Korean Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi flavonoid extract induces mitochondrially mediated apoptosis in human gastric cancer AGS cells

Matching traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine-based research: Advanced nutraceutical development for proactive gastric cancer prevention

Gastric cancer (GC), the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally, is complex and heterogeneous. This review explores multidisciplinary investigations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with Western medical practices, emphasizing the development of nutraceuticals for cancer prevention. Using advanced analytical chemistry and food chemistry techniques, this study investigated how TCM components may be optimized for nutraceutical development. Focusing on molecular interactions with GC pathways, particularly the NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, we examined the effects of TCM polyherbal formulas, extracts, and isolated compounds. These agents modulate apoptosis and cellular proliferation, underscoring their potential in preventive strategies. The convergence of nutraceutical and medicine food homology studies highlights a significant shift towards integrating TCM-derived compounds in a preventive health framework. This approach aims not only to enhance efficacy and reduce side effects but also to champion a preventive paradigm using personalized medicine to advance proactive health maintenance and disease prevention. The combination of TCM and western medical practices offers promising avenues for future research and practical applications in GC prevention.

Exploring native Scutellaria species provides insight into differential accumulation of flavones with medicinal properties

Scutellaria baicalensis is a well-studied medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family, prized for the unique 4′-deoxyflavones produced in its roots. In this study, three native species to the Americas, S. lateriflora, S. arenicola, and S. integrifolia were identified by DNA barcoding, and phylogenetic relationships were established with other economically important Lamiaceae members. Furthermore, flavone profiles of native species were explored. 4′-deoxyflavones including baicalein, baicalin, wogonin, wogonoside, chrysin and 4′-hydroxyflavones, scutellarein, scutellarin, and apigenin, were quantified from leaves, stems, and roots. Qualitative, and quantitative differences were identified in their flavone profiles along with characteristic tissue-specific accumulation. 4′-deoxyflavones accumulated in relatively high concentrations in root tissues compared to aerial tissues in all species except S. lateriflora. Baicalin, the most abundant 4′-deoxyflavone detected, was localized in the roots of S. baicalensis and leaves of S. lateriflora, indicating differential accumulation patterns between the species. S. arenicola and S. integrifolia are phylogenetically closely related with similar flavone profiles and distribution patterns. Additionally, the S. arenicola leaf flavone profile was dominated by two major unknown peaks, identified using LC–MS/MS to most likely be luteolin-7-O-glucuronide and 5,7,2′-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone 7-O-glucuronide. Collectively, results presented in this study suggest an evolutionary divergence of flavonoid metabolic pathway in the Scutellaria genus of Lamiaceae.

Effects of wogonin on the growth and metastasis of colon cancer through the Hippo signaling pathway

Wogonin is an effective component of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which exhibits anti-tumor activity. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of wogonin on colon cancer (CC). Human CC cell lines, SW480 and HCT116, were cultured, and MTT assay was performed to detect cell survival. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure mRNA and protein expression, respectively. The migration and invasion abilities of the CC cells were determined by a transwell assay. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the localization of IRF3. Xenograft mice were used to investigate the effects of wogonin on CC in vivo. Wogonin inhibited the survival and metastasis of CC cells. In addition, wogonin suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, the protein expression of YAP1 and IRF3 was downregulated, and p-YAP1 was upregulated after wogonin treatment. Wogonin also suppressed IRF3 expression in the nuclei of CC cells and overexpression of YAP1 reversed the effects of wogonin in CC cells. Finally, wogonin inhibited the tumor growth in the mice and overexpression of YAP1 reversed the wogonin effects. Thus, these results showed that wogonin relieved the carcinogenic behaviors and EMT of CC cells via the IRF3-mediated Hippo signaling pathway.

