Plumbagin protects against hydrogen peroxide-induced neurotoxicity by modulating NF-κB and Nrf-2

Oral administration of plumbagin is beneficial in in vivo models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy through control of redox signaling

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle-wasting disease. Recently approved molecular/gene treatments do not solve the downstream inflammation-linked pathophysiological issues such that supportive therapies are required to improve therapeutic efficacy and patients' quality of life. Over the years, a plethora of bioactive natural compounds have been used for human healthcare. Among them, plumbagin, a plant-derived analog of vitamin K3, has shown interesting potential to counteract chronic inflammation with potential therapeutic significance. In this work we evaluated the effects of plumbagin on DMD by delivering it as an oral supplement within food to dystrophic mutant of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and mdx mice. In both DMD models, plumbagin show no relevant adverse effect. In terms of efficacy plumbagin improved the climbing ability of the dystrophic flies and their muscle morphology also reducing oxidative stress in muscles. In mdx mice, plumbagin enhanced the running performance on the treadmill and the muscle strength along with muscle morphology. The molecular mechanism underpinning these actions was found to be the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway, the re-establishment of redox homeostasis and the reduction of inflammation thus generating a more favorable environment for skeletal muscles regeneration after damage. Our data provide evidence that food supplementation with plumbagin modulates the main, evolutionary conserved, mechanistic pathophysiological hallmarks of dystrophy, thus improving muscle function in vivo; the use of plumbagin as a therapeutic in humans should thus be explored further.

Pharmacological Features and Therapeutic Implications of Plumbagin in Cancer and Metabolic Disorders: A Narrative Review

Plumbagin (PLB) is a naphthoquinone extracted from Plumbago indica. In recent times, there has been a growing body of evidence suggesting the potential importance of naphthoquinones, both natural and artificial, in the pharmacological world. Numerous studies have indicated that PLB plays a vital role in combating cancers and other disorders. There is substantial evidence indicating that PLB may have a significant role in the treatment of breast cancer, brain tumours, lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and other conditions. Moreover, its potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties offer promising avenues for the treatment of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. A number of studies have identified various pathways that may be responsible for the therapeutic efficacy of PLB. These include cell cycle regulation, apoptotic pathways, ROS induction pathways, inflammatory pathways, and signal transduction pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, STAT3/PLK1/AKT, and others. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the diverse pharmacological roles of PLB, examining the mechanisms through which it operates and exploring its potential applications in various medical conditions. In addition, we have conducted a review of the various formulations that have been reported in the literature with the objective of enhancing the efficacy of the compound. However, the majority of the reviewed data are based on in vitro and in vivo studies. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the safety and efficacy of PLB in humans and to ascertain its potential integration into therapeutic regimens for cancer and chronic diseases, rigorous clinical trials are essential. Finally, by synthesizing current research and identifying gaps in knowledge, this review seeks to enhance our understanding of PLB and its therapeutic prospects, paving the way for future studies and clinical applications.

Plumbagin, a Natural Compound with Several Biological Effects and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Phytochemicals from various medicinal plants are well known for their antioxidant properties and anti-cancer effects. Many of these bioactive compounds or natural products have demonstrated effects against inflammation, while some showed a role that is only approximately described as anti-inflammatory. In particular, naphthoquinones are naturally-occurring compounds with different pharmacological activities and allow easy scaffold modification for drug design approaches. Among this class of compounds, Plumbagin, a plant-derived product, has shown interesting counteracting effects in many inflammation models. However, scientific knowledge about the beneficial effect of Plumbagin should be comprehensively reported before candidating this natural molecule into a future drug against specific human diseases. In this review, the most relevant mechanisms in which Plumbagin plays a role in the process of inflammation were summarized. Other relevant bioactive effects were reviewed to provide a complete and compact scenario of Plumbagin's potential therapeutic significance.

