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Moreira J, Machado M, Dias-Teixeira M, Ferraz R, Delerue-Matos C, Grosso C. The neuroprotective effect of traditional Chinese medicinal plants-A critical review. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:3208-3237. [PMID: 37655317 PMCID: PMC10465969 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases are increasingly affecting individuals' quality of life, thus increasing their cost to social and health systems. These diseases have overlapping mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, neurotransmission impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, and excitotoxicity. Currently, there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases, and the available therapies have adverse effects and low efficacy. For neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, the current therapies are not adequate to one-third of the patients, the so-called treatment-resistant patients. So, searching for new treatments is fundamental. Medicinal plants appear as a strong alternative and complement towards new treatment protocols, as they have been used for health purposes for thousands of years. Thus, the main goal of this review is to revisit the neuroprotective potential of some of the most predominant medicinal plants (and one fungus) used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), focusing on their proven mechanisms of action and their chemical compositions, to give clues on how they can be useful against neurodegeneration progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Moreira
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
| | - Mariana Machado
- Ciências Químicas e das Biomoléculas/CISA, Escola Superior de Saúde—Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4200-072, Portugal
| | - Mónica Dias-Teixeira
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
- NICiTeS—Núcleo de Investigação em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde, Escola Superior de Saúde Ribeiro Sanches, Lisboa 1950-396, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Ferraz
- Ciências Químicas e das Biomoléculas/CISA, Escola Superior de Saúde—Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4200-072, Portugal
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Cristina Delerue-Matos
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
| | - Clara Grosso
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
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Li MX, Wei QQ, Lu HJ. Progress on the Elucidation of the Antinociceptive Effect of Ginseng and Ginsenosides in Chronic Pain. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:821940. [PMID: 35264958 PMCID: PMC8899510 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.821940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a traditional Oriental herbal drug widely used in East Asia. Its main active ingredients are ginsenosides whose constituents are known to have various pharmacological activities such as anticancer, antinociception, and neuroprotection. The analgesic effects of ginsenosides, such as Rg1, Rg2, and Rb1, as well as compound K, are well known and the analgesic mechanism of action in inflammatory pain models is thought to be the down regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (TNF-α IL-1β, and IL-6). Several studies have also demonstrated that ginsenosides regulate neuropathic pain through the modulation of estrogen receptors. Recently, an increasing number of pathways have emerged in relation to the antinociceptive effect of ginseng and ginsenosides. Therefore, this review presents our current understanding of the effectiveness of ginseng in chronic pain and how its active constituents regulate nociceptive responses and their mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Xian Li
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Technical Fiber Composites for Safety and Protection, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qian-Qi Wei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Tibet Military Command, Xizang, China
| | - Huan-Jun Lu
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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Shen Y, Bhattarai JP, Park SJ, Lee GS, Ryu PD, Han SK. Korean red ginseng excitation of paraventricular nucleus neurons via non-N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor activation in mice. J Vet Sci 2018; 19:172-178. [PMID: 29169227 PMCID: PMC5879065 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2018.19.2.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been reported that Korean red ginseng (KRG), a valuable and important traditional medicine, has varied effects on the central nervous system, suggesting its activities are complicated. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neurons of the hypothalamus has a critical role in stress responses and hormone secretions. Although the action mechanisms of KRG on various cells and systems have been reported, the direct membrane effects of KRG on PVN neurons have not been fully described. In this study, the direct membrane effects of KRG on PVN neuronal activity were investigated by using a perforated patch-clamp in ICR mice. In gramicidin perforated patch-clamp mode, KRG extract (KRGE) induced repeatable depolarization followed by hyperpolarization of PVN neurons. The KRGE-induced responses were concentration- dependent and persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin, a voltage sensitive Na+ channel blocker. The KRGE-induced responses were suppressed by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (10 μM), a non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonist, but not by picrotoxin, a type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor antagonist. The results indicate that KRG activates non-NMDA glutamate receptors of PVN neurons in mice, suggesting that KRG may be a candidate for use in regulation of stress responses by controlling autonomic nervous system and hormone secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Shen
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Janardhan P Bhattarai
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Soo Joung Park
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Gyu Seung Lee
- Daejeon Dong-gu Health Promotion Center, Daejeon 34691, Korea
| | - Pan Dong Ryu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Seong Kyu Han
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
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Park SY, Park JH, Kim HS, Lee CY, Lee HJ, Kang KS, Kim CE. Systems-level mechanisms of action of Panax ginseng: a network pharmacological approach. J Ginseng Res 2018; 42:98-106. [PMID: 29348728 PMCID: PMC5766701 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Panax ginseng has been used since ancient times based on the traditional Asian medicine theory and clinical experiences, and currently, is one of the most popular herbs in the world. To date, most of the studies concerning P. ginseng have focused on specific mechanisms of action of individual constituents. However, in spite of many studies on the molecular mechanisms of P. ginseng, it still remains unclear how multiple active ingredients of P. ginseng interact with multiple targets simultaneously, giving the multidimensional effects on various conditions and diseases. In order to decipher the systems-level mechanism of multiple ingredients of P. ginseng, a novel approach is needed beyond conventional reductive analysis. We aim to review the systems-level mechanism of P. ginseng by adopting novel analytical framework-network pharmacology. Here, we constructed a compound-target network of P. ginseng using experimentally validated and machine learning-based prediction results. The targets of the network were analyzed in terms of related biological process, pathways, and diseases. The majority of targets were found to be related with primary metabolic process, signal transduction, nitrogen compound metabolic process, blood circulation, immune system process, cell-cell signaling, biosynthetic process, and neurological system process. In pathway enrichment analysis of targets, mainly the terms related with neural activity showed significant enrichment and formed a cluster. Finally, relative degrees analysis for the target-disease association of P. ginseng revealed several categories of related diseases, including respiratory, psychiatric, and cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sa-Yoon Park
