Gastroprotective effect of cirsilineol against hydrochloric acid/ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats

Cirsilineol inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast activity and ovariectomy-induced bone loss via NF-κb/ERK/p38 signaling pathways

BACKGROUND

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a chronic metabolic bone disease caused by excessive osteoclast formation and function. Targeting osteoclast differentiation and activity can modulate bone resorption and alleviate osteoporosis. Cirsilineol, an active constituent of Vestita Wall, has shown numerous biological activities and has been used to treat many metabolic diseases. However, whether cirsilineol inhibits osteoclast activity and prevents postmenopausal osteoporosis still remain unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Primary bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) and RAW264.7 cells were used. Osteoclast activity was measured by TRAP staining, F-actin staining, and bone resorption assay after BMMs were treated with cirsilineol at concentrations of 0, 1, 2.5 and 5 µM. RT-PCR and western blotting were performed to evaluate the expression of osteoclast-related genes. In addition, female C57BL/6 mice underwent OVX surgery and were treated with cirsilineol (20 mg/kg) to demonstrate the effect of cirsilineol on osteoporosis.

RESULTS

Cirsilineol significantly inhibited receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, respectively. Additionally, cirsilineol inhibited F-actin ring formation, thus reducing the activation of bone resorption ability. Cirsilineol suppressed the expression of osteoclast-related genes and proteins via blocking nuclear factor (NF)-κb, ERK, and p38 signaling cascades. More importantly, cirsilineol treatment in mice with osteoporosis alleviated osteoclasts hyperactivation and bone mass loss caused by estrogen depletion.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the protective effect of cirsilineol on osteoporosis has been investigated for the first time. In conclusion, our findings prove the inhibitory effect of cirsilineol on osteoclast activity via NF-κb/ERK/p38 signaling pathways and strongapplication of cirsilineol can be proposed as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Unveiling the potential mechanisms of Amomi fructus against gastric ulcers via integrating network pharmacology and in vivo experiments

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, Amomi fructus (A. fructus) (Sharen) has been used therapeutically to treat gastrointestinal illnesses, including gastric ulcer (GU). The mechanism underlying this impact is still not fully known, though.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the hidden mechanism by which A. fructus influences the pathogenesis of GU, we employed network pharmacology approaches and in vivo validated studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multiple public databases were used to compile information on bioactive compounds, potential targets of A. fructus, and associated genes of GU. Then, the STRING database's protein-protein interaction (PPI) data of the drug-disease overlapping gene targets was obtained, and the core targets for A. fructus against GU were discovered. Additionally, molecular docking was done to examine the binding capabilities of the active substances and core targets. Then, the pathways of A. fructus that target GU were examined using the Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID)'s Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway studies. In a mouse model of acute stomach mucosal damage brought on by absolute ethanol, the findings of network pharmacology were finally validated.

RESULTS

In total, 610 targets derived from the 196 bioactive compounds in A. fructus, were discovered, and along with 115 A. fructus target genes for therapy of GU. Then, ten core targets associated with apoptosis and inflammation were determined based on node degree, and ALB, AKT1, TNF, EGFR, MAPK3, CASP3, MMP9, STAT3, SRC, and HRAS were identified as promising therapeutic targets of A. fructus against GU. The results of molecular docking also revealed that 65 active compounds had strong binding activity with the core targets, with volatile chemicals being the most significant active ingredients. So, for following in vivo tests, A. fructus volatile oils (AVO) were used. The KEGG analysis showed that the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway may be crucial for the therapeutic mechanism of GU. In experiments that were validated in vivo, AVO considerably decreased the ulcer area and enhanced the histological appearance of the gastric tissues. In addition, compared to the model group, up-regulated the expression of IGF-1, p-PI3K, and p-AKT and down-regulated the protein levels of TNF-α and Caspase 3 in the stomach tissues.

CONCLUSION

According to preliminary findings from this work, A. fructus may influence inflammatory response and apoptosis via regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and associated gene targets. Importantly, our research might offer a theoretical foundation for future research into the intricate anti-GU mechanism of A. fructus.