Plumbagin ameliorates bile duct ligation-induced cholestatic liver injury in rats

Plumbagin, a natural bicyclic naphthoquinone, has diverse pharmacological properties and biological benefits against a number of disorders, including liver disease. Though plumbagin's hepatoprotective potential attracts attention, currently no experimental evidence exists on its effectiveness against cholestatic liver injury. The present study investigated its hepatoprotection in the rat model of extrahepatic cholestasis using Bile Duct Ligation (BDL). We found that daily plumbagin supplementation protected the liver from cholestatic damage. Hepatoprotective actions of plumbagin were accompanied by reduction of Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad, High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1)/Toll-Like Receptor-4 (TLR4), Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α), Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), caveolin-1, NF-κB/AP-1, Dynamin Related Protein-1 (Drp1), malondialdehyde level, Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), p62/SQSTM1, and caspase 3 as well as increase of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), bile acid efflux transporters, glutathione, LC3-II, Beclin1, and nuclear NF-E2-Related Factor-2 (Nrf2) and Transcription Factor EB (TFEB). The activation of nuclear Nrf2 caused by plumbagin correlated well with the improvement in bile acid retention, liver histology, serum biochemical, ductular reaction, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, impaired autophagy, and fibrosis, involving interplay of multiple intracellular signaling pathways. Plumbagin is likely a candidate drug to protect the liver from cholestatic damages. Despite the promising findings from this study, translational implication of plumbagin on cholestatic liver injury warrants further investigation.

Plumbagin relieves rheumatoid arthritis through nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway

This study aimed to explore the effects of plumbagin on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its mechanism. The RA cell model was simulated following the treatment of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). After the treatment of various concentrations of plumbagin, the impact of plumbagin on the cell viability was examined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model was established using the solution of bovine type II collagen. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the changes of ankle joint tissue, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot were applied to detect the level of inflammatory cytokines. Plumbagin inhibited the viability of human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLS) at the concentration of 1 ~ 3.5 μM. The inhibitory effect of 1 μM plumbagin on cell proliferation was similar to that of methotrexate, the drug used as the positive control. Plumbagin downregulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in IL-1β-treated HFLS, and suppressed the activation of IκB and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) as well as the entry of p65 into the nucleus. It was also demonstrated in animal experiments that plumbagin inhibited the activation of NF-κB pathway, down-regulated the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and MMPs, and alleviated joint damage in CIA-modeled mice. Collectively speaking, plumbagin might down-regulate the levels of inflammatory cytokines and MMPs through inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB pathway, thereby attenuating RA-induced damage to cells and joints.

Abbreviations: CIA: Collagen-induced arthritis; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay; HFLS: Human fibroblast-like synoviocytes; IL-6: Interleukin-6; IL-1β: Interleukin-1β; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa-B; MTT: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; MMPs: Matrix metalloproteinase; OD: Optical density; RA: Rheumatoid arthritis; SDS: Sodium dodecyl sulfate; SD: Standard deviation; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; PVDF: Polyvinylidene fluoride.

Structural Insights and Pharmaceutical Relevance of Plumbagin in Parasitic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

Recently, natural products have been became the center of attraction for the scientific society and exploration of their biologically abilities is proceeding continuously. In search for novel antiparasitic agents with an objective of protecting humans from parasitic infections, the present work was focused on naphthoquinones possessing antiparasitic activity. Among naphthoquinones, plumbagin is one of the secondary metabolites exhibiting diverse biological properties such as antibacterial, antimalarial, antiinflammatory, insecticidal and antiparasitic. Plumbagin is reported to have antischistosomiasis, anti-haemonchosis, anti-fascioliasis, antiotoacariasis, anti-leishmaniasis, antimalaria, antiallergic and anthelmintic activities. Besides, various methods of extraction of plumbagin from different methods, their effectiveness against different parasites, and the structure-activity relationship reported by different researchers. This work highlight on recent advancements in the phytochemistry of plumbagin, studies associated with various biological activities. The structure-activity relationship studies have also been summarized. To conclude, present review could be beneficial for the scientific community to get better insight into medicinal research of plumbagin and may provide a new horizon for the rational design of plumbagin based compounds.

