Costus root granules improve ulcerative colitis through regulation of TGF-β mediation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Inflammatory bowel disease: an overview of Chinese herbal medicine formula-based treatment

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disease of the intestine, including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), whose etiology and pathogenesis have not been fully understood. Due to its prolonged course and chronic recurrence, IBD imposes a heavy economic burden and psychological stress on patients. Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine has unique advantages in IBD treatment because of its symptomatic treatment. However, the advantages of the Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula (CHMF) have rarely been discussed. In recent years, many scholars have conducted fundamental studies on CHMF to delay IBD from different perspectives and found that CHMF may help maintain intestinal integrity, reduce inflammation, and decrease oxidative stress, thus playing a positive role in the treatment of IBD. Therefore, this review focuses on the mechanisms associated with CHMF in IBD treatment. CHMF has apparent advantages. In addition to the exact composition and controlled quality of modern drugs, it also has multi-component and multi-target synergistic effects. CHMF has good prospects in the treatment of IBD, but its multi-agent composition and wide range of targets exacerbate the difficulty of studying its treatment of IBD. Future research on CHMF-related mechanisms is needed to achieve better efficacy.

Natural Products Modulate Cell Apoptosis: A Promising Way for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease impacting patients’ quality of life and imposing heavy societal and economic burdens. Apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) has been considered an early event during the onset of UC and plays a crucial role in disease development. Thus, effectively inhibiting apoptosis of IECs is of critical significance for the clinical management of UC, presenting a potential direction for the research and development of pharmacotherapeutic agents. In recent years, research on the ameliorative effects of natural products on UC through inhibiting IECs apoptosis has attracted increasing attention and made remarkable achievements in ameliorating UC. In this review, we summarized the currently available research about the anti-apoptotic effects of natural products on UC and its mechanisms involving the death-receptor mediated pathway, mitochondrial-dependent pathway, ERS-mediated pathway, MAPK-mediated pathway, NF-κB mediated pathway, P13k/Akt pathway, JAK/STAT3 pathway, and NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway. Hopefully, this review may yield useful information about the anti-apoptotic effects of natural products on UC and their potential molecular mechanisms and provide helpful insights for further investigations.

The Communication Between Intestinal Microbiota and Ulcerative Colitis: An Exploration of Pathogenesis, Animal Models, and Potential Therapeutic Strategies

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The prolonged course of UC and the lack of effective treatment management make it difficult to cure, affecting the health and life safety of patients. Although UC has received more attention, the etiology and pathogenesis of UC are still unclear. Therefore, it is urgent to establish an updated and comprehensive understanding of UC and explore effective treatment strategies. Notably, sufficient evidence shows that the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC, and the treating method aimed at improving the balance of the intestinal microbiota exhibits a therapeutic potential for UC. This article reviews the relationship between the genetic, immunological and microbial risk factors with UC. At the same time, the UC animal models related to intestinal microbiota dysbiosis induced by chemical drugs were evaluated. Finally, the potential value of the therapeutic strategies for restoring intestinal microbial homeostasis and treating UC were also investigated. Comprehensively, this study may help to carry out preclinical research, treatment theory and methods, and health management strategy of UC, and provide some theoretical basis for TCM in the treatment of UC.

Study on the Effective Material Basis and Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription (QJC) Against Stress Diarrhea in Mice

Stress diarrhea is a major challenge for weaned piglets and restricts pig production efficiency and incurs massive economic losses. A traditional Chinese medicine prescription (QJC) composed of Astragalus propinquus Schischkin (HQ), Zingiber officinale Roscoe (SJ), and Plantago asiatica L. (CQC) has been developed by our laboratory and shows marked anti-stress diarrhea effect. However, the active compounds, potential targets, and mechanism of this effect remain unclear and warrant further investigation. In our study, we verified the bioactive compounds of QJC and relevant mechanisms underlying the anti-stress diarrhea effect through network pharmacology and in vivo experimental studies. After establishing a successful stress-induced diarrhea model, histomorphology of intestinal mucosa was studied, and Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) probe was used for the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway to verify the therapeutic effect of QJC on diarrhea. First, using the network pharmacology approach, we identified 35 active components and 130 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways in QJC. From among these, we speculated that quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, scutellarein, and stigmasterol were the main bioactive compounds and assumed that the anti-diarrhea effect of QJC was related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The RT-qPCR indicated that QJC and its bioactive components increased the expression levels of PI3K and Akt, inhibited the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and activated the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to relieve stress-induced diarrhea. Furthermore, we found that QJC alleviated the pathological condition of small intestine tissue and improved the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Taken together, our study showed that the traditional Chinese medicine QJC, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, scutellarein, and stigmasterol alleviated the pathological condition of small intestine tissue and relieved stress-induced diarrhea by increasing the expression levels of PI3K and Akt and inhibiting the expression levels of PTEN.

