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Zaa CA, Espitia C, Reyes-Barrera KL, An Z, Velasco-Velázquez MA. Neuroprotective Agents with Therapeutic Potential for COVID-19. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1585. [PMID: 38002267 PMCID: PMC10669388 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 patients can exhibit a wide range of clinical manifestations affecting various organs and systems. Neurological symptoms have been reported in COVID-19 patients, both during the acute phase of the illness and in cases of long-term COVID. Moderate symptoms include ageusia, anosmia, altered mental status, and cognitive impairment, and in more severe cases can manifest as ischemic cerebrovascular disease and encephalitis. In this narrative review, we delve into the reported neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19, as well as the underlying mechanisms contributing to them. These mechanisms include direct damage to neurons, inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein misfolding. We further investigate the potential of small molecules from natural products to offer neuroprotection in models of neurodegenerative diseases. Through our analysis, we discovered that flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other natural compounds exhibit neuroprotective effects by modulating signaling pathways known to be impacted by COVID-19. Some of these compounds also directly target SARS-CoV-2 viral replication. Therefore, molecules of natural origin show promise as potential agents to prevent or mitigate nervous system damage in COVID-19 patients. Further research and the evaluation of different stages of the disease are warranted to explore their potential benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- César A. Zaa
- School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM), Lima 15081, Peru;
| | - Clara Espitia
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (C.E.); (K.L.R.-B.)
| | - Karen L. Reyes-Barrera
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (C.E.); (K.L.R.-B.)
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Marco A. Velasco-Velázquez
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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2
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Zeng J, Bao T, Yang K, Zhu X, Wang S, Xiang W, Ge A, Zeng L, Ge J. The mechanism of microglia-mediated immune inflammation in ischemic stroke and the role of natural botanical components in regulating microglia: A review. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1047550. [PMID: 36818470 PMCID: PMC9933144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1047550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the most fatal diseases. Neuroimmunity, inflammation, and oxidative stress play important roles in various complex mechanisms of IS. In particular, the early proinflammatory response resulting from the overactivation of resident microglia and the infiltration of circulating monocytes and macrophages in the brain after cerebral ischemia leads to secondary brain injury. Microglia are innate immune cells in the brain that constantly monitor the brain microenvironment under normal conditions. Once ischemia occurs, microglia are activated to produce dual effects of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection, and the balance of the two effects determines the fate of damaged neurons. The activation of microglia is defined as the classical activation (M1 type) or alternative activation (M2 type). M1 type microglia secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic mediators to exacerbate neuronal damage, while M2 type microglia promote a repairing anti-inflammatory response. Fine regulation of M1/M2 microglial activation to minimize damage and maximize protection has important therapeutic value. This review focuses on the interaction between M1/M2 microglia and other immune cells involved in the regulation of IS phenotypic characteristics, and the mechanism of natural plant components regulating microglia after IS, providing novel candidate drugs for regulating microglial balance and IS drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Zeng
- The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tingting Bao
- Institute of Metabolic Diseases, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kailin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | | | - Shanshan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Wang Xiang
- Department of Rheumatology, The First People's Hospital Changde City, Changde, Hunan, China
| | - Anqi Ge
- The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Liuting Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Jinwen Ge
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Diseases, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.,Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Rehman MU, Farooq A, Ali R, Bashir S, Bashir N, Majeed S, Taifa S, Ahmad SB, Arafah A, Sameer AS, Khan R, Qamar W, Rasool S, Ahmad A. Preclinical Evidence for the Pharmacological Actions of Glycyrrhizic Acid: A Comprehensive Review. Curr Drug Metab 2021; 21:436-465. [PMID: 32562521 DOI: 10.2174/1389200221666200620204914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Family: Fabaceae) is one of the important traditional medicinal plant used extensively in folk medicine. It is known for its ethnopharmacological value in curing a wide variety of ailments. Glycyrrhizin, an active compound of G. glabra, possesses anti-inflammatory activity due to which it is mostly used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment and management of chronic diseases. The present review is focused extensively on the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and potential effects of Glycyrrhizic Acid (GA). A thorough literature survey was conducted to identify various studies that reported on the GA on PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muneeb U Rehman