Metabolite profiling reveals organ-specific flavone accumulation in Scutellaria and identifies a scutellarin isomer isoscutellarein 8-O-β-glucuronopyranoside

Scutellaria is a genus of plants containing multiple species with well-documented medicinal effects. S. baicalensis and S. barbata are among the best-studied Scutellaria species, and previous works have established flavones to be the primary source of their bioactivity. Recent genomic and biochemical studies with S. baicalensis and S. barbata have advanced our understanding of flavone biosynthesis in Scutellaria. However, as over several hundreds of Scutellaria species occur throughout the world, flavone biosynthesis in most species remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed organ-specific flavone profiles of seven Scutellaria species, including S. baicalensis, S. barbata, and two species native to the Americas (S. wrightii to Texas and S. racemosa to Central and South America). We found that the roots of almost all these species produce only 4'-deoxyflavones, while 4'-hydroxyflavones are accumulated exclusively in their aerial parts. On the other hand, S. racemosa and S. wrightii also accumulated high levels of 4'-deoxyflavones in their aerial parts, different with the flavone profiles of S. baicalensis and S. barbata. Furthermore, our metabolomics and NMR study identified the accumulation of isoscutellarein 8-O-β-glucuronopyranoside, a rare 4'-hydroxyflavone, in the stems and leaves of several Scutellaria species including S. baicalensis and S. barbata, but not in S. racemosa and S. wrightii. Distinctive organ-specific metabolite profiles among Scutellaria species indicate the selectivity and diverse physiological roles of flavones.

Iridin Induces G2/M Phase Cell Cycle Arrest and Extrinsic Apoptotic Cell Death through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in AGS Gastric Cancer Cells

Iridin is a natural flavonoid found in Belamcanda chinensis documented for its broad spectrum of biological activities like antioxidant, antitumor, and antiproliferative effects. In the present study, we have investigated the antitumor potential of iridin in AGS gastric cancer cells. Iridin treatment decreases AGS cell growth and promotes G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by attenuating the expression of Cdc25C, CDK1, and Cyclin B1 proteins. Iridin-treatment also triggered apoptotic cell death in AGS cells, which was verified by cleaved Caspase-3 (Cl- Caspase-3) and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) protein expression. Further apoptotic cell death was confirmed by increased apoptotic cell death fraction shown in allophycocyanin (APC)/Annexin V and propidium iodide staining. Iridin also increased the expression of extrinsic apoptotic pathway proteins like Fas, FasL, and cleaved Caspase-8 in AGS cells. On the contrary, iridin-treated AGS cells did not show variations in proteins related to an intrinsic apoptotic pathway such as Bax and Bcl-xL. Besides, Iridin showed inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathways by downregulation of (p-PI3K, p-AKT) proteins in AGS cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that iridin has anticancer potential by inhibiting PI3K/AKT pathway. It could be a basis for further drug design in gastric cancer treatment.

Enhanced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the mammary gland of cows with clinical ketosis

Ketosis is a common metabolic disorder in high-producing dairy cows during the peripartal period. Negative energy balance leads to increased circulating levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), consequently increasing the risk of ketosis. It is well-known that NEFA and BHB can induce lipotoxicity and oxidative stress in bovine tissues/organs including the liver and adipose tissue. Although the mammary gland is one important site for NEFA and BHB metabolism, whether an overload in their concentrations within mammary cells causes oxidative stress during ketosis remains unclear. Thus, the present study compared oxidative stress status and mitochondrial function in mammary tissues harvested by biopsy from healthy (n = 15) and clinically ketotic (n = 15) dairy cows within 2 to 3 wk postpartum. Compared with healthy cows, ketotic cows had depressed daily milk yield (median: 28.92 vs. 21.56 kg) and dry matter intake (median: 22.36 vs. 19.92 kg/d), accompanied by elevated plasma NEFA (median: 0.32 vs. 1.26 mM), BHB (median: 0.52 vs. 3.69 mM), and lower plasma glucose (median: 4.55 vs. 2.13 mM). As detected by a commercial kit, a greater level of reactive oxygen species in mammary epithelial cells of ketotic cows, and greater oxidant indices including hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde coupled with lower antioxidant indices including glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities as detected by the respective biochemical kits in the homogenate of mammary tissue of ketotic cows indicated increased oxidative stress status. Lower citrate synthase activity and ATP production as detected by the respective commercial kits coupled with lower mRNA and protein abundance of mitochondrial respiratory chain oxidative phosphorylation complexes I-V (CO I-V) in ketotic cows suggested an impairment of mitochondrial function. This was supported by lower mRNA and protein abundance of nucleus-derived mitochondrial function regulators including peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 α, mitofusin 2, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A. Lower mitochondrial membrane potential evaluated via the tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) labeling method and swollen mitochondria in mammary epithelial cells of ketotic cows suggested the existence of mitochondrial damage. Overall, the present study revealed extensive mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the mammary gland of clinically ketotic cows. As such, data suggest that reduced milk yield in cows with ketosis is partly due to enhanced oxidative stress along with mitochondrial dysregulation in the mammary gland.

