (P < 0.05). Also, CA could significantly ameliorate the levels of triglyceride (29.70%), cholesterol (13.02%), very low-density lipoprotein (29.69%) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (7.28%). CA could also attenuate oxidative stress through a decrease of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) (50.86%) and nitric oxide (NO) (0.85%) and an increase of renal catalase (CAT) (196.14%) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities (45.88%) as well as GPX mRNA expression (44.42-fold) as compared with the GM group (P < 0.05). Moreover, histopathological evaluations revealed attenuated tubular damages and reduced inflammatory cellular infiltration in CA treated animals. Overall, CA alleviates GM-induced nephrotoxicity and alterations in transaminases activities in rats through its antioxidant activities.