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adil Farooq
- RAKCOPS, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras AL Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rayeesa Ali
- Division of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Sana Bashir
- Division of Veterinary Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Nazirah Bashir
- Division of Veterinary Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Samia Majeed
- Division of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Syed Taifa
- Division of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Sheikh Bilal Ahmad
- Division of Veterinary Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama, JandK, India
| | - Azher Arafah
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aga Syed Sameer
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rehan Khan
- Department of Nano-therapeutics, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (DST-INST), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Wajhul Qamar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Central Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saiema Rasool
- Forest Biotech Lab, Department of Forest Mana pgement, Faculty of Forestry, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Anas Ahmad
- Department of Nano-therapeutics, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (DST-INST), Mohali, Punjab, India
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Subedi L, Gaire BP. Phytochemicals as regulators of microglia/macrophages activation in cerebral ischemia. Pharmacol Res 2021; 165:105419. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Abstract
Liquorice is a perennial, temperate-zone herb or subshrub, native of India, Pakistan and southern Europe; also cultivated in England, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. It has also been grown experimentally in the United States. Ancient historical manuscripts from China, India and Greece mention its use for symptoms of viral respiratory tract infections and hepatitis. The plant has also been described by Theophrastus. Licorice from Egypt has been described to be the best, followed by from Iraq and Syria; the root should be decorticated before use. It concocts viscid humours in diseases of liver, bladder and lungs, and expectorates them. It has been used in Iranian herbal medicine for skin eruptions, including dermatitis, eczema, pruritus and cysts, and for treatment of stomach disorders including peptic ulcers. The herb extract inhibits gastric motility in vivo, which is regarded to be an important aspect for its antiulcer activity. Licorice possesses both anti-inflammatory and antiulcer activities; whereas most anti-inflammatory agents are ulcerogenic. Former German Commission E believed it to be effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Licorice root has been used for years to regulate gastrointestinal function in TCM, has been used for generations as an antidote, demulcent, and elixir in folk medicine of China, and is the most commonly used crude drug in Kampo Medicines, the Japanese form of modified TCM, for the treatment of peptic ulcer. Roots contain glycyrrhizin, the main water-soluble constituent that is 50× sweeter than sugar, 2-β-glucuronosyl glucuronic acid, and isoliquiritigenin-4-glucoside. Glycyrrhizin is a nonhemolytic saponin with foaming property, and one of the most potent hydroxyl radical scavengers. No significant effect of deglycyrrhizinised liquorice was observed on gastric ulcer in an RCT of British patients. Treatment of healthy men with licorice for one-week decreased salivary testosterone values by 26% but no significant decrease in free testosterone, and nine healthy women treated with licorice daily for two cycles, had their mean total serum testosterone decreased by 37% at the end of 2nd month. This property could be useful as an adjunct therapy of hirsutism and PCOS.
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Sathyamoorthy Y, Kaliappan K, Nambi P, Radhakrishnan R. Glycyrrhizic acid renders robust neuroprotection in rodent model of vascular dementia by controlling oxidative stress and curtailing cytochrome-c release. Nutr Neurosci 2019; 23:955-970. [DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2019.1580935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yogeshkanna Sathyamoorthy
- Department of Anatomy, Dr. Arcot Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Kathiravan Kaliappan
- Department of Anatomy, Dr. Arcot Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Pradeepkumar Nambi
- Department of Anatomy, Dr. Arcot Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Rameshkumar Radhakrishnan
- Department of Anatomy, Dr. Arcot Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India
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Li CC, Wang XJ, Wang HCR. Repurposing host-based therapeutics to control coronavirus and influenza virus. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:726-736. [PMID: 30711575 PMCID: PMC7108273 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drug repositioning is a cost- and time-efficient approach for new indications. Targeting host machineries, used by viruses, could develop broad-spectrum antivirals. Repurposing existing drugs could efficiently identify antiviral agents.
