Comparative Assessment of Lignan Profiling and Biological Activities of Schisandra henryi Leaf and In Vitro PlantForm Bioreactor-Grown Culture Extracts

This research's scope encompassed biotechnological, phytochemical, and biological studies of Schisandra henryi, including investigations into its in vitro microshoot culture grown in PlantForm bioreactors (temporary immersion systems, TISs), as well as extracts from leaves of the parent plant, focusing on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. The phytochemical analysis included the isolation and quantification of 17 compounds from dibenzocyclooctadiene, aryltetralin lignans, and neolignans using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), HPLC-DAD, and UHPLC-MS/MS tandem mass spectrometry with triple quadrupole mass filter methods. Higher contents of compounds were found in microshoots extracts (max. 543.99 mg/100 g DW). The major compound was schisantherin B both in the extracts from microshoots and the leaves (390.16 and 361.24 mg/100 g DW, respectively). The results of the anti-inflammatory activity in terms of the inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, sPLA2, and LOX-15 enzymes indicated that PlantForm microshoot extracts showed strong activity against COX-1 and COX-2 (for 177 mg/mL the inhibition percentage was 76% and 66%, respectively). The antioxidant potential assessed using FRAP, CUPRAC, and DPPH assays showed that extracts from microshoot cultures had 5.6, 3.8, and 3.3 times higher power compared to extracts from the leaves of the parent plant, respectively. The total polyphenol content (TPC) was 4.1 times higher in extracts from the in vitro culture compared to the leaves. The antiproliferative activity against T-cell lymphoblast line Jurkat, breast adenocarcinoma cultures (MCF-7), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), and cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), showed that both extracts have considerable effects on the tested cell lines. The antimicrobial activity tested against strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi showed the highest activity towards H. pylori (MIC and MBC 0.625 mg/mL).

Comprehensive review of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans from the Schisandra genus: anticancer potential, mechanistic insights and future prospects in oncology

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The search for novel and effective anticancer agents has been a significant area of research. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (DBCLS), derived from the Schisandra genus plants like: S. chinensis, S. sphenanthera, S. henryi, S. rubriflora, S. grandiflora, S. propinqua, and S. glabra, have been traditionally used in various medicinal systems and are known for their myriad health benefits, including anticancer properties. This comprehensive review aimed to collate and critically analyse the recent literature on the anticancer properties of DBCLS, focusing on their mechanistic approaches against different cancer types. An exhaustive literature search was performed using databases like PubMed/MedLine, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, TRIP database and Google Scholar from 1980 to 2023. Peer-reviewed articles that elucidated the mechanistic approach of these lignans on cancer cell lines, in vivo models and preliminary clinical studies were included. Studies were assessed for their experimental designs, cancer types studied, and the mechanistic insights provided. The studies demonstrate that the anticancer effects of DBCLS compounds are primarily driven by their ability to trigger apoptosis, arrest the cell cycle, induce oxidative stress, modulate autophagy, and disrupt essential signaling pathways, notably MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and NF-κB. Additionally, these lignans have been shown to amplify the impact of traditional chemotherapy treatments, suggesting their potential role as supportive adjuncts in cancer therapy. Notably, several studies also emphasise their capacity to target cancer stem cells and mitigate multi-drug resistance specifically. DBCLS from the Schisandra genus have showcased significant potential as anticancer agents. Their multi-targeted mechanistic approach makes them promising candidates for further research, potentially leading to developing of new therapeutic strategies in cancer management.

Schisandra henryi-A Rare Species with High Medicinal Potential

Schisandra henryi (Schisandraceae) is a plant species endemic to Yunnan Province in China and is little known in Europe and America. To date, few studies, mainly performed by Chinese researchers, have been conducted on S. henryi. The chemical composition of this plant is dominated by lignans (dibenzocyclooctadiene, aryltetralin, dibenzylbutane), polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids), triterpenoids, and nortriterpenoids. The research on the chemical profile of S. henryi showed a similar chemical composition to S. chinensis-a globally known pharmacopoeial species with valuable medicinal properties whichis the best-known species of the genus Schisandra. The whole genus is characterized by the presence of the aforementioned specific dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, known as "Schisandra lignans". This paper was intended to provide a comprehensive review of the scientific literature published on the research conducted on S. henryi, with particular emphasis on the chemical composition and biological properties. Recently, a phytochemical, biological, and biotechnological study conducted by our team highlighted the great potential of S. henryi in in vitro cultures. The biotechnological research revealed the possibilities of the use of biomass from S. henryi as an alternative to raw material that cannot be easily obtained from natural sites. Moreover, the characterization of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans specific to the Schisandraceae family was provided. Except for several scientific studies which have confirmed the most valuable pharmacological properties of these lignans, hepatoprotective and hepatoregenerative, this article also reviews studies that have confirmed the anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticancer, antiviral, antioxidant, cardioprotective, and anti-osteoporotic effects and their application for treating intestinal dysfunction.