Systems pharmacology and transcriptomics reveal the mechanisms of Sanhuang decoction enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis with additional Candida albicans infection

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an important inflammatory phenotype in bowel disease (IBD), which is caused by multiple potential factors, including fungal dysbiosis. Candida albicans (C. albicans) was confirmed to be an important factor promoting the occurrence and development of UC. Sanhuang decoction (SHD) has been used for UC therapy in China for thousand of years, although its core active constituents and pharmacological mechanism remain undefined.

Methods

In this work, a murine model of UC with C. albicans colonization was established with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and C. albicans intragastric administration. The major bioactive constituents and potential mechanism of SHD against UC with fungal dysbiosis were comprehensively examined by combining systems pharmacology and in vivo transcriptomics.

Results

SHD attenuated C. albicans burden, reduced DAI, increased mucosal integrity and relived systemic inflammation in UC mice. Systems pharmacology analysis identified 9 core bioactive ingredients and 45 hub targets of SHD against UC. Transcriptomics analysis confirmed 370 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after SHD treatment, which were mainly enriched in inflammatory and immune response related signaling pathways. Toll-like receptor and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were screened out as the candidate targets involved in the action of SHD on fungal dysbiosis-associated UC, which were consistent with the findings in systems pharmacology. The expression of TLR4, IL-1β, NF-κB, PI3K and Akt proteins were stimulated by C. albicans, and partially reversed by SHD in UC mice.

Conclusion

These findings suggested SHD could be a candidate for the treatment of fungal dysbiosis-associated UC via TLR4-NF-κB and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-021-00487-2.

Wan-Nian-Qing, a Herbal Composite Prescription, Suppresses the Progression of Liver Cancer in Mice by Regulating Immune Response

The Wan-Nian-Qing prescription (WNQP), an herbal composite containing Ornithogalum caudatum, has been used in China for several years for cancer treatment. However, the mechanism of its pharmacological action against liver cancer is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the role of WNQP in inhibiting tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma model mice and determine its mechanism of action. We established HepG2- and SMMC-7721-xenografted tumor models in nude mice and BALB/c mice. The mice were administered WNQP for 2 weeks. The bodyweight of each mouse was monitored every day, and the tumor size was measured using vernier caliper before each round of WNQP administration. After the last dose, mice were sacrificed. The tumors were removed, lysed, and subjected to proteome profiling, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blotting. The liver, spleen, and kidney were collected for histopathological examination. The effects of WNQP against liver cancer were first systematically confirmed in HepG2- and SMMC-7721-xenografted nude mice and BALB/c mice models. WNQP inhibited tumor growth, but failed to affect bodyweight and organ structures (liver and spleen), confirming that it was safe to use in mice. In BALB/c mice, WNQP regulated immune function, inferred from the modulation of immune-related cytokines such as interleukins, interferon, tumor necrosis factors, and chemokines. Further results confirmed that this regulation occurred via the regulatory effects of WNQP on Nrf2 signaling. WNQP can inhibit the growth of HepG2- and SMMC-7721-xenografted tumors in nude mice and BALB/c mice. This effect manifests at least partially through immunomodulation mediated apoptosis.

Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Scutellariae radix-Coptidis rhizoma Drug Pair for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

This study aims to analyze the targets of the effective active ingredients of Scutellariae radix-Coptidis rhizoma drug pair (SCDP) in ulcerative colitis (UC) by network pharmacology and molecular docking and to explore the associated therapeutic mechanism. The effective active ingredients and targets of SCDP were determined from the TCMSP database, and the drug ingredient-target network was constructed using the Cytoscape software. The disease targets related to UC were searched in GeneCards, DisGeNET, OMIM, and DrugBank databases. Then, the drug ingredient and disease targets were intersected to construct a protein-protein interaction network through the STRING database. The Metascape database was used for the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of the predicted targets of SCDP for UC. The Autodock software was used for molecular docking between the main active ingredient and the core target to evaluate the binding ability. SCDP has 43 effective active ingredients and 134 intersection targets. Core targets included AKT1, TP53, IL-6, VEGFA, CASP3, JUN, TNF, MYC, EGFR, and PTGS2. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that biological process was mainly associated with a cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, response to an inorganic substance, response to a toxic substance, response to lipopolysaccharide, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, positive regulation of cell death, apoptotic signaling pathway, and response to wounding. KEGG enrichment analysis showed main pathway concentrations were related to pathways in cancer, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, bladder cancer, IL-17 signaling pathway, apoptosis, p53 signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The drug active ingredient-core target-key pathway network contains 41 nodes and 108 edges, of which quercetin, wogonin, baicalein, acacetin, oroxylin A, and beta-sitosterol are important active ingredients; PTGS2, CASP3, TP53, IL-6, TNF, and AKT1 are important targets; and the pathways involved in UC treatment include pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic, apoptosis, IL-17 signaling pathway and herpes simplex infection. The active ingredient has a good binding capacity to the core target. SCDP key active ingredients are mainly quercetin, wogonin, baicalein, acacetin, oroxylin A, and beta-sitosterol, which function mainly by regulating targets, such as PTGS2, CASP3, TP53, IL-6, TNF, and AKT1, and are associated with multiple signaling pathways as pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, apoptosis, IL-17 signaling pathways.

Yu Shi An Chang Fang Ameliorates TNBS-Induced Colitis in Mice by Reducing Inflammatory Response and Protecting the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that is related to the occurrence of colon cancer. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism by which Yu Shi An Chang Fang (YST) treated UC. 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to construct the UC model. The body weight, fecal viscosity, and fecal bleeding of all mice were recorded every day to calculate the DAI value. The pathological changes in colon tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) reflecting inflammation and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) reflecting oxidative stress in colon tissues were all measured by their assay kits. The mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in colon tissues was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of proteins related to pyroptosis and the colonic mucosal barrier was analyzed by Western blot. As a result, TNBS caused decreases in body weight and colon lengths, triggered serious histological damage, promoted inflammation, oxidative stress, and pyroptosis, and destroyed the colonic mucosal barrier. The above changes caused by TNBS in colitis mice could be partially reversed by YST. In conclusion, YST ameliorates TNBS-induced UC in mice by reducing the inflammatory response and protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier.

The Role of Extracellular Matrix Components in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the intestine tissues, which simultaneously involves an increased degradation of ECM components and excessive intestinal fibrosis, is a defining trait of the progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), which include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The increased activity of proteases, especially matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), leads to excessive degradation of the extracellular matrix and the release of protein and glycoprotein fragments, previously joined with the extracellular matrix, into the circulation. MMPs participate in regulating the functions of the epithelial barrier, the immunological response, and the process of wound healing or intestinal fibrosis. At a later stage of fibrosis during IBD, excessive formation and deposition of the matrix is observed. To assess changes in the extracellular matrix, quantitative measurement of the concentration in the blood of markers dependent on the activity of proteases, involved in the breakdown of extracellular matrix proteins as well as markers indicating the formation of a new ECM, has recently been proposed. This paper describes attempts to use the quantification of ECM components as markers to predict intestinal fibrosis and evaluate the healing process of the gut. The markers which reflect increased ECM degradation, together with the ones which show the process of creating a new matrix during IBD, allow the attainment of important information regarding the changes in the intestinal tissue, epithelial integrity and extracellular matrix remodeling. This paper contains evidence confirming that ECM remodeling is an integral part of directional cell signaling in the progression of IBD, and not only a basis for the ongoing processes.