The development of highly effective antiviral agents has been a major objective in virology and pharmaceutics. Drug repositioning has emerged as a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative approach to traditional drug discovery and development. This new shift focuses on the repurposing of clinically approved drugs and promising preclinical drug candidates for the therapeutic development of host-based antiviral agents to control diseases caused by coronavirus and influenza virus. Host-based antiviral agents target host cellular machineries essential for viral infections or innate immune responses to interfere with viral pathogenesis. This review discusses current knowledge, prospective applications and challenges in the repurposing of clinically approved and preclinically studied drugs for newly indicated antiviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Cui Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Hwa-Chain Robert Wang
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
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Anti-HIV Agents From Nature: Natural Compounds From Hypericum hircinum and Carbocyclic Nucleosides From Iridoids. STUDIES IN NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64058-1.00006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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9
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Fei L, Jifeng F, Tiantian W, Yi H, Linghui P. Glycyrrhizin Ameliorate Ischemia Reperfusion Lung Injury through Downregulate TLR2 Signaling Cascade in Alveolar Macrophages. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:389. [PMID: 28670282 PMCID: PMC5472719 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to study whether pretreatment with Glycyrrhizin (GL) could ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) lung injury and investigate the mechanisms of its protective effects in a mice model. Six-eight weeks male BALB/C mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 6): Control, Glycyrrhizin, I/R and I/R+Glycyrrhizin. Lung I/R was achieved by clamping the left hilus pulmonis. GL (200 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before anesthesia. Measurement of pathohistological lung injury score, pulmonary permeability, isolated alveolar macrophages, inflammatory mediators, TLR2 and its downstream factors (MyD88, NF-κB) were performed. The results were as anticipated. Pathohistological evaluation indicated that GL significantly ameliorated I/R-induced lung injury, pulmonary permeability and edema. Pretreatment with GL significantly inhibited I/R-induced inflammation in lung tissues and BALF. In addition, GL significantly decreased I/R-induced isolated alveolar macrophages and suppressed I/R-induced expression of TLR2 and its downstream factors in lung tissues and alveolar macrophages. Collectively, our data indicated that pretreatment with GL could ameliorate I/R lung injury. The mechanisms of its protective effects might be inhibit I/R-induced inflammatory response through downregulate TLR2 signaling cascade in alveolar macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Fei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical UniversityNanning, China
| | - Feng Jifeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangxi Maternal and Child Health HospitalNanning, China
| | - Wang Tiantian
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical UniversityNanning, China
| | - He Yi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical UniversityNanning, China
| | - Pan Linghui
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical UniversityNanning, China
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Anti-Inflammation of Natural Components from Medicinal Plants at Low Concentrations in Brain via Inhibiting Neutrophil Infiltration after Stroke. Mediators Inflamm 2016; 2016:9537901. [PMID: 27688603 PMCID: PMC5027307 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9537901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation after stroke consists of activation of microglia/astrocytes in situ and infiltration of blood-borne leukocytes, resulting in brain damage and neurological deficits. Mounting data demonstrated that most natural components from medicinal plants had anti-inflammatory effects after ischemic stroke through inhibiting activation of resident microglia/astrocytes within ischemic area. However, it is speculated that this classical activity cannot account for the anti-inflammatory function of these natural components in the cerebral parenchyma, where they are detected at very low concentrations due to their poor membrane permeability and slight leakage of BBB. Could these drugs exert anti-inflammatory effects peripherally without being delivered across the BBB? Factually, ameliorating blood-borne neutrophil recruitment in peripheral circulatory system has been proved to reduce ischemic damage and improve outcomes. Thus, it is concluded that if drugs could achieve effective concentrations in the cerebral parenchyma, they can function via crippling resident microglia/astrocytes activation and inhibiting neutrophil infiltration, whereas the latter will be dominating when these drugs localize in the brain at a low concentration. In this review, the availability of some natural components crossing the BBB in stroke will be discussed, and how these drugs lead to improvements in stroke through inhibition of neutrophil rolling, adhesion, and transmigration will be illustrated.
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Ravanfar P, Namazi G, Atigh M, Zafarmand S, Hamedi A, Salehi A, Izadi S, Borhani-Haghighi A. Efficacy of whole extract of licorice in neurological improvement of patients after acute ischemic stroke. J Herb Med 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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Hosseinzadeh H, Nassiri-Asl M. Pharmacological Effects of Glycyrrhiza spp. and Its Bioactive Constituents: Update and Review. Phytother Res 2015; 29:1868-86. [PMID: 26462981 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The roots and rhizomes of various species of the perennial herb licorice (Glycyrrhiza) are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. In experimental and clinical studies, licorice has been shown to have several pharmacological properties including antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidative, antidiabetic, antiasthma, and anticancer activities as well as immunomodulatory, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects. In recent years, several of the biochemical, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of licorice and its active components have also been demonstrated in experimental studies. In this review, we summarized the new phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological data from recent experimental and clinical studies of licorice and its bioactive constituents after our previous published review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Hosseinzadeh
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Marjan Nassiri-Asl
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 341197-5981, Qazvin, Iran
