Effects of Schisandra chinensis fruit extract and gomisin A on the contractility of penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle: a potential mechanism through the nitric oxide - cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway

Melatonin-Primed Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Alleviated Neurogenic Erectile Dysfunction by Reversing Phenotypic Modulation

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an adverse side effect of pelvic surgery with no effective treatment. In this study, it is explored whether melatonin could improve the therapeutic effects of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), on cavernous nerve injury (CNI) ED, and the underlying mechanisms are investigated. The sEVs from melatonin-pretreated MSCs (MT-EVs) and MSCs (NC-EVs) are isolated and applied to CNI ED. Transplantation of MT-EVs remarkably increases erectile function and reduces phenotypic modulation in CNI ED rats. The therapeutic effects of MT-EVs are superior to those of NC-EVs. Sequencing implies that miR-10a-3p is enriched in MT-EVs, and directly targets the protein kinase inhibitor α (PKIA). After the suppression of miR-10a-3p, the therapeutic actions of MT-EVs are abolished, but are rescued by PKIA. Similarly, RhoA/ROCK is inhibited by MT-EVs, but this action is reversed by suppressing miR-10a-3p, accompanied by corresponding changes in PKIA. In conclusion, transplantation of MT-EVs could significantly alleviate CNI ED. MT-EVs may relieve the phenotypic modulation of the corpora cavernosum smooth muscle cells via the miR-10a-3p/PKIA/RhoA/ROCK signaling axis. These nanovesicles should be potential therapeutic vectors or bioactive materials for CNI ED.

Rubus occidentalis and Ellagic Acid Affect the Contractility of Penile Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle through the Nitric Oxide-Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate and Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate Signaling Pathway

The present study was designed to evaluate the relaxation effect of Rubus occidentalis (RO) and ellagic acid (EA) on rabbit penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (PCCSM). Rabbit PCCSM was treated with ROE or EA after preincubation with nitric oxide synthase (NOS), guanylate cyclase (GC), adenylyl cyclase (AC) or protein kinase A (PKA) blocker. Cyclic nucleotides in the perfusate were analyzed using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Subsequently, perfused PCCSMs were subjected to analysis to evaluate the expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The interaction of ROE or EA with phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 and PDE4 inhibitors, such as udenafil (UDE) and rolipram (ROL), were also evaluated. Both ROE and EA relaxed the PCCSM in a concentration-dependent manner. Coincubation of ROE or EA with NOS, GC, AC, or PKA blocker significantly decreased the ROE- and EA-induced relaxation. Pretreatment of ROE and EA significantly upregulated the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP), and eNOS levels in the perfused PCCSM. Furthermore, the treatment of ROE and EA markedly increased the UDE- and ROL-induced relaxation of the PCCSM. In conclusion, ROE and EA induced PCCSM relaxation by activating the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMp and cAMp signaling pathways and may have a synergistic action to improve erectile function.

A Study on the Fabrication of an Effective Natural Substance Based on Schisandra chinensis Extracted Fermentation

PURPOSE

In this study, a high-efficiency Schisandra chinensis extract (SCE) produced by the fermentation of effective microorganisms (EM) was used as an antioxidant material in preparing cosmetic products.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We conducted the study by extracting S. chinensis via EM fermentation to increase the efficiency. Tyrosinase inhibitory factor analysis, pH, and thermal stability were measured to verify the properties of the prepared products.

RESULTS

The efficacy and whitening effects of the prepared substances were verified using tyrosinase inhibitory factor analysis. As a result, it was found that both the SCE and SCE fermentation (SCEF) exhibited high, naturally originating, antioxidation ability. In addition, the pH and thermal stability of the substances were evaluated to optimize the cosmetic fabrication conditions. In this context, as the concentration of the added extract increased, the pH value decreased. The evaluation of safety and stability indicated that the substances contained effective chemical components having antioxidant activity, suppressing skin aging, and whitening effects in a weak acid range consistent with a pH of 6.25-2.98. Furthermore, there were no safety problems with the use of the obtained products even after they had been stored for 60 days.

CONCLUSION

The SCE substance is demonstrated as a possible material for cosmetic application.