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hun Park
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Su Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Choong-Yeol Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Jeung Lee
- Department of Food and Nutrition, College of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Sung Kang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Eop Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
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Oh CT, Park JI, Jung YR, Joo YA, Shin DH, Cho HJ, Ahn SM, Lim YH, Park CK, Hwang JS. Inhibitory effect of Korean Red Ginseng on melanocyte proliferation and its possible implication in GM-CSF mediated signaling. J Ginseng Res 2013; 37:389-400. [PMID: 24235857 PMCID: PMC3825854 DOI: 10.5142/jgr.2013.37.389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been reported to exert anticancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there has been no report on the effect of KRG on skin pigmentation. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of KRG on melanocyte proliferation. KRG extract (KRGE) at different concentrations had no effect on melanin synthesis in melan-A melanocytes. Saponin of KRG (SKRG) inhibited melanin content to 80% of the control at 100 ppm. Keratinocyte-derived factors induced by UV-irradiation were reported to stimulate melanogenesis, differentiation, proliferation, and dendrite formation. In this study, treatment of melan-A melanocytes with conditioned media from UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes increased melanocyte proliferation. When UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes were treated with KRGE or SKRG, the increase of melanocyte proliferation by the conditioned media was blocked. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was produced and released from UV-irradiated keratinocytes. This factor has been reported to be involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal melanocytes. In this study, GM-CSF was significantly increased in SP-1 keratinocytes by UVB irradiation (30 mJ/cm(2)), and the proliferation of melan-A melanocytes increased significantly by GM-CSF treatment. In addition, the proliferative effect of keratinocyte-conditioned media on melan-A melanocytes was blocked by anti-GM-CSF treatment. KRGE or SKRG treatment decreased the expression of GM-CSF in SP-1 keratinocytes induced by UVB irradiation. These results demonstrate that UV irradiation induced GM-CSF expression in keratinocytes and KRGE or SKRG inhibited its expression. Therefore, KRG could be a good candidate for regulating UV-induced melanocyte proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Taek Oh
- Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, Korea
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Bhattarai JP, Park SJ, Han SK. Potentiation of NMDA Receptors by Withania somnifera on Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2013; 41:503-13. [DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x13500365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In Ayurveda,Withania somnifera (WS) is used as a medicine to maintain mental and physical health as well as to enhance memory. In this study, the methanolic extract of WS(mWS) was tested for its electrical influence on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons using a patch clamp technique. In current clamp mode under a high chloride pipette solution, mWS (400 ng/μl) induced remarkable membrane depolarization (9.75 ± 2.54 mV, n = 6) of CA1 neurons. The mWS-induced depolarization was dose-dependent, reproducible, and persistent in the presence of 0.5 μM tetrodotoxin (TTX, 10.17 ± 0.04 mV, n = 6). In voltage clamp mode (holding potential = -60 mV), mWS induced a dose-dependent non-desensitizing inward current that persisted in the presence of TTX (0.5 μM), suggesting that the response induced by mWS was purely a postsynaptic event. Interestingly, these inward currents were partially blocked by strychnine, a glycine receptor blocker. Further, mWS potentiated the NMDA response in hippocampal CA1 neurons at low concentrations. Overall, these results suggest that there are compounds in WS with possible glycine mimetic activities, which may be potential targets for inducing memory consolidation in hippocampal CA1 neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janardhan Prasad Bhattarai
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Joung Park
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Kyu Han
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry and Institute of Oral Bioscience, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of Korea
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Cho DH, Bhattarai JP, Han SK. GABAA Receptor- and Non-NMDA Glutamate Receptor-Mediated Actions of Korean Red Ginseng Extract on the Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Neurons. J Ginseng Res 2012; 36:47-54. [PMID: 23717103 PMCID: PMC3659566 DOI: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.1.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Revised: 11/30/2011] [Accepted: 11/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been used worldwide as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various reproductive diseases. Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are the fundamental regulators of pulsatile release of gonadotropin required for fertility. In this study, an extract of KRG (KRGE) was applied to GnRH neurons to identify the receptors activated by KRGE. The brain slice patch clamp technique in whole cell and perforated patch was used to clarify the effect of KRGE on the membrane currents and membrane potentials of GnRH neurons. Application of KRGE (3 μg/μL) under whole cell patch induced remarkable inward currents (56.17±7.45 pA, n=25) and depolarization (12.91±3.80 mV, n=4) in GnRH neurons under high Cl- pipette solution condition. These inward currents were not only reproducible, but also concentration dependent. In addition, inward currents and depolarization induced by KRGE persisted in the presence of the voltage gated Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX), suggesting that the responses by KRGE were postsynaptic events. Application of KRGE under the gramicidin perforated patch induced depolarization in the presence of TTX suggesting its physiological significance on GnRH response. Further, the KRGE-induced inward currents were partially blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX; non-NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, 10 μM) or picrotoxin (PIC; GABAA receptor antagonist, 50 μM), and almost blocked by PIC and CNQX mixture. Taken together, these results suggest that KRGE contains ingredients with possible GABA and non-NMDA glutamate receptor mimetic activity, and may play an important role in the endocrine function of reproductive physiology, via activation of GABAA and non-NMDA glutamate receptors in GnRH neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Hyu Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju 561-712, Korea
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