Plumbagin suppresses non-small cell lung cancer progression through downregulating ARF1 and by elevating CD8+ T cells

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Therefore, new therapeutic agents are urgently needed to improve patient outcomes. Plumbagin (PLB), a natural sesquiterpene present in many Chinese herbal medicines, has been reported for its anti-cancer activity in various cancer cells. In this study, the effects and underlying mechanisms of PLB on the tumorigenesis of NSCLC were investigated. PLB dose-dependently inhibited the growth of NSCLC cell lines. PLB promoted ROS production, activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway, and induced cell apoptosis, accompanied by the decreased expression level of ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) in NSCLC cancer cells, and those effects of PLB could be reversed by the pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). More importantly, the calcium chelator (BM) significantly reversed PLB-induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, PLB significantly inhibited the growth of both H1975 xenograft and LLC1 tumors and exhibited antitumor activity by enhancing the number and the effector function of CD8+ T cells in KRASLA2 mice model and the LLC1 xenograft. Our findings suggest that PLB exerts potent antitumor activity against NSCLC in vitro and in vivo through ARF1 downregulation and induction of antitumor immune response, indicating that PLB is a new novel therapeutic candidate for the treatment of patients with NSCLC.

Effects of alpha-lipoic acid treatment on serum progranulin levels and inflammatory markers in diabetic neuropathy

Objectives

Progranulin (PGRN) is a secreted growth factor that helps to regulate neuronal survival by blocking tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) receptors. The antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is used in diabetic neuropathy to improve nerve conduction and relieve neuropathic pain, but its effects on PGRN levels have not yet been elucidated.

Methods

In this prospective study, 54 patients with type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy received 600 mg of ALA daily for 6 months. Twenty-four patients with diabetes without neuropathy were also included in the study. Serum PGRN and TNFα levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In addition, current perception threshold (CPT) testing was used to assess sensory neuropathy.

Results

After ALA treatment, serum PGRN levels were significantly increased and CPT values were significantly improved. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations among TNFα, ICAM-1, and PGRN levels both before and after ALA treatment. A significant negative correlation was observed between the improvements in CPT and the PGRN levels. Furthermore, ICAM-1 levels were an independent predictor of PGRN levels.

Conclusions

Changes in serum PGRN levels indicate that ALA treatment may have beneficial effects on endothelial function and neuronal inflammation.

The Nrf2 pathway in psychiatric disorders: pathophysiological role and potential targeting

Introduction: All psychiatric disorders exhibit excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, and neural damage as their common characteristic. The endogenous nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is implicated in the defense mechanism against oxidative stress and has a significant role in psychiatric disorders.Areas covered: We explore the role of Nrf2 pathway and its modulators in psychiatric disorders. The literature was searched utilizing various databases such as Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Pub-Med, and Google Scholar from 2010 to 2020. The search included research articles, clinical reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.Expert opinion: Environmental factors and genetic predisposition can be a trigger for the development of psychiatric disorders. Nrf2 downregulates certain inflammatory pathways and upregulates various antioxidant enzymes to maintain a balance. However, its intricate balance with NF-Kβ (Nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells) and its crosstalk with the transcription factor Nrf2 is critical in severe oxidative stress. Several Nrf2 modulators are now in clinical trials and can help reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. There are immense potential opportunities for these modulators to become a novel therapeutic option.

NADPH: Quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) mediated anti-cancer effects of plumbagin in endocrine resistant MCF7 breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND

PLB is a natural naphthoquinone compound isolated from the roots of Plumbago indica plant. Our previous study reported the inhibitory effect of Plumbagin (PLB) on human endocrine resistant breast cancer cell growth and cell invasion.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

Since PLB is a naphthoquinone compound, it can be reduced by the cytosolic NADPH: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) enzyme. NQO1 expression is upregulated in various types of aggressive cancer including breast cancer. This study investigated the impact of NQO1 on anti-cancer effects of PLB in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was an in vitro study using ER-positive cell line (MCF7) and endocrine-resistant cell lines (MCF7/LCC2 and MCF7/LCC9 cells).