Inhibitory Effectiveness of Gomisin A, a Dibenzocyclooctadiene Lignan Isolated from Schizandra chinensis, on the Amplitude and Gating of Voltage-Gated Na+ Current

Gomisin A (Gom A), a lignan isolated from Schisandra chinensis, has been reported produce numerous biological activities. However, its action on the ionic mechanisms remains largely unanswered. The present experiments were undertaken to investigate the possible perturbations of Gom A or other related compounds on different types of membrane ionic currents in electrically excitable cells (i.e., pituitary GH₃ and pancreatic INS-1 cells). The exposure to Gom A led to the differential inhibition of peak and end-pulse components of voltage-gated Na⁺ current (I_Na) in GH₃ cells with effective IC₅₀ of 6.2 and 0.73 μM, respectively. The steady-state inactivation curve of I_Na in the presence of Gom A was shifted towards a more hyperpolarized potential. However, neither changes in the overall current-voltage relationship nor those for the gating charge of the current were demonstrated. The application of neither morin (10 μM) nor hesperidin (10 μM) perturbed the strength of I_Na, while sesamine could suppress it. However, in the continued presence of Gom A, the addition of sesamine failed to suppress I_Na further. Gom A also effectively suppressed the strength of persistent I_Na activated by long ramp voltage command, and further application of tefluthrin effectively attenuated Gom A-mediated inhibition of the current. The presence of Gom A mildly inhibited erg-mediated K⁺ current, while a lack of change in the amplitude of hyperpolarization-activated cation current was observed in its presence. Under cell-attached current recordings, the exposure to Gom A resulted in the decreased firing of spontaneous action currents with a minimal change in AC amplitude. In pancreatic INS-1 cells, the presence of Gom A was also noticed to inhibit peak and end-pulse components of I_Na differentially with the IC₅₀ of 5.9 and 0.84 μM, respectively. Taken together, the emerging results presented herein provide the evidence that Gom A can differentially inhibit peak and sustained I_Na in endocrine cells (e.g., GH₃ and INS-1 cells).

Cumulative Effects of Constituents from the Mushroom Calvatia nipponica on the Contractility of Penile Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle

Calvatia nipponica, a puffball mushroom (Agaricaceae), is thought to be an aphrodisiac, as this mushroom is traditionally known to improve sexual function in males. As part of the systematic study to determine the bioactive secondary metabolites from C. nipponica responsible for aphrodisiac effects, chemical analysis of methanol (MeOH) extracts of the fruiting bodies of C. nipponica resulted in the isolation of two major compounds: N,N-dimethyl-anthranilic acid (1) and (7Z,10Z)-7,10-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester (2). Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for cumulative dose-dependent relaxation responses to precontracted penile corpus smooth muscle (PCCSM). Results show that compounds 1 and 2 exhibited a maximum relaxation effect of 20.33 ± 2.18% and 24.63 ± 3.60%, respectively. These findings indicate that compounds 1 and 2, major components of C. nipponica, could potentially be used to treat erectile dysfunction, functioning as natural aphrodisiacs.

The Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baillon on Cross-Talk between Oxidative Stress, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and Mitochondrial Signaling Pathway in Testes of Varicocele-Induced SD Rat

Schisandra chinensis Baillon (SC) has been utilized for its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities in a broad variety of medical applications. However; SC uses for improving fertility in males and related disorders with proper scientific validation remain obscure. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of SC on varicocele (VC)-induced testicular dysfunction and the potential molecular mechanism associated with VC-induced germ cell apoptosis. The male Sprague–Dawley rats were equally divided into four groups consisting of 10 rats in a normal control group (CTR), a control group administered SC 200 mg/kg (SC 200), a varicocele-induced control group (VC), and a varicocele-induced group administered SC 200 mg/kg (VC + SC 200). Rats were administrated 200 mg/kg SC once daily for 28 days after induction of varicocele rats and sham controls. At the end of the treatment period, body and reproductive organ weight, sperm parameters, histopathological damages, proinflammatory cytokines, apoptosis markers, biomarkers of oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) were evaluated. The effects of SC extract on human sperm motility were also analyzed. SC treatment reduces VC-induced testicular dysfunction by significantly increasing testicular weight, sperm count and sperm motility, serum testosterone level, Johnsen score, spermatogenic cell density, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase level, and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) level. Furthermore, the effects of SC on malondialdehyde (MDA) level, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) level, apoptotic index, serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, Glucose-regulated protein-78 (Grp 78), phosphorylated c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), phosphorylated inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease 1α (p-IRE1α), cleaved caspase 3, and Bax:Bcl2 in VC-induced rats were significantly decreased. Treatment with SC extracts also increased sperm motility in human sperm. Our findings suggest that the SC ameliorate testicular dysfunction in VC-induced rats via crosstalk between oxidative stress, ER stress, and mitochondrial-mediated testicular germ cell apoptosis signaling pathways. SC promotes spermatogenesis by upregulating abnormal sex hormones and decreasing proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6; TNF-α).