Applications, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, pharmacokinetics, toxicity of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. and its probably potential therapeutic effects on COVID-19: a review

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. (SB) is a common heat-clearing medicine in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It has been used for thousands of years in China and its neighboring countries. Clinically, it is mostly used to treat diseases such as cold and cough. SB has different harvesting periods and processed products for different clinical symptoms. Botanical researches proved that SB included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (1st, 2020) was consistent with the medicinal SB described in ancient books. Modern phytochemical analysis had found that SB contains hundreds of active ingredients, of which flavonoids are its major components. These chemical components are the material basis for SB to exert pharmacological effects. Pharmacological studies had shown that SB has a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antiinflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, liver protection, etc. The active ingredients of SB were mostly distributed in liver and kidney, and couldn't be absorbed into brain via oral absorption. SB's toxicity was mostly manifested in liver fibrosis and allergic reactions, mainly caused by baicalin. The non-medicinal application prospects of SB were broad, such as antibacterial plastics, UV-resistant silk, animal feed, etc. In response to the Coronavirus Disease In 2019 (COVID-19), based on the network pharmacology research, SB's active ingredients may have potential therapeutic effects, such as baicalin and baicalein. Therefore, the exact therapeutic effects are still need to be determined in clinical trials. SB has been reviewed in the past 2 years, but the content of these articles were not comprehensive and accurate. In view of the above, we made a comprehensive overview of the research progress of SB, and expect to provide ideas for the follow-up study of SB.

The effect of supplementation with Scutellaria baicalensis on hepatic function

The dried root of the angiosperm Scutellaria baicalensis, also known as Chinese skullcap or Baikal skullcap, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, Korean traditional medicine and as a nutritional supplement; several studies have indicated that both the supplement and some of its ingredients may have clinically beneficial actions. However, the National Institutes of Health official guidance states that the use of Scutellaria "has been implicated in rare instances of clinically apparent liver injury" and that "the onset of symptoms and jaundice occurred within 6-24 weeks of starting skullcap, and the serum enzyme pattern was typically hepatocellular", with marked increases in serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin levels. Careful perusal of all such published case reports showed that in each case the patient was concurrently taking at least one other supplement which had an established association with hepatic dysfunction. The authors hypothesised that long-term supplementation with Scutellaria baicalensis does not lead to hepatic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis by assessing liver function before and after starting supplementation with Scutellaria baicalensis. Pre- and post-supplementation serum assays of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin were carried out in 17 patients (16 female) of average age 38.6 (standard error 4.4) years who had each taken 1335 mg dried root daily for an average of 444 (71) days. The mean baseline versus follow-up values for each liver function test were: alanine transaminase: 25.7 (2.6) IU/L v. 25.1 (1.7) IU/L; aspartate transaminase: 22.1 (1.1) IU/L v. 23.5 (1.3) IU/L; alkaline phosphatase: 63.7 (4.6) IU/L v. 63.3 (3.9) IU/L; and bilirubin: 6.1 (0.6) μM v. 6.0 (0.7) μM. None of these changes was statistically significant; indeed, three of the four parameters showed a non-significant decrease over time. Furthermore, none manifested clinical symptoms or signs of hepatic dysfunction during Scutellaria supplementation. These results suggest that daily intake of a relatively high level of Scutellaria baicalensis for over a year is not associated with any biochemical or clinical evidence of hepatic dysfunction. Indeed, Scutellaria baicalensis has been shown in murine experiments to have hepatoprotective actions.