Phytochemical and biotechnological studies on Schisandra chinensis cultivar Sadova No. 1-a high utility medicinal plant

In the presented work, raw materials (fruits and leaves) and in vitro biomass of a highly productive Schisandra chinensis Sadova No. 1 cultivar (SchS) were evaluated for the production of therapeutically useful schisandra lignans (SL). In vitro cultures of SchS were initiated, followed by extensive optimization studies focused on maximizing secondary metabolite production, with the aim of establishing a sustainable source of SL. Different cultivation systems (agar, agitated, bioreactor), experiment times (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days) and plant growth regulators (6-benzyladenine—BA and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid—NAA, from 0 to 3 mg/l) in Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium were tested. Moreover, an elicitation procedure was applied to bioreactor-grown microshoots in order to increase SL production. Validated HPLC-DAD protocol enabled to detect fourteen SL in the extracts from in vitro and in vivo materials. The main compounds in the in vitro cultures were as follows: schisandrin (max. 176.3 mg/100 g DW), angeloylgomisin Q (max. 85.1 mg/100 g DW), gomisin A (max. 71.4 mg/100 g DW) and angeloylgomisin H (max. 67.0 mg/100 g DW). The highest total SL content (490.3 mg/100 g DW) was obtained in extracts from the biomass of agar cultures cultivated for 30 days on the MS medium variant containing 3 mg/l BA and 1 mg/l NAA. This amount was 1.32 times lower than in fruit extracts (646.0 mg/100 g DW) and 2.04 times higher than in leaf extracts (240.7 mg/100 g DW). The study demonstrated that SchS is a rich source of SL, thus proving its value for medical, cosmetic and food industry.

Accumulation of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans in agar cultures and in stationary and agitated liquid cultures of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill

Schisandra chinensis plant in vitro cultures were maintained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg/l 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) in an agar system and also in two different liquid systems: stationary and agitated. Liquid cultures were grown in batch (30 and 60 days) and fed-batch modes. In the methanolic extracts from lyophilized biomasses and in the media, quantification of fourteen dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans identified based on co-chromatography with authentic standards using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and/or liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-ESI-MS) methods. For comparison purposes, phytochemical analyses were performed of lignans in the leaves and fruits of the parent plant. The main lignans detected in the biomass extracts from all the tested systems were schisandrin (max. 65.62 mg/100 g dry weight (DW)), angeloyl-/tigloylgomisin Q (max. 49.73 mg/100 g DW), deoxyschisandrin (max. 43.65 mg/100 g DW), and gomisin A (max. 34.36 mg/100 g DW). The highest total amounts of lignans in the two tested stationary systems were found in extracts from the biomass harvested after 30 days of batch cultivation: 237.86 mg/100 g DW and 274.65 mg/100 g DW, respectively. In the agitated culture, the total content reached a maximum value of 244.80 mg/100 g DW after 60 days of the fed-batch mode of cultivation. The lignans were not detected in the media. This is the first report which documents the potential usefulness of S. chinensis shoot cultures cultivated in liquid systems for practical purposes.

Study on the plasma protein binding rate of Schisandra lignans based on the LC-IT-TOF/MS technique with relative quantitative analysis

The main objective of the current study was to develop a universal method for a protein binding assay of complicated herbal components, and to investigate the possible relationship between compound polarity and protein binding using Schisadra lignans as an example. Firstly, the rat, dog and human plasma were spiked with three different concentrations of Schisandra chinensis extract (SLE), and ultramicrofiltration was used to obtain the unbound ingredients. Secondly, thirty-one Schisandra lignans in total plasma and ultrafiltered fluid were measured by LC-IT-TOFMS. Lastly, a relative exposure approach, which entailed calculating the relative concentrations of each Schisandra lignan from the corresponding calibration equation created from the calibration samples spiked with the stock solution of SLE, was applied in order to overcome the absence of authentic standards. The results showed that Schisandra lignans exhibited a high capability to bind with plasma protein, furthermore, the protein binding ratio of the lignan components increased proportionally with their individual chromatographic retention time, which indicated that the ratio of protein binding of lignans might increase accordingly with decreasing polarity. This study suggested that the compound polarity might be an important factor affecting the plasma protein binding of herbal components.

Profiling and identification of the absorbed constituents and metabolites of schisandra lignans by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

Schisandra chinensis Baill grows wild in Russia, China, Korea and Japan, and its fruit has been found to be effective in amnesia and insomnia. It is enriched in schisandra lignans (SL) that are major components responsible for therapeutic action. However, there are no reports on the biotransformation analysis of SL. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-ionization high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS) method was developed to investigate the metabolism of SL in vivo. MS was performed on a Waters Micromass high-definition system with an electrospray ionization source in positive ion mode and automated MetaboLynx software analysis with excellent MS accuracy and enhanced MS data acquisition. An improved mass defect filter (MDF) method employing both drug and core structure filter templates was applied to the processing of UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS data for the detection and structural characterization of metabolites. In this study, 30 metabolites were detected and identified in vivo, and demethylation and hydroxylation were confirmed as the primacy metabolic pathway for SL in rat plasma. In conclusion, the presently developed methodology was suitable for biotransformation research of SL and will find wide use in metabolic studies for other herbal medicines.