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Li H, Ye M, Zhang Y, Huang M, Xu W, Chu K, Chen L, Que J. Blood-brain barrier permeability of Gualou Guizhi granules and neuroprotective effects in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:1272-8. [PMID: 25815607 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to estimate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of Gualou Guizhi granules (GLGZG) in normal rats and in rat models of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and to examine the neuroprotective effects of GLGZG. A sensitive high‑performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry analytical method was developed to determinate the components of GLGZG in the plasma and brain tissue. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats served as a model of in vivo I/R. Citrulline, gallic acid, albiflorin, peoniflorin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhizinic acid rapidly passed into the bloodstream. Citrulline, albiflorin, peoniflorin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhizinic acid also passed the BBB and reached the brain tissue of MCAO rats, while isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhizinic acid were not detected in the brain tissue of the normal rats. The potential neuroprotective effect of GLGZG was determined in MCAO rats. The intragastric administration of GLGZG following reperfusion of rats for 2 h decreased the neurological defects and infarction volume, attenuated pathological changes of brain tissue and exerted a significant protective effect in cerebral ischemia injury. In conclusion, certain components of GLGZG passed through the BBB, particularly following cerebral ischemia injury, and this may be therapeutically effective for the treatment of cerebral ischemia injury in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Li
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Miao Ye
- Centre of Biomedical Research and Development, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Yuqin Zhang
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Mingqing Huang
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Wei Xu
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Kedan Chu
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Lidian Chen
- Rehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
| | - Jinhua Que
- Pharmacy College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, P.R. China
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14
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Gong G, Xiang L, Yuan L, Hu L, Wu W, Cai L, Yin L, Dong H. Protective effect of glycyrrhizin, a direct HMGB1 inhibitor, on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in rats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89450. [PMID: 24594628 PMCID: PMC3942385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim Glycyrrhizin (GL) has been reported to protect against ischemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury by inhibiting the cytokine activity of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). In the present study, the protective effects of GL against I/R injury, as well as the related molecular mechanisms, were investigated in rat brains. Methods Focal cerebral I/R injury was induced by intraluminal filamentous occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in Male Sprague-Dawley rats. GL alone or GL and rHMGB1 were administered intravenously at the time of reperfusion. Serum levels of HMGB1 and inflammatory mediators were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological examination, immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and western blotting analyses were performed to investigate the protective and anti-apoptotic effects and related molecular mechanisms of GL against I/R injury in rat brains. Results Pre-treatment with GL significantly reduced infarct volume and improved the accompanying neurological deficits in locomotor function. The release of HMGB1 from the cerebral cortex into the serum was inhibited by GL administration. Moreover, pre-treatment with GL alleviated apoptotic injury resulting from cerebral I/R through the inhibition of cytochrome C release and caspase 3 activity. The expression levels of inflammation- and oxidative stress-related molecules including TNF-α, iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6, which were over-expressed in I/R, were decreased by GL. P38 and P-JNK signalling were involved in this process. All of the protective effects of GL could be reversed by rHMGB1 administration. Conclusions GL has a protective effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat brains through the inhibition of inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptotic injury by antagonising the cytokine activity of HMGB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gu Gong
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lei Xiang
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Libang Yuan
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ling Hu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Cai
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Yin
- Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hailong Dong
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- * E-mail:
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Barakat W, Safwet N, El-Maraghy NN, Zakaria MNM. Candesartan and glycyrrhizin ameliorate ischemic brain damage through downregulation of the TLR signaling cascade. Eur J Pharmacol 2013; 724:43-50. [PMID: 24378346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2013.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stroke is the second leading cause of death in industrialized countries and the most frequent cause of permanent disability in adults worldwide. The final outcome of stroke is determined not only by the volume of the ischemic core, but also by the extent of secondary brain damage inflicted to penumbral tissues by brain swelling, impaired microcirculation, and inflammation. The only drug approved for the treatment ischemic stroke is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). The current study was designed to investigate the protective effects of candesartan (0.15 mg/kg, orally) and glycyrrhizin (30 mg/kg, orally) experimentally-induced ischemic brain damage in C57BL/6 mice (middle cerebral artery occlusion, MCAO) in comparison to the effects of a standard neuroprotective drug (cerebrolysin, 7.5 mg/kg, IP). All drugs were administered 30 min before and 24h after MCAO. Both candesartan and glycyrrhizin ameliorated the deleterious effects of MCAO as indicated by the improvement in the performance of the animals in behaviour tests, reduction in brain infarction, neuronal degeneration, and leukocyte infiltration. In addition, MCAO induced a significant upregulation in the different elements of the TLR pathway including TLR-2 and TLR-4, Myd88, TRIF and IRF-3 and the downstream effectors TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and NF-kB. All these changes were significantly ameliorated by treatment with candesartan and glycyrrhizin. The results of the current study represent a new indication for both candesartan and glycyrrhizin in the management of ischemic stroke with effects comparable to those of the standard neuroprotective drug cerebrolysin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Barakat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, 44519 Zagazig, Egypt.
| | - Nancy Safwet
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, 44519 Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Nabila N El-Maraghy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, 44519 Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mohamed N M Zakaria
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, 44519 Zagazig, Egypt
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