Mitigating Effect of Matricin Against Benzo(a)pyrene-induced Lung Carcinogenesis in Experimental Mice Model

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a life-threatening disease that is still prevalent worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the effects of matricin, a sesquiterpene, on the carcinogenic agent benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced lung cancer in Swiss albino mice.

METHODS

Lung cancer was induced by oral administration of B(a)P at 50 mg/kg b. wt. in model Swiss-albino mice (group II) as well in experimental group III, and treated with matricin (100 mg/kg b. wt.) in group III. Upon completion of treatment for 18 weeks, the changes in body weight, tumor formation, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels (GSH, SOD, GPx, GR, QR, CAT), lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β), immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgM), apoptosis markers (Bax, Bcl-xL), tumor markers (carcinoembryogenic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE)), and histopathological (H&E) alterations were determined.

RESULTS

The results indicate that B(a)P caused a significant increase of tumor formation in the lungs, increased tumor markers and inflammatory cytokines in serum, and depletion of enzymatic/ non-enzymatic antioxidants and immunoglobulins, compared to the untreated control group. Matricin treatment significantly reversed the changes caused by B(a)P as evidenced by the biochemical and histopathological assays.

CONCLUSION

The changes caused by matricin clearly indicate the cancer-preventive effects of matricin against B(a)P-induced lung cancer in animal models, which can be attributed to the antioxidant activity, immunomodulation, and mitigation of the NF-kβ pathway.

Effect of High Doses of Salep Aqueous Extract on Serum Levels of Urea Nitrogen, Creatinine, Uric Acid, and Kidney Histopathological Changes in Adult Male Wistar Rats

Kidneys are critical in the clearance and maintenance of active metabolites. One of the medical properties of Salep is treating bladder and kidney inflammation. Due to the widespread use of Salep in traditional medicine and the food industry, and since the effects of Salep on kidney function have not been studied, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of Salep on kidney function. In this experimental study, 48 male rats were divided randomly into six groups as control, sham, and four experimental groups receiving different doses of Salep intraperitoneally (80, 160, 320, and 640 mg/kg). On day 29, after weighing the animals, blood samples were taken from the heart, and serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, and creatinine were analyzed and compared in different groups. All the animal's kidneys were exposed after dissection, and tissue sections were prepared for histopathological evaluation. From day 28 to 29, rats were kept in metabolic cages to collect urine samples and measure water intake and urine volume. The serum concentration of BUN and uric acid in the groups receiving Salep at all doses decreased non-significantly compared to the control group. Furthermore, a significant reduction was seen in creatinine serum levels in groups receiving 320 and 640 mg/kg of Salep extract (P<0.05). No evidence of damage to renal tissue was observed in this study. In conclusion, Salep could decrease serum BUN, uric acid, and creatinine levels due to its antioxidant properties and had no devastating effect on kidneys.

Gastroprotective activity of (E)-ethyl-12-cyclohexyl-4,5-dihydroxydodec-2-enoate, a compound isolated from Heliotropium indicum: role of nitric oxide, prostaglandins, and sulfhydryls in its mechanism of action

CONTEXT

The gastroprotective effect of Heliotropium indicum L. (Boraginaceae), a plant traditionally used in Mexico to treat gastric ulcers, has been previously reported. However, no active compound was identified.

OBJECTIVE

The current contribution aimed to isolate, through a bioassay-guided study, at least one compound from H. indicum with considerable gastroprotective activity, examine its effect on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in mice, and explore possible mechanisms of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol) were obtained from H. indicum leaves. Their 30 and 100 mg/kg doses were assessed on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in male CD1 mice. Since the dichloromethane extract was the most active, successive chromatographies were carried out leading to the identification of the most active compound. This compound (at 3-100 mg/kg) was compared to carbenoxolone (at 10-100 mg/kg) in biological evaluations in mice. Pre-treatments with indomethacin (10 mg/kg, s.c.), L-NAME (70 mg/kg, i.p.), and NEM (10 mg/kg, s.c.) were performed independently to determine the participation of prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and/or sulfhydryl groups, respectively, in the mechanism of action of the compound.

RESULTS

(E)-Ethyl-12-cyclohexyl-4,5-dihydroxydodec-2-enoate, a compound isolated from H. indicum, afforded dose-dependent gastroprotective activity. The maximum effect was observed at 100 mg/kg (90.13 ± 3.08%), with an ED₅₀ of 5.92 ± 2.48 mg/kg. Gastroprotection was not modified by pre-treatment with indomethacin, L-NAME, or NEM.