METHODS

The roles of NQO1 in anti-cancer activity of PLB were investigated by using NQO1 knockdown cells, NQO1 inhibitor and NQO1 overexpressed cells. To study the impact of NQO1 on the effects of PLB on cell viability, apoptosis, invasion and generation of ROS, the following assays were used: MTT assays, annexin V-PE/7-ADD staining flow cytometry, matrigel invasion assays and DCFHDA assays. To study the mechanism of how NQO1 mediated PLB effects in tamoxifen response and apoptosis, we assessed the levels of mRNA expression by using qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

1. In this study, NQO1 was upregulated in endocrine-resistant cells. 2. PLB did not change the expression of NQO1 but it was able to increase NQO1 activity. 3. The inhibitory effects of PLB on cell proliferation, cell invasion and expression of tamoxifen resistant gene were attenuated in NQO1 knockdown cells or in the presence of NQO1 inhibitor. 4. The effects of PLB to induce apoptosis and generate ROS were also decreased when NQO1 activity was inhibited or when the NQO1 expression was reduced. 5. The anti-cancer effects of PLB increased when NQO1 was upregulated.

CONCLUSION

The effects of PLB in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells is dependent on NQO1's activity.

Coenzyme Q10 Regulation of Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress in H2O2 Induced BMSC Death by Modulating the Nrf-2/NQO-1 Signaling Pathway and Its Application in a Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has always been considered to be a devastating problem that results in catastrophic dysfunction, high disability rate, low mortality rate, and huge cost for the patient. Stem cell-based therapy, especially using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), is a promising strategy for the treatment of SCI. However, SCI results in low rates of cell survival and a poor microenvironment, which limits the therapeutic efficiency of BMSC transplantation. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is known as a powerful antioxidant, which inhibits lipid peroxidation and scavenges free radicals, and its combined effect with BMSC transplantation has been shown to have a powerful impact on protecting the vitality of cells, as well as antioxidant and antiapoptotic compounds in SCI. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether CoQ10 could decrease oxidative stress against the apoptosis of BMSCs in vitro and explored its molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we investigated the protective effect of CoQ10 combined with BMSCs transplanted into a SCI model to verify its ability. Our results demonstrate that CoQ10 treatment significantly decreases the expression of the proapoptotic proteins Bax and Caspase-3, as shown through TUNEL-positive staining and the products of oxidative stress (ROS), while increasing the expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and the products of antioxidation, such as glutathione (GSH), against apoptosis and oxidative stress, in a H2O2-induced model. We also identified consistent results from the CoQ10 treatment of BMSCs transplanted into SCI rats in vivo. Moreover, the Nrf-2 signaling pathway was also investigated in order to detail its molecular mechanism, and the results show that it plays an important role, both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, CoQ10 exerts an antiapoptotic and antioxidant effect, as well as improves the microenvironment in vitro and in vivo. It may also protect BMSCs from oxidative stress and enhance their therapeutic efficiency when transplanted for SCI treatment.

Combined Treatment with Three Natural Antioxidants Enhances Neuroprotection in a SH-SY5Y 3D Culture Model

Currently, the majority of cell-based studies on neurodegeneration are carried out on two-dimensional cultured cells that do not represent the cells residing in the complex microenvironment of the brain. Recent evidence has suggested that three-dimensional (3D) in vitro microenvironments may better model key features of brain tissues in order to study molecular mechanisms at the base of neurodegeneration. So far, no drugs have been discovered to prevent or halt the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. New therapeutic interventions can come from phytochemicals that have a broad spectrum of biological activities. On this basis, we evaluated the neuroprotective effect of three phytochemicals (sulforaphane, epigallocatechin gallate, and plumbagin) alone or in combination, focusing on their ability to counteract oxidative stress. The combined treatment was found to be more effective than the single treatments. In particular, the combined treatment increased cell viability and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, upregulated antioxidant enzymes and insulin-degrading enzymes, and downregulated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 1 and 2 in respect to peroxide-treated cells. Our data suggest that a combination of different phytochemicals could be more effective than a single compound in counteracting neurodegeneration, probably thanks to a pleiotropic mechanism of action.