Scutellarein Induces Fas-Mediated Extrinsic Apoptosis and G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest in Hep3B Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Scutellarein (SCU), a flavone found in the perennial herb Scutellaria baicalensis, is known for a wide range of biological activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treatment with SCU flavonoids on inducing apoptosis via the extrinsic pathway in Hep3B cells. SCU treatment significantly inhibited Hep3B cell proliferation and induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the expression level of the proteins Cdc25C, cdk1 and Cyclin B1. Allophycocyanin (APC)/Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double-staining showed upregulation of apoptotic cell death fraction. We further confirmed apoptosis by 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) fluorescent staining and observed DNA fragmentation with agarose gel electrophoresis. Further, immunoblotting results showed that treatment with SCU showed no changes in Bax and Bcl-xL protein levels. In addition, SCU treatment did not affect the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in Hep3B cells. On the contrary, treatment with SCU increased the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL), which activated cleaved caspase-8, caspase-3, and polymeric adenosine diphosphate ribose (PARP), whereas the expression level of death receptor 4 (DR4) decreased. We confirmed that the proteins expressed upon treatment with SCU were involved in the Fas-mediated pathway of apoptosis in Hep3B cells. Thus, our findings in the current study strongly imply that SCU can be a basic natural source for developing potent anti-cancer agents for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment.

Effects of nuclear respiratory factor‑1 on apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by cobalt chloride in H9C2 cells

Hypoxia-induced apoptosis occurs in various diseases. Cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) is a hypoxia mimic agent that is frequently used in studies investigating the mechanisms of hypoxia. Nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) is a transcription factor with an important role in the expression of mitochondrial respiratory and mitochondria-associated genes. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of NRF-1 on apoptosis, particularly with regard to damage caused by CoCl₂. In the present study, the role of NRF-1 in mediating CoCl₂-induced apoptosis was investigated using cell viability analysis, flow cytometry, fluorescence imaging, western blotting analysis, energy metabolism analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The present results revealed that the apoptosis caused by CoCl₂ could be alleviated by NRF-1. Furthermore, overexpression of NRF-1 increased the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2, hypoxia inducible factor-1α and NRF-2. Also, cell damage induced by CoCl₂ may be associated with depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, and NRF-1 suppressed this effect. Notably, the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was reduced in CoCl₂-treated cells, whereas overexpression of NRF-1 enhanced the OCR, suggesting that NRF-1 had protective effects. In summary, the present study demonstrated that NRF-1 protected against CoCl₂-induced apoptosis, potentially by strengthening mitochondrial function to resist CoCl₂-induced damage to H9C2 cells. The results of the present study provide a possible way for the investigation of myocardial diseases.

Polyphenols of Chinese skullcap roots: from chemical profiles to anticancer effects

Great efforts have been made to identify the principle bioactive constituents of Chinese herbs and to unravel the molecular mechanisms behind their anticancer effects.

Scutellaria: Debates on the anticancer property

The widespread use of plants as accessible anticancer agents leads to the identification of many natural source chemotherapeutic agents. Scutellaria one of the popular genus of flowering plants has been used for various human illnesses for thousands of years. Scutellaria has anti-metastatic, anti-proliferative, anti-invasion, anti-angiogenic and apoptosis effects in vitro as well as in vivo. Despite numerous reports on the cytotoxic-antitumor activity of the plant, there are still some issues need further consideration. Issues such as unjustified interpretations, lack of attention to the pharmacokinetics profile and weak study design may affect the final decision about the use of plants as anticancer agents and possibly needs reconsideration. In this review, we have summarized the potential health benefits of Scutellaria and its active components also the underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity and antitumor activity. Meanwhile we have discussed concerns may interfere with the precise conclusion.

Organ-Specific Metabolic Shifts of Flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis at Different Growth and Development Stages

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine mainly containing flavonoids that contribute to its bioactivities. In this study, the distributions and dynamic changes of flavonoid levels in various organs of S. baicalensis at different development stages were investigated by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and HPLC-DAD methods. The results indicated that the metabolic profiles of S. baicalensis changed with growth and development. During the initial germination stage, the seeds mainly contained flavonols. With growth, the main kinds of flavonoids in S. baicalensis changed from flavonols to flavanones and flavones. The results also revealed that the accumulation of flavonoids in S. baicalensis is organ-specific. The flavones without 4′-OH groups mainly accumulate in the root and the flavanones mainly accumulate in aerial organs. Dynamic accumulation analysis showed that the main flavonoids in the root of S. baicalensis accumulated rapidly before the full-bloom stage, then changed to a small extent. The results suggested the proper harvest time for the aerial parts was at the initial stage of reproductive growth and the flower buds should be collected before flowering. This study deepening the knowledge of S. baicalensis should provide valuable information for guiding the scientific cultivation of this plant and the development and utilization of S. baicalensis.