CONCLUSIONS

(E)-Ethyl-12-cyclohexyl-4,5-dihydroxydodec-2-enoate, isolated from H. indicum, was found to produce a substantial gastroprotective effect. Prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and non-protein sulfhydryl groups are not involved in its mechanism of action.

Cirsilineol Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Prostate Cancer Cells by Inducing Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Mediated Apoptosis

Cirsilineol has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects against several human cancer cell lines. The present study was designed to evaluate the anticancer effects of cirsilineol against the human DU-145 prostate cancer cells. The results showed that cirsilineol suppressed the proliferation of DU-145 cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner with minimal cytotoxic effects against the normal cells. The IC₅₀ of cirsilineol was found to be 7 μM and 110 μM against prostate cancer DU-145 and normal HPrEC prostate cells, respectively. Acridine orange and ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining showed that cirsilineol induced apoptosis in DU-145 prostate cancer cells. The Annexin V/PI staining further confirmed the induction of apoptosis in DU-145 cells. The western blot analysis showed that cirsilineol suppressed the expression of Bax and upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 in prostate cancer DU-145 cells. Moreover, cirsilineol caused a dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in prostate cancer. Wound healing and Transwell assays showed that cirsilineol inhibits migration and invasion of DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Summing up, the results suggest that cirsilineol suppresses the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and may prove to be a beneficial lead molecule for the development of chemotherapy for prostate cancer.

ADME-Tox Prediction and Molecular Docking Studies of Two Lead Flavonoids From the Roots of Tephrosia Egregia Sandw and the Gastroprotective Effects of Its Root Extract in Mice

Background: This study aimed to predict the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of lead flavonoids from the roots of T. egregia [praecansone A (1) and pongachalcone (2)], and to assess the gastroprotective effects and possible underlying mechanisms of the root extract in mice.Methods: Quantitative and qualitative data for in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) analyses of the two flavonoids were acquired from the SwissADME database. Toxicity assessment was performed with the ProTox-II server. To evaluate the putative interactions of both flavonoids with opioid receptors and NO protein, we acquired structures of the targets (&#x03BC;, &#x03BA;, and &#x03B4;-opioid receptors, and iNOS) in Homo sapiens from <a href="https://www.rcsb.org/">https://www.rcsb.org/</a>. For docking studies, AutoDock 4.2 was used for ligand and target arrangement, and AutoDock Vina was used for calculations. For in vivo assays, mice were pretreated (per os) with T. egregia (2, 20, or 200 mg/kg). After 60 min, 99.9% ethanol (0.2 mL) was injected (per os). At 30 min after ethanol injection, the mice were euthanized, and the gastric damage, gastric levels of hemoglobin, glutathione content, and activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase were evaluated. To elucidate T. egregia mechanisms, we used misoprostol, a prostaglandin analog; indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis; L-arginine, an NO precursor; L-NAME, an antagonist of NO synthase; naloxone, an opioid antagonist; and morphine, an opioid agonist.Results: In silico results showed that flavonoids (1) and (2) had favorable ADME properties and toxicity profiles, and exhibited satisfactory binding energies data (below &#x2212;6.0 kcal/mol) when docked into their targets (&#x03BC;, &#x03BA;, and &#x03B4;-opioid receptors, and iNOS). T. egregia decreased the ethanol-induced gastric damage and hemoglobin levels, and increased the glutathione content, and activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Naloxone and L-NAME, but not indomethacin, prevented T. egregia&#x2019;s effects, thus suggesting that opioid receptors and NO are involved in T. egregia&#x2019;s efficacy.Conclusions: Flavonoids (1) and (2) exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic properties, showing high lethal dose, 50% (LD50; 3,800 and 2,500 mg/kg, respectively) values. Neither flavonoid was found to be hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, or cytotoxic to human cells. In vivo assays indicated that T. egregia ameliorated oxidative stress levels, and its mechanism is at least partially based on opioid receptors and NO. T. egregia may therefore be considered as a new gastroprotective strategy.